Last emails of Sister Younce's Mission!

Email from 10/20/2014

Hey Yall! Everyone that has heard my parents speak say that they do
have a southern twang,.. But they all say that I'm neutral!  Let's
help me get back into my southern ways starting tomorrow!

It's been quite a last week! We had lots of farewell celebrations and
testimony meetings for the 6 departing sisters from the VC, and it was
mostly a house-keeping week.  We taught a few lessons, but more so I
was concentrating on making sure everything was taken care of and that
there weren't any loose ends with investigators and he people I had
taught before. There was such an outpouring of love as everyone in the
ward thanked me for my service and embraced me.

We did get to go to see "meet the MORMONS" as a mission, and it was
great! Have Yall gone to see it yet or is it even still playing in
Raleigh? I really want to go to Elizabeth city nc now to have the
candy drop reinactment! Later that day we also got to go with the
youth from our ward (along with a few friends of other faiths) to the
Phoenix temple open house!  It's a smaller temple, but it's gorgeous!
The theme throughout it is the aloe plant, which brings peace and
healing. I loved going through it, and the spirit was strong there,
even without it being dedicated yet!  It will be nice for those that
are in the west part of the valley to have a closer temple. When the
family visits with me later we will have to go to all the temples!  I
love how they all reflect the landscape here and are very particular
to arizona.

Sister Kohler got her transfer news, and she is getting sister rios as
a companion! She is "killing" or sending home her first two
companions! But I think they will be great together. My firstborn
child, and my last born child will be together. I'm sure they will
have nothing better to do than to talk about all my annoying habits
all day together ;) just kidding! They will be a power companionship.

I have been so giddy with excitement the past few days, but I think
once I get on my bed that first night, my stomach will drop and I will
think frantically "now what?!"  Im not sure what my future holds, but
I am excited about it nonetheless.  This mission has been the greatest
gift, and the best experience for me to start the rest of my life! I
have never loved people more, worried more, or been on my knees in
prayer more than these past 18 months!  I would never trade it for the
world.  Thank you for supporting me through this journey, and
especially for all your words of support each week.  You really have
been such a strength to me!  Thank you thank you thank you.

I hope to keep the spirit with me always, and that is my greatest goal
after my mission! Each day I will strive to do the little things to
qualify for the companionship of the Holy Ghost.  I hope you all will
join me on this continuing journey to becoming even more dedicated
disciples of Christ along side me! This is Gods church in the earth
today, and God DOES still speak to us through his chosen servants, the
prophets.  He loves us to an infinite degree, and he has given us the
way to return back to him.

I love you all, and I can't wait to see you tomorrow in the airport!
I'll try not to pee my pants from the excitement of seeing you!

Xoxo. Till tomorrow!
Sister Becca Younce

Email from 9/29/2014

Hey! 

I loved getting to start this last week off with a special delivery. Thanks so much hannah!  Everyone was a little confused as to why they had "madam secretary" on them, but we ALL agreed they were delicious! It's pretty hard to get your hands on that many Georgetown cupcakes, so I definitely owe hannah ;) 

Apart from getting a little fatter from those delicious air-mailed treats, I don't have too much to report on from this week.  We went to the temple, and as I was there I felt directed to start reading the book of Hebrews.  I have never really paid much attention to the Pauline appistles, but as I have delved into them since that very clear prompting I recieved in the temple, my studies have been so meaningful! As I read the espistles from Paul, my testimony of the restored church, priesthood, and gospel has been reaffirmed! I love that I can read anywhere in the scriptures and I am able to receive knowledge from God that directs me in my everyday life. It sheds light on my life, and allows everything to be just that much brighter and more illuminated everyday.  I wish everyone could recognize the immense gift we have in our canon of scripture at our fingertips... I have such a strong testimony that when we want to communicate with God, we pray, and if we want him to communicate with us, the surest way is to open our scriptures 👍

My everyday personal study of my scriptures is the one sure part of my missionary schedule that I will be continuing after my mission.  I don't think I could sanely go a day without it anymore! 

Right now in our ward, we aren't necessarily teaching anyone that is progressing towards baptism, but we are fulfilling a greater purpose we have come to realize! We as missionaries are ward builders! Right now, more than anything this ward needs to help many of it members to progress towards making further covenants, many new members need "new member lessons" that they never received, and many that are currently not attending church need to be brought back, uplifted, and have their testimonies strengthened. As the ward continues to be strengthened, I am positive that those that are prepared to receive the gospel will be brought forth! I am grateful to be of use to this ward, and to get to serve in this capacity...I have gotten to serve in so many different wards, and they all have such different strengths and weaknesses, especially since they are all made up of imperfect humans, just like you and I! My time as a missionary has allowed to take part in teaching and baptizing,yes, but it has also helped me to become prepared to build up and lift Gods kingdom in whatever ward or branch I will be a part of for the rest of my life! I'm so excited to continue to be an instrument in Gods hands :). When I go home, as cheesy as it sounds, my mission won't be ending... I will be transferred and receive different companions, but my mission will be my life! Just like all of you as you righteously live the gospel and do your part to build Gods kingdom are missionaries. 

I love all of you!  Mwah Mwah mwah! 

Sister Becca Younce 

Becca's email Sept.22nd..and September 15th

Email from September 22nd, 2014 

Hey family, are you ready for a lengthy email? Good thing you love me!

My area update:
This week turned out to be a bit of a turning point for us in
Crosspoint ward. Nothing was really happening... We were teaching a
spare few less actives, but we had no investigators to teach in our
ward. Finally on Friday during my studies I started to feel like it
was in our hands to set a goal and to actually believe in it! Then we
would find someone to teach.

So Friday during nightly planning we both felt challenged by the
prospect, but excited to set a goal of finding 3 new investigators on
Saturday. Up untill this point, we had not found a single investigator
in Crosspoint ward, but on Saturday evening we set out to contact the
last former investigators on our list. We ended up finding 3 new
people that have agreed to meet with us, two of which are very
promising potentials .

It's funny how we KNOW faith is the first principle of the gospel and
that miracles are wrought by faith.... But why is it that we must be
reminded of that over and over again? I know I have forgotten to
fully apply the principle of faith so often on my mission, but
whenever I have, I have always seen Gods hand shown forth!

37 Behold I say unto you, Nay; for it is by faith that miracles are
wrought; and it is by faith that angels appear and minister unto men;
wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men,
for it is because of unbelief, and all is vain.
Moroni 7:37

We are struggling to help a inactive, yet angelic woman in our ward.
She grew up in a dysfunctional family in the church, and has had a
very rough life. She has adopted her grandchildren that are unbaptized
teenagers, and All of her children are members of other churches in
the valley that teach anti mormon classes. She says she will be a
Mormon till she dies, and believes Joseph smith is a true prophet. But
she also believes the Pope is a true prophet as well and that there
are many true churches. ( this causes me to ask myself-- what is the
definition of truth?) We have a good relationship with her and have
been extremely bold with her (most people would have been offended by
what I said, but I felt the spirit directing me to be unapologetically
bold with her). The saying that reminds me of her is "don't be so open
minded that your brain falls out". The authority of God can be found
in only one church on the Earth at a time, and it is Christ's church
-- the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! It's a bold claim
we make, I know! But everyone has the ability to find out the truth of
it for themselves.

We have seen miracles this week! I'm excited to see what The Lord has
in store for this ward ;)


Update on all the other exciting events of this past week!

We had the "stories of Jesus" story time hour this week at the
visitors center! We advertised it as being an event for preschool age
children and their parents. We had probably around 35 children, 10
babies, and about 30 moms in attendance. It was so much fun, and since
it is my last event in the visitors center on my mission, I was able
to conduct the program.
We had lots of fun songs with posters and props like "the wise man and
the foolish man", "head shoulders knees and toes", "popcorn popping",
"hello song", and "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam" scattered throughout
the program. The first story we told was of Jesus calming the seas.
It was so much fun for the kids as they got to make lots of sounds and
hold up a boat and imitate the story seas with a blue sheet. The
second story was of the 10 lepers, where only one that was healed by
Jesus went back to thank him -- to make it fun they wrapped ten kids
in toilet paper and covered them with red round stickers that fell off
when they were healed! The third story (told by Mwah) was of the
Shepard (with 100 sheep) and the lost sheep. We had a poster board of
99 sheep that all had names, and when it came time for me to find the
lost sheep (sister Kohler), they all helped me to find the sheep that
was desperately "baaing" at the back of the room. After I carried the
sheep to the front of the room again, the kids surrounded me as I
talked about how much I loved the sheep, and how much God loves each
one of them. They all pet the sheep roughly, as any toddlers would, so
the cotton balls were falling, and a little boy looks up at me and
just says loudly for everyone to hear "I LOVE him!" Which started a
chorus of "I love you's" to the lamby. It was pretty darn cute, and
made me think of my two favorite preschool girls at home ;). It
sounds like they are going to be doing story time every week during
the slower times of the year starting now!

