....WE ARE NOT WASTING OUR TIME ON YOU.........

HiiiiiiiJ This week has been awesome! A lot of trials, and a lot of rejection, slammed doors, people wanting to bible bash, and all that…butttttttt I LOVE IT! Haha. K I don’t love the rejection so much, but I love knowing that no matter what arguments people bring, they can never disprove our testimonies and that is what keeps us going! Having proof in front of us can mean nothing because we can forget things we see, but we can never forget things we have felt, and I KNOW that the things I have felt are real, and I will NEVER be able to deny them!!!…I just had to get that out… J I love this gospel ;)

 

Soooooo haha, such a great week here in Wanneroo…but lets me honest, whats new?! My companion and I have gone “hammmmmm” (as Hunter would say it) this week and just worked soooo hard- of course, in return we saw a lot of miracles.  Earlier this week we were  able to meet with one of our investigators who we met last week, that I didn’t have a ton of time to explain about…but she was definitely a miracle! Her name is Rowena and she is probably in her 30’s. She has been through a lot, but currently has the most beautiful relationship with our Heavenly Father, and has just definitely been prepared for what he have to share with her.  Well we taught her the Restoration (aahhh I love this lesson) and had the coolest experience during it! We had just finished talking about the Great Apostasy, and she was totally with us definitely understanding how this happened, and how it only made sense ;) and then we shared the powerful, first vision! My companion and I have made it really special and so not just one of us says the whole thing, but we do it differently, and oh.my…..the spirit was so strongJ Just after we finished the last line, “This is my beloved son, hear Him” Rowena, gasped and put her hand over her mouth and said, “WOW!”…I have the goosebumps now, just reflecting back to the experience. Then, and since then, the spirit has told her that the things we have shared with her ARE true  and she is just so pumped about this gospel! It makes me so happy and excited myself, and I am so grateful I get to know her and share our Savior’s message with her! She has a lot of things we will need to work through, but lets be honest…someone who is ready to just hop in the water and get baptised is no fun…we need bumps and trials right?! That’s what makes it fun right?! (haha that’s me trying to look on the bright side;)  But I’m so excited for her!

 

We also had a mean Restoration  lesson with a Kiwi lady in her 50’s who has come a long ways since we first met her.   I want to share a little bit of our conversation with you guys...But this was what took place, just after we had shared the awesome restoration, and about the Book of Mormon with her...

Us Missionaries: "Jenny, what are you willing to do to find out if this book is true?"

 

Jenny:  "Mmmm, I'll ponder on it" 

 

Us: "But Jenny, remember those 3 things we just read, that we HAVE to do if we want to find out this Book is true!?..." (read, ponder and pray)

 

Jenny: "I'm just not ready to join another faith right now"

 

Us: "We're not asking you to join another faith right now, we're just asking you to find out if this Book is true!"

 

Jenny: (in a worried tone) "but WHAT IF IT IS TRUE?"

 

 Jenny felt it and knows that is is true, but she is just nervous because then that means the rest of it is true,  haha! But I am so excited for Jenny, please just continue to pray that she keeps her heart open to the will of God! She really is amazing though, because last week we invited her to pray (something she hasn't done in years because she hasn't felt worthy), She went outside and talked with God. I was nearly in tears when she told us this, because i can only imagine how happy this made Heavenly Father:)

 

Lastly, we had a very tender, unforgettable experience with an investigator named John. John is in his 50's or 60's, is a VERY hard worker, lives in the most gorgeous home with the most gorgeous yard, and from the outside looks like he has it all...but inside is entirely broken because of several things he's going through (he and his wife are getting divorced;(  Well Saturday night we felt we needed to go check on him. He opened the door and we began to sing, "I am a Child of God"...that was it...he broke down crying, and we just let him vent for  a while....He told us that we were wasting our time on him, but we straight up told him, "John...look at us ...WE.ARE.NOT.WASTING.OUR.TIME.ON.YOU!...We know that because we are here in behalf of Jesus Christ, and we know that he would not give up on you if he were here!" We shared the atonement with him, and then ended by singing "sweet hour of prayer" (all at his doorstep) and by the end, my companion, john and i were all in tears. i just love him and my heart aches for him! Well he continued to tell us that we should just give up on him because he is hopeless right now, my  awesome companion (who is the most bold person I've ever met, in a good way) told him, "John, we love you and will see you next week!" haha. He is too special to give up on, and so we are not stopping! We know God or Christ wouldn't, so we aren't either! Well as soon as we got back to the car, we started a fast for him, and sure enough...yesterday it was answered when 2 of the 3 Nephites (yes, i know 2 of them;) haha, seriously though, they are the most amazing members...they are literally working with 60 people right now, and straight up call people to repentance and invite them to be baptized...it's amazing) went and visited John...had a miraculous experience that i don't have time to share;( but they asked him to be baptised on the 26th of October hahahah! I love it! This message we are about to share will heal John, and his broken heart!

