2017 11-22 "See you next week!"

Hey Fam 🤘

WHAT'S UP

WHAT'S UP

So first things first, I love you all so much. And I am so grateful for you. We'll talk Thanksgiving in a couple of minutes, but I am so grateful for each of you FOR EVER AND EVER. ❤❤❤

I've been reading Helaman in the Book of Mormon and I LOVE Helaman 5:35-41. It's the story of Aminadab. Aminadab was raised in the church and was taught the gospel but later in his life fell away. He was reminded by the spirit the steps of repentance which he in turn taught to the people around him. Aminadab remembers the gifts of the spirit!! I have read this story before but this time the spirit taught me that IT IS POSSIBLE TO COME BACK. It's possible for everyone. It also makes me think of the prodigal son and how his father welcomed him home with open arms. I know that the Savior is like that for each one of us. It's so easy for us to forget but the Lord has asked that we always remember- and always remember Him 💕 

With Thanksgiving coming up TOMORROW I've taken time each night this week to write down 1 miracle the Lord blessed me with that day. I've seen that I often write more than one miracle because my Heavenly Father has given me so much #blessed I read a talk by President Uchtdorf called "Grateful in Any Circumstance" (I would highly recommend this talk by the way) 👍but something he said that really made me happy was, "My dear brothers and sisters, THE CHOICE IS OURS. We can choose to limit our gratitude, based on the blessings we feel we lack. Or we can choose to be like Nephi, whose grateful heart NEVER FALTERED." Happiness and gratitude are a choice- it's up to us. Some things that I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving are:

Trains

Buses

The Book of Mormon 

The spirit

Hymns

Nice people

The priesthood 

My companions 

The Maurer Family (they invited us over for Thanksgiving)

The sunshine

Fall leaves

Hot chocolate

MY FAMILY

The Restoration 

President and Sister Smith 

Safeguards 

The white handbook 

My Savior and His Atonement

Companions that make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (that's happening right now and I am so so happy.)

But most of all, I'm grateful for this opportunity to serve as a missionary here in the New York New York North Mission. Connecticut and New York are so special ❤ and I have been so blessed with so much. THINK TO THANK this Thanksgiving season and live with an attitude of gratitude all year long. We have so much to be grateful for because of the love from our Heavenly Father! 

Well, this is it kids. I LOVE THIS MISSION. I LOVE NEW YORK. I LOVE HAVING A COMPANION(S). I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. I LOVE MY SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. I LOVE SHARING MY TESTIMONY WITH RANDOM PEOPLE ON THE TRAIN AND ON THE BUS. This has been such a special and sacred time in my life. I have seen so many miracles come from having the authority to promise people blessings. I've been blessed with strength FAR beyond my own and love that I know doesn't come from me alone. As I think about the beginning of my mission I just have to smile because I can see how much I've learned since I was in Darien, Connecticut. My Heavenly Father has given me members, investigators, and companions that have taught me so much. I've seen my testimony become so much more than it could have been had I stayed home. I've had some of the best and some of the worst times of my life here in NYC. It's been hard, but you don't really remember the hard times. I know that Heavenly Father has given me the ability to remember all the happy times of my mission to keep me going. HE HAS BEEN SO GOOD TO ME. IT'S UNREAL. I'm still a piece of work, I still have faults, I still make a ton of mistakes. But I know who I can turn to to become better. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He is my Savior and that He waiting for each of us, like Aminadab, to come back and keep doing all that we can to follow Him. He KNOWS that I will mess up, but He loves me still. What a blessing- to know that we will always be loved and cared for. 

I know that this is His work.

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior.

I know that the Book of Mormon is true. 

I LOVE YOU ❤❤❤❤

#ThankfulandGrateful 

See you next week!

Love always,

Sister Bain 🍍

"Miracles are the fruits of faith" -Joseph Smith 

2017 11-15 Too Busy for a long one...

OKAY hi ❤
HOW IS IT GOING?
Kevin emailed me so I was stoked about that. Keith better email me before next week or he's dead meat. (Still love him though hahaha) 💕

This week was wonderful in so many ways. But, my brain is fried and I can't remember anything hahaha what else is new? 😂

OKAY I literally have nothing to write about today. We did so much but I honestly can't remember anything haha

I did read that talk dad told me to read by Elder Bednar. I would recommend that to EVERYONE EVERYWHERE.

I WILL write a good email next week

I love you ❤
Love always,
Sister Bain 🍍

Here's some pictures because I'm lame haha 

Also, it's FREEZING here so yay I love that

2017 11/08 "My heart is filled to the top with gratitude and all the good feelings"

Hey fam ☀️
This was a good week. My heart is filled to the top with gratitude and all the good feelings 💕

We had zone conference on Thursday which was really special. We learned about how obedience fuels our faith and as we are obedient we will have the spirit with us. As I was sitting at zone conference I reflected a lot on the many spiritual experiences I've been blessed with on my mission. I'm grateful for all that the spirit has taught me ❤

At zone conference, President Smith reminded us that in order to go to the temple with a recent convert, we have to help them do family history so they can do their own family name, they have to have a member with them, and only 2 missionaries can go. We planned to take Anne to the temple next weekend to be baptized for her grandma, but on Friday, our Bishop told us that Anne was going to the temple on SATURDAY- the next day. I was soooooooo sad. Bishop sensed my disappointment and asked if we had other plans with the temple and I told him we were hoping to go with her so we wanted to go next weekend. He pulled out his phone, called President Smith and said "Hey, President. I have Sister Bain here with me and she's my favorite sister missionary. I messed up and scheduled a time for Anne to go to the temple and didn't ask first, but Sister Bain is going to go to the temple with Anne tomorrow. Just so you know." 😂 They talked for a little while, but long story short- I had the privilege of going to the temple with Anne for the first time. What a blessing. 💛 Bishop is a true friend- so grateful for him.

Speaking of Anne (because I can't stop talking about her), she bore her testimony in sacrament meeting on Sunday!!!!! ❤ AND SHE QUOTED A SCRIPTURE FROM THE BOOK OF MORMON. She quoted 2 Nephi 31:20 and talked about the need to "press forward" 💕 I AM STILL CRYING ABOUT IT. She talked a lot about how God loves each of us and that He loves us more than we realize. As she spoke, I felt so much love for the Harlem 1st Ward, my 2 companions, the sisters we live with and the people we teach. It was an interesting experience to feel so much love for so many different people.

We crossed the NYC Marathon 2 times just to get to church. It was a nightmare. Hahaha
We just got done with the temple and it was WONDERFUL. I love the temple so so much.
I hope you all have a good week! I probs forget to tell you a TON of stuff.
But, I'll see ya soon and tell you in person 😉

I love you!!!!
Love always,
Sister Bain 🍍

2017 11/01 "Miracle of the week..."

Yay Halloween has come and gone. On to THANKSGIVING- my FAVORITE. (Besides Christmas, Easter, the 4th of July, and my bday obviously🤘) 

We had to be inside by 6:30pm and then we started our weekly planning. We didn't get very far because President Smith called and said that Sis. Holmes and I are becoming a trio tonight. 

THANKS FOR THE AUTUMN PACKAGE! First of all, zebra popcorn has changed my life. Second, it made me SO happy. Happy fall, y'all! Also, 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Aunt Pam on Nov. 6th! Have the best day everrrrrrrr ❤❤❤

Miracle of the week- WE TAUGHT ANNE'S HUSBAND!!!! McArthur Etisi. Woot woot. We taught the Restoration and it was the best Restoration I've taught my whole mission. It was SOLID. Sis. Holmes shared the first vision and the spirit filled the whole room. Anne was BEAMING the whole time and helped us teach!! She shared her testimony and told stories AND the cherry on top was President Smith skyped in and both Anne and McArthur were SO happy to talk to him. We prayed with McArthur to ask Heavenly Father if what we taught was true and we literally knelt down for 15 minutes. He looked at Anne and said "I feel that this is true." ❤☀️ Bap date coming soon 😌

Well folks, this is it. I gotta run. We have to pick up our 3rd person.

Have a wonderful week!

I love you! 

Love always, 

Sister Bain 🍍

  

I was Sis. Holmes for Halloween haha funny, I know.