There Is No Place Like Home

Greetings once again my family. 

This week was sure a week. We STRUGGLED!! Hardcore. But there is always a miracles after trial. I have seen that time and time again. There were a lot of distractions from the work-- meetings, weather, illness, lack of miles etc so with all that we were very behind on our goals. We climbed the ladder and made things happen yesterday ! Man. We saw a lot of grace.

We were in need of our whole week's worth of new friends to teach and almost half of our lessons on Sunday.... so we went hunting. Every person we saw we pulled over to talk to. We were guided to a neighborhood- contacted a former investigator- no dice. We met his neighbors-- looked like nothing was coming of it until the 3rd door! A Romanian woman, Ruth- absolutely gorgeous. Taught the Restoration and she asked US to come back! that doesnt happen very often! haha! She wants her sister to listen on the lessons too! The tender mercies didnt end- Sister Dunford walks up a random apartment building, walks to one door and we found a family!!! Oh my goodness. We talk about parenting and how we can keep our children safe from the violence and mayhem of the world. David was a single dad of a 11 and 9 year old. Many prayers are being said in that home Im sure... haha! They thanked us again and again for knocking on their door... now this does not happen in real life! haha! We walked out the door and found another person to teach across the street...  

I was so overwhelmed looking at how far we had to go- all we had to accomplish- SO the lesson learned= God is control. We can't do his work on our own. We just have to relinquish our will and never deny a generous thought. Pull over and talk to someone-- he may be a former investigator 27 years ago (that happened last night)! Heavenly Father puts people in our path to love and guide closer to him. We just need to trust him. 

Had amazing interviews with President and Sister Porter. How I have grown to love them. I am so blessed to receive counsel from such inspired people. 

Oh! We moved in to our own place on Wednesday!!!! Oh how glorious it was. I flipped off my shoes that night... and I didn't feel guilty or worry where they landed because it was our home! I will never take for granted having a little piece of heaven of my own. To talk as loud of I want and have hot water that doesn't stink like sulfur... yeah. I am very blessed. 

I look at my planner and all we did this week and I am amazed how perfect Heavenly Father's plan is. We see grace every single day. Even if its homemade apple pie at the end of the night. 

I love you family! There is purpose in it all!! Heavenly Father has your back as you just try to do your best!

Love,

Sister Watts

Service on the farm!

Matching T-shirts!

 This is a dead scorched frog that I am pointing too... and you can't see it:)

Good Bye Allison! She just left for Jamaica until July!

saying good Bye to Sister Beamer and Baker before the left...

Moving into our new apartment....in the rain..:)

 Totally soaking wet...

Lauren's pet pig, Pearl:)

Service on the farm:)

District Transfer:)

Mini Missions

HOLA!! 

Running a little short on time! Man, this week was so amazing too!! :)

We had 2 mini missionaries staying with us this week. They just graduated High School and Was set apart as a missionary for 1 week. Sister Beamer and Sister Baker. It revitalized me. It was a tender mercy from the Lord-- I have never been able to train a greenie. I have been praying these last transfers-- "is it time for me to train yet??" .."Please?" hahah!! I have been greenie's STL and thats fun for exchanges but never had the experience. BUT This week I was able to train 2 at one time. It was a little crazy when Sister Dunford went on exchanges and I had to do it on my own--- but I grew a lot that day. My testimony that God is in charge grew mucho. I just know Heavenly Father answers my prayers. Even the little pleadings of my heart :) and He has such great timing! haha! I was searching inside my little self for some kind of grit-- some steel and I was just treading water. But those girls helped me rediscover my love and zeal for this work! My favorite moments were when their faces lit up when they remembered something I trained them to do... Awww... tender. I loved it.

I will share this experience with you--

Sister Beamer and I were walking down the street. A very Hoosier street aka ghetto. We just finished speaking with an investigator and we still had quite the amount of time before needing to head back home. We saw a man and a young boy walking on the opposite side of the street so we walked to their side to "bump" into them.... The man, Wade, was tattooed to the brim... long unkempt hair sneeking out from a beenie on his head. A wifebeater tank top. Piercings everywhere possible. His son Kaden was the cutest thing ever- 8years old. Its a good age... We started talking to him-- awkward at first as always... "So... have you lived in Muncie long?....." hahah! but it deepened as we spoke of Christ- religion and He began to open up about the abuse in his past. That bedraggled man changed from a scary "whatcho kids!" kind of man to a scarred, weathered traveler-- just trying to do the best with what he has been dealt in life. When I asked to meet with him again with his wife- he invited us to come home with him to meet her right there!! WE walking into his trailer... very dim. soiled. packed full. His wife was dark- but! bit by bit the spirit rushed through and we learned these 2 people were prepared by God to recieve the gospel. Krissy, the wife, had a LDS landlady that was her protector and confidant during a very abusive marriage. She was taught a bit by her but never was able to go to church. There are just no coincidences. God has a perfect plan. An individual plan of salvation for each of us. He does call everyone to "come home". We had a return appointment but they had to cancel because they were in the hospital-- Krissy has a tumor. Very excited to see where it all goes. 

QUESTION. How do Mormon mom's keep there kids reverent during sacrament??? haha! (please email me and help us out :) Andrea comes every week with her 2 and 3 year old and man. Landon was going to each pew and taking the hymn books... and then walking back to a random pew behind us to stack them all up. He hit the whole left side!! haha! Bella runs around to one side of the chapel to another..... cheerios? we did that last week... they truned the bag upside down and they flew a couple of pews all around us... and man. NO MILK! Landon spit a mouth full on Sister Dunford last week. God is sure preparing me for motherhood... haha! Andrea just hasnt gone to church before and doesn't know what to do... and I cant lift or hold them.... so yeah. sugestions?? :) Oh good news! She is getting baptized the first week of July! She wants it. Willing to come church with those kiddos every week... sure seems she wants it ;) hahha!1

Love you!!!

Sister Watts

Snot, Donuts and Grace

Hey there my darling, wonderful, fantastic Family!!!

Happy Cuzin's Kamp week! Can't believe it's already been a year since last camp!! I pray you will feel my spirit (and the Holy Ghost...) this week with you at the cabin!!

SO I have some things I want to share!!!

1. I got sick last monday. I started the Saturday before just aches and such. On monday I went over to the Pratts to cut my hair off and the longer I sat on the chair- I was getting more dizzy and nauseous--- you know that empty airy pukey feeling you feel when you're about to pass out?? yeah. so finally I had to say "Hey Sister Pratt can I go lay down??" They put a blankey over me and let me be.... and then I started shaking really bad. I knew I was feverish but then I could stop... and it was going on for a long time... and I got scared and started crying (Me and my tears... geez! I was half way coherent so don't judge ;)). Sister Pratt and Dunford came into the room and started calling for Brother Chiara to come and give me a blessing.... the next thing I know I hear Brother Chiara ask for some Olive oil... him consecrating it for the blessing of the Sick and Afflicted. Pressure of his hand on my head. My body still shaking. The only words that my brain computed was "By your faith in Jesus Christ you will be healed." Long story short, my shaking dissipated within an hour and I was able to travel to Cincy for Mission Leadership Council that night. President asked me to sleep in... (no arguments there ;) and by the end of the day my only bother was a stuffy nose and cough. My rallying cry whenever my body was protesting throughout the day was "by your faith in Christ- YOU SHALL BE HEALED!!!" I KNOW the Priesthood of God has been restored again on the earth. I have been healed not only physically but emotionally and spiritually under its power. I am so grateful for the Pratts and Chiaras... Another lesson I learned was the power of womanhood. Sister Chiara sat by me and placed her hand on my back- thats all. rubbed my back a bit- but that simple action filled me with comfort. I can still feel it when I think of it. It just filled my SOUL!!! It is indescribable-- I know God loves me. He sends people in my path everyday to confirm it. 

