Hey Fam!!!

It was so great to see you and talk to you on Christmas!!!!  I loved it sososososo much!  You all look so great and so happy!  I miss hugs from you!  But it's all good.  I got a lot of work to do in the limited amount of time left! So this week was a little slow because of Christmas.  But it was good.  It's kinda hard to think about this week, because I just talked to you last week!  Still can't believe that!  But we have transfers next week.  I hope I don't go!  I wanna finish teaching Melissa up till she gets baptized!  We'll see what happens.  You never really know with transfers!  AH!  But we have appointments this week and planning out Melissa's baptism for the end of the month!  Not sure if we are doing anything for New Years as a zone.  Or if we even have to be in earlier.  They haven't told us yet.  But some cute families have invited us over for that night.  I'm sorry this is so short.  But I love you!  I am so grateful for families!  I love seeing families come to church together and I love teaching families.  And that is what the gospel of Jesus Christ helps and blesses us as families!  I am so grateful that we have the priesthood power upon the earth today.  That we have beautiful and glorious temples built throughout the world.  And that we have those temples so that families can be sealed, bound, connected together.  Not just for our life on earth.  But together after we die!  I love that!  I am so grateful for that!  I love my Savior.  I know He lives!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=910930409001

I love this video!  Good one for Starting off a new year!  Something we did in the South mission was VGP.  Vision, Goal, Plan.  This helps me to plan out what I visualize and what I want to happen.  Goals to make that vision possible.  And then plans to reach that goal and how to measure my progress.  It's really hard to get into the swing of it.  But it's really good!  Try it!  Love you!

Love,

Sister Marlow 

MERRY CHRISTMAS FAMILY!!!!

IF YOU'RE EXCITED TO TALK TO ME ON WEDNESDAY, CLAP YOUR HANDS!  (clap, clap)!!!  I can't wait to talk on Christmas!!!!  I miss you guys so much!!!!  

So this week, lots and lots of snow and ice.  We have steps that go down to our basement apartment and it's covered in ice.  I scrapped the snow off, but all the icicles drip down and it melts--ice!!!!  So gotta be careful.  And I'm getting used to the car saying "LOW TRACTION" and not freaking out about it!  Well, at least we have a car!  Blessings!  this week we have been delivering cookies and goodies to people.  The wards have been giving us things to bring to less actives.  And we got an invite for Christmas breakfast with a less active member!  Woo!!!  And thank you to everyone that has sent me Christmas cards and presents!  I'm really bad at remembering and getting thank you cards out soon!  But in the mean time, I just want to thank you all for sending me love through the mail!  The zone leaders get the mail, and they just hand over pretty much everything they have over to me!  So thanks for all the love!!!!!  You are the best!  

So, the awesome thing about this week!  We had our lesson with Melissa yesterday.  She told us that last Sunday, when we taught her about the Word of Wisdom, that she didn't have coffee anymore!  She said that she was grumpy the first couple of days, but then on Friday, she felt good.  And she was praying that the Lord would help her give up coffee and replace it with peace and comfort to get through the day!  I thought that was so awesome!  She is so amazing!  She has so much faith and she's just building upon the faith that she has!  We are teaching her again tonight.  And she's so excited to get baptized!  I'm so happy for her.  Thank you all for praying for her!  She needs all the prayers!  It's hard changing your lifestyle and learning to trust the Lord.  She doesn't have to change much.  But it's understanding the why of having to do it.  And we all experience that with the gospel.  But we just try it out and pray and ask God if it's right.  We can teach people all these things and tell them how it blesses our lives, but they have to get that experience for themselves!  It's so great!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!  I love this time of the year.  Because we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  How he was born.  He lived.  He died.  He was resurrected.  HE LIVES!!!!  Heavenly Father showed the most love to us by giving us His Son.  I am so grateful for Jesus Christ.  And for the sacrifice that He made for me and for all of us.  It is such a blessing to know that we can repent and start over.  But we have to do our part to fix those things and to change.  The Lord wants us to be better.  He is shaping and molding us into the people that He knows we can become.  It's just putting forth that effort.  I know that this church is Jesus Christ's church upon the Earth today.  And that it is led by a prophet of God, Thomas S. Monson.  I love this gospel!  I love talking to people about it!  It's so amazing!  Hope you all have a safe and a blessed Christmas!

I know you'll read Luke 2, but read Helaman 14 for the prophecy of Christ's birth told in the Book of Mormon!  Another witness and testimony that Jesus is the Christ!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey my fam!

It was a pretty slow week this week.  Until we got to the weekend.  We have some pretty awesome stake leadership here in this stake!  We told them that we've been struggling to have lessons this week because people have been cancelling on us like crazy!  So they got us some more lessons and some of the ward mission leaders pulled through for this week and got us lessons!  It's still super cold!  And this week we went to a couple of ward Christmas parties, so that was a lot of fun.  And so the best part of this week was yesterday!  Melissa came to church!  It was so great!  And then after church we met with another investigator and he wants to be baptized, but won't set a specific date.  He said probably February!  That's awesome!  He just doesn't want to be pushed.  People have been pushing him for a while to get baptized.  But now, he decided!  But he doesn't want anyone to know.  So I'm not gonna tell you his name!  But it's exciting!  And then we had our lesson with Melissa!  She is so amazing.  She told us at church that she's gotten down to only drinking one cup of coffee a day and that she still feels good.  And she feels like that's a sign that she's on the right path!  She is so humble and has so much faith!  I know I am so blessed to have this opportunity to teach her!  She is an amazing woman.  She has her PhD in finances/accounting!  She is so intelligent!  So focusing more on our feelings and faith is a big thing for her.  She said that even 5 years ago she would have told missionaries, no.  But she's ready!  She's the elect!!!!!  So please, please pray for her!!!!  Pray for her by name!  Melissa Lewis, and that she'll be able to give up coffee!  She is so excited to be baptized!!!!!!  I love it!  The Lord is so amazing!  He knows who is ready!  MIRALCES!!!!

AH!  The song, "I'll be Home for Christmas" sung by the Carpenters just came on!!!!  I miss you all so so much!!!!  I'll be home for christmas, if only in my dreams!!!!

