Kingsbridge #14

FAMILY!!!

What up? So this week was a good one. We had an awesome time at the temple last Wednesday. We went down to the city a few other times for appointments and such. Today we are going again to pick up sister lopez's eye contacts.

Well we had mission leadership council in Scarsdale on Friday and that was AWESOME. If went from like 8 to 5.... So long, but so good. We got to hear from all the zone leaders about what is going on in their zones. It looks like our mission is on par to have 66 baptisms this may. And in June we are looking to have even more amazing things. Our mission was averaging about 18 baptisms a month and in June one zone alone has 19 baptismal dates. Just one zone. Junes going to bring forth lot of fruits as well. As a mission we have been working on having more faith and then to act on that faith by setting high goals and making more efficient plans to achieve our goals. It has been so cool to see the blessings The Lord has given us. In the leadership meeting we also just talked a lot about what our roles are as leaders. I am so thankful to be called as a sister training leader. The lessons I am learning now as I am a steward over others will not only greatly bless me in future church leadership, but as a mother as well. I am so grateful to president Morgan and for all his inspired guidance and leadership. He truly loves us and would do anything to help us. 

We were told also that our mission will get the chance to go to another Yankees game this June. So that will be fun :) another big announcement was that Elder Snow would be visiting our mission. After he speaks to the whole mission, the zone leaders and sister training leaders will get the chance to meet with him for an additional meeting. I am so excited! It is kinda terrifying, but also way awesome! As a mission we were all asked to prepare a 5 minute talk on how we have accessed the powers of Heaven through our faith. I think I wrote a longer talk than 5 minutes but I want to share it with you so you can see what I have been learning:

TALK: How have I accessed the powers of Heaven through my faith? (5 minutes) 

INTRO:

I have faith that God can use me despite my weaknesses. 

THE STRUGGLE:

For many years I have struggled with feelings of inadequacy and feeling like I am coming short. These feelings of discouragement in turn make me feel like God can not use me to do His work. I think of characters in the Book of Mormon like Nephi and I think to myself: "well of course God could use them to do mighty miracles, they were so faithful, strong and obedient." But when I look at myself and I see my obvious flaws, weaknesses, doubting, disobedience and shortcomings, I wonder to myself how God can use ME as an instrument in His hand. How could he use ME to bring about miracles?

THE REALIZATION:

1. Imperfect people are all God has ever had to work with. 

-Even Nephi felt of his short comings. In 2 Nephi 4 he exclaimed: "O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me." But despite Nephi's weakness, The Lord still revealed many great things to him and called him to be a king, prophet and ruler over the people. (2 Nephi 4:15-19)* 

-The Brother Jared forgot to pray to Godforsaken a period of time, But after he repented, The Lord still used him as a great leader for his people to bring them to a promised land. 

-Moroni struggled with weakness in writing. He feared the Gentiles would mock his writings. The Lord was still able to use him to contribute to Book of Mormon despite his weakness. (Ether 12:23-25)*

I find comfort that God has said over and over that he will use the weak things of the earth. If our sins and weaknesses disqualified us from God's help, then none of us could be helped! "For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

2.God can use us despite our weakness because He loves us. He loves us so much! And because He loves us, He has provided a Savior—He sent his Only Begotten Son to die for us. Think of it—God's whole plan is for us to return to Him and to be happy. This was His plan in the very beginning. Everything He does is based around this goal.  His whole purpose, His work and His glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. There is nothing He wants more than for you and me to return to be with Him again. And if this is the case, then why would we ever doubt God's willingness to forgive us and to help us? He is on our team! We are striving for the same goal! Elder Jeffrey R. Holland has said:

"May I behold enough to suggest that it is impossible for anyone who really knows God to doubt his willingness to receive us with open arms in a divine embrace if we will but 'come unto Him.' I am convinced that none of us can appreciate how deeply it wounds the loving heart of the Savior of the world when he finds that his people do not feel confident in his care or secure in his hands" -Jeffrey R. Holland "come unto me" April 1998

THE FAITH:

-I know I have very obvious weaknesses and shortcomings. But I have faith in Christ. I have confidence that He can help me rise above all of that. 

-It takes a lot of faith to push out every doubtful, self-critical thought and to instead "look unto Christ in every thought and to doubt not, fear not" (D&C 6:36)

-I am learning to happily accept and acknowledge the fact that indeed "I am nothing, as to my strength I am weak"  but, I have faith that "in His strength I can do all things" (Alma 26:12)*  

-I know that God can still use me dispute my weaknesses. I have faith and trust in God's love for me and His forgiveness. As I have exercised this faith, I have seen many blessings.  

THE BLESSINGS:

-I was blessed with greater confidence that The Lord is involved in my work. I am able to ask for his help with greater faith and confidence, truly believing I will receive it.

-I was blessed with greater understanding of God's loving nature and His characteristics

-I am able to feel accepted of The Lord, and have been able to accept myself as well.

-I am finally allowing myself help from God that I have refused in the past because I felt undeserving of if.But I am learning more and more that truly I'm NOT deserving of it, but God still gives His help and mercy freely to those who seek it because he loves us.(Mosiah 2) 

-I am learning to graciously accept that help. I know as it says in Mosiah 2 that truly I will be eternally in His debt. 

-God does not excuse our weakness, but He is long suffering with our weaknesses. And as we turn to Christ, his strength is perfect in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

I say that in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Welp family, I sure love you all! I hope everything is going good! 

Love, Sister Lounsbury