Lindsay Letter

So today is the Emma Festival here. The community of christ puts it on and it is inside the Kirtland temple, and we (sister missionaries) get to sing a couple songs for it, we get to sit in the choir boxes, cool.

But anyway, I got to do exchanges last week, so for a full day I was out in an area! The sisters here are so awesome, and they know that I will be doing full proselyting in Spain, and they know I have gotten zero experience doing it here because I am full sites, so they are always looking for ways to do an exchange so I can get some experience before Spain. So finally it worked out and I had the most amazing time. We had a full day, 5 lessons were planned to teach, and only one person flamed us, so I got to teach a lot and I loved it. And I went tracting for the first time, ha ha oh tracting. When it was my turn to do a door I was so nervous at first, then I remembered how important this gospel is, and that the Lord would help me. It was this 17 year old girl and I just started talking, I felt the spirit, and she seemed receptive, and we set a return appointment! It was the most awesome feeling to just teach people this gospel. We taught some inactives as well, and I actually got to teach a lesson in Spanish! These two women who are from Peru but speak English perfectly let me teach them in Spanish. They were like you are so good! They were amazed I could speak it after only 9 weeks and not having spoke it for a few weeks. I told them that it was the Lord, because it most definitely was. I know that when I get to Spain He will help me.

It was also kind of heart breaking during the lessons. One inactive won't commit to come to church. She knows it is true, she has grown up with it, but her husband is not a member and she does not think he will like it. It just made me want to cry! We taught her the plan of salvation and we just bore testimony of the atonement, but we also just boldly told her that she had to do her part if she wanted to be with her family and God forever. And then this one family who is so amazing, but the dad is not a member and they are inactive. He does not mind at all what they believe or if they go to church, and he is awesome and he loves us, but he will not open his heart. He does not believe in God, or that our prayers are heard. And he won't even try. He is such a good father, but my heart breaks knowing what he will miss out on, and how much he would become an even better father with the gospel.

Taking tours and being surrounded for the most part by people who know and believe this gospel, who are receptive to the spirit and want to be edified is amazing. But there are so many people who don't know they can pray to our Heavenly Father, some who won't even try to read the book of mormon. What do they have to lose to at least find out for themselves, to at least read a part of it with an open heart. It is so hard to know that this is true, and essential for salvation, and then see and meet people who don't know, or won't even try to know. We obviously can't take their agency away, but man I just want them to get a testimony!!!

But I love you all. I hope Connor has fun at Scout Camp. And tell Holly congratulations at finishing her Young Womens thing, that is so exciting! And tell her that I am so proud she has finished the Book of Mormon, I don't think I read it all the way through when I was 12. but tell her to remember to keep reading every day!