the cold never bothered me anyway: EVERYTHING IS SPIRITUAL

just when I think I have learned all I need to, another week passes by! oh how grateful I am to be a missionary for the church of jesus Christ of latter day saints. what a blessing it is to be a part of and to represent every single day. I will never take this for granted! time is flying.

this weekend was mission council so we were gone from Thursday to Saturday. I got to spend all the time I had not in meetings, in Vancouver. which is my dream place to serve. seriously, if I can be in a city and talk to people about god I think I'd call that heaven. it was absolutely insane. we were on the train and I was just walking around making my way talking to everyone and I saw this cute little Asian girl looking at instagram so I looked and it was ASPYN!!!! I was like HEY! THATS MY COUSIN! hahahah thank you aspyn, you resulted in a really good talk about god and how he answers prayers :)

my testimony of Repentance has grown so much. its so amazing that repentance can change our thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that aren't good. "it includes forming a fresh view of God, the world, and ourselves." I've thought a lot about that phrase. who doesn't want to feel fresh? clean? happy? and want a clean slate? that is through repentance that we can feel a fresh slate. we all know the feeling of freedom from sin and anguish when we truly repent! we are in a sense, "New creatures in Christ" and we feel that joy that the atonement brings. those feelings of great joy are ours each and every day as we have open access to our Saviors atonement. remember, Christ cam to save us. he can assure us. he can help us! I know that repentance truly changes our out look on every thing in life. it has made me feel like a freshsaint! we read in Alma 7 that "there is one thing which is of the most important than they all" and that is repentance.

I collected my 3rd pack of cigarettes this week. we have been praying so hard for a baptism Feb. 15 the last sunday sister lavery is here. we met up with a former investigator and she had quite her job and is ready to to give church "her all" WHAT A MIRACLE! we are preparing her for baptism. she may be moving into the other ward so we are doing some team effort but it has been the biggest miracle!!

it has been so cool to be with Sister Lavery on her LAST WEEK of her mission. everything we do and say is something we can take for eternity. its made us think of 3 things:

1. our DUTY to serve god with our heart might mind and strength. that everything we give will be spiritual.

2. PERSISTANCE- "going from failure to failure without losing our enthusiasm" enthusiasm is literally all the difference! we can do anything we want with a smile on our face!!

3. CAPACITY each of us have our own capacity and weight to give in this mission (or in a family, relationship, work, etc.) we need to increase our faith in Jesus Christ and know that he can do all things. do you believe it?

Grace and Orin were baptized on Saturday! it was so sweet to watch little children be so excited to make there first promise with heavenly father! it reminded me of my baptism and how fresh I felt. how happy I was to come closer to Christ. we all have that opportunity each week and I know that it is a real feeling! I love baptisms. I love how real they are and how truly it is our choice to follow him.

I love you all and wish you the best week!!!!! xoxo sister ovard