Familia!
What a week! It was Spring Break on ASU, man campus was DEAD, but our area exploded. This week we taught more lessons with a member present than I have ever done in my mission. It seems like the more things Elder Oscarson and I have on our plate, the more solid investigators we find to teach. God is definitely blessing us.
This week we had a couple opportunities to train throughout the mission. Zone Conferences started and so we were able to go to Phoenix and Phoenix South Zones. Its always great to be able to go back to my old areas and hear how people I taught are doing, especially those that I was able to see baptized. Its such a blessing to hear of their progress in the Gospel. As well, this week we had our first ever Sister Training Leader meeting. With all of the new sisters coming out, there is a new assignment for this sisters in the mission. They have had this assignment for the last couple months, but this was the first ever meeting when they had a chance to come together and receive specific training pertaining to only their calling. Elder Oscarson and I were invited to take part in it, so we did our best to train the sisters how to lead the other sisters in the mission... hopefully they thought it went well haha. I'm thankful for all the opportunities that I have to share a little bit of the things I have learned throughout my mission. It truly is a blessing because I always learn even more as I'm preparing.
With it being spring break quite a few of our investigators went out of town. One of which was Jasmine. I've talked a little bit about her family situation, but just to remind you they are Atheist. It has been pretty difficult for Jasmine because Christ has become such a huge part of her life and its difficult to not share that with the people closest to her. Well, the day she left for her trip, she sent us a picture of her standing at the New Port Beach temple, the next day she took a picture at the San Diego temple. She told us for a huge portion of the time they were in the car they were talking about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. Time and time again I'm amazed at the things that she does. She shares the truths she has come to know with everyone, and it has been awesome to see how God has provided her with opportunities to share these truths with her family. I know just as talked about in the Family a Proclamation to the World, "Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ." His teachings are found in the restored gospel. There is no greater place to be than in a home centered on His teachings. I'm thankful that Jasmine has had opportunities to share this Gospel with her family.
As the week continued, we had some amazing experiences with our investigators, but one of the most precious experiences happened last night. Every 3rd Sunday of the month we have what we call the Mission President's Devotional. At this devotional 2 recent converts share their conversion story and their testimony and then President Toone takes some time to speak. As missionaries, we try to get everyone we can to these Devotionals. They are powerful. Everyone I have ever taken has been baptized into the church. Last night we invited several of our investigators to attend, but only two were able to make it. I was conducting the meeting, so I was able to sit on the stand and look out to see everyone throughout the meeting. As I looked at Tasha, one of our investigators, an overwhelming feeling came over me and I had somewhat of a flashback to the beginning of my mission. Tasha is a native american and is 23 years old. My first transfer in the mission, Elder Hernandez and I were teaching a native american named Michelle. I had never seen it before, but Michelle looked just like Tasha, only 15 years older. Michelle had such a strong desire to be baptized, but had become an alcoholic and couldn't kick the habit. The last I heard Michelle had been sent to jail because of an Alcohol related incident. As I looked at Tasha last night, memories of this experience flooded my mind and then a thought came to my mind, "You have helped save her of so much heartache." I don't know what lies ahead in Tasha's life, but I do know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ transforms our life. It helps us reach our divine potential and overcome all the potholes along the way. Last night, Tasha sent us a message and said, "Today was just great, so thankful and blessed to meet everyone that I met today....and its just everything feels so right for that next step to a happier life and to be closer to my Heavenly Father." I am so thankful to be teaching people my age; people who are unscared from the difficulties that life often brings. These people have grown to mean so much to me, and I'm thankful to share something that is so dear and so close to me with them.
A few minutes after the devotional was done I ran into Andres and Teresa, two people I was able to teach and see baptized while I was in Casa Grande. They told me that they were preparing to enter the temple in June and they wanted me to be there. I have forever been changed from the time I have been able to spend in the Arizona Tempe Mission and I am so grateful for the time that I have left to dedicate to my Savior and to these people.
I love you all!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Monday, March 24, 2014
Week 81: The Power of Positivity
Familia!
Once again another amazing week. Time just doesn't stop. Pretty obvious, I know, but it was made very evident this week. Weeks are just flying by, especially this one. It seemed like every moment we were either training missionaries or in a lesson. Things have been incredible lately in our area. We have been finding people who are willing to not only listen to our message, but to act upon it. Our members are incredible in helping us. For example, this last week we went out to dinner with a few of our members and our waitress told us that if she sold 6 peanut butter pies she would get a gift certificate from her boss. Seeing that there were only five of us, our member said, "I'll tell you what, we will buy all 6 if you'll meet with these missionaries and hear a message from them tomorrow." Something simple, I know, but they are some of the most missionary minded people I know and are so eager to share what is important to them with everyone they meet. Its good to be a missionary.
Like I said, our area has been incredible lately. More than just finding a lot of new investigators, our current investigators have made some amazing strides. Last week we committed Jasmine to finish the Book of Mormon and she did so this last Thursday. For about a month now she has known that the Book of Mormon was scripture, and that it was true, but she has really struggled with the idea of Joseph Smith being a prophet. As we challenged Jasmine to finish the Book of Mormon we really emphasized the promise found in Moroni 10 where it says, "Ye shall know the truth of ALL things." We promised Jasmine as she finished it, that she would come to know that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet. Feeling that big things were going to happen, Jasmine asked if we could plan on meeting Thursday at the Mesa Visitors Center. So, we met. Jasmine is a huge journaler, and one of the best ways she receives answers is through writing her thoughts down. So, Jasmine pulled out her journal and read us the experience that she had the night before. Towards the end it said something along the lines of "I know without a doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon is true, but where did it come from? The only explanation could be that it was translated by Joseph Smith, but does that make him a prophet? YES." And as she finished writing the word "Yes" she closed her journal. She said that so many questions and so many unknown items rushed to her head after she had written that, but as she wrote the word yes, she knew that the answer was directly from God. She knew that there were always going to be questions, the future may never be super clear, but she knew for that instance the Spirit of God told her spirit truth. Some of the moments from my mission that I hold dearest to me are when the veil is thinned and truth is understood. Jasmine asked us if we were surprised at what she had told us, and as I thought about it I honestly wasn't. In the introduction of the Book of Mormon we read a promise that says as we put forth the effort to read, ponder, and pray with real intent, answers will come; knowledge that Joseph Smith was a prophet being one of them. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the revelation that we can receive from it. We truly can find answers to all of life's questions.
