John is progressing so well! He received the Aaronic priesthood on Sunday and is going to pass the sacrament next week. He peeked in the ward after us and saw his cousin in the chior. He also ran into his nephew in another ward as well. Come to find out, John does have some family in the church!
Jean has been super duper sick. She has terrible allergies first of all, so her eyes are all swollen and she can't read the Book of Mormon. Her computer also broke so she couldn't listen to the Book of Mormon. But don't worry! We printed out a couple chapters for her in large print so she could read them even with her swollen eyes. She told us that she has already read them twice! So we stopped by one day to give her some more chapters to read and since she is super hard of hearing she doesn't hear when we knock on the door, ring the doorbell, or even sometimes call her. So we went to go stick the papers in the door and we noticed a huge spider sack at the top of her door. Sister Buchmiller told me to poke it with a stick. She got me a long stick and just as I was going to poke it, Jean opens the door! I scared her so bad she jumped so high! I felt pretty bad. She just opens the door to see if she dropped her credit card when she was coming in earlier in the day, and finds me standing there holding up a stick. haha It was pretty funny. At least we got in contact with Jean!
We taught Jerry the Word of Wisdom on Saturday. I was really curious to see how this was going to go because Jerry drinks a lot. After we had taught him the blessings and the reasons why we keep the Word of Wisdom, he said that he would keep it! The only reason he drinks is to be able to fall asleep. He has a night job which makes him not be able to sleep so he uses beer to knock him out. He said that he is going to find a new job so he can get his life back together the way it should.
Terri texted us the other week telling us that she just wasn't ready to meet with us yet. We texted her back and told her that our message was filled with love and joy and to just give us one chance to meet with her and she won't regret it. She said that we could come over on Wednesday. So we met with her and she had so many great questions! She isn't sure if God is really there, but wants to know and is willing to study it out. We shared experiences of times when we have doubted and how we got through and how God answers our prayers and sometimes we need to walk in faith until we can know more. We read Alma 32:21,22 and she said, "Oh that is exactly what I needed to hear, is that in the Book of Mormon?" we said yes and she said that made her really want to read the Book of Mormon. She is going to wake up early each morning and read. It was such a powerful lesson. Walking into it, I had studied the Jesus Christ and His Atonement and how that is how God has shown His love for us, but I really had no idea what we were going to say. It was completely led by the Spirit and we are going to meet with her again next week!
One night we decided to go see Sister Roberts, a super nice lady in the ward. As we were driving to her house, we see her walking down the street. We stop and go to talk to her, she was just going on a walk to strengthen her knee after surgery. She needs it to be strong because she is planning on going on a mission soon. (She is in her 60's and her husband died a few years ago). To practice for her mission she tracted her neighborhood and gave them all Book of Mormons! WHAT A BOLD MEMBER MISSIONARY. That is what I'm talking about! haha Anyway, she told us that one of her neighbors was really interested and wanted to meet with the missionaries. We wen't to go see them right then! We walked to their house and they let us all right in and we had a great discussion on the restoration! It was a huge miracle to end the night.
Every Wednesday and Saturday we go do service at Loaves and Fishes food bank. We get people a cart and take them around helping them get the food they need. One lady told me that she was a member for 17 years and then found out "the truth". She told me that if I really read the Bible I would find out that the church isn't true. I pretty much told her that nothing she says would be able to make me think the church wasn't true. It made me really sad to talk to this lady. This shows the importance of doing the little things each day. Reading the Book of Mormon, praying, partaking of the sacrament each week, going to the temple as often as you can etc. It also taught me that you can be in the church but not be converted. It is so important that we are active in the gospel, not just active in the church. Going to church meetings isn't enough! We need to always be repenting and serving others. The scriptures say that in the last days, even the elect will be deceived. But the prophet told us this last conference, "I maintain that a strong testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of His gospel will help see us through to safety. If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so... If you do not have a firm testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own testimony in these difficult times, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far. However, once obtained, a testimony needs to be kept vital and alive through continued obedience to the commandments of God and through daily prayer and scriptures study."
There truly is nothing that anyone can tell me to make me believe this church isn't true. There are too many things I have experienced, too many prayers answered, and too many miracles witnessed. Last Sunday we finished the meeting singing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" I ended the song with tears in my eyes and a powerful feeling of confirmation in my heart. I can truly say, I know that my Redeemer lives! Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives. What a comfort it is to truly know of our Savior Jesus Christ.
I love you all and hope you have a fabulous week!
-Sister Ruffner
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