Back in Liverpool!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well its been a good 5 days being back in Liverpool, Sister Sellers is a power house missionary. I think she is more training me then I am training her. The work here in Liverpool is slowly starting back up. We have someone on date her name is Michele she is a really sweet lady she is hopefully getting baptized on Dec 5th but we may end up moving it because she has some word of wisdom problems. But that's ok at least she has the desire to be baptized! 

So it has snowed one time and it didnt stick and it also melted because New York is crazy and we are in the middle of some random heat wave it has been in the high 60s for the last 5 to 6 days now. so yeah we may have a green Christmas is what the New Yorkers are saying but who knows the weather may randomly change again. Im pretty sure the weather here is like Bipolar or something. 

This week we have been doing lots of serves for a less active family the Bianco's they are moving and need lots of help getting things packed and the old house cleaned up. So me being me I jumped right in to help. I love serving others and this family has been through the ringer of trails and I really feel that helping them is something I can do. I cant fix the financial problems, or get her 18 year old son to move back, or end the curiosity battle between her and her ex husband. But I know how to serve and talk about the gospel at the same time so that is what we are doing. And its amazing how miracles can happen form just doing that. All I can say it is the best thing in the world doing serves as a missionary!

But any ways this weekend was stake conference! It was so much fun!!!! The stake president, President Stuezt talk was by far my favorite it talked about a parable that he called Milk Toast. He first explained what milk toast was, " its this nasty combination that my mother made when i was sick, it is toasted bread place in a bowel with milk poured over it, and if it was a good day sometimes my mom put cinnamon on top. If you thought you didnt feel good before all bets were off now, after you eat milk toast you for sure will be sick" He explained that we have some milk toast mormons, people you look good and sound good but over all are just nasty and really dont want to do the work of the Lord at all. #nomilktoastmormons He later said one of my favorite scriptures in Mosiah 26:18-20 its talks about talking upon the lords name. He then had the 8 sets of missonaries stand up and said, " these missionaries need us they dont want milk toast mormon they need people you truly have the desire to serve god and know they represent the savior every day as they have taken upon his name." " the missionaries cant do this work without us they need us to be ready at all times to serve our Father in Heaven and to help build is kingdom" the best part about his talk is he grabbed the potimum and said very boldly "DO THE WORK, WE DO NOT WANT LAZY MEMBERS OF THE LORDS CHURCH WE WANT PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO SHARE THE GOSPEL JUST LIKE THESE MISSIONARIES THAT GIVE UP SO MUCH TO SERVE THE LORD" I just want to say memebers are the key to missionary work, it is so important to be willing to help the missionaries at all times. We really cant do this work with out you. The work can bless you lives just as much as it can bless ours and the people we teach. 

You all are amazing and remember to help the missionaries we need you just as much as you need us. Thank you for all your love and support!

I loved Syracuse Stake Conference today!!!
The parable of the milk toast :)
‪#‎nomilktoastmormons‬
We should be BOLD and witness of truth and right!
We must stand up and not be passive.
Set aside our fears.
We need to bind ourselves with the temple, the missionary work and lifting our fellow saints.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and that he wants us to return and live with him. We has given us prophets to guide and direct our path. I know that he loves me and He will answer my prayers. 

Transfer #4 accomplished!!!!

Well its been a crazy week! It has been a mixture of slow and fast. I have had so much fun here in Utica but now I will be on my way back to Liverpool again to 2nd transfer train a visa waiter. So that is super exciting!!! Her name is Sister Sellers, she is waiting for her visa to go to Brazil. So while i train her i will get to learn Portuguese!!!! 

I cant believe that on Nov 13th i will be hitting my 6 month mark!!! Craziness!!!!!!!! It feels like just yesterday I was sitting on a plane for the first time heading to New York. 

Today was probably one of my favorite days!!! while we did our laundry at the mission home, I made cinnamon rolls for the APs, the Utica walk elders, my comps, the mission office senior couples and President and Sister Rogers. It was so much fun!!! It honestly brings me so much joy being able to put a smile on someones face through baked goods! I just love it!!!!! Being a missionary i dont get to bake as much as i would like but when i do, I have so much fun!!!! like seriously there really is nothing better then baking, it really like is my de-stresser. 

Anyways, i am sick and tired of pizza! That is all anyone feeds us in New York because apparently New York pizza is the famous and is the most amazing thing in the world and everytime i eat it all i can think is " this is bland my mom can make better pizza, why would anyone want to spend money on this it taste like cardboard" but oh well New Yorkers like it and I eat everything that is placed in front of me so i eat it anyways :)

So this week have been lots of fun! Minus Tuesday, It was super long and boring and i just wanted to poke my eyes out with a spoon. Anyways, we have been teaching a lot of people here in Utica. They have a Baptism on the 14th and just when i was transfered from Fonda I wont be able to be there for the Baptism. But thats ok, I know the baptism are good but bring people unto Christ is better and I love doing it.

On Sunday I spoke in Church, I just love speaking in church. It brings me so much joy being able to testify of the truthfulness of the restored gospel the the members of the church and help build of there testimonies. So I spoke about our Savior Jesus Christ, best topic ever!!! I first though I am a missionary this will be easy, but as i went though the week think about and praying about what to say it got harder and harder. At first i was like Ill just pull out my farewell talk i basically talked about our Savior Jesus Christ then. But that didnt feel right, I had to prepare a different talk because the Utica Ward has different needs. As I prepared I found a talk by Elder Melvin J. Ballard, and today i want to share with you my favorite part of it and I encourage you all to read it for yourself. it reads, " As I approached to be introduced, he arose and stepped towards me with extended arms, and He smiled as He softly spoke my name. If I shall live to be a million years old, I shall never forget that smile . He took me into His arms and kissed me, pressed me to His bosom, and blessed me, until the marrow of my bones seemed to melt! When He had finished , I fell at His feet, and, as I bathed them with my tears and kisses, I say the prints of the nails in the feet of the Redeemer of the world. The feeling the I had in the presence of Him who hath all things in His hands, to have His love, His affection, and His blessing was such that if I can receive that of which I had but a foretaste, I would give all that I am, all that I ever hope to be, to feel what I then felt! ... I see Jesus not now upon the cross. I do not see His brow pierced wiht thorns not His hands torn with the nails, but I see him smiling, with extended arms, saying to us all: Come unto me!"  https://www.lds.org/ensign/2014/12/i-know-that-he-lives?lang=eng

I love you all and I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve a mission for our Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Christ!

Well I got Emergency Transfered

So some sad stuff has happened sense Monday, my companion Sister Hess had to go home so on Wednesday I was moved to Utica to be with Sister Thao and Fredrickson. It is really sad to see your companion go home. I pray that all will be well for her and that she will stay on the right path.

Well other then that its been a pretty good week! I sense I am in Utica I see my mission president all the time. It helps alot to encourage me to be more obedient and to focus strictly on the Lords work. It is amazing!!! I love it because there really nothing better then serving our Heavenly Father with all your heart might mind and strength. There is alot of amazing people here that I have already come to love with all my heart. I just decided it is really hard to love new companions when you can tell they really dont want you here. Its a struggle teaching but the lessons are all super powerful and the spirit is still there really strongly. 

Transfers are coming up so I may be going back to Liverpool again, but I am not sure, from what President Rogers has told me is that i might be opening a new area which is crazy to think but that is what the Lord wants to I will do it with a willing heart. Being a missionary is crazy there are times you literally live out of your suit case like right now I am doing that. Its fun and annoying because when you live out of your suitcase you feel as it you are never home until you unpack them a little. But its ok, this is what the Lord wants so I will do it willingly. The last few days the song "I'll go where you want me to go" has been playing in the back of  my heard and its amazing how the Lord knows exactly what you need at what times. Because if it wasnt for that song i am sure i would be worst off then what i am now. Because there is really nothing worst then seeing your MTC companion and your mission companion go home early and not hit her 6 month mark even. All I can do is remember that this will bless her life and it will be for the best. 

The one thing that has helped alot is reading D&C section 4 that is my ponderize scripture till i have it memorized because as a mission we are now reciting it every time we get together at a zone meeting or a district meeting. Verse 1-3;5 are amazing it reads, " Now behold, a marvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men. Therefore, O ye that emabark int eh service of God, see that ye serve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand blameless before God at the last day. Therefore, if ye have a desire to serve God ye are called to the work; ... And Faith, hope, charity, and love, with a eye single to the glory of God qualify him for the work." that really is the best mission scripture ever, its really help you see the importants of your call as you serve you heavenly father.

well thank you for all your thoughts and prays I am very appreciative of them all :)

--

Love the Lord with all your Heart <3

-Sister Maraiha Loveland (Potato-Head)

Liverpool or how I have been calling it Livercool!

Well this week has been pretty fun that's really all i can remember.... for some reason when i have the most fun as a missionary my mind goes completely blank and i don't remember a thing when i get to Monday and write all my favorite humans. But this week I have been learning how to properly study the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Missionary life is pretty crazy, as a missionary you have a lot of ups and downs. But over all its all ups. This week I was fighting a pretty bad cold like i felt like death! On Saturday I felt like I wasn't going to be able to leave our apartment and do the Lord work. But I got on my knees and asked Heavenly Father for just a little help to make it to the church to help with the bishop store house delivery that comes there every other week. So after the pray sister Hess and I went on our way to the church. Once the truck got there I was filled with so much energy!!! I made it though the day, then it hit 9:30 and I was dead once again. Then Sunday came and I asked Heavenly Father to give me the energy i need to make it though church and the one lesson we had set and sure enough heavenly father pulled through and gave me the energy i needed to make it through the day. And now here we are on Monday and I feel so much better. I testify the Lord does here and answer all of our prayers and he will help us. It may not be instant like with me and my not so friendly cold but He will answer all of our prays.

So we had some pretty awesome miracles happen this week! We picked up this new investigator Daniel of as he as asked us to call him (Dan the Man) He has the best personality ever!!! Then 

we found a less active family that years ago said they didn't want to be contacted and all i can say is that was a lie!!!! they totally love the missionaries and want to come back to church so we are seeing them more and more and hopefully one day they will come back! Then are news investigator Michele she is a pretty crazy character she has met with missionaries be for and already knows alot about the gospel and really wants to join the church because she love the feeling that she gets when she comes. So i am excited about that. So that is what is new here in wonderful Liverpool or howWell this week has been pretty fun that's really all i can remember.... for some reason when i have the most fun as a missionary my mind goes completely blank and i don't remember a thing when i get to Monday and write all my favorite humans. But this week I have been learning how to properly study the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I know it is so important to be obedient to all that the Lord has asked of us!!!! I know that as we are obedient we are allowing the Lord to bless us.As 1 Nephi 3:7 says, "And it came to pass that I Nephi said unto my father; I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the things which he commandeth them."  I promise as a representative of our Savior Jesus Christ that as you are completely obedient to all of Gods commandment that you will be blessed that you will be able to see his hand in your life more fully. I know that as we are obedient we are allowing God to bless us more fully and to make it possible for us to return to his presents once again. 

Thank you so much for all your love and support it really means so much to me :) I love you and i am so grateful for the influences you have had in my life. If it wasn't for you all I probably would be here to day blessing the live of the people in New York.

#itsoctoberanditsalreadysnowed

Well here is the lovely weather report from Liverpool New York; Saturday and Sunday it snowed randomly through out the day and has been freaking colder then a house make out of Ice!!!! Like it has only been about 20 degrees everyday and we have already needed to break out the winter clothes! This is not normal for New York its usually still pretty warm around this time. So I am just a icicle that is praying i will service this winter.

On a much happier not!!! we picked up 3 new investigators that have a lot of potential. There names are Joanne, Gregg, and Travis. Joanne was a potential for years and is a little crazy  but you can totally tell she has such a strong desire to know the truthfulness of the Gospel. Gregg is Joanne's son and he sat in on a lesson with Joanne and just feel in love with the plan of salvation and has such a strong desire to learn more. He ask so many questions and is searching for so many different answers and i am so happy that i as a representative of Jesus Christ get to help him find these answers as i listen to the promptings of the spirit. Then there is Travis, Wow he is freaking bomb!!!! He has been looking into the church for years but hasnt been able to join quite yet because he is on prole for the next 2 years. He just moved into Liverpool. Sister Hallsted was teaching him in Oswego and already has met us and is just freaking awesome!!!!  So we are helping him mostly just get permission to come to church and helping him right a letter to the prophet baring his testimony about the gospel and how he knows this church is true. We are pray that is will help make it possible for him to come to church and possibly be baptized sooner.

