Back in Arkansas!

Hola!

YES, Im back in Arkansas. I was transfered this last Wednesday back to Arkansas. It was about a 3 hour drive from Memphis back to Little Rock. That is where I met my new companion and then we drove our bran new car (had 16 miles on it) up to Russellville, Arkansas. (about another hour and a half) Compared to Memphis, it is a very small town. I love it!

My new companion just got out to the field. She is from Bountiful Utah. Its crazy how similar we are.  We actaully played club soccer against each other. She played for Avalanche. She also did hurdles in track. She played soccer down at UNLV for 1 year before coming out here. She was suppose to be english speaking but had to get surgery on her knee so she was moved to spanish speaking. (so she would have more time in the MTC for her knee to heal.) I couldnt be happier.

Russellville is the place. I feel just at home. I LOVE it here. We have been welcomed so warmly into both the spanish and english wards. The english ward has been wanting sisters here for a long time (and technically we are not in their ward but since there are not english speaking sisters here, we can do a little of english and help them out!) Saturday there was a combined English and Spanish Thanksgiving party and we went. We felt like celebrities. Everyone is SO HAPPY we are here!

One of my goals for the first week here in my new area was to get to know at least one family so that I didnt have to make Thanksgiving dinner... and im pleased to announce... we over-achieved just a little. We have 4 lunch/dinners planned for Thursday! Even better, everyday we have at least one meal planned from someone in the english ward this week! Yesterday we had one hispanic family feed us and then we were fed by a family in the English ward as well. Can you feel the love? Its amazing!

There is 1 set of english elders in this area and 1 set of spanish speaking elders in this area as well so we all go to the Dinners, but for some reason, they were not getting fed this much before we came... its a sisters charm for sure. ;) 

The first day we were here we went to a Trailer park to find people to teach. We met an awesome lady that we invited to be baptized. She told us she needs to be married first and then also pray about it. We have met many other amazing people as well. The Lord is preparing the people here to recieve the message of the restored gospel.

We have had to get a little creative about trying to find people to teach as we are opening this area. A few nights ago we decided to go "shopping" in Dollar Tree. We met some people in there that didnt necessarily want us to visit them again but It was so amazing the example and effect we had on people around. One guy told us, "I dont know what it is about you two, but I like you." As we stood in line to buy hot chocolate (we had to buy something) this guy came up to us and asked us how we learned spanish and then said he had been reading a Book of Mormon but didnt like it becuase it didnt talk about Christ. I invited him to keep reading it and told him, he will find that Christ is the centeral part of the Book Of Mormon. After I invited him I decided I wanted to re-read the Book of Mormon again before the end of the year. I love this book. I also love that no matter how many times we read it we can always learn something new, or apply something new into our lives to become more like Jesus.

Im so thankful for the opportunity I have to be a missionary. Im so thankful for my amazing family and friends. Im so thankful for this gospel and the peace and hope it brings me.

Love this quote and thought it was perfect for this time of year: "What if you woke up TODAY with only the things that you thanked God for yesterday?"

May we ever be thankful for this time to live on the earth, and for all the blessings, gifts, and talents we have been blessed with.

I love you all,

Hermana Warner

My old companion and I on our last night in Memphis. We had a little party.

Me. and a tree. 

My new companion Sister Peterson

Hello from Tennessee

This last week was another amazing week as a missionary. Life couldn’t get better.

At Specialized training this week (a meeting for all the missionaries in the Tennessee side of our mission) the theme was faith. I loved the saying our president used a lot. he said, When trials and tribulations come winners double in faith, losers half their faith. 

I loved that. I know that we are giving trials and tests in this life because God trust us and he is giving us an opportunity to grow. We simply can't grow without opposition in all things. 

Yesterday we had a baptism in our branch. It was an older man that the elders in my area had been teaching. 

I went on exchanges this week as well with the sister training leader. She is an English sister but speaks a little bit of Spanish. I stayed in my area and my companion went to hers. I was able to learn a lot in the short time we had together. 

Exciting News: I am getting transferred Wednesday. Plus I am training. This shall be fun! 

Also congrats to my grandparents who have decided to serve another mission; this time in the Independence, Missouri Mission. I’m so grateful for their example. 

That’s about it for the week; time flies so make the most of it.

Hermana Warner 

My district minus 2 sisters

The famous Wall behind the famous Jerry's snow cone place. I promise we do missionary work and dont live there.

Sister Lunt (The sister I went on exchanges with)

Big week!!

Hola Ya’ll,

 

This past week we had some crazy experiences and miracles.

 

First, my companion and I moved. We moved into an apartment about 1 mile away from where we were living before. It’s a very nice place and I love it.