As well this week we found one of the most amazing people that I have ever met. Her name is Christella, and she has such an incredibly positive outlook on life. The way that we found Christella was a miracle. Elder Oscarson and I were in an apartment complex knocking a door of a referral we received. After we had knocked a couple of times and with no luck, a memory of over a year flooded back to my mind. I remembered at the very beginning of my mission when I had been on exchanges with one of the assistants. We had been in that same exact apartment complex and had knocked a door for a referral they had received. I remembered that a man had come out and they set up a lesson, but that was about all that came to mind. So, with that memory pressing my mind we decided that we would go check it out. As we knocked the door, Christella came out and we set up a lesson. Something simple that didn't seem like a miracle at the time, but has proven to be so now. We had our first lesson with Christella this week and it was a very humbling experience. We started the lesson with a prayer and I asked Christella if there was anything in specific I could pray for for her or her family. She told us that she was really struggling in school, and so my initial thought was, "Ok, I will pray for her that she learns and understands the material." But no! She continued to tell us that because she was struggling she would ask that we pray for her professor because she knows it must be hard on him when students don't understand the material. We continued the lesson and asked a few questions to get to know her a little bit better. Christella had scars all over her body, and I figured they were from a car accident or something, but as she continued her story she told us that 6 months ago her boyfriend had stabbed her 27 times. She told us that it was a medical miracle that she was alive. She had been in a coma for several weeks and the moment she awoke she said, "I knew that God was real, He loved me, and that He had a plan for me. In that moment I knew that I was to play a role in impacting the lives of many people." Christella doesn't have any religious background, but she knows truth when she hears it. As we finished our lesson we asked her to say the closing prayer and she expressed gratitude nearly the entire prayer. She ended the lesson by telling us, I feel good about this and I want to learn more. Never once have I heard Christella say a negative thing. She is one of the happiest people that I know, and yet 6 months ago she went through one of the most brutal experiences. Without knowing it, Christella has impacted my life forever. Positive attitude in this life is absolutely essential. However minor or however large, difficult times will arise. However, with even a particle of faith, even in the worst of times we can experience the peace and joy that come from a belief in God. He is our Father, and as such He will always be with us.
I love you all, thanks for all of the prayers and support!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Once again another amazing week. Time just doesn't stop. Pretty obvious, I know, but it was made very evident this week. Weeks are just flying by, especially this one. It seemed like every moment we were either training missionaries or in a lesson. Things have been incredible lately in our area. We have been finding people who are willing to not only listen to our message, but to act upon it. Our members are incredible in helping us. For example, this last week we went out to dinner with a few of our members and our waitress told us that if she sold 6 peanut butter pies she would get a gift certificate from her boss. Seeing that there were only five of us, our member said, "I'll tell you what, we will buy all 6 if you'll meet with these missionaries and hear a message from them tomorrow." Something simple, I know, but they are some of the most missionary minded people I know and are so eager to share what is important to them with everyone they meet. Its good to be a missionary.
Like I said, our area has been incredible lately. More than just finding a lot of new investigators, our current investigators have made some amazing strides. Last week we committed Jasmine to finish the Book of Mormon and she did so this last Thursday. For about a month now she has known that the Book of Mormon was scripture, and that it was true, but she has really struggled with the idea of Joseph Smith being a prophet. As we challenged Jasmine to finish the Book of Mormon we really emphasized the promise found in Moroni 10 where it says, "Ye shall know the truth of ALL things." We promised Jasmine as she finished it, that she would come to know that Joseph Smith truly was a prophet. Feeling that big things were going to happen, Jasmine asked if we could plan on meeting Thursday at the Mesa Visitors Center. So, we met. Jasmine is a huge journaler, and one of the best ways she receives answers is through writing her thoughts down. So, Jasmine pulled out her journal and read us the experience that she had the night before. Towards the end it said something along the lines of "I know without a doubt in my mind that the Book of Mormon is true, but where did it come from? The only explanation could be that it was translated by Joseph Smith, but does that make him a prophet? YES." And as she finished writing the word "Yes" she closed her journal. She said that so many questions and so many unknown items rushed to her head after she had written that, but as she wrote the word yes, she knew that the answer was directly from God. She knew that there were always going to be questions, the future may never be super clear, but she knew for that instance the Spirit of God told her spirit truth. Some of the moments from my mission that I hold dearest to me are when the veil is thinned and truth is understood. Jasmine asked us if we were surprised at what she had told us, and as I thought about it I honestly wasn't. In the introduction of the Book of Mormon we read a promise that says as we put forth the effort to read, ponder, and pray with real intent, answers will come; knowledge that Joseph Smith was a prophet being one of them. I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and the revelation that we can receive from it. We truly can find answers to all of life's questions.
As well this week we found one of the most amazing people that I have ever met. Her name is Christella, and she has such an incredibly positive outlook on life. The way that we found Christella was a miracle. Elder Oscarson and I were in an apartment complex knocking a door of a referral we received. After we had knocked a couple of times and with no luck, a memory of over a year flooded back to my mind. I remembered at the very beginning of my mission when I had been on exchanges with one of the assistants. We had been in that same exact apartment complex and had knocked a door for a referral they had received. I remembered that a man had come out and they set up a lesson, but that was about all that came to mind. So, with that memory pressing my mind we decided that we would go check it out. As we knocked the door, Christella came out and we set up a lesson. Something simple that didn't seem like a miracle at the time, but has proven to be so now. We had our first lesson with Christella this week and it was a very humbling experience. We started the lesson with a prayer and I asked Christella if there was anything in specific I could pray for for her or her family. She told us that she was really struggling in school, and so my initial thought was, "Ok, I will pray for her that she learns and understands the material." But no! She continued to tell us that because she was struggling she would ask that we pray for her professor because she knows it must be hard on him when students don't understand the material. We continued the lesson and asked a few questions to get to know her a little bit better. Christella had scars all over her body, and I figured they were from a car accident or something, but as she continued her story she told us that 6 months ago her boyfriend had stabbed her 27 times. She told us that it was a medical miracle that she was alive. She had been in a coma for several weeks and the moment she awoke she said, "I knew that God was real, He loved me, and that He had a plan for me. In that moment I knew that I was to play a role in impacting the lives of many people." Christella doesn't have any religious background, but she knows truth when she hears it. As we finished our lesson we asked her to say the closing prayer and she expressed gratitude nearly the entire prayer. She ended the lesson by telling us, I feel good about this and I want to learn more. Never once have I heard Christella say a negative thing. She is one of the happiest people that I know, and yet 6 months ago she went through one of the most brutal experiences. Without knowing it, Christella has impacted my life forever. Positive attitude in this life is absolutely essential. However minor or however large, difficult times will arise. However, with even a particle of faith, even in the worst of times we can experience the peace and joy that come from a belief in God. He is our Father, and as such He will always be with us.
