letter.seventy.two: 08.11.14 LAST LETTER "He's not finished with me yet."

I LOVE AUSTRALIA!

I can't believe it. I can't believe it's here. It's the time you never think will come, but here it is staring me in the face. My last full week of missionary service was great. So many appointments fell through and we didn't meet our goals, but that's not what matters. What matters is that even though it didn't go the way we planned, we kept pushing through and because of it we had a great week.

This week I have been reflecting on my missionary service. It has been rewarding, to say the least, to reflect on the many lessons learned and blessing that have come to me through my service as a full time missionary. Here are a few of the main ones.

*God is good. All of the blessings that have come to me on my mission and the miracles I have seen are not because of me, but because God has been good to me and blessed me with them. 

*God really is our LOVING Heavenly Father. There have been times of overflowing joy and times of deep sorrow on my mission. In both of those emotions it was evident to me that God loves me and has a plan for me. He knows just what I need and He lovingly guides me there. He isn't just waiting to condemn our every move, but rather to help us accept the mercy that comes through His son, Jesus Christ. 

*Faith is in Jesus Christ, not results. True faith is leaving the results to handle themselves. I've found that the true measure of faith is when you keep going even when the results that you want aren't coming. You know that through Christ anything is possible, but that even if the desired miracle doesn't come you keep going and moving forward because He knows a better plan for you.

*"Perfect love casteth out fear." As I have prayed to be filled with the Savior's love for others and myself it is the way I can make it through without any fear. If you just concentrate on loving, then that pure love will help the Spirit to guide you because that is what the Spirit is all about. Love.

*The power of personal prayer. As I have striven to make my personal prayers more meaningful it has changed my relationship with God to be a much more real and personal relationship.

*Humility is the secret to happiness. True humility is what brings the most happiness in every part of life. Holding onto pride is never worth it. 

*Anyone can change. It's the most amazing thing that you get to witness on a mission. It doesn't matter where they came from, anyone can change if they choose it. Myself included.

*"Judge not, that ye be not judged." You never know where people have come from. You can't always understand the way that they are and just because someone lives differently than you doesn't mean that it's wrong. Even when it is against church standards, you have to try to see where they are coming from before you try to help them or they'll just feel judged. 

These are but a few of the priceless gems I have learned on my mission. It has been a beautiful journey. As I studied on Saturday I was reading about how to know if you're a successful missionary and about the power and authority of our calling. Then I also read my setting apart blessing. As I read I carefully considered my mission and the missionary and person I have become. I felt as I read them that I have done my best. I have never been perfect, but I have given my full effort. As I read I felt an overwhelming peace that God has truly accepted my service and is proud of who I am, but more importantly He is proud of who I'm becoming. 

There is a song we listen to as missionaries that I think is perfect. It says, "There is hope for me yet, because God won't forget all the plans He's made for me. I'll just have to wait and see. He's not finished with me yet."

I know that God isn't finished with me yet. I know that this time as a full-time missionary was just a springboard into a life of changing and progressing. I am eternally grateful for God steering my path in this direction. Especially when I was so fixed in another direction. I have been blessed beyond what I ever could have imagined while being here and I'm so thankful for that. 

I know that missionary work changes people because it's changed me. I know that this isn't just a nice church, but the only true church on the earth and I am so thankful to be a member of it. I wouldn't trade that for anything. 

I love you all. I can't believe I get to see my family in just a few days. I love you with all my heart and never could have done it without your love and support. 

Heaps of love from down unda,

letter sixty.eight 07.14.14 the power of the Restoration

Another week has come and gone. I don't understand how that keeps happening. Time passes in such an odd way, especially on a mission. But we had a great week! This week I have felt the power of the message of the Restoration acutely as we have had the opportunity to teach it. 

 

small town Ann works in.

One lesson, with a family from PNG went particularly well. We have met with them several times and invited them to be baptized but they said they didn't feel like they could, they just enjoyed our visits. So this week we took the Restoration DVD and watched it with them. The Spirit was so strong. They all talked about the good feelings that they felt as they watched when Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith. We could tell that even the children felt it. Although they have always been receptive, it's been the mum who's not been so into it. But this time she talked about the power she felt from that story. She even asked if she could say the closing prayer. I think she thanked Heavenly Father three times for the blessing of having missionaries come over and how much they look forward to it, but even better than that was that she told God that she realized that she needs to search like Joseph Smith did and find out if she's on the right path. She asked God to help her know what path to take. It was so powerful! 

parking problems...

