Drop-kicking The Bucket - December 15, 2014

Howdy Howdy my Family and Friends!!

This is my last e-mail as a set apart missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It is SO crazy! AH! I'm not going to lie though, I had one heck of a last week, and the most non and less-active members of my entire MISSION show up to church on my last Sunday! :D

God is IN the details, and tenacity really pays off! Sister Clark and I were able to accomplish all of our goals for the transfer, and one of them (which we have been praying about for the last 6 weeks!!!) was to find a family to teach, and we met them this past Tuesday! :D It was AMAZING! They literally JUST moved into town, and they are so sweet. A young couple (younger than me! ...my missionary 'death' is making me feel old, and... man, I'm just feeling old haha) with 2 beautiful little girls! Anyway, they are wonderful, and I'm sad I won't get to teach them much, but I'm really grateful that God knows each of us and His timing is perfect! :D  

Saying "goodbye"/ "see you later" has been surprisingly not too difficult! I mean, I've definitely shed a few tears, bearing my testimony last week, during my talk this week, and talking with some of the members about occasions that will unite us again. But, it's nice to be confident in God and His timing and to know that there are many ways to keep in touch in the world today.

I am just so incredibly grateful for the time I've been able to spend here in Childress! On a member's wall this week I saw a cute little sign that said:
"Home is having a place to stay, Family is having someone to love, and having both is a blessing."

I loved that so much, and something that I've really been able to experience here on my mission is the truth of those few words! In a lot of ways I feel like I'm leaving "home" just because my heart has just grown so much here! And, these amazing people really have become family to me...

Through a lot of tearful goodbyes I've been reflecting on the pros and cons of loving people... just because it's so darn hard when you leave them, and agh... there has to be something easier right? haha, well, you all know that John is my favorite, so this came to my mind:

John 15: 9-10 "As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love."

I know that we love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and loving God allows us to grow in love for one another. President Uctdorf taught: "There are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings." And I really believe that, our time is short here on this earth, shorter than any of us can imagine, and I am just so eternally grateful for the hope and joy and love that we get to experience! And that these experiences prepare us for the even greater things to come.

I love God, I love my family, and I love having more than just one place to call home. I love the opportunities we get to grow with each other, and I'm grateful for God's perfect timing!

I'm sad to leave my home in Texas, but I'm grateful, so, so, soooo grateful to have my family to go home to also. :)

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

Pictures:

1- My last basketball with my lady bobcats this morning!

2- This is where the Texas Chain Saw Massacre happened!

3- Gas is OVER a dollar less than when I got here 4 1/2 months ago!

4- Sister Clark and I in our matching sweaters with our best friend necklaces!

5- Me and 'Lil Wayne (he thinks he could beat me up if he wanted to)

6- Hospital burritos!

7- You know you're in Texas when...

8- Nothing says comp unity like PINEAPPLE PANTS! #ilovesisterclark!!!!!

"Life is hard, that's the POINT, not the problem!" - December 8, 2014

Howdy howdy family and friends!

So, it's been an exciting week! So, I found this quote (the title of this e-mail) in my notes earlier, and it kind of went with the week. :P

So as y'all know, from last week's e-mail we were a little sick start to the week, but we rallied it up, and we got to work, and it. was. FANTASTIC! God KNOWS exactly what we need, and He definitely answers our prayers. :)

One Wednesday, we finally got to work the entire day, and we went to a little bitty town, Estelliene, where Danny met someone he said that we should go see, and we went out there and met a woman named Charley! She's so sweet, 83 years old, and full of energy! We found out on Friday (when we saw her again!) that she even cuts her own lawn, in the summer time... she's waiting on someone to help her with her roof, but I have no doubt she'd be up there herself if she could make it up a ladder! :P Anyway, we went over there, and at first she thought that Sister Clark was my MOM, and then thought that we were Jehovah Witnesses, haha, but we got to talking with her some more, and found a framed pass-along card in her living room lol! But it was good, we talked with her about Christ, and #HeIsTheGift, and then answered some of her questions about what we believe. On our way out, she cried with gratitude because she knew that we were truly sent from God to see her that day, and she felt the Spirit that we carry with us... that was amazing to me, just another witness that God is truly mindful of His children, we are all of such great importance to Him!

