Happy Missionary Mail Monday! :)
My dear, dear loved ones. Seeing as this week is Valentine's Day, let me start out by telling you how much I love all of you!! I wish you could understand how my love grows for you every day. Seriously. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Family, last night we visited a family in our branch preparing to be sealed in the temple (they have 3 children.. it's going to be so special!!) They've been working so hard and we've been able to help them. Well, they backslid a little and last night we had a powerful lesson where I was able to bear my testimony of the temple to them and tell them from personal experience how beautiful it is to be in the temple with your WHOLE family! Of course, I cried. I am so grateful for all of you, for your faithfulness, and for your examples to me. I will never, ever forget going to the temple together and getting a little glimpse into eternity. I can't wait to spend it with you!
Okay, thank you for hanging in there through that, I'm done with the cheesiness for a minute.
Let me share a little missionary wisdom (haha). I'm learning that things don't always work out how you think they will. Actually, they usually don't. Nevertheless, if I'm being obedient and diligent things will work out anyway--even if the outcome isn't what I intended.
For example, this week Sister Wight and I worked incredibly hard to get our investigators to church. We had powerful lessons, had members invite them and offer rides, made breakfast, sent texts and made phone calls, and honestly thought we would have 10 investigators at church. Sacrament meeting started and we had 2. I found myself feeling a little let down--discouraged that our hard work hadn't paid off. But then, as I looked over the congregation (our chorister didn't show up so I was asked to lead the music) I realized that our efforts had indeed brought forth much fruit.
For example, this week Sister Wight and I worked incredibly hard to get our investigators to church. We had powerful lessons, had members invite them and offer rides, made breakfast, sent texts and made phone calls, and honestly thought we would have 10 investigators at church. Sacrament meeting started and we had 2. I found myself feeling a little let down--discouraged that our hard work hadn't paid off. But then, as I looked over the congregation (our chorister didn't show up so I was asked to lead the music) I realized that our efforts had indeed brought forth much fruit.
The 2 investigators who were there are being baptized this weekend! An entire less active family was present as well as two inactives we've been working with (one of whom hasn't been to church in years)! All of our recent converts were attendance and not only was one of them, Brother Landon, present, but he was passing the sacrament!! And our dear, sweet friend Sister Cripe received the gift of the Holy Ghost. What a beautfiul meeting it was! The Lord does answer prayers and reward His righteous servants. I'm so grateful to be a part of the hastening of the work, building up the vineyard in the Kendallville Branch!! We are building Zion :)
This past week was crazy.. we spent 3 days out of town. I got to see the lovely town of Marion, Indiana! Anyway, more trainings, more powerful, spiritual experiences. Our mission baptism goal for the year is 720. That's going to require a LOT of grace, but we can do it! Our stake goal is 70, but president says it's going to need to be changed because we'll meet that early.. and the way things are going it's looking like he's going be right! In 2012 Ft. Wayne had 24 baptisms, in 2013 they had 51 and the goal this year is 70 but is going to be met early..... you can't tell me the Lord isn't hastening His work!!!
Although our meetings and trainings were powerful, let me tell you about my favorite day of the week: Friday. Baptism Day :)
Let's talk about Miss Laura. She is an angel on Earth, seriously one of the strongest women I have ever met, if not the strongest. I will forever be grateful for her example to me and I know without a doubt in my mind that she is one of the reasons I was called to this mission, this area, at this time. Laura has been meeting with missionaries for years and has come to church quite a bit but was never ready to be baptized-- hadn't really had a spiritual conversion yet. Sis. Fox and I started teaching her when we got here, but her boyfriend was always there and would really dominate the lessons. Luckily, she came to church every week and we got to know her a lot better. We started to see her faith grow and well, her boyfriend wasn't progressing with her. So, we started meeting with her on her own and she blossomed! Her testimony was finally able to come forth and she just shone every time we met. She decided she was ready to be baptized!! But, of course, Satan began placing every possible stumbling block in her way. She had to give up smoking and coffee. She had to deal with her boyfriend's abusive words. He did all he could to convince her she was making a mistake. He threw out every piece of Mormon literature in the house (they had quite a bit!) and told her we weren't welcome there anymore. Eventually, she had to move out of her boyfriend's house even though she had nowhere to go and no money-- because of that, her 5 year old son had to stay with her boyfriend. She walks to his house in the freezing cold every day to take care of her son. Nothing was going to stand in Laura's way. And the thing that touched me the most was her attitude and her faith. Amidst all of these trials and afflictions, we never found Laura without a smile on her face. As we cried and mourned for her, she comforted us and reassured us, "things will work out, God hasn't let me down yet."
A few days before her baptism, we visited Laura and received news that turned my world upside down-- Laura was diagnosed with cancer. They aren't sure yet how far it has spread, but she doesn't want to receive treatment. Still with a smile on her face, she told us that God's will be done and she's okay with that. Laura spent the morning of her baptism in the hospital. She came out of the hospital weak and exhausted... and made her way to her baptism with a smile on her face. I was able to play Laura's favorite hymn, "I Am a Child of God" on the violin for her at her baptism. I sang the last verse and through tears, she sang along with me. Then I was able to watch as our dear friend, Elder Martin baptised Laura and she entered into a sacred covenant with her Heavenly Father. It was so beautiful.
I love my Heavenly Father and am so grateful for His plan for my life. I love sharing that plan with my brothers and
sisters.
I love you all,
Sister Kayla Rolfe
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