Week 51 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY SISTER BITTERS

Another Week of Missy struggling with her health... we have had a root canal that she had to go back this week due to infection and have it re-done... She is happy and loving mission just trying to get her back to good health:) And she hit her year mark and turned a big 20 this week:) 

Week 50 - Goodbye to Sister Galloway

Sister Bitters has been sick and she has had to send home Sister Galloway this week which was rough on her!  We pray she can get the answers to her health and hopefully return to mission field..💕Transfers came and went and they brought in a threesome in case of her health sending her home! So Sister Bitters will be staying in Overland Park with Sister Matalolo:)

Week 49 - Overland Park

Marisa's note via a voice recording...
Marisa states that she has been sick this last week, and has been pretty grounded to her apartment.  Over the last several months Sister Galloway has also been struggling with health issues.  The recording she sent to us said "this week had been brutal between me being sick, having to have a root canal and at the hospital until 3 am in the morning with Sister Galloway and her gallbladder.  She says missions are tough and especially when you are struggling with health issues on top of it... Being sick, seeing a companion suffer with illness and anxiety,  being told to stay in because of the weather, this all gets into the mind and you start having huge anxiety, depression, thoughts of why am I here, what good am I doing,  idealness just brings doubts, it just reaffirms that Satan is so strong.. Marisa says, she has had to pray over and over again, just to get through it all. 
This week she had a huge spiritual experience where she turned to prayer to ask God for reassure that he was still with her,  because she was struggling so much,  she immediately had a scripture pop into her head D&C 68:5-6  "fear not for I am with thee"  she knew right there and then, she was in his hands and he was aware of her and her struggles at this time!
I'm grateful for the tender mercy of a simple prayer.  I don't know what will happen with Sister Galloway I'm praying they find a solution to have her stay on her mission, but I know he is aware of her and all I can do at this point is be there for her and love her!  Which I am doing the best I can :)
While I have been down this week it gave me time to go through and organize some of my stuff,  I ran across the notes that my home ward sent me over Christmas, one stood out to me, someone there in Cedar Hills had a family member here in the Kansas area and wanted me to watch out for her and gave me her name... that very next Sunday as we got to church the RS President grabs me and says they have a girl they need me to go see that they know in the area ?  I said Ok, then it hit me, is it by chance this name ?  and I mentioned the name that I had just come across from my home ward,  she  looked at me and said, Yes, that is her :)  once again another witness of the lord is doing the work we just have to be listening and doing our part!  I love my mission and I'm grateful for the hard times and what I'm learning from it!
Have a good week, I'm so grateful for you and dad you are truly my best friends.. I miss talking to you :)  I love you.... #missionlife #Sick #OverlandPark #forgetyourselfandgotowork #alwaysinmyheart xoxo Sister B.

Thankful to Pam Bryson who goes up to Overland Park to check in on Sister Bitters and treat her to her favorite... COSTA VIDA SALAD:)

Week 48 - Overland Park

Hey ya'll its me Sister Bitters and this week has been pretty crazy and busy! Just the way I prefer it:)

But first can I just tell you all how much I love and appreciate all of you! I can feel your prayers and it gives me so much strength. 
 
 OKAY......... First things first is that I love being a missionary and how every single day your testimony is growing and you are being molded into the individual Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want you and know who you can become.  Mission life is rough....BUT so is life and the mission truly is preparing me for the life mission.  Heavenly Father has a plan for each and everyone of us.  He is shaping and molding us every single day. He is preparing us for the future.  He is preparing us for the coming of his son. (I can not wait) 

 I had the thought this week of how much I love my savior.  I love him with everything I have in me.  I was thinking about his atonement and being crucified for me and for all of you.  I was listening to this talk that was talking about why we are here right now and that Heavenly Father needed his most strongest sons and daughters now in the last stage of battle.  AND how Heavenly Father knew that if we were there when Christ was being crucified we would of stepped in front of him and would of said if you want him you are going to have to go through me.  As I was listening to this, the spirit was so strong. I would do anything for my Savior.  I love him and I am coming to know him. 

 
The work is going really well here, and the fruits of our labors are really paying off.  We starting this week will be teaching 9 individual.  Its amazing to see as you pray and go out in faith that the Lord will perform miracles.  The Lord truly is in the work:)

 I was able to go to Liberty Jail this week and it felt so good to be back.  The spirit that is there is just incredible and I miss it so much!  We took a recent convert named Pedro.  He is one of my favorite people.  He is a rock star missionary himself.  He wanted so badly to go to Liberty Jail.  Liberty Jail every time testifies that we have a loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ who are so aware of us.  AND that trials are for our benefit.  Joseph Smith truly was a prophet of God and an amazing example of going through trials with an eternal prospective. 

