Letters from Sister Alston: "Master, the Tempest is Raging"

Are you sure it's Monday again?... when did it sneak up on me? Oh that's right...we have barely had time to even breath this week!

Monday night we drove to Mt. Vernon and started exchanges with Sister Call and Sister Porter. I was able to spend the exchange with Sister Porter whom I love and who I was able to do a lot of exchanges with when she was in Macomb and I was in Keokuk! SO FUN to be with her again! I love being able to see the sisters change and grow from the beginnings of their missions. However, it still feels like I just came out yesterday! Didn't I? haha. Anyways, this exchange was great. Sister Porter and I spent 2 hours Tuesday morning finding in a park...which was incredible! It turns out that 10-12 on Tuesdays, the park is the place to be! We talked to EVERYONE we saw!...and even though most weren't receptive, they were all relatively friendly and acceptedmormon.org cards! We were able to sit and talk to a father of 2 girls who shared how important having family time is to him, and how he even quit a job so he could be at home more and spend especially sundays at church with his family. He was awesome! Another man was sitting on a table waiting for his kids to get done with swimming lessons and we talked to him for about 15 minutes about how his younger daughter had been asking him how to know what church to go to and all these questions he wasn't too sure how to answer. We shared with him our testimonies and the spirit was very strong. He said he would like to learn more and think it would be good for his whole family to learn together! Wow... I love how Heavenly Father just places people in our paths that if we talk to for just a minute, we are given the opportunity to share our testimonies and help them feel the spirit. Even though we only got a couple addresses/phone #s, we knew that is exactly where we were supposed to be at that time and that we did as much as we could. It's always the best feeling to walk away knowing that you literally talked to everyone you possibly could in one place. That's why we're here!...to talk to people! We were also able to do service at the Lisbon History Center...and boy was that fun! I really have come to love history. In fact, I think it might be an obsession of sorts...we can blame Grandpa Ted for that one? haha.

LAST ZONE CONFERENCE! So funny story... we thought the last zone conference would be my last zone conference and I was sad I didn't get to sing at it (I did play piano though...)...so when this zone conference was added and they asked me to put together another musical number I was so happy I was able to sing for my last zone conference! Heavenly Father is so kind... we sang as a quartet, "Come Unto Christ"...the youth theme song for this year. It was amazing! The spirit was so strong, and I even teared up a bit. Man, I love music! If you haven't heard that song, go check it out! It is the best! The message was perfect as well, because the whole conference was about the Atonement.

On Thursday after Zone conference, Sister Farnsworth and Sister Pierce came and did exchanges with us in Cedar Rapids for the night and all day Friday. We had a blast! Friday morning, Sister Pierce and I were following up with a family we are teaching, but they weren't home. Across the way there was a lady outside, who looked a little distraught. I was about to just keep walking down the stairs when the spirit said, "don't you dare walk down those stairs!" haha...yeah, sometimes the spirit has to be very forward with me. So I walk over to this lady and just ask how she's doing. She said she just found out that her sister had passed away yesterday and is struggling. Her name is Diamond, and she is from Chicago. We also had a recent convert named Laverne with us...who is also from Chicago. She stepped in and shared the sweetest testimony of how the gospel has blessed her life and they became instant friends! So cool! We also shared a little about the plan of salvation, and invited her to be baptized on her porch! haha...that's always fun! She was so receptive and really wants to learn more and strengthen her relationship with God.

Saturday we went to KEOKUK to Charlie Scudder's baptism!!! I wasn't sure we would be able to make it because our original ride fell through last minute...but sweet Patricia Albin (who was baptized in May) gladly stepped up and said she would take us! It was amazing! When Charlie walked in, he was so happy to see all the sisters there! (okay fine, there are only 5 of us...but still...) It was cool to all be there together! After 25 years of being taught on and off, he was finally ready to enter the waters of baptism. And he's already brought 2 friends with him! He said he was feeling the spirit so strong and was so happy! To see him in white was the best thing ever! This gospel is true!

We were finally able to contact Virgil again, who asked where we had been...haha...We kept missing each other and he thought we were ignoring him or something. He said he knows he needs to take things more seriously and wants to continue working towards baptism.

Yesterday we had ward conference, and it was very powerful. The stake president did a training in ward council that really hit me. He talked about "Master, the Tempest is Raging"... and how it's okay to be on a raging tempest, that in our callings especially there will always be storms. As we are on the boat with the Savior, we can find peace and know that all is well with Him. We are all inadequate for our callings, no matter what they may be. We can find peace in the storm as we trust in the Savior and rely on Him to lead and guide us in all that we are asked to do. We shouldn't be so worried about what to say and do as HAVING THE SPIRIT AS OUR GUIDE.

The spirit really is the most important thing in all we do. As we are worthy and ready to receive it's guidance and direction...all things will work together as they need to. This is one of the most amazing lessons I have learned on my mission: trusting in the Savior and following the spirit, even though the world and everything seems amiss around, is what brings true peace and happiness. There will always be storms, trials, disappointments, sadness, heartache...but with Him we can make it through. I know our Savior lives, and loves us.

Love Always,

Sister Natalia Alston