Dear family,

 

I'm glad y'all had such a great Spring break! It sure sounds like fun! One of the less-active members in our ward wants to take us fishing, so we'll have to see if I can pull a Blake on that one :) The Special Olympics sounds like it was a wonderful experience! I've met a couple mentally handicapped people on my mission and they are always so pure and so innocent. The have special spirits. They really do. I LOVE that you followed a spiritual prompting to help that man! What a powerful example you are to me, Mom!

 

I think it is great that you are hanging out with the boys so much, Pops! I get nervous for them, sometimes. So many young men fall away! We have a lot of less actives in our ward and many of them are young men. I have seen too many faithful wives with husbands that don't go to church. It is absolutely heart-breaking. Many are returned missionaries. My mission has really opened my eyes to the battle that we are fighting. Satan is fighting awfully hard and he has a plethora of strategies. Every less active has a unique story and different reasons for leaving, but with each one I have to fight the urge not to shake them into sanity! I think the Lord is teaching me the heavenly virtue of patience and understanding :) I really love being an instrument of God in helping them remember the truths they once knew and cherished. Michael, especially, has made such progress. Yesterday, he got a tithing slip for the first time in about 40 years! I feel like a proud parent!! I did good, too :)

 

We had a sister share an analogy in her talk that I really loved. She said that there are two ways to read the scriptures. We can water ski or we can scuba dive. When we ski, we read through the scriptures quickly. It is fun and exciting and we are able to get the thrill of the stories. We also have the immediate satisfaction in seeing how fast we have progressed. It is, however, a fairly superficial understanding--it barely grazes the surface. Then there is scuba diving. We can take it slow, reveling in the joys of discovery and unearthing new insights and novel ideas. I feel like I have done an awful lot of water skiing in my life! Luckily, my mission has taught me how to scuba dive into the scriptures. I finally am getting a grasp on just what it means to "ponder" the scriptures and I am making connections like never before!

 

I love you guys so much! I love your letters and read them over and over again. Thanks for all the support. As cliche as it sounds, it is nevertheless true:  I couldn't be doing this without you!

Sister Daniels

 

P.S. I hear if I get my visa this Saturday. I think the chances I got it this time are next to nil, so hopefully I get to stay in Charleston this next transfer!!

Dear family,

 

This has been such a wonderful week! I love the Charleston ward and getting to know all the members. Our Bishop is dynamite. He gives a 110% to his calling, works full-time, and homeschools one of his kids. I don't know how the man sleeps! He has really been an inspiration to me though. I will never turn down a calling. If he can do it with that kind of schedule, then I can too!

 

I've really thought a lot about being busy. We meet quite a few people who are just too busy right now. They are too busy to come to church. They are too busy to read their scriptures. People everywhere are busy, and yet we are all busy doing things that don't really matter. I think that is one of Satan's best tools: to distract us from those things that matter most with things that are insignificant and paltry. I am so grateful for my mission. It has shown me where my priorities should be. I've also learned not to sweat the small stuff. Thank goodness, because I think I already did my share of that in high school :)

 

We met a less-active named Grant Staley this week. He is a Spanish professor at the Citadel. He went on a mission way back in the day when there was a "Central American mission." He went to almost all the countries in South America! Isn't that just crazy? I wonder what kind of accent he eventually picked up... Anyway he had a Portuguese dictionary on his desk, so I told him about my predicament and offered to say the prayer in Portuguese. He loved it! He really opened up to us, which is awesome because he wasn't too thrilled to see missionaries the last time that they tried! He was really excited, so I think we are going to teach him the lessons in Portuguese! Maybe he is the reason I am still here, eh?? He used to be the High Priest group leader, but he fell away after his wife left him. We hope to rekindle that testimony that he once had. I love getting to know so many people and I love that I get to hear their stories. I love how varied and unique the human experience is. All of us will have a story to tell when we get up to heaven and I just can't wait to hear them all!

 

Michael and Mona came to church again! Fifth time in a row! I am so happy for them. I love seeing their countenances change. It is the absolute best! Bishop used Michael and Mona's story as an example of what we should do. He said that we had done a great job involving the ward. It is so wonderful to hear that! It is always nice to have some validation for our work. I was pratically beaming by the end of ward council :) It has really stregthened the trust the ward has in us, and more and more people are wanting to come out with us.

 

I am really happy! I love being a missionary! I love Charleston!

 

Thank you so much for the jokes, Pops! So funny! I can't wait to share them with Sister Davis. I'm sure we will get a kick out of them. We also got the Valentine's Day package! THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am so excited for that Garmin, I can't even tell you. We also enjoyed the chocolates. Very quickly :) 

 

I love you all so much! I am grateful for all the letters and packages. You all are the best part of my life and I am anxious to see y'all again :)

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

This was our service project. We delievered "Bags for Life" to underpriviledged children. Each bag contains a bunch of goodies

This is me and my itty, bitty desk in Marion. Needless to say, my love of all things mini has depreciated. Drastically.

Sister Stout and I! I find it a bit disconcerting that I look like a monkey...

