IT'S SUMMER!!!! It's getting toasty out there and the sun is shining like there is no tomorrow, every day is open blue skies and it's beautiful!
With summer comes thousands of Chinese guest by the bus loads, many many many tours, the Square full of people that speak everything else but English for the majority, 'Missionaries' from other faiths to argue with us (they're all wearing matching shirts this year which is handy!), Flag Pole Tours every hour on the hour, Exhausting days, shortened meal breaks, but the best feeling in the world at the end of the day knowing you gave it you all and that you are truly a successful missionary! I'm so happy that I get 2 summers on my mission!
The Square is getting busier than ever with people from all over the world and the Unites States, the Beehive is going nuts with large group tours. I really don't have much to write about this week, but we have had lots of lessons, finding a few people to teach, we have found some great new investigators from both chat and on the Square.
They are all so prepared in their own individual ways, it's amazing to see the hand of the Lord preparing them for the right moment to receive the fullness of the gospel. If it be through friends, missionaries that have knocked on their door before, the internet, whatever it might be, people are being prepared and something that I have learnt lately is that we really just need to invite everyone!
"When you invite, you succeed", even if they say no. But what happens if you didn't invite someone out of fear they would say know when it's actually something that they are looking for?... My mission has taught me many things.
1. Fear No Man, only God. If they reject us, it's really not us they are rejecting, it's Christ. He are just His instruments.
2. We don't know the intents of mans hearts, God does, and when He prompts us, through the Spirit to invite or say something to someone, it's because he knows what's up. He knows more than we can even begin to understand about these people.
We had a cool experience just last night, we were talking to people lining up for the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Rehearsal and got talking to this couple, she was a member, he wasn't they are in a long distant relationship right now and she is teaching him a little about the gospel here and there. The Spirit was telling me that I wasn't allowed to leave until he became a new investigator. We weren't really talking about the gospel, just their story about being together and I didn't know how I would be able to bring it back. They wanted to look around and we offered to take them on a tour, they declined but asked us to tell them about the history of the Tabernacle, it made a perfect opportunity to testify about the Restoration and living prophets. We invited him to learn more about what his girlfriend is so passionate about (having served a mission herself) and he said yes! Just goes to show that we really can't judge who is ready and who is not for the gospel, we simply just have to invite.
My notebook/scripture study jounral says "Every accomplishment, begins with the decision to try"... I want to change this a little
"Every person that comes unto Christ, starts with an invitation to come"
Member, missionary, doesn't matter we must all choose to be disciples of Christ in inviting others to come unto Him, our best friend and savior.
And to leave my testimony I'm going to double testify of Jeffery R. Holland when he said in his talk "The Cost—and Blessings—of Discipleship" in last years General Conference (April 2014)
"Friends, especially my young friends, take heart. Pure Christlike love flowing from true righteousness can change the world. I testify that the true and living gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth and you are members of His true and living Church, trying to share it. I bear witness of that gospel and that Church, with a particular witness of restored priesthood keys which unlock the power and efficacy of saving ordinances. I am more certain that those keys have been restored and that those ordinances are once again available through The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints than I am certain I stand before you at this pulpit and you sit before me in this conference.
Be strong. Live the gospel faithfully even if others around you don’t live it at all. Defend your beliefs with courtesy and with compassion, but defend them. A long history of inspired voices, including those you will hear in this conference and the voice you just heard in the person of President Thomas S. Monson, point you toward the path of Christian discipleship. It is a strait path, and it is a narrow path without a great deal of latitude at some points, but it can be thrillingly and successfully traveled, “with … steadfastness in Christ, …a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” In courageously pursuing such a course, you will forge unshakable faith, you will find safety against ill winds that blow, even shafts in the whirlwind, and you will feel the rock-like strength of our Redeemer, upon whom if you build your unflagging discipleship, you cannot fall. In the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen."
Love, Sister Ryan xx
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