8-27-12 Seipel Family/ Great Centerville 2nd Area

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!!! 

 the new district

 sister meier

The Seipels at church!!!!! 

8-20-12 Transferred and soon to be Training Already after only 3 months!!

DAD MOM RY RACHELLE LIZA EMMA and my many other loved ones

The pictures look GREAT!! What wonderful fun Powell must have been! Lake Powell is heaven on earth... right after the celestial room of the temple, obviously. Ben's mission farewell! And Rebecca's wedding! So many exciting things going on.

And guess what... I WAS TRANSFERRED!!!!!! I am no longer in Shirlington and Alex 1 with Sister Rozsa. But I am now serving in Centreville 2nd with Sister Meier! AND I'm white washing again!! We sisters have replaced the elders, so neither of us know the area or the investigators. White washing is great. I love it. And then again, its all I know haha. Sister Meier is a "mini missionary," or in other words - she is only serving for 3 months. Her family lives like 20 minutes away!! Weird huh! She hasn't been through the MTC, and she hasn't been trained. She's already been out for 2 months and she finishes the 12th of September.

AND guess what else! I will be training a temple square sister in about a week from now. So we will temporarily have a three some. Since temple square sisters don't have the opportunity to work out in the field, they send them out to different missions for about 3 months to give them the chance to find, teach, and baptize! I'm very excited.

     The ward is absolutley incredible and they loved the Elders before us. Hopefully we can gain the trust and love of the ward as they did. President Riggs has come up with this incredible new "commandment" for us missionaries. He has asked us to visit 10-15 members in the ward for an extended time, visiting each of them every week for about 5-15 minutes. We go, and we ask them something like "What revelation have you received from the Lord for us, your missionaires, to bless the lives of your family and neighbors?" Its pretty direct. We're also to visit the Bishop each week and ask him something like "What has the Lord revealed to you through the keys that you hold for us, the missionaries in your ward, to bless the lives of those in our ward and in our area?" Its been SOO cool to do! We have already seen some miracles from it, and President has promised that as we do this, we will break down the damn that slows our progress. I am so grateful for commandments! Commandments are God's way of blessing us. The things He asks us to do are so simple and so easy. And in return, He can pour blessings over our heads. He wants to bless us. He wants to give us more! We must seek for areas in which we can improve and strive constantly to change so that we can lay claim on EVERY blessing avaiable to us.

I've been given so many new responsibilities. Change is for the good tho. God does not ever want us to become stagnant. We must RECEIVE CHANGE. D&C 93:39 says that light and truth are taken away through disobedience and tradition. Without change there can be no growth. I am so grateful for change, for the pains that come with growing. There's a quotes that says - "God comfort us, not to make us comfortable, but to make us comforters." Comforting others and lifting others is not comfortable. Its the opposite. It requires selfless work and effort. And it can be challenging at times, but with God, we can do all things! I trust in Him and I praise Him. I love our Father in Heaven and I love my Savior.

LOVE, SISTER JEW

 Last ice cream with my lovely and forever friend Sister Rozsa

 Elder Hollings. From Vegas - he's really good at volleyball

Sister Meier!!

Goodbye to Jackie and Shirley. I love them so much!!!

 Goodbye to Patrick!

 Sara Muso, this incredible woman from Sudan who has abandoned her Muslim background to be Christian. She believes in the Book of Mormon and Christ, but can't be baptized or else she'd be killed. She's remarkable.

8-13-12 Traffic- It's like God is parting the Red Sea (for us on our bikes)

DAD MOM RY RACHELLE LIZA EMM and all my other loved ones!
Hello :) I love the city so much. Our schedule is always packed, always
having to cut meal times and study times short to squeeze everyone in. Its
incredible that it works - God surely micromanages. And its a miracle
really that we're still alive. [ Remember Julia and Sis Rozsa are on bikes]
 Its like God is parting the Red Sea of traffic for us and its remarkable. 
I am so grateful for all His incredible
children who listen to His gentle promptings and look before moving
forward, who see us and kindly wait to allow us to pass. I pray that He
blessed each of them abundantly for yielding to the Spirit and for serving
His missionaries!!! Transfers are this week....... we've been praying since
the beginning of this transfer that we'll stay together. But if not, God
knows far better than us where we need to be and who we need to be with. So
all is well. No fears :)

MELNEPHISSANT IS GOING TO THAILAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHH!!!! She
is going to be the greatest missionary!! I'm so happy for her. God is going
to work soo many miracles through her. I can't wait to hear all about them!

