February 11 2019


Funny: This week we had dinner with a member and he invited his friend and we got to teach him a lesson about the restoration of Christ’s gospel! It was going pretty well, when all of a sudden, he stood up and put his hands on my companion’s head and back he started shaking and acting kind of crazy. He then informed us that he healed her. We thanked them and went to the car. We got a pretty good laugh from it!

Spiritual: On Sunday the whole stake presidency came to our little branch to be a part of branch council, and to uplift our little congregation. It was so wonderful! The stake president here is so close with the Spirit, as he talked, the Spirit filled the room. I felt once again a confirmation of my testimony. I felt God’s love for me, I felt the light and truth that this is Christ’s restored gospel once again upon the earth. It doesn't take big crazy experiences to know that these things are true. It simply takes a willingness to listen to the still small voice of the Spirit testifying to us. 

Where I am at: Our stake president told us something on Sunday that is extremely exciting! During branch council they pretty much turn the whole time over to the missionaries. I have been here for almost 8 months now so I know every single person in our branch. All the ones that still live here and are not deceased I have met with and talked to. As I was sharing one of the challenges of our branch which is the fact it covers like 20-30 small towns and most of them in the outlying areas are very neglected as far as ministering work goes. So, the Stake President suggested that we create two branches! One in Custer and one in Hot Springs!!!! When I got here, we covered both areas. There had not been missionaries in the area for the last 3 years, and Custer had never had its own set of missionaries before. So, we worked very hard! Every day! And now I have seen it grow so incredibly much! The Lord has been preparing this area for a long time, and I feel so honored that I got to be one of the missionaries that watched it blossom. I opened this area, and watched it get split into two areas because there was so much work to do! And now I am watching it get split into two branches because there is so much work to do! It makes me so happy!!! I love Hot Springs and Custer with my whole heart! It will be just as hard to leave here as it was leaving home. I feel so grateful that I have the opportunity to serve here.

'Ofa atu!