Paper Chain...the sweet rewards of reading the Book of Mormon

Hello Everyone - just one more thing from Kenzie and I. A few weeks ago Kenzie came and told me she was going to read the Book of Mormon before Chelsey got home. I asked her how far she was and she said at the beginning. I told her that sounded like a great idea and I wanted to do it with her too so we added up how many chapters are in the Book of Mormon and made a plan to read a chapter every morning and a chapter every night and It would be kind of like our "paper chain" for when Chelsey gets home. It has been fun keeping each other on track and learning new things, strengthening testimony and at the same time knowing what a sweet reward we are looking forward to at the end - welcoming home Sister Tait!!! I have loved this and have shared it with a few friends and family members and one by one they have said they wanted to do this too. So...I thought it would be fun to invite all of you to participate as well. 

Maybe you're already reading and doing your own thing or maybe you want to start from the beginning and have your own "paper chain". There are 142 days until Sister Tait returns (as far as we know) and there are 239 chapters in the Book of Mormon. If you read 2 chapters a day you will finish just before she returns. We would love to have you join us if you are interested and even share your experiences along the way. It is such a blessing having a missionary and though we miss her I wouldn't trade the growth and the life experiences and the wonderful blessings she has received through serving, her amazing testimony and growth and the lives she is touching. Nothing can compare to these wonderful experiences and she is loving the people of New Hampshire and Maine. I love you all and feel so blessed to have such a wonderful family and so many wonderful friends who love and support us in everything we do. What a blessing it is to be on this journey together and to be able to strengthen and bless one another. I am so blessed by each one of you. Thank you for your example and the many ways you each touch my life. Have a great day!

Love,

Sheri

 

On Jul 28, 2014, at 11:20 AM, Sheri Tait <sheri@7taits.com> wrote:

Well that week just flew by! I knew that was gonna happen! haha! We had lots going on which was really fun! After emails we went to the mall since it was Sister Beus' birthday week and she wanted to do some birthday shopping! Then we ended up going to the FHE in York again with some of the members in the ward and had dinner with them and then a lesson on the Holy Ghost! Tuesday morning Marsha and Helmar took us out to breakfast and then we went to Footprints! After that we went and saw Sister Bock and went over the restoration with her! Then we came home to study since we didn't get to that morning... and then went and did Mormon.org time! Then we had a half hour drive to Lee and had dinner with some members out there!

Wednesday was zone conference! It was awesome! :) It was in Exeter and it was us and two other zones! We talked about so many great things but a lot about our purpose! We went over 2 Nephi 31 together and talked about the doctrine of Christ and how that is our purpose and what we teach! Faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end! The part that really stuck out to me is the last part! Enduring! We focused a lot on verse 20 which tells us that if we endure to the end we will have eternal life! So since then I've been thinking a lot about this and studying about it! And just thinking about how Heavenly Father has the same vision for all of us! He loves all of His children and wants us to return to live with Him! We all may be at different parts of this path, but we're all on this journey and Heavenly Father wants us to be happy and find joy in the journey! Once we enter into the gate it doesn't stop there, it's a lifelong commitment! We have to stay on the path and continue on! We talked about how the word endure sometimes gets a negative connotation... hmmmm... I guess that's true! When you think about enduring it sounds hard! And yes it can be hard! "He never said it would be easy, He only said it would be worth it" But I know that with help from our Savior hard things can be easier! I love the quote from President Monson "Seek heavenly guidance one day at a time. Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it's a chinch. Each of us can be true for just one day - and then one more and then one more after that - until we've lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness. The Savior promised, "look unto me and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life." :) So just like it says in 2 Nephi 31 we have to press forward! We have go keep going forward in faith and just doing those four things over and over every day! That's enduring to the end! It becomes a pattern of living! Faith in Christ, repenting, making, renewing and keeping covenants, being cleansed by the spirit.... :) Someone at zone conference pointed out how there's 3 things in life that never end... the laundry, the dishes, and the gospel! haha :) you can't just stop! I loved that and thinking how that just shows that we really need to do these things continually! We have to do it patiently, faithfully, and consistently :) Another thing that someone said when we were talking about enduring and how it can sound negative is changing it to Enjoy to the end or Encourage to the end! I really liked that and I have definitely seen how that works! Especially on a mission maybe when it's a really hard day, it just feels like it's dragging, and you just look at how far you have to go... I've been trying to really take those moments and to make them positive and to go and serve someone! Forget yourself and go to work! It really makes a difference! When you think of others and work on making them happy then you are happy too! So I really loved that and I know that true joy can come from this! Jesus first, yourself last and others in between... JOY! :) That's my favorite! Because it's true, enduring may be hard or challenging at times but there can still be joy! :) Anyways... those are just some of my random thoughts and things that I've been learning! haha kinda got off on a tangent there...but zone conference was good! we talked about planning also and working with members and also about sacrifice and consecration and how a mission is not really a sacrifice because you gain so much more than you "give up" I'm so grateful for all of the things that I am learning and gaining from this amazing experience! Oh and then after zone conference we just came home, ate dinner and then went to bible study class and learned lots there! It was just a spirit packed day! :)

