Last Letter!

Dear Family and Friends!

     Its hard to believer that this is my last letter to you all!! This week has been a good week. Crazy and full of goodbyes.. But good. We have been able to teach so many people and to feel such a strong spirit. If anything I know that God's plans for us are always better than our own plans.

      Honestly, I didn't want to come on a mission and I felt like I was giving up so much by doing so. But, it has been so wonderful... And now I don't really want to leave and I feel like I am also giving up so much by doing so. But, I know just like with what happened when I came out on my mission, Heavenly Father will let me know of his plan for me and it will be much better than the plan I had for myself would be.

      I have such a strong testimony of this gospel. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet I know that President Thomas S. Monson is a prophet today and that God still speaks to his children. I know that this is God's true church once again established on the earth. I know that we are God's children and that He loves each and everyone of us. I know that we can make it back home to him one day. I am so grateful that God is aware of us and of our needs in this life. He places each and everyone of us where we need to be. Because he knows who we can help and who can help us.  I also know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and we can receive answers to our prayers if we search in it.

        I love this church and this gospel with all of my heart. And I;m so glad for the privileged that I have to know of the truth. I'm so grateful for all of you and for the influence that you have had on my life and my testimony. I am so grateful for the support I have received on my mission. Thank you all for your help! I love you all and am excited to see you soon.

Love,

Sister Bice

Falcon Colorado‏

God's Hand‏

Dear family and friends,

      So, my companion just leaned over to me to remind me that this will be my second to last letter to you all.... Hopefully it is a good one... I may be to emotional to be able say all that I want. But, this week was really good. Sister Perrin and I have been teaching a youth for a while now. I'm sure I have mentioned it to you. But, we have had a hard time getting him to choose a date. Mostly, because his fellowship wasn't sure he could make it down to actually perform the baptism. But, this week Sister Perrin and I fasted as well as our investigator that everything would work out.... And it did! So, now Cameron will be baptized on September 20th. I'm so excited for him. I has been fun to teach him and watch him gain a testimony of this gospel. I know that he is ready for this and that it will make such a huge difference in his life.

      Also, I would like to thank everyone for the birthday wishes. It was a fun week full of brownies and cake... In fact, our Preach My Gospel class was on Thursday so our opening hymn was 'happy birthday' I'm sure my companion got me to turn 22 different shades of red this week. But, such is my life... Sister Perrin and I have been together so long we are more like siblings than companions... In fact, we have had random non-members come up to us and ask us if we were real sisters for about 2 weeks now. Its kind of funny! I will miss her even if she teases me WAY too much!

        So.... This week in church all of the talks in sacrament were on enduring trials and difficulties well. I love this topic because no matter who we are we are all facing some type of trial. So, this is something that can apply to pretty much everyone. Well, there is an example in Helaman where the people of God are being persecuted for being ... Well, for being people of God. So, they are essentially being made fun of for bring righteous and following God. Which I don't know how it is back home, but here in Colorado more and more religion is being looked down upon. There is a church on every corner of the street in the springs but there is a difference between going to church and being righteous. People who are following God not just on Sunday seem to be looked down upon.

       What I like about this example in Helaman is what the people of God do about it. They are being persecuted and made fun of probably by people that they care about. But, instead of doing what a lot of people would have done and just giving in the the pressure and adopting an everyone is doing it attitude they turn to God even more. They become STRONGER. " 35 Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

       I was thinking a lot in sacrament meeting as they speakers were speaking about how I face my trials. Those both before my mission and after. Do I give up and blame God? Or do I realize that by turning to God and asking for his help I can gain something from the trials I am going through. I know that at times in my life I have been the first one that gives up and doesn't want to read my scriptures or talk to God because I am mad at him. But, I have also seen how when I turn to God I have gained so much and become more able to handle the future trials I will face.

       Honestly, as crazy as it may sound, I am so grateful for my trials! For the times in my life where I struggled and hit rock bottom. Because, those times have made me into who I am today. And I am really glad to be me:) I love watching God's had work not only in my life but in the lives of all those who I teach or even just see. He is present and he is working to make us into the most beautiful masterpiece.  I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week. Thank you again for the Birthday wishes!

