Jasmine's Baptism

Familia & Friends,

In the words of my companion Sister Hanna, "I feel like I am going to explode with joy!" I echo that feeling! :D ha ha! We had the very fortunate, happy opportunity to see our investigator Jasmine be baptized on Saturday. It was Sister Hanna's very first baptism of her mission & what a wonderful one it was. The spirit was so strong before the baptism, the speakers talks were all so inspired & there were unseen angels in the room. We had two talks on Baptism because we didn't think Brother Stubbs was available, but he was able to also. We
decided to just go with it & have 2 talks on baptism & it was inspired & needed. Oh & Lauren (she was the other speaker on baptism) she graduated with Jasmine & knew her from high school, she bore a very heartfelt testimony on baptism. She is such a selfless person & very giving, she picked up Jasmine & her friend Robin, & Jasmine's sister Sydney & she bought them donuts & got flowers for Jasmine. We also found out later that it was Lauren's birthday, what an example, she put God first even on her birthday, I love members like this! Brother Stubbs said many inspired things that our investigators needed to hear, it was perfect.  The spirit was strong during Brother Carpenter's talk on the Holy Ghost as well. Excellent talks.

After the talks we went from the chapel to the baptismal font & she wanted a convert to baptize her. Our ward mission leader was a convert & it just seemed appropriate for him to baptize her. I think it really brightened his day to have had that opportunity. I will cherish the memory of Jasmine coming up out of the water for the rest of my life, she was beaming & had a grin that went from ear to ear & she exclaimed in an expression of joyous laughter, "Thank you!" as she hugged Brother Martin. My heart was filled & I felt in that moment I really understood the phrase, "My cup runneth over with love."

There are times in life that I wish I could have captured on film that I could watch these kind of memories over & over again when I'm having a hard day. I treasure it so much! Especially as my companions & I waited outside the bathroom for her, everyone else were in the chapel watching bible videos & Mormon messages. We just hugged each other & said a group prayer of gratitude & for Jasmine to be watched over & enjoy this the rest of the day. She seemed so peaceful & happy after & a little overwhelmed from the spirit. I don't think she has ever experienced this much peace in her life, it was nice to see her taking
it all in as we walked back to the chapel. There was a resounding feeling for me of this is why a mission is so worth it - this makes it so worth it! This makes everything worth it!!! To see someone learn & know about Christ atonement & that they know they are worth it because of Christ, because He made it all worth it.

I was so proud of Jasmine, at the end of the Bishop welcoming her into the ward she asked if she could get up & say something. She got up & thanked every one for coming & she bore her testimony of how hard things had been the week of her baptism, she had even thought about postponing it but then she said when you know something is true you don't. She also talked about why she asked a convert to baptize her because she said that she wanted someone who understood what it was like to really search for it & work for it, it is different from when you are born into it, you don't have to find it like converts have to. She had such a beautiful testimony!!! When you know something is true you don't delay it! That was one of the best baptisms of my mission.

I know Jasmine's ancestors are eager for their work to be done, & they were definitely there, Jasmine has powerful work ahead of her. I can't wait to get her started on family history & for her to be able to go to the temple!!!

There are many more souls to bring to Christ fold. In the area blessing I had from Bishop Chatfield at the beginning of this transfer he said there was a lot of work for me to do in this area and that there are souls here that it is imperative you find them.  I pray I can find all of these souls, luckily we are all surrounded by people to teach on missions or off. We will be having transfer calls this Saturday & I'm nervous, I love my companions & I love this area but I have a feeling I might not finish my mission in Naples which is crazy but then again not because I have been transferred so much. Yeeha!

Back to that point, my companions & I have talked a lot about what we want to apply from our missions & who we want to be after the missions, we are thrilled to stay strong & be hasteners of God's work. The time is now, this is serious. It is so important to listen to the spiritual promptings we receive even if we don't see the fruit of our labors in the moments. Recently we were driving & I saw a man walking his dog, the spirit gently & strongly told me to talk to him. It was hilarious because we were in our car but even though we looked like creepers I couldn't ignore the spirit, I hate regretting not listening to the spirit. So I told my companions, "Can we pull over? There's a man & his dog" Ha ha. We parked on the side of the road & got out & walked back from where we passed him. It was comical because he watched us, super awkward, came up & asked him how he was & that we were missionaries inviting people to check out this (Mormon.org) website. He was nice but not very receptive, completely understandable & he took the care & thanked us & told us he was Catholic & went on his way. I love the spirit! It is funny, we haven't heard from him but I know there was a reason for that & I am happy I listened to the spirit. Plus I got a good laugh from it. WOOT!

There was another man a while back named Danell & we were biking to the church & biked past this man who had a fridge in his truck & we stopped because perfect moment of service. We helped him get it down from the truck bed & showed him the "Because of Him," video & gave him a Mormon.org card with our number & church address. We tried our hardest to offer to teach him but it wasn't working.  He was kind, but made it clear he wasn't interested in taking the discussions but he did give us his email for our online missionaries to send him the weekly emails. Missionary work= positive interactions with others &
preparing them for when they do accept gospel. Always bear testimony either in action or words it will stay with people for the rest of their lives. They will remember, the spirit will not be erased it becomes ingrained in people's hearts.

