Week 82-The hardest thing I've ever Loved to do

I pray that this doesn't sound terrible, but over the past year I've often thought about what this email would consist of. All those wonderful times my mom and others would get up during testimony meeting growing up and make the statement "My heart is full," (I know we've all heard it before) well, I really do know what she was talking about now. 

Everyone, the Savior lives. 

I have perfect faith in that statement. 

There are so many things that I could say right now. Perhaps a lot of returning missionaries write a list of 50 things that they've learned on the mission in their departing email, including other things. I just know that with every experience shared, lesson learned, it all goes back to that beautiful truth for me and my mission.  

Back to accounting real quick, this week was wonderful. The Lord blessed others and us so much! The Lord helped us have an incredible lesson with Tonya. The spirit was wonderful and she finally committed to a Baptismal Date. Sisters have been working with her for months now and she has so many other distractions in her life that taking this step will require a great deal of faith on her part. 

We had another lesson with the Alcorte family. They are not active and Sister Alcorte has had some hard things take place for their family, but the spirit was such a great teacher in boldly telling them that if they put God first, then everything would start working out. They would start feeling more peace. 

My companions are wonderful! I LOVE how obedient they want to be and diligent and LOVING.The Lord has blessed us because of it. Goodness, they're such a perfect mixture of all of that. We all balance each other out. 

It is interesting how I put Moroni 8:16 on my mission plaque, "...Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear." This gospel is the single most important thing. In fact, it is the ONLY thing. It is the plan. It is why we are here. There is absolutely NO need to fear in this life. We have a Savior. And all is well because of that, no matter what comes. That is the message that we have for the world. 

I'm grateful to have been blessed to have such an incredible foundation for my testimony. My parents began it, and the mission has truly solidified it for me. This is one missionary that Heavenly Father is never going to lose.

I love you all very much. Thank you so much for the prayers and support over the past year and a half. They have helped. 

Not only keep the faith, but share it. I will. :)

Sister Call

1) A wonderful recent convert named Deb. One out of many who's 
life has changed because of this gospel. 

2) My beautiful Okla'Home'a.

Week 81 My Savior's Grace

What a great week. 

So there is this incredible thing. It's called the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And you know, it has the power to change lives. It gives us a certain perspective on life that brings such hope, peace, and makes us want to happily carry on. For we know we have a Savior who will make up that difference for us. He IS the difference. (Brad Wilcox's "His Grace Is Sufficient" READ it..please of course)

We met with this man the other day. His name is Ty Smith. Brother Smith (loves when we call him that) has gone through every possible wrong thing that can happen in this life. He's been out on the streets, in and out of jail three times through drug sales and addictions, beat as a child, lost his wife and only child, every friend has been killed, the list goes on. We spoke with Him on the street about a week ago and invited him to the church for a lesson. Everyone, I just have to tell you that that has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life. Seeing this scraggly, tatoo'ed, ear-ring man sitting across from us in the Relief Society room, with tears streaming down his face as the spirit touched him. It told him that he DOES have a purpose, and that he has a Father who cares. There is a very good reason for all of this. 

That is the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. "So glad I had this opportunity" doesn't explain my emotions very well right now.

Veronica and Isaiah have decided that they are getting baptized on September 3rd with the rest of the primary aged kids which will be for the best. 

And then we also learned that Brother Jack Deaner slipped up and had some coffee yesterday morning and so will now be getting baptized on the 27th of Aug. I was sad at first, but this is completely best for all three of their conversions. I love them so.

Well folks, that sure isn't all for this week..but for this email, yes. 

I love you. God lives. And so does His love. Know that and feel that more for yourselves through CPR (church, prayer, read)

Have an incredible week, and we will too :)

Sister Call

Week 80

 

(The last weeks have been crazy here at the Crazy Call household, Cub Day Camp, Family Reunion and Girls' Camp,  sooooo I got behind on the blogs, I am caught up now.  This is all Priscilla had today :(..... but at least we know she is busy building the Kingdom, serving and making every moment count of her mission!  We are so proud of Priscilla! Love, the Mom)

 

I feel absolutely terrible that I cannot write today. We spend the morning studying and doing some service for investigators who are getting married and then we have an STM to leave to in just 2 minutes.

This week was incredible because I'm coming to feel more and more of just how much I'm loved up there because I am simply His daughter. And that I really mean the world to Him.

I love you all. Very much.

Sister Call

Week 79- Boy Howdy, what a week!

First off, this beautiful lady was baptized!

Sister Teria Turner, what a wonderful lady. She has such a funny lady! AH! I wish you could hear her speak. Sister Chamberlain calls them 'Ism's' (mannerism's). When she is sitting down she is always bouncing her legs. And that's just one. She is one quirky lady.

Teria's a miracle though. The sisters have been working with her for years now and she finally decided to be baptized. We had to get permission from the first presidency because Teria mentally has a condition where she is, well, just too nice! She really cannot say no, including to those times when she especially needs to.. eech.

I really don't want to say this for lack of cliche'ness, but she really was glowing in a sense yesterday when she was confirmed in Sacrament meeting.

Super neat thing about Teria as well. She has short term memory loss, and Sister Dobb and Chamberlain (before I got here) promised her that she would be able to remember the more of the Book of Mormon that she reads.

Guess what.

Teria knows and remembers more about the Book of Mormon than Sister Call does.

Let's just take a second and realize the reality of that miracle.

The Purcell kids are also doing so well! We love those crazy kids, Isaiah and Veronica and all their cousins! And miracles, Veronica told us yesterday that she is wanting to get baptized! Before hand, Isaiah was mainly on board. One of their 4 year old cousins, William, who is the son of Sister Smith, Sister Purcell's active sister, ( sorry, I know that's super confusing) told me that he was going to marry me when he was 14. He couldn't wait till 16 though because then he would be too old and dying soon. Well..okay William. :) They're a cute family, I'll make sure to send a picture next week of them.

So my companions are incredible. Sister Chamberlain is from Salt Lake with about 5 kids in her family. She is a 'hipster' and feels the music of the gospel! She is a complete goober and is working on a few lightness and frivolity toning downs but in all reality, is helping Sister Call stop being such a stick in the mud. :) When she opens her mouth and teaches, it's so personal and applied to them, the spirit so easily fills the room. I love her.

Sister Sorensen is go and do. She is extremely diligent and is here to work. The 3 months she was home re-committed her so much to the work. It's pretty inspiring. :) She's from Spring City, Utah and has 5 kids in the fam-bam. They were both born into the church. She is also SO humble. Really wanting to be better and improve.

I love the work. Dad, I had an incredible experience during Sacrament yesterday that had to do with the scriptures in 3 Nephi that you put into the front of my quad right before I left. I'll share a little bit in next week's email but make sure to share the details with you..soon enough I guess :)

I love you all! Keep the faith,

Sister Call

1 and 2) The night before her baptism and her baptism

3)So we were out tracking in about 110 degree weather or so, not having too much success. Well, I am here to testify of the Lord's humor. At the end of this long street, there was this random trophy just conveniently place right dab in the middle of the sidewalk. "Good job my kiddos" We all busted up laughing and had to take some dumb photos. What a loving and REAL Father in Heaven we have. :)