Megan Lamb. That's the name of importance this week. I don't think I told you last week that Megan came to church for the first time. So who is she? Well she works with a man named Brother Scalia (spelling prob wrong) and one day they were just chatting.. and she was telling him how she was going through a really rough time. . she has three kids under the age of three and i think shes 24. . and no husband.. just a jerk boyfriend she was trying to leave.. but it was rough because she was the one with the full time job. So Brother Scalia says.. well do you go to a church or have a pastor or someone you can talk to? (totally non pushy towards our church, truly just caring and trying to help) She said no.. what church do you go to? AHH open door! haha so He invited her to our church.. called us missionaries.. and bam.. we met her last Sunday.. sat by her. talked. She is a really smart determined girl, just has had nowhere to turn. She loved church! So we gave her a Book of Mormon and explained to her that it is ANOTHER testament of Jesus Christ.. from the people that lived on the American continent.. it's not ANOTHER Bible.. it's a second witness, and an amazing one at that.. that will clarify so many interpretations of the Bible and compile them into one. She just ate it up.. and not just like over her head type acceptance.. but she REALLY gets it. So we set up an appointment to teach her on Tuesady.
So we did. We taught her the first lesson. It was crazy because the kids were everywhere.. one of those lessons where you hope the investigator can at least feel a little of the Spirit. haah But she said she would for sure be at church Sunday.
And she was there! We sat by her.. and she had one of her kids Anthony.. (such a cutie) but the other ones I guess her ex freaked out about and wouldn't let her take them to church.. She told us that she left him.. left the house and was staying at her friends with Anthony, because she couldn't take the abusive relationship (plus Anthony is the only kid who's not her ex's so he treats him worse. classic.) I was impressed with her strength.
Church was Fast Sunday so of course we were all fasting and some bearing their testimonies. Then we had an uplifting gospel principles class which went really well. And last we had Relief Society.. it was on Personal Revelation and how we can receive answers for our personal lives. It was an amazing meeting.. and nowadays for the past few minutes of R.S. you can bear your testimony.. So i really felt compelled to.
I talked about how personal revelation is what brought me on my mission. That I was hesitant because I was LOVING my life in Hawaii. I had all my school paid for by Scholarship and everything was working out great, I had awesome friends, and ward.. But i felt sooo strongly that I needed to go on a mission. I followed that prompting and it has been the BEST decision I ever made. My mission has meant so much to me and nothing can ever take the place of it. Being able to help others help themselves back home has meant sooo much to me. It's been AMAZING and I LOVE it. And of course I was bawling like a baby.. because I can't ever get up without pouring like a water fountain.. haha
But the MOST amazing thing is what happened after I sat down.
Megan got up. . she bore her testimony!!! She started bawling and said.. I just have never felt like this.. and she pointed to me and said Sis Davidson you have no idea how much you have helped me just in this past week. You helped me get out of a terrible relationship, I didn't realize how bad it was until you two came to my house and taught me and were so kind to my little guys. I just feel so happy here at church. I never want to leave. I know it's true. In the name of Jesus Chrsit Amen.
What the heck! As is I wasn't already bawling.. now I was hyperventilating..and so was everyone else! The lady who got up to close the meeting couldn't speak for a whole minute.. she was so touched.
I can't tell you all how much that meant to me. It was like God was telling me that I can help Him bring others back. That I am a good missionary and that all the door slams, dirty looks, and rejection are worth it for the one. I was so touched.
Did anyone get to watch the Christmas Devotional last night? I only got to watch the last half.. but it was so good! I LOVED the new movie they showed about Christ's birth.. it was so well done! it's only nine minutes.. take some time and watch it here.
Love you all
Sis davidson
Monday, December 5, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Niel's Gift
Niel (yes that's how you spell it) LOVED his new church clothes and Winter boots! It was so sweet watching him open them.
I love these scriptures in Matthew 10
38 And he that taketh not his across, and followeth after me, is not bworthy of me.
39 aHe that findeth his life shall blose it: and he that closeth his dlife for my sake shall find it.
40 ¶He that areceiveth you breceiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
By losing my life in His service I have seen blessings I never knew existed. I love these people so much.
By losing my life in His service I have seen blessings I never knew existed. I love these people so much.
Love ya'll
Sis Davidson
Emma's thanksgiving rules
Emma made sure I knew the Thanksgiving "rules"
1. Don't pee in your pants!
2. Do NOT slobber on the Turkey!
3. can't remember
haha!
Monday, November 28, 2011
...
Monday, November 21, 2011
Happy Turkey Day!
So Adrianna Adling got baptized! Ah! I am sooo happy for her. (my cousins wife). I didn't realize she had been meeting with the missionaries. . There's something so magical about being baptized.. and as a missionary being a small part of others conversions.. you get to see a light in people's eyes.. a hope that has never been so strong. . a determination to walk the path of a disciple of Christ.. the start of a better life.. and the feeling of coming home.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Loves
Sister Rachelle
Monday, November 14, 2011
Happy Day
well we had a week and a baptisimal date! WHOOO!!! yes! whoo! ahh! ok that's enough but seriously...ah!
