Chapter 9: Heavenly Father Knows What's Up! - May 19, 2014

Howdy howdy family and friends!

 

So transfer calls happened again, buuuuut first thing I've gotta say is:

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACY!!!

I wouldn't be out here without you inviting me to know truth for myself friend! You are amazing, and I'm getting there ;)

 

Haha, okay, everyone knows that I know I too am amazing, which is why I'm starting off (secondly) with this quote by Marianne Williamson:

"Out deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our won fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

 

I've been learning A LOT about humility and faith this past year (and let's be honest, my ENTIRE life) but I've been able to actually see it more tangibly this past year... Something I hope to always be able to say is "I didn't know it was possible to love more!"... or to have more faith, or happiness... because I know when I feel full, or stretched, through trials or blessings from my trials of faith, I know without doubt that I'm coming closer to who Heavenly Father knows I can be.

 

And with that, the transfer news!

So we had some surprises this week... I got my 13th companion for a few days this weekend, and I got to serve in my old area (Midland 3rd ward) again! Sister Archibald is awesome, and it was neat to see that there were some people who I had met 7 months ago who are now baptized and active members of the church! The Lord's timing is so great! And we got to have another 6 hours of church on Sunday!

 

All this serving in 2 areas, and having 4 new companions craziness this transfer prepared me for my call, because, even though I'm staying here in Midland (and frowny face both Sisters Archibald and Kramer are leaving) I'm going to be serving in both Midland 1st Ward and the Young Single Adult (YSA) branch here! So, I've got 5 hours of church to look forward to every week (the times overlap), and I'm actually going to be reunited with my first companion in the field THE Sister Hoover! We'll be hitting our year mark together, but right now I'm at 5 moves, 7 areas, 11 months, 13 companions... lots of awesome prime numbers lol.

 

Sister Archibald, Kramer & Lagrosa

(We stayed up late waiting for our calls)

 

God is good! The Church is true! Being a missionary is the BEST... even though it's hard and crazy unpredictable, be we always have a good time, and we are indeed happy in the Lord's service!

 

Oh, and hey, I can almost do the splits!
(Don't let the smile deceive you... it's a little painful) :P

 

All my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

"It's His good news that we bring!" - May 11, 2014

"As we labor gladly bringing souls to Christ!"

(Sister Kramer, Tanya [the reason I'm here in Midland], and Me :D)

Howdy howdy family and friends!

 

This week was truly amazing! So much happened! We were blessed to have an extra special day celebrating our mothers, and speaking with our families, our little group of missionaries here in Midland were able to got to the temple, and Tanya was baptized on Saturday, and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Mother's day yesterday!

 

I feel so blessed to have been able to meet this amazing woman, who has really overcome so much, and has been such an amazing example of how we are not only saved by Christ's grace, but we are changed by it. No number of words could describe how pure and giving her heart is, and I know that she is going to just continue to bless SO many people's lives here in Midland! She told me yesterday: "I will always be here for you when you fall. Now, it doesn't mean you're not grounded, but I'll be here for you!" Tanya is such a wonderful example!

 

We were so blessed to be able to go to the temple this week also! I learned a lot, and as we were pondering some questions I had, I was reading the scriptures in Spanish, and received an answer! Now, I don't know Spanish, and the English scriptures were being read by some other missionaries, but it was so amazing to realize just a little bit deeper that spiritual truths are learned spiritually, and even though I only understood a few of the words that were written, I was still able to receive direction... that is truly amazing.

 

Another blessing from attending the temple is that I was able to see Sister Sears, from Hobbs (my last area), and it was just so wonderful! I knew she worked in the temple on Thursdays before I went up there, and it was just really amazing to be able to see her!

 

So we've been doing a lot of finding lately, just trying to find new people to teach, and there are some really rich people up here! There was a mansion with this awesome lion in front of it that we had to get a picture with. :)

 

We've decided that we are going to take out some of the laurels (girls 16+) with us each week to show them a little more about what missionary work is like, and when we went to their class yesterday to get some of their times for availability, one of the sisters said "I'm basically free all day, every day! Call ME!!!" It was really funny, and amazing, I love the alacrity of the members here, and their desire to share the restored gospel. :)

 

Some fun things about missionary work this week:
1) We've been making good use of the crock pot, and made some amazing bbq chicken!

