May 29
" WOAH!!! Heavenly Father Has TOTALLY been preparing me for
home!!!! I MUST have a verrrrry busy life coming up and he needs
me to be prepared for it. I definitely won't be the type of
returned missionary who sits and has nothing else to do! Last
week on Wednesday we were teaching a lesson at the church
building. After the lesson we were talking in the foyer, when an
Elder walks in with his father and a Stake President. "NOOOOO!!!"
I said to myself!!!! "He is JUST about to be released from his
mission!!!!" "ahhhhhhh"!! Yep, his name was Elder Peterson he had
JUST flown back to Vegas after his 2 year mission in Minnesota
and Wisconsin. How about THAT for a shocker?
 THEN, when we got back to our apartment complex at 9pm and got
the mail, MY TRUNKY PAPERS WHERE IN THE MAILBOX!!!!!!!! Trunky
Papers are a nick name for the papers you get when you are about
to leave your mission. They are a really wonderful idea. There
are 4 papers you fill out: "Major Things I have Learned on my
Mission, My Testimony, My Goals, Most Spiritual Experiences." :)
Once completed you mail them back to the mission office!
The next day, on Thursday, I found out the information regarding
my LAST TEMPLE trip on my mission! I go with the other 15
departing missionaries on June 8th at 6:30pm.
 Then on Friday, I had my LAST ZONE CONFERENCE! There were about
50 missionaries there....and I gave my "Farewell Talk" so to
say.... crazy!
 Today is Tuesday! :) Yesterday was Memorial Day! YAY!!!!!!! I am
so thankful for all those who have sacrificed their lives on my
behalf. I am in their debt.
 I reflected on all the wars of this world, and I felt great
peace knowing in the next life, we will all be reunited again,
eternally! :)
 I love my companion!!!
 Sunday night we had such a spiritual lesson! We had dinner with
this family. The mom and one son are members of the church, and
her other son, 24 is not. They are Hispanic and cooked us a HUGE
MEAL!!! Steak, chicken, potatoes, corn, broccoli, cauliflower,
lettuce salad, rolls, salsa, every kind of
berry....chips...everything haha! ;) After wards we talked with
her 24 year old son. It was so amazing. The spirit was so strong.
The lesson was about 30 minutes long. In the beginning I asked
him "Do you believe Heavenly Father knows who you are?" He
answered "No."
 It was great to find out his need, and then to teach and testify
to him how he can pray to know if God is there for him. We also
talked about the role of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith in
our lives. At the end of his lesson we challenged him to be
baptized. I said "When you come to know these things are true,
will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized by
someone holding the Priesthood Authority of God?" The spirit was
so strong I almost choked saying those words.
He said "Yes."
 We are very excited for him! Great things are to come as he
finds his purpose in this life! :) I love him!
 Referrals are just pouring in. We are so fortunate. We are
seeing the mighty fruit of our labor!!!!!!! We are staying so
busy and productive! I love every moment!
 I want every moment of my life to be so happy and productive in
great ways.
 Tonight we are giving a seminar to the Youth in one of our
wards!!! 45 minutes of Missionary Discussion!! :) YAY
 Yesterday I played basketball for 3 hours!!! I AM SOO TIRED!!!
BUT ALIVE!!!! I need new basketball shoes!!! haha (mine look so
dumb...i got them in 10th grade?? hahaaaaa) Some of the Elders
played basketball in college and have full ride scholarships
waiting for them. One of them is from Africa and super tall...he
will be famous one day.
 This next pday we are going to have a bi-zone activity and play
basketball with 50 elders! CRAZY!!!! YEAHH!!!!!!!! there will
only be 4 sisters! yikes! the gym will get smelly .. haha!
 In my zone we have 3 elders from Mexico, one from Puerto Rico,
one from Portugal, one from Russia, 3 from Canada, one from
Scotland (i like his accent), one from Tahiti ( i like his accent
too), and a whole bunch from the states (most state missionaries
are from Oregon, Washington, Texas, Wyoming, or West Virginia or
Florida in our mission!). I’m from Wisconsin YEAH!!!! There is
one elder too from WI.
 Some of my Goals for after my mission:
 1. Always stand as a witness of god in all times and in all
places.
2. Always be a missionary- Remember that I have left my nets to
follow Christ.
3. Be righteous, humble, and repent daily
4. I want to work hard throughout my whole life and as soon as I
get home work to earn money for my future family.
5. I want to be a righteous mother and raise Noble children
6. I always want to do the will of the Lord and accomplish his
will
7. Never murmur
8. Have great faith and have a life of miracles
9. Be my brother’s keeper! Always serve!
10. Always serve my family and give thanks to my parents
11. Sit and reflect on the Atonement of Jesus Christ for at least
5-10 min every day
12. Bring Heaven on Earth through my home- Have a clean,
beautiful home
13. Live my life with Exact Obedience and Attend the Temple often
14. Give my life to God in all ways.- Heavenly Father sacrificed
his son Jesus Christ for us, Jesus Christ sacrificed his life for
us, I must sacrifice and give my life to them.
15. Be worth to have the Holy Ghost guide me in my life, and
follow its promptings
16. Study the scriptures daily
17. Keep in regular touch with the hundreds of people I have
taught on my mission
18. Always praise the Lord and give thanks to him!
19. Lift the feeble knee, help those who are lost
20. Reflect the life of Christ in all that I do and say.
21. Save money so I can serve a mission later in life with my
husband.
22. Budget my money and live wisely
23. Be who Heavenly Father wants me to be.
24. Serve with all diligence in the church callings given to me
 ............ There are so many goals and SOO many things I have
learned!!!! i should type them all up!
 I am soooo thankful beyond words to have served a mission. I am
so thankful I am still serving YAHOOOOOOO
 FIGHT FOR THE CAUSE OF CHRIST FOREVER!!!!!!!
I LOVE YOU!!!!!! THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LOVE AND
SUPPORT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sister Sprouse

