Conference Time!

Dear all, 

I want you to know that I love being a missionary. There are things I've learned, seen, felt, and heard that have changed me forever. I've met so many wonderful people and I've been able to feel Heavenly Father's love for them. I can imagine nothing greater than being a missionary of the Lord. 

Our Heavenly Father loves us. He sent His Son to suffer and die and live again all for us so that we may return to Him. The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth through the Prophet Joseph Smith. We have a living prophet today who receives living revelation for our time. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and was written for US. As we live according to the gospel, we will be comforted in our afflictions here and one day receive a fulness of joy in the kingdom of heaven. I know this with every fiber of my being, to use a common phrase.

It's my favorite time of year again! General Conference time! 

President Howard W. Hunter said:

"Conference time is a season of spiritual revival when knowledge and testimony are increased and solidified that God lives and blesses those who are faithful. It is a time when an understanding that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, is burned into the hearts of those who have the determination to serve him and keep his commandments. Conference is the time when our leaders give us inspired direction in the conduct of our lives—a time when souls are stirred and resolutions are made to be better husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, more obedient sons and daughters, better friends and neighbors...

"We know that our Father in Heaven loves us and is concerned about our spiritual and temporal welfare. We know that His Son, Jesus Christ, our Elder Brother, has provided a way for us to return to the presence of God; that there is a divine purpose for our being here on earth; that we have a work to do which is an important part of his plan. In addition, we know many details of that plan and have received specific direction about our responsibilities...

"We who are met here today claim a special, unique knowledge of the Savior’s gospel. Most striking of all, to those who first become acquainted with us, is our declaration to the world that we are guided by a living prophet of God—one who communicates with, is inspired by, and receives revelation from the Lord...

"We have found, and know, that the only way to gain spiritual knowledge is to approach our Father in Heaven through the Holy Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. When we do this, and if we are spiritually prepared, we see things our eyes have not previously seen, and we hear things we may not have previously heard—“the things which God hath prepared,” using Paul’s words. (1 Cor. 2:9.) These things we receive through the Spirit.

We believe, and testify to the world, that communication with our Father in Heaven and direction from the Lord are available today. We testify that God speaks to man as he did in the days of the Savior and in Old Testament times. We would say to the world: “Listen to and weigh the words of this conference; consider the direction and counsel that come from those who speak. Then, after prayerful pondering, that sweet warm conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit will testify to you of its truthfulness."

We have a promise from a prophet of God that if we will go to conference spiritually prepared to receive revelation, we will receive it... and more! You will receive answers to questions, comfort, and a witness of prophetic callings. 

President Boyd K. Packer cautioned: 

"In a few days there opens another general conference of the Church. The servants of the Lord will counsel us. You may listen with anxious ears and hearts, or you may turn that counsel aside. … What you shall gain will depend not so much upon their preparation of the messages as upon your preparation for them.”

We can prepare for General Conference by praying in faith for guidance, coming with the questions of our soul, setting aside time to really listen to the sessions, and committing to follow the counsel we receive from the pulpit and from the Spirit. 

I echo the words of Elder Paul V. Johnson: 

"Decide now to make general conference a priority in your life. Decide to listen carefully and follow the teachings that are given. Listen to or read the talks more than once to better understand and follow the counsel. By doing these things, the gates of hell will not prevail against you, the powers of darkness will be dispersed from before you, and the heavens will shake for your good."

I have tried and tested this challenge in my own life. This weekend we will listen to a Prophet's voice and receive guidance and counsel from on high. How wonderful is the gospel?!

May we all prepare ourselves to receive the revelation Heavenly Father is just waiting to pour upon us! 

Love, 

Sister Waite

Are You Grumpy in the Donut Shop?

Dear all (or Hey y'all, what ever suits you best),

This week was absolutely incredible. There are just so many things to be grateful for in this great work. There are miracles everywhere. You need only to open your eyes and see. 

We found a family this week... with 7 kids. Yeah. We were pretty excited. The mom let us right in! They are so great! I can't even describe it! I'll keep you posted on how they progress. Ah! :) 

I am ever grateful that the Lord saw fit to call me to invite others to come unto Him. The opportunity to serve others in this way has been the most remarkable thing that I could have ever hoped to do in this phase of my life. I have seen the gospel bless other people in ways that I never thought imaginable. This is truly the greatest work in all the earth! 

