Sister Ann Elgaaen in Houston, Texas South: June 1, 2020 Is Salvation Free?

Hello family and friends!

This week has been SO amazing! We got transfer news, and I am staying in MacGregor with Sister Allen, and we are training!!! I couldn't be more excited!! Sister Allen is an amazing companion who works hard and loves the lord more than anything! Her desire to improve and never ending joy has been a huge blessing in my life, and I couldn't image training without her!!

David butler spoke to our mission again this week! (We are doing an institute class with him each Friday until quarantine is over....this is the moment that I pray it never ends

) We talked about the savior and the gospel.

He said something that struck me.

"Salvation isn't free. It cost Jesus EVERYTHING"

I have been thinking a lot about that recently. The Savior was willing to give his entire life to helping us, so we might possibly return to live with Heavenly Father again someday.

As a missionary, we have been set apart to walk in the Savior's footsteps, but each one of us can do as the Savior did, and we don't even need a black nametag.

A young family in our ward asked us for a copy of the Book of Mormon. Later that week they called us and asked for tips on how to pass out a Book of Mormon without it being too awkward.

They frequently saw a boy at the swimming pool in their complex, one day, after coming home, the ward members 5 year old son told his mother that they needed to give that boy a Book of Mormon.

The mother was nervous. She had never served a mission, and she didn't want the situation to become awkward.

She explained later that her son, who was only 5 years old, walked straight up to that boy and offered him the Book of Mormon. She said her son told the boy that the book talked about Jesus, and that it made him happy.

The boy at the swimming pool took the book.

I love how easy it was for the 5 year old mini missionary to walk up to a stranger and share their most prized possession with them. Their source of pure joy.

The Savior gave up everything to share the gospel which means "good news". How can we be more like the Savior in the way we invite others to "come and see" and to "come and belong."

I know that the Savior has a work for each one of us to do!! We had better get too it!

I love you all and wish you the best of luck as you go out each day and preach the gospel, inviting others to come unto Christ one by one as the Savior did.

If Christ could preach to a crowd of strangers, we can talk to one of our friends. If the Savior could stand tall as he was mocked, whipped, spat upon and tortured, we can handle a little rejection. If the Lamb of God could forgive those who crucified him, we can forgive those who refuse our simple offer to come unto him.

If we strive to be like the Savior, we will find that telling someone about the "good news" is not as hard as it may seem.

I love you all!!