The Other Side of "The Normans"

Exchanges with the Westchester STLs! Drop off at their train station!

Aloha ko'u ohana a me hoaaloha!

Sister Reed and I are saved as "The Sisters from the Normans" on the phone of someone that we teach and I literally just die of laughter every time that I see it. Ahaha.

Sometimes I wish my eyes were a camera and I could replay and send and share everything I have seen and witnessed this past week and throughout the course of my mission. Because of the experiences I have had and continue to have, I know without a doubt that my Savior lives, loves, and this is His work.

I feel like I just typed out something but nonetheless, exciting things and miracles happen on the daily so there never really is a slow week or day out on the mission field :). Last night in a lesson, this lady who has been worked with for awhile went off about how we just come over and focus a lot on Joseph Smith and it made me wonder why do we really focus on our leaders. But it comes back to the fact if Joseph Smith was not a prophet then the Book of Mormon is not true, the church is not true, and the fact that missionaries sacrifice all their time and efforts would actually be a waste a time. So. Yup. There's power in knowing that Joseph Smith is a prophet lol. 

Leader #1: President Tesucher

There is power in not only following the prophet but really following our leaders. Lately there have been two HUGE pushes in the mission from President Teuscher: 1) More effective finding (i.e. less "open your mouth" methods like knocking and street contacting because we are all super proficient at that and more finding through a referral method to find those who are actually prepared and not just those who will listen to us) and 2) Using Members as helpers (hosting at church, daily contact, and coming to lessons). It's been a mindset shift and like any change, can be awkward at first but when you start to see the fruits of your labors it is all the worth it. Ever since we started to do this referral method and use members, things have been going going going. Our progressing people are progressing 2x as fast as ever. Our members are getting more involved with the work. Referrals are coming towards us from less active members, members, recent converts, people we teach, media referrals, referrals from other missionaries. Its just great. And to top it off there have been several people who stop us on the street and are like "hey I used to have you people come over, want to come again?" or "hey i used to go to your church, i was baptized years ago. dont know why i stopped going". Literally so many miracles and so many times I'm like wow what a perfect God for allowing us to be in the right place in the right time in a city of millions of people. 

Sorry Sister Reed your eyes are closed...but its us, Erick, and Elder and Sister Groberg!

Leader #2: Elder Groberg

 If you didnt catch it from my subject line. Tried to make a reference to the movie "The Other Side of Heaven". Another leader that has been pretty cool is Elder John H. Groberg (the movie is a remake of his mission in Tonga)! His daughter is our mission presidents wife so this past weekend he did a little tour around the mission and gave devotionals along the way and showed a clip from the new movie (!). The more I sat there listening to his testimony of faith and endurance and placing your trust in God...the more I realized how much his mission changed the course of his entire life and in the moment he had no idea. Then, moreso I realized how this is the same for each and every person. Missions will change your life for the better in ways that you dont even know; they give you trials and triumphs that are EXACTLY what you need to become who God wants you to be. 

Leader #3: Jesus, The Perfect Leader

Currently reading through a talk from Spencer W. Kimball entitled "Jesus: The Perfect Leader" and just thought I'd share one of my favorite quotes from it and invite you to ponder and apply:

"Jesus knew who he was and why he was here on this planet. That meant he could lead from strength rather than from uncertainty or weakness"

Well that's it for today friends. Follow the prophet. Follow the leaders. Follow your parents. Follow God. Don't go astray, they know the way. 

Street art in Mount Vernon

Street art in Mount Vernon

Our salads one day. Nom nom nom. 

Hermana Walker and I! Tried Jamaican Stew Chicken this time. Still ono 

Randoms:

1) Erick!! He is literally glowing and changing at accelerating speeds. From the first time I met him to now, SUCH a change. He is like a whole different person. Yesterday at church, HE was reaching out to more people and was talking to everyone in Elders Quorom. His baptism on June 22 is going to be such a party! 

2) People are literally just coming to us so fast right now. There is so much to do but only a limited amount of time. The more I've been on a mission, I have realized that God doesnt give us enough time...he gives us the perfect amount of time to do the work He and we need to get done. We aren't expected to do more than required of us. It just doesnt work like that. 

3) A high of 130 came to church yesterday. Impressive right? Haha. 

4) Exchanges on Saturday with the Westchester STLs! Went with Hermana Walker, it was a party. I served around her about a year ago when she was in training. We delivered a Book of Mormon to someone who didnt want it lol. We got Jamaican food in Mount Vernon. And we went to a birthday party for a less active member and quickly realized it was like a giant family reunion and we were some of the only ones who weren't Jamaican. Good times. Oh the places you'll go as a missionary. Gotta love it.

5) Sister Reed and I have been running every morning and sad enough to say, I am impressed that I once did this every single day and ran like double the amounts I do now. Poco a poco. lol

5) p.s. its june 10. weird. lmk if anyone needs/wants/desires anything from nyc. ill see what i can do ;)

Me ke aloha pau ole,

Sister Ellis

Believe, Love, Do