Hello Family &
Friends!
I will say, every
week is miraculous, I have never seen miracles quite like the ones in Mandarin.
We are known as the companionship that rejoices over miracles. They all come from Golden hours. So we do at least two a day because
finding---tracting and talking with everyone---is my favorite thing to do! And the more finding, the more miracles! :) I'll share with you miracles....
Last Sunday it was Sister
Kloepfer's turn to pick an area and my turn to pick a street. She said that she felt strongly we needed to
go to Bartram Park. All of our
appointments were on the opposite side of the area and it was a P-Day, so I was
sort of hesitant and questioning that but she said it was the Spirit, so turned
my doubt into faith and picked a street.
Our appointment the next day cancelled so it opened up our evening to do
that golden hour and while we were at Wal-Mart, a woman comes up behind us in
the checkout line. We talk with her and
notice on her watch she had the state of Texas on it. We asked her if that was where she was from
and she said no, a friend had given her that watch and she just wears it. So we continue talking with her, though not
interested it was neat that she studies from the Bible every morning. Now it is time for golden hour. We get to the street, ‘Ginnie Springs’ and
begin to knock. It seemed like every
home was stone cold hearted. So we
stopped and I said, let's see where the Spirit wants us to go. I am a scanner,
so I scanned every home and picked one, Sister Kloepfer picks one and though
they were not interested, they listened. THEN, get this, the home right next to mine
has a big metal state of Texas sign in the front yard and we said to each
other, "are you thinking what I am thinking?" This man behind the door was super elect. He has been studying every religion but has
never studied ours and asked if we could teach him everything about it. He does an hour and a half of study in the Bible
every morning. We taught him the
Restoration and he committed himself to read from the Book of Mormon. We didn't even have to invite him. We are
super excited to continue to teach him.
Miracles like that
happen multiple times a day I would say, in Mandarin, just the only problem is
that they never progress past the first lesson. So what do we do? We just keep on finding and planting seeds.
When Elder Munns from
the Seventy came to our ward, he gave us counsel. That there should be a focus on the basic
principles of the gospel. Specifically---1. Making Sacrament meeting a
more spiritually uplifting experience by preparing beforehand. 2. More fully keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. 3. Keeping all of the principles of the law of
the Fast. What do these all have in
common? You can answer for yourself, but
for me, they are all spiritually edifying and filling as well as you receive
promise blessings from keeping them. Our
ward's focus for awhile now is going to be those three aspects.
I was studying the law
of Fasting yesterday.
The principles of the
law of the Fast are--
1. Go without 2
consecutive meals...food and water. (This is between you and the Lord)
2. Prayer...specific and
sacred
3. Bear testimony
4. Contribute a generous
fast offering
When we fast from these
meals, beginning with fervent prayer, we are promised that we are more
receptive to receiving answers to our prayers. I know that this is true! It's not just about going without food and
water.
The promised blessings
that come from contributing to fast offerings, which are distributed to those
within the Church who are in need, are that you retain a remission from your
sins.
There is a scripture in
the book of Omni that stood out to me yesterday as I was studying about
the law of the Fast:
"And now, my
beloved brethren, I would that ye should come unto Christ, who is the Holy One
of Israel, and partake of his salvation, and the power of his redemption. Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls
as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the
end; and as the Lord liveth ye will be saved." Omni 1:26
To "offer your
whole souls" means living every principle of a commandment. In this case, fasting. When we live all of the principles of fasting,
we are offering our whole souls to the Savior. When we live a portion of the principles of
fasting, we are only offering a portion of our souls to the Savior.
From studying this
principle and reading the scripture that went along with it, I was struck
powerfully with a desire to live every principle of fasting (and of every
commandment) so that I can more fully offer my whole soul to the Savior. For all that He has done for me, I can show my
love for Him by keeping this commandment with all of my heart. There are some things that I need to improve
on, as fasting is not easy for me, but I know that the blessings are far more
richer when I do. Will you commit to
living all of the principles to the law of the Fast on each first Sunday of the
month? I promise that you will be given
sufficient spiritual strength to do so and will receive divine help for answers
to your prayers that you are seeking for.
Transfers are next week,
but my PDay is on Monday!
Love, Sister McCook
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