Week #39

Dearest Family & Friends,

I can officially say it feels so weird to be hitting my half way
point. Time is just slipping out of my hands! All I can say is I love
being a missionary and serving here in Florida! We got transfer calls
yesterday morning and....... SISTER NEIBAUR AND I ARE STAYING
TOGETHER! YSA all the way!:) Sister Suman is getting transferred to
Tampa 2 and Sister House is staying in the YSA and training!

The number one highlight of the week was going to the temple with Rabi
and Velda! President Cooper just got permission to allow the
missionaries to attend the temple with their recent converts if they
taught them from start to finish and were baptized while they were
serving in the area! Velda drove us to Orlando and Rabi couldn't hold
his excitement in when he saw the temple. It was such a spiritual
experience watching them perform ordinances for the dead. The Brother
baptizing told Rabi to trust him and that he wouldn't drop him. The
individual he was baptizing right before had to be shoved down into
the water. When is was Rabi's turn he trusted completely in this man
and back flopped into the water! He made a huge splash and the
witnesses were laughing so hard. How fun it was to go to the house of
the Lord!! There is such a different and special spirit there

Let me tell you exchanges bring miracles. Sister House and I were able
to meet up with Hannah, one of our investigators, Friday afternoon.
She took us to get ice cream and we had the best lesson in faith and
trusting in our Heavenly Father. She has been praying about a
baptismal day wants to talk to her family before she commits to
anything!  That evening we met some of the coolest people. Campus is
pretty dead in the summer time but we were walking by the dorms on
campus and ran into a guy named Matthew. He was riding his long board
and we started talking to him. He began to tell us that his dad had
recently passed away and that he didn't even know if God really
existed. He kept asking us why good things happen to bad people.
During studies that morning I was studying the Plan of salvation and
what a coincident! We testified of Heavenly Fathers plan. The more I
study the Plan of salvation the more I understand just how critical it
is that we understand it. HI think that's why every other general
Conference talk referred to it this past general Conference!

Over the past 9 months my testimony has been strengthened, tried, and
tested. This past Sunday we were able to attend one of our
investigators church service. I had never been to a different
religious service before and that is honestly the only word I can use
to describe it.... different! We got picked up Sunday morning and
pulled into the parking lot of a YMC building. We walked in and all
eyes were on us. Everyone was dressed in T-shirts and jeans, it smelt
like coffee, and there was a band playing Christian rock music! We
felt just a little over dressed haha ;) Definitely a different
environment and spirit then I am use too! The investigator we went
with plays her violin in the band, so she dropped us off with her
friend Liz and she took us to our seats. There was a sermon and it was
very intense but really good. We were able to learn about the love
that God has for us as his children. During their communion they play
another Christian rock song. They all get up and break of piece of
bread off of the loaf and dip it in grape juice. Some walked back to
their seats, other knelt and prayed others put their hands in the air
and swayed to the music back and forth. Sister Neibaur looked at me
like what the heck is going on. We just stayed in our seats and
observed! To be completely honest with you I was scared for my life.
When the service was over one of the members came up to us and
completely bashed us. He told us we don't believe in the correct Jesus
and that our doctrine was false. As hard as it was to hear all of the
nasty things he was saying, my testimony of the Book of Mormon has
grown so much. Without that book there is so much confusion!

We were suppose to go to our investigators house for lunch after her
church service,  but needed to make it back to our church for a
meeting. Sister Neibaur and I were pretty uneasy with everything that
had just happened. As soon as we walked into our church building we
felt instant peace. A dedicated building really does make all the
difference! Ah I love this gospel. The whole situation really could
have shaken my testimony but how great is the spirit. He truly is the
comforter.

Sister Neibaur and I have been a little under weather this week. I
thought I would be able to go my whole mission without getting sick!
Haha I jinxed myself that's for sure! We are slowly but surly feeling
better. This is the greatest time in the history of the world. The restored 
gospel is here and don't be afraid to share it with those around you!

Love,
Sister Kenzie Graham
Tampa Bay YSA C