Letters from Sister Alston: It's a Mighty and It's a Movin!!!

oh...and HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY everyone! I hope this email finds you all wearing green so you don't get pinched!!! Don't worry, I have my green suspenders and mustache on! ;P It has been an exciting week here in Keokuk! Full of meetings, singing, finding, teaching, exchanging, more meetings, more exchanging... always a party! Oh! And we have finally had some spring weather (well…besides the random snow storm Saturday night!)...the river has even thawed completely!!!

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

NAUVOO STAKE CONFERENCE: Probably the neatest stake conference I have ever attended. Elder Real of the 70 was present, all the missionaries in the stake performed Saturday night, Sister Rogers and I also sang a duet Saturday night. My heart has been so full of gratitude for my Father in Heaven. I haven’t really explained much of the song I was asked to do…so I’ll explain it a little better now. So a few weeks ago we attended one of Sister Susan Eastman Black Durrant’s lectures on Joseph Smith over in Nauvoo. Before the meeting I was sitting playing at the piano while people were coming in. Sister Durrant came up and thanked me, and asked me to play for the meeting. At the end of her lecture an old W.W.Phelps poem was read, and she said nobody had taken the challenge to put it to music yet. Afterwards, she came up and jokingly asked if I was ready to take the challenge, and I said “wel, sure!”…she then asked when I thought I could have it done…which Sister Rogers piped up and said, “oh, she could probably have it done in a week!”…haha…not funny. Sister Durrant totally beileved her and said, “well okay then!...you two can perform it next Tuesday night at the lecture!” So…a couple days later I decide I should probably see what I could do, we go the church, I say a prayer, and had it written out in an hour and a half. Tuesday night comes around, Sister Rogers sings it and I play it…I thought that was the end. Sister Jensen finds out and asks for the Nauvoo zone to sing it at zone conference, then again at stake conference…When it was sung on Saturday night at stake conference I could barely hold in the tears. I could hear angels singing with everyone, and I knew this is a major reason why I needed to be in this area at this time. After the song was sung, Elder Real stood up and asked me to stand. He looked into my eyes and thanked me for using my talents in the way Heavenly Father needs me to. Since then, my heart has been overflowing with gratitude for the talents I have been given, for my parents and their willingness to pay for music lessons and encouragement to practice… Heavenly Father’s plan is perfect. The rest of stake conference was so wonderful, the spirit was so strong as the speakers spoke to us on missionary work, conversion, sharing their testimonies of our Savior Jesus Christ, reminding us of the importance of the scriptures and the incredible tool they are in our lives. My testimony was strengthened this weekend.

EXCHANGES: This week we were able to have the Macomb sisters and the Hamilton sisters here in Keokuk with us! We spent a lot of time finding, and it was so nice outside it was great!!! It was fun to show our area to other sisters, and be able to help them see all aspects of the work…and to have other views on how to do things! It was great! Wednesday night, Sister Harmon and I went to check up on Dillon and Akadia, but they weren’t home…as we were walking back down the stairs to leave something told me to go try the top floor of the apartment building (one that we had never knocked)…we get up to #5 and knock, and Amanda let us right in! We had such a wonderful lesson with her of the Restoration, and she was excited to read and learn more. She has 2 adorable little kids, Carter and Zadin…though they were a bit crazy the spirit was so strong as we talked to Amanda. At the end, she prayed, and it was so sincere. She hesitated a bit accepting the baptismal invite…she asked if she would find it not to be the right thing to do and we were able to testify and promise to her that it was and that Heavenly Father would tell her if she asked with a sincere heart. She has been through a lot in her life, and never really had a strong relationship with God or Jesus Christ, but is so willing and wants to strengthen it…especially for her kids. Once again, I am so grateful Heavenly Father leads us to those who are ready and willing to listen and at least try it out.

MEETINGS: Tuesday we had MLC in Iowa City and Thursday we had both Nauvoo and Quincy zone training meetings… WE SPENT THE WHOLE DAY WITH PRESIDENT AND SISTER JENSEN! It was so fun! To save miles, we were able to ride with them from Nauvoo to Quincy and back, and wow…they are hilarious! I love getting to know them better every time we are with them. They are the best and I love them so much! We were able to talk about BYU Hawaii (since that is where they met), talk about plans and families and it was just awesome!

This week I am grateful my mission family and my real family get to be combined in a way…Emily and Shari Pena and my best friend Rachael Montoya drove to Utah on Friday and are able to be in Utah for the week…Shari and Emily staying at my house! So that’s pretty fun! It helps me know that the relationships I build here will last forever, and even after this life…which I am so grateful for. I want you all to know that I have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation, of the Plan of Happiness. We are all on this earth to learn and grow, and to be happy! As we rely on the Savior, we are able to overcome all things, and truly know that we are all special daughters and sons of a loving Heavenly Father. I know this to be true, and I know that you can know it. I am grateful for the relationship that I now have with my Father in Heaven and my Savior, Jesus Christ. I am grateful for each of you. For the constant support and prayers. I feel your prayers each and every day. Prayer works.

Hope ya’ll have a great week!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

Love Always,

Sister Natalia Alston