"Finding Strength Beyond My Own"

What a wonderful week it has been here in the great OCM! Sorry this email is coming so late... but we were playing nerf gun wars with the Newark elders at the church. And Apples to Apples. And exploring the church's attic. It was awesome and it has been a wonderful P-day thus far!

Two wonderful things happened this week.
1.) Bob gave up smoking. He was smoking two packs a day and when we went to his house on Thursday to come up with a quit smoking game plan, and initially we had set a date of May 1 for him to quit smoking on because he didn't want to 'waste' the money he had spent on the several packs of cigarettes he had bought recently. As we continued talking after setting the May 1 date, I felt prompted to ask him if he wanted to quit anyway because he knows the church is true and that smoking is bad for him, why not just quit today. Sister Parry then pointed out that the money was already wasted, so either he could burn it in his lungs or he could throw it in the trash. He sat there for a second and then opted for the latter. He went in his house (we were meeting on the porch) and gathered up all his cigarettes, lighters, big bag of tobacco and papers to roll, and ashtrays and threw them into a big trash bag. When S. Parry and I got home, we counted 75 packs-- That's 1500 individual cigarettes! Friday he smoked one and Saturday he bought and smoked a pack, but I know that with the Lord's help, he will be successful. This week we're going to work on the coffee :)

2.) Cindy Gunn is a less active member in our ward and she has two kids, Athaena (9) and Chris (7). Chris has autism. She started coming back to church a few weeks ago and signed up to feed us on our meal calendar. We went over there and had a lovely dinner and she really opened up to us about her situation. She got offended by a remark another ward member made over the pulpet during fast and testimony meeting specifically about her and has struggled with feeling judged because she smokes and drinks tea. The reason she decided to come back a few weeks ago was her daughter who told her, "Mommy, my spirit is starving". She knew she had to set her hurt feelings aside and come back to church. She told us she was just so tired and wanted to feel peace. I felt prompted to promise her that she would find the peace she is looking for through the Book of Mormon. We then asked her if she would commit to reading a chapter a day from the book with at least her daughter and she agreed. A few minutes later she confessed that she needed a copy of the book of Mormon. We were happy to oblige. We talked to her yesterday and she told us she was having a hard time following the story, but she was continuing to read. We set up an appointment to come by and help her with the story line tomorrow :)

I love being a missionary. I have seen the tender mercies of the Lord in my life more abundantly these last few days then ever before and I am so thankful for his love and guidance. The gospel is true!!

Love, Sister Chelsea LeSueur


ps-- Bethany, I got your announcement this week... LOVE it. Letter soon to come :)