Thursday was Sister Beus' 21st birthday! We did some street contacting in Portsmouth and then found a place to have lunch! Then we went to Brenda's and we walked to Hannaford with her and got an ice cream cake! Then we came back and Brenda invited a few friends over and we all ate cake and had a great time together :) Then while we were out in Durham we tried seeing a few less actives and then we went to the Gray's for dinner! Steve came and we ate dinner, decorated cupcakes and then had and FHE lesson that they prepared and then we taught Steve about tithing! Getting excited for August 9!! :)

Friday we did weekly planning and then had lunch and did some street contacting and then we went to Gilley's for dinner with Mary! and then just walked around Portsmouth with her for a little bit! and then we walked to some other less actives that were close by and then walked home!

Saturday was the Step Back in Time stake activity in Sanford! We got to dress up like pioneers and they had all these different stations that members were in charge of like the creamery where they made butter and then there was a bakery with bread to put your butter on and then there were handcart rides for the kids that the elders did and then spinning, quilting, genealogy, crafts for kids, farming, dutch oven cooking, soap making.... We got to go around and help at different things but we spent most of our time at the kids corner and helped kids make bracelets from wool! and played cat's cradle and did potato sack races :) It was so much fun! It was a really cool activity and lots of people came! :) So that took up most of our day! and then we did our studies and then went to Durham but had some appointments cancel...so after everything that we tried kept not working out we decided to just head home...had dinner and went and got ice cream :)

Sunday we had 4 investigators at church!!! Steve and Tori were there and we're going to meet with Tori this week! then Brenda was able to come with the Caspers! and then Jaylin a UNH student is back and the elders had been teaching him so he came to church and hopefully we can start teaching him! There was a really good talk in sacrament meeting about gratitude and it went really well with everything I've been studying and that tangent that I went off on... But today I was reading in Alma 7 and I love verse 23! It talks about gratitude and I have a quote next to it that says "gratitude helps you grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you." I know that as we endure we have to have gratitude and be grateful for all that we have even trials and hard times! Because they help us learn and grow and having gratitude brings joy :) We went and saw Larry after church and also the Foggs :) and then we went and had dinner with the Hafen's and got to see the cute new baby Eliza :) and played Book of Mormon go fish with the kids!! :)

Oh! next week I think we're going to the temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhh!!!! :D But that means that will be our pday and I think we're going on Friday.... so I might not get to talk to you all next Monday.... but I hope you have a wonderful week and a half!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

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Endure, enjoy & encourage to the end, Birthday fun, A step back in time...

Well that week just flew by! I knew that was gonna happen! haha! We had lots going on which was really fun! After emails we went to the mall since it was Sister Beus' birthday week and she wanted to do some birthday shopping! Then we ended up going to the FHE in York again with some of the members in the ward and had dinner with them and then a lesson on the Holy Ghost! Tuesday morning Marsha and Helmar took us out to breakfast and then we went to Footprints! After that we went and saw Sister Bock and went over the restoration with her! Then we came home to study since we didn't get to that morning... and then went and did Mormon.org time! Then we had a half hour drive to Lee and had dinner with some members out there!

Wednesday was zone conference! It was awesome! :) It was in Exeter and it was us and two other zones! We talked about so many great things but a lot about our purpose! We went over 2 Nephi 31 together and talked about the doctrine of Christ and how that is our purpose and what we teach! Faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end! The part that really stuck out to me is the last part! Enduring! We focused a lot on verse 20 which tells us that if we endure to the end we will have eternal life! So since then I've been thinking a lot about this and studying about it! And just thinking about how Heavenly Father has the same vision for all of us! He loves all of His children and wants us to return to live with Him! We all may be at different parts of this path, but we're all on this journey and Heavenly Father wants us to be happy and find joy in the journey! Once we enter into the gate it doesn't stop there, it's a lifelong commitment! We have to stay on the path and continue on! We talked about how the word endure sometimes gets a negative connotation... hmmmm... I guess that's true! When you think about enduring it sounds hard! And yes it can be hard! "He never said it would be easy, He only said it would be worth it" But I know that with help from our Savior hard things can be easier! I love the quote from President Monson "Seek heavenly guidance one day at a time. Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it's a chinch. Each of us can be true for just one day - and then one more and then one more after that - until we've lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness. The Savior promised, "look unto me and endure to the end, and ye shall live; for unto him that endureth to the end will I give eternal life." :) So just like it says in 2 Nephi 31 we have to press forward! We have go keep going forward in faith and just doing those four things over and over every day! That's enduring to the end! It becomes a pattern of living! Faith in Christ, repenting, making, renewing and keeping covenants, being cleansed by the spirit.... :) Someone at zone conference pointed out how there's 3 things in life that never end... the laundry, the dishes, and the gospel! haha :) you can't just stop! I loved that and thinking how that just shows that we really need to do these things continually! We have to do it patiently, faithfully, and consistently :) Another thing that someone said when we were talking about enduring and how it can sound negative is changing it to Enjoy to the end or Encourage to the end! I really liked that and I have definitely seen how that works! Especially on a mission maybe when it's a really hard day, it just feels like it's dragging, and you just look at how far you have to go... I've been trying to really take those moments and to make them positive and to go and serve someone! Forget yourself and go to work! It really makes a difference! When you think of others and work on making them happy then you are happy too! So I really loved that and I know that true joy can come from this! Jesus first, yourself last and others in between... JOY! :) That's my favorite! Because it's true, enduring may be hard or challenging at times but there can still be joy! :) Anyways... those are just some of my random thoughts and things that I've been learning! haha kinda got off on a tangent there...but zone conference was good! we talked about planning also and working with members and also about sacrifice and consecration and how a mission is not really a sacrifice because you gain so much more than you "give up" I'm so grateful for all of the things that I am learning and gaining from this amazing experience! Oh and then after zone conference we just came home, ate dinner and then went to bible study class and learned lots there! It was just a spirit packed day! :)

Thursday was Sister Beus' 21st birthday! We did some street contacting in Portsmouth and then found a place to have lunch! Then we went to Brenda's and we walked to Hannaford with her and got an ice cream cake! Then we came back and Brenda invited a few friends over and we all ate cake and had a great time together :) Then while we were out in Durham we tried seeing a few less actives and then we went to the Gray's for dinner! Steve came and we ate dinner, decorated cupcakes and then had and FHE lesson that they prepared and then we taught Steve about tithing! Getting excited for August 9!! :)

Friday we did weekly planning and then had lunch and did some street contacting and then we went to Gilley's for dinner with Mary! and then just walked around Portsmouth with her for a little bit! and then we walked to some other less actives that were close by and then walked home!

Saturday was the Step Back in Time stake activity in Sanford! We got to dress up like pioneers and they had all these different stations that members were in charge of like the creamery where they made butter and then there was a bakery with bread to put your butter on and then there were handcart rides for the kids that the elders did and then spinning, quilting, genealogy, crafts for kids, farming, dutch oven cooking, soap making.... We got to go around and help at different things but we spent most of our time at the kids corner and helped kids make bracelets from wool! and played cat's cradle and did potato sack races :) It was so much fun! It was a really cool activity and lots of people came! :) So that took up most of our day! and then we did our studies and then went to Durham but had some appointments cancel...so after everything that we tried kept not working out we decided to just head home...had dinner and went and got ice cream :)

