The Atonement of Jesus Christ!!!

Hello everyone, I hope you have had a good week! This week has been a crazy week. I hope that the football season is going well! 

This week my personal study has been killer. I got a new journal this week and I wanted to start new and try to get all that I can out of it. 

We went over to the members house and were able to help the grandmas watch the kids while the parents were in Mexico. The kids were so insane and crazy it was a good thing that we went over to help around the house. I love little old latina ladies. They just have something about them and they love you but are so brutally honest, it is insane!

Then we had centro hispano. It was amazing, we had a lady come and it was her first time. It was so much FUN! I just connected to her right away and it was so much fun. I was able to teach her the first two lessons and the effort from her was amazing and I can't wait to get to know her more. 

We went up to the fancy Latinos house in the anthem and it was so much fun. The relief society and the elders quorum are husband and wife so we were able to have an amazing burrito lunch in a beautiful home and talk about the temple. I LOVE THE TEMPLE! I can't wait to go back, but talking about the church the spirit was so strong. It is the best feeling in the world and is testifying to us the truth of everything. It was so bluntly there. 

On our way there to Lopez's home we passed the Raiders practice field. It was so big and beautiful. To say the least I miss football but it was fun to be able to stop and see it! 

We had exchanges this week. My STLs are awesome, I love them and they are good missionaries. I can't wait to get to know them even better but it was a lot of fun getting to know each other a lot more. What we like and don't. Hobbies and things we do with our families. We had a lot of good lessons that day. They have this lady in their ward we went over and had a lesson with her. It was so cool to see the convincing power of the spirit and the motivation that it gives us and wants others to come to church. But at the end of the lesson she said that she wanted to go to church so she can feel that peace again in her life.

Everything good in life ended with a blizzard break! It felt good but was a lot of fun to get to know everyone! 

One thing that I have loved about being in this area is the relationship that I have been able to create with my comp, and our roommates are all so cute. But the fun long conversations that we have are amazing. You feel like a human for a second, it also gets our mind off things and is a good reminder of who we are. And the things we like to do. 

We did a fun role play at the District Council. We taught on the Apostasy but you could only say one sentence at a time. Switch with your companion and teach a kid. We couldn't stop laughing, it was so funny! It was hard but a fun way to try and teach a lesson.

We went over to less actives this week for dinner. Her Spanish was so hard to understand and I felt so stupid. But I mean I am blessed with the gift of tongues and I know it will all get better, one step at a time! 

We went and cleaned the church again, a lot of fun and I got to wear the cute tie dye shirt that my cute mom sent me! A lot of fun with the Hermanas. 

We went over to an inactive member, she’s had a hard life and needed someone just to talk to. It was good for us to be there to help her with what she needed and someone just to talk to. But the insane part about the whole thing was her little 7 year old boy was flirting with me. He wouldn't leave my side and wanted to talk to me. He wanted to get my number to call him, hehe. I don't know what it is but some of these Nevada boys! Haha

And the other thing is that in our apartment we have the worst cockroach problem. It is terrible! We are going to have someone come and fix it. But I went one night to fill up my water bottle and I turned on the light and all of a sudden there were 10 cockroaches on the wall. And it was the worst thing ever, all I wanted was water not to be scared by all of the cockroaches. After that we tried to kill them and it was the worst thing ever, well it didn't get any better, after we killed all the cockroaches in the kitchen I went to lean on my desk and I broke it. So we spent so much time trying to fix it. After laughing and crying we fixed it, at least the best that it was going to be. Oh what a night that was! 

We went to two parks this week on two different days and found 2 small families. It was cool to see that when we talk to everyone and do what we can God is going to bless us with people to talk to. 

Sunday we had to speak in church. So Saturday I spent all day writing it in English and then I translated it into Spanish. It was so hard but I think it was a really good talk. Well I woke up Sunday and timed myself and it was 15 minute. We got there and 2 sisters went before me and one Hermana took a long time. I get up there and put my stuff down and the first counselor tells me that I have 5 minutes. After reading a little bit, it was time, so I talked for a hot second and then bore my testimony. It was so cool to be able to see the gift of tongues work and God bless me because of my efforts. It felt so good and it sounded good.  

We then were able to teach primary, we taught them the second verse of " When I Am Baptized" and I loved it so much. We practiced and drew pictures, but then we played an activity. I loved to see all of the little kids having a good time. But I was able to look at the song and see what it actually is telling us. I love what words they used and how it is related to the Atonement and the Sacrament! It is my favorite baptism song. 

This week I want to share with you something that I put in my talk! I based it off of the talk by Elder Holland in the March 2001 Ensign "Missionary Work and the Atonement" you should all go and read it. It is so amazing and you would all get something out of it I promise you that! Let me know if you don't. Hehe

"Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font?

You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever

easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.

But I believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price.

I believe it is supposed to require some effort, something from the depths of our soul.

If He could come forward in the night, kneel down, fall on His face, bleed from every pore, and cry, “Abba, Father (Papa), if this cup can pass, let it pass,” then little wonder that salvation is not a whimsical or easy thing for us. If you wonder if there isn’t an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wasn’t an easier way.

