~Christmas Package~

We sent Sis. Armstrong a Christmas "envelope" with two countdown crafts (a tree with devotionals and ornaments and a gum count down), lots of family pictures and other goodies. We can't wait for her to get her Christmas gifts this year! :)

~Visit with Sis. Palmer~

Mike and I, Shamberly and Brandon had the opportunity to go to dinner with dear friends, the Hasemann's (John and Kahli, Kellan and Kenna) who live a mile away from us tonight. Sis. Armstrong babysat Kellan since he was a baby (now age 7).

Kahli and John had invited the sister missionaries and Sis. Palmer had served in the MTC with Sis. Armstrong and Temple Square. This dear, sweet young sister is from Utah and her companion is from Tonga.

We had delicious spaghetti, garlic bread, ceasar salad and homemade peanut butter pie. Sis. Palmer returns to Temple Square just like Sis. Armstrong in January and they both return home the end of March!

Here are some pictures that we sent Sis. Armstrong today :-)

 

 

~November 26, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

I hope your week has been fantastic! I have some serious miracles to share with you! So, an update on Annel and Magda-the two that are getting baptized on Dec 29th- Well, they are living in not so good situations and need to get out. The other day we taught the law of Chastity and Magda took it very well and Annel was pondering things.

We weren't sure what she was thinking or if she was going to commit to living the law. Then the next day I got a text from her saying she wants with all her heart to be baptized on Dec 29th and so I am going to find a new place to live so I can keep the law of chastity!!!! What an amazing miracle! I thought that  had found who I came to find but I think it was these two that I was meant to find, teach and baptize before going back to Temple Square. I mean they are getting baptized 4 days before I go back!

 

The second miracle is that our awesome investigator Michael came to church this week for the first time! Now, Michael is 72 has earrings, a beard, and tattoos everywhere and has been a studier of all religions for 50 years. But, after church yesterday he told a member that the more he learns the more he feels good and is realizing that he is going to have to do something about it! I about died when I heard that! I would be so happy if Michael got baptized! I think he was another that I was meant to find! Well, that is all for this week. Keep Smiling and know that no matter how hard things get the Lord is always with you! Moroni 7:33.

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

~November 19, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

Hope you all had a great week!! This week was full of miracles! I can't even believe it but there are a few...okay one day that I want to tell you abut. This last Friday we had many teaching apt and on Thursday they almost all cancelled on us and we couldn't understand why. So, we went to the one that didn't cancel and we have been teaching this man for about a month. But he is the type of man that has studied almost every religion you can think of and really thinks so logically about everything. Well, when we got there he shared with us that he has do doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the Book of Mormon is true. He has been praying to know if the things we share are true and the answer he keeps getting is watch and see (keep learning). We were all in shock because the last time we were there he would not tell us any of those things and we were not sure what to do.

Then after that we got a call from a less active that was only baptized two years ago that we have tried to visit but she wasn't interested. When she called she said she would like us to come over.

When we got there (which worked out because our apt cancelled) she said that something told her to call us and that she is missing something in her life. She is so ready to come back! Then we got treated to this place called incredible pizza but our favorite member couple!! They crack us up! Then we got a call from an investigator we have only taught once and asked if we could come teach her more and since, again, our apt  cancelled we could go. So, we get there and she has her friend/ next door neighbor there who she has told everything that we shared with and her friend is ready and wants to learn. So we teach them both and they both committed to be baptized on the same day and then they both came to church on Sunday!!!!! When that lesson was over and my companions and I got in the car we all screamed with joy because we knew that the Lord had been in charge of that day and we say His hand in everything that happened! I LOVE being a missionary!

Hope you all have a great week and don't forget to see how the Lord's hand is in everything!!!!

~November 12, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

Well, I hope you all had a great week! The miracle that I want to share with you this week is...okay it is two miracles. So, first our investigator Linda is supposed to be getting baptized on Nov 19th but Satan has been really working hard on her! But, we decided as a companionship to fast for her yesterday. We thought that all was lost because she didn't come to church and she would not answer the phone or the door and it was very sad. Then today we got a text asking for us to call and talk with her. She felt really bad for all the things that she has been doing/going through and still wants to be baptized!!!

 

But, what did happen while we were fasting is that there is a girl that has come to church two weeks in a row and her boyfriend is being taught by the Elders and she was sitting in Relief Society with one of my companions and asks for a copy of the Book of Mormon and asked if we could teach her because she has noticed a difference in her boyfriend and wants good people in her life. The Elders haven't taught her because of schedule and stuff but she told us she feels more comfortable with girls. So, we have a new investigator!

