I Stand All Amazed!

Dear Family and Friends,

This was a fantastic week! Fallah was baptized on Saturday and the spirit was so strong. It has been a true honor to teach Fallah and to have him teach me. He had been so prepared to follow Jesus Christ and I'm excited to see him continue in his gospel progression and to make more covenants with our Heavenly Father in the Temple next year. Sister Mansell had found a scripture that describes our experience with Fallah and we were reading it together when I realized something really cool. 

It is in Doctrine & Covenants 29:7  "And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts." Fallah was baptized on August 29, which was a Saturday the 7th day of the week! There are no coincidences. Fallah truly is one of the Lords elect and it was a true honor to help him come closer to Christ. 

Last night we had an appointment that fell through, but as we were leaving the apartment building there was a man walking up the stairs past us and I stopped him, said hello and began to talk with him. He said he has been in a dark place for a long time and that he is a "lost sheep." We were able to talk about the Atonement and restoration of the Priesthood. We invited him to meet with us and learn more and he gladly accepted saying it was time to start coming back to the light.

As I reflected on this experience I thought how Jesus Christ is our Shepard. He knows his sheep. I didn't know when I reached out to this man what he had been going through, but the savoir did. Christ uses his  servants to actually physically reach to those he knows are prepared to receive his loving help. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to literally be the hands of my Savior. I know He lives and He is guiding his church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, through his prophet and apostles. What peace fills my soul from having this knowledge. I love you all so much and would invite you to reach out and speak out to those you come in contact with this week. I invite you to be the hands of our Savior.  

Love,

Sister Williams

Fallah's baptism day! He is the most wonderful person and was prepared to meet us at this time.

   Another Baptism photo of Fallah! He is an awesome new member of the church!

Week of Miracles

Dear Family and Friends,

This was such an amazing week! I hit my one year mark this week on August 20, 2015. Honestly, I can't believe it has been a year. I feel like it was only yesterday I was at the MTC. I've learned so much in this year and have been able to reach so many people. I'm excited for the remaining time I have to work with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.

Breanna was baptized on Saturday and it was a beautiful baptism. She looked beautiful in her hand made baptismal dress. Her mom Ashley is a fantastic seamstress and she looked like an angel. Sister Mansell and I sang an a capella version of "Abide with me, Tis Eventide" and it was beautiful. I love singing and it has been really fun to share that talent on my mission. 

Fallah is doing so well! We had a lesson with him this past week and he taught us the law of tithing and he is so excited to get baptized and he is so prepared. He wants to follow the commandments, it is the true desire of his heart. It has been an honor to teach Fallah.

We also had a less active member we've been working with for a while come to church this Sunday!!! He brought his young daughter with him and said how he remembers as a young child learning about the gospel and he can't deprive his daughter of being raised in the gospel! It was such a happy day! 

I also got to see some friends from Fargo, they were here doing their stake temple day on Saturday and it was so awesome to see them again. It's kind of a funny story actually. We drove up to the church, the temple and the church share a parking lot, and I saw Sister Brooks' car in the lot. I got so excited and as we were walking into the building I said a prayer that I would be able to see her. Well, ask and ye shall receive-- I entered the building and saw Sister West then followed her into the nursery and there was Sister Brooks and Sister Tomola! It was great! 

I love being a missionary and I'm excited for this coming week! We have Fallah's baptism, exchanges, and a training from the President. Talk you next week!

Love,

Sister Williams 

                       The Field is White! The many fields of wheat in North Dakota!

           The Field is white already to harvest!

          Happy One Year Anniversary to me! August 20, 2014--August 20, 2015 !

        Best Companion left me a note =D

                         Breanna's Baptism!

 Beautiful girl Breanna in her homemade, white baptismal dress!

 Fargo Reunion--My wonderful friends from my first area of Fargo/Moorhead.

               Exchanges with Sister Merrell

 Exchanges with Sister Finlinson and a beautiful sunflower field!