Sunday we had 4 investigators at church!!! Steve and Tori were there and we're going to meet with Tori this week! then Brenda was able to come with the Caspers! and then Jaylin a UNH student is back and the elders had been teaching him so he came to church and hopefully we can start teaching him! There was a really good talk in sacrament meeting about gratitude and it went really well with everything I've been studying and that tangent that I went off on... But today I was reading in Alma 7 and I love verse 23! It talks about gratitude and I have a quote next to it that says "gratitude helps you grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you." I know that as we endure we have to have gratitude and be grateful for all that we have even trials and hard times! Because they help us learn and grow and having gratitude brings joy :) We went and saw Larry after church and also the Foggs :) and then we went and had dinner with the Hafen's and got to see the cute new baby Eliza :) and played Book of Mormon go fish with the kids!! :)

Oh! next week I think we're going to the temple!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhh!!!! :D But that means that will be our pday and I think we're going on Friday.... so I might not get to talk to you all next Monday.... but I hope you have a wonderful week and a half!!!!!!!!!!!!! :) LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Change is good, Lots of walking, More ice cream, Sharing the gospel...

So after all my studying and talk about change I decided I needed to go and do...and actually apply it ;) haha! So last pday after emails we went and got haircuts! Sister Beus cut off a whole inch and I got 10 inches off! Talk about change... ;) haha! Crazy crazy! I'm donating it to locks of love though so that's exciting! Anyway... we had fun walking around Portsmouth and then writing letters! Then we went to FHE at Sister Whitney's house with a few families in the ward! That was super fun! The lesson was about how the scriptures are like our map for life and then there was a treasure hunt that led to cookies! :D

Tuesday went to Footprints and restocked the shelves and bagged the frozen chicken! fun fun! ;) then Mormon.org time and then we went to Sister Bromfield's! She told us to bring our appetites because she wanted to feed us lunch! haha :) So we went and had lunch with her... she wanted it to be healthy for us and it was summer squash casserole from her garden and then cranberry juice with no sugar - so it's healthy! and we had to drink it all before we could leave.... ahhh! hahaha you should've seen our faces... it was a little tart... but we chugged it down.... read the Book of Mormon with her :) and then she let us have an oreo before we left :) haha! Then we drove to Dover to try and find the food pantry that the elders used to do service at... it started pouring rain and lots of thunder and lightning...so that was exciting...we couldn't find it so we tried seeing some less actives that were close by and then went home to dry off and have dinner!

Wednesday we had district meeting! And for lunch we went to Orange Leaf with the sisters! :) then we went and called bingo with Marsha and Helmar! Then we went and saw some less actives in Portsmouth and then went to Brother Abaroa's bible study class at the church! It was so good! If I had more time I would tell you all about it... maybe next time... haha then we drove home and there was a really pretty sunset so we stopped and took pictures! :)

Thursday we walked to Portsmouth did some street contacting and more contacting less actives! Then walked back and went to lunch with the sister training leaders to celebrate Sister Beus' year mark! :) then we went and saw Brenda! We watched a video about the scriptures and ate ice cream :) and then talked about the bible and Book of Mormon and how they go together! She's reading in Mosiah right now and has had some good questions! Then we saw some less actives out in Durham and then Larry and Ann who are in charge at Footprints called and asked if we could help them out at the food pantry! So we came back to Kittery and helped them do a few orders and packed pork chops! and then they took us out to dinner :)

Friday we did weekly planning and then we had a lesson with Steve! Brother Hafen came and we taught the word of wisdom... It went really well and he said he would live it and he already is! haha :) perfect! oh manny! he's just so prepared and so ready! And he decided on a date! August 9! He's gonna get baptized!! :D so cool :) so we just have a few more things to teach him! we're having fhe with him at the Hafen's tonight! After that lesson we went and saw some more less actives! took a quick detour to the beach and then went and saw Brother Momna and listened to him talk about the navy forever :) haha he's such a cute old man! Then he let us share a message with him and then we went and had dinner at the Keele's!

