February 22, 2012 - Sisters Conference and Training

This past Wednesday, we held a special conference and training session for all of the sister missionaries serving in the Alabama Birmingham Mission.

It was held at the Lorna building in Birmingham. We broke for lunch about 1:00pm and re-grouped at the mission home.

Here is a picture of Sis. Simpson and I at the conference.

Following lunch,

Sister Eggett favored us with several musical numbers on the violin.

Everyone enjoyed hearing her play

Three Minute Church

Take a moment and listen to Elder Oaks as he shares his witness and testimony of the Savior and the institution of the sacrament as a weekly reminder for us to renew our covenants and commitments to Him.

Manaus Brazil Temple Open House and Dedication Dates Announced

SALT LAKE CITY —

The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon) has announced open house and dedication dates for the Manaus Brazil Temple, the 138th temple in the Church.

The public is invited to visit the temple during an open house from Friday, 18 May through Saturday, 2 June 2012, excluding Sundays. Free tickets will be distributed for the open house; details will be made available in the coming weeks. The temple will be formally dedicated on Sunday, 10 June 2012, in three sessions. The dedicatory sessions will be broadcast to all congregations of the Church in Brazil.

The initial Latter-day Saint presence in this South American country was in 1929, when the first converts were baptized. Now, more than 1.1 million people have joined the Church in Brazil, where there are 1,925 congregations and will soon be a sixth temple in Manaus. Other temples are located inCampinas, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Recife and Sao Paulo, and construction has begun on the Fortalezatemple.

Brazil also had a significant part in the Church’s Mormon Helping Hands program. The program received its start there in 1998 and now provides service on a worldwide basis.

In conjunction with the dedication of the temple, there will also be a cultural celebration featuring music and dance on Saturday, 9 June 2012. The cultural celebration will also be broadcast to all Brazilian congregations.

Latter-day Saint temples differ from the Church’s meetinghouses or chapels where members meet for Sunday worship services. Temples are considered “houses of the Lord” where Christ's teachings are reaffirmed through marriage, baptism and other ordinances that unite families for eternity. In the temple, Church members learn more about the purpose of life and strengthen their commitment to serve Jesus Christ and those around them.

Letter: February 21, 2012

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

This week has been going great.

We're busy all the time. We have a number of people who are really progressing. One person I'm most excited about is a woman we started teaching while I was here.

The others were found and other missionaries who started teaching them, so with this person I get to see it from the beginning. Anyway, she is so excited about the gospel. The second time we taught her, we reviewed the first lesson because other people were there and we started teaching them also. But it was great because we want her to have a strong testimony of the Restoration. Anyway, when we were explaining Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, she jumped in and started telling them the story. It was so great because she was so excited about it. She loves the Book of Mormon. We asked her what she read and she told us about Lehi and his family leaving all their things behind and going into the wilderness. And she sa

id, yea we need to leave our worldly things behind because it is better to go out into the wilderness and live in the Lord.

I was so happy because not only did she read it, she remembered what she read, and she was applying it to herself and not just reading it like a story. I'm going to be so happy the day she gets baptized.

We have really been improving our teaching. We went and taught another person this week and talked about testimonies and what they were and how to gain one. We talked about going to church, having the gift of the Holy Ghost, and reading the scriptures, particularly the Book of Mormon and praying about it. The cool thing was that we talked about the lesson afterward, we both felt the spirit strongly during the lesson, but it wasn't until we talked about it that I realized how much the spirit was there. I told my companion that I was so happy that she started talking about the sacrament because I felt that we needed to talk about that a

nd all of a sudden she started talking about it. Then she told me that she felt we needed to say something and then I said the exact thing that she was thinking. She also said that whenever she has taught one family she had in mind, that they were always joking around, but during that lesson they were very serious and really opened up. That lesson was a really great experience for me and the first time I felt like we really taught with "power and authority" as it says in Alma 17:3.

Also this week we had the opportunity to work with Elder and Sister Callister.

They go around working with all the missionaries in our mission helping them become better teachers. They focused a lot on using more scriptures, memorizing scriptures, and asking more questions to get the investigator talking. They are really great missionaries and I was glad to have the chance to work with them because they gave us many ideas to help better our teaching.

At Zone conference our President Holzapfel also gave us a great talk by Elder Oaks

called "Why Do We Serve."

Elder Oaks gave 6 different levels of why we serve. The first few levels of serving are basically because we want to get something out of it. The 4th level is out of duty or loyalty to the church or family and he said that that is admirable for a missionary, but is not the best reason.

The 5th is because we want to gain eternal blessings, which is definitely what we all want. But the highest reason and why we should be serving is because we love God and love his children.

This reminded me of something my Book of Mormon teacher at BYU said - there are 3 levels of keeping the commandments.

1-because they are there and we're told to do it.

2-because we want to gain blessings.

3-because we love and trust Heavenly Father.

Heavenly Father has already given us everything - he gave us his Son so that we can return to live with him. We shouldn't be keeping his commandments or serving him just so that we can be blessed-those blessings do come and we should be grateful for them everyday. But if we really love God we will follow the promptings of the Spirit and keep the Lord's commandments without hesitation.

Everyday I find new scriptures that I love. I write them down and put them on my wall so I can see them everyday.

Hebrews 11:29-30- "By faith they passed through the Red sea as by dry land...By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days." We can see miracles just like this in our own lives because we have that exact same faith-in ourselves, in the gospel, and most especially in Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:37-39- "neither death , nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God." Heavenly Father loves us unconditionally, there is nothing we can do and nowhere we can go that where we can't feel that love.

Alma 31:37- "Behold, O Lord, their sould are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee." Alma is serving because he loves the Lord and the people, just like Elder Oaks said we should. In this verse, Alma and his brethren are going out to preach to the Zoramites-people who hated him and the Nephites, but Alma and the sons of Mosiah saw them as children of God and even though the Zoramites hated and tried to kill them, they did it because of the great hope of having just one soul be converted.

This is the kind of love missionaries need to have for those they serve-we need to love our investigators like family and recognize that their souls are precious to the Lord.

Letter - February 13, 2012

We had a miracle this week. We found a great new investigator and it was completely led by the spirit. We were tracting and were hesitating whether or not to go into this apartment complex, but then we prayed and decided to go in. The first person we talked to a woman, the only person in the entire complex that speaks Spanish.

She knew everyone there because she works there cleaning the apartments. She had met with missionaries back in Mexico, but had never gone to church. She was very excited about meeting people that spoke Spanish, so we invited her to the Spanish branch on Sunday and she really wanted to go.

We went back the next day and taught the first lesson. She loved all of it and accepted an invitation to be baptized.

It was a great experience. She was so ready. She came to church on Sunday and had a great time and met all the members of the Spanish branch. We still have only taught her once, but we're going back again on Wednesday. We're going to really focus on her and make sure she has a strong testimony of the restoration and prepare her well for baptism.

She was our greatest miracle this week, but there are many. We write down all the special experiences we have everyday and we find that we do have them everyday. One that was particularly amazing to me was on Saturday. That day was the coldest it has been so far. It was even snowing a little in the morning.

That night, after the sun set, it was even colder. The minute we walked out with our bikes I was shivering and we had about a 45 minute ride ahead of us. So we prayed before we left that we would make it there safely and that our investigators would be open to our message. The minute we started riding I stopped feeling cold. I could see my breath in the air and I could feel the wind in my face, but it was like it couldn't touch me. I know that that time was different because the days before had not been as cold as Saturday and I was freezing. I know that what happened that night was special.

It was also a great lesson with the two people we were teaching. They are preparing for baptism, but they still have some things to prepare, so that night we made a solid plan for them to reach their goals. They were really receptive and I think they are going to really try this time. They also came to church yesterday and had a really good time. The Lord protected us in travelling over there because they really needed that lesson, and the lesson wasn't from us, it was what the spirit directed us to tell them.

Every morning we have an hour of personal study to read the scriptures. Every time, I find a new inspirational scripture for me or one that I need to share with my investigator. The best one this week was Alma 27:7-And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he tells us to go, will ye go? (Rough translation from Spanish because I don't have my English scriptures). But I loved this scripture because it shows us what we need to do before we pray for an answer. We need to have real intent, as it says in Moroni 10:4. We need to decide before hand that we will act on the answer that Heavenly Father gives us no matter what it might be. We need to ask ourselves before hand, "If Heavenly Father tells me to go, will I go?" I've strengthened my resolve to make the answer to that question: Yes.

The work that is going on here is great; I love being in Huntsville. The members here are few, but they are so amazing and always so willing to help us out with rides and with accompanying us to appointments. All the investigators and the people we meet we have are so nice and are constantly feeding us-whether or they agree with our message. I love the work!

Brazil Is Rising

Brazil is a nation on the rise, growing in economic and political pre-eminence in South America and in the world as it prepares to host international events such as the 2014 World Cup of futebol (soccer) and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

It is also a nation where the Church is on the rise. With more than a million Latter-day Saints, five temples, 242 stakes, and 27 missions, it is the country with the third-largest Church population in the world, after the United States and Mexico. And with more than 35,000 converts joining each year, the Church in Brazil is growing stronger and stronger.

Photo: Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Presidency of the Seventy (left), Elder M. Russell Ballard (center), and Elder Neil L. Andersen (right) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, visit the temple that is under construction in Manaus, Brazil.