2. Oh! another Tender mercy was on friday-- (up until this point in the week we had a full day down in Cincy for MLC tuesday, planning 2 zone meetings, facilitating 2 zone meetings and exchanges... no biggie) so needless to say we were a bit brainfried and behind on our weekly goals.... and we felt like we needed to go to Yorktown... nothing was turning. on our way back to the car to drive home we saw this old man. Ray Solace. He was on a rolly chair with a shovel trying to get up excess dirt and grass on his driveway- at 84 years old it was quite the task. WE asked to help and he let us!!!! It was the biggest gift from Heavenly Father. I just really needed to do some service. The minute you ask to serve someone- the spirit sinks into your heart and makes you feel AWESOME!! So we did the job quickly, in our dresses- love it! and asked to come back and teach him- he accepts. and asked if we could pray with him. He struggled to hear throughout this experience, so I am not quite sure he heard my words as I prayed but as we looked up and gestured our hand forth to shake his hand- there were tears in his eyes.Ray Solace was my grace for this week.

3. Speaking of Zone meetings-- as we were planning the meeting on Thursday for Muncie South zone- both Sister D and I were treading water- working hardcore to stay awake (still recovering form sickness) and we came straight from our other zone meeting that morning. So trying to plan another was reaching my limits haha!! BUT after I just sat there for a minute the story of the Donuts and the Atonement came into my mind. THATS IT!!! We needed to teach humility-- what would be better then having someone do 160 pushups so everyone can have a donuts!! It was a remarkable experience. We had quite the discussion to whom we needed to offer the opportunity to do these push ups... we chose Elder Bosworth. Still in training and I think he is a little shorter than I am at 5 2'. 

SO we offer each missionary a donut- and in order to recieve one E. Bosworth had to do 10 pushups. Guys... he did it. about half way through he began to tremble... each time he lowered his body he shook. he continued. he falls to his knees. again. again. again. Tears lined my eyes and he falls to his knees again. He is sweating, all red- the spirit filled the room. I couldn't help but think of Jesus Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane-- filled with pain. paying the price for each of us individually. Even when the missionary rejected the donut-- E. Bosworth pays for the unwanted donut. I know we can pass through this life with, or without Christ but HE has already paid the price for each pain, weakness, struggle-- It is up to us to make it mean something.

As E. Bosworth bore his testimony at the conclusion of the meeting he shared his experience. When he got the call from the Zone Leaders and was asked to do 160 pushups- he began praying. He prayed all day he could accomplish it-- "I can barely do 20 in the morning when I try..." Each time he was asked to do another 10 he thought of the Savior and his sacrifice. He was strengthened. He accomplished his task!! I SO BELIEVE IN GRACE!!!! We do all we can and we are strengthened through it all. I am so grateful for that experience. I know Christ suffered for each one of us so he can succor us in our afflictions.

4. Lastly- (Im about out of time so i will be brief) Our lesson with Patrick-- we've been teaching him for a whiile now-- not progressing.... choosing to sleep instead of coming to church- he works nights. SO we were super bold with him- taught him the book of mormon lesson. Randomly he tells us that the image of 2 pictures came to his mind. Pictures that hung on his mother's wall when he was a child. One was of Christ-- she always had a lamp underneath the painting to illuminate it all day and night. He said it was bizarre it popped into his head- hadnt thought of it in forever. We didnt get it either-- then we turned the page to start reading 1 nephi and there it is. The same picture of Christ that hung on his wall as a child was in his copy of the Book of Mormon. You should have seen his face. You should have felt the feeling in the room. God is so involved in our lives-- Patrick was prepared for over 40 years to be taught about the Book of Mormon. The spirit is real- he teaches us, and brings things to our remembrance. Patrick didnt come to church again- but I know without a doubt He will one day. and he will be baptized IF he chooses. He already testifies the Book of Mormon is true. God is good.

I love you family. Miracles are happening. God has prepared the elect and we are called to gather them. Please lift where you stand-- make a list of all those in your stewardship-- ponder and pray what their next step is to get closer to Christ- help them get there. God will guide. God will inspire you to know what to do. You have a specific and important part to play in his Hasten of the Work. The Gathering of Israel.

Love,

Sister Watts

Funcie Muncie!

