week 12

Well hello again! So much has happened this week! Welp...here I go...

So Tuesday! Our neighbor has this black cat and she had gotten out and was missing for about three days. Prior to all of this we had gotten a phone call from an investigator saying he wants to be baptized! So after the call I put his name in (so I thought I did) and that was that. The next day we planned to call him back to talk more with him so we called him and it ended up being another lady that we had helped move into her home a week or so ago from the overlook ward. (By the way I'm in portage ward) It was a super awkward phone call because we didn't mean to call her but we ended up being an answer to her prayers. She was very short on food and money so we brought her some of our food. While we were in that area we had seen a black cat and the cat looked familiar. Long story short it ended up being our neighbors cat! Basically all because I put the wrong name on a number it led us to two acts of service. We answered two prayers! It wasn't anything extreme but it was cool to see how the Lord works in mysterious ways. So that happened! 

We also saw a less active member and his girlfriend whose an investigator. We taught them the plan of salvation and Lucas (whose a member) has been struggling for a really long time. He has only been to church once this whole year and he came yesterday! I don't know what me or Sister Decker did that helped him get to church but I do know that all the love we gave to him saved his depressed soul. He came to church and was just so happy. We sat next to him and when he walked into the chapel I could feel my face just light up. I love this work! Also this week was exchanges! I went to Helena with Sister Miller for a day and stayed the night there and it was fun! There was a super cool view from the members home in the morning! Sister Miller and I did tracting (knocked on doors) and found two new investigators! We had a few lessons that day as well and it was cool to see a different area for a day and meet new people! 

Sister Decker and I also taught the overlook wards young women about money management as missionaries and we both laughed when they asked us to teach. We are the last people on earth that know much about managing money but it was great! 

This week we also found two new potential investigators and one of them is a girl named Ally. Right when we opened the door she said "I don't have much time but do you have a pamphlet or a Book of Mormon I can have?" I've never met anyone that made it that easy for us! We are planning to go back this week to see her! Guess what...we have someone on date for baptism! Her name is Shanelle and her set baptism date is May 13th so I really hope I'm here! She's so awesome and is so ready! Exciting stuff! Overall we are working with a lot of people to get their Patriarchal Blessings and endowments! Saturday was Women's General Conference and it was so awesome being able to have that down time and to hear uplifting messages. I needed it. That pretty much sums up my week! 

Also Sister Decker and I are now obsessed with otter pops. We eat about two a day It's bad...and a lot of chocolate from Kirby haha. My nickname is now "Blackie" because my hair turned out black after I dyed it. It's okay because one of the elders said it looked beautiful so I guess it looks great! This week is zone conference where my mission presidents come to speak to us and I'm so excited! Best time of the transfer! Also guess what....THREE MORE WEEKS OF TRAINING THEN I'M DONE! I'm almost to my three month mark too! Milestones! This has been a long hard road already. I'm doing this because I love my Savior and my family. I was told today that your mission is not the best 18-24 months of your life...but that it is the best 18-24 months FOR YOUR LIFE. 

Some notes from Women's General Conference that can apply to all of us: 

BONNIE H. CORDON:
•Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding. This is a warning and a blessing.
•Lean on the Savior, not thyself.
•How do I cultivate trust in the Savior? Feast upon the words of Christ because the words of Christ will tell us all things which we should do.
•More scriptures nourishes our minds. Search them diligently.
•We can come to know the lord through prayer. Pray unto the lord with all thy heart.
•We will come to know the Savior and trust him as we pray.
•Heavenly Father is ready to give if we ask.
•Service can save us.
•When we turn our focus to others there is light, hope, and joy. When we turn our focus to ourselves there is darkness because the natural man is selfish. Charity!
•Jesus Christ has overcome the world. Through the Atonement we can know that all will be well.
•Though storm clouds may form, our knowledge of the gospel and love from our Savior will help us if we will just trust him.

CAROL F. MCCONKIE:
•Holiness is what keeps our choices pure.
•Holiness is what helps the spirit reside and what helps us throughout temptations.
•We must stay Holy in order to be true saints.
•Behold I am God and my name is Holiness.
•With faith in Jesus Christ we can be made clean.
•We become partakers of the Father the Son and the holy ghost as we seek their divine nature.
•We need to be worthy to take of the Sacrament and keep the Sabbath day holy.
•We need to forsake the ways of the world.
•Submissive, meek, humble, and full of love.
•Jesus Christ is the beauty of Holiness.
•Heavenly Father has given us the capacity to be holy.

