Week #9

HELLO!!!! Family and Friends! 

First and fore most HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the greatest dad in the entire world. I hope you had a wonderful birthday yesterday, and second HAPPY HALLOWEEN! This week was awesome. Sister Martin and I have seen so many miracles this week. Tuesday was Sister Martins birthday! Shout out to the best companion ever, she is officially 21! WAHOO! Sister Martin is one of the most amazing and Christ like people I have ever met. Not only is she the greatest leader but she is one of my best friends. We actually had to go on an emergency exchange on Tuesday. Sister Harper is the other Sister Training Leader in the zone. She has been having some trouble with her hips. Sister Martin and I  had a day full of finding, but the Clearwater sisters had important appointments that they couldn't afford to miss. 

I went with Sister Bowen to help a lady named Sharon move into her house. It was a lot of fun. Later that night we had an amazing lesson with a man named Keith. We taught him the plan of salvation. Keith said that the lesson we had with him answered so many questions that he has had for years now. It just amazes me how people really don't know. That's one of my favorite things as a missionary, is working long and hard days to find that one person who is really searching for the gospel. 

We have some of the most amazing youth in our ward. They are thee best missionaries. Paige Neiporti is a young women in our ward and has been bringing her friend Conner with her to seminary since the beginning of the school year. We planned to have a lesson and do haircuts with them on Wednesday. Haha used cosmetology to my advantage!:) Conner and her family belong to another religion but she is open to learning about other religions. We met with the two of them and started talking about the Book of Mormon. Conner started asking some of the most profound questions about the priesthood, prayer and the atonement it was nuts. We taught her the Plan of salvation, and her response to all of this was, " it all makes sense!" Ahh I just love that the Lord really does prepare the hearts of his children. Wednesday night we had the ward Trunk or Treat. It really was such a blast. The Palm Harbor ward has been such an amazing ward to be apart of. It is just one big happy family. Wednesday night was the first time the ward had seen sister missionaries in pants since the new dress code change. Everyone kept asking us what we're dressed up as. It was hilarious. The trunk or treat was a great way for us to meet all the families in the ward. A lot of less active families were there, which gave us the opportunity to set appointments with them. We helped the youth with games for the primary kids. It was such a fun night!

Sunday is my favorite day of the week. Not only do we get to partake of the sacrament, but is a day full of the spirit. Yesterday we got to attend a baptism. The zone leaders have been teaching a lady named Lehia. Her first language is Spanish, which meant she would attend the Spanish branch up in Largo. Lehia lives in the Palm Harbor boundaries and wants to start coming to our ward to work on her English, plus its a lot closer to her home. When the Elders invited us to her baptism we were so excited. This was the very first baptism I've got to watch on the mission. There was such a special spirit yesterday. The whole baptism was in Spanish which meant Sister Martin and I didn't understand a single word, but the coolest thing was that the spirit is the same. From the moment Lehia walked into the room until she was confirmed in sacrament meeting, the spirit was so strong. This was really the first time I realized that the gospel really is the same not matter what language you speak, or where you are in the world. The message and the spirit is the same. It was the most incredible experience to see one of gods children enter the waters of baptism. Lehia had the biggest smile when she came up out of the water. We gave her a hug and told her how proud we were but most importantly proud our Heavenly Father was of her. The had tears in her eyes and all she said to us in English was "this church is true!" Oh my goodness she really is such an example to everyone around her. Now as spiritual as this whole day was there were just a few funny moments I want to share with you. Elder Madsen before that baptism started, asked if I could play the piano. That was my first mistake was telling the zone leader that I could even play the piano. The songs were super easy right? For some reason I just get super nervous to play in front of people. We sang the opening song, there is sunshine in my souls today. Well I completely butchered it. It was so bad. Sister Martin was dying. I sat down and we just giggled. Oops at least I tried. After Lehia was baptized the Elders announced that we would give a lesson on the restoration. That was the second mistake don't ever tell someone you are more than willing to do ANYTHING. Sister Martin and I looked at each other in surprise, got up and started to teach. I have never felt the spirit like we did that day. As we taught and testified I learned that the Lord really does keep his promises. If we trust in the spirit he will always help us know what to say! I also got the lovely opportunity to play the closing song. We sang Nearer My God to Thee. It went a lot smoother. A brother in the branch came up to me after the baptism and thanked me for playing the piano but he also informed me that I needed just a little more practice. Sister Martin and I died laughing. I guess I know what I'll be doing before I play at another baptism haha!!;) 

This week I have been studying the role of the Holy Ghost in conversion. I had never really realized how crucial and necessary the spirit was until my mission. When we are led and guided by the spirit we can be the missionary that Heavenly Father wants us to be. It has been fun to see my investigators and even my own relationship grow with the spirit. In Alma 5, Alma the younger is telling us about his conversion story. He explains that he saw an angel of the Lord, but he still had to pray and ask the Father if what he what he had been taught was true. I love that Alma is testifying of the powerful the Holy Ghost really is. 

We received some sad news this morning. Transfers are this Wednesday and Sister Martin is being transferred to Clearwater where she will be in a trio. Sister Bowen will be coming to Palm Harbor. I am going to miss Sister Martin so much but I am so excited to start this new journey with Sister Bowen! I hope that you all have an amazing week! I want you to know that I love this Gospel, I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I love being His missionary!

Love,

Sister Kenzie Graham