For unto us a child is born! He is the Savior and Redeemer of this world. And if you want to learn more, contact your local LDS Missionaries! They'd love to share a two minute video with you! If you want to share the two minute video, talk to your local missionaries and see how you can help! In the meantime, visit christmas.mormon.org
So many things have happened this week! Several of which have actually happened mid to late November and I have just recently learned about certain events. Congratulations to my best friend in the entire multi-verse, Stephanie Ann Olivas and her fiance, Kevin! I'm so happy for you and I want an invite to the wedding even if I won't be able to attend. Another congratulations to my dear, dear friend, Olivia Jasmine Parker and her fiance, James! I wish you nothing but happiness, and I would like an invite from you two as well! Seriously I'm fighting tears as I write this. I'm just so excited for everyone!!!!
AND! Happy birthday to the most amazing woman on this earth: My mom! Thank you for loving me and raising me up right. I'm here on a mission because she taught me to love my God and to be the best that I can be. She sends me quotes every week, she uplifts my spirits, she puts up with my crazy. I send all my love to her today!
Wow. So many emotions! Today has been crazy already. We worked out with half of the mission. Cross-fit with President Mullen nearly killed me, and I've never been so sore in my life, but it was a pretty fun experience! In all of the chaos which was getting lost trying to find the church building we were to meet in and then actually exercising and seeing my entire life flash before my eyes, I managed to forget my camera and my daily planner (so I can reference the week and give you ALL the juicy details). Bear with me this week!
Thanksgiving was a day of stress. Wow. The stress was all caused by me getting flustered over silly things. We weren't able to go walking that day because in addition to hours of study and weekly planning, we had four dinner appointments for Thanksgiving before we had to go to the stake center for a zone activity at 6:30 that evening. Whaaat!
So many things have happened this week! Several of which have actually happened mid to late November and I have just recently learned about certain events. Congratulations to my best friend in the entire multi-verse, Stephanie Ann Olivas and her fiance, Kevin! I'm so happy for you and I want an invite to the wedding even if I won't be able to attend. Another congratulations to my dear, dear friend, Olivia Jasmine Parker and her fiance, James! I wish you nothing but happiness, and I would like an invite from you two as well! Seriously I'm fighting tears as I write this. I'm just so excited for everyone!!!!
AND! Happy birthday to the most amazing woman on this earth: My mom! Thank you for loving me and raising me up right. I'm here on a mission because she taught me to love my God and to be the best that I can be. She sends me quotes every week, she uplifts my spirits, she puts up with my crazy. I send all my love to her today!
Wow. So many emotions! Today has been crazy already. We worked out with half of the mission. Cross-fit with President Mullen nearly killed me, and I've never been so sore in my life, but it was a pretty fun experience! In all of the chaos which was getting lost trying to find the church building we were to meet in and then actually exercising and seeing my entire life flash before my eyes, I managed to forget my camera and my daily planner (so I can reference the week and give you ALL the juicy details). Bear with me this week!
Thanksgiving was a day of stress. Wow. The stress was all caused by me getting flustered over silly things. We weren't able to go walking that day because in addition to hours of study and weekly planning, we had four dinner appointments for Thanksgiving before we had to go to the stake center for a zone activity at 6:30 that evening. Whaaat!
Our main dinner was with Tua and her family. Tua is not a member and neither is her husband. One of her many children converted to the church and married her husband in the temple. She has one son who recently returned from the Washington DC North mission and a daughter in the Salt Lake South mission. Tua loves the missionaries, but is kind of really angry at God right now. She's had a tough life and doesn't understand why. It's difficult to talk to her about the gospel because we don't want to upset her. But! Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful. Tua also invited Sarah, our recent convert, to the feast as well. We all ate SO MUCH Samoan food! We had all kinds of curry, some chop suey, and taro. Taro is a cousin to the potato. After we had all eaten, we shared the Spirit of Thanksgiving video from a few years ago. We took the opportunity to let everyone in the room (close to 15 people) state what they were grateful for. Tua was misty eyed as her daughter bore her testimony of the Savior, and finally began to cry as her daughter expressed the gratitude that she had toward her mother. We all were crying by the end of the discussion, and hopefully Tua felt a little bit of the Spirit that was there that evening.
We were supposed to have dessert with Sarah, but after a few other appointments (one of which I left with three new pairs of shoes) there wasn't enough time. A few days later, however, our dear Sarah called us to let us know she had made some doughnut holes and wanted to share with us:) I love Sarah with all my heart!!
