I Volunteered with a Clown

Guess Who I'm training! The cutest Sister Missionary ever! Sister Christensen! She's amazing and I love her.

This week was fabulous! Monday evening we had dinner with our investigator Liz who was a referral from Sister Steed (I want to be just like Sister Steed when I grow up, seriously). She met her when I was sick a couple weeks ago. When we had dinner with Liz we mostly listened because she and Sister Steed became instant best friends. It was wonderful to see! She explained to us that she didn't like that other churches condemn people so much and that everyone is just going to go to hell.  We talked about the Plan of Salvation and she just loved every second of it. She said everything makes sense and she can't wait to learn more.

Sister Sand transferring out was still very sad :( but she's in the right place at the right time and Inglemoor doesn't need her and she doesn't have have anything else to learn from Inglemoor. But then I was put with Sister Christensen and she is wonderful! I can't ask for a better trainee! She's sharp and so ready to work! 

Liz came to the Relief Society potluck on Tuesday and everyone just loved her! Sister Christensen did great with getting to know everyone and I'm just so proud of her. 

That night we had a lesson with our investigator Audrey. She has a lot going on in her family and she just kept saying how much her Aunt Becky loved the hearts ("Heart attack"). We talked about the Godhead and the Atonement. She loved it and she was so upset because she lost the Book of Mormon we gave her. Then we showed her the Book of Mormon app and she was over the moon! She loves the audio setting because she has dyslexia and has a hard time reading. Sister Christensen did great with sharing her thoughts and feelings from the Spirit on her first day!

On Wednesday we had three powerful member lessons. I'm so excited for this ward to really explode with member missionary work. We're helping individual families create family mission plans. It's so dang cool.  

Our weekly planning session was wonderful! She catches on so quickly! And it was the first time I weekly planned within three hours since being companions with Sister Truax. Very led by the Spirit also. 

Also on Thursday we had another lesson with Liz on the Restoration. As we spoke on prophets and how God has always called prophets, and Sister Christensen testified of our modern day prophet (seriously, easiest trainee ever!), Liz was amazed. The Spirit was so strong during that lesson! Sister Steed and Liz's friendship is blossoming and Liz is excited to come to church with her husband (he comes back into town in a week and a half). She even said the closing prayer and the Spirit was so strong. I was nearly brought to tears! It was so special. We invited her to be baptized and she said she would like to learn more first (but she was totally moved by the Spirit and wanted to say yes).

We attended somethign called "Care Day" on Friday. It's where those who are struggling can come and have some basic needs met. There were booths for dental care, haircuts, social security sign up, health checkups, etc. We were at the end where the exit survey was and handed out two bags of groceries to families as they left. I saw SISTER NAKAMURA AND MOSES THERE!!!!!  I was over the moon. I was so happy to see them because I just love them and miss them so much. 

One of the most rewarding experiences was walking into our investigators's home and it felt like she was keeping commitments. We were talking to our investigator's Aunt Becky about the scriptures and she told us that Audrey (our investigator) was so excited about the Book of Mormon app and the audio setting that she listens to it all the time!

I love Inglemoor and I can't wait to help each of these wonderful people here to progress towards life with our Heavenly Father. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Follow Jesus

1. (Chorus)
   I need thee, oh, I need thee;
   Ev'ry hour I need thee!
   Oh, bless me now, my Savior;
   I come to thee!
2. 2. I need thee ev'ry hour;
   Stay thou nearby.
   Temptations lose their pow'r
   When thou art nigh.
3. 3. I need thee ev'ry hour,
   In joy or pain.
   Come quickly and abide,
   Or life is vain.
4. I need thee ev'ry hour,Most holy One.
5. Oh, make me thine indeed,
   Thou blessed Son!
6. Text: Annie S. Hawks, 1835-1918
   Music: Robert Lowry, 1826-1899

I'm learning a lot about following as a trainer. Following the Spirit, following Christ, following the mission rules, etc. I am learning a lot about how to follow, and thus being a good leader. If I want my trainee to be a follower of Christ, then I must follow Him as much as I can. There was a story from conference a while ago about a child that was following in her mom's footsteps. At one point her mom was upset with her because she kept tripping over her. When she asked why she was doing this she said, "I was told in Primary to follow Jesus Christ. I don't see Jesus Christ, but I do see you." I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve in this calling. This is such a blessing! I know that following Jesus Christ means following others oftentimes. I know that the example my trainer set for me was wonderful, and thus I will do my best with God's help to serve Sister Christensen. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

