July 21, 2014

Greetings!!

GUESS WHAT??????? PRESIDENT JENKINS GAVE ME PERMISSION TO  GO TO
JIM TENNANT'S BAPTISM IN GILBERT!!!!! Funny story first. I may have
lied about Jim's name.... *cough* John Taylor *cough* But President
let me go to Jim Tennant's baptism Thursday night in Gilbert!!

That's out of the mission! YEAH! I can honestly say that was one of the best
nights of my entire life. I feel so blessed to have been able to teach
that man and help him be baptized. Here's how I got permission.
President Jenkins was at the Visitors' Center for a baptismal
interview. Jim happened to also be there. They ended up talking and
before the conversation was even close to being finished President
called me and gave me permission to go on the SPOT! I never thought I
would be able to see him be baptized EVER! UGH! Such a miracle! Jim is
the greatest! Here are two of my favorite quotes he said from the
evening

1. "I can't wait to die in a pool and come back up alive"
2. "I feel like I just stepped into a whole new world"  (he kept
saying that when we were leaving to go home)

Seriously. He's the best!

On that note, this week was MUCH better than last week. I don't know
what happened to make last week so crummy, I'm just so grateful that
it's over and this week turned out pretty good!

The Christlike attribute that I've been working on is faith in Jesus
Christ. As I was studying the other day in Alma 32 and Preach My
Gospel, the Spirit told me something that has changed the way I grow
my faith. What He told me was the study of faith will not increase
your faith. Studying the Atonement, teachings, and life of Jesus
Christ will increase your faith. If you want faith in a specific
principle you study the principle. I wanted faith in Jesus Christ, but
I was studying about what faith was. That was really eye opening to me
and I'm making sure that everyday during my studies I study something
specifically about the Atonement. I've been rereading the talks
President gave us for Easter and that's been helping a lot. I have
felt my faith in Jesus Christ increase a lot, especially after the
tough week I just had. The promise that is given in talks from General
Conference are real. That is, studying the life of Jesus Christ will
increase your faith in Him.

The work in the wards is going slow but it is steady. Ed agreed to be
baptized on September 20th! THAT IS HUGE FOR THIS MAN! If that was a
miracle, the moments leading up to it were as well! All day we were
calling members to join us for this lesson and NO ONE WAS HOME or they
didn't answer their phones. About 30 minutes before the lesson I was
beginning to panic. We had called almost everyone we could think of
and no one was home. We said a prayer and asked for Heavenly Father's
help. We also told Him we would do what ever it took to have a member
at this lesson. We still didn't have any luck and 2 minutes before we
were going to go to Ed's house I felt that we needed to ask his
neighbors (who happen to be AWESOME members and one of his main
fellowshippers). We had already called them multiple times with no
answer or call backs. After knocking three times we walked away with
saddened hearts when the member opened the door!!! MIRACLE! Heavenly
Father truly does answer prayers. They were more than happy to come
with us. We had an AMAZING lesson with them and Ed felt that he can be
baptized on September 20th. Yes, it is far away but we hope to
continue working with him to build his faith. We know he can be
baptized sooner, but he doesn't. We're going to help him see that it
is possible :)

We had an awesome miracle happen Saturday morning!! We were cleaning
our church building with one of our wards. When we finished cleaning I
heard a loud voice coming from the foyer. Who was this person you
might ask? A nonmember who felt that God directed her to this place at
this time!! A member was also there with her. She told us about her
life and we got to teach her the Restoration. She gladly accepted the
invitation to be taught by the missionaries. We got her address and we
sent the referral to Sisters Hartley and Sparhawk (this lady lives in
their area) and they were so grateful! The referral was an answer to
their prayers. Miracles, everyone! Miracles!

So the cousin who is staying with the Lee family wants to be
baptized!!!!!!!!! I got a Facebook message from Brother Lee and he
told me that she wants to be baptized. We went over yesterday and
taught the family plus 2 additional nonmembers the Plan of Salvation.
We talked to Angelique (that's her name) and she said she wants to be
baptized!! BUT there is a "but" to this situation. Her family back
home will refuse to let her be baptized. Because she is a minor she'll
have to wait until she's 18 or when her family's hearts are softened
to give her permission to be baptized.

We performed the medley we composed yesterday. I kid you not when I
say angels were singing the songs; NOT US. It was amazing! It was
humbling to feel the Spirit working through us as we sang and as we
put the song together with Sister Abplanalp. We were able to share the
message the Lord needed the members to hear through music. That was a
very sacred and humbling moment of my mission.

I hope everyone is taking part in the worldwide indexing event! We
are!!! Remember to read the Book of Mormon and to pray everyday!
Here's to another GREAT week!

-Sister Dunn