This week we picked up two new investigators. One of them is named Jade, and she has a crazy story. She and her family have been homeless for the past couple of months. But they've recently purchased a home and she's just started a job while her husband continues to search for one. We taught her the Restoration, and she had so many questions! Sister Roberts and I took turns resolving her concerns, but Sister Roberts definitely had a much stronger impact. She bore her personal testimony to Jade and the Spirit was so powerful. She committed to coming to church that Sunday... Which ended up not happening. All is well, however! We will try harder with her:)
Our other new investigator is named Crystal and wow our lesson with her was one of the most awkward I've ever experienced. We were knocking on her door, and no one was answering. We were ready to turn back when she pulled into the driveway with her family. We greeted them and offered to help them take things into their house for them (they had just returned grocery shopping). They said they were fine, so we kind of just stood there like awkward penguins. They file into their home, and as the door is closing I shout, "Is this a bad time?" The door closes. And then it opens! "No, come in!" We walk inside and it's just Crystal, Sister Roberts and I standing in the door way. She stands there. And stands there. I didn't want to impose and sit on the couch a few feet away, so we started a quick lesson just standing there in the door way. Oh my gosh she didn't say anything. "What did you like about the Because He Lives video?" Shrug. "How has your faith in Christ helped you and your family?" Shrug. "Can we come back and teach you more?" She must've said something because we're going back this week.
Training is tough. I admit it. I'm stressed all the time and some days I want to give up. A lot of my problems come from a Pharisee Complex, where I need to be following the letter of the law and I really beat myself up about not being perfect on the daily. I admit it's a problem, but it's a problem that's difficult to fix. I'm striving to be exactly obedient, but sometimes it doesn't happen, but a I feel like I'm cutting my potential short if I'm not striving for perfection!!! Sister Roberts is definitely helping me through all that. Whenever I get overwhelmed and put myself down, she's there to lift me up. In return I'm there to lift her up with mission life gets a little scary and dicey. Also we made a deal where I make her bed if she washes my dishes. I love her.
Tomorrow we get to attend the temple! I'm so grateful for the temple and the work that happens within its holy walls. I'm grateful for my Savior, for His eternal Atonement. I'm grateful that through my faith in Him, and my active participation in His gospel, I can be made clean.
I love you all! Expect extra pictures this next week!
Sister Turner
Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly, even if they roll a few stones upon it. - Albert Schweitzer
We were supposed to have dessert with Sarah, but after a few other appointments (one of which I left with three new pairs of shoes) there wasn't enough time. A few days later, however, our dear Sarah called us to let us know she had made some doughnut holes and wanted to share with us:) I love Sarah with all my heart!!
This week we picked up two new investigators. One of them is named Jade, and she has a crazy story. She and her family have been homeless for the past couple of months. But they've recently purchased a home and she's just started a job while her husband continues to search for one. We taught her the Restoration, and she had so many questions! Sister Roberts and I took turns resolving her concerns, but Sister Roberts definitely had a much stronger impact. She bore her personal testimony to Jade and the Spirit was so powerful. She committed to coming to church that Sunday... Which ended up not happening. All is well, however! We will try harder with her:)
Our other new investigator is named Crystal and wow our lesson with her was one of the most awkward I've ever experienced. We were knocking on her door, and no one was answering. We were ready to turn back when she pulled into the driveway with her family. We greeted them and offered to help them take things into their house for them (they had just returned grocery shopping). They said they were fine, so we kind of just stood there like awkward penguins. They file into their home, and as the door is closing I shout, "Is this a bad time?" The door closes. And then it opens! "No, come in!" We walk inside and it's just Crystal, Sister Roberts and I standing in the door way. She stands there. And stands there. I didn't want to impose and sit on the couch a few feet away, so we started a quick lesson just standing there in the door way. Oh my gosh she didn't say anything. "What did you like about the Because He Lives video?" Shrug. "How has your faith in Christ helped you and your family?" Shrug. "Can we come back and teach you more?" She must've said something because we're going back this week.
Training is tough. I admit it. I'm stressed all the time and some days I want to give up. A lot of my problems come from a Pharisee Complex, where I need to be following the letter of the law and I really beat myself up about not being perfect on the daily. I admit it's a problem, but it's a problem that's difficult to fix. I'm striving to be exactly obedient, but sometimes it doesn't happen, but a I feel like I'm cutting my potential short if I'm not striving for perfection!!! Sister Roberts is definitely helping me through all that. Whenever I get overwhelmed and put myself down, she's there to lift me up. In return I'm there to lift her up with mission life gets a little scary and dicey. Also we made a deal where I make her bed if she washes my dishes. I love her.
Tomorrow we get to attend the temple! I'm so grateful for the temple and the work that happens within its holy walls. I'm grateful for my Savior, for His eternal Atonement. I'm grateful that through my faith in Him, and my active participation in His gospel, I can be made clean.
I love you all! Expect extra pictures this next week!
Sister Turner
Anyone who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly, even if they roll a few stones upon it. - Albert Schweitzer