Small Miracles

Miracles continue to happen here in the Zilker Park ward... And I love it! It's amazing what you notice when you open your eyes and look! 

We successfully navigated UT campus on Friday. Didn't get lost once! Definitely a miracle, considering the directions that we got! Haha! I have to say, though, I miss my beautiful BYU campus with the mountains and "Come, Come Ye Saints" every hour! 

The biggest miracle this week came in the form of Dianna. I can't even begin to describe how much her attitude toward church has changed since we first met her a couple weeks ago. She stayed for the entire block yesterday and told us afterward that it just felt like home. I'm so excited for her! And about her... I just love her so much! 

St. Johns!

Geoff continues to be great! He was in the hospital last week, and when we visited him he was close to tears because he had missed church. He really loves it. And I love hearing about how he's already sharing the gospel!

Other than that, we spent a lot of time this week planting seeds! It gets easier to preach by the way every day! 

Serving a mission was the best decision I've ever made! I've learned so much, and I'm excited to continue learning. :) 

With Father's Day next week, I've been doing some study about Fathers. Fathers are so great. 

There are so many great fathers in the scriptures: 

Lehi, who taught his son the importance of obedience:

"I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father..." (1 Nephi 1:1)

The Flowers are so Pretty!

Alma, who prayed that his son would be brought to a knowledge of the truth:

"And again, the angel said: Behold, the Lord hath heard the prayers of his people, and also the prayers of his servant, Alma, who is thy father; for he has prayed with much faith concerning thee that thou mightest be brought to the knowledge of the truth; therefore, for this purpose have I come to convince thee of the power and authority of God, that the prayers of his servants might be answered according to their faith."(Mosiah 27:14)

The father of Abish, who had a 'remarkable vision' that converted his daughter (who was then able to aid in the conversion of her people):

"And it came to pass that they did call on the name of the Lord, in their might, even until they had all fallen to the earth, save it were one of the Lamanitish women, whose name was Abish, she having been converted unto the Lord for many years, on account of a remarkable vision of her father--" (Alma 19:16)

One of my favorite examples of fatherhood in the Book of Mormon is found in Alma 56. These men had covenanted with Heavenly Father to never take up the sword again, but saw their brethren in the midst of war and desired to help. Not wanting to let their fathers break their covenant, the valiant sons of these men took up arms instead. And their fathers did all that they could to support them, bringing provisions and other things (Alma 56:27). I love that cycle. The sons supported their fathers in their righteous actions, and the fathers in turn supported their sons.

That is something that I hope to be able to do: support my father in his righteous actions, just as he has always supported me. I love my dad so much and I've always been grateful for his testimony and love. 

I hope you all have a blessed week! :)

Love,

Sister Waite

Remember Christ

Are y'all ready for the Cesario story that I promised?! I'm so excited to tell it! It's literally one of my favorites! 

A few months back, we got a text that gave us Cesario's address and told us that he'd requested a copy of the Book of Mormon, along with a note that said he would be baptized if he knew it was true. Sister Gagon and I got excited (as any missionary would) and stopped by a few times, but no one answered. We were in the area a while later and decided to try again, and his little sister answered! We asked for Cesario, but she told us that he wasn't there. We left the book with her, along with a #BecauseHeLives card with our phone number written on it. She told us that he enjoyed reading stuff like that and he'd probably give us a call. We waited, but the call didn't come. Which sort of made us sad... 

Cesario got baptized! :D

Skip forward a few weeks... And it came! We were sitting outside waiting to start a lesson, and he called us! Sister Montclair had only heard me mention his name a few times when we would pass the house on our way to another appointment, so when he said "Yeah, this is Cesario," she didn't get nearly as excited as I did. I grabbed the phone and scheduled an appointment with him for the next day and it was all I could do to sound normal and not totally crazy. I asked him how his reading had been going, and he told me that he had been making connections with the Bible and was already in chapter 4! And it's just gotten better from there! He's been reading every day since then, and even quotes it in lessons sometimes. We never had to ask him to liken the scriptures to himself... He just did it! And the other day, we committed him to serve a full-time mission! However, I think my favorite Cesario moment of all-time was his reaction to the First Vision: "That was moving." He's so super great (and mellow... very mellow.) We're working on getting his family to listen, but as of right now, they aren't interested. But he prays for them every time we hear him pray... It's just the greatest and I'm really excited about him. 

Sister Montclair wanted to 'hug' him... I just laughed!

His baptism was amazing! He said he was a little nervous, but he loved it. We had another investigator, Jerry, there, and he said that he "felt something"... !!! :) 

I'm also really excited about Dianna this week. When we first met her, she didn't want to come to church, and she certainly didn't want to even discuss baptism. But we left her a Book of Mormon, and she's been reading it... she's already mostly done with 1 Nephi! She asked us about coming to church, and then did it! We just love her so much! 

