MORGAN'S LAST LETTER AS A FULL-TIME MISISONARY

Dearest family,

I'm not at all sure what to say...

I just want you all to know that I love being a missionary! I have learned so many things and my testimony has grown all the stronger. I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church and the precepts, commandments, and doctrines it espouses will bring happiness and peace into our lives like nothing else in the world. I know that families can be together forever and that the temple is the house of God. I know that God brings about His purposes by small and simple means and that He can make of us something oh so much greater than we can. I know that the love God has for each of His children is great, too great for us to comprehend fully, but I have felt His love for me and I can feel the love He has for others too. I know, I know that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the light and that through Him we can return to live with God again. I know that the plan God has for us is tailor-made for us and that the people we meet and the experiences we have are for a reason, even if they are hard sometimes. I have loved being an instrument in His hands for the last 18 months.

Today I read the first letter you ever gave me, Mom. You handed it to me at the Austin airport and I read it for the first time on the plane, where I just bawled. Well, I read it again and had the same exact reaction. Gesh. Who knew I would ever be so sentimental?! Anyway, I just can't believe how much has happened between that letter and now. It feels like a lifetime ago! And yet not at the same time. I had no idea what my mission would be like, I didn't even have the right language for goodness sakes! It has turned out better than I could have ever imagined and I am just full of gratitude that I got to be a part of this mission. I love you all so much. Thank you for all the letters/emails you've sent!

I'll see you on Thursday! I'll be the one with the tag :)

Love,

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

Things are going great here! We saw quite a bit of miracles! We saw our investigator, Hattie, this week. She is the sweetest! We were walking down the street one day and she opened her door and asked us to come in and teach her. It turns out she used to  meet with the missionaries years ago and when she saw us walking down the street she remembered the feelings she had and thought God had given her a sign of sorts. So cool! She is really humble and has such a strong desire to learn.she even takes notes during the lessons!
Last monday, Sister Smith took us to downtown Greenville. It was so much fun! We just went exploring in an art gallery and checked out their waterfall park. Don't worry I got a lot of pictures!
We had a zone meeting this week and I was just overwhelmed with gratitude that I got to be a part of this and that I have been able to serve with all these wonderful sisters and elders! I feel such a comraderie with them. I'm going to miss that. I'm going to miss that a lot.
I love you all dearly! I'm sorry this email is so short. It was typed on a tablet :)
Love,
Sis D

Morgan sent us her last handwritten letter and it had trunks all over it!  I think she wants to travel or she is excited to come home.  In her letter she said that " I just want you to know that I love being a missionary.  It wasn't always easy and I think I underestimated just how much of a sacrifice it was .  It is hard getting wedding announcements and graduation announcements because it feels like everyone is progressing in life faster than me and I haven't moved.  But then I think of the past 18 months and memories/images fly through my mind and I relive those 18 months in a moment.  I think of the battles won, the tears I've shed, the love I've gained, the friendships I found, the personal discoveries, and the God I've served.  Who knew so much could happen in a year and a half.  I am so grateful that serving a mission was part of God's plan for me.  I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints is God's church and that keeping the commandments of God will lead to a happy life here and eternal life in the world to come.  I know through prophets and the Holy Ghost that I am a daughter of God and there is a glorious plan for all.

(I think she looks absolutely radiant!)

Dear family,

 

Happy New Years!!!!! This week we were on "lock down" New Year's Eve, so we had to be home by 7. It was really nice, because it gave Sister Law and I time to reflect on the past year and make some goals for the next one! Looking back on 2014, I can't believe how much has happened. I won't bore you with my reveries, but I'll tell you all about them when I get home! I really love New Years. It's my thrid favorite "holiday", only beat my Christmas and Easter (for fairly obvious reasons). I love the idea that we can have a completely new start, a new slate. We can make out of 2015 anything we want it to be and I am really excited for the potential that it holds!

 

Well, things are going good here in Simpsonville! Catelyn, our recent convert, is doing really good. She's reading the Book of Mormon every day and sharing the gospel with all of her friends. We've started teaching her the new member lessons, so we taught her the Plan of Salvation this week. She basically taught the whole thing herself. Her comprehension is just crazy. She's pretty concerned about the final destination of her parents and family and is working with them, so we hope we can start to teach the lessons soon!

 

This week we had an exchange with the Greenwood sisters. Sister Johnson came to Simpsonville to be with me and we saw so many miracles! She is an incredible missionary and works really hard! We talked to everyone we saw and tried to make every contact really count. I admire her a lot. She didn't want to go on a mission for the longest time because she is dyslexic and feels uncomfortable reading in front of others, but she overcame that reservation and has become a missionary powerhouse! The more exchanges I go on the more impressed I am with the sisters here. They each have a story and they each have their own weaknesses and strengths. It is amazing to watch the Lord take inexperienced youth and make them into bold, powerful missionaries. It's amazing to see Him do it with me.

 

I love you all so much! I hope you have a great week. Feel free to write handwritten letters, if you feel prompted :) I really enjoy them!

Love,

 Sis D

Dear family,

 

Well, this week has just flown! I really can't believe how fast it all is...

 

I'm not sure what to write about seeing that I saw you only a few days ago! Hmmm. Well, one adventure I failed to mention is the stick story. We were walking back to our car after a lesson, and we see this giant stick protruding from the passenger side of the door. Someone had tried to break into our car....with a stick... They were unsuccessful but we found the attempt pretty amusing :) Wish I had thought to take a picture!

