"Anchor to the soul.."

It's cloudy, but I love it! We woke up with just a little fresh snow on the ground. It's good because what's left right now is the dirty snow that takes forever to melt, so the new stuff covers it a little bit.

So this week went by really fast. It's already week 4 of the transfer. Heavenly Father has blessed us to be able to teach a lot of lessons this week, it has been really cool.

Yesterday we got a chat from a man named Jam, from the UK. He had investigated the church for 2 years, but didn't really feel anything, and then was baptized a year ago, hoping to feel something. Well since then, he received the priesthood, and was about to receive a calling, but still didn't feel anything, so he has since fallen away because he felt that he was wasting people's time, and living a lie. He doesn't believe in prayer, because he did it so many times, and never felt anything. He doesn't even know if there is a God. So he's got a lot on his plate....well we were able to share a lot with him. He has a lot of faith, but doesn't recognize it. He wants to believe. We shared my favorite talk with him, and had him watch it while we watched it so we could watch it "together" even though we were so far. I love this talk, I read it almost every day. It is 'Lord, I Believe,' by Jeffrey R. Holland. It was dead perfect for him. Literally, I swear Elder Holland knew this man's situation when he gave it! And we prayed so hard for him to feel the spirit. Well after, I was expecting a miracle, but he said that he doesn't have faith, and how he wishes he could be like the father in the story. We tried to help him see that he already is but he said that he isn't, and the real knee-kicker was when he said, this does't really make me want to have more faith. Well, we just bore testimony and told him that in order to have a prayer answered, you first need to pray (he won't pray because he "knows" it doesn't work) and then do everything that you can do to show Heavenly Father that you want an answer. Heavenly Father can't help if a person won't help himself. He said it made sense. Well we got his phone number so we can call and teach him. He said he would think about praying and attending church on Sunday, so we will call himMonday to see.

Tim is doing great! I was on exchange with my District Leader when we called him, and my District Leader is very in tune with the spirit, and a good example to me. She helped us figure out his concern, which is that when he reads, he reads to much into it and thinks that he has to understand every little word, so it never made sense to him. We helped him see that he just has to get the main idea, and even if he doesn't, we want him to focus on how he feels, and how he can apply the stories to him. He really liked that, and he said that he can definitely do that now that he understands how to read. He has been reading and praying daily, and Tuesday when we talked to him, he said that the elders told him which teas he can drink, and that the tea he drinks is already herbal, so he is already keeping that part of the Word of Wisdom! His doctor has allowed him 2 cups of coffee a week, and he really likes coffee, so it is hard for him to have to cut down even more, but he said that he wants to cut down and stop altogether eventually. He says that he feels calm when he prays, and that he is more comfortable with it. He understands everything that he has been taught, and he likes that it makes sense. He is the best!

Something that I have noticed is how easy it is to bear testimony to random strangers, within the first two sentences of talking with them. When Elder Clarke from the Seventy came to talk to us, he said that we should never let anyone leave without bearing testimony or without talking about Jesus Christ. I know that the Lord is hastening His work, and so lately, I have just had this desire to be bold. To testify to everyone I talk to, to tell about Jesus Christ, and to just simply at the start of the conversation ask if they are interested to know for themselves if this church really is true. It really helps to see those who are prepared, who honestly want to know, and who are ready to be "harvested." My companion and I have been doing that a lot lately.

We have been able to talk to a lot of people on the square. We can tell that they are ready to receive the Gospel, but they don't yet know themselves, and so they shy away from discovering that and it is so hard because you just want to tell them how happy they can be, and how wonderful the Atonement of Jesus Christ is when you actually use it but they choose not to be ready yet. We do a lot of seed-planting here on Temple Square, but that is not a bad thing. The seed has to be planted for it to grow, so I am more than happy to be a part of that!