This week has been a really great one (besides this rather discouraging news about my visa that is :) . Our mission had a month long fast in February and the Lord is just pouring out the blessings because of it! Every day of February some companionship in South Carolina would fast, so that someone was fasting every day. It was really cool experience and so powerful!

We had some extra miles this month (never happens!) so we went down to Folly Beach to check on some less-actives. They lived right on the beach! I could see the ocean. It was so beautiful and the weather was perfect, all breezy and sunny. I absolutely love Charleston! I am so grateful that the Lord sent me here. If you all are looking for a vacation spot, I think I might have found a good one :) 

We met a new family this week. They are a really cute couple named Chad and Erin. They have three adorable kids. They just look Mormon! It was cool, because we didn't follow the usual first lesson approach. We just followed the Spirit and by the end of the lesson they both agreed that they want to take all the lessons! What is so incredible is that they let us into their home because Chad had a friend who married a Mormon and she was really nice. It just goes to show how powerful our example can be! It one of the best missionary tools that there is!  

Michael and Mona are progressing really well. Mona says that she still wants to learn more before she is baptized (GAH!) but that she plans on coming to church for the rest of forever. At least it's a start! I've never loved any investigators this much. They are so special. The day of Mona's baptism will be the happiest day of my life!

 I haven't gotten the Valentine's Day package yet! It is still at the mission office. I guess if you mail it priority mail they can forward it to my address, but any other way it has to sit there until someone can bring it down. I am looking forward to getting it though! I have had a rough bout of homesickness the last few days and it would definitely cheer me up :) 

I love you all! 

Sister Daniels  

Dear family,

 

One of the best things about being a missionary: we get to answer people's prayers! One of the members in our ward, Sister Ross, had prayed that she would be able to serve someone that day. She didn't know how the Lord was going to do it, because she was staying home alone all day. Then we showed up! We didn't have a dinner appointment, so she offered to whip something up. She told us afterwards that she had prayed for the opportunity to serve and that the Lord had given it to her. Isn't that so cool?? I know that God does answer prayers. Even if what we pray for is small :) I read Mosiah 26 today. "Alma was troubled in the spirit" because some of the people of the church had become wicked so "he went and inquired of the Lord." It was only "after he had poured out his whole soul to God" that "the voice of the Lord came to him." I just love this example. Prayer is not always easy. It requires our whole heart and soul, but if we can learn to pray, truly pray, than I don't think the devil will have even the slimmest of holds on us. Prayer is powerful. There is a great difference between the investigators that solely reads from the Book of Mormon and those who have coupled their study with prayer. The investigators, like Mona, who are praying and studying diligently are the ones who receive their answer.

 

Michael and Mona came to church for the third time in a row!! SO HAPPY. The whole ward has introduced themselves and I think that Michael and Mona are beginning to feel like they are a part of it. We finished teaching the Plan of Salvation this week, and Mona LOVES it. She says that it is what she has always believed, but she had just never seen it in writing until she read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet. She really loves that there are three kingdoms of glory. AHH! I just love them so much! We are planning to invite her to be baptized again this week, so please pray for her and for us!

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POPS! You ole man you :) That t-shirt Lexi sent sounds hilarious! Unfortunately, my knowledge of guns and their variety is painfully minimal. Practically nil. So I might have missed a few of the jokes... Anyway I love you Dad! I hope you have a wonderful birthday. I am so grateful for all that you have done and continue to do for me. I admire you for the man you are and for the father that you have been. Mom sure picked a good one :) Te amo, Pai!

 

I love you all!

Sister Daniels

Dear family,

Well, I am sure this will come as a surprise to you, but I did not get
my visa. Which means (drum roll please) I will be in South Carolina
for at least six more weeks!!! I couldn't be more happy! I have been
praying for this all week! I just can't leave until Mona is baptized
and Michael is back into full activity. I have a work still here to
do!

Michael and Mona came to church again this week and stayed for all
three hours this time! Guys, I am so excited for them. SO EXCITED! I
just love them like crazy and it is so cool to see them change as they
learn and act on our message. It turns out that Mona has been talking
to Michael about being baptized! She was considering it before we even
invited her! Now, THAT is a golden investigator :) She says that she
wants to learn more first, before she commits to a date. We brought a
couple with us to a lessons and they totally hit it off! They are
really good friends now and Sister Combes keeps calling and inviting
Mona to different church activities. It is just so perfect!  The
Combes are introducing them to everyone in the ward and taking them to
their different classes. Member work is the way to go!

I am so excited for y'all's missionary bags! I am really proud of you!
It is the best way to do missioanry work. It really is. I like
tracting, but it just doesn't bring the same results. At least not
here in the states!

