Happiness For Emma Lee: LOADS OF FUN!

Oh, hello! I didn't see you there.

Here are some funny things I haven't told you yet.

-I spend every Thursday night with a crazy dog.

Really we're there to see a less-active, but the dog gets in the way.

The problem is she's so darn cute!

You can't say no.

Well, until she scratches you and you end up with a scar on your arm.

-People here love their animals.

Everyone has a sign on their door saying to save their animals if there is a fire.

EVERYONE!

-We're kind of teaching this lady who told us yesterday to "be careful with our prophet. Beware that he might lead you away from Christ like [someone I won't mention]".

Yup.

We told her "actually, the whole purpose of our prophet is to point to Christ and he directs us to Christ. And twice a year we get to hear him speak about how we can grow closer to Christ."

Her: Oh

Yup, we slapped her in the face.

We did it out of pride which was bad, but she deserved it right?

Maybe not.

Oh well.

Guess what.

This week was great, as usual!

New investigators

General authorities

Halloween Parties

Exchanges

LOADS OF FUN!

We found one of our new investigators when we went to see a former investigator.

He wasn't home, but his fiancé was.

At first we left without saying much.

I was the one that cut things off before we could teach.

Of course I beat myself up and told Sister Taylor I was never talking again!

Well, we got in the car and said, let's just go back and invite her to the ward Halloween party.

We went back.

She let us in!

We taught her and her cute little daughter.

We invited her to be baptized.

She said "Well, I was baptized when I was younger..."

I start to think, oh shoot, ok now how am I going to explain to her that she needs to be baptized by the proper authority?

Then she says, "but I'd love to again!"

WHAT?!!!

I did a little jig in my brain. :)

Yup. She's getting baptized!

November 30th is the date! WHAT?!

This hasn't ever happened to me out here before.

The Spirit is amazing.

We had an investigator family come to the Halloween party.

Get this!
They know two families in the ward and actually baby sit for one of them.

Connections!
Oh, it's meant to be!

We got to go to a conference with Elder Carlson (http://www.lds.org/church/leader/bruce-a-carlson).

He is so cool!
He talked about being a consecrated missionary.

How can all of you be consecrated missionaries and followers of Christ?

Think about it and make a list.

I have given up all of my time, talents and efforts to be here.

I thought a lot about why I came on a mission.

I realized that the reason I gave people was a lie.

Not that I tried to lie, but I did. Especially to myself.

Why did I come on a mission?
I have no idea.

I didn't want to serve a mission.

I did not want to at all.

It's too hard.

I didn't see myself as a missionary.

Why would I want to do that?

That's an awful reason to come on a mission. I know.

BUT there are great reasons why I have stayed.

I love the people.

I love the Lord.

I love my brothers and sisters and I want to bring them home with me.

I am so grateful to be a missionary.

I'm grateful for the efforts from family, friends and most importantly that God put into pushing me to come.

I can't imagine myself anywhere else.

I don't know who I would be without this experience.

When I entered the MTC I was terrified, but it felt right.

All those feelings of not wanting to be a missionary went away.

I need to be here, therefore I will give my all and I will do it with a smile. :D

Exchanges were good.

They were hard at first.

I had a super off day.

I couldn't feel the Spirit as I was teaching and I was frazzled and didn't know what to do.

It was weird.

I haven't been without the Spirit in a long time.

Especially when I teach.

I didn't like that.

Later though, we followed the spirit and were able to answer someone's prayers.

We planned to see Jennifer then Sister Anderson.

Well, we debated and debated on what to do when we were leaving.

We decided to choose.

We chose Jennifer.

It felt right.

We drove there.

Got there.

Parked.

Started to pray.

Got the feeling, nope, this isn't it.

Sister Mickelsen backed me out.

On the way to Sister Anderson's I almost turned around.

I almost did when we got to her house too.

We almost went back to see Jennifer.

We didn't.

We went inside.

Sister Anderson said she had been praying that we would come over.

HOW COOL??!!!
She's goin' through a rough patch.

We told her to get out of it that she had to come back to church and read her scriptures and pray.

She said "I know."

It was awesome!
Then she didn't come to church the next day.

I was so sad.

We're going to show her some tough love soon.

My favorite part of the reading this week was Chapter 14:4-8

4 Surely he has ^aborne our ^bgriefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5 But he was ^awounded for our ^btransgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are ^chealed.

6 All we, like ^asheep, have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he ^aopened not his mouth; he is brought as a ^blamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so he opened not his mouth.

8 He was taken from prison and from judgment; and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people was he stricken.

Christ knows everything we're going through.

He's suffered everything we have.

He died for us all.

He loves us.

I am so grateful for that love and that it allows me to return home.

I know this church is true.

I know the Book of Mormon is true.

I love you all.

Have a great week.

Love,

Sister Heywood

PS. I went to seminary this morning. I almost miss waking up early and singing with groggy voices.