We got to take this lady on a tour this week (I don't remember her name). She was baptized about 10 years ago. It was really neat because we could see that she was truly converted to the Gospel. Her life revolves around it, and she is so happy. Her husband and kids had found the gospel through another family that they knew in the military. They had all been baptized and sealed in the Temple a year later. Now, her son is preparing for a mission, and they are all strong and active. It is so cool because that is why missionaries serve missions, is to help people become like this through Jesus Christ. You can tell that this family is like the scripture in Ether when it says, "which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." That is exactly what that family has done. The seed was planted, and now it has grown and is now anchored to their souls.

I know that this Gospel is true. It is God's work, and if we will allow it, it will become an anchor to our souls so that we will always be happy and doing what Jesus Christ would do.

I double testify to what Elder Holland said, "I know this work is God’s very truth, and I know that only at our peril would we allow doubt or devils to sway us from its path. Hope on. Journey on. Honestly acknowledge your questions and your concerns, but first and forever fan the flame of your faith, because all things are possible to them that believe."

I am thankful to be a part of God's work.

I hope you all have a wonderful week and that you will fan the flame of your faith. I love you!

1 Ne. 17:3

This had been a good week!

We have a new Mission President, President Poulsen and his wife. They are so great!! I love them so much already. They are going to be perfect, and just what this mission needs. President served in Taiwan, and his career (Citi Bank I think) took him and his family to Asia: Hong Kong, Thailand, some other places, so most of their children were born there, but they moved to Utah when the kids were a little older. They were also Mission President & Wife in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission, and didn't think they would be Mission President again, but here they are! And I am predicting that President Poulsen will be a General Authority. Mark my words!So update on Tim:We called him last Saturday. He said that he was in the hospital (he has kidney failure and got an infection from the dialysis) all week and that he just got back . I felt so bad! I wish we would have known so that we could have sent someone to give him a priesthood blessing or something. Well he said that he felt guilty because he promised to go to church and couldn't go! Man he is great! We were able to teach about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the Holy Ghost. I know that the things that we said were not our words because when we were teaching, he said oh, well that is making a lot of sense, I get it now. All the things he was taught in the church he used to go to were able to be explained, and showed him why he needs this Gospel of Jesus Christ. When we taught about Repentance, it was so funny, he goes, oh I feel good about that, now I can repent for not going to church on Sunday! haha we were like Tim, you were in the Hospital, God doesn't expect you to repent for that! Later he was talking about why he stopped going to his church. He mentioned that he didn't like how they had to give money, and how the church used that money (I was like oh shoot...the Tithing lesson is going to be rough haha). But he clarified when he said that he didn't like the paid ministers with their fancy cars and houses, how the money went to them. He said that the local elders explained to him church organization, how they are unpaid, and tithing, and where the money goes, and how it all works. He said, I like that, that makes sense to me (I was so relieved haha). Well, I think the happiest moment of the mission so far is when we were teaching him he goes, this is all making sense, I am feeling a lot more comfortable with that date (baptismal date of February 22nd). !!!!! Oh man it was so great to hear that. He is afraid of commitment, but I know he is so close, and Heavenly Father will help him out. The elders were able to take him to a church building last Saturday, and explain to him how it all works and he said he liked it and that he would be going to church in the morning. Well that night is when he went to the hospital, so he couldn't go to church the next day. So in our lesson, we asked if he would pray to know what Heavenly Father wants him to do, if Feb. 22nd is right for him. He said that he would. We said we would start sending him daily scripture texts. Well, we texted him Sunday to see how he was doing, and........ he went to church! He went to sacrament but had to leave after for treatment. I am so happy he was able to partake of the sacrament! The elders sat by him and explained everything that was going on (good job elders!) and he said that he liked it. After church, the local Elders visited and taught about faith and the Holy Ghost and gave him some scriptures to read and a pamphlet to read before Saturday. Holla! We texted him the next day and felt like we needed to share Matt. 11:28-30 with him. We were a little skeptical, we wanted to find a different one, but we decided that it must be something he needed to hear, so we sent it and testified about Christ and how he is never alone, how Christ has felt all that he has. His response was that he really needed to hear that, and that it helps on days like this (he was in a lot of pain). I was thankful that Heavenly Father sent the spirit to help us think of that scripture, and it taught me a lesson never to doubt promptings. Well sorry this isn't a paragraph anymore, but I just wanted to give all the details. I am just so filled with joy and I look forward to seeing him progress even more.

