Even in Green River the Lord has work to be done-

My companion is outtaaa heerreeee! So tomorrow I get to drive 3 hours to pick up my new buckaroo! Should be fun...

Things have been going really good here in Green River, almost all the people that we are teaching came to church yesterday!  It was a great fast Sunday.

Well... Im really sorry but I dont have to much else to update you on.  So, I'd like to share something that I learned from my personal scripture study.

(I was reading in Helaman 5)  Helaman is talking to his sons and basically starts bearing his testimony.."(verse 9)  O remember, remember, my sons, the words which king Benjamin spake unto his people; yea, remember that there is no other way nor means whereby man can be saved, only through the atoning blood of Jesus Christ, who shall come; yea, remember that he cometh to redeem the world.....(verse12)  And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

These are just a few verses that particularly stuck out to me as I was reading the chapter.

As I was pondering this scene, what it must have been like..I thought about how when Helaman passes on, his sons will know what is most important to him. What he held most dear.

Then I thought...when I'm not around, or when I die, what will people remember about what I held most dear?

Then as i read on in the chapter it talked about the great miracles that came from Helaman sharing his testimony to his sons.. (verse 17) "And it came to pass that they did preach with great power, insomuch that they did confound many of those dissenters who had gone over from the Nephites, insomuch that they came forth and did confess their sins and were baptized unto repentance, and immediately returned to the Nephites to endeavor to repair unto them the wrongs which they had done.....

 (verse 18)  And it came to pass that Nephi and Lehi did preach unto the Lamanites with such great power and authority, for they had power and authority given unto them that they might speak, and they also had what they should speak given unto them"

WOW!   

All that came from Helaman sharing his testimony and being a good example!?! 

Main points I learned (just in case that didn't make sense lol)

1. Not just through your words, but also through your Actions- will be what shows people what matters most to you. (How you CHOOSE to live)

2. Testimony's are some powerful stuff.  Share em!

I understand this video doesn't illustrate exactly what the scripture is talking about, but its a classic..click here

Love, Sister Efnor

**This is a Sister to an Elder that is serving in AZ, who's current companion was in the MTC with me.  (Did you get all that?… It's a small world)

Green River!!  

Talofa!
So, this is what's going on in my neck of the woods!

Madison and Brian had a baby in December, Brian is a member and Madison is not. We have been teaching Madison for about a month now and their baby was blessed this past Sunday.

The baby was getting blessed in Mckinnon, about an hour away from Green River. So, over treacherous icy roads we went to go support Madison and Brian! They were so happy to see us there! We have a lesson with them tonight and the bishop is even going to join us so it should be a good one. As a missionary, time and time again your blessed with opportunities to watch people grow in the gospel, and grow closer to Heavenly Father. 

I love it. I LOVE IT! I LOVE IT!

At a dinner appointment the members gave us a name of a lady who doesn't come to church anymore and as they put it "wont turn you away." So we thought we'd go make a visit. We got to talking about family and doing family history. She is 1 of 10 brothers and sisters. When her mom was young her parents split, but her she decided to stay with her dad in Green River. At a young age she was left alone because her dad had to go fight in the war..

At the age of 14 she got married! Wowza! Following came 10 kids! I was thinking about how important it is to keep a record of our lives, and to learn more about those that have past...just a random thought I had this week.

Here is a great video on how cool family history can be: click here

At our last Zone Meeting our leaders challenged us to make a more concentrated effort to use the Book of Mormon in all of our lessons. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR THIS! Its helped me to re-evaluate my study time. I've been getting so caught up in different talks from conference etc, which isn't a bad thing, but Im going around everyday challenging people to read the Book of Mormon. So it would only make sense that I practice what i preach. Turns out, all those promises of feeling the spirit more, drawing closer to God...are true! lol He doesn't lie guys! When he makes a promise, its FOR REAL! I can say that I have felt all of that, and on top of that i feel like during lessons my testimony of the Book of Mormon just keeps growing and growing.

I love the invitation in the last two paragraphs of the introduction to the Book of Mormon..

"We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is His revalator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah."

Elder Hollands testimony of the Book of Mormon  <---click here!

Read, and ask.

Love,  Sister Stephanie Michelle Efnor

 W- for Wyoming!! 

Looking back on this week there is one word that pretty much sums it up, service.

Appointments kept getting cancelled so we didn't get to meet with all the people we are currently teaching. However, it presented us with A LOT more time to do acts of service.

