The Book of Mormon Can Change Your Life! - Letter 05/18/15

Buenos Dias,

 

This week has been pretty crazy!  I got in an accident and broke my arm...yep that happened. Other than that, my studies have been really in depth. I also got to Skype my family yesterday which was good!

 

I just wanted to share my experience with all of you that I had this week. Lately I've been working on strengthening my relationship with God, and trying to improve my prayers. While I was studying about Heavenly Father and His love for us, I was overcome with an overwhelming feeling of peace and comfort. I haven't shared this story with many of you but when I was 17 I struggled with my testimony a lot! I prayed and tried to read my scriptures but nothing would click. I always noticed the example of my mom reading her scriptures every day after work and wishing I could be able to do that and believe what I read. A year passed by and I continued living on the testimony of others.  It wasn't until January of 2014 when I first gained my very own testimony. I decided if I was about to head out on a mission, I better have my feet firmly planted in the gospel. I decided to read the Book of Mormon for the first time ever for myself all the way through, and I was going to do it in 10 days. Well, that's exactly what I did. I started January 7, 2014 and finished January 16, 2014. That was the first time in my life I KNEW 100% for myself that the Gospel is TRUE! I haven't looked back since, I know with all my heart that this Gospel is true, and it can change your life! 

 

As I studied this past week about Heavenly Father, I have realized the love He has for me. I've realized that without this Gospel I would be nothing. I'm grateful to be able to share the message of happiness every day with the people around me. I want to invite all of you, if you haven't for yourself yet read the Book of Mormon, follow the counsel it gives, and learn what God wants you to learn. You can't live on borrowed light you have to figure it out for yourself! "Spiritual light rarely comes to those who nearly sit in darkness waiting for someone to flip a switch, it takes an act of faith to open our eyes to the Light of Christ." -Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

 Some scriptures I wanted to share with you that have helped me throughout my mission:

"And I was led by the Spirit, not knowing beforehand the things which I should do. Nevertheless I went forth..." 1 Nephi 4:6-7

 "Therefore, cheer up your hearts, and remember that ye are free to act for yourselves--to choose the way of everlasting death or the way of eternal life. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, reconcile yourselves to the will of God, and not to the will of the devil and the flesh; and remember, after ye are reconciled unto God, that it is only in and through the grace of God that ye are saved." 2 Nephi 10:23-24

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also has become my salvation." 2 Nephi 22:2

"But if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage." Mosiah 7:33

"Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." Alma 26:16

I want you all to know that I have a testimony of this Gospel.  I know without a doubt in my heart that the Atonement of Jesus Christ can change lives because I have seen it do just that. I hope you know that whatever problem you face in life, if you rely on the Savior, you can make through anything. Please never forget the importance of the Restoration of the Gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith, without him we would have nothing. 

Just a poem to finish :)

 

I know not by what methods rare, But this I know, God answers prayer.
I know that He has given His Word, Which tells me prayer is always heard,
And will be answered, soon or late. And so I pray and calmly wait.
I know not if the blessing sought Will come in just the way I thought;
But leave my prayers with Him alone, Whose will is wiser than my own, 
Assured that He will grant my quest, Or send some answer far more blest. 

I hope everyone has a good week! 

 

Con Amor,

Hermana Greenhalgh

 

Broken Arm

Mission Leadership Council

Mormon Batallion

Teaching Antonio, Chris, and Alex

 

Mormon Battalion - Letter 05/11/15

Buenos Tardes,

How was everyone's week? I hope all the moms had a good Mother's Day and enjoyed being with family. Here in AZ it was Mother's Day for Mexico and America so work was extremely slow. But it's alright, that's
missionary work sometimes.

As for my week, Monday we had a Mexican fiesta and the Elders made carne asada! Tuesday we had Zone Meeting and Sister Johnson and I trained together in Spanish! Wednesday we had Zone Conference and
combined with the Phoenix Zone. We all dressed up in Mexican flag colors and the other Zone in American colors. We learned a lot about keeping the Sabbath Day Holy. It was neat!  I got a lot of insight from it. Thursday was slow! Friday we had weekly planning, and later a Mother's Day fiesta and a mariachi band came! I got lots of great pictures. Saturday was good.  We had American breakfast for dinner that hasn't happened in ages. Sunday was slow, Sister Jensen Skyped with her family, then we had dinner with the Cid family.

This morning we woke up at 3 a.m. and drove to Maricopa and walked the Mormon Battalion Trail! It was really cool, we had a specialist come out and give a presentation and after we had a small breakfast as a Mission.

Well, that is all I got for this week. Sorry no pictures because we can't use computers to send them anymore, but after the mission you can see them.

Con Amor,

Hermana Greenhalgh

Time Flies When You're Busy! - Letter 05/04/15

Que Es Bueno? What's good?

