Sister Michelle Christine North: Share the Love‏

This week we got to have lunch with one of the cutest little senior couple, Hermana Maria and Don Nelson. I love hearing about member conversion stories, so I asked Anita how she came to know the church (Practically everyone over the age of 40 here is a convert. The church is really new in Chile). I was actually a really funny story because Anita and three kids went on a trip to Florida for 6 months and in that short time, they had the privilege of hearing the missionary discussions from the stake patriarch and his wife. When they returned home to Nelson, they were Mormon! According to Nelson, he said that he didn’t really think a whole lot of it just because he is a wishy-washy Catholic- he believes in God, but in his own way. So out of the entire family of five, Nelson was the only Catholic. Over the past years the missionaries have come and gone from that house, teaching the lessons to him, but he says that he only likes to escuchar y compartir, he said that he doesn’t feel a need to ask for more from God. Hermana Leavitt and I started taking about the importance of the Book of Mormon. He has read parts of it and has gone to church, but the only thing that is keeping him from progressing any further is praying and asking God for an answer of the truth. We asked him what was keeping him from doing so and after he made up a few excuses the answer popped into my head- “He doesn’t know how to recognize an answer.” In that moment, I asked him if he had ever felt an answer to his prayers before or if he knew how the answer would come and he said, “No.” And from there I shared with Nelson of my own experience with this exact thing.

For a very long time in my life, I struggled with asking God for things because I had never understood how to receive an answer, or I should say recognize an answer because my Heavenly Father has given me many responses. It was always confusing for me to hear other people talk about their answers to their prayers and their relationship with God because whenever I would pray I never felt or heard anything. I have always been a believer in all things good so I never doubted that there was a God, I really hoped that there was, but the thing that I lacked was knowing for myself. I always knew that believing in what everyone else told me that they knew was not enough, but I did have something essential and that was FAITH. Only three years ago, did this belief or faith that I had turn into knowing that God lives.

I remember that I was at a devotional and a sweet sister named Sheri Dew was speaking to us. She talked with us about how the Sprit of the Lord speaks to each of us differently, which makes sense right? We are all different and have different needs. Heavenly Father knows how to speak to each of us so that we can understand perfectly and clearly. She told us that if we don’t know how God speaks to us that we should JUST ASK HIM- “God, how do you answer my prayers?” and then she counseled us to ask him for help to recognize our answer to that prayer. It’s that simple! As I put her advice into action, I found my own personal conversion to the Lord and this gospel. I found my testimony of the Book of Mormon, of Joseph Smith and of my Savior Jesus Christ. I finally RECOGNIZED how the Lord communicated with me. It changed my entire way of living and it helped me understand better my potential as a daughter of God. As I continue to receiver answers to me prayers, my testimony becomes stronger and I continue to progress.

As I shared my experience with Nelson, I knew that he was able to feel the Spirit of the Lord. I think that he was having a very similar experience to mine as well. It wasn’t that he was unwilling to act; he just didn’t know how to act. Nelson told us that he liked the idea of asking God plain and simply how He tutored him and he told us that he would do it!

Hermana Leavitt and I had a pretty crazy week with all of the festivities. We had the opportunity to commit two people to baptism after teaching them the Restoration- one being a delinquent and the other being and an ex Black Water employee. Long story short, we passed both of them off to the Elders. It might sound a little crazy to have these kinds of people as investigators and some of the elders doubted us, but I really do believe that they have potential to change. And as long as they are willing, the atonement has the ability to wipe away all sin and guilt- It is INFINITE.

Love you guys with all of my heart! Xoxox

Hermana North

picture 1: A pound of potato salad brought to you by your truly, Hermana Leavitt and North