December 26, 2013

Hello, How's it going??

Well this past week had been really great! It seems like it has been forever since I have emailed home but I guess it has been 9 days. My Pday will be on Thursday again next week and then who knows what. It's kind of all over the place this transfer..

Well last weekend 2 great things happened.. Well more than that but I'll just share some. 1- Sister Sordes and I got to go on an exchange together! :) We were in a trio companionship our last week at the MTC when we did Visitors Center training and so I just love love love her. She is my Sister Training Leader so I was privileged to go on a 1 day exchange with her. It was so good to be able to serve with her and see how much she has grown. She is such a great missionary and just so personable with everyone and makes them feel comfortable. She's just awesome. Hopefully one day we can be real companions. Ok 2- Ben got baptized this weekend! I've only been in this area (almost) 3 weeks now so I had only met him once before his baptism but it was such an amazing baptism! He was just so prepared and ready to be baptized. He is 18 years old and is already planning to serve a mission in 1 year. Talk about awesome. It was so neat though because when he was going down into the water it was like slow-motion and then when he came up he took a big breath of air. It just made me think of how the baptism really does symbolize us being born again. When we are baptized we are completely washed away of our sins and made clean and almost like a new person. It was just so neat. Plus President and Sister Center came so that was great to have them there as well.  3- We got to sing at the Tabernacle on Sunday with a bunch of the missionaries close by here to St George. It was a great night!

This week it didn't seem that we had much noticeable progression in our area. It is so hard being in the Visitors center and sharing half of our time there. Plus with the holidays everyone has just been so crazy. But the Visitors Center has been great! I am getting back into the swing of things there. Let me tell you though, Monday night was a mad house there. Last Monday night before Christmas= insane! We had to have had like 2000 people there, I swear. Ok maybe not that much but there was a lot. It was so fun though just staying busy and talking to everyone. Sister Phagwah and I were able to get a good amount of referrals that night though so that was good. Since coming back to the Visitors Center I haven't had a whole lot of people to call in the Teaching Center so I'm excited to get that going again. Do you remember like 6 months ago before I left the Visitors Center for Kaibab I was teaching a lady over the phone named Joyce? Anyways, I have gotten in contact with her again. She has moved temporally and left her Book of Mormon at her other home in a whole other state. Well she gave me her now address to send her a copy and before she wouldn't give me her address so this was a big step! Anyways, she just had surgery so please pray for her and pray she will be able to have that desire to read more!

Ok now Christmas- It was so great to talk and skype to you familia! I had a really great Christmas. I'm kind of sad it'll be my only one on the mission really. So Christmas Eve we had dinner with the Turner family in one of our wards. Every Christmas Eve they get matching pajama bottoms and so they got Sister Phagwah and I some too. It was so cute. Then we had a district activity that night and got to watch Despicable Me 2! Ahh I was so stoked but we missed the last 15 minutes or so because of curfew :( Sad day! So I'll probably have to wait 9 more months to finish it. Haha! Then Christmas morning we had breakfast with the Drolets, one of the senior couple we work with at the Visitors Center. They made us eggs, biscuits, and bacon. So good! Then we headed over to the Visitors Center for our "Secret Angel" gift exchange and white elephant gift exchange. Sister Luebbert (MTC companion) ended up being my Secret Angel so that was fun! She got me a picture from with some really embarrassing pictures from the MTC haha but it was fun! We then skyped and then after headed back to the Visitors Center for lunch with all the sisters and senior couples. Some wards donated scarfs and we all got to pick out 3! I think I have a total of 13 scarfs know. Haha I'm not sure how that happened.. but I love them so I'm not complaining! ;) We then had a zone activity our in Hurricane and had another White Elephant Gift exchange and then played Ultimate Frisbee. Which was good because that prepared us for the 2 dinners Sister Phagwah and I had that night :o I feel so very blessed to be here serving in this mission. We are so spoiled here in Utah. One of our dinners gave us some gifts too, including yet another scarf! Hahaha! We ended our night with a short shift at the Visitors Center. So it was a very good Christmas!!!!!!!! I have loved being back in the Visitors Center at this time to be able to remember the true reason for this season- Jesus Christ. 

Well I hope that you all had a great Christmas and have a happy new year!!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!

December 17, 2013- Merry Christmas!​!!

Hello, How's it going?

Can you believe Christmas is already here!? Well, next week! This is my last Pday before Christmas! Insane. Seriously I don't know where the time goes. Christmas Eve will be 8 months since I entered the MTC.

Well I have been back in St George 1 week now. It's good to be back in the Visitors Center but I miss Kaibab too! It's been a little weird to adjust back to it, especially because it is winter time so the Visitors Center slows down a ton! At least during the day, it's been slow. I miss being out in Kaibab and just working hard every second. I feel like I get more tired in the Visitors Center because sometimes I could be sitting there for 1 hour or more without anyone coming in. But it is good. The spirit is always so strong in the Visitors Center and the people are coming to us!