The Atonement will carry the missionaries, perhaps even more importantly, than it will carry the investigators. When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son, of the Living God, knows all about your sorrows and afflictions. The only way to salvation is through Gethsemane and on to Calvary. The only way to eternity is through Him—the Way, the Truth, and the Life."

I love this talk so much it is one of my favorites. But knowing that we all have questions and not everything is going to go our way. But we aren't the first one to ask that. When Jesus Christ was in the garden of gethsemane he had the same question isn't there an easier way. And there was. God and Jesus Christ are going to help us with anything that we need. He is not going to watch from the sidelines and laugh, he is going to be in there playing the game with us. And at the end of the day we are going to win. 

He gives us things that are hard and that we can't handle so we will come to him and will ask for his help. Using the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our lives. But the kind of people that we become at the end of the day. Stronger and better, and knowing that we can help others is one of the most amazing things.

 

Remember that you aren't in this alone, that you have Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, your FAMILY, and people on the other side of the veil helping us and cheering us on. 

Salvation is not easy and if it was none of us would be here, but that is why we have been given this amazing plan: the Plan of Salvation, the Plan of Happiness and the Plan of Redemption. To help us make it back to our goal… Heaven. 

Why in the world would it be easy for us if it was never easy for Him (just think about that!).

I love my Savior so much, I love the thought that he is my brother, your brother! He is here to help us and protect us, like what an older brother does. I am so grateful for him and no words describe my thanks for Him. I can't wait till I get to heaven and I can fall at his feet crying, thanking him for all that He has done for me and given me. And that I get this for ETERNITY! I LOVE JESUS!!! 

Think about what he has done for you, and what your relationship with him is. 

I love you all so much and hope you have the most amazing week ever! 

Hello everyone, I hope that you are doing well! First week of school and bet you are all killing it. This was my first week in my new Spanish area, I am in Henderson, and I am with all of the rich Latinos in my area. If anyone knows Nevada I am in Anthem the bad and boushey. It makes it fun and interesting. 

First I am in the Spanish area called Desert Bloom 2 and my companion is Hermana Wright and she has been out for one transfer. I am second transfer training her and she is really cute. 

I went and said goodbye to all of my friends in my last area and it was so sad. There are going to be a lot of people that I am going to miss but am also going to be able to go back and visit. I was very blessed to be able to be in that area and meet the people that I did. I had a lot of good relationships and I was able to grow a lot. 

I am going to miss centro hispano but we do teach a small English class and then teach a few people in the week. I am excited to get to know all of them and help them grow their Spanish. 

We were surprised and got to go to the temple on Tuesday morning! It was fire, the most amazing thing ever. I miss the temple and when I get home I can’t wait

to go back every week! We were able to go with our zone and some other missionaries. I loved to be able to see some friends and then the best part was the spirit inside the temple. They are chosen blessed houses of God for a reason and I am going to make sure that I keep myself righteous and pure to enter into the temple any time of any day so I can prove to the Lord that I am one of his chosen servants so I will be "recommended to the Lord!" I love to see the temple, and I am blessed to be able to enter the temple. 

We had an amazing mission training about the Book of Mormon, about studying it and being receptive to the spirit. Our study should be the best part of our day and we should make the best of it. It helped me to get a new view of WHO I want to be but also WHAT I want to become. I

have come to love the Book of Mormon so much and happy news, I just finished it for the second time on my mission!!! 

Sports night was a lot of volleyball and we had 3 people come that are not in the ward. It was fun to be able to get to know some of the ward members. 

I am going to have a good district this transfer, first, District Council was a lot of fun. Being able to get to know some more new people and make myself stronger with good people around me is going to be a lot of fun. I am going to miss my old district but it is going to be exciting!!! 

We had dinner at all of these little latina ladies this week, they are all so cute. It is crazy that no matter where you

go there are people who have money and some that don't. But all of them are so kind and nice to us and give us all that they have. It makes my heart melt and I am so grateful. I pray every day that they are blessed with the things that they need. 

Saturday we went and cleen the church and it was so fun to meet some more people. It was a good way to do service and help them. And then we went over to our ward mission leader's house and helped pick weeds at his

house. It felt so GOOD to be outside and got one with the world! They got us this yummy thing called bowlology and it was so good, a fruity meal! 

He helped us with our car's tire pressure and it was fun. I know a little more than I think about cars and I know that my great grandpa Ed would be so proud of me. 

I met a lady that we are teaching named Claudia and she is so cute learning more and coming closer to God! I can wait to work with her. 

We went street contacting at one of the parks and we met 4 people and one of them was golden. We talked to him for 30 minutes and it was in the right place at the right time kind of a situation. It is really cool to be able to help him and we can't wait to see what the missionaries in his area can help him with! 

First Sunday in the area was a lot of fun. My head was hurting by the end of it but it was so much fun for it all to be in Spanish. There are so many amazing people in my Branch! It is going to be fun to get to know them. If any of you have learned a different language and have any advice I would really appreciate it! We had a good Sunday night but haha funny thing, we moved into another apartment. This was my 9th time moving and well to say the least I get faster and faster or it is just normal at this moment. 

