10/6/15 - Tender Mercies

Forward from Alicia:  Tiffany apologized for forgetting to send her group email last week.  She said. "Every other week we go to Walmart and because it so far and we go with/have to wait for 2 other sets of sisters, our shopping trip can take anywhere between 3-4 hours... So it can be hard to get everything done on Pday. But now you get double duty" :)  So here's last week's letter which was still on her iPad:

(10/6/15) Dear friends and family,

What a wonderful week it has been, and watching General Conference was like the cherry on top! Ups and downs of course, but it is amazing what you are capable of when you put complete trust in the Savior. Like it is says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me."

So I have made a conscious effort to "uncap" myself, and quit holding myself back. It doesn't matter that nobody listens, is interested or opens their doors, I am determined to talk to people because that is what I have been set apart to do as a missionary. I have been called to represent Jesus Christ and invite people to come unto him through the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and His doctrine.

Out "finding" (knocking on doors)

One night this week we were scheduled to go out finding for a couple hours, it was 7pm, and getting darker, but that's one of the best times to go out because people are typically home during that time. Right before we left I said a prayer, practically pleading, that we would be able to find someone to talk to, so we set out.

But first we needed to get gas, so we made a stop at the gas station in town. Brother Westbroook, our elders quorum president works there, so every time we get gas we pop in to say hi. We needed to schedule a time to meet with him, but neither Sister Gomm or I made any mention of it. When we walked back out asking each other why we didn't feel like that was the right time to ask him, we saw another car at the pump next to us and said hi to whoever was standing there. As it turned out, it was actually a lady named Stephanie, who we had lost contact with because the phone number she gave us was invalid. She said she was in a hurry to get home, but gave us both her cell and home number and told us to come by soon. Had we talked to Brother Westbrook any longer we would have missed seeing her completely!

Then we went to the home of Kim, who was referred to us from one of the other sisters. She is very sweet and invited us back the next day. Long story short, she had to miss our appointment, but left us a note on her door apologizing for not being home. We will definitely be going back this week!

That same night we still had a little time and decided to go knock a couple doors. One of the doors we knocked on was of a cute 20-something-year-old woman named Ashley, who Sister Gomm had met in July. We knocked and she said she was busy getting her little boy ready for bed, but we could come back the next day, so we did. We talked about how our church is the same church that Christ organized while he was on the earth, and some of the ways we can learn more about how we can become like him and our Heavenly Father is through the Book of Mormon and through listening to the counsel of living prophets and apostles on the earth today. We committed her to come learn more about our beliefs at General Conference, and she came for the Sunday morning session. She said it was a lot more "touchy feely" (obviously feeling the Spirit) that she was thinking it was going to be. But she will be coming back to the site this week to go on a tour with us, and we are hoping to continue teaching her. Miracles happen, prayers are answered and Christ is so real in our lives today!!

It was so neat to watch all of General Conference at the Priesthood Restoration Site. You may be wondering which talk was my favorite, but it is so hard for me to choose! But I will say that I loved Larry R. Lawrence's question, "Ask the Lord tonight, 'What is keeping me from progressing?'" What goals will you set for yourself after having watched General Conference, and what can you improve? I've already heard from several people about how they are going to begin "Ponderizing." (P.S. Mine this week is Alma 37:36)  But what will you do? Put more thought into taking the sacrament? Better withstand temptation? Refocus your life on the simple truths of the gospel? Whatever it may be, write it down so you won't forget, pray for help as you make changes and trust in the Lord!

I know that when we put our complete and full trust in Jesus Christ, he will help us in all aspects of our lives. I'm so grateful to be a missionary and wearing his name right next to mine everyday! I couldn't think of anything better to be doing with my time. Have a great week everyone, and hurrah for Israel!!

Love,
Sister Larsen