May 21
" WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW HOLY CATS!!!!!!!!! This week has been AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!
Literally, one of my favorite weeks of my mission. Maybe it is
because I am just so in love with missionary work!!! This week we
have witness SO many incredible miracles!!! And we worked so
hard. It was SUCH a fulfilling week! I am so happy! I know we
were doing the will of the lord. His work is being done-
there’s no greater feeling. :)
 SO....let me tell you about it!
 Monday we had transfers. Sister Garcia and I are staying
together!! YAY!!
 Our Nevada Las Vegas West Mission is SPLITTING!! Reno will now
have its OWN mission starting July 1st. This is very exciting!
So, all the missionaries have been split up, and where everyone
is now, is where they will be for the rest of their missions.
With this last transfer, if they were sent up North to Reno, that
is where they will stay.. in the north. WOW. President Black had
a big job placing us everywhere!!! Transfers are so exciting!!!
It’s funny, Sister Garcia and I were the ONLY companionship to
not have been split up. HAHA. The lord wants us together to do
his work here in South Zone. YAY!!!
 I LOVE SOUTH ZONE!!! If you look at a map of Las Vegas, we are
literally in the most south west corner :)
 on TUESDAY morning , we got to drive to the mission office (1
hour away), and we got a new car!! Since transfers are also on
Tuesday Mornings, I got to see a lot of my old companions! It was
so exciting. There are usually 70-80 missionaries at
transfers...switching companions, putting luggage in the trailer
attached to the 12 passenger van if they are going up north....
etc... CRAZY!
 We have a 2012 Toyata Corolla. WAY nicer then the 2009 corolla
haha. On my mission I have driven a Mazda 3, 2011 Chevy Malibu,
2012 Chevy Malibu, 2011 Ford Fusion, 2 different 2011 Suburu
Imprezas, and of course a 2009 and 2012 Toyota Corolla. I think
thats all of them! hehe! new cars every few months! Sisters are
soo lucky to have cars!!! My favorite car has been the 2011
Suburu. Definitely sturdy cars!!! wahooo.
 So the rest of Tuesday we had epic lessons and a fun dinner with
a family we are about to teach. 
 Wednesday we had a great lesson with a 8 and 10 year old we are
teaching! we also taught our investigator Jaeger who just got
baptized, and had other lessons. We also had a wonderful miracle
of finally finding one of our potential investigators HOME! He
has always been gone whenever we have tried visiting him! IT was
so exciting! We talked outside with him for 40 minutes! He is SO
funny and awesome.  a LV cop with a top of stories and a TON of
questions about the church. It was so exciting to stand there and
bear witness of this great church, to talk about the purpose of
life, and to explain to him what the book of Mormon is. He owns a
gun shop, is from New Mexico, and his mom and dad own a bar and a
bike shop. He is in his 30s and is a crazy awesome Hispanic.
 Wednesday night, Sister Garcia and I were invited to present a
seminar about missionary work for a different ward. It was soo
fun!! From 7-8pm we taught 3 different groups of youth. We shared
WHY its important to serve a mission, and WHAT amazing miracles
they will witness on their mission. We also talked about the
challenges that arise when a person wants to serve a mission, and
how to overcome the negative thoughts Satan will try to make one
feel. We gave them a print out that we made for them with notes,
and we watched an amazing 4 min movie with them on convert's
testimonies! SO AWESOME.
Thursday we were teaching a less active family. They are from the
Philippians. For weeks we have never been able to meet the mom.
On Thursday she came out during the lesson and joined us!!! She
loved us and invited us back for dinner and a lesson this
Saturday!! YIPPIEEEEEE she is a photographer!! Thursday evening
we had a very special lesson with a woman who was recently
baptized. She is still learning the gospel. I might have told you
