Love,
Rosalee
Tue, Apr 19, 2011 at 4:39 PM
I have definitely saved the best for last. In my letter home, please feel free to email some of the things included. I don't have a lot of time to explain, so I'm only including an AMAZING experience I had yesterday that has completely changed my life...I love you all and thank you all for the support!! The internet has been dumb so time is short. The language is coming, but this experience really does sum up everything for this week:
Monday April 18, 2011
In the TRC today I was blesswed with the experience to feel love for another person. It was an absolutely beautiful and overwhelming experience. With this sister I felt my Father's love for her, so full and so overwhelming that I literally burst into tears. I couldn't contain the reality and the beauty of the truth. Heavenly Father does love her and manifest throught that experience, I know it for myself too. her name was eliza (el leet sah) and she was from Firenze, from Florence. A ReAL sorella from italy. She knows one of our teachers and I don't know her story. After our experience, Fllo Bulloch said that he thought he understood her branch in florence was struggling and she came here to teh MTC for help. I'm telling you, Fllo Bulloch was insprired. At first we were with another sister and two other Anziani were with Eliza. As we were doing the 15 minute instructions I guessed these two Anzi were messing around and interrupting and being so rude to her and immature. Fllo Bulloch was pretty upset, so before we went back for the 30 minute lesson, Fllo Bulloch switched us. We walked into teh room, introduced ourselves and started right in. She started telling us that the boys, not missionaries, but boys were nice but she didn't really like them. Interesting. We asked her what her questions were. The experience was absolutely amazing. She was hard to understand, but we understand most, if not all she said. Her dialect was a little slurred, but beautiful nonetheless. I'll be honest, when she walked into the TRC i wanted to teach her. Anyway, so gives her backgound and just doesn't udnerstand the significance of the BoM and how a boy could see God and Jesus. Her questions were so real and so heartfelt. The experience was SO real. I can't and WILL NOT deny the reality and puritty of the situation. The spirit was there and on FIRE. I will NEVER deny it. At one point she didn't udnerstand how the Book came to be and so I just started explaining about Nephi's origin and how they left Jerusalem and into the desert and from there Nephi built a boat and sailed the America. Years later, as the prophets inscribed upon the plates Moroni left his last testament before he buried them in the ground...His dying words were to testify of Christ and buried the tablets only years later for a young boy to be guided to them by the hand of God. In all honesty, i don't remember how we got to the pinnacle of the experience. there was a point where Slla Jones asked Eliza if she thought God loved her brother (a member) more than her...and she said yes. Next thing I remember is testifying that God loved her and I started sobbing. I couldn't control it but I knew it, Sorella Jones knew it and that was ALL I could tell her. With every fiber with my soul, I KNEW God loved her. THAT was the pinnacle. I struggled with the language before, but at the point, I was filled literally filled with a tangible sense to testify that she was loved and that prayer was her key. God wanted to here from her, the BoM is true, and that Joseph Smith was...in reality...a prophet of God. Eliza cried, I cried, Sorella Jones cried. An experience more precious and beautiful than anything I could ever behold...ever...in my life. I hope for more expereiences like these. I want to work hard and I want to be prepared for the Lord to use me. Today, Slla Jones and I were prepared and it was a tender mercy for me to know that the Lord trusts me and is currently pleased iwth my efforts. When we paused, it took a few moments of repitition, but she was asking what was it that she was feeling. Amazing. I cannot deny the power and reality that was in that room. The HG, the Holy Ghost was what she was feeling. I promised her that she would feel this feeling again when she prayed and read the book of mormon. I PROMISED HER. The bell kept ringing, but I was not moving until she knew what I knew. She said she would pray, and only then, after we taught her how to pray did we leave. Slla Jones and I just sobbed. As we discuss this experience more and more, I realize that this was a blessing...not only for both, but for me. I can teach in Italian and I need to find people and I need to love them with all my heart. I'm only a tool in the Lord's hands..but I am worthy to do such. i rejoice in my god and the blessings He gives me in my life. I can't express the beauty of the whole experience. It was ABSOLUTELY beyond me,...but I could NOT stop. Words were coming and I could NOT stop. Sorella Jones told me that at a point she felt impressed to not say a word...Amazing how the spirit works. Earlier today, before this whole experience Slla Jones and I were studying PMG and reading it as an investigator would. We read lesson 3 and then lesson 1. As I read about Joseph Smith, the truth was GIVEN to me. Why COULDN'T the Lord restore the Gospel to Joseph Smith? Why couldn't He? He has a body of flesh and bones...i KNOW Joseph Smith saw god the Father and Jesus Christ. I have always known it was true...with lots of faith...but at that moment, it became REAL. I know and I cannot deny it. This gospel is no longer a thing of faith for me, but a real and tangible gift. I feel as joseph Smith. I know that God knows it, just as I know it, and I cannot deny it. A marvelous work is about to come forth and italy will blossom as a rose. I want to be apart of it, and I will do all I can to bring it to pass. I know God lives and He is real. What a beautiful gift, and I am going to strive to live for it again.
The Lord has blessed me with so much. Our teacher just spoke to us saying that we are not just boys and girls. We carry the name of Jesus Christ and are set apart as such. And it's true Through the Love, help and guidance of HF, I am becoming someone great. I really am not just some girl...I am a SORELLA...I am a missionary of Jesus Christ. I really AM of a different wood and I will have and am having experiences that are changing and will change my life forever. I am someone very special to Heavenly Father and I always want to be worthy of His love and power to teach."
Friends and Family, i testify of the truthfulness of this whole experience. We are invited to bring others unto Christ, and though I am not there with you, I hope, honestly HOPE that this story and beautiful blessing helped you feel of the Saviors love also. Words can't describe the situation or the power I feel within me. I'm glowing...that's all I can say...is that I glow :) Please dismiss the errors, I don't have time to go back and fix them all...but this experience has changed my life and I hope it improved yours in a little way :) The time to act is now. i was in the temple surrounded by glittering chandeliers, and the thing I noticed was the one crystal that moved. Among the lights, we have the ability to sparkle...and THAT'S how we'll share the gospel to the world. Allow the Lord to move you with His hand, thus catching the attention of some wayfaring soul. We have a light to give...the Light of Jesus Christ. He loves me and I love Him...He is REAL and I will NEVER deny the power of this gospel and the beauty of the Atonement. Embrace this gift and be willing to share it with others...
It's now dinner, but I hope this finds you well!!
Con amore sempre,
Sorella Camille Bowman
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