I love you all, thanks for all of the prayers and support!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Week 80: What a week!
Familia!
Man, do I love transfer week. It always teaches me a valuable lesson. Sleep is not necessary, or so it seems haha. I'm not sure how we make it through, but its amazing the things you can get done with God's help.
Monday wasn't too crazy of a day. We spent most of the day with the departing missionaries. There were only three in this group, so it wasn't too hectic. One of the Sisters that went home came out with me!!!! What??? Time is going way too fast. After the departing dinner and program we took the Elders to our place to make it easier for the early morning airport run.
My favorite day of the week was probably Tuesday. It started at 5:30am and ended the next morning around 3 am. Lots of time for miracles. Its a bitter sweet feeling dropping the missionaries off at the airport to head home. They will be missed, but its an exciting time for them. The best part of the day is usually picking up the arriving missionaries. They are are a mixture of emotions; lost, scared, nervous, happy, tired, but mostly excited. This transfer we switched things up a little bit from the last transfers. Usually they are running around all day with tons of orientation, but this transfer we made it a little more calm and took a lot of time to get to know them. As we have in the past few transfers we went to the Visitors Center at the Mesa Temple to watch the Joseph Smith movie and then allow them to have some time to set goals for their mission on the temple grounds. Elder Oscarson and I have been working a lot with one of our investigators Jasmine. She loves the idea of serving a mission. She is still working through a couple different things, but she has been receiving a lot of answers. One of her hold ups is knowing if Joseph Smith was a prophet, so we thought "Hey, a double wammy. She needs to know Joseph Smith was a prophet (we are watching a movie about him and the restoration) and she loves missionaries (there are 20 brand new ones)." So we invited Jasmine to come along. A few days before hand we asked her if she would prepare some thoughts about how a missionary could impact someone's life and help them come closer to Christ. When we got to the visitors center, President Toone took a few moments to talk to the missionaries and then he had us come up and introduce Jasmine. After she bore one of the most heartfelt testimonies. That day Jasmine went from completely against the idea of Joseph Smith being a prophet to thinking more than ever it is a possibility. She has been making some amazing progress. She is telling everyone about the Book of Mormon and how true she knows it is. She compared herself to Samuel the Lamanite. He knew truth and he found a way to spread it, even if it was on a wall with arrows and stones coming his way. She has been facing a lot of trials, but she won't give up the ground that she has won. I am so grateful for her and the example she is. She is the definition of a follower of Christ. She would give up anything to do what He asks. She is nervous for what the future holds, but she knows that as she continues forward with Christ, there is nothing to doubt.
Then, after all day Tuesday with the new missionaries came Transfer meeting. With all of the miracles that we have been seeing on Campus we all felt really inspired to increase the number of missionaries serving there. About 6 months ago there were only two sets of missionaries on campus, now there are five. There are so many prepared people, and it is up to us to reach them. President wanted to make sure that we put some of our best missionaries on campus, and so he put there none other than Elder Kloepfer! And since Elder Oscarson and I are over housing assignments, of course we live together! There are going to be some good things done on campus. Here shortly is might even be known as BYU-A.....we'll see, that's a ways off.
How grateful I am to be serving in such an amazing place. As the Gilbert Temple Open House, Celebration, and Dedication have all wrapped up this last weekend I know that there are great things in store. And to think, not too far in the future the Phoenix temple will be completed and the miracles will just multiply. His work truly is hastening. I know that this is His Gospel, and its our privilege to reach out to others and share it.
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Man, do I love transfer week. It always teaches me a valuable lesson. Sleep is not necessary, or so it seems haha. I'm not sure how we make it through, but its amazing the things you can get done with God's help.
Monday wasn't too crazy of a day. We spent most of the day with the departing missionaries. There were only three in this group, so it wasn't too hectic. One of the Sisters that went home came out with me!!!! What??? Time is going way too fast. After the departing dinner and program we took the Elders to our place to make it easier for the early morning airport run.
My favorite day of the week was probably Tuesday. It started at 5:30am and ended the next morning around 3 am. Lots of time for miracles. Its a bitter sweet feeling dropping the missionaries off at the airport to head home. They will be missed, but its an exciting time for them. The best part of the day is usually picking up the arriving missionaries. They are are a mixture of emotions; lost, scared, nervous, happy, tired, but mostly excited. This transfer we switched things up a little bit from the last transfers. Usually they are running around all day with tons of orientation, but this transfer we made it a little more calm and took a lot of time to get to know them. As we have in the past few transfers we went to the Visitors Center at the Mesa Temple to watch the Joseph Smith movie and then allow them to have some time to set goals for their mission on the temple grounds. Elder Oscarson and I have been working a lot with one of our investigators Jasmine. She loves the idea of serving a mission. She is still working through a couple different things, but she has been receiving a lot of answers. One of her hold ups is knowing if Joseph Smith was a prophet, so we thought "Hey, a double wammy. She needs to know Joseph Smith was a prophet (we are watching a movie about him and the restoration) and she loves missionaries (there are 20 brand new ones)." So we invited Jasmine to come along. A few days before hand we asked her if she would prepare some thoughts about how a missionary could impact someone's life and help them come closer to Christ. When we got to the visitors center, President Toone took a few moments to talk to the missionaries and then he had us come up and introduce Jasmine. After she bore one of the most heartfelt testimonies. That day Jasmine went from completely against the idea of Joseph Smith being a prophet to thinking more than ever it is a possibility. She has been making some amazing progress. She is telling everyone about the Book of Mormon and how true she knows it is. She compared herself to Samuel the Lamanite. He knew truth and he found a way to spread it, even if it was on a wall with arrows and stones coming his way. She has been facing a lot of trials, but she won't give up the ground that she has won. I am so grateful for her and the example she is. She is the definition of a follower of Christ. She would give up anything to do what He asks. She is nervous for what the future holds, but she knows that as she continues forward with Christ, there is nothing to doubt.
