March 10, 2014

Ollo!! Today is mission fun day! Lots of Zones are meeting down in Tucky for a day full of FUN!!! and there providing lunch so.... thats why im going ;) ha ha!! THANK YOU for the AWESOME package!!! We really like that fish theme huh? i hung all the fishies on my wall to remind me (and sis. murdoch how cool my family is;) It was the sweetest ever! Sister Cavanaugh is the BEST!!! It is soo cool that she knows Annie and Mom! The members here have really been family to me. We went to the Earls yesterday for dinner and she made as authentic mexican tacos!!! SO amazing!! had chorizo for the first time and its deelish! This week in Zone Mtg. the ZLs passed the word down from the ol Pres that we only have 1 hour on emails SO! this is my thinking. I will do my general email and then print off all the individual ones to physically write a letter back! cause i can write letter ALL day! ha ha! I loved doing that last week-- i printed off all the emails and highlights all the golden nuggets! I really love all your advice and thoughts!! Our mission conference call last monday was pretty EPIC!! President Porter has set the goal of having 65 baptisms in March. To be able to achieve that goal he asked us to have a mission fast on wednesday (which was pretty challenging) but i know it will further qualify the mission for God's grace! ALSO- he announced every zone will go to the Columbus Temple this month!!! isnt that amazing?? (I am borrowing a members temple clothes) He committed us to be exactly obedient and to be able to meet this awesome goal!! So.... I love my mission :) Sister Murdoch and I set very high goals for ourselves this week! I have awesome Zone leaders that called us on Friday and committed us to reach our goals (of which we were very much behind..) It was a turning point for sure- friday on was so SPIRITUAL! We hit 22 lesson this week- from our 13 lessons last week. I learned this week that ministering is much more important than Administering. As i forgot the "numbers" and strove to uplift everyone that came in my path- I saw God's hand in my week. There was a huge improvement in member trust!! Heres some of my highlights! --We were invited to teach in Sharing time yesterday- we knocked on the door like we were tracting and the kids got so excited! The bishopric member in charge said something to the kids that really hit me. He said "when the sisters walked through the door did you feel the spirit rush in with them??" That is like the DREAM for me. They felt the Holy Ghost just by having us in the room- I know that comes from being Exactly Obedient. to the little things!! I know thats true for everyone- as we do the little things (dressing more modestly, listening to uplifting music, keeping your house clean) we can have the Spirit be with us in abundance! those little sacrifices are what qualifies us for God's grace. Do you want to strengthen your testimony? Pray. Read the Book of Mormon. Keep the Commandments. It really is that easy- as we continually strive to be worthy of that precious Gift we recieved when we were only 8!! we will have peace and happiness!! just a thought. --OH! Rick is on date for baptism on the 22nd!! We are so stoked!! He is experiencing some cold feet but I know as we continue to follow the spirit we will guide him right to the Waters of Baptism!! --Sister Murdoch and I were contacting a potential the other day.... we knock on the apartment door and here a woman yell "Who is it?" "....the sister missionaries!" "We're not converting, Go away!!" ...."well does Brian Munson live here?" "If you do not leave we are calling the Police! (along with several other threats i tuned out." People are so nice. The ironic thing is in our prayer before going into the apartments- i specifically asked that the people would have soft hearts and be kind. Lets just say i dont ask for that anymore ;) haha!! ----One of my favorite experiences was with a man named Brad. He is on disability and has a very negative outlook on life. We chat with him on his porch on his smoke breaks, but he hasn't had any interest in taking the discussions. We usually just leave him with a prayer after our talks. one day walking up to his house- i knew i needed to give him a book of mormon. SO! I pull out the Book of Mormon and present it as the most precious gift and testify that it will change his life and alleviate the depression he was in. He took it and said he would read. I felt the spirit so strongly. I knew that if he would read and pray sincerely- He would see a difference in his life. He would know the book was true. A couple days later we checked back with him and my goodness. I could tell he was reading the BOOK!!!! His countenance had brightened, he wasn't as negative in our conversation and He said he would meet with us for a lesson!! I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. As we put forth the effort to open that book- act on our faith- the veil will be thinned and we will feel Jesus Christ love surround us. Well, I LOVE you family!! I pray for you, i send you light and love whenever i miss you :) Remember the little things this week :) Love, Sister Watts