Hey Merry Christmas!

I am SO grateful that I was able to be a missionary this Christmas.  It was so special and I felt so much love for the people around me and my Savior.  We spent time with some of the YSA members who arent near families on Christmas Eve and it was way fun- I LOVE these people!  One of the guys that came that night also went to church the next day- and it was his first time going in 3 years! 

It's 4 degrees here right now.  I have learned some cool new winter survival tips lately like hand warmers, putting bags over your tights and under your socks and how to use a snow mower ( I think thats what its called).  So I am prepared for all weather now.

This week was AMAZING.  All the family wards are struggling over winter break to set up appointments, but it is perfect time for the YSA because they are all on break!  So yes miracles out the wazoo, it's the best. We fasted last week for finding and we have been seeing so many miracles from it- we found 2 new investigators this week!  One is a former investigator named Alisa who is so cute!  We taught her the first lesson and committed her to be baptized and the next lesson she came back with a baptismal date that prayed and picked herself!!  She is super prepared and feels so much joy as she reads the Book of Mormon- so cool!!  

So I really love being a missionary... I am super sad that it is coming to an end but I will continue to serve my Savior and to be a member missionary and I expect all of you to hold me to it.  :)

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Paul

1. Exchange with Ely sisters

2. Hot Cocoa after caroling

3. Christmas morning- didn't sleep that night

4. MERRY CHRISTMAS DAY

MERRY CHRISTMAS THIS WEEK <3 #lighttheworld

1. Mission Christmas Party

2. Weekly Sunday picture

3. Breakfast at our Stake Presidents house!

Hello family and friends. :)

Happy Christmas time!!  Life is cheery here in Elko, Nevada. We have been working with our recent converts a lot, doing a lot of finding and have been sharing the #lighttheworld initiative with everyone on the planet. So today is 'Jesus taught others and so can you,', so I thought I would share with you some insight on my latest Book of Mormon reading.  I just finished Mormon and at this point in time there is a lot of hard hearts and wickedness.  I was pondering on how interesting it is that we see this pattern all throughout the Book of Mormon and really all throughout history where things will be going well, people are following Christ and they're happy.. and then over time they let pride in their hearts, stop listening to the counsel of prophets and they fall into darkness where there are wars and blood and all these bad things.  It really is simple- keep the commandments and follow Jesus Christ and you will be happy- yet we so easily allow the adversary to take over and we fall into darkness in our own lives.  This principle can be applied in families, homes, relationships, schoolwork, pretty much everything.  I am grateful that the Book of Mormon was written for our time and that we can liken it to our lives.  I know it is true. :)

Sorry this is super short- I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week and happy holidays!! #lighttheworld

Sister Paul

1. Grandmas sweater and our christmas tree

2. We got home on Monday night and we had these poinsettas and a note from our branch saying that they loved and appreciated us. :') I love these people!!

3. snow angels after morning program

4. my companion thought my outfit didn't match so she took a picture

5. Sunday picture #LIGHTTHEWORLD

Dear family and friends,

#LIGHTTHEWORLD.  That is all I have time to say but I hope you are all enjoying this season to serve.  Life is wonderful here in Elko and being a missionary is a dream come true.  Have a great week!

Sister Paul xoxo

Hello family and friends. :)

I hope that you all had a wonderful thanksgiving!!  We did a brunch with a bunch of missionaries, played volleyball and then decided to be smart with our stomach and only go to one thanksgiving dinner.  It was with our branch president and his HUGE family so it was a ton of fun.  I have gained a love for basketball since we've been playing it a lot here.  Still pretty bad at it and id probably rather be dancing but I love it a lot and I won 2nd place playing arcade basketball with the family we ate with for thanksgiving.  woot woot, moving up in the world of sports!

