11.30.2015

The Smallest Part (LAST weekly update)

November 30, 2015

Hello one and all... for the last time!
 

Let me tell you... it's been a crazy but wonderful week here in colorful Colorado. It's been snowing almost constantly and I'm very excited to come home to 60 degree weather!
 
 
 
On Tuesday I was on my last exchange out of the area with the Lakewood Sisters, Sisters Voss and Beaman. Sister Voss will actually be getting switched to Spanish and will be taking my place in Denver North with Sister Moody so I'm excited for that! Then, on Wednesday I was in the area on exchanges with Sister Chandler. I love her way too much! It was fun for us to be back in our area again and it felt just like old times. We were able to visit a lot of people and see a lot of miracles! Thursday was Thanksgiving. Holidays are always wonderful. We got to have two dinners with two of my favorite families, the Munoz's and the Leiva's. The food was great and the company was wonderful. It was a day full of visiting and lifting those that are struggling. I couldn't have asked for a better Thanksgiving. Friday was my last weekly planning! It felt weird to plan for my area that I knew I would be leaving. But, we started some goodbyes and just enjoyed the weekend. We saw SOO many miracles on Saturday. This was my last real, complete day of proselyting and the Lord definitely blessed us unconditionally.
  
I love this girl...Sister Chandler!

Saturday we had been praying very specifically to find 5 new investigators in the 2 hours we had before we had to leave to drive to dinner. We prayed, and walked out of our apartment. As we were walking to the car I saw a girl. The spirit told me to go and OYM her and talk to her. I ignored the prompting, thinking that she probably only spoke English and wouldn't become a new investigator for us (yes... i'm still repenting for that thought!) She kept walking, and again the prompting came... GO TALK TO HER! (The spirit was almost screaming at me at this point). I then felt so strongly that I needed to share the Christmas Initiative, He is the Gift, with her. Not to ignore a prompting TWICE,  I yelled at Sister Moody to open the car so I could get a He Is The Gift pass along card. By the time I got a card and got out of the car, she had turned the corner and was too far for me to run to. I told Sister Moody that I felt we needed to talk to her and she said, "Well, we could follow her in our car?" Haha... needless to say, we got in and started driving. When we started to near the girl, I rolled down the window and started talking to her in English. She brokenly said, "No speak English." Prayer answered. Sister Moody stopped driving and I got out and met Concha. She is from Mexico and has just recently come to the states. She has a family and children and was walking down the road in the snow in a hoodie, jeans and vans. I shared the Christmas message with her and parts of the first lesson. When I asked her if we could come back and share the HITG video, she was more than willing and gave us her address and phone number. We said a prayer and I testified to her that I knew this gospel would change her life. I got back in the car. We kept driving and Concha kept walking. Already one new investigator found and we hadn't even arrived at our destination yet.

I learned 2 things from this experience: 1. Follow the promptings of the spirit the FIRST time so you don't have to awkwardly follow someone in your car, AND 2. The Lord's timing is perfect. We then kept driving and did the same thing to another lady named Ivette. Almost the EXACT same situation (except we turned the car around to go and talk to her haha) Another new investigator. We then went to the Wolff Apartments and found a family of 3 and 2 other new investigators to make a total of 7. Prayers answered and lesson learned. No matter where you are, what you are doing, whether you are a full time missionary or not, the Lord always places people in your life to share the gospel with. We first must be worthy of the prompting, and then we must ACT on it right away.
 
  
 
 
With Sister Moody, my last missionary companion
 
Yesterday I gave a talk in sacrament meeting about the 3 things I have learned on my mission that can help us to stay on the path to eternal life: 1. Remember the Savior in EVERY moment 2. Repentance is a necessary part of mortality and 3. COVENANTS bind us to our Heavenly Father. I felt so inspired to share these three simple concepts with the members on my last Sunday as a missionary. The talk went well, followed by a great musical # from our district, and a wonderful day of faith-promoting goodbyes.
 
