Words from Sister Abbi Waite in Texas

Dear All,

This wonderful Merrilltown/Heritage Trail area is wonderful, but I feel as though "Miracletown/Heaven's Trail" would be a more accurate description! The blessings and miracles just keep pouring down upon us!

The Lord continues to place prepared people in our path. I've prayed my entire mission to have eyes to see who is ready, and I'm finally seeing them! So many people just fall right into our laps! Placed there by the Lord! So many little miracles happen every day and I'm grateful to have the eyes to see them! 

I can't tell you how excited I am that Geoff Murphy is finally going to be baptized and confirmed! I'll say that once again: 

Geoff Murphy is finally going to be baptized! 

He has permission and it's happening! :) 

We have a baptism this Saturday as well, and for a little while, we didn't think we would make it to Zilker for Geoff's baptism. I was a little upset, but I also knew that whatever happened would be what the Lord intended. I have been praying and fasting to be able to attend Geoff's baptism since we first found out it needed to be postponed (in March!)... and we're going to be able to be there! Heavenly Father is so good and I'm so glad! 

But yeah... we also have a baptism this Saturday! Lupe's story is really great! He's basically another Cesario! His friend, Kemish, invited him over for dinner with the missionaries and now he's being baptized! The greatest miracle with him is that he was able to join this stake's youth on their temple trip to Nauvoo, and that was the most incredible experience for him! He says he just feels happier. We gave him a copy of the For the Strength of Youth pamphlet, and he read it all right after we left. He's so great! 

We have a lot of investigators and baptisms scheduled in the Merrilltown ward, but not too many in Heritage Trail. And by not too many, I mean that we had no really progressing investigators (but 3 really wonderful people we've been teaching for a really long time who all have really long stories...) an no baptisms to help lift the ward's morale in sight. But we started praying specifically to find a family in Heritage Trail... and we did! We are going to be teaching them tonight and it's so exciting. I haven't ever taught a stable, together family. I pray that we will be able to speak in the language of the Spirit and see them sealed together in a year! 

We started praying to find a family because we know that the gospel blesses families. The family is ordained of God. We are all a part of Heavenly Father's family. He sent us here in families to bring us joy, help us learn the gospel, and prepare us for eternal life! 

Preach My Gospel says: 

"A home established on gospel principles will be a place of refuge and safety. It will be a place where the Spirit of the Lord can abide, blessing family members with peace, joy, and happiness."

I testify that that is true! I grew up with family scripture study and prayer, regular temple trips, family home evening, family church attendance, and so much more! The gospel has blessed my home and family so much! 

My parents are amazing examples. I've been going through the scriptures that I've had since I was 8 years old and finding verses marked in green colored pencil. I remember marking those when I first received the set of scriptures and asked my dad what his favorite scriptures were and for a way to mark them and make my scriptures pretty. He chose some really good ones! More recently, I've started marking some passages with pen, which reminds me of how my mom marked Christ's visit to the Americas in her own Book of Mormon. They love the scriptures so much! This is only a tiny sample of what I've learned from my parents' wonderful gospel example! 

The gospel has truly blessed my family SO MUCH, and I will be eternally grateful for that! Because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, my present family has been sealed together by the priesthood in a Holy Temple of the Lord! And my future family will be as well! To me, this is one of the greatest evidences of God's love for all of His children: Families are Forever! 

I am excited to continue learning and growing and witnessing miracles as I strive to do the Lord's work in His way and by His power! I love being an instrument in the hands of the Lord! 

Love, 

Sister Waite