My dear friends and family,
This week was really, really good. I feel so incredibly blessed to be serving here and I love being a missionary. Ericka was baptized on Saturday and a miracle happened last night. I know that Heavenly Father answers our prayers in His own time and I'm so grateful to know that we are all His children. I'll just share a few quick thoughts!!!
President Weston challenged all of us to read the Book of Mormon in 85 days. Joseph Smith translated it in that amount of time, so he wants us to read at that pace so we can strengthen our testimony of Joseph Smith AND the Book of Mormon. As we go, we are marking references to Christ, references to His characteristics, words of the Lord, and the doctrine of Christ. I am absolutely LOVING this challenge!!!!!!
This week we had another wonderful lesson with the Godfreys. I absolutely LOVE their family! This week Stephanie announced that she is ready to be baptized, as well as their two children!!!!!!!!!!! I wanted to squeal with joy when she said that! We just need to get Scott ready to baptize them and they are good to go!!!!! It is amazing how quickly they turned around and they are totally gung ho now!!! They have been studying the Book of Mormon and are gaining a strong testimony of it. They are just absolutely AMAZING and when I look at them, I know they will be great in the Church. Scott has a lot of work to do for the Lord and I'm excited to see what happens in his future.
We taught Judy the Word of Wisdom and were kind of worried about it beforeand. But, we taught it and found out that she's been drinking herbal, caffeine free tea!!!! YAY!!!! hahaha Her baptism is coming up in a few weeks and she's doing great!
The ward has been working on one lady for quite some time now. She used to be a really strong member, but for some reason went really less active. We found out that she LOVES to scrapbook. One morning when I was praying about her, I had the thought to ask if she would help us make invitations for Judy's baptism. We went over and she was soooo excited to help us! She made her daughter's wedding announcements and LOVES to do stuff like that. She is going full speed to help us and the announcements are absolutely darling. We are going to invite her to speak at the baptism, so hopefully she will come and feel the Spirit. =)
We had our big Zone Conference this week and I loved it! I had the opportunity to speak and it was so much fun to be surrounded by so many missionaries. I LOVE being a missionary!!!!!
I think the highlight of this week was Ericka's baptism. I loved her since I met her. She has such a strong testimony already and I know that she will influence thousands of people. We had a big dinner with some of her extended family before the baptism at a big restraunt where they serve chicken and ribs. It's a kinda rowdy place with sports playing on the screens overhead. Ericka stood up before we all started to eat and announced that she would like for ME to stand up and offer a prayer. I looked around the room full of noisy people, watching sports, having a grand, old time, and chuckled to myself. So, I stood up, surrounded by her nonmember family, in the middle of the restraunt and offered a prayer. LOL. I'm proud that she remembered to pray! =) hahaha
The baptism was beautiful. After she was baptized, she wanted to bear her testimony. She stood up like a pro and testified of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, President Monson, and everything! I could feel the Spirit as she spoke and I'm so excited to see what she does in her life. Her 7 year old son, Dylan, is so excited to be baptized in a few months and he already has a little name tag that reads "Future Missionary". He wears it proudly and was testifying of the Gospel to his extended family at the baptism. He's going to change the world!!!! =)
Last night, the stake had a "Chapel Tour". Ward members can invite friends to come see the buildling and hear about the different auxillaries in the Church. There were several members from all of the stake prepared to help and ONE family came. A member of the stake presidency knows them and took them on the tour. After the program, I felt really prompted to go talk with the family. Turns out that they are in our ward boundaries and just moved in about a month ago. Family of four and they want to come to church with us next week. Sister Nelson and I have been fasting and praying for another family to teach. Funny thing is .... when we're out during the day and need to stop for a minute to coordinate something, I pull off on this one corner everytime. It's a gated driveway and we always pull up right in front of it, but can't go in because of the gate. Well....that's where this family lives. Frank said, "I feel at home and peaceful in this building." They're golden!!!!
Everything is going really well here. We are working hard and having fun. I just love this time that I have to serve as a full time missionary. It is better than I ever could have imagined. Every day my testimony grows stronger and stronger. Heavenly Father knows what He is doing. We can trust Him. "Trust in the Lord and lean not to thine understanding." I love the Gospel and I love serving in this area. I feel so blessed to be here. I know that the Lord's hand is in this work and it will continue to move forward in leaps and bounds. This is the life!!!!!
HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!! I am so grateful for all of your love and support.
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
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