July 27, 1014

FAMILY!

I am in love with my life! Seriously, I am the happiest person.  I don't know why either.  We don't have anyone on date and no one got baptized and the work is still pretty slow.  But I am so happy! I was thinking about that this week and it really all came down to the gospel.  This gospel is the good life! No matter what may be going on in our lives the gospel brings us happiness.  I felt that especially as I got to partake of the sacrament and reflect on my Savior's Atonement.  I don't think words can really describe the peace and kind of joy that  I feel each and everyday knowing what I know.  And that I get to share that with people! Tracting is no longer a pain or a burden, but something that I look forward to. Because I am giving someone the chance to say yes to the gospel of Jesus Christ. To say yes to the light and happiness the gospel brings! I am living the good life. I am living the goood life for sure.  

A lady recently moved into our ward with her 10 year old daughter.  They lived in this ward about 5 years ago and moved back about a month ago.  Her daughter Shelby is 10 and hasn't been baptized because of her Dad who is not a member.  Both her and her mom were really close to the missionaries in Florida so they invited us over.  Sister Steck and I taught about the Plan of Salvation and we were talking about the Pre-earth life when Shelby was like, " That is SO COOL! So Taylor Swift and I are Sisters!"  hahahah later on in the lesson we talked about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and she looks at us and says, " The people who killed Jesus must have been boys.  Boys are just awful."  I lost it and gave her high five.  Hahahaha

I wanted to share some experiences I had tracting this week that really made an impact on me.  First was a man and his wife and we got onto the topic of faith and what that means personally to each of them.  The husband made the remark that having faith is to see with spiritual eyes.  Sister Steck and I got talking later about that and how in my life no matter what is going on, I know that everything will be okay.  That God is in control and that everything will turn out the way that he intends it to.  Having that outlook gives me so much strength, to know that no matter what is happening that I can trust in God and it will all be okay.  It made me think about those that do not have a belief in God.  How do they know or feel like everything will turn out and be okay?  What a scary thought not knowing how things will turn out.  It made me really appreciate and love my relationship with God. 

The other tracting experience I had was with Jim and Paul. Two separate experiences but very similar. Both Jim and Paul are pastors here in town.  We had a really good conversation with both of them.  The way they both spoke of Jesus Christ was so powerful to me.  They had this deep love and admiration for their Savior.  God was their everything and they were not afraid to show it and say it.  It motivated me to be more vocal  about my love for God and Jesus Christ.  They really are my everything! I need to say it, I need to show it.  It all comes back to you can't just talk the talk, but walk the walk. But am I even talking it?  Obviously I am as a missionary. But still, I could be even more vocal about my love for God.  Growing up in Texas I remember people talking to me and always saying that they were so blessed and talking about God's grace all the time. It was apart of their everyday language.  And although I feel that way and I know it, I want to say it and show it to everyone around me.  Meeting with both of these men was another testimony to me that everyone has the light of Christ. You could see it in these men. They truly loved God. But they were missing so much! How much more they could know! I used to always think that if someone wasn't LDS and they were a part of another church, good for them! They still had God in their life and were being taught truth.  But on my mission I have realized that other churches keep people from knowing of the fullness of the gospel.  Like these two men, they were so in love with their relationship with God that they weren't even open to learning about the fullness of the restored gospel. The Spirit testifies of truth and these men have felt that truth be taught and have felt that love of God, but if they only knew how much more they could have, how much greater their relationship with God could be.  It is in these kinds of moments that I am thankful for the organization of the church and the sacred doctrine that we have and hold.  