My new companion is Sister Phagwah from Guyana in South America. And opps she doesn't even speak Spanish so ignore that comment last week. (Embarrassing) Anyways, It was so crazy that first day when I found out Guyana was in the West Indies mission and I told her my brother-in-law served there so that night we got out our photo albums and she started freaking out because Joey served in her branch! I swear, the world just gets smaller and smaller. Anyways I love Sister Phagwah. She is just the sweetest! We have had so much fun together already!

As for my new area.. Washington East 2. It's pretty good. We have 6 investigators I think. I haven't even met all of them yet, it's been so crazy. But we do have a baptism this weekend. Which is pretty exciting! Oh speaking of baptisms- TOBI GOT BAPTIZED SATURDAY! I asked President if I could go, I even had an offer for someone to come get us and drive us back but he said no. :( Thankfully Sister Hollander snapped this picture of her and her husband Bill, who baptized her. Isn't she so cute!?? You can see how happy she is! Ah I love her!

Anyways, the area I am in now I guess has been kinda struggling but we have the faith that things are going to pick up. They already have really!! Last night we decided to tract on this one street and it was like a miracle street, I swear. We found 2 non-members which we set return appointments with both of them and one actually became a new investigator! Her name is Sandy and she is Jehovah Witness (for now;) so she had lots to say but you can tell that she is open and is still searching for more! I am so excited to go back and meet with her! :) We are going to see miracles this transfer!!!

Embarrassing story of the week: We accidentally locked our keys inside our apartment one night and we had to get other sisters to help us break in! Hahaha so funny! There is a picture attached of it. Of course, I had to get my camera out ;)

Well, I gotta go. But familia I will talk to you next week!!!!!!! And everyone else, hope you have a great Christmas! And I hope that you remember the true meaning of Christmas. Here is a cute, little Christmas Mormon message.

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=2874125972001

Love you all!!!!!

December 9, 2013- Goodbye Kaibab :(

Hello, How's it going?

Good news: The time is finally here for Tobi to be baptized this weekend! 

Bad news: I'm getting transferred tomorrow :(

I am really really sad to leave Kaibab.. Like really sad. I have loved working here. It's been the hardest yet but brought the most joy. I love the small town and the people here. Everyone is so great and the people are all starting to progress now! And it kills me that I am going to miss Tobis baptism!! I can not even talk about her enough and how amazing she is. We saw her quite a bit this week and finalized her interview and baptism! We also went over there last night to watch the Christmas Devotional. While President Monson was talking she said "He's looking right at me. He's talking to me." She loves President Monson so much and has such a powerful testimony of him. Well I hope you all watched it cause it was so good. I really enjoyed Elder Nelsons talk on the Savior. SO SO GREAT! 

Oh and we got a new investigator this week in Colorado City! Yipee! Her name is Anniston and she is almost 10. Her family is less-active so we are trying to work with them and hopefully get them re-active but we were able to set Anniston on date for January 4th so hopefully they can get really committed by then.

We met with the Jim and Sue just once this week because they have been out of town. But it went pretty well other than we extended the baptism invitation and she didn't accept. She's "already been baptized" so we will see! I love them so much! I am sure gonna miss all these people. They won't get back until tonight so I will not even get to say goodbye. I hate transfers.

This week has been so insane with the snow. I had mentioned (I think last week) that it snowed but oh nooooo. I have now seen snow. It was worse than when I lived in Provo! Saturday night we were driving home from a Ward party in Fredonia and I had to go like 20 MPH on the highway. Talk about scary! I am so thankful we have that 4 wheel drive jeep now though! The storm that night was so bad that our stake ended up cancelling church!!!! And we ended up being on lockdown from our mission president until 3 anyway! Is it bad that I consider that a tender mercy because I had so much packing and area book updating to do!? It was so weird to be in the apartment that long though and not be able to take the sacrament and I didn't even get to say bye to people at church. Maybe it's easier that way though..

Speaking of ward parties, we went to 3 this week! We got quite a few less-active families to come which was amazing!!!! It was good to be able to see lots of the members too so I was able to say goodbye because I knew transfer calls were coming up and figured it was my time to go :(

So we will leave tomorrow morning bright and early! My new companion is Sister Phagwah and she is from Guyana! She has just been out 3 months, the same time as Sister Hollander. So I don't know her but heard she is really sweet. I am excited because I'm gonna have her teach my spanish! Wahoo! Oh and we will be in the Washington East and I'll be back in the Visitors Center. I am excited to be there for Christmas.. That should be fun!