We have an investigator who works in a donut shop, and she loves to tell stories about people who come into the shop and are just so happy because they're getting donuts. She loves making people's days! But she also sometimes tells us stories about people who aren't so happy. "How can they be grumpy in a donut shop?" she is always lamenting. I ask that same question: How could someone be grumpy in a donut shop? (Because, really... It's a donut shop.) But I also ask another question: how can someone be grumpy in the gospel of Jesus Christ?

"Now, what do we hear in the gospel which we have received? A voice of gladness! A voice of mercy from heaven; and a voice of truth out of the earth; glad tidings for the dead; a voice of gladness for the living and the dead; glad tidings of great joy (D&C 128:19)."

"Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy (2 Nephi 2:25)."

What do we hear in the gospel? A voice of gladness! We know that men are that they might have joy!

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33) ."

Christ himself has told us to be of good cheer! He has overcome the world and is the Way to help us overcome it, too!

When He visited the Nephites, Christ knelt and uttered a prayer so sacred that it could not be recorded:

"And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.

And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.

And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full (3 Nephi 17:18-20)."

These Nephites caused Christ great joy because of their faith, and we can as well. And because of our faith, we can receive a fulness of joy in the kingdom of our Father!

"And for this cause ye shall have fulness of joy; and ye shall sit down in the kingdom of my Father; yea, your joy shall be full, even as the Father hath given me fulness of joy... (3 Nephi 28:10)"

"Behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy heart for gladness? (D&C 19:39)"

This gospel is a gospel of joy! Because the fulness of the gospel has been restored to the earth, we know the true purpose of life. Because a young boy retired to a grove of trees and knelt in prayer in the spring of 1820, we know the true nature of God. Because God loves and speaks to all of His children through prophets-living and ancient-we have been given the Book of Mormon to help us understand who Jesus Christ truly is. Because of Jesus Christ, we know the way to return to our Heavenly Father. Because we can return to our Heavenly Father, we will receive a fulness of JOY. 

"Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing (D&C 128:22)"

May we always remember the joy that is found in the gospel and continually find joy in the journey.

Love, 

Sister Waite

Hastening

Hello all! 

I want you to know that the work is incredible. I love these people and I love the mission, but most importantly: I love the Lord!

We're running short on time this week (I know, right? I'm sure y'all were expecting yet another long winded email, haha!) A family in the stake invited our entire zone to P-day at their home, and we're about to head that way. 

I just have one question for you: 

Do you have your running shoes on? 

The work of salvation (in all capacities, including temple and family history work) is hastening faster than anything ever has. And the Lord expects us to run with it. I don't know about you, but I'd rather run in tennis shoes than flip flops. 

I'd love to hear your thoughts on that! 

Love,

Sister Waite

The Family is Forever

Mom!! (I cut my hair) :)

Hello all! 

This week in Texas was incredible! I can't even describe all of what happened this week, and I can't even describe it. The closest I can even think to describe it is as evidence of the reality of opposition in all things. This week was full of the highest of highs and the lowest of lows and so many little miracles that I can't even begin... Missionary work is the hardest and the most rewarding work I have ever done. I love it so much. 

A Sisters' Pday!

 Something that I hadn't really thought about this week is how much I'm missing from my family's lives. Dad starting a new job, Mom opening her store, Jacob's senior year of basketball, Lydia's 16th birthday, Rachel reading all of my favorite books, Betsy vibrantly loving life, and Esther's first year of school... Just so much! But all of this seemingly important things pale in comparison to the importance of spreading the gospel!

"6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered.

8 Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise (2 Nephi 2)."

Because of Jesus Christ, we will be able to return to our Heavenly Father! How great the importance to make these things known! 

Because of my knowledge of the restored gospel, I know that I will return to my Father in Heaven. I truly know who my Savior is. I know that Heavenly Father loves all of His children... The list could go on and on. 

One of my favorite things that I know is that families are forever. Because of covenants that my parents made in the temple, la familia Waite is eternal. And my future family will also be eternal. The little things that I am missing do not matter. We have an eternity together. And that message is one of happiness and is one that I will spread forever. HOW GREAT THE IMPORTANCE TO MAKE THESE THINGS KNOWN! 

Have a wonderful week! Love you all!

Love,

Sister Waite

Because Our Father Said So

Dear All, 

What an incredible week we had here in Merrilltown and Heritage Trail!

