Amazing Week!

What an amazing and eventful week!!!

so..... Don and Faye were baptized!!! And..... I'M TRAINING!

We had a day or so with cooler weather this past week! It was humid and in the high 80's -- HEAVEN! There was a small dust storm, called a "haboob" that came through.  We were doing our companionship study and we saw the trees pend sideways and the sky was brownish gray.  We went outside to take pictures and I got dust all up my facial openings!  It was totally worth it though.  I have been sneezing all week because of all the dust in the air.  In actuality, it wasn't a very big haboob, but I was excited for just SOMETHING to happen outside!  It is just still and sunny and scorching outside each and every day... so it broke up a bit of the monotony.  After the dust came the RAIN!  The rain was nothing in comparison to the rain in NC.  All that happened was the dust just got wet and it just smelled muddy and gross.  Thankfully it brought through some cooler weather, so I don't have any room to complain!  Everyone else was complaining about the mugginess, but I was just basking in the glory of it :). 

Don was baptized on Saturday night.  There were about 50 people that showed up... and Don has only been known to us and the ward for a little over 3 weeks!  I was so grateful for the support from that wonderful ward.  After the baptism, I was called on to go and teach the restoration to everyone there.  I taught with nothing in front of me.  I had been praying so hard that the spirit would direct me, and I know that it truly did.  Don's Catholic sister and father ended up coming (which was a HUGE miracle in and of itself -- especially since there is a lot of contention in the family) and as I testified to the room at large, my eye kept catching Don's sister's eye.  She watched and listened intently and I could feel her connection to what I was saying.  What an amazing opportunity it is for us to teach what the investigators have been learning as they are getting dried off and dressed!  It is a stake-wide rule for all convert baptisms for there to be the restoration taught during that time now, and I know that is truly inspired.  There were also 4 other investigators in attendance, but even if there hadn't been.... I know that EVERYONE can benefit from hearing that unique message and having their faith grow as they do.  Each and everytime we share that message I feel the power of it and the spirit confirms to me that what I am testifying of is true.  Nothing could make me deny my witness that I have recieved from the power of the Holy Ghost time and time again as that message has been shared.  After the baptism there were so many people that stuck around for dessert and Don and his catholic family had a great time!  It was an amazing event, and it was touching also when Don got up and shared his testimony.  It may have only consisted of about 2 sentences and lasted 10 minutes.... but it was sincere and true and I was so so happy for him!!! 

Faye was baptized Sunday night! There were about 100 people there and we had to move to the chapel.  There was a set photographer that took pictures of every single person that came into the building and the excitement was abundant!  The entire stake presidency showed up for the event.  The talks were great, and the people that spoke have been their neighbors for 35 years, and had been praying for this day to come for many years.  I sat beside Faye and had my arm around her.  She was so happy and excited, yet bashful from all the attention.  Ed did a great job of baptizing her.  It was his first baptism he had ever done, although he had recieved the priesthood almost 60 years ago.  It was such a beautiful thing to watch, and I just was overwhlemed and cried the entire time as did half of the room.  Sister Brown taught the restoration and instead I just testified after her.  Faye should have been back by then but she was not... so we had to fill some time!  They called on us to sing a duet... so we did!  We flipped to "Nearer my God to thee" and sang that.  I was still overwhelmed with emotion from the baptism and both of us were in dire need of water, but somehow we pulled it off.  Both of us sang softly but somehow it came out very clear and more pleasant than expected.  The spirit was strong as we sang, and as we harmonized. 

After Faye came back, not only did the Bishop welcome her in, but also the stake president!  I can't say much about this but.... he is one intense man!  He called timid little Faye up to the front and immediately there was a audible gasp throughout the congregation.  She survived the questions beautifully, but nevertheless Sister Brown and I were praying silently as hard as we could muster the entire time!  The entire program was beautiful, yet very simple.  This day had been long awaited, and it was such a joy to be a part of it.  Faye told us that she felt her original fellowshipper and teacher's presence (Brother Barney) very stongly and she knew he was overwhlemed with joy, although he had passed away years ago.  It was such a blessing to be able to witness the fruit of so many members and missionary's labors over the past 35 years!  The most amazing part of this experience however was witnessing a true conversion.  Faye was acting out of pure faith and both her and Ed had been ready to act.

