I knew that last delay was THE last delay! So this past Tuesday Bishop advised me that he had received the last thing we were waiting on and he was writing his letter to the First Presidency as we spoke. He said that he would be delivering my papers to Stake President on Wednesday and then he would review the whole packet (including my letter and Bishop's letter), then write his own letter and submit the packet.
Well things are well and truly moving forward. I spoke to Stake
President at church today and he advised me that he is going to be mailing my papers
to Salt Lake tomorrow or Tuesday!! Then he will follow-up next Monday
with the Office of the First Presidency to confirmed they have received
my papers. (I asked him to confirm with them, I admit I am a little paranoid about my papers possibly getting lost in the mail.) He advised me that once they receive my papers, then it is usually 6-8 weeks to get their response (or decision) back.
I was overjoyed to learn this. After so many months of a vague time frame, it is truly a delight to be dealing in more concrete figures. I am hoping and praying both for the time to pass swiftly
and for a positive answer. 6-8 weeks means I will know about my baptism by
the end of September at the latest!! I am so happy and excited! Blessings are coming forth as I continue to work towards my baptism. I know that the next few weeks will be both good and challenging. I am going to stay focused on my scripture studies and keep working with the Sisters. I need to stay close to my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ as I prepare for my long-awaited baptism. With them on my side, I cannot fail.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Yo hablo español!
I had such a neat experience yesterday that I just have to share. I
went out on a team-up with Sister Toone and Sister Clark and we went to
visit a less-active part-member family. We were there talking, and the
husband (non-member who speaks Spanish) said something and, not
thinking, I replied in Spanish. He was surprised and was like, tu habla español? We spoke for a couple moments in Spanish (the whole time I was
grinning like mad, lol). Then the Sisters asked how his reading in the
Book of Mormon was going, he pulled out his Spanish BoM and showed us
that he was in chapter three of 1 Nephi. I was like, mi favorita
escritura es aquí. (bad Spanish grammar I know). I pulled my Libro de
Mormon out of my backpack (so glad I brought both copies) and shared 1
Nefi 3:7 with him, reading it in Spanish from my Book of Mormon and
talked about I know that Heavenly Father won’t ask anything of us that
He isn’t prepared to help us with. It was so funny when I was talking to
him in Spanish, Sister Toone was staring at me with these big eyes and
Sister Clark seemed to understand part of the conversation.
It was sooo awesome!!! I have only been really studying Spanish thoroughly for the last few weeks and it was amazing to me that I was able to carry on a short conversation with a native-speaker. I am so super excited to start working with the Hermanas on team-ups too! I have the Spanish phrasebook that they give out in the MTC and have begun studying the phrases associated with the lessons. I also was able to say a short prayer in Spanish a couple nights ago. Was slow and simple but in understandable Spanish. I love Spanish!!!
It was sooo awesome!!! I have only been really studying Spanish thoroughly for the last few weeks and it was amazing to me that I was able to carry on a short conversation with a native-speaker. I am so super excited to start working with the Hermanas on team-ups too! I have the Spanish phrasebook that they give out in the MTC and have begun studying the phrases associated with the lessons. I also was able to say a short prayer in Spanish a couple nights ago. Was slow and simple but in understandable Spanish. I love Spanish!!!
Thursday, July 18, 2013
A Lesson Finally Learned
So delay after delay has been popping up. A couple days after the one on July 6th (see previous post), I was studying my scriptures and the thought popped into my head, "I need to teach a lesson on patience". I was thinking, but I already taught that. But more teaching never hurt anyone. I called the Sisters and asked if I could teach the lesson this past week and they were like yeah great!
Well as I was preparing my lesson on patience, I began to see how linked patience, hope, and faith really are. I realized that I was not approaching things correctly at all. The more I studied the more I realized that faith is not a passive thing. Faith needs to be a verb, otherwise it is just belief. I read a talk from October 1995 General Conference by Elder Richard G Scott titled "Trust in the Lord" and part of it really jumped out at me.
"Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.
When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father."
I was going about things ALL WRONG. I was asking too many useless questions and not enough useful ones. I was blessed to teach my lesson twice this past week, once to a friend and the Sisters assigned to my ward and once to the Hermanas who teach me, and both times I learned so much. Each of the women I taught, taught me in return and I am so grateful for the Spirit that was present and testified of what I had learned.