 

On a more serious note, this week has really been a humbling one. It seemed that everyone we talked was going through a really big trial. From a brain tumor to real poverty, we saw it all this week. What was so amazing to me was their attitude about all of it. They didn't bemoan their fate or see their life in any sort of negative light. It was amazing to me. I have been so blessed in my life with good health, the gospel, a strong family, stable finances, and educational opportunities. The idea that others didn't have all of that was something I never thought about before my mission. It has really opened my eyes. I just want to fix everything and take them out of their situation and put them in a better! But I can't.. And yet I have seen just a simple lesson, a scripture, a prayer bring a smile and tears and I feel like I, in some small way, am helping them. I might not be getting them out of their situation but I can help them turn to the One who can make their situation better.

 

We also went Christmas caroling, which was really fun. We went to a nursing home and sang to Sister Rankin. She was "tickled pink" (her expression not mine) and took us all around the nursing home visiting all her friends. It just made us feel really good and it was a Christmas miracle, because I was still struggling with my voice and yet I could sing the carols no problem! Blessing!

 

I love you all! It was nice to see you all again!

Love,

Sister Daniels

Morgan with her district

Going Caroling

Her new friend Mouse

Embracing her super powers batman jammies

MERRY CHRISTMAS, Y'ALL!

I can't believe it is time to skype with you already! I feel like Mother's day was just a couple weeks ago! I'm excited to see you again. The Lynches volunteered to have us come over and skype/facetime, but the only time they can do it is at 7 our time. Would that work for y'all? I hope so!  

So this week was a little bit crazy. I woke up on Wednesday morning with no voice. None. A hoarse whisper is all I could manage. Someone said I had a "sultry, sexy man voice." How am I even supposed to take that?!?! It is kinda hard to be a missionary when you can't talk! Oh, it was just awful. My poor companion. And it lasted until this morning!!

On the plus side: Catelyn got baptized! YIPPEE! It was the most spiritual baptism that I've been to yet! She invited five of her non-member friends and her nonmember family. Her grandma even cried during the talks and her grandpa clapped when she was baptized. It was great. Sister Law and Sophia, our fellowshipper, did a musical number and it was really good. After the baptism, the Garretts had some refreshments, which was perfect because it allowed for all the members who came to fellowship her family. There was a moment when every single family member was talking to a member of the church! I was so proud of the ward!

I love you all so much! Can't wait to see you :)

Love,

Sis D

Dearest family,

This is the first week of my last transfer. I honestly don't know how I feel right now or what I should be feeling. It all feels a bit surreal. (sp?)  My companion is going home and I will be getting a new companion tomorrow, so maybe it will all feel a little more real then.

We had such a miraculous week! Yesterday we watched the Christmas devotional at a part-member's home, the Lynches. They are awesome and invited us over for Christmas! Anyway, Brother Lynch is less-active but he came to church yesterday and brought his two daughters! They love church, especially Primary. Sister Lynch isn't a member and doesn't have much of a religious background. I think the biggest thing holding her back is fear. She is always willing to listen to us when we come over to visit and has opened up a lot more recently, so hopefully we will be seeing some progress soon! I really love this family. Brother Lynch has a bigger than life personality so the lessons are always interesting... Ha!

We also saw Catelyn twice this week. She is so cute. She made herself a "Mormon folder" that she decorated with quotes from the prophets and apostles that she got off of Pinterest. She is progressing really well. One of the Young Women that we have been bringing to lessons with us bore her testimony on Sunday about how much she has loved coming to these lessons and how much it has impacted her life. She wants to go on a mission now! It just feels so good to see the impact that the spirit can have and the missionary lessons are just so powerful! I can't imagine not having that on a daily basis. I take it for granted-- the Spirit that we feel in lessons. I can't explain what it feels like. I don't have the words, but I don't ever want to give that up. I know that I will be a visiting teacher after this, but I don't know if it will ever be the same again. I don't want to lose the charity I feel for people. I don't want to go back to where I judged someone based on what they looked like or what they wear. I want to keep the missionary spirit with me for always! I think if I keep up the pattern of scripture study, prayer, and going out with the missionaries that it won't go too far from me! I just love being a missionary. I really do. Easily the best decision I have ever made.

We had MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) this week. I love working so closely with President and Sister Turner. I look up to them a lot. They are revolutionizing the culture of the mission and I just love the changes they are making. I wish this had happened earlier!! It's fun yet stressful to put these changes into action. We also have to deliver the changes to our zone in a way that they understand it and get excited about it. It's a great growing opportunity. For sure!

I love you all! I got the Christmas package, but I'm waiting for Christmas to open them! That was the biggest stocking I have ever seen in my life!! I guess I've been more nice than naughty this year :)

Love

Sis D

Sister Rankin! We visit her in the nursing home. She is a gem and prides herself on being "young at heart." She had a birthday party and we were the youngest in attendance by probably 40 years

Dearest family,

Happy thanksgiving to you all!! It's a little late, I know :) Sister Robinson and I had a really nice Thanksgiving. We went over to the Maurers and to the Smiths, both of whom had homemade pumpkin pie. So I would consider it an enjoyable and successful Thanksgiving :) Something that they don't tell you at the MTC when you get your missionary tag is that along with setting you apart and making you official, it also is your ticket to be a socially acceptable moocher. (The spelling on that might be a little iffy) People feed us dinner, buy us groceries, give us rides, invite us to crash in on their holidays, etc. I really struggled with it at the beginning of my mission and just wanted to pay everyone back, and it has been a very humbling experience to learn how to accept service. I've had to learn how to take on my mission, when I thought I would be giving for 18 month! Service-both in the giving and the taking- forge deeper relationships and I think it's one of the reasons people just love the missionaries so much and why we love the ward!