This week was highlighted a lot on Estelliene, because we went back on Friday (to see Charley) and we also met with a man named Mark (and his two neighbors Joe, and Jaime)... we got to bring Danny with us, and it was perfect, because he actually graduated high school there, and KNEW the men that we saw! haha, they played ball, and beat each other up back in the day, it was an amazing reunion, and seeing Danny glow as he was reunited with old friends was amazing to me!

On a sorrowful note, the baptism we were supposed to have this week has been postponed until after I leave Childress. :( Nevertheless, God is good, and I know that His will is being done... it lightens my heart to know that the trials we go through truly are for our benefit and God looks forward to our successes, rather than back on our transgressions, we just need to do the same. We are given obstacles to grow and become strengthened! :) I LOVE IT! (though, not always in the moment :P)

We got to go to the temple on Saturday, and I felt very blessed to be able to go and learn more, and, as usual, I got to see some of my Hobbs family there! :) It was AMAZINGGGG!!!! :D :D :D As hard as it is going to be to leave, I am looking forward to being able to attend the temple more often, and learning there, I really do feel that everything just comes together so much better in there. :)

Also, it was the BEST Sunday ever this Sunday, fast and testimony meeting, and I felt like I needed to get up there, especially after Sister Wyatt bore such a strong testimony of the blessings of the gospel and reflected on a lesson we took her with us to this week, and then spoke of the lasts she is having with her son, as he is leaving for his mission after the school year is over. The Spirit was making me cry a little! :P But they were happy tears, it was good to get up there, I feel I've learned a lot of the doctrine of conversion my entire mission, but I've really seen and experienced conversion the most here in Childress with the close tight-knit family they do have here, even though a lot of the members are spread out over a vast area. I got a little choked up there, it was good, and I was just so filled with gratitude. I know I'm the set-apart teacher, but I've been learning so much and it's all coming together at the end of my mission.

The most important thing though that stood out to me was that earlier that day I had this feeling that I could not be any happier or more content. And I know that that was true, but I know I've felt it before and it was true as well! I know that as I continue to follow the path the Lord wants me to take that I will continue to just be happier and happier, to be filled to a point where I feel I can't be filled anymore, and that I'll become exactly who I was intended to become since I chose to be here on the earth.

I love each of you! It's weird to think I'll be in Florida next week! I'm giving a talk on Sunday, and it feels like it's more of a farewell than the one I gave before my mission, haha but, I know that God's timing is perfect, and we're always blessed as we do His work. Just like He doesn't stop, neither does His work!

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

Pictures!

1- Christmas Lights in Texas hahahaha! :D

2- We sealed our hardwood floor! :) I've learned all kinds of home construction out here! from wiring to hanging walls to painting to flooring! Watch out!!

3- Amber and I, with my new hat she gave me for my birthday! :D

4- Everyone at the temple!

5- Brother White, and his favorite Sisters!

6- Best. District. EVER!

7- LOVE this nativity!

8- My favorite redneck :)

The Struggle Bus is Real! ...and it Broke Down in Childress! - December 1, 2014

Howdy howdy family and friends!

So, at a recent Zone Conference our wonderful Mission Mom (Sister Heap) started a new phrase (the Struggle Bus) when she said that President got on it that morning. haha, so this week has been a rollercoaster, and it ended with the struggle bus breaking down in Childress, so get excited to hear about that haha.

But we'll start with the good stuff! Sister Clark (along with some awesome neighbors and help) succeeded in making the celebration of the completion of 23 years of life the BEST ever! I think my birthdays that fall on Thanksgiving end up being the most memorable :P

But, yeah, last Monday our neighbor started off the week with making me a 3 tier birthday cake! And delicious Mexican casserole, we had cake again on Tuesday at our district meeting, crazyness on exchanges following that, the STL's helped make Wednesday the be Birthday-eve ever, then my actual birthday was just filled with SO much Thanksgiving fun (I got sung to by a lot of strangers, we had Thanksgiving with the Keys clan, 4 generations of them! (and one generation has 10 kids in one family!), we played football and someone even pulled over to take a picture for Me and Sister Clark, when we were taking a picture near a Childress sign!) and then the struggle bus pulled up and I was just kind of knocked out Friday and Saturday with the flu, and then Sister Clark got it yesterday... 