Then, after all day Tuesday with the new missionaries came Transfer meeting. With all of the miracles that we have been seeing on Campus we all felt really inspired to increase the number of missionaries serving there. About 6 months ago there were only two sets of missionaries on campus, now there are five. There are so many prepared people, and it is up to us to reach them. President wanted to make sure that we put some of our best missionaries on campus, and so he put there none other than Elder Kloepfer! And since Elder Oscarson and I are over housing assignments, of course we live together! There are going to be some good things done on campus. Here shortly is might even be known as BYU-A.....we'll see, that's a ways off.
How grateful I am to be serving in such an amazing place. As the Gilbert Temple Open House, Celebration, and Dedication have all wrapped up this last weekend I know that there are great things in store. And to think, not too far in the future the Phoenix temple will be completed and the miracles will just multiply. His work truly is hastening. I know that this is His Gospel, and its our privilege to reach out to others and share it.
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Week 79: What a Life
Familia!
What a humbling week this has been. I literally have no idea where to start.
More than anything this week I am so thankful for the miracles that come from following subtle promptings from the spirit. Often times we don't even know the direct results from our actions, but its such an amazing experience when we get to see the entire picture. To start, this week was our Stake Conference. Our Stake Presidency was reorganized and so Elder Piper and Elder Hansen of the 70 both came to the sessions. Saturday evening session was one of the most amazing sessions of Stake Conference that I have ever been to. The whole thing was devoted to missionary work, and so they had three panels that they invited up to answer questions. The first panel was a group of returned missionaries, the next panel was Elder Oscarson, President and Sister Toone, two sister missionaries, and I, and then the third panel was a group of recent converts. They asked us several different questions about the work of salvation and conversion, but the most powerful part came as the converts bore testimony of the journeys and the great experiences that they had. One of the converts, Daniel, was a guy that Elder Oscarson and I had the privilege to teach. The members of the 70 asked several questions to begin and then as they finished with their questions, they turned it to the congregation. The first questions that was asked was something along the lines of, "How do we got over the fear of being rejected as we invite our friends to participate in the Gospel? How do we become more comfortable with people telling us no?" As the question was asked it was amazing to see as Daniel reached out for the microphone and boldly stated something along the lines of, "You don't. I wouldn't be here if people had become comfortable with me telling them no. They cared about me and my salvation and so they were never comfortable. They never gave up on me. When I said no they found out the deeper concern and together we overcame it." After the program was over Daniel came up to us and reminded us about the experience that we had a few months earlier. For quite some time we had taught Daniel at his home and it just didn't seem to be as productive as it could have been. We invited him to meet with us at the institute, and the very first time that he came we had our lesson in the chapel. As we walked into the chapel an overwhelming spirit filled the room and for the next while we talked about prayer and the power of the Holy Ghost. As we finished the lesson and knelt to pray we asked him if he would say it. He said no, but as he talked to us Saturday night he walked us through the process we went through with him to break that wall down. As that wall came down and as Daniel uttered the first words of the prayer the spirit came into the room with such power. For the next 5 minutes or so Daniel sat there crying, for the first time in quite some time he was feeling the power of the Atonement of Christ. It was subtle promptings that Elder Oscarson and I received to continue forward with Daniel, but little did we know how profound of an influence it was really having on him until he told us Saturday.
That experience alone made my week, but to make things even better this week I was able to baptize Rikki, the girl that I found on facebook. One of my favorite parts of baptismal services is to hear the testimony of the recent convert moments after entering into the waters of baptism. Rikki talked a little bit about her journey, and how she came to find the church. For the last year or so of Rikki's life she said that she had just been miserable. She said that often times she would cry herself to sleep because she was living in such a confusing and difficult world. She had always known there was a higher power, but never once did she believe that the higher power could be a source of help and strength for her. In one of Rikki's most difficult moments she found herself on facebook and my video popped up. So, she watched it, liked it, and didn't think much of it. A few days later I sent Rikki a message and invited her to attend an activity that we were doing. After the activity we went into the chapel and spent some time talking about Christ. As she bore her testimony Saturday she said in that moment she felt the spirit speaking to her in a way that couldn't be denied. She knew that what she was feeling was directly from God and sent in a way that was directly for her. From that time forward Rikki continued without ceasing to search, study, and apply the Gospel to her life. In the past month Rikki has read over half of the Book of Mormon and looks for every opportunity to share what she knows with those around her. Once again it is such a testimony to me how aware our Father in Heaven is of us. Rikki was a complete stranger to me. I didn't know her, I didn't know her background, and I didn't know the difficulties she was facing, but God did. Its interesting to note that God's work and glory is our salvation, but to do so he works through us. I have such a testimony of following the subtle promptings that come from the spirit. As we are ready and as we are willing, God will let us know exactly the things which we should do.
I am so grateful for the Gospel and the blessings it brings. Especially for the family unit. It was tough hearing the passing of Grandpa, but I am so grateful for the knowledge that the Plan of Salvation brings. Grandpa is spreading the gospel to those who haven't had a chance to hear it. He left a legacy of love, work, and testimony for all of us to implement to our lives. I know that we will all be reunited again, and what a glorious reunion that will be.
I love and pray for you all!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
What a humbling week this has been. I literally have no idea where to start.
