December 2

Dear Family,

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Mine was a great time of food, fun, a NAP (ha ha) and don't forget the most important part. Gratitude. 

Can I just say I love being a missionary? Its hard to believe I only have 3 transfers left. Time is ticking and I want to get everything I can out of this experience. It truly is an opportunity of a lifetime.

There is no better time to be a missionary. These really are historic times! Our mission President always tells us our future posterity will say.. wow you served during the "Monson Era" ha ha. This year our mission is close to getting 500 baptisms so that is our goal by the end of the month! We've had 41 new areas opened, and we just opened another new zone! (I think this makes 5 new zones this year!) And our mission has doubled in size this year!

Now for transfer news...

Well it is time to say goodbye to Midland Texas. I will be going to Canyon Texas, and be serving in a YSA (young single adult) branch! I am a little nervous because I have gotten so used to serving in family wards, but it will be fun to work with people my own age!
Canyon is up in the panhandle of Texas. Its going to be FREEZING! Everyone tells me I better bundle up, I'm in for a cold winter, and a windy one at that. So please pray for me (Ya'll know I hate the cold) ha ha.

Every area I serve in, seems to be harder to leave. Saying goodbye has been extremely difficult. I have really come to love these people. I have been crying for the past 2 days straight, and just cant seem to stop. ha. 

Yesterday C came to church! It was hard to say goodbye to him, and it will be hard to miss his baptism in 2 weeks, but I am so grateful I got to see the changes he made these past 4 1/2 months. A less active we have been working with for 3 months now and is fully reactivated bore her testimony yesterday. She specifically thanked me for never giving up on her, and she is preparing to go back to the temple in the beginning of January. Missionary work is WORK. Its stressful, tedious, and emotional. Sometimes you don't know how you can ever pull through, but it seems like whenever you leave an area, the Lord really shows you how appreciated you really were. Tears filled my eyes as she spoke to me of her appreciation.

But by far the hardest goodbye will be Rickey. I have truly grown to love that man with everything that I had. We both just cried on the phone yesterday when I had to call him to tell him the news. He told me I changed his life. But in all honestly I am just the instrument that Heavenly Father used for him. We joke around though how we knew each other in the Pre-Earth, but in all reality I really think we did! ;)

Its so hard to leave... Its a feeling I cant even explain to ya'll. The love of Christ is real, my friends. I have felt it, I have seen it, and experienced it for myself.

Some new things I will experience this upcoming transfer:

1.  SNOW!

2. A duo! I will just be with one companion, Sister Davidson (its been 7 1/2 months since i've been in a duo! )

3. Teaching young single adults

4. Being in a small town for the first time!

5. Serving in a branch

I am excited to see what awaits! I wouldn't be surprised if I stay here the rest of my mission, but we will see. Love and miss you!

Sister Turner

Thanksgiving at the Jarman's

At church with C (can you tell I've been crying?)

November 26

Dearest Family,

So you probably are all wondering why I didn't write you yesterday... On Sunday there was a terrible Ice Storm (well for Texas that is ;) ha) so pretty much the whole city shut down! We didn't even have church. Which was a bummer for our investigators. We had to call them all and tell them NOT to come to church. Something I never thought I would do as a missionary. ha ha. We had to stay inside all day, President's orders... I thought I was going to go crazy. ha ha. But Monday we were able to get back out and work, but the city was still practically shut down, including the local libraries, which is why I am writing you today instead.

C is doing well. We taught him the Word of Wisdom last week and he's committed to live it! I think he is beginning to recognize the blessings that come from the gospel. We had to push his baptismal date to Dec. 14th now though, since church was cancelled, but it won't hurt to give him another week to prepare. He's come so far, and its been amazing to see his progress.

We get transfer calls on Saturday. If I stay here it will make 9 months that I've been here in Midland! So we will see what happens..

We are eating with a great family in the ward for Thanksgiving. They have a son currently on a mission in Utah, so they are great member missionaries and are always striving to help us out. We get the rest of the day off... which I actually dont know how I feel about it seeing we had all of Sunday off and P-Day. I am really trying to stay focused on the work, it always gets a little harder around the Holidays, but the best way to stay focused is to work hard.

I have gained such a strong testimony of Family Home Evening. I have seen a family grow in the gospel and grow their relationships with one another because of it. Something I will always strive to do in my life, also home and visiting teaching! Its so important, and ya'll may not realize it, but its life changing to individuals!

I love this gospel so very much! I love being a missionary, the good and the bad. Let us all remember what we are thankful for this week! Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Sister Turner

At Zone Conference

Our Car after the Ice Storm

November 18

Dear Family,

Well this is going to be a long email! Wow what an amazing week I have had!! Honestly this probably is one of the best weeks I have had my entire mission! I have a lot of stories to share with you this week, and hopefully time permits. Lots of amazing tender mercies. I just feel so grateful to be a missionary at this time!