Ok, Bret Turner shared an amazing quote with me in one of his letters.
"Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightening
about shrinking so that others won't feel insecure around you. We were born
to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. Its not just in some
of us; its in everyone. And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from fear,
our presence automatically liberates others" - Marianne Williamson. How
beautiful.

It is so humbling to be part of these incredible ward families. There are
some remarkable members who are so willing and so actively participating
and doing all they can do to take part in God's work as missionaries. In
all reality, the members are crucial to this work. If everyone were like
the Slater family or like Michelle, so many more of God's precious children
would have the truth and be part of Christ's fold. I wish I had been more
aware. I wish I had lived up to my baptismal covenants and truly gave all
that He had given me to those around me. But the beauty of the
Atonement is, I can now and I don't ever have to stop! Fellowship and
welcome the investigators the missionaries bring to the ward. Open your
mouths and share with those you love and those you know that which you
treasure most!
Have you guys made any progress with Zach?? Our McDonalds friend? Invite
him over for family night! Or to church! Or something. Let him experience
this incredible gospel, give him the chance to come unto Christ too.

Had a great pass lesson with Elder Earnshaw. We were teaching this great
kid named Oscar.

LOVE, SISTER JEW JEPPSEN

Thank you for the package!!! The Blocks are GREAT!! I'll be sure to eat
them sparingly. BUT, if you send another package - be sure to SEND MINTS.
I'm good on popcorn, but for future packages, have apple cider and mints
always be a staple :) You're the best momdre.

                                                                       Stellamarie

                                                              We love the Slaters

                                                              Taneala is great.

                                                  Rudy came to a baptism.

                                   Troy got the priesthood!!! And his patriarchal blessing

8-6-12 What is it like to be around ourself? Christ sees our potential and loves us!! Do we do that to those around us?

DAD MOM RY RASH LIZA EMMA

Why hello my lovely bunch of cococuts - tweedeladee. Ok. So. What are we planning for momma's birthday?!?! Everyone. Get to thinkin cuz its comin in hot! My letter will be on its way shortly. The rest of you gang - get your pens goin and write her something personal and great. Whoever gets her to cry the hardest wins!! haha :)

Essam is back from Egypt! He's getting it. Slowly but surely. We watched Finding Faith in Christ with Him - and he cried throughout the entire thing. I love the Spirit! It was so powerful.

Almaz is great! Patrick is great! Taneala is great! Pat is great! Ray Royal is great! Darlene is great! Jackie is great! Biruk is great! Vicki and Troy are great and they are going to Vegas!! But I think their weekend is super crazy so they won't be able to visit.. Stellamarie is great! Rudy is great! Ash and Harry moved last week... Weeeep. Every single person is soooo amazing. They are all so different and so unique. And God loves each and every one of them are so precious and priceless to our Father in Heaven! What a privledge it is to know them and to be the instrument through which God gets to speak to His children.

This week, the questions I brought to church were these: What is it like to be around me? and... What was it like to be around Christ? Oh how marvelous it is to receive revelation from our Father in Heaven! I've been trying really hard to visualize the scriptures I read, to really look and see, to imagine what it must have been like to be there and to feel what they must have felt, in order to better understand why these people did what they did. So in Matthew 4:18-20 Peter and Andrew immediately left behind all that they knew, all that they were, to follow Jesus. Why? Picture it. What great love they must have felt! As I imagine my Savior, I cannot help but feel loved, safe and protected, comforted and lifted, empowered and strenghtened, full of peace and joy. I feel important and precious. Christ said to these men "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." Christ saw in these humble fishermen more than they saw in themseleves. He saw their divine potential. They were humble fishers, but He saw more in them, He saw what they could become through Him. That made me ponder. I am a full time representative of our Savior. You guys too, have "taken His name upon you" as part of the promises you made when you were baptized. We represent Jesus Christ. So do we see the dinive potential in all those around us? Do we, as His representatives, help them see all that they are? Do we beckon them to come unto our Savior so that they can become all that God sees in them?

No matter what Christ was doing, whether He was fasting and weak, whether He was traveling through a crowded multitude, whether He was eating or resting, He never hesitated to serve and to help those around Him. He always was looking out and reaching out. He was never too busy or too tired to lift and heal those around Him. Never did He serve unwillingly or resentfully. He gave all that He had, willingly and cheerfully, making those who He served feel the great love He had for them, making them feel how important and precious they were to Him. Peter and Andrew trusted Him. And as Christ's children, we must do the same.

