Happy October and General Conference!!
Wow! Did everyone just love conference?! Maybe it's that I am eating, drinking and breathing the gospel right now but I could not wait for conference to start! We were at the visitor's center during two of the sessions so the only way we could watch it was from our director's laptop. When members of the church came in, it's not like we could say "Uh, HELLO? It's general conference? Why aren't you watching it?". Instead we would put down our notebooks and help others to feel the spirit at our amazing visitor's center. It was funny to see sisters be so calm about saying hello and goodbye to visitors while they were going crazy inside, wanting to soak in every ounce of what was being said. We were able to watch the other sessions of conference with members of the ward. I loved what D. Todd Christofferson said about how life's two best gifts are time and the freedom of choice. We have the choice to use our time as well as we can. Also Richard G. Scott's talk about character and self discipline. I always love hearing from President Monson. His talk on gratitude really helped me to remember that even when times get hard out here, it's living with the attitude of gratitude and prayer that opens up the blessings of heaven. I noticed an overall theme of agency and prophets. We have been giving the gift of agency and can decide whether or not to follow the counsel of men that have been called of God. Agency is definitely a gift and we show our Father in Heaven that we are thankful for that by making good choices.
This week has been great. Sister Juergens and I have been busy sharing the light of the gospel with others. We visited the Ortons, a less active family who has a daughter who is 32 that has a mental disability. I loved listening to how excited she got over even the little things. She talked about her bowling league named "The Power Cats" and how they have a tournament coming up. She talked about general conference and how important it was to listen to those men and women of God. She also talked about how she loved spending time with and helping her mom. She also took us over to their computer and showed us their screen saver of all the temples that have been dedicated. When we were about to leave, I asked if we could say a prayer with them and asked if there is anything that they stand in need of. Sister Orton sat there for a little bit thinking and then just started crying. She said "Peace is coming to my mind right now. I don't know why." We blessed her home with a missionary prayer and asked that she would receive peace at this time. I don't know what they are going through but I am thankful for the opportunity we have to follow the spirit in helping others.
We were able to visit with a part member family, the Tyrers. Sister Tyrer had to have an emergency surgery on her hip and we visited them with another family in the ward. She was in so much pain and we tried our best to comfort her. It was incredible when we said a prayer. The spirit immediately filled the room and there was a tangible peace in the air. Sister Tyrer didn't say anything and afterwards, said she felt better. It was a true testimony to me that prayer is powerful and changes things.
Sarah is getting baptized on Friday!!!!!! We are so excited and she is very excited too! Please pray that everything will go well so that she can experience this life changing event. Andrianna is also committed to baptism for November 2 and we continue to work with her. She is so amazing. We went over to teach a lesson and she brought out her notebook that she keeps all her notes in. She calls it "My Journey". She said she was guided in reading the scriptures and said she found things in the bible that say the church is true. She also said "The more I read out of the book of Mormon, the more I desire to get baptized." Wow! The amazing thing is, she is being guided by the Lord in all of this. At times, we feel like we don't do anything and that it is all the Lord. I hope I am able to serve Him in everything I do and with everything that I have. Thank you for all your support and prayers. Love you all!
Sister Love
Monday, October 11, 2010
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Shout out from Zion! So if you go on to Mormon.org, there is a video about a girl named Joy and she won the 2008 long boarding/surfing title for nationals. Something like that. Anyways, she says something that I love and have tried to incorporate into missionary work. She said that she finds that she has to position herself and put herself where the right waves are. We also need to position ourselves in life. Place ourselves in situations that will help us grow the most and live life. While we're talking about waves, I also learned something from the book of Matthew. In ch.4, verse 20, Jesus Christ calls for the apostles while they are fishing and it says they "straightway left their nets and followed him." What nets hold you back in life? What are the things that keep you from fully following and believing in Jesus Christ? Just a thought :)
This past week it got cold. One day, it was sunny and then a huge rainstorm came in. After that, it was only 50 degrees for a couple of days. Basically, I think I am going to die. This coldness out here is different than anything I've ever experienced. It cuts to the bone. We'll see how well this winter goes. But after this happened, it's gotten back up into the 70's and 80's. Missouri has crazy weather but so fun. I love the rainstorms here.
Andrianna had an incredible experience this past week. We met with her again and she said that she still just wants to know that this is what she should do. We asked her to come into the visitor's center here. She came and we walked around some of the things we have there but then a thought came into my head. "Take her down to see 'hope ya know, I had a hard time.'" This is a Mormons message that follows the talk by Quentin L. Cook with that title. He talks about how things in life are difficult. That we all go through our different trials and we, at times, say to our Heavenly Father "Hope ya know, I had a hard time." At the end, it shows a man who has been struggling and that has just lost his job. He goes to get out of his car and sees his elderly neighbor across the street struggling to bring in his trash bin. He runs over to help him bring it in. At the end, Elder Cook says that President Monson said the greatest birthday gift he could receive would be for someone to do something for someone else. We watched this movie and at the end, I looked over at Andrianna and she was crying. I know it's exactly what she needed. At the end, I came out and just asked her "Andrianna, will you read the book of Mormon and pray to know that it's true? Will you also pray to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet?" She said she would. We prayed with her that night and in the prayer, she asked that she might know if this is the true church and that she may receive a strong answer.
