My dear friends and family,
Life is incredibly good and I absolutely LOVE this work. I just know with all of my heart that this is the Lord's work and I'm so grateful to be part of it.
I don't have much time this week, but I just wanted to share a few miracles. I've been praying a lot for our investigators, the ward members, and my companion. I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers and I will just share a few experiences.
Sister Nelson had a bassoon scholarship at BYU and she LOVES music. Out on her mission, she is missing that bassoon a lot and I've been praying that some opportunity would come up for her to play a bassoon for a ward function or something. So... this lady named
Debbie that just moved into the ward and married Shaun (he's not a member yet) and she loves music, as well. She teaches lessons for several instruments. In effort to get Shaun to church, we have planned to have Debbie and Sister Nelson play at a ward activity and I'm goin to accomany them on the piano. Debbie found a bassoon for Sister Nelson to borrow for the day and Sister Nelson is ecstatic. It makes me soooo happy to see Sister Nelson so happy!!!! I know that the Lord is aware of our needs and I'm so grateful that He provides the way!
There is a less active man in the ward that we've really been focusing on. I've been praying that he will have opportunities to feel the Spirit and to feel like he is needed. He has a really low self esteem, evn though we know he is absolutely wonderful. So this morning, he called and said that he found a diaper bag that has immunization records, etc of someone with a certain last name and wondered if we had a number to contact them. We did and gave him the number. About an hour later, he called again and said (in a super happy and excited voice), "Guess WHAT?! I called this family and I already returned the diaper bag. They were so happy that I found it and they were in tears because they were so happy!" I grinned from ear to ear over the phone and exclaimed, "Yay! You're a hero!!!!" I could feel his happiness beaming through the phone and he responded, "Man! I sure do feel good right now!" That just made my morning. =)
A little guy in he ward that just came into the Young Men program was asked to come up to the stand in Sacrament meeting and recite his favorite article of faith. He said, "We believe that men must be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgressions....except for me, because my name is Adam!" Everyone in the room burst into laughter. I thought that was so cute!
There is an older couple in the ward that are struggling with health problems. All of their children live far away and they feel like they've been deserted. We went by the other day and just helped set up a Christmas tree, sang songs around the piano, helped move things into a closet, made dinner, etc. I absolutely loved it and I could feel the Spirit so strong and I felt like the veil was very thin in that house. Later in the week, we found out that the grandma (visiting from another state, who had been living with them for a few months) had previously really not liked Mormons or missoinaries. After the visit, she told her daughter that she really likes missionaries now and her heart was opened a little bit! =) That really surprised me because I wasn't even thinkingabout it, but that just goes to show that we never know who is watching us.
We set a baptismal date this week with Judy. She's been coming to church for about a year now and she's been meeting with missioanries for seven years. We went over one night and I felt the Spirit totally take over. In a very brief and basic way, I discussed the important of the authority in baptism and then invited her to be baptized and she agreed!!!!! Our bishop is going to baptize her in a few weeks!
Ericka is TOTALLY ready for her baptism this Saturday. She is an answer to my prayers. I remember so distinctly our first lesson with her and committing her to baptism. She has progressed like the golden investigator that she is and she's inviting everyone to her baptism. That's this Saturday and I'm soooooo excited for it!!!!!!!!
The Godfreys are doing AMAZING. After the lesson last week, things have just gone crazy with them!!!! It's so EXCITING!!!!! I taught the gospel principles lesson on Sunday about tithing and Scott Godfrey shared his experience with tithing. He just barely started paying tithing and he said that he is already seeing miracles. He is going to receive the Melchezidek Priesthood in a few weeks and then he came baptize his wife and children!!!! YAY!!!!! I LOVE their family!!! I swear that Scott will be a Bishop someday! He's awesome!
This week, we also picked up a famiy to teach and I am sooo excited to get to know them. I feel really strongly about them and I'm excited to see what happens. When I look at them, I just see them in front of the temple and it makes me soooo happy!
That's all I have time to write about, but soooo many things are happening. This is the Lord's work and it is absolutely a blessing to see how His hand is in the lives of these people. I know that Heavenly Father knows us perfectly and He loves us!!!!!
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
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