I Have Changed. :) (Week 42)

THIS WEEK WAS SO FREAKING AWESOME!!!!!!!

So many wonderful things have happened!  I don't even know where to begin! :P 

Oh... I guess I could start out with this...

ELDER. D. TODD. CHRISTOFFERSON.

He shook my hand.  He talked to me.  AH.

I love him.

I love God.  He is so cool.

ANYWAYS!

So many great things were said!  President Orgill and Sister Orgill came and spoke at the conference.  President Orgill shared a wonderful experience with one of his family members, and how we NEED to drink from the living waters of Christ.  It was awesome. I unfortunately forgot my notebook with all the quotes... So I will do that next week! :)

MIRACLES! SO MANY GREAT MIRACLES!!!

Sister Shumway and I worked so hard this week in preparing for Stake conference! SO HARD! :D Woohoo! Our greatest mirale of all I believe was with Leslie. Leslie is one of our investigators (as of this pat week, yay!) who has cancer. A few days before Conference, she told us that she started reading the Book of Mormon. She started asking us questions and we taught her more about the power of the Book of Mormon. She asked us a lot of questions, and we answered them and testified of the divinity and power that we can have if we read the Book of Mormon, and the Spirit was very strong. She began to cry and shared her thanks with us for all that we had done for her and her family, and I felt like I was on Cloud Nine! We asked her if she wanted to learn more, and she said yes. We asked her if we could teach her family, and she said yes! We were so happy, and we were looking forward to Stake Conference, because all her questions regarding any doubts or concerns, would be smoothed over.

Sister Shumway and I sincerely wanted all of our investigators and potentials, especially Leslie and her family, to grow from this experience. We had so much faith that Elder D. Todd Christofferson would be able to discern the needs of the people by the Spirit, but we felt because we were still progressively preparing ourselves, we didn't want our unpreparedness to hinder that ability. We as a companionship and a few sisters fasted for this very cause and that they would be inspired to come to conference.

During the Adult Session we had the privileged to hear from so many great members in our stake, and the greatest privileged of all to hear from Elder Bragg and Elder Christofferson. Leslie and her husband came! We continually prayed over and over again that the Spirit would be there to touch their hearts and to bare witness to what they shared with us. To our amazement, Elder D. Todd Christofferson shared a powerful testimony of Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and of Jesus Christ. Which was amazing, to say the least. All the things he shared answered all of Leslie's questions. It was an answer to our prayers, and we were so immensely grateful to the Lord and the Spirit that was present. They even got the opportunity to shake his hand and meet him! It was great! They loved it, and they look forward to learning more.

 One of our young investigators, Charlotte, also benefited much from this experience! Charlotte is 16 years old and wants to be baptized so badly, but her parents won't approve of it. She was very blessed to be able to attend the Youth session Sunday morning, as well as the General session. She LOVED it! She learned so much and she just ate it all up. We were so happy for her and for her desire to hear the words of a living Apostle, and she felt the Spirit so strongly. She said she felt something so special when she shook his hand and she was just glowing! It was wonderful! She even took notes! This morning she texted us and asked us if we would fast with her tomorrow! THIS IS THE BEST! :D

 One of our potentials and other investigators came as well to the General session. They both really enjoyed it and both felt the Spirit. We were able to set an appointment up with our other investigator, Lori, whom had dropped us previously before, and she wants to continue to learn. It was such a blessing! So many great miracles have come to pass!

So many great blessings have been bestowed upon us and for our hard work as we prepared for Stake Conference. I learned so much, and my testimony has been strengthened immensely. I am so grateful to know that because we have a living prophet and apostles, we can know what the Lord wants for us, and how we can be better. One of many things that Elder Christofferson said was, "The Lord will help us endure well what we must." Wow. That is so powerful. I know that the Lord can answer our prayers and He can help us to endure what we must in order to grow. I learned a lot about faith and how I can implement the sanctity of the Atonement more in my own life, and how I can help others know that too. I know that this IS the Lord's restored church, which holds the appropriate keys and priesthoods today. I know that Joseph Smith was an instrument and the Lord's advocate to helping us become what we are today. I know that the Book of Mormon is a testament of the Christ, and I know we can change and grow by the power of it's words. I know that God knows me. I know He knows all His other children, and I know that He will never leave me on my own. This is His work, and I'm so grateful He trusts me enough to fulfill only a small part of it. I love this Gospel. It has changed me for the better, and I only hope and pray, that I can continue to grow and change for the better.

I thank the Lord every single day for the opportunity to be a missionary. I love it so much!

I love you all so much!

Con mucho amor! :)
Hna. Rachel Duncan