Biggest McDonald's ice cream cone ever Saturday night. The manager loves us and just downpoured the icecream!! He was heavensent

Someone - tell Alyssa Fro to write me!! What's going on with her life?! I don't have her address!! Tell her I love her. Also, hello Bret Turner! Your letters make me oh so very happy.

Ryan, a request - please send a letter edumacating me all about the Masons. I've been trying to tell people what I remember - of which is very limited and probably not true in the slightest. So, to save me from spreading lies about the Masons, the world (aka Sister Rozsa) would deeply appreciate it if you would teach us their ways :) thanks

I LOVE YOU DEARLY

SISTA JULIA

7-30-12 All are Precious to God/ Patrick Came to Church!!!

DAD MOM RY RASH LIZA EMMA and my MANY other loved ones who may or may
not be reading this..
I love you all! Soo very much. And you guys are in lake powell!!!
AHHH!! How is it? Gosh, I love powell so much. It is impossible to go
to lake powell and deny that God lives. It just makes no sense at all.
And if you did, you'd just go 'straight to jail' slash outer darkness
haha. It is so beautiful and so perfect! Tell me about all the
adventures!

MELISSA'S PAPERS ARE IN?!?!?! AHHHH!!! ODALLALLY!! Tell her she needs
to email me as soon after she opens her call as possible! And to send
me a letter haha. I won't be able to email her back, but I'll write
her. And Lexi??? Are hers in?! She and Ash and Trev look as happy as
clams over there in Fiji!! Fiji right? Or Tahiti? Africa? ... or maybe
it's Guatemala? haha jk. I know its not that :)

You guys. This work is so marvelous. I have witnessed countless
miracles. I wish it were possible to tell them all to you, but there
is no way. Patrick, Troy, Michelle, and we sister missionaries all
gathered at Bishops's house on Wednesday. Patrick laid out all his
concerns, everything that was holding him back. And it was incredible.
He was surrounded by people with whom he trusts and loves and with
whom he has developed deep connections with. Their testimonies, their
experiences, and their words were divinely sent and exactly what
Patrick needed to hear. He's still hesitatnt tho. He's afraid and he
wasn't ready to commit to being baptized even tho its what he knows he
needs to do "eventually".
Then on Friday, we had another lesson with Patrick - but this time at
the Slaters home. Brother and Sister Slater were there, along with
their son who had just landed in America two hours earlier, returning
home from serving a full time mission in Madagascar!! It was
remarkable. We talked about how Christ has shown us the way, that He
has so plainly and clearly shown us exactly what we need to do to
return home. Patrick has faith, and he has repented. But he hasn't
been baptized by God's priesthood authority and he hasn't received the
gift of the Holy Ghost. And thus, he cannot "endure to the end" because
he's not even on the road to get there yet. Everything we said,
everything the Slaters said, it was all from God. God loves Patrick so
very much and through us, He told Patrick everything that he needed to
hear. As he read Mosiah 24:13-15 he said he felt that God was telling
him that in order to fulfill "his mission" (to build homes for
impoverished people in third world countries) he needed to follow
Christ and go on the path laid out before him. I wish I could tell you
all the details on this lesson. I wish I could tell you the details of
every lesson! Oh and guess what... PATRICK CAME TO CHURCH!! AHHHH!!!
HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!! But really, praise the Lord.

Each investigator, each person is so precious to our Father in Heaven.
And through us, He speaks to them. Through us He comforts them and
shows them the light. They just need to look. Helaman 5 is such an
incredible chapter. Go read it. I love it so much. There are so many
around us who are lost in "the cloud of darkness." They are filled
with fear and are unable to move forward, literally damned, not able
to progress. But if we look to the Lord, others will see the light in
our faces. By our example and by our bold yet gentle invitation, to
"turn and look," others will look too. They will be filled with the
"unspeakable joy" and peace, filled with the burning fire of the Holy
Ghost as they look to our Savior. Look. Invite. We know the way! So
show those around you. Lift them, help them see, invite them,
encourage them, support them, love them, and plead with them. God is
pleading. Plead with Him.

Sunday was exhausting. We woke up to find many missed calls from
Taneala, our wonderful investigator who is homeless and has been
living at the Bailey CrossRoads shelter. We called her back and she
told us she left the shelter and had to sleep on the streets last
night. She wouldn't give us the details, but she asked that we find
someone to take her in to their home. Sister Rozsa and I were lost. We
had no idea what we should do. We love Taneala and we know that God
loves her. But to ask the ward members to take her in is just far too
great of a request. We were really weighed down and at a loss of what
we should do, but we knew God was with us. He would not fail us nor
forsake us. He had gone before us and was micromanaging our lives. The
weight was lifted. With the counsel of our incredible Bishop, we helped her
search craigslist to find rooms for her to rent . And it was
wonderful to see Taneala take charge. To do all that she could do to
help. We wanted her to take responsibilty, to take control - and she
did! . And God is so great to guide us!  

