Week 79, 18 months!

Happy Monday everyone! It has been a super crazy week! The weather is great and the city has become livelier.

We had our first ever Zone Exchange where each missionary in the zone was pared up with someone different for the day. Miracles truly did happen! We set Standard of Excellence's of 20 new investigators and 10 member referrals during the 24 hour exchange. I was honestly amazed at how well we did! We found 12 new investigators, and hit 10 member referrals!! That is what a normal week for our zone looks like. I was so proud! It makes me so happy when I see other-missionaries-whom-I-serve's success (there is some interesting grammar in that sentence)! Everyone's faith increased, and diligence skyrocketed! I couldn't be more proud of the work our zone did. Even the newer missionaries' faith increased tremendously. There was a lot
of revelation that went into that, and for that I am very grateful.

The temple is just awesome! Elder Nugent and I went to the temple for our anniversary trips. We left our apartment around 8:30am to go to our temple session. On our way to the temple we were told to be fearless and talk with people along the way. Every person I spoke to was very welcoming and open to talk. I showed everyone pictures of the temple in Manhattan and had great discussions. I really just felt God's love for these people and wanted to weep with them because I knew that they were missing out on so many blessings. The temple was great. I love the temple and felt so at peace there. I may have felt too at peace as I fell asleep in the Celestial Room for a few minutes, haha! 

This week's funny:
I was feeling overwhelmingly tired and while we were walking to the library I yawned a nice big yawn. Immediately a lady walking the opposite direction arrogantly says to me, "Cover your mouth when you yawn. That's disgusting!" I was already having a bad day as it was, and I admit that it probably wasn't the classiest thing I did, but really!? It was so rude, haha! I wanted to say lose some weight you're disgusting, but no way would I ever say that!

While on this exchange, I saw two men that were about to enter a Masonic Lodge and I was always curious about what their beliefs were. They wouldn't tell me much. They were fairly secretive and just told me things like Joseph Smith was a mason, and things that I already knew. This however aroused many questions in my mind that distracted me immensely. I was questioning some of the things that go take place in the temple that are similar to the Masonic traditions. Many doubts started to enter my mind and I couldn't stop thinking about it (as my OCD mind wouldn't let me off the hook with these thoughts). I felt my testimony diminishing. I was on a search for answers; I didn't really know what I was searching for. Monday morning during my studies I realized that this was all of Satan's game plan and he has been plotting this for a while. Here is how: The past couple of weeks I have been extremely exhausted and have fallen asleep in my studies of the scriptures 15 minutes in every morning. Before I shut my eyes, two thoughts entered into my mind: I could either stand up and wake up, or shut my eyes because I already know the doctrines and have a strong testimony. I chose the latter option, and allowed myself to fall asleep on and off during my study. I slowly noticed less conviction in
my words as I bore testimony. The adversary then saw that I was weak and through in some questions that I couldn't find answers to. I also started to realize that throughout my studies inhale been trying to just find scriptures that prove what it am saying, it necessarily to help increase my faith in the doctrine. As I was busy dozing off during studies and trying to prove things right or wrong, my faith weakened and Satan attacked. I learned this morning that I must stop this way of thinking. I had a wonderful study this morning, stayed awake, learned, and increased faith. I know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true. If we don't study daily, trying to increase our faith daily as the prophets and apostles have wisely counseled, we will fall very quickly! Please study everyday to gain a stronger testimony and to strengthen your resolve to keep your covenants!