White Roads and Near Death Experiences

Hello :)

So transfer calls come tonight, and we both know that Sister Farnsworth was going to leave, she's been here in this area twice on her mission...and although I know that the President is an inspired man, the assistants came by and dropped of a test so I can get my driving card. Haha and Um well if you know me...you know that me and cars do not get along very well, especially in the snow. So we will see how this next transfer plays out, and if my new companion and I make it out alive. J

Sister Williams & Sister Farnsworth 

Anyway just a short little update about what happened this past week. We had a lesson with Mike and he finally told us that he wasn't ready for baptism right now...which sounds bad, but it was good to here where he's actually at. Because for the last little while he's just been telling us that he will get baptized, and that he just doesn't know when. So we've kind of just been at a standstill. But now we know where he is at and where we need to go from here.

And as far as our area goes, it's still pretty slow. But we did service at a nature sanctuary on Saturday and Sister Farnsworth held a little fuzzy bunny while I held a snake. A member had us over to their house this week and had us do a "Man-cake" challenge, where you have to eat a pancake that is the size of the skillet. Let's just say I did not succeed in that endeavor.

Right now I've just been thinking a lot about how to gain spiritual strength, how to get to a point where you can and will do anything that your Father in Heaven asks of you. I've come to the conclusion that it is back to the basics. We need to start with constant direct communication with our Heavenly Father, and start from there.

Sorry this email is short.

I love you all, and hope you have an amazing week!

Sister Williams 

District Meeting - Liberty Jail 

CHRISTmas

Sister Williams & Sister Farnsworth - First Snow 

This past week was one for the books. For starters me and Sister Farnsworth were blessed with a glorious gift known as bronchitis haha So that sure added some flare to the holidays. Other than that little setback, this week was great.

Right now this area is a little bit slow.. Or a lot a bit. We are focusing most of our efforts on finding, and on the never ending battle of getting the members more involved in missionary work. The holidays made it harder for people to want to let us in their house. But I have faith that as we continue to put forth our whole effort, the Lord will bless us with people to teach.

Christmas was great! On Christmas Eve we were on shift at the jail, 4 different member families stopped by and dropped of things for us... It was so sweet. We also watched Nora's Christmas gift and bawled like babies. On Christmas morning we got together with all the Visitor Center Sisters had breakfast and a little party together. We acted out the nativity...I was a sheep (pretty good casting if I do say so myself)

Nativity

Obviously the best part of the day was when I got to talk to my family. Wow. I've decided that I'm the luckiest person on the planet, because hands down I have the best family in the world...they have all been such great examples to me, and have made me who I am. I would not be on a mission without them.

Christmas Morning Skype

Anyway.... After our shift, on Christmas we went to the Bishop's house with the Elders and ate dinner, played games and they gave us gifts in handmade stockings Christmas on the mission has been one that I'll remember forever. I've been so blessed to meet and share the gospel with so many wonderful people.

Thank you to all those who sent Christmas cards and stuff, it really means a lot! I hope you all have an amazing New Years!

Sister Williams

The happiest of holidays

This will be a really short email, I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas, and tell you how amazing serving in the jail has been. This past week we've really picked up and we've been able to have some incredible experiences. When people look at you at the end of a presentation with tears in their eyes, thanking you for answering their prayers....it's a feeling you cannot describe. This truly is sacred ground.

Alright, well thank you to those who sent me fun cards and packages they really mean so much! Love you all!

Thanksgiving and the First full mission selfie!

Happy Thanksgiving!! 

December 1, 2015:

First full mission selfie!

of The Missouri Independence Mission

Turkey Week

Sister Williams - Sister Maxwell

I'm so happy! This Ward and the members we live with....are pretty much the best. And I'm super hoping that I get to stay in this area for Christmas!!

We found 4 new investigators this week! And have return appointments set with all of them; I'm so excited for these people who all seem pretty prepared. We're not really sure where to go with Amanda right now; she's kinda at a halt...but still progressing. I think the main thing that she needs right now is a witness that the Book of Mormon is true.

In sacrament meeting this week, someone talked about recognizing the blessings that come from trials and weaknesses. So I sat down and made a giant list of weaknesses and trails that have happened in my life, then on the other side wrote what specific blessings came from it. It was so eye-opening to see how God shapes and molds us and how we always have SO much to be grateful for. No matter how great things are going or how much good you are doing, you just can't be happy without gratitude. As we notice our blessings not only will our gratitude grow, but our testimony of our Heavenly Fathers love will grow also. I would challenge you all to do it, because it really puts things into perspective.

