What changes your heart is the Savior 11-3-2015

It's so crazy to me that this transfer is almost done. A week from tomorrow I'll have a new companion. It's going to be so weird. I feel like I say this every transfer, but Sister Linares is the best. I don't think I've ever laughed so much with a companion but at the same time worked so hard, learned so much and had so many miracles! 

On Wednesday we had this speaker come talk to our whole mission. He of course, talked about the Book of Mormon since this is our "Keystone Transfer." He talked about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and the effect it has in our conversion to Christ. 

He told us this story about 2 men in his ward in California. One of them had been going to church for over 20 years but hadn't been baptized. All his kids were members and his wife was the Relief Society president and he thought the church was a good thing for his family, but he just never really felt like it was something he wanted for himself.

 So, the guy who came and spoke to us (I can't remember his name..) said that he asked this man if he had ever read the Book of Mormon cover to cover. The man said no. So the guy who came and spoke to us asked if could start reading the Book of Mormon with him.  Twice a week they would meet together and just read. If the man had questions the guy would help him find answers and they would talk about how the stories related in their lives and how they could draw strength from the faith these ancient prophets had in the Savior. 

 Long story short, by the time they reached Alma, this man got baptized. The same thing happened with another man in their ward. He had been going to church for over 10  years and never wanted to be baptized. But, someone started reading with him and by the time he reached Alma, he received an undeniable testimony from the spirit that this book was the word of God and decided to be baptized. 

 It just helped me realize that without the Book of Mormon, the church is a nice place to feel the spirit and come closer to God, but what changes your heart is the Savior and his message contained in the Book of Mormon. 

There was a verse that stood out to me a lot as I was studying the scriptures this week. It's in Alma 5 which as you know, is the chapter where Alma is calling everyone to repentance and asks so many soul searching questions. Some of the people in this part of the Book of Mormon are following God but most have kind of gone off the path a little bit and are starting to really question that Christ will come and that he will save each one of us. Alma asks them this question in verse 26:

I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now? 

I LOVE his question, can ye feel so now? You know those moments when there is not a doubt in your mind that Christ lives and that this is his church? You just want to share the light and the peace that you feel with everyone and in doing so, your heart changes. 

 Then you have those moments of just moving forward because you have to. At least I do. haha. 

  This verse was such a good reminder to me and made me reflect so much on whether or not each day I feel the same way about my Savior as I did the first time I knew he was there and that God really did hear my prayers.

I love being a missionary. I'm grateful for all the ups and downs and disappointments and successes. We went to the temple on Saturday night as a mission because the Square was closed for Halloween. 

 As I was listening in the temple, I realized how blessed I am to have trials. It's a gift from God because it's through our trials that we come to know Christ and feel his strength, support, love and enabling power. I looked up the definition of conversion (because I have to give a talk in church in 2 weeks) and it says this, "complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing." 

 This week I've just been thinking a lot about why trials and difficult times help us become more converted to Christ. I don't exactly understand how it works, but I know that when trials are thrown at you, as you turn towards towards Christ and give it all over to him, you can get through anything. 

Love you so much! Have the best week.  

Sister Helton