Letter_Week 04_Yakima_Sister Karony

Tomorrow I'll have been out for 1 whole month!!! Time flies! I love it here, all the people, the members, the missionaries. I'm going to share this week's email from President Ware to show you how crazy this mission is:

We love you Elders and Sisters, 

This week was another wonderful week of heaven’s blessings and miracles pouring down upon your investigators and upon you as the Lord’s missionaries. Your faith in Him, your willingness to be obedient and sacrifice your will for His, and give your best, and sleep well is very pleasing to our Savior. 

This past week 12 of our brothers and sisters entered the waters of baptism in a covenant with Christ that changes their life and eternity, and 20 more of our brothers and sisters are preparing this week. Our prayerful goal is to invite and help 50 of our brothers and sister come unto Christ in baptism in March. 

Last week 191 on date, 275 new investigators, 165 at church, and 497 member present lessons.

This week let’s get the members involve to help 200 attend church and strive to have 600 member present lessons this week. Planning in advance is the key for many more members to be involved in finding, teaching and friend-shipping. 

We are so proud of your focus to bring the Spirit to meals with member families. When a gospel conversation is part of the meal their faith increases and you will receive additional people to teach.

Be ON FIRE in the SPIRIT. Remember the convincing power by the Spirit is the Book of Mormon to know that Jesus Christ has restored His Church again on the earth and that His atoning sacrifice redeems, enables, and heals to wholeness all who will believe on His name and follow Him. (1 Nephi 13:38-40) 

May your heart be filled with Joy and Happiness as you teach and testify that He Lives!

Live His Doctrine of daily improvement and fulfill your purpose to the fullest! 

Faith is the Power, Obedience is the Price, Love is the Motive, The Spirit is the Key, and Jesus Christ is the True Reason. 

We love and sustain you! President and Sister Ware

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Now for my part of the email!!!!

-I felt triumphant many times this past week: 

~I had to teach the lesson in Gospel Principles this past Sunday on Ch 9: Scriptures. I had a mini anxiety attack because I was afraid I'd do terribly. I wasn't going to be teaching it with Sister Hunt, and I've never been very good at teaching on my own in the past. What a doofus I was! God took care of me, and I did awesome! I even caught myself throughout the lesson when I was talking too much or too fast and so I would stop and ask a question. The class was very interactive. I made bookmarks to hand out to everyone to help them with their studying of the Book of Mormon. It was even awesome though, because 2 of our investigators had stayed for second hour and were there. It gave me the courage to get up and teach. The spirit was definitely there. If it hadn't been for the Holy Ghost though, I would've flopped. Thank heavens for Heaven! 

~This Sunday was even crazier than normal. We had 3 investigators at church, 2 of whom are on date for baptism, and we had a new family (a mom and her 4 girls) a member had invited to church who came as well. SO GRATEFUL FOR MEMBERS!!! We wouldn't have been able to juggle to the 7 people we had without the members' help. All the little kids got to primary, the teens to Sunday school and Young Woman's, and their mom to Gospel Principles and Relief Society. Our 2 male investigators only stayed for the 1st 2 hours. IT WAS INSANE!!!!! Having too many investigators at church is a FANTASTIC problem to have. Needless to say though, we were exhausted and slept like rocks. We succeeded! 

~In general I'm teaching tons more simply and by the Spirit, and we found another 3 new investigators this past week. We have members giving us people to teach faster than we can contact them all before we have even more to visit! I love this place!

-After we taught one of our investigators the Word of Wisdom, he committed to live it and come to church the next day, I felt absolute joy and peace. He's making the choices he needs to in this life so he can live with our Heavenly Father in the next. I am so blessed to be in an area, no, a mission, where the work is exploding! I am more than content, I'm ecstatic!

-Teaching our investigators always strengthens my testimony that God prepares His children to hear and accept His Gospel, and that many of them WILL listen and follow Christ's example. These two men are always telling Sister Hunt and I, "Just tell me what I gotta to do to live with God again, and I'll do it." Their hope and faith boosts my own every time I'm around them.

-I've felt prompted to take my missionary inspiration from Ammon. Not for the cutting-off-of-the-arms bit, though that IS awesome, but for how humble and penitent he is. My scripture this week is: Alma 26:11-16. I too will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, who is merciful and mighty to save.

Oh, btw, there's a billboard (moving one) around here that advertises "Gallifrey Massages" "Regeneration at it's best!" BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Doctor Who Nerd pun!

I love you all! You won't have to worry about me telling the same stories over and over about my mission anymore. I have too many to tell you already! 

Til next week! Bis Spaeter!

Love,

Sister Karony