Book of Mormon

http://www.mormon.org/easter

http://www.mormon.org/spa/pascua

Please please PLEASE watch these videos every single day leading up to Saturday and Sunday and then tune in to GENERAL CONFERENCE where our prophet, and apostles for OUR DAY, will teach and guide us in the direction we need. 

We visited with a less active this week. She has a granddaughter that has been going through a ton of health problems. She is extremely worried and upset at doctors. I totally understood her frustration and we read a verse in the Bible. I helped reassure her that all is well and that peace should be in her heart.  She asked me to say the end prayer; the spirit was so strong. I was so guided by what was needed to be said. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to be a representative of Jesus Christ and to constantly have His spirit to be able to guide me in this work. 

We visited another less active, in the Spanish ward. She was sick, so we quickly asked the elders to come over and give her a priesthood blessing. 

We taught a recent convert family, the Barajas, about the second coming. It was such a great lesson, more like a discussion, and I loved being able to learn from them as well as from the scriptures to try to find answers to their questions. 

We went to a session earlier this week at the Salt Lake City Temple. It was incredible. I love that temple for so many reasons. I always receive the guidance and spiritual nourishment needed there. I know that once I go home from my mission I will continue to "wrap" my heart and hands around the temple. For in there, we can receive the guidance, help, comfort, answers, and feel His love as we serve faithfully and strive to be covenant keepers. Going through the temple is beyond words. I loved being able to pray, read, and ponder in the Celestial Room. I would like to invite all those who have current recommends to go to the temple at least once before the end of this week. Those who do not, WORK to get there. I know it will be hard at times, but nothing is more worth it in this life than to get to the temple with your family. That is our whole purpose here on Earth. Prepare for it. 

We had a wonderful finding meeting. We gathered as a zone and were taught by a hilarious MLS couple from Salt Lake City. They taught us to be "pigs" not chickens...(there’s an inside joke that comes with that term)

We taught Irene the Book of Mormon. Sister Pula did a great job at explaining. We invited her to come to the General Womens Conference, but she was working :(  There is something different about her. I love her. There is something very special about her and I know one day she will be able to get her answer pertaining to: if the things we have been teaching are true. 

There is a family who is just going through a divorce. The kids are pretty young still and we are doing all we can to help the mother get the basement ready to rent. 

We went out with one of Sister Fernandez's returned missionary friends and we read the Book of Mormon with a less active man. We took Jocelyn (bishop’s daughter) out to show a less active the He Lives video. We visited another less active family and trying to help her son have a desire to get baptized and really understand the covenants he will be making through baptism. We are teaching a boy named Luis who is an awesome high school aged boy. He wants to know what’s morally wrong and right in the world. We are trying to help him get there to progress towards baptism. 

We had an awesome District Meeting. I had to help with a little training/role play and relate how prophets are like football coaches (for an elders investigator). It. Was. Awesome...

We had the opportunity to go to Temple Square and take the Barajas on a tour. The spirit was SO STRONG. We first let them see the model of the inside of the Salt Lake City temple, explaining about where they are going to get sealed. Then we took them to see the Christus and talked about how it is a commandment to get sealed for time and all eternity, and His love for them and His children on earth. Then we finished with God's Plan. In the last room, I lost it and everyone was crying. I explained that people like their family are the reason I'm here. To find Heavenly Father's children that need to have an eternal family. I love their family. We learn and grow together. 

General Women's Meeting is EXACTLY what it looks like in the Ensign. A MILLION girls ranging from ages 8-80+ walking to the conference center. It was packed with sisters and the spirit was so strong. I absolutely love being in the conference center for sessions. We are so lucky to have the opportunity to go with investigators, less actives, and recent converts. I'm super excited for the Saturday Afternoon session and Sunday morning, I know we will all receive the answers to our questions we have been searching for. I know Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and his counselors are men of God. It is so evident in the way they speak "by the power of the Holy Ghost" because they are angels, and they speak the words of Christ. 

The reason I love He lives so much is because it shows all paths of life, no importance on religion, race, gender, old, young, married, divorced, single, HE UNDERSTANDS. He lives and because He lives we are able to rise above sin and experience true joy. Because He lives, we can find his help and healing in our everyday lives. 