By the way how cool is this Sister Beck had found this a while back it's from Saul to Paul's conversion experience, compare it to Joseph Smiths!!!!!

"13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed
with me." (Acts 26:13)  Awesome! Christ & God stay consistent, not confusing.

Oh & yesterday was so rewarding seeing Jasmine receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, absolutely beautiful!!!!!!!! My HEART is SO FULL!!!! I love you all & hope your hearts are full too :)

Speaking of hearts being full, I had an amazing personal study this morning & Luke 8 is powerful & well as Ether 12. Oh hey connect Hebrews 11 with Ether 12 wonderful. Oh I also learned today from Luke 8:15 it is patience unto perfection, have you all read the ensign? Read read read it for the month of July, it's great! I finally get what Becoming Perfect in Christ really means :) life is much easier to
breathe & happier lived now.

Alright I have gone on enough, I love you allll so very much! Oh Joanna, she is amazing she finished the Book of Mormon already & wanted more to read, she is going to read it again & she now knows about Doctrine & Covenants & Pearl of Great Price, what a delight she is!!! Now we just need her boyfriend to propose to her so they can be married & she can be baptized this month! Oh & sad day Sam did come across anti Mormon stuff, but he is still in contact with us but we
haven't been able to have another lesson with him so we are praying he'll come back to church & learn! Anywho I love you all so much & the gospel brings so much hope & everything!!!!!

LOOOooooooooOOOOOOOOoooooooVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVeeeeeeeee You!

Love,

Sister Bush

Sister Beck's Email

Here is an excerpt from Sister Beck's email home (Tasha's companion) with an update on some of their investigators.

Amazing week! 21 lessons and 5 new investigators!

Ya incredible! I want to just brief y'all on a few of those I'm teaching!

Joanna: was found a few months ago by Sister Hanna and her last companion as they walked past her house. They had quickly taught her the restoration with the pamphlet and left it with her. She wasn't that interested, but her son Leo, was always playing with the pamphlet and wanting to read it. She took that as a sign to learn more. She is now the most progressing person I've ever met and so golden! She is in Alma 17 as of last night, and texts us questions and insights she has every night. She loves the Book of Mormon and can not wait to be baptized, because she knows how important it is and it will show Him her love for Him and willingness to do the things He needs her to. She and I have a great connection and it's really cool! She made us dinner last night which was a miracle, because church is at 1pmand I had to go to church at 11 because we have investigator that goes to the other ward, so I missed lunch. And after church we had a meeting at 5 pm that was 20 min away, so we couldn't eat dinner. And I was concerned as to how I was going to survive.. But Joanna fed us and it was marvelous! We read the scriptures as we cooked, it was great!

Rene: My first day here in Naples we walked around a neighborhood and as we past a small intersection this guy had his window down, and I just gave him aMormon.org card and I was way nervous because I was scared he'd chuck it back at me a slice me with it, but he kindly took it. And about 20 minutes later he pulled up beside us as we walked and asked us who we were. :) we invited him to our ward talent show that Saturday and he came! He then was fellowshipped by an awesome member who invited him to church and he's come the past 3 weeks! So we went on splits and I went with a member to the other ward with him yesterday. We taught him the restoration Thursday and he said he had found a Book of Mormon before and had kept it! So he would look for it, so he could read it! :) he told me I was a great witness of Jesus Christ after I testified of the restoration and then yesterday he told me the three of us were amazing representatives of Jesus Christ. It was the greatest compliment ever! We'll be teaching himtomorrow!

Sam: the one we met at the beach. He came to everything we invited him to this week, including lessons and our missionary movie night activity, where we watched Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration. However, he has found some concerns, anti-literature.. So we are praying so hard he prays to really get his answers from the source, God.

Jasmine: she's getting baptized this Saturday. She's 18 and is excited to leave behind her old life! I'm way excited for her. She will be going to the army in September so this is perfect! She also wants to marry someone that holds the priesthood, it's adorable! 

Teaching Away

Familia & Friends,

I apologize for not having an email this week we were talking to this sweet guy named John & showed him "Because of Him." Hopefully he'll be interested in learning more, we got his number & we will see what happens.

Here are my notes from a stake meeting we had last night for the Fort Myers Stake & here are Sister Beck's notes from it to...

My notes:

Stake & Ward council Training


President Cusick

Golden Gate Branch is the perfect example on how to see an agenda in how it should be done.

Showed "Because of Him." Very important message that you have that others need.

Think different, act different!

It is our time  to make great things happen.

237 people at their sacrament meeting, wow

D&C 4:1-4

120 names will turn into 10 investigators that will stay.

Mission wide we are at 2.3 referrals received from members a month :( not good.

Work together!!! Now is the time, this is not going away.

People either fear or misunderstand missionary work.

What we do - We ask direct questions all day long.

Promise: if your take care of others families someone will take care of yours.

