October 7, 2013

Howdy Hey there Fam bam! 

THIS WEEK WAS NUTS! So much happened.  It feels like 2 or 3 weeks in one.  We had zone conference on Wednesday so we drove up to Helena for that and ohmygosh....so good.  We had to leave Bozeman at 6:20 to get there on time so I slept on the way but zone conference  was amazing.  The discussions led were good and we were broken up into groups to discuss different lessons.  Mine was on the Word of Wisdom and we focused on asking inspired questions that get the investigator thinking and focusing on the Savior.  But what was really incredible was hearing from President Mecham.  He is a man called from God.  President Mecham is bold and powerful when he speaks and there is an evident power and authority that fills the room whenever he speaks.  It's a power so strong that you cannot deny that they are the words of God. INCREDIBLE.  President Mecham is a leader with high expectations for each of us because he knows that we are capable.  He talked a lot about our power and authority as missionaries.  That as missionaries we have been called of God and given the power to bring to the remembrance of our investigators of less actives what they have always known.  Something he said that hit me was, do you have the faith today to raise someone from the dead?  Because as ambassadors of the Lord, God we have the power to do so.  He also talked about hope, belief, know and how most of us have come out here hoping that we can be an effective missionary but as we have faith that hope is believed and that belief turns into knowing.  He said that if we go into a investigators home knowing they will be baptized, they will.  We have that kind of power.  At the end of the conference President Mecham pronounced a blessing to all of us and that is when you could physically see the power he held from God.  I cannot even explain it.  He was speaking when he kind of paused and looked right at Sister Greenfield and said and I bless you to have the gift of tongues. It is really hard for her to be waiting for her visa, the poor girl.  She said that at the beginning of serving here she had a bad attitude because it wasn't "her mission"  but she says she has been her long enough to the point where she feels like she truly belongs here as a missionary.  But it has been hard with learning the language and we were just referred to a family where the husband is Brazilian and his wife lived in Brazil for a few years so she has been nervous teaching them in Portuguese.  It is amazing how President Mecham was able to discern that.  

Conference sounds like you all had a BLAST!! I am jealous! Bakers, Heins, tubing and food? Best combination ever! We were invited over to the house of a family in the ward.  The husband owns the apartments we live in and his parents are in the ward so we went over to his parents house.  One of our less actives Danielle came.  I hadn't ever met her, but she is awesome! And the Niedens were so sweet to her.  Watching conference over at the house was nice, it felt like home.  President Uchtdorf's talk was my favorite.  I immediately thought of Mckay who actually wrote me last week! He gave me advice and told me how reading my emails reminded him of his mission.  It was so good to hear from him.  But I loved what Uchtdorf said, First doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith.  AH! So good.  ALSO! Did you notice that 6 of the 14 talks given were about missionary work or mentioned missionary work????? FAMILY! What are you doing?! Be good members that the missionaries love! We have a family in our ward that ROCKS! the wife makes an effort to come out with us once a week whether we need her or not! Members add a totally different spirit because they are living the gospel in their life as a choice.  We have been talking to members allllllllll the time about sharing the gospel with their friends and associates.  There is a quote by Niel L. Anderson ( who got fat by the way) that says basically that as you pray for missionary opportunities names and faces will come to mind. And as we pray the powers of heaven will fill you.  Our Heavenly Father will not leave you to sounds ridiculous or stupid, but will fill your mind of what you should say the very hour you need it.  As you pray Heavenly Father has your back.  Don't be afraid. DO IT! You never know that the people that are brought into your lives are there because Heavenly Father wants you to help bring them back.  