I hope everyone has a splendid Easter.  Please go check out the websites listed above and see what happened everyday leading up to Easter Sunday. Share it with your friends. 

I love my Savior and the Atonement He has performed for me and each of you. Remember, if you ever doubt, that HE LIVES AND UNDERSTANDS.

Con Amor,

Hermana Blankmeyer 

Holy Ghost

"For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the spirit ceaseth to strive with man than cometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul." -2 Nephi 26:11 

****VISIT & HELP PEOPLE WHO ARE MOVING INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMUNITY, NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE CHURCH.****

I WILL BE GOING TO THE GENERAL WOMENS CONFERENCE, SATURDAY AFTERNOON SESSION AND SUNDAY MORNING SESSION  

We had a week full of miracles and wonderful things :) First Hermana Latourette came out with us and we got a ton of stuff and people to visit. We had a lot of success finding people to teach and getting members to go out with us :) I really love this ward and think I will be here until I leave (possibly) but I love it so much it wouldn't matter to me :)

St. Patrick's Day was great! We were all wearing green, totally said, "We got to take a picture" guess what we didn't do... But we did put up the decorations you sent mom so our home is looking great and spring-y :) Sister Flint the land lady also is putting in roses, daffodils, and other beautiful flowers at our home.  She is so sweet! We had to get the car inspected and once we did it totally reminded me of Mexico.  Again I was totally 100% okay with speaking Spanish and being there in the Big O Tires place. We went contacting with a sister in the ward who is putting in her mission papers. We went to visit a family whose husband is going through the temple for the first time this week.  He was having A TON of attacks from the adversary. We let him know that Heavenly Father is aware of him and his problems.  We reassured him that they will only be for a short moment. I let him know that recently I was having a hard time.  However, I know, through the spirit, that everything is going to be okay and that helps me each and every day. 

I had a driving test to get privileges in the mission, I PASSED!! haha No, but really, I'm excited to drive.  It was totally perfect because Sister Fernandez was not feeling well and Elder Tucker had just given me the okay to drive if she got sick or for some reason couldn't. We dropped her off at the bishop's house and Sister Pula and I left to our appointments. We visited a less active family and her 6 month old daughter's name is Sophie, she is precious. I'll have to get a picture of her one day. :) We visited the other family that was going through the temple this weekend. We also got some less active members really excited for general conference coming up. I'm more than excited about getting the opportunity to go! I have so many questions and investigators with questions and I have NO DOUBT that every single question will be answered. I'm inviting those who are reading this, to PLEASE go or watch General Conference WITH A QUESTION/PURPOSE.  IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIVES! I love conference more than I think I should but, who doesn't?! 

We did service for a lot of sisters in Escalante this week. There was one who asked for my advice with her 18 year old daughter who is Atheist. I love this gospel, the hope, the spirit, the happiness I feel is something I enjoy daily. I love being able to take my knowledge and build upon it daily. People think missionaries are "perfect" or "all-knowing". We are humans, we make mistakes, we are learning, we feel the Atonement in our lives daily, we love this work. No member is less than any missionary, we are all equals. We just dedicate ourselves completely for a season.   We do our best which is what we all should strive for. 

There are so many investigators and people to talk about. We are SUPER busy missionaries. Maximo is out of the hospital. He now has a tube running out of him taking out the blood and infection of his last surgery, once it stops doing that he can take it out and be baptized. We are going to put him down for baptism April 11th. 

Perla is a 10 year old girl who's mom is a recent convert in Ogden. She will be scheduled for the 18th of April, along with a miracle Eugiene. 

