Then, my brethren, ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, and your diligence, and patience, and long-suffering, waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

Oh my sweet friends!

What a wonderful week. SO good. SO SO SO COLD. SO snowy! I've never seen it snow so many days in my life! I'm staying warm. Hand warmers in my gloves and scarf! It's a like a legit burning in the bosom! :)

I'll cut to the chase. On Thursday we had the BEST, the best lesson with Ramon and Miguel. In MLC on Tuesday, President and Sister Mullen taught the doctrine from Alma 32 and it was so perfect. In our Zone Training, I was supposed to train on what they taught so I read up on Alma 32 and knew it was what we needed to share with Ramon and Miguel. We had already given them the chapter to read before but we knew a good refresher would help. The power of the word is better than anything that I could ever say. We had a lot of people in their lesson. We invited Brother Torres and then Elder Wilson wanted to join and then Jose Estrada wanted to too. Lots of talkers. But I just wanted the spirit to speak the most. Oh it was beautiful. The scriptures carry so much power. I'm truly converted to the Book of Mormon for life. It is my very favorite book. We read through faith and the word and talked to them about what those could mean. Then we read verse 27 about feeling swelled, enlighted, enlarged and tasting the deliciousness of the goodness of God. I asked Ramon if he had every felt that before and he smiled and said, "yeah, every time I read the Book of Mormon I feel that way." And then Brother Torres cut in and asked him to be baptized. It wasn't the first time they've been asked. We've probably asked them like 8 times. But it wasn't the right moment. The spirit was there but it wasn't the peak. And it just felt weird coming from Brother Torres, bless his heart. So we just kept reading and reading about growing faith and experimenting. And then I felt impressed to let us have a moment of silence for the Spirit to really work on their hearts and minds. So we invited them to pray and read and ponder. We sat in silence for at least 12 minutes. But I was watching Ramon and Miguel and their heads were bowed and so I didn't want to interrupt them. Finally I felt the push to ask them, "what are you thinking?" I looked at Miguel because usually Ramon is the talker and I think Ramon is more prepared and maybe some of his hesitation is that Miguel doesn't want it as much. So I knew Miguel needed to share his feelings.

He said, "I don't know why but I remembered a time in my life when I was younger. My family is Catholic but we didn't go to church all the time. But I remember one weekend I went to this thing for the youth where we sang and worshiped and prayed. I just felt really happy and felt the Spirit. Then a lot of the kids started receiving different gifts of the Spirit and good speak in tongues and were doing amazing things. I just really wanted to have that experience too. So I kept praying that I would be able to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We were getting ready to leave and even getting on the bus and I was just praying and praying that God would hear me and then all of a sudden, I felt a surge go through me. I felt tingly and alive and it felt so good and happy. I knew that God answered my prayer. During those days, all I wanted was to be close to God. But when I grew up I forgot about that and made some bad choices to take me away from God. But I want that again. I want to be close to God."

I told him that the Spirit brings things to our remembrance to help us. And he said, "yeah. because I also remember having doubts that I really would be able to feel the Holy Spirit. I wasn't sure if it was possible. But I did. And that is how it feels when I read the Book of Mormon too."

Then I looked at him and I said,

Miguel, se preparará para ser bautizado el 22 de febrero?

He paused and then smiled and said,

Sí

AHH! Happiness and Joy!

Then Elder Wilson looked at Ramon and said, y tu, Ramon?

Creo que sí

The spirit swarmed in so powerfully. SO incredibly strong. It was amazing.

I asked Ramon what he was thinking and miraculously he had a very similar experience. He said, "I also thought about a time when I was younger. My mom always took us to church and I always grew up believing and doing good things. I remembered one time that all the kids had to go through this maze to get to a Bible because it represented God. People would get lost and turned around but eventually everyone made it back to God."

Then he paused and got choked up.

"After my mom died, I was lost and turned around from God."

Then Elder Wilson said, "Ramon, the reason the missionaries found you is because you were never lost to God. He wanted you to be found."

