And I love the baby steps.......

Another great week of course because I 'm a missionary and every week we cry and God picks us back up. I cant remember who said it but one of the something authorities said "a mission is a mini life". So true. We experience every emotion and trial and love and happiness and sadness and heartbreak and greatest joy as a missionary!!!!!! I couldn't love it more!!!!!!! This is real life. I am LOVING reading the bible. Oh my goodness!!!!!!! I  love it.  I am finding SO many truths in the bible that I have always loved when I found int he Book of Mormon. The best part is when I get to share it with my investigators. I love seeing the light in their eyes awaken when I teach them the TRUTH!!!!

 

So let me tell you a great story:) so lets just say on Friday I was..... BROKEN.... wow did my heart hurt. I was SO sick of being an "english teacher" and I was ready to get out and find those prepared souls and I just wanted to baptize all of my amazing investigators!!! So after me and my comp (who has the same desires) had a good cry during planning... A GOOD CRY.  We decided to get out and work! so that is what we did. And miracles happened. The next day our english investigator we were going to meet that day decided she only wanted to study the gospel. happiness!!!! And wow that lesson was amazing. She LOVES the truth. She has studied religions looking for the right one and she loves our message. She has met missionaries before but felt like they only wanted her to get baptized and she felt too much pressure! So she dropped them. She was thankful that even though we asked her to be baptized that we told her it was her choice. I told her "baptism is really important, but first you need faith. You first need a testimony that this gospel is true. You need to want to know it is true." I told her that after she has a testimony, she will want to be baptized!" I told her it was her decision, but that our purpose as missionaries is to help her follow the perfect example of Jesus Christ. And by being baptized, we are following that example. She is amazing. She loves our message, but wants to study it more. She loves how we teach truth from both the bible and the book of mormon! She finds it amazing that the truth is in both of our books. I loved what she said when she said "agh, it just makes sense"....  YA of course it makes sense, because it is the truth. The truth will never confuse! That is something I have loved as a missionary. I have loved knowing when I am following the spirit and when I am teaching truth, that I am never confused. I have this love and peace and hope and confidence! It's all true! I know it.

 

Speaking of following the spirit. So I have prayed relentlessly for our investigator (Sister Kwon from china). Oh do I love her,  but she is just SO SLOW! Hurry up and BELIEVE ALREADY!!!!! ha ha ha. I'm kidding, it doesn't work like that. But yesterday I felt SO impressed to have a member come to her house for the lesson, ... which in Korea is not really polite. Actually.... really not polite to invite strangers to some one's house........ but I did. I called Sister Kwon and she said, "sure". Mercy. ... umm okay, best lesson every with her!!!!!!! First off, she has been reading the book of mormon and loves it. She read in Alma 37 and loved it. "By small things are great things come to pass". And THEN she prayed. Like,  with out us begging her to pray. Let me tell you what I think it was. When  I got the  impression to have a member come I was surprised at who I felt impressed to ask.  Her name is sister Kim and she is Diondras age and if you looked at her you would not think she is a member. She is an amazing member but has too many ear piercings, crazy hair, and shows too much skin etc..... but, I LOVE HER.   I asked her to help. She said yes.    MERCY. Amazing. So I think the miracle was that sister Kwon saw someone "different" and saw that though some things in the gospel are hard for her to follow now, she still has a testimony that it is true. We taught the plan of salvation and the spirit was on fire. I think that lesson was a blessing for every one in that room. Especially for me and our investigator. It was a mercy to see some completely imperfect people (me) teaching a perfect message and having it touch the life of someone we love. Mercy. I was so thankful for that lesson and that we had a member there and that it was the right member and that our investigator loves the book of mormon. MERCY!  My comp and I were filled with JOY!

