BEN'S BAPTISM!!!!

October 22, 2018

BEN'S BAPTISM!!!!

Hello Hello wonderful people!!!

This week has been SO good!!! So many incredible things have happened and we have seen so many miracles every day!! I just can't stop smiling!!! ❤

BENS BAPTISM!!!

Ben got baptized on Saturday!!!! It was such an amazing experience to watch someone that I have grown to love so much follow the example of the Savior and be baptized!! The spirit was so strong and it was a wonderful program! Sister Cunningham and I gave a talk on baptism and a member in our ward gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. My favorite part of the baptism is when Ben came up out of the water and you could just feel the spirit fill the whole room! It's a feeling I can't even describe! While Ben was getting changed Brother Roller surprised us and told us that we were going to sing for everyone and teach the restoration. I can't say the singing was that great but I loved teaching the restoration. He also had Brother Salters (A recent convert in our ward) come up and bear his testimony, it was so powerful!! Ben bore his testimony at the end of the program and it was such a sweet, sincere testimony. He talked about all the people that have helped him get to this point throughout the three years he has been investigating the church. He talked about how excited he is to get sealed to his family and how that was one of the major reasons he wanted to get baptized. He got confirmed yesterday during sacrament meeting and welcomed as the newest member of the Aquia ward!! I'm so glad I got to be part of his journey towards baptism, he is going to be such a strong member of the church!! AND a bonus to this day was that Klarke and Samantha came to the baptism!!! They said they really enjoyed it and felt the spirit!! They are getting so close to baptism!!!

COKE BRINGS MIRACLES?!

So on Friday, we went to a relief society activity and a lady in our ward needed us to run to the gas station and get her a coke because she had been up since 2 a.m. haha. So we went to this sketchy gas station. Which we would have NEVER gone to if it wasn't for the huge wall of traffic outside of 7 -11. So we went in and as we were paying the lady told us there was a drink carrier over on top of the machine so Sister Cunningham went over to grab one while I paid for our drinks. And one of the workers followed Sister Cunningham over there and asked her if she was from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! Then saw her name-tag. Long story short he asked where the nearest church was, and about the Book of Mormon. He saw us the other day in his neighborhood but didn't want to approach us, but then we walked in and he felt in his heart that he needed to come to talk to us! We asked if he had a Book of Mormon and he said no.... ☹ so you already know we jumped on that and gave him one with our card. We told him our number was on the card and he told us he will be giving us a call! We would have never ran into that guy if the lady in our ward didn't want us to get her a drink and if there wasn't terrible traffic!! So many things had to happen for that miracle to happen!!!

EXCHANGES / BLITZ

This week we had exchanges and a blitz! And I got to be with Sister Gimmeson for both!! I just love her!! She is such a great missionary and gives the BEST advice for literally anything!! I learned so much from her and had lots of fun!! We met some super cool people, passed out some Books of Mormon, worked on asking for referrals from everyone and leaving each person with a quick truth of the gospel. Sister Gimmeson is the greatest!! ❤

KLARKE AND SAMANTHA

This week Klarke and Samantha came to Ben's baptism, came to church on Sunday and we had a great lesson with them yesterday. Last night after dinner we were supposed to have a lesson with a man named Horacio but that fell through so we went to Klarke and Samantha's. We brought sister Pender with us and that was the best decision ever!! She bore the most POWERFUL testimony about how the gospel has blessed her life and specifically the knowledge that her family is hers forever. She talked about the blessings of the temple and how the gospel has blessed her life during hard times. She was in tears and so was Samantha. The spirit was so so so strong and that was exactly what Klarke and Samantha needed. They are getting so close to baptism and their testimony is growing more each day. We continue to see miracles with them each week which just shows how truly prepared they are! Wow I just love them!!!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT

"When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast a devil out as they had just witnessed the Savior do, Jesus answered, “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove” (Matthew 17:20). I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed." (Richard C. Edgley). FAITH is so powerful!!! This week I've been starting everyday expecting to see miracles, expecting to find people to teach and expecting to see "mountains moved". And I have seen all of those things! It's incredible what just a little bit of faith can do, it can truly make all the difference. I challenge each of you to really increase your faith this week. You can overcome anything that you might be going through right now. The Savior is always there to help you, just exercise a little faith and you will see miracles!!

Thanks for all the Love and support!! I love you all lots and lots!! And don't forget I love to get mail haha!! The address is: 100 Wild Oak Lane #203 Stafford, VA 22554

Have a great week!!!!

❤Sister Stringham❤