I love Elko. :)

Our recent converts are doing so good- better even!!   I'm so grateful for the eternal perspective that we have as members of the church- its cool to see that as we bring up future families to these YSA members, their sense of urgency for keeping the commandments and doing what they're supposed to increases.  I'm so excited for them to get married in the temple and have cute little eternal families :)
It is snowing here.......................  I've been privileged to be the designated driver both winters on my mission when it has started to snow.  Pray for me :')

Sheldon- one of our newer investigators is doing so awesome!!  He got a job this last week and so he's been super busy, but he has noticed a difference in his life when he hasn't made time for things like reading the Book of Mormon.  We had an AWESOME lesson yesterday and I have to just tell you about the following up that occurred.  I am just going to type out how the conversation went and then you can picture it in your head and be happy.

Sisters: "Sheldon, what is your belief on if Joseph Smith is a prophet of God?"
Sheldon: "Well if he was a prophet, then God is still leading the same church today that was here when Christ was on the earth."
Sisters:  "Do you believe he was a prophet?"
Sheldon: "Yes."
Sisters: "Then what does that mean about the Book of Mormon?"
Sheldon: "That it is the word of God."

CRISP- yes.  The spirit was so strong and our member presents (recently returned missionaries) got super excited and we did a little dance or two after the lesson.  IM SO GRATEFUL FOR THE SPIRIT AND THE WITNESS IT BRINGS OF THE TRUTHFULNESS OF THESE THINGS.

I hope all of you have heard about the new Christmas initiative for this year- if not, go to lds.org right now and watch the video.  We are so excited to invite everyone to participate in the 25 days of service and to #lighttheworld with Jesus Christ this holiday season.  He lives. :)

I hope you have a wonderful week, let me know if theres anything I can do for any of you!!

Sister Paul xoxo

P.S.  Send me your address if you would like to receive Sister Light and I's christmas card. Haha!  Also send me your christmas cards pleeaassee. :)

3356 Bell Ave
Elko, NV 89801

1. Weekly Sunday Picture..... featuring a sticky note on my dress

2. Coming Soon to Elko- rolled ice cream :))

3. Our phone freezes often and it's awesome

4. My companion really loves to take pictures always

Hello family and friends. :)

     Happy thanksgiving this week!!  I am so thankful to have been born into a family that was active in Christ's gospel.  I am thankful to have had the experiences that I have that have brought me to know that the the Book of Mormon is true, that we are being led by a prophet today and that Jesus Christ's church has been restored to the earth today.  I am thankful for the opportunity to wear Christ's name on my chest at this time and I love Him very much.

     This week was way fun.  Our mission president and his wife were here last Monday so we convinced President Chesnut to take a p-day and the picked us up to go on a hike!!  Nevada and my mission president and his wife and hiking are my favorite things so it was the best ever.  Also super grateful for that because later on in the week it started snowing..... sos.  It's okay though-  I am adjusting and really learning to layer and have been praying a lot for understanding on the cold weather. :)  life is good.

     Quote of the week by Tevin to a member of the branch:  "I just want to compliment you on your outfit- you have the comb over of a cowboy, the tie of a jamba juice worker and the hiking boots of a single mom,".

     Funny story... we crashed a date this week.  We cover a lot of little places with a lof of dirt roads and unseen addresses, so we had planned this week to go with one of the branch members around Ryndon to visit all the YSA aged people that lived there.  He's a guy so we needed another girl to come and as we started driving around we found out that this guy and the girl that came were actually on their first date and coming around with the missionaries was the first part of it! Never thought that would happen on a mission, but hey!  We got to meet some cool new people and had an awesome lesson with them and a recent convert we haven't seen in a while. :) #ysaprobs

     We had zone conference this week and we talked a lot about the sacrament.  This is something I have been thinking about a ton lately and that we have really been trying to help our recent converts understand.  I'm so grateful for that time that we have to really remember our Savior Jesus Christ as we partake of the bread and water and renew the covenants that we made at baptism.  I have been trying to apply the counsel given at general conference by preparing for the sacrament, paying attention to the words in the hymns, and focusing on the words of the prayers.  It really does make a difference in the experience.  Isn't it amazing that given all Savior went through when He suffered in the garden of gethsemane and died in calvary, He doesn't ask us to do the same?  He simply asks us to live worthily to partake of the sacrament and to remember Him each week as we do so.  I invite all of you to evaluate your sacrament experience this last week and ponder how you can better it for the next.

