Teaching there is no greater call!

  

 There are a few things on my mind right now, this next week will be one to remember that is for sure. 

This morning I was reading through the Ensign, in this months and last months there has been a special section talking about Joseph Smith and his journey to Palmyra and his role in the translation in the Book of Mormon. As I was reading it seemed like I had heard some of this before, like in a talk or something. As I got to the end of the ensign is said that is was given by Elder Hollands son in February of 2014 at the MTC. I was there! haha I had heard all of this before, i remember thinking as I was listening to him speak "Dang, I can't write fast enough to get all this down!" But now it's in the ensign!

Serving at the Family History center i get to chat with people online, some are looking to ask questions, some are looking to shake missionaries faith. Its been a challenge, I don't always have the answers to what people bring up, accusations that people throw out there..but I always go back to the foundation of my testimony. The Book of Mormon and how I have come to find for myself that Joseph Smith was called of God. Still a man, with imperfection, but still called of God. I love this section in the Ensign..thought I would share it with you. We can not only learn from the Book of Mormon, but also the journey that brought it to past and the man that sacrificed so much, yes, even his life for.

"When Joseph arrived in Palmyra, the Lord had brought His foreordained prophet to the physical resting place of a treasure of inestimable value. This treasure would signal that after centuries of general spiritual darkness and confusion, the heavens were again open. This treasure would show that Jesus’s ministry was far more expansive in both doctrine and geography than the Christian churches of that day could possibly know. This treasure would affirm that, in miraculous fashion, God is sweepingly active in the affairs of men across time, languages, and continents. And this treasure would promise teachings so pure and powerful that if you planted them deep into your soul, you could personally be transformed, tasting of something so delicious as to make it the ultimate and unmatched feast of your desires.

With mortal eyes, we might be tempted to envision that a more fitting path for such a man and such a moment would be a path of greater ease, efficiency, and acclaim. In recognition of the earth-shattering events about to happen as a consequence of this boy entering this town at this time, could not the Lord, who so carefully orchestrated the placement of the golden plates over a millennia earlier, have provided a straighter, more comfortable and heralded path of arrival?

Yes, He surely could have, but He did not.

There was no prominent, prophetic anointing of Joseph in his childhood (see 1 Samuel 16:11–13). There was no directive dream pointing him to a promised land (see 1 Nephi 5:4–5). There was no curious Liahona to help his family avoid missteps along the way (see 1 Nephi 16:10; Alma 37:38). And there certainly was no open-air limousine traveling along a sunny, streamlined parade route with cheering masses providing a triumphant welcome.

Rather, for Joseph and his family, there was a wildly meandering trail of sorrow marked with bad luck, ill health, poor judgment, natural disaster, crushing pain, callous injustice, continuing obscurity, and unrelenting poverty. This is not to suggest that the Smith family lived in one continual round of abject misery; they did not. But the path to Palmyra was anything other than direct, prosperous, and publicly notable. Lame, limp, and bloodied, the Prophet literally had to be carried to his unparalleled rendezvous with destiny by a nameless stranger.

Remember this as perhaps the first lesson of Joseph’s life and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon. In spite of failure, mishap, and bitter opposition—and in many cases precisely because of those things—Joseph Smith got exactly where he needed to be to fulfill his mission. So, if now or on some future day, you look around and see that other perhaps less-devoted acquaintances are succeeding in their jobs when you just lost yours; if major illness puts you on your back just at the moment critical tasks of service seem to come calling; if a call to a prominent position goes to someone else; if a missionary companion seems to learn the language faster; if well-meaning efforts still somehow lead to disaster with a fellow ward member, a neighbor, or an investigator; if news from home brings word of financial setback or mortal tragedy you can do nothing about; or if, day after day, you simply feel like a bland and beaten background player in a gospel drama that really seems made for the happiness of others, just know this: many such things were the lot of Joseph Smith himself at the very moment he was being led to the stage of the single most transcendent thing to happen on this earth since the events of Golgotha and the Garden Tomb nearly 2,000 years earlier.

