HELLLOOOOOOOO EVERYONE
HAPPY HALLOWEEN TOMORROW
**ps if you are not planning on reading this whole email feel free to scroll to the very end it is quality ok
By the way I love Sister McNary a lot she is so funny and is teaching me words from the world like “fam” and “lit” and “extra”
The desert is really nice right now, the weather is in the high 70s. It’s gotten to the point where anything below 70 degrees is basically freezing to me and is certified sweater weather. Maybe I just want an excuse to wear cardigans and sweaters? Or I’ve acclimated to the heat and will die next winter in Utah. Who knows
It’s been a great week!!! I have been focusing on humility a lot this week and it has been really wonderful. I have been feeling a lot more at peace with myself and who I am and it is refreshing.
We have been doing a lot of finding this week! We dropped some of our investigators who weren’t progressing, so we have been talking to lots of people and knocking on lots of doors and asking for lots of referrals. It’s been strange, because we feel like we are working so hard but not seeing many results yet. But it will happen! We will just keep moving forward and have faith that the Lord has big plans for us.
ALSO like twenty minutes ago President Dixon called us and told us that there will be people from the missionary dept coming to our mission this week, and ONE OF THEM WILL BE COMING OUT PROSELYTING WITH US ON SATURDAY. Noooo pressure haha, but I’m excited! He is a former mission president in Fresno, and I know we will learn a lot from him. Definitely a privilege to have that opportunity!
Also this week will be MLC, again with the members of the missionary dept. VERY exciting! I am super pumped for that.
OH we had exchanges this week and Sister Hinckley came to the area to be with me! She is an awesome missionary (and yes she is related to President Hinckley) and it was good to be with her. She is from Provo, so we talked about how we both love Provo and how there really is so much to do there. We had a great day together!
Also, Sister McNary and I fasted yesterday! We did it in preparation for a “40 day fast” we are doing, to fast from the things that are keeping us from feeling the spirit ALWAYS. We are starting the 40 day fast today and I’m excited! We both want to be more consecrated missionaries and we know this will really help. We got the idea from an document we read, and I will attach it at the end of this email BECAUSE I want to challenge you all to participate in the 40 day fast to be more consecrated disciples! Since this Sunday is fast Sunday, it will be perfect!
HERES THE CHALLENGE (and you can read about it in the attached document for more details):
On Saturday/Sunday, start your fast. Throughout your fast, write down things that come to mind that are keeping you from feeling the spirit ALWAYS. This could include many different things, like thoughts, actions, or desires that you know are keeping you from feeling the spirit. You know yourself, so don’t be afraid to add things to the list that may be really difficult for you to fast from. Some people refer to these as “favorite sins.” Put those on the list! At the end of the 40 Days, I know that your desires will change and you have the Holy Ghost more abundantly in your life, and you will be a more consecrated disciple of Jesus Christ. Let’s GO! Who’s with me?? Let me know if you will be participating!
I heard a quote this week about Halloween that said, “let the only Ghost that comes your way, be the Holy Ghost to guide your way.” Have a fun and exciting Halloween, and make sure to live worthy of the companionship Holy Ghost! We need His divine help. Have an AMAZING week! I love you all!
Sister Carina Brown
California Redlands Mission
P.S. FUNNY STORY:
for some reason last night I had a dream that I was dating Justin Bieber
it was so cool
yes I am a 12 year old girl
ok byeee
Purification Process
One day, a member informed us that he had an investigator that was
ready to be taught and he volunteered to attend the first discussion. The
discussion went along as usual. At the conclusion my companion and I bore
witness of Joseph Smith and then turned to our friend. He paused for a moment,
looked at the young lady and said, “I know that Joseph Smith was and is a
Prophet of God.” The room was filled with an extraterrestrial force. The
investigator started to cry.
As we walked home, I was baffled. That man said the exact same
words that we had said, but the result was dramatically different. When he
spoke, he had an influence that we did not have. There was no question that the
influence was the Holy Ghost, but this man seemed to have it in a different way.
There was still something to be learned. I had to find out what the secret was,
so I returned to the scriptures. It seemed like we were so close to being
effective and yet we just could not make it happen.
A Challenge to Purify
After several weeks of searching and praying, we attended a
meeting and heard a well known Church leader. He spoke about the scriptures as
a source of strength and about the process of spiritual influence. His words
caused a burning in my soul. When he finished his address, I intentionally
lingered behind. When I was finally alone with this man, I asked him for a few
moments of his time. I explained my desire to be effective. I told him about
the lesson I had learned. I told him that something was still missing. Finally,
I asked him if he could tell me what it was.
