Blessings

I LOVE Y'ALL

 

First off, This is kinda directed to Amberly, but is for everyone! Mom keeps telling me about how you love the King Arthur time period and all that. Well, have you ever heard of people (especially then) who would go out on horses and hunt using hawks? Well, my Ward mission leader has a hawk and he takes it hunting! So awesome! He keeps it in a huge pen in his backyard and I was able to get pics of it. His name is Talmage.

 

Well, I get to stay in Las Cruses with my Great companion for another transfer! We are having a lot of fun and I am pretty happy that our zone is not changing too much. This transfer we will get 7 new sisters and then the next one we will get 20. Also, The general authorities announced a change in some mission leadership. Now, we will have a new position for Sister training leadership. What they will do is go on exchanges with all the sisters they cover (right now, they will cover multi zones) and will be the first person sisters will go to for personal issues and help. Its exciting! It will be nice to have a someone we can go to, rather than before we would go straight to Sister Miller. . Things are changing like crazy! It truly is looking like I might train the rest of my mission. So far, I am okay with that. I love Sister Tompkins and I have had to grow so much since being with her, though tons to improve on.

 

Mother's Day news! They have given us permission to use mission phones to call home! Isn't that great! haha, yeah, we set it up with our Ward mission leader (the protective one with the Hawk) To skype at his home or his parents home Starting at 6:15. Sister Tompkins will go first I think, so I'll be sometime after that. We gave him your phone numbers and if he hasn't called you by next pday we will give you his as well. So, if you get a call from Randy Larcher you know what it is about. (Also, he is a cop so idk what the caller id may say)

 

This last week, we had a meeting with a man who was baptized last year, and removed his name this year. We have been teaching him very slowly and continually checking for understanding. This week was so inspired. Most of it, we just asked question and question to see where he was at. The spirit would guide us to say things that led to him opening up and expounding on the almost hints he had given us. We spent the entire hour talking about The first vision and the Book of Mormon. I love lessons in which people are so receptive and allow us to be bold. He integrates and remembers everything. He truly is seeking for the truth. And that is great.

 

We also saw another man to give dating advise to. He is Less active and read his Patriarchal(cant spell to save my life... well, yeah. no. )  blessing. It was incredible to see how God knows him so well, how he has soo much potential. It truly made me think about how God knows all of us individually. He speaks to us in ways that are important to us. Not only that, but we all came to Earth with the desire to overcome the challenges and trials around us. And to do that, Heavenly Father has given us each particular blessings and strengths that we need as well as all of the weaknesses that will bring us back unto Christ continually. If we all truly understood our worth and our importance in life, everything would be so different. And if we shared the gospel with the same understanding that We are all of value and have greatness within us, then what a world of goodness this would be.

 

Mom and all, you talked about The restoration and Great apostasy and I love it! I love young women's right now and sacrament meeting because they are going through the lessons in Preach My Gospel. I really feel like we are learning so much that can help our investigators grow and progress. It wasn't till my mission that I really gained a testimony of the apostasy and other points of the gospel. I am so grateful that the youth can learn about them now. The great apostasy is truly when, after the people had rejected Christ and his Apostles, the power to act in god's name was removed. And then needed to be restored.

 

I love all of this! And i love yall too!

 

PS i did the driving to El Paso, idk how many thousands of miles I've driven since coming on my mission. whew

 

I LOVE YALL

April 22, 2013

It sounds like everyone had an amazing week! Filled with the spirit and with Fun! We have had a great time too, with miracles and all kinds of things going on.

 

To start with, I think I forgot to tell you, but a few weeks ago, My comp and I were late for dinner and a bit stressed as we went in to eat. But we go in, and my "kind" companion decides to poor me a glass of water. Except, she not only misses the cup, and the entire table, but pours a cup of water directly into my lap. We looked at each other and had to quickly turn away. No one at the table had noticed at all! And it was everything to keep from laughing. :) :) Fun times :) Great Companion!

