"Stay warm! You guys are awesome!!!"

Hope you all had a great week!

We had transfers on Thursday, so now I have Sister Johnson from Lehi, UT as my companion!! It has been a major change, but so great!! She is so funny and is a very hard worker! I'm learning so much from her. I do miss Sister Cordner, but I'm excited for her new area and new people she will teach. Change is always kind of hard, but it has really been good! This transfer is going to be awesome!! I'm so grateful to be with Sister Johnson! She is so on top of everything!!

Now that I'm the one leading the area, I am the driver! It has been so fun to drive after sitting in the passenger seat for 3 months!

I'm so surprised at the new confidence I have as a missionary this transfer. I don't feel as nervous to knock on doors, or to share my testimony of Jesus Christ with strangers. I'm finally getting somewhat
used to this missionary stuff. ;) I am just loving it! I am so grateful to have this opportunity to serve others 100% of the time!

One night Sister Johnson and I were knocking on some doors, and one man answered but didn't let us in because he had guests over. As we were leaving he said, "Stay warm! You guys are awesome!!" That just made our day! :) It was FREEZING too. 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Many people thought we were crazy haha! (We are!)

Well, we still aren't having any major things happening with our investigators quite yet. The Spirit is working on them! :)

On Saturday it finally snowed a bunch!! We weren't allowed to drive all day, so we had to stay home. Let's just say we got a lot of planning and studying in! :) ...and shoveling snow for the Davis's! So much fun!

Sunday was so different! Church was cancelled! Brother Davis gave us a lesson. :) And then they made us delicious buttermilk pancakes with lemon syrup for lunch! Living with the Davis's = living like a queen! Sister Johnson and I also had a fun time building little snow-sisters. ;)

I am doing great! I am enjoying this time so much! It just feels so great to have a purpose!

I love you all so so much!! Thanks for all of your great examples!
If you're going through something difficult, read the Book of Mormon!! It will bring peace into your life!

Love,
Sister Winterton
♥♥♥





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P.S.

I want to share this LONNNNG quote from Pres. Hinckley that Sis. J introduced to me. It is really long, so don't feel obligated to read it, but I would HIGHLY recommend it! ♥ There are so many times when we don't feel good enough, or feel like giving up. DON'T do that. You are God's greatest creation! You can do anything with His help!




Read this every day if you can!

1) TODAY I WILL START A NEW LIFE; I will not fail. I will practice the art of patience. Only principles endure. Good habits are the key to all success. I will form good habits and become their slaves. My desire to meet the world will overcome every fear.

2) TODAY I WILL MAKE LOVE MY GREATEST WEAPON and I will succeed. Further I will love myself, for when I do, I will zealously inspect all things that enter my body, my mind, my soul, and my heart.

3) I WILL PERSIST UNTIL I SUCCEED. Small attempts will complete any undertaking, I must fail often to succeed only once. I will ignore the obstacles at my feet and keep my goals above my head. I will toil and I will endure.

4) I AM NATURES GREATEST MIRACLE. I will become better than I am. I will capitalize on my differences. I have unlimited potential. I will seek to improve my manners and graces. All my problems, discouragements, and heartaches are great opportunities in disguise. My purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink into a grain of sand.

5) I WILL LIVE THIS DAY AS IF IT IS MY LAST. Forgetting yesterday, neither will I think of tomorrow. Life is naught but a measurement of time; when I waste one I destroy the other. Procrastination I will destroy which action. Today I shall give myself in sacrifice and work; tomorrow I will have nothing to give and there will be nothing to receive. Each minute of today will be more fruitful than the hours of yesterday. My last must be my best.

6) TODAY I WILL BE MASTER OF MY EMOTIONS. I make my own weather; yea, I transport it with me. Weak is he who permits his thoughts to control his actions; strong is he who forces his actions to control his thought. I will make allowance for those whom my life touches, for they know not the secret of controlling their mind. I will master my moods through positive axions and when I master my moods, I control my destiny.