Love,

Sister Bice

I don't know about you but I'm feeling 22!!‏

Dear Family and Friends,

      This week was so good, it went by way to fast... but it was a good week. We were able to teach our investigator his final lesson this week. He is amazing and it is so wonderful to watch someone full heartedly accept the gospel and the truths that are in it. Our new mission president has been talking a lot about how we are here as ward or branch builders. Meaning that our job is to help people be strengthened in the gospel. That can be non-members, members or less active  members. I love that , and I love being able to see the process of change that someone goes through as they accept the gospel more fully. It is apparent even in the most active members that we teach. This gospel changes people.

      This week I got to read my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon which is in Alma chapter 36 and in verse 5 and it says "Now, behold, I say unto you, if I had not been born of God I should not have known these things; but God had, by the mouth of his holy angel, made these things known unto me, not of any worthiness of myself." And in Mosiah 28:4 talking about the sons of Mosiah and Alma it says "4 And thus did the Spirit of the Lord work upon them, for they were the very vilest of sinners. And the Lord saw fit in his infinite mercy to spare them; nevertheless they suffered much anguish of soul because of their iniquities, suffering much and fearing that they should be cast off forever."

        Now, I bring up these scriptures because I have been thinking about it lately, people they knew who Alma was and they knew who the sons of Mosiah were. They saw them going about destroying the church and those very things that both of their fathers stood for. I'm sure that even the people that didn't know them knew of them. But, as it says in Mosiah by God's infinite mercy they were changed.

        One thing that the gospel has brought into my life that has affected me is the atonement. The atonement has so many wonderful aspects, and I'm sure so many more that I can't even begin to comprehend. But, the ability to change is one of my favorites. The scriptures talked about how they were the vilest or worst of sinners, and yet they became the best of missionaries. They changed lives for the better. In another scripture Alma is speaking and he says " 24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;"

        Alma, didn't just have this great experience and say 'well that nice' and never go past that. He changed not only who he was but who everyone saw him as. He went from the kid who was the troublemaker to the one who was influencing hundreds for good. One thing I have seen a lot of on my mission is change. I've seen it in those that I've taught, I've seen it in my companions, I've seen it in other missionaries, and I've seen it in myself. There is nothing that can and will bring us more joy than this gospel. I know that for a fact and I know that as we follow Christ we will change for good and others will see that change in us and more importantly we can and will see in ourselves.

       I will stop my rant now. But know that I love all of you so very much and I pray for each of you every night. I wish you all a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Bice

Weddings... Broken Car.. Stomach flu and other fun stuff....‏

Dear Family and Friends,

      This week has been a rather eventful one. It started out with Zone Conference on Tuesday... Where they made me give my departing testimony to all of the other missionaries. I was really good and managed not to cry the entire time I was on the stand but the minute I sat down I just lost it. Sister Rehm (our mission presidents wife) just watched me the rest of the meeting while poor Sister Perrin tried to console me. Then, the next day out vehicle coordinator came down and tested our car because we told him two weeks ago that the brakes were broken.

      So, he came and discovered that they were indeed broken and told us that we needed to get it fixed asap. So on Thursday morning we spent the day at the car dealership getting out brakes fixed. That was nice, now I don't have to worry as much about running over my companion when she is backing me out of parking spaces!! That was nice.

      Then, to make our week better one of the investigators we are teaching finally set a baptismal date so we were stoked about that!! Then we finished the week with a wedding. One of the converts in our ward was getting married and they needed help with set up and what not. So, that was pretty much our WHOLE Friday and a good portion of our Saturday. Then Saturday night I started to come down with the stomach flu and we had to stay home all Sunday. That drove me crazy!! But more than me poor Sister Perrin was going crazy having to stay in all day! So, that was our crazy week!

      In Zone Conference on Tuesday, Sister Rehm got up and gave a really good presentation on how we need to have a personal relationship with everyone in the Godhead. That was an interesting thought. We talked about it a lot and she talked about how out of all the things God could have chosen to be called he chose to be called Father and how important a role that is. I never really thought of it that was but to know that we his children were of up most importance to him is an amazing thought. It made me think about a talk in church a long time ago where the speaker posed the question "We may be active in church, but are we inactive to the Lord?"

