How the heck did another week go by
already?! Not cool. Haha it's so
crazy. So today's a little rushed
cause we're heading off to Gillette
for a zone preparation day! But I'll
try and get a few thoughts out!
We had exchanges in Cody this week
and that was way fun! Such great
Sisters there. We left Thursday
afternoon, drove the 3 hours to the
sisters and then did prime pros and
all of Friday with them. Then
Saturday was a little crazy! L really wanted to see a baptism and
how it's done. So there is one in Sheridan on Saturday! Which was so awesome!
She
was so excited to go and see one. We
figured it would be in the
afternoon so we would have no
problem getting back from Cody in
time...But while we were down in
Cody, we got a message telling us the
baptism was at 9 in the morning on
Saturday. Eek. Haha So we got to
wake up at 5am and get dressed and
head out on the road to make it
back to Sheridan before the baptism.
Haha It was a long morning but
SOOO worth it so be with L as she watched a baptism! The Spirit
was so strong and she recognized it
so quickly. She is amazing.
Afterwards we had a lesson with her.
First off - I just have to remind
You how amazing L is. Every time we
come to her lessons she
has all of her pamphlets out, the
Book of Mormon, gospel principles
books, etc. she tells us every time
"I just know this is God's path
for me! I'm finally going the right
way. I can feel it." She's so
precious and so prepared.
But also, I feel like the theme of
this week was really temples and
families. Pretty much all of the
investigators, recent converts and
less active members we visited and
taught, the lessons revolved around temples and
families and how important it is.
Which is just like my favorite thing
to talk about. We had an awesome
lesson with L about it. We were
planning on teaching temples and the
member we invited is just a super
sweet lady so we were super excited
to bring her. Turns out the Lord
knows what He's doing even more than
we sometimes think. The member
was perfect! During the lesson, we
asked her how temples had blessed
and strengthened her and her family. As she testified, we found out
her husband has been less active for
19 years and just became active
again last year. When talking about
temples and families, she was the
perfect person to testify of how
temples bring families together and
it really hit home with L. Temples
really are such a miracle and
blessing to have in our lives.
We also met with one of our
investigators, M, She will be baptized
in a few weeks. We were
in a members home and that was so amazing. Michaela has lots of family that
she loves that have passed away, so testifying
of temples and family
ties after death was so powerful for
her. Knowing that there is an
opportunity for those important,
saving ordinances to be done on the
other side was just so perfect for
her. The members we were with were
amazing and the Spirit was so
strong. One of the most amazing nights
ever. It was so amazing to be in the
room and to feel the Spirit
there. L and M are realizing that there is so
much more after baptism. That
baptism isn’t the end when we're
supposed
to be perfect, but it's just the
beginning of opening that gate and
getting on the path back home. And
even more covenants and blessings
await in the temple. So incredible.
I miss the temple so much. If you
haven't gone to the temple lately
then please, GO! Run to it!
All with that, I've been thinking a
lot about what President and I
talked about in interviews last
week. We were talking about change; on
missions, with transfers,
companions, areas, investigators, etc and
the change of going home one day,
seeing people who have changed,
places, plans, etc. What he said
about it really stood out to me. He said
"Sister Hodgson, change is a
principle of the gospel. If the Lord
didn't want YOU to change, He would
never keep changing all of our
circumstances or situations."
It's been really cool this week, as I
study, to have that as an underlying
principle. I studied about it a
lot trying to understand more of
what it means for me, and for those
we meet with. I added a page to my
Preach My Gospel about change and
have been finding references and
scriptures to go with that to help me
study. But it has been so amazing to
find instances in the scriptures
and words from the prophets about
change in their lives and how they
didn't turn inward, but turned
outward and it all worked out. Then
this week as we were able to go and
testify of the importance of
temples, it really put my mind at
peace. I thought about the things
that we do in the temple. The
consistency of the things we do in
there, and then thought about the
change that it brings about in each
of us personally and internally.
Everything in the gospel is designed
to change us, if we let it. And I
know that change is only possible
through the atonement of our Savior,
Jesus Christ. He is there for
each of us, pulling us along and
cheering us along. He loves us and
what's to see us become who He knows
we can, and knows we were meant
to be.
Sorry for the tangent. But this
gospel is amazing! And it changes
lives. (Woah! Change! Look at that;)
haha) It's been another amazing
week here in Wyoming and I love
every second. I hope you all have the
best week ever!! Love you lots!!!
W/<3
Sister Hodgson
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