Sudden Sunday Service

Hey Family! I loved your emails this week! They really uplifted and strengthened me. Thank you for all that you do to support and love me. I love you! I can never say it enough! 

Dad: I am glad that you are done with busy season. I am so grateful that you made it through that trial just as you always have in the past. I knew you could do it. And thank you for that quote: "the Lord qualifies whom he calls." I love that. 

Mom: That's so fun about the primary class! I can’t wait to come home to a fixed up house! It will be so fun! And it seems like everyone here is putting in dark floors too. It must be "a thing". But yes I am a Sister Training Leader and I had to be sufficiently humble before I received the call... It’s actually a funny story...

-I had always looked up to my STL's and always wanted to be one... But my desire at first was a little prideful. I almost wanted it for the recognition. But the night before the call came I was pretty disappointed that I had not received a call yet. So I told Heavenly Father what I was feeling and I went to bed that night feeling relieved of a burden I didn't know I was carrying. Then the next morning, 45 minutes into personal studies, I still had not received a call, but this time my mindset was, I want to bless the lives of the sisters I am around, weather I am an STL or not... and that's when the call came from President Nattress, that he had put much prayer and consideration into me being an STL and that I was to teach my sisters love, perfect obedience, and hard work. But most of all to help them understand who they are as a daughter of God. And I thought, "ya I can do that" :) so, always be Humble, submissive, and teachable. That’s when the blessings come. I have been so richly blessed by my sisters. I am so grateful for them. I love them :) 

So Gabby's Baptism was wonderful! There were a lot of non-members there. Her dad, her grandma (Roxanne's mom who is southern Baptist...), and one of Roxanne's friends. So it was great :) Gabby was just the purest thing... she was a little nervous, probably stage fright, and so was Paul, who was baptizing her. But when she came up out of the water she just had this laugh of pure joy. She hugged Paul and it was just the sweetest thing I ever did see. :) 

Then of course she was confirmed in sacrament meeting the following day and now we keep teasing Cameron, Roxanne's 13 yr. old son that he needs to get baptized and he probably will :) so that's cool. 

Then I want to explain the sudden Sunday service thing... so I told you about Scott Wixom. Well, he is moving in with his girlfriend, Anna, and her son, Jonah. And so we stopped by to check on them and to see if we could do anything to help. And he was moving literally across the street and so we helped them carry boxes over and stuff and they were just super grateful and it definitely softened their hearts. So that’s good :) and the other night we gave Jonah a Book of Mormon and he said he would start to read and pray about it! Woo! They are so awesome and I just feel this immense love for them and for all the people I get to work with. It’s awesome. 

Other than that, nothing really happened. Just a good ole normal week in the field. 

I love y'all. Let me know if you need anything from me. Peace out.

Sister Haymond

Gabby's baptism 

"ASK and ye shall RECEIVE"

What a huge miracle this week. I cannot contain it any longer. 

So you know how Gabriel Lyons (her mom and step dad were just baptized...) had to get permission from her dad to get baptized? I mean this girl is like, GOLDEN. So of course we have been praying and fasting for her and for her dad's heart to be softened... well... HE SAID YES!  She is getting baptized this Saturday! How awesome!!! We are so excited!!! I know and can testify that God, our loving Heavenly Father, hears and answers prayers. If we but ASK in faith, we will RECEIVE! I know it! Joseph Smith had an experience with this verse that changed the world! I am so grateful to have the scriptures and to have the fullness of the everlasting gospel. It is true. Always has been, and always will be. 

{ Dad: thank you for sharing that experience and no I was not on exchanges... that is my companion, sister Rasmusen. who is basically my BFF and we both begged president to keep us together this transfer... and he did! }

{Mom: your week sounded good! I am so glad you got to go to the open house! I have seen so many pictures and videos to about it and I do remember going there and I LOVED IT. I am for sure so glad to know that even when things seem bad, something even greater can come of it. Just like the refiner’s fire. Sometimes we have to be melted down and purified and purged before we can become new. I actually shared that scripture/story with a super inactive family, after he told us that that's what he does is he refines silver, and he gave me and my comp an OZ of silver each. (Which is about 15$ worth now) it was pretty cool and they were pretty impressed that I could whip that up :) ha-ha but I love the pictures! Send more!!! Also I have no idea how you could send cake but I think I just prefer vanilla ... or chocolate... those are both good :) ha-ha}

Well everyone, my week was pretty good. We had some pretty sweet miracles. (See above :) 

Other than that, we had transfers and I didn't get transferred! So that's awesome! 

ALSO: This is the ONLY area on my mission that I have stayed for a converts baptism and confirmation, and seen them get the priesthood, temple recommends, and callings. Yes, Paul was ordained a priest in the Aaronic priesthood and he has matured and grown so much. And they both got their temple recommends and they both were called as ward missionaries and Roxanne got another calling as a RS committee chair member! So AWESOME!

Last Night, before that picture was sent, we had a lesson in a members home with one of his coworkers who has been asking questions about the church and one of her main concerns was "can I wear this tankini to that party? is it appropriate" and "so you can have caffeine but you can have chocolate???" and we laughed and we had a good time and we answered her concerns by building her faith in that there is a latter day prophet and that they receive revelation for us just as prophets of old. That Joseph Smith was called by God to restore or bring back the church of Jesus Christ. And she FELT THE SPIRIT. She said she felt so "warm" in her heart and that she just felt that it was right. And so guess what... we committed her to baptism. And she said YES.  

Ask and ye shall receive. 

Too bad she doesn't even live in our area!!!! But that's ok! Because the missionaries in her area now have a golden referral. 

But this is not all missionary work is... missionary work is as simple as an invitation... bringing up the gospel and tying it back to a normal conversation. For example: "what did you do over the weekend?" "Well, we took the kids down to go through the new temple on Friday and then had some soccer games on Saturday, and then we went to church on Sunday. Would you like to come with us next week?" "Ya sure I've never been to an LDS service before thanks!" OR "no that's ok I’m actually leaving to go out of town next week but maybe another time..." See??? Missionary work is easy. EASY!  And if you are not wearing a name tag on your chest, now is the time to paint one on your heart. (Some Apostle said that and I cannot remember who...) But anyways... the point is, we are all missionaries. That is part of our baptismal covenant. "To stand as a witness of God. At all times, and in all things, and in all places." 

I love you all so much! You are all amazing sons and daughters of the most high God. He loves you. 

Have a wonderful week! See miracles! Baptize nations! 

I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOUUUU! ;)