Easter Greetings!

Goooooooooooooooooooood morning!! 

I would first like to start this e-mail off by saying hello to those who have approached me and told me they read these silly blog posts! For instance, President Silas! Hello! I hope all is faring well in Hattiesburg! And also, Sister Bartsch's mom! Hello! Your daughter is a fantastic Sister Training Leader. Thank you for being so supportive of her! And, Happy Easter! (That goes for all of y'all!) 

Did y'all have a good Easter? Ours was rainy! But it was fun, even so. We had some wonderful members take care of us, and even gave us Easter baskets! (Thank you, Brother and Sister Dennee, and also Sister Grover.) Church was all about the Atonement, the love of our Savior, and turning our thoughts to His sacrifice, but also to His resurrection. Too often we dwell on the Savior's crucifixion, and too little do we turn to the miracle that was His rising again on the third day. I hope y'all had the chance to celebrate that miracle and feel His love for you.

We had Zone Conference this week with the Gulfport Zone! I had the chance to see some lovely missionaries who I've served with before. We might have one of the biggest missions in the states, but it feels so small as you start to get to know more of the missionaries. 

We received some great insights about planning, safety, and teaching. Our cars received this handy-dandy devices called Tiwi's! Our car didn't receive one, only because we'll be getting a new car very soon and there wouldn't be a point in installing a Tiwi. These little devices monitor our driving; aggressive driving, speeding, sudden breaking, whether or not the seatbelts are buckled, etc. They don't exist to tell us what we're doing wrong, or to get us in trouble; they exist to keep us safe, and to keep us obedient and diligent. It'll be exciting to see how this changes the mission! 

In other news, I have discovered that Sister Barney is far braver than I am. You see, beside our duplex is this unsuspecting tree, always staying still, branches brushing over our roof. We will sometimes hear its little twigs whip our home in the morning as the wind blows, and it's usually no big deal. There was one night, Sister Barney and I were trying to clean our car, and we heard these odd, rustling noises, similar to what the leaves do when the wind blows. But, as we looked up, we realized that the tree wasn't moving, nor was the wind blowing. 

That's when we realized --

-- it was the beetles. 

I don't know what kind of hellish creatures these are, but they're disgusting. I'm offended that you even house these things, Mississippi. We came home from a long day of working, when in the brights of my headlights you could see swarms of these beetles pelting themselves against our windows and doors, large black dots dive-bombing the glass, ricocheting off the doorknob, trying to desperately reach the warmth of the light inside. 

Needless to say, Sister Barney and I spent a good portion of the next few minutes sitting in the car screaming. 

We watched them launch themselves at our door, only to plink onto the ground on their backs, little legs writhing as they tried to roll themselves uprightly again. 

We came to the conclusion that we were not going to be able to unlock the front door. I flat out refused, honestly. I debated sleeping in the car that night. But, my brave companion leapt out of the car, grabbed our hose, and began to unleash a water war upon the beetles. 

(I, of course, got all of this on camera.) 

She stood there, blasting those creatures all over our porch. They all stilled and seemed to grip the pavement and tresses of our porch, trying to hold on -- and hold on they did. Because they didn't leave our porch at all. 

More screaming ensued. 

At this point, we debated lighting our whole house on fire. Beetles were now launching themselves at the car doors. I was cowering in the driver's seat, still filming, watching as my companion rushed to the car and pulled herself inside. 

We'd decided to run around to the back door, where the beetles had not touched. We have since fixed this beetle problem by not leaving our porch light on at night. 

Within the safe confines of my apartment, I have been immersing myself in talks given by those inspired by the Spirit, preparing myself to receive revelation from modern-day prophets appointed by the Lord this weekend -- because it's General Conference! :D 

This past weekend, we had the opportunity to listen to guidance from the auxiliary women's leaders, such as the General Relief Society President, Primary President, and so on. I needed that inspiration, lemme tell you. The whole conference was service-oriented. All of the talks encouraged us women to continue to serve others, to listen to the Spirit, to be led in our efforts to help our fellowmen, and to be righteous, uplifting, strongly-voiced women for the latter-days. 

My thoughts were turned to Moroni's description of charity: 

"And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." 

Later on, Moroni says, "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." 

I am a firm believer in the fact that all answers to the questions of our souls can be found in living the gospel. Charity is a largely emphasized facet of it, and it is one of the greatest attributes of Christ we can attain. 

I never truly made the connection between what charity really meant and how it applied to me until this Women's Conference. I knew that it was the pure love of Christ, but what exactly did that mean? 

