May 23-Garner, North Carolina

This week was an amazing week! We were able to get out and do a lot of work. We were also visited by Elder Zwick from the Quorum of the Seventy this week.

Monday, we had a lot of fun! We had a district activity and went to visit the Buddhist temple in Knightdale. It was really neat to listen to the Monk and learn about the beliefs that they have. That night, we ate dinner with the Fox family. Sister Fox grew up in the Jacksonville 2nd Ward and knows a lot of the people from the ward!! After dinner, we stopped by potentials and found a former investigator that was very excited to see us. She said that she and her husband were talking about the church the other day. It was definitely inspired!

Tuesday, we stopped by some more potentials and did some tracting in the areas we were in. While we were tracting, it started to rain very hard!! We were drenched! It was a lot of fun though!! That night we stopped at another potential and she let us in. We ended up talking about the restoration and she expressed how she wished that everyone would just belong to one church! We are going to meet with her again this week!

Wednesday, we went on a blitz with our Sister Training Leaders. A blitz is when the four of us split up and stay in the same area for just a couple of hours and go tracting. I went with Sister Hanseen and we went to this trailer park. There was a referral that the Elders had given us that lived in there so we tried her first. Unfortunately she was not home, but the rest of her family was and they let us in. We taught the restoration to them and they agreed to learn more! We truly saw miracles unfold during the blitz. Sister Beard went with Sister Steenhoek and found a girl whose cousins are mormons! We are going to see her this week too.

Thursday, Sister Beard had a doctor's appointment so we went to Durham with our mission nurse and her husband. It was fun getting to know them. For the rest of the day, we did some potential work and street contacting. We found one lady that lives out of our mission so we sent her information to the missionaries in the area that she lives in.

Friday was our big Zone Conference with Elder Zwick. He talked a lot about member missionary work and how we should be working with the members. He also taught us about teaching and testifying boldly and simply. Sister Zwick taught us about the Atonement. I loved her talk because it was what I really needed that day. She talked about how we need to be using the Atonement everyday and giving ourselves to the Lord everyday. As we do those things, the Lord will help make up the difference. That can definitely be applied to everyone not just missionaries. As we turn to the Lord, He will help us.

Saturday, we did our weekly planning since we weren't able to do it the past two days. In the evening, we met with our recent converts Phara and John and taught them about the importance of doing the little things like reading from the Book of Mormon everyday. 

Sunday, we had ward council and they all seemed to be really on board with member missionary work. They too had a meeting with Elder Zwick and he really encouraged and uplifted the members. In the afternoon, we stopped by some potentials and did some tracting. While tracting, we found a new investigator named Crystal. We talked with her about why there are so many churches and did a little bit of the restoration. We are going to see her later this week.

This week has really been a great week. I definitely had my struggles this week, but I know that the Lord is there helping me every step of the way. If I learned one thing this week, it is that we need to ensure that we are strengthening our testimonies every single day! We should, no we NEED to be reading from The Book of Mormon EVERY DAY and asking Heavenly Father if it is true. Then, go out and SHARE it! As we share our testimonies, they are strengthened. Sharing our testimonies may seem scary, but it is as simple as just telling someone that you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Satan is strengthening his armies now more than ever! Even the elect will fall! I plead with all of you to do whatever you can to ensure that your testimony is strong enough to withstand the Adversary. I know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I ask Heavenly Father everyday to help me to know that it is and he has. I am grateful for modern day prophets and for the guidance and direction that they give us in these wicked days. The last days are NOW and we need to prepare ourselves with the Armor of God!

I love all of you so much! I am grateful for all your love and support. I hope that you will all have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Paynter