Here are some pictures that I forgot to include in my e-mail. The first picture is of Mike and Sarah and their baby Mikkah (Meeka). They are awesome!!! The second picture is of my district. My district has a hard time being serious if you can't tell. The third one is of the Hardy family. They always want us over for dinner. They have a girl named Caleigh. She thought it was so cool that we had the same first name. Enjoy the pictures! I love you!

   Love,

     Sister Griffin

On Mon, Jul 29, 2013 at 12:51 PM, Callee Griffin <callee.griffin@myldsmail.net> wrote:

Hi Mom!!! 

  How are you??? You didn't do any fireworks on the 24th?? How come? That's really cool about that 90 year old woman. That is awesome that the Mormon Tabernacle Choir lets people practice with them. I got a rain coat today. It was only 40 bucks!!! I got it from Burlington Coat factory.

 I'm doing great! I am getting transferred. I'm going to be opening a new area and training a new missionary. I'm not sure where I'm going yet. They don't ever tell us where we are going until transfer meeting on Tuesday. I'm sad to leave the people here. The ward members and our investigators are wonderful!!! Yesterday during ward council, we told the ward that I was being transferred and the bishopric said that it wasn't allowed. It made me feel like I am leaving this area a little better than when I got here. It is amazing how quickly the areas, where I serve, start to feel like home. It makes it hard to leave them but I know that God needs me some where else. Sister Wilcox is not happy about me leaving at all. She and I have had a special connection. Her dad passed away the last November. Two of our investigators aren't happy about me leaving either. They both asked if they could still keep in touch with me and I told them that I definitely wanted to stay in touch with them. I'll send you some pictures of one of the investigators and also a family in the ward. Sister Taylor is staying in Hampden and she is going to be training a new missionary. It's going to be great! Yesterday one of the speakers for Sacrament wasn't able to be there. I gave my first talk in Sacrament. It only had to be 5 minutes long. 

  This week has been great!! We met with two of our investigators twice this week. We taught Kyong the Word of Wisdom. She is keeping the word of wisdom already. She thinks it is so amazing that Joseph Smith received this revelation way back in the 1830s when they didn't know that all of the things that were harmful to their bodies. It is just a testimony that the Lord knows all. She keeps saying to us, "Maybe God wants me to become Mormon." She is so funny!!! We also met with Mike a couple times this week. We watched the Restoration DVD with him. We asked him how he felt about it and he said that he could see a little bit of himself in Joseph Smith because he is searching for the truth too. I know that Mike is going to grow so much more in the Gospel!! He is awesome!

  We met with a less active this week that the ward hasn't been able to get in contact with. We stopped by her house and she was getting stuff out of her car. It was perfect. She invited us in. She is such a sweet person. She told us why she wasn't coming to church. We taught her about prayer because she had mentioned that she hasn't been praying. While we were testifying of how prayer can help her she got kind of emotional. The Spirit was there so strong. It was awesome!! I love seeing the Spirit working through people. I have come to realize how important it is to study the scriptures, pray, and go to church. Our testimonies will be strengthened if we do all three of these things. 

  This week I have been thinking about the Atonement and how we need to rely on the Savior in every aspect of our lives. Christ lived his life for us! We can all be resurrected because of the Atonement. Here is a wonderful quote from Elder Holland, "This Easter week and always, may we stand by Jesus Christ “at all times and in all things, and in all places that [we] may be in, even until death,” ²¹ for surely that is how He stood by us when it was unto death and when He had to stand entirely and utterly alone." May we continually stand by the Savior!!! I love you so much!!!

    Love,

      Sister Griffin

 

Hi Mom!!

  How are you?? Your week sounds like it was really busy! Being busy is a good thing. Transfers are next week. I will find out this Saturday if I am getting transferred. I'm not sure if I'll be moved. I can't believe that another transfer has come and gone. It goes by so fast!! Were you able to see any of the concert that you were ushering at in the Conference Center or were you out in the Lobby the whole time? Did you go to the rodeo with the Calvins? I have the same problem about thinking of things during the week to write you and then when I sit down I can't think of what to put. Maybe we should start writing down things that happen so we can remember the things that happened throughout the week.