Family!!!

This week was really fun!! 

1. We went apartment shopping with Elder and Sister Moring the Housing coordinator! I have determined that i love house shopping. I am quite picky as well i have found out! (Best price per sq/ft, updated appliances etc....) its fun. OH! and we found a place! Our move in day is June 15th and we love our place! SAFE! and has washer and dryer hook ups. yeah we are in  heaven! We are getting 2 mini missionaries from the Stake this Saturday... and the Muncie 1 sisters are as well. So we are trying to find a member home to crash in for next week. The sister one bedroom apartment isnt going to cut it for 8 sisters..... :) PRAY we can find a member that can house us ASAP! :)

2. I had a first time experience last night.... Sister Dunford asked me to turn the car around- we parked on Kettner. She has been prompted to visit this really old, creepy house for a long while but has put it off. But couldnt any longer... so we went to the house across the street- no one home. she was walking to the car door-- I asked "What are you doing?"  she answered "Its cold!" ... I felt we needed to go to the creepy house too (we didnt communicate we each recieved the prompting) . soooo we did. Imagine this- its misty, dark and cold- drive way overrun with weeds and greens, dilapidated orange pick up. a huge tree cut down still in the front lawn- trees shadowing the home and property. walking to the front door, sidewalk non existent. approach the door. rusted and covered with wasp nests.... piles of belongings on the porch. I knock- loud so i didnt have to again. walk off the porch to stand by Sister Dunford. She hears Presidents words in her head "if it doesnt look or, if it doesnt feel right- dont go." she starts backing away as I see a wrinkled, bearded man open the door. "Hello!! Whats your name?" "Steve." "Im Sister Watts!" "Sister?? are you mormons??" YES I AM!!!" (in my most sunshiniest voice possible.) (Sister Dunford starts backing away quickly as he comes out of the shadowed porch) I noticed the knife in his hand as he approaches me, His words: "Do you know that the bible says not to add or take away anything from it??? Thats what the Book of Mormon is! annnnd THATS DANGEROUS!!!" (time slows)  My mind is racing- "I am going to die. Sister D is getting away. good. Could his knife reach my body?" But what is interesting is that I was calm. tears did wet my eyes but I knew it was going to be alright. I always roleplayed this situation in my mind- if I stood awaiting death- how would I react? haha! Im a bit melodramatic... dont worry bout it ;) Sister Dunford told me afterwards she thought i was crazy! What arent you backing away??? haha!! I am slow and weak... maybe diplomacy would work.... ;) haahaha! But i did begin to back away slowly and lure him closer to the road so people could witness me getting stabbed.... haha! The moment I realized I wasnt in danger was when he said "Im a bit a hermit of late. been having some health problems." and one time as he was getting closer to me he prefaced it with "Im hard of hearing."  Anyways- the discussion turned out swell and he is a new investigator :) Sister D stood afar off but I was having a grand ol' time! Testifyin of the truth, of the Book of Mormon and that mormons believe in Grace too... haha! The whole conversation he talkin with his hands-- one with a little blade in it... Before I left I brought his attention to it-- told him next time he has visitors not to have a knife in his hands! haha! His face fell and he hurried to put it in his pocket "I was just whittlin!" haha!! He is such a good guy. #funciemuncie

3. Found another legit investigator this week-- a referral from the Richmond Elders. Tyler-- college Student (we are passing off the YSA elders) We had his first lesson in the back of a member truck.. that was a first for me ;) haha!! He is a super deep thinker-- he will be baptized for sure. He says he has awesome God thought when he was on Acid. haha! I mentioned I had never heard Acid giving people "God thoughts" the member and Tyler looked at me like I was crazy. I defended myself by saying "I'm from UTAH!" haha!!! Like him a good deal-- he takes notes at our lessons :) makes us feel profound or somethin ;)

So yeah-- thats all that comes to my mind!! OH! I did have a really cool spiritually experience! 

