Hello from Lake Point Utah - Email from a Member

Hello,
My name is Jill Pearson and I live in the area where your daughter is serving her mission. Oh how we love her!!! and her companion, Sis. Cardon. They are so sweet, so hard working and have such a spirit about them. I love anytime I get to spend with them. So this morning, being the 4th of July, they attended a community breakfast that our stake puts on. They look so patriotic this morning that I took their picture and your daughter asked if I could send it to you. This afternoon they are having a mission wide activity in Bountiful and so I get to drive them to that.

So we live in Lake Point. I attached a couple pictures I took while ago of the area. It's a good, quiet, friendly place. The meadowlarks bring in the morning and the sunsets are fabulous over the Great Salt Lake.
My husband is the ward mission leader and I serve in Relief Society, so we get to work with the missionaries on a regular basis. Last week they were able to spend a few minutes at a Relief Society camp out with us - we just met at a sisters home and learned how to cook bread in a dutch oven and then sat around the campfire telling stories and visiting and eating smores and peach cobbler - but they stopped on their way home and got to visit a bit with us and share a little about themselves and we just love them! About a month ago I was able to drive Sis Pratt and Sis Mahterian to a zone activity at the Salt Lake City Cemetery - I will attach a few pics from that day as well.

When our son was serving a mission in Tennessee I loved being in contact with folks in the area where he was serving. Made me have more of a connection with what he was out in the mission field doing and I loved the people! We have 3 children - our son, who is married and attending BYU-I, a 19 year old daughter who will be leaving for her mission in Sept - going to Arkansas and a 13 year old daughter. We love the gospel of Jesus Christ, we believe in miracles and we love missionaries!
Have a great 4th of July!
Love,
Sister Jill Pearson

A dead end is just the beginning.

Dearest Family,

I'm so sorry I don't have too much time to write, with our mission split now missionaries are emailing me from the East! Haha. With the 4th of July our mission is having a party up in Bountiful!!! I know the best place ever!!!! So excited. We will meet President and Sister Hansen on Friday at our District Meeting! How amazing! Our mission is split today! Tear. But I'm so grateful for all your emails, pictures, letters in the mail, (mom you are so inspired when you write them!) But most of all, all of your prayers! As I have seen so many miracles before my mission and now during my mission ...... all the people I have talked to, 5 seconds or 35 minutes, they have changed my life.

This week Sister Cardon and I have learned so very much by listening to the Spirit! Sometimes you wonder why Heavenly Father had you go one way to find a dead end to go the other way and see the miracle. In that moment driving in our car I leaned on the wheel and said a silent prayer. I'm not giving up today Heavenly Father....where are we needed, who needs us? After a long day of a filled planner with no outcomes we drove to the LP area with the totes rundown trailers. Don't worry, we prayed for safety and charity. Ha. Sister Cardon and I know that as we meet with the Bishops we find success in the less active's and see a big tender mercy. We were able to talk to Mark and his boys and a friend who is not a member. Who knew that it took us listening to the spirit at the beginning of the day to find the answer to our prayers at the end. Heavenly Father knows us. When we can't go all the way we take it a day at a time, or maybe even an hour at a time! How grateful I am for the signs as we pass by that say, 'Watering Hole - 7 miles ahead' He gives us help and it was in the Ensign that I read a talk that talked about that a little bit! As we understand we can teach others and connect to their spirits and help them remember, you already know this. Missionaries, active members help others remember what they already knew when they lived with our Heavenly Father before this life. We need to be worthy of the spirit to have the spirit guide our lives!

I asked Elder Hansen and Wampler our zone leader's for a blessing. I don't know what was going on but Elder Hansen had one spiritual moment while giving the blessing. And I would love to have a few stories from dad about our ancestors with faith. How great is our heritage! The gospel does bless families! In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Please pray for Sariah on date of the 20th now. Kapree on date for 13th and Mohan on date for 27th. Also Cathy, Robert and Ruthie. Their family is so strong and is going to church! We taught them Lesson 2 last night and invited them to be baptized on July 21st. Cathy said she has already been baptized Baptist. It's the priesthood authority, that makes it different!

