I will be staying here in the Deschutes River Ward in the Yelm area for the next 6 weeks. Rainier is a beautiful awesome place, and I am getting to know the area well. However, holding true to my mission pattern, I will be getting a new companion! I have had a new companion every 6 weeks my entire mission so far. My new companion is Sister Barker- she was in my district for a transfer when I served in Tenino, and she is just the sweetest! I can't wait to serve with her! Sister Barker is coming from Lakewood, and I can't wait to welcome her back to the boonies! Today for P-day, we are having zone lunch in Lacey at a Mayan restaurant, and then we are going to play Laser Tag with our Zone. There are about 18 elders in the Zone, and only 4 sisters (sister Harbaugh and I, and the STL's!)
This week I had the opportunity to return to Soundview, my last area in Tacoma. I loved being able to see all of the people there that I love, and I was so grateful to see my good friend Jeremy get baptized. Sister Heaton and I knocked on Jeremy's door about the beginning of February and he seemed interested. He told us that he was seeking for more in his life, and felt like there was something missing, after facing some opposition (in the form of scheduling issues) we began teaching him about a week or so later. During the first discussion, I was able to help Jeremy set a baptismal date of March 26th, - but before he could be baptized on that date (approximately a month later) he would have to stop smoking, which was something that he has been struggling with his whole life. He had been recently divorced, and was having a lot of family problems. Sister Heaton and I were able to promise him that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can find peace and rest form our burdens in life. He thanked us, and said he would try his best to continue to read the Book of Mormon, and to stop smoking. Well, he did it! On March 26th, 2015, he was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During that time from when we first started teaching him, to that date, he was able to quit smoking, take work off on Sundays to attend church, and even invited his non-member Sister to attend the baptism. Sister Horgesheimer (who took my place after I was transferred from Soundview) and Sister Heaton were able to help him reach the baptism goal that I had helped him set, and welcome another one of our lost brothers into the fold of God. What I beautiful experience it was to see one of my good friends, and investigators (whose door I had knocked on, and introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ!!) enter the waters of baptism. Both before and after his baptism, Jeremy made a special effort to thank me, and tell me how grateful he was, that sister Heaton and I had made the effort to knock on his door.
"You don't know how much you have changed my life."
"I will always be grateful to you for what you did to change me."
"It means a lot to me that you taught me the gospel. Thank you. Thank you so much - How can I ever repay you?"
It felt so good to know that I had done what I could to bring a lost brother back into the fold of God, by helping him come unto Christ. Something that I have come to realize once again is that although Sister Heaton and I were the ones to bring Jeremy the Light of Christ, we were only just the tools through which God works.
Alma 26: 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
God truly is the master, and it is his plan. I know that all of my successes, all of my failures, all of my joys, and my shortcomings, I can turn them over to God, and he will carry me and lead me down the path that he has planned to accomplish his purposes. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord as a full time missionary. One day, I can not wait to fall down at the saviors feet and thank him for all that he has done for me, so that I can say to my savio r lord, and king,
"You don't know how much you have changed my life."
" I will Always be grateful to you for what you did to change me."
"It means a lot to me that you love me perfectly, and atoned for my sins. Thank you. thank you so much - how can I ever repay you?"
When we can turn our lives over to the savior, we will be able to bring ourselves, and many others into the fold of god - and when we can humble ourselves and realize that when those we bring into the fold of god are thanking us, we can see that they are really just expressing their love for the savior and his plan - we are only experiencing pieces and glimpses of the joy that we can feel in Heaven. When we return to live with our father in heaven again, it is my home that he will say to not only me, but each of you, "Well Done, My Good And Faithful Servant. "
This truly is the church of God restored on the earth today. The book of Mormon is the word of God. Baptism is the Way, and Joy is the Reward.
Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sister Megan Chapple
This week I had the opportunity to return to Soundview, my last area in Tacoma. I loved being able to see all of the people there that I love, and I was so grateful to see my good friend Jeremy get baptized. Sister Heaton and I knocked on Jeremy's door about the beginning of February and he seemed interested. He told us that he was seeking for more in his life, and felt like there was something missing, after facing some opposition (in the form of scheduling issues) we began teaching him about a week or so later. During the first discussion, I was able to help Jeremy set a baptismal date of March 26th, - but before he could be baptized on that date (approximately a month later) he would have to stop smoking, which was something that he has been struggling with his whole life. He had been recently divorced, and was having a lot of family problems. Sister Heaton and I were able to promise him that through the gospel of Jesus Christ, we can find peace and rest form our burdens in life. He thanked us, and said he would try his best to continue to read the Book of Mormon, and to stop smoking. Well, he did it! On March 26th, 2015, he was baptized as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During that time from when we first started teaching him, to that date, he was able to quit smoking, take work off on Sundays to attend church, and even invited his non-member Sister to attend the baptism. Sister Horgesheimer (who took my place after I was transferred from Soundview) and Sister Heaton were able to help him reach the baptism goal that I had helped him set, and welcome another one of our lost brothers into the fold of God. What I beautiful experience it was to see one of my good friends, and investigators (whose door I had knocked on, and introduced to the gospel of Jesus Christ!!) enter the waters of baptism. Both before and after his baptism, Jeremy made a special effort to thank me, and tell me how grateful he was, that sister Heaton and I had made the effort to knock on his door.
"You don't know how much you have changed my life."
"I will always be grateful to you for what you did to change me."
"It means a lot to me that you taught me the gospel. Thank you. Thank you so much - How can I ever repay you?"
It felt so good to know that I had done what I could to bring a lost brother back into the fold of God, by helping him come unto Christ. Something that I have come to realize once again is that although Sister Heaton and I were the ones to bring Jeremy the Light of Christ, we were only just the tools through which God works.
Alma 26: 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
God truly is the master, and it is his plan. I know that all of my successes, all of my failures, all of my joys, and my shortcomings, I can turn them over to God, and he will carry me and lead me down the path that he has planned to accomplish his purposes. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord as a full time missionary. One day, I can not wait to fall down at the saviors feet and thank him for all that he has done for me, so that I can say to my savio r lord, and king,
"You don't know how much you have changed my life."
" I will Always be grateful to you for what you did to change me."
"It means a lot to me that you love me perfectly, and atoned for my sins. Thank you. thank you so much - how can I ever repay you?"
When we can turn our lives over to the savior, we will be able to bring ourselves, and many others into the fold of god - and when we can humble ourselves and realize that when those we bring into the fold of god are thanking us, we can see that they are really just expressing their love for the savior and his plan - we are only experiencing pieces and glimpses of the joy that we can feel in Heaven. When we return to live with our father in heaven again, it is my home that he will say to not only me, but each of you, "Well Done, My Good And Faithful Servant. "
This truly is the church of God restored on the earth today. The book of Mormon is the word of God. Baptism is the Way, and Joy is the Reward.
Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
Sister Megan Chapple
Jeremy's baptism
Sister Harbaugh and I, Elder Seamons, and Elder Tomlinson