about her... she has 2 children and is expecting another baby
this fall. The hard part is, she just got divorced and she has no
money. She is so sad and so lonely. We visited her in her house
and talked about repentance and about the love Heavenly Father
has for us! She sat on her couch just crying as she felt the
comfort of our words, and of the spirit. I do remember promising
her, that "The dark stormy nights are at a cease, and heavenly
father is here to rescue you. Tomorrow the morning will shine
brightly, the sunrise will bring you hope, and you will feel the
love of Christ forever as you come close unto him." I cry in my
heart as I write you these words. The spirit was so strong in her
lesson. She is so burdened, but I can share her pain. I do have a
past that can help her. I promised her we were her friends, and
that we weren’t going anywhere. I love that woman. Her Hispanic
sons are so good. One is 14, and the other is 5. This woman is
finding pure strength in the gospel.
 Since she needs more clothes, I went through my closet and found
some shirts and dresses for her! Last night at 8:30 we knocked on
her door, she opened it and smiled so brightly "SISTERS!!! I’m
SO glad you came, come in!" wow! What a welcome. I gave her the
clothes and she was so happy. She said, "Can i get a hug?" :) We
are friends. My family has taught me to give. When you see a
need, you give. Charity. Amazing.
Friday was CRAZYYY awesome!!!!! It was sooo hot...100 something,
and sister Garcia and I got to attempt visiting 20 families!!
fewf so epic. Not many families were home, but a few were :)
it’s always worth it!!!!
 Saturday was Jaegers baptism!!!!!!!!! SOO AMAZINGGGGG IT was a
perfect baptism!!!!!!!!!!!!! PERFECT!!! His mom and step dad
came, AND his dad and grandma and cousins..all different faiths.
His grandma actually had called her catholic priest and asked him
if she would go to hell if she attended his baptism! Yikes! Well,
it was so perfect, and needless to say, ALL His family were the
LAST ONES to leave his baptism!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO It was soooo
sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! His family loved
everything!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYY
Jaeger was sooo exciteddddddd and soo happy. We recorded his
testimony the day of his baptism on video. I will show it to you
if you want one day!
So after the baptism we felt like doing service. We called our
ward mission leader, Brother Bayardo (26 has a wonderful wife and
1 cute baby!!) and told him we felt like serving someone! He said
"Sisters, Heavenly father is watching out for me. I am just
started to work in my back yard and plant my garden! Would you
like to come and help!? " YAY so for 2- 3 hours we went and
helped him! We built a raised bed for his vegetables, and dug up
the earth for his watermelon patch. i got to use a pick axe and a
shovel!! YAY weapons!!! haha jk. Anyways we tore up 3 big bushes
and cleaned their backyard and built a fence! ya!!
Sunday was SOOO EPIC. Jaeger got confirmed and was given the gift
of the Holy Ghost :) the man we  have been teaching (3x a week),
who USED to be an alcoholic is 13 days sober and he wore a tie
and suit to church!!! ??? HELLO!!!! WOWOWWWWWWWWW. and his wife
came with him!!!! She usually has to work on Sundays!!! Less
actives were popping out everywhere!!!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYY :)
The Bishop was sooo happy. !!! AND GET THIS!!!! During the first
hour of church, we were sitting next to Jaeger, and then someone
came and said "someone wants you in the foyer." A Korean woman
was standing there and she told us "For two years I have driven
past this Mormon Church and I feel this is the place I need to
be. Will you teach me and my daughter?" ???? WHAT!! THAT RARELY
happens!!!! Holy cow. for 25 minutes she cried, and told us her
story and how her daughter is having so many trials...we are soo
excited to help them. I’m still stunned!!!!!!! That was the
icing on the cake!!!!!!!