  I'm so glad that you were able to go hear President and Sister Wilkey!! They are very humble people!! I loved learning from them. They were wonderful leaders!! I can't believe he told you that about me, he is way too nice!!!  I am continually trying to have a set-apart heart. Did President Wilkey tell you about what a set-apart heart is?? I am trying to be a do-be. I can't just do missionary things, I have to BE a missionary. I was asked to tell him the Joseph Smith story in my last interview with him. It was powerful and I learned so much from that! It was amazing!!! I love the Wilkeys!!!!! What else did they talk about?

  We taught some of our investigators this week!! One of them, Mike, was asking us a bunch of questions because he got on an anti-mormon website. He wanted to know if some of the stuff was true. Of course, it wasn't!! We were able to answer all of his questions and he seemed relieved that we could clear up the confusion. He told us that he can see himself changing for the better and it's because of what we are teaching him!! Kyong, our other investigator, wanted to know when transfers are. She told us that we can't leave for three months because she wants us to be here when she decides to be baptized. She is so funny!! She still wants to know if this is the true church. Kyong has been sick this week but she still came to church. She told us that when she goes to church she feels refreshed. She is wonderful!! I hope I don't get transferred because I don't want to leave all of these wonderful people!

  This week I have realized how important it is to be self-less. This whole gospel is based on being self-less. We are asked to put others needs before our own. I have noticed that when I am truly focusing on others' needs I am the most happy. Christ was the ultimate example of how to be self-less. His whole life, He lived for us. He even gave up His life for us!! What a sacrifice!!! Mark 8:35. I have been thinking of things that I can do to lose myself in His work. I know that when I lose myself in His work then I will be the servant that the Lord needs me to be!! I know that the gospel is true!!! I love being a part of this great work!!! I love you!!!!

   Love,

     Sister Griffin

Hi Mom!

  How are you doing? Are you going down to Salt Lake at all this week?? It looks like everyone is having fun at Jennifer's. Everyone is getting so big. That's awesome that L. Tom Perry came to speak. That's great about Amy's wedding plans are going well! I have lost weight but I'm not sure how much. I don't ever weigh myself. That's awesome that you got your meals for free at Chick-Fil-A. We don't have any Chick-Fil-A restaurants up here, at least I haven't seen any.

How were the fireworks?? Happy Birthday Natausha!!

  I heard that the Wilkeys are speaking next Sunday. I'm not 100 percent sure what time. I'm trying to figure it out. Sister Taylor's mom told her it was this next Sunday but didn't give her the time or the place. I'm giving you Sister Taylor's brother's number so you can call them to find out what time and where.Here is the number 801-836-1191. His name is Logan and he might not answer a phone call so you might have to text him. If you can't get a hold of them then you can have one of the kids help you enter the Wilkey's home address into LDS.org to tell you what ward they are in. Their address is 951 East Cedar Hallow Road Lehi, Utah 84043. If I entered it in right then they are in the Cedar Hallow 1st ward and they meet at 11:00AM. The address for the church building is 1020 E. 1900 N. Lehi, Utah 84043. I hope that is right. You might want to double check that with Sister Taylor's family just to make sure. I hope you can find out where it is so you can go listen to them speak.  
  This week has been awesome!!! We got a new investigator this week. His name is Mike. His wife's name is Sarah. Sarah is a member but hasn't been to church for about 15 years. They have a month old baby girl that is adorable. They are wanting to find a church to go to and so Mike got on Mormon.org and said that he wanted missionaries to come teach him about what we believe. We stopped by on Friday and had a wonderful lesson with them. I asked him what it would mean to him if he could be with his family forever. He said that would mean everything to him. They came to church yesterday and loved it!! They were telling people that they were going to be at church next week too! We are teaching them again tonight. I can't wait to teach them some more.

  We helped the Wilcoxs move this week. They are moving from Hampden to Bangor. They are downsizing from a house to an apartment. They are still going to be in our ward. We helped pack, move, and unpack boxes. It was a great service opportunity. We had interviews with President Stoker this week! It was fun getting to know him a little more. Sister Stoker wasn't there. We were so sad that we didn't get to know her some more. President Stoker asked me about you and Dad.

   I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it is the convincing evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know that our examples can be great missionary tools. Here is a quote that I've been thinking about a lot lately. “Live in such a way that people who know you but don’t know Christ will want to know Christ because they know you”-- H. David Burton. It's so important for us to live like Christ. Have a great week!! I love you!!

