Should I Stay or Should I Go?

April 18- April 24

These weeks are picking up speed! I felt like I was just emailing you!

Tuesday the zone leaders had me rebuke the district leaders. They are

getting to chill and should be setting a better example for the

missionaries they have stewardship over. But it went well. The spirit

was strong and they agreed that they needed to change. It's just funny

that they had me do it.

Wednesday I was in Boulder city for exchanges. We ran into a less

active old man while he was sitting on his porch. We asked him if he

had watched the videos on Mormon.org we had left for him and he said

"no". Then we asked "why do you think we invite you to watch theses

videos?". His reply was "well, even the people in hell need ice

water!" Hahaha later he was making fun of the middle school kids as

they walked home. "Now sisters, watch these two young things... Every

once and a while they'll stop to kiss!... Hmm maybe they're not in the

kissy mood today..."

As missionaries if people are unwilling to keep commitments or change

we have to "drop them" or stop visiting them until they are more

prepared. While sister Bedont and I we evaluating the exchange later

that day say said "this sister... She just unwilling to change." I

quickly replied "Drop her!" But I do love the sisters... I promise I

was joking.

I also got rootbeer floats at A&W so that was great!

Thursday we had district council and I gave a training on setting

people with baptismal dates and inviting people to come to church.

Then we went on exchanges. We taught a recent convert about the plan

of salvation but it made me think a lot about repentance. We are

having Elder Holland come and everyone says that when he shakes your

hand he stares into your soul and knows all of your sins. I was

thinking about when he shakes my hand what will he think of me? What

do I want him to think of me? What mistakes will be made known into

him? He is a special witness of Christ as an apostle, and represents

Christ. I want to be completely clean. I want him to see the good not

the bad. I was to have a complete remission of my sins. Is it

possible? Is it possible for me to be complete clean when I shake his

hand? Yes. Through Christ I can be completely clean. I truly believe

it. More than I ever have. When I teach and tell people they can have

their sins washed clean as they are baptized I think about their major

sins and how the burden can be lifted. I don't feel a heavy burden

from my sins but I do know that I make mistakes. I feel like when I

make a mistake it's like a shard of glass in carpet. Hard to get out.

I now fully realize that I can be completely clean. I can receive a

full remission of my sins as I shake Elder Hollands hand and as I

stand at the judgment bar of God. I will feel comfortable in his

presence because I have a desire to be in his presence. No matter the

mistakes I've made my sins can be made as white as snow. I have no

need to be anxious or afraid but I can be forgiven. Because of the

Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Friday. I don't even remember what happened that day.

All the days are blending together.

Saturday we met with Collin and answered some of his questions. Turns

out he is now dating a girl in our ward. Weird! It seems like everyone

is dating someone now. I need to get out of YSA.

We street contacted a kid who said we have angel eyes and that we were

super nice. He was like 16 and had a faith in Christ but could feel

the difference the spirit makes just by briefly talking with us!

When we finished dinner we saw this guy who was helping his friends

move. We offered to help and the guy happens to be less active. His

friends were non members and so grateful for our help that they

offered to buy us pizza. We couldn't stay and eat with them because we

had to go to a stake standards night and talk about modesty.

I definitely have a testimony of modesty. I was also glad I was with

the Mia Maids and Teachers because I may have known some Laurels... We

had to leave immediately to go to a lesson with Ruby and Sister Snow

came too! Jordan also passed his baptismal interview so he will be

getting baptized this Friday!

This week we have exchanges with sister Koyle, a meeting with the AP

and MSTLs, Temple trip, elder Holland, Baptism. More Holland and

Transfers! Exciting stuff.

Storyline

April 4-April 11

Time is flying by here too! In less than a month I get to call home!

Start thinking about stuff to talk about because I have no idea what

to say. I guess I'm mostly curious about Natalie's after high school

plans: where is she living? Who is her roommate? What is she studying?

And all that Jazz.

Sometimes, I don't ever miss rental properties.

That giant garage sales sounds like fun! It seems like you and sister

Green just run around and do fun stuff all the time! Just think, this

time last year they changed the wards and you thought it was going to

be the end of the world! Seems like it all worked out fine!

Monday morning I went shopping with sister Koyle while sister Bedont

helped sister Lee pack. It was honestly the most stressful pday I have

had. I would barely call it a pday because after we loaded up the car

we ate lunch at Taco Bell, emailed a little and then went to the

mission office. When we got to our side of town we ate frozen yogurt

for dinner. That's the kind of week I had. (I didn't shower and was

wearing little to no makeup- type of week).

Anyway, we got a new investigator who came to FHE and she is super

sweet! Her name is Ruby. We are excited to teach her and she has a

baptismal date for the end of May! We met with her almost everyday

this week and she came to church! It's exciting.

This week compared to last week took a complete 180 and turned my

world upside down!

We saw lots of miracles this week especially on the exchanges. Sunday

morning we had 4 lessons taught with a member present within a two

hour time period! Amazing! Sister Bedont and I were companions for

only two days this week. On one of the exchanges I had an allergic

reaction to some sort of animal so we went in 15 minutes early because

I couldn't take it anymore and needed a shower. I'm super thankful Las

Vegas has low pollen levels or else I would not be able to handle it.

Heavenly Father knows me so well to send me here.