BRADIN! OH! Bradin.  We are starting to make a little headway with him.  Bradin is the return missionary that no longer believes in God.  He is by far the nicest man I have ever met. Always willing to have us in his home and willing to discuss the gospel with us. He always does the reading we leave him and always has something to say about it.  This week we met with him and he mentioned a few times that he had been thinking about our visits a lot recently.  He said he went on a run and thought about some of our conversations we had previously and about the scriptures he read.  He then told us not to be afraid to bear our testimonies.  He said, "Although I am a non believer I want you to bear your testimonies and feel comfortable doing so."   We asked him what his favorite scripture was and he told us that it was Ether 12:27 and next to that scripture he had written Alma 7:12 which talks about the Atonement.  He sat there for a moment and thought about both of those scriptures.  He was able to draw a parallel to his favorite Philosopher and some of the things he had read about overcoming weaknesses and becoming something greater.  We spoke to him that each of us have the capability to become something great because we all have God in us.  He is apart of us.  We then talked to him about how he recognizes truth.  And for the first time he said he recognizes it as not only logic, but feeling.  We went on to talk about how God is a God of logic but he manifests himself through feelings as well. I am explaining this terribly.  But it was a really good meeting that we had with him. Sometimes I wonder if I am making a difference in some of these people's lives but I know that what we say and bear testimony of gets people thinking and wondering.  Even if in the moment they don't show it.  

A man told me and some sisters I was with about a study done about lying.  He said that a professor had these students take a test to see how many would cheat.  The test was set up in a way that made cheating a very easy possibility.  At the end of the test 7 out of 10 students had cheated. They then had another group of students take the same test but at the beginning they asked each of the students to reflect on the 10 commandments.  At the end of this test none of the students had cheated. No wonder the Lord asks us to do the simple things daily.  When we read from the scriptures and pray each day we welcome the companionship of the Holy Ghost into our life to prohibit us from making mistakes. I am so grateful for that incredible gift that the Lord has blessed us with.  

P.s.  there is going to be nude bicycle ride here in Missoula on August 17th. You can definitely count me in! 

hahahahahah jokes. It's kinda a big deal. People are freaking out.  

Anyway, I love you all so much! Sorry this email is so scattered and crazy.  

Love you all!

Sure love ya, Moline's rock Missionaries rule! 

Sister Molineeeeeeee  

  Alyssa Penrose is the love of my life.  She is wonderful. I made her add Saryn on Facebook in hopes that they become Besties.

 Derek got his mission call!  He's going to Hungary!!

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but Catherine Asay from the Dallas East Stake is in Montana and

is companions with Sister Bonn!!!  She will be here 3 months then back to the temple square mission.

 Just havin' a blast on the mission!!!

 Saying goodbye to Sister Baird.  Sister Bragg is our Ward Mission Leaders wife. She is gem! I love that woman.

 Sister T-Hack-er-Ray! I love this chick!

Transfers!  I'm seriously going to miss these women!

July 21, 2014

FAM BAM! 

Life is good. Life is so good! Missions are the best! It's hard stuff, but it is honestly the best decision I have ever made in my life.  I just hope that I can leave here with no regrets.  Next week is already August! Time is going by so fast and I want to make sure that I give this my all. 

This week was Zone Conference and Mission Leadership Training.  Sister Mecham texted me on Saturday and asked if I would be the pianist at Zone Conference.  Yeah, yeah no problem.  But then she said she would email me the arrangements....Arrangements?  Wha?  I get on my email and I had to learn 3 songs by Tuesday morning, and they were not easy sight reads.  One of them was a 9 page arrangement of Love At Home....I didn't even know it was possible to make a song drag out that long.  But I practiced and it went pretty good.  I faked my way through it and no one knew. Haha, but I am glad I got the opportunity to play.  I need to be put under pressure like that to get better.  But, needless to say I am glad that is over.  

Zone conference was fantastic as usual.  The focus they had was on Family History and using Family History as a finding tool.  It was really interesting and eye opening. I know nothing about our family history.  NOTHING. I know that I should know because mom has told me stuff, but I obviously didn't listen.  Hahaha We did a role play of a door approach using family history.  Hahahaha so of course President Mecham comes and watches my group as I word vomit all over the place about family history.  It was terrible.  Talk about motivation to know my family history better. Any suggestions?  I can get on familysearch.org but I don't think we have any stories listed with the people we have on there.  I just need to know more about where we came from.  Like anything else in missionary work, you need to know it before you can properly testify of it.  So lemme know! 