One of my goals this transfer is to read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and study how the Savior taught. As I've been doing that, I've noticed so many things that I hadn't really ever noticed before. One of my favorites can be found in Mark 8:14-21. The disciples are hungry, even though they have just witnessed Christ feeding four thousand people with 7 loaves of bread. Christ notices: 

"17 And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?

18 Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

19 When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.

20 And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.

21 And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?"

I love that. I feel like sometimes miracles happen right before our eyes and we are amazed then, but in a short time we forget. How is it that we do not understand? Miracles happen around us every day! We just need to remember them! Especially when times seem hard. Christ is able to do all things. Remember that! 

I love you all and hope things are going great! 

Love, 

Sister Waite 

Becoming a Missionary

Onto Transfer #2 with Sister Montclair!

Hey, all!

I have a lot of great things to share about this week, but first I wanted to express my love of Elder Perry. It seems like just yesterday (but really almost a year ago) that I was sipping a smoothie at BYU and saw him walking around the Wilk with his wife! I was sad to hear of his passing, but also excited that he was able to move on and continue his labors there. I loved how President put it: "I love Elder L. Tom Perry–Prophet, Seer and Revelator! At the time of his transfer, he was the oldest living apostle in the church and third in seniority. In his new assignment, he will continue his labors “in the preaching of the gospel” (D&C 138:57)." 

Our Tribute to Elder Perry

It's been raining a lot the past couple of weeks, which is a little unfamiliar to me, but really great! However, there's been lots of serious flooding. Not to worry, though! Our area hasn't been really affected by it. There was one road that flooded last Monday during one of the worst storms, but we were able to turn around and be safe! I wouldn't worry about us! But keep those who were affected in your prayers!

One really great thing that happened this week (before I get to the really great people we taught this week!): Sister Montclair has some family who live a couple minutes north of our area, and we got permission to visit them and teach them a lesson before referring them to the sisters in that area. One catch: they only speak Spanish. Yeah. That was pretty terrifying. I knew that with the limited Spanish that I had learned over the last transfer wouldn't really help me teach, but I just prayed that I would be able to understand what was being said, and I totally understood! The whole time! If someone had asked me right after we left what they talked about, I wouldn't have been able to tell them a single word that was said, but in the moment I understood! It was so wonderful!

The Book of Mormon and Bible illustrations we made for a lesson with Michael and Matthew tonight! 

An addition to the ever continuing saga of Geoff (the super awesome investigator that we just love to death!): He's doing super great! At church yesterday, someone asked him if he was investigating the church, and he looked at her and said "You know, Sister, I think I'm way past investigating. I have my two feet firmly planted in the concrete of the gospel!" Aw man, I just love that guy. He's still reading and tells us every time we see him that he would like to have words with Laman and Lemuel. Haha! He's super great!  

Cesario's baptism is this Saturday! I don't remember how much I've actually said about Cesario, but I'll probably give y'all the whole story again next week, so I'll wait on that. He's so super great! And he accepts everything so quickly! He's already in 2 Nephi and is always telling us ways that he's applying the Book of Mormon into his own life. Which is super great, because that's what the scriptures are for! 

Jerry came to church yesterday! He's the roommate of a member, and decided to sit in on one of our meetings a couple months ago. We caught him again a few weeks ago and he said he'd like to continue learning! We were super excited that he came to church! :) 

We started teaching a mother and son this past week and they're so amazing! Diana and Brandon love learning from us and ask the most amazing questions. It's been so great! And only a week and I already love them! (And their cat seems to really love us... so that's a plus! ;) )

We Heart Attacked Brother and Sister Webb. It was super great! They loved it!

Sister Montclair gets to take a Spanish test every transfer, so we had the opportunity to attend transfer meeting even though we're both staying in Zilker. Transfer meetings are the best! Everyone who bore their testimony talked a lot of BECOMING a missionary and not just serving a mission. As a missionary, you change who you are. Completely. I know that I've already grown so much, and it's only been about 5 months. Sitting in that meeting, I realized how much my entire vision of my life has lifted. And it's all dependent on me truly becoming a missionary, and not just serving a mission. A former TSAMer was at the meeting, and President had him bear his testimony. Before he was able to sit down, President stopped him, made him look left and right, and then said "Do you see that? Elder Thorn truly became a missionary. You've heard his words, you see his haircut, you see his suit, all he's missing is a name tag." So Elder Thorn opened up his jacket and his name tag was right there in an inside pocket, which really drove the point home. That was when I decided that I am going to truly become a missionary. As I am here in Texas helping the Lord change lives, I'm going to let him change mine as well. And I'm so excited! 