   Hello family and friends! How was everyone's week? My week was extremely busy! We have 4 people on date right now, and a wedding we are planning for Cecilia, who's getting baptized on the 16th of May. Next there is Eduardo for the 23 of May, Olga for the 30th of May, and finally Beatrice and her daughters whose date is the 16th of May, but we are moving her date! So there's a lot going on right now! We also
found an awesome new lady to teach named Patricia! She is so prepared.  I have never seen the Lords hand so strongly in the work until now! Phoenix is on fire! We are working a ton with less actives as well!
Someone I have been working with for almost 6 months now is finally active after 10 years of being inactive! Everything that is going on reminds me of the story of the lost sheep! It's one of my favorites because no matter how many sheep the Shepard has, He still loves each of them individually! I feel like certain people I'm teaching are those lost sheep I was sent specifically sent here to Phoenix to teach!

As far as everything else went this week, I had MLC with the Zone Leaders and Sister Johnson in Tempe! We dressed like the Mexican flag and wore sombreros and ponchos! We are taking this whole all Spanish
Zone to heart! It was awesome! We were spiritually edified! I have to give my trainings in Spanish now! Oh yes! I'm super stoked! I'm going to miss speaking Spanish everyday when I go home! So most of my District is going to college with me! We are super stoked to hang out after the mission! My companion and I will literally be best friends for the rest of my life! We helped the other sisters this week at our apartment who were fighting, and came to the agreement that President has to keep us as companions for the rest of my mission. I have 3 more transfers!

Another thing that happened this week is we went to the Visitors Center in Mesa with Cecilia! She loved it. Something really cool about her is she keeps every single commitment we give her! She wanted to pay tithing before she was baptized, and wants to go Visiting Teaching! Ahh I just love her! I never want to leave Phoenix. Even though I have been robbed, rejected by many people, crashed on my bike, endured 110 degree days, and not had the most support from members, I love this place!

Well that's about all I have time to write today! I hope everyone has a good week!

Con Amor,
Hermana Greenhalgh

P.S. Something that every Hispanic says when we ask them to do something is "Si Dios Quiere" in English "if God wants", it's a classic saying! Fun fact for you all.

So, one time we had a sleepover and made forts!

It's getting warm!

The Phoenix Flame Burns On! - Letter 04/27/15

Buenos Tardes Familia y Amigos,

How was everybody's week? Hopefully good! Can you believe that April is pretty much over? That's so crazy how fast this month flew by! My week was great! 

 

So I didn't get transferred... Yes that means the Phoenix flame burns on!  That means I have 7 1/2 months here! But there were a lot of changes!  They took two zones, (which is a group of about 20 missionaries) and made a whole (for the first time in the history of this Mission) Spanish ONLY Zone.  English is their own Zone now too!! So I'm staying in Phoenix, but my Zone which is called Phoenix South lives about 30 minutes away. Weird right? Oh and on top of that Cielto, my ward, lost a companionship so there is only two companionships now.  What does that mean?  My companion and I have two areas of proselyting now!! So much work, so little time! We are literally swamped and I love it so much! I love coming home at the end of the day and being dead tired! My companion, Sister Jensen, is staying with me for a third transfer! She's the best! We get along really good! We work until we can't work anymore! I'm staying as a Sister Training Leader and Sister Johnson, my old companion, is the other one for the new Zone! We get to work together again! 

As for the things going in my gigantic area...we have 3 baptisms coming up from my previous one area, and 1 potential baptism with the new area! My companion and I are putting another wedding together for next Thursday! Shotgun weddings, aren't they the best? My friends that are getting baptized are Cecilia, Olga, and Eduardo! Cecilia is the one getting married! We have found a lot of neat people lately, I love it. I could finish my mission here in Phoenix because it's literally the greatest! 

So next Sunday is Skype time again! What the what??!!  It's been 6 months already! I'm not sure when I will be Skyping but I will make sure to get the details to all of you! 

Well this week was great, we got two areas, new zone, had a funeral, and put two people on date for baptism!

I hope everyone has a great week! 

 

Write me: 5421 W Indian School Rd. #1062 Phoenix, AZ 85031

Con amor,

Hermana Greenhalgh

 

 Cielito Missionaries minus Sister Jensen

Baby hats aren't that bad!

Sister Jensen and I - Transfer #3!

 

 

Arizona Living - Letter 04/20/15

Monday April 13, 2015

-Monday we had a regular P-day, wrote some letters, went and played zone sports, and had a nap! Later that night we visited our Ward Mission Leader's less active son and his wife. They have twins, and two little girls. They are wild! We had a good lesson with them and as we were there I thought about how the gospel is literally for everyone! It can bless everyone's life no matter who you are. The Savior atoned for ALL of our sins, literally all of us. As we visited more people that night I realized the love the Savior had for each individual we visited, and how I needed to help them know that. 

