December 8, 2014

This week was out of control! So much happened! I will try my best to remember and tell you all! It is also a blur because I was sick a majority of the week. IT WAS AWFUL. I never want to do that again.  Ugh.  There has been something going around lately and so many people have been out sick as a dog.  I felt like I was knocking on deaths door. Not cool Robert Frost! But I am better now and I we back out working like wild animals.  \

Last week I wrote about visiting a less active woman and how her active husband came up to Sister Black and I told us that our visit was one of the best visits his wife had had from missionaries and to come back.  We went back earlier this week and got talking with the two of them and Cliff, the husband, began to tell us his conversion story.  After he was baptized they had a stake conference and a General Authority was coming to visit. As a new member he didn't really know what that meant so he didn't pay any mind to it.  He said that at the stake conference he sat pretty far in the back with a friend of his in the church when the General Authority walked in the room. Everyone stood as he walked to the stand.  He leaned over to his friend and asked him why they were standing.  The whole while watching the General Authority walk up onto the stand.  The General Authority stood on the stand then started walking down the isle straight to the back of the gym and turned right into Cliff's isle and shook his hand and said, " I understand you are a new member of the church.  I would like to personally welcome you into the church and hope to speak with you after."  Guess who it was?  BOYD K. FREAKIN PACKER! Yeah that is right! Cliff Holmes got choked up as he was remembering the feelings and emotion that came over him at that special moment in his life.  He had the opportunity to meet privately with Elder Packer on multiple occasions and spoke to us of the amazing and incredible spirit he felt.  He told us there was no denying that he was a man of God and held Priesthood keys.  I was so touched by his story.  That experience took place over 40 years ago and the feelings he had were still so visible.  He told us that it was those experiences that held him to the church when things got rocky and he questioned his faith.  And that is exactly how we need to be in order to stay strong.  We must remember.  We need to reflect and remember on the tender moments the Lord has given us throughout our lives.  Because it is those experiences that the Spirit can make manifest to us again of the truthfulness of the gospel. that God loves us and that His Son Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.  I hope to never forget the amazing experiences I have had while on my mission.  And it will be those experiences that I will rely on when my faith begins to shake.  The Lord does not give us spiritual experiences and manifestations just to strengthen our faith in that time but for the rest of our lives.  May we never forget!

Great Falls comes alive at Christmas time! It is awesome! Every year they close down Central where all the shops are and they have fun activities for families and all the shops are open and have fun sales or things to get people in their stores and it is just so much fun.  Everyone comes.  A man in one of the wards in the stake owns one of the stores down town.  He hasn't found anyone to rent it so he decided to have the missionaries help him in setting up his store for the Christmas Stroll.  We brought down two of his big plasma TVs, couches and Christmas tree.  His wife owned a craft store so she had LOADS of Christmas decorations.  The goal was to set up the store with He is the Gift playing on repeat and Mormon messages about Christmas playing on the other TV and to get people in by handing out free hot chocolate.  We spent two days decorating the place, and setting up a window display.  We had 18 missionaries in town come in to hand out hot chocolate and just talk to everyone.  We had 3 tables filled with pamphlets and pictures of Christ. We got members to donate some of their pictures of the Savior to help decorate the store. IT WAS A HUGE SUCCESS.  We had over 1300 people come through the store for free hot chocolate and missionaries were talking to people like CRAZY!  I got a couple of people's address and numbers.  Missionaries were outside the store holding signs and handing out pass along cards and singing Christmas Carols. And get this! I was talking to man and when I finished I got up and saw a family from BOZEMAN! That's right! My ward in Bozeman.  Sister Coltrin came up and gave me a big hug and we caught up with everything.  Her daughter was playing in the symphony so her and her husband came down and decided to go through the stroll.  It was a tender moment for me because my biggest fear is that no one from Bozeman would remember me and if I were to ever go back, no one would even think twice of me being there.  But seeing Sister Coltrin was such a tender mercy for me. They said they missed me singing with them in their home. :) Oh tenders.  Also Larry Albert came to the stroll....made my life. I was so happy he came.  But all in all the Stroll was a huge success.  A member posted some pictures of me on facebook in action spreading the good word of the Lord. haha it was cool.  

