Moore 1st! North and East!

"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing is changed but that our power to do is increased." 

I know that we can change through the atonement of Jesus Christ. We are allowed to change through grace and through that we can become more like our Father in Heaven. This change makes us stronger. I was thinking about this the other day and how as our faith increases in our Savior's atonement for us then we acquire a knowledge or a hope to pull us through. When we truly know what we can become then that knowledge will help us push through and keep going. "our power to do is increased" 

We have been able to teach many lessons and it is a really cool thing to be so busy. I love to meet new people and find out more about them and their beliefs and how we can best help them. And that is by inviting them to strengthen their relationship with Jesus Christ so that they can also overcome the hard things in life and experience joy. 

I love you guys and hope you have a good week! 

Love, Alisha 

Holding down two areas in a trio!

Transfer news came and I didn't expect to see a lot of changes but, dang I was caught off guard! Our mission is becoming 50% Elders and 50% Sisters but since more sisters are going home than are coming this transfer, crazy things need to happen! So the 3 sets of missionaries in the Moore 1st ward are down to 2, just for this transfer. We will be in a trio with one of the other sisters in our ward so it won't be another shotgunning experience! Let's just say that things are going to be so busy for the next 6 weeks! I am excited! 

I had the chance to study the apostasy this week and I feel like I am only skimming the surface. It blows my mind and it has to be one of my favorite topics to study. I think the reason why I love it so much is because in order to have the fullness of the gospel on the earth, the truth had to be restored. The truth was lost and the more I learn about how ordinances were changed and how corrupt the doctrines became the more my testimony is strengthened about the restoration of the gospel through the prophet Joseph Smith. We claim that divine authority because there is nowhere else you can find it. I have felt of God's love in my life and I know that He loves us enough to return to live with Him. Restoring the gospel to the earth was the only way. We are able to perform ordinances that are essential for exaltation only through the priesthood authority found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. 

That was my studies for the week folks. I love you all a ton and I know that the church is true :) 

Love, Alisha!

Things are okay in OK

Hello Hello Hello!!! 

This week has been so busy! We are having a hard time getting everything done but it is ok! haha We had the chance to be a part of a baptism this Saturday! Jordan B. got baptized and then her family came to church to be confirmed. Oh man, talk about an elect child. Jordan is 10 years old and the reason that she wanted to be baptized is, "it will help me get closer to God" I mean isn't that the coolest thing ever. Out of all of the lessons that we taught I am so grateful that was the reason that she got baptized. She was so excited for the whole thing! When she got confirmed she was just beaming! Oh, I am grateful for the whole experience of teaching her and her family :) 

Another miracle that we saw this week was a less active family in church. The McCarthy's have been a tough situation the whole time that I have been here but just recently we have seen a change in their hearts. We were in a lesson with them and usually it is very crazy and kids are yelling and on their phones but I just had to let them know how I was feeling about coming over and teaching them. I told them that we are trying our best to help them but we don't notice anything happening on their part. Towards the end I bore my testimony and I was pretty dang bold. I told them that they weren't happy and that the only way they could be happy is if they had the gospel in their lives. A few tears were shed through my gritted teeth. haha but I guess that is what they needed. I needed it too. 

The gospel is the only way to be happy. Like true happiness and peace, not the fake stuff that is temporary. My testimony was strengthened! It was cool and they came to church.

I love you guys! have a good week! 

Love, Alisha 

"GOD BLESS AMERICA"

Greatest week ever. On the 4th of July our ward got together and played a slow pitch game. Oh my heart aches for softball, but its ok and I will get over it. I was so grateful to play and to relieve some stress. I got to take batting practice after and then some grounders too! The members were just so sweet and they cared so much about me and my love for softball. I could just feel it! That was a huge blessing. 

Earlier this week we were teaching the Blair family about the Restoration we were talking about how Christ set up the church upon the earth and He went forth blessing and healing people. Well Bobbie just added, "I wish that I lived in Christ's time so that He could heal me." (in my head I started to scream for joy) we told her that the message of the restoration is that we now have that same priesthood power on the earth to heal and to bless and to perform miracles just like Christ did. She was shocked and asked how she could find it. We told her that a worthy male could come give her and blessing and that is what happened the next day! The elders came over and explained a little bit more of the priesthood and then they gave her a blessing. I am grateful for the priesthood because as soon as the blessing was over Bobbie explained that way she felt as if Christ was in the room! It was a miracle. I was sitting behind her so she couldn't see me, but there were definitely some fist bumps in the air. haha It was such a neat experience:) 

I was reading Alma 29 this morning and Alma talks about his joy in preaching the gospel and the "fruits" that come from it. I was pondering the fruits that I have seen on my mission and they are not all from seeing investigators change, but many of how we are invited into the homes of members and how happy they are to see us. There have been some members that I will just love forever because of the influence that our testimonies have had on each other! That is one of my favorite fruits! bahaha cheesy missionary humor:) 

Love you all! 