LINDA K. BURTON:
•I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God.
•Hold on, for the lord will provide.
•Do ye not want the highest glory?
•We must make sacrifices to be holy disciples of Christ.
•Keep our covenants that we made with God.
•Drink of the living water.
•May we remember the certain women who refused to leave the Savior while on the cross. And stayed to witness him risen from the dead. He lives.
•Infinite Atonement

PRESIDENT HENRY B. EYRING:
•The Lord promises us peace.
•Heavenly Father sends the holy ghost. Peace I give unto you. Not like the world. Be not afraid.
•Be comforted.
•Ether 12:27
•Those who do not see their weaknesses do not progress.
•Weak things become strong.
•The holy ghost will bring all things unto remembrance.
•Put your trust in the Spirit that leadeth to do good.
•We can invite a lamb back to the flock. We need to welcome the lost sheep back to the flock.
•Having love towards another and unity.
•Let the holy ghost temper our feelings.
•The spirit sees the pure love of Christ.
•If ye have not charity, ye are nothing. Charity never faileth. Charity is the pure love of Christ.
•His beloved Son is inviting you to come unto him. 

Christ has rescued me. As I read more in my scriptures, pray, serve, and go to church; I truly see how divine Heavenly Father really is. I am grateful for the mercy and grace that has been extended to me from my Savior, Jesus Christ. Christ has rescued my soul, that I may not perish but truly have everlasting life. We are given everything we need to return back to our Heavenly Father. We just need to follow and trust in the Lord. He will provide and I know that. I would like to bare my testimony on tithing today and the importance of it. We are promised so many blessings as we pay our tithing and give fast offerings. "Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings." -Malachi 3:8. We have been blessed with so much and the smallest thing like giving 10% of all of our income to God shows our appreciation of all that we have been given and truly how much we love God. We rob ourselves of blessings by not paying our tithing. I know that the Lord will provide always if we do our part. I have a testimony on temple work and the importance of it. I've never been happier in my life than when I am in the temple. You feel the closest to God there. With conference coming up I challenge you all to write down at least three solid questions that you are seeking an answer for. While watching conference, have those questions in mind. I promise you that those questions will be answered. I love you all so much. The church is true. Strive to live in righteousness. 

Follow up: 

How's scripture study? Prayers? Temple work? Patriarchal Blessings? Service? Lessons with missionaries? Church? Etc..I wanna hear all about it! 

Thought of the day: If the Savior stood beside you, would you do the things you do? 

 I attached one of my favorite pictures. At the beginning of my mission I felt like I was drowning and wasn't anywhere near the surface. As time went on, I slowly felt myself rising to the surface but just barely holding myself above water. When I truly turned everything over to the Lord, that is when he fully lifted me out of the water and saved me from drowning. His arm is always extended out towards us, we just have to take it and hold on. I never thought I would make it out of training let alone almost three months. I said I couldn't and believed it was impossible, that is when Satan had his hold on me. Turn to the Savior and he will rescue you in times where you thought you could never make it through. I hope you all have a great week and a great general conference weekend! Love you all! Keep the faith. 

week 11

 Can't believe it's already preparation day! Time is flying by now! It's starting to warm up which I'm not happy about because I love winter! We are due to get another snow storm here soon so it's not spring yet! So many great things have happened this week that I don't have enough time to explain it all. There's too much! One thing cool that happened was I was picked by my zone leaders to give a discussion during zone training and I actually did well! The night before I was freaking out and was so nervous but once I got up to talk all of my fear went away. It is very rare for a missionary in training to be asked to give a discussion. So I feel pretty cool! 

I don't even know where to start with this week! A dog peed on me so that happened :) We have been so busy. Back to back appointments and no break time! It's been bittersweet. I have been pretty exhausted since starting some medication that makes me drowsy sometimes so it's been tough but all is well! I really love this area! There is so much work to be done! Its really sad how mean people are to us at times. Its rough getting doors shut on you all the time. PEOPLE THIS IS THE TRUE CHURCH I'M TRYING TO SAVE YOU LISTEN TO ME! ...Since being on my mission I have developed a fear of dogs and cats haha. Of course every person HAS to own a cat or a dog in this town. It's kind of a missionary thing being afraid or just hating dogs because they always attack us! The big dogs drive me nuts! I would say the only part I don't enjoy about visiting people houses is if they own animals. We leave houses with dog and cat hair all over us and it's just bleh haha. 