NOW IS THE TIME- Pres. Monson


President Thompson

D&C 80:3

Members responsibility to INVITE :)

Role plays!!! With members, during church meetings

D&C 84:19-22

Hasten YOUR work, living out loud

What's the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints? Come & see :)

The Lord will bless us!!!"


Do you really think God will let you fail after He has clearly commanded us to preach His gospel? Has He asked too much of us? He has asked us to gather His children in, so more of His children will be ready for His coming. Is this any less than God commanding us to be
chaste, full-tithe payers, live His code of health and living the 10 commandments? Is there a difference here? When He commands us to do something, He always has a promised blessing attached. This 110% includes missionary work. You can not hide from this commandment, it
is your duty as a member of Christ's church to invite and bring souls unto Him. We had a general authority and then President Cusick yesterday, ask us to stand up if we had less active or nonmember family members. All missionaries stood up. We were promised then by
the general authority that if we work diligently here, our less active or nonmember family will be taken care of. One missionary was asked what they would give up to have those members of his family join or come back to the church, with out hesitation and a tremble from holding back tears he said, "everything, and anything!" I am doing my best out here so I too can have this promise, because I recognize now that this is a commandment and now that I know I must change and never go back to where I was.

Revelations 3:15-16     
No more fence sitting or being in or out! because if you are fence sitting... He will throw you up. This is not a light subject. I am totally a different person because of serving a mission and I am a witness that when putting all your efforts into inviting souls to come unto Christ, all aspects of life will improve. I see myself so much more clear, as He sees me. I know I am a daughter of a King, he loves me and sees me as who I can become. I am more able to see my potential as a child of God and no more fear the little things in life or even the big things. Everything that has happened to me has had an amazing purpose and I now can see that. I
may not be able to always know the reason right as I am going through the trial, but I know that I will someday. I only must have the confidence and faith in my Savior that it is playing out he way it is suppose to. And that faith and confidence comes from doing the small and simple things, Scriptures EVERYDAY!(no excuses) prayer EVERYDAY, church, service, keeping ALL commandments, the primary answers we have heard our whole lives! No I am not perfect at all and I definitely have many things I need to work on and improve, but I know when we focus more on others and less of ourselves, those imperfections, short-comings and weaknesses will be made strong and will be fixed. Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to reach our potential, but we can't beat ourselves up when we fall short and mess up. Try it out! See if focusing on others helps our weaknesses become stronger! It's helped me and I feel absolutely amazing about myself! Who doesn't want to feel that, confidence! In yourself and of God's love for you!

"When you have done your very best, you may still experience disappointments, but you will not be disappointed in yourself. You can feel certain that the Lord is pleased when you feel the Spirit working through you."

Love you all!

Oh p.s. We met almost all of our goals this week, it went amazing & we had 6 investigators at church yesterday. Oh & Joanna this week was reading in Jacob & she is already in Alma 20, she is eating up the Book of Mormon. Oh & keep Sam in your prayers we think he came across an anti Mormon site & he said he has things to talk to us that he is bothered with. Please pray for him to see the truth!!!!!

LOVE! LOVE LOVE you & I'm sorry for missing a lot of people's birthdays & I probably will be horrible at it till the end of the mission, we have WORK to do people, Please help hasten it!!!! It's why we are alive.  Think about it, go to the basics, why are we here? 2 reasons: to gain bodies & to CHOOSE GOOD. Well what is choosing good? GOD, CHOOSE GOD, means to bring HIS children back to HIM. Do you believe this? THEN DO IT!!! I love you all & I love God more because I know if I love God more it's the best way of you being taken care of & being truly happy.

LOVE,

Sister Bush

Beach Baptism = Solid New Investigators!

Dearest Familia & Friends,

First off, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY YESTERDAY!!!!! Watch this sweet video that brings tears to the eyes & happiness to the heart...

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-1020-fathers-day?lang=eng

http://fathersday.mormon.org/

Love you PaPa! By the way you school all of those dad's in that video...just saying. I hope my card came in time!!! What crazy things did everyone do for dad hmmmmm? 

So where to start? This week was super hard & super awesome.  I really think the best description for a mission is a roller coaster. I have never gone through so many ups & downs in my life so quickly. I swear the mission is at a light year speed pace in learning things about life & it's intense & it's great.  It's a lot of joy & it's a lot of sorrow, but God's love is consistent through & through.

We have been doing a lot of finding still & we are coming up with more & more creative ways. Our mission is trying to focus on getting people in the church for church tours & to have lessons there. Missionaries spend too much time bringing church to people when it should be people coming to church. It made me think of like a temple square approach to things, where people are coming because they are having a desire to come. It then made me think & clicked in my head, "ohhhhh that's why having lessons at members' homes is the next best thing to the church because they have the spirit there & it's like the temple." 

So I don't remember if I ever informed the family of this or not but way back, a couple of months ago Elder L. Tom Perry came out & talked to the Stake Presidents out here. Currently in the Brandon Stake they were having about 60 baptisms per year which = about 2 baptisms per missionary. Elder Perry asked what the Stake Presidents thought they could bump it up to, they suggested 4 & Elder Perry said that was good but they could do better. So they then said 6 & Elder Perry said, 8! That means 240 baptisms every year, 8 baptisms per missionary for the Florida Tampa Mission.