This week I was focusing a lot on the apostasy and the blessings of the restored gospel. I'm pretty sure we are one of the only religions that practice the things the Savior taught after he was resurrected. He talked about anointing, and baptisms for the dead, and the binding power of the priesthood. Many things that have completely changed our lives and bless us and our families so much, many people simply look over. We can't take these wonderful revelations and blessings for granted. This is the only true and restored church. And I'm extremely humbled to have it in my life.

Hope y'all have a amazing thanksgiving! Thanks for all the love and support :)

Sister Williams

 The Jacksons bought us stockings for Christmas :)

they're honestly like my mission family.

Sister Ecchels and the baby blanket she made for 

my first child...haha so cute

The clouds were insane. 

Green and Greener

Transfers!

Pre transfer picture

Sister Olsen got transferred to the Independence Visitor center, So my new companion is Sister Maxwell!  She is such a cutie and we pretty much just go around singing all day haha it's great. She's been out for about 4 months and is from Spanish Fork. Agh I love her! We've already been able to see so many miracles.

This past week was a little bit harder to get in with people and a bunch of people canceled their appointments..but what can you expect when the Royals are in the World Series! Haha there has been fireworks going off almost every night this week and even on Halloween people sat in front of their houses passing out candy while the game was projected on their house. So pretty much I'm just a giant bandwagon Royals fan now ;)

But the work is amazing, and this week I've had a huge testimony building experience on the topic of recognizing the spirit. Okay so this is something that I know I'll be working on for the rest of my life. But this week I've realized that we must act upon the promptings that we do receive...otherwise we'll stop receiving them. I sometimes still struggle with the whole “is that the spirit or is that just my own thoughts" thing, but my mind this week continued to go back to something that I heard in the MTC. It talked about how if we are living righteously and living in a way that allows the spirit to be with us...then we don't need to question it. Everything that is good comes from God.

Which leads me to something that happened this week, we had just finished lunch and started to drive out of the parking lot, as we were driving I waved to this guy who was just sitting outside. At that moment both me and Sister Maxwell received a prompting to stop and talk to him, so we stopped the car and talked to him, and as we talked to Wayne you could see the light in his eyes as he was recognizing the truth. It was so cool.

The more we learn to listen and have the courage to act upon promptings the more we will be blessed to have the guidance of the spirit.

Sister Williams

"Learn it, live it, love it"

 Me and Sister Maxwell in our super original Halloween costumes ;)

(They Switched Name Tags)

Catch up email :)

Hey everybody!

Lunch with the Sister Training Leader's

I feel like it's been FOREVER since I wrote a real email soooo

Today will be a little catch up of the main things that have happened in the last few weeks.

A while back I wrote about Leah, and how before she could be baptized her dad wanted to have proof that Joseph Smith was a prophet.

Well.....Last week we got a frantic text from her telling us that we aren't able to come over to her house anymore, and that she is not allowed to get baptized. We called her and she told us about all this Anti- information that her dad has been giving her, and how she still REALLY wants to be baptized. So that was heart breaking, and then Amanda told us that she doesn't feel ready to be baptized either......

BUT there were many miracles that happened too :) one day some Elders in a different area were talking about a women that called them for service and as they were talking we realized that she lived in our area, so we went over and helped Fran clean and organize her house. After that we had a first lesson with her, when we started we she said that she has felt lost for a very long time...and a few minutes into the lesson she said that she felt home,  So at the end of it we put her on date for baptism on November 14th!!

This past week I have gained such a strong testimony of the power of the Book of Mormon, it is one of the things that we talk about all the time on and off the mission, but the past few weeks we've had to testify and defend the Book of Mormon over and over again. So I would quote the promise from Moroni and promise that if they study from it daily they can receive revelation. Then I had to ask myself "do I even do that?"

So this past week I have tried to make every single verse in the scriptures mean something to me, so I can testify with even more convection that this book can change lives.

This coming week I challenge you all to put more effort into your daily reading. That book is what sets us apart, and the fullness of the gospel.

(Okay FUNNY story)

Sooo lately we've had many men try to hit on us haha and I don't think it has anything to do with me...but when you see two girls walking down the street I guess we're easy targets. Haha so we've become masters at turning it into a gospel related situation. A few weeks back this car of guys drove passed us then they turned around an pulled next to us, they yelled " hey my homie thinks you're cute" then they said can we get your number...so I answered with " only if you want to know more about the gospel" they replied with whatever works.

Then two days ago this guy flagged us down then he realized we were "Church Girls" so we ended up getting his number and inviting him to church hahaha so funny.

Sister Williams  

Bribery Works!

This week was awesome!

