July 18, 2011

Letter from a convert...

7/12/2011
Hi Elder Rees I hope this finds you doing well. I am getting better I got sick with something called pleusey dont know if that is the correct spelling or not, but anyway it makes it rough to breathe at times. I am getting baptized this Sunday after church I didnt know if they would let you come or not I would be honored if they would cuz I really wanted one of the orginals to baptize me. I had my interview today and we talked bout everything that you both taught me I learned so much from you both and I miss you coming but I am so happy that you are able to carry on with your mission of bringing people closer to the Lord. I bet you will be happy to be back home with your family I cant imagine how you must feel without them I know you have a mission to do and tht takes your time but still. Well I will end this for now and make sure you get it later I will write more. May the Lord Bless you in everyway possible You will always be in my prayers Sister Jessica Mounce


7/17/2011
Well I did it. I was bapitized it was incredible. I cant describe the feeling that I have in my heart. I wish that u could have been there. I will always be thankful for ur teachings nd your guidance that u gave. Life will be better and I know it. To be a member of this church is such a feeling of completeness really it is. Elder Savas bapitized me He was cool when I got to know him. The Elders r now workin with Tyanna and she is studying the gospel. She will be bapitized on July 31. Then they have to work on the boys LOL they are beening a little tougher I just hope that they will find their way I dont want to push them but I want them to make the right decision too. So they told me that u check ur emails on Mondays So I hope this finds u doin well and I hope ur mission is continuing with great blessing. You do good work and I know in my hear that you will be greatly blessed for it. The wedding is in October and we r beenin married in the Southern Indiana Ward in the church we decided. Thats were we both want to be Well I am sure I could go on and on but u only have so much time I will write some more this week. I am sure I will have more to say May the Lord keep you safe and give you the guidance that you may need. You r doin a great job I do miss u but I understand the job must go on. God Bless   Sister Mounce


This is a letter from a lady that I've emailed about a few times ago.  Her name is Sister Mounce and she's amazing.  She sent me these emails, and what a boost they are.  They have really helped me understand that the work goes on no matter where we are, and little efforts of our own, go on for eternity.  The little things that we do daily, saying hi to a passing stranger, inviting non members to a church function, feeding the Elders/Sister, are little things that make Huge differences in the lives of those around us!  I'm so excited to have been apart of this Sisters' life, and to have been blessed with such a wonderful friendship that will last for a long time after the mission! 

Life here is Great, we have a baptism coming up on the 30th of July.  A Part Member family, so we are getting the wife re-activated, and the Dad is getting baptised.  He is soaking it up.  He quit smoking before we taught him the Word of Wisdom, is committed to paying tithing, which is a difficult thing for him right now, and is excited to learn as much as he can!  He's changing his friends, giving up a past life, all because he has been prepared by the Lord!   We are now finding out that we need more people to teach, we are spending time studying how to be more effective "finders" and really rely on the spirit and the Lord to find those that will receive us.  It's a struggle because 8/10 times we get, "I'm Catholic" which means nothing to 6/8 of them!  It's a tradition and people don't realize our message as the truth, which makes me think i need to be more bold with them and really lay down the message clearly at their doorsteps. 

I'm starting to realize also that there are so many miracles of being a missionary, and it's only now that I understand better what every return missionary says, "it was the hardest thing I've ever done."  Daily it feels like there is something, some part of me that says I want to give up, but then we talk to someone, or I get a letter from a convert, and it changes to, "I need to be doing more!"   You at home only hear the good stories, you don't ever get to hear of the disappointment when people don't come to church, or when you spend 3 hours tracting homes, and not one person is ready to hear the message of the Gospel.  I am loving the work, I love days when we are busy, even if we face rejection at every door, we are busy, and are striving to include the Lord in all we do.  My prayers are changing, and are changing me.  I'm realizing that the Glory Stories that most missionaries share in homecoming talks are all around me, and I have to open my eyes to what the Lord is blessing me with daily. 

I love you all, and am loving my time here on the mission, and am learning so many things that will help me down the road of life. 

More to come later, I'll be sending some pictures home soon... 

I love my Companion, We get along Great!  This letter is also going to my mission president so i have to make sure he knows that "I hate my companion" I'll use some reverse psychology on him and see if he keeps us together!  It would be amazing! 

Well Love you all,
Thanks for all you do, the letters, emails, and packages are all great, and keep me going!