diamonds or rubies

Hello again!!

Sister Glenn had a street in mind one morning and we were tracting it and everyone was pretty rude or didn't answer, so we decided to just knock one last door. We knew that this person had been taught in the past but that was like 5 years ago or something. We knocked on the door and she let us right in! She said that she still keeps in contact with the sisters that used to teach her and she said she told them that she wanted to start meeting with the missionaries again - THE DAY BEFORE. and we had no idea!!! And to add to that - she has had a serious addiction to narcotics in the past and she has been sober for 60 days!! God is SO aware of every person and their needs! The spirit definitely led us to her! We are so excited to start teaching her. 

We left our apartment on friday as a companionship and came home as a TRIO! Our new sister's name is sister piekarski. She is super sweet. Her companion had to go home due to health problems. We feel like we are pretty overwhelming on door steps hahahaha. We are covering her area too now. It's called Spencer. It's like 2 hours away so we will probably go there like once a week and stay the night!

After reading president Nelson's facebook post, I decided to read his talk from 2017 - "the book of mormon: where would I be without it?". President nelson tells a story about how he shared the book of mormon with a king. The king's response was "you could've given me diamonds or rubies, but nothing is more precious to me than this additional knowledge about the lord jesus christ".
WOW. What a faithful man that loves the Lord. I think that is every missionary's DREAM- for someone to understand and appreciate what the book of mormon really is!! They are so against another book of scripture and don't see how much it could bless their lives. Boy, are they missing out. President Nelson asked us to think about what our lives would be like if it weren't for the book of mormon. Tears immediately filled my eyes. The relationship I have with Christ, would be nowhere NEAR what it is right now. The book of mormon has given me my savior. It has given me that personal connection with him that I would not have gotten otherwise. And I have the knowledge that Christ not only suffered for my sins, but that he can heal my pains and sorrows. I wouldn't know that god loves me and knows me individually. I wouldn't know my PURPOSE. Seriously, how do people survive without it?!
I always knew that the book of mormon was true but I didn't really gain a love for it or a strong testimony of it until I came on my mission. Now, I never want to put it down. Personal study is one of my favorite parts of the day. There is something truly powerful about reading it with a sincere heart and real intent. 

In alma 26, ammon speaks about his missionary experiences. He talks about the challenges it brings and also the JOY that comes from it. He talks about how at one point, it was so hard that he was depressed and he almost turned back, but the lord comforted and told him that he would give him success if he bore his afflictions with patience. He talks about preaching in all places and being cast out and mocked and stoned and spit upon. He suffered all that, that "perhaps [he] might be the means of saving some soul". Every missionary, I think, can relate to ammon and his experiences. The hardships, the JOY, the discouragement, the motivation, etc. Now someone tell me HOW joseph smith could have made that up. ONLY a missionary could have written that. Joseph didn't teach the lamanites. He could not have known what ammon experienced or the feelings he had. This alone testifies to me, the reality and truthfulness of the book of mormon. 

President nelson says, "When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word POWER. The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls". I have seen this personally in my life. I just finished reading the book of mormon again this week and I know that the book of mormon is UNEQUIVOCALLY the word of god. I would never want to live one day without it - or to even know what that would be like. And I know that anyone who reads it, ponders it's message, and then hits their knees to know if it is true, with a sincere heart, WILL get an answer - THE answer. 

Sending my love and prayers always, 
Sister brinton