Its been so sunny and springy here in Copenhagen
that I went to church yesterday WITHOUT A COAT. That deserves a
hallelujah! I love the sun.
Its been a reeeally great week...
One day President and Sister Sederholm came along to
a lesson with our beautiful wonderful Polish friend. She is the
non-active member we've been working with who has so many doubts and
concerns about the church, and she was really excited to talk to
President Sederholm about all those little things that she's been having
a hard time understanding and accepting. The lesson was an incredible
incredible experience and the spirit was so so strong. My mission
president is a man of God. After talking through all of her questions
and doubts with her, President said "Do you believe that the Book of
Mormon is true? Do you believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet?"
Because that's what everything comes down to. Thats something that I've
really learned throughout my mission. It ALL comes back to our testimony
of the Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. Because if we have a
solid testimony of those fundamental principles, then everything else
just falls right into place. If we've received a witness that the Book
of Mormon is the word of God and that He really did appear to Joseph
Smith in a grove of trees to restore His church to the earth, then all
of our questions and doubts and fears can be swept away. And if we hold
to that testimony whenever more questions or doubts or fears come, we'll
never even falter.
This week I finished reading the Book of Mormon from
cover to cover. In Danish. What an incredible experience, to read the
book that I've treasured my whole life in a language that was nothing
but gibberish to me less than a year ago! When I read that last page of
the Book of Mormon, Moroni exhorted me to remember how merciful the Lord
has been unto the children of men, to ponder it in my heart, and to ask
my Eternal Father if these things are true.
And that's what I did.
I thought back and remembered how
the pages of this Danish book had delivered so many messages of
strength, peace, and encouragement to me over the past months. And I
remembered how I was able to use those passages of Danish scripture to
teach so many people about Jesus Christ. I thought back and remembered
the Spirit that I felt whenever I opened the book and whenever I shared
the book.
And as I prayed to God, that same Spirit of peace and joy filled my
heart. Testifying to me once again that it really is true. Whether its
in English or Danish or Polish or Chinese, the Book of Mormon is true. I know it. I love it. And I'm so so thankful for it.
On Saturday Sister Hadley and I were walking down the crazy busy Copenhagen streets that were flooded with marathon runners and watchers...
(side note: Its my new life's goal to run the Copenhagen
marathon one day. I even ran 2 miles this morning to start training!
haha...)
But anyways. As we were out and about
talking to people, we met a really rad guy named Sejr. (Translation=
Victory. So rad.) We started talking to him about our church only to
find out that he already knew just about everything about it! He said he
once had a friend who was a Mormon, and that he'd always been really
impressed by the standards his friend lived. He told us that if he were
to join any church, it would definitely be the Mormon one.
I'm really proud of Sejr's mormon friend! Because of his
faithfulness to the gospel and his dedication to living his testimony,
he was a really great example for those around him. And now Sejr wants
to come watch General Conference with us this weekend!
A good example can go a really long way.
Another
day this week we went to a beautiful botanical garden to meet with our
Chinese investigator. And as we were walking down the winding path
surrounded by beautiful beautiful nature talking to our sweet friend
about Jesus Christ, I had one of those "how did I get here?!" moments...
How on earth did I land myself wandering through a botanical garden in
Copenhagen Denmark with a 65 year old Asian??
Then the words of Russell M Nelson came to my mind.
"Each day is a day of decision, and our decisions determine our destiny."
Even
seemingly small decisions can impact our lives in such significant
ways. I'm really grateful for the decisions that I've made throughout my
life that have lead me to where I am today. I'm grateful for the gospel
of Jesus Christ, which has helped me make the right choices, and has
made it possible for me to repent when I've made the wrong ones.
So Sister Hadley and I are working with this
wonderful lady who just started coming back to church and is struggling
to quit smoking. We go read the Book of Mormon with her a few times a
week and offer her support and encouragement. She is going through the
church's 12 step program for addiction recovery, which is something I've
introduced to a lot of different people throughout my mission to try
and help them overcome their addictive habits.
But I decided that I really need to have my testimony of the
program if I'm going to be telling all these people that it truly
works... So, my companion and I got ourselves an addiction recovery
manual and we are going through the whole program to overcome our
addiction to sugar!
Haha. Its really hard. And just like my smoker friends, I've gone
through multiple relapses! But I'm really gaining a better understanding
of the atonement, and how Jesus Christ truly can help us overcome any
challenges or weaknesses that we face.
Well I don't know about you guys but I am stoooooked for General Conference this weekend!
If
you have any doubts or questions or if you are searching for any
answers or guidance, be prayerful this week and then take those
questions to General Conference. I can tell you with all the surety of
my whole soul that the Lord will speak to you personally through the
words of our Prophet and church leaders.
I'll never ever ever forget the morning of October 6th 2012 when
Heavenly Father spoke guidance straight to my searching heart. That day
changed my life, and sent me on a path that would lead me to a beautiful
botanical garden in Copenhagen Denmark, where I could share my
testimony of Him with another one of His searching daughters.
Well. Time to go buy groceries!
I hope you all have a dejligt day.
I hope you love the Book of Mormon as much as I do.
I hope you strive to always be an example of the believers to all those around you.
I hope you make decisions today that will lead you to a beautiful destiny.
And I hope the sun is shining wherever you are!
Happy Conference weekend!!!
MKH,
Søster Rogers
