Families and the big TWO ZERO

{ H A P P Y B I R T H D A Y T O M E } 

I am officially no longer a teenager. I never thought this day would come! ;) we are celebrating with an elderly couple in our ward tonight; they're taking us out to a really nice dinner :) Last year, on this day, I gave my farewell talk in church! Oh how time just goes :)

Preparation Day last Monday was SO. GOOD. We did absolutely nothing :)

besides grocery shopping and emailing, we sat in our sweats and wrote letters, took a nap, ate dinner at home, and then we went to work :) 

Remember the finding fury we had with our zone? There was a guy, Cory, whom the sisters met and made a return appointment with, which was for last Monday night. We talked to him and taught the restoration on his doorstep! It was so nice outside :) anyway, he really liked the message we had to share and truly has real intent! He does want to know if this is God's true church, so he is going to read the Book of Mormon and we see him again tonight :) The lesson we had scheduled after that had canceled last minute, which was a bummer but such a huge blessing!!

Our days had been so packed the week before that we didn't have time to prepare a 20 minute presentation for zone training which happened to be the next morning (Tuesday). We were going to be up all night preparing, but Heavenly Father truly is on our side, and we were able to go home to prepare. It was such a spiritual experience simply planning that presentation. The topic was on the roll of the Holy Ghost in conversion :) we planned by the spirit, practiced by the spirit, and prayed to present by the spirit. 

So when Tuesday rolled around, we went to zone training :)
It was SO GOOD!! :) I love our zone so much. Later in the day we did more visa stuff for sister Donato, and had a super yummy dinner with a member :) 

Afterwards we headed to a lesson with Ju and Ka. Ju is a returning member and her daughter, Ka is an investigator. Ka had a friend over, Da, who was interested and wants to learn more :) we taught the word of wisdom and because of questions asked, we ended up covering baptism, priesthood, and parts of the restoration as well! We put Ka on date to be baptized on November 7th and have it set up to see her twice a week starting this week! :) we are so excited. We love her so much! We also told D that we would absolutely love to teach her, but she needs to make sure her parents are okay with it first. Pray that they say it's okay! She is golden! :) We ended the evening with correlation with our ward mission leader :) 'Twas as great day :)

Wednesday morning was spent organizing a recent converts craft room! She was getting ready for a yard sale this past weekend and needed help organizing her things. The sister owns Michaels craft store in her basement, I'm pretty sure! It was fun though and we were more than happy to help :) We spent 3 hours there and went home for lunch :) 

We had a little bit of time to try to download some music onto my iPad from sister Donato's, but we couldn't figure it out :/ maybe next time. Dinner was with a super old couple from Cambodia! :) they hardly speak English; their daughter stopped by to grab some food and they were all gibbering away in Cambodian :) I thoroughly enjoyed it :) dinner and the language :) 

After sharing a small message with them, we headed to an appointment... but she canceled. After we got there.

No worries though! We had a super good lesson planned with another investigator later in the evening! 

But, that canceled, too.

Ah, I hate when that happens. We go from a super packed, eventful, productive evening to... squat. Good thing we plan back-ups :) nobody was home though, except for a less active family whom we adore!! One of the daughters actually made it pretty far on American Idol a couple years ago! She sang for us :) we spent that time really bonding and getting to know them better; it was super good! We see them again this week :) 

Sister Donato and I have set a goal to seek the spirits guidance in literally every decision we make, big or small, and it's the coolest thing to see how we are directed :) The Holy Ghost is a real thing! I am so grateful to know I can have it with me all the time :)

The next day we did some service for an elderly woman in our ward; she needed help cleaning her house because her grandchildren destroyed it with toys :) 

then we had choir practice because we (the missionaries in my zone) are singing with the youth at a massive fireside this month. The author of, "A God who Weeps" or something like that, is coming to speak at a fireside called, "Why I believe". Its annual, and always super big! 

So when we were done with that we went to Sister Jensen's home to help organize things for our zone service project. Sister Jensen is the sister with 130 something acres of farm land that we always feed chickens at :) she needs help with a big project, so our zone helped out on Friday. This poor woman had too much on her plate though. She was trying to make it an organized, fun opportunity and she went so far as to provide a big lunch for us; grilled chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, veggies and dip, etc. when we went to her home on Thursday we asked when she was going to have time to make it all (her husband had a heart attack the day before, so she had literally zero time to do anything because she was having to go to the hospital often) and she said, "oh! I didn't even think about that... I guess I don't have time...". This sweet sister was going to do it anyway, with time that she literally did not have. So of course we told her not to worry and we would take over! We only had time to peel, cut, and boil potatoes but we went back Friday morning. 

Our evening ended with dinner and a wonderful lesson with some solid recent converts :) they're in their early 60's and MADLY in love still :) it's the sweetest thing ever :) they cherish eternal marriage and can't wait to go through the temple :)

Okay, so Friday rolled around and we spent the whole morning making lunch for the zone, meanwhile, the rest of the zone was on the farm doing a handful of different tasks! It was a beautiful day :) after lunch we went back to work and then came home to shower and nap because we were beat! 

