We got shot at every morning . . .

By the guy with the card scanner at the gym. Just thought I'd give you a little scare. We are in Tacoma and it is almost Halloween after all. Anyways, we go to the gym every morning bright and early. It sucks getting up and going, but once we're there I appreciate it. It helps me not fall asleep during personal study.

 

Oh, yeah, it was my birthday this week. Thank you thank you for all of the letters. That was definitely my favorite part. That and when we had a lesson with Kasondra, our investigator who is in a wheelchair, she didn't want to pray at the beginning of the lesson, at all, but by the end she decided that she would say the prayer for us. Wahooo!! I never would have thought a year ago that I would be so excited about someone saying a prayer. Other than that, it was a pretty laid back day, which is totally fine by me. No big celebrations, no center of attentions, just missionary work and letters. Oh, Washington finally decided to be Washington again and on my birthday it decided to rain for the first time in something like 82 days. Oh well, it was good while it lasted.

 

So yes, fall is finally here. The summer was great, but now it's back to the misty grind and things are looking great here in Tacoma. Our people are starting to be more solid, we have more things to do during the day, and we don't get lost anymore!! Miracles.

 

Oh, so last Tuesday Sis. Robinson got a call from one of her recent converts in her first area. They were going to the temple to be sealed as a family and they wanted her to come! And, of course since she is a missionary and needs a companion all the time and there were no other sisters in the mission who knew them, I got to go with her! On Thursday!! Early birthday present, and I couldn't have asked for anything better. It was the first time I had seen a sealing and it was awesome. I loved just being in the temple and feeling the Spirit and not wanting to leave haha. So cool.

 

We had Stake Conference this weekend. At the Saturday night session (which one of the people we're teaching went to out of pity so we could go too, so kind) they invited a young man to get up and bear his testimony. He just got his mission call to the Nevada Reno mission. I couldn't help but think that he has no idea how much his life is about to change. Then I started thinking about how much my mission means to me and all of the great things that I've been able to see.

 

Every day I get to go out and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I get to study His life and His teachings and strive to become more like Him every day. I get to wear a name tag that has my name next to His. My mission has changed my life and I never want to leave. Washington has become such sacred ground for me. I thought of what it would be like to come back and see everyone--and it scared me haha because I don't want to not be a missionary. I will just stay here forever, I think. I love my Savior. I love the gospel. There is so much to be thankful for.

 

We finished reading the Book of Mormon as a mission this last week. That book is amazing. We read it with our companions out loud, and that was a really incredible experience. We actually finished it this morning and as I read Moroni's final words, for the umpteenth time in my life, I could feel, burning in my heart, the truth of that book. It changes lives. If you want proof, you're looking at it. Look all around. Read it. You'll never know until you try.

 

Hope everyone has a delightful week. we certainly will. Love you.

 

Sister Chronister

TUCSON TEMPLE!!!

TUCSON, AZ IS GETTING A TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!! (Green, for a saguaro.)

I am just a little excited about this. Every single conference when the prophet opens the conference and makes his usual announcements, including new temples, I think in my mind, "Is this the day that Tucson will be announced?" For years we have been waiting for one, hoping and praying that we will be blessed with one. So this conference I sat in the chapel and listened quietly as he announced new temples. He said there would be 2 new temples announced in the following locations, and my heart kinda started to pound a little, like something big was about to happen, and in my head I thought, "Tucson, AZ" or maybe it was the Spirit, I don't know, but to my utter amazement I heard the words in my head spoken out loud simultaneously by President Monson. Tucson, AZ. My jaw dropped and all I could say was, "Shut your mouth." He did not shut his mouth. It was real. Tucson is getting a temple!!! I think my eyes may or may not have watered a little bit when I heard that and it sunk in. Just a little though.

