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I am a disciple of Christ, and I love my name, Sister Watkins. I have served a full time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and man have I loved it!!!!! These passed 18 months have been full of sorrow, illness, awkwardness, anger, complete joy, love, and happiness. I have sat in the refinery of life and allowed my Savior to sculpt me and help me become a true daughter of God and disciple. It's been hard, but 100% worth it. I will never forget the memories I have made, the people I have met, and the feelings I have felt. I know that this is the true church and how grateful I am to have this knowledge and to share it with all mankind. I'm not sure how my feelings are about coming home... denial, but I know that my time has come and I have a new mission to embark on.

This week was a really great week!! We met a lot of new people who God has truly prepared to accept the gospel. One of the girls name is Breanna and she is just soaking up the gospel. She loves it!!! She has a date for the 26th of October. The first day we taught her I was on exchanges in my area with Sister Campbell. When we taught the restoration you could just see the joy and truth enter into this 19 year old girl. I love her already and I'm excited to hear what happens with her.

NASA was AMAZING!!! There are a lot of members that work there, and now I know why. You would have to have the truth in your life, or at least know that God lives and is the creator of all things. The work they do truly is from God. We toured through the museum and then got a tour of the actual facilities where astronauts train and we got to see the mission control room :) Right when we left the museum it started to down pour and we were completely soaked before we got to our car... haha it just happens to be that we had a lesson right afterwards at one of our members home with our investigator Larry. It was a SUPER good lesson .The spirit was definitely felt. Larry is a really strong Catholic and is having a hard time in the concept of baptizing, and why we don't baptize children. We have tried everything to try and teach this, but nothing seems to work. We were praying A TON and really feel prompted to just focus on his family history, and get him a login account for familysearch.org. We will be meeting him at the library this week to do that.

Speaking of family history, we are allowed to do 2 hours of our own family history a week. This past week Sister Elliott and I both found 5 names :) This Thursday we will be doing baptisms for the dead, confirmations, and intiatories, with one of our members. Then on Friday I have the missionary departure temple trip and I will do the endowment for the name mom found me :) I am SO EXCITED!!!

Our investigator Ernest is really changing. He wasn't very accepting of the Book of Mormon when we first started teaching him, but now he wants to come to church and live the word of wisdom :) I love seeing the changes that can be made in some ones life as they live the gospel. Sadly he wasn't able to come to church this past weekend, but hopefully for conference this week.

For all the women, wasn't women's conference AMAZING!! Wow! Our stake had over 300 women show up for the conference, and we had a big service project that we did and dinner before the conference started. I just heard that my stake was in the October New Era. It's the Friendswood Stake. It is an incredible stake. I will have to tell you all the amazing things they are doing when I get home.

Yesterday was a harder day. We were trying a lot of people, but know was home or they told us to come another day. But the very last house we tried let us come in.  His name is Lupe and his friend was there as well and her name is Denise. Guess what... their HISPANIC!! :) We had an amazing lesson on the Restoration, and guess what? They really really really want to know if it is true. Denise actually took the discussions from elders when she was little with her family, and her brother almost got baptized. They are super cool, and I'm super bummed I wont be here to keep teaching them. They are both planning on coming to conference with us this week :)

I love this work and it really has changed me. I'm not sure I am truly ready to come home, but I am excited to see y'all. I love you all with all my heart. 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Watkins 

Off To NASA

 I am only going to write like a paragraph. Today we are going to NASA!!!! Wha whoooooooo :) The car elders in my district got in a bad accident and lost their car privileges... so we got the rest of their miles for the month, so we have a lot of miles that we're not going to use this month and we decided to use them wisely and go to NASA!!! 

 

August 2014 pictures.  Emily is on the second row to the right wearing a blue dress and white cardigan

This week was WET! It rained almost everyday all day, and we had a couple times where we had to stay in a couple hours because the roads were flooded, but all in all it was a very successful week. We received quite a bit of news and we are really excited to go back and to teach them more. We are still working a lot with the members and having a lot of service opportunities.  I also got to go back to my old church building while my companion was meeting with a doctor. It was amazing how so many memories just flooded my mind when I pulled into the parking lot. Yesterday and saturday we had stake conference, more like, General conference. It was amazing!!! I really felt like I was listening to the prophet and apostles speak. I will have to share with you some other time all the amazing things I learned. 

Well I hate to do this, but this is all I will be sending home this week.Just know I love you very much, and I loved hearing from all of you today. Have a wonderful week!!

Love, 

Hermana Watkins

Charity For All

"Because I have been given much I too must give" - Jacob 2:17. This was the quote and scripture we put on the back of the Pay It Forward cards we gave to all of our members with a plate of cookies. Right now our main focus is Charity. We have committed to love everyone, and to help others spread that love. Last Tuesday Sister Elliott and I made over 6 dozen chocolate chip cookies and put them on individual plates for the member families in our area. We had a short lesson with each of them about how amazing missionary work is and how awesome you feel when you do it. We shared Jacob 2:17 with them and we all discussed the many blessings or 'substances' that we have been given, by being members of the restored gospel. The list goes on and on with all the amazing blessings we truly have been given. The spirit was so strong in all the lessons and my heart grew fuller and fuller of love, especially to share these blessings with those around me. That is exactly what we invited/ challenged our members to do. We invited them to pay it forward to their neighbors, someone at school, or some stranger on the road; either with a plate of goodies, card, or even helping someone with their yard work, and the key part was that they had to explain that because they have been given much from their Savior, and the restored gospel, that they wanted to share that with them. We gave all of them a week before we follow up with them, and so far one of or members did it the next day and they texted us and told us it was amazing experience! And now they have new friends because of it. What goes around comes around. :) All of the lessons were amazing, and it was fun listening to the members discuss how they were going to do it, and who they were going to do it for. We were also blessed with a lot of the members making us yummy meals :) One of them Brother Holt made us some smokes ribs, potatoes, and salad :) It was SOO good!! 