We were on "lock down" on Wednesday. I guess the weather must have
been pretty bad. We were fortunate and didn't lose any power or heat.
We spent the whole day inside and it was the LONGEST day of my
mission. I was just bored stiff! I did a lot of reading and studying
though, which was nice, but I learned that I would much rather go out
and work. I guess I've changed a bit. Maybe I won't want to stay in
and read and read anymore, Pops. Maybe.... :)

I was reading the "Fourth Missionary" again. It said, "...the critical
question is 'Who are you and who are you becoming?'" As I pondered
this, I had the hardest time coming up with an answer! Honestly, I
don't really know who I am anymore! My personality seems to be
changing all the time. Things I thought were a concrete part of who I
am--or at least thought that I was--don't really apply to me anymore!
And yet other times I feel like I haven't changed at all and that I am
still the same old me with the same old weaknesses. I just can't
figure it out. I've asked every companion what their perception is of
me and every single one says something different. ????
 If you had to describe me, what would you say? Y'all have to know me
better than anyone! I have a feeling that I am just going to have to
figure it out, but it would be nice to have your input!

I love you all and pray for you all the time!
Love,
Sister Daniels

Dear family,

This has been an amazing week! Michael, the less-active that we have been working with and his wife, Mona, came to church! Dorothy, another investigator, also came! It was such a tender mercy from the Lord. This area hadn't had an investigator come to church for months and we had two in one day! SO HAPPY! We brought one of our ward missionaries to a lesson with Michael and Mona and it was just incredible! His testimony was so strong and it just pierced Michael's heart. It was so cool to see Michael's cynicism and hesitation completely melt away. He felt the Spirit. I know he did and I think it might have been the first time in his life that he has actually recognized it. I just know that Michael is going to come back into full activity. I just know that Mona is going to be baptized. I pray for it constantly. I've never wanted anything so badly in my whole life. I just hope that the Lord will let me be there for that happy day! 

I know that we always say that families can be together forever. I've sung about that principle since Primary. We talk about it in probably every church meeting. It is included in everyone's testimony. I knew it in my mind, but I did not know it in my heart until this week. We were talking to someone who said that although her religion did not teach this, she felt that her family was in someway connected and that when she died they would all be there to welcome her into heaven and that they would be a family again. In that moment, it clicked. The phrase, "Families can be together forever," made it from my head to my heart in a matter of seconds. I bore my testimony to her about temples and how we can be together forever. It was one of the strongest and truest testimonies I have ever said. I know that we will be together forever. I know that the love that we have for each other and the bonds that we have forged is more powerful than the bonds of death, because of Christ and of the temple. I am so grateful that you were married in the temple and that you are both still worthy to go to the temple. I love you so much and am so grateful for your example!

We are going to downton Charleston today with Dorothy. I am so excited! Unfortunately, I cannot find my camera's battery charger. I am abslutely devastated that I won't get pictures of this...I know this is a huge burden, but could you send me another one? There is so much I want to document!

I am just so happy! I really just love my life. I love feeling the Spirit all the time. I love that I get to witness others feel the Spirit too and watch it prick their hearts. It is incredible. I love you all and I am so grateful that we can be together forever.

Love,

Sister Daniels

Tell Brittany congratulations! That is so exciting! When does she go to the MTC?

 

Since last Sunday was Stake Conference, yesterday was my first Sunday in my new ward. I love it! The people here have really taken the "hastening the work" message from our prophet to heart. They are asking to come out with us and are even giving us the names of their family and friends who may be interested! It is a relatively young ward. Most of the people here are dental or medical students and have young families. It is so very different from my last little elderly branch. I am just so happy to be here. I love Charleston and want to move back here! You should retire here, Pops :) There is a family here, the Michaelsons, who remind me so much of our family! The Dad is on the high council and the mom is the Relief Society president. They also have four kids, two boys and two girls. They also have a son who is my age out on a mission and get this..He is a Brazil visa waiter too! MIND BLOWN.

 

We actually had SNOW! We couldn't drive, since there was ice on the road. The good news is that no one else could travel either! Since everyone was home, we got to meet a lot of people and some invited us to come back and teach them. I am really excited for an Argentinian that we met. Her name is Eugenia. <--- The spelling of which is a little iffy. At first she wasn't interested, but we were just friendly and kept talking to her. She has recently gone through a divorce and it has really shaken her faith in Christ. We helped her bring in logs for a fire and she opened up a lot. She said that we were welcome back anytime and that we could share a message with her! Her name keeps coming to my mind and I think that is the Lord's way of showing me that she is ready now and that I better not forget about her!

 

This week was a veritable roller coaster. We had ups and downs. I am the senior companion now and I am feeling the pressure! It is a lot of responsibility and sometimes I think the weight of it all will just about crush me. Sometimes I feel like I am really just not cut out for this, and yet there are other times I feel like I was exactly who I needed to be for that person and that time. I know that God puts us in different situations to learn and to grow, but it is often a very difficult process! I know that He is strenghtening me though. He really is. I couldn't do this, if He wasn't. I look back at the girl I was in high school and try to imagine her out here and I don't think she would have made it. I know with absolute assurance that God will qualify us for the work He has called us to perform. 

 

I love you all! I hope your heater starts working Dad! I appreciate the scroll. I really love those. I also loved your story of Chrissy. So funny! Good luck with school Mom. I know conversions are sometimes a little tricky, but once it clicks you will have it forever. I love that idea of a veil that covers the imperfections and sins of others. So true! 

 

Love, 

Sister Daniels