Miracles, mountains, MLC and lots of other cool things...

What a week!

I got to go on an exchange with Sister Woolsey, who just came out this transfer!  She is such a gem and is already such an amazing missionary.  It was fun, once again, we just did a TON of knocking on doors and such.  We found a few potentials, now the trick is getting in to see them. :) 

We taught Riley again and he's doing pretty swell!  He didn't come to church even though he said he really wanted to, so that was a big bummer, but hopefully this week.  We invited him to be baptized and we'll be setting a date this week! 

We had our Mission Leadership Council meeting and man it was so enlightening and such a big slap in the face with a slice of humble pizza.  (my favorite kind of pizza btw) President gave trainings on becoming better teachers and we had some AWESOME revelation come and it was just amazing all around.  It was also my year mark and so many of my bff's from the MTC were there and it was just super cool to see how much we have all grown.  

We went to see a less active, Laurie, and her nonmember boyfriend, Steve on Friday night!  (oh and we totally biked there....trying to save on klicks so we're doing some biking in our area....:)) but it was INCREDIBLE!!  Sister Howard and I accidentally didn't have a lesson plan for them because we randomly had the inspiration to go see them, and we get in and Sister Howard looks at me like...what are we sharing?? and I just look at her like....i don't know whatever the spirit gives us!  In my head, I had thought of a specific mormon message, but didn't say anything yet.  As we started teaching them, we just got some of Steve's background and what not, and I look down at Sister Howard's ipad, and she had opened the same mormon message that came to my mind earlier!!!  #spiritofunity It was pretty cool.  We shared it and had an amazing lesson and the spirit just hit me so hard that we needed to invite them to take the lessons together and THEY ACCEPTED!!!  We're going back tonight. :) Pray for them please!

We got to volunteer at HERITAGE DAYS!!! which is the greatest thing ever, it happens annually and they have a ton of tents set up from different countries selling cool cultural things and the best part FOOD.  I ate a Jamaican beef patty which made me feel like a dragon because my mouth was ON FIRE.  but it was oh so good.  Canadians don't do spicy so it's a tender mercy when we can eat spicy food.  But we volunteered with the food bank and collect donations from people, I got to talk to some pretty awesome people and it was all in all a good day.  In the morning it POURED on us for about an hour, so that was an adventure.  

Aaaand yesterday we got to go to JASPER!!!!!!!!!!  the most beautiful place on the planet.  Okay, I don't know, but it was BREATHTAKING.  I haven't seem mountains in like....a whole year!!! I'll try to send some pics because man it was unbelievable. President lets each missionary go once while on the mission.  The Larsen's took us along with the Rainbow Valley sisters, sister Warr and sister Rasmussen. :)  I honestly just felt the spirit so strongly as we were overlooking the beauties of God's creation and it just made me so grateful.  

okay so i had this incredible epiphany in my studies the other day i just have to share!

I was reading Alma 36, where Alma is telling his son, Helaman, his conversion story and he just testifies so boldly of the atonement.  Before his experience, Alma had been one of the "most vilest of sinners".  After his soul has been "racked with eternal torment, harrowed up and racked with his sins," he says this,

"...in fine so great had been my iniquities, that the very thought of coming into the presence of my God did rack my soul with inexpressible horror. Oh, thought I, that I could be banished and become extinct both soul and body, that I might not be brought to stand in the presence of my God, to be judged of my deeds."

After calling out to the Lord for his mercy...

 19 And now, behold, when I thought this, I could remember my pains no more; yea, I washarrowed up by the memory of my sins no more.

 20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!

 21 Yea, I say unto you, my son, that there could be nothing so exquisite and so bitter as were my pains. Yea,and again I say unto you, my son, that on the other hand,there can be nothing so exquisite and sweet as was my joy.

 22 Yea, methought I saw, even as our father Lehi saw,God sitting upon his throne, surroundedwith numberless concourses of angels, in the attitude of singing and praising their God; yea, and my soul did long to be there.

i had never realized how much Alma had to change so that after being horrified to go back into God's presence, he longed to be there.  Only the atonement can change a heart that way.  Only the atonement of Jesus Christ can change our desires, our behaviors, our natures.  I have come to find that using the atonement is not a one time thing, it's something we must do every single day, many times a day, so that we can progress in our Heavenly Father's great plan.  No matter how much we have already changed or haven't changed, the atonement is for each and every one of us.  I sometimes think that because i have already grown so much on my mission and have come so close to the Saviour that I don't need to progress anymore, but the reality of it is that "all nations, kindreds, tongues and people, must be born again; yea, born of God,changed from their carnal and fallen state, to a state of righteousness, being redeemed of God, becoming his sons and daughters;"

We all need a Saviour.  And we all have one.  I love this gospel with all my heart! Don't give up and remember that you have a Saviour who has already suffered for you to be able to return back into his presence, and for you to have eternal joy.  I know it!

Onward, ever onward.

Sister Jones  ️