He Has A Plan

Hello Family and Friends! 

      I was so excited to hear so many of you say general conference was so astig! In the Philippines, we watch all broadcasts like general conference and stuff a week later. So we saw the General woman's broadcast on Saturday and it was SO GREAT. Oh my gosh I can't wait for more conference this weekend. It's like Christmas. Thanks for the quotes, I feel like I got a sneak peak:) 

Okay so I'm going to be real with you all: Missions are really hard. And you learn so much. This week Heavenly Father has really been stretching me and I have grown a lot but it has been really hard.

   One of our investigators who I just have grown to love so much decided to drop us because her family wants her to stay a Catholic. She called us over to tell us she wanted to still be friends but she couldn't meet with us anymore. It literally broke my heart. She really loved hearing our message and how she felt at church but she just didn't want to break her families wishes. As we walked away, I just started crying because I literally love her so much. And I don't care how many people reject me or mock us or laugh at our message. We are missionaries and that is our job, to persevere even when times get tough. To share our message because we know that God lives and loves us. We know God has a plan for all of his children here on the earth and we share that plan and gospel with our fellow brothers and sisters because we love them. So I wasn't really sad that she had decided she didn't want to hear our message anymore. My heart broke because I knew what she was giving up. Our message is everything! The restored gospel of Jesus Christ holds every answer to life's questions, it provides a way for us to be with our families forever. So that's why things like that break my heart. Because I love these people with my whole heart. And I know that this message will bless them so much. And so I just get really sad for them when they turn that opportunity down.  it's really hard. 

   Also this week most of our investigators stopped progressing and no one came to church on Sunday. woohooo sad times=growing opportunities. But, I know that things will get better. In the meantime, Heavenly Father is just helping me develop the Christlike attribute of patience. 

  At trainer's training, our mission president gave us a really great analogy that really resonated with me and i thought i would share. He told a story about a man whose master told him to move this bolder and so every day the man went out and pushed and pushed with all his might and just kept trying and trying. Then one day, an old man walked by and said to him "What are you doing? You can't move that bolder." The man replied " My master told me to push this bolder". The old man laughed at him and said "Your master must think you a fool. Because you could push that bolder every day of your life and never be able to move it an inch. you are wasting your time." The old man walked away but the words he said stayed with the man and he began to doubt his master and became so discouraged, thinking "why would he give me a task I cannot accomplish so he sat down and stopped trying. A little while later, his master came by and asked him why he was sitting and pouting. The man asked his master why he would tell him to move this bolder if it was impossible. He said "Do you think me a fool, I know this is impossible". The master calmly and lovingly responded " I did not tell you to move this bolder. I told you to push. And what has happened to you when you obeyed and did what I told you? Look! Your arms have become strong, you have gained much strength because you have pushed against this bolder. I told you to push because it would make you better, but I never promised you that you could move this.That was not my plan"

This story is so powerful and true in our lives I think. A lot of times, God gives us trials and hard things and he doesn't intend for us to conquer them. Sometimes, our weaknesses,shortcomings or hard times are simply there to make us stronger. So I've decided that I will keep pushing, and keep trying to be exactly obedient, even when every single person turns us down. Even when I try harder and harder and just feel like the more I try to learn this language or learn how to be a good missionary the worse I get at it all. Because I know that God has a plan. And I cannot understand why this has to be so hard or what his plan is but I know that everything he does is for our benefit. He loves us so much. We are so blessed everyday. 

    I know everyone who reads this email faces different struggles each and everyday but please keep pushing. Don't give up. We can do hard things!! Because we NEVER do them alone. You have a loving Heavenly Father who has a plan and if we do our very best to follow him, he will always lead us to a better day, a better life, and a happier ending where we can one day be with him again.

     I love you all so much thank you so much for the encouragement and love if your letters each week. It literally means the world to me and helps keep me going! Thank you for your examples of faith and Christlike love. Have a wonderful week.

Mahal Kita!

Sister Turner:)