Thanksgiving and the First full mission selfie!

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

December 1, 2015:

First full mission selfie!

of The Missouri Independence Mission

Sealings and Books of Mormon

The fact that it is already p-day again is seriously insane to me. Time does not work on a mission the way it normally does, having said that this week was full of lots of learning experiences. 

On Tuesday I had my first exchange. I was put in trio that was over both an YSA and a family ward. Oh I love those sisters so much!, being there with them really helped reiterate the importance of talking to everybody, because obviously you can't know if someone is interested unless you talk to them. Okay well “talk to everybody" is a lot easier said than done, because it is honestly so much easier to fear men then to fear God. But we are promised so many blessings if we open our mouths to declare this sweet message. 

On that topic, this week we have been helping many members in the ward set up a "family mission plan" because as we all know missionary work extends so much further than just the full time missionaries. In this mission plan there are goals to help the family pray and read scriptures daily, and to invite less active and non member friends to church activities and to learn more.

In D&C 24:12 we are promised as we declare the gospel that we will be given strength that is not known among men. Sharing the gospel can be scary, but most of the time our Heavenly Father answers prayers through other people, you could be that answer. No matter who it is, you can leave them with something, an invite to a ward activity, dinner at your house, a Book of Mormon or something as simple as your testimony. 

Okay now as for the subject line...some recent converts in our ward got sealed on Saturday!! Sadly because we weren't the ones to teach them we didn't get to go, but we were able to help with the luncheon after. Anyway there was SO much opposition while they were preparing to be sealed. The husband had a herniated disk and was scheduled to get cortisone shots the day before the sealing (which didn't happen) there was also a bunch of drama with the kids, because they are a mixed family and some of the kids weren't going to be able to be sealed to them. But they realized the blessing that would come from it. So during the endowment they actually brought in a huge foldout lazy boy chair for the husband and it all worked out.

But it really got me thinking of the importance of temples and how sacred they are. And that actually happen to be the lesson we had on Sunday. Temples :) so the rest of this email is going to be a bit about a talk that Brad Wilcox gave at this last education week. Haha don't quote me on this...these are my notes from the talk. “You’re Not Alone: Come to the House of the Lord”

 The “Five S’s” of the temple for Latter-day Saints to remember about the House of the Lord.

1 The first “S” of the temple is sanctuary. The temple is a spiritual sanctuary. “We can go there and escape the cruelness of the world and the pollution of the world and the evil of the world. … Our spirits feel like they’re going home.”

2. Our second ‘S’ is school - a wonderful school where we’re taught the lessons of eternity, the beautiful lessons that matter in this life and beyond.” In the temple, individuals are taught in the Savior’s way — both directly and indirectly. We all can go and learn something else. We must be a participator not just a spectator. There is a Chinese saying that says "tell me and I'll forget, show me and I'll remember, involve me and I'll learn and understand" 

       

3. The third "S" of the temple is salvation. The temple is where we receive saving ordinances, done as an offering of love. When we go to the temple for the first time we "receive" our endowment, just as when we are baptized and confirmed we are told that we "receive the Holy Ghost, this means it is an action, and that it is up to us to accept it! 

       

4. The fourth “S” of the temple is sealing. “The temple is a place of sealing where couples and families can be sealed together forever.” An act the can only take place in the temple

 5. The fifth “S” of the temple is The Savior. There is no other place where we can feel so close and understand our Savior; we can feel complete, clear, and the truest indicators of our deepest feelings of Christ.

Okay I'm sorry this one is SUPER long, and is all spiritual. I promise I'll add more stories next week. Love you all, and thanks for all the prayers and support!!

Sister Williams

More pictures of our face...because it seems to be the only pictures we take ;) 

Week 2

So this week was honestly such a blur, every day feels super long...but at the same time you blink and it's done. My MTC experience has been one that I will remember forever, and i'm sad that tomorrow is my last day, but I am more excited then ever to go and tell people of this amazing gospel. I have been put through the refiner's fire, and have felt my heart change so much. 

This week was pretty great, me and sister Harvey have been teaching Rachel a TRC investigator, and this Saturday she committed to baptism. It was incredible and the spirit was so strong, granted we don't know for sure if she's already a member or not, but regardless we helped her come closer to Christ and that's filling our purpose as a missionary :). 

This week I have been focusing a lot on the character of Christ and how we all have a calling to share the gospel, so I decided to share a little bit about what I've learned. Our Savior Jesus Christ has every attribute that we could ever wish to obtain. He deserves all the praise in the world, yet is humble, submissive and selfless. A king of kings, yet a servant to all his fellow men. His name itself a description of his power. A savior for us all. He turns outward when us as natural men would turn in. That's exactly what all of us need to try to do, turn outward. 

Each and everyone of us has the responsibility, once we have the gospel in our lives, it is our job to share it. I think we all need to think about how much of a conversion we really have, how much we truly love this gospel. Because if you truly understand the importance of it, you couldn't bare the thought of not  sharing it with everyone you know. 

Please reach out to the less active and the non-members, and work with the missionaries. It is incredible the power a simple testimony has. Well I love you all and next time I write it will be from the great state of Missouri. 

Love, Sister Williams 

P.S. Thank you Green family for the cookies, you guys are the sweetest. And thank you everyone who has sent me letters, they truly make my day. Also this is how I look when I get them...so please keep sending them 

I LOVE THE MTC!!!

HEY everybody, the first week at the MTC has been a roller coaster. I have never been so overwhelmed with the spirit. My companion, Sister Harvey is fantastic.....we have pretty different personalities, but I love her with all my heart. The first day everyone is so nice to you ( almost too nice to you) because it's obvious to tell that we are all so overwhelmed. But you get right to work. Hours and hours of studying, but it is so great especially if you are blessed with an amazing district like mine. 

On Thursday we met our branch presidency and me and Sister Harvey got called as the Sister Training leaders for the zone...which means that when 100 new missionaries come into our zone next week, we're in charge of making them feel comfortable and are supposed to have all the answers to their questions.. key words being supposed to ;) Sunday was the best part so far, we had a devotional by Stephen B. Allen who is in charge of all the missionary stuff for the church, he was incredible. 

I want to let you all know that your Father in Heaven truly knows you personally. I challenge you all to truly earnestly pray this upcoming week because you can not know anything without revelation through prayer. Obedience brings blessings, exact obedience brings miracles. 

Love you all,

Sister Shelby Williams 

Look who I found :) we're in the same zone!  Sister Atkinson 

​Elder Russell    

​My Companion Sister Harvey :) 

My district!!!