Hi Mom!!!

  First off...Happy Birthday!!!! I know your birthday isn't until Friday but I hope it will be a great one! I'm hoping to send off a package to you this week but if I don't get it sent off this week, I'll send it next week. I'm so excited that you get to go to Women's Conference. I'm not sure where I could cash a check but I'll try to figure it out. I didn't get your handwritten letter from last week yet but I'll probably get it today. I found out that Josh Broadbent didn't get his call yet. He found out that he has to lose some weight. I got a e-mail from Mary Broadbent this week. I was surprised to see one from her but it was exciting!! I haven't heard any details about the Mother's Day call yet but I'm guessing I might know this next week. I'm so excited to talk to you!! 

  I'm doing great! We went to Popham (Popum) Beach with a member last Monday. It was amazing!! I found a couple sand dollars! I'll put some pictures in my e-mail. An investigator that the Elders are teaching in our ward is getting baptized on Sunday. We are so excited for her!! Her husband joined not even a year ago and now she is getting baptized! She is an awesome lady. It took her longer because she didn't want to quit smoking.

  So I found out that Uncle Dale is cousins with Sister Waite's mom. It is such a small world. It was Sister Waite's birthday this week. She turned 21. I made her a cake and got her a few things. Her parents sent her a package full of food and she waited three days to open it on her birthday! I don't know if I could have waited that long. Sister Waite is amazing!! We teach together really well. That is so awesome about the Sisters outnumbering the Elders in the MTC!! That's so crazy but that's awesome!!! We should be getting ten more sisters this next transfer and 19 after that. 

    We found out that the 94 year old lady that we would visit has moved out of our area. Her kids moved her into an assisted living place. We were so sad to hear that she had moved. She was such a funny lady and she had such a strong testimony! We got a new investigator this week. We have been trying to meet with her for a few weeks but she has been in and out of the hospital. We finally met her on Saturday. She is so excited to learn about the Gospel. She has hit the lowest of lows and she feels like she needs God more in her life. We are going to meet with her on a regular basis and we can't wait to teach her more. She wants to come to church and to some other activities that we are having. We have a Book of Mormon class on Wednesday and she even wants to come to that. One of our investigators told us that he couldn't meet with us anymore because his girlfriend wasn't comfortable with him meeting with us. The Elders are going to start teaching him. I was so happy to find out that he wants to meet with the Elders. There is going to be a stake women's conference this Saturday and a few of our investigators are going. The Wilkeys are the key speakers so that will be amazing!! I can't wait to hear from them. 

  I'm so glad that Diane is going to the temple with you. I can't believe that Lindsay is almost done with Driver's Ed. I can't believe she will be driving soon. I hope you enjoy women's conference!!! People are telling us that tick season is here. I guess it last until November so we have to spray our clothes and use bug spray. I think a couple missionaries have already had ticks. The ward members have been telling us about all the bugs here...Sister Waite and I don't like it when they talk about it. Oh well, I guess I'll learn to tolerate bugs. 

 We had zone meeting this last week. President and Sister Wilkey came to Topsham for it. It was amazing!! We talked about making our prayers more meaningful and helping those we are teaching pray with us there. There is power in prayer, especially when we pray specifically for things and people. I have noticed such a difference when I pray for people that I'm teaching, my companion, and my leaders by name and need. God wants to hear from us. Will you try to make your prayers more meaningful this week?  We read Enos and looked at his example of meaningful prayer. It is such a short part of the Book of Mormon but so powerful!! 

  Have a great week!!! I love you so much!! Have a great birthday!!! Thank you for your support!! I don't know what I would do without you! 

    Love,

      Sister Griffin

   The first picture is me on an island at the beach that we were able to go on because the tide was out. The second picture is of jelly fish on the beach. The third picture is of Sister Waite and I at a Fort that was built a long long time ago at the beach. 

 How are you? It sounds like Family Home Evening was great! I bet Matt did a wonderful job! You asked how long it takes for me to get your hand written letters. I usually get them Friday or Saturday. We all get in those slumps sometimes. It's ok to miss those we love but what a blessing it is to know that we can see and be with them again. It's crazy to think that it has already been a year since Grandpa passed away.

