Week Four - Sept. 19, 2016

Week Four - Sept. 19, 2016

So many dogs!

Hello,

Let me just start off by saying the longer I am here in Alaska, the prettier I realize it is.  It truly is one of the most beautiful places! The trees are all changing color and everywhere you look we are surrounded by mountains.  Pictures just do not do it justice!  The days are definitely starting to get shorter, and it seems to be getting darker earlier and earlier each night, which is hard to realize that before I know it, it will be dark pretty much all day.

This week was one of the hardest weeks but one of the most amazing weeks as well. The week started out pretty tough, to be honest.  On Tuesday, we went tracting and ran into a lot of people who just had really negative things to say to us.  Read Alma 30 and, word for word, that is what happened to us (except for the ending).  It was seriously the scariest thing ever.  It was just crazy to see how much has changed but what the scriptures talk about is still happening today.  It was a really good learning lesson, though.  After that, the rest of the week was a little tough. 

Sister Johnston, her companion

We're in an area where a lot of people come to get away from the world and to get away from people, and so it's been super hard finding people to teach.  So, we turned to the Lord for strength so much this week and just kept working.  When Saturday finally came, we were kind of at our breaking point, and so we received blessings, which was one of the coolest experiences I have ever seen.  The blessings were truly inspired, and we left there feeling so confident.  The next day we woke up, started fasting and went to church, and, one thing after another, everything we had been praying for was somehow answered.  It was the coolest thing to see the Lord answering our prayers right then and there.  We walked out of church just amazed at how many of our prayers were answered, and then throughout the day we just saw more and more blessings.  

I have such a strong testimony that Heavenly Father hears and answer every single one of our prayers.  He knows us individually and He knows our weaknesses and the things that we need.  We are never alone.  He is always there for us. I know that through His Atonement our weaknesses can become strengths.  Our feelings of inadequacy can be changed, and we can feel of His love.  Our relationship will grow stronger with Him and we will feel comforted.  I know that as we grow and understand the Atonement more, we realize how important it is to use the Atonement every single day.  It is one of my favorite things to share with people because when you really think about it, the Atonement is one of the most powerful things.  It is one of the greatest acts of love, and it really truly is one of the most comforting things to really know that, no matter what is going on, our Savior is there for us.  

 My Zone

We also had Zone Conference this week, and it was such a cool experience.  I was able to see Sister Cox and Sister Grieve, which made my week!  Sister Grieve gave a killer training, too!  It's fun getting to see her and having a familiar face up here!  She is the greatest and just such an amazing missionary.  I get to go on exchanges with her next week and I am seriously so stoked!  

Sister Cox

  Sister Grieve (also from Eagle, Idaho)

An exciting thing that happened for the week is a dog chased us, which was probably one of the scariest moments of my life.  Everybody has dogs up here--not cute ones, scary ones.  They all have these huge guard dogs and they are usually not on leashes or chained up.  We went to this less active’s house and their dog started chasing us.  I put my Book of Mormon out in front of me and said, “Stop,” and the dog just stopped.  So, all I have to say is the Church is true and the Book of Mormon is true.  I also ate my first sheep, and after tomorrow I will have eaten my first elk tongue, so wish me luck!  I love this place!  It really truly is beautiful up here, and the work is starting to pick up!  We have three new investigators, as of yesterday, and a baptism this week!  I love getting to share a message that is so true!  This Church is so true and I am so thankful for the opportunity I have to be one of the Lord’s servants.

Love you all and can't thank you enough for everything that you have done!  Have a great week!

Love Sister Lake