Laurel's Missionary Journey

Hey everyone!!! So... this week has been a little bit of an adventure. Transfers happened, and saying goodbye to Sister Hulstine and Madison was very heartbreaking. I miss everyone so much, and I find myself wondering about our investigators all the time. However, I know they are in good hands, and I am loving the people here as well! My new area is in Pensacola Florida. I am serving in the Fox Run Ward, and serving in a ward is very different from serving in a Branch! In Madison I learned everyone's names in about a week. I think that it might take me a significantly longer time to learn names here. Especially because many of our investigators have the same name! (Or very close names!) There are two Amayas, an Alyasia and a Valacha, an Abrianna, two Dontrells, one Mary, and one Marylinn, and others whom I haven't even met yet. You all know I am so bad with names/faces, so prayers would be appreciated.  Sister Adams is so incredibly wonderful! We have basically been laughing s...

Hello Y'all! This week has been such a whirlwind of change and goodness! We started teaching an amazing family, the Mitchells, and they are so sweet and sincere with their desire to learn more about Christ and his restored Gospel. We are now teaching 14 people. It continues to amaze me that the Lord chooses such weak and simple servants to do his work. He truly loves all of his children, and I have loved serving in this area and seeing those miracles. On Saturday we got a call from President Smith about transfers! We found out that I am going the Pensacola Zone to serve in the Fox Run area, and Sister Hulstine is going to the Panama City Beach Zone to serve in Callaway as a Sister Training Leader! I have been telling her all transfer that she would be called as an STL. She is going to be such a light to the missionaries and the people in her new zone and area. As for me, I am a little bit terrified to leave Madison and to be done with training. But if the Lord needs me somewher...

Howdy all Y'all! This week marks three months since I have been out on my mission! That is so weird to think about, but I have been so grateful for every moment. I can't wait for 15 more months of serving the Lord and bringing the World his truth. Our recent convert, James Adderley, has been sharing the Gospel with his family. His sister, Malvise, his soon to be sister-in-law, Tia, his daughter, JaMea, and his daughter's maternal half-sister are all investigating the Church now. They said they have noticed a huge difference in Brother Adderley since his baptism, and they want that peace and joy for themselves. It is such a miracle and an honor to be able to help teach them and to share our testimonies with them. Brother Adderley comes to every one of their lessons, and you can see the joy on his face as he shares with the people he loves most in the world the joy of the Gospel. God is so, so, so good. Our other recent convert, David Stanford, was given the Priesthood and or...

The Lord loves us. Sometimes we feel like we don't deserve it or we could do more. But our Heavenly Father only asks us to do what we can and trust in him to lead us all the way. This week I am learning to trust God in all things and take everything one little baby step at a time. If all I can do is talk to one person, than at least I talked to one person! Our recent convert, David Stanford, bore his testimony for the first time ever this past Sunday. The joy that we felt as he testified of Christ was almost tangible, and I am so incredibly grateful to have been there to see it. He is going to receive the priesthood this Sunday, and we are so excited for him we can barely wait! We continue to see miracles in the work everyday, and the Lord truly is helping us to move forward and to find joy. Each day that goes by is another opportunity to commit ourselves to our Savior, and to remember that this truly is His work. What a blessing it is to be a representative of the Savior here in ...

I am so incredibly grateful for the comfort and strength and comes from the Lord. We have seen miracle after miracle this week, and it has been truly an honor to be a part of the work of the Lord here in Madison county. This Saturday, July 29th, David Stanford was baptized. On Sunday, July 30th, he was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and he was given the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was all made possible through the power of the priesthood, and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ that is once again on the Earth today! It was such an amazing experience for all involved, and the look on his face when he came out of the water was something I will not soon forget. His mother and nephew both came, and they mentioned to us about the great difference they have already seen in David. It truly is amazing the peace that the gospel brings, and I cannot believe that I was lucky enough to be a servant to my Heavenly Father, and to help bring this light into Bro...