Miracles!

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been such a great week! We met with Gilbert a few times and he came to conference last week and came to church yesterday. He is gaining such a strong testimony and he shares the gospel with everyone. He told us he has been telling all his friends and family that he is meeting with the Mormons and that he is getting baptized soon. He has even been defending his faith to those who question what he is doing! I'm so proud of him and the changes he has made in his life. I can tell a huge difference in his countenance it is so much brighter and he is so happy and hopeful.

We also found a new investigator this week named Chris. His lesson was great! I've been waiting for the day when I would meet an investigator like Chris. He had such great questions and was really truly seeking for the truth. He is hungry for the light and truth of the gospel and it is such a miracle that we found him. We will be meeting with him again this week, so more on his progress next week.

We had a training this week on fasting and I really enjoyed it! My testimony of fasting has grown and deepened so much since I've been on my mission. It is a great opportunity to open the door to revelation as I abstain from food and water for a time and am able to focus on the spirit and receive the power and knowledge promised in the scriptures. It is a great opportunity to grow closer to the Savior as we fast with a purpose and seek after the things we want to know. I know He answers. I have experienced it and have seen it in others' lives as well.

I love you all so much. Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Williams

Princess Birthday Girl! That's me! I'm 20 now! Woo Who!!

 My Crazy Birthday hat!  My it is BIG!

 The Donut cake the Elwess' made for my birthday.

 The Elwess' also made German chocolate Chocolate cupcakes!  YUMMO!!

                Funny Pug Calender!

        My Thai Birthday Lunch. I got curry chicken! 

The Elwess Kids--they remind me of Lexi! It was such a wonderful birthday !!

Modern Day Revelation

Dear Family and Friends,

What a special week this has been. We have had the opportunity to hear from God's chosen prophet and apostles this week and to receive revelation for ourselves and our families. It is such a blessing to me to know when I have a question I can turn the the source of all truth, my Heavenly Father, and he will answer. This week He answered me through His servants here on the Earth.

I went prepared with questions and topics of things I wanted to receive greater light and revelation about and every single session of conference answered all of the things I asked about. How great it is to know just how real our Heavenly Father is as he listens to our prayers and knows the questions we are going to ask even before we ask them and prepares the way for us to receive the answer. He is such an amazing Father, and he is our Father.

I loved how General Conference talked so much about the Atonement. Every single talk without fail spoke of the Atonement. My favorite talk though was by David A. Bednar and his talk on fear. It was so comforting to me to hear his talk as well as confirming to me that I am on the right path and that my Heavenly Father is proud of me and He wants me to continue on in fearing Him. When I had my first interview with my mission president he asked me what my fears were and I sat there for a moment before responding, "I don't have any," I said. And its true I don't. I fear my God and it is the source of my confidence, obedience, and witness that His son lives because I wasn't always able to have this answer.. It was only though me applying the Atonement to my life that I can say the only thing I fear is God. How glorious this Plan of Ultimate Happiness our Father has for us.
 

I love you all and if you weren't able to watch conference or don't know what I am talking about, I will leave a link to where you can watch all the talks given. Have a great week and ask yourself, what am I going to do differently because of the things I received from conference?   Link:   lds.org

Love,

Sister Williams

It's my 20th Birthday today, April 6, 2015!  Happy Birthday to ME!!

 Mom and Dad sent me a birthday in a box care package with banners, hats, and horn blowers!!

 Last week I made Sister Woolsey a birthday cake--The Williams' family famous homemade from scratch chocolate buttermilk German Chocolate cake.  YUMMO!!

 Me, Sister Woolsey and Sister Elwess, an amazing member who texted mom.

He is Here!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week a video and website came out talking about our Savior Jesus Christ and how he still lives today. Here is the link to the site. Go check it out at helives.mormon.org  In the video it says the phrase He is Here and I wanted to share with you what that personally means to me.

