The Air Was Glass

.

What a week What a week It has been!!!

Our proposal for the missionary concert in Calbayog has been approved!!! We're gonna Light the World and I'm so excited! There's still a lot of things that need to happen for it to run smoothly, but the members in Calbayog are excited and dedicated and essential to making this happen. They're the best! 

The Light the World Initiative is a great way to introduce people to the church. We've really tried to take advantage of it as missionaries. A lot of people are excited for Christmas and this is a way to make it the best one yet. 

We've had a lot of crazy experiences this week. A mission is such an adventure. Sister Portin and I were able to go on exchanges this week with 2 companionships that are both in training. I got to work both times with the new missionary - the trainee. They amaze me every time because they have what we call the "MTC Glow" - fresh out of the MTC and they shine with the Light of Christ. The MTC is a spiritual experience unlike any other. Anyways, I got to learn a lot from them too in the process. The sisters are wonderful and will make amazing missionaries. 

I am continuously amazed by the people Heavenly Father is sending our way. It's been fun to see what how our area is blessed when we give it our all. We were completely exhausted this week from hard work all day every day. The mission is finally starting to wear on my body haha. But miracles happen, and every day we wake up fresh and ready to go. This week we've reached higher key indicators than I have my whole mission and had 14 investigators at church - 4 of them being their first time. We're expecting 6 baptisms this month, hoping for 10 if one of our familes can get married. I love being a missionary!

Though it has been a great week, I experienced quite a bit of rejection this week, more so than normal. It's funny how much the mission has changed me. Before I probably would have cried myself to sleep and now I can just brush it off my shoulder. No matter what experiences like this come our way, there's always other experiences to come that make it all worth it. One of them happened this week that I'd like to share with you. 

His name was Henry. 22 years old. A referral from one of our branch missionaries. Had some questions about the church and had to sneak out of the house so his parents wouldn't know where he was going haha. This young man is one of the many I've seen throughout my mission that just are prepared. There's no other better way to put it. They're ready for the gospel and are missing it in their lives even though they may not yet realize it. Teaching him was a spiritual experience unlike any other. During the lesson as we moved from apostacy into the first vision, the spirit became so strong and it was as if the air was glass, like every word was chosen so carefully and spoken so gently. It was the strangest sensation, and we were all so still in giving this message. I didn't even want to move afraid to change the atmosphere in the room. We concluded the lesson having him commit to read the Book of Mormon after telling us that he knows the message was true. We're looking forward to teaching him again. 

Here's my spiritual commitment for you all this week. Pray for desire to share the gospel, pray for an opportunity, and pray to know what to say when the time comes and then....just do it. Heavenly Father knows His children and He knows who in your life is ready to hear the gospel. Everyone needs this gospel and at some point in their lives will need to accept it if they are to obtain all the happiness God has in store for us in this life and the next. 

I love you all so much! Happy Christmas season! Missing you always:)

Sister Russon