December 7, 2009
Well I was very excited to check my email today. I am SO SO SO EXCITED that it is a girl. I knew it! Does she have a due date? I am so grateful to hear that the baby is growing well and that everything is good. I can't wait to spoil that little girl. Hopefully she won't be scared of me when I get home like Kayla was scared of Mike. So fun.
As for me, I am doing excellent. I am working hard and loving my companion and our area more and more each day. We will be having a baptism this Saturday, a wonderful young girl named Katie who showed up at FHE one night and met a member who then called us. The first night we met her she said "so after I am baptized..." We didn't have to do much, she was always calling us to make sure what her reading assignments were and called us to let her know she got Sunday off work, things like that. She is very elect and recognizes the gospel for exactly what it is, a new life, a better life. She is hilarious and is eager to learn and a wonderful example to me of what it means to cast off the world and follow the straight and narrow. I have been privileged to teach her and it just goes to show that sometimes the Lord rewards the hours and hours of tracting in Beverly Hills with an elect daughter of God ready to be baptized.
Our mission wide goal of 80 baptisms for the month of December is on its way; this first week we have had many and will continue to. We did a mission wide fast all day Sunday and by about 10:00 p.m. I was kind of grouchy with a headache and all. My companion looked at me like I was crazy and kept asking if I was okay. I just had to let her know that "Williamsons need food" and that I don't do too well when I am hungry. We got a good laugh. My poor companion has to put up with a lot from me. I was thinking that I was really going to have a hard time this Christmas, living in endless summer California and being away from home, but I am so excited. This will (most likely) be my only Christmas as a missionary and so I am just looking forward to all of it. People tend to get a little nicer during the holiday season, and it is fun to be able to take to them the wonderful message of the restored gospel.
I love being a missionary. Best decision ever. I don't know how I can articulate that better, but it really has been the best decision I could have made. I love you all, I miss you. Thank you Mom for the CD's - they have been played non-stop since we got them and it made it feel a little more like Christmas since our apartment is bare of decorations. But don't worry, today we bought a giant red bell with a ribbon to hang on our door. I was so excited. It is so tacky and so great. Give my brothers and sisters my love. Dad, I love your letters and keep them with me always, in case I need a little pick-up or to share in my lessons. You both are my heroes.
Love you,
Hermana Chels
P.S. - Christmas is only 3 weeks away and we can talk on the phone. Get excited. I am.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
My Favorite Time of Year
November 30, 2009
Mis Queridos,
Well it sounds to me like everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great weekend - I am always glad to get news like that. Congratulations to Hawken, I am so very happy for him. I don't even know how to adequately express the feelings I have for someone who takes a step in faith and decides to give up their "life" and begin a new one with the Lord, a better one. That is the miracle of the gospel. I am so glad to hear it.
Can you believe that today is the last day of November? Time is moving so quickly. This past week flew by, we had meetings everyday and activities and so forth. Thanksgiving was a great day. We had a zone service activity where we made cards and took them to a Convalescent home and played games and sang songs with them. I am just like you Mom, I love old people, they are so cute. I met this one lady Bella who is from Russia and I know how to say hello in Russian, thanks to my roommate Whitney, and as soon as I said it to her she just loved me the rest of the time we were there. I got up to sing and she wouldn't let me leave. I'll send a picture I took with her, it was so fun. We then had dinner with a family from our Spanish ward. Their oldest son is on a mission right now in Brazil and so they take good care of the missionaries. We had turkey and stuffing and everything traditional and it was fun to experience that. I will always be grateful for kind members who make us feel welcome and at home while we are away from our own.
Today we played a "turkey bowl" football game against another zone in our mission. It was a lot of fun and I am proud to say that my goal of not being competitive is working, I didn't even keep score.
Well the best news this week is that our investigator Katie is ready and counting down the days for her baptism on the 12th of December. She is most definitely our Christmas miracle. She called us the other night letting us know that we forgot to assign her a chapter to read and wanted to know what she could read. How amazing is that? It is just incredible to have a small part in the change that people make in their life to follow their Savior. It is the most important thing that we can do, make the changes necessary each and every day, be they big or small, to come closer and closer to becoming more like our Savior. While this Christmas season will be much different than what I've had in the past, no N'sync Christmas music or snow, I look forward to it. I look forward to feeling the spirit of Christmas here and continuing to forward the work of the Lord on the earth. What a privilege we all have to be a part of that work. I just love it. I am glad you are all doing well and are happy and safe. My prayers are always with you as I know yours are with me.
All my love,
Sister Chels
P.S. - GO COUGS
Mis Queridos,
Well it sounds to me like everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and a great weekend - I am always glad to get news like that. Congratulations to Hawken, I am so very happy for him. I don't even know how to adequately express the feelings I have for someone who takes a step in faith and decides to give up their "life" and begin a new one with the Lord, a better one. That is the miracle of the gospel. I am so glad to hear it.
Can you believe that today is the last day of November? Time is moving so quickly. This past week flew by, we had meetings everyday and activities and so forth. Thanksgiving was a great day. We had a zone service activity where we made cards and took them to a Convalescent home and played games and sang songs with them. I am just like you Mom, I love old people, they are so cute. I met this one lady Bella who is from Russia and I know how to say hello in Russian, thanks to my roommate Whitney, and as soon as I said it to her she just loved me the rest of the time we were there. I got up to sing and she wouldn't let me leave. I'll send a picture I took with her, it was so fun. We then had dinner with a family from our Spanish ward. Their oldest son is on a mission right now in Brazil and so they take good care of the missionaries. We had turkey and stuffing and everything traditional and it was fun to experience that. I will always be grateful for kind members who make us feel welcome and at home while we are away from our own.
