Sister Ripplinger's beloved Sister Umphenhour
My dear friends and family,
This week was sooooooooooo AMAZING!!!!!!! Pageant is happening and the miracles are POURING down. As Sister Umphenour and I looked at our numbers for the last week, it was completely obvious that something was up. It is so NEAT to see how the Lord's hand is in this work. We just go, go, go all day and strive to follow the Spirit and the miracles HAPPEN.
Last Saturday was a crazy day. There were tons of people in the Visitor's Center AND we had our "mini missionaries" with us. So like young men can go on "splits" with elders for a little while, we all had young women with us. They came from Iowa and all seemed super excited to be a missionary! It made me smile and made me very happy. It was quite the adventure because each missionary had two young women. At one point, my two companions and I were standing talking to two bikers that had come in. As soon as we started talking with these people who were obviously not members of the church and they started asking questions about the temple, two OTHER young women left their own missionary and joined OUR conversation. hahaha So there we were, FIVE "missionaries" all standing right in front of these two bikers. I'm sure it was a sight to see and the two bikers gave me a funny look. =) Well, I guess we all of us didn't look TOO intimidating because the biker couple wanted to learn more and agreed to have missionaries come to their home. MIRACLES HAPPEN.
On the same day, just a few moments later, I noticed a man dressed in green (Dennis) standing by the display about Carthage Jail. Although there were tons of people milling around, it was as though he was the only person in the Visitor's Center. The Spirit was so strong and I didn't even notice anyone else around. My little companion, Sister Abel, and I went over and started talking with him. I immediately knew that he had a sincere heart and the Lord had prepared him. His eyes were deep and I knew he was searching for something. He had seen the Pageant the night before and had a few questions. We started talking about symbolism of baptism and what it means to us when....... this completely random guys pops into our conversation from out of no where!!!! I got the weird feeling and I knew he was an anit-Mormon guy. Then all the sudden, a member jumps into the conversation and says that he is a convert and can use the Bible to prove that Mormons are right. THOSE two start Bible bashing and my little comp looks at me like, "What the heck?! Where did they come from??" I wondered the same thing and said a quick prayer in my heart. Dennis leaned over and asked, "Do you mind if we leave this conversation?" Prayer answered. We were OUT of there!!!! I took him down by the Christus with a copy of the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We talked for about 20 minutes and I was able to testify of the Book of Mormon and of Joseph Smith. The Spirit was soooo strong! I asked if I could give him a call and follow up and he agreed! The next day I called him and I answered some questions he had. The conversation was reeeeally good. The next day I called him and taught him the Plan of Salvation. It was so awesome because he was actively engaged, I could testify, and the Spirit directed me in answering his questions. He has GOOD questions. This week during my personal study, I was pouring through the scriptures. I have never felt so anxiously engaged in finding scriptures in the Bible to work with the Book of Mormon. I have never used the Topical Guide or cross references so much. I LOVED searching like that. Dennis doesn't know it yet, but he is strengthening my testimony even more. He is a deep thinker and he makes me think deep..really deep. He's not the "simple and surface" kind of investigator. He knows the Bible, he has a strong belief in Christ, and he is going to be a really, really good member. =) I know that Heavenly Father is helping me soooo much. During my personal and companion study with Sister Umpenhour, the Spirit helps me know which questions to study...and then that night, Dennis will ask the very questions that I studied that day. That alone, is a miracle. It is so humbling because I know that Heavenly Father truly does know Dennis' heart. So by the second night that I had called him, he had read to 2 Nephi 23 and had a few questions. I was able to explain what the scriptures meant and he is soaking up the Book of Mormon. It is soooo exciting!!!!!! He says that God is telling him to keep learning more and it is all making sense to him. He frequently says, "I agree with everything you just said. Not many people believe that." The Church is true!!!!!!!!! =) I think next week I will have some really exciting news to share. =)
On the same day as the biker couple and Dennis, a member and her friend came into the Visitor's Center. The friend's name is Ashley and she was VERY interested in learning about the temple. She said that she LOVED the Pageant and loves the feeling of the Mormons. She wants missionaries to come to her home and teach her!!!! I STILL get so excited when people refer themselves and agree to have missionaries come!!! wooooohooo!!!!!
Another woman was wandering around the Book of Mormon display as we were about to walk out the doors of the VC to head home for dinner. I felt the Spirit tell me to offer her a Book of Mormon. I stopped in my tracks, asked Sister Umphenour to hang on just a second and I went over to her. I didn't talk for more than two minutes, offered her a copy of the Book of Mormon, she graciously accepted and said she had been wanting to read one for quite some time, accepted to have missionaries come to her home, and then we left!!!!!! I am always so humbled when things like that happen. The Spirit gives us so many promptings each day and it makes me wonder how many of them we miss. I am striving to listen very carefully to the promptings of the Spirit and to just act on them, without wondering. I'm so grateful that my companion is so patient and willing to wait when things like that happen, too. I feel so incredibly blessed!!!!
There was a daughter and her dad in the VC waiting for one of the performances. I started talking with the dad and discovered that he is long time farmer. We started talking about crops and little kids sitting on the tractor with their dad while he's bailing... =) It reminded me of when Derek would go out with Dad and fall asleep within five minutes. =) They were very warm and friendly. I needed to leave to go seat for the show, but before I left, I asked if they had ever met with the missionaries. His eyes lit up and asked if I meant those young men with white shirts and ties. I smiled and he accepted quickly. YAY!!!!!
So many miracles are happening. I'll try to keep you posted on everything. I also just have to say again... I LOVE SISTER UMPHENOUR. I LOVE, love, LOVE her. I feel like we're best friends. We work, we laugh, we run, we call, we sing.... we have ice cream or watermelon dates every night after we finish planning. She is just awesome. I can always count on her. Even if she has a bad experience with an anti-Mormon, she doesn't let it get her down, she keeps going and does so with a pleasant attitude. I appreciate her so much. Even if it is blazing hot on Pageant grounds, she just goes, goes, goes. Even if we get chigger bites, we just laugh and scratch, and keep going. She's a hard worker, she's steady and constant. I am forever grateful that I was able to be with her again. Transfers happen again tonight (which I cannot believe). This transfer flew by. Time flies when you're havin' fun. =) We'll see if we get to stay together.
I LOVE being a missionary sooooooo much!!!!!!!! I know that this is the Lord's work and I am so grateful to be part of His army. I feel so humbled when these miracles take place. He is over all! I know that Heavenly Father is aware of us. He hears our prayers and He knows what we need. Jesus Christ is our Savior and it is through Him that we can accomplish all that is required of us. We are not alone.
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven!!!!!!!!
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