Patrick came to Church!!!!

Sister Rozsa and I were exhausted. Its hard to describe just how spent we 
were and there is far more I'd have to tell to be able to explain why, but we were dead. 
We just wanted to go out and work. To find and to teach. And God so mercifully
allowed us to, and we found some incredible people! Oh how great is our God!
His love is infinite. His power is matchless. His wisdom is boundless.

I love each and every one of you so dearly. With all my heart.
Sister Julia Jeppsen

7-22-12 "I'm Flying"(Essam) Talking about God + McDonalds Ice cream cone = Heaven

DAD MOM RYAN RASH LIZA EMMMMMMA

Hello my wonderful family :) Emma dong, tell me the details about EFY!
What did you learn!! Share with me your knowledge!!! And Liza, write
me back!!!
God is surely a God of MIRACLES. So this week, we were bikin around
(as usual) and we stopped to talk to this man waiting at the bus stop.
His name is Essam. He's from Egypt, has a sweet mustache, and was (and
always is) dressed in this delux suit. Well his bus came and he had to
leave before we could set up an appointment or get his number. BUT, he
actually texted US!! Which never happens. So we set up an appointment
for the next morning. He's a big talker, he loves to talk. He was
raised Muslim but he is very open and eager to learn. As we started to
share the First Vision, he interrupted, describing how incredible and
happy he was feeling haha. Once we finished, we asked him how he was
feeling. He paused and said "I'm FLYING!!" He tried to put to words
the incredible feeling of angels lifting his heart :) The Spirit is
incredible. God is incredible. We taught him again and set up a ride
for him to come to church. But, on Saturday we received multiple texts
from him, telling us that his mother passed away. He was desperately
trying to get out of work and fly back to Egypt. He told us how he had
no one to talk to but us. He just moved to America 3 weeks ago, his
wife and son died 7 years ago in a car accident, and he knows no one
here. God cleared our schedule (Biruk canceled his appointment) and
Michelle drove us to his house so we could leave him cookies. We
called him and he was crying. He expressed his deep grattitude to God
for our friendship, for placing us in his life so that we could offer
him the support he needs. We promised him that as he turned to the
Book of Mormon, he would be filled with peace and assurance that his
mother was with God now.

Had a lesson with Patrick this week and Troy came!! It was his first
lesson as the newest member in our ward :) and it was remarkable.
Troy's testimony seems to be that of a general authority! He was
teaching Patrick things that we didn't even teach him! Patrick will be
baptized. He says over and over that he knows its true and that this
is what he needs to do, but he just isn't sure if he's willing to make
all the sacrifices yet, if he's ready to make this covenant with God.
We're having a lesson this week and he wants to lay out all his
concerns so we're very excited!!

Troy did an iron man this weekend. No big deal. And he went to the
Sacred Grove on his way home today :) He's the best.

Ash is great! He's 25 years old and originally from Bengladesh. I love
teaching him. He has so many questions and it's so wonderful because
we have the answers! We have the gospel! We have the truth! God is so
gracious to give us the truth so that we can have hope in this life.

President Riggs is absolutely amazing. I wish I could explain just how
bright he radiates the Savior's love! And he is a master scriptorian.
He KNOWS the scriptures and he loves them. He is so inspiring. So, a
repeating theme that he has been teaching us is accessing God's grace.
In Ether 12:27 and D&C 104:79-80, the formula for grace is FAITH +
HUMILITY + DILIGENCE. With the grace of our Savior, anything is
possible.

I love you guys. I really do. I can't possibly put into words how
grateful I am for you and for all that God has given me. I am in awe
when I try to consider all that He has given me.
Whatever I recieve, I'll give
LOVE SISTER JUICE

The Zone

 Rudy (El Salvador) We love him. He is becoming brighter and
brighter every visit. He can't deny the Spirit. He's been reading and
praying and has noticed a remarkable difference in how much happier he
is, and how much more positive life is!

 Ash!! (Bengladesh) He is so wonderful. Sister Rozsa and I went to
NINE HOURS of church this week, ten if you count the breaks between
wards. Ash slept through the other wards, so we found him a ride to
the 3:00 service and stayed with him til the end. Worth every second!!

