The Things That Matter Most

Its been a good week!

Quick cool fact of the day! There are many ranges of grocery stores here...there are the high end grocery stores with fancy food, regular grocery stores (the grocery stores where you can get things for cheap), and the organic grocery stores. It is crazy! I am telling you these people love food and they love healthy! It cracks me up!

Happy birthday Callie May last week and happy birthday Hannah and Thomas Bingham this week? I forgot my book again but I think that is what I read!

This week has been very hot! It rained only one day for about a half an hour. They also lifted the no wake rule so there have been many boats and on the weekends, during the day, almost no one is home! The vacation spot is Duluth, Minnesota on Lake Superior...someday I will go there. All the members travel down to see the Nauvoo Pageant! Pretty neat!

Yesterday we went to dinner at a member’s house. They had a family reunion there but had us over anyway!...too nice of them. One of their relatives married Grace Huxtable's sister!! What? It was neat to connect with her and hear about Grace. Another relative knew the Gunthers! I don’t know their names but they said they would say something to you Russ if they ever ran into you running:) It was a tender mercy! I have had some pretty crazy connections here! From a teacher I met in the MTC who went Olympus, Jennesari being Catherine's MTC district or zone leader (I cant remember) to Steve Murdock coming to our house to stay over to!  Coulson's cousin is in this ward and Steve's daughter married a Marsh (jordyn and Spencer Marsh's brother). He came in town on the Fourth of july and we talked about Oly for a bit! It is almost getting ridiculous! The tender mercies!

Sarah Jenson!!! You are home! What in the world! It weirds me out! Thank you for your letter! I want to send you one back but I don’t have your new address! I met your cousin the other week! He is in my zone...crazy stuff. I wasn’t watching and it was actually him that said something. Like I said...too many connections. I think of you weekly and love you so much!

We aren’t teaching as many Restorations as I had hoped to and it is starting to get to me! I know numbers don’t matter but it is hard to set an inspired goal at the beginning of a week and then watch as it isn’t accomplished. I know the Lord is preparing me. I may not have all the tools to teach his people yet. I pray I will be ready. On Saturday, after a long day of knocking on many doors without any positive responses, we said a prayer and knocked on one last house before going home! I was so excited that she wanted to listen that I didn’t apply the message to her needs and accomplished what we call a "forced restoration lesson". I was so bugged at myself after for thinking only of myself. I loved the woman we met but did not love her enough to hold back when she didn’t need to hear all I wanted to say. I am working on ways to help others understand the message of the Restoration and the significance of the Atonement personally, helping others develop a desire to learn more. Most don’t feel they need the message. I need to help them understand the ways it could bless their lives! The Elders in our ward are teaching many though so I have hope we can get there! We are teaching in more neighborhoods than they are but I know they have something I can learn from! 

This week Steve, the person we live with, had a leadership meeting with the members in his company. He talked about how too often we think that only those that are struggling or just starting a job need praise and how often we overlook those who seem to be confident and accomplishing tasks. Everyone needs words of affirmation! I didn’t realize I was running myself thin until this week. I wasn’t as happy as when I first came out and I wasn’t sure why. I realized that I come off confident and don’t like to ask for help and in turn I don’t get the affirmation I need. I learned that I need to make sure I compliment everyone, even those who may not seem like they need it! And, I need to let people help me. I have a talent for making others feel like they aren’t needed. ;) I have a big desire to help but I don’t want to complain or suck attention my way so I don’t ask for it. It is counterproductive! I may draw focus away from myself but I will eventually crack! I am learning how to humbly accept help and compliments and praise. Everyone needs to be told they are wonderful! And it is okay to feel special sometimes. People, too often than not, become what others tell them they are.  The Savior gave us the greatest gift by sacrificing for our sins and sadness. He does not want us to dwell on His sacrifice and avoid his help. He wants us to use the Atonement! By using what he gives us, by letting him help us, we show we love him!

I also have a hard time studying “simply”. I like looking into deep doctrine and applying complicated truths. The first six months I am told I should study simply and from just the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel. It has been a hard adjustment. At first I did not feel connected to Heavenly Father if I studied simple doctrine, doctrine I have already learned. However, I realized an important truth. We must internalize the simple truths and build our foundation on Christ. We can ALWAYS improve in that aspect. If you get a chance look up the Mormon video "Moments that matter most". It is amazing! I saw it last week and it has brought me much joy! I looked up Deiter F Uchtdorf’s talk and it worked perfectly with what I have been learning.

