Sister Nicky Jamison: Tallahassee Bound!

June 20, 2016

Today was my last day at the MTC!! I'm leaving for the airport at 3:00 AM! I've loved the MTC- I've learned so much and felt the spirit every day teaching me and teaching my investigators through me, which is the coolest feeling in the world. I've loved the devotionals, my district, being a sister training leader, making fun of the elders, going on temple walks, and especially teaching!

Highlights from this past week: So when I was sick with my cold, our district leader offered to give me a priesthood blessing, but I said, "thanks for offering, but I think I'll be okay. I'll let you know if I change my mind," thinking, it's just a cold, I don't need a blessing for that. But the next day I had several thoughts come that I should ask him for a blessing. It was Elder Clarke, Elder Guild, Sister Wall and I in the classroom, and Elder Clarke gave me a blessing of healing; but he also said many things that I knew was truly God speaking to me through him. It was amazing and so comforting! And most incredibly- that very morning, I had written questions down in my journal, questions to do with things in my patriarchal blessing- and God answered them specifically through Elder Clarke in that blessing! And it was also the first priesthood blessing he'd ever given! I know that the priesthood is truly the power and authority of God on the earth. I know that worthy men can hold this power to act in God's name. Although my cold went away eventually, I'm sure the real reason the spirit told me to ask for that blessing was so that all of us present could be blessed with the witness of the reality of the priesthood.

In other news, my and Sister Wall's investigator Shannon wrote down a bunch of restaurants for us to try in Tallahassee! She also wrote down the phone numbers of her parents, and we were both thinking, wow, we already have referrals to teach the gospel to! But haha, then she spilled the beans to us that she's one of the fake investigators, and that her dad is really a bishop, so there's a tiny chance I might serve in Shannon's home ward some day!

The departing districts in our zone sang How Great Thou Art in sacrament meeting, and the tears were flowin'. :) I love my zone and district so much! The elders all left for Texas in the wee hours of this morning, and it was weird to be in class without them today. Something I learned this week was how important it is to pray with real intent, which means that we're willing to act on the answers we receive. Sometimes we can pray for something, or pray with a question, wanting an answer from God, but not always being willing to act on the answer. The prayer of faith requires that we have faith, even just desire or hope, that God will answer us, that we're sincere, and that we're willing to act on the answer . As I've helped my investigators to understand that principle, I've seen their prayers answered, maybe not in the way or time frame that they want, but in the way and timing of God, which is perfect. I invite you all to strive to pray with real intent. Love you!

Sister Jamison