Heavenly Father always hears our prayers.

Yet another amazing week in Missouri... Miracles are still happening here everyday. There is a baptism tomorrow of a man I was able to teach a few lessons to. His name is Marc. His story is amazing.

The first time Marc came into the visitor center he was wearing a baggy hoodie and jeans. Being a college student and a father of two little boys I could tell he was pretty fatigued by life. In the visitor center we are not allowed to give tours to men by ourselves so Sis. Black and I teamed up to give him a tour. He explained to us how he felt like he was drawn to come here (Yes, there are people like that!) and to see what our visitor center was. He had been searching for the truth and felt like he needed to raise his children in a church, but he didn't know what church to join. Sister Black and I talked to him about the gospel of Jesus Christ and how it has been restored to the Earth today. We taught him about modern prophets to lead and guide our church today. We taught him about Joseph Smith and how he was searching for the answers just like Marc was. After we told him about the first vision, he got a little emotional and explained, "Sometimes when I'm alone I pray to God. But sometimes I don't know if he listens to me." Sister Black and I both bore our testimonies of prayer of how Heavenly Father ALWAYS hears our prayers. And even if we don't always get an immediate answers... he will answer. We gave Marc a Book of Mormon and read him Moroni's promise about prayer in Chapter 10:4-5 "And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."

Marc came back the next day, and I wasn't here, but Sister Black was. He also lives in Sister Black’s area and so she and her companion have been able to teach him for the last four weeks. He is getting baptized this week. His wife is not ready to make any changes yet, but Marc knows she will come around. He has had some pretty miraculous things happen these past few weeks that testify to that. Every time we see him, he looks so much happier and lighter. He knows that God answers prayers. He has a testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ. He knows that Heavenly Fathers promises to us as his children are eternal. He knows we can look forward to much hope towards the future. (Thanks for letting me bear his testimony.)  He is amazing though. I got to teach him again last week and give him a tour with Sister Stanton through the History. I feel it a great privilege to have been even a small part of his conversion. He is truly an amazing man.

This week was also conference. I love conference. There were so many things that stood out to me. I loved all of the messages of hope. In this crazy world we live in it seems so easy to give up on hope, or to think that God has abandoned us. But I testify that he has not. I feel of his love everyday. I love when President Monsen said, "Your future is as bright as your faith." I know that the blessings of the Lord are predicated upon worthiness and desires of the heart to have them come to pass. I know that we can have peace because of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I love the passage he shared saying, "Be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world." I know the Savior gives us the strength we need to be triumphant.

The other thing that REALLY stood out to me was how much the prophet and apostles emphasized the importance of temple attendance. I know that going to the temple is SO important. There is so much work to be done and such little time to do it! I encourage all of you at home to become worthy to hold and temple recommend and go to the temple as often as time will permit. I know that the temple can bring solace to your life and will help you better understand your purpose in this life. I know that going to the temple means that we can allow Heavenly Father's miracles to come forth. Through temple work we receive the covenants for not only immortality, but ETERNAL LIFE. I know that through the temple we can be sealed to our families FOREVER. I know that by attending the temple that, like I said before, we bring forth miracles through the Savior to seal other families together for all of eternity.

I am so grateful for the temple and the important role it has played in my life. I love my family very much and pray continually for the chance that we might have to go to the temple together one day. I also look forward to the time I will get to have an amazing man take me to the temple to be sealed for time and all eternity. I know that is the greatest blessing we can receive.

The work is moving forward. We have Connie's baptism coming up soon. We're also teaching two new young families with CUTE LITTLE BOYS!  It's amazing. I'll keep you all posted these upcoming weeks.

Until then my friends.

Dream big, Wish hard, and Love always-

Jessica Rose Wathen