September 21, 2014 - Web Bridge

This morning we went hiking with all of the Sister Missionaries in our Zone and it was absolutely beautiful! It's starting to get cooler...thank goodness!! I'll be sending home packages soon either today (if I have time) or next Monday. Thank you for the love you send - it makes my heart soar (like an eagle). :) This week we were blessed with 1. Absolutely beautiful mornings 2. Opportunities to share testimony and 3. The moments of peace that come with revelation and confirmation from the Spirit. :)

This week we've seen many tender mercies/miracles. Saturday morning our appointments fell through and our back-up plans ended up going by much quicker than we had planned, so we had a huge chunk of time open up. My companion and I decided to be a little creative and instead of tracting we decided to go contacting on the greenway. (The greenways are long cemented trail ways for bikers, runners, and walkers and they are all over Northern Georgia.) Before we left the car we prayed that Heavenly Father would lead us by the Spirit so that we could be His hands and witness miracles. 

As we walked through the greenway we decided that we would talk with everyone that we could and we did. After about 15 minutes we found a recent convert family from our Ward. We noticed that they were on the side of the trail way and that the Wife/Mother wasn't doing so well (and we know that she has some health issues, so we were a little concerned). After talking with them for a little while we were able to pray for and with them and shortly after they were able to get back up and continue biking. As we continued to walk and talk with people we gave a pass along card to a lady and her son. It turns out that the lady and her son are members of the church. They had just moved to Alpharetta and were wanting to know the time and location of the Wards in our area and we were able to help them with that. :) 

Towards the end of our time on the greenway the flow of people began to slow down and in the distance we saw a young woman in the walking towards our direction on he opposite of the path. And we both knew that we absolutely had to talk with her. As we got closer we noticed that she had headphones in and was looking down at her phone. When we were almost next to her she stopped before we could, took out her headphones and looked at us straight in the eyes. Then surprised she said, "Oh! Missionaries! Perfect timing." As we talked we found out that she's one of the young women in our Ward and that she was about to talk to a friend about the Gospel. She asked us for a pass-along card with our information on it and then off she went. We gave her the last pass-along card. Reflecting on that morning I remember how good it felt to be Heavenly Father's hands. 

I want to share one more miracle before I end. This past week we finally got in with a very less-active family...twice! The second time we met with them I was kind of bold with them and invited their family to take the sacrament. After we left I remember feeling kind of sad, because sometimes it's hard to share things that may open up wounds for other people and  I remember thinking, "I hope I didn't push them away from coming to Church", but at the same time I knew that I had a message to deliver and that I had to bear testimony of the blessings that come from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Well Sunday rolled around and I thought I didn't see anyone that we had invited at sacrament. When sacrament meeting ended, however, I saw them; the less-active family. This particular family hadn't been back to church for years and they ended up staying the whole three hours! I couldn't believe it! I was so happy and what made my joy even better was seeing the smiles on their faces! I know they felt the renewed strength of the Spirit.

This week we didn't have the success that some missionaries think is success, but we brought a whole family back to church, were lead by the Spirit to help Heavenly Fathers children, and felt the joy and peace that comes from living the gospel joyfully and to me those are some of the greatest successes in His work. I know that God loves His children. Each child. This is His glorious work and I won't quit till I know that I have done all that the Father would have me do to bless His children here in Georgia. 

Remember that I love y'all sooooooo much-oooooooooooooo!!!!!!!! Y'all are always in my prayers. I pray y'all have a blessed week. :)

Lots of love (from your favorite Sister Missionary),

Sister Megan Rice 

September 14, 2014 - Web Bridge

I wish I could express just how much yalls emails and letters mean to me. They are rays of sunshine that add to the light in every week. :)  I love the quote that were shared from Grandpa and especially your notes from the regional stake conference...wow....THAT WAS AWESOME!! I wish I could've heard what they had to say! 

I'm getting so excited and ready for General Conference. haha :) Also I love the picture of the crochet dress that Aunt B made. It is remarkable and so beautiful! You can really tell that she puts love and effort into her creations of art. She really has a talent! Thank you also for sending pictures of J and I, they are so beautiful! It warms my heart to see them. :) I can't believe how big they are!!