       I liked this because honestly, we can go through the motions but have we developed and nurtured a relationship with our Heavenly Father? He loves us so much and yet sometimes we can ignore him and block him out of our lives. But, if we keep him in the center of our lives then we will be blessed. I know that to be true. This is a long email so I will let you all go. But, just know that I love you all and I truly am praying for you:)
Love,

Sister Bice

lesson on charity...‏

Dear Family and Friends,

     This week was a good week.... A crazy one too!! I feel that a lot of the times that is how missionary work goes though. But, I have really enjoyed it!! Right now, we are teaching a 18 year old... I think I mentioned him, he is the one that wants to get baptized in December. But, this week while we were talking with him he has been talking about going on a mission one day which is really exciting!! I hope that he will do so. In fact, recently I have been so sentimental? I don't think that is the right word... But whenever a youth talks about a mission I just get super excited for them and so sad that I'm almost done with mine. I just keep wanting to tell them that they will never ever regret going on a mission. I love being here so much. It kills me a little to think about how soon I am going to have to give it all up.

       But, as I have been serving I have been blessed to see a change in others as well as in myself. Example, one of the Elders in my district I really don't get along with very well. We had a run in that maybe I will tell you about when I am home. But, for weeks now I have been praying to have charity towards him and to kind of forget the things that happened earlier. So, because Heavenly Father works this way instead of just giving me charity he gave me an opportunity to develop charity.

       That experience was kind of humbling and I didn't really want to do it. But, Heavenly Father kept prompting me. So, I finally gave in and did what I kept feeling prompted to do, which was to ask this Elder for a blessing. It was an amazing blessing and it helped me realize Heavenly Fathers love for this elder as well as for me. With that I have been able to forgive him for some of the mistakes he made earlier last transfer. I am so grateful for that.

      So, I think I mentioned this last week but I have been reading a lot in the Old Testament and I really like repeated phrases and in the last few chapters I have been reading Moses is instructing the people not to worship false Gods or Idols since that is Israels biggest down fall. Well, there is a phrase that caught my eye which talks about them serving other gods which is shortly followed by the statement 'which ye have not known'.

      I think this stood out to me because on my mission I have felt that I have come so close to God. I love that it talks about how Israel knows the God whom they serve. God is so involved in all of our lives. Honestly, all one has to do to know God better is to stand back and look for his hand in their life. I promise that it is there no matter how hard or how good the time in their life was, God was there. Why? Simply because he knows and loves each and everyone of his children.

       Just like when we look at our lives we can see how our parents were there protecting or rejoicing or such with us; Heavenly Father is there in the details of our lives rejoicing when we are happy and sorrowing when we are having a hard time. When we follow Him and His commandments then we are coming to know him and when that happens then we see how much he loves each and everyone of us.

      As I said earlier, I have learned a lot about charity recently. Seeing someone that I really didn't like very much through our Fathers eyes was so amazing!! Knowing how infinite and all encompassing that love is kind of left me a bit awestruck. I know that Heavenly Father loves each and everyone of us so much. I know that he loves the people maybe we have a hard time loving. I know it and I'm so grateful for it! I love you all so very much and I hope and pray that you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Bice

Last Transfer... AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!‏

Dear Family and Friends,

      This week marks the beginning of my last transfer... Sister Perrin and I will stay together (making her the only companion I have had for over 3 months) and we will continue to work here in Falcon Colorado. With the anticipation of transfer calls this week has been an interesting one. We did a lot of service, we even got to help out building a turf field for a school here in falcon. That was fun.... But, I must say that turf is HOT when it is 90 degrees outside... Sister Perrin and I both burned our knees!