On the 13th, I learned of another delay. But I KNOW that this is the last delay because I have finally learned the patience Heavenly Father wanted me to learn. When I found out about this delay, it was so different. Before, each delay would upset and frustrate me, often the nights ending with me in tears, not understanding why things kept happening. But this time was so different, I was calm and peaceful the whole day. I had, and have, a soul-deep knowledge that everything is going to be okay and that this will happen when it is meant to. My path is in God's hands and there is no safer place for it and me to be. If my baptism happens next month, or 6 months from now, now I finally KNOW, in my heart and soul, that all will happen according to His plan and I am at peace with that. He loves me and wants only the best for me.
Well as I was preparing my lesson on patience, I began to see how linked patience, hope, and faith really are. I realized that I was not approaching things correctly at all. The more I studied the more I realized that faith is not a passive thing. Faith needs to be a verb, otherwise it is just belief. I read a talk from October 1995 General Conference by Elder Richard G Scott titled "Trust in the Lord" and part of it really jumped out at me.
"Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously. When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (see Prov. 3:11–12). He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit. To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain.
When you face adversity, you can be led to ask many questions. Some serve a useful purpose; others do not. To ask, Why does this have to happen to me? Why do I have to suffer this, now? What have I done to cause this? will lead you into blind alleys. It really does no good to ask questions that reflect opposition to the will of God. Rather ask, What am I to do? What am I to learn from this experience? What am I to change? Whom am I to help? How can I remember my many blessings in times of trial? Willing sacrifice of deeply held personal desires in favor of the will of God is very hard to do. Yet, when you pray with real conviction, “Please let me know Thy will” and “May Thy will be done,” you are in the strongest position to receive the maximum help from your loving Father."
I was going about things ALL WRONG. I was asking too many useless questions and not enough useful ones. I was blessed to teach my lesson twice this past week, once to a friend and the Sisters assigned to my ward and once to the Hermanas who teach me, and both times I learned so much. Each of the women I taught, taught me in return and I am so grateful for the Spirit that was present and testified of what I had learned.
On the 13th, I learned of another delay. But I KNOW that this is the last delay because I have finally learned the patience Heavenly Father wanted me to learn. When I found out about this delay, it was so different. Before, each delay would upset and frustrate me, often the nights ending with me in tears, not understanding why things kept happening. But this time was so different, I was calm and peaceful the whole day. I had, and have, a soul-deep knowledge that everything is going to be okay and that this will happen when it is meant to. My path is in God's hands and there is no safer place for it and me to be. If my baptism happens next month, or 6 months from now, now I finally KNOW, in my heart and soul, that all will happen according to His plan and I am at peace with that. He loves me and wants only the best for me.
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Heaven Sent the Sisters
I got very disheartening news last night, but an
unexpected blessing helped me deal with it. I finally gave into
temptation and texted Bishop to inquire if my papers had been sent to
Salt Lake yet. Bishop texted me last night and advised that my papers
had not been sent and at this point we are not sure when they will be
submitted. Things are more complicated than they (Bishop/Stake Prez)
thought. They have to get further clarification on something (I don’t
know what) and he indicated there may be more for me to do before they
can submit my papers. Once again, I thought I could see the finish line,
but it turned out to be just another mile post. I feel like I am on a roller-coaster and I really want to stop
the ride and get off!
I was so sad when I read that, my heart just broke, but Heavenly Father knew this and sent help. I wanted to call Sister Toone and Sister Clark (my ward’s Sisters) to tell them (I really needed someone to talk to), I had pulled up their number on my phone and then looked at the clock, I was like, they’re probably in an appointment, so I’ll try them later tonight. Not 2 minutes later there is a knock at my door. I open the door and it’s the Sisters. I said, "I'm so glad you're here" then my throat closed and I burst into tears. Sister Toone immediately reached out to give me a hug and stood there hugging me for a few minutes as I sobbed into her shoulder as I told them what had happened. After I got myself back under control, I said I was so surprised to see them (we had just had an appointment 2 days before). They said they just felt like they needed to stop by. The fact that they showed up so soon after I received the sad news, tells me Heavenly Father knew I needed them and was already sending them to me before I even knew I would need them. He loves each of us and is so conscious of our needs!
