General Conference is Coming



Date: September 26, 2011

Area: Jamiaca, Queens

Companions - Sister Lambert, Sister Hughes

Dear Family,

How are you? My week has been absolutely wonderful! Have I ever told you how much I LOVE the mission!?! Well I do :) Seriously it is like the coolest thing ever!! I can not think of a neater thing than being able to share this sweet message of the restored gospel and the atonement - the sacrifice of our Savior to the people here of New York. Honestly this is a privilage and I thank my Heavenly Father every day for this opportunity that I have to be here blessing the lives of the people here in New York!

I have been truly humbled this week as my companions and I have focused more on the atonement. The atonement is so real and I feel so blessed to be able to teach the people here of New York about the sacred sacrifice that our savior made for us. We have been trying to build our investigators faith in our savior Jesus Christ. One of our investigators does not truly believe that Jesus Christ died for him. And this just breaks my heart. As a missionary I hope that I can do my best to explain and to let people know that Jesus Christ did in reality die for each and every one of us. He suffered more than we can even begin to comprehend. But that is the beauty of the atonement.

11 And he shall go forth, suffering pains and ^aafflictions and ^btemptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will ^ctake upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. 12 And he will take upon him ^adeath, that he may ^bloose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to ^csuccor his people according to their infirmities.
 13 Now the Spirit ^aknoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the ^bflesh that he might ^ctake upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.

Through the atonement of our savior Jesus Christ we can become more like him. We are all imperfect, and it has been made aparent to me on the mission that I have a LOT to work on. There are so many areas in which I need to improve- however I am SO thankful for this opportunity to truly humble myself and let the lord mold and shape me into the person that HE wants ME to become. I also have been studying Charity - the pure love of Christ. I am so thankful for the opportunity that we have to learn things and have these experiences in our lives and I am so thankful for those hard times - because in those hard times is when we become more humble and allow the lord to work through us to help others and also to better ourselves. Without Charity we are nothing- as it says in the scriptures. However I am so thankful for the PERFECT example of Charity - our Savior. I have fallen more and more in love with the scriptures and the chance that we have to learn from them to ultimately become who the Lord would have us become. I love the scripture that everyone reads when talking about Charity- Moroni 7:45-48

 45 And ^acharity suffereth long, and is ^bkind, and ^cenvieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily ^dprovoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
 46 Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—
 47 But ^acharity is the pure ^blove of Christ, and it endureth ^cforever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.

 I love that if we want to have more charity all we have to do is ask for it. And when we ask for more charity the lord does not just automatically give us charity, but what he does is put instances and opportunitys by which we can use charity and inturn develop charity. I have seen such a big difference as I have prayed for Charity and the lord has truly blessed me with opportunitys and I have seen an increase. We can do that with any christ like attribute and I love that. If we want to be more kind, more meek, more submissive, more humble- all that we have to do is ASK! If we ask the lord  with a sincere heart he will grant that unto us.

    Did you just LOVE the relief Society Broadcast??!! It was like BETTER than Christmas! Ha I was SO excited?!?! My companions were like Hermana Gray Calm down :) I can NOT WAIT for conference! We are so blessed to listen to the words of our dear prophet and his apostles and other leaders. To be able to listen to what the lord would have us hear. I invite you to invite everyone to watch General Conference. Go to Lds.org and watch it! You will love it! Invite a friend, it can bless their life.

I am so thankful for the atonement - our saviour and all that he did for us. For without the saviour none of us can make it back to live with our Father in Heaven. Christ is the way and the ONLY way. I am so thankful for this gospel and the chance that I have to share it in SPANISH with the people of NY!

I hope that you all enjoy confernce! 5 days in counting :)

Hope you all enjoy it at the conference center! I am jealous :)

Always remember that you are loved and that you are a Child of God!

Love,.

Hermana Gray

“The commandment given by the Savior was to love others and yourself. Am I secure enough in my love of myself to laugh at myself, to admit mistakes, to graciously accept a compliment? Am I secure in my love of others to smile and say hello to a perfect stranger?”

James E. Faust, “The Value of Self-Esteem,” CES fireside for young adults, May 6, 2007

Topics: Love, Charity

LOVE NY

Date: September 19, 2011
Area: Jamiaca, New York

Companions - Sister Lambert, Sister Hughes

Dear Family,

Ok so not much time and so much to write. Where to begin. Well on Preparation day my companions and I went to Flushing. Which is like an entirely different world. ha Chinese people EVERYWHERE! We went to eat some Sushi which was absolutely delicious. Althought poor little Hermana Hughes I know would beg to differ :) Anyways then we were able to go into Manhattan on Wednesday because one of my companions had to go to a doctors appoinment. Well lets just say it was wonderful! I love love Manhattan. I even finally saw a Taxi with a Mormon.org sign on it. It was wonderful!  It amazes me how literally people come to New York from ALL around the world!!!

