Sleepover!!!

Ok this one is going to be short because all of the Sisters in the mission came to the mission home last night and spent the night for p-day with President and Sister Petersen!!! It has been so uplifting and fun just what we needed  ... a girls night! This week has been amazing and we have seen so many blessing.  We have ten baptisms coming up here in Hot Springs! We are doing wonderful work with the members and with the Bishop! I am so excited to see the wonderful things that are going to be happening.  I know this church is true I know God lives and I know that if we share our testimony with everyone then the Lord will bless us.  I promise I will tell more next week but there are arts and crafts to be made and food to be eaten.... My Mission Pres. and his wife are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Always~

Sister Gladden 

Do these make anyone else cry?!?!

Okay here goes... This week has been in a word INCREDIBLE! Our Mission President says to us all the time "If you are obedient the Lord will bless you , but obedience with exactness will bring miracles!" We have so seen that in the last few days. We have also been taught in Zone conferences and district meetings about opening our mouths to everyone. We are here to spread the Gospel and how dare we not open our mouth to everysingle person we see, met, or come in contact with So we made the goal to do that. No matter where we were or what we were doing we would talk to everyone and try to share a short lesson with them. Invite them to learn more and ask them if they know anyone that could benefit from our message. We have done that we have talked to people in Subway, Walmart, Applebee's and the Lord has truly blessed us. We have seen miracles. here are just a few of those Miracles: Terasa and her partner Rhonda came to church on Sunday!!!!! So about a week before Christmas Teresa noticed that her puppy was really sick and hadn't eaten anything... the puppy's health went down hill from there after 7 days without food or water and nothing was working, the vet told them that it had parvo. the dog was bleeding and not eating and vomiting. The Vet told Teresa and Ronda that he would give the dog something so he wouldn't die on Christmas. As soon as they talked to the Vet Teresa started praying. she had never really prayed with real intent before and before we came along she was atheist and hated God. She had just lost two other pets and she just couldn't lose this puppy... so she started to pray asking God to let her know that He was there and that He loved her. On Christmas day Teresa told Ronda to take care of the puppy she was going to church to pray for him. The day after Chrsitmas this sweet puppy started to eat and within three days he was playing and running around. We went over there this past week and you would never know this dog was ever even close to sick. the Vet was amazed this disease kills dogs especially puppys as little as this one. When she was telling us this story tears streamed down her face. She said I always knew that what you all were telling me was true but I just knew it in my head. She said "I know my Heavenly Father in there and he loves me and knows me and what I need. He loves me so much that he wants to save me and help me feel His love" She said "I know know this is God's church and that what I felt was an answer to my prayer and the Holy Ghost testifing to me." It was the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed! Ronda was crying and of course I was. Heavenly Father truly does know each of us by name and he is there to answer our prayers. Teresa had faith and now there is nothing that will shake her testimony.

Then Jennifer and Stephen are going to be able to get married (Stephens ex wife was not allowing the divorce papers to go through and she would not sign). The divorce (that they have been working on for 7 years) will be final the first of Feb and then they will both be baptised on Feb. 19!

Kristen told us that she had been praying about what we were teaching her and she was at work and was praying to herself for God to help her know what was right and the next step she should take. She said as soon as she turned around there we were coming to her work to see her. She asked us to be baptised :)

We have 14 new investigators just this week and the people we are teaching seem happier and truly progressing in the Gospel to come closer to their Savior Jesus Christ!

This work is amazing and it is truly the work of the Lord! I am so grateful to be here and then to share all of these wonderful miracles with those I love at home!

I hope everyone had a beautiful Christmas and I wish you a very Happy New Year!

I invite you all to open you mouth and tell everyone about the Gospel about Jesus Christ and I promise you will see miracles in your life because I have!