Sis. Risenmay & me with Pres. & Sis. Slaughter

I got to drive for a day this week while Sister Risenmay was at a mission leadership council in San Antonio and it was TERRIFYING. I haven't driven that much since right after high school. But it was great! Nothing broken or anything! Sister Facer may have something else to say about it, though... Haha! I feel like I know the area a lot better now, though, which is really nice. :) 

Service with our zone!

We also helped a couple sisters (Sister Hatch and Sister Reece) move into our apartment this week and it's been so great! Sister Hatch is from Snowflake! Which is really great because now I can tell a lot of jokes that I couldn't before... And she understands when I make St. Johns references. Haha! It's really great. They're both so wonderful and have such amazing testimonies. I'm excited to continue to learn from them! 

Our District!

One of the most incredible miracles this week started off... not like one at all! An investigator we have been working with for three months showed up to church and told us that he would stay for church, but there just wasn't enough evidence for him to be baptized and that we didn't need to worry about him anymore. We were shocked. The two times we had met with him this last week were two of the most powerful lessons we had ever had with him! But we went forward in faith and smiled and took him to the seat we had saved and prayed the entire sacrament meeting to know what to do. The most amazing thing happened. It seemed as though every single speaker had written his/her talk for him. The youth speakers spoke of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. One of the adult speakers spoke of the sacrament and used a lot of scriptures from the Book of Mormon AND the Bible, something that our investigator had said we lacked. The departing missionary who spoke spoke of the Restoration and bore powerful testimony. To top that off, he had an amazing experience in the 2nd and 3rd hours of the block. He LOVED the training from the Apostles about the Sabbath Day. When he came out, he looked at us and basically said "All is well. I will continue learning." ¡Que milagro! Revelation through church is real! I am so grateful to members who are so in tune with what the Lord would have them say! And I'm grateful that our investigator still had his heart open enough to receive the messages!

Ryan and his kitten, Pfreddles!

We have an incredible week lined up: zone conference, an exchange with Sister Clawson and Sister Greenwood, weekly planning, and an opportunity to learn more from Sister Facer, all topped off with a wonderful finding followed by the Sabbath. I don't know about you, but I think that sounds like an incredible week filled with many miracles! (But really, what week isn't?)

All the sisters in the mission at Sisters' Conference

The BEST part of this week was definitely the Sisters' Conference. There were some incredible trainings given by the lead sister-training-leaders and amazing testimonies by sisters President called on the spot, but the thing that stood out most in my mind was the very beginning when President showed us the Dove video about the doors labeled "beautiful" and "average" and how people had to choose which door to walk through (something that you would think that we would have expected to be covered at a sisters' conference... but for some reason no one saw it coming.) After the video, President stood at the pulpit and said "I would like everyone in this room who is beautiful to stand up." Not missing the point of the video we had just seen, every single sister stood. Through tears, he looked at us and said "That's right." Then he gave us permission to quote him (something he tells us all the time NOT to do). He said: "If you ever feel as though you are not beautiful, or someone says that you are not, you can quote me and say 'I am beautiful because my mission president said so.'" There wasn't a dry eye in the room!

At the temple with some amazing missionaries!

But the most edifying part of the day was the temple. Yes, because it was the temple and the temple is amazing, but what I loved most about the temple was the opportunity to "hear my Father say so." I appreciated very much the permission to quote President Slaughter in saying "I am beautiful because my mission president said so," but being in the celestial room gave me the opportunity to reflect over the entire day and the things that I learned and I felt in a very real way that I am beautiful because my Heavenly Father said so, too. 

Sister Risenmay and Me outside the temple

I've really been thinking this week about what I wanted to have you take away from "that one email from Sister Waite we've gotten every week for 8 months". There's just so much that I could say and that I want you to know. Things like how much your Heavenly Father loves you or how much this knowledge and the gospel can bless your lives, or maybe even how much the temple needs to be a part of our lives and we shouldn't take that tie to heaven for granted. But the most important thing is this: 

You are beautiful (or strong or courageous, if you'd prefer) because our Heavenly Father said so. 

EARLY morning selfe...

President Uchtdorf has said: 

"You're sons and daughters of the greatest most glorious being in the universe. He loves you with an infinite love. He wants the best for you... Our destiny is greater than we can imagine, if only we understood who we are and what is in store for us. Our hearts would overflow with such gratitude and happiness, that it would enlighten even the darkest hours with a light and love of God, our Heavenly Father."

May you always remember that. 

You are incredible because our Father said so. 

Love, 

Sister Waite

Mug brownies!!