“But,” you may say, “my life and earthly destiny will never be like that of the Prophet Joseph.”

That probably is true. But it is also true that your lives do matter to God, and your eternal potential and that of every soul you will meet is no less grand and significant than that of the Prophet Joseph himself. Thus, just like our beloved Joseph, you must never give up, give in, or give out when life in general, or missionary work in particular, gets utterly painful, confusing, or dull. Rather, as Paul teaches, you must see that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28; emphasis added).

Just as He did with young Joseph Smith, God is shaping and directing you every single day to ends more glorious than you can know!"

Love and hugs… 18 months to serve, a life time to reflect, no regrets! 

Sister Efnor

Salt Lake City East Mission!

This week has been great but I don't have to much time to write. 

Finally we were able to teach Davida's husband Carl! We were able to teach him three times in the past week, BABAAMM!  One really cool experience...in our second lesson with Carl, he was talking about how he has felt the "vibe" while reading the Book of Mormon. He said that the first time that we were able to meet with him I asked him a question and he felt that same "vibe". He couldn't remember the question, but he could just remember what he felt. It just goes to show that it is nothing we do as missionaries, it's the spirit. That is what they remember, how they felt, the spirit that you invited into their homes..into their hearts. I am so grateful for these precious weeks that I have left to serve our Father in heaven.

Run hard, and to the tape.

Love,

Sister Efnor

To Blessed to Stress!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last Wednesday on our way back to the Family History Center Sister Weaver and I decided to make one last stop. While we were walking we saw a guy taking pictures of the scenery, we stopped and chit chatted a little bit and then we moved on. 

When we were about to jump back into the car Sister Weaver looks at me and says "We need to invite him." We have like 10 minutes before we are suppose to be back at our house so I just start running to find the guy. He had walked a little farther, still taking pictures. His back was towards us, as we approached Sister Weaver whipped out the Book of Mormon and we got his attention. He was so nice, apparently he was from St. Louis, has a family, and was just here for work all by himself.

Sister Weaver asked if he had ever seen missionaries "No." and if he had ever read the Book of Mormon "No." She explained to him what it was and then I showed him the two last paragraphs in the introduction. He said he would love to read it and gave us his phone number so we could call him this week when he would be back in St. Louis to see how his reading was doing.

While we were driving back to our place I was thinking about how this guy had a family, he has a job that takes him away from work, really friendly, and has an open heart. I just thought about how my own dad has to leave for work a lot and how much I love him and how grateful I am that missionaries taught him and the difference it's made in not only his life but in the life of his family.

I thought about how this guys whole life could be changed, the lives of his kids, and so on..and it would have all started with just an "invite".

Yesterday we got a text from Davida telling us to come over to meet her new husband! We swung by and finally got to meet the man she has been telling us so much about all these months, turns out he has already read the Book of Mormon and the Pearl of Great Price. I started to share a scripture in 1 Nephi about when he is commanded to build a ship. Before I can even start giving background on the scripture Carl (Davidas husband) starts telling me about it LOL  When we asked when we could come back to start teaching him the lessons Davida looked at us with this "What do you think?!) face and said "Tomorrow!". 

Getting to come back to Park City and see this all come full circle..with Davida's daughter in law getting baptized, Davida getting married, now we are teaching her husband.

I know I talk about Davida all the time, but she blows me away. Her influence has bless the lives of so many, including mine.

When missionaries who had a short amount of time left to serve would start freaking out, to be honest, it irritated me. It felt like when you get down to a month or a week there was this expected response from missionaries. Like if you didn't hyperventilate then that means you didn't love your mission..Well..it still irritates me LOL But I have had a couple experiences that have kind of hit me in the face about the reality of things. Like when we went and talked to that guy from St. Louis, or when I finally got to meet Carl..Yes, I'll still be a missionary and I'll share the gospel after I am released, but it won't be the same. 

There is just something so special, something so personal, when you are set apart and getting to devote all your time and attention..just every fiber of your being, to His work.