This weekend was Sister Holts baby shower, and Sister Sampert called us over to help her make cupcakes for the shower. We made 24 tres leche cupcakes... YUMMY, and 24 lava cupcakes for her sons birthday party the next day. We had a lot of fun spending time with the members this week and creating fun memories, and stronger relationships. Her son turned 8 on Friday, and we have been preparing a lesson for her to prepare for his baptism in a couple weeks. They invited us to come over Sunday night to give the lesson. We taught him about Mosiah 18 and the covenant we make with our Heavenly Father when we are baptized. We got a cardboard box and cut out a hole, and we made little characters on popsicle sticks and we created a little puppet show like thing to tell the story. After telling it we then had the boys act it out, and they definitely acted it out better than we did. haha I love kids!!! 

That is basically what happened this week. I'm excited for this week. It's always something new here in Sunnyside Texas. But I'm so grateful for the lessons that I have learned here. 

I love you all!!!!

Con amor, 

Hermana Watkins  

Mosquitos and service

Well this past week was....  one of the hardest weeks of my mission, but I learned so much!!! Last Tuesday after I emailed home I took my companion to the doctor. After the doctor examined her, they took some blood tests and then sent her to get a Cat scan STAT! The doctor was super worried about her liver and wanted it to get checked out. After waiting 7 hours at the hospital we were finally able to leave. Sister Elliott and I had some really good gospel conversations and talked a lot about our area. I also got to talk to a lady from Persia. Her auntie was getting a ultra sound and only speaks persian, so she was there to help translate. I started talking to her about the gospel and turns out she is meeting with the missionaries and loves learning about our church. I love when people say that. 

The next day we had zone meeting and I'm pretty sure the zone leaders training's were both for me and my companion. The spirit taught me so many things I needed to know and some other things the spirit has slowly been teaching me throughout my mission.  President has asked us to really stop thinking about the numbers and go out and serve everyone. He said that all our area needs is Charity right now. That was a HUGE lesson that I feel like God has really been teaching me throughout the mission. Charity never faileth, even if you teach no one the whole week and baptize no one the whole mission, you can not fail if you go out and LOVE. And that's what my area needs, more love! 

 We're only able to teach one investigator all week, and had a couple lessons with some less actives and active members. We went out and tried our very hardest to love everyone that we met, and we're wanting to teach. Sadly the rain kept us from finding more people. We had a couple instances were we had to pull off the side of the road until the water went down. Also, people kept telling us to go home and dry off, and come back another day when we're not wet.. haha. We also have killer mosquito's they're EVERYWHERE!! My poor companion looks like she has chicken pox on her legs. 

mosquito bites!

I mentioned last week that in our Stake our mission President has allowed the missionaries to do Family History with the members for two hours, he also announced that we are allowed to take 2 hours out of the week to do out own personal Family History. Friday as a district we went to the Clayton Genealogy Library and had a specialist teach us all about the family search web site the church has. This library is the 6th largest genealogy libraries in America. I was so fascinated with the work. The lady told me I should really look into being a genealogist.. Maybe. I also found a lot of family members that need their work done. I am so excited to come home and go to the temple with y'all and do this work!!!!!!! 

Saturday we helped the Houston Police with a health fair they were putting on. The elders got to dress up in 911 costumes and walk around talking to people. We of course were put in the kitchen to help with the food. They had a DJ there that would always talk about Sister Watkins and her cooking... haha I wish you could here how the blacks say Watkins :) It makes me and my companions day. haha 

 

We had 3 part member families move into our area this weekend, and we are so excited to meet all of them. We met one last night. His name is Antonio, but he goes my butters haha he is 20 and is a super cool kid. I'm excited for what this week brings and can't wait to go out and have charity for everyone!! 

Love you all, 

Hermana Watkins

More miracles

This past week has been a pretty good week. We received blessings and miracles that we didn't even ask for. The mission finished the month off with 93 baptisms!! That is a HUGE miracle and a record for the mission. I love hearing all the miracles that are happening and the faith everyone is putting forth. I know that our Heavenly Father is truly hastening the work.

We are still doing a lot of family history with Larry. We ended up teaching him the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation and he really enjoyed both of them, but he still doesn't understand why he would need to change his religion when a lot of our beliefs are the same, but we'll keep working with him. We also have a new  investigator named Bertha. She is really interested in family history as well. She has binders full of families names and I am super stoked to start putting them online and helping her and her family understand the importance of temple work.

Two Hermanas I have not seen in a long time.  It was a tender mercy to catch up with both of them this week!

We are still in the process of finding more people. We decided to try out the bus system, and at first I was a little scared, because it is so different from the north Houston bus system. God really blessed us and protected us by putting people on the bus that were more than willing to help us. A huge miracle happened while on the bus. Do y'all remember Patrisha, well we ran into her on the bus!!!!!!! She is doing super. She is still reading in the Book of Mormon with her daughters. She is still currently outside our boundaries, but we got her information so we can send other missionaries over :) happy day!

We have a new family that we are teaching. Olivia is the little girls name, and she is 9. And were teaching her dad Willy too. Her mother was murdered 3 months ago and they are both in desperate need of help. Olivia has some learning disabilities and it's been a little struggle for us to figure out how we are going to teach her so she can understand more clearly. I love her so much!! I am really excited to teach her more and really feel the love that her Heavenly Father has for her and her family.

This is a copy cat of a picture Ross took on his mission.  Emily's planners vs her companions planners.

We had another miracle of finally meeting one of our less actives. She is super sweet and little. She is going through a lot right now with her husband being on Dialysis and her house is literally falling off the foundation. We are going to help her pack up her house and move her to her daughters place.

Yesterday Craig was to be baptized. We had some really awesome lessons with him this past week. He got to know a lot of the members and he told all of them that he was preparing to got to the temple. Well, sadly he gave into a temptation that kept him from taking the that step into the font, but hopefully this Sunday he will be ready and stronger than Satan's temptations.

