Take His Hand
sad story #1- although it started out just a little sad, we had to say goodbye to Byron on Monday because he moved just out of our area. we were able to go read with him one last time and the Elders let me pick so we read Mosiah 3 and it was SO good, as always. teaching him has been my absolute favorite thing of my mission so far so I am going to miss him a lot !! I know I've talked about it a million times but he is really a HUGE example to me, his faith and determination to follow the Savior and apply the atonement blows my mind. he has helped me to grow my testimony of the atoning sacrifice of the Savior and I will forever be grateful for him!!
miracle #1- our ward has somewhat been a struggle since I got here. something occurred with some missionaries that tore some trust between the ward and missionaries BUT we had a miracle this week!! so it has been hard for us to get in very good contact with our bishop especially since something occurred between him and the elders recently but the other day we decided to just stop by and ask if we could do any service for them. so we stopped and he answered the door and said no and that they were watching cool runnings so we left sadly. then about 2 minutes later he called us and invited us over for dinner, needless to say I haven't screamed that loud in a really long time, AND dinner was so amazing !! I actually LOVE our bishop now, he is probably one of the funniest people I know and I really just used to think he was super scary and not nice. so dont judge a book by its cover!!
miracle #2- we were driving home from Bishop's house and I was like huh east manslick and I decided to turn right even though that's the opposite direction of our apartment and I wasnt really sure why and then we drove past this house that looked familiar so I pulled over and I was like I think I know who lives here so lets just stop by. so we walked up and this man walks up to us SO happy and he goes oh my goodness sisters, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. and he was just so happy and turns out he hadn't been in the area for a really long time and then just randomly decided to come back and visit his family and he hasnt been going to church so he just took it as a sign and said he needs to be back at church, so BLESSINGS!! thank goodness for the guidance of the Holy Ghost because otherwise this work would be impossible.
miracle #3- we got to do family history with my absolute favorite person ever, donna. and she didn't really have anything in except her and her parents and we were able to find a line that led back to around 770 and she was SO happy, it was amazing to see her light up as she saw all her ancestors who needed their work done, & now she cant wait for the temple to open!! family history is so cool, I never liked it before my mission because to be honest I thought it was really boring and I didn't know how to do it but there is something so special about learning about where you come from and reading about their journeys with and/or without the gospel and the difficulties they have had to go through. it really makes me realize how perfect God's plan is and how every little piece just leads to another perfectly loved and cared for element.
thought #1- I was studying the story of Jairus in Mark this week and in chapter 5:22 it says, "And, behold there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet." and about this miracle Howard W. Hunter said, "Nowhere else in the scriptures does this man [Jairus] or his name appear except on this occasion, yet his memory lives in history because of a brief contact with Jesus. Many, many lives have become memorable that otherwise would have been lost in obscurity had it not been for the touch of the Master’s hand that made a significant change of thought and action and a new and better life. The tremor we hear in Jairus’s voice as he speaks of ‘My little daughter’ stirs our souls with sympathy as we think of this man of high position in the synagogue on his knees before the Savior. Then comes a great acknowledgement of faith: ‘I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live’ (Mark 5:23). These are not only the words of faith of a father torn with grief but are also a reminder to us that whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives. If Jesus lays his hands upon a marriage, it lives. If he is allowed to lay his hands on the family, it lives. When they got to the home of the ruler of the synagogue, Jesus took the little girl by the hand and raised her from the dead. In like manner, he will lift and raise every man to a new and better life who will permit the Savior to take him by the hand.” that is SO cool!! I am so so so grateful for my Savior and the impact he has made on my life and the lives of those around me. its SO amazing how he can change the hearts of all of us. one of the things I am most grateful for is the change the Savior has made in me and for the opportunity I have had to take His hand. I know that as you reach out to Him and take His hand you will notice His touch more in your every day life.
miracle #1- our ward has somewhat been a struggle since I got here. something occurred with some missionaries that tore some trust between the ward and missionaries BUT we had a miracle this week!! so it has been hard for us to get in very good contact with our bishop especially since something occurred between him and the elders recently but the other day we decided to just stop by and ask if we could do any service for them. so we stopped and he answered the door and said no and that they were watching cool runnings so we left sadly. then about 2 minutes later he called us and invited us over for dinner, needless to say I haven't screamed that loud in a really long time, AND dinner was so amazing !! I actually LOVE our bishop now, he is probably one of the funniest people I know and I really just used to think he was super scary and not nice. so dont judge a book by its cover!!
miracle #2- we were driving home from Bishop's house and I was like huh east manslick and I decided to turn right even though that's the opposite direction of our apartment and I wasnt really sure why and then we drove past this house that looked familiar so I pulled over and I was like I think I know who lives here so lets just stop by. so we walked up and this man walks up to us SO happy and he goes oh my goodness sisters, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. and he was just so happy and turns out he hadn't been in the area for a really long time and then just randomly decided to come back and visit his family and he hasnt been going to church so he just took it as a sign and said he needs to be back at church, so BLESSINGS!! thank goodness for the guidance of the Holy Ghost because otherwise this work would be impossible.
miracle #3- we got to do family history with my absolute favorite person ever, donna. and she didn't really have anything in except her and her parents and we were able to find a line that led back to around 770 and she was SO happy, it was amazing to see her light up as she saw all her ancestors who needed their work done, & now she cant wait for the temple to open!! family history is so cool, I never liked it before my mission because to be honest I thought it was really boring and I didn't know how to do it but there is something so special about learning about where you come from and reading about their journeys with and/or without the gospel and the difficulties they have had to go through. it really makes me realize how perfect God's plan is and how every little piece just leads to another perfectly loved and cared for element.
thought #1- I was studying the story of Jairus in Mark this week and in chapter 5:22 it says, "And, behold there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet." and about this miracle Howard W. Hunter said, "Nowhere else in the scriptures does this man [Jairus] or his name appear except on this occasion, yet his memory lives in history because of a brief contact with Jesus. Many, many lives have become memorable that otherwise would have been lost in obscurity had it not been for the touch of the Master’s hand that made a significant change of thought and action and a new and better life. The tremor we hear in Jairus’s voice as he speaks of ‘My little daughter’ stirs our souls with sympathy as we think of this man of high position in the synagogue on his knees before the Savior. Then comes a great acknowledgement of faith: ‘I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live’ (Mark 5:23). These are not only the words of faith of a father torn with grief but are also a reminder to us that whatever Jesus lays his hands upon lives. If Jesus lays his hands upon a marriage, it lives. If he is allowed to lay his hands on the family, it lives. When they got to the home of the ruler of the synagogue, Jesus took the little girl by the hand and raised her from the dead. In like manner, he will lift and raise every man to a new and better life who will permit the Savior to take him by the hand.” that is SO cool!! I am so so so grateful for my Savior and the impact he has made on my life and the lives of those around me. its SO amazing how he can change the hearts of all of us. one of the things I am most grateful for is the change the Savior has made in me and for the opportunity I have had to take His hand. I know that as you reach out to Him and take His hand you will notice His touch more in your every day life.