More than anything this week I am so thankful for the miracles that come from following subtle promptings from the spirit. Often times we don't even know the direct results from our actions, but its such an amazing experience when we get to see the entire picture. To start, this week was our Stake Conference. Our Stake Presidency was reorganized and so Elder Piper and Elder Hansen of the 70 both came to the sessions. Saturday evening session was one of the most amazing sessions of Stake Conference that I have ever been to. The whole thing was devoted to missionary work, and so they had three panels that they invited up to answer questions. The first panel was a group of returned missionaries, the next panel was Elder Oscarson, President and Sister Toone, two sister missionaries, and I, and then the third panel was a group of recent converts. They asked us several different questions about the work of salvation and conversion, but the most powerful part came as the converts bore testimony of the journeys and the great experiences that they had. One of the converts, Daniel, was a guy that Elder Oscarson and I had the privilege to teach. The members of the 70 asked several questions to begin and then as they finished with their questions, they turned it to the congregation. The first questions that was asked was something along the lines of, "How do we got over the fear of being rejected as we invite our friends to participate in the Gospel? How do we become more comfortable with people telling us no?" As the question was asked it was amazing to see as Daniel reached out for the microphone and boldly stated something along the lines of, "You don't. I wouldn't be here if people had become comfortable with me telling them no. They cared about me and my salvation and so they were never comfortable. They never gave up on me. When I said no they found out the deeper concern and together we overcame it." After the program was over Daniel came up to us and reminded us about the experience that we had a few months earlier. For quite some time we had taught Daniel at his home and it just didn't seem to be as productive as it could have been. We invited him to meet with us at the institute, and the very first time that he came we had our lesson in the chapel. As we walked into the chapel an overwhelming spirit filled the room and for the next while we talked about prayer and the power of the Holy Ghost. As we finished the lesson and knelt to pray we asked him if he would say it. He said no, but as he talked to us Saturday night he walked us through the process we went through with him to break that wall down. As that wall came down and as Daniel uttered the first words of the prayer the spirit came into the room with such power. For the next 5 minutes or so Daniel sat there crying, for the first time in quite some time he was feeling the power of the Atonement of Christ. It was subtle promptings that Elder Oscarson and I received to continue forward with Daniel, but little did we know how profound of an influence it was really having on him until he told us Saturday.
That experience alone made my week, but to make things even better this week I was able to baptize Rikki, the girl that I found on facebook. One of my favorite parts of baptismal services is to hear the testimony of the recent convert moments after entering into the waters of baptism. Rikki talked a little bit about her journey, and how she came to find the church. For the last year or so of Rikki's life she said that she had just been miserable. She said that often times she would cry herself to sleep because she was living in such a confusing and difficult world. She had always known there was a higher power, but never once did she believe that the higher power could be a source of help and strength for her. In one of Rikki's most difficult moments she found herself on facebook and my video popped up. So, she watched it, liked it, and didn't think much of it. A few days later I sent Rikki a message and invited her to attend an activity that we were doing. After the activity we went into the chapel and spent some time talking about Christ. As she bore her testimony Saturday she said in that moment she felt the spirit speaking to her in a way that couldn't be denied. She knew that what she was feeling was directly from God and sent in a way that was directly for her. From that time forward Rikki continued without ceasing to search, study, and apply the Gospel to her life. In the past month Rikki has read over half of the Book of Mormon and looks for every opportunity to share what she knows with those around her. Once again it is such a testimony to me how aware our Father in Heaven is of us. Rikki was a complete stranger to me. I didn't know her, I didn't know her background, and I didn't know the difficulties she was facing, but God did. Its interesting to note that God's work and glory is our salvation, but to do so he works through us. I have such a testimony of following the subtle promptings that come from the spirit. As we are ready and as we are willing, God will let us know exactly the things which we should do.
I am so grateful for the Gospel and the blessings it brings. Especially for the family unit. It was tough hearing the passing of Grandpa, but I am so grateful for the knowledge that the Plan of Salvation brings. Grandpa is spreading the gospel to those who haven't had a chance to hear it. He left a legacy of love, work, and testimony for all of us to implement to our lives. I know that we will all be reunited again, and what a glorious reunion that will be.
I love and pray for you all!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Week 78: Bitter SWEET
Familia!
This week I learned a really important lesson. I think that it has been a lesson that I've recognized many weeks throughout my mission, but it was especially prevalent this week. Life is both easier and harder as you forget about yourself and focus on others. Its something that doesn't make a lot of sense, but I have found is absolutely true. Its awesome to be able to go to an area where you don't know anyone and be able to create an immediate connection with them. I know that the connections we make in this life are eternal and I'm so grateful for them. This week was difficult in the fact that Eric's baptism is going to have to be postponed once again and one of our investigators absolutely knows the Book of Mormon is true but has pretty much called it quits after receiving that witness. Both difficult aspects, but both things that can be overcome.
But, who likes to focus on the difficulties, this week was FULL of miracles :) This week was one of the best finding weeks we have ever had. It was amazing. The last few days we have just had referral after referral fall into our laps. One of which is a YSA spanish speaking family. Ya, incredible. Elder Oscarson and I have been talking for the past 4 months about how awesome it would be to serve in Mexico City in a YSA ward, and now we are teaching 19, 20, and 22 year olds from Mexico. We received a referral for this family and so we went over one night to contact them. We had a short conversation on the doorstep and they invited us in. The rest of their family lives in Mexico and they moved up here to go to school. As the conversation switched from casual to spiritual we asked if we could have a prayer. I offered to say it and asked if there was anyone in their family I could specifically pray for. The oldest, Yadira, broke down crying and said, "You couldn't have come at a better time." She proceeded to tell us of the difficulties that their family is currently having. We said a prayer and a short message about Christ's Atonement. The next day they had to leave to mexico to be with their family during this difficult time, but I am so grateful for opportunities like these. Its just a testimony to me of how aware God truly is of us. As our Father, He knows exactly what we need and when we need it.
Its so amazing to be serving on ASU campus. There are so many people who are searching for the restored Gospel. This week we had the baptism of Alli, and once again she just came out of no where. She was taught by the missionaries about five years ago and knew it was true, but because of some trials in her life at that time she didn't want to continue going to church or meeting with the missionaries. Well, about three weeks ago one of her good friends got home from her mission. As they talked, Alli knew that she needed to be baptized and so the following week she came to church with her friend. After that great step of faith for her, everything else just fell into place and she was baptized this last Saturday. There are over 70,000 students currently enrolled at ASU and there is no way we are even getting close to reaching all of them. Another example of this is a girl named Rikki. About a month and a half ago we posted our ASU Mormon Missionary Profile Videos. The videos reached around 10,000 people. One day as I was going through and looking at all the people who had liked my video there was a girl named Rikki who's name just seemed to stand out. I clicked on Rikki's profile and saw that we had a mutual friend and so in the most normal/not awkward way possible I started up a chat on facebook with her. For the next few days we just got to know each other and then I asked if I could share one of my favorite scriptures with her. From then on the conversation turned to a Gospel Centered Topic. That Monday I invited her to Family Home Evening at the institute and she came and loved it. Tuesday she came to Michelle's baptism, and Wednesday she accepted a date to be baptized. This was all about three weeks ago, and this weekend Rikki is going to be getting baptized. There are so many people around us who whether they know it or not are seeking for truth and know not where to find it. As we pray for these opportunities, constantly sharing our testimonies, conversion will deepen not only in our own lives but in the lives of all those we come in contact with.