They talked a lot about having the eternal perspective in missionary work.  It was really neat to hear about that.  That this time in my life is not supposed to be a check list item but something that should spill over into my life after my mission.  The longer I have been out the more I have noticed that the things I am learning here are things that can help prepare me for my future.  I am very thankful for this time. I think I am now seeing why the Lord wanted me to come out on a mission.  I now, more than ever, have a better love and understanding for people and the decisions that they make.  And even beyond that a love for people despite the decisions that they make.  As a missionary you can only do so much to help people.  Our job is to help build their faith but it comes to a point where the decision and motivation comes from within themselves.  

We got up early on Wednesday and drove to Helena for our Mission Leadership Council.  Those meetings are crazy.  I learn a lot in those meetings about being a better leader, a better missionary, a better disciple of Christ. But I think what I love the most is being able to meet with President Mecham and Sister Mecham on a smaller scale.  You really get to know them and their personalities that way.  President Mecham has this overwhelming capacity to love.  It is really hard to explain.  The closest thing I can think of is Elder Holland, how he can just reprimand you and rebuke you but the whole time you know that there is a deep love that he has, a deep conviction and conversion to the Savior and  to the Lord.  President Mecham is no where near as intense as Elder Holland but he has this way of making you want to be your best. not for him, or Sister Mecham, but for the Lord, for the Savior.  As he was closing our meeting President Mecham fought hard to hold back tears as he said he would never give up on us.  He said it is a very tender moment for him when he gets to meet the brand new missionaries and meet with them one on one.  He says that it is in those meetings that he sees the birth of one of the Savior's most valiant.  He sees us for who we can be shaped into and become throughout our mission life.  I am not explaining it very well. But it was a tender mercy for me to see that side of President.  He is amazing.

GUESS WHATTT!!! We met with Wanda on Saturday and had a really good meeting with her. She has a million and a half questions every time we go over there, which I LOVE.  But they are questions that really don't matter in the grand scheme of things. So we decided to have her just focus on the Book of Mormon. It is once she receives that witness that everything else will fall into place.  So we read and had a really good discussion and invited her to the ward potluck up in the canyon that evening. And much to my surprise she said yes! WOOT WOOT! So she came and brought her little grandson! The ward members were phenomenal! They all introduced themselves and talked with her and took care of her little guy. I was really pleased to see the ward step in like that.  Next step, church! That always seems like the hardest thing for investigators to commit to.  Why oh why.  Wanda did say that she has been to many churches and is skeptical but willing to give it a shot.  She said that feels God with us and knows that there is something to be learned.  She often says that she just wants to learn more and more and more about God and she tells him she is greedy. Hahaha, I finally told her that God is giving her more to learn but it is up to her whether she recognizes that this is God's hand or not. Pray for Wanda! She is getting there! 

BEST DAY OF MY LIFE! Thursday was seriously the best.  I told you last week a little about Derek.  He was the one that we got as a referral who plays for the Osprey's.  So we met with him in the morning and he is just a gem! His girlfriend lives in Arizona and is a member.  They have been dating for awhile and things are starting to get a bit more serious. He has been to church with her a number of times and had many gospel discussions with them.  But he decided that if he wanted to marry her he needed to check out what the church was really all about.  He recognizes that he shouldn't learn just for her, but he wants to be sure that this is what he wants because it is a huge life decision that he will have to make. We talked with him about the Plan of Salvation and was reallly soaking it all in.  He said he has already been reading the Book of Mormon and willingly accepted the chapters we assigned him to read.  A lot of it makes  sense to him.  It was honestly one of the most solid lessons I have taught in awhile. It was cool to see the wheels turning and things clicking in his head.  He is going to be baptized. For sure. We had a good discussion on being saved and what that meant.  He expressed taht he never understood how at 15 you can accept Jesus Christ as your Savior but live a life that is completely against what Christ taught.  It was great.  We talked with him about Temples and that seemed to really make sense to him. I am just so exciteeeddd.  WOO! The gospel is great. 

