First Snow Fall

                                                                   Gandma's package

                                                                      One Degree!!!!

11-25-13

GOOOOOD MORNING! 

Hello my wonderful family! It is always so so so good to hear from everyone! And hold up! We are getting a new TV?! WHHHAAA!! That is awesome! I am so excited for you! Send me pictures of the new TV and entertainment system! WOOHOO! Merry Christmas! 

This week was weird ha, we had a lot happen this week but at the same time not a whole ton.  Ha, It feels like last Monday was a million years ago.  

So I may have spoken too soon when I said Montana is babying out on me with all this cold winter talk.  haha because it snowed like a crazy on Tuesday I think.  Haha.  It is so pretty! The mountains are covered with snow and everything is glistening with this beautiful white powder.  Ha It is beautiful, but it is cold! We were driving the other day and it was 1 degree out. 1 DEGREE! WHY DO PEOPLE LIVE IN 1 DEGREE WEATHER! Holy smokes! I took a picture because I could not believe that it was actually 1 degree out.  I am keeping warm though. Don't you fret! I think I will hold off on getting a new coat until I feel like I am going to die.  I am not quite there yet.  

So funny story! Sister Greenfield and I were driving the day it snowed and Sister Greenfield was telling me how she thinks God gives her extra driving angels because he doesn't trust her driving, ha ha ha.....then BAM! Rear ended.  So much for driving angels. Haha  We were sitting at a stop light when the car behind us slid on the ice and rear ended us.  And let me tell you something Mom and Dad, I, your daughter, Mckenzie Moline, the most responsible daughter, the best daughter, took care of basically everything.  Sister Greenfield started to panic so I did what I do best and was a responsible adult.  hahahahahahaha It really was nothing, we have a little mark on the bumper but nothing else. 

Also another funny story, We were walking over to someones house when I see on their neighbors porch are two dead Deer just hanging out.  Hahaha They were cut open and there were ice packs inside of them.  But I was like, is this for real?  Hahaha Only in Montana! We took some pictures that I will send next week. haha The guy who lives there came out and was talking to us and when he found out we were Mormon Missionaries, it was funny how quickly he got back into his house.  Oh the mission life, people either love ya or they hate ya. 

So although this week was strange as far as our lessons go there were some pretty sweet miracles! First off, Lehi is not a member and lives with his girlfriend Christa, who is a member and their baby girl Zahara.I LOVE THEM.  We meet with them all the time and they love us and are slowly making progress.  We have been trying to get them to church but something ALWAYS seems to come up an hour right before church.  But this week they came!! The ward members have been really involved with us in teaching them and they called up their Home Teacher and he was able to give them a ride to church.  Not only that, we got Lehi on date to be baptized, AND Christa came to the Relief Society Activity! YES YES YES! The difference in their whole demeanor since we have been meeting them is incredible.  They are so much happier, smiley, positive and desiring to become better people. Lehi lost his job and they have been having a really difficult time making ends meet but the members have really stepped in to help them. I LOVE THE MEMBERS! They do so much! 

So yesterday before church I was just feeling crappy. Straight up crap crap crappy.  I have decided that when Satan can't get you physically he goes at you hard core emotionally. But Heavenly Father knows His children! Yesterday we had a less active family come to Sacrament! The whole family! They have been meeting with missionaries for forever and it almost seemed like a lost cause.  Sister Greenfield and I were prepared to give them a break at our last meeting but for some reason it didn't feel right and we had one of the best lessons we have ever had with them, and then they came to church! HALLELUJAH! Not only that, Cara came to both Sacrament and 2nd hour and Lehi and Christa came to 2nd and 3rd hour. It was basically the best day of my life.  I am a firm believer that Heavenly Father brings us low so that he can take us high.  We were talking to Cara the other day too and she got a little teary eyed as she expressed her thanks to us for getting her back into reading her scriptures.  She said that sometimes it is the only peace that she feels in her day.  We have been reading in the Isaiah chapters with her and it truly is incredible how even though what we are reading with her is pretty dense stuff and hard to understand, that the spirit is still there and that same peace is there regardless of where you read.  I am so thankful for this gospel.  I LOVE IT.  

FUNNY STORY! 

At Bingo yesterday we had a woman named Elva come.  She is a regular at Bingo on Saturdays and just to give you a visual, she looks like she is about ready to konk out and die.  She yells all the time in Spanish and can't hear anything to save her life. Anyway yesterday out of nowhere Elva yells, "I'VE GOTTA FART!"  hahahahahaahahaha So another Sister missionary who was with us asked her, "do you want me to take you out into the hall?"  and Elva just yells, "MY STOMACH HURTS, IVE GOTTA FART!"  so she takes her out there and all I hear is Elva scream, " I FARTED DO YA SMELL IT?" hahahahahaahahahaha She has this thick southern accent that just makes it so much better.  Oh Elva you goof.  

