Hasta Ver!!!

Hi everyone!

This was a great week :) My heart was full each day for the blessings that God has given me to be here. I adore Florida so much and part of my soul will forever be here! For those who don't know, I will be coming home from my mission this Thursday. I can't believe that this last year and a half has come and gone. I never thought i would see myself here. but here we are!

This week we worked well with the members of our ward. We shared many messages about member missionary work with multiple families in our ward. One family referred their coworker Rosa to the spanish missionaries and she is looking to be baptized this weekend! It was awesome to be a part of her process, even if our part was really small. I love the ward here though and am grateful for the great friendships i've made here. 

I've learned a lot about representing Christ from my scripture study this week. I have been reading in Mosiah 2-5 and King Benjamin testifies of Jesus Christ constantly. I want to be someone that testifies of Him and His mercy, just like King Benjamin.

I want to bear my testimony. I know with all my heart that this church is true. I know that Christ is the head of this church and that because He loves us, He has restored the Priesthood power of God back to the earth through prophets, just like in times of old. With this priesthood, we can be with our families forever, we can be baptized into His true church, and we can make covenants with Him that will bind us to His justice and mercy forever. I'm so grateful for the chance to represent Christ for a year and a half and I am so grateful for His Atonement. I know He died for me and was resurrected so that we can be too. One of my favorite verses comes from 1 Nephi 21:16 where Christ says "But, behold, Zion hath said: The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me—but he will show that he hath not. For can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, O house of Israel. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me." He loves us endlessly. I love Him. And I'm so grateful to Him. Blessed and happy are those that keep His commandments. for we will be blessed temporally and spiritually for doing so.

Love you all! Thank you for your support over the last 18 months. It's meant the world to me. 

Much love.

Sister Erickson

Things are great. We had a CRAZY week  Sister Root and I were talking and we kind of felt uneasy about the work. We got talking and realized that we haven't been feeling the Spirit as strong because we weren't fully sanctified. We set goals and made plans to be more consecrated, to work on our hearts, minds, words, and deeds and to more fully live the part of being a representative of Christ. We have a lot of things to work on and God has already shown us miracles by being more devoted!

On an exchange with another sister, we were lead to a family that was interested in going to church and being baptized as a family. We went back on monday and taught the restoration. They commented on the spirit they felt during the 1st vision and fully committed to baptism on the 15th!! We also had gone to visit a part member family and we get there and met David. He had just moved to live with the family and he is looking for the truth! He also accepted a date for the 15th. They are all well on their way.

Last week we dropped our entire teaching pool and cleared it out and God blessed us for it. Miracles happen! It's amazing to see the work of the Lord going forth. 

Have a great week everyone!

Sister Erickson