Archuleta!

On Mon, Aug 17, 2015 at 11:16 AM, Bethany Coultrup <bethany.coultrup@myldsmail.net> wrote:

G'day!

This week has been amazing! It definitely made up for the last week!

We had Sister's Conference which I told you about and then on tuesday we had Multi-Zone Conference and David Archuleta and Brad Wilcox came and spoke/sang to us! WOW. I have never felt the spirit so strong at a fireside/devotional before. Before the meeting President Parker asked me to say the closing prayer in front of ALL the missionaries in the mission and in front of David Archuleta. Might sound silly but inside I was panicking thinking ahhh I have to pray well for David! Hah, luckily I didn't trip walking up to the podium and I think it was alright.

David Archuleta shared experiences from his mission in Chile. This meeting was meant for me. Both speakers spoke directly to my heart. I had been praying and praying and they answered my prayers! David talked about feeling inadequate, not feeling like a proper missionary. He said: "I should be thinking about God all the time. Why does my mind wander? I should be focussed Heavenwards. Why don't I feel the spirit the way I thought I would? Why am I not feeling close to God? I am inadequate and have so many weaknesses. The more I go on in my mission the weaker I feel and the more things I have to work on. Then I read Ether 12:27 "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weaknesses..."

 

As he went on to share his doubts and experiences I felt comforted knowing someone had gone through exactly how I was feeling at that moment. The closer I draw to God the more he will show me my weaknesses to prove to me that it is through His Grace that he makes weak things become strong. That is what He is doing to me.

David Archuleta sand Be Still My Soul and Nearer My God To Thee. It is incredible that a human being can have a voice like he has. It was angelic and flawless! The spirit was so strong and I was soooo happy :-) Brad Wilcox spoke after and his talk was also amazing! I was laughing and crying! I wish I could have recorded it so you could all listen to it!

We had a Zone Meeting and Specialized Training from the President this week as well. The whole week was full of meetings! But I think it was needed because I learned so much. I  need to focus on Jesus Christ a lot more as I work. If I can think of Him always I will be much more motivated and will be able to work harder. Obedience brings blessings as well. I have seen that in my mission thus far.

We have a miracle! We were teaching one of our investigators this past week and he said his parents are coming up to Adelaide at the end of August and he would like to be baptized then so he parents can be there! He will be baptized on the 29th of this month along with another one of our investigators. They both got their baptism clothes this Sunday and we have been planning the service with them! Woo hoo! We are so excited for them :-)

Last night we went to our investigators house, one of them that is getting baptized and there was a dead bird on his pathway (probably from his cat). When he opened the door I said, "looks like someone brought your dinner!" We laughed then went into the lesson. Afterwards we were walking out and I turned around and said, "Don't forget your dinner." Then we hear a scream from Sister Funaki and I turn around and she is doing this silly dance/running away. She had stepped on the dead bird because she forgot about it and she just kept screaming and Todd and I were laughing our heads off. I haven't laughed that hard on my mission yet. Maybe it is a "you had to be there" thing but I thought I would share something that made me laugh!

Anyways I love you all! I miss you too.

Sister Coultrup (aka Sis. Cool)

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Sister Bethany Victoria Coultrup

Australia Adelaide Mission

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints