October 15, 2012

It sounds like everyone back home is doing well! So John L and Lorrane left today?! They are in for a long flight!!! I bet they will be doing what our office missionaries do. We love them! They are like our family away from home! :) How is Jen doing? No baby yet? Call the mission when she has the baby cause I want to know! :)

Texas is great! We had 3 General Authorities here this past weekend and we had a tri mission conference with them! It was really good. :) Elder Callister, Elder Echo Hawk (who spoke in conference) and Elder Ellis (who toured our mission 3 weeks ago!). One of the General authorities said, "you know its going to be a great day when you wake up in Texas!" It's true.

I feel like so much happened this week.... I'll see if I can remember the highlights of it.

Last Wednesday I got invited to go to a mission leadership meeting in Sugar Land, so Sister Moreno took our area for the day with another sister. The meeting was exactly what I needed. I've been studying Faith in Jesus Christ the past several weeks and this conference helped me to understand where my faith needs to be so I can see as many miracles in my mission as the Lord has in Store! Now all I need to do is to exercise that faith.... which takes practice. haha I've learned you can't just have a perfect faith in one day. It comes line upon line like every other principle of the gospel. The thing that I learned the most in that meeting is that the Lord doesn't need us to do His work. He could do it on His own if He wanted to. BUT He wants us to experience Joy like He feels when His children accept His gospel, and He wants US to change and grow! He chooses the weak of the world to confound the wise. Think of it! 18 and 19 year olds coming and telling people how to change their lives! haha But it happens, and that is only because the Lord has prepared the people already for us. IF we exercise our faith and believe in Him He will bring miracles. I've been lucky to see miracles in my mission! I hope to see many more!

The tri-mission conference was great! I finally got to see Sister Atterton again!!! I hadn't seen her in almost 6 months. She leaves to go home in 2 months. Time flies! The conference was focused on promises to the Lord and Faith, also about rescuing the lost sheep. Elder Echo Hawk talked about how he was a convert, and how he fell inactive but was able to come back because of those who left the 99 and came for the 1.  And now He's a general authority. I love working with Less-actives! There are many who are ready to come back, they just need someone to come after them. This past Sunday we were able to have 5 less-actives back in church and one less active family! That has been one of our goals as a companionship, and it was so great to see them back!

Oh! Billy passed his baptismal interview this past week, and his baptism is this coming saturday at 4! I can't wait!!! Their family is so ready for this. Working with their family has been one of the biggest highlights of my mission. To see the changes they've made since I first got here in this area has been incredible, and it has really been because of the Atonement of Christ. Brother Vermilyea has made the biggest changes I've seen someone ever make on my mission and it's really only possible because of Christ. He did it because he knows how the gospel can bless his family, and he knows that he was the one holding them back.

I really hope to go to their temple sealing!

So, last night we decided to drop by Marlon and his moms place. We had had an appointment with them again on Saturday, but they weren’t' there (again... ) But we felt like we needed to go. When we got there Karen  (Marlon’s mom) answered the door. (REMEMBER I can't speak Spanish, and she speaks only Spanish!) Sister Moreno doesn't know them... she met them once briefly. And so I'm praying that she can say the right things to help them. Karen had texted us 2-3 times saying she is really struggling and she needs help. So Sister Moreno talks about Faith, and I see no emotion in anyone’s faces. Seeing how much Marlon has changed in his countenance and in his attitude towards us and his family while she was teaching hit me hard. He was so sweet to everyone, and now it's like he is too tough for everyone. I asked if I could bear my testimony and have sister Moreno translate. I couldn't help but cry the whole time. I told them that our Savior knows exactly what they need even though we don't know. It's times through trials that we need the gospel the most. Karen was crying too, she felt the spirit. I invited them to come to church on Sunday and they said they would. I really hope they do. We are going back to visit on Wednesday, but please keep them in your prayers. It’s amazing how much the spirit can touch the hearts of those we teach. I care so much for their family! It's so hard to see how much people can change by not having our Savior in their lives.

I'm so grateful for the gospel! It brings complete happiness. I've seen it so much on my mission. Those who live the gospel are so happy! Don't turn away from our Savior, He will never leave us.

I love you all!! Please let me know if I can do anything for y'all!

Erianne