Monday, January 31, 2011

Blessings falling out of the sky

AH HELLO EVERYONE!!
I love being a missionary so much it makes me so happy you don't even know. Last night I had one of the most powerful experiences of my mission and it was all with our investigator Oscar. My goodness can I just say that the spirit is so real and makes us do things we wouldn't normally do if we weren't listening!
Gods Plan brings lots of emotions...
So we told Oscar to come to the square cause I had actually never met him. He got heart breaking news.... Oscar has to move to washington!!! And he was going to get baptized here!!! I'm so sad cause he wants us to go and to have me sing and his baptism... He doesnt speak much english but he speaks enough to get by and I can speak a little spanish. Well we took him through Gods plan in spanish and he felt the spirit so strong. I said Oscar when you are baptized you can prepare to go to the temple. He was very quiet and reverant. We get into the third room and all of the sudden sister Pervaiz starts making really weird sounds and I'm like shhh what are you doing? And gives me a blank stare... and i knew what was coming... BLehhhhhh she starts gagging and I'm trying to stay calm and not let oscar worry or hear cause it would ruien the spirit.... So she RUNS OUT... and leaves me alone in a dark theatre with Oscar ahahhahhaa.... I was thinking of coarse this would happen right now. So I act calm take him to the next room and poke my head out to find another sister to come in here with me. Sister Kim comes in with me and Oscar is so confused. And I said Oscar this last room teaches about Jesus Christ and I know that Lord loves you so much Oscar... Tears started coming as i told him he wasn't alone. He watched the last film and just started to cry. His head in his hands this 40 year old man was at a loss of words as was I. I couldn't convey what I wanted to say cause i didn't speak spanish. But the spirit told me... jenna give him something better then words... he will understand. I couldn't see him the tears were so thick and I said Oscar the spirit will speak to your heart, I'm going to sing and i promise you will undestand every word i say. He closed his eyes and i started to sing..... tears streaming down all of our cheeks I testified spirit to spirit what he needed to hear. He said jenna I understand every word. I can't speak i have no words..... I said Oscar no matter where you are baptized I am so proud of you for all you have done. The missionaries are finally going over there tonight and we will see what is going to happen! I am so grateful for this moment.
These two guys are always dressed up?
This women comes on chat and starts talking to us... We ask her if we can call her and tell her more about the gospel. She said there are these two guys like preachers or something and they live below me and they are always dressed up. Ha aka missionaries!! She said jenna I'm at a point in my life where I need guidence.... and I said the gospel gives us peace and all the guidence we need. I said, stasha can we pray with you? ( we now get on our knees over the phone while praying) She said she was kneeling down on her apartment floor with us in Texas and we started to pray. The spirit was so strong and she wants to learn more!!! It was amazing. Stasha is only 22 like me!
Antis ehhh Thanks for working in our favor!
So we are on this tour with this cute OLLLLLLLDDDD couple and they had felt the spirit so strong already learning about the temple and everything. They wanted a book of mormon they wanted to learn more they were so sweet. Our last stop was the conf center. And what a lovely surprise.. the antiis are standing out there with their signs telling me I'm going to hell so cool. Then they start talking to my guest and telling her we are telling her lies and that their material is real and we are liars and a lot more. The lady got really close to sister Pervaiz to look at her flag and i said SHE IS FROM PAKISTAN YES THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS is all over the world! .. they just started at me and Jan the old lady just started laughing hahaha... Then they started yelling and her and her husband telling them not to listen to us!! i was getting so mad but I stayed calm and just smiled.... i knew i had to get the spirit back fast in the conference center so ... I sang and they were crying... The women goes you have a peaceful voice when you speak... and when you sing i can feel it even more! Omg it was so tender!!! I loved them... they wanted a Book of Mormon and everything. So actually the antis helped us cause they felt evil and then the spirit!
Well i have to go ... Sister Pervaiz is still really sick so we have to stay home today so she can get better!!
Ps i sang on sunday i heard him come ... and my pianst is from berkley she is amazing!!! It was so powerful mom I wish you heard it!!
Love you ALL thank you for all you do!
Love Sister Mettra

Monday, January 24, 2011

Changes Jan. 24

Hello loves!

