Letter excerpts from July 26

The gospel is stated simply in the same words. However, each time it has the same eternal implications and rewards! This is a wonderful life and wonderful road we are on. Search for learning from the Spirit and the heavens cannot with hold their secrets as you exercise faith.

Your prayers for me are such a boost. What an amazing concept. The same thing works here! you-me-the investigators! The people I go to see are so grateful to have us come and visit, come and teach, or just leave a note. When people pray in my behalf I am deeply touched. They are blessing me but really I am blessing them, while at the same time I am blessed for blessing them. As I am blessed, you are blessed and your faith is rewarded which blesses you and you go on to bless more! Hope you followed all of that.


Hahaha good old Jason Terry. The Terry family is such a blessing to work with! Linda and Jason were raised baptist and they have 3 children. They have welcomed us into their home and are truly are friends. Last night we had smores again with them-only this time with jumbo huge marshmellows. We were delivering a basket type bag thing with hot chocolate and mints etc. to encourage him as he trys to give up coffe. YAYA!!! Linda has a testimony and Jason is working to get one. I know as he shows more faith by trying to give up coffee, the Law of sacrifice will bring him blessings. I pray for his success!

Let's see. OH! My first baptism.

That day the district leader was at the stake center, so he said he would fill up the font for us. Great. So the evening arrives, the refreshments are set, our investigator was there, and we begin the program.  Talks, singing, and then Carolyn dressed in white meets Rob in front of the accordian wall and it is pulled back to reveal * gasp * an empty font!!! What? So after a few minutes of stunned silence, Sister Gandolph grabs the phone and runs out to call the Elder Redden and I stand up in front of everyone trying to hold down chaos and keep everyone calm. But what a lovely opportunity for the energy in a single's ward to spark up and ignite!

3 different opinions, 4 different plans, and not ONE person in charge!! It was actually quite frustrating now that I think about how disorganized it was. The Bishop was out of town and our ward mission leader didn't take charge. hahaha but - the great thing about this all is that despite all of this, Carolyn was not upset. Things were calm to her and although many things were going on, the spirit didn't ever leave.

So we continued on with the program, trying to speak over this huge rushing sound behind us as the font was refilled.  The spirit bore witness of the message we shared and was there to confirm the truth and importance of this ordinance. In all of my growing up years, I never appreciated what it means for a child to be baptized. It is such a big marker. It marks them a member of this restored chruch, marks them as one who has turned their heart and life to a pursuit of Christ, and puts them on the straight and narrow way back to Heaven.

The power of ordinances. I am so thrilled by this topic!! It has endless potential to teach us if we really think about it. Hebrews 6 is amazing to me right now. Did I already talk to you about this? I can't remember what and when I've said to whom! hahaha

Mark! I am glad he moved in with you. He wrote me an email! I was so excited to hear from him! That was so nice! Family is so great. Elder Eyring in Nov conf said that in families is where we learn how to love as God loves. I truly believe that and have so much confidence in our family.

I love you tons!

And you can send church CDs too if you want...

Letter excerpts from July 20

(View of Cape Flattery-- I think ;)

I am staying in Silverdale with Gandolph and Bailey. Things are AWESOME!! We have so much potential on the table right now. We are baptizing Carolyn on Thursday! It is so wonderful...and yet I did nothing. It is such a testimony to me of the fact that this is the Lord's work. He prepares people, His Spirit testifies to them, and then His (little imperfect) missionary servant offers them the option. It is so humbling to see the power of God change someone's life.

 

I am every grateful for the power of covenants. Hebrews 6 and 2 Ne 31 are great! Thinking about how humanly little minds think...reveals so much to answer the why and wherfore of covenant making and keeping.

Like I said I am staying in my same area with my district. We came from Zone metting and It is going to be so great! We have a goal to baptize 12 people in July and 16 in August. That will be record breaking!!!!! The Lord grants us our desires and I can't wait to exercise my faith and see this wonderful miracle come to pass under my stewardship. Truly the Lord's power will bring this about but I can qualify to assist him by learning loving and following him.

 

I learn patience from my leaders and companions all the time. I have a goal to always put my companions first this transfer. It will be so COOOOOOL!.

 

I love you so much and am sending pictures soon!

 

sister clendening

Letter excerpts from July 13

oooooooh yes sister sister!

 

I love everything you send to me. Really my feelings of the spirit are so close to my feelings of love and joy...when you send me a package that reminds me of you and of our relationship I really just get all ecstatic and love it! I have so much self control and don't open the package until I have time to...but! Still it serves its GRAND purpose of telling me you love me and think of me back at home. Seriously I don't think you could do anything wrong! I also totally enoy seeing the family all together. I can just imagine how much fun it was. Mark did send me that letter and thank you, it was good to hear from him. 

