By Small and Simple Means Are Great Things Brought to Pass

Dear Family & Friends,

This week was great! I got settled into Crookston and we have been working hard. We have spent a majority of the week contacting people. One of my favorite parts of missionary work is being able to have meaningful conversations with people--To be able to know what matters most to them, what their concerns are for themselves and their families, and helping them to see how the gospel holds the answers to everything they are seeking after.

We had a great lesson with a couple of investigators this week named Jo & Heather. We wanted to help them see how the Book of Mormon answers the questions of their soul. They wanted to know why God would allow so much suffering and pain to occur in our lives and what their purpose in life is. We invited them to read 2 Nephi 2 and to pray with that question in mind before and after they read. We came back a couple days later and they had a change of heart. As they read from the Book of Mormon they found the answer to their question and had the desire to learn more and to come to church.

I know the Book of Mormon is true and if we read it with real intent and a desire to know if it is true the Holy Ghost will reveal the truth of it unto us. I love being able to turn to my Father in Heaven in prayer with my questions and concerns and then to open the Book of Mormon and hear his voice through its pages with all the love of a tender parent as he helps me along with gaining the truth I need line upon line precept upon precept. I'm eternally grateful to live in a time where the truth and fulness of the gospel has been restored to the earth. It is a testament and evidence of God's love for us, his children.

I love you all so much and hope you have an excellent week! Turkey Day is around the corner.  What are some things you are all grateful for? Email me your responses!

Love,

Sister Williams


The Book of Mormon-- If you want a copy let me know!

Gordon Stanley Lunt

Dear Family & Friends,

This week I received a phone call from my Mission President's Wife telling me that my Uncle Gordon had passed away. I knew he wasn't doing very well and when I received the call I was happy to know that he had been released from the pain he was experiencing and from the limitations he had in this life. 

I had the most wonderful opportunity to go to the temple after I found out about Gordon passing away. I went seeking comfort and to know he was happy. I felt an overwhelming sense of peace and warmth run through my body during the entire temple session. As I sat in the Celestial room I knew he was there and he was so full of joy! I know he is doing missionary work there in the spirit world. I know he is able to do so much more now and I'm excited for the day when we will have a joyful reunion. I'm grateful for the opportunity I had to strengthen my understanding of the Plan of Salvation through this whole experience.

I wanted to share some of my favorite memories about Gordon. With Christmas just around the corner (yes I know Thanksgiving hasn't happened yet) Gordon would always have a Santa hat on for most of the month of December and sing "Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer" all the time. He was a hard worker and I will never pass a Burger King without thinking of him. (He worked there for over 30 years) He taught me a lot about my divine identity as a daughter of God. He always made sure I knew how I should be treated by others, especially men, and I knew if I ever had a  problem he would be there. He had the biggest heart of anyone I know! He loves hugs and I will miss his whiskery kisses on my cheek. He always said "Take it easy" instead of goodbye. He was one of the greatest missionaries I know. He wouldn't let one person go by without engaging them in a conversation which would usually result in him telling them he was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

I love him so much and I will miss him, but I know he is so much happier now and I know he will be watching over me. I love you all so much.

Take it Easy,

Sister Williams

Uncle Gordon and me before I left for the mission field! I love this guy to the moon and back again!

   We are so cute! Gordon and I hamming it up!

 My new companion, Sister Anderson. We came out together and she is from Temecula CA!

  Sister Bowser and I. She is doing her #FIERCE pose! We are in a trio now. 

 Three bedin' it! Mine is in the middle. The apartment is great and it has all the alarms and window locks and all that jazz =D

 Sister Richins and me (Mother and Daughter) after we went to the temple!

 Taking over the Mission Home! We got to stay there for a couple days and had the house all to ourselves so we had breakfast for dinner!

 My photo wall!  All my favorite people and places in all the world!

 Elder Renlund meeting me in my mission when he came to visit in September, just 3 weeks before he was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  What a wonderful man he is!

My Joy is Full

Dear Friends and Family,

Well get ready for the latest addition of the traveling adventures of Sister Williams! We made it to Philip,SD on Thursday and settled into our apartment. Philip is cute. It is a small town of 800 or so people and everyone waves to you-- it is quite pleasant. We are part of the Rapid Valley Ward so we traveled there for church yesterday and started to meet the ward members who were surprised & excited to see us...they didn't know their ward was getting Sisters! We found out our area boundary and we will be covering Philip, Kadoka, and Wall. It is going to be exciting to find the people the Lord has prepared to receive the gospel at this time!

We went to Rosebud and Winner on Tuesday and Wednesday to do a goodbye tour of the areas. I am going to miss these people so much. Our time together was short, but I feel so blessed and grateful to have had the time to get to know the people in these areas that I did. I took a bunch of pictures with everyone so I will post those with comments.

My ponderizing scripture this week is Doctrine & Covenants 42:61

If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.