The next morning, we had a conference with the Mesa mission and the
Scottsdale missions combined to hear from elder Russel m Nelson of the
quorum of the 12! We arrived two hours early to get good seats. We
were in the second row in the middle! As elder Nelson entered the
room, he BOUNCED in! He just had his 90th birthday and he is still
bouncing and grinning wherever he goes. He not only is an apostle of
The Lord, but he's also the cutest old man I have ever met! He walked
straight in and down to shake our hands. All 550 of us in attendance
lined up to shake his hand, along with elder Hansen and elder Foster
of the seventy. His smile never left his face as he greeted each
missionary individually. That was my first time ever shaking a
apostles hand-- he was just a human being, but he emulated love and
happiness that filled the chapel! I don't know of any better way to
convey some of what was spoken of in our meeting other than to list
out the points and quotes. Here goes:
-- "as I have been visiting here I have to admit that I couldn't
imagine a better place for the church. The church is well respected
yet we are still in the minority. If I were to write a prescription
for the perfect place to do missionary work, this valley couldn't be
beat."
--"halibut is the ugliest fish I've ever seen!"
--"there are 3 quorums represented in the 3 HOMBRES you shook hands
with" and he further went on to explain that the difference between
the quorums 1-3 of the seventy and 4-8 are their duration of service.
--"For some of us, once we are called, we are in it for life. Release
is a good thing when it is timely, but for some of us we have to die
for it! Be grateful you can be honorably released without having to
die for it" ;)
--"we judge mission presidents not by their number of convert
baptisms, but by how many of their missionaries' grandchildren are
sealed in the temple"
--"sisters, let's speak about marriage for a minute-- when the time
comes that Prince Charming is on one knee and says "will you be mine?"
.... Say NO! Well...say no until you are satisfied that he puts the
Lord first. Ask him if "if you had to make the choice, would you
choose Me or God?" When they put The Lord first, they will have an
increased capacity to love you. "
--when speaking about the quorum of the 12, how different they each
are, and how they make decisions purely by the spirit-" the only time
the 12 are ever united is through the spirit. Otherwise, we can't even
agree on the right way to shave!"
-- "God likes to use the unlikely to accomplish the impossible."
-- we are to use family history more in teaching. The spirit of
Elijah is real, and we as missionaries need to have it and feel it, so
it can spread to those we teach.
-- He identified Apathy as one of the greatest enemies to building the
kingdom at this time
--we have the ability on earth to have complete control over our
appetites. It is the test of our mortal bodies.

The tidbits I shared don't do the meeting justice whatsoever, but I
just wanted to share those with you. I felt so much love from elder
Nelson as he spoke, and I am so sure that he is well aware of the
struggles we face, and knows what we needed to hear. He really is a
prophet, seer, and revelator, and I am so grateful to have been
blessed enough to hear from him this week! In his closing remarks, he
invoked an apostolic blessing upon us, and the only part that I still
remember and that peirced me was when he blessed us that our families
would be taken care of and those that are not part of the fold at this
time will be blessed for our faithful service. As he said this, our
eyes were locked for over 10 seconds and I felt it was a blessing
directly given to me from my Heavenly Father through this messenger.


On the way to the vc from that meeting, we saw Ironman chilling on the
side of the road. We stopped and took pictures. Meeting two
superheroes in one day! What a great day.

I'm so grateful to be a missionary, and I don't think I can even begin
to describe how grateful I am that we have messengers here on the
Earth with God's authority to guide and direct us on our path back
home.

I love you all!

Sister Rebecca Younce

EMAIL FROM SEPTEMBER 15, 2014

Well my last transfer of my mission has officially begun. It's a
bitter sweet thing! More bitter at this point, but I'm sure when I
make it back into the arms of my family at the airport, the sweet
portion will kick in ;)

At transfer meeting on Wednesday, president Jenkins spoke about not
only helping people spiritually with the gospel of Jesus Christ, but
also helping them physically. Often people aren't ready to receive the
gospel if their physical needs aren't being met... Kind of like if a
missionary approached a door and a tired and hungry single mom
answered the door. The message of the gospel might not help her so
much at that point, but rather maybe a few groceries and a bed for
each child would ease her mind and prepare her better for being able
to recognize the blessing of the gospel later on. We left the meeting
excited to find people to serve here in Mesa.

About an hour after we left the meeting, we got a call for us to come
and help to serve the flooding victims. For those of you who don't
know... On Monday it rained more in 24 hours than it had in the
history of Arizona. I had been wholly unaware of just how bad the
flooding had effected so many people because I am in a nice/middle
class area of Mesa that was saved from the damage. Once we got to the
site of the flooding we were shocked! The water had all receded at
that point, but it had been 6-30 inches of "sitting water" for 2 days,
which was plenty of time to ruin quite a few homes. We walked around
and simply walked into each house to ask the what we could do to help.
Missionaries were all around doing anything from ripping out carpet,
using equipment to break tile and sand the floors, remove trims, sweep
inches of water out of houses through the front door, etc. It was a
humbling experience as we helped take almost every single furniture
item from some of the houses to the dumpsters, and see that there was
nothing left for these people in the homes that they could use.
All of the badly effected families were staying in motels, or often
even on the floors of local family members houses.

I wonder why the flooding had to hit the worst in the poorest
neighborhoods, where no one had flood insurance, and they were already
struggling to figuratively "keep their heads above water" financially.
We don't have all of those answers, but I did get to witness some of
the blessings that have already come, and I'm sure we will continue to
realize more and more.

The flood victims were angry about their misfortunes for the first 1-2
days, but as soon as the missionaries and Mesa city trucks started to
swoop in, their despair turned to hope and gratitude. There was one
couple that was pretty memorable for sister Kohler and I to help out
with. They live in a very small, humble home, and they welcomed our
assistance. We helped them remove items from soaked boxes that had
been in garage storage, and put the soaked items out to dry and then
into new dry boxes. It was heart wrenching to watch the wife find her
memory book with all of her wedding pictures and young children's
pictures at the bottom of a soaked box. Every page was ruined, but
she just held the book to her chest for an hour or so as she watched
us continue to work. Their house had been hit hard, and their carpet
would have to be removed completely, and their walls would need to be
repaired and the trim removed.
Before we left to go help another family, we had a golden little
nugget of a conversation with the very non-talkative husband. He let
us know that he had "never cared much for Mormons." And that he had
had 2 different Mormon bosses that had each been very dishonest and
bad bosses. But that since this flood has happened, his view of
Mormons has changed. He told us "well you Mormons must not be all that
bad. In fact, you at least raise your kids to be good Christian
people."

That warmed my heart to hear. We weren't there to proselyte, but we
were there purely to assist those in need. But it became very apparent
this past week that we were there repairing more than just homes.

To finish off the week, entire mission met on Saturday at 7 am with
the mayor of Mesa, and got to work! We had to leave early to go help a
struggling visitors center that had been bombarded with hundreds of
people with only one elderly couple on shift there, but we hear most
missionaries stayed for more than 12 hours. The Lord works in
mysterious ways, and I'm so grateful to have been able to assist in
the clean up efforts for 3 days this week!

It's been a fun, gloomy, happy, sad, long, tiring, and amazing week
towards the close of the greatest 18 months of my entire life thus
far. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to serve in this capacity. I
wouldn't trade it for the world! Getting to represent Jesus Christ for
18 months in Mesa Arizona will define my entire life.

I love you all!

Sister Becca Younce

Sister Rebecca's emails Today August 18th ... also past emails JUNE and July

Becca’s email from today August 18^th 2014 (past emails are included also June and July 2014)

Halfway through transfer #12....?!‏

Rebecca Younce   August 18 2014

 I always wondered what it would be like to be a missionary nearing the end of my mission.  Here are a few little quirks: 

1) Because I have been out so long, Everyone thinks I know EVERYTHING. (I dont!!!)  They think I am an encyclopedia.  Flattering, but..... completely untrue! If I were to put my missionary information down in the form of a book right now, it would still be a very simple children's picture book!  At least I am glad people have confidence in me.  Is it Mommy that has always taught us to make ourselves indispensible?  I do believe Sister Kohler is getting a kick out of it at least.  As people bombard me everyday, she is one of the few that can still see just how clueless I truly am :) 

2) People can smell a "dying missionary".  The first question that people ask me 50 times a day is no longer "how do you pronounce your name?" or "where are you from?" or even "where's your accent?!"  but rather, "how much longer do you have left?" (which is even worse than the question "how long have you been out?") Maybe I just look like death?  I wouldnt be surprised! 

3) Everyone asks me what my plans are for my future.  I still havent got a clue!  Its fun giving different answers to each person that asks and seeing which answer has the best ring to it.  (maybe when I hear my mouth utter it, I will know!) 

4)  You start panicking because you realize you still have so much you want to do to serve the Lord and so much you need to still change about yourself, but so little time!  

5) You start forgetting everything, and feel like it is your 3rd day in the mission field all over again. everyday.   

I'm sure there will be many more of those little quirks to tell you about over the coming 9 weeks!  

WE. ARE. BUSY.! Its strange though because we are so busy, but so often we have nothing to show for it!  Being in the VC and in two wards that meet 20 minutes apart means that we have lots of long commutes, and short bursts of time in our area! Despite things being a little hectic, we have had a lot of fun in these two wards.  We still dont have much going on as far as missionary work in Crosspoint ward, but things are still going really well in our YSA ward.  Shelby is AWESOME, Darnell is currently avoiding us (just a minor speed bump! :D) and we have such great Returned Missionaries that are completely on fire that we have the pleasure of taking out with us!  

We didint have anything too embarassing happen this past week, thankfully.  Its just the nature of working in YSA wards as a missionary to be put in semi-awkward situations, so pretty soon it will be the "new normal" for us! We actually got to participate in two AMAZING things this past weekend in our stake!  

On Saturday morning, Sister Kohler and I got to take part in a stake activity for all the 180 girls between the ages of 8 and 11.  There were 3 stations with different "sweet" themes, and we ran the "Sweet is Missionary Work" station.  The Primary President introduced us, and we gave our stories of how we each decided to serve missions, the blessings that have come from serving missions, and a message to inspire them to be missionaries right now! The really special part of our program was when I got to introduce the activity we did with them of writing our testimonies in Books of Mormon to give to a friend.  I couldnt help but share Dad's experience of recieving his first Book of Mormon with a testimony inside, and how that Book of Mormon is so treasured by our family now.  I had tears in my eyes each time I shared it, and as I told them just how much this simple act can change someone's life, I know that they felt how sincere I was.  WE lucked out and got to take home about 60 cupcakes from that activity!  

