Life is beautiful!

OCTOBER 2010 Lunch with the girls...

All the sister missionaries in the Everett Washington Mission were invited to lunch with the Mission President and his wife.

JUST AROUND THE CORNER...

So the mission gives no instructions whatsoever on how to be a trainer except for general things to do. Today was awesome though we got some return appointments with people and met someone on the street and had a lesson with 2 inactive families. WAY COOL!!! Sister Denison did a great job teaching. She is a quick learner.
Things are really starting to pick up here in Duvall. Lots of miracles each day and we have more people we are teaching. YEAH!! Just trying to find those TRUTH SEEKERS.

I love the gospel and I'm so
grateful
to have
the truth
and share it with
God's
children.

I'm a happy camper! I'm grateful for trials.There were a lot of them last transfer and there will be a lot more ahead but I know it has and will build my faith and strengthen my relationship with Christ.I know that I can get through anything, any trial, any obstacle when I trust in the Lord and I 'm obedient. I have confidence {D&C 121:45} that God will deliver me, strengthen me, help me, comfort me,and abide in me.There's going to be a baptism here in Duvall. I know there is. I can just feel it. Just around the corner the Lord is preparing his children.I'm his instrument to teach with the spirit and to help them come unto Christ. What a task. What a privilege and a joy! I'm just so excited! I just don't know when it will be but the Lord has someone in store.

Time is flying by. I can't believe it. I would love it if it would slow down a bit.But I'm trying to do my best and make the best of it.

" Today was a wonderful day,WONDERFUL!!!

So GUESS WHAT? I'M TRAINING a new sister right out of the MTC! What the heck? Sister Chhoeun has been transferred and I have a greenie! HOLY COW! { that line should have been put with the other picture} What was the (mission) president thinking? LOL So my trainee is Sister Denison. She is from Texas,Fortworth. She was attending BYU before this and she's a vegetarian. She is so awesome and has a powerful testimony. She likes to work HARD. YEAH!

JUMPIN' FOR JOY!

IThe grass is always GREENER !!!

Sister Kimball with Sister Chhuen who came all the way from Cambodia to serve a mission. These missionaries sacrifice so much, but it's worth it!

THE COWS OF DUVALL I

The sisters got to go in a corn maze! Fun!

October 13, 2010

So, let me tell you about my last week--oh so crazy! Lots of funny little stories I'm excited to share. It's hard, but it's getting a lot better for me and Sister Chhoeun. I love her so much.
General Conference was amazing! We went to the stake center for all sessions with our zone. The stake center is 30 minutes away. It's crazy and our church building is 15 to 20 minutes away.
So, let me tell you life as a missionary has its ups and downs--a roller coaster. Half the day can be horrible, and a moment of the day was a fantastic miracle. We just feast upon that miracle. We have to here. It's like fasting all day and then having a delicious meal at the end of the fast.
Okay, another exciting thing happened this week (Monday). For P-day, we had a sister luncheon with all the sisters in the mission with our mission president's wife at their home. It was so much fun. We had lunch and a lesson by Sister Wilson (mission president's wife). Next week are transfers and two sisters are going home and one is coming in. So, we had a sister lunch on request of one of the sisters leaving for home. I'm excited to show you guys the pictures.
After the luncheon, we all decided with permission of the mission president to go to a corn maze which was of Washington. It was so cool. Very muddy! I have pictures of what me and Sister Dewitt and another sister did along with a video to explain our actions. We had tons of fun. It was so great to see Sister Dewitt again. When we first saw each other we looked at each other and hugged, pulled away and noticed that we were matching exactly--both wearing a purple cardigan, grey skirt and white undershirt. Oh, I love her so much. We just laughed and hugged for the longest time. Happy day!
In two days, Monday and Tuesday of this week, everything went wrong. I had the worst luck.
I realized it's okay to have some off days. It's okay not to be perfect. Life is great and beautiful as a missionary. It's never boring. It's an adventure, for sure. I love the work. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ. I love the restored gospel. I love my family, and I love the temple!!!

We can grow and be edified when we have an open heart...

and ready to learn by the Spirit. I'm certainly not perfect at it but I'm sure trying!

What does the Lord require? Our very best- which in no way will be perfect but- our all!

We just started teaching a 16 yr. old girl. She is so sweet,Haileel. People at this age are searching and looking for truth,trying to find the way. Haileel is going against her family who are Catholic to find what she has been missing in her life.

I mentioned Juan. Oh how I love Juan. He has a great spirit searching for truth and peace. However, he is moving back to Oregon and we are really sad. He really enjoyed meeting with us. He told me that he has never met anyone like me and that when I speak he feels comforted and peaceful and he learned so much from me. The Spirit was teaching him,not me. But how sweet! I needed to hear that.