 

I love this gospel, i love being a missionary, i love hardships because i see them strengthen my faith in Christ, and i love my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ! I can't say this enough, but i really do love them!...I can't even put into words my gratitude for them, but i do recognize that all the miracles we've sent his week, would not have been possible without the Lord. I love you guys and am so happy to have you in my life! xoxoxo

 

One last thing, on Friday, our Gospel principles class participants (ward mission leader, ward missionaries, normal members and recent converts) are all fasting to have an opportunity to share the gospel with someone! I would love to invite you guys to do the same with us! Please fast on Friday as a family, for a missionary experience! I know that each of us are aware of the power that comes from within fasting, and i know that each of us WILL have a faith building experience as we do this, along with an awesome opportunity to share the Savior's message. This week my testimony was again strengthened in the power of fasting. literally each time we fast for a family or new person to teach, without fail in that VERY day, God answers our fast...and i know he will do the same for you. Please join us Friday! love you to the moon and back!

 

love always,

Sister Ensign

 

p.s.

next Monday we won't be having p day since it's a holiday (the queen's birthday), so my p day will be on Wednesday...2 days later, just a heads up! love ya xoxox

Being in the House of the Lord brought so much peace and happiness .....

Hey Hey! Well to start out, "IT'S A GREAT DAY TO BE A MISSIONARY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA!" I seriously love it so much! I look back on the past few transfers, and can't help but feel so grateful to be a missionary; i have learned so much this last little bit and really have changed a lot!...I recognize that this change is only possible through our Savior and Heavenly Father though, and so I am so grateful for them!

 

 

With so many miracles this week I am going to try to include a lot of them, but they may be brief so please forgive me! Well...:) BRIAN WAS BAPTISED THIS WEEKEND and it was just incredible! (I'm short on time and so i will try to send pictures next week), but wow...It was a faith testing week (of course ha) but everything came out for the better and everything worked out perfectly! Not only was the spirit present at his Brian's baptism but also his confirmation...wow....the words, "receive the Holy Ghost" are so powerful and hearing them brought the spirit into my heart even more than i could have asked for! I am so excited for this journey Brian's starting in his life, i know that he will never regret it! He is so excited about being a member and is more involved in everything than all the members combined,  haha he is so awesome!  Not only was the spirit so strong at his baptism, and confirmation, but also earlier Saturday morning when we were able to go to the temple with our recent converts and less active lady we have been teaching! Being in the House of the Lord, brought so much peace and happiness into my heart, and again reminded me of why I want to invite so many people to be baptised...so they can enter the temple and feel those same feelings! The less active lady, Loretta, was able to do baptisms for the dead for the first time, and now her and her husband are working on being sealed in the temple- we couldn't be any happier for them!  Just an update on our recent converts, Kayla is the best fellowship for all young women investigators we bring, Bobkie blesses the sacrament on Sundays and it just melts my heart, Malad is an amazing missionary- we occasionally go over to their house to find that he has his older sister and her friends sitting down, showing them the Restoration DVD and explaining about the Book of Mormon...(he's solid and can't wait for his own mission haha), Blessing just moved to young womens and is loving it there, Vickie is in the process of moving and so she's been really busy but loves when we come and can never stop telling us how much she loves and appreciates us. and for Brian who has only been a member for a day;) haha he constantly is telling us how much we mean to him and how grateful he is that we were placed in his path- so sweet! I love all of them so dang much, and am so grateful to be staying in this area, where i can still see all of them often!

