I bear testimony that the Lord's hands are in our lives.

This week was a harder week than previous ones, kind of like hitting the 18 mile wall during a marathon.

Through this week I was able to know that Heavenly Father is aware of us in our struggles and wrestlings with overcoming the natural man. While this week was challenging, it was also filled with so many tender mercies.

Sister Stastny and I were able to teach a "gold tag" investigator, which is a recent convert or actual investigator that comes to the MTC for missionaries to practice teaching. We were walking around trying to find missionaries to practice our "mini lessons" with when we came upon Isaac sitting on a bench and started talking to him. He came to BYU to play rugby and was a bit interested in our church so his friends told him to come to the MTC to talk to the missionaries. Sister Stastny and I asked for a question that he had that perhaps we could answer... He asked our feelings about women and the priesthood...

...We were not expecting that. Haha.

It is amazing the way the Spirit communicates through you to bear testimony to others. We didn't talk about the details of the big to-do, but we were able to bear our testimonies of how having priesthood holders in the form of fathers and brothers and friends has granted us much peace and comfort when we had sickness or heartache. It was a harder question but we were grateful for the experience because we were able to break out of role play and really share the message of the gospel with someone searching for truth.

Another tender mercy came through an activity our teachers had us do where each companion prayed about questions to ask the other companion. the purpose of this activity was to practice meeting the needs of a person by only asking them questions. The Spirit works miracles! Sister Stastny asked me questions that pricked my heart and helped me to know how aware Heavenly Father was of my concerns this week and her questions also helped me to know how to overcome the trials.

I'd like to ask you these same questions now and truly have you think answer them perhaps in your journal or someplace else.

Do you believe God knows you?

How do you know this?

Do you trust God?

How will you show Him you do?

Je suis très reconnaissante pour mon adversité cette semaine. The hardest of times have a way of turning into the sweetest and most sacred of times as we give way and turn our hearts to be healed by the Savior and His Atonement. I am grateful to be on a mission and to be learning about God and His love. I hope each of you are able to see God in your lives and believe that He knows you. And I pray that you will trust Him and let Him love you.

Keep the Faith. Bonne Courage.

Soeur Spackman