Catelyn is progressing really well. We taught her the Plan of Salvation (she LOVED it) and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We came to a baptism on Saturday, and it helped her a lot knowing what her baptism would be like too. She also came to church on Sunday and really loved Young Women's. The Greenville stake is doing trek in a couple weeks and Catelyn wants to participate desperately. I just don't know what to think of this girl! She is so prepared. She has invited all her family and extended family to her baptism and all her friends at school! She is teaching them all about the Book of Mormon, too! She loves the Book of Mormon. She reads every chapter we give her and always has highlights and notes and questions to talk about when we come back. I feel like the Lord is just blessing Sister Robinson and I for all our hard work throughout our missions with Catelyn. I have never met anyone who just understands the gospel. She loves the idea that she has found the straight and narrow path and never wants to leave it. AHHH!

I gave a talk yesterday in sacrament meeting about charity. I didn't get nervous at all for it, which is really weird for me. I didn't write out the talk, but had a notecard with the barest of outlines on it. I really wanted to speak from the heart and let the Spirit guide the talk, and it worked really well! I felt the Spirit so strong the whole time and felt like it was literally telling me exactly what to say. Coolest thing! I learned so much in the preparation for the talk. I reflected on all the many companions that I've had and how some we got along so well and the love came so easy and that for others it was so much more difficult. My mission had helped me know how to love and how to accept love and how to treat the people I love. I feel shame whenever I think about that selfish girl in high school! Thank goodness we can repent and change.

Anyway, I love you all! SO SO MUCH! I am excited to be reunited soon!

Love

Sister Daniels

Side note:  Wanna know what's really cool? During the end of the talk, I looked over at Sister Smith and she gave me the cheesiest grin and two thumbs up just like you used to do! When I talked to her afterwards, she said that she normally doesn't do that but just felt like she should this time! It was such a blessing because it almost felt like you were there with me! (tender mercies)

Dear family,

 

This week was much better than last week! Still entirely overwhelmed, but I don't feel like I'm sinking. We had two exchanges this week too and they went really well. I even got to go to institute! One of the companionships we are over works on Clemson University, so we got to walk on campus to the institute room. Oh my goodness did I love being on a campus again. The institute room was in the library, so I was in heaven. There was some recent converts attending institute and they blew me away with their comments. They sounded like they had been members forever! The work is progressing!

 

We also had a service opportunity this week! We got to to go to the Senior Service Center and help serve and host the Thanksgiving lunch they were putting on for the seniors in the community. Elderly people are a hoot, let me tell ya. One guy excitedly proclaimed, "I've got the Mormon girls serving me!" I also had an interesting conversation with a lady who told me never to get married as men were nothing but overbearing. She was the sassiest little thing. We got to meet a lot of people and it softened the hearts of many there. We had a really good conversation with one of the volunteers there about what we do as missionaries. She plans on volunteering there more often and we do to so hopefully something can develop from it!

 

The highlight of the week was Catelyn Henry. She is a 15 year old girl who referred herself on mormon.org. She is seeking for truth and wants to learn about all different religions. Well, we taught her the Restoration and she said something like, "I can't believe the first religion I tried is the true one!" She's agreed to be baptized on December 20th!! She came to stake conference yesterday and has a bunch of questions. She's an inquisitive one for sure and so smart. She's planning on going to Harvard and I can't believe how fast she soaks up the information. She just understands it so easily. Her parents aren't religious but support her and even drove her to stake conference. Her mom will sit it on the lessons so we hope that the Spirit will touch her too! We are teaching them the Plan of Salvation tonight, so please pray that all will be well!

 

I love you all so much!! Have a very happy Thanksgiving!!!

Love,

 Sis D

Dearest family,

 

So much has happened this week and I don't know where to start... We had TWO exchanges this week and it wore me out. I haven't been this stressed or felt this inadequate in a long time. It's been hard. The area and the ward are really big and I am struggling to learn it as fast as I need to. Because we have so many exchanges, I'm not in my area a lot of the time and I fear I will never learn it or develop relationships with my investigators or the members here. I am tired. I feel like I am running on fumes and could probably sleep for three days straight at this point. But on the plus side, I really enjoy getting to know the other sisters and they have taught me some important lessons! On the second exchange of the week, Sister Ramstedt came to Simpsonville with me.  We laughed for almost the entire exchange. It was fun and we worked hard and it was exactly what we needed. Whenever I feel like the Lord has asked too much from me or that the task is just too great, He always sends help. 

 

We had another lesson with the Klingers. They invited us and the Pooles over for dinner and we had Cuban beans and rice (it reminded me so much of your rice and beans, Pops!). We taught them the Plan of Salvation and it was amazing to see how their faces lit up when they learned about eternal families and eternal marriages. So powerful. Brother Klinger, especially, wants to believe it is true. They have committed to reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it! We will hopefully see them both on Wednesday of this week and on Sunday! Sister Robinson and I did some service for them this week too which was a lot of fun. I helped Sister Klinger paint her hallway and Sister Robinson (the artist and painting major) is painting a tree mural on their wall. It is a great way to develop a relationship with them and to really get to know them! It is cool to see the Lord using Sister Robinson's talents to further the work! She is elated!

