Erin e-mailed us for the first time today.  She in in Elkhorn with Sister Christensen.  She also sent some photos from the Missionary Training Center, in the mission home and in the field. They are in or after her letter.

 

 

Hello !!

Here I am in Mattheson Library at Elkhorn Wisconsin, emailing you! Wow there is so much to say....It's going great. Being on a mission is hard. Hard hard work. Its emotional, physical and mentally draining. But SO WORTH IT.

 

Erin and Sister Christensen are in Elkhorn.

My trainers name is Sister Christensen and she is so wonderful. I am learning so much from her everyday. Its overwhelming the mass of information you learn on a mission. I can understand why people say DONT WASTE A MINUTE OF IT! Its such precious time. I love it though. I really do. There are always those moments when you just cry and ask yourself why you are here but the answer is always clear. Always. I'm here because I know this church is true. I know how this gospel can bless lives. I've seen it in my own. I love my Savior and I know this is were I'm meant to be.

 



Mission President and Sister Jones with Erin

So Sister Christensen and I are opening an area!!! How exciting right! We have to start completely fresh. Nothing in the area book or anything. So we spend a lot of our day tracting, trying to find people. One day when we were tracting we felt like our efforts were being wasted. People are really nice here and will talk but doesn't mean they will talk our message to heart. And thats where it really matters. We speak the words to their ears but the Holy Ghost carries the message to their heart. I have a testimony of that.

 

So we didn't know what to do. So we decided to pray. We felt like it was right to keep tracting. The very next door we knocked on was Carl's. Right when he opened that door, that spirit whispered to me that this man needs the gospel. The spirit was so strong when we spoke to him. When we were speaking to him, the line from my Patriarchal blessing came to my mind so clearly. That I will be able to teach in a way to touch the spirit of fathers...etc. Carl is a father of two daughters. He was touched and didn't even know what to say. But we have a return appointment on Tuesday! Its amazing how the Lord works.

 

I have seen so many tender mercies everyday here. Its hard tracting but honestly, even talking to people on their doorstep touches their lives. They might not be willing to hear the gospel from us but it softens their heart and maybe the next time they will be willing to hear from someone else! It is so humbling being a missionary. It really is. Its a blessing to be humbled. (I know weird hearing that from me). But the Lord softens my heart everyday in ways only that would touch me.

 

I love having time to study the scriptures in depth. It is amazing. I DONT HAVE ENOUGH TIME THOUGH! I seriously could sit there for hours studying haha. Today I studied about faith. I love studying about that. Faith is honestly the core of everything. When you understood true doctrine the only intelligent thing to do is to have faith in Jesus Christ. It is the only thing that makes sense. Faith and hope play hand in hand, one cannot be without the other. And that leads to charity, the pure love of Christ.

 

I have limited time and I still have to email others!! I love you all so much!!! I pray for you everyday!

Love your sister missionary,

Erin Michelle <3

 

 

 

Click on the photos below for an enlarged view:

Amazing to think that I pointed to that map over 30 years ago; and so did her brothers Ryan, Justin and Christoper within the past few years.
 

 

 

 

With Trevor Alder and Andrew Whitmak from the Scranton Stake





Erin and her MTC companion







She was never good at doing her wash!

 

Erin left for her mission to Wisconsin on the morning of April 30, where she would spend 2 weeks in Utah at the Missionary Training Center. 

 

We took her to the Lehigh Valley Airport at about 4:45 a.m. Tears were shed, words of encouragement were spoken; but she was excited to go.

 



Last family portrait for 18 months.

 

After nearly a week we received the letter below.  We also talked to her on the phone on Monday, May 13, when she was at the Salt Lake Airport getting ready to fly to Wisconsin with her district of 25 including 15 sister missionaries!

 

 

Hi!!

My first week has been awesome! The MTC is hardwork but so fun! I love my comp. I'm in the MTC and the days are long and demanding. I don't even have time to think about anything but learning how to invite others to Christ. I'm learning so much and the spirit comes in such great power here. When you think about it, everyone here is worthy. Well I hope they are!!

 

This church is so true. I see it more everyday. It amazes me. This message I'm set apart to share will change lives for eternity. It is such a privilege to be a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ.

 

The third day of the MTC I was really struggling. I felt so inadequate. That night after pleading with the Lord to help me to feel His love and help me to rely on Him fully, an overwhelming feeling of my Heavenly Father's love came over me. It was amazing. And then I had the distinct impression that me struggling, is helping me rely on Him and making me grow as an individual.

 

I knew then that my Savior would be beside me every step of the way to help me on this journey! What a comfort! The fact that this glorious being would be willing to help me. There is so much peace that comes with this Gospel. I can't wait to share it with the people of Wisconsin! Thank you for the birthday package!!! It was wonderful!! I loved it! I think everyone in the MTC sang happy birthday to me hahaha. My comp told everyone it was my birthday and made me put that birthday thing on the back of my chair everywhere I went haha. It was fun:). I love my district and all the people here. Everyone is so kind.

I'm trying to forget myself these 18 months but I'm still a work in progress. Thats for sure. But with the Lord on my side, anything is possible! These 18 months are the Lord's not mine and I intend to keep it that way.

 

Thank you so much for all your support. I love you all so much! Give everyone my love. I am so grateful for such an amazing family in my life. I miss you all but I am exactly where I need to be.

Love,

Sister Zebley