I have this cool paper that someone did the math of it all (I'll be sending it to you mom & dad & ya'll can get a copy from them, or I'll take a picture & email it.) basically what it comes down to is just 2 invitations a month. It can be something as small as giving someone a pass a long card at the store or inventing a friend to an activity or going big & inviting friends over for dinner with the missionaries or even just writing some one a nice note or what not. But just 2 invitations a month. This has been something we've been working on with our members & really trying to encourage them in their efforts with the work. So while we do that, we are trying to find. Luckily our church is in the perfect location, we have a community center, library & park by our church. We walk by a lot & talk to everyone we see no matter how awkward & we show the "Because of Him," video on our I-pads & we try to invite people to come take a church tour. We have a lot of positive interactions, but we haven't been able to be successful in church tours right now, but I know we are being bless for our efforts.

For example, on Saturday there was a Beach Baptism the Elders were having. We invited just about all of our investigators & we thought a lot of them were going to come, but unfortunately they all fell through. Well we didn't feel right about staying there unless we had an someone there for it. We were coming back from the restrooms & I'm so proud of Sister Beck, there was a man sitting at a picnic table who look exhausted, he had been running. She went up to him & asked him how he was & if he wanted to come to a beach baptism. It was great, he said,"sure." WOOOOOOTTTTTTT!!!!! It was hilarious, his name is Sam & he's fantastic. He enjoyed it & we showed him, "Because of Him," that video is a gem & we talked to him a little bit about the Priesthood & invite him to church & to learn more. He said he really had no excuse not to come because he was just doing laundry on Sunday & he had said he does need to make it a priority!!! He was totally listening to the talk the Elders gave! Epic! So we got his number & it was a great experience. 

Yesterday was one of my best church experiences with investigators I have EVER had. Many of our investigators we had invited were not showing up.  It was a tad frustrating, but that's how the mission goes. Just 4 minutes before the meeting was about to start we saw on our phone a number we didn't recognize. We left the chapel quickly & answered, sure enough it was Sam! He was at the church & didn't know what door to come in, yeehaw! So we went outside to meet our 6 foot 5 friend :D woot! He stayed for all of it & loved it!!!! Oh & after sacrament meeting, (I am so proud of our members) without us introducing him to members they came up & introduced themselves & talked to him. I was so proud of Brother Moos who asked him if he had seen him yesterday at the beach baptism & talked to him about running & invited Sam to join the running club he is a part of. It was jaw dropping awesome, I was so happy. Oh & Joanna with her sweet 2-year-old Leo was at church, this is her 3rd or 4th time coming, she is so excited to get baptized, she just is still debating on when to do it because relationship things. I can't wait for her though! Oh & our investigator Jasmine came & seemed to like it as well. :) 

We were able to have a lesson with Sam after church & gave him a Book of Mormon & testified that either what we were teaching was completely true or completely false & this was how to know. It went great & Sam without us inviting said he was planning on coming again next week - say whhhhaaatttt!!!! :D What a great Sunday!

Let's see some people we are teaching, Kat, Joanna, Marcus, & Leo, Jasmine, Robin, Tori, April, Chilene, Dasia, Sandra, Sarah & her mom (I forgot the mom's name), Rene, & Sam. We might be dropping a couple of them because they aren't doing their part.

We set a baptismal date with Kat, I love her, she reminds me of my recent convert Betty, not personality but testimony & faith wise. Kat has this delightful southern black women accent & she is adorable when she doesn't have her teeth in it is hilarious. I really feel a strong, close connection to her, I feel like we are kindred spirits & it feels like visiting with an old friend.

I realize I better get this sent but I love you all oh so very much. Hebrews 11 is a great chapter on faith. On to hope for the week. :) 

All my love & more! Oh & if you could include in your prayers this week, one of my favorite members in the ward Sister Ali Oakey she spoke in church yesterday for Father's Day & she announced that she just found out that week that her father who has cancer has 6 months left to live. Please keep her in your prayers. This women is incredible, her talk was beautiful & her testimony strong & pure, it was powerful. This life isn't the end, we have so much to look forward to & we will be reunited with our loved ones in a state of never ending happiness. Our Savior lives & so can we.

Much love,

Sister Bush

Joyful Rude Awakenings

Dear Familia & Friends,

Yeeha can you feel the heat?!? And I mean from a general authority Elder Clark from the general 70. Alright folks, this was the BEST Zone conference I have EVER had in my LIFE. Along with my delightful trio Sister Hanna & Beck, how sincerely honored & grateful I REALLY am for them.

