Week 35: You and me, we're in a club now!

After trials cometh the blessings. 

What a true statement. 

We had an incredible week! We worked harder than ever before, and we saw lots of little miracles. I'm excited to go forth this week and work even harder. Continual improvement leads to continual miracles. 

Maya. This ten-year-old girl lives with her mom most of the time and stays with her dad on every other weekend. Her mom is baptist and very against the church. Her dad is a member of the bishopric in one of the wards where we are serving. We have FHE with them every Monday. And this week's was incredible. 

We taught the Plan of Salvation, but Maya doesn't believe in the pre-mortal life. We were able to find out some of her deeper concerns, and ultimately testified of our love and of God's love for her. We really want to help her realize that this is something she has to figure out for herself - she can't let her parents force anything on her. She has the desire to read the entire Bible and then the Book of Mormon so she can compare the two. She is incredibly smart, and just wants to know what the truth is while she has these two conflicting voices around her.

We are praying that in our lesson with her today, we can help her recognize that she is a child of God who loves her more than she knows. And we'll see if we can help her to read the Book of Mormon. 

The Johnson family. Bro. Johnson has been having a lot of struggles the past month. He is a returned member who has become one of the strongest members of the ward. But then he's had trial after trial after trial, mainly with a foot infection that could still potentially lead to him losing the foot. We've been going over to check in on him and his two kids, as well as another guy who lives there who is another recent convert who helps Bro. Johnson take care of his kids. We were making no head way in inviting him to read and to pray every day. He had lost all of his hope, and he had no desire to act on the particle of faith he had left.

But then, a few days later, we get a text from him saying he read the Book of Mormon! And he watched a few Mormon Messages (LOVE THOSE) and had been praying a lot more. As we've gone back to see him several times this past week, you can see a light about him that wasn't there before. His faith and hope have been restored as he has chosen to take those actions to do the little things of praying and reading.

I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know we can come to know our Savior, Jesus Christ, even more closely as we read that book. I know we will feel the Spirit in greater abundance in our lives as we make reading the Book of Mormon a daily priority in our lives.

We ate a lot of Chinese food this week, had lunch with one of the office senior sisters (LOVE her so much), contacted a ton of people, helped solve people's problems, organized our paperwork, had an amazing zone meeting about planning, and enjoyed a beautiful Sunday full of inspired speakers.

I love this work. I love being a missionary. I love being so involved in the work of the Lord. I know this is His work, and because it is His work, we cannot fail. I know we can receive revelation for our stewardships - the places and people that we have been given responsibility over. I know the Holy Ghost testifies of the truth. I know Heavenly Father is there, waiting to bless us. He only asks us to obey. I know miracles happen because of our daily obedience. 

I love you all. I love this gospel! I know it is true. I know the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real. I know as we choose to rely on Him and His way, He will lead us where we need to go and give us the strength we need in every single day. 

I love you! Remember to smile!

Love,

Sister Holbrook

Mosiah 4

John 13:17

Chapter 1 Preach My Gospel. The best.

I HAVE A GRAPE SODA PIN. And it was basically one of the best moments of my life. I'm in the club now :)

(the grape soda pin is a reference to the movie Up)

Me and my darling companion, Sister Tucker.