ALL ABOUT THAT JAZZ

Hey hey hey!!

It was a good week!! We kept busy! I had MLC on Thursday. We had to be in Gridley (an hour north) at like 8:45ish... and we had to get up at like 5 to be ready and leave on time because we had to exchange in Live Oak before that.. it was good though!!! I got to see Sister Cowden after FAR too long!

️ I also got to see Sister Fitz!! Ahh!!!! It was so great to see them! There were almost tears!! Ah! I just love them so much! It was cool to hear about everything in Corning! Man I miss that place... more than I miss home!!!

messed up, I know.. But! Lives goes! Those golden months in Corning are what help get through the not as golden times.. haha. It's good though! I have learned so much through the struggles of the mission. It's really a huge blessing!

But MLC was super good! We talked about the Broadcast from this year and last year and teaching repentance and baptizing converts. So we talked about that and how everything we do should be centered in the Doctrine of Christ! It was also very helpful because we did a lot of practice teaching... in English!

yaaayy!!! I love practice teaching! It's also super helpful. I practice taught with Sister Marston as my companion and I wish she would just come be in a trio with us because we would baptize nations.. it was super cool! It also helped with Julisa because that's who we were practice teaching as. So I got some ideas of how to help her feel comfortable in church. But we will see how it works!

Sooo!!! Something AWESOME happened this week!! Sister Seely...or... Kim.. hahah!! I prefer Seely Weely, however!

She showed up at my door just before personal study!! Haha. I'm glad she recorded it because it was pretty funny!

it was so great to see her though! We went to lunch and she came with us to visit some peeps because she had nothing too exciting going on! It was just great to hear about her life and everything!! I just love her!

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So here's what I've been up to!!

Maria:

We taught her how she can receive answers to her prayers. She feels good when we are teaching her. But she said that is because she likes to learn about Jesus Christ. Hermana Perez talked about the conversion of her mom, the rest of her family and the work we do in the temple for the dead. She is still looking for an answer and Hermana Perez invited her to kneel until she has answer.

In case you wanted the Spanish version.

(Le enseñamos acerca de como ella puede recibir una respuesta a sus oraciones. Ella siente buena cuando nosotras estamos enseñándole pero ella nos dijo que es porque ella le gusto aprender acerca de Jesucristo. Hermana Pérez habla acerca de la conversión de su mama y su familia y también los convenios en los templos por los muertos. Ella todavía está buscando por una respuesta y hermana Pérez le invitó a arrodillarse hasta que tiene una respuesta.)

We also invited her to church again this week. AND SHE CAME!!!!!!

soo happy.. I was shocked when she was suddenly sitting next to me in Sacrament.

Super cool that she came! She seemed to really like it!!

Abish:

We practice taught again and her boyfriend was there. We taught about baptism. We read in 2 Nephi 31:5-12 with them and talked about the importance of following the example of Jesus Christ. And then we practiced a door approach of the Book of Mormon. We also talked about how she is doing and she is trying to come back into activity and do the right thing she said she is working on praying everyday and then she is going to start reading her scriptures everyday. She is going to come to church this Sunday! And offered to come to lessons and stuff with us!! She seems to be doing really well!

Julisa:

We showed her the 3 bible videos that had to do with the Atonement. She said it made her feel really good to know that He did all of that for her. We talked about how the sacrament is partaking of His gift of the Atonement. We invited her to come to church and to go to new beginnings. It's more likely that she will come to church though. We told her that we needed to move her date. So we will wait for her to be more ready and told her pray about it. Blanca chimed in too and said that the Gospel has made her life much happier and more peaceful and calm. She notices a difference when she doesn't take the sacrament. So that's a good thing.

Becky:

Shared with her Mosiah 3:11-12 and Mosiah 27:28-29. We talked about walking in faith and being steadfast. She said she struggles with what-if's. The unknown really scares her. We talked about always retaining a remission of sins as we repent with a sincere heart. She knows He is real and that He does care but it's like the angel and devil on the shoulder. She also said she is kind of scared death because she doesn't know for sure what's going to happen. So we invited her to pray and have more faith and ask for comfort to be okay with the unknown.

Gabby:

Stopped by and she let us in. She told us all about how her 3 kids are all miracles. We talked about her desire to meet with missionaries. She said she wants to just keep learning. She mentioned that her kids ask questions and she never wants to tell them she doesn't know. She made it known that she is into her religion because it's how she has grown up and not necessarily looking to move to another one. She relates to Joseph Smith. She said there was a time when she didn't know which one she wanted to join so she just didn't go to any other them until she met her husband. Talked about the restoration. She said she believes 100% that God answers prayers. Talked about the Book Of Mormon and read the last 2 paragraphs of the introduction ion with her. invited her to read the rest of the introduction on her own and pray about it. Talked about a sincere heart and real intent. Encouraged her to make sure it's quiet and she pays attention to the feelings that she has as she reads and prays. She said she would text us for next week.

Israel:

We stopped by to see Luci but she wasn't feeling well. We talked to Israel. He was super kind. We asked if there was a time that was better. He said during the week in the afternoon. We let him know that the things we share will bless him and his family. We let him know that we talk about Christ. It was awesome. He seemed to believe in Christ by his reaction to us saying we talk about Christ. We set a time with them. It was actually a miracle that we met him!! It was 8:50 pm when we knocked on his door. Super cool!!

For my spiritual thought today!! Here's a quote by Elder Nelson:
“To feast means more than to taste. To feast means to savor. We savor the scriptures by studying them in a spirit of delightful discovery and faithful obedience. When we feast upon the words of Christ, they are embedded ‘in fleshy tables of the heart’ [2 Corinthians 3:3]. They become an integral part of our nature” (in Conference Report, Oct. 2000, 19; or Ensign, Nov. 2000, 17).

I love this!! As I have tried to feast upon the words of the Savior, I have seen myself change to become more like Him. Feasting (not nibbling or tasting) does change our character from a fallen carnal state to a more godly, Christlike state. It's incredible that as we strive to know Him by the words He spoke to those people 2 millennia ago, we become more like Him. I'm sure they did the same as they listened to the Master Teacher testify. It's like spending our own personal time with Him. Our spirit craves the time we spend with our Father and our Savior. We know in the pre-mortal life we spent time with Them and were close to Them always. Now, as we are in this existence so far away from both of Them, we need them more than ever and our spirit misses our home. When we study Their words and do things that are gospel related, we are able to quench that feeling of "homesickness" I guess you could say.

Even as I have studied everyday though, I sometimes notice that my spirit is still hungry and is missing my heavenly home more than normal. And I find that that is sometimes due to my lack of real intent. Sometimes I study because I want to be obedient. Which is good, but the main reason we study is to know our Father in heaven and our Savior, Jesus Christ. Again, we need that one-on-one time with them. It is sooo crucial for us in this point of our existence. That is how our character changes, through the Atonement and knowing our Savior. That is how the gospel becomes 'embedded in fleshy tables of the heart'.

️ so yeah!! That's my spiritual spiel for the week!! Take it for what it's worth! Just know that I KNOW that these things are true. Our Savior, Jesus Christ is the ONLY way back to our Heavenly home. Studying His word are how we strengthen ourselves and come to know Him. This gospel is the fullness of what Christ taught while He walked the earth. If you don't know that, find it out. Look around you and connect the dots. There is evidence EVERYWHERE that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Kingdom of God on earth. Pray and ask with a sincere heart and real intent and you will receive an answer by the power of the Holy Ghost!

That is not a promise from me, that's a promise from your Creator and your Father. He can't lie or break promises. So!! Put Him to the test! I dare you!