Elderettes​! - July 21, 2014

Howdy howdy family and friends!

So, this week has been rather wonderful! Sister Hoover and I had the brilliant idea of printing off a picture of us eating Jack Jordan's (it's a bbq place in Odessa that we eat at when we're away from Midland because we don't have anywhere to go for dinner haha, but they feed missionaries for free, which is a plus!) and, well, we wrote "thank you!" on it, and they put it on their wall! The manager always greets us with a big "HEY! ELDERETTES!" and we love it! Haha, upside to being a missionary, you're really noticed by people, and the ones that love you, really love you! haha, it makes up for some of the not-so-loving-ones out there. :P

Anyway, that but a little spring in our step as we went to work this week, and also, we had a fantastic district meeting, and our district leader, Elder Benbrook was pumping us up a little to help us all remember our positive traits, and he said: "Sister Lagrosa, you're just really diligent, and headstrong..." *que chuckles in the room* "... I mean, that's not what I meant, you work hard, and you go and get things done!" haha, oh man, I replied "Yep, I'll own it, haha" But that was really funny, I am a go getter, but I had that song "Headstrong" stuck in my head all WEEK after that!!! And I haven't even heard it in years! But, life is good, I've got goals this week to memorize some hymns, so that'll be helpful haha!

And the two highlights of the week come in the form of a talk by Elder Holland: "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" and member missionary work!

We'll start with the latter, because it's way more exciting!

So, we have two investigators (1 in first ward, Daan; and 1 in YSA, Bryan), who have committed to praying to know for themselves if the Book of Mormon is true, and if Joseph Smith restored the same exact church Jesus Christ established when He was on the earth, under the direction and power of God. They are both searching for truth! And, the reason we met both of them was through the members working hard, being examples, and opening their mouths to share the gospel! Daan received a copy of the Book of Mormon on an 18 hour plane ride, and is now good friends with the nice stranger that he was sitting next to, and was introduced to us by a member who saw him reading that Book when she was walking in their apartment complex! And Bryan is selling Vivant with some LDS guys, and he's had some really amazing examples all around him to show him just how much the restored gospel can bless someone's life! It really does fill my heart with joy (probably from the Spirit :P) to talk to those how are earnestly seeking truth, because I know that is the only way to find Christ... seeking Him is the only way! And He is the way the truth and the life, and that's a pretty big deal!

And lastly, "Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" this talk has really changed my life, really and truly, I'm not exactly sure how to say it in words, but I'd like to invite each of you to read it, and think about the good decisions you have made in your life. :)

Here's a couple of my favorite quotes from the talk:

"It is the plain and very sobering truth that before great moments, certainly before great spiritual moments, there can come adversity, opposition, and darkness. Life has some of those moments for us, and occasionally they come just as we are approaching an important decision or a significan step in our lives."

"Don't give up when the pressure mounts. Certainly don't give in to that being who is bent on the destruction of your happiness. Face your doubts. Master your fears. 'Cast not away therefore your confidence.' Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold for you."

"...along with the illuminating revelation that points us toward a righteous purpose or duty, God will also provide the means and power to achieve that purpose. Trust in that eternal truth."

It's pretty amazing that there is eternal truth in this world, in the world, but not of the world.

I love you!

With all my heart,

Sister Heather Ann Lagrosa

...and of course, pictures! :D

So the YSA's had a kayaking trip this weekend, and since we couldn't go, Sister Hoover and I decided to make our own canoeing fun out of our bathtub. :P

​So we found this fishing pole behind a trash can the other day haha, and since we have been called to be "fishers of men" we decided to keep it and hang it on our wall... and then do some fishing off the balcony! (haha don't worry, the reel was trashed, so it doesn't actually work :P)

Oh hey, and Sister Dawes turned 20 yesterday, which makes me feel old now, haha but I made us some roast and potatoes, and ​we had a nice Sister's dinner, it was a good time. :D

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