This week I saw four wonderful children of God witness and partake of an ordinance, receive welcome and fellowship, and obtain the blessings of sacrament attendance! I always thought having more than one or two investigators at church would be crazy stressful, but every one of them had ward members to sit by and help. Lucy told us she's given away almost all of her baptism invites already! We are going to help her start Personal Progress. Her baptism on January 6th is set!
Bill has been attending church for a full month now, but is struggling to recognize an answer to his prayers. I've been studying how to recognize the Holy Ghost, and found how diverse and unique each experience of my own has been.
For instance, Sister Lowe and I had an amazing time just yesterday in our companionship study, talking about the priesthood and motherhood and how they work together. I learned so much as we talked, and afterwards recognized how the Spirit had guided our conversation to a deeper understanding of our divine nature and the roles women and men play to accomplish the same goal. Other times in my life I've read a scripture and it applies to me in an insightful way, or I've poured my heart out in prayer and feel love and peace. I look back and can see even the answers I had to wait and wait for, and meanwhile press forward in faith, were eventually answered.
A principle I've learned as I've taught others about asking and feeling the Holy Ghost, is that God is merciful and loving and patient, and so will not send us an answer we aren't ready to receive. If we aren't willing to act on the answer or accept it *as* the answer, He will wait. That is why, often, it takes more than simpy asking:
Matt 7:7 "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you."
We ask in prayer, we seek in the scriptures, and we knock as we keep His commandments. I can promise that the answer will come at the right time and when we are ready to receive it!
Our other investigators are progressing more slowly, but I can't tell you how much I love them all. I am sad that my first transfer here is almost over already! Sister Lowe and I continue to learn each other and have been enjoying our time in Jacksonville so much.
I have been pondering and writing down some principles I want to implement in my life now and through 2018, like "First and foremost, fan the flame of your faith." I'm still working on the plans to set around them. I invite you all to prayerfully set goals this week for the coming year and make plans to accomplish them! Thank you as always for all your love and well wishes during this season.
Happy New Year!
Sister Fluegel
The Jacksonville District (or 'Sis'trict as we call it) and Ed and Darla, who we spent some of our Christmas with <3
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