 

I know that these miracles happened because we showed the Lord our faith by fasting and then we went and did all that we could do. I love this scripture in the Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 25: 23 For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

Hope you all have a great week!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

~November 5, 2012~

Hello Everyone!!!

How was your week? Hope it was great! Well, our awesome miracle investigator Jennifer came to church yesterday!!!! She only stayed for one hour but that is good enough! That was a big step for her! So, this week has been full of miracles! One of them being that we found a lady who hasn't been to church in a while and her son who has never been baptized ( he is 12) and they are awesome. I just know I was meant to be here in Texas to find them. So, this is what happened. We had a dinner appointment with a family and when we got there no one was there and so we decided to go and see if we could find these two.

Well, they lived a little farther then we thought but when we got there we found out that they had just arrived home and had a couple from the church over and told them they wanted to missionaries to come because Keegan, the son, would like to learn and be baptized and Holly, the mom, would like to come back to church. We did not know that they wanted us to come over we just felt prompted to go. We had a great lesson on prayer and Keegan prayed for the first time!!

 

I know that Heavenly Father is so aware of His children and will never leave then alone. Hope all is well. Have a great week!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

~October 29, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

How are you all doing? I hope that everything is going well. I have an amazing miracle to share with you all! So, last Tuesday all of our appointments fell through and so we knocked doors all day. We of course knocked in areas with former investigators or less actives.

But, it was a long intense day. But, we were knocking the last door of this apartment complex and a lady answered the door and we made some small talk and what not. But, mind you have been working on my door approach because you know I don't have the Temple behind me anymore.

So, then I said to her, " Well, we are missionaries and we are sharing a message about Jesus Christ and how through Him we can be untied with our families for all eternity." As soon as a finished she said, "Would you like to come in?" I could not even respond I was so shocked!

We talked her the Plan of Salvation and left the pamphlet with her and we have taught her twice and will teach her again tomorrow. She is progressing and is excited to come to church this week. I could not believe it and still can't. She has two daughters and now wants us to teach them. I really love sharing the gospel in so many different ways. I love how God knows me so well and knew that the Temple Square mission would be the perfect place for me to share the gospel so that I could also come to Texas at the most perfect time. Everything happens for a reason. I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

 

~October 22, 2012~

Hello Everyone!!

Hope all of you have a had a great week! Things are going well here in Texas! I love my companions and all the people we meet! The miracle that I want to share with you is one of knocking doors :)

 

So, this last week we were knocking doors and it was at an apt complex and a lady answered the door and we talked a little with her and explained who we were and then I wanted to try something that I had never tried before and so I told her that we are sharing a message about Jesus Christ and how the church that He created when He was on the earth has been brought back again. I then paused and she looked at me and said "where is it?" So, I told her that we would love to share that with her and she said she would love for us to come back and so we set up an appt and then she asked if we could say a prayer with her before we left and we did and then she said you know it is good to have people pray for you especially when you are looking for that path in life!

 

I could not believe that happened and so we are so excited to see her tomorrow! Pray that she is there and it goes well. Know that God loves you all and is waiting for you to turn to him to receive all the blessings that he has for you. Have a great week!

Love Always,

Sister Armstorng

~October 15, 2012~

Hello Everyone!!!

How are you all doing? Well, I am in TEXAS!!!! This is a very interesting place. Because San Antonio is not what I think of when I think of Texas. But, it is a great place that needs lots of tender loving care! We have so much work to do here it is not even funny. I am in a trio which means I have two other companions and they are great! I never thought a trio could work out so well but it has! So, there are many miracles that I could share with you but I think I want to share one about a family that is not so active in the church. So, we went to see the mom (who is single parent) and there was a lot of commotion going on in the house and what not but then things became really calm and the Spirit was there. We were talking about how sometimes we just have so many trials happening in our lives and it seems as though it happens the worst when we are trying to do what is right.

 

We shared with her 2 Nephi 2:11:

For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility.

Life has its challenges but we have to know the bad to know the good and vice versa. We have to have both sides to be able to make a choice.

Well, something that this lady was worried about was that her eldest son would never listen to what we have to say or come back to church.