 

One miracle this week came from a referral from a member who recently moved away. We went and knocked on this door. A man opened it, and slammed it in our face before we could say a word... but the miracle was for the wife. So we went back. 2nd time, an older man opened it, said the woman was not home, but he would go find out for us. That man came to the door... But because it was a referral and we were looking for someone specifically, he was way nice and told us when to come back. We came back, invited her to learn more and guess what! We have a return appointment and she really does want to learn more! and she has many Mormon friends. Great! It is incredible what  a difference members can make!

 

Do you remember that Less active couple I told you about? They came to church again this week! I am soo excited for them! Path to exaltation!

 

Oh, mom tell Shad congratz for me!

 

This last week, we were giving dating advice. That is happening much more than I expected! Its like the second person we are teaching that I've had to talk about that stuff with! weird. but we were talking with a less active man who is at the point of making some important decisions in his life that will effect eternity. It was great to help him but using the scriptures. It was especially amazing bc we didn't tell him what he should do. But we did teach him about following the commandments, the happiness that comes from that, and how it is not just life that we need to worry about being happy in, but in eternity. It has a greater and bigger impact than just now! But the most powerful point of it all was when he said the closing prayer. The spirit was sooo strong

 

Yesterday, Sister Tompkins met her 1st Bible basher and it was great! We were walking past a parking lot and a man came up to us and started asking questions like "Who do you Represent" and "Who is Jesus" wanting us to apparently give certain answers? It was apparent real fast he just wanted to bash, although they always say that's not what they want as they continue to do so. It was great, because I was able to get us out of there in just a few min. Its always scary to think about what  you will do in that situation, especially training, but Heavenly Father just let me know what to do and we just left for a different appointment. I feel sad for him, but I am thankful that I was able to leave the situation without feelings of contention within me and still with a love for this man. The time for him to receive the truth in not now. But perhaps it will be later.

 

ps Who do you know that the missionaries in the world could visit?

 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  no time to even finish! I love y'all sooooooo much

Crazy!!

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

 

MY FAMILY IS GOING CRAZY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

WHAT IS WITH THIS! I AM GONE MAYBE 8 MONTHS AND MY PARENTS JUMP OUT OF A PLANE AND MY DAD STARTS TAKING FLYING LESSONS! (hmmm, maybe my mom jumped out of a plane to prepare herself for Dad's flying lessons... :) love ya daddy :) :)

 

This last week has been amazing! I have loved it so much!

 

To end with, we went to the Alb. Temple yesterday and had a great drive! It was 3.5 hours there and 3.5 hrs back in the same day! Lots of letter writing time. But we were in the temple from 10am to 2pm. It was sooo beautiful! And it was so great to hear and learn more. Never can gain everything at once. It was even more special to know that I was doing it for someone I was related to. I felt more directly connected with them. It was also great to have so many sisters with us. All of the sisters were either trainers or training and the session was full to capacity.  It always goes so fast and so slow at the same time.

 

It was also fun to see so many missionaries that I know! Sister Lindsey and who she is training was there and we were able to take a generation photo there. Its funny how in missionary world, if you even met someone for a few min. or served near them, then you know each other. I was also able to see members from the Bernalillo ward serving there! Fantastic!

 

Another miracle that happened this last week was with a less active family that we have been working with for about 8 weeks now. The miracle! They came to church! Both husband and wife! It was sooo great to see this wonderful couple come back to church after leaving it about 8 years ago! And not only that but they loved it, they felt so welcomed and I am so excited for them to come back again on Sunday. They are amazing people and it is great to see them coming back and keeping there covenants again.  I know that it will lead them to the temple and to more blessings than imaginable!

 

Something else that was great came when we were teaching a woman who use to be an investigator. We went with the intent to teach the Plan of Salvation, but we could just tell that it was not clicking with her. So half way through, we stopped and asked her about all the churches that she has been to and how she was able to know what was true and what was not when addressing the same topics or scriptures. She said that she had no idea how. We were able to invite her to pray and listen for an answer from God, something that she had never considered before. It was great and I am excited for her to begin receiving her answers!