It was beautiful. We closed the lesson there. At the peak of the spirit and we asked Ramon to pray. He didn't want to because he was crying but we waited a moment and then he said the most beautiful prayer. 

Thank you God, for finally letting us say yes. Thank you for letting us say yes and come closer to you.

OH! so happy! And yesterday after church, we made a brainstorm list of all the people in their lives that they could invite to their baptism. They thought of more than 200 people combined. And they are SO excited, SO happy. All their doubts and reservations are out the window. It is a TRUE MIRACLE!

Adriana dropped us a couple weeks ago and we were pretty shocked and bummed about it and we finally decided it was time to stop by to see how she was doing and it turned out that the last time we stopped by (she wasn't there, we left a note) she got pretty mad. It was a big misunderstanding and we felt REALLY bad and she felt really bad and then we had a nice lesson with her and she felt the spirit again. I wish so badly she'd soften her heart and take the step of faith to come to church. It would bless her immensely. She forgave us but we're still easing back into things with her so hopefully we'll get to teach her again.

Hispanics are popping up. It's a good, happy work! I love it. And I love my Savior. And boy do I LOVE the Book of Mormon.

Hermana Judd

yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

Hey loves,

Was it not just a beautiful week? I love Christmas. I love it with my whole heart. And boy, do I love being a missionary. Sister LeDoux went home today. And it's been a bit triste for all of us. But it's also been re-energizing for me. Her companion, Sister Gifford, is with us in a trio 'til the end of the transfer and so we're covering the Manito ward and the Spanish work. And we are buuuusy. And I love it. I love being busy and working and teaching and testifying. 

On Tuesday, we had lots of miracles and lots of appointments. We went to visit Mayra, a referral from one of the English members here. She was super nice but not very interested. As we were walking out of the lesson we ran into this guy, Isaac. He's like in his late 20's early 30's and he was super intrigued that we really believed in the whole Joseph Smith idea. And we told him that we help people come closer to Christ and he decided to sit down to hear us out. So we taught the Restoration and testified of Joseph Smith and as we shared the First Vision, it was just so still and sweet. He felt the spirit. It softened his heart and he just wanted more. Wanted to read the Book of Mormon and come to church and do it all. It was a tender mercy I needed. Of course we had to give him away as a referral, but the work of the Lord is the work of the Lord.

I've been feeling so happy lately. I mean, I feel happy pretty much all the time, but I feel endowed with power. I feel like things are finally clicking for me in my studies and in my teaching and finding. In terms of numbers, this is the least "successful" I've been on my mission, but in terms of spiritual strength, I feel like I'm constantly winning. My prayers are meaningful and I love talking to people. I've just determined to be the happiest, most hard-working missionary there ever was. Nothing will get me down. And so I'm rolling with the punches, going with the flow, singing 24/7. I read Alma 37 and 38 today and I could not get enough. The Book of Mormon is just the best. 

I love my Heavenly Father and I really love my Savior. And I love the Holy Ghost. I'm as happy as a clam. No reason not to be. 

I can't think of what else to tell you about this week. Here's some pictures:

I haven't sent very many pictures of Sister Walton and I so this is a little Christmas gallery for you to enjoy ;)

Editor's Note: We think she is the cutest little sister missionary there ever was!!

And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more

Hey y'all wassup it's me, Sister Judd! 

Hahah. That is what the voicemail for one of our recent converts, Rickia, says. She is blind and from the Bahamas and she is a gem. Sister Gardiner and I say her voicemail message like 56 times a day because we think it is so cute and funny. 

