August 12, 2013

What a blessed week this has been! Oh how grateful I am that the Lord has allowed me to labor in a small part of His vineyard here in BC. Next week is transfers again (don't worry about mail, just send it to the Victoria address). But I hope and pray that I will be able to stay and continue to work here. I have fallen in love with the people and the ward.

Not much time today, so just a few miracles of the week I guess! This past week we went over to Tina's house, who is the daughter of Sister Lopez. We haven't seen her in a little while and we felt we needed to stop by. Well, once again, the gift of tongues is real. I completely forgot to bring my Spanish Preach my Gospel or any of my Spanish materials like my hymn book and what not. So, this one was completely by the Spirit! But I need not doubt - for the Lord is able to do all things. 1 Nephi 7:12 kept coming to my head as we entered her home to teach her more. Well about an hour later, it was as if I had forgotten how to speak English. Like I had grown up speaking Spanish since I was born. After teaching and testifying of the Book of Mormon, she committed to reading it everyday and was very excited for us to return. What an absolute blessing the Spirit is!! I cannot believe the wonderful things the Lord can do through us, His servants here on earth. I walked out of her home and Sister Hobbs looked and me and said "What did you say to her?". I honestly didn't know. But whatever it was, brought Tina to tears as she felt the Spirit. Brothers and Sisters, I don't know how to speak Spanish on my own. But the Lord WANTS Tina to hear the restored Gospel. So He has allowed me to be His mouthpiece for her. This church is true!

We had exchanges with the Sidney Sisters this week because I needed to meet a couple of their baptismal date so I could report to the Zone Leaders about them. I was companions with Sister Wright for the day. She expressed to me some sincere concerns she had right now, and I prayed diligently that the Spirit would speak through me and allow me to touch her heart with something I said. Long story short, I told her we need to just lose ourselves in the work. As I testified to her, I made myself reflect and wonder if I was doing that? May we each try everyday to focus our minds on the work of salvation - yes to all you who are not missionaries as well! We parked the car on the reservation to do some tracting before the appointment. She said "We have only had bad experiences tracting here, but I guess if we have time before we can knock some doors". I smiled and said "Cheer up, let's find some new investigators." They hadn't found any in quite a while. So after we poured our hearts out to the Lord for His help, we began knocking. What followed was miraculous. We knocked on only 7 doors in an hour and a half. 6 of them became new investigators. Brothers and Sisters, people are prepared. But if we judge them and tell ourselves that they don't want to listen to us, then guess what? They won't be touched by what we say. But if we speak to them with love, they will be touched. I pictured every single person in white as we spoke with them. Each person gladly accepted the invitation to learn from us as we taught them right there on their doorsteps. Sister Wright's faith was increased, as was mine. What a blessing!

Just a quick note about a less-active in our ward, if you could maybe keep her in your prayers? She is from Pakistan, and her name is Misbah. She converted about 3 years ago, but hasn't been to church because her husband won't let her. I don't know if you know about Pakistan's culture, but if you turn Christian, your family has to kill you. Well, things settled down after a while as she figured out how to keep it quiet. Sister Hobbs and I went to visit her while her husband was at work, and she expressed her desire to go back to church. But she said maybe when the kids are older. Anyway, she says she will be going back to Pakistan for a few years at the end of the month to allow her children to learn the language and the culture. Long story short, there is a high possibility she may never return. As our Bishop discussed with her the vital consequences that may come, she put her hope and faith in the Lord and prayed for His help. Her entire family is there and she wants her children to know them. May God watch over and protect her as she returns a Christian, finding the truth for herself.

Brothers and Sisters, why would this poor woman join a church if the outcome was a possibility of death? Why would a young man, Joseph Smith, endure mobs, tar and feathers, and eventually death for something if it wasn't the truth? Why would 70,000 missionaries go throughout the world to places they have never been, speaking languages they have never spoken, to endure persecution and rejection, if it was to help the cause of a falsehood? Well, the answer is simple. It is true. This work is true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's Kingdom here again upon the earth. We didn't decide it this way. It wasn't our choice to choose this church and decide it was right. It is the Lord's way. He WANTS us to return to Him. He WANTS us to follow Him. So He has given us clear direction through the Bible and the Book of Mormon, as well as through modern day prophets, just like he did throughout the bible's time with prophets.  That is his way.  He does not change.

"I belong to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know who I am, I know God's plan, I'll follow Him in faith. I believe in the Savior Jesus Christ, I'll honor His name. I'll do what is right, I'll follow His light, His truth I will proclaim! As a child I sang this song often in primary. But not until I came on a mission did I understand the magnitude of it. It IS true! The 8 year old children in this church know more about God's plan than all any religious leader who has studied the Bible their whole life. Why? Because we have the fulness of the Gospel given to us. May you not take this as a prideful statement of me trying to prove everybody else wrong. Because that's not the case. Every single thing that brings us closer to Jesus Christ is good. It has to be! Every church that strives to serve and love others is wonderful! May they continue to be positive influences in this world of demoralizing values! Thank you to them!! All I am seeking to do is to add to the truths that each of you already have. The fulness of the Gospel that God has given us here on earth. We don't want to keep it to ourselves, we WANT you to enjoy it as well! I beg of you, please read the Book of Mormon.  Read it with the Bible. They testify of Christ. Please pray to know for yourself it is true. And please, ask God to soften the hearts of all those who have not yet found it. May they each have the opportunity to embrace the fulness of the Gospel, so that they may one day face their Maker with hope and assurance in His Atonement.

This week's challenge -  to write your testimony of the restored Gospel on your Facebook page this week. I know each of you have many friends on there who you may not even know look at your page. But they do. Bear your testimony and offer them the same happiness you have! And for those of you who read this and are not members, my challenge to you is to do what I have begged you to do from the beginning. Read the Book of Mormon. It is as simple as that. Because if the Book of Mormon is true, then Jesus is the Christ, Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet, and Christ has continued to lead his church with prophets on the earth just like in the Bible.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the Lord's Kingdom here on earth. May you find out for yourselves.

Thank you so much for all of your wonderful support! I cannot believe how fast time is going out here, I hate it. But may God allow me to reach my full potential and be an instrument in His hands. I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Biggs