Hello!
Right now Mom is trying to convince me that it is colder in New York than it is here in Ohio, but don't kid yourself. It's SO COLD HERE! It was entertaining to get in the car and drive to correlation meeting Saturday morning and to see that it was -5 degrees (without the intense wind) and then to see our reactions. Everytime it would go down a degree, I would scream and Sister Devenport would get all happy and giddy. Ohhhh Miss Alaska. She doesn't ever think it is cold...Sigh. I've just accepted the fact that my toes will be frozen until they defrost in April.
Other than the cold, things are going really well in Ravenna! Actually things are going great, even with the cold. It can be fun, from time to time. Everyday I am more and more amazed by how fantastic Sister Devenport is, and she lies and says the same thing about me, so we are having an awesome time in our companionship and finding lots of good things happening. I'm sorry I wasn't very clear about when Mitchell's baptism is. I meant that it is this weekend. He'll be getting baptized this Saturday. It's an exciting thing. Tonight we are going to be making all the final decisions and teaching the last lesson. I'm really excited for Mitchell! He is such a solid kid.
I also have an update on Tabi! I think I told you last week that we were having an FHE with her at her boyfriends house. Well, we had a complete lesson plan about the Book of Mormon and gaining a testimony, but while we were in there, I felt REALLY strongly that that is not what we needed to talk about, but we needed to talk about receiving revelation and I needed to share a personal experience. So, I told her about how I learned that we need to do our part to receive answers to prayers. We need to be diligent in praying and asking for what we need, and then really study it out. That's all fine and dandy, but the Lord gave us our agency for a reason. We need to use that agency to make a decision, and then move with faith and act on that decision. Once Heavenly Father sees that we have real intent and a sincere heart, then often our answer is received. That's what I have found and I know that it is true. She really took it to heart, we could all see the change in her.
Sooooo... that's exactly what she did! We met with her yesterday and she said that she had decided that this is right, and she wants to be baptized! I seriously almost cried. Unfortunately, we still have barriers with her parents. I don't think I've mentioned this before, but her mom doesn't want her to be baptized before she is 18 next February. We all had fasted for her about this before that her mom's heart would be softened, and it worked. When Tabi got the courage to tell her mom that she wanted to be baptized, her mom said that before she could decide for sure, she needed to go to 4 weeks of a different church, and then 4 weeks of yet another church, and then she will give permission. I know that that means it's still a long ways away, but it really is a miracle! Its a huge step! So this week, Tabi is praying about setting a baptismal date in April, and we'll try and keep meeting with her as much as we can, and hopefully find a way for her to at least come to sacrament meeting. But I guess this means we all need to start praying that Sister Maughan will stay in Ravenna until April!! You think I'm kidding.... :)
In other good missionary news, we had a part member family (who is progressing like CRAZY!) come to church on Sunday...there was 9 of them and all of the 7 kids are under the age of 11. It was so funny to march in there with all the kids and fill up an entire pew. They were also the most well behaved kids I think I've ever seen in church. And one of the talks was on family and it was sweet because during the talk the dad leaned forward across all the kids to the mom who was sitting next to me (8 people over haha) and whispered "I love you!". All together now: awwwwww! tender! It was a sweet moment.
Well, we are going bowling today (three cheers for bowling in a skirt!) so it's almost time to head out. I hope things are going well for everyone! Stay warm and I love you all!
Love,
Sister Maughan
No comments:
Post a Comment