transfer 9, Week 1 April 28 2014

This week was just beyond incredible. I can't even express how much I know that God helping me in this work. We have seen so many miracles I can't even begin to count them... so I am not going to try. :P

This week we had an investigator at Stake Conference!! It was really awesome because we did everything we could think of to help him come. We talked to him about it and called him the night before. We set up a ride to come and pick him up with us, we even had our Ward Mission Leader saving spots for us! We were all set. Then Sunday morning we didn't get a response from our investigator and the member we had to come with us had slept in so she was going to be really late. We didn't know what to do and so we texted our investigator again and gave him the address of the church. We went to the building and we didn't give up faith. We told the people directing traffic that if a guy named Jarre came (and we explained what he looked like) then they should direct him to the chapel. We waited in the 

So to make a long story short we went the entire 2 hours and didn't hear or see our investigator, but afterwards one of the members that we took with us to meet Jarre brought him up to us!! He ended up getting to the church right when Madeline Rippstein was talking! It was awesome because she came with us on Saturday and so he was able to feel comfortable enough to sit down and listen. I was so grateful that they were having technical difficulties at the beginning of Conference!! haha :) Since the speakers and web casting equipment were not working like they should have we got started 20 mins late. Without that Jarre would have missed Madeline's talk and it would have been harder for him to feel comfortable. God is looking out for us! 

It was a miracle. :) We chose to have faith when everything we did didn't work out the way we expected. :)

We got to go to the temple last week and it was just what I needed. I know that I am a child of God and I know that He wants to help me to understand the plan that he has made for me. :) Each of us have a personalized plan just for us. 

2 Nephi 26: 25-27

 25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold,I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: ^aCome unto me all ye ^bends of the earth, ^cbuy milk and honey, without money and without price.

 26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should ^adepart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath ^bgiven it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to ^crepentance.

The way is set for us!! We CAN do it. It will be hard, but that is how we learn to become like our Father in Heaven.

Luke 6:40

  40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one ^athat is perfect shall be as his master.

If you look in the footnotes of this scripture is says that when it says "that is perfect" what is means is "having been perfectly prepared." Each of us have a perfect plan that God has made for us. We all can be perfectly prepared to become, "as [our] master." Isn't that a wonderful promise! :) The awesome thing is that Jarre is being prepared! He is on that path to understanding more of who he is as a son of God. If he chooses to continue on this path that he has started then he will be "perfectly prepared" to meet God. :)

Each of us can do it. :)

In other news I am learning some Texas cookin! I have learned how to make Grits, and Jambalaya! :) (Yes we sorta cheated with the Jamalaya.. but it tasted great!!) It is crawfish season again so I am going to be eating some crawfish here again soon!! They are actually really good! Just sorta weird because of how to you have to break off the heads to get to the meat. Once you get past the smell and the weirdness of the little animal it is pretty tasty :P The entire town smells like crawfish!! (which smells like 3 week old fish) haha So it is awesome. :P 

Hope ya'll have a good week! Love ya'll!

-Sister Earl

Transfer #5, oh and Happy Easter April 21 2014

Well I am officially staying in Clear Lake 2nd and Armand Bayou YSA branch for another 6 weeks! I am very excited and ready for another transfer!! :) Sister Winger and I still have mighty things to do in this part of the Lords Vineyard.

I hope everyone had a fantastic Easter!! Yesterday was a day filled with the spirit and a huge humbling experience for me. In each of the sacrament meetings I attended there were some every heartfelt testimonies shared about our Savior, Jesus Christ. I could feel the love that he has for each of us. 

I know that Christ lived. He came to earth with a divine mission. Yes He came to set up his church and call apostles. Yes he came to heal the sick and perform miracles. Yes He did marvelous things that we get to read about while he was on the earth, but the only real reason He had to come down and be among us is because He had to perform the Atonement. No other person could bear the sins, sicknesses, and suffering of ever living soul. He was the only one that could do it and therefore he was sent to earth to carry out His Fathers will. 

I know that this happened. I can almost see our Savior in the garden of Gethsemane. I know He went there and that He prayed. He asked our Father if there was any other way, but He told Him that we would do it if it was His Fathers will for Him. He prayed and He felt everything I have gone through and everything I am currently going through. He already has felt all my pains and joys. My disappointments and excitements. He went through all that agony and he feels complete empathy for me. He understands and He just wants to lift me out of that so I don't have to go through it. He has a level of charity and long-suffering that I hope to one day understand, and eventually obtain.

He went through all that and was eventually crucified, by the people. He was rejected and despised for the goodness and truth that He brought the the world. 

Then on the 3rd day He took his life again. He lives and because of that truth He has made a way for all of us to live again. I know that we all will be resurrected. We will all live again and come before our God at the judgement bar, BUT if we want to stay there and live with Him forever we need to do something. 

Alma 42:13-16    13 Therefore, according to justice, the ^aplan of ^bredemption could not be brought about, only on conditions of repentance of men in this probationary state, yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would ^ccease to be God.

 14 And thus we see that all mankind were ^afallen, and they were in the grasp of ^bjustice; yea, the justice of God, which consigned them forever to be cut off from his presence.

