Free FALLin'

What a week!

So many things happened this week, big and small, but first I need to
tell you how much I love my companion. Sister Donato is leaving this Thursday :( 

bittersweet for her, but secretly I'm really sad about it. She is going home!

L for love, U for You

Each companion that I've been blessed to serve with has been exactly what I needed when I needed them, and sister Donato is a wonderful example of that.

Before I was transferred to this area I prayed for a companion to help me better learn meekness and how to become more charitable. I can honestly say that no one could have taught me those things better than
sister Donato. She is FULL of patience, meekness, love, joy, forgiveness... everything I prayed for help with. I've never met a more relaxed, happy person in my life.

We have worked incredibly well together for the past 12 weeks; I haven't had better companionship unity since I was trained, and a lot of that is because we both put forth the effort to be humble and submissive. Our goals have been the same, spiritually and temporally. She is so supportive!

On Monday night she offered to massage my shins (that sounds so weird) with Deep Blue (lotion similar to Icy Hot), and of course I didn't turn that down! But she did that for a solid 30 minutes voluntarily, and that was just the climax of my gratitude towards her. I love that sister. My heart is so full.

Monday evening was a blast because after dinner we went to a less
active's home for FHE and made treats to go spook people as part of
our lesson on service :) sister Donato has never ding-dong-ditched
anyone before, and it was hilarious because she was just as giddy as
the 5 and 7 year olds in the family ;) It was FREEZING but so fun :)

On Tuesday we did a lot to prepare sister Donato to return home; of
those things included visa stuff, so while she did that, I did stuff
for college applications. It was time well spent! We had a meeting
that night with our ward mission; we are in charge of the ward
Christmas party, so we spent an hour planning that before we talked
about missionary things :) it was a very productive day!

Sister Donato had her departing interview right after district meeting
on Wednesday! So weird! Sometimes I feel like I'm going home this
week, too because I'm by her side doing all of these departing
missionary things with her 24/7 :P But lucky me, I still have 5 more
months :))

The rest of Wednesday was so stinking good!! I got a lot done for my
application to schools; my essays and such are written and finished,
so that's off of my plate which is incredibly nice. Sister Donato had
to fill out some departing papers, so I started writing "Open When"
letters for her 12 hour flight home :) just because I love her, and
she will still be a missionary so her forms of entertainment will be
limited.

After dinner with our ward mission leader and his family, we spent
some time with Ka and her mom reviewing the baptismal interview
questions before our district leader came to interview her! For those
of you who are wondering why the heck people need to be interviewed
for baptism, we believe that this is a big commitment that one needs
to be ready for; the interview is to make sure the individual truly us
ready to make sacred promises with the Lord.

We finally saw a less active and her spiritual dinosaur of a son that
evening as well!! This is the sister who can't ever come to church
because she is extremely busy from 6am to 8pm every day, and her son,
T, is the most spiritually in-tune 9 year old I've ever met. We
taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, invited them to come to church, and
put her son on date to be baptized for December 19th! It was such a
good day :)

We had our last zone leadership meeting of the transfer Thursday
morning. My companion continued to complete departing tasks, while I
worked on "open when" letters. I also pulled out my journal and read
from December of 2013 to now. It's insane how fast time flies, and how
much can happen in such a short amount of time. I'm thankful that I've
kept a journal since I was 8! It's been fun to be able to go back so
far and see how I've grown :)

We had another lesson with Ka Thursday evening; the last one before
her baptism, on the priesthood. She was so excited for Saturday :)

Then we stopped by P's home to 1) see his new puppy and 2) remind
him about church on Sunday. We were still picking our jaws up from off
the ground from last week when he said he wanted to come :)

Our last appointment for the night was with C, the gentleman who
feels the need to convert us. It ended up being a mutual dropping;
both parties felt like it wouldn't go anywhere, so we had a nice discussion about Christ and how we have
seen Gods hand in our lives. We bore testimony of the truthfulness of
the things that we share, and he gave us a book on grace as a gift to
say, "I have enjoyed our meetings! Thank you for your time and
efforts". He's a nice man :) walking away from that appointment, we
felt good! We both feel like this is one of those stories where we are
the first set of missionaries that he drops, and there will be a
couple more, until eventually he will come around :)

All day Friday we kept thinking it was Saturday! We just weekly
planned and continued preparing for sister Donato's departure. There's
so much to do when you get ready to leave! We have been really good at
staying focused and living in the moment though, so that's a tender
mercy :) neither of us is homesick or "trunky" which is what

missionaries say when they're mentally on their way home :)

For dinner we went to a recent converts home and she needed Tylenol,
but didn't own any. We offered to go home to grab some for her, but
when we got there we realized we actually didn't have any. So after a
quick run to the store, we got some Tylenol for B :) she's lonely
and sick, so after we shared a message with her, we sat on her couch
to look at her high school year book from the 60's. Holy cow!
Hairstyles back then were so funny! I'm glad I was born when I was ;)
She told us about the different "groups" of people back then; we
learned a lot!