     I hope that you all have a wonderful thanksgiving this week!! We have been invited to 4 dinners, so...... yikes.  It will be great!! I love you all and hope you are doing well.  Let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

Love,

Sister Paul xoxo

1. how i feel about the snow

2. high school reunion with elder miner and elder judd

3. weekly sunday pic with our cute room

Hello family and friends :)

     I have been studying a lot about hope this week and it has been great- I have came to realize that the natural man has no hope, but we who know Jesus Christ and know about his plan have every reason to be hopeful in all situations- good or bad.  Heavenly Father has a plan for each one of us and no matter what we have to go through in our life here on earth, if we are remaining faithful and doing as He asks their is SO much happiness ahead.  So grateful for that perspective :)  "Hope is an emotion which brings richness in our everyday lives," yes. Have hope. :)
     We have a new investigator named Irma- she is so cool!!!  Her friend whos family we had met with texted her and asked if shed meet with us and she said yes, so we set up a lesson on Monday and we taught her the restoration.  She is from a strong catholic family but has recently been questioning her faith and some of the things shes been taught.  While we were teaching the restoration, we recited the first vision experience and afterwards asked us how she felt.  All she could come up with to explain her feelings was that she wanted to cry! hahah we explained to her about the spirit and she eventually did start crying and it was cool to help her recognize the spirit as it testified to her of the truthfulness of what we shared.  We have met with her a couple times this week and she is progressing so well!  She committed to baptism on December 17th and is super nervous about family opposition but she is going forward with full faith!  She loves the Book of Mormon and she gets emotional every time she reads it- she's sooo cute. :)  

     One of our recent converts came to church wearing eyeliner this week- he is a boy. 

     We had a crazy week of exchanges!  On Wednesday we had exchanges with the Ely sisters, then exchanges with the Spring Creek sisters on Friday and then we did a blitz with the Elko sisters on Saturday!  There were so many I couldn't keep track of life and I ended up realizing once I had gotten to Spring Creek with Sister Moses that I didn't actually pack pajamas or exercise clothes- luckily her companion was my same size so I just borrowed clothes- ha.  Life.  I've also discovered that I love talking on the phone.. yes. 

     Everyone should go do family history!!!  They are doing a huge convention here in February and so they had us go do some during our zone training this week- the spirit of Elijah is real, my friends.  It was so fun and exhilarating! 

     Ok this is all over the place which I apologize for- but to close I wanted to share something from my studies this morning.  So the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednago... way cool.  They are told to pray to an idol but they refuse.  They are then told that they will be thrown into a fiery furnace.  Instead of giving in with fear they state that they will keep the Lord's commandments and that the Lord will save them.  They have faith that they will be saved BUT if not, they say that they will still serve Him and keep His commandments.  SO MUCH FAITH. Life is good.  I love Jesus Christ and I love this work.  Have a good week!

Love,

Sister Paul

I love YSSAAAAA!  Seriously- so fun and so many miracles!  Lately I have been really having to focus on what I say because I have been almost ending my phone calls the same way I end a prayer and my companion told me the other day that I accidentally said "what are your plans for after the mission" instead of "after high school".. yikes.  Okay 5 million cool things happened this week so I am going to try and condense this the best I can.

So we have been feeling very strongly that with all the recent converts we have we should be focusing on finding through them.  So we were praying a couple weeks ago about who specifically has a friend and Clarissa's name came to mind.  So we had a lesson with her and told her that we prayed and felt like she knows someone who is prepared to receive the gospel and we invited her to pray to recognize who it is.  At church on Sunday in gospel principles she shared a very personal story about an addiction she used to have and when we met with her this week she told us that she felt prompted to share that because she feels like the person who is prepared has struggled with the same addiction and that someone in that class at church needed to hear about.  SO on Thursday Sister Light and I had a couple hours before we had to leave for Reno for MLC so we went out finding, we had a couple names and we decided to say a prayer about who the Lord needed us to go see and the name Devin came to mind.  We don't know him but have his name and address and so we went by- it turns out he moved BUT his YSA aged sister was there because she had just moved home 2 days ago to get away from influences because she was trying to quit the same addiction Clarissa had shared about!!!  Ok.. is Heavenly Father cool or what?  He totally answered all our prayers and now Clarissa is a fellowshipper for this sweet daughter of God who is trying to overcome the adversary. So cool.