This Zone conference was mind blowing in every way possible & I felt like I had a good beating to my pride.  Talk about learning humility & ripping out the natural women in me. I had prayed to learn more about faith this week & boy did I ever. Where do I even start, be prepared to get uncomfortable ladies & gentlemen because I am going to be blunt & share what Elder Clark shared. We all need to step it up!  It was a breath of fresh perspective.  I really needed this & I am thrilled to apply it. I am thrilled to be a Real disciple of Christ from yesterday & this day forward. I have never changed SO MUCH & SO GREATLY & SO QUICKLY in my life!!!!!!!! It is as simple as deciding now & being done with our stupidity. Put God FIRST! If you are not then get your act together now. You know of your imperfections so be done with them just STOP IT & get to work. And I'm not talking about the world's work, God's work.

Ok let me rewind before I get testifying, wow I am invigorated & energized, I feel great right now!!! So earlier last week I decided to count down specifically how many weeks & days I had left, I had never gone down to the days but I really wanted to know how much time I have left.. The motives at first were totally trunkie, but then happily the spirit inspired me to decide what habits I wanted ingrained in my life & how in 116 days I could become closer to Christ (that started on Saturday the 7th) it's now 112. I have 17 weeks left, I decided for the next 9 weeks to study for each week the Christlike attributes in Preach My Gospel to try to obtain it. The last 8 weeks of my mission I was thinking it would be fun to get advice or something I could study & work on from each of the
siblings for the last 8, so on Sunday August 10th your first Amy in choosing a topic for me or one thing you think would be valuable to work on for a week :) and then April you'll be the week after that & so forth, so get your thinking caps on kiddos. Mom & Dad you two will be the last because I thought it would be cool to work on it together since you'll be here. Greatly appreciated!

On Saturday night I was having a rough night & my companions were just what I needed. I got ready for bed quickly after planning & I was just sad. I went to bed early & tried to hold it all in when sweet Sister Hanna came & held me just told me to let it all out. I bawled & bawled & bawled like a baby. Sister Beck came in & we all cuddled on my bed & talked. I was over stressed with all my weaknesses & I didn't know how to meet the demands of a mission. Sister Beck had the great insight of why us girls only serve for 18 months, it's because we are perfectionist & give our whole hearts, we couldn't do it for 2 years because it would destroy us. Well not that we couldn't just that we might lose our minds. I love my fellow sisters & their insights! But it has been really cool to realize more after Elder Clark that we can do this more then this amount of time we are allotted. We are to be missionaries for life! We are effecting Eternity not just here & now.

So I decided to study the Christlike attributes for these next 9 weeks in order, I started with faith on Saturday & will study for the week & switch on Sunday for the next one. I have also wanted to improve my prayers because I have felt that they have lacked sincerity. It was powerful yesterday because Sister Cusick spoke on prayer & President Cusick spoke on faith. I love them! Life changed. Sister Cusick read from the "Adjusting to missionary life," stress manual & from Preach My Gospel. In it it says to try to give a prayer of Thanks. Instead of
asking for things just a straight prayer of thanks. She is such an example because she not only spoke about it but she tried it for herself & she spoke on how nice it is because it requires more thought on how to rephrase things & refrain for asking for her children to be blessed & thanking instead. I realized wow it requires more trust in God that He is hearing what your heart is desiring as you thank Him for things. And this morning another light bulb clicked for me when I
realized WOAH trust= faith so when we say a prayer of thanksgiving that is acting on faith that He will give you the blessings you thank Him for because you are Trusting in Him that it will happen. I tried this prayer last night & this morning & wow what a difference, example: instead of saying, "please bless that we will be able to meet with the Oakey's friends we just met at FHE again," I switched it to "Thank Thee for the opportunity we will have to meet with the Oakey's friends again, thank thee that they will learn more about thine gospel." Same for blessings for the family I thanked God for helping Dad heal from his shingles rather then asking that they will please go away. It's an automatic trust in the prayer that God knows what you are asking for & giving Him thanks for. :) isn't that epic! I feel prayer automatically becomes that more sincere & wow requires more action on the part of the prayer giver!

So speaking of action! Faith= Action. President Cusick gave an excellent talk on the different types of faith described in the scriptures & he talked about the difference of little faith in Luke 12:28 & Much faith in Mosiah 27:14 & Exceeding faith in 2 Nephi 3:24& then about UNshakeable faith in Jacob 4:6. We need unshaken faith which was epic because in 1 Nephi 17 towards the end it talks about God shaking Lamen & Lemual...

"54 And it came to pass that I stretched forth my hand unto my brethren, and they did not wither before me; but the Lord did shake them, even according to the word which he had spoken.

55 And now, they said: We know of a surety that the Lord is with thee, for we know that it is the power of the Lord that has shaken us. And they fell down before me, and were about to worship me, but I would not suffer them, saying: I am thy brother, yea, even thy younger brother; wherefore, worship the Lord thy God, and honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in the land which the Lord thy God shall give thee."
(1 Nephi 17:54-55)

Ha ha so perfect because I definitely got shaken this zone conference it was a good slap to the face or how Sister Beck says a "humble hug from God because He would never slap us." Tee hee very sweet saying coming from Sister Beck because she is my spit fire miss sass afrass I love her spunkyness. Ha ha side note Sister Beck is a pinapple, Sister Hanna is a star fruit & I am a kiwi.

