Monday, June 6, 2016

Flying in Florida






My awesome companion Sister Pyper :)

Watermelon Shark we helped make:)



SO MUCH COOL STUFF HAPPENING RN 





my grammar is going out the window 



but the coolest stuff happening is definitely M.....



We had a lesson with him and silly enough it was the Restoration after we have already met with him three other times 


God works in mysterious ways and what one of His children needs is much different than the next and for whatever reason, M.... needed to have lessons two and three and part of three again before lesson one


The Restoration



L ... (I have been calling her Sister P.) and her husband M..... just went on a vacation and it was a five hour drive.  We found out four of the five hours they drove, they searched and listened to a ton of material on lds.org and cross referenced it to the Book of Mormon.  They listened to the first three chapters and all of Joseph Smith History.  Including the testimonies and title page of the Book of Mormon with their two kids in the back seat.



Yes.  I know they are incredible.



I love love love them.




and after a really powerful restoration lesson (they knew most of it-had already found it themselves) I was able to recite the first vision and the Spirit.. no words.  It was so amazing and a testimony builder for me of the divinity of the answer to that humble prayer.  At the end, we invited Matt to be baptized. 



He said yes.  
Then I invited him to be baptized on June 11th.
 A WEEK AND TWO DAYS FROM THAT DAY.  
He said yes. 



(side note- When sister Pyper and I were planning for the week and feeling prompted to extend the commitment to M.... to be baptized, I felt like woah... 

June 11th is so soon, their is no way he will go for that.  But the next week just didn't feel quite right.  When I asked Sister Pyper what she thought she said the 11th.  
Well it looks like it's going to happen and I am so excited! 
L ... was shocked at that point in the lesson, but when he said yes she said, "I have the chills." and she was beaming so excited and happy for her husband. 


GOD IS SO GOOD.



I am on cloud nine my friends and family.



cloud nine.



Okay.. now I need to back up. (So many amazing experiences with the First Vision this week)





Miracle Monday a week ago from today



I found the address of a former investigator in the area that stuck out to me.  So when we had some time, we went on an adventure to find her.


We got to the apartment complex and markings weren't clear as to where we were.  We were looking for apartment C



but


no markings on the first door.


I even verbally said to Sister Pyper "Do you have any idea what letter this would be?" 

"No"

"Let's just knock and ask if it's her or not."


We knocked.  And after teaching about half of the restoration on his front porch I looked at the door and saw an obvious "A" on the door.


That's right.  The Spirit blinded us because if we would have known it wasn't C we would have kept looking.


but we knocked anyway and met Alex.



Alex is from HONDURAS


My cousin Ben (on his last month of his mission in Honduras) will be so proud



not only that, but Alex remembers vaguely attending an LDS church IN HONDURAS as a child.


"lovely service" 


he liked it.  But doesn't really remember it. 




We taught him about the Book of Mormon, Joseph smith, prophets, and I had the opportunity to recite the first vision right there on the door step and the Spirit was like a tidal wave washing over us. 



Again, there is just about nothing like the exact words of Joseph Smith's First Vision


"I saw a pillar of light, exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun which descended gradually until it fell upon me.  When the light rested upon me, I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description.  Standing above me in the air, one of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said pointing to the other: 
This Is My Beloved Son. Hear Him."
   


Joseph Smith saw God the father, and Jesus Christ.  He received an answer to his humble prayer and so can you. 




I don't know about you, but I have never seen God or Jesus in this life.  With my eyes. 

But I have felt Them in my heart. 


He communicates with us through feelings just as real and just as undeniable if we are willing to act on the answers He gives us. 



Do you know that??



Do you show that.






I tell ya'll what.  There has been many more great experiences but these were the icing on the cake for me. Perhaps a topping on the cake was when one of the cute Baxter kids came over to us at church yesterday and said
 "Sister Missionaries, can my family sit with you today?" 

Next thing I know I have a 7 year old on my left and a 4 year old on my right and I am holding a crayon box while they color pictures of minions and cartoon prophets. <3


Have I told you lately, that I have the best job in the world? 




Oh... Awkward.. 



Here:


I have THEE best job in the WORLD





Also inspiration moment of the day:




It is true that God knows exactly what will comfort us.

 He knows how to comfort us.  He is very capable of comforting us.



But He also knows exactly what will convert us.

 He knows how to convert us.  But He is only capable of converting us, if we allow Him to.



The truth of the matter is that sometimes being comforted and being converted require the sacrifice of the other.


As God chooses to Convert instead of Comfort



all that's left is our decision to accept, apply, and then FLY


accept the opportunity to be more converted apply the atonement to the situation and then







FLY







not forward not backward diagonal sideways or spiral



but UPWARD




Thank you for all the letters, packages, card hugs, support, smiles, heart ache, prayers, and especially for your love DEAR FRIENDS and FAMILY


dear friends that are family ;)



I love you.  I need you, because when our Father in Heaven promised us angels to bear us up he was talking about the unseen angels and the seen as well.  Near or far, you are angels to me and 



I hope sometimes 




I'm a little angelic to you too. *insert angel emoji here and maybe praying hands because those are cute too



;)




Love you all big



Make it a good day



-SISTASAUNDERS





P.S. Pray for M..... 


this week Satan is going to do everything in his power to stop him from making the first step to eternal joy before this Saturday.  Then he's going to do everything in his power to make M...... think it was a mistake right after, yeah.  Speaking from many experiences. 



The first step and any other big steps to eternal joy are never met without opposition.




BUT JESUS IS MORE POWERFUL



Boston this is for you


#TeamJesus





Last Pday with Sister C...
Lunch/Shirley Temples with the amazing Floods!
They have a convertible Mustang!!!



Blue Heron pic I took
Fort Pickens


one last thing


so... P.P.S.


AUBREY THIS IS FOR YOU: Happy Graduation, you were stunning in that cap'n gown. I love yo s'much <3




Infamous orange tree from one of my first Florida blogs...Blue Skies and Sunshine (or nah)

XOXO