Dear all,
Sorry that I didn’t send a weekly email last week! This week we’ve had some crazy weather. One day it’s 4 degrees and wind which makes it feel below 0....then the next day it’s 60 degrees and raining! The weather is very unpredictable.
Some great news though....Jean got baptized! I wanted to talk about some of the lessons I’ve learned during the months that we’ve been working with him.
One of the biggest lessons I learned with Jean is charity. Here’s why- Jean has been the most back and forth investigator EVER, which makes complete sense since he’s been meeting with missionaries since 2012. Well, we had his entire Baptismal service planned out and ready to go, but on the Thursday before his baptism he texts us wanting to back out. Our hearts sank and we asked him if we could talk about it the following day at the lesson. At the lesson, he expressed his concerns and Elder Chesamore (the military relations senior couple) lays it down for him. He spoke boldly and powerfully and the spirit hit me really hard, so I can only imagine what Jean was feeling like. After an hour, Jean looked at me and said, “so 7:30 tomorrow?” You couldn’t wipe that smile off my face if you tried. The lesson ended and we got in the car to head home. I looked at my companion and tears started welling up in my eyes. That’s when I knew that I had charity for Jean because I’d only known him for a few months and yet I loved him as if he were my own brother. There’s nothing quite like Christlike love. It’s something that can only be experienced and I am beyond grateful that I could understand such a small portion of love that Christ has for each of us.
I want to share two parts of Jeans baptism. The first being the man who baptized him. Matt was one of the first members Jean had ever met. He stood by his side through all the lessons in the past few years, as well as just a good friend to support Jean in all aspects of life. Well, they walk down into the font and he gets ready to do the ordinance but he can’t start because he’s choking up. He pats Jean in the back and said, “it’s been a long time coming buddy” then proceeds to baptize him. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
The next part I want to share is from our military friend Michael who recently got hurt in Iraq. We asked him to give a talk on the Holy Ghost. We knew there would be some sort of tie to the military we just weren’t sure how he’d do it. Well, he gets up and shares a conversation he had with a man in the Navy. The man said, “Michael, how does a ship sink?” Michael questionably answers, “waves, I guess?” The man proceeded to explain how he was right but it’s mostly because the water gets inside of the ship. Michael then used the analogy that just because Jean’s baptized, that doesn’t mean God will calm the storm and lessen the waves. Rather, he gives us ways to fortify ourselves and help us stay above water. The Holy Ghost is one of those things that helps us keep the water out of our ship, to help us overcome temptation and evil, but we have to be willing to listen, otherwise we allow our ship to sink.
We sang “I Believe in Christ” as the closing song and one of the verses stuck out to me more than the rest.
I believe in Christ; he ransoms me.
From Satan’s grasp he sets me free,
And I shall live with joy and love
In his eternal courts above.
One of Jean’s biggest struggles has been Satan’s grasp- letting go of the past and moving forward. But just as the song says, “he sets me free.” That’s the powerful effect of Christ’s Atonement. There’s a scripture in the Book of Mormon that says, “remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.” It’s through His sacrifice that we are able to be saved from sinking, even when we feel like we can barely stay above water. Many times in my life I’ve felt His hand reaching out to lift me up. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Christ lives and that he loves each of more than we will ever be able to comprehend. He’s ALWAYS there’s for us, all we have to do is ask for help.
I’m so grateful for the many lessons learned in my life but most importantly on my mission. I know that God prepares each of us through experiences that shapes is into who He needs us to be.
I love you all!
Love Sister Haertling
Sorry that I didn’t send a weekly email last week! This week we’ve had some crazy weather. One day it’s 4 degrees and wind which makes it feel below 0....then the next day it’s 60 degrees and raining! The weather is very unpredictable.
Some great news though....Jean got baptized! I wanted to talk about some of the lessons I’ve learned during the months that we’ve been working with him.
One of the biggest lessons I learned with Jean is charity. Here’s why- Jean has been the most back and forth investigator EVER, which makes complete sense since he’s been meeting with missionaries since 2012. Well, we had his entire Baptismal service planned out and ready to go, but on the Thursday before his baptism he texts us wanting to back out. Our hearts sank and we asked him if we could talk about it the following day at the lesson. At the lesson, he expressed his concerns and Elder Chesamore (the military relations senior couple) lays it down for him. He spoke boldly and powerfully and the spirit hit me really hard, so I can only imagine what Jean was feeling like. After an hour, Jean looked at me and said, “so 7:30 tomorrow?” You couldn’t wipe that smile off my face if you tried. The lesson ended and we got in the car to head home. I looked at my companion and tears started welling up in my eyes. That’s when I knew that I had charity for Jean because I’d only known him for a few months and yet I loved him as if he were my own brother. There’s nothing quite like Christlike love. It’s something that can only be experienced and I am beyond grateful that I could understand such a small portion of love that Christ has for each of us.
I want to share two parts of Jeans baptism. The first being the man who baptized him. Matt was one of the first members Jean had ever met. He stood by his side through all the lessons in the past few years, as well as just a good friend to support Jean in all aspects of life. Well, they walk down into the font and he gets ready to do the ordinance but he can’t start because he’s choking up. He pats Jean in the back and said, “it’s been a long time coming buddy” then proceeds to baptize him. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
The next part I want to share is from our military friend Michael who recently got hurt in Iraq. We asked him to give a talk on the Holy Ghost. We knew there would be some sort of tie to the military we just weren’t sure how he’d do it. Well, he gets up and shares a conversation he had with a man in the Navy. The man said, “Michael, how does a ship sink?” Michael questionably answers, “waves, I guess?” The man proceeded to explain how he was right but it’s mostly because the water gets inside of the ship. Michael then used the analogy that just because Jean’s baptized, that doesn’t mean God will calm the storm and lessen the waves. Rather, he gives us ways to fortify ourselves and help us stay above water. The Holy Ghost is one of those things that helps us keep the water out of our ship, to help us overcome temptation and evil, but we have to be willing to listen, otherwise we allow our ship to sink.
We sang “I Believe in Christ” as the closing song and one of the verses stuck out to me more than the rest.
I believe in Christ; he ransoms me.
From Satan’s grasp he sets me free,
And I shall live with joy and love
In his eternal courts above.
One of Jean’s biggest struggles has been Satan’s grasp- letting go of the past and moving forward. But just as the song says, “he sets me free.” That’s the powerful effect of Christ’s Atonement. There’s a scripture in the Book of Mormon that says, “remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ.” It’s through His sacrifice that we are able to be saved from sinking, even when we feel like we can barely stay above water. Many times in my life I’ve felt His hand reaching out to lift me up. I know without a shadow of a doubt that Christ lives and that he loves each of more than we will ever be able to comprehend. He’s ALWAYS there’s for us, all we have to do is ask for help.
I’m so grateful for the many lessons learned in my life but most importantly on my mission. I know that God prepares each of us through experiences that shapes is into who He needs us to be.
I love you all!
Love Sister Haertling
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