I am grateful God has a plan and we aren't alone 3-25-2015

This week has been full of learning! We have had ups of finding so many new, prepared people, and also downs of cancelled baptism dates. It's amazing how Heavenly Father has a plan for everything and whenever something doesn't work out, he gives you opportunities that help you feel his love. I love missionary work! 

  Friday was one of the best days ever. We were at Welfare Square and it was a pretty slow day compared to the previous weeks.  

  We were starting a tour and 3 people joined in after we'd already started so we didn't really get to chat with them that much. At the end of the tour the guests are allowed to eat the bread, cheese, honey, chocolate milk, jam, butter, peanut butter, etc., that is made there. It's sometimes a struggle to invite people to keep in touch with us because we were just explaining how the cheese is made! haha It just doesn't really flow with the tour. 

  But anyways, Sister Kemple and I just explained that if anyone has further questions, they can come onto mormon.org chat and we would love to answer their questions. 

  The lady who had joined the tour late started asking tons of questions and told us she has some really good friends who are members. She ended up giving us her number and asked if we could teach her which NEVER happens. I shouldn't say never, but it's so rare. Sister Kemple and I were feeling so sad about our investigator who cancelled his baptism date and Heavenly Father gave us a miracle! I love him so much.

  Something that I've really been working to understand is Blacks and the Priesthood. We get soooo many questions regarding this topic on Temple Square and I've tried to research it, but I haven't found that much info. as to why it was implemented or why it was discontinued. 

  I decided last night to just ask my roommate, who is from Ghana, to tell me her take on the issue. She had some amazing insights, I just thought I'd share them. 

  She used the comparison of how God commanded that the gospel should only be preached to the Jews. Why did he exclude the Gentiles for a period of time? Why was England the first place out of the US that LDS missionaries were sent to in the early days of the church? 

  She said: God's ways are not our ways. God's timing is different than our timing. God works in mysterious ways that we don't necessarily understand, but I know he has a plan for our lives and for his gospel to reach all nations. 

  I sometimes wish I could just see the big picture of life/after this life/why certain things go wrong or go right, but the conclusion I've drawn is that I just need to have faith and trust in Him. 

 I am so grateful to know that God does have a plan and that we're not alone in what we're going through. 

  We were talking with a man this week about his struggles with Christianity and he said what he struggles with the most is that we give humanistic characteristics to God. He said he doesn't understand why we refer to him as Father. 

 Sister Kemple and I were talking to one of our friends about his question and why we know that God is the greatest of all, to be all-loving, and the Father of our spirits. Our friend asked if we have a mother (or father if we happened to be a guy). She asked if we look like our mother. We said no because obviously we don't...yet. 

  She used this analogy of us being a child to our mother to explain that it's the most beautiful thing that God allows us to refer to him as the Father of our spirits so we can recognize the divinity within ourselves. Of course, we will never BE our father or our mother, but one day, we can possess all that they possess and love as perfectly as they love. 

  Sorry this email was all over the place but my thoughts are just kind of like that today! Love you all!

Sister Helton

P.S. "Because He Lives" comes out on March 28th!!! All of you watch it :) So short, so powerful.

 #becausehelives

(On mormon.org it explains: Jesus Christ lived. He walked the Holy Land, working miracles and teaching truth. Then, He was crucified. But His death was not the end. Because of His resurrection, we will live again. Because of his sacrifice, we can rise above sin to experience true joy. Join us as we share the good news with the world. Starting on March 28, we'll be introducing a special series of messages centered on the power of the living Christ. 

You can sign up for updates on mormon.org

You can also watch sessions of LDS General Conference (April 4 and 5) on lds.org or on the LDS General Conference You Tube Channel or go LIVE to an LDS chapel. Times are at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. There's also a general all-women's session March 28 at 5 p.m. You will love it!