05. 19. 2014

Hello Family!

So this weekend was the Ironman. We got to volunteer at it for a few hours and it was so much fun! We were at a station putting sunscreen on the runners as they ran past us. Man that is hard work. We got there at 5:30 and the majority of the racers weren't even done yet. and that was into almost 11 hours of the event. Being there though and feeling the energy of it all made me want to do the 1/2 Ironman. Dad we are doing it when I get home so start prepping. I saw a Dad and Daughter running it together. On the back of their matching outfits they had written "Dad and Daughter" on their shirts. It was us Dad. Anyway while volunteering I couldn't help but think of and apply what I was witnessing to the "race of life". We are all in a race right now. This race started before we came. We all signed up together. We knew that it would be hard, we knew it would be challenging. It would test our faith and our strength but we also knew it would be worth it in the end. So we started preparing for our test, for our time of the race, and now we are here. Just like those participants of the Ironman, some were looking really good, smiling and needed no sunscreen. Others were walking, down trodden and tired. Some quickly got the aid provided at the stations, others chose to keep on going. In our race of life we have aid stations along the way. One of them being baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. We have the temple. We have the sacrament. We have general conference. We have families. We have many aid stations to help us along this path. Are we stopping at each and every aid station??? Some don't know about the aid stations. Are we helping them to recognize the aid that can assist them? In the end everyone who finished that race was an Ironman. It didn't matter if they came in first or last, they were a finisher. We are all children of God. We are all in this race together and in the end, no matter how we looked or what our time was. We will all finish as Children of God.

There is so much we can take out of these events in our life. The most important thing is to love God. Put him first. Stop at the aid stations. The second is to help others stop at the aid stations too. We are all Children of God and we are all in this together.

I love you all! I hope you have a great week!

Sending lots of love from TEXAS!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

oh p.s. I saw a live Armadillo! I screamed out of sure excitement when I saw it!!!!!!

05. 12. 2014

Well this new transfer is off to a great start!

My new companion as you know is Sister Wahlen. Like I have said before she loves peanut butter, froyo, and saint George so you know we get along just fine! She is from North Ogden, Utah and loves her family almost as I love mine! When I saw her for the first time my heart was really just filled with love. I know that she is exactly what The Woodlands needs and what I need. Miracles are just waiting to happen these next 6 weeks.

The first miracle is Louisa. Louisa is an investigator that we haven't been able to see in a very long time. Every time we go over she is never there, or she will never call us back. We know that she is just busy. So on Tuesday when Sister Fullmer and I were still together driving to transfers, Louisa's name came up in conversation. I decided that I would take the new sister there, this turned out to be inspiration of course. Sister Wahlen and I walked there and when we knocked on her door it took a minute for her to answer. I thought that she probably wasn't home and then she answered. Very quickly I could tell something was wrong. I asked her how she was doing when she then opened up to us and told us that her cousin had just passed away that morning, and she was praying when we knocked on the door. We were able to sit down with Louisa and Sister Wahlen shared a powerful testimony of life after death from Alma 40. The spirit was strong as I was able to hold Louisa as she cried in my arms. I know that The Lord sent us there at that specific time to help her. I pointed this out to her and I know she felt it too. We have a return appointment later this week.

We had another instance just like this later in the day when we knocked on a lady's door named Lisa and we were able to let her cry for a minute and provide some comfort to her. This is honestly my favorite part of the mission, well everything is my favorite part but it is just so special how the Lord truly is mindful of everyone of us! Every single one of us! He knows us and loves us and has the power to put people in our path that will help us. I know this is true because that is exactly what He is doing with me time after time after time. It is impossible to share with y'all all the instances that I have seen him do this. It happens multiple times a day, all day long.

We have been trying a new finding technique called giving church tours! We set out a little table right by the walking path in front of our church building and we set out pamphlets and Books of Mormon and pass along cards. We have a little sign that says "Free Church Tours" We were surprised how many people actually stopped to talk to us! It was wonderful! We might just have to make lemonade or something the next time we sit out there.