I have honestly never been so sick in my life, as I was on Friday, I felt like a little kid, because it just hurt to move, open my eyes, or even lay there, I didn't even have enough strength to open a bottle of water and y'all know I"m not a wimp! :P haha, when Sister Clark made me eat 2 bites of banana with the medicine she gave me, we were both surprised that I just burst into tears! :(

I finally got feeling well enough Saturday to go out for a couple hours, but by Sunday everything except my stomach was pretty functionable! :)

Anyways, the missionary work this week went great too! Even better than birthday festivities. We had one of the BEST district meetings of my mission, and we were able to really see Heavenly Father's PERFECT timing at work during exchanges!! :D Also, Scottie, our wonderful recent convert, Danny's nephew is going to be baptized this coming week!

So, so soooo much goodness. Since I can't talk about everything, because time is really running out, I just want to talk about the 2 highlights of the week: 1- Heavenly Father's timing and 2- Service in Quanah!

First, Heavenly Father's timing, so we had my last exchanges this week with Sisters Plante and McFarland, and we had surprise construction on our house start haha, so literally EVERYTHING was moved around in our house, and we couldn't cook for almost 2 days because they were sanding the floor, and part of our front wall to our house was missing hahaha! But it all worked out sooooo perfectly, because, we really needed an extra set of missionaries with the appointments we had set up, and we taught literally every hour we were out! Heavenly Father knows what's up! And later that night when I was a little anxious, becasue the house was a wreck, y'all know I like things organized right... anyway, he answered a really simple prayer, and I woke up, in the same disorganized house the next morning with no anxiety! :) 

Second, SERVICE IN QUANAH! this overlaps a little with Heavenly Father's timing, because having the other sisters here was sorely needed for help in the kitchen on Wednesday (good thing we were all Sister Missionaries!!) Then we got up early and spent 4 hours thanksgiving morning in Quanah and made over 200 meals for people in town and in some of the surrounding areas too! It was probably my favorite service activity that I've ever done, I'm excited to try and top it next year! :P

Ah! Well, my time is far spent, but I love, love, LOOOOVEEEEE you! and my scripture for the week is:
Alma 34:38 "That ye contend no more against the Holy Ghost, but that ye receive it, and take upon you the name of Christ; that ye humble yoursleves even to the dust, and worship God, in whatsoever place ye may be in, in spirit and in truth; and that ye live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you."

Keep looking for truth, searching for the spirit, and living in gratitude! I'll do the same!

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann lagrosa

Pictures:

1- Football on Thanksgiving!

2- Struggle Bus Day 1

3- Sunday Night :(

4- The front wall of our house kind of missing!

5- Our Quanah Crew on Thanksgiving day!

6- Birthday Flowers from my Mommy and Pops :D

7- Making sure those teeth sparkle!

8- Awk district pic, we made the elders try to look like they love each other :P

9- Yep, I'm a 23 year old woman, and we took a picture next to "Butts" road

10- Our Thanksgiving assembly line!

#ShareTheG​ift - November 24, 2014

Oh boy oh boy oh boy!

First off: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! (on the 26th!!) Thank you for being born, and then giving birth to me 30 years and one day later.... even though you'll always be 40 to me :) 

Well, to all of my other family and friends who I love, and I'm also quite delighted with the fact that y'all were born too, but not as excited as my mother's birth, anyway, I love you all! And I'm happy to be writing to you today about the FANTASTIC week that I was able to have! :D 

Can I just start with saying how fantastic Thanksgiving time is? In sacrament meeting yesterday Brother Jones, who isn't a member, but is married to one here in Childress got up and bore his testimony about families, and how this is really the best time of the year, and there are a LOT of families in town. :) It's exciting stuff, family is amazing! I think the only missionary rule I'm struggling with is not holding babies! They are so cute! Ah, anyway, there are so many blessings that come from the work out here, and I really am feeling SO blessed to be out here working at the BEAUTIFUL time of the year!

