Doubt Not, Fear Not

"Mom's in Practice" Sister Lange

Sister Lange got a new do

Spot the guy and I'm not sure what this animal is?

It's been a great week. I can't remember half of it but that's okay.

So much happens in a week it feels like a blur by Monday. On Wednesday

we road tripped to a small town called Arkadelphia to pay a visit to a

couple of our sisters. It was a nice experience and Sister Lange and I

learned a lot. The whole way home we talked about how much more

prepared we are for life because of all that we've been able to go

through as missionaries. I'm thankful for the trials I've been through

and also the trials I've seen others go through that have taught me so

much. That's really vague. Missionaries say vague things because the

whole mission experience is difficult to describe haha. This week

we've kept in close contact with the family that I wrote about last

week who showed up to church. I'm so impressed with them. They have

been asking us questions that we've been able to answer by using

technology (perks of the twenty-first century) such as "what is the

process of baptism?" and "what other commandments should we know about

so that we can make sure we're doing everything right?". They are so

ready to accept the restored gospel and are already involving

themselves in the ward. It's the coolest thing to see. Heavenly Father

works so perfectly with each of His children. They came to church

again this Sunday and we are having an official lesson with them on

Tuesday. We plan to invite them to be baptized. Prayers that they will

accept the invitation would be appreciated! Yesterday I studied

obedience. It's a principle I've studied all through out my mission

and I still don't seem to fully understand it because I struggle to

surrender my will sometimes. Obedience is the first law in Heaven.

Jesus Christ has said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments" (John

14:15). I think sometimes we talk the talk more than we walk the walk

on that one. It's easy to say we love Christ but it's really freaking

hard to do everything He asks us to. However, the benefits (blessings)

are always worth it: happiness, confidence, peace, safety, health,

strength, stability, etc. "There is a law, irrevocably decreed in

heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings

are predicated. And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by

obedience to that law upon which it is predicated" (D&C 130:20-21).

I'm always thankful that Jesus Christ was willing to take my sins,

weaknesses, and shortcomings upon His shoulders. If He hadn't I'd be

hopeless. He promises, "I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say;

but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise" (D&C 82:10).

Obedience is one thing I'm constantly working to improve, and I think

that that's just part of enduring to the end. You keep trying. You

don't give up. You repent and then you be better. That's really what

this life is all about. We fall and then we get back up (or rather,

Jesus Christ reaches out and pulls us up off the ground). He's always

there. He has said, "Therefore, fear not, little flock; do good; let

earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock,

they cannot prevail.. Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear

not" (D&C 6:34,36).

I invite us all to try to be a little more obedient this week.

It Starts With a Little Faith

We've had some really strange experiences this week. Someone actually

screamed at us and threw a copy of the Book of Mormon out of the door

of their apartment after we left. That one kind of shook us a bit.

However, we've seen incredible miracles this week. About a month ago I

wrote about an experience a sister and I had on exchanges in

Arkadelphia. I'll quote it. "On Friday we went on an exchange with

some sisters and the sister I was with is a brand new missionary. Once

I got to her area I felt so strongly that the things they had planned

to do for that day wasn't what God needed us to do. I told her that I

felt like we needed to do some finding so we started to adjust the

plans. Just as we did, a young boy rode up on his bike and asked if we

were Christians. He asked us to meet his mom and teach them about

Jesus. We taught their whole family about the Restoration, invited

them to read the Book of Mormon, and invited them to be baptized. As

we were leaving the new sister said, "does that happen often?". I

said, "it can, but only when we are in line with God's plans". So

cool." So yeah, that happened and guess what?? The family that we

found that day is getting baptized this weekend. They are doing so

well and have completely accepted the gospel. I went on exchanges with

the same sister this past week and we were able to see the family. We

taught them about tithing and the law of chastity. They were so

excited about all of it. So much faith. It was a tender mercy to see

that our small act of following the spirit to be able to meet them

really was inspired of the Lord. He always knows what He is doing. I

don't know why I ever doubt that. 

Saturday was a tough day and I felt a little discouraged. 

My faith was lacking. I was praying to love the area more and to have the faith that 

there are people prepared here. Well, on Sunday we were greeting people at church and a member came up to us and said, "there is a family here who has been investigating the

church online!" She introduced us to them. It is a mom and her two daughters and they are so sweet. It was their first time attending church. They have been indirectly looking into the church for over a decade and the mom recently got out of an abusive relationship. So,

now they are finally able to investigate the church. I'm so impressed with their faith. We are teaching them tomorrow. 

The Lord is so good. I know that He has blessed sister lange and I to be able to be a part

of this families experience coming unto Christ. All I have to do is keep working hard, being obedient, and trusting Him. "And now, I, Moroni, would speak somewhat concerning these things; I would show unto the world that faith is things which are hoped for and not seen;

wherefore, dispute not because ye see not, for ye receive no witness

until after the trial of your faith" (Ether 12:6). Life is good even

when it's hard and the gospel brings peace. I know Jesus Christ lives.

I know He loves us. He did what He did out of pure love. Have a great

week y'all.

XOXOXO SISTER GUTHRIE

 Robert (one of the kids in the fam getting baptized this weekend)                                  Ice cream all day every day

Exchanges R FUN

The beautiful new temple in Arizona

***LAST WEEKS' PICTURES AND LETTER***

August 7, 2017

Life is Good!

This pretty much describes my week!!!!!!! Lots of walking and lots of

sandwiches. Life is good. We had some sweet lessons with our

investigators this week. I'll catch y'all up next week. I know that

sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. Jesus is the Christ.

He lives!