Happy Easter Everyone!

Easter bubbles against and icy window

Happy Easter Everyone!!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful, happy, and spirit-filled day! What a gift we have to set aside a time in remembrance of our Savior who broke the bands of death for us! My heart is truly full!!

This week has been a great one! Our investigators are progressing, we're finding new people to teach, we're putting more people on baptismal date, and it just keeps getting better! We have truly truly been blessed in this area.

 

Caitlin is all set to get baptized this weekend in-between General Conference sessions and she is SO excited! She has taken the things that we've given her to do (and not to do) and ran with it.  She also has high school finals this week, and her determination to study for that and for the gospel is inspiring! She is just lovely! 

 

...more Bubbles!

Scotty Hiltwine is awesome as always. He studies like crazy and is just as ready to be baptized.  His will be April 9 (the day after his wife's birthday) and his son Doug (whom was just baptized a few weeks ago) will be performing the baptism!! I feel so incredibly blessed to witness and be apart of this family's conversion process and bringing them together in the Gospel! But like I've said before, its nothing I do- it's all in the Lord's hands and they were just ready.

As far as people go, that's the big news.

 

 

Sister's P-Day!

This week was full of interesting events though.  On monday we had a Sisters Pday and went to the church to watch church movies in our sweatpants.  I cant remember the last time i did this and it was a nice break- also the fact that I had a Goodtimes burger and fries and donuts to eat throughout the movie probably contributed

 

Tuesday was so beautiful outside! We did some service at a wildlife refuge and it was actually quite hot! I felt so free, I was doing cartwheels and jumps and other fun things!

Theeeeeen there's Wednesday.  As soon as we woke up we knew we were in trouble. All the roads and cars and trees were covered in snow. Our power shut off and as the hours went on, it got worse and worse. We knew we weren't going to be able to drive.  Usually when this happens we try to find rides to take us to appointments, but everyone we called didn't want to leave the house or was stuck in the driveway. Finally we got a call from our district leader that told us if we don't have any set appointments or proper snow gear to just stay inside for the day- HA! Blizzards cant stop us!

Blizzard!

So, we walked a few blocks to a less-active couple's house that we are watching and decided to clean for them! Cleaning is my new favorite hobby I think I have a problem... anyways, once we ate all of their food and cleaned we walked back home.  A few hours later we decided to go see a family, so we walked 12 blocks in the snow.  It was so fun! The Lord's work never stops people, not even in snow hurricanes!

 

Fast forward a few days to Friday- Weekly planning day. 

20 Inch snow day! thats what we walked in! 

As we plan for the week to come we pray to seek inspiration and guidance on where we should go and who we should see- "planning is a spiritual experience".  Well this week we definitely felt the spirit as our bathroom was being demolished...due to our pipes not draining and two new-found leaks in our apartment, we had to call the maintenance guy to help! He snaked our drains and let me tell you.. it was just nasty. The icing on the cake was that not only did he snake our drains, but he had to get some kind of drill to get it all out! My favorite part was the wads of toilet paper he pulled out of our bathtub drain that had been sitting there for at least 5 months.. I blame the previous Elders. 

 

Many other 'interesting' moments happened but this email is already too long.. lol sorry! 

 

As far as miracles, they are always around.  Saturday is our busiest day and we had 8 lessons planned!  It was supposed to snow that day and we were so afraid we werent going to be able to drive again! Many prayers were said and we woke up the next morning to very minimal snow- not even enough to stick to the roads! We were able to get to our appointments just fine and even had someone agree to be baptized this April 23!

 

Another miracle was the fact that Chipotle sent us a coupon for a free burrito and when one of our dinners canceled and it came in good use.

Blizzard bundle!

I think the biggest miracle here is that I, miss Florida girl, drove in the snow and ice and DIDN'T DIE.  My companion nick-named me ice queen so thats what I shall be referred to from now on, thanks.

All in all this week was fun, full of miracles, and filled with the Easter Spirit.  I'm so grateful to have a knowledge of my Savior Jesus Christ and all that He went through for me, you, and everyone on this earth! The Atonement is the most precious gift we have and can be accessed and used by ANYONE! Everyone can reap the blessings of the Atonement! Don't let His sacrifice go to waste. Use it daily, hourly, or by the minute if you have to! And be comforted in knowing that no one is bound by death- because of Him, we shall ALL live again with our families and loved ones! 

I love you all very much and hope you continue to have good times!!! Can't wait to hear  more next week!

Love always,

Sister Loyd 

What Lack I Yet?

