Sweet Miracles!!! 4/27/15

Hello!! :)

How is everyone doing? Well, this week has been an interesting one. One of growth and learning, I must say, but when is it not? ;) 

Well Sister May went home on Tuesday! Oh, how I miss that girl. My new companion, Sister Upton, is just awesome though! We have already seen some great miracles this week.

Well transfer meeting got postponed because the new missionaries coming in had their flight delayed so transfer meeting was on Wednesday! I had to go down to Manchester with Sister May on Tuesday though so I got to spend half of Tuesday working with Sister Merrell and Sister Erickson in Manchester! :) We visited a sweet lady in their ward who was having some struggles and the Bishop, Bishop Dickson came with us. The man is so awesome!  I was able to sing for this lady...it was cool to see how the spirit worked on her. After we talked she was so much happier and more hopeful. Afterwards, Bishop Dickson asked for my name so he could call President Stoker and have him send me to Manchester ,ha! Which I wouldn't mind :)

Wednesday when we got back to Montpelier after a crazy drive home we met with Sister Simpson and her daughter, January. They are both so awesome. We have mainly been working with January though...so this time we went through the Restoration with her. When we were teaching her I could tell something was bothering her so we got farther along and we got talking about Heavenly Father answering our prayers, and she confessed she didn't know if He was even there. With tears in her eyes she told us how hard things were for her wiht being a teenager and not feeling loved.  Sister Upton bore a sweet testimony of God's love, the spirit was so strong in that home!! And I was reminded of Heavenly Father's love for me. He loves us. Sometimes Satan does all he can to make us forget that.

We also met with Sister Lolax on Wednesday and we also went through the Restoration with her. She still has questions about authority and knowing that the church truly is the one and only true church of Jesus Christ. We committed her to read and pray every night so that she might get her answer and she said she would! Then on Thursday we met with her again, we go on these cool walks with her every week and we will have a lesson while we're walking. It is the BEST! So anyways we are walking and talking about a recent convert and baptism. I was then prompted to asked her why she hadn't been baptized yet..she has been taught for about a year now! She said that she didn't feel like she would get an answer..so we talked about prayer and how we can show our faith by praying, reading, and going to church. And that is how we will receive our answer! The spirit was there as we spoke and Sister Lolax is committed to get her answer.

Friday we got to meet with Sandy! We read through Joshua 1, and talked specifically about verse 9. We then discussed the story of the women taken in Adultery. Sandy has guilt for things shes done and doesn't feel like she can be forgiven. But the spirit was able to touch her heart and she is changing! We committed her to come to church, and she said she would. In the past her fear has gotten the best of her and she hasn't come but she came to church on Sunday!! Oh my heart. We had a regional broadcast stake conference and Elder Andersen and Robert D Hales spoke to us. When the broadcast was over Sandy was so sad she didn't want it to be over. And then she said, "I think I'm ready to be baptized!" The change that has taken place in her heart is amazing to see. Oh how I love her!

So many miracles, not enough time! The Lord is truly blessing us here. Although this has probably been one of the rougher weeks of my mission I would not have it any other way. The Lord is shaping me and making me into the person He wants me to be as I am trying to give my heart to Him and be faithful. All He asks is our best, He loves us. 

Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

Love you all!!

Love, Sister Innes

Also, I keep forgetting to tell you that Emily Mckinley got baptized on April 9th!! :) And I got to see her at transfer meeting :)

I love Montpelier! 4/20/15

Hello family and friends :)

How goes it? Life is going great here in the state of Vermont! It has been sunny and warm this past week...which means this week it will be rainy and cold :) Welcome to Vermont!! It does what it wants. Anyways, it really has been an awesome week except for the fact that Sister May is leaving me....She leaves tomorrow and I will stay here and receive a new companion. Bitter-sweet feelings today!

