Great things lie ahead if we are obedient and faithful to the covenants we have made!

Wow! Hearing about how well everyone is doing, especially Hunter and Sammy just loving Collie so much! That makes me so happy! And hearing Hunter is almost finishing the Book of Mormon again:) That has me sitting here with tears...that Book is so powerful and I'm so grateful just like you mum, that Hunter has responded to the Lord's call to serve, and is preparing so well! I love our family so much:)

 

I love that you said how the gospel is just not about doing the things on the check list...but becoming a most Christ like person.  During comp. study we talked about why we came out and how the Lord led us here...and just as you were telling me about how important it is that we "become" I am reminded of how much Heavenly Father has changed my companion, but ESPECIALLY ME as we have served. He is here to mold us. Sometimes in ways that we don't like, but that's why we are here. is to learn, to change, and to become more like the Savior. We are reading the New Testament as a mission right now. And oh my goodness. My love for the Savior has grown so much and I am so grateful for his perfect example! He has taught me so much, and I still have so much improvement, but I'm also so grateful to see how he has helped me become like him in certain areas. The past few weeks I've learned a lot about relying on the Lord to give me inspiration to help everyone I am surrounded by (especially as sister training leader). The Lord cares so much about us and so he wants to give us ways to help strengthen others around us, he is just waiting for us to ask!

 

Well speaking of the New Testament, this morning I read about when Lazarus had died, and the Savior found out. In John 11:33 and 35 we read how the Savior "groaned" and "wept" and in verse 36 it says, "Then said the Jews, behold how he [Jesus] loved him [Lazarus]"...As I thought about this I was sweetly reminded that that is how the Savior feels about each of us. he loves us sooo much.  He weeps with us when we do. He hurts when we do. But with that, he knows the perfect remedy and he gives it freely if we turn to him. I saw this this week on Friday. My spirit needed a lift and while on exchanges with Sister Kim (from Korea- yes that's a little tender mercy #Nicolle) we started with companion study and began to study the atonement. As I read about it I began to feel the power of the atonement immediately work within me and start to help me. Immediately after we finished readying I said to Sister Kim, "Allana needs this!" Long story short we prepared a lesson and went for a surprise visit to see Allana. Allana is the 20yr old Brazilian who is literally my sister and best friend, I love her so much! She has gained great faith over the past 2 months but still doubts it like crazy. she believes in God but is questioning whether or not she believes in Jesus Christ...well the atonement has helped bother Sister Kim and I so much that we had to go share a message PURELY about our Savior Jesus Christ with her. WE went to her house where the other 2 Brazilians were, but we asked if we could just speak with her alone in her room. We went into her tiny little room, sat on her bed, and had one oft he most powerful lessons I've been a part of my whole mission. We read 3Nephi 11 and had her think about what it will be like to see the Savior again. Sister Kim and I shared our personal experiences of coming to know Christ and we were all just crying, the spirit was SO STRONG! (I shared my experience of when I was at Quest and we reenacted 3nephy 11 and the Stake President was dressed as the Savior, and came down from the hill to touch each of our hands). By the end of this lesson she believed in Jesus Christ as our Savior! It was the most special thing to witness the spirit touching her heart and teaching her. She asked, "do you have a bracelet I could have to remember this?" (like what she was learning) and it was cool cause that day I found a really cute infinity bracelet on the ground, and didn't know why but picked it up. I gave it to her and she wears it everyday! I told her to remember that choices now effect eternity and that the Love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have for us is infinite! At the end she knelt down with us next to her bed and offered the most sincere and heart felt prayer. She let Heavenly Father know of all her concerns, (which was hard to listen to her say at first, but I knew it was necessary) and then it was the most remarkable thing...it was as if the Lord began to speak through her, because in her prayer she all of a sudden said "when I am baptized, all my questions will go away"...........words cannot describe.........after we finished we helped her recognize her answers and they came to clearly that I will have to read you my journal entry when I get home because there was so much evidence that I don't have time to list it. but i felt so privileged to be apart of that! It was so special, and I came to know my Savior Jesus Christ even more as we taught Allana about him. Allana is praying about what date to get baptized on so PLEASE PRAY FOR HER....daily if you can! She really needs it! She is someone who is so special to me and she NEEDS the gospel!

