Sister Inman Letter - March 20, 2017

¡Milagros tras milagros tras milagros! "God sends His prepared people to His prepared servants."

Wow oh wow oh wow. How many miracles and blessed days and wonderful things can you fit in a week?! Well, I'll try to fit some of those in this email, though I don't ever have time to write everything I'd like to! But here are some of the most awesome ones!

To start off, Sister Lund and I have been trying very hard to follow the Spirit's promptings more promptly, and we both have noticed that we have both been MUCH more in tune with the spirit, and that many of our thoughts and actions, etc. are inspired of God. And because of this, we have seen many things and had many good experiences that helped us to grow as a companionship, or to help the area flourish.

Tuesday night, we had a lesson with a family named the Hodge's, and they have a friend of their daughter's living with them named Nikki. We taught the Restoration, and the family was fantastic at inviting the Spirit and sharing their testimonies! The Spirit was very strong, and we have another lesson with her tonight! She became a new investigator this week and we are soooo happy!

I had a wonderful birthday on Wednesday! Here's part of my journal entry for the day: 

"Today I am just filled with gratitude. What a wonderful day it has been. Truly, there were so many wonderful things that we and I were blessed with, and I have surely felt the love of God today.

"This morning I woke up, and Sister Lund sang Happy birthday to me. She went upstairs and made all of us waffles, scrambled eggs, and strawberry syrup. None of which she could eat, but she did all of that for us. We all ate breakfast together, us two and Brother and Sister Merrill. While breakfast was being made, I was decorating my birthday cake, which was probably the most vibrant, colorful, neon, crazy cake I've ever had for my birthday! Blue frosting, and then white piping around the border, and I made colors green and orange and pink to draw a mermaid and a few goldfish. I put the candles all around the circumference of the cake. It was a circle, double decker. I also put paper boats around the side of the cake haha. I decided it was a little too crazy, but hey, I'm 21, isn't that crazy enough? I made it gluten free, so everyone was able to eat it! The whole cake was eaten! Except one slice, which sister Lund will probably eat later haha. She really liked it. Not quite as good as the cake or decorating that Mom does, but I thought about her when I made and decorated it. :) We had a good district meeting, and I brought sherbet and 7up to make those float things and everyone liked those too.

Here's the cake!! Ignore my face. :)

  
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Brother and Sister Merrill sang happy birthday to me as well. Then Brother Merrill serenaded me in Spanish with his guitar. He's a pretty good vocalist, haha. :)"

We had a great lesson with Roman in the afternoon, and the Spirit was definitely there, and he has been reading the Book of Mormon!!!! He said it is hard for him to go to church because when he goes, he just feels like out of place, or like he's not supposed to be there or something. He said he doesn't feel worthy to go to church. He and his nephews sang happy birthday to me. :) and MIRACULOUSLY, HE CAME TO CHURCH YESTERDAY! WITH HIS NEPHEWS!!!!! (seriously, that is miraculous. He hasn't come in forever!!)

Later that evening, our Zone Leaders sent out a text and a challenge to find one new investigator that day. We had gone to Tombstone, which is pretty much dry as far as investigators right now, and there are mostly just less actives there.However, we went there to visit some people, went to dinner, and then it was about 6:30pm. So I said okay, we've got about 3 hours. How are we going to find a new investigator tonight? So we prayed to know, and felt that we should go home, look through our areabook at the potential and former investigators in the area, and prayed earnestly and sincerely that we would find a new investigator. 

So we each separately looked at our list of people, wrote down who stood out to us, then consolidated. We prayed to know if it was right, and it felt right. So off we went! :) We tried a couple people, and couldn't find some people for awhile, because a lot of people in our area either don't have numbers on their house, they're super faded on the mailbox, or the address doesn't describe where they actually live. But we continued to try, having faith that God had sent us to these people for a reason, we finally contacted some people who invited us to come back. :) The first one was a girl named Brittney, who is probably about 14. We had a lesson/taught a truth, and scheduled a return appointment. After getting ONE new investigator, we were super pumped! But we still had time to go out, so we didn't stop there, and guess what?! We found TWO MORE! These were named Rose and Bre, a mother and daughter. They were formers, and we taught about families and temples.