The missionaries are now allowed to have 2 hours a day to help members do family history work, and their own if they want. Yesterday I helped one of our members Raven find 4 people on her family history. I was SUPER excited. Our stake has set a goal to have 10,000 ordinances done in the temple this next coming year. WOW!!! I think that is awesome :)

Everything is going well in the mission. I love it!! Sister Elliott is currently sick and we are going to have her checked out by the doctor today. She is having severe pains in her liver and head. Hopefully all will be well and we'll be able to go out and work like crazy!!

Love you,

Hermana Watkins

42 Baptisms!

This week was probably the slowest week of this transfer, but was filled with blessings and an amazing miracle. Yesterday Craig came to church!!!! YAY, happy day!! He will be getting baptized this Sunday and we are so excited for him. I'm going to share a couple stories about him this week. His son was killed while being chased by cops this passed week. Craig lost contact with his son for awhile, but got the news that he's been living out in the streets and got into some trouble with the cops, and ended up getting killed. Craig being the positive person told us that it's really hard to hear, but he is so happy that he has the knowledge of God's plan and trusts that his son is in a better place. He is also really excited to do his sons work in the temple in a year. We will probably be going with Craig to the funeral this week to give him some support. Another story is his ex-girlfriend came over to see how Craig was doing after she heard bout his son. I guess she is really pretty and still has a thing for Craig and she asked if they could get back together. Craig then told her that he has changed his Religion and in his new religion he has chosen to abide by the law of Chastity. He then taught her what it is and how the only way he would get with her is if they got married, and that was not going to happen.When he showed up to church he was in this sweet old pin stripe suit and looked very nice. He started to cry in Sacrament and told us that he was never felt so happy in his life. He also got to stay and watch 6 people be baptized. This past week the mission baptized 42!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The most the mission has ever had in history. It's because God really blessed the 40 missionaries that are going home this week. 

Yesterday at church we got a new Branch Presidency. I am really excited to work with the new Presidency and there takes on missionary work. Brother Holt is the first counselor and is an amazing member and missionary. 

We were blessed to do a lot of service this week. We helped the Houston Police with a luncheon they were giving for one of the cops that is retiring. There was so much food! They filled our plates full of BBQ and one of the City counselors Dwight Boykins wants us missionaries to come and get specially awarded for all the service that we give the community! That's a great in for the church. He is a super tall and awesome guy, I will send pictures of him. We also got to wash some of our members cars :) We had to wake up super early so we wouldn't be dying in the heat. And this week one of our members is allowing me to cut their lawn!!! Happy Day! I love yard work. :) 

                                                        Serving food at a police retirement party

 City Council Member

We had our last district meeting with Elder Evertsen. It's hard seeing all these amazing missionaries go home. Elder and Sister Hansen cooked a yummy breakfast for us today before we said goodbyes. Everyone keeps reminding me that this will be me in 6 weeks. I still don't believe them. 

We had a huge miracle with getting a lesson in with our Less active Heather and her son Seth. They are from the Caribbeans and are awesome. She really wants her three sons to be baptized and learn more about God. This Friday we will be teaching hopefully all of them and extending dates. :) She also took us to Olive Garden for lunch and we had a really good time talking about the Gospel, and we got to bless our waitress day by giving her a pass along card. That is another story that I will have to wait to tell you when I get home. :) 

 As you know this week is transfers, and no I will not be leaving. :) I am officially dying in Sunnyside. :) I am so excited for these next couple weeks. I can feel it in my bones the blessings that God has in store for our area. I am so excited to go out and work like crazy! 

I love you all. Have a wonderful week!!! 

Hermana Watkins

Spirit of Elijah and Everything is Bigger in Texas

Hey fam!! 

I feel like this week was filled with AMAZING miracles and blessings, but I'm not sure I can share all of them with y'all this week, but something I do want to share is Family History, and the Spirit of Elijah. 

Sister Elliott and I have decided to share something different with those that we come in contact with, either on the streets, or in the different places that we go to. Now when we first meet someone we start talking about their families and how much they love them, and then ask them about where they came from or if they know anything about their ancestors. This always brings the spirit into our conversations. We then share our testimonies about how important families are to us and to our Heavenly Father, and how he wants us to all be unified and know one another. This is when we ask them if we can teach them how to do their family history or if there is another day that we can come by and share more with them. We have only had a couple instances where they didn't, but we have seen the promise given in Malachi; that the hearts of the children will be turned to their fathers. 

Sister Elliot and Emily

This week we went over to Brandon's and taught him all about family history work. One of my favorite things that the spirit has taught me to do in these lessons is to invite the investigators to think of their loved ones that have passed away, and every time you can feel the presence of that ancestor in the room with us. And it happened in this lesson with Brandon. His dad was murdered when he was 14 and really wants to go to the temple and do his work for him. I think this is one of the my favorite feelings of the spirit. Before my mission I didn't believe that people would have so much desire and interest in learning about their ancestors, but they do!! Scriptures are true!! 

Art in the park, Texas size

Giant Spider

One of their investigators is preparing for the zombie apocalypse and had them try on gas masks. :) 

Something else that we did this week was not the smartest thing in the world. We were sacrificing our car all day Friday. We rode ALL the way down to the south part of our area which is 7 miles. We did it in 103 degrees with 100% humidity........ When we finally reached the bottom we realized we only brought 2 water bottles that were basically gone, and NO one would answer their door..... we thought we were going to die. So when in doubt we went in the shade and prayed. I had a feeling we should go try our less active  Heather that is NEVER home during the day. Well, sure enough she was home and actually had forgotten something when she left and had to come home and get it. She let us in and gave us 4 water bottles, chocolate cupcakes, and some fruit. HUGE MIRACLE!!! Especially because after that we rode around to a couple other neighborhoods and no one was home. After a long HOT bike ride we made it home for dinner and we ended up taking showers and drinking tons of liquids. My testimony of prayer grew even more after that experience. 

Texas size potato

I love the church so much!! There is a video on Mormon Channel called, the church at a glance, I think. And it is a perfect video to share with non-member friends and family to help them better understand what our church is all about. We shared it yesterday with one of our members sisters who is not a member. The spirit was so powerful and she really enjoyed it and had a lot of questions answered. I know that this is the true church! I live and love it everyday of my life. I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ, and all that he has done for me. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week at school and work!!

