Sunday, September 27, 2015

Pictures

 Some of these pictures and descriptions might not make much sense unless you read all of Kaylee's letters!! 

me and the special needs girl! i love her!

we had this huge blessing! so one day we went contacting and saw this guy outside and he was super down. and we were trying to talk to him and he just told us to leave and he said hope you have a good day1 then the next day someoen is the other ward was doing pest control at this guys house and said the the city fined him for weeds in his from yard. and so he asked if he could send people over from our church to come help and the man said yes. IT WAS THE GUY WE TALKED TO THE OTHER DAY! that was crazy so we went and met him and hes suuuppper sick and his wife is older! and so we got the yong women to help! we were nevous becuase he had weeds that went to higher than my hip almost1 and we thought ok we need men to help because im sorry 12 year old girls will not be able to makea dent! then we only had one guy help us and the reast wer the young women! and wow! it looks like a different yard! it was amazing! the spirit was strong and he was sooo happy we helped him!!1 :)

Its was 6 at night and it was sooo hot when we were going out to oym!

Crazy NM rainstorm 

me after the rain!

We did face masks because it was a long hard day! haha :)


Two pictures because i am SOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited that i have my VIOLIN!!!!!! Thank you thank you THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our zone made a title of liberty :) hahah ( an elder cut his shirt and so yup...missionaries!;)  

our dryer is terrible and doesn't work so we have to hang dry everything hahah !!!

So Sister Brown has been on her mission for two months now and she is from Michigan! I had a member give me these HOT green chilies and we had her eat them!!! haahaha We were all dying! It was pretty funny!
This week we are trying to not say anything negative at all and if you do you have to eat green chili's!!! hahahhah :) 
  
This is us peeling green chilis!!!


Two pictures of our last day of sugar! haha :) 


More pictures from last sugar day! Sister Wilson made fudge stuff hahaha

 and then us eating our green chili's in a tortilla shell with cream cheese!! sooooo goood! :)

oh boy, so every monday we do weekly planning.... where obviously we plan for the week, but between that and personal and companionship study....we are in that room for like 5 hours!!! ahhh so its kinda crazy hahaha

companionship unity on point! ;)


Letter #23

So this was just a funny week! Too many funny things just happened! So Wednesday we go to dinner with my FAVORITE family in Star Heights! hahaha they have two little boys and he’s a firefighter and she’s a school teacher! Well he does a lot of stuff with his job and then he tells us how he plays the bagpipes! hahaha YES!!! So of course he plays them for us hahha it was just sooo great! Dinner and a show!!!!! 

We have been able to have lots of good lessons this week which is always good! That is my favorite part of missionary work! Getting to teach people!! So when people cancel it kills me! 
So Saturday oh boy,……..Saturday was one of those days where you just have to laugh at yourself because that is all you can do! We went and did service in the morning and Sister Brown was going to throw away this bag of trash, and she picked it up and a fountain of egg yolk came pouring out, but I couldn’t think fast enough to tell her to hurry and put it down, and when she threw it, egg yolk got all over her! haha we just laughed!

Then we went to this less actives home. I can’t remember if I told you, so when we first went over there the first time meeting them Sister Wilson shakes their hands and says, “Hi I’m sister Markus! hahahaha and then I was like like ummm...hi? It was great! We just laughed! Well then back to last Saturday we go over there for the second time, and Sister Wilson is holding their little puppy and it starts peeing on her! We really laughed!!!!!!! Good thing this is an awesome family!!!! :)

Then there was one point after all that had happened I was just like, have you ever had one of those days where you’re just like.... and then there was a guy who was trying to pull out of his drive way on his motorcycle and it dies and he says, OH CRAP! hahaha

So now we say that when our day is going a little crazy! It’s great! Sometimes you are just awkward or mess up what you are trying to say and all you can do is laugh! Laughing is like my most favorite thing! So don’t forget to laugh!

So transfers are coming up! ahhh we are pretty sure our trio will be split up and there are 27 new missionaries coming in!!! That’s crazy so I have a feeling I might train... but I’m not sure I also think I might leave, maybe I’ll go to a new area and train! Who knows!!! hahahah

We decided to by stuff for Oreo shakes this week because if you are going to train you get a call Friday night or something, and so if one of us gets a training call we are going to make shakes! hahaha its great!!!!

Oh man I love my mission! I have stopped counting! As far as I know I still have 18 months on my mission :) I never want to leave!!!! It’s the best possible thing you will ever get to do! If you are trying to decide whether to go on a mission………… GO!!!!!!