Miracle! Sister Steck and I were walking around a neighborhood tracting and we were playing a game when I got this impression to knock on this one house.  The girl that answered the door was awesome.  AWESOME.  She didn't grow up religious but knows God is there.  She doesn't really have a relationship with him but sees how that could make her happier. Her biggest thing was that she was fearful for the after life. She said she had no idea if she was going to hell or not. She said she would like to think that heaven exists, it was a lot better than thinking nothing does.  So we taught her the Plan of Salvation right on her porch and you could just see her soaking it in.  It was awessssooommmmeee. She said she wanted to know more and how she could strengthen her relationship with God.  YES! There are so many people behind so many doors. I think that is why I love tracting, because that is really the only way you can know for sure.  If we hadn't knocked on her door then, there is no way we would have ever known about her and her potential desire.  

P.s. Sister Steck is a fearless animal. Anytime I dare her to talk to anyone about anything, she does it. Fearless wild child.

So at church yesterday they were passing the sacrament and Sister Steck held out the tray for me.  I went to grab a piece of bread but my hand knocked the tray and bread went flying EVERYWHERE! All over the dang place.  I was biting my cheek to stop myself from laughing.  Hahahahahahaha All over. And the sad thing is, this is the second time that has happened. I have no idea how that even happens.  But it does.  And it is humiliating. I had 3 members come up to me and ask if I was okay.....yes, my hand just has a mind of it's own. NBD. Don't mind me, crazy old Moline.

AHHH! SO before I close I have to tell you about two amazing things! I was praying the other night and decided to pull out my Bible and read the definition of Prayer in the Bible Dictionary. Maybe people already know this and I am just way behind the times, but it blew my mind. It talked about how so many of the difficulities that arise with prayer is when we forget our relationship withh God.  It says, " Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other."  So many times we pray to ask God for things. To make us happier, to bless us, to fix our problems. But prayer is nothing but aligning our will with the will of the Father. Not asking for things, but asking to better understand his will and  his plan for us, to help us understand the why's.  It went on to say taht we pray in Christ's name when our mind is the mid of Christ and our wishes the wishes of Christ when his words abide in us.  We then ask for things it is possible for God to grant.  Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ's name at all. They in no way represent his mind , but spring out selfishness of man's heart. IT ALL MAKES SENSE! Prayers are not here for us to make a laundry list out to God but for us to put on the mind of Christ and pray as Christ would pray.  Have you ever thought about what Christ's prayers would be like?  If he lived the life we lived? Who he would pray for and how?  It gave me a greater perspective of prayer and my relationship to God through Prayer.  Prayer can result in an amazing growing experience as we take upon the mind and thoughts of Christ.  

Sister Penrose, ( the love of my life) told me a story this week about a woman whose children got in a car accident in the car in front of her and all died.  Less than a year later her husband passed away from some sort of illness.  The woman was so calm and collected through all of these traumatic events and she was often asked how she could be reacting the way she was.  She always responded, "Because I know what I know".  It is because we know what we know about the Savior that we can get through ANYTHING.  This life is not the end! This trials we face are not our life! Because we know what we know we can make it! We can press forward and enjoy this life! It is not easy. No one said it would be. But with the Savior, and because of His gospel we can prevail. We can come off conquerer and we will. There is no doubt in my mind that we all will, because we know what we know.  I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I love the hope and the bright future that he offers me.  I often reflect on the verse in the hymn I Believe in Christ.  " I believe in Christ, so come what may." 

I love you all so much! Until next week! 

Sure Love ya! Moline's Rock! Missionaries Rule!

Sista Mufasa Moline (I am really stretchin)

July 14, 2014

Oh what a wonderful week!  Sometimes I just LOVE MY LIFE. Emailing each week makes me reflect on the week and see all of the amazing miracles that happened. It helps me see that the mission is the good life. It truly is. I am so thankful for my mission.  AH! It is the best! 