I thought of Christ and the example He set for us. Christ is the ultimate example of charity; He loved openly, freely, deeply, and sincerely. He had the concerns of others at the forefront of His mind; all of His efforts, teachings, and actions were for others and never for Himself. His heart was always set on the will of His Father, on the needs of His brethren, and on the divine mission that He was on. 

The Spirit touched me during that moment, and I had an epiphany. I knew what I needed to do; I knew what change needed to be wrought in myself through means of charity. 

I've always loved serving others, but to have the pure love of Christ was different. To be as loving, forgiving, and selfless as the Savior is an unattainable feat in this life, but to reach for that is what our Father asks of us. He asks us to love our neighbors, give what we have until we can give no more, to take care of ourselves but first and foremost, to not put ourselves above anyone else because we are all sons and daughters of a loving Heavenly Father. He asks us to align our will with His so that He can bring about a mighty change in our hearts; through charity, we obtain forgiveness, brothers and sisters. 

To repent is to change. It is a commandment to change. Lose yourself in the love of Christ, the love He had for others, for the welfare of His brothers and sisters, and you will find yourself purified through Him, and His atoning sacrifice. 

I have found such love in service. My burdens are lighter, my heart is wider, my smile is bigger, too. To serve is to find joy. As I do more for others in Christ's name, I find my Savior doing even more than I imagined for me. I wish to be a disciple that bears His name on my heart, and imparts of His love through the works of my hands. He accomplished the greatest act of love and service for all mankind; the least we can do is serve one another.

Serve someone today. Find Christ in the ways you thought you never could.

I love y'all. Have a good week! 

Godspeed!

Sincerely, 

Sister Rose 

Easter chalk talk from Sister Bartsch!

Getting ready for Zone Conference

Found this in the road.

I don't know how many pictures I send home of Mississippi skies, but this is just so beautiful!

Got caught in the rain.

BEETLES!!!

Sister Barney and I looking fine!

I got to see Sister Poulson at Zone Conference!

Time To Build An Ark!

Hello, all! Are you dry? Mississippi's not! 

I remember in Flowood, everyone always told us how everything was so dry. Little rain had blessed Mississippi that summer; everyone's lawns were brittle; no fires were built, for fear of burning down the whole state; not a cloud drifted in the sky, and everyone was very aware of it. 

Hearing all of the Mississippites' prayers, God turned to them and said, "You might have to build an ark." 

And now some people are swimming to work. 

(I kid. I kid!) 

We've had many adventures in Purvis! Never is there a dull moment with R&B. We have been trying some new finding opportunities! We have begun picking up trash off the side of the road (of our own free will), name tags on display for all the cars to see. Adorning yellow latex gloves, Sister Barney and I merrily picked up beer bottles, fast food containers, grocery bags, etc., that had been left on the road, whether from the wind or from a car whizzing by. 

This gave me a greater love for the earth. I haven't always been too fond of the outdoors. Anyone who knows me will remember when I was little, I would scream bloody murder if I saw the shadow of a fly in the corner of the room. I'm better now, but part of me still preferred the indoors to the unfamiliar territory of the outside. 

Since being in the lush, green atmosphere of Mississippi, I've grown to love its contents: from the deadly, chigger-containing grass, up to the pine trees that have begun sprouting little yellow flowers, peeking out at the sun from high above. It makes me think of a scripture found in the 59th section of the Doctrine and Covenants: 

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to place the eye and to gladden the heart; 

Yea, for food and for raiment, for taste and for smell, to strengthen the body and to enliven the soul." 

While I may not see much joy in chiggers or bloodthirsty ants, I do enjoy all of the beautiful sights Mississippi has to offer, as God intended for me to. Every place has beauty to it. That I can promise. I remember living in West Texas and despising the concrete scenery, but marveling at the menacing shade of brown that would cover the sky during a dust storm, or the sunsets that flooded the sky. When I moved to Colorado, I learned to love the mountain passes, the waterfalls cascading down rocks, sunlight peeking behind arches. 

God's world has much to offer us. He is always thinking of you and what's best for you specifically. This world was created for our benefit. Think of our first parents, Adam and Eve. Their calling to this earth was heavy; they were to be the first humans on God's earth, to keep His commandments and live in His presence until they chose to partake of the fruit. 

