Hello family!
Man, wasn't conference just amazing! I absolutely love hearing from our beloved prophet and apostles! What was some of ya'lls favorite talks?
I really really liked Dieter F. Uchtdorfs from the womens conference. Hahaha, my favorite was when he said "She had no one to keep her company except that creepy cat," and "She realized she was actually going to miss this strange old house with the stalker cat." Haha! So funny! But I hope to become more like when he said "Put on your bright dress and your dancing shoes and skip down the road of life, singing as you go." I feel like life is just better that way, to be truly happy! I know that keeping the commandments and following the example of Jesus Christ has brought me more happiness than any I've ever received, not even Disneyland or Nutella can make me as happy as what this Gospel brings ;) Another thing mentioned in conference was about pondering and memorizing a scripture a week, from Devin G. Durrant. I want to do this every week, so this week I chose the scripture from Moses 5:10 "...Blessed be the name of God, for because of my transgression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God." Sometimes life gets hard, we sin and make mistakes and trials come our way. I don't like making mistakes or sinning, but when I do I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and His Atonement, and that it allows me to repent and try again. I'm grateful for trials and hard times because they help me turn to the Savior and rely on His strength because really, I can't do anything without Him. Before I was a missionary, if I ever was going through a hard time I would always find myself turning to music, going out and riding my bike- trying to be alone to work out my problems. I would ask friends for help and talk to mom and dad, but when you're on a mission it's just you and God. Don't get me wrong Heavenly Father definitely works through people, I am so grateful for all those days sitting on the edge of mom and dads bed asking for guidance and counsel, I learned things I'll take with me my whole life. I'll never forget the nights I stayed up crying and Han would come over to my bedside and comfort me as well as all you sweet kids, Brandon, Kate, Sara, Lex and Sophie. But out here, it's just my companion and I everyday. When you first get out on a mission sometimes this can be a little lonely, trials make you turn to Jesus Christ for help and guidance. After having been out for 10 months, I no longer have to choose Jesus Christ as my strength and last resort help. He is the first person I want to counsel with, the first person I know will always be there to comfort and forgive me, and I am incredibly grateful for that. I promise that if any of ya'll ever need help or someone to love you, Jesus Christ will always be there, just a prayer away. He will come running to your aid, He has for me, countless of times, and my love and gratitude for Him can never be expressed. I love ya'll to the moon and back! I hope ya'll really got something out of conference, I know that those men are men called of God. I love ya'll!
Love, Sister Mason
Monday, October 5, 2015
10 Months Baby!
September 21, 2015
Hello Family and friends!
So sorry for not having written the past two weeks! Two weeks ago I got pretty sick, but I'm all well and better now, and last week we had Zone Activity that cut out most of our P-day time.
We got to go to the temple two weeks ago! That was such a marvelous experience and very needed. I'm so grateful for temples!
Our most progressing investigator, Shadrach, committed to baptism. We set his date for this Saturday, but we're going to push it back a little so he can prepare more.
This is the last week of the transfer and I can't believe how fast time is flying! I hit my 10 month mark this past Saturday and it feels like the longer I've been out the faster my time here as a missionary goes by! Only 55 more days and I'll have been out for a year! My Mommas birthday was this past Saturday as well, happy birthday again mom! Ham went to Homecoming! Woot woot! Hope that was fun :) The Alabama/Ole Miss game was this Saturday, Bama lost to Ole Miss- so that was pretty crazy, literally.
Last Sunday one of our members brought a friend to church. Her name is Yu Ling, she came straight from China to here, leaving behind her husband and son to go to school at the university of Alabama. She came again to church yesterday and said she really enjoyed it. She told us she feels a warm feeling there, from all the love we have for each other and Jesus Christ. We gave her a Restoration pamphlet in Chinese and she got SUPER excited! She's really open to what we have to share and what we believe.
Sunday night we went over to some apartment complexes to contact before we headed in. We followed up on a past investigator that Sister Young and her companion taught last transfer. His name is Tianbo, and luckily he was home! He actually traveled out to Utah a couple of weeks ago and got to go to temple square in Salt Lake and see the temple! He said that he thought it was very beautiful and truly a work from God. We taught him more about the Book of Mormon and helped him understand that the Bible and the Book of Mormon are comparable and that it's like Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, they go hand in hand. He said the closing prayer before we left and it was the sweetest most powerful prayer I've ever heard. The Spirit was definitely there, and it brought a lot of peace to my heart. He expressed thanks to Heavenly Father for letting us teach him, and to help him as he learns more about the Mormon religion and the "peanut butter". It was such a sweet experience. I'm so grateful and happy to be a missionary! It's the best thing I've ever done! Don't get me wrong, it most definitely isn't always chocolate and peaches, or very fun sometimes, but all of the good times you have make it more worth it every day!
I love ya'll and hope your week is blessed!
Love, Sister Mason
Hello Family and friends!
So sorry for not having written the past two weeks! Two weeks ago I got pretty sick, but I'm all well and better now, and last week we had Zone Activity that cut out most of our P-day time.
We got to go to the temple two weeks ago! That was such a marvelous experience and very needed. I'm so grateful for temples!
Our most progressing investigator, Shadrach, committed to baptism. We set his date for this Saturday, but we're going to push it back a little so he can prepare more.
This is the last week of the transfer and I can't believe how fast time is flying! I hit my 10 month mark this past Saturday and it feels like the longer I've been out the faster my time here as a missionary goes by! Only 55 more days and I'll have been out for a year! My Mommas birthday was this past Saturday as well, happy birthday again mom! Ham went to Homecoming! Woot woot! Hope that was fun :) The Alabama/Ole Miss game was this Saturday, Bama lost to Ole Miss- so that was pretty crazy, literally.
Last Sunday one of our members brought a friend to church. Her name is Yu Ling, she came straight from China to here, leaving behind her husband and son to go to school at the university of Alabama. She came again to church yesterday and said she really enjoyed it. She told us she feels a warm feeling there, from all the love we have for each other and Jesus Christ. We gave her a Restoration pamphlet in Chinese and she got SUPER excited! She's really open to what we have to share and what we believe.
Sunday night we went over to some apartment complexes to contact before we headed in. We followed up on a past investigator that Sister Young and her companion taught last transfer. His name is Tianbo, and luckily he was home! He actually traveled out to Utah a couple of weeks ago and got to go to temple square in Salt Lake and see the temple! He said that he thought it was very beautiful and truly a work from God. We taught him more about the Book of Mormon and helped him understand that the Bible and the Book of Mormon are comparable and that it's like Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches, they go hand in hand. He said the closing prayer before we left and it was the sweetest most powerful prayer I've ever heard. The Spirit was definitely there, and it brought a lot of peace to my heart. He expressed thanks to Heavenly Father for letting us teach him, and to help him as he learns more about the Mormon religion and the "peanut butter". It was such a sweet experience. I'm so grateful and happy to be a missionary! It's the best thing I've ever done! Don't get me wrong, it most definitely isn't always chocolate and peaches, or very fun sometimes, but all of the good times you have make it more worth it every day!
I love ya'll and hope your week is blessed!
Love, Sister Mason
tuscALoosa
August 31, 2015
Howdy!!
No one really says that here, but I'm thinking ya'll are probably sick of me saying "Hey ya'll" -oh well. This week was great!! Another grand adventure down here in the deep south! I'm super excited for football season to start, that's going to be a blast! Roll tide is most definitely becoming part of my everyday vocabulary, along with preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This week was the last week in August! We're already starting another brand new month! Crazy. Sister Young and I had the privilege and opportunity this week to visit the Ensley elders. We went to their district meeting and then went on team ups with the elders to visit some of their investigators. We had a really crazy, but good lesson with a woman named Donna and her daughter, Jessica. Donna's preparing for baptism, and has been overcoming issues with the word of wisdom and is doing a marvelous job at it. Her daughter, Jessica, doesn't know anything about the church or the Book of Mormon, so we taught her the first lesson and were able to invite and commit her to coming to church and accept a Book of Mormon. The Ensley elders are magnificent and really working hard!
The members in our YSA branch were able to have a special booth set up at a convention this week on campus called Get on Board. We were able to make a lot of promising contacts there, and invite several people to come to the fun activities we have every week, as well as church. Every Thursday we have ultimate Frisbee on the quad, on campus. And every Friday we have volleyball at the church. One of our investigators, Shadrach came to Frisbee this week, he said he had fun playing.
Friday and Saturday, one of the recent converts to our church, Maggie, came out tracting with us. She's preparing for a mission and will be leaving in December, so she's really pumped about missionary work, and has a solid testimony.
Another recent convert, Alex, went to the temple on Saturday for the first time! That was such a blessing! I can testify that when you have a recent convert just baptized into this church go to the temple, they are insured for life! The temple is the best place to go to be near to our Heavenly Father and feel the comforting power of the Holy Ghost.
Sunday, Shadrach came to church again! He said he really enjoyed it and asked us more questions about the church, and what we do as missionaries. As we explained that we don't see our families, watch tv, or date, he said "Well if I become a Mormon, I'm not serving a mission, that's for sure." "IF" HE BECOMES A MORMON!! Dad- cue to quote "So you're sayin' I (we've) got a chance!"
AND our other most progressing investigator, Joseph, is going to be baptized this Saturday!!!! He is so solid and ready, this is going to go as smooth as buttermilk on biscuits. People are making mile stones out here, ya'll! One small step at a time.
I'm grateful for all ya'lls support and love. I pray that ya'll will have a great week!
Love, Sister Mason
Howdy!!