Alright back to being Shaken by the Word of God! Elder Clark did not hold back on us missionaries. I was amazed with how balanced he was in just the right amount of boldness & fun & humor. He was great! Besides the fact that I was silently crying at times it was great for me. It is always very painful to face everything you are not doing that you know you need to be doing & it's even more painful when you can't run away from the truth & you are forced to buck up as a missionary & learn how to Step it Up for crying out loud!!!

Ok, there is so much to write so brilliant idea, I will take a zillion photos of my notes from the zone conference and send it your way & then ya'll can read them at your fancy but on the conditions that you promise to change. That you will work on putting God first in your life. Oh & I will send the notes on President & Sister Cusick's talks & Elder & Sister Clark's.

One of my favorite parts was he talked about if we have family members we want to accept the gospel then we need to see strangers as our family members as our dad's or moms or sisters or brothers or etc who ever it is that needs to accept this gospel. If we want those we love to accept it we need to that much more diligently work. I didn't even get to write down everything, yeeha!

He also had us write down a list of people we had wished we shared the gospel with before our mission. I am going to write my testimony in some Books of Mormon to send your way for those individuals.

Anywho I don't even know where to go SO much amazing things that I learned & the 5 things I am going to change= 1. Courage 2. Obedience 3. Have Fun 4. Don't Idle time, use every minute wisely (I can sleep when I am dead, heck Elder Clark is Elderly & he told us he gets up at 4:30 in the morning to work out because he doesn't want to do the St. George shuffle) 5. Plan & make Goals.

Elder Clark says if we want to be successful in life to study Preach My Gospel chapter 8, I use to think that chapter was super boring, my eyes were opened in my studies this morning. People if you are not you need to study pmg & the Book of Mormon EVERY single day. No wonder why your life might be stressful go to the right source of strengths & power EVERY day. Oh & the bible is good to :)

Ok I love ya'll & you better be inviting the missionaries to your parties to introduce to people & please your friends will not call them on their own, have dinner with your friends & the missionaries even if the first couple of meetings are focused on the gospel it is preparing them & they greatly need it. Hebrews 11 by faith all things are possible. Step it up everyone :) oh especially in our church
callings, God come first!

Love you with all my heart,

Sister Bush

Ahhh - Short Email!

Dear Familia & Friends,

Sorry not a lot of time, short email for the week of random notes from different days.

May 24
Joanna & sweet scripture study of 1nep8
Daniel 1 wow/faith from small things=great
Getting a new companion, gasp! It's my past one of my favorite companions Sister Beck!!!!!! Wooooooootttt woot! Found out after the transfer call, they called us saying we don't need to go to the transfer meeting because it'll save more time & be convenient for her just to meet up with us! Soooo excited :)

May 23
Grateful for safety fair women & two daughters

May 22
Grateful for Marvin who called my name in Taco Bell, "Sister Bush, are you from the Salt Lake valley?" Really came in good timing of comfort for me. Marvin helped bring hope for me that God does need me in this area & that He needs me to finish up my mission. Just a tad hard at times. It was a cherished small thing I was grateful for.

May 21
Wow just came from amazing appointment with brother Ben Estes & met his sweet wife Kate. Wow that appointment was healing/ freeing! My spirit & body are free!!!! I want to keep the spirit of God in my heart always. Chiropractor was very healing.

That day was powerful district meeting as we all sat on the ground with candles & watched the last super bible video & bore testimonies after. My heart needed that & realized the Atonement was healing me & God had me transferred to this area, one of the reasons was to meet the Estes's, they helped in this process of healing.

Naples / Vanderbilt District Meeting

You always work on your whole life on keeping the spirit with you. Listen to it, personal revelation.
Work in keeping the spirit with you ALWAYS! It is up to you if you.

What does Christ mean to you?
Christ is Love, He is my friend, my brother, my protector, my life, my connector to God, my joy, my happiness, my all. With Him I am everything, I am healed, I am whole, I am complete, I am loved, I am found & I am home. Christ is love, Christ is home. It all works out. He is peace, comfort, counselor, strength, rest, Atonement, beginning & end, eternity. He is I AM. And I am Because of Him.

Much love,

Sister Bush

P.S. Oh I had to go to a chiropractor this week because I've been in pain my whole mission, it worked out great because the chiropractor is from Utah & he sees missionaries for free, he is actually moving back to Utah & is awesome!!! Tender mercy from The Lord & I am doing so much better.

Welcome to Vanderbuilt Beach!

Dear Familia & Friends,

Welcome to Vanderbuilt Beach B area/ Naples! I am now down south, at the bottom & farthest you can go in our mission. Woot, I have been in the middle, up to the farthest North & now South in our mission, yeeha! So Vanderbuilt/Naples is fancy smanchy, a lot of rich people but luckily there are areas that exist that are a little bit more humble thank heavens.

