What? One year? Thanks for everyone who's been following along for so long! It was a good day and I ate wayyy too much good food and approximately 10 cupcakes. It's mostly been fun to reminisce about what was happening a year ago today and all the good memories and how much I've changed! Missions are the best.
We have seen a lot of miracles this week! Last Monday we got a self-referral for a young woman who is 17 and adorable. She saw a YoutTube ad and said she wanted to learn more about God! We could feel God's love for her so strong from the very first meeting. Then yesterday we find out that a young woman in the branch is one of her good friends! The branch member texted her and then the referral texted us that she got an answer to her prayer that God loves her and my heart was filled with so much joy. It reminds me of this scripture, "And this is the account of Ammon and his brethren, their journeyings in the land of Nephi, their sufferings in the land, their sorrows and their afflictions, and their incomrehensible joy." Alma 28:8
We have also been given a little time each week to work on family history! It has been so exciting and rewarding. It's seriously addictive, the spirit of Elijah is so real! Being able to find lost children and spouses who all need their temple work done you can almost feel their excitement from the other side.
Overall I'm so grateful to be a missionary and I can't imagine doing anything else right now. We studied humility as a zone this week and it was so wonderful. We truly are dependent completely on Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I also loved a quote that talked about how almost everything we 'give' to God wasn't even ours to give. Our lives, our time, our money, was all his to begin with. But our will is the one thing we actually CAN give him. To put aside our will and do the will of God is something that I've strived to do on my mission, and I encourage everyone to find a way to develop the attribute of Humility!
Love, Sister Potts
FUN FACTS: Birthdays!
1. Joseph Smith Jr : Dec 23, 1805
2. Emma Smith: July 10, 1804
3. Oliver Cowdery: October 3, 1806
4. Joseph Smith Sr: July 12, 1771
5. Lucy Mack Smith: July 8, 1775
Note from Mom: Emily's Mission President sent this email today to parents. It shares a little about the success they are having throughout their mission--so good! According to Emily, their mission is one of the top 3 most successful missions right now. President Uchtdorf even called her mission president to find out what they're doing so they can share it with other missions! Emily is so thankful for her mission president having them stick with their normal schedules (just moved online) and keeping them in a total missionary mindset. They still dress up like missionaries, despite quarantine, and they are missionary focused all day long. She is thriving and loving her quarantine experience. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that she's a natural home-body, so she doesn't mind not having to go out and tract. She's in her element!
Note from Mom: Emily's Mission President sent this email today to parents. It shares a little about the success they are having throughout their mission--so good! According to Emily, their mission is one of the top 3 most successful missions right now. President Uchtdorf even called her mission president to find out what they're doing so they can share it with other missions! Emily is so thankful for her mission president having them stick with their normal schedules (just moved online) and keeping them in a total missionary mindset. They still dress up like missionaries, despite quarantine, and they are missionary focused all day long. She is thriving and loving her quarantine experience. I'm sure it doesn't hurt that she's a natural home-body, so she doesn't mind not having to go out and tract. She's in her element!
COVID-19 Update – New York Syracuse Mission
Monday, April 20, 2020
Current cases inside the boundaries of the New York Syracuse Mission: 7680
The Basics
- All missionaries are healthy, and we have no reports of any missionary with symptoms
- Missionaries continue work from their apartments doing online proselyting
- Governor Cuomo has extended his executive order for staying home until May 16
- We are seeing a significant flattening of the curve over the last week
Gathering Scattered Israel
- Missionaries continue to be fully engaged in the work that they have been called to
- They follow the daily schedule, dress in their proselyting attire and find and teach the elect
- They continue to have success in teaching, finding, and preparing people for baptism
- Many are thriving in this environment as they stay focused on their purpose to bring souls to Christ
What can you do to help them?
