Armageddon

This week was so amazing!!!! And crazy. In Missouri it doesn't just rain. It downpours and in the same day it is the brightest day we have all week! That joke we always have of Utah always changing the weather..... nope. "That is a lie Steven. Utah has no weather problems, it gives us no nutrients!" (slight quote from Nacho Libre.... I paraphrased a bit...) 

and yes okay fam, the moment you have all be waiting for, WE SAW THE SOLAR ECLIPSE IN COMPLETE TOTALITY !!! probably the coolest thing of my life. It was amazing, spiritual side to all of this: President Love changed all of our Pdays to Tuesday because there were so many people visiting the area that we could be out talking to. Sis Bishop and I thought this was sweet but were praying hardcore where The Lord wanted us to be, also we don't really know our area that way, so the struggle!! But after praying we felt that we needed to go to the temple and watch it, but felt kind of silly because there would probably only be members there. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THE LORD CONSECRATES OUR EFFORTS, every single person we talked to were nonmembers!!!! What are the odds! And we got to share the gospel with each of them and wow it was just such a cool experience, the people we spent the most time with gave us cookies and water and they even took a picture of us for a souvenir of being in Missouri during the eclipse! It was so amazing! This church is so true! And then the elders showed up and turns out they basically had done the same thing as us and we all just saw so many miracles of being missionaries first and eclipse watchers second :)

Also another miracle story of the eclipse. Since Missouri rains everyday it decided to rain down ARMAGEDDON and storm. This was the morning of the eclipse and it was so scary. And literally all of us were praying that we would see the eclipse, if not for us... at least for the people who dropped everything to come here for one day and see it!!!! And all of a sudden. the storm ceased, the sun was shining the tank was clean and we were gonna see the moon cover the Sun!!! WOOP WOOP! And we did! And right exactly when it hit totality less than a minute later clouds were completely covering it up and the storms hit again and it was one of the biggest storms I have seen in Missouri!! Literally miracles from heaven! They are real!!

But I love you all! Hope you got to see the eclipse too :) 

Love Sister Rust

Not As Good As Last Week's...But Still Good

So this email is probably a down play from last weeks epistle. haha but that was really intense and took me so long! hahah But this week was still a good week!

I went on exchanges with Sister Draper and we had so much fun especially at the Jail! Because literally on Saturday a record was broken and 43 nonmembers came to the jail!!!!! not just in a big group. But just scattered throughout the day! usually we get 4 throughout the day. I took two nonmembers through and literally it was the most spiritual experience of my entire life. One of them was a teenager from FRANCE! And I got his contact information!!!! Which means I will be able to teach him across the world online :) I just love my mission. I have three areas that all need attention so no matter what I am always busy! It's stressful sometimes but so worth it. 

But I just love serving here with such a wonderful companion! I am completely edified everyday by those I serve around. I love this work and I love my Savior Jesus Christ! A letter that Joseph sent to Emma once while they were incarcerated in the Richmond jail was (and excuse me while I paraphrase) "...We are in good spirits and feel privileged to suffer for the sake of Christ!" Christ literally suffered everything for us and felt every pain that we did. And to have the privilege and honor to even suffer a little for Him is enough. He did everything for me. I feel so honored to do a little back.

The Church is True!!

Love Sister Rust

The Book of Sister Rust

Chapter 8

1 And now behold in the first year of the reign of Trump there did arise a great multitude in the land of North Kansas City ward, therefore many strangers did gather together on the Sunday from all other lands northward and lands westward. For they did gather in the land to hear the records of their fathers that had suffered many sore afflictions in the land.

2 And it came to pass that I, Sister Rust, gloried in the land of Liberty for many days; and I did cry unto the Lord and I did fast and pray oft. Wherefore Sister Bishop and I had wrought many mighty miracles in the land and did glorify God!

3 Yea I say unto you that we had sought to teach Erin, and had turned unto her and said; what is Faith? Erin said: I knoweth not. 

4 I answered unto her saying: doest thou not know that God is thy Father? She answered again saying: I knoweth not

5 This did trouble our hearts and we did pray to the Lord in our hearts of what we should say; and the voice of the Lord did speak unto our minds and we did speak through the power of the Lord. And behold the spirit of the Lord did speak unto her heart and her heart softened to the words we did speak. 

6 Wherefore we did wax strong! For behold at the time we did eat we did teach and preach of this Holy Spirit to Ruby who is from the isles of the sea that is called Jamaica. And she is what many missionaries call, an eternegator. But as we proclaimed the word of God her heart was also softened, and behold we did rejoice in the love of Christ. 

7 And behold I am weak in writing and in expressing the desires of my heart; but this I do know that we had seen the light of Christ make manifest in their hearts! Oh how great is my calling! And I do rejoice in my God, for I know that he is aware of all our sufferings and many afflictions. And when our hearts are depressed the Lord comforts us in all of our afflictions.

8 And now it came to pass in the commencement of the third day of the eight month in the first year of the reign of Trump, Sister Bishop did become sorely afflicted and ill, and in following obedience to the laws given by our President she did send an epistle unto him proclaiming of her illness. And yea he did say in that day: Would thou care for ice cream? And we did comply. And in that very same hour did President Love and Sister Love come unto us in our homestead and did give unto us cream and cookie ice cream. And we did rejoice and we did partake!

9 Now behold many callings did we receive at the Jail of Liberty, the first to make unto the eating place clean. And yea all the day long did we labor! For behold the fridge. It DID stinketh exceedingly. And behold we did make it clean and the spirit of the Lord did fill the hearts of those who remained, as prophets have said: cleanliness is next to Godliness! And behold they were right.

