"How Do You Know God Loves You?" (June 23, 2014)

Dear Everybody,

How are you all? Oregon sounds fun! Those trees are huge!! I was not expecting that. And I can't believe Grandmother is 101!!! That is remarkable! I love her so much!! What's the rest of your summer looking like?

Someone told us it snowed in Utah??? Is that true? Weather is just so crazy, I sure hope it doesn't snow here...

So some big news this week, One of our recent converts and one of the elders' recent converts got engaged this week at a baseball game :) We didn't go, but we watched the video and it was so fun! They are both just so happy together! We are just the best matchmakers :) haha

Here's some cool things from this week. The teaching is going well here in Rochester! We started teaching Harley's wife Iris. They both are very interested in learning truth, Good thing we got the Whole Truth :)

We started teaching a referral from a member in another stake. He is SOO prepared! He had already started reading the Book of Mormon, he's done a lot of research, he's living the commandments, and he's been to church before. He just needs the spirit to touch his heart and our first lesson with him is definitely helping him with that! The spirit was so strong, we had his friend there and an awesome women from our ward! We're going to teach him more this week, I'm excited :)

We met this guy from Hong Kong a couple of months ago, and this last week we decided to stop by again. He doesn't understand English very well, so we haven't taught him too much, but I decided to invite him to church and he Really Came! :) I was way too excited, haha, he called us 10 minutes before hand and was just yelling "High School on Tienken" he couldn't understand our directions so I just said "We meet you at High School on Tienken" Well after driving around forever and realizing there is no high school on Tienken, I just decided to go to church so we wouldn't miss the sacrament. We walk in and Peng Leeng is sitting on the back row!! I was just jumping for joy! He didn't understand most of what was said.... But he said he Loved it and wants to come back, he just kept saying, "Everyone So Happy!" Luckily we had one person who knew some mandarin and kind of was able to talk with him. But he really speaks Cantonese, and we're praying we'll be able to find someone to help us teach him :)

Well at the gas station where I get gas I always see the owner who I just smile at and wave to. This week he came out and we started talking, since he recently became more religious he gives out free bibles. So we asked him if he would hand out some free Book of Mormons too :) He was like "Yeah but I want to keep one of them!" haha We also gave him some pass along cards and he wanted a copy of every single of for himself :) It was Awesome! Anyways he really was interested and we're going to teach him some more of what we believe!

So one of the first things we teach people is usually all about God being our Loving Heavenly Father! When people say, "Oh yeah, I know God Loves me!" I like to ask them "How do you know God Loves you?" John 3:16 says:

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

God truly does love us so much that he wants us to return to him. He Sacrificed his Son who was Perfect, just for us! That's a lot of Love!! But we can also see his love in little ways every single day! For example, this may seem silly but here's a way I KNOW God loves me! Monday I had lost my highlighter so I was going to buy one at the store. Well when I saw the prices, there was no way I was going to buy a highlighter for that much... (haha I'm kind of a cheapo) Well that night we're teaching one of our investigators and after looking around in her drawer, she comes around the corner with... TWO HIGHLIGHTERS!!! :) haha I just knew God loved me! He knew I desired a highlighter, and he gave one to me :) Also me and my comp have wanted avocado for awhile now. But again... They are Way too expensive. So we just gaze after them as we walk by in the grocery store. Well we were eating at a members home for lunch and she had some extra avocado and just gave them to us!! Wow! God totally loves me :) This week ask yourself the question "How do I know God Loves me?" I promise he does and as we realize that more and more, our love for our Father in Heaven grows even more!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Have a spectacular week!
Love, Sister Tracy :)