Boldly Testifying of Christ

So let me tell you about my week. Well I’m not going to really tell you about my week, but the things that I have learned!

So approaching the end of my mission I thought certain things would be easier. I mean I’ve been doing all of this for so long. Sister Petherbridge and I are reunited at the peak of our missions and we thought everything would just be perfect! The plan is to teach people the gospel and change lives and hope to kind of glide through it. Well that’s not exactly what has happened.

This week was an interesting one. Interesting because I am so happy! Really though Sister Petherbridge and I have so much fun and we just love everything we do First, because we are doing it together and Second, because this is our mission you know?!

I have a greater appreciation for all of it now! But this week we had some really rough "contacts" czyli conversations with people mainly on the streets and stuff. What’s interesting is normally, to be honest, not everyone jumps for joy at the news of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ! Even though I feel like they should. This week there were a ton of people who were mean and hurtful and it made it rough. Most people here belong to another faith and some like to tell us that we are wasting our time because we are in a catholic country, and they just can get very rude about it sometimes. Interestingly enough it’s been DAYS of these people.

On Saturday I stopped a young man who turned out to be from America! He was super nice. We talked for a while and then Elder Caskey came over and we started talking about what we believe and it was really cool. Then after talking for about 40 minutes he turned on us a bit. It doesn’t matter what he was saying but Elder Caskey and I felt the need to defend our faith. The world can take such beautiful things and try to change it and really bring it down. Honestly it hurt me. Here was this nice guy our age that we talked to and opened up to so much and he just turned and starting saying horrible things about the church and our beliefs. Maybe he didn’t realize how hurtful it was BUT don’t worry this is where it gets good. Through it all it was amazing to stand next to my friend and fellow missionary and testify with love and boldness that we knew with our whole hearts that this gospel is true. I don’t need proof that the Book of Mormon is true or that Joseph Smith was a prophet because I know with my whole heart that it is true. The spirit I feel when I read the Book of Mormon, testify of its truthfulness and it’s restoration is proof enough for me. I know without a doubt that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true and I'm grateful for it everyday. I am also grateful for the wonderful opportunity I have everyday to share the knowledge that I have with the people here REGARDLESS of how they accept the message. Sometimes it can really get us down here as missionaries. We just want so bad for people to find the truth like we have and experience the happiness that we enjoy. It hurts when they don't want to listen and even more when they are mean to us. But when President Uchtdorf visited Poland he said, " Poland is not lost". Sometimes we have to just remember that. There is hope here and in the world. If Poland is not lost then we can't give up because there ARE people here who will accept the truthfulness of the gospel. I know that they are being prepared.

Siostra Pearson