The Gift of Being Broken‏

So, I read this talk earlier and I really really enjoyed it, so I thought I'd share: The Gift of Being Broken. It truly is a gift to be broken, because you learn to know your Savior. "And with His stripes, I am healed." (Isaiah 53:5). He truly does heal you. I KNOW that. It's fact to me, no doubt about it. And I love Him more and more each day I get to experience His healing, help, and love. I hope you enjoy this talk as well! 

This week was just as phenomenal as most! We started the week with a zone training focused on teaching by the Spirit and Obedience. We can always use more and more reminders about obedience. I truly love that topic :) 

We also got to go shopping with our Recent Convert Teresa. She had to buy some clothes for her friend's funeral, so she reached out to us and we were able to come with :) She's so strong. She even bore her testimony on how she came back to God since we've met with her during Gospel Principles class on Sunday. She went from being super shy and closed off to open and willing to share her experience. The gospel truly changes people. 

We got to pig out at Golden Corral two days in a row this week... I better stick to my workout routine! Ha-ha. Food is always great :) So, funny story: we were visiting a former investigator who just had a baby two weeks ago, and she was remembering her expensive stroller she left outside; so, she decided to hand me the baby (she more like threw the baby in my arms.... in the most gentle way possible) and ran outside to get it. So, here I am, holding a baby... just totally breaking the missionary rules. And there was nothing I could really do about it. I'm not going to just drop the baby, of course. So, I sat there, mortified, and waited until she got back. Sister Hokafonu got a really good (really ugly) picture of me holding her ha-ha. The things that mortify missionaries...

We also got talking with a lady at Golden Corral who was in her 50s'. She told us she had missionaries over at her house when she was a teenager and LOVED having them. She REMEMBERED THE MISSIONARIES! Her family never accepted the gospel, but she was telling us of how good she felt whenever they were over. We got her info and passed her on to the sisters in her area to see. Cool little random miracle. 

On Thursday it started pouring rain and we got caught in it. But we were able to get into Sandra's house to go over the baptismal interview questions. She also invited our investigator Tearra, her caregiver, to be baptized as we were going over the questions ha-ha. She doesn't sugarcoat things. She was telling Tearra all the things she'd have to do to get baptized, and, get this, she said yes! And she's moving into an apartment right next to ours! SO she'll be within walking distance :) YAY! God's tender mercies are everywhere! 

We also picked up a new family of 4! The Jones family! They'd met with missionaries before, so we stopped by and starting talking with them. I met them while I was with Sister Bindrup, but it's been pretty off and on with them. They couldn't come to church this week due to a birthday party, but we've been in constant communication with them and they are all in! They still expressed their desire to be baptized, and we answered some of their concerns about coming to church. They seem to be all set, but I'm sure they need lots and lots of prayers! 

I think the biggest and best part of the week happened on Saturday. We got to go to a baptism in the Jones Falls ward (it neighbors our ward) and visit with President Christiansen a bit! Sandra came with us to have her baptismal interview with President and they were talking for AN HOUR! A missionary really starts to get worried by this time, but, then again, it's President. And we all know he likes to talk :) But, SANDRA PASSED!!!! She's getting baptized this Saturday on August 6th! YAAYAYAYAYAY!! She's truly repentant. I love her so much :) Oh missionary work is the best! I'm so lucky to be serving here and to be able to witness all these miracles. There isn't a single place I'd rather be right now. I learn so much every day and I just wish I could share them all with you. I often get people who ask me why I serve a mission. There are a million different reasons why I chose to serve, but Elder Bednar explains one of them just perfectly in his talk "Come and See," a talk I would invite all of you to read, member or nonmember. He says," When we invite you to attend church with us or to learn with the full-time missionaries, we are not trying to sell you a product... we do not receive prizes or bonus points in a Heavenly contest. We are not seeking simple to increase the numerical size of the church... we are not attempting to coerce you to believe as we do. We are inviting you to hear the restored truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ so you can study, ponder, pray and come to know for yourself if the things we are sharing with you are true." The magical thing about my job is that God calls the weak and simple to work with Him. That's why He called me. I'm definitely one of those weak and simple. As missionaries we tell people NOT to take our word for it. Instead, we ask them to pray. Ask God with a sincere heart and contrite spirit. If we can help people actually pray, our job is done. That's how I KNOW this has to be God's church. It has to be true. There is no harm in trying it out. Trying to pray. Trying church. There is no harm, but there are great blessings. I know there is a God who LOVES you. He is aware of YOU. It is no mere accident that there is life on this Earth. Divinity is the ultimate answer. 

