Sister Ashlyn Biggs: called to serve the Lord in the Canada Vancouver mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

September 2, 2013

Well hello there from the most beautiful place on earth! This week was an absolutely wonderful week. What a blessing it is to be a missionary!!

Sister Christensen, my new companion, is doing just wonderfully. She is talking to many people already and I know that soon, when I break her shell, she will help this area to explode. I don't have much time this week, as it is a holiday and we want to spend as much time as possible out finding God's children! But I did want to write about some wonderful events that took place this week. 

Last night, we had the opportunity to attend the wonderful baptism of Chemeca Waugh, who the Sidney Sisters have been teaching. Her testimony is SUCH a light. The Spirit was so incredibly strong as we watched her be immersed into the water, just as our Savior Jesus Christ was during His earthly ministry. He was the perfect example for us in what He wanted us to do to return to live with God again - and Chemeca last night followed that example. SO many of the Sidney ward members showed up that we needed to put in more chairs. It was so wonderful to see the support of her new family here in Christ's fold! The Spirit felt at the baptism was undeniable. I will never forget it. I had the wonderful opportunity to teach Chemeca once on an exchange when I was in Sidney, and it was such an honor just to know her. This work is not only true, but it is ready to explode and flood the earth. 

On Saturday we had the wonderful opportunity to help someone move. She is a less-active who has been in the ward for 5 years now, and has never been contacted! Sister Hobbs and I a few weeks ago stopped by her home to introduce ourselves. The Spirit had been telling us to go visit her, so we finally made time to do so. When we did, she let us right in and opened up to us. Turns out, she is in the process of getting a divorce from her husband. They had been married 5 years, and have a 2 and 4 year old. They separated in June and things have gone downhill from there. The divorce is now getting worked on with filing and things. As she spoke, tears filled her eyes, as well as ours. I guess to sum things up, we have met with her often ever since, and her faith is continuing to grow. Unfortunately, she cannot afford this home on her own, so she had to find another place which happens to be in 1st ward now, not ours. But we have gone by many times to help her pack, clean, and move things. Finally, Saturday was the day she could move in, so without any help from her family (aside from her mom and dad), she asked if we could come by and help out. Well of course, we got the ward in on it. Long story short, a total of about 25 people ended up coming that morning to help her move - none of which had ever even met her before. She was so overwhelmed with the Spirit of charity and service that she was in tears most of the morning. We handled moving things here while the 1st ward elders handled getting things to the other apartment. Together, we literally packed, moved, unpacked, and cleaned an entire household in 5 hours. Her gratitude was overwhelming, she wasn`t able to express it. The Spirit was so very strong as we served her. Sister Christensen and I have never packed so many things in our lives. With 2 young kids, she hasn`t exactly had the opportunity to do a lot of packing. But how wonderful it is to see the ward come together for one of our sisters in need. I know that without a doubt she will never forget the ward helping her move in and out. We hope and pray that she will eventually come back to the fold, where she belongs, especially with her 2 children. I have a strong testimony of service, and the light that it brings to those around us. 

I bear each of you my testimony that this is Jesus Christ`s church here on the earth. Recently a pamphlet came out by religious leaders all over the world - it is about the cults throughout the world. People now keep it by their doorsteps, so that when we come knock on their doors, they have it right there ready to read to us. Brothers and Sisters, I must bring this all back to the Book of Mormon. For if the Book of Mormon is true, and I bear my witness that it is, then this is the Lord`s kingdom here on the earth. Joseph Smith was a Prophet, and we have a living Prophet, Thomas S. Monson. today. But if the Book of Mormon is false, our claim to revelation and all truth in this Gospel, is wrong. Why are we constantly encouraged to read the Book of Mormon...because no matter what concern people bring up - polygamy, cult, people who think we worship Joseph Smith, Temples - no matter what they come up with, it can ALL be explained with the Book of Mormon. For if it is true, then EVERYTHING we claim to be truth is truth! There is no question about it. The Lord promises us OVER and OVER again in the scriptures - if we read with a sincere heart, then He will tell us what is true. I have taken that challenge. I have read every word of every page in The Book of Mormon. And not only do I KNOW that it is the word of God, but I also know that because of that, Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet of the Lord. We have a living Prophet on the earth today. Why would God take away Prophets! Why would modern revelation cease, even though the Bible has over 5,000 years of revelation! That couldn`t be the end. We taught somebody last week about the Book of Mormon - she looked up at us with tears in her eyes and said, `My mother always taught me that the answer to everything we need is in the Bible. But I knew there was something missing. And now I know it is this`. Talking about the Book of Mormon helped this woman to understand truth. I know the Book of Mormon as well as the Bible to be the word of God! There is NO other way around it! Read it, ponder it, and pray about it. And you too, can have the same answer directly from God. 

This week`s challenge is simple - watch this Mormon Message about the Book of Mormon. I know it may be a lot to ask you to read the Book of Mormon if you have not done so already. But please, watch how it has changed this man`s life. I know it is true.


I love each of you so very much! I so appreciate your support and love. Have a wonderful week!!


Love,


Sister Biggs

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