Last Week! Here We Go!!!!

Well first of New York is special because it Snowed once again!!!!!!! HAHA goodness I love the snow!!!! 

So this week has been basically the usually nothing freaking amazing happened other then we were blessed in being able to attend the Hartford, Connecticut temple dedication!!!! Oh what a blessing that was to be there. The spirit was so strong, I know that the Lord did indeed expect that wonderful temple as his house! During the dedication Elder Holland spoke he said, " Make yourself Holy for He is Holy and if we desire to be with Him we must be like Him."  I love that because it made me really think why we are asked to be worthy of attending the Temple, its not because we need to prove it to anyone but we need to be worthy because it is through our worthiness that we show our Father in Heaven that we are worthy of Him and His Son. For as we are in the temple we stand in their presents.

Also this week we had a wonderful ZTM (Zone Training Meeting) It really was awesome minus the fact I had my Farewell testimony. I really didn't want to bare my testimony but I am grateful I did. Sister Gneiting and I also did a training on teaching Repentance and helping those we teach understand what sinning is. It was great, it really as a learning experience. I learned that sinning is over all willingly going against Gods Commandments. And that it includes the Little and the Big things. So if we dont read our scriptures we need to repent because it is a commandment to read. I think I learned more then the missionaries we were training. Also during the meeting, I received the sweetest impression that the Lord is really please with me and the work I have done. It really brought a lot of peace to my mind.

After ZTM we had exchanges with the sisters from Glens Falls, we did a lot of finding and that is basically everything we did. I felt bad because all of our appointments fell through. So that was sad but it was still lots of fun. 

Then Lastly we went to a cute little bakery called Leah's Cakery! It was so cute!!! On of our Investigators took us and goodness I loved it!!! I got a cute little cupcake and man oh man it was so good!!!!! They had the cutest little phrase " Sugar, Flour, and Love its what makes magic happen"

This week I know I have talked about it before but I want to mention it one more time. So as I have been preparing myself to attend the temple on the 28th. I have decided to read Joseph Smith History once again. Oh how the church began really is the sweetest thing ever. As I was reading the spirit was so strong. I got to a part where the Prophet Joseph was telling of how much persecution he had to deal with right after her had this wonderful experience. Then Joseph said this, " However, it was nevertheless a fact that I had beheld a vision. I have thought since, that I felt much like Paul, when he made his defense before King Agrippa, and related the account of the vision he had when he saw a light, and heard a voice; but still there were but few who believed him; some said he was dishonest, others said he was mad; and he was ridiculed and reviled. But all this did not destroy the reality of his vision. He had seen a vision, he knew he had, and all the persecution under heaven could not make it otherwise; and though they should persecute him unto death, yet he knew, and would know to his latest breath, that he had both seen a light and heard a voice speaking unto him, and all the world could not make him think or believe otherwise. So it was with me. I had actually seen a light, and in the midst of that light I saw two Personages,and they did in reality speak to me; and though I was hated and persecuted for saying that I had seen a vision, yet it was true; and while they were persecuting me, reviling me, and speaking all manner of evil against me falsely for so saying, I was led to say in my heart: Why persecute me for telling the truth? I have actually seen a vision; and who am I that I can withstand God, or why does the world think to make me deny what I have actually seen? For I had seen a vision; I knew it, and I knew that God knew it, and I could not deny it, neither dared I do it; at least I knew that by so doing I would offend God, and come under condemnation." I love how he explains he could not deny it. I know that after serving the Lords mission I can not deny the miracles that I have seen and I can not deny the power of the Atonement and I can not deny that I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been fully restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I know the Priesthood is the power and authority to act in Gods name and I am so grateful for it and it being here on the earth today. I know the Plan of Salvation is in fact Gods plan of all of his children so then we can be with him again and be with our families forever and all eternity. I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve the Lords mission. I really could not change it for the world.

Thank you all for your love and support. This is my last email, after that I will be home with in 8 days. So if you would like to email me, my home email is maraihaloveland@gmail.com. You can also message me of Facebook as of the 27th. Have a wonderful week and my the Lord bless!