Well I better get going!!!! I'll talk to ya'll next Tuesday, thats when my Pday will be this transfer! Love you all!

Mission office:
107 S 1470 E STE 304

St George, UT 84790

 My new companion is sitting next to me in the green cardigan!

December 3, 2013- Its Christmas in Kanab!

Hello! How's it going? This week has been really good! I'm really starting to stress because transfer calls are this Saturday!!!!!! Ah pray I will stay here!

Last Pday was fun, we went and took some pictures for Christmas Cards with the other sisters and today we are going to ZIONS!! I've been here 4 months and haven't gone yet so I decided we better go now before one of us goes and before it gets any colder! Which btw the high tomorrow is 32 degrees! Yep, we're going to die. Our heater broke during the middle of the night this week but thankfully it got fixed the next day so we are good there. :)

Thanksgiving was good! Kinda weird, but that's holidays on the mission haha! We first went to Donna and Dicks (LA/PM family) and just talked with them for a while. They are pretty old and none of their family was coming over so we thought we would give them company. And it was good! Usually when we go over there we are just cleaning for them so it's harder to get into gospel discussions but we were able to this time so it was good. We then went over to the Bowman's. Sister Bowman is Tobi's fellowshipper so we have really gotten to know her over the past month or so. Anyways, they have 9 kids and the oldest is on a mission in Canada! But it was fun!!! Good to be with a big family and lots of commotion. I felt at home. Haha! We got to help prepare some food, play games with the kids, and then of course EAT! They decided to have ham this year instead of Turkey and it was really good actually. I've always thought of my self as a turkey lover and not too into ham but it was really good. We then went over to the Reidhead's who have a daughter on a mission too! We just hung out with them for a while and ate some pie. Which they sent us home with a whole chocolate pie from Houston's Restaurant! Yaaa we are still working on it. We then went to go play games at the Beehive Nursing Home but turns out most of the tenants were with their families so we didn't  We ended our night at the Brower's (LA family) and got to watch Ephraim's Rescue with them! Ahhh it was so good!!!!! I loved it so much!!!! The pioneers are true examples! I can not believe all that they went through for this gospel but I could not be more grateful for them and their faith that they had!

Speaking of Tobi, she is still so great!!!! Her baptism is next weekend so this week we are just trying to put everything together and not stress about one of us leaving. She is so cute. Last time we went to her house as she is hugging is she says "You better not leave. Can I call your President and tell him you're not leaving!" I was tempted to give her his phone number because I really don't want to leave but than I remember it's not up to him. It's up to the Lord so we told her she's gotta tell the big guy upstairs! Haha she's so cute! I love her so much!!!!

We met with Jim and Sue a few times this week! When we were following up on their Book of Mormon reading ahhh it was so good! So Sue says "I told myself I was only going to read 1 page a week, because I don't want to pressure myself." and then Jim goes "Ya, and you've read 7 pages in 1 week!" Oh my goodness, it was so funny and so great! We could not have been more happy!!!!! She hasn't gained that firm testimony on the Book of Mormon yet but that's alright. Some things take time. But Jim has gained such a strong testimony!!!!!! It was so awesome to hear him bear testimony to her! Because he just started reading the Book of Mormon for the first time too! On Saturday there was a Christmas Parade down the main street. Yep by 1 of the 2 lights in town haha. Anyways, Sue texted was that day and asked if we would like to go with them to the parade. What!? We were so excited. It's so little but so exciting as missionaries. We are supposed to have contact with them at least every other day and she is the one texting us! So great! So we met them down there and watched it with them. We then walked around with them looking at all the floats after wards and looking at Christmas lights. Jim's brother does one of the Christmas lights show where the lights go to the music. So cool! Anyways, it was a really good bonding experience!

Before the parade we went to the Kanab sisters baptism because they invited a non-member in our area to go named Troy and he did! So we got his information and are going to start teaching him tomorrow! We are so excited, he sounds super prepared!!!!

Well yesterday we had Zone Conference it St George and it was sooo good! Elder Arnold from the quorum of the seventy came and was so intense! and some how we ended up in the very front row right in the center. You know that had to be Sister Hollander because I always like to hide in the back haha. Anyways, I took sooo much from it and am excited to apply it in our area! Too much to type right now haha.

Oh We got a brand spanking new 2014 Jeep Compass this week! Yep, the only one in the mission and we got it. It is sooo nice!

Embarrassing story (It seems like this should just be a part of my weekly emails with how life has been going latley haha): So there was one day last week I was just so tired!!!!! During companionship study we were reading from Preach My Gospel together and next thing I know I was out! I just fell asleep and I don't even know how! My companion just starred and started laughing which woke me up. It was only a minute, no worries. But that whole day I was just dead. I had to drive back from Colorado City to Kanab and I thought I was going to pass out. I remember at one point saying "I have been tired on my mission but I just feel reeaalll tired." and then at the end of that night I was thinking maybe I was getting sick because I was just out of it! Well, the next morning I go to take my vitamins and I realize that I had taken a melation (AKA Sleeping pill that knocks me out!!) instead of one of my vitamins! Ahhh never again. I was so dead all day!

