2/24/14

Family!

     This week was amazing!  Best week, meaning very productive and busy, that I have had since coming to Cedar Rapids!  Sister Nye is awesome!  I love her so much and if I was GUARANTEED that I could be her companion for 6 more weeks I would totally ask to stay in Iowa for another transfer.  But it probably won't happen I already have my flights back to SLC for April 2nd.  

     Wednesday and Thursday we had back to back appointments the entire day.  We met with a lady named Janice that the elders had met one day walking.  We taught her the about the Restoration and invited her to be baptized and she said she would!  We have a lot to help her with and a lot of things that have to be fixed but she wants to and her desire is there!  Then we met with Ben at a members home and had a wonderful lesson.  I don't think I have ever met someone more prepared than him.  He follows every commandment and has nothing to be worked out but to just have his baptismal interview.  We set it up for March 7th and I am so excited.  I love teaching him and love the new light that he has!  We have also been working with a lot of less actives in the ward.  We have been trying really hard to reactivate a lady named Cynthia.  I am so happy with her progress she has begun to read her scriptures again and is wanting to come back to church this week!  We also met with a former investigator that lost her desire to learn about the church and has not been taught since last July.  So she called us and asked if we could come over and visit with her and so we did.  Her desire is back!!!!!!!!!!  We invited her to be baptized as well and she is super excited to do so!  She does not have a date yet but is really excited and prepared to do so.  I love finding and teaching those that have truly been prepared.  It is amazing to see that the Lord is in the little details of all our lives.  Not just in the investigators but in the members as well to have all these things add up together and work together to lead us to them.  I love being a missionary.  If I could have a little more contact with family I would do this forever.      Thursday we also had a Zone Training Meeting.  We talked a lot about helping our investigators learn by faith.  I learned that when I teach by the Spirit that it will go "unto" their hearts, but when I help the investigator learn by faith that is what will let it go "into" their hearts and convert them.  I have been trying to focus on that a lot and be able to help my investigators have a true sincere desire and have it be rooted from faith.  

     Saturday President's wife came with us as well!  She told me she texted you about it but it was so fun to be with her. She is an incredible woman.  We had 2 appointments that we went to and one of them was kind of a mess :)  We had never met him before and he was a hard core catholic and he was pretty intense and would call us out on EVERYTHING.  I finally was prompted to just say hey this is what we believe and we know it is true.  We are not here to argue with you but just to invite you to read from the Book of Mormon and things like that.  It ended really well but it was pretty funny! 

     Zone Conference is this week!  I am really looking forward to it except for the fact that the AP's called me and told me I have to do a "farewell testimony" at the meeting.  It makes me so sad that I will have to leave Iowa.  I love it here!  I love being a missionary.  I was in the 2 councilor of the stake presidency's home last night and sharing my testimony on just how happy I am to be a missionary.  My mission has brought me so much joy.  Of course I have had struggles and have had rough patches, but it has been the most rewarding thing for me.  Sharing the gospel has been amazing.  I have tried to make it part of my personality and I love it so much!  I hope you all have a wonderful week!  I love you all!  

The Church is true.

Sister Marsh

This is me, Sister Roberts, Sister Nye, and Sister Ramsey!  Sister Nye is the far left!

1/21/14

To My Dearest Family,

     Well another week has gone by.  This week was pretty interesting and lots of things happened.  My days keep getting jumbled together so I am sorry but it is so much easier to go day by day.  But first things first sorry to scare you for not writing you yesterday but it was the holiday so we didn't have the library to email in... but anyway 

     Tuesday- I was starting to get frustrated with the work a little bit here because I feel like the people we are teaching just need like EXTRA help and so I was praying so hard Monday night that the Lord would be able to help them and that other people and angels on the other side would be able to help me and them.  That night Matt came to me in my dream.  We were so happy to see each other and we hugged and laughed and just talked for a long time.  We talked about missionary work and the work that I was doing in Iowa.  I said Matt, "I need your help too."  He then told me "Mindy, I am helping you I know who your investigators are and I am working with you."  He went on to name personally all the people that we are working with.  I was woken up after the dream and it was still pretty early in the morning but I knew I needed to write it in my journal.  I am truly amazed how much the Lord and those on the other side are aware of us and our situations.  They are there to help us.  I know that Matt is helping me in my missionary work. He has told me and I feel his spirit and his love.  

