Email From Alyssa:
Hola Familia!!!
This last week was so incredible. I had the opportunity to go on an
exchange and work in Preston with Sister Gong. Wow, is she amazing! I
truly felt the spirit so much while being with her. I felt very united
with her despite only working with her for the first time. I feel that
everything and every place we went was guided and directed by the
Lord. One of my goals of the exchange was to teach more simply by only
saying a few sentences for each principle that I taught and then get
someone else involved, either my companion, the investigator, or the
fellowshipper. I feel I did a lot better at this. I learned a lot by
simply watching and doing. It was a fabulous experience for me.
On Saturday we had a wonderful baptismal service where three of
Heavenly Fathers children made the sacred and righteous decision to
follow our Savior into the waters of baptism. We are so grateful that
our mission president was able to show his love and support by
attending the service. We were a little bit anxious at the start
because Dean, the man we have been teaching, was late to his own
baptism. YIKES! I think he was just trying to prove to us that he is
truly fit to be a member of the church and run on Mormon Standard
Time. Let’s just say we were truly so happy and relieved when he came
walking in with his three children at his side.
Another very special experience for me was during the actual baptizing
section of the baptismal service. I went into the women’s room with a
member and Shelan, one of the individuals to be baptized. Shelan was
terrified! She was scared to go into that much water and to be watched
by many people. She was visibly shaking. I tried to calm her with my
words and hugs but her fear persisted. I decided to ask if we should
say a prayer to have Heavenly Father comfort her. She agreed and asked
if I could offer it. After the prayer she was a little more at ease,
but as she took her first step into the baptismal fount the terror
flooded back into her mind. It was like trying to put a cat into the
bath tub. I felt so sorry for her but the second that Richard started
to offer the baptismal prayer I felt a chill run up my spine and I
knew that angels were amongst us. It was a very spiritual experience
for me. I knew that the Lord was pleased with the decisions of these
individuals. I know He was smiling as He looked down upon us that
night. It was truly an amazing event; one that I will never forget.
We are continuing to work hard here in Liverpool. We have found some
very prospective individuals to teach. One I actually envisioned
before we met him. It was the first time this has ever happened for
me. I was told to try to invision someone before leaving our flat in
the morning. I did that and felt kind of rediculous. I felt like my
imagination was taking over. A thought came into my mind of a man
dressed in a bright green jacked with a hood his hood on walking down
the side-walk. Later that day we talked with many people. We did
however stop a man that as we were talking with him I realized it was
the man I envisioned. His jacket wasn't bright green, but it was green
and he had his hood on and was walking down the side walk the way I
imagined it. Nither him nor his wife have a job right now and have to
take care of their 3 children and his mother-in-law. They truly need
the gospel in their life. Meeting him was divinely directed by the
Lord, the master micro-manager. Last night we went to meet and teach
David, the man I envisioned, and his family. When we got to his home,
there were about 20 people that came to listen to us, all of which
were his family. They all are from Romania so we struggled greatly to
express basic things about the gospel with them, but I know that as we
use the amazing resources that we have been so blessed to have this
family will soon be gathered in white to enter the waters of baptism
together. What an incredible day that will be!
I love you all so much and hope everything is going well in the good
old land of America!
-Love Sister Longmore