Ps. Happy Belated Birthday Mom!!! I'm so happy you had a totes awesome birthday with a dinner, going to the temple and the 5K! I was cheering for you!!!

Pss. Family time is the best! I hope the Jones fam has fun in Idaho! And Clyde and fam enjoy the beautiful Ohio! Give them lots of hugs for me!!!!

I got an email from Sister Martin! She is just wonderful!
'Well as of today I am officially in the WA, Federal Way Mission! Still in Puyallup, WA and I am loving it here. The work is slow but we have one progressing investigator in a singles ward and we will ave to see how it goes! :) My comp and I are the best! :) She is also from UT and we have fun every single day. I just love you and look at how far you have come! I am so proud of you and I love you to pieces! :)
Love, Sister Martin'

Sister Pratt - Email from a Member

Dear Pratt Family,

We had the privilege of having your lovely daughter in our home for dinner tonight. She is a delightful missionary. We enjoyed getting to know her and her companion. We wanted to share some photos. Thank you for sending such a prepared missionary to our area. We are so happy that she is serving here. She is so fun and is doing great work. She is an awesome missionary!!

Bless you,
The Roberts Family
Stansbury Park, UT

We love missionaries!!! Sabrina, Sister Roberts, Sister Cardon, Sister Pratt, Reggie, Veronica

Silly Face :)

Brother Roberts, Sabrina, Sister Cardon, Sister Pratt, Reggie, Veronica

June 23, 2013

This is Presidents last letter! So tender and wanted you to see how amazing he really is!!!!
Loves! Sister Pratt

Sunday, 23 June 2013 Sarah Jane Pratt

Dear Elders and Sisters,

This will be my last letter to you. I want each of you to know how much we love you and have been blessed for having served with you here in the greatest mission in the Church. We have loved every minute and will always remember the great experiences we have shared together. As we leave I want to share my testimony of the reality of a loving Heavenly Father, the divinity of his Son Jesus Christ and the truthfulness of the restoration of the Gospel. Like you, I am a Disciple of Jesus Christ.

I have learned many things from you. You are a very special group of spirits, save for these latter-days and foreordained to usher in the second coming of the Savior. Your lives will be forever blessed by your service here in the mission. That one single decision to serve a mission will have a more profound effect on your eternal destiny than any other decision save who you will marry. Make sure you serve well, for the time can never be recovered.

Give up your personal interests for these two years and yield your hear to God. Do things His way and not your way. Own your obedience and never be distracted by other missionaries. Be proud of being a Preach My Gospel missionary. Exercise the faith to baptize every week. Work in concert with your local priesthood leaders and build up the Kingdom of God. Be happy and love the work. Only then will you find true joy and happiness on your mission.

I will read your letters this week before we leave. We know you will support and sustain the new mission presidents as you have us.We leave you with our love, our prayers, our faith and blessing as you serve the remainder of your mission. Serve the rest of your mission so that when we see each other again you can look me in the eye and tell me you served with all your heart.

We love you,

President and Sister Winn

Transfers, Stansbury Park, UT Sister Cardon!

Dearest Pratt Family,

What a crae, awesome, like totes inspired week! Have I told you that I just love serving a mission with all my heart and know I'm to be here?!!?! Because I know this gospel of Jesus Christ is for true! And Heavenly Father loves us!

As Sister M and I went on the last few days together I really didn't know what would be happening but it was all for a reason. We got the call Tuesday morning and Sister M was leaving and I'm staying!!! (Just so y'all know I'm like totes the best packer ever!!!! Sister M's clothes fit perfectly in her suitcases! ;) I was so proud of myself for not crying when she left. I think it gets easier as I leave more companions. But I have missed her odd jokes and go go attitude! The girl who's Jewish, went to a Catholic school, is on a mission and has turrets! She is so cute with her bun on the top of her head! Haha.

Transfer meeting was a bit sad for us all. It's President and Mama Winn's last meeting! They were able to bear such strong testimonies and I know that we are in this mission for a reason. As Sister Winn stood up she looked our at all of us missionaries, some going home, lots staying and 43 new missionaries sitting behind her (13 are visa waiters) and said, 'I'm capturing this moment in my mind forever!' I know I was prepared in the pre Earth life. I felt the spirit tell me that I was prepared to be on a mission right now in this time in my life. Heavenly Father does not make Mistakes!