As you can see from some of the pictures we were able to do an amazing service project on Thursday. We were able to go as an entire mission to New Jersey. As you know about 2 weeks ago we had a hurrican come through here. As New York did not get too damaged, although New Jersey got destroyed! So we met up with the missionarys in New Jersey - recieved our Mormon Helping hands t-shirts and got to work. ( I have secretely ALWAYS wanted one of those tshirts haha ) anyways we were able to help out and split up into groups. So we were paired up with some of the New Jersey missionarys and were assigned a house. We were to help this man Carlos. He lives in the basement of his mothers house and during the hurricane his ENTIRE house had been flooded with water up to the top. It was heart breaking, he lost EVERYTHING! We worked for over 12 hours getting EVERYTHING out of his house and putting it out on the lawn and also we broke his walls down with hamers and tore furniture out. It was such a humbling experience, and just was another reminder how much material things do not matter, but that the gospel does and that if we hold strong to the gospel we can ultimately be happy- even when things like natural dissaster happen. He began asking questions about our church and what we did as missionarys. Carlos was such a humble man and more than thankful for our help. It was a wonderful experience and really taught be about humility as Carlos was the perfect example of humility.

We have met some really solid people this week. We have found this building that we like to call the "Miracle Building". The reason being because almost every single apartment that we know had let us inside. We were able to teach a lot of first lessons- it was been a wonderful week!

We were able to get the little girls to Church this week :) We were able to take the bus to church. The little girls LOVED it! They are ages 12, 10 and 8. I love those girls SO much! They said that they wanted to be missionarys and even took our name tags. When people would ask Esfany what her name was she would quickly respond - " Hermana Gray"!

Well be strong! This gospel is true! Not much time left but know that I love you! and if we always hold tight to the iron rod we will be blessed! This church is true!

Love Hermana Gray

Lovely Jamaica :)

Date: September 12, 2011

Area: Jamiaca, Queens
Companions - Sister Lambert, Sister Hughes

Dear Family,

I hope that you had a wonderful week :) I know that I sure did. The mission is seriously amazing! Honestly there is NOTHING like it! There is NO greater joy than that of bringing others unto christ, really there isnt. I have love love LOVED personal study time on the scriptures. I have learned more than I ever thought I could. Especially out of the Book of Mormon it is incredible!! I love being able to study for more than just to study, as we know that on a mission you are always doing things for others. You plan for your investigators, you pray for your investigators, you study for your investigators. We are always in the service of others, and I love it! Dad I always remember you telling us kids that when we feel bad for ourselves to go and serve someone else and that it would make us happier! Well that is 100% true! Whenever I get down about an investigator or whatever I just do as President Hinckleys father said , " Forget yourself and go to work" It is really when we loose ourselves in the work when we find ourselves and I have seen that so many times on the mission! It is so neat that we have the opportunity to sit and talk with and teach people everyday.

I love being able to contact people especially on the bus. I am in like EVERY country all at the same time. One person gets on the train and I talk to them and they are from the Trinidad, then another France, and then another Russia,Spain, Italy, Mexico, Iran, Iraq...and the list goes on and on. I feel so privilaged to be able to bring this gospel to the whole world really :)

Ok so during this week we had the opportunity to go and visit Hermana Munoz - She is an 84 year old who is not doing too well health wise. So we go and visit her a lot. She has a home care attendant that is always there so we were able to teach her the first lesson and teach her about Joseph Smiths experience. When we told her that Joseph Smiths prayer was answered - which was him wanting to know out of ALL of the churches which church was true. She began frantically searching the bible and the Book of Mormon for the answer. Ha then we were able to tell her that his answer was that NONE of the churches were true, and that he needed to restore the same church back onto the earth that was here while Jesus was on the earth. She loved it! And she said " I am going to read the Book of Mormon, even before we asked her! She is excited to meet with the missionarys in Brooklyn.

We were able to teach this family of 6 kids the Gutierez family. They are the funniest kids and have the attention span of.....well ZERO! haha so you can imagine how this lesson went... it was so funny and all of the kids had soooo many questions. We were in the middle of the lesson when all of a sudden the little boy Bryan got up and got the door and said that
there were two Elders here....we were super confused--haha and the Elders from Little neck showed up.. Turns out that we had our areas confused and it was actually their area. It actually worked out perfectly because we had to run to another lesson and so they were able to finish it :) I love that family!

We had a really good lesson with Armando about the Word of Wisdom, we took away his cigarettes and coffee. He is doing good and continuing to come to church on Sunday so that is a wonderful sign.

On Saturday they had a little Carnival/booth fair thing for September 11th memorial in Richmond Hill. So we were able to set up a booth with Book of Mormons and the "I am a Mormon" Sign and able to give away cards. Dad I found a Family from CHILE!! They were SO nice and they said that they actually had a Book of Mormon and that they once had missionarys over at their house. So I got their information and am going to give it to the Elders in Richmond hill!

We also were able to have a lesson with Ana Rivas about Sacrifice, we read from our heritage and talked about all of the sacrifices that they had to make. The spirit was SO strong in that room and I know that everyone felt it.

Sunday was lovely! Church was wonderful! We had a high council man come and talk and we had two baptisms. They were both from the primary...One of them was this little boy named Alex who Hermana Alvarado and I had taught all of the lessons to. It was such a spiritual experience. I love seeing little children entering into the waters of baptism. I love being able to feel how much their father in Heaven really does love and care for each and every one of his Children.

