"Well done, thou good and faithful servant."

Well, this is the last email you will all receive from Sister Heywood.

I love my mission.

I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given to serve my Father for 1 1/2 years.

I have loved being about my Father's business and I will be for the rest of my life.

These last 18 months haven't made me Sister Heywood.

God has shaped and molded me into the Emma that I need to be.

I have been blessed to help others come unto Christ.

Everyone I've met has also done the same for me.

I know my Savior now.

I know my Heavenly Father.

I'm sad to leave and I dread the moment I have to take off my name tag, but I need to go on with life.

God has a great plan for me.

I know it :)

This week was good.

I was sick, so that was a bummer, but despite that, we still got to work.

We got to meet Ida (that's not her name, but that's what I'll call her).

She is so sweet!
She was a member referral.

The members didn't think she would be interested, but they said we could try her.

She let us in.

We taught about the Restoration and she is going to read the pamphlet.

We will be going back at the first of the year :)

It was a great miracle.

It wasn't in our plans, but it was in the Lord's.

I love my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I know that He is the Redeemer of the World.

I know He lived, died and lives again.

I know that we can go to Him and He will help us.

He died for us

  "He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw all men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation."

                      -2 Nephi 26:24

Through Him, we can be cleansed from sin.

We can be made perfect.

  "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."

                     -Moroni 10:32

All we need to do is turn to Him.

    

 "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
                    -Doctrine & Covenants 6:36

There is no need to fear, because you have the Godhead on your side.

   

  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."

                  -2 Timothy 1:7

I love you all!
See you Wednesday :)

Love,

Sister Heywood

The Final Countdown

So, this week we had a zone conference that got me so pumped!
I'm going to make this last week the best week of my mission :)

Sister Riggs was sick this week so we spent a lot of time in for her to rest.

She was kind of POed, but she needed the rest.

It's ok, because when we went out, we worked our hardest!
We have 5 progressing investigators now and they all are VERY promising.

I'm really excited :)

We've got a less active family that we are going to help to get to the temple. :)
It's so exciting.

I don't really know what else to tell you.

I got a free Batman mask!

Have a great week!
Love,

Sister Heywood

He Is the Gift

I hope you all have checked out He Is the Gift.

Here is the link again.

http://www.mormon.org/Christmas

It is such a beautiful video!
Please share it so we can spread the true spirit of Christmas :)

This week was good.

Thanksgiving was wonderful.

We had an interesting moment this week.

Every Friday, we have a weekly planning session.

It takes a few hours, and it's very crucial for a successful week.

At the end of each planning session we have what's called companionship inventory.

Missionaries don't understand what this is for.

They think it's the only time they have to tell their companion what they don't like about them.

It's a time for criticism and correction for most missionaries.

How awful.

Most people don't like doing it.

I'm sure you can tell why.

It ends up in angry tears and fights sometimes.

I'm proud to say, that I've never had a companionship inventory like that.

I've tried to follow what Preach My Gospel says:
"At the end of your weekly planning session, share with your companion appropriate goals, and ask for his or her help to accomplish them. Discuss the strength of your relationship with your companion. Discuss any challenges that may be keeping your companionship from working in unity or from being obedient. Resolve conflicts. Share with your companion what you think his or her strengths are. Ask for suggestions on how you can improve. If needed, set goals that will improve your relationship."

Companionship inventory is a time to build each other up and help people through problems.

Certainly, disobedience and things like that need to be brought up, but we shouldn't wait until Friday to bring them up.

Why am I telling you about companionship inventory?
Because this week, it was very humbling.

My companion was struggling with some personal things.

I was guided by the Spirit to help her.

I had the feeling to chastise her for some pride.

That's not how I do things, but the Spirit directed me and I did.

It was a chastisement for me too.

I learned about how when we compare ourselves to others and covet others gifts, we are saying we aren't good enough.

We are also saying that God is not good enough, because He didn't make us good enough.

How sad.

Be grateful for the gifts you have.

Thank God every day for them.

AND pray for guidance and development of other gifts.

Also, ask God if the gift you desire is for you.

It may not be, and that's ok.

God has more in store for you than you could ever imagine.

I love you all!

See you soon!
But until then, I will serve diligently until the end!

Love you!

Love,
Sister Heywood