Monday, October 31, 2016

Week 22 - Lovin' New York!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Hope you all have a fun day!

This week we went to try a potential investigator again that we had met a few weeks ago and haven't been able to catch at home. This time she was home and we taught her the restoration in like 5 minutes because that's all the time she had. It was rushed but the Spirit was still there as we taught and testified of Joseph Smith and the First Vision and how the Book of Mormon can help her feel peace and happiness and draw her nearer to God. One of the coolest things to witness is the reaction people have when we recite Joseph's experience of the First Vision. :)

In the next lesson we taught about God's plan of happiness and how we can return to live with Him again. She really liked it and said it helped answer questions she had and that she kept the Book of Mormon in her work bag so if she ever had down time at work she could read it. I love when people are excited to read the Book of Mormon! It really is the best book ever! 

On Wednesday we had the ward Halloween party which was a lot of fun! We helped pass out candy during the trunk or treat and got to spend more time with the members. The kids were dressed so cute in their little costumes! 

This week we went to a new pizza place that opened up by us and it was pretty pricey but it was so good! I love NY pizza!!

Even though we had a lot of plans fall through this week, it was still a great week! When you are on the Lord's errand everything always works out how its supposed to! 

I love New York and feel so privileged to be able to serve here!

Love,
Sister Horne


When you arrive early for an appt,...ya gotta look around for something to do!

Having fun with a family visiting from Australia!

It SNOWED!
 We're all bundled up - ready for the cold!

New York is full of surprising people

YUM  - NY Style Pizza Pie!

Sunday, October 30, 2016

Happy Halloween!


Week 21 - I Love Sharing the Gospel!

Hey Everyone!!!  Its been another great week!
Some highlights...

So since I already kinda said goodbye to people at Meals on Wheels because I thought I was leaving last week, when I walked in to Meals on Wheels this week then everyone started clapping! It was so sweet!! They were so happy I was staying another six weeks! :') And yesterday some of my favorite ward members came up to me and were happy I was staying too, it was so sweet! The people here are the best!! 

We had a pasta dinner at Meals on Wheels because they were having a fundraiser (our friend who volunteers with us there paid for us--she's the sweetest) and it was super good! Pasta and homemade meatballs with Italian bread, salad, and then pie and cake for dessert. Yum!

This week with a couple of the less actives that we visit we read the Proclamation of the Family with them and showed them pictures of our families and they showed us pictures of their families. It was so fun!! They loved seeing our families (especially Sister Priests' and my nieces :) ). We had a lot of fun looking at the pictures of them when they were younger and the cool experiences they have had too. 

So we were teaching one of our investigators this week and we were planning on teaching the restoration but as we were talking with her I got the impression to talk about faith and how we can increase our faith and read from Alma 32 and it was just really cool to see how the Spirit led the lesson. One of the best parts was that we started with the first point of the restoration (God is our Loving Heavenly Father) and then Sister Priest and I were both on the same page of where the lesson needed to go without saying one word to each other about changing our plan. The Spirit is the best thing in the world! Missionary work and just life in general can't be done without it!!

The other day it was really rainy and cold and we had a lesson scheduled with one of our investigators (T, who is 17) in the afternoon. The lesson was going to be outside because that's the only place we could meet so he cancelled and then later that day we were tracting from 6pm to around 7:30pm and we were about to go to one of our other investigators apartments to teach him but then I felt like we should walk on Route 11 for a little bit (the main street that we live by) and talk with people who were just as crazy as us to be out walking. So we did and a couple minutes later we see a guy walking towards us and we were like "Is that T??" and it was!! So we talked with him and asked if we could just teach him right then. So we walked a little further down the road and sat on a bench where people wait for the city bus. We talked about the Book of Mormon (we already taught him the restoration) and how important it is and he told us that his step dad who he was really close to passed away and I felt prompted to flip to Alma 40:11-12 that talks about what happens after we die to help bring him comfort. Even though we were all crammed on a bench next to a busy street at night in the rain, the Spirit was still there guiding that lesson. In the lesson Sister Priest felt prompted to ask him to be baptized and he said yes!! I just love being a missionary!!

Sunday there was a fireside for the youth in the ward and the theme was preparing for a mission so the YM leader asked us 6 missionaries to be in charge of the fireside. We showed a couple videos that are on the missionary page on lds.org and bore testimony, talked about our day to day lives, answered any questions they had, and talked about the miracles we have seen on our missions. The Spirit was so strong and it was another testimony builder for me and made me so grateful that I chose to serve a mission. It has honestly been the best decision I have ever made. There is nothing more important than sharing this gospel with God's children!! It is worth every sacrifice! And I got to know the youth better after talking with them while we ate refreshments. I love this ward so much!!