Saturday and Sunday nights we also got to help Usher at our YSA stake's performance of "Joseph Smith" by Rob Gardner, and we listened to it both nights.  What. A. Treat.  

During performances like that I just sit there and think "how I am going to break it to my Family that I actually am NOT coming back to NC, and that I want to stay in Mesa forever so I can hear that overpoweringly beautiful LDS music all the time?"  Maybe we can all just relocate to Mesa and find a place playing Rob Gardner's musicals every weekend!   I really have come to see the beauty in living with lots of fellow Latter Day Saints around you.  I never thought I would see it, but I do.  Still, Mesa is no NC, and it sure doesnt have my family! 

I believe I told you about the music from "the Lamb of God" a few months ago which is by the same Local LDS composer as "Joseph Smith".  Every song was either so triumphantly beautioful or hauntingly beautiful, that I had goosebumps the entire time.  We are about to run to Deseret Book because we HAVE to get that music!  Its just that good.  (know any women single in their 30's who might be interested in a very accomplished and talented single male composer?  Send them to Mesa for Rob Gardner!) 

It was a lot of fun to Usher everyone in and to witness the Sharing of the Message of the Resoration through beautiful music.  One of my favrite things to do is to Greet people and help them to feel loved and welcome. (it was my favorite thing to do at Christmas lights as well!)  There were around 3000 - 4000 in attendance last night.  I hope Apex stake can perform a Rob Gardner Musical sometime.  It would be an AMAZING missionary tool.  No one can help but feel the spirit as they listen to that music and as they hear these true and important stories told.  

I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday when Jeremy Moss (soon to be Elder Moss #2) and Brandon, Jordyn, Aj, and their cousin came in to see me one last time before Jeremy leaves.  Jeremy is going to be an AMAZING missionary in Costa Rica, and I can really see in him more of the undiminishing goodness that his older Brother has.  I know he will miss getting to see his brother for almost 4 years, but the reunion will be so great!  I bet it will go a little like this: 

 16 And it came to pass that as Ammon was going forth into the land, that he and his brethren met Alma, over in the ^aplace of which has been spoken; and behold, this was a joyful meeting.

 17 Now the ^ajoy of Ammon was so great even that he was full; yea, he was swallowed up in the joy of his God, even to the ^bexhaustingof his strength; and he fell ^cagain to the earth.

 18 Now was not this ^aexceeding joy? Behold, this is joy which none receiveth save it be the truly penitent and humble seeker of^bhappiness.

I love you all!  

Sister Younce

·

Becca’s email August  11^th 2014

So family, I am feeling a bit boring today.  

Funny enough, I have been thinking a lot about Family History recently because it is a big focus in our mission right now.  All the missionaries around me get onto FamilySearch and can read all the stories of their ancestors, and I am sitting there with only 2 great grandparents even entered into the database!  Over the past few weeks I have found and submitted at least 8 new names onto my family tree..... what I didnt expect is that it would actually be EXCITING!!! I have a feeling that Family History might just have to be the younce family not-so-guilty-pleasure!!! We have SO much work to do for our family, and honestly we need everyone to help.  Its really neat to find that actually on Grandma Younce's side, we already go back into the 1300's in Germany!!! (I cant wait to trace it all the way back to Adam and Eve!)  Yeah, i know a few of you are rolling your eyes as you read this email.  So here is me sticking my tongue right back at you :P

Hannah just shockingly informed me that I will be coming home in only 10 weeks.  Go ahead and start planning the fun! (as I keep my mind on the work here :) )  Make a list of the best movies that came out during the past 18 months.  Oh. and mom, could you get me a Dermatologist appointment ready for my first month home?  Pretty sure this Arizona sun has done more damage to me than it appears.  I'm hoping to live a long life still, not to be shortened by my time on my mission! 

The work here is well.... HASTENED! We have an investigator, Shelby, that is 25 and ready to be baptized!  He was raised here with all member friends, and never thought he would be one to join.  But suddenly, he felt the spirit pressing him to find out more and to explore the Church and its teachings.  He started to meet with the missionaries this summer while he was in Kentucky selling Security systems with his Returned missionary best friend.  He will be baptized on September 6th, and we are crossing our fingers that it can be done in this YSA ward! I could see him being a bishop someday. 

Also, we are meeting with a young man named Darnell.  He is african american, and from Detroit.  Funny enough, this is Sister Kohler's first real African-American association of any kind.  She only had about 3 in her school in SLC, but I feel right at home talking to him :).  Our first day going to see him, we found him Shirtless and it was at night.  We shared a short message that included the video "Because of Him".  He remarked after it that the video made him want to go out and play football!  Funny reaction, but hey! At least it appealed to him.  The second time we came with another cute blonde YSA girl and he was once again shirtless, but at least he had cleaned up (dont worry we had him put on a shirt ASAP).  He invited us to sit on his one single item of furniture, his bed.  Man, ysa work is a whole new ball game.   We decided to sit on the floor for a very long 90 minute lesson that went very well, in all other aspects than time.  Then on sunday, we went by his home after Sacrament meeting to see if he had just ditched out, and we found out that he had gone an hour early, but because no cars were there, he thought he was in the wrong place.  So sweet!  We brought him late to church, and we are so glad that we did!  YSA wards are the best to bring people to!  Everyone just wraps their arms around the people that are investigating the church, and we hardly had to do anything.. We just watched in awe and amazement as he meshed immediately into the LDS young single adults in the ward. I really liked his pink shoes and "supa fly" pink shirt.  Some of the guys remarked to him something along the lines of "I wanna bounce wid you to dem hip hop songs."  Thank goodness Darnell has a sense of humor.  They really need to get some more diversity other than just Mexicans here in Mesa for these poor kids! 

I love our YSA ward, yet it really is uncharted territory for me.  We are encouraged to go to every activity, but as soon as we come, it feels like I am a ysa again and the activity is for me!  Its a hard place to work and to draw solid lines of consecration.  I think that might be why President saves Singles wards for the more "seasoned missionaries".  On monday we were called up in FHE on stage in the middle of a 300 people + comedy show. (3 wards invited) They gave us the mic and asked us to tell about ourselves and say what we liked about each other.  We were weary, since the act before had been about "shirtless men"(with no visuals thank goodness), and for some reason neither of us could remember a single thing about ourselves while on the spot!  We must have seemed like the two dullest sister missionaries in the world as we were speechless!  Embarrassing.  Then the top it off, the FHE committee chairman yells out to me when it was my turn to speak "do you have a boryfriend?!" and Sister Kohler pointed to our Elders Quorum president in the audience who was holding up a video Camera to catch my response.  

I stated simply, "I cant answer that" and we went back to sit down, as we laughed at our pitiful selves!  I just hope that all these Young Single adults can suffer from memory loss as much as I do! The only thing that was going through my mind as I stood up there with the spotlights on me was "what would my mission President think?"  I wonder how long that thought process will last once I go home!  

Anyways, i am at the end of my time.  Poor sister Kohler was having trouble with the computer so she barely got 5 minutes to email.  I need to see if I can go help her.  

I love you all! HAPPY BIRTHDAY HANNAH AND DANI!

 Sister becca ann younce 

 ps. when does school start for adam and jacob?   

Family!   From Becca  August 4^th 2014

 I am in great spirits.  There are so many reasons to be grateful! 

This past week was transfer time again!  I was able to day-train (take a new missionary on her first day and allow her to experience her first night in a real proselyting area and bring her to transfer meeting the next day) Sister Kohler from West Valley Utah (just west of Salt Lake).  We bonded right away so strongly, and were completely open and confortable with each other.  We both feared so badly that we wouldnt be put with one another the next day during transfer meeting, so nerves were high that night and the next morning.  Finally as it came time to read the companionships off during Transfer meeting, they read off my name and then Sister Kohlers, and neither of us recognized her name for about 20 seconds for some reason!  Finally as we stood there silently and the reality dawned on us, I gave a little scream (okay it may have been a LITTLE big.....) and we hugged tight, while my heart raced for another 5 minutes.  I had spent that whole hour before we found out we were together in deep thought.  I was trying to convince myself that I would be happy and at peace with whichever companion I got, yet I kept contemplating "Why would God allow me to feel SUCH love for her so quickly if he didnt want us to be together?"  Finally that was answered, and I knew I had been feeling that love for her for a reason! 

My first Trainee is also training this transfer.  Sister Rios ( The sister I trained at the beginning of my mission that is from Peru) is training Sister Pajaro, who is from the Phillippines and whose father is a Seventy, and Sister Finau (mtc companion) is training Sister Ganta, from India!  I ADORE getting to spend time with all of the VC sisters from all over the world everyday.  I learn so much from them, and I feel like I am getting a bit of a foreign mission, while staying in the comfort of the United States. 

Now, a little about Sister Kohler.  She is GREAT!  We keep finding out that we are "the same person" in so many ways, yet we are also very different in many ways as well.  Maybe you will be able to identify some of our similarities and differences as I describe her. (lets see how well you know me!) She just turned 19 years old in May, and has 2 brothers.  She goofs off a lot with her brothers, and misses them so much!  Her favorite thing to do is to backpack in the mountains and to go in the middle of no where, away from the rest of the world.  While she is very outdoorsy, she despises playing team sports that involve balls.  Hallelujah! Her favorite place in the world to go is ZIONS NATIONAL PARK! She is great at Skiing (no that is NOT a similarity, I know), and worked at Welfare square in SLC for the 2 months before her mission.  She loves her family more than anything in the world, and has a strong testimony and desire to share the Gospel.  She wants to be a GREAT missionary, and she will definately achieve that on her mission.  She has a great love for people around her, and easily expresses that. She is writing someone while he is on his mission in Canada.

She went to 2 semesters of BYU-i, though she might finish up with school by going to a community college to do their dental Hygeine program.  She loves to eat, and is a huge harry potter and LOTR nerd! 

 We will someday go to Harry potter world together. 

