Full-time Missionary... Best Job Ever!

Hey everybody!

I was thinking about what I was going to write yesterday and I had a bunch of great things to tell you. Now that I'm sitting here at the computer... my mind is blank. Don't worry, I'll fill my brain back up with great things to share. That's why I always try to bring my journal with me to the library.

Two weeks ago on Tuesday it snowed for the first time since I've been in Oklahoma, so I was pretty excited. We are currently preparing for a "big" winter storm with blizzard like conditions. It's supposed to hit around 4-5 this afternoon. Right now its just pouring rain. Yesterday it was 60 degrees and beautiful... now we have a winter storm warning. It is crazy how fast the weather changes here.

I got a call from the APs on Saturday. Looks like I will be training another new missionary. I'm actually pretty excited. I have a gut feeling that due to how many Sisters are coming into our mission I will be training for the rest of my mission. I don't know if I'm going to stay here or go open up a new sister area. Those seem to be the two options, but I'll let you know for sure what is happening next Monday. Part of me hopes I get to stay here. The area is doing really well and we have some fun new plans to find more people to teach. I hate to leave it. However, if I end up leaving I will be excited as well. :) I am just all around excited for all the changes that are taking place!

During weekly planning last Thursday Sister Cooper and I decided to really utilize our dinner appointments as a finding tool rather than just a dinner appointment. We are taking our dinner appointments A LOT more seriously. We are preparing in the morning what we want to teach the family we eat with. We decide on a specific way to seek referrals. Well... the next day was the first time we applied this. We went to our dinner appointment and before we even started talking they told us of some people (members and non members) we could go and visit. BLESSINGS! :)

Going along with that, at Saturday's dinner appointment we shared 3rd Nephi 12:14-16;

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house; Therefore let your alight so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

They have a few kids so we brought a flashlight as a visual aid. (haha! get it! visual aid!! anyways...) We talked about how important light is. We talked about how we all have the gospel so we are a light to our friends, family and neighbors. I then shared a story that had literally happened on our way to their house.

My name tag falls off a lot because the clasp is loose. (but it isn't now. I super glued it shut! ) As I was putting things in my backpack my name tag fell off. I heard it hit the floor, but I didn't see where it landed. I got on the floor and looked on under my desk. I still couldn't see it. Then I realized the flashlight was right next to me, so I used it! :D My name tag had fallen in the farthest corner under my desk. It also happened to be the dirtiest place too.

As I picked up my name tag I thought about how the biggest name on my name tag is Jesus Christ's. We are the light of the world. We have light to share with people who are searching for Christ. As we shared these things with the family they told us about some people they are working with right now. It was a great experience.

Another thing we are working on getting started is a Book of Mormon study class. We will be doing that on Wednesday evenings. We will answer the questions of the soul that the Book of Mormon answers. Some missionaries in the city combined their efforts and put together a class. One of the sister's investigators who is a pastor of another church went to the class. He called them afterwards and told them that he had never felt the Spirit so strong before in his life and was ready to make changes in his life. SO AMAZING! :D

I love this work! I love the area I'm serving in! I am so thankful I went on a mission when I did so that I can be a part of the hastening of the Lord's work right now. I know y'all are seeing the effects of the age change. I wish you could see it from a full-time missionary's eyes though. The excitement for missionary work here is intense. Areas are being opened, our little army of sister missionaries is going to be tripled by June. Incredible growth is happening in each of the areas in this mission. From what I hear, it is a world wide thing. Not just in Oklahoma. Holy cow! I love being a missionary! There is really NOTHING better. I am so thankful Heavenly Father trusts me enough to help train these young new missionaries. It is truly humbling, but also exciting. :D

I love y'all more than you know!

Love, Sister Record

http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/63258/Most-wonderful-time-for-missionary-service.html

Short and Sweet

Hello! 

Sorry I wasn't able to email until today. The library was closed Monday and Tuesday was zone conference. This morning I was worried we wouldn't be able to go anywhere because of the weather. It isn't really that bad, it is snowing. Nothing like Utah snow though... I love the weather here. It's crazy! Yesterday was t-shirt weather and today it is snowing. I'm especially glad we didn't have to stay in due to weather because we are doing companion exchanges today. We have so many lessons planned and barely have time for lunch and dinner (those are my favorite days!) 

Anyways.... It has been a really amazing week. I have had so many prayers answered and the Lord has poured out blessings on me. He has strengthened me to do things I never could do. He has helped me to see things in a new light. I will go into more detail at some other time, not in this email though. 

Yesterday at zone conference President Taylor mentioned that the work we are doing here as missionaries is something Heavenly Father could do on His own. He could do it without us really. How blessed we are that he lets us contribute what little we can to this great work. I am thankful that even though I am weak, God allows me to be a part of this marvelous work of bring souls unto Christ. 