Another one of the recent converts, Gabe, brought his friend Sheldon to church yesterday!  We met him before it started and set up an appointment to start teaching him.  He ended up bearing his testimony in sacrament meeting (?!?) and we had a solid lesson on the restoration later in the day where he committed to being baptized on December 10.  !! 

My testimony this week that the Lord is guiding every aspect of this work was strengthened this week.  His hand was everywhere and it is so cool to be an instrument for him!  We texted all the missionaries and asked who in they knew in their wards that were YSA that may be struggling and we could go visit.  We got a name for a boy who is not active but has a twin sister who is leaving on her mission this month.  We decided to go try and meet him and just ended up finding the sister and mom home so we started talking to them for a little bit about the brother.  We eventually got on the topic of Katie's mission and her mom shared that we had came at exactly the right time because just the day before Katie had broke down and was doubting if she should be going on a mission.  We were able to testify and share personal experiences from before our missions when the opposition was on blast mode.  She was so grateful and said it was exactly what she needed and she is thrilled to go on her mission!  It was a really cool experience because 2 sister missionaries helped me out a ton when I was doubting my decision to serve and I am SO grateful because I have not regretted one second.  The sweetest joy I have ever felt has been here in Nevada and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me this opportunity.  I know our Savior Jesus Christ lives and loves each one of us so personally and infinitely.  I love Him.  Let me know if there'a anything I can do for any of you and I hope you have a wonderful week!

xoxo Sister Paul

1. grandmas heater broke and it is very cold here so she made us all wear her bathrobes for warmth... hahaha she is the best

2.  cute companions? after 5 hour car ride

Happy Halloweeeeen!  :) 

We ate pumpkin pancakes today and last night I put on some bunny ears mom sent with a princess crown so you could say things are pretty crazy this halloween here in Elko.. ha life is good. :)

Can I just say that serving in YSA is a hoot- especially with all of these new recent converts, church is always VERY entertaining.  Yesterday our gospel principles lesson was on Agency and almost every recent convert made a comment about they've had to choose to not go to bad parties or to decline weed or other drugs since they have been baptized- so cool to hear about them sticking true to their covenants!  Gennifer, who was just baptized on the 8th of October, helped teach the class and she was sharing about how when she was making the decision to be baptized so many people kept asking her "well what about all the rules you have to follow?", she shared how she now understands that they are just guidelines for happiness and we have 2 options: eternal life or not.  She's a superstar.

Quote of the week by Tevin: "I went to work yesterday where we passed out lunch to all the people in jail- they're so lucky there wearing tennis shoes.  When I was in jail I had to wear crocs!"

One of our recent converts Geoffery came up to us at church and told us hes been trying out reading the Book of Mormon and praying in the morning AND at night- he said ever since he's been doing it his days have been so much better!! He's the coolest.  For correlation yesterday we were talking to our branch mission leader and he pulled up a picture that Geoffery posted on facebook- it was a picture of us and the caption was something like #teachingwiththesisters #baptizethemall ... hahaha yikes. 

So ever since Clarissa was baptized she has had like almost every boy in the branch ask her for her number/ask her on a date.  Hahah she's a babe, it's so funny!  So we had a new member lesson this week and she was like "Sisters, I have something to tell you but you can't laugh" She continued on to tell us that every night shes been having dreams about her wedding and she doesn't know why!  We asked her where at and with who and she said the Provo City Center Temple (yay!!!) and she doesn't know who because she couldn't see his face... #ysaprobs (is hashtag still a thing?)