Well this week we had transfers........ my new companion isn't Sister TaraSevich.... in fact she isn't from this country... Sister Pervaiz is from Pakistan!
I love love love her she is so sweet and humble and doesn't speak much English. I have to teach English so we make flash cards and sing songs and i teach her how to speak. Its amazing I love that I'm able to learn from her cause she is so far away. The only sad thing is that when we are talking she doesn't understand somethings ... well which is good but hard cause i have to be like the protector, I'm the senior. We are teaching a lot and one of our investigators is going to get baptized!!!!!! And we can go cause its in salt lake :) I'm so excited and pray everything goes well.

Heather the attorney

Heather was such an angel and guess where she was from.... Huntington Beach!!! We met her on the square and it was sister P and I's first day together so I had to ask her questions to explain to the guests. But the spirit was so strong with this women. And she wants to learn more!! She said I've never thought about Jesus Christ in this way before. And with tears in her eyes she said she would want a Book of Mormon and missionaries. I'm so happy i hope that the missionaries find her.

x-games

Yeah so we just took around one of the head guys that works for the xgames NBD. He was so nice and he had tats everywhere he is from L.A. And he wants a book of Mormon and we will be teaching him more about how he can draw closer to the savior. He said he had never heard the gospel like this before. I promised him that as he sincerely prayed that he would receive an answer.

Drunk prank calls= miracles... if you have patience

Well Zak/George/Cole was a southern young college guy that called in saying really really bad things! my comp looks at me and says.. sister Mettra i don't get? So i took the call and wow did he have a bad mouth. I was able to end the conversation but then he called back 10 min later looking for me saying he wants to talk more. I told him in our short conversation God loved him and didn't want him to be a drunk fool anymore pretty much ha. And he said he felt something. Now he was really wasted ... but the spirit touched him somehow. Well I called him back later that night and he was in his descend aka when they are so drunk they are depressed and say i love you and are miserable. He told me what was really going on 26, wife left him, baby in the hospital, alcoholic. I said Cole i know that this gospel will change your life just open your heart and let God help you. Most people would hang up on you .. but something told me to call you back. Well I told him that if i called tomorrow he can not be drunk or i will hang up. The next day it was like a different Cole he remembered me and said he didn't drink that morning. We are now teaching Cole about how there is a living prophet and he wants to know how God could love him.

Army man

The sweetest family came and we took them around. They were from the south of course and the husband was in the military. He is investigating the church the wife was a member a long time ago . We taught them about how their family could be together forever. in Gods plan for his family i looked at the dad's long face as he looked at his new baby he just met because he has been away... And i stared in his eyes and said God loves your family so much, he called a prophet so that you could know what to teach your son. Tears pouring down my cheeks this man said thank you so much thank you. And then we told him about the temple. i said when you are baptized and as you prepare you can have the priesthood.... The room was so quiet and he just smiled and he said you mean me? And I said yes you can bless your little new family. Omg it was so tender... they just moved here so if they get baptized i will go!!!!


I know that God really does hear and answer prayers no matter who we are or where we come from. As a missionary i have really been able to develop the skills to listen to the spirit and it has blessed my life so much on a mission. And now I want to just strive to have the gospel always with me.

Love you all
Sister Mettra

Friday, January 14, 2011

The power of prayer Jan. 14

Hello everyone!!

Can i start by telling all of you how much i love you and miss you dearly! When we were talking to guests this week they were like... aren't you lonely in the winter time? And i said.. the gospel makes me happy so no not at all!.... Honestly So much has happened this week its hard to write it all down. I have a such a strong testimony of prayer and what it can do at any moment.





3 months of praying....

So 3 months ago we met this girl on the square and we shared some scriptures with her and she gave us a friend to call for her. So I took the potential and I started calling him. Something inside me told me I was the one that needed to talk to him. I called the member back and told her i couldn't get a hold of him and she told me he was on drugs and really needed direction in his life. The spirit said,, " jenna keep calling him." I started praying for tony every night in my personal prayers that he might answer the phone. Every time i called i would leave a message just saying I hoped he would answer his phone soon. Then Jan 8 I said a prayer he would answer and he didn't but i felt a prompting to leave a scripture on the voice mail..... I read the one that you read mom the night i was born. By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. And i said " Tony its a small step to answer the phone but this will bless your life so much.".... 10 min later my phone rang and I thought it was someone else. He said " Hey jenna sorry i haven't been answering my phone and i thought it was our investigator Brandon... And he said no its Tony!!!! I had the biggest smile on my face. As i went on to talk to him he told me he never answered my calls because his drug dealer was from Utah and he was trying to get away from all of that. But he always listened to my messages and they made him feel something. He said thank you for calling but right now i don't have time in my life for anything especially religion. And I said you know Tony usually we give up after 5 calls... But something told me to keep calling. I'm not giving up on you. I heard him swallow big.... and I said Tony I don't want to sound weird..... but I have been praying for you every night for about 3 months..... He said with tears forming... that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard. someone cares about me, and not my past. And i said Tony you are a child of God he loves you so much and he will never give up on you. He said you know what Jenna I have never felt the way I do right now. Can you call back tomorrow and teach me more about how this has helped you in your life? ......I know that God hears and answers prayer.. Tony needed that conversation if nothing more to know that God loved him. And although i had never met him... I cared.




