"What Desirest Thou?"

Hi all!

Well, this last week was pretty busy--lots of running back & forth between Reno & Sparks to pick up & drop off people, & to go to a leadership training.  Sis Verkist & I had Sis Firmage with us for a couple days; we went to transfers & they got their new trainees; and then Sis Briggs was with me for less than a day as we waited to pick up our new Temple Square companions, Sisters Behrndt & Davis.  Sister Davis is a great missionary from Oceanside, San Diego County :)  We've had a pretty good week so far & we're looking forward to really getting the work going here.  

With the transfer last week, Elder Hall (my 1st District Leader) & Elder Altamirano (my 3rd District Leader) finished their missions, along with Sister Porter, whom I met a while back.  I wish them the best on their new adventures back home!

This week, I would like to share with you some of what I learned from the leadership training.  We talked about desire & how it affects our attitudes & the way we do our missionary work.  When we're out & about, sometimes we get discouraged or tired, and we let it get the better of us.  We may think "I'm not good at talking to people" or "No one is going to want to listen to us" or "Nothing has been happening, we might as well call it a day" or even "I'm not cut out for this work--I should just go home."  Dallin H. Oaks, an Apostle, shared this in his talk in April 2011 General Conference: "Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming." http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/desire?lang=eng 
(I definitely recommend reading the entire talk).

In order to change our attitudes & the things we do, our desires will have to override whatever is holding us back, be it discouragement, insecurities, tiredness, and so on.  So how do we get our desires to become more centered around spiritual things than earthly/human things?  How do we as disciples of Christ gain a stronger desire to share with others the good news that through Jesus Christ, we can overcome anything; find true happiness in this life?

Alma 32:27 says: "But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words."

Alma is saying right here that if we have faith & even have a little desire to believe & try something different, we're on a good start.  Our desires also increase when we have a greater understanding of the Atonement & the gospel.  In Preach My Gospel, it says "As you treasure up the words of the scriptures and latter-day prophets by study and faith, your desire to share the gospel will increase (p.19)."  Boyd K. Packer of the Twelve Apostles also said, "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior.  The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior."

With that, what are we waiting for?!  Take the challenge; try your faith by studying the scriptures & words of the prophets!  Then take the things you learn & apply them into your life, and pray for the ability to change, and I promise you that you will see awesome things happen inside you and, consequently, around you.

Hope you are all having a wonderful week! Love ya'll!

Be strong & faithful because Jesus was :)

~Sister San Diego

p.s.--I was checking out mormon.org & saw Lindsey Stirling's video!  I knew of her in high school & she's so awesome :)  http://mormon.org/lindsey/
p.p.s.--many thanks to Elder Moyle for the lesson on desire & change

the 2-day trio--Sis Firmage, me, Sis Verkist

one-day companionship: me & Sis Briggs

My new companion - Sister Davis

Playing "Musical Sisters"

Hi all!

First off, I want to wish my Dad a Happy Birthday in a couple days!  I won't say how old he is, but I'll reference my brother's blog post from last year, hehe.

Well, this week is transfers again!  (This transfer was a short one)  13 new Sisters & 2 Temple Square Sisters are coming on Tuesday & Wednesday, so all of us Sisters except 4 are being paired with them.  Sister Verkist is getting transferred to Sparks, & I'm staying in my current area with one of the Temple Square Sisters--this will be an interesting experience showing her how to work with ward members & other things.

This week is also pretty crazy because we're playing "musical Sisters," moving different Sisters around during transfers. :)

Also, everyone in the mission has been asked to get bikes!  I still have the car, but I'm sure we will soon be on bike.

One of our investigators is set for baptism next month!  :)  Sister Verkist has gotten to work with her for a few months, & has seen such a huge change in this lady's life!  Can't wait to see her continue to grow!

I got word last night that an investigator from Elko just got baptized yesterday morning!  I'm so happy for "Brother Ben" & hope his testimony in Christ remains strong & keeps growing!

I hope you all have an awesome week!

Be strong & faithful because Christ was!

~Sister San Diego

p.s.--mom is almost out of the hospital, yay!  Thank you for your prayers!

Hurray For Our Mission Temple Trip!!!!

Hi all!

Things are going good & we're making progress with a lady we are teaching--she has kept all of our appointments this last week, she has quit smoking, & she is just about ready to have a baptism date!  :)

Yesterday was a missionary sacrament meeting--the Elders, our ward mission leader, & us spoke And sang a musical number.  The hymn we sang was There Is a Green Hill Far Away, and with each verse, more & more people were part of the group (Bro. Norton, missionaries, ward missionaries & families of missionaries, then the whole ward).  It was awesome, & beautifully illustrated how when we all work together to do the Lord's work, it is So much better than someone doing it alone.

We had our Mission Temple Trip this last Wednesday & it was so nice in contrast to the super windy snow flurry outside!