It is SO cool to see all these people taking 180 turns in their lives as they have accepted and made the gospel their focus.  It has been such a testimony to me that the power of repentance is very real and that our Savior Jesus Christ suffered for ALL of our sins- no matter how bad they may be.  I am very grateful to know that we can be changing and progressing everyday to become more like Him.  I am also very grateful for the sacrament, is has taken a much deeper meaning for me on my mission as it has become such a sacred time for me to evaluate and recognize how I can improve, as well as how it has changed the life of new converts as they take it so seriously.  The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is true.  It has been restored through a prophet of God and the Book of Mormon is the convincing evidence that can heal any wounded soul.  I love wearing Christ's name on my heart and I love NEVADA! I hope that you all have a wonderful week!  Please let me know if there's anything I can do for you :)

Love,

Sister Paul

Pictures 1-2: last nights halloween photo shoot.............

3. elko nevada defined in one picture

Hello Family and Friends :) 

Life is goooood in Elko YSA.  My new companion Sister Light is the cutest- i love her and we are having a lot of fun.  We have been focusing a TON of finding lately and so we have basically become pro stalkers.  One of our specialties is seeing YSA age people walking down the street and so we quickly find a place we can turn and park our car and then we get out as fast as possible casually happen to cross paths at the perfect time to chat!  It's the best.  :)

We found a new investigator this week when we were walking down the street and it was waayy cool because he has totally been prepared to meet us at this time!  He moved from Reno here to get away from some bad situations and influences and decided to come to Elko to start fresh.. and we ran into him the day he got here!  Not a coincidence, my friends.  He is living with an LDS guy who he's been asking a lot of questions and this week we were able to teach him the restoration as well as a lesson on the Book of Mormon.  It was cool because at one point he was questioning why the Book of Mormon was necessary for him and then he paused and the spirit was working on him and he said "Actually- no, I figured it out.  I need to read and pray about it so I can find out how important it is."  So cool!!!  He committed to baptism and is set for November 26.

We do this scripture study with our recent converts every week and this week the topic we focused on was sacrifice.  We watched a video about John Tanner and then read in Alma 24 about the Anti Nephi Lehis who buried their weapons of war when they were converted.  I have been thinking a lot about this especially as my time here is getting short- I want to give my all to the Lord at this time and I do not want anything to hold me back.  So- towards the beginning of my mission I did this challenge to purify 40 day fast thing and I just started it again and am super excited to see what comes of it!  I remember starting my mission thinking that I wasn't really expecting to change too much and that I didn't want to be a completely different (awkward)  person when I got back aka princess of pride BUT I have come to realize that a lot of my desires have changed and I am soo grateful for it.  Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us to become more like Him and I am so grateful for mission that has humbled me and helped me change.  I lovvveee it!  Okay.  So I am coming home December 28th.   I accept that and know that but I do not really want to focus on it- so no need to bring it up :)

I love my Savior Jesus Christ and I love this work with all my heart.  I love all of you and I hope you have a wonderful week!  Let me know if there's anything I can do for you!!

xoxo Sister Paul

Alma 24: 19

Book of Mormon

19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm , and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.

1. lots of tears when hermana daniels left :( i love her

2. my cute new comp Sister Light :)

Hello Family and Friends :)

Transfer calls were last night!  My current companion, Hermana Daniels, is getting transferred back home to Ogden.  She finished her time :(  But Sister Light is coming to be my companion!  I am super excited.  We are sisters in the mission- so my trainer trained her as well.  So it well be very great.

This week was crazy! Not sure if I mentioned this before- but we all the STLs convinced our mission president to let us have a sisters conference with a sleepover at the mission home beforehand.  Oh man- it was the best.  I attached a lot of pictures!  On the night we got there we all sat in a circle in the basement and I gave a training on Cleanliness, Modesty, Diet and Exercise all tied in with the principle of Obedience.  It was great.  We then went to bed on time and got up and I led an exercise and then we got ready and headed to the mission home for a bunch of awesome trainings by sisters in the mission.  It was a very spiritual experience and exactly what all of us needed so yes- our mission president rocks.  

