And then there was one...

Good morning!!!!

Hi everybody! How's it going?

This week was something else. First of all, transfers are tomorrow, and I get to meet my new companion! I'm staying in my area, and I hear she's amazing, so I'm excited! Her name is Sister Goulding! But there's four sisters in my apartment, and they're all leaving me... It'll be fun!! so that's why the subject line.

I was also sick these past few days, so that's been fun too! Basically, when you're sick as a missionary and have no energy, all you do is sleep, read your scriptures, and journal. I was half way through Mosiah, and now I'm almost done with Alma, which is awesome!

But yeah, I'm feeling much better now, especially after taking a four hour nap the other day... Being sick as a missionary is not fun.

I kinda can't remember anything from this week... haha

We gave a church tour to our friend who wants to come back to church, which was awesome! He hasn't been to church in over 30 years, and he's been wanting to come back for two years (have I already talked about him?)

So yeah, we gave him a church tour, and we pointed out all the pictures in the building. There was one that was Christ suffering in Gethsemane. It was an amazing experience, and I got to testify of the love Christ has for him and of the power of the Atonement.

We had the ward Christmas party this last week, which was fun. We made cinnamon rolls for a contest, and umm, well yeah. We were very limited on supplies and time, so we have an excuse as to why they were kind of not good, but it was fun!

It was a good week! Different for sure, but still filled with miracles and tender mercies. 

I'm grateful for this Gospel. I'm grateful for my Savior. I've been thinking a lot about that scripture from the Book of Mormon that says "consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God."

We are blessed. So blessed. I didn't realize how much so until I left Utah. We are blessed with both temporal and spiritual blessings! I can't even count all my blessings. I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude.

i love you all!!

  Sister Davis

Pictures:

1) my zone

2) rolling out cinnamon rolls with a Martinelli's bottle

3) Mosiah 2: 41

Trust in your BINGs!

This week was pretty amazing!!

We had Stake Conference last Sunday, and President Oaks's son lives in our Stake! My trainer introduced me to him! He likes telling us stories about his dad and they're so funny! He's really nice!

During Stake conference, our mission president, President Metts, called out my trainer and told the whole stake how she's leaving soon, which was hilarious!

Every morning, each companionship in our zone sends in a 9:50, which is basically a couple things we'd like everyone to pray for. At 9:50 am, everyone prays and asks for the things we asked for, things like "please pray that we can make two new friends today."

It works!!!!

One day, my companion asked that everyone we contacted would be home that day, and LITERALLY everyone was home!! About half way through, I was like man, we've talked to a lot of people. I'm exhausted. I kept wondering why we were meeting so many people, and then I remembered our 9:50!

Then yesterday, we prayed that we could help 2 new people progress on the covenant path, and we did!! One is an inactive member, and he wants to come back to church! We're the first missionaries he's let in in over 20 years, and he's recently been trying to get back! It's amazing!! He has faith and a desire, it's just helping him get there!

Okay so the spiritual reminder that I set for myself this week and the one I'd like to set for you all is to trust in the Spirit.

In D&C 11:12-13, it says:

12 And now, verily, verily, I say unto thee, put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously; and this is my Spirit.

13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my Spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy;

As I've worked to understand how the Spirit speaks to me, I've also done my best to trust it!

I told y'all about BINGS, but I didn't explain it very well. This is what it stands for!

Be

Inspired

Now

Go

Usually, a Bing is the first thought that comes into your head, and every thought after that is from the devil trying to convince you that was a crazy idea, or that you don't need to do that, or that that person is probably fine.

Trust in the Spirit! It's been hard because sometimes the Spirit tells us to do things that are outside the norm, but we are a peculiar people! Our prophet had told us to stand out, to be weird! Act on that prompting, and I promise you'll be blessed with greater joy, just as that scripture promises. 

I've been working on this, and I invite you all to join me! Act on that first Bing, and don't listen to all that discouragement that comes right after it.

I'd love to hear your experiences when it comes to following Bings! If you think of any or experience any this week as you try to join me, let me know!

I love you all, and I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost! Have an amazing week!!!

(Also, I didn't take any pictures this week... so here's a Christ picture)

License Plates, Knocking, and Service - Oh, my!

Hi all!!!!

This week was pretty great! We had all sorts of craziness and miracles and fun things! On Wednesday, we had interviews with our mission president, which was actually really nice. I didn't know what to expect from this interview, but it was amazing to be able to communicate about my struggles and my successes! He gave me some amazing advice, and it really just strengthened my testimony of the priesthood and increased my gratitude for worthy priesthood holders!

For Thanksgiving, we ate dinner with our Stake President and his family. That was fun and delicious! I love the holiday, especially as a missionary! Everybody is so much more willing to talk to us haha, and the members try so hard to help us feel loved this time of year! Our members are amazing!

We visited a TON of people this week, which was so nice!! We asked a member family for a recommendation of a street to knock, and the street they suggested was so ready for us! We handed out a Book of Mormon, and I think we got permission to come back from a few people!

We had a friend on date for baptism, but it didn't work out. That was really sad, but we had a feeling it might not. But that's okay!

On Sunday, we had a return missionary speak in Sacrament meeting, and he asked us who we wanted to be on the airplane ride home. That question has stuck with me. He also asked who we want to be at the judgement day.

But yeah. That was my week! We had lots of meetings and lots of little miracles. My trainer says "TM zone" whenever we see a little blessing, and I thought she meant like trademark... But it's tender mercy zone! we saw lots of those!

We've also done lots of service this week, which I LOVE!!

And then the license plates. My trainer has been looking for a license plate with her initials, and she hasn't found one in the 17 months she's been here. I've found 10 in my first month!

But we found one today! We laughed so hard when we saw her initials! Maybe now she'll feel ready to go home haha.

But yeah it was a good week! Thank you for the emails and for the love! Church is true!!

Love you all!!

Sister Davis

Pictures:

1. the snow!!

2. a Jeep with LOTS of rubber duckies

3. My companion's initials and a weird sticker.

First Official Day of Rain!!

  Finally!!

   You guys! I woke up this morning and was like "oh, is that rain!?!?" And my companion was like, "i think it's the shower" and I ran to the window, and guys. It's actually raining! This is the first time it's rained since I've been here! 

   I'm sure I won't get excited when it's been raining everyday for a few months, but it's actually rain! It's so weird.

   Just kidding.

   Kind of.

   Anyways, this week was amazing! We're actually going to the temple this morning which I am super excited for! I love the temple! Have I already said that? I must've because I love the temple!

    Anywayss... this week was pretty good! We met some of our friends! Yayyy! A couple of them weren't actually interested... they were just meeting with the missionaries to be nice, but that's okay! We're looking for the Lord's elect that have been prepared by Him!

   One of our friends is on date for baptism! It's a maybe-baptism, like we're hoping to be ready by that day, but who knows. The adversary is really working on her and her family, so prayers for Jessie! She has a strong testimony and a desire so the Lord will help us figure out the rest!

   Another cool thing from this week was Zone Conference. Basically, we drove an hour to Olympia(?) and spent all day in training and didn't get back until like 6. I learned a lot, and I was definitely exhausted afterwards

   We also had transfers this week, but our sister training leaders live with us so we didn't have to do the overnight thing. That was fun! My STLs have sooo much energy and sometimes I just stare at them and wonder why. They're hilarious!

   Okay so I've kinda had a few spiritual thoughts in my head this week. 

   The first is about Nephi. I remember in primary, the teachers would always ask, would you be willing to give up everything that you have, leave it all behind, and follow the Lord? For the longest time, I wasn't sure. I had the realization this week that I did!

   I looked at my companion and was all excited and they thought I was crazy.

   But to a certain extent, I gave up my comfort and my life (two years of it) to go and do as God commanded! It was a pretty cool thought!

   My second thought was what I wanted for when I get home. As a missionary, you see a lot. You see families that are progressing on the covenant path, families that are lost, families that are broken. I've seen what I want and what I never want to see in my own life and the life of my future family.

   I've also been asking other missionaries what they want for the future, especially those missionaries that are going home soon. For example, I want a Foosball table! I won't explain why... I also want to make sure to visit the elderly, or at least those in my family that will be elderly one day... 

   Their are a lot of elderly people in my area. They're all sad and alone, and they need us. I love the elderly! They're so wise and sweet! They're just the best! So yeah, I want to always do my best for them! 

    Ohh and I want to play the organ in the temple one day! I can barely play the piano, but it's just something I'd love to do someday!! My companion is going to try and teach my to play the piano which I am so grateful for!

