He answers our Prayers!

Dearest Pratt Family,

I'm so sorry I took so much time telling you about Kiana's Baptism that I didn't even tell you about President Winn's interview! He said just what I needed and I'm trying my best to serve His children here in Woods Cross but I'm pretty sure my time is done....He told me I'll be senior companion and Sister Adams is training. I'm being Transferred. So bitter sweet. But I'm not going to dwell on it. I had an amazing study on Saturday morning and a feeling of, I did what I was to do, I answered the call for those children who were baptized. Helped them come closer to Jesus Christ and now President said that I have grown and now I'm able to really be myself. I went from Sister Yates to Sister Adams and they were totally different but I love them both with all my heart! Now to help a sister and the people in another area on Wednesday. I'm going to need  lots of prayers these next few days!

On Saturday it was like I closed a file drawer with Pam's baptism. As I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost I felt her love for our Heavenly Father and all that she taught me! And her testimony of Jesus Christ! The Ellswort family will forever be with me! I mean she is from OHIO! But seeing her and Zach (her grandson) in the water...Plus having my sweet Sister Yates and Sister Adams beside me was like nothing I ever felt before. (Sister Yates was able to come! and it was a blessing) I'll have to tell you more about that on Mother's day or I can just write it all to you!!!

Om Sunday was the Woods Cross Stake Conference. We have a new Stake President. The spirit was so strong and I know the work is moving forward in this area. Grandpa Lingard is now President Lingard! My heart filled with a warmth of joy and aww. The blessing their state will have! Then Pam received the Holy Ghost, she said, 'I feel like you Sister Pratt, all bubbly and excited inside!!!' I wanted to cry but had to stay strong with her around!

I feel like Sister Adams and I have grown from each other more than we each know. Heavenly Father knows us! And with Easter right around the corner I invite each of you to reach out to have someone come to Conference. It doesn't have to be all sessions but to one of them. Share a clip about it on FB or email! The Lord will bless you as you do so! Have Faith! Don't worry about your friendship, if you do it in love they will feel the power and still be your friend! I promise! ;) I know that as we talk to those around us the spirit will guide us. Don't worry...I have to keep telling myself that. Heather has been amazing with asking about our baptisms we are having! I totally want to be like her when I return home! She is so sweet and willing to help us have fun as we are here serving the Lord! She is my second companion, really!

With all my love, Your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Ps. Happy Birthday Carrie!!! Yesterday was a great day and I thought of you lots!!!

Kiana Miracle!

Dearest Pratt Family,

I have thought to myself when all is lost and you are about ready to stop, pack your bags and give up, take a nap and have it all go away. I say unto you, NAY! Tears have flown like a rushing river from all the snow that has come and running off the mountains now that spring is somewhat here. But really that is my analogy!

