Trusting in the Lord (and still working on it!)

The first part of this week was pretty difficult - we had so many lessons scheduled each day, but then every time, most of them, if not all, would cancel or not answer the door. It was hard because every day, we tried our best to move forward with faith, expecting miracles, but each time, every single lesson would fall through.

I was having a rough day in particular on Thursday, when 6/6 lessons fell through...that night, Hermana Young lovingly reminded me of where I've been reading in the Book of Mormon recently - Alma the Younger, who had found all of this outward success in his missionary service in Zarahemla and Gideon, was now in Ammonihah, where the people refused to believe his teachings, and rejected him. Even after the angel appeared to Alma, and he met and began teaching with Amulek, they still faced a lot of trials: hard-hearted people, being interrogated by Zeezrom, being forced to watch the small group of believers be burned by fire, being cast into prison, being mistreated, beaten, taunted, and starved...

Alma and Amulek were having a REALLY hard time - my struggles and disappointments as a missionary have really been close to nothing, compared with theirs.

Even more than Alma's and Amulek's struggles, Jesus Christ has suffered through every single hard thing we have ever gone / are going / will go through. He knows exactly how every missionary feels when people cancel appointments, when they have rude people reject them in the street, and even when they get doors slammed in their face a time or two (or more for some missionaries - thankfully only a couple of times for me!)

I've been trying to strengthen my faith in Christ, and trust in the Lord more fully, and as I've done that, I've been SO much happier, even though about 95% of our lessons still fall through!

I'm re-learning (over and over again!) that truly having faith means expecting miracles, but always being willing to accept the Lord's will, even when it means that the miracle for the day was that you got to meet a couple of friendly bear-sized dogs (see pictures below).

Alma 14:28 - "And Alma and Amulek came forth out of the prison, and they were not hurt; for the Lord had granted unto them power, according to their faith which was in Christ."

--let your faith give you power - in God's time, He'll deliver you from whatever spiritual prison you find yourself in - just trust in Him a little more each day.

Love you all and have an amazing week!!

- Hermana DeWitt

A Child's Drawing of a Very Fat Cat

Friendly Bear-Sized Dogs

Me and Hermana Young