Miracles are the GREATEST!

Dear family,

 

Well Hello!! How is life in Utah? Good I hope! Texas is wonderful! The weather is still great and it's actually been quite chilly the last couple of days!

 

So the area I am in is just plain Houston, but we cover Cypress and Katy (that's right Katie! my first area!) White Oak is just the name of the stake me and Sister Jones are over! I haven't been to the Houston Temple yet, but we get to go every transfer so I'll get to know it really well! I can't wait to go!

 

This week has been incredible! There have been some lows, but there is always a miracle every day to make up for the bad! It's amazing!

 

Tracting was rough this week, it seemed like no one was home, or they refused to answer the door. On Tuesday we knocked on door after door after door and no one answered. It was pretty discouraging, but me and Sister Jones knew that we must have been needed elsewhere. So we said a prayer and went to an apartment complex of someone who was a less active. We really felt we should be there and sadly when we knocked on her door... no answer. It was a little confusing, why did we think we should be there if she wasn't home? We got back in the car even more discouraged, and before we pulled away I noticed there was one apartment with the porch light on and I had the thought "we should go knock on that door" I stared at that porch light for a good minute and then I told Sister Jones what I felt and we marched over to the door and guess what... no answer! Bummer right? But we couldn't let that get us down so instead we marched to the next door and knocked and guess what? It was answered by this awesome guy named Kenny! He is an active member of his own church so he didn't hesitate to say yes when we asked if we could say a prayer with him. After our prayer we left him with some information about the Church! He was so kind. It was great because when I was saying the prayer he would say stuff like "oh yes" "Amen" and "lord please" it was so great! We thanked him for letting us pray with him and he said "When the Lord sends you angels you don't turn them away!" Too true Kenny, too true.

 

Even though the rest of our day seemed bad that one miracle made the whole day worth it.

 

Then there was Thursday, same thing. Door after door unanswered. It can be pretty frustrating, but then we unknowingly knocked on Jamie's door. She is a member of our ward but she has had a rough life like Sister Ruhlman. It is difficult for her because her husband is not a member and in talking with her she said she has no hope left that he'll ever join the church. You could see the sadness in her eyes. We got to talk to her for a long time, and me and Sister Jones knew that's where we needed to be. I think Jamie just needed a reminder of how much God loves her, and how he is aware of her. With all the knocking we did it was hard not to feel a bit useless, but then I think there was something I needed to learn from it. I also think that Jamie needed us there. I really believe the Lord led us to her that day. On Sunday we saw her at Church and she seemed so much happier. We are going to her house for dinner tonight! And guess who's coming with us? None other than Sister Ruhlman, my favorite gal in the whole world!

 

Now on to Sister Ruhlman, she is a dear. I just love her. We went to visit with her again this week. When she was married she was abused and so she longs for the kind of love she sees in others. She often talks to us about the kind of men we need to marry, she has the greatest advice haha. She says things like "don't marry a dummy like I did" only she uses much more colorful language usually :) When i see that yearning she has in her eyes, that longing for a companion who will love her selflessly, it makes me sad because if there's someone who deserves an eternal prince charming it's Sister Ruhlman. But as we talked with her I knew that someday she is going to marry, and be sealed to an amazing man whether in this life or the next. I know she is going to feel and receive that love that she has never known, and long desired. And guess what? she came to church again! She hasn't been in years, and now she's a regular haha! She said it felt so good to come back! I can't wait to see her tonight at dinner!

 

Saturday was the day of many miracles though! First we went to see a new investigator we have that's been avoiding us. Her name is Thanh, when we got to her home her father answered the door (he is a member) and said she was not home. Bout 10 minutes later as we were driving we noticed that her dad had called us about 8 times! Thanh had come home and he wanted us to return to his house right away, so we did. We didn't get to talk to her long but we set up a time to meet with her this coming week! I can't wait! About halfway through the day our GPS broke! No good! The problem with Houston is that it is literally impossible to get around without a GPS. We have this huge road map the size of Texas (no pun intended) that I started to use. It was no good. We prayed and luckily our GPS started to work again. But the great thing is that now I know how to read a road map of Houston. I feel like that will probably come in handy one day... just maybe.

 

Then we stopped by another less actives house and set up an appointment to meet with her this week as well!

 

The best part of the day was the last thing we did. We had to drop off a flier to the Westbrooks who are a less active family. We thought we would only just be dropping the flier off and leaving but Sister Westbrook invited us in. She has 4 kids ages 11, 8, 6, and 1. They are the coolest kids ever. We got to sit and talk with them for a time. They are so nice. Her husband was not there, he is not a member but she is. You can tell she has a testimony, it's just difficult for her to get to church will all her kids. Her daughter is almost 9, she hasn't been baptized yet but she really wants to be so we offered to come teach her and help set up her baptism. They agreed to it and we're hoping to meet with them this week as well. And guess what? They came to church yesterday!

 

So here are a few other people you'll probably hear more about...

 

First I'll start with Symantha! She is a recent Convert of Sister Jones and she comes to the singles ward. She's had a few stumbles since she got baptized but we've been able to talk with her since and she's doing great! We're going to take her through the temple this week for her first time! She is amazing and she is not afraid to tell people about her beliefs. She has been so good to let her friends know her testimony. It's amazing I feel like she is a little missionary herself!

 

Next there's Marla. She is not a member, but her husband is and she's been taking the lessons for a few weeks now. She still isn't sure if it's true, but we are doing everything we can to find her personal needs and help her know the truth. She's been coming to church and she's had some great questions for us. We challenged her to keep reading the scriptures and praying. She was a little frustrated when we met with her last because she doesn't understand the Book of Mormon when she reads it. We told her to focus on how she feels when she reads it rather than try to understand it all in one go. Hopefully that will help her. She is amazing though.

 

Then there's David, He is incredible, he has a heart of gold. He has been a member of the church for 2 years but he is Gay. Since being a member of the church he has not acted on it. He is the kindest person I have ever met. His faith is incredible to me, I can't imagine how difficult it can be for him to be a member and have the struggles and temptations he has. But he knows the church is true. He has been to many different churches and he said in his own words that no other church has made him feel as good as the Mormon church has. I know the Lord is so proud of David for choosing to keep the covenants he has made, and I know that David will be blessed for his faithfulness.

 

Anyways now you know a little about my life this past week and the incredible people I have come across. My favorite thing about being a missionary is getting to know people. I've always been pretty shy, but coming out here I have learned so much about other people. Heavenly Father's children are so wonderful, every one of them. They all have incredible stories to tell. I love Texas, I love the people of Texas. I love being a missionary!

 

I hope all is well at home! I love you all! Thanks for all the love and support!

 

Love, Sister Gregson

 

P.S Katie can you make me some GOOD church CD's? I am in desperate need of good music. Even classical would be nice, or movie soundtracks with just the instrumental! Gracias!

Deep in the heart of Texas

Me and all the Sisters in my District! My companion is on my left and Sister Crane is the one on the right.

 

 Map-Tradition

 

Temple Walk

 

My district at the MTC 

 

Kim's Mom 

 

Sister Jones and me 

 

The mission theme

 

 

Texas, Texas, and more TEXAS...

 

Well...I messed with Texas

Dear each ya'll and all ya'll,

 

First off I have to say Happy Birthday Grandpa!! You are the greatest! I love you so much and I hope you have such a great day!

This week has been so great! Our plane got safely to Houston, and the first people we saw were the Pingree's! They are incredible! They just glow with happiness! We had 11 new Sisters and 8 new Elders! can you believe that! They said that's the most sister's they've ever had! and next transfer we're expecting around 16 Sister missionaries so I was told that I will probably be training! I'm terrified!

 

Houston is beautiful, which I didn't expect (I forgot to bring my camera with me but i promise I'll send you some pictures next week!) There are so many trees, which I didn't expect. And it's so green which i definitely did not expect! The weather right now is PERFECT! But i know it won't last for much longer... every one I talk to, EVERYONE says "just you wait"

 

Anyways so we went straight to the mission home after we landed and President and Sister Pingree fed us an incredible dinner, and just so you know everyone in Texas can cook! And i mean really cook, I haven't had a bad meal yet! AND I ate eel which was weird.

So, like you heard, my first night I stayed at Kim's parents house! It was so funny because we were all introducing our selves and when i said my name she was like "SISTER GREGSON!" in her cute Irish (or Scottish, not sure which) accent and I asked her if she knew any Gregsons, and she said "no but I know the Richards!" She had nothing but wonderful things to say about Grandma and Grandpa! It was just a small reminder to me that Heavenly Father is watching over me!

 

On Thursday we got our companions! My companion is .... Sister Jones! and she is a hoot! She is loud and social but in the best of ways! She reminds me of a Gregson let's just put it that way! I love her so much and we've already grown really close! She's is from Bountiful Utah, and she's been out for 10 months. The funny thing too is that there are 2 girls that I went to Skyline with also in my mission! One graduated in 2008, and one in 2009! Again more blessings!

So I am serving in White Oak! it's an inner city town, but I don't know if you can really call it a town because it's HUGE! We cover a family ward and the singles ward which is really fun! We share the family ward with the Elders. On my first night Sister Jones took my around to meet some ward member's and the bishopric. Texans are the nicest people. They like to hug you, feed you, and tell you everything about themselves! I love it! It makes me feel right at home! Also they like to decorate with really great wall paper! (Katie do you remember that episode of Gilmore Girls where they stay at an inn and the room has flowered wallpaper and it matches everything else in the room and they start to feel dizzy and a bit queasy, well that's every home in Texas for ya!! haha it's so great!)

 

We've already had some miracles, and some disappointments, but It's been so good!

 

We've done a lot of work with the less actives this past week. The first person we visited was Sister Rulhman! I just love her, and she's my first miracle! She is about 70 years old, she was baptized in 2004, but she hasn't been to church for a very long time. The Sister's have been meeting with her for 6 month trying to get her to come back to church. She's is a very sweet lady, with a very hard life. Because of how hard her life has been she loves to watch movies. It's her only way of living happy, she lives vicariously through the characters. She told us flat out that she was addicted to movies. But she is just the greatest! She loves the gospel and she loves the missionaries, but she just won't come to church, so me and Sister Jones decided to just talk with her and find out what's holding her back. Gosh, I wish I could just tell you every word of our conversation with her because she truly is the best! Anyways to make the story short she just lacks to motivation to come. She is struggling right now because she realizes that she is at the end of her life and she wants to be happy and have no regrets but she often looks back and her life and feels guilt for the things she did. I think she lost her sense of worth, she's forgotten how much she means to Heavenly Father. Next week i want to take her the talk by Elder Uchtdorf where he says "Compared to God we are nothing, but TO God we are everything..." I want her to know how much she means to God and how important she is.

 

OK so now for my miracle with Sister Ruhlman...

 

Earlier when we were driving me and Sister Jones were talking about our families, and Mike, I told her a little about your amazing story. How you struggled but found your way back, and your experience with Dad when you were in a coma. (I hope that's OK) And later that day is when we visited Sister Ruhlman and at one point she brought up 'out of body' experiences (coincidence? I think NOT!) And she asked if we believed in them. I think it had been in her mind because she wondered if it really was possible for her to get to heaven, if it really is possible for her to actually have a happy life with Heavenly Father. She's never really known happiness and I think she just really wanted someone to confirm to her that it's there waiting for her. So I told her Mike's story, all of it. I hope that's OK Mike, I felt strongly that she needed to know that she could move on from her past and that Heavenly Father can provide a happy life for her and I knew I could show that to her by telling her your story. It brought her to tears, she was very touched especially when I told her about how you saw Dad and when I told her you were happily married in the Temple and now have a beautiful daughter. I think it brought that hope back into her life. She is so happy for you Mike. And guess what? She came to church on Sunday! It was amazing. So Mike if you ever wonder why you went through what you've been through I think it can be said that part of the reason is because Sister Rulman needed to hear your story. So I was wondering if you could send me a picture of you family that I could give to Sister Ruhlman and maybe if you could write her a letter and say whatever it is the Spirit inspires you to say. If you don't want to you don't have to, but I know it would mean the world to her.

 

I love Sister Ruhlman!

 

I met a lot of other great people that I love like the Mendoza's! They are an older couple from Mexico. He is so funny, he hasn't been able to come to church because of a leg surgery so we go to visit him and share messages with him and his wife. His wife doesn't speak English but she understands it. It was really funny because the night before we visited them Sister Mendoza had a dream that Sister Jones would get a new companion so when I showed up at her door she was so surprised. She told me her dream came true!! haha

 

And my very favorite family is the Thayer's. I'm sure you'll hear about them often, but they've become my Houston family!

Now for our disappointment. Last Sunday a non member named Jesse came to church so Sister Jones got his info and we were going to visit with him on Wednesday, but he ended up rescheduling for Thursday. I was so excited because he was going to be my first investigator, and he didn't show!! It was so sad!! So we're going to call him and hopefully we can get him to come! We're not giving up that easy. Look out Jesse here we come!

 

But yesterday a non member named TayAnn came to church and we got her information and we're going to start teaching her this week! I can't wait!

 

The hardest thing about Texas is that it's so large we drive all over to get to our appointments and it takes a lot of our time. It's frustrating because I just wish we could spend every second finding people but we can't get to those people without a long drive in the car, which feels like time wasted. I know I'm spoiled if that's my complaint but I just want to be a good missionary and I wish every second was full of teaching people!

I love being a missionary!!! It's the best calling in the world! I am so happy to be out here. It's still a little weird remembering that I'm a missionary! haha I'll see and Elder and in my head I'll think "Oh look it's the missionaries!" and then I remember "oh wait I'm one of them!" Sometimes it's a little scary to go up to people, and it can be strange having everyone looking at you like you're the strangest thing they've ever seen but then I remember who I am representing and I feel to grateful to be out here doing this work! We get a lot of people that ask us "Are you hiring" etc. they thing we're employees or something! It so great though because it's the best way to start talking to them about the gospel. The great thing about Texas is that it's not a strange thing to talk about religion and God so people are really open about their beliefs.

 

Our mission theme is "finding the tens of thousands" and there's a really cool story behind it. When President Pingree first got out here he had a revelation that there were literally tens of thousands of people in Houston whom God has prepared to hear His word. So that's our goal! To go out and find them! He was inspired by how we should go about doing it and he calls it "Power Hour." Every day at 6 pm we go knocking and ask the head of the household if we can come in and leave a blessing on their family and home. Most people are happy and grateful to let us in and and pray with us. We go in and get to know them ask them what they would like us to pray for, and then with the family we kneel in prayer and leave a blessing on their family. We tell them our purpose and ask them if they would like to know more. I haven't been here very long but President was telling us that the number of baptism's and investigators has dramatically inclined since they began having the missionaries do Power Hour! It's amazing! The Lord knows what His people need.

 

I love the gospel! It's true! I love you all and I hope everything is going just swell back in Utah!

 

I love Texas and I am so happy. I am doing my best to make my mission the best 18 months FOR my life.

 

Have a most wonderful day! remember God loves you! and so do I!

 

Love Sister Gregson

 

P.S. I Triple-dog-dare every person reading this to pray for a missionary experience and go find someone to share the gospel with! Then you better report back to me! I recently found out that only 5% of active church members actually do missionary work. Can you believe that? only 5%?! Think about what this gospel means to you, and go be that 5%!!! And if you don't you will owe me 3 J-dawg hot dogs when I get home! I mean I'll be happy either way so it's up to you... just sayin'... No, but don't do it for me, do it for Heavenly Father and whom ever he inspires you to share your testimony with. You can do it! Trust me! If I can do it, ya'll can do it!

 

P.S.S here is an address you can send my stuff to, right now we're in a members home but we'll be moving into our new apartment on the 5th of April so just send my stuff to this address. You can still send to the mission home but i won't get stuff for about a month if you do!

 

The address is

Sister Emilee Gregson
9218 Stone Post Circle

77064 Houston, Texas

 

And again I'm moving out of there on April 5th so don't send anything a week before that date!

You can check out the Texas Houston Mission Blog here.

 

When life gives you lemonade, make lemons. Life will be all like WHaaaT?

March 11, 2013

Where to start...

This week has been amazing! I have had some wonderful expieriences this past week and I wish I could share them all with you, but alas there are better things to do! Like missionary work!

 

Life really is life a rollar coaster here, one moment things are going great, and the next thing you know it gets hard again, but like I said before it's good that it's so hard because it really challenges me and it has helped me to be a better missionary, and better person.

 

Last Sunday I got called to be the Corrdinating Sister, it's basically a zone leader that's over all the Sisters. It has been so much fun because I got to welcome in the new Sisters and give them a tour and teach them all about the MTC. Every night I get to talk to them and see how they are feeling and if they need any help. The sisters that came in are awesome! They've been doing so great, and I've loved getting to know them and helping them!

 

Life is just so good! I love being a missionary! We had and awesome expierience with our progressing investigator that I told you about last week. Her name is Crystal! It was crazy because we were doing really well with her, and then on Wednesday our lesson was just awful! It was the first time I was without words. I just felt disconnected with the spirit. Again though it was an awesome learning experience. After that expirience Me and sister Barker sat down and really tried to figure out Crystals needs. We knew she had had a really hard life but she never would really open up about it with us so we weren't sure how to help her. We were also worried that she only let us keep coming back because she likes US, and not because she wanted to change and was actually interested in what we were teaching her. So on Thursday our solution was to go in and just tell her how we felt and be honest with her about our concerns and the outcome was amazing! Crystal opened up and told us about her struggles and she shared with us how her life has changed since she started meeting with us. She said about the church "It scares me because i think i know it's true"!!!! It was amazing the spirit was so strong and it really guided me and sister barker.

 

We were planning on leaving her with a commitment to come to church but as she started talking about her love of Christ I had this thought that I needed to invite her to be baptized. My first thought was "Sister Gregson you're crazy" and then my second thought was "that's the spirit and I'd be a fool not to follow it" and then my third thought was "Sister barker don't hate me" and I did it! I asked Crystal if she would be baptized and i felt this overwhelming feeling of love for her as I said the words. And it was then that I realized i wasn't just asking her to be baptized I was asking her to follow Christ and start on the path that will lead her to live with Heavenly Father. I was offering her the best life she could ever have! I felt so honored in that moment to be the one to ask her, and I don't mean that in a bragging way, i just mean it's such a great step and I feel greatful that the Lord trusts us as his children to ask other's that question because really we're not worthy to ask such a life changing question, and yet the Lord let's us.

 

Hopefully this all makes sense I feel like i'm typing so fast! So if it doesn't just know I'm happy and I'm still loving the MTC!

 

I have really grown close to my District and they leave for Boston tomorrow. I am really sad to see all of them go, but I have a feeling we'll all keep in touch! i'm also sad to leave my teachers because they are incredible! Literally every time we end a lesson I feel ready to go get re-baptized! I've really enjoyed the MTC. BUT I can't wait to get to Houston!!!! I am definitely nervous, but i am also really excited to go out and love the people!

 

I know you already know this but the gospel is true! I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God, I know the Book of Mormon is true. I also know that missionary work isn't just about teaching people, it's about loving people. There's nowhere else I'd rather be, and nothing else I'd rather be doing. I thought I would be constantly thinking about the life i left in SLC but I don't. Don't get me wrong I think about you all a lot because I love you, but I thought i would miss being at home, and wearing sweats, and not being at school etc. etc. But i don't miss it. It's weird. But I think it's because this is where I'm supposed to be. I know those things will be there when I get home and the only thing that will change (other than the age of my fam and possible new nieces and nephews) is me. I am leaving myself behind and I'm never going back to that person. I want to come home changed, and better. I hope that even when i no longer wear the badge that I'll still do my best to represent Christ.I hope I'll keep challenging myself because I've never been happier. And why would I want to go back? I've learned so much I can't be the person I was before!

 

Anyways again i hope everything in this letter made sense, if not well the gospel is still true!!

I love you all and I hope every thing is going swell at home!

 

Thank robyn for that awesome notebook! I love it! and tell Rylee I found her future husband and he's awesome and that i'll write to her about him soon :)

 

Love you all!!

Love, Sister Gregson

Dear Mom...I'm Alive!!

Family!!!! Hello!

Call me crazy but I LOVE the MTC. I was so nervous as we pulled up to that missionary drop off but the minute I stepped out of that car I felt so much peace. I KNOW this is where I'm supposed to be! Don't be offended but I haven't gotten homesick... yet! I seriously have enjoyed every second here. It is definitely challenging and hard, but it's a good hard! If everything here was easy I wouldn't learn anything, and let me tell you I have learned A LOT! I feel like every second I learn and progress and it's wonderful!

My district is so great! Sister Crane (Kirsten) is in my district she is the one that worked with me at the pier 1 in cottonwood and trasferred with me to the Orem store! It is so fun to have her here and she is amazing! My companion's name is Sister Barker and she is the sweetest thing in the world. She has a quite strength and when she bears her testimony to our mock investigators I am in awe! In our district we have 6 Elders who are going to Boston, and 6 Sisters. 3 of the Sisters are going to Boston and us last 3 are going to Houston! We have all become really close as a district and I consider them to be very good friends.

Gosh! there is so much to say and so little time to write! I feel as though I have been here for weeks because of all that I have learned in such a short time! I am amazed at how much we can get done in a day, and how there is not nearly enough time in the day! We spend about 6 hours of our day in class and about 6 hours with personal and companion study time and I LOVE IT! It amazed me how much we can continuously learn about the gospel! On my second day we started teaching our mock inverstigator and we have taught her every day since. It was so hard the first time we taught her, but we learned sooooo much! and every day since then we've gotten better and better. That's why I love that it's so hard, we learn so much about how to teach! I have been filled with so much love not only for the people we teach, and my companion, but for those people of Houston whom I can't wait to meet. I am serieously so EXCITED!!! I love teaching! It's hard, but I love it! Haha I must be sounding like such a dorky missionary now, but it's kind of contageous here! I sort of forgot about the outside world until we went to the Temple and I saw the outside world again! Yup you guys are the outsiders now haha!

I've had some many wonderful days here and I feel so full of the spirit. I need the help of the spirit in everything I do. I have really had to learn how to listen to the spirit especially when it comes to me and my companion deciding what to teach our investigator. It is amazing how you can think of something or someway to teach your investigator and you know that's what your supposed to do because the idea came from the Holy Ghost!

The food is great, plus they have infinite amounts of Creamery chocolate milk... that's right Katie all the milk i can drink!! The Church is true! :)

Anyways i don't even know what to say because there so much I could share but just know that I am so great, and so happy! I know I'm in the right place and I feel so much hope and joy. I love learning about this gospel and I am so grateful to Heavenly Father that he would trust me to come and serve a mission! There are times when I worry and think, can i really do this? And really the answer is no, I can't. BUT the Lord, He can. This is HIS work so of course he'll provide a way for us to help his work progress. It amazes me how much trust he puts in us. I just love Him! He's so great!

It has been amazing to see all the young missionaries come in! I am the oldest in my district at age 20! They're faith amazes me! I know some people tend to think - they're only ready to go because of the change and it's the thing to do right now. But if you think that, you're wrong! The change came because they were already ready to go out!

I've thought a lot about what Elder Holland said in that press conference after that announcement and how he said to the propective missionaries - this isn't about you, it's about the Lord's work hastening, and his children being more ready than ever to hear the gospel. This mission isn't about me, it's about the Lord and his work and those people in Houston i get the great blessing to teach! That's one reason I have loved the MTC so much, I get to be selfless every minute and dedicate my time to the Lord and His great Work!

As Sisters they have told us a lot about how this mission will help us to be better wives, and mothers, and I've felt that too. I'm not doing it for me, but for my future husband and children. And as weird as this could sound i feel such a great love for them and i think of them every time i get discouraged or i feel inadequate. I've got to press forward for them, for the Lord, for this church, and for those who are lost.

I love you guys so much! I know this church is true!

Love, Sister Gregson!

PS read or watch the talk by Elder Bednar called "The Character of Christ" IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE! and mom if you could send me a hard copy of it that would be great!!!

LOVE YOU!

So long, farewell!