Oh, and I ate dinner with the Andersons!!!  And the Williams!!!  It was so much fun!  I love being in a mission close to family!  And we had a Christmas party as a mission and everyone got to come!!!  I got to see all my fam that's serving in Park City and Wyoming!!!!  I miss them so much!  I walked in, and there were the Jermans!  So happy to see them!  And all my beautiful companions that I've had!  Miss you sisters!  Well, family.  The church is true!  Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  He was born, and lives today!  Love you all!  Have a great week!!!

Love,

Sister Marlow

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=911161814001

watch this cute video about the spirit of christmas!  

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-05-01-they-gave-up-their-christmas?category=topics/christmas&cid=HPWE121113218

This link above has a lot of christmas media and things to watch!

Hey Family,

It's been snowing like crazy!  And it's been super cold!  Single digits!  burrrrrr!!!!  Makes me think of little Ella when she says burrrr!!! :)  And because we are at the base of the mountain and in between Big and Little Cottonwood Canyon, we get more snow than the valley does!  The first day was really bad.  Couldn't get our car back home (we live at the top of a hill), so we left it at the grocery store and a member drove us home in her 4 wheel drive.  Blessings!!!  So I have found new loves in this weather.  Snow plow man.  The best ever!  When he does his job.  He was slacking on Tuesday and that's when we couldn't get home!  I miss driving the Jeep in Park City!  With it's lovely snow tires and 4 wheel drive!!!!!  Oh, and I really can't drive in the snow!  I'm so bad!  We slip and slide all the time!  And it freaks me out, so it also stresses me out too!  But just learning to drive slowly.  We taught a lot of lessons this week.  We taught Chuck.  We invited him to be baptized.  He didn't say no, but he didn't say yes.  But he still wants to learn more!  We had the mission president's wife come with us to a lesson with an active member family.  I was really nervous at first.  But then it wasn't so bad.  We knocked on this guy's door.  He said he was agnostic.  And said that he would only believe in Jesus Christ, if He was to walk up his driveway and come to the door.  Well, I told him that we are representatives of Jesus Christ.  I don't know if that means anything to him, but we knocked on his door.  And then we were trying to find a house for a lesson, and I had to turn around and got stuck in the ice/snow!  A guy saw that we were struggling and went and got a shovel and dug it out for us to get out!  Blessings!!!!  Things with Sister Stout are getting better.  We are learning to teach better together.  And the mission has advised us to use the pamphlets to teach!  And it's been going great!  Something funny.  I asked Sister Stout to call a member to see if she was coming to an appointment.  She called the number and had it on speaker.  The member answered and Sister Stout didn't say anything.  I just sat there, like, okay....  And then the member hung up.  I asked Sister Stout why she didn't talk.  She said she gets scared of calling people.  I was like, okay.  Just let me know, and I'll do it.  It was funny.  

I read 2 Nephi 26 this morning.  I really liked these verses:

2 Nephi 26:24-27, 33

     

 24 He doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his own life that he may draw call men unto him. Wherefore, he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.

 25 Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he saith: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey, without money and without price.

 26 Behold, hath he commanded any that they should depart out of the synagogues, or out of the houses of worship? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.

 27 Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation? Behold I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men; and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance.

 33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.

Right now I'm listening to MoTab sing Sleigh Bells.  Makes me think of home and watching Mr. Kruger's Christmas with good ol' Jimmy Stewart!  I love it!  :)  Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Oh, and watch this Christmas Mormon message!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2874125972001

Hey Fam!

Sorry this is so late!  The internet wasn't working at the normal building that we do email at.  And this is the time that we finally got to do it at another building.  How was everyone's Thanksgiving????  This week was really hard for missionary work.  Most of our investigators were out of town.  And most of the members.  So it was kinda slow.  But we taught an investigator last night and we are going to Temple Square with them on Friday!!!  Yeah!  Oh, and transfers happened.  My new comp is Sister Stout.  She is from Virginia.  She's been out 3 months.  This is her third area and I'm her third companion since she's been in the field.  She has what's called sensory processing disorder.  So, she doesn't always understand things that are said.  She follows me around a lot.  And she'll repeat a lot of what I say when we are talking with people.  She does good taking care of herself.  But it's really been hard teaching with her and communicating.  And she she doesn't always get social ques.  She doesn't always understand, or get somethings.  And it's been really hard for me to have to take over the area.  I still don't know everyone or familiar with the area.  I'm really stressed out.  I'm not sure what to always do.  But I know that the Lord is always there for me, no matter what is going on in my life.  

Hope you all had a great holiday.  I'm excited for Christmas!  What an awesome time of the year that we especially remember our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Alma 11:40

And he shall come into the world to redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the transgressions of those who believe on his name; and these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation cometh to none else.

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey Family!

So this week had its ups and downs.  But it was an amazing spiritual week!!!!  The beginning was a struggle this week.  We were going to have to go on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders and I really didn't want to and I wasn't feeling confident enough to do the area and teach people without Sister Kiser.  She's pretty awesome, by the way.  And so I was really having a hard time feeling like I was okay to do it.  But we ended up getting a dinner appointment with a member family and they invited a potential investigator over for dinner and a lesson!!!!  And so we asked if we could do exchanges on another day.  And they said yes.  But I was still really struggling.  I just felt like, I not a good teacher.  And I didn't feel like I could teach this investigator by the Spirit.  Sister Kiser is Ah-mazing!  She said, we were going to pray and ask and beg the Lord for His Spirit to be with us as we taught her.  I prayed and man, I realized that I needed to humble myself. And I could feel the difference when I just got on my knees and asked the Lord for help.  That is something that I've always struggled with.  Trying to do something, feeling that I'm so inadequate, and so I give up.  Instead of humbling myself and asking Heavenly Father to help me.  The dinner was great and we got to know Melissa and her family better.  She is a professor at the University of Utah.  Her boyfriend is LDS and has been reading the Book of Mormon with her.  He was there at dinner and the lesson as well.  Well, we taught her the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I could feel the Spirit so strong as I told her about Joseph Smith's vision when Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him.  She just soaks everything in!  She is so awesome.  Well, then I really felt like I needed to invite her to be baptized.  And then the discussion when in so many different directions.  But the Spirit guided me to know what to say and then invited her to be baptized!  The Spirit was so strong.  And she accepted!  She was so excited when she said yes!  And yesterday we had another lesson with her and she is preparing to be baptized January 25th 2014!!!!!  The Lord has shown us a MIRACLE!!!!!  I know I'm not always the best missionary that I can be.  And that you truly do have to be humble, diligent, obedient and faithful and the Lord will show you miracles.  I am so grateful to be able to be apart of this!!!  I love being a missionary!  It's the most amazing feeling ever to get to share the gospel with others!  