This week I was studying the Restoration and because I've been on my mission for a bit now it's easy to just glaze over the study of it. So I prayed and asked if He would help me know a way I could help it be more meaningful. I felt prompted to take each section and read it and then right down what it meant for me. How it had changed MY life. It was so powerful. I felt like my testimony of the restoration deepened I was able to bear a much more powerful testimony. God is so good. He knew that was just what I needed. 

We also had a lesson with this AMAZING girl named S. She is what a lot of people would call a "dry" Mormon. She has been coming to church for a month and a bit now. She is a young woman who was invited by friends. She knows it all and comments more in class than the active members sometimes J. She is golden. She just hasn't felt ready to be baptized. We felt inspired to read Alma 7 with her and apply it to her situation. As we did she told us how much she loved it and how it all made so much more sense to her. While we were reading she said, "Wow! I love these scriptures!" It was so good. God is so good to us. She is now working towards a baptismal date!

There were also a few points in the week where I was feeling a bit blah. It's freezing here so we always have heat going in the car and nothing makes me drowsier than that. So we were trying to think of ways we could help this and other things we wanted to improve. So we thought we'd go out on the bikes. That was so inspired! On Saturday we went out and were on the bikes for hours. We were able to find investigators and talk to so many wonderful people. I felt great. There is just a good feeling about biking. You feel like a real missionary. Although, I'm glad we do have a car, as our area is a bit dodgy at night even in a car, but during the day biking is the best!

 

Ann's current favorite healthy treat. 

favorite PB down under.

I have been able to tell a lot this week that Satan is really trying to get me down. He doesn't want me to finish my time as a full-time missionary strongly. He isn't a fan of the idea of me going home on a good note. I have felt him try to tear me down so many times this week, but I'm so happy to say that I haven't let him. I refuse to. There have been moments where I wanted to succumb, of course, but it seems those are the moments when the Lord gives me a gentle reminder of why I'm here.

I love this work so much. I feel so blessed to be a part of it.  I know I say this every week, but my cup truly runneth over with love as I participate in the work of salvation. It is the greatest work in the world. I am so thankful that it's a life long pursuit and it will continue even after I finish my full time service because I LOVE it!

I love you all and I hope you make it a great week!

ps funny story....

So we were following up at a former's house and there is a huge gate. As we came up to it I could just feel that there was a dog... so we slowly open the gate and I very cautiously go inside well behind Sister W... Then this MASSIVE dog jumps their back fence, which is very tall and comes running at us.... I of course run and pull the huge gate closed and I'm just holding onto it while the owner tries to pick up the dog to force him inside. Then we try to talk to him about the Gospel and he starts showing us all of his tattoos. He even showed us one on his stomach. I think we both nearly threw up and we just tried to get out of there as fast as possible... It was awful, but funny looking back on it. I have learned to be very cautious of gates on my mission and I can't say my mission has helped me like dogs... not at all... Just thought I'd share. :) Life is crazy in Kal! Love you!

letter sixty.seven 07.07.14 celebrating religious freedom

Well this week was kind of a blur. It's been so good. I LOVE Sister W! She is so awesome. I miss Sister K, of course, and we had an amazing transfer together, but it has been clear to me that Sister W and I are supposed to be together for this transfer. It's been good to be with someone that I was in the MTC with because it's very clear the growth we both have made. We haven't even served near each other for our whole missions and it's been good to see the change in both of us. We've had some similar experiences on our missions and it's been wonderful reflecting on the things we have both learned on our missions. We have such similar views on missionary work. It makes it great because nothing stands in the way of us just doing the work. We love each other, we work the same way, and we're both so keen to work hard. We both want to go home running. We've set some great goals for this transfer together. Things that will not only help our area grow, but us, as missionaries, grow to our fullest capacities. We also teach really well together. It flows so nicely. And we both just love each other so there is none of the negative comparison that can happen in companionships sometimes. It's so good. This is going to be a great transfer.

