THEY GOT BAPTIZED!

July 20 2015

Man what a week! missions are emotional roller coasters, that is for sure! I have happy and sad news. Which one do you want first? Ha too bad you cant pick. 

  

One word. TRANSFERS. Yes, I am getting transferred. I am officially leaving my first area, and getting a new companion. My adventure starts on Wednesday! I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared. So please keep Sister Sutton and I in your prayers. I have really grown to love this area and the people in it! I have had so many funny and interesting experiences here. Man I feel like I am dying.... enough off the sad stuff. Lets hear the good stuff!

Well folks all the hard work has paid off Paula and Da'mya are baptized, and officially a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There is no better feeling than, watching the people you have come to love choose to follow Jesus Christ. It is such a special experience helping someone progress towards baptism! Watching her come to know that what we have taught is true, is so motivating to keep looking for the people the Lord is preparing. I love this Gospel so much , it has blessed me and my family tremendously. This gospel has made me the person I am today. I love my savior and his work so much. 

I hope you all have a great week!! 

PS. I will be moving areas so if you are currently in the works of a letter to send my way, please hold off. Ill send my new address next week! :) 

1.This is our life.

2. Paula and Da'mya 

sister j

July 13th 2015:

This week was a good one, the weather hasn't been too deathly but that is mostly because it pours for random periods of time so then it cools it down outside..and then it gets super humid and my hair gets nice and fluffy. I have decided I will never be comfortable with any weather here because either it is burning hot and humid outside which makes me sweat buckets and then I go into air conditioning and it feels really good for about 5 min. and then I freeze because I am so wet, or its pouring rain and I am soaking wet and then I am cold. So in general, Florida's weather is dumb. But, I'm sure I will miss it some day!

So last Monday was quite special! Me and Sister Sutton were at the Winn Dixie grocery shopping and as we are walking down the isle the manager of the store comes up and asks us if we are the owners of a silver car with a bike rack on the back. Yep that was us! He said come with me, someone has just witnessed your car being damaged in the parking lot. So long story short some person hit our parked car, took out a piece of paper and pretended to write their information on it and left the lovely blank piece of paper on our windshield. The front left of our car is pretty bad! So that was fun, they couldn't get the license number or anything either so we have no clue who did it. Anyway that made Pday sort of a downer.

Our investigators Paula and her daughter Demiah Henderson are supposed to be baptized this Saturday! We are SO excited!!! It has been almost two months that we've been teaching them and I think this is finally it! They both have their interviews and everything set up this week and the baptism will take place on Saturday at 10:00 am. We have worked so hard with this family and this was me and Sister Suttons first ever experience with teaching anyone or preparing anyone for baptism and we might actually get it done! Keep them in your prayers for us!
 

Well folks I love and miss you all! I know this is the Lords work and I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to be in Florida for 18 short months! Have a splendid week and remember who you are! 

1. coolest tree ever!

Live what you know to be true.

July 6 2015

I am really starting to love it here, I mean I am getting tan and burning calories all day! Isn't that what every girl dreams of doing!? I get to do it 24/7. No, but really no sarcasm intended. I really do like it here.

It is always funny when a teenager or a college guy answers the door. There expressions when they see two young, blond, sweaty girls at the door is always priceless. This last week we knocked on this apartment full of college boys. They were really surprised to see us at their door step. I don't think they took us very seriously, they were teasing us and being kind of disrespectful. They said they would watch the 2 minute video on Jesus Christ. So we showed them Because He Lives, as soon as the video was over, you could tell they realized we were serious. They were really nice and respectful after. Sister Sutton and I laughed pretty hard. And they got a huge spiritual slap in their face! It was fun to watch. 

The 4th of July was a long day. No one was home, and we had spent the whole day knocking on doors. We knocked on this one house, a lady answered and turned us down. We left and continued down the street, when we heard someone calling us, we turned around and it was the same lady that just rejected us. She felt bad and thought of her son and how he is around our same age, so she decided to invite us over for dinner! We gladly accepted the offer. Unfortunately I think she had a hidden agenda to hook one of us up with her son.

I have come to a conclusion on my mission; Ice cream cures the soul. And when You have the Book of Mormon and Ice cream together, it is a crucial tool in soothing the soul. So If you are having a bad day just sit down get yourself a nice bowl of ice cream, and read The Book of Mormon.

I hope you all have a splendid week :)

1. My homie; Sister Sutton. ( don't tell her I sent this.)  

2. EVERYONE WILL HEAR MY MESSAGE!! 

3. This picture is deceiving, I didn't really jump in.

-Sis J

My heart is empty, but my belly is full

June 29 2015:

You know when Dory on finding Nemo says," Just keep swimming, just keep swimming." I say that to myself everyday. Missions are hard, but you really learn how to make the best out of every situation. When times get hard it really helps you recognize the Lords hand in your life! And I see his hand everyday! 

 Our ward mission leader moved! It doesn't get better than Brother Lewis! He has been the best ward mission leader ever! It was really sad saying bye to his family, but Sister Sutton and I have already started planning our trip to Cali to visit the Lewis family! 

 The senior couple in our ward, the Mcara's had to go back home due to medical reasons. That was really hard. They live right under us and we have really became close to them. It was really hard saying bye to them! I thought that I was done with my goodbyes. Man was I wrong!! But they gave us all of their food, we we wont have to shop for awhile! 

 Sister Sutton and I try several things to try and entertain us while we are knocking doors and street contacting. It is amazing the things that actually entertains us, like this week we have been entertained by a penny. One of us will pick heads or tails and whichever one it lands on has to do something. For example, Sister Sutton told me every time I saw a lizard I had to stick my tongue out, and every time she saw a bird she has to jump. We might have looked slightly ridiculous, but then again we already look ridiculous walking around all day in this heat. 

I hope you all have a great week!

P.s I am accepting letters! 

 502 S Fremont Ave

Apt. 816

Tampa Fl, 33606

Sister J

"Fake it till you make it"-Amy Rasmussen

Soccer game

The Mcaras

Brother Lewis

Let Go and Let God

June 22 2015

I am sorry I didn't send an email last week, believe it or not they are kind of annoying to send. But, I love you all so I will continue to write them. This last week was really good, we actually had some lessons! It was a nice little break from knocking on doors. It is really starting to get hot here. When I first got here everyone would say, "Just you wait! It is not even hot!" Now I know what they are talking about. Lets just say I burn lots and lots of calories. Sometimes I want to knock on someones door and say, "Hi I am Sister Sweatsalot and I am from Frizzville" The humidity makes my hair look beautiful! I pretty much look like I have a fro, my hair gets so frizzy. Anyways, now I am just rambling. 

  This last week in my studies I was reading in 2 Nephi 31 when Jesus Christ is baptized. Something that really stuck out to me was the fact that he didn't need to be baptized, and there are several reasons why he didn't, but one in particular really stood out to me. "Witness unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments." He didn't need to be baptized, it didn't apply to him. But, because He loves our Father he did it! In the tropical guide it says that obedience is walking with the Father. I know we all have the desire to walk with the Father, In order to walk with Him. We have to obey the commandments he gave us. Sometimes we pick and choose the commandments we want to follow, because we don't think they all apply to us. That is not the case, we need to follow ALL of them, they ALL apply to us, every single one of them!! God is all knowing he has a purpose to everything he asks of us. 

 So Sister Sutton and I knocked on this old guys house. He opened the door and said" Now which one of you is the most attractive one?" we started laughing pretty hard, he then said " I know what your name is, your initials are G.B, Giggle Bottoms."  He was the cutest old man! Unfortunately he was not interested, but we got a good laugh out of it! 

 Well Folks I love you all, and I know that God loves each and everyone of you! I hope you have a fabulous week!

P.S. HAPPY FATHERS DAY! Also, Happy birthday to my brother Samuel!

Sister J

I stole this headband from Erica.. so Erica if you are wondering where it went.. sorry..

Typical

6 MORE WEEKS!

June 8 2015

I am pleased to announce Sister Sutton and I get 6 more weeks together! We are thrilled! I can not believe I am already on my third transfer. Time flies! There is a lot of work that needs to be done in the area, so I am really excited that I get another transfer to get this area progressing!

 A lot has happen this week! We are trying to get the Henderson family ready for baptism. This Is mine and Sister Suttons first baptism, so we are pretty excited and nervous! They are so prepared! They are definitely what people would call a golden investigator! The Lord sure blessed us!

Last Pday we went to the beach for a mission party. It was really fun to see my companion from the MTC, and to just get to know the missionaries. The beaches here are beautiful!

Sister Sutton and I were walking back to our apartment one day, and on our way we passed a Jewish church. out of no where this Jewish guy pops out and starts following us, we started walking faster, and so was he. I was starting get a little nervous because every time we would walk faster he would too, and finally he stopped us and asked if we were Jewish and if we believed in the Messiah. Then he pulls out his wallet and says do you want to see the real messiah? He is 107 years old. It was an interesting experience to say the least.

Well folks I love you all!

Sister J

Yes, we are twins. We were just separated at birth.

Look it is Sister Sackley!!

Check out my rain boots

You have such a glow about you.. No it's just sweat.

June 1 2015:

Hello friends and family! This week has been amazing! WE SET A DATE!  We have been working hard for the past few weeks, and haven't had too much luck with finding people. But we didn't lose faith, we kept being diligent and The Lord blessed us with a FAMILY!!! We are so excited!
   Sister Sutton and I were biking down the street and passed this homeless man, he was looking straight ahead and just yelled, "Praise God for beautiful women!" That is when I say, "Oh Tampa! s
  In District meeting we have been really focusing on planning, because we are more effective and efficient when we have good solid plans. I never really thought that planning was so important, but it is very true. Something that really stood out to me was; are you planning to fulfill our fathers plan? It made me really look at where I am right now, and where I plan on going when I get home. My end goal is to live with my Father in Heaven, am I taking the steps that will lead me there? These were kind of the questions I asked myself after district meeting. I think they are very important questions, that will help you evaluate the path you are on in life, and see if that path leads you to what your end goal is. If its not look to your father for strength in changing directions. He will help you, and I can testify to that! I have asked for SO MUCH HELP on my mission, and I have received every bit of strength I have needed. God lives and He loves each and everyone of you! 

  Well Folks I apologize for all of my short and random emails. I love and miss you all!

Sister J

Yes this is a cricket

Because I have an aunt named Nance, and I love her.

Florida storms are amazing!