Sister Kiser and I had such a great week!  And we've had such a great transfer together.  She will be leaving tomorrow to go to her new area and I'll be staying here in Cottonwood and be getting a new companion.  I don't know who it will be either.  I'm so sad because we get along so well and she's helped me out so much!  But I guess I would be selfish if I kept her here only for me.  She's gotta go and find more people that need her.  It's been such a blessing to have her as my companion.  

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2081541444001

Go check out this Mormon Message about living up to your privileges!

I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father that loves us so much!  He wants us to pray to Him each and every day!  Even more than once a day!  He wants us to talk with Him!  I know that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father that loves me so much!  He knows me and knows what I can become.  He knows what I need to make me into the woman that I need to be.  I love Him so much!  He gives us everything that we need and more!  He is always so merciful and loving.  He always wants to hear from us!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=1906000741001

What this one about being a daughter of God

Love,

Sister Marlow

oH, and last Monday we were playing volleyball and one of the Elder spiked it and I went to return it and hit it with my left wrist.  My team didn't recover it so it wasn't worth the hit, but I busted a vein and my wrist was so swollen, and purple, like instantly after I hit it.  My whole wrist was bruised!!!  But it was way fun playing!  I get bruised from volleyball all the time!!!  Love you all!!!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Hey Family,

How are you all this week?  We had a pretty good week.  It's starting to get colder!  But good thing we are well equipped with warm stuff.  But it's still hard going around in a skirt when it so cold!  But that's the life of a sister missionary!  We struggled to find new investigators this week.  But we did meet some friendly people that weren't interested, but we were able to share the restored gospel with them.  Sister Kiser and I taught this man.  He's Catholic and has talked with missionaries before.  He pretty much wanted to bash with us.  But we just calmly taught him about how Jesus Christ's church was restored upon the Earth.  And so was that priesthood power.  That this is Christ's original church restored today.  And that we have a prophet that receives revelation from God.  And that we ourselves can receive personal revelation from Heavenly Father.  He couldn't believe that!  It was so sad!  I would be so lost if I couldn't receive revelation from Heavenly Father.  That's a way that He shows His love.  We talk to Him through prayer and He answers us through the Holy Ghost.  Sister Kiser is awesome!  She kept asking him questions and he was running himself up against the wall with his responses.  But it ended well.  We are really trying to work more closely with the leadership in the wards.  Things are going well, but they could be better.  I'm so glad that we get to be companions!  We have had a great transfer together!  I hope we get to spend next transfer together as well.  She reminds me so much of my sisters!  We laugh all the time.  And then there are times when we shouldn't be laughing and we have to hold it in.  Just like this day this last week.  We had a lesson with an investigator.  He's in his 70s.  We were teaching him about the Fall of Adam and Eve.  We had him read a scripture and then he asked a question and we told him to keep reading.  And then he started over reading the scripture.  And we didn't correct him.  But he kept reading the same scripture over and over.  And we couldn't help but laugh.  We were trying so hard to not laugh out loud.  I kept wheezing and that made Sister Kiser laugh more.  And then she asked me to read the rest of the scripture and I could barely read it and I would play it off and cough.  And the tone of my voice was going up and down as I was trying to read the scripture and keep from laughing.  It was a good lesson though.  We realized that he hasn't been taught the doctrine at all.  I think in the past he would just ask missionaries really hard questions and they would teach based on that.  And we just started teaching him the doctrine.  We hope that will help him to build a testimony on his own.  That's the reason why he won't get baptized.  Well, it's been a great week!  Transfers are next week.  This transfer has FLOWN BY!  I can't believe it!  I hope Sister Kiser and I get to stay together as companions.  At least for Thanksgiving and Christmas!  That would be awesome.  But it's in the Lord's hands.  I know that Jesus Christ LIVES!  That Heavenly Father loves us and He sincerely answers prayers.  And that we must act on those answers.  Even if it is hard.  We don't know what the Lord wants us to learn.  We just have to trust in Him.

Love,

Sister Marlow

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2221439363001

I love the example of Esther!  Watch this video about her and courage! 

Hey Family,

It's hard getting to Mondays and then trying to remember what happened this week.  Our week started off kinda slow.  We weren't able to meet our goals.  We had a really good Zone Meeting and they talked to us about what keeps us from being able to reach our goals.  Both Sister Kiser and I said for our companionship, that we lack faith to find people.  So that is something that we are working on.  And slowly and surely it's building.  I've always struggled with the principle of having faith.  Of trusting that the Lord can make things happen if it's His will.  As a zone we read some scriptures to help us to be able to recognize how we can do better.

Mormon 9:20-21, 25

 20 And the reason why he ceaseth to do miracles among the children of men is because that they dwindle in unbelief, and depart from the right way, and know not the God in whom they should trust.

 21 Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.

 25 And whosoever shall believe in my name, doubting nothing, unto him will I confirm all my words, even unto the ends of the earth.

I love these scriptures!  It really helped me to recognize what I've not been doing.  I usually read these scriptures when when we are teaching about after Jesus Christ was crucified and the apostles were killed and the priesthood power and the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ was no on the Earth.  But it totally applies to me!  It really made me evaluate where I am and what I can do better.  So I've been praying for faith!  And I know that the Lord will help me to develop more faith.  

We picked up a new investigator!  His name is John.  He has been taught many times in the past.  His problem is that he says he has not received an answer from the Lord that he needs to be baptized.  I'm not doubting the man, that he hasn't received an answer for himself.  Maybe he just hasn't recognized it.  I'm not sure.  But we are going to teach him and we hope and pray that he'll be able to receive his answer.  We are teaching to other young girls too.  They said they aren't ready to be baptized, but said that we could come and continue to teach them.  We are hoping that we'll be able to help prepare them to be baptized when they make that decision.  Oh, something else really cool.  One of our wards invited everyone in their neighborhood to come to a special sacrament meeting and they had an open house afterwards.  It was way cool!  Non members and less active members came!  So cool!!!

Mission life is going great.  It is hard at times.  And that's even an understatement.  But I'm loving it.  It's so great being companions with Sister Kiser.  She is so awesome and we are always laughing.  I hope everyone is doing great!  Keep praying and reading the scriptures!  And reading talks from General Conference!  They are awesome!!!

Love,

Sister Marlow   

Hey Fam!