After that we went out with our relief society president to check on
some people none of us have ever met. Nobody answered the door until
the last house we tried for the night. Usually parking is nonexistent,
but we found a spot, right in front of the house we were going to
knock! The lights were on and everything looked perfectly promising :)
and it was! We were let inside and got to know this wonderful
individual who has lived there for 5 years!? Why has nobody ever
contacted her?! We had a lovely chat and invited her to the primary
program on Sunday :) she said we could come back, so we will :)
I LOVE our relief society president SO much! She's the bomb :) it was
a good day :)

Saturday was even better because our sweet friend Ka entered the
waters of baptism :)) It was beautiful! So many people were there to
support her, and her whole family came, too! We love her, and know
that Heavenly Father is so proud of her decision :)

Right after her baptism we went to the temple visitors center with
Mo!! It was so fun! She's super cute :) the sisters there did a
wonderful job teaching us about the temple, and the restoration. I
love this gospel so much. Every time I go to the temple, or even stand
on the temple grounds, I am filled with peace. It's an amazing place
to be :)

We ended our night with the bishop, discussing people we work with and
who we can help in the ward. Sister Donato and I were BEAT that night!
We said a prayer to end the day, and then out of no where (possibly
from a Hershey's candy bar) we became full of energy!? So we took
pictures and made a music video to "make a man out of you" from Mulan.
It was pretty great. Then we were exhausted again, so we went to bed
:) haha can anyone say sugar rush?? :)

Sunday was the primary program, and it was flat out adorable! You
can't not grin from ear to ear during those things :) you know how
there is always a teacher whispering in the little kid's ears to tell
them their part? One little boy was like, "I know my part. I know
Jesus loves me because he gives me food". That was my favorite part :)

P came! That was cool! Then he texted us and said he would
stay longer next time... The fact that he is even considering a 'next
time' is a miracle. Heavenly Father is so good to us!

We spent the evening saying goodbye to people and taking pictures for
sister Donato. It was productive :) we saw a handful of less active's
that we have been working with as well!

I love my mission. I can't say it enough. I'm so grateful for the
opportunity that I have to spend 18 months of my life, at this
specific time in my life, to serve my savior. What a blessing it has
been and will continue to be throughout my life! I'm happy :) the
gospel is true :) I hope you went to church and had a wonderful week!!
Transfers are on Thursday, so everyone pray really hard that Sister
Lewis comes to Gainesville ;) just kidding :) ..... But not really.

Love,
Sister Kailey

Ps. A from my last area in Alexandria is getting baptized on
Wednesday, and we get to go!! :) yay!! :) we clicked really well, and
I miss her bunches, so I'm thrilled :))

------

We totally went up the only mountain in Virginia, parked in the middle
of a windy road, and took pictures because fall here is gorgeous :) I
love these sisters!

Incredible

Friends, Family, Strangers... Hello! :)

Have I ever mentioned how amazing it is to serve a mission?? 

My heart is LOADED with gratitude for the work and this experience in total :) Sister Donato and I are working our tails off, seeing a lot of less actives and part member families, as well as our investigators. I thought training was exhausting, but being a Sister Training Leader is even more so! But it's a good exhaustion and I don't ever want it to end :) 

Monday was Pday, and quite relaxing! 

• We took a 2 hour nap because the late night baseball game was still taking a toll on our bodies. Much needed! :) 
• we had a member come out with us to check on some people; we ran into a couple investigators whom the sisters haven't seen in a while, and made appointments with them for later in the week. 
• THEN, we ended the night with a part-member family. Ready for the coolest story ever? 

Two seconds before we knocked on the door, the father of the home had just gotten the mail. By the time we got up to the door to knock, it flew open and a big envelope was launched into our faces as a giddy parent exclaimed, "Is this what it looks like?!" The oldest son of the family was currently out of state, but his mission call had arrived! The dad isn't a member, so he asked us tons of questions regarding a mission. We were able to testify of the blessings that come to both the missionary, and the missionary's family while one is in the field. It was... adorable, really :) to see the countless number of emotions run through these parents. It's a big deal for them! They don't really come to church a whole lot, so it was super fun to witness and experience with them :) They invited us over for dinner this coming week :)

Tuesday morning we went to MLC (Mission Leadership Conference). 

