The Why of the Gospel

Buenos Dias!

This past week has been kind of weird, but really good! Weird because a member threw a live, pet chicken at me and also because of transfers! Good, because being a missionary is always good and I learned lots of things! The chicken thing was actually really funny. Anyways, Tuesday Hermana Maravilla and I drove to Bloomington and said goodbye! I miss her already! I got to work with the Bloomington sisters for the day and we had a great time. I learned a lot from them and we taught some really cool people! Wednesday morning we had our transfer meeting and Hermana Ficklin and I hit the road!
Also, Hermana Rawlins is training this transfer so I'm a grandma in missionary terms! Haha

Hermana Ficklin was actually in Austin with Hermana Maravilla 4 transfers ago so she already knows the members and many of the people that live here. It's been awesome because we both know different things about the area and have been able to set right to work! President Forbes has been emphasizing working with part-member families, prospective elders, and children of record a lot lately. Actually, I think that's all I've heard him talk about in the last little while. We are trying to change our focus and work with these families! It's kind of a slow process, but hopefully we will be able to help a lot of people!

We had probably the best lesson we have had with Ge yesterday. We were really careful to make sure he understood what we were saying and our communication with him was good! He committed to pray specifically about the Book of Mormon, which is something he hasn't done before.

Saturday night and Sunday morning we had Stake Conference. Elder Golden of the 70 was there and said some things that I will never forget. He said that as members, we are really good about the what, how, where, and when of the gospel. We know what to do and how to do it etc. But one thing we need to work on is the 'why.' Joseph Smith said that the most important difference between the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and other religions is that we have the gift of the Holy Ghost. Elder Golden discussed how the Holy Ghost is the purifier and the sanctifier that changes us to become people that God can save. That is why we must pray and read in our scriptures daily. It allows us to feel the Spirit that we received after baptism. When we have the Spirit, we receive a continual remission of our sins and are made better. No unclean thing can enter into the kingdom of God and no one can be clean without the power and the gift of the Holy Ghost. I wish I could explain this as well as he had, but hopefully this makes sense! We need the Holy Ghost in our lives because it is what makes us clean. Every time we feel the Spirit we are changed.

I love you all and hope everyone has an excellent week! Do something great! :)
♥Hermana Pierce