We are great friends, but also it seems to be we compliment each other well as missionaries. I know that there will be MIRACLES these next 3 months!

We had the pleasure of getting to attend our two wards yesterday.  Crosspoint ward is a pretty average ward.  Plenty of less-actives to visit and strengthen, plently of part-member families, and wonderful, faithful members! We were bombarded with entusiastic families expressing their excitement to have sister missionaries in their ward.  This is the first time this ward has EVER had Sister missionaries, and it seems like it was a very inspired call for my mission President to make. 

The Mountain View YSA ward was a bit of a shocker for me, but that really is only because I havent been in a YSA ward in 16 months!  It seems like it is a great ward, with the normal struggles that YSA wards tend to have, like people struggling with direction in life, depression, and wavering testimonies.  I know though that we can make a difference, and I am ready to be an instrument in God's hands here. 

I had a really neat experience yesterday at the VC.  It may not seem that amazing, but I can tell you that it strengthened my testimony so much and made an impact on me.  Sometimes I forget that as a Missionary, I am literally here representing Christ himself.  I forget that the Love I have the capcity of feeling right now, is even greater than I may ever get to expereince again on my own.  I had a big reminder of that yesterday. 

Everyone who knows me, knows that I do mirror checks throughout the day.  Nope, nothing has changed!  Well, I was walking to the bathroom to do a mirror check, and I saw a 30-something year old man sitting onthe sofa.  He peered up at me for a second, and then looked quickly back down at his phone.  I got a feeling that I needed to talk to him, but I put it off and continued to walk to the bathroom.  I then walked past him again on the way back from the bathroom, and had that same thought come to my mind again that he needed to talk to me.  I ignored it and continued walking.  I didnt make it back to the room I was supposed to be in to work on the computer, and instead just stood there watching him from across the room.  Again that impression hit, and I finally made my way over to him.  Though the first 3 minutes of talking with him were fairly awkward, and I almost just wished him a "good day" and walked away a number of times, I didnt give into those thoughts. 

He had a look of bafflement and I believe his cheeks went red as I asked to sit right next to him, and proceeded to do so.  I had the impression to just be silent and let him talk when he was ready.  Some might have felt it to be strange if lookig on, but it felt right.  Finally he started talking to me, and I found out he was at the VC to end his fast, and to try to gain the peace that he had been fasting all day for.  As he opened up to me about the struggles of his past few years, my eyes and my vision completely changed.  Suddenly I wasnt a 22 year old girl, but I looked at him as he looked down bashfully at his phone as he slowly talked to me, and all I could see was a divine son of God.  All I could feel was immense love.  I wanted to give him what he needed to be happy, I wanted him to know, if nothing more, that he is loved and NOT forgotten.  I could feel at that moment exactly what he was feeling.  He was telling me certain things, but I could feel so much deeper than the words he was telling me.  I knew he felt forgotten, alone, and worthless. 

I dont think I said anything profound after that, but I do remember speaking to him with all my heart, as he uncharacteristically didnt look away from me for even a second as I talked.  I meant every word I said, and I NEEDED him to know that.  I expressed to him just how much God DOES love him, and how aware he is of Him.  I let him know that he is also loved and cared for by those around him, and that even in my short time with him, I loved him and knew he was so special to God.  I dont remember all of the things that I said, but I do remember how I felt.  I felt like an angel, getting to be there to speak the words that Christ would say if he were there beside that man.  I felt such love, that I would have done anything for that man, and I mean that.  I wanted to hug him and stay with him all day, but I knew that I couldnt.  As I watched the tears roll down his face as he continued to look into my eyes, I knew that I had just been an answer to his prayer. 

I then invited him to read from the talk, "Grateful in Any Circumstances" by President Uchtdorf, and to say a prayer of gratitude before he left the visitor Center that day.  He thanked me for following the spirit, and he let me know that through that simple act, he had received the peace that he had been fasting and praying for. 

I walked away and cried out of pure happiness. Words really cannot adequately describe the enormous happiness and love that I was able to experience.  I dont think i have loved anyone more, and I had only met him a few minutes before.

From that experience, I know better just how much love Christ has for each one of us.  I would have done ANYTHING for that man, and I know that Jesus Christ feels that for each of us.  Charity is not something that just comes, but is something that we must ACT in faith and pray for earnestly to gain!  I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be his chosen instrument that day.  I know he could have used anyone to answer that man's prayers, but I am humbled that he trusted me enough  to use me. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!  I am so excited for mommy and daddy to get to travel and have a blast on their cruise.  They deserve it, and SO much more! 

Mwah! Xoxoxo. 

Sister Younce

Hey family! Anyone alive out there? Transfer#12 is here!‏

Rebecca Younce

 7/28/14

Hey family! I don't have much time today since I am already running
behind, and we still have to pack and clean everything before 6pm!

Here is the news: both sister grow and I are being transferred!
President Jenkins asked me to train, so I will be white- washing into
two new wards (whitewashing is when both missionaries are new and no
one knows the area) and training someone fresh from the mtc! I had
been so certain I would be training a sister from Utah that is coming
in that I have been mentoring... But I'm starting to doubt it! Maybe
I will train one of the other two coming to the Vc! There is one
coming from India and one from the Philippines! What are your guesses?
I will find out on Wednesday! I will be going into 1 family ward as
well as a YSA ward!
(Ahhhhhh! Serving in a ysa ward has been my worst nightmare for my
whole mission..... Agh! I'm sure it will be fine, but it will be very
uncharted territory for me! We will be meeting at the red mountain
institute building along with lots of other ysa wards. (I'll be
surrounded! Like 3 wards meet at the same time!) )

Sister grow is onto her third area and third companion in just 3
months! Poor thing! When president Jenkins called me to ask me to
train, he let us know we would both be leaving the area. He sounded
rather sad about it, and for the first time I have ever heard, he told
us to keep teaching our investigator in north ridge ward even though
we will be in a new area. We plan on transitioning Ron to the new
missionaries eventually, but it was nice to have our mission president
so sensitive to our investigators needs! He seems to understand the
special ward that Northridge is and how important it is to take care
of those we find to teach in Northridge ward since someone only comes
around every 4 years or so!

On Friday we had the most amazing lesson of my entire mission with our
investigator, Ron, at the mayors house. While he is a very
intellectual and intelligent man, he openly admitted many times
through the lesson to feeling the spirit causing things to "click"
inside of him. He was so excited and plans on continuing to pursue
this course. It hurts me so badly to leave Ron, just after we have
developed a special relationship with him, and after 6 months of
trying to get something going in this ward. But I trust that he will
be taken care of! It will all work out, especially since he has the
worlds greatest fellowshippers by his side!

That lesson with Ron was the upliftment that we needed so that we
could know that we are leaving this ward better than we found it. That
is always the goal! Leave a place better than when you came. I feel I
have done all that I can in Northridge ward, and I have learned so
much from my time here! This is definitely a place I will bring my
family after my mission when we visit ;)


This week, we celebrated Pioneer Day At the Vc with a Pioneer Day
story-hour activity 3 days in a row! Sister grow and I were in charge
of the craft so we were there all 3 days. We expected only about 20-40
people to come, but last minute church headquarters decided to pay for
our activity to be advertised on Facebook, so....... We ended up with
600 people the first day! We didn't quite know what to do!! We used
up everything that we had prepared for all 3 days in the first 30
minutes. Somehow it still ended up being a hit! We ended up with
about 400 each of the next 2 days as well. It was such a blast to get
to wear bonnets and pioneer outfits, but I definately realized that I
don't make a very good pioneer woman! Bonnets just aren't my thing.

The sisters from Utah that had grown up celebrating Pioneer Day were
the ones running the show. They did all the pioneer songs and told
lots of interactive pioneer stories for the children. We then ended
with handing out salt water taffy, and having them color their very
own "Betsy buttons and buster buttons" craft! Pioneer Day story time
ran on Thursday,Friday, and Saturday mornings this last week.

On Friday morning we also had our farewell breakfast for the 3 vc
sisters leaving to go home! All three of the sisters came just 6 weeks
before me, so it was pretty sad to say goodbye to sisters that I was
so close with. We said goodbye to sister avanesjan (she is going back
to Germany), sister weedman (Las Vegas) and sister brown (my trainer!
Going back to st George Utah). I have learned so much from those
sisters, and I feel like I am saying goodbye to some of my very best
friends.

On Saturday morning, sister grow and I had a little road trip to
apache junction (35 minutes away) to attend a baptism of an
investigator I introduced to the church at Christmas lights at the vc!
It was a very small baptism, but I know he was really grateful that
we made it out to it, despite the inconvenience.(he had come into the
vc the day before to invite me to the baptism face to face) After the
baptism, someone rear-ended us while on our way to the vc for our
shift. That was no fun to go out into the 112 degree heat to fill out
paper work, but hey! It's life! Thankfully no one was hurt, and there
was minimal damage. After we dealt with the accident, we ran to the vc
to meet up with sister brown and the members that were taking us to
Gilbert for Faye and Ed's sealing! It was a 30 minute drive, and we
got there just in time. It wAs such a beautiful ceremony, and I was
overpowered with glee as I sat beside my trainer, and watched two of
those we had taught making the highest covenant that they can in this
life! Just like old times, of course I cried out of pure love when I
looked at faye for the first time in 11 months. Do you remember me
telling you all this at the beginning of the mission? In case you
forgot......let me tell you.... I love Faye felts! I can't wait for
you all to meet her someday.

It was the absolute cherry-on-top to my entire mission! I don't think
sister brown could've had a better last weekend on her mission. We
ended the night after a long drive home by getting our transfer news!

Now I just can't wait to see who I will be training. Whoever it is, I
know next three months are going to have so many miracles! I'm
excited to work hard and share the gospel with everyone around us. I
love being a missionary ;)


Sorry about the very badly written email, but like I said, I'm in a
hurry! I love you all so much! I'll fill you in on hone companion
and my area next week...... But ciao for now!

