WE ARE SAVING THE UNIVERSE HERE IN GREEN RIVER. haha But,
really, we have had so many miracles this week! ~ 13 July 2015
The third sister in our companionship is Sister Masih. She
is Samoan but lives in Australia. She was in my first zone and she is our
secret weapon! Since she got here we have had miracle upon miracle. We have so
many new investigators and SO many people preparing for baptism.
We got to Green River at about 7:30PM on the day of transfers and got a call from one
of the men in the bishopric that there was a couple who want to be baptized. We
visited with them on Saturday morning at a members house and they came to
church on Sunday; they are preparing to be baptized on August 1st and they are
so prepared. And here is the crazy part: turns out, they are Adam Clark’s
parents! They aren't really in contact with one another and had no idea that
Adam and Gerri have been meeting with us for the last couple of years! But they
have been praying that they could find a path so we are so excited and hope
this will bring their families closer together.
Gerri and Adam Clark are getting baptized next weekend! Since
the day their baptism didn't happen, we have been asking when they DID want to
get baptized and they kept putting it off. We prayed about it and felt good
about the 18th. So, we went over and asked them to say a prayer and look at a calendar.
They both felt like they should do it the 18th. The power of prayer is SO REAL!
Emily Hamilton wants to be baptized the 25th and her
daughter Alex isn’t sure. We asked her to say a prayer about it; she was so
cute - she said the closing prayer and thanked Heavenly Father for sending us
and then said, "now, God, I have a special question to ask, just for me...
should I get baptized?" She said, “amen” and smiled. She said, “Usually
when I pray, my tummy feels warm ... right now it feels HOT!” (: We told her
that what she was feeling was the Holy Ghost telling her she should get
baptized. But, she was still worried about the water-by-immersion part. But, as
you know, Heavenly Father is always thinking of these things, the monthly stake
baptisms happened to be the next day for the 8-year-olds, so Emily and Alex
both came! Alex said, “That wasn't scary at all,” and she wants to be baptized
with her mom on the 25th!
We have a new investigator, JT. He’s the one who is married
to the girl who reminds me of Maren. we went to read the Book of Mormon with
him, but he had so many questions about our religion, so we just took an hour
answering his questions. He was really impressed by our answers, but I
explained to him it wasn't us, it was the Holy Ghost. He said, “There ya go
again with good answers!” haha I love their family and am so excited to teach
all of them.
We had 8 of our investigators come to church this week, so
that was awesome! That is more than I have had my whole mission. This area is
so prepared by the Lord. I never want to leave!
So, the spiritual thought of the week: We need spiritual nourishment
to be able to keep growing. I know that I am where I am today because of the
wonderful examples I have in my life. I am so grateful to be a part of a multi-generational
family whose roots strengthen mine. Elder Bednar gave a talk about observing
the Sabbath day in our homes and used the analogy of trees. He said the old
trees that die strengthen to soil for the new trees so they can grow too. It
all starts in the home. Well, it made me think how new converts in the church
don't have that. They don't have extra-fortified soil yet. They are starting their
own little forest! They need the support of their strong ward family to be able
to give them the spiritual nourishment that they need.
I invite everyone to reach out to our brothers and sisters
around us. Those that are new in the church and those who don't know their Savior
yet: pray for them, help them, and nourish them. They can't do it without you. We
all need each other to grow up to be what the Lord intends us to be. I thank
you all for allowing me to be a strong tree. I humbly pray my roots can strengthen
those that I am teaching here in beautiful Green River, Wyoming. I know that as
I do this, and as you all reach out, these people will be able to in turn make
OUR roots even stronger!
God is Good.
And, funny moment of the week: we had a combined Sunday School
meeting about the official stance of the Church on marriage and it got pretty
heavy and Sister Kennah (who was supposed to teach Relief Society - but the
conversation went on way too long) raises her hand and, as if to contribute to
the heavy comments, says: "I just made chocolates shaped like the Salt Lake
City temple and I would just like to pass them out." lol Best comment of
the class. XD
-- XOXO, Sister Hatch
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