      Friday- We decided to go knocking at these apartments called Bentley.  They are pretty sketchy not gonna lie.  We are banned from knocking on certain buildings there but we went to the safe ones.  We were freezing our butts off and no one was answering their doors so we were kind of just walking around in the parking lot trying to decide what we were going to do and this black guy kept seeing us because he had come and gone twice.  He got out of his car and asked us what we were doing in the cold outside and what our nametags were for and so we talked to him for probably 5 minutes.  He said he was too cold and needed to go inside but we asked if we could come back tomorrow.  He said Yes!  So happy....I guess that is what happens when you endure the freezing cold weather!

     Saturday- We met with Ben, the guy from the apartments.   He is from Liberia and is so awesome.   He read the pamphlet that we gave him the day before about Joseph Smith and he had lots of questions about him and about the Book of Mormon.  We had an awesome lesson with him and we answered his questions and we invited him to go to church with us the next day.  He promised he would!  YAY!!!  

    Sunday- Ben came to church!  To our surprise he stayed all 3 hours!  We were so happy!  Everything was started to click in his mind.  He grew up Christian and I think that he is realizing that the church is not so different than other churches and that it isn't taking away from his knowledge right now but just adding to it which is sooo nice!   We are excited about it and we also received some good referrals this week that we are anxious about and really excited for!

    Monday- MLK day!  We had a huge tri-zone activity.  This was the most adventurous day of my whole mission.  We had planned to pick up 2 sisters in our district from Mt. Vernon...it is about half hour away so we are about 5 miles away from their apartment and we are driving on the highway and as we come around this curve on the highway we see this rippling HUGE LONG silver "snake".  We had NO idea what it was!  We could tell we wanted to avoid it but it was windy and it was moving all across the highway and so we look ahead and this HUGE semi barrel rolled and broke the guard railing off the side of the highway and it is now in the middle of the road.  It was so long and so scary.  So because we were driving like 60 we couldn't stop fast enough not to hit it so we ran over the guard rail.  Then we paused and stopped and just stared and the semi was destroyed.  I would be very surprised if the driver made it out alive.  It was so scary.  Then we noticed that running over the rail caused the biggest hole in our tire ever so we had to change the tire.  2 sister missionaries and it being freezing outside, for our own sake someone was bound to help us....within 2 minutes of pulling over someone stopped and changed the tire for us.  Then we finally got to Mt. Vernon and the other sisters had to drive us.  But then we got to the acitivty and we played so many games and it was a blast and guess who was there???  SID PRATT!!!  IT was so much fun to see her!  Then to end the night the cars got grounded because there was so much snow and ice so the member we live with had to pick us up and our car still is in Mt. Vernon with a little donut as a tire!! MAN what a day!

      My companion SIster Roberts is the best!  I love her so much.  The members we live with are the best they are our second parents right now and we love spending time with them!!  My district is 4 sisters, 2 elders and 1 senior couple.  We see them once a week, but we see the elders more because we split the same ward because our area is MASSIVE.  It is super fun....elders are fun to work with but I do miss all the sisters from Temple Square but I am sooo happy to be here and to be given the opportunity to work with ward members and meet different missionaries.  Missionary work is honestly the best!  Tracting is hard because of how cold it is no one even wants to open the door because it lets in the cold air but it is good!  We are still somehow finding people to teach!  Thank you for the packages of warmer clothing!   I love them!  Thank you for your support!  I love you all so much!  

The church is true.

Sister Marsh

2/18/14

Hello family,

     This week has been INSANE!!!!!!!!!!  

     Monday:  Monday night we went to the Ruge's for my birthday dinner!  We had a really yummy dinner and cake, and then towards the end of the night we got a phone call from the AP's.  They told us that I was staying in my area, but that Sister Roberts would be leaving, so she needed to start packing and we would need to be at Transfer Conference.  We freaked out!  We thought it was a possibility that she would leave since she has been here 6 months, but we didn't think it would actually happen because of the situation with me only being here for 12 weeks! The bad news about this whole thing is that we have to share the car with the elders in our ward.  So now we have to walk every other week, which makes me want to cry when it is 20 degrees outside, but it will be okay.........I think I will live!

     Tuesday & Wednesday: We spent a lot of time saying good-bye to people in the ward and to the investigators and recent converts.  We stayed up really late both nights packing and doing last minute things trying to get Sister Roberts all ready to leave Cedar Rapids.

