A wrestle before God

Sabrina, Sister Smith and President's wife Sister Gardner.

Ok, so we had interviews with President this week and it was awesome! He is the most amazing man I have ever met! He loves us missionaries so much and he takes the time to get to know each of us personally and individually. We only talked for like 15 minutes, but he gave me all the advice I needed to keep on swimming. He is so in tune with the spirit, and just loves the work and this gospel. I am grateful for him!

Also we had the opportunity to go to his home on Friday and have a Mighty Change of Heart study. It was my comp and I plus two other companionships of sisters. We had lunch in his home and just an incredible discussion about how we can be better missionaries and better help others come unto Christ. It was an experience that I will cherish for the rest of my mission. President and Sister Gardner truly are amazing, and I know I needed them. They are helping me so much.

Also Sister Smith. She is what I need, and I need not say anything else. I love her with my whole heart and am so grateful that she is training me. She pushes me and makes me work and loves me all the same!

Ok miracles!

This week we went to Sharyce's house to start teaching her the new member lessons and had one of the sweetest experiences. All of her kids came into the living room toward the end of the lesson and we decided to have a family prayer. All 10 of us circled up and held hands while Syriana (the oldest girl who just got baptized) said the prayer. It was the sweetest prayer I have ever heard and the spirit was remarkable. That family has my whole heart, and I am so grateful to have seen them come to know the gospel.

Phoebe and husband.

Also! Phoebe has not smoked in 7 days! THAT IS A MIRACLE. She has hardly had any cravings and her and her husband and both so happy! Their relationship is so different. They laugh and joke and love! And their son has seen them making these changes in their life and now he wants to stop smoking, and he is planning on coming to their baptism. Another miracle! The one downside is that Phoebe and Tim have to go to Arizona all of the sudden because of a family memeber. They have no clue how long they will be gone, and they may not be back for their own baptism...so keep them in your prayers! (for smoking and for taking care of her family memeber) Phoebe is so awesome though because she already found the address of a church to go to in Arizona and they are already making plans to attend next Sunday so they can continue to have the same baptism date if they get home in time for it. Seriously they are remarkable! So prepared!

Our teaching pool is slimming down, so this week we are going to focus on finding! Which means loads of biking! IN THE 100 DEGREE WEATHER. Haha which will be fun. Kinda...

Just gotta talk to everyone and find those that the Lord has prepared for us!

Spiritual thought!

This week I have been reading Enos. I have honestly been reading it for 3 days and I am only like 15 verses in. It is SO GOOD. As is every chapter in the Book of Mormon, but this one especially! Enos 1:2 states, "I will tell you about the wrestle which I had before God" and I am sure all of you have heard that verse a lot. I know that I have, but I really studied it this week and decided that it doesn't matter how many times you hear it it's still applicable! I find myself wrestling with God every single day here on the mission. The natural woman inside of me really doesn't wanna get up at 6:25 and go running, the natural woman inside of me really doesn't wanna knock on another door, and the natural woman inside of me really doesn't want to do it all over again tomorrow. And that applies to all walks of life, mission life or not! Sometimes we really don't have time to read our scriptures or say our prayers today, sometimes it is really hard for us to get to church or the temple, sometimes we don't want to go to YW, YM, or Relief Society, and sometimes we don't want to help that family in the ward cut down that old tree in the front of their house, even though we know we should. It's a wrestle! And we are human, we struggle, that natural man or woman is part of us! But through Christ we can fight it. I have such a testimony of doing the little things. Doing the little things every single day to fight that natural man, to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and to ultimately choose God instead of choosing the world. When we do the little things, especially when it's hard, then we are blessed. The Lord understands that it is a wrestle, but oh my heavens he is cheering us on louder than anyone else! His hand is stretched out toward us constantly, and if we grab it he will help us in the fight. I love the line in the song Praise to the Man that states "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven" I sing it to myself all of the days! Heavenly Father is waiting to bless us, he wants us to receive what he has! But we must sacrifice our will (the natural man) for His. When we do the little things, great blessing come!

Sabrina, comp and their mission fairy godmother.

Fun facts!

This week I smashed my hand in a car door and the car door literally closed! And my comp started driving. I did not know that could even happen! My fingers were sticking out of the door like that scene in Tangled when Flynn's hand was sticking out of the closet! Haha but no worries I am just fine. It hardly even hurt.

Also we had dinner with an investigator at a member's house this week and she showed up in a full ball gown with her hair done and crazy jewelry. She is from Africa...so maybe she thought we were taking her to some 5 star restaurant when we said dinner, but either way it was hilarious. We looked so dumb and underdressed in comparison.

Also we were teaching this Native American woman on her porch the other day and her husband came up behind her and screamed at us! Scared the living daylights out of me, then he just laughed and asked his wife where his brain surgery papers were. SO strange....

Sabrina and Sister Smith in the rain.

LOVE YOU ALL! Hope this week is a splendid one!