Good Gifts

This week I think the theme has been recognizing that God only gives good gifts. There have been many gifts this week, some I (being my natural self) would classify as good, others bad. But, I have a testimony that He only gives us good things. As I have reflected on this during the week I have come ro realize- they're all good!

 

Some of the gifts of this week:

- Hannah (and amazing YSA) took us mini-golfing and our for ice cream on P-day last week. It was so much fun and I enjoyed doing something a little different then the usual. 

- Through my intensive studying and marking in the Book of Mormon challenge, I am coming closer to my Saviour. I feel His life changing mine to be better. I see His role as the Saviour and Redeemer, as the Son of God in a much more far-reaching way. Step by step it's changing from the Saviour to my Saviour. 

- Heavenly Father is opening doors for the work in this area. We've been so busy this week, not onlyt only teaching lessons to investigators but also contacting and teaching less-active members. One of them really needs contact with the church and has already been taking steps (like reading the Book of Mormon on her own before we knocked on her door). She also has a 10 year old daughter who would like to take the missionary lessons with the intent to be baptized. What a beautiful miracle!

- Another is a woman, S2, who used to be a member of the church. She has not been a member for over 10 years though. Through life experiences and a new boyfriend though, she brought herself back to church and introduced herself to us. We were able to go by and teach her and her boyfriend, R5, who is Methodist. He had never heard of Mormons before or of the Book of Mormon. We are excited to teach them both! The other cool part of teaching them? They both live on canal boats!!! There are loads of canals here that people live on. It feels very much like being in a caravan (trailer home... I can't remember the American English word for it???) when you walk on. I can officially say I have taught people on the land and the sea hahaha

- D4 is doing well. He is still making progress in the right direction. He unfortunately won't make his date for baptism this Saturday but he will definitely be baptized. We're hoping for the 12th of October. We watched the Restoration DVD with him this week and he loved it. He also accepted the law of tithing in a heartbeat, which truly was a humbling experience for me because he's got so few earthly possesions and not a lot of money, yet he's willing to give 10% to the Lord.

-A3 is doing better than we'd hoped. We'd lost contact with her for about a week and a half and we had really been worrying about her. When we lose contact with people it's usually not a good sign. However, she's doing good! She's been reading and praying and has just been out of town a lot and ill. We hope that this week we will see her faith continue to build and that she will be able to come to church again.

-This one brings a tear to my eye. On Sunday, a YSA who had been inactive for over a year came back to church for the first time. I don't know what happened in his life, but he's back and he wants to stay. The look on his mother's face when he walked into the building,the way she continued to glow throughout the rest of our meetings, and the warm welcome back from all the ward members were so touching to see. It's never too late! And, when people come back we should always welcome them back and extend a warm hand of fellowship and support. Coming into the church for the first time (investigators) and coming back to the church after a long time (less-actives) is often challenging and scary at first- they need our support!

-Lastly, we're moving flats!! It's transfers on Wed. and Lincoln is getting another set of Elders. So, there will be 2 sets of elders and one set of sisters. We are moving to a new, very nice flat ( I know because we were the one's who did the viewing for it) right on top on the only big hill in Lincoln. We're pretty excited. We'll be working in a new area, but still know the ward. I'll send some pictures of the new flat  when we move in. Not only is it bigger and nicer, but I'll be in really good shape from biking up and down the hill all the time! :) We should move in tomorrow (hopefully) because the Elders have to move into ours on Wednesday.

 

I hope you enjoyed this really long email!

Here are some pictures:

 

 Mini Golf!

 We found Aslan!

 

Love you all!

Sister Roscher