      It was also really funny because we took a Young Woman out with us service tracting this week and you will never guess who decided to come along and help... Her boyfriend.. Who isn't a member of the church... I don't know if you have ever heard of non-members tracting with missionaries but I most certainly had not! It was really funny and kind of awkward. But, he didn't seem to mind it at all. :) Over all this week was kind of a weird one mixed with a lot of laughter and some tears... I didn't know what to do most of the time. But, with school getting back in this week a lot of people went out of town over the weekend to get their last little break/vacation before school started. So we got asked to share the thought at ward council and it was on 'using Gods blessings wisely'. So, Sister Perrin and I were sitting there wondering what we should share.

        What we came up with was 1 Nephi 1:1 "1 I, Nephi, having been born of goodly parents, therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless, having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of my proceedings in my days." Now I know this scripture is well known and probably used a lot but I was thinking about how much it highlights the difference between someone who used his blessings wisely and his brothers who did not. Laman and Lemuel had access to the same blessings that Nephi lists here. They were born of goodly parents and they were taught in the language of their father. But, the difference is that Nephi used these things to bless his family and others while Laman and Lemuel let them kind of fade away. They chose not to use them. We know from later in the Book of Mormon that because the Lamanites didn't have any writings their language became kind of corrupted. So many times I think we have gifts and blessings but we don't use them. Maybe we don't see how they can benefit others or even ourselves. But, every time we use a gift that God has given us we change a life. I know that to be true I know that God gives us things even our challenges so that one day we can turn around and bless the lives of others.

     So, I would challenge you to go our and use your talents this week, bless the lives of all those around you! Know that I love you all and that I pray for you!!

Love,

Sister Bice

Service... Service... SERVICE!!!‏

Dear Family and Friends!!

     This week was a week of service! We did so much service!! We also had interviews with President Rehm... That was an interesting experience because we had to drive there in the middle of a flash flood. I was a little scared for my life and a lot a bit grateful that I wasn't the one driving the car!! Then of course we had a really fun community service project this week over at a place called the 'slash pit' in Black Forrest. So, if you are like me at all then you are probably wondering right now what in the world a slash pit is..... I thought it sounded really rather scary. But, no worries it is not scary at all. All that it is, is a place where people can bring their mitigation stuff and other branches they have cut off their trees. This place takes it for free and then turns all these branches and ground cover into mulch. So, our job in all this was to help people unload their cars. We got to talk with a lot of people and had a lot of fun! In fact, Sister Perrin and I may or may not have gotten into a soot fight so both of our faces were covered in ash!

      It was so good! We also had a chance to teach the Plan of Salvation to one of our new investigators this week. It was a wonderful lesson, he is a good kid and he has his answer. The only thing holding him back now is that he wants to finish the Book of Mormon before he gets baptized. So, he is thinking he will be baptized in December. We will see though, in August he goes to college and I worry that without that constant companionship of the spirit then he will be so much more vulnerable to the temptations that Satan will throw at him.

      Yesterday, I was reading in Preach My Gospel in the lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and I was under the heading of repentance and there was a sentence that caught my eye. It said simply "Repentance includes forming a fresh view of God, ourselves, and the world." I really like this because just earlier in the chapter it talks about how we need to repent everyday. So, essentially everyday we should be gaining a new and fresh view on God, ourselves and the world. I find that it is easy to let guilt build and weigh on my spirit until the view I have of myself isn't a very nice one. However, if we repent everyday then we will be continually be gaining a new view of ourselves and of those around us. As we do that we develop Charity for ourselves and those around us.

        I know that on my mission I have looked at those around me with a completly new view. I find it crazy that by drawing closer to the Lord and serving and loving him with all of our heart then we are able to develop a new view of not only ourselves but of those we come in contact with each day. I know this to be true because I have seen it take effect in my own life. I know that God loves us and that he is watching over us. I hope you all keep that in mind and know that I love you and that I am praying for you:)

Love,

Sister Bice

Dear Family and Friends

Dear Family and Friends,

      So, this week we mostly did a lot of service! Which mostly consisted of pulling weeds for people. I didn't know this but pulling weeds can make you really sore when you do it consistently for 4 or 5 hours.... Either that, or I'm super out of shape.. I wouldn't be surprised if both were true. But, It was a really good week. Which, I say every week. Honestly though, even on the tough weeks I don't know that a week spent fully on serving the Lord could be a bad one. We were able to teach a lot which is always good:)

