Glenn, Tupelo and Member Team Ups!

Wow, what a busy week!

We've had lots of lessons with investigators and others, including Glenn...an 83 yr old that is still kickin' and he loves discussing religion! He's a member of the Church of Christ. Despite difference of belief, he says that he really admires us and our missionary work, and actually believes quite a bit of our faith--including the Book of Mormon, which he reads and shows us his favorite verses.

On Thursday we drove 2 hours to Tupelo, Mississippi for Zone Conference. It is a beautiful drive there, and the conference was excellent!

Yesterday we went out with a sister in our ward who goes out with us every Sunday for several hours. Her help to us is priceless! We were able to visit several new people in the ward and some less actives who live a good distance away. Team ups and member missionary work is what really helps the work progress!

During my personal study recently, I read Alma 36:12-21. This is a beautiful description of Alma the younger's conversion story, which I believe we can all relate to in one way or another. We all make mistakes, we all feel the pangs of guilt, and we all need redemption from the infinite grace of Jesus Christ. According to Alma, there is "nothing so exquisite and sweet" as the light that comes from being cleansed by Christ's blood. So, my plea to you is to not forget what your Savior has done for you.

Hope everyone has a beautiful week!
Sister Griffith

Glenn and us :)

On the road to Tupelo, MS

Loving the beautiful weather lately!

Cleaning on P day! (we don't usually wear these cleaning accessories...they came in a cleaning kit we received, haha)

 

One Year On My Mission: Complete!

**Once again, this is Amanda, Sister Griffith's mom here.  Last week's emails were finally sent, apparently there was a glitch in the entire missionary email system.  For whatever reason, we didn't receive a blog post email today, only pictures.  Maybe there's still one coming and it's stuck somewhere in cyber space, or maybe she forgot to write one today (which I find odd, considering she's sent one every week for the past year!)  I guess I'll find out by next week what she had intended to send for this week.  In the meantime, here are the fun pictures that we received!  I will delete this and update with a blog post should one be received.**  :)

I've officially been on my mission for one year!  February 18, 2016

Celebrating one year as a missionary with Sister Pyrah (she's been out six months!)

One year mission celebration with ice cream at Zaxby's!

Sister Smith and us. We love her!

Mormons will DOMINATE the South!!!

Sister Todd, who got baptized at age 15 by Uncle Brent!!!

I think I'm in puppy love!

And more puppy love!

Pure Puppy happiness!

 Out strolling downtown Tuscumbia with the sisters today :)

This is my view from the library computer...some random picture of a lady in a bowl.. BWAHAHA!

T.U.F.F. trainings and more.....

 Hello family and friends!

Another week has come and gone. Except this week marks something quite big...1 year down, 6 months to go!! I want to make every moment count these last 6 months.

MLC Tuesday went great! We drove down the morning of (instead of the night before) and started driving at 5:30am. Driving went just fine and since we got a decent night of sleep we had so much more energy! We carried out zone training the following Friday and it was fun because we tried to be creative with it. Our zone this transfer has a theme: T.U.F.F. - Temples Unite Families Forever. We incorporated that theme into our zone training by "TUFF" warm ups (the missionaries came in their exercise clothes), the gym was decorated with work out equipment, and we had "TUFF" trainings. :)

We had three investigators come to church Sunday and you can only imagine how happy we were! That's the struggle of a mission...getting people to church. Two less actives that committed to come also came! The Sacrament talks just happened to be on the Sabbath day and keeping it holy. Funny how the spirit works!

Hope everyone had a Happy Valentine's! I was spoiled by receiving a cute Valentine package from my mom! Missionaries sure love mail, so go send an email or letter to a missionary you know that's out!

I found something in my personal study this morning. I read Alma 16 and verse 20 specifically stuck out to me. It talks about how the people learned that Christ would visit them after His resurrection, and that "the people did hear with great joy and gladness." At first glance this doesn't appear to relate to us, but think of it this way...Christ is coming again, and He will be coming to us! Do you realize that? Christ will come to this people. We don't know when, but we know that He is coming! Do we receive with gladness? How does it affect our actions right here, right now?

Praying that we are looking forward to His coming, and aligning our will with His,
Sister Griffith

Driving back home from Birmingham

Driving back home from Birmingham

A member was teaching Sister Pyrah and I how to play the electric guitar. I now have a resolve to learn!

Sister Pyrah learning electric guitar!

The Tupelo North Zone! (sorry it's off center, it was on self timer;)

Out tracting and we asked a guy if we could walk through his backyard to have a better view of the river. He showed us the way and told us that we wouldn't want to swim in it...too many snakes!

YSA FHE at a member's home :)

The epitome of the South.

Teamed Back Up With Sister Pyrah!

Hey y'all,

Saying goodbye to Huntsville was hard, but I've made it to my new area and Russellville is awesome! There is a lot of potential and I'm excited to work here! Also being with Sister Pyrah is awesome because we've already been together (in Wetumpka) and can dive into the work with a running start.

This past week we've done lots of tracting and have had many opportunities to share the Book of Mormon and testify of the Gospel. We've also been able to do some service and that always makes my day. :)

Tomorrow we will be attending MLC and the following couple of days we will be preparing and carrying out Zone Training. Always lots to do! This zone is quite a bit smaller from my last one though, with only one other set of sisters.

With Valentines coming up, may we always remember that the love of our Savior, Jesus Christ, trumps everything! It is because of His grace that we have hope.

All my love,
Sister Griffith

Birthday party for Elder Ihasz/last Weatherly District meeting

Reunited with Sister Pyrah!! 

Happy upcoming Valentines!

Helen Keller's home in Tuscumbia, AL!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pump!

Sightseeing on Pday

Beautiful sunset we had last night.

 

Lynn's Baptism and Transfers to Russellville!

Hey everybody and happy February!

The biggest highlight of our week was Lynn's baptism! He was baptized Saturday and confirmed Sunday and everything went really well! Forgive that fact that he didn't smile in the pictures, he's self conscious of his smile. :) It's been such a privilege to teach Lynn and see him actively using the Atonement in his life. Although he's afraid of relapsing with smoking, we've had to explain that that is why God sent His Son....we'll never be perfect in this life and we rely solely on grace to help us overcome our mistakes every day.

So there is one area in Huntsville called "the mountain" (really it's more like a hill...but to each his own)...there are only nice homes up there and they have really steep driveways! For us it seems like we're going hiking because of how steep and long the drive ways are, and there are lots of trees all around. The picture of the sunset is from one of the times we were tracting on the mountain. It's a bit of an adventure, plus we get to see really nice homes, so it's fun. :)

We got transfer news this past Saturday! Instead of having transfer meetings in Birmingham, and then finding out our new area/companion, a switch was made and we'll be going directly to our new area. I'm getting transferred to Russellville, AL and my new companion won't be so "new" -- it's my trainee, Sister Pyrah! She and I will be serving together as Sister Training Leaders!

We have been enjoying incredibly nice weather the past couple of days and I hope it continues! I'm ready for spring, and thankful that the winter wasn't too bad, considering we only got a couple of storms.

Hope everything at home is going well for you! Have a blessed week.

Love,
Sister Griffith

Lynn's Baptism!  January 30, 2016

Sisters and Elders of Huntsville with Lynn on his baptism day!

Newly baptized member, Lynn!

The best sunset I've ever seen in AL.

Just hangin' around the hood!

Just hangin' around the hood!

Traversing driveways while tracting

Hal and I

Had dinner at the Wright's :)

Sweet Daphne after hot cocoa and a lesson :)