Hope :)

This weekend we have been so blessed to see miracles and blessings. Sister Hartley and I have been praying and fasting for a while that we would be able to find people to teach.  We have really been struggling to find anyone who is willing to listen to our message or accept a Book of Mormon. However, on Saturday we were able to teach 2 other lessons, get 3 return appointments, and give out a Book of Mormon. Then Sunday [two of our investigators] AND a friend of theirs all came to church! They only stayed for Sacrament Meeting, but they were there! It was [one of those investigator's] first time, as well as the friend he brought. AND we also coordinated before hand with a member family in the ward and they invited [the two investigators] to have dinner and a lesson in their home tonight (Monday), and they accepted!  In fact they seemed really excited! I was on cloud 9 I was so happy and felt so blessed!!  I know that it was the hand of the Lord that put all of that together.  It just came together so perfectly, and I know it was because we put our trust in the Lord and expected that He would keep His promises and we kept ours.  We have planned in faith and are praying all will go well tonight.

Yesterday in church the two speakers talked about faith and hope. The one gave one definition of hope as expecting or having confidence in the promises of the Lord.  Hope isn't a passive word, it's an active word.  How much hope we have is based on our personal righteousness.  This is because we cannot have confidence that we will receive the blessings promised to us by the Lord if we are not keeping our promises to Him.

Another part that I liked was when he talked about things we hope for and things we hope in.  He read a quote from Elder Uchtdorf's Oct. 2008 General Conference talk called "The Infinite Power of Hope." He said, "The things we hope for lead us to faith, while the things we hope in lead us to charity."  He then said, "The three qualities—faith, hope, and charity—working together, grounded on the truth and light of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, lead us to abound in good works."  I know that's true, and I'm experiencing it more and more each day as I learn how to have greater faith and hope in  my Savior Jesus Christ.  Again, my study each night for 5 minutes on faith has helped so much.  I know it will make a difference for anyone who will sincerely do it.

I hope (expect and have confidence) that you will all have a great Thanksgiving as you truly have an attitude of Gratitude (another great talk by Pres. Uchtdorf), and show your faith by keeping your covenants with God.  I love you all and am so grateful for each one of you in my life!  Hope on!

The Faith

Hello Family and Friends!

Wow time flies!  Another transfer has happened and I will be finishing here in the heart of the MJM in Jackson, Mississippi.  Sister Hartley is staying with me and I love her. :)  I am so excited for the next six weeks because it is the very best time to be a missionary for our Savior!  I love this time of the year with all of my heart!  He lives!  He really lives!  And He wants all of us to know Him!  I'm so excited to get to know Him better and to help others get to know Him too. :)

Speaking of that, good news!  [One of the two young sister we've been teaching] got baptized this weekend!  [The other] wasn't quite ready so she didn't get baptized, but we're still working with her.  Hopefully she'll be ready within the next 2 weeks!

[This girl's] baptism was beautiful :)  The spirit was very sweet and powerful.  Elder Heartman, one of the Elders in our district, baptized her and ended up confirming her since her uncle, President White, ended up getting called into work on Sunday.  [The girl] wore a dress that we got from one of the Madison Sisters who is going home and she looked beautiful!  She looked so happy!

We're still working with . . . a few others, but we're also still trying to find more people.  I know they are here, and we have seen incredible things happen throughout the mission since focusing on increasing our faith!  We're already at 24  baptism this month as a mission, and that has been our average total for an entire month for quite some time now!  We have a goal as a mission to reach 300 baptism by the end of the year, which would require about 40 for the months of November and December each.  I know we can do it if we will continue to increase our faith!

I've been reading something every night about faith and I know that my faith in my Savior Jesus Christ has increased.  I am learning now how to truly rely on the Savior - to not stress out when things aren't going how WE planned, and instead to stay calm so that I can feel the spirit and do what HE planned.

Sister Hartley and I really experienced that this last week, just in preparing [this sweet girl] for baptism.  We had many opportunities to stress out, but we stayed calm and everything worked out perfectly.  It really was a powerful experience.

I love you all and hope that you embrace the spirit of this season, starting with Thanksgiving and then leading into Christmas. This is the most wonderful time of the year because of Him - because we remember Him.  Remember Him more through prayer, study, hard work, and obedience, and your faith in Him will increase.  I know that.

The saying usually goes, "Keep the faith," but I want to challenge each of you to "Increase the faith."  It will bless your life to have more joy and less stress - I promise you that.

Faith :)

Thanks to all of you sending prayers, emails, thoughts, love, and support my way.  It means so much to hear from you when I do, and to feel of all of your great support!  I am so grateful for each one of you in my life, and want you to know that you have blessed my life so much by serving and loving me, my family, and the Lord.  I know that the Lord is aware of all that each of you go through, sacrifice, and give to be obedient and serve Him.  He loves you and is sending you blessings, I'm sure of it.  Please keep your confidence in the our Savior and trust in Him.  He is there and He is aware. :)

This Saturday and Sunday [two girls that are sisters] will be getting baptized and confirmed into the Jackson Branch!  They are sweet girls and I am excited for them to finally be able to take this step!  I know it will help them so much!

This week I have been learning lots about Faith.  That was the main topic of our Mission Leadership Council Meeting.  We all have taken the challenge of studying faith each night for 5 minutes, and then applying a principle we learn the next day.  It has already helped me, and I would offer the same challenge to each of you!  Also, one of our area presidency said that you can substitute faith for personal righteousness in the scriptures...it's amazing when you think of it that way.

I hope you all have a wonderful week!  Thanks again for all you do!  Love you each one of you!

MLC Conference

Let the Lord use His tools :)

Hello!

I don't have much time today, but Sister Hartley and I had a good week this last week.  We enjoyed the festivities with the Madison Ward and the Jackson Branch, and at the Mission Home!  Sister Hartley and I and the Madison Sisters got to go to the Mission Home on Halloween and pass out candy since President and Sister McDonough had to be out of a town for a senior missionary conference.  It was fun to be there and to be with the Madison Sisters!  It's always such a joy and peace to be in the mission home...there is a special spirit there that Sister Hartley related to the lobby part of the temple...it's special :)

Also, fun note, I suggested at the past Branch Council that they do the donut on a string game at their Halloween activity, and none of them had heard of it!  But they decided it sounded like fun, so they provided the needed items and Sister Hartley and I were assigned to do it at the activity.  It was SO FUN!!  They all LOVED it and many said that it was the best part of the night!  So the Knighton tradition (from my mom's family) gets carried on to Jackson, Mississippi! :)

Sister Hartley and I got to go on two exchanges this last week and one thing I really learned was how to open my heart more to the Lord.  I'm still learning, but I have just felt so much recently that my heart is being more turned to the Lord - to trust Him and let Him do His work, instead of trying to do it all for Him.  I thought this week of an analogy of how we get to work with the Lord.  I kind of feel like a glove on a hand...People can't physically see the Lord all the time in this work, but it is only because of Him that we can do what we do.  I also feel that sometimes I think that I have to be the one to do the job of the shoe and the glasses and the helmet and everything else, but if I trust the Lord, and others that He works through (hat, shoes, glasses, etc.) it is so much easier and so much more gets done.  It's a miracle, and it works.

I love you all!  I hope that you all had a safe Halloween and that you enjoy the fall weather!  Have a wonderful week!  Keep praying!  He wants to hear you and help you!