<3Sister Gladden

Christmas

Okay So I want to start off and say that I am so grateful for this gospel because I love my family so very much! The gospel teaches about the plan of happiness where we can be with our families forever! I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that puts us with people, family, and friends so that we can learn and grow. I am so grateful for my family for their love, support and prayers. It was such a blessing to see and talk to them on Christmas. We celebrate Chrsitmas because it is the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ and I truly felt that love as talked with my family and saw how much my Savior loves me and my Heavenly Father loves me to put me with this wonderful family that takes care of me and loves me and the we if we follow Him can be together forever. Brother Griffen in our ward here in Hot Springs gave a short talk in church for Christmas he talked about how Christ's love for us is a lot like the love of a mother. The love of a mother for he child starts before the child is ever born. That child has done nothing for that mother but she loves the child unconditionally. Shgoes through the pains of labour and raising the child and her love only continues to grow. Now as the child is born and grows they can not give back equally what the mother has given to show their love but they can show their love by being obedient and loving towards their mother and serving their mother. It is the same with our Savior. He loved us even before we were born and we have done nothing for Him. we went through the pains of the atonement because He loves us. all He asks of us to show our love in return is to follow Him and to keep His commandments. I loved this analogy. I thought of my sweet mother and how much love she has for me and my sweet Grandmother and the Christlike love they both have. I am so grateful for the knowledge of the gospel that I have and for the opportunity that I have to share my testimony of Jesus Christ with others and what I know to be true. what a blessing families are and what a blessing it is to share our love of the Savior with each other. I know that God lives and that He sent His Son Jesus the Christ. I know that they love us. I know that we can show our love by keeping the commandments and following them. Thank you all so much for all you do or me, your prayers, love, and support. I am grateful for all the cards, letters and packages that I get they ouch my heart. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas with all my Love and prayers!

Sister Gladden

Where are you?

So this week has been so wonderful! First of all we had two baptism this past weekend! What a great blessing.  Also I think my favorite part of the week was our lesson with a lady named Valerie.  We have been meeting with her since my first day here and she ie wonderful.  she is going through a rough seperation with her husband right now but she has a lot of faith.  Last appointment we asked it she would be baptised. She said yes but then we explained the restoration of the gospel to her.  Then this past week we asked her again if she would be baptised, she said yes and then she said would the 22nd of the month be okay!!!!!! I almost died! I was so excited! She was almost in tears she was so excited.  She said she was going to pray and ask Heavenly Father if this is what he wants for her and continue to read her scriptures.  She has come such a long way, the spirit was so strong and I was so grateful for the Savior and his out pouring love for us and Valerie!

So my second favorite part of the week was football on Saturday!!!!! Let's just say that sis. Gladden kicked serious butt haha.  It was awesome. We had three investigators there and one new invetigators there. We were able to establish common ground with them and then invite them to church.  So I just want to say that the Dallas Cowboys should probablly draft me haha.  I caught the ball in mid air and then ate dirt but hey... I caught the ball right? 

We also had another appointment with Erica, Audry, Teresa, and Ronda... They are all coming to the Christmas party on Wednesday! And they had some people come by there house and invite them to what they call gospel light and Teresa said "Oh sorry we are Mormon!" It was awesome.  I wanted to jump up and down when she told us that.  Also Erica the girl that was on MTV for being gay in the bible belt was asked about the Mormon missionaries she is meeting with and she said that she wants to take a picture with us and send it in!!! The Lord is truly blessing us. 

At church yesterday we unfortunately did not have any investigators at church but it was a good day.  We felt the spirit prompting us and lifting us and that is a miracle all on its own.  We are grateful and happy each time we feel the spirit and each day is a success if we feel the spirit.  I know that the Holy Ghost testifies of truth and I really felt that as I went to church yesterday and as I watched the Christmas devotional! I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and to see prayers answered in my life and in the lives of others.  

I can't wait for the Christmas party on Wednesday! We have made an insane goal of getting 75 investigators to the Christmas party and I know through prayer, determination, and with the Lord's help we can reach that goal.  I am so grateful for the members of our ward here and the spirit that they bring.  That is what people feel when they walk into the church building.  That is what I feel at home.  The gospel gives us joy, peace, and happiness that we carry with us in our hearts.  The spirit and light of Christ.  People can feel that.  I have been working really hard and learning about being possitive and keeping that spirit of Christ at all times and the Christmas Devotional really hit home with me.  If we understand the meaning of Christmas and truly love one another and our Savior we will not only have that spirit at Christmas but all the time.  

