Taking on Tacoma: TRANSFER THREE

I know that you are all holding your breath as to whether or not I am staying in Belfair or not (but probably not, because I bet my parents already posted on Facebook after I Skyped them yesterday...)

I am indeed staying in Belfair. Sadly, Sister Harris is not, but she's becoming a Sister Training Leader, which is like a promotion! My new companion's name is Sister Kramer. I'll meet her tomorrow. All I know about her is that she prefers Almond milk to regular milk. And that she has brown hair and blue eyes. So, she sounds like a keeper! I'll let you know more about her next week!

I had a really good week this week. It started off with a really great lesson with the Leinnaweber family, and then we just continued to have really great lessons throughout the week with all of our investigators! It was such a nice change from the past few weeks when everyone has been busy, or sick, or out of town. We have 5 people on date for baptism the the next month or so, they just have a lot of things to work through but they have all said that they want to be baptized. So, that's really exciting. :)

On Thursday we got to go to the Women's Correctional Facility again! I JUST LOVE THOSE LADIES! When we came in we heard a bunch of them say "Oh! The missionaries are back!" "Look! The missionaries!" We didn't have enough time to tell them everything I would have wanted to say, but that's okay.

We talked about personal revelation and how God wants us to talk to Him and to go to Him with everything that we need and that He will answer us and bless us. Then they all shared experiences of times they have had prayers answered and their conversion stories. They all have had amazing experiences and they are trying so hard to change their ways and to figure out their purpose. One lady shared her testimony and said that Jeremiah 29:9-10 helped her to see how God is waiting for us and will bless us. For her, she needed to go into captivity to find freedom in Him. It was beautiful and another amazing and uplifting experience.

If I could, I would dress up in a jumpsuit and wear my name tag and just serve a mission IN the prison. Just go around ministering to the women there and lifting them up.

Sunday was a really great day also. Ashley Leinnaweber CAME TO CHURCH! And she stayed for ALL THREE HOURS. :) It was the best Sunday ever! During Sacrament meeting, there weren't any weird or crazy talks. They were fantastic talks. One lady gave a talk on having a Christ-Centered Home. And the thing that draws Ashley the most to our church is that her family can be together forever, that her family can be closer and happier and that her home can be a safe place. So that talk was absolutely perfect for her. Then in Sunday School, this was funny, the lesson was on baptism. Sister Harris and I started laughing and passed her the book open to the page we were on, and told her we didn't plan it to be like that. But that's what ended up happening! Isn't that amazing? Then Ashley opened up and had a lot of questions about baptism and answered some other questions and it was great. AND THEN in Relief Society, we talked about how the Book of Mormon is the Key Stone of our religion. Man, it was just so perfect. I was so glad. A lot of people came up and talked to Ashley, they were nice to her, they didn't judge her, they just loved her and it was great. I'm so excited for Ashley!

ASHLEY!

After church, I Skyped my family! Which was great! I love my family.

My cute family!

When we were knocking doors, we met a lady, named Jeannie, who has NEVER met Mormon missionaries, which just doesn't happen too often. We were grateful to be able to make the best first impression ever on her! :) She is cleaning out her aunt's (who just died) home and that house is FULL of history. She showed it to us and took us through all they OLD sheds full of old things that her uncle used to make things and carve. It was so fun to go around and look at all these things that are probably antiques. She kept telling us to take whatever we wanted, she just wants to get rid of everything. So, I got an old blue jar, and Sister Harris walked out with a rusty hatchet, a rusty mole trap, and an old shaver. Haha. She was on cloud 9.

It was just a really good week. I had a blast sharing my testimony with people. :)

This week, I read one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. Alma 5. I love reading it because it is a good reminder to me of the covenants I have made with God. And of the blessings He has poured on me throughout my life. In verses 6 and 7 Alma asks "have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers? have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them?.... behold, he changed their hearts; yea he awakened them out of a deep sleep, and they awoke unto God. Behold, they were in the midst of darkness; nevertheless, their souls were illuminated by the light of the everlasting word..."

Comparing this to now: Do you remember when you were converted? Do you remember when you knew and understood for yourself what the Atonement means to you? Do you remember your parents and your ancestors? Do you remember the mercy and the love God has for you? Think of someone you know who has been in a deep sleep, who was awoken to God. Whose soul was illuminated by the light of the everlasting word.

Has that happened to you?

If you have experienced a change of heart, and if you have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, can you feel so now? (verse 26)

What are you doing to remember everything that God has done for you? Are you doing everything you can do to continue to be converted? To learn of God? To earn His blessings?

Make sure you are always going forward and upward. Don't slack. Don't just plateau. Keep going up. :)

Also, "to be Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal." So SMILE. (2 Nephi 9:39)

I love you all. :) Have a wonderful week!

Sister Warburton