Letter July 16th 2013

My Flight to Boston

I'm on the airplane right now!!!!!!!!

It was so good to talk to you all on the phone before I left! Just hearing your voices gave me strength. 

They gave us little hand out cards to give out to someone on the plane if we could. So far the guy next to me and his son are LDS and he has been telling me about his mission in Arkansas.  There is a girl across the isle that is nice and I hope I get the chance to give her the handout.......Well, it turns out that she's going to Boston on a modeling opportunity and she is also Jewish so she didn't want the handout but I told her how I got my call and it turned out very positive. She is the first real non-member that I have talked to! ha ha :)

Everyone of the missionaries in our group have been so supportive and excited for me because this is my first flight. Everyone is so nice and there are so may of them that I might not have been friends with but because of the gospel and having the same goals and purpose it has really brought us together.

MTC Notes

As we would plan and teach a lesson, I really realized how much more I can rely on the spirit and how my prayers have become so much more sincere and meaningful.

Oh, when we had our temple walk on sunday, there were two guys with signs on the sidewalk right before we went crossed the street that said, "Repent".  So crazy!

Oh, the Elders in our district are Elder Baker, Fauver, Neilson and Reeve. 

Happy Birthday Grandma!  I love you so much! You have always been an Awesome example to me and helped me to be happy with who I am and encouraged me to do my best and that that was good enough. :)

Thanks to the Ward! You are some of the most generous, kind, loving, Christ-like people I have ever encountered and I owe you everything.....so I will do my best to make you proud by sharing the gospel and help others to have the joy I have had through having it in my life.  Thank you again!

Love, 

Sarah  (Sister Patterson)

P.S. I have more coming! So much has happened!!!!

Email July 15th 2013

Day 13- Leaving the MTC Tomorrow

I leave on the 16th not the 17th! I will be able to call you before I go on the plane so keep your phones near you! I will try Mom first. Hope you get this!


Sarah:)

July 10th 2013

Day 8

We woke up today, worked out, and then went to take showers. When we both got out we realized that we both forgot our key!!!!! So we had to walk to the cafeteria to find Sister Bailey and Sister Scott to get a key from them.  Sister Gibson was barefoot (poor thing) but we got back and finally got into room!  :) ha ha  

 

I'm doing laundry right now....Oh, its done!

I love you and miss you so much! 

Love, 

Sister Patterson

P.S.

The food is quite good! I been eating a lot of lettuce wraps. Yumm! Oh, and I had fish once! D: It was good!

Sister Gibson want's to be a nurse. She is really nice! She is a little quiet but she says really profound things and she (with the rest of the girls) laugh at my random silliness and we have a fun time.

Sister Bailey is a dancer. She's the first one to get a back crack from me. After I did it, she got up with eyes the size of ping pong balls and gave me a hug! :)  Then everyone else wanted one, even our Sister Training Leaders got one.  Then they wanted another one the next night. :)   Then they left to their mission in Florida. :(

Sister Scott plays basketball and reminds me of Erin.  She's tall and laughs alot about silly things.  Sister Gibson and Sister Bailey look at each other and then laugh too.

I thought I would give you a little glimpse into what it's like.  I will tell you about the Elders another time. :)

July 9th 2013

Day 7

Today I woke up and I could have been in a bad mood...BUT then I remembered someone told me, "Your day will go the direction of your mouth" :(   :)  so I did that :) and chose to be happy.  My day went really amazing and I think that that's why!  

I got your package today!  I wasn't expecting it at all! So that really made my day that much better.  :)

We had our TRC today and her name is Kwon Kyong Min.  When I saw her name I was pretty sure she was Korean. It turned out that when we were talking to her that her dad was Buddhist so I used the tactic that Jessie taught me about finding the similarities.  She isn't serious in the religion but is confused about how you can have faith in any church, if you want to. We tried to share with her about the Holy Ghost and the ways it communicates with us.  One nice thing was that she knew alot about some of the things we believe in like- prophets, eternal families, Joseph Smith, tithing, temples, and most interesting- all the kingdoms of glory.  So that made it easier to just talk. I shared Mom's story about going to a different church every week and that her family was able to find some good everywhere they went but something was always missing ... and about when Mom went to the Mormon church that thats when she felt the feeling she had been waiting for.  I feel like that story helped her understand a little better. Then we invited her to come to church and she said that she would!!! I think that story gave her the desire to feel that wonderful feeling we told her she would feel if she came. We are meeting with her before she goes to church so we can tell her more about the blessings of church and explain the sacrament a little, so she won't be confused. 

Thank you for your prayers.

Love, 

Sister Patterson

MTC Photos

My District

Sister Patterson, Sister Gibson, Sister Scott, and Sister Bailey

Here are some drawings I did of the Girls in the MTC

July 6th 2013

Day 4

Yesterday we gave our second lesson to our investigator. We taught him about Jesus Christ and his Atonement. He responded to everything pretty well BUT when we gave him a hymn book so he could read along while Sister Gibson read aloud "I Believe in Christ" then the light bulb went off in his eyes and we could see that he liked it and that he felt the spirit.  We teach him again tomorrow.  We're going to teach him about the Restoration. :)

We are constantly learning and growing. I have never stretched myself so much! as well as felt the spirit
24/7.  Prayer has become so much more meaningful.

