The Spirit Speaks

This past week has been a blast! I LOVE HERMANA CAUDEL. She is so amazing! It's fun being able to serve with someone that has been out the same time as you because I feel like we are both on the same page as far as goals and we both really just want to work hard and see the miracles that will come.

Me and Hermana Caudel

Our first day together we went to visit Fausto.  

Hermana Caudel was pretty excited because this is her first somewhat Spanish area her whole mission. So it was her first time speaking in Spanish for 14 months. Well, long story short we had an AMAZING lesson! Fausto set a baptismal date for July 21st! It was honestly such a powerful lesson, even though I couldn't understand every little word, whenever I wanted to speak it was just like the words would come to my mind, literally right before I would speak.. AHHH it was the greatest thing ever! He's getting baptized, and he knows it's true! We are seriously so excited for him. He is such a good guy, and has the best kids. Every time we come over they sit quietly on the couch and have their scriptures open and participate in the lesson. They're just so good and innocent and sweet. Saturday we stopped by to say hi because it was his youngest kids birthday.. and they had been waiting patiently for us to come so they could sing happy birthday to him when we were there. We then enjoyed homemade Dominican cake. I loved it, even though I was already stuffed from our dinner appointment. That's one thing I can now say I have learned on my mission- how to really eat. haha.  

Me and Sister stoker who was on her way home! :(

The Visitor's Center has been crazy busy. Everyone has been coming in to see all the church history sites. My favorites groups to take are the youth groups. They always teach me so much and are so willing to participate on presentations and make their experience meaningful. Something I have realized as I take people through the Visitors Center is that they are the ones that make the experience good, not me. So I love it when people come in wanting to have a spiritual experience and they make it that way. On Friday, during our Visitors Center weekly training, the sister leaders talked a lot about how we shouldn't just go through the motions, but really love what we do. I have to admit, there have been times on my mission when I've just gone through the motions, and it's been miserable. But every time I really try to give something my all, I am so much happier and love what I am doing. It definitely takes effort, just like with all things in life, but it's always worth it! Life takes work. Once we realize that and get to work, we will enjoy life. Simply put. 

OK enough of my rambling.. the whole reason why I was telling you about the Visitors Center was because I had a girl that came in the other day with a Young Single Adult group from Ogden and she asked me, "Why did you come on a mission?" So I told her my story, and then she said, "This whole time I've been out here on this trip I keep thinking I should go on a mission, and now after seeing other sisters and hearing your story.. I really think I am going to go." It was pretty awesome. Of course I enforced that decision and told her it was the BEST decision I had ever made and that I would never go back on it! Earlier in the week, I also took a younger youth group through and one of the girls asked me the same question.. by the end of the tour I felt like we had become pretty good friends and she came up to me and said, "Can I take a picture with you?" Before I know it, all these other girls are asking if they can take a picture with me. It was so cute, haha I felt like I was a royalty or something.. All the sisters and I agreed that the youth truly do look to missionaries as their heroes and it made me realize that I need to be worthy of that praise. It made me think, "what am I doing each and everyday to set that example for those youth?" It's just so important that as missionaries we remember that... that people are looking to US! Who would've thought. ;)

Sunday I had the opportunity of speaking in church on Alma 37:6-7 which talks all about the small and simple things and how great things come to pass. Honestly, that chapter is one of my favorites in Alma and especially those verses because as I look back on my life.. I've never done anything super grand and great, but I have done small, little things that have brought me to where I am today. I know it really is the small and simple things that matter most in life. What are we doing today to get us to our tomorrow? Leading up to my talk though, I was really nervous for some reason, I couldn't figure out what exactly I wanted to say to the ward members, and it wasn't until I was on the stand that I felt impressed to talk about how the ward members are the small and simple means that can bring about something great. When I got up to speak, my talk was not the one at all that I had written down. The spirit definitely guided me and I couldn't really tell everything that I said, but I do know that I said what the Lord wanted me to say because there weren't my words. A couple days later, the Raytown ward sisters came up to me and said, "Do you realize what you've done?!" Staring at them blankly I said, "No, what are you talking about?" They then went on to tell me that they had an investigator (who has been debating baptism for months) that came to our ward because she couldn't make their ward time and that after she heard my talk she really felt like she needed to be baptized... So ya, that was pretty awesome to hear. You just never know what the spirit will do. The church is true! 

