Don't Look Back! :)

Happy New Year everyone! 

I am SO excited to start 2015! The holidays have been super fun and pretty busy -- especially for potential investigators. No one was available to have us over! So I'm pumped to start having more teaching opportunities to come up again! 

With this new year ahead of us, I would invite all of you to look AHEAD. Don't look back! A Sister in my Zone gave a great reference from the scriptures of why we shouldn't look back... Lot's wife! Genesis 19:26 - "But his wife looked back from behind him, and she became a pillar of salt." Why do you think Heavenly Father commanded them to not look back? ...there's some good food for thought :) Let me know what you think! 

This week has been so fun!! 

On Monday we did some shopping, and in one of the stores a worker (pretty large African American man) came up to us and told us all about the sales, etc and then said, "Thank you so much for all of your hard work and spreading the word! Oh! We have some water bottles in the back! Lemme go grab you both one!" It made Sister Cordner and I's day! It feels so good to hear that. I'm so grateful for this chance to share the gospel! 

On New Years Eve we got to have a Zone party!! We watched How to Train Your Dragon 2, and Space Jam! Ha! (Don't ask me why they chose Space Jam) ;) That was so fun! I have the best Zone. They are all hilarious! Before watching movies, we had a big dinner with the Zone provided by the wonderful Brother and Sister Davis!! (The members I live with!) They are so sweet. I hope to be like them in the future! So kind and so willing to give. And no, we didn't stay up until midnight...just went to bed at our normal 10:30! Although I don't think I would be physically capable of staying up later! We are drained by the end of each day ;) 

On the 1st (Thursday) we had a Return and Report meeting --(for trainers and the training missionaries). It was SO weird to see no cars on the road!!! Everyone in the town was asleep! Pretty weird! Anyway, that was a great meeting! It's interesting to hear how other newer missionaries are doing. ...all I can say is that I am so lucky!! I have such a great trainer! :) We have such a great time together and get so much done. I love Sister Cordner! 

On Friday we got to go see the Botanical Garden lights with Sister Conley! It's a big garden near our house that puts a bunch of lights up kind of like the temple :) Pretty cool! And COLD. It's starting to get colder finally over here! Lots of rain! 

Yesterday we got to go to the New & Returning Member fireside since we brought an investigator (Sis. Murray)!!! That is probably my favorite meeting so far on the mission!! It is where new converts to the church go up and share their testimonies and conversion stories! It was AMAZING. It definitely strengthened my testimony and helped remind me how powerful and amazing it is to be a missionary!!! At the meeting one man (about late 20's) shared how before he came in contact with the church he had fully become Atheist. He completely believed there was no God because he had searched his entire life for Him. He said he had grown up in a religious family, and as a kid believed more in Santa than Christ. He had a friend who was a member and had read the entire Book of Mormon. He even prayed about it. No answer. A few months later he attended a stake conference where President Riggs spoke!! He found out that in order to be worthy of an answer from God he would need to repent and become clean. So he tried it. After pouring his soul to Heavenly Father, and finding all the things he might be guilty of, he felt the amazing power of the Atonement lift all of those burdens off of his shoulders. He said that he had no idea that he was being weighed down with all that. He could feel so much love and peace from God! He soon received an answer that the Book of Mormon was true, and started learning from the missionaries. How amazing!!! I will never forget that testimony. 

God truly does lift our burdens when we ask for forgiveness. "But as oft as they repented and sought forgiveness, with real intent, they were forgiven." (Moroni 6:8) That guy truly sought forgiveness and answers from God with real intent. 

Well this week is transfers!! I can't believe it has been one transfer! I will be staying here of course since I'm being trained, and so will Sister Cordner (I hope!!). It makes me realize how fast time goes. 

I hope you all have an amazing week!!! :) Thank you all for your love and support!! 

Keep working (or start) those goals! Even if it's just one goal for the week! Keep looking ahead :) 

Heavenly Father loves YOU. 

Love, 

Sister Winterton 

Sorry no pictures from the week!! (Leaving now to DC!! Woo!!) 

 Here is a pic of me right now:)