Didn't you guys just love General Conference? I sure did. We went to the Stake Center for each session with our zone. It was so cool! The Spirit was so strong! I think one of my all time favorite talks was Elder Hollands. I was just crying through the whole thing.

I thought about my parents (mom & Dad). I look back and recall I was given so much so that I can have all my dreams, ambitions and desires come true...Thank you! Thank you! I can't do justice to how grateful I am.I am so blessed and so humbled because I know if it wasn't for your faithfulness, love, charity, sacrifice and obedience to the Gospel I would not be here today. Thank you!! Thank you!! { Hee Hee! just wanted everyone to read the personal note to us (mom & dad) just because I feel like being a show off!!

We're going to see GREAT THINGS here in Duvall!

{There are } churches here that actually preach hardcore against us and one church here in a small, very rich town that actually train (their people) to deal with Mormons and how to avoid us. How sad is that ? Satan is working amongst the other churches,it's sad because they are still good people. Anyway...

I ask (the Lord) for help in being more patient--the Lord sends me to Duvall with Sister Chhoeun! In this area you really need to have lots and lots of patience. He definitely knows my needs and where I need to be and with whom to help me to be a more effective missionary.

You know one thing that is really hard (as a missionary) is to not compare yourself to other missionaries. How often do we compare ourselves with others? What good comrs out of it? When we compare ourselves we allow Satan in to put thoughts of failure and doubt in ourselves and God which pulls us away from Our Savior and the need for the Atonement. We must hold on to what we know and look at our strengths and what we are becoming.

We should evaluate ourselves based on standards and principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ok enough about that.So lately we have been learning about how we can better teach to our investigators needs by asking inspiring questions and teaching with love! Like in Moroni 7 where it says 'if you don't have charity you are nothing'. Isn't that so true! If we don't have love or serve one another, are we following our Savior's example? Are we truly disciples of Jesus Christ? Are we really effective teachers if we don't show love for each one of our investigators.Missionary work could not go forward without charity and love!

When we have charity, we are humble and we serve with the Spirit and the Spirit will work through us and will help us know their needs and how best to teach and help them come unto Christ. When we are obedient, humble and charitable we can have that sure promise that we will always have the Spirit to be with us! President Monson said about charity in the Relief Society Broadcast," True charity is love in action".

I'm so grateful to be out here!!! I don't know if I can say that enough!

Sister Lauren's letter dated Sept. 27,2010

Life as a missionary is going great!

According to the desires of your heart. He puts you where you need to be and in the area where you will learn and carry out his work and with the companion who will help you grow.

I'm learning more and more about our Savior,Jesus Christ and his perfect example of being compassionate, loving, and kind. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to learn and to have trials that really test me to help me to be humble and to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ.

My greastest fear {in coming out here on my mission} was that I would come home not changed. I would be my old self, not having my Savior written in my heart forever. I just saw so many missionaries returning home and returning to their old ways. I'm determined not to do that ! This time is short,very short,only a small wonderful moment compared to the rest of my life.

He hears us. He hears our cries,our pleas and he answers us but not necessarily when we want it but when we need the answer. The spirit is the key to everything. The Spirit testifies of the truth and of our Savior and Father in Heaven to receive answers,to be uplifted,enlightened,comforted, protected and to feel peace. Tobring all thto our remembrance,to make our weaknesses into strengths,to become aware...etc . Just want to share this: 'OBEDIENCE IS THE PRICE. FAITH IS THE POWER. LOVE IS THE MOTIVE. THE SPIRIT IS THE KEY. CHRIST IS THE REASON."

A cool experiance I'm excited to share with you guys..

We had an appointment with an investigator named Scott. He's not progressing much but he is a wonderful old man who loves to learn and study, but he has no intention of joining our Church,but he loves meeting with us and loves the Book opf Mormon and the Gospel Principle Book.He just doesn't want to say good-by to his church and denouncing his beliefs he has learned all his life, being a Baptist. He's a stubborn one!

We had a convert member who is preparing to go to the temple with her husband and children, come with us to help teach ( speaking of the temple) Scott asked why he couldn't go in and why would he want to be apart of a church that excldues others from going into the temple.The sister that came with us talked about the importance of the temple.Then the Spirit filled my heart telling me to testify of the temple.Then the words just fell out of my mouth so smoothly. I can't remember what I said. I just remember the enormous feeling that came into the room. I could feel angels among us. I felt the Savior's love so strongly. I bore testimony of temples. Tears just fillrd my eyes. The power of heaven was upon us.Scotts heart was really softened and he understood, I think what happened had abigger affect on the recent convert then it did on Scott. It was not me! It was the Spirit and the power of God that touched our hearts,not the words that came out of my mouth. It was a really neat experiance!