After Saturday Morning session we went tracting around the neighborhood of the Nieden’s which didn't result in anything so we went back to watch the Afternoon session.  AND THEN SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPENED.  But I will tell you after I finish about conference. So hold your horses.  It snowed earlier this week which made me want to cry but luckily it melted and is warmer so we are embracing the warmth while we can which means biking....I don't hate it....I don't love it.  But Apparently President Mecham has promised that if we bike more we will get into more doors.  IT WORKS.  It is so dumb but it works.  One day we didn't bike at all and no one was answering their doors or wouldn't let us in. Super bummer day.  Next day we biked, every single door was opened.  WHAT THE??!! Like why does biking even matter?  But whatever, it works so we are doing it.  Anyway, so we biked after conference and contacted a majority of our referrals which was awesome, including a less active.  His daughter just had a baby and was married so they came to church because the daughter and son are wanting religion in their lives since they now have a baby girl.  We went to visit the daughter and husband...no joke they are 16 years old.  Probably a little older, but the husband has to be 17 or 18....CRAZY! He was way cool and open to talking to us.  I am so glad I do not have a baby.   Sunday session of conference we had a less active come to the stake center to watch it.  His name is Danny Casteneda.  He is 50 and was baptized a million years ago.  He is legit.  He has a desire to come back to church and sees God's hand in his life all the time. He had some pretty cool stories about seeing the hand of God.  He has a girl friend who is super sweet. We are meeting with them tonight.  He loved conference and says that every time he goes to church its like they are speaking directly to him. Haha Second session on Sunday we had an investigator, Shyla come! Holla! Her roommate grew up LDS but is no longer active and she is dating an LDS guy. She has been reading, praying and told us she has been praying to have her heart softened so that she can understand what we teach her. So we were so pumped that she came to the last session of conference . . . hopefully she felt the spirit.  So conference was great and I look forward to getting the Ensign.  Mom, we get our own so don't worry about mailing me one.    

Some of my thoughts at conference. . . What did I do to get so lucky to be born into the gospel.  Can you imagine being in heaven and knowing you would come to earth without any knowledge of how to get back?  How scary! I am so unbelievably blessed to have this in my life. I cannot even explain how grateful I am for the direction and purpose it has given me.  I have grown so much closer to my Savior and my Father in Heaven.  They know us.  Whenever I am having a hard time, I just think about how I may have promised someone in heaven that I would find them and I would help them make it back.  It helps me keep perspective of what I am doing here.  

Some amazing things I have noticed this week is how the spirit works through the story of the first vision.  When we have taught the first lesson the spirit has always been there but when either Sister Greenfield and I recite the first vision the spirit is THERE!  It is incredible the intense feeling of truth that fills the room.  Sister Greenfield and a few other visa waiters were practicing their Protuguese teaching to a Brazilian family this week and I can't understand what they are saying, but I know exactly when they begin to recite the first vision because the spirit is so strong.  I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet called from God to restore the truth on the earth again.  I KNOW it.  I know it because I have felt the spirit witness to me on multiple occasions that it is true.  I love this gospel.  I am so unbelievably blessed.  

GRANDMA WARRRR!!! I got your package and I cannot tell you how happy I am! I have been reading out of the binder everyday for personal study and have grown and learned so so so much! I cannot thank you enough for that gift.  I know I will use it in lessons and for personal growth from here on out.  You are absolutely wonderful.  Thank you thank you thank you! 

To answer some of Dad's questions.  Best and Worst of the mission thus far.  Best:  my testimony.  I had a testimony before, for sure.  But since being out it has grown in ways I cannot even explain.  I'm sure I would have gotten to this point if I hadn't gone, but why wait.  I have always felt a deep connection to my Heavenly Father. That he is my literal father. I have felt of his fatherly love for me, how he knows me like you, Dad, know me.  I have always felt that kind of love.  But for my Savior I haven't always felt that deeper connection or love like I have for my Heavenly Father.  I believe in what he did on earth and the Atonement but I guess I haven't really felt that deeper appreciation and devotion to Jesus Christ.  But I can tell you that I know that Jesus Christ is my Redeemer, he knows me and he knows the feelings that I have and the thoughts and desires of my heart.  I know Him.  I love Him and I know that through Christ I can do ALL things.  We can do ALL things through Christ our Savior.  I still have a lot to learn and my relationship can always improve. But that is the best part of my mission.  

The worst is probably Satan's influence on my thoughts.  It is awful and I hate it.  I think about how long I have still to go and I wonder if I will be able to handle it.  But with my growing relationship with Christ and my understanding for the atonement I know I can.  And I look forward to it.  Also worst is waking up at 6:30.  Its a butt. 

Maurie hasn't written me once. what. the. heck. 

I went tracting for the first time on Saturday. Sister Greenfield doesn't like it very much so we don't do it. The members are doing better at getting us referrals.  hahah so not really.  Right now we are going through the ward list and meeting with ALL of the less actives which keeps us really busy.  

Sister Greenfield and I get along really well.  I feel like sometimes we don't have much fun hahaa its work work work.   But we do sometimes. We get a long really well and I do learn alot from her.

Okay I better end this! I love you all so much.  I feel your prayers every single day.  I love you all so much! You are the best best best!

Sure love ya! Moline's Rock and Missionaries RULLLEE!