Sister Becca Younce

Ps. Because of getting two new wards and training someone, I will not
be a sister training leader this transfer. It was a blast while it
lasted, but.... Whew! I get a break from exchanges twice a week!

July 21^st  2014   Zombie Apocalypse

Familia
It's been an exciting week. Here is a brief overview! 1) we had the
best zombie zone activity in the world. No amount of explaining could
do it justice. ( I'm pretty sure I was put in the walking dead for 3
hours! Red lights replaced white lights in the church buildings,
tables and chairs were strewn as barricades, zombies chased you around
for the whole 3 hours, nerf guns shot at the chest were the only way
to stop the zombies, lots of screaming and racing hearts, scary videos
at each level, and a big fiesta at the end with yummy food and
president Jenkins to finish it off! It was the most fun I have had all
mission.) 2) Tuesday I had my final exchange of the transfer with
sister Maynard from England. I spoke in a British accent and she spoke
in a bad American accent. 3) Thursday we had interviews and care
inspections. We go to read a detailed talk on a "refined home" before
interviews. (This got me pretty excited! ) 4) Thursday night we got to
go to Gilbert for Natalie's baptism! She was confirmed yesterday back
in her home ysa ward at Yale university. We also had our members stop
by the Gilbert temple on the way back so sister Grow could see it for
her first time! It'd gorgeous, and so so big! 5) Saturday night we had
our first lesson at our home with our new investigator and miracle,
Ron! He is an engineer for Boiing and has 2 sons at asu for
engineering as well. We taught the plan of salvation and answered many
good questions that he had. Our next lesson will be Friday at the
mayors house! And 6) Sunday we got to hear a home coming talk where
the girl kept crying whenever she looked at us and our name tags (this
is getting a little too real for me!) , teach the 16 year olds, create
a craft for a vc Pioneer Day activity , and start on our welcome
posters for the 3 new sisters coming in to the vc next week!


As I was reading my patriarchal blessing this week, which is much like
personal scriptures for me, I got to do a good self evaluation. I can
see that I have grown a lot from my mission and learned so much, yet
just like in real life we all go through times of spiritual highs and
lows and we are constantly trying to give ourselves credit where
credit is due, and at the same time make improvements to become even
better. I realized how badly I want to end my mission well. I don't
want to have any regrets for how I spent this precious time here on
the mission. This attitude shouldn't just disappear when I go home
however. I hope I never become complacent and will not have regrets
when I get to the spirit world after this mortal life is over! For
these last 3 months I hope to look outwardly more than ever in my
life, think less about me, and love others around me more fully. I
hope to spread faith and bring everyone around me closer to their
savior Jesus Christ and overcome any fears and inhibitions that I may
have left.

I don't have too much time today because of some farewell parties
happening is afternoon, but just know that I love all of you so much!
I jealous of the cooler weather y'all have been having! A heat wave is
about to hit the valley here, and I can't wait!

I love you all,
Sister Becca ann younce.

Ps. Boys, I can't wait to tell you about this zone activity someday.
It was amazing. We had it at 4 different locations, and I have never
felt like I was in a real zombie apocalypse until this activity. Maybe
we can recreate it someday. Mwah!
Sister Becca Younce

·

Becca’s email July 14, 2014

Hey familia!
Things are sure looking up! It was a exciting week... Full of exchanges, service, miracles, and interesting experiences in the visitors center. For those of you that might not know the protocol for weekly planning in missionary work, it is when we set aside about 3
hours to plan out every activity and effort we are to make in the coming week. It is generally done either Thursday or Friday morning. On account of exchanges and a busy week, we still have not gotten to
do ours! Hopefully we will have time to do some shape or form of weekly planning before it's time to do the next week's! Thus is the life of a VC STL trainer. :) it's a crazy, yet rewarding life!

First things first... We have an investigator! Brother Rush, of the family we live with, runs each morning with a various assortment of men in the ward, and one of which is not yet a member. His name is Ron, and he is an engineer and a single dad of 2 sons that both are at ASU for engineering. He has observed for a long time the Amazing impact of having the gospel for young people, and much of his attraction to the church is for the good of his 2 sons that he feels need the gospel. He also is very open to the gospel for himself. Brother Rush, being the amazing man he is, straight up invited him to take the lessons from the missionaries in his home, and he accepted! Sharing the gospel one 5am run at a time! Then the mayor (our
neighbor) came up to him and invited him to hear his wife speak in church.... So he came to church yesterday! Unfortunately we had the vc at that time so we still haven't met him.... But we have an appointment for this next Saturday!

I hear it couldnt have been a better sacrament meeting to attend, and that it was all about covenants. After it was over, he told brother rush "I would like to talk with you more about covenants. Could we do
that sometime?" Then that led right into setting up our appointment and he passed the baton of teaching over to us by letting him know that we can answer all his questions about covenants! The pressure is
on. I've never taught a lesson amongst such an intimidating group of people -- the mayor, a successful doctor, and engineers... NO PRESSURE! Now we just need to throw a general authority in there to
seal the deal!

Needless to say, I will be studying everything about the subject of covenants till my eyes bleed this week!

Another intimidating experience happened this week, yet somehow we made it through! It was 5 minutes till dinner when a senior elder called me to do a tour for 3 nonmembers that had just walked into the
vc. It turned into an hour and a half semi- debate. I did my best to keep the debate at bay, and at many points throughout the conversation the spirit could be felt strongly. It was an interesting group of
individuals -- 1 girl that is about to graduate from a bible college in Washington, one man who is very well read on anything and everything anti-lds, and one man who is an engineer that seemed to just be along for the ride and to dissagree with me whenever the other
man failed to do so! I felt pretty inadequate, yet sister grow and I did a good job, considering the circumstances. While she is still pretty timid and
hadn't faced any anti's yet, I was more or less on my own for the entire thing, though it was comforting to have someone on my side. I tried hard to find common ground with each individual and to base the
tour very much on Jesus Christ, and I felt the spirit guiding me and strengthening me at many times when I felt intimidated and flustered. The girl was the one redeeming person in that whole interaction. I could feel the sencerity of her questions and she really does desire to find truth. We will continue to talk to her and teach her. I am fairly certain that she was planning on coming on her own that day, but when her delightful friends found out that couldn't help but come along to give us a ride! But they were unsuccessful. I could feel the spirit working through me even though I couldn't answer everything, and my testimony was strengthened in the process. I told
them "I don't know yet" a few times and I ended by bearing a strong testimony that quieted them and allowed us to end on good terms. We
ended by saying a prayer in the middle of the vc holding hands in a circle. It was an experience :). I went away glad to be done, and unsure of how I really had done.

Little did I know that there had been a man watching and listening to the entire thing. He found us afterward and pulled us aside with the vc director. He let us know just how impressed he had been with how we
handled the situation. He said that he could have seen it so easily going sour, but that he was proud of how I steered the conversation and took control when he so often tried to dominate. He told me that I answered just how I should and that I gave such pure and honest
testimony that they couldn't argue with. He told me he was proud of me, then he left. Even though that was just a seminary teacher (yes it's a full time job here in the schools), it was the confirmation and approval I needed in order to move on with confidence.

I won't be talking to the men again, but I am excited to explore some of the questions the girl had as we stay in contact on Facebook. It turns out they are questions I have asked myself as well. Something
good and pure can come out of bad situations, if we hearken to the spirits guidance. She seemed to be so close to the spirit and sincere, and I can't wait to learn from her and also help her on her way.


Something interesting about being a vc sister is that whenever the "area" or ward is not being too fruitful, God makes up for it in our other area -- the visitors center! Recently, miracles have been occurring so often in the vc and with our online investigators. Just this past month I have found out about 3 people that I had met at the vc and I had stayed in contact with finally softened their hearts and started meeting with local missionaries and are about to get baptized!
One of them in particular thanked me profusely for not giving up on her and for continuing to talk to her on Facebook and send her little gospel messages she sincerely needed each week. She will be baptized
the first week of August. Another woman that I had just started to teach in one area before I was transferred also reached out to me and started asking me questions that she doesn't feel right asking anyone
else. It was so humbling to hear her tell me that although I had only met her twice, she had felt a connection with me and had been praying
that I could still be "her" missionary. It's neat to hear her have that sentiment even 6 months after I last saw her. There is yet another reason I was randomly put in an area for just 6 weeks... Nothing is happenstance and I know I was supposed to be there to meet her!

The really big miracle though comes in the form of a girl named Natalie! Her brother had asked me and sister Pickett to contact his sister and he felt we were a good fit for her. We had a skype lesson
where we shared the message of the restoration, and we have been teaching her on Facebook and text ever since. It took a while to get the missionaries and ysa ward where she is at involved, but things have progressed so well with her! She just flew from Connecticut yesterday to surprise her brother that is a member and lives here. She had her baptismal interview before she left Connecticut and she
came here to Arizona so her brother can baptize her! The baptism would be in Gilbert (way out of our mission) though so we thought for sure we would never be able to make it. In hopes of meeting her, we
invited her to a fireside tonight, but we didn't plan on going till we found out 20 minutes before that she was coming! We rushed over  got to tell our mission president about her before the fireside. Our
mission president came to meet her and her family afterwards, and during the conversation he asked me with a smile "so when are you going to ask me if you can go to the baptism?" My jaw dropped and
Natalie screeched and hugged me, and let us know that we were half  reason she flew out and she wanted us to be at the baptism so bad! I
now get to go out of the mission to Gilbert 2 times this month!  for Natalie's baptism and once later in the month for Faye and Ed  be sealed in the Gilbert temple!

Woohoo, I'm escaping out of town!

But really, I'm not going to lie. I. Can't. Wait. To. Travel. Again.