I know Christ is alive today. Although I can't see Him, he is with me at all times through the Holy Ghost which I was a able to receive after I was baptized. I know because Christ lives, it makes it possible for me to receive His help in becoming like Him in this life. As I rely upon His Atonement and the power that comes from asking for His help I am able to become so much more than if I had relied on myself. I have this proven to me over and over again. I'm so grateful for the relationship I'm developing with my Savior and I know I am becoming one with Him which is what the Atonement means-- At One with Jesus Christ.

I invite all of you to learn how the Atonement is personal to you and specifically applies to your life and your relationship with the Savior.

I love you and I know true and everlasting happiness comes only by and through the holy Messiah.

Love,

Sister Williams

                          He lives here in me.

                      My District in Minot, ND

There is Power in Knowing Your Divine Worth

Dear Family and Friends,

First of all, I love you all so very much. This has been an awesome week! I was able to give a training in District Meeting about receiving revelation through the Book of Mormon. I really enjoyed preparing the training and giving it. I have gained such a love for the Book of Mormon.  The time I get to freely read it in the morning is so precious to me and I learn something to apply to my life every single time I read it.

We went to a tea party the Relief Society put on and they shared a picture book with us called You are Special and I really liked the story. It talks about a wooden puppet named Penichello and how there are these people running around sticking grey dots and gold stars on all these puppets.  The gold stars are for the special ones and the grey dots are for the average or run of the mill. One day he sees a puppet named Lucia and she is just glowing and radiating and none of the stars or grey dots stick to her. She told Penichello she goes and talks with the Woodcarver and he helps her understand her worth. I loved this story and I really identify with Lucia. When we care the most about what our Heavenly Father thinks of us and rely on him to help us understand our worth and divine identity, the things of the world don't affect us.

We are finding so many people to teach it is crazy! My planner is full with appointments everyday this week. I'll let you know how they all go next week. I love being here in Minot. There is a lot of hard work to do and I love feeling exhausted at the end of everyday. It is so fulfilling! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Williams

                            Skirt on Fire!  Watch it burn.

                       It's a dead skirt!

 My companion Sister Woolsey burned a skirt for her 1 year mark!

Miracles in Minot

Dear Family and Friends,                                         March 9, 2015

Well this has been a fantastic week! We are seeing so many miracles here in Minot! Thank you all for your prayers and support. We have found so many people to teach and the Lord is blessing this area immensely. We found a man named Godwin while tracting and when he opened the door he looked at us like we had met before. When we went back a few days later it was like we had known each other forever. After the lesson the member we had with us said, "He felt so familiar, did you feel the same way?" I know all have a divine identity and we lived all together with our Heavenly Father before we came to this Earth. I know I promised many people I would find them here on Earth and I feel that Godwin was one of them.

We also began teaching Geffrey, who has such a strong desire to be a disciple of Christ and he has all the pieces of the truth and I'm excited to help him see the big picture and help him put the pieces all together. He came to church this Sunday and our lesson was on the Holy Ghost. I was talking to him after the class and he said you know it was the Holy Ghost that got me here today. I wasn't going to come today but there was something inside me telling me to go.

We also met with Gilbert who is on date to get baptized and he is so excited to be baptized! He is so great he reads everything we leave with him and I can see how the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ is filling his life. He has become so much more happy in the few weeks I've known him and it is all Because of our Savoir Jesus Christ.

I came across an article on lds.org about Leo Tolstoy thoughts on Mormonism and you know me and literature we are best friends so I thought this was really cool. Concerning the doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints he said, "Their principles teach the people not only of heaven and its attendant glories, but how to live so that their social and economic relations with each other are placed on a sound basis. If the people follow the teachings of this church, nothing can stop their progress—it will be limitless.” I know this is true. I have seen this progress in the people we teach and especially in myself and I know my potential is infinite because I am a child of the Almighty God, and so are you.

Tolstoy continued, “There have been great movements started in the past but they have died or been modified before they reached maturity. If Mormonism is able to endure, unmodified, until it reaches the third and fourth generation, it is destined to become the greatest power the world has ever known.”

