Fresh From The MTC!

Well, exciting stuff this week! It was transfers and my new companion, Sister Holdaway, got to the mission field this past Wednesday! She is just amazing, I love her so much!

It has been fun getting to introduce her to everyone and seeing her come to love the people we are working with. It is amazing working with a new missionary because there are no preconceived thoughts of "how things are," just a lot of adapting and being creative. It helps me open my mind A LOT. I am so excited for our time together, we are going to do some great things here in Piqua! I can feel it!

We have been working really hard, talking to everyone, and embracing a lot of awkward! And boy, have we seen miracles come from it! We have had a lot of awesome contacts, a lot of return appointments and some new investigators! I may be Sister Holdaway's trainer, but she is teaching me a lot more than she realizes about faith and simply trusting in the Lord. I love being a missionary!

The past couple days have been a huge testament to me of just how much Heavenly Father helps us every single day. He helped me feel worthy of this call, he helps us through hard things. He guides us, he helps us adjust to new situations. He gives us strength and confidence to face the day. If we have a worthy goal he will help us accomplish it. I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven who is constantly watching over each of us.

"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen." Alma 26:37

I pray that you all remember just how mindful God is of you

I hope you have a great week! Just keep smiling!

 

 

Heaven's Help

This week has been fantastic! We saw some pretty cool miracles :) We had a great Book of Mormon class, the spirit was so strong and people even got off early from work so they could make it! Talk about dedication. 

THEN, we felt prompted to put a certain person in our plans that we had met recently to follow up. It wasn't at the time she said normally works best but we felt we should go anyways, and there she was! She was out sitting on her porch and we were able to have a quick lesson with her right there and set up a time to come back! We are always put where we need to be if we are listening.

And this girl we are working with, sweetest thing, sits out on her porch and waits for us to come when we have appointments. If only the world was perfect and everyone remembered our appointments and sat there, ready and willing, for us to come. But even without a perfect world, I love being a missionary!

I want to leave you with an experience I had earlier this week. It was one of those days, not a bad day, but where I just didn't feel so awesome. I was frustrated for no reason and just felt all wound up. My loving and understanding companion, the amazing Sister Asay, simply said "Go grab your scriptures." So of course I did and we sat down together, starting with a prayer, and read my favorite story in the Book of Mormon (Alma 18 when the amazing missionary Ammon teaches King Lamoni). As soon as we started reading I felt an overwhelming feeling of peace and could not even remember the awful feelings I felt. I know that peace came from the spirit, and I know it came because the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know it is true and that by reading it we will be able to receive more of Heavens help in our lives.

I love you all. Read the Book of Mormon and I know that you'll be able to just keep smiling!

 

 

 

We Eat Uncomfortable for Breakfast!

 

This week has been fantastic! Full of great days, not so enjoyable things and lots of awkwardness as usual. There were many times this week we walked up onto people's porches who really did not want to talk to us, or stood there awkwardly on the sidewalk waiting for people to finish their conversations so we could tell them about the gospel. It's just too important not to talk to everyone, no matter how awkward it is! (That's something I have to just keep telling myself, so maybe someday it won't be so hard) it always makes for good laughs. We were laughing very hard on exchanges when we were a visiting someone they had met previously, but she was sick, so we asked her little sister who had answered the door when we could come back. She went to ask and sheepishly came to the door and said, "She said...umm....she said never." Poor kid, having to relay that message. Haha

We got to do service this week! I'm convinced that when I come home I will be a professional painter! Well, I will really enjoy it at least!

As a lot of you have noticed, our mission has been approved to use Facebook for proselyting! There is still a lot to learn with it and it will take a little bit to get used to it, but we have seen some great miracles from it already! The biggest one was earlier this week. An Elder who used to serve here previous called us and was very excited to tell us that he had made contact with someone who was baptized in the Sidney ward. That doesn't seem like a huge thing, except that shortly after her baptism her family moved and all contact with her was lost. He found her on Facebook and was able to talk to her, got her address and we were able to meet with her this week! Definitely a miracle!

Something else that was really cool, that pushed me out of my comfort zone, was when the Chorister wasn't able to come to church yesterday and they asked me to conduct the music in Sacrament meeting! I definitely do not like getting up in front of that many people, but it was a lot of fun. And good practice for when I have to get up and give a talk next week!

Well, I hope you all have a great week! Just keep smiling!

We were both Sister Lynch for a day!

 

Lay Hold Upon Every Good Thing

Found a wall that matched me :)

Something that really stuck out to me from my studies this week comes from Moroni in the Book of Mormon.

Moroni 7

16 For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.

19 Wherefore, I beseech of you, brethren, that ye should search diligently in the light of Christ that ye may know good from evil; and if ye will lay hold upon every good thing, and condemn it not, ye certainly will be a child of Christ

This week there weren't any exceptional miracles or experiences, but we met a lot of wonderful people, did a lot of good, and were able to testify a lot of Jesus Christ. Not every day in our lives may be exceptional, there are very few that will be. I know that if we follow this counsel and are diligent in our search for those simple things that are wholesome and good then we will be able to find joy, because all good things come from God. Here are some of those simple joys we experienced this week!

I love you all! Just keep smiling!

Celebrating my Birthday!!

Being in good company :) Ward Members

Being in good company :) Ward Members

Being in good company :) Ward Members

Our Sisters

Playing sports with our district!

The Gospel's True and Made For Me and You!

This week has been a long one! But still great like always :) We have done a lot of knocking on doors though and met a lot of cool people! I have had a lot of practice initiating conversation and talking to new people, it has been great! This week my testimony has grown so much on how the gospel fits so perfectly in peoples lives. The gospel is true and it's made for me and you! There is just so much peace that comes from the truths of Christ's gospel, and such a blessing to be able to bring those to others.

Highlight of the week was getting to go to the temple today! I love being able to go to the Lord's house and getting to take in the most special spirit there. It is such a blessing, for us and those that have passed on before us, that He has made temples such an integral part of His plan. I would encourage each of you to go to the temple often, take advantage of this wonderful blessing!

 

 

There is a scripture that I have been thinking a lot about lately. Helaman 3:35

"Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

As we yield our hearts to God by doing those little things everyday, like reading our scriptures and praying, we will grow in our humility and therefore become stronger by relying on our Father. I have seen this promise fulfilled so many times and I am grateful for it!

I love you all! Just keep smiling!

 

Funny things we see knocking on doors!