 

I love you all SO much and I miss you!

Love,

Sis D 

Dearest family,

 

So much has happened this week and I don't know where to start... We had TWO exchanges this week and it wore me out. I haven't been this stressed or felt this inadequate in a long time. It's been hard. The area and the ward are really big and I am struggling to learn it as fast as I need to. Because we have so many exchanges, I'm not in my area a lot of the time and I fear I will never learn it or develop relationships with my investigators or the members here. I am tired. I feel like I am running on fumes and could probably sleep for three days straight at this point. But on the plus side, I really enjoy getting to know the other sisters and they have taught me some important lessons! On the second exchange of the week, Sister Ramstedt came to Simpsonville with me. We laughed for almost the entire exchange. It was fun and we worked hard and it was exactly what we needed. Whenever I feel like the Lord has asked too much from me or that the task is just too great, He always sends help. 

 

We had another lesson with the Klingers. They invited us and the Pooles over for dinner and we had Cuban beans and rice (it reminded me so much of your rice and beans, Pops!). We taught them the Plan of Salvation and it was amazing to see how their faces lit up when they learned about eternal families and eternal marriages. So powerful. Brother Klinger, especially, wants to believe it is true. They have committed to reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it! We will hopefully see them both on Wednesday of this week and on Sunday! Sister Robinson and I did some service for them this week too which was a lot of fun. I helped Sister Klinger paint her hallway and Sister Robinson (the artist and painting major) is painting a tree mural on their wall. It is a great way to develop a relationship with them and to really get to know them! It is cool to see the Lord using Sister Robinson's talents to further the work! She is elated!

 

I love you all SO much and I miss you!

Love,

Sis D 

Dearest family,

 

So much to say and I don't know where to start! We had MLC (missionary leadership council) this week. All the zone leaders and the sister training leaders get together with President Turner and talk about the needs of the nmission and how to implement new ideas or policies, etc. It was cool to see how President Turner conducts these meetings. It is basically a five hour open discussion. He really takes our thoughts and ideas into consideration, which I think is really neat but a lot of pressure too. With a new mission president, the mission culture is changing a lot. I think President Turner is exactly what this mission needed! Anyway, we took what we learned at MLC and did a training at ZTM about it. It was harder than I thought it would be to really convey all that the president had talked about, and I hope we managed it!

 

We had the COOLEST miracle happen this week. The Pooles have been sharing the gospel with their neighbors for almost three years. On Sunday, they invited us over to their home to teach the first lesson and have dinner with their neighbors! This is the first time on my whole mission that a member has referred a friend and actually been involved in the teaching process. This is what missionary work is supposed to be like! It just got me so excited to be a member missionary! At first I was nervous about having a dinner before the lesson, but it actually worked out really well. It broke the ice and got the Klingers comfortable with us. When we started teaching the Restoration, the Spirit was so powerful, especially during the first vision. Brother Poole bore such a strong testimony about eternal families. The spirit was leading the whole lesson and I just knew what I needed to say and when. We are going to start teaching them all the lessons and the Klingers all agreed to read the Book of Mormon, pray about it, and in essense to investigate the church. Brother Klinger thinks Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet! He has been thinking about baptism a lot and has talked to Brother Poole about it. They both said they would "absoluely" be baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints if they find it to be true! They are so elect and so prepared! I am really excited. We are also going to start to help Sister Klinger paint her house, so hopefully that will help deepen our relationship with her! I just feel like the Lord blessed both Sister Robinson and me with this miracle to teach us at the end of our missions what we need to do when we go home. I need to develop relationships with people who are not members. It is going to be way hard, especially in Provo, but I am going to try! It took the Pooles three years of just being their friends before they got interested in the church. So my challenge for y'all is to make some nonmember friends!!! Just think of the difference we can make in the lives of not only our friends but for their posterity for years to come! It really strengthens the members too. Sister Poole just started to cry during the whole thing and thanked us profusely afterwards. AHH! I am so happy! 

 

 

We had a less-active come to church, Brother Lynch. He brought his two daughters, and it was the perfect Sunday for them because it was the Primary program. The theme was "Families Can be Together Forever" and it was exactly what he needed to hear. His wife isn't a member but will let us talk to her every time we go by and I think this program will show him how much he needs this for his entire family. He even whispered to his daughters, "Next year you'll be up there too," and then he said he was going to get them some Books of Mormon!!! We have seen so many blessings lately!!

 

Something that our mission is emphasizing is teaching the members the missionary lessons too! We've taught four active-members the Restoration in the last couple weeks and we've got quite a few referrrals from it! It also brings a special spirit into the home and we've had people tell us that they just love when we come over because of the spirit we bring and that it STAYS. So my other challenge for y'all (I've got quite a few this week!)  is to invite the missionaries to teach the Restoration for FHE. It is hard for missionaries to get lessons from 8-9pm so that would be the perfect time to invite them over to teach it. I'm sure the missionaries will be more than happy to do it!

 

I love you all dearly! I love being a missionary and I love that I will always be a missionary!

Love,

Sister Daniels

Sis ta'ala gave Morgan a lava lava

Sister Clarks Giraffe onesie that they all took turns wearing.

