I JUST LOVE THE GOSPEL!!

Welp!!! It is here! I will leave Corning tomorrow! I'm headed to Colusa. It's in the Yuba City Zone! It's about 2ish hours from here. So it will be super excited!! And the AWESOME part! So my companion is Sister Duncan! She and Sister Seely were actually companions! I've head awesome things about her! I talked to her one the phone earlier today and I'm super excited! Sister Fitzgerald will do a killer job taking on Corning! We have also heard great things about her new comp Sister Heder. So!! Another adventure begins!! But not yet... I'm still in Corning! I have to soak in the time I have left! Haha. But let's talk about the week, shall we! 

So this week we were able to see Kodi almost everyday. We first taught her about Repentance and then the Law of Chastity, had her interview, as she called it "before-baptism-dinner" and then Sunday was her baptism. It's just been so amazing to watch her grow. I'm so blessed to have been there from start to baptism. She had literally given up her sins to know God. She gave up smoking, coffee, tea, she comes to church every Sunday, reads the Book Of Mormon, does kneeling prayers, studies the heck outta the pamphlets we give her, she has repented. She just has completely done a 180.. wow. I'm just so dumbfounded when this happens. I was pondering the other day about a change of heart. How can we CONSTANTLY have that change of heart? How can we always feel that conviction that our recent converts feel or even when we truly repent and feel that undeniable power of the Atonement? How do we always feel the gospels truth and power in our lives? 

Welp, let's talk about Kodi's baptism..... I wish I were more excited to tell this story. Why you ask? Let's just say it almost didn't happen...  so.. this is how it went down. So you must know that where Kodi and Pat live is about 15-20 minutes away from the church. So Pat tried to get his truck started. He got 2 feet and it completely died... COMPLETELY!!! She told us that the battery totally is done... so Pat is basically in tears and Kodi is upset, .   Long story short they were finally able to make it to the church, the baptism was an hour and a half late starting, some of the wardies had to leave, but the most importantly Kodi was finally baptized!!!  She and Pat were so HAPPY!!  I am so proud of her!!! Righteousness won!!!

It was super cool. So we found these people last Sunday and they didn't seem super interested. But Sister Fitz really felt prompted to go see them. So we did and we caught them just as they were about to leave. Her name is Sara, his is Marty and his sisters name is Elizabeth. They said they wanted us to come back later. So we set a time and it all worked out perfectly with what we got caught up doing and when they got home. It was so cool. We taught all 3 of them the restoration and they totally felt the spirit. And THEY ASKED if they could come to church!!! Oh man!!!! I love it when that happens!!  it was so cool tho! It just goes to show that we are doing the Lords work. And when we realize that and follow the spirit we will always be doing His will and find who He has prepared for us. It's so cool to see these kinda things happen! I love missionary work!!  

Something that I really found interesting. So we were visiting a less active and her daughter happened to be there. Now, you must know that this less active lady had told Sister Seely and I months ago that she instituted the Sacrament at home. So with that being said, there are things obviously not right there. But her daughter was just going on and on, talking a million miles an hour, about how all these people are so deceived and a certain huge religion has the devil at the head of it. And she was just saying that the Bible was so true it's just that all these people are deceived. Then she goes on to say that she has "the Lord in her life". Then she would say that there was no way Noah could've gotten all those animals on one boat. So she said that he must've gotten all of their DNA and that's what they meant but all the animals. But then she said "well, then where would he have gotten the DNA from?" It was just crazy... she went on and on about "holy men" and if they were really holy they wouldn't need a bulletproof car to drive around in, that God would just protect them.. Then we finally got a word in about Joseph Smith and she was like "oh, didn't he restore the Lutheran church?" Hahaha.... it was quite the visit... the words of the Savior kept coming to mind when He said "they draw near unto me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me." That's exactly how these ladies were.. it just blows my mind how so many people can say that they know Jesus then completely reject Him and His teachings. It never ceases to amaze me! 

