Sister Jessica Anderson: 9 Months Already?

I can't believe that I have been out for 9 months already. That's half of my mission! Luckily they have changed the MTC to being 3 weeks again, so that has pushed everyone's going home date back a week, so that gives me more time!! :) I still feel like the MTC was a week or two ago. It is going by WAY too fast. It just makes me want to work harder! I have learned so much, met many amazing people, and had so many great experiences. I can't wait to see what this next 9 months has in store!

This week has been so great! We went up to Helena on Tuesday for MLC and learned A TON. It was great. After MLC once we got back to Billings we had some stuff that we needed to do at the mission home and we were starving, so we ended up with the President and Sister Wadsworth for a while and ate some dinner! We sat for a bit and talked about miracles happening around the mission and it was amazing just to listen to them. I love them SO MUCH! They are such amazing people and the spirit is so strong in their home.

Something that really stood out to me from MLC was when we talked about the importance of getting our recent converts to the temple. That's what it is all about! I was thinking about the Dayton family the whole time. Did I mention they have a "Family is Forever" sign on their wall in their house already? I love this family to the moon and back! They are so great. This week as we met with them we again taught the plan of salvation. Then towards the end we brought up baptism again and talked about setting another date. The wife has felt a bit held back because she was wanting to wait until her entire family could be baptized together, but the husband starting talking and said, "ya know, since I've been taking these lessons I can see why you are wanting to be baptized. I am not as ready as you are, but I don't want to be holding you back if you are ready for this." This meant a lot to her :) and now she is praying about a date she feels she could be ready for baptism.

We did exchanges with the sisters in Cody this week and we saw many many miracles! I wish that I had time to write about all of them. The Lord is just so aware of each of his children, rich, poor, young, old, healthy, sick (speaking of sick like everyone is sick around here) he cares about them and leads us to them everyday. I am constantly learning more about how I can better rely on the spirit and trust the Lord in all that I do. I LOVE D&C 100:4-8 especially 8. I know that I have that promise to rely on as I go forth in this work.

Also today President Wadsworth sent out an email about faith and asked this question, "What are you doing on a daily basis to strengthen your faith?" This is something that I have thought a lot about lately. We should constantly be exercising our faith and striving to come closer to our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. If we aren't...then what is happening to our faith? If faith is like "a little seed" then we should always be nourishing it and helping it to grow. We do this with scripture study, prayer, going to church and the temple, serving others around us, baring testimony...ect. Like it says in 2 Nephi 26:13, the Lord will work mighty miracles in your life according to your faith! :)

I love you all!

Love, Sister Anderson