3/23/2015

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; and WE are the CLAY , and thou our potter; and we all are the work of THY HAND....~ Isaiah 64:8

      I am clay in the master Potter's (god's) hand. being slowly molded into some masterpiece that he has in store... Sometimes it hurts...A lot and it's not easy. 

      I once took a pottery class. After watching various students I thought it would be relatively simple, but this "simple" craft was much more difficult. After many tries I  manged to center the clay and than attempted to make something that resembled a pot. It was much harder than I had originally planned. After many classes, a lot of time and much help from the teacher  I created a piece that I was very proud of. 

      While Reflecting and pondering on this experience I came upon this gem of a scripture found in Isaiah 64:8

         " But now, O Lord, thou art our father; and WE are the CLAY , and thou Our Potter; and we all are the work of THY HAND."

      This past couple weeks, to be honest, I feel like I have been clay being slowly molded and sculptured. These weeks have been really hard for various reasons. I'm still working on catching that vision of what the master Potter's vision is for me but I know the master potter. and I trust him. I think that is something that we are all figuring out in this life and that is what we can become...catching that vision.  I know I am still working on seeing that vision but when we have the master help us, we can become far more than we can if we were to do it alone.   

Opening my Easter package.

Meeting my Canadian cousins for the first time...Christie (4th cousin), Sophie (daughter) and 2 of the 3 Christie's sons.

 

3/9/2015

Bonjour!  Bonjour! Bonjour!

       What a week!   Yesterday-funniest thing happened. As you all know it was Daylight Saving....we went to sleep thinking that our phone would automatically update and we had set our alarm clocks as well. So we woke up and Sister Lindquist was working on her talk for Sacrament Meeting and I was reading the scriptures when we receive a phone call from Megan- that went like this:

       Megan- "Hey what are you guys doing?" 

        Me- "Oh were studying. What about you?" 

        Megann- " I"m at church, sitting with your investigator right now, church is starting!"

      Talk about an adrenaline rush! I was like Sister Lindquist we have to go! And poor Sister Lindquist was freaking out because she had to speak!
     So we rushed over to the church (luckily it was like less than 5 minutes away) and made it in right before they sang the second verse of the sacrament song. The talk went great and the rest of the day too:) 

     Also, I took on a challenge to read the Book of Mormon in French and while explaining this to Michelle (who used to teach French) she read a couple chapters with us! Which was really an exciting thing because we had tried to read it with her in the past but she told us it was too difficult for us. But after reading a few verses out loud I felt so proud when she turned to me and said, "Not too bad, not too bad."

      We had a couple of lessons that were just miracles. There are rare moments when you teach and your just pore your soul into it, hoping that it makes sense to them and that they feel the spirit. And than you turn to them and ask them a question and they answer it perfect or they explain it to you in the most amazing way, that you just have to take a moment and capture the feeling in the lesson because it is so precious. That happened twice this week. One lesson on baptism with the dead with a recent convert, and another with the Restoration with an investigator who had previously been taught the Restoration twice and finally said, "Oh I get it now." 

      We had an amazing Ward Relief Society Activity where we leaned to knit with our hands:) Two investigators came to that:) 

     We had an investigator who had formally felt really uncomfortable in really big buildings with lots of people who came to church! After church we stopped by his house to see how he liked it and he was like, "I liked it, it was really fun!" than he was like, " I need to start reading the Book of Mormon again. I heard about a potluck next week, can I come to that? Oh and can you guys bring me a Bible." :)

     Then that same day my testimony of fasting was strengthened immensely. We have another investigator who is great, really great. He has in the past had a really hard time finding work these past couple months, so when we saw him in the week we suggested that we all pray and on Saturday night start a fast. He agreed. We  stopped by for the lesson and he wasn't home. So we fasted for him anyways. The next day at church we were told that the reason he wasn't at church was because he had gotten a job! It was truly the Lord blessing him. It was a big miracle after having months of no work.
​It was a huge miracle! What a blessing! Fasting is powerful and I feel so thankful to know about it! 

Sister Lindquist made this sign for me!

It was a really great week! Hope all is well back home:D

Love,
Soeur Rawlings

RS Activity

Made this scarf during the Relief Society Activity.

2/23/2015     It takes a village....

Bonjour ma famille et amis,

             Another busy week!  We had some really great lessons with some less actives and investigators where the spirit was strong and it was amazing to see them recognize and feel the spirit.We helped Charlie start his Family History. It was a really great experience because we were able to find the record of a local church that his parents were married in. It's truly amazing to see how when one person joins the gospel how it can bless the lives of others!

              Than this weekend, Charlie called us and told us that he had someone for us to teach! That's a great member missionary right there! His neighbor's daughter is looking for religion so were excited to see where that goes. This week I have been thinking a lot about the phrase, "It takes a village", you've probably heard the phrase from the book it take a village to rise a child, but it is true for the gospel. It takes everyone in the ward, it takes loving friends, leaders and missionaries to help these infants in the gospel. This week I have learned a lot and am excited for what's to come.

*Funny Moment: We were talking to a 14 year old, recent convert about doing missionary work and he says, " I already tried. I tried to ask my friend in a polite way if she wanted to join my church and she said no." And his grandma laughed and was like," well that was subtle." 

 

Here are some pictures  from Cornwall :-)

         

Another beautiful sunset in Cornwall, overlooking the USA Bridge!

