we are MEANT to have joy!

I think it's been awhile since I've written a group email.. that's awkward. Sorry!

this week was good... we saw SO many miracles. We picked up 8 new investigators, and are teaching a lot of families!

Our most progressing investigator came to church again, and I truly believe that she'll be baptized on June 4th! She tried to leave after sacrament meeting to go to her own church, and we ran after her and asked her where she was going. We ended up convincing her to say for the other two hours, and I'm so glad she did! We fasted with her this last week that she would get her answers from God, so we'll see what happens! She knows everything is true, she's just waiting for the peace she needs to leave her church that she's been going to for the last 20 years.

Tuesday we picked up two new investigators, who were really Bible bashy, but we felt like we shouldn't give up on them right away. They go to this Jewish messianic church, and the things they believe are kinda strange. We had an appointment with them yesterday, and it was really weird. You could tell that the Spirit wasn't there at all, and they had actually gotten rid of the BOM we left them... we told them that if they weren't willing to read the BOM that we wouldn't be able to visit with them anymore. Really strengthened my testimony that we teach those who will receive us.

 On Wednesday we picked up this really elect family who truly understand the need for a Restoration, because they see the corruption in all the other churches. They have an 8 year old daughter who is so cute, and I'm excited to continue to teach them... just worried that they'll be "too busy."

We have this investigator who's 21 and has three kids. A two year old boy, and 10 mo old twins. We've started teaching her, and she is so sincere. She doesn't lead a very Christlike life, but she has a desire to change, so I'm happy that we have ran into her, and are teaching her about repentance.

We had a family history class on Saturday here at the public library, and it went really well. The Spirit of Elijah is SO STRONG.

The Crosse's are struggling a bit, but I love them so much. We had a really powerful lesson with them, and now we know that we truly need to strengthen their faith in the Savior!! Gotta love the Spirit of Discernment.

We decided to follow up with this old investigator who's info was in our area book. The reason as to why missionaries stopped teaching her in the past is because "The house looks deserted..." well, we felt prompted to go see her anyways, because she seemed really cool, and super interested. We had trouble finding the driveway, because sure enough, it looked deserted. The trees had overgrown on the road, and it looked like you could bail hay in her front yard. Trees were growing over her house, and through windows, and sure looked like no one lived there... well, as we drove up this half a mile long driveway, we see a brand new car, definitely not deserted, in her driveway. We knock on the door, and she actually did live there! It was crazy! This lady needs a new house to live in.. but she's elect. We're excited to start teaching her more often.

Missionary work is the best thing ever, and I'm seriously so happy. The Book of Mormon says that "Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy." we are MEANT to have joy! In Alma, we're taught how to have joy: "And thus we see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve God." Kind Benjamin said that when we are in the "service of our fellow being, we are only in the service of our God". As we serve God's children, we are truly happy... and daily we need to repent, because we are NOT perfect! How wonderful the Atonement of Christ is! I sure do love Him.

Have a great week!
Love, Sister Kirkby

Mother's Day 2016

Happy Mothers Day to all of the amazing moms out there! My mom is the best mom in the whole world - bias not included.

started off with a trip to WV for a leadership meeting, where I got to see some of my most favorite missionaries in the whole world! (Minus Sister Marsh) What a big, happy family reunion! :)

We had a lot of good teaching opportunities this week, and I love being a missionary. We're teaching a woman who know's the Book of Mormon is true, who desires to be baptized, but who is so socially converted to her own church. She also has a lot of family members who don't understand who we are as members of the church, and have heard lots of anti, and it doesn't help the situation. She came to our Cinco de Mayo ward party, and the ward really reached out to fellowship her. What a blessing!

One of my favorite members in the Roanoke 1st Ward gave us a referral for her neighbor, and when we went to go teach her, she had already known another member, and was really good friends with him! We taught her the Restoration, and she really loved it! I love when the Lord prepares people in ways you didn't know!