 

The other miracle of this week was our less active, sister Wong. Her husband does not let her come to church and on her record it says "DON'T VISIT!!!! They said to never visit or call ever again.".... but guess who knows better... God. So of course God told us to go visit. Well, us being the scaredy cats that we are decided that we would first heart attack her door and then the next week we would visit. Well last week we heart attacked ( that's where we cover their door with paper hearts and a spiritual message and sometimes candies). And miracles happened. This week, SHE CALLED US!!!!!! She said "I miss the missionaries. I am a convert and love the church and missionaries. Can I take you out to lunch?".... after me and my companion woke up from what we thought was a dream, we said, "YES". The lunch was amazing. Later that night when we sent a thank you text she replied "I know I am less active but I love the missionaries and I really want to help you. If you ever need anything let me know and please come by and visit again"..... prayers are answered and it is Gods work. I love it!!  I am so thankful to be a missionary. Yes my prayer for a baptism did not happen. But YET, it will happen. I know it will! The miracles we saw this week are only necessary steps to get someone in the waters of baptism. AND I LOVE THE BABY STEPS. What About Bob says it best "baby steps" :). But each one of those baby steps is a step towards our heavenly Father. God rejoices when those baby steps are made, and as a missionary when we see those baby steps we rejoice because we can also feel of Gods happiness! It's true. I know it. I feel the spirit burn in me every time I say "I know it". Because it's true. The truth burns of happiness and fallacies make us confused. Simple as that.

 

Well mom, I love you.  And thanks a billion for the support and prayers. Oh I love this work and I love serving here in Korea. Though I sometimes very much don't like their culture, I really do love the people and desire their salvation. I need my wonderful Korean people to be with me in heaven again. I need it and that is why I'm working my butt off to make sure it happens. I love y9ou to the moon and back!!!!!

 

 

Love Collie Ensign

 

 

p.s. I am so excited for the wedding. Take lots of pictures! Tell them congrats... again and I LOVED the picture.  God does answer all prayers.... ,. Love you

Just please let me teach your children........

Miracles!!!!!!!!!! So remember a few weeks ago when I was all sad and down because we had just one investigator..... ha ha. Well,  I prayed my heart out, have been so obedient, and worked my butt off!!!!!!!!! In just 3 weeks we have found 8 new investigators and an investigating family on the way!!!!! :)) God answers prayers. I prayed for him to let me teach!!!!! I said "God even if I have to teach stupid English I will do it. Just please let me teach your children this gospel". And he answered my prayers. Of our 11 investigators 8 are English interest..... but don't worry, through our message, they will be baptized!!! I know it.  God answers prayers. We are so busy teaching and finding and being with members, it is such a blessing. And our amazing ward has decided to focus on Less actives.... my favorite!!!!!! I love less actives.!!!!! Our ward has gotten all of the names of the less actives and we are all going to try to find them and invite them back to the fold of God!!!!!!! Our ward is so excited about it. Especially our Bishop.!!!!! I love that man. Our bishop and ward mission leader, are tow of the most amazing men I know!!!!!!! They love missionary work and they love us missionaries and they are constantly helping us, and finding. Amazing men. Good examples to me.

 

Our new Mission President Shin is AMAZING. Former CEO of Samsung, my branch president from the MTC.  I Love him. He is the cutest and has such a strong desire to do missionary work!!!!! We will see amazing miracles with him!!!!!!!

 

 

So Korea.... is BURNING HOT. ha ha. I am melting!!!!!!!!!!! I drink, 2 liters of water, or more, a day and I am melting. The worst part is the humidity.  But it is still so fun. I think I shower 2 times a day. ha ha. My other roommate showers 4 times a day.... ha ha. So funny.  No AC and life is great.   the worst is that we have 4 sisters who want to wash clothes and washing is fine.... but no one in Korea owns a dryer... so we hang our clothes..... well we are finding that we have no where to hang clothes because they take about 3 days to dry.... ah ha. So fun.... I have been wearing a lot of wet clothes lately.... ah ha.

 

 

Still loving the Korean food. A normal meal for me at home is kimchi (cucumber kimchi is my favorite), seaweed, rice and tuna...... That's what I eat. And when we go eat with members (about once every other week or three weeks) we eat those same things but usually with fish and meat and salads. I'm eating healthy, that's for sure.

 

Mom, I read those scriptures you sent last week... LOVED THEM!!!!!! I have a few scriptures I want to share with you:)

 

1: St. John 9:38 "And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshiped him". I am reading the bible right now with the book or Mormon and I am LOVING it. I love seeing the truths of the gospel not only in the book of Mormon, but also in the bible....LOVE IT!!!!!

2: St John 17:26 the lords prayer "And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them". Love this prayer. God is with us. And Christ's love is in us. Our father and savior love us so much!!!!!!

