I'm really bad at remembering when our pday changes to a Tuesday the following week sorry! Haha. This morning was our temple trip so pday was changed to today.

Sister Blackner and I made it a goal a few weeks ago to try and find more people interested in learning about the gospel, but we haven't tracted much yet (at least with each other, we've done a bit with the STLs on exchange)(tracting: knocking door to door). Yesterday we had a zone flood, where all the missionaries in our zone (18 missionaries) came into our area to find new investigators. Sister Chandler, who just returned from her mission in Colorado Denver, gave us some really great tips on how to more effectively do the survey approach. So we assigned the missionaries their streets and off we went. I have to be honest, the hardest part isn't transitioning into a gospel principle/lesson, it's trying to tell them that the gospel is relevant in their lives. Many people have their own religions or churches they go to, so they're complacent and don't really care to know more. Which is somewhat understandable, because we all try to live the way we like to. But we know that the message of the restored gospel can bless everyone, and sometimes I just want to get up and say "why don't you understaaaaand??" but that wouldn't be following the Spirit haha. Thanks to everyone that participated in the zone flood, we got return appointments to meet quite a few people in our area. :)

The commandments that are set by God, that are taught in this church, are not all easy to follow. But nothing easy ever led to a good reward. We have to earn our way back to live with Heavenly Father, developing our faith and testimony along the way. So many people avoid our church because they have to change their lifestyle to conform to the gospel teachings, but they don't understand that sacrifice is an eternal principle. And we didn't just create these standards ourselves, they are from God. Last Sunday we were asked to give talks about covenants. I talked about living with real intent and sacrificing our wants for what Heavenly Father expects from us. When we try our best to make decisions that align with His will, we can be happier. Salvation is not free, or just by "grace," we receive it "after all we can do" and grace is the strength that helps us go through the trials.

Anyway! Last week we had our first lesson with our investigator Bryan. The first time we scheduled it, he forgot. So the second time, our member who was supposed to come had to cancel last minute, so Sister Blackner and I were panicking! (mission rule: two sisters can't go into a home where a guy lives unless there's a member that comes with us, or there's a woman in the house). We prayed super quick and called a few people up despite how last minute it was. Thankfully Bishop Chun came to the rescue so the lesson still happened. Bryan is super awesome because he has that desire to come closer to Christ. We taught him the restoration and committed him to read and pray for the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. So keep him in your prayers!

We were teaching a less active sister that is coming back to church, and found out that her ex-husband pretty much verbally abused her for the 14 years they've been married. So now that she's trying to rely on Heavenly Father to help her grow in her testimony and to stop smoking, she hears his voice in her head telling her all these mean things. We shared more about how important it is for all of us to see ourselves as how Heavenly Father see us. He knows us personally and he sees our potential; he doesn't think we're failures in life, maybe a little lost sometimes, but ultimately we are His precious children and He wants to lead us to eternal happiness. I'm sad whenever I learn of situations where someone doesn't think they deserve better. But I know that Heavenly Father has blessings in store for us if we are obedient and can have an eternal perspective like He does.

My testimony of this restored gospel has grown so much in the last 6 months on my mission. If there's anything that people need, it's the knowledge of this gospel, and the commitment to follow through and live it. I can't even begin to explain the strength and happiness it brings in our lives. Transfers is next week, but Sister Blackner and I are likely staying in this ward together. :) We also got a new ward mission leader that will help us better work with the members in the ward. So I'm super excited for what's to come.

Scripture of the week: 1 Nephi 17:13
" And I will also be your light in the wilderness; and I will prepare the way before you, if it so be that ye shall keep my commandments; wherefore, inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall be led towards the promised land; and ye shall know that it is by me that ye are led."