June 18th, 2012

Mom, what an amazing last couple of days. Your talk sounds like it was great, i wish i could have been there to listen to it. Your prayers and your fasting are working. I have had a super crazy week, i felt like, and do still feel like a a chicken running around with my head chopped off....I know that it is the Lord who is sustaining me, but mom, I struggle with being able to recognize and remember the blessings that Heavenly Father gives me everyday. I have started to make a greater effort at writing them down in my Journal. But at the end of the day, though i know i worked hard and tried to do my best i still feel like i'm missing something. I can recognize when the spirit is with me, and although i feel like our lessons go well, i don't feel like i have the spirit with me as i teach. I know that the fruits of the spirit are peace, love joy, comfort, confidence and i feel all those when i teach.. so is that it? Should i stop looking for something else and be content with that? Its the same way when i share my testimony. I know what i am saying is true, i can never deny it because i have had too many witnesses. But i don't feel anything when i share it. This week we picked our mini missionary. Sister (Gabby) Rhiner is 16 years old and she, along with other youth members from her stake received permission to serve mini missions. They were paired up with a number of companionship's and spent the week eating, sleeping, living a missionary life. I knew sister Rhiner previously. Her grandparents are the McConkies, whom i lived with when i served in Champaign, ILL. She was such an example to me of willingness and desire. I don't think if i was given the similar oppertunity to serve if i'd take it. She worked hard and although she was i'm sure terrified about teaching and doing door approaches she always tried to do her best. I felt a little bad, we didn't really let our mini ease into mission life. We had a teaching appointment as soon as we came home from our mini transfer meeting, where we picked her up. And then later on that afternoon we were able to contact a referral from our ZL's. I pulled up to the house and at first glance didn't think anyone was home. I thought about just turning around and moving on to our next location but i felt prompted to turn off the car and make sure no one was there. i'm happy top be wrong. The referral, AKA, Kelly Powers was home and warmly welcomed us in to her house. We had a really good lesson with her in which we learned more about her religious background and her desires to learn more about he church. We introduced the Book of Mormon and shared the First Vision with her. She was very receptive and showed enthusiasm for starting the Book of Moron. We have an appointment with her this week and we're hoping to set a baptismal date with her. During this last week with our mini we had a wonderful Zone Conference. The Spirit was really strong and i received many spiritual reminders on how i need to come back to the basics of teaching and finding. One of the points that was shared during the day was the "lord calls us because of who we can/will become, not who we are." The Lord sees the eternal perspective. He sees our potential, who we can become and he knows what we need. Zone Conference was on Wednesday and Thursday morning we packed up our car and headed for Warrenton, MO. for exchanges with the sisters there. We worked in their area until Friday late afternoon and then drove home. It felt weird not being in our area all week. There was a lot of work to get caught up on. Saturday was our last day with our Sister Rhiner. We had a really good second lesson that morning. We taught the plan of salvation and half way during the lesson i looked over at sister Rhiner and saw that she had fallen asleep. She was so exhausted! The person we were teaching also noticed and she just smiled. We all understood. Then that night we had our closing fireside and dropped off our mini missionary. Sunday was our miracle day. We waited outside the chapel, hoping that our investigators would show. The opening hymn and prayer had finished and by this time my companion and i figured that no one was coming. We had just sat down when we saw Angel (I), her Parents and two of her friends walk in. We quickly changed seats and welcomed them in. They stayed for all three hours and seemed to really enjoy it. It was amazing! I have never had that happen to me before. And then at the end of the three hour block a member walked up to me and told me she has someone for us to teach. This was a testimony builder to me, and reminded me that there are people who looking and seeking the gospel. i love you mom, dad and family. Your prayers are not going unnoticed by the Lord. sister salmon