 

Well everyone, I love you all. Thanks for all your support and encouraging words. I love this work, I wouldn't trade it for the stars above! 

Love, Hermana Conrow  

INDEPENDENCE DAY... Literally

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY EVERYONE! It's a grand and glorious day to spend my freedom in Independence, Missouri. 

Well oh my goodness this has honestly been the most random/craziest week! Haha. Transfers came and went last night. My new companion is Hermana Caudel from California. We actually came out to the mission together, but she is Spanish speaking so we were in a different district at the Missionary Training Center. I love Sister Caudel. She is my favorite little Mexican sista! We have been saying our entire missions that one day we would be companions... and now here we are. I'm super stoked to finally be able to use my Spanish and learn it from a pro. I'm still in the same area in Independence, and Sis Sibbett is just transferring to another ward here in Indy. So it's going to be a fun six weeks. Hermana Caudel and I are going to work like crazy and have fun doing it! 

Ok so as all of you know, it has been crazy hot in this nation and especially here in Indy land. Not only has it been hot, but it's been humid.. Anyways... a couple days ago we were eating dinner at our investigators house. He made us authentic Dominican food and oh my gosh it was so good, but his house was super hot and we were dying of heat. Well after we ate dinner we taught him another lesson and halfway through the lesson, my stomach started killing me, so I just prayed and prayed, "Heavenly Father we have to teach this man and I have to teach in Spanish, please just let my stomach feel ok until the end of the lesson." Sure enough, the pain went away, but right after we said amen, it came back 10 fold! Haha. I was dying and everyone was taking so long to say goodbye. When we walked outside the member we brought with us was wanting to talk and talk, and I felt so bad. Finally I said, "I'm so sorry but if we don't go now, I'm going to pass out.. " So we start walking to our car and then all of the sudden I just feel all the color leave my face. Sis Sibbett turns to me and says, "Sis, you are turning green, lets go back to Fausto's before you pass out.." At that point, I thought I was dying and agreed to walk back. Well before I knew it, I could barely hear anything and my eyes blacked out. I felt like I was in a completely different world. Somehow, we made it back to our investigators home where I crashed in his bathroom for about 20 minutes. It was the most embarrassing moment of my life. I was so sick. I think he thought it was his food, like my stomach couldn't handle it or something, but I knew it was just dehydration. I guess I just got so busy that day I had completely forgotten to drink hardly any water. Ha, my bad. Alright, now for the crazy story that happened last night.. 


After transfer calls all of us sisters were up talking (there are 6 sisters that live in one house, it's awesome) so we're up talking and all of the sudden Sister Coplan and Minall come upstairs and they're all, "Sisters get down on the floor now! We heard a lady outside screaming that there was a guy right out on the side of our house with a gun, and he's trying to get into their house.." Then we all hear this loud scraping sound on the side of the house.. So we all get down and turn out the lights and are like, "Ok what do we do?" Haha. So Sis Coplan calls 911 while I'm calling the Assistants and another sister is calling one of the senior couples.. The assistants are like, "K, we're coming over.." Then the cops show up and then the senior couple shows up. It was madness.. At this point the sound was gone and the guy with the gun is no where to be found. So the cops go over and talk to these 2 guys that are standing outside of their house next to us and they say, "Oh it was just a dog that ran down the alley.." which we all knew that wasn't true and so the cops just left it at that like it was nothing.. I couldn't believe it. The AP's were just standing there helpless haha, I think they just wanted to know what was going on and they feel like brothers to us- just wanting to protect their poor helpless little sisters. Haha. Sister Sibbett, Mendez and I were way freaked out the rest of the night, we could hardly sleep. We kept thinking up the worst scenarios possible. We're still pretty sure something fishy was going on at that house next to us... but I guess we'll never know.. for now. Good thing we're missionaries and the Lord watches over us! Haha- it was such a crazy night. Oh good ole' Independence. 


