One of the best pouch days for a missionary is the day in June when you finally receive the Conference Ensign. That happy day was about 2 weeks ago, and I am wallowing in the pure happiness and joy that comes from reading the most recent revelation that God has given us through His apostles and His Prophet that He has called to guide us in these Latter Days. I know without a doubt that they are men truly called of God. I love our Prophet and our Apostles. I could go on all day about how incredible they are. The Gospel is just so true, I cant even get over it.
(a hint...I started in the back with the talks from the Women's Conference. The second one, about how we need each other, yeah. Changed my life. I'm LOVING the Conference Ensign, people!)
Also this week, I came to truly understand that whole tights with thick socks and short boots trend- it's not just because its cute. Its because it all started with the sister missionaries that wear holes through their tights but still need to use them to keep warm, so they just put socks on that cover the holes and their cute little short boots and they keep on walking. True story :)
Did you all know that we are in the World Soccer Tournament? Here in South America it's called Mundial, and Chile just keeps winning, which apparently is a miracle, because they usually don't get very far. Anyways, we aren't allowed to leave during the games where Chile plays because 1) we can't watch it, and literally EVERYONE watches the games. And 2) when Chile makes a goal, the crowd goes wild. The crowd being everyone in the country. Ya know, except the LDS missionaries. And when Chile WINS, oooof. They really go crazy! So we sit in our pensions for the two hours and study the scriptures and keep score by listening for when the party starts outside, and then we go out and keep working. This last week, after Chile won the match, there was a crowd of people doing the national dance in the main street of our sector.
So this week, my testimony has grown SO much of the Book of Mormon. Because the thing is, I have always known it was true. I have been blessed to always have it in my life and have a knowledge of its power. But it wasn't until my time here in my mission, and truly needing to rely on it to guide me and answer my prayers and my questions, it wasn't until I truly read it all, cover to cover, even the testimonies in the front like my dad always told me to read but I never did because I just didn't GET the importance of testimony before my mission, that I have truly come to know and love the Book of Mormon. There is no way that it was made up, and I have no doubt that it is truly a gift from God, because only something from God has the power to do what the Book of Mormon does. Only something of God has the power to change lives and bring people closer to Him.
Allow me to share a few experiences I had this week.
The first was with Mariela, an inactive member who is struggling right now with some big sadness and frustration. We went in prepared to share a scripture about our baptismal covenants and focus on our responsibilities as members, but as we sat down and began talking with her, it became evident that this was not the message that she needed to hear. So we listened more, kept asking questions, kept searching for the deeper meaning to her sadness and frustration. And then she said the word "weak." That she feels weak and she doesn't know what she can do to feel strong.
That's when I knew what we needed to share. Alma 26:12. Alone, we truly are weak. But with the strength of the Lord, we can do all things. We shared that verse with her, and ya know, shes a sassy 'lil thing, and she said to us "You know Hermanas, this verse can't be shared with anyone else, because it was written exactly for and ONLY for me."
Another experience from this week was with Rosario- an inactive member that we don't get to visit very often because her work schedule doesn't permit it. But we missionaries just know that there is always something MORE than just work that keeps people from coming. We went in prepared to teach about the Sacrament and the blessings we receive when we participate, but, just as with Mariela, upon talking with her for a bit, we felt that the Sacrament just wasn't what she needed to hear. So we followed the prompting and just kept asking and listening, to her and the spirit, to know what we needed to say.
She told us that she misses her old ward, where she was a teacher for the youth in the ward and she had lots of great friendships and she misses the feeling of family that she had before. And that when she moved here, she got distracted by worldly needs and the few times she went to church, she was frustrated and sad that she didn't have the same friendships. That she misses feeling that she has something to contribute and people that really need her. And the whole time, I kept thinking of Mosiah 18:8-9 where it talks about our responsibilities as members of the church (what we WERE going to share with Mariela!), and at first I thought that it was just because I'm totally obsessed with that scripture right now, and that it cant be the spirit, just ME. But the feeling kept coming, so that's the scripture that we shared.
Halfway through reading it out loud, she began to cry. Not just little silent tears, but real weeping. And she said that this is what she wants to feel, that people need HER to help bear their burdens and that she can have people to rely on to cry with her when she needs to cry. That the verse "woke up something" inside of her, and we were able to testify that there are people that NEED her in this ward- that people need her to serve and to be served, because it's what we promised to do in our baptism.
The third experience was with Jaime, our ward mission leader. We passed by his house and he was outside with his dog. It was obvious that he was bummed out about something, so we stopped to talk to him and see what was wrong. He told us that he was going through a tough moment in his job right now and that he feels like it will just never end. He doesn't typically like advice, but we shared a scripture with him anyway, Mosiah 24:13-16, and we told him that even while we feel like the hard moments will never end, if we just trust in the Lord, he will free us eventually, when it is really time for the hard moment to end.
He looked at us a moment and said "Has that scripture always been there? I don't remember ever reading it, but I LIKE it."
Seriously, in all these little moments this week, my own testimony has grown of the power of the Book of Mormon. Among these three experiences, every day, I was able to receive other little personal revelations, for myself, for my companion, for the people that we visit, and it made me stronger. It helped me to testify with more power and authority, at times inciting tears, because I just LOVE the Book of Mormon, and I just know that it's true, because I have been able to feel its power so many times in my life, and I have literally seen how it can change someone's heart, strengthen their soul, and give them the strength that they need to keep rocking this hard life.
I know that the Book of Mormon has the power to do anything. It answers every questions and doubt and gives us light and hope and it has the power to convert everyone to know of the Lord's love. And I love that.
Stay rad, y'all :) Be bold and do what you do :)
Hermana Harkins
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