Have I told ya'll about Brittany, Nathaniel, Melissa and Neil? Well I will now if I haven't.
Brit and Nathaniel are married.. Nathaniel is paraplegic and his wife also has some health issues but is ok right now. . they were both baptized in this mission about a year ago, but since have become inactive because they moved, don't have a car, and Nathaniel is in a lot of pain and needs surgery.. Melissa is the lady they moved in with, who is not a member and has a 5 year old son Neil with lots of issues.. adhd.. and some other things. Melissa is paid by the state to take care of Nathaniel. We have been teaching them since the first week I got here.. but Sis aitken and her last companion had tried them for months before and never got in. I think it's because Heavenly Father knew how much I would love them, so He saved them for me! haha
Anyhow we have been teaching Melissa for 6 weeks now and she has committed to be baptized on December 10! We hope it works out! So they all came to church this Sunday! It was very hard for them.. they live in very humble circumstances and a few of them don't even have Winter coats. . Nathaniel is in so much pain but he promised me he would come and he did! When we piled in the back of Sacrament meeting I couldn't help choking back the tears. I really love these people. They come from such meager circumstances.. and yet they put on their best to come to church. Their very best may have been worn down jeans and a t-shirt, but it was their best and I was so touched. The gospel is for every single person.. rich or poor. The gospel takes the slums out of people, lifts their spirits and helps them become who they always wanted to be.
I know that sometimes members of the church worry that people get baptized before they are really ready to commit.. or that maybe sometimes people are trying to use the church to get funds. I urge anyone who has these feelings to look to the scriptures.. look at who Jesus spent most of his time with. The healthy need no physician. There are so many people out there that have never been around anything gospel oriented.. they don't know anything about Christ, they may have grown up in a terribly abusive environment with not much love. It is our responsibility as children of God to uplift those around us.. to strengthen and lift the feeble knees and take these people by the hand and show them the way. That is the gospel, and I hope I always remember that.
Oh and remember that lady Shirley we tracted into last week that said she wanted to come to church.. yeah she did! She stayed the whole meeting and was so impressed.. it was the Primary Program and she was so happy to see the children so strong in the faith.. so sure of their future and that they could be happy in this life. Miracles do happen. Every day. Sometimes we have to look a little deeper to see them.. but believe me they are there.
I love you!
Sis Davidson
Have I told ya'll about Brittany, Nathaniel, Melissa and Neil? Well I will now if I haven't.
Brit and Nathaniel are married.. Nathaniel is paraplegic and his wife also has some health issues but is ok right now. . they were both baptized in this mission about a year ago, but since have become inactive because they moved, don't have a car, and Nathaniel is in a lot of pain and needs surgery.. Melissa is the lady they moved in with, who is not a member and has a 5 year old son Neil with lots of issues.. adhd.. and some other things. Melissa is paid by the state to take care of Nathaniel. We have been teaching them since the first week I got here.. but Sis aitken and her last companion had tried them for months before and never got in. I think it's because Heavenly Father knew how much I would love them, so He saved them for me! haha
Anyhow we have been teaching Melissa for 6 weeks now and she has committed to be baptized on December 10! We hope it works out! So they all came to church this Sunday! It was very hard for them.. they live in very humble circumstances and a few of them don't even have Winter coats. . Nathaniel is in so much pain but he promised me he would come and he did! When we piled in the back of Sacrament meeting I couldn't help choking back the tears. I really love these people. They come from such meager circumstances.. and yet they put on their best to come to church. Their very best may have been worn down jeans and a t-shirt, but it was their best and I was so touched. The gospel is for every single person.. rich or poor. The gospel takes the slums out of people, lifts their spirits and helps them become who they always wanted to be.
I know that sometimes members of the church worry that people get baptized before they are really ready to commit.. or that maybe sometimes people are trying to use the church to get funds. I urge anyone who has these feelings to look to the scriptures.. look at who Jesus spent most of his time with. The healthy need no physician. There are so many people out there that have never been around anything gospel oriented.. they don't know anything about Christ, they may have grown up in a terribly abusive environment with not much love. It is our responsibility as children of God to uplift those around us.. to strengthen and lift the feeble knees and take these people by the hand and show them the way. That is the gospel, and I hope I always remember that.
Oh and remember that lady Shirley we tracted into last week that said she wanted to come to church.. yeah she did! She stayed the whole meeting and was so impressed.. it was the Primary Program and she was so happy to see the children so strong in the faith.. so sure of their future and that they could be happy in this life. Miracles do happen. Every day. Sometimes we have to look a little deeper to see them.. but believe me they are there.
I love you!
Sis Davidson
Monday, November 7, 2011
Snoooooww!
