Yep, still at the MTC

HELLO FROM THE MTC!!! Yep i'm still here...haha.  It's cool though, cause let's be honest...who wants to be in Australia...?! (not me)...KIDDING:) haha so here is the update with our visa's...brace yourselves...i've been  reassigned to the Las Vegas West, Nevada mission.  Yes this was definitely a surprise, but it's ok.  Now on a serious note, Just kidding, haha.  But really we have been praying so hard for our visa's to come, please keep us in your prayers. ....who knows what lies ahead?

Sister Wyatt (yes how cool is it, that we're companions...she is AMAZING to say the least, and we have become SUPER close!) brought up a really cool thought this week.  We promised people in the pre-existance that we would teach them here on earth, and I totally believe that to be true.  I fact, I know I did! And I don't care where those people are, Las Vegas or Australia, I want to find them and help them remember what they once knew about God and the gospel!

So each Sunday we all have to have a talk prepared, and then after the actual sacrament, like 15 seconds before the first speaker, they announce who will be speaking...You'll never guess who got picked on...ME...haha.  The topic was repentance and forgiveness, which is something that we are always working on teaching so it was  perfect! It was just funny because my companion and roommate (Sister Hadlock) and I were singing the musical number, 'Be still my soul', as sister Wyatt played the piano, it turned out really nice, and the spirit was really strong:)

Our cute Elders gave Sister Wyatt and I a blessing before they all left, and it was pretty much a "departure blessing"/"blessing of comfort" and oh.my.gosh...It was amazing! The priesthood has always been something so special to me, but watching missionaries use it is just the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.  When they gave me my blessing, I can hardly describe the feeling,  but my whole body was entirely filled with the spirit.  The Priesthood is real, and it is POWERFUL! The elders in my district are amazing! We are different in so many ways, but so similar, and it's because we all have the same purpose right now! I grew to love them so much and they will be incredible missionaries!

As these past couple of days have been a little more difficult, with our district (family) all leaving us/not getting our visa's, I have really had to rely on the Lord and he has definitely not left me comfortless.  He has given LITERALLY ENDLESS tender mercies, and the majority of them are felt through his love, and seen in the words of his scriptures.  I KNOW that the scriptures are here for us, and I have grown to love them more than I ever could have imagined.  I have also started to see many things in my patriarchal blessing come forth, and has given me more hope and excitement for the future! I am so grateful for my patriarchal blessing, and am still amazed that President Hicken, hardly knowing me before hard, could give me such beautiful words of advice, and promises that have helped me/will help me more than he will ever know!

This Sunday is Easter! I am sooo excited! That means I will be fortunate enough to spend it here at the MTC which also means we will be privileged to hear from someone...AWESOME! I can't wait! This week I have been thinking about all the Jesus Christ has done for us, and what he was experiencing this time of year, years ago...he knew what was coming, yet he still chose to fulfill his purpose.  If you guys want to read the little book i made last year, of my testimony and things i learned while studying the last week of Jesus Christ's life, it is at the top of my closet, in the blue box and it just says "easter" on the front.

This week I have decided to dedicate my WHOLE SELF to God. The experience I had while doing so was such a special one, and one that I will never forget. This is the Lord's time, and it's short, and so i want to use it so carefully! I want to be able to come home with no regrets.  Since i have dedicated myself, i have felt his hand EVEN MORE in my life, which is exactly what I need.  I am so grateful for him!

This week Sister Wyatt and I taught a REAL inactive older lady! The lesson went well and she is actually progressing well too! I love teaching, but can't wait to get out into the field and do more of it! Being a missionary, and being apart of this church is what makes me truly happy!

So quick side not...this week we were practicing teaching the gospel in a minute or less and I'm (role playing) talking with this guy who is sitting in the park, and talking to him about how he likes just sitting outside and thinking, and I started realizing that I'm totally the same way, so I went to tell him that and this is what I said.. "Sometimes I like sitting in the wilderness too!" (GOOD JOB DEE, GOOD JOB) hahhahaha...ya...I was like..."Time out, pretend I didn't just say that" haha. I think I'm turning into Nicolle.

 Something I've been trying to work on is when extending an invitation/commitment, is to say, "will you commit to GOD to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the priesthood authority of God, on _______" or whatever commitment, but really just get them to realize that they are committing to God not US missionaries! I've also been working on being really bold in my testimony! When i first got here i was soft and quiet with my testimony, but i realized that they need to know how important our message is.  So i will say, when bearing testimony of the BOM (for example) "I want you to know that this is THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOK YOU WILL EVER READ, and I do not want you to pass up this life changing experience.  You WILL be happier than you've ever been in your life! I would not have left my family, school, and work if I didn't believe this to be the true word of God, with all my heart.  I KNOW IT IS, and I can PROMISE you that you can do the same if you read it, and then pray to ask God if it is true!"  Each time i bare testimony I seriously do not feel like it's me that's talking...in fact i know it isn't...it is the spirit putting the words in my mouth.  It is the best feeling as i testify in lessons, I'm not even quite sure how to explain it, but i honestly feel like my body is just tingling from my ears to my toes, because I KNOW IT'S TRUE! This gospel is the greatest, and there is absolutely NO OTHER PLACE I WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT NOW! Being a missionary is the greatest, and I really wish I could convince everyone to go on missions!!!

Last thing..US MISSIONARIES ARE NOT FINDERS, WE ARE TEACHERS! You, as members of the church need to do the FINDING! Stop praying for the missionaries "to help find those who are ready to hear about the gospel" and starting looking for those who you can send the missionaries to!  If you want the work to progress, you've got to do your part! 

So before I go, I just want to tell you how much I Iove and appreciate you and your support. I cant remember if i told you, but mother... that  package you sent me was the best! 

ALSO SOMEONE FROM THE HEALTH CLINIC WILL BE SENDING YOU A PIC OF SISTER WYATT AND I FROM TODAY SO LOOK IN YOUR JUNK! Sorry I haven't sent any pictures yet ;/

Well I love you guys so much and want you to know how much I love this gospel.  I love my Savior, Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father so much and want so badly to give them my best self.  So with that said, my time is up- "exact obedience brings miracles" so I'm out! Love you and can't wait to hear from you!

"Don't set yourself up to be a judge and jury of your sins.  That would be very displeasing to Heavenly Father"

Love,
Sister Diondra Ensign