Hello Beautiful Family!
OK - time for me to give you some highlights from
my week! It's been incredibly reflective and eye opening. I have had
time to ponder on all that I have been given and Sister L and I have
received so many blessings and miracles!
*Last week we had to go to Baton Rouge for an appointment so on the way home we used our dinner break to stop by Bass Pro
Shop. Alright y’all, do you know what this place is? I would describe it as Disneyland
for hunters and outdoorsy folk or Nordstrom for me and KA! My jaw was on the floor!!! They had stuffed
and LIVE animals, a restaurant, everything you could ever think of that has to
do with hunting and gathering. We had a blast looking at everything! So much
camo!
*We had an awesome opportunity to work with
the Fuller Center for Housing again. We built a ramp for an
elderly woman in Ponchetula who hasn't been able to leave her house because she
is in a wheel chair. They showed us how to do every step and we cut, placed,
and drilled! The people in charge were so patient and
I was able to work with a volunteer who’s a carpenter. He
showed me how to do everything and then let me do it myself. Fam, I was using
power tools and it was awesome!!! It was so great to see something so important
come together. Yep, good stuff! Working with all of these people is great because we answer questions that they have about our church, listen to them
talk about their beliefs, and learn that we are all children of God. Working
and serving together is always a spiritual experience.
*Oh, fam, get this, prissy pants Sista Lloyd killed
a snake. With my bare hands! Well, and a shovel, but still! We were
raking grass and I saw it. I didn't know what to do about it at first, so I
figured I should probably kill it before it bit someone so I smashed it with a
shovel and then a rake for good measure! And then I touched it … after it was
dead. :)
*We met with that young lady that we met last week
at the end of the street! We learned about her religious background, her general
life situation and listened to her questions. I don't think I've met anyone down here
who hasn’t heard of Mormons, but she hadn't. It was amazing to just listen to
her. It was clear that she felt very comfortable with us and we
are meeting again!
*We had another awesome service project with the Kiwanis club. Each week they take backpacks and fill them with books
and food for the children at an elementary school. Oh, these sweet children were
so beautiful and so happy. It reminded me of what our ward used to do at Christmas
time with the children in Salt Lake. Are y’all doing a service project like that
again? I know it takes a lot of work but having the chance to do that as a
teenager really impacted me.
*I had the chance to go on exchanges with the
Sister Training Leaders this week. They are always amazing and such an answer
to my prayers. This week I stayed in Albany with Sister T who is from Salt
Lake, plays collegiate volleyball and is a Ute! Huzzah! We had an awesome time together teaching and studying.
*A young woman in our ward received her mission
call! How incredible! She is going to Kennewick, Washington!
*Um........SNOW?!?!?!?!?!?!? Are you crazy?!?!?!?!?!?!??!
We are still suffering in the heat!!!!!! I saw that pic from the football game
and DIED! Y’all are in coats!!!
*Hey - this week is Conference! Are y’all SO
STOKED!?!?! I feel like it is Christmas time!! I know how busy you are, but I
want to bear my testimony about the importance and blessing of Conference, and
how grateful I am that we have modern day prophets who receive revelation for EACH
OF US. When you think about it, that is a significant part, well, the main
part, of what sets our church apart from the world – REVELATION FOR US, TODAY –
DIRECTLY FROM HEAVENLY FATHER! I am so excited for Conference and I hope that y’all
will make it a priority to watch and listen,take notes, and please be
attentive so that you are ready to receive answers to prayers and questions. Watch
the blessings of conference on lds.org sometime
this week. It's awesome.
*Sister L and I have had a week full of miracles
and tender mercies. One of the most incredible things that happened to us
this week came through the power of specific prayers. We decided we would pray to
decide what an attainable goal of teaching lessons for the this week might be. We came up with the
number 13. We made sure that whenever we were having study time or
planning, that we included what we needed help to reach our goal to teach 13 lessons. Each day we started off by asking that the Lord to help us reach this
goal. We ended our week and we taught 13 lessons! We still did 26 hours of service this week, but the
Lord helped us reach our righteous goal.
*I was so grateful for the Relief Society broadcast
on Saturday. Wasn't it amazing? I was really struck
by the focus on keeping covenants. I decided to study why people are happy
when they are keeping covenants, and why it is so important to remember our
baptismal and temple covenants. I found a scripture in Mosiah, chapter 2:
41 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, bother
temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are
received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never
ending happiness...
I love this scripture because it reminds us of what
our purpose is as missionaries, and our purpose here on earth. Heavenly Father desires each one of us to experience happiness and joy on this
earth and in the eternities. I am so grateful for the opportunity we have to take the sacrament
each week and be reminded of our baptismal covenants. I am so grateful to wear
a name tag that reminds me of the promise that I have made to be a
representative of Jesus Christ in all that I do. I can represent Christ and be
truly happy by keeping the commandments and remembering the eternal perspective
that I have been so blessed with.
Alright y’all, I’m out of time. I hope that you are happy! Please remember how much
Heavenly Father loves you. I have the most incredible family on the planet. Y’all
are amazing and I am so very blessed. Thank you for your letters, love, concern and support. I am SO happy. I love being a
missionary and I am so humbled to be a part of this work. I love y’all to the
moon and back; truly.
Oh …
and I love y’all.
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