October 27, 2014

What a wonderful week! Sister Black and I did work this week.  It was out of control.  We taught over 35 lessons this week.  We were constantly running from appointment to appointment. I loovvvee it here. The people are so stinken great.

So get this cray cray story.  The Elders serving in the same ward as Sister Black and I had 4 people on date and every single one of them fell through.  They were joking together how cool it would be if someone moved here from Canada that had already taken the lessons and was ready for baptism.  Ask and ye shall receive ladies and gentlemen.  It wasn't Canada, but a man, his wife and little boy moved in from California last week.  The husband had taken all the lessons and was ready for baptism.  The wife had been reactivated through the process.  The Elders helped him move in and BAM! They asked him if he wanted to be baptized this Sunday.  Done and done.  He was baptized. Talk about miracle of the Lord.  It was one of the best baptisms I had ever been to.  He is so solid.  A recent convert of a year spoke at the baptism and man was that powerful.  So good.  Ah! I want a baptism!!

Brenda,  is the love of my life. Oh my goodness! She is so dang hilarious.  She calls me her baby girl, and always talks about how well groomed we are.  Hahaha she has a grandson that is 18 and she always tells us that she wants him to come to her baptism because she wants him to look at the Elders and how well groomed they are.  She is like, "oh my handsome grand baby would make such a good Elder! I just want all my family to get baptized. It would be a huge swimming party with Jesus!"  No joke. Those were the words out of her mouth. I died.  We gave her a church tour and she absolutely LOVED it.  We showed her the painting of Jesus getting baptized and talked to her how he set the example of what we need to do and she began to cry.  She said, " That's what I am going to do.  I am following Jesus."   Oh Brenda! You adorable little thing! After the church tour she attended the baptism and was a mess. She cried through the whole thing.  She kept introducing herself to people as, " Hi, I am Brenda, I am getting baptized November 8th."  Hahahaha I loved it.  She started calling herself Sister Wetzel.  I am obsessed with her.  But she has so much desire.  She recognizes the Spirit and has such a great desire to follow Jesus Christ.  It is amazing.

We found a new investigator this week.  Kandace has a good friend that lives in the same apartment complex as her.  We met her and talked about the Book of Mormon and set up another appointment with her.  To be honest, going into it, I was not expecting a whole lot.  This woman has been to prison many times,  is on probation, had her daughter taken away from her because of how she was living her life and claims to be Wicka.  Or something.  Basically witch.  Weird.  I am ashamed that I made complete judgments so quickly. I have not taught such a powerful lesson with so much of the Spirit in a long time. She soaked it all in.  I guess when you have been so engulfed by darkness the Spirit brings an entirely different feeling and emotion that has been so long ignored. We recited the first vision to her and she just sat there staring at the picture we had of the First Vision.  We asked her what she was feeling and she just sat there.  No lie, we sat there for a good 1 1/2 -2 minutes in silence as she tried to process what she was feeling.  She finally broke the silence and looked at us and said, "I have no words.  I cannot explain in words what I just felt"  I went on to explain what she was feeling and bore my testimony of the Joseph Smith's experience.  I was so moved by the Spirit that was in the room that I got choked up.  It was the first time I had ever showed emotion as I was bearing my testimony in a lesson.  But I could not doubt what we felt in that room as we bore testimony of God's love.  His perfect love for all of his children. Regardless of your age, sex, culture, background, and the person you once were.  He loves us.  He loves us so he sent us his Son and gave us the restored gospel.  A prophet, and apostles, the Book of Mormon and the Bible.  We are so loved.  I was so overcome with what I KNEW to be true. No one can take that away from me. Because i have had too many instances in my life and on my mission for me not to know it was true.  AH! The gospel is the good life! I love it.

Larry Albert. Again....another love of my life. He is the most remarkable person.  Like I have said before, we read the Book of Mormon everyday together. We invited the Gilletts, recent converts of 2 years to come to the lesson with us.  Brother Gillett and Sister Gillett are in their 60's and Brother Gillett is now the 1st counselor in the Bishopric.  After 2 years....dangggg.  Larry is a very soft spoken and humble man. He has opened up to myself and my companions about the concerns that he has.  He wants the Book of Mormon to be true.  He reads it everyday, but he sometimes wonders if it is for real. The Gilletts without even knowing his concerns addressed every questions he asked us.  The Spirit filled that room like no other.  Before we started teh lesson he pulled me aside and told me of some issues at home he was facing.  He said he was thinking he needed to give all of this church stuff a break while he figured things out.  My heart fell. NO LARRYYYY!!! NOOOOO!!! But after the lesson with the Gilletts, he got it.  That man has some serious faith. Especially coming from the home he lives in. 

