August 22, 2011

 Sarah with a recent convert

Sarah with Sister Olsen on the 4th of July

Bishop's Family

Part Member Family

Sarah with a Ward Missionary

Two less active members they're working with

Sister Sissell, an investigator

Sister Johnson, member who helps out a lot

 Sarah with Brother Donelow

 The Bishop's Family

 Less active family

 Sister Boon

August 22, 2011

Hello Family!

 

This week was a good one. We've started teaching some new people, which is always good.

 

We had a lesson this week with Mary and Jacob and their biological mom (they're foster kids). The kids can't get baptized until they're back with her, so it was great to be able to meet her. She wants the missionary lessons. I'm sure the gospel will help her straighten her life out so she can get her kids back and then they can all get baptized together!

 

We did a lot of service this week. We've started volunteering at a food pantry, which is fun, and we cleaned a potential investigator's house. She opened up a lot to us afterwards and is ready for the lessons now.  We did both projects the same day and wore our working clothes. When we were done we had to go straight to a lesson, and I realized I hadn't packed my nice shoes! I wore my skirt with my tennis shoes for the rest of the day. It was pretty funny/embarrassing. Luckily we weren't out in public too much.

 

We meet the most interesting people. We had a man talk to us at Walmart and want to meet. He got our number, called us, set up the appointment, and then took over the lesson when we met with him. It was weird to have the tables turned! He's reading The Book of Mormon, though, so hopefully he'll want to meet again in the future and let us teach :).

 

I love you all so much! I hope you each have a wonderful week!

 

Love,

Sister Monson

August 15, 2011

Hello Family!

 

This week was good. We had Zone Conference, which was wonderful.  We drove there in our Malibu and came home in a truck! Its name is Gray Thunder and it's been fun to have him. 

 

Brother Donelow is over all of his Word of Wisdom problems now, so we moved his date up! He's getting baptized Sept. 3rd. He's very excited.  He's the sweetest man and I'm so grateful for his testimony.

 

This week we went to see an old potential we felt like we should see. She hadn't seen very interested, but we followed the Spirit and went anyway. She let us into her home and we told her about The Book of Mormon. She said it made sense - she had heard other things about it before that didn't - and she wants to learn more! It was wonderful to see that we're not alone as we work to share the Gospel.

 

This week we found out one of our investigators is actually a member. That was shocking. The last lesson we had with them before we found out was the first lesson I've ever cried in on my mission, because I was so sad they wouldn't get baptized when they knew the church was true. That was a pretty crazy experience.

 

We've been meeting with a less active lady who hadn't been to church for 15 years. In our visits with her she's talked a lot about her worries and stresses and challenges. This past week, there was a total change. She can see the blessings the Lord is giving her and she's so happy. She's been reading and praying and coming to church very diligently, and she's so much happier now. The Savior's power in our lives is amazing.

 

I love you all so much! Thank you for everything!

 

Love,

Sister Monson

August 8, 2011

Hello Family!

This week was good. We did two stop smoking/chewing tobacco workshops with a less active family and an investigator, so that was fun. The way the workshop goes they should be able to quit in 7 days, so that's pretty great.

We met with an investigator named Miguel this week and he talked about how meeting the sisters changed his life. He went from being an unfriendly, lonely person to being very happy and loving as he learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ and started reading The Book of Mormon and going to church. It was really cool to hear his story.

We are struggling a little bit with investigators getting baptized. Most of them either can't or won't for one reason or another. One is living with his less-active girlfriend and can't move out until he leaves for the army. Two are foster kids and can't get baptized until they move back in with their real mom. One won't get baptized until she finds peace about polygamy, and she says we can only wait for that. Another would get baptized but her husband won't let her, and another can't get baptized until his parole ends in two years. Miracles happen, though.

I'm grateful to be a missionary and to not have to worry about anything except people and the gospel. I know The Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I wish everyone knew!  I love you all so much and I hope you had fun at Bear Lake!

Love,

Sister Monson

August 1, 2011

Hello Family!

This week was a very good one. Sister Boone is wonderful. She's Navajo and grew up on a reservation just outside of Paige, Arizona. She's very sweet and dedicated and smart. I'm excited to work with her.

Last week we had a scare with Sister Friedland. We got a call from her canceling our appointment, and then she wrote Sister Olsen and the member family that have become her friends that she didn't want them to come over anymore. They went over anyway and it meant a lot to her that they wouldn't give up on her. She came to church with them and had a wonderful experience. We all had dinner together that night and she loved that, too. I'm so grateful for that family for following the Spirit and going to see her.

Last week we got a few referrals from members we don't know. Usually with those kinds of referrals the people don't know we're coming, but both of the ladies we talked to were expecting us and were excited for us to be there! We're going to start teaching them next week and I'm very excited.

I've had some fear and stress this week. I want to be the perfect senior companion and when I've seen my weaknesses I've felt like I can't become better. It's been a great growing experience, though, learning to rely on the Savior. I know He will help me do what I need to do and He doesn't expect me to do it on my own.  It will be a good transfer.

I love you all very much (ridiculously much)!  I hope you have a great time at Bear Lake and it doesn't rain on you too much :)

Love,

Sister Monson