 

This week with transfers, everything was pretty crazy busy cause we had to help out with the sisters a lot, but we were still able to see so many miracles! We were able to commit a girl named Moana to baptism for October 19after teaching a mean lesson on the Plan of Salvation. WE were able to help her know that she will see her brother who died a few years back, again, and that it is through baptism that that is possible! She is so excited and her parents are pretty sweet as well! We have also been teaching a girl named Akira who is currently apart of the Jehovas Witness faith, but has been reading the BOM...the rest is history right?! ha nah, not yet, but she is definitely coming along. She is getting close and we are going to invite her to be baptised this week, so please keep her in your prayers. Good news, Meemee (who we were teaching when i first got her, but then she moved) is still going to church every Sunday in her new ward! I reckon that pretty soon her parents will allow her to be baptised seeing she has a deep love for our savior and his gospel- hearing that just made me want to cry, she is just so solid;) Also good news, Sister Wyatt is in my district and so i love working with her! ahhhhh i want to share the best miracles but i have 20 seconds...exact obedience....dang it,  ha ha love yous, and have a great week!!

 

Love,

Sister Ensign

 

p.s

Our ward members keep getting better and better. This week we pulled up for dinner at one of their houses, and a salesman that had just been at the house was walking away with a book of mormon in his hands (and we were able to talk with him as he was walking out!!), they really are "catching the wave" and they keep expressing how easy it is becoming! I LOVE JOONDALUP WARD :) and love seeing them do their missionary work! I want to be like them when I come home;)

I love sharing the first vision with people..........

Ok….this week has been full of miracles it’s not even funny! Sister Kanee and I had no idea what was going to be happening with transfers, but decided that regardless, we were going to work our butts off! Well, by putting in this hard work we have seen so many cool miracles! Yes lots of rejection and persecution, haha…(you have no idea) haha, but soooo many miracles it’s amazing! God managed to find 11 new investigators through us, and we taught 22 lessons (which may not be very many for missions like Elder Hanson’s haha, but that is a lot for here in Australia). We have found families and one specifically, that is from Iran that is just so awesome!

 

Bryan is progressing along very well and  is just so excited for his baptism! The members are so good to him too! They have him over just to talk, and he seriously looks like a member! He talks with everyone, goes to all meetings of stake conference, talks with the Stake and mission president like it's his day job, and is getting things rolling with starting a website for our ward,  he is cracking us up! He really good not be more ready, and is having such an easy time dropping any little habits that are not in line with the commandments, so that he can be a member of Jesus Christ's Church- he is amazing! He is so funny though, because he LOVES talking about ecology, pollution, etc. and so this week in the middle of our lesson on tithing and fasting he got a little off about how he already gives money to 'GREEN PEACE' and pulled out his little green peace brochure and just went on and on hahahah. We occasionally  have to say to him, "Bryan, is it OK if maybe we come back to that after the lesson?!" haha. He is so crack up seriously, but Sister Kanee and I just love him so much:) We are so excited for his Baptism on Saturday, and has even asked President Lekias to baptise him, and President Lindsay to confirm him. I love it!  All the members tell Bryan that they feel like they have known him for ages, and they truly believe they were friends with him in the Pre-existence...I so agree with them, Bryan is a very special person, and EVERYONE keeps saying to us, "How did you find this man, he is amazing?!"

 

I can't even begin to go into all the miracles we have seen this week, but it has almost been one of the best weeks as a missionary! I have felt the spirit so strongly in like every lesson/visit, and its just amazing! I have come to love the Book of Mormon even more and gained a better understanding of it, as well as the stories and doctrine within it. My testimony in the prophet Joseph Smith and has also increased a lot, and i know without a doubt that he really did see God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Sister Kanee and I love sharing the first vision with people, and as we were practicing this morning in companion study, I just had goose bumps like crazy. It was real. This church is true. the book of Mormon is true, no one has ever been able to prove it wrong. Those who truly read it WILL know that no ordinary man could have written it, but rather that it was written by servants of God and translated by a prophet. I have also learned more about my Savior and my love for him has deepened SO MUCH! He truly went through so much, and it was all FOR US! Heavenly Father IS in the work, and it is beyond words the miracles we've seen! I wish so badly you could come with my companion and i just for a day, you too would see how much God is in the work. Missionary work is something I just look forward to every day! i literally have not had 1 day that I've wanted to come home, or don't want to wake up that morning and work! I LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!  I love my Savior, and I love the people here in Western Australia! Yes many of them are "stubborn" as they all even admit it haha, but they are Heavenly Father's children and they are ready for this message we have to share! 