We helped clean a couple houses, helped out with some stake activities, and did quite a bit a moving. (In skirts might I add)

This morning we woke up to some flurry (i think that's the snow terminology) falling down. I hope all this good weather that we have been having doesn't mean that at the very end the "real" Wyoming winter is going to crush us. I was just starting to get some decent color on my face lol

Anyways..on to things of the spiritual nature.

This past Sunday before church i read a talk called "This Do in Remembrance of Me". I always knew that sacrament meeting was important but this talked really helped me gain a better understanding of what I can do to make sacrament meeting more meaningful to me.

Described by Joseph F. Smith it is “the mostsacred, themost holy, of all the meetings of the Church”

Elder Holland goes on to address the sacramental prayers and the mentioning of the word remember---"If remembering is the principal task before us, what might come to our memory when those plain and precious emblems are offered to us?"

He goes on to list the different things that we might ponder or, remember during this sacred hour that we have been given...

-We could remember his magnificent but virtually unknown foster father, a humble carpenter by trade who taught us, among other things, that quiet, plain, unpretentious people have moved this majestic work forward from the very beginning, and still do so today. If you are serving almost anonymously, please know that so, too, did one of the best men who has ever lived on this earth.

-We could—and should—remember the wonderful things that have come to us in our lives and that “all things which are good cometh of Christ” (Moro. 7:24). Those of us who are so blessed could remember the courage of those around us who face more difficulty than we, but who remain cheerful, who do the best they can, and trust that the Bright and Morning Star will rise again for them—as surely he will do (see Rev. 22:16)

-On some days we will have cause to remember the unkind treatment he received, the rejection he experienced, and the injustice—oh, the injustice—he endured. When we, too, then face some of that in life, we can remember that Christ was also troubled on every side, but not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed (see 2 Cor. 4:8–9).

I tried to apply this more diligently during that hour, remembering the purpose behind what I do every Sunday and 

I can honestly say that I felt a difference.

There was another part of his talk that especially hit me..." in a resurrected, otherwise perfected body, our Lord of this sacrament table has chosen to retain for the benefit of his disciples the wounds in his hands and his feet and his side—signs, if you will, that painful things happen even to the pure and perfect. Signs, if you will, that pain in this world is not evidence that God doesn’t love you. It is the wounded Christ who is the captain of our soul—he who yet bears the scars of sacrifice, the lesions of love and humility and forgiveness."

I have seen this SO MUCH. People seeing that their short comings are a direct result of God loving them less or not at all. I love this connection made between pain we might experience and the pain our Savior experienced.

To end, I'll leave it at this last point that elder Holland brings up "One request Christ made of his disciples on that night of deep anguish and grief was that they stand by him, stay with him in his hour of sorrow and pain. “Could ye not watch with me one hour?” he asked longingly (Matt. 26:40). I think he asks that again of us, every Sabbath day when the emblems of his life are broken and blessed and passed."

I hope this helps in some small way to help you ponder about how you can make your Sabbath day observance more fulfilling. 

Much alofas from Green River.

Sister Efnor

A couple days ago I got a text from Sister Aiasau telling me that Sam, the kid who quit smoking and drinking, had an appointment to get his patriarchal blessing this passed Sunday! What a blessing! Getting to be even a small part of these peoples journey back to their Heavenly Father gives me a feeling that I cant put into words, I am just so happy about where I am!  The places that I've been, and where the Lord is going to direct me in the future.

This past week we were blessed with quite a few new people to teach.  A couple young families where one spouse is a member and the other isn't.  Serving in YSA and even in my past areas I never had the opportunity to teach young families.  Its made me study a lot more about how the gospel blesses families so that I can better emphasize that in lessons. 

Its been a great learning experience for me and it has me so pumped to help them build families that are centered in the gospel.  I've been through a lot of homes, seen how a lot of different families operate and function. Not being a member of the church doesn't mean you cant have a happy family, but the ability to come together spiritually, to have a bond that will take you and your family into eternity is something that can only be done in the temple.

That's something that I cant wait to share with these families!

There is an older couple that has recently joined the church and they are preparing to go do baptisms for the dead. We met with the high counselor over missionary work yesterday and talked about the retention in Green River.  Its not doing so hot, we don't have good records of where recent converts are, if they have received callings, if they have made it to the temple etc.

We want to make this our focus, seeing that families are getting to the temple, that people are receiving callings, getting ordained.  Along with finding those that the Lord is preparing, we want to find those that are lost and bring em back!