I hope everything is great in your neck of the woods! Have an amazing week! 

Love, 

Sister Waite

Another Turn in Zilker!

This week proved to be just as great as all the others, if not a little bit better! 

For everyone keeping track (and especially for those who aren't), it's time for more transfer news! Sister Montclair and I are both staying here in Zilker Park and I couldn't be happier! We have so much lined up for this next transfer! It's definitely going to be a great one, just like this one has been! 

Two major things happened this week that were so amazing: the mission conference and Michael and Matthew's baptism! 

The mission conference was seriously amazing. It had almost nothing to do with iPads and everything to do with becoming disciples of Christ. It's been so great for me to see that the Lord never does anything that doesn't have more than one clear purpose. Giving missionaries access to iPads isn't just an opportunity to reach more people, it's an opportunity for the Lord to train his missionaries in the best way to use technology! He truly trusts us to move the work forward with and without name tags! 

Elder David F. Evans and Elder Stephen B. Allen visited and were just remarkable! After shaking our hands and meeting all 200+ of us, Elder Evans said "I've never met a whole mission with as good a countenance as you. With 200+, you just can't fake it!" I love when people compliment the great TSAM. President Slaughter has worked so hard to create a culture of faithfulness and righteousness and it really shows! I love it here in Texas and I can't imagine being anywhere else! 

The biggest takeaway from the conference was just how much the Lord truly trusts us. He's blessing us not only with an opportunity to share the gospel with a greater audience now, but with the chance to develop great habits now in order to continue sharing the gospel after we take off our name tags! I just love Him so much! :)

Michael and Matthew with their mom and grandpa

And guess what?! The week was even greater come Saturday! Michael and Matthew were baptized!!! After three months of working and teaching and loving, it happened! They were so great! They had great family support and you could just see the happiness as they finally entered the gate onto the path to eternal life! I was just so excited for them! :) 

I absolutely love Moroni 1:3. Moroni is facing death unless he will deny his Savior, and he just won't do it! I think it's appropriate to put our own names in that verse. 

Along with Moroni, I, Sister Waite, will not deny the Christ!

Love you all! 

Sister Waite

Seek the BEST Gift

Wonderful things continue to happen here in the Zilker Park area of the great TSAM! I'll just pick a few to tell y'all about because if I told them all, I wouldn't have any stories to tell later! ;) 

Michael and Matthew are getting baptized this Saturday! I'm so excited for them! They're both so smart and know so much about the gospel already! I love them both so much and it's been exciting to watch them grow and become more and more excited for the step they're taking! And their mom loves it, too! She asked us the other day if we could continue meeting after the baptism... we thought about it for a total of -.000000001 seconds and said yes! Of course we're going to continue teaching them! It's just always great when they ask you to. :) 

CESARIO! ... I don't know how much I've actually said about Cesario. He's 17 and requested a Book of Mormon from the church website in March. He called us a couple weeks ago and said he'd been reading and wanted to learn more! Music to every missionary's ears! :) He's super great! He asks great questions and practically teaches the lesson himself! He's already been "likening" the scriptures to himself... and we didn't even have to say anything! Cesario came to church yesterday and gave it a thumbs up and said he learned a lot. So we're super excited for him! 

Geoff is still super great. He's still reading in the Book of Mormon and shares his insights with us. They're all really great! Every day is a day closer to baptism! :) 

One of my favorite things about being a missionary is feeling the Spirit so much! I got to testify of forever families the other day, and felt the Spirit so strongly! It's true! It's all true! :) 

I made a St. Johns connection the other day! We had dinner with a new couple in our ward on Tuesday. They asked where I was from, and when I said "St. Johns, Arizona," Sister Clayton stopped me and told me she knew where it was! She was there playing the violin with William Joseph last July. It was super crazy! I knew I recognized her from somewhere! She said she liked St. Johns, but could only really remember that there were people lined up at the park for free food (24th Celebration) and she really liked the milkshakes at the grocery store. :)

This week was really great! I loved every minute! And this next week is looking super great as well! Especially with a mission conference on Wednesday! :)

So I was studying a couple mornings ago and came across 1 Corinthians 12:31: 

"But covet [or seek] earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."

It got me thinking about what BEST gift it really was that I need to be earnestly searching for. Then I remembered Ether 12:11:

"...in the gift of his Son hath God prepared a more excellent way; and it is by faith that it hath been fulfilled."

I love finding verses that connect like this! Maybe I'm just super late to the party, but I absolutely loved it! 

