Mission Tour!!!--Elder Corbridge

 Forgot to tell you we would be
> emailing on Tuesday this week! Sorry about that. This
> morning it was storming and our power went out for a bit so
> now it's a cool 90 degrees! This is week 11 of training! Do
> you know what that means? It means I lead out the area! It's
> pretty slow going especially because we're on bikes but
> better now than when Sister Clemens is back home! This week
> has been full of trainings! This mission is a pilot mission
> for iPads so some people from SL came to observe how things
> are going. Last Tuesday Sister Clemens trained at the DL
> training. She's such a powerful teacher! I am so sad to see
> her go so soon but I know she has trained me well! Sunday
> was crazy busy! It usually is because we cover two wards...
> I never would have thought that I would love 5 hours of
> church! In one of the wards Sister Clemens and I were asked
> to share our testimonies on member missionary work. Best
> topic ever! Because there is not such thing as a "U.S. and
> "them" mentality, everyone can do it! Later we were able to
> go to the Mission President's Devotional that's held once a
> month on ASU campus. It was my first one and they're the
> best! Normally you get to go if you have a investigator or
> LARC but because it's Sister Clemens last one we got to go.
> Our teaching pool is pretty good! Better in one ward than
> the other (I won't say which one) but we had a few
> investigators at church on Sunday! Actually, we have had FHE
> with our neighbor a couple times now and we're "practicing
> teaching" him. He does his homework! (AKA commitments) He
> was a school teacher in NJ for 32 years so he knows all
> about that. Anyways the first time he said "I've always been
> catholic and I always will be" and both Sister Clemens and I
> were thinking "No ya won't!" He's awesome! Well yesterday
> was the best part of the whole week! It was the Mission
> Tour! Elder Corbridge from the 70 came and trained us all
> day! I took too many notes to share all of them with you but
> I will choose a couple! I know those catchy one liners
> always resonate with me so I have one for ya'll!
> "Selflessness is in your greatest self interest" I know this
> is true! The more I serve others and turn outwards the
> happier I am! Sister Clemens always uses the analogy of
> building a puzzle and it isn't until we help someone else
> that Heavenly Father can then help us on ours. I want to end
> with this though: Make whatever sacrifices needed to keep
> the spirit in our lives. Now, more than ever, this is true!
> The adversary knows each of us individually but if we are
> striving to keep our baptismal covenants we are promised
> "that they may have his spirit to be with them." I love this
> gospel with all my heart and I'm so grateful for this time a
> have to be a disciple of my Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you
> for all the love and support, it means the world to me! I
> love all of you!
>
> Love, Sister Eaton

Becoming Truly Converted

What a crazy week it has been! Next week will be even crazier because we are having a mission tour. That means that Elder Corbridge, the area 70, is coming to train and assess the mission. On Tuesday we had our zone meeting. The zone leaders and Sister Clemens did great on their trainings! A brief recap: We must align our will with God's will. And in 2 Nephi 27:23 "..I am a God of miracles; ...and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith." and in Helaman 5:12 when our foundation is built upon Christ it is "a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." If we want to teach with authority the only way to do that is through the spirit. The spirit acts as a sealer. This week there was also a new missionary [6 and 12 week] training! Something I have learned this week is to become truly converted it takes commitment every single day and giving up my will. It's difficult at times (all the time really) to be patient with the Lord and His plan for me but I know that it's through my diligence and faithfulness that miracles will come! So on Saturday Sister Clemens and I and the sisters we live with didn't have dinners so we pulled together some food and made a awesome dinner! On a less exciting note... I walked into the bathroom this week and there was a scorpion!!! That's the third one we have had in our house the past two months! I was calling for Sister Clemens for what seemed like forever and she came and killed it for me! It didn't help that it was right before bed.. oh man those things are nasty! Well that's all for this week! I love you all!

Love, Sister Eaton

street contacts came to church!! :D

I can't believe how fast time flies! Like always it was a very busy week and quite eventful! So our investigator Libby is/was on date to be baptized for August 8. I'm not sure how much I've talked about her but she's in a care center with a member, Marlene. Well they quickly became the best of friends and everything was going great! We planned to go to the visitor center at the Mesa temple on Saturday and everyone was so excited. When we got there to pick them up Libby's whole demeanor had changed. Marlene, very candidly (which she does so well), said Libby isn't getting baptized. We didn't know what went down but we were trying to keep them calm and fill out the situation. Libby kept saying she didn't want to go and that she was torn. We asked her how she felt when we come by and when she comes to church and she feels good. We know she loves taking the sacrament and how family oriented the church. We didn't end up going to the visitor center but we later found out that her and Marlene had a tiff... over perfume... that Denis (a resident) gave to Marlene! Marlene shared with Libby and she didn't want to give it back and Marlene was heart broken and now Libby doesn't want to get baptized. BUT Heavenly Father always has a plan! Turns out that Libby isn't quite ready to be baptized and had this not happened we would have gone through with it. So this is the part where miracles happen! Last week Sister Clemens and I were riding down the street and stopped by a lady that was waiting on her bike for her daughter. So of course we introduce ourselves and ask if she wants to hear a message about Christ. She reluctantly said yes and then her daughter rides up. So they're watching this short clip of Christ and when it finished we invited them to church. She has four kids and they just moved from a reservation in Gila River and she said she was looking for a church... this is what every missionary wants to hear! We told her what time our church starts and that a member will be by to pick her up. THEY ALL CAME!!!!  A street contact came to church! It was such a great day! I want to end with this thought: "If you hold to the rod you can feel your way forward with the gift of the Holy Ghost" -Elder Packer. I know that this gospel is true! My mission has tested my patience in every aspect but I know I have and will continue to grow because of it. The more I develop a attitude of gratitude that happier I am. I love you all! 

