Shoulder to Shoulder with the Savior

Does is get hotter than Hades here in VA? With humidity, uh yes. Haha you know you had a great day when you come home super gross, from head to toe, looking like a wreck. YES! I love those days.

The 4th was super fun!! We had a ward breakfast and Khor came with Sis Wallace! She got to meet bishop and several other members. It was so fun :) That night, we had the chance to go to the Wiltbanks home, where they had a big party. Bishop's wife invited us and we chatted with the members and ate food. We talked with a few RMs and a future missionary who will be going to Sweden! Super fun time. We didn't see any fireworks, we were home before that. But hey, there is always next year :) plus, we heard a lot of them so I'm sure that counts somehow. 

*Miracle Alert* Last Monday, we gave Khor a church tour. Sister Wallace picked her up and we showed her relief society room, the baptismal font, different pictures of Christ... we stopped in front of the first vision picture and shared Joseph's experience. It was veryserene and quiet. We asked her is she believed that Joseph saw God the Father and His son, Jesus Christ. She said yes. We invited her to prepare for baptism on August 26th and she said yes! AW MY HEART I love her! She truly is amazing. Khor comes from a Muslim background, however she just seems to 'get it.' Totally the Spirit. And her heart is prepared. We finished in the chapel by talking about the sacrament. We sat there on the benches for a few minutes. The Spirit was so strong, and there was so much peace and warmth that filled my heart. We asked her how she had felt throughout the tour. In her spotty English, she described her feelings by using the words "protected," "peace," and "home." She said she never wanted to leave. She explained that because she was Muslim, she really has to pray about this decision. It will be hard on her family. She had so much faith and an incredible story. She is an angel. As we left the chapel, it was evident she didn't want to leave. The expression on her face was just a longing to stay there. I can testify that I know that God has prepared hearts out there to receive the gospel. We may not know who they are, what they look like, but as we follow the spirit, God will help us to find them. They are longing to find the gospel. Some are searching for it but don't know where to find it. It was prettyincredible to watch Khor make that unspoken connection that this is something she has been seeking. The gospel fills that emptiness inside us. Through Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we can be made whole.

On Saturday we found the coolest lady!! Her name is Peggy. We knocked on her house because we felt like we should. She was completely not interested in the message we share because she is set in her faith and church that she has been attending for over 60 years. But something we have been trying to talk to people about it family history... so we quickly brought that up and she said "ohh I could talk your ear off about that stuff!" So we came back a little bit later and we chatted about family history. She pulled out stacks of books and binders and papers and pictures full of genealogy. We told her about family search and how she can enter in all this info she has and then it would be saved all online. She is so passionate about it all, and it made me so excited to talk about family history! We set up a time to help her next week at the family history center! I haven't been able to do any family history with an investigator before. It's always been recent converts. So this was quite the blessing! We are super excited. 

On Sunday, sister Corey gave a talk and reported on her daughter who is out serving a mission in Brazil. She shared some really touching experiences and great reminders for missionaries that her daughter talked about in her letters. Her daughter wrote a line to her younger brother who will be leaving on his mission in September, saying "this is the time we get to walk shoulder to shoulder with the Savior." My heart was so touched by that line. As set apart missionaries of the Lord, wearing His name on our chest, we walk side by side with Him daily. We strive to follow His example, to love others the way He would, to serve them, teach them, and bring them unto Him. This work is true. Jeffrey R Holland said it best, something along the lines of this: when we get rejected, and yelled at, and cursed at, and they all tell us we are wrong, we stand side by side with the Best Life this world has ever known- Jesus Christ. I know He lives. We share His gospel, I know it's true. And I say this in His name, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Xoxo,

Sister Hymas