Family History

 These are all picures of a training leaders conference at the mission home.

 Love the fall colors and all these kids!

How do I always have no time?

This week:

1. I LOVE FAMILY HISTORY! We had zone conference tuesday where we found out we're allowed 3 hours/week to do family history, so we can use it as a proselyting tool. You have no idea how thankful I am! I've  been wanting to do that since the MTC! So then on Saturday (divine timing), our stake had a family History activity, and I did my first indexing, EVER! Got on Family Tree for the first time. And let me tell you. IT"S SO FUN. Really, it's like a game. You get points and there are rules, but here's the best part, YOU'RE HELPING PEOPLE IN THE SPIRIT WORLD! Much more productive than any game. So this week we'll be going to Martha's so she can help us do more. I'm SO excited! Super excited. I love it. 

2. Singing: I got to sing at zone conference "my kindness shall not depart from thee" and I got to sing to a lady in a nursing home, and at another hospital to a sister missionary who is in there sick and  her roommate and her son. and this week, I got asked to sing at the Christmas devotional! Super excited. I love singing. So privileged that people ask me to do what I love. 

3. Sandi. So she prayed about when to be baptized and decided on a date all on her own. She's so prepared! But.. she decided on... Easter. :/ But I think she'll move it up. How can you wait to be baptized?!? 

4. We tracted into a sweet lady named Lisa with the most adorable little son named Kingston. We're going back wednesday. Pray that it will be good! 

5. THANKSGIVING IS THIS WEEK! Can I just tell you? I LOVE that we have a holiday about Gratitude. I'm thankful for thankfulness. It's just the best. Here's a quote: To live with Gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven." I can testify of that. It's been an incredible tool for me recently. and do you know what i'm most thankful for? The gospel of Jesus Christ, and my family. Without a doubt. Those two. And then also.. for my mission. So I can help others have what I have.

love you all! :) happy thanksgiving!

Walking In A Winter Wonderland

November 17th:  

HELLO! :) umm.. is it completely white and cold in Idaho too?

Why was it a good week? Top 8 reasons.
1. Stake Conference! It was so good. The adult session was all on missionary work. and it re-reminded me why I have the BEST job in the world. Be jealous.
2. Sandi (Martha's Sister-in-law) called us 2 days ago and said she'd been reading the Book of Mormon that morning and decided that she wants us to keep teaching her. She said she won't be as quick as Martha (who is? she was found, taught, and baptized in 6 weeks!) but that she has been thirsting in the desert for a long time and she thinks she has found what she's been searching for. MIRACLES! :)
3. I've been reading the New Testament. I'm almost done with Mark, and I LOVE IT. The feeling when you really read Christ's words is indescribable. That same feeling is what told me the Book of Mormon was true, and how I found for myself that this is God's true church. It's not an overwhelming feeling for me.  Just a peaceful bliss. That's the Spirit.
4. We found 2 awesome couples who want to know more about the church Brad&Valerie were just missionary contacts. Patti& Matt are the parents of a girl who just joined at OSU. They want to know what their daughter is getting into and why the church has such incredible morals. We're teaching them tonight.
5. I get to sing. ALL the time. I am so blessed. We sing in lessons a few times/week. Just a capella, or with the guitar! :)  But I have been singing at a lot of missionary things too. Trainings, Baptisms, etc. I feel so blessed. Tomorrow, I will be singing "My kindness Shall not depart from Thee" at zone conference. I'm so thankful for opportunities to share.
6. An incredible exchange. I went with a sister who is now one of my heroes. I wrote about her a month ago. She was really struggling and new. She defined herself my her speech impediment, her reading challenges, and other weaknesses. I prayerfully asked how I could help her and I was blessed with the chance to see a small portion of how Christ sees her. That was a month ago. NOW, she's doing amazing. I got to teach with her, and she was POWERFUL!. Confident, radiant, helpful, happy. A new person, really. In a lesson, she bore the sweetest, purest testimony of Christ and how we can be perfected in Him. I will always remember her example. I feel so blessed to have these exchanges and attempt to help these sisters, but really in the process I am helped MORE. So grateful. 

7. And we got to rake leaves! It's almost as therapeutic as pulling weeds! I love it! 

8. We went to THE TEMPLE with Martha and Sandi. Only the waiting room, because Sandi isn't a member yet.

Funny Stories:

Well.. We had a zone activity last Pday. We played ultimate Frisbee (my favorite) and soccer out on the playing fields at OSU in the beautiful 65 degree weather. I even got some sun. Contrast that with the completely white 20-30 degree weather we're having today. ha. Love it! but while we were playing, I went to go catch a Frisbee, it was a long shot, I ran, dove, rolled, caught the frisbee, landed on my feet and immediately tossed the frisbee to my next teammate. It was pretty impressive. but a couple minutes later, I felt a slight breeze and looked down and realized... i'd ripped my pants! Ahh! Elders! Hide your eyes! You can't see my.. Knee! Yeah, It was just a whole in the knee. But funny nonetheless.

Also.. I want you to know, I now either hold or am 1st runner up to the girl's title for the Sloopy's Challenge! Sloopy's is  a restaurant on campus. And the "Sloopy's Challenge" is to eat 3 Sloopy's pancakes, timed. They're covered in peanut butter and chocolate, and are HUGE. Like probably each a foot in diameter. I downed them in 9 minutes 53 seconds. Really.. It's nothing to be proud of. ha. But.. I am a little competitive. and my own first born child, Sister Larsen holds the record. haha. 