1. So Sister D and I have been acting like blood sisters and had some frustrations one day. Like all day. It was rough. We were both exhausted and overstressed. The work was like mud.  I learned something really important. As I was jumping into bed aka air mattress. Sister D was already falling asleep-- I felt the prompting "say companionship prayer." I didnt want to be annoying...... but the thought came again. So I asked. and we knelt. and I began to pray. First thanking God for his forgiveness. For Christ's sacrifice so that we may change. and then the thought We are grateful for our companionship. I start weeping. I realized how utterly alone I would be without Sister Dunford. Devoid of encouragement and such. We both knelt there in the dark crying. I finished. Pray has the power to change hearts. right then and there. I will never look over an opportunity to pray with my future spouse. It does something!! I recieved a blessing back in Kentucky that counseled me to say more companionship prayers-- that it would provide me with PROTECTION!! oh is that true. Please PRAY every single day with your companion!! 

I love you so much family. Just keep swimmin!! :) KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS!!!

Love,

Sister Watts

"Well we can sit and pout or we can try again!"

Words from my blessed companion. They have been my mantra for the last weeks! haha!! She keeps me on my toes! haha! 

They have been a blessing to me. I feel at times we as human beings like to wallow in that bad. In all that has happened TO us. Well... that doesn't do ya any good!!! 

I was reading Mormon this week... like my new favorite of all time now! and Mormon was lamenting how perverse and aweful people on the earth were and then he says this

""But behold, ye are gone, and my sorrows cannot bring your return." (Mormon 6:20)

I LOVE IT!! Whats done is done. Don't awefulize whats happen. We have to look forward. What is my next step to Christ?? Is it getting out of bed and picking up one thing off the floor? okay. good. thats one more thing than you did yesterday. Is it PRAYING for the DESIRE to want to quit drugs?? okay. good. do it. BIT by BIT we can change through the power of the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. We don't have to swallow the whole elephant at once. Just pray and ask for one thing you can do better today-- God will answer. EVERYDAY. That is how we apply the doctrine of Christ. 

We have been encountering many people this week that aren't in the mood to choose to improve themselves. Its quite sad to witness. BUT it has strengthened my faith in my Savior. in his love. in his desire to save us all. He is there. Always beckoning us home. I love him with all my heart.

I can testify that the Savior is more powerful than our current problems. He is more powerful than our weakness--- our fatigue. our apathy. We can change. He has changed me. and will continue to mold and cut me down so I can GROW! It is a beautiful, awe inspiring and painful process called life. I quite enjoy it.

OH!! We got grounded form our car for 5 days this week... cause we went over miles ALOT last month! ooops!! (MY FIRST TIME) so we rode bikes for the first time yesterday..my sittin bones are feelin it today!! Elder Boden-- my ZL let me borrow his bike.... its worth like $700 and its the BAYST!! Mounting a bike (that is a hair...or a mane too tall) in a skirt is quite the experience.. imagine that for a bit! and LAUGH!! haha!! It is a good work out though! My gratitude for cars has greatly increased. haha!!! thank your Father in Heaven for your cars my friends. Pray for my safety... my stops are a little strugglin... IT IS SCARY!! :)

I love you!!!!!

Sister Watts

Find The Good!

Hello!!!

Long time no see!! ha ha!! It was so wonderful seeing all your beautiful faces!!! It felt good to talk with you! 

This week was quite lovely!! Sunday was a pretty tough ending with 1/12 investigators coming to church but we saw a lot of grace and tender mercies throughout the week. 

One of such was with an older couple- the Swindells! The Bishop asked us to stop by and check on them. Due to health they are unable to come to church. It was the coolest experience. Highlight of the week. Their HOME!! my goodness. you would die! I felt like I was in a museum slash Gma Dixie's house slash Gpa's Hotel with a farm house twist! It was so cool! It was way over a hundred years old and has been passed down generation to generation. Brother Swindell (91) was actually born in the home- he gestured to the corner where the piano sat... ha ha! He served in the Navy during World War 2! He was baptized 10 years ago! So anyways- I could go on forever about them but we chatted for a good while and then i felt we needed to sing. Sister Swindell served in the primary most of her life and shared with us how much she missed those little ones. We sang I am a Child of God and Families can be Together Forever. Wow. They just sat and weeped. The spirit was so strong. I could feel how valiant they were- how close they were with Heavenly Father. When we closed with a prayer I was overwhelmed with Heavenly Father's love for them. Sister Dunford and I just cried. It was like being in the temple. It is beautiful how God teaches us through Enduring to the End. That term seems grim to me.. I like to say Endure to Become. God sure wants us to come back home to him- but he already had that in the Pre- Existance. He is much more desirous about our condition, not our presence in Heaven. Through the Doctrine of Christ we are transformed - we become as the Savior is, Perfect. It was a privilege to see that before my face with The Swindells.

