Hi Chika!
This week has been a big blessing for me. Last night we had the Privilege of having Elder Russel M Ballard come talk with us, to instuct us and encourage us it was such a life changing experience for me. I felt the spirit so strong and Ii knew with all my heart that he truly was an apostle of the Lord. The first great big blessing I felt yesterday was when we had first gotten to the church building (it was at my old ward building in Torrance) I saw a youth named Chris (he's about 16) When I was serving in his ward his family was less active and I had been thinking about them alot! We got to talking and I was so happy to see him there. He explained that he had come to church all on his own without his family because he heard an apostle of the Lord was coming!!! that was a great big blessing for me to see the Faith he had. Then as we listened and was instructed by Elder Ballard and two other General Authorities Elder Swaitzer and Elder Acosta from the Seventies I learnt and felt so much:) I learnt the importance and helping people to change and Repent and how if I am to help them change and repent I need to be able to have a testimony of Repentance myself and be changing and relying on the Lord everyday. I also learnt more about being helpers. He shared the parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15 and how the shepherd went all out to find the one and carry him on his shoulders back to the fold. I felt such a renewed desire to find and help each of Heavenly Father's children here all along their way back to their Father in Heaven. I loved it!!!! It was such an amazing lesson for me. Prior to this meeting a couple of weeks ago I was thinking alot about how I'm finding myself just going through the motions of Missionary routine and not really giving it my all. Last Night Elder Ballard counseled us to go out every morning with the Faith that as we talk with people we will find people to teach and we will help them get on their path towards Baptism and eventually towards returning home to their Heavenly Father. I totally recommitted myself to this. I know this was definitely an answer to prayer. He also shared a story about a blind Missionary and the great Faith in the Lord to help him everyday on his Mission. That was such an amazing story of Faith for me. I really am grateful to be here Mama and to be learning all these wonderful truths here at this time. As Elder Ballard concluded he looked at each of us in the eyes and promised us that our Families were being taken care of and that as we give our all we will come to enjoy the time that we have now to fully serve the Lord. I felt the spirit confirm to my heart the truth in those promises, I thought of Harry (my Brother)and I know and have Faith that he'll be ok and you'll all be ok and taken care of because an apostle of the Lord has promised it. I will continue to give this work all that I am and that I have. After Elder Ballard left everyone was quietly pondering all that we had just felt when an Elder suddenly cried out in moan. He was having a seizure.I didn't want to look back at who it was but we heard him.The whole room was quiet and I was feeling so scared. I looked around and I saw other Missionaries with tear filled eyes. I prayed in my heart that Heavenly Father would bless this Elder so that he could feel the comfort and love he needed. We were all praying in our hearts and I just felt such a warm feeling of peace and love. I have never felt such consuming love around me. I knew that as we as a Mission were praying for this one Elder Heavenly Father and his angels were definitely there with us that day. How grateful I am to be here in this mission at this time. That Elder quieted down and there was such a spirit of Unity and love in that chapel. It was such an amazing experience I will never forget. I know that truly a lot of what we get from the Meetings we go to is dependent on the effort we put into preparing for it. I have a testimony of that.
After the meeting we came home and later that evening we went out to work. I shared with my companion my desires to go out with that Faith to find people to teach and help them on the path back home to Heavenly Father. We've made that our goal to go out with that kind of Faith that he will provide. We visited a couple of people and while going to visit an investigator named Ray, We parked our car and came across this group of Girls (about Young Women YSA age 15-19 yrs) Almost Every time we've gone to that building we've always run into these girls. Their names are Alandra, Alysa, Araia and Nelly. The first time we met them a couple of weeks ago we invited them to check out Mormon.org Alysa was always rude and not really interested in hearing what we had to say, The second and third time we met them we talked abit more and re invited them to check out the website again because they hadn't done it. Then finally last night we met them again and we learnt that Alysa the one who was always rude and cussing was in a car accident yesterday and the car they were in turned over and rolled and was totally wrecked but none of them including her that was in the car got badly hurt. She shared how she felt like she was going to die and she knew that when she got out of the car she was ok and recognized that it was a miracle. We shared with her our Testimonies of God's love for her and protecting her and we immediately recognized that she was more willing to listen and even requested amormon.org card. We learnt more about these 4 girls and we talked about what we do as Missionaries. I just felt so much love for these girls! they definitely special because we always keep running into them. We taught them about God's love and God's plan for them as his daughters and we will be meeting with them again!!!! The whole of yesterday and last week has just been a great big blessing for me and my companion. We found a total of 6 new investigators!!!! How grateful I am for the spirit for always encouraging us "Talk to Everyone" and strive to have meaningful conversations. I know that if didn't make it a goal to do that we would've never found all these new Investigators. The work is going Great!!!!
I know that God is real and that he lives and looks out for all of you! He loves you!!!!
and I love you too!!!
Sister Koroitamana
