Good Week

Hey everyone :)

Hope you had an awesome week. I know I did. WE love out wards they are so awesome, MIRACLES MIRACLES everywhere  I love it! So this week we had a fantastic lesson with our investigator Heather we laid the spirit of the lord on her! We invited her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and to decide in her heart what she would do if she found out that this message it true.. man the lesson was so intense and spirit it went super well :) we have another lesson with her again this week. One day Sister Kelly went out contacting and we met this family that just moved into our ward she has a sister missionary clothing business.. we left that visit with a bag of clothes for free #blessed We love our wards they have been working hard to help us find people to teach. and we have some awesome potentials we just need to get them committed and start taking the lessons! Things are going super well in our area and we are enjoying serving here! Here is one of my favorite quotes from the week from a brother in our gospel principles class  he was talking about joining the church and leaving his strong Catholic faith and leaving his family and his country to come here he said "The trials came.. but the angels came too." I loved that. If we follow god's plan for us he will come to our aid :)

Have a great week everyone!

All My Love,

Sister Cleveland

"Pretty Sure you Sisters are going to Heaven"

Hey everyone :)

Can I just say how much I love the wards were serving in they are pretty fantastic!

Well we got transfer calls this weekend and  my last transfer has begun and Sister Kelly and I will be staying in Meridian for the next six weeks. We love this area and the people and are so excited to be staying and continue working with the members and our investigators here. And the last days of walking are in sight because we are getting a CAR...

In other news..

This week we got a new investigator!! She is 10 her mom is a member but  is coming out of in activity and he daughter just never got baptized and her mom doesn't really want to push her to be baptize to really wants to make it her choice so we are teaching her the lessons and trying to make in fun and interactive for her so she feels that desire to be baptized and its been awesome because her mom was participating in the lesson and was super helpful. We also had dinner with a family this week who told us they have a investigator for us!! Some of our favorite words.. we are going to start teaching her tomorrow. So exciting. We are still working with our investigator Heather it was actually quite an interesting lesson.. We taught the plan of salvation even sung families can be together forever taught about temples and families.. good lessons closed it and left. But after it just felt like something was missing.. I asked my companion what she thought she thought the lesson went good.. but I just felt like something was missing. Our investigators' fellow shipper called us the next day and talked to us about how instead of teaching Heather just for knowledge to teach her as a real investigator.. previous to this she had said Heather doesn't want to be converted just wants to learn more  about the religion since she is dating a member.. but it was hard to build our lessons because we were just teaching about things letting the spirit testify but we were inviting her to do anything.. As I was thinking about this situation. It was just so evident to me that it is in the doing that investigators are taught and testified to..  I've seen it my whole mission when we invite people to act then they can change. Without giving them commitments  they truly can not build a testimony or repent. The member who had us over for the lessons told us this story about how she came to understand that she shouldn't be afraid to invite Heather to act but that she should be bold and that she realized that importance of inviting people to accept the true gospel in their lives. So she told us we have free rein so we can teach her how we would a real investigator. I have a quote on my planner that I saw everyday this transfer it says "If we truly understood the Atonement and the eternal value of each soul, we would seek out the wayward boy and girl and every other wayward child of God. We would help them to know of the love Christ has for them. We would do all that we can to help prepare them to receive the saving ordinances of the gospel."I love that quote and thought about it often.. I know the love Christ has for me, I have felt the redeeming and enabling power of the atonement in my life so when we were walking down the street to appts, or if we were out contacting it has been so easy to just express that to people. 

This week we were able to go to a baptism in Nampa for Brayden!! I taught him about 12 weeks ago.. Its so hard to believe. He was so happy I loved it. And he gave me a hug when he saw me ;) shhh don't tell he's nine! I love going to baptisms I love seeing the people that I teach enter the waters of baptism because they know how much the gospel can bring them happiness and if they truly live it and believe in it they will never have to walk alone because the Savior of the World loves them and know how to succor them as it says in Alma 7:11-12. As Brayden got baptized I just sent and felt the spirit soo strongly. The lord loves all his children and he has blessed us with a plan of happiness and we can enter his fold by being baptized. When we repent, change, and make covenants with him, it means everything to him because it is part of his plan of happiness which we shouted for joy for in the pre-earth life. 

It was a good week :) Also the title is something the second counselor in one of our bishoprics told us.. again we love our wards :)

All My Love,

Sister Cleveland

"I'm a Beast"

Hey everyone :)

BIG SHOUT OUT: to my DUKE boys beating UNC this week.. and the members who text us results of games ;)

This week was really good, the snow has melted and it was 50 degrees I couldn't believe it! We started the week by serving some of our retirement home friends who forget us every time we love them for it. And every time we come they ask us if we are Nuns.. which we actually get a lot. This week we met a little boy named Coleman he is actually fighting cancer right now. He is only two so we spent the afternoon looking at pictures of him and talking about Jesus! He has a tough rough ahead but is such an inspiration to his family and friends. We also found a new investigator this week and taught her the restoration the lesson went super well she is a strong Catholic but wanted to learn more because she is dating someone who is LDS so we are teaching her we have a lesson with her this week so we are looking forward to that as well. We are still working on our new testament class and will start teaching that next week! We had an awesome zone conference this week and stopped by the Meridian Temple which is coming along so much, its going to be gorgeous when it's finished. This week we hit 17 months and we got our flight plans in the mail. It's so hard to believe that time has flown.. Saturday we went to our ward mission leaders daughter's basketball game.. it was super fun. We had been helping her and her brothers in our "skills clinic" one Saturday when we saw them shooting hoops at the gym.. So we went to  cheer her on.. I was probably the loudest I tried not to be but I secretly wanted to hop on the court with those girls or join the coaching staff!!  On the way to our house Daivess her younger brother entertained us.. 