So it seems like every week is a blurr!!!  I guess it's because I am lovin' missionary life!  It is the best!  Seriously, you all should serve a mission!  We had a good fun week!  Tuesday we had our car worked on in SLC.  A member followed us there and drove us back.  And then she drove us to our appointments and drove us back to pick up our car!  She's great!  That day we did some service for a sister in the ward.  She just had a baby and can't pick up heavy stuff.  So they live in a split level house.  And the doorbell rang.  It was our ride.  And I went down the stairs to open the door.  And of course me being clumsy.....I slide down the stairs and landed on my bum.  We all just started laughing.  I entertain Sister Kiser a lot because I'm always falling down!!!!  It was so funny!  Wednesday we had interviews with President Eberhardt and we also made lunch for an elderly man that is a widower in one of the wards.  Then we headed down to South Jordan to go to the Jordan River Temple as a mission.  I LOVE the temple!!!!!  Then on Thursday, Halloween, we had a party with the mission.  We had a variety show and missionaries, sang and played the piano and other instruments.  It was a lot of fun.  Then on Friday we took a less active to temple square!  It was so fun to be there.  We watched The Testaments.  If you haven't seen it, you should!!!  The Spirit is so strong when you watch it!  I just love how you can feel the Lord's love!  And another CRAZY thing, we saw Sister George!  I'll send you a picture that we took with her!  That's so awesome.  Three sisters from the same stake!!!  I love it!  So we have been really struggling trying to find new people to teach that are ready to prepare to be baptized.  We are really trying to work more with the members and with the leadership.  Something, I don't feel like I'm very good at.  Hastening the Work of Salvation is all about working together.  Sister Kiser was already trained in that in the MTC, so she's really helping me to learn to trust the members and to focus on building their faith to share the gospel with others.  She's awesome!!!  I'm so glad we are companions!  She's the best, ever!

Oh, hey!  You all should read Mosiah 12-13.  It's when Abinadi teaches the 10 commandments.  And he totally throws down the wicked priests!  And after he teaches them he asks them this:

Mosiah 13:25-26

 And it came to pass that after Abinadi had made an end of these sayings that he said unto them: Have ye taught this people that they should observe to do all these things for to keep these commandments?  I say unto you, Nay; for if ye had, the Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to prophesy evil concerning this people.

I love it!  I am so grateful that we have the prophets from the Bible and the Book of Mormon to teach us the doctrine of Christ.  To help us to come closer to the Savior.  To know who He is and what His gospel is and how to live it.  I am so grateful that we have a prophet today to lead and guide us.  His name is Thomas S. Monson and he speaks for the Lord and directs this church through revelation received from God.  I love being a missionary!  Love you all!!  Have a great week!!!!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey Family!

This week was a good one!  We were struggling trying to find new people to teach.  And especially people that are ready.  But we are continuing on!  We had training from the zone leaders last week that was amazing!  We were learning to focus on helping those to baptism.  President Eberhardt, the mission president has asked us to make baptism a divine obsession.  So we are praying for miracles and people to find!  We have been teaching a lot of less active and active members.  So we are teaching a lot.  Which is great!  It's been great to get to know more of the people of this area.  I love it.  We just need to remember that we have been sent here to help people to prepare for baptism.  So it's time to dig down deep and get our hands dirty!  And I'm glad that I have Sister Kiser to do it with me!  We have such a great time together.  We laugh a lot!  Which is so good!  She's a hoot!  And she's so good with teaching people and getting to know them.  We were talking to this man and he was kinda rude and hard.  And she totally got to him and he started crying after she was teaching about the Atonement!  She's awesome!  Oh, and if any of you didn't know.  Sister Kiser is from Morganton, North Carolina.  Which is in the Hickory Stake.  The same stake as me!  People are still so shocked when they hear that we are from the same stake.  And then they ask why I don't have an accent!  We gave talks in two wards yesterday and I was like, sorry to disappoint, but no I don't have an accent.  :)  

Mosiah 2:41

   And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I read this in my personal study today.  I love this scripture.  It promises us as we keep the commandments that we will have all the things that we need.  Whether they are temporal or spiritual needs.  They will be met.  And we can be happy by keeping the commandments.  I know it's hard sometimes.  And sometimes we think that we know better than the Lord.  But He has given us commandments to keep us safe and to protect us.  Because He knows what's out there and He wants us to stay away from things that will destroy us spiritually.  My favorite part is that as we keep the commandments that we will be able to dwell with God and live in never-ending happiness!  I can't wait for that and I know that it will be truly happy because I'll be with my family!  Because families are forever through Heavenly Father's plan of happiness!  I love you all so much!  I know this gospel is true.  That Jesus Christ is my Savior.  If I didn't know, then I wouldn't be out here!  Find out for yourselves the happiness you receive from keeping the commandments!  Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey Family!!!

So transfers went AH-MAZING!!!!!!  Guess who my companion is?  Just guess........  It's SISTER KISER!!!!!!  Holy cow, what a blessing!!!!  We were so excited to find that we are companions.  And it's so fun to be able to tell people that we are both from the same stake!  And we already know each other a little bit, so it's not awkward or anything like that.  And she's on it!  She's such an awesome missionary and a hard worker.  She's know the area so well, and she's got it!  I love it!  She is amazing.  I am so blessed to be her companion.  And this stake is awesome too!!!  They are all about some missionary work here!  They get us lessons with active members.  And then they will come with us when we go and contact referrals!  It's amazing!  I've never had an area that the members are so involved in the missionary work.  It's the best.  And guess what?  We had about 22 lessons this week!  That includes lessons with non members, less active and recent converts and active members!  I've never hit that ever in my mission.  I guess we Carolina girls know how to get it done!  I will say, it's been a little hard to get used to going back to full proselyting.  But it's been good.  Sunday was a full and busy day.  I love it.  We actually have appointments!  Sister Kiser and I have so much fun together.  We laugh and laugh about stuff all the time!  So the other day we went with the Bishop to go visit a less active family.  And it was dark, so you couldn't see very well.  And I tripped on the sidewalk leading up to the house.  I was about to catch myself, but I was already down and fell.  It was hilarious.  I got bruises.  But ya know, I'm pretty clumsy.  We were laughing so hard later after the visit.  And then we tried to get the elderly man, who is a member to come with us to visit his neighbors and introduce us. And he wouldn't come.  We thought he was teasing us, but he wasn't!!!!  And we go to visit his neighbor, and this man barely opened the door and it was dark inside.  We said hi, and then he said something in broken english and was going to shut the door.  Sister Kiser, said, wait, time-out!  And the man shut the door and walked away.  So funny!  Poor man, he wouldn't even let us talk to him!  Oh, well.  We did have an amazing experience singing together for this lady named Pam.  Her health isn't good, so she isn't always able to come to church.  We shared a message and sang hymns to her.  Then Sister Kiser said she knew the alto to "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter".  So we sang that and it was gorgeous!  Our voices sound so good together!  And you could feel the Spirit there.  I know that hymns can teach us and we can feel the Spirit.  I am grateful that the Lord has blessed me with the talent of music, so that I can share it with others.  I love it!  I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  And that the priesthood power is real.  And that without it we wouldn't be able to receive the ordinances that we need for our salvation.  I am so grateful the Lord gave me this opportunity to serve him here, now, and with Sister Kiser!  I'm so excited for this transfer.  Love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Alma 17:2-3  Do this, it helps with missionary work!!!!