As a mission we are studying Charity, a couple days ago I read a talk by President Monson "Charity Never Faileth"- I would just tell you all to go read it, but I know that if I was reading this letter I most likely wouldn't go look up the talk… So, i just included one of my favorite parts! 

This is a true story~  A woman by the name of Mary Bartels had a home directly across the street from the entrance to a hospital clinic. Her family lived on the main floor and rented the upstairs rooms to outpatients at the clinic. One evening a truly awful-looking old man came to the door asking if there was room for him to stay the night. He was stooped and shriveled, and his face was lopsided from swelling—red and raw. He said he’d been hunting for a room since noon but with no success. “I guess it’s my face,” he said. “I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says it could possibly improve after more treatments.” He indicated he’d be happy to sleep in the rocking chair on the porch. As she talked with him, Mary realized this little old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. Although her rooms were filled, she told him to wait in the chair and she’d find him a place to sleep. At bedtime Mary’s husband set up a camp cot for the man. When she checked in the morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and he was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, he asked if he could return the next time he had a treatment. “I won’t put you out a bit,” he promised. “I can sleep fine in a chair.” Mary assured him he was welcome to come again. In the several years he went for treatments and stayed in Mary’s home, the old man, who was a fisherman by trade, always had gifts of seafood or vegetables from his garden. Other times he sent packages in the mail. When Mary received these thoughtful gifts, she often thought of a comment her next-door neighbor made after the disfigured, stooped old man had left Mary’s home that first morning. “Did you keep that awful-looking man last night? I turned him away. You can lose customers by putting up such people.” Mary knew that maybe they had lost customers once or twice, but she thought, “Oh, if only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses would have been easier to bear.”  After the man passed away, Mary was visiting with a friend who had a greenhouse. As she looked at her friend’s flowers, she noticed a beautiful golden chrysanthemum but was puzzled that it was growing in a dented, old, rusty bucket. Her friend explained, “I ran short of pots, and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t mind starting in this old pail. It’s just for a little while, until I can put it out in the garden.”

(my favorite part!) --->  Mary smiled as she imagined just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially beautiful one,” God might have said when He came to the soul of the little old man. “He won’t mind starting in this small, misshapen body.” But that was long ago, and in God’s garden how tall this lovely soul must stand! Appearances can be so deceiving, such a poor measure of a person. Admonished the Savior, “Judge not according to the appearance.” 

I love this message of not judging, I am not perfect and still do it from time to time, but when I have done as the 

Savior would have done, I have seen miracles happen in others lives, and in my own.

Sister Efnor

Steph and her fun companion!

 Rough Sunday!! lol

Not a whole lot to update you on, still in Green River, still loving it, still cold.

For all of last month as a mission we were studying about Repentance.  I felt like I had a pretty basic, but firm understanding about repentance...  Why we do it, how we do it, and so on, but through reading in the scriptures and reading tons of talks from general authorities there was a part of repentance that stood out to me.  A part that I hadn't really thought about before.

Forgiveness- not forgiveness on my behalf, but forgiving others. President Uchtdorf said in his talk titled Point of Safe Return,  "For our own good, we need the moral courage to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Never is the soul nobler and more courageous than when we forgive."

When something upset me I would just shrug it off, i thought that was me forgiving. By just letting it fall where it may, realizing later on, when what upset me would get brought up, I would feel a stir of anger or hurt, sadness, or disappointment. I had not truly been forgiving, I was still harboring what I thought I had let go of. Through reading more on repentance I started to come to a deeper understanding that in asking for forgiveness I need to extend and equal amount of forgiveness to others. 

"We will receive the joy of forgiveness in our own lives when we are willing to extend that joy freely to others. Lip service is not enough. We need to purge our hearts and minds 

of feelings and thoughts of bitterness and let the light and the love of Christ enter in.  As a result, the Spirit of the Lord will fill our souls with the joy accompanying divine peace 

of conscience"

Other news-

There are a couple Tongan families out here, believe it or not.  Last night we asked if we could meet with one of them that lives in Green River but they said they were going to the hospital to visit a family member.  That same night we drove out to Little America to visit some other Tongan families, LO AND BEHOLD, the family that we had asked if we could meet with was there and they were all watching the super bowl together. CAUGHT RED HANDED SUCKKAA! lol All I could do was laugh, polys will be polys.  We set up an appointment with them and let them get back to their game.  I love this work!!