Today we played a "turkey bowl" football game against another zone in our mission. It was a lot of fun and I am proud to say that my goal of not being competitive is working, I didn't even keep score.
Well the best news this week is that our investigator Katie is ready and counting down the days for her baptism on the 12th of December. She is most definitely our Christmas miracle. She called us the other night letting us know that we forgot to assign her a chapter to read and wanted to know what she could read. How amazing is that? It is just incredible to have a small part in the change that people make in their life to follow their Savior. It is the most important thing that we can do, make the changes necessary each and every day, be they big or small, to come closer and closer to becoming more like our Savior. While this Christmas season will be much different than what I've had in the past, no N'sync Christmas music or snow, I look forward to it. I look forward to feeling the spirit of Christmas here and continuing to forward the work of the Lord on the earth. What a privilege we all have to be a part of that work. I just love it. I am glad you are all doing well and are happy and safe. My prayers are always with you as I know yours are with me.
All my love,
Sister Chels
P.S. - GO COUGS
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Another Week
It sounds like Thanksgiving will be nice and quiet this year. We have some service we will be doing at a convalescent home, making cards and cookies or something, and then we have a dinner appointment with the Spanish ward relief society president. We have to be home by 6:00 again and that will fill up the rest of the day. Thanksgiving is always my favorite time of year, throughout my life it has meant basketball season, BYU vs. Utah, family time, and cardigans. While this year will be different being away from sports and away from home, I still get to wear the cardigans and I am hopefully will help other families find more reasons to be grateful. What a wonderful time of year, a time to give thanks and a time to ponder upon the blessings we have. Things I am grateful for as a missionary:
Cardigans to keep me warm in the cool Los Angeles nights, a good watch to keep me on time, knee highs that don't have runs in them (which by now are very few), members who feed us dinner, packages and letters from home, cardstock and colored paper and the ability to be creative (or try to be creative) prayers offered on my behalf every day, people who don't slam doors in our face, people who do slam doors in our face, the Lord's protection as I drive the streets of Los Angeles (did I tell you I am now the driver...I hate it but I drive very cautiously and slowly), the scriptures and the time I have to study them, and my wonderful family, their prayers, support, and love, and of course the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and my Savior.
I have been very lucky, other than the short fight Sister Johnson and I had of diarrhea I have been healthy and happy. A few elders and sisters have got swine flu but it so far has stayed away from us. My new companion is amazing at Spanish and knows how to talk and make people feel comfortable. We are still getting to know each other and it will take some time but I hope we can grow close. She has never lived on her own before and never really been too independent so I have been trying to help her out and teach her some things. It is an adjustment but the Lord is blessing me with love. After all, it isn't about us anyway. It is about the wonderful people we serve. That is what matters.
As far as sending me things, I am doing just fine. I don't need much and I have already asked too much. Just keep me in your prayers and tell my sisters and brothers and my dear Father how much I love them. I feel very inadequate at times to do the things I have been asked to do, but I know that the Lord truly qualifies us for our tasks. Sister Blackburn always says that the Lord could put giant red x's over the houses of people who are elect and make it easy for us, He knows who is ready and who will accept the gospel, but part of this work is for our own sanctification. Part of it has to be us struggling, us crying, praying, and yearning for help to learn a little bit of what our Savior felt and feels. How true that is, I think that even though I have been able to help a few come in to the gospel and hopefully will help a few more, I will be the one who will come out of all of this the most changed. I already can see the changes that have been made in my life. Priorities have changed, old habits washed away, and new desires have begun. That is the miracle of a mission for the missionary. I love it.
I miss you all and love you con todo mi corazon. Happy Thanksgiving.
Love,
Hermana Chels
Cardigans to keep me warm in the cool Los Angeles nights, a good watch to keep me on time, knee highs that don't have runs in them (which by now are very few), members who feed us dinner, packages and letters from home, cardstock and colored paper and the ability to be creative (or try to be creative) prayers offered on my behalf every day, people who don't slam doors in our face, people who do slam doors in our face, the Lord's protection as I drive the streets of Los Angeles (did I tell you I am now the driver...I hate it but I drive very cautiously and slowly), the scriptures and the time I have to study them, and my wonderful family, their prayers, support, and love, and of course the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and my Savior.
I have been very lucky, other than the short fight Sister Johnson and I had of diarrhea I have been healthy and happy. A few elders and sisters have got swine flu but it so far has stayed away from us. My new companion is amazing at Spanish and knows how to talk and make people feel comfortable. We are still getting to know each other and it will take some time but I hope we can grow close. She has never lived on her own before and never really been too independent so I have been trying to help her out and teach her some things. It is an adjustment but the Lord is blessing me with love. After all, it isn't about us anyway. It is about the wonderful people we serve. That is what matters.
