Hello Everyone!
TIS I, SISTER SPARKS!
I am now at Penn State!!!! I LOVE IT!!! We are in a YSA branch, and it is so
much fun! It's so cool to be with people who are around my age! It has given me
such a determination to share with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ because I know
how much it has influenced my life and helped me with things all 20 year olds
deal with! My new companion is Sister Wade, and she is SO AWESOME!!! We have
become so close just within a week! We really have been able to support each
other in ways I've never experienced! She is more than an answer to my prayers.
Sister Wade has only been out 6 weeks longer than I have, so we're both still a
light shade of green :) We're figuring this out together!
State College is so
different from my last area! There are people EVERYWHERE, and we take the bus
everyday! Oh yeah, I forgot to say I'm in a walk area! It so
awesome...especially because I get to walk off some weight! I haven't eaten
sweets since Mother's Day though, so I'm doing well in that area! We do a lot
of bus contacting. We get on the bus and sit next to our brothers and sisters
we haven't met, and talk to them about the Gospel. A lot of people are very
interested in learning about Heavenly Father. There is a large Chinese
population here, and they have very little opportunity to learn about religion
in China. It makes me so sad that they aren't taught that they have a Heavenly
Father who loves them so much! It has been such a blessing and privilege to
teach my brothers and sisters about the wonderful plan He has for us!
P.s. Riding the bus is
EXPENSIVE!! Get a bus pass if any of you happen to come to college here.
We had the opportunity
to listen to Jeffrey R. Holland as he spoke to the Pennsylvania Pittsburgh
Missionaries. We talked a lot about the First Vision and words of the
Savior when answering Joseph Smith's plea of which church he should join,
"they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me,
they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness,
but they deny the power thereof." He then related this to missionaries
personally. Sometimes we get caught up in the hum drum of things and start to
think of missionary work as a list of tasks, but it's EVERYTHING BUT that! We
can apply this to membership in the church as well! Do we look to mark of
things on the "To do" list? Are we drawing near to Him with our lips,
but our hearts are far from Him? In Alma 5, Alma the younger is
recounting the stories of his father, Alma, and how he converted very many
souls to the Lord. In verse 12 it says, "And behold, he preached the word
unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and
they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living
God...." So Alma talks about conversion as being a "change or
heart," right? Well, in verse 14, Alma then asks the people of the church
if they have been truly converted, "And now behold, I ask of you, my
brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received
his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your
hearts?"
Have we been truly
converted? Have we received His image in our countenances? Do our actions,
words, and thoughts reflect the Savior? Are we treating the Gospel as a check list?
If so, let's change that. What can we do to experience that mighty change in
our hearts? I'll leave those questions with you, and I'd love to hear some
experiences that you have had or things you do to continue your conversion!
Elder Holland told us
we are sitting on so much potential, and we need to let that potential out from
under us! He used words like "explode, illuminate, pop, burst,
expand." I love those words!!! My companion and I made up a handshake
using those words, and we do it throughout the day. It's a fun reminder that we
really do need to be expanding ourselves. We need to be constantly changing.
<<that sounds a bit stressful, but really it such a blessing to know that
we have weaknesses AND we have a way to overcome them. In Ether 12: 27 it says,
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness, I give unto
men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men
that humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak
things become strong unto them."
I hope we can all continue to become better through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
I hope we can all continue to become better through the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ.
One amazing experience
I have to share happened on Friday. We had set goals for the day, and we
really wanted to get a referral. Sister Wade and I are both really bad at
remembering to ask everyone if they know someone who would benefit from the
message we have to share! That same night at 8:45, we were working on
updating records, and I suddenly remembered we hadn't remembered to ask for a
referral today. With 15 minutes left before the day was over, we said a prayer
and booked it outside of our apartment and started searching for someone we
could talk to. There was literally no sign of human life...just our luck. With
5 minutes left now, we starting sprinting to the other side of the apartment,
and we saw a couple playing basketball. With very short, winded breaths, we
asked them if they would be interested in hearing a message about building
faith in Jesus Christ. They said no, but we responded with, "Do you know
of anyone that would be interested in and benefit from our message?"
WITHOUT EVEN GIVING IT A THOUGHT, this girl told us a name of a friend in the
same apartment complex that we should visit. It was a miracle! I know Heavenly
Father hears and answers our prayers, people! In the Bible Dictionary under
"Faith," it says, "Miracles do not produce faith but strong
faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ: in other words,
faith comes by righteousness, although miracles often confirm one's
faith." I know we were blessed with this miracle because we prayed in
faith. We knew Heavenly Father would help us receive a referral! I strongly
believe our faith preceding the miracle was very important. All the miracles in
the scriptures are wrought by faith, right? This miracle has definitely
confirmed my faith that Heavenly Father really does listen to us. He loves us
so much, and so willing to help us! His arms are outstretched toward us. Man,
I'm so just happy right now!
I hope everyone has a
fantastic week! Love you all!
Love,
Sister Sparks
Sister Sparks
Here is Sister Spark's new address
10 Vairo Boulevard
Apt. #32 B State College,
PA 16803
Me taking a selfie because I had the courage to eat an orange
Me saying goodbye to
Sister Kramer
Me saying goodbye to Sister Stocking at transfers
us at the birthplace
of Memorial day!
some guy asleep on his porch
at the branch picnic! we
played ultimate Frisbee, and I dominated!!
us traveling to see Elder Holland
sis. Wade
me trying on the Nittany Lion head!