"I'm a best and all I need is my beastness to keep me safe" - his answer to not wearing his seatbelt

Then he was signing about being ashy. and I asked :

"Do you know what ashy is ?"

-Yes

-What?

" A log after it's burned 

As I have been reading the Book of Mormon this week I was studying in Alma Chapter 39 Alma is teaching his son about the effects of sin, and especially the sin that he had committed. He counsels with his son Corinaton: 

 3 And this is not all, my son. Thou didst do that which was grievous unto me; for thou didst forsake the ministry, and did go over into the land of Siron among the borders of the Lamanites, after the harlot Isabel.

 4 Yea, she did steal away the hearts of many; but this was no excuse for thee, my son. Thou shouldst have tended to the ministry wherewith thou wast entrusted.

Sometimes we get trapped in Satan's tactics and are blinded by his craftiness. Those who have made the covenant of baptism have been blessed with a tool to help them to not be deceived which is the Holy Ghost. If we follow God's commandments and are worthy for it's companionship it will provide warnings and direction. But we all have our choice whether to listen and obey. If we listen we will be protected, but if we ignore we can easily be caught in those snares. Instead of feeling sorry for himself that he had committed this sin, Alma counsels his son to Repent. to find Mercy and Grace through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Corianton ponders how it is all possible.. but that's just it. The Savior makes it possible mercy, grace, healing and forgiveness when we come with willing hearts to change and become. That path is not easy  nor is it always something that can be repented of quickly but if we love him, and trust him, the Savior is willing to take us as we are and make us into something far greater than we can achieve on our own. Alma last counsel to his son in Chapter 42 is::

 31 And now, O my son, ye are called of God to preach the word unto this people. And now, my son, go thy way, declare the word with truth and soberness, that thou mayest bring souls unto repentance, that the great plan of mercy may have claim upon them. And may God grant unto you even according to my words. Amen

He doesn't adomish Corianton to stop tending to the minsitry he was called,

He incites him to get back up, and serve his God. Teach his children through the experiences he hasand the great power of our Savior Jesus Christ. and that is the message to all of us when we repent and truly change, get back up keep trying live the gospel faithfully and happily. Because the Atonement is enough we can be forgiven and God truly remembers our sins no more!

Have a great week!! :)

All my Love,

Sister Cleveland

Meridian Temple News

Helloo everyone :)

First off I can't believe it is already February!! Meridian has been so good this week. The snow is melting on the roads and sidewalks which means it will be so much easier to walk places and eventually ride some bikes! We have been living this new mission schedule and we like it for the most part's its pretty different but we like it. Every Sunday we get list from the ward council of people to visit so we have plenty to do during the week. We have been focusing a ton lately on finding people to teach. We have had some investigators just slipped through our fingers lately and that has been kind of hard..but as I was studying this week in Alma Chapter 32 in thinking about the area the Lord has given us trust over:

 37 And behold, as the tree beginneth to grow, ye will say: Let us nourish it with great care, that it may get root, that it may grow up, and bring forth fruit unto us. And now behold, if ye nourish it with much care it will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.

 38 But if ye neglect the tree, and take no thought for its nourishment, behold it will not get any root; and when the heat of the sun cometh and scorcheth it, because it hath no root it withers away, and ye pluck it up and cast it out.

When I think about the tree I think about it being our area.. when the work begins to grow we need to nourish it and not neglect it.. even as it may not have fruit right now. as it gets root.. trust from members, referrals and those we are prepared to hear the gospel will come forth.. the area or "tree" will produce fruit people to teach and those we have become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is so much trust the Lord has placed in us as his representatives.. that we would be desirous like Alma to bring all souls unto Christ. Like in Jacob Chapter 5.. we labor as the servant with the lord of the vineyard. I couldn't find the words to express how grateful I am to serve my heavenly father and teach his children about the amazing plan of happiness he has for all of us. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true and will bring as we live the commandments happiness and one day never-ending happiness. We are excited to start a new testament bible study class and are hoping to attract tons of people to come and learn and study about the savior Jesus Christ his ministry and his example especially gearing up and looking forward to Easter in April! 

This past week they announced that Meridian Temple Open House and Dedication dates everyone is super excited for it. We also got a new stake presidency and our bishop got called as first counselor we are sooo sad that we won't be working with him.. or having Saturday morning meetings with groundhog cupcakes :) but we love them and are excited for him. He's going to be great. 

Well I hope everyone has a great week. Love you all!!! 

All My Love,

Sister Cleveland