Hi Mom!!!

  How are you?? It sounds like things are going well. I'm sorry your cough came back. I came down with a cough this week too! That's awesome about Amy giving the lesson for Family Home Evening. I'm still having a hard time remembering that she is married. Zone Conference is just a meeting so no one got transferred. I don't know if I can wait until Christmas to open up that package. I'll try my best. I didn't find out if I can skype at Christmas, sorry. Do you want me to send the wax pumpkin back to you?

  This week was awesome!! I wasn't able to go to English class this week because I was on exchange but my companion said that it went great! We have been having new people coming. It is great! Zone Conference was awesome! Elder S. Gifford Nielsen of the Seventy was there. His wife spoke to us too. We were also able to go to a special stake council on Sunday night. It was a meeting for all of the stake, ward, and branch leaders. Elder Nielsen invited all of the full-time missionaries to attend. It was awesome! He shared a part of Elder Perry's closing remarks at the Mission President's seminar. Elder Perry compared the hastening of the work to important events like the First Vision. I hadn't really thought about it being that big. 

  There were so many good things that we talked about at Zone Conference. Sister Stoker mentioned to us how we need to be like Ammon and just show love for people. President Stoker talked about prayer and the importance of it. He told us to disconnect our tongues from our minds and connect it to our hearts. Our prayers should be a conversation with the Lord not just a routine thing. It was wonderful and it was something that I needed to hear. Sister Nielsen gave a wonderful talk. She talked about how other people can see and know our potential and we have to do all we can to reach our full potential. She mentioned how we always have the choice to be happy even in hard times because we have the gospel. Elder Nielsen talked about how important it is to connect with people we come in contact with. I have seen how important it is for us to do that. I need to work harder at connecting with the ward members especially. When people feel like we care and want to get to know them then they will be more likely to listen to the gospel. He used Ammon as an example of one that connected with the people he taught. Ammon did so much more than just teach people he connected with them and he made sure they were firm in their testimonies of the gospel. We talked about Alma 27 and he asked us to study it and apply some of the things that Ammon did. Elder Nielsen also talked about how we, as missionaries, are a prophetic priority. He told us that the Prophet thinks about us and prays for us constantly. He said most of the meetings they have are focus on the missionaries and the youth. President Hawkes, a member of the mission presidency spoke and he talked about all of the different voices that we hear in today's world. He said something that I have been thinking about ever since. He said, "The voice of the Spirit always comes with hope." Isn't that amazing??!! It is so true! The voice of the Spirit doesn't tear us down but it always builds us up. Elder Nielsen said many times, "The Lord did not put you here to fail." I know that is so true. God wouldn't have us do anything if He was sure that we could be successful! He mentioned to us that this is our time with the Savior and we cannot waste a minute of it. I hope I am using every minute in the way the Lord needs me to. This is definitely my time to grow closer to my Savior and a time where I can be here to do what He would do if He were here. I hope I am living up to my potential. We are all here to progress and not to flat line. 

  I wish I could tell you everything that I learned at Zone Conference. It was definitely an answer to prayers. The Lord knows what we need and when we need it. Everything is best in the Lord's timing. He knows us best...He even knows us better than we know ourselves. I love you! You are in my thoughts and prayers!! Have a great week!

     Love,

       Sister Griffin

Here is a picture of me with President and Sister Nielsen.

The second picture is me with Sister Waite--my second companion, Sister Sowards(Sister Waite trained her), and Sister Tait(Sister Sowards trained her). Sister Sowards was calling it our generation picture. She is so funny!