In giving us His Son, Heavenly Father gave us the best gift possible. And it's up to us to seek Him earnestly! As we do so, we will be able to take steps on the "more excellent way" of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I don't think I could say it any better than Moroni does, though: 

"...I would commend you to seek this Jesus of whom the prophets and apostles have written, that the grace of God the Father, and also the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost, which beareth record of them, may be and abide in you forever." 

I hope y'all have a wonderful week! 

Love, 

Sister Waite

President Slaughter and Thoughts on Salvation

Missionary Selfie!

There are some weeks that I just have so much that I want to tell you that I can't even choose! ... This happens to be one of those weeks! ... There's so much! There's no way that I'll ever be able to type it all out, so I decided to send a bunch of pictures and let y'all see what kind of craziness happens here in the TSAM! :) I hope you enjoy it! 

Chasing Geoff's Runaway Dog

Having a little fun with a shopping cart we found outside Geoff's apartment.

We had zone meeting this week which is always really great, but we also had interviews with President! I love those! Because he was at the meeting, he taught us for an hour and it was glorious! I love learning from President Slaughter! He knows the scriptures so well and shared with us an insight from 2 Nephi 2:8. 

How are we saved? According to Lehi, "...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..." 

• Men can only be saved through the merits of Christ, or the Atonement (D&C 19:16-19). Nothing that we ever do will ever save us. On Judgment Day, Christ will act as our Advocate, but will plead our cause by His own merits (D&C 45:3-5). No matter how good we are in this life, without the merits of Christ, we are nothing! We cannot rely on our own righteousness (Romans 10:1-3). 
• Men can only be saved through the mercy of Christ. We've all come short of the glory of God and in doing so, broken His law, allowing justice to have claim over us. Without the mercy of Christ, we would never be able to escape that justice. Christ acts as the Intercessor, standing between us & justice. Because of His suffering and resurrection, Christ has satisfied the demands of justice and therefore has the power to grant mercy and save us from ourselves (Mosiah 15:8-9).
• Men can only be saved through the grace of Christ. Through this grace, or power, we can do things that we cannot do ourselves (including overcoming sin). If we see our weakness, or fallen state, and humble ourselves, we will be strengthened, or saved, by the grace of God (Ether 12:27). 

Sunrise behind our apartment

In our fallen state, we've fallen into a pit. Christ has provided us a ladder. We can't just "accept" the ladder. We cannot suppose that it is our efforts in climbing the ladder which save us. It's Christ. Christ gives us the ladder, and in so doing, saves us! 

This is so watered down and I wish I could share everything that President said with you! I'm learning so much out here, and it only serves to help me help others learn, too! 

I love you all! 

Sister Waite

Obedience

Are you sick of hearing me say that we had a week of miracles yet?

Well... We had a week of miracles! 

I don't think there's really any other way to put it! The Lord's hand is in every aspect of the work, and you have to really work hard not to see it! :) 

Armando is doing great! Michael and Matthew are as sweet as ever, and we met an amazing family yesterday while we were out attempting to contact a few referrals in their apartment complex. That's not even the beginning of the things that have happened! As we've been working hard and talking to literally EVERYONE and being so blessed for it! 

The biggest miracle of all this week was Geoff. Before I left, my best friend told me that I'd come to feel the love of the Savior for those whom I serve. I thought I knew what he was talking about then, but this week it hit a whole new level. We've been having Geoff teach us the lessons, and it has been so powerful! He bears simple testimony of what he has come to know is true. He's told us of several occasions that he bore testimony to others who were giving him a hard time for his decision to be baptized. I've been able to watch him grow from "Big Bad Motorcycle" Geoff to just a big softie and I love him so much! (...Don't tell him I called him that, I'll never hear the end of it! ;) ) 

This week in my Book of Mormon reading I came to the 2000 Stripling Warriors in the end of the Book of Alma. It's one of my favorite stories! 

It felt really appropriate to read about their mothers, what with Mother's Day coming up this week. :) I love that the sons of Helaman did not fear because their mothers had taught them that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them (Alma 56:48). And I love the next verse: "We do not doubt our mothers knew it." I'm so grateful that I can echo their testimony! I do not doubt, because I've learned from my own mother. And I do not doubt that she knows it, too! :) 

Another thing I love about the Stripling Warriors is their obedience. But I want to point something out. In Alma 57:21, we read that they obeyed with exactness, and everything was done unto them according to their faith. I think that we too often equate obedience with miracles. However, that's not the case at all. Obedience brings blessings. Blessings build faith. Faith brings miracles. (verses 26 & 27 illustrate that pretty well) :) They were certainly blessed for their obedience, but the miracles came because of their exceeding faith. I love that! :) 

I hope everyone has a wonderful week! How could it be anything else, what with today being Star Wars day and all that. ;) 

Love you all! 

Sister Waite