MY WEEK! I dont know what week it is but it's been a couple now haha

WOW.

SO many awesome experiences and blessings every single week. I've already noticed that I have used a lot of experiences from my mission to teach people here and I know that I will be sharing them with people the rest of my life.   I just cant wait to experience more!:) 

I've learned a lot and I've grown a lot (not in stature).  Usually we dont see the immediate consequence to our actions whether they be good or bad, but lately as I have looked back on my mission and the almost 9 months that I've been out I've been able to see the blessings that I may have overlooked at the time, but now I realize how amazing they really were. Every week just keeps getting better and is full of new amazing experiences. 

For example, there was a member that had called us one day randomly in the morning. We usually do studies in the morning so we were in the house and she called us and wanted us to come over. We still had a lot to do and she lives in a place that I wouldnt call close, but we knew what we had to do. I wasnt sure what she needed or why she had called so we werent sure what to do. But we went with a prayer in our hearts that we would be able to discern her needs. As soon as we walked in you could tell how grateful she was. You could tell that her problems had been wearing her down. As we sat and listened to her thoughts and feelings. I wanted to help her so bad, but i just didnt know what she needed. I suggested that we say a prayer to bring the spirit so that she could feel better and she thought it was a great idea.  As we prayed I was hoping to be enlightened to know what to say and when I finished the prayer I was still not sure what to talk about and no specific scriptures popped into my head like I thought they would, but I felt that I just needed to open them.  When I flipped open my scriptures I was lead to a small section and we just read together out of the Book of Mormon. I watched from what seemed to be the saddest face in the world turn into a smile. We talked, we testified together, and the power of the Book of Mormon touched her heart. I dont think it was the section that had the impact on her, but more of the fact that she just needed to read out of that specific Book. The book that truly has all the answers to our questions, the comfort we are looking for, and the strength to keep going.  Later that night Sister Bennett and I were saying a closing prayer to out nightly planning. After asking Heavenly Father if the plans we had set for the next day were in line with his will, Sister Bennett felt like we needed to call that sister to make sure she was doing better so we did.  Her phone rang and rang and when she answered she sounded pretty upset still and asked if we needed something. I told her that we were just calling to make sure she was doing better and that we love her and we are here if she needs anything. She burst into tears. When she could finally get a few words out she said "thank you thank you thank you, that was an answer to my prayers!" I made sure she was doing okay and asked if there was anything we could do and she said "no no, thats all I needed thank you, I love you goodnight" I learned from this experience that we never know how one small thing can make a huge difference in someones life. Our decisions have an impact on others. No matter how big or how small and we have the choice to make it a good one or a bad one. We have the choice to act. 

Another instance of this was when we were in a lesson with one of our investigators. We had been teaching the Gospel to her and she has been kind of hesitant about a few of the things we have been teaching, but Sister Bennett and I had made a plan that we were going to ask her to be Baptized in this lesson NO MATTER what. When the time came, I  could tell that we were both a little hesitant because of how the lesson had went, but I had learned from other times on my mission that the times it was hardest to ask someone, were the times that they usually say Yes. The reason it's so hard is because Satan knows the outcome. SO, we asked her and she said YES.  We set a date and then Sk (our other investigator) said "Wait, you mean that she's going to go see a baptism on that day right?" and our investigator goes "No, I'M getting baptized!" and she was so happy and then Sk goes "Well then if she gets baptized, maybe I'll get baptized after" We were so happy and grateful after that lesson and once again I saw the power and the impact a sentence/question can have on someone. 

I'M thankful for agency. Im thankful that we all have the freedom to choose whether it be for good or bad. A lot of times I find myself thinking in my head "I hate agency".  Usually after someone slams a door in my face or says they cant come to church because they need to go to the beach.  But when I really think about what a blessing agency is I'm humbled once again. It's such an essential part of Heavenly Fathers plan for us. Without agency, it would be Satans plan. We make decisions everyday that will change our life and those around us, but the good news is that even though people make mistakes, (and we all do) we can be cleansed through the Atonement. I don't have words for the feelings that I feel when hearing that word. It hits me now more than it ever has before as I realize what it means. I still don't understand the full meaning of the Atonement and all it contains, but the change I have seen in my life and the lives of those I love is enough to strengthen my understanding. I am forever grateful for my Savior and his sacrifice. I know that he suffered for my mistakes and my heartaches so that I could be happy and I know that there is nothing I can do to FULLY repay him, but I can surely try my best. 

I love you all, I am thankful for you.

Until next week my friends - Your Motra 



"Random selfie because I realized last minute I forgot to take

pictures this week...oops :)"





"This is as close as we got to anything that had to do with the 4th of July haha"



"My childs first Sufflaqe :)"