Dear Everybody
This week was zone conference. Six hours of training from President and Sister Senior! The Spirit was very powerful during that meeting. Especially when the missionaries who are about to go home bore their testimonies and expressed gratitude for their missions. It made me want to use every day more effectively. I especially loved Elder Wilko's about his love for Jesus Christ.
I left zone conference pondering the phrase, "A godly walk" and trying to break apart that short but extremely powerful phrase.
This week we were able to help a truly elect woman be baptized. We first met her at the church last Thursday. Exactly a week later she passed her interview. She even moved homes in order to keep the Law of Chastity. She gave the most beautiful prayer and as she prayed I just thought, "We taught her how to pray exactly 7 days ago." Her prayer had more power and faith and gratitude than mine. I learned a lot from her. This is the same woman who last week felt the Spirit through remembering a song from her childhood. Her name is ช. แอร์ (Air). If anyone was elect or prepared it was this woman.
Another investigator was having a hard time with the Sabbath day, not completely seeing the importance of coming to church. She had a very special experience yesterday in Sacrament meeting. In my opinion a good enough experience with the Spirit to change her attitude about the Sabbath and have a great desire to come to church every week.
We had a very cool lesson during our Investigator class. The teacher took us on a field-trip to the painting of "the rich young ruler" and gave a portion of the lesson with that story as a background. It was cool to see her teach sacrifice to this group of investigators in the foyer of the church. Very special. Got a lot of them to ponder a little bit more and truly consider what this church is all about.
Another new investigator who we met Saturday afternoon for the first time asked exactly how he needed to dress for Sunday. We told him that the best would be a white shirt and tie. The next morning, before his second lesson, he walked into Sacrament meeting early, wearing a white shirt and slacks that he had bought the night before. He asked what colors of ties are appropriate to wear to church. We told him and he said he would go looking for a tie. It was beautiful to see such desire and dedication already in this man.
Speaking of clothes, a recent convert who has always dressed a little sloppy every Sunday (t-shirt and jeans) walked into the church wearing a white shirt and slacks, trying to tie his tie that his dad had given him. I had the biggest smile as I watched him tighten his tie and walk into Sacrament meeting. I'm so proud of him. Every time I looked down at the congregation from the organ and see him the smile on my face was renewed.
This gratitude thing is working really well. Gratitude is the parent of all virtues.
I've been turning my evening prayers into prayers that only have thanks. There is no asking, only thanking. It's been very special. I feel like this week was such a blessed week. I've been seeing miracles and I've been finding great joy in small things. The smallest of things. Like recent converts walking in dressed up.
If any of you want to be happier, or want more blessings, or just want life to be better; I would recommend that you take a shot at this. Make a conscious effort to be grateful. You will find that you won't receive more blessings, you'll just notice the ones that are already there.
Elder Osborn
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