Being Myself

Hi Everyone!

It has been a great week here on the Square! I'm learning more and
more everyday. Lately I've been working on trying to be myself when
we're contacting people. It's something that I'm not used to--I think
I usually come off as shy and quiet and probably a little awkward, but
I'm trying to me more of myself quicker. Sister Williams told me to
think of the people that we're talking to as family. I don't know if
that helped much, but I'm working on it. I think I've gotten better at
relaxing and just trying to have a conversation with
people...something that I hope to be much better at by the end of my
mission.

The Conference Center is pretty much amazing. I love to take people
there. Yesterday we had two tours (with two people each) and we took
them to the Conference Center and everyone referred. It was a miracle
day. Three of them were Southern Baptists and I learned something
about what they think about our beliefs. They seemed to think that we
don't believe that Jesus Christ is our Savior. So Sister Williams read
a really great scripture from the Book of Mormon (I can't remember
which one it is right now) about how it is only through Jesus Christ
that we can be saved. They absolutely agreed with the doctrine. So we
tried to put a little more emphasis on our belief in Jesus Christ
throughout the tour. I think that they thought that we worship Joseph
Smith...or something. It's not true, Jesus Christ is central to our
beliefs and it's only through relying on Him that we can return to
live with our Father in Heaven again.

We also took a wonderful young family from Pennsylvania to the
Conference Center this week and they referred too. I love being able
to teach families. They're the best because the family is absolutely
central to God's plan for us and it's so neat to be able to help them
see how the Gospel of Jesus Christ can bless their family. We're
planning on calling them tomorrow, cross your fingers that they pick
up their phone.

In my personal study this week I was learning about the Plan of
Salvation--especially the Atonement. I read Alma 34 (which is an
amazing chapter about the Atonement) and verse 31 caught my attention.
It says: "Yea, I would that ye would come forth and harden not your
hearts any longer; for behold, now is the time and the day of your
salvation; and therefore, if ye will repent and harden not your
hearts, immediately shall the great plan of redemption be brought
about unto you." I love how it says that immediately after we have
faith and repent that the Atonement takes over. It doesn't matter
where we've been in life, only where we're going. There is so much
mercy in the great plan of happiness.