Email: 23 April 2012

Hey family! I am sorry I don't have an audio update for you. I had a headache yesterday and went straight to bed as soon as Sister Buckley and I finished planning.

This week as been INCREDIBLE!! We reached and exceeded everyone of our goals for the week. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve in this area at this time with Sister Buckley. I am constantly amazed at how the Lord works. Sister Buckley and I have been talking a lot about how the Lord stretches us and tries us in order to build us into the women we need to be. A lot of the times in the moment, it's hard to see that the trial of my faith is going to help me or is for my benefit. However, I have seen how after I get through something and look back on it that the Lord was really there to "ease [my] burdens that have been placed upon [my] shoulders." (Mosiah 24:14)

I have learned so much about how important having a good attitude about missionary work is. I have learned a lot in the last week that it is possible to be myself and still be a missionary, something I struggled with my 1st transfer. Missionary work is fun and exciting! I have had no greater "rush" than by asking somebody in the first lesson, "Will you follow the example of Jesus Christ by being baptized by one holding the priesthood authority of God?" I LOVE being bold like that! The Spirit is always so strong whenever I get the chance to extend this invitation to somebody. :D

Recently Sister Buckley and I went to Sister [name withheld] home and invited her to come out teaching with us. We have had her our a few times. She is great! She is so willing to come out with us. She LOVES going out with the Sisters. We were out with her on Saturday and she told us how hard the last year has been for her. He life isn't going the way she had planned. She is a single lady and taking care of her dying brother. She told us that we are her guardian angels. She said that whenever we show up at her house she feels it is God's way of telling her, "I haven't forgotten about you. I know what you're going through."

I love the moments in life when you realize that you were following the Spirit and you were able to be an answer to somebody's prayers. I feel like a lot of the time we don't always know when we're an answer to a persons prayers. I feel like every now and then the Lord lets us know that we were that answer, just to assure us we're making a difference. It is such a great feeling! 

 

I can't even put into words how fantastic this week has been! I will attached the picture I took of our weekly goals on our white board.

Something really cool that happened this week was on Thursday both Sister Buckley and I had the impression that we needed to go over the missionary lessons with a couple in our ward who joined the church a few years ago. We finally met up with Sister [name withheld] at her house on Saturday. We got to talking about the Gospel. As we're in the middle of this discussion her friend walks in the door who isn't a member of the church. Both Sister Buckley and I had a strong impression that we need to invite her friend to learn more about the Gospel. We told Sister [name withheld] that we wanted to go over the missionary lessons with her and Brother [name withheld]. We invited their friend to be there as well. Sister [name withheld] just started laughing after we mentioned sharing the lessons with them again because Brother [name withheld] had been saying how he wanted to retake the missionary lessons but just kept forgetting to tell us. It is an AMAZING feeling to follow the Spirit. That is all I have to say.

This going to sound redundant, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a missionary! I love how much I have grown and the things I've learned about people and about myself in the last two and a half months. If I were to go home tomorrow (thank goodness I'm not) I would have learned so much from serving a mission. I am so excited to see the things I will learn in the next 16 months. I don't expect it to be easy, but It will be worth the trials if I learn from it and come closer to Christ.

I love this Gospel! The Gospel changes lives! I have felt it change my life and I know it can change each person's life who applies that. I love that the Gospel is so simple. As missionaries we say our purpose every day. "Our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ, by helping the receive the restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end." That is a formula each of us must follow as well. Have faith in Jesus Christ and his atonement, repent, be baptized (and then weekly partake of the sacrament), live worthy to have the Gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end. 2 Nephi 31 outlines this doctrine, which is the Doctrine of Christ.

I know this church is the Lord's church here once again established on the Earth. It is only in and through Jesus Christ that we can be saved. I am so thankful each day for the opportunity I have to serve a mission. I'm so thankful for the people I meet and being able to see the Lord's hand in my life. I love the Book of Mormon! IT IS AMAZING! I have such a stronger testimony and love of it. I know its true and I know that anybody who reads it with a sincere heart with a willingness to act on the answer they receive through prayer will gain that witness that the Book of Mormon is true. I love you all very very much! Have a great week!

Love, Sister Record