May 19

oh my goodness it has been a crazy week! but a good week! but crazy!!!! so this past Friday we had zone conference (where president and sister Anderson travel the mission with the Assistants to the president and do trainings for different zones of missionaries. they are basically amazing experiences) and it was really cool because President and Sister Anderson this past month went to a Mission Presidents seminar and they general authorities who gave the seminar wanted all the mission presidents to train on the doctrine of Celestial Marriage. It was amazing how they presented the training. so amazing!!! They talked about how as missionaries we are always helping people to focus on the next step in the plan. what is the next ordinance that they need to receive to help them get back to live with God again. and as missionaries when our missionary service is over our next step is Celestial marriage. It's finding a worthy spouse and being married in the temple. They focused on their own marriage and talked about the qualities that they loved in each other. we were able to talk about how we should be working now to have the qualities in ourselves that we want in other people. They also talked about how Satan is attacking the family. And it is important that we understand that we are the rising generation and that as we go home and being our own families that Satan will be attacking us. That it is imperative that we keep our families strong. and the strongest families come from parents who have made and kept those sacred temple covenants. it was just amazing!!!!!! oh my goodness so great!!!!

okay so miracle of the week!!! so Sister Maisey and I have been trying really hard for the past 3 weeks to find ANYONE who will listen to us. and so this past Saturday we were out tracting. We went to one street and it just didn't feel right so we turned down another one. we knocked a few doors talked with some people, they weren't too interested but they accepted some pass along cards. Then we saw this lady walking up ahead of us. and we knew that we needed to talk with her. but we were walking behind her. so we kept walking hoping for an opportunity to talk with her. and as she turned a corner she saw us and said hello and asked how we were. we respond back but then go nervous. she kept walking and so did we. we knew that we had totally messed up. the spirit let us know that we had NEEDED to talk to her and we hadn't. so then we were like ah! what do we do?? so we decided to walk around the block the other way and see if we could see her again. Verbally committing to Heavenly Father that if He led us to her again we WOULD talk to her. we turned a corner and there she was coming towards us. Sister Maisey was like "Hey! We just really felt like we needed to talk with you." we then shared a brief version of the restoration and asked if she would like to learn more. she really liked what we had said and was excited to hear more but she was going out of town for 5 days. so we have a return appointment with her this coming Saturday!!! she set the appointment and gave us her address and phone number! crazy!!! we even said a prayer with her standing on the sidewalk. it was crazy to think that when we do all that we can the Lord will lead us to those people who will listen. We have to be brave enough to open our mouths but if we do He will help us. it was such an amazing experience!!!!

Other than that I don't know what else to write about from this past week. it was long but good. one of those weeks you never think is going to end and then it does and you are like wait what? Gabby and Sammy are still looking good to get baptized this coming Saturday! so that is exciting!!! I love them both so much! it's amazing to see how people change as they have the gospel in their lives. They are simply two young girls who just had never been taught these things before but now they are just so excited!!!! I love to hear them pray! their prayers are so sincere and well thought out. I love it!!!! and I love them! and as hard as it is I love being a missionary!!! there really isn't anything else like it. It's the hardest thing that I have ever done but it has changed me for the better. I know that my service as a missionary will bless my family for the rest of my life and into the eternities. Before I came on my mission I always wanted to marry a return missionary. but now I want to marry a return missionary who served the Lord with all of his heart the same way that I have tried to. I want someone who is willing to stand strong with me in this gospel no matter what comes our way. Because there really are only two options. Serve the Lord or quit. and quitting never really brings anything productive. it just makes it twice as hard when you decided to work again.

Well I love you all dearly! It's crazy to think that I have been gone from home for so long!! but I have loved every single minute of being a missionary. I miss you all but know that the Lord has me where I need to be. As I talked with President Anderson in my interview Friday night we talked briefly about when I go home. He encouraged me to think of the missionary that I wanted to become when I first came out on my mission and then do everything that I can in my time left to become that missionary!. Just yesterday I was thinking about the moment when I will get to see all of you again and the spirit just whispered to me that that moment will be great but how much better will it be if I continue to work hard now. which I will!! because there is only so much time left and I want to do with it what the Lord would have me do.

Thank you all so much for the love and support! it really does make a world of difference to me. your prayers are felt and appreciated!! and know that I pray for you often! and give thanks for all of you.

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

love always your favorite sister missionary

Sister Boudreaux