As I looked on the poster board of who my companion would be I didn't even know the Sister! Haha. Then she came up to me and said, 'Sister Pratt I wanted to be your companion!' and then we have each other a hug! In my mind I was thinking the same thing, I remember when Sister Cardon came in last transfer. She is a trial missionary so I'm finishing her last 6 week training just like I did for Sister Martin!!! She is the sweetest thing ever and is from Bountiful!!! How much happier could I be?!!?! (You know Ester Christensen from Perrysburg in our Stake? She reminds me of her and AM!!! Adorbs!!!)

In the back of my mind I knew Wednesday would be hard but I had to put on a happy face. Sister Yates went home....I don't know how to feel but I can tell you I love her so very much! She is my very best Friend! She taught me like totes a lot and am so grateful for her love! I gave her so many hugs!!!!! <3 Her parents are the best! and her sisters. I love her family! It was hard leaving the meeting because most of the missionaries I have served with are now in the East Mission.....I'm still in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission!!! But I can write them now!!!! Sister Hansen is in the East Mission now too. That was like triple hard to say goodbye to her. MTC Comps for life!

As Sister Cardon and I have been able to serve these couple of days together my heart has been so full of love and happiness! We work so well together! She is like totes like me but 19 years old!!! As we went to visit the Bishops in our Stake we asked for 3-5 hardcore Less Active's. Bishop Stinagle said that there is a street that he wants to visit and felt strongly about it....Well we took the opportunity to be prayerful and drive down the street to know who need us at that moment. It was around 3ish pm and as we drove we both looked to our right and saw an older man on his porch. Yep, lets talk to him!We did a U turn and parked on the side of the road. I'll have to write you to explain it's long but we followed the Spirit and know we were to be there with Ray who has been Less Active for over 50 years! We read with him, and I asked if we could come back next week - same time, same place?! Ray said okay and we smiled!!!

On Sunday we went to the Stansbury Lake ward! So amazing! We went to sit by Janny and she is doing well! And Dekota was there!!!!!!!! We are helping him receive the priesthood and he has missed two Sundays but he was in a full suit and we invited him to sit by us! We may not of had any investigators at church but both Sister Cardon and I felt their spirits!!!

The Broadcast was just the best! Ward Mission Leader's pick up the work with working with the Ward Council and us missionaries!!!! Sister Cardon and I had saved the first three rows in the chapel so we could sit by the Bishops in our stake and President Child! So we greeted all who came and when we saw the bishops we invited them to sit up front! Awesome, I know! It was so great to have that unity in the Leadership! Ps. President and Sister Child live right by us and they are just wonderful!

Cathy, Robert and Ruthie had the first lesson last night! They are so strong and will be baptized this transfer for sure! When we bear our testimony the spirit is felt and we are able to know that God loves us!

Also Sariah is just wonderful! We were able to read the Book of Mormon with her and it was just great! Pray that she will be able to be baptized on July 6th!

This work is moving forward and I'm so happy and excited as well as humbled to be apart of it! I know this life is the time to prepare to meet God so we need to do our very best to keep the commandments and Choose the Right! Have a totes awesome week!

Love your daughter and little sister,
Sister Sarah Jane Pratt

Sister Pratt and Sister Cardon

Sister Yates and Sister Pratt

Pictures!

Sister Pratt had dinner in a members home and they sent us pictures!

Heart throbbing, Faith promoting week!

Happy Father's Day!

Dad, James and Andrew, one day!

Dearest Pratt Family,

This week has been a joy to see the positive tender mercies and blessings in my life and in others! So Tuesday evening we went out and worked! We have been looking in the area book for new investigators but no one is interested or ready I guess, so Sister M and I prayed to have a miracle Baptism this past weekend...Wyatt Thomson! He is the cutest 12 year old ever so since one of our Ward Mission Leader's is like totes awesome and had exchanges for both of us that night and we were able to have 12 withs!!! Crae, Crae!!!!! The spirit was so tender as Sister Matthews and I talked to Wyatt and I know he will be baptized one day! His parents are divorced. His mom and step dad are active and supportive, but his dad won't let him get baptized until he is 16 years old....He has asked his dad before but got shot down. But get this! Wyatt has been praying for his dad's heart to be softened and he hasn't exercised his faith and ask him again! Who knew! So I challenged him to pray for the courage to ask his dad to be baptized!