He says,

"The search for the best things inevitably leads to the foundational principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ—the simple and beautiful truths revealed to us by a caring, eternal, and all-knowing Father in Heaven. These core doctrines and principles, though simple enough for a child to understand, provide the answers to the most complex questions of life. There is a beauty and clarity that comes from simplicity that we sometimes do not appreciate in our thirst for intricate solutions."

I am learning to find true beauty in simplicity.  Pridefully, I thought I would receive more appreciation for studying deeply but as we study simple doctrine, we can teach directly to the hearts of his people! It is on the Lord that we must build our foundation for when the storms come we will not wash away but we will stand strong in the gospel. We will be rooted in our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Dieter F. Uchtdorf continues to say,

"May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better. Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations, ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you personally."

I love driving home after a long day listening to music and enjoying the sunset. I love watching the sailboats sail over a lake. I love the green and the moisture...it feels like Mexico! I love the days I get home and my feet ache from walking so much. I love it here! I am beginning to glory in Christ and His light!

Keep trying to be a little better and try to focus on the things that matter most...The little things...the things centered around our Savior, Jesus Christ! Let others help, accept praise...let it soak in, and enjoy the journey, because it is a GREAT one!

I love you all so much! I think about all the examples I have had over the years and the advice I have received! Have a great week!

Tonka For Another Transfer!

Hello!!

I am sorry I haven’t been great with birthdays! Happy Birthday Taylor Gunther and William Bingham I believe! I love you both! I don’t have my birthday book with me but happy birthday to everyone who has a birthday this week!!!

Monday was Sister Smiths B-day!!! We had district p-day that day. We went to a member’s home. They have an indoor basketball court, a zip line, a ping-pong table, and darts. We had a blast! After we had dinner with Kerri. She made a fun, yummy, healthy dinner! I had fun telling everyone it was her birthday this week. She doesn’t love attention but I helped her like it:) It was a good time and she still loves me!

            On Tuesday we had district meeting. I played with my pen subconsciously. I began commenting on something an elder said but paused suddenly to discover that my pen had broken and there was ink ALL over my hands! I looked down and starting laughing. Everyone giggled a little too. I washed it off but discovered that night that the pen had broken in my bag and gotten all over an important pocket and some of my things (my missionary handbook and some notes)! Good thing I brought another bag! I am working on washing the other one.... Sister smith told me cheap pens break often here especially in the winter because of the change in temperature. I don’t know how it broke this time but it was quite a great experience

(Don’t worry we had turkey burgers with the birthday meal also:) I tell everyone in the ward if I have to that I am allergic to fruit (I get itchy) so they are pretty nice about it! Kerri tries to make salad without fruit...she is so nice! Once in a while when I feel bad at a member’s house and they don’t know I swallow a bit down! Once some watermelon and another time some craisins. I am eating peppers in stuff though...that is an improvement!)

Thursday we went to the temple!!! We get to go once every three months if you live within a certain area. A cute member drove us. The temple is cute and tiny. I think it is just as big as a ward building probably smaller! It is darling! I had a neat experience! The temple tends to make me sleepy out here because it is very peaceful, you feel safe, and you sit for a long time but I always come out feeling renewed! I love it! I am incredibly grateful for a temple recommend! I enjoyed going the cities also. It has a different feel. I sat in the back seat and took a lot of pictures of which only some actually turned out! It was a good day! Sister smith and I didn’t get lunch though so we nearly passed out that hour back before dinner! We taught a restoration lesson and I would be surprised if any of it made sense haha!