We had a lovely Zone Conference on Wednesday! What I remember most about the whole say is the testimony meeting. An assistant opened up for testimonies- about 10 minutes was spent with missionaries bearing testimony and there were some gaps between.. there was a lag and then President  gets up and closes the Testimonies!!!! He said we are representatives of Jesus Christ- we must never hesitate to bear witness of our Savior. BOOM POW! I was so taken back. I was chastised to the core. I was waiting to feel the prompting to go share- Lesson Learned!!! :)

Sister Dunford and I trained on Thursday and Friday at Muncie North and Muncie South Zone Meetings. We trained on different things-- but by far the most powerful was the Four Phases of Missionary Work that President taught us at Leadership Council.

1. Greenie- Characterized= LOTS of grace. inexperienced. Greenie fire. homesick. overwhelmed. 

2. Competant- Starts relying on himself. Gets into the routine. 

3.Leadership- Changes patterns. makes things happen. no excuses. humble.

4.Power- a phase that is the most exciting and elusive. A phase we enter in and out of. Whenever we receive a prompting and act on it- we act with the Power of God. When we do things that are beyond our capabilities.

I looked at these wonderful Elders and Sisters and I felt so strongly that IF they learned this NOW. How to follow each prompting as it comes- even if it is awkward or they do not want to do it- they will know exactly what do when their child is straying/struggling. They will know what to do to strengthen their marriage. To magnify their calling. It was SO cool. I know it is true.

Oh!! I also had another huge lesson this week-- I tend to always look to the future. The next big event or experience. I loose power in today- and HAPPINESS!! SO. Heavenly Father told me to start writing in my Gratitude journal again. I have done that for a couple of days and I have a completely different outlook on my life and my area and myself. Gratitude it the greatest defense against- Trunkiness. Negativity and pretty much anything yucky. Find what is good. Then build on it!

I love you family!! i love serving the Lord. 

Love,

Sister Watts

This is the Muncie South Zone Training:) 

Sister Dunford, Sister Watts and Sister Krupa

Don't Settle!

Hey Friends!! 

What a glorious week we had. 

We began with a Zone Funday at the Animal House. (The Zone leaders live above a member's animal hospital... so cool!) We had a cook out and.... I caught my first fish!!!! There is a nice sized pond out back- It was kind of a traumatic experience for me! haha! The Elders wouldnt pull the hook out of the lil guy's mouth for me.... so i tugged and tugged and tried to get my little fishy free.. and it finally happened and I threw it back in and it was still breathing and everything... so thats good. It was pretty exhilarating though catching a REAL fish! 

We had the opportunity to have 3 exchanges this week... yeah! It was crazy! We tried something new with scheduling and we only had 3 hrs in between exchanges... not the smartest decision! haha!! Pushed me WAY outside of my comfort zone. Especially not knowing my area well at all... such a contrast to knowing every members schedule/every potential on every street and all their life stories.... haha! 

SO being way over my head = GRACE! and boy did Christ fill in the gaps. I had names come to my mind that I heard once or twice and we went and found new investigators or something AWESOME happened! 

