Happy June Ya'll!!

Hello to my wonderful family who I love so much! Here's a few updates on this past week.

 

I hope everyone is sitting down as they read this, because I have some earth shattering news - I am human! Who knew, right? This has been a very human week, a little unbalanced and with some mistakes. But thankfully, I've been able to learn a ton from my experiences, and I'm excited to move forward and change.

 

One of the best things about this transfer is my companion, Sister Jones. Our unity has been phenomenal. Sister Jones is so forgiving, and loves me even when I make mistakes. She really encourages me and helps me to see the good in myself, and it's because of her positivity that I have set a goal that whenever I feel like I've messed up or didn't teach the best, to not dwell on the negative but see what I can learn and move forward. I love having a friend and a companion who inspires me.

 

Okay, we have had gajillions of tender mercies, and I started seeing them more during and after my exchange with Sister LaPorte. She is a pro at seeing and talking about all the tender mercies, and things that would seem normal or mundane she recognizes as blessings from the Lord. And I loved learning that from her! She helped me put on my "miracle glasses," and because of that, I've noticed that God blessed us with beautiful clouds and sunshine, the opportunity to meet an eternal investigator's son who has been invisible so far but has potential for conversion, to serve more than I ever had so far but to also teach more lessons than I've taught any other week on my mission. We were blessed by a member who bought us a ton of groceries, and I was able to teach, testify, and understand in Spanish when I went on exchanges with the Spanish sisters. I know this is truly is the Lord's work - I've seen too many miracles, big and small, to say otherrwise.

 

So in our mission, President Wall, has put a big emphasis on the book of Mormon. He wants us to study it more dilligently and he wants us to continually use it as we teach, invite people to read it from the beginning, and if they don't, to read with them. And I've found that I love reading it with investigators, less actives, and members because it brings some awesome experiences. Here are three quick examples:
With investigator D, we have started reading with him weekly. We started in Helaman because that's as far as he got by himself. And we are trying to enable him to read on his own by showing him what to look for and how to apply the wars and contentions of the Nephites to himself. And miracle: D's mother is devout in her religion, and she normally just sits and observes, but this time, she followed along in her own copy of the Book of Mormon as we read, and D texted us later that day and said how much she loved our visit. I think D's mom has started to feel the spirit of the Book of Mormon.

Second, we gave a less active member Alma 36 to read while she was in a detox center for acoholism, and she loved it. We read it before she went to rehab, and we invited her to read it again while she was in rehab, and her faith is really growing in the power of the atonement, which she desperately needs because she needs to use the atonement now more than ever before in her life.

And lastly, we talked about the difference in the people of Ammon before they were baptized and after (we looked at Alma 27:25 and 27) and how we can become more converted. The Book of Mormon is for everyone, and I love it so so much.

 

Lastly, I just wanted to share some word changing I did in a verse from the Book of Mormon. In Ether 6:3, which reads "And thus the Lord caused stones to shine in darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not cross the great waters in darkness." And I realized that us missionaries, and every member of the church, is like those stones. The verse could read, "And thus the Lord caused his missionaries/saints to shine in the darkness, to give light unto men, women, and children, that they might not pass through this life in darkness." I love this! Over and over again I find that the Savior is light, and we as his representatives need to spread and shine His light. It makes me think of that hymn "There is in his sight no darkness at all." I want to continue to stay in that light and exude it by staying close to Him.

I love being here, I love serving the Lord, and I love you all! Thanks for all the letters and emails! I have the best support group anyone could ask for!
Love,

Sister Chausow