New Companion

Hello :)                                                                                August 19, 2013

Transfers went well! My new companion's name is Sister Crandall and she's from Idaho! She reminds me so much of myself when I first got off that plane. She asks lots of the same questions I had and has a lot of the same concerns. She does all she can to be exactly obedient and has a real urgency to talk with everyone about the restored gospel! The fact that we are companions builds my testimony that President Scott is a man that makes decisions based on revelation. I love Sister Crandall so much already and know that this is going to be a transfer of miracles!

On Tuesday morning, transfer day, we went to the mission home for the trainers meeting and to meet our new companions. During our meeting, the new missionaries were downstairs receiving instruction about the mission, and we were upstairs having a discussion with the assistants about how we can be successful trainers. I'll be honest, I was terrified. We discussed some of our concerns as trainers, but that didn't bring peace to my heart. I just prayed throughout the whole meeting that I would be the trainer, example, and missionary that this new sister needed. I prayed for strength because I knew I would need strength beyond my own. I prayed for my new companion. I prayed for the assurance that I was ready to be a trainer. Once I met Sister Crandall, all of those prayers were answered. She knows her purpose as a missionary, and she's ready to work hard!

Yesterday the Relief Society lesson was on grace. It was a fantastic lesson! It reminded me of a talk that Brad Wilcox gave called "His Grace is Sufficient." If you haven't read that talk, GO READ IT! My favorite quote from it is, "The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can live after we die but that we can live more abundantly. The miracle of the Atonement is not just that we can be cleansed and consoled but that we can be transformed. Scriptures make it clear that no unclean thing can dwell with God, but no unchanged thing will even want to." That's why missions are hard. That's why life is hard. Because change is hard. But once we understand the Atonement, we will want to apply it and change our lives. We will want to become more Christlike and align our will with our Heavenly Father's.

I am so grateful for the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful that I've had this knowledge all my life. I am grateful to have a lifetime to show my Heavenly Father that gratitude. That is one of my favorite questions to ask people on the street. "What are you most grateful for?" Then I ask "How do you show that gratitude to God?" I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that He is our Redeemer and that only through the grace of His Atonement we can change to become who God needs us to become. I love the Book of Mormon. It's true. 

Have a fabulous week!

Love and Prayers, B

Miracles & Tree of Life

Hello:)                                                                                  August 26, 2013

It's the last week in August already?! Man that's crazy. I think time goes by faster when you're wearing a name tag...

                                                                                         

A lot of our investigators couldn't meet and everyone is getting ready to go back to school. Therefore, YSA people are really busy. But what else is new :) We did a lot of finding and met some really cool people this week! Rosalie was my favorite. (If I'm allowed to have favorites!) We had a dinner appointment at a member's home and she fed us a delicious meal! We went across the street to eat dessert with her non member neighbor, Rosalie. She is probably one of the most incredible people I've ever met. We ate mile high peanut butter pie and talked about faith in Jesus Christ. Her testimony of prayer was amazing! I read her my favorite verse in the Book of Mormon, Moroni 7:48 about praying with all the energy of heart. She LOVED it! Sister Crandall and I wrote our testimonies in the front of the Book of Mormon and gave it to her. She was really excited to read it! Before we left, she took our hands and prayed with and for us. The spirit was so incredibly strong! She prayed for our safety, our families, our health. It was one of those prayers where you know, that they know who they are talking with. After she prayed, she had our member friend say a prayer. She didn't let go of our hands when she finished her prayer. She looked at our friend, and said, "These girls have a special spirit with them. Just look at their eyes." She said another prayer for Sister Crandall specifically and then another for me. We all left feeling uplifted. It is experiences like this that show the goodness and love of God. In that moment, I knew one hundred percent that my Heavenly Father knows and loves me personally. He knows and loves Sister Crandall, Rosalie, and our member friend each individually. He is aware of heartaches, sorrows, joy, pain, doubts, fears. Everything. I am so grateful to have met Rosalie and to have been able to feel God's love in her home. I'm confident she will be taught and baptized. I just wish she was YSA so we could keep meeting with her!

We had another miracle yesterday. As we walked into sacrament meeting the first counselor in the Bishopric pulled us aside and pointed out a blonde girl sitting by herself on one side of the chapel. He said she was a nonmember and asked us to go talk with her. We went and sat down and began to talk with her. She said she wanted to learn more about the church. We asked her how she came in contact with the church and she said she was in a long distance relationship with a Mormon and wanted to know and experience what his beliefs were! We explained a little bit about our services and sat with her for sacrament meeting then got her phone number and set up an appointment for this week! She is so prepared to hear the gospel! She loved sacrament meeting and is really excited to meet with us this week. She even texted us and said how nice it was to meet us and said she was looking forward to learning more. Miracle. She is a miracle. And an answered prayer. There were also two other nonmembers that just showed up to church yesterday! I didn't meet them until Sunday school though. They are from Russia and seemed really intrigued and interested in our beliefs and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm really excited to meet with them too! God is preparing so many people to receive His Gospel. It's incredible.

