Sister Rebecca Donaldson

Week 5- March 26, 2012

Hello everyone!

OK, first I would like to announce that my little brother (he's so cute!!!!) got his mission call to the SCOTLAND/IRELAND MISSION!!!!!!!! Can you believe it?!? That's gotta be like....the 2nd best mission in the entire world....only after Indiana of course....:) Dang it, Daniel, I'm so excited for you!!!! I may or may not be crying right now.....;) You're such a stud! I can't wait to see my little Bruder in a kilt! Rock on, kiddo! You're the best! Unfortunately, you didn't tell me when you report....tell me! I guess this means that I'll have to come and pick you up from your mission. It's not optional. :)

That officially made my Pday. Oh my goodness! Missions are the best things ever. These last few days have been absolutely incredible for us here in West Lafayette. Yesterday, we had 5 investigators at church. Yes....5 investigators came to church yesterday. Apparently that's HUGE! Sister Gillman and I are so blessed. We have been trying to revamp our door approaches to be less robotic and more sassy. Well, I guess sassy isn't the word....but more "snap crackle pop." We've been pulling out the charming smiles, the stickers for the children, complimenting people's yards, and more importantly never leaving the doorstep until we have testified of the Book of Mormon. Haha...we've noticed that the second you mention the Book of Mormon, 90% of the people we talk to shut down because they've heard all the anti stuff and junk....but Friday afternoon, we tracted for a couple hours and we literally talked to half of the people on that culdesac for 10+ minutes on their porch testifying of the restoration and the Book of Mormon. We ask them if we can read a scripture about a topic (like Christ, the Atonement, Prayer, etc) and then find one in the Book of Mormon, but not tell them that it is in the Book of Mormon until AFTER you have read it, asked them an inspiring question, and applied it to them. That way, they feel the Spirit, have their faith strengthened by the scripture, and then "BAMMM!" they want to read the Book of Mormon because they know that they feel like its a good book. Its powerful! And it works. The Book of Mormon + the Spirit = most powerful missionary tool.

We actually just got out of a lesson with one investigator. He's a professor at Purdue. And he's an engineer. He's a brilliant man. His name is Y* (sorry, can't say his name!) Most people with an education have a hard time accepting our message simply because they don't see a need for it. He's the exception. He's used his analytical mind to "experiment" as it says in Alma 32. He's read the Book of Mormon and D&C and has prayed about it....he says that he knows it is true. And he's been facing a ton of opposition from some of his family and friends, and he says that they try to tear down the Book of Mormon and his faith. He simply asks them, "well, have you read it?" Of course, they say no. And then he says, "Well, you can't say the book isn't true if you haven't read it for yourself." He's not getting discouraged or disheartened....he knows that this church is true. Ah! It's amazing! I love it. It reminds me of JS-History, "I knew it, and I knew that God knew it and I could not deny it." Y* is wonderful! He wants to get baptized so bad and he will eventually.

Oh, so I had my first Bible bash last week. We didn't want to. We walked into a trap....we met a couple and set up an appt thinking that they really wanted to learn about the Book of Mormon. Yeah...no. They didn't. We walked onto the patio, and there on a small table was a book entitled, "Mormonism" or something like that. Obviously NOT written by anyone who had much good to say about us. So we start with a prayer and get talking about the restoration.....pretty soon we are being interrogated with questions trying to argue with us about authority. They pulled out scriptures, we pulled out scriptures. They picked at every little thing we said and if we said anything that didn't make sense to them, they completely discredited it and called us liars. Anyways....I won't talk about it anymore. Its making me contentious....:) The evening ended after they said, "You are ignorant and gullible. Joseph Smith was a nut case." We simply testified, "Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. We have to go now. Our curfew is in 10 minutes" We got out of there. It was just a really eye opening experience. We answered all of their questions but they wouldn't accept it. That's why an open heart and mind is such a crucial element of whether or not someone can be receptive to the promptings of the Holy Ghost. There were 3 or 4 times when they both stopped after one of our answers because they couldn't argue with what we had just said. And then they'd ask us to tell them more. Urgh. It's making me frustrated even thinking about it. Moving on now.

Awesome experience....last week we had a lesson with C* - he's the one that is 76 and has colon cancer. We went to his trailer and asked him what questions he had. He said with tears in his eyes that he's never been so impressed by people than he has with us and the members. He continued to tell us that no one has ever cared so much for him, spent so much time with him, loved him so much, etc etc. He said that he knows that God brought us to him. And then he asked the ultimate question. "What do you want me to do now? What can I do?" Sister Gillman and I started crying! We taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and he agreed to be baptized. Tentative date is May 5. He's golden! He called us Saturday....sick as a dog. He told us that he felt closer to death than he has ever before and that he knows that this church is the right thing for him to be involved with right now. He's still got a lot to learn, but he'll get there! We're meeting with him twice a week. He loves the church so much. He was one of the investigators that was at church yesterday....and we had another lesson with him and a older couple in the ward.

Oh my goodness, it's so beautiful to see Heavenly Father's hand in this work! There are miracles that happen every single day! Sister Gillman and I are trying so hard to be diligent, prayerful, and hard working in every aspect of missionary work. I'll be honest, it's hard not to get discouraged sometimes. But Heavenly Father always rewards us according to our faith and diligence.

Sometimes if I feel so inadequate....because these children of God - my brothers and sisters deserve a better missionary than what I currently am. I have so much to improve on. I need to be better at speaking by and understanding through the language of the spirit. I need to be more familiar with the scriptures. I need to pray more fervently. I need to be more kind, patient, and charitable. I need to strengthen my faith. I need to be happier. Not for me....but more them. They deserve more. Its so motivating. So I strive everyday to strengthen my testimony of some aspect of the gospel and learn the scriptures a little more.

Scripture of the day: Alma 26:22 - Look it up! :)

So remember how I'm terrified of tornadoes? On Friday evening and night, a huge storm rolled in. The wind was blowing, there were tornado warnings....but guess what? I'm alive! :)

Funny of the week....Elder Ovard, he's one of our zone leaders and lives just upstairs from us got bit by a 3 legged dog the other day. hahaha....I don't know why that's so funny. But it is. It's probably the way he told the story. Too funny. Poor Elder Ovard. :)

I love you all so much! Sorry for the horribly long email! :) Write me!

All my love,

Sister Becca Donaldson.....aka Sister Dolphin. :)