Heyoo from Twin <3
This week has been NUTS!! I left a piece of my heart in Filer, but am excited to be serving here in Twin with Sister Nelson! Serving in a YSA ward is super different than a family ward. But we have this one super awesome investigator, Enrique, who has a baptismal date for May 7th!! He's so golden. At the end of our lesson on Saturday, he said the closing prayer and said, "I pray every day that Thy will be done." It was such a good reminder for me that God has a plan for each of His children. And as we submit ourselves to His will instead of our own, He can make so much more out of us than we could ever make out of ourselves.
While I was sitting in sacrament meeting at church on Sunday, I came across the following hymn. The words deeply touched my heart.
Savior, Redeemer of My Soul
1. Savior, Redeemer of my soul,
Whose mighty hand hath made me whole,
Whose wondrous pow'r hath raised me up
And filled with sweet my bitter cup!
What tongue my gratitude can tell,
O gracious God of Israel.
2. Never can I repay thee, Lord,
But I can love thee. Thy pure word,
Hath it not been my one delight,
My joy by day, my dream by night?
Then let my lips proclaim it still,
And all my life reflect thy will.
3. O'errule mine acts to serve thine ends.
Change frowning foes to smiling friends.
Chasten my soul till I shall be
In perfect harmony with thee.
Make me more worthy of thy love,
And fit me for the life above.
The Savior, Jesus Christ, personally and perfectly knows each one of us. His mighty hand can make us whole. I can never repay Him for the sacrifice He so willingly performed for me, but I can show my gratitude by the way that I love. In the way that I love Him and my neighbor. Those are the two greatest commandments. None of us will ever be able to perfectly love as the Savior did, but we can be filled with that kind of love on occasion. And the more frequent those occasions, the more we become like the Savior. THAT is when we can become "in perfect harmony" with our Father in Heaven and with His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Turn to them, and be filled with Their perfect love.
I was blessed this week to be able to feel of Their infinite love for Enrique. I had just met him, but was overcome with the love that our Heavenly Father and the Savior have for Him. What a great blessing.
Happy days ahead :)
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Monday, April 25, 2016
Monday, April 18, 2016
Transfers
TRANSFERS WOOOO!!
I am actually so sad to leave Filer. It has become home. I love these people and will always have a place in my heart for them. I am thankful to my Heavenly Father who allowed me to serve in Filer at the time that I did and who helped us every step of the way. What a great experience. My relationship to Him and to the Savior, Jesus Christ, has been hugely strengthened in this area.
AND I'LL BE SERVING IN TWIN FALLS!! Twin 6th Ward and the YSA Ward! It is going to be WAY different only having two areas, after having three then FIVE hahaa and I've never served in a Young Single Adult ward!! I am so excited to finally interact with people my age again that aren't missionaries hahaa. I'll be in the same zone as Sister Lima (first district in MoHo), Sister Merrell (who I trained!! SO HAPPYY!!) and Elder Udall (from the MTC!)!! It's going to be great :) I was on exchanges in this area a couple of weeks ago and I'm so excited to serve there full time!
This week, I've been thinking a lot about the Savior's Earthly Ministry. I've started reading from the New Testament this week. I love the Book of Mormon, but reading directly from the words of the Savior Himself is very different. We have also started teaching the Nevarez Family. They are AWESOME people. We haven't been able to meet with all of them super consistently because they've got a crazy situation (literally?.. what's new.) BUT they have a strong desire to be baptized! Because we are teaching them, I've been thinking a lot about the family and God's plan for families. As I think about the families that we are meeting with and their needs/goals as a family, I've thought a lot about what I want for my future family. One of the most important things that I want to be able to teach my children is found in Joshua 24:15.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
My greatest hope is that the service that I render now will be a pattern for the rest of my life. I am so thankful for parents who taught me to put God first in my life- to serve Him and love Him with all energy of heart. When we do that, He makes more out of our lives than we ever could. Thank you, mom and dad. I hope I can raise a family like you raised us.
Much love from Filer to wherever you are. <3
xoxo
Sister Boyce
I am actually so sad to leave Filer. It has become home. I love these people and will always have a place in my heart for them. I am thankful to my Heavenly Father who allowed me to serve in Filer at the time that I did and who helped us every step of the way. What a great experience. My relationship to Him and to the Savior, Jesus Christ, has been hugely strengthened in this area.