Anyway, this was a good week. We saw Anthony on Tuesday and he said, "I was just hoping we could read together from the Book of Mormon." Which was perfect because that is exactly what we had planned so we read 2 Nephi 31 and he just loved it. After we finished the chapter he said, "that's not it, right? aren't we going to read more?" So we decided to pull up a Mormon message and after the video he said, "ok let's watch another." It is just so awesome to teach him. He also loves the idea of the Godhead and basically everything we teach. He has really thoughtful questions and he is just so incredible. But he went to San Diego for a wedding on Thursday and is coming back today so we haven't been able to see him but he has texted us a few times to tell us what he's reading in the Book of Mormon and how much he loves it. Last time we asked he was in Jacob so he's just whizzing through. We get our transfer calls on Sunday and I'm a little nervous. I feel like I'm staying and I don't know if that is just because I really want to stay or what. I've been out long enough to know that the Lord knows best but eep I just want to see Anthony get baptized!

In other news, MLC was yesterday and that's why today is our p-day. I could say it a thousand times but I just love MLC. I love President and Sister Mullen and our assistants and just being around so many hard working missionaries. The work is so good. I have a bad habit of comparing the outward results of other missionaries to my own but I have to know that I've done everything I can here. I've been exactly obedient and I work diligently. I'm so far from perfect and I've learned so many lessons about patience and love and charity and humility. So maybe I haven't been as "successful" as I thought I would have been but I know I've done good and touched lives. One sister, halfway through our meeting, just put her arms around me as we walked to lunch and said, "I think you are an incredible missionary and I have admired you since I came out." It was so kind. It's those little things that help me see that my mission is not for me. It's not just for my investigators either. I'm here to serve the Lord and bring souls to Christ and often I've found that I'm helping more members or less-actives and especially fellow missionaries and sisters. Another sister at the meeting told me that she went on exchanges with Sister Haynes this last week. "You trained her so well. She is such a hard working, obedient missionary." And I know it's not just me. But it helps to know that I am helping convert the children of the Lord to Christ, whoever or wherever they may be.

My mission means everything to me. I think about that everyday. This is the most valuable time of my life and I learn so much everyday about setting goals and working and achieving them. What a privilege that the Lord has allowed me to be His hands and to stretch and grow in the light of the Gospel.

Also, it's September. WHAT the heck??

I love you all!

Hermana Em

here's a few pics:

Our miracle board from last Sunday. We update it every night but we had to take a picture because the miracles were nuts last week.

And our English class white board. I love teaching that class with my whole heart. We will take a picture this week of all our students. You will die. They are precious. Arnoldo, Guadalupe, Maria, Esteban, Yolanda, Alfredo all from Colima, Mexico! And we have 3 new students from where else?? Tegucigalpa, Honduras!! (That's for you, Hermana Erika Brown!) Oh, i love it. 

my soul shall be joyful in the Lord

HAPPINESS. JOY. LOVE. HAPPY. JOY. YAY. JOY. LOVE. YAYYYYY.

There really are no words to describe the week I've had. So that's the best I've got.

I'd be happy to report on just one major miracle from the last three days but I've got like 28. I don't know what it was but the Lord just poured it on heavy this week. People are flying out of the woodwork. It is a thrill to be a missionary. I've been smiling myself to sleep the past three nights and to top it off we got to go to the temple today so I'm just in heaven!

Where to start? Seriously? Sister Gardiner and I's biggest dilemma this last week has been how can we even describe to our families the goodness that is God and being a missionary?? I'll do my best. You'll have to read her blog too to see if I missed any details.

WELP.

Saturday. Typical college town Cheney Saturday. As in there is no one here. Everyone bails for the weekends and summer classes just ended so there has been literally NO ONE. But the Lord is merciful and His plan is always orchestrated beautifully. Our original plans for the day were shifted a little so that in the VERY MOMENT He needed us on Elm street, there we were just a walking. And across the street was our soon to be best friend, Anthony, just a walking himself.

So we cross the street. People can't dodge us. We live to talk to people. But what do you know? Anthony has this wide grin spread across his face.

"Whadya got for me?" he says. "You got pamphlets or something for me?"