       I find it funny though, often on the best weeks I have the hardest time figuring out what to write about in these letters!! Unfortunately, our investigator hasn't set a new baptism date. She has been having problems that don't have anything to do with the church that are just proving to be set backs. It makes me sad but, I know that her testimony is sincere and as long as she holds onto the teachings of the church then she will be baptized. Maybe not this week or even while I am still in this area. But, it will happen. In fact, Sister Rehm (our new mission presidents wife) talked about her conversion and how it took her a really long time and a lot of missionaries before she was baptized. It wasn't because she didn't believe it, it was purely because she didn't know how to tell her parents about her baptism. So, I know that if it is not her time now to be baptized then her time will still come:).

       Other than that I'm not sure I have many other exciting updates, but I will leave you with a scripture. So, this week seems to have been a theme of things, I think Heavenly Father is trying to tell me something. But, recently as I have been reading the scriptures I have noticed how often when it talks about battle it talks about them going to battle in the strength of the Lord. Even yesterday at church all the talks were on how we can have courage through trials. This morning I was reading in Numbers and I usually find it really confusing... And still do but in chapter 14 verse 9 there was a part that caught my eye cause it goes along with this theme. "Only rebel not ye against the LORD, neither fear ye the people of the land; for they are bread for us; their defence is departed from them, and the LORD is with us: fear them not" Also in Mormon chapter 2 the end of verse 26 "... Nevertheless  the strength of the Lord was not with us; yea, we were left to ourselves, that the Spirit of the Lord did not abide in us; therefore we had become weak like unto our brethren."

       So, I believe I mentioned already but last week was kind of rough for me. Somethings happened that just caused me to think 'why me? My whole mission I have worked hard to be so obedient and be a good missionary and person. So, why do I have to go through this trial?' But, as I have been studying this week I have realized that if we are obedient and doing our best and constantly drawing closer to the Lord then there is no trial that we go through that he is not with us every step of the way for. No matter what if we are following Him then every trial we face we face with him by our side. There is no trial or pain that we can suffer that Christ has not already suffered on our behalf. HE and only He knows our exact pain and exactly what we are feeling. We can always turn to him to help us and to heal us. This is something that I know to be true!

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!!

Love,

Sister Bice

My 2nd Fourth of July!!‏

Krista Bice

7/07/14

To: Prudence Bice

Dear family and friends,

      Can I just say that nothing makes you feel more mission old than realizing that you are spending your 2nd and last fourth of July out? It's weird being in almost the same place at the same times as you were a year ago. This year I also got to march in the parade in Monument and I realized that it was complete role reversal. Just last year I was serving in this same stake and we took the Meridian ward sisters to the parade and I was serving in 15th ward this year was the exact opposite... This year I am in the Meridian ward and we drove the 15th ward sister to the parade.... It was so odd... But, it was good! We marched in the parade and then we got to go barbecue that night with some members and their neighbors.
       We also had a really good lesson with a new investigator this week. He is a youth and has been coming to activities forever and so we finally got one of his friends to invite him to take the lessons. So, this week was the first time we were able to teach him and he told us that as he was reading the Book of Mormon on his BREAK at work he had the thought come to him that no one could have just fictitiously created this book. He hasn't really gone to any church since he was probably 5 so he doesn't have much knowledge of the bible at all so it is interesting teaching him because we have to remember to check for his understanding. But, he is a super nice kid:)

        Also this week we got to meet our new mission president and his wife and they are so sweet! I'm really excited to work with them:) It will be so much fun even if it is a bit short lived. I'm glad that I will get to know them a  bit before I leave. So all in all it was a pretty good week. It had it's difficult moments but in the end it went further to show me the Lord is very aware of me and my personal struggles. It also showed me how much I have changed since I have come out on my mission. I guess I hadn't really thought about it before this week.... But, I have changes a lot more than I am prone to think I have. If nothing else I have come to realize that I can rely on the Lord in all situations no matter how hard they may be.

