This week has been pretty random, but so good. We have been trying to focus on getting less active members back to church and helping the active members get involved in missionary work, along with the usual finding and teaching we do.
On Tuesday we visited a less active member in the branch. There was a young man at her house named Jay. From the moment we walked in, he was so interested in learning about the gospel. Sister Hall and Sister Clarke talked to the less active member while I basically taught Jay every lesson. Not really, but close. He asked so many questions and kept wanting to know more and more. He said he wasn't going to be able to remember or pronounce "Guthrie" so he now calls me "Sis Gut". It's so cool to find the people the Lord puts in our path. Tuesday night we went over to Emma's to celebrate her birthday, which was so fun. We talked and ate pizza and coconut cream pie. Wednesday started out pretty rough. No one would answer their doors to us. So, we decided to go to the waffle and pancake house for dinner. That helped solve the "locked door" blues. On Friday during our weekly planning a baby bird flew into our window and fell on our balcony. He was laying on his back for a while and wasn't doing so good. After some time he got on his feet. There he stayed for about 30 minutes. Finally, Sister Hall went out there and nudged him with a leaf. He flew away into a nearby tree. Also on Friday, we met a 94 year old lady named Belle while trying to visit a less active member. Belle asked us if we wanted some "greens". We said "heck yeah" and followed her inside her apartment. She gave us two Walmart bags FULL of leafy mustard greens and another bag full of protein shakes. It was so random, but so awesome because we are on a health kick right now (we decided this post pizza, pie, pancakes, and waffles). That night I made a salad with the mustard greens and man, it was spicy. It tasted like hot honey mustard. Friday we also had another small miracle happen. We found where Nicholas, the Marshallese boy in our branch, lives. He didn't move to Springdale. In fact, he barely moved a couple of miles.
This week I read Alma chapter 24 during one of my studies. This has become one of my favorite stories in the Book of Mormon for multiple reasons. The Anti-Nephi-Lehis are righteous and have repented of their sins but their brothers, the Lamanites who are still wicked, are preparing to come against them in battle. The Anti-Nephi-Lehis decide that they will not fight against their brothers and commit sin against God. "Now, my best beloved brethren, since God hath taken away our stains, and our swords have become bright, then let us stain our swords no more with the blood of our brethren" (v. 12). So, they decide to burry their weapons as a testimony to God that they would rather die than commit sin. "And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace" (v. 19). Now, the wicked Lamanites do still come upon them and begin to kill them, as they refuse to fight back. Over 1000 men were killed before the Lamanites realize their sins. Once they do realize what is going on, many of them repent and join the Anti-Nephi-Lehis. Verse 26 says, "And it came to pass that the people of God were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved". First of all, that is quite the positive outlook to have immediately following the death of a thousand and five of your people. That they are righteous so "it's all good". They were so confident in the plan of salvation that they had no doubt that their brothers were with God. I also love the outward expression of an inner commitment that the Anti-Nephi-Lehis show by burying their swords. They knew that their weapons (sins) had been cleaned and they had no more desire to fight (do evil). I hope that we will always allow the atonement of Christ to cleanse us of our sins so that we can burry them and move forward with faith.
Yesterday was the best day of my mission so far. It was a day full of miracles. So many of our investigators came to church and Norma was baptized! It was such a special day. The spirit was so strong and my heart was filled with joy. During sacrament meeting Jay leaned over to me and said, "Sis Gut, why are you always smiling all the time?". The only response I could come up with was, "because I'm happy" and that is so true. I'm so happy. I have new life and hope every day through the Savior and His atonement. I'm on the Lord's errand and I have the peace that comes with knowing that I am in line with His will.
ijela ke mon jar ien emool. ijela ke jisos kraist emor raini. (I know the church is true. I know Jesus Christ lives.)
ij yokwe yuk (I love you),
Sister Bailey Guthrie
#sisgut
Pics
1-Birthday party at Emma's
2-Looking like we live in an insane asylum because bed bugs
3-Texts that save missionary lives
4-"Why have you not been baptize" -Nacho Libre
5- Bur
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