Dear Family & Friends,
My 12 weeks of training are over so I am officially not a new missionary anymore! Sister Cleverly and I will be staying here in the Northridge Ward this transfer. And I hit my 4-month mark on Saturday. It's so weird to think I've been out for that long, though I still feel like I have no idea what I'm doing. Thank goodness I'm not in this work alone. I can't tell you how many times I've had to pray and say "Ok Heavenly Father, I have no idea what is going to happen today, but we need your help!" I know He is always helping us, day in and day out, and I have really felt that this week.When we don't have many appointments with investigators, we have been teaching practice lessons to members and less-actives. It helps our teaching skills, especially being a new companionship, and it doesn't hurt anyone to brush up on the basics of the gospel! Remember that family with the pet hog? We practiced teaching them the Plan of Salvation the other day and guess what...the pig had piglets! And yes, they are all living in the house. What a lovely aroma. I wish I had a picture!
The craziest lesson we had was with a lady named Dori who likes to be called "Sister H" so she can be like us. Dori has met with missionaries before and is very familiar with Mormons. This time she had a friend over, who also knew a lot about what we believed. We barely spoke two sentences about prophets before the Bible bashing came out. Dori's friend went off about the Godhead, the Levitical Priesthood, the Joseph Smith papers, and all this other random stuff. She wouldn't let us even respond without bringing up something else. I was getting so flustered and all I wanted to do was get out of there! We tried to regain control and end with the First Vision but that didn't accomplish anything. Then she started calling Joseph Smith a liar and the next thing I remember was sharing my testimony with all the strength and conviction I could about how I KNOW that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, that he was called by God to bring back His original church. I don't worship Joseph Smith but I revere him as a prophet of God and I worship my Savior Jesus Christ.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what facts you are trying to prove, because I have prayed about it and I know I can't deny what I feel from the Spirit! I honestly don't remember what else I said, but I was bearing my testimony straight from my heart, and tears poured down my face as I told her what I knew to be true. And that was something no information from her "research" could take away from me. Who knows what that lesson accomplished, and maybe it didn't accomplish anything. But I left them with my testimony and my companion was able to offer another witness. That experience made me realize that each time I share what I know, what I truly believe and have come to find out for myself, that my testimony only grows stronger.
At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what facts you are trying to prove, because I have prayed about it and I know I can't deny what I feel from the Spirit! I honestly don't remember what else I said, but I was bearing my testimony straight from my heart, and tears poured down my face as I told her what I knew to be true. And that was something no information from her "research" could take away from me. Who knows what that lesson accomplished, and maybe it didn't accomplish anything. But I left them with my testimony and my companion was able to offer another witness. That experience made me realize that each time I share what I know, what I truly believe and have come to find out for myself, that my testimony only grows stronger.
We got to visit two ladies in the hospital this week. One of them was a sweet lady named Tammy who was so touched by our visit. She was having trouble breathing and couldn't walk. All she wanted to do was get out of her hospital room so we took her in a wheelchair to the gift shop downstairs. She thanked us for being her "light" that day. We saw her the next day at the Family Festival Open House our church put on, and miraculously she was walking around just fine! She looked like a completely different person. It made me feel good to be able to share God's love with her and to see it take action. I am so glad we have the hospital in our area, for the experiences I have had there ministering to Heavenly Father's precious children. I believe there are angels all around those patients there.
"When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren" (Luke 22:32)
The longer I have been out on my mission, the more I realized that these experiences I have each day are really just converting me! I am seeing the gospel in action. I am watching how the Spirit affects people, whether it be in the hospital, a family we visit for dinner, or to a random person we talk to on the street. I know this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ and He is at the head of it! I know that through Joseph Smith, this church has been restored back to the Earth and we are so blessed to have the fulness of the gospel. I know with every fiber of my being that the Book of Mormon is true. It is my source of peace and comfort in time of stress and discouragement. It is through Christ's miraculous Atonement and sacrifice for us, for you and I individually, that our hearts can change and we can become more like Him. The more I come to know this, the more I want to share it with people, the more I want to strengthen others, the more I want to be a valiant servant of the Lord.
I love you all!
Love,
Sister Jorgensen
Love,
Sister Jorgensen
P.S. More info about Sister Cleverly: She is the oldest of 3 brothers, did 2 years at BYU, and loves to bake like me! She is really fun to be around and is very good at remembering people and places. She has a sincere love for the people and she is a great example of charity! I know she is here in Northridge with me for a reason. The people here need her. Oh and she doesn't really like to run but I am converting her :)
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