Which we thought meant that he wanted us to speed up our spiel so he could get on with his walk. Wrong. He really wanted it. Wanted to hear our message. So we ask him about his religious background. His grandfather and his dad are both ministers but he doesn't have a church in Cheney.

"I'm looking for a home." he says. Cool. Church starts at 11. We give church tours. We have activities on Monday nights. Institute on Wednesday. He can't come to church this Sunday because he is helping a friend move in Spokane. But he's all for the rest of it."Can you please just take my contact info?" he begs us. The day before he saw the Elders riding their bikes and he was saying to himself, "keep coming straight, keep coming straight." because he WANTED TO TALK TO THEM. But they turn. And then we show up the next day. Hallelujah! And we set up a tour for Monday at 6. He's thrilled. WE literally scream the moment he is out of our sight and sound. SO COOL.

we'll pause that story right there.

Sunday. Typical Sunday. Most of our investigators were working or out of town so nobody comes to church. But we had set up a church tour for 6 pm earlier in the week with another street contact, Ronald. He plays for Eastern football. He's a former investigator who denies ever meeting with the missionaries so I didn't really think he had a lot of promise. But we call and he's still on for the tour. The miracle happens when he invites His friend, Kendrick (also from the football team) to come along. And what are those sweet words out of Kendrick's mouth the moment he enters our church building?

"I'm looking for a home." My new favorite phrase!

Ronald and Kendrick love the tour. LOVE IT. Kendrick practically bears his own testimony at the Sacrament table. SO sweet. And after the tour when we taught about Joseph Smith he just nodded his head and smiled. After we explained the first vision we ask him who Joseph Smith saw in the grove that day. He smiles, breathes in deeply and says, "Wow. Oh my gosh. He saw God and Jesus Christ." He knew it was true. He loved the promise in the Book of Mormon. Oh he loved it. He and Ronald both accept baptism no problem. All set for September 28th!

So are you keeping up? I'm not even close to being done.

After this miracle church tour we randomly stop to check up on a less-active,Vaughn, who always dodges us. But he lets us in. We watch "Lifting Burdens" He asks us about how someone can really be forgiven if they can't even remember all their sins? So I tell him the story of the Prodigal son. And we bear testimony over and over of God's love. I share Isaiah 53:3-5 and invite him to start praying everyday and then he looks right at me and says, "If you say one more word I'm going to start crying. Everything you've said tonight has been so powerful. I can't even believe it. I swear I'm gonna cry if you keep talking." He looks and both me and Sister Gardiner and tells us what a powerful duo we make and how we just really know how to bring the Spirit. It was the compliment I've really needed lately. Probably needed to hear that my whole mission so it's been really boosting me.

I'll quickly tell you that after all this we had a crazy storm Sunday night where all the power went out and we found 5 more miraculous people because of it. God is good and the Church is true!

Are you ready for part 2 of the Anthony story?

So yesterday our church tour. We probably couldn't breathe all day we were THAT EXCITED. On p-days 6 o' clock is here in NO time. But yesterday it was taking FOREVER. I have never felt so anxious for a lesson before. I'm usually pretty calm and collected but I just knew it was the day that would change my mission and change Anthony's life. Oh sweetness. He walks in and we ask him why he wanted to come? "I knew I didn't miss my bus for a reason. God put you in my path and I know it was not a coincidence." So the tour was incredible. We invite him to come to church. "Absolutely." We ask him if he has a few minutes to hear the restoration lesson. "I've got all day." We ask him to read the Book of Mormon and pray "I don't need to read it to know it's true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. Just look at the fruit of his labors." We invite him to be baptized on September 28th. "I want to get baptized. I will prepare for that day." We ask him when he can meet us next. "I've got all week." So we set up another lesson for today. We are meeting him today and probably the next day and the next day and the next and oh my heck I'm just SO HAPPY! He's the most prepared person I've ever met. And he's in grad school and he is the best ever. WE scream like every 20 minutes about it because we are just so grateful and blessed that the Lord lets us teach him. We ask him to pray at the end of the lesson. He tells us he likes to have a real conversation with God when he prays. "Lord, I just think it's funny that two minutes before I met these lovely missionaries I had asked you to help me find a church, to find my home. So thank you. As I continue to act in my faith, bless me to know that this is good. This is right." Amen. AMEN!

