Week Two!

The MTC district! 

Hello!

So sorry about last week, I got a call in the middle of writing to everyone, and by the time I came back to finish my letter, the computer already had its screen saver up and deleted my E-mail and I didn't have enough time to rewrite it. But its crazy to think that ive been on my mission for almost a month! ah! The mission is much different then the MTC, we are opening an area so we are constantly tracting and trying to find people who have a desire to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ, theres been multiple times where the door has been closed on our faces, BUT its those moments where people share their beliefs with you, and you have the opportunity to share your beliefs with them and youre able to soften their hearts and enable them to feel of Christ's love for them that makes it so worth it. Its SO awesome to notice when people can recognize the Spirit and Gods love for them, it makes all those doors closing on your face feel like a welcome breeze (: which in this heat, is ideal! This past week we had exchanges, I am companions with one of the Sister Training Leaders, so its really great for me because each week I get to go to a different area of Minnesota and experience a different companion. This past week I was able to go to Andover for two days and serve with a sweet girl named sister Szabo, I quickly realized why she wasn't training me, we have too much fun together! haha, but shes great, and we worked really really well together. During our two days together, I feel like we got hit with everything on all sides, from very hostile people to people who were extremely depressed. It was our last night together and we had plans to visit some other people, but my companion felt prompted to meet a less active woman. So we went and met her, it hurt my heart to hear how she felt, she felt that God had abandoned her. The spirit was so strong when we told her that God is aware of her, and loves her, and that Heavenly Father often sends us answers to our prayers through people, and I told her that it was because of that that we felt prompted to throw our plans aside and to come see her. Ive thought about her often since coming back from the exchange, and realized that often times we feel alone and that God has abandoned us, but in reality its usually the other way around; that we turn our backs on Him. Usually when we feel like not praying , or reading our scriptures, that's usually when we need to do those things the most. Anyways, I don't think I will ever be able to say that the mission is easy, because to be honest, Its not meant to be, and I know ill be grateful for that. Through trials, come blessings! Also some of you had questions about my companion, shes been out for a year and her name is sister mansfield and yes, she is 22! we get along great, and shes exactly what I wanted in a trainer, someones whose obedient! (: We have been able to meet some amazing people, theres a girl named Allison that we are teaching who honestly, reminds me of myself and her friend allyssa reminds me so much of Jackie (love you Jack!) Allison is Catholic, but she has a strong desire to be baptized because she has been able to feel the spirit and God's love for her. She wants to be baptized, but shes 17 and so we needed to get her parent's permission to do so. All day yesterday I fasted for her and for her family, and the first thing I heard coming to church was that Allison had spoke to her parents and were okay with her being baptized! I know that He listens to our prayers (: I want to share a quick testimony that I know that this is Christ's church in these latter days, and that not only did Christ establish His church, but he atoned for each and every one of us to take upon himself our sins, but not only that but because we can know that we are never alone, He has felt what we have felt and He is with us every step of the way. I know that God answers our prayers, He listens, He cares and that He loves each and every one of us. Most of all I know that by following Christ's example, it will bring us strength and joy in ways that we can never imagine and that gives me hope.

I love all of you! Thank you so much for all your prayers, they have meant the world to me and have made all the difference. If you want to send me any letters or packages, they've asked me to tell you to send it to the mission home address which should be on my facebook and blog.

Love you!