 

Shawn and Kelsie are doing well, they agreed to be baptized and are doing awesome as well! Thank you so much for your emails that make me laugh and cry like crazy! I love you guys so much and love knowing that you are so strong in the gospel. Please keep sharing the gospel! Please.Please.Please! I beg you guys, I can promise it will only bring blessings and blessings, and blessings!

 

The weather is still wet and cold, but we love tracting in it because *some*  people feel bad for us and so they let us in (others tell us to stop wasting our time and go home and drink milo next to the heater hahah), but I love it! I love the people we are teaching, the members (we have such a strong relationship with them and they are giving us heaps of referrals, and support), my companion, and of course, my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. I have learned more this transfer than i have in.....oh gosh, who knows how long...but i have learned so much, and the growth and improvement I've made, is all because of God....I feel so grateful, and can't wait to see what this next transfer has in store!

 

Sorry this is kind of all over the place and the stories aren't very specific,  just know I'm loving everything right now, and couldn't be more grateful to be where I am! I love love love you and hope you have an awesome week!

 

Love,

Sister Diondra Ensign

 

p.s. Dad thanks for your epistle, I can't wait to read it tonight:) you too mom. you both seriously have no idea how excited I get to read your emails, they lift more than you even realize! xoxoxoxooxx

 

 

p.s.s  Ok, so LITERALLY most embarrassing moment of my life, yesterday. So it was Stake conference (keep in mind, hundreds of people, stake presidency, the mayor, my mission president and his wife, the temple presidency, etc., were all there). Well the stake president randomly asked me to come bear my testimony and why i decided to come on a mission...well I go up, and I start sharing it and ended up sharing how the missionaries invited me to give a BOM to Kim Tran (after coming to our house several times asking for referrals, with no success from us), and how when they asked me to I thought, "oh crap". k...seriously sister ensign...saying "crap" over the pulpet...so not dignified right?! I don't know what I was thinking but here is the worst part..."CRAP" is a really bad word here. It's like how hell and damn are not swear words here, but in America they would be, well that's pretty much how it was. Everyone just laughed and I thought, "hmmmm guess that was funnier than I intended"...ya,  well after I found out how it really is a word you shouldn't say as a missionary...AND I SAID IT IN STAKE CONFERENCE OVER THE PULPET! I seriously have never wanted to jump off a cliff so badly. The rest of my testimony I felt went really well, and I wasn't nervous at all surprisingly...but seriously, "oh crap"...kill me now! ! ! ! ! please!!!!

At times I feel ILLUMINATED......