 

There are so many other miracles that have come this week but my love for the Lord has grown even more. I have spent lots of time on my knees with my notepad near by, receiving much revelation from our loving Heavenly Father and I'm just so grateful for him and his direction. I would be so lost without the gospel and without prayer! Heavenly Father has blessed us so much recently and I'm doing my best to be more and more grateful for what I do have! My companion has been really sick and so last night (after the sweetest miracles from working hard and fasting) my comp. went to bed early and I had permission to call recent converts...oh.my.goodness! Nothing is better than hearing how well they are all doing!!!!:) It made me want to cry! It's so cute too, cause when I call I just say, "hello!" and then there is a pause and then..."Sister Ensign?!?!?!" haha , I love the people on my mission so much, and they have become my best friends and family for eternity! Yashar has the Melchizedek priesthood and is getting his patriarchal blessing soon, and him and Saeid go to the temple every week, when I called Akram at the end of our phone call,  the home teachers had just come over, Sam is taking her OWN family names to the temple, the Coyle's are praying everyday and working on the scripture study as a family AND brother Coyle is getting ready to baptize Ethan (the 7yr old) AND they have shared the gospel with another family friend who should be getting baptized soon.   Parvoneh and Karim are pregnant!!!!! and Vickie still loves church with her cute little son even though her husband doesn't come yet (she sings Lewis her son hymns as he falls asleep in her cute little Chinese accent!). Those are just the ones that I was able to talk to but it was so good to hear how awesome they are all doing! SOOOO MANY good things happening within the lives of those who live the gospel! Great things lie ahead if we are obedient and faithful to the covenants we have made! I am so grateful for my covenants and so grateful for the chance i have to see others on their road to make more covenants with Heavenly Father!

 

Love you guys so much! Seriously, the things you told me today are just what I needed and were taught by the spirit! You amaze me! I love you to the moon and back!

 

Love,

Sister Ensign

 

The Lord needs us to trust him

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HUNTER AND WELCOME HOME COLLIE!!!

 

Oh my goodness, I love you all so much! Seeing the pictures of you and hearing from you has been so nice! I can't even put into words the gratitude i have towards Heavenly Father for you all...I am way too blessed!  Thank you for being my family and being who you are! You are all my greatest hero's and I can't wait to spend eternity with you!

 

Sunday (Easter) I was able to speak in sacrament meeting and I spoke on Faith in Jesus Christ. We had many investigators there and many who us missionaries are trying to help lead to baptism, but they are just lacking faith in our Savior...It was a great reminder for me that we NEED faith in Jesus Christ...A story from the bible i shared, was when the Savior and His apostles were on the boat and the storm began, with waves all around...The apostles went running to the Savior to wake him up and ask if he was going to let them perish...he just responded with, "oh ye of little faith", rebuked the sea, and the waves were made still. Often we may go running to the Lord thinking, "look at everything going on?!?!? are you going to do anything?" when really....all we need is Faith in Jesus Christ during whatever we are experiencing. The Lord knows our storms, and he is well aware of them. He has power to control them, but he needs us to have Faith in Him during these times. The minute doubt or disbelief comes up, our faith goes down...we need to repent of that. The Lord needs us to trust him, He loves us and will help us through anything we are faced with! I know it!

