Izabele's Mission Washington D.C. South

HAPPY MONDAY!!! Here are some FACTS to make it even brighter!!!  1. YOU have a purpose here on this planet  2. PEACE is available to you  3. Jesus Christ   4. Heavenly Father cares so much about the little things you care about  Our boy James passed it's baptismal interview. He went to a party afterwards and brought two six packs of water and chugged them. (We know this because our member friend, his fellowshipper, was there.) So proud of him, staying hydrated!!    Our miracle this week was definitely Kelly. We met her last week and met with her a few times this week. While on an exchange I showed her the sealing room in the temple to explain the blessings God wants for her. She told us a few days later that while she was saying a group prayer at a Christian group on campus she pictured "the gold and white room where God is." WOW she is awesome. On Sunday after church I asked her what her favorite part was, her response was "the s...

We're joyfully marching to our home! Our heavenly home. Congratulations, you're on your life's mission!   I have felt an out pouring of the spirit this week. Oh, the multitude of tender mercies!! The YSA had stake conference this weekend and it was held at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitors center!!! And we got super golden extra special permission to CROSS THE RIVER! (No one in the D.C. south mission crosses the river) Well, until yesterday! It was SO BEAUTIFUL. I love the temple with my entire soul. It's under construction right now, but even seeing it from the outside filled my heart with love. I cried.   I have a story. While walking around campus Wednesday Sister Stout commented on the drop of temperature by saying "This is my favorite season. When all the bugs die." I responded with a chuckle because SAME. Well, flash back to an exchange I went on last week with a sister in my zone. That exchange we made friends with several wonderful children ...

As I was contemplating what to write in my email today, reflecting on the last 7 days, my heart was touched as I was reminded, by the Spirit, how intricately the Savior, Jesus Christ, is involved in our lives. The single most important event, or series of events, that have occurred over the last 18 months have been the time(s) I knew LOVE was the reason 'why'. The why for my mission. The why for my family. The why for Earth life, for sorrow, for joy. Why?? Because love. Because of the perfect, pure, infinite love from Jesus Christ. Love is the biggest most powerful motivator. I consider my testimony of His atonement a great gift. My most important, precious gift I've ever possessed. Knowing He truly is the Redeemer of my broken, mortal soul. Could I ask for more? "..the words of Christ, if we follow their course, carry us beyond this vale of sorrow into a far better land of promise." (Alma 37:45) I cannot imagine a life without the peace that comes from knowing J...

Hey!!! Hope y'all had a great Halloween!! We sure did!   Pictured below is our Halloween costumes... We dressed up as elders for our district council. Humor is limited in mission life, but we thought that was pretty funny.  Also pictured below is evidence that THE MOSQUITOES WON'T DIE. It's fine. I'm fine. But my forehead hasn't been all week.  Our friend Brant who was planning to get baptized this next Saturday read a bunch of antagonistic material about the church and he is refusing to believe anything spiritual he has felt since we met him. ☹ "Satan did stir them up to do iniquity continually; yea, he did go about spreading RUMORS and contentions upon all the face of the land, that he might harden the hearts of the people against that which was good" (Helaman 16:22) Sad. Prayers for Brant.  This week whilst walking around GMU it started to rain. A kind sir ran up behind us and held an umbrella over our heads! (He came to church and LOV...

This mission has been the greatest joy of my entire life up until this point. The leaves are all sorts of autumn colors, I can't believe how quick it has slipped through my fingers.  As the world continually gets darker, the church/ truth will get brighter. Because we are all "strangers in sin" (Hymn #6)   This week we texted our friend Chris and asked if he could meet up. Chris is very tall, from Africa, and seemed fairly interested when we met him. To our surprise he said he could meet later that day! As we waited 15ish mins for him, in the previously assigned place on campus, we began to believe he wouldn't show up. While deciding if we should leave, a young Caucasian man walked up to us and began talking to us. There are only three reasons someone would ever first approach missionaries.. 1. They are a member  2. Witchcraft (by the way sister stout was responding to him I knew she felt the same) and 3. This is actually the Chris you texted and has...

I've been extremely fond of earth life this week. I am continually humbled each day of this mission God has allowed me to serve. The immense amount of miracles this week has brought me to tears multiple times. Christ expressed in John 10:10 "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." I joy in testifying that living a life centered on Jesus Christ, our personal Savior, is living life abundantly.  I wish it was possible to explain the multitude of tender mercies God has gifted us this week. Week three into opening this area with sister stout and each new person we taught this week were extremely prepared. And when they showed up to church they knew members already from class! Haha God prepared and fellowshipped them for us! Some quotes from our friends this week.. "Well, that was exactly what I needed to hear. I'm in. Did you hear that Addison? I'm getting baptized!" -Brant "I would definitely describe ...

What a wonderful week. What a wonderful world!  GMU has been great to us! 130 countries are represented on that campus! Awesome! There are also robots that bring food to wherever you are on campus! Heavenly father gathered 30,000 of His children into one small area! Now we have to gather them back into His fold! And a history of events led to our church building to be the closest church to campus! Wow, God is in the details! I'm (bias) CONVINCED sister stout and I have the greatest assignment in the mission right now!! There are people at every time in the day! Inside (heating!), and outside (autumn!), It's the best. Opening this area has been miracle after miracle!  Example: Just last night we met Jun. Jun is from Korea and has been through some seriously intense trials. As we sat with him he opened up to us and we were able to be instruments in the Lord's hand to teach him how to access Christ's Atonement through ordinances. He ended the discussion with "I a...