     Thursday:  I was dreading going to transfer conference.  We left super early in the morning to travel to Iowa City. I was able to see Sister Pratt again and my whole district was there, so it was fun to see them once again.  The mission presidency spoke to us and they all gave really good talks, but I think that everyone in the meeting was going crazy and only half paying attention because we all just wanted to know who our new companions were!  SIster Roberts is now in Des Moines.  My new companion is Sister Nye.  She is from Brigham City, Utah and has been out for 7 months.  She is awesome!  She is hilarious and super hard working and I can tell already it is going to be a really awesome transfer.  Saying good-bye to my district though was the worst thing ever.  I cried a lot because I won’t have the opportunity to see them at transfers again because I will be back in SLC.  

So, it was super sad, but it will be a good change I think.  

     The rest of the week: This has been a very long week.  It felt like it was never going to end.  Sister Nye and I have been trying to work with the less actives A TON and find new investigators through them.  It has been helping a lot and we have some really solid appointments this week that I am really excited for.  We might even have a couple new families to teach now, and that makes me really happy.  I can't believe I only have 6 more weeks here.  I am starting to wish that I could have more time here in Iowa.  I have really enjoyed it here ad the people that I have met.  

     Also, yesterday it snowed 6 inches in 3 hours!  Literally the most snow I have ever seen.  The snow piles in front of our house completely cover the mailbox and are taller than me!  It is the craziest thing ever!  Today though, it is only 40 degrees and it feels so hot.  I never would have guessed that I would say 40 degrees was nice and warm, but it totally is right now.  I hope you had a wonderful birthday mom!  I hope that everything went well with the spine surgeon and that it’s all getting figured out.  I did write Hannah, Clara and Krissy back.  I am so bad at responding to letters because I NEVER have time to sit down and write; but I wrote some this week!  

     I am praying for you all.  I hope that you have a wonderful week!  Stay positive and look for the tender mercies in every day. I love you all! I will write again on Monday!

The church is true.

Sister Marsh

2/3/14

Helllllo family!!!

     Well, this week has been a little crazy. The first couple days of this week Sister Roberts was sick and so we stayed home for 3 days!  Kind of a bummer, but I thought that it was better to stay home all 3 days instead of going out for half the day and then having to stay home again because it got worse!  So, I tried to be really productive and I studied a lot and read the Ensigns.......every one that I could find in sight :) And I made meals for Sister Roberts:) 

     Later on in the week we were able to see a couple of less actives from the ward.  That was really good.  They were all really excited to see, and to visit with us.  One of the less actives has a neice and her husband living with her, and they are not members.  So.....now they are interested in being taught!  YAY!  Then on Thursday we had district meeting and I was asked to do the training for it.  Luckily I had ALL that down time this week to prepare, and I taught on “how to recognize the spirit”.  It was a little difficult since everyone recognizes the spirit in different ways; but I think that I was able to focus on a couple of things that could apply to all of us.  

      Friday we had a really good day. We contacted a bunch of referrals and it was awesome!  We are hoping that some of them will turn into “solid” investigators, so we are going to try and go see them again this week.  It made me so happy.  We also taught Ben on Friday.  He is the coolest and best guy! We taught him about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  I was asking him tons of questions to make him think, and to let the spirit touch him more as he pondered and answered the questions.  During the lesson the spirit kept telling me I needed to ask him to be baptized........so towards the end of the lesson I asked Ben if he would be baptized.  He kind of disregarded my question a little bit and answered very vague, so I was like “awe come on”.  

And I was prompted to ask him again right away.  So I did.  I asked him again if he would be baptized.  And he said, he would! We still have to teach him a couple more things, but if you would pray for Ben that would be really good. Pray that he will recieve the answers he is searching for and that he will know the things that we are teaching him are true.  He could use all those prayers!  He also came to church this Sunday.  Fast Sundays are awesome for investigators and he really really enjoyed it.  

     Also, transfers are the 13th.........ya nothing will change for me unless Sister Roberts leaves; which probably won't happen.  Our district is going to be changed a lot though; which makes me sad.  We have become really close and I’m sad that they will be gone soon, but I guess it will be OK.  

    HEY, SHOUT OUT to Clay!!!!!!!!!!  I am sooo happy and proud and excited for him!  Hey, I would love to have his email if you want to send me that.  THanks!  Also, I can't believe it is already February........Holy cow!  and I turn 21 in a week!  WEIRD I am getting older:(  The only thing that I can think of that I want is stamps!  And I know this is really specific but I think Clara will know what I am talking about.  On Etsy they have these tiny dainty gold necklaces and you can get the shape of your state and they have a heart in the state.  Well I would like one of those that has the state of Utah (for Temple Square) and a state of Iowa.  You should be able to buy one necklace and put 2 states on it.  The state charms are really small though and that is what I want. and in gold please.  That would be the best thing:)  Besides that surprise me!!