• It's a conference held once or twice a transfer with president huntsman and the leadership of the mission; zone leaders, district leaders, and sister training leaders. We spent a good amount of time discussing changes to be made regarding transfer meeting, and even the length of a transfer. Currently a transfer is 6 weeks long, but President Huntsman opened discussion on the topic because his handbook mentions having 6-8 month transfers. Eek! We made a good chunk of changes for transfer meetings, but the length of a transfer is still 6 weeks as of right now. It will probably change. 
• After lunch we received some spiritual, enlightening edification and the spirit was so strong. Later in the day we taught English to a woman who escaped Isis!! Yeah. Super cool. She showed us scars from her escape. We love her :) for exercise every day, she does the hula-hoop :) 
• We also visited with a sister in our ward who lives with her inactive daughter and her family. We shared a message and were invited over for dinner with all of them this coming week. 
• When we were walking to our car, we stopped a guy who was in the middle of an evening run. I felt a little bad, because I personally hate when I have to completely stop in the middle of my momentum, but at the same time I didn't feel bad because the gospel provides lasting happiness while running is only temporary happiness ;) While testifying of modern day prophets, a couple members of our ward happened to be walking their dog right by us! So they stopped, bore testimony as well, and kept on walking. How stinking cool is that?? Heavenly fathers hand is in ALL things :) 

Wednesday was jam packed!

• We had district meeting,
• and then after lunch we went to help a less active move out of his house. 
• When we were done there, we went to a women's shelter where we volunteer weekly. The project they had for us was to organize a closet full of school supplies! It wasn't until that moment that I realized how much I truly am my mothers daughter; I found an immense amount of satisfaction and joy in organizing! It was therapeutic! :) 
• when we finished it was time for dinner. The day just flew by! Our evening was packed full of lessons with recent converts, less actives, and members. The spirit was so strong in each lesson, and it was amazing to hear the testimonies of the individuals that we met with. 

Each time I teach, I learn that much more and I can literally feel my testimony being strengthened :) 

Thursday morning we went to a meeting with our zone leaders and district leaders to plan some major events taking place this transfer. 

• Our zone leaders are stellar! I love working with them because they are on their A-game, always trying to be creative and productive, and their focus is on unifying the members and missionaries. We talked about how we can help members strengthen their conversion and testimonies of the Atonement, because it's at that moment that the gospel becomes something one strongly desires to share. We have a lot of fun things planned and I'm excited to write about them when they draw closer :) 
• We had a couple lessons in the afternoon, and taught English to our middle eastern friend again :) we will call her A :) 
• Our bishop gave us a couple people to check on, so we started with P! He didn't answer the door until after the second time we knocked, and when he did open it he didn't seem super happy. We told him we were new to the ward and our intention was simply to become better acquainted with the members. He was definitely closed off and hard hearted for the first 5 minutes, but eventually he softened up. So much so that he decided to step outside to sit on the porch and talk to us! But before that, he pulled a gun out of his backside and set it on the table inside. Apparently he doesn't get many visitors, so when we knocked twice he got suspicious. His interest in the church is nonexistent; he doesn't want anything to do with God or church, but he is so bored most of the time so he enjoys going to social events that the church puts together. We are going to make him cookies and bring them over tomorrow. He needs friends. And God :) 
• After meeting P, we went to a lesson with a less active and her children who are all over the age of 8 and not baptized yet! One of the daughters is 13 and asked the sisters when she could be baptized; we are waiting for the mothers approval :) so we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ! We had the relief society president with us, and the spirit touched all who were present. This family is coming back into activity, and it's so neat to see the blessings they encounter as they do so :) please keep J and her family in your prayers! They are progressing and hopefully we will be able to assist her daughter to the waters of baptism soon! 

Usually Friday's are pretty relaxed because it's weekly planning, 

• So we stay home all afternoon in our most comfy dresses and sit on the couch while we plan the up coming week! However, this Friday was not so relaxing. We were going going going from lesson to lesson with members and less active members, so by the time we got home to breath, we had about an hour and a half to plan. Which is totally fine! :) 
• After dinner we checked on some referrals and then had a lesson with our investigator, C. We had the lesson in a member's home, and it went SO great! C mentioned again that he can't stop thinking about our discussions, and he knows the spirit keeps strongly prompting him to continue to meet with us. He still thinks it's because he needs to convert us, but we are getting there :) Sister Donato taught a brother in another area who had the same motives, but eventually softened up and found the truth for himself! He was baptized and is now the strongest member of that ward, so, there is hope :) 
• Anyway, we answered a ton of questions that he had about the Book of Mormon and baptism. He said he finds a lot of red flags while reading the Book of Mormon because they contradict what he understands to be true from the bible. He apologized for asking so many questions, but we explained that the gospel is designed for us to question! 

