Can you believe it's February 2014??
Good Morning! From the freezing tundra of Northern Indiana :) More snow, freezing rain, and below freezing temperatures expected this week. Oh boy!
In better news, LAURA IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!
Could I be more excited?? I don't think so! Wow. People. This is nothing short of a MIRACLE. She is such a strong, strong woman and I could not be more happy for her or proud of her. I wish I could explain to you what she has been through to get to this point, but just know that she is one of the strongest, most faithful women I know. Ah. She has given up so much for this... things not a lot of people would be willing to give up. But she knows this is the truth and she knows this is God's plan for her and that's all that matters. Isn't that amazing? I hope we can all learn to be a little more like Laura. I sure am trying to be. I'm pretty sure Friday will be one of the best days of my life to this point... or ever. Pictures and details to come!
As for this week, it's been a little crazy, but 5 sons and daughters of God are being baptized next Saturday!!! I'm pretty sure this is going to be the biggest day in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Kendallville. In fact, I'm positive of that. We will be a ward before you know it! :) Oh and speaking of ordinances, Joe was ordained a priest this week!! One faithful month since he was baptized, and he now holds the priesthood. I have seen Joe's entire life change. Seriously, not the same person I met in November. That, my friends, is the pure love of Christ! And that brings me to my next topic of discussion: Charity.
Charity... The pure love of Christ, the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love, a condition of heart, the reason behind everything we do. Did I already talk about this last week? Probably. But it's important. I've continued to study charity and my testimony of it grows stronger each day. I'm really striving to become more charitable, but I think I got a little too caught up in it and began to question if I've had charity at all. Silly, I know, but that's how the adversary gets ya. Nevertheless (I've been doing a lot of Book of Mormon reading), Heavenly Father is gracious and wouldn't allow me to go on questioning myself like this. A member of our branch asked me to read her testimony for her [in Sacrament] because she had to work. So I accepted and didn't look at it until just before I went up to read it. You'll never guess what it was on. Yep, charity! And how she never fully understood what charity meant until she met me. WOW. Now, I don't really believe this is 100% truth but what an answer to prayer. Talk about being in tune with the Spirit! She had no idea I've been studying charity or having these questions. Although it was pretty awkward bearing someone else's testimony about myself, I am so grateful for this dear sweet Sister listening to a prompting-- and she probably didn't even know she was. I think she was the true example of charity here.
Cherry on top, Joe expressed over and over after his ordination how grateful he is for us sisters and how we've changed his life. Same with Laura during her baptism interview. Our district leader said that she just bore testimony to him the whole time of what she's come to know to be true (talk about true conversion!!) and how it's changed her life. He was even crying (that says a lot for an elder). Then she told him that she's been studying with missionaries for years but it wasn't until sisters came that everything clicked and she actually started to feel it. She finally received her spiritual conversion.
Now, I'm not saying all of this to be boastful. Like Ammon, I do not boast of my own strength, but of the strength of my Lord (Alma 26). None of these miracles or conversions would have been possible without Him. It's His spirit, His gospel, His love that we carry. It's just such a blessing to be a vessel for that love and power. I know, without a doubt, Sister Wight and I are supposed to be serving here in Kendallville at this time. Out of all the places in the hundreds of missions all over the world, God sent me here for a reason and this week has proved that to me. How beautiful.
I love you all so much and wouldn't be here without your love and prayers.
xoxoxo
Sister Kayla Rolfe
2 Nephi 5:27
Let us live after the manner of happiness!
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