I thought of everyone that I know and love in Tucson and how much joy they were all feeling at the new announcement. I never imagined what that would feel like, to know that my precious lil hometown is going to be blessed with a temple. We better live up to that responsibility now. Truthfully though, I have never wished to be home with the people that I love more than when I heard that announcement. I wanted to be able to rejoice and celebrate with everyone. I wanted to be able to share that joy that I felt with people that understood, like me, how long we have been waiting and how amazing that announcement actually was. But, I will have to suffice with continuing on the Lord's work in Tacoma. Maybe one day they'll get a temple here too and I will be able to feel just as much joy. Every time I think about it still, I wonder if it's a dream or if I just made it up, but then I remember that it's real.

But, then my world continued to be rocked with the announcement of new missionary ages! Oh dang. All of a sudden I feel old, you know, now that I'm on the brink of 22. Then I thought of what it would be like to train a 19 year old sister. Wieerrdd. Future greenie, if you are somehow reading this and you are 19, I'm wierded out that you are 19, but I will trust that God has prepared you. Ok, that's it, I'm done with that.

Conference was amazing. There were so many good talks. I had tried to think of a question to have answered, but I was really struggling to word it or phrase it, but I knew that it had to do with faith. Good thing God is smart and He knows how to answer my questions even when I don't really know what to ask. Some of my favorite talks included Elder Anderson's and Elder Bednar's. That was such a perfect analogy of why it's important to have a testimony and to be converted. The lamp is our testimony, but the oil that keeps it buuurrrrning briiiight is our conversion to the gospel. So, the question becomes, are you converted? If yes, keep being converted. If not, be converted. When you take a step toward Christ He takes a step toward you. It just takes one step of faith at a time.

Things are going pretty well with the work. We know our way around the area pretty well by now and we're doing good on sifting through potentials and people in our teaching pool, trying to figure out who is really progressing and who we need to focus on. We are feeling good, pushing through the tough days, and laughing as much as possible. That happens a lot cause my comp is super happy and thinks I'm really funny. Oh, happy day.

What about errbody else? What did you learn at Conference? How's life? Meet any cool people who want to learn about Jesus? Oh, we talked to a crazy guy yesterday who told us to stop wasting our time with what we were doing and go make as much money as possible and buy food and property somewhere out in the country cause the cities will be unlivable in 4 years. He told us to stop wasting time. I told him to do the same. Actually it was a perfect example of getting to carried away with the internet and with information. I thought of that one talk where he said information isn't enough. You need knowledge and application of it. This guy is 35, getting divorced, paranoid, and drunk. It made me so grateful for what I get to go do every day and for the perspective that I get. It isn't just the next 5 or 10 years. It's eternity. Don't waste time.

Send me some letters this week. And pictures. I want to see what people are up to. It would be nice, you know, to get them on the 12th. No particular reason. Love you guys. Be good, and in the immortal words of the great Joseph Ballantyne, "Don't suck."

Sister Chronister

How many days till p day?

Where to begin. This week has been crazy. I'm so tired. Being doubled in, is a trip. After transfer meeting we went to a member's house for lunch. They had all the sisters over that have served in the Skyline ward. So nice. Then one of the sisters that just left took us to our house (we live with a member, Sis. Renner. She's older and lives by herself and we live in the basement. It's not a bad set up and she's really nice) and gave us the 5 minute run-down of everything then left. Then we just stood there, looking back and forth at each other and our board with everyone that we're working with on it. What now? So we cracked open our area book, said a very mighty prayer, and went to work.

 

We've been able to get a hold of or meet everyone in our teaching pool, and some were definitely more successful than others. This girl Makayla that the sisters were working with had us come over and meet her the day we got there and she is way legit. She already knows she wants to get baptized, it's just a matter of when. So, when we saw her a few days later, we committed her to be baptized at the beginning of November. I know, I know, you're thinking, "Why so far out?" Because that's when she wanted it, but we're pretty sure we can get her to be baptized sooner. We'll help her see she's ready. She's already been taught pretty much everything. So that was cool. Some other folks are wary of meeting with us cause they were comfortable with the other sisters. Understandable. As hard as it is for us, I can't imagine what it's like for these people they were already working with. We just have to remember that we were sent here at this time in this way for a reason. It will all work out, it's all in God's hands.