Tuesday April 14, 2015   -Tuesday we had District Meeting early that morning and learned how to better work with members. If you haven't offered to help the missionaries in your area yet, DO IT! Seriously though we could use your testimony, it could be the answer someone needs to get baptized. That afternoon we had a lesson with a new family of a referral it went really well. When we left we said a prayer and the grandpa in the family stood up and put his hands together and said AMEN! Gracias! AMEN! It was so funny! In the evening Celia Palacios our new convert came on a few lessons with us, they were really good! She brought her granddaughter Leah with us and me and Leah ate chips and took pictures while she drove us to lessons. Wednesday April 15, 2015   -Wednesday morning we did 2 hours of service at St. Mary's food bank, and after we had studies. Later that afternoon we visited a new referral named Martin. He's really cool, we taught him the Restoration and invited him to be baptized. First lesson and he said... yes! He's on date for the 9 of May which, by the way, is the day before I Skype for the last time before I come home.. Weird.. That's not going to happen! Later that night we had dinner with Emilia Flores, and after headed to correlation for missionary work in our ward. After correlation Sister Jensen and I talked with Hermano Aguilera and were joking around him before we had to leave.  Thursday April 16, 2015    -Thursday we had our regular studies and after we finished we went and did service for a new referral named Brisa. She was a in a horrible accident in 2010 and is burn victim. We went over and cleaned her house, and the Elders came and did yard work for her. It was super cool to meet with her and to hear her story. She is so humble and sweet. I cleaned both of the sons rooms and then the bathroom and living room. Sister Jensen cleaned her kitchen and when we finished the inside we helped outside. Later we had dinner with the Rodriguez family and had a small birthday party for Elder Southwick. After dinner we had a lesson with the Quesada family the ones we had a lesson with Monday night. The kids were being super wild so I had all of them come play games with me while my companion and our member taught them. After we finished we went to a Relief Society party. Our investigator Olga came! She is awesome, she is special needs and loves when we come over! We had a small birthday party for the Relief Society as well! Lots of cake! After the party we biked home and planned.   Friday April 17, 2015   -Friday morning we had our regular weekly planning and after we headed home for lunch and then back to Brisa's house. At her house we continued to work on her yard, and I figured out how to use the weed whacker! I should be a professional landscaper just saying.. :) after we had to leave because we had lessons to go to. Later that night we had dinner with the Cuatle family and received some very sad news. Hermano Aguilera who I talked about Wednesday was murdered Thursday night. Hermano Cuatle had a feeling to call him, but could not reach him. He decided to leave to go talk with him, when he arrived at his house he found him dead. He was murdered by his girlfriend's ex husband. The guy who did it ran off to Mexico and is yet to be found. It was really hard to hear that. Hermano Aguilera is one of the happiest people I have ever met in my life, he ALWAYS had a smile on his face, and a joke to tell. He passed out programs every Sunday to everyone, and was so kind to everyone he knew. After we heard the news we all just cried at dinner, and after we had to go teach. Sister Jensen and I could barely keep ourselves together. We managed to have a few good lessons and our member Claudia came with us. That night we contacted a new referral named Dora who lives in a shelter, she was so sweet but lives way out of our area. She has been looking for the missionaries for 3 months and we found her! Another sheep has been brought back to the fold. Saturday April 18, 2015   -Saturday was a pretty good day we had a really good lesson with a less active. We talked about the Plan of Salvation with her and helped to know that she will see her friend again! Later we contacted another referral named Cecilia. She is so funny when we got there she asked us when was the soonest she could be baptized, so we told her to pray about a date and we will make it work! She has met with missionaries before but never wanted to do what they asked, and 3 years later, right now, she decided she needed God in her life! After we had dinner provided by a taco stand that is run by the Elder's investigators. The tacos are amazing!! When dinner ended we attended a baptism for Antonio Montoya. Sister Jensen and I found him, but he didn't live in our area so the Elders taught him and he got baptized! We had a lot of support from the ward it was super good!   Sunday April 19, 2015   -Sunday we had church in the morning and when we got there it was super hard to not see Hermano Aguilera handing out programs.. Sacrament started and a lot of people were teary eyed and the Obispo announced what had happened. We had 3 friends come to church today and the classes went well. After church we went home and I made lunch for Sister Jensen. I made grilled chicken, vegetables and rice. It turned out really good! After we had Spanish and companionship study. When we left our apartment we biked over to a few people's houses and tried to find them. No luck. But after we found Martin the one who's getting baptized and had a really good lesson with him about the Book of Mormon. After we had dinner the Obispo's house, and then headed to Tempe for the Mission President's devotional. On our way we got a little lost, but it's alright. While finding our way we passed a guy on his bicycle who thought he was something else, and he tried to get his jacket off and it got stuck in his bicycle tire... Awkward. When we arrived at the MPF we listened to a few recent converts speak and I saw some of my old members and investigators for Casa Grande!! Well, that is my week.  I hope you all have a good week! Transfers are Thursday so you won't know where I am until next Monday... So write me at 1871 E Del Rio Dr. Tempe, AZ 85282 Con Amor, Hermana Greenhalgh

