Mission Call

Mission Call

Monday, March 7, 2016

Here's To Round Two

Exchange calls came this week, and guess who gets to stay in Odenton with Sister Larsen!!! This Sister! Yup. I'm pretty excited about it. We both get to celebrate big milestones together this transfer. I'll be hitting my 9 month mark this week and she'll be hitting her year mark on the 25th. We'll get to celebrate Easter together, watch General Conference together, and celebrate my birthday together. It's like a match made in heaven ;) Ha-ha. For real, though. This is going to be the best transfer. And our entire district stayed the same and only 3 people in our whole zone are leaving. It's crazy! So that's been neat! 

This week we had an amazing opportunity to pick up a GOLDEN investigator! Her name is Sarah and she just asked us questions for the entire hour we were over there! She wanted to know everything about prophets, and why we had them and all about why our church is unique and it was the best! She was really testing us with her questions, but apparently we passed the test (obviously, because it's true) because we get to teach her again on Tuesday and she wants us to teach her fiancĂ©, too. So that was amazing! 

We got to go on exchanges this last week with the Fort Meade sisters, meaning my last companion Sister Brown and Sister Gudmunson, one of the Sisters that came out with me in the MTC! I went to Fort Meade with Sister Gudmunson while Sister Brown went to O-town with Sister Larsen. It was such a good exchange! Sis. Gudmunson is just so awesome :) She's making a timeline of the Book of Mormon, too. She's so smart! We saw exchange miracles as we talked to these two ladies on the street. They'd had a bad day, but as we were talking with them, they just loved what we had to hear! We gave them a Book of Mormon, testified like bosses, then got their number and address so those Sisters can teach them! Boom! The Lord's work is Hastening :) It's so cool to be a part of it, too :) I learn so much from these sisters. I think I say that every time after exchanges, but it's always so true. They teach me more and more each time. 

One thing I've learned as a missionary, is that people recognize you as a missionary, even without seeing the tag. Three separate people at the grocery store this week have stopped to talk to us more about the church, just by seeing and knowing who we were. It was sweet :) 2 of them said they'd come to church, too! 

We also had an amazing MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) this Friday! Elder Perkins came to talk with us and help us out with our mission. And I just found out that I'm apparently (distantly) related to him. But not all that distantly. So that's cool.

One huge take away from that meeting: The Lord's work is TRULY hastening! More and more people are requesting missionary visits than ever before. Our new investigators are increasing each week. More people are getting baptized and the quality of our teaching is improving. Nothing but good things for the Maryland Baltimore Mission (The BEST mission in the world!). Seriously, though. This work is Hastening. And I'm so grateful to be a part of it right now. A fun thing, too, from that meeting; Elder Perkins was interrupted by Elder Holland calling him (I'm totally not complaining) and Elder Holland got to tell us he loves us and is praying for us all! How neat! I feel super special right now :) So that was just awesome.
And that was our week. Our other investigators are still awesome. It's a long process with them, but they all know it's true. It's just a matter of whether or not they'll chose to live it. We're also working with some great less active members who are working on coming back! One of them came to church yesterday and got up and bore her testimony. Her son got baptized on Saturday and later that evening had asked his mom (this woman bearing her testimony) if she was a member of the church. She answered affirmatively, then, without missing a beat, he asked, "Then why don't you go?" BOOM! She said it was like a slap in the face, a huge reality check. Kids can be bold like that and the parents still love them :) So she set her mind to go to church. No matter how much she hurt sometimes (She has a lot of health problems) because she knew she could either hurt at church or hurt at home, nothing would change except for the strength of her spirit. SO she's coming now. All because of her young son's example. There's a reason each and every one of us are in the families we are in. It's to strengthen each other and to help each other. We're all in it together, and it was so cool to see that change of heart.  I LOVE THE GOSPEL! Okay, that's all for now. I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic week! Send me your miracles! 

Quote of the Week: "We learn and grow and become stronger as we face and survive the trials through which we must pass." - Thomas S. Monson

Scripture of the Week: Mormon 5:23 (Thanks to Mom for sharing that scripture with me).

 Also, shout out to one of my best friends, ALEXIS WHEELER for getting married (I guess it's not Wheeler anymore...)! Congrats!!! I love you!