7) I WILL LAUGH AT THE WORLD. Most of all I will laugh at myself, for man is most comical when he takes himself too seriously. When confronted with men or deeds that bring forth tears of frustration, I will train myself to bring back good humor with four words; THIS TOO SHALL PASS. With laughter and happiness can I truly become a success.

8) TODAY I WILL MULTIPLY MY VALUE A HUNDREDFOLD. I must have objectives before my life will crystallize. I will consider my best performance of the past and multiply it a hundredfold. To surpass the deeds of others is important; to surpass my own deeds is all. I will raise my goals as soon as they are attained. I will always strive to make the best hour better than this one.

9) I WILL ACT NOW. Action alone, is the tinder which ignites my dreams, my plans, my goals, into a living force. Procrastination was born of fear. To multiply my value I will multiply my actions. Action is the food and drink which will nourish my success. Success will not wait. If I delay, she will become betrothed to another and lost to me forever.

10) I WILL PRAY FOR GUIDANCE... to acquire ability equal to my opportunities; to pluck the seeds of success from other failures, but remain humble through obstacles, failures, and victories... To endow me with courage to laugh at my misgivings, but to temper my spirit with the fears that beset it; to have sufficient days to reach my goals, yet live each day as if it were my last; that my words may bear fruit, yet be silent from gossip that none be maligned; to discipline myself to keep trying, making use of the law of averages. Favor me with alertness to recognize opportunity, yet endow me with patience which will concentrate my strength.

Triple Threat

Hey everyone!!

This week has been crazyyy!!!

I'll start out with how fun the rest of Monday was after emailing last week. :) We had a Zone activity and played dodgeball!!! It was pretty nerve racking at first because Sister C and I were the only Sisters who showed up for the first hour! It was a fun activity! The Elders didn't try and hit us Sisters, so that wasn't cool. It was cool when I caught some of the balls they threw though! :) Funny how crazy the Elders get!

I don't have much time to write, but I'll try to get as much in as possible!

On Monday evening, we taught our investigator who is 16 years old. She's been going to church for over a year, and has agreed to take the discussions a few weeks ago. We have been teaching her and her mom!! Things are going great! Excited to see them tonight :)

The middle of the week was crazy because our Muslim investigator with the baptism date for the 21st has decided to not get baptized anymore. She is struggling with believing God has a body of flesh and bone. We didn't have contact with her for a couple days, but she finally let us in on Saturday! I think she will come around sometime. It will just take a while for her to have her questions answered. She said that she received an answer to her prayers that God is intelligence and doesn't have a body. This is a struggle, but we're working on it :)

We are now called the Triple Threat!... On Friday Sister Cordner and I got a third companion! The sweet Sister Johnson! She (along with about 9 other Sisters in the mission) got Emergency Transferred. There has been some hard things going on with them. We still have regular transfers on Thursday this week! It'll be interesting to see what happens!! I'm excited!:) Change is always good! Having someone new has been challenging in many ways, but has helped in so many ways too! Always know that things happen for a reason!:) Heavenly Father knows and loves us!

Valentine's Day was so fun! I love all the sweet members who take care of us!:) Brother Davis gave us some flowers and Sis. Conley & her twin sister had us for dinner! So fun!!

I want you all to know that the Atonement is not just for sinners. Use it daily! M. Russell Ballard said, "the Atonement is a principle of comfort and strength through trial and adversity to all who embrace its powerful influence-- in this life and forever."
I know that Christ has suffered everything we are suffering. He knows what we feel.

Love you all!!!
Have a fantastic week!
Love,
Sister Winterton

SHE'S ON DATE FOR THE 21ST!!!

Happy Valentines Week everyone!!
This week has been full of miracles! (As usual) ;)

Our Iranian investigator is preparing to be baptized on the 21st of this month!! WOOOO!!! :D We are so excited!!! It has been amazing to see how much she has grown. I have learned so much from her! It's crazy to think about how this all happened because my companion and I knocked on her door. We are so glad we did!

