"Firm in the Faith" - Monday, January 17, 2022

 Oh what a week! 


Wednesday was a very exciting day! We were supposed to have interviews with President Newman at 1:20. At 10 am the Zone Leaders called and asked if we could be early to interviews. We said ya, we could be there at 1 pm. And they said no, could you be to interviews in 15 minutes! We said yes and frantically grabbed our things and ran out the door! President wanted to do interviews back to back, as quickly as possible. When we arrived at the church building Sister Newman and other missionaries in the zone were there! We were expecting interviews to be super quick but ended up sitting there for 2 hours talking! It was honestly the best! Sister Newman asked us what we thought true joy was. It was a very interesting conversation! Around 12:30 my comps and I were the last ones who needed interviews. President and Sister Newman asked if we would first like to go get lunch with them! It was the best!!! We went to Fat Patty's and had a lovely lunch with them! Afterward, we had interviews in the parking lot! We would wait in the car while one of us would go and then switch out when the other person would finish. It was different but amazing! I love President and Sister Newman so much!

We had our final district council for this transfer on Thursday. Sister Humphries, Sister Morales and I taught the lesson. We focused on the beginning of President Nelsons October 2021 General Conference address about strengthening our spiritual foundations. It was an awesome lesson. The Spirit was strong as we each testified of the things we know to be true. The world is getting increasingly worse. We will not survive spiritually unless we have a firm faith in God our Heavenly Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. If you need help strengthening your faith, a great place to start is with prayer!

President and Sister Newman signed the whole mission up for a virtual tour of the Newell K. Whitney Home and Store in Kirtland, Ohio! It was soo cool! We got on the zoom call and were then taken through these amazing places by the sweet missionaries that serve in those places! It was so inspiring to see the places where Joseph and Emma Smith, the Whitneys and many other faithful saints gathered to hear the word of God. They had such strong faith! We also saw a cool replica of the Kirtland Temple. The story behind its dedication and the people who appeared to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry is so amazing! Many precious truths and priesthood keys were restored there, including the power to seal our families together forever!

On Saturday we met Star! We were tracting in a neighborhood and knocked on her door. She came out and we talked about her dogs for a few minutes before she asked why we were there. We explained who we were and asked if she would like to listen to our message. She said yes and explained they had looked at many churches and hadn't found anything that they liked. We shared with her the first simple truth of our religion, God is our Loving Heavenly Father. Sister Humphries shared 1 John 4:7-10. We testified that Heavenly Father knows who she is and that He loves her very much! We are going by again on Tuesday! 

We also had a lesson with Linda! We talked about the stop smoking workshop. She didn't seem too committed, which is sad. She has doubts about it. We have a lesson with her again on Tuesday and hopefully her heart will be softened but for now all we can do is pray for her!

Transfers are this week!!! The Zone Leaders called Saturday night to tell us if anyone was transfering. Elder Lillywhite scared us a little by saying we were being tripled out! My comps and I were so sad!!! But then he said we were all actually staying in Barboursville for another transfer!!! Yay! We are all sooo excited! It will be my fourth transfer here in this beautiful part of the mission. I absolutely love it! The people, the places, everything! I am so excited!!!

Song of the Week: "Firm in the Faith" EFY 2013 by Scott Krippayne. A big part of this week has been faith. What is faith? From my studies I have learned that it is simply believing in Jesus Christ and trusting in Him. It sounds so simple and easy! And it is! Even if you feel you don't have faith you do! That is something President Newman told me in interviews. If you believe in Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost, you have faith! I know they live and love each of us. That is the foundation of my faith.

I hope everyone has a marvelous week! Talk to y'all next Monday!


-Sister Sariah Francis






Pictures!!!
Cheese sticks to celebrate finishing our grocery shopping

Companion study with the Sister Training Leaders

Lunch with the Newmans

We parked super close to the Elders 

Cheesecake

Pickle Pizza!!!

Final District Council



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