Dear family,

 

My, how I have missed you! I did really good during the Skype and held it together until I got to the house, but I have to admit I cried for a bit. It is so hard to be away from the people I love the most! It really cemented my resolve to get to the celestial kingdom though. There is no way I'm letting you five go without me! NO WAY!

 

I loved the gifts you all sent me! We actually said a prayer before we opened all our gifts. #missionary problems

It just feels wrong to do anything without a prayer first :)

 

Well, this week was a little bit crazy. We had THREE exchanges. I am just so grateful that I was called to be a sisters training leader for this transfer. It is exhausting, but I am learning so much. One exchange was with Sister Gale. She is a such a wonderful missionary. She actually welcomed me to South Carolina, when I first got here. (She was a Traveling Sister which is an equivalent to the Assistants to the President)  I admire her so much. She just radiates love and confidence. She says that her happiness and confidence come from knowing that she is a daughter of God and that nothing will ever change that. It was exactly what I needed to hear! 

Yesterday, we were leaving a less-active's home when we ran into William. He was just walking down the road, so we stopped and started to talk to him. He is so prepared! He said that he felt like his spirituality was stagnant. He had been praying for someone to help him grow closer to God. He said that he had no intention of leaving his house, but for some reason he felt he needed to go on a walk. It was on this walk that he met us! He said that God had sent us to him and that we were an answer to his prayers. I know that God is guiding this work. I know that there are people being prepared and who are prepared now for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that God puts us in the right place at the right time!

 

I love you all so much. I pray for you daily.

Love,

Sister Daniels

 

P.S. I find out if I get my visa this weekend. I have a feeling that it is here and that I am heading out to Brazil! I don't know whether to smile or cry about it!

 

 

Dear Family,

This has been one of the best weeks on my mission! So much has happened that I just don't know where to begin! I guess I will just fill you in when I get to talk to you all on Christmas :) We went on two exchanges and got to go to Christmas Zone Conference. We were asked to give a training... in front of at least 100 missionaries!  I have such a firm testimony that whom the Lord calls, He qualifies. Just a month ago, I would never have thought that that was something I could do. But it is! I know that we all have so much potential. We just don't always see it, but God does. He sometimes puts us in situations that stretch us and we are asked to do things we think are  impossible, but I know that the Lord has a glorious vision for each of us. He remembers who we were before this life. We must have been choice spirits then. We must have been so strong to be chosen to come here at this time and in homes that are blessed with the gospel. He remembers, but we have forgotten. I think the Lord puts us in these situations to remind us of the powerful people we are and have always been.

 

An update on the Eaddy family: They said they want to be baptized! We went over to their home and saw the father outside. He said to go on in, that they are ready for us. We walked in and the whole family was gathered together with the Book of Mormon opened on their laps. So elect! We taught them the Restoration. We all kneeled down right there and Natalie offered such a sweet and sincere prayer, pleading for God to guide their family by letting them know if the message we shared with them was true. She got her answer and now the entire family wants to be baptized! The seven year old was so disappointed that he has to wait a year :)

 

I love you so much! Feliz Natal!

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

 

Oh my goodness! I can't believe that Rachel's home caught on fire. I am glad that no one was hurt! I love that the whole community just reached out to help her and her family. She is such a great example of generosity. She was always so willing to help me out when I was at college, whether it was baking a cake or painting my fingernails, she was the girl to call! I think it is so wonderful that the picture of the Savior didn't melt. I know that God has a special plan for Aunt Rachel and her family! Do you have her email? Or the address of where she is staying? I would love to write her!

 

I loved the story of "Edith." Mom, that is such a great missionary opportunity! I know God lead you to her. Keep visiting her! You have such a wonderful way with people. I know you could be such a great, positive influence for her of the church!

 

Pops, I am so excited for your new calling! You are going to learn and grow so much and are going to be able to strengthen the faith of so many members. What an incredible opportunity!

 

Lexi, that picture of Grandpa is so good! You really captured his eyes and his smile. I love it! How did finals go?

 

So much happened this week! I don't even know where to start. We went to the temple. We went on two exchanges with other sisters, and we got to be in a parade! I've never been in a parade before. I don't like being in the center of attention, so in all honesty I was dreading it a little bit. But it turned out to be such a blessing! We had a truck that was decorated with garlands, wreaths, and big red bows. Bishop Christ of the Conway Ward even hooked up this stereo system to play Christmas songs. The Sisters passed out "Joy to the World" pass-along cards and held a huge banner with "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" on it in big block letters. The Elders rode around on their bikes passing out the cards. Someone said there was 10,000 people in attendance! We passed out at least 2,000 pass-along cards. We actually ran out before the parade ended! It was so crazy. I guess they are making a Youtube video of it, so maybe you can see me! I am wearing a green skirt and a black cardigan. It was really cute to see the little kids' excitement to have a picture of Jesus. People were so kind and many thanked us for the picture. Everyone turned the card over and looked at the back. I cannot wait to see all the miracles that will occur because of this!

 

We are teaching the Eaddy family, and they are so special! They are a family of 8. Natalie, the mother, told us that they have been reading the Book of Mormon as a family and that it has brought so many miracles into their lives. Since we have been meeting with her, she has been blessed with a job and she aced all of her accounting classes in college. She is giving all the credit to God and the Book of Mormon. Isn't that amazing?! Please pray for them that they will continue to have uplifting experiences and that she can get Sundays off of work!

 

I love you all so much! I love being a missionary. I love South Carolina.

Sister Daniels

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for the Christmas packages! I received both of them. You must have put so much thought into each of the gifts. My favorite so far is the Jane Austen journal! The nativity scene is a close second :) I am just so grateful for you all. I can't even tell you how much I love you!

This week has been amazing! I went to my first Mission Leadership Council, or MLC. MLC is a gathering of all the Zone Leaders, Sister Training Leaders, Traveling Sisters, and Assistants to the President in the South Carolina Columbia Mission. President Holm and Sister Holm were there as well.  I was a little bit nervous, since I don't feel very confident in my abilities as a leader. I still have so much to learn! But MLC was such a wonderful experience. I was so grateful that I was able to go and participate. There was such a strong spirit there and we all came out with that "fire in our bellies" and a sense of urgency to get to work!

A couple days later, Sister Brown, Sister Gearheart, and I gave a training in a Zone Training Meeting. It was my first training in front of so many people, but I had a prayer in my heart and my companions by my side so I wasn't too nervous. We really tried to have the Spirit be the teacher and follow Elder Bednar's question and answer technique. It was incredible to hear the experiences of those who were in attendance and the revelation they received during the training! I am learning more and more that the Spirit is the teacher. It doesn't matter how eloquent we are or how well we know the doctrine if we don't have the Spirit. I have worked really hard this week on being worthy to receive spiritual promptings and then acting on those promptings. Being on a mission has really helped me recognize how I feel the Spirit. I think it is a lesson that I will continue to learn throughout my life, as I strive to develop the relationship I have with my Savior. I am just so grateful for my mission and for all the lessons that I have learned and will yet learn.

I sent them that poor little tree and lights since I didn't have a lot of room in my box once all the gifts were included.  They made it cute and festive!

They have the tree on a pot so that you could see it from the window.  Such cuties

Morgan visiting Pauline Jackson.  She is 96 years old and going strong.  Morgn said she has the BEST facial expressions.  

I love you all so much!

Sister Daniels

Dear Family,

Thank you so much for all the wonderful Christmas packages!! I felt so loved. I received Ellie's, Nichole's and your package all the same night! We are having so much fun decorating our little house for Christmas and listening to Christmas CDs. THANK YOU!! I will write each of them and let them know how much I appreciate it! Do you have Nichole and Ellie's addresses? I seemed to have misplaced them!

This week has been one of the best! We ate "dinner" (aka the South's lunch)  with Brother and Sister Weatherford for Thanksgiving. It was so good! I even tried this thing called "gibblets." I'll spare you the details as to what is in it, but it tastes pretty good! My favorite dish was the sweet potato soufflé. Where has that been all my life?!

I just love the holidays! Everyone is so much more open to listen to our message. On Thanksgiving, we gained four new investigators in the first hour of proselyting and the day just kept getting better! We had such a tender moment in one of our lessons. We had knocked into the Eady family and began to teach. The children were enthralled, asking such inspired questions. They answered our questions with such sweet, sincere responses. Their mother wasn't so open. She said that she and her family had been led by God to their new church and that they were not interested in going to a different one. We just asked questions about her and her beliefs and she just opened up to us. The more we talked to each other, the more her whole demeanor shifted from suspicious to loving. She noticed that Sister Gearheart and my nametags were different. We explained and she asked us to say something in Portuguese. We both said our testimonies in Portuguese and then repeated them in English. The Spirit was SO STRONG. Then with tears in her eyes, Sister Brown bore her testimony in English. During this whole part of the lesson, the mother was just crying and at the end she gave us all a hug and said she would be at our church! It was such a tender mercy of the Lord that I got to be a part of that. It felt like I was walking on sacred ground in her humble trailer--the Spirit was that strong!

I love being a missionary! I am just so happy all the time! I have always been rather stingy with my love and more than a little prickly, but I am learning every day how to love and how to accept love. I have learned that I do not accept love very easily! Especially, to those who are not my family, but I am learning. I am also learning that I have a lot of love to give! My companions and those I go on exchanges with always comment on how much love and charity I have for the people. They say it is one of my strengths! I don't know if I quite agree with that, but I know that I have changed. I have changed so much, because I do love the people and I think they can sense it. The walls of suspicion they have built around their hearts melt away as we speak and as we listen and as we pray. It is so incredible!

I love you all so much! Not a day goes by that I don't pray for you all. I am so glad that you were able to use something from my letters in your lesson! I am so excited for the Christmas card and to open my Christmas packages! I am so proud of you Pops for being worthy to receive your new calling! You are going to do an amazing job! Make sure you email me your talks so I can read them to! 

Love you!

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

 

I haven't received my visa yet, which means that I will be in South Carolina for the next 6 weeks! If it comes any time during the next six weeks--which I think it will--I will be leaving for Brazil after the six weeks are up. The best part: I get to stay here for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

 

We also got a phone call from President Holm and he asked Sister Brown and I to be sister training leaders. AHH! I am so nervous. I don't feel like I am at all ready for this. I just finished being trained and feel like I have so much more to learn before being put in any kind of leadership position. Sister training leaders go on exchanges every week with other sisters and are supposed to help and encourage them. They teach by example. They also do trainings in front of huge groups of missionaries. I feel so inadequate! I know that God has called me to this position and He will strengthen me, but it still scary. Sister Brown has been a sister training leader before and has given me a lot of advice. I also studied various leaders in the scriptures and what made them good leaders. King Benjamin helped me a lot! I think it all comes down to just loving those missionaries and making them feel important. If you have any advice on being a good and loving leader, I would really appreciate it! President Holm also told us that Sister Gearheart, another Brazil visa waiter, will be joining Sister Brown and me! We will be a threesome. I am a little bit nervous to be in a trio again, because it is so much harder than just having the two of us. I am excited, too, because Sister Gearheart was with me in the MTC! Her Portuguese is really good, so hopefully she will prepare me for Brazil!

 

The Lord really blessed us this week. I had a strong impression to knock one particular house. We knocked it twice and rang the doorbell, but no one came. We walked away and were halfway down the street when we heard the door open. We waved and she shut the door, which made us think that she wasn't too interested. We thought, "Oh well," and kept walking, but the impression to knock it again just wouldn't leave me, so we turned around. We knocked again and rang the doorbell and thank goodness we did! This sweet woman opened the door and she knew one of the members of our branch, Sister Weathford. Sister Weatherford had completely changed the life of this woman's daughter and she was so grateful. She wanted to learn more about the church that such a kind person belonged to! God is truly preparing people. Our example softens the hearts of the people around us to hear the message of the restored gospel. We also helped a woman rake her yard. This small act of service really opened her heart. She introduced us to all of her neighbors, who invited us to come and teach them. Miracles!

 

Another miracle: We had planned to knock a certain area, but we got a little turned around. We ended up in a totally different area! It turned out to exactly where we needed to be. At the very first house that we knocked on, we met a wonderful couple. They are Baptists and had so many wonderful questions. We introduced the Book of Mormon and talked about modern-day prophets. The woman was suprised to see us so happy and excited about our message and really wanted to read the Book of Mormon to see what all this happiness was about!