AND I'LL BE SERVING IN TWIN FALLS!! Twin 6th Ward and the YSA Ward! It is going to be WAY different only having two areas, after having three then FIVE hahaa and I've never served in a Young Single Adult ward!! I am so excited to finally interact with people my age again that aren't missionaries hahaa. I'll be in the same zone as Sister Lima (first district in MoHo), Sister Merrell (who I trained!! SO HAPPYY!!) and Elder Udall (from the MTC!)!! It's going to be great :) I was on exchanges in this area a couple of weeks ago and I'm so excited to serve there full time!
This week, I've been thinking a lot about the Savior's Earthly Ministry. I've started reading from the New Testament this week. I love the Book of Mormon, but reading directly from the words of the Savior Himself is very different. We have also started teaching the Nevarez Family. They are AWESOME people. We haven't been able to meet with all of them super consistently because they've got a crazy situation (literally?.. what's new.) BUT they have a strong desire to be baptized! Because we are teaching them, I've been thinking a lot about the family and God's plan for families. As I think about the families that we are meeting with and their needs/goals as a family, I've thought a lot about what I want for my future family. One of the most important things that I want to be able to teach my children is found in Joshua 24:15.
"And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
My greatest hope is that the service that I render now will be a pattern for the rest of my life. I am so thankful for parents who taught me to put God first in my life- to serve Him and love Him with all energy of heart. When we do that, He makes more out of our lives than we ever could. Thank you, mom and dad. I hope I can raise a family like you raised us.
Much love from Filer to wherever you are. <3
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Monday, April 11, 2016
Miracles Have Never Ceased
HI FAMILY!!
WHAT A WEEK!!! It's been CRAZY packed! I don't have much time today to write, but just know that I am doing great and LOVING this mission! Transfers are next week and we found SEVEN new investigators this week!
Moroni 7:29 - "And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men."
Look all around you. If you woke up this morning with a heart beat, is that not miracle enough? There is a God. I know that He lives! He created us and His hand is in our lives daily. Search for it. Search for HIM! He is there!
xoxo
Sister Boyce
WHAT A WEEK!!! It's been CRAZY packed! I don't have much time today to write, but just know that I am doing great and LOVING this mission! Transfers are next week and we found SEVEN new investigators this week!
Moroni 7:29 - "And because he hath done this, my beloved brethren, have miracles ceased? Behold I say unto you, Nay; neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men."
Look all around you. If you woke up this morning with a heart beat, is that not miracle enough? There is a God. I know that He lives! He created us and His hand is in our lives daily. Search for it. Search for HIM! He is there!
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Monday, April 4, 2016
I JUST LOVE THIS
Hi YALL!!
My title of this could say it all. I JUST LOVE THIS. I love being a missionary. I love this area and I love these people. I love the teachings of Jesus Christ. I love General Conference and the words of modern prophets. I love the words of ancient prophets found in sacred scripture. I love being able to see the joy that comes into these people's lives as they choose to live the teachings of Christ. I love being separated from the things of the world so that I am able to represent the Savior in all that I do and say. And above all else, I love the Savior and our Heavenly Father.
My mom would tell me that I say "I love" way too frequently. And maybe I did at home, but I tryly do LOVE this great and marvelous work!! I am so grateful for the opportunity and privileged to be part of it!
For those of you that don't know, General Conference is a world wide broadcast from the prophet and apostles that happens twice a year. Their inspired words come directly from our Heavenly Father through the Spirit. I love this article written about what our dear Prophet, President Monson, taught this conference. I'll write some more take aways next week. :)
Besides Conference, it was truly an amazing week. We have seen the Lord's hand increasing our efforts ten fold as 3 new investigators have been placed in our path. Miracles do happen, folks. We've been contacting some former investigators and one in particular who (due to past experiences) has a really hard time trusting males, welcomed us in and is open to learning. She has expressed a desire to be baptized, not particularly in ours, but she sees it as a very important step in her own personal progression and wants to take it very seriously. This area truly was prepared for sisters. Another investigator this week believes more in science than faith and has a lot of questions. But he is open to learning and asked us how we know what we know to be true. And as we were talking about that, he asked us, "Well, so then what is the next step?" Sister Weiler and I rejoiced. That was one of the happiest moments. The third investigator found us. We were walking back to our car after a dinner appointment and a lady was walking through the neighborhood with her daughter on their way home from the park. She yelled to us and asked if we were the sisters. We walked over to her to find that she had been looking for us since she moved into Filer. She was taking the missionary discussions in Twin but stopped because she couldn't be baptized while on probation. We talked with her, gave her a Book of Mormon, testified of Christ, and set an appointment to talk with her and her fiance this week. I love this area and I love being a missionary! Our daily prayers to find those that have been prepared are being heard and answered as we continually show our faith.