...I'm speechless...not really, cause i am about to start screaming of excitement! This miracle I'm about to share...As soon as sister kanee and i walked into the library, i noticed a young family (parents probably in their mid twenties, with a little child, probably 1 yr. old)...and thought to myself, "They would make a solid family in the gospel, we should talk to them!".  Well, with miracles unceasing this week, (so, to no surprise)) the young father just leaned over to us and asked,"Do you know of any churches around here?!?!"...Ummmm hold on....Did i really just hear what i think i did...hahahah. I did everything i could to not just jump out of my seat, scream and  give them biggest hug ever!!! We told them that they were in luck because as missionaries we share with people more about Jesus Christ's church, and how FAMILIES CAN BE TOGETHER FOREVER!!! Obviously we shared a little more, (trying our best again, to contain our excitement;)  ) but they are just so excited that they want us to come back tomorrow during the day! I have a very strong feeling that they WILL join the church, and WILL raise a lovely family in the gospel- I really do have full faith in that! They were searching for the truth, and I KNOW that God placed us in their path for a reason. Just like Joseph Smith *and many others, there are many questions about WHICH CHURCH IS TRUE! I know without a shadow of a doubt, that THIS.IS.IT!!! The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, really is Jesus Christ's church...they exact one he set up 2013 years ago! Each of us, can gain a testimony of this for the first time, or re-kindle our testimony of this when we READ The Book of Mormon, PONDER in our hearts the message it contains, and then ASK GOD the Eternal Father in the name of Christ, if this book is true. "Those who pursue this course and ask in faith WILL gain a testimony of the truth and divinity of it's truth and divinity, by the power of the Holy Ghost". This statement is real and powerful, but UNLESS we actually read the Book we will never know! We have to take this course if we want to know...and if we already know, then continue to strengthen your testimony of this! One way that helps me strengthen my testimony that this is Christ's church, is by reading about the first vision...i invite you guys to do this as a family! This is a remarkable and miraculous experience THAT REALLY DID HAPPEN! Study it, and then pray about it! It will strengthen your testimony..i can promise you guys that. Anyways, i know that the message we have to share with this lovely family is about to change their lives, and bring their family LASTING happiness. I have a feeling that this family is going to take off, just like Bryan did. They are elect. There are many who are elect, and i have such a strong testimony that when we give EVERYTHING to the Lord, he will trust us with his precious children, and will lead us to them! I love this work and know that God is apart of 100% of it!

 

      Well for Bryan (the golden investigator that we found just 3 weeks ago)...get ready...actually let me explain what happened with him this week.  So last weekend he came to Vickie's baptism, to church, and then to FHE at the Lekia's families home...so he just had a powerful 3 days! Well in the FHE with the Lekias family we taught about prophets and the power of the priesthood! Dad, this is again, where i want to thank you for holding the priesthood and blessing our family with it! I can't help but cry every time i bear testimony of the power within the priesthood and think back to you;) Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! But, i will say that I love nothing more than explaining to people, that worthy men within the church can hold the VERY priesthood that Jesus Christ himself has...Do you guys realize how powerful that is?! These men can HEAL and comfort to others around them by using the power of the priesthood! This is not just something that only the prophet has...but ALL worthy men of the church, and i find that very special that God has given us that special gift!  Dad, try to go out of your way to exercise your priesthood for someone else's sake this week, i know it will bless you AND THEM if you do it! But ya we just had this amazing lesson with Bryan and the Lekias family, AND BISHOP and it was just unreal. Almost too special to talk about, but at the end, Bryan cried and shared how these past 3 days have just been "moving", and that he was feeling very "warm", and also that the minute he saw us sisters walking up to his house (*3 weeks ago) he knew that his life was about to change, and that we had something he needed...he straight up said that;) Well after this remarkable night with Bryan, I could hardly wait to extend a baptismal date to him...so Wednesday we went back and straight told Bryan that he needs baptism NOW! We explained how we usually don't invite people to be baptized so quickly (since we were extending the date of the 14th of September), but that God had told us that HE.WAS.READY! God needs him apart of his church, and we explained that to him! Again, as we sat outside his house, the spirit was so thick! I felt the spirit so strongly as we declared repentance and baptism to him, it was incredible! But that lesson ended by him saying that he is pretty sure he will be baptized, but just wants to think about it a little more. K, will then Friday night we had him over at our bomb ward mission leaders house, with our bomb stake high council who is now Bryan's best friend, and we taught the word of wisdom along with the importance of the Book of Mormon. again, i really cant even explain how memorable this lesson was. The book of Mormon is true! I know it! and because each of us were able to share our testimony about it with Bryan, he recognized why it was so important that he read it and asked God if it was true....soooooooooo, that lesson ended by him telling us that he would get back to us on Sunday about his answer for baptism!  Well...He came to a baptism on Saturday and again was brought to tears by the power from within the ordinance, and Sunday came to us with an answer...Before i tell you the end of this story though, can you believe how elect he is?! Like really, I'm still just blown away, i have never met a more "golden investigator" in my entire life!...Each time Sister Kanee and I meet with him we are just like, "hold on. did that really just happen?"...Ok, so yesterday at church testimony meeting was soooo awesome! I convinced all the ward missionaries and us 6 full time missionaries to bear our testimonies, so as you can imagine, our ward was slapped in the face  (of course lovingly though ) with  the importance of missionary work ha it was so awesome! but in my testimony i straight up looked at Bryan and bore testimony that BAPTISM really is the gateway back to God, and that without it, there is no way! He cried again;) Well after sacrament meeting he told sister Kanee and I that he wanted to talk to us. (moment of truth we were freaking out)....well he started off by telling us that last night he watched this documentary on TV (my heart sunk as soon as he started on this path)...well 5 minutes later (around his story) he said, "But sisters, i want you 2 to be the first to know, that I HAVE DECIDED TO BE BAPTIZED". K, that was it. the tears started and i just cried out of love and excitement.We were all crying! This man is incredible! I know He will build up the kingdom, and is already so motivated and excited to do it (he is working on getting  our ward choir started hahah). But really, he went to gospel principles and then also in priesthood and announced to everyone that he has decided to be baptized! Our prayer and fast was answered that day, and Bryan committed to Heavenly Father to follow our Savior's example by being baptized on the 14th of September! My heart is so full, I'm just not even sure what else to say!!! But i do know that God prepared Bryan and that he led us to him for a reason. He is more ready than anyone else i have even met! He loves the joy and feelings from God he has gotten since he has started learning about Jesus Christ's church. We have a special relationship with him (and for me it came on Friday night when i looked at him at the dinner table, and KNEW that he was so special to Heavenly Father and that he truly was, one of Heavenly Father's "elect" sons!)  He cries while sharing his testimony and see's sister Kanee and I as "his angels", it is so sweet! I cannot wait for him in these next steps he is going to take. Hopefully i can even join him in the temple before i leave Australia, that would be a dream come true!