(Gotta love yellow skirts! We didn’t plan it…)

Friday we went to an appointment that turned into a bible bash except he doesn’t believe in the bible...he tried to tell us it didn’t make sense. I felt bad for him. We continued to tell him that the only way he would know if it was true would be to pray about it, but he didn’t want to listen. He was a little hard hearted the first time but said he had some questions and would like to meet again. Lets just say he looked up some Youtube videos and he did not want to find answers, e wanted to find confusion and he found it! Sister Smith and I both bore one of the strongest testimonies we have ever born together. I felt the power of the spirit working through me! It was incredible although he didn’t seem to want to recognize it! I have to watch that I don’t get too argumentative while I talk to people like that. They tend to make me frustrated! We didn’t feel good about going before but not knowing how to back out we went anyway. After, I felt guilty for not following my simple prompting. We prayed for forgiveness. The next neighborhood, in the second house we knocked on, a women answered the door. She let us in and we talked on her back porch! A tender mercy! We taught her the restoration. She wasn’t too interested in the beginning but when we showed sincere interest in her work life she developed a desire to learn more. She took our pamphlet and said we could stop by Tuesday to answer any questions. Her daughter in law is a member but she knew nothing about the church. I felt grateful for a heavenly father that allowed me to have that experience when I know I didn’t deserve it. I know that as we turn to the savior in our weakness we will gain added strength. We will come to personally know the savior and be able to testify of him.

We have an investigator named Leslie who is 15! Her friend, a member in the ward, invited her to church. Her parents both go to different churches and she didn’t feel good about either of them.... she is very mature! She wanted to find the true church. When we talked to her about the restoration she related well to Joseph Smith! She wants to be baptized and is sharing the message with her family. Her parents only speak Spanish so we wont get to teach them but hopefully they come around. They drive her every week to church! Hooray! She reads Alma 32 every time she is having a bad day. Her friend gave it to her! She has been prepared by the lord. We love her! She has come to church almost every week this past month!

Sunday we had President's fireside! Missionaries can only go if they invite an investigator. Converts talk about their experiences coming to know the church is true. Sister smith played the piano and an Elder in my district sang for a special musical number. We practiced throughout the week. We didn’t have an investigator there but some young women in our ward came! They are great!  I was asked to lead the music for the meeting. There were many people there. Leading the opening hymn made me a little nervous. We sang if the Savior stood beside me for the closing hymn. The last verse starts differently. No one sang at the beginning of the verse. I sang a bit of a solo to make sure everyone got on again, wasn’t expecting that one! At the end the piano player (a member in my ward) exaggerated the last part, playing slowly...again I sang by myself a bit. It was an interesting experience! Some people after me thanked me...oh boy! Embarrassing!  I am glad it worked out.

Transfers are this week!!! I am staying in Minnetonka with sister smith!!! I am grateful she will finish my training. I love it here and I am looking forward to the miracles we will see! I do have one solid investigator! She has been investigating the church for two years. We are becoming good friends. She cracks me up! She is in her 50's I believe and has the best dry humor around.... sometimes I think she isn’t trying to be funny but I love it!

Our normal ward building is under construction so we are in the Bloomington ward right next to the mission office! Here we get to know the assistants and the office well. We see president and sister Forbes occasionally also. I appreciate staying connected!

It was a good week! We didn’t teach much at doors but we will work on that! Pray we will find a family. The ward needs it. They need to have faith in us and in missionary work! A lot of strong families have moved out. A ton of the ward consists of converts to the church so many new converts receive callings! They have us over for dinner often we just want them to see the fruits of our labors! We want them to get excited! The young women are the best at inviting and sharing the gospel! We have gone into young womens often at church! I love young women's!

Love you all!

Enjoy the little things and expect miracles

The lord is more involved in our lives than we can comprehend. But as we learn to recognize tender mercies we come to know of the lord’s love! He gives us many tender mercies. We just need to catch them!

Have a great week! The lord will cover us! I know that!

                         This is the view from the bridge I go over frequently to get home!

Raining Miracles

Hello!!!

Quick cool tid bits....

-I email at the library:)

-We have an hour of mormon.org/lds.org time a week (whenever we want to use it)

-Target headquarters are here so there is a target in almost every neighborhood. We usually go shopping there after emailing.

-There are a ton of people with different nationalities here. There are a bunch of people from Liberia where I am and Muslims but we cannot teach them unless they ask because if their home country knew they were studying Christianity, they would kill them. (they can never go back and often have to lay low if studying)

-A ton of people here own slug bugs and Porsches. My companion and I play the slug bug game every day...she wins a lot. We poke each other when we see a Porsche.

