Week 65!!!

Hi everyone !

This last couple of weeks have been a ROLLER COASTER, wow. 

I got transferred to white wash/ STL Bloomington 2nd Ward. It's been so fun! So much has happened, but I'll dumb it down to a couple of experiences. 

We were tracting around trying to find a former in a little apartment complex. The first door we knocked was a cute Muslim family. Another one was a ornery old man that had a strobe light for a door light (blind).... We were considering going to the next complex when the spirit nudged to knock on a door... We went back and knocked and met Wes and Robyn. I don't remember what we said but They let us in and were very friendly. Wes asked us a few questions about our missions and then they told us their stories and how they came together. He was a drug addict, crazy guy, she was a body building waitress lady who met because they were going through counseling because of bad relationships. His dad was a pastor, her family was not at all religious and they found God through other people they came in contact with. Many miracles have happened in their life and they give all the credit to God. They mentioned a few times a foundation so to bring it into our purpose we introduced Helaman 5:12 and talked about the Book of Mormon. After a few minutes teaching he asked a question that I have PTSD over and I knew exactly what religion he was. " So just out of curiosity what is "the gospel" to you? " ...... Haaaa.. *flashback* over a year ago I was asked the same question by a man who warmly welcomed us into his home to "talk" and turned out to be a Born Again Christian Pastor who screamed at us, explaining that we were perverts of the gospel. *back to 2018* Wes and Robyn were politely listening but asking questions that were putting up walls. We taught the Restoration, and bore our testimonies of the Book of Mormon. Wes then looked at me and said "YOU feel like you have gotten your answer... I feel that you should reconsider where you got your answer from." I respectfully looked him in the eyes and said "when I stand before God to be judged I will look Him in the eyes and share with him the same testimony I shared with you. I know it's true." (That's the best I can remember of it... I can't recall exact words.) I was SHAKING. We explained that they would never know if this was true unless they tried. Asked if they would be willing to read a chapter and pray about it. Very skeptical. 

Our time was up with them and we had to be home for curfew, we asked if we could end with a prayer and Wes said "I'd have to ask you to not do that, but could we pray for you?" ........ ssuurrreeee! In his prayer he said that he knows there are no coincidences and that we crossed paths for a reason and if there be any error to our message that it be revealed and that our minds will open and be enlightened to know who God is. When the prayer was over we asked if we could leave them 3 Nephi 11 and Robyn said "you can leave it..." We asked if there was a day we could come and follow up to see if they had any questions. Wes had to think about it and eventually said "I'll give you my number and you can text me and see if that's something we would be okay with." The next morning we got a text from Robyn saying that they enjoyed talking with us the night before and that they wanted us over for dinner on Wednesday to talk more. 

This lesson was a really neat experience. It hurt really bad, I was very scared, but it turned out to be something pivotal to me in my life. I know that when I'm under stress or when someone lays me in a George Foreman and turns the heat up that I can stand my ground. That I truly do KNOW that this is true no matter what anyone says. It's really scary to put something so dear to you as your testimony out there for others to do what they want with it. It never feels good but it grows it faster and stronger than anything else could. 

I know that My Savior LIVES. I know that Christ appeared to the people in the Americas and taught them there because he loves ALL of us. I Know that Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father appeared to the boy Joseph Smith and that he is in fact a prophet. From Joseph Smith's experience, we find out that not only does God answer our prayers, but he KNOWS US. When They appeared to Joseph he said "JOSEPH. this is my beloved son, hear him!" He knows you and he knows me. He knows that My name is Baylee and that those who love me call me Bays. He knows my worries and concerns. He knows the things that I love, the things that are hard for me. The things that I desire and hope for, and my weaknesses. I know that if he can answer Joseph Smith's prayer, he can answer mine. The beginning of my own conversion really hit hard when I asked out of fear in the MTC. He answered my prayer then. He has answered multiple times throughout my mission. My testimony stands by Joseph Smith's in JSH.

24 However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise.

25 So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages, and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation.

26 I had now got my mind satisfied so far as the sectarian world was concerned—that it was not my duty to join with any of them, but to continue as I was until further directed. I had found the testimony of James to be true—that a man who lacked wisdom might ask of God, and obtain, and not be upbraided.

So that's that! Am I nervous to go back to Wes and Robyn's? (Terrified!) But like Alicia Keys says "everything's gonna be alllll Riiggghhhhttttt no one, no one, nooo one can get in the way of what I'm fffeeeeelliinnn."

I love you all. Thanks for being the bestest ever. 

Love, Bays