Our 15 year old investigator is getting anti-ed a lot, and so we're worried about that, but we'll keep working with him!

We still don't have anyone coming to church, but we're doing our best to get them there! Why is that such a hard commitment to make??? Church is good for you, people!

Last night we taught these people who are from India, and they don't know a lot about Christianity, but they are really open. We taught them the Restoration, and it was really cool, because the Spirit was SO strong, and they were totally understanding, despite the language barrier. They also fed us some Indian fast food. it's called Samosa... it was SO SO SO good. I love eating. haha It was a dough, and on the inside was potatoes, peas, and Indian spices, and then she fried it, and on the outside was this cilantro sauce, and this other hot sauce, and it was just really good. Anything with Cilantro is good.

Well, missionary work is the best work ever. Last night in my Skype call, when I said that, my dad goes "Yeah, so is motherhood" and I totally agree. Plus, motherhood is missionary work! We have a member who also says that she's teaching her own little investigators, meaning her kids... what a great work to be a part of!

anyways... don't really have much more to say. Have a great week!

Love, Sister Kirkby

#worthit

This week was really good! 

We had an awesome lesson with our most promising investigator. He's 15, and super intelligent and prepared. We taught him the Plan of Salvation, and invited him to be baptized with someone who holds authority, and he says "Sign me up! Where's the closest person with authority?" and we point at the member we were with and say "that guy." it was funny, haha. He's on date for May 28th. He came to church yesterday, and he loved it. He's also been to mutual a few times, and is loving that as well. I'm excited to see how he does.

We also taught the Word of Wisdom to another investigator. He's been learning for awhile now, and recently has been progressing. He's kept his reading assignments, and he was on date for baptism. He has a smoking problem, and he loves his coffee, so we knew we needed to teach it to him soon, so that he can start overcoming those weaknesses. He took the lesson really well, and the member we brought with us was perfect for him, because she had the same problems, and we didn't even know it! It was Spirit led!

One man we're teaching is a friend of a member that we are teaching, and he has cancer,  but is not letting it get in the way of him learning about the gospel. It's his 3rd time out of remission, and his faith is incredible! I'm glad we have the opportunity to teach him

And one of my favorite investigators loves her church, but knows the Book of Mormon is true, and so we're trying to get her to socially convert to the ward, because she already loves the doctrine. We had a REALLY powerful lesson with her, and the Spirit was so strong. We put her on date for May 28th, and we know the Lord will ensure she's ready if she takes those steps and comes to church.

Sometimes as a missionary, you wonder why you do what you do, because it doesn't feel like it means anything, but then you get told otherwise. Yesterday we stopped by at a less actives house, and she let us right in, and we started to teach her the Restoration. We had only met with this lady a few times, and we didn't really know how she truly felt about us coming over, nor did we know why she had stopped coming to church, because she had been really active in years previous. Well at the end of the lesson, we committed her to start reading in her scriptures, and she got really teary and said "you know, the Lord really has sent you to me. If there's one reason as to why you're here in this area now, it's because I really needed you. You may not know it, but I'm that reason"

to hear someone tell you that brings so much validity to your work. #worthit

I love missionary work, and I love the Lord!

"shut up!"

This week was a long one, but a good one! Sister Ward and I are both staying in Roanoke for another transfer! Yay!

Starting last Monday, right after we had emailed, we went and hiked a part of the Appalachian trail. It was so beautiful, and a really good hike. 

Earlier in the week we were working in an apartment complex, and we started talking to this older southern black lady who was in her motorized wheel chair, and we go right into the Restoration. She loved all of it! She kept saying "shut up!" like she didn't believe us, and it was so funny. She was really excited to read from the Book of Mormon, and as we were setting up a return appointment, we asked for her last name. She takes a pause... looks at us really funny, and says "it's Mormon." We all busted up laughing! It was the coolest thing... So now we're teaching someone by the name of Sister Moorman. :D

We also had a really awesome church tour with one of our investigators named Ben Martin. Brother Martin is so sincere, and I love teaching him. He has been having a hard time with coming to church, because he has been going to his church for so long now, and it's hard to break habits, so we had a tour so that we could at least get him inside the building to feel the Spirit within. It went really well. He still didn't come to church, but we'll get there!