       This week I have pondered the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 84:88 "An whoso reciveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." Honestly, this week I have truly felt like I have been carried to be able to do things I would have though beyond my strength to do. I know that this is true for everyone. God never leaves us alone. He says so many times in the scriptures that his arms of mercy are extended toward us. That is true no matter who or where we are or have been. He is always wanting us to make it back home. He is always wanting to be there to strengthen and comfort us. We just have to let him. I love you all and hope you have a good week!

Love,

Sister Bice

Family and Friends

Dear Family and Friends,

      This week was a roller coaster... Unfortunately, the baptism that we were supposed to have on Saturday has been delayed. But, we are hoping that it will still happen soon. One thing I've said since the beginning of my mission is that Satan is rude but Heavenly Father Loves us. That is a phrase that is proven to be true every time we have someone progressing. But, I know that more so than Satan working on our investigators we have so many people praying for them and trying to help them progress. Sometimes I'm not the biggest fan in the whole opposition in all things... But, then I remember how it has helped me to grow. This morning Sister Perrin and I were listening to a talk by President Uchtdorf and something that he said really stood out to me. He said simply "Our destiny is not measured by the number of times we fall but the number of times we get back up again." That is something that I know to be a true statement. We will all fall at times. But, what makes us is if we choose to stand back up and try again.

     Other than that this week has been eventful... But, not super... Mostly, we got a new mission president this week and on Friday morning President and Sister Anderson departed for Salt Lake... So now you are all closer distance wise to my mission president than I am! I have yet to meet President Rehm but we will be meeting him on Wednesday. I'm excited to meet him and come to know him in my last few months here. I know that I was called on my mission for the changes of mission presidents for a specific reason. I'm excited to see what that reason is:)

     So, this week was a little crazy but it was so good. I know that as we are faithful we will face some really HARD and difficult times.... But, one thing that my mission has taught me is that even in the most difficult times and the times when you honestly really just want to sit down and cry, we can experience the joy of the gospel. That is something that I love about the church. In 2 Nephi 5:27 which is one of my favorite scriptures it says simply "And it came to pass that we lived after the manner of happiness." One thing that I don't think a whole lot of people realize is that happiness can be a choice. I know that when I was suffering depression the thing that I had to remember in coming back out of it was that everyday I had to make the CHOICE to be happy. Then after a while that choice came naturally. It was something I didn't have to think about but rather something that came a lot more naturally.

      I know that if there is one thing that Heavenly Father wants for each of his children it is happiness; and not the kind that lasts only when  you have possesion of something or only when our lives are going smoothly. God wants us to have the kind of happiness that lasts and carries us even through our trials. He knows the joy that we can have in this life and in the next and he wishes us to have it as well. I love you all and I am praying for you!
Love,

Sister Bice

Conqueror of the Enemy‏

                                                                          P-Day Selfies!

Dear Family and Friends,

      This week has been crazy, weird, and good all wrapped up in one! On instance I can think of is Sister Perrin and I have been trying to track down some less active members recently, and well we went to one house and knocked. Well, as we were standing there just waiting we started talking about something when all of a sudden whoever is in the house knocks back at us!!! I think I jumped at least 10 feet!! So, very confused we knock once more... Unfortunately, they didn't answer but now Sister Perrin and I have lots of jokes about doors knocking back at us. It was a very new experience! But, most of this week has been spent visiting members in order to arrange things for Kristy's baptism on the 28th. We are so excited for her, she is an amazing person:)

       But, it has been a really good week:) I've really really enjoyed being here in the Meridian ward:) On Friday I hit my 16 month mark! I can barely believe it, honestly I still feel like I'm in the first few months on my mission... But, at the same time I don't I've seen way to much growth to still be just beginning. Recently, I have been thinking about how much I have changes since I entered the MTC almost 16 months ago. I remember just bawling my eyes out after the first lesson we taught to our 'investigator'. I didn't know how to teach and I just wondered why in the world I was even on a mission. I still have hard moments, but I also know why I am here. :)

      Today, I was reading in Jacob 7 and I came across a verse I really like. Its verse 25 : "Wherefore, the people of Nephi did fortify against them with their arms, and with all their might trusting in the God and the rock of their salvation; wherefore, they became as yet, conquerors of their enemies." I liked this because as I read it I took it and put my name in so instead it said : Wherefore, Sister Bice did fortify against them with her arms, and will all her might trusting in the God and rock of her salvation; wherefore she became as yet, a conqueror or her Satan.