The highlights of this last week included a fun zone conference, service, rapping, another frozen 5K Friday and teaching, teaching, and learning! Oh man, there were many random times throughout the week that we were working, and I just got this feeling of homesickness, like I already miss being out here, I already miss Childress, and my companion, and the mission life, and I just feel so blessed to be able to have joy in my time out here. It's humbling, and comforting all at the same time. :P

At Zone Conference we learned about the Share the gift initiative that the church is doing this holiday season! :D (Can I just say that I LOVE the Christmas Spirit!!!?!??!??!!) Ah! So, SO, SOOOO exciting! This is truly the best time of the year! :D But, basically on the 28th there's going to be a video on youtube, and it's gong to be awesome, it's short, and it just helps us to remember Jesus Christ, and how He was the first gift. So as we discover Him, we feel a change in our lives. As we embrace Him, those changes last, and then we have to share our testimony of Him because of how mush joy comes from His love! :D So we each get to Discover the Gift, Embrace the Gift, and Share the Gift! :D This video is even BETTER than the #becauseofHim video we put out for Easter! 

Oh, man, so besides that we were REALLY spiritually fed on Tuesday, and it was weird to be with 4 other sisters in our zone who are all going home in a few weeks! TIME HAS FLOWN! And yet we are still learning! It is a personal life goal of mine to just always keep learning and feeling like there is no possible way I could learn any more. :)

Service this week was AMAZING!!!! We got to paint (and it was Sister Clark's first time as a missionary!) and we helped out at the food drive, and it was probably the most fun we have EVER had! ...also just in saying hi to everyone I've realized just how long I've spent here, because I feel like we know half the town and half the town knows us, because we are those crazy girls that ride our bikes in skirts around town. :P hahaha, anyway, it was fun. We randomly got a load of ice cream in, and a few boxes got squished, and we were a little hungry becasue we moved like 800 pounds of food to give out, and it was lunch time, so we had some ice cream, and took some goofy pictures! :P One of the men who always helps out, Tom, is diabetic, and there were sugar free pops in there, and he had about 8 of them... after the 6th he said: "I don't feel so good!" and 15 minutes later... "... I guess it's time for another one!" hahaha, this town is really the best! 

Last highlight... we rapped for the young women on Wednesday night, to help out with an activity they had, and we taught them about service! It was SO MUCH FUN! I haven't rapped in awhile, but I taught cute little sister Clark to beat box, and we rapped about how serving is fun to do! 

It was a great, great week, and we are so excited for another week of fun and service, and we are looking forward to playing football on Thursday!!! Also, sister Clark is determined to make this the best birthday week of my life... and she already is, even though surprises are hard when you're around someone 24/7, but we're having fun, and always on the run! Teaching and learning... this really is the LIFE!

DON'T FORGET! On the 28th (yes black Friday!!) everyone needs to go to: christmas.mormon.org and Discover the gift. Embrace the gift. and Share the gift! :D

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

Pictures!:

1- For my LAST zone conference Sister Clark and I got our outfits from the back of our closet! :D

2- Fun Selfie with our Branch Mission leader, Bro Burcham, and our Elders (Thomas and Winward!) :D We remind them daily that we are their favorite Sister Missionaries!

3- We painted our names on the wall!

4- All bundled up and eating ice cream!

5- One of our members walking his dog, in his golf cart! It reminded me of Florida! :D

Walking in a Winter Wonderland​! :D - November 17, 2014

Hello hello family and friends!!

I love you all so much! And boy oh how it has been one heck of a week! :D

We got almost 6 inches of SNOW yesterday (see pictures!) and it was sooooooo great! We didn't have an ice scraper in our little Jeepster, and it was taking way too long to warm up/defrost, AND Sister Clark was speaking (which was great by the way!), so we decided it would be a BRILLIANT idea to just walk to church... it worked out pretty well! Also, a member saw us on our way and made us take a ride haha :P But, we proved a little more of our toughness to our branch, even though they already knew, and we had a lesson right after church in apartments right next to the church. Sadly though they cancelled on us, but got to meet a really nice lady who picked us up while we were walking home and it was coming down HARD. Blessings for tenacity I guess. :P We got to play in it for a minute during our lunch break, we made snow angels, and I drew "mormon.org" on our front lawn with my footsteps! :D We got to go out for the rest of the night, and were encouraged to not drive around, so we got to walk and try to see some people, and it was fun!