No one really says that here, but I'm thinking ya'll are probably sick of me saying "Hey ya'll" -oh well. This week was great!! Another grand adventure down here in the deep south! I'm super excited for football season to start, that's going to be a blast! Roll tide is most definitely becoming part of my everyday vocabulary, along with preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This week was the last week in August! We're already starting another brand new month! Crazy. Sister Young and I had the privilege and opportunity this week to visit the Ensley elders. We went to their district meeting and then went on team ups with the elders to visit some of their investigators. We had a really crazy, but good lesson with a woman named Donna and her daughter, Jessica. Donna's preparing for baptism, and has been overcoming issues with the word of wisdom and is doing a marvelous job at it. Her daughter, Jessica, doesn't know anything about the church or the Book of Mormon, so we taught her the first lesson and were able to invite and commit her to coming to church and accept a Book of Mormon. The Ensley elders are magnificent and really working hard!
The members in our YSA branch were able to have a special booth set up at a convention this week on campus called Get on Board. We were able to make a lot of promising contacts there, and invite several people to come to the fun activities we have every week, as well as church. Every Thursday we have ultimate Frisbee on the quad, on campus. And every Friday we have volleyball at the church. One of our investigators, Shadrach came to Frisbee this week, he said he had fun playing.
Friday and Saturday, one of the recent converts to our church, Maggie, came out tracting with us. She's preparing for a mission and will be leaving in December, so she's really pumped about missionary work, and has a solid testimony.
Another recent convert, Alex, went to the temple on Saturday for the first time! That was such a blessing! I can testify that when you have a recent convert just baptized into this church go to the temple, they are insured for life! The temple is the best place to go to be near to our Heavenly Father and feel the comforting power of the Holy Ghost.
Sunday, Shadrach came to church again! He said he really enjoyed it and asked us more questions about the church, and what we do as missionaries. As we explained that we don't see our families, watch tv, or date, he said "Well if I become a Mormon, I'm not serving a mission, that's for sure." "IF" HE BECOMES A MORMON!! Dad- cue to quote "So you're sayin' I (we've) got a chance!"
AND our other most progressing investigator, Joseph, is going to be baptized this Saturday!!!! He is so solid and ready, this is going to go as smooth as buttermilk on biscuits. People are making mile stones out here, ya'll! One small step at a time.
I'm grateful for all ya'lls support and love. I pray that ya'll will have a great week!
Love, Sister Mason
Roll With the Tide Roll
August 24, 2015
Hey Ya'll!!
We had transfers this past Wednesday, also my hump day, so I've officially been out for 9 months, and I've been called as a new Sister Training Leader and am serving in Tuscaloosa, Alabama! I am IN LOVE with this area, and this is the perfect time to come because football season's about to start!!! My new companion is Sister Young, she is absolutely amazing! So hilarious and a stellar missionary, she knows what she's doing! We're the missionaries that cover the YSA branch, so we're mostly out working with the students here at the UA and single adults. One of the investigators we're teaching is Shadrach. He's awesome! The sisters met him at walmart, he really likes the Book of Mormon, and came to church yesterday and brought his friend, Brandon.
Since we're working with the students, we do a lot of on campus contacting. One of my favorites is bus contacting. It's easy to talk to people, get to know them and share a message, and they have to listen cuz they're stuck on the bus!
Saturday we went out to Bessemer to help with a Roots Tech family history convention. Sister Young and I were in charge of the photo booth, so we got to dress up like pioneers, and take pictures of cute little kids. There were a lot of non members there, so we had some great teaching opportunities.
Saturday we went tracting in some apartment complexes close to campus and found some pretty promising potentials. Sister Young is really good at sharing scriptures with everyone we meet, by asking them if they've had their spiritual thought for the day. It's a pretty great way to contact. We've been able to bare our testimonies to almost every person we talk to, which is such an essential way to help others feel the Spirit and come closer to Christ. We were store contacting in a cute little southern boutique and asked a girl, who plays tennis for the UA, if she knew anyone who would be interested in hearing a message we have to share. She enthusiastically said "Ya! I want to hear your message!" Awesome! It is so amazing to see the Spirit working through you to touch the hearts and lives of those that this Gospel will help bless. I love this sacred and amazing work! I love being a missionary for this area!
Funny story to wrap this up, we were walking home to make curfew after having a lesson with a recent convert and saw a huge party/cook out going on, made up mostly of black people. As we were walking past a black guy yells at us from the porch "Hey ya'll! Roll tide! Say it! Say it with me, Roll tide!!" So we yell back at him "Roll Tide" He continues to yell at us "Roll tide!" So we say it at least 5 or 6 times till we realize he's drunk and we should probably just walk away. Well, the whole walk home, as long as he could see us, he starts yelling this little chant/song "Hey you white girls, roll with the tide, roll, roll with the tide!" Haha, so funny! I love the south.
Ya'll are amazing, be blessed, and God be with you this week.
Love, Sister Mason
Hey Ya'll!!
We had transfers this past Wednesday, also my hump day, so I've officially been out for 9 months, and I've been called as a new Sister Training Leader and am serving in Tuscaloosa, Alabama! I am IN LOVE with this area, and this is the perfect time to come because football season's about to start!!! My new companion is Sister Young, she is absolutely amazing! So hilarious and a stellar missionary, she knows what she's doing! We're the missionaries that cover the YSA branch, so we're mostly out working with the students here at the UA and single adults. One of the investigators we're teaching is Shadrach. He's awesome! The sisters met him at walmart, he really likes the Book of Mormon, and came to church yesterday and brought his friend, Brandon.
Since we're working with the students, we do a lot of on campus contacting. One of my favorites is bus contacting. It's easy to talk to people, get to know them and share a message, and they have to listen cuz they're stuck on the bus!
Saturday we went out to Bessemer to help with a Roots Tech family history convention. Sister Young and I were in charge of the photo booth, so we got to dress up like pioneers, and take pictures of cute little kids. There were a lot of non members there, so we had some great teaching opportunities.
Saturday we went tracting in some apartment complexes close to campus and found some pretty promising potentials. Sister Young is really good at sharing scriptures with everyone we meet, by asking them if they've had their spiritual thought for the day. It's a pretty great way to contact. We've been able to bare our testimonies to almost every person we talk to, which is such an essential way to help others feel the Spirit and come closer to Christ. We were store contacting in a cute little southern boutique and asked a girl, who plays tennis for the UA, if she knew anyone who would be interested in hearing a message we have to share. She enthusiastically said "Ya! I want to hear your message!" Awesome! It is so amazing to see the Spirit working through you to touch the hearts and lives of those that this Gospel will help bless. I love this sacred and amazing work! I love being a missionary for this area!
Funny story to wrap this up, we were walking home to make curfew after having a lesson with a recent convert and saw a huge party/cook out going on, made up mostly of black people. As we were walking past a black guy yells at us from the porch "Hey ya'll! Roll tide! Say it! Say it with me, Roll tide!!" So we yell back at him "Roll Tide" He continues to yell at us "Roll tide!" So we say it at least 5 or 6 times till we realize he's drunk and we should probably just walk away. Well, the whole walk home, as long as he could see us, he starts yelling this little chant/song "Hey you white girls, roll with the tide, roll, roll with the tide!" Haha, so funny! I love the south.
Ya'll are amazing, be blessed, and God be with you this week.
Love, Sister Mason
Farewells
August 17, 2015
Dearest family and friends,
Well, the title kind of says it all, we received transfer instructions on Saturday and I will be leaving blessed Decatur. Crazy how fast time flies when you're having a ball! Especially when bringing up the fact that I'm hitting my hump day this Wednesday, on transfers. I've been out for 9 months! 9 more to go! So insane!
Well, this last week was great, especially pertaining to following the promptings of the Spirit. Sister Rodriguez and I had many instances when we were strongly prompted to do or say something, and heeding to the enticing's of the Spirit helped us see many miracles.
For example, one night we were leaving a dinner appointment and our cars lights were being kind of wacky. We pulled over to try and figure out what was going on. I wasn't sure what to do and I saw a man out mowing his lawn, at 8:00 at night, and felt impressed to ask him for help. I kind of pushed the thought aside and continued driving on to the designated area we decided to tract for the rest of the night. But that feeling talk to that man kept getting stronger and stronger to the point where I physically felt that if we didn't we'd miss a great opportunity. So, we went back, he was able to help us out and we got to talking. He knows several members of our church that go to our church home here in Decatur, and after talking to him about our beliefs he admitted that a lot of what we believe in is what he believes in, and he invited us to come back and talk to him more about our faith!
This experience reminded me of one similar to our prophet, Thomas S. Monson. He was in the middle of a meeting when he felt a strong impression to leave and see a sick member of his ward immediately. He didn't want to appear rude, getting up in the middle of a talk, and pushed the prompting aside. He continuously received this prompting until when they finished saying the closing prayer, he bolted out the door and got to the hospital as quickly as he could. He was running down the hall to the members room, and one of the nurses told him that the man he was trying to see had just passed away, asking for him before he died. He regrets not following that prompting, and has vowed to this day to always do whatever the Spirit tells him to do.
I can promise that if we follow and heed the promptings of the Spirit we will be able to help bless the lives of those who pray for that help every day.
I hope that ya'll have a blast this week! Happy Birthday miss Kate, you big grown up 12 year old! And kiddo's, try not to party too hard while mom and dad are in Orlando, k? Love you bunches!
Steadfast in Christ, Sister Mason
Dearest family and friends,
Well, the title kind of says it all, we received transfer instructions on Saturday and I will be leaving blessed Decatur. Crazy how fast time flies when you're having a ball! Especially when bringing up the fact that I'm hitting my hump day this Wednesday, on transfers. I've been out for 9 months! 9 more to go! So insane!
Well, this last week was great, especially pertaining to following the promptings of the Spirit. Sister Rodriguez and I had many instances when we were strongly prompted to do or say something, and heeding to the enticing's of the Spirit helped us see many miracles.