That gave us a total of THREE new investigators in ONE DAY!!! We were filled with gratitude and felt so blessed. Then we checked our phone. An unknown number had called us at about 9:30pm. We decided to call him back, even though it was later than we normally call people. A man answered, and we asked who he was, and how we could help him. He told us that his name was Tyler, and that he was wondering when our church services were. He explained that he travels a lot for work, but one of his coworkers had shared with him the Book of Mormon, and how the Gospel has blessed her life, the peace it had given her, and just how her faith has helped her. He mentioned that she just seemed so confident and her faith seemed so strong, both in the way she expressed her beliefs, and how she shared her faith like it meant something important to her, and how she held herself. And he wanted to have that too.He explained that he had recently, about a year ago, been diagnosed with a disease, and he began to think of life a little differently. He started thinking about God more. The more he talked, the more that the Spirit testified to me that God truly is preparing people for the gospel, and that He has a plan for each of us to come unto Him. We testified of plain truths, and how we help people to receive that same faith and peace in their life, and invited him to learn more. We set up a time to talk to him the next day, and answer a few of his questions, get to know is background, etc. and here we have..... another new investigator. Bringing us to 4 new investigators in ONE night, and FIVE new investigators within the first half of the week. Wow. We couldn't even believe it, we were almost in tears of joy, and we said many prayers of gratitude.

We were in Ward council yesterday morning and shared this experience. Everyone was so excited for us, and the Elders' Quorum President even said, "Wow! God sends His prepared people to His prepared servants.Great job, Sisters!!!" It really made my day. They just expressed how great that miracle was, and it felt so good to be able to return and report back to the ward leaders of the successes that are happening in this area. There was a feeling of optimism in the room afterwards, and we got tons of new ideas flowing and people giving comments of how we could help people in the area, and got several referrals of people to try and how to help/reach them, etc. members and nonmembers. There was so much participation from everyone, and they were all excited about missionary work. Especially because it also helps them in their auxiliaries. Isn't it great when we all work together? It's ONE big work!

On Sunday, we had some less actives come to church that hadn't been in a long time, and Sister Lund gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting. I have to give one in both wards next week, haha.

Anyway, that's all of the time I have for today, I love each of you, thank you for the birthday package and wishes, and I hope you have a great week!

Love,

Sister Inman

Sister Inman Letter - March 13, 2017

17 Months Out, 21 Years Old!

Hellooooo family!!! Long email, watch out!

Wow, this week has been awesome! We've been working hard nonstop, and a lot of great things have been happening. I have a new sense of determination, it feels like!

Before I forget, I finally saw the Tillet's at church yesterday!!! Daniel and his wife :) they look like they're doing so well, they now have two kids, and they're big! He asked how each of you were, and I asked about his family. :)

First off, my new companion's name is Sister Lund! Turns out she is not really from Utah, but is actually from Virginia! This is her second area, and she's been on her mission for about 6 months. Every transfer is a new change and it takes some adjusting to a new area and companion, but this is going to be the best transfer ever.

Second off, I'm sending out a mass call for help: My companion is gluten free AND Vegan. So, no breads, butter, milk or dairy of any kind, no eggs, no cheese,....  and no meat. That's the hardest one, I think.. I gotta have me some MEAT D: My call for help is, WHAT CAN WE EAT?! Would you all mind looking for some ideas that members could use to make us meals? My companion is fine with beans and rice or a potato every night, but... she's used to that... and I seem to feel bloated or fat or sick when I eat a lot of those. But any suggestions from anyone would be very very much appreciated by yours truly. Because I really don't want to have beans and rice or a baked potato or taco salad EVERY night...  any ideas, especially variety, would be FANTASTIC. THANKS ONE BILLION! :) And it would really help out the members.

Well aside from all of that, this week was super PACKED! It was awesome! God has helped me a lot this week, and has enabled me to take over the area with more confidence. So this week we managed to at least meet most of our investigators/ people we've been wanting to work with.

Tuesday morning, we picked up Sister Lund from the Benson Transfer site, but the transfer van wasn't going to be coming back to pick up Sister Freeman until like 1:30 that afternoon... So, we were awkwardly a trio for the first half of the day! Haha. But I did get to see a couple of the missionaries I have served around probably for the last time at the transfer site, as well. That was a real tender mercy. But the morning was pretty productive, we had a lesson together, and we met a lot of people in the area!

Wednesday, we drove down to Sierra Vista for a zone meeting, which was really good! Elders Dustin and Starnes are our Zone Leaders, and our Sister Training Leaders are Sisters McMaster and Bergeson. We were trained on effective companionship study, and how crucial it is that they are focused and spirit led, and especially relevant in preparing us for the people and experiences we will be having that day. The Spirit was strong. Something that was said was, "How much you have changed by the end of your mission is a good indicator of how much you stepped outside yourself." Or in other words, how much you put into helping others progress, rather than just seeking to improve yourself. IT can happen either way, but the greater change happens when we give selfless service. 