Perfect Brightness of Hope

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a fantastic week! I loved Zone Training Meeting especially the training on Faith and Obedience. We applied the training right after it was over and saw miracles. My personal commitment was to have more faith in the plans we make and as we went through our day I knew we needed to be in each place and we saw miracles. 

We decided to go try a Former investigator and on the way there we stopped and talked with Samuel, who was just walking down the street. We shared the First Vision with him and he felt the spirit very strongly. He told us how he has been praying for three years that God would send His people to help him know which church to go to. He told us how that morning he was going to get in his car, but then he felt like he just needed to walk. He was quite a ways from his house as well and our timing was perfect that we ran into him on this street. When we make plans and consecrate them to the Lord he prepares us and his children to fulfill his purposes. 

Then following our next plan we went tracting in a trailer park and the second door we knocked on we were invited in and we taught a great Restoration lesson. She understood it all very well and kept saying, "That makes sense." She was so grateful we shared this message with her. She is going to pray about the priesthood and to know if what we shared with her is true. We are seeing her in a couple weeks! 

I'm so grateful to be serving the Lord at this time. I've seen how He uses me as an instrument and I am honored for the opportunity to do His will. I love you all so much! 

Love,

Sister Williams

I'm going to be an Auntie to a beautiful baby girl!!  Parker and Ashley are having a baby in December!

           All the Sisters in our Zone! 

 We got Water and Granola bars from our awesome tracting Restoration lesson!

I Couldn't go to Africa, so the Lord Brought Africa to Me!

Dear Family and Friends,

This was a fantastic week! We have an investigator named Fallah, he is from Liberia. We found him in the Former Investigators in our Area Book a few weeks ago and he is so prepared to receive the gospel. We have had a few lessons with him and he teaches everything back to us and has a great understanding of the gospel. He was able to come to church this week too and he is progressing so much. Doctrine & Covenants 29:7 "And ye are called to bring to pass the gathering of mine elect; for mine elect hear my voice and harden not their hearts."This verse perfectly describes what it is like teaching Fallah. 

We found two new investigators this week, also from Liberia, Kebbeh and Henason. Kebbeh is the wife of a recent convert, Joseph, and Henason is her uncle. They both have such a strong relationship with Christ and Heavenly Father. We are excited to continue teaching them. Ealier in the week we met with Joseph to talk about receiving the priesthood and he expressed to us how strongly he wants his whole family to be with him in the gospel. I am so happy to be teaching his wife and eventually start teaching his 9 children (all daughters)! 

We did a bunch of tracting this week as well and were inspired by the spirit with a neat approach to use. We start off by sharing a picture of Jesus Christ appearing to the Nephites and asked "What would it mean to you to know Jesus Christ appeared to the people here in ancient America after he was resurrected?" Then we told them how we have a record of this found in the Book of Mormon and show them 3 Nephi 11. Most of the people we talked with excitedly accepted a Book of Mormon and said they would read it. We found one person, Larry, who seemed really interested that we will be contacting this week.

It was awesome to share the Book of Mormon with others. I love that book and I know it is true. Every time I read it, it is confirmed to me. I'm so grateful to be serving the Lord at this time helping others to come unto Christ and to help families be together forever. I love you all!

Love,

Sister Williams

Look! This is my planner cover for the transfer. It has all of our faces on it because we all have anniversaries this month! 

                      Another Beautiful Sunset!

                 The most beautiful sunsets =D

You Have Arrived!

Dear Family and Friends,

This was a great week! It started off fantastic! On Tuesday we went on splits and we knew we needed to be in a specific place, but we didn't know where that was. So we said a prayer and the name Jennifer popped into Sister Mansell's mind and I remembered I had written that name down in my planner. We figured out it was a woman we had done service for the week before, but we couldn't remember exactly how to get there. We followed the spirit and needless to say He guided us there. So we tried her door and she wasn't home and we decided to tract the whole street. We headed up to the last house on the block after the whole street wasn't interested and we looked down at the doormat and it said, "You have Arrived." We were felling good! 

