Spoiler Alert: Ya Don't Have To Be Perfect

Howdy! 

 

 

'Twas a good week! 

 

 

I love the people in Cheboygan. They are the kindest and most genuine people I have ever met. I'm grateful to be serving here with them. 

 

 

Church yesterday was amazing! We have a friend named Orville who is in a wheelchair. His van was broken and so he didn't have a way to get to church. So we went over there on Sunday morning and walked to church with him! It was a blast. It was inspiring that he would be willing to wheel the mile or so to church so that he could take the sacrament and feel the spirit. 

 

 

Andrew is doing so well. We taught him the word of wisdom on Tuesday and the importance of keeping ourselves clean so that we can always be in a place to receive direction from God. We asked if he'd be willing to live the word of wisdom by this weekend and he said "I'm here to live it NOW!" Then he proceeded to go out to his car, take the addiction that he's had since he was 3 years old, and throw it in the trash. HE IS AMAZING. literally an angel. We don't do anything- it's all him. I feel privileged to know him. Keep him in your prayers as he's preparing for his baptism in two weeks! 

 

 

We have seen so many miracles here. We do a lot of areabook finding. We look at the records that previous missionaries in this area have kept and then we go to those people's homes. We've found lots of new people to teach that way. I love it. 

 

 

We had a multi-zone conference on wednesday! I've never been around with so many missionaries in one setting before. It was pretty powerful. As I walked into the church building I had the thought "wow. this is it. I'm serving a mission. I'm part of this powerful army to gather the Lord's children and to share the Gospel". It was pretty cool.  

 

 

During the zone conference we received training on how to center missionary work around members (we call them 'two great commandment moments'), preaching by the way (knocking doors), and how to plan effectively. 

 

 

I loved one of the scriptures that they shared...

 

 

"Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,

5 Before I aformed thee in the belly I bknew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I csanctified thee, and I dordained thee a prophet unto the enations.

6 Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, I cannot aspeak: for I am a bchild.

7 ¶ But the Lord said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall asend thee, and whatsoever I bcommand thee thou shalt cspeak.

8 Be not aafraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.

9 Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my amouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my bwords in thy cmouth."

(Jeremiah 1:4-9)

 

 

Sometimes it's easy to feel inadequate or like we can't do what God is asking us to do. I like the Indiana Jones analogy... He has to get the treasure but comes up to a huge ravine. He somehow has to get to the other side of it in order to get the treasure. He decides to jump... knowing that it's a leap of faith. When he jumps, he lands on an invisible bridge that brings him across to the other side. 

 

 

God knows us. He knew what we would do in this life before we were born. He has a specific purpose and mission for each of us. When we know who we are it makes it easier to take the leaps of faith that God asks us to take. 

 

 

We talked to a few of our friends about faith this week. It was pretty powerful and was a good reminder for me to know that faith doesn't mean we have a perfect knowledge of things. It doesn't mean we have to know exactly what we're doing and why when we act. It just means that we trust in the Savior and His ability to carry us. He doesn't expect us to be perfect. He just wants us to rely on Him. 

 

 

My brother had surgery this week. keep him in your prayers! Also, My ear has been having some issues lately. I know it's all in God's plan but prayers would be appreciated for that as well. 

 

 

I'm grateful for my Savior and to be in Michigan serving Him with everything in me. 

 

 

Love, 

Sister Ross