Transfer 6 Week 6

"You have been temporarily re-assigned to serve in the California, San Jose Mission" 

I'm going outbound! We got our letters yesterday and everyone was asking me "where are you going?" but I hadn't received my letter yet because I had been in the Beehive House. I got to the mail box and nothing was there, my heart sunk and I just thought, I must not be going... okay... but then I hear my tricky Zone Leader Sister Christensen say "Sister Ryan you are going to!!!!" and then I ran into the Guest Services cubicle and she would not give me my letter! There was so many people around, we walked out and went to the chairs close by, she still didn't give it to me and then gave it to my companion and Sister Huang said "How much do you love me?!" and laughed then gave it to me. Then I walked away and everyone was like what?! No! hahaha. I wanted to read it by myself and I went around the corner despite the many people that were around and eagerly awaiting and then opened it up and saw "California, San Jose Mission" for the slightest second I was like "are you serious" It was the very last place that I wanted to go, but then I realized, it was so right! I knew I needed to be there and I was just so excited! I turned around and went back to everyone and just said to Sister Christensen "we got a lot of talking to do" and after a second her jaw dropped and she was like "no way!" I said "Yep! I'm going to San Jose!" (because she served there) it was exciting and so I will leave next Wednesday, and even now, it still doesn't feel real but I am so excited! And all I have in my head right now is... 

"It may not be on the mountain height
Or over the stormy sea,
It may not be at the battle's front
My Lord will have need of me.
But if, by a still, small voice he calls
To paths that I do not know,
I'll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:
I'll go where you want me to go.
I'll go where you want me to go, dear Lord,
Over mountain or plain or sea;
I'll say what you want me to say, dear Lord;
I'll be what you want me to be."

So that is the latest news! in other news, we have had a lot of absolute miracles with our investigators and we are so excited! 

- Sister Huang found this guy Jason on chat, who was interested in learning more. We taught him and he just knew that all of this was right, that this was the missing piece, it all just fascinated him about Jospeh Smith, the Gold Plates, the Book of Mormon, everything, he had begun to feel the love of the Lord and the love of our Heavenly Father, something that he has never really felt before. He didn't make it to church the first time but had already arranged a ride so that he could make it. He went the next week and throughout we continued to teach him the Restoration, Plan of Salvation some of the commandments and he was taking it all on so beautifully! We called him to ask how church was and he said "I have good news! I'm getting baptized on the 27th December, possibly the 20th!" We are so excited, he just knows it feels so right and we prayed about it before we called him and was going to put him on date for the 20th! so we know that is is right and that he is truly one of the elect! I love talking with him, he is just a little bundle of joy! 

- We have been teaching this guy George, who knew everything! had studied everything, even Preach My Gospel and the White Handbook! He would quote "Our Purpose" to us! He is great, but every time we talked about baptism he just wouldn't commit to a date, well he did, but it was May 15th, the day Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdry were baptized, he had been teaching us lately and even bore his testimony and his testimony was so strong and sincere, we didn't understand why he would want to make that covenant and be baptized, to receive the Holy Ghost and have those added blessings! Monday we called him and he talked about how church was weird yesterday (because he is moving this week) and then he said "but I have good news... I got baptized and confirmed yesterday" (30th November 2014) WHAT?! It was crazy, Sister Huang and I just freaked out! What just happened?! He told us that he had been thinking and he knew that he had a testimony, and thought why shouldn't I be baptized? (Which is what we had been saying all along!) and so he talked with the missionaries and then the bishop and because he is moving the Bishop said we can baptize and confirm you today and so it happened! 

Just lately Sister Huang and I have been wondering, what is going on? we are working so hard, we are diligent and obedient and we are being as united as we can be... why aren't our investigators being blessed? Why aren't they progressing, what is happening? and then all of a sudden these beautiful miracles are happening! It's amazing to see what happens when you really just love and care and will do everything you can for your investigators, they are amazing and every investigator changed a part of me and they hold a very special place in my heart. I know that these friendships we make will not only last forever from now on, but are friendships from before this life, that we made a promise to find each other and we finally have! 

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving! and we actually got to go to a members from in Bountiful and have Thanksgiving with them, it was amazing! We were with a couple Jan and Bill but then they said they were going to Bills daughters place (The Barton's) and so we were excited, more people! We got there and another set of sisters were there and so there was 4 of us and it was so awesome. We ate traditional Thanksgiving food and watched the new 'He is the Gift" video, shared spiritual thoughts, bore testimony, talked and joked around. It was so amazing to spend time with members in their homes and so I'm so excited to go outbound and experience it even more! 

"My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also helps us feel Gods love.... To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts us to touch heaven" - President Thomas S. Monson

Even thought Thanksgiving is classified as an American Holiday because of how it started, learning more about it and learning how it actually came around to be an annual holiday, makes me realize that we all should set aside a day of Thanksgiving! We should always be grateful and express gratitude, but have a special meal at a set time of year to celebrate and ponder about these things we are grateful for. Heads up for when I get back to Australia, I'm bringing Thanksgiving and everything pumpkin spice back with me! 

So Thanksgiving is over and with that, that means that Christmas has come! The lights on Temple Square are beautiful, absolutely breathtaking when you take a second to really look at them and really just let the spirit enter into your heart, and it is really "starting to feel a lot like Christmas". With the sound of the Nativity, Choirs, the lights all around, the beauty of the Temple, the spirit that is felt by everyone, the sound of the He is the Gift video, it's all just so amazing and I just love it all so much. This Christmas for me is probably my most spiritual! Fully centered on my Savior Jesus Christ as I continue to bear testimony of Him and declare His gospel. I think about the traditions back home and though they mean the world to me! (Like Coco Pops for Breakfast) But then I think of everything my Savior has given me and has done for me, his infinite atonement, the lessening of burdens, the revelation, comfort, direction in my life, the gospel, the Book of Mormon, the opportunity to serve a mission. He is the BEST gift I could ever ask for, he is everything to me and it's not a gift just for Christmas time, but for everyday of the year!

I love the Lord, I love His work, I love the Book of Mormon, I love Christmas, I love my mission and I know I am going to love San Jose as well, I love being a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The Atonement is so real, and there is power in the atonement that we just have to unlock, I know it as I use it every day in my missionary work and I'm so grateful to know that my Savior is always on my side.

I would love to invite you to pray about who you know needs the gospel at this moment and share with them your testimony, send them the He is the Gift link, invite them over to have the missionary discussions, something. You never know what might happen! As it says in Preach My Gospel "People will not likely change unless they are invited to do so" so invite them and as you do it prayerfully and with the Spirit, great things will happen!

Thank-you for all you do, 

Love Sister Ryan xx