11/15/13

Hello Family,

       Shout out to Hannah.......Happy Birthday!  It sounds like it was really fun to spend time with her for her special day and to of course, see baby Lizzie again! Sounds like everyone has been super busy lately........woah!  Maybe its because the holidays are coming up or something :)

      This week has been extremely busy for us too.  We had early morning practices and meetings every day this week........we were all so dead!  

     Our big concert was Tuesday evening and it turned out so well!  We filled the Assembly Hall and the entire General Relief Society Presidency was there and some of the board members as well.  The concert was so fun.  We started out singing “Called to Serve” and then while singing the 3rd verse everyone marched holding their country flags.......it was pretty cool actually!  We had a little celebration party afterwards and got home late, so President allowed us to sleep in till 8........best thing ever!

     And last night I went and saw “Savior of the World”.  I was expecting it to be pretty similar to the Easter Pageant, but it was actually a lot different.  

It was pretty interesting as they portrayed a lot of the story of Zacheriaus and Elizabeth and the angel coming to them prophesying that they would have a son.  The Easter Pageant goes through the entire life of Christ the main events, but this one really didnt.  It was awesome though.  Nephi and Samuel were part of it as well , so it was really interesting and cool to watch!  

     OK, a little sad news first, and the good news comes later.  I met this 16 year old boy on chat in June. I taught him all that I could and I asked if he would be baptized and he had a baptism date for the 30th of November.  He doesn't live with his parents, so he had to drive 4 hours to get his parents to give permission and sign the baptism papers.  Well, he wasn’t answering any of my calls or texts, and i was starting to worry a little bit.  So i called the mom of the house he stays with,  and she said that his mom didn't sign the papers for him to even keep staying at their house!  So, child custody services took him away.  Seriously, I am so bummed!  Please pray for him and pray that he can still get baptized.

     HEY, exciting news this week though;  So I have been teaching this guy named Steve from England since last transfer, (when I was with Sister Marquez).  He drives a train, so he literally has one day a week that he can talk and unfortunately it is my pday.  Luckily though he can email all he wants, so I have been teaching him through emails lately.  We hadn't talked about baptism lately though, and then I wasn't able to talk to him for a week.  But then this week I got a hold of him and he said  “Sister Marsh, I got baptized Saturday!!!  WOWW.......I was sooo happy!!!!! He was one of those people that we taught every week, but we didn't think that he was really grasping everything.  But apparently he was, and he is a member now! So awesome!  

     The church is true and God really does have a hand in His work and with preparing people for us. 

     Hey, I love you all!  Thank you for everything!!

The church is true.

Sister Marsh

       

My whole zone at savior of the world

11/8/13

HELLO!

    Well another week has passed and the first snow fall has happened! Wasn't too excited about the snow, but that does mean that winter is coming soon and that means Christmas! I am so excited for the month of December to have the lights on every day and to be in the Christmas spirit! Temple Square I decided is just super awesome!  Especially during Winter.  There is a play called Savior of the World and the staff has blessed us with tickets to give to people we meet that we feel like would benefit from the message or to our investigators that we have, but they want us to be able to talk about the play and know what it is about so we get to see it this week!! 

    I don't know if any of you remember but President challenged us to start the Book of Mormon and to finish it before December.  We started September 1st and I got so into it and I enjoyed it so much that I finished it this week!  The Book of Mormon is the best and reading it more like a story and not as scriptures really helped me and I learned so much. 

    This entire week we have had mission meetings every morning at 7:30!  It has been a struggle some days getting here on time but it is exciting as we are preparing for the Musical Fireside on Tuesday.  I wish you could be there it is going to be really cool!  We start the program with Called to Serve with the famous 3 verse that we have and we are all holding our country flags and it looks really cool!  It has been a lot of work but I cannot wait to see the finished product!

    One quick story of a good experience this week!  So my companion was on exchanges with the District Leader and so I was with her companion and we came across this guy and his wife, his 2 little kids, and his parents.  They asked us to do the pin drop in the Tabernacle and so we did and then we ended up talking with them and they wanted to go EVERYWHERE.  They were so energetic and such a fun family to be with.  We were at the Conference Center and the dad comes up to me and says well did my wife tell you our story?  I was like nope and he says well we just got baptized 2 weeks ago! Even though we had no influence on them joining the church it just made me think of the investigators that I have had the chance to teach that have accepted baptism.  The joy that they have and the joy that this family had just made me smile the rest of the day.  It made me think on how lucky we are to be members of this church.  This church is so hopeful and so full of joy and it is such a blessing to have it in our lives.  I think so many times we take it for granted to be raised in the church but it truly has made me think lately how grateful I am to have the gospel.  

    Thank you so much for all your words of encouragement and support.  I love all of you and am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary right now.  Have a wonderful week and mom...have so much fun with your little grand baby!!!

The church is true.

Love,

Sister Marsh

11/1/13

Hello hello!!!

    Well, this week has been really good. On Saturday President started reminding us about “Apostle Protocols” and what to do and not to do when we see one......then on Monday, Elder Oaks and his wife spoke to us!!!  Honestly, it was soo awesome.  I love seeing the apostles a little more relaxed and in a more secluded setting. The Oaks decided to do something a little bit different and they spoke to all of us at once.  They just built off of each other, and of course since we are missionaries, that is what they talked about........missionary work!  I left my notes at home, but one thing that they said that stuck out to me was, "All we need to know is the “fundamental principles” of the gospel.........the answers to the small details can come later.  I love this because I feel like so many of our investigators right now have testimonies about the Book of Mormon and about Joseph Smith and Jesus Christ, but they won't get baptized because of one little question that doesn't even matter is getting in the way.  It’s frustrating, but I was able to share with them what Elder Oaks said, and it helped them see that they know enough and they will grow and learn in time.  A couple of them were really opening up to baptism this week.......yay!!

     This week has basically been insane!  There were lots of meetings and random things this whole week; about rules and dress and grooming; and that wouldn't interest you; BUT we did have an awesome Halloween last night!!  Our mission presidency spoils us.  The Square closed at 5 yesterday and so we all stayed there, but changed into p-day clothes and went downstairs in the visitors center.  When we got downstairs there was a huge potato bar and salad bar and TONS of treats for us!  Then the Zone Leaders had a donut eating contest and whoever finished first, their zone got to eat first!  Then they made it very dramatic and suspenseful as to what movie we were going to watch afterwards........and we got to watch “Chronicles of Narnia”!!!  Seriously, the mission was basically screaming, and some of the sisters almost cried.......haha, we were so happy!!  It was the best thing to just sit and watch a normal movie.  So, we were all dead by the end of the night, but it was very fun.  I hope Halloween was fun for every one else!  

I want to see want baby Lizzie wore on Halloween! :) 

     Bad news!  It is supposed to snow soon :(  I am not looking forward to it; but I am excited for the month of December when the lights are all up!  They have been putting christmas lights on every individual branch of every tree since June.......no joke!  It is going to be so pretty; that’s the only part of winter that I am looking forward too.  Also, this next week is “Music from Temple Square”.  It is a big fireside that we invite our investigators and recent converts to come listen to.  The elders and sisters from the neighboring missions come as well, and try to bring people too.  The concert is put on by us,  so there will be a huge mission choir and lots of individual performances.  I am really excited because I heard it was a huge highlight for the mission last year, so I am looking forward to it!  Well thats all for this week!  Hope everyone is doing good.........Love you all!

The church is true.

Sister Marsh

Me and Sis.  Cardus on Halloween!   

Sister Brock, me and Sister Gee!  The only true bright blondes in the mission!