Sister Robinson and Morgan having a hot chocolate 

 

Dearest family,

 

Oh my goodness. This has been the most stressful week! On Wednesday, we went to the transfer meeting. I can't describe how it feels at these meetings. All nervous anticipation. Anyway since I knew I was going to be a sister training leader, I had two options: Sister Robinson in Greenville zone and Sister Hart in Lexington. When Sister Robinson's picture came up and before they announced her new companion, I knew she was going to be my companion. Spirit confirms truth. Anyway, it is going to be crazy because she is going home next transfer and I will be going home the transfer after that! It's going to be hard to learn the area that quickly and then teach it to a new companion just as quickly! But I am just going to have to do it! I am serving in Simpsonville 2nd ward, which is in the upstate. I am really excited since I've never served in the upstate! They even have "mountains"! Although they are more like hills when compared to the Rockies... The area is in a bit of a slump. They don't have any investigators right now, but they do have a lot of less-actives that are returning to full-activity. Sister Robinson is very unique. She's a vegetarian and loves Whole Foods and hard candy. She's an artist and was studying painting at BYU Hawaii. She's whipping me into shape! We've done a Jillian Michael's workout video every day this week and I just feel so much better! I LOVE teaching with her. She always has such wonderful insights and I feel the Spirit so strongly. Teaching with her comes really easy. We've only been together for five days and yet we teach so seamlessly together. Such a blessing considering the short time I will be with her!

 

We taught ten less-actives this week and many came to church! One lady is less-active due to health. Her name is Sister Rankin and she is a hoot! She lives in the nursing home, which we biked to btw. It was all uphill (so as I'm sure you can imagine: my love and admiration for these mountains dimmed significantly). We got there just in time! She needed help mailing her Halloween cards and since she has Parkinsons

we sped up the process quite a bit. We helped her get everything done and then we wheeled her down the hall to the mail drop off. She kept saying, "Faster, faster!" She rewarded us by getting dressed up in her Halloween costume!

 

Gosh, I love the people here! This area has so much potential and I just want to get to work!

I love you all so much!

Love Sis D

Dearest family,

I want to apologize in advance for this letter. Transfers are this week and I am getting transferred, so my list of to dos is getting bigger everytime I think of it! My mind is going a million miles an hour, so this letter might be a rambling mess....

Big, BIG changes are on the horizon. President Turner called me Saturday morning and called me to be a sister training leader (STL)! It's kinda like a sister zone leader. I don't know quite how I feel about it. I am excited because it is a huge growing opportunity. I will be able to go on exchanges with many sisters and get to know them and see different parts of ole South Carolina, but I'm nervous too. This is a huge responsibility! I have valued the training I've been given by sister training leaders in the past and they have had a huge impact on my mission. I just don't want to mess anyone up!

I've been thinking a lot about the sister training leader I want to be. I've also thought about WHY I was called. What have I learned that the Lord wants me to impart to my fellow sisters? I think the biggest thing I have learned is to choose happiness. Choose to love being a missionary. Choose to love the struggle. I think sisters, in particular, beat themselves up. They compare themselves and their outward results to others or to their idea of a "perfect missionary" and they just grow discouraged. I know because I've done that. It doesn't help the work in the slightest. I think I held back for fear of making a mistake or for the fear that someone would see my imperfections, but I've just learned to embrace it. Through experience, I have gained a testimony of the promise: Who God calls, He qualifies. AMEN.

I got to go on exchanges this week with Sister Brown, my trainer. She is going home this Wednesday and I am going to miss her! I have never taught so well with any other companion. Whenever we teach together, I know exactly what she is going to say and where she is going with it. I know when I need to speak. It is so easy with her! On the exchange we met a dear woman named Mandy. We knocked on her door and I offered to say a prayer with her and she aquiesced to my request. As I said the prayer, she just started crying. She had gone to the hospital that morning for some pretty scary stuff and was waiting for the results. She just expressed how much she needed that prayer. Another cool miracle we saw this week was with a girl named Sue. We knocked on her door and asked if we could help her. She just started crying and said, "I had just been praying for someone to come help me." She was an older woman with no family and really needed help clearing out her garage. So we helped her and shared a bit of the Restoration. When we showed her the picture on the Restoration pamphlet and talked about how much God loves her and how she isn't alone, she just started crying again! I just LOVE being an instrument in the hands of the work. I love being an answer to someone's prayer!

I love you guys so much! I find out Wednesday who my new companion is and where I am going!

Love

 Sis D

 This lady sent me a text that said "I have enjoyed your girl so much and thought you might enjoy this picture of her on her last day in Dutch Fork." 

Dearest family,

 

It has been quite the week! Tonya, my Louisiana friend, came to church and really enjoyed Relief Society. She was making comments and sharing experiences right along with the lesson. Definitely not a shy one! It was amazing to see her heart be softened throughout the church service and by the end she turned to me with a rather incredulous look and said, "I think you might be saved." Well, hallelujah! As promised, we went to her Baptist church as well. It wasn't anything like I expected. I had been led to believe there would be a lot of talk about hell, fire, and brimstone and that there would be a boisterous choir singing out "Amens" and "Hallelujahs" throughout the meeting. Hollywood has disappointed me yet again! It was a small church and the preacher talked about the importance of the word of God (he also mentioned that the Bible is the only word of God, for our benefit I am sure :)) and yet as I looked around I could feel so much love for these people. They are worshipping God in the best way they know how and I know the Lord is proud of them for doing so. It was a cool experience and caused me to understand my investigators on a different level now. The members of the church were all very nice and introduced themsevles to us after the service. One very concerned, older gentleman came up to us and wanted to know if we had been saved. I guess he has read the Book of Mormon and thinks our souls are at risk. Tonya stood up for us and said she knows we are saved and believe in Jesus Christ. It was pretty cool! I think we changed the perceptions of Mormons for everyone in the church! Oh, speaking of changing perceptions, did you all see "Meet the Mormons"? We get to see it at Christmas and I am very excited about it!

