Visiting the Highest Point in Alabama and more.....

Hello everyone!

This week has been a busy week for us, full of ups and downs.

One exciting thing that happened this week was when we were at Oxford lake contacting people....we had five minutes before we had to head in for the night and we determined to talk to at least one more person. I saw a guy walking down the path with head phones on, and I stopped him and introduced ourselves. He said his name was Josh and he offered for us to sit on a bench to talk. Josh really opened up to us on his spirituality and we were able to exchange information so we could meet again. A few days later he texted us and asked to meet again and that he had questions about church. We had a really good second visit and he said that he was planning on coming to church...and he did! He stayed for all three hours and had a good experience. You never know what will come from a simple contact at the lake at 8:55pm!

Saturday we were able to visit the Morris family, who are members of the branch here in Talladega. They are such a fun family and we always enjoy seeing them. :)

For P-day today some members in the branch, the Loyd's, took us to a place called Cheaha State Park, in Delta, AL. Cheaha mountain is the highest elevation point in Alabama! It was SO beautiful! In the park we stopped at a gift ship, a small museum and look-out tower, a hiking trail, and a restaurant that was situated with a perfect view! What a great day!

Wishing everyone a blessed week with safety and prosperity.

All my love,
Sister Griffith

The Morris family and I! Love them!

 

 

Welcome to Talladega!

Went to Cheaha State Park today...the highest point in Alabama at 2, 407 ft!

I decided to stretch that elevation as much as possible. :)

In the tower at Cheaha State Park...there was such a nice breeze!

The most beautiful views I've ever seen in Alabama!

The restaurant the members took us to....what a view!

I'm on top of the world in Alabama!

A Call From St. George About a Lady in Alabama!

Hey y'all,

Wow, two weeks to go. I can barely believe it! I'm trying really hard to stay focused but thoughts of home are creeping in more and more in my mind! It is such a bittersweet thing...so looking forward to seeing my family again and yet having to leave all of my family in Alabama breaks my heart! The thought that I won't always have a name tag on and that I won't always be a full time missionary is sad. Yet I know that life at home will take me into a new chapter in my life and that it will be good! :) My mission is a foundation for the rest of my life.

A cool experience we had a couple weeks ago was when we got a text from a "435" area code.....we were so confused. It was a lady who introduced herself as Mary, a member who is from Anniston, AL and that she got baptized there and then eventually moved to Utah (to St. George!) and is now serving a mission in the family history center there. Her daughter, Amanda, lives in Lincoln, AL and has been inactive but really wants to come back! Amanda's records are lost and so she wants us to try and relocate them and also go visit Amanda. We finally were able to visit Amanda yesterday and it was a good visit! She is such a sweet lady and is literally thirsting for the Gospel. Such a blessing to be a missionary and be able to help her with that. I told Mary that I'm going to visit her when I go home!! So neat to have an Alabama native, a convert, that lives in St. George!

Our branch in Talladega recently had a building renovation and this past Sunday they had a dedication and potluck for it! The stake presidency came and it was nice event. We are blessed with an awesome branch, but I can't wait to see it grow into a ward one day!

Hoping and praying all is well for those at home! The church is true! So grateful for all that it's given in my life.

Love always,
Sister Griffith
 

Sister Brown and I on an exchange...we're both in shock that our missions are almost over!

Amanda and I. She is a returning member of the church, and her mom lives in St. George, UT!

Day By Day Details of a Busy Week....

Wow what a busy week! Here's a break down of what we did each day:

Monday: P day (emailing), dinner with a member, store contacting.

Tuesday: Lessons in the morning, tracting, and going to Vanessa's endowment that evening in the Birmingham temple (the best session I have EVER attended! Everything went so well and it was such a joy to see her and other members from the Tuscaloosa ward!)

Wednesday: Zone Conference in Birmingham, dinner with a member, and store contacting.

Thursday: Weekly planning, visiting less actives in Munford, AL, tracting, and store contacting.

Friday: Lessons, lunch with a member, visiting people at a nursing home, and contacting people at the lake.

Saturday: Apartment inspections by Elder & Sister Mason, tracting and seeing a referral in Talladega, correlation meeting at our branch mission leader's home and dinner with them, lesson that night.

Sunday: Church, lesson at the lake, dinner with a member, and visiting a less active.

