July 14th, 2014

Mi familia..
      Wow. Each week i say this, but i love being a missionary! We have had the busiest and best week yet! Monday night we headed to San Antonio. We had Zone Conference with 3 Zones on Tuesday. Hermana Clark and I headed home that night to teach a few lessons in Austin. We were able to work our area Wednesday, but headed back to San Antonio Wednesday night so we could get up at 4 am Thursday and head to the border. We had Zone Conference in Eagle Pass, I was able to do an exchange with the sisters who are now serving there. I saw many recent converts and members that I served with when I was there over a year ago. It was a sweet reunion as I saw the growth in each one of them. Ah i love the people there!!
   Friday night we came home and worked, once again, in Austin. We had great lessons with many part members on Saturday and were able to get them to commit to come to church. Unfortunately, yesterday was the championship game in FIFA, so only a few of them came.
   The work is going great here. Our investigators have struggled to keep commitments lately, but we know and we trust in the promise that the Lord gives us in Preach My Gospel.. "The Lord is preparing people for you to teach." I know this promise applies to y'all as well. Will each of you refer at least one person to the missionaries, before I come home? The Lord is preparing people for us to teach. It's just a matter of finding them! The Lord will bless you for your efforts and you will be able to watch as your friends, neighbors, and family members come unto Christ, and enter into the waters of baptism.
   As we have traveled this week throughout the mission, I have been able to see many people with whom I have served. Companions, members, and recent converts. I have felt my heart grow. I thought I felt it then, but as I have come to know my Savior, and have tried to love as He does, I have felt my heart grow even more! The same is true for y'all at home. I love each one of you. As I have been away, my love and appreciation has grown for you. I feel like the Grinch.. when his heart grew 3 times its size! I love the Lord. As I read the scriptures, I come to better understand His plan and His way. I know our family can, and will live together forever as long as we stay on the path.
   I'm excited for the week ahead, as we have our final 3 Zone Conferences. President has given  trainings on the Gathering of Israel and the Abrahamic Covenant. I cannot wait to hear it 3 more times. Each time, I learn so much more and I come to learn who I really am. This is real. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the ONLY way to exaltation. I feel the power of the Restoration flowing in my veins. I love this gospel. It's true.
      Con mucho amor!
            Hermana Egbert      

The Montejano's :) their 2 daughters were baptized while I was in Eagle Pass

Hermana Vanegas

July 7th, 2014

Familia!
   What a week.. We had MLC Thursday in San Antonio. It was incredible. We discussed the Knowledge of God and the Atonement. I am so thankful for this gospel! My mission has changed me. I wouldn't trade this time for anything. 
   We had lots of appointments fall through this week, but we saw many tender mercies from the Lord.. 
 -The Banda's had a non member move in with them, and we are going by this week to teach her. 

 -La Familia Soto is a part member family, the mom was baptized 10 years ago and hasn't been active for over 8 years. We stopped by as they were leaving, they gave us water and invited us back to have a lesson with them for Wednesday, the whole family!
 -Antonio and his family are in the process of moving, but are still going to be living in our area. He accepted a baptismal date for the 26th of July!
 -Rocio and Genesis brought another non-memeber to church yesterday! Genesis' 14 year old cousin. We have a lesson tonight with her mom and all of them at Rocio's.
   One of the biggest tender mercies we saw this week was on Tuesday.. Our investigator, Karen, the one that got married a few weeks ago by our bishop.. she moved to Houston. She called us when she got there and said "Hermana's.. who's going to baptize me here?" We gave her address to the mission office and they sent the missionaries to see her. On Wednedsay morning, we got a call from the sister missionaries in Houston. We told them about Karen, where she was with the lessons, etc. At the end of the conversation, they asked our names and we said "Hermana Clark and Hermana Egbert." They responded.. "Hermana Egbert, where are you from?" .. "Sandy, UT".. "No way!! This is Sami Draper- I mean Sister Draper!" We both got so excited!! I went to Brighton with Sami. We had seminary together and were in the MTC together. She's now teaching Karen! Karen called us after the lesson and said "Hermanas! I'm getting baptized on the 26th of July!"  I was overwhelmed with joy and comfort :) How neat is that?!
  We didn't do much for the Fourth of July. Most of the Hispanics here dont celebrate it, so we were able to teach all day. Hermana Clark and I listened to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the car as we sang the star spangled banner :)
   Last night we went to President's home to plan zone conferences. We drove home from San Antonio this morning and are going back tonight. We'll come home Tuesday evening, give trainings in our own zone meeting, then head back to San Antonio to meet up with President and the other assistants and STLL's then head to the border. We will be back in Austin Friday night. I'm thankful for the opportunity I have to be able to travel throughout the mission and work so closely with President Slaughter. I pray that the Lord will make me an instrument in His hands and use me to bless the lives of others.
   I love the Lord. I love the Gospel. The Book of Mormon is true.

   Have a great week!! I love y'all!!! Que Dios les bendiga!

Con mucho amor,
     Hermana Egbert

   MLC :)

   Happy 4th! 

