Breathe!

Letter from July 3, 2017

Dear Family,

We take care of the rest of His children much better when we just breathe.  So everyone just sit down and breathe, get a back rub, eat a cookie, and take a (very short) nap.

Christi and Shawn Layton came to church this week and they were also able to meet with the bishop as a couple.  They have come a long way.  They still have a way to go but they are making plans for when Christi can be baptized and hopefully when Shawn can be the one to do it!:)

THE SPIRIT.  Wow this week I have really noticed the voice of the spirit.  It has not been loud this week, as a matter of fact it is not actually a voice for me it is simple thoughts and feelings.  We are promised multiple times in the scriptures that we will be able to perceive and discern through the spirit and I have seen that promise fulfilled.  It is just SO cool to be able to discern how someone we are teaching is feeling.  It’s like he is just always there saying now this person, now that person.  Now say this.  Now don’t say anything at all.  How could anyone not want to be guided literally 24/7?

We were on splits this week and I was with our ward missionary, Sherri O’Neal. Sherri and I went to visit a less active man, brother Gibbs.  Brother Gibbs told us a story about how he once used the priesthood to heal a young child in the hospital and it was an obviously touching story to him and we could see him remembering how the spirit had worked through him.  We read D&C 121:34 and asked him what it meant to be called and chosen.  We talked about how our choices determine if we are chosen, so in essence we choose to be chosen.  A priesthood holder can be “chosen” to perform the Lord’s miracles because he is founded upon principles of righteousness.  Man that really got Brother Gibbs excited… until we invited him to once again be founded on those principles. Despite the spirit in the room he did not accept the invitation (at this time, but there’s always hope).

Just last night we went to visit Mary Helen. We had a pretty honest talk with Mary about her desires as well.  Mary told us she doesn’t have a desire to know if Joseph Smith is a prophet because all she cares about is that everyone is worshiping God and our Savior and that makes her happy enough.

Agency is a pain, haha.  Everyone has to choose for themselves if they will follow and live the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Even with the help of the spirit, guiding us in lessons and conversations, people don’t always act on the spirit they feel.  Why?  They all have different reasons why not to act on those feelings.  I always want to ask WHY NOT? What have you got to lose?  Nothing!  But we have everything to gain!!:)

According to my lil sis, we are down to 9 days… As I thought about that last night I decided to ask God what he would like me to do this week.  This is the answer I felt:

3 Wherefore, go ye and preach my gospel, whether to the north or to the south, to the east or to the west, it mattereth not, for ye cannot go amiss.

4 Therefore, declare the things which ye have heard, and verily believe, and know to be true.

5 Behold, this is the will of him who hath called you, your Redeemer, even Jesus Christ. Amen. (D&C 80:3-5)

I hope your July fourth is full of malfunctioning fireworks. If you would like to see pics this week…. ill show you them in 9 days!

Love, Sis Packer