Anyways...the topic of this week has been a lot on Patriarchal Blessings, the priesthood, temples, and the birth of Jesus. A lot of our lessons this week revolved around these topics! It is seriously such a blessing to be able to get a Patriarchal blessing and it's so unique to you. Each week read your own. If you have not yet received yours yet, make that your next goal. I just love the members here. They have been so helpful to us and so caring. The members need to stop feeding us so good because I'm gonna come back 100 pounds heavier! Haha, but seriously it's bad. Kirby gives us a lot of chocolate too so that's even worse! Yesterday we had dinner with the Bulbulians (my favorite family) for the third time in two weeks. They just love us and it's so nice to see how appreciated missionaries really are. When we showed up yesterday they had opened the back of their car with a ton of groceries that they got for us. It was the nicest thing. After dinner we shared with them the children's bible video "the birth of Jesus Christ" and we asked them what it means to them that Jesus was born. It was such a powerful lesson that me and sister Bulbulian were crying. The Savior lives and because of Him we can too. What does the birth of Jesus mean to you? If Jesus wasn't born, life would have no meaning. We would have no purpose, no plan. I'm so grateful that I have the privilege to wear the name Jesus Christ over my heart everyday. And that I have the opportunity to testify of Him everyday. We talked a lot about temples this week and how special it is. I wish everyone around the world could go inside the temple, but because they are so sacred we must be worthy and active to enter them. Baptism, endowments, and sealings are saving ordinances to enter into the Celestial kingdom of God. Reach high and you will accomplish these goals which will lead you to eternal life. Who is Jesus Christ to you? 

I want to share one of the general conference talks I read this week called "Abide in My love" by Elder Chrisofferson. "God's love is there for you whether or not you feel you deserve love. It is simply there." How comforting is that? His love is so extreme we cannot comprehend it. "The final judgment is not just an evaluation of a sum total of good and evil acts- what we have done. It is an acknowledgement of the final effect of our acts and thoughts- what we have become." - Elder Oaks. I invite you to stop looking back on all of the mistakes you've made in your life and start looking forward and changing. We cannot change our past but we can change our future. 

I testify that Jesus is the Christ. That we all have a purpose on this earth. I know there is a reason why you are here now. I know that there is a reason for every trial; to mold us into stronger people. Read your scriptures and pray everyday, that's how we change and improve. Go to church and take of the Sacrament. Work your way towards the temple because it truly is the most amazing building you will ever step foot in in your life. God loves you. I love you. Jesus died for YOU so that you may return to heaven once again. As long as you're trying and striving to improve, that is all the Lord asks. But you have to really try. Press forward with faith in Christ and you are promised eternal life. 

Sorry this email is short and no pictures this week but I love each and every one of you. Families can be together forever and I know that. This week I want you all to watch the children's bible video "the birth of Jesus" also the holiday video "because of Him". And guess what's coming up! GENERAL CONFERENCE! I challenge you to watch it all and write down your thoughts. It truly is a blessing to be able to have a living prophet here today on earth to help and guide us. I invite you to make getting your Patriarchal blessing the next step for you. It is so amazing. If you already have yours great! Your challenge is to take names to the temple and get the work done! There are family members just waiting for us to do their work. They are turning to you! 

Thought of the day: don't send your kids to church....take your kids to church. 

I love you all and I hope you have the best week. I love reading your emails and seeing your faces. You are all amazing. Look for the positives everyday. Wise words from the Anthony Miles "I've never had a bad day in my life, just some are better than others." Keep the faith. 

week 10

Hi All!

