Sister Preston has been called to serve as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Ohio Columbus Mission. She will serve from March 2014 through September 2015. Follow her service here.
Our newest convert is one of the most wonderful, jolly people anyone has
ever met!! This last week before her baptism she was going through quite a hard
time. She had everything go against her. Her family, and her friends. BUT, she
knew in the end that she could rely on the Savior. We had a very heart warming
meeting with her the night before her baptism. She gave us the reasons
not to be baptized and reasons to be baptized. We bore powerful, simple
testimonies of the the Savior, and His redeeming love. By the end of the
meeting, we contacted everyone who had ever taught her with us, and asked
them to keep her in their prayers. The power of prayer certainly is real.
She came the next morning, with her husband, and her best friend. We knew that
it meant the world to her. The next day at church, she mentioned something that
I have been thinking about a lot since then. She mentioned that she has been
very independent when it comes to emotional welfare. She said "I felt
stronger letting him help." I was thinking about this on a much bigger
scale. Us, and our Savior.
This transfer has been one of the most trying ones. In ways
that I won't say now, but I learned a lot.
Our next most progressing
investigators is so wonderful!! We have had wonderful
lessons with her. The other day we talked about the Doctrine of Jesus Christ in
2Nephi 31 Click here for a link to the scripture. We asked her very inspired questions, and she was putting the pieces
of the puzzle together. She started saying things like " So there was an
apostasy!" it was all jolly!
We have an investigator who is getting Baptized this Saturday at 10 in the morning!!
Yay!! You should see how happy she is!! It's truly been an incredible
invariance teaching her. She told us the other day that she finally had a
spiritual confirmation that she needed to be baptized. She said that on her
bike ride, she stopped by this old church that she would normally go to pray. She has been having a few problems with her family, and she has felt like
she should take it to the Lord. She said that as she was praying, this unimaginable
feeling came to her, and that the words that she was saying were not her
own. She continued to express how the feeling that she had in her heart
was so peaceful (the spirit) was helping her to feel better about the 25th. I
am so happy for her.
I've noticed thus far on my mission that each person that has to come to a
decision like this makes it with the Lord. I have NOTHING what so ever to do
with it. I am amazed at the love that is shown towards those who are about to
embark on an incredible journey. A journey that reveals unto us our true
identity, and our true potential. Our investigator sees the significance of this; and I
couldn't be more giddy for her.
The more I read the Book of Mormon, and ponder it's words
throughout the day, the more I know that it is indeed the word of God. The more
I know that I must have a balance of all things in my life. There are no words
that could ever describe how jubilant this Gospel makes me; nor for how much it
has helped me, and the people that I have grown to love.
Family and Friends!! We have had the blessed opportunity to hear from a Prophet of God. I hope all of you took notes!
There is certainly a special feeling when we gather together to hear from our Father in Heaven's servants. Quite a few of the talks were focused on those who are investigating the Church; I know that those who are investigating over here in Powell enjoyed it. We got to watch the Priesthood session with one of our investigators. It honestly was an interesting experience... especially compared to that of the Woman's Conference. :) Sister Skillings and I got a kick out of it.
We have seen MIRACLES. MIRACLES I tell you!!
Miracle #1. There is this man who Sister Skillings has been teaching for the past four months. He was on the verge of becoming an internigator (or someone who loves the church but isn't interested in changing... yet.), until we had an fantastic lesson with him about eternal marriage. The Spirit was incredibly strong, and when you looked at him in the eyes, you could tell that he could feel the Spirit. We invited him to follow the example of our Savior, and he gladly accepted. He'll be baptized on November 1st. It's been a long time coming, and we couldn't be more grateful. He was also one of the ones that we had watch Conference. He was a trooper and watched all of the Saturday sessions. We asked him how he felt afterward, and he said "Well, I have a lot to process. It feels like my head is going to explode." He cracks me up.
WE GOT TO WATCH THE NEW MOVIE THAT THE CHURCH PUT OUT. "MEET THE MORMONS"
It was honestly an incredible movie, and I HIGHLY recommend it.
Miracle #2. The other person that we have on date for baptism for the 25 of this month watched Conference. SHE LOVED IT!! She liked the talk about the Sacrament, and afterward, she had a whole bunch of questions about it.
All in all, the Spirit of General Conference has been one that I very much enjoy as a missionary. In fact, I always want to be missionary so that way I am always prepared to receive the revelation. Now, I've been asked what my favorite talk has been, and I honestly can't choose. I loved all of them. There were some that appealed to me more, because I felt that my investigators would need to hear these words. The longer I am out here in the Great Ohio, the more I realize each day that this work is not even about me. This work is about the doing the will of the Father. I am the privileged one who get's to help out our Savior in the gathering. The field is white, and ready to harvest. I know that the words of our Prophet, Thomas S. Monson are true. He is a Prophet of God. I know that the men and woman who spoke at this session have been inspired by God. I have experienced for myself the power and the happiness that this Gospel brings. There is no greater joy than doing the work of our Lord.
I pray everyone has a wonderful week!! Love, Sister Preston
I am so excited that is is fall!! I am in the BEST AREA, we have so many trees!!
Last week in Powell: We have been meeting with this woman. She has quite a tragic story... but we are working on helping her to ignite that testimony of the Restoration, and the Plan of Salvation. We have been meeting with her once a week. So far, it's going well. :)
We have been doing a lot of reactivation over here. There is another man whom we are working with. He is excommunicated, and is wanting to come back. He gets lost on some of the deep questions that all of us have about the gospel. He's doing wonderfully though.
There is this lady who we are working with. She is wonderful. She went to a baptism for the first time this past week. She loved every moment of it. She is looking forward to her own baptism, which will be on the 25th of this month.
The longer I am out, the more I realize that this work is not about what I want to get out of it, although that is very important, but it's what I can do for the Lord. What talents I can gain for those who stand in need of comfort. For those who just need to be loved.
I hope everyone is getting super pumped for General Conference!! The General Woman's meeting was amazing!! We are incredibly blessed to have modern day Prophets. Take advantage of that!!
I love this Gospel, and I am humbled to be a servant for the Lord.