Love, 

Hermana Watkins

Howdy Y'all!!!

I love being a missionary. It's amazing the power the gospel truths have and the change they can bring into the lives of others. The past week was full of miracles from God. We have been sacrificing even the little things to give all to God so he can bless the people in our area progress and receive the blessings of the gospel. 

Like I mentioned last week we had the opportunity to go to the temple!! Sister Shumway a young nursing student took us. We ended up getting there a little bit earlier then expected so we got to do intiatories and then an endownment session. I LOVED it! I actually received a lot counsel from my Heavenly Father that was very much needed. I can't wait to come home and go to the temple at least once a week ;) And I am going to take all of you with me, because I know of the amazing blessings that it brings and I want those blessings for everyone! 

This past week we had some amazing lessons filled with the power of the Holy Ghost. We taught a lot of Restoration lessons this week and every time after sharing Joseph Smiths experience every single investigator was filled with peace and happiness. Two of them actually started to cry and were so happy. One of these investigators was actually out washing his car when we pulled up. We started to take off our bikes and get all ready to go riding around the neighborhood. Right before we left I went on over and introduced myself and my companion. The words that we spoke to that young man were words I haven't never heard come from my mouth or my companions mouth before. It was an amazing feeling having the Lord speak through us to this young man that he loves dearly. After introduction he accepted to have us teach him about the Restoration. The lesson was amazing and very powerful. Everything the spirit directed us to say helped him open up even more to us and answered a lot of the questions he had, that we didn't know he had. He accepted a date and is really excited to learn more. Sadly he works on Sundays.... but hopefully he will have the faith to change that. 

Another miracle goes by the name Dennis. I actually met him while on exchanges with Sister Newman. He was sitting up in his garage and we decided to go up and talk to him, he accepted for us to come back and teach him more. This past week we taught him the first two lessons. The spirit was also very overwhelming, especially the Restoration. It was so powerful that the nurse that takes care of his cousin said she could feel something different when we were there. :) She asked if she could get a Book of Mormon as well and learn for herself. She doesn't know if she wants us to come over yet, but did feel the spirit. Dennis said he already knows it's true and can't wait to be baptized. 

Betha is from Africa. I believe I talked about her last time. We were only able to give her a Book of Mormon this week and share a little about it, but she loves us coming over. She is so excited to read it and pray to know of the truthfulness. I love her so much. Every time I go over I just give her the biggest hug. I feel like I've known her for years. :) 

The beginning of the week we were out on bikes a lot. We talked to this couple that was sitting outside on Thursday and they invited us to come by the next day. They ended up cancelling on us, but rescheduled for the next day. We also taught them the Restoration and experienced another very powerful lesson. He is Jehovah Witness and she is Baptist, but they both feel like there is more out there. They too accepted to be baptized and were very emotional to know that their Heavenly Father has not forgotten about them. 

Emily and her companion

Last but not least- we were working in the south part of the area, but felt very strongly that we needed to go visit one of our members in the north. We took some back roads to get to her house and guess who we ran into???????????? CRAIG!!!!!! We found him!!! He was so excited to see us. Remember a couple weeks ago he went missing? Well he got into a fight and was taken to jail.... but he feels Godly sorrow and has been reading the Book of Mormon and praying and fasting to run into us again. He is now preparing for baptism and has also set a date to go to the temple. He has completely stopped smoking and loves the feelings living the Word of Wisdom has brought. He got lost coming to church yesterday and called us almost in tears. We then remembered there was a devotional that night in Friendswood. We called all the members and know one could give us all a ride.... so we prayed fervently all day long and went to work. 5 minutes before it was to late to head to the devotional one of our less active members called and said she would be willing to take us all!!!! MIRACLE!!! Craig had an amazing experience and is so excited to be a member, and most importantly a missionary. He has already given out pass along cards to his friends, and his mom wants to listen to us and is planning on coming to church with Craig next week. :) :) :) Oh happy day!! I love being a missionary. 

If you couldn't tell the Lord really blessed us this week!! I know that blessings come from sacrifice and love! I also know the power of prayer :) 

I love you all!! Have a wonderful week! 

Hermana Watkins

Sacrifice

After talking and praying with President, Zone/district leaders, and discussing with my companion we have decided to sacrifice the North part of our area. The north part consist of about 70% of the people, and all the former investigators in our area. We feel very strongly about this decision and that it is what our Heavenly Father wants us to do. It's a huge decision and it is really hard, because we had to drop all the people we were teaching and go to a part of the area that missionaries have never taught anyone. But I do know that it is filled with a lot of prepared people. Since we don't have formers or really any less actives that live down there we are riding around on or bikes and walking the streets and doing street contacting- one of the hardest ways of doing missionary work... but we have already seen the fruits of our labors.

 

One of the hardest things about this sacrifice is no one is outside during the day. The south part consists of nice homes, families, and people that can support themselves -perfect for the branch. God really has blessed us though. We run into members all the time- BYU students selling security and pesticides. They actually all know and work with Collin Boren (a friend and member of our ward in Dry Fork).  They are all super awesome and give us referrals of people they give pass along cards to or that they think would be a perfect Mormon :)

 

Since we are sacrificing the North part of the area we gave the Elders all of our progressing investigators and baptismal dates, one of those being Ruben. He was really sad to hear that we will no longer be teaching him, but hopefully he will keep progressing.

 

We have a super legit investigator named Brandon. He met with missionaries before and lost contact with them. He is progressing really fast and is excited to get baptized. We just need to teach the rest of his family now.

 

I went on exchanges this week and Sister Newman came with me and she is AWESOME!! She is friends with Sam and loves Marty and Christy. Small world! We had a long but awesome day of walking around the neighborhoods. We ended up talking to a lady from Africa and she loved the message of the restoration and is excited to have us come over and teach it to her family. We met a guy from Trinidad, Turkey (who is muslim but is really interested in Christianity), Mexico, and some small country that I have never heard of before. We talked to over 30 people and set up a lot of lessons :)

 

One thing I learned this week is the importance of sacrifice in our lives. Not only are we asked to fast once a month, but it's a weekly thing. We need to strive to fast from something each week. This doesn't mean food, but the things of the world, annoying habit you want to break, thoughts, a certain food you eat. As we do this I know we will become more firm in our faith in Christ, our souls will become more purified and sanctified, where it will come to the point that we will totally yield our hearts up to God. Helaman 3:35.

