EMAIL: Mon, May 6,
2013 11:15 AM
Subject: Hello!
Howdy!
How are all y'all doing this week? This weekend was probably
one of the most amazing weekends on my mission!! On Saturday we had a special
mission conference where we were taught and edified from special, guests
speakers. Our guests were Elder D. Todd Christofferson from the Quorum of the
Twelve, Elder Hallstrom from the Presidency of the Seventy, Elders Funk and
Vinzon from the Seventies, and Elder Hansen our Area Seventy. The meeting was
marvelous!!!! I wish y'all could feel the strong spirit that was present with
all of the missionaries and 5 general authorities. Wow!! I felt like I was in a
mini general conference just for the TDM. All of the general authorities were
in Dallas
Then on Sunday Elder Christofferson and Elder Vinzon also
visited the Plano Stake for a special stake conference (I did not attend the
stake center because my ward was invited to watch by broadcast, but it was
still amazing because they were speaking to the Plano Stake specifically). I
was so overjoyed that Sister Burns that we have been working with a lot and
also our investigator Sandra both came to the special stake conference. The
meeting was fantastic! Possibly the most touching part to me was Elder
Christofferson at the end. He decided to end the meeting 15 minutes early so
that he could take the extra time and shake all of the children and youth's
hands. I wasn't there in person to see all of the little kids rush up to shake
an apostle's hand right after the meeting, but I am sure it was a powerful
experience. Elder Christofferson asking to shake all of the kid's hands
reminded me so much of Christ suffering the little children to come unto Him.
Even though I had shaken his hand the day before, my testimony was strengthened
so much at that moment that Elder Christofferson truly is a representative of
Jesus Christ on the earth today with all of the Priesthood keys that are
bestowed upon the apostles of Christ since the beginning of time.
By the end of the Stake Conference on Sunday, y'all can
probably imagine that I was on a spiritual high. Sunday night though, I had one
of the most miraculous experiences on my mission thus far. There is a lot of
mini miracles that go into this story, but hopefully I can summarize a few and
help y'all feel how much the Lord loves each of us:
Sister Brown and I hadn't heard from our investigator Patty
in almost 3 weeks. We have been trying to contact her without any luck. Sister
Brown felt super inspired to stop by Sunday afternoon. By much more than luck,
Patty was home and let us come in. We found out that she is losing her job and
has been really depressed with her life lately. Because she felt so miserable
and stuck in depression, Patty really opened up to us. We talked with her about
3 main things: the Atonement, church, and faith leading to "doing".
We talked of the strength and the enabling power of the Atonement- how it can
help her get through her moments of temptation -how it can help her get to
church. Patty then told us that she doesn't feel worthy to go to church. She
feels like a hypocrite. I didn't yell at her at this point, but I did exclaim
pretty passionately that if all of us had to be perfect to go to church then
our churches would be completely empty. We also talked about how faith is an
action. Patty also expressed a desire to meet the Bishop of our ward, so we
reemphasized that she needed to come to church. By this point, it was a really
good lesson with Patty. She had really opened up, and I had felt the spirit testify
to her through my words.
Patty was about to let us leave when I randomly decided to
invite her to our dinner appointment. Now this was a miracle in and of itself.
As of that morning, we were supposed to have lunch with a family but they got
sick, so our dinner had been cancelled. On the way out of church, Sister Solano
(just baptized in October) asked if we had a dinner. I admitted that we didn't,
so she invited us over for a Cinco de Mayo cook out. So I invited Patty to come
with us to the Solano's home (before I had even checked with the Solanos).
Astoundingly, Patty said yes she would come to the dinner with us. Not by luck,
the Solanos were totally okay with Patty coming. We were really hoping Patty
and them would be good friends because they are both Mexican. The Solanos had
also invited over 2 other couples from the ward. We all had a really good time.
The Mexican food was very, very delicious. Patty was enjoying the friendship of
all of the members there. This was great because Patty was able to feel
comfortable around members and this will hopefully help her feel more
comfortable coming to church. They were all just chatting for a while and I was
playing with the Solanos' kids, when out-of-the-blue (and most definitely by
inspiration!) Bishop Shill happened to come over. He and his daughter were just
dropping by some brownies for the Solanos. Remember, Patty had only a few hours
previous expressed a desire to meet with the Bishop! Inspiration! Everyone just
chatted for a while, but then the topic turned to the marvelous stake
conference from Elder Christofferson that morning. Realizing that Patty wasn't
a member, Bishop Shill started directing the conversation of religion toward
her. Guess what Bishop Shill felt to talk about? The three things that Sister
Brown and I had taught Patty earlier: the Atonement, church being a place for
sinners, and faith leading to action!! It was so great because Patty kept
saying: the sisters just taught me that before dinner. The Bishop and the
members testifying were so great for Patty!!! We invited Patty to be baptized.
She said yes! Patty also says that she already know that this church is true
and she knows that the Book of Mormon is true.
I know that this experience was an answer to Patty's
prayers, but I also learned so much at the same time. Sometimes as a missionary
I have felt that it is just me teaching. Occasionally I feel the spirit prompt
me very strongly to say something, but most often I am just teaching the
principles of the doctrine as I know them. As the Bishop and members talked to
Patty and taught her the exact same thing that I had just a few hours previous (sometimes
with the exact same words that I used earlier), I realized how constantly and
continually I am inspired by the spirit and I teach through the spirit. I knew
in my mind before this that the spirit is always with the missionaries as they
are obedient and the spirit will teach through the missionaries to help people.
I am promised that all of the time in the scriptures, but I don't think I had
ever fully realized this in my heart until this moment. It is by no coincidence
that the Bishop taught Patty the exact same things that I had taught her
earlier. What we taught is obviously exactly what Patty needed to hear. Only
the spirit would have know that Patty needed those words. Only a Loving
Heavenly Father would send so many witnesses to one of His beautiful daughters
that is struggling. What a miracle!!!!
I am so grateful that the Solanos thought to invite us for
dinner. I am so grateful that Sister Brown was inspired to stop by and visit
Patty at that specific time. I am so grateful that Patty was home. I am so
grateful for the power of the spirit to help me teach my investigators
according to their concerns. I am so grateful that the Lord inspires his
bishops. I am so grateful for a bishop that cares about all of the members and
nonmembers of their ward. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that
answers prayers. I know that all of this experience was answer to all of
Patty's prayers. I know that she was being taught and guided by the spirit.
There is so much more that I could tell you about this experience but I have
run out of time. I am just so grateful that the Lord loves His children and now
we have the chance to teach and help Patty once again.
I love y'all so much!!! I know that this church is the one
and only true church and that it is led by a prophet and living apostles today.
I wish I could have told y'all what Elder Christofferson taught but I don't
have time.
I hope that y'all have a wonderful week!!
Love -Sister Peck
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