Life Changing Weekend

So, pretty much, it was amazing, life-changing week(end).

Like, the rest of the week fades in comparison with the weekend, so I'll just talk about that, haha. 

So after tea with the Glanvilles on Thursday we took our things and went to Arbroath to stay the night with the Hayballs so we could leave directly from there with them early Friday morning in the car down to Edinburgh. It was so sweet to drive down into my old zone, just past my old area! I absolutely LOVE Edinburgh. No place in the world like it. 

So many memories came flooding back as we drove to the stake centre. We met up with and greeted old missionary friends currently serving in Aberdeen, Dundee, and Edinburgh Zones, and it was so good to see them, I was so excited!! We received amazing instruction on digital missionary work coming in the future (not there yet due to UK data protection laws), so I don't know when that'll happen, if it will happen in my time here, but it was really good to evaluate how we are currently using the Lord's trust with the technology we already have, and how the best filtre is personal righteousness. 

We had some instruction from senior missionaries and the APs, and finally from President and Sister Brown, who were pretty emotional, as this was their last East Scotland Conference of their mission. They talked about how to distinguish the voice of the Spirit, how it always invites us to do good, it doesn't ask questions (most of the time). If there's a question, its either from us or the devil (most of the time) and if its negative, its definitely from the devil. 

President and Sister Brown had a pretty emotional week, being their last time to teach and testify in person for the Scottish missionaries. They had us all come give them a hug after the end of Scotland East. Elder Holland had them bear their testimonies one more time and President and Sister B shared a box of tissues as they did. They love us so much, and they are so sad to finish. He's talked a little about post-mission in emails, so they definitely have thought about it but they are really sad to finish. 

Then we went home. Rested. Got up, studied, and then traveled back down to Edinburgh. 144 Missionaries attended the all-Scotland Conference with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland! It was AMAZING. It was so so meaningful. 

I wish I could just share the whole thing with you! He talked a lot about how our missions need to change us and we can't live with regret because the chance only comes once. Literally, we only get this same experience once! We are God's investigators, we need to show Him the same commitment that we expect from them. The gospel is for everyone, we can't judge who will or will not receive it. He talked about lifting up our eyes and Vision from the physical reality to the spiritual. We need finishers! Missionary work is not easy because salvation was never easy! One of my favourite bits though was when he shared how our one tool of power is words. 15 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction. If Satan could kill us, he would, but he can't, and so the next most effective tool he'll try to use is cause us to bind our tongue. We must never voluntarily bind our tongue!! 

Then on Sunday, we traveled (more traveling) to Dundee, and Elder Holland was the key-note speaker for a conference broadcast to the UK, Ireland, and the Nordic countries.  he talked about the Book of Mormon and the last days and it was amazing--I was just like, PLEASE TELL ME THAT SOMEONE OUT THERE IS GETTING CONVERTED OVER THIS>> He talked about how the Book of Mormon is truly the keystone of our religion. Its either true, or its not, and if you think about "well if Joseph Smith didn't write it--because, lets be honest, he couldn't have--who did? Who of us could have ever written anything like it that would be worth studying for a lifetime? Nobody. So its true." So there. It was translated by the gift and power of God. It is another testament of Jesus Christ written by His "other sheep". All of our permanent spiritual conversions begin with the Book of Mormon. 

It was an amazing weekend.

I. was. exhausted. 

BUT. THEN. We went back to our area and had 3 joint teaches and a meal appointment at the Bishop's. Seriously. We (ahem--the Lord through us) kicked butt on our goals this week! Even after losing two days to traveling and conferences in Edinburgh. We prayed so hard the Lord would help us succeed and He did! It was a miracle. The work is exploding in this formerly, so-called "dead area". DON'T LET ANYBODY EVER TELL YOU AN AREA IS DEAD. THE LORD HAS PREPARED PEOPLE TO RECEIVE THE GOSPEL EVERYWHERE YOU GO. NO EXCEPTIONS. You have to do your part. Do whatever it takes to prepare your unit, the people around you, and yourself to invite others and then do it! This work is miraculous, and Elder Holland told the priesthood leaders this weekend, "Whatever the miracles of the past have been, they are nothing to what we will see in the future – the work has only begun in these islands!” He said that the scripture quoted by Moroni to the Prophet Joseph 4 times from Joel 2 “has scarcely begun to be realised” and that this generation would live to see the manifestation of it – he also said; “We’ve only seen the beginning” – and he repeated that statement twice for emphasis.

Miracles happen. You better Believe it. 

I know these things to be true. And its all through Jesus Christ. I love Him, and He loves me and all of us. 

I love all of you. I pray you come to know these things too.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

<3 Sister Mary Ann Kirkpatrick