Wednesday was just as awesome! We went on a field trip to the Utah Cemetery! Kind of odd I know but it was awesome! To think of all that the Prophets went through just for us to be here! The impact they have on a family. As we saw President Hinckley's grave we shared what we remember most, Temples everywhere! The 6 B's! His happy smile and waving his cane! Then I was the one that thought of his Book of Mormon challenge! That for me changed our family! I totes disliked reading and it was so hard but to know that we accomplished it was the best! We didn't argue as much, we loved more and were happy when the hard times came! Reading the Book of Mormon held our family together!

That evening Sister M and I were on exchanges again and it was super! I was with Sister Heaton who had never went out before...not very many people were home but that was okay we stayed happy and positive! She told me, 'You talk to people like you know them and aren't afraid to bring up the church! You're happy!' Haha. Well it comes with time! I was a member missionary once and know that it's hard to talk to your friends and family but when the spirit is with you, you can't stop it! Sharing the gospel is like totes the best! I was able to help strengthen both of out faith that night! And Sister M had a wonderful time with her sister, Visiting Teaching is so important! You never know the difference you make in someone's life by dropping off a little gift at the door! Years later this sister found out that the sister she visit taught kept all the gifts and notes and is now active in the church!

Thursday we went to T2 (Temple Square!) with Aryana! It was so amazing to help her look at the Christus and feel out Heavenly Father's love. I don't know if it was for Aryana or her mom. She had lots of questions and I know we were to be there on T2 having that lesson! I went out with Sister Jones! She is so full of faith! I felt bad I didn't really know where we were needed that evening so we pulled over and said a prayer! Have I ever said that Heavenly Father loves us?!!?! Because He does! She told me, 'You, Sister Pratt, listen to the spirit and I'll take you where he tells you to go!' Then we ended our evening with a less active family, Jamie and Rob! WOW! It all clicked for Rob and I know the spirit was there! He can overcome his addictions and return to the temple with his family! Reading the Book of Mormon with the family was so good!

Friday was our last District Meeting so we had a Pizza Party!!!!!!! Haha. Thursday night I made puppy chow! Sister M and I were just eating it like nobody's business! Haha. I was like, 'we should totes keep this for us!' Sister M said, 'oh yeah!' and then as we kept eating more of it I said, 'NO we have to have the others have this because we're going to get fat!' Hahaha.

Saturday was relaxed and low. The weather was just amazing we went out walking for the evening and a little boy gave us a polar pop!!!!! Ps. those are so good! Haha.

Then for Sunday!!! Father's Day, and I have sent out a card for dad that I made! LOVE YOU DAD!!!!! What a sweet feeling it was to have things click with me, our investigators and my family! All three sacrament meetings were wonderful! Dads, young men, Grandpas, they all have the potential of being or are worthy Priesthood holders! It's a calling to obey and truly be a Disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ! Be worthy of it! I know why I'm here on a mission and I'm so grateful for all your support and love, your quiet prayers are heard and I know all will be well! Keep holding onto the iron rod and look to the Temple!

Transfers are on Wednesday and I still don't know what's going on! Sister M's pretty for sure nervous. She doesn't have to tell me! I remember my first Transfer and I know it was the best! She is recovered and just has a scar from the incision on her neck! She makes me laugh in little ways and I totes love her! Maybe we will be together for another transfer?!

Have a super awesome week! And I love the pictures of Little Liam and James, you're totes awesome! Ha. and the Father's day pics, Super cute! Ps. AM, I want that dress so bad!!!! Haha. I hope AP is taking it easy with his leg. CB, all will work out! Love you! So little time and so much to talk about! I'll for sure write to you all this week!

Oh look on Facebook for Deseret Book or Deseret Credit.....we were interviewed for a Father's Day clip!

Love your daughter and little sister,

Sister Sarah Jane Pratt