Well on Tuesday we had exchanges with the Sisters who are currently serving in the Lyndon area and I got to serve with Sister Crook here in Montpelier. It was kind of cool, me and Sister May had to split up for zone meetings so me  and Sister Crook went to Essex, VT and I got to teach a whole zone of elders by myself! haha it was so fun. I loved being able to spend time with Sister Crook though, she taught me alot! She always has a smile on her face and it is so infectious! So I have been trying to be better at that. It just makes everything bette when you've got a smile on your face. ;) 

This week me and Sister May had a goal to get 3 investigators and 3 returning members at sacrament meeting and the results were amazing!! We worked our tails off, and yesterday we'll just say we about hit our goal...oh it was a beautiful day!! My heart could have bursted...a feeling I've never felt before. 

I started studying the New Testament this week and I was in Matthew 8 where it talks about all these different people Jesus christ heals and then it says " That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." And the spirit helped me to see it from a new perspective. Jesus Christ can literally heal us of sickness because he suffered it...not only does he know how it feels but he has the power to take it away because he overcame it. 3 Nephi 17:7 "Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy." He can heal any affliction if we but have faith in Him!! 

I love you all so much and hope your week is a great one!! 

Love, Sister Innes

I stand all amazed. Everyday!! 4/13/15

Hello friends and family:)

How is everyone doing? Just so you know, its a whopping 60 degrees and sunny over here!! Needless to say, the tights have come off and the legs are nice and pasty ;) Mhmm!! Love it. Me and Sister May ran a whole mile and a half this week. Yes, I ran the whole things!!! Haha I have decided that I want to run a 5k when I get home, who is with me? 

Really though, its been an amazing week. I never want to leave this place.

Monday we left for Manchester and got to have dinner at the Mission home with President and Sister Stoker so Sister May could have her exit interview. Don't get me started on that one, I am not ready for her to leave yet! I just love her so much. Anyways, it was a great night...I hadn't been to the mission home since July! I got to spend sometime talking to Sister Stoker and their daughter. Such awesome people.  We got to spend the night at the mission home and then...

Tuesday was MLC!! I absolutely loved it. Basically all of the zone leaders and sister training leaders get to meet with President Stoker and talk about how things are going in the mission, and receive training that we will then pass on to our zones. I have really been trying to figure out what I can do to be a better teacher, because to be honest it terrifies me! But, President gave us a training on how to be a better teacher (Imagine that) and it was awesome. The thing that stood out to me was that he focused on LOVE. When we have love for those we are teaching they will be more apt to receive what we are teaching and they will want to change and act on what they learn. So that is what I am trying to focus on when I teach TOMORROW! Me and Sister May are splitting up, I'm teaching a zone full of just elders (pray for me) and she is teaching our zone. It will be a good experience but I'm a tad nervous! Anyways MLC was awesome, and I love being an STL! We got into Montpelier around 8:30 that night and still had a 30 minute drive to our apartment and so we were going to stop and get gas but decided to stop closer to home. Well we are driving to the place we normally get gas and we pass this other gas station. And Sister May was like "We need to go back to that gas station, I don't know why we just do." So I'm like, "Ok?" So we go and get gas and still nothing and I'm wondering why we were led here and then out walks this man from the gas station...I was putting the gas in the car and Sister May was checking the air pressure in the tires. He asked us if there was something wrong and she explained what she was doing and He proceeded to ask what church we were with and we told him and He said, "Oh, I used to go to that church, I need to get back!! (are you kidding me?) So...you guessed it, we set up a time to see him!...we were able to meet with Larry on Friday and share the restoration, the spirit was definitely leading us in that lesson. He plans to come to church this Sunday! :)

Friday we also saw another investigator, Sandy. Oh I just love her! Satan works very hard on her at times. She loves the church and wants to be baptized but She has alot of fear. Mainly of people and them judging her. So we were able to share, Elder Bednars talk, "Therefore they Hushed Their Fears https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/therefore-they-hushed-their-fears?lang=eng . We were able to talk to her about how having Faith in Christ helps us to overcome those fears we have and the spirit was able to bear a powerful witness to her. We talked about Peter and how he kept his eyes on the Savior as he walked on the water, but as soon as he looked away he fell. But Jesus Christ reached out and grabbed him...and she loved that part. Even when we lack faith he is still there...He will never leave us! She said that she would like to work towards baptism! And she is determined to come to church on Sunday :) Miracles!  