Broken Dreams....

i talked to this guy Oliver on the phone in the RC and everything was going wonderful.... he accepted missionaries and he wanted to learn more. I told him I would love to send him a copy of the book of Mormon..... He said call back tomorrow and he will give me his address. Well I called back and he was so sweet and excited... and then i felt something strange and he said.... jenna i think I'm going to wait on the book of Mormon.. I don't know if I'm ready yet. Ouch!! that was my 3 dropped investigator it makes me so sad. i just had a tear and told him he had the number if he changed his mind. I took a moment for myself and tried not to cry. I went into the other room got on my knees and pleaded with the Lord to help Oliver remember what he felt as i taught him about the gospel.... Everyone has their free agency I wasn't discouraged just sad for him.




Desperate times call for Desperate measures....

Well Sunday afternoon we were on the square and we say a big group of college students. I could tell they didn't want to talk to us because they had already been talked to.... But i didn't care. I put a big smile on my face and started talking to them. They actually thought my jokes were funny and i pretty much dragged them into the tabernacle hahaha.... my comp was laughing really hard cause i pretty much didn't give them a choice. Well We did the acoustic demonstration for them and everything and they loved it! Then one of them asked what I studied in college... and i said music and he said are you a singer?? And i said yes sir... he goes please make our trip and sing for us!!!..... uhhh...... Well..... no one was in the tabernacle and they only had a short time... they needed to feel the spirit and fast. So i agreed to do it. TaraSecvich's eyes got big and i just smiled and said this is one of my favorites... nearer my God to thee.... the spirit was so strong they all just stared and I bared my testimony so strong of the power of prayer and scriptures. i invited them to learn more but they were in a hurry and i think didn't understand what they were hearing.... But it was amazing! and they all were really happy i drug them in there.




This week I really learned what it means to be spirit lead again.... As we were on chat I was able to explain things like i never have before! I love the gospel!

Love you all .... Monday are transfers soooo pray I stay with TARAA!!!!

love Sister Mettra




Monday, January 10, 2011

Jan.1 Falling into the new year.

Hello Lovely Friends and family!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

So from the title of this email you should have an idea of how I've been haha. December 31 I knelt in prayer thanking my father in heaven for all he has given me this year, and had a moment to remember many of them. As i woke up January 1st I felt a longing to be a better missionary in all that i did. And recommitted myself to do all i can to qualify for the Holy Ghost with me. Well i put on my bright purple cardigan and a big smile ready to start a new year. There were 4 companionship's walking down to the square together and we were all talking about things we wanted to do this year on the mission and laughing and everything... Well you know me might as well call me a space cadet because i am ( jennie marie Moss gave me the name and its so true) Well we were walking across the street and and I was making some dumb joke and laughing and didn't see the Ice patch in front of me........ Well i slipped and fell so hard on my lower back GREAT! I laid in the street in the slush on the curb and just yelled AHHH. haha I wanted to die! i was so afraid of what was going to happen cause that's my BACK. I was covered from head to toe in slush and mud... cute way to start the day. No one really laughed cause they knew how scary that was for me.... haha I'm laughing now its ok you can laugh BREATH haha.... i prayed so hard that my back wouldn't hurt. I iced it and just had faith that it was just yet another trial i must overcome and trust the Lord. I'm ok its a little sore but I'm handling it. I swear I was so careful for the whole month of December and then...... 1st day of January i eat it hahaha HARD. i wish i could have seen it on tape i would have laughed I'm sure of it.

Its amazing how much the Lord prepares people that come here. I have felt the spirit so strong in tours lately and I'm so grateful that the Lord is allowing me to teach his children.

i love pops!

