Adventures on the Texas Horizon

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Victoria Foster

We got transfer calls yesterday! And guess what? It's finally happening. I'm being transferred. That's not all though, I'm being doubled in. Meaning, my new companion and I will both be brand new to the area. I'll still be senior companion. My guess is that what ever area I'm going to is currently an Elders area and they're switching it to Sisters. It could be anything though. We shall see on Thursday. I really look forward to this adventurous learning opportunity! :)

Last week we ran into a man who was walking down the street. He was a ways away, so we had walk up to him. He ended up being fairly open. He really didn't know a lot about Jesus Christ or Heavenly Father. He believed in a higher power, but hadn't given it much thought. We were able to teach him a little about how God is our loving Heavenly Father and who Jesus Christ is. At the end, we invited him to pray. He had never really prayed before, but he offered one of the most beautiful prayers I've ever heard. It was so simple. One of the things he said really stuck out to me. He said something like, "we are just seeking truth." The spirit was really powerful. I then pulled out a Book of Mormon and told him, "You said you're seeking truth. Here it is." There was about 10 seconds of silence. The Holy Ghost was testifying to him that right in front of his eyes was the truth he had been seeking. Wow... I know the Book of Mormon is true! It's moments like that where I cannot deny of it's power and my testimony of it is strengthened even more. That day was really cold, but in that moment of eternity, we barely even noticed. The warmth of the gospel was flaming within our hearts. We testified that what he was holding in his hands was truth, and that he would gain strength and answers to questions he's had all his life, by sincerely reading it. We invited him to read and pray, and he committed to. Hopefully we'll be seeing him again soon.

I remember being in the MTC and wondering how in the world I would be able to talk to people, and teach them the message of the restoration smoothly. I wanted my words to be smooth as sand, but they felt rough and rocky. Our last day at the MTC, the Elders had already left for Georgia, and each of the Sister's received a priesthood blessing from our teacher. Recently I looked back on some thoughts I wrote down from that. One thing that I was blessed with was that I would be able to speak like I've never spoken before. I was told again and again not to be afraid, to open my mouth, and to have faith in my Savior. I am truly humbled to see that the Savior has enabled me to speak as I've never spoken before and to teach with the spirit and with power. I know, and have a personal witness, that the Savior makes weaknesses strengths, that this is HIS work, and we are a part of it. The person I am becoming is only through the grace, mercy, and love of my Savior. I could not accomplish what he asks of me without his help. I have watched, as my companions and I have been given courage to open our mouths, and miracles happen. In 2 Nephi 32, we're promised the tongue of Angels. What a glorious thing to be a witness of.

One of my new favorite scriptures is Alma 26:22. We've been sharing it a lot lately with members. It says,

"Yea, he that repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing- unto such it is given to know the mysteries of God; yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed, yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance..."

What is that scripture saying? Those who repent, exercise faith, do good works, and pray continually will be instruments in bringing thousands of souls to repentance. "Thousands", initially seems like a daunting number, doesn't it? But think of it. When we are living in this way, others see our example. And whether we know it or not, our light has impacted them in some way. In turn that affects that persons children, grandchildren, and others around them. Then we think of all our friends and acquaintances. The Lord wants us to share his light and to shine forth. In fact, he has commanded us to (See Matthew 5:14-16). By turning ourselves to him, he makes us instruments in his hands to bring thousands of souls unto repentance. It is the way we live our lives, the quiet, humble acts of service, the private prayer of faith, the courage to stand for truth always, especially when others back down. What a wonderful opportunity to be on Earth at this time, and to be a part of this magnificent work. Everyone has a part to play.

Yesterday in Relief Society someone made a comment that we learn to pray at our Mother's knee. That brought tears to my eyes and reminds me of the song, "Love is Spoken Here" I've quoted it before, but I want to quote it again because it means so much to me.

"I see my Mother kneeling with my family each day. I hear the words she whispers, as she bows her head to pray. Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears. And I am thankful, love is spoken here.
"Mine is a home where every hour is blessed by the strength of priesthood power. With Father and Mother leading the way, teaching me how to trust and obey. And the things they teach are crystal clear, for love is spoken here."

Those are the words of my heart. I know that the family is ordained of God. And that we are meant to live together forever. I am grateful that my parents have taught me how to love.

I feel so blessed to be here. And look forward to sharing stories of the adventures, miracles, and growth that will come from a new area and being doubled in. :) I love all y'all so much. But I love the Savior more.

All in.

Sincerely,
Sister Record

An Incredible Week!

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Victoria Foster

This has been an incredible week! I feel so humbled to be on the Lord's errand. We have seen so many miracles!

Thursday was exchanges. Sister Johnson, our sister training leader came to Converse with me. We were in an apartment complex and randomly knocked on a door. We met a woman who let us in, and we ended up teaching her about the Plan of Salvation. We don't usually start with the Plan of Salvation, but the spirit truly guided us in knowing what to teach in that moment. She had a lot of questions that we were able to help her with. When we began teaching her about the spirit world, she was very intrigued, and a little confused. She told us a story about when she was 14, she got in a really bad accident. Everyone said she died, but she was really confused because she remembers looking down at her body, and looking at all the people around her. She kept trying to comfort her sister. She lived, and she got better. It was an incredible, miraculous story. And we were able to use that to teach her about life after death, our life on Earth, and Heavenly Fathers plan for us to be happy and return to him. We invited her to be baptized and said she would. No specific day yet because she's leaving for Mexico, but she felt the spirit confirm of the truthfulness of Gods plan for us. It's amazing how God know's the hearts of his children. And by listening to them, and being in tune to the spirit, their needs are met.

Sister Rowley, Sister Johnson, Sister Foster, Sister Record, Elder Winn (District leader), and Elder MacDonald

That whole day was full of miracles. We had so many lessons, and were able to contact a lot of referrals on top of that.

Friday we had a beautiful lesson with {D}, a less active woman. She is so sweet and eager to learn. Once again, my testimony of listening to the person, and listening to the spirit was strengthened. Sister Burton said once, "First observe, then serve." The same is true in teaching. First observe then teach. When we got there we asked her how her day went. She told us about some difficulties she's been having at work with co-workers not being very nice. She has a sweet, sensitive spirit, so it's easy to tell that she normally gets along with people. We listened intently with love as she described some things that have been hard. It reminded me of an experience I had when working before my mission. I had a particularly hard time with my boss because he was hard to get along with. After listening, I told her of my experience praying for charity. And how that changed my life. We then read Moroni 7:43-48 which talks about charity. And guess what! Earlier that day she had been thinking about charity and that very scripture came to her mind. The spirit was so strong. GOD KNOWS AND LOVES HIS CHILDREN!!! We had no way of knowing that ourselves. That was precisely what she needed, and completely unplanned. God had already revealed to her that day that charity was the answer, and then it was powerfully confirmed during our visit. Because we listened to her and to the spirit. Planning is very important in having that foundation, but listening is even more important and being willing to stray from the lesson plan, and perhaps go a totally different route. Wow... This is indeed Jesus Christ's work, this is his gospel, and it is true! We invited her to pray for the gift of charity and readily committed to doing so.

We're teaching a new family, the {C} family. They too are very eager to learn. He listens to A LOT of preachers. So it can get kind of interesting teaching them sometimes. He is a very curious guy and asks really good questions. I think the key with him is not to be intimidated by his questions. We were able to answer all of them through the Book of Mormon. The promise that Heavenly Father gave us that we will not be confounded is true. As long as we have the Holy Ghost with us. The Book of Mormon is true! It answers the questions of the soul. It holds the fullness of the Gospel. I love the Book of Mormon, and know that it's true, with all my heart. It is the word of God, as is the bible.

Another miracle we experienced is that the {M} finally excepted a baptismal date for January 31! We were having an unexpected lesson with them and were reading from the Book of Mormon, when {I} said that they know it's true. She told us that they were having a conversation the other day about it the other day. She told us that she feels it in her heart and knows it's true. It was in that moment that pointed out to them that they've received a witness from the Holy Ghost. We invited them to be baptized. {I} was more enthusiastic, {K} still has his reservations but he knows it's true too. I stopped him before he could tell us any of his reservations again and told him that we've already heard his concerns and invited him to set them aside and be baptized. We reminded him that the Lord has already told him that this is the right thing to do, and he accepted! That is so huge for him!! Ahhh! Once we got in the car, we let out our excitement. Ha ha. We'll be striving to do everything we can to help them progress towards that day. I know that whatever happens, it's in the Lords hands.

Sister Annelise Record

Being a missionary is hard... But sooo worth it. I wouldn't trade this life changing opportunity for the world. I love the Lord. And I love being a part of his work in bringing souls unto him. I have felt my boldness increase as I have poured out my heart in mighty prayer.

A funny moment that I had with Sister Johnson is we were knocking on some doors and we ran into someone who spoke only Spanish. She did her best to give him a pass along card. As we were walking to the next house I pulled out a Spanish pass along card and suggested that we read it. We joked about having it up in our face. Then I demonstrated holding it up in my face and saying in a monotone voice, "Good afternoon... my name is Russell." Guess what movie that's from? :) [Up (2009)]

Mom, Dad, Lorielle, Jason, Chris, Eric, and all my family and friends, I love you so much. But I love the Savior more. All in, and on to victory!

Love,
Sister Record

Happy New Year!

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Victoria Foster

Happy New Year!

I am so grateful for this new year and the opportunities that await. It has been a wonderful week! :D

On Tuesday we had exchanges. Sister Rowley came here to Converse. She's been out for about two months. I have no idea it we're related or not. She is very calm and collected. I was impressed by how mature she is, and how much she's getting everything down so quickly. I learned that she's 22. She could pass as a 19 year old though, so I was surprised, but not. It made sense with how collected she is. I learned a lot from her humility. We experienced a few miracles that day. We stopped by [M] totally unexpectedly. We didn't even have him planned. We read some of the book of Enos with him, talked about prayer, and prayed with him. Before we left, he started crying and thanked us for coming. He said that before we came, he was having a really bad time. I've never seen him cry, so it was very touching. Once again, this work is not my work. It is the Lords work. There is no way we could have known to go by his house at the precise moment he needed it.

That same night, we went to the home of a less active woman named [D]. She was having a really tough time because a close friends mother had passed away that morning. Sister Rowely and I sang "Where Can I Turn For Peace?" and "Be Still My Soul". In that moment we didn't know what to do or say to comfort her. But the message of those songs were what she needed. We talked about the plan of salvation, but ultimately it was the music that touched her heart. Music is such a powerful tool in inviting the spirit and speaking to hearts in a way that just words cannot.

On new years eve we were able to do a service project for a woman in the ward. She ended up bringing a young man out who she called her "second son". She sat him down in front of us, told him her conversion story, and asked him just to listen to what we had to say. No pressure. Ha ha! It was totally unexpected. I felt the spirit and could almost hear the words, "Teach him about the Book of Mormon." The impression was very distinct. We taught him about the Book of Mormon, and testified boldly of it's truthfulness. I felt the spirit urge me to promise him that  as he studies the Book of Mormon with a sincere heart, and asks God if it's true, he would find the direction he'd been searching for his whole life, and that we could mend family relationships. It was truly powerful.

Also, we had a really touching experience visiting a woman. Her husband passed away some time ago and it's been really hard on her and her family. She's been struggling spiritually and financially. She's a less active member. We ended up teaching her and her daughter the Plan of Salvation. We boldly invited them at the end to read the Book of Mormon. The spirit was really peaceful and powerful as we did. [G] offered the closing prayer and broke down in tears near the end of her prayer. She was praying in Spanish so I didn't know what she was saying, but the feeling in the room was powerful. She told us that the night before she had been praying for help and she knew that this was her answer. Wow...

I know that the Savior lives. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. The people in it are real people, the stories apply to me and I feel the power of it each time I read. Mighty prayer is indeed a reservoir of power. I have felt an increase in strength and boldness as I have poured out my heart to my Father in Heaven. I know that we have God's priesthood on the Earth. He has always had a prophet who holds the keys of the priesthood and receives revelation. His gospel has never changed. I know that the power of the priesthood is real, because I have felt it's influence in my life. I have been healed spiritually and physically many times. Jesus Christ is my Savior, and his love demands my soul. I love the Lord. I love his work. I will do whatever he asks me to do.

I am so grateful to be serving Him, on a mission.

I love you! All in!

Sincerely,
Sister Record

I Have Truly Felt Your Prayers

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Victoria Foster

It has been an incredible week! Wow! I have truly felt your prayers, and have seen many miracles. I loved seeing y'all on Christmas. I still can't believe how much Eric has changed... And the Popi [the family dog] is still alive. Ha ha.

Silly Sister Missionaries

The day before Christmas Eve we were walking down a street to a woman we had planned to see. I felt the distinct impression to go to the house with the giant chicken trailer. (It was a food truck with a chicken on it, and it was definitely attention grabbing) Ha ha. I waved it off at first because it was a little out of the way, but the impression came back. So we went to that house and ended up meeting a Father. He was very open and listened intently as we taught him the Restoration on his doorstep. He and his kids were wrapping presents and cleaning the house before his wife got home, but he stopped and listened for a good 5 minutes. He had never heard of Joseph Smith or the Book of Mormon, and he was so genuine in wanting to learn more. As we were about to finish, he had to get back to cleaning the house before his wife got home. He asked us if we could come back. Before we got too far, a lady (his aunt?) came out and asked what that guys name is again. We told her "Joseph Smith" and she thanked us. We got a little ways away when I felt that we needed to go back. In the rush, we had forgotten to give him a Book of Mormon. We walked back and gave him a Book of Mormon. We testified of it's truthfulness. And told him that if he wants to learn about Joseph Smith before we come back, to read this book. He was so genuine in thanking us. I was just amazed at how the spirit led us to him. This family is so prepared!