2) We mostly just study or sleep when we are at home, and we realized that our apartment has developed horizontal surface disorder (any horizontal surface ends up messy!)

3) Sister Kramer is my first companion that didn't really grow up in the church, and I'm her first also, so it's really funny when people are talking about primary songs, or some organizational things that we're both still learning we look at each other and shrug, then laugh. It's pretty much the best. :P

One last thing before I'm out for this week:
I was reading in the last chapter of Luke while reflecting on Christ's Atonement and Resurrection during sacrament meeting, and These verses stood out to me:
Luke 24:30-33

(30) And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. (31) And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. (32) And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

 

It just reminded me of John 14: 26-27 when Christ promises that the Holy Ghost will testify of the things He spoke to them and bring all things which He taught to their remembrance. We really do need to learn truth not only with logic, but with the confirmation of the Spirit.

 

Isn't the gospel such good news!?!?!

 

It is indeed! :)

 

I love you with all of my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagros

Sister Kramer: A Boss - May 5, 2014

Oh wow,

So the craziness has settled a LOT, and life got back to missionary normal this week! My new companion is Sister Kramer!! (I went from my 9th companion to my 12th companion in the last month! That's crazy! But it's awesome) It's wonderful to look back and really see how everything came together, and how things ended up with both of us here.

We're going to be doing a LOT of knocking this transfer, but Sister Kramer was trained here, so she knows the ward at least a little bit better than I do, and we're going to be just increasing the missionary-work excitement that's already going on here. It's nice to have just one ward to keep track of haha. Also, as the title of this e-mail indicates, Sister Kramer, is indeed a boss missionary, I don't think I've ever had so much fun while knocking, and 99% of people don't want to talk to us... but we know we are here for a reason, and we're finding our purpose together. :)

 

(We switched glasses for a little so funny! Also, notice the tan line. Yeah, you can be impressed :P)

 

Oh man, what else what else? Well, we are teaching an amazing woman named Tanya who Sister Kramer actually found when she was first here, I'll tell you more next week! We're excited!

 

All I can say is that life is really good, and I've never been more excited to be a missionary. Something that is really amazing that's settled in this past couple weeks... I understood with my head before, but not completely in my heart, that I really need to give all of myself to everyone that we have the privilege of speaking with, because I'm on very limited, borrowed time out here! So even if we talk to someone who is just not interested, or doesn't like us, before we walk up to the next door, or talk to the next person we see, I get the opportunity to refocus and actually see that person as a child of God, and remember how much He loves them, and wants them to know about the restored gospel.

 

1 Corinthinans 2:9-13 ( https://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/1-cor/2?lang=eng )have been really inspirational for me, because I know that it's not just the words that I speak, but the Spirit, the intention and the love that I get to speak with. The only way to know of spiritual things is spiritually! And I'm glad I've been able to cross that intellectual-spiritual knowledge gap the past couple weeks, because I feel very, very blessed to be out here doing His work, for His children, on His time.

 

I love you each so much! I wish I could e-mail my heart to show you how it feels! Have an amazing week, and don't forget to do something wonderful for your moms!

 

All my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

1- Me and Sister Kramer in our matching Plan of Salvation shirts!

2- my 3-week trio companionship on Easter. <3

3- This cat followed us home after working out twice this week!

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"Have you heard of the Restored Gospel?" - April 28, 2014

Howdy there family and friends!

 

...well, get excited! It's been another crazy week, and it's going to get even crazier!