If you have questions or concerns, please ask me or another member of the church around you. There are NO strings attached. Our friendship will not be severed if you do not accept the gospel or chose to live it, but our friendship will be strengthened as we grow together. I love you and I'm grateful to be able to call you friends. Family. Know that you are often thought about. Each and every one of you. Even if you don't think I think about you, I do! And so does your Father in Heaven. I love you and I'm grateful for you.

Discover why you're here today.

Scripture of the Week: 2 Nephi 5:27

Quote of the Week: "Come what may and love it!"

Love, 

Sister Humphrey

"To the Dreamers..."‏

Another For King and Country songs as my subject line. They just get me. I'll be listening to that one at the Olympics one day ;) Ha-ha.

So, for real, though, this week has been such a dream! I, again, don't have a lot of time to email, but we saw SO MANY MIRACLES! 

During the beginning of the week we got to see a lot of people for Sis. Bindrup to say goodbye. She's now home. Shout out to MACKENZIE! I then met my new companion, Sister Hokafonu. She's Tongan, but she was born and raised in California. She's a missionary from the PA mission. It's been quite an adjustment to her, but she's doing SO GREAT! She's a champ! Our mission is a very obedient mission because of the culture here, and it's just not like that in all missions, so it's been an adjustment, but rather than thinking it's unfair or anything, she's trying to change and become better and she's LOVING Baltimore, because, let's be real, everyone would love Baltimore. 

So, due to time, I'm only going to highlight the week:

Teresa had her Baptismal interview this week and SHE PASSED! We blew balloons for her :) We got to make Coxinha with Sandra and Sis. Goncalves. It's a Brazilian food and it's DELICIOUS! I drank Mexican coke for the first time... I don't even like soda. It was yummy, but I couldn't even finish it. Ha-ha. I tried, though! I got to see Sis. Carpenter and Sis. Van Vliet at transfers :) I love them! We bought white scrubs for Teresa to get baptized in on Wednesday and she bought me a Maryland bracelet :) She's the greatest. I'll send a picture later, hopefully. I dressed like a pioneer (not that hard as a missionary...) for an activity for the youth at Bishop's. We ate s'mores ;) And Lily bought us more ice cream :)

Sis. Hokafonu was able to have her first taste of Baltimore. She saw some tumble “weave" on the streets and we had a lesson with Michelle. We met with Sandra and she's been 3 days free of cigarettes!!!! She's having a really hard time, so please pray for her. Our car decided to have some troubles and stop working correctly, but then it started working normally the next day. Weird. The signals wouldn't work and neither would any of the buttons on the steering wheel. I had to use my arm for turn signals... 

On Friday we had MLC! It was pretty big because the District Leaders came. To be honest, it was basically just a review of how the MBM works for the new missionaries in our mission.... but in an instruction format ha-ha. So nothing new really. We did learn about some new ways to teach the Restoration, Plan of Salvation, and Gospel of Jesus Christ as a story making it more of an analogy. I got to practice by teaching Tearra (Sandra's friend and our investigator) the Plan of Salvation using a gymnastics/cheer leading analogy :) She loved it :) 

President is teasing me more and more lately. I love it Ha-ha. 

On Saturday morning TERESA GOT BAPTIZED!!! Oh yes she did :) Her friend who referred her to us, Ryan Tall, came from Columbia to baptize her and she had an amazing experience :) Sandra came as well and is excited for her own baptism coming up! Oh, and I found out that on Saturday, Missy and Jason, the Davis' daughter and son-in-law that I started teaching in Odenton just got baptized!!!! I'll forward you pictures.