Saturday we went and saw the Foggs! We went over the plan of salvation with them and then we came home and had lunch! then we did some walking! lots of walking! luckily it was a perfect day! haha we walked all around kittery and saw some less actives, talked to everyone along the way! :) There was one guy that actually stopped us first and asked if we were missionaries! :D He said they lived in Arizona for a little bit so they knew all about the church and they support it but have their own beliefs! But it was so awesome that he stopped and talked to us and was so nice! Then we had dinner and FHE with Mary and Mandy :)

Sunday we had church then studies! then we went to Rye and contacted more less actives! And then we had dinner and worked on our visuals! and ate ice cream because it was national ice cream day!!! :D yum :) So that was our week! It's gonna be a crazy week this week which just makes it go by even faster! :P haha! We have zone conference, sister beus' birthday, and our stake activity "A Step Back In Time" should be fun!!!!!!!!!!!! :D hope you all have a great week!! LOVE YOU!! :)

God has a divine plan for you, investigators, teaching, ice cream & our first pie!!

Well!! I have so much to say and so little time!!! ahhh!! Alrighty...well it's been a great week! last Monday we got orange leaf and then went to the Hafen's for FHE! the Grays came and Steve and Tori came!! It was awesome!! We read 3 Nephi 27:13-21 with everyone...just a good little intro to the gospel of Jesus Christ :) and then just hung out and talked all night! They are both so awesome and so ready!! So Tori is officially a new investigator! :) We were going to have FHE again tonight at the Hafen's with everyone but just found out that sister hafen is having her baby today!!! :D so now it's cancelled... dang...but so exciting!!! :) 

Tuesday we went to the food pantry! then tried to see some less actives! had Mormon.org time and then went and had a lesson with Brenda!! We finished reading the family proclamation with her and had a really good discussion :) She is so awesome! She said she had a powwow so she couldn't come to church this week but hopefully next week :) Then the bishop and his wife took us out to dinner! We tried scallops.... and then got to go to Lago's for ice cream :) yum! :)

Wednesday we went to the food pantry but for the last time on Wednesdays.. :( We found out that district meeting is now going to be on Wednesdays for the whole mission...so that's sad for footprints! :( all the volunteers were sad and saying they were going to protest and head to Manchester and tell them to change the meeting to Thursdays cuz they need us! haha :) they're so funny :) but luckily we can still do bingo! we went and did bingo and had fun with all the old ladies there and then after that went on a nice walk! Saw the Millets and met his non member parents!! :) and then walked home and then had dinner with the Jorgensen's!

Thursday we had district meeting and then went to a Mexican restaurant for district lunch! Then we tried some more less actives and then came to the church and had a lesson with steve!! We taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and invited him to be baptized!!! He said he has been thinking about it!! He has lots of good questions and is so ready!! Then we did some more walking around Portsmouth! ran into a less active bro marchese and asked if we could visit him and he said he didn't want anyone over... we invited him to come to church...he hasn't been in a few years....and he said he would be there! and guess what! he really came! :D

Friday we did weekly planning and then we went and saw sister bromfield!! taught the plan of salvation and she loved it and is remembering more from when the missionaries first taught her :) she read us the first talk she ever gave and it was awesome! we told her she needs to give it again! :) Then we saw some less actives in Rye and then had dinner with the Reeve's! We had shrimp and chicken tacos! hmmm...the chicken was delicious! and the shrimp wasn't bad... haha.... maybe by the end of my mission i'll like seafood... haha! then they came with us to Mary's and we taught another one of the new member lessons! the plan of salvation!

Saturday we made a blueberry pie for Larry! haha :) that was fun :) ...it was our first time making a pie so it was a little rough...too many blueberries..they were bulging out of the top...haha! but we took it to him and he was so happy :) Then we went and saw the Foggs! Less actives that are really old and just love to talk and talk... :) showed us pictures of all their missionaries :) it was super cute :) then we had dinner with the Kills! and then tried some more less actives!

Sunday we had church! Steve and Tori both came!! :) Then we went with Mary and saw Larry! Taught him the plan of salvation! and then he let us take home some pie! haha :) he said it was delicious! :) then we went and saw some less actives in Durham and Lee! and then had dinner with the Belangers and talked about the family proclamation with them! I think that's been our focus all week! plan of salvation and family proclamation!! oh manny! such good topics that go hand in hand!!! As I've studied the family proclamation I noticed how it says the word divine several times! It's so cool! I love that and that we all have a divine nature and a divine destiny :) And I'm so grateful that families can be together forever!!! here's a quote I just found that goes with all that and kinda with what I was saying last week :)

 "You are here on earth for a divine purpose. It is not to be endlessly entertained or to be constantly in full pursuit of pleasure. You are here to be tried, to prove yourself so that you can receive the additional blessings God has for you. The tempering effect of patience is required. Some blessings will be delivered here in this life, others will come beyond the veil. The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not. When you trust in the Lord, when you are willing to let your heart and your mind be centered in His will, when you ask to be led by the Spirit to do His will, you are assured of the greatest happiness along the way and the most fulfilling attainment from this mortal experience. If you question everything you are asked to do

, or dig in your heels at every unpleasant challenge, you make it harder for the Lord to bless you." - Elder Richard G. Scott :) Love it!! well! Remember that!! God has a divine plan for you!!! :) have a great week!! love you lots!!! 

