So this week, we have a baptism tonight for a young boy and I'm speaking on baptism. I also have a talk on Sunday at one of the wards, 15 mins and I'm final speaker....eeeeeek! My topic is how family history work can help in missionary
efforts. 

So Tuesday last week, we went to go and see some of our recent converts. They just had a baby 4 days before! So beautiful. We shared a video about motherhood and how important a role it is.  On Wednesday we were in the visitors center in the evening so we worked in ourarea in the morning. Thursday we had our Zone meeting out in Hurricane, it's about 20 miles away from St George.  It was a good meeting, it was all about the restoration and importance of it. I really enjoyed it, I shared a couple comments and we studied Joseph
Smith history as a zone, it was powerful stuff.

It was our full area day so following the zone meeting we went into our area and shared a lesson with a family who are less active. We shared the restoration message and the Spirit was so strong, we talked about the importance of the Book of Mormon, prophets, priesthood. We then taught a young man who hasn't been to church before and his mum. We've been going through the discussions and helping them in anyway we can. After we taught one of our investigators about the restoration and we are excited for her baptism in October. 

On Sunday we had stake conference, it was a video broadcast for southern Utah. Elder Ballard spoke and basically said you're all so great and you're doing a great job but also....you all need to do better! Read the Book of Mormon and be better examples. It was so good.  Elder Hallstrom also spoke and he shared very specifically about missionary work and the increase of sister missionaries. There are now 26% of us all around the world serving. How great is that? 

On Monday two 16 year old girls came into the visitors center, both converts and both having a hard time. They got pretty emotional and we were able to discuss the gospel with them and help them recognize the importance of all those simple things we need to do everyday. They thanked us and told us how much of an impact we'd made on them and how we'd helped them with what they needed. It was lovely to be able to talk with them.

Yesterday, it was pouring with rain and we were in our area in the evening, with no car! We walked to our area, so my parka got to come out. We worked so hard and taught 4 lessons!! The most we've taught on an evening in a long time and we didn't have a car, miracles of working in the rain!

Also yesterday we were given $50 from someone and that paid for all our groceries. It was such a miracle. I had prayed specifically last night for money to help us pay for our things tomorrow because we don't have much to last us and then that happens. It fills me with joy just as I speak about it now. 

I'm so glad I can be here on my mission. I think I truly have become converted in my purpose here over the last couple weeks. It's a shame it's taken me a little longer than it should have done but I feel blessed to have recognised the mistakes I was making and have tried to rid myself of any distractions and focus on the work to do right now. 

8 September 2015

Hello hello! This week has been wonderful. On Wednesday we met a girl and she's
awesome. She's 17 and asked us if she could be baptised. We're so excited - she's so sweet. Thursday we had 3 lessons, one with a recent convert and his wife: they just had a baby. They're so lovely! One with a family who have been less active and have an unbaptized son. We are so happy they have been coming out to Church again and their son is getting baptised next week. We also met with a man who has been less active for a long time. We just randomly texted him and said, hey can we see you? And he said yes. He'd never met with missionaries before and he said the text came just when he needed it. We invited him to church and he's been 3 weeks in a row now!!!! He has bought himself his own set of scriptures and is really great 

Friday we did some tracting, it was good to be out working. On Saturday we did weekly planning and service for our senior couple as we painted their swing set. I definitely have more of a tan line now! Sunday we taught 2 lessons! We met a few people and referred them all to the YSA elders. We have been out tracting a lot and we have talked to some great people. So all in all, we've had a busy week. It's been good, we would like it busier but ah well :) 

You can tell there is starting to be a change in the season, it's getting colder. It's crazy how 90 degrees can feel colder but it does! I'm wearing cardigans now! 

I keep looking forward - and not too far because I can't without it getting blurry, literally. But just to keep my eyes focused on the grain I'm trying to pick at that moment in time. I have been reading in Alma these last few days. I read about Christlike attributes, qualifications for heaven and things like that. I felt so chastised, I was like...I have so much to workon. These have been the answers to my prayers: learning what can I do differently. I need to work on being a better person right now. Being more of a disciple of Jesus Christ. I love to read the scriptures, they remind me of who I need to be. 

I love having the opportunity to serve as a missionary.  I love meeting and teaching people.  I'm also learning about who I am and trying to be a kinder, nicer person. 

Hola,  I got a new companion today - Sister Mujica, she is from Mexico. I have been on exchanges with her before when I was down in Kanab. We have moved back to the temple apartments. My back is feeling better, like not amazing but better. I've seen a chiropractor - he twisted me like a pretzel haha. Washington Fields is a great area and I love it. The members there are great and really look after us.

It's getting so warm though, me and Sister Parton went out contacting and finding for 3 hours in over 40' heat. It was literally one of the worst things EVER ha ha! 

I had an incredible experience in the VC this week, a miracle.A girl came in from St Louis, Missiouri, where Sister Martin is from. She said she was here in Utah to find herself and she came to see the most spiritually grounded person she knew, her auntie. I taught her the restoration and how the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and how he came to visit the people in the Americas. She said, well that just makes sense doesn't it? It all just clicked. I took her to the Prophet room and told her about the Prophets and the Priesthood authority. It was incredible, the spirit was so strong. It all just made sense to her. I bore my testimony to her about how true it is and then showed her a picture of Christ. I told her how much He loved and cared for her. She then asked me for a Book of Mormon and asked if she could get involved in church whilst she is here. I said of course and got a referral card filled in. This was Friday, she has been committed to baptism, met with the Elders twice and went to church all day yesterday. She is so excited and I can truly feel love for her. I might not be seeing miracles in my area but I am seeing many in the visitors center, which is my area too. This week is going to be a good one."

Continue to search ponder and pray. That is how we continue to endure to the end. It's the best thing. I love this gospel with everything - I know this is the true church restored onto the earth today. I continue to bear testimony even to those people that reject it, I don't care. I need to share it. It's selfish not to share something we love.

Sent with love from St George ❤️