12-14-15 Last letter!

Well, this is my last email home as a full-time missionary.

WEIRD.

I don't have much to say, but I do want to bear my testimony of the gospel. I know that God has a specific plan for each of us and that He loves us SO much. I know that He hears us when we speak with Him. He wants to hear from us. He wants to bless us. All we have to do is follow His son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that the commandments are great opportunities to find true happiness. I know that we can transform any situation as we make the decision to be happy and do what's right and leave the rest to our Heavenly Father. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is God's kingdom on the earth, and that will never change. I know that the atonement can change lives.

Someone shared something with us yesterday from an old talk. They said that "enduring to the end" doesn't mean "hanging on till the end," but really it means coming unto Christ daily.

Come unto Christ. Every. single. day. As Elder Anderson said this past conference, faith is a choice! not just once, but many times everyday. So keep choosing to have faith. Protect your faith by living the gospel with all your heart. Always put God first, and everything really will work out.

I love you all so much, thank you for all the support and love you've shown the past 18 months. I know this is God's work and that Jesus Christ leads it. I can't express my gratitude for all that God let me experience and do here in south Texas. He is so good to us.

Thank you again, I love you. And I'll see you soon. :)

Love,

Hermana Lance

12-7-15 Each day try to be better :)

Hello, all!

Well, I feel a little like a broken record, but I just can't say enough about the ATONEMENT.        
    
We had MLC this week and it was really instructional. Our mission president destroyed us with the spirit and helped us realize a lot of areas that we need to work on. Receiving correction is such a great opportunity to repent and do better, we just have to make sure we use it like that. So! that's what we did. Repentance is the best. I'm so so grateful that our Heavenly Father is so infinitely patient with us! with big and small things. Tuesday night I worked with another Sister trainer leader, and definitely ended up getting lost and ending up in the wrong town and wasting time. Thankfully, God still loves me. haha.

So I realized recently that I haven't really said anything about the people we're teaching. so! We're teaching a darling black young woman named Rose. Sweetest thing on the planet. Only issue with her is that her mom is a die-hard Seventh-day Adventist. so! she needs your prayers to get her family's support.

We're also teaching this guy named Dallas. He's a boss. Only problem is that he's on house arrest at the moment and can't leave his house.... #awkward. We're hoping that he gets permision soon so he can come to church!

YSA is weird. but I love it. The members are great. Our area is huge, so that's lots of fun. It's cool to see how God leads you to those YSA peeps in need. And we usually find other people for the other missionaries, which is great too because we're all on the same team. :)

Well! I love the mission. And Christmas time. Why? Because the light of Christ is EVERYWHERE. So happy. I think a lot of people feel the spirit more during this time without really realizing why. I'm gonna do my best to help everyone recognize the source of true joy.

I hope you recognize it, too!

Much love,

Hermana Lance

                                            Christmas card worthy pictures

11-30-15 Happy late Thanksgiving

Happy late Thanksgiving!!

I had a splendid week. Thanksgiving we went to 3 full dinners and lets just say I weighed myself at the end of the day and I had a 7 lb food baby. Thanksgiving done right! haha it was painful but really great. People are so great. I love them.

This week my testimony of the enabling power of the atonement was strengthened so much. There was a sister that was struggling to continue, and Sister Cannon and I testified to her of the power Christ has to help us do hard things and MAN. The spirit hit me so hard. I know it's true! The gospel is a reality. Grace is a reality and is available to all of us. We don't have to get to some imaginary point of goodness to qualify. All it takes is a broken heart and a contrite spirit! :)

I don't really have much to tell.. but! I love this gospel with all my heart and I love being a missionary. I love serving my Heavenly Father and Savior. I love Texas. I love the people here. Yep. I just love it all.

Also I'm terrified to go home to Utah weather. I'm a Texan now and am gonna die. it's all good though! Just a fore-warning. :)

Have the best week of your life! love ya!

Hermana Lance

Thanksgiving #1

                                     
                                                        Thanksgiving #3

                                                exchange selfies for days

11-23-15 It's REAL!

Wow wow wow!
I don't know where to start.
This week was awesomeeeeee.

We had 3-day this week. Which is a leadership conference that we had Tuesday,Wednesday, and Thursday. IT WAS SO COOL. All week long was crazy cause we had people staying at our apartment and I had to plan for extra companionships in my area by myself cause Sis Cannon worked somewhere else. So! It was quite the adventure, but super fun! The conference was amazing. I learned a ton about doing things for the right reasons, revelation, leading, and a ton about God's love.

The last part was by far my favorite and the most spiritual. At the end of every day, (the meetings went from 8-4ish everyday) some of the people going home this transfer bore their testimonies. (I went the first day.) So on Thursday, there were some powerful testimonies given, and then President Maluenda spoke to us about 3 Nephi 13, which he reads to us almost every mtg, followed by a beautiful version of "consider the lilies." (3 Nephi 13 and Consider the Lilies. Classics of President Maluenda.) From all that, the Spirit was practically tangible and a few sisters had started crying and everyone else had at least a tear or two.
Then President and Sister Maluenda got up to bear their testimonies. They gave powerful testimonies of this work and our Savior, Jesus Christ. They even shed tears as they basically told the missionaries going home that they love them and that God will take care of us. Naturally, we were all bawling.
To end it all, President Maluenda himself gave the closing prayer and it was probably the most amazing prayer I've ever heard. We all cried and I just felt the spirit so strong. It testified to me that my Heavenly Father will never leave me. He's been with me so closely throughout my mission, and will still be there after I finish. He loves me. I know it. and I know He loves ALL of his children the same way. --if only they all knew that!