3St john 15:18 "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you". Sometimes when we talk to people on the street we feel like they hate us. really hate us..... I'm not surprised it I get spit on one of these times. But I know it's only in the name of Christ. Christ was truly hated of men and was hated all alone. But because he was alone, will never have to be hated alone.

 

 

I want to talk about my investigators.

Sister Kwan: from china... SHE READ THE BOOK OF MORMON. she read a whole chapter!!!!!!! I am so excited. She still doesn't want to come to church, but she is reading the book of Mormon. When I teach her I really feel the spirit. she is so poor that she is so humble and knows and feels of God loves!!!!!!!!

 

Sister Song: We meet her this week but she is the golden investigator who couldn't meet because she is a teacher of all the crazy mom's kids... so she was too busy to meet. but we have been calling her and she said she is excited to meet and read the word of god:) So amazing!!!!! Love her.

 

Wow.... out of time. sorry. I really do love my investigators... I didn't' know I was almost out of time.... but I want to share one last thing...... this week when we met with sister Lee our recent convert, we talked about missionary work and why each of us chose to be missionaries. This is what I said....... I got it from President Eyrings gen con talk "For some it was that and more. Like the sons of Mosiah, they had felt the effects of sin in their own lives and the marvelous healing of the Atonement within the church of God. Out of love and gratitude for the savior's gift to them, they wanted to help everyone they could to escape the sadness of sin, feel the joy of forgiveness and gather with them to safety in the Kingdom of god". That is what I shared. That is exactly why I chose to serve a mission. I love this work. I love teaching of Christ and his amazing, powerful, loving, perfect atonement. It's real. WE can be healed. Really. I love you all to the moon and back.

 

Sister Colle Ensign

They have made themselves TOO busy....

Hey there mom! Loved your e-mail and loved the pictures!!!!!!! Powell looks hot... I kind of know how you feel. Ya there's no ac in our apt.... ha ha. Fans are saving my life. ha ha. but it's still not as hot as my bedroom in the summers......;) ha ha. Just kidding.

 

Good to hear Bubba is  working with dad, that makes me happy. I remember working with dad:) Mom thanks for finally sending me a picture of you!!!!!!! You never do.  Good to see your still my momma:) ha ha. Love you!!!!!!!! And shmee is just doing amazing. I am so proud of her!!!!!! Love her to death and I couldnt be more proud of her.I am so thankful she is having success and not having to go through the heartach of being turned down day after day. Miracles are what keep a missionary going. If they stop going it's because they don't RECOGNIZE the miracles SURROUNDING Them!!!!! My miracles are not quite as big as Diondras but they are just as powerful. That is something important I have learned in Korea. Miracles happen to different people in different ways, but they are still miracles.

 

Kenna and Trevor!!!!!!!! I am so excited for them!!!!!!!!! SEND  ME PICTURES OF THE DRESS!!!!! I am glad the  Fanklins got my letter. I cried the entire time I wrote it. ha ha. Love them!!!!!!!

 

 

MIRACLES HAPPEN because guess what, I'm a missionary!!!!!  This week we met 2 different women from the Philippians. Irish and Irine. Irish is our new investigator who is straight up catholic and is just amazing. Love her. The lesson was in half English half Korean half tagolic. ha ha. This is gods work!~!!!!!!! she had a LOT of questions about our church and they started off with her thinking we worshiped Joseph Smith. ha ha. Ya she's heard a lot of lies about our church so we spent a good portion of the lesson clearing things up. Then she spent the other part of the lesson talking to me about how she really does not like Korea. And I found out through her and my companion that almost everyone in Korea does not like one part of their culture and that is the extreme education. Education here is INSANE!!!!!!!!!! Starting in kindergarten, kids go to school and study in personal tutoring places until midnight. 7am until midnight. all day, every day. Sundays included in that. They never have a break. The reason it is so insane is because the mothers..... mothers in Korea are obsessed about their children's education. My companion said she was blessed to grow up an a home where her mom was the unusual one, and didn't drill extra education into their brains. The highest rate of suicide is in the high school student. Their lives are just encompassed in education. Irish was telling us how Korean students just don't know how to have fun. My comp agreed. The reason I am telling you this is because I want you to understand how hard it is to;    A; find people to teach who actually have time and ;    B.; find people to teach who are interested in the gospel and not just my free English....... Mothers want me to teach their children English and then when I give them a simple commitment to pray or to read one verse they say they have no time. And actually, they really don't have time.... Right now our investigator and her son are part of this problem...... it is heart breaking to see how satan has taken something special and important as education and taken it to the next level where it is now hardening peoples hearts and making them too busy. So sad. But miracles still happen. The greatest blessing I see is when the investigators poor soul, who has been buried by "busy" starts to wake it's self up, and peak through the busy life. It's amazing. So right now we have 7 investigators and they are all busy. ha ha. seriously. its insane. At first when people said they were too busy to pray or read the book of Mormon I thought "ya right". But witnessing the life of my investigators, I see that they have made them selves TOO busy. It is heart breaking. But we still see the miracles of them coming to Christ.