For example, one night we were leaving a dinner appointment and our cars lights were being kind of wacky. We pulled over to try and figure out what was going on. I wasn't sure what to do and I saw a man out mowing his lawn, at 8:00 at night, and felt impressed to ask him for help. I kind of pushed the thought aside and continued driving on to the designated area we decided to tract for the rest of the night. But that feeling talk to that man kept getting stronger and stronger to the point where I physically felt that if we didn't we'd miss a great opportunity. So, we went back, he was able to help us out and we got to talking. He knows several members of our church that go to our church home here in Decatur, and after talking to him about our beliefs he admitted that a lot of what we believe in is what he believes in, and he invited us to come back and talk to him more about our faith!
This experience reminded me of one similar to our prophet, Thomas S. Monson. He was in the middle of a meeting when he felt a strong impression to leave and see a sick member of his ward immediately. He didn't want to appear rude, getting up in the middle of a talk, and pushed the prompting aside. He continuously received this prompting until when they finished saying the closing prayer, he bolted out the door and got to the hospital as quickly as he could. He was running down the hall to the members room, and one of the nurses told him that the man he was trying to see had just passed away, asking for him before he died. He regrets not following that prompting, and has vowed to this day to always do whatever the Spirit tells him to do.
I can promise that if we follow and heed the promptings of the Spirit we will be able to help bless the lives of those who pray for that help every day.
I hope that ya'll have a blast this week! Happy Birthday miss Kate, you big grown up 12 year old! And kiddo's, try not to party too hard while mom and dad are in Orlando, k? Love you bunches!
Steadfast in Christ, Sister Mason
Decatur Days
August 10, 2015
Hello Family!!
This is the last week of the transfer! Another 6 weeks come and gone. I think Sister Rodriguez and I both are going to stay in Decatur. We just got here! Lots of work to do.
This week, sadly, was a bit tough because I wasn't feeling very good. We went over to an investigators apartment and offered to mop her kitchen floor, and the chemicals we used to clean were really strong and hit me pretty hard. We tried to go out and work, but I was really out of it. So, important lesson kids: don't inhale a lot of floor cleaner. It isnit good for ya (scottish accent in email form).
Monday we had dinner with, one of the many, Browns in our ward. They made us a New Orleans style dinner of Gumbo and beignets and it was SO good!
This week, one of our investigators, Kenneth, dropped us. He was having some issues with the word of wisdom and didn't want to give it up. That was a bummer, but hey! We planted a seed. Maybe someday he'll change his mind.
While visiting a less active this week we met a guy named Coy who asked us if we could visit his daughter, Cinnamon. She's my age and has had a pretty rough past. Her family situation is pretty sad, and she's hard to get to talk, but I know that the Lord gave her to us to love, bless and comfort, so that we'll do!
We got to meet a lot of other wonderful people, and the work is going very well. I don't have much time but I would like to bare my testimony that the power of the Atonement is real and it can be applied for multiple different things. I know that as we do our best to share the Gospel with others and love like the Savior loves we will feel that healing power and our understanding of God and Christ will grow more. I know that the revelation of the Word of Wisdom to Joseph Smith is of God. It blesses lives individually and as a family. It saddens me to see the influences of drugs and alcohol tear families apart. I love my family for being strong and steadfast in their faith. I love the innocence of my siblings, but the understanding they have to do what's right and stand up for what they believe in. They are all marvelous examples to me, and wonderful missionaries to those around them. I love the peace this Gospel brings, and I'm grateful we have the Priesthood. I'm grateful my parents were married and sealed in the temple and that they are willing to sacrifice everything to the Lord, and their family. I love you all, every single one of you. I pray for you individually. Please know that I am doing well. Have a blast this week!
Love, Sister Mason
Hello Family!!
This is the last week of the transfer! Another 6 weeks come and gone. I think Sister Rodriguez and I both are going to stay in Decatur. We just got here! Lots of work to do.
This week, sadly, was a bit tough because I wasn't feeling very good. We went over to an investigators apartment and offered to mop her kitchen floor, and the chemicals we used to clean were really strong and hit me pretty hard. We tried to go out and work, but I was really out of it. So, important lesson kids: don't inhale a lot of floor cleaner. It isnit good for ya (scottish accent in email form).
Monday we had dinner with, one of the many, Browns in our ward. They made us a New Orleans style dinner of Gumbo and beignets and it was SO good!
This week, one of our investigators, Kenneth, dropped us. He was having some issues with the word of wisdom and didn't want to give it up. That was a bummer, but hey! We planted a seed. Maybe someday he'll change his mind.
While visiting a less active this week we met a guy named Coy who asked us if we could visit his daughter, Cinnamon. She's my age and has had a pretty rough past. Her family situation is pretty sad, and she's hard to get to talk, but I know that the Lord gave her to us to love, bless and comfort, so that we'll do!
We got to meet a lot of other wonderful people, and the work is going very well. I don't have much time but I would like to bare my testimony that the power of the Atonement is real and it can be applied for multiple different things. I know that as we do our best to share the Gospel with others and love like the Savior loves we will feel that healing power and our understanding of God and Christ will grow more. I know that the revelation of the Word of Wisdom to Joseph Smith is of God. It blesses lives individually and as a family. It saddens me to see the influences of drugs and alcohol tear families apart. I love my family for being strong and steadfast in their faith. I love the innocence of my siblings, but the understanding they have to do what's right and stand up for what they believe in. They are all marvelous examples to me, and wonderful missionaries to those around them. I love the peace this Gospel brings, and I'm grateful we have the Priesthood. I'm grateful my parents were married and sealed in the temple and that they are willing to sacrifice everything to the Lord, and their family. I love you all, every single one of you. I pray for you individually. Please know that I am doing well. Have a blast this week!
Love, Sister Mason
Humblest Apologies
August 3, 2015
Oh my goodness, Ya'll I am so sorry for not having written in SO long!
Things have been crazy here in Decatur.
I have a new companion! Sister Rodriguez hails from California and has only been out for 4 months! Speaking of which, seeing that it's August, I'm reaching my 9 month mark this month! Crazy!! My half way mark!
I want to wish Lexie another big happy birthday! And I'm so very happy she was baptized on Saturday!
So, This last week was great but super tough! A challenge for our whole mission was to give a 70 hour week to the work. So, starting last week on Monday, till yesterday we gave 11 hours a day, getting up earlier and going in later with shorter lunch and dinner breaks. But! We saw miracles from it! Just a couple of Emmaus experiences:
Sister Rodriguez and I had 30 minutes left of the night and felt that we ought to tract in a certain area near our house. As we rode past streets that we'd already recently tracted on, I felt prompted to turn around to a specific street. We did so, but as we started tracting we didn't feel that it was very effective, but we both really felt like we needed to be on that street. We were kind of just standing on the street looking around wondering what it was the Spirit wanted us to do, and then a white truck came driving down the street and stopped where we were standing. A lady got out of the car and told us she and her husband had been trying to find us for the past 5 minutes. Her name's Janet and her husbands name is Ray. They asked us who we were and what we were doing, we told her we are missionaries etc. etc. She told us that she's seen us out walking and riding our bikes every day and wondering what we're doing. They're both Pentecostal, so she thought we were Pentecost girls cuz of us wearing skirts all the time and my long hair. They ended up inviting us to their church which was quite the experience. But, we've been over to their house several times!
We also met a guy named Kenneth while trying to follow up on a potential investigator. In our first lesson with him we both felt prompted to invite him to baptism and he's been to church now twice.
We had three investigators in church yesterday, a first for me! Never had that many investigators before.
So, things are really looking up for Decatur! It's definitely hot and humid. Sister Rodriguez and I have been out riding our bikes every day, a great way to meet lots of people, and if it gets super hot and humid we just remember 1 Nephi 17:2 "The women became strong like unto the men"!
Ya'll are awesome! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Love, Sister Mason
Oh my goodness, Ya'll I am so sorry for not having written in SO long!
Things have been crazy here in Decatur.
I have a new companion! Sister Rodriguez hails from California and has only been out for 4 months! Speaking of which, seeing that it's August, I'm reaching my 9 month mark this month! Crazy!! My half way mark!
I want to wish Lexie another big happy birthday! And I'm so very happy she was baptized on Saturday!
So, This last week was great but super tough! A challenge for our whole mission was to give a 70 hour week to the work. So, starting last week on Monday, till yesterday we gave 11 hours a day, getting up earlier and going in later with shorter lunch and dinner breaks. But! We saw miracles from it! Just a couple of Emmaus experiences:
Sister Rodriguez and I had 30 minutes left of the night and felt that we ought to tract in a certain area near our house. As we rode past streets that we'd already recently tracted on, I felt prompted to turn around to a specific street. We did so, but as we started tracting we didn't feel that it was very effective, but we both really felt like we needed to be on that street. We were kind of just standing on the street looking around wondering what it was the Spirit wanted us to do, and then a white truck came driving down the street and stopped where we were standing. A lady got out of the car and told us she and her husband had been trying to find us for the past 5 minutes. Her name's Janet and her husbands name is Ray. They asked us who we were and what we were doing, we told her we are missionaries etc. etc. She told us that she's seen us out walking and riding our bikes every day and wondering what we're doing. They're both Pentecostal, so she thought we were Pentecost girls cuz of us wearing skirts all the time and my long hair. They ended up inviting us to their church which was quite the experience. But, we've been over to their house several times!
We also met a guy named Kenneth while trying to follow up on a potential investigator. In our first lesson with him we both felt prompted to invite him to baptism and he's been to church now twice.
We had three investigators in church yesterday, a first for me! Never had that many investigators before.
So, things are really looking up for Decatur! It's definitely hot and humid. Sister Rodriguez and I have been out riding our bikes every day, a great way to meet lots of people, and if it gets super hot and humid we just remember 1 Nephi 17:2 "The women became strong like unto the men"!
Ya'll are awesome! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
Love, Sister Mason
I Hate Big Bugs and I Cannot Lie
July 6, 2015
Holy Cow, time is sure flying out here in lovely Decatur! New month, and I haven't written in a long time.
It's the end of another transfer, and a lot of really great eventful things have happened. We had a Sisters Training in Birmingham, all of the Sisters got to go and hear from our beloved Mission President and his amazing wife. It was awesome! They asked me to sing and my companion, Sister Baird accompany me, 'I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go'. That was a special performance for me, I have to admit. I felt the Spirit so strong and I can bare testimony of the power of music. It is glorious!
We also got to go to the temple again! What a spiritual experience that was for me as well. That's been a lot of this transfer. I have to admit, adjusting to a new area has been a little difficult, but every time I start to get down on myself, or think I can't do it I have recieved tender mercies. I have grown closer to my Heavenly Father and gained a better understanding of the Saviors Atonement, and their love for me. I have been selfish. I know I haven't been trying hard enough to give out that love in return, and my desires haven't been fully on the work. But, even though I fail every single day my Heavenly Father is so patient with me.
We recieved Transfer calls on the 4th, I'm staying and sadly my dear Sister Baird is leaving. I've learned so much from her and will look back on our one transfer together fondly.
With this new transfer I'm going to take it in full stride! I'm going to give it my best, work hard, be obedient, and have fun with the new sister I get on Wednesday!
I love ya'll and hope you had a great Independance Day!
Love, Sister Mason
Holy Cow, time is sure flying out here in lovely Decatur! New month, and I haven't written in a long time.
It's the end of another transfer, and a lot of really great eventful things have happened. We had a Sisters Training in Birmingham, all of the Sisters got to go and hear from our beloved Mission President and his amazing wife. It was awesome! They asked me to sing and my companion, Sister Baird accompany me, 'I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go'. That was a special performance for me, I have to admit. I felt the Spirit so strong and I can bare testimony of the power of music. It is glorious!
We also got to go to the temple again! What a spiritual experience that was for me as well. That's been a lot of this transfer. I have to admit, adjusting to a new area has been a little difficult, but every time I start to get down on myself, or think I can't do it I have recieved tender mercies. I have grown closer to my Heavenly Father and gained a better understanding of the Saviors Atonement, and their love for me. I have been selfish. I know I haven't been trying hard enough to give out that love in return, and my desires haven't been fully on the work. But, even though I fail every single day my Heavenly Father is so patient with me.
We recieved Transfer calls on the 4th, I'm staying and sadly my dear Sister Baird is leaving. I've learned so much from her and will look back on our one transfer together fondly.
With this new transfer I'm going to take it in full stride! I'm going to give it my best, work hard, be obedient, and have fun with the new sister I get on Wednesday!
I love ya'll and hope you had a great Independance Day!
Love, Sister Mason
Friday, June 19, 2015
Decatur Where It's Greater!
My oh My, humblest apologies that it has been so long since I last wrote a mass email. Things in all honesty have been crazy!
I arrived safely to Decatur, Alabama! It is amazing here! My new companion is Sister Baird, she's from Rexburg, Idaho. Graduated from BYUI with her Bachelors degree in Recreational Therapy and so awesome! We have a lot of fun working here together.
So, weekly happenings for the past couple of weeks:
We're doing A LOT of finding. Decatur has so much work that needs to be done. It's definitely a biking area. One day we were biking to go teach a guy that we met at the food pantry who's in jail. On the way there I hit a loose pile of rocks and completely biffed it on my bike. Luckily I didn't receive any major injuries, just some bumps and bruises, but my front bike tire popped. We went to the store to replace it, the elders helped me put in the new tube. Right as they were about to leave we heard a loud pop- the brand new tube exploded! We're sharing a car with the Spanish elders here, but one of the elders hurt his ankle pretty bad while playing basketball, so Sister Baird and I have done a lot of walking. Because of all the walking I received a lovely gift of poison ivy all over the backs of my legs. It was pretty brutal not going to lie.
We had several other trials that I won't go on and on about, but after much trial and tribulation we have been able to find so many elect children of our Heavenly Father who are prepared for the Gospel!
One of our investigators, the sisters were already teaching him before I arrived, named Greg came to church yesterday! We had a really great discussion with him the Friday before about the Priesthood and keeping the Spirit with us always. He knows this church is true and we're pretty sure he's going to be baptized soon!
While store contacting at the mall we met a lady named Pearl there who we struck up a conversation with. She started telling us how she grew up Pentecostal and felt really out of place at her church. She said she believes that we lived with our Heavenly Father before this life and that our life here on earth is to prepare us to meet Him again, and everyone in her church rebukes her whenever she declares this belief. She told us she feels like she's crazy, but that's what she believes. So when we told her that we must be crazy too, cuz our church preaches that she got so excited! We exchanged numbers and she said she really wants to come to our church.
There's another investigator of ours named Cathy. She knows this church is true and said she will be baptized, but she feels like God has told her that she needs to stay in her church for a while to help someone there. So, if ya'll will please keep her in your prayers that would be much appreciated.
The field in Decatur is white already to harvest! I am so grateful that our Heavenly Father gives us trials so that we can prove ourselves worthy as we press on enduring in our faith. I am so incredibly far from perfect. I know I have a very long way to go, but I am grateful for the Savior and His tender love and mercy towards me and my imperfections. I have felt His redeeming love through His Atonement more in my life than ever before. I know that it is through our patient perseverance that we will receive more amount of blessings than our trials and sorrows.
I love you all so much! Thanks for being my friends, family and loved ones.
God bless
Steadfast in Christ, Sister Mason
I arrived safely to Decatur, Alabama! It is amazing here! My new companion is Sister Baird, she's from Rexburg, Idaho. Graduated from BYUI with her Bachelors degree in Recreational Therapy and so awesome! We have a lot of fun working here together.
So, weekly happenings for the past couple of weeks:
We're doing A LOT of finding. Decatur has so much work that needs to be done. It's definitely a biking area. One day we were biking to go teach a guy that we met at the food pantry who's in jail. On the way there I hit a loose pile of rocks and completely biffed it on my bike. Luckily I didn't receive any major injuries, just some bumps and bruises, but my front bike tire popped. We went to the store to replace it, the elders helped me put in the new tube. Right as they were about to leave we heard a loud pop- the brand new tube exploded! We're sharing a car with the Spanish elders here, but one of the elders hurt his ankle pretty bad while playing basketball, so Sister Baird and I have done a lot of walking. Because of all the walking I received a lovely gift of poison ivy all over the backs of my legs. It was pretty brutal not going to lie.
We had several other trials that I won't go on and on about, but after much trial and tribulation we have been able to find so many elect children of our Heavenly Father who are prepared for the Gospel!
One of our investigators, the sisters were already teaching him before I arrived, named Greg came to church yesterday! We had a really great discussion with him the Friday before about the Priesthood and keeping the Spirit with us always. He knows this church is true and we're pretty sure he's going to be baptized soon!
While store contacting at the mall we met a lady named Pearl there who we struck up a conversation with. She started telling us how she grew up Pentecostal and felt really out of place at her church. She said she believes that we lived with our Heavenly Father before this life and that our life here on earth is to prepare us to meet Him again, and everyone in her church rebukes her whenever she declares this belief. She told us she feels like she's crazy, but that's what she believes. So when we told her that we must be crazy too, cuz our church preaches that she got so excited! We exchanged numbers and she said she really wants to come to our church.
There's another investigator of ours named Cathy. She knows this church is true and said she will be baptized, but she feels like God has told her that she needs to stay in her church for a while to help someone there. So, if ya'll will please keep her in your prayers that would be much appreciated.
The field in Decatur is white already to harvest! I am so grateful that our Heavenly Father gives us trials so that we can prove ourselves worthy as we press on enduring in our faith. I am so incredibly far from perfect. I know I have a very long way to go, but I am grateful for the Savior and His tender love and mercy towards me and my imperfections. I have felt His redeeming love through His Atonement more in my life than ever before. I know that it is through our patient perseverance that we will receive more amount of blessings than our trials and sorrows.
I love you all so much! Thanks for being my friends, family and loved ones.
God bless
Steadfast in Christ, Sister Mason
I'm in Decatur!!!
Hey ya'll! We had transfers and I have been sent to Decatur, Alabama! It is awesome! So much bigger than Amory- we have a Target! My companion, Sister Baird is absolutely amazing! I love her to death already. We are all safe and well, my new address is:
3103 Battlement Dr.
Decatur, AL 35603
I love ya'll to pieces!!
Love, Sister Mason
3103 Battlement Dr.
Decatur, AL 35603
I love ya'll to pieces!!
Love, Sister Mason
Monday, May 25, 2015
Tornado Warning
Today we had a tornado warning during our personal studies. So, Sister Castagno and I grabbed our helmets, 72 hr. kit, and my mattress and hopped in the tub. The tornado touched down in Amory but no one's hurt. Lots of trees are down, we're safe at a members house. We'll stay here to wait out the storm.
We got transfer calls on Saturday, I'm leaving to follow up train a sister.
Know that we're safe and well. I love you all and will update you soon.
Sister Michaela Mason
We got transfer calls on Saturday, I'm leaving to follow up train a sister.
Know that we're safe and well. I love you all and will update you soon.
Sister Michaela Mason
Last Week of the Transfer
Hey Ya'll
The title says it all, this is the last week of the transfer, and seeing that tomorrow is my 6 month mark I'm probably heading out. But, we'll get the call this Saturday and find out, so no promises yet!
