Good morning everyone! I hope that it is cold in Idaho. I think about that cold often! A nice blanket and some hot cocoa by the fire sound so nice, but even though it is still hot here, it is beyond beautiful! Yesterday we saw the most amazing sunset! I cannot even explain how amazing it was. The clouds looked like someone had smeared them around and the sun was sooooo bright! We took pictures. I will try to send one, but it really just doesn't do it justice.
We live in such a beautiful world.
This week we saw so many miracles! It was one of those weeks in missionary life that was just sort of hard. We rode our bikes all over town! And I will tell you - we were pooped! We are really trying to find new investigators, and it is a struggle. Please help the missionaries there to find people to teach!
Guess what? One of the members here somehow found out that I like to eat grilled cheese dipped in pear juice. (and just so you know, to most people that is seriously gross) Well they wanted to try it because I told them that it is delicious! So they cooked it on Thursday and we ate the best dinner that I have had on my whole mission!! It was funny because the day before I received the pictures of ya'll canning pears. It was so good! I love the people here! And even though they did not enjoy dipping their grilled cheese, I sure did! (:
Funny story. We were walking into walmart and this sweet women was walking out. She was being kind and informed us, "no buggies ya'll." So sweet of her! We laughed about that for days! That is your typical Alabama slang. (buggies=carts)
This week was Montgomery Stake Conference. I love stake conference! I would invite you to read John 15, Alma 32, and Matthew 13. Each chapter talks about a garden. In Matthew we learn that we have to have a soil that is prepared, and then our seed can grow (Alma 32), and as we always abide in the Savior (who is the root - John 15) then we can bring forth much fruit. So first things first our soil, or the soil of others, must be prepared. Think of a farmer preparing his soil. He will literally rip up the Earth and turn it over in order to prepare it. That can be applied to us. We have to go through A LOT of trials to be prepared to bring forth fruit. (or you can apply that to you: we have to go through a lot of trials to have the blessings). Then in John 15 Christ teaches that once we bring forth fruit, He will 'purgeth us' so that we can bring forth MORE fruit. (purge basically means to cut down or to trim. Those good braches were chopped off so that they could grow up again and bring forth much more good fruit (of blessings!)
I was thinking a lot about that. This week I am going to be transferred out of the area that I love with all my heart. It breaks my heart to leave, but I can apply this principle to myself. Once a branch is bringing forth fruit it must be cut off in order to bring forth more fruit. I am excited to go to a new area and to work hard to serve the people there!
This principle can be applied to each one of us. Trials come to prepare us to bring forth fruit, and after we bring forth fruit, more trials come so we can bring forth MORE fruit!
That is a wonderful concept. Our Heavenly Father loves us, and He has shown us the way to endure through the 'purging' - turn to Christ. He is the way.
Missionary work is awesome. Study the scriptures everyday.
Pray for the missionaries in Idaho (and Canada!)
I love you a lot,
Sister Casperson
ps. I love the pictures! I will send some next week!
Happy Columbus Day!
No comments:
Post a Comment