So maybe for some people the first snow is like an awakening to them that indeed the holidays are about to come forth.. with good cheer and happy feelings..maybe your thinking about that delicious pumpkin pie you'll be making, or if you'll get a real or fake Christmas tree this year.. I'm sure all your all hearing that lovely Christmas music in your cars already.. Well snow for me ( a missionary) means it's freezing! And I have to walk in that white stuff all day! and like that wonderful book by shel Silverstein.. Montana is "Where the Sidewalk Ends". literally. I don't know how people in live in these climates? Honestly. The winter hasn't even actually begun and yet every morning I wake up it's 18 degrees with a windchill.. AHHHHHHHHHHH. Oh and our zone decided we should walk one day every week the entire day we can't touch our car, so that's been fun/frigid.. maybe I will get frost bite. Ok enough of that. I am actually super happy about the holidays coming because they are great conversation starters.. but the cold. no thanks. Sister Davidson will endure the cold for the next 10 months but after that.. it's warm weather for the rest of my life! Why would anyone choose to live in complete darkness and cold for 6 months out of the year? it baffles me. I was meant for the Pacific Ocean.. in a warm state. and that is where I will reside later.. but for now I will enjoy the days that i get to bundle up in everything I own and still freeze.. hah
Well we tracted a lot this week. And we had some pretty interesting encounters.. haha those of you that have been on missions where tracting is a regularity.. can probably agree that it is the most entertaining thing ever. you meet the most diverse kinds of people.. and not like racial diversity (because everyone in Montana is white and either from canada or have always lived here) but you just get the most random encounters.. some are really cool.. I'll just give you a couple examples from this week
Door 1. "Hey we are the missionaries with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"..Old lady says.. "Oh that church down the road, are you the same as the Mormons"? "Yes that's us".. a pause.. then she says "Oh well you know I have met so many nice people that are Mormon, and I have been wondering for some time about what your services are like.. can i come to your services on Sunday? Do you allow visitiors"? For a missionary that is simply priceless.
Door 2. Same type of Missionary intro... This ones a man about 45ish.. he says "Yeah I went on a mission myself, that was a long time ago".. awkward pause.. and then of course I'm all excited like "Really that's so awesome where'd you go"? he replies (and you could honestly feel the guilt emanating from him) "South Carolina.. and I also taught at the MTC". I'm like what in the heck do I say.. he is not on our ward list.. so he's either excommunicated or just got lost in the mix since his inactivity.. but he taught at the MTC so he had to of had a testimony at some point.. i felt like I should ask him what the most spiritual part of his mission was.. but I didn't I just said.. well we'd love to see you at church, we'll be there if you ever want to come back. Geez i'm so awkward.. haha but I want to find out more on this guy.. so we'll be going back.
Ian and his family weren't home on Halloween.. I'm guessing he forgot it was a holiday when he set the appointment.. so were going back tonight! Cross your fingers!.. I love missionary work. Sometimes the things you have to do feel quite like scratching your nails down a chalk board.. you just have to totally get out of your comfort bubble.. there is no comfort on a mission.. but that's the exciting part.. your becoming something new.. changing into something better than you were before.. understanding yourself more than ever.. and at the same time understanding the Savior more than ever as well because of the fact that you really have to rely on him. Your placed into situation after situation where you don't know anyone.. and you have one main purpose teaching people about the restoration and Jesus Christ. It's just awesome. There is nothing like it. I'm glad I came.
Love ya'lls
Well we tracted a lot this week. And we had some pretty interesting encounters.. haha those of you that have been on missions where tracting is a regularity.. can probably agree that it is the most entertaining thing ever. you meet the most diverse kinds of people.. and not like racial diversity (because everyone in Montana is white and either from canada or have always lived here) but you just get the most random encounters.. some are really cool.. I'll just give you a couple examples from this week
Door 1. "Hey we are the missionaries with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"..Old lady says.. "Oh that church down the road, are you the same as the Mormons"? "Yes that's us".. a pause.. then she says "Oh well you know I have met so many nice people that are Mormon, and I have been wondering for some time about what your services are like.. can i come to your services on Sunday? Do you allow visitiors"? For a missionary that is simply priceless.
Door 2. Same type of Missionary intro... This ones a man about 45ish.. he says "Yeah I went on a mission myself, that was a long time ago".. awkward pause.. and then of course I'm all excited like "Really that's so awesome where'd you go"? he replies (and you could honestly feel the guilt emanating from him) "South Carolina.. and I also taught at the MTC". I'm like what in the heck do I say.. he is not on our ward list.. so he's either excommunicated or just got lost in the mix since his inactivity.. but he taught at the MTC so he had to of had a testimony at some point.. i felt like I should ask him what the most spiritual part of his mission was.. but I didn't I just said.. well we'd love to see you at church, we'll be there if you ever want to come back. Geez i'm so awkward.. haha but I want to find out more on this guy.. so we'll be going back.
Ian and his family weren't home on Halloween.. I'm guessing he forgot it was a holiday when he set the appointment.. so were going back tonight! Cross your fingers!.. I love missionary work. Sometimes the things you have to do feel quite like scratching your nails down a chalk board.. you just have to totally get out of your comfort bubble.. there is no comfort on a mission.. but that's the exciting part.. your becoming something new.. changing into something better than you were before.. understanding yourself more than ever.. and at the same time understanding the Savior more than ever as well because of the fact that you really have to rely on him. Your placed into situation after situation where you don't know anyone.. and you have one main purpose teaching people about the restoration and Jesus Christ. It's just awesome. There is nothing like it. I'm glad I came.
Love ya'lls
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