Prayer Is The Answer

Hi Family and friends!!

Sounds like another good week you’ve had. I’m still trying to get used to having P-day on Saturdays.. because its right as I feel like the week is warming up. Today we had a super fun zone activity. We hiked around a lake in the middle of a volcano crater and then all brought food to the church for a picnic. It was like a 5 hour stress free break from real life and I got to spend time with Hermana Juesky from my MTC group.

Zone Activity to a Volcano Crater.

This week... we worked hard. I’m just tired. But I really do love that feeling. I love feeling like I deserve my pillow each night, and I especially love when I can see the fruits. Lots of things fell through this week. We had everything planned well with investigators that seem to be progressing and members to come with us. But usually we would get there, and the investigators wouldn’t be there or would tell us that they didn’t want to listen anymore, and then we were stuck trying to make good use of a member on the spot. It happened a lot. But I was so amazed at what the Lord was able to give us and what he was able to teach me. We found a TON of less actives this week.. most of them after a lesson with an investigator had fallen through. So... we were able to visit new less actives with members with us to excite them and give them friends. And... I’ve found something out. I love helping and teaching less actives. I love it because through the Lords help, we are able to bring the spirit and help remind them of how they once felt. I’ve realized that although bringing back less actives isn’t the glorified and very visible work of a mission, it is still the same work nonetheless. Helping God’s children come back to Him. I love it. And I love seeing the light in someone’s eyes as they feel again the desire to follow Christ.

One of these experiences was yesterday as we went to an investigator’s house and the adults told us that our investigator wasn’t home... and the little girl came out and told us that he actually just really didn’t want to come outside. So... we were a bit bummed, but we just prayed and kept walking. We ended up knocking on the door of a family that are members but haven’t been coming to church for a long time and they welcomed us in. As we shared a short message about repentance, they told us that they really have been feeling empty lately and want to come to church on Sunday. 

Another one was a lesson that we had with another inactive family who have been passing through a lot of hardships. My companion and I were able to practice our 12 weeks training and completely teach a person, not a lesson. We asked them what they really desired. Why they want to change. What they want to show Christ.  As I bore my testimony about the love that our Savior has for them, I felt the spirt so strongly... stronger than I have in a lesson for a long time, and I literally could just see them in the temple. 

With Hermana Israelsen, we also found a less active family that hadn’t been going to church for more than 5 years, and with the help of the ward, they now haven’t missed a church meeting in almost two months. I know it’s not us... but it’s what the gospel can do when people are really able to FEEL the love of God and the happiness of repentance.

I know that the Lord is guiding us. And even though it hasn’t really been going how I thought or had hoped it would... baptisms, golden investigators, perfect schedules, etc, the Lord is really putting people in our path that NEED the good news of the gospel, and I am so grateful for that. I know that if I only work as hard as I can... His miracles will come in His ways.

We also had a fantastic meeting this week with our mission president about working for conversion and building the church... not just adding more people who will eventually become less active. He changed a lot of rules which is really helping the work move forward and I LOVE his perspective. Work, pray, help to convert.

We went on the crazy bus this week again. This week while trying to eat fried rice out of a plastic bag with our hands. Haha oh boy, I wish you could have all seen it. I’m not exaggerating when I say that every time we go over a bump, our heads about hit the ceiling. We FLY and... our rice kind of flew with us... but they’re good memories in the making! 

This week we went back to a house that we had visited and saw a sign on the wall that said... We are catholics, please don’t insist. Haha that definitely wasn’t there before.  I think that defines the sector Imbaya pretty well. But... we use it as an extra challenge and keep on knocking. 

My companion left her umbrella in a taxi one day and that night she was SUPER bummed. I tried to help talk her through it and cheer her up but she was down in the dumps. So... as we were walking through Imbaya, she proceeded to chase and flag down every taxi that passed to ask if they had her umbrella. I figured that I should burst her bubble by telling her that because there’s like a million taxis in otavalo, we very likely weren’t going to find her umbrella. But.. I supported her because I know that she was sad and had faith. We never found it.. but it was a good experience I’ll always remember.  (This is why it was a good experience.  Samantha didn't share this in her big letter but I feel that I can....)

This week my companion lost her umbrella and she was SUPER sad about it. That night as we were going to bed, she told me that she just wanted to feel the Lord's love.  I shared some of my testimony with her and told her she could ask God in a prayer if He really loves her and that He will always reply to that question.  Well, yesterday, we were in a lesson and she was telling that story and she said that as she prayed, she went to bed not feeling much and was a little sad.  She was getting ready for the day in the morning, and she went into her desk and saw my umbrella and a note I had left for her.  (Sorry mom.  I know it was a good one and kind of expensive) but I just had a strong feeling that she needed it more than I did.  She said that as she was reading the note, a voice whispered to her, "Yes, I love you" and that through another person, the Lord was able to answer her prayer.  That morning she had come over to me crying and told me thank you, but I had no idea about her experience until last night in our lesson.  Honestly, I know it wasn't me.  I know it was the Lord that helped her feel loved, but it was a cool experience to be able to be a part of Him answering a prayer. :)

My trust continues to grow in the Lord. It’s still hard here sometimes, but I keep learning something... when things go wrong, sometimes the only thing we have is our trust in the Lord. I saw the reality of this this week as I tried to have an ongoing prayer in my heart. I want SO BADLY to bring someone unto Christ. I want to use the Lord’s time wisely. I want all the planning and coordinating we’re doing to pay off. I found myself getting a bit stressed a few times this week because things weren’t working out and I felt the weight of the sector on my shoulders. But an interesting thing starts to happen as we start to put our life in the LORD’s hands. We are able to TRUST MORE that His plan is what will be best for us in the end and WORRY LESS that our imperfections will block us from His blessings. We can literally turn to him for ANYTHING and even though our problems may not immediately go away, He will take some of the stress and worry that we have. I learned a powerful lesson from Alma this week in Mosiah 24 and 26. That prayer is his steering wheel, not his backup plan. Talking about him and his people...

And so great were their afflictions that they began to cry mightily to God....

And talking about him being put in a hard situation to judge others, its says... and now the spirt of Alma was again troubled and he went and inquired of the Lord what he should do...

In both the these situations of trouble, instead of fleeing to worldly knowledge and solutions, Alma got down on his knees and asked for heavenly help. Prayer was his number one response. If we do that, I know the Lord will say to us also... blessed art thou... because of thy exceeding faith. 

Sometimes life just is a little hard... but it can ALWAYS be made better on our knees and talking with our Father. I know that without a doubt.

I love you all!!!

Con amor, Hermana Yorgason