Hello People!
Yes, Baton Rouge is scary. No, we are not on any kind of lockdown. We were on lockdown for like a week and a half, while nothing was actually happening, but as of yesterday we are no longer under any restrictions. President Hansen told us that he feels very strongly that things are going to be okay and that we just need to faithful and fearless. Nevertheless, we're going to keep praying really hard before we go anywhere to make sure we're okay to go there. It's just so sad that my beautiful Baton Rouge is falling into tragedy. It just feels eerie and sad everywhere, like the whole city is mourning. I just hope things settle down soon and that people can love each other again!
Given that the lockdown was lifted only yesterday, not much happened this week. We did what we could and visited people in our approved area, and we made a whole lot of phone calls and taught a lot of lessons over the phone. We were able to see Carmen at least, and she is still progressing really well! She still isn't ready to commit to a baptismal date, but she's reading The Book of Mormon and really understanding it, and she told us she has been praying to know if this is all true. This week we gave her a reading assignment to start The Book of Mormon from the beginning and to read just the first chapter before our next lesson. We gave her kind of a review of what it's about, and the Lord guided our words like crazy, because we taught her that she'll be able to relate to Lehi's family because just like she and her family are looking for a new path right now, Lehi and his family are starting a new journey as well. I never really thought of it like that! The Book of Mormon is literally perfect for an investigator, because it starts out on a new journey, and then takes them through how to gain a testimony, and then if they keep it up, they will end up at the temple like the Nephites in Bountiful!
Yes, Baton Rouge is scary. No, we are not on any kind of lockdown. We were on lockdown for like a week and a half, while nothing was actually happening, but as of yesterday we are no longer under any restrictions. President Hansen told us that he feels very strongly that things are going to be okay and that we just need to faithful and fearless. Nevertheless, we're going to keep praying really hard before we go anywhere to make sure we're okay to go there. It's just so sad that my beautiful Baton Rouge is falling into tragedy. It just feels eerie and sad everywhere, like the whole city is mourning. I just hope things settle down soon and that people can love each other again!
Given that the lockdown was lifted only yesterday, not much happened this week. We did what we could and visited people in our approved area, and we made a whole lot of phone calls and taught a lot of lessons over the phone. We were able to see Carmen at least, and she is still progressing really well! She still isn't ready to commit to a baptismal date, but she's reading The Book of Mormon and really understanding it, and she told us she has been praying to know if this is all true. This week we gave her a reading assignment to start The Book of Mormon from the beginning and to read just the first chapter before our next lesson. We gave her kind of a review of what it's about, and the Lord guided our words like crazy, because we taught her that she'll be able to relate to Lehi's family because just like she and her family are looking for a new path right now, Lehi and his family are starting a new journey as well. I never really thought of it like that! The Book of Mormon is literally perfect for an investigator, because it starts out on a new journey, and then takes them through how to gain a testimony, and then if they keep it up, they will end up at the temple like the Nephites in Bountiful!
We had another really cool lesson with a recent convert who just went through the temple for the first time, and she talked about the biggest thing that impressed her was the love that you can feel there. She said that the whole time there were people helping her and guiding her and showing her where to go, and she felt like she was in heaven! She said she realized that that's how life is too. God always puts people in our lives to help us along our way, and we can also help other along their way as well. And when we're all working together to make it back to our heavenly home, that's what Zion is truly about, and that's what true Christ-like love is. This is why I love being a missionary because I learn 453892 times more than what I ever teach.
Speaking of learning, I had a super awesome study this week! I've been reading the New Testament since I finished Jesus the Christ by Talmage, and I was reading about the miracle of the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, and I realized something I never realized before. I could relate so much to the Apostles, who were skeptical about feeding 5000 people with such meager resources. Sometimes I feel like I'm not smart enough, or I don't know the scriptures enough, or I'm not a good enough teacher, etc. and I don't know how I can possibly help all the people in my area. All Jesus asked of the Apostles was to bring all they had. Even though it was just 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, that was enough. Enough to work a mighty miracle. Sometimes I don't feel like I'm enough for this huge calling, and that's because it's true. I'm not enough. 5 loaves and 2 fishes were not enough to feed 5000. But with Christ, it was enough. With Christ, I am enough. All He asks is that we give Him all we have, that is, our heart, might, mind, and strength, and He will make us enough. He will work mighty miracles with us and "feed" the 5000 with the bread of life, the restored Gospel. When Christ told His apostles to feed His sheep, He was really saying "And now, my beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yeah, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved." (Omni 1:26).
I love you all so much! Don't worry, we are very safe and very protected. Keep the sweet people of Baton Rouge in your prayers though.
"The world can at times be a frightening place in which to live. The moral fabric of society seems to be unraveling at an alarming speed. None--whether young or old or in-between-- is exempt from exposure to those things which have the potential to drag us down and destroy us... But we need not despair... We are waging a war with sin... it is a war we can and will win. Our Father in Heaven has given us the tools we need in order to do so."-President Monson.
Con amor,
Hermana Sorensen
"The world can at times be a frightening place in which to live. The moral fabric of society seems to be unraveling at an alarming speed. None--whether young or old or in-between-- is exempt from exposure to those things which have the potential to drag us down and destroy us... But we need not despair... We are waging a war with sin... it is a war we can and will win. Our Father in Heaven has given us the tools we need in order to do so."-President Monson.
Con amor,
Hermana Sorensen