New Companion

So this week was transfers! Tuesday night I got into Billings and stayed with our sister training leaders and then the next morning we got up at five o'clock and left the mission home by seven off to our new areas! I didn't get to Great Falls until two so it was a long day in the car! Wednesday I met my new companion/trainer Sister Decker and she is one of my favorite people! I love this new area and her so much! We live in an apartment all to ourselves which is really rare for missionaries but hey we got lucky! Not lucky...BLESSED haha. When I arrived Wednesday I almost had an anxiety attack because there were people and houses everywhere which is not what I'm used to! That's just sad haha...I'm well adjusted now and never want to leave this area! I cover one ward which is a huge step down from covering three wards and a branch in Wyoming! But I love it! We have been doing some door approaches and I was able to do it without getting nervous! I was shocked! It's so easy now! It's awkward...but easy! I have been teaching lessons like crazy! It's become so natural for me that I don't even stress anymore about appointments. Mainly because I have such a good trainer. Sister Decker is the happiest person and is just overall amazing! She's been out for 13 months so she doesn't have much left which makes me sad because I don't want her to leave me haha. We are literally the same person and clicked from the beginning. My first night here we did some door approaches and we went to one house and the man asked who we were. Right when we told him he slammed the door in our face and we barely got one sentence out. Another man we saw we said "have you ever met Sister missionaries before?" And he said "I don't know and I don't care" then slammed the door. So people just love us! Haha. At that point you just have to learn to shake it off and laugh because there's no good in being down about it forever. Sister Decker and I realized they weren't saying no to us...they were saying no to God and that made us sad for them. At that point all you can do is pray for their hearts to be softened and maybe one day they will be. The ward members are so dang funny I love them! Okay...I gotta talk about my favorite member ever! His name is Kirby and he's just the best. We go and see him twice a week and he's a less active but he's really trying! He's such a goof. I wish I could just record him because everything he does is so funny. Sister Decker gave Kirby one of her scarfs and we made him put it on and we were just dying. He bought us flowers too and we were just like AW KIRBY! I never realized how much people really do love and care for the missionaries. It's amazing. People have been so good to us it's just overwhelms my heart with gratitude. I've never loved people as much as I do now being on my mission because I'm able to look at them the way God does. On the first visit with someone who I have never met I am able to say that I love them and mean it because I really do care for these people and know how much Heavenly Father loves them. It's the best feeling. We went to see a less active family who has been struggling and the dad was just so upset with God for all of his trials that he was facing. I cried after that lesson because I was sad that his heart was so hard. At that point all I knew I could do was pray and just love him. That's what we all need to do. Just love people regardless of things they may have done to us or disagreed with us. Welp... Not too much happened this week but hopefully next week I'll have more interesting things to write about!  

Today in church the topic was on Patriarchal Blessings and I never realized just how special a Patriarchal blessing really is. If you don't already have your blessing I encourage you to make that as your next goal. It truly is such an amazing blessing and such a great tool for us in our lives. Whenever I struggle recognizing my purpose, I read my blessing and I am reminded of my blessings and talents that I need it have been given. Meet with your bishop if you are interested but I highly recommend it! I invite you to pray. Pray to Heavenly Father for assurance that this is the right decision because I know it is. He hears every prayer, every word.

General conference talks:

(These are just some points that stood out to me! You'll have to read them for yourselves and see what inspires you!)

•"The souls sincere desire" by Carol F. McConkie- Prayer is essential to developing faith. A loving God is as close as a prayer away. How cool is that? "Let your hearts be comforted; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God." Prayer is a gift from God. We need never feel lost or alone. 

•"And choice seer will I raise up" by Elder Craig C. Christensen- Because Joseph was a prophet, we have more than a window into heaven- the very doorway to the eternity especially is open to us. It is through the holy ghost that we can know the truth of all things. Heavenly Father promises us that. Pray! 

•"The Lord Jesus Christ teaches us to pray" by Elder Juan A. Uceda- When you pray, are you up really praying or just saying a prayer? Heavenly Father pays attention to our voice but we need to pay attention to his. Read Alma 26:20, Luke 22:42, 2 Corinthians 1:3, & D&C 10:5! Love and mercy are with Him the very moment you say, "Father, in Heaven." Let us all pray as Jesus taught us to pray with real intent, an opened mind and a sincere heart. 

•"Am I good enough? Will I make it?" By Elder Dern Cornish- If you really try and will not rationalize or rebel- repenting often and pleading for grace- you positively are going to be "good enough". Heavenly Father guides us an blesses us because He wants us to come home. Our Heavenly Father intends for us to make it. That is His work and His glory. He gave His only begotten Son that we might not perish but have everlasting life. "However many chances you think you have missed, however many mistakes you feel you have made...I testify that you have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines." -Elder Holland 

I want you all to recognize your role as a member. Now is the time that we all come together to spread the word of the gospel. I can't express enough how crucial members are in someones conversion. "The responsibility does not only rest upon full time missionaries but upon all of us." You don't have to wear a name tag to testify of Christ. You don't have to wear a name tag to hand out Books of Mormon. We all play a huge role in this gospel! I love the quote that says, "It is not by chance that you live in Africa, Asia, Europe, north, central or South America; the Pacific or another place in God's world, because the gospel must go to "every nation, kindred, tongue, and people." Though some people may not be ready to hear the gospel now, pray for their hearts to soften that one day they will listen. We cannot force someone else's conversion but only let the spirit testify to them what is true. 

