The Struggle is Real!

   That has totally been the theme of this week for Sis Venable and I! We've been saying it constantly.  At the beginning of the week, we had a promising few days ahead of us, filled with solid appointments and potential investigators.  One by one they dropped us flat on our faces. During our weekly planning session, we didn't even know what to do! We had set all these goals and made these plans in faith, and then we had virtually no one to fulfill them.  It was a pretty rough time. Thus, the theme of the week: The struggle is real!

   In the middle of all of this, I made an off-handed comment to Sister Venable that we must have been on the verge of some pretty great blessings for all this opposition we were getting.  The week took a turn about half-way through, and because of our diligence and our persistence and a whole heap of help from the Lord, we ended up having more non-member lessons than I have seen in this area! It was truly a miracle. Then, to top it all off, one of our investigators that we've been working with made a huge step to come to church on Sunday. 

   I can't even describe the love that I feel right now--for my companion, for my investigators, for you and your support, and ESPECIALLY for my Savior and my Father in Heaven, who lift me and carry me when I need it the most.

   I wanted to send this quote to you all from President Joseph Fielding Smith.  It is from a letter that he sent to his family while he was serving a mission in England. I think it expresses my feelings at this point in my service.

   "I know that the work I have been called to do is the work of God or I would not stay here one minute, no, I would not have left home. But I know that our happiness is dependent upon my faithfulness while I am here. I should be willing to do this much for the love of mankind when our Savior could suffer as He did for us. … I am in the hands of our Heavenly Father and he will watch over me and protect me if I do his will. And he will be with you while I am away and watch over you and protect you in all things."

I love you so much!

Sister Pratt