AND! I'm so thrilled you died laughing over my stories, did I tell you that I died laughing over your stories too?? I love how we relate to each other. Also thrilled that you enjoy hearing my testimoony! It is such a strength in my life....AND such is the REASON for my life! Everything I am and want to be revolves around the knowledge that I have.

 

We taught Zach for over 2 hours over two days...questions answers testimonies scriptures etc, etc. Then at the end he rejected our message because "going on a feeling just wasn't enough" for him. I am here to tell you that the spirit communicating truths is the way that we come to anything! I can conclude that every time I drop a ball: it will fall to the ground because of gravity...and then "prove" gravity exists. But my explanation is incomplete because it does not explain Jesus walking on the water. The FULLER and complete knowledge must be attained through the spirit, He can unfold that mystery to my understanding. Awesome!

 

I hope you are reading the scriptures and are open to inspiration and personal revelation. I just read a great talk by Elder Oaks ...mmmm I want to say Feb 92 or March 95 can't remember which one but it is awesome!!! Reading everyday keeps us able to receive personal revelation.

 

I am so so so thankful for the hour of personal study I have every day. The things I reaad in the morning are opened to my view and I can apply them to the people I teach . It is really a blessing that my mind is working as well as it is. I am adjusted to the sleep schedule now its great. I love the spirit, and I am getting into the work EVEN DEEPER! This part is exciting. It is now more of a choice to make. The first part was AWESOME and my whole life I'd built up to it. But now...time wears on and I have to choose what kind of a missionary I am going to be for the rest of my mission. 

I am so excited to have this 100% dedication to the Lord. He is going to teach me what I really think I need to learn: balance! Great! I am ready. The Lord loves you so much. Let his love flow into you so that you can see it clearly for those around you.

 

Thank you so much for the support you are to me. I love you. You are dear to me and what more can I say? Take care of your spirit and take care of Eric.

 

news: I am excited that you are babysitting mys kids! Woot! and its about time hillary was fired. excellent. as for you-let your light shine!!! really, you will probably  not get stoned...what is the worst thing that could happen to you? Endure a tiny iny sliver of what Christ did? I'd count that as a blessing. In the fire of adverstiy the lord calls his servants...some quote liek that from J rueben clark.

 

It's the end of july now?? What??? A transfer is over?? Coooool! I wonder what will happen. I will probably move and get to emailing on Tuesday....I took tons of pictures at Cape Flattery so you will get them on the SD card. You rock and I love it.

 

Sister Holmes

 

Dad is so cute. And I love love love the sweaters!! Wearing it right now, it is perfect not too hot and not too cold. SO LOVED! I will write a letter about it! love you.

letter excerpts from July 5

I know, I know, this is a long time coming..... but at least I am posting now!

Letter to Marianne:

Sister Clendening, Sister Gandolf and Sister Bailey

Ohhh man. I laugh so much with my companions. One day I was driving and asked someone on the phone "Will you go out with me?" -asking them about splits....but sister gandolph thought it sounded super funny and started giggling and then I started laughing and then the back seat sister bailey started laughing and I was out of control!!! I had water welling up in my eyes and I could hardly see the road and I kept wanting to laugh but I couldn't!!! because I was on the phone with these girls and so I had to keep my mouth closed to stop any laughs from escaping. However, you know well that there is pressure when you are trying to hold in a laugh and so I had to figure out some way for it to come out. I managed a hissing noise. then I thought "ohhh! maybe that will sound like static" and since I was far far from ceasing my laughing...I proceeded to hiss/crackle into the phone. This sent my companions into further fits of laughter and responses from the other line of ..."...." ....." "are you ok???"  "are you ok!?" hello?" baaahhahaha so funny.

Then another time we were laughing soooo hard at the dog at a members house that kept spasing out with itching and scratching!!! It went on for an hour and I couldn't control myself. The laughs took over my body and my smile was ALL over my face. The nice member just kept talking and talking...don't know what he thought my deal was but...ahahaha. it's past now!

WHoooo! We just started teaching a man named Yang. He is so humble and looking for truth. He said he would read the book of mormon! he is looking for something and I know he can find it in the restored gospel.

Don't ever loose sight of the restoration. The gospel in your life is such a privilege. It breaks my heart and honestly is hard for me to fathom when we go and visit those who have been to the temple and then turn away. They actively choose to DISREGARD the testimony that they had. How does this happen? The Kingdom of God is like unto a pearl of great worth and when we don't sell all to go find it...we never obtain it. Luke 13: 45-46. WE have the restored truth in our hands. Pick up the words of the prophets everyday and read from them. Their words are not something to be had once and then be done with them. If that was the case, why would God continue to reveal anything to his Children? Was not the fullness given to Adam. Yes it was. But God knows how we learn and grow and teaches us accordingly---that is he teaches us all the time. Recognize the posession you have! It is amazing that we were born into the gospel and have been able to gain our own testimonies to carry us through life, the trials that come with it, and out of our parents care on to be parent figures ourselves. Leading and guiding people to truth is a very sacred service!!! As you help others to learn and grow you will grow!!! I know you love the Lord and his gospel and I am so very glad of that!

