May 9, 2017 "Blessings of the Liberty Jail"

Blessings of the Liberty Jail

Hello family!!!! 

so this week was crazy because it was TRANSFER WEEEEEK!!! 

SO. Tuesday afternoon, I got a call from President Vest saying that I had been called as the Sister Training Leader at the Historic Liberty Jail! 

From that call, I knew exactly where I was going and who I was with! So there was no transfer anxiety from that moment forward!

What was nice too is I didnt even have to pack, I just moved to the adjoining bedroom in the same house! 

Sadly I did have to leave the celestial ward of Liberty 1st. And now I am serving in the Doniphan ward! (named after Alexander Doniphan for you history buffs;)) 

My companion is Sister Rice. She is from Boise, ID and this is her last transfer. She is a HOOT hahah she likes to have fun and be crazy, so we have a good time :) 

The members in the ward are super cool and chill. Doniphan is like WAY nice though. It is worse than Blue Springs in being rich and somewhat snotty. So knocking doors is completely pointless. 

But we have dinner at these big mansions and so thats crazy. 

Sadly, the ward hasnt had a convert baptism in over a year. 

BUT WE WILL CHANGE THAT! 

We have the vision of working with a ton of the youth and getting them to be missionary minded because their friends are going to be the goldmine. 

And it paid off!! Sunday we had 5 investigators at sacrament meeting!!! That is like a world record for Doniphan. We were so pumped!!! Because one teenage kid we had taught a lesson to, invited 2 of his friends to church and they both stayed the whole time and loved it!!! :)) 

It has been kind of crazy making the transition though. Not too crazy, just hard because I JUST made this transition and now I have to meet people all over again and tell people my name is Sister Bleak like Steak. (I literally said that over the pulpit on fast an testimony sunday lol)

It was sad saying goodbye to all the people we were teaching, and to the amazing ward members. It is hard to go from a ward that is so amazing, to a ward that is a little bit on the struggle bus for missionary work. They are sweet and care about the missioanries... but lowkey care more about money. But we just need to harness their potential and get things going! 

But I am excited for the opportunity! And to work with all the sisters, whom I already love so much! 

It will definitely be a growing transfer for me, and as much as there is no comfort in the growth zone, I love it. It drives me to rely on my Heavenly Father more, and helps me to become the person God knows I can be. 

I wanted to share a couple experiences from the weekend though, because basically my head was swimming. There is so much expected of you, and so much you have to learn, coming into this area, and I was just like blindly following Sister Rice around. 

There was a day shortly after transfers that I was feeling slightly overwhelmed and just had my head spinning around with everything that was going on. It had been a long busy day and we were coming on shift. It had slowed down for the evening and after a little while of having no one, a group of a married couple and their parents came in. They didn't talk a lot, but I could tell that they were really listening intently and were receptive to the Spirit. For no huge reason, But probably due to their receptiveness, as well as the fact that we were the only ones there in the quiet evening, I felt the spirit especially strong with them. 

I had invited them to think about the times in their lives when they have looked desperately to the Lord for strength and what it was like to receive that strength. I had so many thoughts going through my head as we listened to the last narration, and thought of those times I had felt that way. My heart was filled with this gratitude for the power of prayer and for the example of Joseph Smith. After I bore my testimony at the end, one of the sweet older ladies asked me, "now tell us what this has done for you." 

I had never been asked that! But it gave me the opportunity to be completely real with them in talking about he experiences I have had and how I have learned lessons from Liberty Jail that I've applied to my life. It was a tender mercy to have that opportunity. Truly I am grateful to serve here; it makes the church history and especially the Prophet as a person all the more real to me. 

That night, on one else came in, and so I took some time to study by myself in the Rotunda. (where they have the jail) 

I sat right on the edge of the jail and read, pondered, and prayed. 

Looking into the jail and truly letting it sink in that that is where the Prophet was. 

I started to think about him as like a real person who had these real experiences (because sometimes they seem novel) But I wanted to make it real for myself. 

Being there, the spirit was almost tangible. And I had an experience that really helped me to understand those events so much better. 

The spirit testified to me of the very real fear and lonliness Joseph Smith must have felt. 

In my life I have felt fear, and anxiety, and lonliness. And I hate how that feels! I could sympathize with him to some extent. But then I thought of the revelation he received while there.

Think of it: God spoke unto him these words, "My son, peace be unto thy soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt triumph over all thy foes." 

Imagine the peace that must have flooded over Joseph Smith as he had those words impressd upon him. 

As I thought of Joseph Smith, just as he was, I was reminded of Jesus Christ. 

The spirit then testified to me of the very real peace we feel from our Savior Jesus Christ. He is the only one who offers that peace. 

I know of the very real times in my life when I have relied on this peace to get me through. Sometimes we can get worked up with the woes of life and its very easy to get anxious and overwhelmed. But when we remember Christ, and what He did for us... how He has been there before, and offers us peace, that can enable us and enlighten our lives, helping us to go on. 

I know I wouldnt make it through my mission without this peace.

I am so grateful to serve at the Liberty Jail!!

There is literally no place like it! This is the most unique opportunity I will ever have, to constantly bear witness of the Prophet Joseph Smith and of my Savior. And Im going to cherish every day! 

Cultivate that peace in your life through study and prayer; keeping your minds centered on Christ and His power and Atonement. 

Love you all so much. 

Keep on keepin on. 

Sister Bleak 

1. Saying goodbye to all of our investigators - Laura ahh she is the
best most interesting investigator
2. Our member homie and recent convert gabby (who's an RM) and Patricia
3. Vicki AHHH I love her so much. She is the best. I'm gonna miss her so much
4. Arielle my bff!!!!! Aaahhh
5. OKAY CRAZY SUPRISE!!!! Freaking Haley Houston came into the Jail
and I died. I got a note she had left, and I was like NOOO I missed
her!! But then she hadn't left yet so I sprinted through the whole
jail (very unmissionary-like) and caught her as she was just getting
in her car!!! Wow I literally died and that was the biggest tender
mercy ever.!!!!!!! Missed her so much.
6.transfer day and my new compy comp!
7. Last day of the transfer pics at the jail
8(and a few). Last night of the transfer we all go and take some fun
pictures IN THE JAIL!! Booyahh.
9. Rip didn't get more pics, but Saturday we volunteered at this
temple run that the stake puts on and there were tons of people and it
was pretty cool! We were there from 6:30-11:30 setting up and
helping!! Even got to wear the helping hands vests oh