  We are teaching a less active man that is trying to get back to church and eventually to the temple. His wife died 3 years ago and he wants to be sealed to her. He has some obstacles but he is working on getting over them. We are trying to meet with him once a week so we can help him. He knows that there is life after this. I have been so happy to be able to testify of forever families and the Spirit World. I hope we can continue to help him. One of our investigators won't let us teach him the lessons but he will read the Book of Mormon with us and his wife. His wife is member and very active. We asked them to pray to before they read together during the week and they both said they would. I know that if they do they will have the Spirit there with them more. I can't wait to see how their reading went this week. We taught a lot of less actives this week. We actually contacted someone the bishop wanted us to contact and she wants us to come back. I hope we can help her and her family. All of the people here are so nice.

  Brunswick is pretty good size. We have a Wal-Mart near Brunswick. It is in a place called Cooks Corner. You could Google Earth where I am at if you get the chance. As for the call home on Mother's day-- We don't get to skype. We just do phone calls. I can talk on the phone with you for an hour but I'm not sure what time it will be happening. I'll let you know when I find out more details. 
  This e-mail might be a little short because we have a shorter amount of time to write because the Library is closed today for Patriot's Day. We are using the church computers and the Elders need to write home too.

  We had a training this week down in Manchester for the new missionaries and their trainers. It was fabulous! I learned a lot!! We were able to stay over night in the mission home. My companion and I were able to eat breakfast with Sister Wilkey. She was asking about our area and the people we are teaching. It was fun to be able to talk with her. The Wilkeys are wonderful people!!

  It is so important for us to recognize God in our life. Everything we have is from God and we are nothing without our Savior. Sometimes I feel like Ammon in Alma 26:16. I wish I could explain just how I feel being a missionary!! I have learned so much and I still have so much to learn but I love it!! Every night we talk about miracles that we noticed that day. It has helped me appreciate the little things in life. Will you all try to notice the miracles that happen everyday? There are so many miracles that the Lord blesses us with! The Gospel is true! Have a great week!!! I love you so much!!!

    Love,

      Sister Griffin

Hi Mom!

  What a wonderful week this has been! How are you? How are you new cleaning jobs going? Thank you so much for your package! Thank you for the mini Preach My Gospel. It has come in handy already. Thank you for the Easter Candy too! And thank you for your sweet note. I was so happy when I got done e-mailing last week and went to our apartment and saw your package there. The weather has been really nice today. It was about 60 degrees today. It is finally starting to feel like Spring. I was able to watch all sessions of Conference at the Chapel. On Saturday the satellite kept cutting out but we got to see most of the talks on Saturday and on Sunday we were able to see all the talks. Conference was amazing!! That's awesome that you were able to talk to people from all over the world. The Church really is a world-wide Church. 

  What were some of the themes of some of the talks that you were able to hear while you were down at the Conference Center? Some of the themes that I noticed were OBEDIENCE, families, relying on the Savior and His Atonement. I loved Elder Holland's talk. All we have to do is believe and if we work at it that belief will become faith. I love how he said that his tiny seed of belief has now grown into the tree of life. All of our beliefs can grow into the tree of life. We must be true to the faith that we do have! President Monson's talk in the Sunday morning session was wonderful. It really comes down to obedience. I love how he said, "The great test of this life is obedience." All we have to do is be obedient and we will be blessed with knowledge and the strength to go throughout our days. What a great promise that if we are obedient that we can know all things!! Elder Perry's talk on obedience was very powerful too! I loved Sister Dalton's talk. We all have a part in Heavenly Father's plan and we need to be willing to act that part! Each of our parts matter because we all matter! Remember who you are and whose you are! All of the talks were wonderful! I can't wait to be able to study these talks more. The Savior's life and ministry is what makes the whole plan work. Without the Atonement we could not be saved. It is so important to help people come closer to their Savior Jesus Christ. He is the Light of the world and we must hold up that Light. Elder Andersen's talk on missionary work was wonderful. Miracles really do follow those who share the Gospel! I have seen so many miracles happen! Just as Elder Andersen said God is opening doors for missionary work. No one can stop the work from moving forward! There were a few talks that were perfect for me and also for some of our investigators.

  I heard that they were going to add some new leadership positions to missionary work but I haven't heard any details yet. It's exciting to see and be a part of all these changes. This week has been wonderful! We found a man that seems really prepared to hear the Gospel. Sister Waite and I are so excited to be able to teach him. We also found out this week that one of our investigators has felt and recognized the Spirit in his life. We weren't 100 percent sure if he was feeling the Spirit but in our lesson this week we found out that he has received promptings from the Spirit. It made us way happy to know that he has felt the Spirit in his life. This week has been such a good week. President and Sister Wilkey were able to come to our District meeting this week. It was wonderful to have them there. They bring such a special Spirit with them. 

