# 26

Dear family, 

Sorry, this week I spent a lot of time writing the President...I had a hard week, but I learned a lot. Here is my letter to him:

President C, 

This week was a hard week. Many of our investigators have not been keeping commitments. I have really been struggling with this. I understand that it all comes down to them using their agency, but I was really contemplating what else I could be doing to help them. What can I be doing better? I have been studying how I can become more of a light to others so that they recognize me as a disciple of Jesus Christ and bear witness of Him more clearly.

I was reading in Mosiah chapter 5 during personal study and came across verse 5. King Benjamin is talking to his people, those who have "entered into a covenant with God" to be obedient to the end of their lives. He says "Your hearts are changed through faith on His name; therefore, ye are born of Him...you take upon you the name of Christ." I thought about that in two ways. Physically and spiritually. As a missionary, I literally have Christ's name on me everyday...it's on my badge. It is easy for people to read and see that I follow Christ. But for them to understand and feel His love for Him, I need to more clearly take His name upon me. I know I have already been baptized and have been given the Holy Ghost, but I was thinking about how I can continually become reborn or have my "heart changed through faith on His name." I was also thinking about the 4th missionary and why he is different than the 3rd missionary...he comes home changed. But how? His heart is changed through faith on the Lord's name. God's will is his will. He yields himself unto the Lord (2 Chron. 30:8). He kills the natural man, waxes stronger in humility and in the faith if Christ "unto the sanctification of their hearts...which cometh because of yielding our hearts to God" (Hel. 3:35). He is sanctified. And I believe that is what living the higher law is (we talked about at Zone Conference) - submitting yourself to God's will, sanctifying your hearts, because you love Him. You do His will with an eye single to His glory. This comes through faith in Jesus Christ and is accomplished by His Spirit, which fills with light, purifies and sanctifies. That is why it is so crucial to exercise faith. That is why it is so crucial to repent and work to be worthy to have the Spirit. That is why it is so crucial to renew our baptismal covenants with God. Especially as a missionary. D&C 88:67-68 explains that "if your eye be single to my (God's) glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things...therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to the glory of God, and the days will come that you shall see him, for he will unveil his face unto you." What a beautiful promise! As I studied this, I was forced to ask myself if I have really done this. I read one of my favorite scriptures in Alma where Alma asks the people "Have you spiritually been born of God? Have ye received His image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? Do you exercise faith in the redemption of Him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith? (Alma 5:14-15). This was running through my mind yesterday during sacrament meeting and I had a really touching experience during the sacrament ordinance. I was reminded of how through the Savior's atonement all of this is made possible. We can be sanctified. We can be that window to His love. (I really appreciated that song that Elder M, and Sister H and S sang during Zone Conference). I am grateful for the opportunity to renew the covenants I have made with the Lord every week. I'm grateful for the promised blessing of always having the Spirit to be with me. I am grateful for the opportunity I have to bear His name on me physically, and in my countenance. I hope that this week I can be more of an example of Him and more of a clear window so that others can feel of His love and the truthfulness of His gospel through me. Even though it was a hard week, I am going to work on being the best I can be so that I can give an accounting of the Lord and know for myself that my investigators were given every opportunity and I have done my very best with them. 

Thank you for the wonderful Zone Conference. I left filled with the Spirit. It reminded me of why I decided to serve a mission. I was also very grateful for the opportunity I had to bear my testimony on faith. I felt like weight was lifted of my shoulders.

I love you,

Sister Morreall

P.S. The verb "to sanctify" in Armenian literally means to work holiness. Awesome huh?

How is the family? I love getting your emails! I also really like dear elders.  

Cool/funny things:

Armenians NEVER forget birthdays...my birthday was awesome. They also wish you health, success and a good husband for the coming year haha. Awesome huh dad?  

Did you know they have chili chocolate here?

They also sometime have a hard time with my name so I tell them it's "model" so now sometimes they call me "Sister Model" hahaha...whatever is easier! I have also been told Morreall in Russian is something really pretty...they could have just been saying that to make be feel good too haha. I don't know.