Hey Family,

So I'm getting transferred.  I don't know where I'm going or who my companion will be.  We find out tomorrow at the transfer meeting.  When our zone leader called us I screamed NOOOOOOO!!!!!!  And then the tears came.  And I was crying hard to.  This is the first time I've ever cried about being transferred.  I love Park City.  It's become my home.  I love the people and the area and the Family Tree Center.  I have loved meeting people from all over the world.  We even had a great week this week!  Our investigator, Julieta came to church with her family!  And we went to ward council in her ward and told her that she was coming.  They said they were going to invite the members that spoke Spanish to come and bear their testimony.  So that she could feel welcomed and understand better what the people were saying.  5 people got up and bore their testimony in Spanish!  It was so awesome!  Julieta speaks and understands English, but she feels more comfortable in Spanish.  It was so great to have the ward be so supportive!  And then another lady in a different ward that is less active came to church as well!  And she said to us, girls, I don't know how you did it, but you got me to come to church.  She said, the Lord knew that she couldn't turn us cute sister missionaries away, especially because she and Sister Alvarez are both from Guatemala!  The Lord works in amazing ways!  I have loved seeing all the progress that has happened in this area.  Going from nothing, to working more with the members and the leadership and helping people come back to church.  I really don't know why the Lord is taking me away.  I just felt like things were just starting to get going.  But I am grateful for the time that I have had to serve up here in Park City.  And to especially be able to learn and do family history work.  I have loved serving at a visitors' center and serving with Sister Alvarez!  She is the best!  I'll let you know what happens next week.  Please pray for me.  I'm gonna need it.  Love you all.  Have a great week.

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hello my family that is forever!

How was your week?  Mine was pretty great!  I love listening to General Conference and we get to hear from prophets and apostles of God.  And the other leaders that are called to serve!  It's so amazing.  Before conference I love to write down any questions that I have.  And they are all pretty different and specific.  Then I prayed and told Heavenly Father my questions and asked Him that they would be answered in General Conference.  And you know what?  The Lord answers prayers!  My questions were answered.  And it was so specific and the talks gave me the plans and guidance to be able to fix some things that I'm struggling with!  How amazing is that?!?!  I am so grateful that we have access to personal revelation to help us in our lives!  Wasn't it all just amazing?  They were all really good, but I think some of my favorites were.  I don't have all my notes with me, but from what I remember.  I loved Elder Christoffersen talking about the responsibility that women have on moral authority and to teach that and how it is so important the work a wife and mother does in the home.  And then Elder Oaks talking about how important the family is.  That we need to strengthen the family unit.  And how the Plan of Salvation and family is so connected together.  It's so awesome to be able to know that through God's plan, families can be together forever.  And then Elder Soares spoke about how to be meek and humble.  Sister Stephens speaking about being men and women of God.  It was all sososososo good!  I encourage all of you to go back and watch or listen to at least one talk a day.  It just helps to be able to re-listen to the words that they spoke.  I'm going to try to do that while at the Family Tree Center.  :)

It's been snowing on and off these past couple of weeks.  Getting out the boots and winter coats.  But I know that to everything there is a season! :)  I find out next Monday if I'll be staying in Park City.  I don't know what the Lord has in store for me this next transfer.  I would like to stay in Park City with Sister Alvarez.  But I know that I go where the Lord needs me to go.  So I don't think I ever told you guys this.  But we get to do online chat with people that go onto mormon.org and have questions about the church.  Sister Alvarez and I try to do it as much as we can.  We were on last night.  Sometimes people have some outrageous things and just want to argue with us.  But sometimes it is a good experience.  So cool that we can do chat here, because we work at the visitors' center.  Which I love serving at by the way!  It is the best.  Oh, and it was so weird hitting my year mark this past week.  I can't believe it.  I have seen so many blessings come into my life from serving a mission in Utah.  The Lord is so good to me!  Love you lots!

Love,

Sister Marlow      

Hey Family,

A couple of things happened this week.  We got a really cold snap and it snowed!  It didn't stick, but it was way cold.  I pulled out my snow boots and winter coat!  My poor companion Sister Alvarez is so cold!  I told her this is nothing compared to what the winter will bring.  :)  

We had some fun things happen this week.  We picked up a new investigator!  Her name is Julieta.  She is from Mexico.  Her husband is a member and her two daughters have been taught by missionaries, but they didn't get baptized because Julieta wouldn't let them.  And that's been a couple of months.  But we stopped by to see her and asked her if we could meet with her.  She knows English and her family goes to the English ward that we are over, but Sister Alvarez is teaching her in Spanish.  I would teach and Sister Alvarez would translate too.  So no, we are not poaching! :)  But she has a lot of questions.  And invited us back this week!  Yeah!  And we've been able to get more referrals and we are going to start teaching member families.  We've been meeting with leadership as well.  Things are getting better in the wards.  We feel like we are becoming more part of the wards, which is great!  I just hope I don't get transferred!  But that's not for a couple of weeks!  

We went to the Salt Lake City Temple today!  It was so pretty in down town Salt Lake today.  The weather is just perfect!  I love being in the temple.  It's so peaceful and you can just think about life and how blessed I am to be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We are so blessed to have the priesthood authority upon the earth so that we can receive saving ordinances.  It's so awesome!  I love it.  I love being a missionary here in Utah.  I know at first I wasn't too sure about it.  But I know that the Lord knows best and He knows where I need to be and when.  It's amazing how if we just put our trust in Him, what amazing miracles and things can happen.  That's something I'm really learning on my mission.

