REJOICE ! [04.27.09]

Doctrine & Covenants 50:22
"Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are edified and rejoice together."

this week has been beautiful ! so many wonderful reasons to REJOICE !

1. spring is DEF here ! it got to 80 degrees this week and it was amazing ! we've been getting LOTS & LOTS of rain though this week .. april showers bring may flowers ! the grass is already neon green .. its wonderful !

2. we started DOUBLE DUTCHING with the YSA's ! i got the idea to start this YSA Double Dutch Nation out here in the WI b.c. of my great friends back in the Provo Nation ! e. heslop is by far the most skilled ! [pictures and video to come soon] we are gonna start doing it at a park and get a crowd of people to come and teach them all .. those are my thoughts !

3. the gospel is true and the work of the Lord is in FULL FORCE here in the Fox Cities .. here we go ..

* ALEX PINGEL = amazing ! we taught him the Plan of Salvation and committed him to baptism [with his sister there who joined the church 7 years ago !] HE WILL ENTER THE WATERS OF BAPTISM ON MAY 16, 2009 ! his change and countenance is wonderful. i love being the Lords instrument in teaching and knowing it is the Holy Spirit that reveals the truth of all things.

* our meetings with President Miller [YSA Branch President] and the Appleton Stake Bishops and Branch Presidents are going wonderful ! we are meeting with all of them to help them encourage their YSA and graduating seniors to attend the Winnebago YSA Branch ! we are getting a lot of support and it feels good !

* PANG KOU YANG taught us this week about the importance of the temple. it was beautiful. we are going to try and plan a YSA temple trip b.c. we have so many recent converts and the goal of all of them is the temple. it doesn't end at baptism .. the goal = the temple, the house of the Lord !

* GARY LEDOUX = our Branch Mission Leader & he is 6'9" .. i need to get a picture next to him ! haha we have been having really good meetings and dinner with his family .. they love sports and i get the sports updates on the brewers and the cubbies [just for you papa !] from him ! also we talk about lots of good missionary work going on ! haha

* DISC GOLF = SO FUN ! we played with alex pingel, shane, and sam ! i can even play in a skirt .. i just need to get better at throwing the disc far ! its also a great place to meet lots of people and have gospel centered discussions !

* lunch @ CULVERS with our Missy Bloom and fresh RM Ben Slade from the Green Bay area ! he served his mission in Long Beach California ! we had a good talk about our love for CALI ! it was also crazy to see him home and you could tell it was awkward .. i might be like that people so have patience with me .. BUT I STILL GOTS A LONG WAY AND I AM GRATEFUL FOR THAT !

* Friday Night Volleyball = so so so fun .. Pang Kou brought Moua and Hmong people are just AMAZING at Vball ! Randell Hess came and hung out b.c. his finger was injured ! it was a fun time .. s. v. johnson is so cute and so little .. her skills are slowly improving ! :) i love her.

THE MAIN REASON TO REJOICE THIS WEEK :

Moroni 8:25-26
"And the first fruits of repentance is baptism; and baptism cometh by faith unto the fulfilling the commandments; and the fulfilling the commandments bringeth remission of sins;
And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God."

* MALISSA AMBER LYNN BLOOM entering the waters of baptism on APRIL 25, 2009 ! her WHOLE family came .. she was so happy and glowing ! the program and baptism was beautiful. there were 6 SISTER MISSIONARIES THERE ! that is more then half the sisters in our mission ! my old s.johnson came up from Madison with her compy s.nichols and my s.black and s.bryner [gb sisters] were there and of course me .. s.warner and my girl s. v.johnson ! Missy asked us sisters if we could sing a special musical number at her baptism and we sang Hymn 116 "Come, Follow Me" ! the spirit was so strong and Missy couldn't stop smiling !

* April 26, 2009 = MISSY"S CONFIRMATION ! her confirmation and blessing was given by Ben Slade and it was amazing and beautiful. the spirit spoke through Ben and it was exactly what Missy needed. i love being present for the gift of the Holy Ghost being given. it is a testimony to me of how important baptism is .. without baptism you cannot recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost is the sanctifier and completes the baptism, it is the way back to our Father in Heaven.

3 Nephi 27:20
"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day."

* YSA Fireside with the GB Stake President Krehbiel ! we brought up our YSA from the APL and Missy was there ! it was about .. "how to make life's difficult decisions" and it was exactly what they needed for their station in life right now ! JEREMIAH JAMES came and after he talked with President Krehbiel about the gospel and Jeremiah said it was very good .. s.johnson and i were having a discussion with Jeremiah and our sweet Missy came and joined and told him she was just baptized and she had just recieved the gift of the Holy Ghost that day .. i asked her to share with Jeremiah WHY she decided to be baptized and she told him, "when i stood on Temple Square in SLC the Holy Spirit told me it was all true, the spirit was so strong there and i knew that this is what my Heavenly Father wanted me to do so i can return to him." Her testimony was beautiful and Jeremiah could only nod his head. THE POWER OF TESTIMONY IS EVERYTHING.

i have been blessed to see and feel Heavenly Fathers love for His children and i continue to on a daily basis. the miracles are endless but it is according to our FAITH .. the Lord strengthens my faith daily and weekly. i am so grateful for the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. i know he is the Savior and that he is our example in all aspects of our lives.

i LOVE LOVE LOVE you all. thank you for your faith and support in me.
sister warner

[sad part about this week = JENNIFER RIBBENS aka JRIB LEFT ! she went back out west to school at BYUi .. i will miss her but she is still one of my best friends from WISCONSIN !]