Love, Sister Eaton

Investigator on for August 8th

It's been a crazy week! On Tuesday we had our last district meeting before transfers on Thursday! I had the best district leader but he's dead now! (No worries he's still alive he just went home) He talked about testimonies and how it takes a act of faith to grow your testimony. It's so true! I was reading in Alma 32 this week and it's all about nourishing our seed until it blooms and eventually becomes a tree that produces delicious fruit! On Wednesday we were invited to attend the new missionary meeting that's held at the mission home and we get to meet all the new missionaries! I know very redundant but I got my point across. The spirit was so strong and I learned so much! A couple thoughts from the meeting: Faith doesn't always mean that the mountains will move and that oceans will part but that we continue regardless steadfast with our faith unshaken. And second the more obedient we are to the commandments the Lord has given the happier we will be! Thursday was transfers! Sister Clemens and I are staying! We were so happy because this is her last transfer and that means she gets to finish training me! Next transfer will be tough saying by to my mom (aka my trainer) but she is a great teacher and that's not for a while so we'll not think about that! Our investigator is on date for August 8! She is such a sweet lady and is so ready. Being a missionary is the greatest thing ever, I love it so much! You are in a refiners fire but God watches out for us. Thank you for all the love and support! I love you all! 

Love, Sister Eaton

Last week of 1st Transfer! Ya buddy!

This week we were able to go to the Mesa temple! I love the peace that comes from going and I'm so grateful we have one near by that we get to go to! This week in district meeting my district leader talked about being self-correcting people. There's a awesome talk "As Many as I love, I Rebuke and Chasten" by D. Todd Christofferson. To become great we must first go through the refiners fire. We should all be anxiously engaged in a good cause and striving to come closer to Christ. I'm so grateful for the atonement and the opportunity we all have to try again. We were able to watch Boyd K. Packers funeral. It was a great service. President Monson said a few words. He is aging quite fast! I love him so much! Transfers are on Thursday! We find out on Tuesday where we will be going but I'm pretty sure Sister Clemens and I will be staying. This will be her last transfer and I'm only half way done with training. Time flys over here! But the saying "days feel like weeks and weeks feel like days" couldn't be more true! I'm so grateful for this opportunity I have to serve! I love you all! 

Love, Sister Eaton

Crazy Church & World Changes!!!!

I can't believe everything that has happened sense I have left for my mission! It began with Elder Perry passing, then the legalization of gay marriage, and lastly Elder Packer passing! This will be one exciting general conference in October! On Tuesday President Toone got the mission together and we discussed that, as representatives of the church, regardless of our personal opinion, "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children." Because I'm a missionary, and my purpose as a missionary is to invite, I invite all to read The Family: A Proclamation to the World. Study it. Memorize it if you will. Make it apart of you! I know that God is very award of each of us and how we feel. He has a plan for everyone of His children. I know my will is not always God's will but it is my constant goal to make God's will mine. I know when I do that is when I'm happiest.

I went on splits for the first time! Although it was not over night (because there are no other sisters in my zone to go on splits with) it was still fun to go on visits with the Relief Society president. We stopped by a old ladies house, Jodi Thompson, and she's not a member but Sister Clemens and I have stopped by before to check on her. She has dementia but is the cutest thing ever! 

Lastly, we have this investigator Jordan, who we street contacted. He wanted to know how God fit into his life. We met with him and had an amazing lesson on the restoration but the worst part is we haven't been able to contact him sense! We're trying not to be the clingy GF but it's super hard when their salvation is on line! But like I said earlier, Heavenly Father has a plan for each of us, Jordan included. Thank you for all the love and support!

Love, Sister Eaton

Summer Heat!

HUBBUB: aka dust storm They are so crazy!!! It was about 100 degrees with 45 mph wind and
dust everywhere! There's a bunch of static in the air so you have to get inside but fortunately for
my comp and I we were close to the church! It last for a little over a hour... lets just say 
missionaries don't do so well with extra time on their hands. I know the Lord watches over His 
missionaries because it shouldn't be possible to ride a bike in 110+ weather but all you know is 
that it's hot out and you have work to do, so you just do it! My comp did get two flat tires this

week but the work goes on! 

This was a tough week of teaching. We're doing lots of finding and the best way to do that is visit
the members to strengthen those relationships so that they give us referrals. The lesson in relief 
society yesterday was about the adversary. Satan works so hard and my comp and I saw it this 
week but we gave everything we had and I know that's all the Lord asks of us. I know the Lord is 
with me every step of the way and He has a plan [most often it's not my plan... It usually requires a
lot of patience and faith which are not the easiest for me] but I know that when I do fall short the 
atonement of Jesus Christ is always there. It's also there for the best of times. My companion and I 
have been studying the plan of salvation this week which is a great reminder that our Heavenly Father 

knows each of us individually and that He loves us unconditionally. I love this gospel and I'm so grateful 
for this time I have to serve God and be a representative of Jesus Christ. Thank you for all the love and 
support! 

Love, Sister Eaton