Living my best life!! God is oh so good!

 Hello hello! Can you believe General Conference is NEXT WEEK?! and EASTER?! April is the best!!

I hope this week has been great! Shoutout to Mama King - it was her birthday yesterday!! I love my mom and am so grateful for her! Think of someone you're grateful for and TELL THEM. TODAY. 

Some highlights:)

- Well! This past week we had Mission Leadership Council TWICE. It is the time of year where we has the mission tour and so Elder and Sister Stanfill joined us virtually! We had a pre-MLC and then a half hour after later we had a 4 hour Zone conference! Two days later we had a followup MLC! Wow. It was so special. We learned a lot about the influence we have on other people and how Christ views us! It was the BEST! My mission has only gotten better and it's things like Zone Conference that make me realize just how important the gospel is and just how loved we are by our Savior and our Father in Heaven!

- on Sunday we went to the Brandon zone and had a meeting with their stake presidency all about social media. Something that has BLOWN my mind about the work is how stakes, wards, and members really are hopping on board and making their own goals for social media! The Brandon stake President looked at all of us and said they have already seen more success in the 3 months with social media and baptisms than ALL of last year! He said the the goal that the area presidency is something that they would blow out of the water and it's because of social media. SO COOL. 

- We had exchanges this week and it was SO FUN! I went with Sister McCauley and she came to my area! We went to the Book of Mormon class and it was SO COOL to hear a room of recent converts talking about how the joy they've felt from the gospel is something they want to share with everyone. The Spirit is so strong every week!! 

- While we were on exchanges this past week, we both made goals to be more bold in every conversation and interaction we have with people! We started calling some potentials and we called Letticia! She answered and we introduced ourselves and she said to hold on. Usually this means one of two things...she's going to hang up OR she would take awhile to get back on and eventually forget to get back on...BUT not even 10 seconds later there was a notification on our phone that said "conference call started". When Letticia found out it was the missionaries she immediately added her sister Lisa in and they were so excited to talk. They opened up about a lot that they've been going through! We got to teach them about Christ's love and invited them to meet with us again!! Please please pray for them! They are so amazing and want the best for their families!! 

- Returning member miracle! A miracle that I want to share happened yesterday! We has a feeling to go wait out in the foyer to greet people! A lady walked in named Janice. Turns out she is a returning member that hasn't been to church in YEARS. She just moved to Florida from Utah but has lived all over the states. She is struggling from coming back from a few divorces and just getting back on her feet! We welcomed her and introduced her to a few of the members and they just LOVED HER. She really felt like something was missing and she knew it had to be the church. We gave her a tour around the chapel and she loved it! She started crying and said we were the missing piece and she finally felt the spirit again! This gospel is TRUE. One of the biggest blessings of my mission has been able to see how powerful the gospel is. It's powerful because it really is Christ's church. His gospel. And that changes people! Seeing people accept the gospel has hands down been the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. 

I hope you all are SO EXCITED for General Conference!!!!!

Well I have a thought and a challenge for each of you!

My thought is from John 15! We talked a lot about this during zone conference and MLC! 

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

I LOVE THIS. Have you ever considered yourself a friend of the Savior? I honestly had never read this like that until now. We are all disciples of Christ and He considers us F R I E N D S. I want you each to take this to heart and to think about this! We each have a special place in Christ's life, heart and mind. Something that I've learned on my mission is how F A R Christ's love reaches. He L O V E S us. Remember your worth:)

I challenge each of you to pray and think about a specific question that you need answered! I want to promise you that if you pray sincerely, you W I L L get your answer during General Conference. 

I love each of you! Thank you for your prayers and support:))

Hermana King

SO MUCH GRATITUDE

 Hi friends! Hi family! 

This week was just full of miracles and I sure hope it was for you all too!! 

Here are only a FEW from the week!! 

- We called a reference and turns out he is a  veteran named Ken and he asked us to be baptized because he did his research and all the other churches just aren't true. He said he "would fly to salt lake to be baptized" and we said but the same church is here in Tampa and he's hyped! It was so crazy because he said that "if Joseph Smith helped with something that made a lot of people move to Salt Lake then there has to be some truth there!" He is so extremely awesome and there's some things that need explaining but honestly, the best way to find out any answer we need is to go straight to our Heavenly Father:) Updates to come! 

 

- We went to St. Pete (my last area) to film advertisements with the Hermanas and it was so so fun! Afterwards, we went to a restaurant named Gondoliers pizza and the table behind us paid for our food and THEN the owner loved us and gave us free dessert all because he wanted be make our day! It sure did!

