Hello friends and family!

Hello friends and family!

Well I hope everyone had a good week! As for us here in Medford we did have a pretty great week full of some miracles and many lessons, which we are humbled by and grateful for. It seems that the more I teach the more I realize my weaknesses, but that's why we have them! To make us humble! :) (Ether 12:27) Since the beginning of my mission it has all just been one huge humbling process haha but I wouldn't trade it for the world. I need the humility. 

But anyway, we got transfer calls on Friday and Sister Jolley will be transferred and Sister Abana and I will be staying. I was super nervous for transfer calls because we all knew Sister Jolley might get transferred, because she's been here for 6 months already. And we all figured that Sister Abana would stay because the golden usually stays and takes over the area while the trainer gets transferred but since there's three of us, and the other two were already likely to happen I was the one who's fate was totally up in the air nobody knew what was going to happen with me. We always joked that I was the third wheel in this trio haha. But anyway, I am staying which i was so happy to hear because I love Medford!! I love the ward, I love the people and I love our investigators! And we've got some baptisms and wedding coming up this transfer!!  I'm truly grateful that the Lord has allowed me to stay another transfer here. 

So I have some miracles and funny stories from last week. One miracle was when we had a lesson with one of our investigators named Lisa. I've talked about Lisa before and she is amazing. We had a lesson with her on Monday and we taught her about the word of wisdom which she accepted so fast. But anyway, by the end of the lesson she said "i just want to thank you guys for finding me. I am happier than I've ever been I really want to be part of this church. So thank you for everything." I can't remember if I've told the story of how we met Lisa but I will tell it again soon. Anyway, she is amazing and o was just so happy to hear that! Although we were merely the instruments in the Lords hands, and He is the one that has prepared her to receive the gospel. I was so grateful for that experience. 

Then we had a few lessons with our newest Investigator Dawn, that I told you about last week. She is just awesome and so funny. She tells us that every time she feels the spirit she is just shaking because she's so excited. She so great. Then we had a lesson with this really awesome  family who was a headquarters referral. Their names are Carmen and Julio and they have two girls. So on Wednesday Carmen invited us over for dinner and we got to know them a bit a tried to teach the the restoration but we had another appointment we had to get to also so we shared a spiritual message and they expressed their desires to come closer to God and to find the right church. We are going to teach them again this week and I am so excited to let you know how they are progressing! 

Oh and then we had a lesson a few weeks ago with a new investigator names Jason. We met Jason outside one day when we were walking down the sidewalk and right as I was about to start talking with him he said "yall from a church?" I said "yep!" And before I could even begin to tell him what our message was about he said, "you want to come and talk about Jesus with me?" We replied "we would love to!" He was getting in his car as this conversation was going on and so we set an appointment right there before he even knew who we really were. So fast forward a few days to Friday and we got a member to come with us to teach him. And as we began teaching I mentioned the Book of Mormon and he said "oh wait, ya'll are Mormons??" I replied "yes." And then he said, "oh shoot...." And in my mind I was like "uh oh..." He asked "wait you don't believe that Jesus is our Savior right?" My mind was calmed after that because we quickly cleared that up for him that we know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and then he proceeded to ask sincere questions. He was funny and we are excited to teach him again! 

Oh and one more miracle, so a few nights ago we were on our way home for the night and we were about 3 minutes away from out apartment. And this week I had made it a goal to see more 8:45 pm miracles. Because that is something that president has asked us to shoot for. So I was determined to see some. Well to be honest most of my 8:45 miracles have consisted of grumpy old men answering their doors yelling at me telling me that it was too late at night for me to be knocking on their doors...I always pick the grumpy old mans house for some reason. Anyway it was about 8:50 and the. Suddenly Sister Jolley pulled the car over. I didn't know why but she said well if we want to see an 8:45 miracle then let's see one, I said okay. We prayed and got out of the car to know on a house. We picked one and a young woman answered the door who spoke mostly Spanish but her name was Gisselle and as we talked with her we told her about our message and she set she was interested and would like to set up an appointment for the next day!! What?? It was a total miracle!! And then yesterday she texted us and said she wanted to go to the best church and that she wanted to come. But by that time church was already over. But we told her we would come get her on Sunday for church. The. Today at the store she apparently works there and came up to us and gave us a hug even though she still hardly knows us! She is 18 and married with a baby boy so we are excited to have found a young family to teach :) 

And quickly just to share some of the things I liked from Conference last week...I'll just share a few quotes...

"Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life are going to increase. Because of this, we need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and who will use that understanding to teach and help raise a sin-resistant generation. We need women who can detect deception in all of its forms. We need women who know how to access the power that God makes available to covenant keepers and who express their beliefs with confidence and charity. We need women who have the courage and vision of our Mother Eve.

My dear sisters, nothing is more crucial to your eternal life than your own conversion. It is converted, covenant-keeping women--women like my dear wife Wendy--whose righteous lives will increasingly stand out in a deteriorating world and who will thus be seen as different and distinct in the happiest of ways." -President Nelson

This one from President Nelson I loved. You'll notice the part that I highlight in bold. This particular part touched my heart the most. And here's why, I noticed after last Aprils conference of which many talks were given about Marriage and Family which were warnings and precautions given by inspiration to our leaders...and then look what followed. I realized that these talks are more than just inspiring messages they are warnings as well. For whatever is to come. I took this statement from President Nelson to heart. It is a warning from an Apostle of a God. He didn't say attacks might increase, or that they could increase or that things will possibly get harder...he said they "are" going to increase. I don't know when, and I don't know how soon but I do know, that things are only going to get harder for us as Disciples of Christ from here on out. I have already felt that out here on my mission. I mean it is the last days. And we must be spiritually strong and prepared and steadfast for whatever it is that is to come. But with that warning, he gave some amazing encouragement that I also took to heart as well. And although he is speaking directly to the women of the church this very well goes for both men and women. One of the main messages that I got from conference was this...KEEP YOUR COVENANTS....THEY WILL PROTECT YOU. No. Matter. What. They will protect us as we strive to be faithful in all things. And that we must strive to become converted to the gospel. I know and testify that as we each individually seek to become more converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ that we and our families with remain steadfast and strong in this crazy world. And by so doing if we prove faithful until the end we will have eternal life-which is to live in the presence of our Father in Heaven. Remember, there is a difference between salvation and exaltation.

 I love this gospel. I love my Savior and Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. I love my Heavenly Father. And although I may not be the best missionary that's ever entered the mission field, I love being the Lords missionary. Because like it says in Doctrine and Covenants "That the fulness of [the] gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the [earth], and before kings and rulers.” I know God and Jesus Christ live and love us.

The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes;

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never, no never, I’ll never, no never,

I’ll never, no never, no never forsake!

I love you all more than you'll ever know!! 

Until next week, 

~Sister Amy Callaway~

Oh and here are some random pictures from George from way back when, when that horrible tornado hit! We were having dinner at least haha.