September 20, 2021: 8+50=$100

We helped a family move into our area by unloading their 2 stuffed U-hauls. They took the title "U-HAUL" to a whole new level. They brought every piece of anything with them from Colorado. Alaskans are BIG hoarders so they will fit right in;) After the service, the mom gave us a hundred dollar bill and told us to get dinner. We decided on the 50 piece chicken finger meal from canes. Between the 8 of us missionaries, we finished it in 10 minutes. It was legendary. Definitely the highlight of the week!

After playing glow in the dark dodge ball with the youth, we went to our car to make some phone contacts. After a while, we rolled down our windows and played the song, "Book of Mormon Stories". A whole crowd of youth came over and started dancing to it. And then for the next 30 minutes, the youth stuck around and talked to us about our missionary work and how they want to go on missions. It was really cool to get the youth excited for their own adventure to move the work forward. It made me happy & created a bond between youth and missionaries. 

I had the opportunity to teach my brothers friend, Michael about how our church came to be. He is attending Cornell University in New York, so we were able to video call. He was excited to learn and we were excited to teach! I truly felt what it was like to "rejoice" in sharing the gospel to a friend. :,)

To me, feeling the spirit and acting on the spirit are two very different things. It is SO cool to be lead by the spirit to where God needs us to be in the right moment. I noticed 2 scrawny teenage boys playing on a train and told 'BB' that we were going to go play with the boys on the train and started walking to them. Turns out one of the boys, Tristian's mom was an inactive member! Tristan told us how his family has been torn apart throughout the years and that has led them to not believe in God anymore. But he told us he prays and reads The Book of Mormon in secret without his parents seeing. He went on to tell us how all of his friends are atheists and he is the only believer that Jesus Christ lives. Isn't this inspiring? I think so. 

I think about why we are given different trials in our life. Sometimes we are given trials because of our own decisions, some are because of others, and some are given to us because life is hard! Through Jesus Christ, we can feel his comforting love through the hard times. 

Choose JOY,

Sister Elly Rex

Pics:

-Canes

-Eagle/symphony Lakes

-Apples 

-Glow in the dark dodge ball 

-a typical Alaskan uhaul move 

-Nates senior photoshoot

-Random girls asked us to play war

-Michael:)