This is Kiera's last letter before she comes home tomorrow! We are so grateful for her service and the spirit that has flowed from her the last 18 months. Thank You all for your love and for keeping her in your prayers. She is truly humbled by all your love!!


August 18th, 2014

Hermana Wright's departing fireside

w/ Becca Knowlton(Love Her!)

                                                                                 

 

 

I can't believe that this has finally come. It still hasn't hit me. It just doesn't feel real. But this week was so amazing. We saw so many tender mercies. Things I will never forget. 

One of them was this last Wednesday. We were looking for a less active member at this home, and her husband, who is not a member, answered the door and told us she wasn't there. We asked if he had ever talked with missionaries before. He told us that he had many times, and that he just can't accept the Book of Mormon. He went on to tell us all of the reasons why we didn't need the Book of Mormon, and how he doesn't need to read it, he already has the bible, and that's enough for him. We tried explaining, testifying, anything, but he wouldn't let us get a word in. It go to the point where he became very rude and disrespectful. We tried ending the conversation several times before it actually happened. We walked away in silence, all a little frustrated that he didn't let us try to explain. And then I had the strongest feeling come over me. It hit me so hard. I knew the Book of Mormon was true. I've always believed it was true, but in this moment I knew. I could feel the spirit so strong, testifying that it is God's word, and that it was written for us. I know without a doubt that this book, contains the Gospel of Christ. It is the tool of the Restoration. And I know that, because I've read it, and I've prayed, and I got an answer that it is true. Even if this man were to give us every evidence and fact that the Book of Mormon wasn't true, I would still know that it is. 

Although this experience is not a very happy one, it is one I will never forget and will hold dear to my heart for the rest of my life. 

I want you all to know, that choosing to serve a mission, has been the best decision of my life. I know that I was supposed to be here. I know that I was called by a prophet of God to be a representative of Jesus Christ. And it was been the greatest privilege to represent Him and His church these last 18 months. I have never felt so much joy. I have never cried so hard. I've never felt so much love for another person. I've never worked so hard. I've never been so tired. But, I have never been so happy. These have been the happiest months of my life. And I will be forever grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me the opportunity to serve Him. I love being a missionary. And I love this Gospel. I know that it's true. I know that Joseph Smith restored the church to the earth under the direction of Jesus Christ. I know that by the power of God, he translated the Book of Mormon, and that it is true. I know that the Priesthood power is here on the earth. I know that the Holy Ghost is who testifies of truth. He is the third member of the Godhead and it is only by him, that we can know of the truth of all things. 

But most of all, I have come to learn, that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that He lives, because I have felt His love countless times. I know that he died for each and everyone of us. And because of this, we have the incredible blessing to repent and change. To become more like Him. I know that He lives because I have read the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Him. I know that He lives because I have gone to church and have partaken of the Sacrament and applied His Atonement in my life. I know my Savior lives. And because He lives, we too can all live again someday. 

This is God's church on the earth. I know that with all my heart. And anyone and everyone can know the same if they will just act. Read, pray, go to church, be baptized, go to the temple, live the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If we do these things, our Heavenly Father will always bless us with what we need. 

I love my mission. I'm heartbroken to leave. It feels like I'm leaving home. But I know that this is just the beginning to so many more life changing experiences. Thank you to all of you, for your constant love and support over these 18 months. I have felt the power of your prayers when I was weak, and I have felt your love when I was most alone. I will always be grateful for the amazing people that helped me get here and become who I am today. I LOVE YOU THE MOST!

Hermana Wright      

 

 

 

Hey Everyone!! 

Well this week just seems like a blur. It went by so fast. 

I had my departing missionary training this last Tuesday, and that was weird. It was really good. President Weidman gave us some awesome advice and we got to ask questions and talk about what was on our minds. It was good. 

Jennifer was confirmed yesterday! It was an awesome day! She was so happy. A little nervous before, but she cried after. Her blessing after the confirmation was incredible. She cried. I felt the spirit so strong. I feel so so blessed. 

Well everyone, this is my last full week. I plan to work and work and just enjoy the time I have. I love you all so much, that you for all the love and support. I LOVE YOU THE MOST!  

Hermana Wright / Kiera 

Hermana Wright and Hermana Warner comps

three times, and they get to end their

mission together!

 

Departing missionary temple day!

Hermana Jarmen and Herman Warner.

 

August 4th, 2014

 

Hey Everyone!

 

First, I can not believe it is August! And that's all I'm going to say about that!

 

This week was one of the best weeks of my mission. Jennifer was baptized yesterday, and I have never felt the way I did than I felt at her baptism.