We also had Christmas Zone Conference this week.  PRESIDENT MECHAM IS INCREIBLE.  That man.  For each Christmas Zone Conference it is a lot of singing.  And I got to accompany everyone.  It was really cool to do.  The arrangements of what we did were awesome! I loved it.  I am so happy Sister Mecham asks me to play. Practicing is such  a release for me.  I also accompanied a couple missionaries in a musical number they did.  Woot! Woot! Those piano lessons are really paying off Mom! But President Mecham spoke and spoke about facing your fears.  I wish i could just record him speaking.  The way he says things is so powerful.  But he spoke about fear and how we need to stop it.  hahahaha it was awesome.  He said to act, and do! The Lord would bless us and we would see miracles.  Love. Also let's please address the fact that you picked the most disgusting and most embarrassing photo ofALL time to have put in the slide show.  OHMYGOSH! I had like 7 million people come up to me after and say, " Hey Sister Moline....I liked your picture." hahahahahaha so embarrassing.  Everyone's pictures were cute little baby pictures or family pictures....and then there was me.  Dad...I know that was your doing. You will never be forgiven.  

I still ahve so much to write! AH! Basically I love this area.  We had the ward Christmas party and I feel so at home here. I feel like this ward is my family.  There is so much love and so much support for missionaries in this ward.  I love it. I hope I can finish here. I will be so heart broken when I leave.  Gentry came to the Christmas party and really enjoyed it as well as a less active named Nikki! AND! Penny Burkstrand came to the party as well! WOOT! She came to church last week for the first time since Feb.  The ward saw her and pounced.  It was awesome to see the ward step in like that. 

A recently reactivated member in our ward, Debbie, has a friend she works with that said she wanted change in her life.  She gave her friend out number and we had a lesson with her on Wednesday. I spoke to her the day before to set up the appointment and Debbie called us later that day and said Jenna told her she felt the spirit as we spoke on the phone and knew that this is what God wanted her to do. The lesson went perfectly.  The Bishop's wife came to the lesson and did a phenomenal job.  We taught the restoration and when it got to the apostasy she stopped us and said, "Well does it come back!?  Does God ever bring back the power?"  hahahaha JENNAAA! YES! WE got to Joseph Smith and talked about having a prophet today and she was like. "this just makes sense to me.  No other church has this?  Why doesn't any other church have a prophet?"  hahaha we invited her to baptism! And she said yes, no doubts.  January 3rd.  She cried, we cried.  It was great. She has been through so much and has hit rock bottom and has nowhere else to turn.  On the way home the Bishops wife told us taht she sat in the car and was like, "I am so happy! Why am I so happy?"  And she asked her if as a member she still felt happy like that, if that lasted.  It was awesome.  Butttttttttt we found out she doesn't live in our stake.,......BOOOOO! I am so bummed. I can't even tell you.  Almost distraught.  But she lives with some psycho man and is trying to move.  SO we will try and get her to come to our side.  Cross your fingers. 


So all in all this week was very eventful and a lot of things got done.  This Christmas season I am so pumped to go out and talk about Christ with anyone and everyone. I want people to feel of the love of Jesus Christ and to know there is so much more! A woman in our ward bore her testimony yesterday.  She is older and has some mental disabilities. She is really soft spoken and can easily be overlooked. She said in her soft tone, I know I have a lot of friends here, because they hug me when I come here. I am proud to be a Mormon because I know I am loved."  That is what this is all about.  Loving people! People need and want the love that this gospel brings. And we are teh people to bring it. I am so thankful that I get this time just to love people.  It hit me at the Christmas party that I will never get to love people like this ever again.  I will never be able to have someone's progression and someone's life become the full focus of my time and life.  I will never be able to just show up at people's homes unannounced and talk solely about Jesus Christ and tell them that they are loved 24/7.  I won't ever be able to do this again.  I know that I still can do all of those things, but that is all I do right now. And when I go home life gets in the way.  I love my mission.  I love it so much. It has taught me so many things and helped me become so much more.  I can say that I have changed.  I am still me and I am still super weird, but I know who I am. I know my Father in Heaven on a much different level than I ever thought possible. I love this gospel. It means the world to me.  It has changed me and I have seen if change people.  I LOVE IT!

ALSO! Lindsay Shwendiman's sister just got her mission call to the Billings Montana Mission! She reports in January! INSANE!!!!!!


LOVE YOU! 

Sister Moreeeen

  LARRY ALBERT

 Look at me trying to be creative with the snow.

  Sister Black and I!

 SNOWWWWW

 The Christenots!

 The Hickmans!

These pictures do not even depict the coldness and how much snow there actually is.

December 1, 2014

Is it seriously already December? I know I say this all the time, but seriously....where has the time gone?  Sister Black goes home in 13 days!!!! 13 days! Weird. So weird. I am getting so nervous for my new companion.....

Okay first off I must inform you of Mr. James Tilley who was baptized in Missoula.  Elder Holland taught him after I left and he told me that he is completely active, completely free of smoking, broke up with his devil girl and is faithfully attending church and preparing to go to the Temple.  That's right.  I have never been so happy in my life.  I LOVE HIM!  I think after hearing that it just helped me understand that I did my part.  I followed the Spirit and did what I needed to do. 

Thanksgiving was fantastic! The Hickman's were adorable and we helped them make Thanksgiving dinner.  It was really fun and we played Scategories afterward.  I OWN! Hahaha Poor Sister Hickman is from Florida and has never really seen snow in her life.  hahahaha

This week weather wise has been out of control.  It snowed one day, then the next it was 50 degrees and everything melted.  THEN the next day it never got above -3 degrees.  It was that way for the past two days.  But today is a little warmer.  The snow is so cold that it just falls apart. It doesn't stick at all.  Driving around it looks like powdered sugar.  This weather definitely makes me thankful that places like Texas exist.  

Earlier this week I just got so frustrated with everyone we were working with.  I came here with 4 people on date...none of which made their date. And our investigator pool has been slowly decreasing.  I was getting so tired of people blowing us off and not even trying. Before, probably when i first was out, I would have worked my tail off to get someone who blew us off to be interested. I would have figured out their concerns and been their for them and tried my very hardest to help them through. But now, I just want to find those prepared! My time is running out and I don't want to waste any time that I have.  Plus, I was getting so sick and tired of people saying they were willing to meet, but only to not show up to our appointment or call and say they needed to reschedule. I talked with Sister Black about it and just started to cry! I was so embarrassed. Hahaha, but I was getting so frustrated.  But I want to find those that are ready to accept the gospel - people that are really ready.  I expressed my frustrations in a maybe not so dignified way to Elder Holland and he had me read a talk that has changed my life. The talk spoke about how we do not teach. The spirit does.  And it is our job to be a worthy vessel for the spirit to testify and speak to those that are ready.  And we will know.  As we use the scriptures, work by the Spirit we will know those that are ready.  The talk also spoke about being a challenging and testifying missionary.  Meaning challenging people to live the gospel boldly, expecting people to accept and testifying like there is no tomorrow. I am so at the point. I just want to go up to people and ask them if they want Jesus in their life and if they don't, move on.  hahaha I don't want to waste any time!!! 

AND THEN! Larry Albert.  That man is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.  HE GETS IT.  He is one of those that is prepared and knows what needs to be done.  I will be one sad lady when I have to leave Brother Albert.  We read a chapter out of the Gospel Principles Manual and read about Faith in Jesus Christ.  When I first mety with him didn't feel like he had faith.  But after we read that chapter I asked him how his faith has increased since meeting with us.  And he said, "I have had it all along, I just didn't recognize it."  He held up the Gospel Principles book and the Book of Mormon and said, I don't know what I would be doing without these....I LOVE YOU LARRY! I JUST LOVE YOU! 

