I am so grateful for the
opportunity that I have to be a missionary in Nauvoo. I am so sincerely,
deeply, and humbly grateful. I LOVE it here. I thought I loved being a
little girl and riding my horse around in the fields for hours when I
was younger, then I thought it didn't get better than high school. Then I
went to BYU and was so convinced that no ward would be better...and
soon found out that I loved every ward even more. Then I came on my
mission and I just love it SOOO much!!!!!! I am completely converted to
the belief that we can find joy in the journey no matter where we are,
no matter what our circumstances. Heavenly Father's plan is one of
HAPPINESS!!!!! I get to share that message of God's plan as a full time
missionary! Woo!!!!! =)
This week has been full of several tender mercies.
I
was in the Visitor's Center over by the Christus and felt like I should
go toward the north entrance. I walked over and the moment that I got
there, two men walked in the doors. They both had thick Hispanic accents
and I had to listen intently to understand everything that they were
saying. Pretty quickly, I discovered that they were both from Texas and
had been "randomly" assigned to work together on a project in the area.
One man was a Latter-day Saint and the other was a devout Christian that
believed in the Bible. Migael said that he felt something peaceful
about Nauvoo. They had the afternoon off from work and decided to come
to a show called "High Hopes and River Boats" in the VC. They had about
10 minutes before we started seating for the show. I felt that sense of
urgency to talk about the Book of Mormon and how it teaches of Christ.
Migael strongly believes in the Bible as the word of God, but he didn't
know why we had the Book of Mormon. He said that so many people just
write their own words and call it words of God. I bore my testimony of
the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and asked him if he felt like he
would recognize an answer from God. He said, "I believe in God and have a
very personal relationship with him. Of course, I would recognize an
answer from Him."
I felt the Spirit prompt me
and I told him that if he would read the Book of Mormon for himself, God
would tell him that it was true and that he would draw closer to God by
reading it. I said, "The New Testament has taught me about Christ's
life and His teachings. The Book of Mormon has converted me to His
teachings." He stared at me intently as I invited him to let
missionaries come to his home and explain the Book of Mormon further.
Right then, everyone started rushing over to the
auditorium. I was supposed to help seat people and announce the show.
He said, "Something you just said pierced my heart...in a way that I've
never felt before." He said that he'd think about it during the show.
The show went by, I was taking a tour with another group when the show
was over, I saw them walk out of the auditorium, and I prayed with all
of my heart that he would fill out a referral card. I saw him walk over
to a stand with the cards and then I had to trust Heavenly Father. I
needed to stay on the tour I was taking. Two days later, Sister Coyne
was entering the referrals in the computer and said, "Oh hey! Look....
this guy named Migael referred himself and said he wants to meet with
the missionaries." That guy is golden. That experience was a tender
mercy because usually Sister Coyne doesn't tell me who referred or
details like that. However, this time she did and it was Migael.
I had the opportunity to serve in John Taylor's Home
this week and "for some reason" we arrived at the sites about 15
minutes before we needed to be there. I was going to sit outside on the
bench and read over the outline before I went in, but the Spirit told me
to go in. So...I hopped up, went in, and saw that both sisters were
already taking two huge tours. As I walked in the door, a family walked
in right behind me. I turned around and as I looked at their faces, the
Spirit was there very strongly again. AH!!! I hadn't reviewed the
outline or done the typical routine at the sites, but I grabbed the site
book, pulled out the outline, and started talking with the family. As
we went through the home, I couldn't focus on the outline. The Spirit
was bringing all of these other thoughts to my mind. So rather than
trying to ignore the Spirit, I decided to stop the tour. We stopped
right by the referral cards, which have a great, big
picture of the Nauvoo Temple on them. Immediately, the grandpa, Bill,
gasps and grabs one of the cards. "I went through that St. Louis Temple
before it was closed to the public! It looks kinda like this one!!!!"
His eyes were twinkling. I think mine were, too. =)
I
asked about his experience at the temple's open house and he just raved
about it. He LOVED it. I started talking about the temple and began to
say that a requisite of entering the temple is that you believe that
Jesus Christ is your Savior and Redeemer...you know that God is your
Father in Heaven and that He has a eternal plan for each of us...and
then I just bore my testimony. I briefly gave an introduction to the
Plan of Salvation. I asked a few questions in between and they responded
with power. I could feel the Spirit prompting everything. So there was
the grandpa and grandma, then a grandson and his girlfriend. The
girlfriend had seen elders
before and said, "But I didn't dare talk with them for long because my
boyfriend would probably get jealous." We chuckled, "But I've never seen
girl missionaries before. Could you teach me more about that plan that
God has for me?" The grandpa stepped forward intently, "Me, too." They
both wrote down their information and are going to meet with
missionaries. If I hadn't arrived at the site early and at the moment I
did, and if I hadn't stopped the tour exactly where I did, and if I
hadn't listened to the Spirit, I would have totally missed them.
Heavenly Father's hand is in the work and I know He has so many angels
helping direct people to the right places and at the right time. It
amazed me how things work out like they do, but I guess it is to be
expected all the time, in such a marvelous work! I just never cease to
be amazed. I LOVE being a missionary!!!!!
I took a tour out
in the Women's Garden this week to a cute family that is from Uncle
Mike's ward in Utah. I loved talking with them and hearing about their
personal experiences. They love their bishop!!! =) At the end of the
tour, the mom wrote down two of her cousins that used to be meeting with
the missionaries, were interested, then the missionaries mysteriously
just disappeared and stopped teaching them. Earlier that morning, I had
been studying in Preach My Gospel about contacting former investigators.
I'm excited to call them!!!!
I was able to have a WONDERFUL experience with all
of the sisters. One evening, we went to the Trail of Hope. Now that the
Young Performing Missionaries are here, they all dress up like pioneers
and stand at each of the stops. They tell the story as if they were the
very person. We walked along the path, following the trail of lanterns,
and heard the stories of those special pioneers. Some sang, some played
the violin, and they told their stories. It was so real and as I looked
up at the temple as we were "leaving" to head West, I gained a deeper
love of Church history and of the Saints. That was a special experience
and I will always remember it.
I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. As the Primary Song
says, "I'm trying to be like Jesus..." =) At Bible Camp on Wednesday, I
overheard an adult saying, "Man, those kids sure loved the songs those
girls taught them. I wonder where the songs came from...I've never heard
them before." They came straight out of the Primary book. =) I also
caught one of the adults trying to learn "I am a child of God" as we
were teaching the children. It made me smile. One step at a time. Every
day, we should draw nearer to Christ and we will become more and more
happy as we do so. I LOVE being a missionary!!!!!!!!!
Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven!!!!!
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
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