   Love,

    Sister Griffin

Hi Mom!

 I'm going to start sending the e-mail to more than just Mom's e-mail so then if one e-mail address doesn't work then the other two will work. How is everyone? It sounds like you had a good 4th of July. I'm so glad you could be there when Chris proposed to Amy. I'm so happy for them!! Your game nights and family home evenings sound like fun! Have you had a game night with  the Broadbents and the Christiansens lately? 

  We met the new mission president this week. Him and his wife are really nice. They have very tender hearts. He talked to us about the importance of missionary work and how excited he is to be here in New England. They have a son on a mission right now and their daughter is leaving in a few weeks for her mission. They will have four people from their family serving at one time. The Lord will bless them for sacrificing so much to help build His kingdom. President Stoker is a convert to the church and he joined the church while he was at college in Texas. He had us share our favorite scripture with him and our testimonies. It was awesome to hear the testimonies of the Elders and Sisters that are serving in our zone. We are supposed to have interviews tomorrow with President Stoker. I'm so excited!!

  For the 4th of July we had District Meeting in the morning and then we went to volunteer at a celebration that a man in our ward put together. It was a day long thing and we helped gather donations for a cancer organizations. It was a concert with a bunch of different bands. It was at a place called the Waterfront. It was a great thing to do on the 4th because everyone was busy with their families. Elder Rogers and Elder Parsons were there helping too. They are the Elders that serve in our ward too.

  We are still teaching Kyong. She was really down this week. It was her and her husband's wedding anniversary this week. She just kept saying how life is the pits. We taught her how the message of the Restoration can help her feel hope in those times of despair. I hope it helped her. She has had so many spiritual experiences in her life that have prepared her for the gospel. We are teaching a less active, Sister Fernandez, that hasn't been to church for years. She is awesome!!! She knew we were coming over so she got ice cream and cupcakes. She was so excited to have us come over. We are trying to get a Relief Society activity together so she will come to it. She actually asked us if they still did activities. She wants to come to one so bad. We are working on it. 

  This week I have been studying the Holy Ghost. It is so important in everything we do. It is crucial in conversion, for me as a missionary and in the lives of those we are teaching. No one can understand the truth without receiving a witness from the Holy Ghost. That is how we learn truth. Sometimes it can be hard to recognize the promptings of the Spirit, but we will come to recognize those promptings more easily as we remain worthy for the guidance of the Holy Ghost. It really all comes down to if something is good than it is from God (Moroni 7:13, 16-17). It is wonderful to know that God will never lead us astray. He always wants what is best for us! The Lord loves us!!! I know that God is our loving Heavenly Father!! I know the Gospel is true!! Have a great week!! I love you!!!

  Love,

    Sister Griffin

Callee sent the email from last week.  For some reason we weren't able to get it.

Hi Mom!

 How are you? I got your package! I love the tops!! Thank you so much for sending them to me!!! Thank you for the Snickerdoodles too!! They were so good and they were still soft. I should be sending you a package today with some dish towels from Sister Rainey(she was in my last area). I'm sure your lesson went great!!! I'm so glad the air conditioner is working now. I got a package this week from the Young women from our ward!! It was so good to hear from them.

 The missionary broadcast was awesome!! President Wilkey wanted all of us to watch it. We actually saw President Stoker and his wife in the audience. It was awesome! President Stoker should be here Thursday. We are supposed to meet him next week. We are doing meet and greets with him. I'm excited to meet him. I'm sure he will be a wonderful mission President. My companion and I felt like the talks all talked about getting out and going to work. They were calling us to action. They emphasized the importance of the members and missionaries working together in unity to help bring people to Christ. They also talked about missionaries using more technology in our teaching efforts. I wonder what all we are going to be using. They mentioned facebook and blogs. All of the talks were so good! 