We've had some really spiritual experiences in lessons. We have made it a goal to make sure that all our lessons are taught completely by the Spirit and we saw the fruits of that this week. The Spirit has taught some powerful lessons through us this week. I've felt the Spirit very strongly. I love that. We've worked with a lot of less-actives this week and we made some amazing progress with them because the Spirit guided the lessons and the questions we asked that opened them up. It was beautiful.

On Thursday we were teaching the young woman about missionary work. Youth can be a hard bunch. We were showing videos and trying to make it really interesting but they were VERY unresponsive. Not that that's incredibly unusual for youth, but it can still be frustrating, but as we were teaching I felt the Spirit so strongly. I know the ones that had their hearts open did as well. There was one point where I felt impressed to testify of the love that you feel in missionary work. Sarah and Tayla were there and I felt an over powering love for them. I recognized that the love I feel for them and for so many people that I'm currently working with and that I have in the past is what makes this service such a pleasure. It's what makes it easier to keep going hard, because you love them and desire their salvation. I love it! It's really all about love. I have felt that time and time again on my mission, but it never ceases to overwhelm me. As mum would say, "I feel so overwhelmed!"

We also tried to celebrate Independence Day. The Bishop's family (who are American) invited us over for a little celebration and we knew we needed to share a message, like we would at any dinner. So that morning as we contemplated what we would share, I pondered what our independence really meant to me. I remembered that it is so much more than freedom, but it's the whole reason that the restoration could come about. It's the reason that Joseph Smith was in a position to have so many different religions around him and to be able to be God's instrument in restoring the fullness of His gospel to the earth. What a blessing for the world! Not just America. I am so grateful for the religious freedom that came about because of so many people that fought and gave their lives for it and the many people that continue to do so. 

 

happy fourth!

We also have had a bit of a weird week. There has been a lot of things that have come up that have thrown off our plans and made it hard to get all that we wanted to done.

 

after finding Sister W's wallet.

On Saturday we taught some less-actives a powerful lesson on repentance and change. We talked about choosing right now to change, not just waiting for a new day, or a new week, or a new month, or a new year. We can decide right now to change and do better. 

Later that night, we were struggling to find an investigator. We had been struggling with it all week. We were doing all the right things, but it kind of felt like we were doing it on autopilot. We only had a little bit left of the night and I thought that maybe we should pray, but then Satan tempted me with the same thing I had just taught our less-actives about. I kept thinking, "oh we'll just start fresh tomorrow." "We only have an hour left." Then I remembered what we had said to them. You can do it NOW. You don't have to wait for a new day to start fresh. So we pulled over and knelt down in the car and prayed for Heavenly Father's help to do what we can never do it on our own. We pleaded for His guidance as we did all we could to find a new investigator. We were directed to some people that became good potentials. And finally, we were led to a new investigator. It was such a blessing. God is so good to us. I don't know why I ever try to do it without Him. It's such a temptation to do missionary work on autopilot, especially when you're tired. But that's just Satan's trap trying to pacify us. Lull us into a false sense of security. But I'm so grateful that God cared enough about me to help me remember to ask Him for help. He gave a gentle and beautiful reminder that ended up changing the rest of the evening. 

I love this work. I love this ward. I love this area, and I love my companion. I am so happy to be a full time servant of the Lord with His name on my nametag. It brings me so much joy. I hope you're all trying to do the same. I understand it's so hard when you're not full time, but it's you all who make the work possible and fruitful for the full time missionaries. I love you and I'm so thankful for your love and support. 

letter.sixty.six 06.30.14 the beginning of the end

I honestly cannot believe that the transfer is already over. This has been the fastest six weeks of my life. It's been an amazing transfer here in Kalgoorlie with Sister K. It's been like a dream, I have loved it so much. 