Mesa is too small for me!


Someone who is investigating the church was telling me about some  her struggles with the Book of Mormon this week. She finds  that seem like anachronisms (kind of like saying Julius Caesar  his SUV into Rome-- it doesn't seem to fit in the time period) and the
her mind gets caught upon those things, rather than her being able  move on and feel the spirit of the other parts of the book. This  me searching a lot on LDS.org. What seemingly appear to  "anachronisms" can often put a speed bump into someone's conversion
process. I found an article "the quest for spiritual knowledge"  Elder Wood of the seventy. In it he talks about his first time  the Book of Mormon and his big spiritual witness of the  of it. The next day he was faced with a friend that had a list of 50
anachronisms found in the Book of Mormon. He took the list,  rather than reading it and allowing each to convince him that the  of. Mormon was actually false, he remained faithful to the spiritual
answer he had already recieved, while still actively searching  supposed anachronism from the list out. Finally while with  from Cornell he was able to check off the last of the 50 from  list. He then poses this thought:"' What would my life have been like
had I withheld my conviction of the Book of Mormon until I resolved
all the questions my friend had given me?"
We all must make that choice at some point when we are faced  questions. How will we handle them? Will we act upon the answers  have already recieved and face each question in an environment  faith with an attitude of "I don’t understand thus and such, and  wonder what the Lord will teach me about that question” or will we
immediately negate faith from the equation thus not allowing  spirit to truly guide us by adopting an attitude of “I  understand thus and such, so the Church must not be true”?

I am so grateful to be a missionary at this time! I am also  grateful for the ability to ask questions and for a loving  Father and loves us enough to guide us to answers that we need. D& 93:36 36 "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words,  and truth."

Although I don't know everything yet, I know that this church is  true and living church of Christ on the earth today! I can feel  approval of the path I am on, and I hope everyone reading this  strive to find the path that is truly pleasing to their Heavenly
Father for each one of them as well, no matter the cost.

I love you all so much!
Sister Becca ann younce

Becca’s email  July 7 2014

Hey family! I was bad with time management today, so this will be brief.

I was able to go with sister Pickett to elder and sister andrus's
little hansel and grettle house today for breakfast! They are a great
senior couple that work with us at the visitors center, and elder
andrus is always full of stories! Everything hears that I'm getting
close to going home (not that close!) so they keep asking me about
what I will so after the mission. Maybe I should start telling people
that I am going home NEXT October instead ;). The breakfast was yummy,
and that picture I sent of the carousel horse is in their living room!
The home they live in is a historic home in downtown Mesa that was
built in the 1930's and has a nice creepy cellar to go with it! It
appears to be a lot like a bomb shelter. The home is tiny, but so
quaint and cute! It would be a perfect first home for newly weds.
Elder andrus gave us a talk on rocks, since he LOVES rocks! (In fact
the other day I told him my stomach hurt, and he stopped me and left
for a minute and came back with a rock for me to hold in my hand to
rub...... I don't think it works nearly as well as pepto bismol....
But maybe he will still someday convert to me "rock therapy". He's a
funny old man ;) ) He then gave us each a small geode (spelling?)
Keychain and had us shine a flashlight inside each one. The idea
behind it is that we meet a lot of people that are very rough on the
outside, but what happens when we shine a light on a crystal? It
sparkles! We carry the light of Christ and the light of the gospel to
everyone around us, so often all these battle- worn people need is to
have the light shone on them, and they will sparkle too! That is one
of the miracles of a mission and of being a part of the work of
salvation-- Getting to see such rough, worn out people that are
burdened with sin sparkle as the light of the gospel touches them, and
suddenly we can all have a taste of just how precious each and every
one of us are to God.

I liked this of course because he talked about..... Sparkles!!! I.
LOVE. SPARKLES!

It was a fairly Uneventful week, aside from having 2 exchanges. We
worked hard on both exchanges and tracted out/knocked the doors of 2/3
of the non- lds people here. We will hit the others this next week!
The sisters I am over this transfer are STELLAR! They should be
training me. I sweated more those two days on those exchanges as we
were out tracting than I do usually in a whole week here! It was great
to hit the pavement.

We had MLC (mission leadership counsel) early this week, where I
found out about the emphasis the mission is having on family history
work! I decided to get right on that and work on my family tree. It
was amazing to find out that the records from the Hiatt side go back
all the way to the 1300's on family search! I actually have met so
many hiatts here that are members and we are not all that distantly
related ;). We DO have mormon relatives! Ive been craving more time on
the computer to work on family history ever since then! There are so
many people we need to do the work for that are in our family! I can
sense the spirit of Elijah creeping into me, can't you? ;)

Yes it's hot, and actually it's been more humid all week here in Mesa
than it has in NC! Yuck! Az heat mixed with NC humidity..... You can
just try to imagine for yourselves.

I continue to gain a stronger and stronger testimony of the Book of
Mormon as I read it more and more. I receive such specific answers to
my prayers from that book, and I know it is from God. What a blessing
to have the Book of Mormon!

I love you all! Sorry to hear that it rained on the 3rd during the
celebration! I wish we had gotten some rain over here! (I spent the
4th inside of the deadly quiet visitors center. No fried chicken, just
salad. Next year I will go back to a traditional 4th of July food.           Sister Becca Younce

·

My purpose

Rebecca Younce   email from June 30, 2014

Family -- I don't really know what to write about this week! Im
praying for Jacob and that whatever is wrong turns out to be easily
curable. I have to admit I'm having a bit of a hard time working in
this ward right now, especially due to the ghosttown I am in for July!
Everyone here escapes for July! (Why would you live in a place you
have to escape?! I want to live in THE escape;)) But I'm counting my
blessings ;) I have the visitors center (huge blessing), a nice home
to live at, loving members in the ward whenever they are in town, a
great companion, 7 wonderful sisters to serve, a car with air
conditioning, the best family in the world that I get to talk to on
Mondays, and THE RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!


Today I want to get on my soapbox for a moment and sincerely share
with you why I'm out here on a mission. What is really the purpose?
Some of my friends and family might think it is because I found a
religion that makes me happy and I am trying to have more people join.
Nope! Some might think I have been taught these things since I was a
little child and I was brainwashed, so I am trying to brainwash
others. False, false, false! (While I once relied on the testimony of
my parents when I was young, there is no part of my testimony now that
has not been confirmed directly from God as I asked him questions
personally and sincerely) Some might even think it is just because it
is a "good, moral thing to do". Nope. While I do believe what I am
doing is very good and very moral, there is SO much more than that.
This is about my love for God, and my love for my fellow mankind. In
truth, this is all about salvation.

Many people will say "I already have a church" or "I have already
found Jesus" or "I'll just live a good moral life and that will be
enough for God." Well what would I say to that? Why does it matter
that someone would have and follow the "restored gospel of Jesus
Christ" anyways?? I am going to let our former latter day prophet
President George Albert Smith answer that question:

" There is need for the people of this world to retrace their steps
and get back to the foundation that was laid by the Master of heaven
and earth, the foundation of faith, repentance and baptism by
immersion for the remission of sins, and the reception of the Holy
Ghost under the hands of those possessing divine authority. That is
what the world needs. I am grateful indeed that many are looking that
way. They have been going blindly along a pathway that has led to
sorrow and distress, but there has been placed within reach a remedy
for all ills--the gospel of Jesus Christ. There has been mapped out
for all a path that, while it is narrow, and difficult to follow,
leads back to the Father of us all; and there is no other path that
leads there.

The churches of the world are trying, in their way, to bring peace
into the hearts of men. They are possessed of many virtues and many
truths, and accomplish much good, but they are not divinely
authorized. Neither have their priests been divinely commissioned.

The Latter-day Saints are the only ones who bear the authority of our
Heavenly Father to administer in the ordinances of the Gospel.

There is a real famine in the world for the words of the Lord, and
many honest souls are earnestly seeking to know what our Heavenly
Father desires of them. I have met a number of the leaders of the
churches of the world, and have found among them noble characters
devoted to doing good, but I have rarely found among those who have
been called to the ministry in the various church organizations, men
who have an understanding of the purposes of their being, or who
realize why we are here in the world. Men cannot teach what they do
not themselves know. These good men, not understanding the gospel and
the necessity for the ordinances of the same, confine their teachings
very largely to moral lessons and to reading the psalms to their
congregations. Isolated passages of scripture are chosen as texts for
addresses on virtue, honesty, etc., all of which are helpful and
uplifting, but few sermons are preached explaining the requirements
made of every soul before we can enter the kingdom of heaven. It is
this information of which the world is most in need. "


To walk the complete path back to our Heavenly Father we must make and
keep sacred covenants through holy ordinances by those authorized by
God to do so. It might be a bold claim to make to some people and if
they allowed a very human pride to get in the way, they might even
take offense. But we don't apologize for sharing God's teachings!
They are true and for all of our salvation. This claim that we have
the authority in this church to perform ordinances for the salvation
of all mankind is something everyone can know and accept personally.
God can give each of us that witness. When you receive that answer,
you then know you are on the right path.

This is such exciting news and should be on the front page of all the
newspapers around the world! Why is it that so many (over 80,000)
young people sacrifice their young lives of freedom and go to serve
full time missions-- why don't they just concern themselves with their
own personal joy that comes from the gospel? Once again I will let
president George Albert Smith answer my question:

" Perhaps it might appear to the outside observer that there is among
the Latter-day Saints an unusual enthusiasm. As one man recently said:
“It is strange to me how joyfully you people carry your work forward.
It matters not whether I speak to a youth or to a mature man, to a
gardener or a policeman among your people, they are all happy and
satisfied and confident that they possess the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ that we bear. It is the desire to
save the souls of the children of men that burns in our hearts. It is
not that we may build ourselves up and become a mighty people
financially; it is not that we may have our names glorified in the
earth for our accomplishments; but it is that the sons and daughters
of God, wherever they may be, may hear this Gospel, which is the power
of God unto salvation to all those who believe and obey its precepts.

