Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Lots of tours!

Hello Family!!

I have had so many miracles this week and I want to share them with you!!


I got to see the Shelburg Famiy (they are in the Ralston Lavista Ward and taught cub scouts when HK was a wolf.


I heard that the Ford's came to the square. Some Sisters told me about it later.

There was an entire motor coach of people from Nebraska!! Sadly, I was not able to take them on a tour, but I met them as they were leaving. haha.  There was a lady from LaVista too.  It was really funny because sisters who took them told me that there was one man who just wanted to argue with them through the whole tour, then a couple came an apologized to them about the arguing man and told them that Nebraskans are not like that. haha!

And I saw the Most Family!!  That was such a miracle.  I announced this past Sunday and I was the first and last announcer which is pretty cool.  I was super nervous, but I practiced a lot and prayed, so everything went well.  We say something along the lines of: "Hello. My name is... and I am from... I would love to take you on a tour of temple square and tell you about the history and basic beliefs of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints.  If you would like a tour please come talk to me after this presentation. Bye!"  But everyone says something like that in their own language.  So for my "language" I greeted everyone with a loud "Howdy ya'll!"  hahaha!! just playing on the perception that we are all hicks out there. haha But the amazing part was that the Most family went to music and the spoken word and were hoping and wondering how they were going to be able to find me.  They walked out and there I was!!  Sister Torino and I took them on a tour and it was so spiritual!!  We took them to the Tabernacle, Assembly Hall (1st church building), and the video presentation called God's Plan for His family.  The spirit was so strong in the God's Plan and I think everyone cried.  It was the most spiritual God's Plan that I have taken in a while.  It was wonderful and I think we all learned something.  :)  They asked me to call some of their friends, so I am working on contacting them.  No luck so far, but they will answer soon. ;)


Sister Torino and I have started planning for miracles when we plan every night and they have been answering.  One day, sister Torino and I planned to meet a group of Catholics and Methodist and to teach the restoration.  Well we did.  There was a tour that was texted out and Sister Torino called in and said that we would take the tour.  I did not really want to take it, but said a prayer and started out.  There were 3 in the group and 2 were catholic and 1 was Methodist!  They had heard a lot of things about what we believe from south park and the Book of Mormon play, so in the first building, I taught the entire restoration.  When I was telling Joseph Smith's account of the First Vision, the spirit was so overwhelmingly strong.  The Methodist man did not break eye contact with me the entire time.  I know that his spirit recognized the truth and the spirit. The other two were not so interested, but I know that they felt the spirit as well. There were lots of people in the Assembly hall, but the noise didn't affect the spirit.  They didn't refer, but I know that they felt the spirit and will remember what they felt. 


The other one was that we planned to find some troubled teenagers who would open up to us and let us help them, and we did!  One didn't know if the church was true and was beginning to doubt.  Sister Torino felt impressed to ask if he had ever read the Book of Mormon and prayed to know that it is true.  He said that he had never read it.  We invited him to read it and to pray to know if it was true.  The spirit was so strong and he said that he felt it and knew that he needed to do what we said.  Then we met two other boys in a ym's group.  One was less active, and the other was not a member.  I was able to talk to the less active one for a little bit and encouraged him to go to church again even though it is tough.  The leaders did not let us talk to them a lot, but it was wonderful.  I think that they will both come to church because of the great youth they were with.


Yesterday, we took a group of about 30 baptists on a tour.  There were 60 in total and we took half of them and another companionship took the other half.  They told us that they were here to do a ministry in the city and learn how to form/start churches.  They had come to temple square to learn more about the culture here...Lets just say that they were very concerned about the welfare of our souls and that we were going to hell.  There were not lots of questions/arguing int he first 2 locations of the tour, but then 2 Sister's joined our tour to help us.  Thank goodness!  Sister Siegle and Sister Dutra (both from Brazil) helped us in the last spot which was good because we would not have been able to finish the tour well without them.  It kinda made me sad, that so many people and youth are lost and going the wrong way.  I am so glad that they believe in Christ, but trying to arguing with missionaries from another faith is not helping anyone.  The youth only asked questions about the building and very basic beliefs, but the adults asked all sorts of deeper doctrine questions.  Why do people feel the need argue and try and fight with us.  I finally told a man, that we do not want to argue with him and that is not our purpose.  I then told him that we can only invite him to read the Book of Mormon and pray and ask God.  He then invited us to read the New Testament and I told him that I had studied from it yesterday and read about the sermon on the mount. haha he was surprised.  I think it is amazing, because almost one year ago, I was faced with similar situations, and I did not know what to do, but now, I my faith and trust is stronger and I understand the doctrine more so that I can face these situations confidently.  The Lord has strengthened my faith and trust in him so much through my mission.  I am so grateful that I know the truth and have such a strong testimony of it.  


This week in PMG I studied the chapter 11 about helping investigators make and keep commitments.  It is what I taught about in District Meeting.  When we invite someone to do something, we really inviting them to repent and change.  If we do not invite them, they will not repent and change so invitations are really important.  Secondly, there are different steps to an invitation. first the doctrine must be introduced and taught, second a specific invitation needs to be asked, third blessings are promised, and forth you testify.  Then you follow up!! and be devastated if they do not keep the commitment.  This is really an inspired way to help people repent and change and I love the power that is in it!!

I am also reading in the BOM and I am in Mosiah. :)

I love you all so so much!!  Sorry if I rambled a little.

Love Always, 

Sister Stephen

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