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were just visiting ward members and less actives. We have been looking over the progress records of the different wards and there has been nothing. This past week we didn't have a baptism scheduled and I was kind of bummed because we are to baptize every week, but I told myself that if it comes then be willing to do so. On Thursday we went to help Sister Wade in Elder Chaffin and Elder Webb's area along with Elder Ring and Elder James with gardening, planting flowers and pulling a tree stump! Ha. With the service we had an Emergency District meeting (they usually happen on Friday's) we were like Wow, what is going on?! As we sat outside in the sun after all our hard work, Elder Chaffin had told us that Elder Darker and Elder Ackley received revelation, they are our Zone Leaders. As a Zone we had 10 on date for this weekend, but now only have 2. What happened?! Why did they fall off? Well Elder Ackely had a dream the night before that on the pipe line (names of who we have on date with the companionship's)  on the board. The companion ship names were Elder Ring and James, Elder Kuck and Widden, Sister Pratt and Adams that are in our Zone. I knew we weren't planning on having a baptism so why would our name be on the board? Elder Ackely had said that he woke up from his dream and prayed about it. The spirit was present and knew it was from our Heavenly Father. So as they told the District Leaders and then they told us, I knew in my heart that I need to listen to my leaders. As a district we knelt on the grass outside and prayed who is ready to be baptized in our area this weekend, three days! As Sister Adams offered the prayer a girls name came to mind, Michelle Zonga, a potential investigator. When the prayer ended I was like okay, lets go and talk to her! Elder Chaffin had said he was a bit ify but he felt the spirit. I knew in my heart I am called to serve and I am to do HIS work and if that means find someone to be baptized this weekend then I'm going to follow that counsel. As we ended our meeting I could tell Sister Adams was worried about who would be ready. Being new in the area she didn't feel anyone come to mind. Driving back to our area my heart and mind were going crazy and so worried, stressed, overwhelmed by the second! We drove into a chapel parking lot and sat there for like 30 minutes (I was working on the progress record for correlation that night). Who, who is ready? Willing and open. As I thought, Sister Adams was totally like naming of people and got nothing. Then Keoni and Tizi, in the Green Lead Apartments.....they need to be married before.....OH MY WORD! Their daughter Kiana! She is eight and has been there for lessons and had already said she wanted to be baptized. (Mind you Sister Adams is worried and unsure. Well me too but with a bit more hope.) We said quite a few prayers on the way! As we arrived to Keoni and Tizi's place they were walking out the door to take Keoni to work. We asked Tizi about Kiana being baptized and she was like yeah she wants to, she talks about it all the time! I'm totally freaking out inside with happiness, in fact I had to look at Sister Adams to ask Kiana because I could not talk! Ha. Kiana said yes, but Keoni had to work all day Saturday so we will do it Sunday. Elder Darker and Ackely have a baptism on Saturday morning at 10 am so we invited her to attend that to see what it will be like, they said yes and they were off! Yes, three hours later we had someone on date for Sunday to be baptized!!! We then contacted most of those in the 8th branch to inform them of this amazing news along with the ZL and DL!!! At correlation boy it went down. The ward mission leader went crazy and I just testified that Sister Adams and I prayed and this is what is going to happen, we need your faith and prayers!

You know when Heavenly Father wants to help you and also help you grow when you know deep in your heart it's going to be the hardest weekend of your mission!!! Short story long, Satan worked over time on Sister Adams and myself, and Kiana. She had a friend over for the weekend and she was not helping her have the spirit. So Friday we fasted, the lesson was hard to stay focused with Kiana's friend still there, and visiting others in the area. Saturday, we prayed every hour for her! We were held up by a train, and didn't know where the chapel was for the elders baptism....Kiana was iffy with doing it, she has stage fright! We talked to her but in all Tizi was more excited for her to do this than she was. We had the last lesson for Kiana with sticky note matching game for the baptismal questions, it was great! By Sunday we were like will this go through....? I don't want to push this on her just so we can say, 'Oh My Word it really happened!' I love her and only want what's best for her so Heavenly Father I'm having 5 times the faith I've had before and I need to know if what we are doing is right. If it's not, stop me! By Sunday He hadn't stopped us even with Satan getting in the way again!

All in all, the spirit filled the room as Kiana went into the water with her family watching this super big step for an 8 year old, parents not married, not members. My heart felt His Love for her! A choice daughter of God! Tears of happiness, joy. Eternal. I know her family will be baptized, we added them and will meet them on Tuesday to start their plan to be baptized! We had the FAITH IN HIM AND HIS WORK!!!! It's so true! I know it with all my heart! Being in the temple today was totally not for me but those I'm to share my light with! I felt so close to Heavenly Father and am grateful for His love for me and His children!

With all my Love, Your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

WOW. It takes time but blessings come!

Dearest Pratt Family,

What an amazing stressful week of yet again no one being home and people canceling appointments. By Thursday and Friday I was ready to give up but knew I couldn't. I wanted to go home and take a nap but I knew there were Heavenly Fathers children who needed to hear about the gospel this week. So I was obedient with Sister Adams and we drove out contacting our referrals and such.

Saturday we had J and A's baptism! WOW. The spirit was totally strong and I wish we told President Winn about it because of the sweet spirit which was felt! They are 11 years old and power flowed through them as you could feel their testimony. I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost and talked about how fish have to be strong in the waves. Listen to the Spirit and you can stay safe in the water and not washed up by the shore. I have them those Swedish fish! ;) L their dad is not a member but I told him, just because we taught your children the lessons doesn't mean you have taught them. The spirit was with me as I talked to him. I planted a seed and one day he will be baptized!