- we called someone named Jamie and long story short 5 minutes later we were on our way to give him a Book of Mormon and he's been talking to us every single day about all his questions! He has read every assignment we've given him!! 

- we found a super awesome lady named Pazetta that was just sitting on her porch and we were walking around asking if anyone knew her apartment number and turns out it was HER! We ended up talking for awhile, sharing a message, getting to know each other and setting up another time to teach her! And fun fact: Pazetta us peace in italian:) 

- we passed off Roger this week to the Spanish Elders! He is AMAZING. We taught the Resoration and Roger just grasped onto everything and is just growing his testimony one huge leap at a time!! 

- being in this ward has been the BIGGEST BLESSING. We have been taken in with OPEN arms and felt so loved. Everyone is so willing to help! We have received so many calls, texts and food to welcome us into the ward! THE SAMUELS are one of the best families I have ever met. Brother Samuels is our ward mission leader and I don't think I've ever met a more elect ward mission leader. I am AMAZED at how willing and involved this ward is in missionary work! WOW. 

- social media / proselyting has been SO WEIRD and CRAZY. We have a set office time from 10-3 and then it's studies and proselyting from then on out! It's SO insane! The days fly by and it's just oh so fun! 

- we have a Book of Mormon class every Thursday that recent converts, returning members and some fellowshippers come to and it is so so fun!

 My testimony has been built so much from the willingness of not only our members but of our friends to continue to find the truth through prayer and through their growing faith! SO INCREDIBLE. I have been blessed everyday to be here and to meet all of these amazing people, I can't imagine it ever ending!!! 

Quick spiritual thought:) 

We had a call with Brother Lee Donaldson from the area presidency and he talked about some awesome stuff coming up during conference #perksofbeingamissionaryoversocialmedia 

And he encouraged us to use the book of mormon! Joseph Smith was visited by Angel Moroni on Sept 21 (the first day of the harvest) and on the fourth year he was told to gather the plates in the middle of the night after the 21st (the 22nd) at 2am. At the same time all the way east in Jerusalem (9am) the priests were sounding their trumpets telling the people to come to the to the temple for the final dispensation (gather israel)! Angel Moroni on top of our temple is facing the east, sounding his trumpet for the gathering of Israel and the tool of the harvest is the book of mormon. How cool is that!

Learn more!  https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2000/01/the-golden-plates-and-the-feast-of-trumpets?lang=eng

I want to challenge each of you to focus on the Book of Mormon this week. Every bit and piece if it is CENTERED on Christ. And as Easter comes around in the next few weeks focusing on our Savior and trying to be like Him is the best thank you we can give!!

Love you!! 

Have the best day of your life! 

Hermana King :) 

Pics:

- weekly picture with the Cooks!

- we had 2 meetings going on at once! One with social media and the other the ward! So so crazy! 

- some cute members Yana & Brittany!

- we filmed with my favorite Largo Hermanas over by Clearwater Beach

- we celebrated Hermana Hardings 7 months with the Sisters at a yummy barbecue place, Mission Barbecue!

- the new Sisters that came in this past week, SO CUTE

- we drew the Plan of Salvation with our best friend, Clarissa!

- lunch with the office sisters!

- saying bye to some of the departing sisters!!! SO SAD

- got to see Hermana Marler last preparation day! 

MIRACLES haven't ceased:)

Happy middle of March! 

This past week was full of miracles and crazy cool surprises! So stay tuned!

Here are a few highlights:

- we have been trying out a new way of messaging off of our pages, responding to our advertisements that come into our spanish pages and wow I think we've got something that'll work! Hermana Harding and I got to take over all the pages on Friday night for less than 2 hours and we were able to teach FOUR short lessons! On Saturday we took over the pages for about 3 hours and taught FIVE lessons and we got 3 of them with return appointments for the next day! When the Lord says he will hasten the work in His time, he means it. My testimony of that has never been stronger until I had this assignment of social media. It is incredible everyday to see how many people are out there waiting for the gospel!

- I wanted to talk about one of the lessons we had on Sunday from the Spanish pages. First off, we don't have a teaching area and so this was a crazy opportunity that we has! We taught a guy named Roger. He's from Honduras and when we got on we talked to him for awhile about his life and wow. He has some hard things happening in his life and he told us how he has just been searching for the right path. We taught him about the miracle with Jairus's daughter. We explained how incredible the amount of love he had for this 12 year old girl. We taught after that from 3 Nephi 17 when Christ blesses each child ONE BY ONE. This really stuck out to me. Christ could have blessed all of them at once but he spent the time blessing and talking with each one indivially. How amazing? Christ blesses each of us individually. This is something that we talked about with Roger and he then explained explained us how he has a friend from Peru that's a member and Roger just thinks SO highly of him and was so excited when he finally found the church his friend belonged to. We set up a pass off lesson with him and the Elders in his area:) We invited Roger to pray about what we had talked about and if our message was true. Awhile after, he texted us and just said thank you over and over again. He said that talking about what we did was what he's been searching for and that he feels so good about everything. I know from my description it just seemed like another lesson but there was something different about it. There is something so special about seeing people hear the truth for the first time in their life and having it click. I'm telling you, the gospel really does change lives. I have seen it time and time again on my mission. Not only with the people I've been able to teach but with myself. 