I realized I didn't really explain why a random transfer so quick & early before transfers. One of the Temple square missionaries was going back to Salt Lake & they rearranged the Odessa area because there are a lot of missionaries more then work in that area. Soooo Sister Trabatich became companions with my companion fantastic Sister Kenagy, sniffle I love her so much! And I am now serving in a trio again! ha ha! This will be my 4th trio, woot woot! My companionarors are
Sister Yardley & Sister Hanna who are both from Utah & Sister Yardley is finishing her mission & is going home in 1 week/a couple of days, she really doesn't want to go home, she loves being a missionary & it's sweet to see such dedication.  I love the mission but I can't wait to come home & apply everything I have learned on my mission. Members don't realize the many advantages they have being member missionaries.

I do have to say that I take it back that my last trio was the best trio because THIS trio is the BEST trio I have EVER been in. Sister Yardley & Hanna are a delight & their sense of humor is kind, they don't put each other down, there teasing is loving & fun & I like it a lot. I feel like I am around my very own sisters from home with them & that is a comfort. I am touched by Sister Yardley's pure spirit, I feel like from her sweetness she could get anything she wants just by saying please but she doesn't use that to her advantage - ha ha. Sister Hanna is a hoot & is super clever & she pulls the funniest faces & reactions. Oh my heart I love these two Sister & feel like I have known them for a lot longer then just 5 days.  Sister Hanna said it felt like we had been serving together for 5 years already.

Oh my new address is...

7779 Jewel Lane # 101
Naples FL 34109

I learned after visiting a certain prominent ward member (who we were trying to inspire to hasten the work) to always want to put God first & have my happiness dependent upon Him. It was a very disheartening experience from the minute she allowed us to come in her home. We started with a prayer & proceeded forward with a spirit guided message & I asked her about her conversion story which she gladly told & you know what the funniest thing about her conversion story? It was all because a stake president invited the missionaries to be at a funeral to share a thought & introduced her mom to them. If that stake president had not invited the missionaries then her mom wouldn't have had the chance to meet the missionaries, learn the gospel & be baptized. I was amazed that she didn't put the two together herself & after all 3 of us had that distinct impression not to point it out to her because this member would have gotten mad. Anywho I learned a lot in that frustrating experience. I also learned to Never allow wealth to be a distraction from doing the right thing that God would have you do. It seemed to me that some people are to caught up in their wealth & reputation among their friends rather the putting the gospel first. If I am ever rich I am not going to waste money on pointless things, use it for good, for traveling, for the things that count like giving to the church & others. Sister Yardley had a nice thought that if she was ever rich she would never let her children know. :) I also learned & was reminded of that quote from an apostle who said if you are too busy for God then you are more busy then He ever intended you to be. I hope to always out God first & my loved ones, success & work is pointless if we are neglecting the ones we love because of it. Think about it what is that reputation going to do for an individual in the life to come, God will ask us if we tried to live as Christ live, are we?

At dinner later that day Sister Hanna was reading a motivational card she carries with her with awesome quotes for her to read when it gets tough oh by the way Sister Hanna has been out 4 months but she seems like she has been out 8 months, I am so impressed with her! One thing I liked from Sister Hanna's motivation card, "Lord...thou knowest that I love thee" To which Jesus responded (and here again I acknowledge my nonscriptural elaboration) perhaps saying something like: "Then (sister bush) why are you here? Why are we back on this same shore, by these same nets having this same conversation? Wasn't it obvious then and isn't it obvious now that if I want fish, I
can get fish? What I need (sister bush) are disciples - and I need them forever. I need someone to feed my sheep and save my lambs. I need someone to preach my gospel and defend my faith. I need someone who loves me truly, truly loves me, and loves what our Father in Heaven has commissioned me to do. Ours is not a feeble message. It is not a fleeting task. It is not hapless; it is not hopeless, it is not to be consigned to the ash heap of history. It is the worth of Almighty God, and it is to change the world. So, (sister bush) for the second and presumably the last time, I am asking you to leave all of this and to go teach and testify, labor and serve loyally until the day in which they will do to you exactly what they did to me." ... The crowing characteristic of love is always loyalty." - The first great
commandment by Elder Holland

Amen amen amen to that quote!!! Love it :) and I shared it in ward counsel on Sunday!

Also in her card: Alma 26:27

I love poor people I can't stand prideful rich people.  Humble rich people are the best, but prideful - grrrrrrrr!  If I am ever rich I am NOT going to own a huge enormous pointless mansion, I'm actually going to use my money for good & for God. Ok I made that point already just re-emphasizing.

Another quote I liked from her card...
"We kick when we don't want to kick & we stroke when we don't want to stroke." -Olympic swimmers & how they are successful!

FAITH NOT FEAR PEOPLE!!!!!!!!! So trust & go & do for crying out loud. The message has always been in the same from the beginning of time, God's love is real & it is needed for everyone.

Oh fun random fact in Preach My Gospel, apparently there is only one exclamation mark & it is found in, "How great is your calling!" Only explanation point or at least that is what Sister Hanna was told in the MTC, so keep your eyes open but I am pretty sure she is right.