Being obedient means blessings! After the baptism we didn't have dinner because one of the wards just doesn't feed us! So we went out....I felt like we needed to see M. They opened their door and invited us to eat dinner! M had a friend over....one of our potential investigators who we have not meet yet, T!!!! Who knew we would have the opportunity to talk to two potential investigators at dinner which was not even planned?!!?! Do you think He knows me and Sister Adams? Our needs, desires?!!?! A super totally awesome YES!!! Blessings come we just have to wait a bit longer than we want!

Stake Conference in the Woods Cross North Stake. President Hill is just amazing! So loving and great! I loved going and calling the Bishops by their name!!! It's coming together but still not the roads! One day! Haha. The spirit at conference filled my heart! Seeing A sing in the primary choir and sitting by P who will be baptized by her grandson Z on the 23rd! WOW! I felt so blessed to have that experience.....Mother's day remind me to tell you about it! Oh and a couple gave a talk also. Brother and Sister Moody. Didn't think anything of it....then he sang a song.....wait! My heart filled with joy and aww. He knows me and loves me!

I was happy to see a letter from dad in the little package you sent with the family's letters! Loved! I was going to write to him this week! Dad has been on my mind and then to see the Moody's! Tender mercy with 5,000 warm fuzzies!!!!!!!!!!

How blessed am I! I truly love this gospel and know without a doubt it is true!

With all my love, your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Ps. Monday we played bowling with our Zone and guess who won the second game?!!?! Haha. I'm so good! But I felt bad for the Elders....! Oops!

Brother and Sister Moody

**Please Note: Brother and Sister Moody are our relatives. Brother Michael Finlinson Moody's mother and our father's mother are first cousins and were also great friends. Brother Michael Finlinson Moody writes music and has written a number of songs. Some include "Faith" which is in the LDS children's songbook, "This is the Christ" and "He sent His Son" which are in the LDS church hymnal and of course many more. Here is a link to his biography if you are interested in reading it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_F._Moody.**

“Faith,” Children’s Songbook of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 96–97

With conviction

1. Faith is knowing the sun will rise, lighting each new day.
Faith is knowing the Lord will hear my prayers each time I pray.
Faith is like a little seed:
If planted, it will grow.
Faith is a swelling within my heart.
When I do right, I know.

2. Faith is knowing I lived with God before my mortal birth.
Faith is knowing I can return when my life ends on earth.
Faith is trust in God above;
In Christ, who showed the way.
Faith is strengthened; I feel it grow
Whenever I obey.

Words: Beatrice Goff Jackson, b. 1943. © 1978 IRI

Music: Michael Finlinson Moody, b. 1941. © 1978 IRI

I have been given more FAITH.

Dearest Pratt Family,

You know when you are at the very bottom of your day and can't take another problem on....that was this week! I can't even count how many u-turns we made this week because I don't know the area! Mom, I love maps!!! Haha. But all is well and I have to not worry as much. Sister Adams is so patient with me and finding my way. I know where to go/what it looks like but have no clue what the numbers are 500 N 1163 S.....so odd! Why can't they be names?!!?!

Well all was great this week as I had lots of Faith that H's baptism would go well on Saturday. Sure enough we had it! She was so cute and happy! We had P and D come to see it! What a blessing! Also our Zone is totally on fire!!! We are having miracles all over and investigators all over wanting to meet with us! Prayer and Fasting helps!!!! C has stopped smoking and A and her brother J are all going to be baptized on this Saturday!!! WOW. Can this be?!!?! What more can I say when we get down the Lord is always there to lift us up! I know the atonement can change a life and we can become more like Him each day as we serve and love! Continue to follow Him.

Tears fell as I read your emails and letters this week! You all know me so well! He works through the sweet spirit that we have been so amazingly blessed with in our lives!!! I love each of you and am happy to continue to work on our goal of 7 baptisms this month! Lots of Prayer!!!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt