Monday, November 5, 2012

November 5, 2012


Hey! I have had such a great week.  Noted it has been raining a lot but that just won’t keep me down.  So we have a new INVESTIGATOR.  I am so happy.  She is so great and I am just so happy she wanted to learn more.  She is out on Camano so we have to drive a little bit to get to her house but she is super awesome.  We had one lesson with her already.  I of course screwed up the order of the restoration but the spirit was still felt so that was a bonus.  We have another appointment with her this week.  Also this week we are having the first lesson with three potentials.  One was sick the other week and so we couldn't meet with him but we will see how this one goes! We have another one with a couple who will be moving to Marysville so closer to where I live.  Both the people just graduated High School so we met the female but not the male if that makes sense.  So I am very excited for this week.  I have been studying 1st Nephi and now have moved on to 2nd Nephi so I am doing great on my reading.  Noted I am still skipping around but not as bad as before. I am also still studying conference talks and continue to be in LOVE with the Ensign! It has so many great stories in it.  I just love them ALL.  We also finally got the 2012 ward mission plan in our ward.  It is great and I know we can do great things with it.  Let’s see what else.  I am giving people thank you treats when they come out with us because well it gets them to want to come more and I have seen a great change in those who frequently come with us.  They don't even expect the treats.  I figure sometimes the job of a missionary isn't to just baptize or re-activate but to help the members want to do the work.  That is what we are doing.  Yesterday the ward all fasted for missionary experiences this week and then we will be having a week fast the last week in November.  Everybody was asked to sign up for a day, our ward missionaries will call them a day or two before and remind them that they are fasting for missionary experiences.  As much as it would be great that they fast for us that is too easy.  It is much too easy to pray for someone else to have a missionary experience rather then you.  You are important in missionary work.  We as missionaries will not be with them when we leave.  They need to have friends and support. I was talking with someone the other day about the importance of missionary work and the subject slowly turned to what it meant to be a member of the church.  Think about what that means.  What does it really mean to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? What are your jobs? Just something to think about.  It may mean something way different to you than it does to me. You don't need to have a church calling to have a member calling!  We were also in fast and testimony meeting yesterday where we were talking about trails and someone brought up the story of how a man still purified his own silver.  A lady once asked him, "How do you know when the silver has been completely purified?" The man replied something to this extent," Well ma'am each time the silver cools I look at it.  I know it has been completely purified when I can see my reflection." I just want to take a second and talk about what this means. There are many scriptures that talk about how we need to enter the "refiner's fire." Take a look at yourself now.  How will you know when you are completely pure? In first Nephi it talks about how all of the men and women were white clean and beautiful when they made the right choices.  Is that what is means to be purified? I don't know but I would like to think of it in this sense.  Here is a story: A man was walking along a hillside when he spotted a piece of glass.  It was dirty and worn with time.  The mud that covered it had dried and in passing no mortal man would have seen this piece.  The man thinking the small piece amazing brought it back to his home.  Looking the piece back and front he removed a rag and started wiping. Upon removing the dirt from the small pieces face he noticed a small shine. The shine was not big or extravagant but still there it was peeking out from the dust and the mold.  This time the man went to his kitchen and grabbed some soap.  Again he started to scrub.  The process took hours but in time the dust and the mold were gone. As the man wiped it dry he noticed the piece of glass was once beautiful and priceless.  While looking at the glass he thought, "If something could be so priceless then why would it not be now?" For a third time the man went back washing, scrubbing, and doing everything that he could to renew this old piece.  Drying it for the third time he noticed what one would never notice had they not cared.  When he looked in to see his reflection, he could see clearly the reflection of Christ looking back at him.  Noted this isn't the greatest of stories I am not a famous writer but I think it gets across my point.  Let us be the man/woman and the piece be our lives.  I know that one day when I look into my figurative mirror I want to see not my own reflection but that of Christ standing beside me. To some their lives may be passed by but I promise each and every person’s life is important Christ sees the value in all things no matter how dirty they may be at the time with work ALL things can be made right again. God lives! Christ loves us and will continue to stretch forth his hand to us so that we may be lifted up and cleansed of our mistakes but only if we truly work to make ourselves better. I love you all!
Sister Cawley

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