Here's a few pics...bought some lemonade from a cute little boy's lemonade stand! couldn't resist :) 

and made a blueberry pie for larry.... haha it was our first time okay... but he said it was delicious and we're gonna make great wives haha! he even let us take some home to try and i must say it was pretty delicious :)

:)

Learning to love change...become, grow, See ya later(s), Tornado warning, Exactly where you are meant to be...

Well week one of the transfer is already over! Lots of changes and getting used to.... I guess that's what a mission is...lots of change...actually that's what life is! haha... I remember way back when, when I used to hate change...and now I'm learning to deal with it...and to actually kind of like it! :) It's so bittersweet but it's so good and helps us to grow! I've been studying a lot about change and about how it really is the Lord's way. How can we grow if nothing changes? He wants us to be happy and growing and excited about change. Life is a journey, we can't just sit there, we have to keep moving forward! But that doesn't mean it's gonna be easy... You can't spell challenge without change. A couple months ago I told you about the Fourth Missionary and I was going over that and there's some really good stuff I've been studying and thought I would share with all of you about change :) "The purpose and central blessing of life is change. It is to be changed to become more like Jesus Christ. It is to incorporate into your character, the qualities of His character. It is to move from one degree of intelligence and capacity to the next, and from there to the next, until you see God face to face and know Him as He knows you." "This process of change, this process of evolving, becoming, is the object of the gospel. Change is the design of faith in Christ, repentance, and baptism. Redemptive change happens by the power of the Holy Ghost. But it happens only if you do not fight against God. It happens only if you unconditionally surrender your will to the Lord." That is something that I have been working on...learning how to surrender my will and really just let go and let God. Let Him mold me and shape me into who He knows I can become. So this morning in my studies I looked up the word change in the dictionary... the first thing it said was to become. hmmmm... and to become is to grow.... so I just loved that and thinking about all these learning and growing opportunities! I have learned so much out here! So along with change and becoming it went along with conversion....so I've just been all over the place in my studies! but it's been so good! so good I want to tell you all about it! haha... But I read in the bible dictionary about conversion and it says that complete conversion comes after many trials and testing. I know that conversion is a process and that it's not just a once and done kind of thing. It's gonna be throughout our whole lives...continual learning and growing and progressing! Oh and then yesterday we had a really good testimony meeting...there was a common theme of bug spray and applying it... The bishop started and was talking about how they were out watching fireworks and he has a testimony of bug spray and knows that if he puts it on it will protect him from the mosquitoes... but he didn't put it on at first and got bit! so then he decided to apply it and they stayed away from him... he related it to the gospel and how we have to apply the things that we know! There was another member that got up and talked about the primary song "I Am a Child of God" and how it's the gospel in a nutshell :) she said the words used to be "teach me all that I must know" but I think it was president Kimball she said wanted it changed to "teach me all that I must DO" so that's what it is :) I thought that was so cool! Because it's true! We have to do it and live it! We can't just know it! It's not enough to just know... think of the bug spray! It doesn't do you much good unless you actually apply it! :) haha :) So thinking lots about that too and how to testify is to know and declare...but we need to be converted...so we need to do and become! :) okay one other quote that I found this morning... "Faith, hope and charity are ACTIVE principles, not passive ones. If we do not DO them, we don't HAVE them. It's that simple." -Janet Tanner

So anyways...lots to think about!! haha ;) but it's been a really good week full of changes! Monday was super fun! crazy last pday for sister fuller! We did emails then went to Exeter and had lunch with sister sowards and sister brown and hung out with them for a bit! then we had dinner at the Hafens!! then Tuesday was the crazy day... transfer meeting!!! Sister Keele drove us! We got there and talked with all the other missionaries! I saw sister welch and got to see pictures of Tom's baptism!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH!! so awesome!!!! Linda and Arnez are next!!! :D and then Sister May is training Sister Keown in Damariscotta who I had an institute class with!! such a small world! :) so we got a picture of all the Damariscotta sisters :) so fun! :) and then I got my new companion sister Beus! She's been out for almost a year and she's from highland! After all the "see ya laters" we got all her stuff packed in the car and headed back to Portsmouth! We did Mormon.org and then we had dinner and then we went to the relief society enrichment night!

