Helaman 5:12

I feel like we have been talking a lot about strong foundations this week and the tools and resources that we can use to gain one. We really have been given so many resources to help us gain a solid foundation in the most stable rock there is, being Jesus Christ. One tool that we have been focusing on as a mission is the Book of Mormon. We have all started reading from the beginning and President Gardner has asked us to mark any time that Christ is mentioned, His doctrine and His attributes. By doing this, it has been amazing to see that the Book of Mormon truly does testify of Jesus Christ. He is everywhere in it!

Another resource that we have been given is the temple. That has been another big theme of the week. During Stake Conference this weekend, a lot of the talks mentioned how important it is that we make attending the temple a priority. The temple provides us with so many incredible blessings that we really can't get anywhere else. Not only does it provide us with power and knowledge, but also clarity, peace, comfort, revelation and so many other things. Who doesn't need that in this crazy world? It also gives us the opportunity to do service for those who have passed on. I learned this week that when we do work for others in the temple, we become a "savior on Mount Zion". We become their savior because we are doing work for them that they can't do themselves. I though that was pretty amazing and it made me realize how truly sacred that form of service is.

There are so many other things that help us gain a foundation in Christ and there has never been a greater time when we need to testify and stand strong when our faith is questioned and tested. Our testimonies need to be in a place where we can undeniably say "I can testify this is true. I know it." And as we use these tools that we've been given and build on the foundation of Christ, we "cannot fall".

 Highlight of the week" $1 Jimmy John sandwiches

 I kind of like them.

 We painted a house blue. So that was fun.

 Also, I got to take the Model A Ford Car Club on tour. How cute are these cars?

I know I'm not supposed to covet, but I want one! Maybe someday.

Chat With a Mormon

Because we serve at a Visitor's Center, we get to talk with people online from all over the world through "Teaching Center". We chat with them through instant messaging and talk with them on the phone to help answer any questions that they might have about the church. On Tuesday, we had man named Stefan message us and said that he needed to talk with someone about his faith and was wondering if he could call us. Of course we said yes and we came to find out that he has been investigating the church for a couple of months and was hoping to find some hope to keep enduring. He is one of the most prepared people that I have ever met in my entire life. He's 20 and already knew all about patriarchal blessings, endowments, and even asked if he could go on a mission. I'm pretty sure he knows more about the gospel than I do. We talked with him for almost 2 hours and when we were able to answer his questions he kept saying, "That makes so much sense!" He told us that he has talked to his Mission President about being baptized and that he is set for 4 weeks from now. He just needs to get dunked if you ask me. After talking with him, it confirmed to me that there truly are people prepared to receive the gospel, it's just up to us to find them.

We met two new investigators this week as well. Their names are Eli and Christine and they were a referral from another set of missionaries. They have been meeting with missionaries for a little bit you can tell that they are so prepared for the gospel. Eli opened up to us a lot and we learned that he has been through a lot in his life. Both his dad and mom left him when he was little and he ended up getting into drugs and alcohol at the age of 13. It got to the point where he knew that he needed to turn his life around and he found Jesus Christ. We are so excited to get to know them better and to see what is in store for them!

It is strange how, as missionaries, people feel more comfortable opening up to you. Maybe it's the tag? It almost seems to give people permission to tell you their entire life story. Sometimes it can be a good thing, but other times we have no idea what they're talking about. It does, however, help me see that these are real people with real problems and I am so thankful for this opportunity that I have to 

help and serve them.

 This basically explains how exchanges went. Sister Jensen and Sister Johnson are the coolest.

 Clean up crew part dos.

 Taking "Instagram" pictures without Instagram is the best.

 Tulips and the Trail Center. Couldn't ask for anything better.

I know I say this every week. But I just love them so much!

The Good News

I was able to take the cutest family from Provo on tour this week. You know that you have a great tour when you can both laugh from having fun and cry from feeling the Spirit. The little boy, who is 5, is completely and utterly obsessed with temples. Throughout the tour he drew all of the temples that the pioneers built and his parents told us that his favorite movie is "Mountain of the Lord". We teased his mom and said that there are much worse things that he could be obsessed with. But after the tour, I was thinking about the love that I have been able to grow for the temple and I can't help but smile every time I think about going inside. We were able to help clean the temple this week and I don't know what I would do without the Spirit that I can feel every time that I'm there or the knowledge that we have from temples. I am so grateful to know that families can be together for eternity and that as we make covenants with God, we can feel even more of His love for us. There isn't anything greater that you could ask for.

We were also able to have an incredible lesson with our investigator, Danielle on Friday. As we were talking with her, we came to find out that she is having a hard time trying to gain a relationship with God and that the idea of having Him as a Father on Heaven kind of scares her because she doesn't feel worthy of that. Sister Abbott then asked her "Danielle, do you know who you are? Because we are going to tell you the most amazing thing." We were then able to bear testimony to her that she is daughter of God and that He sees so much potential in her. She cried as we were telling her this which made me started crying because I could literally feel the love that Heavenly Father has for her. She told us that it made her feel like she now has purpose to know who she truly is. It absolutely breaks my heart to think that people don't know that they are a child of God. We learn that song before we can even talk most of the time in the church, but do we really believe what it says? Do we really understand what that means? That is why I am on a mission: to help people know their purpose, see their potential, and to know that they are never alone. We all have a literal Father in Heaven who loves us more than we can comprehend. Everybody deserves to know that, and that is why there truly is no better calling than to be a missionary.

We love to clean the temple.  We went inside Monday. (Please feel free to sing along)

 Some of the greatest people from Provo you'll ever meet.

 Happy 14 months!

Yep. That's us.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Conference

For a missionary, General Conference weekend really is better than Christmas. It started off in the best way with the General Woman's Conference last week and I absolutely loved what they had to say about service. Learning how to serve and love others is something that you are kind of forced to learn as a missionary, but it has been the best thing for me. It has been amazing to be able to see others through the eyes of our Heavenly Father and really learn to love them for who they really are.

One of my favorite talks that was given during conference was by Sister Bonnie L. Oscarson about asking ourselves the question "Do you believe it or not?" For myself, I feel like I can answer with an absolute yes and I have my mission to thank for that. It still amazes me to see how much I have seen not only my own testimony grow but also the people we work with and other missionaries. I have come to learn that in order to really say that we believe something, we have to live it. That is the only way that we can find our for ourselves.

I also loved President Monson's talk. To be honest, I was a little bit worried that we weren't going to hear from him so I was so excited when they announced his name. Although his message was short, it was powerful. I learned that repentance really is such a gift. Our Heavenly Father knows that we are going to make mistakes and that we are going to choose wrong sometimes. Because of that, our Savior has given us a way to come back. We never have to be weighed down by our bad decisions. I love President Monson so much. Sister Abbott and I wanted to yell from the car windows "Don't you know that modern-day prophets and apostles are speaking to us? It's a big deal!" We get to hear God's words through His servants. How amazing is that?

The church is so true. I know it. I believe it.

 You know that's right.

 We helped clean up a park in 40 degree weather, it was so fun.

But when you have these people with you it makes it all worth it.