We went to a ward picnic where flies started BITING me... Seriously, they drew blood. It hurt. But it was a good picnic in 105 degree weather + humidity. I about died. 

Then on Sunday, we had a MIRACLE! We were able to get a ride from Teresa, our brand spanking new member, to West Baltimore to pick up Tearra, down to Columbia to meet with the Savage Mill Sisters. It was a long drive, but I was able to exchange with Sister Bartchi, who went into Martinsburg after I left. We both taught this young girl named Arianna. She got BAPTIZED FINALLY on Sunday :) :) :) And it was a miracle, but we were able to go. I sent pictures of that already :) YAY! Then we drove back and Teresa gave us all a ride home despite some bad news she heard from a friend of hers. She's having a rough day, so please pray for some comfort for her :/. But after this weekend, FOUR SOULS have entered in through the gate on to eternal life. It's been such a blessing to be able to see the fruits of my labors. As my mission gets nearer and nearer to the end, I'm able to see more and more of some of those seeds start to develop. It's amazing. God has used me as an instrument and he uses each and every one of us daily, often without our knowledge of it, and it's such a privilege and a blessing to see it. I love this life. I love my mission. And I know that these miracles don't end when a mission does. They continue on in your own life long after your service. And I promise they're in your life as well.

I pray for you all often and you're an inspiration for me. I love you all so much! Have a great week!

Quote of the Week: "Seek to be personally converted, obey the rules of the mission, strive to have the Spirit of the Lord in your life, and work hard. These are the things every missionary can do. If you do those things, I promise you in the name of the Lord and with the authority of my office, you are a success in His eyes." -Elder Holland

Scripture of the Week: D&C 6:13

P.s. I just found out that we don't get to go to Mormon night at the Orioles game this year :( Sad day, BUT we will be having a member of the 12 come to our mission on Sept.12th! I CAN'T wait! 

Love, 

Sister Humphrey

(the following pictures were sent in multiple emails with the following comments, so good luck trying to figure out what is what...)

Here are my pictures from two weeks ago :) 

After numerous attempts and trying different computers at different libraries, I finally found a computer that worked!! YAY! So, here are my pictures from the last week :) Enjoy! 

I got to see Sister Carpenter at Transfers this week! AND at a baptism in Martinsburg! YAY! 

Hope is What We Crave‏

The song "Crave" by For King and Country is seriously the theme of my mission. I love that song. I came out here to help people find hope the way I found it, through the gospel of Jesus Christ and it's happening! The Lord is granting me my desires! Tereasa will be getting baptized this Saturday and she's all good to go! And Sandra is still pushing hard for August 6th! The Lord works miracles! Sandra is already sharing the gospel with her friends and because of it we started to teach her nurse who helps her out at home named Tearra. Tearra isn't super religious (that's at least what she says, but we would say differently) but she sat in on a Law of Tithing lesson and loved it, so she talked with us a bit after and we gave her a Book of Mormon! Later this week we got to teach her the Restoration and she LOVED it! We were going to have to send her off to the Inner Harbor elders, because she didn't live in our boundaries, and I was super sad about that, but THE LORD ANSWERS PRAYERS! I prayed and even talked with Sister Christiansen (she came with us the first time we met Tearra and gave her a Book of Mormon) about how I hoped she would move into our area so we could continue to teach her; get this, she told us our last lesson that she and her boyfriend are looking for apartments in White Marsh/East Baltimore area (MY AREA!) so she can get out of West Baltimore. Seriously, God answers prayers. YAY! So, we're teaching her now. And we also started teaching Michelle, a sweet lady who is very strong in her church. We knocked on her door and she answered and invited us in. We start talking with her and teaching her the Restoration and she goes on to tell us that she believes this was an answer to prayers. She's had some hectic stuff happening and her AC shut off (and it's 100 degrees here right now... and humid), so she's been struggling and praying for a sign or some help. 15 minutes before we knocked on her door, she was looking through her contacts and saw our number and paused for a bit. Then we knocked on her door and she was able to recognize her answer from God. It's been so amazing! 