I love you all! 

Sis Gladden 

A Thanksgiving one!

First of all I would like to say that my Mother is pretty much the most amazing person on the face of the PLANET!!!!!!! I got Mawmaw's STUFFING on Thanksgiving!!!!!!!!!! Even though mom is the crazy single mom who calls her daughters mission haha jk.... at least I get Mawmaw's stuffing out of it right.  Just kidding Mom I loved it! When Sister Delong told me I jumped literally on her and screamed, so that was exciting, oh and cried haha.  I do take after my mother! thanksgiving was amazing the Delong family is wonderful and we had a great time and were spiritually uplifted too! we also spent thanksgiving lunch with the Lutrell's she is a member but he is not.  We went around and talked about what we were thankful for and he said he was thankful for the missionaries. He said he has never met young people like us and that we would lead this country someday.  It was so sweet. 

Then on saturday we had planned to meet a bunch of investigators at a trailor park field off central ave.  and play football.  we had invited everyone from the trailor park and some of our other investigators.  Sis. Gladden was ready with her game face haha.  We also invited the Delong family.  It was a great oppotunity to find new people and set up new appontments.  Well it rained all day.  But we decided to show up anyway.  the delong family showed up too.  It was us,the elders and the Delong family, so we decided to go to every single door in the trailor park and go tracting with the delong family! It was so much fun! We were soaked from head to toe and we ended up with three return appointments and three new investigators!!!!!!! The Lord is amazing! We had fun in the rain and we did the Lord's work.  Walker is about 5 and we were sad at first that we could not play football and I said Walker this was a success and why was it a success and he yelled "because we taught people about Jesus Christ".  Hearing that made that entire day worth it!

We had two baptisms this past weekend and this coming weekend we have two more.  things are really going well.  There was a little girl about 10 that got baptised on saturday and her mother has been through numerous missionaries and we went and met with her last week.  Her and I talked about education and montessori for an hour and how it relates to the gospel.  She not only came to the baptism, but she came to church and we have two lessons with her this week!!!!!!!!  The Lord prepares people and us in so many ways for the gospel.  The Gospel is so wonderful. 

I think I have truly learned about the Savior's love in the past couple of weeks.  Mom has always said that one day I would understand what it feels like to love as a mother does.  I can't say that I fully understand now, but I have had a hightened understanding of the Savior's love just being on my mission.  sometimes it is so overwhelming that I feel as though I can't take anymore.  I feel how the Savior loves me and the people that I meet and it wears my body out.  I was telling my companion I am just so spiritually exhausted.  How beautiful it is that the Savior feels that Love for us individually all the time.  The Atonement was individual.  I can not imagine having to bare that.  I am so grateful for the Love that my mother feels for me.  I have been very weapy lately (haha more than usual) because the love that I feel is so over powering.  I know that is what my mom feels and I look up to her for that and know that that is a gift that is from Heavenly Father and it can be hard to bare.  So I am grateful for everyone of those trears that she cries even if she could fill the ocean with them hehe. 

I love the gospel.  I know the Book of Mormon is true and because I know the Book of Mormon is true I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet.  I know the priesthood was restored to the earth today and I know that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ! I know God lives and I know Jesus is the Christ.  I am so grateful for my family and friends.  I am grateful for their support and love! Thank you for all you do!

What an amazing girl!