 

I love you all so dearly, have a wonderful week!!!

Hermana Watkins

Read Your Scriptures

Emily's uncle Weldon was flying home from Houston and was on the same flight as Emily's trainer Hermana Wilzbach. She has now completed her mission.  Here is the picture he took.

Something I learned this week is the power of the scriptures. In Jacob 2:8 it says, "And it supposeth me that they have come up hither to hear the pleasing word of God, yea, the word which healeth wounded soul." Not only to the scriptures teach us about our Heavenly Father and Savior, but they have the power to HEAL us. Just think of all the heartache, depression, sickness, trial, tribulation, confusion, and grief that we deal with in this life. All of that can and will be healed by daily scripture study. I that to be true and I have witnessed it throughout my mission, not only for me personally, but for those who I teach the have for greater trials than me and they have been cleared up through their daily scripture reading. I also know as Alma 13:20 says, that as we wrest the scriptures it will be to our own destruction. God has laid out the laws and His plan. If we don't do the small and simple things it will be unto out own destruction. God wont destroy us, but we will. I found that to be pretty powerful and I know that it is true... so read your scriptures :)

Lottie's Lane for my niece Charlotte

This week was amazing and filled with blessings. It all starts with last Monday. We were out with one of our members trying to find some former investigators and also try some referrals. After trying one referral and setting up a lesson we went and got in the car to plan out where to go next. A man walked by my window and I waved, and had a feeling to get out and talk to him, but I pushed the feeling aside. As we drove off I kept looking in my rear view mirror and kept receiving the impression to talk to him. Me being awkward we flipped around and pulled up to him and started talking. Turns out he was praying for someone to help him and give him direction in his life. His name is Ruben and he lives in a transitional home with 9 other guys, one being the referral we just tried. We set up a lesson and ended up teaching him every day this week. He soaked everything up and was quitting his job to come to church this past Sunday. Every time we went and taught him a new roommate would come out and we are now teaching 5 of the guys that live there and 4 of them have dates. :) Well yesterday we met up with Ruben at the Sunnyside park so we could teach him a lone without the distractions of his roommates. After the lesson we got on our bikes and I started going and he stopped my companion and gave her a letter.... well long story short we get back to the apartment and he wrote her a big long love letter...... and he told her that he will be moving, but wanted to express his feeling for her before he left. Sadly our most legit investigator took the feelings of the spirit the wrong way and we will no longer be teaching him :( :( But we learned a lot of lessons, and we feel like God was just testing us to see if we would be willing to follow every impression we feel. Now were going to go out and find FAMILIES!!! 

Tuesday was a super awesome day. We had 7 amazing lessons and we didn't have enough time to go home and eat, but like the Savior teaches we must not fret over what we shall eat or drink, but seek you first the kingdom of God and all that ye need will be given thee. Everyday this week the Lord provided us with all that we needed. 

We have an amazing investigator named Kendre. He met with the missionaries earlier this year. He accepted to be baptized and is really excited to go to church next week. The lesson we had yesterday about the Plan of Salvation was so powerful and spirit lead. His finance died last year, and I know that she was there with us. 

All the trainers and trainees had a training with President this week about the atonement, and how the trainees can build their testimonies in the mission. I love the atonement!! 

Like I've mentioned, God really wants us working in the south part of our area. So every night we go down and ride around on our bikes and talk to everyone!! We were really blessed this week to find some really interested people. Some of the have actually met with the missionaries before and are excited have us come over. 

This week was a huge blessing. We over passed all of our goals that we set and we are excited to keep working hard and finding those that are the elect. 

I love you all!! Have a wonderful week. Share your testimony with all those you come in contact with. You will see lives changes by doing so. 

Con mucho amor, 

Hermana Watkins 

The Time is Now

The time is now!!

If I haven't expressed this enough I want you all to know that our Heavenly Father loves immensely. That has got to be one of my favorite lessons I have learned on my mission and I'm still learning and understanding it each and everyday. My heart has been filled with his love and joy, especially going over the past week.

 

Monday morning I helped Sister Jackson pack up and then dropped her off and the mission home. Like I said in last weeks email I was the placed in the Memorial area for the time being with Sister Bearnson until transfers on Wednesday. I loved Memorial SO much. I fell in love with the people instantly. Sister Bearnson and I had a lot of fun together and it just felt like we had become companions. While on exchanges I felt prompted to talk to this black lady that was outside playing with a baby. As I approached her she looked up at me and began to get very excited. She told us all about her life, and all the crazy things that have been happening to her. She said she's been looking for a new church and has been praying for God to place someone in her path to help her. We then taught her and she accepted to be baptized. She was super excited to ocme to church to learn more what her Heavenly Father has planned for her. I hope to hear soon how she's doing. Another lady we met only speak Swahili, the sisters have been teaching her through different ways of charades :)

 

Wednesday came and I got my trainee (baby) Sister Carisa Elliott. She is from Toelle, Utah. She is 22 and was going to school down at SUU and was actually good friends with my best friend Hailey Sprouse... small world. I love her so much!! She is a very hard worker and is willing to go out of her comfort zone and do the Lords work. I'm pretty sure she was already trained, because I basically feel like I am with a missionary that has been out for a year. :) :) Oh the tender mercies of God. Almost everyone in our zone is training, so we have lots of babies being trained in the ghetto. The best place to be trained.

Emily's new trainee Sister Elliott

 

Right now we have this super legit investigator named Craig. We have daily contact with him and he is getting ready to be baptized. The only thing stopping him is the Word of Wisdom. After we taught it he went from smoking 15 cigarettes a day to 2 :) MIRACLE! Yesterday we all fasted together that he will be able to stop smoking and be baptized in two weeks. I am so excited for him. He is teaching all of his neighborhood friends and we actually have lessons planned with all of them this week. :) He is doing very well and loves the Gospel.