ALSO! on Friday we went to  Less Actives house where we taught the grandmother and her two granddaughters.  Misty is 19 and Lela is 28 and just got married 2 weeks ago.  Lela is pregnant with twins and I explained our role as missionaries and how we help people increase their faith in Jesus Christ and their relationship with him and asked if her and her new (non member) husband would like to study with us.  She said she would and they would be at church. Lo and behold All 4 of them came to church! ALL 4! I have been trying to get them to go since the day I got here! I literally died.  I was so happy. AND THEN! Another woman who was baptized in February and hasn’t been back to church since came to church on Sunday.  We met with  her the night before and invited her, AND SHE CAME! AND Karl and Becca who I haven't communicated with in 2 weeks came! BECCA CAME! SHUT UP! Is the world about to end or something? She only has been to church once and hasn't shown an interest since.  I was blown away.  Sister Black was speaking in church and we made them big eyes at each other in awe that so many people came.

After Church a Brother in the ward came up to Sister Black and I and said that the visit we had with his less active wife was such a positive experience and asked us to come back again.  TENDER!   

Even though I felt I was doing nothing in this area and that no one was progressing God sent me a little gift to let me know that yes, things are happening whether I realize it or not and I am fulfilling my purpose here.  I am thankful for a Heavenly Father that loves me.  

GET THIS! I found out that Brother Bailey got a mission call at 19 to serve in CLEAVLAND OHIO! His father passed away two days before he was supposed to go into the MTC so he didn't go.  BUT HE WOULD HAVE SERVED WITH DAD!

We have been showing the He Is The Gift video like there is no tomorrow.  If you haven't seen it, STOP EVERYTHING YOU ARE DOING RIGHT NOW AND WATCH IT.  It will change your life.  I have just come to realize that amidst the stress and chaos of life that Jesus Christ provides us peace and understanding.  And with Jesus Christ we are safe. 

My life lesson that I learned is that we are making differences! That God is using us even when we may feel useless. People's lives are changing.  We just need to testify and challenge boldly with the Spirit.  I love the Lord. I love this work and I am in love with this gospel.

I love you all so much and am so thankful for my life.  My life rocks.  

LOVE YOU!

Moline's rock, missionaries rule!

SISTER HOLY MOLY  

 Check it out! I MADE THAT MONTANA! I am making it into a necklace! With the wonderful help of Brother Bailey

Found this on the front porch of someone's house.....NASTY

Found this on the front porch of someone's house.....NASTY

November 24, 2014

The Lord is good and brought me warmer weather this week. In fact I am not even wearing boots or tights right now. HALLELUJAH! Oh, by the way can we just talk about how Christmas is a month away. WHAT THE HECK.  This is all just so strange.  But for Thanksgiving we are going to two dinners thus far.  Woot! Woot! Packing on my winter insulation.  We are going to a young married couples house with the Elders and an investigator and a ward missionaries home with her husband and two kids.  The poor couple have no friends or family here so we will all gather together family-less and friend-less in hopes to fill the hole in our hearts.  Ha.  But I am excited for mashed potatoes and pies and food food food.  

By the way I had multiple people bring up to me how Molines are in Montana.  Let's figure this out! I want to find my kin here! 

This week went by so stinken fast.  Unbelievable.  Every transfer the zone leaders, and sister training leaders get together in Helena for a meeting to discuss the needs of the mission, the worries of the mission president and what we can do to uplift and inspire the missionaries in their missionary service.  But, instead of gathering with the leaders in teh mission, President Mecham wanted to have a mission wide Leadership council.  So he has been traveling around the mission to all the zones and having a leadership meeting with all the missionaries.  Senior companions, junior companions, district leaders, zone leaders and stl's.  It was awesome.  Hearing President Mecham speak always has a way of motivating me to be better than I was before and do my best in every aspect of my life.  He spoke to us about a new initiative starting after Thanksgiving called He Is The Gift. The church has come out with a new video called He Is the Gift and it is phenominal. The church has bought out the banner on Youtube and will be playing it on the front page of Youtube and it is anticipated that over 220 million people will see it.  We have special pass along cards that lead people to mormon.org and other church related sites.  It will be so awesome.  It talks about helping those around us to discover the gift of Christ, embrace the gift of Christ and share the gift of Christ.  I am so stoked about it.  Also something President said really astonished me.  He said that he did the math and it takes about an average of 110 people that pay their tithing to support one missionary in this mission.  With the ipads, cars, gas, etc it takes about 110 people.  Isn't that insane?  He talked about the importance of treating tithing funds sacredly.  Dang straight! That is a ton of people sacrificing in my behalf so that I can comfortably share the gospel.  I am so grateful for tithing funds from faithful and selfless members of the church.  