The Lord has his own timing.  Never EVER EVER give up on someone.  Truth is truth, no matter the year. 

The funny thing is that people bombarded us with compliments after the baptism.  They all were saying that we HAVE to sing for the ward in sacrament meeting and many a people used the word "angel" when they spoke to us about the singing.  Sister brown and I are bashful about our singing.  Although we know we aren't half bad when put together to harmonize..... I KNOW that we had extra help during that song.  This past weekend has been full of testimony-building experience and what a blessing it has been to be able to feel the spirit in such abundance!  Overall, I just feel gratitude to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to be a part of that and an instrument in his hands.

Goodbye Sister Brown!

I am out of time but..... I AM TRAINING!  Her name is Sister Rios.  She is from Peru and it has been quite a process trying to get here!  I will be working in the VC once again and I am nervous!  The VC has changed so much since we last worked in there because of the ipads and iphones!  i will try to send home a letter telling you more about it.  Overall though, I need some encouragement!  She does not speak too much English and I am sure that the Lord has some challenges in store for both me and her.  I am so excited for this opportunity though!!!!  I meet her on Wednesday.  I can't wait to tell you all about her next week! 

I love you all!!!!!!!!!! Send me more emails and pictures please!!!

How is everyone?!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! KEEP WORKING HARD AND NEVER FORGET THAT GOD LOVES YOU AND I LOVE YOU!

The Fourth 7/8/13

This past week was pretty grande :)  

On Wednesday, we had a "Mission Tour" where we met President and Sister Jenkins!  They taught us so much even in the first meeting.  It was amazing to hear from President, especially once we found out that they had spent 5 straight days at the MTC being taught by the best teachers you can get -- the 12 apostles! (one was missing, but then there was President Monson there for part of the time! They had sacrament meeting with him ten feet from them the whole time..)  They also told us about their experiences with Elder Bednar as they were set apart and the advice they gave to them specifically for our mission.  I have more faith than ever that our mission will be going in the right direction :)  Just a little bit about President and Sister Jenkins:  They are from Idaho.  He is a Dentist.  When he smiles he is the exact replica of the Mitt Romney Charicature.  They both have deeply embedded smile lines, and they are extremely caring and close to the spirit.  They aren't afraid of showing emotion, and many times while we sang or stood to say "Our Purpose" they shed tears.  They are so ready to serve.  Whenever he is near, I honestly feel like I might end up on the front cover of the newspaper -- President Jenkins just has a powerful presence.  They are already taking to the Visitor's Center and the amazing resources there so well -- I can tell there will be a good partnership developing between the VC president and the Mission President.  It will be valuable, no doubt. Especially with Temple lights and the Easter Pageant! I love them and trust them already.  On a side note, all three of their sons are in medical school.  

Here in Arizona, EVERYONE goes up North for the Fourth of July!  It was nearly impossible to find people home this week.  It was even worse on the Holiday itself!  We got to watch a little Parade through our area that is put on by the neighborhood each year.  Everyone dresses up and goes in bikes and wagons, or cars.  Its really cute and people get pretty into it.  There was a little Betsy Ross and even a Statue of Liberty that I spotted!  It was a mixture of LDS and non-LDS neighbors and the parade ended at a Bishop's house.  There was a flag ceremony there, a few speaking parts, some singing, and then of course donuts for breakfast!  I would love to see some of these things incorporated into our neighborhood back home!  It gives a real sense of community that I am learning to cherish.  We had dinner at a member's home where there are two GIANT pet african tortoises!  It was fun watching these giant mounds eat watermelon enthusiastically and roll in the mud!  What a weird pet to have...

We had Mission President Fireside last night!  For those of you that don't know... it is a fireside put on by the President where there are new converts that speak.  In between each speaker there are musical numbers put on by the missionaries.  The musical numbers last night were AMAZING!  The best one was by my huge, Samoan district leader who has an AMAZING voice, and my Zone Leader that is heading home next week!  I got to sing twice.  Once with a small group of Sisters and then we sang at the close, "come unto christ" with the VC Choir.  The fireside is pretty stressful because if you dont have at least one investigator show up -- you have to leave!  You aren't allowed there without investigators, even if you are in a musical number.  The pressure is pretty high for the missionaries with flaky investigators... Thankfully, both Don and Faye came!  It is really an amazing spiritual experience for investigators and it happens every 6 weeks.  I can't wait for the next one!