The second miracle I wanted to talk about is a followup from one of the stories I shared last week about the lady from Walmart! Well, after giving her the pamphlet last week we never heard anything so we were anxious to talk talk her! We saw Carmen again and on our way out of the store she came over to us and seem so worried! She told us that she had put the pamphlet we had given her at her station and at the end of the day when she went to grab it, it was gone. And she was freaking out because she didn't have our number! She asked for another and so we ran to the car and grabbed a pamphlet of the Plan of Salvation with our number and gave it to her. She took it, smiled and put it in her coat pocket and said "Now I really won't lose it!" We got to talk with her for a few minutes and she told us how big of a blessing it is to see us every week. She has a light about her and I'm excited for a call from her:)

Well I've got some BIG NEWS! So! This week is transfer week and Hermana Harding got a call from President Hollingsworth yesterday afternoon annnnnnd he asked us if we would be willing to TAKE AN AREA on top of our social media assignment!!! We will be sharing a ward with the assistants and it'll be an English area!! I haven't taught since the first week in December and I've never been in an English area before! I am SO EXCITED! The funny thing is President usually only makes transfer calls for new trainers or new leadership positions, the assistants take all other calls!  We're already in leadership assignments but President called us because he wanted to get our reaction about us getting an area haha! He is the BEST. Haha! It was a surprise but SUCH A GREAT ONE. This next transfer is going to be the best:) God knows what we need and when we need it!!

Here's a little (long) thought:) 

Something to think about: 

A few weeks ago we filmed some videos for our page by interviewing converts to the church and learning about them and their experiences. One family - The Biels - have a down syndrome boy named Carter and he MELTED MY HEART! I'm crying right now thinking about how he just grabbed mine and Hna Kings hand and we could just feel his sweet spirit. We got to read and play with Carter while his dad was being interviewed and afterward they asked us if we could get the missionaries on board with a BIG project! Every year they decide to do a day of service and increase their goal every year. This year their goal is FIVE THOUSAND acts of service in one day and they are asking everyone they can to get involved. They were spotlighted on our mission-wide call to talk about the initiative and I BAWLED. She talked about their story and finished with, "Even though he's six years old and quite short, I dont think I'll ever measure up to Carter." I wish I could tell you how incredible sister Biel is so that this sentence could have the same impact on you as it does on me because WOW. I am thrilled to have the privilege of feeling the love God has for his children! 

Also. I have learned some amazing life lessons this transfer and I can guarantee you that I will be learning a million more this next coming transfer. We taught the missionaries this transfer about boldness. In our presentation we talk about the source of confidence being - Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. An elder in the social media council quoted an amazing talk that you should all read ;) called "God did not put us here to fail" the quote says, "Difficulty is an excuse history has never accepted" and elder LeMone reiterates it in saying, "Difficulty is an excuse God has never accepted". This talk also mentions integrity and the importance of doing everything you do with full integrity. Putting forth a completely HONEST effort by doing everything that you can possibly do while helping others along the way. I found another gem by Elder Holland that I will paraphrase lol. It basically says, "An integer is a WHOLE NUMBER. Not fragmented in character. One with integrity must be true to themselves, their country, and their God at all times, in all things, and in all places... They do the right thing at the right time for the right reason.. at any cost". And that CHANGED ME this week! If we have promises given to us of things like eternal life, eternal families, and eternal redemption, I think its definitely worth my time, effort, endurance, and enjoyment to be true to God at all times with true integrity!

I want to challenge each of you to make a difference in someone else's life this week. With that said, I want to invite each of you to participate with the project #kindness4Carter and help us do 5000 acts of love or service in 24 hours. I'll put the flyer in one of my photos:)

I love you all!!!!

Hermana King:) 

 

SUPER GREAT WEEK

 

 Hi everyone!! 

This past week went by oh so quick! Fun fact: here in Florida I pinch myself everyday because of how BEAUTIFUL it is! Today we were driving over a bridge and saw a few PODS of dolphins! What the heck!! 

Here are a few highlights!

- I hit 16 months this past week and wow it is so crazy how fast time is going!