Okay well I do not have much time. but I want each of you to know how much I LOVE YOU!

This is his work and his glory! This church is God's Kingdom on the Earth, I feel so blessed that the lords trust me to teach the people of NY!

Keep being amazing!!

I love you
Hermana Gray

“Faith precedes the miracle. It has ever been so and shall ever be. It was not raining when Noah was commanded to build an ark. There was no visible ram in the thicket when Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Two heavenly personages were not yet seen when Joseph knelt and prayed. First came the test of faith–and then the miracle. Remember that faith and doubt cannot exist in the same mind at the same time, for one will dispel the other. Cast out doubt. Cultivate faith.”
( “The Call to Serve,” Ensign, Nov. 2000, 48–49.)

Tranfer Three

Date: September 06, 2011
Area: Jamaica, New York
Companions - Sister Lambert, Sister Hughes


Dear Family!

Man oh man! Time needs to sloooow down! Time on the mission is a funny thing! It just goes WAY to fast! I still can not believe that I am on Translado Three!! Ok so we had transfers and I recieved two new wonderful Companions! Hermana Lambert and Hermana Hughes! They are both from Utah and I LOVE THEM! I was a little nervous having to take over the Area - Jamaica! But I know how to do one thing! And that is to Work Hard :) And they are ready to work too!


Ok so first adventure of the transfer :) We were getting on the Subway and Hermana Lambert proceeded to "fearless" ( that means just talking to anyone and everyone we see and give them a pass a long card or such) anyways so she began talking to this lady and she was from Bangladesh and she was a Muslim. Before we knew it this lady insisted that we came to her house for lunch! Hahaa So what do we do?? GO over there of Course :) hehe So we follow this lady and we are in Rego Park and she leads us into her humble abode. She then told us to sit down while she brought us some food! Boy was I scared....as to what food she was going to feed us :) Well I felt like a little kid in Elementary School on the Cartoons where they just SPLASH some goo on your plate! Yup thats what It was! Some mushy noodles stuff with some sort of Raisin thing inside....haha and then she gave us some hot dog buns that were put in the toaster! haha oh man My companions and I just laughed as we tried to swallow down thing mush thing.... Too good! Dad you should be proud! I ate the ENTIRE plate :) haha Prayer works thats all I have to say! We then were able to share with her about the Book of Mormon. I am not sure she quite understood the fact that we were missionarys nor understood our message, however we read from the Book of Mormon and she was MORE Than happy to listen and have us over :) oooo let the fun begin!


This week was Just INCREDIBLE if I do not say so myself! Full of teaching and finding! We had more members present this week than any other week on my mission which was wonderful! Member work is the KEY!!!! I absolutely LOVE my ward! They feel like my family :) They seriously just take SO good of care of the missionarys!


We were able to teach Armando again this week and he wanted to know how he could feel the same joy that we felt! Well Baptism! He is so excited and is continuing to read every day! He came to church on Sunday all by himself!


So you remember those three little girls and their dad whom we were teaching!?! Well we were able to teach them twice this past week and invited them to be baptized and they accepted! We had a family home evening this week with the girls. and one of the girls name is Ruth Mary and she is 12! I have never met a 12 year old with SUCH A high level of comprehension of the Scriptures! This girl has got it down! She is always like "PLEASE PLEASE let me explain!" This girl is amazing! She always makes sure to help her sisters when it comes time to saying th prayer. I love the fact that we are all able to kneel down as a family with them and pray. There is just such power and unity when we are all able to kneel down and pray. It shows humility and I have SUCH a strong testimony of prayer. I have seen miracles on my mission from Prayer and this week was NO exception!


We taught 19 lessons this week, and along with that we had 11 new investigators and currently have 8 baptismimal commits. The Ap's called us last night and we were so scared that they were going to take one of us out of the Tree-o, because one of the Sister missionarys has been sick. I felt my heart sink when I saw that the call was from the Ap's. Then they asked if we could put it on Speaker phone...My heart was pounding... Then They proceeded to congratulate us...I was confused!?! But they just wanted to say good job for working hard this last week, and that we were leading the mission! haha Man that was a Relief and much better feeling :) I absolutely LOVE my companions!


Ali Fredrick if you read this I have a companion Hermana Lambert that is seriously YOUR TWIN!! haha its weird!.... I keep wanting to call her Ali :)


Well this week was amazing! Jamaica is what we like to call the "promise land" here in New York! The people here are so humble and are being prepared to recieve this wonderful message of the gospel! I love the work and I love my family!


Keep being amazing and always remember that you are a child of god :)


I love you!
Hermana Gray



~ "We knew that our purpose was to gain a physical body, to overcome trials, and to prove that we would keep the commandments of God. Our Father knew that because of the nature of mortality, we would be tempted, would sin, and would fall short. So that we might have every chance of success, He provided a Savior, who would suffer and die for us.”

Thomas S. Monson, “He Is Risen!” Ensign, May 2010, 88