 

    Well i wish I had time to tell you about the UNREAL experience we have had this week, but my time is nearly up! I just can't even explain how much i love feeling the spirit, and at times i feel ILLUMINATED...like ....i don't even know how to explain it, but i do know that it is the spirit, and I'm so grateful for it! 

 

      I am just so humbled to see that when we give all our heart to the Lord and his work...we really do see miracles! While coming home from the missionary leadership meeting, the zone leaders,  Sister kanee and i decided to find 10 investigators between the 2 companionship's of ours, over the weekend. Well Sister Kanee and I have been praying and working SUPER hard and found 5 investigators in the past 2 days!!! We have seen so many miracles with not only our investigators but all the people we are meeting and it is so motivating and encouraging, i just love it! I am grateful for my Savior and his atonement, my testimony was strengthened even more in this, while sitting in sacrament meeting yesterday. I'm so grateful for the sacrament, and also for my Loving Heavenly Father. Yesterday was Father's Day, and so (again) Dad, i just want to wish you a HAPPY FATHER'S DAY:) Both you and my Heavenly Father have been my rock, and without the 2 of you, i don't know where i would be. Thank you for your love and hard work! Yesterday the primary children sang, "I'm so glad when daddy comes home" and i couldn't' help but cry as i thought about how collie and i would always sing this when we were little, and then you would squat down and give us the biggest hug. i miss you and your hugs but i have to say, that i am so grateful to be where i am right now! I love all of you and just want you to remember how happy we can really be when we keep ALL the commandment of God (mosiah 2:41). Hope you all have a great week and thanks again for everything!

 

Love always,

Sister Diondra Ensign

 p.s.
The zone leaders told me (even though I'm not supposed to know for another week) that I'm going to be transferred to Kalgoorlie next week for transfers. Kalgoorlie is total COUNTRY (aka massive spiders and snakes everywhere haha). and is mainly filled with miners who go to the pub when they aren't working. It is also a place where most of the abos are (aboriginals). It was so sketchy that they just barely put sisters in that area for the first time  just 2 transfers ago (and even then everyone was just like shocked that president did it...haha but with the Lord on our side, I know we will be protected AND the sisters currently there have had a lot of success, so I guess the time is work to 'HASTEN THE WORK" In that part of the Lords vineyard. It is going to be a great adventure and I can't wait! Also....one of the best parts about it is that I will be serving with Sister Atkinson...(the sister who I was sooooo tight with in Washington)....I'm seriously like freaking out, I'm so excited!