We were also able to get back into a couple people's homes and start teaching them again! And we were able to find a couple potentials.  Holla! Holla!

I am sorry this email is so short.  But I heard a quote yesterday at church. "He is not waiting for us to be perfect.  Perfect people don't need a Savior.  He came to save his people in their imperfections.  He is the Lord of the living and the living make mistakes.  He is not embarrassed by us, angry with us. He wants us in our brokenness in our unhappiness in our guilt and our grief."  I am happy I am an imperfect person, because it gives me opportunity to have a Savior and to know of His goodness and grace.  I love Him and I have grown to know Him.  He is my Redeemer and my best friend.

I love you all!

Love,

Sister Big Sky Moline 

October 20-, 2014

I had to take a new profile picture for my Facebook.  And I just want you all to know that I have such a  strong and ever deepening love for the Book of Mormon.  It is true.  Within it's pages I have felt God's arms encircle me.  I have found answers to my prayers and above all I have found happiness.  A happiness that I have found no where else.  A happiness that cannot be duplicated.  I love the Book of Mormon. I love it's truth, I love reading God's words and knowing through my studies I am one step closer to becoming all He wants of me.  I love Him and I love the Book of Mormon.

Little Miss Kandace!!  Love, love, love her!!!

 New facebook profile!

 My Book of Mormon next to a new one!

October 20, 2014

HOLA HOLA HOLA! 

SOOOO! Surprise, suprise! Sister Finnell is getting mid transferred to St. Ignatius and is leaving tomorrow and I now have a new companion, Sister Black. Sister Black came to our companionship last night after our stake conference and we were under the impression that we were going to be in a trio.  But President Mecham called us last night told us that Sister Finnell was leaving and I was keeping Sister Black.  Sister Black goes home in about 8 weeks.  She is from Price Utah and went to USU a little before her mission. Honestly I don't know that much about her yet, because I just got her. But she seems really cool.  But get this! Totally divine inspiration from the Lord to have her here.  We were at dinner at a members house last night and they had some new neighbors move in.  Apparently the wife, Amanda, had met with Sisters before.  We went over to meet her but haven't been able to catch them home.  At dinner we were talking about Amanda and her husband when Sister Black slaps the table with her hands and was like, "OH MY GOSH! I KNOW HER! I TAUGHT HER!"  Apparently in her last area they tracted into Amanda and gave her a Book of Mormon.  The next time they went by Amanda was in tears because she had been reading the Book of Mormon and already knew it was true.  They were teaching her and put her on date, but then she moved.  MOVED TO MY AREA! WHERE SISTER BLACK JUST GOT TRANSFERRED TO!!!!!!  Get out of here. There is no way that is just a coincidence.  Crazy, crazy, crazy!  

Yesterday was stake regional conference and Brenda, Larry Albert, and Karl all came. HALLELUJAH! Larry Albert just loves it all.  He is so prepared and so ready to make these changes in his life.  Brenda came for the first time to church but ended up leaving about half way through the meeting.  I think she was feeling really overwhelmed with it all.  She said that the vocabulary was very different and she was having a hard time understanding what they were talking about.  The first speaker spoke about hastening the work and the Abrahamic covenant.....plus there was a lot of sustaining of people, so that was kinda weird for her.  But she said she would come for all 3 hours next week. Cross your fingers! Karl came! Becca didn't....but afterward he asked to have  a blessing.  The blessing went really well.  Sister Finnell and I met with him and Becca and had a really good lesson.  The Bishop called and talked to Karl and we were able to talk to him as well.  We testified of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the redeeming power of it and his eyes filled with tears.  The Spirit was so strong.  That man has not missed a day of church since we have started meeting with him.  Although there are some things we need to work through with him I know we were led to him and that he can change.  This gospel changes lives. I have seen it first hand.  How grateful I am for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Speaking of the gospel changing lives.  We had dinner with D___________ this week. This woman blows me away.  She has no contact with her mother or daughter, and she has a son in prison.  She never raised her daughter because she was so into drugs and alcohol that her mother took her daughter away and raised her herself.  Debbie was raised in an abusive home and married abusive men.  She made the comment to me at dinner that she grew up thinking that when your family hit you, it meant that they loved you. So when she got married she expected to be hit.  And man, has that woman's life changed dramatically.  She has reached complete activity in the church has been sober for many, many, years and is preparing to get her temple recommend. She reads from PMG and the BOM daily and eats up the Ensigns that come to her house.  Through the gospel she has found who she really is. And whose she really is.  This gospel motivates people to change and allows them to become all they were meant to be.  