 

Our investigators are going well and please continue to pray for Paulo (his family in Brazil doesn't want him to be baptized) Paola, and Allana (she is still trying to build her faith, she feels that she has none). Yesterday after a FHE I was able to talk to Allana a bit more casually about how she really is feeling about everything...she began with her feelings of doubt/that she has no faith and then an elder overheard and asked her how she has felt as she comes to church...she started listing some good things and her smile began to get bigger and bigger:) Just before she went to start into her doubts i had to stop her, grab her hand, and tell her with so much happiness, "Allana you DO have faith! And it IS growing! Heavenly Father has helped you so much! Over a month ago you were telling us that you have NO faith, and look at you now!!!". She kept smiling and was like,
"I guess you're right." I am so grateful because I have been praying SO HARD for her because she is so close! She is 19, so pretty much my age and so I feel like she is my best friend and sister- SHE WILL GET BAPTIZED BEFORE I LEAVE THIS AREA!!! I will do everything within me to help her! I love her, and I love all those we teach. Many of them kill me with frustration when they don't keep certain commitments, but then it just reminds me to have more faith and also to teach better so they have a better understanding!

 

This week while on exchanges with Sister Kanee we saw some amazing miracles! It was cool to be with an old companion, especially her...i just love her so much it was the best! We were driving and I saw this girl and the thought came to me, "relief society" (like that's right where she needs to be), be we passed her...seconds later i turned the car around and sister Kanee and I went and contacted her! (Ps; its so cool to see how Sister Kanee works now, and how much she has improved! She loves contacting and is way good at it) but ya we were able to go right into her house, teach her the restoration and commit her to be baptized! Because she is a younger adult it meant so much to hear that she is LITERALLY a daughter of God! That seriously is such a comforting thing to hear and know...I'm so grateful I am one too:) The spirit also helped us contact a family awkwardly on the side of the road while in the car, half on the curb, and unable to get out of the car because of the traffic around. but we knew we needed to talk to them to we pulled over and talked to them through the window. It was a mom, dad and daughter from Colombia (so yes I used my smooth Spanish ;)) and they are amazing! They are excited to learn and come to church! You know I'm obsessed with Spanish and Spanish people...so it was a great tender mercy! That night after English class after everyone was packing up to go we excitedly said to everyone, "Who wants to learn about Jesus Christ?!?!" Every single one of them stayed. and we were able to teach 12+ people about our Heavenly Father, and Savior Jesus Christ (whom them had never learnt about) and were able to teach them how to pray to them...I felt to humbled that Heavenly Father allowed us to teach so many of them about the importance of prayer and the blessing it is! Those three experiences were not even all the great ones we had that day, and that was only one day out of the week! I'm telling you...being a missionary is the best! I love serving and I can't wait for Hunter to be able to experience the same things!

 

This week we have had to prepare so many trainings for the sisters and the zone holy cow...but I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father has helped us see their needs as well as a solution to them. I love not only being able to serve the members and non members here in this area, but also the missionaries! They are becoming my life long friends and it's just the best!

 

I have to go, but I love you guys so much! Thanks for all your prayers:) You all mean so much to me xoxoox!

We PROMISED him, in the sacred name of Jesus Christ...........

Mum and Dad, I am so happy that you are reunited with sweet Collie! I thought of you guys a lot that day, and it reminded me of how hard I need to work now, because time flies so quickly, just like it did for Collie!

 

On Tuesday we went to see a man named Rod who is a sweet English man (late 60's) who is extremely stubborn ;) Haha, he has tried investigating several times but says even though he reads and prays he never gets an answer, poor man! Well the sisters were working with him before I came in and so I've come to know him a little bit! Well on Tuesday we went to see him and he expressed to us how frustrated he is getting with everything, and especially with his memory.  He says he can hardly remember anything and it's making him really worried because he has had family members who have suffered from Alzheimer's. Well,  at the end of the lesson we invited him to pray with real intent about what we were sharing, he immediately replied with "I'm probably going to forget!" ("get thee behind me Satan, came to mind) ha ;) and we PROMISED him in the  sacred name of Jesus Christ, that if he humbly asked Heavenly Father with the intent of acting upon his answer, not only would he remember to do it and remember EVERYTHING else, but get an answer!!! It was one of those experiences where you think, "am I allowed to promise this?" and then the spirit just opens your mouth and says it for you. Well,  my companion,  Sister Laulu-Pututau , is an incredible teacher and she finished it so nicely with the spirit so strongly! We went back on Thursday...words cannot even explain! He told us how happy he was because he has been able to remember EVERYTHING recently, (something that hasn't happened in AGES!) and that he has been so much happier the past few days! He literally had a countenance change! amazing! Well , we did our best to help him see that that was definitely an answer, and he accepted it:) That experience was such a testimony booster to me, that when working with the spirit, us human missionaries can get out of the way and allow the spirit to do it's sacred job and literally change hearts and lives! Rod is getting so close and with our faith joined together, miracles will continue to happen! FAITH.FAITH.FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!