This morning we had transfer breakfast- where we sing made up songs to all those who are going home and then we took a bunch of pictures so I'll try to send those over. Tomorrow I get my new comp- she's coming from Liberty Jail. Here's to a new transfer! I hope you all have a wonderful 4th of July and have lots of fun! I love being out here- it is so much fun, even with all the crazy things that happen. Gotta love the mission!

 Love, Hermana Conrow 


(By the way Bryan- a kid came through the Visitors Center yesterday that served in your mission, he's going to find you on Face Book- oh and don't drink the water there, you'll get sick and have to come home early. That happened to another kid that came to the Visitors Center a couple weeks ago. Love you!) 

Power From Fasting

So many wonderful things have happened this week, I honestly don't even know where to begin...

Let's start with Fausto-

Fausto is one of our new investigators that we have been teaching. He is from the Dominican Republic and doesn't really speak any English at all. All four of his children were baptized a couple months ago and they are AMAZING! Such strong little spirits, and at such young ages. We've been taking different members from our ward over with us to help us teach him (because my Spanish isn't the best, and dominicans speak a bazillion miles an hour) Haha...needless to say, our very first appointment with him, I felt like a new missionary all over again. I couldn't say what I wanted to say or what I felt like needed to be said and I felt like I was only getting fractures of the conversation. By the end I finally just shared my testimony with him that I knew if he had faith the Lord could answer his prayers.. All of us were in tears and the spirit was so strong even though I was partially lost and my companion had NO IDEA what we were even talking about. Haha. Oh the joys of learning a language. So we invited Fausto to come to church and he said he would come. When Sunday rolled around, he was there with all four of his cute litte kids. I was thrilled to death. His oldest daughter had actually just returned from Girl's Camp and so the Bishop asked her to come up at the beginning of sacrament meeting and share her testimony.  So she goes up there and, in spanish, shares her testimony, and then looks straight at her dad and says, "I am so grateful that my dad came here today. I love him so much. He means everything to me." I looked over to see Fausto's face... He was beaming. Just glowing with joy. I couldn't have been happier in that moment. So awesome. Later, during church, we decided to go to the Spanish gospel principles class with Fausto. The entire lesson was on Alma 5- which is only like the most amazing chapter in Alma. It's just very bold, straight to the point and teaches the doctrines of Christ. Well- he loved it and wrote down the reference so that he could go home and read over the whole chapter. It was so fun to be in that class even though I couldn't really say anything, I understood and I felt the power of the spirit in that class. At the end, the teacher picked on me to give the prayer in Spanish. I won't lie, I was scared to death, I've prayed in Spanish, but never in public before.. But I got up there anyway and just opened my mouth and I kid you not, words just started coming that I didn't even know I had in there. It was a pretty special experience for me. 

Ok also on Sunday- that evening- Sister Sibbett and I were out in our area trying to contact a certain family in our ward. Well, they weren't home and we didn't feel like where we had planned to go was where we were supposed to be so we just started driving and decided to go to a certain area where we knew there were some people we hadn't tried. When we got there we met a lady who used to belong to the Restoration Branch and all she wanted to do was argue with us and tell us that what we believe wasn't true.. I was like, ok, "this is not what I came here to do.." So I just shared my testimony with her and we were on our way.. The next place we went to was frustrating too... We just weren't having any success or feeling like we were where we were supposed to be. Finally, we thought ok, lets go try to contact this referral... we get there and the husband answers the door and he's super sweet but very busy and doesn't feel like he has time to learn more about the Gospel.. Long story short, while we're talking with this guy we see this lady carrying all these heavy boxes up 3 flights of stairs so we offer our help and she says, "No, I've got this..." so we keep talking to the husband.. well he's not biting, so we start to leave and see this same lady at the bottom of the steps with only 3 boxes left. So we go up to her and say, "We don't care if we're in dresses, we are going to take these boxes upstairs for you.." She laughs and follows us up the stairs.. 