Thursday was another awesome, productive, and successful day! We volunteered at commodities, and that was fun! We could just serve and meet the people that came in. I was in charge of organizing and distributing the breads, and I've noticed on my mission especially that I like to organize things! I'm not necessarily organized in other ways, but I do like to organize and categorize things in order to get a flow going. I also go to practice my people skills and just greeting people. It felt good to serve.

That afternoon we had a lesson with a girl named Tiffany. She's probably in her mid to late 20's and is recently trying to return to activity in the church. Her gospel knowledge is minimal, but her testimony of God is strong. We taught the Restoration and helped her feel the Spirit, which is what she said she needed!

We had a lesson that night with our investigator Hailey, and we reset her baptismal date for April 8th! She really wants it. We asked how she felt about that date, and she said, "Either I'm not gonna be a Mormon, or I'm gonna be Mormon on the 8th!" Haha. :) She has some struggles, but the Atonement is real and she can change! She struggles with the Word of Wisdom, which a lot of people around here seem to, and Satan keeps hitting her hard with trials. He's been working especially hard on the people in this area, it feels like. probably because he KNOWS something good is about to happen.

Friday morning we had an awesome lesson with Elizabeth, our other investigator, who just got married to a member on Saturday! Our lesson was on eternal marriage and following the prophet. We talked about how the prophets tell us how to be successful in our families, and testified that when we applied the things that the prophet tells us we should do, then our families are strengthened, and we then qualify for all of God's promised blessings, in particular, eternal marriages and families. We shared with her The Family: A Proclamation to the World and she really liked that. She said she and Jared (her fiance at the time) had been talking about how they want the gospel and church to be the center and foundation of their home and their marriage. She shared with us that she has felt that the more she learns about the gospel, and the more she lets her spiritual side show, the better her relationship has been with Jared. Isn't that awesome?! Even before they were married, they already were preparing to have a strong foundation, and they have found that the Gospel has strengthened them individually, and as a couple. She said that it was a testimony builder to her! The next morning, she was married! I am so excited that she is already progressing so well, and that she wants this happiness in her life. I can already tell she is going to be a success story, and I can already picture her in the temple. Next step, Baptism!

Saturday was a little rough at some points, but overall a good day. We did a lot of weekly planning and it went really well. We should be having another super awesome week! :)

But an experience I wanted to share is kind of a disheartening one, but it does have a good learning experience within it.

We called our investigator James, you know the one we though was Golden and randomly showed up to church one Sunday? Well we called to confirm that we were still on for our lesson with him, and ended up having a longer conversation about finding the truth. He said, "I've been thinking about it,... and I think we should stop meeting. I really appreciate you taking the time to come and talk to me about God, and I know you really believe it, but the more homework and research I do, the less convinced I am. I'm really sorry girls. I am finding out more and more, and I just.. I can't. I'm sorry."

Well that's not what we wanted to hear. But I knew I wasn't supposed to give up. That I needed to keep trying, and at least testify of what I know is true. So, I prayed in my head and in my heart to know what to say to this man, and also to have the courage and strength to say it with the Spirit.

I asked him if he had even read out of the Book of Mormon. He said a little bit. 

So I asked him, Well then how are you supposed to know if it is true or not if you haven't even read it? The entire reason we are here, is because we know it is true. It has blessed our lives immensely, and ALL we are asking you to do is to learn more about it and find out for yourself that it is true. We want your life to be blessed by these same truths.

"I know that you both believe it with all your hearts, and I know that you both are wonderful human beings. I just don't know that I can believe all of this. i started reading, and I didn't like what I found."

Me:What did you find?

He said, "I'm just seeing a lot of plagiarism."

Me: Plagiarism? What do you mean?

"So I was searching and found out about this guy named Edgar Smith, who wrote many of the same exact things that Joseph Smith wrote DECADES before the plates were even discovered. And I am even learning that there are missing books out of the Bible. It's been CHANGED. There are things that have been taken out! What if everything that I have ever grown up believing isn't true? Look this guy up. You'll see what I mean."

Me: Unfortunately, we can't look that up. We don't even have access to most of the internet.

"Well that's not very fair to me. What if I showed you what it says and what I found...?"

