November 14, 2011

 

Dear Family,

 

It was a great week!  We got to go to the Brown's wedding and it was great. They got married by Bishop in a park in Springfield. We moved up their baptism dates up to Dec. 10th. It's been amazing to see the power of The Book of Mormon, and the Spirit that people feel when they attend church. At first one of the girls was really hesitant about joining the church, but as she's read, gone to church, and met with us, she's come to know that the church is true, and the Spirit in her testimony is strong. Her mom felt it was true from the start. It's been wonderful to see them make changes and become a stronger family.

 

We had a wonderful Sacrament meeting yesterday. Two of our investigators came to church who have never been before. One was Brother Donelow's daughter, and another was a lady who grew up Lutheran and always hated going to church, so she hasn't been for years. We've been teaching her for awhile and it has been really hard to get her to church, but she came and enjoyed it very much and will come again. I can't tell you how happy it made me to see these people and our other investigators there!

 

Sis. Liccardi went to her church Wednesday night and brought up that she's been meeting with us. That, of course, led to people telling her to stop seeing us. She said she gave a "Mormon sermon" for 30 minutes straight, defending The Book of Mormon, and showing them Ezekiel 37 where it talks about the stick of Judah and the stick of Ephraim. She said she knew God was telling her what to say.

 

Zone Conference was wonderful, as it always is. We got a new car again. We lost Gray Thunder to some Elders who have more dirt roads than us, which was sad, but we have a nice little white Ford Fusion now that used to be the Assistants' car.  The instruction we got was wonderful.

 

I'm so excited for next week!  We're having a sisters' conference, so all the sisters in the mission (there are 18 of us) will go to Tulsa Tuesday through Friday. We'll get instructed and have Thanksgiving in the mission home! I'll get to see some past companions again. It'll be a lot of fun.

 

I love you all so much, and I love the Gospel! I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers the prayers that we say with faith and that He is ever mindful of us. I hope to be better at being ever mindful of Him.  I know The Book of Mormon is true. I know it changes peoples' lives and brings them more understanding of the Savior's life and sacrifice. Have a wonderful, safe week!

 

Love,

Sister Monson