Week #36

Hey y'all!!

Another great week here in Florida! I can't believe we are already into May! It's starting to get super hot and humid and we haven't even hit July or August yet!! I'm in for a treat, but we had some mighty fine miracles this week!

Want to hear the coolest story? We have this neighbor named Chelsea, who lives across the street from us. Chelsea is always out walking her dog and every time we see her we stop to say hi and catch up on life. One night we pulled in and she was talking to one of her friends outside her apartment and they came over to talk to us. She asked a simple question and said why are you all always so happy. We laughed and told her it was because of the gospel. She said that she had been watching us for the past 3 months and every time she sees us we are always smiling. We were able to set up an appointment and teach her the Restoration! The best part is that Chelsea believes everything we do. We extended a baptismal date and she accepted. She is praying about June 18th for her baptism. It goes to show that people really are watching us. I sometimes let myself get discouraged with all the rejection, but in all reality there really are people out there who are prepared. The even greater part is that they are watching us and notice the light that Christ gives each and everyone of us. Don't be afraid to share it!

Sister Neibaur and I did our first skype lesson and it was a lot of fun. Because our area is so big and we are on car share we weren't able to drive to Baileys apartment. Bailey is moving to Utah at the end of the month for the summer to be with some friends. She is getting baptized here in Florida because she will be back for the fall semester. Bailey bore her testimony to us and even though we had a lesson through a screen her testimony was simple and powerful. She has prayed about the Book of Mormon and is so excited to get baptized on the 21st! Please keep her in your prayers!:)

Sister Lesuma, who use to be my Sister Training Leader companion, went on an exchange this week! She came to YSA and we had a blast together. We were walking up to campus and started talking to a girl named Hannah. She had just finished finals and was so excited for the weekend. She is from Washington and has grown up around mormons all her life. We set up a time to meet with her and guess what... she came to church! Hannah has the coolest story. She was a pharmacy tech in the air force for a couple of years and hated it. She moved to Florida to go to school at USF and is majoring in finance. She has been on a spiritual journey and has been trying to find a church to attend. We had an amazing lesson with her and invited her to be baptized. She declined and told us it was because she was afraid of getting her hair wet... haha the best part is that she was being totally serious. I told her I was a cosmetologist and I would do her hair for her after she was baptized. She agreed and said she would pray about June 11th

oh my goodness I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

MLC is spiritually uplifting as always. Our whole meeting was centered on member missionary work. Members are key to binding converts to the church. There was a Brother from the Tampa Zone who came in and gave a training on how to work effectively with our members. How we do this comes from a scripture, D&C 43:8! As we edify & instruct, return & report, invite, commit, & follow up, we become kingdom builders. It was a really cool meeting. The best part of the whole day was being able to see Sister Bowen and Sister Barkdull. Sister Bowen and I talked for a good 30 minutes about all the things we have learned on our missions. Man I love her!

The recent converts and returning less actives really are the kindling power in our ward. Most of them have been called as ward missionaries. Christian, who is are ward mission leader, texted the ward missionaries this week and asked them to prayerfully seek a missionary opportunity and to share their experience in fast and testimony meeting. Brianna, a Sister in the ward, was less active a couple of months ago. We called her and met with her a couple of times and she started coming back to church! She received a calling and fellowship from the ward and is now an active member. Not only is she active but she is doing member missionary work. We got a text the other day asking us if she could have more pass along cards. With in a week she had passed out all of her cards! Sunday's fast and testimony meeting was really spiritual.

Fast and testimony meeting was on point yesterday. Velda, who is a recent convert, go up and bore her testimony on the power of the Plan of Salvation. Before church started she told us she had written her testimony on a piece of paper because she wanted to bear her testimony. Well she left her paper at home and told herself she wasn't going to bear her testimony. TestimonyMeeting started and we watch her walk up to the pulpit and she goes I'm shy and don't want to do this but I promised Heavenly Father when I was baptized I would do whatever he asks of me and the spirit told me I needed to share my testimony. She shared her conversion story and how we are a family! My invitation to you all this week is to share your simple testimony with someone around you! I wish you all the best week yet! Until next time.

Love,

Sister Kenzie Graham

Tampa Bay YSA C