We had Zone training on Thursday which was fantastic.  President Heap our Stake President came and spoke to us.  He is an incredible speaker.  He teaches institute and man is he powerful.  He said some pretty remarkable stuff.  One of which was the word "know"  he said that as members of the church we often say, "I know the church is true, I know that families can be together forever....." but do we really know that?  He said that there is no shame in just believing.  He made a good point when he said that the Spirit testifies of truth and if we are bearing our testimony and really do not know of ourselves that what we are saying is true, the Spirit cannot do it's job.  He said to just replace the word know with believe, hope, have faith because as believe, as we hope and as we have faith these things turn into a knowledge.  It really made me think about what I KNOW and what I BELIEVE.  I want to turn all of my beliefs into knows.  There is that scripture that even talks about if ye just desire to believe it is enough.  Another thing I loved that he pointed out was that we need to pray like everything depends on Him and act like everything depends on me.  Good counsel Sir Heap. 

Mom:  I do not need tights or thick tights. I got some thick ones here.  And yes leg warmers like you mentioned.  Also my Piano music is in a white binder that should say piano music on the front? you can send it at Christmas if that is easier.  Did I already tell you I would like pearl earrings and stamps?  Haha I can't think of anything that I really need right now. But I will keep thinking.  I do have a sweater that I left home.  It is a thick one that is red and navy blue, kinda looks like a ski sweater.  I would love to have that up here with me as well.  

For Thanksgiving we are going over to a few families in the ward.  We got invited to a super solid family's house as well as a Less Active lady that we do service for a lot and we are planning on seeing Helen Jensen at the nursing home as well.  I am sooooooo excited! It's going to be AWESOME! I am so jealous that Mckay And Adriane will be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas WITH GRANDMA SHIRLEY! AHHH! That is going to be so much fun! JEALOUS! Is anyone else coming for Thanksgiving or will it just be our family??

So basically everyone mentioned the wonderful choir number on Sunday.  Way to rock the house mom! Ha it sounds like it was awesome! Our choir struggles.  Hahahahaha It is definitely a ward choir, but I love going.  I miss singing! haha It has been fun though.  We have a huge Stake Christmas Program coming up where all the ward choirs will be singing and there will be creche exhibits all over the church and a Christmas concert and sing along.  We have been working on all of the members to bring a friend.  It is going to be so cool.  

I love this gospel and I love this church.  I am so grateful for the perspective it gives me each and everyday.  Someone asked me what my favorite part of the mission is and it truly is the greater perspective I have received through studying the scriptures.  It gives me a greater motive and desire to teach all of those around me so that they too can have this wonderful perspective of their life! What a blessing we have!  Happy Thanksgiving! I love you all so very much and miss you like crazy! Have a wonderful week! 

Until Monday!

Sista Moleezy

November 18, 2013

HAPPY MONDAY YALL!

Well hello hello there family!

This week was a good one! We had a meeting on Thursday with our Zone and another Zone.  The Assistants, Sister Training Leaders, and President came.  President is going around and interviewing all of the missionaries this month so it called for us all to come together and learn from each other.  It was so good.  I had my interview with him and I love him so much.  He is a wonderful man.  Something that we have been working on a mission is "purposeful prayer"  It is exactly what it says.  More purposeful prayers.  And along with that when we close our prayers, instead of ending and getting up and rolling, we stay in our prayer position and ponder the words that were said and allow the Spirit speak to us.  It makes sense because how often do we ask ask ask ask ask all of these things of God and don't even wait for Him to respond to us. 

Also in our mission I talked about how we are trying to "be believing".  Both of these things work hand in hand with each other.  As we pray more purposefully we are exercising our faith and belief that God will answer our prayers.  And as we wait a few moments after the prayer it allows Heavenly Father to confirm the things we have asked for, the questions we may have posed and it allows the Spirit to work more fully in us.  Through purposeful prayer we are acting in faith that God will answer our prayers. 

They talked alot about expecting.  Expect answers- Expect Miracles.  I was reading in Mark today and it said that if you shall not doubt in your heart but shall believe that those things that you desire when you pray, believing, you will receive them and you shall have them.  I really do believe that.  I know that God speaks to us and that he answers our prayers....In His own timing.  We live in such an instant gratification world that people get all in a tizzy if their prayers are not answered immediately.  God has a plan.  He knows what we desire and he wants to answer our prayers.  Not only are we acting on our faith but also our patience. 