 Michelle Wright is the greatest member missionary. She comes with
us to teach ALL the time. We can always rely on her. She definitely is
"high heeled and low maintenance" member as Elder Maxwell teaches us
that we should be
Saturday night was the first time Sister Rozsa and I taught someone on
the street while licking our ice cream cones :) It was GREAT! Talking
about God + McDonalds ice cream cone = Heaven

 Some sweet black man - Leroy Lightning.

 Essam!!! (Egypt) We love him and his mustache so very much

7-15-12 Troy's INCREDIBLE Baptism! / Blessings are Great!

DAD MOM RYAN RACHELLE LIZA EMMA!!

Oh my goodness gracious. The baptism was INCREDIBLE!!!! AHHHH!!!! Troy is soo great! And he has the gift of the Holy Ghost now :) My heart is so very full! I'm... leaking! {:D (the Grinch) lol. After he was baptized, Troy shared his conversion story. Oh how divinely prepared was he - being "nudged by degrees" until he found he had come a full180 degrees! His whole life, 28 years, God has been preparing him forth is moment. It was after our first lesson with him, when we asked him to offer the prayer when the Spirit flood him "like a tidal wave". He said that never before had he been found speechless, trembling in humility as he opened his heart completely to God. With "open eyes andan open heart," he bore a powerful testimony of the Book of Mormon, declaring its words to be "timeless." In closing he boldly and so faithfully declared, "I am a witness to God's plan!" It was incredible. The Spirit was soo thick and so piercing! And not only wasthe room packed with members to support him, but there were 4 other sets of missionaries with multiple investigators with them, and Patrick and Taneala were able to come too! This is exactly what Patrick needed. He soaked it in, leaning forward, ever so intently listening to every word, jaw dropped in awe. Patrick is wonderful! He really has this incredible gift to connect with everyone he meets. He made so many divinely appointed connections and relationships that night too, so many people God wanted him to meet so that they can inspire him and support him in his conversion. Patrick even went to dinner with Troy and Vicki and the whole gang afterward too! Gosh, this was perfect for him.So I received some remarkable revelation at church today. My questionI had was: How do I turn my gaze outward and be selfless like Christ and like my Dad and Mom? I felt prompted to study the life of Christ, likening His life to myself to Him as I usually do with the Book of Mormon. I was directed to John 6:5-14 and read the miracle of feeding 5 thousandwith 5 loaves and 2 fishes. It was incredible! To open my eyes and look, to see my Savior give all that He received (the 5 loaves and 2 fish) to others - and as He did so, God gave Him enough to feed the thousands. We too must give all that we receive. And in turn we will receive even more, just as Christ collected the 12 baskets of leftover bread. We then will have even more to give away and we'll be able to give more abudantly because we've received more. It's like a never ending and expanding spiral upward! And this applies to the littlest of things He blesses us with (like a $25 gift card to Subway Ray gave us), to the greatest of gifts we've been given (like our family's being sealed for eternity). This is my lifelong goal: Whatever I receive, I will give. When God blesses me with strength, I will give all my strength to serve another. When God blesses me with revelation, I will give and share all that He has revealed unto me to bless and strengthen others. When God gives me energy, when God gives me time, when God gives me food, when God gives me a bike, when God gives me joy, or protection, when God succors, comforts, heals, or forgives me, when God gives, I will give all that He has given me to bless and serve, to love and lift, to comfort and lift another. For that is what our Savior would do. That is what we have promised to do at baptism -to mourn with those that mourn, to comfort those that stand in need of comfort (Mosiah 18:8-10) God has given us life eternal, He has given us His son, He has given us this incredible gospel, so we must "waste and wear out our lives," giving all that we have to bless His children (D&C 123:12-17) I love each and every one of you so dearly. You are in my prayers and forever in my heart. God has given me you, my precious and most treasured family. And now I have the chance to give up my family sothat the people in Virginia can have family's like ours, divinely protected, full of love, and eternal. In return, God is blessing our family greatly, our family will be even more abundantly blessed, protected, strengthened, and happy! And its already happening! Your letters inspire me to work even harder, to give even more - because you guys are being watched over and lifted and I am forever grateful to God. 

Love Sister Julia

 TROY!! BAPTISM!! OODALALLEY!

 Mubarak (he's from Saudi Arabia and he is wonderful, so sweet and
so sincere. he's going home for a month, but he so badly wants to be
taught more when he returns)

Patrick is simply wonderful. He went around saying "I know this is
right, I know this is what God wants me to do" all night at the
baptism :)

Troy and his devout followers. They were literally in awe.

 McDonalds = place of many miracles (we went everyday this week in
honor of Troy's baptism)