Peach My Gospel: 2.29.16 I Stand All Amazed!

Hey y'all!(: It was a long week here but a great one!

Tuesday morning miles took us to breakfast for Sister Blairs birthday. We went to Cracker Barrel and it was yummy(: after breakfast we back and did studies and then headed out for the day. Sadly our first appointment cancelled but campus was crazy, some republican who we think was maybe running for president came to speak. There were lots of people and cameras and it was insane. After the madness we met with Jocelyn and talked to her about service. It went really well and she is doing awesome!(: She is so strong and I love her tons! After that we all went and lunch in the commons. Sadly another lesson with Ben cancelled but everything happens for a reason. Justin Kirkland needed us so we ended up talking with him for a while. Then we had another member who needed some help and advice. That is something different about being in YSA is that everyone relys on the missionaries. Even the members come to us for advice and help. The branch really is such a close family and I love it. After that we had a great lesson with Baylen about fasting and tithing. He has grown so much and is really looking forward to Saturday! As we were talking about tithing I remembered something that a woman said in stake conference. She bore her testimony that she knew a blessing from paying her tithing was that all her appliances were lasting an eternity and still working great. I thought that was so cool and what a blessing! Something I had never thought about before. Then we had an awesome lesson with Derik on the restoration. He basically taught us and is so incredible. He got the priesthood on Sunday and is planning on going to the temple with the branch tomorrow. He was so prepared for this gospel and has grown to love it so much. It has been amazing to see the gospel change his life and the happiness it brings. We went to dinner and had a little planning with Hanson after that and it went well. We actually
saw a couple of our investigators which was super cool! God is in the details and this is his work. I can't say that enough. That night we came home to do our weekly planning and it was a great day! Campus life is crazy sometimes but I love coming home exhausted every day. The secret to missionary work is work!

Wednesday was a long day! But ya know what they say the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days! So true! Anyways, this morning had a couple cancellations but then Jocelyn needed us so it all worked out. Then we went and had lunch before a great lesson with Baylen. We talked about baptism and the priesthood. It went really well and the
spirit was so strong. He has come so far and it's amazing to see him grow in this gospel. He is so ready for Saturday and we are so excited. Then we got to have a really good lesson with Yasmine. She has been going through some hard things so we didn't see her for a little bit but we had a great lesson with her on the plan of salvation. That lesson is so powerful especially teaching it to YSA who are wondering what there purpose in life really is. You just see it click for them and it is so cool! Next we had a lesson with Drew, we taught him the gospel of Jesus Christ and it went really well. We had been talking about inviting him to be baptized but were so nervous! I said a prayer and then just opened my mouth, to our surprise he said yes! It was so cool and a great learning experience!(: That night we went to dinner with Baylen, Elizabeth and Derik at Cracker Barrel! It was so much fun and long story short it took forever to get our food and we had to walk home which took over an hour but it was a fun adventure! Jocelyn and Elizabeth went to the temple for the first time to do baptisms so that was really exciting! It was a great day!(:

Thursday morning we met with James and it was awesome. We taught him the restoration and then invited him to be baptized. He said yes when he came to know these things are true. It was so cool! After that we saw Jessie K who is a less active. It gets confusing with Jessie who less active and Jesse who is an investigator. We talked to Jessie about the priesthood and it went really well! I am so grateful for the power of the priesthood in my life. It was such an essential part of the restoration and has blessed my life so much. Then we met with Justin who is still struggling but doing better. We talked about what it means to be a member of the church and about his baptism. Next we met with Andrew and Alfie, Andrew has been reading and praying! Which is so awesome and we are so happy! He is still working on moving to Utah but things are looking up!(: We then had to to hurry to the branch for Baylens baptismal interview and a lesson. He passed his interview of course and we had an awesome lesson! That night the Brooks took us, Elizabeth and Jocelyn all out to dinner. It was tons of fun and just what we all needed!(: We ended the day with a really good lesson with Jessie! We finished teaching him the plan of salvation and it just clicked for him! It is amazing to see the spirit teach people and touch their hearts. Jesse said that he felt like he was playing tag, God has blessed him and now he is tagging back! I thought that was so cool! I have been so blessed by my Heavenly Father and now I have these precious 18 months to give back to him. I am so
grateful for this opportunity and I am loving every minute.

Friday we had an awesome district meeting, the spirit was so strong. We now have the zone leaders in our district and although it can be scary sometimes it has been so great. Sister Blair gave an awesome training on gratitude, how we need to be grateful in all circumstances. She also talked about humility and pride. There is a difference between being proud and being prideful. This is gods work and we are honored to be apart of it. Then Sister Russell talked about how to simplify and intensify. We did role plays and it was so great! The gospel is so simple and has so much power. Sometimes we get so
caught up in all the other fluff but the doctrinal basics are what's so important. I learned a lot and the spirit was so strong. When we simply and intensify it welcomes the spirit and there is no room for confusion. After district meeting we ate breakfast casserole and biscuits! I made my first breakfast casserole and I think it turned out pretty well!(: After district meeting we went apartment shopping with the sisters. Our lease is up in a couple months and so they wanted us to start looking. We got to go to the last part of institute and then checked on a referral who sadly wasn't home. After that we met with Elizabeth and it was great! She is doing good and is an official branch missionary. We had her teach us about the priesthood and it went really well! She is going to be the best missionary one day and I am so excited for her!(: After that we met with Haylie who is also doing really good! We talked about the 10 commandments and that they are the road map to life. Heavenly Father loves us each very much and we show our love for him by following his commandments. I know that as we follow his commandments we will revive eternal joy and peace. That they are there to keep us safe not hold us back. That night we went to dinner with Elizabeth, Derik and Baylen, it was delicious! Then we had Baylens last lesson as a nonmember on service. We showed the Mormon message "Lift", if you haven't seen it yet please go watch it. I love how it says that when we are healing physically we turn inward but when we are healing the soul we turn outward that is so true. Service brings us so much happiness and healing and again I am so grateful for this time I have to serve my Heavenly Father and savior Jesus Christ. I am also so grateful for all the service that y'all have given me and my family. Baylen is doing great, he has grown so much and truly loves this gospel. He talked about how much he loves
how inclusive the church is and what a family we are. When you are baptized you truly become one of the family!(: I love my church family and am so grateful for them!❤️

Saturday was a fantastic day! We woke up and went to a belated birthday breakfast with Alfie for Sister Blair. After that we went to check on some people and then had a lesson with Colleen. After that we had to go tour some apartments with the sisters and got ready for the baptism. The baptism went so well! Both Elizabeth and Jocelyn gave incredible talks and the spirit was so strong. It is amazing that Baylen was friends with Jocelyn before and was questioning her one day about why she got baptized and now she spoke at his baptism. He was so happy it was the coolest thing. Has he came up out of the water he had the biggest smile on his face. The branch is growing and it's so exciting! I know this gospel really can save lives. That night for dinner the Adams from the level creek ward came and took us to dinner. Oh my goodness! It was so good to see them and I have missed them so much! They are so cute and it was tons of fun! We had a delicious meal
and spent the evening talking and laughing. They are so great and I feel so blessed to have started off my mission in such a wonderful area. When the waitress came to deliver the food brother Adams said "did you know these girls are missionaries?" The waitress said no and began to tell us about her friend who was a Mormon missionary in Uruguay! We told her that we were Mormon missionaries at KSU! We talked to her for a bit and gave her a card, inviting her to church.
She said she would definitely come and how she couldn't wait to tell her friend! It was so cool and we are so excited!(: It was hard to say goodbye to the Adams again but I hope to see them again soon! I love these people so much and have literally felt my heart expanding. I am so grateful for all the amazing people I am growing to love here in Georgia and the great memories I have with them!(:
Sunday was the most incredible day! Baylen was confirmed a member of the church and received the gift of the Holy Ghost. The spirit was so strong and it was amazing. Derik also passed the sacrament for the first time and it was so amazing! He looked so happy and it is amazing how far he has come. He really wants to serve a mission and has some
great things ahead of him! Then we had a member of the high council and his wife come and speak. They did a wonderful job and the spirit was so incredibly strong! The wife shared some very personal experiences and talked about our Heavenly Fathers love for us. She was a great speaker and the talk was very inspired. Something that we all really needed to be reminded of. She told stories from her mission and they were amazing. I know that God is in the details and that everything happens for a reason. We then sang "I stand all amazed" and it was so powerful. I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have and get to share with my brothers and sisters here in Georgia. I know and testify and that Heavenly Father knows and loves each and every one of us. He is aware of us and is shaping you right now to be the person he wants us to be. There are no coincidences. Jocelyn taught gospel principles and Elizabeth taught relief society. They are both so amazing and have come so far. It has been amazing to watch them grow and I love them both so much. After church we had some meetings and then had a lesson with Miles. We talked to him about his baptism and how we strive to keep that covenant daily. After that we went to Marietta to check up on some people and had a great lesson with Brittany. We went to check in Nigel only to find out that he had actually moved. We did meet a guy name Maurice though, he had heard some thing about the Mormons before. We were able to tell him a little bit about the Book of Mormon and he said we could come back next week! It was super cool!(: That night we had dinner with Jocelyn and Justin K, it was yummy! It was a fantastic day!(: It was the best!

This week was long and had its ups and downs but overall it was good! I am so grateful for this gospel and for the knowledge that I have. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who loves us all so much that he sent his son so that one day we could return back home. Life is a test but the good news is that it's open book! The church is true and the book is blue!(: Have a blessed week!

Love, Sister Hosman