Serving in the Las Vegas Nevada Mission

Monday, May 11, 2015

Happy Mothers Day

I GOT TO TALK TO MY FAMILY!!                                             5/11/2015
I love the gospel because I know that families can be together forever! It lifted my spirit a lot to be able to talk with my family, hear their voice and see their faces! And people ask me all the time if it’s hard to be on a mission because you don’t get to see your family, and it really is, that is the hardest part. I miss them a lot, but that is also a good reminder to me of why I am here, because I am here to teach others how they can be together forever. My family means the world to me, and I am looking forward to Christmas!! (today kinda feels like the day after Christmas....all that anticipation and then it happens and then the next day it’s really sad because you know you have to wait a whole year till next Christmas) But it was so good to see how good everyone is doing! 
This week was fun! We had exchanges and it was a really great opportunity to learn from someone else and see how the taught. We got to volunteer at a race for Hospice; we were the ones who would mark their time when they came across the finish! We got to do all kinds of service this week! We helped out at a Part Members House....who also happens to be a little bit crazy. That was an adventure! But, then right after we got to go and help the sweetest old lady in her garden. 
I also finally met Dan! He lives on the other side of the tracks, in the really sketchy part of town, but he is amazing! He is kind of like our protector, he told us that if anyone ever gives us trouble we need to come get him and he will teach them a lesson :} He lives on a property that the owner has a 400bl pig named Penelope. And in front of their house is a huge sign that says "WE DONT RENT PIGS" its super funny! But Dan is amazing, he wants to get baptized but he is having trouble quitting smoking because every time he tries he gets really sick and ends up in the hospital. He quit drinking and everything else cold turkey and he is so happy about it! Now we just need to get him to church!

Scott and Dyan who are recent converts who are amazing, they are just struggling right now, took in an 18 year old boy named Jr, because his mom went to jail. But he is amazing, he is trying to live a good life unlike is family so he wanted out. We had a lesson with all three of them and he said he would be up to taking the lessons with Scott and Dyan. So on exchanges we had an amazing lesson, it was one of the most spiritual ones I have taught. We talked about the plan of salvation and i ended in tears! Jr and Scott came to church on Sunday too!! I am so excited for them! He is what we call a dry Mormon. He is living it, He just hasn't been baptized yet :)
I love the Gospel! I love the power of prayer! It is amazing and it is what gets me through!! 
I pray for you all daily!

Love,

Sister Loveless

Monday, May 4, 2015

#13 &14 Make the most of it! 5/4/2015

Hello World!
I have learned many valuable lessons this week! Every day I learn something new and it just blows me away!
On Tuesday we had Zone Conference, President and Sister Snow came down with the Ap's and MSTL's (Mission Sister Training Leaders) and gave some amazing training's to the zone. I was spiritually fed and received a lot of personal revelation. That’s the most amazing thing about the Gift of the Holy Ghost, we have the ability to feel and recognize promptings and receive answers to questions. I know Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. I finally got to meet everyone in my Zone too, we don’t often go to see all the missionaries when we are out of valley. But at the conference we talked a lot about the scriptures and how amazing they are. I have a personally testimony of receiving revelation through the scriptures. Heavenly Father will help us understand anything if we ask and then seek! 
Most of our week was spent in doors. My companion, Sister Onorato, got really sick for about 3 days so we stayed in. It was actually a really great experience for me because I was able to take some time to really pray and study and learn! I have learned so much! We also got to watch a few church movies, like the restoration, 17 Miracles and the John Tanner story. It really helped me put my life into perspective. The members of the church at that time gave up everything they had for the gospel. They laid down their very lives for their faith. They left their homes, families and all their belongings to walk hundreds of miles in conditions that we can’t even comprehend. And then I think about, if I was ever called to pass through a trial such as theirs and I wonder if I would be able to lay down my life for this gospel. And I would like to think I would. There was a talk given by Elder Bednar where he said "your Ancestors have proven their Faith time and time again. But what have you done lately?" those words have come back to my mind many times over this past week. I want to give my all, my everything. I may not be asked to die for my faith (or I might you never know) but I want to be able to live for my faith! Each day. Every day. I want to make the most of every day! This gospel is a pear of great price, and I don't care the cost. I will spend my life trying to live worthy of the price that my savior paid! 
After spending a few days inside we went back out and got back to work! We had a Zone Training Council on Saturday in Lake Havasu (where it was 100*) we learned together and talked about how we can further the work of salvation! We are trying to become more unified as a Zone...so now we call ourselves the "OHANA SQUAD" it makes me happy, I love it! We also made Zone T-shirts. We spray painted them. Our Zone goal this transfer is to focus on the "fundamentals" of the gospel and sharing that with everyone so that’s what our shirts were. It was super fun and super-hot outside while we made them!!
Sunday was an awesome day!!! We met with our investigators and recent convert (they all live together haha) Andy, Anna, their son Braden and Mark their roommate! Mark drives truck and we hardly ever get to see him so this was the first time that I have had a lesson with him. He is amazing; he is so ready for the gospel. We had a lesson about the word of wisdom with everyone, and when we asked him if he would live it he said "I already am. I want to take care of the body God gave me". The member who came with us said "Mark you just need to get baptized!" he replied "yea I know" so we set him with a date to work towards! The problem has been that he never knows when he will be in town, so he never wanted to agree to a day. But he knows he will be here the weekend of May 23rd!!!! So that’s the day!! I am so excited! We just have to teach him a few more lessons and he will be ready! Well actually he already is ready. Braden said that he will be baptized once His dad, Andy, gets the priesthood. Right now Andy is taking it slow because he has social anxiety and has just been feeling a little overwhelmed with everything. The whole family has social anxiety, but we are all working together to make it easy on them. Anna is still not sure about everything. I am praying that she will recognize the spirit and the blessing of the gospel for her family! They are such amazing people! 
I love my mission. I love teaching people about the gospel! I pray that we can all be converted and find the joy the gospel brings into our life and our family's life!
Speaking of family I get to talk to mine on Sunday!! MOTHERS DAY!! I CANT WAIT! 
Love,
Sister Loveless