General conference is coming up soon so I invite EVERYONE to watch it. I want you all to take notes and then when the time comes to email me something that you liked and touched your heart. How is every one's scripture reading and prayers going? Have you made repentance part of your daily prayers? Invitation for the week! I invite you to stay all 3 hours of church this coming Sunday. If you aren't already having daily scripture and prayers as a family, do that! I promise you so many blessings come from it! I invite you to pray to be an answer to somebody's prayer. Seek for opportunities to serve people in your neighborhood or your ward. I would like you all to watch the Restoration movie as a family. It's amazing. I can't help but cry when I watch it. Did anyone get a chance to listen to the general conference talks I shared last week or the week before? It's good stuff! I invite you as well to come up with three goals per week and work together as a family on them. Help each other accomplish those goals. At the end of the week evaluate if you accomplished your simple goals or not. If not no worries! Keep working at it! 

I love you all so much and I'm happy that my letters made it! Hope you all enjoyed them! I pray for you everyday and think of you often. I see so much change in you already and it warms my heart and strengthens my testimony. I have a testimony of this Gospel. That I have truly seen it change lives and soften peoples heart. That if Joseph Smith wasn't a prophet we wouldn't be here today if it weren't for his faith. Strive to be obedient because you are promised so many blessings if you do. Recognize that each of us play a huge role in this Gospel. We are each a piece of the puzzle. I love you more than ever and I hope you all have a great week! Keep the faith. 

I'll send pictures later! 

Week 9

HOLA! 
Well...I'm getting transferred! I'm heading back to Montana! Great Falls Montana! My new companion is Sister Decker! I don't know anything about her yet but I'm sure she's great! I'm sad I will be leaving the people here and Wyoming. There's this thing with Wyoming missionaries that they are bound to come back sometime again in their mission, so I'm sure I'll be back! I leave tomorrow night and it's about a seven hour drive but we usually will stop and spend the night somewhere then finish the rest of the drive the next morning. Anyways...

Last week...it was a crazy week! 

So Tuesday we went out to see this lady who we have been visiting for a couple of weeks and she's an investigator...well used to be...We have never talked doctrine with her until this last visit and let me tell you...it was traumatizing almost. When we had brought up the Book of Mormon she had immediately went off saying Joseph Smith was a murderer and the Book of Mormon is from the devil and it was just awful! As we stood there taken back we stood our ground and defended what we knew to be true. It made me so sad for her. After that experience Sister Robertson and I had sat in the car for about 30 minutes silent. It was a slow day and we were definitely down I will not lie. My testimony grew in that moment though. I have never in my life felt so passionate about my beliefs and I was not going to back down. On to more happy thoughts...we visited Carla Saturday and she's 93 years old and just has the sweetest spirit. We shared with her the general conference talk from 1985 tilted "The purifying power of Gethsemane". Everyone needs to watch that! We shared with her the story of a man who had been standing in a long line and couldn't see what was going on far ahead of him. He had seen all these people entering into a door past a man but that's as much as he knew. When he got closer in line he had heard the man ask to each person "Who is Jesus Christ?" Everyone answered by saying "He's the Savior and a man who died for the world's sins" and so on. By the time this man had approached this other man he asked to him "Who is Jesus Christ?" The man then began to weep and fell to the man's feet and said "Lord, it is thee." After sharing that story I thought to myself do I really know who Jesus Christ is? Will I be able to stand before him and deny not that he is the Savior and the Redeemer of the world? That is a question for all of us to ponder about. The other night we went to go drop off popcorn to the Gormley family and I got attacked by their cat! I looked down and saw this cat eyeballing me and I said "That cat is going to jump on me". Brother Gormley was like no way! Well...it did and pounced on my face! So that's how life is going right now haha. Saturday we decided to go out biking and let me tell ya it was a bad idea. Our tailbones are so bruised. We biked about six miles on a dirt path and it was so hard! We were sweating bullets by the time we showed up to every one's houses. Let's just say I am not a huge fan of biking. I named my bike Andy and we've already been through a lot. Saturday as well we went over to the Cards house to watch them open their third mission call as as couple! Crazy! There are headed to Canada in May! We had dinner with the Wardells a couple nights ago and Sister Wardell said she was surprised when I started to sing high notes because I have such a deep talking voice haha. It's so true I sound like a boy. District meeting was Wednesday and the Elders just love to pick on me! We had gotten food and it was like sloppy Joe's and I was like no way I'm eating this in front of the Elders. Well they made fun of me and gave me a hard time and said "You're giving California a bad reputation eat like a big girl!" They love to pick on me, they are like brothers to me. We had a lesson with Kelvin again and he's just my favorite  (not only because he's from peru). He just has such a sweet heart and I loved being able to share the same interests as someone! It makes for a fun conversation! Every home we go into for a lesson they always have deers and moose hanging on the wall and it's distracting because I'm trying to teach a lesson and this deer is just staring at me haha. So we saw Kathy last night and she said she doesn't like to come to church because she can smell every one's breath haha. We were just dying she is such and stubborn little lady but she is softening up. It's great! My companion is so funny. We were driving past like thousands of sheep and she just looks at them and says "you're all going to be food one day". We are terrible people haha. So there's this thing with a gag reflex and basically you hold your left thumb whenever you are eating something terrible and don't want to throw up. Yeah...my companion and I were doing that under the table as we were eating at this members home haha. It was an interesting dinner. There are my funny and weird stories of the week!

