Hello, Ft. Yargo!

The weather here is officially fall! Its been not only cool, but chilly... and I love it!!! I am seeing why people live through the blasted summers- the other months are gorgeous here!

So moving to a new area always makes you miss your people back home a little more than normal... don't get me wrong; I ALWAYS miss you, but it's a little stronger lately. I pray for all of you and love you more than I can put into words. Thank you for your love. Thank you for your support.

So, what's happened this past week you might ask? Well..to be honest... leaving Hickory Flat was awful. It was so hard to say goodbye to all my family there. We spent a lot of time giving hugs and saying goodbye and I pray that the Spirit was able to confirm to everyone just how much I love them. Not only did I leave behind amazing investigators and ward members, but also my best friend Sister Kelly! I know that the Lord needed me elsewhere and I am just so grateful that I was able to experience all that I did in Hickory Flat!

And so... the next adventure began!!  It hit me that I was REALLY leaving my home as we were driving to Lilburn. We got there there and I found out I would be training Sister Chapman who is 27! She is so wonderful. Just like Sister Kelly, it is safe to say that she was pre-trained... which  makes my job pretty easy! I love training. I am humbled and grateful that the Lord has trusted me to do this twice in a row.

After we took pictures we headed to our new home in Winder! We are serving in the Fort Yargo Ward. This area is unlike Johns Creek and Hickory Flat, and I feel as though I personally have a lot to learn while I am here. It may be a new place... but let me just say it took about 5 minutes to realize how much I would love it here! The Bishop and his wife, as well as a member of the Relief Society Presidency met us at our house and gave us a grand tour... when I say house, I mean HOUSE! We live in a three bed/ three bath townhome! It is so nice and feels like home. The ward has done so much to make us feel welcome! We are the first Sisters they have ever had and that makes things really exciting! Besides the fully stocked fridge and multiple comments like "We are just so excited you are here" -- there are other things that have made me realize this is going to be an amazing place to serve --- the people here are ready for the Gospel!

So we have 2 investigators here already! And they are great! 

James is the first guy. He is CLASSIC. We have to teach him on his front porch when his ex-wife and her boyfriend aren't home, which he doesn't like because then he has to put a shirt on. Haha! He is so funny and we only cover a fraction of what we need to, but he is very interested, a little skeptical, but interested.

Shaundeira is the other lady we've been working with. Her name is pronounced Shawn-deer-a. Finding her was a miracle and proof that Heavenly Fathers hand is in this work! So we were given a referral from the Elders in our ward and we went to see her... but she wasn't home. As we were leaving we got the feeling that we needed to knock the door next to the referral and we met Keith! He was so awesome and said we could come back when his wife is home. That night we went back but he wasn't home.. we knocked a few times and then turned to leave. As we were backing out the door opened! There was Shaundeira! She said her dad wasn't home but that we could come in. As it turns out the Spanish missionaries had given her a Book of Mormon and told her english speaking missionaries would come by soon, but they hadn't yet! We taught by the Spirit and had the feeling that we needed to teach repentence and baptism. At the end of the lesson we asked her to be baptized and she said yes!!!  And she prayed about it right there with us! The Spirit was so strong! I know that Heavenly Father needs her to be taught because he has been preparing her heart!! What a miracle, huh? That is something I've learned out here.. is that the Lord is full of miracles and His work is full of them as well. 

Another great part about this area and ward is that we are going to have the opportunity to work with a lot of less active ward members. One of the nights our appointments all fell through and we had no clue what to do! We had a name pop into our head and so we stopped by her home.. she welcomed us in and said she has been waiting for sisters. By the end of the lesson we were all crying! That visit was revelation given to us because she told us we answered a prayer. We felt like we had known her all our life. It is amazing how the gospel brings us together.

On Sunday I got to speak in Sacrament Meeting about Elder Uchtdorfs talk, "Come, Join With Us!" Usually when I talk in Church I prepare for a week or so... this time I had only an hour! I was worried it wouldn't be as good as I would like, but I asked Heavenly Father to help me share something that would touch peoples heart... and hopefully the Spirit was able to do that, but the good news was that as I re-read the talk the Spirit spoke to me! And I got so much out of it! I realized that it is each of our duty to make "visitors" welcome, whether those visitors are less active members or people who are investigating!
I am so grateful to have this be my full time job! The Lord never turns us away, his arms are always stretched out towards us, welcoming us in.. and welcoming us back.
I am grateful for the love He has shown me as a visitor here in the Fort Yargo Ward... I am excited to see this place become my home for at least the next three months!

Love you!

Godspeed!

-Sister Beasley