Malo!!
Craziest week of my life. Well to start off, Monday we left for Hamilton to attend my last MLC. We had the opportunity of being taught by a visiting General authority, Elder Cardon of the Pacific Area Presidency. It was super cool. Like wow. He is SO IN TUNE. He would be talking about one thing and then all of a sudden stop and say no, let's actually talk about this complete opposite thing. It was funny seeing President Cummings so nervous and unsure about what was going to happen next haha. But the next day, Wednesday, we were met by the rest of our zone and 4 other zones in Tauranga for a zone conference where we were taught and edified and inspired for the WHOLE day. He had asked us to prepare a 3 min talk on what we have learned from PMG ch. 4 recognizing the spirit and be prepared to share. Of course he left it for the last thing so the whole conference everyone was squirming and nervous about who would be picked. But I felt the spirit so strongly as he taught and as he testified. He touched a little bit on repentance and this is what stood out most to me. That repentance is not just stopping bad behavior, it is seeing the Savior standing between us and impending justice. We have to recognize that without Him, we would be completely subject to the consequences of our sins. Thank goodness we are not.
We arrived home very late on Wednesday night and were full on the rest of the week, catching up with investigators, teaching lessons, and preparing for some very special upcoming events! Then to top it all off, we had a special zone fast yesterday for some of the missionaries in our zone who have been struggling with health problems and as we came together to close our fast on Sunday night, it was one of the most powerful experiences I have had with feeling the power of the spirit and the priesthood. After the prayer, the sick ones received blessings from a circle of Elders. I just had the thought of how special that moment was and how the opportunity to witness such an event doesn't come very often. I am so grateful to still be a missionary, to feel the spirit each and everyday and to watch the gospel change people. I know it is true and that it is the most important work upon the face of the earth!
Much AROHA.
Sister Machen
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| Reunited again with Sister Taylor and her new trainee sister Keaton! (my granddaughter who POLE VAULTS-so proud) |
My favorite mission grandparents from Tauranga came to visit me at church
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| Gisborne zone in the middle of the gorge to sing HBD to sister Teihotu |
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