Beliefs

Monday, June 27, 2016

Byeeeeeee Twin Falls Mission

Another great week serving the Lord here in Twin Falls! It is the last week the mission office is open before our merge with Boise on the 1st! We had to go in to pick up our area books with all of the information for our two new wards and saw them moving everything out to the Idaho Falls Mission Office. It was super surreal and sad. I will miss having a place that we can gather as missionaries and mission staff that really felt like home. It has become a sacred place for all of us.

Something I wanted to write about last week was our thankful prayer day. Instead of humbly petitioning for the Lord's help before our appointments and throughout the day, we were challenged by a member to take an entire day devoted to only giving thanks. WOW. It was way harder than it should have been. We would always start to ask for something and then turn it around to make it something we were grateful for. It definitely started a lot of laughing during prayers because we kept slipping up hahaa But it made me realize how totally dependant we are on the Lord. And how much we truly have to be grateful for.

On the flip side, our two new wards ROCK!! We met one of our progressing investigators in the Harrison ward, the Fahlsing family, and they are some of the most incredible people I have ever met. They just love the gospel so much and feel so blessed to have it as part of their life. She told us her conversion story, and to see where she came from and where she is going is a miracle. Hearts change when we allow the Savior into our lives.

CHRISTIAN IS DOING SO GOOD!! The one that just got out of jail? yeah, he rocks. He even brought a friend to our lesson because he knows that the gospel would help him. Look at him, he's already being a missionary. :) We found out that he is on probation until May of 2017... but if he goes to church consistently for four months, a letter can be written to the First Presidency so that he can be baptized! Our lesson on the Plan of Salvation, we related his probation to our life on earth and it was super cool. From that he had a greater understanding.

Jack and Kaleb are getting baptized on Saturday!! WE ARE SO EXCITED FOR THEM!!! Prayers on their behalf would be much appreciated :)

Funny moment of the week: We accidentally called the Zone Leaders as we were climbing the stairs to someones apartment. We heard yelling and thought it was coming from across the street, but it was them on the phone!! hahahahahahaaa it was awesome.

Love you all!

xoxo
Sister Boyce

Monday, June 20, 2016

This one's going to be short.

WOW WHAT A WEEK!! Transfers are tomorrow and Sister Christensen and I are picking up two more wards!! Our district is merging too, so guess who will now be in my district.... SISTER MERRELLL!!!! WOOOOOOO!

This week, as we met with Anes, we were reading in the scriptures in 1 Nephi 8. His face just lit up and he said, "That is true!" Even though there is a bit of a language barrier as he speaks Arabic, we have been able to talk with him, and the Spirit is truly the one that is able to teach him.

Love you all!!
xoxo
Sister Boyce

Monday, June 13, 2016

Blessed.

Sister Christensen and I have had a super blessed week.

We were able to set TWO BAPTISMAL DATES!!! Jack (17) and Kaleb (9) will both be baptized on July 2nd!! We are so excited for them to further their progression in following the Savior. When we invited Kaleb to be baptized, his response was, "Mmmm. Double Yes! Yes! Yes!!" He's got so much fire!

Jack came to our Book of Mormon class on Thursday night and he honestly made it. We were reading from 1 Nephi 8 about Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life. He talked about how a year ago he would have NEVER thought that he would be the type of person who was attending church weekly or living God's commandments because they aren't the ways of the world. Tears filled my eyes as he shared with the class how he was able to find the teachings of Christ and how they have blessed his life. I couldn't help but be filled with complete gratitude. Jack knows what is possible because of Jesus Christ. He knows how He plays a role in his life every single day. A year ago, he wasn't the same person and had no desire to change. But change for the better comes through the infinite Atonement provided by our Savior and has brought him so much peace and joy that the world cannot offer.

Another experience I had this week that made me truly grateful for the knowledge that I have been blessed with was meeting Dale. He lives in an assisted living home. As he showed us pictures of his kids, he started to cry, sharing with us that he had lost one of his sons. He was filled with sorrow because he doesn't know what happens after this life. I am so grateful to know that we can see those that we love after this life! Being able to share that with him was an experience I will never forget.

We also have started teaching an investigator in our YSA ward who just got out of prison. He's got a hard background but has read the Book of Mormon, knows it is true and has a desire to be baptized! He is working towards being baptized and preparing for a mission. His story reminds me of the one we watched in MLC (missionary leadership council).

https://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/his-grace/from-gang-member-to-good-man

Hope ya'll have a great week! Sure love you all! :)

xoxo
Sister Boyce


Monday, June 6, 2016

Change. It's the only constant.

I LOVE SERVING WITH SISTER CHRISTENSEN!! She is from Herriman, UT and is super hard working. Attached is a picture of us under the Twin sign:)

Highlight of the week: We've started teaching Kaleb. He is nine years old and possibly my favorite person on the entire planet. When we taught him about how Christ gave the Priesthood to 12 of his apostles and explained that the Priesthood was the authority and power given from God to His children to act in His name for the salvation of all of His children, his face lit up and his jaw dropped. He was in awe. All he could say was WOW!! He truly understood the importance and the significance of that authority. When it was taken from the earth for a time, because people rejected the teachings of Christ, there was a need for it to be restored. Not until the earth was prepared and people were sincerely searching in a free country could it be restored.

I know that the church we have today is the same organization that Christ established in his short, but powerful ministry. That is the message that we bring to people. Being HALFWAY done with my mission, my hope is that I can continue to share it with as many people as I can. Now and post mission.

LOVE YOU ALL!!

xoxo
Sister Boyce