Yesterday after I had bore my testimony I had just teared up and had felt such a warm feeling. This is a gospel that I live for but if it came down to it I would die for it. This has been the hardest two months and there have been so many times where my companion and I have sat down together and she has just let me cry for hours. Learning to rely on the Lord in times of need when feeling lonely is so important. No doubt I miss being normal but I can't imagine leaving this all behind. Reading conference talks everyday has strengthened my testimony and I encourage you to do that as well. I would like you all to watch the talks: "The purifying power of Gethsemane", " The first great commandment",and for all you mothers out there please watch "Behold thy mother." And lastly "O how great the plan of our God". These talks have changed my life! Continue to read your scriptures and to pray because that is the best way for us to come to know who Jesus Christ is. Your faith will increase as you do so. Never give up hope and endure to the end. You are promised great blessings if you endure to the end and keep the commandments always. My challenge of the week for you is to make repentance a daily thing for you. Learn how to use the  Atonement in your lives. The Savior after being beaten had to carry the cross that He would soon be crucified on. If you ever feel alone, think of the Savior. After the whole world had rejected Him and spit upon Him, He still made the greatest sacrifice for us. That is the Atonement. The Savior was alone. But because of Him and everything He has done for us, we never have to go about this life alone. I have a testimony of my Savior that he truly has healed me in times when I thought all was lost. He has saved my soul. Turn to Him. Always remember Him and always be worthy to have the holy ghost as a constant companion to you. I love you all and I miss you so much. I have seen great change in you all and I can see that everyday you are striving to be better. That is awesome! Don't give up on church! The church is true. Jesus Christ did die for you and for me that we may be clean again. I hope you all have a great week and watch those talks as as family! Have scripture study as a family as well as family prayer! Each week I want you all to email me and send me a miracle or how you have seen the Lords hand in your week. Keep the faith. 

Love,

Sister Austin Miles

week 8

Love the Mud.  Gross!

Well howdy!

Seems like this week has gone by so slow but hey its finally preparation day! I'm sorry I didn't get to write everyone back last week I didn't have much time! I hope you all had a great week and I can't wait to hear all about it! Guess what....this week I'll hit my 2 month mark! Whoop whoop! 

Next week are transfers so I will know by this Sunday if I will be staying in my area or going to a new area! I have grown to love these people so much. It has not been an easy last 5 weeks but I'm growing to love this. So....Saturday was the baptism and I spoke at it. Two little girls named Hannah and Jaycee got baptized. I couldn't hold back my tears. It was such a special day for them and they are just the cutest little things. The spirit was so strong! Baptism is a saving ordinance to enter into the kingdom of God. By being baptized you choose to follow Jesus Christ and his example. How amazing. Sunday I sang in Sacrament and of course I woke up yesterday morning with a scratchy throat! I was going to back out but then I said whelp....Guess I'm going to do this haha. It was rough and it wasn't my best but other people thought it was good but oh well! Last week we taught Kelvin. We have been teaching him for the past 4 weeks and he has grown so much. He used to be very shy around us but he has opened up so much! He cracks jokes with us and he's just the best. Even though I can only understand some of what he says I can read his face and he has changed. The other day we were teaching him about the 3 kingdoms and he was like "oh my neighbor is going to the third kingdom" and we were just dying haha. Hes pretty sassy. 

