This has been a great week! We were left pretty spiritually exhausted this weekend. We had a lesson with Meridith and Steve, a wonderful couple who we've been meeting with every other week or so. He began his own nondenominational church several years ago, and they are both super dedicated to Christ and to living good lives. We invited them to read 2 Nephi 31 a couple weeks ago, and when we met with them this week they told us there are some very fundamental differences in our beliefs. They cannot accept anything beyond the Bible, and they can't accept that Christ plus anything (works, baptism, etc) is considered Christian. Our meeting was very positive, and very filled with the spirit, but Steve was very honest about the fact that they are not interested in progressing, so if we continue to see them it will only be for meal appointments.
The next night we had an appointment with Ben, who basically has the same fundamental differences in his beliefs about grace and works, and the nature of God. We've been hearing so much this week about how people don't believe that we are children of God until we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and how Jesus Christ and Satan can't be brothers, and how grace plus works is not Christian. If anything, these concerns are only strengthening mine and Sis. Carter's testimonies about the restoration of the gospel and the Book of Mormon. It has just been hard to know how to teach people, and when to say something or when to just be silent. But we have learned a lot! This next week we are focusing on finding new investigators.
Sis. Carter and I had an incredible companionship inventory this week, where we took ten minutes to pray individually and write things down. We then shared with each other insights we received on how we can strengthen our companionship. I loved doing comp inventory this way, because we really opened our minds to what the Lord wanted us to talk about, and it was very effective!
So, apparently my first cousin once removed, Robert Bell, is in the Carmel ward, which meets right after us! He introduced himself to me on Sunday, and got a picture with his phone. How fun! Lots of family connections here in Indiana!
Things are great in Zionsville, and we are learning lots!
Love you all so much,
Sister Allen
PICTURES:
1. A star with our hands--me, Sis. Carter, and our neighbor Mary!
2. This is what we wear when we're planning and we still have to be in our skirts...but we're cold :)
3. We saw this grass on our kitchen floor, and it looks like a man! So we had to take a picture of it :)
4. Lovely note from our wonderful neighbor Mary :) We organized some of her apartment last week, and moved her microwave!
5. Fun Halloween decorations are going up!
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