I love the promise given in this scripture that as we ask we WILL receive revelation and the knowledge we are seeking after. As I've been on my mission I have truly learned how to receive personal revelation. It has been one of the greatest personal blessings I've received from serving the Lord. My relationship with the Holy Ghost has grown immensely as I've been able to recognize him teaching me and giving me promptings to follow. Through this I've also grown so much closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father. I better understand the Atonement and through it have realized my Divine Potential and the Potential of those who surround me.

Our Heavenly Father wants to give us everything he wants us to obtain eternal life and his gospel is the plan he has given us to accomplish this goal. I'm so grateful for my family and the influence they have had in helping me along this path. There have been many times as I've been in the mission field where I will reflect back to a time and have been able to recognize how the Lord placed specific people in my life at crucial times to help me continue on the path I've embarked on and oh how grateful I am to know his arm is always extended to me and His tender mercies abound on my life. I love you all so much; my hope is that each one of you will be able to taste of the sweet joy which comes from living the gospel.  The joy which comes from living the Fathers plan now is a foretaste of  the eternal joy we will have as we dwell in His presence forever.

Love,

Sister Williams

      Last Day in Valentine, Nebraska!

 This one is for Dad--he sent me the BOMB card so I did this.

 This is Wyatt, Tory, and Piper-- I love this Family SOO much. It hurt parting ways they are such great people!

 This is the Barreto family! They are the best family I love them! Shout out to Jill Barreto and Sissy's Café in Gregory, SD.  Everyone should make the trip to Sissy's--they have the BEST food ever! Especially PIE =D

 It is Autumn and it is still surprisingly warm! It is going to be a good winter this year!

A gorgeous lake we found in Burke.

All Inclusive-Exclusive Group

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, it has been a whirlwind of a transfer and today we just got transfer calls and we are in for another whirlwind transfer! We are staying together, but we are being sent to Philip, SD to open and start a group, which is even smaller than a branch. BUT the apartment there isn't ready yet so we will be living in Valentine and driving to work in Winner everyday until President Hess calls us and tells us to go move to Philip. There will be Elders covering the Reservation and once we move they will cover Winner too. President is trying to buy a house in Winner and once that is secured then that branch will have their own set of missionaries. It has been pretty crazy, but I'm excited for another new adventure!

Since I don't know where I'm living if anyone would like to send me a letter go through the Mission Office address:

North Dakota Bismarck Mission
Sister Makaela Williams
101 Slate Drive #7
Bismarck,ND 58503

You can also e-mail me and I will more likely receive your message: makaela.williams@myldsmail.net

This week my ponderizing scripture is Alma 41:14

 14 Therefore, my son, see that you are merciful unto your brethren; deal justly, judge righteously, and do good continually; and if ye do all these things then shall ye receive your reward; yea, ye shall have mercy restored unto you again; ye shall have justice restored unto you again; ye shall have a righteous judgment restored unto you again; and ye shall have good rewarded unto you again.

This life is a time to prepare to meet God. I know my mission has been a time for me to prepare for the rest of my life. The habits I've developed, knowledge I've gained, experiences I've had have all prepared me for what is to come and I will be eternally grateful for this time I have to serve the Lord. He has allowed me to be his hands in this area and it has helped me to see how his hand is always in my life. I love you all!

Love,

Sister Williams

            The wide open beautiful place that I call home!  South Dakota!

 Me, Sister Richins, Clark, & Stone--we all live together in Valentine, Nebraska

            District of Red--We are all wearing some red--can you spot it?

 Cute family of all boys! I served around this family when I was in Fargo and then they moved to Winner.

 This is how you find a house in the middle of nowhere.  Sis. Richins is trying to figure it out.

 It's pheasant hunting season! What better place to come than Winner, South Dakota?!

The Traveling Missionary

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, this was a crazy week! I wasn't in my area at all this week. I ended up traveling to Pierre, SD and then on to Bismarck for a Missionary Leadership Council meeting which was amazing! We were able to go the temple--in total there were 66 missionaries in the session and it was a great experience. I learned a lot from the MTC Directors that came to train us and I am excited to apply everything they trained us on. Then I spent a couple days in Pierre with the Sisters there working in their area, meanwhile my companion was working in our area.

Eventually, we made it to Sunday and we both were able to speak in the Rosebud Branch on Becoming More Christlike. Next Sunday we are speaking in the Winner Branch again about "How Our Missions Have Changed Us." I'm so excited to be speaking so much--I love giving talks.

We had a really neat visit with a woman from the Rosebud Branch named Belinda. I love her so much. She grew up on a Navajo Reservation in Arizona and then married a Sioux while going to college at BYU, so then they moved back to his Reservation here. She was telling us a bunch about Native American Culture and the entire time she was telling us these things, it all related to the Book of Mormon. Serving on the Reservation has strengthened my testimony so much of the Book of Mormon.  I know it was written by the ancestors of the Native Americans.  I'm truly grateful to be serving here.

I know the Book of Mormon is true. It contains the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have gotten closer to my Savior by reading and applying it to my life and I have found the answers to the questions I'm seeking in its pages.  I love you all so much!

