Another Great Week! August 15, 2016

It has been another great week. In the Taber first ward we are doing something we like to call the BAM Challenge.... (Become A Missionary) We have been going over to members homes and teaching them the Restoration and then the following week they teach us the Restoration. On our third visit we talk about how we apply the things we learned and how we can share the gospel with people around us. It has been so cool to see the members of the ward feel the Spirit as we have shared the message of the Restoration and hear how the Gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed their lives. Sister Dean and I started out by praying to know which families we should start the challenge with; the Pierson's came to our minds... So that was our first stop, we asked them to act like they were investigators and ask us questions that they thought someone that wasn't a member would have. As we taught and testified of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon and how each of us can gain our own testimonies as we read from The Book of Mormon and pray about it the Spirit was so strong! At the end Sister Pierson started tearing up and told us that as we were teaching she felt like she had a few question because everything seemed so new... But she said as we bore testimony and shared our own personal experiences the Spirit touched her heart and the questions she had were replaced by a feeling of warmth and love from the Spirit. 

I have learned so much from this experience. Just like it says in Alma 4:19 " [Alma] going forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them... seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony..." Testifying of the Savior is one of the fastest ways to invite the Spirit. I know that I still have so much to learn... but what I do know is that The Gospel of Jesus Christ has blessed my life. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. Prayer is a real and powerful way that we can communicate with our Loving Heavenly Father. Jesus Christ is the Savior and because of Him, I can live with Heavenly Father again. I know that each of us can bare our testimonies through both our words and our actions. As we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ and look for ways to uplift those around us we are living our testimony. We can also share our testimony with others and talk to those around us about how the Gospel has blessed our lives and our families. 

I have been humbled many times while serving and I know that I am not the teacher... it truly is the Spirit. The Spirit is who teaches us when we hear the truth. That is what makes testimonies so powerful. When we share simple, pure doctrine and how we feel from our hearts the Spirit teaches both the ones baring testimony and those that are listening. I know that as each of us share our testimony through both our words and actions that we will be able to help those around us feel the love that Heavenly Father has for them. I am so grateful for the Gospel. 

Canadians sure do love Hockey!! Ha Ha!!

There was a random Native Man that walked in at our Mini Zone Conference

this week... but it was neat because a lot of missionaries were able

to talk to him about the Gospel, so that was great!

Cute handout from Church!

A ride with the Zudoff Family!!  Sister Dean,

Kayla, Ryker, Blakely and Me!

Beyond Incredible August 8, 2016

This week has been beyond incredible... I don't even know where to begin, but here it goes! We had another lesson with Chris and it was amazing. We talked about the Restoration of the Gospel and really focused on how the Gospel blesses families. Since Chris and Amanda just had a little baby boy together that is what has softened their hearts and made them have a desire to learn more. It was so amazing to see how engaged Chris was while we talked about the Restoration and to see how Heavenly Father truly has prepared him. During the lesson we invited him to be baptized and he said YES!! It is such a special experience to be able to see the Spirit work within people and help them have a desire to "come unto Christ by receiving the Restored Gospel". I'm so excited to see all that Heavenly Father has in plan for Chris, Amanda and their cute family! 

In addition we had another lesson with Jen this week. We are the first set of missionaries to actually teach her but she has been learning about the Gospel from her friends and neighbors for years. A while back she was at Dr. Torrie's (he is one of the Bishops in the Taber Stake and has been Jen's doctor for a few years) and before she left his office he just asked her if she had ever met with missionaries before. Jen said that she hadn't... so Bishop Torrie invited her to take the lessons, and she said YES!! Jen lives pretty far out of town, so there was a slim chance that we would have ever met her if it hadn't been for Bishop looking for an opportunity to share the Gospel. It goes to show that as the members and missionaries work together under the direction of the Spirit amazing miracles happen! Heavenly Father knows each of His children and as we follow the Spirit He can use each of us as instruments in His hands to help others around us feel of His love and learn about he Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