 

Luckily the sisters before us talked us up a bit so most people were excited to meet us. The ward is AWESOME. They are so on top of missionary work. They take care of all of the not-so-fun stuff and we get to do all the good stuff, namely find, teach, and baptize. It's so great.

 

I got to go back to Steilacoom twice this weekend. Saturday Nikki and Meaghan got baptized!! It was awesome to go and see them. They were so excited and looked so good in white. I got to see a lot of people from Steilacoom, including Miss Jane. Haha she didn't see me at first, then when she realized it was me, she started crying and hugging me super tight. She thought she was never going to see me again.

 

Then on Sunday we had the musical fireside for the Lakewood Stake. I was asked to bear my testimony as part of the program. The firesides are totally focused on Christ so I was supposed to share a 2 minute or less testimony on the Savior. I thought a lot about that and about how much I have come to know and love my Savior over the past few months. One phrase came to mind: The Refiner's Fire. I talked about how a silver refiner is supposed to take a piece of silver ore and heat it so hot that all of the impurities in it burn up and melt off. The silver refiner knows when the silver is done when he can see his reflection in the metal. We are the silver. Christ is the Refiner. He allows us to go through trials and tribulations so our weaknesses are burnt off and melted away, leaving us pure. He doesn't change us into something different, but rather, He changes us into who we really are. I love my Savior. I know that He lives. He lives and loves me. I am so grateful to be here serving Him every day. Come to know Him. The happiness that comes from it, and the peace it brings your soul, is worth any price to get it.

 

Much love.

 

Sister Chronister

Tacoma on the Skyline

Well, the news that everyone's been waiting for is finally here. I am leaving Steilacoom. After 4 amazing transfers and sooooo manyyyyy miracles, I will finally be wrapping up my work here and heading out to a new area. Luckily, I can actually see my new area from Steilacoom. So it's a super long journey......

 

I am getting doubled in to the Tacoma Skyline ward with Sister Robinson. (I think this means they are both Sisters are going to be new to the area)  She goes home in 2 transfers and she is legit. I've been in the same zone as her for the last 4 transfers and we've been joking for a while that we were going to get doubled in together. Lo and behold, it happened without either of us actually relaying that little bit of hopefulness to President Weaver. Big things happening. The day of transfer calls we saw P Weavs and he wouldn't give us our calls early, but he did tell us that usually every transfer he throws some curveballs that make him giggle (yes, he said giggle) inside and he loves seeing it happen. The next day, after hearing where I was going, he pulled me aside and said my call was one of those that he was really excited and giggling about. There's a lot of confidence being put in Sister Robinson and I. When I first heard the call I was super excited and really, REALLY surprised, then I was jumping around the apartment for joy, but the next day it hit me what challenges this means. We won't know anyone or anything about the area. We'll have to hit the ground at a dead sprint and try not to trip too many times. But now I'm determined. It's going to be great. I just want to get there and start working without any pre-conceived notions of the area or any in/outside information other than the bare facts. Let's do this.

 

But this means that I have to leave Steilacoom. The Sunday before I left home last year the primary was practicing for their program. I remember being really sad that I would miss is it because, other than General Conference, I think the primary program might be my favorite Sunday of the year. So it was fitting that my last Sunday in Steilacoom, a place that has become like home to me, was the primary program. So tender. So many yelling children picking their noses and wiggling around on the stand. It sucks saying goodbye to people. But, it's great to hear that they want you to come back. I have been SO BLESSED to be here. I don't think I'll realize all of it until actually leave.

 

Last week we had our park day. Two days before my foot randomly started hurting way bad, and I wouldn't really walk around on it more than around the apartment or to and from the car. That's a problem when you don't have a car and you're schedule is packed for the day. By the grace of God I was able to ride a bike without it hurting my foot. So we rode bikes for a day! And then we liked it so much we decieded to do it for the next 2 days. It was actually really fun, and by the end my butt didn't hurt too bad. And my foot is better. Almost. Whatevs.