The best thing about the church of Jesus Christ, is that families can be together forever.  I am so grateful for my family and that we will be together forever.  It's such a blessing to have holy temples around the world that make that possible.  And that power and authority of the priesthood is on the earth so that can be possible for our families.  This new video came out this week!  You should watch it!       

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2700253803001

It makes me think of our family and the amazing times that we've had and will have!  I love my family, even if you do talk about me coming home...... ;)  I love working at the Park City Family Tree Center!  I love being able to help people find their ancestors.  I love being able to work and find my own ancestors and to be able to connect with them, and to get to know who they are.  Here at the center we focus a lot of families.  We show a movie called "God's Plan for the Family".  And one line that I love comes from "The Family: A Proclamation to the World"

 http://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation

"Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ."

It is through Jesus Christ that we can live with our families forever.  It is through His teachings that we can have happiness not only in our lives, but with our families, forever.  I love that.  I know He lives!  He wants us to be happy.  We just have to live the commandments that He has set for us to live by.  I know that is true!  Love you all!!!  Have a great week!!!  Oh, and today is a year from when I was set apart as a representative of Jesus Christ.  I can't believe it.  

Love,

Sister Marlow

My dearest and bestest FAMILY!

So, it's true!  We had a miracle baptism this Saturday.  The investigator that we've been teaching on and off for the past 3 months got baptized!  His name is Jack.  He's 14.  He's been going to church for the last 3 years with his family.  His Mom is a convert.  We finished teaching him the lessons on Friday and we asked his Mom when she wanted to plan for the baptism.  She said, let's do it tomorrow!  I was so surprised, but said that we would try to make it happen.  Friday night the district leader wanted to get his interview done.  But mis-communication happened and we weren't able to do it Friday.  Friday night I was a little stressed about the whole thing and if it really was going to happen.  But I just had this sense of peace come over me and the Spirit told me that it was going to be okay.  So I just needed to trust in the Lord.  The next day was when the complications happened.  Just to make this the watered-down version, we had to get permission from Jack's parents because his parents are divorced.  I was on the phone and texting so many people on Saturday, from the district leader, to our ward mission leader, the Bishop, and the mission president.  But you know what?  I can testify to you that God is a God of miracles.  We got written consent from both parents to be baptized.  And the baptism happened!  I know that it was the Lord's will that Jack was baptized on Saturday and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  It was an amazing MIRACLE!  I know that the Lord loves His children so much.  I went through a lot on Saturday.  But it was worth it to help another of Heavenly Father's children to make that covenant.  I'm so happy for Jack!  

I can't explain the feelings that I've had this weekend.  I have seen the Lord's hand tremendously in a 24 hour period of time.  I know that this is HIS work.  And that nothing can stop it from moving forward.  I know during that 24 hours I did doubt.  I was concerned that it was going to happen.  But the Lord knows what needs to happen.  We just have to trust Him.  That He has everything under control, even though we don't know how to handle it.  I've learned a lot from this experience.  

I was studying today in Alma 5.  Awesome chapter!  You should read it!

Alma 5:60

  "And now I say unto you that the good shepherd doth call after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he will bring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and he commandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enter among you, that ye may not be destroyed."

Jesus Christ is the good shepherd.  Just like we follow Jesus Christ when we are baptized, like sheep follow their shepherd.  When we are baptized we promise to follow Jesus Christ.  And He promises to take care of us in His fold.  But when we wander away from our shepherd, like sheep do sometimes, like when we sin; we become susceptible to the world, the wolves!  And He keeps calling after us to come back to Him.  To come unto Him!  I know that there is protection in keeping the commandments of God and staying close to the Savior.  Stay close to Him.  Come to know Him.  I know for me I have come to know Him by reading the Book of Mormon, because it truly is another testament of Christ.  I know He lives!

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hola Familia!

So this week I started listening to the Book of Mormon in Spanish!  And then I've been reading the beginning to Sister Alvarez.  She helps me with all the pronunciations.  I read really slow, but it's fun!  She told me to read it in Spanish and then look at it in English to make sure I'm understanding what I'm reading.  It's a lot of fun and I think she really enjoys helping me learn Spanish!  

My week was okay.  It's been going really slow, the work.  We are trying and trying.  Each week we have been making cookies and taking them to the leaders in each of our wards.  This past week was all the Relief Society Presidents.  I made my pineapple cupcakes.  And they loved them!  We saw this one sister on Sunday and she told us thank you for the card and the cupcakes.  It made her day, because she is always giving and giving and it was nice for someone to give to her.  That made us feel really good.  We are trying!     

We had stake conference this weekend.  It was a broadcast and 116 stakes in Utah were all apart of it.  It was really good.  I love learning from our general authorities.  Elder Nelson and Elder Packer spoke to us.  I am so grateful that we have a prophet and apostles on the earth today!  I love how they always testify of Jesus Christ and that they know HE LIVES!

I read this article in the Ensign. http://www.lds.org/ensign/2013/08/only-10-dollars?lang=eng  It's so good!  A scritpure that goes with it is 2 Nephi 25:23

"For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."

It just makes me think how I've come up short in my life and I know that I'll continue to come up short.  But I know that the Savior is always there for me.  That He's going to help and support me through anything and everything that I am and will go through.  He's my brother.  And I'm so grateful for Him.

I'm sending some pictures from Pday today.  We went to Coalville, Utah.  Elder and Sister Judd's home.  They fed us lunch and showed us the historic chapel and museum in Coalville.  It was fun!  Enjoy the pics.  Thanks for being an awesome family!  Love ya!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey Family!

We had a good week this week!  We've been seeing miracles happen.  And it feels so great to be able to teach lessons and testify of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ!  