Thank you everyone that emails me, I appreciate it. 

This week I would love to share with you, Moroni 10:32 

32 Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and

deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

I love this so much, I think that it is a good end to the Book of Mormon. Ending with the most important thing CHRIST!  Come unto him and repent, repentance is not a bad thing, it helps us become clean and more like our Savior Jesus Christ. That is how we become like him. Show him your willingness and your sacrifice (all that you have) and he is going to give you what you NEED! By His grace and through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we are made new, we know that someone loves us and because

of that we have our families forever and get ALL the blessings that he has in store for us! And the power of the priesthood, that is the power of God given to man on earth today to help us and guide us. I love the priesthood so so so and know that it is from God and given to us for a reason. We all have the power of God if we are WORTHY. Remember that the worth of souls is great in the sight of God and he is here to help us, we just need to come unto him, become like him and ONE way that we do that is by reading the Book of Mormon. 

I love you all and hope you have a good week! 

Spanish Area?!?!

Hello everyone, I hope that you are all having a good week! We got transfer news and I am going to my first Spanish area!!! I am going back to Henderson, and I am so excited. I am a little nervous, but I know that it is all going to be alright. I am sad to leave, it is a good area and there are a lot of good people. The members are amazing, and we are now teaching a lot of people. Gaylene will one day be baptized and she is making a lot of progress. I have been with her since the beginning so I am sad to say goodbye. And we set 2 more people on date, one was a Facebook find which was a miracle. He texted me and asked if I read the Book of Mormon, I said yes and asked if he would like to learn more. After our first video call he said that he would like to be a member, so we invited him to be baptized. It was so cool to be able to help him and get him closer to our savior. And Jimmy was the other person that we set on date. He was referred to us by the elders, he is golden. He is taking everything so well and loves it all so much. And is going to be baptized soon! I am so happy for him and hopefully I can come back and see him get baptized.

As a district this week we had a goal of finding 100 new people. And by Friday we found 101, and at the end of the week we found 128. And me and my companion found 28 people that week. It was such an amazing week full of miracles. There was one day we went street contacting for 2 hours, we did Facebook finding earlier that day and also more street contacting. So we had only found one person that day. We sat down and said a prayer for help, that Heavenly Father would help us. And in 30 minutes we found 5 people. It was so amazing, no matter what happens in life GOD WILL PROVIDE! It was so amazing and blessed to see how God helped provide for us all week. On Friday night we needed to find one more person, we prayed and all of the sudden I saw these two ladys and b-lined it for them, my comp. finally noticed and we talked to them. They were the people that we needed to find, God will help us whenever we need it! 

I love Centro Hispano and am going to miss all the people that I have gotten to know during this time. It has been a good learning experience for me! 

We were able to have a good lesson with Gaylene. It was so sad because when we walked in I could feel that this was my last lesson with her. We were able to help her resolve some questions that she has had. At the end the spirit was so strong, I was able to share my testimony with her and I told her never to give up, don't let her doubt take control, but to remember the spirit that she has felt and hold onto that. I love her so much I remember the first time that we went to her house to help her with her bike she looked at me and said you aren't going to convert me. I walked out of that lesson and remember saying to Sister Beaudette, Watch me! 

Knowing we would win we have the spirit on our side. And that is what we have done, she has changed so much and continues to. I can't wait for the day to see her baptized. 

This week we were on the phone with some of the Spanish elders about Centro Hispano, and all of the sudden we hear the elder on the phone say, "my companion just got peed on by a cat!" I couldn't stop laughing, it was one of the best parts of my day, how do you get peed on by a cat, well that Elder would know. 

We were driving home from the elders and all of the sudden we pulled out to go on Nellis and this lady fell out of her scooter and couldn't get up. It was the saddest thing. We hurried and backed the car up and ran out to help. She was so sweet and we were blessed to be there at that moment to help her. I am blessed to be able to have that experience. 

Other then that this week has been good and crazy, I would like to share with you all Ether 4:7

7 And in that day that they shall exercise faith in me, saith the Lord, even as the brother of Jared did, that they may become sanctified in me, then will I manifest unto them the things which the brother of Jared saw, even to the unfolding unto them all my revelations, saith Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of the heavens and of the earth, and all things that in them are. 

I love the story about the brother of Jared. The faith that this man had. He was willing to be humble and faithful and do anything for the Lord. To know how he could help the people. I love that God pushed him to go and find something that he had to make light out of. Sometimes in life God will put us in situations where we have to figure it out. It is not just handed to us. I think he looks at us and laughs a bit and says keep trying, but you got it. It is coming, just keep going a little more. And that is when we are ready to give up and give in.

Not wanting to try anymore, but he is there holding out hands and giving us the guidance and the love that we need. This scripture talks about faith, faith is so important all we need. Just to believe and have faith and when we do that everything is going to work out. He is going to give us the revelation that we are in need of and help us through our lives. I love my Father and older brother and all that they have done for me and continue to do for me. 

I hope that you all have an amazing week and continue to find the way God is blessing you in your life!