ELDER GONG👩‍🏫🤗

Hey!!!

Transfers happened this week and my new companion is Sister Campbell!! She's kinda like my "granddaughter" because I trained her trainer lol. She's cute and I'm excited for this last transfer!! I can't believe I have 5 weeks left... actually insane but we're still working hard here in Missouri😤 

Highlight of the week was for sure meeting Elder Gong of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles!! I can't even write down everything he said but trust me when I tell you it was so good and so spiritually uplifting!! He talked about how we're "messengers of joy" and need to be urgent as we assist Heavenly Father in this work! 

Also Sister Gong talked all about faith in Jesus Christ and it was so powerful. We need to be humble and faithful- she said "you don't have to be perfect for the Lord to use you" and I just loved that. The Lord truly magnifies our efforts and we're simply instruments in His hands to help His children come home. This is HIS work🫶

Anyways love and miss you all!!

Transfer News🪅🌟

Transfer news!! I'm staying in Lees Summit for my last transfer!! Sister Winn is leaving though so RIP, but glad we got two together🫶

Highlights:

-Phillip showed up to church and we totally weren't expecting him💒

-Monday we played volleyball ALL DAY LONG🏐

-Costa Vida AGAIN

-blitz with Sister Carter and another blitz with Miles

-literally cried after being fed too much on Tuesday😭🤮 then I threw up

-cleaned a house and met Luiz who's writing a science fiction book about Mormons??

-David made us steak🥩

-Primary program in Fleming Park was so presh and a kid kept screaming lol

Also I've been studying Elder Gong's talks because he's coming to the mission this week! I loved this quote:

"The scriptures describe resurrection as “every limb and joint shall be restored to … their proper and perfect frame,” and “even a hair of the head shall not be lost.” That being so, please consider how it is that our Savior’s perfect, resurrected body still bears the wounds in His side and the nail prints in His hands and feet.

At times in history, mortal men have been executed by crucifixion. But only our Savior, Jesus Christ, embraces us still carrying the marks of His pure love. Only He fulfills the prophecy of being lifted up upon the cross that He might draw each of us, by name, to Him. 

Our Savior declares: “Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. 

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands.” 

He testifies: “I am he who was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am the Son of God.”

Jesus Christ always remembers us💗

Love and miss you all!!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qSs2wNuWwULfC4fY9

Fairies and Car Crash🧚‍♀️🚗✨️

This week was so full of miracles and crazy moments!! Started the week off with a car crash last Pday😃 A lady rear ended us and it basically was a hit and run so that was annoying, but we're all ok!

Faith drops: sometimes when we stop teaching someone it's really sad and so hard but you have to trust that the Lord is preparing more people!! This was so evident this week. On Friday we had exchanges and found 8 people that day!! That morning during my personal study I was reminded at how the Lord softens the hearts of the people. The spirit truly is the one who converts people not us. That day we prayed specifically for the Lord to soften the hearts of the people we came in contact with and WOW... I truly believe they were all placed in our path. 

Talking to everyone is so important in missionary work!! On Saturday we drove past this girl sitting in her backyard so I told Sister Winn to turn the car around so we can talk to her. When I rolled down my window and asked to share a verse she got right up and at first I totally thought she was going to be mad at us for yelling at her in her backyard lol. BUT she actually came straight over and said this was meant to be and she really needed comfort in that moment. She opened up to us about some trials she's going through and we shared some verses that have brought us comfort. I think it's no coincidence that 5 minutes earlier we had made a wrong turn and ended up on her street!! God is SO aware of each of His children. I'm grateful that I get to experience that everyday and see how much He truly does care for each of us. I've seen it in my life and in the lives of those around me! We just need to look around and we'll notice the Lord's fingerprints EVERYWHERE!

HIGHLIGHTS:

-had our ward Halloween party and Sister Winn and I were matching fairies with the cutest little girl ever. Every time she sees us she screams "MISSIONARIESSSS" it's the cutest thing

-our 5 year old friend Rose also gave us "Sister badges" 🥹 

-played glow in the dark volleyball🏐🌟

-saw Sister Beach 2x this week🥰

-got the biggest slice of pizza ever🍕 

-Sister Kington and Anderson gave us mini Jesus's 😇

Anyways love and miss you all💗

Ate squirrel this week🐿😭

When a family of 10 offers you their own cooked tree squirrel that their 11 year old son shot with a BBgun you HAVE to say Yes!! The dad kept saying "doesn't it taste like chicken??" While Sister Winn and I just smiled and nodded as we ate literal squirrel. I can confirm that squirrel is not my favorite🙃

We're officially Costa Vida regulars now🌊🌯We went 3 times this week and each time the workers are like "wow y'all come in a lot" but I mean it's worth it and the members know we love it!

Highlight of this week was definitely going to the temple🥰 The temple is truly a sanctuary and I really felt it this week! The rest of the week was good but hard. But through the hard times I can see the Lord's hand everyday. Tender mercy - I got to see my friend Kaitlin at Cracker Barrel after the temple!! I taught Kaitlin months ago and she got baptized after I left the area so I haven't been able to see her since so it was so good catching up! 

Also got to watch general conference this weekend and WOW it was so good. I loved Elder Kearon's talk about "the church of joy"- this is SO TRUE. I'm forever grateful for the restoration of Jesus Christ's church and of priesthood keys which allow us to make covenants with God!! Those covenants truly help us endure to the end and find strength and hope in this journey of life! 

Love and miss you all!!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qSs2wNuWwULfC4fY9

"Your name sounds like Shrek"🧌💚

Hey!! this week was so good and so much happened 

First off, we rolled down our window and started talking about family history with this girl named Carla and she invited us to chat with her on her porch. We felt special because she said she normally doesn't allow people to sit on her porch with her. We started talking about church and she said she believes Jesus was a prophet and nothing more than just another man. We shared with her how the Book of Mormon testifies that Jesus IS the Christ and Savior of the world. we shared part of the intro and she thought it was powerful and wanted to learn more! I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon and how it has helped me come to know that my Savior is real. I've come to learn more of Him and grow closer to Him. 

Other highlights from this week:

-Carla also told me my name sounded like Shrek🥹 i feel honored

-house tour with Belinda🏡 we knocked on her door and started talking about family history then she invited us in and showed us all her new house renovations👍

-Arionna is on date for baptism🥳🥳 Arionna still amazes me. Each time we end a lesson she messages us 30 minutes later with a whole paragraph of her summary of the chapter we gave her to read🤩 she has such a sincere desire to grow closer to God and I'm so happy she's been able to come to learn more about important truths in the Book of Mormon and recognize that they're from God!!

-found this guy Cameron on FB and he said my brother might've taught him in Alaska years ago on his mission lol kinda cool he came to volleyball on Friday and loved it

-dinner with the Goodmans and they told us all their best conspiracy theories🥸 

-found these guys Zay and Antwane (they came to volleyball like a month ago). At first Zay was like "ya know growing up I was told always walk away from those mormon missionaries" but now he's interested in learning more so the spirit was really working on him🙏

-found a guy named Cash'Money🤑 he's a funny one

-Sister Winn called this guy Matthew on facebook and he came to church on Sunday🥳 he even signed up to help clean up after the Halloween chilli cook off party🤭

-got a picture with Rose and her build a bear named "rainbow sparkles"🌈 ✨️

Also I love this quote from President Nelson about the Book of Mormon:

"When I think of the Book of Mormon, I think of the word power. The truths of the Book of Mormon have the power to heal, comfort, restore, succor, strengthen, console, and cheer our souls."

This is so true!! Sometimes I'm tired or have a down moment on the mission but then I remember my why and why I'm here. And it's because I love Jesus and all that he's done for me. I've come to learn more about Him and His gospel through reading the Book of Mormon. The peace I feel when I read always comforts and strengthens me to keep going. It fuels me to want to share this message with EVERY SINGLE LIVING SOUL- and as we go out and share it everyday I feel closer to my Savior.

Love and miss you all!!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qSs2wNuWwULfC4fY9