Think of the responsibility that is upon us, if in carelessness or
indifference we live our lives, not seeking to divide the truth with
those whom the Lord loves as much as he loves us, and who are precious
in his sight. I feel that there should be an awakening among some of
the members of this Church. I think a greater effort should be made to
divide with our Father’s children all the truth that is deposited with
this Church

When a man is sick, if he is our neighbor, we minister to him gladly;
if there is a death in his family, we try to comfort him. But year in
and year out we allow him to walk in paths that will destroy his
opportunity for eternal life, we pass him by, as if he were a thing of
naught

Do we realize that every man is in the image of God and is a son of
God, and every woman his daughter? No matter where they may be, they
are his children, and he loves them and desires their salvation.
Surely as members of this Church we cannot sit idly by. We cannot
receive the beneficent favor of our Heavenly Father that is bestowed
upon us, the knowledge of eternal life, and selfishly retain it,
thinking that we may be blessed thereby. It is not what we receive
that enriches our lives, it is what we give."

I hope that this gives you a fresh perspective on why we do missionary
work, and what it truly is that we are so excited about! This is
salvation we are talking about, it's not just a good message to share,
it the ONLY message we share that truly matters! God loves us. He want
us to return to Him and experience joy just like he does. This is how.

Learn it. Live it. Love it. Share it!
I love you all!
Sister Becca Younce

Rebecca’s email from June 23^rd.

Hey family,
It's been quite a week! Woohoo! We told this ward that we have just
them to work with now, so they should use us. And BOY have they been
using us! It was sister grows first week in this ward for church and
she came out of it with the same sentiment I usually do...."I feel
like I'm the most loved and popular girl in school in this ward!"
This ward has ruined me for any other ward! I bet that president
Jenkins will put me in the GHETTO for my last area just to switch it
up and to humble me one last time before I go home!
I have felt like my purpose here for this ward has also been to build
their faith that they can be a part of the work of salvation. I have
been feeling the spirit work so strongly through me this past week as
I just bear testimony to each family. That spirit testifies to me that
1) the things I'm testifying of are true which then strengthens my
faith and 2) The Lord is pleased with me and my efforts.

This week, like usual has been very busy. We didn't get to finish
planning for the week and I still haven't gotten to schedule my
exchanges with the sisters I'm working with. It's a little different
being a single STL! I don't get to depend on my companion to council
with me on the needs of my sisters, in fact, I have to be rather
secretive about any issues with other sisters in my companionship. But
I'm glad president trust me enough to entrust me with this!

Sister grow is such a great companion! We are pretty different, but
she is a very sweet and mature missionary. She is 21, from crest line
California. She went to byui for a year and has been working retail
since. She has a great testimony and is very humble and teachable as
a trainee for me ;). I'm sure I will learn so much from her! Her
trainer for the first six weeks was a sister from Germany in a humble
area. This place has been a little shocking for her, but now that she
has met the members, she has fallen quite in love with it alongside
me!

I have to say it is still pretty challenging to come to an area like
this where there isn't really any teaching of non-members going on.
You end up asking yourself if you're really doing anything of worth
there, but I know we are. It's where we have been called and we will
give it everything we've got ;).

I also love the family we are living with! The rushes are so sweet and
we are in their daughters area in the basement! My favorite home
accessory though has to be their little doggie, Lucy :) . She looks
like a little yippy dog.... But she has the cutest personality! We
absolutely adore her.

The family has been a little surprised at how little they see us. I
suppose they expected us to hang around sometimes and just relax some
during the day. But daddy and mommy, I'm proud to say that we haven't
done any of that ;) we run in and out and are off to our appointments
in a flash! Great wards to work in are no excuse for laziness ;) it's
only through diligence and obedience that brings the hope of miracles
taking place!

Sister grow and I have been asked to give a training on faith, and in
particular "faith to find the elect of God" for tomorrow's district
meeting. As I was studying on that topic this morning in my personal
studies, I came across this verse that suddenly took on new meaning
for me and for this area I'm working in. D&C 29:7 "And ye are called
to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my
voice and harden not their hearts."

So how is it that we will find the "elect" or identify them amongst
the crowds of people we live around? They first have to HEAR the
words of Christ from you, then based on whether they accept it or
harden their hearts to it, you will know if they are the prepared
elect of God. But what is it we have to do? SPEAK! Yes, of course
these are people we know and love, and we are friends with them. But
because we love them we desire to bless them and help them. The only
way to do that is to share. This can be done in many ways! So here
are a few general ideas : 1) share the blessings that Christ's gospel
have brought to your family and life in conversation 2) share a
meaningful thought online that you feel could help someone you know
specifically 3) invite friends to church so they can HEAR the words of
God at sacrament meeting!
This is our duty as covenant members of the restored Gospel of Jesus
Christ. A duty, yet a privilege. Are we too scared to pray for
missionary opportunities for fear that they might actually come? Let's
put aside our fear and ACT IN FAITH to show our brothers and sisters
how to find true and lasting happiness.

Let me leave you with this last scripture and my testimony: Alma 16:16
"And there was no inequality among them; the Lord did pour out his
Spirit on all the face of the land to prepare the minds of the
children of men, or to prepare their hearts to receive the word which
should be taught among them at the time of his coming"
We have been told that this same thing is taking place right now. Our
brothers and sisters are being prepared now more than ever to receive
the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are our equals in the eyes of God,
and along with this privilege of having the Gospel in our lives, comes
the responsibility to share it with Gods other treasured children.
Heavenly Father wants them to return to His presence just as much as
he wants you and me. Let's help them on their way home!

I love you all, and I love this Gospel. I have come to truly see the
miracles that come when we put aside all fear, and we act in faith.
This is God's work, and He will not fail. The truthfulness of the
Gospel brings blessings to all and it is only through the atonement of
Jesus Christ that any of this is possible. That is the same atoning
sacrifice that we can rely on to help us fulfill our part in this
work.

I love you!
Sister Becca Younce

Rebecca’s emails from June 16, 2014

Transfer news is in! I will now have the single smallest area in the
entire mission -- just Northridge ward!

I will have Northridge ward, and Leonora ward (per my request) has
been given to full-field sisters that can give it 100 % of their time
and attention! I know one of the sisters very very well, and the ward
is in good hands! It will thrive with this change. My new companion
will be Sister grow. She is from a small town in California, has been
out only a month and a half, and is very sweet and mature. I dont
know her very well yet, but I am looking forward to having her as my
companion and training her for her last 6 weeks of training! We will
be moving into the Rush's home tomorrow morning, so today is a big day
of packing and cleaning! I will send pictures next week! We will be
living literally across the street from the new move-ins that love our
church and are from Korea. I will also be on the same little corner
as 75% of the auxilliary leaders in the ward. Welcome to the
Northridge zion bubble! 98% activity and 100% home teaching!

I will still be a Sister Training Leader this transfer, though I am
pretty nervous about that since I will be a single one with 8 sisters
of my own! I think having a single ward of our own will help to make
the task a little more do-able with exchanges about 2 x a week.


I am so happy I wont be leaving Northridge yet. I absolutely cant
even begin to describe the love for the people in this ward! Their
personalities are all so diverse and fun, their arms are wide open
with love, and their spirits are so strong. They strengthen me every
day I am with them! This will be one of the wards I will bring my
family to when you visit after the mission!
The bishop alone could generate enough electricity to light up a small
city with the amount of excitement and vigor that he has! Now we just
have to get all the missionary work going!!!

Oh and guess what?!.... Sister Pickett will be killing my mommy in my
birth area! :) AKA she will be in Harris 1 and Harris 2 ( the wards
with Faye and Ed Felts, Ryan and Lori, and Don Nelson!) and she will
be with Sister Brown (who is back there again) for her last transfer!
The two of them will be VC trainers together!

This transfer we are getting 2 new Spanish VC sisters from Utah, and
my District Leader, Elder Conaway will be returning to Deer Park,
Texas! I believe he will return to go shoot some deer and open his
concrete business again to become "exceedingly wealthy" as he says it.
Before I know it I will be returning home as well!

Sorry there isnt much spiritual content in this letter, I am just
working on the logistics of the move and the next 3 days in my mind!
HAPPY LATE FATHERS DAY DADDY! I cant put into words who you really are
to me. I have found we are more alike than I ever thought before my
mission. I have that picture of you stretching before you mow the
lawn, and 3 year old me beside you trying to be like Daddy :) That
will always be me! I cant wait to jump on your lap and sing "Im so
glad when daddy comes home" again someday! I love you daddy!

HAVE FUN AT THE BEACH EVERYONE! Based on what dad said in his email to
me, it sounds like its a blast and complete euphoria :) I love you
all!

Sister Becca Younce




ps. The Spencers were so sad to find out the missionaries were moving
out! The kids loved having us here, and the parents loved the example
set and the spirit in the home. We have loved our time there, but we
are also looking forward to our future housing adventures! If anyone
would like to look arund for a little baby girl present as a thank you
for them.... let me know! I would be much obliged! They really made
us part of their family these last 4.5 months. They will be having a
baby girl in september! (she will be a big one) Thanks!!

pps. a lot of the native spanish speaking and spanish-called sisters
are going into.... ENGLISH wards this transfer! I know a few arent
too excited, but this will be so good for their english! wohoo!

Rebecca’s email from June 9^th 2014

These weeks fly by!  This has been one of the shortest and toughest
transfers of my mission. Something keeps sweeping over me, and I have
come to recognize it not only as physical exhaustion, but more so
emotional exhaustion. It's tough to be a leader!  I broke down a few
times this week, and I admit I allowed discouragement to set in. But
thankfully the strength we need is always just a prayer and a good
night's sleep away. That prayer we say is the key however!  God is
often just waiting for us to turn to him and ask him for those
blessings he is willing to bestow, yet is unable to give unless we
ASK!

