We'll Bring The World His Truth

First of all. Has anyone ever heard of sprickets? Spider-crickets. Well they are real! Yup, and there was one in our kitchen! Nasty. Watch out for sprickets.

Sister Robinson and I at the Mission Conference

This week was probably one of the best weeks yet! We had our big Mission Conference with half the mission and it was amazing! We got to meet Elder Kopishke Of the Seventy and His wife. They are from Germany and are so happy! It went so well. Elder Kopishke told us that he didn't have anything planned for the meeting, he wanted The Spirit to guide. He asked us to write down questions that we have and to be listening and waiting for the Spirit to answer the questions. We got to see the new Christmas Video that the church will put out after Thanksgiving and it is amazing! I am so excited. We talked a lot about bringing the power to our lessons. It is all about helping our investigators to feel the Spirit teach and testify to them. We need to have faith and hope in not only ourselves but in God. 

We did our musical number and it went so well! After having only 8 days to prepare and practice and Elder Free writing a harmony it was awesome! Sister Farnsworth played the piano, and Elder Free and I sang 'We'll Bring The World His Truth". We changed the words to the last verse and sang, "We are now the Lord's Missionaries, to bring the world his truth." I thought a lot about that and it is cool to think about, because the Gospel is the Atonement. I am here to help bring people to the knowledge and power of the Atonement and how we can use it our lives. Lots of people complimented Sister Farnsworth and I and told us that we really brought the Spirit. I guess I have had a hidden talent for singing all this time, because no one believed it was my first time singing. Sister Kopishke came up to me at lunch and hugged me and complimented my bangs. She told me that not a lot of people look good with bangs like me and she wants them, but she said she is old and ugly. Which is not true! She is so cute, and she was so sweet. She made me laugh really hard.

Our Friend, Bobby

We got to see one of our special friends, Bobby this week. He is doing a lot better and he is home after having surgery and chemo-therapy. He is going through a very hard time in his life as his mom is very sick and passing away. Sister Farnsworth and I have learned a lot about love from Bobby, because of the love that he has for his family and how he puts them before himself. We sang, "I Need Thee Every Hour," and talked about how much we need God in joy or pain. Bobby has been working with the Elders towards Baptism and we are so excited for him. 

We are working with a part-member family. Keith is a less active member, and we are teaching his wife Gerose who is from the Philippians, and their 14 year old son TJ. They also have an adorable daughter named Skylee, who is 7. We had a really good lesson with Gerose this week and it was just amazing to see the Spirit guide the lesson. We had planned to come in and teach her the Law of Chastity, but instead she asked us about Tithing. We talked about why we pay tithing and the blessings we receive from doing so. We also talked about fast offerings and how that money goes to members of the ward who might be in need of food or clothing. Gerose became very emotional and she said that she wants to start paying her tithing and fast offerings now, before she is even baptized. She talked about her experience being in the Philippians and she believes that no one should have to go hungry. It was such a powerful lesson, and I am so grateful for what we learned in the Mission Conference and we were able to apply it and bring the power into our lesson. 

Elder Kopishke asked us all to take a question to Sacrament Meeting and to listen for the answer just like how we did in the Mission Conference. So I decided to take a question and we told our investigators to do the same. Keith, Gerose, TJ and Skylee came to Church! It was the Primary Program in the Ashland Ward and it was so cute! I love kids, watching the kids sing and do their parts reminded me of my cute sisters. I admit, I teared up a little bit. It was such a good meeting. It was actually the most spiritual day at church I have had since being on my mission. I had my question answered and I learned so much about the Atonement of Christ. I know that Christ suffered not only for our sins, but for our pains and sorrows. The Atonement enables me and those I teach to be whole again. I know that through the Atonement I can change for the better and it can change the way I feel about myself. I am so grateful for my Savior, who is the Redeemer of my Soul. 

Selfie

My #Ponderize scripture for this week was Alma 13:24 "For behold, angels are declaring it unto many at this time in our land; and this is for the purpose of preparing the hearts of the children of men to receive his word at the time of his coming in his glory." I love this, because angels are preparing people to hear the gospel. There are people here in Ashland, Kentucky that I need to find specifically. I know that through my faith and diligence I will find those who are ready to receive the fulness of the Gospel. 

Love you all,

~Sister Kayla Marie Willis