They came here to make decisions, as we have always been able to do so. We all chose to come here. You, reading this, chose to come to this earth and accept the trials that would be bestowed upon you. I've had my share of trials that make me ask, Why? Why would you even agree to that? But, it always works out for my benefit. I cannot think of a trial that hasn't strengthened me in a way, that hasn't taught me something, that hasn't made me draw closer to my Heavenly Father. 

With the world in bloom and allergies floating around, take some time to marvel at what God has given you. Purvis is an area with very little street and city lights, so at night, the stars are abundant, glittering, and gorgeous. We tend to pause and take some time to gape at those, and how small we are. 

With Easter this coming Sunday, remember the sacrifice our Heavenly Father gave. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). This scripture is popularly quoted, especially this time of year, but it has so much truth in it. 

God loves you, so He gave His Only Begotten Son. When Adam and Eve fell, they were subject to both spiritual and physical death, as are we. But through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are able to overcome those things. Through Christ's everlasting atonement, which started in the garden of Gethsemane and ended when He rose again, we, too, are able to overcome the dark abyss of death and be welcomed home into the loving arms of a Father who loves us. 

I would like to quote the testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith after he had seen a vision. In the Doctrine and Covenants, we read: 

"And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

For we saw him, even on the right hand of God, and we heard a voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father." 

He lives, brothers and sisters. He lives for you. 

Don't forget Him this Easter. Remember that He lives, and what that means for you. 

https://www.mormon.org/easter

#Hallelujah

Godspeed!

Sincerely, 

Sister Rose 

Conni Cone!!!!

Mississippi Views!

It's a nice day for a photoshoot

We're adorable!

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

[chomp]

Wasps, Bees, and Mosquito Hawks

Missionary Dictionary: 

Key Indicators: how we rate our missionary work, essentially, every week. For instance, "other lessons", "tracting hours", "service hours", and "new investigators" are all key indicators. 

Tracting: the time missionaries spend knocking on doors to find people to teach.

Good morning, everyone! It is a beautiful, sunny day here in Hattiesburg! I have decided that, no, Mississippi weather doesn't know what it's doing. At all. But that's okay! It's an adventure everyday.

Y'all already know about the flash floods, I'm sure. I've read your e-mails! The flooding was pretty bad in Louisiana. One of the highways here has been wiped out; the water actually knocked out part of the road, so it's closed. Sister Barney and I didn't discover that until we were confronted with numerous ROAD CLOSED signs. We now have to be creative with where we travel! Again -- an adventure everyday! 

The wasps, bees, and mosquito hawks have been abundant lately. Cicadas are starting to sing, crickets chiming in at night, critters emerging from their holes in the soil -- tracting now consists of dodging large wasps, gawking at gargantuan bees, and watching out for little snakes slithering across the road. Sister Barney and I have fun with it; we sing songs, tell ridiculous jokes, and pray that Heavenly Father will lead us to just the right person. 

As spring (or rather, pre-summer. That's what it feels like) approaches, we missionaries are manning ourselves with deodorant, light shirts, towels, water, and new teaching methods. As the sun rises, people's attitudes change. President Olson has revamped our key indicators and has made the MJM less focused on numbers, and more on the people. It's very easy to be focused on numbers, surprisingly. There are times when you work all week to find and teach, only to see it not reflect in the numbers you send in to the District Leader every week. However, President Olson is encouraging us not to focus on that. We are teaching people, not lessons. These people are children of God, not numbers on a sheet sent to Salt Lake. 

Numbers are an unnecessary noise on a mission. Missionaries are removed from worldly noise for 18 to 24 months; we abstain from television, music that detracts from the Spirit, and even dress and grooming standards of the world to allow ourselves to be more spiritually focused and ready to sift through the noises of the world. 

You never realize how quiet everything is until all of that has been removed. At home, I deeply enjoyed my technology. Texting was my jam. iTunes was my best friend. I was as well-acquainted with YouTube as I was with my friends. I read my scriptures, prayed, went to church, and did all the things the Church tells me to do to keep myself on the straight and narrow. 

Yet, as I've had all of that away from me for six months, I've felt myself more aware of the voice my Heavenly Father has been using amidst all of the calamity. The voice is not reminiscent of the melodies I played from punk bands everyday; the voice is not loud like the rush of my past part-time job; the voice does not beg for my attention like children at play. The voice is still and gentle; it is the voice that cuts through every anxiety and noise that crowds out my spirit. It does not shake me and ask that I listen; it speaks, and waits for me to notice. 

The Spirit is a funny thing. The Spirit speaks to us in our thoughts as well as our feelings. The Spirit can come in resounding waves of warmth and love, or as the Doctrine and Covenants describes: "Your bosom shall burn within you." (D&C 9:8). Those are miracles wrought by the Spirit of the Lord, testifying to us that what we are doing, seeking, thinking, understanding is from God and we must listen and adhere to that feeling. 

However, we often ignore that the Spirit does not do that often at all. My lovely companion directed me to Galatians 5 the other day, where we read: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance..." 

The Spirit speaks to us in a thousand different ways, but no matter what, the Spirit will always challenge us to edify, to be better, to lift up, to draw nearer to God, to feel love, to be good. In the end, is what you do good for yourself? Good for others? Good for the Church? For your Heavenly Father? If you stood before Him and He asked you what you did, would you happily tell Him that what you experienced was truly inspired of the Spirit? 

If we do not adhere to the Spirit's counsel, whatever it may be, then that is where our agency kicks in, and we must then choose what to do. 

Never have I read of someone following a prompting of the Spirit and having it work out poorly for them. Your Heavenly Father wants to lead you to happiness; He is not an angry god, ready to smite you at the slightest slip-up. 

He loves you. 

Listen to how He loves you, and you will find yourself better able to help others and yourself. It all starts with a simple prick in your heart, a good thought to the mind, a small voice leading you to do something more -- and miracles will happen. 

Purvis is doing well, everyone. We are teaching two brothers, who I sincerely hope will progress as their Heavenly Father truly wants them to. We are serving more, seeking out opportunities to be charitable and share the love and the Spirit with those that have been placed in our paths. 

Have faith and listen this spring. 

Have a good week. 

Godspeed!

Sincerely, 

Sister Rose 

SELFIEEE

Mississippi landscape though! 

Sister Barney is...a special person. 

SELFIIEEEE #2 

Sister Barney took some selfies. This is the mildest of the cluster. #Vogue

R&B

Hi! How has everyone been this week? Splendid? Good. I hope so! 

We've had a good week here in Purvis. Sister Barney and I are tragically becoming good friends. We spend quite a bit of time singing ridiculous songs, making terrible puns, and finding change on the ground to add to our Tracting Tip jars. She's a barrel of fun, and I wish I could have all of you meet her! 

We've been trying to come up with creative finding ideas in Purvis. As I've mentioned before, it's hard to find people to teach by just knocking on their door. Most of the success in this mission comes from tracting, but if we are to build the Lord's kingdom in the proper manner before He comes, we have to work harder, be more creative, and search for the elect. 

 

I pondered this while tracting (hilariously) this week. Sister Barney and I are in a silent race to see who can find the most pennies, dimes, quarters, etc. lying around in driveways, streets, and piles of dirt. In the last six months, Sister Barney has collected over $22 in change from searching the ground alone. In the past week, I think I've found seven cents. 

I found myself trying to look for the glimmer in the sunlight that indicated a shiny coin. I squinted at driveways, shielded my eyes from the spring sun to seek out the glitter of a penny -- or a quarter by some miracle. And yet, every time I do that, I always manage to skip over tons of unsuspecting pennies that eventually make it into my companion's pocket. I wondered how on earth she noticed these things; these driveways are large and most of the circular dark spots are usually deceiving and not even worth the inspection. Yet, she approached them and always came out with a cent or two. 

That's when I decided to not look for the shiny pennies. I started looking for the grungy, dirty, round spots and treated each opportunity like I was destined to find a penny or a nickel or a quarter in that very instance -- and that is how I began collecting my tracting tips. 

You can apply this principle to potential investigators, too. There have been many times on my mission so far that I have had incredible spiritual experiences with people while teaching the Restoration. We knocked on their door, they felt the Spirit, they wanted to know more. Great miracles were happening -- the penny was shining in the sunlight, and I knew that I could just pick it up and keep it with me always and be so grateful for that shiny penny, and I could hope to find another one when I went back to see said investigator. Yet, a lot of the time, those investigators don't progress. Maybe it was something we did, maybe something was said to them, maybe it just wasn't the right time -- either way, few times in the past six months have I been able to see those shiny pennies continue to be golden investigators. 

Not to say there aren't golden investigators. Those exist! Totally! There are people who are extremely prepared to receive the gospel, and receive it with open arms, ready hearts, and glad spirits. I love those people; missionaries pray for to find those people. But if you only look for those golden people, you will bypass the many souls who are buried in the dirt of life who need to be exposed to the light of the gospel. The gross, dirty pennies are the most worth it ones. The ones you think would never, ever accept the gospel can be the ones who need it the most, and will hold on to it tighter than any easy contact might.