 

 

Last week I was so excited about my Chinese investigator that she would pray about our message... she didn't do it.... she said she prayed and got an answer for her garden to receive water but not about the gospel. THE LIVING WATER!!!!!! We will keep working on her.

 

 

Our other golden investigators will meet with us this next week because they have tests this week.... we have heart attacked their doors and left them good things to read. Our members are still amazing. We have gotten so much closer to them over the last few weeks. Truly a blessing. Now that we are friends, we feel comfortable asking them for help and they are willing. Amazing. I love this work. It breaks my heart every day, but I love it. I get to experience a bit of what Christ felt as he himself bore witness that he is the Christ and yet others still did not believe.

 

 

As a companionship we have really been working on our less actives and investigators. We have been praying for Gods children to come back into the fold. We are seeing miracles. I can not doubt what I have seen here in Korea. It is nothing Short but the had of God. It is his work. I know it and it is a work I am so thankful to be a part of.

 

 

Mom, I love you. Thank you for the e-mails and pictures and of course for the support. It is always a great reminder that someone other than God has faith in me and is rooting for me. I love you to the moon and back!!!!!!

 

Love Sister Collie Ann

 

 

Lets talk miracles

Oh my goodness I loved all the pictures and the email was wonderful. Thank you somuch. I am so thankful for you for sharing your missionary experiences. Mom I wish everyone had the faith that you do !!!!!! I am so thankful to have you as my mother. Actually my work sounds A LOT like yours and dads work. We spend a lot of time with less actives because more than half of the Korean members are less active. I hear ALL the time from members exactly what you heard. that the non members just want a friend they are sick of people pushing them to come to church. As a missionary it's hard not to push because you literally just want to kick people when they just dont get it but,  the savior showed us the greatest example.  He didn't kick people into the gospel, he showed them his example, taught his gospel, and LOVED them!!!!!!!! I am reading the bible during meal times right now and I am so astonished at the patience Christ had with the pharacies and preists.... agh.... I want to punch them, really!!!!!!  In a loving, sister missionary kid of a way. Agh.... they just frustrate me. Christ had SO much patience. I am jealious because when I encounter people like that all I want to do is ignore them and walk away, but christ took the time to continue to teach. He was constantly teaching.

 

 

So if last week was miracle week, I'm already in heaven this week. Lets talk MIRACLES!!!!!!!! We found andmet and have fallen in loev with 4 new investigators. Which is a record \!!!!!! 4 new investigators in a week! This is truly Gods work!!!!!!!! And the greatest miracle is taht my companion is making progress. She is still so tired, but she has decieded to get out and work!!!!!!!! Miracles happen!!!!!!! One of our new investigators is a police officer and she is AMAZING!!!!!!! She reminds me so so so so so so so much of Aunt Karin. She is a tough cookie with a HUGE heart. Agh I'm crying thinking about her. When we met her she took us out to eat and on the car ride she expressed her desires to learn of God and to find out her purpose... umm okay Plan of Salvation!!!!! Seriously INSANE!!!!!! I love her!!!! Her name is Jun Sae He!!!!!!. She has a little boy who came to the police station to say hi and he brought their dalmation puppy... ya I was in pure heaven! Ha ha. New investigator and a puppy.... counldnt be happier. So amazing. WE will meet her again either next week or sunday. she has to check her schedule.