I'll tell you of an experience we had this past week.  We had a lunch appointment with this single sister and she had a friend that was visiting.  This friend used to be a member of the church and has very bitter feelings.  We shared a message and then she began to give us her opinions and try to argue with us.  I would answer her questions and she would continue to try to bash with me.  But I told her, ya know I heard stuff before and it doesn't matter to me.  All I need to know is that the Book of Mormon is true.  She began to contend again, but then I said we have to run to another appointment.  I want to let you know that it hasn't been easy to gain this testimony of the Book of Mormon.  So many people I've met on my mission have influenced me to doubt the things that I know to be true.  But I do have a testimony of the Book of Mormon.  I could feel the Spirit so strongly as I was testifying to her.  I KNOW IT IS TRUE!  And because I know it is true, I know that Jesus is the Christ.  I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.  That he saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  And that through Him the priesthood power and authority of God was also restored.  And that this is Jesus Christ's church once again upon the earth.  And I know a prophet leads and guides us today through revelation.  His name is Thomas S. Monson.  I know these things to be true.  Why would I still be on a mission if I didn't know it was true?  Seriously.  :)

And we spoke in one of our wards yesterday.  The focus was of course on missionary work.  But I focused it on the Restoration and teaching the members to let their light shine!  It was so great.  I really feel like we are making progress with the members so that they will allow us to teach them and their friends.  Right after sacrament meeting a member came up to us and said that his friend and his children came to church and they would like us to come to their house after church and teach them!!!!  The Dad of this family is divorced and he finally got full custody of his kids.  He has been a member for about 2 years now.  And none of his children are members of the church.  So they want us to teach them!  Then this other boy we've been trying to teach and prepare for baptism, we went by yesterday and they made an appointment with us for Wednesday and then to have his baptism not this weekend, but the next.  He plays football and he cracked his rib, so he's gonna be out for a little bit, so why not get baptized!!!  :)  lol.  MIRACLES!!!!!  I love seeing it!  The Lord knows who is ready.  We just have to be patient and just love people!  Thank you all for supporting me!  I love being a missionary.  It's the best thing that I could ever do at this time in my life!  Love you all!  Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Marlow   

Hey fam!

So I'm NOT getting transferred and Sister Alvarez is still my companion! WOHOOO!!!! We are so glad that we are staying together. I know my area has been really hard this transfer, but I feel like things are going better. We are really getting to know the leadership and members a whole lot better. Trying to get them focused on missionary work. And we've been happier about it too. This past week we made cookies and took them to each of our Bishops and their families. It was fun to just be doing something for someone else. And ya know, I love baking, so it was great for me! 

Today they have a parade here on Main Street. It's called the Miner's Day Parade. It's to celebrate the first people that settled the area, the miners. So yeah. The BEST thing that happened to me this week was the Excell family came to visit me at the Family Tree Center! I got to know them when I was in South Jordan. They are like my family away from home! I felt so special that they came up to Park City to see me, and took us out to dinner! They are the BEST! We are getting another companionship of sisters up here. And they are changing things around on us AGAIN. You gotta love changes right? Grrrr.

In my studies this morning I was reading 3 Nephi 18. And in that chapter is my favorite scripture.

3 Nephi 18:24

 Therefore, hold up your light that it may shine unto the world. Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up That which ye have seen me do. Behold ye see that I have prayed unto the Father, and ye all have witnessed.

I love how the Savior tells us to HOLD UP our light. We all have the light of the gospel. People recognize the light that you have. Don't shove it in their face. Just hold it up for people to see! I love it! And I love how the Savior gives us that example of shining your light, because He is the ultimate light for us. I'm learning lots on my mission. I'm so grateful for this opportunity to serve Him and His children here in Utah. The Lord has blessed me so much and I'm so grateful for it! Have a great week! HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! You're the best Mom ever!

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey my family!

Not too much happened this week.  The weather is getting colder here!  My comp is freezing cold all the time!  And she's gonna have to get some winter clothes soon.  We still are struggling trying to find people.  But we've been trying to get to know more of the members and invite them to pray who to give a Book of Mormon to.  It's been really good to get to know more of the members.  I think that is really key for missionary work.  We are working to gain the trust of the leadership and members so that they'll want to invite their friends to meet with us.  This morning in my studies I came across these scriptures and just loved them!

3 Nephi 5:3

3 Therefore they did forsake all their sins, and their abominations, and their whoredoms, and did serve God with all diligence day and night.

I was thinking, what sins do I hold onto that keep me from serving God?  And I was so impressed that is says that they serve God with ALL DILIGENCE DAY AND NIGHT.  WHOA!  I'm trying to imagine what that would be like.  And I think of things that I'm placing in front of the Lord that keeps me from being closer to Him.

Also these scriptures!

3 Nephi 6:14, 20-21

 14 And thus there became a great inequality in all the land, insomuch that the church began to be broken up; yea, insomuch that in the thirtieth year the church was broken up in all the land save it were among a few of the Lamanites who were converted unto the true faith; and they would not depart from it, for they were firm, and steadfast, and immovable, willing with all diligence to keep the commandments of the Lord.

I love how it says that they were CONVERTED.  Conversion is the key to staying steadfast and immovable.  And conversion comes over time.  It's not a one time thing.  And how are we converted?  Through the Book of Mormon.  By reading it over and over and asking over and over if it is true.  The Book of Mormon is the keystone to our religion, as it says in the Introduction of the Book of Mormon.  And so if it is true, then this is Jesus Christ's church.  

 20 And there began to be men inspired from heaven and sent forth, standing among the people in all the land, preaching and testifying boldly of the sins and iniquities of the people, and testifying unto them concerning the redemption which the Lord would make for his people, or in other words, the resurrection of Christ; and they did testify boldly of his death and sufferings.

 21 Now there were many of the people who were exceedingly angry because of those who testified of these things; and those who were angry were chiefly the chief judges, and they who had been high priests and lawyers; yea, all those who were lawyers were angry with those who testified of these things.

These really remind me of being a missionary.  We testify and teach people a better way of living.  And most of the time they don't like it.  We see that a lot here in Park City......  But it says that these men were inspired and were sent to testify.  I know that as a representative of Jesus Christ that this is what I've been sent to do.  Rejection is all around, everyday.  But salvation is not a cheap thing.  It never was and never will be.  It wasn't easy for the Savior.  Why would it be easy for us?  

Today we are going on a hike for Pday at Silver Lake.  Then we have zone conference this week.  And then next week we'll find out about transfers.  I don't know what's gonna happen.  But we'll see.  Wherever the Lord needs me to go.  I'm so grateful for this chance to serve Him full time.  It's an amazing experience.  Thank you all for supporting me!

Love,

Sister Marlow

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2609209978001

go and watch this new mormon message!  It's so cute!

Hello!!!!

How are you all doing???  I'm doing great!  We got to go to the Salt Lake City Temple today!!!  I'll send you some pics from Temple Square!  It's so cool to be able to be so close to temple square.  It's amazing to feel the Spirit that is there on Temple Square.  