When sharing the gospel, do not pass up the opportunities that might seem unfruitful. You have no idea what good you could be doing; it might seem silly at first, like you've done nothing at all, but we have no idea what eternal consequences accompany our actions. You have a gift to share; let others have it, too. 

Remember to lean on your Heavenly Father when you aren't sure how to share or what to say. We are promised that if we open our mouths and we are led by the Spirit, then our Heavenly Father will tell us right then exactly what needs to be said! And it doesn't need to be the most eloquent thing in the world; Brigham Young was converted by a simple testimony of a man who wasn't gifted with public speaking. Be yourself; be simple; be the person the Lord wants you to be. 

There is so much I've learned from this week. We didn't teach much; every appointment fell through, the weather destroyed our plans, the days seemed long and we weren't sure what to do. But, I know the Lord gives us ups and downs so we can learn how to better rely on Him. We have to make the choice to do so. You cannot get through anything on your own. The Lord will sometimes bless us with trials to draw us back to Him, where we can make the choice to plead for help before Him and exercise patience with His timing and knowledge.

Don't be discouraged, brothers and sisters. There's always hope. The Lord may try to humble you, and that's good. He trusts you enough to give you trials and happiness. Relish in His love, and know that through Jesus Christ and the will of God, you can do anything according to your righteous desires. 

Be strong and have a good week, alright?

Godspeed!

Sincerely, 

Sister Rose 

Superhero day at DDM means that Sister Barney was Captain 'Murica

Companionship selfie! (We take a lot of these) 

These geese were SO LOUD 

This driveway was the most majestic thing ever. There was beautiful green grass. A mansion. A field. Free-roaming horses. My dream. 

HORSES 

The Era of Brose

Goooooooood morning, all! It's a beautiful Mississippi morning here in Hattiesburg. The sun is shining, the birds are tweeting, I'm wearing short sleeves, everyone's still using their air conditioning...

Now, I was trying to halt any panic y'all might have about the weather by not telling you about it, but it seems y'all already knew that the weather was crazy on transfer day! What am I gonna do with you? Yes, the weather was pretty nuts last week. The USM library closed pretty early, which was why I was unable to e-mail for very long. The wind was picking up, and the rain was pouring. We had two tornadoes in the Hattiesburg area (I think), but none of them came near the church building. All of the missionaries were either at their respective stake centers, or on a T-Van. As far as I know, all of the missionaries made it to their new areas and companions safely. There was one death in the Purvis area, as well as two in Louisiana. My heart goes out to those families who were affected by the tornado, and I hope y'all know you're in our prayers and that our Heavenly Father is watching over you. 

Mostly, the missionaries ignored the storm. We spent some time gawking at the clouds and ignoring the sirens, but it was all fine! We were safe. The Lord watched over us, protected us, and allowed us to travel safely. 

On Tuesday, I was able to meet my companion, Sister Barney! She's from Colfax, Washington, six feet tall, and absolutely hilarious. We have had some amazing adventures this week, and it's only been week one! For instance: we went to Catholic mass last night at USM! Our whole district went, so we were pretty conspicuous but it was great. It was a brand-new experience and it helped me understand the Spirit and how it differs. It was a fascinating experience. 

We had a fireside at the church on Thursday. It was a "Why I Believe" Fireside. Members were encouraged to bring their friends, and we missionaries were definitely encouraged to bring investigators. We had a small group in the chapel, loaded with questions and curiosities. We made some new friends -- some of these friends we'd met tracting, and they showed up at the last minute and squeezed into the pew beside us! It was so exciting! I had the most thrilling night. We had a church tour, and learned all about the auxiliaries in the church. We then gathered back in the chapel to watch some videos and listen to the testimonies of two converts to the church. 

Testimonies are such powerful things. If there's one thing I've learned on my mission, it's that you can throw facts at people all you want; you can lay down historical evidence that what you say is true; you can use as many scriptures, documents, videos, and quotes as you want, but nothing will compare to a true, simple, heartfelt testimony of what you believe. I have seen the light filter into someone's eyes as they listen to a testimony born by a missionary, and a light turn on as they begin to fill the warmth and guidance of the Spirit dually testifying to what that missionary is saying. 

Do not doubt the power of your testimony. You could simply say, "I know this is true" and you could change a life. You have no idea. A testimony is a precious gift that has the power to change lives for the better. 