We had a lot of pretty cool things happen this week. Yesterday we had some investigators come to church! A family we've been teaching, Lesley, her husband Ricky, and their two grandbabies Makenzie and Payton. From what they said they really enjoyed it! We'll be visiting them this week, so we'll talk more about it then. On Wednesday we visited a First Baptist church. A guy named Tim has been visiting with us and invited us to go. It was just a youth activity, they had some hamburgers and hot dogs and they had a christian rock singer performing there. It was cool, this church is still the only true church on earth. I think he tried to convince us otherwise as we were leaving, he told me "You know, thanks so much for coming and just remember...Mormons make great Baptists." Haha, ain't gonna happ'n cap'n.
We've been teaching a man named Thomas, he's agnostic, but really interested in our church. He's visited a lot of the churches around here, but because he knows they're all teaching false doctrine he has decided not to really believe in anything. One visit he had his kids over, so we got to talk to his 13 year old son and Sister Castagno and Thomas got into a debate of who could run faster. So, we settled it and decided to have a race. We walked to the end of the block and saw some street kids and invited them to join our race. Their names are Andrew and Logan. After we had the race, that Sister Castagno won, we had a lesson about prophets, and Andrew and Logan joined us! We asked each of them what they look for in a prophet. Thomas said that if he believed in prophets he'd want someone who doesn't get payed to preach the good word. We told them all that we in fact have a modern day prophet today and that we don't believe in payed ministry. When we visited Thomas again he told us that he'd looked up our prophet and asked some questions more about our church! Life sure isn't easy, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but serving a mission down here in the south! We continue to keep moving the herd roughly west, and I will strive to be the steadfast disciple Heavenly Father wants me to be. All is well in Zion!
Love ya'll!
Sister Michaela Mason
The title says it all, this is the last week of the transfer, and seeing that tomorrow is my 6 month mark I'm probably heading out. But, we'll get the call this Saturday and find out, so no promises yet!
We had a lot of pretty cool things happen this week. Yesterday we had some investigators come to church! A family we've been teaching, Lesley, her husband Ricky, and their two grandbabies Makenzie and Payton. From what they said they really enjoyed it! We'll be visiting them this week, so we'll talk more about it then. On Wednesday we visited a First Baptist church. A guy named Tim has been visiting with us and invited us to go. It was just a youth activity, they had some hamburgers and hot dogs and they had a christian rock singer performing there. It was cool, this church is still the only true church on earth. I think he tried to convince us otherwise as we were leaving, he told me "You know, thanks so much for coming and just remember...Mormons make great Baptists." Haha, ain't gonna happ'n cap'n.
We've been teaching a man named Thomas, he's agnostic, but really interested in our church. He's visited a lot of the churches around here, but because he knows they're all teaching false doctrine he has decided not to really believe in anything. One visit he had his kids over, so we got to talk to his 13 year old son and Sister Castagno and Thomas got into a debate of who could run faster. So, we settled it and decided to have a race. We walked to the end of the block and saw some street kids and invited them to join our race. Their names are Andrew and Logan. After we had the race, that Sister Castagno won, we had a lesson about prophets, and Andrew and Logan joined us! We asked each of them what they look for in a prophet. Thomas said that if he believed in prophets he'd want someone who doesn't get payed to preach the good word. We told them all that we in fact have a modern day prophet today and that we don't believe in payed ministry. When we visited Thomas again he told us that he'd looked up our prophet and asked some questions more about our church! Life sure isn't easy, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else, but serving a mission down here in the south! We continue to keep moving the herd roughly west, and I will strive to be the steadfast disciple Heavenly Father wants me to be. All is well in Zion!
Love ya'll!
Sister Michaela Mason
Twas Mothers Day and the Magnolias are Bloomin'
Hey Ya'll
Hope ya'll had a great mothers day and gave your moms a big hug and kiss! I got to skype my family, which was the best thing ever!! So good to see ya'll and hear ya'lls voices! My oh my has the time gone by, and everybody's growing up so fast!
Aside from that, this week was just wonderful. The weather's heating up, and the humidity isn't my kind of fun, but the work keep moving right along.
We had a really fun Zone Activity this past Monday. We played Volleyball and ate popsicles at a park in Tupelo.
Tuesday we worked at the Food Pantry, we do every Tuesday. But Sister Castagno and I have gained a lot of trust from these guys that work there. They had us in the back lifting, throwing and stocking heavy boxes of food- you know, doing actually work instead of just the easy things. It's so fun! They call me Mason and, because they can't pronounce Sister Castagno's name, they call her Sister Red.
We met a guy out tracting a couple of weeks ago named Tim. He attends the First Baptist church. The first time we met him we helped mulch his flower beds, talked about our beliefs and he promised that he would read the Book of Mormon. Well, we visited him a couple of days ago and he had done way more research than just the Book of Mormon. We had a "friendly bible bash" with him about our beliefs. He can't get past Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon because he believes its all only in the Bible. We asked him if he'd prayed about the Book of Mormon, he said no, so we told him "Well there's your problem. You're not going to know if something's true unless you ask God yourself!" So, after a long talk he agreed to read more of the Book of Mormon and pray about it to know if it's true or not. Before we left he informed us that he was actually going to be teaching Sunday school at his church that Sunday and that he was talking about us. We asked him what he was going to say and he said "Are you sure you want to know?" Obviously. He looked at us and said "Why can't we be more like you." That was kind of a punch to the gut. I thought it was so interesting that here was this 44 year old man who has been deeply rooted in the Baptist church all of his life having a deep religious discussion with two 19 year old girls. Wouldn't that stand out to anyone as a testimony that this church is true! People fight against this church with us, when they wouldn't with anyone else of any other faith.
I know that this church is true with all of my heart. I know that the Book of Mormon is the truest of all books in the world and that Joseph Smith did see our Heavenly Father and His son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is His restored Gospel on the earth. I know this to be true and I won't back down on my faith.
I want to thank all of those who are standing up for Christ's church today and everyday. Thank you for the prayers and the love you send my way. I love you all so much. I'm grateful the Savior provided a way for us to be together through the eternities. All is well in Zion.
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Hope ya'll had a great mothers day and gave your moms a big hug and kiss! I got to skype my family, which was the best thing ever!! So good to see ya'll and hear ya'lls voices! My oh my has the time gone by, and everybody's growing up so fast!
Aside from that, this week was just wonderful. The weather's heating up, and the humidity isn't my kind of fun, but the work keep moving right along.
We had a really fun Zone Activity this past Monday. We played Volleyball and ate popsicles at a park in Tupelo.
Tuesday we worked at the Food Pantry, we do every Tuesday. But Sister Castagno and I have gained a lot of trust from these guys that work there. They had us in the back lifting, throwing and stocking heavy boxes of food- you know, doing actually work instead of just the easy things. It's so fun! They call me Mason and, because they can't pronounce Sister Castagno's name, they call her Sister Red.
We met a guy out tracting a couple of weeks ago named Tim. He attends the First Baptist church. The first time we met him we helped mulch his flower beds, talked about our beliefs and he promised that he would read the Book of Mormon. Well, we visited him a couple of days ago and he had done way more research than just the Book of Mormon. We had a "friendly bible bash" with him about our beliefs. He can't get past Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon because he believes its all only in the Bible. We asked him if he'd prayed about the Book of Mormon, he said no, so we told him "Well there's your problem. You're not going to know if something's true unless you ask God yourself!" So, after a long talk he agreed to read more of the Book of Mormon and pray about it to know if it's true or not. Before we left he informed us that he was actually going to be teaching Sunday school at his church that Sunday and that he was talking about us. We asked him what he was going to say and he said "Are you sure you want to know?" Obviously. He looked at us and said "Why can't we be more like you." That was kind of a punch to the gut. I thought it was so interesting that here was this 44 year old man who has been deeply rooted in the Baptist church all of his life having a deep religious discussion with two 19 year old girls. Wouldn't that stand out to anyone as a testimony that this church is true! People fight against this church with us, when they wouldn't with anyone else of any other faith.
I know that this church is true with all of my heart. I know that the Book of Mormon is the truest of all books in the world and that Joseph Smith did see our Heavenly Father and His son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. This is His restored Gospel on the earth. I know this to be true and I won't back down on my faith.
I want to thank all of those who are standing up for Christ's church today and everyday. Thank you for the prayers and the love you send my way. I love you all so much. I'm grateful the Savior provided a way for us to be together through the eternities. All is well in Zion.
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Amorynites
Goodness Ya'll,
The days are just going by like mad! Welcome to the month of May! Thank heavens everyone's been telling us that what we've been having down here is unusual weather, because it's been very nice. Not too hot, and not much humidity. Just what I like.
This past week was great! We had interviews on Tuesday with President Hanks, and it was his birthday that day! So that was special!
We went to a high school band concert on Thursday for a bit to support an investigator. It was so cool to step back into a high school and be surrounded by teenagers. Sometimes I miss High School, but not enough to make me dwell on it too much. But it was fun, and they sounded really good.
Friday Sister Bond, one of our dearest friends and members in our ward took us out to lunch at Subway. She is amazing!
We tracted into a family not that long ago. Theirs Lesley, the grandma, Ricky, the grandpa, and their daughter Ashley and her kids live with them as well. We visited with them this past week and taught them the Plan of Salvation. It went really well, and I just knew that they know it's true! It's just going to take some time for them to admit it. But I know this family will come to church and be baptized! As well on Thursday, Sister Castagno and I ran into some people that we learned a lot from. One of them was a guy named Drake at Walmart. We'd just left a kind of heated bash with some people we'd asked to hear a message. We'd seen Drake previous to that and just said hi, but he ended up coming to us and said "I saw you back there and something hit me really hard. When I saw ya'll, I could feel that you're anointed in God." He went on to tell us that the power we hold is big and dangerous and that what we do every day is so important. It was so interesting to hear him try to speak with us with such power, but because he didn't have the gift of the Holy Ghost, or the Priesthood it was just him. But, we know that God sent him our way for a reason, he wants the truth, and he doesn't even know it! Hopefully we'll see him again so we can teach him.
