Moving forward in faith and...SPANISH!!! Week 32

What I learned this week: When you try your best and nothing comes of it, move forward in FAITH!!!

This week Sister Brassfield and I have been focusing on building up a teaching pool. We decided to do the typical missionary thing-knock on doors. Sounds intimidating and boring and weird...but it is sooooo fun!! You never know who you are going to talk to and it is hilarious. I love the south. After knocking over 100 doors we found no one interested. We called over 60 people in our phone and had no luck. 

After a long week of rejection we found ourselves at a rickety, old, abandoned looking apartment. We went up the wooden stairs we thought might fall through and knocked on the door. No answer. We went to the next door, knocked, and experienced a miracle. Michelle-sweet lady in her 40s- opened up and let us in. We explained our purpose as missionaries-help people improve their lives through Jesus Christ. We teach about His coming to America, modern day prophets, God's authority, and most importantly about family! We shared in a brief dialogue when Michelle began to tear up and say, "Y'all don't know how funny it is that you knocked on my door today. My 27 year old son and I have been looking for a church to go to. We want a place where people live what they believe. I've heard good things about the Mormons. It's like this was meant to be." We spoke from our hearts and told her God had led us to her. We had knocked on over 100 doors and hers was the last. As love filled the room it was impossible to deny the powers of heaven.

It was Sunday night at 7:45pm when we knocked on Michelle's door. We could have easily given up hours or even days earlier, but we never lost hope. I know when we believe and expect miracles to happen, they do. We had faith Heavenly Father was preparing someone to hear our message, and we found her. It was SO awesome!! Being a missionary really is so cool! I wish everyone could experience these things, my mind is blown everyday. I love my Savior and I will do all I can to share His truth!!

MAKE it a great week, no matter what is happening around you!! Move forward in faith y'all, I love you!!

So we had zone conference the other day and prez pulled me in a room and told me he had been praying about it and felt like I needed to learn Spanish.....then handed me this nametag!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So now I spend an extra hour studying trying to learn another language!!!!!!!! like what?!?

Because all the sisters that speak Spanish came out in a rush last summer so they will all be going home around October, then we will have hardly any sisters who speak Spanish. but I will be here until april so he needs me to learn the basics so I can pass by!!!!!!!!!!!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!??!?! I feel super inadequate and scared. like I only have 11 months left, but obviously Heavenly Father has a bigger plan than me!

Sister Ella Rae Madsen

 Marissa, a lovely 19 year old girl, got baptized this weekend! She is the only Mormon in her family! I am so proud of her because everyone despises Mormons down here! she is so strong!

 hahhahahhahahha

 just enjoying the gorgeous LAKE we live on!!!

 getting artsy fartsy yall.

 had a birthday party on the dock for another missionary this morning!! so fun!

 I love this place!!!

 perfection. we walk and bike everywhere and we see people boating and tubing and water skiing and jet skiing all day everyday! hahhah so close yet SO far away!

just the morning workout!! HAHHA i'm a goof!!

Week 31: My Beautiful Butterfly

       My beautiful butterfly is Sister Bryant. When she became my companion 3 months ago it was like I had my first child-for she came straight from the missionary training center-innocent and ready to learn. I was responsible for showing her the ropes of our crazy missionary life and teaching her everything she needs to know. It has been the hardest thing I've ever done, yet the most rewarding!! I am so proud of who she has become and I love her so much!

       I'm grateful I've been able to see her innocence, feel her love, and watch her struggle, learn, improve, change, grow, and develop. Now I better understand how my parents, and more importantly, God feels about each of us. He wants so badly for us to do what is right. He wants us to humble ourselves and become more like His son. He sees the big picture and has all wisdom, yet He can't just "knock it into us". We all have agency and take time to change. I'm so grateful Heavenly Father has unconditional love, pure patience, and an eternal perspective, for without it we would be nothing! My eyes are opened wider everyday and I am so grateful He never gives up on us. As I trainer I have learned to love, be patient, and trust in the Lord.

      We found out Saturday night that we are both leaving Corinth, Mississippi. It is a bittersweet time y'all. This is the place where I've truly become a missionary and I will forever be grateful for these memories. Now I am ready to get a new companion in a new area with new people and places and experiences! I am not scared because I know I will go where the Lord needs me to be. I love being a missionary and I can truly say that I have never been HAPPIER than I am right now! Life is so good! I love y'all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo Sister Ella Rae Madsen

sweetest little member sister carson! she lives far far away but still comes out and teaches with us all the time! love her!

I love Sister Bryant and am going to miss her SO darn much!

this is hilarious and SO awkward. I wanted someone to get in this pic with me bc the background is SO gorgeous, but they just handed me the yippy dog. lol. this is at our bishops house-he has 4 ponds a million animals and such a beautiful home! love it!

here is the beautiful pond without my disturbing face/outfit/dog in it.

Mormon helping hands!!! we all went to tupelo to help with clean up again! so fun!

 we are a hoot and a half around each other. seriously she caught my ella craziness.

 and was doing cartwheels before her baptism. side note-she is 46. hahahha love her!

 TRACY GOT BAPTIZED!!! We met her 2 weeks ago, such a miracle

 all the missionaries with tracy after her baptism! so spiritual and beautiful and awesome and inspiring! oh boy is it cool to see people literally CHANGE THEIR LIFE!

the fox family :)

Week 30!