Her name is Sharon and she is leaving her husband.. That's what she tells us anyway... So she's leaving her husband but she's super positive about the whole situation and tells us her life story.. Then as we're talking- she puts her leg up to her other knee and totally starts standing like a stork! I said, "SHARON! I have never met anyone else in my life, besides family, that stands like me!!!" Haha, it was so silly to be so excited about that, but I was because I really felt so strongly that I was supposed to meet her even before she did that. Ha, it was a great bonding moment for us. We continued to talk and listen to Sharon's experiences and then we started to testify of the Gospel. That's when Sharon told us that she belonged to a break off group and knew the Book of Mormon was true but didn't agree with the church.. Next thing I know, I'm saying, "Sharon I know that the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contains the fulness of the Gospel and that if you want to feel peace in your life you need to be baptized by someone who holds that Priesthood Authority from God." Sharon looks at me, with tears in my eyes, and says, "I know, I know it's true." And then I said, "I know it's true too and that we have a prophet on the earth today, Thomas S. Monson who leads and guides Christ's church. What is holding you back?!" She said, "I'm running. I'm running from the truth because I'm scared." I said, "why are you scared Sharon?" She said, "Because of all the guilt I have in my life." By that point all of us were in tears. I go up to Sharon, hug her tight, and say, "Sharon, that's why there's Jesus Christ! So you don't have to hold onto that guilt. Will you allow us to teach you?" It was a pretty powerful moment and the spirit was so strong..Then she said, "I'm not ready for that yet..." Feeling a little discouraged, Sister Sibbett looked at me and we were both thinking the exact same thing. We knew right then we needed to sing to Sharon, "I Am a Child of God." So we did and sang in Samoan as well.. as we're singing we decide to sing the third verse that basically says "if I but learn to do His will, I'll live with Him once more.." When we finished singing, she was bawling and couldn't speak.. None of us could really... We gave her a pamphlet to read and invited her to read Mosiah 24 in the Book of Mormon. She said she would. She never set a follow up appointment with us but she allowed us to pray with her and said we could call her at the end of this week. I keep praying and praying that she will continue to soften her heart and see that this Gospel can and will change her life for the eternities. Stay tuned for next weeks results! Haha. 

So many other great things happened this past week because of the fast. I wish I had the time to write about all of them. We met with a family who recently joined the chruch and the mother is struggling to come to church. On Sunday we saw the dad there, but not the mom so I asked for her number, called her, and said, "Sister, I'm new, you're new, I need you here. Let's be new together. Please come. I need you to sit next to me." She had just woken up and with some hesitation said, "Ok... but I'm going to be late.." I said, "That's ok, better late than never." I'll admit I was a little doubtful at first that she'd come, but much to my surprise, after sacrament was passed, she walked in the doors and stayed for the entire meeting! It was so awesome. She even said she'd feed us dinner on Sunday. Haha. I was pretty stoked. 

That experience made me think a lot about all of those precious souls who have gone astray or feel alone. If we will just reach out and say, "I need you" and truly mean it, I know that we can help them to feel the love of the Savior and realize that their talents and gifts are unique and that they really are needed in God's kingdom. Never be afraid to reach out to those who need your help. For with God, nothing is impossible. I love Jesus Christ! He is the best! I am so thankful for the opportunities my Heavenly Father has given me to learn and to grow and to see the divine worth in every one of His Children. I love you all! 

Love, Hermana Conrow   

Me and Sister Borget-turquoise twinners!

Todos Milagros

Although this week has been a slightly crazy one, it's been a good one as well!

This past weekend our entire mission fasted for 24 hours. President Keyes sent out a mass message inviting all of us to participate in this mission wide fast. We fasted to be able to be lead and guided to people each week of this summer who are truly prepared and ready to receive the Restored Gospel. Not only that, but we fasted for people who would progress and desire to be baptized, as well as things that we ourselves needed and things our companionship's needed. IT WAS AMAZING! And it didn't take long to see the fruits of our fast. The very next day every single sister at the VC had some miracle to share with all of us. Sister Sibbett and I were able to actually get to our area (her stomach pains had gone) and we found this guy walking on the street and talked to him about the Gospel. His eyes lit up and he was all, "Ya, I was wondering why there are so many churches on the earth.. I want to know more about your church, where is it?" Ahhh.. it was music to my ears. I felt like a missionary again. It was so good to be about the Lord's work and to testify of the truthfulness of this Gospel. We are meeting with him and his mom and brother tonight. We are pretty excited!