After the meeting I was playing post lude music when President came up to me and put his arms around me and said, "I haven't had a chance to talk to my dear Sister Moline yet." OH President Mecham! Stop that! He is just the most wonderful person.  There are times when all I want is a hug from mom to tell me everything is going to okay and to keep pushing forward, that God is on my side.  But I am thankful for President Mecham who has been that person for me while I have been away.  Who has made me feel capable and loved and needed here in this mission. I was thinking about that today and really how I hope I can make people feel the way that President Mecham makes me feel about myself.  I want to be that kind of person for those around me. 

After the meeting I went on exchanges in Lewistown.  So good.  Those sisters rock.  I was so impressed with their desire to do missionary work and their consecration to the work.  And because of their desire and obedience they have seen so many miracles.  One of which happpened while I was there.  A woman by the name of Lori called them in tears saying she needed to talk to someone and needed some help and guidance.  Her step son was killed by a drunk driver the week before.  They had never heard of a Lori before, but sure enough she was in their area book and had been dropped.  We went over there and taught the plan of salvation.  It rocked.  ROCKKKKKEEDD! Sometimes dropping investigators is a good thing because it allows people to come to you when they are ready.  I am excited to see where this goes.  

Good news! One of our investigators, Gentry came to church on Sunday! WAAADDDUUUPPPP!!! That made my whole life.  We have been working with her for awhile and this was the first time she agreed to come.  And everyone was so welcoming and nice to her.  She participated in gospel principles and relief society.  I was so pleased with how everyone treated her.  WOOT! She is a hard investigator, but I am praying taht something will just click with her.  She feels like the church is sexist towards women......ugh.  But I love her so much! And our dinner tonight invited her to dinner as well.  So I am hoping that she begins to see and feel the difference through the members.  Gentry has a strong strong strong belief in Jesus Christ and knows the Bible like no one I have seen before.  But her strong belief is what is keeping her from accepting more of Christ's gospel. She says she prays everyday about the church and being baptized but hasn't received an answer yet.  So, pray for her and cross your fingers that she will receive her answer.  

We had a ton of people cancel this week because everyone and their mother is sick.  Including Mark and kat.  But! We found a lot of new less actives this week.  One of which was last night.  We knocked on someone's door and a man answers the door and just started laughing.....and swearing hahaha and let us in.  He said his wife and him have just moved back to Montana from Oregon and that they met with Sister missionaries weekly over there.  SHUT UP! So they set up a weekly time for us to come visit them.  Yeah.  Dats wats upppppp.  Get ready Great Falls.  All ya'll are going to be reactivated by the time I am done here. 


OHMYGOSH! I almost forgot the crowning moment of the week! Karl and Becca got married! Yes.  Yes they did.  But not by the Bishop and not at the church.  Wait for it.  They got married at Vaporology....yes. Vaporology.  Karl got one of those vapors to try and quit smoking and is absolutely obsessed with it. One of the employees got a marriage license online and offered to marry Karl and Becca in the store.  So that definitely happened.  And I definitely went.  The whole experience made me so grateful for temple marriages.  It all seemed so empty and blah.  Some random man married them in some random store. There was nothing there.  The only word I can use to describe it is empty.  A few people from church came and a friend and karl's parents came.  There was nothing sacred behind it. And at the end he said, " By the power invested in me by the state of Montana....." LAME! What about the power of GOD! So much more legit.  But at least they are married. :) That is good.  And a member from the ward took pictures for them and made them a  cake. 

I am sorry this is all scattered and crazy! I have to hurry and go.  But I love you all and hope you have a fantastic Thanksgiving!  I love you! And I love my mission and the Lord and this work! I cannot believe that the time is going as fast as it is.  Never again will I be able to stand in place of the Savior to do His work.  I am ready to rock it.  Bring it on Montana! 

LOVE YOU!

Sister Moline