Virginia is for Lovers

Hello Family and Friends!

Another week has FLOWN BY in the mission field. . I truly think that mission time goes so much faster than normal time. I wake up each morning and can't believe it is already time to go to bed in what feels like an hour! So that is wonderful! I also can't believe TRANSFER CALLS are this week. . that is CRAZY! Time is just going.

I don't really know how to feel about transfers. . I wouldn't be surprised if I switch areas because I have been here for a while and also I think a lot of the other companionships right now are struggling so I wouldn't be surprised if Hermana Newman and I split up because we are both doing fine! =) I would love to stay in this area for longer so we will just have to see what happens Saturday! =) Wish me luck wherever I will be and whoever will be my companion! =) haha.

Well this week was great towards the weekend, hard at the beginning of the week. We have had the chance to see a lot of success in the area for our hard work. It is finally beginning to pay off!!! WAHOO!!!

The beginning of the week was hard. .

We visited a less active who just isn't willing to change which is hard. It is just a bummer to see those who have the gospel not live it. That is one thing that has been hard for me to grasp. . we as missionaries are going around trying to help bring others unto Christ and let those who are part of his church strengthen their faith and trust in him more. . So it is just difficult to see others not want to do that! Hopefully one day her heart will be softened and she will want to make those changes in her life that will bring her so much more happiness. .

And I don't know what it is lately but sometimes complaining has been getting on my nerves! haha. (and sorry I am "complaining" now. . more just telling you how it is!) But all I can say is don't complain to me about life being hard until you are doing the things Heavenly Father is asking of you. Then you can complain. haha. Read your scriptures, say your prayers, and attend church. . the basic three and as you strive to live the commandments of God daily I can promise you there will be a significant difference in your life! =)

We had an extremely wonderful lesson with Edilberta and her mother! We did the Restoration and it was just so powerful. Because she is a visual learner we did the Restoration through a stack of cups demonstration/lesson. It was really great and she could visually see the importance and the difference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Even though the Restoration was taught so simply. . it really was one of the most powerful lessons on my mission. It was a neat opportunity to have the spirit bare witness of the truth.

They both also attended church yesterday which was wonderful! They truly enjoyed it! =) It was great to see them feel the spirit so strong. Another neat thing was that Jesus bore his testimony yesterday and it was so strong and powerful. Just all about the power of the Atonement and I truly felt the spirit so strongly. =)

This past week we went on exchanges with the sister training leaders! It was really fun and we saw many miracles happen. I went English with Sister Anderson and we just had a wonderful day! I had lots of fun. While we were knocking doors I actually had the chance to use my Spanish at one of the homes and so that was great! =) I was happy!

We visited a Less Active and also a Member and can I just say it is weird to work with Single Adults as a missionary. . haha. They are your age and it is just weird the life they are living. =) Aka the normal life, going to movies, dating, but as a missionary you are so awkward sometimes that I was in culture shock for a while. . . oh goodness I am in trouble when I go home! I will be awkward. . prepare now! =)

We ate dinner at the Ellis's home, a member of their branch presidency. They are just the cutest old couple and I was just laughing like crazy. =) They have a bird that talks to them and then they also have a Guest book which I had to sign. =) It made me laugh.

One really neat compliment that I received was from Sister Anderson. We were getting ready for bed and as we were trying to go to sleep she just says "Hermana Gray. . I have one question for you. . How are you always so Happy??"

Well. . apparently my happiness is just Bursting out of me all the time! =) I just love it here and I truly and becoming such a better and more spiritual person! I don't really notice the differences in myself but others are and it is kind of a weird concept to me. I can notice the changes in my companions and the other hermanas and that is what is weird. . if they are changing, so am I! Which is so wonderful and marvelous! I am also excited to see all the changes in each of you! =)

On exchanges I also had the chance to go to the Relief Society activity. We went to a park and walked around this lake! It is super pretty and full of wild life. =) We were catching frogs and everything. haha. =) It was a little weird being in jeans for the moment. . but no worries dresses are back in style! ;) The sisters in the singles ward here are all so incredible. Full of wonderful testimonies so it was great to get to know them a little better. =)

This week we went to contact this lady, a reference from the elders, and they gave us a forewarning that she would talk your ear off. So we are like okay we have ten minutes before dinner lets go talk to this lady. She is this older lady from Puerto Rico who is 82, speaks both English and Spanish fluently. So we go and contact her. . yes after 30 minutes straight of her talking we finally made up an excuse to get out of there (we were just setting up an appointment), she went so quickly from topic to topic and just talked non stop all about life. It was hilarious. But we did get forewarned! haha. =) She is a great lady though and we will hopefully have the chance to visit her this next week. =)

That is about all for the week but I was reading from the Conference Ensign and just wanted to share this little part from President Eyring's talk,

"Every person born into the world receives the Light of Christ, which helps us see and feel what is right and what is wrong. God has sent mortal servants who can, by the Holy Ghost, help us recognize what He would have us do and what He forbids. God makes it attractive to choose the right by letting us feel the effects of our choices. If we choose the right, we will find happiness--in time. If we choose evil, there comes sorrow and regret-- in time. Those effects are sure. Yet they are often delayed for a purpose. If the blessings were immediate, choosing the right would not build faith. And since sorrow is also sometimes greatly delayed, it takes faith to feel the need to seek forgiveness for sin early rather than after we feel its sorrowful and painful effects."

I was just thinking about this a lot this morning. .and truly the gift of Agency is something that God gives us to help us. We are Agents. . not Objects! We choose how we live the way we live. . our choices are ours. And that is something so marvelous.

Heavenly Father gave us agency. . knowing some of his children wouldn't choose the right paths and wouldn't be able to return to him. But he loves us enough to let us choose him rather than to force us to follow him.

I also love the mention of timing. Time is something so precious to all of us. And he lets us have time in between decisions to help us grow and become more and more faithful. If we were immediately blessed for decisions we wouldn't need faith.

I just thought this was a great insight from a servant of the Lord.

I just have been loving reading the talks from the General Authorities and all those who spoke at conference. It is fun to find an underlying theme of conference and to hear the words our Heavenly Father has to tell each of us. I challenge each of you to read a talk this week from this past General Conference! I know that as you do you can receive personal revelation in your life and answers to your prayers. Please continue each day to strengthen your relationship with Heavenly Father! He loves you! =)

I love you all so much. . I hope you have a wonderful week and see many miracle occurring in your own lives. I hope that you are filled with many missionary opportunities this coming week and have the courage to share the gospel to those around you!

Remember how much the gospel has changed your life and use that to motivate you to change the lives of those around you! =)

I wish I had some more exciting stories to tell you, but life as a missionary is mostly the same each day. =) We work and work and see step by step the miracles that God has in store for each of his children on the earth.

I love you all! Have a great week!

Remember who you are and where you came from. .

Don't do anything this Hermana wouldn't do!

Love,

Hermana Gray

"Brothers and sisters , some of our greatest opportunities to demonstrate our love will be within the walls of our own home. Love should be the very heart of family life."-Thomas S. Monson

turtles in the water

hilarious fake spider i saw

And then this is a LA of the singles branches home. . . I had to take a picture because it was the nicest house I have seen since I've been on the mission! I was like. . . I never enter anything close to this! haha. =)

nature hike