Friday we met with Brother Yakowich and his mom! Shed fed us a yummy lunch and then were able to discuss the Book of Mormon. He is already in 1 Nephi 5! He hadn't read through the intro yet though and still had some questions concerning Joseph Smith and everything so we decided that would be perfect to read with him. While we read his mom just listened...the spirit was so strong...especially during the two last paragraphs. Afterwards she started talking about how praying is just a miracle. What a miracle it is that Heavenly Father actually listens and not only that He answers back! But why wouldn't He, he is our Father. WE talked to a couple on the street yesterday who were convinced that there was no possible way we could have a personal relationship with deity...my heart just ached for them!! I can't imagine how lost I would be without my relationship with Heavenly Father. Anyways...the spirit really touched Sister Yakowich and his mom. And my testimony of the Book of Mormon was confirmed once again! It is true!

Sunday we had Stake Conference and it was so great. President Weekes talked about the intent of our hearts...one things i loved that he said was that, "Our intent shows the strength of our faith!" I have really really learned that these last couple weeks. 

After Stake Conference we came back to Montpelier and did some street contacting, aww the weather was beautiful! And then I heard someone playing the guitar and I looked and saw a man and a girl sitting there just jamming. AWW! I was like Sister May, we need to go over there and talk to them! So we went over there and had an awesome conversation with them...the girl is 19 and she sings and plays piano, and she sings like the same stuff I did before the mission!! So, I asked them if I could sing a song for them and then they could do something for me. Coolest experience so far! I sang "How Great Thou Art" on the corner of Main Street in Montpelier, VT and aww the spirit was just bursting inside me. If thats possible? Long story short, we might be meeting with the girl this week to jam (and teach a lesson ;))!

 I also had the sweet experience of singing, "Joseph Smith's First Prayer" at a special fireside at the Joseph Smith Memorial last night. I am grateful for the things the spirit taught me as I sang. The church is true! The gospel Jesus Christ has been restored. How grateful I am! 

Well my time is up, but I love each of you so much! Have a beautiful week! :)

Love, Sister Innes

Pics: MLC, Snow in April, and Fireside with Mira and Sister May!

He is Risen!!! 4/6/2015

Hi all you people!!

Wow, what a week it has been! (I think I always say that), but really this week has been so great. This letter is really hard for me to write today and I'm not too sure why so bear with me. Maybe it's because I'm never on computers :)

Let me just start off with conference!! Rocked my face off. I am so grateful for the prophets and apostles. I am kicking myself because I forgot my conference notes at the apartment but what a spiritual feast it was this weekend. I really loved Michael T. Ringwood's talk about serving because we love God and not for the praise or attention from others. I'm just gonna spill my heart out to you for a second if you don't mind. I have fought this battle pretty much my whole life I think, worrying about what others think. And let me tell you it is not very fun. At the beginning of my mission I was worried about pictures I would send home or letters I would write, and what other missionaries thought about me. I wanted to be the perfect missionary...and I'll tell you its really tiring. I have come to a conclusion though that the only thing that matters is what God thinks. I am here serving for Him, I am here on earth to please Him. Should I be worried about what others think if He is pleased with me? No. All things we do should be out of love. Love for God, love for His children, and love for Jesus Christ. I found that I am truly happy when all I am worried about is pleasing God...so I am very imperfect. I am very weak...but I know God loves me. He will always love me. Even when I feel inadequate He loves me. And He loves you. Trust in Him and give your heart to him..its the easy way to do things...

Anyways, the Lord is blessing us in Montpelier!! We currently have 10 investigators who we are meeting with pretty regularly...one who we just started teaching this week! Her name is Liz and she is from Arizona!! It was an instant connection :) She is currently attending Norwich University here in Northfield. She is friends with a boy in the ward and she came to church last Sunday and really loved it. So we asked her if she would want to meet with us and she accepted! We met with her on Friday and the girl is just amazing. She is so open to whatever God may have planned for her. She is so respectful of our religion and really just wants to know more. We taught her the Restoration and the spirit was so strong! Aww!!

I wish I had more time to write but my P-day has been cut short so we can go to Missionary Leadership Council! My first one :) I'm excited!! 

I will write more next week...I love you all so much! Thanks for all the love and support :) 

Love, Sister Innes