If you think your New Year's Resolutions are Lofty...
Try these goals!!
We are working really, really hard to keep the goals and vision for this Mission. It takes A LOT of work to set up 3 lessons a day, make sure 4 investigators come to church, work on baptizing weekly, and 'finding everywhere.' This week they asked that to 'find everywhere,' -- we need to talk to 20 people who we have never met -- EVERYDAY (10 people for each missionary)!! I'm excited/nervous for that part. But I know the Lord is going to help Hermana Quinn and me!
I feel that by the end of my mission everyone who reads my letters will think the only describing word I know is MIRACLES. And they might also be sick of the word because they hear it too much. But what else can I say? It is as it is!!
We have been praying so hard to find those who are in need of the gospel. SO HARD. We have seen miracles everywhere! I feel like this week we have met more people who are opened to the message than we have had the rest of my mission. I know it is because the Lord is directing us.
Many of the leaders here have been telling us to "Expect Miracles." At first, I thought that meant everything would go as I wanted it to! (Let me tell you, I was really wrong in thinking that). I thought the miracles would be that all the lessons we planned would go through perfectly, that people would take the steps I thought they needed to take, and that everything would be pretty easy. What I learned is that the Lord's will still really, really, really matters, which I should have known from the beginning. All the miracles I could have wished for could not be better than the miracles the Lord provided. He brought miracles I didn't think of and could never have dreamed of, but they were perfect and needed in every way.
I've learned a lot about how to trust in the Lord and not depend on myself. As we try to set up all these appointments and try to accomplish all these goals, sometimes I get caught up in thinking it is all dependent on me and I have to make it happen. This week I learned that I was very wrong in thinking that way. Last Tuesday, Hermana Quinn and I planned the perfect day, full of lessons and what we thought were great plans. But as the day went on, everything fell apart. All our lessons fell through. I became pretty frustrated. The next day we had no sure plans and I was feeling pretty pessimistic. I couldn't see how we could have lessons on a day where we had no great plans. Hermana Quinn was trusting though.
Then miracles happened. We let the Lord guide us and miracle after miracle happened and we had 3 lessons! And all of them felt like it was what we were supposed to be doing!
*** We were told today that next month Elder Neil L. Andersen will be visiting our mission to ask us how we are doing at living up to our goals each month! It is a huge deal!! The goals are keeping us working ALL THE TIME! Which is perfectly wonderful. It feels good to be tired when you know you have done all you can.
I love hearing from you! I hope all your holiday happenings were amazing!
Remember to be kind and loving to everyone you meet!
Love from, Hermana Phipps
EMMA SENT A CHRISTMAS CARD GREETING TO YOU!!
[Mama Phipps note: It was delightful chatting with Emma on Christmas Day. She glows!!
She loves being a Missionary at Christmas Time,
it was easier to talk to her 10 new connects
by wishing them a "Merry Christmas"!
Mama Phipps also apologizes for taking so long to add to the blog.
Working in Retail @ Christmas was a workout!
I will do better at keeping up Emma's wonderful BLOG!]
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