GUESS WHAT! We put someone on date this week! Can I get a woot! Woot!?  haha.  His name is Matt Hinkley. Obviously meant to be a member. But I was on exchanges when Sister Steck and another Sister tracted into him.  We have been trying to meet with him for a couple weeks and haven't been able to pin him down. But on Wednesday he had this smal window of time to meet with us. So we met him at the church and gave him a church tour and taught him the first lesson in the chapel. That was the best idea I have ever had. ALWAYS TEACH IN THE CHAPEL.  It was incredible. The spirit was awesome in there.  Matt went on this tangent about how he understands God speaking to him.  He gave an experience about getting this feeling to do something and acting on it. It didn't work out like he had expected it to work out but he kept saying, I wouldn't have known if I hadn't ever tried.  OH thank you Matt for just opening up that door for us.  We talked to him about reading the BOM and coming to church because he won't ever know unless he tries. Hahaha he laughed and said we caught him.  But we taught him  about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and read him various scriptures from the Book of Mormon.  We asked him to go home that night and ask God if these things were true.  Matt is kinda ADD and all over the place but when we asked that question, he stopped and thought and said to Sister Steck and I, "It's true.  This is God's church"  He went on and said that when Sister Steck recited the First Vision that he felt something.  He felt something in our church and knew that the Book of Mormon had to be the word of God.  We asked him to be baptized in August and he said yes.  AND Guess what! HE IS IN OUR AREA! BLESSINNNNGGGSSSSSS.  He said he was going to try and get Sundays off so that he can come to church. I AM SO EXCITEDDDDDDD. :) Oh matt! I LOVE YOU! 

Remember Wanda!?  I am obsessed with her.  We went back to her house on Tuesday and Sister Stevens came with us.  ( Sister Stevens is the most fabulous member to bring to lessons FYI)  But we had a really good chat with Wanda and answered some of her questions.  She couldn't meet for very long because she was feeling really sick.  But Sister Steck had the brilliant idea of asking her if she would like a blessing. Earlier in the lesson she was talking about the Gift of healing and how it doesn't make sense to her that there is no gift of healing anymore.  So we explained blessings and how they can be used to heal people.  We read a scripture about faith in Ether and discussed how the miracle in contingent on our faith.  She agreed and Bishop and one of his counselors came and gave her a blessing. IT WAS GREAT! I love her. Things are going to happen with her for sure.  Little miracle, she is starting to gain a better understanding and faith in the kingdoms of glory! WOOT WOOT! I love my life. 

Sister Steck and I were tracting last night and ran into a guy that had a lot of questions and I guess questions isn't the right word, but a lot of misunderstandings about religion and churches in general. But he was a pretty funny guy.  Ha at the end of our conversation I handed him a pamphlet and he was like, " Now why the hell is he white!?  Why is Jesus white!? Now that makes no sense. It shows me that your religion doesn't understand....blah blah blah" hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha I don't know if you have seen the picture on the pamphlet but it is of Jesus holding  lamb. haha I was like, "RANDY it is just a painting! Just read the dang pamphlet! " he laughed. He was hilarious.  

MIRACLEEEEEEEE!! I got another miracle for you! This week we got a text giving us a media referral. So someone put their information online to have missionaries come by.  Sister Steck and I went to the guy's place like 3 times but no one ever answered so we finally called and left a message for him. HE CALLED US BACK! His name is Derek and plays for the Missoula Osprey baseball team here and was in Orem Utah playing a game when we stopped by his place.  He was like, " Yeah I would love to meet with you, my girlfriend is actually a member of your church in Arizona and when she came up here to visit me we went to one of your services.  She was the one that put my information online for you." YESSSSS! We are meeting with him this week at the  church. Pray that he is over 30 so we don't have to give him to the YSA missionaries.  But he sounds really promising.....and semi famous! Holla! Playing on the Missoula Osprey team! Waddduupppp.  But real talk. I am so excited. The Lord is lookin out for us! He is so gooooood. 

I don't think I have ever written about Derek Nordberg to you. But basically Derek is fantastic in every way.  Derek was baptized 9 months ago and is opening up his mission call today.  Talk about someone that has given the gospel everything he's got.  He is 20 years old and has been going around town knocking on doors and introducing himself as a local representative of the church and giving people copies of the BOM.  He comes to our district meetings, zone trainings, zone conferences.  He is basically one of us and is our family.  He got his call 3 days ago  but waited for Monday so that the missionaries could be there as he opened it.  Derek is one of those converts that will effect hundreds and hundreds of people.  Because of his decision not only will it effect those he teaches on his mission and their families, but his family now as well as his future family and their future missions.  It is amazing to think about what one baptism can do.  