Deeply Impressed

When Elder M. Russell Ballard and Elder Neil L. Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles visited Brazil recently, Elder Ballard said he was deeply impressed by the strength of the nation, the strength of the Church, and the faithfulness of the members. In a meeting with young adults, he recalled a statement made by his grandfather, Elder Melvin J. Ballard (1873-1939), who served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for 20 years.

In 1925, his grandfather was assigned to begin the work in South America. Just prior to returning home in 1926, he was speaking to a small group of Church members in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He gave a prophetic view of the future Church in South America, saying that “thousands will join here. … [South America] will become a power in the Church.”

A Dynamic Power

“Since then, the entire continent has become a dynamic power in the Church,” Elder M. Russell Ballard said, “and Brazil is prominent among the nations of South America.”

Throughout the visit, from January 20-29, he and Elder Andersen, along with Elder Jay E. Jensen of the Presidency of the Seventy, met with and instructed families, priesthood leaders, temple workers, missionaries, and youth in Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Sorocaba, Campinas, Curitiba, Recife, Natal, and Jundiaí.

They held more than two dozen meetings, including six stake conferences, ten missionary meetings, nine devotionals with young single adults, and visits to five temples, including the temple under construction in Manaus. They also visited with 86-year-old Elder Helio Da Rocha Camargo, who was called as the first General Authority from Brazil. He served as a Seventy from 1985 to 1990.

The Brazil Area Presidency—Elder Claudio R. M. Costa, Elder Carlos A. Godoy, and Elder Jairo Mazzagardi of the Seventy, who are all from Brazil—participated in the meetings, as did a number of Area Seventies from Brazil.

Doctrine and Principles Taught

In the various meetings, Elder Ballard counseled members to make time in their lives for Christ and to become a “believing people.” It is vital, he said, that members follow the Savior’s admonition to Thomas to “be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27). He said they will be blessed if they follow the examples of the Prophet Joseph Smith and his parents, Joseph Smith Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith, who enlisted faith and prayer to become “believing people.” He also challenged all members to help an inactive friend to return to full activity.

Elder Ballard also cautioned that technology must be used wisely. “Quit texting and start talking,” he said. “Put aside your video games. Be still once in a while, and connect with heaven.” He urged youth and adults to stay away from pornography in all its forms, explaining that spiritual strength and power come from complete righteousness and virtue.

He taught those who hold the priesthood to care for those around them one by one. “It’s a universal principle,” he said. “The work is done one by one.”

Elder Andersen reminded members that “our choices are not between richness and poverty or between fame and obscurity. Our choice is between good and evil.”

Inspired by Devotion and Faith

Following the visit, Elder Andersen said that he, Elder Ballard, and Elder Jensen were inspired by the devotion and faith they found among the Latter-day Saints of Brazil. He said the members were pleased to see Elder Ballard in their country once again. “It’s been more than 10 years since he’s been in Brazil,” Elder Andersen said, “and the people here love him dearly.” He also noted that when Elder Ballard’s wife, Barbara, spoke to the people, she “shared a sweet testimony of the Ballards’ life together.”

Elder Ballard noted that Elder Andersen has given many years of service in Brazil, where, as a Seventy prior to his calling as an Apostle, he presided over the Brazil South Area. “He has witnessed many sacred moments in his service to this country and has many Brazilian friends,” Elder Ballard said. “His ministry was evident everywhere we went, and the outpouring of love for him and his wife, Kathy, was significant.” He also thanked Elder Jensen for his many dedicated years of service in Latin America.

A Bright Future for Brazil

“Brazilians are strong members of the Church,” Elder Andersen said. “They love the Lord and they love to serve, and they will serve not only in Brazil but, as opportunities arise, in other places as well. Church members will continue to have an impact at all levels, both in the Church and in the community,” he said.

“As a nation, Brazil is experiencing a period of dramatic growth, influence, and opportunity,” Elder Ballard said. “Members of the Church in Brazil will keep pace with that, and many of them will become leaders in industry, education, and politics.

“The Church is maturing here, and I was impressed with what the Brazilian members are accomplishing both temporally and spiritually,” he said. “I was particularly pleased to see how many young people continue to accept missionary calls and how many marry in the temple. They are the bright future of the Church. They will continue to build the Church in this marvelous country.”

He Hears Our Prayers

Heavenly Father “hears our prayers … as clearly as if they were being offered in His presence.”

He can hear us no matter where we are or what’s going on around us.

It is our privilege to pray to our Heavenly Father, who “loves us enough that He gave His Son as our Savior.” —President Henry B. Eyring

Read the entire article - click here

Letter: February 6, 2012

February 6, 2012

Huntsville, Alabama

Athens, Alabama

I haven't even been in Huntsville, Alabama for one week yet, but it seems like I've always lived here. It's all good.