 

Another highlight of the week: the STATE FAIR! We got to go and wheel around the elderly in their wheelchairs. Having had no experience with people on wheelchairs, I had underestimated just how hard to push those crazy things can be! It was quite the work out, but really fun! My woman was from Cuba and Jamaica and had the most delightful accent. She really liked the art work and had zero interest in the cows, so we got along swimmingly. I also tried another Southern delicasy: the fried Oreo. I am not even kidding. It is in Oreo dipped in red velvet cake batter and then fried. It was surprising delicious! There was also a friend stick of butter, but I wasn't quite brave enough to attempt it.

 

We also had a lesson with some Jehovah Witnesses! I've been wanting to do this my whole mission, but none would ever let us in! They shared with us some of the things they believed and we shared with them basically the whole Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. Some of their beliefs are really similar to ours! I felt the Spirit so strong when we were testifying, especially during the First Vision and when we talked about eternal families. And the crazy thing is that I felt the Spirit when they testified, too! This week has really showed me that the Lord loves all of His children and while our church has the fulness of the everlasting gospel, other denominations have truth too. I have grown to really appreciate the faithful followers of Jesus Christ. I just want to add to the truths they already treasure!

 

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

Sis D

 

Oh and I almost forgot my challenge for y'all: Study Preach my Gospel during Family Home Evening! The lessons are in Chapter 3. Have the boys teach 'em. There is a very powerful spirit that enters the home, when the missionary lessons are taught. We are starting to teach the Restoration to our active families as well and the Spirit is really incredible. 

Dearest family,

 

Fall is almost here! Just when we think it has arrived and the weather is delightfully cool, a scorching summer day hits us. South Carolina weather is a fickle friend. Oh well, this way I get to use the entirety of my wardrobe all year.

 

We have met some really cool people this week. We knocked into a girl from Derrider, Louisiana. Can you even believe it?? She was decked head to toe in LSU garb. We live in a small world and she was happy to see a fellow Louisiana girl (I wasn't about to correct her and tell her that I didn't care for that association in the slightest and I will forever remain a Texas girl. It didn't seem like the opportune moment so I let it slide :)) She is very nice and excited to talk with us, but Sister Bowman and I have a sneaking suspicion that she wants to save our souls. She said she will come to our church if we come to hers. I'll let you know how it all turns out.  

 

We had a lesson with Scott and Dee and it didn't go quite as we anticipated. They dropped us, but it was the nicest drop I have ever had. Scott started the conversation by asking us (very sneakily) what we do when someone isn't interested any more. He was quick to point out that people don't reject us but the message. Sister Bowman and I bore some super solid testimonies and I felt like the Spirit was telling me exactly what to say and I could see some things really hit home. I just hope that one day they will open their hearts and minds to it. It really was hard because I had truly grown to love these people. The coolest thing though during that lesson is I felt a glimpse of how Heavenly Father must feel for them. I felt godly sorrow for them and my heart ached for the decision that they made. I always think back to that talk by Elder Holland when he says something like this, "Why would you think it would be easy for you when it was NEVER, ever easy for Him?"

 

Here is a poem Sister B gave me that really helped me to see that I get to stand shoulder to shoulder with the best life this world has ever known.

 

"The alarm bell rings at 6:30, I stumble to my feet

I grab my companions bedding and pull off his sheets

 

A groan fills the room, it it already time to arise?

It seems like just a second ago, I was able to shut my eyes

The morning activities follow- study prayer and such

When it's time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much

 

"We have a super day planned,"

My comp says with a grin

I lowly utter a faithless breath,

"Yeah, if anyone lets us in."

 

With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street prepared to

Face another day of humidity and heat

It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is almost through

My companion and I are riding home not accomplishing what we thought to do

 

We ride up to the mailbox, hoping to receive a lot

Only to look inside and hear my echo reverberate "air boc"

We got up to our apartment, the day is now complete

The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet

 

It's past 10:30 pm. My companion is fast asleep,

Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep

In the midst of sadness, I kneel down to pray

I need to talk to father, but I'm not sure what to say

 

Oh father, I begin, "What happened to us today?

I thought we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away

My hands, my aching hands-worn, hurt, and beat:

If our area was any smaller we'd have knocked every street

 

"Why on missions are the days so much alike?

The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike

Will you send some cooler weather? The heat is killing me

I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes; it's very hard to see"

 

Why do I have to wear a helmet, isn't your protection enough?

People alway laugh at me and call me stupid stuff

Please send us investigators so I may give them what they lack

I want to give them Books of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back

 

And what about my family: they don't have much to say

I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day after day

Oh Father, Why am I here am I just wasting time?

Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind

 

My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?

The way he rides his bicycle, I don't think he can see

Now you have it, I can't go on, I don't know what to do

That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you

 

My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed

I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead

sleep starts to overtake me, I seem to drift away

Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day

 

I'm standing alone on the hill. The view is very nice

A man walks towards me and says, "My name is Jesus Christ"

Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down at his feet

Arise, He states, "Follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak."