   This week, we taught a family about the family a proclamation, and while we were talking about it, someone told me that they don't think it's still in force. It made my sad because I know that it is still valid! God's commandments about the family are still commandments! I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful that my dad had us sign it and frame it!

   The family is sooo important! It is central to the Plan of Salvation. It is ordained of God. I'm grateful for my family! I'm grateful for the things they've taught me and for the things I've learned from the sweet families here! 

   I love you guys! Thanks for the support and the emails! I pray for you often! Let me know if you ever need prayers! I'd offer hugs, but if you really need one, hit up Seth! I'm sure he'd be happy to give them out

   Let me know if I can do anything for any of you!! Love ya!!

Pictures:

1) our Christmas tree!!

2) zone conference

3) me and my companion

4) Christmas ornaments!

5) fog

6) sagebrush??? I think that's sagebrush - let me know if it's not and I'm just dumb

7) sweet Jesus picture!

Washington!!!!!

Heyy friends!!

I love and miss you all! Thanks for the emails last week and for all the love! 

I am officially in Washington! My p-day is on Tuesday from 8am-6pm so that's when I'm responding!

This week has been pretty good! Last Tuesday, I woke up at 4:45 and cleaned out my room, hopped on a bus, got on the FrontRunner, and then got on a plane. The flight was interesting I haven't been on a plane since I was little, so it was pretty cool! I got the window seat, so it was kinda bittersweet to wave goodbye to Utah.

We spent the day in lessons, and our mission president refused to let us sleep until 9 o'clock because he didn't want us to struggle with jetlag. It was very nice of him, but at the time, I just thought it was mean

On Wednesday, I met my trainer!! Her name is Sister Williams, and she is so sweet and so nice! This is actually her last transfer, so she'll be home for Christmas. The bishop in our area said that I was a newly wed, and she was nearly dead! I'd never heard that before, so that was hilarious! 

We're serving in the South Hill ward in Puyallup, and it's a tiny area. However, the people here are soo nice! The members feed us almost every night, and I've already tried some new foods! 

The sisters that were here before us left us with a few friends (investigators) to meet with. However, it's been kinda tricky to get in contact with any of them. We've been doing a lot of knocking and a lot of Facebook finding.

It's been kinda hard. Since we can't get in contact with our friends, I've had a bit of spare time. It's strange cuz I was busier in the MTC than I am here. I was super excited to get out and focus on my purpose and teach about Jesus Christ and serve, and it's been a little hard to do that. It's just different than I thought it would be, which is fine! I know that by the end of this transfer, I'll have learned something! I just need to be patient and trust the Lord!

Washington is actually a lot different than I thought it'd be. For example, it has NOT rained at all! I've had sunny days every day! It's amazing and weird.

Also, everybody here has a religion already! I didn't expect that. I feel like in Utah, you're a member, you don't ever want to be one, or you don't have a religion. It's interesting how many people already believe in God and go to church. I wasn't expecting that!

Everybody also has a dog. That's been.... fun! I've gotten more comfortable saying "oh, I'm allergic." So yeah. That's also been an adjustment.

Now for a spiritual thought...

I'm reading the Book of Mormon again, this time with the perspective of our friends. I'm reading it, looking for answers to questions they might have, looking for simple truths, looking for the doctrine.

It's definitely different. I'm getting a lot more out of it than I usually do. For example, I've been struggling to understand why the Book of Mormon is my greatest tool as a missionary. I know it's true, and I really want to teach that to our friends. So I'm trying to strengthen my testimony of it. 

I was reading 1 Nephi 13 the other day, and I realized that the whole chapter was about the Book of Mormon. In verse 40, it specifically spells out why we need the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon contains covenants that were lost in the Bible. It truly does answer questions of the soul. I'm excited to see how the Book of Mormon changes lives here in Washington. 

Idk I'm just really trying to be ready for when we finally get to teach our friends!

I love my Heavenly Father, and I know that He has a lesson for me to learn here. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and I can't wait to testify of Him and watch other people's testimony grow! I love my mission and I can't wait to share what I experience!

Love you all!!

1) me and my companion

2) Pugent sounds (?) I keep calling it pungent sound...

3) mount rainier (guys I can spell, my brain is just mush right now)

4) cute message!