 

We were teaching a woman and she had the funniest analogy. She said, "People are microwaves, but we serve a crock pot God." We want things NOW. We seek instant gratification, but God doesn't always work that way. It is all about His timing. Often trials come and they last a long time, and we can't understand why, but God is turning us into someone so much greater, someone so much more refined. We can be so much more than a microwave dinner :) I just thought this analogy was so funny, especially before she explained it! 

 

The world is such a small place! Elder Corbridge is the father of the son who is dating my old companion, Sister Houston. He wrote, "The Fourth Missionary," which has changed my whole attitude about my mission and being a missionary. Fun fact: he really likes Disney world.

 

I love you all so much! I hope you have fun at Grandma's house this Thanksgiving. I am so grateful to be born of such goodly parents! I hope I get your packages tomorrow. I'm really, really excited for it :)

 

Love y'all!

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

This has been a pretty incredible week! We saw so many miracles. One happened just today! The computers in the library were all being used, so we went to get my fingerprints done before emailing (also the reason I called the mission office to call you because I didn't get the email yet). (if she had read the email first she would not have gone to do her fingerprints, no coincidences!)  I know that is exactly where the Lord wanted us to go! We really needed to meet the woman who did my fingerprints. Her mother had recently passed and the preacher of her church was very unsupportive, which left a bad taste in her mouth of church. We got to share a message with her! God truly puts people in our paths that need the gospel. We just have to be willing to open our mouths and share it!

The best of this week: Elder Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles came to visit the South Carolina mission! Not only did I get to be in the same chapel as an apostle, but I got to shake hands with him!! We had a three hour discussion with him and it was truly one of the best moments of my life. I had fasted and prayed that this meeting would change me and that I would walk out of that meeting a changed person. And I think I did! I came into the meeting expecting a lecture or talk with maybe a little Q&A at the end, but the entire thing was Q&A with the missionaries--for the most part--asking and answering the questions. It was incredible to watch Elder Bednar help others come to their own answers and conclusions by asking them questions in return that guided them to their own answer. He was showing us by example the way we should teach our investigators. He didn't come in with anything prepared. We picked the subject and topics by the questions we asked. I had never seen anything like it. I learned as much form my fellow missionaries as I did from the apostle! The Spirit in that chapel was so strong. I don't even have the words to describe it. I usually get a warm, burning feeling in my heart or a sense of peace when I feel the Spirit, but this was different. It felt more tangible somehow; it made everything so clear. I know I am not doing it justice at all, but it was exactly what I had prayed for: life-changing. Elder Bednar focused a lot on the story of Peter walking on water to get to Christ. It took so much faith for Peter to leave the safety and security of the boat--the thing he knew and understood, the thing his very livelihood depended. But he did! He wasn't completely successful. He didn't run elegantly to the Savior. He took a few steps tottering towards the Savior before he became distracted by the monstrous waves and started to sink. As he started to sink--and this I think is a key point-- he did not turn back to the boat. He did not turn back! He looked to Jesus Christ to save him. We all have our own boats--things that we cling to and depend on--but we will never reach the Savior unless we leave the boat. We may falter, but Christ will be there to grasp our struggling hands and pull us back up. I got to thinking, "What is my boat? What are my waves? What is keeping me from trusting only on the Savior? What is distracting me from Him?" I won't go into any details about what I came up with, but I believe my boat and the waves will be different at different stages of my life. I think it is something we should all ask ourselves, to help us evaluate where our priorities are. Elder Bednar focused more on, "JUMP OUT OF THE BOAT." The boat he referred to for us is "the script." We rely too much on the lessons, on the bells & whistles, and the cute little hand outs. These things are all nice, but they are not the most important thing. Teaching by the Spirit is of far greater value, and in order to do that we have to leave the boat of perfectly planned lessons and speak as the Spirit directs. That is the only way for us and our investigators to take those steps towards the Savior!

We had a companion exchange this week. I went up to Conway to work with Sister Andersen. It was really wonderful opportunity to learn what I need to do to improve. On the exchange, I got to meet Sister Whitesides, who served a mission in Brazil and speaks Portuguese!!!!! She helped me so much with pronunciation and other questions that I had. She bore her testimony in Portuguese and I understood most of it! I taught a brief lesson and said the prayer in Portuguese. I was a little rusty! She also talked about Brazil and her experiences there. It got me really excited, which is something I needed. I love South Carolina. I didn't want to leave. I was actually praying that my visa would not come! But this conversation changed my whole outlook. It made me excited to go to Brazil. I am not so nervous. I know that God will place me where He needs me and I was so blessed to be needed in the two best missions on earth: South Carolina and Brazil!

I find out on Friday if I received my visa! If I did not, I will be guaranteed to stay in South Carolina for at least 6 more weeks!

Tell the boys, "Good luck on their games" for me!

I love your Christmas box idea! You spoil me, but I'm not complaining at all :) If it isn't too much trouble, would you mind including a CD or two of Christmas songs and some Christmas decorations? It just doesn't feel like Christmas when Christmas songs haven't been playing since September ;)

Love you guys so much!

Sister Daniels

Daniels' in the Lions' Den

(this letter was actually two weeks ago)

Thanks for all the pictures! Sorry I don't have any this week. It is a constant struggle to remember my camera! You guys look so great!  Lexi is gorgeous! It is making me nervous: she isn't going to make it 18 months before getting hitched! :) Would it be horribly inconvenient if you sent me a physical copy of those pictures? Especially the family ones and Lexi's photoshoot? I have a collage of photos in my room and I would love to add those to it! And congratulations on doing so well on your test Dad! That lady with the allergies sounded hilarious! We have met a few crazies down here too :)

We witnessed so many miracles this week. The Lord has truly protected us. While we were driving a whole herd of deer appeared out of nowhere. Seriously, one second there was nary a deer on the road and the next the entire herd! Sister Brown slammed on the brakes and the weirest thing happened. The car didn't squeak or squeal as the brakes grinded to a stop. It was so calm and peaceful! Despite our previous speed and our sudden stop, I wasn't launched forward or affected in any way! My heart rate didn't quicken at all. The coolest thing was the fact that we didn't hit a single deer. We must have missed the last one by an inch! That same night we came across this huge dog guarding his house. Although it was barking and snarling furiously at us, we just kept walking towards the house and he ran away! This instance happened twice! I felt like Daniel--Daniels in this case-- in the lion's den!

We met a woman named Elizabeth this week. She really opened up to us about her religious beliefs and her many trials. She has had many family members die in the past few years and one was brutally murdered. As I sat there--a 20 year old girl whose life hasn't been marred by evil---and all I could think is: "What am I doing here? How in the world can I relate to her? To console her when I have ansolutely no idea what that feels like?" I talk to people on a daily basis who have suffered true horrors and unimaginable pains. Pains that come in all forms: some physical, others spiritual or emotional. And I sit there--a girl whose greatest sorrow is the fact that she isn't a size 2 anymore--and listen to these sons and daughters of God who have suffered real pains yet believe in Christ and God with all of their hearts. I feel completely inadequate! What can I say to the aunt whose nephew was bludgeoned to death? What can I say to the mother whose son committed suicide and who later found his body? What can I say to the grandmother who is about to lose her grandkids because she can't pay her electricity bill? As I see all the pain in the hearts of men everywhere, the Atonement suddenly becomes far more real to me. Jesus Christ has felt the pains of the whole world. He is the Great Empathizer, and He knows how best to succor His people. And I, I get to talk of Him! I cannot fix their problems or heal their many wound, but Christ can and I have the privilege of representing Him.

We were checking on an investigator this week, when her neighbor came out and said that she needed us. It turns out that she was contemplating suicide and was praying for help. Then we turned up. She kept saying things like: "I know God loves me, because He sent these two girls when I prayed for help" and similar variations. It was just a simple thing. We just had to show up. We didn't even need to say anything. Just the fact that God sent two of His representatives was enough. Isn't that incredible? We hadn't even gone to that neighborhood for her, but God knew that she was hurting and wanted to help her... and He used us! He truly does use the "small and simple things" to bring to pass His work!

One of the funny instances of the week occurred with the mailman. He was delivering packages to one of our investigators when we pulled up. He came over--all four feet five inches of him-- in his perfectly pressed pants, polished shoes, and tailored button down and said, "I am going to tell you something that you probably aren't going to like." All I could think was, "Oh no here it comes." I was expecting something about the gay movement or at the very least ppolygamy. I was not expecting praise about our skirts as he proudly proclaimed, "It is nice to see young women wearing dresses." He then marched off to his little mail car, leaving Sister Brown and me holding back laughter. Little does he know that I am ditching these dresses in approximately 15 months!

We have really become a part of the town here, and I love it. EVERY ONE knows us: the postmaster, the mailman, the grocery stocker, all fifteen policemen, etc. I feel like a Gilmore girl in Stars Hollow!

Are we from the South? Daniels is one of the most common names down here! People keep trying to figure out if we are related!

Love you guys!

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

 

Since yesterday was Veteran's day, the library was closed and I couldn't email you.I hope you didn't get too worried! I'm sorry about the visa fiasco. Especially since I'm not there to help! It may not seem like it, but the fact that they are asking for another police report is a good sign. Everyone who has gotten their visa was asked to submit another police report. It means that they are working on my visa! I love South Carolina, but I also really want to go to Brazil. It is my mission too so hopefully I can manage to get there!

 

I am so proud of Caden! That must have been so hard. What a trooper! His predicament had me crying in the library. I don't think anyone noticed though... His attitude about the whole thing was just incredible. I look up to him more than I'm sure he ever looked up to me! There is a reason he is our little Nephi :) Tell him I love him and am so proud of him!

 

Our little home has been taken over...by LADY BUGS! They are on the floor, on the walls, on the windows, and on the ceiling! We have no idea what is going on. It's better than the massive-centipede that nearly fell on me in the shower. I am pleased to report that I did not scream as this disgusting creature fell from the ceiling to join me in the shower. This mission is making me one tough cookie :)    

Although it makes one wonder what awaits me in Brazil, if THIS is what is in South Carolina!

 

On a more serious note: we had one of our recent converts pass away. He was baptized a couple of weeks before I got here, but we spent a lot of time with him and I had gotten to know him really well. His name was Brother Laddie Barr. It was so hard to continue doing missionary work the night we found out. I really just wanted to curl up in a ball on my bed and have a good cry, but we couldn't. We stayed out knocking doors despite the tearstained faces. Missions are sometimes really hard, but the good moments far outweigh the bad. President Harvey had requested that we ask his mother for permission to do his temple work. Terrifying? A daunting task? YES! We were so nervous, since she isn't a member. This had eternal significance and we were terrified that we would mess it up! We prayed a lot and practiced what we wanted to say. We went to her house and it was packed full of family and friends. I got even more nervous. How were we supposed to ask and explain in front of all these people?! God was helping us though as we explained briefly and simply about the temple. We mostly stated it was a continuation of the promises we made at baptism and left it at that! The best part is that all his sisters and his mother gave their permission! What a miracle! The Spirit was so strong as we talked about temples. The whole house just quieted down and Sister Barr even reached over and held Sister Brown's hand. The Spirit brings miracles every time!

 

We had the opportunity to participate in "Cooks for Christ," a local charity that raises money for someone in the community who desperately needs it. We helped dish our the chicken bog, a South Carolina "delicacy" that I actually like quite a bit! It was so much fun. We got to meet a lot of people and tell them who we were and who we represent. It was wonderful to see the hearts of the people in Latta just open up to us! We are becoming known throughout the community, and more and more people are inviting us into their homes!

 

I love you guys so much! I pray for y'all morning and night and often during the day, too! Can you tell Dean and his family, Ellie, Grandma Daniels, and Grandma Merrill that I got their letters and that they should receive one from me within the next couple weeks? And that I was really grateful for every single one of them! Can you send me Lexi's address? I have her birthday package, but have no idea where to send it too! I did buy a coat and gloves, so I should be good! I couldn't find any boots that I liked, but those hideous brown practical shoes should work just fine :) Oh and the blog is fine. I was thinking more about it this week and it's good with me, as long as it is private and the list of people who can see it is very limited!

 

Love,

Sister Daniels

Week Seven

Dear family,

 

Yesterday was my first Sunday in my new branch. It is tiny. It makes our ward in Rosepine look huge! I love it though. It has a lot of personality. We had a Fall Festival on Saturday, which we got to go to! It was a great way to get to know the people in the ward and the members took President Monson's challenge to heart and brought nonmember friends!

 

Sister Brown, my new companion, is fantastic! She is such a hard-worker and has really helped me improve as a missionary. She really loves exercise, so she drags me out to run nearly every morning. We run around a graveyard! I keep envisioning the convict from Great Expectations to appear, but alas he and his money are refusing to make an appearance ;)

 

We had a heart-breaking moment this week. The Horne family dropped us. I was completely devastated. They seemed so elect! I didn't know it would hurt so bad to be dropped. I had loved that family and envisioned them all dressed in white at the baptism and at the temple. I know how important this is for salvation and to hear someone say that "We aren't interested" is the worst thing that has happened on my mission so far. I was so dejected all night--thinking about what I could have done or said differently. I know I shouldn't but I couldn't help but think it was my fault. Sister Brown cheered me up though. I am so lucky to have her! The Lord blessed us with a miracle moment the next night. We had already made plans to visit another city in Lake View, but the Lord had a different idea! He sent over Sister Weatherford, who was positively certain that she made a dinner appointment with us (she didn't!), so we scratched our plans and decided to stay here so we could do out with the Weatherfords. We had the most amazing lesson with Dottie and Larry Walter! We met them after being chased by that dog, remember? We taught them the Restoration. Larry who was reclined and appeared to be only partially paying attention at the beginning of the lesson was at the edge of the couch by the time we got to the First Vision! Dottie said the prayer, asking if Joseph Smith was a prophet. She said she wanted to know with "all her heart, mind, and soul!" The Spirit was so strong during that lesson! I think I felt the Spirit more strongly in this lesson than in any other lesson on my mission and I think they felt it too!

 

Sister Weatherford is the Relief Society president, who lives right down the road. She takes care of us missionaries! Our phone wasn't working this week. It wouldn't receive texts or calls and we couldn't call or text anyone. I guess the Elders got worried and called Sister Weatherford, who rushed to our house immediately to make sure we were okay. She even gave us her husband's phone to use, until ours was fixed! I just thought I would share this in case Mom ever gets worried about me :)

 

I loved Lexi's video! I am glad that she is having so much fun. Gosh, I miss that girl!

 

Pops, I loved the poem, "If." It is one of my favorites. I am quite the fan of Rudyard Kipling :) I am glad your job is a little more relaxing!

 

Mom, I love personality tests! I remember that mine changed in college, but I can't remember which one it is. Introvert was definitely a part of my personality both times :) It hasn't gotten in the way of being a missionary. I know the Lord has strengthened me in order to bear the mantle of being a missionary! I don't get nervous to talk to people or anything! Now that is a miracle!

 

Love you all!

Sister Daniels

Week Six

Hello family!

 

This has been one crazy week, but I think it has been the best one so far! Every Friday before transfers President Holm looks to see if we attained our visas and then he calls those that did. I think I was the only missionary in the state of South Carolina that didn't get their visa to Brazil! I'm secretly grateful. I just love South Carolina. I love my new area and I love my new companion. I think that God is keeping me here for a reason. Hopefully, I can discover just what that reason is! I think this will be my last transfer here though, because I got an email from Church Headquarters saying my visa is almost complete!

 

I don't even know where to start... Yesterday, we had planned to Jessica, James, and their family, but they were not home. We knew that God must have led us to their neighborhood for a reason. Sister Brown had already knocked every house on the street, but she asked me if there was one that I really felt inspired to visit again. I prayed and felt the impression to visit the house across the street. There was a kind, elderly man there who said that he believed in Christ and that he had already been saved. (This is a huge problem in the South. People do not understand "works" or "priesthood authority.") He was nice, but definitely not interested. As we were walking down the street towards the car, I kept feeling like we should go back and knock his house again! I kept brushing it off. I mean we had already knocked his housetwice and he wasn't interested either time. I tried so hard to ignore it, but it wouldn't go away. I voiced my concern to Sister Brown and she said that she was feeling the same way! We prayed to know what to do. We didn't want to give him a bad taste for Mormon missionaries, but the Spirit was rather forcefully telling us we should go back and talk to him. I think the Lord was really trying to make a point. He even put a huge dog in the middle of the road, blocking us from going anywhere but back towards his house! Taking it for a sign, we walked back. We stood outside his door for what seemed like an eternity. I was never more scared to do anything in my whole life! It took everything I had just to knock that door. I waited anxiously for him to come to the door and give us a barrage of verbal abuse, but he was really nice about it! I explained everything--how we felt that God wanted us to come back and even about that gigantic dog. I also shared a quick message about prophets being called today. He was really nice and seemed more open to us. He suggested that we go through his yard and take another street to get to our car. We did and guess what? We met the most amazing family! They are looking for a new church, since they just moved here. We would have never found them! We wouldn't have knocked that area again for a long time, but God wanted us to find the Walters. It was so amazing to see the hand of the Lord guiding this work, and I think I learned a powerful lesson. I think God was testing us to see if we would follow Him even if what He asked was hard. He did it with Abraham and his son, and I think--in a much smaller scale-- He did it with us. It was terrifying, but so rewarding at the same time!

 

I live in Latta now. It is a small town that reminds me a little of Salado. There is a total of three restaurants- none of which are known franchises. I am still mustering up the courage to check out "Little Tokyo." Somehow South Carolina and Japanese food do not seem to go together!

 

Oh, I almost forgot! We got stopped by the police!! We were knocking late at night and someone, I guess, thought we were prowlers. It was all very exciting. He asked to see our IDs and then called "headquarters" to check our records. He didn't bring out the handcuffs, which is really too bad. Think of the photo opportunities! We did end up sharing a message with him and giving him a pass-along card, which is admittably even better than a possible mug shot :)

 

Love you guys so much! I hope everything is going well.

 

Congratulate the boys for me on cross country! Looks like we got some demon dogs in the making :) Good luck with school and being Relief Society president and being a mom! Thanks so much for the poem, Pops! I love it!! I love that you are going on splits. We are in a branch and it is super hard to get members to come out with us, but it makes all the difference to the investigators.

 

Love,

Sister Daniels

My new companion and district! We got to do a session!

