prayer of FAITH

first off- HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE MOST AMAZING BROTHER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. i'll be lucky if I find one like you. I hope ya'll are spoiling him for me. blake, you are my inspiration! I love you big brotha!! and for my doodle bug! I am so grateful the surgery went good. I have never prayed so hard in my life! couldn't live without that little angel.

I have learned so much this week! seriously- can I just tell you how much I love companions? its incredible the different knowledge each of us have and how much we can learn from one another. (is that what its like to be married? if so, sweet, sign me up) sister lavery is exactly that I needed. she teaches me SO much and we have so much fun. she goes home in 5 weeks.. so brothers, keep your eye on her. literally. we have snow ball fights every once in awhile, but that always results in really cold legs because I might always pee. that's what happens when you aren't from around snow I guess. it's pretty fun I have to admit.

I want to start in Alma 26:27 "now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the lord comforted us, and said: go amongst thy brethren, the lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success." our motto as a companionship this transfer has been, success. obviously, your success at home is a little different than mine here on my mission. I want to baptize each nation! that is my strongest DESIRE! and I have found, with complete faith, I can do that.

this week, we were 'sewing' ALL week. we did all we could to find people to teach and honestly weren't seeing anything from our efforts. but we didn't say anything to each other. we kept our heads high and continued to work! on sunday, bishop had me bare my testimony spur of the moment. like, literally he said "I want sister ovard to bare her testimony" at the beginning of sacrament. I pondered what I have learned on my mission and what I have come to know that would inspire the congregation. especially with investigators there. something simple. I said, I know that the power of prayer is real. and when we have faith that the things we pray for will come true, they will. I shared the experience of Ina. who was an answer to an exact prayer. sister lavery and I have been praying this part member family would let us teach there 10 year old twins. we saw no "reaps" from our sewing all week. BUT... after sacrament, their mom, announced that her twins would be baptized FEBRUARY 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! what a miracle of prayer. if I know anything, I know that God hears every prayer.

I was studying in Ether 2 and 3 this week. if those chapters aren't the most amazing part of the book of Mormon.. I don't know what is. I took it down into sections that would make it simple for me. (im a pretty simple girl, I always use my book of Mormon stories in my studies too. judge me or not) in case you forgot, this is when the jaradites prepare their journey to the promised land. and they go right away as the lord commands!! even though, they have NO IDEA how to get there. in verse 19. the brother of jared asks 3 questions. 1: there is no light how will we see? 2: how will we steer? and 3: we cannot breathe in them! we will perish!" in the next VERSE, THAT SOON AFTER, the lord answers him and says "when thou shalt suffer for air thou shalt unstop the hole and receive air. and if it so be that the water come in upon thee, behold, ye shall stop the hole, that ye may not perish in the flood." all because the brother of jared ACTED right away to what he has commanded him. its cool, because in verse 23 the lord gives him the choice but warns him what not to do. then in verse 24, the lord assures him that he will bring him up out of the depths of the sea. THEN, in verse 25, he answers his second question about how they will steer, and he said "I will prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves and the seas" and the last one, verse 1. he does all he can to think of how they can have light. and he puts his whole heart and might into believing the lord will work with him. no later, the lord appears to him and lights up his rocks. can you imagine that? can you imagine how the brother of jared felt? well clearly, he was struck with fear!!!!! we see it in the scriptures over and over again, the power of prayer. can you imagine if we all prayed with such faith every time, believing that God would answer us? I believe if we did we could see him. and we could see his hand in each of our lives just like the brother of jared. I witness it every day. and I know the scriptures apply to us in every way. I want to challenge you all to read those chapters.. and write down how the lord is guiding you with his finger. it will amaze you!

sorry bout that rant! i get pumped after studies sometimes. the university is in our area so we headed over there this week for the first time ever!! we went straight to the chaplain class and asked if there was anything we could do for them. it resulted in them inviting us back and talking to them about our missions!! HOW SWEET IS THAT! we are teaching a couple YSA. which is so strange sometimes... because its so relatable and im just like woah... im feeling to normal right now ;) one of the YSA boys we are teaching had the most incredible lesson this week. it was on the Godhead and he loved it! he yearns to feel the spirit and it is the coolest thing. it reminds me how much I value the holy ghost in my life.

welp, I think that's about it! it was an incredible week!!!!!! I love this place. PG, you have my heart now. (never thought I'd say that) im so grateful for all of you in my life. you will never know how much I pray for you! keep being the good disciples that you are. and never doubt who created you!

xoxo, sister ovard