We have some amazing members here in St. Petersburg!! Not only do they chat with us on video and allow us to teach them through video but they are so great to make sure we have food and other necessities! A couple of families are consistent with bringing us meals and giving us some good snacks! It has been so great to have a protein, a vegetable and a fruit all in one meal! We don't always make that much food for one meal. We also don't eat a lot of snacks so all of that is so welcomed and enjoyed!! Well like I said before, we have been doing teaching to many ward families via video calls. We have read from the scriptures together, shared our feelings about what we have read and discussed what lessons we have learned from the scripture stories! This is a program by our church that is similar to Sunday School and it is called, "Come Follow Me." I love this program and the lessons have been really fun!!!
One of our video lessons included a cool guy whom had been taught by previous missionaries. Well, he got in touch with us and said he wanted to read from the Book of Mormon. So we dropped a copy off to him and got his information so we could video call him. We had a super good lesson! We talked about baptism and how Christ requires everyone to be baptized. It was cool to teach him and to read from the Book of Mormon with him. Missionary work is continuing and I am so grateful to be able to share my testimony and do missionary work is a little different way.
We also got a super crazy call like 25 minutes ago!! A guy called and asked if he had contacted the St. Petersburg missionaries. We affirmed we were and then he explained that he would like to come to church. So, apparently this guy was taught a while back by previous missionaries. The missionaries quit meeting with him but he continued to read from the Book of Mormon. He has now finished reading the Book of Mormon and wants to come to church!!!!! So we set up a lesson with him and we are excited for it!! Do you remember my continued, fervent prayers where I pray for people to find me if I don't find them? Well, these experiences are definitely answers to my prayers!!
I also did something this week that was really moving to me. You know how I have made a couple or videos that I posted to Facebook? Well, this time, the Assistants to the President, made a video and asked several missionaries to participate. I was one of those missionaries. It was really cool. The video was like an interview and the APs asked me (and the other missionaries) questions. The catch is that I couldn't respond in words but only could respond through my reactions. It was really powerful to me. I think one question that struck me the most was about the last day of my mission. I remember having a confident feeling in my service! So that will continue to be my goal!! I'm happy and grateful that I feel confident in the service I have given the Lord since being in Florida thus far and on my very last day of my mission, t want to feel that same wayt!!
Here is a great scripture I was reminded of this week which I love!! I believe strongly this scripture id true!!
Mathew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
I have truly found myself as I have lost my life for God's sake (sacrificed the traditional/typical life for the past 17 months)!
Here is some news of other men and women choosing to lose their life for the Lord: In the next 6 weeks, The Florida Tampa Mission will receive 180 missionaries! We will be having transfers weekly for the next 6 weeks as we absorb these servants of God! This is in response to the Restored Church bringing missionaries home due to COVID and then reassigning them! Because there will be so many missionaries, the Mission has had to rent cars and rent out hotel/hotel rooms for them! How crazy is that? There will be lots of training to be done, I am sure.