Tuesday we got to have interviews with President Christiansen. Oh how I love him! He's like a second dad to me, because no one could replace my Dad, but he's definitely been a big help out here. I love him! He asked me if it was okay if he kept me in Chesapeake for another transfer (like I get to make the decision?) and, of course, I said yes! So, I'm staying for another transfer and my companion is a missionary from the PA mission. 

Oh NO! I'm out of time. Just know it's great here and we're seeing lots and lots of miracles. We threw some more glitter in the air for Sister Bindrup's last time in Baltimore. You know how I love glitter... And we went to an Eastern Assembly of God church... which just confirmed to me more and more that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints really is true. And I'm so lucky that I get to be a part of it and know of it from my early early years. Oh, and we have a kitty in Baltimore that follows us :) We named him Randy :) 

Love you all lots and keep looking for miracles!

Scripture of the Week: D&C 64:33

Quote of the Week: "When was the last time you thanked the Lord for a trial or tribulation? Adversity compels us to go to our knees; does gratitude for adversity do that as well?" -Bonnie D. Parkin

Sorry, no pictures this week... the computer isn't working... :(

Love, 

Sister Humphrey

Get a Slurpee Today- It's On Me!‏

Happy 7-11 day today! I hope you get a Slurpee! Sister Bindrup and I are stopping at every 7-11 we pass by. That's all I've eaten today... it's really bad ha-ha. Oh, and my 13 month mark snuck up on me. It's not fair. 

It's been another fun week in B'more! We went on two different exchanges with some amazing sisters! I went to Eldersburg on Tuesday with Sister Chugg! She's been out for 6 months now and she's a blast :) She's working really hard on just being the best missionary she can be and I love it! I got to meet her super gansta Recent Convert and talk a bit with their investigator getting baptized this month! It was really fun :)  While I was gone, Sister Bindrup got to meet with Tereasa, one of our progressing investigators, and Tereasa told them she wanted to get baptized on July 23rd and that she'd already called and talked to her dad about it and she's super excited! She came to church again this week and she's planning on never leaving :) She's great! We made coasters with her as well. Everyone already loves her. 

Then, on Wednesday, we went on another exchange with the Ellicott City sisters and Sister Sanborn came to Baltimore with me! That was fun ha-ha. I was teaching her all about B'more and how you can and cannot do here and when our curfew in the city is and what weave, weed, and fried chicken smells like. That's what B’more smells like. Seriously. It was a blast. And we got to talk to some kids who really wanted to learn more about Jesus! They were begging their parents to let us come back, so hopefully we'll be able to soon :) We also got to see Sandra, our other progressing investigator, who is trying to quit smoking still. She's been going through nicotine withdrawals pretty bad, so she got a blessing from the bishop and we saw her later that day to prepare her for our Temple Visitors Center trip the next day!

On Thursday, I drove back to Ellicott City ALL ALONE (it's over an hour drive...) while Sis. Sanborn drove another car that needed to make it back to the mission office. That was the weirdest experience on my mission ever. You know you're a missionary when you get separation anxiety when driving alone. I was terrified ha-ha. But we exchanged back and Sis. B and I booked it back to B'more to take Sandra to the temple! SHE LOVED IT! While at the temple, she received another blessing and decided on a baptismal date!! She picked August 6th and, last we heard from her, she hasn't smoked since Thursday :) Sandra is so golden. She's already planning on coming out teaching with us :) She's great! Oh, and I also got to see Brother Troutman from the Odenton ward at the temple, so that was a little tender mercy from the Lord :)

Lily took us out for more ice cream this week and there's been many many "little things" that we've enjoyed. Like the humidity while we drive. And the Jesus songs we listen to. And mid-weekly planning naps. I love the little things. My mission has been full of little things and I just wish I could tell you everything, but most of those I'm sending this email to probably don't read it anyway ha-ha. Let's be honest, we just look at the pictures. And that's okay :) It's been fun. It's been real. And I think that's all I have to report this week. Love you all!! 

