EM: The Great Life

10/21/13

There was a BYU game in Houston and nobody told me!? Of course it's probably for the better because it would have been really tempting to be a disobedient missionary and go watch the game.

Anyways...

Dearest family,

How are you? How is the beautiful fall weather? It is getting cold in Texas! Plus it's been really rainy. It probably wouldn't seem freezing if I were visiting from Utah but now that I'm used to the blazing heat it feels so cold here.

Things down here in Texas are great! This week was one full of ups and downs but that's how most weeks on the mission go. The week started out awesome. I went down to Houston for training since I'm now one of the sister training leaders. President Pingree and the AP's are the ones that did the training. I love being able to sit and listen to counsel from President Pingree. I admire him so much! I wish he could just counsel me through the rest of my life.

That same day we also had the chance to go to the temple. We didn't get to go last transfer because the temple was being cleaned and it felt so good to be back there! 12 weeks was way too long to go without the temple. It makes me so grateful to have the opportunity to go so often.

We had another lesson with Erica this week. We taught her the Plan of Salvation - my favorite one to teach! She is so incredible. She told us that since we started visiting her she has already recognized a feeling of peace that wasn't ever there before. She said that when we are there in her home she feels that peace even stronger and that it's like all that worry and burden is lifted. It just goes to show you what the spirit can do in our lives! Another thing she also said was how much she appreciated the love we express to her. And I really do love her so much! I think it probably weirds out a lot of our new investigators because I always openly express how much I love them and yet I hardly know them, but it's so easy to love them.

We're still working with Rosemary, she is a toughie. She doesn't really have a desire to find out if this is true and if God is there because she feels happy and content with her life. She doesn't feel like she could be happier than she is right now. Oh how I just wish i could show her that there is SO much more happiness just waiting for her. I'm learning a lot with this one. It's so true that the most difficult investigators become your greatest learning experiences because it really makes you stretch yourself.

We starting teaching Mari again. I don't remember if i told you about her but she was one that Sister Hutchings and I knocked into a few weeks back and she is 28 so we had to give her to the Elders serving in the singles ward. Well I guess they didn't click with her and she didn't really open up to them so they gave her back to us! This past week we taught her the Plan of Salvation. She thought is was really cool! She too is a tough one though. She is very logical and scientific she isn't one to rely on faith. I asked her if she felt she could know if what we were teaching her was true and she said "no." So our challenge for her this week was to pray. She was pretty hesitant about it but she said she would try.

We visited Charles and Mary again this week and they are doing well. Before we left Mary said "Sister Gregson one of these Sunday's I'm going to surprise you." I told her I would have a heart attack if she came, that's how happy I'd be. She got a good laugh out of that. I can't wait for that Sunday!

Charles had a friend over that he knows from AA. His name is Josh and it wasn't hard to tell that he's had a hard life. He told us he has been off the drugs and alcohol for 3 days. I asked him what made him want to turn his life around and he bore his soul to us. It was incredible. He has had such a difficult life and has been through so much at such a young age just like Charles. What I have loved about listening to Charles and Josh is that they both turned their life around because they knew God had more in store for them. And through all they've been through they have both recognized that the one person that was there with them the whole way is Jesus Christ.

I have had the opportunity to serve and teach many people who have struggled with these kind of addictions since I've been on my mission and I feel so much love for them. They have overcome so much and they want so badly to change and what's incredible is that they CAN change and it's all because of Christ. I'm always reminded of what I learned early on in my mission and that is that Christ sees us for what we can become. He always has hope and faith in us.

Our new investigator is Mary and she is really cool. She is an older woman and is a former investigator. The missionaries first found her in 2012 so we decided to go back and see her. We asked her if she would be interested in letting us re-teach her the discussions and she agreed! She is amazing! She told us that when the Elders came last year and told her about the tea and coffee she lost all desire to ever drink it again so she already follows the word of wisdom! Thank you Elders!

Anyways life is great here in Bryan! I feel so good. I love what I do! I love the people I get to meet. "Can life get any better? I submit that it cannot!"

Love you all!

The Kingdom of God or nothing!

Love, Sister Gregson

My new companion