As far as sending me things, I am doing just fine. I don't need much and I have already asked too much. Just keep me in your prayers and tell my sisters and brothers and my dear Father how much I love them. I feel very inadequate at times to do the things I have been asked to do, but I know that the Lord truly qualifies us for our tasks. Sister Blackburn always says that the Lord could put giant red x's over the houses of people who are elect and make it easy for us, He knows who is ready and who will accept the gospel, but part of this work is for our own sanctification. Part of it has to be us struggling, us crying, praying, and yearning for help to learn a little bit of what our Savior felt and feels. How true that is, I think that even though I have been able to help a few come in to the gospel and hopefully will help a few more, I will be the one who will come out of all of this the most changed. I already can see the changes that have been made in my life. Priorities have changed, old habits washed away, and new desires have begun. That is the miracle of a mission for the missionary. I love it.
I miss you all and love you con todo mi corazon. Happy Thanksgiving.
Love,
Hermana Chels
So Thankful
Mi Querido Familia,
Thank you for the wonderful email and update about the family and the ward and all that is going on back at home. I always miss you all, but with the holiday season approaching my heart strings tug a bit more, but I love what I am doing every day.
I have a new companion, her name is Sister Garcia from Phoenix, Arizona. She is Mexican/American and completely fluent in Spanish (what a blessing) and she is great. She is barely 5'0'' tall and so of course lots of people make the comment of how big I am next to her. Can't hear that enough. Oh well. I feel inadequate as a trainer but I know President is inspired so I am doing my best to work hard and to be a good example of what a missionary should be doing. I think I've pretty well exhausted her, two nights ago she fell asleep in her missionary clothes. She is enthusiastic and is willing to learn, so together I know we will see much success. I do miss Sister Johnson a lot, we saw many miracles together and grew very close. She and I will be friends forever after all we experienced. I loved her. I am learning to love my new companion as well, and we have seen absolute miracles this week.
We met a young girl named Katie. She is 18 and goes to FIDM (the same fashion school as my dear Angie) and her boyfriend is a less-active member of the church who is now trying to become active again. She has been reading the book of Mormon and has an amazing love for her Heavenly Father. We set a baptismal date with her for the 12th of December, I pray we will make it. We also met a girl named Melanie. She is 23 and absolutely amazing. Her best friend growing up was LDS and was such a good example to her that she decided to investigate. She has some obstacles to overcome but she LOVES the book of Mormon, knows it is true, and knows that because it is true everything else is true. We have a baptismal date for her on the 19th of December. Pray for her to be able to change so that she will be ready for baptism. Miracles are what I see, everyday.
We work hard, tracting more so now that our investigator pool is a little low. Yesterday was car free day and so we walked to our area, tracted for 3 hours, and walked back. All in all we did about 5 hours of tracting and street contacting and without much success. We were in Beverly Hills and one man threatened to call the cops on us because my companion didn't have her proselyting certificate with her, another lady yelled at us (I’m pretty sure she drunk by the smell of her breath) and many other humorous now but at the time slightly discouraging things. After all that hard work though we met with Melanie who committed to be baptized. We do the hard work and then the Lord sends people to us. I love it. I try not to get discouraged because more and more each day I know that the Lord is in charge, that His hand is guiding us and leading us and I have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear as long as I follow Him. As long and I trust Him.
I bought a conference ensign at the distribution center last week, thank you though for the thought. We usually get the ensign sent to us but I wanted my own copy of conference. I received the heaven-sent package. Thank you so so so much. The leggings I have worn each day and the calendar is the perfect size. I love it. I was marking some things in it and realized I will be how when that Calendar is done. Weird. 5 months already gone - crazy. Nephi loves California, thank you for sending him. Tell Dad thanks for the great letter and the money, it always helps to have a little extra. I am in need of a couple items of clothing, so I don't have anyway of checking my balance on my card but if I withdraw again, I'm sorry. I am trying to be better at budgeting and money. I try not to worry about material things but when a skirt falls down when I put it on, I kind of have to I guess. Other than that for Christmas I don't need anything, just news from the family. Maybe an updated picture. Dit hasn't emailed me yet and I know when I see a picture of the boys I'll be shocked. I am glad to hear that Nick arrived home - I have no doubt he served a very faithful mission. Send the Roberts' my love, they have always been so good to me. Still no word from Mike - I don't blame him I wasn't very good at writing him either but if you do see him, tell him I am still freezing cold in his shadow.
I'll send some pictures today from the baptisms and a few others. I know I have never done anything this hard, this tiring, exhausting, and emotionally draining because but I have also never done anything this rewarding, this fulfilling, and this important. Every desire within me is to follow my Savior. I desire to make good choices not because I know I should but because I genuinely want to follow my Savior. You instilled that in me, thank you for blessing our lives.
I am safe, don't worry, the Lord takes care of his missionaries. Thank you for your prayers, I really do feel them and they sometimes get me through the day. I love you. I love this work, it is making me a better person each day and I am coming to know more and more my Savior. What a privilege to be on His errand. Thank you for helping me get here. With all my love,
Hermana Chels
P.S. When BYU and Utah play, let me know what happens. My zone leader is a convert from Utah and hates bYU - we have a little deal going on. Go cougars.
Thank you for the wonderful email and update about the family and the ward and all that is going on back at home. I always miss you all, but with the holiday season approaching my heart strings tug a bit more, but I love what I am doing every day.
