The Week of Calls to Repentance

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-members spoiled the
Sisters to no end and took them to Olive Garden and Longhorn
Steakhouse, Sister Cale may or may not have prayed for an investigator
to be hit in the head with a spiritual 2x4, Sister Cale added peanut
butter to the s'mores bars to the satisfaction of all who tried them,
General Conference was AMAZING, Sister Cale's pen and journal problem
resurfaced in the form of a new conference journal and pens (but they
pens were needed, for reals), the Sisters washed windows for the
Pickerington Police Department, and there was lots of really good
learning.

Hello Dear Humans!

I have a confession to make-I used to feel very frustrated when the
spirit or someone speaking brought something up that I felt like I was
not being particularly effective in (like whenever anyone talked about
missionary work or sang about missionary work, or said the word
missionary when I wasn't going on a mission). I pretty much just hated
it. But somewhere along this crazy awesome journey, it turns out that
I have started to look for ways to grow and change and become better.
Saturday morning during personal study I had an opportunity to review
my notes from the other two General Conferences that I have watched
during my mission. The coolest part was to see how my questions had
changed. Last April one of my questions was, "What steps can I take to
show the Lord that I am willing to change?" Fast forward to this year
where I asked about what I needed to look to change and improve next.
I am grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is willing to
frequently call me to repentance and then help me through the process
of change so I can become more like him.

One particularly significant call that I received this week happened
during our Zone Training Meeting. As we discussed our goals for this
upcoming month many of the missionaries became concerned that we were
being unrealistic and expecting too much of our areas. One of the
Sisters chimed up and said something along the lines of "Elders and
Sisters, where is your faith? Is our God not the God that parted the
Red Sea and rose from the dead? Can't we trust that he will help us
accomplish our goals?" The spirit very gently nudged me and told me
that it would no longer be sufficient for me to show only faith that
Christ can work miracles in our lives, but that I needed to increase
my faith and act in accordance with the understanding that he will
work miracles as we show the requisite faith. I have been applying
this understanding to my prayers this week and heaven feels so much
closer!

Being able to watch General Conference is always one of the best
things that happens in missionary life. We're always starving for more
spiritual light and understanding, anything that will help us to be
more capable and powerful instruments in the hands of the Lord. I
thought it was perfect that in this week of seeking after greater
faith and a stronger conversion that so many of the talks very
specifically gave suggestions for how we can increase our faith in
Jesus Christ. During these months in Ohio he truly has become my best
friend. He is there in moments when I would be otherwise utterly alone
and helpless and with his help I am able to do that which would
otherwise be insurmountable. I love him and am so grateful that I have
the opportunity to participate in this work with him.

One moment of heavenly help that was particularly profound to me
occurred as Sister Scott and I planned for what we would teach Jake.
In the middle of personal study I looked up at her and said, "I think
we need to talk about Saul and how he became Paul." She paused her
studies and looked up at me and agreed. We then had a
mini-companionship study in the middle of personal study where we read
the story of Paul's conversion and about who he became. I sat in
reverent awe as I considered that through the atonement of Jesus
Christ, this man who had been one of Christianity's greatest opposers,
who had participated in the martyrdom of an apostle, became an
instrument in the Lord's hands and served as an apostle to invite
others to come closer to Christ. There is no place so far that Jesus
Christ cannot reclaim us from. But not only that, he can reclaim us
and transform us into something wholly and entirely inspiring. I
realized that the real "Cinderella stories" of our lives are not those
of rags to riches, but rather those of souls who think they are beyond
help and find themselves redeemed by Jesus Christ through their faith
and repentance. Another awesome part of the inspiration to teach about
the Atonement and Paul was how often Paul was brought up during the
first session of conference which we watched with Jake. It was a
reassurance to both of us that we had done according to the Father's
will.

I am so excited to get to work and find those who are waiting to
"taste the joy" as Alma would say of repentance and feeling the
Savior's love. The church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and
Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica