Another Week In TC 2

Hello family and friends! I hope you are all doing well and had a great week! 

You know those moments when you feel like you are a chicken running around with your head cut off-just trying to figure out what to do and feel like there is just not enough time? Because that is how my mission is beginning to feel. I find myself setting goals, and then am coming to see how quickly time is passing. It's crazy how time really does fly when life is fun. 

Have you ever wondered what God's days are like? As I have been trying to accomplish all sorts of little things, I have looked at the parents I meet and think about how crazy their lives are. I don't know how people go to school full/part time, work fill/part time, have callings, and balance family time. It looks overwhelming to be an adult! Ha! As I have thought about the game of "balance" while being a parent, I have thought about how God is able to do it. I truly don't know how He figured out how all of this life works for literally EVERY SINGLE person, so I'm just grateful for the belief that He is looking out for all of us and had it all under control. To all parents everywhere-THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!

This week was so fun. I was able to go down to Lansing for another leadership meeting. It is always so fun to see all of my friends who are serving across the state. This meeting was a little different than most, in that President took us all outside and had seats for us in a nearby little forest by a little stream. He told us of Joseph Smith and bore his testimony of the power that comes with bearing the truth of the restoration. I hope to never forget it! 

Something else I have been thinking a lot about are those moments when belief turns into knowledge. I was speaking with our branch President, and he told me about 2 specific experiences he has had when his belief turned into knowledge. Once while he was 19 and the other when he was 42. This man clearly has had many, many, many spiritual experiences, but he testified how the spirit was different in these particular instances. He (President Stirling) said, "There are many things that I am convinced of. But I truly KNOW that Jesus is the Christ. The spirit has conveyed it to me in such a way I am afraid to deny it". Joseph Smith's first "experience" may have been while he was reading James 1:5 as the spirit pressed upon him stronger than ever before. I have asked a lot of people about it, and have been thinking about signs or wonders from Heaven. In Mormon 9, it talks about how miracles or these "experiences" are not given to men to disprove their unbelief, but to strengthen the testimonies they already have. As I have talked with a lot of people about this, those individuals who have had these "experiences" seem to be able to pinpoint even an exact date on when this happened to them. Have you had an experience like this before? I know I am still waiting for my "experience", so I'll pray and search on until I truly KNOW. If you have or haven't, even Christ said, Be not afraid, only believe". 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2013/04/lord-i-believe?lang=eng

This talk has been quiet interesting for me to study this week. No matter what you are thinking or feeling, "You have more faith than you think you do". I am so grateful for this gospel and am more than convinced that it is Christ's church once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah. 

Have a great week!!!

Sister Ensign :) 

A week in the life of a Traverse City Missionary

One of my favorite quotes this week: "There are some days I feel like I was born to be a missionary, and then there are days when I feel like I will die like one". HAHA!!! SO TRUE!

Hello dear family and friends!! I hope you are doing well! So much has happened since the last P-day!

One of the coolest things that happened this week was we met a girl named Leanza Curtiss who is 22. Leanza is friends some of the members of the branch (primarily the Nelson family). She spent the last week out in Utah with the Nelson family touring Temple Square and BYU Campus. She was given a BOM a few years ago and has read it twice. She is planning on attending BYU in a year after finishing her associates here in Michigan. When we met her, she said, "So...what is this whole thing with baptism?" She is SO prepared! We honestly just sit and watch her answer her own questions! It's awesome! Her problem is that she was in the foster care system and was adopted as an older child-to a family of pastors. She really wants to join the church, but she is afraid she will lose her family over it. Any advice? We know Satan is working hard on her-especially because she will make such a strong member and cute provo mom :)

Also, while we were door knocking for a long hot day this week, we met a BRIT AND A FRENCHIE!!! AHH!!! I freaked out. Thanks Heavenly Father.

We also had a HILARIOUS experience when a member came door knocking with us! Haha!! I had never had a member come with me before (because honestly, why would people want be involved with the door knocking part of missionary work? The fun part is teaching the lessons.) I still don't know what to think of the experience, but the mission is DEFINATELY teaching me how to work with all sorts of people. Ha...

We had quite a few lessons cancel on us this week, and so we have tried to use our time to the best of our ability by seeing less actives that we haven't met yet. We stopped by a less active named Manuela who is blind. When we came in, she said, "Oh sisters. How did you know I was just praying for some help when you came here. God is real". Yes ma'am He is. It was actually a pretty neat experience.

Also while out proselyting this week, we met a man named Jim-Jim is the son in law to one of the members in the Petoskey branch. Before we introduced ourselves, he said, "You're Mormon's, aren't you?" It was a reminder that we are placed exactly where the Lord needs us to go. We were also able to see one of my favorite members who is struggling with a brain tumor. Later in the week, we were walking and Sister Fletcher said, "We need to go down this alley". As we did, we met another less active who has been hiding from the church for years. HAHA joke on him-can't hide from the spirit! Overall, it was a great week.

I have been studying the last books in the Book of Mormon and will finish the Book in the next little bit. One of my favorite quotes from Brigham Young says, "Do you read the scriptures as though you wrote them 5,000 years ago? Do you read them as though you stood in the place of those men who wrote them? It is your privilege to do so that you may be as familiar with the Spirit and meaning of the written word of God as your are with your daily walk and conversation". I have tried to imagine what it would be like to be Moroni-to watch all but 23 other men be killed, and then to be the literal last one standing. He roams around and finishes the record as he waits to die. Isn't that so sad? Image if that were you! Image what it would feel like, and how much the scriptures would mean to you then.

I truly have come to love being a missionary. It is one of the most unique experiences I think anyone cold ever experience. I honestly love it though. I am so grateful to get to serve Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ in fulfilling their work and glory in bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of men.

The Book of Blue-the church is true!

Love you!!

Xoxo

Sister Ensign