It will be the best choice you will ever make!!!! I love you alll!!!!!!!!!!!

Seester Markus :)


Letter #22

wow, first off crazy! like we only have two more weeks in the transfer and then we are done! ahhh crazy!!! Time is flying by too fast and I hate it more than anything!!!

So the beginning of the week was good, we had lessons and a lot in the Star Heights area! Which made me happy because last transfer we were having like 2 lessons a week and last we had like 5 or so! So by Wednesday we had already 3 lessons in Star Heights! Yay my little baby area (where I was born, ha-ha oh mission lingo) is picking back up! We had a lesson with a lady named Heather and she’s awesome, our Zone leaders were teaching her then she moved to Star Heights! YAY! We were teaching her and it was soo great, she had already seen, on her own, meet the Mormons Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration! Like what?! And you better believe the spirit touched her. Anyways it was super good! 

Then we were able to see a less active family whom I just LOVE! It’s the Rodriguez family! Oh my cuteness! They have two girl and a just new little baby boy!! I just feel such a close connection with them! And he’s trying to work on Word of Wisdom because they want to go to the temple! every time we go over and see them the spirit is sooo strong in their home! This last Sunday they blessed their baby boy Ezra! AHHHH yay sooo happy for them, I wrote down the blessing for Sister Rodriguez and she was so happy! Because there were a lot of good things in the blessing not only for Ezra but for the family! Everyone needs to do Visiting teaching/ Home teaching!  This is a wonderful family and I just know that, had those that were assigned to go see them, they would be active, but they don’t really know anyone in the ward... soooo do your callings because you are assigned to them for a reason! Heavenly Father knows that YOUR testimony is what is helping his Children!!!

Oh then in Chamisa we had a lesson with a 12 year old boy who is from China! ahhh I was trying soo hard not to cry during that lesson! There was a member from the ward who was there and he translates the lessons. And a sweet spirit was there and it just made me think, oh my goodness this is what it was like for Eric! My hero!!! Because this boy, Jake, he had no idea who Christ was who God was nothing, so teaching him about heavenly father and how he loves him! ahh it was great! and it was just cool because I felt cool like Eric! and we all know he’s the coolest person hahaha :)

But then Friday comes,..
We were having personal study, spirit is strong... then Heather (from before) calls. She asks us not to come over, says somethings that honestly made me want to cry.... she doesn’t want us to come back over. But let me be clear, she didn’t say things that hurt my feelings... and this is the hard part about  missionary work that I never understood but now I do.... I had only really met her once and my love for her had grown sooo deep! I feel like I didn’t always know if this gospel was true. And when I for myself knew that it was true, the light the peace and love it brought into my life! I wanted nothing more than for Heather to have that! My heart broke for her. 

Why would she deprive herself the blessings of the restored Gospel!? ahhh my heart hurt for her.
I know how our father in heaven now feels. when we are too stubborn and don’t do what he’s asked us! it kills him I’m sure! I know he’s just thinking, "Don’t you know there is an easier way?"

Let us all treasure the never ending blessings that come from this gospel. let us all become converted and have the gospel illuminate in our countenance!

I love this Gospel with every fiber of my being! Let us all tell our brothers and sisters about the joy this brings!!!


I love you all family and hope you are all doing well! I pray for you daily!!!!!

With love,
From your favorite sister missionary,


Hermana Markus 

Letter #21

Ok wow, I have never been sooo tired in my life! Every time we come home we are all just dead! 

Ok Wednesday we had 5 Member Present lessons which is amazing!!! And which is super good FYI! That was such a cool day, we went on splits so Sister Wilson taught a lesson while at the same time Sister Brown and I went and taught two other people and wow it was great!!!! It is fun and a good feeling coming home and feeling like you did good and worked hard! 

At the end of the week we had 10 Member present lessons, which is the goal President Miller has sent for the mission! YA! That was awesome! We got two new investigators and they are super awesome! I am, 100% seeing God bless me for my hard work and for all my efforts! I love this Gospel sooo much and honestly we as members I feel take it for granted and don't really live up to the potential Heavenly Father has given us! What are we doing?

We MUST be reading from the scriptures EVERYDAY! We must go to the temple as much as we can! Heavenly Father has given us soo many tools to safe guard us from the world, why do we not use them?

