Recognizing the Spirit

This was a pretty slow week. We were sick for a few days after getting our flu shots. Then we had lot of meetings and a few other appointments. But this week should be a lot better. The upside of having to stay in for a good part of the week is that me and my comp had some bonding time. I really like SIster Moesinger, we get along really well and we both like being really open about things and want to help each other so it works out great. A lot of people have trouble opening up about things but that just makes companionships harder. 

We had our ward trunk or treat on Saturday. We had a less active family come so that was good. Also Robert usually works at night but he was able to come too. And Anthony and his family came. So it was good to have so many of our recent converts and less actives there. 

Other than that the week wasn't too exciting. We had a lot of appointments fall through but such is life. I know that we will have a better week this week. 

I was reading Uncle Gordon's talk that he gave a while back at a BYU devotional during studies the other day. It is about recognizing and following promptings. Something that stood out to me is that often our answers don't come in one big moment but piece by piece. Before when I had thought about this I had thought well ya not all of us are going to see angels and hear the voice of God, often our answer comes with a strong feeling or thought. But I think that even those strong moments we have had, where we felt a strong warmth from the spirit or had it put clearly in our mind what to do, are also big answers sometimes. Before I came on my mission I prayed again to know if the Book of Mormon was true. After I prayed I had a warm feeling come over me and I knew that it was the spirit telling me that the book of Mormon is true. But other times when I pray and ask questions that same experience doesn't happen. Sometimes I will just have a conversation with someone that leads me to think about things in a different light. Or I will read in the scriptures something that could be a piece in leading me to my answer. Or after trying certain things and learning from mistakes I realize what the answer is. Often times it really is line upon line, precept upon precept. Each day as we ponder and search we are given pieces to our answer until over time we come to know. If you think about Joseph Smith he didn't just one day think "which church is right?" and then that night pray and ask and immediately get an answer. He thought about it and thought about it. He talked to people, he read the scriptures, and he thought about where and how he would pray. Then finally he got the answer he was searching for. I just think that a lot of times there are a lot of simple ways that God is reaching out to us that we take for granted. Then we get frustrated that he isn't answering or doesn't care or that we can't understand how he is speaking to us. But as we continue to search He will reveal things to us. I think that coming to recognize these little answers takes a lot of effort and is something we learn over our lifetime through practice and trying to understand how God is leading us. 

Hope you all have a good Halloween!!
Love,

Sister Washburn