June 30th, 2014

Familia :)
   How are y'all? I can't believe it's Monday already. This week was amazing. The work gets better and better everyday.  We continue to see miracles everyday. Rocio had to work yesterday so she wasn't able to come to church, but Genesis wanted to, so she invited her two little cousins. They all showed up to church and loved primary! We're hopefully going to start teaching her extended family members as well. 
    I thought I'd explain a little about our mission and how it works. I feel like so many times, I say things in my emails and i'm not sure if they make any sense.
In the TSAM we have..
  -President Slaughter

  -Assistants (conduct exchanges with ZL's)

  -Sister Training Leader Leaders (conduct exchanges with the STL's)

  -Zone Leaders

  -Sister Training Leaders, District leaders

  -Senior companion

  -Junior Companion
   Our assignment as Traveling Sister Training Leader Leaders is only for this transfer. President has asked us to go on exchanges with the STL's in the northern half of the mission. We will be giving trainings at all the Zone Conferences as well. It's going to be a busy transfer but i'm ready to work. I am so humbled to have the opportunity to work so closely with the greatest missionaries in the mission. I sit in our meetings and feel so tiny surrounded by spiritual giants. I dont know how much I have to give, but i'll give it all I have. I have never been so excited to do missionary work. I've never had such joy in the gospel. I have never felt so close to my Savior. I recognize my time left in the TSAM is short, but my mission doesn't end here. Ahh, I wouldn't trade my mission for anything!
   I was talking to two of President Slaughter's kids last night in his home. They are 14 and 15 years old. We talked about living the gospel. Not just believing in it. They said that they never realized how blessed they were to have the parents they do, until someone else told them. They said they took it for granted, having parents who took them to church every week, who said nightly prayers, who studied the scriptures and taught their children to love the Lord. It really made me think. I know President Slaughter is called of God. And in no way do I mean to discredit him or his calling.. but my parents are pretty amazing too! I saw them saying prayers, we had family home evening, we studied the scriptures, they faithfully serve and magnify their callings, they love the Lord. I am so thankful for righteous parents who not only teach their children things, but teach them to love the Lord.
   I love the Savior. Through his atonement we can be cleansed and strengthened. There is nothing in life that takes priority over the Gospel. President Joseph Smith said, “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.”
I love you! Have a great week and Happy Fourth of July!!!!

Con Amor,
   Hermana Egbert
Genesis and her cousins :)

Transfer meeting - i love these sisters

June 23rd, 2014

Familia!
   I'm so happy! We got transfer calls last night.. President told Hermana Clark and I that we are BOTH staying! This will be my 6th transfer here. I will have spent half of my mission here and I am so thankful for it! Hermana Clark and I are also now "Traveling Sister Training Leader Leader's." We will be going on exchanges with all the STL's as well as doing a few other things to help the sisters throughout the TSAM. Over 20 missionaries go home this week, and when I come home at the end of this next transfer, about 30 of us will be leaving. President is trying to help share the things all of us know with those who will still be here after these two big groups of missionaries leave. I'm excited and completely humbled for this new assignment :)
   We had an incredible week! We have seen miracle after miracle. I am finally starting to understand how missionary work works. We had 3 full days of appointments falling through, but those happened to be our most productive days. I have seen the Lord's hand time and time again as we continue to work diligently. It is so necessary that we show our obedience and perseverance to the Lord, even after all our appointments fall through. That is when we truly are refined. When we ourselves choose to keep going. Those are defining moments. We all are faced with trials and hard things every day, but as we continue forward, we will be blessed.
  Rocio and Genesis were baptized Saturday! It was a beautiful service. They both bore their testimony at the end, and the Spirit testified to each one of us there, the truthfulness and the cleansing power this gospel brings. Rocio shared in her testimony.. "This Gospel isn't just meant to be studied. We must LIVE it." 
   We met a man on the street that night, Antonio. We said "Hola! We're you're missionaries. Did you know you had missionaries?" He said "Yeah, but i've always wondered what you do?" We explained to him a little about the Book of Mormon and invited him to church. He said he would talk to his family about it. 
   Sunday morning, Rocio and Genesis were confirmed. As they sat back down, in came Antonio, his wife, and their 3 kids! Rocio leaned over to me and said "who are they?" I told her the story of how we simply invited him to come. She said "This church is true. God wants us all to know it." After church, we talked to Antonio and his wife and she told us she was baptized 7 years ago! We have a lesson with them tomorrow. The Lord is hastening His work. 
   I can't tell you even 1/10 of all the things I want to. I love my mission. I love the gospel. I love the Lord. I feel so blessed that He has given me this opportunity to serve. There is no greater joy than that of which the gospel brings. I have seen it change the lives of the peope here. It has changed mine. I pray that all of you will be missionaries. That you will pray to find those who the Lord is preparing. The Book of Mormon is true. The Priesthood power is on the earth today. Through that power, our families can be together forever. We can find strength in the atonement of Our Savior Jesus Christ. I will give Him my all, "hasta el fin" (until the end).

I love y'all!!!

Con mucho amor,
Hermana Egbert

Rocio and genesis' baptism day

Lake Austin District