Hermana Mary DeWitt: The Gift of Tongues is REAL

Hello everybody!

We're gonna start off with the bad-ish news so we can end on the good news

On Thursday, Hermana Becker woke up with a stuffy nose and a mild headache. I asked her if she felt ok, and she said she would be fine. We went and taught Flor, which went great, but Hermana Becker was having a hard time keeping it together (trying to talk in Spanish and not sniffling while having a stuffy nose is pretty difficult!) but we got through it and we really felt like we helped Flor, which was great! Later in the day, we had dinner with the Linton family in our branch and the food was super good! But, Hermana Becker's headache had gotten worse. In fact, it was so bad that she was on the verge of throwing up. After dinner, we were driving to a lesson with Laura, but we had to pull over because Hermana Becker's eyes hurt so much from the headache that she couldn't keep them open anymore! We realized it was actually a migraine and called our District Leader and asked what we should do. We decided to cancel our appointment with Laura and drive home so that Hermana Becker could get some rest and feel better in the morning. But, she couldn't drive us home, so I did! I had my driving card, so I was allowed to drive, but it was my first time driving a missionary car, so I was a little bit nervous! We got home safe, though. We went to bed early and Hermana Becker woke up feeling a lot better! I know the Lord was helping her so we could continue doing missionary work

We also got to do some service hours this week! We helped Sis. Hazelett paint her baby room, which was super fun! She and Bro. Hazelett are so cute and I'm so excited for them! We also helped out Connie Coca, a lady we're teaching, type out some stuff for her radio station! She's very much into Hispanic culture and history in Wyoming, so some of the narratives she had us type up were very interesting!

Also, I completely forgot to write about the devotional with Elder Soares in last week's email! He was originally going to come to our mission and speak to us in person, but then it ended up being over Zoom. But it was still really cool! I took lots of good notes and felt the Spirit so strongly as he talked to us!

Ok, here's the cool news part for this week!

We went on mini exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders and I went with Sis. Davis, whose original assignment is Costa Rica, so she speaks some Spanish, but she's been in the Fort Collins mission for about a year speaking English, so she's not very fluent. Hermana Becker and I had a lesson planned with Ana that day, and Hermana Becker encouraged Sis. Davis and me to visit Ana and teach the lesson! I was VERY nervous because I had always had Hermana Becker there in lessons with Latinas, but that day, it would just be Sis. Davis and me! Before we went and knocked, we prayed for the Spirit to be with us and help us understand Ana and know what to say in order to help her come closer to Christ. We knocked on the door, and Ana answered and let us inside! (this was my first time meeting Ana, by the way - she had never answered the door before, so I was VERY nervous!) But as soon as we walked into the house, I felt the Spirit wash over me and the thought "You will know what you need to say" came into my mind.

We talked for a bit about her and her family and got to know her, and then she started talking about how she and her husband are both very interested in learning the gospel! Her husband is really busy with work, but she enjoys meeting with the missionaries when she has time! She also said that she enjoys learning about religion, because she likes the idea that there is a God who loves everyone. Suddenly, 2 Nephi 26:33 came into my mind and I followed the prompting to share it with her (it's the scripture where Christ invites all to come unto Him "black and white, bond and free, male and female" and He doesn't turn away anyone who turns to Him) and I start sharing this scripture with her, and I start speaking Spanish rather fluidly, to my surprise! In that moment, the Gift of Tongues hit me like a truck, and I was amazed!

Sis. Davis promised blessings and I bore my testimony, and the Spirit was so strong! You could see she was feeling it, too, which was amazing! We asked if we could meet again, and she said yes! Sis. Davis and I walked out of there SO happy and grateful that the Lord had helped us.

"[The Lord] has made me an instrument in His hands in bringing so many of you to a knowledge of His truth. Nevertheless, in this I do not glory, for I am unworthy to glory of myself." -Mosiah 23:10-11

In this passage, Alma understood that the miraculous work he had been accomplishing was not by his own strength or wisdom - The Lord was doing the work, and Alma was just the instrument. A musical instrument is capable of making beautiful music, but without a set of hands to play the instrument, it cannot reach its full potential. As we trust the Lord and put ourselves into His hands, we'll be able to reach our full potential and accomplish amazing things, even if it's simply speaking to a Latina in Spanish about the gospel!

The Lord knows and loves each and every one of you, and as you trust in Him, He will help you do amazing things and become the person He wants you to be!

I love you all, and have a wonderful week!