Anyways, sorry I feel like this email is all scatter-brained! But I gotta get going so we can go to ZIONS! I love you all!!!!!

MONDAY NOVEMBER 25TH 2013

Hellooo family and friends! How's it going?? Things are great here in Kaibab! Just continuing to blossom :)
First off, Tobi is doing great!!!! She is still set on date for December 14th and is just soo ready!! We had 3 lessons with her this week and popped in a few other times as well. She is just so eager to keep learning more and she just accepts everything so quickly. It just shows that time is everything! She started meeting with missionaries over a year ago ya know? Even when I first got here in August she was not ready. But she is now. Oh my goodness, I never knew I could love someone so quickly. But she is one of my favorite people ever. So hilarious, caring, and talented. The picture I attached of the rock was painted by her! Isn't that so cute!!?? She made Sister Hollander and I both one. LOVE her! I better be here for her baptism. Transfers are on the 10th so I'm praying I will stay here or I will be so soo sad. But I guess our Heavenly Father does know best. Just have to remember that. Haha

We met with Jim and Sue again this week. Actually 3 times! They have only been wanting to meet once a week but it just happened we saw them 3 times :) We taught the rest of the Restoration and we thought it went pretty well. They are both reading from the Book of Mormon and praying together as well as individually! She texted us the day after though and asked if we could come over! (Panic attack) So we did and she gave us little pumpkin muffins she forgot to give us the night before! She also told us that she didn't want us to get our hopes up or think we are failing because they aren't ready or willing to come to church yet. But no of course we know some things take time. They are so prepared they just don't know it!! Then we went back last night because we forgot to give them the Restoration DVD to watch. Which was alright because it was an excuse to see them between appointments anyway. They has some questions too of how to get more into the Book of Mormon. It ended up being a really good discussion. Random embarrassing story: Jim came right at the end of when we were teaching the Restoration and so I told him "Pam can catch you up on what we have talked about so far." And everyone looked at me and said "Who's Pam?" Oh my gosh, we were all dying. I don't even know 1 single Pam out there in this world! Ever since then they all give me crap for it. But it's good. Now we have an inside joke, which I think has brought us closer. Weird I know. I'm so embarrassing oh my gosh. Hahaha!

Pearl, Korrina, and Joe cancelled this week and we kind of get the feeling that we may need to drop them. So sad. They are going to be out of town this whole week too so we will see..

We did get another new investigator though! We visited them last week but only the wife, Ashley was home and their 4 girls. We set up a few times to meet with them but keep cancelling but we were finally able to visit with them! She is a member but not active and he is not a member and actually grew up in Colorado City. If you knew his last name you would have caught that because there is only like 5 last names out there. Haha! But anyways, he has met with missionaries before but stopped about 1 year ago. He said he is ready now though and so we are so excited to start teaching their family!!

So this week we had an exchange. It was so weird being away from Sister Hollander for 24 hours. It was also so weird to leave Kaibab. I went to the Washington Fields area with Sister Davila. (I attached a picture of us too) It was good but also hard to adjust to new people and a new area. Reason #2 why I don't want to leave Kaibab. It is my home now! But I know I will have to some day.. Just hopefully not to soon. But the exchange was good and I learned a lot from Sister D. She has been out over a year now and so she is very bold with people. It was good to be with her for a day but I'm glad to back here in Kaibab.

During our District Training Meeting we had interviews with President and Sister Center. I was so nervous, I don't even know why. But they were great. I love them both so much. President always intimidates me but when we talk one on one it is so good. We talked a lot about the area and the work that is going on here. Sister Hollander and I have been wanting our area to be split because it is just so huge but I don't think that is going to happen. He says there is way more missionaries going home this transfer than is coming in so they may have to even close some areas. Scary! But I know we are safe. Oh exciting random news: We are getting a brand new jeep this weekend! The mission is getting 3 of them and we get one because of all our dirt and muddy roads! Haha so stoked for that! Which also means we have to drive in to St George to exchange cars! Yay civilization! ;)


Yesterday we talked in Fredonia 2nd ward on missionary work of course! It went pretty good I think (hope). There was a guy visiting from Mesa and turned out he lives like 1 mile away from us. Small world! He asked if there was anything that I needed him to take home so I gave him a few things. Such a tender mercy because I have been accumulating a lot of things on my mission already! Haha!

Well I better get going but I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!!  Love you all!

"What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?"

 Sister Davila in Washington Fields

MONDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2013

This week was absolutely amazing!!! It has been filled with so many tender mercies and miracles from the Lord!

Ok so last Monday before we came to email we went and stopped by Tobi's because we needed to give her the handkerchiefs so she could wash them before we painted them with her, and she was doing great! But when we went back later that day she was having such a hard time and thinking about postponing the baptism! Ahh the adversary. But the next day she was back on and then decided to push it forward to Dec 7th so Sister Hollander and I would for sure be here but now it's back to the 14th.. But either way we are all so excited for her. She is great! I love her so much! She told me that no matter how my mission goes that I accomplished my mission with her. Because she has met with so many missionaries and had experiences with the church for 40 years now and she is finally getting it. I just feel so blessed beyond belief this week!

We also got 2 new investigators and both super solid!!!!! And one of them is my first in Colorado City!!! So stoked for that. Her name is Tonya. It is actually our ward mission leaders cousin. She just moved to Colorado City from the colonies in Mexico with just 7 of her children. She went to Stake Conference last week and church this week with Brother Stubbs (Ward mission leader, her cousin). We had a great lesson with her this past week too. I guess she had some concerns with prayer. She knows that Heavenly Father answers our prayers but she just hasn't felt like shes gotten answers recently. So we talked about the spirit and how to recognize it more. At the end we asked her to pray and she asked if Sister Hollander would say it. Then after Brother Stubbs asked if we could all go around and say a prayer. Sounds kinda weird but it was the most amazing thing ever. By the time it got to Tonya we were all in tears I think. The spirit was so strong! It took her a while to realize that that was the spirit she was feeling but she eventually did. We gave her some great commitments for how to study prayer and recognizing the spirit in the Book of Mormon more thoroughly and we will be seeing her again tomorrow! Well I guess I won't because I am going on an exchange tonight til tomorrow night and I will be in Washington City, right by St George. But Sister Hollander and Sister Larsen will be going to see her :)

Our other new investigator is Sue. Bishop Jackson called us last week and said that this couple he has been working with for 2 years is finally ready to listen to us! The husband, Jim, is actually a member but been pretty inactive since he was a teenager and doesn't know a whole lot about the church. So we met with them on Thursday. It is so amazing how the Lord really has been preparing people for us and of course with the help of great members!!! Jim already started to read the Book of Mormon so hopefully we will get Sue on that track as well.

We met with Korrina and Joe this week out in Moccasin. Because Pearl wasn't there we didn't do the lesson we had planned and did a little neat Church Pray Read object lesson with them. The parents, Aaron and Katie, actually sat in and participated and we really got to know them more and gain their trust as well. Things have felt kinda slow with them but we have great faith they will all start to progress more!

Also the picture I attached is from Bonnie and Georges wedding reception this week. They are some LAs we have been working with. So excited to join them in the temple in August!!! :)

Well I'm running out of time but that pretty much sums this week up. It has been such a week of miracles though. I think so much has been because of prayers. I don't think I have ever prayed more or more sincerely in my life!!! Rely on the Lord. He is there to help!

Love you all. Have a great week :)

 

 

 

 

Monday Nov 11, 2013

Ok this week has been sooo great!!! It's seemed super long, but that's okay with me! :)

 

So Monday Sister Waiane got her new companion, Sister Chinen. So we are back to normal structure with just Sister Hollander and I in just our area. Although, I miss Sister Waiane so much!!! She was such a great example of positivity and trusting in the Lord. Sister Chinen and I served in the Visitors Center 1 transfer before I came out here to Kanab and we got really close so I am excited. They are a great companionship. We drive to Hurricane every week and are going to lunch together today so we see them often :)

Tuesday we went to Donna and Dicks and helped clean part of their home again. Things are slow with them and not much gospel discussion but that's alright. Just building that friendship and their trust in us is huge.

We went and saw Charlotte and Marvin out in Colorado City that evening, it had probably been about a month since we had gone and seen them but we have been so busy, it's crazy. But it was really good. The week before General Conference we invited them to watch it but they didn't :( So when we went over this week we brought them the Conference Ensign and they were so excited!!! They get the 'Friend' for their grandkids and read it all the time. They said they would read the Ensign as well so we will see. I just love them. They are the sweetest people ever!

Wednesday we went out with the Lounsburys in Colorado City and Cane Beds. LOVE them!! They served a mission in New York about 5 years ago and just have that missionary spirit still. We met a few really good potentials out there! Yay! That evening back in Kanab we finally got to go see the Buntings. He has been pretty much less-active his whole life but has been coming a lot lately so we are going to start teaching him :)

Thursday we volunteered at the Care N Share in Fredonia again. It is so fun, I love it. I don't know if I explained much about it last time we volunteered there. But we help put food boxes together for struggling families and girls from a 'troubled girls home' comes and volunteers so we get to interact with them. They think we are so cool! Haha One of them even said she wanted to be a missionary, yet knows nothing about the church. Not sure if we can teach any of them, because of their circumstances but we shall see.

 

We also volunteered at the Beehive Nursing Home this week. They had us play games with them again. And we played Skip-bo! It was fun! I haven't played that game in so long but I remember being little and playing that all the time when the missionaries would come over. So crazy to think now I'm the missionary.

 

We saw Pearl Korrina, and Joe twice this week. They are so great! We taught the Restoration and then had a trivia game over what we taught and they knew it all!!!!! We were so proud. But Korrina was the only one that came to church :( Those stinkers! But we're working on it..

We saw Tobi like 4 times this week and she is doing so great! Ah I love her so much!!!!! We taught about the Plan of Salvation and more of what has gotten her to where she is today. She has such a strong testimony and I am just so excited for her and the decision she has finally made after 2 years to be baptized! Well even longer I guess. She has had lots of experiences with us mormons. The missionaries first knocked on her day 18 years ago. Timing is everything though. This gospel is for everyone but it just depends on the Lord's timing! That is the key.

 

We had Stake Conference this weekend and it was AMAZING! I loved it. It was a broadcast and Richard G Scott and Dallin H Oaks talked. They were so perfect for Tobi and she realized that too! She kept saying it was just for her. It was a lot about hastening the work but also tied in with the importance of women and having that unity in a marriage and ah just so many great things. I left my notes in the car though so that's all the details you get haha Oh and guess who gave the prayers? Sister Holland and I! Ahhh ya scary. But it was good. The stake President also had us come up and introduce us to the whole stake.

 

I just love serving here in Kaibab. The members are so great and are really getting more involved! Things have bene picking up so much. We actually had more non-member lessons this week than less-actives and that like never happens!!!!! The Lord is preparing people all around us, we just need the help from members to show us where they are. ;) So look around. Find someone to befriend and to serve.

 

Love you all! have a great week!

Thought dad would like this picture! They are HUGE!!!!!

MONDAY NOV 4TH 2013

Ok this has been Crazy, and felt so long, but great!!!!!!!! Oh and freeeezing! No Mesa weather here

.

So Tuesday was a great day! We got 4 new investigators that day!!!!! One is Tobi, whom I spoke about a little last week. We met with her twice this week and set her on date for December 14th! Yay!!! Except that is the week after transfers :( So we are trying to move her up. She is so ready and doesn't need that much time. She could totally be baptized this weekend!!!! She has been going to church pretty much every Sunday for a year and she has such a powerful testimony. I am so excited to be working with her :)

That evening we went out to Moccasin and that's where we got the next 3 new investigators. Pearl, Korina, and Joe. They were taught be sisters about a year ago and set on date but they're parents wanted them to have more time to really get to know the church more and they're parents I think are coming around now. We are meeting with them again tomorrow so let's hope all does well.

As for Levi, we had to drop him because we haven't heard back in 2 weeks. Ah he was so golden.. I don't know what happened! So sad.. but I guess he is just not ready right now.

Running out of time so here is some quick updates:

Skye ended up going out of town so we didn't meet with him at the Family History Center last week. This week though. Fingers crossed!

Sommer and Bruce also cancelled and still haven't come to church so we might have to drop them. But that breaks my heart!!!!! And she has my skirt and I don't know how to ask for it back. I feel like I am breaking up with someone! No bueno.

Halloween was fun.. or just relaxing really! We had to be home by 6 so we got to relax all night. So nice!

I have been in a trio since Friday morning. A sister in the mission somewhere went home so there was an emergency exchange and the other sister in Kanab, Sister Donovan, got transferred to replace where she was. So Sister Waiane has been with us and will get her new companion this afternoon. It has been so fun though! Sister Waiane is from Vanautu (Mom- She is the one we met in February at the VC) She is super great always! She is THE MOST positive and focused missionary and person anyone will ever meet. It has been great to have her in our companionship and we going to miss her. Although I am excited for our area to be back to normal because we have been doing our stake and her area. Crazy!

Anyways, we better get going. But I love you all. Have a good week!

 

Monday October 29, 2013

Today marks the start of my 5th transfer! INSANE! Sister Hollander and I are staying together here in Kaibab :) I am excited and blessed to be here.

As you know it seems like work has been slow this transfer but somehow we have been super busy this past week and this week will be too. Not necessarily teaching appointments with non-members but just planting seeds! We have been able to do lots of service recently and I LOVE it. I am here to serve everyone and so we love it when people actually allow is to.

