I don't like transfers....

Hi Youins! (yes people actually say that down here)

Well this week was fantastic and then transfer calls came...and I'm leaving Mountain Grove!! So this Thursday I'll be heading to Bartlesville, Oklahoma. My new companion's name is Sister Murray and we'll be covering two areas I think! Agh I don't want to leave here! I love this area and all of the people here! As I was thinking about it though, it's a good thing I'm sad to be leaving because if I wasn't then that means I didn't give anything to the area. I truly put my heart and soul into the work here in Mountain Grove and loved a lot of people! As I look back, these last three of months have changed me a lot and I'm so grateful that the Lord stuck me here in Mountain Grove! I know that I'll soon feel the same way about Bartlesville too.

We had exchanges at the beginning of the week which was fun! We found a lot of people that we could teach! Oh guess what??? We got four new investigators this week and we'll probably get two more this week! One investigator couple fed us and we taught them. They have a lot of questions because they have been studying with the Jehovah Witnesses. Some of their questions are really interesting haha. The other couple, the lady was a former investigator (I can't remember if I told you this story so I'm gonna tell it again haha) and she moved in with her boyfriend in Hartfield and stopped meeting with the missionaries. Well we lost track of her because she moved again and while we were tracting in a trailer park we asked a lady (who was not interested at all haha) if there was anybody around that could use a message and she pointed over to a trailer and said "Those people need Jesus." So when we knocked on the door it was Leatha! We've taught her last Friday and she's been having a rough go of it. But she wants to start the lessons again! 

On Saturday, our ward had a service project for some elderly people in the ward. A whole bunch of people showed up and they put up a fence for the horses and we landscaped. It was awesome! Then we had a chili cook off afterwards. I was tired after that haha. 

Well I hope ya'll have a good week!! Next time I write I'll be in Oklahoma!!! Love you!

Love

Sister Larmouth

Trailer Parks and Jehovah Witnesses!

Hey ya'll!

This week...oh boy I'm sure glad this week is over! But I learned a lot so it's good. We had a district outing last Monday which one of the Elders made pancakes...heh heh. I didn't eat too many of those haha. On Tuesday we visited Donna, one of our investigators, and we brought one of the Bishop's daughters with us. We were so excited because we learned that Donna's daughter (who takes care of Donna) was reading the Book of Mormon! Well, the member that usually goes on exchanges with us text us later that night and the daughter didn't want us to visit for a couple of weeks :( That was really hard because I love Donna so much. Hopefully sometime in the future we'll be able to come back. 

Oh guess what!!! We tracted into a guy named Fernando and he's been studying with the Jehovah Witnesses for a year with his wife. Well we made an appointment and his wife had tons of questions and wants to take the lessons and we're so excited!! This was a Jehovah Witness filled week! We got a referral from one of our members and this guy and his wife have been studying with the Witnesses too! They are super nice and we invited them to family night with our Relief Society president and they're going to come tonight!! I'm so excited!! 

Guys! I love trailer parks! The people there are so humble and they are really easy to tract! We found quite a few potentials there! 

Oh and I have found that I actually enjoy role plays (where you practice teaching with your companion). I have had so many spiritual experiences this week just role playing! One of the scriptures that I was using in the role play was Doctrine and Covenants 15:6. It says, "And now, behold, I say unto you, that the thing which will be of the most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people, that you may bring souls unto me, that you may rest with them in the kingdom of my Father. Amen." The words "will be of most worth" really stuck out to me. I could think of a lot of things that are of great worth to me but is sharing the gospel at the top of the list? Then I thought about as we come closer to Christ and acquire his attributes then what is of most worth to Him will become of most worth to us. Others' salvation should be of the utmost important to us and be of most worth to us. So my goal is to make that be the most worth to me. 

I love you all!!

Love Sister Larmouth

I am NOT pregnant!!

Hi Ya'll!!

How is everybody?? So this has been a fantastic week!! Especially with General Conference at the end!! So remember how I told you I gained ten pounds?? Well we were talking with a recent convert's crazy mother, and I mean this lady probably needs to be institutionalized, and we have a member with us (who is about to leave on his mission) and she asks if I'm pregnant!! So we all start laughing and then say no, no I'm not pregnant thank you very much and then she says it's probably because I drank sweet tea with radiation in it hahahaha (Mormons don't drink tea). So I'm either pregnant or breaking the Word of Wisdom haha. I'm going to have to do some ab workouts or people will start to get the wrong idea! I'm trying to find solace in the fact that she's crazy, but I have to admit my tummy is getting a bit rounder haha. 

So we had a pretty dang good week! We found a lot of potentials and part-member families that we are going to start teaching. I can't wait! Yesterday, we had an appointment with a lady that we met last Sunday. Unfortunately, she wasn't there. We didn't know what to do so we decided to go somewhere else. As we were driving I just felt wrong about going where we were going. So we decided to turn around and go back to visit the lady we had an appointment with. As we drove up, her husband came and talked to us and told us that she wasn't there. I have never felt the Spirit so strong with someone that I have just met. I knew that that was where we were supposed to be and that that family was primed to hear the gospel. I can't wait to teach them!! 

Conference was amazing!!! All the talks were amazing but the Sunday Morning Session just blew me away!! It was so hard to watch President Monson struggle to stand as he spoke. I already love the new Apostles that were called! And President Nelson's talk about women was fantastic!! And of course I loved Elder Holland's talk about mothers! Sister Marriott's was awesome too! I can't wait to be able to read all of the talks so I can remember what was said!!! 

I love you all!!! 

Love

Sister Larmouth

Zone Conference!

Hey peeps!!

We had zone conference this week!!! It was pretty dang awesome! It was a really spiritual experience and I learned a lot! President Loveland is the goofiest guy haha. I've heard a lot about the previous President and people say it's like a black and white difference haha. He's so wiggly (no really he wiggles when he talks haha). he's really spiritual though and guess what he talked about??? That's right! The Sabbath Day. I really feel like this has been a church theme. We need to understand the importance of the Sabbath and what sign we want to give to God on the day set aside to worship Him. 

We also had exchanges this week...I went with the Sister Training leader's companion and it made me really grateful for my companion and how well we get along haha. She wasn't bad we just didn't click. She made me a Plan of Salvation cut out though :) I just have to tell you how much I love my companion. She gets the weird me haha.

We had our baptism!!! Patty and Becca are awesome. This lady is already through the Doctrine and Covenants! That's crazy! They were a part member family and were found a transfer before I came. It was awesome because Patty's husband was able to baptize them! 

In our town, there was a 13 year old girl who got both forms of leukemia and the whole town pulled together to help her. Belle (our mission mom) worked with her mom and somehow is kind of related to them. Other people we work with a lot knew her too. She passed away this week. It was a really hard thing but we know that she is in a better place and is no longer hurting. There is a quote by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf that says, "Endings are not our destiny. The more we learn about the gospel of Jesus Christ, the more we realize that endings here in mortality are not endings at all. They are merely interruptions - temporary pauses that one day will seem small compared to the eternal joy awaiting the faithful. how grateful I am to my Heavenly Father that in His plan there are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings." 

General Women's Session was amazing as well! I loved it all!!! President Uchtdorf's talk was fantastic!! I want a copy of his talk so badly! We want to print it out to give it to one of our investigators :) Oh and guys! Go watch the "Testimony of the Book of Mormon" Mormon Message!! I love it. Elder Holland is my favorite haha. Well I love you all!

Love,

Sister Larmouth

Operation Less Active Leprechaun

Hey Ya'll!!!

This has been a pretty awesome week! We have seen a lot of miracles!! For starters our zone leaders came up with "Operation Less Active Leprechaun" (leprechaun for all of the greenies in our zone! We are getting 20 every transfer!!) But we are committed to see 3 less actives a day and bring members with us. And let me tell you that we saw miracles!! I think we implemented this on Friday and we had 8 lessons!! That never happens!! (The standard for the week is 20 lessons and we hardly ever hit that and in one day we got almost half of that!!) I think we only actually saw 1 less active but you are supposed to clover tract (tract the surrounding houses) 5 houses and we placed a ton of Books of Mormon and got a whole bunch of return appointments! Yay for inspiration!!! We also got two new investigators! This is pretty dang cool!!! So we are huge supporters of operation less active leprechaun haha. 

We had an interesting experience at a recent convert's house haha. She loves horses and she started to tell us how they breed hahahaha! She went into a lot of detail which was...interesting haha! 

I had lemon meringue pie for the first time too!! It was actually pretty good! Oh guys we have a baptism this weekend!!! Patty and Becca are getting baptized!! And Patty's husband is going to be able to baptize them!! This is fantastic! It's both of our first baptisms so it's gonna be pretty awesome! 

So yesterday we were in Relief Society and we talked about pride...ya I got some of that haha. It was based on President Benson's talk "Beware of Pride." Well dang. Read that!!! I didn't know a lot of that stuff fell under pride! So my new goal is to get rid of that haha. 

I've also been thinking a lot about prayer, scripture study, and service too. That's been coming up a lot lately for me and really those principles seem like the answer to almost everything! There's a quote by Elder Bednar that says, "Each family prayer, each episode of family scripture study, and each family home evening is a brush stroke on the canvas of our souls. No one event may appear to be very impressive or memorable. But just as the yellow and gold and brown strokes of paint complement each other and produce an impressive masterpiece, so our consistency in doing seemingly small things can lead to significant spiritual results." Reading and praying will increase our faith, it will give us peace and invite the Spirit into our lives! Not reading out of obligation or rote prayers, but sincerely and treasuring the opportunity will enliven your life in so many ways! I used to read the Book of Mormon out of obligation and it honestly didn't do that much for me, but when I started to read it and treasure the words there's no words to describe the happiness that I have because of it! We have one hour of personal study each morning and it's not enough time! Read the Book of Mormon! I love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Larmouth   

Who would have thought it possible?

Hi Ya'll!!!

This week has been a bit crazy but in a good way haha :D Guys!!! I've gained ten pounds!!! 10 pounds!!!! In six weeks!!!! At that rate you might not recognize me when I come home hahahah!!

The first part of the week was hard because you never know what kind of companion you're going to get so I was a little apprehensive haha. But we spent the first part of the week saying goodbye to people and oh goodness. Another food story...so I am not a fan of melon but people really like to feed it to you. Well I can choke it down but this lady gave us a huge bowl of watermelon and then made this awful green drink...terrible awful. Usually I have something to wash down the bad taste but I had to alternate watermelon and the green drink. I can still taste that drink just thinking about it haha. 

Well transfers day came!! Sister Gerard is awesome! She likes a lot of the same things I do too! It's actually nice leading the area because I feel like I know what I'm doing a little bit better :) She's super spiritual and really receptive to the Spirit which is awesome! 

So I have learned a lot this week!!! I was studying in Mosiah 24 for personal study this week and the story really kind of hit me. It was when the Lamanites took Alma's people into bondage when they were in Helam. They would kill the people if they prayed aloud so they prayed in their hearts. The Lord heard their prayers but He told them that they wouldn't be taken out of bondage but He would make their burdens light. In verse 15 it says, 

"And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord. 

"And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience that the voice of the Lord came unto them again, saying: Be of good comfort, for on the morrow I will deliver you out of bondage."

Those scriptures really struck me because the Lord won't always take away our trials but he will give us the strength so that "we may be able to bear them." I also love how because of their patience (which is what I'm trying to work on :) and cheerfulness during their difficulties, He delivered them out of bondage. 

I also had the opportunity to speak in sacrament meeting...again! This time it was on fasting and I learned loads! One quote, "...often our prayers have no power because we have turned our backs on the needy. If you feel that heavenly Father is not listening to your petitions, ask yourself if you are listening tot he cries of the poor, the sick, the hungry, and the afflicted all around you." That was by Joseph B. Wirthlin. I have never ever thought of that before. Not the whole giving to the poor but that's sometimes why the Lord doesn't answer our prayers!!! My talk was based on fast offerings :D

So another cool experience that we've had this week is "Spirit Driving." We had 20 minutes before curfew and so we decided to try out spirit driving. We get to a stop and decide which way to go as the Spirit directs. Well we ended up passing by a guy that I knew we needed to talk to but it was dark and he looked kind of creepy so we drove on. Finally the Spirit was telling me to turn around and so we went and talked to the guy. We acted like we were lost so we could talk to him easier. Well it turns out that he's been looking for a church to go to! We have an appointment with him this coming week!! So cool!!!

Well I love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Larmouth

My first anti.....

Hola!!!

This week was actually a really good week!! Last Monday we had a zone outing which was really fun! We played volleyball and watched Johnny Lingo and The Phone Call (church movies) at a movie theatre a member owns. Two girls from the ward came with us that we have gotten really close to. So on Tuesday we had the goal to give away 6 Books of Mormon. We didn't reach our goal BUT we saw some awesome miracles. Sometimes goals are there to give us opportunities we wouldn't have seen otherwise! So whilst tracting a street we had no success at all. Nobody wanted to listen to us (by the way people are really nice down here so I haven't ever gotten a door slammed in my face yet) and this one lady was actually really anti. My first anti experience!!! She was Jehovah Witness and she told us she already received a Book of Mormon and she threw it in the trash! She was really snobby and tried to argue with us. But after we went home a little dejected we saw a guy across from our apartment!! We ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and teaching a short lesson! Then as we were driving (we had just found out one of our tail lights was out) a cop pulls behind us and there was a stop light coming up, so I turned into McDonald's without braking which was really fun (I didn't even get an "aggressive driving" from Tiwi (the big brother we drive with haha)). I saw this guy on a motorcycle and we decided to talk to him. He was awesome and we talked to him for thirty minutes! We gave him a Book of Mormon too!! The Lord puts people into your path when you are doing all that you can do! 

 So I was reading in Preach My Gospel today and it quoted President George Albert Smith. He said, "We will attain our exaltation in the Celestial Kingdom only on the condition that we share with our Father's other children the blessings of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and observe the commandments that will enrich our lives here and hereafter." Isn't that awesome?! Guys! Share the gospel! I've never been happier in my life as when I'm devoting my time to sharing the gospel! 

Ok and another miracle. We needed to push back our investigator's baptism date and so we prayed about it. I felt really strongly that it should be the 26th and my companion felt that it should be the 19th. I remember when I read in Preach My Gospel it said to be confident in what you have been prompted by the Spirit so I was a little stubborn when it came to the date. So that is the date that we went with and it was the only day that she had off!! And it was her daughter's birthday! 

And then we had a couple lessons about reaching our potential with some less-active members. If you haven't watched the Mormon Message "The Will of God" watch it!! Heavenly Father knows who He wants us to be and He will mold us into that person. I love you all so much!!!

Love

Sister Larmouth