Tan Lines and Converts

So some quick updates in my life:

1. I HAVE A WATCH TAN LINE and couldnt be prouder of it:) We spent a lot of our day in Hagerman on exchanges walking and I was FRIED.
2. Chick-fil-A had a cow appreciation day and we got caught in all the mayhem. LOTS of people saw our tags that day because we were the only ones not dressed like cows hahaa and I've introduced Sister Christensen to frosted lemonade...
3. Emails starting next week will only be for an hour. I REPEAT ONE HOUR!
4. Last night, we visited with the Bishop in one of our new wards. He commented that he is grateful to have normal, upbeat, outgoing missionaries. Guess what folks, I'M APPARENTLY STILL NORMAL!! hahahaa maybe it's just because we are serving in a YSA. :)

Kelsey Johnson- She's a new investigator this week! She has three little girls and her husband (well, soon to be married...) isn't a member either! They were taught in Hansen, but never baptized. She wants to be baptized and told us yesterday that she was SO grateful we invited her to church because she wouldn't have been able to do it on her own! She has cancer and a lot of health complications, but knows how the Savior has played a role in all of it! She has seen miracles!

Fahlsings- Brother Fahlsing had his interview with the Mission President and all went well!! Now we wait for First Presidency approval!! We stopped by to see them the other night and they were working on their car. They said they were saving up to get new brakes. They don't have much, but they give it all. I am sure if they didn't spend their time serving others and giving money to others who need it more than they, they would probably have the money to spend on new brakes. I JUST LOVE THEM!! All they do is serve!! And Sister Fahlsing is already being such a great missionary with her family!!

Isaac and Joaquin- They are potential investigators in our YSA ward and they cousins. They are the biggest clowns I think I've ever met!!! Cam- you'd get a kick out of this guy hahaha one of them has CRAZY dreds hahahaa (can you guess by their names which one it is?) Joaquin said something super blonde and he said he was blonde before he stuck a fork in the socket. hahahahahahaa pointing to his hair he said his dreds were the result hahaha

JACK BLESSED THE SACRAMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME YESTERDAY!! Being able to witness that was such a special blessing. He is so great and SO converted. This is one that will never fall away. His example is one that I constantly look to. I hope to be more like him when I grow up :)

Love you all so much! Hope you have a great week!

Happy Days Ahead,

xoxo
Sister Boyce

"WE BREACHED THE PERIMETER!!"

This week was a good one:) I spent a lot of time out of our area, so I am happy to be back and have almost a full week here!!

To celebrate Independence day, our district had a BBQ at the church and played games on the field! I love these missionaries!

Tuesday, Sister Christensen and I drove into Boise for Missionary Leadership Council. WE BREACHED THE PERIMETER!! We videoed as we drove past the usual Mountain Home exit, which is the farthest West I have ever been in the mission! IS THIS REALLY ALLOWED!?! hahaha it was so fun! Everyone had told us that we would know which exit we were supposed to take to get to the mission office because the underpass was so big, it even had lights. that's when you know that these people have never been to a real city. IT EVEN HAS LIGHTS!! hahaha we left at 9 am and got home at 8 pm... what a day. But the training was great. Our new Mission President, President Bartlett, is all about rules. He has helped me see obedience to all of the commandments, including the missionary handbook, in a completely different light!

On Wednesday, we exchanged with FILER!! I was so happy to be back:) The Filer sisters are in a trio, so Sister Nelson (my last comp :) ), Sister Whaley, and I had a great day filled with so many miracles. Meanwhile, Sister Christensen and Sister Starkey had a finding miracle. They were driving to contact a family, and Sister Christensen felt the need to stop and talk to a girl sitting on the front porch of a house they passed. Her name is Emily, and she had met my old zone leaders in the south stake. She is at a seriously low place in her life and struggling with addictions. The gospel of Jesus Christ can help all of that! The shame, the guilt, the addictions, EVERYTHING that she was facing could be covered by the Atonement of Jesus Christ. She said that she needed to change her life around. Those that are ready for a change in their life are the ones that we seek. They are prepared. I can't wait to meet this girl.

Saturday afternoon was also filled with miracles. We went to contact a YSA referral. We knocked on the door and a lady answered. She welcomed us in. As we talked with her, it became evident that this was not where the YSA referral, Amani, lived. But it was also as equally evident that we were there by coincidence. She thought that the Bishop of the family ward there had sent us. She said that the two granddaughters that were living with her, one was baptized and the other was not. She too said that she has thought about becoming a member and all she would have to do is give up coffee! We were in awe as we left their home. They too had been prepared. We walked out and found that we had knocked on the wrong number house!! hahaa we searched for Amani's actual house and could find him. As we walked back to the car, we made a comment that we just needed to talk to the Elders in that area to see what was up. AND LO AND BEHOLD THEY WERE ACROSS THE STREET. AND THEY KNEW AMANI. We have been so blessed.

Thank you for taking the time to read my experiences! Thank you for your influence in my life. Without it, I would not be where I am today. Love you all!!

happy days ahead :)
xoxo
Sister Boyce

 ^^Our Zone Leaders, Elders Wihongi and Nilsson cooking up a storm!!

 ^^after district games :)

 ^^NORTH ZONE REPRESENT - at our new Boise Mission Office:)
^^north zone prideeee

10 months, 2 baptisms, 1 day

Saturday, July 2nd, marked Sister Christensen and I's 10 months on the mission!! And I honestly can't think of a better way to celebrate 10 months than having 2 baptisms in 1 day!

First, let's back up a bit hahaa We had the some of the REALEST days on Wednesday and Thursday.

Wednesday we had exchanges with the TF Temple sisters and Sister Merrell came to our area. We met with one of the investigators from one of our new wards, Tom Smith, and he said that once he knows that the Book of Mormon is true, he will be baptized! He's an older man and has been meeting with missionaries FOREVER but we are going to try and set a baptismal date with him this week to put his faith to the test!! Later that night, we set a baptismal date with Eli Jensen, for August 27th! (AND HE CAME TO JACK'S BAPTISM ON SATURDAY!! :) ) His wife is a member and returning to activity!

Then on Thursday, we had some pretty cool experiences with people being placed in our path. We were finishing up some planning at the church before our last lesson with Kaleb. There was a lady down at the other side of the church field. We decided to go and talk to her. The first thing she asked us was if we could pray for her. Come to find out that she took lessons from missionaries in California before she moved here and hasn't seen missionaries since! She said, "You know, you start meeting with missionaries and praying and your life starts changing." She might have to be taught by the Hermanas, but still a super cool experience. Then we went to Little Ceasar's for dinner because the member that was feeding us was going to be out of town. There was a young man sitting outside the shop and we offered him some pizza. He gladly accepted. We asked if there was any way we could help him and he said no. We testified of how much the Savior has helped us in our lives and how He can help us in any of our situations. There are so many people all around that don't know who the Savior is. It is our responsibility to help and invite those people to make changes so that they can know and feel and ACT for themselves upon the enabling and freeing power of His infinite Atonement.

Jack's baptism was incredible. It was so Spirit-filled. He is one amazing young man and has been completely prepared for this time. Brother Pulliam, the Young Men's President, said that Jack was an answer to many prayers. I know he was definitely an answer to mine. As we sang the closing hymn, I was having a hard time leading the music. My heart was so full of gratitude to have been able to witness the miracle of seeing Jack baptized. As he made covenants with our Heavenly Father and left behind his old life, I just know that there are big things ahead of him. And I almost hugged him... hahahaa it took so much for me not to.

Kaleb's baptism was so great too. He is so pure and such a great example of living the gospel of Jesus Christ and finding JOY despite his family situation. He is one of a kind.

They were both confirmed on Sunday morning and Jack was ordained to the priesthood by his best friend. Our ward has a temple trip on Thursday and someone approached Jack to ask if they could get together to get a name for him to take to do proxy baptisms for. His response was, "ohh I already have two names!!" HE'S STRAIGHT GOLD. I'll be back here in a year for his farewell :)

Happy 4th of July!! This nation founded was founded "In God We Trust." I hope you are able to thank God for the many freedoms that you enjoy in this great country!

xoxo
Sister Boyce

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

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

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

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