natalie ann: week 23: april rules

Monday, April 4th, 2016

it's APRIL! where is time going? New months are great for missionaries because 1 more money on our card and 2 more miles for the car. General Conference was so good, as you all already know. It really is the super bowl for missionaries.

Monday we had a lesson with the Luongs and then we went over to the Browns for FHE. It's been really good getting into homes for FHE and getting to know the members better. members trust is SO important!

Tuesday we went to see Frank, he is a man living in an assisted living home. He was the one we met on the street. He bought us lunch and he is so nice. Assisted living homes are just the cutest. Frank has such a crazy life. His wife passed away, he got shot in the side, and his daughter was murdered. We talked a lot about faith. We don't know how interested he is but he is pretty religious. We then found out he is just outside our area so we sent him to the elders. We saw Mike Gonzales and he is doing well. He listened to conference which was great. We then saw Sister Holdiman, we brought Sister Rogers with us and it was really good. I hadn't seen her that happy for a while! She was less-stubborn when we brought someone. We then met with Bishop Jorganson and went over the Quorum of the 12 plan with him. We are trying to implement it and get him excited about it.

Wednesday we had exchanges! I was with Sister Israelson in Cave Creek! I just love her. We get along so well. She is just such a down to earth missionary. I love being in different areas and meeting the people they teach. You always learn a lot of exchanges! We ate dinner at Elder Morgan's house so that was fun (that's Stephanie Myer's dad btw, he works at the office). Oh and side note I guess one of our investigators Jackie yelled at us and dropped us. They had a member with them and I guess it was just bad. Pray for Jackie!

Thursday we went to have lunch with Jenn and we got there and she canceled on us :( She is just so busy. But she gave us money for Inn N Out so I can't complain. We got to bring her a journal to take notes on for conference! She and her family went to Utah for conference! They got to go to the Sunday afternoon session. JEALOUS. We had a lesson with Zach at Barnes and Noble. It was good but he seemed really stressed with work and everything. He got a car this week so that's good! We got a referral this week for a less-active. Her name is Emily. We went over and she was SO sweet. She is 23 and has 2 kids. She is living with her boyfriend and I guess he is very anti. Emily wants to come back to church and have that foundation and stability for her kids. They only thing is her boyfriend does not want his kids to go. She is having a hard time with that. I'm really excited to get to know her and teach her. We are going to go shopping with her soon to get her dress clothes for church. She hasn't gone to church in 10 years. Her family is active though. We met a less-active's grandpa that night too, his name is George. We got to share the Hallelujah video with him, he really liked it. We are going to visit him again :)

Friday we had a lesson with Constance. She is just so amazing. She started reading the Book of Mormon! She is amazing. She sets up members to come with us and her own appointments! We then had a short lesson with Zach and Alyssa came as well. They were both late so we had 15 minutes but it was a good lesson. We then tried to see a lot of less-actives. We ended up seeing a lot! Some said we could come by again and others weren't interested. So it was productive.

Saturday we watched the morning general conference with Constance! Her TV didn't have the channel so we walked to a members to watch it. Constance then made us lunch, she is so nice. We then watched the afternoon session with Sue. It was so good. We had a lesson with Zach. We taught him the last lesson he needs before baptism. This whole week we were a little worried if he was ready or not. We want to make sure he is committed. He wasn't reading his Book of Mormon and that night Sister Daughtee looked a bit worried as well.

Sunday we watched the morning session at the Holdimans! Sister Holdiman loved it. She then made us lunch. I feel like i'm at my grandparents over there. They are so cute. We then went to the Daughtees to watch conference with Zach. He wasn't there though and he went to go get jimmy johns...he came in though when conference already started. He said he really liked conference. We then met with him and went over the baptismal interview questions. He slipped up with the Word of Wisdom so we are going to postpone the baptism a bit. We don't know when it will be. But it will be a good time for Zach and to apply the Atonement in his life. It's sad but it is for the best and maybe what needed to happen. Zach is so strong and he does have a testimony of the gospel, this is just going to strengthen it. We then saw the Christensens, Mike Gonzales and the Lumans. All were really good lessons. It's the best feeling knowing you can help someone come unto Christ. It's really an honor to be His representative!

This week I have learned a lot and I have been able to see the love Heavenly Father has for all His children. His divine chastening is because he knows us better than we know ourselves. His plan is to build us better than we could ever become. When judgement day comes he is going to look at who we became. And we cannot doing it without our Advocate. He does make us whole no matter how broken we are. I loved conference and listening to the leaders. The Prophet Thomas S Monson is called of God and does receive revelation for US in THIS day from God. I love what Elder Holland had to say about Lucifer and how he can not progress and so he does not want us to progress. But we CAN. It's our choice and we can DO it. Christ makes salvation and happiness possible. And remember "GOD will never desert us, He will always stand by us." Oh I also loved what President Uchtdorf said "obdience is the process of which we discover what we are truly made of." We can have all the blessings God is willing to give us if we are obedient to Him. If we come unto Him, He will draw near unto us.

I love this gospel! I love being a missionary!

xoxo

Sista Fisha