the Adventures of Sister Russell: August 5, 2013

HOLLLAAA!!! :D

okay. first things first. everyone. eeeeeveryone. LISTEN UP! I just wanna understand if EVERYONE understands what we have? if you are a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, do you understand what that MEANS???

I feel like so many people take it for granted! I know i took it for granted a ton before my mission. a ton. I didn't understand or appreciate the incredible blessings, and significance of it. but now I do, and it is incredible. and i want to tell you all how blessed you are too! none of us will really ever understand the gift it is. guys, YOU ARE ALL CALLED TO THE WORK! WOO! doesn't matter if you're a full time missionary or not, we are all called. if you have the knowledge of this gospel it is your responsibility to help spread the word. help spread this gospel! if you don't feel that need or desire, then re-spark that flame! the book of mormon, IS THE BEST BOOK IN THE WORLD!!!! and prayer! literal communication with God whenever you want, communication to the most powerful being in the universe who happens to be your father, and we can ask him for help whenever we need to......... all these blessings, and I went for so long not having enough time to do it all, or not wanting to, and man i just can't express to you guys what a blessing it is to have it. please please please do not take it for granted. and share the gospel! I have just never been so happy in my life, and i juuuuuust want EVERYONE IN THE WORLD TO FEEL WHAT I FEEL! hahah, anyways that's all i was just thinkin about it! i just love the gospel, I just know the difference in your emotions and happiness level and everything, and i can't even describe it well enough! cling to the gospel! give all you can to give it to others, cause it's AMAZING!!! anyways. ... :)

oh! go to that harvesting the work website! it's amazing, trust me!

okay ANYWAYS. i had a GOOOOOD week :) always do.

here's a cool story. SO. we got a referral from some elders who had been going through lists of year old investigators, so we went to visit! the couple wasn't there but their niece was and she let us in and she mentioned that she had just been talking to her cousin about how her relationship with God had been kinda slipping! and then we showed up! ............... :) anyway and so we started talking and suddenly two more of her cousins come in and just sit down and start listening, and then suddenly her mom and cousin come and also sit down, and then her uncle and aunt come in! and everyone is surrounding us, and we say who we are and the mom says, well can you teach us something? what do you have? and we were like WOOOOOO!!!!! and we talked about strengthening your relationship with Christ and your family and we do that with the things we have to teach and they all were like okay well... we all work alot but you have to come back when we can all be here! so they all planned for like 5 minutes and settled on yesterday, SO COOL!

and then YESTERDAY we went but only the uncle was there, and he asked us what we thought about after people died, and we were like.............................. :) let us tell you......... :) and then after we taught the plan of salvation he explained how he just had been to every church but never joined because everyone has different ideas and doctrines and he just wants to feel good and set for life in one, and then his niece and her mom came home and the mom asked, so what is different about your church than all the others?.............................. :) and we said well..... let us tell you..................... :) SO then we taught the first vision, and they were ALL just soakin it IN! and they all committed to really reading the Book of Mormon and praying and taking the lessons, WOOOO!!!!!!! it was awesome.

ALSO! here's a sweet story miracle thing. so uh.... the english elders met this guy Jose, who barely spoke any english, but they gave him a book of mormon and talked a little bit, and then we got him a ride to church, he gets there, i'm sitting by him and he's just like, so i woke up in the middle of the night and read for a few hours in the Book of Mormon and i've been searching my whole life for a true church because it was lost after jesus and the apostles were killed, and i feel so happy here. and i was like........ okay.......... uhhhhh i love you. and then it was testimony meeting and he asked me if he could go up, and NATUrally i was a little nervous but he went up and he said his backround, and how he got the book of mormon, and everything, and he said, "and I know that this, is the TRUE... CHURCH! and i will keep learning, and keep reading, and never stop! this is what i've been looking for!" ooooh MAN it was NUTS you guys! so so so so awesome! and he was just lovin it in the classes, he is GOLDEN. it's CRAZY! so awesome, so he'll be baptized soon :)

OH!!!!! you GUYS DID YOU SEE ME ON TV SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM FOR THE RAYS/GIANTS GAME????? probably not cause they probably didn't put it on tv, but STILL IT WAS SO AWESOME!!!!!!! AHHHH!!!! I DON'T EVEN SING AND I GOT IN THE CHOIR FOR IT!!! I FELT SO FAMOUS! hahaha anyways, pictures to come. that was cool though. baseball? not my FAVORITE sport to watch.... don't kill me baseball fans, but it's fun to go to big games!!! AND i finally saw Elder Bryson Davies!! WOO! that was so awesome.

well uhhhh work has been busy! we took over a 2nd area for a while till next transfer, but it's awesome working with so many new people! i love EVERYONE HERE!!!!!!!

well uh. I've been studying a lot about pride this week! just because it is so much more common than you would think! i have SO MUCH pride! it is so destructive, honestly the opposite of every godly quality, i think that's why it's so painful to get rid of! so uh yeah i've been workin on thaaaat and uh quick quote.

"We are not obedient because we are blind, we are obedient because we can see."

-Boyd K Packer

i LOVE that quote, guys i have never had more knowledge about the gospel in my life, and i don't obey because i have to, or do these things cause i am blindly following, but i can testify that the more you study it out the more you try and follow the commandments the more God lets you understand and see, and the more obedience is what you desire to have, because you know the knowledge and blessings behind it, and the happiness, i PROMISE you all that there is purpose in everything. absolutely everything. do not let any fear stop you from doing what is right. get out your scriptures! D&C 6:33-36, read it! don't be afraid to do good, God is bigger and smarter and more powerful than anyone on this earth and he will never let you down. fear of being judged, being laughed at, being ridiculed, losing friends, seeming like a goody good, any other fear, all of that fear is controlled by satan. Just look at the big picture, look at the reason you are here on this earth, and look at your life, and see if in the big picture, you are progressing. if you are honestly getting yourself closer to God, look at your purpose, and see if you are doing something to fulfill that purpose! God loves every single one of you SO MUCH. and fear halts so much, it is such a huge wall between you and him, stop caring what other people think, and start caring what God thinks, another quote!

"Don't take counsel from your fears."

they will lead you astray! don't let them control you! i love you all A BILLION SDFOISAEHDF KSJDFYOSDJKFHSDK MUCHO!!!! seriously, i can't even tell you all how much. be strong, carry on!!! never get down on yourself, ever. use the atonement, grow from it! don't stop yourself by feeling like you aren't good enough, satan is SO SNEAKY AND DUMB. don't let him convince that you can't do something, that you can't be amazing, cause you already are! let Christ lift you up, and hold your spirits high, always. love you guys. I'M LIVIN THE GOOD LIFE!!!!!

adios amigos :) Hermana RUSSELL!!!!!!!