Biggest Baddest Baptism Ever: 10/26/15

Do You remember this?

"A random car drives past and stops a little too early for it to be at the stop sign and then reverses up to our car. Sister Underly somewhat scared yells  'We're gonna get SHOT!' 

I respond, 'Roll down the window! What if they want to be baptized!'

So we roll down the window. Most random conversation ever. Then they see the badges and tell us where there house is and to come visit anytime and drive off. So crazy! When does that happen?"

About two months later....

​

This has been the perfect week. At least the weekend. We were worried it wouldn't work out because Melinda caught what I had and we had three days to teach two big lessons. It all worked out perfectly and the baptism was amazing. It was PACKED. His whole family came and every set of missionaries brought someone who had been contemplating baptism. Tim requested to give his OWN talk on baptism! He got pretty nervous in front of all the people but it was awesome. Sister Keil and I sang a mash up of Joseph Smith's First Prayer and The Spirit of God. Due to forgetting to tell Tim he could plug his nose, his hand popped up and he had to go under again. As he was getting out he says "BAPTIZED TWICE!" and everyone just laughs. There was just a special spirit. It was perfect and just for Tim. Barry is officially addicted to going to baptisms. At the end of Tim's Baptism he says "I just didn't know it could be that GOOD!". We told him we were doing the song during the down time when the person is changing at a baptism that night and he came again! Carla, Tim's mom, has really been touched by the past few days. A few days before the baptism I say, "So, Carla you're next right?". she laughs and says, "Maaaaaayybe!". Then at the baptism, "I'll think about it". Then after church sister Keil tells her to pray about November 14. She agrees then I say I won't be there but it will be amazing. Then suddenly things change. She's gonna try quitting today so she can be baptized before I go home! Of course, that is NOT what it's all about but it would be amazing. 

One of Tim's funniest quotes from the week: "I was going to be a doctor, but I think I'll be a Bishop instead"

As I have been phrasing it to those who imply I am running short on time, "I still have half a month left!". I just think, "How would I treat this time if I received a call to serve for half a month?". But I know, in reality, it is no time left at all. One of the things that made me so upset when I was released was how much I DIDN'T know the scriptures and how much the spirit had been helping me out there. To try to preserve my knowledge a little bit, I've been going through the Book Of Mormon and Bible and writting down my "Go To" scriptures which has turned out to be like the WHOLE book. I finished the Book of Mormon and New Testament this week. I love the scriptures. I refound an old one that my Trainer and I would use a lot at the very beggining of my Mission. It the very last verse by Jesus Christ before he leaves the Americas, 3 Nephi 30:2.

Turn, all ye Gentiles, from your wicked ways; and repent of your evil doings, of your lyings and deceivings, and of your whoredoms, and of your secret abominations, and your idolatries, and of your murders, and your priestcrafts, and your envyings, and your strifes, and from all your wickedness and abominations, and come unto me, and be baptized in my name, that ye may receive a remission of your sins, and be filled with the Holy Ghost, that ye may be numbered with my people who are of the house of Israel.

I feel like it just shows, no matter where you have been, what you have done, the Lord is still reaching out and wants us to come to Him. Turn away from what you have done and come to Christ. He doesn't care what we have done but he cares about what we do now.

Have a great week!

Us and Tim

Tim, Melinda, and me!

"I'm gonna be like a little fish in there"

The sisters in the zone

Posing AFTER the baptism to capture the moment for Brother Engstrom. Hahaha

Down with a Sickness: 10/19/15

Tuesday, my normal health problems acted up and lasted until Thursday.  Then Saturday, I caught one of the stomach bugs going around. I don't think I've been that sick since Bird Flu last year! Nasty. Luckily I'm feeling a million bucks better today and this week will be better.

We were still able to get out and work. BIG NEWS: Tim has not smoked since last Saturday and we have a baptism set up for him! We are so happy it is finally happening. He's stoked. This week threw us off, so pray we can teach everything we have left before then!

My ponderizing scripture this week was actually pretty fitting. 2 Nephi 2:24

"But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."

I picked it in conjunction with a quote I wanted to understand a little more by President Uchtdorf,

"Being grateful in times of distress does not mean that we are pleased with our circumstances. It does mean that through the eyes of faith we look beyond our present-day challenges... acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will."