     One thing I know for sure is that as we build upon the rock of our salvation who is God we will become mighty. Not because of us, but because the person that we are built upon is mighty even unto the power of deliverance. As we do this we can overcome all the things that face us and all the battles we are expected to fight. I love you all so much and hope you are having a fantastic week!

Love,

Sister Bice

Family and Friends

Dear Family and Friends,

      So, this week we had a lot of meetings! Why? Well, mostly because on June 27 the CCSM will have a brand new mission president. So, as such we have had a lot of meeting on adjusting and how thing WILL be different when the new mission president comes. Crazy!!! I remember when I came out I figured out that President Anderson would be leaving the mission just barely before I did... And now he is leaving!! It makes me a bit sad but it will be interesting to see how our new president, President Rehm will change things and what that will bring to the work here. 

       Aside from that we have been working a lot trying to track down Less Active and teach our investigators. It can be frustrating at times because we have two people we are teaching that tell us that they know that this is true. But that they are not ready or willing to commit to a date. But, at the same time, I know that everyone has to take their own path. When it is right it will happen. They have the faith and they have the love for the gospel so they will make it. 

      Also this week, I got to meet  Andrew Probst who if you don't know who that is (cause I didn't know until we got invited to hear him speak) he is the missionary from the Saratov Approach. We missed the first half of his talk but we did get to hear him speak for a bit about his experience being kidnapped as a missionary. It was cool because he talked about how that experience as a missionary shaped his whole life. Thinking about that if reminded me of Laman in the Book of Mormon. Mind you this is not the Laman everyone tends to think of where the Book of Mormon is concerned. This Laman comes in to the story in the book of Alma and he was a Lamanite until Almalickiah killed the king and pinned the murder on him causing him to flee over to the Nephites.

        But, thinking about Lamans expereince I was thinking about how being blamed for the murder of the king was such a great blessing in his life. At the time, honestly I'm sure that is the last thing he would have called it. At the time I'm  honestly quite sure he was upset, scared and just really angry with everyone around them. Amalickiah for blamming him for murder, the Nephites for the war that started on thier sside and effected him, the Laminites for maybe not seeing that he was innocent. Ultimatly though, at some point this trial became a blessing. If Laman hadn't had to run as the accused murder of the King he would have never come to truly know who God was. He wouldn't have had the opportunity to learn and accept the fulness of the gospel and he would not have had the opportunity to save the many souls that he was able to save by being amoung the Lamanites. 

        It really brings new light to the fact that our Heavenly Father is very intimately involved in our lives. He knows us, he knows our trials, he knows the things that make us angry and the things that make us sad. He knows it all and he knows how to take the pains and hardships we have been through and make them into experiences that help us bless others.

        When I was set apart for my mission the blessing I was given promised that on my mission I would see why I had been through all the trials I was forced to go through up until this point. That promise was fulfilled probably 4 months into my mission and continues to be fulfilled everyday. Everyday I come across someone that I can help by what I have been through in life. Ultimately, I have a tesitmony that we never go through trials for no reason. Heavenly Father knows what we can take and how we can take it to make us stronger. I love you all and hope and pray that you have a fantastic week!!

Love,

Sister Bice

Its crazy that it has already been another week!!

Dear Family and Friends!

       Its crazy that it has already been another week!! Transfers are next week and I just can't figure out where the past 5 weeks have gone! Time seems to keep speeding up and I really wish that it wouldn't. But, it was a really good week! Every week is a good week, I just find myself sad that I'm getting so short on time.

      Hmm.... So this week we finished up the lessons for Kristy (one of our investigators) and now we are just praying that she will have the courage to keep her date. She is super sweet! She didn't really even know if God existed a year ago. But, due to circumstances in her life she found herself feeling the need to come to know God. Now she is here and she is such a spiritual and sweet person. This week as I have been doing my personal studies I have noticed a lot that the words 'faith' and 'patience' are often bunched together.

