How is everyone doing?! Well, I am doing great! Things are so good over here in Bangor....I love it, it is THE BEST. I love sister Eddington, she is the best for me. So this week was super quick but so good!
Tuesday we went to Missionary Leaders Council in Manchester and it was amazing, President Stoker is such an incredible man, I am so grateful for him. We are studying a lot about the book of Mormon in preparation for our upcoming zone conferences so it was a lot about the Book of Mormon, go figure! Me and sister Eddington were assigned to do a little presentation on how the Book of Mormon testifies of Christ...In the introduction of the Book of Mormon it says, "The record is now published in many languages as a new and additional witness that Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God and that all who will come unto Him and obey the laws and ordinances of His gospel may be saved." We met with a lady last week who told us that she thought the Book of Mormon didn't portray Jesus Christ as she wanted him to be portrayed as the Son of God...and I had to disagree with her! I was thinking about the first time I read through the whole Book of Mormon as a missionary. It was in my first area and we were teaching the restoration to a family and as I bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon I remember just feeling an overwhelming since of love for my Savior and I felt that I had really come to know him so much better without even really realizing it. Our purpose as missionaries is first to help others build their faith in Jesus Christ and I haven't seen anything else work better than the Book of Mormon. Brother Ishihara went from wanting to be baptized in 4-6 months to wanting to be baptized as soon as he could just because of this book. It is such an amazing miracle and gift our Heavenly Father has given us. President committed us to read the Book of Mormon everyday for the rest of our lives and I committed! So, who is with me? I've seen the Book of Mormon change lives...mine included. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who knows us so well!
I have become a little bit of a perfectionist on my mission and me and Heavenly Father have been trying to work through it with some help from my Savior. Well a couple nights ago, I just said to him, "You know Heavenly Father, I have a lot of weaknesses, fears, sins, and imperfections but I believe that you still love me. Can you just help me to feel that love?" and then I went to bed. The next morning we went on our morning walk but when I woke up I just felt different! As we were walking and talking we were talking about this subject and the thought just occurred to me, "He isn't waiting to love me until I am perfect, so why am I waiting to love myself until I'm perfect?" Each of us our children of God, He created us with all of our gifts and strengths but also our weaknesses and imperfections...for us to think we aren't worth anything is almost discriminating his creation. It's like someone telling me that a song I wrote is worth nothing..I would be heartbroken! And I think He feels the same way when we don't love ourselves.We are His in all reality,The Eternal God of this world knows us and loves us. He's not waiting until we are perfect or we are free of sin...He sees us for who we really are and loves us unconditionally. This week we met with a girl we just started teaching who is just incredible! She has been taught for awhile and her knowledge is amazing...but she has some struggles as we all do. The love I could feel for her from Heavenly Father was overwhelming....and I knew He loved her and me just the same.
The other night I had a dream that I was home...it was a legit nightmare! I was driving in the car and we passed by these two missionaries on the street and the realization set in and tears were just flying! I was so happy to wake up...I love being a missionary, I am never going home! Yesterday at church we had an amazing fast and testimony meeting. The spirit was so strong...I had a short time to bare my testimony but as I did I was overwhelmed with love for this gospel and for my Savior and the opportunity I have to be His representative. I know I may not be perfect and I never will be, but He is helping me. He is working through me to be what He needs me to be. I am so eternally grateful for this time in my life!!
I love you all! Have a great week :)
Love, Sister Innes
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