Earlier this week, I was able to go to a different area with a different sister. It was an all Spanish area... I won't lie to you, I was scared to death, but as we approached our first appointment (only Spanish speaking) it was awesome! I couldn't say much at all, but I understood what they were saying to me, and the spirit that I felt as I testified of the Priesthood on the earth again was so powerful! If that's the only reason why I was switched over, was just for that day, I am completely ok with that. We were also able to talk to another man who had been recently married and hadn't gone to church since he was young. We taught him about Christ and about His Gospel and how it was restored through Joseph Smith.. When I started telling him about Joseph Smith's first vision, he leaned in so intently to be sure he didn't miss a word. The spirit was almost palpable, and as I finished, he said, "wow... just wow.." I was thinking that same thing. The sister I was on splits with was pretty excited to go back and teach he and his wife. I love being a missionary! Even if I can't always speak the language, the Lord provides a way!

Ok, also- the Visitor Center is great.. I'm finally starting to re-adjust.. I think. Haha. A couple days ago I took 4 young singles through the VC from Wichita, KS. One of the girls was getting ready to serve her mission in CA and so she was asking me all these questions about what to wear, what to study... all that good missionary stuff.. Long story short- I ended up spending about 3 hours with these people and it was so awesome. I just knew I was supposed to meet them all. 2 of the girls had some pretty rough family experiences and it was really neat to be able to open up to them about my life experiences and to share what I had learned. I really loved spending time with all of them and by the end of our visit, they didn't want to leave. And I didn't want them to leave either. It's crazy what the spirit does and how it draws everyone so much closer together.

Something I've been thinking a lot about this past transfer is ATTITUDE. Honestly, attitude determines destiny. I know that's true. This has been a different kind of transfer for me and I know Heavenly Father is wanting me to learn something through my experiences this past month. With a sick companion, it isn't always easy to do the work, or to stay happy about the situation, but- everything happens for a reason and I think the Lord has been wanting me to learn about the importance of patience, and having a bright attitude. It's like Ether 12:6- that we don't see the miracles until after the trial of our faith. So TRUE! My faith has been tested time and time again, but especially these past couple weeks- and Monday I felt like was the miracle from my faith.. It meant everything to me to finally be able to go out with my companion and to teach in unity. Companions are everything. And I know that I would be lost without one.

How grateful I am for the Lord's tender mercies and his faith and patience with me. I love this work with all my heart. I hope I can continue to be everything that my Heavenly Father needs me to be. I promise that if you don't give up when you're most discourage, our Savior will step in and carry you through. He has done it for me, and I know he can do the same for you. I love you all very, very much!

Love, Hermana Conrow

Hola Everyone!

I'm so sorry everyone- this email will be very short! But here we go-

My poor comp has still been out of commission for the most part! Pray for her!

Yesterday, I was able to take the cutest family through the Visitors Center from St. George, UT! They were awesome and they told me about their friend from Japan who came to STG as a foreign exchange student. I was able to email this young man from Japan and tell him a little bit more about the Gospel, so now I'm just waiting for a reply! I was also able to take a family from Mexico through.. haha they were laughing at me because I'm horrible at rolling my R's and so for about 20 mintues they kept trying to teach me. It was pretty cute/embarrassing. I loved taking them through though, they taught me a lot about humility and the importance of loving your family with all your might. At the end of our time together, the daughter asked if I could pray with them for their friend back in Mexico who was struggling. It was a very tender experience for me. I felt the spirit so powerfully as I prayed for this daughter of God whom I had never even met, but I felt the love for her as her friends did. It was awesome. Although I miss wonderful Platte City, I do love it here, and I love the people I am so blessed to serve with. 

