Becky is a lady that approached Sister McAlister and me a couple of weeks ago and said, “I want to be baptized on June 18th.” Yep, you read that right. I’d never had anything like that happen before. Typically, missionaries are all over baptizing people. But we’ve been a little bit hesitant with Sister Sherbaugh. She is married to a recent convert, who was baptized in October. She said that the Holy Spirit whispered to her that she needed to be baptized on the 18th so she doesn’t have a choice but to do it. We want to be sure that she is being baptized for the right reasons and that she has a testimony.
What is a good word to describe her? Hmmm….controversial, combative, argumentative? The other thing is she is a truck driver so she’s out on the road a lot. We were having lessons with her over the phone but that was not the best idea ever. She doesn’t respect us very much which is really irritating and she’s basically thinks that just because we were raised in the church we’ve had our heads stuck in the sand for the past 21 years like some stupid ostrich. The other day I was at the point where I was realizing that she did not have a testimony and she made some comment about us not knowing if this was true, but just having been brought up in it, and I raised my voice for the first time on my mission.
I was just like “LISTEN! I would not pay $10,000 to come to freaking Ohio and do things that are completely out of my comfort zone, and only talk to my family twice in a year and a half, and only email them once a week, if I didn’t KNOW with my whole SOUL that this is TRUE. And as representatives of Jesus Christ, we ABSOLUTELY CANNOT baptize you if you do not believe the doctrine because that would be completely hypocritical and wrong.” So we basically ended on that note on Friday, deciding that she would not be baptized because she was being out of control.
But then, on Saturday, her husband called us and said she really does want to do this and she rearranged her trucking schedule so that she could be home on Sunday to meet with us in person and to be at church. So, we met with her yesterday and were praying that Heavenly Father would answer her prayers with like a sledgehammer to her head so that the answer was completely unmistakable….and it happened. For real. It was crazy! But you could see it in her eyes and really the way that she was acting. So…we decided that she will be baptized on the 19th, which is next Sunday. She’ll be out of town the week after that so the confirmation will have to wait until July 3rd but that’s okay. She’ll have her baptismal interview on the 18th since she had such a connection to that day. So, the thing is the Lord softens and prepares even the most unlikely people. He truly is a God of miracles.
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| Kickin' it old school. |
-Brother Fortson got the Priesthood! He studied about it before so that he would know what his duties were and he just kept saying “It’s an honor, really” to hold God’s sacred power. He is so great. He just gets it!
-I took my first tour SOLO at the Johnson Home because we had big tour buses coming in and we needed to get ‘em through fast. It was good!
We are having a zone p-day today at Liesl’s house. She’s a less-active in the ward so that should be fun, and then later tonight we have a barbecue with the Community of Christ up in Kirtland so that should be good too.
I just love the gospel. I love Jesus Christ! It’s only because of Him and His Atonement that I’ve been able to not only survive but LOVE LOVE LOVE the past year of my life. Last night I had a dream in which someone proposed to me and I was like “No, I am not cutting my mission short to marry you!” Haha it was weird and I just don’t ever want this time to end. I know that Heavenly Father really is so aware of us and our needs. If we put in the work and do so diligently, He will answer our prayers. “If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and the peaceable things – that which bringeth JOY, that which bringeth life eternal.” (D&C 42:61)
I’ve seen that promise fulfilled here in Ohio. I’ve learned so much….including flexibility and trusting in the Lord. On that note, the next time I email you, I will know my transfer fate. Sister McAlister feels like she’s leaving. Sister Mars (who we live with) says, “It would be a shame to split you two up! You make such a good team!” I don’t know what’s happening. It’s in the Lord’s hands. I’m in the Lord’s hands. Put yourselves there too and find happiness. <3
Love,
Sister Webb
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| death by deerfly!!! sick, huh? |
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