Mar 27, 20246 min read

A Few Reflections.

There's been a lot of cool things that have happened since my last blog post, so I'm just going to talk about them in review. First and foremost, a few of our friends, including Phil and Sammy came to church. Sammy Alfredo is on date for baptism. We had a lesson with Lucas. And we had a prompting to go visit Nisha. We are now teaching her whole family. It has been a very good week.

On Tuesday (our P-Day), we started with some weekly planning, I went running at 8:40 p.m. at the church. We were able to Street contact a lady who didn't speak English and gave her an English class card…. and God took care of our lessons. It was also my Mom and Dad’s birthday. So, I wrote them a thank you card for their birthday. I wrote something I was thankful for, for each year they have been alive. It was a long card. The elders got a referral, and I was able to call my Aunt Tiffany which was awesome.

This is Sister Miramontes. We haven't had a car for 2 weeks and so she has been driving us around. A crazy story, we put in an address for downtown Stockton and ended up in the outskirts. Google Maps directed us to a dead end in an orchard. We felt prompted to go knock on this door at the front of the dead-end road. As we start walking up the long country driveway....... there were piles of wood.... like a lot!!!!!! The member that was driving us around says.... I think this is my wood guy... he lives out here in Linden. The Google Maps takes us to a house that our member knows and that member happens to be with us. So they were eating dinner but we are going back!!!!! Soooo cool God is so good. Lots of cool stories this week that I'll include next week.

Wednesday, we did a lot of proselyting which was a pretty cool day. Part of my area is the YSA ward at The University of Pacific Delta campus. This week I've been praying for charity and the ability to instead of just looking at a person as an opportunity for a teaching appointment, I will be able to see them and genuinely want to get to know who they are. I want to be able to genuinely care about them and understand that they might not know what it's like to fill the spirit because they have never experienced that before. This change has been brought on by two reasons, first I'm trying to develop charity. Which I'm realizing is also helping me develop patience. I have been put in a lot of different situations lately that are helping me develop charity while relying on the Lord. The other reason this has come to fruition is because a lot of our YSA friends that we have found and are teaching on campus have started progressing. As they express their innermost thoughts and become more vulnerable with us, we have learned that they are looking for peace in this world. They often express so much gratitude for us finding them and talking to them and sharing with them the message of the restoration. When they say prayers with us, they are so sweet and kind and express so much gratitude for learning about the gospel. One of our friends Gabriel said “When I pray, I feel like there's a connection with something, I don't know what this feeling is, but I like it when I read the Bible. I feel a connection with something bigger than me and I like it.” Honestly, it is special. Sometimes I struggle to know what to teach. I want to have the perfect lesson and plan for that. However, many times I realize that the most important thing we can teach them is the miracle of forgiveness and how to repent. This will lead to change. To do this it requires new knowledge and a new view of their life.

This is where the Book for Mormon comes in.

Sunday, I gave a talk in church about why I came out on my mission, why I’ve stayed out and why I came back out again after going home for a short while with a concussion. I shared my mission call acceptance letter over the pulpit and let me tell you. The person I was over a year ago, she was great, and I'm still her. However, I have struggled with learning to show myself love and acceptance and understanding that I am enough. I would like to end by sharing my acceptance letter that I sent after I accepted my call. For those of you who are not aware. When you receive your call, a newly called missionary is then asked to write a letter of acceptance and share their testimony and why they have a desire to serve. This is my letter below. It is dated January 2023

Dear Brethren,

I would like to express my gratitude for the missionary department and the missionary efforts of the restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is wonderful that the priesthood has been restored to the earth once again. Which allows you to receive revelation about where my Heavenly father wants me to serve as a missionary in this time of life. The desire to spread the eternal truth of God has always been important to me. For a long time, I didn't think that going on a mission would be possible for me because of some physical and mental health challenges. However, as Elder Maxwell teaches, our curriculum is personalized. My challenges weren't to prevent me from serving, but rather to refine and polish me into the person God needs me to be.

In 8th grade, I decided it didn’t matter if I would be approved to serve a proselytizing mission, I would be a member missionary Now. A full-time finder. The joy from talking about the gospel in normal and natural ways left me hungering for more. I felt similar to Alma. When he speaks in Alam 29, he has just met up with his “brothers in the gospel” and he is reflecting upon the joy of teaching the gospel. Yet he understands the need to grow in every chapter of our life. “‘But behold…I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.’: I took this scripture to heart in 10th grade. Realized I could be happy and magnify “ the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me”. Thus, I started taking Books of Mormons on vacation, going out with the missionaries, and deeply pondering the gospel.

I've come to learn that we all are called on a mission in different ways, but now my time has come to be a full-time teacher to the people of the Sacramento mission although I'm quite aware that I will be the one taught. We came down to earth for a purpose; growth. We progressed as much as we could in the premortal existence. We couldn't progress anymore unless we came to earth and were bound to a physical body and had mortal experiences. So, when we are challenged, chastened, stretched, and polished, we are fulfilling the direct purpose for which we were sent. The soul yearns to complete eternal tasks. I yearn to be challenged and stretched by him, I will become the instrument he wants me to become... My heart belongs to the gospel, and I promise I will sacrifice everything including these next 18 months to help others return to live with our loving Heavenly Father through our older brother, best friend, and redeemer, Jesus Christ.

I cannot deny the power or the truthfulness of this. The church of Jesus Christ is Jesus' church that he restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It is the only church that has the fullness of the gospel including all ordinances and covenants which allow us to be eternal beings and co-creators with God. By the power of the atonement, I will fulfill all God's commands. Thank you again for this opportunity!

Sincerely,

Sister Audrey Frasier

This is my companion Sister Richins and me with our Mission Leader Sister Black. She came down and spent the day with us.

This is the Stockton Zone and Ellie Ping a service missionary from Eastern Ave, my previous area in Charmichael Eastern Area.

I know this week's blog post is different from others. I made a goal to write every week even if it's just mediocre. Because perfection isn't attainable, and neither is exactness!

I love you all.

I invite you to study Easter Holy Week this week. Here is the link. I know that you will realize how the Savior's story is yours.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/feature/easter?lang=eng