She's home!

I am going into the wilderness . . . probably to die

For the record, I am not trunky. I am to the point where I'm super excited to go home and see everybody... I just wish I could come straight back out again! But alas, change comes and we continue to do our best and follow the Savior no matter which area of the vineyard we serve in.

Something that I thoroughly enjoyed was being able to have my last Sunday in the field in the Zanesville 2nd ward. I hadn't planned it that way. It just happened (I promise). It was wonderful to see everyone and it happened to be N.S. & B.B.'s farewells, which was awesome! I will attach pictures.

As far as my week went: I spent Monday in Little Miami and switched over to Dayton in Huber Heights that night. We found a new investigator there and did some great service. I was surprised how Heavenly Father helped me to help the sisters there. I was in Huber Heights a day and a half and then I went to Beaver Creek for a day and a half. Lots of great training and some more help from Heavenly Father made it an awesome experience. I love feeling the love that Heavenly Father has for His precious daughters.

Side note: I got a recipe for the most delicious cookies from a sister in the Beaver Creek ward. They are like chocolate chip cookies crossed with chewy macaroons. Soooooo goood!

Momma K. picked me up in Springfield and took me to Westerville, where I got to spend a day with my baby and grandbaby (Sister H. and Sister C.) The coolest thing about my "posterity" is that it will spread across the world. Sister N. is training again in England and Sister C. will be going to Brazil! Cool eh?

We had an adventure with street contacting at this huge fair. We were all terrified but did it anyway. It was a good experience. We found two investigators while I was in Westerville (not at the fair); one came from me knowing about Mah-jong. Who would've thought! The other guy was awesome, too, and I can't wait to hear how his return appointment goes!

E.S.'s mom took me to Newark; N.S. met us there with M.B. and they drove me to Zanesville. It was great! I'm so grateful that there are so many wonderful members and friends there. It was quite a reunion Sunday.

Now I'm in Lancaster. We found two new investigators yesterday. Super solid. The Lord is blessing all of these Sisters so much. And me! I have never found so many investigators in my whole mission as I have these last couple of weeks. What a way to finish it off!

Now I'm heading off to Marysville today. Sister W. is taking me. She is so wonderful!

As a final testimony I would like to say that the Gospel is awesome. Heavenly Father loves us and has a plan and we can know it and find peace and happiness now. It's almost like instant gratification! I am amazed to see how I've grown by allowing Heavenly Father to make changes in me. It is amazing! We are so blessed to know it. Share it with others. It doesn't have to be big. Just share yourselves and they will recognize the amazing Spirit that is with you.

I love you all. See you soon!!

Life on the road!

Hello everyone! Greetings from Little Miami, Ohio! What a week it has been. I will try to sum it all up. Let's see....

Monday I was in Highland Heights with Sisters M. & W. We taught a really cool lesson to this lady named J and her mom. I hope things go well! We had a mission-wide conference call about faith and how we can grow/improve in our faith. I love President and Sister Nilsen – they are amazing and I want to be like them!

Tuesday afternoon I switched over to Montgomery with Sisters B. & M. We found two new investigators over the day and a half I was there. The Lord has been very generous with his blessings! We focused a lot on street contacting and talking to everyone, as well as boldness!! It was awesome!

I stayed at Montgomery through Thursday morning and then we headed off to Sisters Specialized training. It was interesting to be part of the organizational team! My favorite part was when Sister Nilsen had the assistants do their breakout on Elder/Sister Relations.... Hilarious! They did a superb job.

Sister W. and I did the breakout on companionship inventory and communication.  I loved being Sister W.'s companion! It went well and I hope the sisters learned something new.

Greenfield was crazy awesome! So many stories! We found five new investigators while I was there. We did a lot of walking, too, and it was a great experience. Going around and meeting the younger sisters has really helped me to see how inspired the age change really was. These younger sisters are so well-prepared!

Now I'm in Little Miami which includes the lovely little town of Morrow! I will attach a picture!

I'll pose like Rocky tonight!

Hello all! It was so wonderful to hear many of you last night for Mother's Day! I hope all you mothers had an amazing day and that you were spoiled silly by the men in your lives!! :)

My email will be short today. I've started my floater training and I'm loving living out of a suitcase! Oh yes!

We had Missionary Leadership council on Tuesday and that was loads of fun. It was fun to see all the Sisters Training Leaders there. Our district was re-aligned and we now have seven sisters and four elders. It is a HUGE district!  So much fun!

I was with the Northern Kentucky sisters for Friday & Saturday, and I've been with the Highland Heights sisters today and part of yesterday. It has been amazing to see all the skills and talents of all the other missionaries. ESPECIALLY the 19-year-olds. They are so cool! The world had better watch out -- 19-year-old sisters are taking over!! :)

It's raining like a banshee!

