Missionary Work in the Digital Age

WOW. WHAT A WEEK.

Here are a few things that happened this week......

Mission Conference

Sister Barbosa finishes her mission today.
I will really miss her.

1. I AM GOING TO BE A TRAINER!!! Yes... you heard right... I am training a brand new missionary this transfer. Her name is Sister Obley (I don't know how to spell it yet, I will meet her tomorrow!) and she is from either Australia or New Zealand... President couldn't remember!!! Well... I feel very humbled to be training. I have only been out for 12 weeks now and just finished my own 12 week training program, and now I am going to be training a brand new missionary already. I feel a lot of responsibility for this new missionary already. I am really looking forward to this opportunity though and am excited to see what this transfer brings:)

Spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ using iPads

2. Welcome to MISSIONARY WORK IN
THE DIGITAL AGE!!!! Yes. You heard right... we have iPADS now!!! WOO HOO!!! They are great. So many cool features and I am really excited to see how the Lord will use them to hasten his work!!!! As of now, we only use them to teach. But soon we will be able to do lots of different things such as Facebook, Skype teaching, etc etc.

3. No big deal but Elder Jeffery R. Holland will be coming to speak to our mission on June 12th.... And this is the exact mission he served in as well. HOLY COW I CAN'T WAIT.

My Cousins were able to visit me on my Birthday.
I was crying I was so happy.

4. Thank you ALL so much for the birthday wishes!!! It sure was an amazing birthday as A) I got to spend it in LONDON with the whole mission. We had a mission conference and we were privileged to hear from Brother Kiran of the area presidency and Elder Nelson who is going to be head of the Church Missionary Department to train us for the IPADS, and B) I GOT TO SEE MY COUSINS!!! Holy cow that was the best surprise in the whole entire world. We were all in the chapel before the meeting started and Sister Jordan came and got me and took me outside and I had no idea what was going on, and then I saw my cousins standing right there in the visitors center and just started crying. Haha That was seriously the best surprise ever and such a tender mercy!!! I had no idea they were coming! So basically it was the best birthday ever.

As you can see it has been a great week. I love my companion! I love my area!! Seriously I am growing to love more and more the blessed land of Aylesbury and Leighton Buzzard!!! And I get to spend another 6 weeks here:) YAY! 

Sunday was the best day I have had so far on my mission... First of all, Sabrina came to church again and she is growing so much! My girl Helena came to church!!! She is a recent convert as of last year and we see her every week! She is always the person I look forward to seeing each week. Oh my days I love her. She has also been keeping me updated on all of the royal baby news this past week... haha. For those of you who haven't heard.... The royal baby was born here and her name is Charlotte! This is a big deal here obviously... someone even mentioned it in their testimony on Sunday... haha. Any who, she has some major health challenges she is dealing with, and because of it is unable to come to church every week. But she came on Sunday and I just love her!!

Okay we had the biggest miracle this week.... So it was Friday night and we just got back to our area after spending the day in Wembley for Zone Meeting AKA IPADS, and we were at our flat for a bit having to make some calls to figure out some stuff for Sister Barbosa going home, when I looked at the clock and realized we had been in for awhile, and I stood up and said "Okay Sister, time to go out now!" So we went out and made it just across the street when we stopped this lady and started talking to her. She said that she had an uncle that was has served a mission and he lives in Utah... (Bountiful) and he told her that whenever she sees missionaries to stop them and take them to lunch or something. Then she told us that actually "by coincidence" he will be in town this weekend to visit her...... WOW. So we exchanged information and gave her our number to give to him so we can call us to find out where the chapel is and stuff. 

So the next night he called us and we gave him the directions to the chapel and he told us that he is trying to make arrangements so Mandy can come as well!!! 

Sunday morning came around and they all came to church!!! Oh just some background, she is a Catholic. It was testimony meeting right? So Mandy's uncle went up and bore his testimony, the most powerful testimony straight to Mandy about how her bumping into us just hours before he came was no coincidence at all. It was the most perfect timing it was amazing. He bore his testimony about how this is the true church on the earth, and about how this ward is like a family. It was so powerful and both Sister Barbosa and I were crying and so was she. It was amazing!

Then last night we went out to dinner with her, because her uncle was visiting other family the rest of the week. It went well:) She is a really strong Catholic, but I am really looking forward to seeing what the next few weeks brings:)

Mission Conference Was AMAZING

Such a miracle!!!

The mission conference this week was absolutely incredible. The Spirit was so powerful and I left with such a greater determination to serve with all my might, mind, and strength. As we sat in the chapel, all 200+ missionaries, looking up to our leaders and listening to their council, and really seeking to be taught by the Spirit, I became overwhelmed as they expressed their love for all of us missionaries. Sitting there I felt like the army of Helaman, only this time the army of God here on the earth to brings souls unto Christ, to conquer Satan. 

"We are as the army of Helaman. We have been taught in our youth. We will be the Lord's missionaries to bring the world his truth." 

Elder Yost from my Stake.

What powerful words that took on a whole new meaning to me as I was sitting there listening to our inspired leaders. We are the Lord's hands on the earth. What an incredible thing that is. What an opportunity. We should be doing everything in our power to bring about his purposes upon the earth, and the more converted to the gospel we become, the more his work will become our work, his desires will become our desires. What a great responsibility, but even more, what a great privilege.

I love everything about this gospel and I love my Savior Jesus Christ!

Thank you for your love and support. You have no idea how much it means to me!

ONWARD AND UPWARD.

Sister Ranck

It was so good to see Sister Mussman again.
She was my MTC Companion.