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!