This week we saw many miracles, one such miracle occurred last Thursday. The night before, during planning, my companion and I made an appointment with the Lord to be in specific areas at specific times. As we knelt down in prayer we told Him where we would be and when, we then asked Him to lead us to the people who were ready and vice versa. Well as Thursday afternoon rolled around we got a phone call from one of the members. She said that she couldn't remember if she had signed up for dinner that night and although it was last minute said that we were more than welcome to come. Because we didn't have a dinner that night we happily accepted. As soon as we hung up my companion and I realized that the time we were supposed to go to dinner was the time that we had set an appointment with the Lord. After pondering we both felt that we needed to stay in that area. So we called back the member and asked for a rain check. As we went to the area we were supposed to, at the time that we were supposed to, we ended up teaching someone new and now have a return appointment with not only the person that we taught, but with her whole family (which altogether totals to 6-7 people). Following the Spirit is so incredibly important, even when that means that it might offend someone. In the end everything worked out and that member brought us over some leftover soup this morning. :)

I also wanted to share some thoughts on the importance of the sacrament. This past Sunday I was reminded, yet again, that the sacrament is the only ordinance that is performed for the same individual over and over again. I've learned that when we take the sacrament it not only renews the covenants made at baptism, but also all covenants made with the Lord including the ones made in the House of the Lord. Every week we have the opportunity to have the cleansing effect of baptism and confirmation through Christ's Atonement. As the world is growing darker and darker I am so grateful that Father in Heaven planned and prepared a way for His covenant children to gain renewed strength, protection, and power every week. The sacrament is a holy time. It is a time that requires reflection and preparation throughout the week and I am so grateful for loving parents who showed me the importance of the sacrament. I know that the sacrament is a gift from God.

Remember that I love yall sooooooooooooooooo much-oooooooooooooooo!!!! Yall are always in my prayers.

Your favorite Sister Missionary, Megan Rice

September 8, 2014 - Web Bridge

I can't believe that they've changed the Ward boundaries, our Ward back home must be growing! I remember the last Sunday in my first area on my mission. My last Sunday was the day that they showed the new boundaries for the Ward. It was kind of a crazy feeling to leave the Ward right before such big changes!! Now skipping forward to this area the Wards here, in Alpharetta, are bursting at the seams and will be split as soon as a new building is built. Change can be so crazy, but I'm grateful for change because it shows growth and an opportunity to become better. :) 

Also, I LOVE the quotes you send me every week!! Each week I look forward to the new quotes that you'll choose. It's nice being able to have the quotes on hand so that the Spirit can draw from my "spiritual well" of knowledge when we teach. :)

It's funny but I actually used the phrase, "Improvise, adapt, and overcome." this week. (Another one I like is "Accept, let go, move on. There is peace in moving forward.") It sounds like the Stake has a fun activity planned ahead! You'll have to take pictures for me so I can see all of the talent in our Stake. :) 

This week things have gotten a lot better. A little while back one of my close friends shared some wisdom from her mission. She said that everything that happens on a mission is designed for the individual missionary. Whether it's a difficult companionship, a rough area, overcoming the fear of failure, or whatever it might be every experience is designed to shape us into the individual that Father in Heaven knows we can become. As I have been learning and growing the past few weeks I've been reminded that this idea is true not just for missionary work but for our own individual lives. I have felt that this lesson is something that will help the people in this area. 

I know that God hears our prayers and if we will listen we will come to see that Heavenly Father is eagerly communicating back to us. He loves us. He is in the details of our lives. I know that Jesus Christ lives and that He and our Father in Heaven want us all back home again someday. Remember that I love y'all soooooooooo much-oooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Y'all are always in my prayers; every day and every night. :)

PS: I just wanted to express a special thank you for all of the emails that y'all have been sending me almost every day this past week. Your words got me through and motivated me to keep trying. I am so grateful for the support that comes from family. Heavenly Father is so incredible to have created such a beautiful way for His children to feel love and support in such a unique way; the family. I thank Heavenly Father every day that I was sent to you, my most-loved Mom and Dad. Thanks again! I love youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)