 
District Leader Council

I can't even hardly believe that this mission is over. It has been hard. It has been exhausting. It has been disappointing at times. But more than anything, it has been the most joyful, spiritual, and rewarding thing I have ever done. I can't even begin to explain the smallest part of which I feel, but I know that the Lord has tailored this mission to ME. I know that He knows me perfectly and that he placed every companion, member, leader, mission president, and person that I have met in my life for a reason. He knew exactly the type of success I would need to experience in order to grow. He knew exactly the type of trials that would humble me. And He KNEW that I would undoubtedly become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ in this past year and a half. If I learned nothing else on my mission, I know that this is the only true church on the face of the earth. There is not one other that can compare to the true doctrine of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I will live and die holding these teachings to my heart and feel so privileged to have personally ministered among the people of Colorado. I know that I have been called of God to come to this specific place at this specific time in my life. And that has completely changed eternity. Missions are not temporal; they are eternal. Serving as a full time missionary has not only helped in the process of changing others, but it has completely changed ME. It has changed my nature. It has changed how I view mortality and the value of life here on earth. This is a probationary time of learning. I am so grateful for the past year and a half I have had to learn directly from the Lord as His servant and to "[put] off the natural man and [become] a saint."




​"For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father." -Mosiah 3:19



I have loved this mission I have served. It is not MY mission. It is the Lord's. I know that I was chosen to serve Him. And will continue to do so willingly for the rest of my life and eternity. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it is the most powerful book on the face of the earth. If you have not read it, PLEASE do. It will not only change your life, your family, your children, but it will change your heart. It will bring you closer to Jesus Christ. And who of us doesn't need heavenly guidance?


Here is Pierce in Colorado!
 
I love the Restored Gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was called as prophet to restore the basic truth of Christ's teachings. I know that we have a living prophet today that leads and guides us. We need him. We need the guidance of the Lord. We need the power of God on the earth today. And that can only be found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I was grateful to have my cousins Crystal and Scott living in my last area.
Here I am with baby, Austin.

 

Thank you for all of your love and support over the past year and a half. I am grateful for each and every email, letter, package, prayer, and thought that has been performed on my behalf. Most importantly, thank you to my family for their endless love and support. I could not have completed my mission without you. I will see you soon!
​May the Lord continuously bless you and pour out His goodness upon you.

Love,
Hermana Erica Pierce​


Bye-bye Colorado Denver South Mission! We love you and will miss you!
 


Our district mourning over the death of Elder Morales and I.
Good times, good times.












 

11.29.2015

1

November 23, 2015

Well... This was a crazy week!

To begin, Juaquin was not baptized yesterday :'( It was a SUPER tough day and a roller coaster to say the least. Since we had our first snow storm this past Monday, Juaquin was up in the mountains ALL WEEK quitando nieve (can't remember how to say that in english... taking away snow? Shoveling snow?) therefore, we did not get to teach him ONE TIME. It was so frustrating because he was so prepared but has to work to send money to his daughter in Mexico.

On Saturday, I was on exchanges in the Sand Creek YSA ward with Sister Allison (which was a blast! SOOO many miracles!), which ended up being a great thing because I was so worried Juaquin wouldn't make it back for his baptism in time. He didn't have great cell service so it was even harder to be in contact.

Then, when I got back to the area on Saturday night, we got a call from Alberto, Juaquin's fellow-shipper. It was after our quiet time so we weren't supposed to answer, but the spirit just told me that we needed to talk to him. Alberto told us that Juaquin, earlier in the day while he was visiting him, had a heart attack and was currently in the hospital. Right away Sister Moody and I started a fast, something I haven't done in months because of my health. But, I prayed SO hard for the Lord to help me through it.
 
Sunday, Juaquin didn't come to church. We went over to his house after church to visit him and he wasn't there. Long story short, we found out that he was working... The DAY AFTER having a heart attack! It was crazy, insane and when we finally got a hold of him 2 hours before his baptism, he said he was still working and wasn't ready to be baptized. It was such an upsetting day and very hard for me, but I am finding light in the Lord's timing and plan. I know Juaquin will be baptized soon, Satan just happened to get a deep hold on this situation this week.
 


We had a ward Thanksgiving party this week. SO fun! :)
 
I love this mission more than anything. A week before coming home, the Lord is STILL testing my faith. And it is more firm than ever.

 
Con amor,
Hermana Pierce
 
 
This is Laura Vaughn! One of my fave people ever!

 
 

11.18.2015

2

November 16, 2015
 
Para empezar... mi mente esta enfocado en espanol ahorita y hace mucho tiempo desde les escribo en espanol, entonces, hoy voy a empezar con mi testimonio. yo se que jesucristo es mi salvador. estoy tan agradecida por este conocimiento que he logrado en mi mision y por la oportunidad conocerlo. realmente, es muy dificil conocer jesucristo, pero dare todo mi alma para hacerlo. yo tengo un GRAN AMOR por las personas de colorado y por la oportunidad servirles. estoy muy triste que solamente tengo 2 semanas mas para estar en mi ministerio aqui en colorado, pero se que he hecho lo que el senor queria que yo haga. ahora... perseverar hasta el fin!!!
 

I love the Alcortas...especially sweet Estrella!
 
soooo.... big news...
 
JOAQUIN IS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS COMING SUNDAY!!!
He had his baptismal interview yesterday and passed and is doing great! He comes to basically every activity we have and just LOVES the church! This has been SUCH a miracle but he truly qualifies for D&C 20:37. Next Sunday will be so wonderful! He will then be confirmed a member on my last Sunday :)
 
This week was fantastic. We saw sooo many miracles including... that we taught 13 member present lessons! We have been striving really hard to get the members more involved in our missionary work and it has really paid off this week! All of those lessons but 2 were taught after the first visit, which meant scheduling the lesson and then inviting a member to come. I am so very grateful for the members of our ward for always being so missionary minded! It makes the work run so much more smoothly and the Lord really does bless the members for their efforts! SO... to my family... GO OUT AND TEACH WITH THE ELDERS THIS WEEK PLEASE! Thanks :) "Now is the time for members and missionaries to work together!" We were able to teach 31 total lessons this week which was just outright CRAZY! God is so good to us! He blessed us so much this week in our efforts.
 
Tacos Marlene...the best food truck tacos you will ever eat!
 
Yay for taco selfies!!! The Mexican men then proceeded to make fun
of us in Spanish about taking a selfie.
The best part was when we spoke back to them in Spanish!!! HAH!!! 
 
Eating our Tacos Marlene in McDonalds...
since there was no where else to eat them!
 

Well... I can't think of too many other things to update on this week... mostly I'm just so happy that Joaquin is getting baptized! please pray for him this week to be able to overcome the temptations of Satan and be baptized on Sunday!

Love you all!!
xoxo
Hermana Pierce

PIC: Sister's zone meeting this week! LOVE all of these beauties! haha
 
 

11.12.2015

The Power of ONE!

November 10, 2015

HEY EVERYONE!

Sister missionaries at the temple
This week was great!! We are continually seeing so many miracles!

On Saturday night, we had a lesson with Joaquin! We hadn't seen him in over a week so we decided to share something from the Book of Mormon. Well, he was acting a little weird the whole lesson. Come to find out, at the end of the lesson he told us that he had just drank a beer right before our lesson. It was really sad because he seems like he is caught so deeply in sin and heartache. We testified of the atonement of Jesus Christ and committed him to come to church the next day!

