The one where I am staying in Junction City

 This week was a miracle filled week! I am so excited to tell you all about it. 

We started the week off having district meeting with a really good training about faith and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We also pick a title of Christ to study every week. This week was Redeemer. I love this title. We talked about how the word redeem is to restore the worth of someone or something. Christ came to the earth to redeem all of us from the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve. He also came to redeem us from our sins so that we are able to be completely forgiven of our sins. The price that only a perfect being could pay. It took npt just someone, it was the Son of God who was able to redeem us. I love the line in the song I stand all amazed, "To rescue a soul so rebellious and proud as mine." Christ saved my stubborn soul and I am able to become better through him everyday. I love that title of Christ. 

This week we made the goal to find 5 new people to teach. Friday came and we only found 1 new person. But we had the faith that we made that goal with God's help and we were going to reach that goal. Sunday afternoon came and we found our 5th person. It was -3 degrees outside but we still did it. It was an amazing miracle that we were able to find. We also made a goal to get three of our friends to church and we were able to reach that goal as well. We made a lot of our goals this week and that made both Sister Mitchell and I really happy:)

We had a baptism this week! It was a really amazing service and the spirit was so strong. I gave a talk on the holy ghost and it ended up being a really good experience. I love the whole McMiller family. Sariah is such a sweet girl and I love her so so so much!! The whole McMiller family was able to participate in the baptism. It was so sweet to see all of them be involved. Pictures will be below. 

McMiller Family

Sariah McMiller

I am staying in Junction City for my final transfer! But sadly, Sister Mitchell is leaving and I am really sad about it. I will be getting a new companion for my last transfer and I am excited and nervous all at the same time. But I will let all of you know next week when I email. 

District opening transfer Doc together over breakfast

I had the opportunity to bear my testimony in church yesterday and I want to share that now. I know that Joseph Smith is the prophet of the Restoration. I know that he knelt down in a grove of trees and God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to him and told him that he would be an instrument in the hands of the Lord to being Christ's new testament church back to the earth after it was taken off. I know that Joseph Smith translated the book of Mormon by the gift and power of God! I know that the book is true and the gospel is true. I am out here to share to good news and that it was blessed the lives of so many people. I love the work and I have loved my mission with my whole heart!

We made homemade Ice Cream

DCM Lunch

Sunrise in Kansas

The one where I made homemade Mac n cheese with spaghetti noodles, milk, and shredded cheese

 I can't believe it's already Monday. This is the last full week of the transfer. I can't believe transfer week is next week. Time is FLYING!!!

Zone Conference Janga

This week was full of miracles and exciting things. 2 of my frie dsfrom previous areas were baptised this last weekend. One of them being T'Shaun. I found him over Facebook when I was in Ridgepoint. And now he is baptised a member!! Facebook does work for missionaries!! And the other one being Curtis Appleby in Concordia. Tracy was baptised in November and now Curtis is baptised!! It was such a good weekend!! 

Sariah is getting baptised on Sunday!! She asked me to speak at her baptism. Which i am honored and excited to do. I also have to speak in church on the same day. So I get to give 2 talks on Sunday at church!! Exciting!! 

This week Sister Mitchell and I decided to be better at committing our friends to church. And we were able to.meet our goal for church this week. We had more friends confirmed for church but only two came. Which is still a bummer but it's an improvement from all transfer so I am happy about it. 

Love sharing the gospel with Sis. Mitchell

Also random facts for this week. I had a lamb burger at a restaurant Sister Mitchell took me to. The burger is pictured below. It was delicious!! And I didn't have any food Sunday for lunch. So I decided to make Mac n cheese. It actually turned out pretty good!! I was impressed with myself. 

Taste of Chicago restaurant

Lamb burger

This week we were visiting a member who is have a little of a faith crisis. She asked us to share our testimonies and how we gained them for ourselves. I shared how mine came from spiritual experiences that i had as a youth. As a youth, I never wanted to go to those activities. I thought that would be dumb and no fun and that I would learn nothing from it. Well, I would be wrong every time. And my parents (the ones who would make me go to said activities) would always be right by making me go and telling me that I would learn something. Moral of the story is to listen to your parents! 

Chapman, Kansas

The one where we saw lots of miracles

 This week was really good! We had zone conference and interviews. This zone conference we talked about raising our vision and expecting more miracles because they will come. And they will come because we are going to be obedient. With raising our vision, we are going go do some powerful things in the KWM. I think President Barr is excited. 

