August 22nd

"I keep smiling cuz my philosophy is do your best and leave the rest to Fortuosity!"

What a crazy busy long week we have had. I never knew I could be so completely drained. Not just physically but physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, you name it, both Sister Naulu and I were completely drained. We had a very busy week. We taught Sister Sherwood everyday so we could get all the lessons in before she had her baptismal interview on Saturday! We taught so many lessons this past week and we walked around 2 days in the scorching hot sun or Arizona because our miles got cut and we don't want to go over, well we can't go over so we are trying to save on miles.
It was a great week though.

We taught all the lessons and commandments to Sister Sherwood last week and of course she was amazing and already knew everything and accepted every commandment and to obey everything. She is so legit! It is really cool! Several times we would be talking about something and then she would open up her Book of Mormon and say oh yeah like this scripture says and read a scripture that went along with what we were talking about. She wants to finish the Book of Mormon before her baptism. She reads like 10+ pages a day. She is really something! She had her baptismal interview on Saturday which she passed and that was really awesome! So we found out that she is a first for a lot of people. She will be my first baptism, she was our district leader, Elder Nuku's first interview, the Salt River Ward mission leader Bro. Davidson's first baptism, her husband is baptizing her and she will be his first baptism, and the list goes on. What a miracle it is and it is so great to see how happy and excited she is about everything having to do with the gospel. Yesterday we were talking about eternal marriage and the temple and she is so excited to go in a year's time. She wants Sister Naulu and I to both come. Super cool I'll still be here on my mission so I'll be able to come! I'm excited about that. It is going to be a really great baptism, she is so prepared! I love seeing how Heavenly Father prepares each of his children! Prepares each of us for what is to come in our lives. What a blessing it is to have the gospel!

Lupe Gapelu is also getting baptized on Saturday. We are going to have a busy Saturday. They are Tongan and yesterday they gave us some Tongan food. It is really delicious I will have to send some pictures if I get around to it today, if I have time to do so. They are such a sweet family.

Yesterday we had a lesson on service and Brother Smith from Park Crest Ward told us this quote that his dad has hanging in his foyer, it says something like "you love those you serve but not necessarily those who serve you" it is so true. I have found I have grown to love the people that I am serving and I have really grown to love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ so much as I have been serving them.

We had a really great lesson with Patrick Benjamin. He is 14 years old and he knows the church is true and knows Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet and to restore the church of Jesus Christ. It was great. His mom is an inactive member and no one else in his family are members. He is going to seminary and he loves it and he has been coming to church and attending all of the young men activities. It is really great to see what a testimony he already has at such a young age. His friends Max Clark also came to the lesson and we asked him to bear his testimony of Joseph Smith and The Book of Mormon. The spirit was so strong! We invited Patrick to be baptized on September 10, he said he would check with his family and the next time we meet with him he would let us know.

The Gospel is true. I know this is Jesus Christ's church on the earth and the only true church. I know I am an instrument in God's hands in bringing souls unto Christ. What a great blessing it is to be able to share and bear my testimony of the truths I have a knowledge of with people each and every day.

Sister Naulu and I get along really well and she has a strong testimony and a good spirit about her all the time and she doesn't get uptight about any of it. I love serving with her. It is so amazing to see how when we have the same purpose in mind we are more powerful in bringing more souls unto Christ. I love knowing that my purpose as a missionary is to invite others to come unto Christ. I can't force them, as much as I would love to make them understand and know these things are true, I can only invite them. They have their agency to choose. It is so important that we do our part as member's of Jesus Christ's church to share what we know with others who do not have the same knowledge. I know that it is possible and it is only possible through Jesus Christ and his help. He will guide us each and every day as we seek for his guidance and direction.

Love you all
Love always Sister JaNae Orton
Alma 29:9