 

We finally got into a good groove, and accepted the fact that we'd be covering two wards, and balancing all the craziness. We were really excited! And then we got a call last night, and sadly Sister Jones is leaving 1st ward. But good news! Her companion is finally coming out from the MTC! But the crazy news is that Sister Savage is also leaving 1st ward, and we don't know who is coming in, and Sister Savage doesn't know where she's going! I'm pretty sure this has been the most confused 3 weeks of my life haha, and I really didn't think it could get any crazier, and it does. So I don't know who my new companion is going to be, but I think only one sister is coming in, and I do know for a fact that I am staying here... hopefully for a little bit longer than 3 weeks!

 

I'm pretty sure Heavenly Father's just given me an opportunity to strengthen the realization I had last week that I can do this, no matter what. And, honestly, amongst all the seemingly chaotic events, there has been order, and in the crazy stress and anxiety there has been peace. I'm now more confident than ever that I'm supposed to be here in Midland, of all places in the TLM, and I know in my heart and my mind that this is the Lord's work. I'm grateful that I am able to use His strength and that I don't have to rely on my own, because, wow, I'd have been a gonner from the beginning. haha

 

But, many mighty miracles have come our way this week! We were able to have two investigators at church yesterday, who stayed for all three hours! (I'm pretty sure we were the only ones there for 6 lol. But it was great, and I learned SO much!

 

Also, we've been able to have better conversations with people that we just get to randomly meet. Even though it's been a struggle making time to find people that don't run in the other direction when they see our nametags, we've been able to teach the restoration while street-contacting. It's been wonderful! Almost everyone down here loves Jesus, and when we talk to them about Him, and His gospel, I think they see us more as who we are as representatives of Him, instead of weird girls in skirts with nametags. It's amazing to realize at the end of a 5-10 minute interaction that 1- people are receiving our message, even though we seem like kids to them! and 2- that the reason they are listening is because the Spirit is there, and it's strong and we really aren't the true teachers out here, but our words carry light and truth, and that is what teaches and feeds the soul.

 

It's wonderful to feel this hunger for the truth and the gospel... a deeper understanding of my Savior's Atonement and my Heavenly Father's love. And it's amazing to recognize that hunger and know where I can be fed, reading the scriptures, praying, going to church, recognize blessings from keeping the commandments--all simple things that are so deeply affecting. I know I have a lot of questions, that just like my faith, are going to be answered and built over time, as I do my best to fill my eternal potential... I thought about it this week in an analogy to getting sleep:

If I don't sleep it feels like I have more time to do things I want, but I'm not nearly as effective in a long-term situation, a week, a month, etc. But, in a one-or-two day perspective, sleep isn't important.

 

If I don't live the gospel, and spiritually feed myself, I have more time to do things that may be beneficial to me in the short term, but where would I be in eternity right?

 

I mean it doesn't make life easier, but it makes it make more sense, and I feel strengthened and confident in Who I know my strength comes from. Sister Jones reminded me last night of a quote by Elder Holland (on missionary work, and this is slightly paraphrased): "Why would this work be easy? It wasn't for Him. Christ did not come to earth to make the path easy, He came to make it possible..."

 

He came to make it possible!

 

To me... that means everything. All the progress that I am privileged to see in myself, and others... it's all possible because of Jesus Christ. I learned from a young age that nothing worth while in life would ever come without a cost. I'm starting to understand now the cost of eternal life. I am grateful that Jesus Christ makes it possible for me to have hope, and He is the perfect example for me, and He already paid the price for me. The way isn't easy, but it is possible!

 

2 Nephi 10:14 "...I, the Lord, the king of heaven, will be their king, and I will be a light unto them forever, that hear my words."

 

He is the light on our path, and I know as we hear the words of Christ, physically and spiritually, we are led to action, we do change, and it is evident in our lives. There is peace in the chaos, love in the hate, and light in the darkness. How do we know with surety? Because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

That, my friends is amazing.

 

I'll be sure to let you know who my new companion is next week! Get excited. I hope you find that peace in your lives this week! (Especially as you're turning 50 dad! ;) ) If you see some well-dressed kids with black name tags walking around, ask them how the restored gospel can bless your life. :)

 

Know that I love you all! God is great!

 

All my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

 

p.s. Hopefully there will be pictures next week!?!?