June 24, 2013 -- The Pure Love of Christ

The longer I serve my mission the more I learn. And the more I learn that everything in missionary work (and in life in general) is truly centered on charity - on the pure love of Christ. Sometimes in life it's easy to get caught up in the mundane day-to-day tasks of whatever we are doing - either homework or housework or office work - that we forget the purpose behind it. Missionaries aren't exempt from this. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in making sure nobody passes you on the street without hearing your message, or in calling every single member in the branch until someone agrees to come on your lesson with you that we forget the big picture - the Savior and His love for all mankind. This is something I've been thinking about a lot recently, so I was absolutely delighted this past week when we had a zone conference focused almost entirely on charity and remembering the big picture of missionary work. This was honestly the best zone conference of my mission (I probably say that every time . . . but it's true this time!) and I'm incredibly grateful for the countless bits of revelation I received regarding my missionary work. I feel like I could spend the rest of my life being a missionary and still not quite scratch the surface of all there is to learn about this glorious work. But I am incredibly grateful for the time that I do have and for all that I get to learn during my short 18 months. I know that this truly is the work of the Lord. As we are filled with love for Him and for all our brothers and sisters, everything changes - our relationship with our work changes, our relationships with others change, and we are able to see the big picture of what we are doing. It has been very sweet to see the changes that have already come into our missionary service here in Simferopol as we've begun even more earnestly to seek the pure love of Christ.

We had some wonderful lessons with Vika this week. She shared with us some of her concerns about baptism, and we wondered a little bit if she had changed her mind. The question then somehow arose as to how I decided to come on a mission. I shared with her my story of praying and searching and fasting for a period of several months to know if God wanted me to serve a mission. I told her how one day, I was studying Preach my Gospel and the related scriptures on the apostasy. As I was reading somewhere in the New Testament, I suddenly had an incredible desire to share this with people - I knew with all my heart that there was an apostasy and a restoration, and I knew that I needed to tell people about it. She asked that at the next lesson we review with her the apostasy (which we had already covered two or three times), since she felt like it was important and still very new to her. So at the next lesson we drew a very artistic (thanks to Sister Esplin) diagram of the apostasy.

At the next lesson, she told us that explanation of the apostasy was a turning point for her, and that she now honestly believes that there was an apostasy and restoration. As she said that, I was filled with an incredible peace, as well as a bit of amazement that the way in which God had told me to come on a mission would, nearly two years later, bless the life of someone I love so dearly. We discussed with her the role of the Holy Ghost in testifying of truth, and shared with her different ways in which we feel the Holy Ghost. I will always remember the way her face lit up as we read Galations 5 and she realized that she has frequently been feeling the influence of the Holy Ghost. We then brought up again the question of baptism. I felt prompted to share with her something that had happened the day before in weekly planning. Sister Esplin and I had been counseling together about Vika and her needs. We were unsure whether to try to recommit her to the baptismal date she had originally accepted, or push it back a couple weeks. The two of us knelt in prayer and asked God what we needed to do. After a couple minutes of silence, I asked Sister Esplin what she thought. She replied that 27 July should be the date. I smiled and confirmed that that was what I felt as well. As we shared that story with Vika, a powerful spirit filled the room, and I know she felt our love and the love of our Heavenly Father. She excited agreed to be baptized on that day and promised that she was going to quit drinking tea, something that has been difficult for her to stop. I don't really know how to describe how it felt to be in that room - Vika's excitement was contagious, and we were all feeling the Spirit strongly. I am so grateful to a loving Heavenly Father who loves all of His children and wants nothing more than for us to return to Him. I am so grateful for His guidance.

We also had some wonderful lessons with Tanya this week! She is still planning on baptism on 6 July, and I pray that she will be able to begin living the Word of Wisdom by that date.  She loved the plan of salvation, and she was excited when we identified the Spirit for her. She also prayed with us for the first time, and I was so proud of her! That's always a scary thing for investigators to do, because missionaries seem like professionals and its intimidating to pray in front of them. It also made me really happy as we walked out of the church after one lesson and she saw a box containing copies of the Book of Mormon. She asked if she could take one, saying she needed to give it to her friend but didn't want to give her personal copy. Already doing missionary work. :) She absolutely loved church, saying it brought her back to the happiest period of her life and that it just felt so good. I was delighted with how friendly and welcoming the members were to her, especially the two fellowshippers that have been on lessons with her. She even asked if she could have a copy of the Gospel Principles manual, saying that if it was the textbook, she would need to read it in order to prepare ahead of time. I'm so grateful that the Spirit is working with her and that she is being receptive to His voice.

Lina in Sevastopol also loved church and when I was talking to her on the phone afterward she couldn't say enough about how much she had learned. Earlier in the week, she told me how she was telling all her co-workers about her "new faith," and it made me so happy that she already considers herself a part of this church. I'm praying that our schedule of travel to Sevastopol will allow her to get baptized soon, but we will probably have to push it to the first week in August. But she is wonderful and I'm very excited about her.

As we were leaving a lesson in the middle of the week, we began walking down the street we had planned. As I asked my companion which side of the street we needed to be on, I suddenly knew that it was important and that we were going to go down the south side. After talking with several people, we struck up a conversation with a young couple sitting on a wall. And that was quite possibly the best contacting experience I have had in my life. Katya shared with us how she has been looking for truth but can't find it because there are so many churches and they all claim to be the right one. We told her how there was a boy with a question very similar to hers by the name of Joseph Smith. As we discussed the Book of Mormon and the restoration, the Spirit came and the two of them were visibly moved. After we read Moroni's promise with them and Katya sat with the book in her hands, she said to her husband Zhyenya,

"What if this is it? You know how much I've talked with you about it. It would be foolish not to take the book now." 

My heart was leaped as she said those words and I just wanted to shout with all my might, "This is is! You have found it!" But I restrained myself slightly and bore her my solemn witness that this was what she was looking for. It was a sweet reminder to me that there are people here who are prepared for the gospel - people who have been searching long and hard for the truth that I bear. I'm so grateful we were able to find that couple and that God poured out His Spirit on us as we spoke with them. I'm excited to begin meeting with them and helping them see that this is indeed the truth that they have been seeking for so long. I know that this church is true. I know that Christ stands at her head and that we are led by revelation. I am so grateful to be able to share that glorious message with these people I love so dearly.

-Sister Nay