 

Well this week the Lord has humbled me a lot and general conference has taught me to be grateful regardless of what challenges we are faced with! This has begun to help me. As hard as this work is right now the Lord continues to bless us. Because my time is short I will just tell you a few...

 

The first one was when the spirit brought the name of a less active to us and so we went immediately to see her. We got there to find out she was not there, but her daughter-in-law greeted us. We introduced ourselves and then she said, "Thanks, but no thanks". hahaha, well 15 minutes later she was in tears, praying and these were her words. "There is so much to be grateful for, but something is still missing...and I think this might be what's missing!" She is so right and I can't wait to begin teaching this sweet mother even more abut something that will change her families life!

 

Last night after quite a few...interesting experiences hahah (oh I love being a missionary) we were walking back to the car and this ONE unit (out of a huge apartment complex) stood out to us. Not only was the light on, but we heard children..."A FAMILY!" we thought, so we hiked up all the stairs...looked in the window and did a little "namaste" to the Indian mother, she walked around to the door and welcomed us right in. We taught her and her husband who are catholic and oh.my.goodness...they would make the best members! They have the 2 cutest little girls (totally reminded me and collie and I when we were little) and are such good parents who are committed to the Lord. We are going to see them tomorrow night at 7, PLEASE PRAY so hard for them! The Lord needs their family to receive the blessings of the gospel! I'm so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and it's guidance, we would be absolutely nothing without it!

 

General conference was amazing~! I received so much revelation... We truly are so lucky to have a modern day prophet and apostles! Their words ARE TRUE! and I'm so grateful to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

 

Love you guys, and please keep sending me pictures of you and collie! I need them;)

 

love,

Sister Ensign

 

Please pray for Abraham, he just got shifted to Sydney for work and is going to be there for the rest of the year. He has already passed his bap interview and has been talking to us about finding a worthy Mormon girl to marry in the temple, so now those lucky missionaries in Sydney will get to see him and help him into the waters of baptism! I hope the ward is good to him there!

 

Please also pray for Allana...she is like my best friend (one of the Brazilians). She desperately needs help getting her answer about if this is true. She is on date for the 3 May but is most likely going to get pushed back a bit, which is fine. I just want so badly for her to be able to recognize that prompting from the spirit that this is true! WE have worked with her a lot and she comes to EVERYTHING we invite her to, she wants to be a believer she tells us...but just needs some extra prayers. so please! I love her!

 

Also, please pray for Rod that his heart may continue to be softened, and that he will want to come to church! 

I pray I may continue to follow her example of serving the Lord with all my heart.

Well...My journey with this sweet companion of mine here in Wembley has come to an end...but it sure will continue back in good ole Utah!!! We will be eternal friends and I'm so grateful for her! She is my hero and i hope to become like her one day! She has so much strength, and her ability to overcome trials amazes me! Not only is she absolutely beautiful on the outside, but her spirit is like one you have never seen before! She discerns the thoughts of those we teach and speaks the perfect words from the spirit, she is here to work and faithfully awaits miracles, she understands the power and authority of her calling and we have been able to see amazing miracles this transfer and this past week!