This week has been quite interesting! On Wednesday we had a Zone Conference (a big meeting for all the missionaries) and it was so great! I'm starting to get to know a lot more missionaries so seeing everyone and hanging out/learning stuff was really great - reminded me of being in the MTC again.  The theme for this conference was "What Lack I Yet?" It made us all step back and think of things we could improve upon, things we struggled with, things we may not have even thought were wrong, and so on.  It was such a humbling experience to know that NO ONE is perfect and we are all striving to better ourselves and be more obedient one way or another.  Since then I've been more focused on proactively bettering myself and developing Christ-like attributes. There is always something to be done, something to improve upon, and through the Atonement we can actively keep trying and receive help along the way!

As far as the people here go, they are still awesome! One of the girl's we are teaching is just so excited for baptism she can hardly stand it.  We asked her if it would be possible to move her date to the next week in order to combine some other baptisms together and she refused and stated "I want to be baptized as soon as possible, I don't want to wait another week".  It's statements like these that reiterate the importance of baptism and the gospel in people's lives.  It means everything to the one's who have been searching for the truth and they give up their worldly desires and make many sacrifices in order to keep the truth foremost in their lives. 

Our other investigator, brother Hiltwine, is doing amazingly as well. He studies like crazy and is always reading different manuals, scriptures, praying, and talking about what we teach him! Last Monday after we taught our lesson I had a thought...a strange thought...but I figured I'd bring it up and see what his thoughts were.  I asked Brother Hiltwine and his wife if, after he was baptized, they would ever considered going on a mission.  I knew just from his testimony now and his uncanny ability to connect and serve other people - not to mention his wife's incredible missionary spirit - that they would be the perfect Senior Missionary Duo!  They did not give a yes or no to my question, but I knew that I had been prompted to say it, so maybe one day something will happen!

Easter is upon us and I'm so excited! What a great season we have to turn and think of Christ, the sacrifice He made for us, and how we can all be resurrected one day as well! We owe Him everything, for without Him we can do nothing.  Take the time to watch this amazinggggg video the church put out and share it with everyone you know!!! Happy Early Easter everyone!! #Hallelujah 

https://www.mormon.org/easter?cid=HP_SU_3-13-2016_dMIS_fSPC_xLIDyL1-A_

I love you all very much and hope all is going well! You're always in my prayers :) 

Love always,

Sister Loyd 

I really want to be baptized, can I do that?

Hello there!

 

Not sure what week it is... lol, but it was a good one! Lots of miracles happened this week!

For instance, a family that we've been trying to get a hold of since I got here finally set up an appointment with us through a member! Upon arrival we found out that two of her little boys really want to be baptized in the next three weeks! So we are going to see them tonight for family home evening and start teaching them the lessons!
 

Also, we went to visit a less active woman but found her daughter instead.  Before we could even get into the lesson she said "I really want to be baptized, can I do that?".......... Uhhhhh sure. Haha when I asked when she'd like to be baptized she answered "as soon as possible!!!" Soooo we are teaching her on overtime to get her baptized on April 2!! The cutest part of it all was we didn't really say anything to her- she asked if she needed to stop smoking to be baptized and if she needed to take the piercings out of her face (all 12) and when we said yes she immediately started making plans to stop and took the piercings out.. she even asked if she needed to stop cussing! Lol she is so stinkin great! We got her to church this Sunday and she's so excited to  "come back for the rest of her life"! Keep in mind we didn't even get to the first lesson with her... She is just so prepared and wonderful!!!
 

A very big thing also happened this week... Dougy Doug, the one and only, received the Aaronic Priesthood this Sunday March 13!! He is now able to baptize others and perform other sacred saving ordinances! He's come such a long way and I feel like a proud Mama... even though I'm a good 10 years younger and this was all the Lord not me... but regardless, the joy is real!! We are planning on going to the temple with him for the first time in the next week or two! Everything is awesome (insert Lego movie song tune here). 

While my emails involve a lot of emphasis on the people who are planning on being baptized, I want everyone to know that this is not my soul purpose in being on a mission.  My purpose is to invite other to come closer to Christ, to know of His gospel and to feel the joy that comes from living it.  In this day and age its so easy to get confused and misled with the things of the world, but i know and have seen that if we center our lives on Jesus Christ and live by his teachings and listen to the Prophet we will NEVER be misled.  Things will become much more clear and you will have an indescribable joy in life that can only come from Him.  

"Peace I leave with you, peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you."

