Hello my wonderful and
amazing family!
This week was Sister Griffiths 21st birthday. It was really fun. I
think it's super great that we both get to celebrate each other's
birthdays this transfer. We had gotten her pie and ice cream the P-Day
before and stuck some candles in it.
We went out and worked that day and there was no rain. The Hermes
family was on our list to go and visit with. They let us right in and
as we talked, the younger boys started talking about their archery
competitions and asked us if we wanted to try. At first we stared to
say we weren't allowed....but then we realized that in the latest
tune-up by President, we are allowed to do archery! Yeah! We were
still able to get a lesson in which was great. It was also so great to
hold a weapon. Sister Griffiths thoroughly enjoyed being able to do
that on her birthday. We were also fed dinner by the Activity Day
girls in the ward. They are so cute.
Service opportunities are hard to come by, but Heavenly Father has
been blessing us with more and more opportunities to serve members and
non-members this week. It has been quite fun. We have started
volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House near us. We live right next
to two hospitals so we figured it would be close by. They love us and
are excited to have Sister missionaries. Since the Elders area was
closed, we kind of moved in to replace them. It is such a cool place!
Our job is to clean the place which is very fun. Most of the food they
get isn't used by the guests and they told us to take some home.
Ca took us out to eat at an authentic Mexican restaurant and there
was a live mariachi band! It was so fun to watch. Reminded me of the
scene in Nacho Libre when Nacho sneaks into the party by pretending to
be a band member, haha!
There is a new missionary in the ward. His name is Elder Robinson or
something like that and he is so green, haha. He reminds me so much of
myself when I first came out seven months ago. He was falling asleep
hard core during Ward council on Sunday, haha. He's a good kid though
and will make a great missionary.
This weather has been absolutely nuts. They grass is green lush and
there are thunderstorms almost every day of the week. It rains really
really hard on us at least once a day until we are soaked. It has been
such a huge blessing though because it is so hot outside. God loves us
so much.
The only really bad part about summer is...the bugs. They are so
awful! I swear they are all immune to bug repellent. The mosquitos
abound and so do these little parasites called 'chiggers'. They are a
nightmare.
I got this mosquito bite on my leg at the beginning of the week that
swelled up to the size of a flat baseball. I thought it was just a bad
reaction until we went to Ca's house for a lesson. She's a nurse
and as soon as she saw my leg she said, "You have a chigger bite."
"A what?"
"A chigger bite. That's what they look like."
"I have a bug in my leg?"
"It's just a mite."
"I have a bug in my leg?!"
So, that was super fun. Turns out I have multiple chigger bites. What
a joy it is to be me. Ca gave me clear nail polish to smother them
with. It actually works really well. I have vowed to stay far away
from grass for the rest of the summer.
Yesterday was absolutely beautiful. The thunderstorms were back and as
soon as they cleared the amazing cloud formations appeared. It was so
beautiful and changed frequently. It was like seeing the hand of God
in the sky. Absolutely gorgeous.
This week has been pretty great. We have been trying to be balanced in
our work and it has been the most productive week we've ever had. It's
great to be back in our area again full time. It's been a real
struggle to find prepared investigators, but that's probably my fault.
I didn't talk to everyone I saw. I talked to a lot of people, but I
missed a few. Sometimes I feel like I repent over and over again for
my short comings. It's very frustrating for me and I feel like and
unprofitable servant sometimes. I will do better this week. I will try
my hardest.
The funny thing is that the more I think about my future the harder I
want to work. It's not that I'm thinking of how much time I have left,
which is slipping by very fast, but of what kind of person I want to
say I was. Did I give everything to the Lord? I will admit that there
are days that I didn't try my best and that sucks. But, as I think of
my future I want to say I tried my best and gave my all. Because at
the end of my mission I would hate to go knowing that I didn't do all
I could. My mission would be pointless.
This week was full of fire and brimstone. There were so many Southern
Baptists and other people telling me that I was deceived. Now, it is
tangent/rant time. I'm deceived? First off, every single person who
said that had something different to say about Joseph Smith. He found
a book in the desert/ wrote a book himself/ founded the church in
1930/ copied the Book of Mormon from Solomon Spalding/ was fraud/ ect.
What the actual crap! If you're going to say I am deceived you might
as well get your stuff together! And when when I try to clear things
up they don't listen and spew hateful things at me to make me feel
like I am wrong. First off, when Satan threw a tantrum in front of
Moses because he wouldn't worship him Moses began to fear and as soon
as he did that he saw the bowels of hell and was afraid. But as he
called upon God he felt the strength to cast Satan out. God is not a
God of fear, after talking to these people I felt a huge desire to
throw up. That's what it feels like for me when the Spirit leaves and
it sucks. It's not fair. God is a god of love and compassion, he
speaks to us through the Holy Ghost with peace. All I felt from those
people was hate. I just wanted to share something that would make them
happy. Somehow I can still love them and it hurts so much when it is
rejected and they put down my testimony as the foolish imaginations of
a young and inexperienced girl. There is nothing wrong with the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I have spent my time and whole
heart and soul into studying the scriptures and the doctrine. It all
just makes sense! Yes, even polygamy in the early days of the church
makes sense! Two days of study and prayer and I got it.
Salvation was never meant to be easy. It was not easy for Christ and
it will never be easy for us! I am tired of low living and lazy
worshiping. There is no other church on this earth that could bring me
more happiness and joy. Am I saved? Yes! Whole heartedly and
thankfully. But that is not the end! Salvation is not easy! It is a
process. Our existence is to become like God and experience all the
happiness this life has to offer. It is not about just 'being okay'
with things as they are. There is more to life and it is at our
fingertips!
I know the Church is true. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost and
the miraculous manifestations of the glory of God in every aspect of
this work. I will not back down from my testimony! The Book of Mormon
is the word of God and Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and we have
revelation in our day! God is not silent and man can't make Him
silent. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He lives! The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is his church on the earth in
beautiful simplicity and great glory. It is the work of God and will
go forth boldly and nobly until it had penetrated every continent and
sounded in every ear until the great Jehovah shall say the work is
done.
Wow, that felt so good. That needed to get out. Whoo!
I love you all and miss you so much! There is a huge thunderstorm
going on and we're under severe storm watch. Should be fun. :)
I LOVE YOU!!
This week was Sister Griffiths 21st birthday. It was really fun. I
think it's super great that we both get to celebrate each other's
birthdays this transfer. We had gotten her pie and ice cream the P-Day
before and stuck some candles in it.
We went out and worked that day and there was no rain. The Hermes
family was on our list to go and visit with. They let us right in and
as we talked, the younger boys started talking about their archery
competitions and asked us if we wanted to try. At first we stared to
say we weren't allowed....but then we realized that in the latest
tune-up by President, we are allowed to do archery! Yeah! We were
still able to get a lesson in which was great. It was also so great to
hold a weapon. Sister Griffiths thoroughly enjoyed being able to do
that on her birthday. We were also fed dinner by the Activity Day
girls in the ward. They are so cute.
Service opportunities are hard to come by, but Heavenly Father has
been blessing us with more and more opportunities to serve members and
non-members this week. It has been quite fun. We have started
volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House near us. We live right next
to two hospitals so we figured it would be close by. They love us and
are excited to have Sister missionaries. Since the Elders area was
closed, we kind of moved in to replace them. It is such a cool place!
Our job is to clean the place which is very fun. Most of the food they
get isn't used by the guests and they told us to take some home.
Ca took us out to eat at an authentic Mexican restaurant and there
was a live mariachi band! It was so fun to watch. Reminded me of the
scene in Nacho Libre when Nacho sneaks into the party by pretending to
be a band member, haha!
There is a new missionary in the ward. His name is Elder Robinson or
something like that and he is so green, haha. He reminds me so much of
myself when I first came out seven months ago. He was falling asleep
hard core during Ward council on Sunday, haha. He's a good kid though
and will make a great missionary.
This weather has been absolutely nuts. They grass is green lush and
there are thunderstorms almost every day of the week. It rains really
really hard on us at least once a day until we are soaked. It has been
such a huge blessing though because it is so hot outside. God loves us
so much.
The only really bad part about summer is...the bugs. They are so
awful! I swear they are all immune to bug repellent. The mosquitos
abound and so do these little parasites called 'chiggers'. They are a
nightmare.
I got this mosquito bite on my leg at the beginning of the week that
swelled up to the size of a flat baseball. I thought it was just a bad
reaction until we went to Ca's house for a lesson. She's a nurse
and as soon as she saw my leg she said, "You have a chigger bite."
"A what?"
"A chigger bite. That's what they look like."
"I have a bug in my leg?"
"It's just a mite."
"I have a bug in my leg?!"
So, that was super fun. Turns out I have multiple chigger bites. What
a joy it is to be me. Ca gave me clear nail polish to smother them
with. It actually works really well. I have vowed to stay far away
from grass for the rest of the summer.
Yesterday was absolutely beautiful. The thunderstorms were back and as
soon as they cleared the amazing cloud formations appeared. It was so
beautiful and changed frequently. It was like seeing the hand of God
in the sky. Absolutely gorgeous.
This week has been pretty great. We have been trying to be balanced in
our work and it has been the most productive week we've ever had. It's
great to be back in our area again full time. It's been a real
struggle to find prepared investigators, but that's probably my fault.
I didn't talk to everyone I saw. I talked to a lot of people, but I
missed a few. Sometimes I feel like I repent over and over again for
my short comings. It's very frustrating for me and I feel like and
unprofitable servant sometimes. I will do better this week. I will try
my hardest.
The funny thing is that the more I think about my future the harder I
want to work. It's not that I'm thinking of how much time I have left,
which is slipping by very fast, but of what kind of person I want to
say I was. Did I give everything to the Lord? I will admit that there
are days that I didn't try my best and that sucks. But, as I think of
my future I want to say I tried my best and gave my all. Because at
the end of my mission I would hate to go knowing that I didn't do all
I could. My mission would be pointless.
This week was full of fire and brimstone. There were so many Southern
Baptists and other people telling me that I was deceived. Now, it is
tangent/rant time. I'm deceived? First off, every single person who
said that had something different to say about Joseph Smith. He found
a book in the desert/ wrote a book himself/ founded the church in
1930/ copied the Book of Mormon from Solomon Spalding/ was fraud/ ect.
What the actual crap! If you're going to say I am deceived you might
as well get your stuff together! And when when I try to clear things
up they don't listen and spew hateful things at me to make me feel
like I am wrong. First off, when Satan threw a tantrum in front of
Moses because he wouldn't worship him Moses began to fear and as soon
as he did that he saw the bowels of hell and was afraid. But as he
called upon God he felt the strength to cast Satan out. God is not a
God of fear, after talking to these people I felt a huge desire to
throw up. That's what it feels like for me when the Spirit leaves and
it sucks. It's not fair. God is a god of love and compassion, he
speaks to us through the Holy Ghost with peace. All I felt from those
people was hate. I just wanted to share something that would make them
happy. Somehow I can still love them and it hurts so much when it is
rejected and they put down my testimony as the foolish imaginations of
a young and inexperienced girl. There is nothing wrong with the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints! I have spent my time and whole
heart and soul into studying the scriptures and the doctrine. It all
just makes sense! Yes, even polygamy in the early days of the church
makes sense! Two days of study and prayer and I got it.
Salvation was never meant to be easy. It was not easy for Christ and
it will never be easy for us! I am tired of low living and lazy
worshiping. There is no other church on this earth that could bring me
more happiness and joy. Am I saved? Yes! Whole heartedly and
thankfully. But that is not the end! Salvation is not easy! It is a
process. Our existence is to become like God and experience all the
happiness this life has to offer. It is not about just 'being okay'
with things as they are. There is more to life and it is at our
fingertips!
I know the Church is true. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost and
the miraculous manifestations of the glory of God in every aspect of
this work. I will not back down from my testimony! The Book of Mormon
is the word of God and Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God and we have
revelation in our day! God is not silent and man can't make Him
silent. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. He lives! The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is his church on the earth in
beautiful simplicity and great glory. It is the work of God and will
go forth boldly and nobly until it had penetrated every continent and
sounded in every ear until the great Jehovah shall say the work is
done.
Wow, that felt so good. That needed to get out. Whoo!
I love you all and miss you so much! There is a huge thunderstorm
going on and we're under severe storm watch. Should be fun. :)
I LOVE YOU!!
Raye
1-4 Crazy amazing clouds after
the storm. :)
5-7 Archery with the Hermes
family.
9-10 Sister Griffiths and I
11- Me and my favorite cat, Zangray
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