      I thought that was really interesting. So many times in mission meetings they tell us that if we have faith then everything else will take care of itself. Well, for that last little while I've had a hard finding people to teach. Well, in meetings they tell us that if we have faith then we will find people to teach. So, often I would find myself feeling like I must not have enough faith. However, we must also have patience in the Lords timing. In Alma 60:26 : "And this because of their exceeding faith, and their patience in their tribulations--" Or in Mosiah 24:16 : "And it came to pass that so great was their faith and their patience... "

       There are many other examples, but these are a few that I've noticed. This week in church a lady bore her testimony and she said simply "sometimes unanswered prayers ARE the answers to our prayers..." I liked this because sometimes I get frustrated with the Lord because I feel that he isn't answering my prayers. Or sometimes I even feel that I am showing forth faith and I'm not seeing the great miracles that everyone around me seems to be seeing. However,  I have come to realize that we cannot just have faith or pray for things but we must also be patient. We must also be okay with whatever the answer is that we get.

        When I first came out on my mission I heard a talk from Elder Bednar in which he was asked to give a newly married man a blessing. This man had just contracted cancer, and instead of asking the normal question of 'do you have faith to be healed' he asked this man 'Do you have the faith to not be healed if it is the will of the Lord?" This is something that has stayed with me. Sometimes, most of the time, it is a lot easier to have faith that what we want to happen will happen. But, do we have the faith to just accept the will of the Lord? Do we have the faith to wait on his timing and know that what happens will be what is best for us? I like those questions, because often they are a lot harder for me to answer.

Sorry, that this is a such a long letter! I kind of got off on a rant, but know that I love you all and that I know that if we have patience AND faith then God will take care of us and whatever happens will be for the best.

Love,

Sister Bice

A Week of Reunions‏

Dear Family and Friends,

     This week was amazing! Saturday, I had the opportunity to go to the temple with Harriet. It's hard to believe that she has been a member for a year now but it was such a special experience! But, I also got a nice surprise on Tuesday night. Sister Perrin and I were planning and all of a sudden we get a call from President Anderson. So after some debate on who was going to answer the phone, I answered. Well, Sister Kipp called President Anderson to tell him Flor (the convert we taught in Pueblo) was going through the temple for baptisms on the same day as Harriet!!! So, not only did I get to go through with Harriet on Saturday, but I was able to go and watch Flor do baptisms for the dead. 

      I was so excited, and really emotional. Nothing fights discouragement like being able to see people you have taught progress to the temple. So, it was a crazy week, but it was also an amazing week. Yesterday, we were teaching a lesson to some investigators and one of them asked me if I had ever received and answer to prayer; and it struck me as amazing that I could answer that question without a doubt. I know the Lord answers prayers, both the prayers of our heart and the prayers we utter. 

       If nothing else that is a knowledge I have gained on my mission. To have both of the people I have taught enter the temple on the same day was a reassurance to me and an answer to my prayer. There is a quote I have really come to love since being on my mission and it is from President Deiter F. Uchtdorf and it states simply: "In the end, the number of prayers we say may contribute to our  

happiness,but the number of prayers we answer may be of even

 greater importance.Let us open our eyes and see the heavy hea

rts, notice the loneliness and despair; let us feel the silent prayer

s of others around us, and let us be aninstrument in the hands of

 the Lord to answer those prayers." I love this quote because 

this weekend the two people that I

 helped teach answered my prayers; and I just hope and pray

 that I was able to answer theirs as well.

        I know that this church is true! I know it and I love it! I know that sharing the gospel with those around us can bring into our lives happiness that we cannot comprehend and friends that will change us forever. I'm so grateful that I am on a mission and that God trusted me enough to allow me to be here for his children at this time.  I know that he is watching over each of us and that he wants what is best for us. I love this church and I love it's teachings. I love how it can take each and every one of us and mold us into someone we didn't know that we could be. I know with all my heart that it is true! 

I love you all so much and I pray for you! Have a wonderful week!!! 

Love,

Sister Bice