Stomach Bugs and Miracles

 

The beauty of this state amazes me!

 

April 20, 2015

Hello, All!

Let me just start out by congratulating my sister, Kristen, and her husband, Eiji, on officially announcing their pregnancy! BABY on the WAY <3 She is due at the end of October and I couldn't be more proud of them! I am so excited to meet my new niece or nephew when I return home :)

 

Also, congratulations to my dad as getting called as the Bishop of the Keller 2nd ward! I am so grateful for the opportunity our family has to serve others. This gospel really is the greatest blessing we have been given.
 

 

 

And lastly, as far as announcements go, I just wanted to officially announce to everyone that I've decided to extend my mission a little bit, so I will now be returning home on January 12th, 2016! I was planning on being home for at the beginning of December so I could make Winter Semester at BYU, but after a lot of praying and fasting, I have decided that I want to lengthen my full 18 months as a servant of the Lord! Thank you for all of your wonderful support! Serving a mission has been the greatest blessing in my life and I want to fulfill every day I have to share this amazing gift.

 
 

Exploring Fun Caves on P-Day!

 

Alright, well on with the week!

 

So, I don't have too much to update on this week as far as investigators and teaching goes, but I do want to share a miracle!

All this week we have been visiting a LOT of Less Active members. The Carbondale branch where we serve usually has about 15 active members each week and this week at Sacrament meeting there were 32 people present- not including the elders!!!! That is far more than DOUBLE what we normally have! AND, we had 10 less actives there! It was SUCH a miracle and we saw the direct fruits of our labors! Unfortunately, yesterday, I had a stomach bug and was bed ridden all day, so we didn't get to be at sacrament meeting, but I KNOW that the Lord was blessing us for all of the hard work we have been doing. I know the Lord is in the DETAILS of our lives and that he will NEVER forsake us. Seek Him. You will find Him.
 

 

Hanging Lake hike on P-day

 

Lastly, I just want to bear my testimony of this true and restored gospel. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have this great, eternal truth in my life. I know that the true priesthood authority of God has been restored to the earth today through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that living these commandments and following the Lord's counsel has brought me more happiness than I could ever imagine. Share this gift with EVERYONE. Each and every person deserves to be this happy! I am so grateful for the great blessing my family is. I couldn't have asked for a better guide here on the earth. I have such a strong testimony that our families truly are ETERNAL and FOREVER. See you soon... In white <3

 

I love being a missionary! Make it a great week!

Love,

La Hermana Pierce

 

 

 

Picture: He is HERE. And there. And EVERYWHERE. SEEK HIM.

Picture taken at Hanging Lake :) mormon.org / helives.mormon.org

Spiritually Feasting

April 13, 2015

Hey ya'll! Things here in Glenwood Springs are great! The weather is beautiful, the work is hastening, and we had another good week of work :)

 

Here's a miracle to start off!

 On Saturday, we went to contact a potential investigator that ended up living WAAAAY farther away than we thought she did. Well, we get out of the car and are walking to try and find the apartments when I see a guy outside washing his car. I nudge Sis. Arnold and we walk over to OYM him. He turned out to be Spanish speaking and his name was Franklin. We did the survey with him and he had some REALLY amazing answers. Right from the first survey question, I felt the spirit confirm to me that HE was the person I had been praying for in this area to be baptized in May. HE was the elect. Well, we transition into the first lesson and he knew EVERY answer to every question that we asked. We invited him to be baptized by the proper priesthood authority on May 30th and he said YES. It was truly SUCH a miracle to find him. The potential we had been looking for ended up not being there. BUT, we KNOW that we were led to that random street to find one of God's elect waiting to hear the true, restored gospel. I received SEVERAL confirmations from the spirit that HE had been selected by the Lord. We are so excited to meet with Franklin again tomorrow :)

​As far as progressing investigators go,​ most of them took a couple of steps back this week, which was a little sad, but we are working with them to resolve their doubts! We had a SUPER tough lesson with our investigator Patricia the other night where it seemed like everything we taught them while trying to do the BOM Dialogue was disputed with a Bible Bash comment. Sister Arnold and I couldn't believe what we were hearing and just felt prompted by the spirit to bear our testimonies, end the lesson, and pray for them. We did just that, and I ended up in tears as I testified of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and that I KNOW that the Book of Mormon truly contains the FULLNESS of the gospel. When we got back to the car, we were a little discouraged but KNEW that we had fulfilled our purpose and that their hearts would be softened. It was so shocking to hear someone that had loved the BOM so much to completely flip a 180 all of the sudden. BUT, I KNOW that Patricia will continue to progress and feel of the love that I and the Savior have for her.

 

Other than that, we have just been working hard and sacrificing for the Lord. On Saturday, we fasted from Breakfast until Dinner (a mission-wide thing we do every Saturday to help achieve our goal of 100 baptisms in May) and then we did ANOTHER mission-wide fast starting right after dinner on Saturday until Sunday dinner. Let's just say it was a lot of spiritual feasting. As all who know me are well aware, fasting has never been my strong suit, but after our almost 48 hour fast this weekend, I felt SO MUCH STRENGTH. A recent convert explained fasting to me as, "giving up physical food for the spiritual." I want to invite each of you to fast and discover what more YOU can do for the Lord. I love this gospel and I LOVE being a missionary,

 

Make it a great week!

 

xoxo

Love,

Hermana Pierce

In Christ ALL Shall Be Made ALIVE

April 6, 2015

WOW! This week was INCREDIBLY HARD! Haha! I can't even begin to describe how much the adversary was working on Sister Arnold and I. It was definitely one of the most personally, emotionally trying weeks of my mission. BUT, with a good priesthood blessing, a lot of time spent on my knees, and some good 'ole hard WORK, it all turned out alright :)

My absolute FAVORITE part of the week was SATURDAY AND SUNDAY... GENERAL CONFERENCE. WOW! What a MIRACLE it was to have conference THIS week! I absolutely loved all of the sessions! What an amazing blessing it is to have a PROPHET of God on the earth today. We got to watch the sessions at a members house, (The Page's- I LOVE THEM!) which was ESPECIALLY great because it meant that we got to relax a little bit, lay down and just soak up every moment! I am especially grateful for the opportunity to listen to conference on EASTER. I truly LOVE Easter just because it is SO focused on Christ and hardly anything else! What a truly amazing miracle was wrought by the resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

Old Montrose South Zone: #Heishere

[Disclaimer: Easter Morning, Sister Arnold and I did begin with a fun little Easter egg hunt in our apartment where we took turns hiding each others eggs ;) Thanks so much mom for the GREAT package!! Just call me the Easter Bunny!]

 

 

Easter Egg Hunt

 

This week we made a goal to REALLY focus on doing our hour of finding every day. Well, On Saturday, after the morning session of conference, we had exactly one hour to go finding. Well, NO ONE was answering their doors! NO ONE! Haha! We knocked about 7 doors and NO ONE. Well, the next two we knocked we found 2 new investigators! It was so amazing and I was so grateful for this tender mercy in between sessions! :)

​Our investigators, ​t

he Banda

​f​

amily

​ are doing GREAT​

! The mom is on page 105 in the BOM and they are both praying! We had a GREAT lesson with them yesterday and were able to talk a little bit about how there is only

​one ​

true​

church today! :) It was beautiful! AND they began to understand a little bit more that yes, all that comes from God is good, but that only OUR church has the PROPER authority!

​Here are some of my favorite "one-liners" from General Conference!

​- LIFE is NOT confined to a 4 inch screen! -Jose A Tiexeira

- We could not embrace all of her choices, but we could embrace her. -Brent H. Nielsen

- Christ suffered to GRASP us as we all fell. -Jeffrey R. Holland [ONE OF MY FAVORITE TALKS]

- Salvation does not fulfill the Father's aspiration for us. -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

- When we pray, is it to replay our greatest hits of righteousness? -Dieter F. Uchtdorf

- RUN to receive the blessings of agency! -Robert D. Hales

- STAY BY THE TREE!!! -Kevin W. Pearson [Also another favorite]

- WILLINGLY accept the father's will, even if it doesn't match our righteous desires. -Niel L. Andersen

- I do not shame to tell you who I was, but JOY in my conversion... 'Twas I, but 'tis not I. -Dale G. Renlund [ANOTHER FAVORITE- SO GOOD]

I love you all so much! Have a great week!

--

Love,

Hermana Pierce

Hello, Glenwood Springs!

March 30, 2015

Yes, that's right! I am serving in Glenwood Springs, CO!!! We cover the English Glenwood Springs Ward and the Carbondale Spanish branch! The ward is SUPER awesome and the branch is too! Unfortunately the branch only had 19 people there yesterday (including us 4 missionaries haha) so there is definitely room for improvement there :) BUT, I am SO excited to serve here!!! The people here are SO prepared and the branch is definitely ready to be lifted. I can't wait to see what else the Lord has prepared for me to do in this new area!

Soooo, my new companion is HERMANA ARNOLD! She is from New Hampshire and this is the last transfer of her mission so I will be killing her off! Because of this, I'm pretty sure I will be in Glenwood at least 2 transfers! This week was full of learning the area, meeting members/investigators, and just good, hard WORK! The sisters have been focusing a lot on Less Actives in the past so we are trying to rebuild our investigator pool. Sister Arnold and I get along great and I already love her a lot :) I also got to see Sister Adair again because she is serving in my district (as my STL) which was a GREAT reunion. We get to go on exchange this week and catch up! She will also be going home this transfer.

 

 

Me and Hermana Arnold

Well, let's see! The ward is great and so kind! This Sunday we participated in the WARD choir which was a LOT of fun! WE go to 4 hours of church here since we cover the ward and the branch, which can make for long Sundays, but it was GREAT! We attend English Sacrament meeting, then go to Spanish Gospel Doctrine (we taught yesterday and got a lot of compliments on our lesson :)), Spanish or English Relief Society, and then Spanish Sacrament meeting! It's a lot to take in and definitely REALLY different from Montrose. I am super excited to get to know everyone in the ward better. It's nice because the branch is there for the Spanish support of our investigators and then we teach a lot of LA's in English. WE teach mostly in Spanish all day so there's not much change there, except for the Less Active work we do a lot of for the English ward.

 

 

Good-bye to Coronas

This week we saw so many miracles! There are so many prepared people here, ready to receive the gospel- it amazes me! We had a FANTASTIC lesson with the Banda family on Wednesday. The mom has been reading in the BOM on her own and is already in 2nd Nephi! It was such a miracle lesson because the husband joined us and we set them on date for baptism for May 9th! They truly want to know if this is the true gospel/church and are so eager to learn. One of the most beautiful moments of the lesson was the very end when Alfonso (dad) prayed. He had never said a prayer before (only recited ones in the catholic church) and he expressed ALL of the feelings of his heart and prayed for understanding to know if what we taught is true. It was so touching to hear the man of the house pray and sincerely ask for guidance in their journey to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

 

Good-bye to the Toblers

Another miracle of the week was that yesterday, when we finished our 4th hour of church, I walked out of the chapel and saw Fransisco, a recent convert I taught from Steamboat, sitting in the foyer!!! It was SOOOO good to catch up with someone that I taught at the beginning of my mission. He was in Glenwood getting his patriarchal blessing. Gaby, another recent convert I taught was there getting her blessing as well and I was able to catch up with both of them for about an hour! They are both doing GREAT and preparing to go through the temple and receive their endowments in May!!!! Fransisco has received the Melchizedek Priesthood and they both are SO strong. It was such a miracle to be able to see them and see that the people I love and the work I did is truly making a difference in their lives. It is so amazing how much the gospel changes us and I can't describe the joy I felt to be reunited with these amazing people. I LOVE YOU GABY AND FRANSISCO!!! <3 I can't wait to continue to keep in touch with them and see where they go in the gospel! What a special moment!

 

 

Gaby and Fransisco

Other random info:

-We live in a full basement apartment with members here. Unfortunately, we don't get to see the members ever because we have our own entrance, but the apartment is beautiful!

-Saying goodbye to everyone in Montrose was SUPER hard. I miss La Rama San Juan already and caught myself thinking about them this Sunday, but I know that I have been sent here for a PURPOSE to GROW! I love all of you so so much... thank you for truly changing my life!!!

-Sister Gogue went to an english speaking ward in Denver and is doing great!

- My new address is: 4202 Sky Ranch Drive, Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

-GO CHECK OUT BECAUSEHELIVES.MORMON.ORG. <3 AND HAPPY CONFERENCE/EASTER WEEKEND!!! Woohoo, Christmas for a missionary!!!

 

 

Fun in the park!

I love you all and LOVE this gospel! Sorry this email is a little scattered, we don't have as long on the computers here so I have to be quick! I would love to get a letter from you all! Have a great week! :)

​

 

Love,

Hermana Pierce

"If This Was Any Other Religion, We Would Have a Pew With Your Name On It." [Adios, Montrose!]

With Hermana Gogue

 

March 23, 2015

The title of this email goes out to the Montrose Stake President, President Taylor. That is a DIRECT QUOTE to me! Hahaha!!! He gave the missionaries of the San Juan branch a tribute during our Branch Council meeting yesterday and specifically expressed his deepest gratitude for my seven and a half months of service here. It was hilarious, and also very touching!

 

Montrose North Zone

 

Best, Most Awkward District Ever!

Well, as I'm sure you can tell, I'M GETTING TRANSFERRED! I am soooo nervous and excited and just a million other emotions about this but I know that the Lord has prepared my heart to leave. I have absolutely LOVED serving here and I feel like I'm leaving a part of myself here with these people. I absolutely LOVE the San Juan Branch to pieces and can't imagine having never met/served these people. Montrose has been a place of growing and humbling for me and has TRULY changed my life. Thank you to all that have served me and allowed me to serve them. I know the Lord has truly blessed us with so many miracles and I can't even begin to imagine my life without this gospel.

 

 

Tomas

The Archers


 

Cheryl from Spring Creek Ward

 

I don't have much time today, but here is a quick miracle/tender moment from this week!

 

On Wednesday we got to meet with our investigators Alma (mom), Alma (12) and Emily (9), which was a MIRACLE! They are SOOO sweet and are progressing SO quickly! We got to teach them about the Plan of Salvation and they expressed that they want SO badly to live in the Celestial Kingdom as a family. It was so amazing to hear their STRONG desires to come unto the fold of Christ. They want to learn. They want to change. And they want to have an eternal family. They read the BOM together as a family every day and the younger Alma even asked if she could do the "Additional Study" in the back of the pamphlets. This family truly is such a miracle and has blessed my life so much. When we told them that both Sister Gogue and I will be leaving they began to cry and express that they didn't want us to leave because they loved talking with us and learning and that they feel so comfortable with us. We assured them that it would be the same with the new Hermanas. It was just so touching to see how much they already emit the light of Christ. I can't wait to hear what happens with these beautiful daughters of God, especially as they prepare to enter the waters of baptism.

 

 

Tomorrow is transfer day and that is when I will figure out where I am going! I am so excited to start a new chapter of my mission, but it is also very hard to say goodbye to the people of Montrose. I love the members here so much and it has been an honor to serve them.

 

But, such is the life of a missionary! I love a new opportunity to grow and I love this gospel!

 

Sending TONS of love from the western slopes of Colorado!

 

Love,

Hermana Pierce

 



 Got my face shoved in a cake. Mexican tradition. Good laughs.
I love the Sandoval Family :) ​

The Sandoval Family

We Must CHOOSE to Participate in Heavenly Father's Plan

March 16, 2015

Hello family! This was such a WONDERFUL week! We saw SO many miracles and had a great week of finding and teaching! We found 10 more new investigators, have 10 people on date for baptism in March and April, taught 25 lessons, and the best of all...

 

 

TOMAS CAME TO CHURCH!!! Which means he is still on track to get baptized on March 29th! I am so excited for him and he LOVED it! He especially loved the family history library when we did the tour with him so we are excited to teach him more about temples :) He is progressing so nicely and is already in the middle of first Nephi in the BOM after 2 weeks of teaching him! We challenged him to read one chapter per day and he is totally up for it! :) He is the true definition of

​"​

kept from the truth because he knew not where to find it.

​"​

I am so excited for him to get baptized! :) We started the commandments with him last week and HE bore

​HIS

testimony about keeping the Sabbath

​day​

holy!

 

Anahi is doing great! More eager than ever to learn and we are already half way through the commandments with her :)

​ We left some conference talks with her to read and she loves them and is so excited to get baptized on April 11th! Pray that her mom will allow her to come to church this Sunday!

​

One of our other investigators, Karla is doing so great! We had an AMAZING lesson with her the other night about the plan of

​ salvation. I felt super prompted to review it with her and she responded SO well and said that baptism was the step she knew she needed to take! She agreed that she felt she was ready to learn the commandments and is preparing for her baptismal date of April 19th!

We had the most touching experience with our investigator, Nora, on Wednesday. After our lesson, we asked her to come to church this Sunday. She said she REALLY wanted to but had to work until 12 (church starts at 11). WE asked her if she would be willing to ask her boss for it off, and she said she wanted to, but didn't know how because he only spoke English. So, she asked if we could help her. I wrote out on a sticky note for her, "I would like to ask for permission to attend church services from 11 to 12:30 on Sundays please" and she practiced reading it out loud to us and pronouncing the words. I couldn't help but tear up as I listened to this beautiful lady pronounce these foreign words and struggle to accept Christ more fully in her life. She is still on track to be baptized the 18th of April and although her boss wouldn't give her permission this week, we are hoping he will next :) The atonement of Jesus Christ really does make the biggest difference in our lives because SHE has that desire to change.

 

 

The opening and ribbon cutting at Tammy's thrift shop...
SO glad to be a part of it right from the beginning!

 

​I am very excited for this last week in San Juan. I can't believe this transfer is almost over! My mission is just FLYING by and I absolutely NEVER want to come back to the real world! Haha! I feel like my role here in San Juan was to be humbled and learn how to truly see others through Christ's eyes. Even tho I've had a lot of experiences that have helped me learn this attribute, I still want to embrace Christ even more. I feel so privileged to have served the members of this branch and am SO excited for the success that is to come by the miracles that are being wrought by the Lord. I LOVE THIS WORK! Nothing could ever compare to the joy I felt seeing Tomas walking through the church doors in his bright blue pants this Sunday. I was grinning from ear to ear all day. I feel so privileged to have the fullness of the Gospel in my life and am so grateful for the influence it has in my life and in my family. I am so grateful to be sealed to them FOREVER. I love and miss you all so much. Thanks for your constant love and support!

xoxo

 

Love,

Hermana Pierce

"Look Into the Person's Eyes Long Enough to See the Child of God in Them"

March 9, 2015

Hello hello! This was another AMAZING WEEK full of miracles! Here we go!

 

One of my favorites from the week happened on Tuesday while Sister Patera was here with me on exchange in Montrose. We were able to teach 8 lessons in ONE DAY!!! It was insane! I was teaching by myself again because she doesn't know Spanish, but we were talking with EVERYONE! The Lord was truly placing people in our path and we were taking advantage of the opportunities. I have felt SO close to the Savior these past few weeks and truly know that He is preparing the elect here in Montrose.

 

A horse outside of the City market...we fed him corn chips!

 

We have several progressing investigators right now and they are all so prepared! One of my favorite's is Anahi Estrada. She is only 9 years old and SO excited to hear the gospel. We originally started teaching her mom and then found Anahi. The mom lost interest but Anahi wanted to continue to learn. So, after permission from her mother, we have been teaching her about 3 times a week! This week we invited our branch mission leader's daughter, Azy, to join us (who is also 9). The spirit was so strong in the lesson! Anahi saw the example of Azy and is so excited for her baptismal date of April 11th. She WILL be ready by then! I am praying that her parents continue to let her learn and make this wonderful covenant with Heavenly Father.

 

One of our investigator's trailers

​Other than the tons of miracles we saw this week, we were always busy teaching lessons! We taught THIRTY lessons this week! Which was a personal goal of mine since I came on my mission! I can't believe Heavenly Father actually helped us achieve it! It has been SO amazing to see the complete flip in this area the past few weeks. We still have 7 people on date for baptism and have reached the standards of excellence two weeks in a row now (another goal of mine since the beginning of my mission). I am in complete awe of the mercy the Lord has shown us.

​
On Thursday, we had a specialized training while President Murdock was conducting interviews. It was great and our mission is receiving such AMAZING ​teaching techniques. I am in awe at how much revelation we have received from the Lord and his work truly is hastening!

 

 Evangelina...a recent convert's baby

Well, that's about all I have time for this week! I hope this message finds you well, wherever you are! And remember, the church is SO true!! I LOVE being a missionary!! :)

​xoxo​

Love,

Hermana Pierce

​​

PS: Transfers are coming!!

Please send all mail to:

Hermana Erica Pierce

999 E. Tufts Avenue

Cherry Hills Village, CO 80113​

PIC: Best part of my week is that THIS is on the door of our INVESTIGATOR. Yep, I knocked anyways. Yep, she accepted a return appointment. TAKE THAT, SATAN! For those non-Spanish speakers it says, "This house is Catholic" and that they do NOT accept any other religions. Underneath it specifically mentions Mormons. HAHA. Best. Day. Ever.