 

It is mind blowing how important prayer as a 2 way communication with God is and how people do not know how to use it or what it means. I know that Prayer has always helped me in my life and it still continues to do so. I love having that direct communication with my Heavenly Father. He loves us and reaches out to us.

 

It seems that a reoccurring theme this week has been prayer and scripture study. We have had a few people we are teaching who knows that both are good, but they didn't really seem to understand the huge importance of it and the significance that God has granted unto us these gifts to learn more from him!

 

Last night, we had about 1hr of proselyting time when we got home and decided to go and knock on doors. We decided to try a street I had been on in the past, and my companion was very inspired about which home we needed to try that night. At one house, we knocked and were invited right in. We asked if we could leave a blessing on her and her home and she readily said yes. She told us about her family and loved ones and we were able to set up a time to go back and teach her about how important families are and about how we can be a family forever (past til death do we part) I am sooo excited to be able to go and share with her more about her purpose in life, why she is where, where she is from and where she is going!

 

I LOVE YALLLLSOOO MUCH! AND ALL OF THE MEMBERS HAVE STARTED TALKING ABOUT MOTHERS DAY ALREADY. WOW

I LOVE YALLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

April 8, 2013

 

Thank you soo much for the letters. They mean a lot to me! They lift me up so much.

 

I do not know where to begin. But before I forget, on Monday we are going to the temple, so I will not be able to email y'all until Tuesday (prob at like 10am ish)

First off, conference was amazing! I loved it sooo much! Just like y'all, I feel like so many of the talks just jumped out to me in regards to myself, family, and friends. They were amazing! I couldn't tell you my fav one! I loved President Monson's on OBEDIENCE I have seen that that one little word is the hardest for so many members to follow. Many less actives I know will say that they know the church is true, but they can't understand that knowing is not enough. It includes following the commandments and the covenants they have made. I am so excited though, because we are currently teaching a good group of less active people and we have begun to see how their desires and lives have changed steadily. I know that it takes time, and I love these people so much.

 

I also loved the talk by Elder Cook yesterday on peace vs. world peace. I think that if people truly understood the peace that we offer, they would do more to receive it into there lives. I loved the talk, because it helped me understand the difference in peace and I hope that I will be better at explaining that to others.

 

I loved Elder Holland's about light and dark and the girl who had been abused and had to face that evil existed and had to harden herself to the dark, until she could find the light to let in. It was powerful. We have all gone through and seen the dark around us, but what we are going to strive to do about it? dwell in it? or find the light place  and go there. I loved his a lot!

 

I could go on and on about each talk and what I loved about it. Elder Bednar and how direct and easy to understand he was and more. I really noticed how all of it was pretty basic to the principles in Preach My Gospel. I loved that it could be so powerful and incredible.

 

So, today is my 8th month mark and I've already had an elder say "Hey, now you can count the number of months you have left on your fingers!" (Like he can talk! he can count his on 2 fingers! :) ) also had someone saying "your almost to your hump day" gah gah gah gah gah. That's all I can say about that! blek

 

I loved the story about seminary this morning. Isn't it amazing how Heavenly Father will sometimes let you know that it is because of his love for us that things happen, even when we do not understand or know why? I feel like when he tells us these things, it is an added on blessing. It is a reminder to trust in him, have faith in him, and all will be alright. And Trent- Seminary is very important in 2 ways. 1 Because its meant to be where we can learn and grow more from the spirit and help others do the same. and 2. because of obedience.

 

Last Monday, president sent us a text at 9:39 saying that The church had just announced that it was going to buy Utah State and turn it into BYU- Ogden

10 min later, he sent another text saying April Fools to all the Aggie fans. hehee, I did NOT fall for it.... okay, but only for 1 min. and then I called it. come on, its president!

 

This week, I think the primary general president spoke and said something about how we speak and what we write to our children are especially important. I have really felt yalls love in the letters you send, the words yall write. It really stood out to me.

