Tuesday, May 31, 2011

I LOVE TO SEE THE TEMPLE



Hello family,

This week was packed with stuff to write home about. I even made a list last night so I wouldn't forget all the funny, wonderful, one unfortunate, and spiritual experiences I had this week. It was an incredible week. It got off to a rough start, as many weeks that turn miraculous do. Sister Bowles and I were stopping by several potential investigators homes when a small dog bolted into the street. It was a pretty scarring experience for Sis. Bowles, as she was driving and the small dog went under the car. She was a bit histerical as she got out of the car. The little dog didn't make it and she called our district leader looking for sympathy and he couldn't help but laugh at how histerical she was. It somehow how spread like wild fire thru the mission. Poor Sis. Bowles.

We had an incredible time in the temple on Thursday. A little over half the mission filled a session, using everysingle chair and even then some. It's an experience I will not soon forget, nor will I likely ever have the opportunity to experience such a thing again. Two of my favorite things in the whole world combined into one: temple work and missionary work :) Our mission president invited us to go to the temple with a specific question and to seek for the answers as we were there. As I pondered on what I wanted to learn, I decided that after hearing so many talks in conference about knowing vs. becomming, I wanted to know how you could know when you are becomming and not just simply knowing and doing. I didn't get the answer until the end and while sitting in the temple the scripture Moroni 7:48 came to my mind so clearly. "when he shall come, we shall be like him, for we shall see Him as He is..." It was evident as I sat and looked at the dozens of missionaries there in the temple who was becomming and who was simply doing. The only difference between doing and becomming is consistency. Those who "do" and "know" consistently, become like Christ. Those who "do" and "know" only some of the time are simply pretending. I'm striving daily not to be the latter.

Eden was baptized this last Sunday! It was such an incredible service. After she was baptized she was about to walk out of the font when she turned around and looked at her husband and her 9 mo. old son, smiled and waved at them both. I wouldn't trade seeing that smile for ten thousand free trips to Disneyland. She has made such an incredible change in her life, and her husband can see it. At first he told us that he really wanted to support his wife, but that he wasn't even a little interested in converting. After teaching the word of wisdom, he discovered he would have to quit chewing, which drove him even further away from the idea. And yet by small and simple things are great things brought to pass. He's come to church twice now, and he definitely felt something at Eden's baptism. Just a few days ago he informed us that he had bought his last can of chewing tobacco. The gospel of Jesus Christ can empower people to overcome things they ordinarily could not. I truly have seen that for God, nothing is impossible.

The week ended with an incredible crazy miracle. A sister in our mission had to go home last Saturday because of stress fractures in her foot. It's thrown everything a little crazy. President was going to have to close an area to missionaries all together. Sunday the thought came to my mind that I should ask a YSA girl in our ward if she'd want to go to Tacoma for a while and help out. I mentioned it to her and she got so stoked for it. So I called my mission president who thought it was a great idea. From mentioning it to her on Sunday afternoon. She was set apart by the stake president here in Elma Monday at noon. We took her to Tacoma with her new companion, where she will be serving as a temporary full time missionary for the next nine weeks! She has a name tag and everything. She's only 18 and is by far one of the most incredible people I've met on my mission. What an opportunity! It's amazing what the Lord can do in such a short amount of time. In just 24 hours she prepared for a mission for nine weeks! She's so cool!

Our little friend Adrianna came to us this Sunday and told us that she had prayed and that she was excited that she got a yes this time. She's getting baptized June 8th, next week! Because she's twelve they are having her baptism be the actual mutual activity! How cool is that? We're so excited for her! Things are going great. Despite the rain that is here today, we are in high spirits and excited to do the work! I hope you are all well! Love you!

Sister Bradley

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