Sept 8, 2014 Littleton, New Hampshire

Hold to the Rod

Family dearest!!                 Sept. 8, 2014

I hope that this week has been going well for you!  I can't believe that it is already Monday again, it goes by soooo fast!  And so many things have happened!  First, I've just gotta say that I absolutely LOVE this area!  It is incredible!  It has been amazing how fast I've adjusted to everything here, and it totally feels like home.  Well, every area that I've been privileged to serve in has felt like home...  I just love New England!!!

So, this week the weather has been absolutely wonderful! :)  All except the day where it down-poured like crazy... yep, practically hurricane conditions..., Sister Miller and I were totally blocks away from our car, and we got soaked head to toe, and we laughed the whole time :)  I love the fall, just love it, and I'm so excited to see another one, especially in this area!  But on the not as good side, a result from the weather, or who knows what, was that Sister Miller came down with a cold this week.  Not super pretty.  She was totally exhausted, but a trooper.  We would go out on Main Street when she felt up to it and do finding and even though we were only able to get out for like an hour or so we talked to 20 people and invited them to learn about the gospel :)  Talking to total strangers on the street about the gospel has gotten easier for me, which I never thought I would say!  Actually kind of enjoyable :)  You never know who you'll run into!  We had a super awesome experience with that this week!  As we were walking our street (Main Street Littleton is totally ours...) we saw someone walking towards us who greeted us with a happy "Hi sisters!"  We were a bit confused and asked him if he had ever talked to missionaries before, and he said sure he had!  We walked and talked with him for a good 15 minutes after we met him and he told us all about how he was baptized when he was 14 years old with his family but left the church when he was 19 but he would go to his parent's house when they had the missionaries over for dinner and stuff, and he still thinks highly of the church.  He just moved to Littleton three weeks ago from New York, and he was way nice.  He even told us that he would be alright if we taught him!!  We could hardly believe that even happened after we said bye to him.  The Lord's timing is perfect!!!  Definitely a testimony builder!  There have been several other miracles we've seen as we've been trying to find people in our area to teach!  Sister Miller and I have been talking a lot about diligence and obedience lately and we've definitely been working on it, and it has been exhausting, but we are being blessed for it!!  I love missionary work!! :)

District meeting this week was really good, and it pretty much was about everything I've been studying about for the past while which sums up to be..conversion.  I love that word!  The Bible dictionary definition is awesome, it says conversion, "denotes changing one's views, in a conscious acceptance of the will of God."  Also, "Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing."  My mission has definitely solidified in my mind the truth that conversion is a process and not an event.  Every day, every hour I can choose how I'm going to allow the experiences I have to change me.  I'm always changing in one way or another, I can't stand still.  I'm grateful for the experiences that I've had on my mission, and I know that as I've exercised faith, I've chosen to be molded a little more into who God needs me to become.  Faith.  I love that word too!!  And I love how necessary it is in the conversion process :)  Every decision to follow God is a decision to exercise faith and every time we exercise faith we are blessed which strengthens our conversion.  I love how simple and perfect God's plan is!! :)  This past week I feel like my perspective has changed about the day to day work.  I've noticed that I choose how I react to the alarm sounding in the morning.  I choose how focused my morning prayer is.  I choose whether or not I'm going to exercise hard for 30 minutes.  I choose whether or not I'm going to be worthy enough to have the spirit with me to teach me while I study in the morning.  I choose whether or not I'm going to talk to the man on the street or not.  And on and on and on.  I can choose to let my agency to strengthen uplift or bless me, or tear me down.  But what gives me the most hope is that there is always another day, another hour!!  I can choose to change my course if I start to go off track!!  And I'm never alone.  Reading the scriptures makes me feel so close to my Father in Heaven and having scriptures and also hymns memorized has helped me choose to turn to Him in times when I feel discouraged for making a wrong choice, no matter how small it may have been.  One hymn that I've been thinking about lately has been number 274, "The Iron Rod."  I love the story that it tells.  It says,

While on our jouney here below,
Beneath temptation's pow'r,

Through mists of darkness we must go,

In peril every hour.

And when temptation's pow'r is nigh,
Our pathway clouded o'er,

Upon the rod we can rely,

And heaven's aid implore.

And, hand o'er hand, the rod along,

Through each succeeding day,

With earnest prayer and hopeful song,

We'll still pursue our way.

Afar we see the golden rest

To which the rod will guide,

Where, with the angels bright and blest,
Forever we'll abide.

The fourth verse is my favorite.  Hand o'er hand, choice by choice, inching our way closer to our Savior and Redeemer, with the Book of Mormon as a guide as well as the Holy Ghost.  Two of the greatest tools for conversion!  I know that choosing to serve a mission has changed me, and it will continue to change me as I serve as God wants me too.  I also know that I've seen others I've been able to serve change as they work on their conversion.  It is amazing!!  Just a little while ago I read an email Valerie (recent convert I taught in Ellsworth)!!  She told me how she was doing, and she is pregnant!!!  So is Kaila (another recent convert I taught in Ellsworth)!!  Valerie is a strong member and said she has been given the assignment to visit teach Kaila, who has been struggling a lot lately.  She has been meeting with her and praying with her and strengthening her as best she can, and she told me she would continue to lead by example.  I feel so happy to know that those I have taught are being taken care of, by each other even!!  They are strengthening each other in their conversion processes.  What a blessing!!!!! :)

I love this gospel!  I know it is true!  I'm so grateful for the countless miracles I've been able to witness on my mission, and I know that as I continue faithfully, I'll see more and more throughout my whole life.  I just need to hold to the rod!!

Love you so much family!  I'm so grateful for all of you!  Have a wonderful week!!!!!

Choose to be changed! (Mosiah 3:19)

Sister Bergeson :)