Read your Scriptures

SO! Guess what??? E is getting baptized OCTOBER 6th! Ah! I couldn't be happier I literally fasted for longer than I have in my entire life, and it was so amazing because even though I didn't eat all day, the next day I felt normal like I had eaten the three meals a day. I know it doesn't always happen like that but it was a huge blessing I was able to have the energy I needed to do his work. I love her.  I cannot believe it and I am so proud of her. Hearing her bear her testimony after what we have taught her is just the most amazing experience. When I talk to E, I just feel like Heavenly Father is speaking right through me. He totally knows who she is and is SO PROUD of her decision, even more than me which is pretty much impossible.

We had another cool experience through the TRC program this week (TRC is how we met I!). Our zone leaders, Elder W and Elder L, have been teaching an investigator who really doubts if God is real because of that bad things that have happened in her life. Well, wouldn't you know, they are many of the same challenges and trials that I've had in my life (I met her once and talked to her a little). So they asked if I would be willing to come in as a "member" to their lesson and talk to her. I said, "of course!" because, honestly I am so thankful that I have had trials in my life so that I can relate to someone else and help them get through it and grow stronger through Christ like I have been able to... trials have to be good for something right? We (Hermana T and me) went in after our E lesson, halfway through their lesson. They had just showed her "Mountains to Climb" Mormon Message. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdN8rfwW3SI and then I came in. I asked her how she was feeling, and she told me that her heart had been touched through the movie. When she said that, the SPIRIT was just like BOOM I'M HERE, DO MY WORK. And I was all like, okay, LET'S GO! It was actually way more spiritual than that but that's the best way that I can describe it. I talked to her about her life and it was so awesome that I could tell her that God didn't cause those things to happen to her. That it was the result of others' agencies and that God felt her pains, and He was sad as she has been sad. He has been there for her the whole time. Then something amazing happened, the HG was all "Alma 22:18", which is King Lamoni's dad, right? Giving away all his sins?  

Side note: to all of y'all back home wanting to go on a mission, read your scriptures. Read them every day, read them a lot, get to know them. Because I did that the Spirit can prompt me to bust out so many scriptures that have REALLY affected lessons and investigators here, and even helped me in time of need. Read the Book of Mormon every day of your life! Read the New Testament too. You'll never regret it, and that's a promise from a set apart ambassador of the Lord. 

Anyway so we read that scripture and it really affected her and I felt the spirit so strong so I challenged her to baptism and she ACCEPTED and then I asked her if she wanted to pray and she said YES (she would never pray for the elders) and she got on her knees (we all did) and offered up one of the most powerful prayers I have ever heard in my life. She said some really humble, sacred things and the Lord has really prepared her heart. Pray for her too. So yeah that was straight awesome, and the elders said, "Just bring in HB. Elders are the soldiers, Hermanas are the artillery", but really, GOD IS EVERYTHING. He is the Master of this Work and He is way more involved in it than I think He is. 

Man so much happened this week! I was feeling actually really discouraged this week but then I read my set apart blessing and man I believe in priesthood blessings from the Lord. Those things are powerful. Please, if you're having a hard time ask a priesthood holder for a blessing. God can speak directly to you. I think we need to get blessings more often than we do. 

BIGGGGG NEWS! I got my TRAVEL PLANS! Yayyyyyyy! I leave 3:30 in the morning on September 1st. It's Hermana T, yo, Elder W and Elder T. And that's it. So we are going to have fun. I'm travel leader, (STRESSFUL) but it will all go okay.

Love you! 
Hermana Burton