 Here I am picking okra! Never heard of it before, but people down here are crazy for these funny looking "greens." I felt like a bonafide South Carolinian.

Our house! Well, technically it is more of a trailer, but it is darn cute!

1st Transfer

Betty Rose showing off her "pocketbook"

I just got transferred to a new area with a new companion. I had to say good-bye to my old companions, Sister Houston and Sister Jackson. It was so hard! I had grown really close to them over these past 5 weeks. It was also difficult to leave Florence. I didn't know just how much I loved it until I had to leave it. I am especially going to miss Betty. I don't know if I have told you about her or not, but she is a woman in her sixties that is on permanent investigator status. She loves the missionaries and calls us about seven times a day (not exaggerating). She calls for anything. In the last week she called because she wanted us to find her a ceramic witch and another time she called for us to pray for her to find her purple necklace! She is the sweetest thing though! She just loves so easily and so readily. She is almost child-like. Anyway we called Miss Betty Rose to tell her I was leaving. At the end of the conversation, I said, "Love ya Betty," like I always do. She usually responds, "Alright. Bye, bye," but this time she said "I love you" back! I just wanted to break down right there in Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but I tried to hold things together. I just felt that my heart was breaking!

Week Five!

Oi familia! 

I got all of your letters! And the packages! I felt so loved! Thank you so much.  That birthday package was incredible. You guys spoil me too much! I am embarrassed to admit it but I might have cried while opening up the Jane Austen address book :) Who knew I was so sentimental?? I just thought it was so sweet that you individually wrapped them. I also cried when Dad started sending me bits of books in his emails. Family and literature! My two favorite loves all in one place! That polka dot purple skirt is my new favorite! It is so comfortable and cute :) 

This week was a bit different than most. We had a leadership training meeting up in Columbia that lasted 2 days which means....SLEEPOVER! It was so fun being able to meet other sisters and hearing about their experiences. Being sister missionaries makes for an almost instant camaraderie. I love it. We also got to listen to president, who taught us about being executing the things we learned in the conference. He told of planes that land on those landing strips (not the exact term but hopefully you get the gist!)  in the ocean. I guess there is a hook on the back of the plane that they hook to the end of the barge to slow the plane down. The hook is relatively small and so they immediately thrust the engines on landing in case it doesn't hook. Otherwise they wouldn't have the speed they need to take off on such a short landing and would go straight into the ocean. Anyway, it takes years of training and practice assimilation to master. He said that missionary work is very similar. We plan and practice during personal and companionship study, but sometimes things don't go as planned and we need to be ready to take off immediately and not get discouraged. I think this analogy can apply to families, too! Parents teach their kids correct principles--how someone can hook themselves to the gospel--but if the children make mistakes and miss than the Lord has provided a way for them to come back and try again! It is a bit of a stretch and I think it made more sense in my head, but there it is :) 

This week was a hard one on our companionship. We became frustrated with each other. I didn't know how to fix it. None of us did. We tried a couple companionship inventories, which helped but didn't solve anything. The Spirit just couldn't be there and the love we usually had for each other was just gone. Luckily the Lord knew exactly how to fix it! In every transfer we have one companionship exchange with another companionship. One person leaves and another person comes. Anyway Sister Jackson left for Conway and another missionary, Sister Anderson, came to Florence. I know the timing of this exchange was inspired of God. Those sisters could have chosen any week for the exchange, but this was when it was most needed. Usually companionship exchanges are to help inspire missionaries to work harder or give them ideas on things they improve on, but this time it unified our companionship! Sister Anderson is a sweet girl, but my goodness! She made Sister Houston and I really appreciate each other. Our frustrations immediately vanished and our companionship has never been more unified! I just love Sister Jackson and Sister Houston so much and I am glad that things are back to normal. 

The miracle moment of the week happened yesterday. We were looking for Regina, a former investigator, that Sister Houston had been trying to find for 3 months. It turns out that Sister Houston had been knocking at the wrong address the whole time! Anyway we went unknowingly to this wrong address and knocked. No one answered. Frustrated and disappointed we turned and started walking back towards the car. Then two kids--who came out of nowhere-- ran over and said that we had been knocking on their door and told us to follow them. They led us to their mother who was across the neighborhood and guess who she was talking to?? The long, lost Regina! We set up an appointment with her and then her friend, Tammy, requested that we visit her too! That scripture that says, "And a little child shall lead them" took on a whole new meaning" :) 

Anyway, I love you guys so much! I am going to try to write a handwritten letter every week, too, so I can keep you more updated! I plan on writing those crazy boys too! So hopefully I'll have time this afternoon. 

Love, 

Sister Daniels 

P.S. Oh my goodness. You won't believe this. I JUST got a phone call from President Holm and I am leaving Florence and my companions. DEVASTATION. I wasn't supposed to leave for a few more weeks, but I guess one of the sisters in Marion went home and President Holm said he was inspired for me to take her place at least for the week until transfers. I only have a little while to pack all of my things and say good-bye to my companions. I am just in shock and don't know what to think!

4th Week!

Hey everybody!

I finally received your letters! I was so excited! It turns out that Dear Elder takes longer because it sends them from Provo, Utah. Who knew?? Anyway feel free to write nice long emails or handwritten letters. I would much rather read than write :) Sister Jackson's family writes on Monday and then it gets to her by Friday. So maybe we can try that? 

I can't believe I have been on my mission for over 2 months! The time just flies by here. I think it is because I am always so busy! I also can't believe I am 20. Time is just going by too fast!

Anyway this week has been crazy. One of our investigators called us--completely wasted--and asked us to come over. We went over to cheer her up. It turns out she spent the night in jail and now thinks she is a bad girl. I have never been around a drunk person for very long and was surprised by how childlike she acted. When the alcohol had robbed her of social cues and boundaries, it was interesting to see what rational thoughts remained. Her night in jail, her drinking problem, whether or not we were her friends, Jesus Christ, and the question "Why are people so against the Mormons?" were the subjects that stayed. It was so interesting that Mormons were on the forefront of her thoughts. She said her sister had told her to stop meeting with us and had taken her Book of Mormon away. It was a crazy and out of the ordinary experience and I am not even sure if she will remember any of it, but it got me thinking. What would I say if I was that far gone? What thoughts would the alcohol be unable to erase? I hope it would be Christ. I hope I would talk of Jesus Christ with the love and trust that Jeannie did. Jeannie has her problems--mostly alcohol--but she has such a strong faith in Christ. I wish I could just take the alcohol away and force her to give it up, but I can't. I bet it is so hard for Heavenly Father to see some of the choices we make with our agency. It is hard enough for me!

