Abinadi vs. Alma

With Sister Barraza at the temple

September 22, 2014

Hello family!!

This week was so so great.  I was so grateful for the experience to go to the temple and renew my covenants.  It was a very spiritual experience!!  I received an answer as well about when I will be coming home...if you remember I was fasting and praying to receive an answer and when we got to the temple, one of the assistants told me missionaries can’t extend anymore, so there was my answer!! I feel scared and sad about leaving my mission, but I know it’s necessary for me to progress and continue with other things in life.  Needless to say, I will do everything in my power to make every day of these last three weeks count!!

This week we had lots of miracles and cool spiritual experiences, but pretty much every good thing happened because of the members in our ward.  I wanted to bear a little testimony about the power of members in missionary work!

Think about Alma and Abinadi.  Abinadi was a fantastic missionary, but only one person converted from the things he preached.  However, we read in Mosiah 18 about all of the people who were converted from the things Alma preached.  I firmly believe that one of the differences between Alma and Abinadi was Alma knew the people he taught.  He had relationships with them, and they could trust him.  Abinadi was a stranger...in fact he had to enter in the city in disguise.  People are more likely to respond to the gospel when they hear the message from a source they trust.  

In every ward I have served, there has always been a huge example of a dedicated member who absolutely LOVES missionary work and will do ANYTHING to help the missionaries.  At MSU it was Lara Ellsworth, in Williamston it was the Ruggieri family and the Chaffin family, in Cidade Vargas it was Claudio and Eneida, and here in Utinga, I am learning lots from a wonderful member named Debora.  I am grateful because these examples have taught me who I want to be...no, who I NEED to be when I am a member missionary in the future.  Missionary work truly changes when members get involved.

We got a referral from a member this week named Marta who is progressing lots and loving the gospel.  We also brought members with us to teach our investigator Ronaldo this week and they brought such a power and spirit into the lesson.  We, and the members, are excited about the work that is happening and I am so grateful!!

I’ll get off my soapbox in a second, but I want to invite you all to go out with the missionaries and do things to help further the work of the Lord.  You will feel more joy than you have ever felt before!

LOVE YOU ALL!! Have a great week!!

Sister Dixon