I can feel it inside, but I can't describe it. The feeling of gratitude that I have for being able to come out on a mission and serve is something I will feel for the rest of my life. Heavenly Father is very aware of the needs of His children and their potential, I am so grateful He saw more in me in times when I saw nothing..

Sister Efnor

Park City, Salt Lake City East Mission!!

Hellerrrrr

As a zone we are having a friendly competition to see who can get the most invites in a day. We are keeping track for the whole month, and we are split up in to teams. Its nice to have a fun competition, but the main reason why I have loved this is because it has kept "inviting" at the front of my mind. Even though I have been out for awhile, there are still times when I have talked to people and veered around inviting them to learn more. Or to invite them to come unto Christ in another way period.

Sister Weaver and I were talking and really wanted to change that, and invite everyone we talk to. We have been struggling with finding people to teach, and obviously, that can be discouraging since that's what we are suppose to do- lol

But, i can feel something brewing, and it's not the enchiladas that I just ate.

Do you remember Davida? If you don't then you're not a true Sister Efnor blog follower LOL Anyways, she got married this past Saturday! Her husband has been reading the Book of Mormon and when they get back from their honeymoon he is going to start taking the lessons. That will commence in about a week.

Other news..I had a very special experience with a recent convert the other day. She moved out of our area but we still keep in contact and check up on her. She has been having a rough time, at the end of our conversation she asked if we could say a prayer together. So I went to the closet since the family Tree is usually pretty noisy and I knelt down. She wanted me to say it..I prayed that she would feel her Heavenly Fathers love for her, among other things. But it was in that moment that I could feel a glimpse, just a spark, of what He feels for His children.

That has been one of the most special parts of serving to me, feeling and

seeing, Gods love for the people that I come in contact with.

I am so grateful for this work, for the lives it changes,including mine... 

Sister Efnor

Last transfer- last companion… Park City where it started…

My new companion is Sister Weaver from TEXAS! She is a hoot and a half, this first week together has been a blast. We had served around each other when I was in Park City last year. I am really looking forward to teaching with her and learning from her. She has such a strong dedication to serving the Lord and takes on each day with a smile, I am so happy to be her companion.

Two days ago when Sister Weaver and I were on shift at the Family History Center. There was a couple that came in right as we opened...they stayed until 4 in the afternoon! Who knew people could research for that long lol Anyways, they went down to the lower level to keep researching..Sister Weaver, Sister Bryan and I were all upstairs talking and cracking jokes. At one point I said "Man, I just want to be able to go out and proselyte." (We haven't found any new people to teach in a long time) After I said that, Sister Bryan looked at me..and then she pointed her finger downstairs and said " How about them?".

Right when she said that I raised my eyebrow and ran downstairs. Scooted myself a seat right next to the wife and started talking to her about what she had found. Eventually she started to tell me that missionaries had stopped by her house before and she would give them water. 

I asked her if she had ever been offered a Book of Mormon, she responded no. So then, I ran upstairs, grabbed a Book of Mormon, and a Meet the Mormons DVD and headed back down.

I started explaining to her what the movies was because she had never seen it, then I got to the good stuff. I told her how the book I was holding was another testament of Jesus Christ and how it is an account of Gods dealing with people in the Americas. She seemed to be more and more interested the more I explained. 

I handed her both the movie and book, then I asked her for her information so I could email her and keep in contact with her while she reads..she was more then happy to write it all down for me.

I said good bye to the couple after their 5 hours of family searching, and then I went over and told Sister Bryan about what had happened downstairs.I thought about how blessed am I that people come into a building where they can immediately feel the spirit and their hearts are softened. It was also a great lesson to me that although we might not have a large number of people that we are constantly teaching, there are people everyday that come into the center that are ready to be taught.

I was also thinking about those who aren't full time missionaries, may  get discouraged because they don't have a particular friend that they are sharing the gospel with...Or they feel that all their friends are set and good to go. 