This Gospel is true. It changes lives, and it has changed mine.
I love you all! I hope this week is incredible!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
This week I learned a really important lesson. I think that it has been a lesson that I've recognized many weeks throughout my mission, but it was especially prevalent this week. Life is both easier and harder as you forget about yourself and focus on others. Its something that doesn't make a lot of sense, but I have found is absolutely true. Its awesome to be able to go to an area where you don't know anyone and be able to create an immediate connection with them. I know that the connections we make in this life are eternal and I'm so grateful for them. This week was difficult in the fact that Eric's baptism is going to have to be postponed once again and one of our investigators absolutely knows the Book of Mormon is true but has pretty much called it quits after receiving that witness. Both difficult aspects, but both things that can be overcome.
But, who likes to focus on the difficulties, this week was FULL of miracles :) This week was one of the best finding weeks we have ever had. It was amazing. The last few days we have just had referral after referral fall into our laps. One of which is a YSA spanish speaking family. Ya, incredible. Elder Oscarson and I have been talking for the past 4 months about how awesome it would be to serve in Mexico City in a YSA ward, and now we are teaching 19, 20, and 22 year olds from Mexico. We received a referral for this family and so we went over one night to contact them. We had a short conversation on the doorstep and they invited us in. The rest of their family lives in Mexico and they moved up here to go to school. As the conversation switched from casual to spiritual we asked if we could have a prayer. I offered to say it and asked if there was anyone in their family I could specifically pray for. The oldest, Yadira, broke down crying and said, "You couldn't have come at a better time." She proceeded to tell us of the difficulties that their family is currently having. We said a prayer and a short message about Christ's Atonement. The next day they had to leave to mexico to be with their family during this difficult time, but I am so grateful for opportunities like these. Its just a testimony to me of how aware God truly is of us. As our Father, He knows exactly what we need and when we need it.
Its so amazing to be serving on ASU campus. There are so many people who are searching for the restored Gospel. This week we had the baptism of Alli, and once again she just came out of no where. She was taught by the missionaries about five years ago and knew it was true, but because of some trials in her life at that time she didn't want to continue going to church or meeting with the missionaries. Well, about three weeks ago one of her good friends got home from her mission. As they talked, Alli knew that she needed to be baptized and so the following week she came to church with her friend. After that great step of faith for her, everything else just fell into place and she was baptized this last Saturday. There are over 70,000 students currently enrolled at ASU and there is no way we are even getting close to reaching all of them. Another example of this is a girl named Rikki. About a month and a half ago we posted our ASU Mormon Missionary Profile Videos. The videos reached around 10,000 people. One day as I was going through and looking at all the people who had liked my video there was a girl named Rikki who's name just seemed to stand out. I clicked on Rikki's profile and saw that we had a mutual friend and so in the most normal/not awkward way possible I started up a chat on facebook with her. For the next few days we just got to know each other and then I asked if I could share one of my favorite scriptures with her. From then on the conversation turned to a Gospel Centered Topic. That Monday I invited her to Family Home Evening at the institute and she came and loved it. Tuesday she came to Michelle's baptism, and Wednesday she accepted a date to be baptized. This was all about three weeks ago, and this weekend Rikki is going to be getting baptized. There are so many people around us who whether they know it or not are seeking for truth and know not where to find it. As we pray for these opportunities, constantly sharing our testimonies, conversion will deepen not only in our own lives but in the lives of all those we come in contact with.
This Gospel is true. It changes lives, and it has changed mine.
I love you all! I hope this week is incredible!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Week 77: Ask and You Shall Receive
Familia!
Well, here we are yet again. We're finally in to February, that time of year when all of the flowers and trees start to bloom, and we finally break out of the cold spell and get up to a nice and cozy 75 degrees. Man January was rough!
This week we had a pretty awesome opportunity. Every once and a while Elder Callister in the Presidency of the 70 comes down to have some meetings with the local members of the 70. As he was here this week he wanted to spend some time to meet with the mission presidents in the valley and their assistants. I was able to learn a lot from that meeting and am thankful for opportunities like this.
This week as well, we've had a lot of opportunities to work with the members and our recent converts. This week we were able to go to the Gilbert Open house twice; once with Jasmine and her friends and once with Michelle and her friend. It has been awesome to see Michelle's progress in the last few weeks. Ever since her baptism she has been so excited to share the gospel with everyone. Its incredible to see as others experience the blessings that the gospel brings an instant reaction is to turn outwards and share it with those that are nearest to them. Eric's baptism was supposed to be this weekend but was postponed just for that reason. Many of Eric's friends and family would not have been able to attend his baptism and so he wanted to postpone it another week so that they could be there. He told us, "It would be awesome to have all of the members there to support me at my baptism, but more than that I want my family there. When I'm up there baring my testimony I don't want it to just be to members, I want my family to hear it as well. I want them to understand where I have come from and how I came to know." True conversion is not only bringing yourself to Christ, but helping others along the path as well.
It has been such a blessing to be serving in this area. There aren't many places in the world that you can visit two different temple sites that are only 30 minutes apart. It has been key for our investigators to go to such a sacred spot and to feel of the spirit that is present in the House of the Lord. Wednesday and Thursday we were able to have some pretty special experiences with one of our investigators, Jasmine. We have been meeting with Jasmine for the past two months and she has been one of the most awesome people I have had an opportunity to meet with. Her desire is true, and the efforts she is putting forth to know is incredible. For quite some time now we have had a reservation to the Gilbert Temple Open House scheduled for the 6th of February. Jasmine has been diving into the Book of Mormon and so we thought it would be a really cool to have her past 3rd Nephi 11 by the time we went to the temple. We promised Jasmine that if she did, she would come to know that the Book of Mormon was true. So, there was a lot relying upon this trip, but we had faith and knew that miracles would happen. Wednesday she had read through 3rd Nephi 11 and we went to the Visitors Center at the Mesa Temple. There we watched the Testament so she had both read the coming of Christ to the Americas, and then seen it. After that we went through the family walk through they have that talks about sealing families together for the eternities. After which, we talked a little bit more about temples and their purpose. The next day we went to the open house which was an awesome experience. Elder Oscarson and I had a couple of meetings that we needed to get to later that afternoon, and so we started getting ready for those when Jasmine sent us a message. She told us that she had gone back to the Mesa temple because she was trying to figure things out and wondered if we could come and talk to her. We had a pretty booked afternoon, but we moved everything around and headed over. When we got there we asked Jasmine why she had gone to the temple again and she said, "It was a place I knew I could come and get answers." For the next hour and a half we talked about a lot of different things, but the most memorable part was how powerful the spirit was. That day, Jasmine made a ton of progress and I'm excited for the things to come.