We went on a power hour, with Sister Fatani and Sister Pula. We were contacting people in this apartment complex and we see a 9 year old little boy.  I ask him if he knew where building 1760 was, he didn't but told me that he wanted to be baptized but missionaries never came. We quickly went to his house and I talked to his mother. She mentioned they went to Temple Square, for the lights at Christmas (best time EVER) and the missionaries wrote down their information and never followed-up. So we grabbed an appointment with him and his mother. We also did service for them spontaneously.  I LOVE THIS FAMILY. There is something very special about them, one day we will know :)

Happy {late} FIRST DAY OF SPRING!! It was sooooo nice outside. We had a great lesson with Teodora, and Keren came to our lesson. We taught Perla and put her on date and told her how important it was to come to church and she ended up not being able to make it :( 

We did a service project for the Barajas and we painted their porch and bench. They were also trying to put concrete down, but we had to leave quickly afterwards so we couldn't help to finish it out. It was fun to get out of a skirt and help with yard work like we would sometimes do on Saturdays at home. 

We got to go to the Bountiful Temple. Not only was it my first time going to Bountiful but, IT WAS IN SPANISH!!! I about died I was so happy that we were able to attend and being in the temple is just an amazing place to be. We also get the opportunity to go on Wednesday to the Salt Lake City temple at the 8 am session :) I miss being in the temple and working there, which kind of makes me more convinced that I'll work in the Logan Temple when I get home. It is so pretty and the spirit that is felt is indescribable. I want EVERYONE to be able to partake of that spirit. 

Church was really good. We had ward conference and ward council. I feel like slowly the leaders in our ward are starting to like sister missionaries.  The ideas and things we bring up are starting to actually be followed through. I really love this ward and the people in it. The investigators we have are great and golden. I always said I wanted to see Rosepark in the spring because I knew there was so much more potential than in the winter when everyone is bundled up at home. 

I love you all and cant believe how fast time is running!! 2 1/2 TRANSFERS left! I also really feel impressed to say that I may never be back to my 100% health. Maybe never even after the mission, but I do know that with His grace it is sufficient. With Him I am 100%. He makes up the rest of my faults. Sometimes it's hard for my mind to grasp that certain things are harder for my body now than before.   But that it is okay.  I have faith in the Lord. If doctors can't ever figure it out I know that my Lord will help me be okay until its time. I trust HIM. 

I love you all. I pray for y'all daily, and hope you all are doing well and are LOVING life like I am here on the mission! (I tell people I'm NEVER going home....)

Con Amor y Felicidad,

Hermana  Blankmeyer

Random selfie this man we contacted took and sent to my mom from temple square.

Spiritual Discernment

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, I will impart unto you of my spirit, which shall enlighten your mind, which shall fill your soul with joy." -D&C 11:13-14

 

***VISIT PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING CHANGES IN THEIR LIVES, SUCH AS MARRIAGES, BIRTHS, OR DEATHS*****

 

 

WOW! What a week it has been :) We saw so many miracles Monday night. We helped give service to some family we will be seeing tonight who needed to put a dresser in their kitchen. 

 

Transfers happened. It was Sister Fernandez's last transfer so we went to the stake center for transfers, saw some people that she wanted to get pictures with, and then we grabbed Elder Strother's car which is now ours (WAHOO!!).  We then quickly left to the training meeting at the Whittier building. It was so sweet to see 6 brand new missionaries coming into our mission. 5 sisters and 1 elder and 3 in Spanish!! It was really good because we needed more since a group of 16 just left and a TON were in the Spanish program. We are training Sister Pula! She is from Riverside, California and was born in New Zealand but raised in the best state there is. She is SUPER humble and I love learning from her. 

 

We have a baptism coming up soon!! Maximo is a great guy who has decided to get baptized this month! He recently had surgery too, so we are praying for him for a quick recovery. 

 

We visited Maribel, a less active who is really a great member. She reads her scriptures, and prays. We are trying our best to find a way for her to come and enjoy attending church with us! We contacted a lot of referrals that we had this week. It’s a little interesting learning 2 areas, but at the same time, it’s coming along great! 

 

Thursday night I got really sick. I had a ton of pain and barely could move. I went to the emergency room with Sister Fernandez and Fatani. I'm still recovering because my body is super tired from working overtime due to my stomach illness and pains; then I continue to being the busy missionary I want to be and know I can be. I got a priesthood blessing from my zone and district leader and the prayer moved me to tears. I think I've converted to Spanish blessings. They touch my heart a lot and I know I'll be better :)

 

I realized that I'm not 100% better in health; I don’t know if I ever will be. BUT I do KNOW that the Lord doesn’t need me to be at 100% to help share this gospel. He will lead and guide me and help me despite my health issues.  I love my Heavenly Father and know He is aware of me and my pains. I love my mission and these wonderful people the Lord brings me to teach. He truly is guiding this work; we need to submit our will to His; then and only then, can we be the instruments He desires. 

