Busy time

 1st thing - My official mailing address is

                           Sister Nicole Gordon

                           Washington D.C. North Mission

                           11700 Falls Road

                           Potomac, MD 20854-2823

 

Ok! So some things that have happened this week. Very 1st day we got lost on our way home! We have 2 of the greatest roommates! (Sister Conizalez and Sister Gonzalez or The Zalez. He he!) They are in the Spanish program and I love listening to them talk. They speak with such love and boldness, I love it! Anyway, so we were following them home from the Visitors' Center and traffic got a little crazy so we lost them.... and had no phone..... and no address. So we pulled off at an exit and into a Sheraton Hotel parking lot. We went in to use the phone and as we waited we taught the two men at the front desk! We shared about our church and invited them to come to The Festival of Lights. Shawn talked about how some of his best friends are Mormon and how they are great people and that they have a lot of fun. He has met with the missionaries before and gone to church. He said that he was looking to go back to church with his girlfriend. We invited him to church. He seemed a little uneasy about this idea and so I asked him to pray about it. He said he would. I know God answers prayers and that He knows what is best for each of us. It was such an awesome experience! I truly enjoyed teaching and conversing with these gentlemen. Then the APs (Elder Vea and Elder Faundez) showed up along with the sisters. The sisters had talked with the APs about the fact that they thought we were lost and they were praying together to find us and to keep us safe. In the middle of their prayer we called... Prayer answered! They really are amazing people and have such love for us and the people! It brings joy to my heart to feel all of the love that surrounds me. It makes me hopeful to realize that this is what society could be like if more people would strive to keep the commandment to Love one another. :)

 

Miracle Moment! I was in the Visitors' Center (I'm there everyday from 3:30 until 10pm - bedtime is changed to 11:30 and wake up time is 7:30 for the sisters while the VC is open so late for festival. - P.S. everyone should go online and check it out! It is amazing!) So I had just finished ushering a concert and I was on my way to the resource room.... As I passed the Information Desk a man stopped me. "How do I get this book?" He asked in a thick Russian accent. I was astonished! Someone was asking ME about the Book of Mormon. So I had him fill out a referral card so that he could receive a copy in his native tongue. As he is filling it out his wife comes over and says, "Do you think that is a good idea?" He pauses for a moment. "Yes." How much strength he showed to be able to think to himself and say, yes I want this, even when a loved one may not agree. I was so impressed with him for his desire! I was also impressed with his wife for showing such love for him... to make sure that he was thinking through his decisions. Afterward I went to the front desk and was speaking with Elder Crowley who is one of our Senior Couples Missionaries. He found a Book of Mormon in Russian along with pamphlets of Joseph Smith's Testimony and Family a Proclamation to the World. How wonderful!

 

I love all that I have been able to do here. I will never underestimate how hard a visitors' center sister works again! I don't know if I've ever worked harder in my life or been more conscientious of the people around me. I am learning a lot about myself and about others. I have seen how much God loves His children and how much He is willing to help them if they will but ask! Prayer is so important in our lives. How often it is easy to say, "I'm  tired" or to give a short meaningless prayer. Never do that again! Prayer is important to help us through our day. The love of God in our lives helps us to love ourselves and to love others. God is a loving Heavenly Father who wants to hear from His children. He wants to know how our day was from our own mouths. He wants to know what is good in our lives and what is troubling us. He wants to hear us laugh about funny events and jokes. He wants to send us comfort when we are sad. He loves us and he wants us to talk with Him. He wants us to listen to the answers He gives and to watch for the ways that He blesses our lives. Prayer is so simple to forget but so essential to our personal well being. I invite you all to pray and to ask your Heavenly Father what He wants for you, to send you comfort, to share in your joy, to ask what is best for you. He loves you and will help you.

 Love as alwarys, Sister Gordon