Defending Your Faith

Hello Everyone!

It's been a good week here in the Haute! We had some cooler weather and a nice little break before it started getting really humid! So I was happy about that! This week we had some really interesting and fun things happen, I'll start with the interesting! 

So on Saturday night we met with an inactive that we have been meeting with since I first got to Terre Haute. She doesn't come to our church anymore because she has had many bad experiences with some ward members and she decided to go back to the church she grew up in. But she is still on our records. We have been doing service for her and spending time with her for about 6 months now. for some reason she decided to let the sisters in back in January. So on Saturday we were over there and had just finished eating our dinner and somehow she got on the topic of the church, she then proceeded to tell us all of the bad experiences. We were put in a situation where someone we loved was attacking our faith and was therefore attacking us. We sat there, both wanting to get up and leave but something kept me held down on that couch. I could not get up and I did not know what to say...so there we sat. Listening to her say how much she hated Mormons and Mormonism. Then right after she said that, she burst into tears. She kept apologizing over and over again. For a while we sat there watching her and then I was up and walking towards her. We sat by her for a while and tried to comfort her and then Sister Faleono opened her mouth and allowed the spirit to work through her. We were bold and told her that we are representatives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and as such we will talk about the church. For the first time in 6 months, we were able to have a real talk about the church and how it will help her. We talked about forgiving like the Savior did and all realized that she needed to tell us all those negative things because she has been holding onto them for years and hasn't moved passed them. I am not gonna lie, when we left her house....I was ticked! I was so mad and upset and felt like I did not do all that I could have to defend my faith. My face got all red and stayed all red and hot for about an hour after. As we (Sis Faleono and I) talked later that night, she helped me realize that I was did defend my faith. In that moment, we acted like Christ would have. We loved those who were trying to tare us down. We listened with love and comforted even though it was hard to do. In that moment, we did more for her than we would have done if we would have vocally stood up for what we believe. Instead of using words, we used our actions and were able to have positive results. I learned a lot that night and am grateful that this experience only strengthened my belief and my testimony that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. 

This week we also helped a member's sister move. That was a fun experience and we were able to spend time with so many great ward members and help a non member feel the love. I have mentioned before how great service is a missionary and I am so glad when we have opportunities to serve others. There is something so great about helping someone and doing a good deed. It brings joy and happiness to someone else as well as to our Heavenly Father. 

I hope you all have a great week! Keep being awesome and know that there is a missionary in Indiana who loves you all very much! 

love, 

Sister Abbie London

1. My angry face on Saturday night...

2. All of us after packing up the moving truck! 

3. definitely not in Sandy anymore...