We were talking to this family who is less active. They have two kids under 4, but they stopped coming to church because its too hard. Yes I know it must be hard, but something we told them was
" if your kids don't have a foundation in Christ and his Gospel, they are going to have a foundation in of the World."  Satan was in the pre- existence with us. He knows and sees your great potential. and he knows that if you use those tools that Heavenly Father has given us the less Satan can really get to us. So yes he is going to tell you, don't read the Book of Mormon. Don't pray, don't go to church, don't go to the temple,don't listen or read conference talks,and when you feel that way, run to them! Sprint! Because that is when we need them the most!!!

I am beyond grateful for Joseph Smith! For not only reading the scriptures but taking action. As he read James 1:5 he felt and knew that he could ask God and he would tell him of the truth. He could have easily said ok well that's nice to know and went on his way! But he didn't, he took action and did something about it! And because he did we now have the glorious Restored Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ!

So I would ask you this week to really ponder and see and ask your self, do I act on the things I learn in the Gospel?

I love you all oh sooo much!! I Love this gospel and I'm spoiled that I grew up in it, but even more so that I now get to spend 24/7 sharing it with my brothers and sisters, our Heavenly Fathers Children!

Oh! Also, I dare each of you to share the Gospel with 3 people this week! OPEN YOUR MOUTH and tell them of the great truths that come from this Gospel! Don't deny them the blessings from knowing this!!!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sister Markus

Letter #20

First, I am on a computer with a really bad keyboard so I'm sorry if this letter is hard to understand. Ok, wow! So a lot has happened so hopefully I can get it all in without it sounding too crazy! OK so we are still trying to learn how to take over two areas. UT don't worry, God is 110% helping us and we are getting better! There is a man in the Camisa area, his name is Arvi. (RV) and he's crazy awesome! The sister's have been teaching him before I got here and he has never had any doubt. He just accepts what we teach him and knows its true! And with the Word of Wisdom , he just did it and knew it is what God wants for him! WOW!!! haha so he's getting baptized on Saturday so that is exciting! 

We are still trying to find people in Star Heights to teach but we will find them I know it!!! Thursday I went on exchanges with Hermana Neilson. I went to her area (which is the whole zone because she's spanish) and I LOVE it! I love to go out with her because shes sooo sweet and amazing and has such a strong spirit when she teaches! Its also fun because we will be in lessons and I have no idea what she or anyone else is saying but with out a doubt the spirit is soooo strong! So she wrote me a list of things I can say in Spanish during lessons the first time I went on exchanges but  I was way too scared. This time I really did! It was scary but fun!  My spanish is actually getting good! Who knew!! Just kidding.....I speak 100% spanglish!! haha But I'm proud! I always learn so much when we go on exchanges and since there is 3 of us now and we are the only sisters in the zone (even though they are over more sisters) they have 3 different exchanges planned so next exchange Sister Wilson and I are going to Coronado! I'm excited!!!

On Saturday we had to do splits because there was stuff in Chamisa and Star Heights at the same time so we had a member go with one of us and the other two go to a different area! Its crazy and feels weird not to be with your companion! Sister Wilson and I were able to get into a potentials home and see her! She is awesome and has all the pamlets we give out and and she has seen, Meet the Mormons, Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration but we just cant get in to have lessons. She has bad knees so its hard for her, but I'm praying we get to see her soon!!!

Also, on Saturday we helped some members peel green chili's!!! yay! I am now a New Mexican! hahah It was sooo fun! They told us we had to eat the first chili we peeled.  It was soooooo yummy! But Sister Wilson and Sister Brown thought it was too hot!! haha It is funny but my love for really hot foods has increased! 

Since I have been here I have had: Green Chilli Burgers, Pizza Enchiladas and Tacos!!! I love it soooo much I put it in my top roman! Its soooo good! Oh and there is this green chili dip! ahh and its only in NEW MEXICO! II will miss it when I leave!!! then yesterday..........so all 3 of us want to be more healthy, and so we decided to do,..........NO SUGAR SEPTEMBER!!!! ahhh I'm scared but it will be soooo good! But that meant yesterday we went crazy! haha We had lots of sugar and it  was great! There is a recent convert Stacy who is amazing and wow, shes gone through soo much and everyone needs a testimony like Stacy! Before we had a lesson over at her house we had ice cream. Shes going to do no sugar September with us!!!

haha I love it here!!!! I love my mission and the growth that I am making! I have such a deeper love for the gospel and I feel the influence of the Holy Ghost everyday! Everyone needs to read the Book of Mormon. If you are a member or not read it!!! It is the best choice anyone could ever make! I am sooo grateful for my Savior who went through every pain and sorrow I have felt. Who died for me (Alma 7:11-12) because he loves me more than I will ever understand.! This is the true gospel of Jesus Christ and I am sooo grateful for it! May we in our everyday lives share it with all of our brothers and sisters!!!!

