GROWING

    I learned so very much at Zone Conference last week, it was wonderful!! To summarize the top three things I learned was that the focus of this mission is to help me to become a good wife and mother, that my success as a missionary is measured by my own personal commitment and not the results of those who we are teaching, and that our  morning studies allow us to partner with Christ, to make our will his, and that as we do that our only barriers are the ones we put up ourselves. 

    I really appreciated this conference, because not only were we taught things, we were shown how we can apply it in our lives, right now. It encourages me to continually push myself and have the continued hope that I am progressing to becoming the person who my Heavenly Father wants me to be.

    This week, though shorter than others was still packed full of awesomeness! I learned how to be more bold and confident during exchanges. I later applied this new found confidence in our area and began to recognize more clearly the promptings of the Holy Ghost. More than once this week, I have felt the Spirit speak through me and touch those who we are teaching, and it has strengthened my testimony even more of the presence of Heavenly Father in all of our lives.

    Being a missionary is just the BEST!!!!!:D

Flashback pic from MTC - 6 months out

Matching in mint!! =)

FAITH

It was all about faith, all week long. That Faith is like a muscle in our body. Without nourishment and exercise, it will wither away. We have to exercise and  our faith by doing the small and simple things like prayer, scripture study, and church, and as we do those things, we begin to get stronger. Which makes trusting in the Lord and fully doing his will easier. Not fully easy(because it will never be) but easier. That is something that I have come to realize more fully on my mission, that the more I understand Heavenly Father and love him, the easier it is to trust him and recognize his will for me, it is Amazing!!!!

   

This week, we fasted for ready and progressing investigators, and miracles happened! First one happened when we went out tracting, looking for a family, and found a very promising one. She seemed really interested and told us she would love for us to come back by and discuss some more. Then, this Sunday, one of our potentials, whom we have been trying to get in contact with came to church!! Not only that, she quit her job to make more time for church and she said she wants to come out and teach with us!!!! Also we were able to set a lady for baptism, which is a miracle of itself. She has been taught for a while, but only recently have the teachings sunk in, but now that they have, she is progressing right along. It is so wonderful to see Heavenly Father answer our prayers as well as the prayers of those who we work with!!!! 

    

And I have two super awesome quotes for this week: "God cares a lot more about who we are and who we are becoming, than about who we once were" -Elder Renlund

along with that one... "The only person we should compare ourselves to is the person we once were." Elder Hammond

~ With Bunches of Love,

 Sister Jordan

kicked over a tree... no big deal =)

massive slice of watermelon

Front Row Seat

Being a missionary is totally like having a front row seat to seeing God's hand in everyone's lives. This week, we were able to go to the temple with Sarah and Tricia, our recent converts, and the spirit that was felt there was breath taking! There was so much love, joy, excitement, and peace. They kept saying they wanted to come and live forever in the temple haha They both are our miracles, because a couple months ago, they came to a baptismal service in support of one of their family members, and right then, they told us "We want to be baptized!" And they were, but three months later. First Sarah and then her mother Tricia. Along with Tricia's baptism, she was also married, and then attended the temple about a week after!! Pretty soon, I know they will all be able to be sealed in the temple for all eternity!:)
    I did not realize how much I missed the temple until I got there, and as I was able to see Sarah and Tricia being baptized for their ancestors. Seeing them infused me with a renewed sense of purpose and determination to share this gospel with anyone and everyone, so that they too are able to partake of the marvelous blessings of the temple!!!

  We also had a good old game night on Friday, playing Perpetual Commotion and Spoons. It was so much fun!!!!!

Matching with another sister at zone meeting.

Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple

More Miracles

Oh my goodness, talk about a wonderful week FULL of miracles! Beginning this week, Sister Youngberg and I decided to sacrifice napping, and the blessing that came from that sacrifice were wonderful!! First miracle, a lady who we had been seeing for a while but the moved found us at the library and told us she wanted us to begin teaching her again!!!  Then we had exchanges this week in Kearney. I totally love exchanges and I learned a lot of new things to try and different ways to help Phillipsburg area progress even more.  It rained like CRAZY when we were up there, I have never seen so much rain all at once, it seriously soaked us straight to the bone!!! 
    Then for one of our biggest miracles this week. A 16 year old girl from one of our part member families came this week to mutual and loved it! The next day, she came out on team ups with us and practically set herself for baptism (which is Sept.5 by the way:)) She already has such a strong testimony and relationship with Heavenly Father, it is AMAZING!!! :) Honestly everyday, I see more fully that it is not me who is making these things happen, but Heavenly Father using me to help others along and show them the way. It is truly a privlidge to be a missionary and have the chance to see God in sooo many different ways in everyone's lives
   Also, Tricia's wedding and baptism went perfectly. There was so much love, spirit was super strong, and many hearts were softened. Also we had 15 less active people come to church this Sunday!!!!!!
From exchanges I realized even more fully the importance of the Book of Mormon and our own personal convictions, so I would like to challenge all of you to write your testimonies down on the front page of the Book of Mormon and pray to know who to give it to, I know there are many out there searching for the truth and guidance, and with Heavenly Father's help, you can be that instrument:))))
 It is just sooooo great being a missionary!!:D

Big Tractor Tire

Tricia's wedding and baptism

Week of Miracles

Oh my goodness, this week was a week of miracles!:) On Monday, Sister Youngberg and I decided to go on a sugar fast all week for our investigators, and the blessings that came from our fast were AMAZING! First, we set an investigator for baptism who has been on the edge of deciding for quite a while, and now, she has an exact date! Sarah, who was just baptized on Friday was just full of joy. Her road was a bit rocky coming up to baptism, and she had a lot of trials and temptations, but she fought through them all and was baptized. Then to add even more to that blessing, she came with us on a team up  with us and powerfully testified of the importance and need for baptism, and how she is already feeling her relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ growing and strengthening!! Ahh man it was awesome!!!! Then for the cherry on top, we were even able to reach Standard of Excellence again this week, despite only being in our area for three and a half days! 

    In the beginning of the week, we had Trainer Trainee meeting up in Omaha and it was sooo wonderful!!! President Gardner taught about helping those who we teach and come in contact with to connect to heaven. Also how we can receive our own personal revelation. There are three steps:

1.Desire, we have to have questions or concerns that we want to bring to Heavenly Father 2.Believe, we have to have full confidence and faith that we will receive an answer and guidance 3.Ponder, we then have to study it out, in the scriptures, through prayer and we will be able to feel through the promptings of the Holy Ghost our answer.

     He then said, the path is simple, but not easy to follow. We daily have to act in faith and trust that Heavenly Father is guiding and directing us. Jesus never said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it. 

Found a new favorite scripture... Acts 5:40-42 which simplified says "I will never cease to preach and teach of Jesus Christ." And I won't, even when my mission is done because there could not be a better life than that of one who is devoted to God and Jesus Christ!

Finally got my Cowboy Boots!!!!!

Sarah's Baptism