I truly believe that we become what we think about all day long- if you want something, go for it, and you'll achieve it! The Gospel is true everyone. Follow suit! 

Love, Hermana Conrow :)  

I Love To Be Taught By Him

Well this past week has certainly been a different one..

My poor companion had to go to the ER on Tuesday because she was having really, really bad stomach pain. They did a bunch of tests and couldn't figure out what was wrong so they just gave her some medication until she could go see a specialist. Her pain has been pretty bad, so the medicine they gave her.... well lets just say it knocks her out. Haha. This past week I've learned a lot of patience. I've also been able to more fully utilize my telephone skills and writing skills (aka: doing lots of paperwork). One day, one of our leaders called to check up on her and she answered the phone. This is how the conversation went: "Sister Sibbett..how have you been feeling?!" She said in a slurred like manner, "Oh Elder.. I don't feel anything at alllll..." Hahaha.. Needless to say, he strongly encouraged us not to go anywhere. We wouldn't want people thinking differently of us as representatives of Jesus Christ. We have an appointment this week though, so we're really hoping that they can figure out what's going on. Pray for my poor companera. 

Other than ER visits, we were able to hear from a General Authority, Elder Nash. He spoke at our stake conference and it was so amazing! He talked all about the importance of our families, and the things that we need to be doing in order to keep our families strong in the gospel. He mentioned how crucial it was that we have family prayers, morning and night, scripture study and family home evening every Monday. He promised us that if we will do this with our children that we will be happy and will be able to stay strong as a family, despite the pressures from the world. Ahh, it was just so good! Then after stake conference, we were on shift and he came to the Visitor's Center to take a tour. Little did we know that he's the one that's over all of the Historic Sites in the church. Haha, that's not intimidating! He did shake all of our hands though and told us how special we were, and that we were hand picked to be Visitor Center Sisters. Ha that made me feel pretty good ;) 

Ok- this week I had a way neat opportunity to sing at a Mission President's Devotional. It's a meeting they hold every 1st and 3rd Sunday for recent converts to come and share their testimonies. I sang with a few other sisters, "I am a Child of God" only we sang it in Samoan. It was soo pretty. The spirit was so powerful and I just loved it so much. Ah, I really have grown to love the Polynesian culture so much. They are so full of love and spirit. Next on my list is to learn to sing it in Spanish, since a lot of the members in our ward are from the Dominican Republic. (yes, I still have lots of learning to do con mi espanol!) 

With the few times we were able to go out this past week, I did have a very tender experience. We went to this house that we've been to before. They were referred to us from a member to go visit. The husband is from the Dominican and can barely speak any English so we've been trying to connect with the wife a lot. She's from New York, but Dominican as well. They are just the sweetest people. Her poor husband has a severe back problem though and has been bed ridden for months and is having surgery this weekend. Anywho- as we've been going over there we've tried to teach her here and there but also just show these people how much we love them and desire to serve them. After going over there about 3 times, we still had yet to meet her husband because he was always in bed- but one day when we went over and were speaking to his wife, he yelled downstairs to his wife in Spanish, not thinking I could understand, so I yelled back up to him, "Esta bien hermano, queremos ayuda!" Well then he got excited and started yelling back more really fast in spanish. And I started laughing because at that point I couldn't understand him for how fast he was speaking. His wife told us that he wanted to try to come downstairs so he could shake our hands and thank us for our willingness to help. We walked in the door and there he was, so crippled and hobbling down the long flight of stairs just to thank us. Tears just filled my eyes because of how sweet this guy was. He finally got to the bottom, his face grieved with pain, and said, "Gracias hermanas por todos hacemos." Thanks you sisters for all you do. Ahh, it was just the greatest. Then, he hobbled back upstairs, clinging to the railing. I know that is something so simple, but it meant so much to me. I know that's something Christ would do. Even though this man has nothing to do with the church, he had a whole lot of something to do with Christ and was willing to show that example. I will never forget that experience. He taught me a lot about humility that day. 

I just love being a missionary. There's nothing greater. I LOVE IT! I love all of you. Jesus is the Christ, this is His church. I know it. 