Sister Missionaries of the Texas San Antonio Mission. Sister Record is front, middle and slightly to the left in a grey blouse.

That same day we had a lesson with [S]. We taught him the principle of fasting and how it blesses our lives. We invited him to fast and pray about a baptism date. He committed to and also decided on his own to fast about another issue he's been struggling with. We saw him a few days after and followed up on how it went. He said he did it, but still hadn't gotten a real clear answer. He expressed that he knows God will answer in his own time, and that he would not lose faith. On Sunday the lesson in the Gospel Principles class was on exaltation. It was so good, and the spirit was so strong as we talked about the sacred ordinances that must happen for us to ultimately reach exaltation. I turned to him after and asked, "What did you learn today." He paused for a moment and said, "I need to be baptised". We had a good talk on how he had just received an answer to his fasting and prayers. He had the important aha moment that he has been waiting for, and he recognized that God answered him. He also recognized the answer to his other concern that he had been fasting about. I asked him if he would be baptised this Saturday, and he said he would! I know that miracles happen, that God is in charge, and I know that he can be baptised this Saturday. If he is not, he will be very soon. But we will be doing everything we can to help him move in that direction. It was such a neat experience. I get really excited and feel calm, peaceful chills every time I think about it! :D

Christmas was wonderful. We ate breakfast and skyped. Later that day we visited several people. Two of them were home bound women. We sang Christmas songs for them, and shared "He is the Gift". We had a wonderful Christmas dinner. A friend of the family we ate with shared her conversion story. She is one of those incredible miracles that new the truth right when she heard it and was baptised immediately. She has an incredible journey. I have come to know that the Lord really is preparing people right now, in this area. (See Alma 13:24) He is indeed preparing his children in every part of the world.

Thank you for all your prayers. I really mean it when I say I feel them. I feel an increase of strength and capacity to do the Lord's work. I love being here. I love being a missionary. I love the Lord. I am humbled to feel his enabling power each and every day. He is my rock. I am so grateful for my family. I love you all so much. But I love the Saviour more.

All in!

Sincerely,
Sister Record

P.S. I hope y'all haven't stopped praying for missionary opportunities. ;)

Merry Christmas!!

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Victoria Foster

Merry Christmas!

This is such a beautiful time of year to reflect on our Saviour, Jesus Christ. What a privilege it is to share the gift.

Yesterday we came to the home of an older woman. Her dogs bolted out. I felt bad, so I went after one and Sister Foster went after the other... Ha ha. It was quite enjoyable. It reminded me of a similar experience. One that I shared a couple months ago. This is not the first time I went after someone's dog. As soon as we got the dog back to her she closed the door in our face. I slipped a "He is the Gift" card in her door and we went on our merry way. Hopefully she'll remember those strange girls that brought her dogs back for her and want to learn more. I felt pretty cheerful after that experience. Yes, it was kind of disappointing that she didn't want to listen even after we did that for her, but we were still able to help her. And I'm glad we did. I hope she'll find that card and be touched by it.

We've been on bikes/member rides for almost three weeks now. It's really fun to ride a bike, I love it. Our car has been in the shop from previous damage and took longer than they thought. Initially it might seem like a bit of a setback, but we've found so many people in this small area surrounding our apartment. On our way out of our apartment, we met a young adult named [J]. It would have been easy to pass right by him, but that's not what we do as missionaries. (We try not to, anyways). We stopped and talked to him, and ended up teaching him the whole restoration in 5 minutes. He was very receptive. We prayed with him and he thanked us. We got his information and we'll be seeing him again. It is amazing how much our teaching pool has increased simply by talking to everyone. It doesn't matter if they're getting in their car, or if they're clear across the street. There are some awkward situations sometimes, but by talking to everyone, God truly does lead us to those he has prepared. It's amazing!

I am grateful for this sacred work that the Lord has entrusted me with. I know that I am laboring beside him, that this is His work, not mine. I also know that "Gratitude transcends all that is happening around us." (President Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

This is kind of a short update, have a wonderful week! I love y'all! All in! :)

Love,

Sister Record :)

P.S. Thanks Alexis Wesley for the ginger bread house! Sister Felix and I loved making it. Wish we got more pictures for ya. :)

Pictures

My MTC group!! Sister Foster, Sister Warnick, Sister Record and Sister Pito

With Sister Pito again! We saw each other at the Christmas conference, it was great!

6 days after our separation. I was SO happy to see Sister Felix again

Sister Foster and I :)

Sister Swenson and I. We used to share an apartment with her and
Sister Smith, until they got doubled out and Elders came in.

Sister Smith and I

Sister Johnston and all her "daughters" One of them is brand new. I forgot her name.

The aluminium angel that Sister Swenson carved.

Me next to Sister Felix, the aluminium angel that Sister Swenson
carved. You can see her masterful art skills. :)

A New Companion

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Victoria Foster
New Assignment: Senior Companion

"Brethren, shall we not go on is so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage brethren; and on, on to victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad..." D&C 128:22

I felt deeply impressed by this verse when I read it this morning. It is exactly how I feel. I think it has become my new motto. I'll add it to my other motto: "His love demands my soul, my life, my all."

Sister Record and Sister Foster

I am humbled to accept the call as senior companion. There is a different mantle than there was as junior companion, and I definitely feel the grace of the Savior strengthening and enabling me to do what he's asked me to. Sister Foster is my new companion! Funny story; we were in the MTC together. She was in the same room as me, and I totally knew we were going to be companions someday! I could not believe when I heard that she was my new companion. It was pretty exciting. Ha ha! I had to wait a few hours with another companionship because she was coming from Austin. It doesn't end there. She's my "step-sister" because Sister Johnston, my previous trainer finished her training right after beginning my training (hopefully I haven't lost anyone with that sentence). Sister Felix, my second trainer served in the ward that Sister Foster and Sister Johnston were in together. That is difficult to explain in writing. But it's all connected! :D

This has been an incredible week. I was really sad to say see ya later to Sister Felix. But I feel confident and ready for this new phase. Elder Hamula of the Seventy came a couple months ago and talked about some things we can improve on as a mission. One of them is having faith to succeed and talking to everyone. He said that "preaching by the way is the price we must pay to succeed in all things." Indeed it is. It is so true!! I have a personal witness of that. I can hardly believe the sense of confidence that I feel. At this point in my mission, I feel more committed then I have ever felt. I genuinely feel faith to succeed. I am more "all in" than ever before. I thought I had already arrived months ago, but now I've really arrived. I am so grateful for the Saviors hand in the lives of each individual, and in my life.

Miracles are happening everyday! On Friday we were led by the spirit and found a family of like, 10 and taught them a lesson. In that same hour we found about 4 other people and set return appointments. It was all in about an hour at the same apartment complex. Wow! Blessing are flooding down on us. Obedience brings blessings, but exact obedience brings miracles. The Lord truly does provide a way for us to accomplish the things he asks of us. (See 1 Nephi 3:7)

Random story; On one of our last days together, Sister Felix and I had to walk for a really long time to a bus stop because we didn't have a ride. A couple minutes after we got to the bus stop a woman was dropped off and sat down by us. We gave her a "He is the Gift" card and got to talking. Turns out she's met with missionaries before, but has never really acted on what they say. She's really searching for direction in her life. She told us how every time she runs into a Mormon she feels that God is trying to tell her something. We invited her to read the Book of Mormon and find out for herself what her purpose in life is. We only had so much time, but the spirit was so strong. It's really interesting how the Lord guides us to people. We were initially kind of annoyed because we hadn't planned on walking all that way. A miracle ended up happening. The Savior stands at the head of His work. My testimony of that grows everyday. That woman will continue to be taught by the missionaries in her area.

Mom and Dad, happy anniversary on the 17th. I love you and am so glad you got married for all eternity. I'm grateful that you're my parents and that you're always in love. You're an example to me. Thanks again! I should be able to call before 1:00 on Christmas. And it'll be skype. :)

Last week was a real blur. It's been good! :)

Merry Christmas!

Love,
Sister Record

Sister Record and Sister Felix with TSAM rings

Sister Record and Sister Felix

Sister Felix and Sister Record

Sister Record with her elf hat and monster teeth her brother sent her.

I Braced Myself

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

Transfer calls came... I am staying in Converse and Sister Felix is leaving. I have to admit, it's been hard. All week we kind of already knew that something was going to change, and luckily I had some time to accept it before we received the call. :) I feel ready and at peace now, but my heart definitely needed to adjust to the idea. It's still adjusting. We actually thought that I would leave and she would stay, so we weren't expecting that at all. I look forward to next transfer, and I am glad that I'll be here longer. We are finding so many people.

Sister Annelise Record

Since we went on a lot of exchanges this transfer I got to drive in my area when Sister Farmer came to Converse. This week, there was a squirrel in the middle of the road. There was nothing I could do to avoid it, so I did exactly what I was taught. I braced myself, held firmly to wheel, and ran over it... Now I have ran over an animal. Wow, what a wonderful way to start off my letter. Ha ha!

We had a wonderful lesson with a man who has been investigating the church for about 16 years. His wife is an active member of our ward. We sang a song, and read some scriptures on baptism. It was powerful. We invited him to be baptized and he said he would really pray about what day to do it. He said he feels like it's soon.

There is a woman named [M] who we've been trying to contact for months. She was a member referral but was always never home or really busy. We didn't think she was even interested. A couple weeks ago we stopped by and of course, she was really busy, but we asked if we could give her a Book of Mormon. A couple days ago, we were driving with a member (because our car is in the shop) and only stopped by her house because we happened to be by her. We didn't think she would be home, but she ended up letting us right in. She is very animated and loves to talk. She invited us to sit down and said, "Let me go grab my book!". She had already been reading the introduction and testimony of the witnesses on her own! She was talking to us like she knew us. Sister Felix and I were quite surprised. We taught her the Restoration and she agreed readily with everything. We also taught her how to ask God questions, because she is so good at praying, but felt really uncomfortable asking him questions. It was neat to see her perspective change. We went over the very next day and the lesson was even more powerful. Her heart is incredibly open and receptive. We showed her the "He is the Gift" video, and discussed priesthood authority and the restoration with a special emphasis on baptism. We asked her how it makes her feel to know that God's authority is on the Earth today. This was her response. Quote: "It makes me feel that I am in the wrong place." She went on to talk about how comforting it is for her to know that she can depend on God and his servants. She said that she needs to get in the right place. She has such a desire to grow closer to God, and feels the spirit when we teach. We invited her to embrace the gift of Jesus Christ and be baptized by one holding His authority. She almost accepted, but said that she'll need to think about it. I feel very confident that she will accept. She accepted the invitation to come to church, and to the relief society activity. And she already has some member fellowship. It's just so incredible! I'm really glad I'll be here another transfer to watch her progress.

We had such a neat lesson with the [G] family. We went over the Restoration again using the 20 minute Restoration DVD. The visual of the movie seemed to click well with them. At the end of the DVD I felt the spirit so strong in my heart testifying to me that these things are true. I felt tears come to my eyes as the spirit enveloped me. I felt moved upon to testify. And so I did with all my heart. I know that Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of God, and he was called to Restore Jesus Christ's gospel and to the Earth.


We've been using "He is the Gift" a lot. It touches everyone who watches it. This Christmas season is such a beautiful time to reflect on our relationship with the Savior.

This truly has been an incredible week. I love you all!

Sincerely,
Sister Record

P.S. It does not feel like December here. It feels like September. Some days feel like October. I don't mind though. :)

A Time of Thanksgiving

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

Happy Birthday Eric! There's a birthday card coming your way. Also, I sent you an email. :)

It's been a good week! There are miracles happening every day.

Yesterday we were at an apartment complex trying to visit [J]. She wasn't home, but her brother was. We taught him the Restoration about a month or so ago. He's super busy, so we were glad to catch him. Hopefully we'll see [J] tonight. We taught him more about the Book of Mormon. He has a true desire to come closer to God. After seeing him, we both had the impression to keep walking  past our car. We saw a family a little ways away getting into their car. They drove away before we could get to them. We kept walking though, and saw a woman getting into her car. Initially we didn't think we would get there in time, but we got there and found out that she locked her keys in the car and was waiting for her mom to come help her. The Lord works in mysterious ways. :) We got to talking and saw that she was interested, so we taught her some of the Restoration with a focus on eternal families. It really touched her. Her parents got a divorce when she was young. She is getting married soon and has a daughter. We asked her how she would feel knowing that she can have an eternal relationship with her daughter and her husband. There was so much longing in her eyes. She said that would be really amazing. We then told her that those promises are available in God's holy temple through his priesthood authority. It was incredible to watch the spirit work in her. We have an appointment to see her again. This is the Lord's work... He knows and loves every single person. There is no way Sister Felix and I could have known that that was what she needed to hear.

We spent Thanksgiving with the [L] family. They are so awesome! They had some friends over too. At the end we asked everyone to say something they're grateful for. The spirit is always present when we express our gratitude. There is power in counting our blessings. I felt so much love for my companion as I expressed how grateful I am for her. We are with each other all day every day, we've been through some thick and thin. She's been an important influence in my life as a missionary. She is definitely one of my best friends. That night we got home early because we didn't have anyone else to see. We looked at her family pictures and I learned every single one of her siblings names. She has 13 siblings. She's number 12 of 14. I felt quite accomplished. :)

Transfer calls are coming up. We'll be getting them this Sunday... By next Monday we'll know what our fate for next transfer is. :) I wouldn't mind staying with Sister Felix another transfer, but I am ready to do what ever is asked of me. I know that whatever is asked of me will be a call from the Lord. I can hardly believe how fast this transfer has gone! Time seems to be picking up speed.

Thanks for all y'alls support. I'm striving to become a true Texan. I try so hard to remember to say "Yes ma'am", "Yes sir", and "y'all" but I usually forget. Maybe I'll get it down in a couple months. Ha ha!

Miracles are every where. Last week we didn't see as many people as we did the week before, but it was still a good week. We were in most of the day on Saturday because I was sick with a yucky cold... I'm doing better now though! By the way, look into "He is the Gift" on LDS.org. The church is focusing a lot on it this Christmas season, and we as missionaries are doing a lot with it. We have special pass along cards and a weekly summary just for "He is the Gift". The video is inspiring!

I love y'all! Stay warm... :)

Love,

Sister Record

Fun Pictures

Sister Kara Swenson dressed as a
vampire on Halloween coming to eat me..

Sister Annelise Record and Sister Sara Felix

 Sister Felix and I the night we got transfer calls and found out we were together another transfer. Sister Felix was slightly nervous about her call to be a Sister training leader, but I was overly excited. :)

Sister Record and Sister Felix

Me Photo Bombing Sister Smith's gangster picture

Sister Erica Smith dressed as a gangster

My Heart is Full

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

My heart is so full right now! We have seen so many miracles this week. Before I share the miracles we've seen, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude. Mom and Dad, I am deeply grateful for your sacrifice and for your love. Thank you for loving us enough to push through the mighty whirlwinds to teach us the important things. Family home evening, family scripture study and prayer, attending church together and loving one another has truly made our home a sacred place. Thank you for loving us unconditionally, for believing in us and supporting us. Your confidence in me has given me courage and strength during the times that test my faith. I have greater confidence in myself and in the savior because of your examples.

Mom, I am grateful for your example of selfless service. You have opened up your heart and your home again and again to loved ones struggling. I will always remember and follow the pattern of love you have shown. Thank you for trusting the Lord and relying on him to strengthen you, especially in the times when you had nothing left. You're example of endurance and perseverance is something I am eternally grateful for. Thank you for loving me and for listening to me. Thank you for teaching me how to be a woman of faith. I am reminded of the words to a primary song: "I see my Mother kneeling with my family each day. I hear the words she whispers as she bows her head to pray. Her plea to the Father quiets all my fears. And I am thankful, love is spoken here." These words are the words of my heart. Mom, I love you and am so grateful that you are my Mother. Love is indeed spoken in our home and family.

Dad, thank you for being a faithful and worthy priesthood holder, and for treating my Mother as the Queen that she is. Your respect and love for her has left a lasting impression that I am eternally grateful for. You have taught me the sacredness of marriage and what kind of man I am looking for. Thank you for baptizing me and giving me the gift of the Holy Ghost. Thank you for listening to me when I talk. I know that my thoughts and feelings are important to you because you turn away from your own interests and even work to give me your full attention. Family is important to you, and you have provided well both temporally and spiritually. You are indeed a loving provider, our gentle friend, and a faithful Father. Thank you for your constant support and encouragement.

Lorielle, Jason, Chris, and Eric, I am grateful for your individual gifts and talents that have helped me grow and learn. We are a family, and I know we were meant to be together for eternity. How thankful I am for each of you. I love you all so much!

I also want to thank all of my friends for your support and for your examples. I can't name all of you here, but each of you are important to me and have shaped me in some way.

Now for the miracles that have happened this week... Wow. We have been so blessed! We are finding SO MANY people. Sister Felix and I have been growing and learning so much together. As we set goals and make plans, strive to be exactly obedient, and apply the principles in chapter 9 of Preach My gospel, we are finding people and seeing miracles. We received a media referral on Thursday and contacted her a couple hours after receiving it. She only requested a bible, but we ended up teaching her the Restoration. We also taught her how to pray and introduced her to the Book of Mormon, inviting her to read and ask God. The spirit was super strong as we taught her. She connected really well with the questions Joseph Smith had. We invited her to be baptized, and she said, "Yes Ma'am". (They say Ma'am and Sir a lot in Texas.) She accepted! And she has two girls that we will also be teaching. We're seeing her again tomorrow with her family!

We've been teaching the [G] family for a couple months now. They almost cancelled one of our lessons because their electricity was going to be turned off. We said we'd bring a flashlight and she agreed. But then we thought it might be kind of difficult to teach a lesson in the dark, so we invited them to meet us at the church instead. They agreed, which was a little surprising. The lesson was a turning point for [E]. It was good for all three of them, but especially [E]. It was sort of an interactive lesson on the Sabbath day. We did a church tour and when we got to the primary room they noticed the pictures of all the prophets of this dispensation. There was a picture of President Monson too. We told them that he is our current prophet. She was in awe. All of a sudden things clicked for her. It was so awesome! And they came to church on Sunday! They have a stronger desire to learn and understand.

We also had an amazing lesson with [S]. We talked about the sacrament, and had him read the sacrament prayers. He felt the importance of the sacrament as we read and talked. It was really neat.

On Saturday we met a young mom named [J]. We were looking for her brother who we had taught before, but he wasn't home. Initially we would have left. I have to be honest, at this point in the day I was pretty tired and didn't want to try as hard as I should have. Luckily the Lord is patient with our mistakes. The words, "Can we come in and share more of this message with you" came out of my mouth. In other words, I didn't really want to say that, but the spirit helped me say it anyways. Everything changed after that. She let us in and we taught her the Restoration. Sister Felix bore powerful testimony. The spirit was so strong in that room. This woman looked torn apart emotionally. I began to testify that the peace she was feeling from this message is God's love for her, and that Jesus Christ is perfectly aware of her heartaches and joys and that He is the one she can look up to. She began to cry as the spirit helped me know what to say. She said she was having a bad day and really needed that. It was amazing. She's soft spoken and seems to have gone through a lot. We saw her again Sunday morning and will see her again tomorrow.

On Sunday a woman we met a couple weeks ago came to church unexpectedly for the first time. We haven't even taught her yet because it's been hard to get a hold of her. But there she was, at church on her own! The joy I felt from the week, her being there, and the [G]'s making so much progress and being at church, was beyond anything I have ever felt. It's moment's like that that make it all worth it. The joy I felt then and still feel now is consuming. Meaning that the sorrow and pain I've felt don't even matter. I can hardly remember the discouraging moments. And there's a lot of them. But it doesn't even matter because this is why I'm here, to bring souls unto Christ.

In sacrament meeting Sister Felix and I sang with two other sister's. We sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer to the tune of Come thou Fount. It was such a sweet experience that really brought the spirit. One of the things I wanted before my mission was to become more comfortable with sharing my voice. That is a tender mercy that the Lord is definitely blessing me with. Sister Felix and I sing in the car all the time, every day together, And I wasn't even nervous to sing in sacrament meeting. Probably because I was on cloud nine with how happy I felt.

On Saturday we experienced a flash flood. It was fairly minor, but still potentially dangerous. Sister Felix and I were teaching a lesson when it hit. We got outside and stepped through ankle deep flowing water to get to the car. When we got in the car Sister Felix asked me to offer a prayer. Before leaving we prayed that we would arrive home safely. We were calm and cheerful because we knew that the Lord would protect us. And he did. It was a really cool experience. I know that the Lord is with us where ever we go.