During our lesson with Jen this week we really focused on The Book of Mormon and testified of how it has blessed our lives. Sister Torrie came with us and shared her experiences with The Book of Mormon, and it was so powerful. It was so neat to be able to see how Jen could relate to Sister Torrie. One of the things that I have been learning from meeting with Jen is that every little bit truly does count. Just like it says in 1 Nephi 16:29 "And thus we see that by small means the Lord can bring about great things." Jen has known members of the Church her whole life. She has had many gospel conversions with many of her friends and neighbors and each one of those interactions has prepared her for now. Each one of her friends and neighbors that opened their mouth to share how grateful they are for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ has made a difference. I can only imagine at the time they probably thought that nothing was going to come out of the small amount that they talked with Jen about the Gospel... but because of what each of them have done over the years we have the opportunity to teach Jen. I know that at times we each might feel like we really aren't making a "BIG Difference" ( I know that I have felt that many times while serving my mission ). But I am really beginning to learn that each small act of: service, love, sharing the gospel, or anything else really does make a difference. I know that at times I want immediate results... but I am learning that good things take time and consistency. Elder Bednar says, "Just as... strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results." I am so grateful for each one of Jen's friends and neighbors for sharing the Gospel and being an instrument in the Lord's hands to help prepare Jen to receive the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I know that as each of us strive to be consistent in doing the small and simple things that Heavenly Father has asked us to do then it will "lead to significant spiritual results." I know at times it can be hard to have meaningful scripture study every day, to say personal and heartfelt prayers multiple times during the day, to look outward and serve others while we are so busy with life. But I know that as each of us turn to the Savior, He will help us. He will mold us into the Disciples He needs us to be... but it is going to take work on our part. We must do the "small and simple things" and be consistent. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful that because of our Savior we can become something much greater than we could on our own. I know that Jesus is The Christ, that He is mindful of each of us, and He loves us personally more than we can comprehend.

The field is white already to harvest!

This is our Zone!!  From back left to right:

Elder's Austin, Christensen,  Cox, Miller, Hansen,

Zolman, Paugh, Walker, Peci. Front: Elder's Bauchman,

Chirstensen, Linford, and Sister Dean and Me!

A random stray shopping cart in the

middle of town! Ha Ha!

Sister Lyu,  Me and Sister Griffiths

Me waxing Sister Lyu's eyebrows

Sister Lyu and Me and Sister Griffiths

sleeping in the back.

Sunflower Fields

So Many Neat Things Happened This Week August 1, 2016

This week we have seen so many neat things happen, but the experience that I want to share is from Thursday. Brother Mike Hemingway, the Director over Missionary work from the Missionary Department in Salt Lake City came to our mission. We had an amazing meeting with him filled with the Spirit and there were so many things that I was able to learn but the one thing that stood out to me the most was this question... "Have you found everyone that Lord prepared for you to find today?" This really made me think. The Lord has set me apart as a missionary for 18 months to find, teach, and baptize His children within the Canada Calgary Mission. The thought came into my mind..."Am I really doing ALL that I can to invite others to come unto Christ?" I need to make each MOMENT count. Each lesson meaningful. I need to help EACH person I see feel the love that Heavenly Father has for them. NOW is the time for me to rely 100% on the Lord. NOW is the time to hold nothing back. I must make every "TODAY" meaningful by relying on the Lord and following the Spirit so that I can become who Heavenly Father needs me to be.

Each of us has been "called to serve". We just are all called to serve in different ways. Right now I have been given the amazing opportunity to serve as a Full Time Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and what an amazing call that is. But each of us have been called to earth to help the ones around us feel loved by the Savior. We each have been called to "mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort." We have all been called to "invite others to come unto Christ." We don't need to have a name tag or an "official title or calling" to reach out and serve our fellow Brothers and Sisters. Each of us can make "TODAY" meaningful by looking outward and serving those around us. This makes me think of the Hymn Have I Done Any Good? There is so much power to the words "Have I done any good in the world today? Have I helped anyone in need? Have I cheered up the sad and made someone feel glad?" Because of the things the Spirit taught me from Brother Hemingway's words I want to live my life with this motto. "Have I done any good in the world today, Have I helped anyone in need? I know that as each of us look outward for ways to help those around us we will be able to "find everyone the Lord has prepared us to find today". We can each make a difference in the lives of those around us by following the Spirit and doing our best to make each MOMENT of our lives count. 

I am so grateful for the things that the Spirit taught me during our meeting with Brother Hemingway. I know that now I am going to work even harder, testify even more, show more kindness, and strive to become someone that Heavenly Father can rely on to "help those in need". I am so grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the opportunity I have to grow because of the sacrifice He made for me. I hope that each of us can make each MOMENT of our lives count by looking outward and serving even more than we might already be doing. I know that "doing good is a pleasure, a joy beyond measure, A blessing of duty and love."

Me, Jessica & Sister Dean!

Me and Sister Dean on "Valerie's Bench"