I apoligize for what might appear to be a very "soapboxish"email today.  I also apoligize for any spelling or grammatical errors (they are probably very abundant).  The computer I am on is set to be in spanish, so everything is underlined in Red.  Very helpful, huh? 

We find out transfer news either next saturday or monday.  Either way however, we are moving out of the Spencer's home, and into a home in our Northridge ward boundaries.  The family we will be living with has 2 daughters out on missions!  Who knows if I will be staying here in one or both of these wards, or if I will be going.  I really feel that I have at least been able to improve these wards and I was blessed enough to be able to see 2 baptisms, and many members return to full activity in the Church.  You always want to make sure you leave an area better than you found it! 

We just had our first lesson with a nonmember that Northridge has had in almost a year!  You might wonder why there have been so few -- one reason is that this area is 90% members of the LDS church, and the other reason is that up until now, the membership of this ward lacked the faith that they could truly be a part of this great work of Salvation!

  The teenage boy that we have started to teach came to church yesterday for a farewell of the former stake president, and then later last night we were able to meet with him in a "cottage meeting" we have each sunday night with the youth in that ward.  He accepted an invitation to read each day from the Book of Mormon, and we hear that he bore a powerful testimony 2 weeks ago at Young Men's encampment!  Things are looking up!  Its been amazing to see the ward change as their faith has grown.  We have started to go to each home to teach the first lesson of the restoration WITH the families in the ward, as we roleplay like they have a friend or neighbor sitting there with us.  It has been a lot of fun, and VERY effective.  The youth have all been excited to teach alongside us, and have expressed that their testimonies and knowledge of the Gospel has increased as they have studied Preach My Gospel in preparation for teaching with us in their families.  So many families have such love and friendship with their neighbors, and now they are gaining the faith to actually share the most precious gift they posess with them -- THE RESTORED GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST! 

I am not part of a sales team, or a group of recruiters planning how we are going to baptize more people into our church, but I am blessed to be a part of a group of loving, humble, and giving saints that want nothing more than to share what they treasure most in the world.  That's what I am doing, and that is what I am helping my fellow saints to do as well.  Wooohoooo! 

 Our church meeting yesterday was packed to the brim, as we listened to the recently released stake president, his amazingly loving and warm wife, and their 15 year old son speak as a farewell to our stake before they leave for the Phillippines!  President Ostler has now been called as the  mission president in the Phillippines, and he and his wife and son will be relocating there for the next 3 years.  They have left a beautiful home, a comfortable lifestyle, an amazing ward, 6 out of the 7 children, and 14 grandchildren to go and serve the Lord.  They expect nothing in return.  Sister Ostler posed the question as she spoke, "why would we do this?"  The reason we do this is because we Love the Lord! We have found true and pure joy, and we cant rest untill we show others how to discover the same thing.   

I cant even imagine the sacrifice this service will be to their family, but just imagine what this will do for each of them individually.  This life isnt about what we obtain, but rather it is about who we become.  They will have such an opportunity to  BECOME during these next three years!  I was sad to see them go, but what a blessing for all of those 200 missionaries they are going to be with and presiding over for these 3 years!  What an example to all of us of true dedication to the Lord, and sacrificing for what matters most!  

Next week will be another farewell of a couple from the same ward that will be leaving to be a Mission President and his wife in Samoa!  What a ward to be a part of.  I still can't fathom it sometimes.  I have found so many families and people that I deeply admire here. 

 This week we also got to go to the temple!  It was the morning of an

exchange, and the evening before ALL of our appointments had fallen
through and we once again were going to have to report a week with
zero member present lessons taught to nonmembers. This is the first
area where that has ever happened to me, and it's been happening a few
more weeks than I would like to admit!  I came to the temple that
morning truly looking for guidance in the work, and for much needed
peace after a troubling few weeks.  I had been having so many
questions pop up in my mind, NAND I just wanted peace from all of it!

Strange how God answers our prayers!  I didn't get peace at all when I
walked through the doors at the end of my temple trip, instead I just
had more questions weighing on me. I left a little dissappointed, and
I was tempted to look at the experience as God either ignoring my
prayers or not truly being there to answer me.

Instead, sister Pickett found me in my troubled state later that day
and pointed out to me something. She pointed out that she never had
questions overtake her, and things tended not to weigh on her or
trouble her, and as a result of that she never really learned things
deeply or gained much knowledge.  Whereas I question everything and am
naturally very inquisitive.  Lately I had been very down about that
character trait of mine because I have always just desired a natural
easy faith, but look at all the knowledge i have been able to gain
because of my deep desire to seek real answers to my questions and to
know things for myself!  Look at all of the growth that has come from
my inquiries and pleads for guidance from God as I have desperately
sought for answers!!

My answer that day was not to have all of the answers to my questions
at once, but rather it was a realization of the blessings that are
coming because of my (sometimes wearisome) characteristic of
inquisititiveness. Like all gifts, it can be used for good or bad. 

Knowledge, especially spiritual knowledge, is one of the few things we
can take with us when we die!  Thank goodness for my loving companion
who helped me to see my strengths, rather than my flaws.
Hey, now I know what things I want to study about for these next few
weeks! Some missionaries struggle with knowing what to study each day,
and that is the very least of my worries ;) I've always got something
I want to study ;) One thing I love most about the Gospel is that there is so much room for intellectual inquiry, and we are always encouraged to keep learning. 

At the end of the day though when my questions overtake me and I still
haven't found every answer, I have to remember the verse from Mosiah 4:9 Believe in
God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in
heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power,
both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all
the things which the Lord can comprehend.

 And then I have to remember to be still,  to have faith,and to let God
take the reigns.

I love you all!  I hope you have an amazing week at the beach!  I cant wait to join you next year and sit under the umbrella as I watch yall get sunburnt :)  

and.... WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, ROSE MARIE! June 3rd is a good day for a birthday it sounds like -- Elder Moss and little Rosie :)  I love your cute chubby cheeks so much! 

Sister Younce

Rebecca’s email from May 26^th 2014

Hey family! Our district is having a district activity where they
have on a movie and I am struggling to concentrate.

Yes that was the only sentence I managed to get through during the
movie! I wish I was good at multitasking! Ahh well!

So this week was a good one! It was my birthday of course... And I
was so spoiled! Thank you everyone who sent gifts and emails and
letters! I felt loved. A very humble Mexican man, Hermano Moreno,
treated me and sister Pickett out to lunch at Sassy's and he surprised
me with a gigantic tres leches cake in a pink box, Lindt truffles, and
balloons! During lunch I loved getting to hear his wonderful story.
His family had disowned him, and he has been working here in Mesa as a
chef. His life is literally just church, sleep, work, and going out
with the missionaries/spoiling them. He is shy and the missionaries
are his only friends. We love him! Such a sweet, humble man. We are
trying to find him a wife!

We had zone conference ... It was wonderful! It was a very positive
and uplifting all day meeting that motivated all of us to be more
consecrated as missionaries.

I was also able to go on an exchange this week with sister bolliger.
We got a call from them that morning and they informed us that sister
bolliger was sick. We prayed about it to see if we should reschedule
the exchange, and we felt strongly that we should go forward with it
anyways. Sister chase ended up going to our area with sister pickett,
while I went to their apartment and took care of sister bolliger for
the 24 hour exchange. It turned out to be a great experience, since
she really needed someone to listen to her and to talk to. Y'all would
be so proud of me! I sat in the same room as someone with a stomach
virus and even hugged her multiple times as I spent the 24 hours with
her. I didn't die! I know the old me wouldn't have ever done that. I
was so filled with love for her when the exchange was over. Being a
sister training leader is the best! You get to know so many different
types of sisters. You find yourself finding things in common with
each and every one of them and you can't help but love them, no matter
how different you both are.

I'm excited to go into my old ward, grandview 1st for an exchange this
coming week! My recent convert, ken, is struggling and had decided to
take a step back from church, so I am looking forward to going in
there to help him again.

Sister rios was also on an exchange at the same apartment as me this
week, so we had some time together to talk and to catch up. I admit
that my time with sister rios was the roughest time of my mission, not
because of her, but because that was just a time I NEEDED to go
through. I needed to be humbled and pushed to June limit so I would
learn to fall on my knees.

We both got to talk about how much we each learned from our time
together, and as we expressed our love for each other this time
around, I could finally feel we both meant it sincerely.

She asked me something though that had caused me to pause and reflect
a lot over the past few days. She told me "I can see how happy you
are. How did you find your 'center' and how is it that you have been
able to find happiness as a missionary now? I'm trying to find it. "
That question has caused me to think a lot about the changes I've gone
through since I have been with her at the beginning of my mission. I
think I always liked being a missionary, and I'm not really doing
anything differently outwardly.... But everything inwardly has
changed! I don't know exactly when it happened, but I have found
happiness as a missionary and this balance I've been enjoying ever
since I truly allowed God to change me through this mission. I think
in the last 6 months I have pushed harder and harder to do more for
others, and during that time I have had to put my whole will and my
whole heart in the hands of The Lord. I feel changed. I love it.

Change is the real miracle in life.

I still have such a long way to go, but life is too short to resist
the changes that need to happen for us to become who we are meant to
become. We all have to put our pride down, and let The Lord shape us
like clay. Although I have seen god do that with many other people on
my mission as I have taught them by the spirit, the true miracle of my
mission is the change within myself.

I hope that doesn't sound too selfish to each of you as you read that.
I should go


Sister Becca Younce


Wor. What an entertaining email! I love my family so much!!! I won't
wish Hannah to the hospital again! I will use my missionary power for
good from now on.

Love you all! Thank you for the gifts, so sweet! Notes to each of you
are in the mail!