One such time at the end of the day-- A less actives name came to my mind. I drove there and parked and my lovely I was exchanging with started balling... sweet sisters emotions. Missions pull at every molecule in your body-- stretches and it is just so good for ya. After a good bit of talking some things through I look up to see a woman walking towards us. It was getting dark- she had her head down.... i just felt the spirit push me outside the car. I knew she was praying. I knew she had the weight of the WHOLE world on her shoulders... we were able to talk with her for over 30 minutes. She expressed her challenges raising 5 children. Her desires to give them a foundation in Christ. She wasnt open to our message. BUT as were bore testimony she was amazed that 2 twenty year olds knew and loved Christ. and we were willing to sacrifice being out here. She has a daughter our age and she said there is just no comparison in development. We all knew it was God that put us together. We held hands on the side of the road and prayed ingratitude that God was aware of us. The spirit was so strong. I cannot explain it. God knows us personally and intimately. HE WILL guide us to where we need to be, if we but listen.

We had a miracle happen with a Young women named Andrea. She has 2 children- Landon (3) and Belladawn (2). We taught her the Restoration this week-- we began teaching about the Holy ghost. Christ's last discourse at the Last supper was teaching about the Spirit. One of the apostles ask- "How can we know the way?" They understood that Jesus would not be with them forever. So Christ prayed to His Father- and taught that He would send another Comforter. Another guide. How can we know the way??? I myself have asked this. It is only through the Holy Ghost that our path is lighted before us. (John 14:5, 16, and 26.) What is so beautiful is Andrea's repsonse. "I have asked that same question in prayer a couple days ago." That lesson was so spiritually charged. We learned she had just begun to pray a month ago, she wanted to gain a relationship with Christ once more. and He sends us. What a priviledge. Family, God is real. He hears our prayers. He wants to gather us as a Hen gathers her chicks. She felt the spirit as we testified of Joseph Smith, she came to church. She literally hased her kids around in the chapel. it was beautiful :) We had a little devotional before she left and she is now on date to be baptized on May 29th!!!! We have some hurdles to go over but I know all things are possible with Christ!!!

We had an awesome opportunity to stay the night at the Mission Home for Mission Leadership Conference on Friday. I now know why there are not queen sized beds in missionary housing... ha ha!! Grace!! It was a bit more difficult to drag my tabernacle out of that bed!!! haha!! and Sister Dunford and I BOTH had hot showers! That hasnt happen for 3 weeks! woot woot! Tender Mercies.  Leadership Council was revelatory as always. We discussed Social Media quite a deal. May I invite each of you- whenever you see missionaries to share an authentic moment with them on Social Media???? One post on facebook is more than a 2 weeks worth of contacts that we, as missionaries can make!!! 

We also read and discussed " Power in the Priesthood" by Boyd K. Packer. Wow did that blow my mind. Boy, do we live below our privileges as members of Christ's restored gospel. Read it!! President Porter asked his priesthood quorums to teach from that one talk for 12 weeks.... yeah. it has that much goodness packed into it.... READ IT!

Lastly, our church miracle!!! The mission had a HUGE push for church this week- we are been struggling. and May needs to be a big baptizing month... So we had 5 commited to church (andrea and patrick with his family) Patrick bailed... (sniff) and Andrea left right before Relief Society.... so Sister Dunford and I left to go get more investigators to go to the YSA ward that meets at 1pm. As a zone we were 2 away form our goal.. so out we go! We go back to Patricks... same lame excuse. We drive to Joes.... and Sister Dunford (filled with the spirit) says "hey!! (sorry we woke you up) we have an investigator that needs a ride to church! could you pick him up???" oh and church has already started soo... haha! He runs inside to change- (miracle! never has been to church and we've had only one lesson with him) and Sister D runs down to try to scrounge up an investigator willing to come! haha! No dice. BUT then his friend's name Leanna, came to our minds. We drive to her house. She is walking outside already dressed!!! They both followed us to church. Wow. yeah. that happened!! MIRACLE!!!! We just can't wuit until we see the miracle. Sister Dunford strengthens my faith so much. I just wanted to sit in Relief Society with an Oakcrest buddy that was visiting the ward... haha!! BUT what i learned is God's vision is much greater than our own. He can make much more of our lives if we hand over our will! :)

I love family! can't wait to see your beautiful faces next Sunday!!! :)

Love,

Sister Watts