OH HAPPY DAY ! [03.16.09]

i am officially 24 !

now that is crazy ! i remember when i just graduated high school and soon after i got on a plane to Utah ! i was so young yet ! when i graduated college last year i still felt a little young .. soon after that i became a FULL TIME REPRESENTATIVE OF JESUS CHRIST ! this responsibility has DEF made me feel more mature .. so i guess turning 24 feels okok !

THANK YOU ALL for the birthday wishes and love. i am so grateful for all of your support and love. it means so much to me !

birthday pday = lots of fun day ! not only do i get to check my email ON my birthday .. i get to have a fun day with my companion and the elders i serve around in this Appleton area ! we are gonna have OLIVE GARDEN for lunch [who can pass up soup, salad and bread sticks :) right lisa jane jastal !] and then an intense game of volleyball with the elders and to end the night with FHE WITH MY WINNEBAGO YSA BRANCH ! life is good .. i'm just sayin baby, i'm just sayin ! i love being a missionary !

last night BISHOP AND SISTER THIEL and LANAE .. who we live with .. cooked me a birthday dinner of STIR FRY ! [my bday dinner for the past 12 or something years ! my marmies specialty !] and then a death by chocolate birthday cake with relightable candles ! always a fun time ! they are so fun to live with and i love them !

so onto the REAL missionary work ..

the scriptures are full of amazing examples of missionaries. i am impressed by so many and want the qualities that they hold.

this week i have been inspired by NEPHI, THE SON OF HELAMAN ..

nephi takes time to PONDER and LISTEN to the spirit of the Lord. he DECLARES the gospel with UNWEARYINGNESS, he follows the Lords WILL and COMMANDMENTS. the Lord blesses him with STRENGTH, FAITH, and BOLDNESS. i want to be like nephi. i want the Lord to say to me ..

"Blessed art thou, [Nephi] SISTER WARNER, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments." [Helaman 10:4]

i hope that i can become a missionary like NEPHI so i can have the blessings the spoken of in Helaman 10:5 ..

"And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will."

i LOVE being a missionary !

the Lord is blessing our area !

UWO .. UWO .. UWO .. UWO .. UWO
this week we met with a couple UWO students and faculty .. PROFESSOR BALL and BROTHER TADLOCK ! they are ALL on board for LDSSA ! ITS GONNA HAPPEN @ UWO ! we are missing 2 students for the club to start but its okok .. THE LORD PROVIDES A WAY and HE HAS ..
MICHAEL UPCHURCH ! our new president of LDSSA - UWO said he has friends that will help him start this club and he has ideas for on campus activities and he will be @ UWO for 3 years and he told us that if anyone messes with us on campus .. TELL HIM ! haha
ALL THINGS ARE DONE THROUGH THE LORD AND IN FAITH .. HIS MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING HERE !

being on campus will open the doors to growing our YSA branch ! this is the key ..

Doctrine and Covenants 123:12-13,17
"For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—"
"Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—"
"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

let us go forth with faith and all our might ! the gospel is amazing ! THE LORD BLESSES US !

so much to say and not enough time BUT another HIGHLIGHT of the week was

AMY BROWN BEING BAPTIZED GREEN BAY on 03.13.09 .. i met her my last sunday in GB .. i did not get to teach her really but i was able to get to know her and see/hear about her growing testimony .. she and more GB YSA came to the WINNEBAGO YSA BRANCH 2 weeks ago and it was lovely.

she is amazing and we brought 4 YSA that are all recent converts from the last year to her baptism for support and it was everything they needed to hear to be motivated about the gospel !

it is an amazing experience to see children of God come up out of the waters of baptism ! it strengthens my testimony so much !

[i was also able to be reunited with a lot of GB 1st Ward members and it was AMAZING !]

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. it is such an amazing opprotunity to see miracles daily. i KNOW this is the Lords work and i LOVE being an instrument in His hands.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING ! [especially birthday love !]

I LOVE YOU ALL !
sister warner