 

Second, some day last we went and knocked on a door. It was an old guy who spoke English. He was actually hooked up to a lot of machines so he couldn’t move. He yelled for us to come in and then said he didn’t bite.. (because we were just staying at the door because we are not allowed to go in without another woman in the home)… anyways, we started talking to him for a minute at the door about the gospel and then he goes, “You know 30 years ago I would have chased you down but now I cant. But hey, I can still whistle. Whooo-wo. HA. It was great. Glad we could make his day.. but we did quickly get out of there.

 

Third, we knocked on another old guy’s door who spoke English. We explained who we were and he said, “Oh Jehovah Witnesses” We told him actually that we weren’t Jehovah Witnesses but we were missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints. He then says, “Yeah so Jehovah Witnesses, That’s what I know you by. Anyways, what do you want? Are you trying to save me? If you are I’m too old to be saved and so tomorrow at 5pm on Fox News watch the interview with Billy Gram.”    Alright. We get mistaken almost daily for Jehovah Witnesses. One thing I love telling people is that we are not just another church here in the south. We are part of Christ’s church that has been restored once again to the earth.

 

Fourth, we went to another house and we were speaking Spanish, and she was responding back in Spanish and then all of a sudden she says, “I don’t speak English.” We told her its ok, we are learning Spanish. (My companion and I looked at each other and were like; we haven’t said one word in English.) Either our Spanish is so bad people think we are speaking English or she just didn’t want to talk to us.

 

We then taught a lady who is almost ready to be baptized. We read Mosiah 18 with her and then asked her to be baptized. She said, “Maybe in February” (We were preparing her for the end of this month, beginning of next, but hey, at least she is willing to be baptized!) We then went over the baptism questions and we are going back this week to cover the ones she wants to learn more about.

 

Then on Friday after many prayers we felt impressed to go back to the Lopez Family home. (This is the family that told us last week they were not going to be baptized and didn’t want to keep wasting our time) We decided what we were going to teach. Then in the car we changed our plan again. Then when we got there they let us in and only 1 of the usual 5 we teach sat down to listen. He had watched the Restoration movie we had left with them and his only question was, “What is the difference between Catholics and your church?” My companion pulled out the Articles of Faith and we started going through them. (This was not our plan either) When we got to number 3 one of the daughters walked in and started listening. Then when we got to 5 the mom came in and started listening. When we got to number 8 my companion bore a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. Then I did. The spirit was so strong. Then the daughter looked very sad and her mom asked what was wrong. The daughter started bawling and said, “I know we said we don’t want to be baptized but maybe one day we will come to church and maybe one day we will be baptized. Just don’t give up, don’t give up on us.” By that time we were both crying. We know they know it’s true. Its just going to take time and patience. It was such an amazing lesson and miracle. We were so grateful we felt impressed to go back and then be able to teach by the spirit to directly help and find out their needs/concerns.

 

I am loving it here in Memphis, I love being a missionary.

 

Hope ya’ll have a wonderful week,

 

Xoxoxo

Hermana Warner

Welcome November!

I literally can't believe its already November. Time has flown by the last 4 months.

On Halloween we didn’t have one appointment set up so we decided to contact every single house we have ever tried to contact and they seemed somewhat interested. We were on bikes that day so it did take a little longer to travel to places but we were able to go to 29 different houses. 5 of the 29 said we could come back a different day when they were not busy. There were a lot that were not home too. That night we went to check up on a family of 6 that we have been teaching for a while now. They are so amazing. Every time we come they already have chairs set up for us and always there for their appointment. Anyways, we went over there and they told us they don't want to be baptized and they don’t want to keep wasting our time. Last time we told them to all pray about the baptism date we gave them. They have told us multiple times "We know everything you are telling us is true, otherwise we wouldn’t keep letting you come." When we taught the Plan of Salvation and shared scriptures in 2 Nephi 2 about the Fall, one said, "wow I’ve read this in the bible but now it makes so much more sense." We were then able to testify about the book of Mormon and they started reading that. It was heartbreaking to go over there and hear that they knew this was true but didn’t want to change their ways.

As a missionary its so hard to hear that. I just want to take away their agency sometimes, but I know that would defeat the purpose here on earth.

I’m so grateful I have the opportunity to share the gospel with everyone here in Memphis whether or not they will accept or reject this message. I know that this gospel is the only way of living a happy and joyful life.

 

I love the quote by President Hinkley, "Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause. Lend your efforts to helping people...stand higher lift those with feeble knees, hold up the arms of those that hang down. Live the gospel of Jesus Christ."

 

Hope ya'll have a wonderful week,

 

Hermana Warner