Miss you all! Thanks for your constant support and prayers! Keep me updated on all your crazy lives:) Love you all!
So many happy days ahead-
xoxo
Sister Boyce
My title of this could say it all. I JUST LOVE THIS. I love being a missionary. I love this area and I love these people. I love the teachings of Jesus Christ. I love General Conference and the words of modern prophets. I love the words of ancient prophets found in sacred scripture. I love being able to see the joy that comes into these people's lives as they choose to live the teachings of Christ. I love being separated from the things of the world so that I am able to represent the Savior in all that I do and say. And above all else, I love the Savior and our Heavenly Father.
My mom would tell me that I say "I love" way too frequently. And maybe I did at home, but I tryly do LOVE this great and marvelous work!! I am so grateful for the opportunity and privileged to be part of it!
For those of you that don't know, General Conference is a world wide broadcast from the prophet and apostles that happens twice a year. Their inspired words come directly from our Heavenly Father through the Spirit. I love this article written about what our dear Prophet, President Monson, taught this conference. I'll write some more take aways next week. :)
Besides Conference, it was truly an amazing week. We have seen the Lord's hand increasing our efforts ten fold as 3 new investigators have been placed in our path. Miracles do happen, folks. We've been contacting some former investigators and one in particular who (due to past experiences) has a really hard time trusting males, welcomed us in and is open to learning. She has expressed a desire to be baptized, not particularly in ours, but she sees it as a very important step in her own personal progression and wants to take it very seriously. This area truly was prepared for sisters. Another investigator this week believes more in science than faith and has a lot of questions. But he is open to learning and asked us how we know what we know to be true. And as we were talking about that, he asked us, "Well, so then what is the next step?" Sister Weiler and I rejoiced. That was one of the happiest moments. The third investigator found us. We were walking back to our car after a dinner appointment and a lady was walking through the neighborhood with her daughter on their way home from the park. She yelled to us and asked if we were the sisters. We walked over to her to find that she had been looking for us since she moved into Filer. She was taking the missionary discussions in Twin but stopped because she couldn't be baptized while on probation. We talked with her, gave her a Book of Mormon, testified of Christ, and set an appointment to talk with her and her fiance this week. I love this area and I love being a missionary! Our daily prayers to find those that have been prepared are being heard and answered as we continually show our faith.
Miss you all! Thanks for your constant support and prayers! Keep me updated on all your crazy lives:) Love you all!
So many happy days ahead-
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Monday, March 28, 2016
Hallelujah!!
Hey Ya'll!!
Hope this past Easter week has been full of new-found hope, sacred remembrance, and joyful celebration of the Savior's life, example, willing sacrifice and resurrection. I feel so beyond blessed to have the knowledge I have and to be able to share it with people everyday!! I hope that I can more fully remember and think of the Savior everyday. He lives!!
Yesterday, it was cold, windy, and raining. It rains sideways here hahaa but I have never felt so much joy as I stood on freezing cold doorsteps in the rain proclaiming the teachings of Jesus Christ to those that accepted us as well as those who rejected us. We've all been given the great gift of agency, the freedom to choose. The freedom to accept or reject. But if we did not open our mouths, we would be denying people the opportunity to choose! We limit their agency! We limit them from choosing the blessings that come from living the commandments and making sacred promises with our Father in Heaven.
Something I've been studying a lot recently because of Easter coming up, is the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how each of us can be "reconciled to God" through the Savior's sacrifice. I LOVE Jacob 4:11, "Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son , and ye may obtain a resurrection , according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh." And Romans 5:10-11, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."
I always thought that being reconciled to God, being restored to harmony with Him, was only reserved for after this life. Yes, we cannot be completely in His presence here on earth, but because of the Savior's Atonement, all of us can have a personal relationship with EACH member of the Godhead- The Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, and God, the Father. Because we can't be in the presence of God or Christ while in this life, They have sent another member of the Godhead to dwell with us. The companionship of the Holy Ghost is a gift that we receive at baptism and must work at every single day to have. But THAT is how we will recognize the Savior and our Father. They will be more familiar to us because it is by the Holy Ghost that we can come to know them. And we can only have the Holy Ghost if we apply the Atonement daily and continue in increasing our faith, repenting and changing our heart, and striving to take the name of Christ upon us each day by serving those around us. It is then that we can qualify for the constant companionship of the Spirit.
