October 13 2014

Hello Family and Friends!!
What a great week it has been! There is so much good here in North and
then you get a little crazy mixed in. The crazy this week was that
there was a traffic violation outside our apartment complex. The
driver shot at the officer and his two armed friends ran away. All the
streets were blocked off and there were camera crews around our
apartment trying to surround the two armed men. This is North.

Monday we had our first lesson with a 16 year old boy, Iza'ya
(Isaiah). He is so innocent and remembers so much of what the Elders
taught him before. We had a great discussion on the Restoration and he
has a great desire to be baptized. His mom has been holding him back.
Hopefully through prayer and fasting her heart will be softened.

Tuesday we had a great district meeting and then we were able to meet
with Jeanie and have our first lesson with her. She is living with her
son and his family who all attend our ward. I felt like we were
teaching a member. She is already reading the Book of Mormon, praying,
coming to church, having Family Home Evening with her family. She know
that this is Christ Restored Gospel on the Earth today. She is so
ready! I am not sure why her family hadn't invited us to teach her
earlier! I love teaching her. She has had a very hard life, but can
see the light at the end of the tunnel and she knows how much the
gospel can help her. We then were able to go to Sister Mundy's and
answer questions and read with her. We talked about opposition in all
things an dread in 2 Nephi 2 about the importance of choices. It was
wonderful. I always feel uplifted as awe meet with Sister Mundy! We
had dinner with a less active, part member family that night. It sure
was fun! They had the two cutest kids. Then Janelle went with us to
say a prayer with a girl we met earlier that morning. She wasn't home,
but her brother was. He let us in and we prayed with him. It was the
strangest experience. He stopped us in the middle of the prayer to
make a few random comments. He said he would be interested in learning
more. He is YSA age so we told the YSA Sisters about him and hopefully
they will be able to help him.

Wednesday we went to the Temple. I was able to see so many people from
my past areas. Sister Green from Quail Ridge was in my session. Sister
Slack from Black Canyon was sitting right next to me. It was so great
to see them again. The Las Vegas Temple is so pretty! There is such a
special spirit there! It was such a blessing to be able to go and feel
of my Heavenly Father's love. We had dinner with the Garcia's, they
fed us steak! It was so good! They are so fun and made us a little
care package of snacks to take with us. It was great!

Thursday I was on exchanges with Sister Coltrin in their area. We had
some great lessons with some of their investigators. It was fun to go
on exchanges again with Sister Coltrin. Last time we discovered that
we were both going into Advertising at BYU. This time we both
discovered that we both changed our majors to Public Relations at BYU.
We are so in sync it is crazy! It was fun to see how another
companionship balances being in two wards! It is a challenge for
everyone!

Friday we had our first lesson with Jacqueline. We had talked to her
on the street and then she called and set an appointment with us! It
was nuts! She has so many questions and is really interested to know
why no one likes Mormons. She thinks we are great! She said she would
be at church on Sunday! We then went to lunch with Cathryn Daniels! It
was so fun to see her again and catch up! It is nice to have friends
from Texas living here in Vegas. We had a great Plan of Salvation
lesson with the Esser's. It was so fun to use my giant pieces and
teach them about the plan our Heavenly Father has for them. Everything
after 4pm fell through. That happens a lot. But Heavenly Father always
has another plan for us!

Saturday we had a full day! We met with Gloria and talked to her about
our purpose and how we couldn't keep coming by if she wasn't
interested in finding out for herself it what we were teaching her was
true. We expressed our love and our desire for her to keep attending
church and to call us when she was open to learning. We then met a
less active man in our ward, Brother Duvall. His house was so full of
cigarette smoke that we had to leave quickly. Sister Swerdfeger had an
allergic reaction to it. Later we had two great lessons right in a
row. First with a man named Novell, whom we were able to pray with and
invite to learn more. Then with Jandy and Anthony. We brought Sister
Esser and her 14 year old son, Christian, with us. It was great! They
have such powerful testimonies! Later that night we went to a less
active, part member families home with the Fontano's. They requested
blessing, because they were going through a very difficult time. We
had no idea what we were walking into. After being there 30 minutes
and not being able to say much Brother Fontano asked us to leave. I
was so grateful he did. He and his wife were there for another hour
and a half. I can't explain what happened there. But it was the most
terrifying night of my mission. I couldn't sleep that night.

Sunday I was exhausted physically and spiritually. It was very
difficult to fast, but I know that gave me strength. Our church
services were full of the Spirit. Jacqueline came to church and really
enjoyed it! I am so grateful that we have a refuge from life storms as
we attend the Temple and go to our church services on Sundays, to
partake of the Sacrament.

How grateful I am for the gospel and the peace that it brings. I love
being a missionary. I love having the Spirit with me to help and teach
others. I love this gospel and my Savior. I know that He has felt all
that I feel and all the feelings of those I meet each day. I know He
lives and loves us!

Love,
Sister Davis