"HOW YOU DOIN' TODAY?"

FAMILY...it has truly been an exceptional week!

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so so very grateful for the love He has for me. I am grateful to know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. The Book of Mormon is physical evidence that he is. I know that only through our Savior, Jesus Christ, can we return to live with God. 

Holly! - Last Monday evening we stopped by the home of a potential investigator. The mother answered the door after a long day of work and was just arriving home. She let us right in and asked question after question. Every question she asked highlighted a doctrinal truth of the restoration! She loves history so as we shared about the Book of Mormon and the Bible being companions she was in absolute "AWE." We asked to return on a day or two later and she seemed to have quite the busy schedule. However, when we were walking to the door she said on her own, "I am not busy next Monday, you are welcome to come back then." She has two you young boys who will be outstanding future priesthood holders! 

Castro Family! One evening we pulled into HEB (the local grocery store) to use their restroom. We were divinely guided even as we pulled into our parking spot….. a family pulled into the parking spot across from us. Sister Dimatera looks up and says, "They are Filipino!" We step out of the car and walk towards them as my companion says, "Kababayan!!!" They invited us to come share some of our basic beliefs with them the following evening. We brought a brother who was previously of the Catholic faith. He shared an outstanding and powerful testimony of the prophet, Joseph Smith and of the Book of Mormon. We will be seeing them tomorrow evening again! 

Martha! As we were walking into our apartment complex we saw an old woman taking her trash to the dumpster. She was Hispanic, however, since Spanish and Tagolog are so similar my companion was able to speak with her and understand a great majority of what she was saying. Incredibly enough, the Elders serving in the Spanish branch pulled up a few moments later and were able to fully understand her concerns. Just moments earlier the elders mentioned that a member had mentioned one of their friends who they wanted them to speak with but they didn’t know where she lived. It was Martha! 

Gloria! She is an outstanding woman who knows a lot of information about her family. We invited her to attend the family history center and she came this past Saturday. Sister Giles, an outstanding woman, came and helped Gloria as long as she needed. I was expecting a half hour, but she stayed with her much, much longer. Gloria was so happy and so pleased. At the end she asked, "Do you get points, or bonuses for helping me today?" Her interested was piqued as to why people would volunteer so much time to help someone they just met with something so special to them. What a powerful tool family history work is in allowing others to feel God's love. 

Have an exceptional week each one of you! Love always, Sister Davis

"GOD IS MINDFUL OF EVERY PEOPLE" Alma 26:37

Mother! Father! Jordan! Cristy! Adri! Tyler! and Tuck! 

I love each one of you. Thank you for all you have done for me. I will be forever grateful for you. Thank goodness for the eternities we will spend together. 

The past couple weeks have been overflowing with joy, repentance, excitement, progression, change and so much more. 

Elder Hamula of the seventy came to visit our mission! He was just recently called to the seventy earlier this year. It was just an honor to sit at the feet of a seventy and hear his words from our Heavenly Father. We had a couple of opportunities to ask questions. One of the most powerful lessons I am still allowing to sink in is that every question can be answered by our Heavenly Father, and does not have to come from the mouth of a companion, church leader, mission president or apostle. It can come directly from our Heavenly Father to you. We can ask, we can desire, we can listen and we can act. A lesson I will be learning every day...how to be an ‘agent’. 

My wonderful new companion, Sister Dimatera, is an outstanding example of this. She strives and stretches to reach the next level. She has a powerful knowledge that God loves her and trusts her in this calling. I am so grateful to be her companion. I feel I never want to leave her side and can never learn enough from her.  She is from Rizal, Phillippines and was serving on Temple Square. She has an opportunity to serve 3 months in an "outbound" mission and she was called to serve in the wonderful TSAM! 

Trunk or Treat was an outstanding evening! There were so many family and friends visiting! It was wonderful for them to be inside our church building and meet so many members of the church. WOW How incredible! 

This week was full of meeting families who are less-active who we had no idea about. Just about every day we would either knock on a door, or approach someone on the street, or receive a referral from a random neighbor and they would be a member of the church! It is amazing to see that we "know not but what they will return and repent." 

Sister Peterson attended church once again! She is so amazing and feels that this is good but is not sure how to identify it. She is still shaky about meeting with us , but we try to swing by the home and work through Brother Peterson quite a bit! 

This past week Sister Barrick was prompted to stop by a family who attended both a baptism and the primary program but were not interested in learning more. I (fearing man) was a bit shaky about it, but after a bit we stopped by and it was just what was needed. She was so sweet and warm and welcoming. She mentioned in passing to her daughter, 'we will have to attend church sometime again with Staci." A wonderful family that will be sealed for time and all eternity! 

Sister Dimatera is a professional at speaking with everyone no matter what! (She reminds me of you, mother.) We stopped to use the restroom at the local grocery store and Sister Dimatera became instant friends with those in the restroom. We stopped to have a quick dinner at a gas station and we spoke with two different individuals who continued to ask questions. The power of opening our mouths, preaching by the way and talking with everyone no matter what! This was re-enforced to us by the visit we received from Elder and Sister Hamula. How grateful I am for all that I am able to learn on an hourly basis. 

I am so grateful to serve. I am grateful for the blessings that continue to pour down on every child of God every day. I am grateful to know that the church of Jesus Christ has been restored. Love each one of you always and forever, Sister Davis

New companion-S. Dimatera

MLC with Elder Hamula!