Adrianna and Me

Hello Mom!!

Well.... What a week.....

I guess I am going to give a spiritual thought. This week has been one of the hardest weeka Sister Larsen and I have ever faced. I guess Satan knew we were about to accomplish something great and he wanted to make sure we didn't get it. Melissa and Jessica's baptism was yesterday. It was amazing. But there was a lot of trials that happened before. Let start at the very beginning.... A good place to start....

-On Thursday, we called the elders to see if they have the keys to the baptismal closet. They said they do. We show up at the church. They thought we meant the baptismal font key. The members with the key live out of town. We contacted the relief society president, Sister Cutting.  We drove ten minutes there and then ten minutes back. We got the baptismal suits for Melissa and Jessica to try.

-We went into the church library to print out the baptismal program. Printer doesn't work. Ink won't come out. When it does print out, boxes form and cover the words. So that means we have to use someone's computer to print the program. Library cost 10 cents per paper.

- Went to Melissa and Jessica's place to try out the baptismal suits. We found a suit that fit Jessica. None of the suits fit Melissa. She couldn't zip them up herself. So we have to go and find a bigger suit for her.

- Jessica said the father might not bring her to the baptism on purpose and that was a little bit of a struggle.

- Sister Dyber texted explaining that her husband won't be able to perform the confirmation next Sunday since they will be out of town. They suggested that Hank who perform the baptism and William who was suppose to perform the confirmation switch or perform the confirmation right after the baptism. Sister Larsen and I knew the rule and preach my gospel said that new convert's confirmation must occur in sacrament meeting the following Sunday for certain reasons. Sister Dyber was not happy and she thought the church policy was baloney. In our head, we were thinking, "this is the Lord's church. If you have a problem... Talk with the prophet and he will inquire of the Lord. If we allow men to rule the church or change the church's policy, this wouldn't be the Lord's church." She will understand one day. 

- We got a bigger suit for Melissa and it was soooo big.... She looked like a sumo wrestler. The crotch was way down to her ankles. She could pull the baptismal suit over her head to hide her face. Melissa started to feel discouraged. We told her not to give up. We told her that The Lord will always provide a way for us.

-We went to south shore church (20 minutes away) hoping to find a suit that is her size. We found the one that could possibly fit. Sister Larsen and I prayed that it would fit. Melissa tried it all and it fit!! #Miracles

But that is not all.....

Satan was also making sure we didn't have confidence in ourselves so he started sending us negative thoughts and comments. Sometimes some people think Missionaries are so perfect and can handle anything. We are just so worn. There were things that were out of our control and we get blamed for them. People were just so mad at us, we either aren't enough for them or not doing good enough. Plus people just got mad at me for being deaf. Sister Larsen and I were frustrated. This week was the very first time we got frustrated with each other for our problems and then we realized that it was Satan that was causing the contention with the members and with the companionship. My favorite thing about Sister Larsen and my companionship is that whenever we are frustrated we hug it out. So we hugged and we laughed and it seems like our frustrations go away. 

Yesterday, one of my deaf investigators from South Shore decided to come to Terryville and witness the baptism since she is planning to get baptized in the near future. So I had to interpret 3 hours of church and the baptism by myself. It was hard.

Chrissie is my favorite Deaf investigator

Before the baptism, before church started,  there was so much stress that I got to the point that I wanted to get on my knees and pray. I felt this peace and warm feeling in my heart. I felt as if Heavenly Father was telling me this: "It will be okay, you are almost there. Just hold on a little bit longer. I will help you and I love you." I got up and went to work. The baptism finally happened! A very important and happy moment replaced all the trials and hardship Sister Larsen and I faced.  Fortunately, Satan did not win his battle. This past week Sister Larsen and I were studying the story of Job. This story can apply to anyone's life. We shared Job's story with everyone we taught this week and it helped them realize to keep fighting and not give up. I want to use Heather Hall's quote she sent me in the beginning of my mission when I was struggling, "Did you ever realize that Satan asked Heavenly Father for permission to tempt Job the way he did? Why do you think he got the go-ahead? Because the Lord wanted to be able to say "told-you-so!" :) He knew Job had unwavering faith and dedication so he wasn't worried. If you feel you are being put through the refiners fire, just think that the Lord might have ok'd it because he knows you can handle it and wants to prove Satan wrong with your strength!" My favorite scripture from the book of Job is Job 23:10, "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold." Keep enduring to the end with a smile on your face and he will make you more beautiful and stronger. We will receive more blessings if we overcome certain situation with faith.  I'm so grateful for Job's example. I am so grateful I had the opportunity to study it because it definitely helped us a lot this week.

Satan Lost. Heavenly Father won!!!

Remember Marylou,
She has been an investigator for a year now and refused to accept or commit to a baptism date. For the past three lessons we have taught her, it has been so spiritual and incredible. We felt the strong impression that we need to give her a date. We talked with her and the baptism date is December 27. She is so amazing! 

We are going to an endowment session tomorrow for one of the members who is receiving her own. It will be nice to go to the temple tomorrow. I am going to need it. 

President Reynolds and his wife came to our church yesterday to support Melissa and Jessica. I love Sister Reynolds. She and I were talking. She told me that her and her husband often talk about me. They pretty much just said this, "Sister Moore is just an angel sent from Heaven." I smiled at that. So cute right? Then she told me that my trainee was coming in this Monday on the 14. I was like... Ummmm.... What? So I am excited!!! So we will see what happens. I do hope that she comes!

 I don't know why I am good with children haha. This is Shyla's 2 out of 3 children. The baby is crying on the other side wanting my full attention but refused to be with the other two haha.
The children love me because I pay attention to them, play with them, and let them know I love them. Shyla knows that I love them. She wants me to move to Tennessee and nanny her children after my mission.



This is Annemarie's daughter, Mackenzie :) News with Annemarie. She is super strong and faithful! I love her. The only struggle is coming to church because her husband is not being supportive in coming. We moved her baptism date to October 4 on General Conference day :)



Yay for Labor Day, we worked all morning too :) We had a ward breakfast and it was fun!!!










Patty is super awesome. Her daughter, Jenny interprets at the South Shore ward. She wanted to get to know you and all. We talked about the phone call you had with her this morning at the breakfast and she said that she thinks you're the sweetest person ever. I showed her a picture of you and she said, "Wow! She is beautiful!!"










I am so excited for the baby blessing of Hazel. How is that baby girl doing?










I can't believe I will be coming home on January 6. That is less than 4 months. Yeah, I can come home to the St. George airport :)  It's crazy!!! I also want to visit SLC few week later to see Max. I miss my big dog!!










I did not go to transfer meeting because there was no change in Sister Larsen and my companionship. Same companion. Same area :)










I am so excited to go to the audiologist. Get everything worked out!!







 We need more missionaries in the field.  We almost had about 300 missionaries in this mission but now we are like in the 100s and pools have been shutting down. Youth!!! Come serve your mission!! Haha. We are worrying, I will definitely encourage my kids to serve. If I have the option to serve again, I will do it in a heartbeat. It's the best thing that ever happened to me.

Love you Mama! Thanks for everything! Thanks for being my best friend!