Speaking of Elder Cardiff, he can sing, and on March 30th there is a mission presidents fireside specifically for YSA, and I am going to audition to have a musical number in that fireside and Elder Cardiff is going to do it with me. The song is My Lord My God that I got from a CD Don gave me from his mission. Mom, I think you know the one. It has the lyrics "My Lord, My God. My Lord, my best friend", with the pretty boy and girl duet. Well, I hope it all works out. Keep your fingers crossed for that one! It's been my dream to sing that song in a mission presidents fireside since I got here.
This week we moved into a members home! The Quiggles are their name, and they are super awesome! They are very nice. Our room has two full beds in it, and they are comfortable, and we have a bathroom just for us. The best part about it is that because we aren't in an apartment anymore it's a bunch quieter at night. There aren't any next door neighbors watching scary movies or being loud. AND it is SO DARK! Seriously. Last night I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, and I had absolutely no idea where the door was. Couldn't see it the slightest bit. I was walking around with my hand out trying to feel anything, probably looking like a fool, when I finally felt what was probably Sister Landeen's bed post and knew I was headed the wrong way. It's a really nice set up. =D I really enjoy it.
This Sunday church was so good! Ashley (recent convert from South Africa) shared her conversion story in sacrament meeting. It was really moving. I don't think it's an accident that she had to come to America to get baptized finally and I was called to the very ward she would be living in when she was ripe for baptism. I know I was supposed to know her. It is very evident that God's hand is in both of our lives. Then Kadi, a super boss returned missionary member gave a talk on missionary work. Then Kristi, who is leaving on her mission next Wednesday to Lubbock, Texas (woot! woot!) gave her farewell talk. She, like myself, did not want to serve a mission and ignored the promptings for a long time. Her brother helped her go on a mission, and it reminded me a lot of Mom helping me get on a mission. I remember so well that Tuesday after the age change when Mom spent the day with me on campus and we were going to go do baptism for the dead together in the Provo temple. Luckily for me, the line was super long and Mom and I decided to walk around the back of the temple. I knew I needed to pray about serving a mission. The promptings were there and I felt bad because I wasn't heeding them. So I asked Mom to add in her faith so that I could have the strength to ask Heavenly Father if He needed me to serve. Mom, thank you so much for following the Spirit and not asking me about it and just patiently waiting until I was ready to seek the answer on my own. I love that you were there to support me when Heavenly Father told me I needed to serve a mission and I didn't want to. I love that you support me in all my righteous decisions. I was reminded of all this as Kristi was talking and realized that I was exactly 6 months from going home. Wow. I really want to share this great message with as many people as I can, so family, could you please send me encourage things these next several months? Not that you don't, but my time is short and I need encouragement to keep working hard when I think I can't anymore.
Oh, this was really sad. Our investigator Carlos, who we have taught for a few months, his parents got in a car accident on Saturday night and his mom passed away. His dad is alright. The Bishop in Ramona that Carlos is close to told us and asked us if we could get someone over there to see Carlos at the hospital. What a tender mercy it was that the hospital was in Sister Palmer's new area and she could go see him and Carlos knows her. She did see him and said he said he was ok. Our ward signed some cards for him, even though not very many of them know him. I have been praying that he remembers the plan of salvation and knows it's true. I hope this brings Carlos closer to Heavenly Father instead of away from Him.
Also on Sunday in gospel principles we learned about the nature of God. I realized I needed to be much better at teaching God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father, the first principle we teach someone when we start teaching them. So yesterday and this morning I studied that and I was really filled with Heavenly Father's love for us. I realized I needed to be better at explaining that we are made in the image of God, that He wants us to communicate to Him through prayer, and that we show our love to Him through obedience. That was mostly yesterday, and then today I read a talk "The Grandeur of God" by Elder Holland. In it he talks about how everything Jesus Christ did taught us about the nature of our Father in Heaven. He said that some people can imagine themselves in the arms of Jesus but can't imagine themselves in the arms of God because of the wrath they hear about in the scriptures. I feel SO grateful that I know God IS our loving Heavenly Father. He is and I know it. I love knowing that He really does hear my prayers and He loves me enough to send me a Savior who only does His Father's will. I better understand a scripture I grew up with:
John 3:
I know that God loves us! His is our loving Heavenly Father and He wants us to live with Him again.
I also love these verses from 1 John 4:
9 In this was manifested the
10 Herein is love, not that w
Once again, I know that God loves me, and one evidence of that is in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Another evidence of that is that Heavenly Father trusts me with such a grand responsibility to preach the gospel. I hope that my offering is enough.
I'm sorry I do'nt have more pictures this week. I didn't take a single picture this week. Not one. I have some catching up to do. But I love you, family! This work is the greatest!!!!!
-Sister Audrey Michelle Bishop
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