Good Things are Happening in Wilmington!

Dear Family:

Good things are happening in Wilmington. I have been converted to the country and never want to go back to the city. ha ha. I’ll include some pictures. It’s beautiful!

All of our investigators are doing wonderful! Judy made it to church yesterday. It was so good to have her there. The branch welcomed her right back. Shawn had to work but he said he’ll come to Sunday school when he’s not working.

Oh my goodness! I got the best letter from Mary Halpin this week. I reread her letter over and over again because it made me so happy! When we left Fairfield she had started the Book of Mormon and in her letter she told me she has made it all the way to Moroni! After she finishes it she plans on starting it from the beginning again because she “doesn’t want to miss anything.” She basically bore her testimony of how the Book of Mormon has impacted her life and how grateful she is for it. I should have brought it with me so I could tell you what she wrote. If I remember I’ll bring it next week.

I wish everyone would just trust us enough to open the Book of Mormon! It is a masterpiece- besides that fact that it has power to change lives! When we started meeting with Judy and Shawn again, we told Judy to start reading from the beginning of the Book of Mormon and it has been such a treat to watch the literal change in her countenance as she understands more and more what she’s reading. It is incredible!

Speaking of incredible things :) I had a small tender mercy yesterday. It’s kind of a long story but bear with me. I taught the lesson in Gospel Principles yesterday, it was on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I think that is one of my favorite topics ever! It really is. We talked mostly about how we increase our faith and how it has to be tested and tried for our conversion to be complete (see BD Conversion). Some of the stories and comments made expressed concerns and fears about acing in faith. So we talked about how that process can be hard and scary sometimes, but the key is that our faith is IN Jesus Christ. One of my favorite things of my mission is testifying of the Savior’s role in our lives- He is our only constant and that is why faith in Him is so important. Thanks to previous experiences I can testify of that: that no matter how hard, how lost, how lonely we feel, no matter how little control we may have, He is our constant companion.

So earlier that morning we had had a situation that left me feeling overwhelmed with how dark and evil this world can be. Have you ever felt that feeling? I just felt like giving up because this darkness was so overwhelming. So I went and sat in the bathroom for a few minutes (the only alone place you have on the mission…ha ha) and desperately prayed for the Spirit to come back. The tender mercy is that the Spirit did come back. And it was strong! I was gently reminded that having faith is sometimes a hard and scary process, but in the end it is the easier way. Satan has influence, but God has power. I know that’s true.

President Robbins sent this quote in his email and I love it! So I’m copying it for you.

President Ezra Taft Benson said:

We once knew well our Elder Brother and our Father in Heaven. We rejoiced at the prospects of earth life that could make it possible for us to have a fullness of joy. We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our Brother, the Lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one. Now we are here. Our memories are veiled. We are showing God and ourselves what we can do. Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar His face is to us.

I love, love, love that! Because I know it’s true! Anyway, sorry for the long-winded email. I love you and remember that no matter how hard it gets, have faith! He’ll always see you through.

Lots of love!

Sister Painter