One of the miracles that we had this week happened on Friday. During the afternoon we got stuck. Appointments had fallen through and our back-up plans didn't feel right. We pulled over and said a prayer that we would be guided where we needed to go and who we should see. We sat there for a few minutes after the prayer. Eventually I felt prompted to suggest Sister Brown. There was no logical reason. She is an active member and we had already received a bunch of referrals from her last week, but Sister Jackson and Sister Houston said they were thinking of her too! So off we went to her apartment. As we pulled in, we didn't see her car. I was so disappointed, because I thought this is where the Spirit had prompted us to go! But then in the parking lot we met Glenn! He is a professor of psychology and is looking for a new church. WHAT?! He wants to learn more about "Mormonism" as he puts it. We talked to him for almost an hour right there in the parking lot! If we hadn't felt prompted to go right then, we would have missed him completely. If we had pulled in even a minute later or five minutes earlier we would have missed him! We had already knocked those apartments and it is unlikely we would knock them again for a long time, but I guess God really wanted us to meet and talk to Glenn! 

Anyway I love you guys! Have a great week!

Sister Daniels 

 Morgan's first baptism.  Her name is  Taneychia (TT) and she has these adorable girls.  Morgan said they actually love her even though the picture does not convey that!

 Morgan's companions Sister Houston and Sister Jackson.  She said they are exactly want she needed.  She is learning so much from them.

The Florence library and one of her favorite buildings in Florence!

3rd week in South Carolina!

Hey everybody!

So I think most of your letters got lost in the mail. I have only received one! The zip code is 29063. I don't know where the other letters went but hopefully they find me eventually!

This week was such a good one! It started out with zone conference, which includes a bunch of training, role playing (aka the bane of my existence), and talks. My favorite part is when the mission president spoke to us. I wish he would have just talked the whole four hours! He started off saying,"There are two of us: the person who is and the person who can be." Isn't that incredible? I want so badly to change and to become the person that God wants me to be. "Trust Him that He will make of you, immeasurably more than what you will ever, ever, in all eternity, make of yourself. He will create of you a masterpiece. You will create of you only a smudge. You will create an ordinary man; He will create a God." Hopefully, I will be a totally different person by the time I get home! Missions are a real refiner's fire. Missions bring all of my weaknesses out in the open. Some I didn't even know that I had! But that is the great thing about missions, too. They are the perfect opportunity to change and to make them into strengths! So hopefully the Morgan Daniels you saw get on that plane back in July will not be the same Morgan Daniels that gets off the plane!

I guess it is tradition for a basketball shootout after lunch at zone conference so they divided up the sisters and the elders and we played knockout. You won't believe this... but I actually won! So you are now writing to the reigning champion for the sisters. No big deal :)  I had to take a picture holding a basketball with President Holm, like it was some NCAA championship (I'm not sure what the equivalent of the super bowl is for basketball but NCAA sounds right...) I was pretty much humiliated. I hate being the center of attention! That and I'm sure the audience got a good chuckle from my "basketball form" which I am sure is anything but flattering. Oh well. Who knew I would ever use the skills I gained in 7th grade basketball on my mission??

I love my mission! I love South Carolina, and to be honest I don't want to leave it! I'm actually hoping it takes a long time for that visa to go through :) I really think the Lord is watching out for me, because visa waiters can't drive!! Talk about a miracle right? I guess my driving record is in Brazil and all the insurance information, so I shouldn't be allowed to drive the whole time I'm here. So no worries on that end!

Yesterday we had the primary program. It was so perfect! We had two investigators, Shannon and John, there. They were such a miracle. She actually called the church and requested the missionaries! She had already bought a Book of Mormon and read 1 Nephi before we even met with them. God has truly prepared them! They have so many questions and have such a desire to grow closer to Jesus Christ. I don't mean to get ahead of myself, but I just want them to get sealed in the temple! I guess we will have to focus on baptism first though :) Anyway they loved the program. John kept clapping after the songs. (Even though no one else was!) He clapped the loudest after "Families can be Together Forever" and had so many questions about that after the meeting! I loved how the primary president arranged everything. During "Families can be Together Forever" she had two families come up and sing the first verse. It was so powerful and really made the words more meaningful. 

Congratulations on doing so well in school! Open note tests are usually even harder because they expect you to have taken good notes so the questions are tricky! I am so proud of you for going back to school. I loved that quote about the Atonement and Christ refusing to use his "bulletproof vest of divinity." I shared it with my companions and they loved it! I think I am just now beginning to understand even a glimmer of the Atonement. I just don't think my mortal mind will ever completely understand it! But the more I learn the closer I grow to my Savior. I love that the boys are in cross country! It seems like all the good boys in high school did cross country rather than football. I also love that they get to compete and push each other.  I will never forget that one cross country race where Mom cheered Lexi on to beat me! :) Pops, take consolation in the fact that you can still run circles around me even if the boys beat ya! I loved that story about the monkey and the peanut! Last week was particularly bad. It was just such a rough week and I didn't think I was doing any good. I was also really distracted and frustrated because I hadn't received any letters (Which isn't your fault at all! I know you sent them!) and felt really alone. This feeling of gloom stayed with me all week! I just couldn't let go of that stupid peanut so I think the adversary nabbed me! It wasn't until last P-day that I could let go off the dark feelings that I harbored in my heart. It was a conscious decision to just let go off myself and my petty wants and just go to work. President David O. McKay once said, "The greatest battles you will ever fight will be within the silent chambers of your heart." I think that is so true! I let go of the peanut and I had the best week yet since I left for my mission! I have witnessed so many miracles and have learned so much about myself!

There is just so much to talk about! Do you want to hear about my investigators, my own personal study and what I've learned, or more about what I actually do every day?? I feel like I am just a rambling mess with these emails, so let me know if there is something in particularly you want me to write about!

Love you all so much! I pray for you every day!

Love Yogi 

Short Letter This Week!

Hey everybody!

