Sister Meservy’s Letter from June 2, 2014
Subject: “You thought they were giddy before?”
My Family, My friends, My strangers,
Well I know that the spirit can quickeneth my understanding (D&C 88:11), but today I’m hoping he can quickeneth my fingertips too, so that I can get everything into this email!
What a great week. I got to go on exchanges in the YSA ward again, and I always enjoy that. 🙂 One of the recent converts I got to work with in Deer Park, Lexie, goes to that ward now, and we got to be missionaries together on Saturday. She brought a less active convert to the relief society activity we went to so we pulled her out for a few minutes and had an amazing lesson. Seeing a convert that I love so much being such a great missionary lifted me SO HIGH. An evidence of being converted is that we naturally will have the desire to SHARE IT! I love that.
Not only did I get to see Lexie this week, but I got to see members from 5 Mile because we went to clean up the church. 🙂 TENDER MERCY. 5 Mile will never leave my heart. haha. 🙂
Anyway, While Sister Huffaker and I were contacting some YSA referrals we didn’t notice an apartment door open so we walked past it heading upstairs until an old man from inside yelled “Is that a guitar!?”
His name was Art. We played him “Where Can I Turn for Peace” and had a great lesson with him. He wasn’t interested but he sent us to a young mom who was very interested and we got a new investigating family for the Greenbluff ward! Then we went and saw Madison. Madison is an Ex-Jehovah’s Witness. She used to do missionary work for them, until she realized she didn’t believe that religion was the right one. She explained to us that she knew there was one true way out there because God wouldn’t want us to be confused, but she wan’t sure where it was
CAN YOU SAY PREPARED?
We had an amazing lesson on the Restoration and she said an amazing prayer at the end, asking for help to know these things are true! I’m so excited for the YSA sisters to be teaching her!
Now let’s transition into Nine Mile. The Beautiful Boonies.
Tanner Hardy (the Bishop’s 18 year old Son that acts like a return missionary) invited his friend Myranda over for the lessons. Myranda has been raised with little to no religious background. She believes in science and isn’t sure if she believes in God. Now let me tell you some of the questions Myranda asked us throughout the lesson:
Questions #1 Shouldn’t the Bible tell us more about Satan and his designs to trick us so that we can know how to avoid him?
Mind blown. Right? Well, Yes Myranda. That’s something that we love about the Book of Mormon. As President Benson said, ” the Book of Mormon exposes the enemies of Christ. It confounds false doctrines and lays down contention. (See 2 Ne. 3:12.) It fortifies the humble followers of Christ against the evil designs, strategies, and doctrines of the devil in our day. The type of apostates in the Book of Mormon are similar to the type we have today. God, with his infinite foreknowledge, so molded the Book of Mormon that we might see the error and know how to combat false educational, political, religious, and philosophical concepts of our time.” As you learn about these things we know that Satan will try to convince you not to continue on this path, but as you study the Book of Mormon, you will have the strength to endure and draw closer to Christ!
Question #2 If Prophets are called of God, doesn’t that take away their ability to choose? Or were they called before they were born?
No Myranda, it doesn’t take away their agency, because we all have the choice to follow our Heavenly Father and we are all called to do great things. Everyone has been called, before we were born, to play an important part in God’s plan, but it is up to us to choose if we will accept that call! 🙂
Question #3 So… Wouldn’t it have been a good thing that the Serpent got Eve to partake of the fruit? (Keep in mind, we weren’t even teaching the Plan of Salvation. Just the restoration.)
Yes Myranda! We are the only Religion I know of that believes it all happened in the wisdom of God. Adam fell that men might be and men are that they might have joy!
CAN YOU SAY PREPARED?!
As we continued to teach her she was so excited about the message of the Restoration, and so were we! She testified to us that she was feeling the spirit. She testified to us that having the Book of Mormon made her more comfortable with our religion than any others because we had two witnesses. She prayed and felt that our Heavenly Father is so aware of her, and she desired to be baptized!
Then she ended with a great question.
Question #4 So… Where can I get a Book of Mormon?
Everyone in the room pointed to the table in the middle and said, “That’s yours!”
I feel SO blessed to know Myranda. We were texting her last night and she was already in 2 Nephi 8! She said she was feeling the spirit and felt like she could really understand who Heavenly Father is and what he wanted her to know. She is amazing. I LOVE HER.
Anyway. This week has just been filled with miracles and I am so grateful to be a missionary.
Our bishop got up to bear his testimony on Sunday and he said, “I saw how giddy these Sisters got when we said we were inviting someone into our home. My wife told me later that If I thought they were giddy then, I should have seen them when Myranda accepted to be baptized.”
Really though. I can’t explain the joy I feel.
Reach out to those around you. Invite them into your home. Believe that there are miracles waiting to happen!
I LOVE YOU ALL! I love my Savior. I love His work!
Love,
Sister Meservy.
with Sister Strom from Five Mile Ward