Once again, thank you for your support and prayers. It is great to be a missionary!

Love,
Sister Record
:D

An Eventful Week

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

It's been a pretty eventful week!

On Monday we taught a 14 year old girl who's good friends with a member in the ward. She went to girls camp last year and just turned in her papers to go again this year! She's been taught by the missionaries before, but we lost contact. This was my first time ever meeting her. She loves the Book of Mormon and has already read it all the way through once. She's been reading it on her own and has some really good questions. It's so fun to teach her because she is so enthusiastic about learning. We have another lesson with her tonight!

We had a pretty cool experience on Tuesday. We were looking for someone from the area book, and ended up running into a guy checking his mail. We asked, "are you [C]?" He stopped and said, "How do you know my name?". It turns out that someone named [C] used to live in that house. This man had never met with missionaries before and was taken aback when we knew his name. We got to talking. We shared a Book of Mormon with him and told him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He's a nice, sincere guy in his 20's who's looking for direction in his life. He said he would read the Book of Mormon and check out the website on the card. We bore testimony that God loves him and is aware of his circumstances. We told him that God knows his name. The last thing he said before we left is, "God works in mysterious ways". It was such a neat encounter. We got his phone number, and we told him we'd give him a call so we could answer questions and teach some more. Here's the weird thing. We went back to his house a couple days later and the woman who answered had no idea who [C] was. We tried the house next door but it was empty. The phone number he gave us was the wrong phone number. We're not really sure where to find him again, but we'll keep trying. Maybe we were on a different street than we thought we were. It was a cool experience to talk with him. Hopefully he'll read from the Book of Mormon and find the missionaries again.

On Wednesday we had zone meeting. That is always really fun!  After zone meeting we stopped by the [A] family, who had been referred to us by a family in the ward. We've known about them for a long time, but he's so busy, we could never set a time. They were all home, so we taught the Restoration. It was really powerful because their hearts were receptive. They were open and listening. What a wonderful family! We so look forward to teaching them again this week.

We had an interesting experience contacting a referral. We knocked on the door and waited, then knocked again as usual, and a man came out around the back. He started yelling at us. He asked us what we were doing and said we shouldn't be here and that we had to leave. He thought we were soliciting something, and was pretty mad. We gracefully apologized and were on our way out. He was still talking so we kindly explained that one of his neighbors knows them and told us how wonderful they are and we just wanted to meet his wife. He softened after that and was nicer. He said he would go get her, but she would probably be 10 times more mad. She was actually really nice and accepted a pass-along card. Situations like this happen on occasion. We can't really avoid them all. It's amazing how a soft answer turns away wrath. And how "charity never faileth". He was much softer and kinder when we didn't fight, but apologized and respected his request for us to leave. We felt good after we left because we did what we needed to do and resisted the natural urge to be offended. The spirit was definitely with us.

Also, had a funny experience at a members home. We laughed so hard after! We were getting ready to leave. As she reached for the door I thought she was reaching to give me a hug. Sooo I gave her a hug when she was really trying to open the door for us. She gave me an awkward pat on the back and we left. Sister Felix looked at me and said, "she was reaching for the door". We laughed so hard in the car there were tears in our eyes. Lesson learned; things happen sometimes that are just plain awkward, but those are the most hilarious experiences if we let them be. Enjoying life! It's fun. :)

Hymn #185 [Reverently and Meekly Now] is my new favorite sacrament Hymn. It felt so personal when we sang it in sacrament meeting yesterday. It feels like the Savior speaking directly to me. I encourage y'all to read it and apply it to yourself. I'm so grateful for life, I'm glad to be here, and am so glad that I have and will continue to progress. Line upon line, precept upon precept. It's comforting to know that Lord loves me for who I am now, but more importantly, he loves me so much that he expects me to continue to change and become all that he has designed for me to become. He is my rock. "His love demands my soul, my life, my all." That is not easy, but it's worth it.

I love you all!

Sister Record :)

Your Faithful Elephant

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

Good afternoon!

I'm learning so much! I wish I had more stories for y'all this week. There are a couple good ones. Sorry it's a little shorter. :)

Sister Felix had MLC (missionary leadership council) meeting this week, so I spent the day with Sister Farmer, whose companion was also at MLC. I learned a lot from her. She's always so open and cheerful. While we were knocking on doors, we ran into someone who wasn't really interested, but Sister Farmer asked if we could pray with her. After we did, her whole attitude changed and the spirit was there. Sister Felix and I are doing that more now. It really brings the spirit, and often opens up more interest. We had a neat experience praying with someone. She was having a hard day and wasn't interested, but let us pray with her. After we prayed with her, the spirit was so strong and she asked us questions. She even referred us to one of her neighbors.

The weather is getting a little colder but still fairly warm during the day. We're going clothes shopping pretty soon so I can get warmer clothes! On Wednesday it rained all day long. It was actually really fun! I don't think I've ever experienced an all day rain shower. We had District meeting that day too, and decided what everyone's spirit animal is. Haha! The animals in our district are, a fox, a mole, a bald eagle, a koala, a black bear, an elephant (that's me!), a gnome, a house cat, a sea turtle, and a red wolf. :D It was really funny to hear what everyone's was.

We've been teaching a less active couple, Brother and Sister [V]. They are so amazing! She speaks very little English and he speaks some English, but we always understand each other perfectly. They are so sincere, and have made a goal to not only be active in the church, but be fully involved and get sealed in the temple. She needs to get her work situation taken care of so they can come to church. We read The Family: A Proclamation to the World with them, and the spirit was so strong! We love them so much! They are well on there way.

It's good to be a missionary! Talk to y'all next week!

Love,
Your Faithful Elephant (Sister Record)
:)

Preaching and Pepper Drool

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

Good morning!

This week Sister Felix and I decided to ride bikes because we reached our mile limitation on the car. It was the perfect day to do it. The weather was beautiful. It's technically fall here, but it's still very summer-like. The leaves don't change color or fall off unless the tree is dead. It's nice that it's still fairly warm. We've really been doing a lot of "preaching by the way" this week. It was fun to apply that as we rode bikes and tried to talk to everyone we saw. In one neighborhood we rode down, a woman on the other side of the street waved us down and called out, are you Mormon's? Sister Felix and I went over and talked to her. She said she was on her way out, but wanted to learn more about our religion. She said she was thinking about "converting". We were pretty excited, got her phone number and set up a time to come back. It is so interesting how the Lord places people in our path. I am truly coming to understand on a deeper level the importance of trusting God's promises.

This weekend our stake had stake conference. The theme was hastening the work. All the missionaries were invited to the adult session on Saturday. It was amazing. The youth were involved, and the spirit of missionary work was so strong. President and Sister Slaughter were there and spoke. Elder Greer, of the seventy spoke. Sunday was amazing as well. I took a lot of notes. One of the impressions that sunk deep into my heart was to trust in God's promises. The spirit reminded me of words from the Father's blessing I received just before leaving for the MTC. That is that there are people waiting specifically for me and the love that I have, and that as I am exactly obedient, I will see miracles. Those promises apply to all missionaries, but the Lord promised those things to me through a priesthood blessing. Elder Hamula of the seventy came to our mission a couple weeks ago. One of the things he talked about is the faith to succeed. We all have the faith to serve. Now we need to let go of our pride, and have the faith to succeed. It has been such a blessing to follow this counsel, and see the fruits that come as a result. He also talked about complete consecration. I've been focusing my studies lately on what complete consecration is, and how I obtain it.

On Wednesday, we met a woman outside her house who only spoke Spanish. Sister Felix knows enough Spanish to introduce ourselves and give out pass along cards.We met this woman and she invited us to sit on her lawn chairs. She then went on and on talking in Spanish. We did our best to understand some of what she was saying and be interested. Somehow she thought we could understand her. We had un Libro de Mormon with us. I didn't really know how to help her understand who we were and that we wanted to give her one. The only thing I know in Spanish is 3 Nephi 5:13. I don't know how to spell it in Spanish, so here's the English: "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people that they might have everlasting life."

Sister Fleix and I did the best we could, and offered her a Book of Mormon in Espanol. She accepted it. She was very interested in the pass-along card that had a picture of the Salt Lake City temple on it. I hope that she reads the Book of Mormon and wants to learn more. I really want to learn Spanish now! Someday, maybe I will. I also want to learn ASL. That way an can communicate with most people.

Earlier in the week we ate dinner with the [C] family, who is part Thai. Sister [C] is from Thailand, and Brother [C] is pure white. :) They fed us some delicious Thai food! She toned down on the spice for us. None of it was really spicy. There were these garnish peppers that looked really interesting. We weren't expected to eat them, they were just there. I asked Sister [C] what it was. She simply said, "a pepper". I asked if it was spicy. She got a mischievous grin on her face and said, "try it". Sister Felix chanted, "eat it, eat it!" I already told her jokingly that I don't give into peer pressure. Ha ha. But I was curious about the pepper. I knew it was going to be spicy by the look Sister [C] gave me, but took a bite. I probably took a bigger bite than I should have. I didn't feel anything at first, but pretty soon my face heated up and my eyes started to water. It was HOT! Really hot! The hottest thing I have ever eaten. I tried to contain myself. I couldn't even hold still. Sister Felix saw my eyes watering and died laughing. It was really funny. Eventually I couldn't stand it and asked, "Can I use your bathroom?" I drooled in the sink for about 5 minutes. Ha ha! Dad, I thought you would appreciate this story. And mom, you're probably rolling your eyes. :)

I'm so grateful to be on a mission. I love being a missionary! All in.

Sincerely,

Sister Record

Staying in Converse

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

 Good morning!

We got transfer calls yesterday...Are you ready for the news? :D The Lord has called me to be a junior companion to Sister Felix for another transfer in Converse! And she has been called to be a sister training leader!! She is such a great missionary and a wonderful leader. She is going to do a fantastic job. I'm really excited for her and the learning opportunities we'll have. I'll get to go on a lot of exchanges, and hear about MLC meetings! I'm so happy we're together another transfer. :)

We had a pretty awesome experience a few days ago. We were planning on using the restoration video in a lesson later that evening but realized that we probably didn't have it. We pulled over to see if it was in the trunk. The trunk would not close after that. We tried so hard to get it to shut. Usually we fix the weather stripping and it's fine, but we tried everything including slamming it over and over. We called Elder Presser and asked him what we should do. He told us to go to Pep Boys so they could fix it. We took everything out of the trunk, put it in the back seat, and drove to Pep Boys. While we were waiting, a man came up and started asking us a bunch of questions. He was really curious about who we are and what we do. We began teaching him the restoration. We found out that he's homeless and wants to know more about what we have to offer. We gave him a Book of Mormon and got his phone number. We're going to meet him at a park and teach him more. Isn't it interesting how the Lord placed us in that situation at that time? The Lord is at the head of His work. He leads and guides us everyday.

Yesterday we met a woman who let us come into her home. We were actually on our way to an appointment, but were about five minutes early, so we decided to knock on a couple doors. She came outside and started talking to us about God. Then asked us to come in. We walked into her home, and it was very hippie-like. We were there for about 30 minutes because she kept asking us to share something from our heart. When ever we would start to say something she laughed. She explained that she wasn't laughing at us, but that she was praising the Lord. In her own words she said, "This is mah Hallelujah laugh." She wasn't really open to what we had for her, but that woman has incredible faith and a beautiful, soulful look on life. It was such a privilege to meet her. I must admit though, when Sister Felix and I got out, we couldn't help but start laughing! It was a really wacky experience. 

The amazing thing is, we were 30 minutes late to our appointment next door. It is a family in the ward that has really been struggling. When we arrived we saw that they had home teachers over. We hesitantly knocked on the door. They let us in, we came in the middle of an intense spiritual moment. One of the home teachers was speaking very boldly and lovingly with them. He got choked up and said that he couldn't be more glad that the missionaries showed up in that moment. Once again, the Lord placed us exactly where we needed to be when we needed to be there in a way that we did not expect. The Lord's presence through us, His missionaries was needed in that very moment. If we had been there earlier, things would not have gone the way they did. Angels arrived in that families home. Those angels were in the form of missionaries... That was so humbling... There is no way we could have known or planned that. The Lord is in charge!! He knows and loves everyone individually. We can all be instruments in has hands as we are "anxiously engaged in a good cause" and follow promptings to serve one another. I know with all my heart that the Jesus Christ is the son of God, the savior and redeemer of the world. We are laboring beside him in this great cause in bringing souls to Him. His love is beyond anything we can imagine.

Always remember that we all have a part to play in His work! I love you all so much. And I'm so grateful to be a servant in the Lord's vineyard (see Jacob 5). I have been studying Jacob chapter 5 in the Book of Mormon differently the last couple days. Instead of thinking about the symbolism of the apostasy and dispensations, I put that aside and only thought about missionary work. It is very insightful. If you're interested, try reading that chapter with your personal role in the work of salvation in mind.

I invite you again, to pray for missionary opportunities. They will come, and you will feel great joy.

All in!

Love,

Sister Record

Sister Record carving

Sister Felix pumpkin

Sister Felix carving

His Love Demands My Soul

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

Hi ya'll!

There are some words in a song that I love, and think about all the time. They've become somewhat of a motto for me. "His love demands my soul... His love demands my soul, my life, my all." How true this statement is! I am coming to learn that on a deeper level as I serve a mission. Being a missionary is really hard sometimes. The Savior is patient, loving and merciful, but he absolutely demands my soul and my all. He knows what I can become and will not settle for less. He shows me my weaknesses so that I can more fully rely on him and become stronger through His loving grace. This process of growing is really painful sometimes. As a servant of the Lord, I feel the joy of His loving service, and the pain of rejection in a way I haven't before. All the joy, however, far outweighs any pain. I am so grateful for how far I have come, and how much further I have to go. I'm most definitely a different person than I was when I came into the MTC. 