Previously in the week we got to do A LOTTT! We drove up to Amarillo on Tuesday for a big missionary meeting, worked in a kitchen at the Quanah hospital on Wednesday for 7 hours prepping for their Thanksgiving that we'll get to serve at in two weeks! We diced 25 stalks of celery, and 20 pounds of onions! As well as made some DELICIOUS banana pudding, and helped serve out lunch for the hospital! :D Also this week, we just had a lot of fun trying to find more people to teach and work with. 

One of the missionaries in our branch is just a couple months out, and he keeps reminding me of how close to death I am (missionary death that is... and for some reason I'm also reminded of how old I am... I'm SO not that old! :P) anyway, I've been thinking about how this last couple months of my mission has been, and how many changes I've seen in me, and the people that I've served around, and just the growth that I've been able to witness.

Even though it's super frustrating sometimes when people aren't committed like you know God wants them to be (myself included...) Heavenly Father is patient, and works with us each individually and on His timetable. It's pretty incredible the number of miracles we get to experience, great and small. From learning truth to getting picked up when that snow is falling harder than ever! God always provides a way, and no matter how weak or feeble we may seem, He just loves us, and allows us to make the choice to come closer to Him. 

Over and over again I keep learning that we cannot compel anyone to be humble or accept God's plan. We need only to invite others to listen, teach with the Spirit, and make sure that I continue to become more converted each day. 

It's pretty fool proof, I guess that's why God trust's us young kids to teach it. :P

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

Pictures:

1- Us freezing a little when we started walking to church :P

2- fun during our lunch break!

3- 5 K Friday in the FREEZING COLD!!!

4- Putting my cook's coat to good use in the Quanah kitchen! :P

5- We have 5 Sister Missionaries in our branch! (3 of them are Sr. Couples serving at the triangle ranch, but it's so fun to have so many name tags at church!)

6- Sister Clark and I got matching shirts for our Thanksgiving 5K we are running! :D

7- We may have worn some matching outfits on accident :P

 

 

 

So much love! - November 10, 2015

Howdy howdy family and friends!

Wow, transfer week has been so incredibly FAST!!! After making sure Sister Carroll got to say goodbye to almost everyone in Childress (you really get to know a lot of people in 6 months!) We drove to Amarillo and I got my new companion Sister Clark late Tuesday night. And thus commenced the last 6 weeks of my missionary life! 

Also, fun fact about Childress: Our population is a little over 6,000 people, but 2,000 of them are inmates at the prison!!!! Don't worry, we aren't allowed to proselyte there. :P

We've been running every morning, and it's the BEST! :D With the daylight savings time, we have light again in the mornings, and we get to go out to those country roads! :D <3 <3 :D also, two of our young women are on the basketball team (GO BOBCATS!) and we shoot with them for a little bit 3 mornings a week now! Because they practice after seminary, and before school starts! :) It's the best because I've not been able to shoot a basketball without incredible pain in about 19 months because of my pinched nerve! So life is so good, we're training for our Thanksgiving 5K on my birthday! :) 

The very first thing we got to do as a companionship was go to a neighboring town, Quanah, and give some service at the hospital there, and with Thanksgiving coming up, they were really excited to have us help out in the kitchen! So I'm going to have the best Thanksgiving ever because we'll probably be doing a few hours of service helping to feed some of the people of Quanah! :) Also, I get to wear my chef coat from my bakery days! (I may have impressed Wendy, the head dietary consultant at the hospital with my bakery resume experience. :P) But, yessss, missionary work is so much fun, and we have some amazing, big goals for the transfer ahead of us! On Sunday, Sister Clark and I were called twins! haha, we're both kinda short, with really dark hair! :P 

So, to get some kind of order in this e-mail, I'll get to some of the actual WORK, work we've been doing. There have been so many ups and downs with the people we have been blessed to teach the past few weeks, but we are super SUPER excited for Scottie-boy (the Nephew of Danny-boy). He came to church on Sunday and announced that he will be getting baptized on the 23rd. He has grown SO much since we met him back in August! And, I'm super excited for everything he's going to do to help those around him here in Childress, and just in life. I think the biggest change I've seen is the perspective change he's seen as he's watched Danny change, and just seen it not just last, but also, has seen him progress, and become even stronger!