Love,
Soeur Rawlings

2/16/2015
Happy Family Day! (Canada's holiday)

 Hello Family and Friends,

      Another amazing week in Canada! Charlie was baptized this week:) It was definitely a week filled with lots of joy. It was a really busy week getting everything planned and set up, but it was so worth it.
       During the program, the Spirit was strong. Charlie called us the day of his baptism telling us that he had everything ready to go, he was ready. It was amazing to see all of his friends and ward members show up to support him. A moment that was very precious to me, and that I will cherish forever is when Charlie got up to bear his testimony. It was a beautiful testimony that had both Sister Lindquist and I in tears, as well as Charlie. 

Many of Charlie's friends came to support him.

Me, Charlie, Sister Lindquist and Brother Mazarolle

He is ready!

Charlie, Sister Gaudet, me and Sister Lindquist

      I thought it so fitting that he was baptized on Valentine's Day. The feelings on Saturday and Sunday can be summed up in one word, Love. There was a strong feeling of the Love that our Heavenly Father has for Charlie, as well as for the rest of us throughout the baptism, and also the following day when he was confirmed.     
      With Valentines day it had me thinking of how vast is God's love, all encompassing that it covers each and everyone one of us, even if we don't feel like we are worthy of it. When we get these false ideas-that because we did this or didn't do that, that we are not capable of becoming someone better, that we can't go to church because of this or that, that we can't repent....but that is all false lies by Satan. God's love is there for each and everyone of us, we just have to be brave and accept it.  We have to be willing to become what the Lord wants us to be by doing what he wants us to do. I know that everyone can change and that God's love is there for each and everyone of us. It doesn't matter how old you are or what is going on in your life.

Using the skills my grandma and mom taught me.

        Summed up-it was an amazing week, even though baptism is a simple and short act, it has such a lasting effect throughout the eternities. It has been such an honor to be an instrument in the Lord's hand and to bring one his children into the knowledge of the gospel. Charlie is a new person.  He is filled with so much light. It's amazing to see the happiness that he is experiencing.

Love you all! 

Sister Rawlings

2/9/2015

Bonjour ma famille et amis,

      What a fantastic week, to say the least!  We had exchanges and I stayed in Cornwall with Sister Schmuel (who I knew from the MTC), so that was fun!
   

Exchanges-Sister Gaudet & Sister Schmuel

    We lost our phone one night. After retracing our steps, we found it in the middle of a street, which Sister Lindquist had to back me out of. It was a miracle that not only did we find it, but that no one had run over it:)       

FHE-We played LIFE and talked about choices.

       So big news-Charlie had his baptismal interview and he is so ready. So this Valentine's Day he will be making that covenant with our Heavenly Father. Monday we had FHE and we played the game of Life and related it to how there are different paths and which one we choose determines what will happen in our life. 

Let it snow!

Great week, and a great week to come!

Love you all and wish you all a great week!

Love Sister Rawlings

2/2/2015

Hey Everyone!

      It has just been snowing like crazy these past couple of days! But don't worry-I'm not frozen...yet! This week me and Sister Lindquist gave a training on the Holy Ghost to our district, it went really well and it really helped us in the week. We have taught Charlie about everyday, the spirit has been really strong in the many lessons. We also had a lesson with Dan, we watched the restoration, there was a strong spirit and afterwards he went back to where Joseph Smith saw God and re-watched it:-) 

     We had a really tender moment this week when we got a text from one of the sisters in our ward who is a great lady who comes out with us a lot. The back round story on this is that one day while meeting with her she told us that she had the hardest time remembering to say her morning prayers, so we gave her a prayer rock. It was a rock about the size of two hands clasped together with the words, "did you think to pray?" written on them. She put it on her bed. A few days later her grandson who hasn't been raised in the church, came downstairs and found this prayer rock and asked her "Granny what is this rock?" She than went on to explain what a prayer rock was.  A few days ago we received this text " I almost cried this morning I was taking my grandson to school when he asked me if I was going to pray, so I stopped in the driveway and said a prayer". 

     It's amazing that a small thing like a rock can make such a difference! No matter how small the things we do are,  they have the power to make a big difference. As it says in Alma 37:36, " but behold I say unto, that by small and simple things are great things come to pass." Though we may feel small at times and incapable of doing grand or extravagant things, we need to remember it is through small and simple things that we can help others and that no effort that we put in is wasted. Love you all!  Have a great week!Sister Rawlings

Blizzards in a blizzard.

Painting baseboards

Painting nails with Jennifer.

1/26/2015
Hey Friends and Family!

Greetings from Cornwall, Ontario!

      Another busy week has gone by. This week we have been working really closely with Charlie, who now has a baptismal date of February 14th-Valentine's day! He is so excited, as are we.

     We've had some really good lessons:) We made signs to put up to help him stop smoking, which now adore the walls of his home:)

 We got to tap in to our crafty and creative side and made some cute posters! Lots of prayers have been said this week and it's true when they There is something so powerful when it comes to prayer. I know prayers are answered and that prayers are heard by our loving Heavenly Father. If you could all keep him in your prayers I would be thankful:-)
Thank you! (For all of your love and support!)
Love you all!

Sister Rawlings

be so thankful:) say, "prayers= power". 
P.S.  Funny Moment: We were cooking dinner and Sister Lindquist goes, " Your like my roommate, my co-worker, my friend, chauffeur and my body guard." Haha, yep that's what you will see under Missionary Companion in the dictionary.