I am so excited to be here in this area right now. To be honest, I would be happy spending another transfer or two here. The work is really hastening in this area and it is just about to really take off. I have been seeing a steady increase in the things happening in this area since I got here. I can feel that things are about to get even more exciting! :D This is the Lord's work. There is no doubt about that in my mind. 

I'm sorry this is really short and I'm not sharing all these amazing missionary stories. Amazing things are happening.... but there is too much to share and it's a bit overwhelming. ;) Plus... I don't have as much time to write today as I usually do. I do want you to know that I do love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know He is real and that he really cares for all of us. I love this gospel and the peace and joy I have felt by living it. I have felt even more joy sharing the gospel here in Oklahoma than I have at any other point in my life. I have never been happier than when I am working hard for the Lord and doing the things he asks. Obedience brings Joy! 

I love you! Have a wonderful week! :)

Love, Sister Record

Miracles, Miracles, Miracles!!

Hello Hello!
Wow! What an amazing week we've had this week! I feel incredibly blessed right now. After all that has happened this last week I feel like Heavenly Father has literally carried me through. Not only in the last week, but throughout my entire mission!! (and in retrospect, my entire life.) I know I wouldn't be able to do anything without His divine help.

I am also thankful that He periodically reminds me that He is over all. That lesson is usually a painful one, but I'm thankful he loves me enough not to let me keep going down the wrong path. It reminds me of when you go bowling and put the bumpers up. Your goal is to hit all the pins... the bumpers keep you in the lane. :)

Last week we found 3 new people to teach and found a lot of potential people. This is may not sound miraculous, but TRUST me.....It was.

Yesterday I read in chapter 11 of Preach My Gospel. I was reminded that in order to fulfill my purpose as a missionary, which is to invite others unto Christ, I must invite people to change. At our dinner appointment we shared Alma 38:5. As they talked about what that scripture meant to them they mentioned something they wanted to work on. I know the spirit brought back what I had read that morning. I knew I had to commit them to live that particular principle.... so I asked them to live it and they said they would. It was a powerful learning experience for me.

I talked to my district leader on the phone that evening and he said that committing people to do things is inviting them to repent. In essence when we leave people with commitments we are doing what the scriptures call "crying repentance". THAT IS AMAZING! After talking about that I wanted to go out and commit everybody I met to live some principle of the gospel... but it was after 9:30pm, so I didn't. ;)

Exciting things are happening in this ward! In March we are adding a set of Elders in our ward as well as a set of Spanish sisters in the 1st ward. We will be moving in March to an actual house which we will be sharing with the Spanish sisters. I still don't know if I will still be here next transfer.... I want to stay, but at the same time I want to go to at least one more area before I come home. We'll see what happens. It's all in the Lord's hands. :)

I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to serve my Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is His church on the earth. I love the Book of Mormon and other holy scripture. I told Sister Cooper that one day I want to be like Elder Holland and bear as powerful of a testimony of the Book of Mormon as he does. http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2009/10/safety-for-the-soul?lang=eng&media=video (skip to 13:30, the last part is my favorite!) until that day comes, I want you to know that I know the Book of Mormon is true. People of the world can say what they want to about it, that doesn't change what I know by the Spirit of God to be true.

Thank you for all your prayers and support. I know I wouldn't be able to do this work without you. I love all of you! Remember, "....that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

Love, Sister Record

Plan of Salvation

Hello everybody,

It has been a rollercoaster over the last few days. Tragedy struck my mission on Friday. One of our wonderful Sister Missionaries was hit and killed by a truck. It is so surreal, I just talked to her on Wednesday. We had the same trainer, Sister Bowles. Thankfully and miraculously, her companion was uninjured. There will be a mission wide memorial service on Tuesday. If you have any questions or concerns you can call President Taylor.

My faith and testimony of the Plan of Salvation has really been strengthened over the last couple days. It seems that everything I am reading in the Book of Mormon the last couple days has been about the Plan of Salvation. Yesterday I read Alma 40:12 "And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest, a state of peace, where they shall rest from all their troubles and from all care, and sorrow."

I know she is in a wonderful place right now. My main concern is for her family and for the missionaries here. All of my past companions who are here in Oklahoma have been companions with her in the last 6 months. I am anxious to see them on Tuesday and talk with them. Please keep family and friends of this wonderful Sister in your prayers and also the Oklahoma City Mission.

I know the gospel of Jesus Christ is true! I know without a doubt in my mind that the Plan of Salvation is true. Death is not the end. Because of Jesus Christ's Atonement the bands of death have been broken! Alma 11:42 says, "Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death."

I love you all! I am so thankful for you! Thank you for all your prayers! The Church is true and so is the Book of Mormon. I have absolutely no doubt of that. Have a great week!

Love, Sister Record

"Mormon missionary killed after being hit by truck in Oklahoma", Desert News, Published 3 Feb 2013