Sister Tessa Bishop: LETTER 54: The one where Tessa yells out the car window

8/27/14

We had a lovely week! Actually...a lot has happened! As I'm flipping through my planner looking through the past 8 days, it just amazes me how much can happen and change in one week. So lets get started (:

We went on a few exchanges--first up, me and Sis Finau! We had the best lesson EVER with Siddhi. We taught the Plan of Salvation, and it was powerful. It Spirit really hit all of us, and confirmed everything--there was just no denying it's true. At the end, Siddhi just said "This is God. This is what I've been waiting for. What's next Saturday? I want to be baptized."

Wow.

So long story short, we set a baptism date for her for September 13! (: She is completely solid in the gospel. She gets it. She's been baptized in many many churches, and has come to realize the importance of the Priesthood, of Joseph Smith, the uniqueness of the Plan of Salvation, and just all of these things...she gets it. And she's following it (: yay! Thrilled for her. She is the happiest, funniest, most loving and spiritually in-tune person you could ever meet. She recognizes truth when she hears it, and she's found the fullness here (:

On Friday and Saturday, we were able to volunteer at the "Relay for Life" cancer survivor run! We set up tables, chairs, filled balloons, hung signs, ran booths, got sunburned--all that good stuff (: My favorite was being able to have great conversations with people about their triumphs and battles in life--mainly cancer! And being able to reflect upon those close to me who have battled cancer as well. I'm grateful for a loving God who lets us have trials and experiences, and grateful for the comfort that comes from knowing His plan.

We had some other really great lessons and miracles throughout the week. We had a referral named Tyler to go see, so we get to his apartment and had to park quite a few blocks away (props of living in LA...street parking is impossible haha). We were debating if we wanted to try to see someone else or just walk it all, and we ended up going for it and walk. We finally get to his apartment and he's not home, but on the way out we talked to a guy from France (props of living in LA...people from all over the world (: ) and he was very interested in learning more! Miracle! As we're saying bye to him, a group of 3 guys walk through the door past us and I blurt out "are any of you Tyler?!" and one of them was!! haha we got him!! Taught him on the spot, and he's now investigating. He's great. So many miracles leading up to finding him (: God is good.

Yesterday we had interviews with President Hall, he is such an inspired man. Us and the Zone Leaders did some training for the missionaries the whooole day and it was revelatory. Then today we had district meeting and got to go to the temple for Sister Lewis's birthday trip! Yay (: It was lovely and also revelatory. Tonight we have a lesson with Chris--he got kicked out of his place and lost his phone, so we had NO way of contacting him the past three weeks. Then two days ago at a stoplight, he was crossing the street and I freaked out and started yelling out the car window to him haha so we get to continue teaching him! Woo (: God is good.

Little and big miracles all the time. It's the best thing in the world. I feel blessed with the knowledge that I'm right where I need to be, doing exactly what I need to be doing, and learning the lessons I need. Recently I'm learning how important it is to get rid of the natural man inside of us. That's a central purpose in our lives! Mosiah 3:19-- "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." We are learning to become Saints. It's made possible through Christ, and ONLY through Christ. I encourage each of you to look for little ways you can become as a child and submit to God's will. His plan is perfect and is the way to ultimate, lasting happiness. Love you all!

--Sister Bishop

Birthday girl!!! Turned 20 (: made her some lemon cookies and we got shakes (: