Part 2 :)

Weird angle picture of me with a Missy look alike! :) (Missy is our cat back home!)

Sister Dekle and Tiffiny!

Last night with Sister Kirton :) 

Tiffiny's Baptism!!

Hi everyone!

 

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN INCREDIBLE!!! Seriously so many miracles!! 

The absolute best part of the week was being able to be there for Tiffiny's baptism and confirmation! The spirit was so strong! She was so ready and so excited. She can't wait to get involved with everything and she's going to go to the temple to do baptisms soon! We're also super excited to help her get started on family history! There were so many things that tried to go wrong this last week to prevent her from being baptized or from not going as smoothly, but I'm convinced that it was all of our combined faith and especially that of Tiffiny that everything worked out. She said that Satan had been jabbing her all throughout the week but she said she knows that God is stronger and nothing would stop her. It's been incredible to see the ward members and the YSA members reach out to her and love her. 

Transfers were this past week and Sister Kirton moved out to Lake Wales (my old area!!!) and an awesome couple from Lake Wales was able to bring her and Sister Briggs out for it on Saturday!  It was so great to see the Smith's and to catch up on what's been going on in Lake Wales!! :) 

I got a new companion on Wednesday! Her name is Sister Alder and she's awesome! She's from St. George and she used to work at Tuachan doing lights! There are always so many miracles when new people come into the area! 

The gospel is true and when we apply it works! I love repentance, I love that we can change. It is truly miraculous to see the power of God work in the lives of others. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God! 

I love you all! Keep up the good work! Share your light with someone this week! You're you for a reason! :) 

Sister Gessel

Pictures

Sister Kirton, me, Tiffiny and Sister Alder (my new companion!)

Bishop and Sister Dekle, Sister Kirton, me, Tiffiny, Sister Alder

Sister Briggs, Sister Alder, Sister Kirton and I :) 

Favorite talks this week:

To Young Women - Elder Holland - October 2005 General Conference (This is the one that talks about the great and spacious makeup bag, haha) 

Sharing the Restored Gospel - Elder Oaks - October 2016 General Conference (Love this talk about what we can do as members to share the gospel!)

Safety for the Soul - Elder Holland - October 2009 General Conference (it's about the Book of Mormon!)

Sarasota Update!

The moving elders were also able to help!

Yesterday we had an amazing opportunity to have a special devotional for members, nonmembers, etc. It was called Why I Believe and people who recently joined the church shared their testimonies and some of the missionaries sang! A group of sisters from our zone sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives (it was a different version called Testimony though), an elder sang Savior Redeemer of My Soul (one of my favorite songs ever!) and then most of the missionaries sang A Child's Prayer for the closing song! It was so powerful!

Love these people!

This is Tiffany!!! She's getting baptized on Saturday! She is so ready and so excited! She loved the fireside last night and we were able to introduce her to President and Sister Cooper!

Transfers this week! Sister Kirton is going out to Lake Wales!!!!!! I'm so excited for her! I'll be getting a new sister and I'm excited! Sarasota is a great place to be! I met a lady yesterday at church who was visiting from Pleasant Grove and she knows the Tueller's! I taught the Tueller's youngest son in junior high and Carson and Dallas I know from singles ward things. Such a small world!

I hope you all have a great week! Keep up all the good work. :) The gospel is true!

Sister Gessel

3 Nephi 4:33

Hi everyone!

This week has been so great!

We moved apartments this past week and some other sisters were able to
help! They were such life savers!

Life in Florida

Hi all!

Tiffany update! Shes's doing well! We taught the Plan of Salvation last week at the home of a member family. It was good! She knows this is where she's supposed to and wants to learn all she can, but we're trying not to overload her with all the information at once. She's been reading The Book of Mormon and she came to the YSA branch on Sunday! Last Sunday she said she didn't own a skirt so we brought her one to borrow and this past week she went out and bought a cute dress! The wife of the branch president just loves Tiffany and has been there to help answer a lot of questions. It's awesome when the members reach out and take people under their wing, because as missionaries we're only here for a relatively short time and if they have relationships with members it's awesome! 

