Week 80

Heyo!
This week was good. On Monday, we arranged for the zone to go to the
Cody Mural Chapel and Museum which has a big 360 mural of the church's
history and a first edition copy of the Book of Mormon. It was
fascinating.
On Tuesday, we had a lesson with a new investigator/ referral from our
ward mission leaders wife and sister in law. He's their cousin. So we
taught him the Restoration (at our ward mission leaders house) and put
him on date for baptism for March 18th! He was so attentive the whole
time and the spirit was so strong. I felt like I was in a good episode
of the District. He asked so many great and honest questions because
he doesn't have much of a religious background. We explained who God
is and what a testimony is, and all the basics. He came to all three
hours of church the Sunday before our lesson and he loved it! He
remembered everything he learned in all three classes! He also said
that our sacrament talks on choice and accountability were for him. He
felt like we were talking right to him because he's been making some
big changes and choices in his life lately to be a better person. It
was awesome!
Later that day we went on exchanges with the sisters here in Worland
and I was with Sister Dayes here in our ward and we put another lady
on date for baptism (for March 25th)! We met with her once prior and
we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We brought a recent convert
with us who was awesome and could identify with her. The investigator
is in between religions right now and seems to really grasp the idea
of the priesthood and she wants her kids to sit in on the next lesson!
😄🙌
We went to mutual again to build trust with the youth and we did a
little service project and personal progress with the young women and
they gave us a referral. The young women here are so friendly!
It snowed on Thursday and covered everything up again. So the melting
and freezing process has restarted. It's always a fun time.
Sister Jacoby later came down with something and was sick for a few
days, so I just studied and got some stuff done. The other Worland
sisters went on exchanges with me so I could get out of the house on
Saturday night and proselyte. I was with Sister Stewart and Sister
Dayes stayed home with Sister Jacoby.
My last Sunday as a missionary was great. Some less active recent
converts that we have been trying to get to church, came! For one of
them, it took all transfer but we did it!! What was even better was
that they both went right to the family history center for second hour
to get family search accounts. It was awesome.
I have been studying talks and articles about being a returned
missionary. I read one from the Dec. 1978 Ensign called "When 'The
Best Two Years Are Over'" and I found this checklist. I'm going to add
the context too, but it says,
"Elder Hartman Rector, Jr., member of the First Quorum of the Seventy
and president of the California San Diego Mission, tells his returning
missionaries to check themselves periodically on “points of positive
affirmation”:
--I am morally clean. I live by Doctrine & Covenants 121:41–46.
--I sustain the general authorities and stake and ward leaders. I keep
my eye on the prophet by reading what he says and then following his
counsel.
--I pay a full tithe.
--I live the Word of Wisdom.
--I observe the Sabbath by using the day for “uplifting, inspiring
activities,” and by not buying.
--I am honest in my dealings with my fellow men.
--I daily read, study, and ponder the scriptures.
--I daily pray with earnestness. I pray for specifics, and I pray with humility.
--I set worthwhile goals and actively work to achieve them.
--I hold a current temple recommend and attend the temple regularly. I
wear the temple garments with honor and reverence. I will be married
in the temple and will raise my family in the Church. I will do all in
my power to have all of my family united together in the celestial
kingdom.

Mission presidents now give returning missionaries a card-size list of
spiritual checkpoints and encourage them to review them often. Elder
Featherstone tells his returning missionaries to check them each fast
Sunday, and if they find themselves slipping, 'to go alone into the
mountains, or somewhere, and to meditate and pray.'"
I really like this. It reminds me of temple recommend interviews and
how we all need to evaluate ourselves spiritually and then make plans
to be better. I am definitely going to apply this at home and pray
that I continue living what I learned in my mission!
So this is my last weekly email of the mission. I would love to get
everyone's weekly emails still, so send them to laurenney15@gmail.com
and any mail to 9277 W. Quail Track Dr. Peoria, Arizona 85383!

Sister Lauren Ney
Montana Billings Mission