Sister Ellis becomes a Trainer

 THE CHURCH OF

JESUS CHRIST

OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

KANSAS WICHITA MISSION

7011 East 13th Street North

Wichita, Kansas 67206-1219

17 Aug 2022

Dear Sister Sydney Ellis,

Congratulations on your assignment to serve as a Trainer. After prayerful consideration, this assignment

has come to you from the Lord. There is no other assignment that rises above that of a Trainer. Training

is a position of sacred trust from the Lord and from your mission president. You may feel under-

qualified. Remember that our dear prophet, President Monson has taught “Whom God calls God

qualifies.” You are not alone, your new missionary comes to you endowed with power so that they can

help, lift, and testify immediately and be a strength to your companionship. The ultimate compliment to

you as a Trainer is if in 12 weeks your new missionary is ready to train if called upon.

As you approach this calling, consider this very important thought. The parents and family and loved

ones of your new missionary have prayed with faith that their missionary son or daughter’s first

companion would be obedient, engaged in the work, and an exemplary missionary. Arise every day on

time. Pray as a companionship and follow the missionary schedule. This will set the course for your new missionary’s mission.

Remember the words of Mormon in Third Nephi Chapter 5 verse 13 and liken the scripture unto

yourself. “Behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare

his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.” Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and go forward with faith to accomplish this sacred duty to which you have been assigned. Sister Ernst

and I extend to you our love and confidence.

May the Lord always bless and look after you,

President JayDee Barr

Kansas Wichita Mission

JDB/ml

cc: Parent(s)/Guardian and Bishop

The one where I got Covid on my birthday and didn't know it till after I went to zone conference

 So sorry it's been a few weeks since I have written a weekly email. I have a lot to cover. 

Beautiful Kansas lake

We had to take our friend Rachel off date because she moved away and we aren't sure where she is. She had to leave Kansas. So pray for Rachel. It's a sad situation. 

Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes! I had a great day! Until I found out I had covid the day after my birthday. 

Happy 20th from Texas Roadhouse

So I was feeling a little sick on Saturday. But I didn't really think much of it and I went to bed. The next day I was feeling a little worse. Everyone has been saying that the 24 hour flu thing has been going around so I thought I just had that. I woke up on my birthday and I felt completely normal. And we went on with our pday. The next day was zone conference. And we went and had a wonderful zone conference. It was my favorite zone conference my whole mission. We came home and my companion was not feeling well. The Spirit told both of us to take covid tests. Well...I was positive. And my companion was negative. So that was really embarrassing for me. I felt so bad that I went to zone conference. There are a few missionaries leaving to there original assignments in the next couple of weeks. I'm praying that I didn't cause any issues with the traveling missionaries. And I'm also praying I don't get the whole Derby Zone  covid because transfers are next Wednesday.. As you can see, it's been a stress situation. I literally feel terrible. But what's done is done. And nature will take its course.  

We have been in quarentine since Tuesday. It has been really hard to stay in our apartment for so long. 

Social distancing for District Council meeting

Sister Reid and I had a huge miracle yesterday. We both served in Valley Center. There is a woman who lives in Valley Center. She reached out to Sister Reid asking for prayers. The sisters serving in Valley Center have been trying to teach her for a really long time. We ended up teaching her the gospel of Jesus Christ with an emphasis on Enduring to the End. Our friend is Ketina. Ketina is the most giving person I have ever met. She is incredible. 

We were really struggling to find new people to teach. No one came to church this week and we can't got ahold of one of our friends. We sent the Elders over to his house and he didn't answer the door. So that has been a really fun situation. But Sunday night we found our new friend Nikki. She is super cute! 

I just have to say how much I love my new mission president. He is fantastic and I can't wait till get to know him more!

I hope all of you have a good week. Thank you for all of my birthday wishes! It was a good birthday. Till I got Covid!

Treat from Starbucks

Shirley Temple & me

The one where I finally put someone on date over Facebook

 This week was really hard at the start. I said goodbye to Sister Wall! I had a temporary companion who became my best friend in two days. She is now a social meda leader and she is also training a greenie. I am still in Ridgepoint and my companion is Sister Reid.

Temporary Comp Sister Kloepfer before transfers

Sister Reid & I

Departing missionaries selfie

This week was a week full of miracles. It was almost overwhelming. I am so grateful for the many miracles I was able to witness this week. I will tell you all about it!

Quote I love

First thing first, our friend Denae is not missing! She was in the hospital for a while and she is doing better. She does needs prayers. Please pray for Denae. She is on date for the 30th of this month. She is super excited to be baptised into the true church. We are also teaching her mom. It was a miracle that we were able to meet her mom. 

Another INSANE miracle was our friend Julius. He was someone that we found on facebook. The first thing he said when we called him was that he gave his life to God and that he wants to be a better person. We taught him the message of the Restoration. The Spirit was so so storng. I have never felt it that strong over the phone before. We had the prompting to put him on date for baptism. He was waiting for us to ask him if he would be baptised. He will be baptied on the 13th of August. He lives in Junction City so he is now being taught by the Elders there. They will take good care of him. 

3 of our friends came to church! Our entire district has been getting all of our friends to church recently. It has been a huge miracle. This last transfer, I didn't see one zero in our key indicators. That is HUGE for me personally. I have been struggling with that the last few trasnfers of my mission. I am so grateful that my Heavenly Father is aware of me and the work that I have been putting to gather Israel. 

We have our friend Destinee. She is honestly my best friend. We had a lesson with her and her boyfriend this week. ANOTHER MIRACLE THAT WE FOUND HIM. She told me that meeting me changed her life. She needed to meet me for some reason. That her and I crossed paths so that I was able to help her understand God more. I was crying when I heard those words. I know that I am in this area to help her grow and to continue to help her on the path that leads to baptism. 