This transfer has been amazing! Sister Felix and I have a really good relationship. She is a great missionary. Every single day we have something to laugh about. This week was a little rough, but we're closer because of it. There are a few good stories about this week. :)

We went to a person's home during the week who had met with missionaries previously but hasn't been taught in a long time. Sister Felix and I had never met them before. When we knocked, a woman in her early 20's answered. A giant German Shepherd bolted out the door and ran across the neighborhood. This woman was obviously concerned. She went back in to get her shoes. The dog was taking off, so Sister Felix and I dropped our stuff and ran after the dog. I'm sure with our skirts flowing in the wind (nothing showing, don't worry) we looked very strange as we chased that dog. It went in someones backyard a couple blocks down. When we finally got close enough, we crept up on it so it wouldn't run away again. I finally caught him! Just as we did, some members pulled up in their car. I was holding the dog, so Sister Felix went over to talk to them. The dog owner caught up with us and had a leash. She is the daughter of the woman who the missionaries had previously taught. I didn't want to stand there awkwardly waiting for Sister Felix so I started talking to her about the restored gospel and God's love for us. We got the dog back home and met [M], [B]'s mom. Needless to say, we got a return appointment with both of them pretty easily. Ha ha! :)

While we were knocking on doors in one neighborhood we had a guy answer a door who looked at us and immediately said "I'm not interested, I don't have time!" then shut the door. No big deal, we get that all the time. It didn't even phase us. We just kept walking. When we were two houses away he came back out and tried to give us money for lunch. It was nice of him, but we can't take money. He wanted us to go buy ourselves some lunch. We thanked him but asked him to keep his money. It was a really interesting experience. Ha ha!

[S] is getting closer and closer to baptism! His date is November 1! I'm not sure if I'll be there for that or not. Transfers are coming up. We'll find out this Sunday what our fate will be. :) He still needs to make the change that has been holding him back. We're maintaining frequent contact with him to ensure that he is doing well. He is so prepared and so ready! He is going to be solid once he gets baptized. He already has such a strong testimony. :D

Always stay positive no matter what. Because there is something special about every day and every moment if we open our eyes to it. That is something I am learning so much this transfer! Moments are indeed the molecules of eternity! I love you all! Keep looking for those missionary opportunities, they're out there.

Sincerely,
Sister Record. <3

P.S. Sister Felix and I have discovered a hidden talent of mine... prepare for your minds to be blown. =0) Hahaha!

 

We die laughing every time... :)

Here's some fairly normal pictures. :D

Sister Felix found some dead bugs

Sister Felix and I at a frozen yogurt place called orange leaf

A dead cockroach. We tried to put a little acorn hat on it, but it wouldn't stay on.

 Weekly planning... enough said.

Last ones

This is sometimes how we make phone calls...

Sister Record looking at a cockroach

Sister Record holding one

The Woodlake Sisters

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

Hello!

We moved in with the Woodlake Ward Sister missionaries this week. A senior couple is moving into our apartment. It's been kind of crazy because there is one bathroom and five Sister's. Woodlake is in a threesome. It's worked out though. :)

We had an incredible experience with one of our investigators last week. His name is [S]. He's been investigated the church for a little over a year. He is so solid and ready to be baptized, except that he needs to change his living situation. We had the lesson with Bishop Gibson and pretty much laid it down. The spirit was so strong, and he agreed to change his living situation and be baptized on November 1. Please keep him in your prayers! He really needs them. At the end of the lesson we all knelt and prayed individually. By the end he was so choked up. He and Bishop hugged for a long time. Steve exclaimed, "I feel so good!" It was a really special moment. We're trying to keep in as much contact as we can with him to keep him going strong.

President Monson said something in General Conference that really struck me. "Remember the elderly and the home bound." There is an elderly woman in our ward who's husband passed away a couple weeks ago. We went and visited her on October 11th (Grandma Rowley's birthday, right?). It was brief, but we sang a song and shared a scripture with her. Come to find out, that day was her husbands birthday. There is no way we could have known that. The Lord knows the hearts of each of us. I'm grateful to have been there for her on that difficult day.

I'm so glad to be a missionary! I love you all! Always be positive, and things will work out.

Sincerely,

Sister Record

"I have never felt this way before"

Area: Converse
Companion: Sister Sarah Felix

Hi ya'll!

It's been kind of a crazy morning! The internet at the library we usually go to was down. We went shopping first, but the internet was still down when we were done. So we searched the gps for another library, which was about 20 minutes away and had to get a library card before getting on. Ha ha!

General conference was amazing! I really loved President Eyring's talk. I thought about our family. I appreciate now more than ever the foundation we were built upon as children. Mom and Dad, thank you so much for your steadfastness in doing the small and simple things. Your love and support have built a foundation that will bless generations.

We had an experience yesterday with an investigating family. They are so amazing! We've struggled to get in contact with them. They are so prepared and ready, it's just so hard to have a lesson with them because we could never catch them at the right time. We taught them the Plan of Salvation. During this lesson I had the opportunity to bear witness of Jesus Christ's suffering for us in the garden of Gethsemane. This beautiful family, like many others understood that he suffered for us on the cross, but had never heard about his suffering in the garden of Gethsemane. It was so powerful to teach them that He suffered for our sins so we can be made clean, and He has felt every single pain, sickness, infirmity, weakness, and shortcoming of every single person that has ever lived. The mom teared up as she began to understand what that meant for her. The dad was very thoughtful to whole time. We then taught them about the priesthood authority, and why it is necessary to be baptized. I asked him if he believed that was true. After some thought he replied, "Yes... because I have never felt this way before." We testified that what he was feeling was the spirit telling him that this is true. I wish I could fully describe what a beautiful moment this was. It is an important break through for them in their progression. It is so wonderful to help people see the light. So many are not willing to accept what we have to offer. But when we find those who are ready, it really is amazing to see the transformation that takes place.

Earlier in the week we had a really interesting lesson, to say the least. Ha ha! We met an old man at his doorstep and taught him a 2 minute version of the restoration. He seemed fairly accepting, though we weren't sure how receptive he was. We came back another day, and he was there ready for our company. The house was in slight disarray, he sat us down at his kitchen table, which his cats eat at. He then grabbed some papers that he thought were medical papers. He thought we were there to sign papers for him. We reminded him that we were there to teach him about Jesus. He was pretty confused but let us start teaching him. Come to find out, he was very atheist and didn't believe in God at all. He just thought we were regular company. We briefly testified of the restored gospel and left. He was such a sweet man... Ha ha! It was just a really funny experience. It was the last thing we were expecting.

Once again, general conference was so good! They talked a lot about the restoration. I'm really looking forward to studying it in the ensign. The church is true, and we have a living prophet! :D

All in! I love you all!

(Wish I had more time to update today.) :)

Sincerely,
Sister Record