The next time, we went over, Andrianna was smiling. She said she prayed and that a peaceful feeling entered into her heart. She said that even though she was closing her eyes, the room around her filled with light. She said she realized she has been the one keeping herself back. She has been hesitant but because of those feelings, she is now ready to do this. To enter the waters of baptism and receive this joy.
We've been working with a less-active older man and his wife, who is not a member. They are the funniest people ever. They make me laugh so hard and she is just being stubborn when it comes to getting baptized. They know it's true and we will keep working with them.
Today is officially my 5 month mark. I can't believe how fast this is flying by. I've realized that this time is precious and that although it's hard, the beauty of serving the Lord can never be replaced. I want to challenge anyone who reads this to step outside yourself this week and do something for someone else. Help someone who is down. Share the gospel. Let your Heavenly Father know how much you love him and your Savior. I know that if you do this, your life will be blessed. Thank you for all the support and prayers! I love you all!
Sister Love
This past week it got cold. One day, it was sunny and then a huge rainstorm came in. After that, it was only 50 degrees for a couple of days. Basically, I think I am going to die. This coldness out here is different than anything I've ever experienced. It cuts to the bone. We'll see how well this winter goes. But after this happened, it's gotten back up into the 70's and 80's. Missouri has crazy weather but so fun. I love the rainstorms here.
Andrianna had an incredible experience this past week. We met with her again and she said that she still just wants to know that this is what she should do. We asked her to come into the visitor's center here. She came and we walked around some of the things we have there but then a thought came into my head. "Take her down to see 'hope ya know, I had a hard time.'" This is a Mormons message that follows the talk by Quentin L. Cook with that title. He talks about how things in life are difficult. That we all go through our different trials and we, at times, say to our Heavenly Father "Hope ya know, I had a hard time." At the end, it shows a man who has been struggling and that has just lost his job. He goes to get out of his car and sees his elderly neighbor across the street struggling to bring in his trash bin. He runs over to help him bring it in. At the end, Elder Cook says that President Monson said the greatest birthday gift he could receive would be for someone to do something for someone else. We watched this movie and at the end, I looked over at Andrianna and she was crying. I know it's exactly what she needed. At the end, I came out and just asked her "Andrianna, will you read the book of Mormon and pray to know that it's true? Will you also pray to know that Joseph Smith was a prophet?" She said she would. We prayed with her that night and in the prayer, she asked that she might know if this is the true church and that she may receive a strong answer.
The next time, we went over, Andrianna was smiling. She said she prayed and that a peaceful feeling entered into her heart. She said that even though she was closing her eyes, the room around her filled with light. She said she realized she has been the one keeping herself back. She has been hesitant but because of those feelings, she is now ready to do this. To enter the waters of baptism and receive this joy.
We've been working with a less-active older man and his wife, who is not a member. They are the funniest people ever. They make me laugh so hard and she is just being stubborn when it comes to getting baptized. They know it's true and we will keep working with them.
Today is officially my 5 month mark. I can't believe how fast this is flying by. I've realized that this time is precious and that although it's hard, the beauty of serving the Lord can never be replaced. I want to challenge anyone who reads this to step outside yourself this week and do something for someone else. Help someone who is down. Share the gospel. Let your Heavenly Father know how much you love him and your Savior. I know that if you do this, your life will be blessed. Thank you for all the support and prayers! I love you all!
Sister Love
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Greetings from Independence, Missouri!
The man next to us, just barely said "You all have the most important job in the world, you know that right?" Yep. I love this job. This past Wednesday, I passed my 1/4 mark of my mission. Where does time go? I have no idea. It was only April yesterday. It's incredible how time will pass by when you are serving others. Although it's almost October, Missouri still has 90 degree weather and green trees. We're starting to notice a slight color change though and this area is going to be beautiful around the middle of October.
This past week, Sister Juergens and I went to a dance class with a bunch of RLDS and Church of Christ dancers. They all read and believe in the book of mormon, yet they forget the fact that we still need modern revelation today...which makes me so excited for General Conference! I can't wait for our investigators to listen to the prophet's voice. We were able to dance and share the gospel at the same time, going from pirouettes to prayer and sau-de-chats to scriptures. Quite the adventure but when all was said and done, my heart hurt a little from missing dancing and doing the things before my mission. But then I turn to my companion and say "Let's go be missionaries", slide on my name tag and the world is perfect. In the Lord's service we endure pain and heartache in order to experience miracles. So even though these little ballerinas were not so receptive, maybe the rest of Independence will be. We just keep going to work. Onward, ever onward.