Love, Hermana Conrow :) 

ps.. here's a link to a pic of me and some other missionaries singing for the prophet! 

ldsmag.com/photography/category/97#1514  

Another Chapter Has Begun!

Yes it is true- I have been transferred...

Platte City 1st ward, and 2nd Branch- I will never, ever forget you. I love you with all my heart.

Brother and Sister Edwards- you are sunshine to my soul and I promise I will write! You have become family and will always be family to me :)

I will never be the same because of that area.

Well...I am now serving in the Independence 3rd ward with Sister Sibbett from Hawaii!

It really is so weird to be back in the Visitor's Center. I feel like I just left.. There are all new sisters and a different feel, but it's still the gospel and I know it's true so I can be happy :)

Haha, change is always hard though. Originally when we got transfer calls I was supposed to be going to the Raytown ward in Independence to be in a trio companionship with Sister Minall and Sister Coplan, but then a new sister that was coming from the MTC ended up getting sick the night before she left, and went home, so they moved me to 3rd ward and moved Sis Sibbett's companion, Sis Touli, out to Wichita the next day after we already had transfer calls. So, it was kind of a shock for all of us.

BUT- I love Sis Sibbett, she's been out about 5 months and is on fire- so we are going to work, work, and work some more! 3rd ward is great so far! There is a lot of diversity in this ward. Many of the members are from the Dominican, so I will definitely be needing my Spanish now. Haha. We have a lot of former investigators that only speak Spanish so I really have to step it up and practice, practice, practice. I'm scared to death, but now I think I understand why Heavenly Father switched me over to Spanish. Juntos podemos, con Padre Celestial que es. Haha.

Well, I don't have too many exciting stories at that moment. I've just been adjusting to the area again and being around all the sisters. I feel like I'm a new missionary all over again. It really is overwhelming coming from a full proselyting area back to an area where there are lots of missionaries around you! But, as I got here, I realized that within those 3 short transfers out in Platte City, I changed, I changed a lot. And it was so relieving to know that all of my efforts to change and become better were working! Granted, I still have lots more to change and do, but I was grateful to Heavenly Father for allowing me to have this new area so I could see just how much I was changing.

Yesterday we had our zone conference, and it was amazing. President Keyes honestly is so inspired and is such a loving and caring leader. I know that he truly is called of God to be my mission president at this time. He talked to us about the things that we needed to do to maintain that spirituality that we felt during the temple open house. He called this the:

4 Cornerstones to Spirituality-

1) Obedience- he said that when we are being disobedient, no matter how hard we try to do the other 3 things, it won't make a difference. When we are disobedient as missionaries, we are breaking covenants. 

2) Prayer- how true that is. Prayer is the passport to peace and a refuge for safety. It is the way that we communicate with our Heavenly Father. He also promised us that every single time we pray and ask for strength, Heavenly Father will ALWAYS answer that prayer. No questions asked.

3) Scripture study- President said that if we want answers to our prayers, than we need to study! It's how Heavenly Father talks back. He said, "I promise that as you prayerfully study, you will have more meaningful prayers, and you will gain a deeper testimony of the gospel."

4) Partaking of the Sacrament worthily- he talked about how truly important this is for us, and how when we go to church and partake of the bread and water, our minds need to be centered on the atonement, and we should be thinking about how we can be strengthened through Christ.

I know these are things that we all know we should do, but the way that he put everything just made sense. Ah, I just love this mission. I love how Heavenly Father always knows what we need, where we need to be, and who we need to be with. Time flies too fast, and I really want to be better. I want to leave this mission a million times better than how I was before I came. I'm thankful for the opportunity that I have now to be serving in Indy 3rd ward, and I'm excited to get to use what little Spanish I do know, more fully. The Gospel is true. I promise, if any of you are struggling, that if you just apply the 4 cornerstones to spirituality in your life, you will be happy, and you will know what you need to do with the decisions you have to make in your life. Doubt not, fear not, in every way acknowledge Him!

Love, Hermana Conrow

"The way we do anything, is how we'll do everything."