Perfect Weather

It would seem that Melissa's P-Days in Oxford are a little less predictable than they were when she was in Brighton.  We had to wait hours for this one to arrive.  But it did arrive, so we are happy!

I think Sister Jordan said it best when she exclaimed, "Isn't it great that God made this day so perfect, just for US?"

It's so true. We've had LOVELY temperatures and humidity levels lately. Hearing Dad's report of 90's there in Highland does not make me jealous. I get hot enough after running in the mornings when it's like 60 - don't know what's going to happen when it heats up here!

In actual important news, we are still doing well when it comes to missionary work! We had a lot of cancellations, which are hard, but we did get to teach some people, too, and that's always nice.

We got to meet with a guy named J* who is a headquarters referral from Phoenix. He was taught by the Elders there in one of the Phoenix YSA wards, and even had a baptismal date - but then moved out here to go to MCP Worcester for PHARMACY SCHOOL. Connections, I tell you. It was awesome to meet with him. He still has a lot to learn, because apparently his Elders more just answered questions than actually teaching him, but when we asked him about the Book of Mormon and why he likes it, he gave one of the best answers I've ever heard. Said he, "The Book of Mormon answers every religious/spiritual question I've ever had." Yup. Sounds about right! :)

We had a funny dinner appointment last night with the J* family. There's a good Polish name that Trevor would appreciate! He is from Poland, she's from Japan, and they met by being penpals through some magazine ad. Isn't that amazing? They're super cute and while they were telling their story she said something like, "And it's because of ME that he joined the church!" to which he quickly corrected, "Well, dear, if it wasn't true, I probably wouldn't have been baptized." haha. Good times. These people are great out here.

On Thursday we got to be an answer to someone's prayer. I LOVE that feeling. Basically one of our appointments very obviously ran away from us, so we had some extra time. Our backup for that time was just to tract, but Sister Jordan felt like we really needed to go visit a Sister from our ward. It was a bit far, but still in the right city, so we agreed and when we got there, she was in the middle of a meltdown. She was very overwhelmed but seemed happy to see us. We listened to her for a while, then shared a scripture and offered to help - we didn't do much, but I was so struck with the thought that we had been an answer to prayer. How lucky I am to get to do that! That's what I pray for multiple times a day!

Then, later that same day, we met with a woman named A* and her BEAUTIFUL daughter S*. This girl is out of this world gorgeous and SO smart. She also loves cats and likes me best out of our tripanionship. hahaha. Anyway, their story is just really cool. A* is coming back into the church and S* is about 6? I want to say? Anyway they are a delightful little family and we're hoping to spend some time with them helping them paint and stuff like that. They're so wonderful to be around and the Spirit is very present in their cute little home.

We had a cool miracle happen to us on Saturday before our dinner appointment, but I don't have time to type it all out. I'll try next week :) Meanwhile, you can just sit in suspense :)

WELL. I had a nice Father's Day. I hope you all did as well. It was not my favorite to hear like 60 times at church, "So, do you get to call home for Father's Day, too? Or just mother's day?" Lemon juice, people. But it was still a nice day. We spent our dinner hour with the father of our ward, Bishop B* and his nice family. Their home is beautiful and their 4 children (aged 7-17) were REMARKABLY behaved. It was a great dinner appointment and they even responded well to a member missionary lesson.

Now let's talk. Elder Ellis FINALLY gave Sister Burr and I the CD he promised of Conference Talks and BYU Devotionals by "Angel Bruce" R. McConkie. We have been cranking that nonstop since then, and it is most delightsome. His talk, "7 Deadly Heresies" is just amazing. Every word that that man says is so very deliberate. I tend to blab and blab about nothing, so I envy that in him.

Next, I had another little hymn revelation last week! In Hymn 219, "Because I Have Been Given Much" I loved the line, "Thus shall my thanks be thanks indeed" which is proceeded by pledges to act. Interesting to think that, in order for our prayers or declarations of gratitude to be truly accepted by Heavenly Father, we have to turn around and SHARE what we're thankful FOR! I can think of no more applicable example than truly showing gratitude for the gospel by doing missionary work.

Now to my BOM reading.

-3 Nephi 9:14-20 I was so impressed with the way Christ uses absolutes in His language. "whosoever will come, Him will I receive" "As many as have received me, to them have I given" "whoso cometh unto me... him will I..." isn't that great to think that Christ and Heavenly Father are absolute? That means that the only conditional part of this is our own, individual, levels of obedience.

-3 Nephi 11:4-6 - the difference between just hearing and actually understanding lies in how OPEN I am

-3 Nephi 12:3-12 - the line "who come unto me" is not found in the New Testament account of the beatitudes (the Sermon on the Mount) and it can be added to all of them. Specifically related to verse 9, Angel Bruce says that the meaning of this peacemaker is really MISSIONARY - since the gospel is the great message of peace! I had never thought of it that way. Very cool.

- verse 13 of the same chapter talks about the famous "salt of the earth business." My manual pointed out to me, and it's interesting to note that salt doesn't lose its savor with age. Savor is lost from mixture and contamination.

- In 3 Ne 18 we get a first person account of the Sacramental Prayer, from Christ's point of view. I really like that. The word choice in verse 11 intrigues me because it says, "... if ye do always remember me ye shall have my spirit to be with you." MY spirit. The Moroni account (which is what I've heard every Sunday for 22 years) says it that way, too - promising "His [Christ's] Spirit to be with [us]". It's interesting that it doesn't just say, "the Spirit, but that it's CHRIST'S Spirit. Obviously Heavenly Father, Christ, and the Holy Ghost all work together, but I like thinking about it as Christ's Spirit in the sense that we can have those Christlike attributes if we really do "always remember Him."

- 3 Nephi 24 quotes that famous Malachi scripture about the windows of heaven being opened and blessings being poured out upon us when we pay our tithing. I have always liked and believed this scripture, but found a quote by Harold B. Lee that makes me want to pay my tithing even MORE. he taught that this opening of the windows of heaven would come in the form of "revelation from God." Isn't that exciting??

- 3 Nephi 27:27 is a super famous one, but I liked looking at that word, "ought." It struck me that it's not just a casual suggestion, that Christ's making, but that the word ought means, "to be held or bound in duty or moral obligation." So once we are baptized, we are morally obligated to strive to be the kind of person that Christ is!

Well. Wow. that was a lot.

Know that I'm a happy girl. I love being a missionary, and I love all the support I get from back home. Your prayers on my behalf are appreciated and most definitely needed.

Love,

Sister "Purgatory Chasm last week was awesome! Sorry I don't have time to tell you all about it" Broekhuijsen