Pray with Real Intent

Hi Family and Friends!

This week has been a roller coaster! I'm not gonna lie, this week was really rough. Angelina and her girls haven't been coming to church and they can't be baptized because they're not coming to church. So, we had to take them off date for baptism. It's been a little hard because they know everything. We asked them the baptismal interview questions and they all know them. They read the Book of Mormon and pray everyday but won't come to church... Anyway, the lesson I've learned from them is that everything is REALLY in Heavenly Father's timing. He has a plan for them. He won't take away their agency( even when they aren't making the best choices). He takes what we give him and makes it better. He helps us learn and grow. It's been hard to see them and other people progress and then just stop. But, I have to remember that it's not my timing, it's his. 

On a brighter note. I had some cool things happen this week. 

Sister Coles and I were driving when we saw this lady out mowing her lawn. I had the strangest urge to stop and help her. Well, the urge was the Holy Ghost. I told Sister Coles and she stopped. We walked down to the where the lady was mowing and offered to help. She looked at us like we were crazy...it being 90+ degrees out. Sister Coles started mowing and I talked to this lady. Side note, Sister Coles was mowing in her dress:) It was great! She's really the MVC: Most Valuable Companion. We didn't have much time so we offered to come back the next day and mow the back. So, we did. We ended up teaching her the Restoration and having a really good discussion about Faith. So, when the Holy Ghost tells you to stop and mow a lawn, do it. 

Something else that I've been pondering is "real intent". More specifically praying with real intent. We were teaching a woman this week who had a LOT of faith. She was saying how she didn't think that Heavenly Father answered all of our prayers. (I found it interesting as last week I discovered that He really does answer all of my prayers. I needed to learn that to help this woman.) I told the woman that Heavenly Father/God answers all of our prayers. Usually not in the way we want, but in what we need. She said she could see that but some prayers she felt still weren't answered. I then discussed how/why we need to pray with real intent. What is real intent? Real intent is deciding that you will act on whatever answer the Lord gives you. It's the action part of prayer. Real intent is mentioned multiple times in the scriptures. In 2 Nephi 31:13, Moroni 6:8, Moroni 7: 6,9, and Moroni 10:3. These are just a few. In all these scriptures Heavenly Father is saying that if we truly have faith and pray with a sincere heart, with real intent, we will receive our answers. They may not be the answers we want, or expected. But he will give us our answers. We need to make sure we fully intend to act on the answers we receive. I promise that as you pray with a sincere heart and real intent to act, you will recieve EVERY answer to your prayers. 

My challenge for y'all is to read, study and ponder the Book of Mormon. Pray with a sincere heart and real intent before you read. I know that this church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I know that prayer is powerful. I can promise you that as you pray and read the Book of Mormon, just as Moroni 10:3-5 promises you will find out for yourself that the Book of Mormon is true. It is another testament of Jesus Christ. It is not meant to replace the Bible. It is here to help us come closer to Jesus Christ and to clarify things the Bible mentions. Just as 2 Corinthians 13:1, and Matthew 18:16 says, " in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." The Bible and the Book of Mormon establish his word. They work together. I encourage everyone to pray with a sincere heart and real intent to know if the Book of Mormon is true. If it truly is another testament of Jesus Christ. Act on your answer. 

I love all of you! Have a fabulous week!

Love,

Sister Stone

1. Fourth of July

2. Every day is sunscreen day.

3. Angelina and her girls for Brenda's birthday.

4. Service stacking wood

5. Haircut selfie