Hello family!!
First off, TARYN IS PREGNANT!!!!!! I knew that I was going
to hear that news while on my mission :) That is so exciting!! I am going crazy
right now. Taryn and Jason CONGRATS!!! You are going to be such a CUTE
family! Taryn and Jason I would love to hear it from you! Tell me
about it! Hope to hear from you. Goodness I am so proud of my whole
family. You're all the best! Good job on the Spudman everyone. That's fun that
the Forsyths were able to do it too! I'm glad you all had a good
Pioneer Day together. Sounds like everyone is happy!
So I feel like I say this every week - and it is true every
time I say it - but this week truly was an amazing one. We had so many amazing
experiences on the streets, in lessons, on exchanges, at church... The spirit
was our guide in every part of the work. I don't even know what I want to share
because there were so many small little miracles that happened! I guess you'll
have to read my journal someday :)
We went on exchanges, and I went to Mississauga with Sister
Stoddard while Sister Von Niederhausern stayed in Toronto with Sister Hsiung.
Craziest thing that happened was the first night. We got in bed, she turned the
lights out and it was pitch black.... What else? It was completely silent. I
layed there in awe for a little while just soaking it in. Haha those are two
things that you do NOT experience in Toronto. The city lights light up your
room all night, and there is no such thing as silence, wherever you are. It was
very different and it was so much fun being in a car area again for a day.
Brought back great memories :) Sister Stoddard is amazing. She really taught me
how to teach so simply that no one can misunderstand. And she is the
epitome of finding joy in the work. Haha you will never find a perkier person.
We had so much fun teaching and contacting together. Both of us LOVE talking to
people on the street so we were going crazy! Running after people on bikes,
catching people in their cars... we talked to a lot of amazing people!!! The
best thing ever was sharing the first vision with people on the streets. It's
amazing how you can feel the spirit so strong even on the side of the street
with noise all around you.
Our District Leader instructed us on how to be more
personable in our contacting, and not being missionary robots. I've been
working really hard on that and it is making the WORLD of difference. I am
talking to people the same way I would talk in a normal situation and it is
that much more comfortable to bring in the gospel too. Haha there is this old
Jamaican man that we say hi to every time we walk on Eglinton street. Yesterday
we went up to him and I said, "Okay. So I've decided something.. Are you
ready to here what my decision is?" He was confused and said yes. "So
I've decided that you need to come to church with us. Because we think you are
awesome, and our friends in the church need to meet you." He laughed and
FINALLY agreed to saying he would come. And what else? He FINALLY gave us his
number to call him!! 1 1/2 transfers worth of persistence :)
A couple weeks ago, I sat on the bus by this 60 year
old man named L... and invited him to church. He came last week, loved
it, and we began teaching him this past week. In our first lesson with him,
things were going well as we taught him the restoration. He is so prepared and
was loving everything we were saying. When we got to the part of Joseph Smith,
the environment changed. Things felt so peaceful and I knew it was going to be
an amazing experience. We shared the first vision with him. It took us probably
a minute and a half as we paused throughout and let the spirit touch him.
Immediately after, Sister Von asked L... if he believed Joseph Smith was a
prophet of God. After he thought for a second, with so much conviction in his
voice, he said yes. I have felt so much love for L.... as we have been teaching
him this past week. He is preparing to be baptized on August 17th and he
is doing everything it takes! He is so special. Sadly, Sister Von and I
found out yesterday that he doesn't live in our ward boundaries, so we had to
tell him that he was going to be taught by other missionaries and go to another
ward. He understood but it was no doubt the hardest thing I've had to do
on my mission. I KNOW we knew each other before this life, and I feel so
grateful that Sister Von and I were able to introduce him to the gospel!
Some thing that I have come to feel this week: As we begin
to teach people, our goal should not be to help them know the facts. Our goal
should be to help them feel the truth. We must teach so simply that they can
not misunderstand. When that is the case, then we leave room to help them
receive an answer. That is the most important thing. Because when we receive an
answer from God, we want to feel it more. We will do whatever it takes to feel
it again. Even if that means giving up coffee or turning off a tv show :)
Through the experience Sister Von and I had with L...., I
DO KNOW for myself that Joseph Smith's first vision experience is
the most powerful piece to our unique message as members of the Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. It shows that the Son of God and our
Heavenly Father whom we love so much are two separate entities
and they appeared to a humble, truth-seeking boy in a grove of trees in 1820.
Miracles have not ceased. God continues to speak to His children through a
living prophet today. We can be baptized and make covenants with God by His
power and permission, the Priesthood. We CAN change. We CAN start again. We CAN
feel peace. I know that God loves ALL His children. No one is exempt from
feeling His spirit if they choose to seek it. How grateful I am for His Plan.
But most especially, right now, I can not fully express my gratitude for Joseph
Smith choosing to kneel down and ask God a question.
I love you all. Thank you so much for you examples. Congrats
again Taryn and Jason! Have a great week everyone! Keep your standards!!
Sister Bodine
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