Sister Training Leader

This week went SO fast! I don't even know what all to update you on- it flew by! First off HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHOUTOUT TO MY SISTER CASSIE :) I am freaking out that she is 17 and that Brayton will be 19 next month. That is insane. Why aren't my baby siblings babies anymore?? Also someone pointed out to me the other day that they will all have grown a ton too, and that TJ and Janaea won't exactly by little kids when I go home, so that was pretty sad. But on a happier note, hopefully you guys had some fun family festivities and birthday parties. Happy birthday to Grandma Senft as well! :) I Love you all! 

This week we spent a good amount of time planning for ZONE MEETING, where all 30 missionaries that serve in the Beaumont Zone (which includes...Beaumont, Port Arthur, Fred, Jasper, Woodville, Lumberton, Sillsbee, Buna, Kountze, etc...lots of area) everyone meets together and the Zone Leaders and STLs give instruction and training and all that good stuff. Which meant that I actually had to participate...it was scary! I am totally fine bearing my testimony in front of huge groups of people, no problem. But TEACHING missionaries that know everything and probably more than I do is very intimidating. Our big activity was that we did a plane simulation, where we acted like everyone was on the plane going home, contemplating their missions, etc, then the plane crashed and we all died. We then split up into different Spirit worlds, and I taught in Spirit Paradise about FAITH, then we moved on again and I taught in the Celestial Kingdom about REPENTANCE. interesting though to act out and ponder what would happen and how we would feel if we were in those different Kingdoms, it helped ME to really reflect on if I have done enough with my time on earth (or more specifically applied, with my time on the mission). Have I sufficiently exercised my faith, believing that I would receive EVERY thing I asked for? Have I repented of disobedient and proud actions and attitudes? Do I do everything I can to help other people exercise THEIR faith unto repentance? Hermana Andrus and I came up with a list of questions that we handed out to everyone at the end of our session, and I will include them, it is a self-evaluation of sorts to help each of us meditate on how far we have come and where we are going from here. 

-Am I in the process of becoming the person I want to be or am I
standing by and letting other factors determine who I am?
-Do I pray for my circumstances to change or pray for the strength to
impact my circumstances?
-Do I tolerate excuses?
-Do I rationalize and justify?
-Is my attitude "I want" or "I will"?
-Do I run from my weaknesses and hide from my mistakes or do I face them?
-Where is my faith at?
-Is my faith made evident through my works?
-Am I afraid of repentance?
-Do I treat my prayers like a personal interview with my Heavenly Father?
-Do I repent out of a sincere desire to change, or to avoid negative
consequences?
-Do I feel Godly sorrow at knowing I've acted contrary to God's will?
-Do I believe I can be made clean of my sins through the Atonement of
Jesus Christ?

Those are just a few things to consider. And one of the biggest reasons that we continually exercise our faith and repeatedly repent is so that we can enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost in our lives. In the Meeting we also explained HOW we as missionaries can help other people receive that gift in their lives, and also be baptized and enter the gate! Grandma Senft sent me some very fitting quotes this week in a letter she wrote me, and it applied exactly to what we were teaching in Zone Meeting! 

"The mission of the Savior is to bridge the way between mortality and everlasting life. The mission of the Holy Ghost is to direct us, step by step, across that bridge to exaltation. Both the Savior and the Holy Ghost share one purpose with the Father, and that is to save us". -Sister Nancy Murphy

We are so lucky to have the knowledge of the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ, for that to be our guide! We know who our Heavenly Father is and that it is His whole work and glory to bring to pass OUR ETERNAL LIFE. We know the role of Jesus Christ as our Savior, to make it possible for us to inherit eternal life-- to rise again after we die and to be cleansed after we fall in sin. We know that the role of the holy ghost is to guide us through every step of the way and comfort us. 

Christ established His gospel to show us the path! 

My purpose right now is to help others come to know that path as well. My purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by receiving His gospel, taking those steps of faith and repentance, entering the waters of baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost! I am so grateful that I know and understand the way, and can choose every day to follow that path. I am ESPECIALLY grateful for the opportunity to share with others the peace of conscience that comes from accepting the gospel and following the Savior. 

I love you all! Sorry I didnt talk much about what happened this week, it was crazy! 

Everyone is doing really well, we have to push Josue and Daniel and Armando's baptism back a week, they didn't come to church :( But they are still doing good! 

I love you all SO much!! Hope the birthdays went well!
Have a great week!
Hermana Rogers