He looked into my eyes and said nothing. Nearly a minute went by
and I began to feel very uncomfortable. Finally he spoke. He said, “Elder, when
those pretty young ladies pass you on the street, what do you think about?”
Before I could answer, he asked, “Do you ever speak sarcastically to your
junior companion?” “Do you get up at the designated time every morning?” “Do
you keep every mission rule?”
His list of questions grew longer. Finally he said, “These are the
things that keep the Holy Ghost from being your companion. If you want the
constant companionship of the Holy Ghost, then you must purify yourself. I will
tell you how to do it. Go home and fast for a day. In the attitude of fasting
and prayer, make a list of every behavior that pokes at your spirit. Once you
have made your list, then go to the Lord. Covenant with the Lord that you will
fast from the things on that list for 40 days. In other words, for 40 days, you
will do nothing that appears on that list.
“You cannot just stop the old behavior and start the new ones. You
need the help of the Lord. So each morning, go to the Lord and specifically
promise Him that you will start each item on the list. Ask for His help so you
can have extra strength and then, at night, go over your list with the Lord. If
you failed on some items, figure out why. Tell the Lord. Ask for more strength
the next day. Go through the process for 40 days. If you do, you will find that
your most basic desires will change. Your spirit will flourish and the Holy
Ghost will become your constant companion. You will become an effective tool in
the hands of the Lord.”
The Process of Purification
We went home determined to make the concept work. We began to fast
and we began to make a list. It proved much harder than we assumed it would be.
I would pray and then I would feel impressed to write down some item. Then,
arguing that there was nothing wrong with the particular thing, I would fight
the impression. For example, I felt impressed to put golf on the list. My
response was, “There is nothing wrong with golf. We only play on preparation
day.” I ignored the fact that on the other six days, my mind continually dwelt
upon how to play better. I wrestled with the Spirit and then finally wrote golf
on the list. It is interesting that from the moment I wrote it on the list, I
experienced the most intense desire to play golf. Everywhere I turned, there
was some reminder, some temptation to break the commitment. So it was with each
item on the list. Each day, I had to fight all my natural inclinations and turn
to the Lord for the help necessary to overcome myself. Sometime between the
30th and 40th day, I suddenly realized that my desire for the things on the
list had disappeared. It was as if a great anchor had been cut from me.
The Process of Surrender
The last morning, my companion and I knelt in prayer and then
started out the door. I was impressed to go back and again pray. With unusual
confidence, I addressed the Lord, “Father, these are thy children. We are now
doing everything within our power to live the gospel. We turn the burden over
to Thee. Please carry us the rest of the way.”
The Gifts of the Spirit
We went to our first appointment. Halfway through the discussion,
our investigator began to make an excuse that he could not be baptized, because
he did not believe that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. I interrupted him.
“That is untrue. You do know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet. Your real fear is
that your mother will disapprove if you join the Church. In the name of Jesus
Christ, I promise you that your entire family will embrace the Gospel because
of your courageous example. The Lord wants you to be baptized now and it is
necessary that you comply.” I never before had done anything like that. In
fact, I knew nothing about his mother. He had hardly mentioned her. While I
could hardly believe what I had said, a familiar spirit filled the room. This
brother began to weep. He committed to be baptized the following Saturday.
The experience repeated itself. At our very next meeting with each
investigator, there was a celestial manifestation and everyone one of them was
committed to baptism. In an eight-week period, sixteen people were baptized. It
was an unusual number for our mission. While the number of baptisms was large,
the truly impressive thing was the change in my companion and I. We were
different people. Our most basic desires and motives had been altered. Credit
and recognition were no longer of any consequence. For the first time in our
lives, the things of God were more important than the “things of this world and
honors of men.”
Our sensitivity deepened. We noticed how often we would cry.
Several times a day we would be brought to tears by a prayer, a talk, a
discussion, a scripture, or almost anything would deeply touch us. Our concern
was continually focused upon others. For the first time, we could understand
Nephi’s claim, “For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my
pillow by night” because of them. We could understand the statement because for
the first time, we could understand Nephi’s motives.
The Holy Ghost became our constant companion because our motives
had changed, because we had an eye single to the glory of God, the Lord could
trust us and we experienced the power of the Priesthood and became effective
tools in his hands.
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| Exchanges |
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| Sister McNary wanted me to try on her dress but I didn’t want to take off my PJs so here is this picture |
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| We play soccer at the church for exercise! I LOVE SOCCER |
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| Firehouse subs with the 29 palms Sisters today I LOVE THEM SO MUCH |
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| Sister Trammell, she is the woman we are living with and she is the sweetest angel ever I am surprised she has not been translated yet |