 

Nikki and Meaghan are getting baptized this weekend!! Thank goodness I'm just going to go to Tacoma because it means that I'll be able to come back for it. They were way bummed when they found out I was leaving, and so was I. I didn't really tell them in advance though because I didn't want it to affect their decision to get baptized, which it didn't. Either way, I had to leave soon, so it was better that they were prepared and had enough time to think about everything and learn everything for their baptism. Yeahhhhh buddy.

 

This week I'm going to need a lot of prayers. Don't forget about me, ok? I'll get my address to you........soon. Haha. Have a great week! Look for the tiny miracles every day. Like those lil flecks of gold, they add up and eventually become a nugget.

 

Sister Chronister

I saw Canadaaaaa

Not a bad week for only having basically 4 work days available to us. Last Tuesday we had the chance to go up to Zion's Camp in Belfair (which, in case you are wondering, is forever away from nowhere, but not as far as Port Angeles....which we also went to). We did a bunch of ropes course, team building stuff. I was pretty hesitant because it involved 30 sisters in the middle of the Washington forest together for a couple hours, but it ended up being a really great experience. I came home with plenty of bruises and sore muscles, but with a greater understanding of my purpose and the things that I need to do in order to help others. I think that's one of the biggest lessons we can learn, is that before you can help other people you need to be able to help yourself.

 

I got to go back and see all of my people in Silverdale!! It was so great. I felt like I really needed that this week. I'm facing leaving Steilacoom in a week or so and it's sad and hard to leave, but going back and having all of these people that I love remember me and miss me and want to talk to me helped me feel a lot better about leaving here. The missionaries always have to leave but the ones you love remember you. I've been to a few of the firesides now, but the one in Silverdale was the best for me becuase I LOVED the people that I was singing too. Not that they could hear me individually, but it made me sing better and with more feeling because I wanted them to know that I love them and I love my Savior. It was so great. Sunday night was interesting. Port Angeles is way the heck out in the middle of nowhere, but it is so beautiful!! I loved seeing it. And, I got to see Canada! Gooood times haha.

 

Our wonder-investigators Nikki nad Meaghan are so awesome. Nikki went up to Deseret Book the other day and knew that Sister Grenfell and I both really wanted copies of the D+C church history dvd's and they were on sale and she bought us each a copy of it. She's only been an investigator for like 2 weeks!! So legit. They're getting ready for baptism, probably next weekend. Nikki's husband gave the ok, and he's cool with Meaghan getting baptized too. That was such a huge miracle, one that we had been praying very, very hard for.

 

There's a quote in PMG that talks about how the study of doctrine improves behavior better than the study of behavior improves behavior. Try it. I know it works. It has helped me so much the last few weeks to study pure doctrine and the life of my Savior. I feel like I know Him so much better and I have such a stronger desire to be like Him. That doesn't necessarily mean that I am, but I want to be, so little by little it will happen as long as I keep putting forth the effort.

 

We're working really hard at finding new people to teach. Things have been slow and we're hoping and praying that things pick up. I really want to leave the area with a solid teaching pool so there isn't a gap in the work when I leave and the new sister gets the shaft and has to do tons of work for something that I should have taken care of. Gotta leave it better than when I came.

 

Hope you are all having a great week. Love you!!

 

Sister Chronister

We're going Church Turr Crazy!

If I had a nickel for every time I heard the words "church tour" this week, I really think that I would have $1,000,000. [Insert Austin Powers reference here.] We are focusing on church tours as a mission. We worked our butts off trying to find church tours. We went through all of our potentials, formers, ups, downs, whoever and tried to get them to come check out the church. And today, I'm tired haha. It was productive though, it helped us filter a lot of the people we are trying to teach. There's a lot of people in Steilacoom! Haha.

Last week was slow, this one is going to be crazy. Tomorrow we are going to Zion's Camp for some mission training and fun, Saturday I'll be up in Silverdale (the blessed, blessed land of Silverdale) and Sunday we are going to Port Angeles. both for the musical fireside thingy's the mission is doing. Lots of driving, I hope we can get some work done in there, especially since PA is about 2.5 hours away.....

