Here's a story Elder Cook told us about prayer I really like it.
When
he was a little boy he loved to walk into town and buy penny candy..
they lived out in the country and so he would walk through a huge field
to get to town it was a few miles I think. He would get a coin and start
walking and he was so excited to go buy candy that he would flip his
coin in the air and then catch it again. One time when he was walking he
flipped his coin a little too far and it landed in front of him in the
tall weeds. He tried to look for it but he couldn't see it anywhere. He
was really upset but he remember his mother taught him "If you say a
prayer Heavenly Father will bless you". So he prayed! After his prayer
he had an idea come in his mind. "Go home and get another coin and then
run back and flip it again here in the same spot and Heavenly Father
will show you where the other coin fell".. He memorized the spot where
he was and then he ran all the way back home! And he asked his sister to
borrow a coin. And then he ran back! He got back in the same spot and
tried to stand right where he was before and he flipped the new coin and
watched super close as it fell. Then he got down where the coin fell
and there it was! And right under the new coin.. was the old coin!!! ..
and he wasn't surprised. And then he went and bought his penny candy. :)
He said he hoped he remembered to say thank you. My favorite part of the story is that he wasn't surprised.
Randy
is baptized!!!!!!!! It was the BEST. His coworker from the school
baptized him and after he bore his testimony and he talked about how
Randy is so diligent and a hard worker and he does everything he can to
take care of his family. He also talked about his own experience in the
church going through times of inactivity and how the brothers in the
ward take turns lifting each other and reaching out to each other. He
said one brother helped him come back to church and then a few years
later he was helping the same brother come back to church. It was sweet
we felt a lot of love and support for Randy :) Randy also bore his
testimony and he said what he loves most about the church is that it
sets a good example for his family.
Elder
Renlund, Elder Cook, and Elder Schmutz visited our mission this Friday
for a mission conference and then on Sunday we had a special stake
conference with Elder Cook and Elder Schmutz. We felt so blessed. Sister
Villanueva said the closing prayer at the mission conference which was
fun because we got to sit on the stand and shake hands with Elder
Renlund twice! Also they let us ask questions and because I was already
sitting on the stand Elder Renlund had me come up to the podium to ask
my question and that was pretty nerve racking I think I blanked out a
bit when he was giving me his answer haha.
Also
Sister Clark is officially training a new missionary and so
now I have a
grandchild here! My mission posterity will live on!
I
just leave you with this because it was helpful to me.. Sister Cook
shared about how sometimes after really long trials or really long
assignments with Elder Cook they get home and she just feels sort of
dead inside. I was happy that she shared that because I know we all feel
that way too sometimes. She told us that when that happens she just
does her best at a heartfelt prayer and she promises Heavenly Father
that she's going to keep going. And then after sometime they peace and
the spirit and the joy return. She also invited some missionaries to
share what they do when that happens to them. Later on Elder Renlund
shared
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For
I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor
principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able toseparate us
from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
He
said that when we can't feel the Savior's love, the problem isn't with
the Savior's love. The problem is with our Savior's love receptors. Hold
on and be faithful and keep doing those small acts of FAITH! Feast upon
the words of Christ..
When I feel those
dead inside days I read the Book of Mormon and Jesus the Christ. And I
remember what my mother taught me and "go serve someone & don't
think about yourself for awhile"
I think we
can also reference Nephi.. He felt similar too sometimes but he knew who
it was that was making him feel that way.. 2 Nephi 4: 17-35
17 Nevertheless,
notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord, in showing me his great
and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am!
Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of
mine iniquities.
18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.
19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.
20 My
God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the
wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.
21 He hath filled me with his love, even unto the consuming of my flesh.
22 He hath confounded mine enemies, unto the causing of them to quake before me.
23 Behold, he hath heard my cry by day, and he hath given me knowledge by visions in the night-time.
24 And
by day have I waxed bold in mighty prayer before him; yea, my voice
have I sent up on high; and angels came down and ministered unto me.
25 And
upon the wings of his Spirit hath my body been carried away upon
exceedingly high mountains. And mine eyes have beheld great things, yea,
even too great for man; therefore I was bidden that I should not write
them.
26 O
then, if I have seen so great things, if the Lord in his condescension
unto the children of men hath visited men in so much mercy, why should
my heart weep and my soul linger in the valley of sorrow, and my flesh
waste away, and my strength slacken, because of mine afflictions?
27 And
why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give
way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy
my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?
28 Awake, my soul! No longer droop in sin. Rejoice, O my heart, and give place no more for the enemy of my soul.
29 Do not anger again because of mine enemies. Do not slacken my strength because of mine afflictions.
30 Rejoice,
O my heart, and cry unto the Lord, and say: O Lord, I will praise thee
forever; yea, my soul will rejoice in thee, my God, and the rock of my
salvation.
31 O
Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands
of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance
of sin?
32 May
the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that
my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut
the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walkin the path of
the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
33 O
Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O
Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt
thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling
block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge
not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
34 O
Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will
not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that
putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth
his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
35 Yea,
I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God
will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto
thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness.
Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
Sorry this is long but now you can say you've read the scriptures today.
I love you all!
Sister Zollinger
