Yay! Yay! Yay!

Oh you know, just another amazing week!! As always.

It was quite hectic toward the beginning as we were scrabbling to make sure everything was ready for April's baptism, that she knew all that she needed to know, that everybody who was going to be in the program would be in town, that she had the interview and all that fun stuff! But then, Friday came and it went BEAUTIFULLY!! I love baptisms. But the part that really hit me this time wasn't the ordinance of baptism, but the confirmation. When she received the Holy Ghost it was the most amazing moment ever. That's what April needed the most and when her dad said those simple words "receive the Holy Ghost" I could feel the overwhelming swoosh of the Spirit becoming her constant companion and it brought me to tears. I'm just so happy for her! And she's happy, and that's what matters most! I've never seen her smile so much. :)

That was the majority of the week though, focusing on April and making sure she knew the commitment she was accepting into her life. I honestly don't remember what else we did other than helping her. And then once she was confirmed all the lessons in church were all about being humble and accepting the Lord's will which was a nice reminder that yes, we made convents, and yes, we have the help to keep those covenants!! What a loving Heavenly Father we have!!

Love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love, LOVE. <<<that's what I've been learning most about. 

I'm so grateful for all that my Father has blessed me with. For the eyes to see, and the ears to hear. I hope everyone has been learning more and more about the Godhead like I have been. My relationships with each member have been strengthened over the past week as I had that question on my mind. It's so neat when we see the Lord's promises come true, isn't it!? My favorite. I love it.

So get this, transfers are this week and we find out tomorrow if we're staying or going. I love Sister Smith so much, we've become the best of friends, and I love this area forever and always but I'm ready for some changes to happen.....so we'll see!! Let you know next week lol

I LOVE YOU AND HOPE THAT YOU HAVE THE BEST WEEK EVER

xoxoxoxoxoox,

Sister Davis

He is Divine

In the last few months if there was one thing that the Lord has been showing me the most I'd say it was how much the Holy Ghost has an impact on our hearts and how He can soften even the hardest hearts to prepare them to receive the restored gospel.

First, there was Manuel, who I was blessed to be able to watch change from stubborn and set in his ways to accepting baptism in Christ's true church and submitting to the Father's will. 

And now, an even greater miracle named April Walton. When I came into the area a few months ago she had been taking the lessons and preparing for baptism but then Satan pulled her down hard and the first time I met her she was telling us that she didn't want to be baptized anymore and that she never wanted to meet with us again. Pretty harsh coming from the lips of a twelve year old whom I'd just met but I had instantly loved her and continued to pray for her.

This last weekend she attended girls camp and when we saw her at church yesterday she was smiling and happy and the light of Christ was emanating from her smile! She was practically giddy when she asked us if we could come over that night! Like what?? My jaw practically dropped! So lasst night we stopped by and ended up planning her baptismal service for FRIDAY!! This Friday. Like in a few days, Friday. I'm still in shock considering just a month ago she was giving the cold shoulder. The Spirit really does work in the hearts of those that are willing to submit to the will of the Father. I'm so grateful for the tender mercies that Heavenly Father allows me to witness.

There has been a lot of wonderful things happening spiritual in these wards. The members are getting more and more excited every day about sharing the gospel, or good news, with their friends and family and that brings such a big smile to my face!!

Every day I am reminded by my Father how thankful I am for the many things that He has helped me to learn. I am so honored to wear a tag that has Jesus Christ's name right in the middle of it, bold and strong. I know that Jesus Christ suffered for me and my weaknesses, sins, and shortcomings. I know that he has felt everything that I have ever gone through and that if I simply trust in him he will provide the way.

The Godhead is divine perfection and all three members provide strength and comfort. Heavenly Father loves me and all of His children perfectly. Jesus Christ allows us all to overcome both spiritual and physical death. The Holy Ghost testifies and confirms truths to my heart that are impossible for me to deny. There is power in 3.

I pray that each of us this week can dig deeper into the Atonement of Christ and how each member of the Godhead plays a role in that marvelous event. I know that we will receive peace in the knowledge that we obtain and we will develop a greater love for our brothers and sisters and a desire to share these truths with them.

I love you all so very much and I am thankful for each and every one of you that are such great examples to me of wonderful people who are always willing to reach out and help all of those around you.

I hope you have a marvelous week!

xoxoxoxoxooxoxox,
Sister Davis

p.s. this email is coming to you from the Banff Public Library! The Blum's took us here today to explore :) Sister Smith has never been here before so this will be fun!