We visited Sister Wood, a less active who we've been seeing for a while and asked her to come to church this next Sunday. The less-actives we've been working with have started coming to church and I love seeing how their lives change even though they've already been baptized. The atonement never ceases to work. Sister Wood said we've left our fingerprints on her heart. She told us to never forget that we leave fingerprints everywhere, even if we don't think we do. In a smile, a handshake, even a hello.
Sarah's baptism is still underway. We really want her husband to be able to baptize her, so he's been working with the bishop and we've set October 8 as the date for her baptism. It's also her birthday and she says it's the best birthday gift she could receive.
Andrianna is also coming along. She has the date set for November 2 but I think she could get baptized before then. She knows it's true but I think she is scared. The other day, she told us she has had some concerns and "if I'm going to do this, I need to be sure it's right." It's better for her to have doubts that end in certainty instead of certainty that ends in doubts. She invited us over for Allie (her 4 year old)'s birthday. She made a cake and we took pictures. We realized she had done that primarily for us after we left. I love this family. She has a brother that is RLDS that is starting to listen in on the lessons. We're going to try to teach him this next time.
There have been several things that the spirit has taught me this week. One of the most important is "Being where your feet are". A lot of times, we look to the past or the future for enjoyment. But it's being where we stand and in the present that will bring the most happiness. I am trying to work on that more and more each day. To love live at this moment in this time. Not just to live from baptism to baptism. Something else I learned is that Satan can mimic or imitate anything EXCEPT the Holy Ghost. That's why it's so important to be worthy to have this beautiful gift with us always. To be led, guided and to learn by the spirit. I hope everyone is doing great. Thank you for all your support and prayers! Love you!
Sister Love
The man next to us, just barely said "You all have the most important job in the world, you know that right?" Yep. I love this job. This past Wednesday, I passed my 1/4 mark of my mission. Where does time go? I have no idea. It was only April yesterday. It's incredible how time will pass by when you are serving others. Although it's almost October, Missouri still has 90 degree weather and green trees. We're starting to notice a slight color change though and this area is going to be beautiful around the middle of October.
This past week, Sister Juergens and I went to a dance class with a bunch of RLDS and Church of Christ dancers. They all read and believe in the book of mormon, yet they forget the fact that we still need modern revelation today...which makes me so excited for General Conference! I can't wait for our investigators to listen to the prophet's voice. We were able to dance and share the gospel at the same time, going from pirouettes to prayer and sau-de-chats to scriptures. Quite the adventure but when all was said and done, my heart hurt a little from missing dancing and doing the things before my mission. But then I turn to my companion and say "Let's go be missionaries", slide on my name tag and the world is perfect. In the Lord's service we endure pain and heartache in order to experience miracles. So even though these little ballerinas were not so receptive, maybe the rest of Independence will be. We just keep going to work. Onward, ever onward.
We visited Sister Wood, a less active who we've been seeing for a while and asked her to come to church this next Sunday. The less-actives we've been working with have started coming to church and I love seeing how their lives change even though they've already been baptized. The atonement never ceases to work. Sister Wood said we've left our fingerprints on her heart. She told us to never forget that we leave fingerprints everywhere, even if we don't think we do. In a smile, a handshake, even a hello.
Sarah's baptism is still underway. We really want her husband to be able to baptize her, so he's been working with the bishop and we've set October 8 as the date for her baptism. It's also her birthday and she says it's the best birthday gift she could receive.
Andrianna is also coming along. She has the date set for November 2 but I think she could get baptized before then. She knows it's true but I think she is scared. The other day, she told us she has had some concerns and "if I'm going to do this, I need to be sure it's right." It's better for her to have doubts that end in certainty instead of certainty that ends in doubts. She invited us over for Allie (her 4 year old)'s birthday. She made a cake and we took pictures. We realized she had done that primarily for us after we left. I love this family. She has a brother that is RLDS that is starting to listen in on the lessons. We're going to try to teach him this next time.
There have been several things that the spirit has taught me this week. One of the most important is "Being where your feet are". A lot of times, we look to the past or the future for enjoyment. But it's being where we stand and in the present that will bring the most happiness. I am trying to work on that more and more each day. To love live at this moment in this time. Not just to live from baptism to baptism. Something else I learned is that Satan can mimic or imitate anything EXCEPT the Holy Ghost. That's why it's so important to be worthy to have this beautiful gift with us always. To be led, guided and to learn by the spirit. I hope everyone is doing great. Thank you for all your support and prayers! Love you!
Sister Love
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