- we spent almost everyday this week in different zones with districts! We have been training each district on understanding the importance of being authentic, not being awkward and havubg confidence! It's hard to teach confidence BUT we taught about the 3 Nephites in 3 Nephi about how they committed themselves. They were promised that all their pains would be taken and we related that to committing to our purpose especially online. The more we focus on our Savior, who we the ultimate source of confidence, we can more develop it ourselves:)

- we were able to have interviews and it was the second time we've had them in person! I can't tell you how much my testimony has been strengthened by President and Sister Hollingsworth. I have felt so loved and cared for from day 1. They are such examples of trusting in our own individual faith and testimonies!

- President Hollingsworth even played the piano for Hermana Harding and I! 

- we don't have a proselyting area and so we have been praying everyday for teaching opportunities and WOW we have had not only teaching and contacting opportunities IN SPANISH. We have met so many new people because of it and I know without a doubt that Heavenly Father really does LISTEN!

- we were able to attend stake conference this past Sunday and we heard President and Sister Hollingsworth speak along with the temple President and his wife! They did amazing and it was exactly what I needed to hear.

MIRACLE TIME. We go to the same Walmart every week and we see the same lady there every time! Her name is Carmen and we have become the best of friends! We hadn't seen her for about 2 weeks and when we saw her again today I ran over to her and told her I was happy to see her again! She was happy to see us and opened up about a few hard things that had happened within her family the past little bit. We talked for a bit then did our shopping. When we were done we grabbed a Plan of Salvation pamphlet from the car and ran it into her. We talked for awhile longer and taught a bit of the Plan! She loved it and was so so grateful and eager to read it! We left are number and are excited to hear how it goes:) 

For my challenge and spiritual thought for the week I wanted to share this quote:

"People won't remember what you did. People won't remember what you said but they will remember how you make them feel"

We have been praying extra hard to have teaching opportunities and I promise you that Heavenly Father listens and he answers our prayers. I want to invite each of you to prayer for a service opportunity EVERYDAY this week and make a difference (big or small) in someone's life.

You are all amazing and I LOVE YOU

Hermana King

A few random pictures!

Our sweet friend that we met this week!

Some more random photos from district trainings!

We drove passed the stadium and had to get a picture while the game was going on hahaha! 

Just keeps getting better!

Holy cow it is MARCH!

This week was a super super great one!! It was a pretty standard week but there were a few great highlights!!

- we were able to have some fun language studies virtually with some of the cutest Hermanas!! It was fun! 

- the office missionaries minus Hermana Harding and I got to go to the temple this past week! We got to man the office and it made for a super fun trip to the UPS store. 

- the sisters we live with got emergency transferred and split! Super crazy! There was a last minute change in the companionship of Office Sisters! Seour Moulton was called to take on the responsibility and so Sister Sheridan moved in with 2 other sisters so it is just Hermana Harding and I in this huge apartment! Super crazy!

- this week we started trainings! We are going around to each district in every zone to talk with them about social media! The trainings are all about confidence and being willing to open our mouths! It's okay to be shy and scared but it's not okay to not at least try:) 

- I got to see Hermana Breshears this week and wow it was honestly a tender mercy. I seriously just love her and am grateful I know her!!!!

- my companion is my best friend! Hermana Harding is the type of companion you pray for! She is an absolute angel for putting up with me!!!

- a little update on the whole in our wall!....it's not fixed and it's gotten worse! We have so many bugs in our house it's crazy haha! We have gotten so good at killing them so add that to things learned on the mission;) 

A Lil spiritual thought:)

This week we were driving back from St. Petersburg over the prettiest bridge and we were stuck in the worse traffic I've ever seen But the only thing I was focused on was what ELSE was around me. There was beautiful blue water, the beach, great music, my best friend but what hit me the most was the people in each of the cars. Each of them is a daughter or son of God. Each of them has a plan that is just for them. God listens to their prayers. God loves them. It made me realize the immense love that God has for each of us, you and me included;) Sometimes we focus too much on the traffic, the horns and the other loud music we hear BUT taking worlds chaos and making it a time to reflect on the OTHER things makes a world of difference. I challenge each of you to open your mouth to new people. Smile! Or wave if you have a mask on! Remember the people around you are just as loved as you are (AND THAT IS A TON) Being a missionary, you get to realize and feel part of the love that God has for His children but something else that has hit me is that same love I can feel for others is only part of how Heavenly Father feels for me. We each have divine worth and we each are loved. 

YOU MATTER TO GOD.

Love you all:)

HAPPY MARCH! MAKE THIS MONTH THE BEST. 

Hermana King!