I'm excited to get to work with the YSA branch more!  Young Single Adults has been a big part of my life for the last 8+ years and I have loved it! There's always so much going on and so many ways to help each other. I know for me it's been a critical time of learning the gospel and having like minded people around me to uplift and support each other. I'm looking forward to helping in any way we can!

This is a picture from Zone Training Meeting this past week. We've been talking a lot about ways to find new people and how to be more consecrated. 

We had some extra guests on Tuesday night because the Hermanas car broke down and they stayed with us while it got fixed! It was great to get to know them better and to work down in our area together!

Sister Kirton and I will be moving apartments this next week. It'll just be within the same complex, but we went over today to clean because the elders used to live here. It smells weird and the water is very interesting...but it definitely could be worse. Haha. 

If you haven't had a chance to read or listen to the talk from October 2016 General Conference by Elder Christofferson called "Abide in My Love" than I highly recommend it this week! 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/10/abide-in-my-love?lang=eng

I hope you all have a great week! Remember than Heavenly Father loves you! He hears your prayers! The gospel is true! 

Love you,

Sister Gessel

P.S. Also, Chapter 3 of the Teachings of President Hinckley manual is fantastic! :) 

Where's my coat??

Hello from Florida! 

This week has been amazing!! I know I have no room to speak, but it's been so cold this week!!! Haha, it's been in the 50s the past few days and we had to get out all the cardigans and jackets we have! 

This week has been a week of miracles! The biggest miracle has been meeting Tiffany!! Tiffany moved here from Tennessee four years ago and since then has been looking for a church family. She's gone to a lot of different churches, but she said they all preach love and acceptance, but they don't live it and they don't teach truth or hold anyone accountable! She met a member of the church named Doug a few years ago when they both worked at Chick Fil A. They became good friends and then earlier this year he moved to Hawaii. Recently they were talking and he sent her some videos and information about the church. She knew he was a member, but had been scared away by a few things she thought she knew about the church. She said as she was watching and thinking that the spirit told her so loudly that "Doug knows my truths!" She was still nervous, but she knew she needed to act. So Doug had given her the number of a member in our ward and she texted her about coming to church on Sunday. The member replied the same day and said she would be at the church that night and asked if she would like a tour of the church. She said she was nervous and was looking for excuses and reasons not to come, but she knew she needed to. She said as soon as she pulled into the parking lot that she felt a wave a peace and she just felt like she was at home! We were there at the church for a lesson and then for mutual and the husband of the member mentioned that his wife was giving a tour, so we went in and were able to meet her! She's incredible! She's 27 also and I feel so blessed to be able to know her! We were able to meet with her again on Saturday and she's been reading the Book of Mormon and just feels so good about everything. She came to church on Sunday and everyone loves her already! She was even able to meet the YSA branch president and his wife last night. We watched part of President Nelson's devotional too! (If you haven't watched it yet or even if you aren't a young adult - watch it! It'll bless you life! https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng) I wish you all could meet her and just feel of her enthusiasm, desire and willingness to follow Jesus Christ! I know this journey won't be without challenges for her, but I know it will be eternally worth it! 

Love you all! Miracles happen! God is preparing people! He's been working with them for a long time and you never know when it will be the right moment! I'm grateful Doug listened to the spirit and invited Tiffany to learn more! 

Love you all, have a great week! The gospel of Jesus Christ is true!

Sister Gessel

Pictures

Mission Leadership Council this past week! 

Sister Myers and I! She goes home in a few weeks - crazy! She trained my trainer Sister Gafa! :) 

Sister Felt and I driving up to Tampa. :) 

Shout out to Michelle and Steven! Haha. I have discovered that in Sarasota there is a Clark Road, Kathleen Square, San Michelle Drive, Kathryn Street, Benjamin Lane and Amanda Way. :)