"WITH GREAT RISK COMES GREAT REWARDS"

Dear Family! 

I am so impressed every week by how much YOUR faith is increasing……each one of you! Every word I read is just so powerful. Thank you. I often reflect on these things throughout the whole week. “Tomorrow my study will be even better than today” or ...”this lesson will be even greater than the last”...etc. because of the insights you share. A gentleman we met, when asked, “how has your day been?”, responded "It is the Best day yet!”  I hope every day is better than the previous one for me. 

I often have this fear that the "not so pleasing" experiences I have been through in my life or for instance, in the beginning of the mission, will come around again and I will have to go through them again. But that is impossible. Even if I were placed in the same situation, my outlook, my faith, my attitude will be much different and at a much greater level of faith. Therefore, all is well, all is great!

For that reason I think there has been some miscommunication...I have expressed how incredible and amazing and un-imaginable joy I have felt lately. IT IS ALL TRUE. I have heard from some,  "It sounds like all is going well, but I know that there are hard things occurring that you are just not sharing." THAT IS NOT TRUE. lol The work is really, truly, with all my heart, so exciting and sooooo full of happiness and soooo joyful at ALL times. I told you that you just weren't going to believe it. lol My hope for the future is bright, there are ONLY great things to come. Yes there are heartbreaks, sad moments, BUT never discouragement. This is the LORD's work! 

Now you really have to believe all that is happening here in 9th ward! 

With Easter coming up shortly, remember all that occurred this week……Christ riding into the city on a donkey, being annointed with oil etc. Studied it in its great depths, we can better understand how GLORIOUS the resurrection really is. 

I wish I could do more justice to this next experience……just remember there must be opposition in all things or this experience would mean nothing. Out of thousands of people we have talked to, and after explaining restored truths to them, many say “no, not for me…... I don’t believe in a living prophet…… We have our church……. We are devout Catholics…... No, thank you……... I have already been baptized etc.

AND THEN we met the Davila family!

.......A mother and father and 3 kids, all members NOT of our faith. We walked into their beautiful home, clean and well-kept, toys throughout and family pictures all around. Let me just share some quotes from the lesson. "We haven't taken our kids to church lately, because they are just so antsy, getting up and down, all over the place, and we never understand or can hear the message." Said we, “Sister Davila, you would love our church, because they have this class where all the children go and the adults are able to learn on their own”.  Sister Davila: "Oh really? I am going to have to get the name and address of that place. Where is that at?" ~ And after we explained the apostasy and the restoration…. "That makes complete sense that it would be taken from the earth and now it is brought back, yes….:" So we invited them to be baptized, the mothers response…. "We have been thinking about it, it has been in our plans for the future and we need to set the example for our kids." And the Father added,  "Although we don’t believe that they should be baptized as a baby, we are letting them decide for themselves." So, after giving the little 7yr old, Mya, a pamphlet, she says "This has been so fun!" Throughout the whole lesson her eyes were GLUED on SIster Davis and I. OUR JAWS DROPPED !

Amanda: She works at Krispy Kreme and wants to be baptized. This past week she left us with a prayer and said,  "Please bless the families of these sisters!" So, to all of you out there…..They LOVE YOU.

OH MY GOODNESS I HAVE SO MUCH MORE TO SHARE> 

-3 families at church! Michelle and her 3 girls...Andrea, Liza and Ezra....Chrissy and Sara! 

-Edgar is already preparing to serve a mission and studying Preach my Gospel

-Chrissy came to mutual this past week as well! 

-I had dinner with Justin and Kassidy! 

-We did a Krispy Kreme run (Amanda helped us out) for our investigators Sunday morning! (well, really it was sat night)

-We counciled together this past week to brainstorm how we can build ZION in the mission! How we can increase faith in everyone. (particularly us missionaries)

-All those that were released as assistants, zone leaders and sister training leaders, went out into the field to be trainers and district leaders etc. and came back to reported what we can do better to unite the mission. ONE OF THE COOLEST THINGS TO SEE.

Just wait for this coming week, it will be even better. I love you all so much! Thank you, thank you for all you have done to allow me and help to be and to get where I am right now. WOW. I just look at how blessed I was in the pre-earth life to go first when I was picking my mother and father and siblings. I got to pick the best ones. Thank you! 

Always so much love in the air for you! Just imagine every snowflake that is still falling in Colorado is a hug from me! Love, Sister Davis

Krispy Kreme Run for our investigators!

Dinner with Kassidy and Justin!