A miracle that happened last night,

so we were on chat, and this man Juan came on from Mexico City. Well, he said that he is looking for truth.He feels like God is trying to tell him something, and led him here. He feels like he has a lot of mistakes that he has made. He wants to be cleansed from those sins and to continue to learn more. I honestly was a little apprehensive because I thought that he was not sincere. We had been getting a lot of those chats lately, and it sounded too good to be true. Well, he gave me his contact information, but he got disconnected. Then by some chance, he came back! there were a ton of sisters online too, it was cool. We continued to chat and he said how he wants to learn more, and we invited him to go to church on Sunday and he said yes. Well, right before I could give him the address of the church, he disconnected again! I tried calling him, but he didn't answer. We continued on doing things, and then I thought hey I'll call him again. He picked up! He speaks English a little brokenly, but I am selfish and don't want to give him to Spanish-speaking sisters haha. We gave him the address of the church and the time it starts and he said that he would be there and that he wants to do what God wants him to do. Well I ate my words about him not being sincere! We are excited to call him Sunday and see how it went. I will probably end up having to give him to Spanish-speaking Sisters because he won't be able to understand the lessons in English, and I don't speak enough Spanish.

Which brings me to my goal...I want to be able to pass off to give tours in Spanish by the end of the mission! I have been reading the BOM in Spanish in my free time, and so I am hoping to become better and better slowly over time so that I can pass off in Spanish. We shall see. We have little to none free time in this mission but we have the gift of tongues right?

One of the rarities of this mission is getting Member Present Lessons. We have to work at it a lot harder than other missionaries, because we don't get to work with any wards or anything. So it is always really hard to get that Key Indicator. But, yesterday, we had a miracle! We were stationed on a desk and amidst calling security on a crazy man, we were able to teach an MPL to a teenage girl who was brought by her friends who are members. It was really cool, and I am thankful for the Spirit because if she weren't feeling the spirit, I know she probably would have walked away when we were dealing with the man and calling security, but they stick around. Now we get to continue to teach her, and her friends can be members Present for those lessons too! Sidenote, if any of you would ever like to be a Member Present on the phone, you can let me know and I'll give your number to a sister so they can use you in their lessons, they would be really thankful for that, it is rare. 

Also, right after that conversation, we were talking to a dad and his son who just returned from serving in Colombia. Long story short, he gave his information so he can be a Member Present! That was pretty cool. It reminds me of the scripture I think 1 Ne. 17:3, and 1 Ne. 3:7 where it tells how God will provide away to accomplish the things He has commanded.

Oh yeah, our new apartment is fantastic!! I feel so spoiled. I will have to take pictures and show you.

Well there are so many other stories I could tell, but I don't have time. I love you, hope you have a wonderful week. Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith!

Hello!

This has been a good week. But a little sad. We are getting a new Mission President tomorrow, so this week has been filled with good-byes and such. I will miss the Gillette's, they were wonderful, but I am excited to see what President and Sister Poulsen are like, and what they decide to change.

So we have to move apartments, they are renovating some, and ours is going to be renovated, so they are moving us into one of the ones that have already been renovated. I am excited! But it stinks because I just barely unpacked. Oh well.