I'm so thankful for the Holy Ghost and the power that it has. There is no greater witness that we can receive than the Spirit of God communicating directly to our spirits. In that line of communication, there is no error. I'm thankful for the promptings that I receive on a daily basis. I truly know that as we ask, answers come.
I love you all, thanks for everything you're doing!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Well, here we are yet again. We're finally in to February, that time of year when all of the flowers and trees start to bloom, and we finally break out of the cold spell and get up to a nice and cozy 75 degrees. Man January was rough!
This week we had a pretty awesome opportunity. Every once and a while Elder Callister in the Presidency of the 70 comes down to have some meetings with the local members of the 70. As he was here this week he wanted to spend some time to meet with the mission presidents in the valley and their assistants. I was able to learn a lot from that meeting and am thankful for opportunities like this.
This week as well, we've had a lot of opportunities to work with the members and our recent converts. This week we were able to go to the Gilbert Open house twice; once with Jasmine and her friends and once with Michelle and her friend. It has been awesome to see Michelle's progress in the last few weeks. Ever since her baptism she has been so excited to share the gospel with everyone. Its incredible to see as others experience the blessings that the gospel brings an instant reaction is to turn outwards and share it with those that are nearest to them. Eric's baptism was supposed to be this weekend but was postponed just for that reason. Many of Eric's friends and family would not have been able to attend his baptism and so he wanted to postpone it another week so that they could be there. He told us, "It would be awesome to have all of the members there to support me at my baptism, but more than that I want my family there. When I'm up there baring my testimony I don't want it to just be to members, I want my family to hear it as well. I want them to understand where I have come from and how I came to know." True conversion is not only bringing yourself to Christ, but helping others along the path as well.
It has been such a blessing to be serving in this area. There aren't many places in the world that you can visit two different temple sites that are only 30 minutes apart. It has been key for our investigators to go to such a sacred spot and to feel of the spirit that is present in the House of the Lord. Wednesday and Thursday we were able to have some pretty special experiences with one of our investigators, Jasmine. We have been meeting with Jasmine for the past two months and she has been one of the most awesome people I have had an opportunity to meet with. Her desire is true, and the efforts she is putting forth to know is incredible. For quite some time now we have had a reservation to the Gilbert Temple Open House scheduled for the 6th of February. Jasmine has been diving into the Book of Mormon and so we thought it would be a really cool to have her past 3rd Nephi 11 by the time we went to the temple. We promised Jasmine that if she did, she would come to know that the Book of Mormon was true. So, there was a lot relying upon this trip, but we had faith and knew that miracles would happen. Wednesday she had read through 3rd Nephi 11 and we went to the Visitors Center at the Mesa Temple. There we watched the Testament so she had both read the coming of Christ to the Americas, and then seen it. After that we went through the family walk through they have that talks about sealing families together for the eternities. After which, we talked a little bit more about temples and their purpose. The next day we went to the open house which was an awesome experience. Elder Oscarson and I had a couple of meetings that we needed to get to later that afternoon, and so we started getting ready for those when Jasmine sent us a message. She told us that she had gone back to the Mesa temple because she was trying to figure things out and wondered if we could come and talk to her. We had a pretty booked afternoon, but we moved everything around and headed over. When we got there we asked Jasmine why she had gone to the temple again and she said, "It was a place I knew I could come and get answers." For the next hour and a half we talked about a lot of different things, but the most memorable part was how powerful the spirit was. That day, Jasmine made a ton of progress and I'm excited for the things to come.
I'm so thankful for the Holy Ghost and the power that it has. There is no greater witness that we can receive than the Spirit of God communicating directly to our spirits. In that line of communication, there is no error. I'm thankful for the promptings that I receive on a daily basis. I truly know that as we ask, answers come.
I love you all, thanks for everything you're doing!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Monday, February 3, 2014
Week 76: A Week of Blessings
Familia!
Man, what a week. I have my voice back, its a miracle!
At the end of every month we have our Mission Leadership Council. Its the meeting where all of the Sister Trainer Leaders and the Zone Leaders come in and we talk about our mission and figure out a game plan for the next month. Its a pretty important meeting and this last week it was scheduled on Wednesday. Tuesday night I didn't have my voice still, but when I woke up on Wednesday it was back. So now I can finally talk to people again, something fairly important in missionary work.
This week has been awesome in our area. We have made a lot of progress with the investigators that we have and then we were able to find quite a few new ones. One of which is named Sharuz. Sharuz is from Turkey and came to the United States two years ago for an education. He just moved to Arizona a month or so ago and he was walking down campus and talked to two elders....who those elders were, I'm not sure because campus is covered by Elder Oscarson and I and 6 sisters...so, we still aren't sure on who it was that talked to him haha.
As he talked to the missionaries he said that he felt something and he wanted to learn more. He stumbled upon the institute building and remembered the name and so he went in to figure out how he could learn more. He got our information, contacted us, and we set up a lesson. Sharuz is awesome! He doesn't have a lot of religious background, but he told us, "I have two beliefs. One is that there is a creator. I look at people and I just know. The second is that there is another place out there. I don't know what it is, I don't know what it consists of, but I know it is there." And then he proceeded to tell us that he just wants to learn more. I find it amazing how the spirit guides and directs people. I have such a strong testimony that if we allow Him to, God will direct every step of our lives. If we are searching for answers, for guidance, or whatever it may be, as we allow Him to take charge He will lead and guide us directly where we need to be.
As well this week we have been working with Jasmine. We have taught Jasmine 3-5 times a week for the past month and a half, and last week she told us that she wanted to be baptized, she just didn't know if it was God's will for her. She is so close and is earnestly searching for answers, and it has been awesome working with her. As Elder Oscarson and I sat in companionship study yesterday trying to figure out what we could talk about to help Jasmine in her conversion to Christ, we couldn't seem to figure it out. As we continued discussing we finally came to the subject of the role of prophets and really diving into apostasy and the restoration.