I have a new companion, her name is Sister Garcia from Phoenix, Arizona. She is Mexican/American and completely fluent in Spanish (what a blessing) and she is great. She is barely 5'0'' tall and so of course lots of people make the comment of how big I am next to her. Can't hear that enough. Oh well. I feel inadequate as a trainer but I know President is inspired so I am doing my best to work hard and to be a good example of what a missionary should be doing. I think I've pretty well exhausted her, two nights ago she fell asleep in her missionary clothes. She is enthusiastic and is willing to learn, so together I know we will see much success. I do miss Sister Johnson a lot, we saw many miracles together and grew very close. She and I will be friends forever after all we experienced. I loved her. I am learning to love my new companion as well, and we have seen absolute miracles this week.
We met a young girl named Katie. She is 18 and goes to FIDM (the same fashion school as my dear Angie) and her boyfriend is a less-active member of the church who is now trying to become active again. She has been reading the book of Mormon and has an amazing love for her Heavenly Father. We set a baptismal date with her for the 12th of December, I pray we will make it. We also met a girl named Melanie. She is 23 and absolutely amazing. Her best friend growing up was LDS and was such a good example to her that she decided to investigate. She has some obstacles to overcome but she LOVES the book of Mormon, knows it is true, and knows that because it is true everything else is true. We have a baptismal date for her on the 19th of December. Pray for her to be able to change so that she will be ready for baptism. Miracles are what I see, everyday.
We work hard, tracting more so now that our investigator pool is a little low. Yesterday was car free day and so we walked to our area, tracted for 3 hours, and walked back. All in all we did about 5 hours of tracting and street contacting and without much success. We were in Beverly Hills and one man threatened to call the cops on us because my companion didn't have her proselyting certificate with her, another lady yelled at us (I’m pretty sure she drunk by the smell of her breath) and many other humorous now but at the time slightly discouraging things. After all that hard work though we met with Melanie who committed to be baptized. We do the hard work and then the Lord sends people to us. I love it. I try not to get discouraged because more and more each day I know that the Lord is in charge, that His hand is guiding us and leading us and I have nothing to worry about, nothing to fear as long as I follow Him. As long and I trust Him.
I bought a conference ensign at the distribution center last week, thank you though for the thought. We usually get the ensign sent to us but I wanted my own copy of conference. I received the heaven-sent package. Thank you so so so much. The leggings I have worn each day and the calendar is the perfect size. I love it. I was marking some things in it and realized I will be how when that Calendar is done. Weird. 5 months already gone - crazy. Nephi loves California, thank you for sending him. Tell Dad thanks for the great letter and the money, it always helps to have a little extra. I am in need of a couple items of clothing, so I don't have anyway of checking my balance on my card but if I withdraw again, I'm sorry. I am trying to be better at budgeting and money. I try not to worry about material things but when a skirt falls down when I put it on, I kind of have to I guess. Other than that for Christmas I don't need anything, just news from the family. Maybe an updated picture. Dit hasn't emailed me yet and I know when I see a picture of the boys I'll be shocked. I am glad to hear that Nick arrived home - I have no doubt he served a very faithful mission. Send the Roberts' my love, they have always been so good to me. Still no word from Mike - I don't blame him I wasn't very good at writing him either but if you do see him, tell him I am still freezing cold in his shadow.
I'll send some pictures today from the baptisms and a few others. I know I have never done anything this hard, this tiring, exhausting, and emotionally draining because but I have also never done anything this rewarding, this fulfilling, and this important. Every desire within me is to follow my Savior. I desire to make good choices not because I know I should but because I genuinely want to follow my Savior. You instilled that in me, thank you for blessing our lives.
I am safe, don't worry, the Lord takes care of his missionaries. Thank you for your prayers, I really do feel them and they sometimes get me through the day. I love you. I love this work, it is making me a better person each day and I am coming to know more and more my Savior. What a privilege to be on His errand. Thank you for helping me get here. With all my love,
Hermana Chels
P.S. When BYU and Utah play, let me know what happens. My zone leader is a convert from Utah and hates bYU - we have a little deal going on. Go cougars.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Nov. 9, 2009
Hello my dear ones,
Well this week has been one of the best weeks of my entire life! Oh I have so much to tell you I am not sure where to begin.
