Sister Caressa Ann Pitt: Love Christlike Love

Did I eat fried chicken for breakfast? Oh yes, yes I did.

This week was GREAT. So many wonderful things happened. First off, Patrick is doing so well. SO WELL. I am amazed by his progress in just one week. We had a great lesson with him about the priesthood and baptism. We commited him to be baptized on October 12th. HE ACCEPTED, without hesitation. Most people you have to kind of talk them into it or wait on them. He got extrememly emotional, and almost cried towards the end of the lesson. He is already almost done with 1st Nephi in the Book of Mormon. That is what has amazed me the most, is his reading comprehension of the scriptures. Many people don't really understand what is going on, and he even struggled at first, but we told him to pray everytime he reads, and now he is telling us the stories. He thinks Laman and Lemuel are so dumb. He thinks Nephi is amazing. AH, yay. Anyways, we lent him the Jospeh Smith movie, and he LOVED it. We were able to go over the plan of salvation, and he related everything in the movie to the lesson. He was really worried about not being able to make it to church yesterday, because he had to take his mom to the airport, but he came, ON TIME. He said that he knows that God wants him to be there, that is why the time didn't conflict. He just loved church. He says he feels at home. Amazing. Miracle. Happy dance time. I don't want to get to excited and jinx anything, but I really have faith that all things will work out. Even if it's not the way I want it to work out. I just am praying continually.

There are so many members here in Portmore I love. We are helping three young men prepare to go on their missions. One of them is waiting on his call. Another just finished his papers, and the third is working on them. They are all amazing and will be fantastic misisonaries. There is Emile, Sean, and Orane. Orane is a convert of about less than a year, so he has to wait till his year mark to leave, which isn't far away. They are extrememly focused and truly love the Gospel. They are not worldly or vain, they are humble and have strong testimonies. I truly believe that it is more of a sacrifice for Jamaicans to go on missions than most of us who have been in the church for a long time. They don't have a lot of money, they don't have family and friend support, they get ridiculed and mocked for their decisions, and they face many difficulties. But, I think they are better prepared than I was for my mission. I look up to them so much.

A family of investigators cooked us Sunday dinner. They went ALL out. They made us a table, they cooked a ton of food, and had dessert for us. I was so appreciative of their effort. Especially because they barely know us! Their kids are all so cute, and I just love them. I would love them even if they didn't cook us food. It is so cool to be a missionary and feel christlike love for people. It's so hard to explain what it feels like, but it's non-judgemental and pure. The love I feel for all of our investigators, less actives and members is real. It truly breaks my heart when I see that they are unhappy or made a wrong decision. I am grateful I had this opprotunity to learn to love, to really love. Not just say "I love you," but to MEAN it and feel it.

I think everyday for the rest of my life, I will thank God for sending me to Jamaica. I have learned so much. I couldn't have learned what I've learned anywhere else. I have been humbled, and even at times brought really low, but Heavenly Father truly has risen me up each time. I can honestly say that I have experienced that "mighty change of heart," that the scriptures speak of. I am more converted. I still have so much to change, because the "natural woman" comes out every once in a while, but I know that as I work on it each day, one day I will be able to stand before my Maker and be confident that I did my absolute best.

The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is REAL and TRUE.

Love,

Sister Pitt