Can I just take a moment to tell you how
much I love being a missionary? I remember in my first area we had
brought a young women who was thinking about going on a mission with us
tracting. Well, we had a miracle where the person accepted an baptismal
date on the doorstep but then they stood us up and we could never get a
hold of them again. Well, we were sitting next to Valarie(the girl we
took out with us) at a new convert fireside and she turned to us and
asked "Is it worth it? Even though you have experiences like that?" Our
response was a definite "YES!" and then we went on to talk with her
about how when things like what happened with that couple are
devastating and hard, there are those moments when you are on a mission
and you have a good lesson or a recent convert bears a strong testimony
that everything that was hard or difficult or made you cry just doesn't
matter anymore. Sister Kipp and I had one of those moments yesterday:)
We went back to teach Max and Katie (the born again christian couple we
tracted into that invited us back after rejecting us) yesterday. It was
amazing. They told us they don't feel like they have gotten an answer
yet but I could tell by the change in them that they were already
receiving answers they just hadn't realized it yet. So we sat with them
and answered a few of their questions and then we taught them the
Restoration. It was a good lesson! After Sister Kipp finished reciting
the first vision the spirit just flooded the room and I know that they
felt it!! I don't know if they will get baptized or what will happen
down the road with them. But, I do know that I have accomplished my job
in bringing the spirit to their home to testify of the truth:) But one
thing I have been studying this morning was the concept of grace and
works because that is a BIG concern for Katie. So, I was reading a talk
by Brad Wilcox called 'His Grace is Sufficient' and I really liked
this talk because it was something I hadn't really thought about
before. He talks a lot about how the reason why we are commanded and
asked to follow God and Christ isn't because his grace isn't sufficient
to save us but because in that last day if we are not prepared and the
best us that we can be then we will not feel comfortable in the Lords
presence. Just a quick quote from it he is talking about his friends of
other churches saying that we are earning our way to heaven and that
grace isn't what is saving us and he says: "'have you been changed by
grace?' they(those friends of his from other religions) are so excited
about being saved that maybe they are not thinking enough about what
comes next. They are so happy that the debt is paid that they may not
have considered why the debt existed in the first place. Latter-day
Saints know not only what Jesus has saved us from but also what he has
saved us for." I love this thought and this whole talk. In fact, I
believe it was published in the most recent copy of the ensign! I would
encourage you all to look it up and read it. It offers a lot of
understanding:) Sorry this email is a bit scatter-brained!! Just know
that I love you all and that I have a testimony of this gospel. It has
changed my life and made me into a person that I couldn't have even
imagined I could become. I know it is true with all of my heart! Thank
you all for your birthday wishes and cards!!
Love,
Sister Bice
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