So, yesterday being Sunday we planned on seeing Jasmine at church and seeing if we could set up a time afterward to meet with her. As we got to church we found out that our Bishop was getting released the following week and he had asked to meet with our investigators before he left. So, we set up an appointment with Jasmine, him, and us, and we went into his office. As we sat there for a while talking about many different aspects of the Gospel, it didn't really seem like it was getting anywhere. Then our bishop stopped talking for a few moments and then said, "Prophets. Jasmine, what is a Prophet?" and then continued to talk about everything that Elder Oscarson and I had previously discussed that morning.
For the next hour we dove into the scriptures and talked about the Apostasy of the church of Christ and the necessity for a Restoration. It was probably some of the most bold things I have heard anyone say, but it was done in a way that was completely led by the spirit and was exactly what Jasmine needed to hear. Its awesome to see that we hadn't even talked with Bishop Beus about this concern, but as he followed the promptings of the Spirit, he was able to identify exactly what she needed. Once again, I know that our Lord leads and guides this work and as we are willing to participate in it, He is willing to reveal to us what to do.
I honestly think that this whole week was just a blessing, but I think the highlight of the week happened on Tuesday night as I was able to baptize Michelle Hartman, one of our investigators. Michelle has been meeting with the missionaries for quite some time and has wanted to be baptized for 7 months and 18 days....she kept count. The only problem was her parents were completely against it. For quite some time Michelle has tried to talk to her parents and they wouldn't listen. She tried getting baptized 3 months ago and they told her that if she did they would disown her. So, needless to say, the past 7 months have been very difficult for Michelle. It has been awesome to see though as Michelle dove into the scriptures how her faith increased and lead her to action. Michelle's birthday was this last Tuesday, and about a month ago she told us that she was going to get baptized on her birthday. She said, "This is something that I know I need to do and I will become homeless before I don't get baptized." I am so thankful to be around people with such a strong desire to follow Christ. I know that Michelle's desire to follow Christ is something that is not only going to affect her life, but will affect her entire families life and the life of those around her for the eternities.
I'm so grateful for this gospel, it truly is the way to return back to Father. I love having the opportunity to share it with everyone I come in contact with. I love you all! I hope everything is going great!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Man, what a week. I have my voice back, its a miracle!
At the end of every month we have our Mission Leadership Council. Its the meeting where all of the Sister Trainer Leaders and the Zone Leaders come in and we talk about our mission and figure out a game plan for the next month. Its a pretty important meeting and this last week it was scheduled on Wednesday. Tuesday night I didn't have my voice still, but when I woke up on Wednesday it was back. So now I can finally talk to people again, something fairly important in missionary work.
This week has been awesome in our area. We have made a lot of progress with the investigators that we have and then we were able to find quite a few new ones. One of which is named Sharuz. Sharuz is from Turkey and came to the United States two years ago for an education. He just moved to Arizona a month or so ago and he was walking down campus and talked to two elders....who those elders were, I'm not sure because campus is covered by Elder Oscarson and I and 6 sisters...so, we still aren't sure on who it was that talked to him haha.
As he talked to the missionaries he said that he felt something and he wanted to learn more. He stumbled upon the institute building and remembered the name and so he went in to figure out how he could learn more. He got our information, contacted us, and we set up a lesson. Sharuz is awesome! He doesn't have a lot of religious background, but he told us, "I have two beliefs. One is that there is a creator. I look at people and I just know. The second is that there is another place out there. I don't know what it is, I don't know what it consists of, but I know it is there." And then he proceeded to tell us that he just wants to learn more. I find it amazing how the spirit guides and directs people. I have such a strong testimony that if we allow Him to, God will direct every step of our lives. If we are searching for answers, for guidance, or whatever it may be, as we allow Him to take charge He will lead and guide us directly where we need to be.
As well this week we have been working with Jasmine. We have taught Jasmine 3-5 times a week for the past month and a half, and last week she told us that she wanted to be baptized, she just didn't know if it was God's will for her. She is so close and is earnestly searching for answers, and it has been awesome working with her. As Elder Oscarson and I sat in companionship study yesterday trying to figure out what we could talk about to help Jasmine in her conversion to Christ, we couldn't seem to figure it out. As we continued discussing we finally came to the subject of the role of prophets and really diving into apostasy and the restoration.
So, yesterday being Sunday we planned on seeing Jasmine at church and seeing if we could set up a time afterward to meet with her. As we got to church we found out that our Bishop was getting released the following week and he had asked to meet with our investigators before he left. So, we set up an appointment with Jasmine, him, and us, and we went into his office. As we sat there for a while talking about many different aspects of the Gospel, it didn't really seem like it was getting anywhere. Then our bishop stopped talking for a few moments and then said, "Prophets. Jasmine, what is a Prophet?" and then continued to talk about everything that Elder Oscarson and I had previously discussed that morning.
For the next hour we dove into the scriptures and talked about the Apostasy of the church of Christ and the necessity for a Restoration. It was probably some of the most bold things I have heard anyone say, but it was done in a way that was completely led by the spirit and was exactly what Jasmine needed to hear. Its awesome to see that we hadn't even talked with Bishop Beus about this concern, but as he followed the promptings of the Spirit, he was able to identify exactly what she needed. Once again, I know that our Lord leads and guides this work and as we are willing to participate in it, He is willing to reveal to us what to do.
I honestly think that this whole week was just a blessing, but I think the highlight of the week happened on Tuesday night as I was able to baptize Michelle Hartman, one of our investigators. Michelle has been meeting with the missionaries for quite some time and has wanted to be baptized for 7 months and 18 days....she kept count. The only problem was her parents were completely against it. For quite some time Michelle has tried to talk to her parents and they wouldn't listen. She tried getting baptized 3 months ago and they told her that if she did they would disown her. So, needless to say, the past 7 months have been very difficult for Michelle. It has been awesome to see though as Michelle dove into the scriptures how her faith increased and lead her to action. Michelle's birthday was this last Tuesday, and about a month ago she told us that she was going to get baptized on her birthday. She said, "This is something that I know I need to do and I will become homeless before I don't get baptized." I am so thankful to be around people with such a strong desire to follow Christ. I know that Michelle's desire to follow Christ is something that is not only going to affect her life, but will affect her entire families life and the life of those around her for the eternities.
I'm so grateful for this gospel, it truly is the way to return back to Father. I love having the opportunity to share it with everyone I come in contact with. I love you all! I hope everything is going great!
Con Amor,
Elder Jurgensmeier
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)