I just want to share with you that I know that is church is true and I am so grateful for this opportunity to severe our Savior Jesus Christ getting to teach his gospel to all of Gods children. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now but here in New York finding the people that the Lord has prepared. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know the He did die for all of us and he did in fact make it possible for all of us to be forgiven for our sins. I know the Plan of Salvation is Gods Perfect plan for all of us and we are all possible to return to our Heavenly Father. I know that because God has this prefect plan the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ was able to happen and now we are able to have this wonderful gospel in our lives today. I know that Joseph Smith was called by God to be a prophet seer and revelation and I know that he did restore the fullness of the the everlasting gospel on this earth once again and we are able to have it in our lives now. I know that the Priesthood is the authority to work in Gods name and to preform many sacred ordnance of the Gospel. I know the Book of Mormon is true and is another testament of our savior Jesus Christ and testifies of all the teachings that he taught while he was on the earth. I know all theses things to be true and so much more! In the name of our beloved Savior Jesus Christ Amen.

Such a great week !!!!!!!!!!

Well this week was super fun and amazing!!! This area is finally coming alive and I absolutely love it!!! We picked up 7 new investigators and 5 of those 7 were from this awesome family! The Ashbys they have such great potential! You know the spirit was there when they are begging you to come back. All I could do was just laugh because there are miracles happening everywhere in our mission. 

So Friday was a pretty crazy day, like i felt like my head was going to explode form how strong the spirit was and with how much I learned. We had a huge mission conference where we had a General Authority speak with us on how we can improve on doing the Lords work. Elder Bennett was truly in aspiring. I learned so much and i am so grateful for all he said to us, because if it wasn't for him I don't thing we would have been able to do all the work we did with in the last few days.  He talked about how we need to be absolutely obedient to everything the White Hand book says. Our mission really struggles with that a lot. He also said that if we truly love the Lord and truly want to be here doing is work that we should literally work holes in our shoes almost every day..... haha I was laughing so hard because I have done that a time or to. Then he talked about Member missionary work and how to work with members properly and how we can leave them on a spiritual high when we have dinner with them. It was just a amazing mission conference!!!! 

So on another note President Rogers is making a lot of changes and the are all wonderful changes. I am so grateful for them because I am now able to stay fulling focused on the Lords work and nothing else.

As most of you may have seen on my Facebook (In my mission we are able to use Facebook) I posted a picture the says " Always remember you matter something to him" I truly love this quote form President Uchtdorf. It is so true everyday I see people that have no idea how much our savior loves them and they are always in denial that he could love them. I promise you all as you kneel in prayer every morning and every night that you will feel of that love and that you will know with a surety that you truly do mean something to our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I love you all and I am so grateful for all your love and support. I am especially grateful for all your prayers for all the missionaries around the world. You are all amazing!!!!

          

-- (second row from the bottom on the left 3 in)

Love the Lord with all your Heart <3

-Sister Maraiha Loveland (Potato-Head)

#tri-panionship

So Tuesday i got a phone call from my mission president, He called to let me know i was getting 2 sisters instead of 1. So now instead of just Sister Hess (MTC comp) I also have Sister Hallsted. 

It is so wonderful to working with 2 other sisters. Its like one giant sleep over!!! Sister Hallsted was suppose to be training but her trainy went home early (she didn't make it to New York) so we now have one of the most powerful missionaries i have ever met (except for my trainer). So right now we are covering 2 areas which means lots of road trips! we are covering Liverpool and Oswego! It is so much fun!

All I can say is Heavenly Father really knew what he was doing when he put together our companion ship!!!! I really needed both sister Hess and Sister Hallsted! Like this is probably going to be the highlight of my mission!!!!!!  I really do enjoy it!!! there is nothing better then having to people to talk to and to help you out day to day!

So there are miracles happening everywhere already!!! the work was slow before but it is picking up!!! We have started doing this crazy fun thing were we are going though our area book person by person seeing if they still exist and if they have any desire to start learning about the gospel again. Its going to be so much fun!!!!!! 

So as hopefully you all know this past weekend was General Conference!!! Wow i loved General Conference before but now i love it even more as a missionary!!!! One of my favorite talks was by Elder Richard J. Maynes about being centered with Christ. Sometimes its amazing how much Heavenly Father really does know what we need to hear. As you all know I love the Atonement it is such amazing gift to have in our lives and i really felt this quote not only talked about having Christ centered on out life but also talks about our though the Atonement we can become at one with our Savior. "If our lives are centered in Jesus Christ he can successfully mold us into who we need to be come" I really love that quote because it workings amazingly with a lot of the principle of the gospel. So over all remember as you focus on our Savior Jesus Christ and have him be the center of you life you will be able to receive more blessings then you can physically receive. I know it is through him we can be blessed and i know that we should not be like the practical son and expect all the blessings all at once the Lord prepares us for each individual blessing so we can appreciate it so much more then if we received it when we wanted it.