The past few weeks I have been praying to have experiences that will help me become the woman, and mother I will one day need to be. I feel my call for this coming transfer will allow me to have those experiences! I cannot wait:) My new companion is Sister Fivakimoana (Tongan) is from Sydney, and is a great missionary! We have been out the same amount of time and I've been on exchanges with her before...she is awesome! I'm really excited! :)

This week was amazing as we saw the power of prayer help hasten the work! We prayed for a family to teach...went out with Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and 3 members of a family committed to be baptized on May 17! :) As we invited Val, Sandy and Sam to be baptized, Sam replied with a quick "Yes!" as the other 2 women contemplated Sam told them how they have been wanting to change and that this is the way they can finally do it! She was encouraging them! :) Teaching families really is the best way to go, because then they can all work together!  Their faith and trust in Jesus Christ and the power of repentance through the atonement, is a great example to me that we don't need to be afraid of big changes in the future, but that all will be well as we follow Jesus Christ and his counsel! Abraham will be baptized in 2 weeks, he is the greatest example of such diligence in keeping the commandments! Living the word of wisdom is not easy for him (since coffee and tea were his "go to") but he is surviving with the Lords help! He loves repentance and loves that he can do it everyday! I am grateful that he too is working on cleansing himself daily, we all need to follow his example! :) lastly, our 3 sweet Brazilians are doing so well! They love the Book of Mormon! They are marking it, asking questions and even though their catholic family back in Brazil are not fond of them joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints they know it is the right thing to do, so with faith the press forward! The members have been so helpful in teaching all our investigators, we seriously would be nothing without them! My favorite is when the members express how much they are changing as they come out with us to share their testimonies! And my absolute favorite is when the YSA go from zero to hero on serving a mission (shout out to you Amberlie) ;) I have gained such a strong testimony of the importance of helping all of God's children and so we are doing our best to help everyone have a desire to serve missions , or if their age doesn't permit, to just do missionary work! Yesterday EVERY FAMILY IN OUR WARD RECEIVED A BOOK OF MORMON TO SHARE IN THE MONTH OF APRIL! They are so excited about it and we know that when we follow up in a few weeks, many miracles will be reported! ahhh,  I love this work, I love those with whom I serve and I love being out here!

 

Pray.Pray.Pray...it's my motto and my favorite thing to do!

 

Repentance...how lucky are we?  It is the most beautiful gift we have been given!

 

This past week our mission has focused on the power and authority of our callings.

 

The KEY i have found to the Lord helping us see miracles he allows us to....is seriously FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST!!!! This week we had a zone training on the power and authority of our calling! We watched videos of the early saint missionaries and how they would command people in the name of Jesus Christ to arise, walk and be healed (EXAMPLE), and president and our zone leaders talked to us about how there is no reason that we cannot do the same thing! Our power and authority allows us to do that! With our power and authority and our Faith we can LITERALLY see the same miracles that those in the Book of Mormon did...we are no different than those missionaries! Lately as i have focused on only speaking the words of the spirit i have felt the power and authority of my calling so strongly! I KNOW that this really is the Lord's work, and that we are here to embark upon a very important work! There is no time to wait ,  we must help all see the importance of living the gospel, both members and members! When we declare things boldly and nobly with the power and authority of our calling people WILL LISTEN! And when they don't, we don't give up there. we continue raising a real warning voice with love, and plead with these people! They often end up changing their minds...that is the power and authority of our calling! It is REAL and it is because of the Lord's power that we have been granted it! With all that said, Elder Hamula told our mission to "be humble" because we could lose it all in a day or two! But I am so grateful for the spirit I continually feel throughout the day...I just feel so lucky!!!!  

 

Lastly, the women's conference taught me to remember that the love of the Savior is greater than anything else. We all love but we can all "Love better!"

 

I finish this email pretty much in tears in gratitude for my faithful older Sister,  Sister Ensign in South Korea...I would not be where I'm at today if it weren't for her...literally! She loves the Savior and has taught me about real Christ like Love! There have been so many helpful insights she has shared with me that have not only helped me, but the people here in Australia! I know she will continue to have a lasting effect of everyone who knows her! I pray I may continue to follow her example of serving the Lord with all my heart and I just pray for you all! Please take care of her. Keep her safe from the world and allow her to lift our family to even higher levels! Love you guys! xoxox

 

Sister Ensign

I just cried and cried in total awe of our Heavenly Father's almighty power and mercy....