On a more depressing note, do you remember Sarah from Bozeman? She was the 15 year old that got baptized a week after I left?  She was the one that had cancer and her mom was super anti, blah blah blah.  Turns out she lied through the whole thing.  She never had cancer and she never told her mom about the missionaries or about her baptism. She forged all the parental stuff.  Stab. In. The. Heart.  Bummer, bumer. I wish I could talk to her.  

I got a letter from a friend of mine who finishes her mission in 2 weeks. She wrote to me and said, " The key to know God is to struggle".  I am grateful for struggle. I am especially grateful for struggle on a mission. I am grateful for the people that tell me I am wrong or shut the door in my face before I can say anything, or the people that we teach that don't progress. I am grateful for them. It allows me to question what I am doing.  Why I am here, and if I really believe in what I am teaching.  Struggle has allowed me to come to know rather than just believe. It has allowed me to know God better than I have ever known Him before.  The more I question His understanding, or His awareness the more I know that He is everything. He is in everything. He is everywhere and apart of me.  I love Him. I love my mission. It is not ever easy, but the good things never were.  

I love you all. Thank you for your prayers and support! It helps me more than you know.

Have a fantastic week! 

Sister Muchacho Moline

LOOK WHERE I LIVEEEEE!!!

The Fourth of July

 The Fourth of July

Huge Dandelion!

 Zone hike on the Fourth of July

Climbing a tree!

June 7, 2014

Holla for ya dolla Honey Boo Boo! 

Again, another week has just come and gone in the blink of an eye. I swear I went to bed on Monday and woke up and it was already Saturday. Life is good when you are busy. But first things first! I am staying with Sister Steck in Missoula! WOOT! WOOT! I am really happy to be staying.  Although it has been a rough area, I am determined to see something happen here. There weren't a lot of changes made in our zone except my old companion Sister Baird is getting transferred to be a STL in Columbia Falls. I am so excited for her. I got to go on exchanges with her and her companion this week. SO GOOD. Ill explain that later. And my zone leader Elder Bishop is going to be the next AP. Cray cray!  My MTC companion Sister Wallace is coming to be companions with another Sister in our zone. I am so stoked. She is awesommmeeeee.  

I went on exchanges this week with Sister Baird and her companion Sister Averett.  And one of the coolest things happened.  So we were down in town by the church so we decided to eat our lunch at the church.  As we were gathering our things to leave a man walked passed the room we were in and ended up stopping and started talking to us.  He asked us where we were from and what our scripture thought of the day was. Blah blah blah.  We came to find out that he was just passing through Missoula on his way to Utah.  He told us that he was recently divorced and honestly had no idea what he was doing with his life. He was kinda wandering from place to place. I was surprised at how open he was with us.  He told us that divorce was the most emotionally horrific thing he had ever been through.  He asked us if we came from broken homes, how we would feel and deal with something like this.  He felt completely hopeless and lost. He felt abandoned and betrayed.  Sister Baird offered to share our "spiritual thought of the day" with him and shared with him her favorite scripture, John 14:27 "Peace I leave with my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid."  I wish you could have been there to witness this.  Words really cannot describe the experience that we had with him. Sister Baird bore her testimony of the peace she has been able to feel from her Savior Jesus Christ.  I was able to share my favorite scripture with him Isaiah 41:10,13 and I will never forget the way that this man looked at me with tears in his eyes as he said, "but what if you don't feel like he is there? What do you do when you read a scripture like that and you feel like it is not true? Because you feel like he isn't there? What do you do?"  I pulled out another one of my favorites, D&C 38:7 " But behold, verily, verily I say unto that mine eyes are upon you. I am in your midst and ye cannot see me."  He nodded and sat there in thought for a moment.  And then he looked up at us again and said, "What do you do when you feel like you have been completely wronged?  Why when I have tried so hard to be good, my life crumbles to nothing?"  We sat in silence for a moment as his eyes again filled with tears and Sister Baird bore one of the most powerful testimonies of the Atonement I have ever heard.  She too began to get choked up as she told this complete stranger of Jesus's love for him. That all that was unfair in this life could and would be made right through the Atonement of our brother Jesus Christ and the mercy of our Father in Heaven.  5 minutes before I knew absolutely nothing about this man, and to be honest, I was anxious to leave and get going and didn't really see a need to talk to him.  But as we spoke and as the Spirit filled the room this stranger became my brother.  And I loved him.  My heart ached for the pain he was feeling and the questions and doubt that he was experiencing.  We all cried together. It sounds so ridiculous, but it really was such a beautiful experience.  I told him that I didn't know him, I didn't know what it was like to experience the kind of pain he was experiencing but I did know that the Lord always keeps his promises. I read Alma 37:16-17 "...For God is powerful to the fulfilling of all his words.  For he will fulfill all the promises which he shall make unto you for he has fulfilled his promises which he has made unto our fathers." And  just like that,  he was gone.  I probably will never see him again or ever know what happened to him in his life. But I left that meeting changed.  Some of the questions he had asked us I had been asking myself.  Sometimes I feel like the Lord doesn't really listen to my prayers, or cares about what is going on with me.  But in answering his questions, I was able to answer my own.  It is amazing the way that God works.  As soon as I got home, I dropped to my knees to thank God for answering my prayers and questions I had. 