She showed up to church with three of her boys, and they were all in nice shirts and their hair was combed over. She said she didn't know if her husband would come at 2 for the baptism, but she hoped her would. We went through church and then we were getting everything ready for the baptism. We finished printing of the programs, and we found Jennifer just 20 min before and she was sobbing. Her husband wasn't coming. My heart just broke for her. She was so nervous and just wanted support. I held her and told her she was doing the right thing. I just silently prayed that she would have the strength to do it. And she did! We went back and got her changed, then went out for the prayer meeting. Our ward mission leader was the one baptizing her and Lorena, an investigator of the elders. He went through the program and then showed them how the baptism would. That was a special moment, cause he told her to just pay attention to the words he would say and how she would feel. I looked at Jennifer's face and could see that she felt safe. She had a little bit of hope. But was still nervous. We took some pictures, then went in for the service. One of Lorena's friends, Carmen, who lives in St George, gave the talk on baptism. It was beautiful. And then it was time for Jennifer to be baptized. Sister Young and I got to go back with her in the font. We waited for Hermano Madrid to get in the water, I held her glasses for her, and then she paused for just a second, then stepped in. Watching the baptism from the other side was incredible. When he said the prayer, he looked right into her eyes and said it with such power and authority, but with so much love and emotion. He cried and so did I. Jennifer came up out of the water and you could immediately see it. You could see that she was clean. She was beaming, and so happy. She walked up the steps and we had a moment together while Lorena was getting in the water. We asked how she felt. She said she had never felt anything like that in her life. She said she couldn't describe it. But she didn't have to. I could see it on her face. I was so overwhelmed by the spirit. I was able to look at her and see and feel how much Heavenly Father loved her. I was crying, she was crying. Then Sister Young told her to always remember that feeling. That when times get rough, or she has a doubt, to just remember that feeling. Jennifer and Lorena went back and changed and before we went back out to everyone. Jennifer said that that morning while, her mom was telling her those things, she told her mom that she really did believe that this was the right church, and that now she can feel it. She said she as going to go tell everyone how she felt!!! She's going to be a great member missionary! :) We sang "A Childs Prayer" and then Hermano Madrid gave them the opportunity to bare their testimonies. Jennifer had already told me before that she didn't want to and that she was shy. But she got up there and bore her testimony! Again, I just cried the whole time. She thanked me and sister young and told everyone of the changes she's seen in her life. She is amazing!

I know that was a long story and lots of detail, but I hope you all can feel how special baptism is. These people are making a covenant with God, that will allow them to live with Him again. That is a huge deal.

If I didn't know for certain before, I would know now, that this is the Church of Jesus Christ. The only true church on the earth. I have felt it time and time again, and know I've seen others feel it and know it for themselves. God lives and is so aware of us. Please keep Jennifer in your prayers, she has a lot of trails a head of her with her husband and family. But I know God will bless her and help her.

I love you all so much. Thank you for all the support!

 

Jennifer's Baptism!

Hermana Wright / Kiera lynn 

 

 

Jul 28

Hey Everyone!

 

I can not believe another week has gone by and that we are in the last week of July! So crazy!

But this week was so amazing.

Being in a trio has been so much fun! We all get along great and have SO much fun every sinlge day.

Jennifer is doing Amazing! She is so ready to be baptized and loves coming to church! We were able to see her almost everyday this week and be with her family. She accepts everything we teach her, and she has the best questions that i love being able to answer and watch her understand more and more. She has chaged so much since we first meet her in June, and i'm just so grateful to have the opportunity to know her. Yesterday we went to the Visitors Center with her and her four boys and the Alverez family in our ward, who also have four boys! It was amazing! We watched  the fmaliy movie, the one that makes me cry every time, and then went out and walked around the temple grounds and explained what we do in the temple. While we were inside, one of the visitors center sisters asked Jennifer how she felt after the video. Jennifer said she flet so much peace and that when she got out of her car at the temple she just started crying, because she could feel that she was making the right choice. She is incredible. Please keep her in your prayers this week. And her husband that he will be able to come to her baptism and feel the spirit.

Omar was also confirmed yesterday and he is so funny! he was full of energy and so excited. He loves church and has some amazing felowshippers. I know he will be well taken care of :)

Well I don't know what else to say about this week cause it went by so fast! But it was amazing!

