Time Machine

July 06, 2020

Time Machine

Hey there backyard friends and country critters!

This week was full of miracles! Sister Hill got here on Monday. Her and I laugh our heads off together and sing at the top of our lungs all the time. I love her enthusiasm about teaching and it gets me so pumped! Sister MaGill is a brand new missionary from Arizona that we're both training. If you didn't know she only got here on Wednesday you would think she's been a missionary her whole life! She is such a natural and super super smart! Sister Hill and I have no idea how to train someone who already knows everything lol.

On Sister MaGill's first day here we put two people on date to be baptized! It was so cool! As we were planning for Chris's lesson I felt like we should read 3Ne 11 with him and see how he's been feeling about baptism. We weren't able to meet with him for almost a month since we invited him to pray about it.

At the beginning he said he felt a lot better about it! I asked him what made the difference and he said that a huge part of it was the love he felt from our ministry. I painted him a cute picture and we heart attacked his door to welcome him home from his trip. He said that it really touched him. Our efforts to get to know him better and show him how much we care about him made such a big difference. He was so much more engaged in our lessons and we could see the wheels turning as we read 3 Ne 11.

We pointed out how the first thing Jesus did was give Nephi the authority to baptize. I had him read verse 33 to explain WHY we should be baptized. As soon as he read how baptism is the way to inherit the kingdom of God he slammed the table with his hands and said "BAM! That's it! You guys baptize on Saturdays right?" We said, "uuhh yeah." Then he said, "Next Saturday I'm going to be baptized!" I was so shook! All I could say was WHAT?! We still had a ton to teach him so we had to ask if we could have the baptism in two Saturdays instead. He was good with it!

I can see his whole demeanor changing. When we taught him the word of wisdom he had no problems with it. He said he drinks coffee and tea but it wouldn't be a problem and he could do without. I love that guy! I'm super lucky to have been able to stay in Northville to see him through his whole journey! I've been teaching him since May! The other cool thing is that I've never seen him in person until this week!

After our lesson we walked to Subway for dinner and Chris pulled up in his car and asked us where we were going. Apparently he was going to the same place! We met him at subway and he bought our dinner! That was the best day of my life!! I don't know if I already wrote about this or not, but a few weeks ago we found out that Chris lives in our same apartment complex! I had no idea because we've only ever taught him online. That was so crazy!!

I guess you could say life is good over here in Northville. I've been living off of mac n cheese and pop tarts for the last two weeks, but I'm not complaining. It's fantastic! Being an STL has been really fun so far. We have so many calls to make at night, but I like talking with all the other missionaries and sharing ideas.

Spiritual thought:

After many days preaching to the Nephites, Nephi returns to the land of Zarahemla. He is pretty upset because not one single soul listened to what he had to say. So in these verses he talks about how he wishes he could have lived in a different time period where people would listen:

Helaman 7:7-9

"Oh, that I could have had my days in the days when my father Nephi first came out of the land of Jerusalem, that I could have joyed with him in the promised land; then were his people easy to be entreated, firm to keep the commandments of God, and slow to be led to do iniquity; and they were quick to hearken unto the words of the Lord—

Yea, if my days could have been in those days, then would my soul have had joy in the righteousness of my brethren.

But behold, I am consigned that these are my days, and that my soul shall be filled with sorrow because of this the wickedness of my brethren."

Like Nephi in these verses, I have wished I could go back to better days. I wish I could go back in time and redo certain parts of my life. I often times wonder what it would have been like to be born during the 1800's and have crossed the plains with the pioneers.

We humans tend to think that the grass is greener on the other side! However, I know that we were sent here to earth during this last dispensation for a reason: because of who we were before we came here! When we lived with God as His spirit children we each had our own talents and abilities. He chose to send us here now because we had what it takes to get through the challenges of these days -- coronavirus being one of them! He knew we would be able to do the most good with what we've been given during this dispensation.

When I begin to think about what life use to be like, or could have been like had I gone back in time, or been born during a different time period, I like to remember that I'm here NOW because of who I was, who I am, and who God wants me to become. I know he has a plan for each of us. His ways are always higher than our ways. I am grateful for the tools he has given us to walk by faith rather than by sight. As we look forward to Christ, our past and our present challenges will seem but a small moment. I love this gospel and I am so grateful to put Christ's name over my heart every day!

Love,

Sister Butler