Sick week! (Week 71)

Hello family!!!

     Thanks for the emails and pictures! I love seeing them cause it makes me so happy!! Well daddy, I know who Marilyn Monroe is and what happened so that's why I said it cause my skirt flew up just like that! 

     So, nothing too exciting happened this week because Sister Searle was sick basically tuesday night to saturday morning. You would be amazed though at how much studying I got done!! haha I finished the Book of Mormon, read almost all of True to the Faith, some ensigns, and I don't know what else! I thought I was going to go crazy staying in the apartment that long, but we survived! :) It's interesting how my perspective has changed out here though. I know journal writing is super important but I have not been the best at writing in mine cause there is just so much to be done. I could have caught up on it when we were inside but I just didn't want to. All I wanted to do was study and learn as much as I could during that time, because I just love the gospel soooo much!! It's amazing how much I have been learning out here and experiencing. This really is such a good foundation to learn about the gospel because I am so excited to come home and have even more time to just study and learn about all that we can! The things we can learn are endless and it is awesome!! 

     We had one lesson on tuesday that was awesome! We have a member who introduced us to her friend so we have been meeting with her and she is great! We taught her the plan of salvation and it went great and our member participated a lot which helped her learn more too! Lxxxx (investigator) said she had been very confused about a lot of things with life and death and she just didn't like it and didn't know what to do. We had that lesson though and it was so cool, because we asked her at the end of the lesson what she thought and what she had learned from the lesson, and she was so amazed!! She said that she felt so much comfort and felt so much better now that we talked to her about everything and explained things better than anyone else ever had. She felt that way because what we taught her is true and she was feeling the spirit testifying to her that it is true and it is from God to her! I bore a final testimony to her and it was amazing! It was definitely not me talking but the Lord because I had so many thoughts coming to mind and words were just flying out of my mouth! It was so neat because I just felt so empowered and used by the Lord and it was just awesome!! I love having a testimony of this work and then sharing it with others because I know how much it will bless their life! Afterwards, our member was talking to us and said that when she looked over at me while I was bearing testimony I was so bright. She said I just had a huge, bright glow around me and that I just looked so happy, and that it was just like I had a halo over my head because I am just such an angel!! That was so nice of her and made me feel so happy! I love feeling the spirit and knowing that the Lord is right there with me because He is helping guide me to help His children! What an amazing thing!!

     We had another lesson as well and that one was really neat too! Kxxxx has been coming to institute for a while with a member and has been to church now 4 times and loves it. We showed her the restoration video and then were able to talk with her so openly about it all. She said that learning all of this is overwhelming because it is different than what she has grown up with, but that it is good and she really likes learning about it. She recognizes things make her happy, that people love her, and that when she reads she likes it. She had some really good questions for us and again the Lord was using me because I was getting scriptures coming to my mind and I was able to explain things in simple but direct ways that made sense to her. It was really neat as well! I love her!

     Yesterday, church was canceled cause we had a snowstorm...lame!! So, we had more time to work. We ended up doing a little get together where the missionaries came, and some members and investigators came and we all ate food and then watched 17 Miracles. It was AWESOME because we had a good time, people there, and the spirit was there!!! I absolutely love that movie and it makes me cry every time! I was sitting there watching the movie and I had so many thoughts and emotions running through me that I just started crying! Of course, you're thinking! ;) I have such a deep gratitude, respect, and love for the pioneers and all they went through for me! I can't even imagine all that they had to endure, but they kept going with their faith strong in the Lord. All of a sudden it just hit me so hard while watching the movie that I only have a few weeks left, and I was so sad. I cried about that because I love being a missionary so much!! It is the hardest thing I have ever done, but absolutely the best thing because I am learning and experiencing soooo much!! You can never replace this experience! I love it though and I love serving my Heavenly Father and learning more about my relationship with my Savior Jesus Christ and also more about who I am!!! I don't want it to end because it is so amazing!!! I am just so thankful for it all!!! I hope that you all have a wonderful week though and that you get all that you need to done!! Remember the Savior and all that He has done and is doing for you because He loves you so much!!! And, so do I!!!         

                                         Love, Sister Higgins