Sorry this is another short one; hopefully I'll have a much longer post next time!

Be strong & faithful because the Savior was!

~Sister San Diego

p.s.--please keep praying for my Mom

The RENO Zone

Reno Nevada Temple

Bringing People Closer To God And Christ

Hi yall!

We still don't have a ton of investigators yet, but we're working with a few that Sis. Verkist was already teaching & we're visiting several less-active members.  Most of the less-active people that we visit are super friendly!  It's awesome!  :)  We look forward to visiting & working with them more.

Yesterday was a really awesome Sunday because so many recent converts & members returning to activity were there!  That's the simple joy & main reason of being a missionary--seeing so many people come closer to God & Christ and watching the change for the better in their lives :)  One man named Fred who was baptized in January shared his testimony in Sacrament Meeting.  It was his first Sunday back in a few weeks because he had been in the hospital due to a heart attack, pneumonia, and a badly infected foot.  He said he always knew that members of the church were always very kind & giving & cared for one another, but while he was in the hospital he truly experienced & felt the love of the ward & how he really is part of a family.  Sister Verkist afterward leaned over & said to me "And THAT is why we're on a mission."  Amen to that! :)

I know the Church is SO true!  I hope you will also seek to find it out for yourself.

Be strong & faithful because Jesus was, and please pray for my Mum as she has gallstones & may need surgery.

Have a great week!

~Sister San Diego

This is our ward mission leader :)

Service is fun :)

New Gilbert Arizona Mission Announced!

Hola familia,

This last week wasn't too spectacular, but we've been receiving quite a bit of help from members that we've visited, and we did have a couple lessons with investigators this week.  With most of the work being in Elder Belliston & Elder Howarth's area (downtown part of the ward), Sister Verkist & I are just working to get things rolling in this part of the ward.  We have a plan to contact all the less active members on our side & hopefully find more people to teach that way.

Yesterday was Stake Conference (or rather Area Conference) that was broadcasted to all the Stakes in Nevada!  Elder Gregory A. Schwitzer, Ann M. Dibb, Bishop Gary E. Stevenson, & Elder M. Russell Ballard spoke on having confidence in God's promises, love & unity, focusing on real & authentic happiness and relationships, family, priesthood, & the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It was awesome :)

In recent news, there will be 58 new missions in the world!!  Two of them are going to be in Gilbert & Scottsdale!!!  :D

The church is true!  

Be strong & faithful because Jesus was :)

~Sister San Diego

Elder Howarth, Sister Verkist, Me &  Elder Belliston

From Small Town NV To The Big City!RENO!

Hi everyone!

Transfers went pretty well--nice 4-hr road trip in our own car (Sis Michaud & I came out together for transfers), dropped off a few people, said bye to Sis Michaud :'( , & met up with our new companions.  Elder Clunas is in my same zone, woohoo!  Sister Michaud & Elder Fillmore, Elder Gellert & Elder Stene, Elder Linn, & Elder Martindale went to different zones.  Everyone else is still back in good ol' Elko & Spring Creek Zones.

My new companion is Sister Verkist--she is an awesome Sister & is very organized :)  We live in a little glass box next to our Bishop's house (a bigger glass box).  It's a nice place, though it's a little weird not being around members each day at home.  This whole move to Reno is a culture shock in general, haha--the streets are not in grid form, I just came from small town NV to big suburb/city, & the Ward here has a LOT of people in Sacrament meeting!  And this ward now has Elders AND Sisters (the Elders came into the Ward this transfer) and the Elders cover the downtown part of the Ward.  But I'm adjusting fine & things are going well so far.  Lots of change & lots of work to do here--looking forward to seeing how this transfer goes!

Scripture of the day was inspired by the movie Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration, which we watched this morning.

D&C 128:22 - it's a lot more inspiring if you watch the movie :)

Hope you are having a great week!  The church is true!! :)

Be strong & faithful because He was!

~Sister San Diego

RENO, Here I come!!

Good Bye Elko, Hello Reno!

Hi everyone!

This last week was pretty good--we had more lessons with our investigators with members present than we have previously had during our time in 2nd Ward! 

In current events, Sister Michaud & I are getting double-transferred out of Elko :(  We are both heading west on Wednesday.

I LOVE THE ELKO WEST STAKE!!!!  This place has been my "home away from home" & the people here have been like a second family to me--I will miss them all very much & I hope everything goes well for them until we meet again!

I am grateful for the privilege & opportunity I had to serve & serve with so many awesome people (yes, that means You).  There is a lot of work & potential out here, and I look forward to hearing about how the work is progressing down the road!

Carlin Ward + Eureka Branch + Elko 5th Ward + Elko 2nd Ward = best areas ever!

That's about it for now, sorry it's short.  Have an awesome week--love y'all!

Be strong & faithful because He was!

~Sister San Diego

Sisters at Work!!  Way to go Sisters!!