 I am starting to understand spanish a lot more. I can somewhat understand when people are talking but I just cant produce much. I'm working on it! We got up early the other day to go running and it was so cold outside I got a brain freeze. We are trying to exercise more because in this mission people say "the Montana 30 is a real thing" because the members feed you so well, so I'm not about to gain 30 pounds! I haven't tried any weird meats yet but I'm hoping I will get too! I have really had to learn not to be picky with my food. One night we had some ham, green beans, peppers, and cottage cheese and let me tell ya.....I was screaming inside. Haha it was painful. Since I haven't had any soda or juice in 2 months whenever people give us juice I cry inside. It makes me so sick now! One night we had to sit in the car for a few before a lesson because I thought I was going to throw up haha. I guess it's a good thing? Less calories and sugar! Friday night we had pizza night with the Gormley's and as everyone knows, I just love them! Brother Gormley was telling us how him and Sister Gormley decided to get married and he said his mission president said "marry that thing" (his mission president didn't really say that but he's a jokester). It was hilarious to us but you had to be there. Anyways...we saw Kathy and she is just too much for me. We walked in Thursday and she had the funniest kitten shirt on and she was so proud of it. It's impossible to be sad around Kathy. One of the saddest things about this area are all of the stories from the women here. 70% of the women here have been sexually abused, cheated on, beat, and more. They are all amazing women and I wonder to myself....how could anyone hurt such beautiful people? Last night we saw Alicia who is a returning less active. She shared with us her story of how she was sexually abused by her cousin and had fallen away from the church because of him. She said for years she had blamed God for everything that had happened. In December the missionaries before us had showed up to Alicia's house one night when she had felt completely lost. She said "It was so weird that they had shown up that night after everything". We cried together and the spirit was so strong. I don't believe in coincidences. I know that those missionaries received a prompting to see Alicia and that it was the holy ghost speaking the to them. God knew Alicia was struggling, so he sent those missionaries. It was in no way a coincidence, it was a miracle. The other night we played uno with the wright's and it was the most fun I have had in awhile! Jaden whose 13 has been struggling to open up and so thought uno would be a fun time. We wanted to show Jaden that we are normal people and we can have fun. It was nice to just have fun with that family instead of talking gospel. Jaden is softening a little so there is progress! Update on Scottie...Scottie has been struggling a little with quiting smoking but we have so much faith in him. Everyday we have dropped off treats to him and have checked up on him. He is so close to baptism it's so awesome. Two weeks ago I extended my first ever baptismal question in the field. My companion had looked over at me and told me to do it and I said no I can't do it. I paused for a few seconds as my heart was pounding. I finally asked Kelvin if he would be baptized and even though he said he wasn't ready, I made that step. It was terrifying but after all was said and done I knew that I could do this. I was called to do this. It has not been easy but at the end of it all it will be worth it.

To my siblings: 

Yesterday when I had seen the pictures mom had sent me of you at church I began to cry. I couldn't contain my happiness and my emotions. Seeing the kids there as well warmed my heart. Matt I know you were out of town so no worries! I know you would have gone if you could've. I want to share with you something. For as long as I can remember, I have been praying since my freshman year in high school for you all to come back your church. Six years. It took 6 years for my prayers to be answered but yesterday was one of the best days in my life. I cried most of the day because I have never been so proud of you. The fact that you set aside your day to come and to take of the Sacrament gives me so much hope in my heart. It will not be easy to make this a habit but if you learn to rely on the Lord, all things are possible. Your prayers may take days, weeks, months, or even years to be answered. Never give up, because I knew this day would come. Have faith and hope. I promise you that this is the way. We call it the plan of happiness. Heavenly Father created this plan for us so that we can one day return back to him. Study your scriptures. Your faith with increase and I know that. I know that because it happened to me. Being out here alone without you all I have had to learn to rely on the Lord for my strength. I have had to learn to trust Him. Turn your life over to the Lord and he will do nothing but bless and heal you. That is the truth. 

With my own personal goal of reading a conference talk a day I want to share with you all some things I have learned. 