Questioning is a GOOD thing because Heavenly Father wants us to truly seek Him out! He wants us to FIND the truth, and that comes from asking questions :) 

• Lessons with Craig are my favorite. They are challenging because I'm not a scholar in history, and I don't know the exact everything about the gospel, but I learn SO much from our discussions. My testimony is strengthened every time we meet, and it's never a contentious environment. Both parties are respectful and try to understand one another's point of view, which makes for a wonderful learning environment! :) he keeps all of his commitments, so he is progressing :) I truly have a gigantic amount of charity for that guy. That's just something I've been blessed with on my mission; an immediate genuine love for people we simply say, "Hello" to. 

Saturday morning we went to our Bishops house for the weekly breakfast and correlation with him! 

• His wife makes a big breakfast; this week it was French toast with fresh, orchard picked peaches :)
• when we finished updating him on the work, we went home to study and weekly plan! I am so grateful for my companion! I have been incredibly blessed with each and every one of my companions. I was pondering that thought earlier in the week and came to this realization: on my mission I have recognized my weaknesses. We all do. But I have been praying for help to develop the Christ like attributes that I lack, and I notice that in every single one of my companionships so far, my companion possesses every quality that I lack. In turn, I recognize that I possess every quality that she (all of my companions) lack. Throughout my entire mission thus far, Heavenly Father has stuck someone with me who balances me out, and teaches me by example how to develop the qualities that I so badly desire to cultivate. Heavenly Father is so smart ;) It's taken me 11 months plus to figure out how to develop those qualities, but hey, some of us are slow learners and we do have eternity to master them ;) 
• For dinner a recent convert took us out to a restaurant called BJ's. It's a lot like T.G.I Friday's and Texas Road house; yummmm :) this sister who took us has a very small testimony of the Book of Mormon, and she doesn't agree with a few principles taught in the gospel, but she holds on to what she does know which is what matters most :) this is the same sister who lost her dog last week, so she is slightly depressed :/ we are going to see her again this coming week :) The rest of our evening was spent checking on referrals. It was successful in that we did everything we could/were supposed to do. 

On Sunday morning the YSA committee had a breakfast that we went to so we could get to know the YSA in our ward. There are like... 3 :) haha but it was fun! 

• Then we went to church and it was so good! When we walked into the chapel I saw the father of a family who I ADORED in centreville, my first area. He shook sister Donato's hand and looked for my name on my name tag without even looking up at my face! My hair was covering it though, so while shaking my hand and searching for my name, he looked up with a big surprise on his face and I just bursted inside with so much joy! I love love love his family. We talked for a bit and caught up. I met them almost a year ago! It's crazy how time flies. 
• We had 2 investigators at church and 3 less actives! It was so great! :) 
• We had dinner with 2 member families in one home, and didn't get out of there for a while because there was so much going on. Even while sharing our message, people (including the adults) were talking over us. Super weird and disrespectful. We left as soon as we could and checked on a couple people before we went home. 
• Just as we were climbing in bed, we received a text from our bishop saying he invited a less active/part member family to his home for FHE tonight and asked us to come share a message for the lesson portion! What a rock star :) 2 members of that family are our investigators :) 

Something I've been learning recently is living in the moment. On a mission it is inevitably easy to reflect back to your past, or day dream ahead into your possible future. Sister Donato only has a couple months left on her mission, and one of her goals is to truly live in the moment. As her companion it's my job to help her in any way that I can to accomplish that goal! So I've been trying to do that as well, and not talk about anything back home or anything in the possible future. It's helped me see the joy that I do have right now, and I appreciate every small moment of every day so much more. Duh, right? :) I've developed a testimony of the importance of living in the moment; if you find that you reflect or day dream of future possibilities a lot more often than you live in the moment, you should try it some time :) 

Thank you so much for the emails, letters, pictures, and prayers. I am full of gratitude for, well, everything :) have a superb week! 

Oh, one other thing that I find super amusing: my companion's first name is legitimately, "Princess". I guess it's a common name in the Philippines, like the name, "Sara" is common in America! 

Remember who you are. Remember why you're here. Stay classy. Love you :) 

Sister Chandler

Ps. I have a solid ZERO pictures from this week. We didn't take any because we were so stinking busy! Maybe next week :) sorry, mom :/