We may not unstand all we have to go through, but God does. And he can help us through everything.

p.s. This is from last week, but this is our biggest fan Dorris! She is so sweet.

A Different Kind of Year Mark: 10/12/15

​This is one of the amazing people we meet with! Don't you just love his sign. I finally got a picture with it! It's spring and it's amazing. The work here is really booming. No complaints. So much happens in one day and it's all a blur! So I'm not really sure what to write.

Monday, I sprained my pinky playing a game entitled Oompa Loompa Ball. I went up for the football, my comp went up behind me, my hand shifted and my pinky took the full force of a football across the court. At one one point my companion goes "That's not too bad..... Your pinky is gonna fall off man!"

Other awkward thing I have done this week: I thought a guy named Randy was named Brandy. So close.

We also did service at a foodbank and taught Tim to bear his testimony. He made us so proud! Collin is on date and things are good in the Hot springs.

Tomorrow is October 13th and marks a year since I was sent home from my mission for medical. It feels like yesterday, but so much has changed and happened since then. I never imagined then that I would still be on a mission now. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to come back. I didn't know anything. I am so happy about the decision I made to return. I cannot imagine how many experiences and relationships I would have thrown away if I hadn't of made the decision to follow the Lord and come back. I know I am at the right place at the right time. Anything good comes with sacrifice, but it is a sacrifice worth making.

Love you all and hope you have a great.

New Companions and General Conference Weekend: 10/5/15

​

This is my new companion Sister Keil (pronounced Sister Kyle. It's German). One of the first things she said to me was "Do you think my rollerblades allowed? Will they fit in the car?" HAHAHA. Then I just pulled out the camera and said "We got to take our first selfie with the blades!" and that's a good summary of the week. Life has become significantly more hilarious with her around. Here are some of our funny moments:

-Random referral contact for Paula and Butch Baker. A man answers the door.

"Hi, are you Butch?"

(man totally confuse)"what???"

"Hi.. Are you Buuutch?"

(Man disgusted) "Excuse me!!!!!!!"

"No, no, like Paula and Butch Baker!!!"

"Oh, you are those guys that keep leaving those sticky notes! No, they moved away"

Moral of story, I asked a man if he was butch. Haha. Not a good door contact.

-We had a less active give us a Costco case of brownies. So much! We were running to an appointment but someone SUPER excitedly waves to us so we had to stop. We had a quick conversation and offered him a brownie. Before we walked over this guy quickly got in his car to avoid us. Obviously he had watched everything go down and in total disbelief and outrage he exclaims to himself "What the HECK! What do I need to do to talk to two fine ladies and get a brownie!!!!!!" Naturally we had to talk to him too!  

There's a lot more, but I would like to take a moment to talk about Conference. This week we got to hear from the Prophet and Apostles. During the last 6 months three have passed on. I think this was the first conference I was aware and knew the apostles that have passed on and realized the significance of the calling of three new apostles. It was very touching. A sober spirit persisted through the whole conference.

  Something from conference I intend on applying: Elder Lawrence's and Hale's challenge to ask "What Lack I Yet" and then act on what is received. It's a scary concept  because I know I lack and there's a lot. However, (as one of them mentioned) the Holy Ghost knows what we can handle and probably won't ask us to be perfect all at once. I know he can tell me what the next step is. I also plan on ponderizing. I got my scripture and everything--Helaman 5:43! 

My favorite line from conference was from Elder Hale--"Because of the Atonement, the power is in you". I would like to add the power is already in you. Christ suffered. He already payed that price. Through him we already have the power in us to change. We already have the power to be healed. We already have the power to do all that is required of us, because he did all that was required of Him.

Hope you all have a great week!

Shelby's Baptism and Transfer News: 9/28/15

This is one of my investigators from the Carson River ward :) She wins the most improved award. She has come such a long way. There is no depths or pains that the Savior cannot heal. She has conquered the seemingly impossible to be here. It was such a good day.

Transfer news: I am staying in Hot Springs ward! Sister Haight is returning to temple square and I will be getting Sister Keil. She came out in May. I've never met her but I heard she's a hard working missionary and hilarious.

We had an AMAZING lesson with this guy who just randomly showed up at the church to get a prayer or just talk to someone. Thy were in our area but they were Hispanic so we unfortunately had to hand them over to the Spanish elders and he accepted everything and agreed to baptism the first lesson!