On Friday, it was 8:00pm, and all of our plans had fallen through. We had no idea where we needed to be, when Sister Ward got the impression to go try this less active, part member family. I had never met them, because every time we knock on the door, it's apparent that they're ignoring us. Sister Ward had said that the husband was really nice, but that she had never met the wife. (wife's the member, husbands not). Well, we follow her spiritual prompting, and it was PERFECT. Right when we pull up, they're getting out of their car from being out and about. We run up to them and they invite us right in! It was the coolest thing, and they are so open, and ready to come back to church, and go through the discussions. What a tender mercy! Best part about this family? They have 22 cats. YES. 22... and their house doesn't even smell like it!! You would have never even known! As we were getting to know them, there were cats everywhere! It's a good thing neither one of us are allergic. :D

We sang in sacrament meeting with the elders, and it went really well. I love the Spirit that music can bring.

Satan has really been working  hard on me lately, and I'm thankful for the things I've been able to learn. I cling to the promise in D&C 84:88:

"And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up."

I know the Lord is with us in the vineyard, whether we be full-time missionaries, or member missionaries, the Lord is with us as we do His work! What a great thing to know. We MUST be patient, because if we're not patient, then we obviously don't trust the Lord, and trust, or faith, is all we have.

Have a great week everyone!

"oh! Mormons!"

We've had an eventful week. Sister Ward's birthday was yesterday, and we saw lot's of miracles! We're teaching this man and his 15 year old son, and we had the coolest lesson with them yesterday. We're trying to help them understand authority and the Priesthood, and the 15 year old is so open and soft hearted. His dad will need a little bit more help.

On Friday we had a baptism! Zuleica, the 9 year old daughter of a semi-active family we've been working with for awhile got baptized. It was awesome to feel the Spirit, and to see how much it meant to her parents for her to get baptized. They're from Mexico, and they make THE BEST Mexican food I have EVER had. They had a party on Saturday for her baptism, and we went and celebrated. I love that family so much. When they were in Mexico, they went through a lot of scary stuff, and saw people killed all the time, and so they decided it was time to come to the United States.

On Thursday we met the coolest guy ever. We were tracting, and knocked on his door. He answered and said "Oh! Latter-Day Saints!" When people say that, they either mean "oh... Mormons... I'm going to tell them every reason as to why they're wrong" or "oh! Mormons! I know a lot of Mormons and they are really nice, and really awesome!" Good thing with this man, it was the later. :D We had a good conversation with him, and learned that he was Methodist, but that when he was in the military, he knew a lot of Mormons, and had gone to church with them for awhile. He also owns his own large print BOM, which is cool. We invited him to learn more, and to restart on the spiritual journey that we help people through, and he declined, and said he could never leave his church. "They're family". The Spirit told us to push... usually we don't push, because we want people to have positive experiences with Mormon missionaries, but we felt like we really needed to push, and testified again what this could do for him. He then went into how he truly believed (contrary to the Methodist faith) that everyone will be given the opportunity to get into heaven, since heaven will be organized into three different levels, rather than heaven and hell, and inside our hearts and minds Sister Ward and I were like "WHAT THAT'S WHAT WE BELIEVE". We were so excited! We asked what he knew about the Mormon faith, and our beliefs of the afterlife, and he said he didn't know a whole lot. We told him that that's what we believe, and we asked him why he believes it. He told us that God told him it was that way in a dream. WOW. it was so cool. We taught a little bit of doctrine about what the three kingdoms of heaven are, and then we gave his some things to read from the BOM, and made a return appointment. It was so cool to see how the Lord works, and to be lead to our new friend. I know it wasn't a coincidence. 