Let me start with my dear Rachel. A little background, Rachel is 18 and grew up in Hollywood Hills. Her parents adopted her and are older (in their 60's) and she got into a bad life around the age of 13. Drugs, sex, tattoos, alcohol, and a life threatening eating disorder. At age 15 her parents finally sent her to a rehabilitation school in Urda, Utah (outside of Tooele). She lived with an LDS family and her therapist is LDS but they never talked with her about the church because they weren't allowed too. After two and a half years of rehab she moved back home this past August. She began going to institute at Santa Monica college and there met a RM who is in the Los Angeles 1st ward (that is the single ward we cover) and he invited her to general conference. That is how we met Rachel, when we met her she said to us "so you are like real missionaries?" We answered yes and she said "I think I'd like to meet with you." Amazing. Our first lesson we committed her to be baptized on the 7th of November. Well about two weeks ago her mom asked her to wait six months to get baptized. (Our stomachs just dropped when she said that - too much time for Satan to get his foot in the door, not good) She said she would think about it. She then was going to wait till November 14th to be baptized so that her therapist could come. Well, last week she was just bombarded by opposition from her parents and temptation from Satan. Having had such a rough past she felt unworthy and had a hard time seeing her individual worth. So last Sunday (Nov. 1) we took her out of Sunday school and had a lesson with her and just poured our hearts out to her about how badly we want her to be baptized, not because we wanted it to happen before transfers or because we wanted to be here for it, but because she needed the remission of sins and the Holy Ghost as soon as possible. We committed her to pray about it and to let us know Monday night. Monday night came and we were going to watch the Joseph Smith movie at the mission home. She came up and said "just a second, I'm just texting my mom now and telling her that I am going to be baptized on Saturday (Nov. 7)" (Again, our stomachs dropped but this time in a good way) we asked her what had changed and she said "I know it is true, and if I know it is true then that is all that matters." CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? Rachel was baptized on Saturday and confirmed a member of the church on Sunday. Her parents didn't come to the baptism but she didn't care because she knew she was following the example of Jesus Christ. Her two main therapists from Utah flew in for the weekend, and many things are very gratifying for a missionary, but when they told us thank you with tears in their eyes, I think that is one of the most rewarding feelings I will ever have. I thought of Karlee and the girls she worked with and thought if one of them had been baptized how Karlee might feel. That is how these two wonderful girls thanked us, it was incredible. The Lord has been so good to us, I know that neither I nor Sister Johnson are worthy of all the blessings we've received but nevertheless He blesses us. Which brings me to the next miracle: Gisela.
A little background on Gisela: She is from Mexico, has had the craziest most tragic life I have ever heard of, all forms of abuse, abandonment, and tragedy. She was found by missionaries in two different places in Mexico as well as here in Beverly Hills. She has an amazing faith in Jesus Christ. She is a woman who does not let her circumstances deter her from believing in Christ. She doesn't make excuses or take the horrible things that happened to her as a reason why God doesn't love her. She knows life is supposed to be challenging but that is why we need faith even more. Amazing, funny, kind woman. Well, her brother stopped talking to her, her ex-husband yelled at her for her decision, her mother called her crazy among other unkind things, and yet she was baptized on Sunday, November 8. That is right, baptized. It was incredible. When she arrived at the chapel for the baptism I asked her how she felt and she said "tranquilo" (peaceful). The talk on baptism before the actual baptism brought the spirit and we all were just crying, and as I walked back with her into the locker room she had me practice again with her where to put her hands and then I asked if she was ready and she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said "finalmente. Si, yo estoy lista” (Finally...yes, I am ready). Those words and that moment with her before she was baptized will be something I'll never forget. After the service as we were having refreshments I again asked her how she felt and again looked at me with tears in her life and said "limpia." Clean. A woman who was abused for years, abandoned by her family, and many other tragic trials was made clean. I had the privilege of helping her along the way. THIS IS THE BEST WORK IN THE WHOLE WORLD. Two baptisms in one weekend. Best weekend ever.
Other than that great news, not much else to report on. Sister Johnson goes home on Wednesday and will spend all day tomorrow at the mission home so today is our last day together. I got a call from President Blackburn last night; apparently he is crazy and thinks that I am ready to be a trainer. So I will be training a new missionary this next transfer and will be staying in South Beverly Hills. I am scared and feel inadequate but the Lord will help me. If there is one thing I have learned these last 3 months it is that the Lord is with me and helps me. He is with all of us. He loves us.
Thanks for sending me mail. I love mail. We are not allowed to pick up our own mail, it is distributed every Friday but the weeks are flying by so I am sure in no time I will have a wonderful package from home. Thank you for all you do, send, and pray. I love you all. I miss my sisters and brothers. Family is so important. Cherish the time you all have together. Tell my brothers to be good boys and treat others with kindness. Kindness can go a long way. I'll try to send some pictures soon of the baptisms. Sorry this email is so long, I just wanted to share as much as I can with you about the amazing life of a missionary and representative of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am His servant and representative and I love it. He lives. I know this.
With all of my love,
Hermana Chels
my life is a endless rollercoaster; Nov 2. 2009
Mi Querido Familia (aka Mom who tells everyone else how I am),
First of all, Dad in the Halloween costume...you look good. Jake, you are huge! Stop growing up! Can you stand that? I am glad Halloween was another good day. We had to be in by 6:00 on Halloween so we address Christmas cards for Sister Blackburn for a few hours. After I addressed one Sister Blackburn looked at it and said "why don't you just put stamps on the envelopes" - apparently I've inherited similar difficulties with penmanship as you had Mom. Oh well. Sister Butler (one of the senior couple sisters) said to me "when the resurrection happens all things will be restored and your problem will be fixed." So I now have another reason to hope for the resurrection, better fine motor skills. Awesome.