The highlight of the week was without a question the baptism on Sunday. It was so beautiful. I loved it so much. Everything went so well. The talks were perfect and the Spirit was so strong. The girls were so ready. I love baptisms. I am always reminded at baptisms how much this isn't me at all. This is all because of God's goodness and kindness in letting me participate in someone coming to really know Him and make this first covenant. It is truly a blessing from God. It actually is a bit frustrating to me when try to tell us that it's because we're so good as missionaries or because of us somehow. It's not at all. I have been good and worked hard my whole mission and it's moments like these that come because God blesses us to be apart of this miracle, not because we're such good missionaries. I am so thankful for that knowledge. It sometimes feels like many members and missionaries just don't understand that concept. 

Honestly, there have been some trying moments for me this week. There have been times when I've been pushed to the edge of my limits, by different situations, but I have been blessed to remember that God is with me. I feel Him near.

Something I struggled with this week is not being able to feel things as strongly. I am a passionate person. I like to feel things deeply. I used to cry all the time when I felt the Spirit back home, but sometimes on my mission I find that I don't cry and I kind of associate that with not feeling the Spirit very strongly. I know that's not true, but it's confusing for me at times. Especially when my companion cries a lot. I know a lot of it was because it was her last week, but still sometimes I just want to feel something more than blah. It's something I'm still struggling to not let it get to me. I know that God will guide me though. I know that He is with me, even if I don't feel all of the dramatic feelings that I normally do. I am thankful for His understanding nature and His guiding hand. 

Things don't always go according to plan, but when we love God and all of His children He helps us through, as we focus on that. I have felt Him helping me as I pray for patience. Not that there has been anything massive, but I think Satan was trying to ruin this last week of the transfer, but I just refused to let him. It ended up being a wonderful week, full of beautiful lessons and discussions with some awesome people whom I love very much. 

God is so good to me. I am excited to continue to give it my all this last six weeks. I love Kalgoorlie and it couldn't be a more perfect place to end my mission. I love the people, I love the ward, I love the work and I love the town. It's a great place to be. 

I feel so blessed to be a missionary with all of the experiences that come with it. I love being able to wear a badge over my heart and to teach people about the truth. I think being a missionary is one of the best things I have ever done for my personal progression. I am excited to see the kind of progress that Heavenly Father has in store for me in this last transfer. I know the progress won't end there, but rather, set me up for continuous progression throughout the rest of my future. I love that about the gospel of Jesus Christ. We can change! We can continue to change. None of us is stuck. We have, through the Atonement, the power to reach greater heights than we would ever be able to on our own. 

I love this gospel. I love the eternal truths that it teaches. I love the process of striving everyday to become better and better. I am so thankful that we always have the opportunity to repent and to try to master our weaknesses. 

I love you all. I am so thankful for you love and support. I know I say that every week but I really am. More than you'll ever know. 

Much love,

letter.sixty.five 06.23.14 where does the time go?!

I'm pretty sure this was the fastest week in the history of time. I honestly feel like it was yesterday I was writing you. It has been a really good week. It started off a bit slow because I was still really sick at the beginning of the week. But Heavenly Father really blessed me to get through the lessons and things that we needed to. I prayed very fervently that I would be healed and the next morning I felt soo much better. I feel so blessed.

must be pretty good chicken...

I think one of my favorite experiences this week was going on splits for rescue visits. This is the first time I have gone on splits on my mission. We've tried to organize it probably a million times, but this time it actually happened and it was soo good! I was with Sister S and it was beautiful. I love her so much. We get along like peas in a pod. There are some people that you meet in life that you have an instant connection with. She is one of those people for me. We had a great time together. We had some beautiful experiences in some of the less active young woman's homes. She also really helped me feel uplifted as well in our conversation. She is a returned missionary with a beautiful young family and she is just radiating with testimony and love. I love her so much.

treats they made and took to people.

We've also had amazing lessons with the girls who are getting baptized. Oh my goodness I love them so much. They really soak in all the things that we teach them. They're preparing for baptism this weekend and it's going to be so good. They are really changing their lives. They have come so far from where they were when we first met them. I can see their testimonies growing. They are like our little sisters we love them so much. 

One of the lessons a member from the young woman's presidency took us up there (cause it's far and uses up all our k's.) But it was so good to have her at the lesson. She bore a beautiful testimony and helped them feel of the love from the young woman's. It was awesome. I also loved the conversation we had on the way up and down. Man! I just can't get over how much I love the members here. I love chatting with them about their experiences in the gospel and the missionary work they are doing. A lot of the members who came with us this week haven't come to lessons ever before and it was so awesome to see them come and enjoy it. Missionary work is the best. 