Anyways,

One cool thing that happened this week:

So way back in my first transfer, like my very first week, I took a chat from a man named David. He told me how he was meeting with missionaries, and how he really likes what he has been taught, but that he was scared that he wouldn't be allowed to be a part of the church because he didn't want a family. We were able to talk about it, and he was able to have peace with the issue, and even invited me to his baptism (too bad it was going to be in England). He gave me his contact information and logged off. When I tried to put it into my Online Area Book, another sister had his information which means that I could not input him too as a contact. I was really sad! That meant that I would never be able to hear how everything went, etc. Well this week, my companion said hey, I am going to contact this man (for first contacts, we don't teach together) that was transferred to me (She had taken a chat from him, and he too was in a sister's OAB but the sister transferred him to her). So I was taking care of some other things, and I hear her having a difficult time. She tells me that she is going to add me to the call because she can't understand his accent. So I put on my headset and looked over at the computer to see where he is from, and I see his name and email and it is David! The one I never thought I would hear about. Well come to find out, he wasn't able to keep his baptismal date and is at a standstill. He is ready to just drop everything he has learned, because he still doesn't believe that God exists (he was atheist) and he doesn't see why he needs the gospel in his life. We tried teaching him a bit, but he said that he had to go and that he doesn't think he will keep meeting with missionaries. When we asked him if we could stay in contact with him he didn't want to, but we just decided to be bold and asked him if he would one more time, put all his faith into it, and ask if there is a God. We asked if he would give it one more try. He hesitantly said yes. So we will be calling him this week to find out what happened! But I know that our companionship was inspired, how crazy is it that we both took chats from him but couldn't teach him, and then he got transferred to my companion, and we were put together where we can now teach him? That could only be from God.

Follow up on Tim:

So we called him, and he said that he was able to read the introduction page of the Book of Mormon like we invited him, and he even got to read a little extra! He said that he hasn't read anything that has seemed weird to him, and that he has had peace. We were able to teach him about the Plan of Salvation, and even then he said that nothing seems weird to him, and he likes the idea. Well, our goal was to invite him to church, and when we did that, he explained that the local elders had rubbed him the wrong way a little bit. If you remember, Tim is on Dialysis. So when they invited him to go to church and explained what it would be like, he tried to explain how hard it is in the mornings for him being on dialysis, and how some mornings he doesn't even make it out of bed. Well the elders told him that he had to go to all three hours, and he told them he couldn't do that. I am not sure if the elders had a misunderstanding, or maybe Tim did, I don't know but we were able to explain to him that Heavenly Father knows the desires of his heart, and that if He is doing his best to try to attend church and do what Heavenly Father wants to him, then that is all that matters. And if that is going to just 1 hour of church, or if he can't make it out of bed, or if he makes it the 3 hours, it is okay because Heavenly Father understands. He felt a lot better about that and said that if he could get out of bed, that he would go. So our goal was church, but I kept feeling like we should invite him to be baptized on a certain day so we invited him to be baptized on February 22nd. He hesitated, and said that he isn't ready and and some other things, and we explained that we wouldn't let him be baptized without being ready, and that we were here to prepare him and the local elders as well. We also explained the special symbolism of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost and having proper authority because he said he had previously been baptized. He felt a lot better afterward, and soft-committed to Feb. 22nd but he said that he would pray about it to see what Heavenly Father wants him to do. The hard part is that he is only available once a week, which isn't too bad, I would just rather follow up more often than that, and to teach him more because he is so prepared. But he is a truck driver, so it is a little hard for him. But I am still so grateful for the chance we have to teach him! He is really special to me, and I wish that I could teach him in person, so maybe I will just go outbound to Seattle! haha Just kidding. But really....maybe I will. That would be pretty cool.

We were also able to teach Toni this week. We followed up on her previous commitments, and she said that she still knows it's all true, she just wants to read and pray more. We taught her about Keeping the Sabbath Day, and church attendance. She took it pretty well, and we had great discussions.She hasn't gone to church because she goes to her own church and doesn't want to confuse her daughter by going to another. She's liked everything that we have taught her except that I said one thing that didn't stick right with her...When we taught the Plan of Salvation, I mentioned that before we came here we picked our family. Well she grew up with a really hard life I will leave it at that, and so she feels sick at the thought of her picking her family. It is hard for her to realize that, but I know she picked them, because if you look at her life now, she has risen to so much of her potential that she could have not done it any other way than having that family. And she was placed there because God loves her. Well, I just apologized and told her to pray about it. She wasn't upset, she just didn't really understand. Well later on in the lesson, my companion asked a really inspired question (too bad I don't remember what it was). It was something along the lines of what more do you need to be doing in your life to receive an ultimate conviction, and to be better in your life? She said, I need to go to church. I was shocked! We had been waiting for that for weeks! She finally realized that she needs to put her faith into action. I am really excited to hear how it went, and she said that she can go to church, and still have time to make it to her church, so everyone's happy. It was a miracle.

