It's not every day your companion gets a mission call! :)

Hello Family!!!  

Tampa Florida for this girl!!!

As always, it is so good to hear from all of you.  It has definitely been cooling down here in Wisconsin and winter is right around the corner, but the work here is still going strong!

We had a pretty busy week this week which is just how I like it.

All the sisters in the Madison zones

Reunion with Sis Brewster

Tuesday we got to meet with a few recent converts in the ward and then we also got to meet with Shay!  This week was pretty much centered around Shay because we have so much to teach her before her baptism THIS SATURDAY.  We taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It was cool because when we got to talking about baptism, I asked her what helped her make the decision to be baptized.  She talked about how she had always felt that something was missing in her life.  But ever since she met us that day at the bus stop, that hole that she has felt is starting to be filled.  And every time she meets with us she feels a little less empty.  Shay just has such amazing faith.  Everyday I just can't believe what an amazing miracle she is.  I just remember that I was so grateful for the amazing experiences I had teaching Sarah while I was being trained.  More than anything I wanted Sis. Hammatt to be able to have those same experiences.  We prayed so hard the first day that we were together to be able to have a baptism this transfer.  And the thing is- it is not anything that we did!  It has just all been miracle after miracle and tender mercy after tender mercy.  It was the Lord, and Sis. Hammatt and I have just been instruments in his hands in helping Shay to come to the fold.  We are so excited for this Saturday! 

Wednesday we met with a few of our investigators in the singles ward.  We taught Sarah and she is still going strong.  Instead of setting a baptismal date with her, we set a "tell your parents you are getting baptized" date with her.  So we are really hoping that goes well.  We talked about obedience and how important it is that we are obedient to the commandments of the Lord.  There are 3 reasons that we are obedient.  The first is fear.  We are scared of the consequences that will come if we aren't obedient.  The second is desire for blessings.  We are obedient because we desire the blessings that come from it.  (I think that the second category is where most of us fall).  And the last reason- and the one we are all striving for- is love for the Lord.  We should be obedient because we love the Lord and want to do what He asks of us no matter what it is.  I think that we are obedient for all of these reasons throughout our lives.  But being obedient out of love for the Lord is something that we all need to learn to do in this life.  We will never be perfect, but I am so grateful for my mission and the opportunity that I have had to begin learning how to do that.

The missionaries in the Madison 1st ward

The Madison 1 ward building

Thursday we had zone conference.  I LOVE ZONE CONFERENCE.  I think that is one of the things that I will miss most about my mission.  In fact, I might look up where the Provo mission zone conferences are and sneak in a couple of times later on in life... haha.  But this time we talked all about the Book of Mormon and how important it is.  Lots of people try to become "Preach My Gospel missionaries" and that is great.  But President Cutler wants us to become "Book of Mormon missionaries."  It is amazing because I can feel that more and more everyday of my life.  Zone conference was great and I always leave them feeling so motivated to be a better missionary. 

But the highlight this week was Thursday night because Sis. Hammatt got to open her mission call!  She will be serving in the Florida Tampa mission!!  I am beyond stoked for her.  Abby- you were spot on my friend!  Good work.  She is super excited and I am super excited for her.  Not excited that she is going to be leaving me... :(  But excited nonetheless.  It was cool because Shay got to come and watch Sis Hammatt open her call.  It was a very spiritual experience for all of us.

The Hammatt family

Sis. Hammatt and me with our investigator

Friday we met with Shay again because we have a lot to teach her.  We talked about the Law of Chastity and also Tithing.  Both went over very well and she is excited to start following these commandments.  We also met a couple of cool people on the bus this past week and set up church tours with them on Friday.  None of them showed... haha.  But that's cool. Shay made Friday worth it.

Saturday we got to see Rachel.  She is still doing so well.  She has seen so many blessings in her life since her decision to be baptized.  We got to teach her all about patriarchal blessings and she is so excited to get hers.

Sunday was a cool day because I realized that it was my one year anniversary for going through the temple!  Isn't that crazy?  I am so beyond grateful for the covenants that I have made in the House of the Lord.  How cool is it that we can make promises with our Heavenly Father and he promises us so many amazing blessings in return.  I love this scripture in the Book of Mormon about covenants:

1 Nephi 14:14

 14 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld the power of the Lamb of God, that it descended upon the saints of the church of the Lamb, and upon the covenant people of the Lord, who were scattered upon all the face of the earth; and they were armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory.

Our covenants really do empower us.  I have literally FELT that on my mission.  It is crazy because in the past 9 months I have only gone to the temple 1 time, yet my testimony of temples has increased ten fold as I have studied this gospel and taught it to others.  I am so grateful for temples and the blessings that they are in our lives.  And you should all go to the temple!  There are about a bajillion temples so close by.  GO!  It's the best place in the world.

So this week has been pretty awesome in case you haven't been able to tell.  I just wanted to share one more thing from this week.  In our lesson with Rachel, we were discussing  some of the talks that were given in Stake Conference last week.  The stake president talked about doubt and what we can do to have faith rather than fear.  So we kind of got on the topic of doubt.  And Rachel said something that I will never forget.  She said, "If we make it to the end and it turns out all of this isn't true.... Then it should be!"  Haha I just love that.  This gospel should be true!  Look at everything that has come from it.  I look at my life and everything that I love and all of the blessings that I have and they have come directly from living the principles of this gospel.  I LOVE THIS GOSPEL.  It makes me so happy.  It should be true!  And it is true.  I know that it is.  I love the opportunity that I have to tell everyone about it everyday.  I love the fact that it is all that I ever talk about.  I love being a missionary. 

Thanks so much for being the best family ever.  And if you could keep Shay in your prayers this week, that would be very much appreciated!!!

I love you!!

Sister King

It's not every day your companion gets a mission call!  :)