Semana 28 en Kerman

On September 22nd, Hermana VanWie shared these great experiences:

Mi querida familia y amigos -- 

This week has been great!!!!  This past preparation day our zone had the great opportunity to see the DVD, The Saratov Approach. It was wonderful! As I reflected on it, it helped me realize how much my perspective has changed over my mission. I know am learning spiritual things in everything I do. As we watched the movie, I learned more about the Savior and our Heavenly Father. It was reaffirmed to me that Jesus Christ did not want to suffer. In Luke 22, He prays to the Father and asks if there is not some other way. But then He shows us the perfect example and submits His will to that of His Father's. As He submitted His will, He showed His love for His Father and for us. He taught us what real love is and how we can and should submit our will to our Heavenly Father. As I pondered this I imagined what it must have been like for our Heavenly Father to hear His Son ask if there was not some other way. Our Heavenly Father did not want Jesus to suffer and die. He had the ability to prevent that. Yet, He permitted it to happen because He knew it was the only way that we could be saved. As I realized this, I could feel the love that my Heavenly Father and Savior have for me. How much They love us! How grateful I am for Christ's decision to submit to our Heavenly Father's will and for Heavenly Father's decision to permit it to happen so we can have the opportunity to return to live with Them again someday.

We had an amazing Zone Conference this week as well! There was a wonderful Spirit there.
We talked about the importance of focusing on the temple and becoming complete missionaries. I know this will help us retain our converts. We also learned that some of the most powerful teaching moments can be while eating dinner as we share experiences. After Zone Conference we had dinner with a family and as we talked we started sharing some our experiences from the week. These members asked if we had seen the Saratov Approach and we told them we had. Then as we talked about it with them, we began to testify of the truths that we learned. As we talked and testified, the sweetest Spirit came into the room and this wonderful brother opened up and openly talked about his mission and his experiences, why he went, and how it changed his life. In the seven months I have been here, I had never heard him talk about his mission like that. Sharing during dinner and using personal experiences truly helps us teach to people's needs and allows us to get to the next level of communication. 

We had some wonderful lessons with S this week! She is so excited to be baptized! We talked about the temple this week and she is so excited to go! She can hardly wait for the next 3 years until she can go. As she expressed her desire to go and her excitement for the gospel, her grandfather began to echo the same enthusiasm. By the next lesson he was reading is scriptures and praying every day and now has a goal to get the priesthood, have a calling, and be able to bless and pass the Sacrament and to go to the temple. It has been amazing to see how much he as changed because of his granddaughter. They both came to Stake Conference and they loved it! S even brought a friend! She has taught this friend how to pray and her grandfather wants us to start teaching the friend's family this next week. We love Samantha and her grandfather!

Stake Conference was amazing as well! Elder Baxtor of the 70 was there and he did a Q & A Saturday night which was really neat. He talked about the importance of realizing that we are not perfect and how we can use the Grace of Jesus Christ more in our lives and the importance of being patient with ourselves and slowing down a little. But more than anything over the two days, he talked about the temple and how much our Heavenly Father is aware of us. It was wonderful! 

We also had a wonderful lesson with A and J this week. We had the Bishop's wife (a friend of their family) with us. It was a great lesson! We taught about the Plan of Salvation. The Spirit was so special there and the member we had with us did a wonderful job explaining parts of the lesson. It was amazing to see A and J get excited about being a family forever through the temple and to help their relatives who have passed away feel the same joy and happiness they are experiencing right now.
I am so grateful to be serving a mission! I know this is the Lord's work! I know His hand is in it. How grateful I am for the love and support I can feel from you!  Gracias por todo lo que hacen. Que tengan una semana maravillosa!

Con amor,
Hermana VanWie