Monday, January 22, 2018

Week 51 - January 22, 2018


This week has been crazy busy, but as always, full of...wanna guuess?....miracles! We had a Zone Conference on Wednesday- which was super inspiring, I'll share some of my thoughts about it below, and a Stake Conference on Sunday.


Since the city where I'm serving, Arroio Grande, is about 2 hours from the stake center, and very few people here own cars, the branch rented a bus to take us all to the conference. Who would've thought that spending 4 hours inside a bus with people that I didn't even know a few months ago would be one of the funnest things I've done in a long time. These members and investigators have literally become my family away from home, I loved it.


So many people went to the stake conference that we were literally putting chairs in every available space, and even then a got chunk of people ended up having to listen from the hallway.


But it was super good, very spiritual. AND, 3 of the investigators that went to the conference with us- Sara, Maiara, and Doca- will be baptized this week!!! (maybe 4? It's complicated, I'll keep you updated). I'm so stinking happy, these people are amazing.


So, something that was talked about at our zone conference was about the moment in John 21 when Christ asks Peter 3 times if he loves Him (one of my all time favorite parts of the scriptures). We watched a video of a talk by Elder Holland (a video I highly recommend, if you can find it) where he said that Christ was asking Peter is he loved Him more than fishing, more than the nets and the oars and his boats. Of course, Peter says yes. But Christ reminds him that, if that were true, he would never go back to fishing- in actions or in his heart. When Peter was called as an apostle, he was told to let go of his nets, and that was a commandment that lasts forever. That wasn't a mission that would end after Christ died or whenever Peter felt like going back to fishing.


How does that relate to me? When I was called as a missionary, it wasn't just for 18 months. When the Lord asked me to "let go of my nets" (leave behind my personal affairs and serve with all I have), He was actually calling me to be a part of this work forever. When I get home (which there's still a lot of time before that, thank goodness), I'll still be a missionary. In a different sense of course, but I was still called to let go of my nets, my own will and desires, for the sake of the Lord's will. I was called to be a disciple and His representative until the end.


How does this relate to you? Maybe you've already served a mission- 1, 5, 10, 30, 40 years ago- or maybe you're preparing to go. Maybe you never will go. But the Lord has still called you to this work. We were all called to let go of our nets and follow Him. We were all called to be true disciples until the end.
"If ye love me, feed my sheep."

Remember the Savior and everything he's done for you. 
Love you all! Hope you have a good week.
Love,
Sister Coleman





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