We often go to these apartment complexes and for the past couple weeks whether showing up or leaving there is this particular car that always parks right next to us! We see it all the time! Its a very distinct car and so we can't miss it. So the other day we had an appointment with a women at these apartments, and right then this car pulls up right next to us yet again!!! I turn to my companions and I say.. ok this is a sign! We were late for the appointment though, and so I thought ok next time we HAVE to talk to her. So we run upstairs to this appointment and no on answered... then someone comes running up the stairs, and its this girl (the girl who pulled up in the mysterious car) and she yells are ya'll hear for me? She sees we are actually knocking on her neighbors door, but we get talking and turns out she is a less active that just moved here 2 weeks ago. She is actually YSA (young single adult) age and so she isn't in our ward, but it was a  tender mercy indeed. She let us right in, and we got talking. She lives with her alcoholic uncle, and is really struggling, and I know Heavenly Father needed us to help her out. She went to church for the first time yesterday in a while. We told her how we always noticed her car, and knew it was a sign from God! She realized it, and knows she needs to get back. So cool!

Now the story with her neighbor J... we met her a week ago, and we just met in passing. We gave her a card and she told us we could come back. She just moved here 2 weeks ago with her 3 kids from Virginia! She is struggling financially right now. Well the reason she didn't answer is she said she is embarrassed of her living situation, and doesn't even think to let anyone in.  She texted us and said she appreciated our time though. But I felt we couldn't give up on her! I felt so good about her! Well last Sunday a women in our ward came to us and told us she has a nice child's coat that her daughter has outgrown and she thought perhaps the sisters knew someone in need of it. Well as J was texting us apologizing for not answering and how she is trying to just get food on the table for her children, I thought of this coat!! I knew she could use it and so I simply told her that we have a childrens coat a women in our church was giving away and if she would accept it. I wasn't sure if she would, so i thought if she didn't reply we would just show up anyway to give it to her. But surprisingly she texted back and said she would really appreciate it!! We went to her home and there tears in her eyes. She couldn't believe that someone would do this for her. We told her it wasn't coincidence that we met her and we knew the message that we share could bless her life. She informed us her 11 year old daughter wants to go to church, and she didn't realize our church is literally up  the road from her apartment. So we have an appointment with her this week at the church! I am so grateful for the member who was prompted to tell us about the coat, because that my friends OPENED doors! :) I love the tender mercies. They are what keep me going. She has so much potential and I am excited to see where it all goes with her and her family!

C I have been teaching for over 3 months now! He moves slow but he is progressing!! We have tried to commit him to baptism time and time again. But he would never commit to a date. We felt like the next best step would be a church tour. He has had bad experiences with churches, and so we think that has been a big part of whats holding him back. So we had the tour, and man biggest miracle of the week!! When we went into the chapel the spirit hit us like a bus. It was so strong. We sang to him "I Know that my Redeemer Lives" He is a musician so he loves when we sing. ha ha. Tears filled his eyes. He couldn't deny what he felt. He said it felt so amazing, so nice, we committed him to baptism on Dec. 7th and he accepted!! I couldn't help but cry. Gosh it was incredible. The spirit bore witness that this was Christs one true church on the earth. We still have a lot to work on, but he's already come so far! He has had quite the past. Its so amazing being a part of his whole progression though. I may be transferred before his baptism, but I will just be so happy the day that he finally makes that step to enter the gate to eternal life!

We are working with 9 less active families, many who are making great progress! One woman in particular in the past 2 months has made a complete 180! She now says she fell away for a time but now that she knows it takes sacrifice to get blessings she will never leave again! We do FHE with her family every Monday, and she told us she loves the scriptures now. The stories are coming alive for her! Two months ago she had the "why me" attitude. Why do we have trials? And now she knows its because they make her stronger, which it truly has done!
We had 2 less active families come to church yesterday. That was a miracle. It was the primary program as well, wow there is such a special spirit about the little children!

Zone Conference was this week! I learned SO much. I love seeing President and Sister Augustin. I really have come to love them like parents out here in the mission field. They are so supportive and back me up 100 percent. I know that's trust I had to gain though, and I'm glad I've gained it. 

I know this gospel is true 100%. I get tested, tried, and ridiculed everyday, but it only strengthens my testimony. I know this church is true. It is the same church as the primitive church that Christ established centuries ago. We have the same authority, the priesthood on the Earth today to perform saving ordinances such as baptism. I have grown to love the Book of Mormon more than ever before. That book has POWER. And really is our tool for conversion. Lastly I know my Savior lives.

Love and miss all of you! As they would say in west Texas "Have a Blessed week!"

Sister Turner

November 11

Dear Family,

This week we went on exchanges which it always a lot of fun. I was with my old companion Sister Fife, and Sister Scott from Australia, so it was fun to work the day with them!

We are working with a lot of less active families right now. And Sister H is doing wonderful! She is learning to love the scriptures and seeing how they can really relate to her personally. She has grown so much in the past 2 months we have been working with her, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it.

We are in the finding stages, just trying to find new people. We unfortunately have had to result back to knocking on doors. Lots of knocking this week. ha. Its not the most effective, but we are getting a few potentials this way. 

D&C 130: 20-21 Obedience brings blessings! Its like the analogy of the funnel. The World sees things like a funnel. Freedom to do whatever they please, but then the funnel gets smaller and they are more in bondage. Where we see it as an upside-down funnel. We have commandments and restrictions for a reason, so that we can have more freedom and blessings to come! I have really been able to witness this for myself on my mission! Its so true! 

I love this gospel so much. I am grateful for all of you and your examples. This week we have Zone Conference which will be a nice pump up!! 

Hope all is well! 

Love,
Sister Turner