Trent- see email

Mom- Your stories are great! You have an amazing testimony. It really is incredible to hear how the spirit works through you for friends and family

Amberly- Did Dad tell you about what effect you had on the boys going to Priesthood? You go gal :)

Eyn- I love you tons and I think too much about the time you fell in a cactus. i stay away, but you did have an awesome blue balloon after...

Dad- Your love for mom is sweet and inspiring. I love how you rely on the spirit and what Amberly says to you :)

Happy April Fools Day!!

Dear Mom, Dad, Eyn, Trent, And Amberly!

 

Happy Easter past! And now Happy April Fools Day!

 

Our Carbon Monoxide alarm has been going off ALL MORNING! it has not been fun. We had the apartment checked, but nothing. So we took the alarm far away, and with the

battery in, it still goes off..... so don't know what we will do. Call management tomorrow I guess.

 

I LOVED the package this week. It was very very good! And super cute with the general conference care kit. I loved it. made me so happy. And I've started watching the bible videos. I love them a lot, although I don't ever want to watch the atonement on them... they are pretty mild in comparison to the Lamb of God, but still... Love when Christ was born though! Yesterday, mom said y'all watched Mormon messages. I love the ones about Easter! So powerful! At a training meeting, President showed us  something that had President Holland speaking. (I think mtc) He said that missionaries would come up to their presidents asking why is this so hard? why do we not have pneumonia from being in the baptismal font all day. Answer was that its not easy because the price of salvation was not cheap. - That is the price that Jesus Christ paid for us. That was not easy nor cheap. That is why this is hard. Salvation is not cheap. It was a strong message about the atonement.

 

I am so excited because we gained 2 new investigators this week that I truly love! They are high school girls in a foster program. They have gone through so much but are still pushing through. they have  great spirits and they truly do want the blessings that we have promised them.

 

In an appointment with Rubie, we taught the Doctrine of Christ. She still hasn't received her answer that the gospel is true, but in the lesson, I felt strongly prompted to promise her that if she would pray, then open up her scriptures, point, and then read that verse, she would receive her answer. It was an incredible experience the spirit was so strong. I am excited to hear what her answer was!

 

Yesterday, President texted us and told us that He is risen and we are commissioned to tell the world. That was a powerful statement, because it is true! as missionaries we are commissioned in that act! and as members, we have the responsibility to share it with our friends and all around us. At church, we had someone bring an 80 year old friend with them. It was great! To see the members seeing the opportunity and acting upon it.

 

We also invited a woman to see a baptism in a different ward. Afterwards, we asked her about how she felt. She said it was stronger than anything she had felt and that she had felt such a peace that she hadn't known for a long time but was praying that she could fine it. Right after, she said yes to a baptism date. I am so excited for her!

 

Mom, you said that Emily just got baptized. I am so excited for her. She truly has to be an amazing person to be willing to do it alone in her family. As she keeps pushing forward and enduring to the end, she will be stronger than all of us. I love her already, with only what you have said.

 

I received a few letters this week! Including one from Amberly! and Mom! and Dad!  But also one from Isabella with a picture of when she was younger. It was so sweet. I am so happy that we continue to keep in touch.

 

I was just informed here that there are only 9 weeks left of school! wow, that will be different having all the kids out. Hopefully easier to talk with people?

 

Amberly- I heard you ate Grandma's enchilada's! aren't those the best! its one of my fav recipe's! its a good thing I like Mexican food. we get a lot! (or new Mexican) Its funny how I use to not like things, that now I've just gotten use to having to eat. but never will that list include peas. yuck. and your garden looks great! Great cards!

Trent-  Don't you just love dad taking you to seminary! Does he talk a lot, or swerve in the road or speed up then go really slow and just laugh at himself. ha, yeah, its probably even funnier now.

Dad, I hope everything goes well with your "entertaining" classes. hehe. I know that my attention span has been shot. Lessons are at most 1 hour. anything longer than that..... I hope there is a break in between

Mom- I love you tons. and I hope no one gets sick again. tooo much!  have fun in YWs and with the ward and everyone. Share the gospel at the grocery store! they are paid to be nice to you :)

Mom- again, the box was great! I loved it a lot