11.16.15
Hey!
What a crazy week we had. We had two meetings with our
mission president and member of the first quorum of the 70 which was really
cool!! We learned so much from him and have so many new things that we can
apply to our missionary work and many things that really strengthened my
testimony.
Before I tell you of all the wonderful things I would love
to tell you all of the wonderful tender mercies Heavenly Father has given me!
1. I love my companion sooo much! She is so sweet and loves the people that we
work with. She is always trying to improve and helps me to be a better person
and missionary every day. And we laugh... a lot! 2. We have been working with a
wonderful newly rebaptized member and we found out yesterday that he may be
moving to Montana soon:/ but because of that we went over to his house to see
if he needed any help and there were some people there and we met this really
sweet high school girl who has been going to a baptist church for a really long
time and said that recently she has been thinking that she wants to go to a new
church, we talked about faith and set up a time to go to her house to teach her
and hopefully her mom:) 3. The mom and son who came to church a few weeks ago
is progressing so quickly and still wants to be baptized in the next few weeks!
He has liked everything we have taught him and has been living the word of
wisdom for more than a week now! 4. One of the less active members we have been
working with since I got here pretty much came to church 2 weeks in a row!! 5. We
have a wonderful mission president and wife who love and want the best for us
so much! The other day, when we were on exchanges, we missed a few calls from
our mission president’s wife and I was really worried something had happened. I
called her back and she said that she was just calling to thank me and asked me
if I was okay. That put me in tears and it was a much appreciated phone call.
One of the really cool things that we learned with Elder
Kopischke has to do with the scripture John 17: 3 " And this is life
eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
thou hast sent." He explained that really all we have to do is to know
God... but it is different in his language, the word know. Jokingly he said
that our language is lacking a little and then went on to explain that in the
scriptures that there is different meanings for to know and to know in the
bible. He explained that in German there is a word for to climb and if you add
a little phrase to the word, which you can add to any word, it makes the
meaning of to climb, to reach the top. So for the word to know if you add that
little phrase it means "to become one with." So if you replace the
word, to know with to become one with it change the interpretation of the
verse... " And this is life eternal, that they might become one with thee
the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." He said that if
you do that with the scriptures as you read them, replace every time you see
the word know that a new meaning of the scriptures will come into your life, it
has been really interesting to do that!
One of the other cool things that I can't wait to apply to
my missionary work is how important the temple is! He told us that we should
invite others to walk with us and help them make their way to the temple. In
our mission we have a goal to have every convert to have a name to take to the
temple within 2 weeks of being baptized and within one month to get them to the
temple to do work for their family. Pretty big goal but as he talked he helped
us to remember to keep the end goal in sight at all times. Our goal is to walk
with them, to be there to help every step of the way!
Also Elder Kopischke talked to us about Christ and how he
didn't just give people answers. In Luke 24 two men were walking and they were
talking about Christ and what had happened and he walked over towards them and
they didn't recognize him. He asked what they were talking about as if he
didn't know what had happened to this Christ they spoke of and then told him
all about the crucifixion and the resurrection. And in verse 24 and 25 he says
that they need to have faith and believe what the prophets had taught, he used
the scriptures. Christ could have just said, it is me, here I am but he wanted
to HELP them and grow their testimony. As soon as they realized that it was
Him, he left them. We do not have to
answer every question people may have because then it takes away the learning
they can do by faith, though studying the scriptures. If we just give them all
the answers they will know the doctrine but they will not have grown from it.
Learning from the Ultimate example and applying those things is what will
really help others learn of his doctrine because he was the only true and
perfect missionary.
My faith and understanding of the Savior and who he is has
grown immensely. Before my mission I knew that Jesus Christ was the Son of God
and they he died for my sins. Many people we talk to say they believe in Jesus
Christ. Elder Kopischke told us to ask those people, "Do you know who
Christ is?" and then explain the restoration and how loving both He and
God really are. God said, "This is my work and my glory- to bring to pass
the immortality and eternal life of man." Our purpose as those in his
church is to help him fulfill his work, his glory, his will.
I hope you all have the opportunity to study the word of
Christ each day and cherish that moment. I have found a new love for the
scriptures as I have studied them more and began to start to understand them.
The Gospel is true, God lives and loves each and every one of us too! Keep up
the great work! Love you all!!
Love Sister Mauck