I love you family and pray for you always! Thank you for all you do!!!!!

Seester Markus 

Letter #19

Wow ok this week was crazy!!!!! 
So Tues day, we have to take Sister Watkins to the mission office to take her luggage there because she is going home. Well, I, Sister Markus don't have a GPS so I had to follow our STL's (which one of them was leaving) and so we had to be at the mission office by 6am! The STL's wanted us at their house at 5:20am so I woke up at 4:15am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! So that happened but I was super awake and excited and wow! Then we got to the mission office and it was fun and weird because just thinking like wow this is what its like when I am about to go home! But THANK HEAVENS I still have forever 

But then we took pictures at the transfer meeting!!!
 
This is Hermana Warr! I am in LOVE with her!!! She REALLY helped me when I was having such a hard time! I think she helped me more than she will ever realize!!!! She lives in St. George!!!

​Then we took more pictures so in the one with all of us, Sister Warr is like tickling me so that's why I look so crazy! Then pictures with my dying companion! I killed her.... hahah (mission lingo) but yes its weird to think that we were only companions for 6 weeks and that shes now home!!!




So then we are sitting in transfer meeting and I am sitting in between Sister  Brown and Sister Wilson and then the AP's say in Chamisa is Sister Wilson and Sister Brown.  Then they stand up and then they say serving with them combined with Star Heights is Sister Markus. So then I stand up and we hug each other! It was funny! But then our day began! We went to the Star Heights apartment  and cleaned it out and wow! It was crazy! It was where everything happened, where it all started. We cleaned out the fridge and we had to move my bed and desk and white boards! It was crazy!! Then we were just trying to get everything in order at the new house (the Chamisa sisters live in a house) so it was crazy! But two of the Elders in our zone have been sick and I think they got me sick! I had a super bad sore throat and a bad cough! haha so at the end of the night, I had been up since 4 am! I had to move all my stuff, and we taught a lesson. I just layed in the back seat and slept! hahah

But don't worry its getting better! This week has been crazy! We are still trying to learn how to take over two areas and to have enough work! This week was hard because they didn't know they were getting me and they had their week planned! Also, they had a baptism! That was exciting! His name is Lloyd and  heis super funny! Sister Wilson is an AMAZING and i mean AMAZING piano player and so her and I did a musical number. I played my violin, it was sooo fun! President Miller came and wow that was scary but he and Sister Miller were sooo nice and told me I did good! 
So yes this was a crazy week! But its been good!!!! I love that I'm still in star heights and that I'm in a new place too!! hahha the Lord knows me too well!!!!! :) I love you all!!!!!


Seester Markus 

Letter #18

This letter might be short! haha Sorry! But it was a good last week! Just a normal week on the mission! haha. This week was hard for Sister Watkins because she is going home! So that was hard..but we got through it! ok I am just going to tell about transfers because that is the main part!

So back story...... I did not want to train because I just thought I wasn't good enough, I don't know enough etc. Well, before transfers I just decided I REALLY wanted to train. Well, if you are going to train you get a call from President Miller. So Thursday is usually when they start calls so I was waiting, waiting, nothing....Friday came..... waiting, waiting, nothing. It was weird because its like I just KNEW I was going to get a call! So then Saturday comes and we are doing service and all of a sudden our phone starts ringing! So I'm like SISTER THE PHONE! She is trying to hurry and get it out of her pocket and at this point I am jumping up and down freaking out! haha

Then we look at the phone and it says APs (Assistant to the President) and I thought...... what?!!!  I answer it and its good ol Elder Ah Loy ( the one who used to be my old zone leader and went to Bingham) and he says, Hi Sister Markus. I have early transfer news for you! My heart is going a million miles an hour and I keep thinking.... what? Why are you calling? And then he says,  So Star Heights and  Chamisa (another area in my zone) are combining! They aren't closing my area there will still be missionaries there but its with Chamisa now! So then I thought ok... and he said Sister Markus,  you're going to Chamisa! So then I thought, Wow!!!! That means one of the Chamisa sisters is leaving (which they both are pretty much still training!) and then he says, you will be in a trio with Sister Brown and Sister Wilson! AHHHH A TRIO!!! I am sooooo excited!!!! I know both the sisters and they are great! But its so funny because I have been out for 3 transfers, Sister Wilson has been out for 2 and Sister Brown for 1! Oh how this will be an adventure! But that's pretty much my story for the week! 

