Sao Domingos: Faith to Follow the Lord's Plan

 Ricciardi Letter:

Before my trainer left she shared the Ricciardi Letter with me. For those of you who have not read it, go read it because it is really good and I do not want to have to explain it. But I especially liked the part when this companionship of Elders made the decision to stop teaching a family that was not keeping commitments. One of the Elders was angry with the other for making this decision, but I love what the other Elder says:

"The next morning in companion study Elder Ricciardi read the following scripture from D&C 4:4 “For behold the field is white already to harvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in store that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul” 
Ricciardi said “Elder, I know you’re angry, but the scripture does not say the field is yellow ready to plant, brown ready to water, it says white, ready to harvest. We are harvesters Elder." 

This week I had the opportunity to grow my testimony of finding those that are ready to receive the gospel. We talk to so many people everyday and sometimes it is hard when it feels like we are more like salesmen than we are missionaries, like we have to convince people that they want something that will bring them more happiness and peace!

This week we had divisions with the Sister Training Leaders. I got to stay in our area with Sister Honorato and learn lots of new things from her, especially about cutting people in our teaching group who are not progressing. Of course we want to help everyone, but we are here for a purpose, to find the people who are waiting for this knowledge and ready to receive it. 

My testimony of this grew even more as we met a man this week who has been waiting for the gospel. This is a man that Sister Olson and I had actually met before in the street. Sister Fernandes and I ran into him again! Since that day last week we have taught him 3 lessons, he has come to church, started reading the Book of Mormon, and has felt the spirit testify to him that these things are true. He tells us that he has been looking for this, and we already can see how the gospel is blessing and changing his life.

The Lord has a plan for us that is bigger and better than the one we have for ourselves. It was hard this week to make the decision to stop teaching some people who I have come to love so deeply, but Heavenly Father knows these people better than I. He is preparing our path here, and we have to be willing to follow His direction and spirit and make room in our lives for the things He will put there. 

Another part from this letter that touched my heart was at the very end:

"That day in September of 1986 completely changed my focus. My anger went away. I became cheerful again for the first time in many months. When doors slammed in our faces, I would say to my companions, “The Lord knows these doors are slamming in our faces. This is part of his plan, the experience. He sent us to this neighborhood; he needs to know we can be trusted servants. That we will actually go where he wants us to go, do what he wants us to do, when he wants us to do it”. I became jovial. Missionary work became fun, not work at all, because I stopped taking the rejection so personal and blaming myself. I now knew that all I had to do was talk to as many people as I could for the remaining 14 months, make sure that only the truth came out of my mouth, be prayerful about EVERYTHING, and the Lord would do the rest. The week before I was transferred out of Birmingham we baptized a woman. Nearly 8 months in that area and we finally saw someone step into the waters of baptism. Patience and prayer saved me from possibly quitting."

Whether you are serving a mission or not, the Lord has a plan for YOU! He knows you. He knows your strengths and your weaknesses. He knows the trials that you are facing in your life, He gave you these trials to help you learn. In these moments, turn to Him. When we take on this greater perspective, life becomes easier and more enjoyable.

I love you all so much, and I hope that this week you can develop more faith that Heavenly Father knows you and has a plan for you!

Sister Pinkney