Well. The church is true. I testify of that! The gospel is REAL. it's not just stories and nice words. it's a reality. So take advantage of that and just be happy!

love you all, have a great week!

Hermana Lance


Also. Funny story! the other day it was rainy and muddy and I said to my companion, "You won't jump in that mud!" next thing I know she jumps with both feet , hits the mud, and BAM! she's sitting in mud. #priceless

Most of the group I came in with -with the Maluendas :)

My comp and I freezing Sunday morning. Low of 47 and we almost died. #texasprobs

Got a new name tag and they got confused on the language. #texmexisreal

11-16-15 challenges = opportunities

I'm going to start off today's email with a real funny story.
Last night I got a tumor (aka goose-egg) on my forehead because my companion was too hyper as we knelt down to pray. Don't worry, it's only mildly tumor-ish today :)
You see, she knelt down and put her head to the ground. I went to do the same, and she suddenly popped up again, and I was too close. A collision of the back of her head and the front of mine ensued. Which resulted in a tumor above my eyebrow. SO FUNNY!!

Anyways!

This week was good. We saw a lot of miracles and a lot of challenges. but it's all good cause challenges=opportunities.

One of our investigators is named Kevin and is a BOSS. I say that because on Monday he brought 2 friends with him to FHE, and then he brought 4 friends with him to institute on Thursday. are you kidding? SO HAPPY. it was great. Then he slept in and had to work on Sunday so he didn't come to church. :( but! there's always next week, right?

This last week we had a Sisters Conference with all the sisters in the mission. It was tons of fun! And we all learned a lot. It was a lot about making the best decisions and deciding to be happy, even when things get tough. I loved it. And then really had to apply it later in the week, so it was very helpful :)

Well I gotta go! but! I love you all and hope you know that. Also I hope you know that God loves you.

Love,
Hermana Lance

 All of my companions! except my 2 chilenas that are already home

And my current comp, Hermana Cannon :)

                              Can you see the unnatural growth on my forehead? 
                                 Pictures never do justice, but it's still funny. :)

11-9-15 I'm in McAllen!

Hey! Surprise!

Well, folks, turns out that instead of finishing my mission in Brownsville, I'll be finishing in McAllen! Transfers were pretty crazy. My new area is called La Vista, and they just switched which ward we go to. So, because of complicated circumstances, we get to white-wash the YSA branch! Which is quite the adventure! haha. Our area, for those who randomly know the area, stretches from west of Mission, all the way to Weslaco and Mercedes, TX. AKA our area is gigantic. It would probably take over an hour to drive from one side to the other. no joke. Let's just say our map is our best friend! :)

So my new companion is someone I already know and love, Sister Cannon! We were both trained by Sister Sarmiento Wolff, so in mission terms, we have the same mom and are sisters! cute, right? Anyways, she's great. She has 2 transfers less than me and she's from Salt Lake City. She's a delight and I'm glad she's my last comp :)

So this week was nuts cause we had transfers on Tuesday, then on Thursday we had MLC. I learned a TON at MLC. At one point, Presidente Maluenda talked for awhile about the importance of the priesthood. He said that when he was a Bishop, and when he was a stake pres, he would ask the priesthood leaders, when was the last time you gave a blessing? and when was the last time you received a blessing? Most would have to sit there and think for a while to remember the last time because it had been so long. Then Presidente said, "how can this church be strong if we don't use the priesthood?" Bam. That hit all of us pretty hard. one day God is going to ask what we did with that gift, and hopefully we don't give it back to him, unopened with the bow still pretty on top, cause that's not what it's for! So, priesthood holders, make sure you're using that amazing power you've been given! Bless bless bless. And women, we can influence them and help them use it and benefit as well. So don't let it go to waste, we need it too much.

Yesterday there was a super cool, southwest staes area conference, and we got to hear from Elder Robbins and Elder Oaks via broadcast. it was awesome! Elder robbins spoke on simplicity and invited everyone to read Elder Oaks' talk, "good, better, best" again and make necessary changes to simplify life. Contentment and simplicity are the secret to a happy life :) 

Well I love you all lots! Have a great week!

Hermana Lance

Also, I now live less than a mile away from the mission office, so any mail things can just go there. 200 W. La Vista Ave McAllen, TX 78501. (shameless hint: you all only have 5 weeks left to write me as a missionary. now or never! ;) )

PS my baby had a baby! I'm a grandma! #tender

11-3-15 Last Transfer

So we found out through Facebook and member's texts that Emily is being transferred one last time. I thought I would share some photos :)

We won't know where she is headed to until next week. Stay tuned!

Lisa-Mom


                                     

                                                The transfer chalkboard!!!

I noticed Sister Lance photo bombing the Elders on the right :)

Chaos of transfers--notice Sister Lance holding her pillow in the center of the picture!

Order restored! I love seeing all the bikes strapped on the back of the cars--ready 

for the Lord's Army to go forth :)

Sister Lance and Sister Kingsford enjoying Panda with the members in Brownsville. 

Last meal before transfers. 

Sister Lance and Brownsville members who were so sweet to text me these pictures!!