For those of you who have not seen the Easter Video yet, go check it out!! It truly brings the spirit of Easter and it's true meaning to light.  Think of Christ continually this season, challenge yourselves to do as He would, and serve others with "all your heart, might, mind and strength"! 

Hope all is well for everyone and know that you're always on my mind :) 

Love always,

Sister Loyd 

...say goodbye to Sister Platt

So I made it through my first transfer! Crazy... but fun! This week I had to say goodbye to Sister Platt, which broke my heart, but I was happy for her at the same time! She really is the best missionary in the mission.  Everyone knows her and looks up to her and she had it all together and figured out.  I knew I was lucky to have her as a companion and I see now that I really did have the best of the best!

I got my new companion, Sister Hudson, and she is a Texas dancer who loves musicals, so we've been having a good time so far.

We've seen so many miracles this week! The first one came while we were contacting.  After setting our new transfer goals to be in tune to the spirit and extend the baptismal invite to everyone, we began contacting former investigators with renewed vigor! We stopped by one house and she told us to come back another day.  Instead of walking back to the car I felt like we should knock on the door adjacent to hers.  So, we did and out comes a young hispanic woman and her two kids.  She invited us in and we sat down and taught the first lesson.  Long story short, we asked if she would be baptized on April 2nd and she said YES!! No hesitations or objections. Talk about prepared.  However...we had to pass her off to the Spanish elders because she wants her husband to hear the lessons as well.  But if they end up getting baptized im counting them as one of mine!!! Regardless, a soul is a soul, and as long as they are obtaining their salvation it matters not who does it.

Next miracle was, again, while contacting.  We decided to visit a less active member and her daughter who is not a member.  We got there and the daughter didnt come out but the woman still let us in to talk with her.  I asked about her religious background (because she only pulled out a bible and not the quad) and she proceeded to tell me how she was Catholic.  Confused, I then asked if she had ever been baptized in our church and she said no...sooo we went on to teach lesson 1 and at the very end I extended another Baptismal invite for April 2. She said yes!! It was only after we got in the car, my companion laughing hysterically, that she said "You just put a less active member on bap date!!" Still confused, we laugh for a moment and then figured she must have Alzheimer's or something. So there's that... But hey the practice was good!

Anyway, for the past few weeks we've been teaching an "athiest".  So far he's just been curious about the church and what we believe, but last night after our lesson we asked him if he would like to be baptized on April 9 and he said.... No....... Just kidding, he said YES! I was so nervous he would say no or have a lot of hesitations, but not at all! He accepted it! So now we start the "get him ready to be dunked" process! 

Many other miracles happened this week,  we finally got active Book of Mormon rejectors to read from it, we were able to figure out that a less active couple wants to be sealed, we arrived at an old widows house right as she was praying for help some help (the relief society pres. showed up randomly as well - God hears prayers people!), and many other things.  

This week has been a week of change, and its been difficult, but rewarding nonetheless! The power of prayer is a real thing.  We have a direct line to God whenever we need someone to talk to, need guidance, comfort, help, etc, so take it!!  Praying and reading the scriptures is key to everything in this life! 

I love you all very very much and miss you like crazy... But keep on keeping on and so will I.  Have a great week!!!

Love ALWAYS,

Sister Loyd

Giving up Sugar and Chocolate!

Another week gone by, my goodness. Well, it was an awesome week that's for sure! Like I said previously, we weren't sure if Doug was going to be able to be baptized on Saturday. He had a little problem with smoking, so we committed him to quit and went over the "Stop Smoking Program" we have. It includes a lot of healthy eating, cinnamon tooth paste and mouthwash (BLEH), grapefruit juice unsweetened after every meal (even more BLEH), and vitamin C tablets. I realized what a big thing we were asking of him and couldn't imagine actually having to do those horrid things. So naturally, I did it too.

 

I decided that if he has to give up something big in his life that I should too, so I decided to give up sugar and chocolate. If you could see the amount of sugar and chocolate we intake daily it would blow your minds - its almost a constant thing. So giving it up this week was hard, but not too bad.
The program really works and I hardly had any cravings at all! I'm going to continue on this plan for however long I can manage cause ya homegirl needs to lose some weight...already. lol.

Anyways, later that week was our mission tour! Elder Soares, one of the 70, and his wife came to our mission to give a devotional. It. Was. Amazing. I felt like I was back in the MTC getting hyped up about all the missionary things like daily planning and key indicators (not something to usually be hyped up about, but its important!). Overall the message was strict and exact obedience to everything on your mission is the key to being successful! Elder Soares is such a spiritual, loving, and funny guy it was all so great!

