The Power of the Priesthood

We have an investigator named Joy. She's been trying to quit smoking for YEARS. She's been close before, but I think that she is really going to make it this time. She got a priesthood blessing yesterday. She hasn't had a craving since. She Really wants the blessings of living the Word of Wisdom (The Lord's law of health given to the Prophet Joseph Smith) She wants to be baptized. She wants the blessings of the temple. I know that she can make it because she's shown so much faith and desire. I am grateful to know that the power that Christ gave to His Apostles to perform miracles according to our faith is on the Earth again today. I've seen it at work so many times throughout my life and especially here in the mission field. I know that Heavenly Father has the power to heal Joy of this affliction.

I've always loved people the most when they've struggled. I'm not sure why that is, but my time here in the mission field has given me a different perspective on overcoming addiction and how much Christ loves repentance. I know that He enables us to escape. I don't think I realized before how difficult it is to overcome something like that, though. I've worked with a lot of people trying to overcome addictions to a plethora of substances and behaviors, and I've learned a lot about Christ's power to free me from my personal struggles and sins. It's tough! I haven't done anything as hard as overcoming an addiction to tobacco. (I can definitely see why the Lord advised Joseph Smith against it). I know that Christ has power in our lives according to our faith to overcome our weaknesses and give us His strength. He has descended below all things and He knows what it is to overcome such an addiction. I know that nothing pleases our Father in Heaven more than a repentant child. I think that it is very important to Christ that we respond with love and understanding when we see someone struggle, and that we try to be His hands in helping them to succeed as much as we can.

There is something joyous and exciting about claiming freedom from the past, from our mistakes and shortcomings. That's what repentance is beginning to mean to me.

Our mission president advised us to put away our worries and distraction and put them in a box. We need to let Christ take care of them for us. This is my box. I decorated it.

We are trying a new experiment. President wants to see if Sister Training Leaders can train a new missionary and fulfill their leadership assignment without a Sister Training Leader for a companion. In preparation for that, Sister Allred and I are splitting up for the next two weeks. We will still sort of be companions, and we will counsel together for the needs of the sisters, but we will work with other sisters in their proselyting areas. We'll see how this works. I am pretty excited about it.

I am grateful for a mission president called of God to direct the work of our mission. I know that our Father in Heaven directs this work, and He allows us to participate because He wants us to learn and grow. It's pretty awesome.

A sweet sister in our ward gave us flowers. I almost killed mine, but I brought them back to life. You can see that Sister Allred's flowers are doing better than mine.

Fear no man. Trust in The Lord.

Love,

Sister Caroline Faulkner