Clarissa got baptized on Saturday!!  I LOVE HER.  She was so excited and bore the sweetest, most powerful testimony afterwards.  She is definitely the most converted person I have ever taught on my mission.  Amidst all the opposition from family and work and everything she has been faced with- she knows the gospel of Jesus Christ is true and she has not been shaken.  She received the Holy Ghost the next day and was just glowing.  She is so special.  Sunday was also the best because 2 of our recent converts- Gabe and Tevin, passed the sacrament for the first time.  They were so excited and treated it so reverently!!  I cried a li'l bit.  It was so cool to see them exercise the priesthood authority they had and to think of it as so sacred.  

I have been thinking a lot about happiness and gratitude lately.  Those 2 things most definitely go hand in hand.  I think that if we are struggling to be happy then either we need to repent of something, or we need to be more grateful.  I know that the purest joy comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ to the fullest as we utilize the atonement and recognize the blessings it brings. We are so lucky.

 I love you all!!! Have a wonderful week. :)

Love,

Sister Paul

1. CLARISSA

2. pulled over on the side of the highway to talk to man

LIFE.  Man, it is so good.  I have like 5 million pictures and 5 million more things to say so here we go.

General Conference rocked- it was so refreshing and so happy because all of our investigators LOVED it and were able to receive a lot of insight.  One of your recent converts actually went to Salt Lake with a member to watch it in person and so that was the coolest.  I was so grateful for the emphasis on missionary work and members and missionaries working together to do it.  My fav insight I received: Repent of your fears and replace them with faith.
Clarissa, one of our investigators who is getting baptized this Saturday is progressing so super well!  We taught her the Word of Wisdom and she got pretty overwhelmed because she has been struggling with an addiction for a while- but she said that she is determined to get baptized on the date she set so she is putting all her faith in Jesus Christ and He is carrying her!  She quit cold turkey and said its the hardest thing she's ever done but she is super determined!

On Saturday Gennifer and Tevin got baptized.. I love them so much- holy cow.  Gennifer bore such a powerful testimony after and was crying afterwards because she was so happy and grateful for having the gospel in her life!  Also like 4 days before she went to get her hair colored and she asked for brown and it turned purple hahaha she was sooo super mad (pics attached) and then she was nervous that it would turn the baptismal font water purple but it did not so we were all grateful!  Tevin is the coolest ever.  His life is so tough and he has so much opposition going against him but he got up and bore a powerful testimony about how he is happier than he has ever been since he has been learning about and applying the gospel of Jesus Christ. :')  We were talking to him on Sunday and we were like 'tevin how does it feel to be baptized and have the holy ghost?' his response: 'still black' hahaha but then he bore sweet testimony.  I LOVE THIS PEOPLE! 

On Sunday we got to go to the beginning of priesthood because three of our recent converts got the priesthood!!!! aaahhhh! so cute.

Last weekend we had MLC and it is in Reno so us and the zone leaders and district leaders all drove our way down to Reno (5 hours away) and spent the night there to go to MLC the next day.  It was one of the elders bday and we went to Texas Roadhouse and he had to sit on a saddle while everyone sang to him... hahaha funniest thing ever, he was so mad.  Anyways- MLC was sooo good.  They talked a lot about listening to understand how the Savior suffered everything we would ever go through so that when we are going through the hard times, he can go to Him, because he knows EXACTLY how we feel.  I am so grateful for that knowledge.  We also talked about how we go through certain trials and tribulations so that we can be a savior for others who go through similar things.  I loved that perspective, because it is so easy to question why we go through hard times or why certain things happen- but a lot of the time we need to go through them so that we can stoop down to someone elses level to help them and show that we understand, just as the Savior does for us.  I love my Savior Jesus Christ.  I know He lives and I am so grateful for all He does for me and can do for anyone who will let Him in.  I hope you all have a wonderful week and let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

xoxo Sister Paul

1. investigators, rcs, and members of the branch

2. tevin and star

3. Genni Geeee!

Hello.  Life is very, very good. :)