-The first day in the MTC I said awesome about 20 times... and cool about 15 times. I thought of your comment Dad and I was driving myself crazy. I bought a dictionary/thesaurus in the MTC. It is hard not using the same words multiple times at doorsteps....funny. I like being able to look up the words I find in the B of M in the dictionary if it isn’t in the Bible Dictionary.

-It is still raining. On Monday, it was so, so hot with blue sky and then during dinner, clouds formed and the biggest rainstorm I have seen yet hit. We were outside going from apartment building to apartment building and decided to leave. Our phone was in my bag and because I got soaked waiting for my companion to back out the car, the phone got water damage...we got a new phone though… hooray! I laughed so hard while getting soaked I couldn’t breathe! Thank goodness for a raincoat...the best investment I’ve made!

This week we had zone interviews and training! I was nervous before for some reason but when I went into the President’s office, I felt peace. He has that effect. He makes me feel at ease, except when I forgot exactly what I was going to tell him.... Maybe it was for the better!  He said we could ask him a question so I asked him what his hardest thing has been so far as a new Mission President. He said that he felt he should be doing more than he is but doesn’t know what that should be yet.  I get it! He is very humble and loving. Thank you for your advice mom!  He will come to know me over time.

Sister Forbes spoke about Joy. I think that is going to be her main focus here. Sister Clements focused on light. Sister Forbes talked about finding joy in sharing the gospel. Sister Smith and I talked later and realized that not only do we need to find joy in everything but we need to help others, our less actives and investigators to find joy in Christ and the gospel...to see life through His eyes! A few of the less actives who haven’t come in a while came to Church yesterday!! Two converts and one less active gave talks in Church yesterday too! They did such a good job. I love them so much!

          This week, we were tracting when we saw a car with two African sisters in a driveway. We went up to them and started talking. One asked us if we went around and preached. We said "sort of," not exactly knowing what she was referring to. She responded by asking, “Are you going to be around here again?” We said we would be in the area tomorrow. She said, “okay, come tomorrow around the same time”. We couldn't believe it! The next day when we showed up, only the sister of the woman who spoke was there. We talked to her and taught her the Restoration. She seemed to be receptive. She is currently going to school. She is from Liberia but spent a lot of time in Ghana, Africa. She is a neat woman. We connected instantly. Her name is Anntionette. We are going to see her again this week.

This week we had an amazing miracle! One night this week, Sister Smith and I began to get tired. We needed to get out of the car to tract but Sister Smith did not want to at the moment. Later she told me she feels this way when we are in the wrong area. We both prayed separately and then together. We got out of the car and started tracting but no one answered the doors and we seemed to think on different pages. We said another prayer and Sister Smith then said that she thought there was a potential in the area and felt we needed to visit her. We got back in the car and drove up the street. We knocked on the potential’s house but no one answered. We decided to knock on the houses next to her, confident that there was a reason we were there. Two houses later, a woman answered. We started talking and then I began to share about the Restoration, starting with Christ's ministry. She started to cry. We stopped talking and she told us that for some reason when I was talking she thought about her dad that had passed away about a year ago. We were shocked because we hadn’t spoken about death. We then told her we were so sorry about her Dad dying. I felt impressed to tell her about Grandpa's death when I was in Junior High and how I feel he is more a part of my life now than he could have been if he were here.  She told me that she often thought of her Dad when she saw a bird or butterfly. I told her my Grandpa was a huge butterfly collector/scientist and that whenever we see a butterfly we think "there is Grandpa Jim saying hello!" When I told her this, she paused and said,  “Wait...his name is Jim? My dad's name is Jim!” It was an incredible experience I will never forget. We will see her again this week. I know Grandpa Jim is watching out for me! We told her that we were supposed to come see her. She thanked us. She hadn’t told anyone that experience before! It is amazing what the Spirit can do!

This week I have learned that when the Lord wants you to teach something, it flows and if He doesn’t, the words sit in your mouth. I have been trying to learn to listen to the Spirit. I know when my mind is in the right place (consecrated) I am able to teach even if it is only one simple truth. Amazing!

I love this gospel and all of you! Hurrah for israel!  Hurrah!

These are my sister training leaders whom we went on exchanges with the other week.