 

My attention's toward my Savior, total and complete

He says, "Your mission is similiar of what happpend to me

I understand how you feel, I know what you're going through

In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you

 

I even know how you felt when no one listened to you

At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do

I know you don't like to ride a bicylce, for you a car would be sweet

Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds

 

I understand you don't like sweating, in fact it's something you hate

I remember when I sweat blood from ev'ry pore, of the agony ways great!

I see you don't like your companion - you'd rather have someone else-

I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth

 

It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you

I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me King of the Jews

So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack

I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back

 

Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking on doors all day

I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a smilar way

 It's hard not to hear from home when your family's not there to see

I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why hast thou forsaken me?"

 

We have a lot in common, but there's a difference between us you see

I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me

He embraced me with His arms and His light filled me with His love

With tears in my eyes I watched as He went back to the Father above

 

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head

I listened and heard the alarm, then realized I was in my head

My companion let out a grown, "6:30 already, no way!"

I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!"

 

No matter what we go through, when we feel we can't take more

Just stop and think about Jesus Christ , He's been there before!"

 

I love you and I love being a missionary!

Sis D

Dearest family,

GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!! Wasn't it the best?? I've really enjoyed general conference in the past but it is something really special as a missionary. I think it's because my whole life is devoted to the things of God. I pray and read my scriptures daily (like all day every day kinda daily). I am talking about God and to God constantly. My testimony is stronger than it has ever been, so I think I am more responsive to the things of the spirit. It was a very revelatory experience for me.

Confession: I sometimes have doubts and questions about the restored gospel and I feel guilty for having them. I feel like it means my testimony isn't strong, but someone in a Saturday session said that it is okay to have doubts and questions. Joseph Smith did. He said when we do have doubts, we need to take the time to study it out and pray to the Lord. I have discovered that instead of making my testimony weak, doubts--and the insuing search for answers--  have strengthened it. Some of my most spiritual, testimony-building experiences have come during a quest to find the answers to the questions I have. I have learned that the Lord doesn't condemn the honest seeker of truth. He never did. I think that some of the strongest disciples the Lord has is not those who have lived with an absense of doubts, but those who had them, sought earnestly to overcome them, and came out more sure and steadfast of the gospel than ever before. It is because of my earnest, sincere desire to know for myself that I have a testimony of the restored gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was called by God and Jesus Christ to bring back the fulness of the gospel. I know it, because I have prayed earnestly to know it. I know God answers our prayers and wants to guide us in our lives. I know that the prophets and apostles that spoke to us yesterday were called of God and receive revelation directly from Him.

Y'all asked about our investigators so here is a quick summary of the main ones:

Danie: Southern Baptist who has a Mormon friend and who is trying very hard to be open to another way of thinking than the one she was raised with

Kay: a 28 year-old Bulgarian who speaks English, German, and Bulgarian. She's pretty much the coolest person ever. There was a long period in her life (ten years) that she turned away from God because of the trials that she has gone through, but has--within the last year--made a complete turn around and wants us to help her come even closer

Scott and Dee: very faithful Lutherans who have enough questions to keep us busy during studies looking for the answers; they are a really wonderful couple though who have a good Spirit about them and who are very receptive to the Spirit we bring too 

James and Jaqua: a middle-aged couple who just moved here from Maryland; very open to the message about Joseph Smith because they "don't want to put God in a box" (reminded me a little bit about Ceira urging us to think "outside the box" and gave me a good chuckle :))

I love you all so much!

Sis D

P.S. I can't send pictures on these computers so I will have to send them through snail mail. Sorry!

Dear family,

Thank you for the packages!! I loved them, especially the blog book :)
I had a wonderful birthday and I got spoiled by my roommates. They
decorated my door and made me a poster that said such wonderful things
and was covered with candy that made the words. They are a creative
bunch, I tell you.

This week has been a whirlwind. SO many emotions and SO many miracles.

First off I chopped most of my hair off. I don't know if I have ever
had so little hair! I wish I could send a picture but these computers
refuse to cooperate. My hair has a lot of "texture" and layers in it
now, which I have found befundling as I try to style it but I really
like it over all. I also got a letter and package from my dear friend
Camryn for my birthday. It included a t-shirt that she had made AND a
wedding announcement! October 11th!! I just can't believe it. She
barely turned 20!! I want to get her a little something. It says they
are registered at Target. Is there any way you could send her
something from me? It is Tyler Scott and Camryn Alston. I would REALLY
appreciate it!!

Last Wednesday, our whole apartment had a crying break down during
companionship studies. Each of them are going through something hard,
and I was the only one who wasn't in tears! (Shocker, I know) We ended
up having an apartment study session where we said a prayer and sang a
couple hymns. And then something really cool happened. The
conversation turned to the Atonement and we each found ourselves
bearing our testimonies of its enabling power. It was a really
powerful moment. Four young missionaries relying on the Atonement. So
often, I think of the Atonement as a way to receive forgiveness, but I
have learned through personal experience that it is so much more than
that. If we let it, the Atonement can carry us, strengthening us to do
some hard thing. It can empower us to do things that are so far beyond
our abilities. I've thought a lot about the Atonement this week and
our Relief Society lesson was on it as well. Someone said that
although the Atonement was more agonizing than we can imagine, that
she believes that Christ felt all the good things we feel too. If He
was to understand us and what we are going through, than He would have
to feel the good as well as the bad. He felt our joys, our triumphs,
and our happiness. Isn't that a cool notion? I believe it is true. The
more that is asked of us from the Lord, the more He gives and I would
think He would want to give His Son all the happiness this world has
ever felt, since the Savior had to give so much.

