This week was one of the best weeks of my life! We had a Thanksgiving
activity on Saturday, and we had 3 investigators attend! They met so
many ward members, and I honestly felt like I was in a Mormon Message,
it was picture perfect. They even had turkey and it tasted like my
grandma's Thanksgiving turkey! :) Then yesterday we had a Stake "gai
yauh jaahm." Which is literally "add oil station." It's like a gospel
gas station/chance to renew our testimonies and commitment. We had one
investigator come with us, bless a member's friend, and it went so well.
Sister Gomez and I sang Savior, Redeemer of my Soul and the bishop
shared paintings of Christ by Greg Olsen. They were beautiful! It was
really funny because there is one picture of Christ cooking a fish over
an open fire near the shore, and the bishop jokingly called it a
"B.B.Q." And then in the next meeting, we were all sharing what happened
in the individual wards with the stake, and the sister who summarized
ours, said "and here is Jesus having a B.B.Q." You probably had to be
there, but it was really funny!!!!!
This week in one of my personal
studies I was reading about adversity. Because the people in the Book of
Mormon sure had their fair share of them! When Sister Gomez and I sang
Savior, Redeemer, the line "and made with sweet my bitter cup" really
stuck out to me. Moses 6:55 and D & C 29:39 both are listed as
references to adversity in the Guide to the Scriptures, and they both
speak about sweet and bitter. And the Book of Mormon also teaches us
that "there must be an opposition in all things."
Even though some
experiences here are bitter, they will be made sweet. Sometimes it
doesn't take that long. Like me, with looking back at my first few weeks
in Hong Kong. Even though all the change and newness was really
overwhelming and hard, I look back at it with fondness, because I had to
rely on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so much, and it made my
relationship with them much stronger and deeper. A relationship I need
now as I teach and do Their work.
Sometimes it never becomes sweet in
this life. But I promise that it will. Any pain and bitterness we
experience now is carving a larger capacity to feel joy in the future.
Because Christ drank the dregs of the bitter cup, of the most bitter
cup, we can feel joy now. We can feel an abundance of joy. And we are
promised that we will be made whole. We can have a sure hope that
everything will work out for our good. Even in the bitter moments of
life, the hope of the sweetness of repentance, of forgiveness, and of
hope is always before us. Our cups truly "runneth over."
This
week I am just thankful. I am thankful for my family. For all your
support! For the Savior, the gospel, Heavenly Father. I am thankful for
His patience. I am definitely not the most well-tuned or beautiful
instrument in this work, but He teaches me day by day. I am thankful
that He always accepts our small offerings. I am thankful for the Book
of Mormon and all those who sacrificed all they had so that we can have
it today. I am thankful for the commandments, that teach us the
importance and sacred nature of sacrifice. He has prepared a more
excellent way, and they are the commandments, which turn our souls to
Christ. Love you all!
--
Sister Dopp
We sang at a meeting and we wanted to match the Elders. We said "blue is good," and they literally brought every blue tie so we could choose. Ha ha
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