I don't know why you said you wouldn't have much to say? You need to buck up mom things are great even though I had an asthma attack and we got a late start on saturday... we set a baptismal date before we even left the apartment on sat. then had 4 more lessons that day.  Then yesterday we had 14 investigators at church and taught 8 lessons.  It was amazing! I am doing what I am supposed to be doing and the Lord is blessing me tremendously!!! I am around cats dogs and smoke all the time and this is the first even sign of trouble and we were able to give a lesson at the hospital.  The Lord loves his children and works in mysterious ways I am grateful for that asthma attack so make sure the RS is praying for the right thing.  I also live with a doctor who works with asthma patients which is awesome and they were mission presidents too.  They are amazing and they take really good care of me.  I have written you a couple of letters and sent pictures they should be coming soon I hope.  You need to keep your chin up for me mom the Lord has been blessing me and you in ways that we could never even imagine! There are lots of things that you can say on the tape recorder you are just going to have buck up and sit down with a box of tissues and tell me about time out for women the dog in the back seat of the Raliegh Temple (hahahaha) Uncle Doug told me a little about that I laughed a lot.  He sends me a letter almost every week with ice cream money haha.  So there are lots of things to say.  I want to hear from Mawmaw on it.  All the things going on in the lives of two old women are important to me haha.  
Toms are the shoes where you buy one pair and they send another pair to a needy child who doesn't have shoes. There is a Toms store here in Hot Springs and they have sparkly ones.  
I have been buying pictures... I needed shower, face, body, etc stuff when I got here.  Then I was told that we could have disney music and christian music so we found a five dollar sale and bought cds. we have had a lot of meetings lately and I have used my card for eating out and for the perscriptions etc because I was not figuring out how to check the balance on my church card but I did today and I have 97 dollars left on the church card. 
I can't believe how wonderful things are.  I had interviews with the president this past week and it was amazing he gave me a blessing so that I wouldn't have nightmares and I have not had one since!!! Sis Peterson gives me hugs and loves me and they both call me sister Glad of heart! I love them so much.  I am learning to play the piano too! I am learning I know my Redeemer lives right now! So when I get home my goal is to be a pro! 
It is crazy how the Lord prepares us in so many ways for so many things.  I was teaching a lady just the other day and she struggles with diabetes, Bipolar, and schizophrenia.  Then I was talking to two thers ladies in two different appointments and we talked about Montessori and how I have worked at a montessori school and then I was able to relate the gospel to it and talk about how similar the gospel is to montessori.  It has been so cool.  I am so grateful for how the Lord has prepared me in my life for the people that I will meet and teach! 
I have learned a very valueable lesson recently.  expectations=faith! IT is so important to keep our expectations high.  We need to have the faith to swing the bat even when we don't see the pitcher or the ball.  My companion and I have changed all of our language to positive uplifting language with high expectations filled with faith and we have seen miracles.  Faith and fear can not and will not coexist!!!! 

Long Anticipated!

Hey momma,

P-day is on Mondays!

I love my trainer

I am working on the tape for the tape recorder and sending it at the post office today

We have 4 baptismal dates

I met a girl named Kristen and her boyfriend Tom and we invited her to be baptized already and she said yes!!!

I got hit on by a lesbian

There was a cockroach in my room hahaha (we live with awesome members)

the members feed us awesome food!

I met the coolest family in the ward the Delongs and the husband grew up in Roanoke and he knows the Duttons!!!!

I love it here!

There is an amazing recent convert here who is preparing to go to the temple and I love her she bought us 50$ worth of groceries today!!!

Amazing tender mercies!!!!!!!!

I have cards still for MawMaw and Uncle Dusty and Uncle Kelly but things have been crazy so I have not sent them yet but I know that they have had their birthdays and let them know that I pray for them and I am thinking about them and the cards go in the mail today (p-day). 

I get 125$ a month

I don't know how much is on my personal bank card right now

did you send the deferment letter

have you seen/talked to Josh

did you deposit money on my card

you can always pretend to be me on the phone for my phone bill etc and defer it or just talk to them about it... I think that will let you defer it not cancel it. 

thank Lisa for sending that e-mail to everyone

did she give Danielle updates so she could keep up my blog... I still don't have her e-mail

I thought I could just do the tape recorder then you could do like a newsletter or something because it you have not noticed I have have not time for e-mailing and I suck at it not to mention we have to e-mail the mission pres. every p-day as well.