The bishop didn’t assign me a specific topic so I thought I would take this time to share with you why I personally have chosen to serve a mission.

When I was young my grandparents served as Mission Presidents in England, and later as area Presidents in Hong Kong. My most vivid memories of them when I was young are when they would come home to visit. They would always gather me and my cousins in a big room and share a story about the gospel usually relating to missionary work. I remember them going around to each of us and asking if we were going to serve a mission when we got older and I can remember always answering yes. This is what first sparked my desire to serve, but I didn’t really know then why I wanted to go, or what the purpose of a mission really was. I didn’t understand the importance of the gospel and I didn’t know yet what it meant to me personally. 

I’ve been a member of this ward my entire life and I was raised up with a knowledge of the gospel. But I was not born with a testimony and I knew I couldn’t lean on the testimonies of my family forever.

It has taken me 20 years of life to know the truths I know now about this gospel and I know I have an eternity to keep learning. And it is because of the people I have been blessed to be surrounded by and the experiences I have had that have made me realize what this gospel means to me and why I want to serve a mission. Knowing that the next 18 months of my life will be dedicated to bringing others to Christ I have thought a lot about my own conversion and how I came to know the truth about this gospel and why it is important to me. I thought I might share some of my experiences that have gotten me here standing at this pulpit 3 days away from entering the MTC.

 I can remember the very first time I recognized the spirit. I was 12 years old and it was my first time at girl’s camp. We had a lesson on the Holy Ghost and when our leader ended the lesson she asked us to take a minute and then bear our testimonies and share an experience we had when we’d felt the spirit. I remember going into panic mode trying to pick out a specific time I had felt the spirit and anxiety kicked in as I realized I wasn’t certain if I had ever felt the spirit. I didn’t know what I was going to say. I remember praying that I could think of something before it was my turn to speak. Eventually I gave up trying to think of an experience and I simply began to listen to the testimonies that were being shared by the other girls. Their testimonies touched my heart and I remember the calm that came over me as I realized what I was feeling was the spirit. This was an important step for me in coming to know if this church is true.

It is important to be able to recognize the spirit because it is through the Holy Ghost that we receive the truth.

I’ve tried to put myself in an investigators place and it feels overwhelming. They are taught so much in a short amount of time; a lot of it must be confusing. It made me wonder what makes them want to be baptized and I came to realize they choose to be baptized because they recognized the spirit. They might not understand everything about the gospel yet, but they have felt the spirit testify to them that it is true. As a missionary it will be important for me to recognize the spirit not only to help me teach, but to allow me to help investigators understand when they are feeling the spirit because the Holy Ghost is the true converter, not me.

It is the spirit that helped me to know that Joseph Smith was a true prophet.

A few months after that experience at girl’s camp I was reading in Joseph Smith History. As I was reading I felt the spirit very strongly and his story became real to me for the first time, and I knew for myself without any room for doubt that Joseph Smith was a true Prophet, I knew he had seen a vision, and that he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

 Before then I still didn’t understand what the gospel meant to me, but that day as I read the words of Joseph Smith it amazed me that he would sacrifice so much, even his own life for this gospel. It was the most important thing to him, he put Christ before everything. That was when I realized that this gospel couldn’t be just 3 hours of talks and lessons I easily tuned out every Sunday for the rest of my life. It was important. Before then the gospel, Heavenly Father, and Jesus Christ were just a part of my life. But because of the faith of Joseph Smith I realized this gospel had more importance than I understood, and I wanted to know why.

Even though I had these incredible experiences my focus was never consistent. I knew the gospel was important, I had felt the spirit and I knew Joseph Smith was a prophet. I had had wonderful spiritual experiences but I still I didn’t know what the gospel meant to me.  I didn’t know what to do with the knowledge I had gained so it often got set aside. My testimony wasn’t lost, but it wasn’t growing either.

I believed the gospel was true, but what I lacked was a relationship with God. I didn’t recognize his hand in my life because I wasn’t looking for it. I didn’t recognize my reliance upon him because I didn’t know I needed it. I didn’t understand the importance of the Atonement, and the Plan of Salvation.

When I was growing up I suffered greatly from anxiety. I would get so afraid of the smallest things that I would make myself sick. When I was 14 years old I got very sick, my appendix had burst and because my symptoms were similar to the flu we didn’t know how serious it was until over a week later. When we got to the hospital they got me into surgery as quick as they could. I remember being deathly afraid so much so that I would have endured the terrible pain rather than go to the hospital. They laid me on an operating table and as they wheeled me down the hall we ran into Colleen Bodell, a former member of our ward whom I love very much. When she heard what had happened she immediately offered to come into the operating room and hold my hand. That set my anxious heart at ease. Colleen later told me she normally didn’t walk down that hallway but that she felt she needed take a different route and that’s when she ran into me. My mom didn’t hesitate to tell me that Heavenly Father was watching over me. And once I realized that, the anxiety that crippled me my whole life was gone.

I knew that God was watching over me and I knew with his help I could get through hard things.

Because of that experience I realized that just because God is not with us physically it doesn’t mean he is not with us. I thought God was and incredible being that I might get to meet one day if I do everything right. But I learned then that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are a constant part of our lives. I wasn’t afraid of anything anymore because I knew that God was with me.

A year after this experience my Father was diagnosed with brain cancer, and about 1 year after his diagnosis he passed away. It was during this time that I gained a sure testimony of the Book of Mormon. It is what brought me peace. One of the great privileges of being with my Father at the end of his life was seeing just how much the gospel meant to him. Every day he would sit in our living room and read the scriptures. When he started to lose his vision he bought a larger copy and kept reading. When it got too difficult to read he would have someone read it to him. He read them as if his life depended on it. He knew the importance of the Book of Mormon. And as I watched him, and studied them for myself I began to realize how important they were. On the front page of my first set of scriptures my father wrote, “The scriptures are one of the greatest treasures our Heavenly Father has given to us… I promise you that if you will search these books and chapters you will come to know yourself, and the savior Jesus Christ.”

Losing him was one of the most difficult experiences of my life, but it is also one of the greatest experiences of my life. I had never been closer to God than I was at that time. I read the Book of Mormon as much as I could and I did come to know myself and my Savior better. Because of that experience I can say that I know I will see my Father again. I know that Heavenly Father has created a marvelous plan for us. I know that that experience was a part of Heavenly Father’s plan for me. I know that Jesus Christ suffered the Atonement and that he understood what I was going through.

This experience helped me to realize what the gospel meant to me. 

Around that time I discovered a quote that my mother had written in my first set of Scriptures. It is by Ruth May Fox and it says,

“The gospel has meant everything to me; it has been my mantle of protection against temptation, my consolation in sorrow, my joy and glory throughout all my days, and my hope of eternal life. The Kingdom of God or nothing has been my motto.”

This has become my own testimony.

Why have I chosen to serve a mission? Because the gospel means everything to me. It is my hope, my joy, my life-saver, my foundation, my peace, and my source of happiness.

Because it inspires me when I think about Heavenly Father sacrificing his beloved son for us because he loves us. And when I think about Christ who willingly offered himself as a sacrifice to suffer in our stead because he loves us. To think that two perfect beings would sacrifice so much for us, knowing that we are imperfect beings and that we would often take their sacrifice for granite, and even turn our backs on them at times fills me with such gratitude and joy.

I want other people to know this life I have known, to see how much their Father in Heaven, and Jesus Christ care for them. I want to give them the hope and happiness that can only come through knowing the truth about this gospel. Living with a knowledge of the gospel is living with the best life you could ever know, and I want other people to have that.

Ultimately I want to serve because I love Heavenly Father, and I love Jesus Christ. I love this gospel, and the tools we’ve been given to learn about it and apply it to our lives, and I love the plan that has been created for us.

I don’t know the people of Houston yet, but I love them and I can’t wait to share the gospel with them. I am grateful that Heavenly Father has put his trust in us by allowing us to serve missions. I know that the next 18 months of my life may very well be the most difficult thing I will ever experience, but I know that the Lord will help me through it.

I am grateful for this ward, for the leaders and the teachers I have had, for my friends, and for my family, you have all been wonderful examples to me and I love you very much.