June 15th...Real Success

Well hello everyone, it is great to read all your emails and see what great things are happening in everyone's lives!

First off, a big happy birthday to my beautiful mother!!!! Wish i could be there but at the same time i don't, because i like it here.... 

So i am loving it here in "Cool" Harbour (as Paige would say) the members are great and there is so much potential here! this place is going to be exploding with missionary work in no time!! 

We had our Zone Conference this week. It is the last one we will have with the Leavitts which is sad but we are getting more and more excited for the new President that will be coming at the end of the month! 

They always have everyone prepare 5 minute talks and then at the conference ask 2 people to give there talk on the subject given, and then after everyone shares what they liked and what that person can work on.... of course.... thanks to my awesome luck.... i was asked to give my talk. I was asked to talk on using time wisely. I talked on the importance of prioritizing our efforts and used the example of Alma in chapter 32, and how he taught the prepared. It was a great reminder to me that we truly are here to find those who are prepared to hear the word of God. 

There is a Board Walk here that is so beautiful! It is in Eastern Passage which is a area near Cole Harbour. There are small beaches, fun shops, restaurants and great walking paths. I am so lucky to be serving in such a great place! We saw a family from our ward there and they took us out for dinner, it was great. I will send a picture!

So yes yes.. it is true. I have now been out for 9 months.... and yes... that does mean that i am now half way done my mission.... which is sooo crazy. I can not believe how fast my mission is going by.... but lets just not think about it. moving on... 

We went to a members home this week and her husband is an amazing musician! He plays the guitar and he showed us a few songs! I introduced him to the song `Nearer My God to Thee`and he LOVED it. So he played it on the guitar and me and Sister Shannon sang. It was so fun! It was a great way to bring the spirit into the life of someone who isn`t yet willing to invite it in himself. 

I have had some really great personal studies this week! One that i would like to share with you is when i pondered a quote i have that says:
 ``There is nothing more vital to our success and our happiness here than learning to hear the voice of the spirit. It is the spirit who reveals to us our identity, which isn`t just who we are but who we have always been. And when we know that, our lives take on a sense of purpose so compelling that we can never be the same again``

I find that there are a lot of people who are scared of change. They are scared of the truth, of feeling the spirit, because if they allow it in, it will give them a reason to change, a reason to make sacrifices in there life. People have a false sense of joy that they cling to, not realizing that they are allowing themselves to be content with mediocrity. They are allowing there views of themselves and others be shaped by man rather than by God. The Spirit allows us to become `who we have always been`. Our true selves, not a manipulated version of ourselves that has been pushed around and changed by the worlds ever changing idea of ``success``. I chose a quote that will be a theme for this transfer. It is `Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value`. I know that Heavenly Fathers idea of ``Success`` is a lot different than what we imagine it to be. I want to be of value to my family, my friends, my mission President, and my Heavenly Father. I know this will be through helping bring the spirit into the lives of others so that the spirit can in turn teach them the truths of our message.

January 26th Transfers

So yes, we did get transfer news this week. And thank the heavens i am staying in Zion. I am going to be in Fredericton for another transfer and my new companion is Sister Pitcher who was my MTC companion!!! I am beyond excited!!!! I love that woman. We got along great and worked really well together so i cant wait to be serving with her :) We are both pretty young missionaries so it will be a great opportunity for us to really step up and stop relying on our companions for everything. 

With missionaries dying.... there is a bunch going home this transfer so they are "dying". We have been making jokes for the last two weeks about Elder Tusa being on his death bed. This is Elder Torrie's 5th kill. He is basically the assassin of the mission. But next transfer there are a bunch of missionaries going home to, basically all of our leaders (zone leaders and STL's) are going home! So it will be interesting to see what happens! Almost every Elder i have come out with from the MTC is either training or a district leader this transfer! There were no sisters that came out this transfer, just elders. 

 Yesterday we had a Q&A with Elder Torrie. We asked questions about how to be a good leader, effectiveness, helping others improve, and working with hard companions. I recognized a lot i need to change in myself, not just in my actions. But changing my heart and my will to fit the Lords. But what i need to start with is changing my motivation. It is easy to get caught up in the goals and the key indicators, as well as working to impress President and the other missionaries, that you can easily forget your true purpose. I was sitting in a lesson the other day, and last minute, the member that was supposed to come ditched out. And my first reaction was "dangit, now we wont hit our goal for a member present" My first thought was about the goal we set, not about the girl we were teaching. In the moment i realized that this is not the way i should be thinking, and i needed to change. You will not do any good without the spirit, but the spirit is here to help us bring others unto christ, not to help us hit the standard. 

I think this same thought of motivation can be transferred to many different aspects of the gospel. Our we praying out of habit or for sincere desire to communicate with our Heavenly Father? Are we following the guidance given from our Prophets because we recognize the blessings it brings and out of desire to come closer to Christ, or because we dont want to be judged by those around us for not following them? It goes back to the CES devotional given a couple weeks ago. It all comes down to what is your motivation. What do you truly desire?

Just something to ponder... and if you recognize that your desire is not in the right place, just remember: everything leads back to the atonement. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ all things are possible. It is only through Him that the desires of our hearts can be changed. It all leads to that foundation, that testimony in Him. 

I love you all :) my address is the same so if you sent me mail, i will get it. If you havent sent me mail... thats okay. 

Have a wonderful week :) CONGRATS TO KENSEY AND ALEX ON THE BABY!!!!!!!!! i am so sad i wont meet Lydia, but all im missing is the boring stage where all you can do is look at her anyways, ill get back just in time for when she can really start playing and interacting with everyone :)