10 And it came to pass that in many other lands were people converted unto the Lord, and behold for a short time did Sister Bishop labor in these places. And now behold she did desire in her heart to witness those whom she had taught. For now they were ready to come unto the Lord and be baptized. And we did go! 

11 We did prepare a way with a member and she did take us unto the place where Sister Bishop had foreto taught; and yea, like unto the ancient prophet Noah, we did experience on our journey much rain and many floodings upon the land. Many gravel roads for which we did drift. And yea our member did perish in unbelief and did fear for our life. 

12 And behold we did comfort her in the words of the Lord saying, doest thou not know that our Lord God is with us? And she was comforted.

13 Many other things I have to say, but my thumbs do tireth and my time is short. I bid unto all those who do still bear with me and my writings, farewell. For I say unto you that this church is true and my heart does burn and swell with joy at this time. May we meet again in the house and kingdom of our Lord, until then Sisters and Bretheren farewell!

                                                           Amen 

So, it's official, I am just too apostate (missionary lingo for disobedient) so I have been sentenced to missionary JAIL!! haha jk I am just livin' the dream since I have been transferred to the Historic Liberty Jail in Liberty Missouri!!!!!!! 

I love this place more than life itself! wow I have learned a lot here already! I think the biggest thing is how we all have our own kind of Liberty Jail, and that we ALL can overcome it! I am pretty new to the history here, and disclaimer to all of you, the visitors center sisters do NOT memorize! It is everything that we learn from our site guide and then the directors are like okey dokey go by what the spirit tells yah. and it freaks me out sometimes because it's hard not to go off of what you memorized but to literally trust in yourself and what the spirit tells you. But it has been so neat to see how the Lord has made me an instrument in His hands! I am pretty bad at this kind of stuff, but as the spirit has led me and the spirit has taught me of what I need to say at the times I feel completely lost!! I don't know these people who are coming in, I don't know what year the saints fled Far West or what person was the leader of the Ray County Militia, but I do know that our Savior Jesus Christ bled and died for our sins for our pains and because I know that we can do all things through Christ! in the name of Jesus Christ amen!

-But on another note..... Sister Bishop and I made a transfer goal of taking a legendary pic every week!! so.... this is it. Someone just left a washer outside of our apartment building next to the dumpster... so naturally...

-this family came into the JAIL. And perks of being a VC sister is the children that come in. This little girl (lainie) sat next to me and asked if she could read me a story, and so she went through 5 books and just made up the story from the pictures! Hahaha so cute!

I love you all!! Love Sister Rust

Independence Day in Independence

You have no idea how excited we all were to have independence day in INDEPENDENCE!!!! It was fun! We all color coded (mostly me haha) and it was great! I saw fireworks on July 3rd at the VC. And everyone came to the VC the 4th for the fireworks, but they were scheduled for the day before. So sister Cooper and I walked around breaking hearts and crushing dreams. Yup just a regular missionary kind of day. ;) 

Just a quick miracle! We have had no progress so we have been working SO hard! So finally we were knocking and met this man on the street. We bore our testimonies and felt the spirit so strong about Christ! And he thanked us and told us to be safe and we parted ways. No baptism, probably I will never see him again... But God showed us that our efforts were not all for naught! This church is so true and as long as we desire to do good, with our heart might mind and strength everything will work out in the end. :) Love you all!

Love Sister Rust

Helping Hands

Soooooooo this week was so fun! Sister Cooper and I have gone all in and are applying a very special lesson we received in the MTC.... 6 weeks to Glory here we come!!!! (District 42D shout out)

Haha but anyways, this week there was a fun service project they do every summer here where we help the elementary schools shine.... so we painted THEM! It was so fun! And we got to wear Helping Hands vests!!!!!!! It is my life goal to own a Helping Hands shirt. It was the best day of all the days! And we met people who aren't members and were able to give a little light about the church for them :) 

Also I had such a neat experience last week on p day. We were on shift that evening and a big youth group came. And I gave a tour. And WOW! It was just so fun! I've done big tours like that before but the spirit was so strong and the youth were really receptive. And afterwards they all came up to me and said thank you and hahaha one boy (who was like 16) was like, are you aloud to give hugs? And I was like sadly no, but I'm aloud to hand hug.... hahaha it was weird, but ya' know...what I have learned in the vc is that I am already super awkward and awkward moments are inevitable, so might as well embrace them full force! Haha.  But seriously it was such a cool experience because these girls just asked me why I came on a mission and how they want to and how the tour I gave made them want to more. And I think I just really needed that. I mean who doesn't need that? It just felt good, to know that I was doing good.....

Ok this email is a ramble of all my emotions. But its alright, cause I'm pretty sure 10 people read it anyways... hahaha 

Anyways I know that Heavenly Father is always aware of our needs and sends tender mercies like that just to cheer us up. He's just so nice :) remember that though all of you!

I love you ALL!

Love Sister Rust!

New Companion...MTC Companion again!

Guess who my new companion is everyone!? That's right... Sister Cooper! Who was my MTC companion!!! Yes the dream team is back together again!!!!!!

So this week was mostly just transfers and happiness. I'm still in 4th ward and I am still loving the VC dream! 

A quick cool moment of my week. Yesterday 3 people came in. two were members and one was their friend who is a Restorationist (a break off from the Reorganized LDS church) and we took them through a presentation called God's Plan for His family. We bore testimony of the divinity of the temple and eternal families! He was a very interesting man and was nice. I don't know if he felt or got anything out of it all. But it changed the way Sister Cooper and I felt about the temple! It grew our testimonies of eternal families!! It's so important that we all always bare our testimonies! whether they listen or feel it or not. Because as we bare our testimonies we will grow and learn and know for ourselves the truth!! I love you all and hope to hear from you :)

Love Sister Rust