Week 49-The one where Jesus has all the patience in the world!

Friends!

This week has been wonderful and my heart is so full! This is going to be a long email....a lot of spiritual goodness that I wouldn't skip if I were you ;)

We have been able to see our people progress really well and we are finding more!

Ken is doing amazing! He is really starting to think about baptism so pray for him, he is truly a miracle sent from God!

Going outside and talking to people has been alot easier which is a blessing. Going back to what I said last week is that some times God gives us obstacles as opportunities to grow. So this has been a huge growing experience for me and even though it can be tough in the moment it is SOOOO WORTH IT! If there is an obstacle in your way don't run away from it, see it has an opportunity God is giving you to grow and become your best self.

I got to go on a wonderful exchange with my old cutie-pie comp...SIS HAIR! Love that women!

So a miracle happened....we got to go to church for the first time in 6 months!!! The YSA had sacrament in person for the first time and Bo, the recent convert in our ward, was sharing his testimony and we wanted to go. Man there definitely were some tears in my eyes as I was eating the bread and water in the chapel. Something hit me and I learned that the church building has alot more meaning then I understood before yesterday! It's a place of refuge, a place to renew our covenants that we make at baptism, where the spirit of revelation is there for all of Gods children, a place where people are repenting and wanting to become closer to Christ. I love CHURCH BUILDINGS SO MUCH!

Things I learned from the speakers at church:

-Its going to take effort and it's going to take His grace to keep going.

-Keep yourself so full of good that there can be no physical way for evil to come in. (Braya Robbins)

For zone devotional yesterday we held a testimony meeting and some wonderful things were said that I want to share:

-"What shall I do then with Jesus?" (Matthew 27:22) A question we should all ask our selves.

-How can I be more like Nephi, and aline my will with Gods?

-Few are asked to die for the church and Christ but we are all asked to live for Christ.

-Christ isn't secret. He never was and never will be.

-We are Christ's biography

Alma 29 is my new favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon!

It's amazing how patient God is because He sends us imperfect missionaries out to find His lost sheep. I wish I could shout to everyone my love of the Gospel, how the church is true and that we need to all repent! I know it won't happen and that I make mistakes. God has given me the talents, strengths and weaknesses to talk with those who He knows will accept the Gospel or not, through me. He trusts me enough to send His children my way. Gosh He is so patient and loving to all of us. Because I am growing and His children are learning!

Some food for thought ;)

One of the elders in the zone shared this poem that made my heart melt and helped our zone see what we can do to show our appreciation for our Savior:

Holes

I had been in that hole for a very long

time

In the dark and the damp, in the cold

and the slime.

The shaft was above me, I could see it

very clear

But there's no way I ever could reach it

from here.

Nor could I remember the world way up there

So I lost all my hope and gave in to despair.

I knew nothing but darkness, the floor, and

the walls.

Then off in the distance I heard someone

call:

"Get up! Get ready! There's nothing the

matter.

Take rocks and old sticks and build up

a fine ladder."

This had never occurred to me - had never

crossed my mind.

But I started to stack up all the stones I

could find.

When I ran out of stones, then old sticks

were my goal,

For one way or another, I'd get out of

that hole.

So I soon had a ladder that was sturdy and tall

And I thought, "I'll soon leave this place

once and for all."

I climbed up my ladder, it was no easy chore,

For from lifting those boulders, my shoulders

were sore.

I climbed on up the ladder, but soon had

to stop.

For my ladder stopped short - some ten

feet from the top.

I climbed back down my ladder and started

to cry.

I'd done all I could do. I gave my best try.

And in spite of my work, in this hole I must die.

And all I could do was to sit and

think, "why?"

Was my ladder too short? Or my hole much

too deep?

Then from way upon high came a voice,

"Do not weep."

And then faith, hope, and love entered

into my chest

As the voice said to me that I'd done my

best.

He said, "You've worked very hard, and your

labor's been rough,

And the ladder you've built is at last tall

enough.

Do not despair, you have reason to hope.

Just climb up your ladder, I'll throw down

my rope."

I climbed up the ladder, then climbed up

the cord

When I got to the top, there stood the Lord.

I couldn't be happier, my struggle was done.

I blinked in the brightness that came from

the Son.

I fell to the ground, His feet did I kiss

I cried, "What can I do to repay the

for this?"

Then He looked all about Him. There were

holes in the ground.

They had people inside, and were seen

all around.

There were thousands of holes that were

damp, dark, and deep.

The Lord turned to me and He said,

"Feed My Sheep."

Then He went on His way to help other

lost souls.

And I got right to work, calling down

to the holes:

"Get up! Get ready! There's nothing the

matter.

Take rocks and old sticks and build up

a fine ladder."

It now was my turn to spread the

good word

The most glorious message that man

ever heard.

Find one way you can show appreciation to Jesus Christ. After all, it's all we can do since He did everything for us!

Thanks for hanging in there...it was a long email. But I know what I wrote is true, I love my mission and I love my Savior for loving me enough to push me!

I love you!

Love,

Sister Fillmore