Fwd: Letter #13 - 7/1/13

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Elizabeth Montgomery <elizabeth.montgomery@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 7:25 AM
Subject: Letter #13 - 7/1/13
To: Christine Montgomery <chrismont9@gmail.com>

Hello again! I'm rushed on time, so I won't be responding to anyone personally today, but at least I'll have time to tell y'all about the AWESOME week I've had (quickly...)

First, a lot of people told me last week about the worldwide missionary broadcast, and I finally got the chance to watch it yesterday. It was Ukrainian, so I didn't understand all/most of it, but I watched the first half in English later. And WOW. The Spirit was amazing, and it made me feel so inspired. I love war analogies, and it got me thinking about how sometimes it feels like Sister Filipovska and I are lone soldiers crossing through rugged, dangerous terrain, hoping to win this war going on between good and evil. When we get together for district meetings or zone conferences, it's like meeting up with the other soldiers in our area (platoon maybe? I don't know my army jargon...) and receiving strength from one another before going out into that jungle again. But this worldwide broadcast was like the leaders of nations inspiring all their citizens and soldiers to unite and move forward. It was so inspiring, and I'm grateful to be part of this army of Saints, fighting every day to bring the world the truth of God.

Guess what?! I got myself a guitar! I got permission from President Klebingat to use it for proselyting purposes, I miraculously found one to borrow from one of the members, and so far I've played hymns in a park, played for investigators and members, and (my personal favorite) sang my Joseph Smith song for the spiritual thought at English. I've also played piano in church three times already. It feels great to use my talents to build up the kingdom of God -- each of us has been blessed with gifts and talents, and God will really use them to accomplish His purposes if we let Him.

Another exciting thing: my language has improved SO much this last week. Sister Filipovska encouraged me to dare more greatly when I speak (be more confident, less afraid, talk more, etc.), and it has made all the difference. I still make mistakes of course, but I'm able to speak freely and quickly more and more every day, and I can think more about what I really WANT to say instead of just what I CAN say. God has blessed me so much with the gift of tongues (and the gift of interpretation of tongues), and I am SO grateful for that.

And lastly, we have two new investigators! One is Tamara, a 50-something-year-old lady who was a former investigator, and one is a 16-year-old girl named Lena who is basically a "golden investigator." Lena just astounds me. Sisters in another area found her by contacting, taught her the Restoration, and gave her the Book of Mormon. Yesterday she came to church, we had a lesson about the Plan of Salvation that she readily accepted (and told us, "You've given me answers that other churches haven't been able to"), and she even went to a youth fireside that night. She's already started the Book of Mormon and is reading it, she prayed the first night after meeting the other sisters and said that she received a feeling that it's true, and when we asked her in our lesson if she would get baptized, she said yes! She is like the pure definition of "elect" (D&C 29:7), it's incredible. Her parents are kind of opposed (mom is neutral, dad very opposed), but we'll be praying that they soften their hearts toward the gospel. I think they only need one parent's permission to get baptized, so we'll see what happens. So exciting!

And I think that wraps up the main points... this is my last full week of the transfer, and then I'll be training! How crazy is that?! Time sure flies.

Hope you have a great week! Love you!

-Sister Montgomery

PS -- Oh yeah, funny story: the word for "to love" is really close to the word for "to kill," so while at a member family's home, I was teaching about the importance of respecting one another when I said, "God loves each of you SO much, and that's why He wants you to kill each other." Umm, yeah... LOVE each other. At least it united them in laughing at me. :)

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