I love you all!! Thank you for your prayers and support. I wouldn't be able to do this without your constant prayers or without the enabling power of the Atonement.
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Hope this past Easter week has been full of new-found hope, sacred remembrance, and joyful celebration of the Savior's life, example, willing sacrifice and resurrection. I feel so beyond blessed to have the knowledge I have and to be able to share it with people everyday!! I hope that I can more fully remember and think of the Savior everyday. He lives!!
Yesterday, it was cold, windy, and raining. It rains sideways here hahaa but I have never felt so much joy as I stood on freezing cold doorsteps in the rain proclaiming the teachings of Jesus Christ to those that accepted us as well as those who rejected us. We've all been given the great gift of agency, the freedom to choose. The freedom to accept or reject. But if we did not open our mouths, we would be denying people the opportunity to choose! We limit their agency! We limit them from choosing the blessings that come from living the commandments and making sacred promises with our Father in Heaven.
Something I've been studying a lot recently because of Easter coming up, is the Atonement of Jesus Christ and how each of us can be "reconciled to God" through the Savior's sacrifice. I LOVE Jacob 4:11, "Wherefore, beloved brethren, be reconciled unto him through the atonement of Christ, his Only Begotten Son , and ye may obtain a resurrection , according to the power of the resurrection which is in Christ, and be presented as the first-fruits of Christ unto God, having faith, and obtained a good hope of glory in him before he manifesteth himself in the flesh." And Romans 5:10-11, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement."
I always thought that being reconciled to God, being restored to harmony with Him, was only reserved for after this life. Yes, we cannot be completely in His presence here on earth, but because of the Savior's Atonement, all of us can have a personal relationship with EACH member of the Godhead- The Holy Ghost, Jesus Christ, and God, the Father. Because we can't be in the presence of God or Christ while in this life, They have sent another member of the Godhead to dwell with us. The companionship of the Holy Ghost is a gift that we receive at baptism and must work at every single day to have. But THAT is how we will recognize the Savior and our Father. They will be more familiar to us because it is by the Holy Ghost that we can come to know them. And we can only have the Holy Ghost if we apply the Atonement daily and continue in increasing our faith, repenting and changing our heart, and striving to take the name of Christ upon us each day by serving those around us. It is then that we can qualify for the constant companionship of the Spirit.
I love you all!! Thank you for your prayers and support. I wouldn't be able to do this without your constant prayers or without the enabling power of the Atonement.
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Monday, March 21, 2016
History's Greatest Event
Hi Family!!
My heart is filled with gratitude and hope this week as we prepare for and celebrate the greatest event in History- the sacrifice of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
HOPE is the great message of the Easter season. As I was studying hope this week from the scriptures and from Preach My Gospel, I found in the Topical Guide that under Hope it said to "see also Expectation, Faith, and Trust." I came to the understanding that our hope, if it is IN Jesus Christ, helps us to have greater faith in Him. If our hope is ON Jesus Christ, we trust in Him and turn our hearts towards Him. And from Moroni 7:41, "And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise." Hope THROUGH Jesus Christ, helps us to set the expectation that we will one day live with God again if we apply Christ's sacrifice and continue to the end of our life in faith and repentance.
As we approach the greatest event in history, may we do so with an open heart filled with gratitude. May we strive to follow Him. To become more like Him. Ultimately, that is what the Savior meant when he said "Follow thou me." That is how we can show our gratitude for the greatest sacrifice ever made. He suffered for our sins, our sorrows, and our pains. He did so willingly and triumphantly overcame through His Resurrection on the third day. We will forever be indebted to Him!
Because of Him, we have reason to rejoice each day! "Praise ye the Lord!" Hallelujah!!
FollowHim.mormon.org
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1972/04/the-greatest-week-in-history?lang=eng
xoxo
Sister Boyce
My heart is filled with gratitude and hope this week as we prepare for and celebrate the greatest event in History- the sacrifice of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
HOPE is the great message of the Easter season. As I was studying hope this week from the scriptures and from Preach My Gospel, I found in the Topical Guide that under Hope it said to "see also Expectation, Faith, and Trust." I came to the understanding that our hope, if it is IN Jesus Christ, helps us to have greater faith in Him. If our hope is ON Jesus Christ, we trust in Him and turn our hearts towards Him. And from Moroni 7:41, "And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise." Hope THROUGH Jesus Christ, helps us to set the expectation that we will one day live with God again if we apply Christ's sacrifice and continue to the end of our life in faith and repentance.
