*Disclaimer: The subject line this week comes from Elder Gifford. I could not think of anything good for this week's email hahaha
Hi friends!
I've missed a couple weeks of sending out an email! But all is well here! I can't believe we are already in October! This year has just been flying by! Countdown: 3 days until I hit my YEAR MARK!!!
This past Saturday, my companion, Sister Pearson, went through the temple for the first time and I got to go with her!! It was such a great day. It was such an amazing experience to be back at the temple after so long of them being closed. The spirit was so strong and I really needed it. I also got to meet Sister Pearson's whole family- they are soo nice! They took us to lunch after at Tucano's. Which, if you haven't eaten there, I 17492793/10 recommend. It was delicious.
We have been working really hard with an inactive family in one of our wards. We have gone over quite a bit with the Elders to give them the sacrament and have church with them. We also set up every Friday night to have a family game night with them so we can bring the spirit and the Priesthood into their home and be a good influence on the kids. It has been so fun! Another fact about them: they are hoarders :// The last time we were there, I had a prompting to ask if we could come and help clean up their house and make it a bit brighter so that the spirit would be able to have a constant place in their home . They gladly accepted! I really didn't know what I was getting us into though... We went and cleaned for 4 hours the other day and only got the kitchen done. It was spotless! Then we went back 3 days later and found it right back at square 1. So, please pray for us that we can clean (and keep clean) this house! Hahaha!
Our wards have started going back to church every Sunday!! Yay!! We got to attend 2 of our 3 wards yesterday and it was awesome! It was so fun to be able to see so many families.
Alsoooo MIRACLES FROM THIS WEEK: WE FOUND 3 NEW PEOPLE TO TEACH!!! After long months of waiting and desperately trying to find new people to teach, we found 3!!! We are so so excited. We hope to set up some lessons with them this week and to see their progression. I will keep you all updated ;))
My spiritual thought this week starts with a question: How do you know that God loves you? There are soooo many blessings and feelings in this life that testify to us that we have a loving Heavenly Father. He has an infinite and individual love for each of His children. It's easy to remember and feel of that love when things are going good. However, when we begin to suffer through trials and hardships, we can be so quick to ask, "Why is this happening to me? Does God even really love me?" I came across this quote from Elder Holland this week in my personal study. He is explaining the instance when Christ, after having died on the cross, came and showed his resurrected body to some of his disciples. He talks about the wounds in his hands, feet, and side and refers to them as "signs," "Signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and the perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn't love you." It is such a universally accepted truth that God loved His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. And yet, no human on Earth would ever have to suffer as much as Christ did. Yet we know, that no matter what, God never stopped loving His Son. The same applies to us. We may go through hard things, but just as God never stopped loving Christ, He has never and will never stop loving us. I promise that, no matter what you are going through, He has not forgotten about you. Look closely, and at the end of the day, ask yourself, "How did I feel God's love for me today?" I promise, you felt it. It was there.
I love you all!! Send me an email or something ;))
Hermana Rawlins
Address:
1742 N Madderlake Ave
Apt. #3
Kuna, ID 83634
Pictures:
1. Me and Sister Pearson
2. Me, Sister Pearson, Elder Gifford, and Elder Hambrick on our way to heart attack the door of a less active family in one of our wards.
3. Me and Elders Gifford and Hambrick at Melba Swings a couple weeks ago.
4. Me, Sister Pearson, and one of the members in our ward at the Boise Temple!!
5. Some of our district at Melba Swings again
6. Us and 2 sisters that live with us in front of the Boise Temple!!