Sunday morning, we stopped by and dropped off muffins for Joaquin but he was in the bathroom so we couldn't talk to him. We left and texted his fellow shipper, Alberto, to give him the OK to go pick him up. Joaquin and Alberto came to church and LOVED IT! They left before we could talk to them after church so we never got to invite him to Celida's baptism and confirm that he would be coming. Sister Moody and I set off for the rest of the day to have lunch and find new investigators and teach. (We ended up finding 2 new investigators and setting one on date for baptism :) - another miracle) 
 
 
Celida at her baptism
 
When we got out of lunch with our part-member family, we were sad because we hadn't talked to Joaquin since church that morning and didn't get a chance to arrange a ride for him to the baptism. Right before the baptism was about to start, we had a missed call from Alberto so we called him back. He answered, asked us how we were doing and then we asked him what he was doing. He just said, "oh... well... i'm with Joaquin on the way to the baptism!" WOW!!! MIRACLE! Alberto had contacted Joaquin himself, and picked him up for the baptism! When we arrived at the service, they were already there waiting for us. Joaquin loved it and the Bishop even gave a shout out to Joaquin for coming in his "welcome to the ward" talk. Afterwards, we had a lesson with Joaquin and Alberto in front of the font about the Word of Wisdom. He accepted everything so clearly and willingly and we re-set his baptismal date for November 22nd. He is SO excited to be baptized and is truly experiencing the "mighty change of heart." I am so grateful for member missionary work and the impact our example has on those around us! Joaquin is so excited for his baptism!
Excahnges with Sister Davies
 
Exchanges with Sister Cho
 
The reason we are emailing on Tuesday this week is because yesterday we got to have a metro-side zone conference with Wilford W. Anderson of the 70! We got to hear from him and his wife and President and Sister Murdock. It was so special to get to receive so much counsel from one of the Lord's authorities. I can't even begin to describe all of the wonderful things he taught us, but I am so grateful for the decision to serve a mission. It truly has opened my eyes to the blessings that we receive from serving the Lord and living a Christ centered life. There is no greater power on earth than that of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
 
With my companion, Sister Moody, at the temple

Have a great week! Love y'all!
Hermana Pierce



"Sister Pierce... Today is November 2nd..."

November 2, 2015
 
Well, I would like to start off this email by attributing the title to my mission president, President Murdock. I had my last interview with him this morning and that is the very first thing he said to me when we sat down for the interview. It was followed by a semi-creepy grin and no other words. Oh how I love that man. I feel like we are sent to our specific missions on a large scale for who our mission presidents will be. I realized today that the Lord knew what he was doing by sending me to the CDSM when President Murdock shared a basketball analogy to explain a principle of the gospel to me in our interview. It just all makes sense now... haha ;)

The sisters in our zone.
 
Other than that, the week was good. We've been working really diligently and seeing a lot of miracles. It seems like all of our investigators are trying to distance themselves from us, but the Lord is continually blessing us with more and more prepared people! This week I had THREE exchanges. With Sister Gogue (my baby... man I love her!), Sister Allison, and Sister Hiatt. They were all so wonderful! I actually really enjoy going on exchanges frequently, even tho I have to be out of my area a lot :( BUT, i know that the Lord is helping me to learn so much from each of these beautiful sisters. They have truly taught me how to even more rely upon Christ.

Me and Hermana Gogue on exchanges!
Moogly Googly, my baby!
 
This week, during my exchange with Sister Allison, we were in my area and we were able to see one of the biggest miracles of my mission. The whole day had started terribly and we both just felt SO overcome by Satan. Finally, we decided to just get out there and go to work. I started driving to an apartment complex, even though I had no idea why. We prayed, got out and OYM'ed a woman named Veronica. We just kind of followed her home, making awkward conversation and carrying her kids' backpacks and rolls of toilet paper. When we got to her house, we sat down and the spirit just overwhelmed the room. Debating whether or not to even explain who we were to to even do the survey, the spirit whispered, "teach." We skipped the survey and just jumped right into the Restoration. Within minutes, her screaming babies were sleeping and we were reciting the first vision. When we asked Veronica how she felt when we recited Joseph Smith's words, she just said, "beautiful." Sister Allison invited her into the other room to kneel down and pray to ask God if Joseph Smith was a true prophet. She was so willing, but got nervous when it was her turn to say the prayer. We taught her how to pray and waited. She wouldn't speak. Finally, I felt the spirit whisper so softly but so boldly, "Bow your head." I obeyed. After about 30 seconds of having my head bowed, Veronica began to pray. The spirit was undeniable. She asked specifically if Joseph Smith was a prophet. When she finished her prayer, we asked her how she felt. She said she knew it was true. We invited her to be baptized on December 6th. She accepted. It was by far the most spiritual lessons I've been privileged to be a part of on my mission. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.