A man answered the door with his little girl and invited us in. His wife was sitting at the counter with a newborn baby. We watched Because of Him with them and got to talking. They were both Catholic and have had multiple LDS friends throughout their lives. They asked if I had ever watched the Shaytards on YouTube, they are an LDS family that makes video blogs of their life. I jumped with excitement because in my former life before I was a missionary I watched their videos all the time! We had a great conversation about our mission service, sacrament, and their beliefs--it was great! 

They didn't become new investigators that night but I knew we needed to be there. The spirit was so strong the entire time we were there. I want them to be able to partake in the blessings of having an eternal family and I know this was just one step closer for them to decide to take that path. 

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Williams

Our last companionship photo at the temple.

                       Our District! 

I Will Glory, Rejoice, and Praise my God Forever!

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow! This has been a jam packed week full of tons of amazing things! We were able to go to the Temple and as I was sitting in the Endowment room waiting for the session to start I was hoping I would see someone from one  of my past areas and then Sister Elwess walked in. When I saw her in the Celestial room she came up and gave me a big hug. I love her so much and I'm truly so grateful I met their family. They are amazing and it was such a tender mercy to see her. 

It is an amazing truth I hold dear to my heart knowing I can receive direct revelation from my Heavenly Father. I was looking back in my study journal this morning at the last time I went to the temple which was in May. I recorded a bunch of questions I had after that session. From that time in May to Saturday July 25th the Lord helped me seek and prepared my heart and mind to receive the answers. And I did receive the answers to all those questions. It is truly amazing to literally see the Lords hand in my life. My favorite scripture is Matthew 7:7-8  

7 ¶Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find;knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

 8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

We also had amazing lessons with people this week! We have an investigator named Fallah. He is from Liberia and is so prepared to receive the gospel. We took him on a church tour and ended at the temple and he said I'm going there someday! We also were able to meet with a less active woman named Onetta Viea and she is one spitfire of a woman. I love her. She is older and wanted help with her family history and I was able to help her prepare 30 ordinances to take to the temple! She came to church on Sunday and told the Bishop she would be there next Sunday and she wants to work towards getting her temple recommend again. 

I feel like Ammon in Alma 26:16-- Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

I'm so grateful to be serving the Lord at this time. My joy is full and I love this gospel! It is true. I love you all so very much. Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Williams

This is Onetta! I love her so much. She is one spunky lady!

 Sunscreen warrior! I will defeat the sun!

 Yummy! I made my companions and myself some stir fry.

                            Crab for days!

 I love to go to the Temple. We had lunch on the temple grounds on Sunday.

A Week in Pictures!

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a full week! I can't believe all that has happened this week. It feels as though it has been a month. We went on exchanges in Dickinson, had Zone Conference, and Thursday happened! I'm so grateful for inspired leaders who follow the spirit. I know and truly testify Jesus Christ is the head of this church and he is directing his work.

Let me expound a little about Thursday. But first, I have to give a little background info on Zone Conference. So the training we received was so inspired. It was about taking the time to set expectations and invite them to be baptized in the first lesson. So Thursday we applied everything we learned and we had six lessons, two new investigators, and went on splits and had four lessons in one hour. It was amazing! Also this week we were able to meet with an investigator named Drew and he is progressing now! And we found a less active member who really wants to go to the temple so we are working with her on that. I also found out Mark Peer is preparing to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and is on schedule to go to the temple on his year mark in October! Mark was a baptism from my first area in Moorhead, MN.

This was a truly amazing week and I love being about my Fathers business. 

Love,

Sister Williams 

                      This is Salem Sue. 

            Look! I'm udderly ridiculous!

 Dem Bones-- A woolly Mammoth! There is a really cool museum here we went to last week. 

 I've always wanted to draw the Plan of Salvation in Chalk! Mission accomplished on exchanges in Dickinson. This is an outside chalkboard on a building wall.

 This is Sister Hess, the New Mission President's Wife.

 We are the Three Musketeers! Sis. Andrews, Sis. Mansell, and me!

 This is Ashley and Breanna. We are teaching Breanna she is getting baptized on August 1st! She is 14.

                  That Beautiful North Dakota Sky!