I studied a lot about the tree of life this week. It is one of my favorite parts of the Book of Mormon! The Oct 2011 Ensign was a special edition all about the Book of Mormon, and I studied a talk by Elder Bednar that was in it. He talks about three kinds of people that are pressing forward in the dream. The first started on the path then got lost in the midst of darkness. When talking about this group of people it doesn't even mention the iron rod. The second group of people were pressing forward "clinging" to the rod of iron. They made it to the tree, partook of the fruit, but then were ashamed when they were mocked by the people in the great and spacious building. Elder Bednar said this about this group of people. "Clinging to the rod of iron suggests to me only occasional bursts of study or irregular dipping rather than consistent, ongoing immersion in the word of God." The third group of people made it to the tree by continuously holding fast to the rod of iron. Then when they made it to the tree, they fell down. I think it's interesting that it mentions that they fell down. I picture them falling to their knees in gratitude. Because they recognized the tree. They recognized the fruit. They knew the value of the tree because they paid the price to know it. They read and heeded the word of God. They knew the price could only be paid because Christ paid the price for their sins. And they recognized Him when they saw Him. I think we forget about the small and simple things sometimes because they are just that. Small and simple. But they are crucial, essential, and vital if we want to return to live with our Heavenly Father.

I know Christ lives. I know this Gospel is true. I am so grateful for the blessing it is to be able to share this message with everyone. I know Joseph Smith was called of God that through him the the Gospel, Church, and Authority of Jesus Christ are on the earth. I have a testimony of the power of the priesthood. Everything I hold dear in life, I have because the priesthood is on the earth. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I know He lives. That is why I am here.

Have a great week :)

Love and Prayers, B

Where you are supposed to be

Hello!                                                                                                          August 12, 2013

We got transfer calls last night... and the verdict is! I'm staying in Churchville YSA! YAY :) And I'll be training! Which means my companion will be coming straight from the MTC :) I'm super excited, but a little nervous at the same time. I have faith that the Lord will qualify me for this calling though. Sister Sorensen will be training again too! She's not going too far :) She'll be serving in Toronto, so hopefully I'll still get to see her sometimes. Transfers are tomorrow, so we will go to the mission home for a trainers meeting, we'll have a testimony meeting, and then President Scott will pair us up with our new companions!

I'll tell you about two highlight lessons of the week. The first was with an investigator named Caitlyn. We watched "Finding Faith in Christ" in the waiting room in the Toronto Temple. SO POWERFUL! I love the temple. I have a huge testimony of the spirit and power that resides at the temple. The second was with a girl named Claudia. She is a referral from a member in our ward. If you haven't been able to watch the work of salvation broadcast, go watch it! This is how missionary work is supposed to be. We taught Claudia the first lesson, the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The first part of the first lesson, the very first thing we teach every investigator, is that God is our loving Heavenly Father. I love that this is our first message to the world. The first thing our Father in Heaven wants us to teach. We asked the member how that knowledge has blessed her in her life, and she just started crying. Then I started tearing up. (shocker!) Then this member shared her testimony about the happiness and peace this gospel brings. It was seriously the most amazing lesson! Charity is a powerful thing. 

Another highlight of the week, I had a Grandma Robinson moment on Saturday :) Our district went contacting in downtown Brampton at a farmers market. There was a saxophone player sitting on the side of the street playing "Up the Lazy River." I just smiled :) His saxophone had an old, airy tone that sounded like Grandma's, and it just made my week!

Yesterday I was a little anxious and unsettled. I was nervous for transfer calls and the anticipation was nerve racking and I just wasn't at peace. Sister Sorensen had some dove chocolates, so she handed me one and guess what the wrapper said... "You are exactly where you are supposed to be." Coincidence? I think not :) I think we all need a little reminder and reassurance sometimes when we're doing what's right. Especially when what is right, is also hard. Because Satan also knows what is right. That is why he fights so hard against it. This is Christ's church and it is built upon His Gospel. It is true. It is right. And it is the only source to true joy and peace in this life and the next. I know it is true. Thank you for all the prayers and support. Have a great week!

Love and prayers, B

Prayer

Hello :)                                                        Tuesday August 6, 2013

I don't have a lot of time today, so I'm sorry this is short. It's been a good week though. This week is the last week of the transfer! I cant believe it. May, June, and July just flew by!

Miracle of the week: Lola and Amina :) A few weeks ago we met a girl named Valmy while contacting in downtown Brampton. We set up an appointment for last week, but when we went, she wasn't there. So we knocked a few doors on her street. We knocked into a YSA age girl named Lola who didn't have time then, but invited us back to teach her more another time. We went yesterday to teach her, but she was doing her cousin's hair in a weave. She invited us in anyway and we ended up teaching her and her cousin, Amina, about the Restoration of the gospel. It was a powerful lesson! It's so amazing to see how the Lord places people in our path that are prepared to accept His gospel.

I feel like my testimony of prayer has grown a lot this week. I've been trying really hard to make them more meaningful, and when I really put real effort into my prayers, I learn so much more! It truly is amazing. In the scriptures I have been noticing how often it talks about prayer and fasting. When we taught Curtis, a recent convert, a few weeks ago we were talking about fasting and prayer. We asked him what it means to fast, and he said, "To give something up." I love that definition. So now when I read about fasting and prayer, I think of daily repentance in personal prayer. I don't feel like I really understood repentance until I came on my mission. Repentance is giving something up. Sacrificing part of yourself for something more Christlike. 

One of the highlights of the week was when Kashra bore her testimony in sacrament meeting!! She talked about forgiveness and how it can free us. She testified of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon and told of her love for her Savior Jesus Christ. It made me so happy! I cried :) I have my mother's eyes.

Thank you for your prayers. I received a lot of strength from them this week. The Atonement is real. I know it. It applies to all of us. Jesus is the Christ. I am so grateful for this knowledge and the opportunity I have to share that knowledge with others. Have a great week!

Love and Prayers, B