 

So keep him in your prayers. Joel is chugging along. We still love him with all our heart but it might not be his time. The Lord knows.

In other news, Enya has been feeding our spirits this week.

Love y'all. I LOVE being a missionary. I know this is so true. Going to the temple today just strengthened my desire for an eternal family and to help others unite their families as well! You can't get this kind of happy anywhere else. I love it.

con todo el amor en mi corazon,

Hermana Judd

I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be.

Well I just had the most miraculous week of my whole mission. Every day was full of miracles and lessons and SUNSHINE! It was wonderful. The work is picking up and we have so much potential here. I had never felt so happy to be here before.

And then transfer calls came. I'm sweeping in to train in Cheney YSA branch and Sister Sanchez is sweeping it to train in Wenatchee. Which means we are both being swept out. Like all of our hard work, everything we did from the ground up to find people and earn the trust of our members will be swept up by two new sisters. I have maybe cried twice before this on my mission but yesterday I shed real tears. I felt like Hugh B. Brown in his story of the currant bush.

I just kept looking up to heaven and thinking,

how could you do this to me? after all I've done to measure up? how could you do this to me?

And then in the same way the quiet voice came to Elder Brown a voice came to me,

“Look, little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be. I didn’t intend you to be a fruit tree or a shade tree. I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say, ‘Thank you, Mr. Gardener, for loving me enough to cut me down.’”

It was a simple reminder to me that this is God's work. The miracles we have seen didn't come from me or my talents. They came from the Lord. I did work hard here and the Lord knows that and He's pleased with me. He didn't ask me to move this boulder (even though when I first got here I was certain I'd get it going fast), He asked me to push. And I did push. Got pretty strong here in the Valley from all the pushing we did. We didn't see miracles by way of baptisms but we did see miracles take place in the hearts of the members. We started from zero here and now the new sisters will come in and have fresh soil and newly laid seeds to reap a mighty harvest. I know it's not me. Yeah, I know that I am nothing. As to my strength I am weak. Therefore I will not boast of myself but I will boast of my God. 

And the Lord always does surprise me with things far better than I could imagine. I'm going to the English side for now and that's pretty hard for me to swallow. But I know I'll come back to the Spanish work and I'll love my time there. I'll look back and be grateful that God is cutting me down a little. 

I didn't want to leave Moses to come to the Valley. But the learning and growing I've done here means everything to me. Spokane Valley is so, so dear to my heart. And so it goes with missions. Lots of changes. Lots of learning. Lots of good, good experiences.

We don't have a lot of time today because we have a million things to do to get everything ready for the new sisters and for packing to leave tomorrow. It's been a crazy day. Fear busting this morning again. Always fun. To keep you updated on the work here: Dusty (garage sale guy) is so sincere. He read the restoration pamphlet and intro to the Book of Mormon like 6 times. He has a real desire to know the truth. We've prayed mightily for him and I hope the sisters have lots of success teaching him. We are still teaching Veronica S. We got really real with her last week and told her she has to keep commitments and show God she wants to know and then she will receive her answer.She's been reading in the Book of Mormon with her family each night and so we're thrilled for her. We found a less-active named Ivan R. that we've been looking everywhere for. He moved and changed phones so we couldn't find him and then one day we knocked on his door! God is amazing. Ivan's really ready to come back to church. We asked him when we could see him and he said, "any day, any time. I'm so willing to do this right now." We are working with some families that are referrals from members so that is awesome. 

I really was super bummed to leave my Spokane Valley after all these good things started to happen, but I know I did my part here. I truly worked as hard as I could and now the sisters will come in to see the wonderful blessings here. I'm excited for them to keep the work moving forward. 