 

 I mentioned President Ashton and God have asked that we focus more on the South part of our area. We went down there on bikes this past week and it was a huge trial of our faith. NO one was outside... but we didn't give up. Sister Elliott and I are pressing forward with faith. All the people that were outside rejected us instantly and told us they weren't interested or like a man did to us yesterday they yell in our faces and try to tell us we are wrong. I just find that to be the saddest thing on earth. Sister Elliott was a champ to stand through 20 minutes of a middle age man yelling at us and swinging his BBQ tongs in our face. Being respectful we stood and listened to what he had to say. We then shared short and simple testimony and invited him to pray for himself, and then we left. I think the main thing we will be working on is praying fervently that the hearts of those in the south part of the area will be softened and changed to be ready to hear the Restored gospel.

Emily and companion talked to these two little girls every day, they were finally baptized!

 

Saturday was full of bike riding and talking to people on the roads. I LOVE MY BIKE!! I just don't feel like a real missionary without it. We had a long day getting shut down by those in the South. We decided to get on the side of the road and say a prayer that Heavenly Father will place those that are ready in our path. After closing we pressed forward with faith riding in and out of the neighborhoods. Through the grace of God we ran into a lady who is from the Philippines. She started crying when she saw us and told us that it was fate that we ran into each other. She was on her way out to walk her dog. We walked with her and taught the Restoration. She was so excited to go home and read the BOM and to pray to know if it was church. We will be meeting with her this week, and I am so excited.

 

Emily in a members Camaro

A couple other things that happened this week were: we did service at the local food drive. It was kind of like bountiful basket, but for those who cant afford food. Because we were volunteers we got all the left of fruit and vegetables :) We also got a BRAND NEW CAR today :) its a 2014 Toyota Corolla and it only have 300 miles on it :) :) and the phone is bluetoothed to the card.. Coolest thing ever. I have no idea how to work new technology though.... good thing my companion just got here from the world. haha

I love you tons. I am excited for this week and to tell you all about it next week. 

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Watkins

Transfers and 32 Baptisms

Real quick I want to tell you about a huge miracle the mission received this past week. Last fast Sunday we had everyone in the mission; members and missionaries fast for missionary work. We have been setting a goal as a mission for 14 baptisms a week, but we've been short each week. The week before the fast we hit a low 6 baptisms. President announced this morning that we had a whopping 32 baptisms this past weekend. The mission record is 39. What a humbling experience it has been to see the love of God. President Ashton expressed how we honestly don't deserve to have these numbers, but God always follows through with his promises. When a sacrifice is made he will ALWAYS bless us! 

Our Zone

The past week was full of mini miracles and blessings. It was the last week of the transfer and we went out and worked our very hardest to make sure that Sister Jackson's last week was going to be amazing. We are still doing a lot of finding. God blessed us with 5 head quarter referrals who are people that are all super excited to learn more about the gospel, and one of them Jeanie has actually gone to church before, and loved her experience. 

One huge blessing we received this week was getting fed lunch and dinner everyday this week. The members love us here and all wanted to feed sister Jackson one last time. We had some really powerful lessons with them. I love feeling and seeing the unity that missionary work is bringing into the branch. 

I pretty sure I am meant to have health problems for the rest of my life, but I have come to just accept it as it comes. I have been having horrible hip problems... that I've actually have had since the plane ride to New York years ago. But it's been progressively been getting worse on the mission, and especially the last couple weeks. So Dr. Bergenson is in the Mission Presidency and he is  chiropractor. He gives the missionaries free service. This past week I went in twice, because he was so worried about the pain that he did an X-ray. Turns out it's not my hip, but my back. My two lower disks are touching each other and it's causing my sciatic nerve to cause pain all down my right side. This week I have another appointment to get an hour massage, and then next week he is putting me on a stretcher. He said I will probably be a little taller afterwards :) 

I went on exchanges this week while sister Jackson went on the temple trip. I started to day off with Sister Haynes, and then when her companion got back from the temple I was finally companions with Hermana Johnson and Olson, and we covered both of our areas. I got to teach a couple lessons in Spanish with them..... it was kind of discouraging to see how much spanish I have lost, but I'm just putting that in Gods hands for now. 

We have really been working with the youth in our branch, and this past week Desirae came out with us 3 times, and loves it! She is super awesome, and is really good at beat boxing. 

Last miracles we received came to us Thursday night when we were driving down the road to visit a referral when all the sudden we see or former investigator Sharne  walking the street. We pull over to talk to her. Come to find out she is still reading in the Book of Mormon and is actually reading it with her Boy friend, who the elders are teaching. We had two lessons with her this weekend, and she came to church!!! And then last night we had a devotional and Sharne decided to come to that too :) :) Happy day!! 

Last but not least I received the call that God has been preparing me for the past two transfers that I will be a TRAINER!! I am really excited and humbled to be in this position. I really have put myself in Mommy mode, and all that is on my mind is all the things I can do for this new missionary. :) I am so excited!!

Well I love you tons!

Love, 

Hermana Watkins

Happy 4th of July

Her own street sign

We are so blessed to be living here in America, and to have the freedom that was so necessary for the Restoration to come about. I am so grateful to be living here and serving here. Here in Sunnyside you meet people from ALL over the world. So far I've taught/met  people from Africa, Jamaica, Ethiopia, France, Islanders, Samoa, Haiti,   Dominican Republic, Russia, Netherland, Greece, and every country in South America. From what I can recall every single one of them said they love their Country and they talk about how beautiful it is, but they all talk about how dangerous their countries are and no matter how hard the work is here they are more than willing to live here. Man we are so blessed!! 