It is so fun being a missionary. I hope you got to see as we skyped how happy I truly am. I AM SO HAPPY! I am happy not because of anything I am doing but because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I also want to thank you for supporting me and helping me be obedient to the rules to keep our Skype time to 40 mins. I know that we could have talked for HOURS but I know that we will be blessed because we were obedient. More importantly I know that those I am teaching and are going to teach will be blessed. I will end with a scripture

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold our faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." Mosiah 2:41

I am in a happier state then I have ever been. Commandments, rules, standards, they are given to us to keep us happy. Thank you for helping me be the missionary The Lord needs me to be at this time. I love you!

XOXO

05. 05. 2014

Hello family!!!

First off the very best news I have ever shared with you, CHON GONZALEZ WAS BAPTIZED! I knew you all knew this was coming but it actually happened. It was the most special day for me. I just felt pure joy. Chon was just beaming from the minute she walked into the Church building. You will be able to see her glowing in the pictures. She is the sweetest lady. I just couldn't help but reflect on my feelings while I was at the baptism. I was happy, peaceful, comforted, joyful and just lifted. I felt as light as a feather. I know all those good feelings were the fruits of the spirit. The Holy Ghost was there with us all, it was an overall feeling of right. It just felt right. As I thought of that I realized how blessed we are to have the gospel of Jesus Christ restored to its the earth. hat the proper authority is here so that this saving ordinance of baptism can be performed and we can then be ready to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. With that gift we can feel "right" all the time. Sunday was the confirmation. Not only did Chon receive the gift on the Holy Ghost that day but she also received a new family, the ward family. As I looked at Chon I saw her not as a investigator, not as a baptism, but as my sister. She is my sister and I couldn't love her more. May 3rd will always hold a special place in my heart because it is the day that I knew without a shadow of a doubt that I am a Daughter of God and that knowing that makes everything worth it.

Chon's baptism has definitely been the highlight of my whole week and basically my whole mission. I will share another really tender story though. So I have told you some about Ruth Parker and her family. This is really what makes me cry. After years and years of not going to church, Ruth came yesterday all by herself. That is now twice in a row. I about cried when I saw her and honestly when I hugged her after the meeting I think I did. I was just so happy to see her there and that she was happy to be there. I couldn't help but think why now? why now is Ruth coming to church, I thought it was just for her daughter Sydnee but she came by herself this week. I found the answer as we went to her home for dinner that night. Ruth has ordered Preach my Gospel from online and has been studying every morning the Christlike attributes chapter. Yes. She shared with us that she has noticed a huge difference. She is just happier, on the day she didn't read she said it was a bad day. She is recognizing that the gospel of Jesus Christ is was brings us true joy! Her circumstances haven't changed but her demeanor has. She is truly going back to that foundation she had many years ago, and she loves it. I love her and her family so much. I grow when I am around them. They are such wonderful people. I honestly have just taken the gospel for granted my whole life. I have never doubted that it was true but always being surrounded by people who knew the gospel as well I don't think I ever noticed the true affect it has on us all. I have seen the affect it has on me but there is just something special about seeing the affect it has on others. It just solidifies everything you know. Seeing the joy that Ruth and Sydnee are getting from the gospel and also seeing that it is the same joy I get from the gospel just makes me realize how true it is. WOW! I think about it and it hurts my heart because there is just to much gratitude and love and joy in there! I am so grateful. Grateful is an understatement.

So here are just two of the wonderful things I have seen this week but I would like to share one lesson I have learned. The lesson of diligence. Diligence, just like patience, is an act of faith. The Lord requires ALL of us to be diligent. I was reading Jacob and Enos this morning. It is all about diligence. Diligence is when we push forward even when we are tired. It is being excited and doing things with a willing heart. Diligence is all about your attitude. I needed to learn this Christlike attribute this week. Let's just say that I haven't been as diligent as I could have been and I have seen the difference. I have felt the difference. I am excited to continue to study this Christlike attribute all week. I know that my eyes and my heart have been opened to the importance of it. As we work diligently, it shows our faith and it shows our love for God and Jesus Christ. Faith is what brings miracles, faith is what lets the atonement into our lives, faith is what gives us hope and love for all men. and Faith is brought about by our diligence. I pray that we can all be a little more diligent.

I love you all with my whole heart. I can't wait to see your faces and hear your voices on Monday! What a special day that will be! Have a wonderful week and know that I love you!

oh and that the Church is true, don't ever forget that.

xoxo