I think that's one of the biggest things that I've learned out here, and I've seen change in myself too, doing things on the Lord's time, and in His way, with His authority creates LASTING change.

1 Corinthians 15:10 "But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

It's interesting how much I've learned about grace out here, it's not just a once and done revelation or epiphany, but it's continual growth, change and increase. As we become stronger, we can grow and do more, as we grow and do more, we become stronger! Don't you love how the gospel works? :)

With all of my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

 

Pictures! (there's gonna be A LOT of these happening this last little bit! :D)

 

1- Sister Clark and I and Danny-boy, he got her hard-boiled eggs from the store as a good redneck welcome to Childress! :P

2- Our first new companionship picture!

3- My last little buzz before I go back! O_O

4- It was David's birthday this week, and since Sister Clark is Italian, and David adopted me as his sister, we had to get a family pic. :P

5- My FAVORITE puppy ever Chiquita. <3

 

 

Chapter 13: Living in gratitude! - November 3, 2014

Howdy howdy my beautiful family and friends!

So, it came to pass that transfer calls were called, and Sister Lagrosa is finishing out the last days of her mission in Sweet, Sweet Childress Texas! :) Sadly though, I will not be ending it with my sweet, sweet Sister Carroll, she's moving off to Abeline. But my 15th (and hopefully final) companion will be Sister Clark! She's a big 'ol ball of energy, so it'll be a great last 6 weeks.

There's really so much to write about, it's hard to even know where to start! The highlight of the week was that we had our mission tour, and Elder Pino (of the Quorum of the 70) came, with his wife and they, in addition to President and Sister Heap addressed to us. It. Was. AMAZING!! The struggle is real in this world, like mental, physical, emotional and spiritual roller coasters that make you a little motion sick. I've been searching for some answers to questions I'm not really sure of... you know what I'm saying? Anyway, it really just spoke right to my heart, and I am so grateful to be able to be taught by the Spirit! When you teach by the Spirit, it's like one of those memory foam mattresses, one mattress will be perfect for anyone, but it is only because it takes shape to their needs. Heavenly Father's plan really is perfect... even if analogies aren't ;)

My testimony that Heavenly Father really DOES answer prayers was reaffirmed this week, with learning from the mission tour, receiving priesthood blessings, and hearing the testimonies of members of our branch, I've just felt so much of Heavenly Father's love, not only for me, but the love that He has for all of His children. It's sobering, as we take a step back from all of the intricate details of life to see how truly amazing the big picture is that Heavenly Father has created for us, He really is in everything, and I just feel SO blessed to not just know it, but to experience it.

I've been going through an incredible process of humbling lately, and I can't help but chuckle a little inside, because looking back at my mission, it's been a fun ride, I'm glad to be here, and to be experiencing so much of the gospel while I, as unqualified as I am, am teaching it. The Gospel is simple, and it's true! Heavenly Father is so good to His children, and he speaks to us all the time, it's up to us to choose to listen.

I was reading in 2 Nephi 4:15-19 this morning:

 15 And upon these I write the things of my soul, and many of the scriptures which are engraven upon the plates of brass. For my soul delighteth in the scriptures, and my heart pondereth them,and writeth them for the learning and the profit of my children.

 16 Behold, my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard.

 17 Nevertheless, notwithstanding the great goodness of the Lord,in showing me his  great and marvelous works, my heart exclaimeth: O wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.

 18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

 19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

I love the scriptures so much, and I bolded one of my favorite words in the scriptures that Nephi uses. Nephi counts his blessings, and he rejoices in the work God has called him to do, nevertheless, he is still sorrowing because of affliction, nevertheless "I know in whom I have trusted." Affliction is part of this world we live in, however, there is always a "nevertheless" amidst our greatest trials.

