April 28, 2014

Crazy how time flies.  This week has literally slipped away. I can't believe I have been in Iona for 4 weeks now! And transfer calls are this coming week. Crazy stuff!

This last week was really good. We were able to reach a lot of our goals and improve a lot with everything. It is nice now because we are working on finding more people to teach and let me give you a little insight. Finding is not the missionaries job. We are set apart to teach, its the members job to find. So find people and the missionaries will be happy. :) The members here are great though they are really working hard on finding us people to teach. Seriously Iona is amazing!

This last Saturday I was also able to go back out to Eagle Rock and see Lindsay H be baptized. Lindsay was our Golden Contact about 2 months ago. She had a few questions and was convinced that maybe in 5 or 10 years she might be baptized. She even said our first visit with her that when she knows the Book of Mormon is true she wants to be baptized. And 2 months later she was. It was so amazing to see her and her family come together over this. Her husband is a return missionary and went inactive for a few years. But this has brought him back. It was so cool to see them all together and happy. And in 1 year they can go through the temple!!!!

This week we also finished our exchanges. It was kind of weird being with Sister Barnett on Friday. But it was awesome at the same time. Can I just tell you I think we have the best sister missionaries in the world serving here. Especially around us. They are just incredible and I love them so much. 

What else can we report on! Oh okay so we spoke in a sacrament meeting with our ward mission leader. First thing you have to know about him is he was in the band Cheap Trick before he joined the church. That explains a little bit about him. He is a amazing guy, very expressive. So he decided to write a 22 page talk and it was amazing then he limited it to 8 pages and then when he got up to speak he didn't even use his talk. It was one of the most amazing talks I have ever heard. He got the ward fired up and it was one of the best sacrament meetings I have ever been to. Also he brought us lunch and gave it to us over the pulpit. He told everybody we need help and more help than just lunch we need people to teach. Anyways it was just amazing and we will see good results we think.

So I don't have to much else to say. This week was just really busy but super awesome! This area has so much potential and I'm so blessed to be serving here.

I know that this church is true and that Jesus Christ really is our Savior. I know that he is with us every step of the way and that in our hardest times we can lean upon him. I know that Heavenly father wants us to return to him so he gives us every tool we need. If we read the scriptures and pray and follow the prophet we will receive eternal life with our families. I know that this time on earth and the trials that we go through is just a blink of an eye of eternity so there is no reason to not repent and come unto Christ. I love you all so much and i miss you greatly!

Quote of the week.
"As we read and ponder the scriptures, we will experience the sweet whisperings of the Spirit to our souls. We can find answers to our questions. We learn of the blessings which come through keeping God’s commandments. We gain a sure testimony of our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, and of Their love for us. When scripture study is combined with our prayers, we can of a certainty know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is true."

• —Thomas S. Monson, "We Never Walk Alone"
  Topics: Prayer, Scripture Study

Sister Dearden