 Last week I got an email back from my Mission President.  I was telling him how I feel like the Lord has recently been trying my patience in this area. He emailed back and said, "Don't you just love it when the Lord chooses to try our patience?  I believe it's because he already knows what you are made of and he just wanted to convince you. "  What wise words. He already knows what you are made of, he just wanted to convince you.  

A MIRACLE HAPPENED! I don't remember if I told you all about Wanda or not.  I am pretty sure I did, but I will recap.  Sister Steck and I tracted into Wanda at the very beginning of the transfer. She let us right in and we had a wonderful discussion.  She is Pentecostal and has this absolute love for God and the Bible.  We set up another appointment and when we got there she didn't answer. We heard things going on inside so we knew she was there, but I thought maybe she had left for a minute and was driving back. So we waited outside her apartment complex when she came out to walk her dog. She totally was avoiding us. But we were able to talk to her and answer some of her questions and honestly had a wonderful meeting.  But since then, she hasn't been home, or just won't answer the door. And she hasn't called us back. So we kinda gave up on her and decided to give her some time.  Okay, flash forward.  We were tracting and not seeing any success.  Our appointment for the evening canceled so we were thinking of what to do.  We said a quick prayer and I felt like going to see Wanda.  Eh, I didn't think she would be there, but why not go. We had nothing else to do. So we went and no one answered.  Surprise, surprise.  I thought to text her and say that we just stopped by to see how she was doing and wished her a happy fourth of July.  AND! SHE TEXTED BACK! SHOCKER, I know.  I had a mini heart attack. And then she texted again and said, "Sorry I missed you, when can we meet again." SHUT UP WANDA.  You have got to be kidding me.  Long story short, we set up an appointment and she was actually there and we had the best lesson evvvvvveeeerrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!! It was wonderful.  She is loaded with questions.  We were able to find common ground with her and her beliefs and share our love for God and Jesus with her but we were also able to talk a lot about restoration with her.  We explained everything from the Bible and you could just see the wheels turning in her head.  We got to the topic of temples somehow and when we told her that when  you go through the temple you make very sacred covenants with God to bind you to him.  She was so intrigued. She said, "Like, I can be closer to God than I am right now?"  Yesssssss. Yes indeed Wanda. When we left she was the one asking when we could come back. So good, so good.  The only issue I am not completely sure how to address is the whole gift of tongues thing in the Pentecostal church. She is all about it. But.....we are taking one step at a time. 

Herdeep our wonderful Indian friend couldn't meet with us this week but we saw her in her yard the other day and she asked to set up an appointment. GOLD. I love Herdeep.  