The next day we went to visit a less active couple that we LOVE, but don't get to see much. This is the Santa Clause guy. When we stopped by they let us in and I see that they are watching The Walking Dead.... I fan girled. I knew exactly what episode it was and what was going on, but after squealing I had to look away.. ya know, blood and guts of zombies aren't exactly for missionary eyes. They laughed and turned it off, but man oh man do I miss my walkers. Anyways, we got to talking and it turns out the man worked at Disney Land as a character for years! Sister Platt and I were ecstatic! They shared stories of their character days and I was just laughing at all the horrible things they had to go through..but in the middle of all this his wife interrupts and asked us if we knew the church talk "The Difference One Can Make".

Sister Platt and I were shocked she had brought this up let alone known what it was because the talk was for youth.. and a church talk... A little background: S'Platt and I listened to this talk one of the first weeks Ii was out and we LOVE it!! It talks about a boy named Kent Williams who is one of the most adorable and righteous young men in the church. He was famous for taking girls out on what he calls "super dates". One of the stories is how he left some helium balloons tied to a string outside an ice cream shop where a girl worked. Kent had his friend call in the shop and tell her "a package has been delivered for you outside the door. Go get it". So she quickly went outside and found the balloons with a note that said "You have been invited on a high flying date with Kent Williams. If you choose to accept, please release the yellow balloon, if you do not please release the green balloon" and so on. The girl immediately grabbed the yellow balloon and shoved it in the air (little did she know Kent was hiding on a hill close by with binoculars to see her response).. That weekend they went on a date to fly kites and have barbecue with everyone at the park! A few months later Kent Williams went on his mission and (spoiler alert) 3 weeks into it he was hit by a train and died... It was very tragic for the family and for the youth- everyone knew and ADORED Kent. So now you see why S' Platt and I love this talk. Anyways, the wife asked if we knew it and when we said yes she explained to us that SHE was the girl from the ice cream shop!!!!!!! We couldn't believe it. But she pulled up the talk and sure enough it was her name they mentioned! WE MET THE GIRL WHO DATED THE REAL KENT WILLIAMS! We even got to see pictures of him that she had, and she still has the little yellow balloon with the note that was attached! SO stinkin cool! Later that night S'Platt and I reflected on that situation and both thought it was strange how she randomly interrupted with that question and asked probably the ONLY two girls in the mission who know about Kent Williams. Then we realized, it probably wasn't just her. Maybe Kent was working on her to bring that to her remembrance so we could talk about it. It did end up bringing up some good memories for the wife about her days of activity in the church. We have a pretty good feeling this might be the case so we are praying she continues to ponder that and, with our help, we can bring them back to full activity!

This Saturday was a big day... First thing on the list was volunteering at a wildlife refuge across the street. The weather here has been beyond beautiful lately- 60's and 70's all day. When we got to the Visitors center we realized we'd be outside painting fences! We were SO excited!! The fields are just beautiful (even though they re dead) and there's animals everywhere! Deer, buffalo, birds, eagles, ferrets, prairie dogs, etc! Once we got to our fence we blared some country gospel music and went to work. I felt like I was free in Heaven! SO beautiful! Right then and there I decided that when I get back I'm going to make it a point to travel to lots of foreign countries to volunteer to paint and build schools/houses, etc. Serving really does bring the most joy.

Anyways, after that we had lunch with the Lees! We went to Cafe Rio (YUMMM) and had a fiesta. They are the cutest family, and I totally felt like I already knew him. I guess it helped that he had pictures of me as a baby with him, but he really is so fun! Can't wait to hopefully serve in his ward one day :)

And now.... the moment you've all been waiting for.......

Doug Hiltwine was baptized on February 27, 2016 and confirmed the day after. We are so proud of him and his commitment!! The baptism was so sweet and special. The talks were amazing, the songs were beautiful, and the spirit was definitely very strong. As Doug was brought up out of the water he quickly punched both fists in the air! Haha it was so awesome! The moment he and we had been hoping and praying for had finally happened, and we were so filled with joy! We ask people to do hard things and give up a lot, but we do it because we know in the end it'll make their life easier and more fulfilling! And this is just the start for Doug :) We are now working on finding family names for him to take to the temple to do baptisms for!

Well that's about it for this week. Sister Platt is leaving tomorrow and I think she's taking my heart with her... She has been so amazing and helpful to me, but I also cant wait to see what the future brings! Keep reading and praying everydayyy- Its a COMMANDMENT!!

Love always,

Sister Loyd