Me: James, I have searched. I have read the Book of Mormon. I have studied it. I have taken a college course on it. I am reading and studying it again. I have prayed about it. I have learned more and more as I continue to search. But I don't need to look all over the internet to try and prove it wrong, because I know that the only way you will be able to know it is true is if you turn to the Book of Mormon. There are a lot of people and sources out there, especially on the internet that will give you lots of false information and tell you all kinds of things that are not true. The ONLY way you are going to be able to know if everything is true is if you read and study in the Book of Mormon, with a real intention to know if it is true and act upon it, and pray and ask God, who is the source of ALL truth. You can search the internet and find all sorts of untruths, but I know for a fact that if you do not look to the Book of Mormon to find it's truth, you will not ever know.

A short pause. "So you think Satan is trying to stop me from learning the truth?" What the-?

Me: Yes, I do. I know he is. The same thing happened to Joseph Smith before he came to know the truth. And I know that everything we have told you is true. If I did not know 100% that this was true, then I would not be out here right now. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet, and I know that you can know this too. 

Anyway, he still cancelled on us, because he just needed some time to think. There were a few more things said, but I don't have much more time. 

But yeah, those were some of the experiences I had this week, and I am grateful for them. I am grateful that I was able to feel the powerful witness that the Spirit gave to me as I testified of what I knew to be true and what I believed was true to someone who was about to give up the search. 

I hope you have a wonderful week, I love you all! Thanks for the birthday wishes and prayers!

Love,

Sister Inman

P.S. Tell Dom I said hi, and also tell him to email me. Thanks :)

Sister Inman Letter - March 6, 2017

Last Transfer.... and I can see the Light at the end of the Tunnel!

Good afternoon friends and family, it's Sister Inman here.

Well, I've officially reached that point in my young missionary life
where I only have one transfer, or 6 weeks left. It has been an
incredible experience, and I think I have grown the most during the
second half of my mission.

It's been a fantastic week, and we have had some wonderful things happen!

I am limited on time, as we have a ton to do today (the day before
transfers) but I'll try to share some success stories with you!

We met our investigator James (formerly referred to as Jim), at the
food bank that we volunteer at, and he told us he just didn't believe
the Joseph Smith thing, nor that he was a prophet. And he's like "I
was raised Southern Baptist! Have you ever tried to convert one of
those? You're not going to convert me. I'm not gonna be a Mormon." We
said, "Well, James, we're not the ones that are going to convert you.
If it was up to us to try to convince people to join our church, we
would have absolutely nobody join. I'm not that talented. But we want
to meet with you because we know it has blessed our lives, and because
we know it is true, and we want you to be blessed by it too." After
prompting him a couple of times, he agreed to meet with us one more
time. That lesson went a little interesting, and there is definitely a
long way to go, but he is now interested in meeting with us regularly!

Also, we started the lesson asking him why he thought we wanted to
meet with him again. He started off by saying, "I think you're going
to try this whole time to talk about and try to convince me about
Joseph Smith and that I should believe in that whole thing." Well,
nope, that's not why. We began to talk about our purpose here on this
earth, and agency, etc. and also read from Alma 32 comparing faith to
a seed, and how when we learn something, we should plant and nourish
it and allow it to grow, to see if it is a good fruit. He said "I
really like that, I agree with what Joseph Smith wrote there." Wait...
what? Joseph Smith didn't write that... "He didn't? (utter shock to
him) who did?" Alma! He is a prophet that was on the earth many years
before Christ came. He was completely dumbfounded. That led to a
discussion on the Book of Mormon and where it came from. At the end of
the lesson, he agreed to begin reading from the Book of Mormon.

Never give up on someone after the first try! I'm so glad we didn't,
though we almost did! Satan tries hard, that one. NOT TODAY, SATAN.

This week I finally was able to go out and be a fully functioning
missionary!!! Thank you all so much for your prayers and thoughts and
well wishes! I am back out and we're having some good experiences and
success. I still have some mucus and gross stuff in my sinuses and
throat, but I am so so so much better! Yay!!!!

And transfer cheese, I am staying in Saint David, and am getting
Sister Lund, from Utah. She's been out I think about 6 months...?

I also finally got the official "My Plan", or in other words, the
official church's program for missionaries during their last 6 weeks
to help prepare them for returning home, going back to school, getting
back into the workplace, etc.

Anyway, that's all the time I have for today.

Have a great week!