Another miracle,

My first transfer I got a chat from a girl named Carleigh who attends Duke University. Her question was, how do I know if I should join this church? Well We chatted about it, she gave me her email, we emailed for weeks, met with the institute president and missionaries, and all was good until one time she asked how I gained my conviction of the Gospel. Well, I bore my heart and soul to her in a long email, and I never heard back from her for over an entire transfer...I emailed her 5 times since then. Well at some point with no response, we have to drop them. On Tuesday, I emailed her for the last time, telling her that I respect her decisions and that I didn't want to bother her but that if she was ever interested in learning more, she could reach out at any time, that I would always be there. So I sent it, and dropped her. Well later that night, I get online and she replied! She said that she went out of the country, and that she hadn't been checking her school email. She apologized and said she would send me a more thorough reply. Miracle! I guess I can un-drop her. haha I am so thankful for that. I feel a special connection with her, and I am excited for her to progress.

Well there are many wonderful things that have happened this week, but unfortunately I don't have time for them all. I love the new assignment that we have, and I love my companion.I love my family and all they do for me, I love being a missionary and I love this work. Above all, I love my Savior. I love Jesus Christ, that is why I am here.

I hope you are all doing well, and that you have a great week! Love,

Ciao!!!

So it is officially a new transfer and I have a bunch of new's news. So I have a new companion, a new apartment, a new zone, a new p-day, a new assignment, and a new Mission President (coming next week). My new companion is Sister Bonvisutto from Italy! We are in Temple Square Guest Services this transfer. Guest Services organize all the tours, investigator lessons, and answer people's random questions. It's really fun, and was one of the things I really wanted to do this transfer! I really wanted an assignment, because this transfer is especially slow on the square without lights and before summer. It makes for a lot of walking around without people, and so I wanted an assignment so that I could appreciate the square time I do have this transfer. It is a good balance, the amount of time is basically split between Guest Services and Square time each day, plus we have Teaching Center time.

This week we said goodbye to President Gillette (even though he doesn't leave for another week, the departing sisters wanted to all be able to say bye together). We sang a really sad song, and we all made home-maid leis and put a lei around them. There were so may it was like when Tommy from Tommy Boy inflates the life-vest on the airplane haha and then they had more hanging off their arms. It was really cool. They will be so missed. But I am excited to meet the new one.

Last Thursday, we as a mission were able to go to the new Museum in BYU the "Sacred Gifts" exhibit. It was really cool! They are paintings of the Savior from cathedrals done by Carl Bloke, and others. They lent us the original paintings to have in an exhibit to bring people closer to the Savior. Then afterward, we went to a Stake center, where a ward served us lunch and a ton of cookies! It was so great, and I am thankful for members who are willing to serve.

I will share just a few of the experiences from this week:

I had a chat I mentioned I think last week, when I was saying that we had miracles to meet our numbers. Well, one of those was named Christina. She said that she wanted a Book of Mormon because her husband is a member, but doesn't go to church, and she had been reading his copy, but wanted her own. She said that he had been answering her questions, but that he couldn't answer them all, and she wanted them answered. We were able to help with questions, and when we asked if we could continue to teach her, she gave her phone number and I recognized the area code from when I went to NAU. I asked if she lived in AZ and she said she had, in Snowflake, but now lives in Colorado. So we talked a little about that, and then said that we would talk to her later. I felt such a connection! We referred the local missionaries, and I called her yesterday to see if they brought her B.O.M. She said no, and we chatted for a while, and it got brought up that I am from Tucson. She said, oh I actually went to High School down there, at Mountain View High School. I was like what! That's where I went! She is a little older than me, so I never knew her. but I know Heavenly Father put her in our path so that we could find a connection, and build trust from kind of knowing each other, it was such a miracle! I am excited for her to learn more. It is humbling that Heavenly Father would trust me with His children....