 15 And now, the plan of mercy could not be brought about except an atonement should be made; therefore God himself ^aatoneth for the sins of the world, to bring about the plan of ^bmercy, to appease the demands of ^cjustice, that God might be a ^dperfect, just God,and a ^emerciful God also.  

He asks us to repent!! He performed this marvelous all encompassing Atonement and he turns to us and all he asks is that we "confess and forsake" the things that we do wrong. As we change these things we feel better about ourselves and we understand our divine potential as children of God. 

We repent by stopping the things that are wrong and doing things that are right. Therefore that means that when we read our scriptures, go to church, or pray we are repenting. All of the commandments are ways that we have been given that allow us to be happy and access more of what Christ has already done for us. It is just incredible to think about how much love has gone into this plan our Father in Heaven made. 

I know all of this is true. Jesus Christ lives, so we can live better. 

As I have testified and taught about this wonderful plan this week my testimony has multiplied a million times. I know this is true. I challenge all of you to find out if this really happened and if Christ really is reaching out to you. Ask God in your prayers and He will tell you. 

Happy late Easter! ya know.. everyday is a good day to remember Christ. :) Everyday can be Easter! :)

-Sister Earl

and then some super random photos! yay! 

-interesting bumper sticker, sleeping, white board blessings, exchange with sister Susu, emailing...ya. :) 

Summer is coming April 14, 2014

This week the temperature shot up again and reminded me what my fate will be in the coming months. haah I am getting excited for it! (mainly because I feel like I will be more resilient this year.. but who knows?)

 

This was a good week. Sister Winger and I are working hard and making a difference here in Clear Lake and Armand Bayou. I love these people so much. I have been here for 4 transfers and I really just can't imagine leaving anytime soon, but I guess that next week I will find out what God as in mind for me. (transfers come faster and faster every time)

 

We have a new investigator named Lance who is just one of the coolest finding stories yet. We were walking in an apartment complex one afternoon and we saw these guys moving furniture so we stopped and asked, "Hey do ya'll need any help moving in?" They looked at us funny (two girls in skirts) and so I said, "Well we would love to help, but we can also call some other people if you need it." They laughed at us and just said, "Nah, its alright" So like the conversation always goes we eventually got into the conversation of how we were missionaries and that we share a message with everyone about how the gospel that Christ organized when he was on the earth has been brought back in its entirety. Lance was just so excited to hear this!! He was asking questions and getting more excited with each response. He told us how he has studied religion for a long time in and out of school. He finds it fascinating but has never found a church that he believes is true. While we were talking about the Restoration we told him how the priesthood was restored to Joseph Smith. Immediately his eyes got big and he said, "Wait, the priesthood of Aaron?" haha Yes the priesthood power that Aaron was given from God was restored or brought back to the earth. We talked to him about a lot of things and he would always have the knowledge from the bible to back up what we were saying!! He is very prepared!! Then he said, "Alright, when is our next appointment?!"

We will go back over this Thursday! We are very excited about it :)

Well this next week will be really awesome. We are looking forward to helping more people come closer to our Heavenly Father. It is times when I talk to people like Lance that I think, How many other people are only kept from the truth because they don't know where to find it? I know that this church is true. I know that this is the only church that has the power and authority from God to baptized us unto repentance. It is essential for us to know that for ourselves. I know God answers our prayers and that He really cares about us in our individual circumstances. :)

Never give up, your eternity has just begun!! (yes that was very cheesy, but it is so true!) :)

-Sister Earl

Sister Earl's Email April 7 2014

Well even though I know most of you are expecting this comment I am going to say it anyway..

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED GENERAL CONFERENCE!! :)

There was so many wonderful talks and from them I am able to see what direction God wants me to go from here. I love that we were about to spend 2 days learning about truth! Things that completely and totally matter for everyone. It is so amazing how much God loves his children isn't it? 

I had a lot of favorite talks so I don't really think I can pick my first choice, but I can say that right now I am thinking of Elder Ballards talk on the importance of Persistence and Follow-up. I love the invitations that he extended to each of us. He told us about studying Preach My Gospel and the scriptures then having members and missionaries share what they are learning! I can honestly say I would love to talk about things that you have been learning! When we share the things that we learn they benefit others and help ourselves to be more converted to the gospel. It has given me more of a desire to go out and do this wonderful work and it strengthens me everyday. 

I also really loved President Uchtdorfs talk on Gratitude. I am totally convinced that gratitude really can change everything. I have seen how when I choose to be grateful in whatever circumstance I find myself in that I am so much happier and am able to do so much more good with what I have been given. 

Goodness, I could go on forever, but I guess I will stop there. I cannot wait to get a conference ensign and read the talks again! :) hah

We have been seeing more and more miracles every week. Yesterday we realized that we had not found any new investigators this week. We prayed about it and felt like we could find 2 news on Sunday even with conference. To be honest I was not sure what was going to happen, but yesterday we were able to go with a member to  some of his friends and met a couple (Gloria and John) They were very nice and we were able to teach and we got a return appointment! 2 new investigators and these investigators have member friends already who are willing and excited to help them learn the gospel. 

That was a huge miracle. We didn't plan it out, but we were able to be lead because of our faith. :)

With our Heavenly Father nothing is impossible. :) 

I love all ya'll!

-Sister Earl