I arrived on Tuesday (January 31st) and met the Mission President Richard Holzapfel and his wife, Sister Jeni Holzapfel and the senior missionaries working in the mission office. We went to the mission home to eat dinner with the President and then the sisters stayed the night with Sister Dunbar, a senior sister who works in the office. We had 6 new missionaries in our group-3 sisters and 3 elders.

The next morning was the transfer meeting where we found out who our companions would be and where we were serving. I'm serving with Hermana Simpson in Huntsville.

We also have two other Spanish speaking sisters living with us. Sister Nieves-Mercado from Puerto Rico and Sister Schroeppel from Highland, Utah. Sister Schroeppel and I traveled here together.

Having Spanish sisters is a very new thing here. The first Spanish speaking sister is still serving here. I am the 6th and Sister Schroeppel is the 7th to be serving here.

After the transfer meeting we drove back to Huntsville to get settled in. We had an appointment that night at 7, but it fell through and we called an investigator on the phone instead.

It was a great experience, because this investigator was all of a sudden so excited about the gospel. He said that he is trying hard to change his life and is working with his boss to try and get Sundays off and wants to be fully involved in the church. That was so cool because my companion was so excited. I didn't know who he was and I had never met him before, but I was so happy that he was so happy about this gospel and that he was coming closer to Christ.

On Thursday, I went out to teach my first 2 lessons. We share a car with the other 2 sisters so we biked to the appointment which was about 6 miles away-I'm probably going to be biking a lot, so I'll get used to it. It's not as bad as I thought it would be in a skirt.

Anyway, the first one was to a part-member family and we taught a little of the plan of salvation and how reading the scriptures and praying are commandments. I was scared to be teaching and speaking in Spanish, but I was really surprised at how much I understood and could say. I studied Spanish for so long in school, but I literally could not speak a word of it until I went to the MTC. I hadn't studied Spanish for a year before I entered the MTC and it was amazing how it all came back so fast. It is without a doubt because Heavenly Father is helping me with the gift of tongues.

The second lesson we taught also went so well. We taught a woman about the 10 Commandments and she accepted all of it so well. At the end I invited her to be baptized and she accepted! She is so ready to be baptized, but we still haven't set up a date, so we're still working on that, but I think they will definitely be baptized soon.

Friday is our Athens day (Athens, Alabama is a city north of us.

It's the furthest away from where we live so we have one day a week when we visit everyone up there).

We taught 4 lessons and they all went so well. We taught one man about prayer and how it is so important to pray directly to God in the name of Christ (he is Catholic and was comfortable praying to saints).

He didn't accept it right away, but at the end, we had him pray in this manner and it was so powerful and I'm sure he felt it too. When we were talking he said that he loved the Book of Mormon and knew that it was the word of God, so he is progressing so well.

We also taught 4 families together. They are all related so we had a big family night with them. Two of the households are members and two are not. We taught and committed one family to read and pray. And yesterday, they came to church! It was a miracle because they haven't been to church in over a year and missionaries have been working with all of them for 5 years. It was a great experience.

On Saturday, we went tracting and visited many other families. While tracting for my first time, we found someone! We told him a little about prophets and the restoration. We're going back to teach him and his family on Tuesday. We have been praying as a district to find a family to teach, so this is an answer to our prayers.

The Spanish Branch here is very small. We all fit in 4 or 5 pews, but the members are so great. They are so willing to help us out all the time - coming with us to appointments and giving us rides. I think I have taught more lessons with a member present than without.

The Branch President is President Lopez and he is so nice. We're going over to his house tonight to see how we can strengthen the Branch together. While sitting in testimony meeting the thought came to my mind that one day, we would fill the chapel with the Spanish Branch. The Branch President came up to me afterwards and said that if we all work together with the many missionaries we have (there are 3 companionships in the branch) we can become a ward.

Everything about this work is very exciting. I can't wait to teach; I can't wait to tract; I can't wait to speak to people in Spanish and I've definitely never felt that way before.

Hermana Kemp

Hey - isn't that Sarah's green bicycle?

Sarah and her companion Sis. Simpson getting ready to leave yesterday for Huntsville, Alabama.

Hey - isn't that Sarah's green bicycle?

Looks like it made the FedEx trip to Birmingham in one piece.

With the weather forecast calling for rain and thunder showers - hopefully she'll be traveling around by car

Assigned to Huntsville, Alabama

Sister Sarah Kemp has been assigned to serve in Huntsville, Alabama.

Her companion is Sister Simpson.

They will serve in the Huntsville Spanish Branch.