We worked at a food bank this week and contacted a LOT of refferals. Most interesting line from this week:

"My religion is American, U S of A. We believe in drinking and fighting for what we believe"   .... He was from Mexico. Interesting man. haha

Women's conference was this week. My favorite quote was "forever Is composed if NOWS". I love that. We have to make the most of our nows.

Have a great week!

BONUS PICTURE:

Wedding Week and Other Mayhem: 9/21/15

Look at where we are! Melinda and Timothy were married. They were going to do a court house wedding but after a member offered her house. Between Sister Haight, our member, and me, we made it a day to remember. Due to turning their life around, they have had to get rid of a lot of people in their life. It was a small wedding. Sister Haight and I were bridesmaids! I also did Melinda's hair. It was a very special day.

This week has been crazy. Here's the Highlights:

1. Sunday through Tuesday I was having some more than normal complications with my health. I went to the doctors on Tuesday in Sparks. He pressed on my abdomen and as before, I started to cry. It hurt so bad. At the end of the appointment, he pretty much said, there is nothing I can do for you. You can go home and see your specialist or you can tough it out until November. I got so upset and sad. Missionaries go home a transfer early a lot so it wouldn't be unheard of but I had come so close to finishing, I didn't want to give up now. But I didn't want to be dumb. I decided it needed to go back to prayer. I recalled the multiple blessings I had received counseling me to "follow the counsel of your doctors". I read a few scriptures then I made the call to my doctor back home. She told me not to worry, it wasn't too big of a deal. "Just continue what you're doing and see me when you get back. There's no need to come back any sooner." It came as a shock. I took my scriptures and just let them fall open:

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren...and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success" -Alma 26:27

Then, Thursday, all the problems disappeared. Everything just disappeared. Miracle.

2. Thursday was nuts. We went with a couple to the hospital to give a prayer to tim's uncle in the ICU. But.. they picked up this homeless guy from AA who was having seizures and it turned out that we couldn't leave him waiting alone. He was very interesting. I saw a Watchtower on the table and pulled out a Plan of Salvation pamphlet to match the efforts of whoever left the opther pamphlet. Tony says "Who's that on the cover?" "That's Jesus Christ. Have you ever heard of him?" "No" "Have you ever heard of God?" "I've heard of him but I don't really understand who he is." We continued to give on of the most powerful lessons of my mission in hte middle of the hospital ER. I few people took out there ear buds and were unabashedly listening to the conversation. It ended with Tony giving the first prayer of his entire life. In the middle, he started crying, knowing it was real. It was so powerful. Ofcourse, people have agency and choose to go against what they discover with us. The hospital offered to find him a bed in rehab. Mid them filling out paper work, we walk away for a little bit and he tries to walk out of the hospital wth IV's in his arm! I still don't understand people, but they have agency. He found something good and decided to walk out in it.

3. Wedding :)

4. We had stake conference and I got to see SO many people from Gardnerville! The Harrisons, Snyders, Byingtons, Millers, Swensons, Funks, Lolies, Sturgess--I love them all so much. I saw even more people. I also got to see those from the Carson River ward that I rarely get to see. 

Hope you all have a great week! Love you all!

​

Jim's Baptism and Camel Races: 9/14/15

I don't know if any of you remember the story I told of literally chasing someone down the street--something I generally am against--because I felt very prompted and I did it. Well, We have good news.

Guess where we are? Yep. Behind us is the baptismal font. Jim was baptized. Those are always the best of days. Nothing is better. They make all the referrals that are never home (aka most of this week) and empty doors worth it. I didn't realize how much I missed serving in the Carson River ward until that night. I'm grateful for the time I spent there and all the fun I am having in Hot Springs.

We spent a lot of this week helping Melinda and Tim work towards their wedding. We got permission to take time out of pday to go to the camel races at Virginia City with them! It is always an adventure with those two. 

I hit my two months left mark! I'm still in shock that it's been almost a year ago that I was sent home from my mission. So much has happened so quickly. It's been a year of humility and change and healing for me.

In Virginia City for Sister Haight's Birthday!

Me with the Camels! I fed them carrots and everything!

Love you all and have a great week!






More pics from the baptism: