I know the Prophet is called of God!

So this week had been pretty fun, to start we stacked some hay for our investigator Keith and that was so much fun! On of the boys that were there helping wanted to have a stacking race with me. Haha! Bad idea for him, because this cute little farm girl missionary can out stack a 18 year old weight lifting kid. 100 bales of hay later and I was throwing and stacking faster then her was :) HAHA!!! I still got it! I am a hay stacking master! LOL

Also this week we went on our exchanges and that was fun! I was with Sister Tesch most the day, and it is always fun being able to work with a old companion. While we were on our Exchange we had to make a stop at the mission office and while we were there Elder Lee ( the guy in charge of all the cars) gave all of us our own New York State license plates to take home! It was awesome and make me so happy!!!!

Also this week on Friday we had a lesson with some Less Active members we have been asked to visit. We planned on talking about the Restoration. But as we started we focused alot on the Restored Priesthood. It was really great, because the member we had with us had just read a talked from last conference about the priesthood, It really is such a blessing to have the Power and Authority of God here on the earth again. 

So this General Conference was quite a adventure, Saturday we watched it at some members house, then on Sundaywe watched it at the Gangs (the family i am always talking about). It was so much fun, minus the fact the Pam the member we watched conference at on Saturday caught me falling asleep and stuck a tissue up my noise! Oh i was so mad at her lol but i love her anyways. 

During Conference for some reason this year the only person i wanted to listne to was our beloved prophet. On Sunday morning as I heard his sweet words it brought so much comfort to my soul. For the spirit as so strong and truly testified to me that He is called of God and his words are straight from our Heavenly Father. As President Monson said, "Focus on the Fathers plan and all will work out." 

3 Nephi 14:15-20, " Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, neither a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore, by their fruits ye shall know them."

"Man up and play the Tuba" -Keith Simpson

So this week has been pretty great! We had tracked and tracked and did a little more track-ting. Haha! We probably didn't do that much tracting but it sure felt like it. Our Zone had the goal of passing out 600 Books of Mormon in the Month of September. So each companionship in our zone need to pass out about 40 books. So Sister Rodriguez and I have been doing all we can to Fluid the Hamilton area with the Book of Mormon. So for it has been quite the adventure!

So as I mentioned last week our investigator Lacey is getting baptized on October 15th. I am so excited for her!!!! She is progressing so well and she is now turning to the Lord on her own for help when she needs it. It really is the sweetest thing to see how the Lord really touches the hearts of his children and how the Gospel can change lives forever.

Also pretty soon Sister Rodriguez and I will be getting to go to the temple with one of the recently returned less actives! So on October 8th, I will get to go to the temple a 2nd time before i go home. Oh how blessed i feel to be able to got to the Lords house while i am serving a full time mission.

So i am so excited for General Conference!!! I am so excited Sister Rodriguez and I have a count down. Only 6 more days till we get to hear the sweet words and council from our beloved Prophet. This last few days I have been reflecting on all the fun things my parents did for us kids when i came to General Conference. For one instants i remember my sweet parents sharing the story of King Benjamin addressing his people. I remember my dad explaining that King Benjamin's address was basically the first General Conference and that as the people turned there tents towards him their hearts were touched by the spirit. Then when Conference came my mom made us a tent so we can have our hearts touched by the spirit just like King Benjamin's peoples were. So many fun memories form my childhood. As Conference is approaching please remember the wise word in which King Benjamin spoke, " My Brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but taught you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view."

Lacey has a baptismal date for October 15th!

So this week has been pretty great! We have spent almost every-night at my favorite humans house, "the gang". It has been so amazing to see the Gospel catch on fire with in that wonderful families lives! A member of the family Lacey has a baptismal date for October 15th! I am so excited, Lacey is a wonderful sweet girl and I know that the Restored Gospel will bless her life so much and its amazing to know that she knows that as well. I am so excited!!!! I truly love seeing how powerful the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ can bless and change so many peoples lives!!!

 

Also this week we had a wonderful Zone conference on the Doctrine of Christ. President Rogers focused alot on Repentance and forgiveness. President Rogers taught that when you are truly repenting of your sins you are turning to God and turning away from sin. That when you sincerely Repent you know how it feels to go to Gethsemane and you know how the Savior felt for a few minutes as he suffered there for you. It was just so enlightening to here the wonderful words taught my our mission president. 

So I would like to share with you all some of the things that I have been studying this week. I love the Atonement of Jesus Christ and have been studying about it a lot lately. Oh how wonderful the Atonement is. There is a wonderful quote by Elder David A. Bednar, " There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in morality that the Savior did not experience first... He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power." 

I love the Restored Gospel so much and i know that all can and will be forgiven through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. "The Lord is my light; the Lord is my strength. I know in his might I'll conquer at length. My weakness in mercy he covers with pow'r, And, walking by faith, I am blest ev'ry hour.The Lord is my light, my all and in all. There is in his sight no darkness at all. He is my Redeemer, my Savior, and King. With Saints and with angels his praises I'll sing." 

Thank you so much for all your loving support!!! I hope and pray that all is well and that as you apply the Atonement into your lives daily you will come closer to your Savior and feel his love encircle about you. 

"Its Flower Scented!" (fluorescent)

Well this week has been super fun! We have gotten the blessed privileged of helping one of our investigators chop wood for the last 5 days! It has been so much fun!!! I love having Farmers as investigators! It really just makes my day when they call asking for help. HAHA granted Sister Rodriguez has no idea whats going on, but she is willing to help and we have the best time ever!!!

I am now starting transfer 12 out of 13. Time is just flying bye!!!! Every day I pray that it will slow down but sadly it doesn't! But I am doing the Lords work so time does not matter. This week has been pretty crazy but still lots of fun! We had alot of wonderful lessons with our investigators about the Atonement! All i can say is I love the Atonement and the amazing power it has! 

Over the time I have been able to serve the Lord here in New York i have come to truly understand, how the Atonement is something every human uses everyday weather they know it or not. And for some they use it more then others. I often think of the Atonement as a life guard. A life guard is always there ready to help, and when we need help he jumps right in and keeps us safe and above water. The Atonement of Jesus Christ does the same thing for all of us. But its is our responsibility as humans to let it keep us about water and not to turn our backs on God.

Also this week we got to do some fun crafts!!! Because we are teaching so many little kids, every Saturday now we have a craft day. We teach short lesson and as a reward for being so good during our lessons for the week we do something fun. This week we made a prayer poster! and each kid made there own prayer foot print to remind them to pray and how to pray. It was so much fun! We also made scripture cases with the some other kids we have been seeing and taught them about the importance of keeping our scriptures safe and taking care of them. 

It is so much fun being a missionary!!! I cant believe it has gone by so fast! “I have often said one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. There will be no homesickness, no worrying about families, for all time and talents and interests are centered on the work of the ministry. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work.”

thank you for all your love and support!!

4 Transfers in 1 area!

Well this week, seemed short and long! We have been able to still see so many miracles!!!! I just love it!

So on important news, I am staying in Hamilton for a 4th transfer so I will most likely leave my last transfer. But who knows the Lord may have mercy on me and let me finish my mission here.

So its been a while sense I told you guys some fun stories and boy oh boy I have quite a few!!!

Alright we have been doing a ton of Finding, mostly knocking on peoples doors. So on Tuesday we were knocking doors on a road called Johnny Cake Hill, and we knocked on this cute old ladies door. In my mind I thought she would be nice but no. She looked at me straight in the eyes and said, " you are a cult" So we just left and I busted up laughing because after 15 months that was the first time any one has ever told me I was apart of a cult. Then the next experience I thought was pretty legit! We were of coarse knocking on doors again but this time another little old lady answered and was nice for the most part but told me our Jesus wasn't the right Jesus. I thought to myself. "well wait there is only 1 Jesus so how are we wrong." Then I bore sold testimony to her and told her she should check her resource because I knew that Jesus Christ I my lord and savior and if that was wrong, well I was living one happy lie. So that was all super fun!!!