GUESSSS WWHHHAAATTTTT!!!! We did it! Meet the Mormons has come to Great Falls! WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!! It came on Friday and will be staying until this Sunday! Most of our investigators went to go see it this weekend.  And a couple potential investigators that we have went as well. I am so excited to talk to them about it and see what their thoughts were!  Successssss! 

I know I talk about how much I love Brother Bailey like every week, but I just love him! He just appears at our district meeting and got everyone doughnuts and he gave Sister Finnell and I a gift card to go get a manicure.  He has two daughters-in-law that served missions and he asked them what would be a fun treat for the missionaries and they both said to get our nails done.  Also, Sister Finnell was having a hard week and asked him for a blessing.  He is just like a dad to us.  He looks out for us and takes care of us.  I am so grateful for Brother Bailey.....and his delicious cobbler. Hahaha AND! He shares the gospel with everyone! EVERYONE! This man is wonderful. 

We had a really good lesson with an investigator.  Her name is Gentry. I don't remember if I wrote about her before or not.  But she is incredible. She loves God, and is very very spiritual.  We have to be careful how we approach new things with her because walls immediately go up and she gets really defensive. But we brought a member with us to the lesson that is a convert and has a similar background to Gentry's and it was AWESOME!   She tried to recognize truth and hear what we were saying.  If there was something she wasn't sure of or didn't agree with, she said she would pray about it.  WOOT WOOT! We are teaching her tonight. :)  I hope it goes as well as teh last lesson.  

There were two lessons this week where I was just overwhelmed with love for those we were teaching.  One of them was K_____________.  She was baptized 2 years ago and is very active in the ward. We meet with her regularly because she is working on getting a temple recommend.  She texted us the other night and said that she was having a hard night.  The pastor from her church before she was baptized came by to see her. It had already been a rough day and having him come and tell her she was wrong to be mormon made everything worse. We have been working on an addiction she has and instead of going out and relapsing she called us.  Once she answered the door I gave her this huge hug.  I was so proud that she called us instead.  We talked for awhile about her concerns and frustrations and I wish i could adequately describe the feeling that came over me.  But I had so much love for this girl.  And I could just feel the love that our Heavenly Father had for her.  How proud he was of her for the decisions she was making and the person she was becoming.  It made me reflect on how grateful I am for my Father in Heaven.  I am so grateful that he sees me for who I can become and not as what I am right now.  I am nowhere near where I should be, but I am grateful for the love my Heavenly Father does give me  and how much he pushes me.   Because he knows I am capable and able to do hard things and to be something greater than what I am now.  I hope and pray to one day reach what he expects of me and to become all that I was sent here to become.  He is the greatest. 

Yesterday we got talking with a woman outside her house watching her kids play.  We started talking with her and ended up giving her a Book of Mormon and our number.  There is something about giving out a copy of the Book of Mormon that makes you feel successful and fulfilled. She said as we began to leave that she has recently been looking at churches to join and said she would give us a call.  WOOT! WOOT!  I never thought I would say this, but I miss tracting.  I haven't tracted nearly as much as I did in Missoula and I miss it......hahahaha  

I love you all so much! I love this gospel and I love my Savior Jesus Christ.  He is my Redeemer.   As I have grown to know him more personally I have grown to know myself and what is expected of me.  This gospel is the good life.  There is not a lot that I know, but I know without a doubt that this is the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I know that we are imperfect but this gospel is.  I know that I may not understand why or how things are the way they are, but I know that God knows better than me.  I trust Him and I love Him.