If you have time this week, read 3 Nephi chapter 13 and then listen to the song "Consider the Lilies of the Field" it is such an amazing chapter and taught me so much this week. I especially love verses 30 and 32. I love the book of mormon so much!  I hope we are taking time to read and study it every morning. I know this book is true and I know that it can bring so mcuh peace and joy if we will just read it and pray for understanding :)

I love you all so much! Thank you for all your love and support! I LOVE YOU THE MOST!

 

Hermana Wright / Kiera Lynn

Hermana Wright, Hermana Warner, and Hermana Jarmen

Beautiful Trio!!

 

July 28th, 2014

 

Hey everyone!

 

Well first off, you will not believe what happened at transfers! I am staying in the area, but it's not a sister training area anymore. And I'm in a trio! Sister Jarmen and Sister Warner are my companions! Haha crazy right?!! Three times with Sister Warner. I think this is a sign that we will be part of each others lives forever! And I'm totally fine with that.

I'm so sad to not have Sister Young anymore. She is incredible. But thank heavens everyone is from Utah so we can all hang out there :)

 

Well yesterday was one of those days that one will never forget. Omar was baptized yesterday. It was such an incredible experience. He was so excited and so happy. He looked great in white! But there was such a special spirit there. I was just so grateful that I had the opportunity to meet Omar and to be able to share my testimony with him. I feel so blessed, and so grateful. After the baptism, the Lamberena family came up to Omar and they all knew each other before from some past job or something. And they invited Omar over for dinner that night. So we all had dinner together last night and Omar brought his little boy Alex, who is three. It was such a tender mercy for Omar to have someone in the ward that he knows and loves. And he has so many other fellowshippers in the ward too. They have taken him in and have helped him so much. Omar is incredible. Please keep him in your prayers. We all know that once something good happens, Satan is right there and will try to tempt and distract.

Also Jenifer came to church yesterday and her oldest son Jr, who is 9, came as well. They all loved it! We talked to Jenifer after and she asked us if we have to tell her she's ready for baptism or if she decides that for herself. Haha she is so ready. So we told her to pray about a specific day and that we knew she would be ready for that day if she did her part.

And last night we went to the departing missionary fireside. There were 26 missionaries going home!!! There were so many people there it was crazy. But it was so good. the testimonies were so powerful. It was sad to see so many of the missionaries I love get up there. It's weird to think that that will be me in four weeks. Not sure how I feel about that.

 

I want all of you to know that God really does hear and answer our prayers. I know that He does because He has answered mine this last week. Some answers came through quiet thoughts, and others through priesthood blessings, but they came. I love the priesthood. It can help us so much. I know that if we are stressed, worried, sick, confused, a blessing from our Heavenly Father given through his worthy sons, can help us and uplift us. If you're struggling in anyway, ask for a priesthood blessing.

I love you all so much. Thank you for your love and support and your prayers. I really can feel them and the strength they bring to me every day. Keep on keeping on :) I LOVE YOU THE MOST!

 

Hermana Wright / Kiera lynn   

 

 

 

July 14th, 2014

 

Hi Everyone!

 

Such an amazing week! We saw so many miracles!

 

First, OMAR CAME TO ALL THREE HOURS OF CHURCH! It was such a happy day! We had taught him on Saturday about the priesthood and then told him that he had a responsibility to be at church every week. We invited him to fast with us that he would be able to get work off so that he could come. And he did! And the topics that were discussed at church were so perfect for him! He is doing so good. But please keep him in your prayers, he needs a lot of help this week to be able to make his baptismal date. He needs to get Sunday's off or quit his job. But we know he will be blessed for putting his faith in the Lord.

 

This next story is amazing!

So two weeks ago we were fasting and praying for Omar that he would be able to come to church. We were also praying that we would find new people to teach. We were about to end out fast and walking back to our car, when we almost got hit by a car! This guy was backing out in the parking lot and almost hit us. But he saw us, then asked "Are you bible people?" of course we said yes! He asked us to wait while he re-parked his car and that he wanted to talk to us. So he parked again (and almost hit us again) and then got out and started talking to us. He was speaking English, but then asked if we spoke Spanish because of our name tags, we said yes, and he said "oh good, Spanish is way easier for me!" (miracle #1). He then went on to tell us that he saw us walking and something told him in his heart that he needed to talk to us. Then then said "so what do you have for me, because I know it's what I need." (miracle #2) We told him a little about what we do and explained that we had specific areas and that he probably wasn't in our area cause he said he lived ten minutes away, but he told us his address, and it was totally in our area! (miracle #3) We set up a return appointment and this last Friday we were able to meet him and we set a baptismal date! When I asked if he would be baptized, he said "Yes. I want to be happy." We asked how he was feeling and he told us that he felt a warmth and peace come over him and we were able to testify that that was the spirit telling him that that was what he needed to do. (miracle #4) And then on Saturday, there was a man getting baptized and we called to invite Joaquin (oh that's his name fyi) and he said he would be there in 30mins. Luckily the baptism started an hour late, and he was able to see a baptism. He said he felt so much peace and loved it! (Miracle #5) I can not even tell you how incredible this had been. God truly is a God of Miracles. I feel so humbled to be a part of this incredible work! Please keep Joaquin in your prayers. He too will have a lot of trials to get over before he is baptized. But we know he can do it!