      A week ago we went to Tupelo to have an activity with all 48 missionaries in the surrounding Tupelo areas. we went outside around 2 to play kickball when president hanks called us all inside. he told us there were tornado warnings and we needed to stay inside. it seemed ridiculous because it was perfect weather outside-blue sky, warm weather, not a cloud in the sky. even though we couldn't see any sign of danger, we trusted our mission president and followed his counsel. before we knew it the storm hit. as we gathered in the chapel of the church building the doors flung open and the lights started flickering. the power went out and we found ourselves in a pitch black room. 48 simple kids aged 18-25 who have left there families to serve the lord in Mississippi were all together at this precise moment. we looked through the windows and all we saw was green, thick, hazy air. texts started coming in from friends in the area saying "tornado just hit in tupelo. it is by the mall." "get inside. i see the tornado. are you safe?" etc etc we all got down on our knees and offered a prayer to our father in heaven. we began singing songs to drown out the tumultuos noises all around us. despite the reality of chaos and danger we remained calm. we later found out the tornado formed directly above our church building and touched down a block away from us. we were all perfectly safe!! what a MIRACLE.

 

After reflecting on this I've realized a few things.

1. Just as we heeded to President Hanks counsel to come inside when there was no apparent danger, we must trust Heavenly Father and follow his counsel. I didn't understand why we had to come inside and frankly I didn't want to, but I had faith enough to obey. This is parallel to heeding the counsel of our prophet and apostles. They are watchmen on the towers, they speak for God and warn us of danger. I know I must follow them to be kept spiritually and physically safe.

 

2. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. There is no way 85,000 teenage kids would leave their families for 18 months to 2 years if it wasn't. We leave the comfort and fun of college and friends. We go to random places around the world, learn new languages, wake up at 6:30am, and be with the same person 24-7. Our lives have literally changed because of the gospel and we want to share this joy with others. Sitting in the pitch black room with 48 dedicated, faithful, selfless, loving, determined, knowledgable, righteous kids was a moment in life I will never forget. I'm humbled and grateful to be on the Lord's team, wow.

 

3. Just as I thought I was completely safe outside, the devil leads us to believe we are justified in making little mistakes. "It is ok to drink or party or have sex because everyone is doing it. It is ok to steal a pack of gum or lie a little here or there." This is simply NOT true. There are 2 forces in the world-good and evil. Every time we make a good choice, we become more like Jesus Christ. Every time we make a bad choice, we become more like Satan. The devil flatters, deceives and blinds us, leading us to believe their is no danger in the choices we make. We learn in the Book of Mormon that Satan carefully leads us into destruction. Speaking of our day it is said he "shall rage in the hearts of the children of men, and stir them up to anger against that which is good...he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell" (2 Nephi 28:20-22). Of course it is easier to live life without a belief in God, because then you can do whatever you want! You wouldn't worry about the consequences of your choices.

 

       But I want everyone to know I know there is a God. I know  Satan is real. There is opposition in all things-light/dark, hot/cold, happy/sad-without it there would be no purpose in our existence. I am grateful to know these things because it gets me up every morning. I know I am on God's side and I am here to fight, no matter what the devil can throw at me. The work I am now engaged in is real. I feel and see God's love, power, and miracles everyday. Of this I am indescribably grateful.

 

      Even though I sound serious and bold right now....it is just because these things are true! I am Ella and I want everyone to be happy! It breaks my heart to see the world clouded and confused by the deceptions of the devil. I just pray and plead that all of our eyes may be opened a little wider to the reality of our Heavenly Father. I want y'all to know I love you and pray for you. I really don't know who reads this, but whoever you are, you are awesome!!! God loves you and you can be happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sister Madsen

It is SO green here! I love it so much!!!!

just taking my dinner on the road! yummy veggies!! we got to go to tupelo for stake conference where elder teh of the 70 was there! he spoke in general conference and is such a nice man! loved getting to meet him!!

at tupelo stake conference with tracy! her first time at church with us and she loved it!!! this is exactly what she has been praying for! so great! 

oh tracy! she is a hoot and a half! love her! 

she came to dinner with us at a members home after stake conference! i love these southern people, they are so gracious! and her hat says "jesus paid it all". YES! so great :)

wearing normal clothes in the grocery store...what!!! so fun! 

i am such a hyper child! i have so much energy! as clearly evidenced here, i still get into "ella" moods! whoo hooo! hahah

doing service in the beautiful place of selmer, tennessee!!!!! YAAYY for NATURE! 

dinner at bonnies to discuss missionary work!!! remember how she was the lady we found smoking a cigarette on a bench in the freezing january weather?!? well guess what....she is fully active and her calling/responsibility in the church is to coordinate members coming to teach with us missionaries!!!! BEST THING OF MY LIFE! from cigs to service yall, change is real! 

ya so natural disasters are real. 

all the mormons in the surrounding tupelo areas have been in tupelo this week doing service! cutting trees and moving them all to the street corners! this is the 6 missionaries who serve in corinth! 

SO MANY DOWN TREES! literally everywhere. 

this was some manual labor y'all. working glasses on. chainsaws. tractors. you name it. 

wow it was crazy seeing homes completely destroyed and chaos everywhere. so sad for these people. :(

Cathy and Alicia got baptized yesterday!!! SO wonderful! This is the mom we randomly met at New China Buffet who had taken all the lessons from missionaries a year ago in Indiana, was looking for a mormon church, but didnt know they had one in corinth! she lives 30 min away but happened to be in corinth that day. we noticed her staring at our tags so we started talking to her...look where that led! miracles people, they are REAL!

Sister Cartwrite and Sister Plunk :) Some of my favorite old(er) ladies in the ward who come out and teach with us all the time! Sister Plunk on the right is 73...you would never know! She has the energy of a teenager! Love it!!!