The Blessing of Teaching

I'm learning so much as a trainer and I'm having so much fun. It's funny as a trainer you feel like you don't have fears because you're working on helping your trainee overcome her fears. I love Sister Christensen so much. She's so dang cute and I love how much she loves teaching. It's funny because I still feel like a greenie. I still have energy and love the work. I love being a missionary! There's something I've come to learn a lot while being a trainer: you set the example for how your new missionary should act and she will follow it. She's going to take what she has learned from you and take it with her throughout her whole mission. This brings to mind the scripture in Alma 56 about the stripling warriors, "... yea, they had been taught by their mothers, that if they did not doubt, God would deliver them. And they rehearsed unto me the words of their mothers, saying: We do not doubt our mothers knew it." I am so grateful for this great responsibility that the Lord has given me. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, and as we lead and teach in His way, not only will we be blessed, but those who learn from us will also be blessed. I close in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Fulfilling my Purpose

The last couple weeks we've been "heart-attacking" (putting cute notes, scriptures, words from hymns, etc.) on cut out hearts and taping them to doors of investigators, members, and less-actives. One evening we felt a prompting to heart-attack our investigators' door (Audrey, Todd, and Becky). Neither of us coordinated this but all of the hearts we put on their door had to do with the Savior and the Atonement (the whole song Gethsemane, Alma 7:11-12, etc.). We put them up all over their door and ran back to the car. The next morning we sent a text to Audrey asking if we were still good to visit the next day. She called us and told us that the afternoon before Becky found out that her uncle was dying and so they all took a bus to go and see him. On the way there they get the call that he had already passed and to just wait for the funeral. They came back to their apartment at 4 in the morning and saw the heart. Becky was previously sobbing uncontrollably and as soon as she saw the hearts she calmed and refused to have them taken down. Audrey had called to thank us and said she was looking forward to us coming by again. 

I was in awe of the whole situation. Sister Sand and I were speechless. It was in that moment I knew I was fulfilling my purpose as a missionary. I haven't seen any of my investigators be baptized, I haven't seen the full reactivation of a family, but I know that I am fullfilling my purpose as a missionary because I feel the Spirit testify through me and the Lord is using me to be an answer to people's prayers. I know that I am in the right place and I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know this is His only true church, where the gospel of Jesus Christ is full and without error. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Being There for Others

On Thursday we sang "I Know that My Redeemer Lives" to practice for the fireside. Normally my favorite verse is the third verse, but this time the second verse stood out to me. "He lives to grant me rich supply. He lives to guide me with his eye. He lives to comfort me when faint. He lives to hear my soul's complaint. He lives to silence all my fears. He lives to wipe away my tears. He lives to calm my troubled heart. He lives all blessings to impart." Our choir director told us that sometimes as representatives of Jesus Christ, we do those things for other people. When Laura was practically dying she turned to us and the Lord. We comforted her and listened to her. We spoke the words the Spirit brought to mind and brought her the peace she needed to move forward. As missionaries we are there for investigators, less-active members, active members, and recent converts to the Lord's church when others aren't. I'm learning more and more about the Savior and what He does for us on an individual basis through people. I am so grateful to be His missionary. I know that my Redeemer lives. I know He's there for us. Always. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

He is There for us

This week we got to share a verse of scripture with a sister in the ward who was struggling. "But behold, the Lord hath redeemed my soul from hell; I have beheld his glory, and I am encircled about eternally in the arms of his love." (2 Nephi 1:15) In our times of trial, sometimes it is hard to see how the Lord could help us. Oftentimes the Lord won't take the trial away from us either (oftentimes much to our disappointment too). But he does listen, he can help us, he will comfort us, and he will help us through our afflictions. Much like the people in Mosiah chapter 21, they weren't immediately delivered from bondage, oftentimes we won't be either. The Lord will help us carry our burden, to teach us how to be strong. Then we will know how to help others in similar situations. I've learned a lot so far about letting the Lord carry part of my load. I understand that He needs to be the teacher and not me. I understand that it is His work that I am here to do, and not mine. I have a hard time letting people carry and know about the burdens I carry. He is teaching me more and more that I am not to carry trials alone. I can ask for help from Him. He is there for me. He is there for you! I know this to be true in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.