This week has been really really really good:)

 

Saturday Alicia Howsam was baptized and it was such a special morning! Her mum is a returning Less active (who has come SO FAR!!!! yay ;)) and her dad is a non member, atheist! (Her mum and dad are now separated)well dad came to the baptism and totally felt the spirit!!!! i just cried as i told him after how grateful i was for his willingness to let Alicia be baptized (because he wasn't going to let her) and also for him coming....it was a big step but watching them next to each other, change to love each other more(just through their actions) as the program went on....was a CLEAR indication that the gospel brings families closer to together and that it really does bless us FOREVER! I'm so grateful for it!

 

This week we had MLC and this was one of the most spiritual experiences I have had in a long time! Our mission used to be known as the party mission...our key indicators were VERY low and it just had a bad rep! Well within the past year, our mission has changed so much, you wouldn't even think it was the same mission! Our missionaries have become so much more converted (and honestly it's because we've been reading the Book of Mormon as a mission several times), and because the missionaries are changing, our numbers have SIGNIFICANTLY increased!!!! Well at our MLC for the first time in my mission, we were able to talk about what the mission needs next! That is dignity! We have been able to move past certain things, become good teachers of truth, and now our president wants to help us with being dignified! It just makes me want to cry! The Lord has been so patient with us and the atonement has allowed so many missionaries to change! As a council, we reviewed our mission numbers and have broken past all high water marks and so showing the Lord that we will be humble to continue to see his Hand hasten the work at the speed it is, we knelt...us 12 missionaries and President and Sister Lindsay, and offered a prayer of gratitude! EVERY.SINGLE eye was wet! The spirit was so stronggggg! I just cried and cried, in total awe of our Heavenly Father's almighty power and mercy! I cannot even begin to explain..,but I DO know that Heavenly Father is the most loving being out there, and will always be anxiously waiting to step into our lives and help us...he is just waiting for us and our willing heart!

 

This week we were able to put 4 more friends on date! i wish i had more time to tell you...but all I can say is the Lord is hastening his work VERY QUICKLY! The boat is moving and we all better get on, or we will miss it! 

 

Yesterday it was the 5th hour and so the 6 of us missionaries and our ward mission leader taught the 3rd hour...go figure it was on missionary work...the most important thing! IT was really cool though because we had members share their experiences of helping us and what differences they have seen in their lives, and then we ended with a bang! WE had our amazing friend Abraham get up and share his story and testimony...keep in mind we met him exactly one week ago. And he so calmly did, shared it confidently, even made everyone laugh and feel the spirit and shared that HE KNOWS THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE and cannot wait to be baptized! I remember leaving the house that morning feeling determined to get people to church and sure enough, Heavenly Father placed his elect son in our path and as a result he will make a strong member of the Lord's church! Abraham is just one of the elect...there are many and they are amazing! I cant wait to tell you all about them later...ahhh I'm out of time!

 

p.s this week at mlc, Sister Bailey told me how the Coyle family (and Sam-recent convert, and Dolores-a less active we were working with) went to the temple for a lesson on the grounds and to go inside....oh my goodness....I want you to read their letters about their experience...hearing about it and then receiving a letter from them....ya.....lets just say I cried some more! I love these people so much and can't wait to come back for the Coyles sealing in Feb 2015! oh my mom and dad...I think I would rather come back with you guys instead of you pick me up....I dunno, .... but ya,  I'm so excited for them!

 

There is so much more to tell, .......but president is taking our zone is going to Nandoo's (amazing food place)  for lunch today because we broke the high water mark and got 10 baptisms as a zone this past month~ Our zone is ON FIRE RIGHT NOW!!!!!! ahhhh I love this work :)

Love,

Sister Ensign