Week 77 - Less Actives and Blessings

Dear Family!

 

It was another great day in Flowood, MS! I absolutely love it here and am loving all the experiences that God is blessing me with to have. There is such an amazing thing that happens when one applies the restored gospel into their lives.

For example.. We visited with Cody the other day.. He is amazing! Just recently baptized he received the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday..on top of that he loves serving in the church and is involved in everything he possibly can be. Came and helped us help someone move!.. But! During our visit with him the other day he told us that he lived the gospel before and a lot of people said that he was peculiar..but he said he realizes now how miserable he was without it in his life. There really are people prepared and they are hungering for something more. The gospel is that something more! We NEED to reach out to those friends who are self-relent and love to serve..their are so many who the message we have to share will fill a void in their lives..who are we to say who is ready and who is not..I hope that we can all pray about the friends we know and let God be the judge of if their window of accepting the gospel is open or not.

Cody's son is getting baptized on Saturday.. His mom and dad are not married and when Cody's son went home this weekend to visit his mom she was less then supportive at his decision to be baptized in the church. It is so sad to me how many people are so hard to the church.. while on the other hand there are so many people who are ready..take Cody's Mom for instance..she was able to come to his baptism.. is reading the book of mormon currently and she also has his true to the faith book. The gospel just makes sense! Share it! I cant wait to tell you how the baptism goes. we are very excited for him and the decision hes making.. he came on Wednesday to young men's and while there he shared with us how he was in the shower and just got the prompting to read a scripture in 3rd Nephi that he had never heard of before..an exact prompting to a specific verse. This answered many of his questions. I love it.. whenever we try to answer some peoples questions the words we say just don't touch their hearts to answer their questions..but most of the time when they are praying and pondering and doing the things we ask them to do..that's when their questions are answered. this has happened time and time again and I know the same pattern is true in my own life. Just ready, ponder and pray..God will work through the venues he has in the past with you to answer your prayers. so simple.

 

We also had some other awesome experiences this week... first we had a wonderful Book of Mormon Study class on Wednesday night.. as we have continued to text message reminder upwards of 80 people each week we have had a steady consistent turn out of about 8 people that come! Investigators, members and less actives. There are more and more tables that we have to set up each week. Its great. This last week we talked about the tree of life. it is amazing to see how when people actually stop and take time for the scriptures that God helps them more in their lives. I have seen this as we stop..slow down and say prayers before going to each appointment and before we go out each day to leave the apartment. It really helps you slow down..something we have always done my whole mission..but now I am seeing how important it really is. Prayer works!

 

Another miracle is we were able to visit this sweet less active family. Sister Johnson and I are really focusing a lot of time on the less actives and helping them come back active. We made a visit to this one less actives house one evening last week and a man comes to the door. Upon opening the door he says " hey sisters." turns around and to a lady sitting in the chair says.."the sisters are here" she reply's.." oh great..tell them to come in!".. It turns out that this sweet 70 year old woman who has been very ill and cant come to church hasn't been visited by anyone in the church for quite some time. Also her son is handicapped  and has had difficulties making it around also. We were able to have a spirit filled visit with them and they are excited for us to come back and read the book of mormon with them. They both want to be a church so bad. What was really neat is the son is an amazing comic book artist! .. When I say amazing I mean .. great! He is going to draw a picture for us. They might start coming to our book of mormon class.

I have noticed this with most of the ladies we have been visiting .. all are so lonely and just need a visit or two to lift their spirits and they will start coming back. Success story this week..4 less actives we visited were at church on Sunday! woo hoo!

 

Also fun this week we were able to visit with the Lefgrens. They are the sweetest couple and are over apartments in our mission. Elder Lefgren wanted to make a you tube video of him playing his juice harp and asked if id accompany him on my fiddle..so i did! It was fun. You should see the videos soon. Nothin to fancy..but its cute..ha! so be on the look out.  

 

We are really working hard right now to find more people to teach. It is true in every instance that when we go the extra mile, that's when we find those who the lord has prepared to receive this message. we just have to hit the pavement and work really hard! Find..teach..and have the elders perform the ordinance of baptism. hehe.

 

I know with all my heart that this work is good and true. Please share it. I feel so blessed that I get to share it in this way as a full time missionary for the church. God and Jesus live. The atonement of Jesus Christ is for all who choose to follow him. I have seen how doing so blesses individuals and families. The atonement is for all.  Christ and our father in heaven love us so much and want us to return to them. There is a wonderful plan in place for this that I know is true because I have prayed about. its truthfulness has been confirmed to my heart.

I hope yall have a wonderful week! Stay strong and carry on.

 

love, Sister Urie.

working on finding new. Getting chilly

 

 

Southerism:In the south you can say anything about anybody as long as you end it in " Bless their heart".. ex: " He is such a jerk..bless his heart!"

Scripture: Alma 16:5-8

Tracting Tips:..zero

 

also.. I will just add this one note.. if I only had a quarter for the number of times people tried to talk with us able the election.. that is all..