     I love you all! Thanks for all your prayers and support!. Have a great week & I will e-mail again on Monday (my birthday).  Best part of pday!

The church is true.

Sister Mindy Marsh

  

2/10/14

Family,

     First off THANK you for all the birthday gifts!!  I loved all of them and I am wearing the new clothes today along with the necklace!  You did a great job; it’s all exactly what I wanted!  Thank you so much! This week has been really good.  Monday we had a zone p-day again & played tons of games.... One of them was a dodgeball-type game except that you don't have teams.  Well, it came down to me and my district leader, (who is a baseball player) and he threw it sooo hard, and it nailed me, but then I caught, it so I WON!!!  I gave him so much crap for it. 

     Also, we have a baptismal date with BEN!  He is so stinking awesome and is progressing so well!  It’s for March 15th; but keep praying for him and hopefully we  can even move it up to March 1st??

     Well, we were grounded again 2 days this week.  One of the days we were visiting with some ward members, so we stayed with her and her family and helped her with a project she was doing.  We also ate dinner, played games and had family night........we were there a couple hours, but hey, our car was stuck there.  

And transfers are this week, so tonight we are getting our “transfer doctrine.”  Our district leader is leaving for sure, plus one of the sisters from our district; which will be really sad.......and everyone keeps bugging Sister Roberts that she is going to be leaving the area.  So, now she is all nervous and now I am all nervous because I would feel over whelmed if I had to take over the area.  But I will let you know for sure this next week.  

     Yesterday, the members we live with invited me & Sister Roberts AND the Elders for dinner.  We had a big dinner and even cake for my birthday!  

The couple we live with are the best!  They also took me & Sister Roberts out Saturday night for Mexican food.  They call us their “surrogate daughters” :)

     I love Marion though.  I love the people here and I love the ward.  We are trying to work a lot with the less actives in the ward and with some of the potentials we have.   We are trying our best.  Some days it is a little slow, but we are working really hard with the new ward mission plan/ referral plan that we are testing out; so hopefully we will see the some results of that soon.  

     And yes, I am staying warm even though it is so dang cold here.  I have already decided I am NEVER coming back to Iowa in the winter, ever again!  

     I did also get your letters this week; thank you so much.  I got them after I had emailed so I couldn't thank you until now!

     HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!  I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!  I hope you have a wonderful day, and also Happy Valentines day! This Email felt so short today; but it was a little hectic!  

The church is true.

Sister Marsh 

2/10/14

Family,

     First off, THANK you for all the birthday gifts!!  I loved all of them and I am wearing the new clothes today along with the necklace!  You did a great job it is exactly what I wanted!  Thank you so much! This week has been really good!  Last Monday we had a zone p-day again playing tons of games.... we played this dodgeball type game except you don't have teams well it was down to me and my district leader (who is a baseball player) but he throws it so hard and it nails me but then I caught it so I WON!!!  I give him so much crap for it! 

     Also, we have a baptismal date with BEN!  He is so stinking awesome and is progressing so well!  It is for March 15th!  Keep praying for him and hopeful we  can even move it up to March 1st!

     We were grounded again 2 days this week!  One of the days we were visiting with someone in the ward so we stayed with her and her family and helped her with a project she was doing and ate dinner had games ad had family night....may have been there a couple hours but our car was stuck there!  

     Transfers are this week so tonight we are getting our transfer doctrine!  Our district leader is leaving for sure and one of the sisters from our district which will be really sad...but everyone keeps bugging Sister Roberts that she is going to be leaving the area so now she is all nervous and now I am all nervous because I would feel so over whelmed if I took over the area.  But I will let you know for sure this next week!  

     Yesterday, the members we live with had the elders over for dinner and us so we had a big dinner and cake for my birthday!  The couple we live with are the best!  They also took me and Sister Roberts out Saturday night for Mexican food.  They call us their surrogate daughters :)

     I love Marion though.  I love the people here and I love the ward.  We are trying to work a lot with the less actives in the ward and with some of the potentials we have. We are trying our best.  Some days it is a little slow but we are working really hard with the new ward mission plan/ referral plan that we are testing out so we will hopefully see the some results of that soon!  

    I am staying warm even though it is so dang cold here.  I have already decided I am NEVER coming back to Iowa in the winter ever again!  I did also get your letters this week thank you so much.  I got them after I had emailed so I couldn't thank you till this week!  

     HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!!  I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCH!!!!  I hope you have a wonderful day!  Also happy valentines day!  love you! i hope i answered some things.  Email felt so short today and was a little hectic!  

The church is true.

Sister Marsh