ARE Y'ALL STILL ALIVE?

Dear hard core hikers of the week!

Don’t think I have forgotten about each one of you! Throughout this week, knowing you were all hiking one of the most dangerous hikes, I’ve thought a lot about the mountains we climb in life and why we must climb them. What is so important? What is at the top? Is it truly worth it? And why am I climbing?

We climb one mountain after another in our lives and I have found that if I’m not careful, I catch myself looking at the ground and staring at rocks and dirt. However, because of the outstanding family I have, they have taught me to look up. Even though we often can't see the top while we are climbing, we can imagine and envision, what is up there and what is to come.

Time after time, we read at the BEGINNING of the Book of Mormon, how Nephi went to the mountain for different reasons. I’m sure the climb wasn't easy and I’m sure he struggled through boulders and mud puddles. BUT he knew his purpose!

Being here in the rolling hills or flat lands of Texas has caused me to miss the Rocky Mountains just a bit. However, there is one "mountain" here that I am eternally grateful for. It is at the top of Stone Oak Parkway in San Antonio and is the House of the Lord. You can't quite see it from anywhere else in San Antonio unless you get in just the perfect spot, and even then, you can only see the tip of Moroni's trumpet. BUT, when you are at the temple, you can see ALL of San Antonio and the view goes on forever! That is the kind of vision, insight, feelings, growth, emotions and happiness that is all felt at the Temple!

I am climbing my own mountain right now….. BUT it is the greatest place to be!

New Companion: Sister Hansen from Springville, UT! She is incredible! WOW! So diligent, dedicated, hard-working, and we are ready to run up the mountain!

New Area: Austin Ward! Yes! The first and original ward and building here in Austin! We are spoiled here, I'll be honest. On our drive home every evening we look ahead at the sky line of central downtown Austin and can’t believe the awesome view! We are about 5 min from the capital. There is such diversity here, like no other place I’ve been. And I’m getting a glimpse of the life of a foreign mission. (just a glimpse though, I am sure) We come home every night to mariachi bands playing just across the banks of the river that we live on.

New Language: The Spanish is thick here as well. OH, my goodness, I need to learn! It is quite difficult when you don’t have a companion who is a Spanish called missionary. However, Sister Hansen and I are jumping right in and making a fools of ourselves together! When everyone you talk to every moment of everyday speaks Spanish though, it is necessary to learn. I also think I have heard more Spanish music the last few days than hymns. (and we sing a lot of hymns!)

Can you see why it is just the greatest place to be!?!

Our Investigators:

Maria! Alma 32:21 describes her perfectly. She has great faith in God. She doesn’t believe she does, but truly she does. The past few months have been a rough time for her, however, she has not given up. She is living the principle Elder Holland taught. "Lead with the faith that you already do have." The other day she prayed for the first time in a long time! She talked to our Heavenly Father and I am sure He was so happy to hear from her. She came to church and was able to remember her Savior!

Shane (father) Jessica (mother) and Chris (son)! The father joined the church about a year ago and now the Lord has prepared Jessica! She is ready to jump all in. And Chris is incredible. He loves his mother so much and appreciates all that she does for him. He said, "If they would let her, I think my mother is so great that she should be able to get baptized twice!" They will both be getting baptized on July 19th!

John! An older gentlemen, and who is a sweetheart for sure! He is diligent in his scripture study. He loves coming to church and will be getting baptized in a couple weeks! July 12th! Pray that is back feels up to par on that day though. 1 Nephi 3:7

AND so many others! Yesterday we walked and talked with so many people! Miracles have not ceased! Mormon 9:19. They are real. God is real. The Lord has basically packed our whole week with lesson after lesson. I can see why we have been taught to make our lessons short and powerful. There is no time for a lesson longer than 20min. Pray for more time before He comes again because we are going to need it!

This is the work of the Lord! HIS WORK! Oh how I love my Savior. I want to serve him every moment and every minute. I remember when Cheylee was little and she would say how eating is just so inconvenient and takes so much time. I feel ya Chaloo! If we just didn’t have to stop to eat.........

He performs the miracles, He does all the work. These miracles are because of Him! I am grateful for our Savior, Jesus Christ. He truly is our Redeemer, the Almighty God! I know that Christ lives. I know that He has given us the Book of Mormon as a testament of Him and to learn how we can become like Him. I know that His power, and His Authority is currently on this earth within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I know that Joseph Smith was called as a prophet of God to restore Christ's church to this earth.

I love each one of you because you have allowed me to learn and gain this knowledge! Thank you, Thank you!  Love for the eternities!  Sister Davis