Wednesday we went to the food pantry and then we went and called bingo! There were some other volunteers there learning how to do it so Helmar and I had to train them and show them how it was done... ;) haha! then we had coordination with brother hafen! and then we taught Steve!!! We taught him the plan of salvation and it went really well! I just kept thinking that I should ask him to say the closing prayer and so when we got to the end I talked about prayer and asked if he would say it and he said he would! It was so good! Sister Gray was all teary after and the spirit was just so strong! :) then we went home and had a late dinner!

Thursday we had district meeting! It's pretty much the same district except now we have sister beus! and sister kotter is the new sister training leader :) After that we went and saw sister bromfield and told her we wanted to start reading the book of Mormon with her and she was so excited! We read Alma 6 and 7 and had a good discussion and she's excited to get back on track and reading again :) then we went and saw Brenda! and on the way there it started raining....then pouring...then pounding.... haha we got to her apartment and she told us there was a tornado warning!! :O haha then the zone leaders send out a voicemail about it so then Brenda was googling it and trying to figure out what was going on! haha! But then a little later we got another voicemail and they said we were safe :) phew! ;) haha... but it was pretty crazy out there! and lots of wind after!! We went over the family proclamation with Brenda and she really enjoyed it! Then we had dinner with some members the Vaillincourts and went over the family proclamation with them too :) Then we went and saw Sister Bock, shared a quick scripture with her and then went home and saw a few fireworks!

Friday was the fourth of july!!! :D We had a ward pancake breakfast so that was super fun! Brother Bussey prepared a whole program with songs and narrations and video clips! It was really good! We got to be part of it and read different scriptures and stuff :) then we went home and did our studies and weekly planning.... while it rained and rained... :/ so no fireworks that night... but we went to the Udy's and had a bbq with them! and used glow sticks for a lesson about letting your light shine... classic ;) haha and then on the way home we had nothing else to do and I was wondering what we were gonna do for the last hour of the day... and then sister bromfield calls and said she had a question! she was reading in the bible and it said that God was a spirit and she was so confused cuz she thought he had a body! So I asked if we could come over and she said of course! :) So we went and shared scriptures with her and talked about the restoration and about the first vision and how Joseph Smith saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ! She thought it was so great and was so happy that we had an answer so quick :)

Saturday we did some street contacting!! We went around Portsmouth just talking to everyone and just trying to hand out invitations to a stake event that we're having in a few weeks called "A Step Back in Time" ....we handed out a few of them! and talked to quite a few people! It was lots of fun :) there was one guy named steve that we talked to for a while and turns out his brother is a member! so that was cool! then we came home had lunch, then had a lesson with Robert. We went and saw Larry after and he just cracks me up! so last week he said we're always asking if there's anything we can do for him and he finally thought of something... he wants us to make him a blueberry pie... haha so he brought that up again and said if that doesn't work out he has a plan c... we can trim his bushes and trees in his yard... haha! :) We went over the resto pamphlet with him and it was really good! he wants to know what his purpose in life is so we said we could talk about the plan of salvation next time :) then we tried some other less actives and then went to pizza hut with mandy and mary!! :D

Sunday we had a great testimony meeting I already told you.. and Brenda, Steve and Tori were all at church!! :D it was awesome :) Tori is not an investigator...yet...but she said she really really wants to meet with us! she just has to figure out her work schedule :) After church we tried a bunch of people on the ward list...found out some had moved..tried to see less actives/part member families...some were happy to see us...some were happy to see us leave... haha but we got to know some of them and will hopefully get through more of the ward list soon :) then we had dinner at the smiths and then did our studies! :) 

oh! okay one last quote for today... I just love it... "May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love." 

<3 LoVe YoU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)