I can still remember this day last year and what I did! We went to a member's house for a BBQ and Elder Komarek's parents were there (And elder who I was serving with) and I met them! Hard to believe it's been a year.
So this week was fuuuullll of learning experiences. I have really been trying to remember my purpose as a missionary and try to be consecrated fully. We had some fun experiences.
This week we set 2 baptismal dates with our cute little investigators Bianca and Natalia. They are 10 and 11 Year old girls who have a thirst for the gospel like you wouldn't believe. They just LOVE God. We actually set the date for June 1st with them last week, but they were sick so they couldn't come to church last week. So we went over yesterday to make sure they were still game to come to church because in order to be baptized you have to come to church twice. So we knocked... and no answer... so we knocked again... no answer. So we knocked again and again and again and still never an answer. Ay Carumba... So we went and we sat in our car and we prayed. So we got out and knocked again... this time someone answered!!! But not the way that we wanted. The girls' dad came to the door and yelled at us and told us (using some very colorful language...) that the girls would not be coming to church today. Then proceeded to slam the door. Well, ok then. We both looked at each other and just walked back to the car. It kind of made us sad the rest of the day. :( But then we had an AWESOME lesson in Relief Society about Elder Holland's talk from general Conference "The Cost--and Blessings--of discipleship" (You should read it it's really good.) And it said some amazing things about being a missionary.
Elder Holland said, (in that talk)
"Indeed, of Jesus Himself, Jacob's brother Nephi wrote: "And the world,because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught;wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because ofhis loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.'
In keeping with the Savior's own experience, there has been a long history of rejection and a painfully high price paid by prophets and apostles, missionaries and members in every generation—all those who have tried to honor God's call to lift the human family to' a more excellent way."
As I had that experience with being yelled at, I thought about all the other times I had been rejected, and made fun of, and looked down upon as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I realized that OF COURSE I would be rejected! OF COURSE I would be made fun of! and OF COURSE it would be heartbreaking!
So this week was fuuuullll of learning experiences. I have really been trying to remember my purpose as a missionary and try to be consecrated fully. We had some fun experiences.
But first... Something cool to brag about! :) So do any of you know who Aly and AJ is??? They were Disney Channel stars a few years back? They were in the movie Cowbells... anyways... So we are teaching their uncle. His name is Mike. He is so wonderful. We love him. Anyways, We have signed pics from them and we even got invited to be in thier movie! but... alas... we are missionaries... so we can't haha. But we will come back and visit and meet them! He already promised! :)
This is Mike! and Aly! and the picture they signed for me! :) So cool!
This week we set 2 baptismal dates with our cute little investigators Bianca and Natalia. They are 10 and 11 Year old girls who have a thirst for the gospel like you wouldn't believe. They just LOVE God. We actually set the date for June 1st with them last week, but they were sick so they couldn't come to church last week. So we went over yesterday to make sure they were still game to come to church because in order to be baptized you have to come to church twice. So we knocked... and no answer... so we knocked again... no answer. So we knocked again and again and again and still never an answer. Ay Carumba... So we went and we sat in our car and we prayed. So we got out and knocked again... this time someone answered!!! But not the way that we wanted. The girls' dad came to the door and yelled at us and told us (using some very colorful language...) that the girls would not be coming to church today. Then proceeded to slam the door. Well, ok then. We both looked at each other and just walked back to the car. It kind of made us sad the rest of the day. :( But then we had an AWESOME lesson in Relief Society about Elder Holland's talk from general Conference "The Cost--and Blessings--of discipleship" (You should read it it's really good.) And it said some amazing things about being a missionary.
Elder Holland said, (in that talk)
"Indeed, of Jesus Himself, Jacob's brother Nephi wrote: "And the world,because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught;wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because ofhis loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.'
In keeping with the Savior's own experience, there has been a long history of rejection and a painfully high price paid by prophets and apostles, missionaries and members in every generation—all those who have tried to honor God's call to lift the human family to' a more excellent way."
As I had that experience with being yelled at, I thought about all the other times I had been rejected, and made fun of, and looked down upon as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I realized that OF COURSE I would be rejected! OF COURSE I would be made fun of! and OF COURSE it would be heartbreaking!
Jesus Christ Himself experienced all of those things, and I am a REPRESENTATIVE of Him. I have been called by a Prophet of God, and set apart by someone who holds the same Priesthood that Jesus Christ held, to stand in place of the Savior. If I get to experience the joy that comes from telling people about him, and minister the way He ministered then of course I will be rejected and spit upon and feel a sliver of the pain that He felt.
I love my mission so much! I have learned more then I ever could have if I hadn't come. I've learned so much about myself and so much about what God has in store for me. I have learned more about what I want for my future and how I want to raise my family. I love the gospel so much! I love you all and I love my Savior!
Have a wonderful week! I love you all!!!
Love, Sister Bauer
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