Everyday we come in contact with people. Even if its just something small like a "How are you?", or being an example out in public, we are in some capacity able to help hasten the work. The need to pray for missionary opportunities, in my opinion, isn't what is needed..it's the courage to DO IT, because opportunities are literally all around us. 

In my case, she was right downstairs...

Love you all,

Sister Efnor

18 months to Serve, a life time to reflect, NO REGRETS!

Dallin H. Oaks gave a talk titled "The Challenge to Become", in it he said..

The gospel of Jesus Christ is a plan that shows us how to become what our Heavenly Father desires us to become.

A parable illustrates this understanding. A wealthy father knew that if he were to bestow his wealth upon a child who had not yet developed the needed wisdom and stature, the inheritance would probably be wasted. The father said to his child:

“All that I have I desire to give you—not only my wealth, but also my position and standing among men. That which I have I can easily give you, but that which I am you must obtain for yourself. You will qualify for your inheritance by learning what I have learned and by living as I have lived. I will give you the laws and principles by which I have acquired my wisdom and stature. Follow my example, mastering as I have mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours.”

Just recently Sister Nelson (MTC, 2nd transfer companion) and I were able to go on exchanges together. Back in the same apartment, same time of year, back doing companion study together. We were doing some role plays and both of us were just so happy, why? Getting to see how much each other had grown since we had been companions. It was insane, I was just so happy! Often times it's hard to see the change in yourself, at times I wasn't sure if I was doing all that I could be doing, or becoming. 

It was just nice to recognize that I have grown.

Going along with "becoming", I really loved this parable that Elder Oaks shared. “All that I have I desire to give you", I've come to feel this for myself. God doesn't distance himself from his children, when we disobey, rebel, whatever..that is what causes the gap. His want to bless us daily is always there.

I've felt what its like to been on the other side of that gap. I can also say that I have come to feel, once again, the arms of His embrace...

" there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea, and again I say unto you...on the other hand, there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy" 

This is a gospel of change, constant progression to become more like Him. No matter your circumstance, or where you've been, He only sees where you can go."Follow my example, mastering as I have mastered, and you will become as I am, and all that I have will be yours.” 

Much love, 

Sister Efnor

Salt Lake City East Mission Rules!

Sorry this is going to be short..

A couple nights ago we decided to make a stop at this lady's house, since I have been here we had only stopped by a handful of times. With no success on most of our visits, we decided it was worth a shot since it was on the way home. We knock...SHE ANSWERS! Hurray!

She was so friendly and let us in, immediately she starts asking questions about church. How its run, callings, taking the lessons...for some reason, the way she was asking the questions gave me the impression that she was already a member but never went to church. 

So this whole time she is inquiring about lessons, I thought it was because she wanted to come BACK to church. We are there for a good hour visit and set up another appointment..which is actually today :)

On our way back to the car after leaving her with a prayer, my companion goes "YES! We have a new investigator!"...then there's me.."huh? Investigator?" 

I swear guys...actually..I don't swear lol..I promise that I have been a missionary for the past 16 months hahaha I couldn't believe it, the Lord blessed us with someone to teach and I didn't even know it for a whole hour LOL 

Mothers Day was fantastic, getting to talk to the family was such a blessing. It was great being able to share my Mothers Day experience with them...

Ronnie (who was baptized last year) his brother Drake, and his mom (who was baptized a couple months ago) all went up to the front for the primary program. It was so beautiful getting to see their family, all together, on Mothers Day, in church. Even though I'm away from my own, seeing others families brought back together through the gospel is well worth it.

The more homes that I am welcomed into, the more I see the importance for strong women, women where when times get rough..they put their hair in a pony tail and say "Bring it on.". Thank you, to all the strong women in my life who have influenced me for the better, and helped me get to where I am today. 

I am so grateful for my mama, for the life she leads, and who she puts first. The Savior.

If your thinking about serving a mission, and you happen to actually read these emails that I write every stinkin Monday lol Get on your knees, and get in the scriptures and inquire from your Heavenly Father if you should serve..because let me tell you, its the best decision I could have made at this point in my life.

Love, 

Sister Efnor