We got a referral from Dave (LA/PM Family) for his neighbors across the street for Donna and Dick also a LA/PM Family situation. So we went over there this week and it was funny.. When we opened the door she said "Are you Jehovah Witness!?" Of course we said "no" and said who we were and she said "Good, come in. Come in." We actually got that a few times this week. It looks like we have some competitors but they aren't too liked here. Haha. Anyways, so Dick is the member but not active and his wife Donna is not a member. We chatted with them for a good while and they agreed to have us come back to help her clean and organize her home. Score!

We also met with Skye this past week. Before when we had met with him it was hard to get anywhere because he has a lot of questions and our fellowshipper would just answer them all, but none were necessarily doctrine. Well this week we decided to jsut go by ourselves and it was perfect! He has read 1 and 2 Nephi already and so we talked about the end of 2 Nephi, on some scriptures he didn't understand. And we got him to pray!!! Yay! It was a little different though.. This is how he started out.. "Oh dear wonderful, beautiful universe!" Hahaha ya he still hasn't gained that testimony on God yet but we are working on it. We are going down to the Family History Center with him this week and we are all super excited for that!

Ok so I don't if I have told you about Tobi but she started meeting with missionaries a little over a year ago. Her husband got baptized a few months before than too. Ok she goes to church every Sunday and reads from the Book of Mormon all the time and she loves President Monson! Golden right? Well she could just never make up her mind and has kept putting it off. So we have just let her have her own time to sit and think about it. She is Greek Orthodox which I think is a lot of why she has held off for so long because it's more of a family tradition to be Greek Orthodox. Well one of her friends Sister Bowman texted us last week and said "Tobi has been inspired she needs to become a mormon!" WHAT!? Yaaa so we are going to start meeting with her tomorrow! I am so so stoked! She is a fireball too, let me tell ya. Seriously funniest lady I have ever met. I love her and am so excited that she has finally realized what she needs to do.

We also met with Sommer and Bruce again this week. Another one of those LA/ PM families. We taught them the Plan of Salvation. I think it went well for the most part. Bruce actually opened up and had lots of questions. He usually just sits back and let's Sommer talk but he talked more this time. It was so great. But they didn't come to church yesterday!!!!! Such a bummer. They are still wanting to bless their baby though and she turns one the beginning of December and they want to before she turns 1. So we will see with them.

Ok Damion (Conner and Joshs friend) We haven't been able to get a hold of him this week! :( But last night we went to go drop something off at a members.. It was so last minute. We kept putting of dropping this card off at her house and so I was finally was like we have to go right now and lo and behold Connor, Damion, and Josh were outside at the house across the street. Inspired? Ah I love how smart God is. So we were able to talk to all 3 of them for a while. We weren't able to set up an appointment with Damion though :( But we will keep trying. It was so good that we were able to see Josh too because have just felt so bad since we dropped him because we was upset. But he just wasn't progressing! So we were able to talk and break the ice again. So great!

We also haven't been able to get ahold of Levi at all this week either :( Which is weird.. I swear he was so golden! Stupid adversary. But we are going to track him down this week!

We also were able to get a few referrals this week so hopefully those will turn in to investigators as well! Some sound pretty golden too. Now if we could just get a hold of them! Haha

All in all though this week has been great! I read a talk entitled "The Fourth Missionary" It is amazing!!!! Everyone should read it. Missionary or not. It is a talk that is easily applicable to everyday life and how we look at things. We need to have a vision and positive attitude and we can conquer all with God on our side.

"If you surrender, If the Lord wins, you win also. If you win, if your will prevails, you and the Lord both lose. The only way to win is to lose. Lose yourself in the Lord's work, and you will win beyond your wildest imaginations."

Love you all and hope you have a great Halloween and week!

Julianna and I :)

Monday October 21, 2013

 St George East Zone

Sister Sordes and I

 The Taite family :)

Telephone Booth (you would think I'm in England huh mom)

HUGE squash at Charlettes home :)

 

Ok first off, my 6 month mark is this week!!!!!!! INSANE! Like I seriously don't know where the time has gone. I remember when I first came out everyone said the time flies but I thought they were all lying to me haha but they weren't!

This week was pretty good. We had Zone Conference this week which was amazing and so good to see my Visitors Center Sisters again! A lot of Zone Conference was on.... Working with members! Who would've guessed it, right!? It was really good though and I think just what we needed. I have been frustrated with our ward mission leaders but I think we need to step up our part and help them to be more involved. So we are meeting with each of them this week separately so hopefully things will be better and progress more in every way.

We met with Levi again this week! Unfortunately only once because he's been sick and had job interviews and such.. We finished the first lesson with him this week though and I think it went really great. Everything made sense to him and he understood it all. And we got him to pray!!! Our first lesson with him he wouldn't. He said he would pray more about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon so we will see tonight. He said he is sitll interested in getting baptized but just isn't totally positive.. he has a hard time believing there is just 1 true church. So we are working on that..

