September 3
Hello family and friends :)
This week has been better. This is week 6 in the transfer and on Saturday we will be getting transfer calls. I am getting excited for that day. We had President interviews on Wednesday and I really enjoyed that. He also said that I won't be staying in Glendora. I will be moving to a new area, which I am looking forward too. :) We talked about our favorite obedience scripture and what it means to us. I choose Alma 57:21. It talks about how the stippling warriors obeyed with exactness and because they had faith they were able to get through anything. I really liked this because if I obey all of the mission rules and have faith that everything will work out, the Lord will bless me so that can do all that He has planned for me. I hope you all will read that scripture because it is so good. President asked me how I was doing and if I was happy. I guess when I said that I was happy, I hesitated and he asked if I really was. I of course being me started to cry and was openly honest with him and told him everything about what was going on with my companion and told him that she is always talking down to me and is rude to me. He said that he would talk to her about it and warned me that she might not be happy with me afterwards. After interviews we were asked to go back home and to start with a pray and to be honest with each other about how we were feeling. Come to find out we have both been feeling the same way. After we got out what was bothering us, we both felt better and became closer together. We have been doing better since then. We still have our moments, but I can honestly say that we have become more unified as a companionship.
This past week we visited with two of our investigators that we have and the lessons went really well. Alica Culley is one that we have been teaching off and on. She is a neat lady and has a strong spirit. We have been able to do some service for her and have been able to talk with her about the plan of salvation which went really well. I am starting to really rely on the spirit and to open my mouth so that the spirit can talk through me. When we were talking about the war in heaven before we came down to earth, I started saying things that I never knew what I was saying. In that moment I could feel the spirit in the room and knew that He was talking straight to Alica. It was an amazing experience. Its in these moments when I know that this is the only true church and that the words that I am saying our coming directly from the Holy Ghost. We are planning on committing her to baptism this week when we meet with her. We are trying really hard to get her to come to church with us and got her to agree to come with us to a dinner and a family night with a member of our ward. She does have a little bit of anxiety when it comes to people, so we are hoping that she will still do this with us and hopefully it will help her to come to church with us. We are defiantly seeing some good progress with her.
Shelley is another one that we have been working with off and on. We had a lesson with her on Friday and brought a member with us. I thought the lesson went well and we actually were able to teach her what we wanted too. Usually she talks and talks and it is hard for us to be able to get in what we had planned for her. We cleared up some questions that she had and told her all about the auxiliary leaders of the church. She blankly told us that she doesn't want to convert right now, but does still want to take the lessons with us. This gives me hope that maybe one day real soon she will be able to feel that this is what she needs in this life. We will be seeing her again this week and hope that I can teach her with the spirit so that she won't be able to deny what she is feeling is the true word of God. She will be an amazing member later on when she decides that this is the right thing for her.
We had the confirmation of the two Alvarez boys on Sunday. That was pretty cool and the spirit was present too. It made me smile to see them all happy and to be able to receive this special gift that they are able to get. I hope that they were able to feel His presence at that time and realize that they are already doing great and marvelous things in their life and will be doing many more great things. What a wonderful family they are.
We also have been doing lots of service this past week too. It has been so great being able to serve our ward members and the community. We were able to help out with the Senior Center with the food bank drive that we were having. We helped the seniors carry the food to their cars if they weren't able too. It made me feel good to help those who needed it and to share my wonderful smile to them as well. I love helping people. Always makes me feel lots better. We were also able to help a member from our ward paint her back patio. We have been helping them with their missionary work and they said that they usually invite their neighbors over for a BBQ, but haven't because they have been wanting to paint the patio first. So we said that we would help and brought out district to help us as well. We were able to get it all done for her and they really appreciated all the help that we did. It made me feel good to be able to them out with such a good cause behind it. When I am serving other people I am not thinking about me and it makes the work so much better. Service has been so great.
I want to you to know how much I do love this gospel and that I am so grateful for the Atonement and for the sacrifices that Jesus Christ did for me and that whenever I am feeling down or feel like I cannot get up, that it is through him that I am able to have that strength, and to know that the Lord is right there with me picking me up. I know that Jesus Christ knows exactly what I am going through and knows how to help me with my trials. I know that Joesph Smith is a true prophet and if it wasn't for him we wouldn't be able to have the Book of Mormon. I love reading the scriptures and learn new things from them everyday. I was recently reading in Alma 32:6 and it talks about they had great joy in their afflictions and become humble and prepared them for the preparation to things that will come . I thought about this and how true this is. Our afflictions that we go through help us and prepare us for our future and our plan that heavenly father has given us. I am grateful for all of the trials that I go through and that I am able to become a better person and learn the lessons that I need too. I love the scriptures and I am always turning to them whenever I can. I love being a missionary and sharing my testimony to all those that are around me. I say this in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Love you all and think of you all the time. Keep up all the great work and remember to always smile. You never know who is looking out for that smile of yours.
Love Sister Ackley
P.S. Thank you for the picture dad. I love it. You all seem like you are having a great day.
Here are some more pictures that I have taken. Are you able to see them? Here is a picture of a Rainbow with stormy clouds, we never did see the rain though:( , Here is a pictures of a couple that I have adopted to be my grandparents while I am here on the mission, and of course one of just me. I hope you enjoy. oh and a boat that I made from a sock
PPS: just a reminder for those who buy me clothes. the skirts just have to be about mid calf and will need to cover the backs of my knees and front when standing and walking and sitting. I hope this isn't too much to ask for. I really appreciate everything. love you all. Lots of hugs from me.
Here are the pictures Becca sent us this week:
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