Transfer 7 Week 5

This week was an awesome week, besides the whole Sister Martin and I getting sick thing (it's okay we are a lot better now), it was a great week! 

This past week during my studies I have really felt so much closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have felt his love and His perfect awareness and knowledge of me. Even from the smallest things. I know that he is my friend and that He walks beside me, just like given in Doctrine and Covenants 84:77 

" And again I say unto you, my friends, for from henceforth I shall call you friends, it is expedient that I give unto you this commandment, that ye become even as my friends in days when I was with them, traveling to preach the gospel in my power;"
On Friday we got a Mini Missionary joining with us and she is awesome! Sister Tuivailala (Sister Tui), she is such a sweetie and full of fire, just ready to go out and change the world with the gospel. Ready to learn and soak in the whole experience. It's been a great couple of days!
On Saturday we had the incredible opportunity to hear from Elder Quinton L. Cook, Bishop Gerald Causse and Elder Brent H. Neilson. It was a Q&A type meeting and there were some incredible things said by all. 

The main topics were setting goals, studies, the Holy Ghost, consecration and leadership. Something I loved what they said was related to Doctrine and Covenants 97:8 - "Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice—yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command—they are accepted of me."

Sometimes we are scared that we are not doing good enough but through this and what was said I have come to know that Heavenly Father measures success on what we are willing to do and give to the work, not the numbers in the end. His area book is different to ours, he knows the hearts of the people we teach and come in contact with and he knows our heart and what our desires are and so this brought  a lot of comfort to my heart, because sometimes we have hard weeks, but in the end it's okay. He understands perfectly.  

There are so many things that I can't possibly write them all with the time that I have but in the end Elder Cook got up and bore his testimony and he said something that struck my to the very core and I knew what he said to be true with all I have, he said concerning the Savior, Jesus Christ. "I know His voice and He leads this church". Even now just typing the words the Spirit fills my heart. I knew at that moment that He is truly called as an apostle of the Lord and that goes for all the prophets, seers and revelators of the church, as well as other church leades. Apostles are truly a special witness of Jesus Christ. It was something that I pray I never forget, my testimony grew tenfold in a  matter of seconds from those few words he spoke. 

This weekend we also had a special Stake Conference which presiding was Elder Brent H. Neilson and again, excellent things were said and one thing in particular stood out to me when Elder Neilson was speaking, he talked about the fishes and loaves and how Jesus sent his disciples out to collect the left overs, after having fed thousands, he said that "His grace is sufficient, and there's leftovers". We can never use the atonement too much, it is infinite and grand, the sin is to not use the atonement the way intended. No matter what shortcoming or fault, He is there for us to pick us up, to feed us, to gather us in his arms. His grace is sufficient, it will never end, it is endless and there are still left overs. 

Having pondered the last 10 months of my life on my mission, I realize how much I have learnt and grown and how much learning and growing there still is to do and I realized that my testimony, knowledge of the gospel, my conversion, my relationship with my Savior, use of scripture, prayer and the atonement has increased so greatly that just can't be put in to words and I am so grateful for it, for this opportunity I needed to become more of who the Lord knows I can become. 

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and I know His gospel and Restored church, the Book of Mormon to be true and if you don't know, I invite you to find it, find out for yourself from a loving Heavenly Father who is just waiting to open the Heavens with an answer as soon as you are ready to act, and when you ask. He will answer you because the heavens are open to everyone. I know it to be, I really do, and I leave these things with you in His name, even Jesus Christ, amen. 

Love, Sister Ryan xx