February 1, 2021: WaTeR gAl

 Can you fetch me a pail of water? Or 12?

A set of Elders in our zone asked us to help their friend due to her water pipes being frozen(which is a very common thing here). We drove an hour to get to her place and when we walked in, she pointed to 12 huge water containers and told us to go to the sink in the most ghetto laundry shop I've ever been to, down the street. 

This friend was full of tattoos, head to toe. She had layered chains around her neck and wrists. Her house reeked of smoke. She informed us as we walked in, that her favorite thing was skulls! We looked over at her daughter who was quietly painting an animal skull... HAHA but none of this bothered me or kept me from smiling. Why? Because I could see she had the desire to change. She had a light in her eyes that showed potential to learn and improve her life to become closer to her Savior. It doesn't matter what we look like or what our differences are. We are all children of our loving Heavenly father who loves us SO much. All he wants for us is to feel joy and return back to him!

"Missionaries are basically... living fortune cookies! They never give out a bad message or a negative fortune!" -Bishop Metcalf

"Missionaries are like Ninjas because they wear masks and help people"-Brother Hale

If we do our part, the Lord will work a miracle.

We(as people who pray to our Heavenly Father), start and end each day praising Jesus Christ's name. This is of great importance as we strive to become more like our Savior and inspire others do the same! 

In Zone conference, our mission president, President King, asked us how many missionaries were in our area. Each of us looked around the room counting each missionary and came up with the sum of 26. WRONG!!! He continued to say how there are 3214 missionaries in Wasilla! Full-time missionaries(me) + part-time missionaries(members)= 10000x the success of finding and helping people come closer to making their first covenant with God through the waters of Baptism!! 

Our dear friend Bobbi, is going through a lot of physical pain and we offered her a blessing. She instantly said to Brother Seims, "whatever powers you have from God, I need them all right now!". In her blessing, it promised her that if she read the Book of Mormon, the doctors would find the answers to her questions to help her feel better! She told us she would read the book of Mormon and come to our "big and beautiful" church! Then she asked all of her doubting questions about if we still practice having 7 wives and all that jazzy stuff. Thankfully we don't... haha!

We walked, held, and carried Ella's animals on a walk this week. Yes all three! One dog walked, one cold dog was held, and one cat was carried in a backpack. A crazy Alaskan who was walking on the same trail as us, whipped out her tazers as we walked by, trying to get our dogs away from her 2 Yorkies... Who the hex, has a tazer and would willingly taze someone's perfectly fine dog, right in front of them? Welcome to Alaska. 

I have learned this week to have the faith to follow through with what YOU are asking the Lord to help YOU with. Putting effort in your faith makes all the difference. Take it step by step! The world wasn't built in one day, and neither was my/your testimony!! 

This isn't work, its JOY!! And I'm out here sharing the JOY & you should be too! 

Extend your love &kindness,

And as always,

Choose JOY,

Sista Elly Rex