I am crazy and I have been reading Jesus the Christ like it's nobody's business over the last few weeks. It's amazing!! I love that book. This morning I read about the parable where the seed grows secretly. It has a better title, I just can't remember it. One of the cool parts is that it is only mentioned in one of the gospels, not all 4 or even 3 of them. Anyways, it talks about a sower planting a seed and he goes and does some other stuff and comes back and the seed has fully grown into a stalk with an ear and with corn in the ear. So basically it's full-grown if you didn't catch that part. The sower simply needed to plant the seed. He could help its growth by weeding, watering, making sure the ground was ready for the seed, but as far as the actual growth of the seed, only the Lord knows exactly what needs to happen for it. Same with the gospel. We all plant seeds ( I know, I know, I'm sick of hearing that phrase too) but only God knows what it takes for that seed to actually grow. We can do our best to take care of the environment around it, but sometimes we have to go other places and take care of other things. It isn't always our main focus all the time. But, when we come back and the seed is fully grown, we get to rejoice in the harvest. Whatever the result is, it's all in God's control. I thought that was pretty great.

I hope you all have a lovely week. Washington is on a no-rain streak. I think today marks 48 or 49 days of no precipitation. Sounds familiar.......AZ? I love it, the grass and the trees do not. Love you, write me a letter!!

Sister Sara Chronister

We shall see Him as He is

So last Tuesday I was cleaning out the car and forgot mid-way through moving from the back seat to the trunk that there is a GIANT metal pole right by our parking spot, and as I turned I was abruptly stopped by the clang of my head and foot hitting the pole. Ahhh well, worse things have happened and I escaped with naught but a bruise. Luckily no one was watching, but my companion did hear it from the bathroom in our apartment, so it was pretty loud.

 

THEN on Saturday we got to go over to Anderson Island to help with their annual parade/fair. There were 10 missionaries that came and we ran all of the games at the fair. Don't get your hopes up on it though, this parade was about half the size of the Show Low 4th of July parade. If you haven't heard of Show Low, don't worry about it, but this one was even smaller. I had the privilege of running the [rubber] duck pond. A kid gives me a ticket, picks up a duck, looks at the number on the bottom, and tries to get another duck with the same number on the bottom. What happens if they don't get it? Try again until they do!  Everyone is a winner. So great. However, right at the end we were playing a little game of hot potato and someone goes, "Ah watch out for the bee" and before I can even blink I feel its dumb little stinger jab into the palm of my hand. The little bugger escaped before I could spread his little bee guts all over the ground. Bee stings suck.

 

The work has slowed down a little here, but we are keeping the faith that there is someone out there for us to teach. We just have to go and find them. Our family from the Congo came to the ward bbq on Friday and loved it, but didn't make it to church on Sunday. Good thing missionaries are stubborn, persistent, and somewhat stalker-ish. We'll get them there.

 

I suppose I should explain the title of this one. Moroni 7:48: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."

 

This scripture was pressing on my mind all week, and I would almost dare say that it is my favortie verse in the Book of Mormon. My favorite part is where it says "that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." I had to spend a fair amount of time during personal study to really figure out what this means. After reading about charity and how we become more Christlike, I finally got it. When we see Christ as He truly is, our Brother, Redeemer, Shepard, Savior, and Friend, then we understand Him and we love Him. When we understand that and have a personal relationship with him then we desire to become more like Him. To be patient, full of love, long-suffering, gentle, meek, humble, faithful, hopeful, wise, and charitable. The Savior Himself said it best: "If ye love me, keep my commandments." What He really means is, if you truly love me, you will only have desires to keep my commandments. That is what we are all striving for. Love the Savior, love God, love your neighbors. These are the first and great commandments. Everything else just falls into place.

 

I hope you all have a great week. Remember, you friendly neighborhood missionaries love mail haha. Love you!!

 

Sister Chronister