June 23, 2014 — “Blast to the Pasts”

SO MUCH TO SAY.I GOT TO GO TO GEMMA’S BAPTISM THIS WEEK. We got there and guess what? All the baptismal clothes had been taken from every church in the stake.  They were at the temple for a youth temple trip. So… to stall as everyone waited for the clothes to arrive- we took the group on a CHURCH TOUR. It was the greatest. After we did all the regular things in the chapel, people filed out to go to the font, and I leaned over to talk to the kids in the front because they weren’t all members. Brianna (gemma’s daughter) said to me, “This is Dakota, he’s never been to church before.”

“No way?! How do you feel Dakota?” I asked.

“I feel new.” Dakota responded.

Dakota was probably 10. 🙂 I told him that was the spirit and we continued on.

Then Gemma got baptized and I got to see it. She is amazing. Sister Tea and I sang “Joseph Smith’s First Prayer” to the tune of Come Thou Fount with my guitar and the spirit was so strong.

We got to sing that song in a members home yesterday as well.  I love the spirit music can bring. Not sure if I’ve mentioned this but my companion has a beautiful voice and she is very musically talented.  In all of our breaks we are basically just learning new hymn arrangements to share in our lessons. It has been amazing to see the power of music and the spirit.

I know with all my heart that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. It is so vital for every one of us to study the Book of Mormon and gain this testimony for ourselves! 🙂

Anyway, the baptism was amazing. I’ll try to send pictures!

This week we also had interviews with our mission president. He is amazing. He told me that when he sees Sister Tea and I together he thinks that we were meant for each other. I’d have to agree. 🙂 She is absolutely amazing.

We got to go to this awesome activity in the Valley on Saturday. The Valley Stake put on a youth missionary activity. They sent 2 youth with one missionary to go out and do missionary work. There were over 60 companionship’s out in one stake — inviting others to come unto Christ. And the best part is — I GOT TO GO BACK TO MICA PEAK (my second area) and have Brother Gummersall as my ward mission leader again. 🙂 It was amazing to take the youth around. I GOT SOME AMAZING GIRLS. Sister WIlkinson, who I lived with, was our driver, and guess what appointment they had me scheduled to go to?

I’ll tell you a story first. When I got called to Spokane I was in Brittany Rigby’s ward at BYU. She is amazing. A few weeks after she left on her mission, I got transferred into her home ward. Mica Peak. That’s when I found out her mom wasn’t a member of the church. Well I got to know Sister Rigby and loved everything about her. She was always a tender mercy for me when I was in the valley. Well, when I got my assignment on Saturday, they were sending me to teach the Rigbys! There was much rejoicing when I saw them. 🙂 Then, I had to do the hard stuff. I felt prompted to ask Sister Rigby why she wasn’t baptized and dive into meeting her needs, but I was scared.  Anyway, after getting up the guts, I asked a bunch of hard and intruding questions, and it all came out. To make a long story short, Sister Rigby wants to be baptized and she is going to be. She bore her testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and the spirit filled the room. Her home teacher and his wife were in tears as they rejoiced at hearing that their dear friend was going to be baptized and wanted to go to the temple with her husband and family! I can’t tell you what a tender mercy it was for me to go teach her and get to go back to Liberty Lake. I feel like a whole in my heart has been completely healed. I did a terrible job explaining that story– But I promise, it was amazing. Heavenly Father is so aware of every one of us. I love Him.

Today I was studying in Alma 43 and I read about the Lamanites and the Nephites and the different reasons they fought.  In verse 45 it says, “Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their rites of worship and their church.”

I had the though, What inspires me? What is my reason to fight? What is my reason to endure? I know that as we put our Heavenly Father, our Families, and our religion first- we can overcome  all things. We will be inspired by a better cause than anything that will try to come against us.

I know that this church is true. I love my mission. I love my Savior.

Love,
Sister Meservy!