And to top the week off we had a lesson with one of our investigators (C, who we tracted into a while ago) after the fireside. When we were at the church, a super awesome member overheard us say we had a lesson to teach and asked us if she could come -coolest thing ever! It was such a great lesson!! We taught the Plan of Salvation and it really answered his questions and he told us that his mom passed away and how he has wondered and hoped that she would be in heaven. We read from the Book of Mormon with him and shared our testimonies and I felt the prompting to ask him to be baptized so that's what I did and he said yes!! He said he will pray about a date so that isn't set yet but he said yes!! AHH! We were just so happy after that!! When we got home the first thing we did was say a prayer of gratitude for the awesome day we had! 

I love mission life! I love the people here! I love having the opportunity to share the gospel everyday and help brighten people's lives! I love all the tender mercies that we receive every single day!! The Church is True!!

Sister Horne

Our District

Sisters in the Syracuse Zone 

Syracuse Zone 

Stopped at Tully's for lunch - compliments of some good friends. 

Tracting in the Rain



Fall here is so GORGEOUS!!!


 Getting cold enough I finally had to break out the gloves. 


Sweet Martha Ryan

What's up? with Shirley and Sherri



Wednesday, October 19, 2016

Week 20 - Life is good!

I'M STAYING! Transfers are this week and I'm staying in Liverpool for one more transfer! I love this ward and this area, I can't wait to see what miracles happen in the next 6 weeks! Staying in my first area for 6 months seems crazy but its exciting! 

I'm doing great. We have had some awesome lessons and are teaching some of the coolest people. There have been lessons where we are seriously laughing the whole time. I LOVE NEW YORKERS.

Life is good! Have a great week!




no mail.... 

...please send some. PLEASE! :) 

before 11.28.16
Sister Alyssa Horne
5562 Bear Rd #5Q
Syracuse NY 13212


Week 19

HI!! 

It’s been a great week! We did some service, some finding, taught people about the gospel, had dinner at Panera with members, you know the usual.

We had a lesson with one of our investigators who I love so much. She is the cutest. We taught about faith and charity (Ether 12) and how through Christ we can overcome our weaknesses. The lesson went really well and the Spirit was definitely there. It is so cool to see people's perspectives change and see how our investigator used to fear God and now because we have been teaching her she knows that God loves her and wants the best for her. Mission life is so rewarding :) 

We had a luncheon at Meals on Wheels to thank all the kitchen volunteers for their service and it was really good! One of the head guys owns a catering business and he and the other staff made lunch for all of the volunteers and it was so good!! It was so fancy too, I didn't know what half the things I ate were, but they were really good! 

This week we had dinner at a members house and she just got her shipment of LuLaRoe clothes and she gave each of us one thing (whatever we wanted--a maxi skirt, dress, shirt, tunic) and I got a dress! It was SO nice!! I love LuLaRoe! 

We are teaching a couple people who their first language is Spanish and Sister Priest knows Spanish so in a couple lessons I have just been sitting there trying to pick out the few words I know in Spanish while Sister Priest talks to them in Spanish. It’s kinda weird to not know what they are talking about, but the coolest thing is that I can always feel the Spirit even though I don't understand what they are saying. It doesn't matter what language the gospel is being taught in, it’s all true!! :)

I love New York and missionary work! I'm so grateful to be able to do this every day and spread the joy that the gospel brings! I hope you all had the opportunity to watch General Conference last weekend. If not, GO WATCH IT!! It is so so so good. You will love it. I know I did. 

Thank you for the prayers, thoughts and letters! 
LOVE,
 Sister Horne





Monday, October 17, 2016

Week 18 - more Birthday & General Conference






  



The Elders "needed" some extra pass along cards so we decorated their car.
 

 How do missionaries celebrate general conference? 
With cake cookies - of course!
 

Week 17 - Zoo, Birthday and Visit to Palmyra


 Off to the Zoo...













Celebrating my birthday- the big 2-0



 ...new watch.
 Love it- Thanks!



Birthday Breakfast ....made for me by Sister Priest. She's so sweet!

Lunch with a super great family in the ward - The Ewells. 
Thank you for making my favorites and the fun time. Love you!




Palmyra Temple 





We walked through the sacred grove. The whole time I was thinking "Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ came here..." I mean how cool is that!! I said a prayer in my heart to receive the witness again that Joseph Smith really did see them and after I prayed the wind picked up a little and rustled all the beautiful green leaves (the weather today was perfect) and I just smiled.  





The temple spire emerging from the trees

A tree that is said to have most likely been here when Joseph Smith was.

the Barn
 

a remake of Joseph's home