We are now teaching a whole family!!! There are 8 people! We first started teaching the kids (there are 6 of them) because the mom told us that was ok. But then on Sunday, we got the best text message for the kids mom. She asked if her and her husband could get one of the books (the book of moron) from us because she to would like to read it. So we went over and have them 2 copies with our testimonies. We had a wonderful lesson and today they asked us if we could come over and have a lesson with the whole family. So tonight we are going over and doing a family home evening lesson on the Restoration! It will be lots of fun!!!! I have never seen so many people that are prepared for the message of the Restored Gospel it is just amazing!!!

Also today we got to go on a amazing hike in the mountains here in New York!!! It was so much fun!!! We hiked up Bold Mountain in the Adirondack. It was so much fun!!! The view was amazing and I felt like I was back at home! We got to climb into a old fire look out station and that was just wonderful!

I have 12 weeks left and it is crazy thing to think that time has gone by so fast! But I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity to serve our Lord and Savior! I have found a scripture just recently that I love so very much!!! D&C 50:13-16 " wherefore, I the Lord ask you this question- unto what were ye ordained? To preach my gospel by the Spirit, even the Comforter which was sent forth to teach the truth. And then received ye spirit, which ye could not understand, and received them to be of God; and in this are ye justified? Behold ye shall answer this question yourselves; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto you; he that is weak among you hereafter shall be made strong." I know that through doing the Lords work I will be made strong and those in whom I am blessed to teach will be made stronger!

Thank you for all your loving support!!!

This is the Lords work!!!!

All I can say is that this is truly the Lords work, and I am just merely a instrument that He uses. This week the Lord has seriously Humbled me so much, to truly understand that this time in my life will play a bigger role in my life then I can ever truly understand.

To start this week off, it was a slow start. But We knew that as we continued to be diligent and obedient to all the Lord as asked of us that we would find those that he has been preparing. So on Thursday we were doing the super long weekly planning. In the middle of our planning we got a phone call from a unknown number. When i answered it, this guy was on the other side. He told us how he will be moving into Hamilton in 2 weeks and he has lots of Questions and His baptist Church in Washington State isn't giving him the answers he is looking for. So when he comes into the area he would like to meet with us and start coming to our church! WOW!!!! I never had anything like this happen to me but I am so grateful for ever blessing the Lord has given us as we serve Him.

Then the second miracle,So we have this awesome family that I just love.We call them the Gang on the Hill. Some of the family members of the Gang are members of the church. Then some are investigators. Then the rest of the family is cool with us but also what nothing to do with us at the same time. So we had a lesson at the Gangs and we were reading a chapter from the Book of Mormon. The spirit was super strong and it was like we were in a little spiritual bubble. Then after our lesson one of the family members "that is cool with us but whats nothing to do with us" came up to us and told us that she would like us to start coming over to meet with her kids she feels it will be good for them and her family. I know the Lord softened her heart so much because never did i ever think i would see the day that She would ever have us come to her house to teach her kids.

The the final miracle of them all. Sunday we got a referral from the Rome, NY elders, for this guy named Jessie. During dinner we gave him a call, he asked us if we could come over that night. He explained on the phone that he really wanted to change his life and from briefly talking to the Elders in Rome he feels that the message we share could help. So we set a appointment for 6:30 and called a member to come join us. I have never met anyone so sincere on wanting to change. Jessie told us his life story and told us what trails he is facing right now. Sister Rodriquez and I testified to him that through Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ he will be able to feel Gods love and know that thorough the Atonement of Jesus Christ he can over come all trials and guilt.  It was so amazing!!! 

I know that the Lord is blessing Sister Rodriquez and I for all our efforts to do His wonderful work. We can not do this work with out Him for if we tried it would be impossible. I know that this is the Lords mission and I feel so blessed in being able to be here in New York preparing the way for the Lord and bring Gods Children here in New York unto Christ. I have learned that not a day while on the Lords errand should ever be taken for granted for this is the Lords time in which I am using and I know that this time is so precious.

Thank you all for all your loving support!!! My the Lord bless you in all you do through out this wonderful life!

So It is crazy to think but I have exactly 100 days till I go home!!!!

​

Well this week has been so much fun!!! Sister Rodriguez and I have been working ourselves to death!!! I never thought I would be this tired ever in my mission. But oh  my goodness!!!! i can not wait to go to bed every night!!! That 8 hours of  sleep is like gold to me!

So It is crazy to think but I have exactly 100 days till i go home!!!! This morning I was bored so I counted and well I am slightly freaking out!!!!! I feel like i am not suppose to ever go home but I know that this time I have been blessed to be on a mission for the Lord has and will always be so near and dear to my heart for I know that it has been through my mission that I have become a true disciple of Jesus Christ.

This week we had quite a few very spirit filled lessons and they were so wonderful! We had a lesson with one of our investigators Michael and well sadly we are giving him a break but all at the same time we know that it will be a good thing. On Saturday we stopped by to give him some root-beer to replace his actual beer. We taught him the 10 commandments and the important of keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. Then we talked about his desire to be baptized and well it turned into us telling him that if he is going to take living the commandments as a temporary thing we are wasting the Lords time teaching him. ( I know that sounds harsh but it is true) Sister Rodriguez and I bore our testimonies of how we did not leave our families for 18 months to teach something that was just to be lived when we feel that it is a good time for us, and how we knew that the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ is a life changing Gospel if you live all that he has asked of us with exactness. After we were done baring our testimonies we told Michael that this is now his time to act, and to sincerely pray and ask God if this is what he is suppose to do. And now here we are, waiting to see what his answer will be.

So that is one of our intense lessons, another happened while we were tracting and well the Lord is blessing us so much for our desire to be obedient and to find those he has prepared! Because on Wednesday we were knocking on doors and nothing was coming from it and then a Lady came running out of her house and told us to come in and asked what we were going to share with her today! Her name is Rita by the way. We sat down at her table and started talking about her faith and what we do as missionaries. Rita expressed how she has been struggling with her faith for about a year and if we could help she would be forever grateful. So we left her with a word of pray, a book of Mormon and a return appointment. When we meet with her tomorrow we will be going over the Plan of Salvation and a little bit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Oh how I love being a missionary for our Lord, Jesus Christ!

I want to share with you all my testimony that, I know that this Gospel is true and is the Same gospel that Jesus Christ taught while he was on the earth. I know that is was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith on to the Earth again, and I know that this is the last and final Dispensation and that the Lord our Savior will come again. I know that Thomas S Monson is the prophet today and that he was called by God to be our Prophet, Seer, and Revelator in these Latter Days. I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is Another testament of Jesus Christ and that it was in fact translated by the Gift and Power of God. I know the Priesthood has been restored and that it is the power of God and that through the Priesthood we can receive all the saving ordinances that will bring us Exaltation. I know the Atonement of Jesus Christ is sufficient for all of Gods Children and that through the Atonement we can know that all our trails and hard times will come to a end because we know our Savior felt those same pains as us. And most of all I know that repentance is real and is a wonderful thing to have. I know that we can be forgiven for all our sins and we turn to the Lord in humility. I know that this Gospel is a life time Gospel and we cant pick and choose when we want to live the commandment that God has given us. And finally I know that being a missionary at this time is a once in a life time opportunity and that you much be of the up most worthiness to teach and preach the gospel. I know that I have been called of God to share this Gospel and I will not let one soul pass me by with out knowing how it can and will bless and change there lives.

Thank you all for all your loving support and i will see you in 100 days! My the Lord bless you and my you see that you to can and will be a desicple of Jesus Christ as you do as Nephi directs in 1 Nephi 3:7 " Ant 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 away for them that hey may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them."

Love you all!!!!!