New Mission President & Bug Soup - Yum?

 This one's gonna be short because I am tired :)))))

TWO FRIENDS AT CHURCH: Judy and Amber came to church this week! What a miracle! We had an ice-cream social afterwards which was so awesome! 

PRESIDENT JOHN: President John and his family have made their trip to Texas TODAY!! I'll get to meet them in person on Wednesday! I'm so excited! 

ATE BUG SOUP- So yeah, we went over to this members home expecting to just chat and have a lesson, but she was so kind, she made us lunch!  We just felt really bad, things we going wrong left and right. She was making Kool-aid for us when she somehow broke the jar and Kool-aid went all over the counter, floor, and herself. She had to go take a shower. After that she gave us a sandwich and some potato soup. Which wasn't too bad. She set a jar of crackers by us and told us we could have crackers with it. I'm not exaggerating at all, the jar was full of bugs, probably more bugs than crackers. So obviously, Sister Liechty and I don't eat those. But it didn't matter anyway because we both found bugs in our soup haha. I still ate it all 

THE LION OF JUDAH- Soo we met with this lady who we intended to have a first lesson with, but it took an unexpected turn. She showed us pictures of the snow and asked us if we could see "it." We were supposed to see the face of a lion, representing the Lion of Judah. Then she kept relating dates and number back to John F. Kennedy and his family, and she told us that God was coming and that she was Jesus. Anyway, kind of crazy but that's part of the mission and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

GOD'S PLAN IS PERFECT: Despite all the craziness that goes on in this life, something that I've been learning is that God's Plan is Perfect. I have to believe that, can you? Amidst all the unfairness, the cruelty, the confusion, the sadness, I know this is all temporary. We had one of our friends ask us to stop meeting with her because she thought we didn't believe in mixed race marriages. We explained it to her and even let her know I am the product of a mixed marriage, but she wouldn't have it. Which we were so sad to hear because she was so amazing, it was sad we had to stop teaching her over nothing. BUT, I'm so thankful for a merciful God who gives us chance after chance. I know our friend will have another chance to accept whether that be in this life or the next. 

SECOND SPIRITUAL THOUGHT: This week was a little hard on me. I just found myself sad. Sad for a lot of reasons and sometimes sad for no reason at all. One day when I was doing my personal study, I was literally lead by the Spirit to this specific talk called "pointing our souls to Christ." It was exactly what I needed to hear. I need to have faith in Jesus Christ, faith that because of Him everything's gonna be alright, faith that He can heal me in every single way. 

Pics: 

Oh no I accidentally sent this email without adding a title or the pictures!! I don't know why they have the files right by the send button rip

Note from mom:  Jayda sent these pics through FB messenger so I will add them, but there are no captions with them.

Mom note: I added this just because I like to see my missionary smile  :)

Mom note: guessing she added this because of the cool mileage number?

I got boots and miracles this week

 ROSIE AND GARY- So this is a fun miracle! These were people that we had taught only one lesson to but it was so spiritual. We had planned a lesson with them two days after that and things took a confusing turn. We were halfway to their house when we get a panicked call from them saying that they have to cancel and they'll explain it later. They have a crazy life so we really didn't know what could be happening. We don't hear from them for two weeks. We call and text them and everything. They have a gate to their property that's pretty far from their house so we couldn't just stop by...or so we thought.  We decide that we're just going to leave a Book of Mormon in their mailbox as a last resort. We DID call them when we were there too...because we were desperate. They didn't pick up. Well here's the miracle. Rosie was cooking dinner and saw a car outside by the gate and hears the phone ringing, she puts two things together and calls the phone back. We got to have another beautiful lesson with them!!! They put our number in their contacts too so now they actually pick up haha. Guess why they had to cancel our lesson? They had gotten arrested. 

I GOT BOOTS- The title really says it all. One of our members works at a boot place so I got boots for a really good price.  

SATAN WORKED HARD THIS WEEK- Our two most progressing people had to cancel on us this week because they got sick. Some other lessons had to cancel as well. Plus, we had four people (other than our most two most progressing people) absolutely committed to coming to church. Two of which were Gary and Rosie. One by one they canceled on us last minute :( 

Nevertheless, because so many of our lessons got canceled, we were able to go around and have lessons with other people we didn't expect. The work can still go forward!

TRANSFERS- so this is actually crazy! This will be the first time on my mission where I'm with my companion for more than one transfer!! Sister Liechty and I are staying in Decatur which is great. I love this place 

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT: I might talk about this a lot but I always need a reminder. I need a reminder to remember, which sounds kinda funny. It's really hard when things don't go as you planned, it's hard to continue doing things that aren't fun (like waking up early in the morning), it's hard to have a positive attitude about working outside all day when it's super hot. All these things are hard until I remember my purpose and reason for coming out here. When I remember this, I can do all things.  I can go where he wants me to go and stay where he wants me to stay. I can get up in the morning at the buttcrack of dawn and I can walk outside all day and get really sweaty. When there's an argument, when your sad and discouraged, when your busy out of your mind, when you're sick and afflicted, when you feel inadequate...can we remember what's most important? I guess here's a better question to start with. What IS most important to you? Does that show in your actions everyday? 2 Nephi 4. I love this chapter because you can see Nephi's transition in remembering God and it gives him hope and courage. This is what the gospel does, this is what Jesus Christ and the use of His Atonement does. Remember who you are and the mission that your on and you will be blessed with joy and peace and confidence and everything you lack to fill your soul. 

Pics:

I got a bugbite on my head

Trying on boots, I got blue ones

A quaint place called Runaway Bay

Happy Father's Day

My cup runneth over

 There's no way to really explain it, I just feel so grateful this week. But I guess, here would maybe be some reasons why I feel so grateful:

LAST INTERVIEWS WITH PRESIDENT AND SISTER CHAPMAN: They truly are inspired and I'm going to miss them so much. At the beginning of my mission, the first interview I had with President Chapman, I broke down crying tears of sadness and frustration. Coming off of a Spiritual high in the MTC, the mission wasn't what I had expected. It was harder in ways I didn't expect and I really just wanted to become more of what I had dreamed a mission was going to be like. He knew exactly what I needed. He had me read parts of 2 Nephi 4 to him, which I did through watery eyes, and he gave me the most precious and strong priesthood blessing, one that helped me through that hard mental and spiritual crisis and continues to to help me everyday. Of course I cried to both of them this last interviews, remembering everything that they done for me in this short time and everything they've done for this mission.

STAKE CONFERENCE: This Stake conference was soo good! What really stuck out to me was the Priesthood. It's so cool tontealize how close your Stake President and bishop are to the prophet in terms of line of the priesthood. Also, when you are set apart in a calling, you are giving the priesthood power to do everything that calling requires, that is how the priesthood blesses everyone. That, and by the covenants we make. 

HOUSING INSPECTORS- we had our housing inspectors come this week...and theybwere so impressed worh how the apartment lookes! This was their first time seeing it since the elders. I just wanted yall to know that we are making a difference over here, and it started with the apartment. It's now a house of order :)

Random pics:

Friendly goat

Little kitty

Last pic with President and Sister Chapman

Look at all these beetles we've killed

Cows and girls

You are my sunshine, yes you

Bridgeport!

Some sick days🤧, and some sick days🤘

 As you can tell from the title. This week was a Rollercoaster! 

SICK DAYS - Sister Liechty was feeling under the weather for two days so we stayed in the apartment most of the time. I tried to stay busy ready my scriptures and other books, cleaning, listening to talks, learning Spanish on duolingo and such but it still gets pretty boring. When Sister Liechty was awake and conscious we could contact people on the phone, but most the time she was knocked out so it was just me, myself, and I.  After 7 months on the mission, I'm not used to being alone haha. 

SOME VERY SICK DAYS- This week has been awesome! So this section isn't too long, I will simply write bulletpoints. 

-We felt prompted to go to the youth activity on Thursday where we saw the girl who came to church two Sundays ago. She would really love to be taught! We are hoping to get permission from her mom soon so that we can start teaching her, but what a coincidence!

-coincidently, at the same mutual activity, our Bishop saw a guy on the other side of the fence and went and talked to him. He was actually someone that we had met the week previous and was starting to teach! This was probably the best way to find a fellowshipper for this man! Yay!

-soo we got this referral about this couple needing help with their marriage. I was really scared butcause as a young lady...it's very apparent I have never been married and know nothing about it, but luckily the gospel is the best remedy for every problem. We were able to teach them about the Atonement and how bringing God into our relationships can help strengthen them. The spirit was so strong and it was so cool to see that they were willing to try and commit to saying daily prayers together. Also, the Sister member that we brought seemed to say all the right things and seemed to need this special meeting as well #blessings. 

-Jo came to church!!!! With her daughter!!! And she loved it!!! And I cried because it was beautiful!!! And she says she wants to come back again!!!! What a blessing!! The missionaries have been trying for over a year to get her to church and she finally came. Thing are turning for her, I can see it!!

Also Sister Liechty sang to some cows and we went to Buc-ees, it was my first time!!

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT-

D&C 36:6 (a classic) "Look unto me in every thought. Doubt not, fear not" Excuse the punctuation mistakes. 

"We are not obedient because we are blind. We are obedient because we can see." -President Boyd. K Packer

When we come to understand the role and character of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ we are able to overcome fear and pride. I love these two easy sentences to remember! How can you get closer to overcoming fear or pride this week?

PICTURES FROM THE WEEK:

I was too lazy to download pictures so I guess this is what you get :)