G.R.I.T.S - Girls Raised In The South

April 25th 2016:

Hello family and friends! 

What insect goes well with jelly?

A peanut butterfly. 

I'm still alive! Mulberry is treating me well! Sister Morgan and I have been trying to get to know the members and our area. We got our relief society president to send us a southern word of the day, that way I can sound southern when I get home! This week I learned G.R.I.T.S. (My caption of the week)  My dream is to be southern- it's a work in progress. We have been doing lots and lots of finding :) We are on a hunt for the elect here in Mulberry. 

D&C 8:2-3

2 Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.

3 Now, behold, this is the spirit of revelation; behold, this is the spirit by which Moses brought the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground. I have been thinking a lot about this scripture lately, and how I've seen it happen in my life, and more specifically on my mission. I can think of times where random ideas have come to my mind, and then I feel peace with it. I have come to learn that personal revelation comes when our hearts and minds match, they feel the same! But we aren't going to receive revelation if we aren't willing to act on it, we have to do our part! Robert D Hales talked about this very same thing in this last conference he said; "The Holy Ghost provides personal revelation to help us make major life decisions about such things as education, missions, careers, marriage, children, where we will live with our families, and so on. In these matters, Heavenly Father expects us to use our agency, study the situation out in our minds according to gospel principles, and bring a decision to Him in prayer." God wants to direct our paths, he wants us to make him a part of decisions we have to  make, so go to him in prayer! He will direct you! 

Sunday night we went and taught the restoration to a family in the Ward, we talked about the priesthood, we asked them what miracles have they seen in their lives from it. As they listed several miracles, I couldn't but help think of some miracles I have seen in my life. I can't deny the priesthood and the power that it is. I am so grateful that I have a worthy dad and brothers who hold the priesthood authority of God. I know that the priesthood is Gods authority, and that it was through Joseph Smith that we have it on the earth in these latter days. 

I hope y'all have an awesome week! I know I will, because I'm a missionary and life is pretty awesome here in Florida.  

We went to an ROTC competition. It was so cool!

We made dolls for a relief society activity.

We found a banana plant!!

You know you want the gospel!

Sister J

The Third Highest Point in Florida

April 11th 2016

Hola Folks! 

It turns out that I did get the boot, and I got booted to the backwoods. :) it's awesome. I'm with my people. 

Why did the baseball player leave the stadium? 

His coach told him to run home. 

Well it has been one hectic week, we got a call Tuesday morning from our APs telling us that Sister Morgan and I will be getting transferred. We left Wednesday morning to Mulberry Florida to serve in the highlands Ward. Sister Morgan and I got to stay together, which means that neither of us know where we are or where we are going. :) In missionary terms it's called "white washing". Our Ward hasn't had Sisters in over a year, they were really excited to find out that the sisters were back! I miss good ol' St Pete, but I'm excited to explore Mulberry Florida! :) one side of my area is full of cows, fields, and hills (the third highest point in Florida is in my area which is a hill we walk on). The other side is the backwoods full of gator wrestlers and southern accents. :) it doesn't get better than this. 

And because I know you all are wanting to write me a letter my new address is,

5921 Tropher Trail Mulberry, Florida 33860. 

In other words PLEASE WRITE ME A LETTER! And for those that just sent a letter to my old address, I will hopefully get it in a couple of weeks.... I hope. And If I don't respond to your letter, that is because It never got forwarded to me. :( 

I'm with my people :)

This sign was outside a church.

Sister J

You can't out run a thunder storm :)

April 4th 2016:

Sister Morgan and I learned the hard way that you can't out run a thunderstorm, no matter how fast you can run. 

 What kind of fish fixes musical instruments?
A piano "tuna."
Man, do I have a miracle for you! After a lesson we had  Sister Morgan felt prompted to walk around the neighborhood, as we walked I had the thought to knock on this random door, I ignored it but it quickly came back! So I told Sister Morgan that we should knock on this door. This sweet young mom named Jessica opened the door. We showed her the Easter video and testified of eternal families, and that she has the chance to be with her family forever. She shared with us that she lost her husband a couple of years ago, and she hopes she can see him again. We told her she will see him again, and asked if we could come back to explain how that is possible. She gave us her address, apparently that wasn't even her house, it was her moms and she wasn't even suppose to be there when we showed up!! Gods hand WAS in it! If that wasn't a miracle I don't know what was. Anyways, we showed up for our lesson (which she remembered-they never remember) and got started right away. As soon as we started talking about how she was a daughter of God and he knows her inside and out, the spirit just enveloped the room! You could not deny the spirit at that moment, it was so powerful. And it was instant that we felt it! It was the strongest when we testified of families and how they were created to last after the grave. You could just see hope enter her heart. She has felt sad, lost, and confused for several years. She does not have the knowledge of where her husband is right now, she said she hopes he is okay. We are so blessed to have the knowledge that our loved ones that have passed away are being taken care of. I will be forever grateful for this chance that I have to tell people like Jessica that she will be with her husband again! We shared the rest of the lesson, and she just soaked it all up! We committed her to be baptized onMay 14th, she was so happy when we asked, and said she is going to take it off work right when she gets in!! 


Are you past feeling?
1 Nephi 17:45 Ye are swift to do iniquity but slow to remember the Lord your God. Ye have seen an angel, and he spake unto you; yea, ye have heard his voice from time to time; and he hath spoken unto you in a still small voice, but ye were past feeling, that ye could not feel his words; wherefore, he has spoken unto you like unto the voice of thunder, which did cause the earth to shake as if it were to divide asunder.
Are you to the point where you can't feel the spirit talking to you anymore? And you can't feel his words? If you have gotten to that point where you can't recognize God speaking to you, get on your knees and pray! You can NOT get through this life without the promptings of the spirit. The Sprit takes you down a path of peace and happiness, I can promise you if you repent and change the spirit will guide you and you will be able to recognize the spirit again. Don't let yourself get past feeling, be diligent in your daily scripture study and prayer. God loves you and he wants to guide you, but he can't if you aren't listening. So listen to the prophets and apostles! The lord speaks through them! I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of the Lord and his only purpose is to testify of our Savior, I can promise you if you listen to him that he will help you recognize the voice of the spirit again. Heed to his words and don't let this happen to you- 1 Nephi 19:9 And the world, because of their iniquity, shall judge him to be a thing of naught; wherefore they scourge him, and he suffereth it; and they smite him, and he suffereth it. Yea, they spit upon him, and he suffereth it, because of his loving kindness and his long-suffering towards the children of men.

We just got the transfer email and Sister Morgan and I are staying together in St Pete! Yay!

Everyone will hear my message!

Sister Morgan and I

It's Conference! Wahoo!!

This is how I feel about the heat coming. But on the bright side, I'm wearing pants :D (ps Sister Morgan is queen of taking pictures when I'm not paying attention, so here is a candid photo for you)

How are you following Christ?

Sister J

Practice makes better, Jesus makes perfect.

March 21st

What do Olympic runners use to check their e-mail?

The sprinter-net. 

Hola family and friends, 

It was just another week in paradise. :) I don't have too much to report to y'all this week, because so much has happen I can't even think of one thing in specific. Sister Morgan and I are the Sister Training Leaders over the Saint Petersburg Zone. We had the chance to lead an exchange with some sisters we are over. I headed over to Palm Harbor and worked with Sister Minson for the day! We did lots and lots of finding:) and it was hot. Things are warmin' up here in good old St Pete. I am getting some killer sandal tan lines! ;) 

 We received a self referral from Mormon.org from a lady named Jennifer. She has been researching the church and decided that she wanted a B of M! She asked and we delivered :D We will be seeing her a lot this next week. I'm pretty pumped! 

  Sorry this email is short. I thought it was better than nothing! I just want you all to know that I know that my savior lives today. I feel him in my life everyday! This last week I have really focused on studying the atonement, and it has made a difference in my relationship with him. I know when we apply Christs atonement that we can truly feel relief and love. This is one of my favorite scriptures in the book of mormon. 

  3 Nephi 19:30 And when Jesus had spoken these words he came again unto his disciples; and behold they did pray steadfastly, without ceasing, unto him; and he did smile upon them again; and behold they were white, even as Jesus.

I know Christ is smiling down on us! If you feel your relationship weakening- study christs atonement. I promise you will feel him more in your life, and you will feel him smiling down on you! 

I love you all! HAPPY EASTER! 

FollowHim.mormon.org

Last year with Sister Sackley!

This year with Sister Sackley! We have learned so much! We can spell now;)

Check out our calves;)

Sister J

6 months left!

March 7th 2016:

What did the mama bird say when her babies hatched?

Flappy birthday. 

 A year ago today I was in the MTC! Can you believe I have been gone for a year? Every week goes by faster and faster! It blows my mind. 

 Ether 6 is the bomb. There is so much in it that can be applied today! We were reading with Haritha (a less active we are working with) and man the spirit was just pointing things out to me left and right! Verse 5 says;5 And it came to pass that the Lord God caused that there should be a furious wind blow upon the face of the waters, towards the promised land; and thus they were tossed upon the waves of the sea before the wind.  God sent winds to guide them to the promise land. Now look at verse 8; 8 And it came to pass that the wind did never cease to blow towards the promised land while they were upon the waters; and thus they were driven forth before the wind. God never stopped pushing them towards the promise land. Now backwards to verse 7; 7 And it came to pass that when they were buried in the deep there was no water that could hurt them, their vessels being tight like unto a dish, and also they were tight like unto the ark of Noah; therefore when they were encompassed about by many waters they did cry unto the Lord, and he did bring them forth again upon the top of the waters. Were they scared In the barrages? Um yes! Heck they were being swallowed up in the sea, they could have died. But they made the boat tight like a dish, so water couldn't get in!  The lord sends us trials(the wind) to guide us back to him. If we never had trying times we would never turn to him. Sometimes we let trials break us, if we are tight to our testimonies (like the barges) and hold on God will lead us to the promise land. But we have to hold on and in verse 11  shows just how long they held on;11 And thus they were driven forth, three hundred and forty and four days upon the water.For 344 days they were confined inside a tiny boat that had no opening. There were days where they probably  thought it would never end. Just like trials we face today, there are days where we feel we can't make it another second. But, if we are tight to our testimonies and let these trials take us where God wants us to be, we will receive blessings that we can't even imagine! Just like Jarod's people, they let the winds, storms, and waves guide them to the promise land, but they had to have a tight boat or water would get in and they would drown. And last they had to have patience in their travels, they had to wait 344 days before they could see land and even sunlight! We have to be patient with trials in this life, because we have eternal life with our families waiting for us. 

Sister Morgan and I have been doing a lot of seed planting. :) so pray that they will all grow! I hope you all have a grand ol week! 

Why not?

Chillin' in the Burg.

This is my friend Va'epopua Priimrose Uhatafe :)

Cheesy year mark pic.

Sister J