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

Sister mollllinsky

 Choose The Right Computer Store!!  ha ha ha 

 Helping Jacey at Jacey's Journey

The Paynes!  They lived for a bit in Texas and are obsessed!  There house is decorated with Texas!  They made us Texas barbeque and it was deliciousssssssss!

10-13-14

FAMILY!

I am trying so hard to remember what in the world happened this week and I am struggling hard! I know I did missionary work! I swear I did! 

The lesson I learned this week, which I feel like I say this every week is that I know God is right there along side me.  Every step of the way.  

I was having a hard Monday last week and I had a lot on my mind. But I came back from Lewistown Monday night and went to MLC on Tuesday.  Nothing could have happened more perfectly. It was just what I needed.  I got to see my closest friends on the mission and be totally uplifted by the words of President Mecham and the Spirit.  It helped me remember the whys of my mission.  And my purpose of being out here. The meeting we had was in Helena and as we drove there I was so thankful to my Heavenly Father for giving me this opportunity to drive. It was absolutely beautiful.  Everything is changing color and I was just in awe at what a gorgeous place I live in.  Call me crazy but I just felt Heavenly Father giving me a little squeeze telling me he loved me.  Hahaha it sounds so weird to say that.  But I was so thankful for that.  It was just what I needed.  I needed to see the beauties of this wonderful place taht I live and see how God's hand is not only involved in my life but in nature and in the beauties I enjoy every day and I needed to see Sister Steck and Sister Bonn and listen to the encouraging words of President Mecham.  God is good. He is oh, so good.  

Wednesday we drove back to Helena to get Sister B's new companion.  She got a Sister from Nauvoo. Her name is Sister Kupfer and she will be in this mission for 6 months then go back to Nauvoo for 6 months.  How cool is that!?  She is the sweetest thing. Her entire mission in Nauvoo consists of 19 Sisters.  And they all live together. TALK ABOUT CRAY CRAY TO THE MAX.  We have 80-90 sisters here.  So weird.  But I hope she likes it. SHe was telling us some crazy stories about protestors and such.

I am going to write how much I love Brother Bailey until the day I die. He is the most wonderful man on this planet earth.  If I could I would give him a huge hug.  Not only does he make the most divine cobblers, but he is the king at cooking in general. He has a heart of gold and knows just how to make you feel like a million bucks.  He bore his testimony yesterday and basically chastized the ward for not giving us referrals.  Hahahaha RIGHT ON! We had dinner at this house this week and he gave us name after name after name to go see.  Both him and his wife.  I had to pick my mouth from up off the floor. Brother Bailey! You Dawwwgg! He just called us and said he was taking us out to lunch.  He is wonderful. Celestial kingdom here he comes! But, he understands missionary work. he understands what it is all about.  He lives his religion.  He doesn't conspire how he is going to share the gospel, he just lives it and he recognizes and understands when the spirit prompts him.  I am thankful for all the Brother Baileys! Mom, Dad, be a Brother Bailey! 

Get this! A new missionary just came into our mission and she knows Maurie! They were in the same ward or something. Her name is Lauren or Laura Major.  SHE IS AWESOME! Talk about prepared to the max.  She is solid.  

Our investigator Brenda we put on date this week! HOLLA HOLLA! We are so excited for her. She still has yet to come to church.  But we will get her! hahaha 

LARRY ALBERT! The love of my life came to church as well.  We meet with Larry every day to read the scriptures.  And he came! My heart was so happy.  I could not have been more pleased.  He is a man that has been prepared and is ready to come back full force.  He wants his daughter and grand kids to jump on the band wagon as well. 

We are pretty worried about Karl and Becca.  We are beginning to question their sincerity in everything.  Its looking like they are wanting to get what they can from the church and not follow through with the baptism. :(  Keep them in your prayers.  A lot of things have taken place this week. Just one thing after another and it really worries me.  BUT! I will not lose the faith.  Things just keep pointing to them and how led we were to meet with them.  SO I won't give up! Hahaha

I am sorry this email is so lame. I will make sure to live up this week so I have some crazy stories to tell you next time! 

LOVE YOU ALL! 

Sister Moline

October 6, 2014

FAMILYYYYY!!!

What a wonderful weekend! I love General Conference with all of my heart! It was just what I needed this week.  It is so inspiring and uplifting and so motivating. It gives me so much courage to push through and follow my Savior Jesus Christ.