Saturday it rained. The whole day. This is the first time I have seen

that happen here! Normally it will sprinkle for an hour but that day

it just wouldn't stop! For dinner we had veggies and hummus. I loved

it but it's not the most filling meal before fast Sunday. Haha

We met a new investigator Sawyer and one of his friends. We started

introducing the Book of Mormon and he had questions about things that

we didn't tell him but were in the pamphlet. Which is funny because he

didn't want his friend to know but still wanted answers. Then we had

one of the best plan of salvation lessons. He and his friend both have

Christian backgrounds and has similar ideas to the plan of salvation

but just needed a little adjustment. It was way cool how the spirit

testified to them that our message is true!

By the way missionaries aren't allowed to back out their cars by

themselves. They have to have someone standing behind their car

signaling for traffic... The elders though they were funny when they

parked the cars like this.

Love you! I'm doing so great! And I'm excited for this week!

Sister Gier

The Struggle

Week ending April 4th

Lets just say this was a LONG week..Thankfully Walmart had a good supply of Oreos, and dry shampoo and there were church pews to sleep in...

Pday we went shopping at DownEast.  Shopping is a stress relief.  They had some great sales.  Tuesday was UNBELIEVABLE.  We started with zone leadership training and then found some new investigators, had dinner at Tropical Smoothie where I finished reading the Bof M again.  After dinner was splits.  Sister Bedont went with a member to go to our appointments and I went on the bus with a member to talk to people.  Yes, LV public transportation is very interesting to see the different types of people that get on in the different parts of town.  We gave away some Bof M and had some awesome discussions.  I also bashed with a Jehovah's witness...check that off my bucket list!
When sister Bedont and I got back together we went to an appointment for an awesome investigator.  He had sent a baptism date for the end of the month, loved the church, and wanted to change his life.  However, when we showed up he was in a dark state.  He had just gambled away his paycheck and felt worthless.  You could feel the pain and grief he was in and how he wanted to utilize the atonement in his life.

Wednesday we had MLC.  Pres Snow reviewed the history of the School of Prophets and made the meeting similar to that.  We learned how to answer some tough questions and apply the gospel to real life situations.  Later we drove to Boulder city to interview Sisters Koyle and Lee.  Then Pres. drove up and pulled sister Koyle aside to tell her that her grandfather had just passed away.  It was sad and hard to be there.  But it helped having the knowledge of eternal families.

Thurdsay we had ZTC and I trained on Charity because heaven knows I need it. It went really well.  I made an analogy of companionships and oreo cookies...the holy ghost is the white stuff in the middle that holds the companions together.  I also read from a talk by Elder Holland.  The greatest commandment.   We later went on exchanges with sister Lellis and Barbini.  I was with sister Barberini in their area.  We had a great day and rode bikes.  Those homes in that area are mansions!  Thursday night I received a call from the elders asking about our day and if I thought sister Lellis was acting different and was mad...I told them I had not spent enough time with her to notice anything.  Then they said they were going to call her and tell her I said she was acting weird and upset.  Told them not to do that!  Not long after I received a call from sister L and she yelled at me and hung up...I was worried that all the trust we had from earlier in our mission had been lost...Friday, I got up and told the Elders to call sister L and tell her I did not say that...They said they tried but she just kept hanging up on them...THINGS WERE GETTING WORSE....I was starting to stress out and I get a call from the zone leaders telling me the Pres found out and he said I need to fix things...Then I get a call from the Elders asking me to check my calendar....APRIL FOOLS!   They got me!
Friday there were some issues with a companionship and we did splits.  Was with sister Koyle.  she need to talk badly.  We stayed up really late and I only receive about 2.5 hours of sleep but she needed to talk.

Needless to say it was a crazy week.

Days Go By

March 21-27th
Monday, pday, we went shopping, emailed and planned for the upcoming transfer.   Our ward mission leader told us of an investigator.  We never receive the information on where exactly he lived.  We only knew he lived on Fir st.  We drove up the street and parked hoping to meet up with the ward member and investigator and amazingly, I parked right in front of the guys house!

Tuesday was an off day (not to mention it was super windy).  We had lunch with a member and some friends and I realized that ...and I hate to admit it..but I might as well get it out there...I am awkward.  Yes, I said it!  I don't know how to hold a normal conversation.  everything relates to the gospel for me.  It is super weird.  I did not think I would come to this point but it did.  The remainder of the day was a "NO" day!  I've received more no's in this area than in all the other areas combined.  No's just means not now to a missionary.
Wednesday and Th were rough...no lessons to investigators.  Then on Friday it explodes.  We doubled our numbers in 3 hours.  We also met the new sisters in our district.  They have very distinct and strong personalities.  Sister Bedont and I look like plane Janes compared to them.  So it will be interesting to see how all the personalities work together. We ha e a new investigator named Jordan.  We were teaching him about baptism and he said wait...I don't have any plans for Wednesday..lets do it then!

Saturday we had to save some sisters.  Sister Lellis got a huge gash on her foot - 7 stitches so we made a trip to urgent care and It was NOT very urgent...
Later that night we were out on bikes and we ran into a girl that we were looking for and taught her about the atonement and Book of Mormon.  Then we biked down the street and ran into a lady from Oklahoma.  I showed her the picture of the OKC temple and she said if she ever went to church it would be to a Mormon church.  she loves learning about church history and we shred Mosiah 16:7-9 and she teared up a little and asked for a copy of the BofM.  "And if Christ has not risen from the dead, or have broken the band of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.  But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.  He is the light and life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

Sunday, I felt light headed the whole morning.  Not sure what was going on, I was eating and drinking normally and I even tried jumping jacks to snap out of it.  Nothing worked.  Later that evening we had Easter dinner with a family, fajitas!  Dena gave us a bag of Easter eggs...so kind.

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!
Love you!
Sister Gier