January 7, 2013!

January 7

Hello my favorite people, 

How is everyone doing this week? I hope that you all are having a GREAT first day back with school and everything. I hope that you are all staying warm as well. 

To start off I have two spiritual experiences that happened to me on Friday. Sister Davidson has been struggling a little these past few weeks. She also is sad and feels like she isn't doing a good job and feels to distanced from Heavenly Father. She actually has been feeling like this for a long time and I have always been there to help her out. We have come to a conclusion that a certain Elder has been making her distracted and feeling this way. It can be frustrating at times and exhausting to always be the one picking her up, but then I think of the Savior and what he would do. I love Sister Davidson and I LOVE being there for her. She has mentioned so many times how much I have helped her. Anyways back to the point. Well, on Friday she was sad and telling me what was wrong. As she was talking to me I had this strong impression that she needed to call President and ask for a blessing. I felt that she needed to hear from him all of the good things that she is doing because lately she feels like she has become distant from him and doesn't want to let him down. President had to call us back and when he did, Sister Davidson said that she was okay, but President said to come meet with him anyway and he even mentioned that he would give her a blessing. When I heard President say that I knew that it was the spirit that gave me this promoting. Another thing that helped me recognized that it was the spirit was that my heart started beating really fast and it was kind of random and I wouldn't normally say something like that. I am so happy to know that I am able to recognize the spirit and the prompting that I get. Another promoting that I got was while we were talking with President and all about this Elder that Sister Davidson like and I had this random thought that I needed to tell President about this Elder that likes me in the mission. I felt like I needed to tell him that for future transfers not to put him in the same area has me because I didn't want this Elder to be distracted by me and plus I didn't want this same drama either. When I told President he said "Wow you are so spiritual!" So transfers are next week and President was going to have this Elder be the District Leader for this area and forgot that he liked me. President was so grateful for me coming and telling him that and it made me feel so good to know that I did the right thing and followed the Holy Ghost. I know that the Holy Ghost is with us always and never leaves. We need to make sure that we are doing the right things to be able to recognized the spirit. 

CHELLE- Some advice that I have for you for when you go on your mission is to make sure that you LOCK YOUR HEART!! This is super important and will help you focus on the Lord's work.

We meet with Sister Erckenbrack this past week. We went over to see if we could set up an appointment to teach the Plan of Salvation. We got talking and then she started asking about temples. It was a little hard to explain some things to her because we can't really talk about what happens in the temple. She has about what happens when people die and we told her that we are able to do their work for them if they weren't able to be baptized while they were on this earth. She also asked about sealings and we told her that it is something that ties families together forever. She seemed really interested and wants her family to be sealed for forever. She is a great mom and wife and wants the best for her family. Sunday Sister Davidson and I fasted for Brother Erckenbrack's heart to be soften and that he will want to learn more and to think about his family and the great joy that they can have. This family is so great and I want to help them come closer to their Heavenly Father.

We were able to meet a new investigator this week. I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but we do service every Wednesday and a community center. One of the employee's Loly has told us that she has an LDS friend and this friend has given her a Book of Mormon. Loly said that she has lost it and we said that we had one in the car. She was so excited and we able to teach her about the Restoration and the Book of Mormon. We challenged her to pray about the Book of Mormon and about Joesph Smith. She said that she would. We also invited her to come to church with us. She said that she would love too, but that she couldn't because she has to work. We even offered a tour and she said that she would love that. We will be calling her today to make an appointment with her. Loly is amazing and already has so much faith. She wants to become better and come closer to her Savior Jesus Christ. 

We haven't been able to make any new contact with Lindy lately. It is like she just fell of the face of the earth. We have tried calling and stopping by. No one ever answers the door or the phone. It makes the two of us really sad. We thought things were going to well with her and then she's gone. We haven't given up hope on her, but there is only so much that we can do to reach out to her. I hope that this week we will be able to find her.

We were able to finally meet with a Less Active family. They had us over for dinner. It was really nice. They come from a broken family and are trying their hardest to become closer together. We shared the Atonement with them and they really enjoyed it and told us that they kept setting goals to be better to each other, but then it never worked. They realized that not only do they need to act on that goal, but they also need to have the Savior in their lives as well. They have been coming back to church and have family prayers. They told us that they have felt a difference already and know that it is because they let the Lord into their lives and have asked for strength. It made me happy to know that they have realized that they can't do everything on their own and that they need the Lord's help. They are a great family and mentioned that they loved having us over and have helped them a lot.

I just want to end saying that I know that we do need the Lord's help in everything that we do. We cannot do things on our own. Missionary work is hard and I have found out for myself that you can't do it all on your own. You always need to ask for help. Satan this week has been getting me really good and trying to make me feel miserable just like him. Every time I started to feel down or upset and I would always say a little prayer in my heart and I could instantly feel my Savior's love for me and the strength be able to overcome the Adversarial. God is real. He is in every detail of our lives. I am grateful for the Holy Ghost and the promtings that I have been able to have. I know that because I am trying my best and my hardest that the Lord is very pleased with me and I am seeing the blessings from Him. I love my Savior Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. I know that I am a daughter of God and that He knows me and loves me!

I love you so much! Have a great week!

 Love Sister Ackley

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TYSON!! LOVE YOU BUD :)

Rose bowl parade and me in my cute outfits!

I will send more next week too.