Oh, and a little side note... the Gymnastics Olympic trials were on yesterday and a nonmember family was watching it while we were over... hardest temptation EVER!! Satan knows me too well, but I'M A MISSIONARY ha-ha. So, some little girls took my camera and took pictures of it ha-ha. It's the best. 

Scripture of the Week: Helaman 3:35

Quote of the Week: "'Blesson' it's when you're able to view painful lessons as blessings. In other words, a blesson is what happens when you see the blessing in the lesson that your challenge taught you." 

Shout out to Lamont for having a birthday on July 1st and Aunt Deb and Megan for having a birthday on the 7th and the 9th! Happy Birthday!

Love, 

Sister HumphreyHappy 7-11 day today! I hope you get a Slurpee! Sister Bindrup and I are stopping at every 7-11 we pass by. That's all I've eaten today... it's really bad ha-ha. Oh, and my 13 month mark snuck up on me. It's not fair. 

It's been another fun week in B'more! We went on two different exchanges with some amazing sisters! I went to Eldersburg on Tuesday with Sister Chugg! She's been out for 6 months now and she's a blast :) She's working really hard on just being the best missionary she can be and I love it! I got to meet her super gansta Recent Convert and talk a bit with their investigator getting baptized this month! It was really fun :)  While I was gone, Sister Bindrup got to meet with Tereasa, one of our progressing investigators, and Tereasa told them she wanted to get baptized on July 23rd and that she'd already called and talked to her dad about it and she's super excited! She came to church again this week and she's planning on never leaving :) She's great! We made coasters with her as well. Everyone already loves her. 

Then, on Wednesday, we went on another exchange with the Ellicott City sisters and Sister Sanborn came to Baltimore with me! That was fun ha-ha. I was teaching her all about B'more and how you can and cannot do here and when our curfew in the city is and what weave, weed, and fried chicken smells like. That's what B’more smells like. Seriously. It was a blast. And we got to talk to some kids who really wanted to learn more about Jesus! They were begging their parents to let us come back, so hopefully we'll be able to soon :) We also got to see Sandra, our other progressing investigator, who is trying to quit smoking still. She's been going through nicotine withdrawals pretty bad, so she got a blessing from the bishop and we saw her later that day to prepare her for our Temple Visitors Center trip the next day!

On Thursday, I drove back to Ellicott City ALL ALONE (it's over an hour drive...) while Sis. Sanborn drove another car that needed to make it back to the mission office. That was the weirdest experience on my mission ever. You know you're a missionary when you get separation anxiety when driving alone. I was terrified ha-ha. But we exchanged back and Sis. B and I booked it back to B'more to take Sandra to the temple! SHE LOVED IT! While at the temple, she received another blessing and decided on a baptismal date!! She picked August 6th and, last we heard from her, she hasn't smoked since Thursday :) Sandra is so golden. She's already planning on coming out teaching with us :) She's great! Oh, and I also got to see Brother Troutman from the Odenton ward at the temple, so that was a little tender mercy from the Lord :)

Lily took us out for more ice cream this week and there's been many many "little things" that we've enjoyed. Like the humidity while we drive. And the Jesus songs we listen to. And mid-weekly planning naps. I love the little things. My mission has been full of little things and I just wish I could tell you everything, but most of those I'm sending this email to probably don't read it anyway ha-ha. Let's be honest, we just look at the pictures. And that's okay :) It's been fun. It's been real. And I think that's all I have to report this week. Love you all!! 

Oh, and a little side note... the Gymnastics Olympic trials were on yesterday and a nonmember family was watching it while we were over... hardest temptation EVER!! Satan knows me too well, but I'M A MISSIONARY ha-ha. So, some little girls took my camera and took pictures of it ha-ha. It's the best. 

Scripture of the Week: Helaman 3:35

Quote of the Week: "'Blesson' it's when you're able to view painful lessons as blessings. In other words, a blesson is what happens when you see the blessing in the lesson that your challenge taught you." 

Shout out to Lamont for having a birthday on July 1st and Aunt Deb and Megan for having a birthday on the 7th and the 9th! Happy Birthday!

Love, 

Sister Humphrey