 

And the other person we are working with right now is Jenifer. She too has a baptismal date and is just amazing. We love her and her 4 boys! They are so cute. Ages 9 to 1. They are crazy but a ton of fun. They love singing with us. This last week we taught them "once there was a snowman" and "popcorn" they loved it! Jenifer has so much faith. But is a little nervous about the change and how her family will take it. If you could keep her in your prayers too, that would be wonderful :)

 

I love being a missionary. I love serving the people here and I love the Lord. This is his work. More than anything, I've learned this last week that we are only tools in his hands. It's not us. It could never be us. But God loves us enough to use us to help his work along so that we can be changed and strengthened in His gospel. What an incredible blessing. I know that Christ lives. He is how we can change, and how others around us can change. I kow that this is his church.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all your love and support! I LOVE YOU THE MOST!

 

hermana wright / kiera

 

 

July 7th, 2014

 

Happy July Everyone!

I am so happy that June is over, because here there is this horrible thing called June gloom, and its all this smog and humidity and mucky stuff that makes everything grey and ugly. (so if you ever want to visit LA, don't go in June) But it's all gone now! The only down side is it's super hot now! We started showering at night cause we are so gross when we come home. But it's fun. I'm starting to get a watch tan line :)

 

Well this week, like every week, we say miracles. The first one I would like to share is that one of our investigators, Jennifer, accepted a baptismal date!!! We love her and her family so much! She has 4 little boys, 9, 4, 3 and and one year old. They are so cute, a little crazy, but we have a lot fun. And last night we were able to have a FHE with them and another family in our ward who also have four young boys! So perfect. It went really well. She was also at churh yesterday!

 

The second miracle is that Omar was at church!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He was about 15 minutes late, but when we turned around and saw him walking in, in his chef uniform and apron, we did not care how late he was! He came! And we found out that there was someone who didn't show up to work that day, so he didn't think he was going to be able to leave for an hour, but they still let him! What a tender mercy. And he was able to meet the stake president, who speaks spanish, and the bishop. And he told both of them when he was getting baptized! Haha he is so great. Omar is amazing. We love him so much.

 

Another fun thing. we found out in MLC this week, that the First Presidency has made changes to  what missionaries teach. Missionaries now have to teach lesson 5, "Laws and Ordinances" before baptism. It used to be that it was just after baptism lesson, but now it has to be taught before. I am so excited about this! Because in this lesson, they learn about priesthood, temple work, missioanry work, and teaching and callings in the church. I know this will really help investigators understand that baptism is just a step, and that the temple is the real goal. We have already started teaching Omar these things, and it is so apparent to see that he has that mind set of getting to the temple in a year.

 

Well I can't believe another week is gone. They keep going faster and faster, and I can't seem to make it slow down. How does time do that? Isn't it comforting to know, that is the eternities, there won't be "time" to stop or end our happiness. That we will be able to have a fulness of joy with our families, with no worries of saying goodbye, or waiting to be reunited. That principle alone, brings me so much peace and joy, and I know that it's true. I know that we can really be with each other forever. Everyone! Every person that we love in this life, we can be with them forever, IF we all keep our covenants.

I know that God lives. He has a perfect plan for us and loves us perfectly. What a blessing to be part of His true church. And if you aren't yet, or aren't keeping covenants, simply ask yourself "what is holding me back?" I promise that there is nothing more important than this gospel. Nothing more important that making and keeping covenants with our Heavenly Father. He is ready to bless us, all we have to do is act.

And if we are active and keeping our covenants, what more can we do? Are we following the council given by modern day prophets to share the gospel, to invite and follow up. There is always more we can do :)

I love this gospel. I know that it's true because I've lived it. I've lived it and I've seen the blessings that come from it. I love my Savior, I know that he lives, I have felt his love. I love representing Him and His church, and I am going to try to be the best I can be for these last six weeks, and help others have the happiness that I do.

I love you all so much. Thank you for all your love and support. I LOVE YOU THE MOST!

 

Hermana Wright / Kiera