 This week we weren't able to teach Kyong. Sister Taylor had a really bad cold and we didn't want to get Kyong sick. She has leukemia and it is really bad for her to get sick. We talked with her on the phone and she still wanted to come to church this week. Kyong is so prepared for the Gospel. Th Lord really is preparing people for the gospel. Kelly, on of the less actives we are teaching, broke a couple of her ribs on Saturday. She text us yesterday asking us for help to get her to the hospital. She doesn't have a car and so we contacted the bishop. She was in so much pain but we got her a ride the hospital. She got the medication she needed to help her. I was so glad that she trusts us enough to ask us for help. We are always willing to help out everyone we are teaching. She is hoping to make it to the temple soon. We want to help her get there! We taught Carl and Marsha this week. Carl is Marsha's step dad. We taught them the Plan of Salvation. We invited them to go on a Church tour this week to help them feel more comfortable in the church building. I hope they will come! Carl has a lot of questions and isn't afraid to tell us when he has concerns about what we are teaching him. It makes it easier to teach when we know what they are having a hard time understanding. 

 I have been studying the Plan of Salvation a lot this week. I focused a lot on the Resurrection and why everyone gets resurrected because that was one of Carl's concerns. As I studied I realized that because Christ overcame death everyone can received their body again. The difference between the wicked and righteous after we are resurrected is because we are accountable to repent of our sins. That will determine what kingdom of glory we get to be in. Immortality is for everyone that lived on the earth but exaltation is for those who were righteous. We are so blessed to know this. Alma 40 and 41. These are great chapters about what happens after this life! I love the Gospel and I know it is true! Christ is our Savior.

Happy anniversary Jennifer and Brad...sorry it is late! Happy Birthday Rachael!! Have a great week! I love you!!!!

   Love,

    Sister Griffin

Hey Mom!!!

 How are you? I can't believe that Amy is engaged!!! Congrats Amy and Chris!! When is the wedding going to be? Were you there to see the proposal or did you just hear about it. Thanks for sending pictures of them and her ring. The ring is gorgeous!! I'm glad you like the towels and hot pads. I tried to e-mail you last week but it didn't work for some reason. I'm sorry you didn't get my e-mail. I sent my e-mail from last week again, hopefully this week it will work. I did get your package. Thank you so so much!!! I love the tops you sent and the cookies were delicious. I am going to send this week's e-mail to Mary Calvin and Lauren so maybe one of you will get it. What are your plans for the 4th of July? That's awesome about Shawn becoming the Deacon's President. Did Lindsay get her license? That's great that Elizabeth didn't have hardly any swelling!

 This week has been good. We are still getting a lot of rain. Everyone says that this is unusual for Maine and then we hear that it is normal weather for Maine. I don't know if who to believe. We had dinner this week at the Bishop's house. He has three sons that are out serving missions right now. One of his sons is in Salt Lake serving in the Family History Center. We met with Kyong this week. She is getting closer to knowing the truthfulness of the gospel. We taught her about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and how we need to have faith in Jesus Christ and how baptism is showing Heavenly Father our commitment to follow Him and our Savior. She told us about some spiritual experiences that she has had in the past. She has had quite a few and the Lord has been preparing her for a long time to receive the Gospel. She is so awesome!! We met with a less active yesterday. She told us that she marks every scripture that missionaries share with her. We talked to her about prayer and how Heavenly Father is always there for us. She is trying so hard to fix the things in her life that aren't in accordance with the gospel. She is doing a great job and has a great desire to change a lot of things. I hope we can continue to help her. We met another less active this week. Their house was built in 1848. It still has some of the original wood and tiles in it. It is so awesome! The family that lives there loves history and their house shows it. We also talked to them about prayer. They mentioned that if they didn't pray then they probably wouldn't have met. Prayer has played a big role in their lives.
  I have come to understand more of a fulness of prayer. God cares about every prayer that we offer to Him. This week I was eating lunch and it was pouring rain. Sister Taylor and I had planned to go visit someone after lunch and we needed to walk. I decided to say a prayer to ask Heavenly Father if He would make the rain stop or even lighten up. When we got ready to leave the rain was barely coming down and we were able to walk. That is just one small example of a tiny prayer that was answered! I wish I could tell you everything I have learned about prayer and the importance of it. Prayer is such a special gift from our Heavenly Father!! He wants us to communicate with Him! 

 I haven't met the new mission president yet but I should this Wednesday. President Wilkey left us all a voicemail the night that he was picking up President Stoker. President Wilkey sang us a song. It was so awesome!!! I got their address so I can keep in touch with them. I hope you get this e-mail and last week's e-mail. The Gospel is true and the missionary work is hastening!! I love you!!! You are always in my thoughts and prayers!! 

  Love,

    Sister Griffin