So for this week.  It was a really slow week.  We have been really struggling to find people to teach.  But I know the Lord is teaching me something.  Not exactly sure what, but I have an idea.  I think the thing that I always remember is that God is our LOVING Heavenly Father.  He truly loves us and wants the best for us.  He gives us prayer to be able to communicate with him and talk to Him.  And He has shown us His love by giving us the gospel of Jesus Christ to be successful in this life.  And the gospel of Jesus Christ is FAITH, REPENTANCE, BAPTISM, RECEIVING THE GIFT OF THE HOLY GHOST, and ENDURING TO THE END.  And He truly showed His love by giving us Jesus Christ.  I love John 3:16-17

 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Heavenly Father didn't just give us any old random of one of His sons.  He gave His only BEGOTTEN SON.  I know that it was hard for Heavenly Father to allow His Son to go through all that He did for us.  I am grateful that Heavenly Father shows us His love all the time and especially for giving us His Son.  What are some ways that Heavenly Father shows you love daily?  

Have a great week!  

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey my family!

This week has been a slow one.  We are really struggling trying to find people to teach.  We find people, teach them, and then we go to make another appointment and they cancel or never show up.  It's really hard when it's happening over and over.  And then we've been going through our area book.  Looking up people and trying to find if they still live there.  It's definitely been a trial of our faith.  We've laughed and cried and we still keep going.  And I know that the Lord is especially teaching me something.  

This past week I read the talk by President Henry B. Eyring called "Mountains to Climb".  It really touched me.  He talks about how to deal with adversity and trials.  But the thing that really touched me the most was when he said that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to be with them again.  These trials are there to help us to refine and polish us.  We have to work for our salvation.  We can't get something for nothing.  But these trials help us to get to were we are good enough to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ again.  I can just picture how it hurts Heavenly Father to see any of His children suffer.  But He knows that it is for our benefit.  And I think about the times that I've been angry at the Lord because He didn't give me what I wanted, or things didn't go my way.  It just hurt me because He's just trying to help me to be better.  So I need to be grateful for the things that He gives me.  Whether they be trials or whether they are these blessings.  And my trials have become my blessings.  It's amazing.  And the Lord always promises us that He will be with us!

Isaiah 41:10

 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

The top link is the talk and the bottom one is a video based off the talk.  Enjoy!

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/04/mountains-to-climb?lang=eng

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-01-003-mountains-to-climb?lang=eng

Love,

Sister Marlow

Hey, Hey, Hey!

So, I'll go ahead and tell ya the news.  Transfers are tomorrow.  I GET TO STAY IN PARK CITY!!!!!  I'm so happy about that.  We don't know where Sister Villoso is being transferred to.  It's sad because we only got to be companions for 4 weeks.  We found that out this morning from our Zone Leaders.  Last night just as we were closing up shop at the Family Tree Center, President Eberhardt called me.  He said, Sister Marlow we'd like to ask you to be a trainer.  Can you do that for me?  My heart was pounding and I answered him yes sir.  He said he knows that I'll do great.  I'm so glad to have the faith and encouragement of the mission president.  And the phone call was over.  I was in so much shock.  I couldn't believe it.  I'M TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY.  I just kept saying it over and over.  I'm training, I'm training.  I was literally freaking out.  AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.  I don't know if I'm gonna be able to do it.  HELP!!!!  I'm so nervous and excited and anxious and all of the above!  But last night when I was on my knees I told Heavenly Father that I can't do this.  I am so weak and inadequate to be a trainer.  But I told Him.  Father, I know I can only do this through you.  Please help me to be able to do this.  I know with Him that I can do this.  And in my studies this morning I am in Ether 12.  And guess what I read?  

Ether 12:27

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

I got a little teary-eyed.  I had an interview with my district leader last Thursday and he told me the same thing.  Because he told me that there are very few missionaries that have been out for about a year.  And that the Lord needs the more experienced missionaries to help this mission.  And that I'm going to be a leader in the mission.  I told him I wasn't ready, and I didn't know that I could do it.  He just said Ether 12:27.  

I love this scripture.  It explains why the Lord gives us weakness.  So that we are humble.  To remember who it is that gave us life and everything that we have.  To remember who it is that we need in our lives to make life worth living.  But even though we do have weaknesses, HIS grace is sufficient for all of us.  But we first have to humble ourselves and recognize that we can't do it alone.  So we have to be humble and have faith.  Something that is taught so much in Ether 12.  And I know that is something that I struggle with.  To have faith.  The faith that leads to miracles.  But the Lord promises us in Ether 12:27 that He will make our weak things become strong.  I know He cares for all of us.  And we are human.  We struggle with life.  We have temptations and weaknesses.  But the Lord is aware of them.  But as we look to Him, He can make them and us, strong.  I know that for sure.  

This is going to be such an adventure these next couple of transfers.  Please pray for me and for my new companion!  I feel like this is going to be a make it or break it time for my mission.  It's either sit down and complain, or get up and rely on the Lord to keep you going.  I know this is going to be a big test for me.  But this is HIS work.  I know it is.  

Another cool experience.  We were having dinner last night at a member's home, and they fed us salmon and tilipia.  And guess what?  I ate it.  And it wasn't pretty bad.  But that wasn't the cool experience.  Another guy from the ward, who is preparing for a mission came over for dessert and they were all talking about a guy his age that he's worried about, because when he leaves for his mission he's afraid that his friend will stop going to church.  We all were talking and I got this really strong impression to ask if his friend has received his patriarchal blessing.  The Spirit was like nagging me to ask.  And so I did.  And he said that his friend hadn't.  But that he'll talk to him about it.  He was really grateful that we were there to talk to him about his friend and he asked us to pray for him too.  We said we would.  It's amazing how the Spirit works through us.  Those simple tiny promptings, and you gotta listen and just do it.      

Also, cool thing!  We get to go to the Pioneer Day parade in Salt Lake City!  Pretty exciting!  That will be fun!  I remember going with Bethany a couple of years ago!  Oh, hey!  Ashley Sloan (I don't remember her married name!) came into the Family Tree Center on Saturday with her husband, Bryan.  It was so much fun to see her!  She is so amazing!  I hate that I had to end the visit short.  We were having an emergency district meeting.  It was so fun to see her!  Love you so much!  I'll talk to ya next week!

Love,

Sister Marlow ;)