Love,

Sister Williams

            Cool street art on the Reservation

 This is Patty Busch. She is in the church Branch and has lived on the Reservation for 40 years. She is the sweetest woman you could ever meet!

 The Barker Family! I love these people--They are so sweet!

 While in Pierre, I was with Sister Clark and we drew  the Plan of Salvation in chalk!  Bucket list item!

 This is the Pierre Zone at our Zone training meeting.

The Rosebud Branch of the Vineyard

Dear Family and Friends,

Well, it was another exciting week in the life of a Sister Missionary! We spent a lot of time tracting on the Reservation this week and I have loved getting to know the people and their culture. They are so in tune with the spirit and have a strong relationship with our Creator. It has been great going out with the members of the Branch and working together as missionaries and members to bring about the Lords work.

I love serving in a Branch. It has a very different feeling than a ward. It really feels like a family and the love of our Heavenly Father can be felt so strongly through the spirit which is there. We were able to teach the younger half of the Primary on Sunday and conduct singing time and it was so much fun! Those kids are so great and full of the spirit.

My Ponder-ize scripture of the week is found in Doctrine & Covenants 29:34--

"Wherefore, verily I say unto you that all things unto me are spiritual, and not at any time have I given unto you a law which was temporal; neither any man, nor the children of men; neither Adam, your father, whom I created."

The thing that stood out to me today as I pondered this verse is "that all things unto me are spiritual." I thought of how often we categorize our lives; this is my school life, church life, work life, home life, etc. But if we are truly striving to become like our Savior, our thoughts and perspective need to be aligned with His. ALL THINGS unto Him are spiritual. As I go throughout this week I'm going to strive to think of everything in a spiritual way and perspective. I'm excited to see how my thoughts will be purified and I know it will help to purify my heart.

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

Love,

Sister Williams


      The primary kids! =D  They are the cuteset.  We got to teach them music last Sunday at church.

                     Navy Blue Matching District!  We are small in numbers, but mighty in Spirit!

     No need to send my traditional Christmas PJs this year-- I bought myself some Little Mermaid ones!

              We named our Jeep Jericho!  Hi Ho Silver, and away!  It gets us where we need to be! Lovin it!

                          Ponderize the scriptures

Modern Day Prophets

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow! This has been an amazing week! I'll start with the calling of three new apostles! Dale G. Renlund was here in the mission three weeks ago for our Zone Conference and he spoke to us and I have a photo with him! His talk that he shared in conference was a lot of what he spoke to us about so I got to receive the message face to face. It truly was amazing to have met this man in person and then to sustain him as an apostle a few weeks later. I know he was called by Jesus Christ to be His apostle. I fully sustain him and the other apostles.

I loved all the talks especially D. Todd Christofferson, who spoke on the necessity for the organization and institution of the church; and Devin G. Durrant who invited us all to "ponderize" the scriptures which includes 80% pondering, 20% memorization. There were so many more talks as well that as I listened to them the spirit spoke to my heart and revealed to me the things I need to know. I will leave a link where you can go and watch conference for yourself and listen carefully to the whisperings of the spirit. I know he will reveal to you all things you stand in need of.   General Conference 

I started my 20 year commitment to ponderize a scripture every week today. This week my scripture is 3 Nephi 27:13 "Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me." I studied all the footnotes today and had a very fulfilling study of the scriptures! I'm excited to ponderize the scriptures and I'll update you every week!

I'm so grateful for modern day prophets, seers, and revelators. In the Book of Mormon it gives us a definition of a prophet in Mosiah 8:16-18:

16 And Ammon said that a seer is a revelator and a prophet also; and a gift which is greater can no man have, except he should possess the power of God, which no man can; yet a man may have great power given him from God.

 17 But a seer can know of things which are past, and also of things which are to come, and by them shall all things be revealed, or, rather, shall secret things be made manifest, and hidden things shall come to light, and things which are not known shall be made known by them, and also things shall be made known by them which otherwise could not be known.

 18 Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings.

I know the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are called by Jesus Christ to do exactly what this scripture says and they indeed are a great benefit to us all. I know Thomas S. Monson is Christ's chosen prophet at this time. I invite all to come to this same knowledge by praying and asking God to know this divine truth. I know he will reveal it to you and once you have this witness I would ask, What does this mean for my life?

I love you all so much and I am so blessed to live in this time when the fullness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth.

Love,

Sister Williams

We watched Sunday Sessions of Conference at the Barker's house in Rosebud and these are all the children-- aren't they cute =D

                           This is our district! 

 We were exploring the Reservation and found a Purple Catholic Church

                   HAHAHA! Oh funny signs at churches. 

 We journeyed to the edge of our area, which happens to be the edge of our mission as well. This is the Missouri River  the Fort Randell Damn. 

                           The Trailer in all its Glory!

 Here is the view from our back door. It is an Apple Orchard. We live on the District President's Porperty.