Something that was said that I loved was how pleased is God when we show our love more fully through purposeful prayer.  When we actually take the time to converse with Him.  And when we wait at the end of our prayers and receive that confirmation, I would not be surprised if that is God's favorite part of our prayers to Him, is Him giving us that confirmation that we so desire.  He wants to bless us, He wants to talk with us, He wants to be a part of our lives.   I came to the thought as well that God will give me power beyond my own because he wants his children back and he will use me to do it.  I am so blessed as a missionary. I truly am. 

Something else that was said was the story in Mark about the Father that pleads with Christ to heal his son and Jesus responds and says, do you believe?  The Father responds to Christ and says with tears in his eyes, Lord I believe, help thou mine unbelief.  It is okay to pray for the faith if you don't have it.  And through that you are exercising the small portion of faith that you do.  In Elder Holland’s talk, Lord I believe, he even talks about having no more than a desire to believe is enough.  

So basically it was great. 

After our meeting we had Sister Patullo, a sister training leader stay the next few days with us.  She goes home in two weeks and actually served in Bozeman 6 months ago.  She is awesome.  I loved having her here and learning from her.  She helped me understand more fully the agency that our investigators and Less Actives have.  We can be doing all we can to teach them but it really comes down to how they use their agency.  Many times if someone didn't follow up on a commitment or something I would immediately think, okay, what did I do? Am I not being obedient enough?  Is it because we didn't ride our bikes?  Is it because I didn't teach with the Spirit?  When in reality it is the use of their agency.  They have to choose whether to accept and act on the things that are being taught.  That darn agency. Not to say at all that obedience and all that other jazz doesn't play into the success we have.  It truly does. 

We found a Less Active this week.  No one knows who she is, I have no idea how long she has been in the ward but no one is aware of her at all.  Which makes no sense because she is awesome! She used to train dogs for the air force and then got cancer and a few years after that had a stroke.  Because of that it is difficult for her to get around and move.  She joined the church about 5-6 years ago and was more than happy to talk to us about her experience with the church and her life.  She was so sweet and even expressed to us how God has blessed her in her life. She said that God saved her life because of her stroke and how grateful she is for her life.  SOLID.  We are seeing her today and I am so pumped.  

We saw Helen Jensen again this week.  The BURNS MY BUTT lady. Haha Her Home teachers are the Stake President and his wife, so we brought them along and Helen was swearing up a storm.  hahahaha I couldn't help but laugh. 

About the weather! It snowed a few days ago, but it is all melted again.  They said it was supposed to snow on Sunday but it never did.  I am beginning to wonder if Montana lies about their winters.  I was expecting the big guns and so far its been  baby snow and coldness.  Come on Montana! Don't wimp out on me! Hahaa  I may regret saying that.  So as of right now I am fine with staying warm.

For Christmas: I do still need wool socks and maybe some more leg warmers.  I would also love a pair of pearl earrings from Sam Moon if possible.  I am trying to think of other things I NEED.  And I really can't think of anything.  I will be in need of good gloves soon here, but I think I could just get some here.  Maybe throw in some Hand warmers and stuff? OOOO! A Red Crayon marking thingamabob! For my scriptures.  That would be nice.  If I think of anything else I will let you know.  Someone said getting a long coat would be good for winter, so it will keep my legs warm....I don't know.  What do you think?

Hahaha So Saryn got into an accident eh? hhaha let's just all take a moment and look at the one child that has not ever gotten into an accident....ME! Can we say golden child award!?  Just kidding! I am glad it wasn't a bad accident and that she is still alive. 

I love this work.  I love this gospel.  Everyday that I am out the more I come to love and understand the importance of the Gospel.  It truly is amazing how much our Father in Heaven loves us.  I love him with all of my heart and am so thankful for this opportunity to serve Him. 

I love you all!!

Talk to you soon!

November 12, 2013

Hello Hello Hello Me Familia!

Sorry for no email yesterday. The library was closed for Veterans day so we had to wait to email until today. LAME!  But tis okay tis okay.  

It sounds like life is just a party! Saryn, your emails are like 7 books in one! hahaha I LOVE IT! Ha.  Tanner sounds like he did a boss job in Sacrament meeting.  Did he speak at the home ward or the singles ward?  I'm proud of you brotha! 

Before I forget, MOM could you send me my piano music? And possibly that church music that has the tulips on the cover that are all yellow but one is red?  hahaha I miss playing so much and I brought some music out here with me but I am already getting tired of it and would love to have some of my piano music to play.  