 

 

Then the other new investigator is a Grandma who LOVES to talk!!!!!!!!!!! I think we got the words "Heavenly father loves you" in and that was it.  She is not really religious but is willing to listen. Wel will spark something in her I know it. She is very humble and lives int eh country area... funny story..... So me and my companion don't like bugs. But my sweek companion cried the other day when she saw a rollie pollie..... ya.... well here we are walking in the country area with our new investigator and we see this HUGE beatle!!!!!! Even I was shocked. Well as my companion is about to throw up she is so scared, our investigator leans down (she is a grandma) and picks up the beatle with her bare hands. The beatle even had pinchers... pretty sure it's related to the scorpean family...... and she picks it up and calls it her pet... aparentally she loves those beatles and makes them her pets... she feeds them strawberry jelly..... I don't think my companion will want to meet her again.  My poor companion. ha ha. I sure hope she has a cage for the beatle and it just doesnt just roam around the house.  We will see.... .

 

 

Then the last two investigators were a mom and son.... no gospel intrest but they have met the missionaries before and like us.....WE will try to spark some interest!!!!!! I'm just excited to finally have more people to teach. I was happy teaching and meeting with memebers but now I'm ready to baptize! ha ha.

Speaking of baptism.... amazing experience!!!!!!!! So yesterday some elders in our zone had a baptism. 2 weeks ago they baptized 2 sisters (actual sisters). and this week their older sister was baptized.... umm amazing. They were glowing and like, hello spirit!!!!!!!! Wow. I was brought to tears as these young sisters met in the batheroom after the baptism adn the younger sister asks her older sister "do youfeel that"..."doesnt taht feel amazing"....etc. The spirt is real!!!! It really is.

 

 

This brings me to the las thing I want to talk about. I had a touching experience that I will remember forever. So this las thursday we met our investigator Sister Kwon, from China.....We have been meeting FOREVER!!!!! But she is slowly making TRUE progression. She is reading the book of mormon and feels liek it is the same sprit as the bible. Well right before the lesson I prayed SO hard to have the spirit with me as I taught. Well during the lesson our lesson plan changed.... and we talked about the Book of Mormonadn the spirit. She attends her different church and loves it.l We asked if she has felt the spirit before. She said she feels the spirit when she goes to chruch but she cant feel it when she comes home...... hello, gift of the holy ghost!!!!!!!! Then I followed the spirit and slowly and with a lot of silent pauses, bore my testimony that the church of jesus christ of latter day saints is Christs church and it is true. The spirit BURNED in me. Like FIRE. It was the strongest one single moment I have ever felt the spirit. I then asked her ifshe will pray about our church if it is ture and she said with a sincere desire, "YES".

 

 

The chruch is true. PLain and simple, this is Christs Church and I know it it true. And everything we learn and teach is also true. It's ALL true. Every bit of it. I know it. I love you so much. Thank you for all your love and support. Thanks for helping me along the path to know that this church is true. Love you to the moon and back.

 

 

Sister Cole Ensign

I have no idea what Gods plans are for me or for any of us, but they are perfect....

Mom I loved your email. Thank you so much. And all the pictures were perfect and I just loved it!!!!!!!!!!. Dad, happy fathers day. I sent you your book thing like mom in the mail last week, sorry it will be late.... But happy fathers day. I want you to remember that you are the best dad in the world and I am not just saying that.

Dedicated to dad

 

'I'm so glad when daddy comes home, glad as I can be. I put my arms around his neck and hug him tight like this . I pat his cheeks and give him WHAT..... A GREAT BIG KISS.... MUAH". ha ha. Love you dad. Sorry I couldn't remember the words exactly. But I love you to the moon and back. Thanks for always being someone I am glad who comes home and someone I am glad to come home to:)

 

Umm okay bubba... since when do you look like a man? You actually look like cute and stuff... like datable.... weird..... haha. And Samantha reading your scriptures:) AGH I just have the greatest family!!!!!!! I am glad to see Grandma is still sticken to Grandpa and I can just imagine her saying "Oh Richard....". ha ha.  Love you grandma. I love you and Grandpa. Happy fathers day Grandpa:)

 

The boat looks like a blast!!!!!!!!!!! AGH we will sleep every night for 3 months on the boat when I get home. ha ha. No work, just play. ha ha. oh dreams... 

 

So two quick questions. Are you still going to buy the house in Idaho and the other question; Sister Gelder said that on my Blog there was something about us moving? I don't think that is right but please let me know. ha ha.

