I hope you are all doing well and had a great week! Honestly, every week I just fall a little bit more in love with Greenwich. Work with the ward is getting better and better! We are starting to understand more where our help is most needed. Also Sister Ruengurai & I are really getting the hang of working with the Spirit and teaching more effectively in our finding. SO FUN to improve with the Saviour's help.
This week we had interviews with President Checketts. He taught me a principle that I would like to share with all of you.
He said something like "Sister Froemming, if you want to help the people, you need to focus on more effective prayers. I don't necessarily mean you need to pray longer. Think of when you were a kid, and this mostly applies to Elders, but let's say you broke something and you need to admit what you've done to your parents. You will ponder what you are going to say before you approach them. You will plan how you will tell them, how you will apologise, you will try to map out how they will react. In a way, a similar principle applies with prayer. A 2 minute prayer that you've thought about for 5 minutes can be much more powerful than a 5 minute prayer that you've thought about for 2 minutes."
I listened to President's council and pondered. It seemed very simple. So I made a decision to make a conscious effort to really ponder my prayers and what I wanted to talk to God about before I said them.
I have been amazed at the effect it has had on me. Each day, especially in my nightly prayer, I review in my mind what I have done, what I am grateful for, where I need to improve, and who I would like to bless. I have found myself in tears before I have even addressed my Heavenly Father. A deeper understanding of Who I am talking to has begun to sink in to my heart. When we pray, we are literally addressing our Creator, our Father, our greatest Friend. The love I have felt from Him and for Him has grown so much.
As our faith and love for God increases, it changes the way we approach Him. We don't care so much for the blessings we need or the eloquence of our speech. Prayer becomes more about just being with Him. It's like just sitting before a fire and feeling the warmth. Sometimes you don't have to say anything at all.
I know God loves us. Please consider what that actually means to you and please consider the effort you are putting into your prayers.
"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." - John 17:3
WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS!
-Last week when visiting a less active, we walked by a man doing yard work in his back yard. We had a prompting to go back and talk to him. He was friendly and open. He is from Uganda and is Christian. He graciously allowed us to teach him a bit of the Restoration over his backyard fence. A few days later, we received a call from him (first time a potential has called us first on my whole mission lol) wanting to set an appointment with us! At our appointment we taught him the message of the Restoration and he accepted it so well! We are so excited to keep working with this miracle. Please keep David in your prayers.
-My crazy, wonderful companion. So thankful for her. The happiest girl I know. We laugh together all day as we work.
--The Partons! An amazing family in Penrith Stake that I briefly met a year ago in my Claremont Meadows trio. I've been hearing about this family from missionaries I love pretty much my whole mission, and I didn't realize that they've also been following my mission blog. I got to see them this weekend at a baptism and it was such a great experience! I know how much they have blessed and brightened the lives of so many missionaries, and I got to receive the same blessing from meeting them again!
-Going to the temple. It was probably the best experience I have had in an endowment session. Our Heavenly Father's Plan of Love is more than I can express my gratitude for.
-So fun celebrating Sister Chen's birthday with her this week!
-Sister Chao is the little sister I never had. She absolutely loves bugging me but is also the cutest person I know so she gets away with it.
Have a great week everyone!
Rak na,
SF
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