Saturday we woke up to a winter wonderland!  The cars where grounded but that didn't mean our feet were.  WE WENT OUT! and we went about doing good.  I'm so grateful for technology because the lessons that we couldn't get too we got to Skype and have the lessons over the phone.  People kept telling us we were crazy for being out.... but I would just say in my head, this is nothing compared to back at home.  BUT what I do love about Kansas and the snow is all of the trees!  Its so beautiful and magical. 

Well I hope you all have an incredible week!  Remember that God loves you and he is so aware of you.  He loves you so much that he cuts you down because he knows who you can become! "Will of God" go watch that Mormon message! Its my fav! 
 love you all!
Sister Bitters 

MB

Week 47 - Overland Park

Hello friends and family who I dearly love so much! I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2019.  Thank you for all of the love and support you send my way weather it is through email, letters, and/or prayers. I feel and appreciate them all. 

This Christmas was one to remember. It really didn't feel like Christmas because I was just doing what I do every other day.  But I think that's what made it special and one to remember.  It was a Christmas that was truly centered on our Savior Jesus Christ.  We went from members to members sharing a special Christmas message.  In each home the spirit was so strong it was so amazing. 

There was something that really stood out to me during my studies Christmas morning.  Luke 2 (Side note: yes, I read the account of Jesus Christ birth, because this is what my family does every year and I wanted to be part of it :) ).  The verse that really stood out to me was verse 11 and what really stood out to me was the word "YOU", so when you read it below really focus on the the meaning behind that. 

" for unto YOU is born this day in the city of David a savior which is Christ the Lord."

He is the gift! He was sent here for you, for me, and for every single individual individually.  He is the gift that keeps on giving. This christmas I felt my savior's love so much because my eyes were more opened to the reason of the season.  I love my Savior so much and that is how I have stayed on my mission.  He is by my side,  he is my strength and my salvation.  I love how personal he is and he can be because he understands.

The song that I constantly sing on my mission.... in my head :) ( I'm not that mean to my companion). But its the words of the song: "Come unto Christ". Come unto him, and by his grace be made holy again.  He's calling YOUR name he's waiting for YOU, with arms open wide.  Come unto Christ and you will find eternal life". 

I love that song! I love the meaning behind it,  the spirit is so strong behind it.  He truly is calling YOUR name and he is waiting for YOU with his arms open wide.  This song ties right into one of my favorite scriptures Moroni 10:32. 

(I don't really know why I shared that..... but I felt that I needed too :)

 "AND GRACE IS WHAT CHRIST CONSTANTLY GIVES US !"

MIRACLE! so satan is really throwing everything he has at Sister Galloway and me right now. We have had two people this week drop us and it was a walking week in the pouring rain! BUT miracles come to those that are positive!  Sister Galloway and me have been really trying for the past 2 weeks to stay positive and look for the tender mercies and miracles no matter how big or small.  AND WOW can I just say what a difference. We have seen the lords hand so much more and miracles right before our eyes. Saturday Sister Galloway and me felt that we needed to fast to find the elect.  So Sunday came and we started our fast,  about 2 hours in and I'm hit with a migraine. Sister Galloway's stomach started hurting, I  felt like satan was throwing everything he has to get us to give in, but we didn't.  We stayed strong and did our fast, after we broke our fast we went straight to a lesson with our neighbors who are now our family :),  Jenny and Hannah. (Mother and daughter.) We have stopped by there a couple of times here and there, but last week we stopped and shared "The light of the world video" and asked if they wanted to learn more. They said yes and so Sunday evening was our return appointment,  it went really well and it was led by the spirit. Their hearts have been softened and they had a lot of questions! which I love.  We started talking more and more, Jenny (the mom) opened up and told us how she had felt a connection with me when we had first met and then when Sister Galloway came she felt connected to both of us.  IT WAS SO AMAZING! Because we expressed how we had felt the same way.  Oh I just love them so much!

We are teaching this 10 year old boy named Uriah! He is the cutest, he has such a desire to learn.  We have really gotten close to him, and his cousins, who are members and are present when we teach. I love them so much, a picture will be included. I was a little hurt by them when they asked me how old I was, I told them 19 and uriah freaked out! haha he looked at us and said I thought you were like 30. So funny! 

I love being a missionary and the experiences that I get to be apart of. 

love you all!

Sister Bitters

Skye Christmas Morning...

We loved seeing our Sister Bitters on Christmas Morning on Skype... we loved seeing the growth she has done in the last 11 months and the love she has for her Savior.  There is no better gift to receive then watching your kids grow on their missions♡  The highlight of course is having her see little Ollie for the first time, I don't think we had a dry eye in the room:)  We are so proud of her and can't wait for July to HUG our girl...

Missy had us open her gift she sent home... this just shows her sentimental side that is such missy:)  "Always looking up to you" was Troys... and mine is "Close to you" a Hug to hold me over until she gets home! We will treasure these forever!

Week 46 - Merry Christmas

Christmas Eve moving it into their rooms:)

Opening some of her gifts 💗