Happy Monday everyone!! I hope everyone is staying safe and warm in the weather! Well, I officially got to see snow in North Carolina!! Even though in Lumberton we only got a super small amount and it was more ice than snow, I was still quite excited! It's been over a year since I got to see and touch snow. I even made a cute little snow ball and threw it.......just because I could! Sunday church was cancelled through out our entire stake. It was cancelled as a precaution, but Sunday came around and the roads were cleared and the sun was in the sky. It was a really strange day to say the least haha.
This week
has been really good!! We've really started off our third transfer
together with a running head start!! We have been able to do quite a bit
of tracting and have found several new investigators. We have also been
able to set more baptismal dates!! I truly believe that as we continue
to invite as many people as possible to baptism early and often, we will
be able to find many wonderful people who are ready to be baptized!
It's really amazing to watch the Lord bless us as we strive to find ways
to be more obedient and lose ourselves in the work.
I've
been thinking a lot about what I want to be able to accomplish in the
last 6 months of my mission. I've really reflected on the last year and
thought of goals that I want to be able to accomplish. I decided to set
goals that would really push me and motivate me to really lose my self
in this work. Although the goals I have set may seem like a really hard
thing to accomplish, I know that Heavenly Father will bless me in my
efforts to try even harder to succeed. I was reading Elder Cornish's
talk from this past General Conference which talked about people who
wonder if they are good enough to make it to the Celestial Kingdom. In
his talk, he says, "Let me be direct and clear. The answers to the
questions “Am I good enough?” and “Will I make it?” are “Yes! You are
going to be good enough” and “Yes, you are going to make it as long as
you keep repenting and do not rationalize or rebel.” The God of heaven
is not a heartless referee looking for any excuse to throw us out of the
game. He is our perfectly loving Father, who yearns more than anything
else to have all of His children come back home and live with Him as
families forever. He truly gave His Only Begotten Son that we might not
perish but have everlasting life! Please believe, and please take hope
and comfort from, this eternal truth. Our Heavenly Father intends for us
to make it! That is His work and His glory." I truly believe that if we
repent daily and strive to do what our Heavenly Father wants us to do,
we can make it. Through God all things are possible!! No matter where we
are in life, we can do hard things, but we really have to try!! Elder
Cornish goes on to say, "I love the way President Gordon B. Hinckley
used to teach this principle. I heard him say on several occasions,
“Brothers and sisters, all the Lord expects of us is to try, but you
have to really try!” “Really trying” means doing the best we can,
recognizing where we need to improve, and then trying again. By
repeatedly doing this, we come closer and closer to the Lord, we feel
His Spirit more and more,4 and we receive more of His grace, or help." I
hope that you will all try a little harder this week. Recognize where
you are falling short and keep trying...over and over. I know that God
loves us and that all He wants is for us to be happy!! And living the
gospel is what makes us happy!
I love you all
so much!! Thank you for all of your wonderful prayers and letters! I
love hearing from everyone. I hope you all have a wonderful week!! Stay
warm and safe!!
Love,
Sister Paynter
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