This past week has been quite the adventure. We are tentatively praying and preparing for two upcoming baptisms. Rachel is determined to be baptized, we just are not sure of the date yet. Her parents are working very hard on distracting her (i.e. planning big family activities on Sundays...grr) but she is focused on working towards baptism. Pray for her. We are teaching Gisela again, she is in Spanish so I get to work on that every day with her. She is planning on being baptized on Sunday (Nov. 8th) but she is facing opposition from all different forces so the date is still up in the air. When she prayed the other night she prayed that "nothing and nobody would get in her way of being baptized into this, the true church." When she prays, she really prays - she knows that God is listening. When she prayed the other night we all just cried and she just said "ayudame, ayudame" over and over (help me, help me). She has had a horrible past, I can't even imagine going through all that she has had to go through, but she knows the church is true. The other day she told us that her brother stopped talking to her and her grandma who raised her has threatened to do the same and I just thought, just for a moment that I am asking too much of her, asking her to sacrifice to many things. Then I just thought, wait a minute, this is life eternal, this isn't too much to ask, this is the only way to live with Him again. It isn't me even asking, it is the Lord. I anxiously await to write to you and tell you of her baptism. She is an incredible person who I have so much love for. She has been found by missionaries in two different places in Mexico and here in California but it has only worked out now. I feel such a special connection to her and I feel like I am the missionary who is supposed to be here with her. The Lord sent me to Los Angeles for a reason, believe it or not. (Can you stand that I am saying that? It is true though, I love it here). So I had the highlight of my life on Sunday, I think that no matter what else happens to me on my mission I won't care because of this. Mom, Sunday night after this killed me because this is one of the things I normally would have called you and told you all about, it was so hard for me not to have a phone to pick up and share the good news with you. I hope my typing of the story does it justice. On Sunday as you know it was fast and testimony meeting. Angie, my dear sweet recent convert Angie bore her testimony. The girl before Angie said "I can't imagine what life would be like without the Gospel." Angie then stood up and said "I do know what life without the Gospel is like and it is awful and miserable." Angie then said "two weeks ago I was baptized. Three weeks ago I told my family that I was getting baptized and it has been three weeks since I have heard a word from anyone in my family. That has been hard, but especially today being my birthday and not hearing from anyone has been hard. However, I have never been happier in my life. I have answers. There is a living prophet who guides us. I have the only true church in my life now. I have a purpose. God loves me. I know what I am doing here and where I am going. God knows and loves me. Nothing else matters." I just cried and cried. What a tender mercy of the Lord. As long as I live I will never forget that testimony. That is the fulfillment of serving a mission. That testimony changed my life. She is absolutely amazing. Afterwards she smiled at me and said "I made you cry" and I said "oh Ang, I love you" and she said "I love you too. Thank you." Those words are some I will treasure forever. I am so glad I didn't miss this. I am so glad I took that step of faith and came on a mission. All the hard parts, the weird parts, and the sad parts don't even matter because of that one testimony. Jacob and McKay, don't you let anything, I mean anything, get in the way of you serving a worthy full-time mission. You cannot miss this opportunity. Please, don't miss it.
Oh, funny story. On Halloween we went tracting (in hind-site, not the best idea but oh well) and we met this woman who asked if we could say a prayer for her cat. She asked me to do it and put the cat in my arms, who apparently was dying, and asked me to pray. Now, I have never particularly cared for cats. After taking infectious disease, my dislike for them deepened as I realized how diseases they were and here I stood holding a dying cat in my arms, being asked to pray for it. I did, and the woman tried to give me five dollars. I kindly told her we don't accept money and walked away, Sister Johnson just looked at me waiting for me to explode. Luckily, I seem to be healthy. Karlee, stay away from cats.
This email is probably pretty scattered and long, but I just wanted to tell you as much as I could. I love what I am doing. It is hard, especially when people reject our message but I just have to trust in the Lord and go on. I am working hard. We recently had zone conference and our mission president let us know of a mission wide goal we are having for the month of December: 80 baptisms. It is going to be a white Christmas in L.A. Get it? White? Baptism jumpsuits are white? Ha. I love it. We are going to do it and I am going to love it. Pray for my mission president and his wife, they do so much for me and for our mission. Pray for them. Sister Johnson leaves in 10 days and I will be getting a new companion that should be fun. We've grown close as the ups and downs of missionary life bond us. She will be heading back to Medford, Oregon where he parents lives until winter semester and then will go to BYU Provo. I love my companion. I will miss her.
We get to watch the Joseph Smith movie a lot when investigators bring them to the information center (the temporary visitor’s center until the real one gets finished) and there is a line that he says that I love. "There are many whom I have loved and to them I am determined to prove faithful." Mom, Dad, Kar and Micah, Dit, Jake, and McKay: I love you. I am determined to prove faithful to you. Pray for me as I continue on in the work that I love.
Until next week.
All my love,
Hermana Chels
Angie's baptism
First of all, Dad in the Halloween costume...you look good. Jake, you are huge! Stop growing up! Can you stand that? I am glad Halloween was another good day. We had to be in by 6:00 on Halloween so we address Christmas cards for Sister Blackburn for a few hours. After I addressed one Sister Blackburn looked at it and said "why don't you just put stamps on the envelopes" - apparently I've inherited similar difficulties with penmanship as you had Mom. Oh well. Sister Butler (one of the senior couple sisters) said to me "when the resurrection happens all things will be restored and your problem will be fixed." So I now have another reason to hope for the resurrection, better fine motor skills. Awesome.
This past week has been quite the adventure. We are tentatively praying and preparing for two upcoming baptisms. Rachel is determined to be baptized, we just are not sure of the date yet. Her parents are working very hard on distracting her (i.e. planning big family activities on Sundays...grr) but she is focused on working towards baptism. Pray for her. We are teaching Gisela again, she is in Spanish so I get to work on that every day with her. She is planning on being baptized on Sunday (Nov. 8th) but she is facing opposition from all different forces so the date is still up in the air. When she prayed the other night she prayed that "nothing and nobody would get in her way of being baptized into this, the true church." When she prays, she really prays - she knows that God is listening. When she prayed the other night we all just cried and she just said "ayudame, ayudame" over and over (help me, help me). She has had a horrible past, I can't even imagine going through all that she has had to go through, but she knows the church is true. The other day she told us that her brother stopped talking to her and her grandma who raised her has threatened to do the same and I just thought, just for a moment that I am asking too much of her, asking her to sacrifice to many things. Then I just thought, wait a minute, this is life eternal, this isn't too much to ask, this is the only way to live with Him again. It isn't me even asking, it is the Lord. I anxiously await to write to you and tell you of her baptism. She is an incredible person who I have so much love for. She has been found by missionaries in two different places in Mexico and here in California but it has only worked out now. I feel such a special connection to her and I feel like I am the missionary who is supposed to be here with her. The Lord sent me to Los Angeles for a reason, believe it or not. (Can you stand that I am saying that? It is true though, I love it here). So I had the highlight of my life on Sunday, I think that no matter what else happens to me on my mission I won't care because of this. Mom, Sunday night after this killed me because this is one of the things I normally would have called you and told you all about, it was so hard for me not to have a phone to pick up and share the good news with you. I hope my typing of the story does it justice. On Sunday as you know it was fast and testimony meeting. Angie, my dear sweet recent convert Angie bore her testimony. The girl before Angie said "I can't imagine what life would be like without the Gospel." Angie then stood up and said "I do know what life without the Gospel is like and it is awful and miserable." Angie then said "two weeks ago I was baptized. Three weeks ago I told my family that I was getting baptized and it has been three weeks since I have heard a word from anyone in my family. That has been hard, but especially today being my birthday and not hearing from anyone has been hard. However, I have never been happier in my life. I have answers. There is a living prophet who guides us. I have the only true church in my life now. I have a purpose. God loves me. I know what I am doing here and where I am going. God knows and loves me. Nothing else matters." I just cried and cried. What a tender mercy of the Lord. As long as I live I will never forget that testimony. That is the fulfillment of serving a mission. That testimony changed my life. She is absolutely amazing. Afterwards she smiled at me and said "I made you cry" and I said "oh Ang, I love you" and she said "I love you too. Thank you." Those words are some I will treasure forever. I am so glad I didn't miss this. I am so glad I took that step of faith and came on a mission. All the hard parts, the weird parts, and the sad parts don't even matter because of that one testimony. Jacob and McKay, don't you let anything, I mean anything, get in the way of you serving a worthy full-time mission. You cannot miss this opportunity. Please, don't miss it.
Oh, funny story. On Halloween we went tracting (in hind-site, not the best idea but oh well) and we met this woman who asked if we could say a prayer for her cat. She asked me to do it and put the cat in my arms, who apparently was dying, and asked me to pray. Now, I have never particularly cared for cats. After taking infectious disease, my dislike for them deepened as I realized how diseases they were and here I stood holding a dying cat in my arms, being asked to pray for it. I did, and the woman tried to give me five dollars. I kindly told her we don't accept money and walked away, Sister Johnson just looked at me waiting for me to explode. Luckily, I seem to be healthy. Karlee, stay away from cats.
This email is probably pretty scattered and long, but I just wanted to tell you as much as I could. I love what I am doing. It is hard, especially when people reject our message but I just have to trust in the Lord and go on. I am working hard. We recently had zone conference and our mission president let us know of a mission wide goal we are having for the month of December: 80 baptisms. It is going to be a white Christmas in L.A. Get it? White? Baptism jumpsuits are white? Ha. I love it. We are going to do it and I am going to love it. Pray for my mission president and his wife, they do so much for me and for our mission. Pray for them. Sister Johnson leaves in 10 days and I will be getting a new companion that should be fun. We've grown close as the ups and downs of missionary life bond us. She will be heading back to Medford, Oregon where he parents lives until winter semester and then will go to BYU Provo. I love my companion. I will miss her.
We get to watch the Joseph Smith movie a lot when investigators bring them to the information center (the temporary visitor’s center until the real one gets finished) and there is a line that he says that I love. "There are many whom I have loved and to them I am determined to prove faithful." Mom, Dad, Kar and Micah, Dit, Jake, and McKay: I love you. I am determined to prove faithful to you. Pray for me as I continue on in the work that I love.
Until next week.
All my love,
Hermana Chels
Angie's baptism
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
I totally missed putting last week's message on so please enjoy two weeks at the same time. Sorry Chels. :)
October 19, 2009
Mis queridos,
"Each one of us has been given the power to change his or her life. We can all change, but it will be difficult. We begin by making the decision to change. We decided to do better and to be better. It may not be easy, but our afflictions can be "swallowed up in the Joy of Christ." " - President James E. Faust
This week I witnessed the power to change. Angie was baptized and it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life to have been a part of her conversion. We met with her the day before her baptism, making sure everything was alright and that she was ready, and when I expressed to her my joy in her progress and how amazing it was to see the change that had occurred in her, she said simply "it was time to change." This is a Gospel of change, it takes us in our weaknesses and in our sins and turns us into the people that Christ knows we can become, the people we agreed that we would become. It really all does start with the decision to change, to be better. As we make that decision, the Lord helps us. He helped Angie to change, even when it was difficult and especially when the opposition came. We can all change and become a little bit better and a little bit stronger. I love that the Gospel gives us that promise. It is never too late. We have never gone too far. We have never done too much. He is waiting for us, with open arms, to heal us. How amazing is that? That is the miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am a part, a very small part, of that miracle. It is true - of this I am certain.
