He Loves You and Wants You to have Faith Building Spiritual Experiences.

Our NEW Investigator!!  :-D

This week I was really able to feel Heavenly Father's love. 

I am so grateful for the experiences that we had this week. My email this week
is going to be focused on someone that came into the picture this week
and was definitely a blessing to me and Elder Slesk.

On Wednesday we get a referral from a member in another stake and her
friend was going through a really hard time and said she wanted to
meet with some missionaries. So we call the member's friend and she
sets up a time to meet with us in about 2 hours at the visitor center.
We met with her at the visitor center and she has gone through so
much. Just a brief overview; her mom passed away last week, her aunt
died recently, her son got shot (is okay though), her house had burnt
down a month ago and her utilities have been shut off. 

She had hit rock bottom and said that she is ready to just give it all up. 

We took her through a presentation at the Visitor center about God's plan for
us and she broke down and really opened up to us. 

She was really able to feel the spirit and feel a little bit of hope in her life.
I also truly feel like Heavenly Father was watching over her and brought her to us. 

And I truly needed this experience and needed her.

It's amazing how you can feel how much Heavenly Father loves his children. 

I had only known her for like an hour but felt such so much
love towards her and a desire to help. And I truly needed that.
She wanted to meet the next day and talk some more. So we met back up
at the visitor center the next day and had a great lesson were we
showed her the Mormon Message called "Mountains To Climb". It really
touched her and helped her know that she can make it through her
trials. It was a great discussion and she really wanted to come to church.

So Sunday came around and she came for all 3 hours, and all the talks
and lessons were exactly what she needed! It was so amazing how
everything worked out. She truly was touched and is ready to learn more.

I'm so grateful for how much Heavenly Father comforts his children. He
loves each and every one of us and he wants us to have Joy. And in
order for us to know true joy we have to experience trails. 

Trails last but a moment and when we focus on our Savior we can find Joy in all things. 

If we focus on our inconvenient situations we wont be able
to find joy, but through the savior we can lift ourselves. 

"We are not earthly beings having a spiritual experience, but we are Spiritual
Beings here having an earthly experience" (Brother Townsend).

Always remember that you are a Child of God. He loves you and wants you to
have faith building spiritual experiences.
I'm so grateful for the experiences I have had on my mission and I pray
that I may continue to refine myself to be an effective tool in the
hands of our Heavenly Father.

 I hope you
all have an amazing week and seek spiritual experiences!
They will uplift you and fill your cup.
Life is good in the M.I.M. (Missouri Independence Mission)
Love, Elder Odland