GET THIS. So we have been meeting with_____ in this sober house she is living in for a little while. She just got a new roommate and invited her to come sit in one of our "Bible studies". Her name is Paula and was all about it.  She is recovering from addictions and said she cannot survive right now without spirituality in her life.  She is very very open and participates in the discussions we have.  We had another lesson the other day and taught her the first lesson and invited her to be baptized. She agreed. Just like that.  She said she was really intrigued and really interested.  HOLLA! But then all good things must come to an end_______ technically is not in my area but I got permission to be her missionary while she is in Missoula.  I got a call the other day from the missionaries in ______'s ward and they basically kicked me out of teaching Rhenon. They said they have been talking about ________ in ward council and feel like she needs to be taught by the missionaries in her own ward and with people from the ward to help fellowship. It all makes perfect sense....BUT IT'S ________. That was a stab in the heart.  But there you go 1st ward, we got you another chick on date and a sweeeeeeeeeett lady to work with. I am actually really upset about it all and ______won't take it well when I tell her. But I am sure I can work something out.  She is kinda struggling right now, adjusting to living here and not having friends or really any support from the ward so her meeting with people from her own ward will be really helpful. 

Hahahahahahahah okay one funny story! So yesterday we were sitting in Sacrament meeting during testimonies and this younger guy gets up to bear his testimony. He introduced himself and said that he had served in this ward a year ago. He was just here visiting the areas where he served in the Montana Billings Mission. He bore this wonderful testimony talking about remembering the experiences he had on his mission and thinking a year later if he really gave his mission his everything.  It was really good and made me think a lot about what kind of missionary I am now and if I am really giving this my all. Anyway, after he finished, Sister Steck went up and bore her testimony. It was great.  Afterward, he came over to us and we started chatting missions and stuff with him when he asked how long we had both been out.  Sister Steck has been out a year so he was like, "6 months isn't that long.  Hey, well if you ever find yourself in Utah when you are home, give me a call."  And handed her the program with his name and number on it. I DIED. I had to turn my head away to keep myself from laughing out loud. IT WAS HILARIOUS. Sister Steck didn't really know what to do. hahahahahahahja I told her to keep that forever and call him.  I thought it was the most hilarious thing ever. Oh man. 

Well my family. I think that is all for this week. I love you all so much and can feel your prayers strengthening and uplifting me each day. Thank you for you love and your support. I love my mission! I cannot believe how long this all has been.  It feels like time is just whizzing on by and it makes me sad to think that one day I have to go back to the real life.  Bummer.  

Anyway, you all rock! I love you! 

Sister Maniac Moline

I am forgetting everything that happened this week! This also happened on the Fourth of July.  So as a zone we took a hike together.  When we got to the beginning of the trail the zone leaders passed out a piece of paper to each of us where we were supposed to write down things that we were struggling with.  Like, focusing, patience, loving the work etc.  Then they brought over a pile of rocks. Not like little baby rocks. I am talking good sized rocks.  And they said for each thing we wrote on the paper we were to grab two rocks.  And then we had to write what we wrote on our paper on each rock. So if I wrote patience, then I had to write patience on two different rocks. We then put one set of rocks in our own bag and the other rocks we threw in a pile all together. Before we began the hike they had two Elders take the pile of rocks and put them in their pack along with their own.  So we hiked and hiked and hiked and hiked. And let me tell you, it was hard! We finally made it to a little clearing and got to sit down. The zone leaders gave a beautiful discussion on the Atonement and how although we each have our individual burdens we are carrying, we are not going through this alone. Our Savior, Jesus Christ has hiked the same hike, has walked the same road carrying the same burdens that you yourself carried.  It was really inspiring. Then we got to take our rocks and chuck them off into the distance. hahahaha it was really liberating.  

I also failed at telling you what we did for the Fourth of July!! The stake here puts on a breakfast and TONS of people come. Members, and Non members.  like over 1,000 people came this year. So we got to help with the cooking and serving the food. It was great! And then we got invited by a member to come and watch fireworks! It was the besttttt

haha Love you!