 

I love you all and thank you all for your sweet prayers and emails. 

Thank you Grandma & Grandpa for the letter and cookies

Con Amor y Salud,

Hermana Blankmeyer 

Hermana Pula, me, Hermana Fernandez and Sister and President Spendlove

Me, Herman Pula (our daughter) and Hermana Fernandez

 

Mortality

"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." - 2 Nephi 2:27

INVITE PEOPLE TO YOUR FAMILY HOME EVENINGS!! 

President and I at our last zone conference.  My last picture with him.

We taught Celita with Hermana Latourette. It was such a powerful and amazing lesson! We taught her about the Plan of Salvation and I helped her understand my testimony of it. Thanks to what I personally have been through in my life experience. I know one day we will all be perfected. I know I will see Sister Hansen again and that she is helping teach others about the gospel. 

Sister Reza had a dentist appointment for a cavity she needed filled. We taught a sister who is less active. She has such great potential. I cannot wait to work with her! 

We did service again for those people in Escalante. Elders Fielding, Tauai, Gonzalez, and Gamble all helped us too. We delivered their food boxes to those who are home bound. We realized we didn't have dinner so I was trying to find someone to feed us. Our phone died in the middle of the day so we had to go to the Barajas' to charge it. Once we did, our dinner picked us up :) We had dinner in Salt Lake with Jon Argyle. Also, there was a surprise guest at my dinner- MY brother & dad. It was a tender mercy to see them and to have dinner with them. 

ZONE MEETING WAS THE BEST! We met President and Sister Spendlove, we learned about their family, and his vision for our mission. He is inspired and called of God. He had me writing so many notes and impressions I could barely take a breath. He really touched my heart at the end.  I'm so excited to work with him and see the progress of these next few transfers I have left on the mission in this GREAT UTAH SALT LAKE CITY MISSION! 

We went to the Salt Lake Temple with Jose and Maria Barajas on Friday night. It was such a great experience. 

SATURDAY was CRAZY!!!!

-First we had to be at our baptismal interview with Gabby at 9

-We practiced the musical number at 10 and totally changed it at around 10:45

-Baptism at 11

- We (Elder Tapia, Elder Carroll, and I) sang a different version of Hallelujah for the baptism

- 12:00 noon we had lunch with Sister Smith

-1:00 we had ice cream with the STL's because Sister Reza was leaving 

- we went shopping for things Sister Reza needed at 2

- visit everyone we needed to until 7

-7:30 we had the surprise birthday party for Sister Fernandez

 (Sister West, Elder Gamble and I also sang Hallelujah as I played Hermano Barajas guitar) 

                        -- I wish i could send videos--

Church was crazy because of Daylight Savings time... Sister Reza gave her last remarks since she has worked in this ward for 6 months. Then NO ONE came to gospel principles because everyone had something.... 

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We went home, had a quick lunch, started exchanging journals for everyone to write. Then we went to dinner, and caught some other people that Sister Reza needed to see before she left at 6 for her departure testimony meeting. We went to a Relief Society Fireside that was super good. 

TRANSFERS UPDATE:

I am staying in the 14th ward, the elders are leaving so we are the only ones covering it, ALSO WE ARE TRAINING!!!!! It should be a GREAT transfer! We have a lot of goals set and I'm hoping to work harder that Sister Fernandez this transfer.(she goes home in April)

Con Amor,

Hermana Blankmeyer

EXTRA PICTURES!

Initiative

"For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward." -D&C 58:26

******Make ward meetings, activities, firesides, and open houses of such quality and interest that it will make members feel eager to invite acquaintances to attend.******

We went bowling last pday as a zone. Sister Reza went to the temple with all the departing missionaries and President. I am TERRIBLE at bowling, right Abby? But I was actually winning (must have been rigged, right?;)

We visited Celita with Presidente Meneses (in the stake presidency) and he showed her a video that really helped her understand our purpose and love for her. I loved seeing a member come and explain his testimony and help her with the technology he has and a video he found in order to do missionary work! 

