Hey y'all this week has been amazing!!!!!!!!
I can't believe I'm having to say this already: Just FYI, all Christmas packages need to be sent by Dec. 1 so it can get to me in time. (The mission will be giving them to the zone leaders who will give them to us the week before Christmas.)
Autumn is beautiful and chilly here. The cold cuts right through you with all this humidity. 50 degrees feels like 35....brrrrrr. But it's all good. Have fun with the snow for me! I think that's the main thing I'll miss this winter.
Thanks again mom for sharing that story about the Book of Mormon. I've used it a couple times with less actives. One of our investigators, Cayce, had an awesome experience with the BoM last week. She was stressed from her three young boys and decided she should try reading the Book of Mormon. As she was reading, she was physically cold because it's chilly here now, but she said as she read she had this warmth come over her that filled her insides and filled her with peace and calm. When her husband (who is an inactive member) got home she was so excited to tell him what happened and asked him what it was. He told her it was the spirit telling her the book was true. So awesome!
It's been one miracle after another with Thomas. He has stayed strong. We were seriously considering moving his baptism from the 26th to the 19th because of how much he was progressing. We brought it up a couple times early this week and he seemed uncomfortable with the idea. We still felt like the 26th would be too long away, so we kept praying about it and trusted the Lord would guide us. We had a lesson with him Saturday morning. We talked about the commandments including keeping the sabbath day, the law of chasity, and reviewing the word of wisdom. Before we began, we felt like we should show him a teaching record so he could see that we've taught him almost everything he needed to know, and he let us know that he had quit smoking completely on Friday! After we taught, we ended by testifying of the blessings of keeping all the commandments. He told us how he wish he had know these 43 years ago (when he was 4 years old basically), and how sinners have to go through so much. Sis. Jepsen felt prompted to share a scripture from Alma 36 about the release from sin when we repent and again brought up the idea of moving the baptism up so he could have that complete cleansing as soon as possible, because we knew he was now ready. The Spirit was there. It told us what to say, and he immedately accepted! He nodded, and said, "Then let's do this!"
We called up the district leader right then to see if he could come interview Thomas that night. They were free and drove up Saturday night. (The crazy thing is that we had felt something important was going on that night and our district leader had felt that same way. They had been unable to make any plans for that evening. The Spirit had hinted to both of us that the interview would be going on. We just didn't know it until after that lesson...so sweet) Thomas was a little nervous going in, but he came out with a beaming smile that was completely contagious. He was so happy and excited and ready to jump in the water. Plans are under way for next Saturday. It will be a day to remember! I'm soooo excited and so grateful. This is all the Lord's doing. We were simply doing the right thing at the right time and the Lord made us instruments in his hands.
This gospel is soooo true, and it does change lives. This gospel is so worth sharing!
I am so grateful for everything God has given me. What a wonderful time of year to remember what we have through the tough times and the amazing times.
Love you all!
Sister Cottam
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