Sept 14th- WASTE AND WEAR OUT YOUR LIFE

Hello.

Here is a list of things which happened to some of our investigators. 

One went to jail.

One was in the hospital all week after being attacked by someone with a baseball bat. They also stole all his money.

One lost his house, his kids, and his job. 

One got a nasty sinus infection which has affected his hearing.

Wow. Sister Doxey and I are starting to think we are bad luck. Satan works hard to keep people from the truth. (It is the truth you know. This gospel is true.)

However, I feel that my entire mission has accumulated to this transfer, it is a really amazing feeling. SO MANY people are SO CLOSE to entering into the waters of baptism. Everyone is right on the fence - they either need to take the plunge or walk away. (Everyone, that is, who hasn't gone to jail or been attacked)

*Monika is starting to live the Word of Wisdom - one substance at a time. She has printed off seminary and institute manuals from online and has started her own personal study. She studied the entire Plan of Salvation before we even taught it. She despises going to church because she thinks it is stale, but she keeps coming back every week HAHA! She told us she wants EVERYTHING - all the manuals, a quad, everything. She is hungry for the truth. 

*Tyler - He is my age (weird) and we have been teaching him and his wife who is LA. Tyler bore his testimony to us about how he feels peaceful throughout his day when he reads the scripture. Savannah has been reading and for the first time in her life and said, "This is amazing. Instead of people telling me about what is in the scriptures, I am figuring it out myself." Also, Tyler VOLUNTEERED to pray. That was a huge feet, because he seems to have this anti-praying dilemma. The spirit was so strong.

*Sally is a new investigator. She comes from an anti-mormon family, but the other week she attended a mormon funeral. When the bishop got up to talk about what we believe, she said the whole room went dark and he was light. She immediately tracked down a book of mormon, started reading and praying about it, then called us. When she showed up she had all ready read through our pamphlets. GOLDEN PEOPLE! She is an amazing woman.

*Bobby is working on quitting smoking... still. He is still smoking but doesn't know that we know he is still smoking. 

I have contemplated over and over again throughout my mission why God wanted me in Oregon. Oregon is so random - people will often times ask us, "Why in the world did you choose Oregon?" "Well random civilian, I did not choose Oregon. Oregon chose me." I have come to the conclusion that there is no reason that God needed me specifically in Oregon. However, I have needed each and everyone of the people which I have met. God doesn't care where we serve, as long as we are serving. God loves the people here in Oregon just as much as he does anywhere else. I am forever going to be grateful for this wonderful place. I am homesick for it all ready. 

I came across this scripture the other day... 

D & C 123:12-13

12 For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it--

13 Therefore, that we should WASTE AND WEAR OUT our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven--

We need to waste and wear out our lives in the service of God! In bringing light to others! In showing people the way towards truth! New theme for my life: Waste and wear out.

This is an insert from a talk e. Holland gave, speaking of the prophet at the time, Gordon B. Hinckley. "Ninety-one years old and [he] is going all day, every day, everywhere, all the time until he drops! ... His only council to [us apostles], and he's willing to do the same, he says, "look, you know, you don't work hard enough, you don't go far enough, you don't do enough," (here we are all dying), he says, "Look, I don't have sympathy for you. If you die, you die." And clearly that's his theory. I mean, that's his position. He just said, "Look, what use are we then, what do we do at our level, at our time in life, with our calls...what else is there? We will just give and give and give until we are taken." 

THE GOSPEL IS TRUE. 

Love,

Sister Jones

Sent from my iPad

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