We went to the library to help Sister Reza find out which colleges she should apply to for her major. It was really crazy to help and go through the college application process again. 

CONGRATS ABBY FOR BYU!! Seriously you deserve it and I'm so excited for you! I know you'll do great things in college! 

We had a "power hour" with the STL's.   When I was out with Sister Aguilar, we visited a lady and we asked if we could share with her in just a couple short minutes our purpose and such. She let us in and we started teaching her.   When we had to leave to meet up with our other companions we set up a return appointment. 

We were told there would be SNOW on Thursday!! It was nothing but another day for rain in Utah! We went to Escalante and I taught Al. He loves talking about his wife, it is a sad story that almost made me cry? We asked if he had a picture of her and he said, "No, when she died, within a week her sisters came and took EVERYTHING that was hers or anything that reminded me of her." That broke my heart because you can see how much he loves her. 

Later we were walking around Escalante and Lorenzo, who also lives there, said he would like a priesthood blessing. I called the elders and asked if they could come and they did, but before they arrived his granddaughter ....little Carry- she is so funny! I told her to get inside because it was raining and cold (somewhat snowing) and she was like "OH NO I LOVE THE RAIN!" Lorenzo followed up with, "MY GRANDDAUGHTER DANCES IN IT!" My thoughts were "oh how nice..." but then they were interrupted by her screaming "IN HER BIRTHDAY SUIT!" 

....TMI.... #MissionProbs

Hermano Rojas came out with us on a lesson with Irene. We asked her the baptismal questions so she could see her progress and where she is on her conversion. We had to end early but Hermano Rojas gave his conversion story-- I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS A CONVERT-- he's like my dad in that sense. SUPER converted to the gospel and shows it in his service to the Lord that people believe he grew up in the church. Some converts have some of the strongest testimonies. There are so many missionaries in my mission that have been less active and are serving now or baptized within the past 3 years. 

Zone Conference in Toelle was SO good. It was sad to see President Hansen go, but I sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer to the tune of Come thou fount. I felt the spirit so strong. We talked about obedience, diligence, and faith. It was such a great zone conference. That night we had an FHE with 2 recent converts and it was fun to teach them about Family History and show them my family tree. 

We went to the Salt Lake Temple on Saturday morning with Honorio, our 77 year old recent convert to do baptisms! He forgot his recommend so we went to the front desk. There were 30+ weddings happening that morning! THEY SAID THAT WAS A SLOW DAY! I miss working in the temple, but I loved being able to see the workers and the spirit they brought. Our bishop and a ton of our ward were actually in the temple because our bishops daughter is going on a mission in May and went through that morning. So once we got the recorder and the permission from the bishop, we went down to the baptistery and saw him do about 4-5 names. I loved hearing everything in Spanish and helping translate for him. There were also so many youth, like SO MANY YOUTH doing baptisms there. That made my heart really happy to see so many youth and Honorio doing baptisms. 

Saturday was pretty crazy too. We got home from temple square and were planning on doing our weekly planning, but then the Assistants to the President needed to meet with us and their convert who is going to be ours (we have a baptism on Saturday) and they were going to pass her over to us. NO ONE could give us a ride, then we FINALLY found a ride from the people that live behind us. Then she didn't show up because she was still sleeping (crazy work schedule) and then we got a ride from my grandma and grandpa Conger.  THEN around 8:30 she asked us to meet at her house and so we had to get another quick ride. It was so cold and we were freezing calling every member in the ward and no one was able to or they were not picking up the phone. Then FINALLY we got a hold of the Relief Society President and she came. 

Sunday was great, we got Gabby to meet our bishop and we are figuring out all her info for the baptism on Saturday morning! Junior got baptized on Sunday, he is 14 and baptized in an English ward but his family we are trying to teach and they only speak Spanish. So I bore my testimony in Spanglish. 

Ou te alofa ia te oe, I love you in Samoan :)

Te amo 

I love you all

xoxo

con mucho amor,

Hermana Blankmeyer