This week has been so amazing here in Guymon, Oklahoma! Actually Oklahoma isn't much different than Western Kansas! We actually helped out with a rodeo this past week. We try to help out the city with events so we decided to help them out with the rodeo in the concession stands. Well turns out they didn't need more help out with the food so they asks us to come over and help sell the drinks like Dr. Pepper, Gatorade, water, and... beer. Well we felt a little uncomfortable checking ID's and selling beer so we had someone else do that. But a bunch of people came and they needed help at the moment so we helped put the beer in coolers and counted the money.When we told the other workers we couldn't help sell the beer they felt really bad. It was an interesting experience and we learned our lesson to ask what we were going to help out with before we actually do it. I'm so glad we have the knowledge of the word of wisdom and we know that our bodies are a temple of God.
We had an experience with Kathy yesterday. She poured out her heart to us. I don't know what it is about us missionaries, but people like to just tell us everything when we just barely meet them. Anyway she wanted to be baptized but she was having troubles with the word of wisdom. She told us that she doesn't feel worthy to be baptized and that she doesn't want to go back into old habits after she's baptized, so she said she couldn't do it. We testified of the atonement of Jesus Christ. We can repent and change every day. Satan tries to get us to feel like we can't change. Christ wants us to feel like every day we can become better and leave behind our old selves.Christ suffered for us so we can have that hope in our lives. He suffered so we don't have to, as long as we repent and come unto him. Well we didn't say all of that exactly and maybe not as articulate. But we told her that we all make mistakes and we shouldn't give up when we fall down, just like a baby learning to walk shouldn't give up after he has fallen. We then told her what she needs to do to be worthy of baptism and we went over all the baptismal interview questions. She understood every question and the last question we asked,"Are you ready to make this covenant and strive to be faithful to it?" Her answer was "Yes." It was such an amazing experience. Even though were were standing in the 100 degree weather outside her trailer, all the thirst and fatigue from the sun vanished. We told her that we loved her and she bawled like it was the first time in 50 years that someone told her that.
We had another experience with this one young family with 3 kids. Since I've been there, we were never able to talk to the dad, Nick but we were able to speak with the mom, Shaleigh. We actually thought he wasn't interested when he shut the door on us. But God is definitely humbling them. We knocked on their door, not expecting much. But they all came on and talked to us on the porch. They completely opened up to us and before we started to bring up God, Nick apologized for the last time but we woke him up from a nap, and he told us he wanted to share something with us. He talked about how he was prompted to pray at work since he was having a hard time. Immediately he forget what was bothering him and he felt peace. We asked them to pray every day so they can feel this peace every day in their lives and they committed to doing that.
There are so many miracles happening in Oklahoma! We are having so many spiritual experiences! I'm so lucky to be a missionary here in the small town of Guymon. My Heavenly Father really knows me because if he had me choose my mission I would've chosen somewhere exotic like Africa, Chili, or Australia. But I was called to serve a mission here. I was called to serve the people here. We all have callings in life, whether it's being a father, mother, sister, brother, bishop, chorister, cub scout leader, relief society president, primary teacher, or a missionary.
Did you know that we are all called to be missionaries? We all all supposed to share the light that we have! (3 Nephi12:16) I was reading a talk by Elder Bednar "Ask in Faith" from General Conference in April 2008. He talked about how we all pray for the missionaries that they'll find people to teach."But ultimately it is my responsibility and your responsibility to find people for the missionaries to teach. Missionaries are full-time teachers; you and I are full-time finders. And you and I as lifelong missionaries should not be praying for the full-time missionaries to do our work." Anyways If I heard that before my mission I thought that would be pretty harsh. Well actually I learned just barely on my mission how important the members are in missionary work. Most of the baptisms in the mission have been through member referrals. I would highly recommend reading Elder Bednar's talk because it applies to everyone and it doesn't just talk about missionaries. He teaches essentially how to pray with more meaning and more faith.
I hope you don't feel like I'm preaching to you. But there is just so much I've learned from the mission!
I love my Heavenly Father and my savior Jesus Christ so much and I know they love you and know you personally!
love,
Hermana Webb
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