Sunday night I crashed, and today at 8 am we met a husband and
wife who are looking into the church and they made us breakfast
and we painted their bathroom. They are AWESOME and in the
national Guard!!
 Now i am sitting here so tired, but so excited. What will happen
today? Tomorrow?  Next week?? These weeks are PACKED .  I am slow
at typing bc I am tired. haha. YAY FOR THIS
Gospel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 :) LOVE YOU ALLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 VISIT OUR MISSION WEBSITE :
http://www.nevadalasvegaswestmission.blogspot.com/
 LOVE SISTER SPROUSE!"

May 14
" This is what I wrote to my Mission President this week:

""Awww, President Black, you are SO KIND to me!
Your letter to me was so great. Thank you so much! It was such a
blessing to see you on Mother's Day! Tears fill my eyes when I
think about how great you and Sister Black are. You both mean so
much to me.
I love you so much President Black. Thank you for all the support
and love you have given each of us. Thank you for teaching me,
thank you for giving me strength. I will always remember how you
have been a Moroni to each of us. I trust you, and every time I
see you, I feel like I am seeing Christ. You bask in his spirit.
I never want to leave your presence, because of how holy you are.

I am SOOOO thankful for thousands of things. Just yesterday after
calling my mom, I just balled. I know I have changed so much, and
at that moment my eyes were awakened to how much my Heavenly
Father has ALWAYS been here for me on my mission. He has NEVER
left my side. Every single moment he has been here for me, my
investigators, all those we teach and meet. He loves us all. I
have no doubt he loves me. I am so thankful he has put in SO much
time into preparing me for my future, for building me, for
shaping me, refining me. I am so blessed to be his child.

My mission has been amazing. I will work so hard to the end! You
can count on that! Thank you for the reminder that I should work
with all my strength.

My mission HAS been a mission of mighty miracles, visions, and
revelation. I am so blessed. I have so many things I still need
to work on, but I am so thankful I can keep improving throughout
life. 
I have kept good track of recording revelation I have received
for those we teach, and for my daily improvements. I am so happy.
When I served in Lone Mountain zone, that was purely heaven. We
were goaling for 17 people to be baptized Sister Dillistones
first week here in the mission. Those months I was the most
exhausted. Satan literally attacked me so deeply for weeks on
end, and my daily battle was him. So many baptisms came from that
area, the wards were changed and become missionary focused, my
understanding of the Atonement grew in such deep ways I can
barely describe it, and the birth of "The Book of Mormon Tool
Kit," developed.

There’s no doubt in my mind I have worked my hardest, tried my
hardest, and have become my best. I want to continue improving
daily. I didn't just serve a mission here, the mission moved
through me, and Christ has changed, and healed me. I am so filled
with joy for my Savior; I only want to always give my life to Him
in any way he asks.
I love this mission. My mission is for life. Live for Christ,
Fight for Christ, Die for Christ.

I love you President! These wards are amazing. So many miracles
are happening. Alcoholics are becoming sober. We have never been
turned down once, and the wards are catching the fire of true
missionary work. The lord is our leader, our councilor, my
friend.

I love my brother on a mission in Florida, and my sister enters
the MTC in August.

Have a wonderful week President.

Sister Sprouse""

WOW, missions are so wonderful!!! My heart is so so so full. I
feel like I am in Heaven. Daily as I council with the lord
through my desires, heart, mind and soul, I feel myself communing
with him, and it’s just so heavenly.

On mother’s day, we sat in the 3rd row with our investigator
Jaeger. He is getting baptized this Saturday at 10am!!!! He is
from Korea- 19 years old. Weeks away from going to boot camp for
the Marines! :)

Remember the man who is an alcoholic? HE HAS BEEN SOBER FOR 8
days now!!!! He says he is putting his faith in God. Sister
Garcia and I are so amazing. We are so so so happy! he has come
to church twice now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He sat by us too in the 3rd
row at church. President Black , our mission president, and his
wife came as well to OUR church building here in south zone on
mother’s day!! IT WAS AMAZING To see them!!!! Mother Sister
Black, smiled down at me during the meeting and my heart felt so
warm. I love them both, I cannot describe it.

Heavenly Father's miracles are amazing and so abundant.

I HOPE you can feel his love and SEE his miracles. We can always
know God lives!!!

We hadn't had many dinners since we have been here, because of
the change between Elders and Sisters. We've been rebuilding the
wards so to say. Last week though heavenly Father delivered us!
Our dinner calendar is filling up!!!! It all began with last
Monday.