Love, Alisha :) 

"Onward EVER Onward"

Yesterday we had an awesome sacrament meeting. A new member in our ward named Brother Harprie gave a talk about "Are you sleeping through the Restoration" by President Utchdorf. Well first off Brother and Sister Harprie just moved from Provo, but second their last name is the coolest ever. They could get away with naming their son Champ Harprie and he would probably be the coolest athlete around. haha 

Back to his talk. I haven't had the chance to read over this talk yet but I think that President Utchdorf is very inspired. He says, "In reality, the restoration is an ongoing process; we are living it right now. It included 'all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal,' and the 'many great and important things' that 'He will yet reveal.' Brethren, the exciting developments of today are part of that long-foretold period of preparation that will culminate in the glorious Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ."  The Restoration of the Gospel is happening right now! So many Prophets saw this time and now it is our turn to make it happen. We were called and prepared for this time!!! We are already on the team it is just up to us if we are going to put the jersey on and play. 

I just love this because it makes me realize that the Gospel is so important, more important to me than it was a year ago and I want to do everything I can to do my part. Brother Harprie talked about the hymn, "Called to Serve." In the chorus when it says "onward ever onward" it means onward [always pressing] onward. It does not mean onward [when we feel like it] onward. It will happen no matter what, we can either be a part of it or not. It is our choice. 

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's the same shall find it" Mark 8:34-35

Love you crazies! Peace

Love, Alisha :)

Sister Hamm & Sister Nielsen

"Courage brethren and on; ON TO THE VICTORY."

I ate a piece of squirrel last night. haha Check that one off the list. 

Everyone, remember Paul? Hopefully you do, because I don't know what I tell you all about certain things. Because I kind of get lazy at writing emails. 

Paul. He is no longer being taught by us because it would go against what his wife wants. But the killer part is that he knows that the church is true. He studies out of the Book of Mormon and has read the first 19 sections of the Doctrine and Covenants. It kills me that we can't go over anymore and talk to him. I basically poured my heart out to this man and he changed. He is actually a person that I have seen change before my eyes. I am grateful for this experience though because it makes me realize that this can happen and hearts can really change. I was just bearing my simple testimony and he actually listened. Not many people do, and he took it to heart. One day he will get the chance to be baptized and I hope I hear about it in the future. Bro. Ruick is still staying in contact with him and being a wonderful fellow shipper. 

The Gospel is true it has the power to change hearts. Even stubborn ones like mine. haha  God allows us the opportunity to love. But with that comes heartache. It makes me wonder if His heart ever hurts for us down here. I am sure it does because we are a little senseless sometimes and choose to disobey. That would be rough. I think Pres. Uchtdorf mentioned one time that God works with toddlers. haha or something along those lines. That is us. But even though we cause Him some great heartache He still loves us completely. I am not even close to comprehending this love but I have been able to recognize it more in my life. Blessings of a mission. When I don't want to do it anymore (oh it happens more than you know), He strengthens me and helps me push through until the end of the day. I can do all things through Him. 

The Church is true. It can change your life but only if you let it. God loves you, but only if you accept that love will you start to realize it. 

Love you all :) 

Love, Alisha 

Sweaty, but not shaken

Wow, sometimes it feels like it was yesterday that I was emailing and then sometimes it feels like I haven't been on a computer for decades...haha weird how that all works! 

This week I got my new companion! Her name is Sister Hamm and she is from Ogden, Utah. She has been out for 3 months and she just got done training, so we will get some great insights on how we can help our area. 

We have been biking a lot and I turn into a sweaty monster so it is kind of funny! But the people don't seem to mind. We had the opportunity to have dinner with a less-active family and it was a really cool experience because we were able to talk to them about why they don't attend church. It was a neat experience for me because I have been studying a lot about conversion and how we need to get to a point in our testimonies where others can't shake us. Kind of like Jacob when Korihor came along and he said "I could not be shaken," I think that we all need to get to that point. I think that is a major reason why Heavenly Father wanted me to serve a mission. So I could figure that out, or at least gain more understanding than I had before. 

I hope you all have a great week and I hope that you are doing all you can to strengthen your testimonies every day. 

Love, Alisha