Let me just say, Jesus Christ is changing me, my thoughts, my nature, all of me and man I love Him for it!! I've really been able to see a lot of change this week as I've called upon Him through his enabling power. The Savior strengthens, uplifts, and mostly changes us! I've come to know him more clearly by learning of Him and inviting Him more into my life!!! I love this quote by Elder Holland, "Come as you are but don't expect to stay as you are. The Lord loves you too much not to change you." I'm feeling the Lord's love as I'm being changed and learning how to handle hard!
It's already the end of another transfer, time is flying but thank goodness me and Sister Holt will be staying in Spotlyvania together! Also, received the best news, Sister Fry and Hermana Barlow are coming into the Fredricksburg Zone so I can go on exchanges with them!🥳 Sister Fry is going to my 2nd home, aka Culpeper, and man they're just going to love that girl with everything like I do!
I had the coolest experience this week. I got to go on exchanges this week with MEGAN BENSON! We have gone to all 3 years of school together, we always knew of each other and talked and occasionally hung out. We got in the car and just started to laugh as we said, "We are in Virginia right now doing the Lord's work. Who can say that they have done missionary work together like this?" IT WAS LIKE A FULL CIRCLE! It was amazing and so is she. I look up to that woman, her diligence and her love for God. She is such an example to me and everyone here, and I know so many people at home feel the same way about her. She is going home next week and I'm so sad! But so excited for her, she's got so much ahead of her, God definitely has big plans for her.
I learned so much from her and we were able to be effective instruments in the Lord's work as we tried to take the invitation of the Perfect Leader (I'll attack link below), but we read this talk before our exchange and holy I could say so much but I want y'all to experience it for yourself. I will say 3 Nephi perfectly sums up how our Savior is the perfect Leader.
I also had the opportunity to take Hermana Oler on an exchange! She's from Wyoming and she is incredible! We had such a good time together and getting to know each other!
I love exchanges because you get to see and understand more of God's children and the gifts that he gives them. It's a perfect time to learn from someone and to see how they do missionary work so you can always be growing and wanting to change!
I do have to say, we have the most amazing wards: Spotlyvania and Chancellor with people who are so willing and wanting to help us and missionary efforts. I love that no matter where you go in the world the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints makes you family immediately!
Even when the work is not going the way I want or expected, I'm learning more of who I need to be and become. The mission has helped me see other people be changed but mostly myself. I can't get frustrated with things because I'm not in control of this work, He is! He's going before us daily and I can feel his hand guiding us and helping us as we do everything we can to share His word!
Lastly, I have a spiritual thought I'll share quickly,
D&C 6:13-15
"If thou wilt do good, yea, and hold out faithful to the end, thou shalt be saved in the kingdom of God, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God; for there is no gift greater than the gift of salvation. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou hast done; for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou hast inquired thou hast received instruction of my Spirit. If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time. Behold, thou knowest that thou hast inquired of me and I did enlighten thy mind; and now I tell thee these things that thou mayest know that thou hast been enlightened by the Spirit of truth;"
This is when the Lord is telling Oliver Cowdry that he wasn't just curious about what we had heard about Joseph Smith, he was being guided by the Spirit not knowing beforehand what the Spirit would teach and lead him to do.
Just like Nephi who didn't understand why he had to go back to Jerusalem, but he followed the direction he received, and the Spirit guided him and taught him and his family many lessons. They were also learning by trial and by confusion.
1 Nephi 4:6
"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do."
This is saying that the Spirit is our teacher and sometimes we don't understand or even know that it's the Spirit. But when we look back, we can see the Spirit is ALWAYS with us as we live worthy of it. The Spirit is ALWAYS teaching us. We are ALWAYS living in personal revelation because the Spirit is our constant companion. It can be hard because sometimes I want this huge experience like Alma the younger and have an angel appear and just tell me where to go and what to do, but we know that the Spirit is a still small voice!
1 Kings 19:11-12
"And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice."
I know His voice is still and small and it always leads me to do good. Because He is everything good that this world can have. I invite you to remember the verse from D&C 6:13 if you are doing good and being faithful you will be blessed and remember to keep going when it's hard and rely on Him! He will enable you through the Atonement, I promise!! Every good thing comes from Him!
I love you all!! Sorry this is so long♡♡
#CTR
-SISTER HANNAH COPELAND
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