We were sitting in Cafe Rio, about to eat with a member. She was
so kind to have taken us out to eat. I was sitting there so
thankful, so tired, so in awe. Since our dinners had cancelled or
we didn’t have any...it completely shot my immune system. I've
been sick for 2 weeks. Anyways, we were sitting there, and I was
feeling SO overwhelmed, and then, another member came up to us
and said "I want to buy your next meal," and gave us $20!!!
YAY!!! THENNNNN, a little while later, a little boy about 8 years
of age, came up to me and held out his hands. He was so cute, and
had blue eyes and freckles. He held out in his cupped hands a
little mint, and said looking at me, "My brother in on a mission
in Brazil," and he gave me the mint! AWWWWWW IT WAS SOOOOO
CUTEEEEEEEE. I almost cried. UG! Tender mercies! I have that
peppermint on my desk to always remind me of the lord’s tender
mercies.

I may suffer small things on my mission, but it only brings me
closer to Christ. I am so thankful for this great work which we
do.

The past 6 weeks Sister Garcia and I have worked hard. We are in
finding mode! We are now seeing MANY blessings come from it.
Referrals are pouring in, and members want us to come into their
homes and teach them!

I know God lives. I just know it. It is breathtaking!  I am so
happy for the many people we are teaching. It’s so awesome.

I love my companion Sister Garcia, and I love you. I smile when
I think about each one of you. You matter so much.

Yesterday when I called home, I had a once in a lifetime
experience. I was on the phone; my brother on a mission in
Florida was also on speakerphone on a cell phone, and my sister
Emily in college was on another speakerphone. We were all
together! We sang "Happy mother’s day " to mom, and she started
to cry. She said "I’m so thankful that I have children with
such great integrity....."  It was a breathtaking moment. Ug,
Heaven is on earth!!!!
We can conquer Satan! We can live our dreams! We can have visions
and receive inspiration and knowledge from above. We CAN become
all God wants us to be, with his help. I know this. HE WILL
forgive us when we make a normal mistake.

I love you all.

Sister Jenna Julianne Sprouse

May 2, 2012
"WOW! Well sister Garcia and i sure have been busy! Today we got to go
to the temple with all the missionaries in our mission here in Vegas!
It was wonderful, peaceful, perfect, refreshing, and beautiful.
Our mission is splitting as of July 1st! Reno will have its own
mission! Exciting!
Amongst the people we are teaching, we are teaching an alcoholic. He
is a really nice man, and his family got baptized a couple years ago.
They are all super nice and terrific!  In the beginning of my mission I
picked up a book called the "Addiction Recovery Program." It’s a
program created by the church to help people break the chains of
addiction. It is a 12 step program like, Alcoholics Anonymous. It is a
great book and I think EVERYONE should read it. It teaches the
Atonement of Christ.
I am grateful for this opportunity to teach this man. It really takes
a lot of patience. I have so much hope for him, so much love..but in
the end, HE has to have a desire to change. Its so neat to use all the
tools I have been learning, to help this man.
He is our friend. We will go over to teach him, and he can be drunk
and his eyes will be foggy....then 2 days later we will go back, and
he is dry as a bone, totally alert, and understands all we teach him.
He will look and act like a man, our lessons will be SO powerful,
bold, yet loving, and then BAMB. Then next day he doesn’t keep his
commitments, our hearts are sad, and he is drunk again and doesn’t
understand what we are saying. What a whirlwind!
It just reminds me of HOW much ENDURING love god has for us. He loves
us so much. He has so much patience, and he is always so kind. I am
trying to apply all the Christ like attributes to my life. Last night
the man said "Thank you for being my friends. Thank you for not giving
up on me. Thank you for not judging me. Thank you for being
understanding. “Man, his words stuck my soul. I always want to BE
like Christ and always have his patience, love, and understanding
mind. I love this man we are teaching and his whole family. Last night
it actually hit me, and my heart sank as tears came to my eyes. I only
have 7 more weeks to help these people.
Our wards LOVE us, and it’s so exciting to have the little primary
children at church look up at us and say " Hi missionaries!" hehe :)
May 5th- we are attending a baptism!
May 12th- is the sealing of the family I helped teach
May 24th- My last big zone conference with the other missionaries (I
give my departing testimony)
My last temple trip is June 11th. (A special temple trip for outgoing
missionaries).
June 16th is the sealing of my FIRST convert. He got baptized March 2011!!
YAY
June 20th something I have my Departing Interview with President Black
June 26th..hum.....no bueno! haha :) but I am excited to see you all again.

BE STRONG! BE BOLD. LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!
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