We also had our last lesson with the Robinson girls this week. Super sad but now the ward is taking over the recent convert lessons. We also had dinner with them and it was sister Hollanders first time having tacos! Can you believe that? Haha she loved them though, and of course you know I did too. Although I don't know if they beat dads Watusi taco fest! ;)

We had to drop Josh this week :( He just wasn't progressing in any way. He wouldn't read from the Book of Mormon and we even tried reading it with him but no luck.. We had a couple with us that night too and they just did not get a long with Josh so it didn't really end on a good note. Which is so sad because Josh really has such a love for Christ and a great relationship but he is just not ready or open at this time.

So last week we were contacting in-actives and met Dave and Marcie. Dave is the in-active and Marcie is a catholic. The first time it was just Marcie and she was kinda busy but we set up a time to come back! Wahoo! So then when we went back Dave was there and not Marcie so we couldn't go inside but we chatted for probably 30 minutes on his porch. He says he has a desire to come back to church and eventually be sealed to his wife! Double wahoo! He really wants us to meet with them so we are calling him today to set up a new time when we can catch them both.

So funny story.. About 2 weeks ago we were at The Junction eating and this older man starts making small talk with us and we found out he was less-active then after lunch we went to find Greg (our other LA guy we've been working with) where he works and this guy was there!!! And he was like "Are you two following me?" Than last Pday we were eating at a different restaurant and he was there too and said the same thing!!! So we figured out where he lived and went to visit him this week. His name is Brother Hamblin and he is just the sweetest man. We talked to him for a while on his doorstep but couldn't go in because he is a "bachelor" and lives alone. He is great though. He loves family history and volunteers there every week but just has a hard time going to church. Well yesterday at Stake Coordination we found out that he was at church yesterday! I was sooo happy! If only all people were that easy!

Anyways, that is pretty much all for now! Hope you all have a great week!

MONDAY OCT 14TH 2013

Got to see The Nashville Tribute Band :)

 

Ok this week has been AMAZING!

We had 2 administrators from the MTC come and stay with us for 2 days! I guess they go out once a year with missionaries and see what they can do to better train people in the MTC for the field. It was great to have them, we learned soooo much from them! They are so bold! Like I thought I was bold.. Nope not even close compared to them. But they are so lovingly bold. They also had such great faith. One of them was with us when we did our Weekly Planning Friday and encouraged us to have faith in finding new investigators like a lot! And guess what!? We were able to get 3 new investigators in 2 days! They are way more solid than the 2 we even have now too! So we are way excited!

One of them is Levi who I have talked about before. He just moved back to Kanab. We met with him Saturday for the first lesson and invited him to be baptized and he said YES! He just doesn't know when yet because apparently he might be moving again :/ We are seeing him again tonight though so hopefully we can put him on date today!!!!

Bruce was able to become an investigator too. His wife is Sommer, a less active, who I know I have talked about a little bit. They want to start meeting with us more so we are way excited! When we saw her last week she said she didn't have a skirt for church so she would go when she got one and she was saying she loved maxi skirts! Well the whole week I kept having these thoughts that I should just give her my maxi skirt because I can't wear it on the mission anyway and I thought nooo that's weird. I don't know what she would say... Well we stopped by Saturday to see if they were coming and she said she didn't have a dress or skirt yet. Well perfect I just so happened to have my maxi skirt in the trunk! She was sooo excited and said they would be there! Sad story- they didn't end up coming because she worked grave yard and their little girl couldn't sleep but they promise they will be there next week and we have an appointment before than too so we will see!!!! Pray for them por favor!

K 3rd new investigator is Damian. We met up with Josh and he was with Connor (our LA boy we are working with) and Damian (non-member!!!) Well turns out Damian is more open and interested than Josh and we are going to start meeting with him too!!!!!

We had a stake party on Saturday out in Moccasin and it seemed like so many people were coming up to us saying they want us to meet with their neighbors, co-workers, etc.. Miracles I tell ya! I had been getting so frustrated with the lack of referrals here and BAM we got like 4 or 5 that night! And for families too! Sooo excited! Ahhhh the Lord is working miracles. We just have to have that faith that He can!!!!!

Random things: We were finally able to get some service projects! We helped clean out an apartment and let me tell you it was a mess! It blows my mind sometimes the homes we go in to. Then we also helped a less active, recent convert organize her scrapbook room!

The Nashville Tribute Band had a fireside/ concert last night for out stake and it was amazing! They called us up on stage to sing with them! Probably not their smartest move haha but it was so fun!

Anyways, I gotta go.. running out of time! I love you all! Keep sweet, and keep the faith!

 

Another jump shot

Bathroom shot in the church haha

 

 Moccasin church building