Forever 21!

Thank you for everyone who made my week so wonderful!!!! Oh it was the best time ever. My birthday was dragged out almost every day of the week so I'm all birthday'd out by now haha. Three cakes and 1000 pounds later geez haha I'm so grateful for the packages and letters and emails though, so thank you! It makes me feel so loved. Heavenly Father was watching out for me too, after all the candles I blew out and the wishes I made we got a surprise phone call from Shane telling us that his daughter, April, our former investigator, decided she wants to be baptized soon! WOOOHOO!

Elders in our district made a special cake for me at zone training meeting on Tuesday, then the Blum's we live with made another cake on Wednesday for lunch, then there was another cake that Donna Marie made for me at dinner! It was amazing. Lots and lots of goodies I was on a sugar high all week (especially because it was free slurpee day at 711 on Friday yuuuumm).

Best part though was when it wasn't about me and we were at the Stampede Breakfast on Saturday! Our ward hosted a big ol pancake breakfast that was huge! Like between 750-800 people, most of them just people living in the community too so that was wonderful! We even learned how to rope. That was cool. I just loved handing out all the pancakes to the people in line and being able to smile and talk to SO MANY PEOPLE it was awesome. Just planting seeds in everybody's heart. 

If you want something good to read, look up Becoming Perfected in Christ from the July 2014 Ensign. It changed my life. I'll make it easy for you READ ME :)

I'm out of time today, but just know that I love the Lord. He is the one who makes me happy! I love my life.

I love you!

xoxoxooxxo,

Sister Davis

Red Everywhere!

This week was so lovely that I don't even remember what we did!

A lot of walking. And a lot of service.

Canada Day and the 4th of July were great! It's also the start of the Calgary Stampede so there's a lot of plaid, levi's, and cowboy hats... and people are outside!! So we talk to everyone we see. It's wonderful!!

I don't have much time now but I want to give a big ol' shout out to my parents today for being the best parents ever! It's sad that it takes thousands of miles between us to get me to see how grateful I am for them but at least it happened that I've been able to get to this point lol I've learned so much as a missionary and my eyes have truly been opened so see all the many blessings I've received from Heavenly Father!

"Gratitude is memories from the heart"-that was shared in fast and testimony meeting yesterday. So precious.

Have a great week everybody, I know I will!!!

xoxoxo,

Sister Davis

pictures: Canada day with the district, and f4th of July with Sister Smith :)

Buckets and Buckets of Water

My goodness. On Saturday, June 28, Manuel was baptized! It was amazing! Before the service was a little bit of a gong show though...we went early to get the font filled up in time but for some reason it was taking forever and by 4:15 it was only to mid-shin!! The baptism was supposed to start at 5 and we were freaking out!! Sister Smith and I improvised with pitchers and giant pots from the kitchen and got to work filling them from the washroom sinks to dump into the font! We called the elders and got two more sets of them in other washrooms and the kitchen filling those big (clean) trash barrels and thank heavens by 5:15 it was finally waist high. My oh my it was ridiculous. We couldn't stop laughing. After that little fiasco we started the service and the Spirit was so strong and he was so happy to be making this step so that his family could be together forever! Whoop whoop! It was so worth it. The speakers really focused on the importance that the gift of the Holy Ghost will be for him in his life as he is leading his family on the straight and narrow. It was a great lesson that we can all be learning. Listen to the Spirit! Then after the baptism we had some refreshments, of course, and best of all, there was a pinata! AyAyAY!! haha Manuel got a kick out of that- he said it felt "just like home" He's from Chihuahua, Mexico if I haven't ever mentioned that before.. Good times! It's days like that that make up for all the really tough ones.

Manuel almost gave us a heart attack on Sunday though because he was like 10 minutes late to church and we're thinking holy smokes please show up! He was lucky that it was a long weekend and the ward was already looking pretty small so they were giving everyone a few extra minutes to show up haha (Canada Day is tomorrow, remember?) Church was great though, one of the speakers in sacrament, and the lesson in combined relief society/elders quorum was really focused on fathers and their important role to the family. They related it to mothers too, but mainly on the men. "The three P's of Fatherhood: Preside, Provide, and Protect." Study the Family: A Proclamation to the World again if you haven't in a while. I love church, it's so inspiring and uplifting! I hope we can all take what we've learned at church and apply it into our daily lives this week. I know I will/am. It's going to be a great week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

HAPPY CANADA DAY. Oh, and happy Fourth of July to you Americans! 

xoxox,

Sister Davis