More miracles in Nauvoo. Enjoy!
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 9:19 AM
Subject: Catholic Priests and Nauvoo Miracles
My Dear friends and family,
This week has been absolutely AMAZING!!!! I have a lot of experiences to share, so I am going to type as quickly as I possibly can. Also, I need to apologize because I originally said that my preparation day is on Mondays...which it was for one week. Every part of my day is scheduled and things in Nauvoo are always on the fly. Today my preparation day is on Tuesday. haha! Transfers are this week (which I can hardly believe it's that time again) and so my prep day may be switched again next week. Just assume that I'm alive and well. If I die, they'll let you know! =)
So I was standing by the front desk in the Visitor's Center and this Jewish man walks right up to me and states, "You Mormons talk all about Christ, about what He taught during His life, and think you know everything about Him. Well, I think it is ridiculous because none of you have ever even been to Jerusalem or seen the place where He suffered for all of your sins." I was a little surprised by his bold approach, but a grin split across my face as I responded, "I was in the Garden of Gethsemane about a year ago. I LOVE Israel!" His jaw dropped in shock. "You mean to tell me that, you, a little blonde girl have been to the Holy Land???" I said that I had and started asking him about his life in Israel. We talked for about 15 minutes, when he stopped and said, "Of course YOU would be the person that I chose to tell my opinion to. Ridiculous." He smiled for the first time in our conversation and said, "Well, it was nice to meet you, any how."
I had the opportunity to serve in the Seventies Hall this week and a huge miracle happened!!!! Four young adults wandered in and asked what the place was. They had been on a road trip and saw a sign about Historic Nauvoo, so they decided to stop. They said that this was the first place they had stopped in Nauvoo. Three girls and one guy that were Methodist. I went upstairs to the artifact museum with them and we started talking. One girl was wandering around looking at the artifacts, but the other three were involved in the conversation. I asked a few questions about their religious beliefs and then one girl asked me, "What do you guys believe about people being healed like when Christ was alive?" I was able to bear my testimony about the Priesthood and share a personal experience. In the middle of my story, the wandering girl zipped right over and started listening intently. "The authority of God is on the Earth." I felt the Spirit really strongly as we kept talking and they kept asking questions. I asked the young man what it meant to him to be baptized by fire of the Holy Ghost at one point. Another tour came up the stairs, so we all went back down and kept talking. Toward the end of the conversation, I asked all of them how they had felt about everything we had discussed. The girl that had been wandering around responded, "I was just looking around and then as I heard what you were saying, I felt like I had been plugged into an electrical outlet or something. I was drawn to what you were saying and I didn't even know the whole story. I really felt incredible." The young man (that I had asked about the Holy Ghost) responded, "I felt like I might have been baptized by fire of the Holy Ghost because I felt different than ever before...in a really good way. I feel super peaceful." They recognized the Spirit!!!!!! I invited them to meet with missionaries and learn more. All FOUR of them accepted and wrote down their contact information. YAY!!!!!!!!!! It made me feel so awesome that they had all felt the Spirit and recognized it. It also taught me to never try and guess who is feeling the Spirit or not because originally, the one girl wasn't even part of the conversation, and then she turned out to be the one that I felt was most prepared. Heavenly Father knows His children.
A few youth groups came into Nauvoo this week and it was SO much fun to talk with them. I LOVE YOUTH. There was one young lady that had just graduated from high school and was talking about how sad she was because her brother was on a mission and had missed everything. Hmmm. I could relate to that little lady! I told her that my brother had just graduated, too. We started talking and got to be friends! She ended up referring a friend from back home, too. Later in the afternoon, she came over to me and asked, "So... is your brother that just graduated going to college in the fall??" I held back a big laugh and asked, "Why yes he is... he's going to BYU Idaho!" She burst into a huge grin and said that she was, too! Basically, I said that Derek's a stud muffin, she wanted to know if he was a legitimate stud muffin, I confirmed that he was, and she told me to give Derek her phone number. Oh boy.... =) hahaha
One of the best stories yet. Once again, I was in the Visitor's Center, I turned around and two Roman Catholic Priests (dressed in their long robes and all) walk right up to me. I'm not usually intimidated, but let me tell ya...when two Priests in their robes start wanting to know about the history of everything in the heavens (or at least Nauvoo), I think, "Alrighty, let's go talk about religion!" GULP.