Last time I wrote I talked a little bit about a sweet young lady L... Well sadly this week after we had a lesson with her to set up stuff for her baptism, she called us and told us her dad would not let her get baptized until she proved to him that Joseph Smith was a prophet....um well at first I was super crushed but I realized that hey if he finds out the Joseph Smith was a prophet then we'll have a 2 for 1 situation haha but really If all goes well then we'll have that whole family in the water

Anyway now for the subject line...well this week me and Sister Olsen did a musical number at church (yes mom and dad...I sang aren't you proud) ;) we sang with a few other girls from the ward, and then used that as a bribe to get some of our investigators to come to Church. Haha and it worked!! We had six investigators show up to church! And it was an awesome experience as so many people came up to us and told us how it really moved them, and how the bishop cried, SO COOL!

And quick little miracle! We have been really trying to talk to everyone that we see and today when we were walking to the store a guy stopped us and asked us what we were out here doing, and he invited us over to dinner with him and his wife...and said he was interested in learning more.

Sorry this email is super short but I haven't had much time to email the last few weeks, so I'll send a good one next week :)

Love,

Sister Williams

Picture from a a birthday party for a member in the ward

Roller Coaster of Emotions

Wow, What a week!

First things first. TRANSFERS! Um I don't think people understand how much anxiety comes along with transfer week; you're just waiting for a phone call that is going to determine your fate for the next six weeks....terrifying to say the least! And of course our zone leaders decided to sit on our voicemail until the end of the night on Tuesday, so we were kept impatiently waiting.

We had just gone with an investigator and her daughter to Independence Visitors' Center with Sister Furrow (a ward missionary) and had decided to get some "celebratory" ice cream on the way home...because there's always a reason for ice cream :)

Anyway we were all in the car when we got the voicemail. They dragged it out as long as possible...but the car erupted in screams when they said we were both staying!!! And it took us a few minutes to realize that they said our ward was getting Elders as well. So when we got home we realized that hey now we have to share the ward. Not okay with that. *Joking* I was actually really excited, because this Ward is amazing and I think Elders are really going to help the work pick up even more. So on Thursday we meet them.  Elder Tippets has been out for over a year and Elder Griffiths was straight off the plane...yeah that's right Elders Griffiths and Tippets haha quite a mouthful. But they're awesome, as long as the ward realizes who the "original" missionaries are ;)

Sis Olsen, Sweet Friend, Sister Williams

"Pure Joy"

Okay friends well God really has a sense of humor, as he answered my prayers to not get super fat on my mission, by making it so we have to share our car with the Elders and only have it every other week....um maybe I shouldn't try and tell him my plans, because he always seems to have different ones. ;)

Alright well now for the subject line...Well this week was exactly that. A roller coaster of emotions, when President calls you, it's usually something pretty serious. So when he asked if he could talk to me alone....a million thoughts went through my head, and I was almost in tears before anything came out of his mouth. My heart went out to my family as he told me that one of my uncles had passed away. It was a testament to me of why I'm out here in a mission. Because a lot of people don't know what we know about God's plan. That plan mostly referred to as the plan of salvation, has taken on its less common name in my missionary work, as the plan of happiness, because that is what the gospel brings. HAPPINESS!

 Uncle Jason

Right after that phone call I had the opportunity to go and teach this 13 year old boy about the plan of salvation. I was able to truly feel the spirit as I testified of this merciful plan, and couldn't help but smile ear to ear when this young man decided to be baptized on November 21!

That tender mercy showed me how mindful God is of each of his children, as that lesson was not only for him, but for me as well, as I was comforted by the spirit and knew that what I was teaching was true. In this life we probably won't ever understand why some things happen, but all we need to do is hang onto what we do know, and continue to nourish that. All we need is the basics, the things we're been taught since the very beginning. Studying, praying and attending church. I don't know everything and in fact my testimony is very simple. I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and redeemer of the world, that he lives, and through him and only him are we able to receive salvation. I know that the Book of Mormon is true, and that it is central to returning home again someday. We don't need to know everything in order to continue in faith.

There is a talk titled "the Candle of the Lord" where it says something along the lines of "a testimony is often found in the baring of it" and I can testify that, that is true.

So I challenge everyone this week to share what you believe with someone else. The Lord is preparing people all around us, and his work is hastening. What a great work we ALL get to be involved in! Love you all, and thank you so much for all the prayers and support!

-Love Sister Williams-

Haha and if there are new rules about missionaries having races on blow up 

obstacle courses...blame it on me and Sister Olsen. And while at the members

house who has the squirrels s)...I may have gotten quite competitive on 

this obstacle course...and there's definitely a picture of the evidence. 

Long story short if that rule pops up...you can blame it on us. :)

Squirrels that a member family has as pets, 

Sister Olsen loved them....

Me, obviously not so much haha.