 

Well today we got transfer calls and I am staying in Jeounju and I am still training. Thank the heavens because I couldn't be happier. ahha.

 

Quickly I want to bear my testimony about the Book of Mormon. OH MY GOODNESS I love this Book. It is true. Plain and simple. It is true and there is no false hope about it. It is true and I trust it. I trust it's promise in Moroni 10 and I trust the words written by the prophets contained in the book. I know its true. This week I have tried to use the crap out of the book of Mormon while I have been teaching and finding. If only people would read the book and pray about it, they would be members. We visited a convert and she said she does not have a testimony about the book. She later said she doesn't feel like she has a testimony of the gospel. Her problem is the book of Mormon. If we get a testimony of the Book of Mormon, we will know the church is true. And it is.

 

 

So lets talk miracles for a second..... umm like God is WAY to merciful!!!!!!!!!! My companion is still sick.... we are going to a special dr. on Tuesday..... But even with her sick we have found 2 now investigators and one of them is GOLDEN. Like I know I sometimes throw that word out too much. But she is amazing. She met the missionaries almost 15 years ago and saw them off and on, but now is finally wanting to meet again. We met her and she wouldn't let us leave. She kept us past an hour and just kept asking questions. Her questions showed us that God has truly prepared her. For example she asked "if god talked through prophets back then, why does he still not talk to us through prophets? Another; is it normal that I feel the same spirit when I read the bible as when I read the book of Mormon? I shared my testimony of the book of Mormon and said "Sister, your soul is hungry and the book of Mormon is your food". She then said "When I read the book of Mormon, my souls questions were answered....."..... umm okay right out of PMG.... aha ha. She is amazing. I am so blessed to be able to teach her. We are asking her to be baptized next week because we didn't have time last week. literally no time. ha ha. So I will keep you updated on her progress. Her name is Sister Song.

 

 

The other miracle was the recent convert, sister Kim me Ja. She was baptized last October and has not been able to come to church because right after she was baptized her husband had a brain hemorrhage and was in the hospital. He is still in  the hospital and we visit almost every other week. she has the faith of a giant. Well when I first came to this area we visited and from looking at her husband I thought for sure he would die.... Lack of faith. But we have been praying and visiting and praying. The elders gave him a priesthood blessing. I personally loved visiting because when I visited with Sister Kim I thought of Aunt Wendy taking care of Chelsea. Two amazing, selfless women that I love. Well I love to visit. and Sister Kim LOVES me because I worked at a hospital so she feels comfort when I come. (I don't think she feels comfort because of my previous working experience.... maybe because.... I....am.....a.... missionary....... :). Well this week we visited..... MIRACLE!!!!!!!!!!!! So every time we visit he is not really awake. His body was going through what Chels went through. Well when we visited, he was trying to walk and talk. He would look at us, understand us and it was just amazing. At first when I saw him I was in utter shock and Sister Kim was smiling from ear to ear. And then the next thing I felt was utter jealousy.... Why couldn't Chels turn out like him. Why was it opposite. I was SO jealous. Like beyond jealous. But then seeing the hope in Sister Kims eyes made me re-direct my thoughts. I am just so happy for her. Especially happy that she will never have to experience what Aunt Wendy and Uncle Rich have had to experience. That is a blessing. That is a miracle that she doesn't have to go through the pain that Aunt Wendy and Uncle Rich went through. Now after I prayed about my jealousy I was sweetly reminded of Gods plan. I have no idea what his plans are for me or for any of us. But they are perfect. Yes I am sad aunt Wendy and Uncle Rich had to go through what they did, but because of her example in how she "turned out", I will be eternally grateful . Yes I love blessings. But the examples of others leave more of a lasting impression. Yes Jesus Christ was the greatest blessing, but I am eternally grateful for the pain he went through and the EXAMPLE he was through the pain. PERFECT example. Yes a lot of times I just want blessings. But to be an example to someone is even more special. I'm not asking for a reason to be an example, but I have learned a valuable lesson.

 

 

This week was amazing. So many miracles and happiness to be felt. I love this work. A few weeks ago was tough but I have seen the hand of God on my right side and on my left and I have been lifted by his angels. I love this work. Thank you for everything.

 

I love you to the moon and back...