It is wonderful to have your peers all be so focused on righteous goals and all striving to have the spirit with them.

It has felt like a day and then sometimes 3 weeks that I've been here.

We had fast Sunday today and listened to such an awesome talk given by David A Bednar "The Character of Christ" that he gave at the MTC a while back.  No one other than missionaries can see it. The room was stuffed as we all watched his talk. We sat in a corner on a piano bench- thanks to Elder Reeves. :) It was Amazing! I might just take a picture of my notes so I don't have to write them again.

I will be able to use a computer this Wednesday to email I think.

I love you all!

The gospel is true and through it we can become better and have peace and joy.

Love,
Sister Patterson

P.S. I'm having so much fun with all the Sisters in group!  It's amazing how the gospel can bring people together that may not have been friends in the outside world.

P.S.S. I can receive snail mail anytime throughout the week and also respond anytime if I get the time. All your letters keep me going and give me something to look forward to.
I can feel your prayers.
Keep them coming!

Miss you a million converts! :)

July 5th 2013

Day 3

Last night was crazy! We all gathered in the gym where they had us all sing together (so cool and
powerful).  I got chills.   Then we watched 17 miracles.  I was worried at first because I didn't have any tissues on me :( but I did better than I thought. :)  I think I was a bit more prepared cuz I've seen it before.
THEN we got to go outside and have magnum ice cream while we watched the fire works from the stadium of fire. :)  They let us stay up a little latter so we could see them....but not wake up latter.
Oh well.   ha ha  :)
Today we are teaching our first lesson to one of our teachers who role plays as our investigator.....

OK, we just got back from teaching. The investigator was really quiet but wanted to find peace since he was going through trials and sadness. We taught him that he has a loving Heavenly Father and about prayer and the Holy Ghost.
We have learned a lot through trial and error. We have another lesson the "Anthony" (the investigator and our teacher) tomorrow as a follow up.  We left him with an invitation to pray so hopefully he was
be able to feel the Holy Ghost so that in our lesson we prepared for tomorrow we will be able to progress further.

I have been doing my best to eat healthy Erin.

Jessie, thank you so much for those lesson plans that you let me copy. They have helped me more than
you know.

My testimony has grown so much even in such a short time.  I have realized how much faster you get to know people when you have the same goals/gospel.  All of us Sisters have gotten surprisingly close for only being here 4 days.  Wow! it been 4 days... in a way it's felt like a week and other like yesterday.

Love,
Sister Patterson

July 4th 2013

Day 2

Today has been good! I have realized that I need to study hard to make things come easier to my mind. :)  I have a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it.  I will try to take some pictures as soon as I can.  Oh,

they said that you should us Dear Elder to write me. 

I love you and miss you soooooo much. 

Love, 

Sister Patterson

P.S. We are going to have a special meeting and then watch the fireworks. :)

July 3rd 2013

First Day

My first day at the MTC has been- exciting, nervous, a lot to take in, and most of all a spiritual feast!
I feel like I've been at the Temple all day.
I might have talked a little too much and been a bit silly at times BUT my companion is really nice and we laugh together.  Her name is Sister Gibson. She kinda looks like Theresa Gervais. :)
I am so tired and have a bit of a head-ache so- I love and miss you all.

Love,
Sis Patterson

P.S. There are also two other girls in our group - Sister Bailey and the other is Sister Scott.

July 3rd Pictures

                                                                 Arriving at the MTC

                                                           Sister Olsen was my greeter

Saying Goodbye

Boston- Here I Come

July 3rd 2013

Boston- Here I Come

Here is my last post before I enter in Mission Training Center today. I know that it looks a little long but I just wanted you all to know why I decided to serve a Mission.

"Everything Testifies of God"

Alma 30:44

44 But Alma said unto him: Thou hast had signs enough; will ye tempt your God? Will ye say, Show unto me a sign, when ye have the testimony of all these thy brethren, and also all the holy prophets? The scriptures are laid before thee, yea, and all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator.

Elder Uchtdorf said in a talk that he gave in conference:

Brothers and sisters, with the blessings of modern technology, we can express gratitude and joy about God’s great plan for His children in a way that can be heard not only around our workplace but around the world. Sometimes a single phrase of testimony can set events in motion that affect someone’s life for eternity.

Here is the Scripture I have on my Missionary plaque:

Alma 26:12
Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

I know that Boston Massachusetts is where The Lord needs me to share his Gospel and the peace & Joy that comes with it. I will do my best to "Boast of my God" and all his Wonder and Majesty.

I want to share my testimony with all of you that I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is True! I know this because I have read the Book of Mormon, I have taken it's teachings and acted upon the word and felt the Holy Ghost Testify to me that it is Good & True.

Alma 32:28
28 Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place, that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out by your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold, it will begin to swell within your breasts; and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves—It must needs be that this is a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me.

I want everyone to feel that delicious feeling of the Spirit testifying to them that God is their Loving Heavenly Father and that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.

Love you all,
Sarah