Today (Monday): Zone activity in Birmingham! We played fear factor games and had all sorts of challenges. :) It was fun! Later today we have dinner with a member and out to do more finding.

Sister Cullimore and I are enjoying the transfer and have met lots of potential investigators! We also have been working with several less actives. We hope to strengthen the branch and plant lots of seeds these next several weeks!

I am so grateful for the spirit and how it guides us! We must remember that we need to be humble and open for it to have an effect upon our lives.

May the spirit guide and comfort you this week,
Sister Griffith

Sister Cullimore and I!

Beautiful Oxford Lake

Zone activity today! All sorts of challenges. haha

New Investigators, Zone Training & Sad News

Hello!
This past week has flown by! We've been working hard to find people to teach and to strengthen the branch here in Talladega. I'm excited to go out and find people by our own means (tracting!) but God also is guiding those who are prepared right to us.... yesterday at church, before Sacrament started, a member came up to us and said they have someone in their family who was coming to church with them for the second time and that he wants to get baptized. They explained that he needs to take the missionary discussions immediately! Wow! Such a blessing. It is such a privilege to be a missionary and to help people come to Jesus Christ and enjoy the blessing and knowledge that comes from the Restored Gospel.

Friday we had Zone Training in Birmingham and that went really well! They focused a lot on obedience, finding, diligence, and what our motivations are as missionaries. The following day we had exchanges with the STL's and it's so fun to have Sister Bradford (one of my past companions) and Sister Brown (my MTC companion) as our STL's!

For P day today, us and several other missionaries from our district traveled up the road to Gadsden, AL to Noccalula Falls. It is a beautiful park! Legend of the falls is that a young native american woman was arraigned to marry someone she didn't love, so she jumped off the cliff into the falls below. Somewhat gruesome of a story, but there you go! The park had a mini train to ride on, a petting zoo, a hiking trail, and nice walking trails. It was fun!

Today we also found out that a (recently) returned-missionary from our mission, Elder Brandt, passed away in a car accident with several other members of his family this past weekend. This was hard news for us as a mission and I'd like to ask everyone to pray for their extended family to be comforted in this difficult time. How beautiful God's plan is to know that we have hope through the Atonement of Jesus Christ to overcome both spiritual and physical death. Accepting God's will can be hard, but we know that God's thoughts are higher than our own, and that eventually all things will be made fair through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Trusting in God's plan, and grateful for His love,
Sister Griffith

2,3&4.

Pretty sun rays we came across last week!

 

Zone activity in Noccalula Falls!

Pretty waterfalls!

Sister Cullimore and I at Noccalula Falls!

Goodbye Russellville, Hello Talladega

Happy August!

Well, I left half my heart in Russellville. But, I am beyond excited for the opportunity to work in Talladega, and especially in a branch! My new companion is Sister Cullimore! This is her fourth transfer. I am looking forward to the miracles we will witness these next six weeks!

Our new area is beautiful. They actually have hills here and if you squint hard enough they *almost* look like mountains!! There is lots of country side with beautiful green fields. Next to our house there is a lake with ducks and fish, and it has a walking path that wraps all the way around. Lots of people are always there!

Being whitewashed into the area (in other words both missionaries are new) is a challenge and we definitely have our work cut out for us, but I'm so glad to be in an area where I can put my experience and skills to use. The area book has become our best friend in helping us get oriented with the area and to see who the past sisters have been working with.

We had a miracle last night. As we were tracting, we met a lady named Jennifer, and her daughter, Madison. Jennifer grew up with missionaries being invited into their home. She said that at the moment they don't have a church, that they haven't found one that "fits", and that they planned on going "church hunting" starting next week. She said she's been praying for guidance. Then she said that she feels like we showed up for a reason! They accepted a Book of Mormon and we have an appointment to see them tomorrow. God prepares people!

Loving the Gospel,
Sister Griffith

Saying goodbye to JC....sure love that guy!

Saying goodbye to Sister Stark and Nancy....they are the best!

Saying goodbye to my "daughter", Sister Oscarson!

Tracting in the rain with my new companion, Sister Cullimore!

Hello Talladega! It's absolutely gorgeous here.

We live next to a beautiful lake! There's always people to talk to!

Outside our Talladega church building :)