Sometimes it is so hard to see His hand in our lives, but other times all we need to do is open our eyes. He knows the challenges and heartache I am going thru as I work to be able to join His church once more. He cannot take away the challenges but is there to help me face them.
I was so sad when I read that, my heart just broke, but Heavenly Father knew this and sent help. I wanted to call Sister Toone and Sister Clark (my ward’s Sisters) to tell them (I really needed someone to talk to), I had pulled up their number on my phone and then looked at the clock, I was like, they’re probably in an appointment, so I’ll try them later tonight. Not 2 minutes later there is a knock at my door. I open the door and it’s the Sisters. I said, "I'm so glad you're here" then my throat closed and I burst into tears. Sister Toone immediately reached out to give me a hug and stood there hugging me for a few minutes as I sobbed into her shoulder as I told them what had happened. After I got myself back under control, I said I was so surprised to see them (we had just had an appointment 2 days before). They said they just felt like they needed to stop by. The fact that they showed up so soon after I received the sad news, tells me Heavenly Father knew I needed them and was already sending them to me before I even knew I would need them. He loves each of us and is so conscious of our needs!
Sometimes it is so hard to see His hand in our lives, but other times all we need to do is open our eyes. He knows the challenges and heartache I am going thru as I work to be able to join His church once more. He cannot take away the challenges but is there to help me face them.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Delayed Again!
I know that I am doing a good thing. I must be, because things keep popping up, like speed bumps, in my path. So many things have happened already to delay or potentially derail me from the path to baptism that I have become a little paranoid and started trying to anticipate what can go wrong.
I sent my letter (to the First Presidency) to the Bishop on the 24th. Well this past Monday I started thinking (something I do too much sometimes) and was like, oh no! what if my papers got lost in the mail. This preoccupied me all day at work. So as soon as I got off work I called Bishop, and was like do we get any confirmation that Salt Lake has my papers once they are received? He said yes, but we haven't sent them yet. I hadn't realized it, but Bishop and Stake President had been very busy the week before with Youth Conference. My heart fell when I heard this.
See there are two Sisters I really want at my baptism (Hermana Schroeppel and Hermana Coleman), especially since none of my own family will be able to be there. They are the two who the Lord put in my path to make sure I was where I needed to be on that crucial night. Hermana Schroeppel went home last transfer (June 12th) and Hermana Coleman goes home on July 24th. I've been praying that things would move swiftly so that they could both be there. Hermana Schroeppel will be visiting Alabama right before Hermana Coleman goes home and when I found that out I was thinking, what a blessing, I'll be able to have them both here for my baptism (if things move swiftly). But now, it would take a miracle for things to happen that fast. From what I've been told, it usually takes 2-4 weeks to get an answer from the First Presidency and they haven't even received my papers yet. I am still praying that, if it be His will, the answer will come swiftly and I'll be able to have my baptism before they go home.
I sent my letter (to the First Presidency) to the Bishop on the 24th. Well this past Monday I started thinking (something I do too much sometimes) and was like, oh no! what if my papers got lost in the mail. This preoccupied me all day at work. So as soon as I got off work I called Bishop, and was like do we get any confirmation that Salt Lake has my papers once they are received? He said yes, but we haven't sent them yet. I hadn't realized it, but Bishop and Stake President had been very busy the week before with Youth Conference. My heart fell when I heard this.
See there are two Sisters I really want at my baptism (Hermana Schroeppel and Hermana Coleman), especially since none of my own family will be able to be there. They are the two who the Lord put in my path to make sure I was where I needed to be on that crucial night. Hermana Schroeppel went home last transfer (June 12th) and Hermana Coleman goes home on July 24th. I've been praying that things would move swiftly so that they could both be there. Hermana Schroeppel will be visiting Alabama right before Hermana Coleman goes home and when I found that out I was thinking, what a blessing, I'll be able to have them both here for my baptism (if things move swiftly). But now, it would take a miracle for things to happen that fast. From what I've been told, it usually takes 2-4 weeks to get an answer from the First Presidency and they haven't even received my papers yet. I am still praying that, if it be His will, the answer will come swiftly and I'll be able to have my baptism before they go home.
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