Friday night Sister Ward and I found ourselves back in West Virginia as we sat on someone's front porch in this beautiful 80 degree weather we've been having, teaching the Restoration to a couple who is defined as "West Virginian" It was good to be "home" ;)

Saturday morning we had a cool opportunity to teach a family history class to 8 people here at the library. It was so neat to feel the Spirit of Elijah, and I can't wait until I'm home and can work more effectively on my family history!

I hope everyone is doing well! My cousin Amanda sent something in her latest email that really hit home for me. She said "I relearned the value of desperation. Sometimes the Lord pushes us to the point of desperation before we can see the fruit of our labors. That desperation made the success we found even sweeter. So if you're currently feeling desperate, keep trying, keep going. It's when you feel like giving up, but keep going that the sweetest joys are found!" SO TRUE. The Lord has seriously humbled me lately, and I love that he has a sense of humor about it by constantly proving me wrong.... haha!

I know Christ is my redeemer, and that he makes up for my imperfections. What a blessing.

(also, no pictures because I can't find my camera cord :( )

Our purpose in life is to be happy. (I hate bowling)

Hah, so we thought spring had come, and then on Saturday it snowed as we studied, was sunny as we left the house, and then started snowing AS it was sunny when we were driving to our appointment. I can definitely say that there's a first for everything, especially for it to snow on a beautiful sunny spring day.... #weird

It's warmed up again though, and I feel so blessed to be a tool in the Lords hands. Last week we found five new investigators, and we weren't able to see a lot of our solid investigators, but this week we'll hopefully get in with them.

I've learned a lot about commitment keeping while on my mission, and I love what my mission president says often. "If you want to astonish someone, keep your commitments". This is SO true! Commitment keeping can be as simple as waking up at 6:30, or doing everything I can to teach, find and baptized! We make commitments and covenants with the Lord continuously in this life, and He always promises us blessings in return! One way I've really been blessed while being a missionary is the knowledge I've gained about how important choices are, and how time is of the essence! We are only given a very short amount of time in a day to do the Lords work, so we better keep our commitment, and do our best, if we are to see miracles in our life.

Our purpose in this life is to be happy. (2 Nephi 2:25) The formula for that is repentance, and serving the Lord (Alma 42:4). I know that the reason as to why missionaries are so happy is because they spend all their time repenting, and serving God! This is our ultimate commitment as we've made covenants to serve the Lord! Also remember that He WILL bless you, and that He loves you, and that knowledge will help you get to where you need to be.

I love my Savior. I know He lives! I know He directs His work through a modern day prophet, and I know that the evidence of this is the Book of Mormon!

Have a great week! I love you all!

Love, Sister Kirkby

pics:

went bowling with some missionaries last week. I hate bowling, but oh well. :D

Sister Kirkby and Sister Brower, MTC comps reunited!

Opposition is key

Hello!

This week has been really slow, and I have no pictures because Sister Ward got really sick with the flu, and was in bed most of the week, bless her heart. We are also going without a car as of right now, and so it actually worked out really well, where she lied in bed, I got caught up on little things around the apartment, and we didn't have to walk much of anywhere. The little amounts of work we did do, we were able to pick up three new investigators! One of which seems super promising! So thankful to members who were willing to pick us up, and take us to our appointments :)

General Conference was this weekend, and I seriously needed it. Elder Holland spoke exactly what I needed to hear. I had gone to conference with a question in my heart, and with it wrapping up, I thought my question wasn't going to get answered, but the Lord humbled me, and answered it right at the end. He sure does love me, and trials my faith, for sure! Opposition is so key, and if we trust in the Lord, all things work out for our good.

As I was watching genconf yesterday, I realized that the next time I'll be watching genconf will be the last week of my mission.... Time sure does fly by.

Our purpose is to serve God! Never forget that! Find time this week to do something extraordinary for the Lord.

I love you all!

Love, Sister Kirkby