Slow Down, Be Still and Know

Aloha family and friends!!

*Yesterday we had Zone Conference so today is my P-Day*

In a city that never sleeps, never stops working, and is constantly moving at 100000 miles per hour...I've learned how to slow down. I've learned to "consider the lilies of the field, [and] how they grow" (Matthew 6:28). 

We receive the spirit the best we when create an environment for us to hear the promptings of the still small voice. If our bodies and souls are not in harmony or moving too fast we will zoom on and increase the danger of a possible crash; but when we stop for a minute we can be enlightened, edified, and enriched. 

In Doctrine and Covenants 101: 16 we learn: "Therefore, let your hearts be comforted concerning Zion; for all flesh is in mine hands; be still and know that I am God". With the beginning of the transfer, I will say I was a hot mess and I was trying to do a billion things at one time. Thus, forgetting the simplicity of the work and of God. Forgetting that the spirit is received best when we stop and listen and trust more. 

Bronx carts in action 

Well isnt Sister Lowe the cutest? :) 

Little Red Lighthouse, the George Washington Bridge, and the Hudson River. What a view

He is God. It is simple. He is God. We overcomplicate and overthink things in life and at times if we know something we will do it. But rather let us take a step back and reverse it. We need to start to just DO things before we KNOW (this may make no sense at all but bear with me lol this is a concept President Teuscher brought up yesterday and I was digging it). For example, when I talk to people on transportation I do not KNOW for certain if they are going to accept the message or if they are going to reject me. I go and do. Just go for it because as Sister Felix told me "they can just yell at us they can't hit us" (haha). But by doing I am able to know. By opening my mouth and testifying of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I am able to know that this gospel is true. I have come to know that this message is for everyone and if I don't talk to people, essentially I am taking away their agency and assuming they arent interested. And I can testify that there is power in this work. Such power that several times this week when Sister Lowe and I are talking to people and start reaching for our bags some people back up or even run away. Which I think is hilarious like are really scared of two little girls on the street talking about Jesus?! hahaha 

 I just really like the aesthetic of this person's home.
Her son is an artist for Gucci and made this for her

Why go searching for dolphins at Makua when I can find
 sea creatures in the projects?! #RealLifeQuestions

ANYWAYS. 

There is so much power in this work and so much power that comes from listening to the spirit. I urge each one of us to be still. Take things one step at a time. Worry less, trust more. He, the master creator of us all, asks us to use our ears to hear, our eyes to see, and our hands to work. And let us go and do just that...that of which He expects us to do.

MTC squad back in action at Zone Conference weehaw 

Randoms:

1) Sister Lowe is the same...she doesn't like meat but doesn't like vegetables (and probably things I'm crazy). She likes carbs, sugar, milk, maple syrup. I'm convinced SHES the real Buddy The Elf (she'll deny it and say she eats if you ask her). Hahaha 

2) We helped a Spanish woman carry her groceries home. She let us in and had her family gathered around. None of them spoke English and neither I nor Sister Lowe speak Spanish. We proceeded to give a lesson about Christ with the help of Google Translate and the Spanish videos. Hahaha lots of smiling and nodding. Got her contact information and turns out that the Hermanas havent been able to get in contact with them for weeks hahaha 

3) Talking to a man on the bus who was anti-religion. He told me "Mormon? Snap out of it!". I looked at him, snapped and said "Oh heeeck no am I snapping out of what makes me happy". Haha made him laugh and hopefully have a brighter day. 

4) In a project building talking to this guy. This lady walks by like 10 times saying how much she likes my skirt and how she was gonna take it from me. I snapped and did a little dance and she told me I got the "attitude" for the skirt. hahaha  

5) Saw a girl wearing a cute denim on denim outfit. I complimented her on it and invited her to church and she showed up! She walks in and is like "wow I shouldve been coming here all along". To make it even better she's an actress so she fits in with like everyone there ahhh God is real <3 #miracles

6) Our Zone Leaders so kindly volunteered the Sisters in our Zone to sing in Zone Conference yesterday. It was probably the first and LAST time they'll volunteer us. #DevelopingTalents

7) Working with a less active from Las Vegas. When I said we can't hug, we made a handshake. Its called the roc boy (which is like a Jay Z song or something lol), we boiz. 

8) Working with a less active who I ran up to a few weeks ago. We go over and its like we've been long time friends. I know I am in the right place at the right time :) 

9) Sat down next to a girl. "Hi!". She goes "Not interested". I say "how was your day?!". She goes "Not interested". I say "Where are you from?". She goes "Not interested". Lol...I said a little prayer for God to soften her heart and after about 10 minutes of me just cracking up to Sister Lowe about the whole situation, she apologies and opens up. 

10) Last week we were visting the Bronx one day and said hi to a guy, he stopped and looked at us and was like "what you have some books or something?" and once we started reaching  to our bags he backed up and then later tried to get us scared about the city and even said "I'm a big black guy in the Bronx you ain't scared" and we just looked at him and said "nope. we love it here!". He was pretty frustrated the whole train ride. Bless his heart. 

As promised pictures from lunch last week

Me ke aloha,

Sister Ellis 

Believe Believe Believe