She had us over for dinner last night along with a couple from our ward. The food was pretty yummy! :) We had an amazing lesson with her AND her husband!!!! Her husband is also a non-practicing Muslim, and has been having trouble with believing in God. Ever since we've been meeting with his wife, he has started reading from the Book of Mormon on his own. Last night he actively participated in the discussion and is willing to learn more! I had the most amazing experience while we taught last night. We were talking about how God has a body just like us. He had so many good questions and we were having trouble answering some of them. Sister Cordner was explaining to him how God has a perfect body and how he doesn't need to eat and doesn't experience pain, etc. He responded by saying, "You see these?? (as he pointed at his teeth) If God has a body like ours, what does he use teeth for? He doesn't need to eat." I had never even thought about that in my life! If God never needs to eat, why would He have teeth? That was his question. He even went into the organs and having blood, etc. All of a sudden, a thought came to my mind, and I opened my mouth! I did not know exactly what I was going to say, but I knew the Spirit was going to say something through me. I told him that God was once just like all of us. He lived on an earth, and had to learn and grow and EAT, just like us. Just as He became a God, we are all going to become Gods and Goddesses with our resurrected bodies. He then understood, and didn't have any further questions. HOW AMAZING! The Spirit truly does help us know what to say in the time we need it! I will never forget that moment! I know that our Heavenly Father does have a body of flesh and bone, and that we are His children! He loves us all so much!

I hope all of you know how grateful I am for your love and support!! Thank you for everything you do for me!!

Don't forget to show your love this Valentines Day by sharing the gospel!!♥♥
Have a wonderful week!!! :)
Love,
Sister Winterton

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He is listening!

Hello everyone!! Happy February!

It feels like it has been FOREVER since I've talked to all of you because we changed our preparation day to Wednesday this week. We got to go through the DC temple this morning! It was BEAUTIFUL. I just love being in the temple. I had the most amazing experience. Heavenly Father truly does answer our prayers! I was having a pretty hard time because I was missing my family so much. I asked Heavenly Father to help comfort me and to help me know that everything would be okay. Doctrine and Covenants section 100 kept coming to my mind while I was at the temple. I couldn't remember what it was about, but the Spirit kept telling me to read it. As soon as I read it, tears flowed down my face. Heavenly Father was talking directly to me. I know that God knows us each individually and that He truly does speak to us. I promise that if you diligently search the scriptures when you have a question or concern, you will receive an answer! And so much peace and comfort!

I know that this truly is hard being away from home, but I would never take away all of the amazing experiences I've had so far! I've never felt so close to the Spirit. I love being a missionary!

Well, this past week and a half has been busy! We have met with our investigator who is from Iran a bunch! (She is the one we found by knocking on her door!) She is SO prepared to learn about the gospel. I have never seen someone so ready to hear truth! We were able to take her to the Temple Visitors' Center to watch the Restoration video. She loved it! She got so emotional when she watched the First Vision. I'm so grateful for the Spirit and how much He touches our hearts! I'm so excited to continue teaching this wonderful lady! She calls us the "angels who knocked on my door." There are no words to describe how it feels to be "someone's missionary"!! I am so thankful for the chance I have to be an instrument in God's hands!

This past week we had exchanges! It was so fun! I got to leave my area for the first time! And sleeping in an apartment for the first time! ....I sure wish we had a personal gym to go workout in every morning! It was SO GOOD to run! :) It was also great to see a different area and work with different people. Change is good! It makes me feel a little bit better about how transfers are coming up... I'm going to miss Sis. Cordner so much!!!!

On Monday we had a dinner lesson with an investigator from Kenya Africa. She always feeds us SO MUCH! Haha! She wants us to get thirds! It was a delicious curry with coconut rice, but man our stomachs hurt afterwards! I love how we teach people from all over the world! It's like I got called to serve in every country! :) So fun!

Well, I hope you all have a FANTASTIC rest of the week!!
Thank you all so much for your prayers. I love you all.
♥Sister Winterton