El Nino de Juan Blanco

Greetings from Wolfville,

We watched the Women's Broadcast as well. We watch it at the same time, so 9 pm here. The same goes for General Conference--we will watch it at 1 pm and 5 pm. The Priesthood Session will start at 9 pm. The broadcast was powerful! I felt the Spirit so strongly and received some revelation for things I need to do as a sister missionary. 

Sister Lee and I had an experience this past week with a woman that we knocked into. She is very happy in the Baptist church that she attends, but invited us in when we invited her to watch "Finding Faith in Christ" with us. We all felt the Spirit so strongly as we watched the DVD. After it finished, we tied it into our purpose as missionaries and the message of the Restoration, hoping that we could come back later in the week to share more. We shared how happy this message makes us and that we know it can do the same for her. She was put off by that, not wanting to be "converted." She said something to the effect of, "You're implying that I am not already happy. I am. I found Jesus." We left her a Restoration pamphlet and invited her to read it and call us in a few days if she changed her mind. We left her home feeling a little crushed that her heart was not soft enough to see that value of what we have to share with her. Over the last week, she has called us three times, trying to understand why we would try to convert her and why we said the things we did. She had read the pamphlet we left with her. Both Sister Lee and I feel that the Spirit is working on her. She's offered us some places that we can go to do service in the community to "help those that haven't already found Christ." She called us on Saturday afternoon and told us that she doesn't want to focus on our differences, but only wants to focus on what we have in common, which is our belief in Jesus Christ. She is a wonderful woman, and I hope that the Spirit continues to soften her heart so that we can share more with her. I thought about her during the broadcast that night. Sister Lee and I are planning to give her a copy of "The Living Christ."

Yesterday I spoke in Sacrament meeting about developing the faith to find. The Lord knew that I needed to study that topic more. I realized that increasing my own faith to find people to teach is simply developing a stronger faith in the Savior. He is preparing the hearts of His children. The real question is whether my heart is prepared to receive the promptings He will give me to find them. Sister Lee and I have had some powerful experiences this week in seeking for the Lord's guidance in His work. We know that He is preparing His children in our area and we want to do all we can to find them. I am working on my heart more and more, so that I can be ready when He calls me to act. As long as I am doing all I can, the Spirit will guide me. I take great comfort in the promises in the scriptures that the Lord will fill my mouth if I open it. This is His work and no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing!

I am so blessed to be serving as a missionary right now. 

Stefan is still preparing for baptism on April 12. We had an impromptu lesson with him this last week. We stopped by his house to give him an invite to General Conference and ended up teaching him about a living prophet. Stefan is so prepared for the gospel. He made a comment about how it's amazing that we have an "unbroken" Priesthood. Sister Lee and I are so humbled by the opportunity to teach someone who has such a strong desire to change and such an incredible understanding of the things we teach. We are excited for his baptism in two weeks. So many good things are happening in the Kentville Ward right now. Bishop Spinney is very missionary minded. In a couple weeks, the ward is starting a member-missionary class that each family in the ward will be invited to attend. My testimony of missionary work being the "small and simple things" has grown so much on my mission. When we keep our covenants and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost, missionary experiences will happen. 

We had a crazy snowstorm this past week. Sister Lee and I nicknamed it "El Nino de Juan Blanco." There was a massive snowstorm a few years ago here that was dubbed White Juan. I don't know how this one compared, but people were expecting it to be comparable to White Juan. I don't think it turned out to be that bad. Most of the snow we got that day is gone now due to the rain and freezing rain we've had over the past few days.

Well, that was quite a long letter today. Guess I had a lot to share! (On a side note, during my talk yesterday, I went over time and the bishop had to hand me a note to wrap up...never thought that would happen! I guess my tongue has been loosed...)

Enjoy cinnamon rolls this weekend! Eat one for me! :) I am excited to hear from a living prophet. It's so comforting to know that there is a living prophet on the earth today! We need one, that's for sure!

Love you all!

Sister Renda