Update on Tim. We taught him lesson one last Saturday. He was so receptive! He wasn't grumpy, and at the end of the lesson, he said that it wasn't weird, and that he felt peace. We were able to help him realize that that is the spirit, and that if he will pray, Heavenly Father will answer his prayers, and he can know for himself that it is the spirit witnessing to him that Joseph really saw what he saw, and that this really is Christ's restored Gospel. He is very open, and is going to do that. We asked if he would go to church the next day, and he said, well I actually have plans to help a friend move, but I can go next week. We were like what the heck so great! We didn't expect him to go since we were asking the day before, and it was so wonderful that he was willing to go the next week without any hesitation. I know that this gospel can bless him, and I think he is realizing that too. He said that he felt so peaceful afterward. And the local missionaries had an appointment with him later that day, so I can't wait to talk with him on Saturday to see how he is doing, and how the appointment went.

A couple days ago, we took a mom and her 3 little kids on a tour. She is catholic and came for a vacation to ski. We took them to God's plan and the kids loved it, and she cried the whole way through. We tried to testify the entire tour and we know that she felt the spirit. She even took a Book of Mormon, but didn't want to learn more. It was a little discouraging at first because I know she wants to live with her family for eternity just like we shared with her, and I know she felt the spirit, but I guess it's not her time yet. Maybe she'll open up the Book of Mormon out of curiosity, and maybe that will change her. But I know that we can have peace because we did all we could do. In the end, everyone still has their agency, and we never know if they will change, and remember their experience later.

Well, that's it for now, just a lot of changes this week .It is going to be a good transfer, and I look forward to all the opportunities and miracles that Heavenly Father places before us. I know this Restored Gospel is true, and I hope you all have a great week,

A Couple Stories

So I am going to start off with the funny story of the week...it is one of the funniest/weirdest things that have happened to me yet so far!

So we were covering for some sisters on desk at the Eternal Families desk, which is in the South Visitor's Center, right off of the South Gate of Temple Square. So, we are going about our business, and all of a sudden, this man comes right in the gate, in the doors, and intensely up to me. He's got this weird writing on his hands, and he walks up and says I just really feel like I need to be here today (And looking back now, I had trouble finding words to say because the spirit was not present, and so I was just finding words to say on my own). So I say ok...well what is going on in your life? I was thinking he would start unloading his troubles about how he hasn't been to church and how his life has gone wrong but I was wrong! He gets really close to my face and whispers, this is going to sound blasphemous but.....I am the Savior. I know I am! I just want everyone to be able to know, and I just try to do good! And he starts crying, and then stops suddenly. At this point, I am trying so hard not to start busting up laughing, and trying to hide my smile. I say, ok so what do you expect out of being here today? And he says, just love, and guidance. So I say, yeah definitely, I know that God loves you and that you will be able to feel the spirit here on Temple Square. So why don't you go take a seat over in front of the TV and I'll get someone that can come talk to ya! And He smiles and says great, thank you! So he goes and sits down. I call security, and while they are on their way, I look at him, and he is nodding and shaking his head, and talking to himself, and crying. Well security gets there, and observe him, and he told me that he isn't violent but that he's either having a mental break or on drugs (obviously haha). But they said if he starts getting violent, to pull the panic pull, which is like a red button at a bank. So we had to leave, but the sisters that came to relieve us told us later that he had started crying uncontrollably, and causing a scene in front of the guests and freaking them out, so they called security again, and security had to come and a doctor came and tranquilized him and took him into police custody. So crazy!