We also ran into a Pentecostal preacher while tracting. We caught him at a busy time, but he asked us to come back, so we did. He talked to us for almost an hour about all these crazy miracles God has performed for him, how he's talked with God and angels etc. It was the same thing as Drake. Although this man may have actually seen and had those experiences, because he didn't hold that proper authority, it was just blah. He was trying to testify to us, and we know that he is a man of great faith in God, but he doesn't hold the Priesthood. It was such a testimony builder for me. The Priesthood power is the key thing that separates our church from everyone else's.
Saturday we rode our bikes all over town, I was pretty sore by the end of the day. But we tracted around the nicer neighborhoods and met some really awesome people. One man was out in his yard working on his flower beds, so we asked him if he needed help. He instantly knew that we were Mormons, and struck up a conversation with us. His name's Tim, he's a banker, and very intellectual of other beliefs, but doesn't know a lot about the LDS church. He told us that he'd started reading the Book of Mormon online, but never finished it. We knew that trying to talk to him about our church in spiritual matters wasn't going to go anywhere as of right now. So, we finally convinced him to let us help him mulch his flower beds. Let me tell ya, service softens stony souls for sure because we committed him to reading the Book of Mormon and we'll be seeing him again soon.
We met another guy named Kem, saw him working on a garden in his backyard and did the same thing as Tim, we asked if he needed help. He said we could, but we before we could get our hands in the dirt, we talked about our beliefs for a bit. He kept asking us really vague questions that didn't necessarily pertain to the Gospel, but we just kept testifying to him that we know this church is true. His only problem was Joseph Smith, and that if his name isn't mentioned in the Bible, he is not a prophet of God. I told him that we didn't come over to but heads with him, but to simply invite him to hear what we know to be true, that this message brings everlasting peace and happiness, and we want to share with all who will listen. That kind of shut him up enough for us to help him plant some peppers and tomatoes, which gave us the opportunity to talk with him as friends, get to know him better etc.
Lee didn't come to church again, so we'll try this week to get him there. And! This Sunday is Mother's Day! Whoo hoo! Can't wait to skype you family and see all ya'lls faces! Oh, funny story. When we were talking with Tim he asked where we were from, when I told him I was from Utah he asked if I was from Southern Utah because I, unbeknownst to me, I have a bit of a twang in my accent! The South is growing on me and I didn't even know it! So, you'll have to let me know Mom and Dad if I sound any different when we talk on Sunday.
I hope ya'll have a fabulous week! Ya'll are constantly in my thoughts and prayers!
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
The days are just going by like mad! Welcome to the month of May! Thank heavens everyone's been telling us that what we've been having down here is unusual weather, because it's been very nice. Not too hot, and not much humidity. Just what I like.
This past week was great! We had interviews on Tuesday with President Hanks, and it was his birthday that day! So that was special!
We went to a high school band concert on Thursday for a bit to support an investigator. It was so cool to step back into a high school and be surrounded by teenagers. Sometimes I miss High School, but not enough to make me dwell on it too much. But it was fun, and they sounded really good.
Friday Sister Bond, one of our dearest friends and members in our ward took us out to lunch at Subway. She is amazing!
We tracted into a family not that long ago. Theirs Lesley, the grandma, Ricky, the grandpa, and their daughter Ashley and her kids live with them as well. We visited with them this past week and taught them the Plan of Salvation. It went really well, and I just knew that they know it's true! It's just going to take some time for them to admit it. But I know this family will come to church and be baptized! As well on Thursday, Sister Castagno and I ran into some people that we learned a lot from. One of them was a guy named Drake at Walmart. We'd just left a kind of heated bash with some people we'd asked to hear a message. We'd seen Drake previous to that and just said hi, but he ended up coming to us and said "I saw you back there and something hit me really hard. When I saw ya'll, I could feel that you're anointed in God." He went on to tell us that the power we hold is big and dangerous and that what we do every day is so important. It was so interesting to hear him try to speak with us with such power, but because he didn't have the gift of the Holy Ghost, or the Priesthood it was just him. But, we know that God sent him our way for a reason, he wants the truth, and he doesn't even know it! Hopefully we'll see him again so we can teach him.
We also ran into a Pentecostal preacher while tracting. We caught him at a busy time, but he asked us to come back, so we did. He talked to us for almost an hour about all these crazy miracles God has performed for him, how he's talked with God and angels etc. It was the same thing as Drake. Although this man may have actually seen and had those experiences, because he didn't hold that proper authority, it was just blah. He was trying to testify to us, and we know that he is a man of great faith in God, but he doesn't hold the Priesthood. It was such a testimony builder for me. The Priesthood power is the key thing that separates our church from everyone else's.
Saturday we rode our bikes all over town, I was pretty sore by the end of the day. But we tracted around the nicer neighborhoods and met some really awesome people. One man was out in his yard working on his flower beds, so we asked him if he needed help. He instantly knew that we were Mormons, and struck up a conversation with us. His name's Tim, he's a banker, and very intellectual of other beliefs, but doesn't know a lot about the LDS church. He told us that he'd started reading the Book of Mormon online, but never finished it. We knew that trying to talk to him about our church in spiritual matters wasn't going to go anywhere as of right now. So, we finally convinced him to let us help him mulch his flower beds. Let me tell ya, service softens stony souls for sure because we committed him to reading the Book of Mormon and we'll be seeing him again soon.
We met another guy named Kem, saw him working on a garden in his backyard and did the same thing as Tim, we asked if he needed help. He said we could, but we before we could get our hands in the dirt, we talked about our beliefs for a bit. He kept asking us really vague questions that didn't necessarily pertain to the Gospel, but we just kept testifying to him that we know this church is true. His only problem was Joseph Smith, and that if his name isn't mentioned in the Bible, he is not a prophet of God. I told him that we didn't come over to but heads with him, but to simply invite him to hear what we know to be true, that this message brings everlasting peace and happiness, and we want to share with all who will listen. That kind of shut him up enough for us to help him plant some peppers and tomatoes, which gave us the opportunity to talk with him as friends, get to know him better etc.
Lee didn't come to church again, so we'll try this week to get him there. And! This Sunday is Mother's Day! Whoo hoo! Can't wait to skype you family and see all ya'lls faces! Oh, funny story. When we were talking with Tim he asked where we were from, when I told him I was from Utah he asked if I was from Southern Utah because I, unbeknownst to me, I have a bit of a twang in my accent! The South is growing on me and I didn't even know it! So, you'll have to let me know Mom and Dad if I sound any different when we talk on Sunday.
I hope ya'll have a fabulous week! Ya'll are constantly in my thoughts and prayers!
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Bless This Mess
Hey Ya'll!
Another week come and gone, and I can't keep track of the days anymore.
Mothers Day is coming up and I am so incredibly excited to skype home!
This past week was busy, eventful, all the normal missionary adjectives. Tomorrow is President Hanks birthday! Woot woot! We get interviews with him tomorrow too, it'll be wonderful to sit down and chat with him.
We went on exchanges this past week, I went out to Tup-Town with the amazing Sister Crandall. While we were out there we stopped at a Texaco to fill up their car with gas. We saw the Diesel button, not knowing what it was we decided to fill up on that. For those of you who are as dumb and pull blonde moments like us, Diesel is strictly for 18 wheelers. The nozel wouldn't fit into the gas tank, but we tried to pump gas in anyway and gas came shooting out at us. Luckily not very much got into our car and none of it got onto us. Blessings! Sister Crandall spent the remainder of our night store contacting at the mall. The last people we talked to was a group of black teenage boys. One of them, named Kuleek (unique Kuleek is how he introduced himself), had dreadlocks- super cool, had never been baptized before. Down in the South that's a rare thing. So, we talked to him about the importance of baptism and asked if he'd like to be baptized. His friends informed us that he drank. His defense was that everybody has at least had something to drink before. We told him that as Mormons we don't drink. He was completely floored that we don't drink, do drugs, etc. He told us "Ya'll are the strangest girls I've ever met in my life." Thank you Kuleek.
On Saturday Sister Castagno and I were re-united! We went store contacting at Walmart and ran into Michelle Bond, a member at our church in Tupelo. She took us out to lunch at El Rey! She's awesome.
Yesterday after church the Voyles took us all over Smithville, Fulton, and Tremont to meet with part members and less actives. One less active was a 101 year old lady named Sister Shakleford. As we were introducing ourselves to her she thought that Brother Voyles, a 65 year old man, was my husband. Ha! That was fun to try and resolve. But we got to see so many wonderful saints and try and bring them back into the fold or invite their spouses to hear the messages that we have to share. It was just a blessed week. We continue to try and bring souls closer to Christ daily. I hope that ya'll know I love you!
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Another week come and gone, and I can't keep track of the days anymore.
Mothers Day is coming up and I am so incredibly excited to skype home!
This past week was busy, eventful, all the normal missionary adjectives. Tomorrow is President Hanks birthday! Woot woot! We get interviews with him tomorrow too, it'll be wonderful to sit down and chat with him.
We went on exchanges this past week, I went out to Tup-Town with the amazing Sister Crandall. While we were out there we stopped at a Texaco to fill up their car with gas. We saw the Diesel button, not knowing what it was we decided to fill up on that. For those of you who are as dumb and pull blonde moments like us, Diesel is strictly for 18 wheelers. The nozel wouldn't fit into the gas tank, but we tried to pump gas in anyway and gas came shooting out at us. Luckily not very much got into our car and none of it got onto us. Blessings! Sister Crandall spent the remainder of our night store contacting at the mall. The last people we talked to was a group of black teenage boys. One of them, named Kuleek (unique Kuleek is how he introduced himself), had dreadlocks- super cool, had never been baptized before. Down in the South that's a rare thing. So, we talked to him about the importance of baptism and asked if he'd like to be baptized. His friends informed us that he drank. His defense was that everybody has at least had something to drink before. We told him that as Mormons we don't drink. He was completely floored that we don't drink, do drugs, etc. He told us "Ya'll are the strangest girls I've ever met in my life." Thank you Kuleek.
On Saturday Sister Castagno and I were re-united! We went store contacting at Walmart and ran into Michelle Bond, a member at our church in Tupelo. She took us out to lunch at El Rey! She's awesome.
Yesterday after church the Voyles took us all over Smithville, Fulton, and Tremont to meet with part members and less actives. One less active was a 101 year old lady named Sister Shakleford. As we were introducing ourselves to her she thought that Brother Voyles, a 65 year old man, was my husband. Ha! That was fun to try and resolve. But we got to see so many wonderful saints and try and bring them back into the fold or invite their spouses to hear the messages that we have to share. It was just a blessed week. We continue to try and bring souls closer to Christ daily. I hope that ya'll know I love you!
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Monday, April 20, 2015
God Is Good
This week was filled with eventful things! Sister Castagno and I met several families that want us to go back and teach them. We're pretty busy, but we find different ways to keep laughing and smiling. While we're out tracting or walking to an appointment we'll blow bubbles, or catch frogs, and tell each other stories of silly things we did when we were little.
Lee didn't come to church on Sunday. His aunt was supposed to give him a ride to Tupelo but she never showed up. So, that was a bit of a bummer, but! Alas, we shall not give up!
We also went over to Bernita's and were helping her make dinner. We were having a ball peeling potatoes and learning how Bernita can throw down, when her brother walked through the door. Oh man he's a character. He asked us if we were the Mormons, we said the affirmative and then he asked us a bunch of questions like if black people were allowed to attend the Mormon church etc. He asked us if Mormon girls were allowed to date black guys and Sister Castagno said "Oh sure! Come to our church, you'll find yourself a nice Mormon girl." He quickly responded, "I was thinkin' I could have you." Bernita turned around and yelled "Get out! She's only 19! They're both 19! Babies!" Oh man it was so funny! We're glad Bernita said something cuz we sure didn't know what to say or do. There was a sweet little girl that prayed over our food after it was prepared and set on the table and she said "God is great, God is good, thank you for this delicious food. Amen."
We also visited a United Methodist church for a Bible study with an investigator of ours named Felicia. It was just another event that solidified our testimonies that this is the only true church, and we are truly blessed to have it. But, it was fun to be surrounded by good people that know and love their Jesus and sing gospel songs.
I am so very grateful for this opportunity to be here in Amory. I continue to learn and grow every day and so does my testimony. I love this work and I hope ya'll know that you are loved and prayed for daily and I want to thank ya'll for your prayers as well. Love ya'll!
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Sunday, April 19, 2015
Transfer Calls and Baptismal Dates
Well Hey Ya'll!
What a week we've had! Things have been pretty crazy here in good ole Mi'sippi!
We had our Railroad Festival, tried some Apple Fritters and gained 10 pounds. And we had our Stake Conference. President Hanks and his wife were able to be there- that was wonderful! And we got to hear from Elder Tony Parker from the Quorum of the 70. He was awesome! It felt like a Mormon gospel preacher was teaching us how to come unto Christ! Awesome!
We also received our transfer calls and.....We're staying in Amory for another glorious transfer!! Whooo!
Well, Sister Castagno and I have been meeting with a man named Lee, and he is so solid! We've gone over to his apartment, sat on his front porch and read the Book of Mormon with him for a good bit now and he says he loves it! He knows that this book is true and has accepted the invitation to be baptized! We've set his baptismal date for April 26th so if ya'll could please keep him in your prayers Sister Castagno and I and he would really appreciate it. He doesn't have a car or a phone so transportation to church, especially all the way out in Tupelo is a bit rough, but we know that with God all things are possible!
I hope that ya'll know you're amazing and that all is well in Zion! I love each of you and feel your love and prayers with me every day! Thank you for sticking with me, the Lord will bless you and ya'll will be in my heart for time and all eternity! Have a blessed week!
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Who Is Your Hero?
Well hey ya'll!!
Man, this past week was just wonderful! We had Easter and General Conference and got to listen to our beloved Prophet and Apostles. There Can Be Miracles
Hey Ya'll!
This week is obviously Easter and I am so very very excited! I hope that ya'll take the time to remember and thank the Savior for being willing to give His life so that we can live and be with our families for eternity.
This week the Tupelo Sisters gave us a vision. A vision is randomly picturing someone in your head and looking for that person. They gave us the vision of a middle aged man who was open to reading the Book of Mormon. We didn't find him immediately, it actually took a couple of days, but we did find him. His name's Truman. We were store contacting at Walmart when we were walking past all the hunting gear and such and we saw a guy looking at some hammocks. So, we stopped and talked to him. Truman just recently had a really bad accident that has caused some difficulties in his life. He doesn't have a place to stay so he's living in his car. He didn't have a lot of money and was trying to decide if he would be able to purchase a hammock so he would have something to sleep on. We felt compelled to purchase this hammock for him and because we did he became more open to hearing what we know to be true and we'll be visiting with him again this week.
I know that if we put our trust in the Lord and diligently look for His children that so desperately need what we have to share that we will find them and we will see miracles.
I hope ya'll have a blessed week.
Much love, Sister Mason
Friday, March 27, 2015
I Love To See The Temple!
Hey Ya'll!!
This week was just wonderful! We got to go to the temple as a zone, which was very much needed to be honest. I loved being able to attend a session and truly feel the Spirit in the house of the Lord. AND! Sister Robison was there! Man it was good to see her. We got to sit by each other in a session, what a blessing.
This week for Hour of Power we were tracting around a neighborhood. It was pouring rain and door after door we kept getting "No's" and "We're already saved's" etc. AND THEN we met a girl named Jessica. She isn't attending a church because she hasn't been able to find one she has common ground with and that has answers to her questions. We taught her the Restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon. She said she would love to read it and we'll be visiting with her again this week. This was just such a blessing, and a total God thing. He is so good and truly places us exactly where we need to be meeting the people we truly need to meet. I love being a missionary even if it's hard sometimes. But, all is well in Zion!
I love ya'll so much, keep smiling and know that with God you cannot fail or fall.
Love, Sister Mason
Sunday, March 22, 2015
Just An Irish Girl, Living In A Southern World
Hey ya'll!
First off, tomorrow's basically my favorite holiday (next to Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving) so I must wish you all a lovely St. Patrick's day! Think of me back home running around our house singing Celtic woman mom to fill the blank space ;)
So, I wasn't able to write last week for the very crazy happenings that took place. I am still here in beautiful Amory, my new companion is Sister Castagno from Idaho. She is a firecracker! So spunky and ready to further the work here, just what this town needed!
The first week was a bit rough, I locked us out of our house the first night and the next day I got us lost in the booneys for two hours trying to find a members house in Fulton. But, things shaped up and we've seen many mighty miracles wrought.
But, this past week (week 2) gotten even harder. We had a very near and dear to my heart investigator drop us after a couple of days committing to baptism. When we got the call from him we did our best to understand why he didn't want to see us anymore and tried to help him the best we could, but he had made up his mind. Afterwards I couldn't help but lay on the kitchen floor and cry my eyes out. I gotta tell ya, for those who don't know, missionary work can be difficult sometimes. But, amidst my cry fest-pity party, I felt an overwhelming feeling of calm and peace. We cannot completely understand why things happen the way they do, but I know that Heavenly Father has a plan. And even though it was heartbreaking to lose someone I love to the adversary, I know that he will come to find the truth. This whole experience opened my eyes and made me turn to my Savior for help. He is the only one who truly understands what I am going through and the only one who can offer me divine means of help and grace.
Yes, missions are hard. But I have found that things in life that are completely worth it will never be easy. Though trials may come, the Savior remains by our side to help us through it all. I have learned to lean on His ample arm to give me the strength I need when times get tough and I don't feel like I can succeed.
I know that with the Savior anything is possible. Like Jeffrey R. Holland once said " I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him?" God has a plan! I trust Him. "No storm can shake my inmost calm." I know that your future is as bright as your faith. We can do hard things! All is well in Zion, and I am not going to "give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He stops me." [Fellowship of the Unashamed]
I love ya'll so very much. Things are going to be just fine :) Have a blessed week
Love, Sister Mason
Saturday, March 7, 2015
Re - Cap
This week was pretty crazy and I don't have much time to explain everything, but I want ya'll to get a weekly letter from me knowing that I'm doing well and furthering the work the best I can. So, here's just a quick re-cap:
-I got peed on by a cat.
-My companion lost her name tag in Tupelo and we found it at home sitting on her bed in Amory.
-We got 10 inches of snow! (that NEVER happens in Mississippi!) We walked through this blizzard to visit an investigator. Luckily we weren't hit by any cars.
-We met a family because of Sister Robison's obsession with huskies (they had some in their backyard). We built a snowman, had a snowball fight and were able to share a message and give them the Book of Mormon
-We could've died cuz of a falling tree
-I passed out twice in one day
-Transfer calls: Sister Robison is leaving and I am training
Congrats Dad on being called and assigned as the new Bishop of the 13th ward back home. And Happy Birthday Hannah! I pray for ya'll and keep you dear and close to my heart.
We survived this week because of the tender mercies and grace of our Heavenly Father. We KNOW this church is true and we are going to keep plowing!
The Book is blue, the church is true and Moroni is on the ball.
Sorry to keep it short and I know I have a lot of explaining to do, but know that I love ya'll dearly.
Love, Sister Michaela Mason
Monday, February 23, 2015
"I'm In The Same Building As Jason Aldean!" - Sister Robison
Hey Ya'll
I'm going to be honest. This week was a bit of a bummer. But, that's okay! Not every week can be sunshine, daisies, peaches and cream.
At the start of the week we helped a member with an Avon Convention event she was putting together. We spent two days setting this thing up and helping out at the event. We served food and drinks, gathered plates, and gave out awards. I was put in charge of giving drinks to people: water, coffee, or sweet tea. I felt like such a hypocrite. Here I am a representative of Christ, going out everyday teaching people the Word of Wisdom, and giving out coffee and tea. It was a learning experience. But! In the same building they had this Avon event in, Jason Aldean was going to perform that night in the auditorium next door. We got to see them setting up the stage, all the seats and Sister Robison was jumping up and down for joy. She's a big time Aldean fan :)
For the rest of the week we did our best to work and teach as many people as we could. It rained a lot, but we decided to go out tracting anyways! A lot of people weren't home or they weren't interested, but like Henry B. Eyring once said "It's always going to be the door after the door that you decide to give up." The very last door we knocked on a man named Jimmy answered. He was so sweet and interested in hearing a message, but told us his wife wasn't feeling well and to come back another time. He told us before we left that he'd gone to Taiwan a few years ago and had seen Elders there and wondered who they were and what they were doing! The Lord works in mysterious ways. We also were able to teach a man named Jackie. Several weeks ago we'd gone tracting before we needed to call it quits that night and knocked on his door. He told us he was a Christian and not interested. A week later we're tracting in another neighborhood, knock on one door, and a truck starts to pull out of the driveway. It was Jackie! He told us that no one was home and then said "Wait! Aren't ya'll Later day Saints?" We told him yes and he said "Ya'll come back over to my house, I'm interested in what ya'll have to say." We weren't sure what made him change his mind, we were actually thinking he wanted to bash with us. We stop over and meet his sweet wife and we teach them the Restoration! He said the first time we met him he thought we were Jehovah's witnesses, but then he remembered we'd said "Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints". It was a really neat experience.
Well, this is the last week of the transfer. This Saturday we find out if Sister Robison is staying or leaving. I am not excited for her to go, if she does, but I trust the Lord and know He will send us where we need to be.
I hope ya'll have a fabulous week and know that I love you
Love, Sister Mason
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Teacups, New York City and Belated Valentines Wishes
Hey Ya'll
We had such a very good and busy week! I hope that ya'll had a wonderful Valentines day and spread the love of Christ to all.
Thursday was our Zone Conference, so we got to hear from our beloved President Hanks. Sister Allred and I sang a rendition of 'Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)' and I think it went fairly well.
Sister Robison and I were able to meet up with a lady we met back before Christmas named Dana. She drove us out to Wren so we could go to a Youth Group meeting at her church with her. They fed us hamburgers and she introduced us to all of her church members. They were all so friendly and sweet. After that they had a worship service. It was different. I'm so glad that I am a Member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints cuz we hold all of the truth. But, it was really good to see her again and an experience that only strengthened my testimony of the truthfulness of this church.
Yesterday we stayed in Tupelo all day at church and meetings and then tracting until it was dark. It was incredibly cold, but Sister Robison and I stuck it out. We met the sweetest lady ever! Her name's Miss Ivy. She let us in because it was so cold and we got to talking and ended up staying for quite a while getting to know her. She's visited with Elders before but wasn't interested. After talking to her and getting her to open up to us she said we could visit her any time! She keeps a collection of teacups and had recently visited New York. So she let us look at all of her pictures while traveling there and has converted me to the idea of visiting there someday! It's going to happen! Before we left she gave Sister Robison one of her teacups and gave me a travel guide to NYC! Sweetest thing ever!!
And, here's a God thing. It was starting to get darker and it was really cold, and we didn't have anywhere to go to eat dinner. We talked about praying that Heavenly Father would send us a miracle and someone would let us in to eat dinner with them. Not even 10 minutes after just talking about praying for this miracle, Tupelo Sisters call us and say "Hey, we just felt like we needed to call and see how ya'll were doing" When we told them that we were still out tracting they said "What! Are ya'll hungry? Hey, we'll bring ya'll some food and ya'll can eat at the church." MIRACLE!! Not even that! I had been craving for some toast and guess what they brought along with our meal! TOAST! God is so good. He is so mindful of His children and I am so incredibly grateful for it.
I love ya'll so much and hope that you know that your Heavenly Father is mindful of you and your needs. Just keep pressing on! The future is as bright as your faith!
Much love, Sister Michaela Mason
Monday, February 9, 2015
Sick, but Steadfast
Hey ya'll!
Boy, this week Sister Robison has not been feeling good at all. I haven't been feeling too hot either, but not as bad as she has. So, this past week was tough and not as productive as we would have liked. But! It ended really well this past Saturday and Sunday.
Aside from not feeling good I have had some personal battles of my own. After deciding that I want to be a more consecrated and steadfast missionary, giving my all to the Lord, the adversary sure got onto me quick. Which is a no brainer cuz every time I've ever decided that I needed to make some changes in my life that would bring me closer to Christ, Lucifer has never wanted that for anybody! So, in all honesty, I was pretty down in the dumps. No matter how hard I tried I just could not be happy. One day I just cried and cried and cried over stupid things that didn't matter at all. My focus was not on missionary work, I was comparing myself to other missionaries and their successes and I did not have an attitude of gratitude or any positivity. After my cry fest I went to bed that night and said to myself "Tomorrow is going to be different! I am going to be different! Things are going to be better than ever before, and I am going to smile and be happy about it!" And guess what? They were! I woke up and forced a smile on my face and said a prayer to Heavenly Father to thank Him for helping me get over myself and move on. Saturday and Sunday were the best days I've ever had on my mission so far! The Tupelo elders came out to Amory to give a few of our progressing investigators priesthood blessings which was such a spiritually uplifting experience. On Sunday I gave a talk about following the Savior and ways to "Come Unto Christ" which gave me the opportunity to open up more to the members. And now matter what happened while we were out tracting or contacting I was so happy.
I owe it all to the Savior. In Ether 12:27 it reads "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble;" the Lord showed me my weaknesses and the things that I needed to work on through the 4th Missionary talk that I read. Having a change of heart and a new out look on my mission, Satan really did not want me to change. But, I didn't let him get me down, and now I am so happy. I know that there are going to be days ahead that are long and tiring and I might have a few more cry fests. But I know my purpose here and I am going to give everything I have to the Lord and lose myself in the work. There a great poem by Henry B. Eyring called "The Fellowship of the Unashamed" The one line that I have decided to focus on and keep in mind is: My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear!
I have an unshakable testimony of this church. I know that Christ lives. His Atonement is the greatest and most sacred of all gifts given to all of us. Joseph Smith truly was a prophet called of God to restore this gospel, and I am so grateful that he was willing to sacrifice himself for it.
I will do my best to fulfill my quest as I bring the souls of the south back into the fold.
I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed, and I have never been happier.
I love ya'll more than I could ever say. May God be with you.
-Sister Michaela Mason
I Give Up. I Surrender. I Won't Fight Anymore.
Hey Ya'll!
Man, this past week has been quite the week.
Before any of ya'll freak out about my title may I just say that I love being out here as a missionary of the Lord serving His children. The reason I chose the title for this week is because of the new, personal commitment I've made with my Heavenly Father.
In my personal studies I have been reading from a talk called 'The 4th Missionary' by Lawrence E. Corbridge. The basis of the talk is "Be the fourth missionary!" The fourth missionary loses himself. He gives total and unconditional surrender to his (or her) Heavenly Father. "He boxes up all of his previous plans, wishes, wants, and desires and puts them on a shelf in his closet at home with all of his clothes and other things. When he returns he will unpack all of those boxes." It continues on to say that the prime example to become the fourth missionary is he Savior. And He is who we are all trying to become like on this life here on earth.
So, I've been praying all week to my Heavenly Father that He will give me the strength to lose myself. It's time to grow up! The only way to be successful and happy is through service. It's time to forget about myself and my wants and my desires and think about someone else for a change. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (1 Corinthians 13: 11)
All week went really well, and then we got to fast Sunday. Some of our investigators have been going through some really hard trials. Sister Robison and I have seen some really broken hearts. So this Sunday I made sure to fast for all of them. I was really just trying to do what I know is right, I was really hungry and the adversary had been on my back all morning. I was just a grudge. Only thinking of myself and exercising my natural man. Sister Robison, in all of her goodness, could tell that something was wrong and decided that we should go tracting, That was in all honesty the last thing I wanted to do. But I can testify to you that service is the way to happiness. Charity is the pure love of Christ. The second we started knocking on doors and talking to people I felt so much better, cuz I wasn't focused on myself anymore. It was the first step to letting go of what I want and letting God into my heart. So, after all of the praying to become more like what He wants me to be, I finally got it. I've known that service was always good, but it didn't click until I went through this experience. So, this is my commitment to God: I am going to give up. I surrender. I won't fight anymore. Here it is. Here are my desires. Here is my will. I want only what He wants me to do. That's enough for me. That's all I want.
I know I sort of went on a tangent today, and in all honesty I am still working on trying to become the consecrated missionary that God would have me be. I'm still so very far from perfect, but that is why I shared this experience. We all can become like the fourth missionary. Whether we're serving a mission or not, submitting our will to the Lords is the step to becoming more like Jesus Christ. That is my goal.
I love you all so very much. Thank you for the prayers, letters and love that you send me. I could not tell you in words how much you mean to me. I encourage ya'll to read this talk and know that I love ya'll very much.
God bless you.
Sister Mason
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