This was a super busy week...

This was a super busy week, full of zone trainings, interviews and a lots of new investigators. So here's a bunch of pictures with no explanation:)

The Zone 

The Sisters of the Zone  

Today Labor Day 09/07/2015

Joined zone P-day!

Baptisms, Fireflies and Visitor Centers

This week was incredible! Okay first off warning, this email will be kinda scattered because I'm super short on time and have a billion things I want to say haha, so bear with me :)

So Monday, something happened that has been on my bucket list for awhile... we were in the middle of a lesson on this guy's porch when I screamed like a child... I got to see fireflies! haha I apologize if you expected something more exciting, but for me it was awesome :)

Moving on, I feel so blessed that there are two Visitor Centers that we have access of using in our missionary work. On both Wednesday and Friday we took investigators to the Independence one. The spirit there is always so strong as we look at the history of this place where they live. Oh I love it! And both of those investigators came to church this Sunday!!

Later that Friday night was Steve's baptism, I've been told stories of golden investigators and through some miracle I was able to see one in my first three weeks. It was incredible! He found the church because his friend was LDS and while he was at a disc-golf course he found a Book of Mormon on a bench and that was that. The only reason he "was kept from the truth, is he knew not where to find it" His testimony at his baptism was one of the most powerful I have ever heard. It was also a miracle that his wife was able to attend. Oh I know that they will be sealed as a family sometime soon, as we were at the baptism you could see her countenance change as she felt the spirit. Agh, I love them so much! Sadly they don't actually live in our area, so now it's up to the Elders in his area to teach the rest of their family, but I'm so excited for them :)

Well on a mission you definitely learn something new every day, one of the things I learned most this week was how knowing the truth causes people to change. I've seen this so many times already! In an email earlier I talked a little bit about the K. family, oh they are seriously the best :) Anyway the dad is very set in his ways and even from the time I've known him, I have seen the gospel change him and his family. Last night when we were teaching them I called him out on some sass he was throwing at me and he said something along the lines of " I like this one she's not afraid to talk" haha well I told him I'm not shy about his salvation. He always says things like "I've been thinking about getting baptized, but I'll probably wait 18 months" haha then I'm like seriously don't mess with me like that. But I truly know that this gospel makes people desire to be better and do better.

So that's my little challenge for this week, is do better! Because it's our actions that often define who we are. Don't just know the gospel, but live it!

Sister Shelby Williams

Independence Visitor Center

Blurry picture, but Steve's baptism!!

How to be a Missionary

Sister Williams & Sister Olsen

Once upon a time me and Sister Olsen were out tracting, and although I talked

every time someone opened the door, I had yet to be the one to knock. So the next door was my turn, and needless to say I was excited… a little too excited, because as I knocked, it was so stinking loud that poor family probably thought the cops were outside trying to knock their door down haha lucky for me no one was home or they ran away out of fear, either way the moral of the story is. Use the doorbell.

The funny thing about that subject line is the fact that I still have no idea how to be a missionary....but If there's one thing I want to share this week it's that God is not a respecter of persons, it does not matter what you've done, where you live or how long you've been a member, His love knows no boundaries, there is nothing that says you have to fit into a certain mold to be loved, and nothing qualifies one more than the other.

As we've been teaching some of our investigators this week that's come up a lot, many feel that they are loved less because of things that they have done. That's why having the pure love of Christ is essential to missionary work, not only on an actual mission but as we are "missionary's" in our daily life's. Many times truly loving someone comes from looking at them in not only terms of who they are, but in who they can become, trying to see them as the Lord does. With that love comes the desire to serve, which is actually a covenant we make when we are baptized, we promise that we will render service to our fellow man.

When it comes to teaching the gospel I've come to realize that no one really cares how much you know, until they know how much you care. As we really strive to follow Christ we will have the overwhelming desire to serve, because no one else is a better example of service. In the same topic be willing to accept service....now that's one I've had a really time with, because the ward out here is so good to us missionaries, and is always trying to give and do stuff for us. For the first week I HATED it...but I've begun to realize that denying other people the opportunity is really denying that person blessings, which sounds extreme but it's true. We must be able to give service, accept service and in times of need be humble enough to ask for

service.

We are all on the same hard trip back to our father, we are here to love and help each other get back home like Elder Uchtdorf said “in the end it's the merciful that will receive mercy."

Sister Williams 

Car selfies with special guest yellow air freshener. 

 ‪#‎pureloveofchrist‬‪ #‎MissouriIndependenceMission‬ ‪#‎sohotandhumid‬

My 3rd day in Missouri

This is my 3rd day in my mission, meet my new companion and trainer Sister Olsen

Getting right to work!

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!!!