Cottage Grove, Oct 19, 2017

Dear Family and friends!
Portland Oregon Temple


Cottage Grove is amazing and beautiful. I absolutely love it here. There is so much work to do and we never have a moment to waste. Amazing things are happening everyday. We have one sweet girl Destiny who is on date for baptism! The last night in Corvallis we had a testimony meeting as a zone and we got a text right after that the Cottage Grove Sisters had put Destiny on date! I remember the excitement of being able to be a part of this. We meet with Destiny 3 times a week and she came to Yw activity yesterday so that was super exciting! Also we taught the word of wisdom this week and she promised to give up her tea and everything to be baptized! 

The first few days of the transfer we were in a trio with Sister Mcdonald with us. She is training a new missionary so we got to do all the fun things like take the new missionaries on campus in Eugene while the trainers were being trained. Sister John and I took our Site Johnson who went to Desert Hills High school! She was way cute we found a new investigator. On camps as well as we talked to a young man who didn't believe in God at all to accepting a Book of Mormon and praying! Sister Johnson was able to bear her testimony and it was so great to see her excitement afterwards! New missionaries are the best. They bring so much energy to the mission! 
It was fun having Sister McDonald with us as well. She served in cottage Grove a few transfers ago she we were able to follow up on people she was working with in the past. 

On Tuesday we met with the relief society president Sister McAllister and went over the list of members in the ward. There are soooooo many less actives in this ward. It's heartbreaking to see. (so Mom and Dad now with your new calling, you are definitely doing Missionary Work!) we made it a focus to try and visit 5 less actives a day and then knock left right and across the street for each one so we are finding at the same time.

So amazing experience yesterday as we were visiting a less active we knocked left right and across the street. I've really learned to love knocking on doors its probably my favorite now because I did that all day everyday in Corvallis. So I told Sister John I wanted to knock on the corner door. Just one more door before we left. As we walked up to the door it was wide open and the music was blasting so loud! I got a little nervous but as I shouted into the house a young man Jaden 16 year old came to the door. We had such a great spiritual conversation as he said he was confused about which church has all the truth. We were also able to help him see that Mormons are Christians. We gave him a Book of Mormon and by the end he said "This makes so much sense!"  He was incredible and so ready to learn more one problem he has no way of contact and isn't at the home hardly ever. He said "I'm surprised we are even having this conversation. I'm never home but hey must have ment to be right?" Right! The Holy Ghost definitely led us there! We will keep tying back anyways. After such a great conversation there is no way we can loose him. 
Us weekly planning got super excited about all the amazing work to do!


We also met this LA/not a member anymore so she says. She is going to Bible school to become a pastor. She was born into the Church, her family fell away. She was baptized a catholic and now goes to a complety different church. So as we talked about the Bible and things you can just imagine how intimidating it is talking to someone who studies the Bible for a living. I have thought alot about how Heavenly Father calls us young 18 19 year olds to go on missions to teach the gospel. We could be sending out the older gentlemen in the church that have had more time to study and know how to teach but instead he sends us!
Heavenly Father has called young people to do his work. Joseph Smith was 14 years old. Mormon was 15. The old testament Samuel was still a "c

hild."
Whom the Lord calls he Qualifies.

 I've also been studying alot about Faith. I have grown so much in my understanding of the principle. What are we putting our faith in? Is it in the outcome of wanting to find 4 new investigators a week? Is it in being healed? Is it in the outcome or is it in Christ? A great example is of shadrach, meshach, and abednego. They were cast into the fire but they showed where their  faith lied. That if they were saved it would be because of their God but if not they would know it was the will of their Heavenly Father and they would still trust in him. Our faith should be centered in Christ no matter what the outcome may be. That is how we truly align our will with his. 

There are great people here yesterday I met a lady Paula who is Native American and she wants to be baptized so I am excited to meet with her again!

Cottage Grove is absolutely amazing and beautiful. This little town is known for its covered bridges and paintings on the sides of the buildings. Its super beautiful except I'm still a little freaked out we live by a mortuary. But it's not to bad. There was a funeral the other day and I just wanted to hang out in the parking lot handing our plan of salvations. The only deaths that have happened in our apartments was that Sister John killed her last two companions. But she won't be killing me! They other sisters ended their missions here. She was trained by the other Sister Leavitt and so it throws alot of the members off that I am here haha

Sis Leavitt & Sis John at Cottge Grove Lake


We went to the temple today and Sister McAllister took us she is the sweetest. The temple is absolutely stunning! What a blessing it is for us to be able to go. We drove 2 hours to get there. I definitely took the temple being so close for granted and I miss going each week but it makes the times we do get to go here on the mission so much greater! 
Temple with Sister McAllister, Sister John & I


I love you all so much and you are each in my prayers. 
Love 
Sister Leavitt 

Pictures
Temple with Sister McAllister and Sister John and I 
Sister John and I at Cottage Grove Lake
US weekly planning got super excited about all the amazing work to do!
Us at the river that comes off of the Mckenzie River
ThePortland Oregon Temple 

The River




We study every night as well as in the morning can't get enough of that Good Word! Taste so good especially with popcorn!

Sister John and I waiting to meet the new missionaries!

We went with Sister Banner and Sister Hawkins to super Tacos where they have the biggest burritos!


I am doing so well. I love it here in Cottage! It is the cutest place ever. The people are amazing and ahhh the work is just going so strong. I am thankful for Heavenly Father really teaching me how to work back in Corvallis but I am also grateful for the opportunity now to teach more lessons. 
Thank you so much for the new outfit and the coat. I think they will work perfectly! I will definitely keep layering up. 
Sister Orton was so cute as she told me you had been texting her. :) she is so great! 
I can't believe how fast time is flying and the end of this Transfer it will be 6 months and that freaks me out. It can't be going by thus fast I'm not ready for it. 
Oh and thank you for the t-shirt of hometown heros I wear it to service. It made my day to see it! 
I've got the Best family in the world! Thank you for your love and support. 


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