This week we have found so many new people to teach. The Lord is
really blessing us and we were able to teach quite a few. BLESSINGS. I
am running out of time, but I'll be sure to mention them next week!

I LOVE YOU!!
Sister Daniels

Dear family,

 

THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE BIRTHDAY WISHES! It made me feel extra loved. I LOVE the blog book. I've read it twice and never seem to get tired of it. It's nice to be able to catch up on all the things that I've missed. I can't believe how big the boys have grown. I say that all the time, but they just keep growing!

 

This week has flown by. Every week seems to get shorter than the last. I will hit my 14th month mark this week!!! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?? I live with three other sister missionaries and they are all new to the mission. The longest any of them have been out is 3 months! So I'm an outlier (I included that term for Lexi's benefit :)! Something that I am really learning on my mission is the enabling power of the Atonement. Missionary work and the things that I do every day don't change, but my capacity and ability to do them--and to do them well--have changed. Things were hard at the beginning. It took me a time to adjust, but once you do there is no greater happiness than being a missionary. Truly.

 

We met two men this week, Josh and Greg, who are struggling. They were both raised up in Christian faiths but now are doubting the divinity of Christ. My heart breaks for them. They work during the week and spend their weekends drinking until they pass out. I don't know why they do it. It seems like misery to me, but I think they just want to get away. They want to get away from their lives and their struggles and their pains, and this is the way they were taught to do it growing up. They now have kids of their own and are teaching them the same horrible cycle. If only they could see what the gospel could do for them. If only they could see how they could change if they accept the rights and blessings that comes from being sons of God. I am so grateful that I was born in a home that had the gospel. It could easily have been me that was born into such a chaotic family, and yet it wasn't, and I thank God every day for the live that He has given me.

 

I love you all so much! Thanks for everything that you do and have done for me!

Until next week,

Sis D

Dearest family,

 

Way to go Mom! I'm so proud of you for friendshipping Courtney. It makes such a big difference to the investigator to have a friend and to feel welcome at church!!

 

We met some really cool people this week. We knocked into a man from Iraq. He's lived in America for 40 years, but he still has a bit of an accent. He was SO nice. He had converted to Christianity (he was Muslim before) and knows quite a bit about our church. We couldn't go inside because their wasn't another lady in the house, so we taught him about the Book of Mormon on the porch and answered his questions. He said he would like to learn more and take the lessons! We also met a Bulgarian and a Cuban this week. Both invited us back and both believe in God but not necessarily Jesus Christ. What is so interesting to me is how unique everyone's journey is on this earth. Some people have no trouble accepting the Book of Mormon, and yet struggle with the concept of a modern-day prophet. Others believe in a Supreme being but don't see how an organized religion can have all the truth. The one thing they all seem to have in common is a hurdle that comes before they can know and accept the truth. Looking back on my own conversion, there were times that I had doubts too and yet they always led to a testimony building experience. Each person has to overcome their own hurdles and the missionaries will do all they can but in the end we can't make that jump for them. As a missionary, I feel like I've had a love/hate relationship with agency. When investigators don't act on the spirital witness they've had, it can be frustrating. It is worrisome. And yet I am so grateful to have a Heavenly Father who loves and who trusts us enough to let us choose. I will forever be grateful that I chose to come on a mission. It is easily the best one I have ever made.

 

We were able to see Danie and Bill&Gale Smith this week. These three are our main investigators and I just love them so much! We have a lesson with Danies tonight and are bringing Sister Fletcher with us. When we invited Sister Fletcher, she was SO excited. She is a convert to the church and she feels that her family was sent to South Carolina to be missionaries. I love having a member come to lessons. It really brings the Spirit and strengthens member, missionary, and investigator! If the missionaries aren't taking you all out with them, you should ask to go!! It helps a lot :)

 

Love you!!!!!!

Sister D

Dearest family!

 

Things in Dutch Fork are going great. Sister Bowman is such a quick learner and has adapted to missionary life with so much ease! It did not come that easy to me!! She loves to knock doors and is always trying to improve her contacting. It is really good for me because it makes me try a lot harder too. I can see a big difference in myself. Training brings a lot of memories of my training days back to me. Man. I have come a long way. Something that I noticed this week is how much easier it is for me to just talk to people. I'm far more friendly and talkative now. I know, it's positively shocking...

I love it. I just love people!

 

We knocked into a couple this week, who let us into their home immediately. They didn't even wait for us to introduce ourselves! I love when that happens :) It turns out Dee used to work in the library and she was impressed by all the Elders and how mature and kind they were. She has a high opinion of our church. We introduced the Book of Mormon and read the first part of 3 Nephi 11 with them. They are very involved in their Lutheran church, but were open to learning more. During the lesson, I just felt this need to bear my testimony so I did. It was probably the most simple and fervent testimony that I have ever said.  The Spirit that flooded the room at the moment is indescribable. I learned all over again that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet. Our mission president said that our greatest converts we will have on our mission is ourselves and I believe it. I have taught the Restoration (without exaggeration) hundreds of times and each time I do I find out it is true all over again. And I learn something new each time! How does that happen?? I keep thinking there is going to be a time when I've learned all there is, and yet someone will say something that puts a different light on the subject and I learn something new!

 

I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's church established on the earth once again. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and messenger of the Lord. I know the priesthood is real and that our church has it. I know God answers prayers and the Spirit will be with us as long as we are worthy of it. These things I know!

 

I love you all SO much!

Sis Daniels