On another note, Halloween was fun! Our ward had a party and we had games and handed out candy! Us four hermanas in the ward dressed up as hogwarts wizards. It was a fun night! :)
 

Me and Hermana Hiatt as Hogwarts Wizards
Just call me Harry!

 
The Javier family
 
The Elders were the Avengers and the Hermanas
were Hogwarts wizards for Hallowe'en!
 
I hope you all have a great week! The gospel of Jesus Christ really is the most important thing we've ever been given. Don't take it for granted! I love you all!
 
Con amor,
Hermana Pierce

11.01.2015

40 Day Sacrifice

October 26, 2015

Hello one and all! I hope it has been a great week! Things here in Denver are great. To start off, my new companion is Hermana Ashley Moody! We have served in the same district together almost my whole time in Glenwood Springs and gone on MULTIPLE exchanges together! I was SHOCKED that we became companions! She came out into the field one transfer after me and President Murdock told us that we would NEVER be companions! So, when I talked with him after transfer meeting about it, he just smiled at me. He then told me that "he had nothing to do with this one... that it was all the Lord." Wow. Sister Moody is a really strong missionary and a Sister Training Leader. Because of this, we will be going on exchanges twice a week. I will be out of my area in the other sisters' areas with them every week for my last transfer. It has definitely been a trial and a blessing and will keep me on my toes this last transfer. I know the Lord still wants me to learn humility and to always be observing and learning from others. I feel really grateful that He is SO mindful of everything I need to become more like Christ.

Also... another plot twist... Hermana Chandler got moved to Denver South! That means that we will still get to go on exchanges with her and she still serves in my ward and we eat dinner together every day :) I was so grateful for this tender mercy from the Lord because I really wasn't ready to say bye to her yet!
 
In other news, I have come down with a nasty cold/sinus thing this week :( I have been a little under the weather and its been hard to sleep at night, but the Lord is still giving me enough strength to work through the days! We were able to achieve the standards of excellence again this week for the 6th week in a row. I am amazed at how the Lord is continually pouring out blessings upon us. I have been able to really feel His hand in our work as we've dedicated ourselves to fulfilling His will this week.
 
To finish off, I wanted to share with you the sacrifice we are doing as a district. This transfer, we have a goal of baptizing 17 people between our 4 companionship's. That is a LOT of souls. But, of course, we knew this would not be achieved without a sacrifice. So, we have decided as a district to give up an hour of our p-day to go out and find a family that can be baptized in December to help our mission achieve our goal of baptizing 252 souls before the end of the year. I am so excited for this sacrifice, seeing as it has been in the back of my mind my whole mission. When I suggested it to the district I thought for sure there would be at least one objection, but everyone was so willing to give their all for the Lord. I feel really privileged to serve around such diligent, faithful missionaries. With that being said, our p-day will now end at 4 pm for the remaining 5 weeks of the transfer :)
 
I love this work! I am also sacrificing personally these last 5 weeks and will be really trying to stay as focused on the work as possible... so my emails might go slightly by the wayside... but I am so grateful this week for the opportunity to serve a mission. It has truly taught me the importance of a personal relationship with Christ.
 
Have a great week!

Love,
Hermana Pierce
 
PS: Sorry, no pics this week! also... sorry this email is very scatterbrained... trying to go fast!

10.20.2015

Photos from 10-19-15

October 19, 2015
 
The District


A neat teaching experience
 
 
Metro Sisters' Conference
 
 
The Javier Family
 
 
 
 
Carne Asada Fries...A heart attack waiting to
happen...but SO good!
 
 
On exchanges I locked our keys in the trunk...so this is me on the
phone with AAA. Don't worry, it all worked out! :) and we had
a miracle day...5 new investigators!