Easter pinatas - WEEK 14

HAPPY APRIL!! It has been so warm and beautiful this week! Sister Pocock and I have been going on runs outside and doing a lot of our missionary work and lessons in the park by our apartment. Also went on a bunch of drives out south! Tennessee is absolutely gorgeous.

We taught Adam several times this week and he's stoked to be baptized this Saturday! He has changed so much since the first time we talked with him and seems so much happier. He told us the other day that just by being his friend, teaching him about Jesus Christ, and helping him find the church, we've changed the course of his life forever, and we're offering him "the best therapy" he's ever gotten. Something else Adam said was "the gift you have to give- the knowledge of Jesus Christ's restored gospel is priceless and that's why you offer it to me freely." I am so thankful for this church and for the lives I've seen it change. It has changed me and continues to change me every day. Being able to share that hope and peace with others is such a humbling and incredible experience. I'm beyond grateful for the Savior and how He has given us purpose and a pathway we can follow to experience everlasting joy.

Jackson is also progressing more and more every day! All of our lessons recently have been centered around the idea that science and religion work hand in hand. He's finally starting to understand that science explains "what" and religion explains "why." We can all gain a knowledge of these things after we exercise our faith! All of our conversations are really fun, and we've been praying with him and setting goals every day! He came to some church activities with us this week and got along so well with all the ward members. On Monday we had a potluck for FHE. Jackson brought a few friends and we had a several hour discussion about theology with him and the other 4 YSA elders. I know his faith and understanding grew so much during that conversation and mine did too.

Also started teaching Drew- an army ranger who reached out to us on Facebook and said he desperately needs peace and a way to cope with the PTSD that has come from all his years of war. Our meeting with him made my heart hurt so bad. We talked with him for hours about how God can still exist in a world where there is so much suffering and death and unfairness. He left to go back to Iraq a few days ago, but we were able to meet with him a few times before then. The last time we saw him, he asked if we had any books he could take with him that would fit in his uniform. We got him a pocket sized Book of Mormon and each wrote him a letter with our testimonies. I know God led him to reach out to us, and I hope and pray that he'll find the hope he needs by turning to his loving Heavenly Father.

All of the other people we're teaching have brought so much light to our lives this week :)) On Friday we had 7 lessons and by the end of the day, I was physically exhausted but our spiritual batteries were fully charged! Teaching with Sister Pocock is always a blast and we're able to lead discussions and bounce ideas off of each other so well! I'm so blessed to have her with me for another transfer.

Something crazy- I started a new journal on my first day of the MTC (December 30th, 2020) and finished the whole thing a few days ago!! The elders said I need to teach a class on journaling because they need to get better at it haha. Another random highlight from the week- E. Hart and E. Thomason were super bored and hungry one night so they called us saying they were outside our apartment. We threw snacks and boxes of cereal down to them from our balcony.

I think Easter Sunday was my favorite day of my mission so far :,) Jordan dropped off little Easter baskets for Sister Pocock and I and texted us "the Easter Bunny stopped by your apartment this morning!" We had a big breakfast at the church with our whole district and the Harpeth district! Elder Funk and Elder Blackner made us French toast and we brought a ton of fruit and other toppings. Then we had a big General Conference watching party in the chapel with all those missionaries, some of our YSA ward members, and a ton of the people being taught by each companionship! I made a ton of cookies that morning for everyone to snack on while we were watching. Brendan, Jackson, Nadia, and Adam came and got to meet lots of new people! CJ is one of the boys being taught by Elder Wilstead and Johnston and he has this ADORABLE dog named Hula (I included a pic of her in one of my previous emails). Anyways, he brought her along with him and she was running around the chapel trying to get love from the people in each pew during the Sunday morning session of conference. She has my whole heart.

After everyone else went home, the missionaries went to the Harpeth Sisters' apartment and we had a barbecue all together! Sister Jolley and Sister Clare brought confetti eggs that we all smashed on each other's heads and piñatas to celebrate! The elders broke quite a few things as a result of trying to hit the piñata blindfolded. The trim on the side of their apartment now has a huge hole and their broom stick (which was being used as the bat) is currently in 3 pieces. Hahaha. "I guess the sisters won't be sweeping anytime soon!" -Elder Thomason.

Even though our missionary celebration was all fun and games, we also tried to focus a lot on why we really celebrate Easter. We remember that Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, was resurrected. He conquered the grave and overcame death. He lives! In the words of one of my favorite Easter videos, "It was unthinkable, impossible, unfathomable, unprecedented, a single act that changed history. He was a carpenter, a teacher, an outcast, a leader. Yet He did what no carpenter, teacher, outcast, leader had ever done. Like all who preceded Him, He lived and He died. But unlike all who preceded Him, He rose from the dead. He lived again. He lives, and because He lives, we all will live again. Because of Him, death has no sting, the grave no victory. We can start again and again and again. Because of Him, guilt becomes peace, regret becomes relief, despair becomes hope. Because of Him, we have second chances, clean slates, new beginnings. There is no such thing as the end because of Him."

Mosiah 16:6-9 "And now if Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things to come as though they had already come, there could have been no redemption. And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection. But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ. He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death." I testify that the Savior lives. Because of His infinite Atonement, we will all live again. We can overcome death and all of our weaknesses and shortcomings. Let us focus on Him and remember His sacrifice for us each and every day, not just during this Easter season!

Love yall :)

h.c.

- happy Easter from the quad

- dropping off a mini Book of Mormon to Drew

- Easter celebration with our elders & harpeth district!

- YSA squad // my favorite people in existence (3)

- POV: you are elder thomason

- sis pocock & I Easter morning

- the quad part 2

- Easter baskets

- ward members- abbey & Tasheena!!

- me & e Thomason / bff / my slime