This cute couple comes and we take them around. As i was walking past them before i heard that his sister had served here years before. The sisters that gave us the tour said they were both members just looking around before they had to leave for the airport. We took them around and the women was so cute she had a intense southern accent from Texas and I was so excited! Any time we would ask her a question she would say that pops always answers her questions. her husbands father is like a stake pres or something and knows a lot. Well as the tour went on i could tell that this women needed something from us but i couldn't quite pin point it. Well as we were ending i felt prompted to share a scripture and when i did this women started crying. She said thank you so much i always look for scriptures that will help me because my husband is only home 3 days of the month! I'm very lonely. And then i told her that God loved her and that she was never alone and she just cried. Then i asked her what the blessings of the temple would mean to her.... She said yes it would mean everything because i want my children to grow up in the gospel. i was prompted to share one of my favorites Mosiah 24:12-16 and as i read it she started crying and said Thank you again so much. Well we ended the tour and invited for potentials but i still wasn't satisfied in my heart.... i went into the bathroom and I felt like i needed to wait so i kept washing my hands and then she walked in. She wrapped her arms around me and said, Sister Mettra thank you so much for being so kind to me i felt the spirit thank you. And then the spirit spoke, " Anita have you had the opportunity to be baptized?" .... No sister Mettra I was looking into the church i want a temple sealing....... UH my eyes almost filled with tears i gave her a hug and said I will teach you how you can be baptized. And she said i would love that..... So Sister TaraSevich and I will be teaching her until missionaries come!!! :) :) i thanked my father in heaven for that moment. What a miracle to follow the spirit so closely.

My people!!

A Family from orange county came 2 days ago and they heard the acoustic demonstration and so they knew i was from OC!! We took them around and they didn't have a religion. Typical surfer blond hair family so cute!! We taught them about how they could be together forever and I told the mother that when Jesus Christ is the center of our families we can get through anything! I said my family is glued together because we believe in Jesus Christ! And guess what..... THEY ARE OUR NEW investigators YAAAAAHHH!! So excited i love when my people come i think i glow a little more!

My first baptismal commitment...!

Solomon a man from Ethiopia we found him on chat and now we are teaching him over the phone. He thanks us every time we call and says thank you so much thank you. He prayed on the phone with us and he wants to go to church and be sealed in the temple! He loves to learn about the gospel..... As we were teaching him about prayer we felt like it was time to talk about baptism and so we talked about why it was important... And then i asked him if he would be baptized and he said when i receive my answer from God.... YES i will..... i want my whole family to!! We have only taught him once before but It was the best day ever! I've never met him and i probably never will.... but he will be baptized!!

East coast hospitality.....

Mike was traveling from new Hampshire and we took him around on a tour of the conference center and tabernacle. He was very impressed with everything. Well as we are walking to the conf center Sister TaraSevich goes, its really cold! and he zips up his jacket and says yeah it is ... and I'm like pshhh don't talk haha... i was only wearing a cardigan because my coat is at the dry cleaners so i had no coat this week) he looks over at me and goes where is your coat?? and I'm like oh its ok I'm not even cold.... no really where is your coat?? ha its at the dry cleaners... I turned my head and when i looked back..... He HAD TAKEN OFF HIS JACKET AND PUT IT ON ME HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA.... my companion was dying laughing cause .... you know how that looks to everyone ahha.... well i didn't want to be rude so i wore it on the tour haha.... well as we were finishing the tour by the christus i said thank you so much for letting me use your coat mike. And he said of coarse my pleasure.... Well don't even worry the APS were right behind me watching the entire thing! And then we were walking back and Sister Lamprecht goes.... with a huge smile on her face... Sister Mettra were you wearing that mans coat?? hahahha and they were like what were you doing? and laughing.. and i explained what happened... but of coarse they would be standing right there!!!

Well until next week... I love you all..
Our mission president is having us mark every reference to Jesus Christ in our book of Mormons in red so we can show guest it testifies of Jesus Christ!! Love it!
Stay warm .... Ah ITS COLD!

Love Sister Mettra

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Merry Christmas!

