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!