So I think my favorite story of the week happened last Friday. We were stationed in the Assembly Hall, and there was going to be a little concert so we were contacting people before it started. We talked to some people and then we saw this man we both wanted to talk to. Well we start talking to him, Tim, and he is this grumpy middle-aged man who came from Washington for Christmas by himself to "get away." well He wasn't very pleasant to be around, and I wanted to just go talk to someone else, but I remembered my personal goal for the week that I had set, to love everyone. So I decided to love him. I tried to share that we care for him, and help him feel God's love. Well come to find out, his wife doesn't want to be married to him anymore, he never had any kids of his own, only step kids, and he is in level 4 kidney failure, and has been on dialysis for the past 3 years. Then we found out that after getting in trouble with the law with alcohol, he quit drinking 18 years ago, and quit smoking 16 years ago. That opened up something that we could testify about (just like a quote from Elder Holland I will share!), and he started to soften up. Then I remembered something that one of my MTC teachers had shared with me. It was a question. So I decided to ask him, I said Tim, who do you want to become? He got really quiet and thought for a while and said, I don't know, I have never thought about that...and he softly said, I guess kind and happy. Then we were able to testify about Jesus Christ, and how all things are possible through Him, and we can become what we want through Him. Then he really softened up, and we explained about the Book of Mormon, how it is another testament of Jesus Christ, and how we can learn more about Him. The performance was starting so we said, can we give you one of these? And he said sure. So we ran and grabbed one, wrote a little note in the front in chicken scratch, and gave it to him, and asked if we could keep in contact to follow up with the BOM and see how he is doing and he said yeah sure! then, we came back and picked up the referral card and not only did he check the box, 'I want to learn more,' he also checked the box 'please send local missionaries to my house'!!! That could have only been the work of the Lord. I am so excited to talk with him, and see how the Book of Mormon can change his life! Huge miracles this week.

Happy New Year!

2014, are you ready for it? I can't believe it!

Well it has been a really good week!

It was good to talk to everyone last week, and then I also got to take Adam, Kami and Eli, Nathan, Jenny, and Kami's parents and brother on a tour! It was so fun.

So this has been a week of miracles! We've really been prayerfully planning, asking to know what goals we should set, and then relying on the Lord to help us meet those numbers, and He has been answering our prayers. At the end of the week, we were really short in one area of numbers, since it was Christmas and Christmas Eve, but in one day, we got the remainder of our goal! It was a miracle.

One miracle, we were on desk in the South VC and our goal for that assignment was to give out a Book of Mormon. Well, this host from the JSMB [Joseph Smith Memorial Building] walks in and brings this man up to me and says, this mas would like a Book of Mormon. He just saw the Restoration video, and wanted to know how he could get a Book of Mormon. Well, He ended up referring himself so we can teach him, and wants to meet with local missionaries, AND took another book to give to his brother! Heavenly Father just let that fall into out hands...we were speechless!

We've been having a lot of miracles on chat but have had to wade through a lot of trolls....I am not sure if you are familiar with what a troll is (i wasn't before I came here) , but it's when someone is directed to go to a particular site and has to say a certain phrase. So usually they start out by asking a good question that makes them sound like they are interested, and then at a point, they'll say that random phrase and then they wait for our response and copy and paste it on a troller website where they get points for it, and everyone can go and look at it and laugh. Well, last weekend, multiple websites blasted us on their website and we had thousands of troll chats, they are such a waste of our time! Some of them end up being miracles, where they are really interested but 99% are wastes. So we had to wade through those, but we have had a ton of blessings from doing so, and have found many new investigators that we are very hopeful for.

Here is that quote from Elder Holland:

“More important than speaking is listening. These people are not lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic. They are children of God, our brothers and sisters, and they need what we have. Be genuine. Reach out sincerely. Ask these friends what matters most to them. What do they cherish, and what do they hold dear? And then listen. If the setting is right, you might ask what their fears are, what they yearn for, or what they feel is missing in their lives. I promise you that something in what they say will always highlight a truth of the gospel about which you can bear testimony and about which you can then offer more. … If we listen with love, we won’t need to wonder what to say. It will be given to us—by the Spirit and by our friends”

Well the list goes on and on, but this email is already so long, I apologize. I hope you all have a great week, and remember that nothing is impossible through Christ! I love this work.