 I know this is true as well and is currently happening right now. The Lord is hastening his work and I will be ever grateful to be at the helm of it! I know this gospel is true and contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love you all so much. Have a great week and know everything is possible, Because of Him.

Love,

Sister Williams

   **Here is the link to a wonderful video that you will all enjoy. Its message is for everyone--please watch it.

https://www.lds.org/youth/video/because-of-him?lang=eng

                  My Blanket From Lexi!  It's so warm and fuzzy!!

 

                 A British investigator named Margret--I love her!!

            Out to Lunch with the Sisters after Zone Training meeting.

                   A Beautiful North Dakota Sky

Feast Upon the Words of Christ

Dear Family and Friends,

This has been a fantastic week full of new investigators and lots of lessons. The Lord has been leading us to those who are ready to hear His gospel and it has been an honor to be as tired as we are. We have really been trying to talk with everyone and it is paying off ten fold.  It is how we met Lamont on the way to a dinner appointment.

We had just gotten out of the car and I saw a guy walking across the street. I called out to him and told him who we were and if we could visit with him sometime and he said, "Yeah, I'll be back in ten minutes. I live right there in the green house." We were able to call a member quickly and we had a lesson with him. Come to find out he has a friend who is a member that has been trying to bring him to church for the past 6 months. We were able to meet with Lamont again a second time and he accepted to be baptized on April 18th.

As well as finding and teaching a bunch I've also been receiving a lot of personal revelation as I've read from the Book of Mormon. I love feasting upon the words of Christ every morning. It truly fills my soul with peace, happiness, and joy. I also have to give thanks to my sophomore English teacher Mr. Reichert who taught me how to properly feast upon words. The lessons I learned from his class have always stuck with me and are a big part of how I get so much out of my reading. I will always be grateful for the tools I have in my arsenal because of his teaching.

I know the Book of Mormon is true with everything I am. It is delicious to me and I look forward to every time I am able to feed my spirit through its words. I read a verse the other day that really stood out to me and showed me how much our Heavenly Father loves us and is helping us at every turn along this journey back to him.

Mosiah 1:17, "Therefore, as they were unfaithful they did not prosper nor progress in their journey, but were driven back, and incurred the displeasure of God upon them; and therefore they were smitten with famine and sore afflictions, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty."

When we aren't moving forward we move backwards but our Heavenly Father will be there to give us a push in the right direction again and again and again because He loves us.

I love you all and I hope you have a great week. Take advantage of the incredible blessing we have been given in the Book of Mormon I know as you read it you will understand your relationship with God more than by anything else. I love you.

Love,

Sister Williams

         He really wanted to read the Book of Mormon!

 I did some family history this week and I have Viking blood in me!

 Norwegian Church. We went to the Norwegian museum last P-day.

 Knock Knock Anna, Elsa are you home? I'm Frozen!

                     These are Turkeys in the tree!

                    Cool house we found while tracting.

 We are related to the founder of Ceder City! He is my Great Great Great Grandpa.

                   This is him, Henry Lunt.

Follow The Spirit

Dear Family and Friends,

This will be a shorter post on account of all my email time is gone, but have no fear there are a ton of pictures coming your way as well as a short thought.

The Spirit is the single most important element in this work. I learned this vital principle this week as I didn't follow a prompting. However, I know Heavenly Father is directing this work and helped me  correct my course. In my studies today I came across this verse from 2 Nephi 28:32 --

32 Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts.

I know the hand of the Lord is always extended to us no matter what we may choose to do. He is always hopeful that we will choose Him and He allows us to choose Him every step of the way. I love this gospel and I know it is true. I know with all the fiber of my being the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

Love,
Sister Williams

 Sister Woolsey, my new companion, and me in Minot, North Dakota

 My apartment in Minot, North Dakota.  It's cozy and cute.

 The other end of my apartment. It's small but comfortable and cozy.

 Exchanges and being reunited with Sister Barrett in Williston, North Dakota.

 A painting Gilbert gave to me.