Transfers happened this week! Sister B's companion went home so she was without one for a couple days.  She had been out of her area for a week and was itching to get back. So I went to Lewistown with her and have been here for the past couple days. We got to watch conference at the church. And on Saturday we got there and there was no one there. hahahaha it was really funny. So we had the whole chapel to ourselves.  But Sunday, more people came. I was really upset about leaving my area, because we had so many things going on this weekend. But it turns out that this is just what I needed and God knew I would need. Sister B is probably one of my best friends in the mission.  Being able to teach with her and laugh and joke around with her was exactly what I needed.  My companion and I work very, very differently from each other and are just two very different people, so sometimes it makes the work difficult.  But I really enjoyed being able to be in sync with someone and flow in our teaching.  She is a God sent

Did anyone catch that Elder Godoy spoke!?  He is the General Authority that came to our mission this summer. I was waiting his whole talk for a shout out....hahaha.  He is awesome though I really enjoyed listening to him speak. Sister B has an investigator named Dallas that came to the Sunday morning session! Woot! Woot! She really liked it and it was her first time coming to church.

I left my notebook of notes from conference at home. But Lynn Robbins talking about which way we face was one of my favorite talks.  As well as Jorg Klobfjadjfiof. I don't remember his last name.  He has some crazy weird last name. But he was really good. Hahaha he was the Ukraine mission President for awhile.  He was very bold and had many many good things to say.  AH! So many wonderful inspiring messages. I especially loved the talks on the sacrament. That is something I have been striving to get better at.  Understanding and internalizing the sacramental prayers.  I cannot wait till the Ensign comes out and I can mark it all up.

But, real talk.  Do we really realize what we have! LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! WE HAVE A STINKEN PROPHET! A PROPHET! I am just so amazed at how much love our Heavenly Father has for us to give us a prophet.  DId you notice how many talks were on sustaining the prophet?  Obviously we could be doing a better job at that. Listening to those talks brought me back to what Mom always told us growing up. She always said that her only words of advice for our life would be to follow the prophet, because if we do we will be right in the sight of God.  So true. 

The Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang How Firm A Foundation and it brought me back to one of my fondest memories.  I don't remember if I have already shared this with all of you or not.  But, a couple months before my mission Mom, Maurie, Saryn and I went to music and the spoken word.  The choir sang How Firm A Foundation and I remember the last verse when they sang, " I'll never, no never, I 'll never no never forsake." I looked over at Mom sitting next to me and with tears streaming down her face she mouthed those same words along with the choir. " I'll never, no never, I'll never forsake." I will never forget that image of my mother exclaiming her loyalty and love for God.  I thought I loved the Lord then.  I thought I loved the gospel then.  But this time as they sang that hymn I was the one with tears streaming down my face as I sang with the choir, "I'll never, no never, I'll never forsake."  I love my Savior and I love the gospel He has brought to us.  Because through it I know true happiness and I know complete peace.  And I will never forsake my Savior. I will never forsake His gospel. 

Before I came to Lewistown, Sister Finell and I had the opportunity to speak to the Young Women of another ward about our missions and do a Q/A with them. It was so much fun! They asked me how long I had been out and I almost choked when I said 13 months. DAAAANNNG! They all said, "wow! You are almost done!"  Not even real. That is so not even real! hahaha so weird. But as I was telling them of experiences I have had on my mission it was so weird to think that I had been out as long as I have.  But when I asked those who were planning to go on missions to raise their hands, the entire group of Young Women raised their hands. I was a happy, giddy little mess. It got me so excited. Everyone should go on missions!! WOOT! I just got so excited talking with them about how amazing missions are.  This really is the greatest thing God has ever led me to do. I am so thankful I followed the promptings I received to come out. It was one of the harder things I have done, knowing I was giving up plenty of wonderful opportunities.  But I know without a doubt that the Lord has been aware of my every need and my every hardship. He has been there for me and always will be there for me. When no one else seems to be there for me to rely on or to talk with He is.  I love my Savior. So, so much.  

OH! Before I close! Karl and Becca prayed for the first time on Thursday!!!!!!!! It was the most wonderful moment Of. My. Life.  They make me so happy.  

Alright. I better go. I love you all so much! I am so thankful for you support and love. Until next week! 

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

Sister Muchacho Moline