There were some rough patches of this week as well. There were some times that Satan really tried to get us down, but we didn't let him. We pushed through and kept going. I had some powerful studies this week as well that helped me to be able to have more spiritual stamina to overcome those things. I am so thankful for the scriptures. They were my strength and comfort in the times when it was tough. It all turned out well in the end.

We also got a ride down with members to another remote part of our area to visit some less actives and it went so well. The girl is YSA and we were with YSA and they all were the perfect fellowship. It was amazing. 

Ah. I love this. I love being a missionary. I love sharing the gospel with others. I love the spirit that we get to feel so strongly as we teach, well really as the Spirit teaches. I'm in love with missionary work. I really felt that this week. I love it! I love it! I LOVE IT! 

I love you all. I hope you make it a great week!

letter sixty.four 06.16.14 "Yes, I know Heavenly Father loves me."

It feels like I just wrote yesterday. I cannot believe how fast the time is going. It's a bit scary actually. But at least the time going by fast means that the work is good and that my companion and I are getting along. I love her so much. Sister K and I will be sisters forever. She is awesome. She is soo bold. Like crazy bold sometimes, but it's good. 

We had some great teaching opportunities this week. We have amazing investigators. We're working with almost all young woman age girls and it is so good. It's the perfect age to learn about and accept the gospel into your life. They have an amazing young woman's program here as well, which makes it even better. I love working with them. One of my favorite lessons this week was with the “netball girls” (they are sisters). They are so good. We talked with them about the Book of Mormon and the power it can have in their lives. It was powerful. We also invited them to be baptised and they said yes! They're so excited for it. It's amazing to see two girls so prepared. Also the young women are fellowshipping them like crazy. It's so good. And our investigators are fellowshipping each other as well. It's so good. 

One of the experiences I loved was when we went to an investigator’s home and she looked down. We were chatting about life and she opened up about some really hard things that were happening. She said she wasn't sure if she could handle all of this religion and everything else. I wasn't sure what to say, but I knew that the wrong thing to do was to turn from God. I felt God's love for her so strongly. I felt like I might cry. I just hugged her and she just cried. Then the Spirit led us to share Matthew 11 and to tell her to give her burden to the Lord and that He would provide for her. It was beautiful. We also had a lesson with her family in a member's home and it was amazing! They were the perfect fellowshipers in helping them all feel loved and encouraged. It was so good. I love this ward. 

We also had a lesson with this young less-active couple. They are in a hard spot and I really wasn't sure how to confront the situation. So I tried to really listen with love and with the Spirit. As I did I felt a deep love wash over me for them. God knows them and feels the pain that they have gone through because of their wrong choices and He wants them back. I felt the words and things to say come to my heart and my mind. I know it wasn't me at all. God knows them perfectly and He knows what to say to them. I am just so thankful that I got to be a small part of that and feel that love for them.

Then on Sunday I was sick, I still am. It's nothing too bad, but my body is just worn out. I didn't have strength. I felt like I was going to pass out through all of church and it was taking every ounce of my energy to greet and talk with people, which normally comes very naturally and easily to me. I felt exhausted. I also started having a little bit of down feeling. I started thinking that the ward probably just loves Sister K because she's so fun and I just felt so not fun that day. 

But then we went to a baptism for a child in the ward and we were sitting by our investigators. I was on the outside edge and still feeling a bit off. Then these adorable girls from the ward came up and sat by me. This one little girl who's eight snuggled up to me and just started playing with my hair and my hand. I instantly felt so loved. I knew that God sent those beautiful little girls to tell me that He loves me and is watching out for me. It was just what I needed.

Then a woman came up to tell us how much she loves us both and how much the ward loves us and is happy with the work we are doing. It was another way of Heavenly Father telling me, "I love you." I really do know that my Heavenly Father loves me. I am so thankful for the love that I feel so consistently on my mission and really throughout my whole life. I truly am "encircled about eternally in the arms of His love."

I love you all!