Gabriel got baptized last week!!  He is soooooooo awesome, hahaha.  He was so excited to be baptized, he could not stop talking about it.  So many people came to support him for his baptism and the spirit was very strong.  As he was walking to the font he put up 2 peace signs and said "Let's do thiiiisss" ..... he is 18, we are still working on teaching him reverence. :)

We went on 2 exchanges this week so it was a little crazy, but one of them was a biking area and we got to bike in the rain and it was sooo fun!  Sadly, I have ridden my bike for the first time my whole mission these last couple of weeks, but I don't know why I haven't been doing it this whole time because I love it! (excuse my sentence fluency)

Last week I got to go on exchanges to my first area that I served in, Ely!!  It was the best, ever.  I got to go see some people that were baptized there and are still progressing so well.  It was such a tender mercy. 

So... the lady we live with has chickens and usually grandma feeds them but she had to do something in the morning and so she left a note for us to feed them...  It was the day we were on exchanges and so I had Sister Moses with me and I think she thinks I am nuts at this point.  I have pretty much gotten over my fear of animals but for some reason I just cannot get over my fear of chickens.  So I go to get the chicken food to bring it into the pen and I had to like put half my body into the little chicken house thing to hook the food container and the chickens kept following me and really wanted the food and I dropped it like 4 times and long story short my companion for the day ended up having to come do it so that was my scare for the week.

Ok...  Coolest thing ever.  A couple weeks ago we noticed that a girl from the branch had brought a friend to church and so we went and introduced ourselves and said what we do and asked her if she'd be interested in learning more.  She said yes and we talked to the friend before the lesson and she had no idea what to expect, but it ended up being the best lesson!  We taught the restoration and the spirit was very strong, we committed her to read Moroni 10 and were anxious to meet with her again.  The next time we met with her, we followed up with her Book of Mormon reading and her response was amazing!  She said that she's felt the spirit before, but as she was reading the Book of Mormon, she got this overwhelming feeling unlike anything she's every felt before.  She explained it like, "it felt like I had a cup, and it was full, and then it was like overflowing everywhere!!" She said she was holding the book in her hand and thinking, where has this been my whole life? why do we need anything else?  So cool because the first lesson one of her first questions was why we needed the Book of Mormon.  She anxiously accepted to be baptized on October 15 and is so so excited to do so!!  She has gone through a lot that has enabled her to be humble and have a true desire to know what is true and what the Lord wants for her.  This was just one of many testimonies to me that the Book of Mormon is true and it has the power to heal hearts and answer questions.  Ahh, I love this work!  

I hope you all have a wonderful week and enjoy watching General Conference this week.  Tell me about your fav talks!!

Love,

Sister Paul

Hello from Elko, Nevada :)

I was so so super sad to leave Carson last week, but oh man.  I love this place!  My companion, Hermana Daniels is wonderful.  We have been working hard and also eating better/exercising more so I am feeling very grateful for that.  Also very grateful for how hard previous sisters have worked here because there are miracles out the wazoo!

I lovveeeee YSA.  I think Heavenly Father is awesome and qualified me to be able to talk to people my own age without being awkward so I am very happy about that and have loved every second here!  Let me tell you about a few investigators-

Geoffery got baptized on Saturday, he is a ballroom dancer and is the coolest.  He was so excited to be baptized and the night before his baptism we got a text from him with his testimony written out which he then shared at his baptism the next day.  He was so nervous but did so good!  So cute.

Gabriel is getting baptized this Saturday-  He is 18 and is like a little kid.  Hahah so fun and goofy but he is so prepared!  He has been super involved and is always correcting nonmembers and members around him if they are not living the gospel to its fullest- its awesome.

Tevin... hahah oh man.  He has an afro and wears a pick and it has been so cool to see him progress.  As he has started reading the Book of Mormon and getting involved he has mellowed out a lot and hungers for the spirit.  He is preparing to be baptized at the end of this month! 

Gennifer is the cutest in the world.  Her boyfriend is a member and she is soooo prepared.  She loves learning about the gospel and she has had so many experiences with the spirit reassuring her that what she is doing is right.  She is preparing to be baptized on the 23rd.

