Hello everyone! I hope you all had a great Easter celebrating the life and Resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ!
So I got a couple stories this week for my email-
Monday evening we got invited to go to a bbq at a members house. He said there was going to be tons of non members there, so we decided it was going to be the perfect place to find new people to talk to! He kept telling us that we had to be there especially till the end to watch this great firework show that he puts on every year. We told him as long as they're done by 9, we would be able to stay for the whole thing. When we said that, he told us he was going to talk to the stake president to contact our mission president to see if we could stay out later. We're glad the stake president told him just to start the fireworks earlier because our mission president, would have told this member to read the white handbook and get back to him on his question and see if he got an answer. Lol
So anywayssss, Monday we go to this party, we decided to bring one of the people we are teaching to it as well so he could meet some members of the ward! So we all ate some good food, and hungout and introduced him to people.
Now this guy lives in the country part of Cove, he's got tons of land. He even burnt a square about 30x30 feet, to set off all these fireworks on. They wet the grass before hand as well to make sure nothing caught on fire.
So by 8:15 they started the show. there was about 10 young boys setting off thousands of dollars worth of fireworks. They were hugeeee, and only about 40 feet in front of us. We're all taking pictures/videos having a good time... Well one thing leads to another and all the sudden there's fireworks being tipped over and going off sideways. The next thing we know there's a fire across the street, and a fire growing right next to their house.
My companion and I see this and were luckily sitting by this huge cooler of water, so my companion and another person pick it up and are running with it- while I'm running behind them with water bottles to dump on this fire until we can get the hose over there.
I'm over here like, "should we call 911??" but the guy next to me just starts laughing, like I was kidding.
I was being dead serious though. Hahah
About 10 minutes later they got the fires out.
The guy who's house it was, yells out to all of us there, for us not to go anywhere, because they still got more fireworks! But by this time we thought it was best for us to leave, it was getting pretty late anyways.
It was definitely a firework show I will never forget though 
Now on a more spiritual note,
Earlier this week I was reading Alma 43 and 44, about the war between the Nephites (being led by Moroni) and the zoramites, amalekites, & lamanites (led by Zerahemnah).
Moroni had prepared his army with breastplates, arm shields, helmets, and all sorts of Armor.
When the army of Zerahemnah saw the army of Moroni "they were exceedingly afraid." because they didn't have ANY armor.
Before the fight, Moroni sent someone to ask Alma, (who was the prophet at the time), to ask the Lord what they should do, and how they should defend themselves against the lamanites. So Alma inquired of the Lord and received an answer and the message was sent back to Moroni.
Now that Moroni knew the intentions of the lamanites, they were ready for battle.
We can apply these teachings and this story to us in the latter days by putting on our "armor of righteousness". It is so important for us to be prepared for any battles or trials that will come to us in this life. Just like Moroni, taking the council of the prophet (Alma), to lead and guide his armies, we can follow the council of the latter day prophet President Russell M. Nelson. ESPECIALLY when he says, "in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost."
So put on your armor of righteousness and prepare yourself spiritually for the battles that may come your way.
Just because the Nephites had armor on, didn't mean they were 100% protected. It says that there were many Nephites who shed by swords the loss of blood.
So even if we are doing our best to "protect" ourselves, it doesn't mean we won't get hit with things. We just need to be spiritually prepared to overcome and get through it. And we can with the help of our Savior, Jesus Christ. And by praying to Heavenly Father.
When the Nephites were about to quit, "they cried with one voice unto the Lord their God, for their liberty and their freedom from bondage."
"and they began to stand against the Lamanites with POWER."
They ended up "winning" the fight, the Lamanites made a promise to the Nephites that they would have peace in the land and they would depart from them. the Nephites were able to overcome this great battle, with the help of the Lord.
Alma 44:4
"now ye see that this is the true faith of God; yea, ye see that God will support, and keep and preserve us, so long as we are faithful unto him, and unto our faith, and our religion; and never will the Lord suffer that we shall be destroyed except we should fall into transgression and deny our faith."
ARMOR OF RIGHTEOUSNESS:
Ephesians 6
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
Love, Sister Thorpe