I will miss Hermana Sanchez dearly but I'm super excited for the new adventures coming this next transfer. I hear YSA branches are a blast. Yay!

Love you all, love being a missionary, love, love, love this gospel!

Hermana Em

* Hermana Em sent this link for those of you who have not seen this Mormon Message.

http://youtu.be/Rr8xvw0cgw0

virtue loveth virtue, light cleaveth unto light

Dear loves of my life,

It's a wonderful day to be a missionary in the Spokane Washington mission! :) That's what President Mullen tells us every week in our letter. And it's TRUE. I love being a missionary in Spokane Valley. It's been 60 all week and yesterday it was 70! What a dream. I think I will love, LOVE being a missionary in the summer the most of all. I could drink in the sunshine all day everyday. 

This week was so, SO great.

On Tuesday as we were driving, Sister Sanchez turned to me and said, "Promise me that we'll find a family to teach this week." I just laughed because hello?? I wish! And then a few minutes later a quiet but distinct voice came to my heart and my mind, "I promise you that you'll find a family to teach this week." And I knew it was true. We've been working so hard here. Sister Missionaries moved into the Ponderosa ward where Aridai has been going to church and so they started teaching her instead. I prayed a lot to have trust in them and feel good about having them teach her because WE LOVE Aridai. I know God loves her and I just want them to know how much she means to us. We fasted last Sunday to know how to help her progress more and then we got our transfer calls and found out Sisters were taking over the Ponderosa area so we knew that was the answer to our fast. Even though we didn't want that answer. Humility is accepting God's will as your own. Learning a lot of that on my mission.

We watched the YW General Broadcast with Katelyn on Saturday and it was so, so, SO great. You really are so much more in tune with the Spirit as a missionary. As soon as the first notes of the introductory hymn began, I started to tear up. My heart was so full the whole meeting. And they showed this beautiful video about this girl getting ready to go to the temple and she has little glimpses of her whole life like mission, temple marriage, children. It was so sweet. And I just remembered again how sweet it is to be a missionary. This is the honor of my life. They talked so much about virtue and being virtuous and that is my great desire. I want to be a virtuous daughter of God. 

So a couple weeks ago we had an open hour of finding and as we prayed right before we went out, Sister Sanchez said, "Please help us to find a miracle." And so the first door we knocked on was Veronica S. And she let us in and when Sister Sanchez said the opening prayer with her she began to tear up and say that she was having a hard day. She felt like God was answering her prayer. The lesson was not that great because she has a dog that NEVER stops barking and the few times we've been back have been kind of crazy, but nevertheless we knew that was our miracle! 

Finally, on Friday, we invited Veronica and her husband and her 4 cute boys to come on a church tour with us. We had a hard time finding a member to come and I was certain it would fall through anyway. Not because I don't have faith, but because that is our luck. And I do have faith! We were praying all day that we could think of which member to call and that things would work out. I felt like I should look at our branch directory one more time and I passed Juan A.'s name. Juan A. is the sweetest little guy. Probably in his late 40's. He's single but he is devoted to the gospel and he comes every Sunday. He wasn't the perfect fit for Veronica and her family because well, he's single, and a man, and I just didn't think we should call him. But my heart told me to anyway. And he answered and he could come! Another miracle. 

Then all day we kept trying to call Veronica to remind her about the tour and verify if she was coming but we could never get a hold of her. I was so sure they just wouldn't come. But then at 5:45 right before the church tour at 6, her husband, Luis called to ask us for directions to the church. Sister Sanchez and I cheered for at least five minutes. We were SO happy! The church tour wasn't miraculous. The spirit was there, but their 4 year old cutie boy was a little rambunctious and it was hard for them to all focus. Then at the end of our church tour and lesson we kneeled down and asked Luis to give the closing prayer. He had never prayed before so he was really nervous. We taught him how and then we waited, with bowed heads for what seemed like FOREVER. Just sitting there in silence. This happens a lot with new investigators and so I silently said my own prayer that he would say something. 

And then his 9-year-old son finally said, "ok, I'll say it." The moment his mouth opened and he said, "padre celestial" the spirit entered in stronger than it had the entire lesson. It was so incredible. And so precious. In his sweetest little Spanish voice he said, "Thank for you this day. Thank you for everything we have. Thank you for our clothes and our house and our family." And then he stopped because he couldn't remember what else to say. As soon as he did, his dad picked up where he left off and finished the prayer. 

It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. And at the end we said, "what a great team you make!" and they smiled and you could tell they felt it. They felt the spirit and the love of the gospel. And just like that I kept my promise. The Lord kept his promise to me and to Hermana Sanchez.

We found our family.

And as they were leaving the church building, the little 9-year-old said, "we forgot something in our prayer." "Oh, you did, what did you forget?" "We forgot to ask for the things we want to know." Which was so sweet because we had told his dad to ask in his prayer if what we taught was true. So we told him that that night he could go home and pray with his family again. Oh, children are the best missionaries. 

Well, my friends, being a missionary is the privilege of my life. I love you! Find ways to strengthen your testimony each day. God loves you. Oh, he loves you.

I love you too!

Hermana Em

Bonus picture! Sister Percivel sent us this picture on Easter where Hermana Em and Sister Sanchez had a lovely Easter meal! 

Day 96: The future is as bright as your faith!

Welp,

Family and friends,

Happy 2013!

 

Our p-day got moved to today since yesterday was New Year's eve and more people were home during the day for us to talk to. This week has been a whirlwind. I can't believe that it's been a week since Christmas. It feels like a month, or more. So much happens just in one day in a mission that a week feels like forever. We got a call on Saturday night that we were moving on Sunday at 5 pm so that's it! I'm not living with the Andersons anymore :( It was all pretty sudden and strange. I still feel weird about living somewhere different. I guess it's prepping me for some more changes coming soon. We get our transfer calls this Sunday evening and I have one of those feelings that I'm leaving. I can't decide if I'm leaving because I want to stay so badly or if I really am leaving. This transfer has been magic. I've loved working with Sister Tippetts and seeing all sorts of miracles. It's been weird too with all the holidays because we've been having a lot of fun, and sometimes I feel like we are having too much fun. I mean we still work all the time and somehow, even with Christmas, we managed to have 30 lessons last week, but I just am anxious to get back into the swing of mission life again. Holidays are so fun, and working during Christmas has been the best ever. But all the excitement takes away from the missionary feeling.

 

Last night, we were allowed to watch a movie for New Year's eve and so we went to the Davis' house. They are the cutest family ever. Sister Davis is the primary president in 6th ward and she's a bundle of energy. They were all so cute and making the biggest deal because this was the one day for the entire year that we could watch a movie. Granted, it was from approved list and we ended up watching "The Best Two Years" but still, it was a lot of fun.

 

I can't believe it's a new year. On January 1, 2012, I wrote in my church journal, "This year I want the Book of Mormon to change my life." At the time, I didn't know I would be leaving to serve a mission, I just knew I needed to improve my scripture study habits and I really wanted to gain a better understanding and love for the Book of Mormon. I couldn't believe it last night, thinking about how much the Book of Mormon really has changed my life. Yesterday, during personal study I didn't want to put the Book of Mormon down. It was so good. It's so fascinating. I started it over at the start of this transfer and I just started Alma yesterday. Every bit of it is true and good and from God. I've been marking with four different colors: Yellow for whenever it mentions Christ, Orange for Christlike attributes, Green for the doctrine of the gospel it teaches, and Pink for words that the Lord is speaking. I feel like this is the first time I've ever truly read the Book of Mormon and applied it to myself, but all of it applies. Everyday I gain new insight and become more enthralled in the story. It's my favorite book I've ever read. It's evidence to me that the Lord loves us. He loves us so much. The Book of Mormon testifies of Christ and teaches us how to follow him. Have faith, have hope, exercise charity, and trust in God. Always trust in God. He will lead us where we need to be, and where we will find the most happiness.