Temple Trips and Spanish Culture - Letter 04/13/15

Buenos Dias Todo,

 

This week was excellent! It flew by, but a lot of memories were made! I hope everyone is doing good! Here's a little summary of my week!

-Monday: 5K, today I got my temple recommend back! Who hoo! 

 

-Tuesday: We had exchanges! I went with Sister Morris it was really fun. We found lots of people, and talked to this awesome guy named Christian, and also met a lady named Linda. While we were there Linda kept talking about her dog Lucy, after a few minutes Linda asked Sister Morris to pray, and sweet little Sister Morris begins praying and accidentally mixes up Linda and Lucy's names... Awkward. Later that night we went out with a member named Danielle.  She's 18 and awesome! We talked with her about a mission and she loved it. She asked Sister Morris for my email, and Facebook because she wants to be friends after the mission! She reminded me a lot of my little sister Melissa. It made me miss her a ton!

 

-Wednesday: Today we went and served at St. Mary's food bank for a few hours. It is a neat experience to be able to give food to those in need of it. We made over 1600 food bags in 2 hours. Later that night we had dinner with Hermana Angeles, had correlation meeting, then had a super powerhouse lesson with Eduardo and President Zayas came out with us. We talked about conversion, and how it's important to follow the prompting of the Holy Ghost.

 

-Thursday: Today we went to the Mesa Temple!! It was so awesome, I love the temple so much! Literally I received so many answers and comfort there. After we came home, we had studies, then shopped for the week, even though the week was half over.. Later I got to play TENNIS with my District.. I may not be super good at tennis but I sure kicked it! I did so good for not playing for two years.

 

-Friday: Today we had an all day Spanish conference. Fifty nine Spanish missionaries got together and we listened to presentations about different Spanish cultures, and how to better work with the Spanish Culture. Later that day we had love music and dinner provided to us. It was really good! When dinner was over we did a blitz in Phoenix. Fifty nine missionaries hit the streets of Phoenix and visited every less active/recent convert on the records of our ward and the other Spanish ward. It was neat! We found a new family to teach! Later that night we had some sisters from Yuma come stay at our apartment over night.

 

-Saturday: This morning we went and did a Spanish session at the temple! It was so unique. Spanish definitely has become one of my strengths, but it was kind of hard as well! But I got through it. I really enjoyed it. After the conference we went to Waffle House and had lunch! After we had a very successful evening with teaching!

 

-Sunday: Tonight we went out with a member named Claudia, she is awesome. We visited the Palacios family who just got baptized and their daughter is starting to meet with us! Yay! I'm so excited! We finished the night with stats, then went home planned, and another week over with.

I can't believe how fast time has been flying... My mission is slowly slipping away! I hope everyone is doing good. Continue seeking for missionary opportunities and serve all those around you!

Love you all,

Hermana Greenhalgh

 

 Biking for hours!

 

 

One Year Down...Six Months to Go!! - Letter 04/06/2015

Hello Everyone,

   This week has been good! I really enjoyed Conference, and the inspiring messages we heard. I'm grateful to be a member of this church and have the Gospel in my life.

Nothing super out of the ordinary happened this week, but this upcoming week is going to be super busy! Today we had a 5K.  I wasn't able to run because of my bike crashes, but I timed everyone. Tomorrow we have exchanges, Wednesday we have a birthday party for the elders planned, Thursday we are going to the temple and having P-Day. I'm only emailing today because President didn't want worried parents. Friday is an all day Spanish Missionary Conference.  We are spending all day learning how to work better with the Spanish culture. Saturday morning I'm doing a temple session in Spanish... I'm a little nervous. It is going to be a great experience.

Some things that have been cool this week: we had Conference obviously! My companion and I have found lots of new people to teach, and we are going to start working harder with part-member families. This is going to be exciting!

Well as I hit my year mark, I look back and I'm amazed at how fast time has flown. I'm not the same person I was when I left home. I'm grateful to be molded out here, and learn the things I'm learning. It's crazy to think how much my mission has changed my outlook on life. When I return home I'm going to be super awkward just a good heads up for everyone...

Well thanks to all the support YOU have given me this past year! Enjoy your week!

Con Amor,

Hermana Greenhalgh