Then...the miracle...he walked into the house and someone we convinced him to stay and he did and we taught him and he agreed to let us come back and teach him again! Is that a miracle or what?! I could not believe what was happening! And you would have thought that he wasn't being sincere but he truly was he told us that he has been really pondering lately if there really is a God. And he shared about how he used to go to church and he felt good there. It was amazing. There is a lot of work to be done but I know that it can be done with diligence and obedience to the Lord's commandments. Hope you all have a great week and I will type at you next week!!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

My Address for letters(only):
1441 Contour Dr. #933
San Antonio, TX 78212

Packages should be sent to:

Texas San Antonio Mission
404 E Ramsey Rd. Ste. 105
San Antonio, TX 78216-4665

~Arrival in Texas San Antonio Mission~

Dear Missionary Families,

We are happy to inform you that your son or daughter has safely arrived in the Texas San Antonio Mission!  President Jones and I and our assistants greeted them at the airport at about 2:45 this afternoon. The plane from Salt Lake City was delayed, so we were anxiously awaiting their arrival.  They arrived with smiles on their faces, happy to be here.  What a great group of missionaries!

After collecting their luggage, we made our way back to the mission home where we had lunch, individual interviews with President Jones and some orientation. Then they were off to the Alamo where they learned a little history and had the opportunity to talk to people and give away copies of the Book of Mormon. They did a great job with their first true missionary experience in Texas! We welcomed them back to the mission home where we had dinner and enjoyed spending the evening getting to know one another. The Elders then left for the assistants apartment and the sisters stayed at the mission home their first night in the mission field.

Tomorrow morning we will have an orientation and transfer meeting where your sons and daughters will meet their new companions and head out to their first areas. You should expect an email from them on Monday which is their preparation day. We are so happy and excited to have the opportunity to serve with these fine young men and women. Thank you for sending such well prepared and wonderful missionaries!

Sincerely,

President and Sister Jones

~October 9, 2012~

Sister Elizabeth Armstrong's new mission address for three months:

Texas San Antonio Mission
404 E Ramsey Rd. Ste. 105
San Antonio, TX 78216-4665

Hello Everyone!!

How are you all doing this week?! Well, I have some crazy news for all of you! So, here on Temple Square almost every sister will get the opportunity to go to another State and spend about 3 months in a different proselyting area. Well, I have been transferred to San Antonio, Texas for 3 months!!

 

I am a little nervous but I think that it will be great. So, if you send a letter to Temple Square they will forward it to me while I am gone but I will post my new address as soon as I get it.

 

So, now for the miracles! Well, of course this week was General Conference!!! Where we listen to the modern day living Prophet and Apostles and other leaders of the church speak to us! Now, last conference we received many member referrals and it was crazy busy and what not. Well, this time we had a new focus for conference.

Our focus was to find those referrals that are truly prepared to receive the restored gospel and as a mission we set a goal to have 415 people enter the waters of baptism by the time the next conference comes! So, as a mission we received 2901 member referrals but the best part was is that we were challenged to uplift the members that came and invite them to come closer to Jesus Christ and in total we invited 8300 members and helped them feel the love of God! That is incredible!

We met so many great people and really worked hard to do and say what Christ would. It was an exhausted 3 days but we made it and I feel so much better about how we did our work this conference because we did what Christ would do.

 

Well, I hope that you are all doing well and that you are seeing many miracles in your lives. I love you all and will share all about Texas next week!!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

~October 2, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

How was your week? I hope it was a good one because life is good, especially when it is sunny out! Well, a miracle this week just happened yesterday! A man named George called in and was telling me how he was baptized three years ago but because of his family, who are strong Catholics, he eventually left the church. He told me how they stopped talking to him and that it was really hard. Well, the amazing thing was that out of all the people here I was the one who got to talk with him and we had very similar stories and so he really wants to come back to church. He wants to have happiness in his life again.

He recognized that he was happiest with the gospel of Jesus Christ in his life. So, we get to call him and teach him more and help him get back to church. Then do you remember Nick?! The miracle that came to the square and was ready to meet with missionaries right away?! Well, We have not been able to reach him for two weeks and we were so worried that we would not be able to talk with him again!

 

Well, I felt like I should try and call again two days ago and he answered the phone!!! He was in Canada for work and his phone stopped working there! So, he is actually working for the Mitt Romney campaign and so once elections are over he is going to have more time to devote to church and what not. But, the miracle is that he is still alive, he is still reading the Book of Mormon and he still wants to learn more!

Well, I hope you all have a great week and that you will keep smiling!

Love,

Sister Armstrong