   We have been talking about family history a lot this past week and how it can open up the door for missionary work. It's amazing how the Spirit of Elijah has touched the hearts of the people here in New England, even people not of our faith. It is a blessing to know that there is still missionary work going on on the other side of the veil. I love how I can receive answers to questions from Conference. The Lord knows what we need when we need it. I love the scripture that Elder Holland shared from Alma- Alma 32:27. All we need to do is desire to believe and then exercise that particle of faith we have. Will you continue to exercise your faith in your daily lives? I'm going to work on exercising my faith more in my Savior! I love this Gospel!! Have a great week!! I love you so much!!! 

    Love,

      Sister Griffin

I am sorry it took me so long to post this in the blog.  Lauren

Hi Mom!!
 It's been a great week. I got the first package you sent last Tuesday but I haven't gotten the second one yet. Thank you for sending me all those cookies. I shared the snickerdoodles with my district. I'm saving the girl scout cookies for my companion and I. I'm going to have to send you back the Jenny Phillips CDs you sent me. I can't listen to them because they aren't hymns. Thank you for the new CD--its wonderful! I'm glad you got the Easter pictures. I'm sorry I couldn't write more with it. 

  My new companion is from Layton. Her name is Sister Waite and she is almost 21. She is brand new from the MTC. She is really nice. She is so excited to be out here doing missionary work. She is ready to work hard. At transfer meeting President Wilkey told everyone that I had only been out for 5 weeks and that I was going to be training. He told everyone that it was an example of my faith that I am already training. I feel kind of inadequate to be training a new missionary but I know that the Lord will help me do my best. I hope I can be the missionary that Sister Waite, President Wilkey, and God need me to be. My last companion, Sister Johnson is now in Somerworth New Hampshire. She only has about 5 or 6 weeks left and then she goes home. Everyone in our area loved her and is going to miss her. 

  I'm so glad the Easter party went well! I was thinking about all the kids looking for the eggs. If someone took pictures they should send some to me through e-mail. Easter was great for us!! We were able to go to an assisted living place near our apartment and share with the residents the Easter story and bear testimony of it. A lady in our ward work there and she does this devotional every year. She also has the Young men and Young women come and sing some Easter songs. It was a great way to start the Easter morning. Then we went to church and during primary we were invited to bear our testimonies to the senior primary about the resurrection. It was amazing!! Christ has risen for us so that one day we can live forever!!! What a blessing it is to know that! We were invited to dinner at a member house. Their names are the Mullins. They are a wonderful family. We had ham and cheesy potatoes. Yummy!! They live right near a bay and you can see it out of their living room. It is a beautiful view!! It was fun to spend Easter with their family. 

  We have taught a lot of less actives this week. One of the less actives is preparing for the temple so she can seal her husband to her. It is amazing to watch her grow stronger and stronger in the gospel. We met a less active man this week. He was in the Navy and his wife has passed away. We are going to be teaching him on a regular basis now. I'm excited to get to know him more! We had a great lesson with a couple that is investigating the church. We taught them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how important it is to have faith in Jesus Christ. We weren't able to go to the Young women's meeting on Saturday. That's awesome that you saw so many people that you knew at the Conference Center. I'm so excited for Conference this weekend. 

  I was studying in chapter Nephi 4 and I realized more just how important it is for us to rely on the Lord for everything we have. Nephi talks about how God has been his support. It is so important for us to rely and trust in the Lord. We can do anything with the Lord but it is our job to rely on him. He is always willing to help us! I know that we have the fulness of the gospel here because Joseph Smith prayed to Heavenly Father and his prayer was answered. I know that Christ atoned, died, and was resurrected for all of us.  

  I love you!! Have a great week. You are in my thoughts and prayers! Enjoy Conference!! Tell Jennifer Happy Birthday for me please! I'm sorry I couldn't send her something. Please tell her for me. I love you!

   Love, 

     Sister Griffin

My pictures are of Sister Waite and me. A lighthouse called the Portland Headlight that we were able to stop by on our way to Manchester for transfers. And the other one is of the ocean as the sun was coming up--isn't it beautiful!!! Enjoy!