July 9, 2013

Hello to all of my wonderful friends and family! What a blessing each of you are in my life, one that you may never comprehend. I love you all so much!

This week has been a miraculous week of growing and learning. It is transfers already! We find out tonight if we will be transferring or staying. I would assume staying since we just opened, but you never know what the Lord has in mind! Any letters that go out this week can either go to the Richmond address or the Victoria address, up to you! Victoria should be fine though. I feel as though I will be staying.

Well to start off, I don't know if you remember me talking about Sister Lopez, the recent convert in this ward. She only speaks Spanish and is just the cutest little thing! Anyway, she has missed church the past few weeks. The ward doesn't have an address for her, so we were getting kind of worried. Don't want to lose one of Heavenly Father's children! So we got assigned from the ward mission leader to try and find her house address. We finally tracked her down at her son's old address (which was a miracle in itself). She was so excited to see us! Her eyes lit up and she hugged us lovingly. I spoke to her about the importance of coming to church (they definitely don't teach that at ASU!). She expressed her desire to come back, she said things have been very busy lately. So she asked if we would walk with her to church on Sunday, and we graciously accepted. I have never been so excited to see somebody in church! My heart rejoiced as I watched her look at the speakers, not understanding anything they were saying, but clearly feeling the Spirit. What a blessing Hermana Lopez is to me. I told Sister Hobbs after we left her home that I felt as though she was speaking English. It was so wonderful that I was able to communicate with her. However, it scares me for when I get home, because I probably won't be able to use it at all because it is clearly only the Spirit helping me with these wonderful people! But that's okay, I will take what I can get. The gift of tongues is a real thing my friends. And through the Spirit, all things are possible.

Sister Hobbs and I have been focusing a lot on the less actives in this area, kind of like Osoyoss. I don't know what it is about those less-actives, but I have a great love for them. I desire so badly for them to come back home! By the grace of God, 3 less-actives have now been officially moved off of the less active list this past month. Sister Landry, Sister Winter, and Sister Collett have each been meeting with us regularly since we got here. Sister Winter is now preparing to enter into the Temple! What an absolute miracle the Atonement is! She has also given up coffee and has been living the Word of Wisdom for a week now. Sister Collett has enjoyed coming to lessons with us and hasn't missed a day of church in 5 weeks. Sister Landry has expressed her desire to go to the Temple and has asked us to help her quit smoking. Brothers and Sisters, God is a God of miracles. He has welcomed these three women back with open arms, and they can feel it. I enjoy watching them in Sacrament meeting rejoice and feel the Spirit as they feel they have come back home. What a blessing it is that Heavenly Father has placed them in our paths. I have certainly learned more from them than they have from me. May the Spirit help this work to continue to move forward in bringing back those lost sheep! They are SO important!

So a week ago Friday Sister Hobbs and I were street contacting for a couple hours. We talked to this man named Hernan from Mexico, who was very nice and open. He said he wasn't really interested in learning more, but accepted a pamphlet and gave us his number. We didn't think much of it, until Monday came and we felt strongly to call him. So we did. He hesitantly set something up with us for Wednesday. Tuesday evening he called us, and said "Actually Sisters I really don't want to meet. But I will call you if I change my mind." Saddened, we thanked him and wished him the best. The next day when we were originally supposed to meet, we got a call from him. "Hi Sisters, I really want to meet. I want to hear what you have to say." Very excitedly we set up an appointment for Thursday! We went and taught him outside of a restaurant. We asked him what made him call us back. He said "Well, it is very rare that somebody stops and talks to you on the street. So you must have something important to say, and I want to hear it." With smiles on our faces we taught him all about our Heavenly Father and the role of prayer in our lives. He has never had a relationship with God, but says he feels so empty inside right now and wants to fill that hole. He said he feels as though we can help him with that. How neat it is to see that the Spirit can influence anyone who has come in contact with the church. He has started reading the Book of Mormon and we will be meeting with him again this week. Hernan is an absolute miracle and I am so grateful that he followed the influence of the Holy Ghost. Sister Hobbs and I fasted last Friday (the day we met him) for Heavenly Father to lead us to somebody who was in need of help, or who was going through a hard time in their lives. Along came Hernan. Heavenly Father answers prayers brothers and sisters! He is so very aware of us!

This week's challenge is to do all you can under the influence of the Holy Ghost to find somebody to share the Gospel with. I know there are many non members reading this as well, and so for you, your challenge is to pray and ask if you should meet with the missionaries! I can promise you, with all the energy of heart, that your life will forever be changed for the better. This is the only way back to our Father in Heaven. I want you to know that I would not give up 18 months of my life away from home, school, work, and family and friends for something that I didn't know was true. I can promise you, you can come to know that as well. I want each of you to return back to your Father in Heaven so desperately! Please ask the missionaries, they can help you!

Brothers and Sisters, what a blessing this work is. I fervently pray that when I meet my Maker, and wet His feet with my tears, that He may accept the effort that I have put into His work. All that I do is because I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I praise His name for all He has done for me. I am eternally indebted to His sacrifice, and feel as though it is an absolute privilege to help others find Him. May we each find ourselves worthy at all times, in all things, and in all places, to face our Maker with joy at the last day. May we embrace in His arms and know that we have put forth our greatest effort to serve Him. May we forever be grateful to our Heavenly Father for this wonderful plan He has given us. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the way back to Him. I didn't choose it to be that way, God did. May you put my promise to the test that as you read the Book of Mormon, you will find that it is truly the word of God. I am here to answer any questions or concerns you have! Please, allow God to bring you home to Him.

I love you all so much! May you help those who have not yet found their way or who have lost their way to come back home to their Father. Have a great week!

Sister Biggs