Week 71: The Lord is My Light‏

Dear Friends and Family,

          So the time change has been awesome.  It is dark at 5:00 which is when we go out tracting.  This is a different ball game than last year.  Last year I was in the ghetto, but there were people around and there were street lights.  Now we just look like two dumb lost girls trying to find peoples' houses in the woods. And then the next challenge is trying to find the front doors, so we have to creep around the house.  We don't mean to, but we look like robbers.  We knocked a door and no one answered but the guy followed us to his neighbor's house and scared the living day lights out of us.  He asked what we were doing knocking doors in the middle of the night.  All we could stammer out was, "It's 5:30 sir."  Once he realized that we were missionaries he told us to have a nice night and quickly walked away.  

          I will be real, my companion and I are both struggling with fear right now.  We constantly recite the scripture "perfect love casteth out all fear."  I have felt Heavenly Father's comforting hand quite a bit this last week.  I always pray for protection and I literally felt the presence of angels.  Besides that, we were able to meet a few great people.  We found a young couple who let us in. They are expecting a baby any day now.  They weren't very interested in the gospel, but after talking with them we found out that the husband's whole family is Mormon.  We know that his family is praying for them and I can't help but think that we were an answer to one of those prayers on that dark, wet night.  

          After that we were walking in the rain with soaking wet hair and singing hymns and laughing. Luckily, Sister Partridge bought new boots so her feet weren't wet that day. I just love the symbolism of us carrying our lantern in the dark to go find those people who are lost and honestly searching for light in their lives. The scriptures are becoming very real to me.

          We had the talk with Brian...you know the baptism talk.  He was kind of defensive, but he told us that he wasn't feeling well, too.  Anyway, he is an honest 'truth seeker' so he said he would be baptized if he felt it was right, but so far, he isn't feeling it.  I am just trying to figure out if now is his time or not.  He has had too many experiences not to accept the fullness of the gospel one day. Please keep him in your prayers:) 

          We also had the great privilege of taking two new investigators, a husband and a wife, to the family history center with a ward missionary.  Bob and Gene are the cutest British couple in their 80's. They have been wanting to do family history, but now we have given them the opportunity to actually do it.  It was so great to see how excited they were!  They told us about their lives, their parents, grandparents...it was literally so much fun.  And all of it was said in cool Liverpool accents!  Love it!  They asked to come back next week....let me think about that one...um YES!  We are really excited for them.  We hope the Spirit of Elijah will touch their hearts and they will be more willing to talk about the restored gospel. 

          Yesterday I gave a talk in church about the Plan of Salvation.  This month, Tiger Mountain ward is focusing on missionary work.  My job was to share that lesson the way I would to an investigator so that the members will feel the spirit of missionary work.  It just made me so thankful to know why I am here on this Earth.  I am grateful to know that I have a purpose and that I am not alone.  It doesn't matter how dark and scary the world gets, my Father in Heaven will not abandon me.  And I know the same goes for all of His children.  I love all of you!  Keep being faithful!  Keep being happy!

Love,

Hermana Stoddard