Service day with district @ Salvation Army

I want to close this email with my testimony. I KNOW this church is true. There is no way that I can deny what the Gospel has done. It has to be true. I know that Joseph Smith taught each and every one of the lesson of the power of asking questions. Because he humbled himself to God and asked him a question. We know have the gospel of Jesus Christ. The same church that Jesus Christ himself brought to the earth during his mortal ministry. I love my Savior. I love Wichita Kansas! I know that I am a daughter of a Heavenly Father who loves me and knows that I am striving my best to become a disciple of his Son, Jesus Christ. 

I love you! Jesus loves you! God loves you!

The one where Kansas is really sad

Good-bye President & Sister Ernst

Leaving the Group Chat

  This week was a good week, number wise. People wise, it was a really depressing week. The people we met just had really tough things that were going on in their lives. 

One of our friends left her husband. And he was threatening suicide. Our friend called us and asked if we could call him. So we did. He has a really hard life. He said he wasn't going to tell us anything but he proceeded to tell us everything anyway. That's happens a lot here in Kansas. But he wasn't interested in a message. He did pray with him and we don't really know what happened after that. 

We had 5 of our friends come to church!!! It was a huge blessing and it was such a good meeting for all of them to be at. Our bishop spoke right to one of our friends who was really stuffing that morning. She was really lifted and she wants to come back to church! We are excited to continue to meet with her and her two boys. 

We thought that we had a friend go missing last week. But good news....we know where she is!! We haven't been able to get in contact with her. BUT we know that everything is good. 

I went in exchange with my trainer this week. It was super fun to be with her again. She was shocked how different I am now than when I was with her. 

Sister Brady (STL) & I on exchanges

Kansas sunset

Also PRESIDENT AND SISTER BARR ARE IN KANSAS! I love them so so much already! They walked in the room at the meet and greet we had with them. The Spirit testified to me that they are meant to be here and I am going to learn a lot from them. It was an emotional week with President Ernst leaving. I got to see him when one last time before he left. He gave me some advice on how to help my area and the ward be more unified in the work. Hopefully I able to stay and do the things that President Ernst has council's me to do. 

The one where we said goodbye

 Sorry it has been a while since I have written a weekly! It's been really busy here in the Ridgepoint area. And last week we were playing sports pretty early in the morning before it got too hot to do anything. It's really hot and humid here in Kansas. It ranges from 90-102 each week with 100% humidity. Not fun:(

Two weeks ago we had zone conference and interviews. It was the last time that I will see President and Sister Ernst. It was really sad. But they won't live far from me so I will see them soon enough. We welcome President Barr this coming Wednesday. And President and Sister Ernst will leave. 

Zone conference we talked about a divine reset and that we need to follow what President Barr says. Because he was called to do this great work. Even if it's different, we will say "I will go and do." I'm super excited for this change. 

This past week was rough. We found 4 people but none of them live in our area. One of our friends dropped off the face of the earth and we can't get ahold of her. But we put our friend Destinee on date for the end of July! I am so excited for her!! I love her so much! 

The one where I almost melted to the surface of the earth

 Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good week last week. We had a very busy week. I'm not even sure what happened. I'll recap it the best I can. 

My companions and I had to give the training at our district council meeting about how to become a master teacher. I liked giving the training. It went well!

I was called on Wednesday to speak in Sacrament meeting. This may come as a shock to a lot of you, but I don't like public speaking. My dad always tells me that it's like being on stage. Well it's not. I was still terrified. But I think it went well! 

Our friend Denae and Destinee came to church this week! It was a last minute miracle because they were both late. I was sitting on the stand and I was looking for our friends and I couldn't see them. But they both walked in at the same time. Yayy!! 

It is REALLY HOT here in Kansas. We have not entered the 100's here. But once you hit like 90, it feels the same. I feel like I'm melting to the surface of the sun. Not to be dramatic or anything 

We have zone conference this week and then our new mission president comes in 2 weeks! Crazy! I'm excited for this change. And I don't do well with change so that says something. It's a divine reset for the entire mission. It's a wonderful opportunity. 

I got pictures this week! Yayy! I repented and got a lot this week. Love yall! Have a good week! 

P-day with district

The one where they were Quarantined

 Hey everyone! I hope you had an amazing week. Summer is upon us! And it's getting hot here in Kansas. I don't really do well with humidity. But the Lord blessed us with rain this week. 

Also it's cousin's first day of online MTC. Elder Sayer, you are going to bless those in Ohio and I am so excited for you!

The work this week was so fun! We met our finding goal in the first day of the week. And we had to adjust it. So we doubled it and we found 7/8 people. It was really fun talking to everyone even though we were in Quarantine. The blessings of technology. 

We only got one of our friends to church, but we have three friends on date to be baptised. Everyone pray for Brent, Caroldine and Lori! They need all of the prayers that they can get. 

I had an experience this week that was incredible and I want to share it with you. Some of you may not read these emails, but that's okay if you don't. But if you are reading, God is aware of you and he will use you to perform his work in his way and in his timing. 

We had a less active join a lesson with a recent converts this week. The less active has been going going a lot of issues with her marriage and mental health. She came to church yesterday for the first time in 6 months. All because we asked her to join a lesson with this recent convert who has really been struggling. I hage found that on my mission that I am good at finding less actives. And a lot of time, I do it by accident. But I know it's not not accident. It's God putting these people in my path. This is not the first time this has happened on my mission.