First is the talk "I will bring the light of the gospel into my home" by Jean Bingham. The prophet Moroni tells us that charity is an essential characteristic of those who will live with Heavenly Father in the Celestial kingdom. "Except ye have charity ye can no wise be saved in the kingdom of God." The greatest commandment Jesus said," Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."...."And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." The greatest form of charity may be to withhold judgement. We sometimes look at others with an incomplete or inaccurate understanding. We may focus on the differences and perceived flaws in those around us whereas our Heavenly Father sees His children, created in His eternal image, with magnificent and glorious potential. "Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." We all need to recognize that those around us are doing their best to deal with any challenges they may have. "May we strive to do our best to help out."- President Monson 

Second talk: " The Master Healer" by Carole Stephens. Jesus Christ is at the heart of the "great plan of happiness". Regardless of perceived differences, all of us are in need of the same infinite Atonement. "The rock of our Redeemer, a sure foundation....where on if (we) build (we) cannot fall."...."With unshaken faith in Christ, relying wholly upon the merits of Him who is mighty to save."- Nephi. He knows us and meets us where we are. And because of who He is and what He has done for us, He understands. A daughter who had been struggling with a bipolar disorder and been in overwhelming pain. Her mother had said "I wish I could take this from you". When she had felt hopeless, a feeling of relief had overcame her. She then looked at her mom and responded "You don't have to, someone already has." Rely on the Savior and he will heal you. Use the Atonement in your lives daily. You don't have to do this life alone. The Savior pleads: "Will ye not now return, unto me, and repent for your sins, and be converted  that I may heal you?"..."If ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come...will I receive." 

Third talk: "Rise up in strength, sisters in zion" by Bonnie Oscarson. "For behold, ye do love money, and your substance, and your fine apparel, and the adorning of your churches, more than ye love the poor and needy, the sick and the afflicted." -Mormon 8:37. The world today as we know treasures their belongings and themselves more than others. We all do this at times. I'm sure we have all maybe at one point felt either ashamed or taken back to share our beliefs. "Why are ye ashamed to take upon you the name of Christ?" Always stand true of what you believe. The Savior was mocked and spit upon but NEVER backed down from what he knew was true. "It would be easy to throw our hands up in despair, but as covenant people we need never despair." 

Last talk: "Fourth floor, Last door" by President Uchtdorf. God rewards those who earnestly seek him, so we need to keep knocking. We have been promised "knock and it shall be opened unto you". Faith is more of believing in something rather than seeing, right? "Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." The scriptures teach us that through faith the worlds were framed, waters were parted, dead were raised, and rivers and mountains were moved from their course. Faith cannot be forced. Heavenly Father will not force anyone to choose the path of righteousness. He will reach with love but He will never compel. Faith is trust -trust that God sees what we cannot and He knows what we do not. Never give up. At times when you feel that God seems to not be listening to you, He is. "He has not abandoned you. He will not forsake you."

I have a testimony of these things. One my mission the spirit has touched me as well as the people. I know that forgiveness is such a important thing. On the cross the Savior said "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." I am always taken back in amazement of how someone can forgive thousands of people for the things they have done and the torture the Savior faced. Love your enemies. Pray for them and serve them. Love the Lord with all your heart and all your mind. Find joy in your adversity. I know Joseph Smith saw what he claims to have seen and that is God the Father and His son Jesus Christ. THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE. THIS CHURCH IS TRUE. 

Challenges of the week: Pray every morning and every night. Read your scriptures every night as a family. If you only get around to each reading one verse a night then that's okay! Baby steps! It's better than nothing! Attend church every Sunday! When you feel comfortable enough stay for all three hours! I want you all to pray to know for yourself if Joseph Smith truly was a prophet of God and if the Book of Mormon is true. How is every one's scripture study going? Prayers? Temple attendance? Handed out any Book of Mormons? 

I love you all and have a great week! Stay positive! Strive to be more like the Savior! Have the missionaries in your home! Go with the missionaries to teach lessons! You are all so amazing and I have seen so much growth in you. I promise you that you will forever be blessed if you follow the example of Jesus Christ. 

I love you all. Keep the faith. 

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Songs I want you to look up! Listening to them makes me feel so much better! They are efy songs! Share these on my blog everyone should listen to them they rock! 

Still small voice by Jena woods 

Listen by colten avery 

My story by kaity whitcomb 

Good friends by Nik day 

It's a good start by Joseph swain 

I can do all things by Tanner Townsend 

Good to be alive by Reagan Rindlisbacher 

Wonderful people by Catelin Lundell 

You are called by Christian love 

Light of the world by Ryan innes 

Daughters by Jenny Reynolds 

Arise (Don't know the artist but it's an efy song)