The Elders finally  blessed us with two referrals. Sadly the first one doesn't actually live at the address given. But the other one Fire is super cool. He actually lives right down the road from us and he lives in this run down home with his cousin Pablo. They are both from Jamaica and just moved here the beginning of the year, and yes they say," Ya man." Haha Fire doesn't believe in God he believes in a being called Ya?? I think.... that is his name. We taught both of them about the Restoration and they asked a ton of hard questions, but luckily the spirit was able to teach them that these things could possibly be true. We have another lesson with them this week, so I'll let you know how the Jamaicans!! Oh I forgot to add that Fire has dreads down to his thighs.... yeah it's pretty legit!
 

We have a couple really solid investigators that are progressing really well towards baptism. One is a referral we received from the Spanish hermana's and he had a stroke 3 months ago, but is recovering really fast. He loves the messages that we share, and he is diligently asking God to know if these things are true. I love seeing how fast the Gospel can change someones life if they truly have the desire to know, and apply.

Last Tuesday we were inviting our Police officer friends to our 4th of July BBQ and I picked up out phone and next thing I know it completely died and gave up it's spirit. So we went over to one of the members house in our area and we had to stay there for 3 hours so we could be in contact with the mission office.... needless to say this member is really poor and felt bad that she didn't have any food to feed us... so she gave us Vienna Sausages.. I don't know if that's how you spell that, but they are the little sausages that come in a can.... I can't believe people eat those. I of course was very polite and ate them, but man they are NASTY!! I would rather eat any foreign food the hispanics give to missionaries than those thing

Pizza party

s. Gross!  But after a long 3 hours and a trip to Sugar Land we got a new phone. It's a brick and I have no idea how to work it, but it's something different.

Our investigator Solomon is the cutest old guy you will ever meet. We've taught him almost all the lessons and he really wants to be baptized, but his wife is a different story. One lesson we invited  him to be baptized and he told us that he would like to be baptized in September, but after the prayer he told us that if it's possible he would like to be baptized sooner :) We're just praying his wife will let  him.

The 4th of July was a HUGE blessing from God. We had 6 rockin lessons just full of the spirit! We finally got to meet one of our Less Active members who has 3 boys over the age of 9 who are not members. She ended up having company over, but invited us in to teach all of them. Her friends were visiting from Oregon and actually have friends there that are Mormon too. They loved the lesson about the Atonement and allowed us to get their information so we can send missionaries to their house :) We visited with another less active family that is moving from the Spanish branch to English, because the kids like English better. The oldest son loves going to church and is planning on going on a mission in a year :) After a wonderful day we drove from the bottom of our area back up to our apartment with a beautiful sight of fireworks going off all over :)

Saturday we had a HUGE branch BBQ and we had tons of food, members, and games. :) One of the families we talked to on the side of the road a couple weeks ago, who ended up being in the elders area, came to the BBQ!! I'm telling you all the work we do blesses all the other missionaries. At least the work is getting done :)

I love you all with all my heart. 

Hermana Watkins

"The Patient is a Little Mentally Slow"

Last Monday after preparing for the week my companion and I went to the Pearland church building to finish off the rest of our Pday with our zone. We first played a couple games of Volleyball and then played a get to know you game. After a couple awkward rounds of the get to know  you game we started playing the missions famous game of Scatterball. This game is basically a game of one on one dodge ball. It's usually played with 4-5 nerf balls, but the elders thought we should be fine playing with two hard volleyball's since none of us owned nerf balls. I LOVE SCATTER BALL, but after getting hit in the head 5-6 times last Monday my opinion has sadly changed. After the last time getting hit I sat down because I was out, and then minutes later I was back in. I stood up and my world went black. I had slid down the wall and next thing I know it I couldn't move or talk to get help. Long story short I got a concussion, surprise, surprise. Missions are just full of surprises. I spent a good 3 hours laying on the church floor and they had a member who is an ER doctor come and check me out and then give me a blessing. He had me go through all the awkward questions and then randomly he asks me to count down from a 100 by 7's... I don't know about you, but I can't do this with or without a concussion. My sweet zone leaders and companions did a good job at keeping me awake and talking to me. haha good bonding times. :)

So my week goes as followed. Monday night they sent me home with strict rules that my companion had to wake me up after every hour for a couple hours to make sure I was still alive ;) Tuesday morning I woke up with a horrible head ache and I still had dizziness so I was sent to the ER and our medical advisor Sister Mecham then became my companion while Hermana Johnson and Olson took my companion to go to the mission office. I got a CT scan and there was no bleeding in my brain but they said I for sure have a concussion. When the doctor first got in the room the nurse was telling him about what happened and then she said, "and the patient is a little mentally slow"..... I was laying right there haha. After the ER Sister Mecham took me to President Ashton and we had an interview so he could better understand what happened and what the doctors want me to do for the week. I love President Ashton, when we were in the interview he was joking around about how all he has to do is get a concussion and then he can rest... Poor guy does so much and never gets to rest. He also really liked to comment about how I was mentally slow..... :(

Tuesday- Saturday we were on exchanges with Hermana Johnson and Olson. Tuesday - Thursday Hermana Olson stayed in the apartment with me while Hermana Johnson and my companion went out and worked both the English area and the Spanish. Than Friday- Saturday Hermana Johnson and I FINALLY became companions :) :) the Vernalites were together, and we both had head problems. I had my concussion and she had head lice..... almost all the sisters in the mission have received head lice... and I'm just praying I don't get it. I've had enough problems :)

Saturday while Hermana Johnson's and my companion were working our areas the Spanish stake was having their stake conference, and Hermana Johnson had to go... so I received a huge tender mercy and I got to see my Houston 1 family :) :) :) Francisco started crying when he first saw me, and almost gave me a hug, but he caught himself. Guadalupe and Nefi are doing good. She is still waiting for him to be worthy to baptize her :( but it was so good seeing them. I still remember Spanish :) It really hurt my head, but God help me to get through it. After the conference Francisco went up to President Ashton and told him about his two angels that brought him into the Gospel... he is so embarrassing!

As of right now I still have major headaches and it's hard for me to concentrate. It's basically taken my whole hour and a half to type this email, but hey all is well. From what Sister Jackson says the area is doing good. Yesterday was my first day going out :) Church was awkward because President had the zone leaders have a training with all the elders in my zone about the true identity of women, and how they should be treated. They all have to personally hand write a sorry letter to me. But we had a genealogy class yesterday and we helped a lot of our members find family names and had the biggest turn out the branch has had since I've been here.

 I love you all very much. No need to worry about me things happen for a reason. Just keep me in your prayers that my headaches will go away so I can concentrate more on the work. Love you tons!!

Hermana Watkins

Dearest Family,

The past week went by a little slower than most but we found we were blessed with lots of little things. Yesterday we had a HUGE miracle. Our investigator   CAME TO CHURCH! She has been taught by the missionaries for the past 3 months and has made a lot of progression, but as of recently a lot of things have been happening in her life that have been keeping her from progression. The day finally came and I was so excited to see her walk into those church doors. That is one thing that hasn't been that hard for me in the mission and now being in Sunnyside we are basically pulling teeth to get people to church. On Thursday I had  interviews with President Ashton and he pointed out on my record that same thing that I have always been able to get people to church. He told me that when he was Branch President in his mission that he would still talk to everyone and invite them to church, but if they didn't show up that week, and didn't have a good excuse for not coming then he wouldn't go back and teach them. He has invited me and Sis. Jackson to do the same. It's going to be hard, but I know it will help a lot.

Emily found this cane in the apartment and tried using it to be able to empathize with Ross.  Look at her tan feet!

Some crazy things happened this week. On Monday we went over to have a lesson with an investigator and her daughters. The mom came to the door and told us that she's not doing to good. Long story short - that morning her husband  got up early and packed up all of his stuff, took their money, and stole her car (their only car), and left them. We went in and had a very powerful lesson with her about the trials of our faith and why we have trials. She then told us that though her situation is hard at the moment it was what she prayed for. She prayed to God that he would take all the things out of her life that are keeping her from progressing towards baptism. She prayed for that!! :) She loves the gospel and is so excited to be baptized. We then set up with her that we were going to come by every week to teach her and her daughters the last couple lessons. As the week went on we received sad news that they would be moving that Friday into the elders area :( And as of right now the only way of contact that we have with her is her cell phone that has been shut off, due to lack of money :( I know God will either put her in the missionaries path, or the missionaries in her path... I just hope it happens soon.

On Friday and Saturday I had an awesome exchange with Sister Tavu'i. She is from Australia and she is Polynesian, but she doesn't like Polynesians. haha Her dad is Samoan and her mom is German and they live in Australia. Crazy! We had a blast together and saw a lot of blessings as the day went on. They have a couple in their ward that are from Nevada and they are only here so the husband can go to the cancer center here. We went and visited them in the hospital. We had to dress up in all these aprons so we wouldn't get him sick. He had a tumor on the right side of his pelvic and a couple weeks ago they ended up moving not only the tumor, but that side of the pelvic bone and his right leg. During a very spiritual lesson on the atonement the spirit taught me that I have it pretty easy compared to this couple. They are so strong and I loved talking with them and hearing their testimonies on using the power of the atonement in their lives.

A couple weeks ago we had received a headquarters referral for a less active. We have stopped by numerous times to try and see him, but have had no luck. Saturday we were blessed to finally meet the family. They a newly wed couple as of a year, and the wife was actually baptized a month before they were married. Sadly they have both gone less active. But I am so excited to work with them. They were originally going to a Spanish ward, but now with the move they prefer English :) Now I get to practice my spanglish, and hopefully remember some Spanish :) The goal with them is to get them sealed in the temple in the next couple months. :) :)

We also got lucky to help out at the Juneteenth celebration of the freedom of the blacks here in Texas. It was a huge party with African drummers and inspirational speakers, and some good O'le Texa BBQ :) :) All the missionaries in our zone helped out and I talked to and relieved a lot of awesome referrals for the... of course... the elders. I believe that is my purpose in this area - to help out all the other missionaries to receive their elect. As long as the work is getting done I'm happy.

Emily's companion in the rain.

P.s. it's raining elephants and hippos here. I would say cats and dogs but they're not big enough to explain the rain storms here in Texas. Looks like we'll be spending some extra time in the library till the flooding goes down. :)

Well that's all folks. I love you mucho!!

Love,

Hermana Watkins

Shortest Email

This  email is going to probably be the shortest email you will ever receive from me.... I know you are all probably really happy about that :)

 

The email is going to be short because my brain is fried and I can't really think right now, and you probably wouldn't understand what I was trying to say any way.

 

The week was a good week. We are still working a lot with the members and trying to find those who are prepared. We have found that street contacting isn't the way God wants us to find the prepared here. At least we haven't seen any success in it. We find a lot of new people every day, but most of them end up dropping us after the first couple lessons. I am still trying to get how the work needs to be done here, but it's been fun getting to know a lot of different people and their situations.

This is how we knock on doors in the ghetto

Emily and baby Noah

 

For the rest of my email I am just going to talk a little about my area. The top part of my area is ghetto, and that is usually where we work. There are a lot of Southern Baptist and if they're not Baptist then they're atheist. Persecutions are a daily thing. Some people will even yell at you if you try and hand them a pass a long card. My area consist of mainly black people with some Hispanics mixed in. A lot of people either have 2-3 jobs or are medical support. Almost all the houses here where affected by hurricane Ike and they haven't had the money to fix the damages. I will send some pictures home of the ghetto parts. 

The ghetto of my mission

These are the gangsters of Sunnyside; they ride horses and drink.

The south part of my area is covered with mansions with people that don't know what to do with all of their money. So it's pretty interesting going from one part to the other. I don't think I want to live either life style. I know that all the people in my area and on this earth are children of our Heavenly Father, and know matter their living situations or what color their skin is, their Heavenly Father loves them all the same.

 

Real quick the family of six that we are working with are doing good. The mother Patrisha is really accepting to everything and is making a lot of good changes in her life. Just keep praying for them. They weren't able to come to church this week, but hopefully they can next week.

 

Love you all... sorry this email is random and short.

Have a wonderful week!

Hermana Watkins