Priest #1 was the local priest in Nauvoo. Priest #2 is a visiting Father from another state. Priest #1 tells me he wants me to enlighten his friend about the history of Nauvoo. As we go along, I take them over to the map where the Nauvoo Temple stands out like a light on a hill. Immediately, Priest #2 starts asking questions about the temple. I am so incredibly grateful that I was taught by example of my parents growing up. He was asking detail questions. The Gospel is true, so I could answer all of them...but it was apparent that I was talking with a Catholic Priest. Holy smokes...he gave me a run for my money. As I listened to his questions with love, I could feel the Spirit telling me that I needed to talk to him without the other Priest there. Later on, I took them over to a digital display that has videos that explain rooms in the temple and have a little movie, like when they have open houses before the temples are dedicated. I said a prayer in my heart, "Heavenly Father... please get rid of that other priest for a few minutes and I will do everything within my power to follow the Spirit and say what this man needs to hear from Thee." RIGHT THEN, Priest #1's cell phone rings and he says, "I'm sorry please excuse me for a moment." He stepped out the door. In my mind, I thought, "Take your time, Mr. Priest, Sir!!!!!" YAY!!!! =)
I chose to show the sealing room video. As it started to play, my heart stopped as I realized what would be said at the end of the video. Elder Holland basically says, "Heaven wouldn't be heaven ...without my wife and my children." GULP. "What have I done!?!?!?!?!" This is a PRIEST, that will never be married, never have children...and I'm probably going to offend him!!!!!" The Spirit told me to calm down, so I did, but I was slightly (ok, incredibly) concerned. The line came about heaven and then the video shut off. I closed my eyes with a grimace and waited to hear what he had to say about all of it. I opened my eyes as he looked up at me. His countenance had changed and his eyes were incredibly deep. He asked, "What ...is heaven to...you?" I felt the Spirit really strongly and I responded, from the bottom of my heart, "Heaven is where I can live in the presence of God...with my family." His eyes were fixed on mine and he said, "I grew up and always knew I wanted to bring people to Christ. I knew that in order to be a Priest, I would never have a wife or family. I had never even considered having my own family....until right now." The silence was like thunder. I felt like the earth had shaken a little bit. Then Priest #1 walks back in and said they needed to get going. Priest #2 shakes my hand in both of his hands and says, "Thank you. You have given me much to think about and I never expected to consider a family. I felt something new here." And then they walked out the doors. I was with those two priests for TWO HOURS. Talking for 10 minutes about Nauvoo's history and the rest of the time was talking about the Houses of the Lord, the temples.
Sister Coyne and I have the WONDERFUL opportunity to contact people at the Nauvoo Temple on Sunday in the afternoon. I just have to say that I absolutely LOVED that experience. Tons of people that don't have the gospel in their lives are driving along the main road and slam on the brakes when they see the beautiful white building on the hill. Two men pulled up and hopped out to take pictures. In a matter of just a few minutes, I spoke with one man. He wanted to know when another temple would be built so he could see in the inside, he wanted to know who the two men were in the statue (Joseph and Hyrum), and he wanted to know why I was giving up part of my life to wear my precious name tag. Well, the Spirit directed me to ask a few questions, I did, and he wanted to have missionaries come to his home to teach him. He wrote down his contact information, the Spirit was strong, and then they drove away. It always amazes me how quickly things can happen. When it's right, it's right. Heavenly Father has people prepared and there is no questioning His perfect plan. Don is going to have missionaries in his home in a few days!!!!
There was a young woman that drove about 1 1/2 hours to come to Nauvoo. She is a member of the Church, was adopted at a young age, and has a rough life. She was sitting in a chair and without any effort on my part, she wanted to refer a friend to hear about the Gospel. As she was filling out the referral card, I felt like she needed some loving. We went down by the Christus statue and sat down. I could see in her eyes that she was hurting. We talked for about an hour and I felt like we had known each other our whole lives. She said she was going home that night, but the next day at church, I saw her face in the crowd. All of the Young Sister Missionaries and I sang "I Know That My Redeemer Lives". When the meeting was over, she jumped up and came right up by the stand. She was motioning for me to come down. I got to her as quickly as I could. As soon as I was there, her arms wrapped around me, put her head on my shoulder and began to sob. Her whole body was shaking and I just held on to her tight. As mortals, we have many burdens to bear. This daughter of God was especially struggling and it was such a precious experience to sit by the Christus, figuratively, at the feet of Christ, and testify of how He can make our burdens light.
I know with all of my heart that Christ can make our burdens light. As we strive with all of our might to become like Him and to submit our will to Heavenly Father's, we can find joy in life and be truly happy...even though we have challenges. I am so confident that the Atonement is real and that Christ is aware of us, that He loves us perfectly, and that we can be made whole. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. He is my best friend. Each day I am drawing nearer to Him and to my Father in Heaven. My kneeling prayers are becoming a precious part of my day and I feel of God's love every time. I know that if we will make time to pray, sincerely-with all of our hearts- we will be able to feel of His love. You can know of His love for you.
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT.
Sister Heather Ripplinger
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