- Build their faith in Christ
- Turn them to the Savior for strength and help – he can strengthen them regardless of the circumstances (Mosiah 24:13-15)
- Send them notes of encouragement and support and Aggie ice cream
- Encourage them to stay focused on their purpose to bring souls to Christ – this helps them to remember the great work they are doing and the sacred nature of their calling
- Remind them that being successful is measured primarily by their “commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people.” (PMG, pg. 11) – Success is not measured by numbers.
- Be positive about this extraordinary time and encourage them choose positivity and optimism (2 Nephi 2:26-28)
We love your missionaries. They are learning, growing, and becoming. The spiritual growth they are experiencing is at a faster pace and seems to be coming in powerful ways. They are feeling things, struggling (in good ways), and learning and gaining the attributes that the Savior wants for them.
“Sometimes we want to have growth without challenges and to develop strength without any struggle. But growth cannot come by taking the easy way. We clearly understand that an athlete who resists rigorous training will never become a world-class athlete. We must be careful that we don’t resent the very things that help us put on the divine nature.” (More Than Conquerors through Him That Loved Us, Paul V. Johnson, April 2011)
Below, I have listed three examples of this divine growth the missionaries are experiencing. This is from their weekly letters to me. (I have received their permission and have removed any identifying information) This is just a small sampling.
All our love,
President & Sister Vest
#1
Hey President! This week was absolutely incredible. I have never seen anything like it before. As a district, we taught 61 lessons. Sixty one lessons! we are just 3 companionships. I love how hard working each member of our district is. I love how focused and dedicated each of them strive to be. Our companionship in [area] has been doing amazing. We found 6 new friends to start teaching, along with another at least 3 solid potentials. We have never before been this busy. It truly has been a miracle to have this opportunity to teach as much as we are - and I know for certain that it never would have been possible without the 20 minute lessons. Everything this mission has been doing for the months leading up to this moment have just been too coincidental. I know for certain that we are receiving the inspiration we need to stay one step ahead of the game on it all. I have been doing great mentally as well.
#2
What a week it has been. I am constantly being humbled and continuing to grow. My relationship with the Savior is skyrocketing and I'm so excited to continue to work to keep it that way and to grow it more each day. This week had a bit of a rocky start. Being in isolation, I noticed that I had started to get a little irritable at little things that [my companion] might do. I didn't really notice that I was doing it until I could tell that something I was doing was affecting her. After realizing that, I just dropped to my knees and prayed. I didn't know what to do, so I just myself to the Savior and quickly aligned my will with His…I just felt the love that Heavenly Father has for her and the Savior has for her as well. It was overwhelming and it brought me to tears. We are all human--Isolation and being with a companion 24/7 in that scenery is hard, but I have had such a change of heart and I have felt the Savior work within me more than I ever have before these past couple days. The power of the Atonement is so so real. It is beautiful and it is making us both so happy, and truly enjoying the work that is being accomplished here inside…I want to be able to make sure the Sisters are excited and staying diligent as well. They are all so so amazing and I love them so much. Their examples of discipleship to me are so sweet. Looking outward during this time is so crucial, especially as a servant of Him. That is something that I am recognizing each day. To continually be positive, encouraging, urgent, and exact in our obedience.
#3
Another amazing miracle of many was yesterday. Sister and I were running out of ideas because we had already called everyone in area Book 2 or 3 times. So, we decided to take our concern to the Lord. After we knelt in fervent prayer, asking to be guided to a miracle and know who to reach out to, we found Sandra!! She had not been contacted by missionaries for a year and was really surprised we still had her contact info. She told us she would love to hear more of our message about Jesus Christ and at the end of our call expressed how grateful she was to us for reaching out. I was ECSTATIC and in awe of how willing Heavenly Father was to bless us as we relied on Him in faith. I can testify that as we trust and place our confidence in the Lord, miracles are brought to pass. I love this gospel and feel so fortunate to be a missionary. It truly is the biggest blessing to gather Israel. I have heard of many struggling missionaries from my mom who feel that they have no purpose because they're spending hours on end watching church movies. This breaks my heart, but has also filled my heart with gratitude for our mission…I have seen an outpour of blessings that come from being exactly obedient during this uncertain time.
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