 

Sister Cole Ensign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But that's not how I gained my testimony

Seriously I cant tell how needed your e-mails were!!!!!!!! Mom Your amazing. I also got an e-mail from Samantha and Grandpa Franklin that just really helped me. Well if last week was hard this week was a disaster. ha ha. Lets just say things aren't going my way. But they sure are going Satan's way. I hate it when he wins the hearts of my investigators. So I'll start with the hard.... Not to be negative. Sorry. But wow. I had to drop 3 of my 4 investigators. 2 of them had English interest and said plainly that they hated missionaries. Then then laughed after they said it like it was funny. Me and my companion sat there broken hearted. We had to drop them because we asked if they could come to church and they laughed like it was a joke. They said no. Then I said "will you ever come to church". They laughed and said no. I never knew women in their 50's could be so disrespectful. But the hard part is that I love them to death. AGH. So we had to drop them. That hurt a little because they were so close to the truth.

 

Then!!!!!!! WE met GOLDEN. I call her that because she is a golden investigator But her name is Sister Yune. Right as she gets in the lesson she tells us that she HATES the bible and book of mormon but she is interested in our message. ha ha. UMM OKAY, you kinda have to read the book if you want to understand our message.  But she said, one day I will read that but not right now. Well we met her twice and it was AMAZING. Like the two best lessons of my life. the spirit was there and we could feel it and she could feel it. So she's golden right, well shes golden because she was asking all the right questions. Her husband died 5 years ago, so hello plan of Salvation. Yes we taught that and she ATE IT UP!!!!!!! Like I have never heard so many inspired questions before.  I couldn't believe it. So that was amazing. Well yesterday my companion was sicker than a dog. Poor thing had a fever of 102 and had the chills and couldn't even stand. So sad. Well while she was sick we got a text from Sister Yune saying she couldn't meet because she was feeling like our purpose was to teach her the gospel but her purpose was to learn English. She said she liked our message and will meet later but not right now........ I was broken hearted. I had a good cry. Like a GOOD CRY!!!!!! . But seriously. I was just so frustrated that one of our 2 investigators, who are AMAZING , and wanted to be baptized,  said she couldn't meet. I was devastated. I have been working my butt off and here someone I love just dropped us. Satan won. I was so upset. But then the sweet spirit slapped me into gear and I could feel the gentle voice of the Lord saying "She's someone I love too. I'm sad too." It was a great moment between me and my heavenly father. Sometimes I forget that God loves these people more than I do. ha ha. Sometimes I want my investigators to see an angel or to have a HUGE miraculous experience. But that's not how I gained my testimony. I need to remember that these are Gods Children and he is TRYING EVERYTHING!!!! More than I think he is, to help his children come unto him. It was a humbling experience. Then after the good cry I whipped back into shape and called over 150 people in our area book. Now we have 2 appointments with people who want to meet us!!!!!!! Miracles happen when you become humble and you do the will of the Father. Yes I am so sad about our investigators but I also realize that they are dropped because they know our purpose. I am not a missionary who beats around the bush about my purpose. I tell people exactly why I am here and what I am here to do and who sent me and if people don't want to meet me  because of it at least in the next life they will come to me and say "thanks for trying your best to give me the truth".

 

Then the week ended great with a call to my Recent convert Sister Lee. I feel like I am dating her. I'm practically in love with her. I call her every night. sometimes we  meet on Thursdays and watch spiritual DVD's.  I just love her so much. AGH. Love her. When I think about her, I know I can do it. The other miracle of the week was we had interviews with president:) He is amazing. I will miss him so much. He is always a great light at the end of the dark hall. I Love him. The other miracle was your e-mail mom. Wow. I just love you. Thank you for your care, your warm love and your ever lasting support. Your e-mails were just what I needed to hear. Yes I only have one investigator but I have 6 potential investigators who want to meet and I will  share this gospel and hopefully baptize them and their friends and their families. And if not then I will keep my head up and work even harder. I love this work. Free agency frustrates me but I love this work. I love it. Thank you for the love and prayers and most of all for your amazing example. I love you to the moon and back.

 

Sister Nicolle Ensign

 

p.s. Last week I needed more faith and this week I got it. Surprisingly because this week was harder than last. I think it's through the storms that we get the courage. I think I will need to remember that one. :) Love you mom!!!!! Tell the family I love them too:)