DAD MOM RY RASH LIZA DONG and all my other loved ones who may or may not be reading this
LEXI'S GOING TO MISSOURI!!!!!!!! :D I am SOO EXCITED!! She is going to be an incredible missionary, and so is Melissa! I am forever grateful that God sent us to Boulder City, for without those two and without all the wonderful people in our ward and city, I don't think I would have ever made it out here. It really is such a sacred and privileged opportunity to serve a mission, to have this chance to give every bit of ourselves to God! Lexi and Melissa are going to see so many miracles, because they rely on our Savior, they allow Him to change and purify them. I am so grateful for their examples. God is so wonderful! I have Him to thank, for sending His beloved Son that we might be able to improve and progress. Because of Him, each of us are able to discover the glory of God within us, each and every day.
Oh and Mark Jorgi - I am absolutely honored that you have called me by the blessed name of "Katniss - the girl on fire"!!! Bahaha I cannot even begin to describe how happy that made me lol. You're great!
I love Sister Meier! Sooo MUCH! She's wonderful and I am very grateful that God allowed me to be her companion. The new temple square sister comes Wednesday!! Oodallaley! I love this area. Centerville 2nd consists of lots of BIG houses, lots of town homes, some apartments, and a little bit of high class, wealthy country. Its very different from Shirlington (which was straight city). But I love it just as much! It is so incredible because we get to teach lots of families! We get to share with them the incredible promise of eternal families, they can be sealed for eternity!! I am so grateful for my family, for each and every one of you. How blessed we are that God placed us into our precious family. How blessed are we that we don't ever have to be separated, that we can and we will be together forever!! I love you so much. With all my heart.
SOO MANY MIRACLES!!! The Seipel family (pronounced like disciple, but without the duh). Sharon and John are the parents of Sam (who died 3 years ago), Johnny, Sandra, and Angela. Johnny doesn't sit in on the lessons, and Sandra has been out of town since we got here, but Angela, Sharon, and John are so receptive and great! Sam's death was really hard on them, especially Sharon. They kinda just let the house fall apart and lost all desire to move forward. They live out in the country and their house has just been overpowered by weeds and junk. They have horses, two dogs, and about a gazillion cats. When we first met Sharon, she was drunk, but we set up a time to return to teach her, John, and Angela. The lesson was interesting as Sharon and John argued and fought through the entire thing... but the Spirit was still there, between the arguments. We found out that Angela had just turned 12 and they were planning on throwing her a big birthday party - of which required LOTS of work to get their home looking somewhat presentable. How divinely inspired this all was, for we eagerly offered to come help! We came twice last week, helping them weed and clean, teaching them a little and reading with them from the Book of Mormon each visit. Then God inspired us to gather a group of youth to come help! Our ward is GREAT! So many willing young men and women came to help along with some adults!! And It was so cool. We got there and it was raining. But that didn't stop anyone. They got to work and Sharon was in awe! And 10 minutes in, the rain cleared and Sharon pulled me aside and said - God answered my prayer!! I asked that it would stop raining and it did!! Of course it was raining for a reason - so God could answer her prayer! So she could know that He loves her and is listening. So the missionaries before us have never been able to get them to come to church, but they came!! John couldn't make it cuz he had work, but he promised to come next time. Oh they are so great you guys. They're hilarious. Satan was definitely trying to keep them from coming, their car was dead and their GPS wasn't working. But she was so determined to come. She was like, "I had to come, for you guys - AND for me." And God surely does micromanage. The entire meeting was about families and how they are eternal, and when our families are founded on our Savior, we are blessed and strengthened and united. Sharon was crying. :) Then after Sacrament meeting, the ward just enveloped them into their arms. All the youth came and talked with them. The adults came and talked with Sharon. They felt so loved and so important. This surely is Christ's church!! Oh how privileged I am to be able to witness this. God's love is matchless and boundless!
It has been incredible, to watch them progress so much so quickly!! Not only do we get to help this wonderful family weed and clean up their home, but we get to help them weed and clean up their lives. This gospel is changing them. Our Savior is changing them and transforming them. This work is so exciting!
The birthday party is today, so I'll send pictures next week.
This week, I've been reading 3 Nephi. I love these chapters. How sacred they are! When Christ is killed and the people are left in a thick darkness, they were empty and lost, left in misery and suffering. I was trying to imagine what that must have been like. Its like what you were saying Dad, to imagine life without our Savior. The people were mourning, and howling, and weeping continually, it must have been awful! Without our Savior, there would be no joy, no light, no progression. We would be damned, stopped in our misery, filled with fear, hatred, anger, sorrow. We would be lost without Him. How grateful I am for our Savior! We can be free from the chains of the devil and lifted high in joy and peace and light!
I've been thinking and studying a lot about the Holy Ghost. And 3 Nephi 11 so beautifully portrays this incredible gift from our Father in Heaven. As we do the things that draw us near to God - as we gather together at the temple, as we marvel and wonder one with another, conversing about our Savior, then God will communicate to us through the Spirit. He doesn't yell at us harshly or loudly, but he quietly and gently speaks to us. Its a powerful feeling, but quiet, causing our hearts to burn. It brings feelings of love, joy, peace and hope. It is so important to learn how the Spirit communicates to us personally and individually! I am so grateful for you Mom, for teaching me at such a young age. I remember sitting with our scriptures and praying with each other, asking God questions and then listening, feeling in my heart the Spirit and His guidance. You walked me through the wondrous pattern of receiving revelation simply and slowly. And now is the time I get to share with others what God, through you, so graciously gave to me! You taught me how to "open my ears to hear and my eyes toward the sound thereof" to "steadfastly look towards heaven" in order to understand God's will.
Christ is beckoning us to "ARISE and COME forth unto Him... and FEEL... that ye may know that I am" It is through the Holy Ghost that we can come to know our Savior. We must arise and come unto Him. Look to our Savior, and FEEL!! Ask for more revelation, for there is so much to be had! And listen, turn your ears and your eyes to heaven and ye shall receive! And how grateful I am for this opportunity to walk with these precious children of our Father in Heaven, to teach them the sacred truths that I have been taught.
I love you all, so much! With all my heart. God is great!
LOVE, SISTER JULIA JEPPSEN (aka Shepherd... Sharon for some reason thinks that's my last name haha she can never remember)
P.S. Miracles are still happenin in Shirlington too!! Pat came to church!!!!!!!!! AHHH!!!!!!!! And so many other miracles, I'll tell another time. :) THIS IS GOD'S WORK!!!
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| the new district |
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| sister meier |
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| The Seipels at church!!!!! |
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