 

AND two of my very best friends came back to Idaho this last week. On the same day. Nov. 12th. Welcome HOME to Taylor and Tara! :)

Well.. I think that's about it. and it better be. I'm outa time!  But I love you all. As said in Stake Conference yesterday, "The Book is Blue, and the Church is true!" Peace out!

Sista C.

November 10th:  Heyyyyyy!

Wow.. What a week! Such a good week. Let me tell you why:

Events: Caitlyn got baptized! Whoo hooo! Derek is thinking about moving his date up to next weekend! Only ONE exchange this week, but we had Missionary Leadership Council all day on Tuesday, but it was really good!

Funny Quotes of the week: 

Me To my companion S. Vance at random while we were driving. "Sister Vance, I've been thinking came to the realization that you.... You are like a petry dish!" She was shocked and confused, but I went on to explain that I'm so grateful that she is like a petry dish, because she allows the perfect conditions for me to grow and learn. hahha. I'm grateful for my awesome companion who is accepting and loving and compassionate! and.. awesome.

This adorable little African Boy, Sia's (who I taught and got baptized from last time I was in Worthington) 5 yr old son,
Little Mo: "Why... ARE YOU WHITE?!"

me: because my parents are white?

Little Mo: And whyyy and IIIIiii BLACK?! 

me: because... your parents are black? 

Little mo: oh.

Stories from this week:
So my companion and I LOVE Christmas. We've been listening to Christmas music since September, and last Monday, I felt the urge to not only rearrange our apartment, but to decorate for Christmas. Luckily there were lots left over from when I was in this apartment last Christmas. We put up 2 sets of lights, Stockings, reindeer antlers, a snowman, and Christmas candles.

 I BURNED 4 things this week. 1. a plate I left on the stove. 2. Cookies I forgot about in the oven. 3. My tongue on tea. and 4. A cloth rice bag that I left in the microwave 2 minutes.  TWO minutes! that not only burnt to a crisp, but left our apartment with the pleasant aroma of burnt Christmas Trees (thanks to our new candle) and result of the crispy rice bag.

As a Sister Training Leader, I was able to be led by the spirit to help a sister that was struggling. The spirit led me to exactly what the REAL problem was and how I could guide her to overcome it, and then also apply it to my own life. 

Life Lessons Learned this week:

First lesson learned, on PRAYER. And how God really answers them. 

Funny Story: In Sunday School, there was this tiny, but REALLY annoying little gnat. flying around my face. I was trying tohave a Spiritual experience and church, and here's this tiny fly bothering me. I automatically prayed in my head to ask God to make it...no more. I felt silly for even thinking to pray for that. So I moved on, trying to be more patient when not even a minute later, I went to close my journal, and the tiny little fly flew inside as I was closing it.. and was.. no more.  hahahaha. Wow.. 3 lessons to be learned from this 1. God HEARS and answers prayers. 2. He cares about the little things. Like annoying flies. 3. He has a good sense of humor. That tiny gnat is squished in my journal somewhere, probably for me to find at a time where I need to pray. haha. LOve it! 

Also, I've been working on trying to align my will with God and planning according to where HE would have us be and WHAT HE would have us be doing. Many times, we've stopped in the middle of the street, in the middle of planning, in the middle of the sidewalk, to ask God to help us know what HE wants us to be doing.

Also, the lesson of how through Christ we can BECOME. Peter, Joseph Smith, and others went from being a simple, normal person, but when accepting Christ's invitations to ACT became much more than they could have on their own. If Christ can feed 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes, then why wouldn't He help ME spiritually feed thousands when I accept His invitations and ACT. And same with you.

I love you all! :) 

pics: Cailtyn is the blonde one, and the girl next to her is her friend, Lyric.  and just a portion of the beauty of our Christmas apartment!

Isn't She The Sweetest Thing?

 This is Elder Blanchard! He grew up in St. Anthony with me and He's Taylor's cousin.

 Me, Sister Vance at the temple.

  Me and Martha. Isn't she the sweetest?! 

  Me and TARA! This was my last time with her before she moved to Idaho. And she sang with me at Martha's baptism! Awesome!

Me, Sister Vance, Martha, Bro. Kron. 

Dear Everyone,

What a wonderful week! Martha Got baptized! It was the sweetest thing I think I've ever seen. I wish I could better convey how sweet and beautiful and simple and peaceful it really was. Watching this little 82 year old woman make a sincere covenant with God, was one of the most rewarding experiences I've had! She bore the purest and simplest testimony afterwards. Ahh.. I just feel the Spirit, just thinking about it!

I'm just so grateful today! Heavenly Father let me stay another transfer in Worthington, to get to see Martha baptized and next week Caitlyn and in a few weeks Derek. I FEEL SO BLESSED! Really.. I didn't do anything, these people were handed to us to teach, and we did our best, but really it's their journey with God. Miraculous. All of them! I'm so grateful to even be a witness of it. It's such a testament of God's love and power.

I'll just testify, GOD IS MINDFUL of YOU.  He has an individualized plan for each of us, and allows hard things and agency so we can grow and learn, and ultimately, because He wants us to live joyfully with Him forever. I KNOW this is true.

Picture #1. Me, Sister Vance, Martha, Bro. Kron. 

Picture #2. Me and Martha. Isn't she the sweetest?! 

Picture #3. Me and TARA! This was my last time with her before she moved to Idaho. And she sang with me at Martha's baptism! Awesome!

Love you all! Have a great week!