A girl bore her testimony about how her sister was her best friend and she was so glad that she was sealed to her and would be with her forever. Her best friend. I know Eric is your best friend and is your partner for eternity but I am so grateful you will always be my sister!!!! I am so close to you! (I feel) and I have been so blessed to be sealed to you. I love you so much and have loads to look forward to in the life after this one just knowing you will always be my best friend sister. You are amazing!!

I love being a missionary. Some times it's going so so good and then all of a sudden I realized I am doing something dumb or am not being my best. But the great thing is that I can change. Reevaluate and advance! I love the Lord and His gospel. I can hardly fathom what Heavenly Father loves us so much! He blessed us with a great family in the gospel.

Oh what to tell you else??? I want to tell you about my teaching... but what am I supposed to tell about it? I am teaching the doctrine of Christ. That is all over the scriptures. It is amazing when you look for the instructions...what is there. The missionary purpose states we are to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel throught faith on Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. ENDURING TO THE END!!! Hebrews 6 is amazing at opening up that principle. The temple is so necessary!! 2 Ne 31: 17-20 makes it clear there is more. There always has been more! I am so glad that I have a testimony of these truths. I want to help others understand the truth so clearly that they will have no doubts about the necessity,and nature, of saving ordinances. God knows how we learn and desires to bless us. As we demonstrate obedience we can be blessed. As we outwardly turn our hearts to God, an inward change takes place and we are blessed again.

Everything in the gospel revolves around our Savior. Savior is the most appropriate name eveery! Glorious. Everything. I love Him! I don't comprehend much of what He accomplished but the taste I have of what he has done it astoundingly sweet. It is swelling within me more everyday as I show others the fruit they can also partake of through Him. OH!!! I love this plan.

YAY! And I got a letter from Rhett! his mom also stuck a note in there and I was super excited about it. Ummm hahhaa. But it really hard to describe what rhett is to my companions. I am not so good at summarizing down....but I am learning more and more that being able to do that is true intelligence. I am going to work on this skill of stating simply and clearly. anways yes I got a letter from him and was thrilled.

NExt monday I am going to go up to cape flattery and to forks. We are driving with the singles ward bishop and his wife who are SOO definitely cute and I am really excited. I will be dying sister gandolphs hair today. and .... wanting to do something with my own. But, then again, maybe not.... hahaha we know this dicotemphy well. umm ype. and I found a flower in the apartement for my hair. and I was so thrilled to get those necklaces and picture frame of you and eric.

OH!H!H!H!H!H and that reminds me of the HILARIOUS things you sent me!!! I love love love loved hearing about your travels in Utah land. Bahahaha. Will sounds hilarious. I loved reading about everything and your reactions and I understand the glorious feeling of 'ooo something went right' that you experienced when you opened the waffle iron to a perfect one. I love you! WE are so connected on the brain wave its insane. I can't wait to have kids with you!! THinking of that makes the adventure an exciting one~ Sometimes when I drive by neighborhoods and the mom is doing something and the dad is mowing and the kids are off playing over there and the garage is a mess....and everything just seems like a mundane BLAH spot. I never want my family life to be like that. I live to be with people. I love interactions and laughing!!! I need that in the family I make for myself and I KNOW that you and I will see that come about :)

Actually I think thats why sometimes I just get giggly!!! It comes out all over the place and seeps out of my soul!! or more like pounds out. I am so filled with the gospel light and my own energy of excitement that when I go to long without being able to pass that on to someone else...it just has to find a way to express itself and if it  so be that it is right in the middle of a converstation when I see something mildly funny out of the corner of my eye-so be it! Wow being in a mortal body definitely has its limitations. But just imagine what it will be like when we have temple that can house the full grand capacity of our Divinity!??? Mind blowing really.

I hope you have enjoyed my ramblings. I enjoy rambling to you. And though they may seem very scattered....read them with the spirit and with the brain wave and then I think you will connect to the spiritual side of my thoughts and the plain crazy side of them. I so enjoy talking to you!! and I feel so connected with you.

I hope you have enjoyed the time with the family all around. Please send my love to all. I do not have time to write everyone. Please give my love to the Jorgensens!!! I do feel like they don't think I care. But mom tells me all about them and I see the pictures and I miss them. I love them!!!