I'm learning so much right now about how to be a more effective missionary. I am constantly amazed by how inspired PMG is. Before my mission I would read it and not gain much from it. Now as a missionary I read it and inspiration constantly comes about how I can more effectively teach and help people come unto Christ. I love accounting weekly to the mission president about the inspiration we've received for our area and the people we're teaching- I especially love when I can say we've followed through with that inspiration. It helps it seem so real, and it's helping me realize how much the Lord is guiding us as we teach and conduct our days. I didn't understand how to account to the Lord or my mission president for a long time. I just felt like I was listing off things I did throughout the day. Now I understand that I'm supposed to account for the inspiration I receive from the spirit. Then it really is me saying: This is what you've told me to do as I've labored in your vineyard. This is how I've done it. This is what I'm planning on doing next. What more should I do? The principle of accounting is so inspired and essential. I love accounting for my actions! :)
So here's an "accounting" of something that happened this week. I felt strongly a few weeks back that we needed to teach our investigator how to hear the spirit. She's been reading and praying and meeting with us, but she hasn't been able to "hear" the answer from the spirit that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and the Book of Mormon is the word of God. So we had a lesson in which we tried to teach her and help her recognize the spirit. It was a good lesson, but not entirely successful. Then this week, again the prompting came that we needed to teach her about the spirit, only this time it came to my companion. When my companion received the inspiration, things changed. We went to work together in learning how to follow through with the inspiration we received. We talked with our ward missionary about it, we studied PMG, we did practices, etc. After we had done our part and prepared to teach our investigator, we said a prayer and asked in faith, knowing we would receive because we had done our part, that she would be able to feel and recognize the spirit during our lesson.
We went into the lesson and struggled for a while. We were praying and trying so hard to say the right things, in order to help her understand the spirit. Finally after 45 minutes of reading from the Book of Mormon, teaching, testifying and talking together Sister Crystal said, "Sister Lewis, will you bear your testimony of Jesus Christ?" I said yes, and bore my testimony. Afterward Sister Crystal turned to our investigator and said, "How do you feel right now?" She described the feelings of the spirit, peaceful, calm, comforted, assured. We told her that was the spirit! She said, well I've felt that before, this is how I always feel when I learn about Jesus Christ. Then we told her that those same feelings would come to her as she learned about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and as she prayed to know if it was true. We asked her if she had noticed those same feelings as she prayed about the Book of Mormon? She said, "That's a great question. I haven't been looking for it. I'm going to do that."
It was a miracle lesson, and everything changed when my companion received the inspiration as well. I am so grateful for Sister Crystal. I learn so much from her every single day, and I am SO LUCKY to be her companion. It's so important to work together- we're a team! Afterwards we knelt down and thanked the Lord for helping us, and in my prayer that night I accounted for what we had done.
Being a missionary is awesome, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to be one! It's amazing to stand before people and tell them, we represent the Savior Jesus Christ, and we want to share with you His message about how you can come closer to him. How lucky to be a missionary in these last days, to represent our Savior. I love the Savior with all my heart. He is my greatest hero. I want to be just like him. To be able to represent him is a privilige I am unworthy for and something I will praise God for throughout the eternities.
I love you all!!
Sister Lewis
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