We went to the temple as a mission this past week on Halloween, and it was an incredibly
spiritual experience. All (around) 200 of us sisters and senior couples gathered to make
covenants (or promises) to our Heavenly Father.
Sunday was a special day as well. It was my sister's birthday! Happy Birthday, Aubrey!
But it was also Dee's baptism day. Dee was baptized 7pm Washington DC time.
Sister Chiu and I were able to skype into her baptism. It was so beautiful and I am so
excited for Dee for having taken this important step in her eternal conversion.
So we will be going to the Asian market today. I think sister Chiu is SO excited to be
eating food that is not so foreign to her. I think I am becoming half Asian!
We took 2 women on a tour today from Chicago-a Buddhist and a Jew. Quite an
interesting mix to teach for understanding and conversion. But what is so cool
about the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that it is for everyone. They both identified
with sealings (marriages for eternity in the temple) and with service and humanitarian
work for others.
We met a super cool returned missionary girl that had just come out of the temple.
Her quote of the day was, "Life is full of transfers." They don't stop when our mission ends.
We will always have beginnings and endings to different things. But that is the only way that
we will grow. Friends, events, and opportunities will come and go, but if our heart and mind
are in the right place, we will be progressing towards eternal life with our Heavenly Father, no
matter what is thrown at us.
I taught sister Chiu how to leave voicemails on peoples' phones. Now she's a pro.
My companion is so awesome! She is such a fast learner, and she LOVES roleplays!!
Woah. I am soo glad. (:
We went to Music and the Spoken Word this past Sunday, and Billy Casper, the golfer, was also there.
Also, Natasha Hunt from Katy Texas was there with her grandma as well!
Last night, Sister Torres (our district leader) and I were walking to exchange back with our companions when
we saw this group of about 80 people being led by a random man around temple square. If you are not familiar
with the tour guidelines of Temple Square, tours can only be led by sister missionaries. So we jumped in at the
front of the tour group and started taking this 80-person group around. Usual spontaneous events during the
daily life of a Temple Square missionary. But there really is not a more powerful feeling when 80 pairs of eyes
are on you and your companion, and you are able to stand right in front of the temple and boldly testify of the
power of God that has flooded our lives because of the temple.
I'd like to end my email this week with a man named Paul. Paul came up to the desk in the North Visitor's
Center wanting to watch a movie. We went downstairs to play the movie for him, and he just broke down.
He is the father of 3 kids and is divorced. He completely strayed away from the church, has no job and is
lost in life. His self-esteem is almost non-existent. Because of various life events, he has minimal
possessions. He begged us to get him a copy of the Book of Mormon so that he could read it again. We
asked if we could teach him on Temple Square and he hesitantly accepted our invitation.
We taught Paul again yesterday on the steps of the temple. He felt so nervous to walk on Temple grounds.
We testified of God's love for him and that he is NEVER lost. We focused on the atonement of Jesus Christ
and how because of Christ's suffering, we will ALL be able to find a way back, no matter our circumstances.
At the end of the lesson, we saw a glimmer of hope in his eye. He knows that he may be able to progress.
We will help him regain his testimony of God and our Savior Jesus Christ. I am just in awe that Heavenly Father
and Jesus Christ would allow us to feel Christlike love for other children of God here on Earth. I know that God
is real and that he is aware of EACH one of us. Pray(:
I love you all! And I would love to hear from each one of you as well.
Don't hesitate to send me an email: angelique.steenhoek@myldsmail.net
Sister Steenhoek
No comments:
Post a Comment