lisellovingleeds : Proud to be apart of this great work!

hiya fam!!

Hope you have all had a great week! We have been so blessed this week, Heavenly Father is amazing and truly guiding the work here.

There are so many highlights...

The first one is that Elder Ballard came to the ELM! It was a very spiritually uplifting meeting. President Turvey had all the missionaries fast together for 24 hours before the meeting and when Sister Chantry and I said the prayer to open our fast I could feel the power of all the missionaries in our mission. Being able to fast together as a mission brought such an amazing spirit and feeling I will never forget. It was my last mission meeting and what a way to end! We had some other incredible general authorities speak to us and I could feel so much love from each of them. It made me so so grateful that I am apart of such a great work, the best work in the world! It is such a privilege to serve the Lord, I am so thankful for the incredible experiences I have had and will continue to have.

I love what Elder Ballard said, it was all centered on, or led back to our Saviour Jesus Christ. I realised that is how everything I say and do should be. It was funny because he spoke last and the speakers before him spoke so highly of us and then Elder Ballard gets up and is like, "you are all great but you're not translated yet." haha. Because of our fast and preparing well I was able to receive so many answers to questions and so much revelation. Something President Turvey said in the meeting really stuck out to me. We need to align ourselves to God and His teachings. If we don't agree we need to change our opinion. I love that!

Another highlight was that Sister Chantry and I have been praying to be led to someone who's ancestors will be able to help influence them to accept the gospel and who want their temple work done. And Saturday night we went by this random less active because we were in her area, she wasn't in so we went to her neighbours house who was a muslim and she let us in and told us that the lady's sister lives across the street! So we went by and met her sister, she broke down and told us that her sister had died a year and a half ago. We told her a little about the Plan of Salvation and Jesus Christ and she said we could come back the next day. That night as Sister Chantry and I were reflecting on our day it hit us that our prayer had been answered and her sister will be able to help our new friend progress in the gospel and come to know the truth for herself. It was a very powerful experience as the Spirit confirmed to us that it was true.

When we got to her house she apoligised and said she didn't want us to come back. We were devastated but were pretty bold and she let us in! It was one of the most spiritual lessons I've had on my mission, I could feel the Spirit speaking through me as I testified of Jesus Christ and His power that she could have in her life. She wants to believe so bad but said she will put up a fight. I could feel that her sister was there and was going to be able to help us. I am so thankful for Heavenly Father leading us to her and letting us recognise an answer to our prayers.

We got to go to Sister Cook's area and spend the night because we had a little meeting the next morning with them in Leeds. It was so good to be back together and reminisce and talk. We stayed up pretty late that night talking and woke up really early.. bless!! You really do meet your best friends on your mission.

I also had my last appointment with my doctor and it was pretty much just all about the gospel and Christianity. He asked more about the Book of Mormon because he looked through it and said he is interested and going to read it!! I was able to testify of the power it has. I know that everything happens for a reason. He also said he is so thankful for missionaries because christian missionaries found his grandparents and planted the seeds and then his whole family was converted. He said you never know the great work you do.

I am doing my best to enjoy this beautiful country and incredible work. Its so apparent that Heavenly Father is with us every step of the way!

Love you all!

Sister Stevens

On the coach with Elder Norton