We have a less active we been working with since like my second week here in Bushwick and we had a lesson last Tuesday with her. We talked about our purpose and God's purpose and how they work together. It was a super powerful lesson and I could just feel how much Heavenly Father just loves this girl. She then busted into tears and told us some personal thoughts she had been having so we prayed together for strength. Then we offered if she wanted a priesthood blessing and she said yes. So come Friday we took the elders over to give her a blessing! Wow God is real and so is the priesthood. The blessing you could tell was exactly what she needed!! So on Sunday we picked her up for church and helped her do the hardest thing she has done in the past year and we took her to church! Y'all don't understand but this was a huge step for her! She basically never let go of my arm she was stuck to me like glue until we dropped her off at home. Man it was a proud missionary moment. Plus the best part was when we were messaging with her last night. She told us how she was learning how to let the Lord into her life. That is what I came onto a mission to do. Help at least one person bring Christ into their life. If that one person was at least me then the rest were just benefits. She means as much to me as all my recent converts. Man I am so happy.
So that was our big like moment but there have been some more fun moments between all that. On Friday we had Megazone which is always a fun time. I basically participated in almost everything. They asked me to say a prayer, give a talk, and bear my departing testimony. The prayer was simple. The talk I was happy to give because it was about becoming a Preach my Gospel missionary and I just pray that I have become that missionary. As for my departing testimony I just tried super hard not to cry so hard that everyone could understand me. I could just feel that the words I had said really came from my heart and they came from the Holy Ghost because I couldn't tell you what I said. As well Sister Peterson is leaving on August 14 (she is the mission nurse) which is super sad. She gave her departing testimony and I just cried because she was there for me when I was going home. She just loves me and gives me chocolate when I need it. She took us out to ice cream when the Martinos left she has done so much for me. Then at the end of the Conference I was talking to President Reynolds and he agreed with me that because I came back I need to do another year so that I get a complete straight 18 months. Sorry everyone. Just kidding. He then told Hermana Jofre and me that he was glad he put us together because he could see how hard we were working. Which was good to know that someone noticed our hard work!
Then Saturday was nuts as well. So side comment in the Hispanic program because they are all converts they think when their 8 year old child is getting baptized that it is the missionaries responsibility to do that baptism...... Well actually it isn't.... Just so you know... But anyways some how Elder Grand and Elder Chay got put in charge of the baptism so we felt bad for them so we helped them out. We spent the day making a program and setting up the church so that everything would be ready. Then the baptism happened and everything went smoothly and we started into the food. In the middle of eating our branch president came up and told us for one of the two kids that got baptized we have to do the record because he is actually nine years old so they can't do it... awkward..... so to make things more awkward we realized that the child didn't have an interview with ether the branch president or our district leader. So yeah we have a lot to do to get everything fixed. Uhhhh.....
I just want to share the talk that I shared in our Mega Zone. It makes this email a little long so sorry.....
"As I serve Him in exact obedience with all my heart might mind and strength I am forever changed." Everyday we repeat this phrase in our mission vision but what does it mean to be forever changed and how do we become forever changed? I believe as we study and apply preach my gospel we become forever changed. To be a Preach my Gospel missionary we must constantly be seeking change and we must be looking for ways to improve. We didn't only come to teach repentance to others but we must first teach repentance to ourselves.
In the message from the first presidency in preach my gospel it states the purpose of Preach my Gospel is "to help you be a better- prepared, more spiritually mature missionary and a more persuasive teacher." So in other words Preach my Gospel is supposed to help us be prepared, grow spiritually, and become teachers like Christ. As we learn to live Preach my Gospel the goal is to grow in all three of those areas and become forever changed by what we are learning.
A Preach my Gospel missionary is prepared. Preach my Gospel promises us that, "Missionaries who strive to prepare themselves daily and seek to improve regularly will receive direction from the Holy Ghost and see blessings in their lives." So everyday during any of personal, companion, language, 12 weeks, or My Plan missionaries should be diving into Preach my Gospel and seeking ways to improve to become better, that way they can "be given power to teach repentance and baptize converts here in New York."
A Preach my Gospel mission seeks to grow spiritually. It says that, "Effective study during your mission will help you fulfill your purpose as a missionary and strengthen your testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ." To me personally this is the one I have seen take the most effect in my mission as I have strived to become a Preach my Gospel missionary. As I have studied the Christ-like attributes I feel myself wanting to become like Him and understanding who He is and His role in my life. As I have come to live the gospel that is taught in Preach my Gospel I feel myself growing spiritually and becoming a better person "line upon line precept upon precept here a little and
there a little."
Lastly a Preach my Gospel missionary is a persuasive teacher. It states in Chapter 10 that, "Teaching is central to everything you do. You develop Christlike attributes, study the missionary lessons, improve your ability to speak in your mission language, and rely on the Spirit in order to teach with convincing power." What I love about the gospel is that it always comes around full circle. In order to become the best teachers we must be prepared and grow spiritually. We must learn to become better and seek to repent and change.
I know that as we come to live Preach my Gospel and follow the guidelines there in we will see a greater change in ourselves. I know that Preach my Gospel can answer any of the questions you have on how to work harder, how to work with members, how to study, how to find, what to teach and most importantly, to me, how to become like the Savior. I know Him and I know He lives. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Con Amor
Hermana Ashford
Picture 1: baptism
Picture 2: graffiti
Picture 3: Asian graffiti
Picture 4: 17 months
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