We have been doing a lot of service who is moving from the 2nd ward into the first ward. It was really fun! There new house is really nice. We helped them clean before we moved a lot of the furniture in. 

Cleaning the Hernandez's home

Our friend Sariah is doing so good! She is so excited to get baptised. She is the cutest little girl ever!! We have been working with the whole family and honestly, I've seen a huge difference in them since we have started to meet with them regularly. It's incredible and they are the kindest and the funniest family. 

We started to teach a family that has been taught for a really long time. They met with the missionaries in 2021. But they said that they missed meeting with us. So we are going to try and help them enter into the waters of baptism.

On Sunday, we had Sariah come to church. Church has been a struggle. We have been trying all different ideas to get our friends to church. We got some solid advice from our district leader and we are excited to implement it. 

I know that this gospel is true! If it wasn't, I wouldn't be taking 18 months out away from my family for it. But I know it's true. And I have answered the call to gather Israel and bring others to Jesus Christ. 

Pictures:

1. Moving the Hernandez family. 

2. Pretty Sunrise

3. The McMiller's bunny!!

4. Sister Mitchell was craving a Reeces

5. Cleaning the Hernandez house (tuning in my housekeeper experience lol)

6. LUNCH!

7. Ice cream!!

8-9. SALINA ZONE SISTAS!!

The one where Elder Holland reminded me to be cheerful and have hope:)

 This week was a little crazy. We had a lot of lessons everyday now that everyone is back from the Holiday break. Everyone is back at work and school started for all of the kids today. 

This week was a little slow in finding. But we have a lot of potentials. So that was a blessing. 

We put our friend Sariah on date! She is a 9 year old girl! All of her family members are baptised and she is the only one not. And she wants us to help her. Which is really exciting!! 

We had exchanges this week and I went with sister hunt! She goes home with me. She is such a great missionary. I love her lots! I learned a lot from her and we had a lot of fun! 

Exchanges with Sister Hunt

Sorry this week was kind of boring. But I had the opportunity to watch the young adult devotional with elder and sister Holland. The big take away I had from it was to not lose hope during these crazy times in life. Especially the phase of life that I am currently in. Just young adult like in general. 

We had a training for DCM all about hope and how hope can rescue us the most. When else fails, hope is what gets us to continue moving and pressing forward. I know this to be true. I have seen it in my own life and I am forever grateful that I can always have hope in my life. 

Pictures!

1-3: exchanges!

4-6: inspiring notes in my candy wrappers 

7. Last pday 

8. Fort Riley visitors center

9. Decorating the Giles door 

The one where it is now 2023🥳🥳

 Happy New Year!! 

I hope that everyone had a fun and safe weekend! I can't believe that it is 2023. It feels like 2021 just started. But time flies when you are having fun. 

This week was decent week. We were able to find quite a few people to teach. One of them is a 9 year old girl named Sariah. Everyone in her family is baptized but her. She told us yesterday that she wanted to get baptised. She is ready! So we are going to help her and we are really excited!! 

It got warmer this week so we were able to go out more and talk to people. Everyone is still getting back from the holiday break so we haven't been able to meet with a lot of our friends. We are hoping that we will be able to meet with them more. We haven't been teaching as many lessons as we usually do. 

Sunset in Kansas

On Friday, we canceled our exchange because Sister Mitchell was sick. But she still wanted to go out and talk to people. We were in a town just outside of junction city called Chapman. We were going to stop by one of our friend's house. We were going to decorate their door but the window was wide open so we decided to drive away. As we were driving down the street, there was a woman walking her dog on the side of the road. Sister Mitchell said we needed to go back and talk to her. We went back and pulled over and talked to her. Come to find out that she had just lost a family member and she is trying to find peace and seek God's help. We taught her part of the plan of salvation. And we are going to call her tomorrow! That was a big miracle from this week. 

Spread the cheer!

I have a few new years resolutions. But the main one is to spend time in the temple in a few months. Power does come when we keep our Covenants. And I cannot wait to spend more time in the temple. But I made a goal that I can do right now. I want to finish the Doctrine and Covenants and finish reading all of the conference talks from this last year. I am almost done with April and then I will start on October. I've seen the big difference in my life doing this. Reading and applying the council of President Nelson is crucial. I know that he is a true prophet of God. He truly is a messenger from God here to help us navigate this mortal life. I know I wouldn't be able to survive without his guidance and council. I am beyond grateful that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is built upon the foundation of prophets and apostles. 

District pic

Gingerbread house deco

Giant bows make us happy!

District zoom meeting