The whole zone

For the first time in FOREVER, we didn't have a dinner :) it was wonderful :) We stopped by a sweet old woman's home to visit with her and share a message on the plan of salvation because her husband passed within the past couple years. Wanna hear how he died? It's the sweetest story! Grab some tissues: 

He was sick and always in a bed in the living room next to the kitchen so he could be near his wife, and one morning she and their daughter were making breakfast. He was cracking jokes and his wife said, "You must be feeling better today :)". He puckered up, non-verbally asking for a kiss, so she kissed him. Then he did it again, so she kissed him again, and then he was gone :( SO SAD! right?!? Ah, I tear up every time. 

That story brings my heart so much gratitude for the knowledge that families can be sealed together forever. I am immensely grateful for the power of the priesthood and to know that I can be sealed to my best friend for time and eternity one day :) Heavenly Father's plan truly is a plan of HAPPINESS :) He love us. Adam fell that men might be, and men are that they might have joy :) { 2 Nephi 2:25} I have a strong testimony of that :)

The theme of my week has definitely been eternal families because on Saturday we went to the temple visitors center with a recent convert, her less active mother, and her nonmember grandmother :) The mother loves the idea of being sealed to her family, so we called the sisters in the visitors center ahead of time so that they could prepare a shpeel on that topic :) it was so precious!! Ni, the recent convert, is 9 yrs. old and started to cry because she felt the spirit. She said, "mom why am I crying?? I feel so good!" We hugged her and said, "That's the spirit, Nicole! :) that's Heavenly Father telling you that what you learned today is true :)".

Basically.
I love being a missionary :)
I'm never leaving ;)

To make the week even better, church was stellar! We had 7 recent converts/less active's at church and 2 investigators. Our focus has been less actives, so it was super good! The spirit was present in each meeting and I definitely received my fill :) 

In the evening we went to a New and Returning Member fireside where new and returning members bear their testimonies :) remember the sweet couple that is so in love?? The husband was speaking, so we got to go :) on the way there, the wife told me a story that made my heart burst with love for the spirit and the opportunity that I have to be a tool in the lords hands. In order to tell you the story she shared with me, I'll need to explain my story.

The other day, when we had dinner with them, I shared an experience where right before my mission I felt like I was hit with the biggest trial ever. For me, it was miserable. I was seeking to grow closer to God because I knew I'd be teaching people about Him soon, but the harder I prayed the less I felt Him. Quickly I felt abandoned by my so called, "father" in heaven, and basically came to the conclusion that was a surprise to me- He wasn't there. I didn't feel Him, and on top of that I was in the middle of this miserable trial that I was experiencing. I wasn't receiving any relief that I was sure He would give me. I can truly say that for the first time in my life, I felt like I was praying to a literal wall. One day I just broke and cried and cried out of frustration and confusion. My mom walked in my room, finding me a mess, and sat me down to figure out what was happening. She listened, not only to me but also to the spirit, because after I downloaded all of my thoughts and feelings, she turned to the scriptures. She pulled out Doctrine and Covenants 121 where Joseph smith also had the thought, "where are you??". She then asked me, "who knows you like the back of His hand??"

"Heavenly Father, I know!" Was my quick response, but then she said, "yes, but who else?". I don't know? "Satan. Satan knows you like the back of his hand". She went on to explain the good work I was about to do and the lives I was going to touch out here on a mission, and that satan doesn't want me to go! It makes total sense! Why Heavenly Father was silent, I don't have a darn clue. I know that he was there watching, though, and soon enough I felt Him again. I felt the spirit and knew that He was there :) 

So I told this sister that story, and in the car she shared that on Sunday morning she had anxiety that made her want to change out of her church clothes and stay home. As she was about to do so, the words, "Satan knows you like the back of his hand" came into her mind. She wasn't going to let him win, so she came to church, and she was glad she came :) How cool is that?! 

Always bear testimony. You never know what personal experiences you have that could help others in their journey to endure to the end :) I am SO grateful to be here!! 

Also, at the fireside, I saw so many people that I love dearly :) sisters Jones, Kennedy, Lewis, Williams, and people from the singles ward that I served in! What a pre-birthday delight!! :) sweet sister Lewis even had a present for me in her car :) 

I have the BEST trainer. You really do make life long best friends on the mission :) 

So today is my birthday :) All I really want to do is.... Nothing :) 

maybe we'll party missionary style, we'll see ;) 

my heart is incredibly full. I love the gospel so much. I know that families can be sealed together for eternity by the power and authority of God inside His Holy Temples, and I couldn't be more grateful. I LOVE my family :) I LOVE the temple :) 

Have such a good week :) Live in the moment. Laugh often. Love every day :) 

Love you all a great deal, 

Sister Kailey (who is officially 20 years old. Still can't believe this is real life)