I have a strong testimony that the Lord has a plan for each of us, each day in Green River only confirms that for me. This is where I am suppose to be at this time in my mission. 

Love ya!

Sister Efnor

Typical Green River grammar… 

 On my way to my new area… this was my view.  Wide open- and empty!

Me just trying on Wyoming! 

  So we drove to an investigators home the other day… Yep-

 A good day!  Scored these boots for 4 dollars!  A missionaries budget!

Green River, Wyoming!!! (And loving it)

Everyone gathered to the mission office for transfers, sitting there in anticipation to know where the heck they are going to send me. I thought for sure they would send me back to Park City, so in the back of my head i was already resigned to going there.

Up on the projector zone by zone everyone was seeing who there new companion was, where they were moving to...not me. Then Park City popped up, no dice. For a second I thought that they had forgotten to assign me somewhere because all of the zones had already been shown. HA!

Then in bold letters WYOMING pops up. I shot a glance of terror over at my old companion Sister Nelson..was this real life? Literally the very, very, very, last name to pop up on the screen was mine. Sister Efnor and Sister Vanderziel-Green River Wyoming. I just died laughing. The whole time I was packing my stuff in the car I had elders and sisters patting me on the shoulder saying things like "good luck" or "bye forever" LOL

 I am ,however, very happy to report that I absolutely love it here. I loved serving with the single adults in Utah, but serving in a family ward definitely has its pros. My first visit was with a less active family there were huge English Mastiffs jumping on me, and when they weren't jumping on me the kids were. I went into a bit of shock lol babies in diapers running around the house isn't something Ive seen in a couple months. lol

Green River is for sure one of a kind, small town with some beautiful sunsets.

If your going to live here you can only drive a truck, it cant be any truck though, it has to be a huge super duty. If your going to consider yourself a native you must also put deer meat in your lasagna.

Instead of "I saw.." it must be changed to "I seen..". Get those three things down, and mount a couple dozen elk/deer antlers to your wall and you're good to go!

As far as work, there is a lot to be done. We can get in about 19 less active lessons a week, eeeasy. There are a lot more members here then I thought there was going to be, but most of them just don't go to church. But there are also a lot of families that just within the last month are becoming active again.

Lately my thoughts have been turned towards agency. In a talk given by Boyd K.Packer on repentance he said, 

"The old saying “The Lord is voting for me, and Lucifer is voting against me, but it is my vote that counts” describes a doctrinal certainty that our agency is more powerful than the adversary’s will. Agency is precious. " 

Many people that I have talked to are so enveloped in circumstances, alcohol, and whatever else..that the realization that they have the ability to literally choose Heavenly Father and eternal life just doesn't seem attainable to them. Obviously its a lot easier for me to sit down and type this, I grew up with both my parents being active in the church, grew up in a nice area, with nice schools, and now i spend all of my time serving the Lord. Life has been pretty dang good to me.

Having the complete opposite in all those circumstances would have made it harder for me to choose to be where I am right now.

However, something beautiful about the gospel is that it's all about change, its all about becoming. There is no cavern to deep, no cliff to steep, that the enabling power of the Atonement cant pull us up from, but we have to decide. Its OUR vote that is going to count in the end.

In a talk titled "The Fourth Missionary" it says, 

"You not only can be changed to become more like Christ, the whole of the plan of salvation is designed in favor of your success. The plan of salvation is a not a level playing field. It favors you. It favors not only your success but the success of each and every one of God's children. Everything has been organized to maximize your opportunity to succeed."

And here's one more thing that I absolutely love from that same talk regarding our will/agency to choose "In the end, your heart and your will is all that you have to give that the Lord does not already have. If you give your time, two years, and your strength, you give only that which He grants to you with each beat of your heart and each breath that you draw. If you dedicate your gifts and talents, you only return to Him what He already has given to you. If you pay tithing you only return to Him a tenth of what he has already given to you. Everything that you have to give to the Lord, has its origin in Him, except one thing: your will. He does not have your heart, nor your mind, unless you give them to Him. It is the only gift you have to offer that He does not already have. And so when you give yourself, you truly give everything to Him."

When we make the first step towards giving our will to Him, I know that blessings will follow and we will be able to see a change greater than we could imagine.

I'm stoked to be serving here with the people of Green River, I love you all and appreciate all the emails/mail/love, it helps me everyday. Keep on keepin on!

Love 

Sister Efnor