This week was really busy.  Our Tuesdays and Wednesdays are always jammed full of appointments and once we get to Friday its just driving around trying to find people for the most part.  But this last Tuesday we had 8 lessons in one day.  It was exhausting, both physically and emotionally.  First off we met with our Grandma Sharon.  She is a fire cracker and doesn't take any crap from anyone.  I love her to pieces.  She comes off super hard and angry but she is just a love bug. A little bit of background on her: Sister Greenfield and her previous companion tracted her out and she gave them a mouth full, telling them she didn't want mormons on her property and she didn't want any of this mormon crap blah blah blah somehow through all of that they got a Book of Mormon into her hands.  When they returned she said that she was having trouble one night sleeping so she thought, what the heck Ill try and read this to fall asleep.  So she did, and she said she felt so much peace from it and the next day was so peaceful.  She started to take the lessons but then when I came all sorts of things came up.  She had family in town for a while then she had surgery, then her son in law had surgery then she went back to surgery yadda yadda yadda so all of last transfer we were never able to sit down and have a lesson with her until just last week.  We were able to talk about the BOM and the peace and blessings we receive as we read daily.  We challenged her to read a little bit from the BOM everyday that week but because she just had eye surgery it has been difficult for her to read so we offered to come by everyday that week to read with her.  It went really well the first two days....but then! Satan ruins all good things! We went to read with her and she told us that right now it was just too much.  With various family issues, financial problems and life, meeting with us was becoming too much for her to handle.  She cried as she told us she couldn't meet with us anymore. It killed me.  I love Sharon.  And she loves us! I can't even tell you the disappointment I felt as we left her place.  AH! It made me so frustrated.  

BUT THEN! We were riding our bikes and left Sharon's to visit a wonderful woman whom I LOVE LOVE LOVE.  Her name is Rhonda.  She owns a flower shop that we stop by every week and do service in with her and have gospel related discussions and all that jazz.  She is very close to a family in the ward and has been meeting with missionaries for about a year now. She lovesssss the gospel and loves the church.  She agrees with everything we teach or discuss with her.  And as we were riding over there I was just burning mad about Sharon. Not necessarily with Sharon but with the whole situation.  I just was overwhelmed with the love that I had for Sharon and it broke my heart that she was turning away something that I KNOW would bring her that happiness she wants.  But then we got to the flower shop and we shared a mormon message with her and she told us she is ready.  She wants to be baptized.  Her hold up in the first place was that her husband wasn't interested, but she said she has gotten to the point where she knows this is what she has to do.  YES! Double fists to the air!  What a complete shift of emotions! And it got me thinking.  Rhonda has been worked on for about a year now.  The missionaries before us had been meeting with her and helping mold and soften her heart for a long time!  Maybe that is what I need to do with Sharon.  We are just missionaries that are trying to soften her heart to the gospel, and maybe we won't see her baptized, but we are just helping her for maybe the next set of missionaries here.  I just need tot remember that God knows Sharon.  He knows her much better than I do and I need to trust that He has a plan for her.  It is no coincidence they tracted her out, no coincidence that she read the BOM that one night, maybe right now is just not the right time. But it will be soon. I need to trust in the Lord's timing.  

So that was exciting.  Rhonda is super sick right now, but once she is better she wants to start the lessons over and get rolling.  I am SOOOO excited. 

Another cool experience was with our Less Active Danny.  We went over there to read with him and decided to read from the JSH.  The spirit was so thick.  As we were reading I could not deny the words of Joseph Smith.  Danny even began to cry as he read of Joseph's experience in the grove.  When we finished reading Danny bore his testimony to us that he knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the church was built on true principles of Christ.  What a tender experience it was to hear him say those words. I love teaching about the first vision.  It is by far my favorite part of teaching.  Every single time WITHOUT FAIL.  The spirit enters the room with such a power and force.  As we read the JSH I knew that what we were reading was true that Jospeh Smith saw God and our Savior, Redeemer Jesus Christ.  That through him the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth.  That God has called yet again another prophet on the earth to lead and guide His children.  God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  The way He shows His love for His children is the same.  I LOVE THIS GOSPEL

We got a call from one of our favorite people this week.  Our Ward Mission Leader's daughter. She is Saryn's age and freakin legit. I LOVE HER.  She has a friend that she wanted to introduce us to so we met up with her and that was a powerful lesson.  She had a lot of questions about why God lets bad things happen to us and was questioning the things that she had been taught growing up. We showed her the mormon message, Origin.  Look. It. Up.  It is so good. I am kind of obsessed with it.  

Things are really going well over here in the Montana hood. 