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

pictures: 

1- The field is white already to harvest! :D

2- Gotta love mission conferences! :D

3- The best part of Texas, aside from the people ;)

 

 

 

"Come Thou Fount" - October 27, 2014

Howdy Howdy Family and Friends!!

Wow, this week has really FLOWN by!!! We have really just had SO much happen!! I put my awesome boots to work on an actual farm this week! We had exchanges, and I was reunited with Sister Plante again, and I was humbled to lose the Oreo Contest to Sister Smith :P, we had a 2 hour drive in some wicked rain to Amarillo for interviews with President Heap, lots and lots of biking, and we got to go to the temple with Danny on Saturday! What an experience!! :D

I just feel so blessed to be here, to be working hard, and to be seeing with a little more clarity just how beautiful the Lord's hand is in my life. 

It is so humbling and so wonderful to be able to just feel so deeply the truth that the Spirit teaches us! :D

The highlights of the week definitely centered around our exchanges, interviews and then our temple trip.

Before exchanges we were able to help out the Wyatt's on their farm (they are the cutest old couple!) They are the ones who started the Childress branch two generations ago with primary (the children's class) in their living room!! Brother Wyatt is about 74 years old, and he's been clearing some mesquite trees off a few acres of land they have, and we went to help them out so we could bring some wood to some of the people of Childress :) It was fun to get those boots to work, and then take a little ride around the property on his tractor! :D

During exchanges, we biked all over Childress, and it was quite the experience, we've been teaching this amazing youth, Eric, who is just waiting on some time to pass before he can be baptized, and we were with him, and his best friend, Richard, sat down with us, and he is about 14 years old, and has lost his faith in God... and for being here in the south, that's kind of a big deal. It was amazing to listen to his questions, and see what stuck out to him in what we were reading with Eric, and notice the parallels that stuck out to me when I was learning from the missionaries. I don't think I had nearly the intelligence in the questions he spoke, but something that stood out to him was in  Alma 13:28 when we were talking about repentance: "...ye would humble yourselves before the Lord, and call on his holy name, and watch and pray continually, that ye may not be tempted above that which ye can bear, and thus be led by the Holy Spirit..." I love that Richard's spirit recognized that he really isn't alone, and it stood out to him that he could not be tempted above that which he could bear. That stuck out to me too, even before my faith ignited, how could I have been able to bear all the sorrows of the world? Well, the good news is we don't have to, not by ourselves anyway, we have a Savior, and He helps us through every single step!

Interview were great! I realized even deeper something we all already knew, I'm a little crazy :P haha but it's good. After the interview, Wednesday evening, I had an experience like the people of King Benjamin in Mosiah 4, as they viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even as less than the dust of the earth... whew, was that an experience, it's true what Ether wrote in chapter 12 verse 27 that if we come unto Christ we will be shown our weaknesses. And now, my testimony is even greater that the Atonement is real, and is truly for us to use, we just need to learn how to... and it's not something you learn from a book, you experience it, you really do get to experience conversion while gaining an understanding of the Savior.

And to top off the entire week, we went to the temple with Danny and it was amazing!! We were able to help him with his genealogy a little, and we were able to do some of the work for his family! :) It was an amazing experience, and I kind of feel like a proud mom haha! The cherry on top of the icing on the cake was that when we were in Lubbock, I was able to see some of the members from Midland, and Hobbs! 

This entire week was just an incredible experience, and I know that Heavenly Father's timing is perfect, I'm grateful for the Lord's hand in my life, and I'm grateful for the relationships we are able to forge and edify while we are here on this earth. His love is real, the way is perfect, and we get to grow a little more each day.What more could we ask for in life? 

:)

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

Pictures:
1- Danny-boy and his two spirit moms at the temple! :D

2- Me and Brother Wyatt cruising after clearing some mesquite trees! 

3- Exchanges = Oreo Contest... I lost.. TWICE! :( haha

4- The SPIDERS are bigger in Texas! :P Found this little guy... (the size of the palm of my hand!!) while we were hauling wood and clearing brush on the farm. :)

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