Born & Raised

I'm realizing more and more that I would NOT be who I am without being raised by my parents. They had to let me choose the Gospel on my own. They were caring enough to allow me to choose, they carefully watched over me as I cultivated my own path towards our Father in Heaven. There influence and testimony shaped me because I allowed it to. No one can tell you what to do, or how you're doing to do it. No one can force you to find God, and no one but yourself can find Him. All the power we have comes from an inner decision, a commitment WE make between ourselves and the Lord that we will follow Him. I am a disciple of Christ because I choose to do so. He is beside my. As Alma said, there's more evidence that there IS a living God than not. He cannot inflict any decision on us, He carefully sits back and guides us when we allow Him to.

With that in mind, all I can do as a missionary is INVITE and HELP. my part is to present the doctrine, testify of it, and invite. 

Funny story this week: we took Molly, whose papers are going in in just days, tracting. She opens the Book of Mormon to the painting of Jesus and asks the cop in the car if he's seen "this man" and that we were looking for him. We have a funny conversation and left him with the Book of Mormon. We have almost handed out all of our books. Every time we do it's CRUCIAL that they understand that THIS IS IMPORTANT! We testify, and invite. 

We continue to have luck with JoAnne. We have a Joseph Smith Memorial date scheduled!!!! WAHHOOO!!! Now we just have to find someone to take us, but that's the least of my worries.... haa...

I love this ward. One by one each of them are making places in my heart. It isn't that the quality of the love I feel towards members decreases as the quantity increases, but that they increase together! All love is a gift from Heavenly Father. He has given me the ability to LOVE! 

Below is a little from this weeks LTP telling y'all what we did this week. For the most part we are realizing that we are here to build these relationships and to overlap the differences between us and the members. I'm really REALLY excited for all the things Sister Turley and I have planned.

K I know I've said this before, but Sister Turley and I are like the Bible and the Book of Mormon. We are best friends. I love how the Lord always has a plan, and I feel it so strongly! 

"A ship in a port is safe, but that is not what ships were built for."
- Captain Hopper

That describes what Manchester Ward is. They play it "safe" by doing what has been done for transfers on end. We have such a blessing of having 4 sets of missionaries in one ward, it is time we tap into this potential and coordinate with one another to get some wheels on this bus! I keep thinking about courage, and how we can use it at this point and lost nothing. Satan keeps us back by putting a block on our creativity by telling us "you can't do that, the ward won't do that, the Bishop won't like that... etc." We have been praying for courage and collaboration.

An answer to prayer: Elder Kunz (zone leader) called us this morning telling us that we are getting more miles, and that they don't want to be so distant from us as it has been in the past. He asked for a preview of our ideas and we were able to come up with ideas to gather the missionary forces together and unify! We are meeting as missionaries in Manchester during district lunch to come up with ideas that we can then present to our ward mission leader, but this time as a unified group. This week especially my studies have lead me around that Gathering! How the Lord works in numbers. He uses them because there is strength in them! This was the best phone call we'd had! So I count that as our miracle.

Last night Sister Turley and I sat down and goal planned. We made a vision statement that will require creativity, collaboration, stretching, and of course, the help of the Lord! I feel so strongly as we prayed that these are the Lord's goals, not our own. The Spirit confirmed this to us. It was incredible, we are working with the Lord to set the ground work for the fire that will ignite here. Our goal is that by the end of next transfer, the ward members will be excited to work with us. The requirements to fulfill this goal is that members must come to US and ask when they can teach with us, or, of course, a SME (significant missionary experience)! We will get them EXCITED. We have individual plans in each area to do this. For the ward, ward council, bishopric, district, leadership (you and Sister Reid), Manch Elders, companionship, and individuals, we have set a plan to match our vision, and have a plan of action. We are accountable to the Lord and each other. It was amazing receiving the revelation we have asked for as to HOW to start things in this area MOST EFFECTIVELY. 

Now for the application... We are going to use our weekly plannings to apply these goals.

I feel like I'm praying all the time.

Opened my scriptures during comp study and found this... Each one is tabbed under a missionary scripture she had found during her studies! She's a blast. I don't even know how to describe all the fun we have! She's adorable. Anyone have any creative ideas for serving your companion? I'm pushing the limits on my creativity ha!

SUPER FUN!!! So today we ran three miles to the Elders to pick up the car. She's a rockstar. She's lost over 20 POUNDS since she's been on her mission! She didn't think she could run that far, but I got her out the door and she was 5 steps ahead of me the entire run! So fun to have a companion who likes to go running with me!