I will think of things for Christmas.  As of right now I can't think of anything....maybe stamps?  haha But I will let you know.  I cannot wait to call and talk to all of you! AHH! Christmas is sneaking up!  P.s. I will try and gather cool things to send home....hahah but let's get real. Montana is not much different from Texas right now where I am at.  Ha.  BUT I will try and find unique things.   Someone told me today that I am in for a rude awakening when I leave Bozeman cause none of Montana is like this.  haha Sad day.  

Okie Doke Familia.  I should get going.  We are going to see RHONDA! LOVE HER! Annnnnnndddd I would like to let you all know that I helped make corsages for homecoming.  They were beautiful

ALSO! I got a package from Grandma Shirley! It was fantastic! Thank you Thank you Than you! I LOVE IT! The Oreos are already gone.  hahaha 

And a shout out to Ashley King for sending the most epic Halloween package of all time! You are awesome! Thank you so much! I now have enough candy to feed me for the rest of my mission. Hahaha 

Just to end.  We had our Primary Program on Sunday.  The basic message they spoke and sang about what that they were children of God and that Heavenly Father answers prayers.  I can tell you right now that I know without a shadow of a doubt that those things are true.  Such basic simple foundational things, but so much direction comes from that.  Prayer is a powerful thing.  Joseph Smith did nothing more than what we do on a daily basis.  He read his scriptures and he prayed and what a miraculous thing occurred because of that.  I am so grateful for this gospel.  It is truly the only thing in this life that can bring us complete and everlasting happiness.  The world is constantly changing, relationships change, we change, jobs, school, life changes, but this gospel is constant.  It's truths are eternal.  I love it with all of my heart. 

I love you all! Take care! And I will talk to you next week!

Sista Sista!!

November 4, 2013

WAASSSSUPP!

This week was not super duper exciting.  With transfers going on and entering the area book in the Ipads it was rather slow.  About the Ipads! So we are allowed to have the gospel library app, skype, and lds music.  We have a separate app, the app catalog so we can download mission approved apps....which is basically what I told you.  You cannot get on the internet but I am sure there is a way around it.  The guy who gave them to us said that he knows we are not stupid and that there is a way around the specific things they have put up, but this is a matter of trust with us and our mission president and us and the Lord.  I think it is going to be really beneficial and I haven't seen any missionaries abusing it....yet....haha 

Sister Glenn is here with her new companion Sister Lindsey from Hawaii! They are not only being white washed into the area, but are being white washed into a spanish speaking ward....neither of them speak Spanish.  I WOULD DIE.  They have been doing good though.  Sister Glenn is really good at getting things done, so I am sure she is taking the bull by the horns.  

There is a woman that has been meeting with missionaries for over 8 years.  When we were putting the area book into our ipads I had the opportunity to put her info in.....HOLY LONG!! HA geez it took a thousand years. About 6 months ago she was on date for baptism with her two sons and two days before the baptism she pulled the plug....literally hahaha SO SAD! It was incredible to read along and see how she grew and made the necessary changes in her life and what peace and happiness her and her family felt. I wanted to cry  as I read this record.  She was so close.  After so many years of meeting and learning and changing she was two days away. We set up a time to go meet with her and she talked to us for a long time about the church.  She said that she believes in Joseph Smith and his visions and she believes in the Book of Mormon.  She even said that she hasn't read it in a while but every now and then she will pull it out and what a difference it makes in her day.  She said what was holding her back was the Word of Wisdom.  It just hit me then that Satan really doesn't want us to progress.  He will do all he can to make it so we can't reach our full potential.  As we met with her I just got this overwhelming feeling that God loves her.  He loves her so much more than we can comprehend.  We are going to start meeting with her more regularly and start going at the lessons again with her.

I was reading a talk this morning and at the end he said, if we were to know who we really were, what kind of person we were in the pre existence the hairs on the back of our necks would stand up. It makes me think of this woman, what kind of person she was and if after this life I see her and I knew I didn't give her my all.  And it really gets me thinking, am I living up to my full potential?  Am I living up to the person that I was before?  Our life on earth is such a small moment but it is vital to the rest of eternity.  It is vital, and how fortunate we are to know how we can make it back.  We know! We are so blessed! 

Everyone keeps telling us it is going to snow, and get ready, be prepared, its going to be bad....and it never does.  Haha It snowed a little last night but nothing too bad.  I am just counting my blessings, because once it starts.....IT NEVER ENDS! Haha 

And yes mom I got the flu shot. 

It sounds like your week was fun! I am so happy you got to see the Kosmikis and that Saryn's team DOMINATED! WOO WOO!

Wellll I best be a going.  I love you all! 

p.s. Mom, thank you so much! I needed that.