Peace after the Journey

 This week has been pretty busy, we had exchanges with the sisters from Manchester, VT and that was fun! At the start of this week, we did alot of cleaning up the Area Book and updating... ( it hadnt been updated in a while) After that we had some awesome lessons with some of our Investigators. Then later this week during the evening we were walking around the town and for some reason that day I was just so lucky at Talking to Homeless people. They were all sweet people, we gave them all a Book of Mormon, because it just so happened in every conversation they mentioned how they loved reading. One of them, his name is Uncle Kevin was so happy he got up and gave us a group hug and kiss both of us on the cheek.  HAHA!!! It was pretty much a adventure, after word we were both slightly freaking out because we are missionaries and now one is suppose to kiss us!!!!! So that was that :) 

While we were on exchange we were blessed and picked up 3 new Investigators and set 1 on date!!! All of them are really sold and they all have such a strong desire to come closer to Christ. It really is great to see the Lords tender mercies!!!!!

Also this week we got to make pizzas with our new converts and there family!!!! It was so much fun and then we had a awesome lesson on Enduring to the End!!! Goodness I just love doing Missionary work!!!!!

We had a wonderful Misison Conference as well! Elder Snow was the General Authority. He gave a wonderful training on acting on our Faith and working with members. He drew out a trangle and divided it into for groups and explained that in order to feel you have had a successful mission you need to do 4 things, 1: be Obedient 2: to put in all your Effort 3: to reach mission standard of Excellence and 4: to Act on our Faith every day. That really stood out to me because I am reaching the end of the Lords mission and as I see that I am able to have peace of knowing I have done all that the Lord has asked of me. 

So to explain the title to my email, " Peace after the Journey" in church this Sunday, we had a wonderful lesson in Relief Society. We talked a lot about " Ask and it shall be Given, Seek and ye shall Find, Knock and it shall be open." But one thing was mentioned that stood out to me it was that we need the faith to submit to Gods will. In order to receive answers to questions we need to trust God and his will for us."

Its almost done.......

Hello Everyone!!!!

So this week have been pretty fun! On Halloween we carved pumpkins so that was a blast!!!! After about 4 days they started to stink so we had to sadly through our pumpkin friends out. 

After all our fun on Halloween, the week was pretty chill, then we had a big meeting for all the missionary leadership. It was quite fun, we had a awesome trying on Repentance from President Rogers. I think it is so need how he explained that Repentance is not a bad thing, in fact it is a joyous thing because as one truly repents they draw closer to the Savior. Also President Rogers asked a wonderful question that got me really thinking about my purpose as a missionary for your Heavenly Father. " What does it mean to you to Find Constantly, Teach Repentance, and Baptize Converts while you are on the Lords mission?" After President said this question, I made it a goal to ponder about it this Sunday. As I pondered about it, one i realized that it helped make my Sabbath day special and two I now know that Find Constantly, Teach Repentance, and Baptized Converts while on the Lords mission means to me, pure Joy. I have come to realize that I have found true happiness as I have been in the serves of our Lord and Savior.

Also this week we had our first exchange, It gladly didn't end in disaster. I was so scared everything was going to fall through. It was fun! We met this sweet guy named Zack, we talked with him a while and gave him a book of Mormon. 

So we also taught Awesome Karen!!!! Goodness I love that Lady!!! So after 4 lessons she loves and understands the Plan of Salvation. So we are started teaching the Restoration, Karen has so many questions it is wonderful because she really wants to know the answers! Also this week we helped Karen rack her leafs and cook dinner. It really is so much fun seeing her.

The High light with week is we were bless to see 2 of Gods children enter the waters of baptism. On the 5th Gavin and Tristan were baptized and  it was great!!!! The spirit was so strong and there grandparents were able to be there and her Grandpa came up to Sister Gneiting and told us that he never thought this day would come but he is so grateful that is has happened. It is such a blessing to be able to serve the Lord!!!!

On Sunday, we had a lesson with a sweet little old less active, Sister Ritz. So we watched this awesome talk on the BYU channel. In that talk there was something I want to share with you all today. " Are you a Believer?" " If you aren't fully committed, you will become weak, and suffer from " stage fright"." I know that as we are true believer of Christ we will be able to see the Lords out poring blessings upon us!