I know that the Lord leads us to people at the right time, just when they need us. He also rewards us for acting despite of the fear we have. Many people say that faith cannot work where fear is present, and while that does ring some truth, that also implies that we cannot have faith if we're afraid. In truth, God cannot work with us if we are yielding to our fear. During a talk this Sunday, a returned missionary said, "I had a companion who told me to step out of my comfort zone and into my miracle zone." God can work miracles if we but take a step further and act in spite of the fear. 

I've seen that happen multiple times since coming on my mission! Fear is our natural enemy, and Satan knows that. He knows we're afraid to talk, to speak up, to be hated, to be ignored, to be awkward. I will admit I have an aversion to awkward situations! But those happen quite a lot on a mission. If your mission isn't awkward, then you aren't doing it right. But, my companions have all been able to help me by the help of our Heavenly Father, and this week, I've been able to see miracles arise because of that. 

We knocked on a door with the intention of talking to a potential and ended up talking to someone else entirely, someone we'd expected to shut us down and leave us hanging out to dry, but she ended up accepting a Book of Mormon and a return appointment. We knocked on the door of a part-member family, ready to face some serious adversity, only to be welcomed by someone who already knew in their heart that the Book of Mormon was true. 

Do not let fear rule you, brothers and sisters. It won't reward you. Nothing will change; you won't change. We must always be changing through Jesus Christ in order to be the person our Heavenly Father intended for us to be. 

Stay tuned for more adventures of Rose and Barney! Or, Brose, as we like to call ourselves.

Godspeed, y'all! 

Sincerely, 

Sister Rose 

P.S. If you haven't gotten an e-mail from me, IT IS DEFINITELY MYLDSMAIL. I HAVE RESPONDED TO ALL E-MAILS. Please tell me if you haven't heard from me, and I will attempt to fix it. Thank you!! Love y'all! 

My companion is super cool, guys. 

She's super cool, guys. 

Elder Paxton -- Elder Paxton GET DOWN FROM THERE.

Look at all that rain! 

Gretchen Wieners was Born in Purvis, Mississippi

Hello, all! This e-mail might be a little weird. I forgot we were e-mailing today, so I don't have my planner, journal, camera, or scriptures. Whoops. 

It's transfer week! I thought this last transfer was the seven-week transfer, but it turns out this one is! How exciting! Everyone's missions have been extended a week to accommodate the new MTC policy for English-speaking, stateside-serving missionaries; instead of twelve days, missionaries will be in the MTC for at least three weeks. In order to line up with the transfer dates, our transfer has been extended one week! Exciting, right?! 

There's a lot happening in the Purvis district! I am now taking over Purvis. I have not yet received my new companion, but I do know her name! Sister Barney! I've talked to her at the transfer point in Clinton a few times. I can't wait to be her companion! We'll have a great time. Elder Stokes has been transferred to the Clinton Zone, and Elder Dobosz has been moved to the Gulfport Zone. I wish them well, and I know they'll do well in any area they go to. The Lord knows exactly what He's doing; He has so much in store for these missionaries. 

However...I have to say goodbye to my dear Sister Matealona. She's being transferred to the Shreveport Zone. Where? I have no idea! She began in Louisiana and that is where she will end. I'm going to miss my small, Hawaiian friend. I know she has touched so many lives in Purvis, and the Lord has so much waiting for her in the Shreveport Zone. 

Finally, Sister Kelly and Sister Garner will be sent home and released this week. I want to thank them for their service, their positive attitudes, and their love for the fellowmen. I only knew them for a short while, but I am so grateful to have known them. Y'all were wonderful missionaries, and I can't wait to see what you do in the future! 

(Also, Sister Harrison has been called as a Sister Training Leader in Monroe! I AM SO PROUD!) 

Things have been picking up a little in Purvis. It's a sleepy town. The cows moo more than the people talk. Everyone here is friendly, kind, and loves the Lord with all their heart. I sometimes get hit with waves of how grateful I am to be in Mississippi. There are those who look down on stateside missionaries, and even some who get the call to the states and feel resentful for not being given the opportunity to leave the country. 

I remember opening my mission call and reading aloud my mission's name, the Mississippi Jackson Mission. Something in me just hummed, and I knew that this was home. This was where I belonged, even if I didn't know quite why yet. This was going to be my home for the next year and a half of my life, and I am still so very grateful to be here. Mississppi might feel like an oven from time to time; it might have very angry ants; it might be full of hills that hurt my legs after four miles. But even so, I love it. Mississippi is full of loving, tender-hearted people who absolutely adore the Savior. 

Amongst those who have strong testimonies of the love of Jesus Christ, there are still those who are quietly struggling in the nighttime when the throngs of adversity hit their souls. It breaks my heart when I hear someone we're teaching ask if the Savior has time for them. The Savior has time for all of us, brothers and sisters. He gets it. Whenever I feel blisters on my heels, I think of the wounds Christ bore on His feet. When I run out of water, I think of the Savior on the cross, having to be given vinegar during His suffering. Sometimes I get too hung up on His suffering, on all the pain He endured for me. It pains my heart to think of it. I went through a time believing that I could get through my life without using the atonement; that if I had no true need to repent, then I did not assist in His suffering and that I would be rewarded for that. 

That is not how this works, brothers and sisters. 

Christ gave us a gift, and that gift was the atonement. But you have to remember that Christ's atonement did not end on the cross.

Do you remember that in three days, Christ rose? At one point, that sepulcher was empty, and Christ was walking among men in a glorified, resurrected body that was never to be separated from its soul ever again. Our loving Savior rose so that we could no longer be held down by the chains of death; we can now overcome physical death because our Savior rose. He gave that to us. That is the greatest gift of all, and all He asks is that we use that gift to make ourselves happy. 

I've probably gone on about the Savior's atonement before, but the more I study, the more I realize that it is so central to everything that we do. He asks us to follow Him, just like He did to His fishermen disciples. 

"And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. 

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. 

And they straightway left their nets, and followed him" (Matthew 4:18-20). 

As a missionary, I take this following almost literally. We are asked to cast our nets aside and follow Him. My net has been my home in Colorado, my family, my friends, my worries, my personal affairs, my infirmities -- everything I thought was most important about life was required to be cast aside. 

Why? I wondered. My family needs me. My friends are my sanity sometimes. What about school? My life? 

But the call came, and I had to cast my nets aside. 

We don't have to be called as missionaries to have nets that are keeping us from following the Savior. While Christ was referring to missionary work when calling the apostles, I know that He has much in store for you if you heed His call and follow Him. 

Since making this decision, I have witnessed so many miracles. The world is much bigger, brighter, broader than you'd ever expect it to be. I always think the sky is much bigger in Mississippi, but the Spirit that is here is what truly touches my heart. The Spirit has led me to people who need love and help. The Spirit has told me to do things I didn't understand, like knocking on houses we might have already tracted. Christ knows what His sheep need. 

What is important is what happens for eternity, brothers and sisters. The decisions you make here are what will affect you for this life and more. The world is changing, but Christ never does. He is waiting for you to take His hand, to lean on Him, to cast your net aside and follow Him. 

Seek Him, and He will come. 

I love y'all. I will have more to tell you next week with Sister Barney! 

Godspeed!

Sincerely, 

Sister Rose 

It was Valentine's Day?

Goooood morning, everyone! It's been a crazy week! 

I would like to first and foremost thank the members of the Purvis ward for how much they take care of us missionaries. Whenever we don't have enough dinner appointments for the week, our Relief Society President makes calls to the ward asking if anyone could sign up for us. When our washer breaks (and it did...), we have a myriad of members who offer to allow us to use their washer and dryer on P-Day. They are all so willing to step up and help us whenever we need it, and I couldn't be more grateful for that blessing. Thank you to all the members worldwide who try their best to help the missionaries in whatever way they can. We appreciate what you do SO MUCH!! You have no idea!!

Weather update for the Purvis area: we've been having an early spring for the past three days. The sun has been shining, the humidity has been at a merciful 50%, there's been a breeze that's just gentle enough to sway the trees and give us magazine-model hair. It's been GORGEOUS! 

And then we wake up this morning and find out it's been raining and the humidity has gone straight up! Awesome! Oh, Mississippi, how we love you and your inconsistency. 

This week in the Hattiesburg Zone, we had Zone Conference! It's different from the last one we had, where we had to squeeze the Jackson, Hattiesburg, and Gulfport Zones into the Oak Grove building. This time, we had car inspections (yes, Sister M. mopped the car again. In the dark) and the whole shebang! We met at the Oak Grove building first, which is where Sister M. and I attend church, only to find out they were cleaning the carpets. We then had a large line of bike-rack-adorned cars making their way to the Hattiesburg building.

When we arrive at the H'burg building, we find out that the heating has been broken for at least a month. That day, the wind bit straight through your clothes and tore right into your bones. It didn't matter that the sun was out; the wind was having absolutely none of that. We tried to warm up inside, but the building was colder than the outside! It was hilarious! We were listening to President Olson address us while we used blankets and jackets from the lost and found to keep us warm (Sister M. and I are smart and carry gloves with us at all times). It was hilarious!! 

It was great to see all the missionaries in my Zone. They're all a ton of fun. We all had a great time, but nothing could have beaten the Spirit that attended that Zone Conference. President and the ZLs and STLs introduced a new way of weekly planning that has now extended our two-hours planning sessions to eight hours or more every week. It's SO FUN! We had the best time doing that this week! You have no idea truly how much fun it is to plan for someone's progression in the gospel!

President also asked us to emphasize the gospel of Jesus Christ when we teach. Now, you may ask, don't you teach the gospel everyday?? What's that about?! 

In Preach My Gospel, the Gospel is the third lesson we teach. It covers the five steps to everlasting life: faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, and enduring to the end. These five principles are essential to our conversion to the gospel (and you shouldn't have to be converted to the Church to be a convert). You can do nothing without faith. Faith in Jesus Christ is the one thing you must build upon your foundation, or else you will be subject to darkness, confusion, and an eternity of sadness. Faith is a principle of action, and one of the ways we show our faith is by repenting. 

Repentance is one thing I've truly had to work to understand. I remember being taught about it when I was growing up and being so confused because I couldn't repent if I didn't commit a major sin, right? That's what I thought. So, I figured, I didn't need to repent! Awesome! I'm doing pretty well!

But, then I did some studying. I did some praying. I realized that repentance allows us to utilize the gift that is the Atonement of our Savior. I always wondered how I could use the Atonement in my daily life when I wasn't breaking the Ten Commandments or something, and I realized that sins aren't always big. Sins are little spots on you; the things that hinder you from growing; sins appease the natural man while we are trying to reach a spiritual, divine potential. Repentance is how we grow. Repentance is the pain that leads to the relief; by repenting daily, we are not allowing our Savior to have suffered in vain. He did what He did for you. He didn't do it so you could pretend you are fine and perfect all the time -- because we aren't, and there's nothing wrong with being imperfect. Our Father expects us to do our best, not strive for unachievable goals that we cannot attain in this life. Perfection will come if only we try our best to be like Christ and remember the suffering He endured for us. Don't let Him die for nothing, brothers and sisters. You are not nothing. 

After repentance, we are able to be washed clean through baptism. At baptism, we covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ and follow Him and His commandments no matter what. At baptism, we cast our nets aside and follow Him. And after we do that, we are able to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost -- what an amazing gift! This gift allows us to enjoy the blessings of the Holy Ghost's constant guidance, protection, and companionship as long as we remain worthy of it. 

Then we have that wonderful enduring to the end part. I think oftentimes we see enduring as gritting our teeth and forcing our way to the end with fists clenched until our knuckles are white. But no! Our Father in Heaven doesn't want us to be angry about the gospel -- the gospel is what brings happiness. True, soul-deep, everlasting happiness comes through this gospel. Through faith and the beautiful gift of repentance, we are able to endure with a smile on our face. If you know you're trying your best, that you have a Father in Heaven who loves you and desires the greatest joy for you, that you have a divine purpose then what reason do you have to be sad? 

Of course, sometimes we will lose the eternal perspective and get lost in the heartaches and whirlwinds of mortal life. That is simply a consequence of our time on earth. But that's okay -- that's why we have the Savior. 

Don't ever lose hope. Faith and hope go hand-in-hand. Do not harden your heart; allow yourself to be open and feel the love that comes from the Spirit and from the Atonement. Remember that Jesus Christ is your advocate. He is the one who says, "Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified. Wherefore, Father, spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that they may come unto me and have everlasting life" (D&C 45:4-5). 

He loves you. Your Father loves you. They desire your happiness, and they have great blessings in store for you. I am so grateful to be able to carry this message door to door. I am so grateful to have a Father in Heaven who loves me and knows what I need even before I do. 

Seek ye first for the kingdom of Heaven, and then ye shall have your reward. Endure happily, brothers and sisters. We are living in a time where the fullness of Christ's gospel has been restored to the earth. His doctrine is pure and wonderful, and I am so grateful to be able to share that with the people of Mississippi. 

Who have you been able to share it with?

Have a blessed week! Godspeed!

Sincerely, 

Sister Rose