Sister Walsh and Sister Mettra. MTC comps.
Current companion, Sister Tarasevich.
Oh goodness, I don't know who this is but ANOTHER one of her friends serving at temple square.
Hello Friends!!!!
Happy New year!!! Isn't that crazy that another year has gone by?? Yeah so strange I will say that for sure. I have learned so much about myself and about the Savior in just these short couple of months and am so excited to learn more this next year! .... for sure i know one thing... and that is ... God is our loving Heavenly Father and knows us personally!!
So this past week we had Christmas! What a beautiful season this has been filled with the spirit of the Lord. I'm truly honored to be a servant of the Lord at this time, as our mission reaches all over the world. I want to tell you a moment i had on Christmas eve that I will never forget. There is a sister here who went to Berkley and plays the piano professionally.... she played silent night as a sister from Kenya read Luke 2. it was the most beautiful thing i have ever heard. As she finished Luke 2 the sister started playing an incredible rendition of what child is this. Tears just filled my eyes as I spirit bore witness to me that Jesus is the Christ the son of God. And i thought about all the things the Lord has given me in my life. The spirit was so strong and I know my Father in Heaven was listening to the prayers of my heart. he knew i needed that moment. I wasn't worried about gifts or myself... i was focused on the Savior and there was no greater feeling. I hope we all had a moment this Christmas season to take a moment and reflect on what the Lord has given us this year. I know the true meaning of Christmas and I'm so grateful for that experience. After that i sang Ave Maria and sang it in a way I have never before.... the spirit filled the room everyone was crying including me. Music truly is a language of the spirit. That testified to me very strong that beautiful Christmas eve.
Sister TaraSevich and i decided to end the last day of the year going to the temple. As i was sitting there reading about Joseph Smith I felt the spirit so strong as i served in the temple this morning. i know that it is truly a house of the Lord. As i teach guests that come and want to know about the temple... I'm able to tell them about how much i miss and love my family..... but as i enter into the temple i feel home and that's a feeling that has always comforted me. The temple is a place for us to draw closer to the lord.
Well we are filling up our area book very fast my goodness i can barely keep track in my head of how many new people we are teaching. And wow all the places....Let me name a few.... Mexico, Brazil,United Kingdom, Texas, Idaho, Virginia.... The lord is truly using us! Jonsie our investigator from England..... PRAYED!!! and we were sooooo excited!! He doesn't even believe in God but he is trying! I know that the Lord uses us on the phone as we teach.... I can feel the spirit even in those few short moments.
The start of the new year comes new years resolutions! .... I am ready to make some changes that will make me a better missionary in many aspects! This work is amazing and the Lord wants us to be our very best in all we do. I'm striving to be better everyday.... I know I'm not perfect I make mistakes daily and am always messing up but the Lord loves me and is helping me learn as I try to serve him with all my heart! And can I say one thing...... TRIALS MAKE YOU STRONGER!!! ... so when they come... scream, cry, jump up and down .... then laugh and cry... and then pray! That's what i have to do when i want to give up.... just laugh hahaha if our family never laughed we would all die of depression haha!!!
Now of course we have to have a funny moment.... typical new york family walks in.. Jewish opinionated and loud ahha Love them!! ... Well good thing i have a sense of humor or I could have cried on this tour.. they spoke some Hebrew so I tried to find a Hebrew book of Mormon... and they didn't have one... And he said your church is smart they know that no Jew would convert... and i said Bob haha silly man i know a Jew who is a Mormon.. and he is on a mission... he looked at me and said mettra your not going to convert me... and said good thing I'm not trying to ahha :) smiles..... ( i laugh inside as we walk around... spirit comes when we talk so they have no way out) Tabernacle was amazing they begged me to sing in the tabernacle but I'm advised not to and I'm not going to get in trouble!!... and he goes come on you don't have to be Mormon all the time! .. and i said oh maybe when i take my days off haha he goes ... i knew I liked you ahhaha.... then he sat us down next to temple view and told his little boys that everyone we have taught them about the church was a lie and we were pretty much going to helll hahahhhaa.... I was like really bob agree to disagree :) And he said you know maybe Mormons aren't so bad..and I said of course not look at me! and he laughed so hard with his wife.. they wanted to buy us drinks.... haha I said its not my off day sorry! ... well they didn't refer but they cant help the spirit they felt..!!!! i love TEMPLE SQUARE!!...
I can feel your prayers.... thank you so much. I truly am grateful for each and everyone of you that has taken the time to ask the Lord to be with me... I know he is holding my hand I'm not alone no matter what happens...
Love you all!! Happy New year.... Lets recommit ourselves to centering our lives around Jesus Christ
I miss you all and Love you.... LOVE SISTER METTRA
Making magic in the call center.