Feb. 3rd, 2013

Dear Dad, Mom, Andrew, Hannah,

 

Thank you for the emails this week! Well, thanks Andrew for the email a few weeks ago :P Just kidding. But seriously, write me! I love hearing from my dear family bo bamily. 

 

Sister Bown is really good. She is good at being willing to change. Often when we study a principle from Preach My Gospel, she will say, "Sister! We need to do this!" and we will work together to plan how we can have it in our companionship. We had a really fun split yesterday after church with Marta and Sister Sheley. Sister Bown was with Marta and I was with Sister Sheley. Sis Bown shared with me something that she learned. That being a perfect Polish speaker doesn't make you a better missionary. How true that is. Language is simply a skill that helps us but it isn't everything. I learned a lot from my side as well. Sister Sheley is very good at being personal with people and not rushing through things. It is nearly impossible to feel the Spirit's promptings when I am rushed and hurrying. So it was new to me to walk slower, and relax more as we taught the gospel. It was nice. But as Sister Bown said so perfectly last night: "The key to not being rushed is to be on time. And to be on time you have to plan well. And to plan well, both companions have to be on the same page." So true. Sister Sheley really focuses on how the investigator is feeling and how the Spirit is guiding our plans and lessons. It was fun to work with her yesterday. We ended the split with a spaghetti/salad dinner and watched some of the new bible videos with elder sheley and sister sheley as we ate. So fun.

 

Our Christ-like attribute for this week is: Virtue. Sister Bown and I discussed this morning how controlling one's thoughts is probably one of the hardest things to do. It is crucial to becoming like Christ. Changing our thoughts and intents of our hearts to become more like His is a central purpose of our lives on earth. If we can master that, then our words, actions, and everything else will be more in tune with Him. The thing I learned from the scriptures this week really connects with this. I really love Mosiah 5 (and 4 as well) because we learn about the "change of heart" or the true conversion to Christ and his gospel. I love the way King Benjamin's people describe the joy and peace of conscience they have from the Atonement. Everyone needs that relief, whether they realize it or not. We all need peace and the only way to have lasting peace and happiness is to know and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Thank you for all you do and for who you are. I hope you have a great week!

 

Sister Bezdjian