What a wonderful week! We got a call Tuesday morning from President, and we are now in a trio for three weeks! We now have Sister Clawson as a companion; it has been so fun. We have just hit the ground running, and it's been so amazing.
Our trio right before our chapel tour
Tender mercy for the week--I got to see Sister Cox twice this week and be companions with her again for a quick two minutes. We were able to teach about the Book of Mormon, give a book away, AND set up a lesson with this awesome guy named Tito. So fun being able to share the Gospel with Sister Cox...brought back so many good time memories from North Pole and Oceanview!
We were able to do a huge service in Anchorage this past week for the Iditarod, the big dog sledding race. It was so fun, and we had so many amazing opportunities to share the Gospel and just open our mouths. There was no coincidence that we were working with these people that day. So cool to see the Lord's hand in all of this!
Service for the Iditarod!
Reunion with Sister Bentley! So Sweet! Love this girl!
We had an amazing lesson with some people that walked into church on Sunday with our member. The husband is a less-active member and is coming back to church. His wife and daughter, Danielle and Kathrine, are just the greatest! We were able to teach the Restoration, and the spirit was so strong. So strong!! We extended the invitation to them to be baptized, and they said, "YES!" They are preparing for March 17th, and we are so excited for them. I love teaching families and just seeing how the Gospel blesses their lives but, more importantly, how the Gospel blesses their entire family. So incredible! Yesterday, we had Family Home Evening with them, another family we're teaching, and our ward mission leader, and it was so AWESOME!
We also had another incredible lesson with another one of our investigators. We really focused on the power of the Book of Mormon, and she shared with us the sweetest experience that they had with their kids the other night. They gathered around to read and for the first time ever the children were actually listening. The family was reading together about Christ and how the people treated him. She looks up and her little boy is just in tears because of how they treated Christ, and she just felt the spirit so strong in that moment. Hearing that made me realize the real power of the Book of Mormon and how it truly is ANOTHER testament of Christ! It testifies of Christ's life and the love He has for us. We will never be able to comprehend all He went through, and He was willing to suffer in pain so that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father and savior Jesus Christ again.
Friendship bracelets with our investigators' sweet daughter!
Sundays are some of my favorite days, and lately our investigators as well, because they all just love coming! It's the greatest place for them to be, and it just makes me so happy knowing that they will do all they can to make it to church and feel of that spirit that is present. It has been truly so incredible to see how the Lord has been preparing the hearts of these people. The spirit is so powerful and truly testifies of truth.
Reunion with sweet Wright family from Oceanview! Sure miss them!
Something I have been thinking a lot about these last couple days is how aware the Lord is of us. I was listening to the talk that Elder Holland gave called "Songs Sung and Unsung":
"There is sunshine in my soul today," Eliza Hewitt wrote, "more glorious and bright than glows in any earthly sky, for Jesus is my light." With radiance in every note, that marvelous old Christian hymn is virtually impossible to sing without smiling. But today I wish to lift out of context just one line from it that may help on days when we find it hard to sing or smile and "peaceful happy moments" do not seem to "roll." If for a time you are unable to echo the joyous melodies you hear coming from others, I ask you to hold tenaciously to the line in this hymn that reassures, "Jesus listening can hear the songs [you] cannot sing."
I love this song, and have sung it hundreds of times on my mission--It's kind of our theme song here in Alaska during the dark winters, and it truly does bring such a big smile to my face. I love when Elder Holland points out the line that says,
"'Jesus listening can hear the songs you cannot sing."' Sometimes there are times we cannot find the words to sing or can not muster up the courage but in those moments we can find peace and solace in knowing that our Savior can hear those songs we cannot sing in this moment."
I was reading in 2 Nephi 25:26 and it says how we teach of Christ and we preach of Christ and prophesy of Christ and then it says we rejoice IN Christ. No matter where we're at, how we're feeling or the words we are lacking to say, we can find that joy in our Savior Jesus Christ and rejoice in Him knowing that He hears and knows those things perfectly.
I love this Gospel! I absolutely love being a missionary with my whole heart! I know that Christ loves and loves us. I know that He knows how we feel perfectly and invites each of us to come unto Him and rejoice in Him!
Love you all. Have such a great week!
Sister McKenna Lake
Anchorage Alaska Mission
Also, quick side story--We have a pet sheep living in the garage below us waiting to have little babies. Every morning when I go and hop on the treadmill, I get to run right next to Mama the Sheep. How lucky am I???
Mama sheep--AKA my running buddy!
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