Letters from Teach in Texas

Teach is working so hard to be a good missionary! She shared this experience today.


We had an amazing opportunity last Monday. We had a full night planned and one by one throughout our preparation day everyone cancelled. It was slightly devastating for a moment but we had placed a less active family that lives in the outskirts of our area as our backups so we were planning to head out there. We also had a potential investigator that we felt we should visit. We visited our less-active family (he has agreed to read The Book of Mormon again) and then headed to the potential. We debated for a minute if we should go in because there were a lot of reasons not to go-but in the end one of my companions said, "Why not? Let's just knock." So we did! We were able to come inside and teach the family (Mom and 3 teenagers) the Restoration and we invited them all to be baptized. They want to learn more and we have a return appointment! It was just such a great experience. The teenagers know two members from school, so right when we got out to the car we called up the members and our Ward Mission Leader. We are so excited for this miracle and we are truly hopeful that this family will be baptized this summer! This experience builds my faith in the power of the Holy Ghost and just knowing that God really is leading this work. He knows His children.

I think because she is working so hard, Satan is hard at work on her too. I hope this experience was not so personal that she would not want me to share it.

I also had another experience this week that opened my eyes to the reality of the adversary. I was laying in bed on Wednesday night and I was fast asleep when I felt a tap on my shoulder. It woke me up and I realized I had to go to the bathroom. When I got back into bed I was overcome by a crippling fear. I can't even describe it, but I felt very much alone- even though I could see my companions in the beds right next to me. I am grateful for the powers of Heaven as I called down upon that power to protect me. It became a mind game as the adversary tried to put thoughts in my mind of fear and very real terror into my heart. Yet, the Lord is always stronger. I kept praying, quoted scriptures, and sang hymns to myself. I couldn't fall back to sleep. For a while I just laid there with my body tense as I let the Spirit and the knowledge of covenants I have made comfort me. There came a point in my prayer when I said, "Father, if it is necessary that I lay here all night and face this agony, I will- just please stay with me." This is really the last thought I remember before falling asleep. I woke up in the morning feeling like a champion. The Lord protected me and I am so grateful for that experience. It's interesting because as I was recording it in my journal I just thought to myself how ridiculous it all sounded, but I know it was real. I know that the adversary has been licking at my heels this week. Why? I'm not sure. Yet I know with all of my heart that the Lord is stronger. The Lord is on my side. It builds my faith in knowing that this work is truth because as Elder Corbridge said in conference, "The truth will always be opposed." I felt that opposition in a very real and personal way. I am grateful for that experience because I learned so much.

I'm so grateful that I'm a missionary. I love this work. I love the Lord. 

Amen.