natalie ann: week 43: all you need is love

Monday, August 22nd, 2016

Wadupp everyone! Hello yes I'm alive. Still a missionary, still preachin the word. Everything is good. This week was good. Did lots of service! Yay service!

Monday we saw Chelsea. It was a fast visit but she is doing well. We then saw the Pinckards. They are somewhat less-active. He goes sometimes but she doesn't. It is strange because they both went on missions. They are very nice, they are those that don't know they are less-active.

Tuesday I went on exchanges with Sister Kamalu in her area. I love going to other areas. It's just nice to have a change sometimes. But we had lots of lessons and it was a good day. We all went to The Living Hope and helped them send their newsletters. Gaylon had a meeting with Bishop that night and I talked to both of them after and it went well!

Wednesday was interviews so we drove down to Show Low for that. We also had district meeting so we were there so long. But interviews was good! We also got to talk to Sister Robinson and that was good. She is so cute! I love both of them a lot! I can't even imagine what they are going through right now. And their son gets home from the Seattle mission tomorrow! (Represent!) We then went to Jalepenos for lunch and members bought our food. Living in Arizona is the best haha. We then saw Erin Cordova and her kids. That was really good. They said they would be at church on Sunday but they didn't come because they were sick. We then saw the Riveras and talked about temples. It's crazy how one thing keeps someone from the blessings of the temple. We then saw Daryl and read Alma 32 & talked about faith. I love that family so much. Macy is gone though so that's weird.

Thursday we saw Cyndie, she isn't doing so well but she is staying strong with everything that is going on. There is a new family that moved into third Ward, the Harris'. so we went over and helped them unpack! We then saw Sally & read the Book of Mormon with her. I love reading the bom with people because I learn so much from it as well! We then went and saw Dave Sr. I love him, he is so funny. We talked about conversion with him. We then went to the Armijos for dinner. It was really good. We resolved some of her concerns about the church and it made sense to her. They do want to get back to church so yeah I hope they do what they say. We then went to do service for a former investigator named Stacy. We helped cut out stuff for her preschool starting up soon. That was way fun & felt like a girls night.

Friday we had a lesson with Gaylon and the Cricks came. We went over the baptismal interview questions and he did so good! He is so ready! He is nervous it is cute. He is getting baptized this Saturday! It always felt like a dream because of the smoking but he hasn't been smoking this past week! Just pray he stays strong this next week!! We saw Sister Markley and I just love her. She is like our grandma and she loves it when we come over. We then went to see Kenny and Teri! They are back together! They seem a lot happier! Kenny isn't drinking anymore and is going to his recovery program. I love those two a lot.

Saturday was Gaylon's baptismal interview! He passed!!! Wahoo!! He is so cute. He is inviting lots of people to his baptism and it's so good. Ah I'm so happy for him! We then went and helped Teri make some quilts! We then saw the Tisdells and some family friends were over and that was fun. Colin was there & he is getting work off to go to Gaylon's baptism!! He is also saying one of the prayers. We then went to see Dollie, only John was there which is Dollie's daughter's boyfriend who lives there. He is 20 and we had a really good lesson with him. He got baptized when he was ten and I can just see how much potential he has. It's cool how much people open up to you as a missionary. We then had dinner with Cody Garcia. She is awesome and had three nonmembers over for dinner! Her two teenagers are less-active and they weren't there which was sad. But Cody is awesome and we had such a fun time. I have laughed that hard in a while. We then went to the stake primary activity and helped out with them. It was called reading under the stars and we did a skit, Daniel and the lions den and that was funny. And then all the kids and their families went and read books together! It was really cute.

Sunday was way good! Haylie got her temple recommend! So now she can go do baptisms! She is so awesome. She showed up to church and said I'm ready to pay my tithing! So many of our people came to 1st Ward! It was so good! Normally like no one comes to 1st Ward. The Riveras came and sat in the chapel! Sally came. Kenny came and stayed for gospel principles. The Lesters came! And Gaylon came all three hours! Ah he is so awesome and was answering questions in Sunday school. I am just so excited for his baptism! It was a weird day cause we didn't see anyone and had meetings and such. President Hamblin wanted us to go to mission prep & that for some reason made me more excited about missionary work! Pauly pockets you should take mission prep at byui just sayin. I wish I had but I also just decided I was going on a mission a year ago. I can't believe that was already a year ago!

I was reading a talk this week called The Love of God by President Uchtdorf. He said, "God the Eternal Father did not give that first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. But oh, how we need to love God! For what we love determines what we seek. What we seek determines what we think and do. What we think and do determines who we are--and who we will become. Since “God is love,” the closer we approach Him, the more profoundly we experience love." Everything we do should be centered on love. I have been thinking about love this week. It really is amazing being a servant of the Lord and getting just a taste of that love God has for the people we teach & even meet on the street. I've never loved this much. I do love is work and I love my Heavenly Father.

I'm reading d&c and continually throughout it, it says "for behold, and lo, I am with you even unto the end". So true, He is always with us. We are never alone. He loves us.