A Two-Way Street

Hiya!

So, how are you guys doing? Thanks for the little spiritual thought Mama. It's nice to get one in return. I have decided to include one with every email that I send, from my personal studies (especially if nothing much happened in the last week, lol). I actually recently read Mosiah 4 and am now in Mosiah 25, and I'm loving it! I love being able to read the Book of Mormon over and over again and learn so many more new things every single time. I am also reading through the whole Bible at the moment as well. I just reached Psalms today, and my goal is to finish the whole Bible by the time I come home. If I can finish the Old Testament by my year mark, then I will have 6 months to read the New Testament, because I just started reading the Bible when I reached my 6 months, so I have to keep going to reach my goal!

Congratulations on the snow! We haven't had it yet, thankfully, but it has been really, really wet! Just rain almost every day! Which isn't that fun to do missionary work in, especially because my boots are falling apart, so my feet get soaked instantly! Oh well, that's life. Not much has really happened this last week. Just the usual missionary work. We still have an investigator with a baptismal date for this coming weekend, so I should have some baptism pics in the next email! Also, our entire mission has a great start to the new year with our baptisms! We had 26 in the month of January and already we have a total of 11 for the month of February! It's crazy! I love it! Something that Sister Laineenkare and I have been struggling with is finding people to teach. New investigators basically. We still teach a good amount of lessons, but we aren't really seeing the fruits of our labors. We have a lot of referrals for missionaries in other areas because it seems that all the people we talk to who are interested to learn more don't live in the area. So we get their contact details and give them to other missionaries. It doesn't matter who reaps, as long as it happens! Besides, I was reading today in Mosiah 23:21, and it says, "Nevertheless the Lord seeth fit to chasten his people; yea, he trieth their patience and their faith." Our faith and patience are definitely being tried, but in the next verse (v. 22) it says, "Nevertheless—whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall be lifted up at the last day..." Our whole lives are a test, and this is part of the test for Sister L and I, but as we work hard, keep the faith, remain patient, and trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, we are promised blessings. Heavenly Father will NEVER go back on a promise to us, unless we don't do our part. It's a two-way street, so we have to do our best to keep our end of it, and the blessings will come.

Thanks for the letter this week of love and encouragement and for keeping me updated on the goings on at home. I hope you guys have a fantastic week! I love you all, and pray for you always!

Love,
Sister Connery

Sister L and I made cookies this week!

Here is a pic of Elder Nielson wearing my scarf. He was trying to show me how to tie it "properly". He kinda looks like Santa Claus. lol.

 We went to a Mexican place (called MexWay) for lunch last P-Day with our District and this is the burrito that Sis. L had

Our Zone Leaders were there as well because our District Leader goes home on Wednesday, so this is pic of (from left to right) Elder Smith (Bountiful, Utah-ZL), Elder Kopischke (Germany-ZL), and Elder Nielson (Salina, Utah-DL)

 Same as the last picture but Elder Nielson isn't hiding this time

 The other Elders in our District (from left to right), Elder Douglas (Nephi, Utah), Elder Caruso (Rome, Italy), and Elder Fisher (Canada)