I love you all and can truly feel your prayers each and everyday! Thank you for all you do!!!!!!

SIster Markus :)

Letter #17

Wow, Ok is everyone sitting down? Because you're all going to need to put on a life jacket...its about to get deep! 


Ok I will tell you about the week first and then it will just all come together (no pun intended ;)

So it really starts with Thursday, we went out contacting at 11:00and we just got a ton done! Talked to a ton of people, and found some people who possibly might be interested in learning more. We really did that all day and it was good and we just felt amazing! Then came Friday, this was the first Friday of the month so we had Zone training where all the missionaries in our zone get together and just have a meeting together! Well, President was there which is awesome because I just love him! By this time my violin came yesterday and I had played it. So I was talking to him and thanked him for letting the Kunz bring it to me and I told him how grateful I was to play it and have it! He said now you need to learn how to play A Poor Wayfaring Man. Well, mom sent me sheet music and it had it in there and I had played it, so with out thinking I said "oh i can already play that one!" and he said perfect we will schedule you for zone conference! AHHH hahah it was funny. (zone conference is with a bunch of other zones together!)  So the next one is in September so I hope he forgets by then! But at zone training it was amazing! The spirit was sooo strong and it was sooo great!!! 
That day I came to the realization of this transfer! 

This transfer I lost all of our investigators, potentials and we got yelled at and doors slammed in our faces! It was so hard! I was feeling as if God wasn't answering my prayers, helping me in this hard time, and just feel completely alone. This transfer I didn't baptize anyone. My purpose as a missionary is to help others come unto Christ  and I didn't find any new person to come unto christ. except for myself. This transfer was for me, for me to truly to come unto Christ and to fully have a true relationship with my Father in Heaven. God knows us perfectly and I can promise you that! 

He knows 100% of what we need at different times in our lives. God knew that I needed to go through his refining fire to help him more fully with his glorious work! Because of these trials I have grown and have such an amazing relationship with him. I have put more trust in him and I have grown to love this gospel even more! Something that I also found is that because I went through all of this I now will be more of an effective instrument in Gods hands, because I KNOW that there is someone in New Mexico that is going through what I went through, and I will now be able to help and comfort them!! Ahh isn't this gospel AMAZING?  God loves us sooo much he is willing to let us have such hard times because he knows it will benefit us! 

Then comes Saturday! So on Thursday we contacted into this apartment and it was a young couple about to get married. Long story short the Elders tracked into them and they were interested but the elders gave us the wrong apartment #. We we were going to the wrong place but Sister Watkins and I knocked on their door and they invited us back that night but then they weren't home. So on  Saturday we went and the guy said,  oh, my fiance will be home at 7 come then!
So we said ok will do!

Then we had a lesson with a less active and then we got a phone call from North Carolina! what the? We called them back and it was the Elders in the NC Mission! So when I first got here (ten days in) we taught this guy name Bryan. He was the first person I invited to baptism and he seemed super solid and awesome but he had some family stuff come up. His dad died and he was going to be there for a while. We had thought about having missionaries go over but then we kinda forgot. But we would text him once a week to keep tabs on him. Well these Elders in NC found him!!!!! SEE another testament that God knows us and our situations! They found him walking down the street and have been teaching him! They said all he has to do now is get baptized! But he wants to get baptized here in NM!!!! Wow that was such a blessing! I know God loves all his children and wants them all to hear to gospel! 

Then we went back to that one couples apartment and we taught her. Talk about a golden investigator! She already knows how the Holy Ghost talks to her and she has a great relationship with God. She said shes been to 3 different churches and she doesn't know what is different about them and she wants to know whats different about this one! THE PRIESTHOOD!!!!!!!  hahaha anyways the lesson went AMAZING!  The spirit was sooo in the room! and she kept saying she felt good about it and ahh!!!!

I HAVE A TESTIMONY THAT IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING WITH ANYTHING HARD, WHETHER IT BE BIG OR SMALL, THAT GOD DOES SEE AND KNOW YOU AND HIS TIMING CAN BE HARD TO BE PATIENT FOR! BUT HE KNOWS WHATS BEST FOR YOU!!! AND ALL THIS HARD STUFF I HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH IS SOOOOO WORTH IT!!!!!

Everyone should go on a mission! I could never trade this for anything! Study and read the scriptures EVERYDAY!!! When we pray thats us talking to God. When we read the scriptures, that's God answering our prayers! don't for one minuet let it slip because once you stop Satan will come in like a flash of lightning!!! 

I have such a deep love for my Savior Jesus Christ and wow, how lucky are we to have the fullness of the Gospel on the Earth today! 

Thank you for all the prayers and love everyone sends to me each and every day!!!! I love this gospel and next transfer I cant wait to bring it to others even more!!!! 

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!


Sister Markus 

Letter #16

WOW only like 2 more weeks of the transfer left! CRAZY! And I have been out on my mission for 4 months! That is crazy because it feels like I just left you all just yesterday! I was talking with Sister Watkins, that since I've left, two apostles have died, gay marriage is legal and Amanda has lost a ton of weight and is stunning, Eric and Hayley have a new house a new baby on the way and Milly moo looks like a different person! WOW that's a lot! hahaha

This letter is going to be short because nothing super exciting happened. I got Dads letter and I'm sure he's going to be a prophet or something! Dad I  just LOVE the way that you read and understand the scriptures and how you know how to apply them to our lives! It helped so much and really opened my eyes. We contact all day long trying to find new people to teach and trying to get a hold of people we used to teach. This week we only had one lesson with an investigator. and we had a lot of 0 on other things, but I felt good about it. The week wasn't good, people were mean and a lot of doors were slammed in our face and no one is interested. But I feel good about the week because I know that I put all of my effort and diligence into the work! I know that God is pleased with my work and that's all he asks for! 

Its amazing how reading- and I mean REALLY reading your scriptures each day can change your look on things. I have been really focused on really having the spirit teach me in my personal and companionship study! It is so important! Oh also, I think everyone reading this letter should read Preach My Gospel! THAT IS NOT JUST FOR MISSIONARIES@!!!!! It has really opened up my understanding of the gospel and I have a deep love for it as well! 

I have such a testimony of the atonement! My favorite scripture about it is Alma 7 11-12. ahhh Everyone read it and put your name into the scripture so it is more meaningful! It is amazing that Christ loves us so much that he went through all of that for us and its not for people who are just members! Christ paid the price for EVERYONES sins, pains EVERYTHING! Sometimes I think we take that too lightly and really, we need to stop and really look and realize everything God does for us! Wow we have such a loving Heavenly Father who loves us more than we will ever understand! I love you family!!!!!!!


Sister Markus :)

Letter #15

Letter #15
Wow, first off its crazy I will have been out for 4 months on Saturday! That's crazy!! It has  been a busy crazy week! But I have been trying to have a good attitude about it! Something that I thought of this week is ok, I need to try my best to soak this up and learn everything I can because this is the best place I can be learning something like this! I know at the end of this that my relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ is going to be great! I have tried saying more heartfelt prayers and to truly study my scriptures. I'm reading in the Book Of Mormon. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ IT YOU NEED TO!!!!! I can see it changing my life and bringing me closer to Christ! I understand the Atonement better which does help in hard times. When we pray its us talking to God, when we read our scriptures its God answering us! Never forget that!

Yes, I am still having a hard time and things are just not all better, but I'm choosing to have an eternal attitude of gratitude and to be grateful and so should we all! Something that I have seen is a ton of investigators and people have just dropped us and people won't listen to us!  I think God knew this was the best way for me to learn to be bold because as a missionary you MUST be bold!  I know how much the gospel has blessed my life and I know how much it can change others lives! So when we talk with people I have noticed that I am just sooo fed up with people ignoring us etc, that I just am bold with them. Of course, I'm lovingly bold, but bold non the less! And I have seen a change in our OYM's (when we talk to people) because the spirit is there! Also in ward council, our ward members don't give us referrals which is hard because members play a huge role in missionary work! So we don't get any and the stake is really pushing for members to get involved! We were talking in ward council and then I just said "Look, we aren't teaching as many people as we used to and we need member referrals! I am from Utah and I know people who need the Gospel! think of all the blessings that you have received from the Gospel. Now think of the people we know that don't have the Gospel. You are denying them those same blessings by not telling them about this!" 

Yes I said that! WHAT?!?! AHH at first I thought, what the crap did I just say? Wow did I really say that, did I offend anyone? But the spirit was soooo strong! Wow it was amazing! Then the Bishop said we could do a ward council fast next week to find new investigators!  What?!  So being bold and having the spirit is amazing!! So I for sure think that is something that God is teaching me in this trial!! :)

But yeah its been a better week! haha oh we had a CRAZY rain storm, the roads were like rivers! It was great! haha well I love you all and hope all is well! :)

With love from me to you,

Sister Markus :)