All of our investigators are best friends and they are also best friends with some of the members as well.  Earlier this week we had planned a lesson with Gabe and 2 other investigators showed up and it was so fun to do a scripture study with all of them!!  They are all helping each other out and are finding so much joy in the gospel. 

Last all of our lessons in church were about marriage..... the only part that wasn't was sacrament and thats because my companion and I spoke.  I have a feeling that might be a reoccurring topic in this branch so that will be interesting!  I love this work and I love my Savior Jesus Christ.  I'm grateful for the healing power of the atonement as I have seen the power of it a lot this week.  We are so blessed to have this gospel!! I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week :)

Love,

Sister Paul

P.S. My new address is 3356 Bell Ave, Elko, NV 89801

Hello :)

     We got transfer calls yesterday.... I am getting transferred back to the east side, Elkoooo!  My emotions are a little whack about this.  It's pretty weird because I was in both my first two areas for 6 months and so I feel like I have not been here in Carson for long enough at all, I may have shed a couple tears when we got the call. haha.  I love Carson and I love my companion SOOO much, but I guess the Lord has something else in store.  I am happy I am getting to go to Elko though, my new companion Hermana Daniels is the coolest and we cover the girls in Ely so I will get to go on exchanges there ;').  I will be serving in a YSA ward though so I am a little bit nervous about that because my communication skills with people my age are like.. gone. completely.  So that will be interesting and a great learning experience :)

     Cool story for the week:  One of our recent converts struggles with schizophrenia, she has been doing super well lately especially as she has been actively living the gospel but she has been getting a bit off track lately and they put her on some new meds and they did not work out too well.  She was having a lot of crazy hallucinations and was constantly feeling like there were tons of people around her saying things she couldn't understand.  So she checked herself into the mental hospital to get everything figured out.  A couple days in we went to see her there and we were able to pray and read the Book of Mormon with her which she said helped lift her spirits so much and bring the peace she needed. She started getting back into reading and praying and the second time we came she told us that she had a dream that all the people she felt like were around her were people waiting for her to go do their work in the temple... She's amazing.  Since then, the hallucinations have gone down shes back to her good habits and she is doing all that she can to get to the temple to do their work.  Aaahhhh I love that girl so much.

     Yesterday I was sitting at church by one of our investigators and she leaned over to me and said "I was in so much pain today, I did not want to come to church today but God told me I needed to.  I now know why, he helped me realize today that even though my family at home is dysfunctional, I have a family here that I can rely on.  I am going to set up an appointment this week to meet with bishop and then get baptized the next day if he lets me!" So cool because we were getting worried about her because we weren't able to meet with her once this last week.  I'm so excited to hear about her progress. 

     OK so I have been like pretty emotionless my whole mission, like I have honestly been wishing I could just cry during spiritual things but I have not been able to!  Anyways- I don't know if its because I am getting closer to the end or what but the emotions are deciding to creep on in now, or at least in the last week.  We were talking to this 18 yr old girl and I started talking about this recently activated guy and recent convert girl who just got engaged and who will be sealed in the temple and totally started crying in the middle of the street.  And theeenn, in a DLC meeting we were talking about some speakers for an upcoming fireside and one of the elders mentioned how they have a guy who was baptized a year ago, just had a baby and will be getting sealed to all of his family this week and I lost it.  So weird???  Super great too because it was us and 5 other elders so I have been hearing all about it from them this last week. ohhh well.

     I want to testify to you of the power of the Book of Mormon.  I know now more than I ever have that it truly is the word of God.  I know that if we are struggling with a particular sin or are faced with temptation that if we turn to the Book of Mormon it WILL give us the power to resist.  I invite all of you to turn to it when you are feeling extra burdened.  I recently have been studying it by people, using the index to follow their stories and it is the best!  I am learning so much and it has helped me to understand the stories and significance of individuals in it so much more.  Ok, this is long.  I love being a missionary and I love you all! Have a wonderful week :)