Pictures are of Braden and T-shirt making


What a week !        Monday April 27th 2015
This has been quite the week! Every day has been an adventure! I am finally getting to know the area a little better and that is good! I have yet to get lost *knock on wood* but that is probably the only thing....i did lock the keys in the trunk today....in front of my whole district of Elders, they thought it was pretty funny...But then my poor companion and I had to sit outside forever waiting for a locksmith to come help us. So if your having a bad day just think, "hey at least i didn't lock my keys in the car in the middle of the dessert!" 
This week was full of fun stuff! We had exchanges, and Mini Missionaries and we spoke in church!
Exchanges was a great opportunity for me. Coming into this area has been an experience, we have a lot of things we want to do to improve our area as a companionship. And it was really nice to be able to have another sister come in for the day to help me really see these wards in a new light! Sister Smith taught me a lot about how to be bold and take charge. My mission has taught me a lot, and every missionary i meet teaches me something new, I love it! 
We found a few new investigators this week. One is named Carl. He is in his 70's but he is prepared! He had been going to another church and he doesn't agree with a lot of what they teach, and everything that he has had a concern about we have had an answer too!! I love it!
This weekend the youth in our stake over 16 had an opportunity to do something called a "mini mission". Friday night we met at the chapel with them and heard from a few converts and they shared their story. Then we were assigned our companions. Just like my first day out on the mission field, they announced their names and then said who their trainer would be! I had 3 girls, Vicky, Kara and Kate! We then broke off into rooms and showed them how to teach the first discussion, then they got to teach one of the investigators we brought with us! It was a mini MTC! The following morning on Saturday we met up at the Chapel and after having studies we headed out to go do missionary work! We had two rotations, so in the morning i had Vicky as my comp, and then we came back for lunch and i took out Kara and Kate for the second half of the day! When we returned we had dinner and then the mini missionaries got to share their testimonies of what happened over their mission! 
It was such an amazing experience! One of the girls i was with had told me at the beginning that she wanted to do this to see if she wanted to go on a mission, and by the end of Saturday she turned to me and said "I am going on a mission!!" seeing these young girls and showing them what it’s like to share the gospel really impacted me! We saw so many little miracles, it was stormy and raining but the girls never lost hope they wanted to find someone who was ready! We talked to every person we saw, they got to see what it was like to be rejected, to have a door slammed in their face and to see someone so thankful for missionaries and kind and loving! A mission is full of all sorts of emotions, and was excited to let the girls experience that! I wish I had time to go into detail about everything! Its been a great week! We have met a few insane people who have made for some great memories and laughter! 
Love,
Sister Loveless

Pictures 
-me and my comp Sister Onorato  @Temple 
-Me & Sister Smith on exchanges
-Me and my mini missionaries