From: heather.ripplinger@myldsmail.net
To: nikkiripplinger@outlook.com
My dear friends and family,
With those dots, we are making a rainbow over our window in our bedroom. Every person on our wall was found in a different "method of finding". One was from Nauvoo on the Road in Keokuk, Iowa, where about 8 missionaries travel to a different city to kind of advertise Nauvoo and invite people to come. Another was from our tornado clean-up service that we did in Hannibal, Missouri. Another was from Mormon.org Chat online who was from Pennsylvania. Another was while we were serving at the Carthage Jail Visitor's Center. And another was in the Nauvoo Visitor's Center, etc.
The Lord has so much work for us to do and I love it. We set transfer goals, weekly goals, and daily goals. When we are planning for the week, we break it down day by day. Yesterday, we were trying really hard to reach the high goals that the Spirit prompted us to reach. At about 7:50 pm, we had met all of our goals, except for one. We needed to leave at 8:00 for something scheduled and were just wrapping up a conversation on mormon.org chat. The guy had come on with some kind of interesting questions and at that point in the day, we were tired and worn out.
The Spirit told me that we needed to ask if he would like for missionaries to visit him at his home, but I also had the second thought of doubt that he would probably say no. But we wanted to be obedient and we asked. He immediately said that he would and gave us all of his contact information!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We both looked at each other, somewhat shocked, and then said a prayer of gratitude together. Our goals were extremely high for that day and the Lord gave us the strength and the faith to reach them. He provided the way. It is so humbling to be a part of the Lord's work. Miracles happen all the time. There are difficult challenges along the way, but Sister Newell and I can rely on the Lord and it's amazing what happens.
Last Wednesday, we traveled to Hannibal with most of the young sisters and then several senior missionaries. We arrived at the church building and received directions from a member of the Stake Presidency. We divided up into three different groups and then went out for the day. That poor town had so many trees on the ground, in yards and along the streets. The first house we went to, had one big branch in the front yard that had fallen from the massive tree. We were all excited about it and got to work. The Spirit kept telling me that we needed to talk to the people and try to find new investigators for the missionaries in that area.
We went and talked to a few kids fishing along the pond and the man at the home we were at. We all kind of left in a hurry to get to the next site and the Spirit just kept working on me that I need to be paying attention to people around the areas. The next home we came to, there was one branch dangling way up in the tree that we couldn't do anything about. I glanced over and there was a girl working on the steps of the house next door. We went over to ask if they could use some help. She didn't live there, but went in to ask the woman that did. Barbara came out and said that there was actually quite a bit of damage between her house and her neighbor's.
The neighbor was a woman named Nancy that had recently lost her husband. As we walked around to see what we could do, there was a huge tree that had fallen right between their two homes. As we ventured down more, we saw that several huge trees had fallen in the back yard. Although we were unable to assist the people living in the home that had actually asked for us to come, the Lord knew how to get us to that neighborhood. We worked hard in that yard for a few hours and made friends with those two women. Before we left, we asked if we could sing them a song and share a message. We all sang "I Am A Child of God" and then the senior missionaries sang a song from one of their performances "Welcome to Nauvoo". Those missionaries looked so dang cute as they did the actions and sang that happy song. We ended with a prayer and asked if she would like to have missionaries come back and share a message about God's love for His children, and Nancy said YES. She was so sweet and humble. I checked my online area book and it looks like the elders have contacted her and are teaching her. I know that so many miracles are happening in missionary work because of the natural disasters. I saw an article on lds.org about missionaries serving in Kansas and I hear about all the opportunities around the world that missionaries have to help. The Lord is hastening His work and providing great opportunities for His servants.
We have been teaching people from Scotland and England, working toward getting their local missionaries there. Technology is a way for people to search for the truth in a non-threatening way. Althougt they may not allow missionaries in their home at first, those faithful missionaries leave a mormon.org card and the individuals look up the site later. We have had so many people come on asking questions about the faith that feel the Spirit and then allow missionaries to come.
It is so neat to be part of the Lord's work in so many different ways. I love being a missionary in Nauvoo. At times, I miss my California family, but I trust that they are in the Lord's hands and will be taken care of. It's interesting where life takes us. It's miraculous. We really can trust the Lord. He will strengthen us in our challenges and carry us when we couldn't make it on our own. I felt especially close to the Savior this week. We really do come to know God through our trials and if we endure well, the blessings will pour down. The enabling power of the Atonement is real. Heavenly Father hears our prayers.
One specific example of that is a few weeks ago, my companion and I had dinner with a senior couple that I absolutely adore. They were talking about when President Gilliland taught about prayer some time during the winter. I was pondering how powerful his prayers are. When that man prays, you know that he is talking with God. I was praying that we would have an opportunity to learn about prayer from President and then President Gilliland, himself, told Sister Zibetti and I that he felt prompted that he should teach all of the young sisters in our weekly training meeting how to pray and bear testimony with power and understanding.
I was so excited to hear from him and I soaked up the training meeting this week. President inspires me in so many ways and he has deeply impacted me for the rest of my life. He leads by example. If I had to describe him in one sentence, I would say that he knows how to receive revelation. I am forever grateful for the wonderful lessons I am learning on my mission. On that same topic, I am so grateful for my parents and all those that prepared the path before me. My parents taught me how to use the language of prayer from the day I was sent into their arms. They taught me that my prayers were heard and would be answered in the Lord's ways. They taught me to rely on the Lord. I'm so grateful for the privilege and opportunity I have had to hear people pray for the first time and to see them gain testimonies of prayer. I am so grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love this work so deeply. I love the Lord and I love Nauvoo!!!
Everyone have a wonderful week and I encourage you all to think about what you can do to strengthen your own testimony. If you ask in prayer, the Spirit will inspire you in what you can do. Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven. 
Family Sealed in Nauvoo
Tree After Storm
We wear volunteer yellow
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