 

My heart is brimming with joy from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I feel so overwhelmingly blessed by this knowledge and testimony I have. Come what may, what storms may rage, my life has been sweetened by the gospel. Every family we teach has faced so many hardships and they just don't know where to turn for peace. That's what we offer to people: hope and trust in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Yesterday, we had a church tour with Christi Brittain and her daughter Kelsey. It was a miracle we found them. Christi is a less active who lives a in a trailer park way outside of town. We never go over to that area because the owner has kicked us out a few times. But we went to go find a referral and we ended up knocking on her door. I guess her records weren't in the ward because she hasn't been in years and no one knew she moved to a trailer park. But we found her because she was searching for truth. She came on the tour and right at the beginning she said she felt like crying because it just felt so peaceful in the church. All she wants is peace and happiness and she knows she isn't finding it right now. It was a really great tour and at the end we asked her daughter to give the prayer. She said she couldn't remember how praying even went so we helped her out with the start and then she said the most sincer and heartfelt prayer I've heard on my mission. She asked for guidance and direction and help to come back to church. I just felt the spirit confirm to me that Kelsey is a daughter of God. Maybe she's made a few wrong choices and gone down the wrong path, but she was back in the church, in the House of the Lord and that's where He wanted her because he loves her. After her prayer she said she felt butterflies, she just felt so good. It was a really sweet experience. She's going to start going to the YSA ward and I kept thinking about Alma the Younger. Of course, that's where I'm reading in the Book of Mormon, but his story always comes to my mind as I think about the changes some of the people we teach have to make. For some, it means changing every aspect of their live. It's hard. Change is hard. But then I remember how sweet the joy was for Alma the Younger as he left his life of sin behind and repented and healed his heart. I know it's the same for anyone else. The Atonement can change anyone's life. The Savior always has His arms out open. Over and over I think to myself, "Off to the rescue I'll hasten, bringing them back to His fold."

 

I really wish I could stay in Moses Lake to see Lorena and Daniel get baptized. Lorena is a lady we tracted into a few days before Christmas. We asked to share the Luke 2 story of Christ's birth and then we led into the Restoration. She soaked it all up and we've been back nearly everday to teach her. She is so excited to be baptized on February 2nd and she has been reading and loving the Book of Mormon. I've never taught anyone like her. She is so prepared, so ready for the gospel in her life. I know I will just rejoice to even hear about her baptism but I wish I could be here to see it. We kept going back and back to the trailer park she lived in and tracting on different trailers. I knew there must be a reason we kept going back there. There was someone we were supposed to find and we hadn't found them yet. When we knocked on her door I knew. She was who we were looking for.

 

Sister Tippetts says that the entire year you are on your mission is called a "black year". Yesterday was the end of hers and today is the start of mine. It's true. I won't know any other life than missionary life for the whole year of 2013. We talk about changes all the time. For me, I don't see a lot of the changes I'm making everyday, but then looking back over time, I see how much I've grown, how much I've learned and know. I love serving a mission so much. We've been taking out a lot of the laurels and YSA girls preparing to serve missions and so many moms and leaders have come up to us to say how wonderful that experience was for their duaghters. It always makes me laugh because for us, it's just another day in the mission. More than likely, appointments fall through and we're just flying by the seat of our pants during the day. But these sweet girls feel the spirit, they expereience the magic of sharing the gospel with people who truly need it and they taste the joy of a mission. We feel the spirit so abundantly in our mission lives that sometimes I can't quite tell the difference from the everyday to something special. It's a feeling that I can't quite explain but I don't want to ever go home to have it leave. Being one of the Lord's servants, on His side of the work is remarkable.

 

I know this gospel is true and I love laboring beside my Savior in His vineyards everyday.

 

Love you all so much! But really.

 

Love,

Hermanita Em