So my companions & I had a fantastic study on word of wisdom, D&C 89! It only requires 5 main points the other things are on a individual level of what we decide :) The word of wisdom is a test of our faith & love on how loving we are towards others decisions, we can be more strict on the specific on our own but let others decide on more personal decisions like caffeine or not. Sister Yardley told the funniest story, her dad is a police officer & one of his friends was a security guard for President Dieter F. Uchtdorf & they were flying somewhere. On the flight President Uchtdorf had a diet coke & he took a permanent marker & wrote the letters e, r after diet & turned to the guard & said,"look Dieter coke." Bwah ha ha ha I love it!

It has only been a few days but we have been very blessed in our trio! I have enjoyed it immensely even though it was hard to leave Sarasota (yeeha I cried a lot) it has been really neat to feel it confirmed that Vanderbuilt beach is where I am suppose to be. Sister Hanna & Yardley have said that a lot, that they both feel I was suppose to come here even though it was a random early transfer they feel that how everything happened it was meant to happen. Aww, I am so grateful for them & it's been nice to how open we all are & I love that there is such a good trust, open communication & unity between us all. It has only improved. Sometimes in companionship's you go through "honey moon" stages that last the 1st to 3rd or so days. You can tell if it's going to be good or not if you continue to improve together in a short period of time even on grumpy days, if you handle that well & continue progressing, woot you know it's going to be good. I am happy to say this trio is really good it is more then good! 4 Nephi 1:15 I know it's the love of God that is in this trio & no contention because of that love. woooooottttt woot!

We have a lot of solid investigators & we set 2 baptism dates this week & will be setting a 3rd one with our investigator Joanna. Earlier this week we went to see her & her boyfriend, Marcos, answered the door & said she was sick & to come back later. We started walking back to the church & we got a phone call from Joanna, she told us she would love to see us & that she was just tired but she wanted us to come back! We did & had an awesome lesson 2 about the plan of salvation & she loved it. She wants her baby Leo & her boyfriend Marcos together forever & she wants her best friend to take the lessons & learn the
gospel too. We told her to pray about it & invite Marcos to pray about
it. 

We received an awesome text last night from her & woot she knows the church is true!!!! She got an answer to her prayer & Christ's example & be baptized. I love it because she didn't have anything dramatic happen, she just recognized it was an answer to her prayer :D Her text said that she had been praying how to help her boyfriend be more open to learning about the church & how she was going to do that. She was talking to her friend & somehow she found out her friend's mom is a regular at church I the Spanish ward. Her friend had nothing but good to say about the church even though her friend isn't a member. She was so cute & asked us if she & her friend can come to church this Sunday, well of course!!!

Our ward is trying out a thing called "white night," President Newsome from the Spanish ward had suggested for the Hermanas & we are going to give it a go. It is where you set all of your baptisms for one night & have a huge group baptism. It was sweet to see earlier this week from the Hermana's group of about 5 people. We have prayed & our date is June 28th feel free to pray with us that we will find those who are ready for this date & that those who have committed will be able to
stay committed to the waters of baptism!!!! Jasmine Smith, Chilene Dumas, & soon Joanna Pierre :) are our investigators with baptismal dates. Oh & I guess our will be a white morning/ day because we are holding the baptisms at 11am, it works better for our ward members & those with little ones.

So Jasmine Smith is about 18 & she is a delight, she is this awesome sassy girl & she cracks me up. She is smart & her insights are lead by the spirit, I am excited for her & just hope her mother's heart will soften about it all & she'll come to learn too.

Ok this email is very long, I'll have to write about our many other investigators next time like Victoria, Sarah, & Tiah & April & Chris & holy cow we have been blessed with a lot of people!

Oh funny quote real quick from this week. We were at a gas station & we were walking back to the car & this drunk or high guy said a crude thing to me & once I & my companions were in the car we were joking about the things we would say if we weren't missionaries back to that man. One of the cheesy things was, "God will Smite you!" And then Sister Hanna said, "And I'm His messenger!" As she then pretended to punch him, oh man we had a good laugh. Wouldn't that be a fantastic line to have in a play or movie? lol, oh my lanta, too fantastic!

Oh other hilarious quote of the week, we were walking to an apartment that one of our less actives live & there was music blasting with one of my favorite songs & I asked..."What is that place? Is that a park or something?"- Sister Bush. "We call that Babylon."- Sister Hanna. Oh man I love my companions.

So one last thought I promise...
I had to learn in that experience with that member that was frustrating to love her regardless of the choices she was making to not help us with missionary work, I had to love because maybe that's where my faith was being tested, was I going to love even through the frustration, I think that's what I'm learning right now. Things will be unjust, people will not really understand but God does & God's love
will see us through at the end of the day. That what matters, we don't have to prove the feelings or confirmations from God that we get to other, we just have to be willing to share & then let others decide how they will choose.

It all comes down to which heaven are you willing to live? What will see you through your day? The love of God or the dependency on your own strengthen? I'd rather choose God's love & see the true joy that unfolds from that choice & decision.

I am grateful for God, for hymns like, "Be still my soul," I loved that hymn it really helped this week with all the fast transitions that have happened, I love my companions & I love the amazing ways God works. I love this gospel, I love our savior Jesus Christ, I love that His work is Hastening. I have a deep appreciation for everything going on right now, yeeha!

Much Love,

Sister Bush