Oh! I didn't get your letters. Do you have the right address for the mission home? It is 110 Oak Park Dr Suite B, Irmo, SC 29063. I hope the letters come soon! I miss hearing from you all. I miss my letter a day :)

This week was full of small miracles, especially last Tuesday! Our plan was to go to an area about 45 minutes away to visit the less actives, and guess what? We didn't end up visiting a single one! We did end up visiting with their neighbors though and had some really great lessons! We gained two new investigators that I know God placed in our path for a reason. We had come for someone else, but we found them instead. I just love that! It was just so amazing to watch the work of the Lord unfold. When we went to Loreen's, she initially wanted nothing to do with us and said she had just had surgery and wasn't feeling well. As she was about to shut the door, Sister Houston asked if we could pray for her and her quick recovery and she said yes! We came in and said a prayer and just got to talking. I really think the Spirit was guiding us. Somehow we got to talking about her brother who just recently passed and how she was worried he would go to hell because he didn't attend any church. We told her about the Spirit World where people would get another chance to hear and accept the gospel. She was so interested and invited us back to teach her! What started out as an almost door slam turned out to be a miracle moment! I am learning more and more that God is in the details.

I love you guys and hope you have a great week! The boys looked super cute (and nervous!) for their cross country meet, but I bet they did amazing. Can't wait to hear about it! I LOVE your hair cut. So cute! How did Dad's exam go? Gah! I hate being in the dark. Those letters better come soon! I prayed for patience, so I guess this is what I get :) How does Lexi like her classes? I bet she is acing all of them! Love you!!

Love, Sister Daniels 

Who wouldn't want to open the door to these cute girls!  

That is our little missionary in her sparkly shoes!  She had to have cute shoes and only took one pari of sensible ones.  I know she is with a group of three girls so not sure where the fourth one fits in.  I still cannot believe my shy little Morgan is now Sister Daniels.

1st week in South Carolina!

Oi family!

I don't even know where to start! This has been the craziest and the longest week of my life. Those first two days in the mission were ROUGH. I came home and for the first time, since I left on my mission I had thoughts like, "I don't want to be here," and "I can't do this. I am wasting my time here." I was just so bitterly disappointed that I cried myself to sleep the first night. I can't remember ever crying myself to sleep! When people talk about their missions, they talk about all these amazing people that they taught and baptized, these great stalwart families who were trying to go to the temple. And I had a very rude awakening. I just didn't realize that this wouldn't happen every week! We have visited so many less actives this week and it breaks my heart to know that they were baptized and just left. I got so discouraged. What was the point of baptizing all these people if they were just going to fall away from the church? They didn't seem to change. They still smoked and broke the law of chastity. I came here to change myself and others as we all grow closer to Christ and it hurt so much to see that people would change just to get baptized and then go back to the person they were before! But I am learning that there are people out there whose lives arechanged after hearing the gospel and being baptized. We have two recent converts, KK and Chyna, who are just solid. You can just see it in their eyes and feel it when they speak. They will not fall away and they give me hope. I have also learned to look for the little miracles, and there are so many! God's timing is perfect and we have met so many people that it would seem we found only be happenstance. But it was not a coincidence! God is guiding us to people who are ready, and I just hope I am worthy and obedient enough to follow his promptings!

Things have gotten a lot better! My trainer is Sister Houston. She's a visa waiter, too! She is supposed to go to Curitiba, Brazil as well, but has  been in South Carolina for 6 months! So it looks like I might be here for awhile :) She is very blunt and straight-forward. She doesn't beat around the bush or sugarcoat ANYTHING. This surprised me at first! I expected a sweet-tempered, soft-spoken missionary to be the trainers, but that is just not Sister Houston. She is exactly what I needed though. She forces me to be bold and to do things that are way out of my comfort zone. I have another companion, too! All visa waiters start out in a three-some. I don't know why! But my other companion is Sister Jackson. She is the cutest and sweetest person I have ever met! Seriously. I want to be Sister Jackson when I grow up! She has such a special spirit about her, and when she bears her testimony it feels as if I am being hit with the Holy Ghost: it comes on that fast and that powerful! She really takes care of me, so don't worry on that end Mom :)

I am in the city of Florence, South Carolina! I love this place so much, and God has really blessed me with charity and love for the people. I don't know what has changed! I didn't know my heart could hold so much love, let alone for people I do not know! But it does. I walk into the most appalling of circumstances. We have visited the projects and places that should have been condemned a LONG time ago. I have grown accustomed to the smell of smoke and to the sight of tobacco, and yet I love these people so much! My heart aches for them, for the people that in another life I would not have bothered to associate with and in fact would probably have gone out of my way to avoid. I can see them as children of God. I can see them as the people they could become. And that makes all the difference! I think people can sense it. I think they can sense the love and the Spirit we have with us.Within just a few minutes after we meet them they just open up. They tell us all about their lives and their problems. They ask us to pray for them. I noticed this first in the airport and on the airplane to South Carolina. We were instructed to pass out pass-along-cards and we did. We met a guy on the airplane who literally after we just introduced ourselves as missionaries told us so much about his life. About his father passing away and his funeral. About his kids and their most recent vacation. He even pulled out his Iphone and showed us about 20 pictures of his kids at the beach! I was shocked. This happens daily! I really think people can sense the truth and can sense that we have it. They do not want us to leave their houses. One of our investigators even said that he felt a void when we left! AHH! I just pray constantly that people will feel and recognize the Spirit we have! That is they only way we are going to convert anyone, including ourselves!

Sorry this letter was so crazy and sporadic. I want to write for hours about my investigators, that incredible trip in the woods, the miracles I see daily, and the change I feel inside me, but I do not have the time! I'll just have to let you read my journal when I get back! I bet Mom will just love that :) Anyway they don't want us giving you our address, since it changes so frequently. They want you to send all packages and letters to the mission home and they will forward it to me! You can also still use DearElder, but I only get them once a week instead of daily! It will probably save money on postage though :) Oh and if you can tell people to write me letter and not emails, I would really appreciate it! I had about 20 emails today-which I loved!- but I used up most of my letter writing time just reading them! So if you could send them via snail-mail that would be awesome!

I love you guys so much! I love being a missionary and I love South Carolina!

Love, Sister Daniels