Love,
Sister Inman

Okay so the story with the policeman so you don't freak out, is that we were taking pictures on the side of the road and had several cars honk or stop to see if we needed help. One happened to be a policeman... and he asked if we were okay. We said yes, and then I said actually... can we take a picture with you? And he hesitated..... but then was like, "Okay, get in the back." So we did and got this awesome picture from the dash cam perspective. haha xD

He was a member. 

Converting the local Policeman

Well, I never thought I'd actually get caught

Only YOU can prevent Wildfires.

The Benson/Pomerene/Saint David District!

Photo shoot in front of the Saint David Sign! We had fun.

Sister Inman Letter - February 27, 2017

Sure, NOW I figure it out! Less gooooo!!!

Hey y'all!

So I had ZERO time because we've been deep cleaning all day. And I am stressed almost to breaking point! Anxiety levels almost maxed out! I'm SO sorry! But good news is I made some progress for dejunking and am putting together boxes to send home. But I wanted to send you a quick email to tell you I am doing better, I am alive, and I am grateful to be a missionary. I love being a missionary in this mission, and at this time, and in this place. I am the happiest I've been so far, I think, as a missionary, because I am finally beginning to understand what it is really about.

I had a neat experience in the Book of Mormon this week, (I just finished 2 Nephi!) that really struck home with me and I gained a lot of insight as to my service as a missionary. 

2 Nephi 31. A favorite by many,  it it hit me a little differently this time. I prayed beforehand to receive revelation as to what I need to do to change and develop into a consecrated missionary, and most importantly, how I can do what God sent me to this area to do, and how I can know that I am successful and acting in such a way that the Lord would want me to as His called representative.

To read you what my notes were from this chapter, I said: "As a missionary, I am striving to represent Jesus Christ. Christ Himself witnessed to the Father through His actions and keeping the commandments that He was not only willing, but determined me sincere, not holding anything back, (including ANY desire, weakness, sin, etc.) in order to keep ALL of the commandments of the Father. This, Christ, who did keep ALL of the commandments with full purpose of heart, might, mind, and strength, could not be prevented from receiving the power of God. Due to His unfailing nature and perfect, SINCERE obedience, God could not withhold any blessing from Him. Likewise, in
order for me to fully qualify myself for, obtain, and use God's enabling power, I must:

(See 2 Nephi 31:10,13) Come before God, in humility, with no deception, but with full purpose of heart, repent of all of my sins, and show through my obedience that I am willing to keep ALL of God's commandments and requirements, as the Savior did, as I am called to represent Him as a missionary."

And then forward to verses 18-20, once I have done this and have improved to the point of repenting, praying, and receiving strength... don't just stop there! Try, do your best, seek to find those who are prepared. Continue to strive to be better. Use that power in which God has given you!

"For ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ, with unshaken faith in Him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save. Wherefore, he MUST press forward with a STEADFASTNESS in Christ....." 

Then verse 21: "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God..."

He is the way. There is no other way. We must do as he did and witness through our faith and our works, holding NOTHING back, that we are willing to keep ALL of the commandments of the Father.

This was truly meaningful to me. It reminded me that if I wanted God to help me without restraint, then I cannot hold back any part of my heart from him. No desire to not be 100% obedient to every rule, no little weakness, no little grudge or ill feeling, nothing. I have to give it all to him, because Christ himself had to do that to receive
the power to do what He did. So I must do the same. So that is my quest!

Well, that's all I have time for, I am still getting over my sickness, the doctor said it might be another two weeks or so before I'm rid of all of the junk in my system, but hey, I am up and going and nothing is going to slow this girl down. I only have a little more than a transfer left as a missionary, and I ain't got no time to lose being sick. So I am kickin this thing, and off we go to work some miracles. We finally got to go out and do some things the second half of the week, and so we are getting better. I got to go to church on Sunday and it was the best. So many people came up to me and asked if I was doing better, commented on how I looked so much better and happier and ALIVE, and it just showed me how much God loved me, and that even the people who barely met me a month ago love and care about me. The Ward Council welcomed me back with warm smiles and welcoming words. :)

Well, I hope you all have a wonderful week, enjoy Taylor's wedding! I got the invite and am so happy for him!!! What a stunning invitation. Holy cow. And her little girl is so sweet, it's so awesome to see their little family coming together :)

Love you all! Tell the relatives I say hello and love and miss them!

Good luck Megan!!! You'll do great! Welcome home, Ely!!!

Love,
Sister Inman