So I only have another minute or two... but I wanted to let you know about the upcoming baptisms again!  Don will be baptized Saturday night and Faye on Sunday by her newly activated husband!  

Faye has progressed beautifully.  Both her and Ed are SO excited and it might be the most well-attended baptism here for years.  People have been working with them to get them to this day for 35 years now.  How did I get so lucky as to get to see the fruit of their labors?!  I must hug Faye 5 times each time I see her.  There couldn't be a cuter lady.  I will get to go to their sealing next year!!! I cry from joy when I even think about it.  Don is also so ready!  He is so strong and even though his family has tried to have many interventions with him, he has stayed strong.  He finally feels like he has a family.  I am so full of love for them right now, and I never want it to end!

I have gotta go.  I love you all!  By next P-day I will be able to tell you what I will be doing next transfer!  We find out right after Don's baptism.  I probably won't train... but we shall see!  I will miss Sister Brown for sure, however. 

Love you forever!!!!!!

Sister Younce

The Last Week of Monsoon Season 7/1/13

So I felt my first bit of humidity this morning!  We had a service project this morning where we weeded the flowerbeds in a portion of the temple grounds.  All of us VC sisters where out there in 105 degrees at 7 in the morning and then I noticed.... I felt sticky!  Even though it was nothing compared to NC humidity, it was way too much when added on to the Arizona heat!  It was pretty miserable and my shirt was completely soaked through with sweat in just minutes.  It was tickling to watch all the sisters get anxiety over weeding temple flowerbeds for fear that they would pull up a planted-plant on those holy grounds!  I'm certain the temple grounds gardeners are going to have to go back through and clean up our work significantly. I had fun watching the ants crawling below me drown in my sweat that kept gushing on them :) Each time I looked up from the flowerbed I was weeding, I thought I would see other sisters going through the same thing.... but nope!  Everyone looked fairly fresh still and the faces and shirts were all pretty dry.  I am starting to think that my body just flat out rejects the heat.  Sister Brown loves the heat, but thankfully she is merciful and is very understanding of me each day.  I have gotten bad headaches each day the past week or two.  I chug water all day every day because that is the only way to stay cool!  I end up at a member's home utilizing their "facilities" every 20 minutes as a result!  Ahhhh there is just no winning with this heat!  I dont ever intend on living in Arizona in the summertime once my mission is done!  The wintertime is great here, but I happen to agree with all the Arizona snowbirds here that evacuate Arizona for the summer! 

Our mission is now TINY in area! President Ellsworth left on Wednesday when our new President, President Jenkins took over!  Sister Clark got word last week that she was being sent home for good for health reasons and was gone the next morning.  We got a new sister in the house as Sister Schwartz's new and last companion! Her name is Sister Paries and guess what.... She is most recently from North Carolina!  Her family lives in Greensboro I believe, and since Sister Schwartz is from Atlanta, Georgia.... the southern ladies now outnumber the westerners!!! It's been fun to get to talk about the South and inform Sister Brown of funny southern traditions and fashions!  Sister Paries is super cute and is absolutely tiny -- probably 85-90 pounds?  I am the GIANT of the house once again!  I am basically the giant of the VC as well, besides one other sister.  But Ahhhhh! I have an NC sister in the house!  It has been odd having the house so quiet now that Sister Schwartz is no longer nursing a sick companion for the first time since I have met her!  It's definitely a missionary house through and through now!

Faye and Don are still all set for their baptisms on July 12 and 13!  Faye and Ed are keeping the Word of Wisdom and it was such a happy day when we found that out!  They are truly converted.... and I couldn't feel more blessed to be able to be a part of this process! Its so great to see the fruits of so many missionaries' and members' labors for the past 35 years!!!  I have a feeling that her baptism will be the most well-attended baptism in quite a few years here.  The stake president and all the stake bishops at least will be in attendance!

I have been humbled this week as I have realized how bad of a teacher I am!  I know so little, but the Lord makes up for my weaknesses each day somehow! 

I am reading in 3rd Nephi right now and I feel like I have NEVER read it before! The Book of Mormon is so amazing!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!! Byeee!!!

Becca