I love you all.
Hermana Chels
October 26, 2009
Mis Queridos,
As this transfer is quickly coming to a close, I thought I'd share a couple of the funny things that have happened as of late to Sister Johnson and me. We were talking last night about how many of the "remember when" moments we will have whenever we talk about our time together here in Beverly Hills. If these are not funny to you then I apologize, sometimes things are funny to missionaries but not to other people.
The other night we were helping a woman in one of the wards we work in paint a house. As we were painting this member saw a spider on the floor and was leaning to pick it up. At the same time, my dear companion saw the spider and out of natural instinct stepped on it. The member, looking shocked and appauled and with tears in her eyes, picked it up and threw it out the window whispering "live if you can." Probably the funniest thing ever.
I keep being told by many people how young I look. Whenever we tract they say "you can't be more than 15 or 16." Members have asked if I am on a special two-week mission because I cannot be more than 18. Yes, yes, I look the exact same as I did in junior high. I don't wear much make-up and my hair is the same. Well, this past week I think I felt more like a small child than I ever have before. We had a dinner appointment with a woman in our ward - she picked us up and as I was getting into the back seat, she buckled the seatbelt for me. Like reached across me, buckled it in, and then patted my head and said "there you go honey." True story.
Yesterday as we were in church we were talking to a member and her son was running in circles around us as we talked. The skirt I had on is a little big for me now, and as the young son was running around me he for some reason grabbed on to it and pulled it down. That's right, he pulled my skirt down. In the middle of the church building. I am a sister missionary. And my skirt got pulled down. Awesome.
I hope you can see that even though people reject us and don't care for us, even though I sweat and sometimes cry and have a hard time once in a while, the life of a missionary is fun. I am understanding more and more each day what it means to "be of good cheer." I strive to follow Elder Wirthlin's advice everyday, "the next time you are tempted to groan, laugh instead." I love this work. I love the Lord. I love you all.
- Hermana Chelsea
October 19, 2009
Mis queridos,
"Each one of us has been given the power to change his or her life. We can all change, but it will be difficult. We begin by making the decision to change. We decided to do better and to be better. It may not be easy, but our afflictions can be "swallowed up in the Joy of Christ." " - President James E. Faust
This week I witnessed the power to change. Angie was baptized and it was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life to have been a part of her conversion. We met with her the day before her baptism, making sure everything was alright and that she was ready, and when I expressed to her my joy in her progress and how amazing it was to see the change that had occurred in her, she said simply "it was time to change." This is a Gospel of change, it takes us in our weaknesses and in our sins and turns us into the people that Christ knows we can become, the people we agreed that we would become. It really all does start with the decision to change, to be better. As we make that decision, the Lord helps us. He helped Angie to change, even when it was difficult and especially when the opposition came. We can all change and become a little bit better and a little bit stronger. I love that the Gospel gives us that promise. It is never too late. We have never gone too far. We have never done too much. He is waiting for us, with open arms, to heal us. How amazing is that? That is the miracle of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am a part, a very small part, of that miracle. It is true - of this I am certain.
I love you all.
Hermana Chels
October 26, 2009
Mis Queridos,
As this transfer is quickly coming to a close, I thought I'd share a couple of the funny things that have happened as of late to Sister Johnson and me. We were talking last night about how many of the "remember when" moments we will have whenever we talk about our time together here in Beverly Hills. If these are not funny to you then I apologize, sometimes things are funny to missionaries but not to other people.
The other night we were helping a woman in one of the wards we work in paint a house. As we were painting this member saw a spider on the floor and was leaning to pick it up. At the same time, my dear companion saw the spider and out of natural instinct stepped on it. The member, looking shocked and appauled and with tears in her eyes, picked it up and threw it out the window whispering "live if you can." Probably the funniest thing ever.
I keep being told by many people how young I look. Whenever we tract they say "you can't be more than 15 or 16." Members have asked if I am on a special two-week mission because I cannot be more than 18. Yes, yes, I look the exact same as I did in junior high. I don't wear much make-up and my hair is the same. Well, this past week I think I felt more like a small child than I ever have before. We had a dinner appointment with a woman in our ward - she picked us up and as I was getting into the back seat, she buckled the seatbelt for me. Like reached across me, buckled it in, and then patted my head and said "there you go honey." True story.
Yesterday as we were in church we were talking to a member and her son was running in circles around us as we talked. The skirt I had on is a little big for me now, and as the young son was running around me he for some reason grabbed on to it and pulled it down. That's right, he pulled my skirt down. In the middle of the church building. I am a sister missionary. And my skirt got pulled down. Awesome.
I hope you can see that even though people reject us and don't care for us, even though I sweat and sometimes cry and have a hard time once in a while, the life of a missionary is fun. I am understanding more and more each day what it means to "be of good cheer." I strive to follow Elder Wirthlin's advice everyday, "the next time you are tempted to groan, laugh instead." I love this work. I love the Lord. I love you all.
- Hermana Chelsea
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