2/24/14

Hello!

So Wednesday we had Zone Conference! I loved it! It really helped me to remember why Obedience is so important! We came to Earth to prove ourselves and to see if we would do All that God has commanded us. For missionaries that means waking up at 6:30 and not 6:31and backing up in an empty parking lot... It was something that really helped me out. The past week I had been struggling with waking up at staying awake... I had no idea what would motivate me to wake up on time.. This is what I needed. I needed the reminder that I want to be obedient to God in all things. So I tell myself that I want to be obedient. It is amazing to me that something so simple can be so powerful. Sister Van Cott talked to us as Sisters about not being lukewarm. In Revelation 3:16 it talks about being lukewarm and being spued out by God..So being lukewarm in the gospel, not so good. We went on exchanges after the meeting and I went to work with Sis. Bonham in Oak Valley. That was really good. Our Dinner that night never confirmed and when we got to our appointment that would have been before dinner, she asked us if we had eaten and if we liked spicy.. So we taught a lesson and had dinner, and it went well. Something similar happend at lunch the next day. We stopped by to confirm an appointment with a member for the next day as we were going back to the apartment for lunch. She offered us lunch and we ended up sharing a message with her as well. I love exchanges because I get to experience miracles with other people that I don't really know, rather than the people I see everyday. I guess that is what makes the difference. Miracles happen in my areas too, it just gets hard to recognized them sometimes.

On Sunday the Bishop and the Ward Mission Leader gave the lesson, so we had a combined lesson( like 5th sundays). It was all about missionary work. The ward council has been talking about these things for a while and it was great to have it make it down to the ward members. As we talked to some of the members after church, they had really positive feedback and that realization that they just need to keep it simple. Sharing the gospel doesn't mean you have to give out a Book of Mormon, but that it can come up in your everyday conversation and you can share that with others. Talk about Church when you talk about your weekend. Talk about your family and the gospel will come up! That is the amazing thing about the Gospel, it encompasses everything, it is for Everyone! I see that more and more on my mission. I have learned so much about the gospel and I see it in action in others lives-thats the greatest part I think! One more cool story: On Saturday we had time before our dinner appointment, so we decided to walk the street, there were some people out. Anyways we walked down and then this guy in his truck said "did you sell any?" I said we weren't selling anything, and he asked what we were doing then, Anyways we talked to him told him we were missionaries and he was so excited to hear that we were sharing the word of God-especially on the Sabbath(we will have to work on that one with him..) He went on about how people out there think the commandments are just suggestions and that some churches profess to be the Church of God but don't even keep the commandments. He did most of the talking, Which is something that is hard for me, I can't teach truth if they keep talking and talking and talking..I guess God is trying to teach me patience.. I have run into several people like that on my mission, and I have a feeling theres many more of them out there. But I guess the point of the story is that we are going back next week to talk to him and we wouldn't have found him if we had gone to our dinner early.

Times up, but I am so grateful for all the support and encouragement I receive each week, It makes so much of a difference, more than I can say! Love you all!

Love,

Sister Kellee Gardner