Hermana Zimmerman: Faith, is knowing...:) week 19

One more week went by.. haha it's kind of wierd how the days are starting to blend a little bit. One day is monday, and the next we are in church on Sunday, and then we start all over!

It seems that ever week we have interesting experiences. This week we had a ton of new lessons in order to have new investigators. 3 new lessons that we had went super well, but 3 or more we aren't going to revisit... haha :)

In one lesson we were with C. and S. They are a couple but aren't married, and have 2 kids. We contacted them in the street, and the same day we went to visit their house, and they were very welcoming to us. It was pretty funny, because the husband really knows a lot, so sometimes his wife wouldn't understand certain things so he would explain perfectly. For example, his wife has a little conflict with one of the members in the ward, because we invited her to the Relief Society activity, but she was nervous because of this member. So her husband said 'listen, this isn't an activity with the member, this is an activity with God.' Or basically that this Gospel, or the covenants that we make aren't with the members, they are with God. IT WAS PERFECT! We had a few other lessons with them, and every time we visit they are very attentive, ask questions, and are just super awesome. Unfortunately they aren't married.. but we are working on that also. :)

Another day we had a lesson with a young girl J. (15 years old) and a few members of her family L (11 years old) and her grandma. In the lesson we invited them to be baptized and at first none of them really accepted, but in walked another member of the family E. (14 years old). So my companion explained that we were talking about baptism, and how we follow Jesus Christ. Then said 'E, will you follow the example of Jesus and be baptized?' He said 'yes.' Then we put a date for the baptism, and he also said yes! It was awesome, he wasn't even there for the majority of the lesson. Then we explained more about what we are going to teach, and invited them to be baptized again, and L accepted with enthusiam 'yes, I want to be baptized!'. And we invited them to church and L once again said 'yes, i want to go!'. We also left them with a few copies of the Book of Mormon so that they could read, and I told L he could put his name in the book, so he said 'In pencil or in pen??' Well, whatever you want. :) Unfortunately we only had one lesson with them and they couldn't come to church, but we are going to visit them today!

One last lesson that we had was with a mom E. We contacted her son in the street a few months ago, and a few weeks ago I was walking with my old comp and he said 'Hermana Garcia!'. We were kind of shocked, but talked with him, and remembered us and said we gave his dad a book. So we gave him (A.) another copy of the BoM, and we tried to visit him and his family a few times, but weren't there. But finally yesterday we had a lesson with his mom, and at first she was pretty reluctant. She said 'well, A. has a lot of questions about the book (because he's reading it :)) and I'm just not really sure about religion. I believe in God, and was baptized in the Catholic church, but I don't believe in that religion.' So we went on to explain a little bit about our message and slowly, she opened up, started smiling a lot and we have another lesson scheduled with her. :) She is also seperated right now from her husband for about 1 and a half years, and basically I felt the spirit super strong in the lesson. I don't remember exactly what we said, but it was awesome, and when we left she said 'thank you so much for coming!' It was a very rewarding feeling. :)

I haven't quite realized this yet, but with my new comp I've started to realize that my area is a little different than others. We received a lot of rejectio this last week, but overall, the new people we met were awesome, and I really hope they all can progress to baptism. :)

This week in my personal study I had a little epiphany.. I was reading in Alma 49, about how Moroni prepared his army for the Lamanites. In the first part it explains how they knew that the Lamanites were going to come, so they started with their weakest cities in order to make them strong. So when the Lamanites went to attack the city of Ammonihah, they were astounded and they retreated. Later the Lamanites decided to attack another city of Noah (vs. 14). So then when the Lamanites went to attack the 'weakest' city of the Lamanites, they also couldn't do anything.

So question... What are some of YOUR weaknesses? And what can you do to strengthen them so that when the adversary comes, you will be prepared to stand against him and all of his forces? We all have our own weaknesses, but just like Moroni did- we can have a plan. We know that the adversary knows our weaknesses, and that is what he targets. Because we know this WE CAN PREPARE.

20 Thus they were prepared, yea, a body of their strongest men,with their swords and their slings, to smite down all who shouldattempt to come into their place of security by the place ofentrance; and thus were they prepared to defend themselvesagainst the Lamanites.

21 And it came to pass that the captains of the Lamanites broughtup their armies before the place of entrance, and began to contendwith the Nephites, to get into their place of security; but behold,they were driven back from time to time, insomuch that they wereslain with an immense slaughter.

So my challenge to all of you who read this, is to find one of your weaknesses, and then make it strong.

Ether 12: 27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble;and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselvesbefore me; for if they humble themselves before me, and havefaith in me, then will I make weak things become strong untothem.

So if your faith is weak, make it strong. So that when the adversary comes with all of his torrents, his power, and in all his might, he will not have any power over us if we are prepared. Also, one last scripture- 'Now is the time to prepare to meet God.' (haha I don't remember where that is...)

Know that if we focus our lives on the Gospel, if Jesus Christ is our Rock (Helaman 12:5) WE WILL NOT FALL.

Love you all, the church is true, and I can eat at least 10 tacos in 45 minutes. Read Alma 49

Hermana Zimmerman ;)