I love missionary work so so much !

Large Plates 

One of the best weeks of my entire mission. Fun lessons (one with Sister Ashcraft!) And conference!

This week was such a blur, but in the best way. We have some really incredible people we're teaching right now and they have so much potential. We had a lesson this week with a cute lady named Rocio! It was our second lesson with her and it went so so well! This lesson was her second one with us. In her first lesson, we invited her to read the Book of Mormon and she said she might but she's certain her church is the true church so she didn't want us thinking she had any interest in changing that. But then in this lesson we asked her if she had read anything and she had read through the introduction and the testimonies of the witnesses! And she said she loves what she's read so far. She had a bunch of questions for us, but in a really good way. She was so grateful we were willing to answer them to the best of our abilities. She also has so so many doubts about her religion. She's only part of that religion because she was born into it, which of course I can understand, but she isn't very sure or comfortable with certain parts of it. So! Lesson learned: always give people the opportunity to read the Book of Mormon, even if they seem hesitant. The Book of Mormon, coupled with the Spirit, is the #1 tool in conversion.

 

Later that day, we had another lesson with Rocio! Except this was a different Rocio haha. Although they do live in the same apartment building, so that's funny (and confusing). She also didn't seem super promising when we knocked on her door the first time, but this follow up lesson was so good! She had gone to church a few times and met with the missionaries back in her country so she already had some understanding of the restoration! Her daughter was there with us and was super attentive to the lesson too. And! The two Rocios know each other! They want to have a lesson together haha. That could be fun!

We had a couple more lessons with Pamela and her family this week, one of which was with Sister Ashcraft! Ever since her and President got here almost 3 years ago she's been practicing her Spanish, and in the last few months she's been offering to be in lessons in Spanish with whichever missionaries will have her there. For some crazy reason, no one has taken her up on that offer. So we were with her for her first Spanish lesson as President's wife! It was such a good lesson. It was so fun for me because it was like I was training two people. I would just direct a question to either Hermana Jackson or Sister Ashcraft and give them a chance to practice their Spanish at different points throughout the lesson. I love teaching. It was so fun to see both of them share their thoughts with the capabilities each of them have. I felt like a proud mom. It was also really good to be able to spend a bit of time with Sister Ashcraft and help her get to know who I am, so she can have more of an impression of me than just what she's heard from other people or the 2 minute conversations we have every once in a blue moon at zone conference. 

We also had a lesson with a lady we've been teaching named Ana. She also has been a little bit timid about learning too much about the church, but we had a really good lesson with her and opened her eyes. In her church they teach that Adam and Eve sinned and now we all have to suffer for their mistakes. Which is not entirely inaccurate but it isn't painting the right picture of the story. We only have the chance to live and grow and progress because of the Fall. And the Fall made necessary the Atonement of Jesus Christ. The Fall was in God's plan. The Fall was God's plan. She was really grateful to us for expanding her outlook on life and she is very eager to learn more from us! 

Also, that night I had dinner with my mom & dad! They were in town for a cruise so we spent a little bit of time together (with permission from President, of course)! It was great and I love my parents so much! That's all I have to say about it though because I pretty much write these emails for them and they were there, so they already know what it was like haha. Sorry again about the Mariachi band. Florida will do what Florida does.

We also had Conference this weekend! I loved it so so much. More on that in the small plates;)

Small Plates 

I love missionary work so so much 

I don't know if it's just me, but I felt like this Conference was so missionary-focused. Right from the start, our prophet, in his short message, urged us to share with the world the hope we have found. Then M. Russel Ballard gave a talk in which he did not beat around the bush at all. The Lord wants His youth to serve or to prepare to serve. This theme was prevalent throughout the conference. So was this scripture:

"And now behold, I say unto you, my brethren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?"

Have you felt God's love?

Have you seen blessings in your life?

Have you seen a change in yourself?

Can you feel so now?

If you haven't felt these feelings, now is the time to find them. Find the Spirit in the scriptures, in prayer, in service, in Church, in gratitude. In missionary work. 

And if you have felt these feelings, do something. Do something to help those who are lost to be found. There is hope. There is light. There is peace. They come through learning about and applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. 

For a lot of people, that something is a full-time mission. Youth who may be reading this: prepare now to serve. There is no better use of your time. Nor is there a better cause on this earth today. Seniors who may be reading this: consider the option of serving a mission too. Senior missionaries are vital in this Work. We love you and we need you here with us. 

I know this is a lot of pressure, and a lot to ask of you. But I want you to know that I have never in my entire life been happier than I am right now. And I am a happy person. I've had it good. I have the best family ever, and the best friends, I had a fun job and good opportunities at school. But missionary work is better. So much better. 

Now, I should make it clear that this isn't easy. Some days are better than others. Some days are totally draining and I barely have the energy to brush my teeth before bed. Other days, it feels like a vacation of sorts. But even with the lowest of lows that I have experienced out here, I wouldn't change it for anything. Ever since being set apart as a missionary, my capacity to love has immensely increased. I would consider it a spiritual gift. I see or think about someone I care about and it feels like my heart might just burst with joy. It's the best. 

I felt this fullness of love yesterday, just about as strong as I've ever felt it. Between conference sessions, a handful of us missionaries decided to go on a knocking blitz. Essentially we all just knocked through the same part of the apartment complex. It was so incredible. I could hear knocks from different parts of the building as my best friends went about the work. We knocked on a door and stood waiting and I could hear Sister Jordan and Sister Carter downstairs say "Hi! How are you?" And start getting to know their new friend. At the same time, I could hear Elder Jensen and Elder Mortensen greet someone in Spanish. 

I was just filled with the Spirit. Filled with love. These missionaries are some of my best friends in the whole world. And I get to work side by side with them every day in this marvelous work. I can't begin to articulate how I feel. Every time I see one of the missionary cars parked somewhere I'm going, my heart just fills with excitement. I get to see my best friends! 

We had finished knocking one of the floors in the building so we started walking down again, and we saw the Elders talking to someone at their door. We just stopped where we were to watch in admiration. It was so incredible to watch missionary work from the outside perspective. 

I feel like I'm just rambling on and I genuinely have no clue how to put into words how I feel. This verse in Alma comes to mind:

"Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

I can't explain it. 

But I want it for you. I want you to feel it too. That's why I'm inviting you to serve. 

Your service isn't going to benefit me. This isn't about me. This is because I have felt to sing the song of redeeming love. And I do feel so now. And I want you to feel it too. 

I love missionary work with my entire heart. I love the missionaries I serve around with my entire heart. I love the people of Orlando with my entire heart. 

I know our Prophet and his Apostles are men of God. And that their counsel is relevant and important to each one of us. And their counsel is to give up your life to find it. To take up your cross. To lean not to thine own understanding. To go forth and change. To submit your will to His. 

That's my counsel for you as well. I promise the blessings you will receive from participating in missionary work in the way the Lord wants you to will fill your heart to overflowing. There's no better joy in the world today than that joy found through missionary work.