Family and Friends,
We have reached it.... the start of my FINAL transfer.... yes.... six short weeks and I will be in your presence again! That is CRAZY to think. The mission has just FLOWN by... I can't believe we are already here to this point.
Well, to start off... transfers occurred!
We received a transfer call on Saturday! I am STAYING!!!! Whoot whoot! I am excited to spend my last transfer in Nags Head with my new family. Hermana Earl is also Staying! And we are getting a TRAINEE! Crazy right?!?
I am TRAINING again.... what in the world is Heavenly Father thinking?!?! haha. =)
This will be lots of fun though! I will only be here for half of her training though, which is sad. But I guess I get the bonus of seeing all yall again. ;)
Just a couple of random 'facts' for yall.... with this transfer call it means....
1) I will spend HALF of my mission in Nags Head (aka 9 months....)
2) Hermana Earl will be my longest companion
3) I will definitely be getting my picture with Jesse Heines at Surf N Spoon
4) I will spend 2 conferences here!
Yes... just a few fun facts! =) I love it here. I am so grateful that I am staying. I didn't realize how much I was hoping to stay until the phone rang and my stomach started FREAKING out... especially when it was President Baker's voice and I thought in my mind... 'oh crap.... I am a Sister Training Leader.' (which isn't my dream 'calling' haha). But instead just the news that we were training. haha. This Hermana better be prepared to WORK! We will be hard at it for my last six weeks... I want to help EVERYONE I talk to come unto Christ.
This week has been INCREDIBLE!
Probably one of the best of my whole mission... mostly for the fact that we had the chance to go to the Raleigh temple!
Oh my goodness.... I saw the angel Moroni and I was just so desperately wanting to go inside! We did a session and the spirit was so strong! I cannot describe the feelings that were there... the spirit speaks the truth. When in doubts or difficult times... get yourself to the temple! Peace is a promised blessing...
We were in the session and I could just feel the light radiating off of all the missionaries. The room was so peaceful and full of Joy and gladness. No one could stop smiling all day!
I cannot describe the feeling it is to be in the celestial room with 40 other missionaries.. you can't explain it. But there is something incredible to feel the love that radiates off of the missionaries abounding in the celestial room. I feel like I caught a glimpse of Heaven. :) I mean... we are all going to be missionaries right? ;)
Afterwards we had the chance to receive instruction from a member of the temple presidency. He was so nice. He even did a question answer section of his talk and I got to ask a few questions I have always had. He was impressed by my questions. :) haha.
Nothing can really top the temple.... so the rest of this email will mostly be boring things. :)
I received the news that mom was headed into surgery at the temple. President Baker pulled me aside. I guess that is a great place to be told. I knew without a doubt there wouldn't' be any serious complications and that the surgery would go fine. Which thankfully it did. I was relieved at the news. There is nothing like being thousands of miles away while your mom is undergoing one of the most painful surgeries in the world. haha. But thankfully I felt at peace. I knew without a doubt that I could trust the Holy Ghost and that He was the one telling me it would be alright. :)
We had the chance to see Jasmin who is our investigator who is just rocking! She is 18 and is just so excited to learn and learn about the gospel. She soaks in EVERYTHING! We ended up reading a chapter with her from the book of Mormon and you could see how much things were just clicking in her mind. It was so fun to see it all coming together. Yesterday she was going to come to church and tehn to dinner at a members home but she was SICK! Satan.... sometimes.... I just want to kick his trash. >={
Yes.... I was sad that she couldn't come! But we are going to be working a lot with her and help her progress more fully in the gospel. She was apologizing to us because she had left her book of Mormon in her locker at school on accident because she was reading it during her free period at school... yes, that is what I mean... she is READY for the gospel! (don't worry... we gave her one she can keep at home too. so she actually has 4 book of Mormons... 2 English 2 Spanish) haha.
We had a seafood buffett at the Parker's! I twas so delicious! I love food!! Crab legs, clams, sausages, shrimp,. . . people we are talking the REAL DEAL! I was in Heaven... =)
This week we also celebrated Bishop's birthday with him! We brought him a really hilarious candy bar poster as his present... it was pretty grand.
Eduardo and Fernando's lesson was also really wonderful. We took the time just to focus on the real meaning of Easter. We also talked about the Resurrection for a good while. It was fun to see them get so animated! They are excited to have a glorified and perfected body one day. :)
EVERYONE is sick this week.... Ridiculous amounts... not kidding... probably the last 6 homes we have stopped by there is someone who is sick... that is NOT a good sign. haha. RUN! =)
This week we also had the chance to look at the new website the church has for Easter time! It will also be update throughout the year.
It has a neat video on it, that really is inspiring! Please take the time to visit the website and watch the videos! I challenge all of you to also make a sign that says #BecauseHeLives
I can/will do this....
You will be inspired! Share the video, your posts, this is the time we have to focus on the true meaning of Easter. Why we have Jesus Christ in our lives!
I would also like to invite all who didn't watch the General Womens Broadcast Saturday night to take the time to do so. I was truly touched by President Eyrings talk. I thought it was so incredible. The Spirit really spoke through the mouth of a living day apostle.
"President Eyring said many are praying to Heavenly Father for relief, for help in carrying their burdens of grief, loneliness, and fear. “Heavenly Father hears those prayers and understands their needs. He and His Beloved Son, the resurrected Jesus Christ, have promised help.”
President Eyring said the burdens His faithful servants must carry in life are made lighter by His Atonement. “The burden of sin can be taken away, but the trials of mortal life for good people can still be heavy burdens.” "
Sin can be taken away from us.... but we can still be burdened. I think that is such a significant thought. We STILL have trials... always will have trials! But I KNOW that we have the promise of the Comforter.. the Holy Ghost... the third member of the Godhead to always be with us if we but follow Christ.
I know that this church is true. I testify that there are living prophets and apostles today. Their words are the words directly from Heavenly Father to his children. Take the time to listen and apply the things you will learn from General Conference this weekend. Take the time to LISTEN to the PROPHET OF GOD!
How many people don't have the knowledge of a living day prophet???... yet YOU DO and the real question is will you take the time to LISTEN to him?
I KNOW you will receive many blessings. The Lord doesn't give/command us to do things then leave us helpless. I know that you will be inspired this General Conference. Take the time to prepare yourselves spiritually.
We have a living day prophet, Thomas S. Monson. We have 12 apostles on the earth today. All we need to do is LISTEN and ACT on those promises.
I KNOW that the peace, the strength, the guidance, the happiness, the joy, the faith that you are looking for will be promised to you in this general conference. WATCH IT!
I love yall very much. I am excited to see you in 6 weeks.. Know that I am praying for you every day. I am gathering strength from your prayers and your kindness.
Love,
Hermana Gray
p.s. family you can check out professional photos that were taken at the temple on Facebook.... under the Virginia Chesapeake mission then you go to albums..... If they divided it into stakes we are the Chesapeake South stake. :) just so yall can look at more photos.
p.s.s. I LOVE YOU MOM! Hopefully you can make it through this email.... kind of long. ;) haha. I'm a jabberer. ;)
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