As we approach the greatest event in history, may we do so with an open heart filled with gratitude. May we strive to follow Him. To become more like Him. Ultimately, that is what the Savior meant when he said "Follow thou me." That is how we can show our gratitude for the greatest sacrifice ever made. He suffered for our sins, our sorrows, and our pains. He did so willingly and triumphantly overcame through His Resurrection on the third day. We will forever be indebted to Him!
Because of Him, we have reason to rejoice each day! "Praise ye the Lord!" Hallelujah!!
FollowHim.mormon.org
https://www.lds.org/ensign/1972/04/the-greatest-week-in-history?lang=eng
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Monday, March 14, 2016
"I am so thankful for the Savior! I cannot imagine my life without Him."
Hi everyone!!
Quick update, the three new investigators we found last week are doing great! Their names are Naveah, Elizabeth, and Denisa. They all have such strong spirits and a strong desire to find truth for themselves. That is what we do as missionaries, help people to find truth and light that comes directly from our Savior. You don't ever have to be stuck in darkness or wonder the big life questions. All the answers can be found as we search for the truth that comes directly from God. How I love being a missionary!!
As we have talked to people this week and in letters to family and friends, my testimony of God's plan for each of His children has been magnified ten fold. What a blessing it is to know that even if we can't see the whole picture or how the puzzle of our life all fits together, God DOES. What a huge blessing! We can turn to Him in prayer and ask for His help to see, to understand what His plan is for each of us. He will speak peace to our mind and our heart through the Holy Ghost as we humbly ask Him to help us to see His plan.
The Easter message is out! And it is powerful! I am so thankful for the Savior. He is our Redeemer. Because of Him and His infinite and all encompassing sacrifice for each of us, none of our mistakes are eternal. His Atonement covers all. Through Him we can find true joy and peace. Not the kind of happiness or peace that the world offers, but the kind that heaven can offer. It is divine. In Corinthians, it talks of the significance of what the Savior did. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22). I am so thankful for the Savior! I will forever be indebted to Him. His sacrifice makes it so each of us can find new life through Him! I know that He lives! and I cannot deny it! He is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Eldest Brother, and our friend. What a privileged to be able to represent Him! One that I am not worthy of on my own. But He makes up the difference. I cannot imagine my life without Him.
FollowHim.mormon.org
As you watch the video, think about what the Savior means to you.
xoxo
Sister Boyce
Quick update, the three new investigators we found last week are doing great! Their names are Naveah, Elizabeth, and Denisa. They all have such strong spirits and a strong desire to find truth for themselves. That is what we do as missionaries, help people to find truth and light that comes directly from our Savior. You don't ever have to be stuck in darkness or wonder the big life questions. All the answers can be found as we search for the truth that comes directly from God. How I love being a missionary!!
As we have talked to people this week and in letters to family and friends, my testimony of God's plan for each of His children has been magnified ten fold. What a blessing it is to know that even if we can't see the whole picture or how the puzzle of our life all fits together, God DOES. What a huge blessing! We can turn to Him in prayer and ask for His help to see, to understand what His plan is for each of us. He will speak peace to our mind and our heart through the Holy Ghost as we humbly ask Him to help us to see His plan.
The Easter message is out! And it is powerful! I am so thankful for the Savior. He is our Redeemer. Because of Him and His infinite and all encompassing sacrifice for each of us, none of our mistakes are eternal. His Atonement covers all. Through Him we can find true joy and peace. Not the kind of happiness or peace that the world offers, but the kind that heaven can offer. It is divine. In Corinthians, it talks of the significance of what the Savior did. "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive" (1 Cor. 15:22). I am so thankful for the Savior! I will forever be indebted to Him. His sacrifice makes it so each of us can find new life through Him! I know that He lives! and I cannot deny it! He is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Eldest Brother, and our friend. What a privileged to be able to represent Him! One that I am not worthy of on my own. But He makes up the difference. I cannot imagine my life without Him.
FollowHim.mormon.org
As you watch the video, think about what the Savior means to you.
xoxo
Sister Boyce
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