Sharing the gospel

Sacrificing things they love to support am investigator giving up something hard!

Hello again! It's been another week in self isolation! But we are still working, finding and teaching our friends! 

This week I have received many emails from multiple of my friends saying they are returning home from their missions and being reassigned or released. My heart goes out to them. I can only imagine how sad and heartbreaking it must be to receive news I'd your return home. As I've gotten these emails my heart hurts, but I am grateful that I have the blessing of serving here in the Washington DC South mission where I can continue to work. I'm also grateful for my own personal health that has made it possible for me to stay. 

If this experience so far has taught me anything, it is that I should never take for granted the time I have here on my mission. We need to continue to strive to do all we can to share the gospel and to serve and uplift others. Not only us as missionaries, but all members! How can you help your neighbors, friends, and family during these trying times? In what ways can you serve? 

I'm so grateful for all the love and support that I feel from my friends and family at home. Know that I love you all too!

Stay healthy!

Sister Goodrich 

Missionary Pioneers

Sister Goodrich and Topham plugging away!!

Hello everyone! I hope you are staying happy and healthy at this difficult time! 

As some of you may know, many missionaries around the world have been placed in self isolation and others are being sent home due to health risks in their missions. So, we as missionaries are doing all the missionary work we can from home!

The coronavirus can't stop us from spreading the gospel! Our days have been busy, regardless of the regulations placed on us. We have been texting, calling, and video calling all of our friends and any other phone numbers we have in our records. 

Our Mission President said that we as missionaries are now pioneers. We are finding new ways to share the gospel with all those around us and changing the way missionary work will be done in the future. Although the circumstances we are in are not ideal, we are making adjustments to further the work. 

Do not be discouraged! God has a purpose for everything and a plan for all of us! At the beginning of this week, I was very down, but I have been able to see that I am here serving a mission at this hard time for a reason. God placed me here and I'm learning what he needs me to learn so I can be better for my friends. 

I love you all! Stay positive and spread a message of hope to all you know. Everyone could use more joy at this time.

Sister Goodrich 

Baptism!!

Our friend Sylvia

Hi again!! This week has been a crazy one. As I'm sure you all know, the coronavirus outbreak has gotten a lot more serious. As missionaries we have been given a lot of restrictions on how we can do missionary work. It is going to be a challenge figuring out how to keep the work going and making the transition to finding and teaching through technology.

Besides that, my week has been fantastic! We worked all week to help our friend, Sylvia, prepare to be baptized. We weren't quite sure the baptism would happen, but we did all we could and she got the chance to be baptized and confirmed on Saturday morning! It was a very special baptism, and there were only 10 people there total. I know she felt the spirit and sylvia has expressed how happy being baptized has made her. She wanted to make that commitment to follow Christ and being baptized has done just that!

One other highlight was getting the opportunity to partake of the sacrament in a member's home. My companion and I got to join a sweet family and participate in their at home sacrament meeting. It helped me recognize the blessing that having a priesthood holder in a home can be and the special feelings that come from partaking of the sacrament and renewing our baptismal covenant. 

I love you all! I hope you are staying healthy. Keep reading the Book of Mormon and doing those things that will help you grow closer to our Heavenly Father, regardless of whether you can go to church or not!! 

Sister Goodrich