~December 31, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas Holiday! This is going to be a short one but there are of course some great miracles. Our investigator Jennifer has now come to church three times and absolutely wants to get baptized. I won't get to see her baptized but I have been blessed enough to see her have a mighty change of heart.

She loves the church so much and the last lesson we had she was showing us all the Temples she had found on the computer and which ones were her favorite. I will send pictures soon! The miracle is that she, Jennifer, is holding on to the gospel even though her family is not supportive. I know that she was ready the day that we knocked on her door and I feel blessed to have been a part of her change. I will head back to Temple Square on Wednesday!  I love you all and hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

~December 24, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

Merry Christmas Eve!!! I hope that you are all having a great Holiday season! The Holidays are great here in Texas! I have never had more sweets to eat in all my life! Good thing we exercise and that we have Elders! Okay well this week we had an amazing miracle! We had a mission conference for Christmas on Thursday and on our way back we received a phone call from our Bishop telling us that he just got off the phone with a lady who called the church and telling them that she wanted to learn about the church and so they gave her the Bishop's number and then he called us! Then later that night we got a call from another member who said that he met a man that needs God in his life and then handed him the phone and so I chatted with him and got his details and set up a time to meet with him! I was so excited that people were just popping up out of no where. Unfortunately we couldn't meet with them yet but I am sure we can and will after the Holidays!

Well, have a great Christmas and don't forget why we really celebrate this time of year! The Savior of the world was born and because He was we can all make it back to live with God again!

Merry Christmas and I'll talk to you next week!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

~December 17, 2012~

Hello Everyone!

Hope you all have had a great week! Not too many things have happened this week but I do have a miracle to share; of course. So, we had the ward Christmas party this last Saturday and so we went out to invite all of our investigators and less actives that we are teaching. We invited so many people! So, we are helping the ward get things together and set up and the people we invited start walking in and they keep walking in for like an hour! Almost everyone we invited came! Even people who have never come to church showed up! It was awesome! They all had a good time and I am pretty sure that was the most full Christmas party this ward has seen in years! It was a major blessing and miracle to see the fruits of our labor! I know that when we work hard and show forth our faith we will see miracles happen. Of course they will not happen all at once, but they will happen in God's own time. Have a great week and enjoy the Christmas season!

Love Always,

Sister Armstrong

PS Check out mormon.org/Christmas

~December 3, 2012~

Hello Everyone!!

How was your week? Full of miracles I presume :) Well, this week has been pretty full of miracles as well! Our investigator Michael has had some amazing transformations! So, he went to church last week for the first time-which I think I told you- well we had a lesson with him the Tuesday after and he said that church was a life changing experience for him. He then looked me in the eye and said "I now have no doubts that everything that you have told me is true."  I definitely had tears in my eyes! He then said that he was getting rid of his cigarettes and coffee and tattoo magazines. Mind you this man is 69 years old. Then we made a trip to the temple and had a lesson there and he was blown away by the feelings he had there and the knowledge that he and his wife that passed away 5 years ago can be married forever. Well, when we got to the temple we found that he had taken out his earings and trimmed his beard!! Holy cow! Then he told that he had done what he said and flushed the cigarettes and coffee down the toilet! Then we saw him at church yesterday and he showed up in a white shirt and tie and are you ready for this...

 

HE PAID HIS TITHING! He is not even baptized yet but he is so ready as soon as we can teach him everything! I know that I came to Texas for Michael I know that he was someone that I was meant to find and teach! He told us that he has been completely changed and he never thought this would happen. The faith that he has followed for 50 years, they do this thing where they study other religions and so he thought that is what this would be that he would just hear what we had to say and then move on with his life but then we told him to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and no one has ever said anything like that to him before and so he did and he got a very profound answer.

 

I know with all my heart that this is truly Jesus Christs'church. I know that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet to restore this church to the earth again. I know that families can be together forever and I know that my Savior lives and loves me as He does all of you! Hope you all have a great week and keep smiling.

Also I forgot to tell you that 9 of the less actives that we are working with came to church yesterday!!!!!! SO AWESOME!!!!!!!!!! Love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Armstrong

PS check out the new mormon.org/christmas

~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