The Rising Generation

From:	Callie Horton (callie.horton@myldsmail.net)
Sent:	Mon 5/05/14 9:55 AM

HOLA!

 

Wow. I don't even know where to begin with this week. It was just full of so much goodness and success! First off, we had the amazing opportunity to hear from Elder Bednar, Bishop Davies from the presiding bishopric, and Lynn Robbins from the first presidency of the seventy. Oh and Elder Bednar's super adorable wife! It was one of the most amazing meetings that I have ever been to. Some highlights were when Bishop Davies got up to the stand and he asked us if we had ever heard of James Brown. And then he yells over the pulpit (with arm actions involved) and said, "I feel good!" It was so funny. He said that that's how he felt right then. And later Elder Bednar went up and said that they do a meeting with the first presidency and the quorum of the twelve every Thursday and they report on the things that they had done that week and some of the highlights from it. He said that he can't wait to tell the first presidency about what Bishop Davies did. Elder Bednar had so many amazing things to say. There were some talks that we were supposed to study beforehand and so he asked us what we had learned. It was a very involved meeting. I honestly don't even know what to say because I loved every single minute of it. One of the most powerful parts was when he pronounced an apostolic blessing upon us. He told us that if we are diligent, obedient, hardworking, and trying to be good that we have the potential to become who we want to be. He also told us that if always try to follow the little promptings from the spirit that we will never fall away. He also opened my mind a little bit to repentance. I learned about how repentance is change. It doesn't necessarily mean that we did something bad and we need to make it right, but that there is something about us that we need to change. The atonement is there to also help us when we are trying to become the person that we need to become. We have so much potential through the help of the atonement. It was all just so powerful! I can't even explain it. It was just such a great experience.  

 

The reason for the title of my email is because I have been so impressed with the rising generation lately! We had 4 investigators at church yesterday and all of them were kids and teenagers. The youngest one was 8 and the oldest was 14. And they are honestly our most progressing investigators right now. Vanessa is doing absolutely fabulous. She came to a baptism on Saturday and she brought a friend! And after the baptizing part was over she turns to her friend and says, "That's how Jesus Christ got baptized." Hermana McBride and I just looked at each other with tears in our eyes. And then she went up and bore her testimony yesterday in sacrament meeting!! It was one of the sweetest testimonies ever born. She talked about how grateful she was to her grandma and us for sharing this gospel with her and she talked about how she knows that her dad will become a member one day. She has great faith. I am learning so much from her. And she is already excited to be a missionary one day! We have a ward activity this Saturday and she said, "I'm going to try to bring a friend!" Heavenly Father has great plans with this girl. She has a rough road ahead of her with her grandma leaving this week, but Heavenly Father is looking out for her and is preparing her for what's ahead. 

 

There was this day this week when we were talking about miracles. President Wilson always says that we should expect miracles so we were talking about a miracle that we wanted to see. We wanted to meet someone that would actually call us back after we gave them a card. That day we were praying for miracles. It was raining A LOT. We were about to go tracting and we weren't super pumped about doing it in the pouring rain, but then the first door opened and they let us in! We had a great lesson. She is kind of set in her religion, but we were able to share the beautiful message of the restoration with her. And then after that we were walking to our car and we saw a Hispanic guy standing by his car and we just said hi and then before I knew it I was turning around and talking to him. We gave him a card and then he asked if we had a pamphlet, so we gave him a pamphlet and a Book of Mormon. Then he asked us if we could come by our house and teach him and his family so of course we said yes! He just sincerely expressed how he wants to hear more about God and everything. We haven't had our lesson yet, but we're so excited because he said his family would like to listen too! This is proof that the Lord is preparing His people.

 

I forgot to say, but I'll be in Woodbridge for another transfer!! I'm so glad. I absolutely love this area and ward. A part of my heart will always be here. So great adventures lie ahead with the wonderful Hermana McBride!  

 

I hope you all have such a great week! Shout out to Lillie with her baptism this week!!!! And I'll see you on Sunday!!! Love you!!

 

And now I close mine epistle. I am Hermana Horton.