I am in a trio here in Lakeside Park and my newbie, Sister A., is awesome! She is from Springville UT.  Being in a trio has been fun. There are pros and cons to it, mostly pros in my opinion! I love just being able to go anywhere we want; we don't need to wait for a wife to be home, for example. Although obviously that's preferable. :)

After transfer meeting we went to the temple with President and Sister Nilsen. I can't believe it was my last time at the temple on my mission. It was wonderful, as always, and afterward the Nilsens took us all to Jeni's ice cream! It was super yummy! Mom and Dad, I am taking you there one day!!! We had an awesome steak dinner that evening, and President did departing testimonies while we all made scrapbook pages and worked on a banner that Sister Nilsen is making. Every missionary donates a tie/scarf. I bet it will be awesome! We had departing testimonies and then my companions picked me up around 10:30. They worked in Westerville for the day. We didn't get home until almost 1:00 a.m. Basically, we are all super jet-lagged!

We did a lot of tracting and 2-2-5ving this week, and Sunday was the best. It was raining like a banshee! When it rains out here it isn't light rain, it's crazy rain!!!! Big drops and you are soaked in seconds!

We had a stake conference broadcast from Salt Lake that was amazing! It was for the whole eastern half of the United States. What I took away from it was, hold your family close, you're getting to the top of the roller coaster and things will be speeding up shortly! It's going to get crazy!! Oh boy!

B. was able to attend a baptism this week and she really loved it. She wasn't able to make it to stake conference, which was a bummer, but we'll be meeting with her this week and we'll be putting her on date for baptism! I'm so excited for her. We're really going to focus on the Book of Mormon with her and schedule consistent appointments. That's where we've been struggling recently. We're also going to be getting back in contact with the R. family. She was super stressed with school the last time we talked to her. It's over now, so we're going to get her involved with one of the play groups that some sisters in the relief society have going.

It has been a crazy week, and this week may be even crazier! I will be going to the first official "Missionary Leadership Council" in the Great OCM. Historic! All the Sister Training Leaders will be there. There are six including me. We are expecting 15 new Sisters this transfer and 19 next transfer! Holy cow!

Have an awesome week!

You're never fully dressed without a smile

Okay....so we got transfer calls. I never would have guessed the outcome! I am not leaving Lakeside Park, and I will be in a temporary trio with Sister P. and a new missionary. I will train the new missionary for two weeks, then I will leave to tour the mission and Sister P. will finish training her!

Some adventures from this week:

We went to the zoo today -- pictures attached.

Our tire blew on our way to a training meeting that President had asked me to be to. They announced the new Sister Training Leaders. Should be exciting! :) Anywho, it was raining like a banshee and we were completely soaked by the time we got to the meeting.

B. came to church which was awesome! She is also coming to the baptism tonight! Yahhoooo! I'm excited for that! I'll let you know next week how that went. :)

Sunday Sister P. and I spoke in church. I hadn't told Bishop that I was leaving and he still got me! The first thing he did at the beginning of the meeting was announce that I was leaving! The cat is officially out of the bag. Mom, I shared your conversion story in my talk and it was a hit!!! Dad, I cried like a baby! All your fault. We had a fireside with the youth that night as well, and shared some ways to prepare for a mission. I'm really excited to hopefully get a youth group going.

Wake up gentlemen! It's 3:00 a.m. in the morning! [Remember the Titans]

Hello all!  It has been another great week of talking to people and contacting nonmembers and members! Oh the wonderful world of missionary work!

We found two new investigators this week. An. is a potential that we couldn't contact until this week because she's been out of town.  She accepted an invitation to baptism without blinking an eye! Her daughter C. is absolutely adorable and loves us. We have a return appointment with them next Monday. Am. is the other investigator we found. We found her 2-2-5ving and she is awesome. She has a strong belief in agency and accountability. We taught Am. two lessons this week and have a return appointment this Wednesday. I'm way excited to meet with her again.

This bombing last week has caused a lot of people to ponder, with the result being that they either draw closer to God or push Him away. People have definitely been a bit more somber!

Exchanges were this week and I got to serve with Sister M. in the Highland Heights ward. I love being able to see the enthusiasm that other missionaries have for the work! It refreshes my own enthusiasm and boldness..... they get dulled down every now and then!

The weather is great out here. One day it's in the high 80's, and the next day it's below 40. It always looks deceptively warm outside, though. Everything is getting green, which is nice!

Next Wednesday (April 30) will be packing day, and on Thursday (May 1) I begin traveling around the mission to do "floater training" -- so this is my last real p-day! I still have not figured out my mail situation; I'm guessing the mission home will just hold my mail for me for the next four weeks, and I can pick it up whenever I pass through. You are all allowed to email me now, too, since the Church's policy recently changed.  You can contact my parents to get my email address.  I will be arriving home on May 30th.

P.S. Sorry, there are no pictures! I left my camera at the apartment on accident!!! :)