Going along with things that never cease to amaze me!!! So... this happened with Felicia ('gator on date for 1-1-17 Baptism) and Michelle (girl with epilepsy that wants to get baptized). So we were teaching them the law of chastity, at separate times of course. But we explain that it entails not living with someone before marriage. Well, after we explain it and even talked about "buying the Home" vs. "renting the home" and that it comes with investment and when things go wrong your gonna fix it when you buy it. But when you rent, it's not going to be a priority because you may not be there for long anyway. So, you see, we asked them if they had questions and they both said no. Then they just go on about how they plan to live with their boyfriends/fiancés... BAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! IT MAKES ME CRAZY!! They want to be baptized but they don't understand that in order to be worthy of baptism, they have to live these laws and they are COVENANTING WITH GOD that they will obey FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES!!!... I just can't believe it... it blows my mind how blind with world is... Satan is doing a heck of a job... 

But!! One a happier note!! We had the ward Halloween party this week and it was HILARIOUS!!!! Kodi came IN A MINION ONEZIE!! Hahahahaha!!!!!  oh man, I just love her!! Hahah! She also carved a pumpkin that said "I ️ Jesus" on it... hahahah!! Oh I love Kodi...  then Tiana came too and she latched on to one of the members and afterwards she was asking about Tiana.... so, Tiana has the mindset of a 10 year old. Haha. So. Yeah... haha. Sister Reid was concerned for her... but yeah! Then Brother Day!! Oh man! He's a funny guy! He dressed up like a pumpkin! He put on an orange shirt and cut out jack-o-lantern shapes and stuck them on! Then he's like "Sisters, I need a picture with you two!" Haha. So don't worry, there will pictures come out the wazoo this week!  super fun time!! 

Well, the spiritual thought today is from studies today. Ahh!!! I just LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!!! Can't deny it's truth!! But in 3 Nephi 15, Jesus talks about His sheep. Well, I LOVED  what it said in the institute manual about this! It was just a random commentator who said this but it is amazing!! 

"By day and by night the shepherd is always with his sheep. … This was necessary on account of the exposed nature of the land, and the presence of danger from wild animals and robbers. One of the most familiar and beautiful sights of the East is that of the shepherd leading his sheep to the pasture. … He depends upon the sheep to follow, and they in turn expect him never to leave them. … As he is always with them, and so deeply interested in them, the shepherd comes to know his sheep very intimately. … One day a missionary, meeting a shepherd on one of the wildest parts of the Lebanon, asked him various questions about his sheep, and among others if he counted them every night. On answering that he did not, he was asked how he knew if they were all there or not. His reply was, ‘Master, if you were to put a cloth over my eyes, and bring me any sheep and only let me put my hands on its face, I could tell in a moment if it was mine or not’” (George M. Mackie, Bible Manners and Customs [n.d.], 33, 35).

Love that!! Also, I read in 3 Nephi 17. This is my very favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon. Ah! It just is so amazing.. so it's Jesus blessing the little children.. again in the institute manual, Sister Michaelene P. Grassli tells of Spencer W. Kimball's amazing experience visiting some members in Chile. Here's what she said:

 “One of the greatest expressions of love for children that I have seen occurred when I was serving as a stake president in Chile. President Spencer W. Kimball visited Chile for an area conference. Members of the Church from four countries met together in a stadium that held about fifteen thousand people. We asked President Kimball what he would like to do after the conference. His eyes full of tears, he said, ‘I would like to see the children.’ One of the priesthood leaders announced over the microphone that President Kimball would like to shake the hands or bless each of the children in the stadium. The people were astounded--there was a great silence. President Kimball greeted about two thousand children one by one, crying as he shook their hands or kissed them or put his hands on their heads and blessed them. The children were very reverent and looked at him and cried too. He said he’d never felt this kind of spirit in his life. It was a tremendous moment in the lives of all the Church members there” (Janet Peterson and Eduardo Ayala, “Friend to Friend,” Friend, Mar. 1996, 6–7).

I just love the gospel. I'm so grateful to have to knowledge and the light that it brings. I would be nothing without my Savior. I'm so grateful for His compassion and His love towards all of us. I know He Lives and I know this is His gospel. This is the way back Him. HE is the way back home. Only through Him will we live again as we did before this life. It's all true. How blessed are we to have to fullness of the truth. 

Thanks for all you guys do!! I love ya a lot! And thanks for sending the package!! I haven't gotten it yet because it's at the mission office but within the next couple days!! It will so nice because my feet won't be soaked all the time! Haha.! 

Love, 

Sister Hood

Ps...Fun fact: Juicy fruit gum will blow up voles and gophers!  

As we were talking about this Kodi said "Well, if they blew up above ground the bright side is you wouldn't even have to decorate for Halloween!!" HAHA!! She's hilarious!