Love, 

Sister Humphrey




Pictures at the Naval Academy

2/29/16
That picture of the boat: the boat is hand made out of bones! 

Love, 
Sister Humphrey










A Little Something About Maryland


So, I was told me group email didn't send last week, so here it is again. If you already got it, I'm sorry for the resend, but here it is :) Group pictures to follow this email. 

2/29/16 
I LOVE IT HERE! So there's that. This week hasn't been too busy. We had to stay inside for the majority of the week because of Sister Larsen's procedure, but that's okay! You'll all be happy to know that she's okay :) All is well and the work continues! 
Last Monday, Sister Larsen and I got to go roller-blading with two of our investigators, Olivia and Destiny! It was a blast! On Tuesday we picked up a new investigator named Chantell! She's a sweet mom of two boys and SO ready for the gospel! I love how ready these people are! 
On Wednesday Sister Larsen had her procedure. All went well and we got to go out for lunch with Sister Christiansen :) She's the best. I love her so much! As we were driving, a huge branch decided to get stuck under our car, so we had to lay on the cold wet gravel to try to move it free... yeah, that didn't happen, so Sister Christiansen told us to just keep driving and hopefully it would wear down enough to break free. And it did! Ha-ha, just my luck, right? 
We also got to go on exchanges with the Kent Island Sisters! I went to Kent Island with Sister Blosch, and it's seriously so beautiful there! We biked all day (It's the first time I've biked in a skirt) and it was freezing, but totally worth it! So much fun :) Sister Blosch is amazing, also, and I'm learning lots from her! She is pretty new to missionary work, but she's already an amazing missionary. 
Yesterday was a miracle day! I love the Sabbath :) Church was amazing, and we had dinner with a great family! So missionary-minded. We also met with two less active families that no one in our ward really knows about. They're both awesome! Totally ready to come back to the church! We had a great lesson with them both, and one family even fed us Oreos and milk. What's better than that?! So, yeah. It was a great week :)
And we just got done touring the US Naval Academy! I just might join the Navy now ha-ha. Pictures will be attached! Maryland is BEAUTIFUL! And it's getting warmer!
I wanted to quickly share an excerpt from an email I received from an amazing member in the Martinsburg ward. She shared with me a story her missionary son shared with her this week and I thought it was completely applicable to my week and my mission. So here goes: 

"Elder, told us this in his email this week.  They went to visit someone who wasn't home so he talked to their teenage neighbor Christopher, 'As we talked, I learned that his father passed away last year, and he hasn't been as motivated since. I also learned that he has a friend who is VERY into the Bible, and a scripture this friend shared at a lecture has stuck in his mind ever since. He asked me for a motivational Bible scripture, but all I could think of to share was the following:

Matthew 11:28-30
28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I hope we meet him again, because the gospel is exactly what he needs. Isn't it funny how often that occurs? The gospel is exactly what people need, and they just don't realize it. I think that's the case because Jesus Christ's Atonement is so powerful that it can fix literally anything. There is no life so broken that the Savior cannot mend it. There is no wound so deep that the Savior cannot reach it. There is no obstacle that He cannot remove; and if He chooses not to remove one, He will lift us over it instead. What great promises those are!'"

Like he said, the gospel is exactly what people need. It applies to them because it's for them! Every single person you pass by on the street, at work, or at school. They need the gospel. Think about that the next time you get the prompting to share something with them. 
Missionary work is truly the best. I can't believe I've been a missionary as long as I have. Time is flying by; something I never thought I'd be able to say. I love my mission. I love being a missionary. I love this gospel and I LOVE my Savior and Father in Heaven. They've done everything for me. I can't put in to words my feelings for them. The song "I can only imagine" Keeps playing in my head as I think of my Savior and Father. One day I'll see Them again, and I can only imagine what that glorious reunion will be like. 
I hope you know that God loves you. No matter what you're going through, He's there. That is my simplest testimony. 
Keep on Keepin' on!
Quote of the Week: "I make you a promise that God will not forsake you if you will walk in His paths with the guidance of His commandments." - Gordon B. Hinckley
Scripture of the Week: D&C 18:28

Shout out to my Daddy for turning 51 on the 23rd! You're the best! I love you! 

Love, 

Sister Humphrey