Week #46

Dearest Family and Friends,

How in the world are all of you doing?
Transfers week is always crazy with the departing missionaries leaving
and the incoming ones coming! Sister Neibaur and I got the opportunity
to go to the airport with President, Sister Cooper, and the
assistants. It was amazing too see the new Missionaries bright smiles.
I remember that day like it was yesterday! Full of nerves and
excitement. We took the Sisters downtown and contacted with them right
after they got off the plane! I honestly felt so bad. I would have
been a nervous little chicken. We met President and Sister Cooper
downtown because they had to pick up the Spanish missionaries coming
from the MTC! We sang called to serve with them and recited D&C 4
(which I still need to memorize) after we went and had dinner with all
the new missionaries at Presidents. My favorite part of the whole day
was being able to share the miracles we saw downtown! These incoming
missionaries are killer. Way more prepared than I ever was!

 Wednesday I had to say goodbye to Sister Neibaur and it was so hard!
She has taught me so much about myself and who I want to be in the
future. She is an incredible missionary and I was beyond blessed to
have served with her. I am so excited to be serving with Sister
Barlow. She is from Pocatello, Idaho. She reminds me of my role model,
Brittani Knudsen. Which means we will get along quite well. We are
both dancers and love to have fun! This calls for a great transfer
ahead of us. We have become such close friends in a short amount of
time. She knows exactly why she is out here and isn't afraid to try.
She has already pushed me so much. Being with her, I have realized
that progression comes when we focus on the Savior and strive to
become like him!

We have some great news about Elias! We had a lesson with him this
last week on the Plan of salvation. We wrote it out on the whiteboard
and had scriptures and pictures to go along with each principle. At
the beginning of the lesson, he was really caught up on God having a
body of flesh and bone, and the principle of eternal progression. Jordan
Tanner, a member in our ward, was able to testify to him and the
spirit was so strong. Elias was still hesitant about everything we
talked about, but he promised he would go home and pray with real
intent. We got a message Sunday morning informing us that he wouldn't
be able to come to church but that he had gotten an answer to his
prayers and everything is beginning to make sense. He asked if we
could meet with him this Wednesday. He told us he wants to continue
learning more! We are going to re set his baptismal date! This whole
experience has taught me that prayer and faith is key. Thank you for
your prayers. It has been amazing to watch the Lord do this Heavenly
work.
Sister Barlow and I had the opportunity to attend one of the Bible
studies on campus this week. We were walking on campus and a young man
asked if we would like to attend. I knew we needed to be careful
because we didn't want it to turn into a Bible bash. The spirit
confirmed that it was okay to go so we headed over to the Marshall
Student Center. There was a group of about 10 people and we all
introduced ourselves. We explained that we were missionaries from our
church and were grateful for the opportunity to be there with them. We
had a study together on John 5. We were able to bear testimony that
the Savior lives and that he is our crutch when times get hard and
when we are faced with trials. When the study concluded, Liam who
was the man in charge asked if we would come back. He said that we
carried a special spirit. Another member of the group Heather asked if
we could talk more with her when we go back next week! It was such an
incredible missionary opportunity.

I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON! There is power in it I am telling you! I
was reading President Monsons testimony from this last general
Conference. As his health isn't doing to well, that very well could
have been his last time getting up in general Conference and he chose
to testify of the Book of Mormon. I pondered on when I was back home.
I definitely didn't make scripture study a priority. As I have been
able to watch the Book of Mormon change lives it hit me as to why it
is so important. It is because of the knowledge, blessings, and
strength we receive when we read that book. I loved this quote from
President Monsons testimony!

"If you do not have a firm testimony of these things, do that which is
necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own
testimony in these difficult times, for the testimonies of others will
carry you only so far. However, once obtained, a testimony needs to be
kept vital and alive through continued obedience to the commandments
of God and through daily prayer and scripture study.
My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to
prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so,
we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist
temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help
in our lives. I so testify with all my heart in the name of Jesus
Christ, amen."

I love this gospel and I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Love,
Sister Kenzie Graham