March 9, 2015

This is it! HOLY MOLY! Ah! This is my last email home.  The next time you will hear from me it will be in the real life and I will be crying and hugging all of you. OH! It will be wonderful.  

This week could not have been any better.  It was incredible.  Wednesday for the first time in the history of this mission, we had an ALL MISSION MEETING.  So for the whole day of Wednesday there were no missionaries in Montana.  NONE! That is weird to think about.  We all gathered in Bozeman, my old stomping grounds, and heard from Elder Zwick of the first quorum of the seventy and Brother Hemmingway who is in charge of all proselyting efforts for the world. Kind of a big title there. Haha, they came to introduce some more advances with the IPads. We got booklets talking about doing missionary work in the digital age and the safeguards of using technology.  I thought the meeting would be focused on those booklets and the logistics.  But it was mainly Elder Zwick speaking to our mission and following the spirit.  Through the meeting I was able to receive many answers to my prayers and concerns I was having. I love it when a total stranger speaks and answers my soul searching questions through the Spirit. 

 
I was asked to play the piano at the meeting.  I got there about a half hour early and began playing prelude when everything got really quiet and President, Sister Mecham, Elder Zwick and Brother Hemmingway walked in the room.  And then the next thing I knew Elder Zwick was behind me with his hands on my shoulders.  He thanked me for the music and said that I played beautifully.  Shout out to Mom! All those years of piano lessons and tears and tantrums were worth it! Then he went over to the microphone and said that he wanted to meet each of the missionaries and that his favorite Sister Moline was going to continue to play prelude as he met each of the missionaries.  He may or may not have said I was his favorite, but when he said my name everyone knew I was his favorite. So I literally played the entire hymn book for an hour and a half. My butt was completely numb by the end.  It was kinda embarrassing, but the line was ending and an Elder sitting on the stand asked if I wanted to go shake his hand. So we quickly switched spots, the Elder played a song and I had to run off the stage and basically tackle Elder Zwick before he walked away.  It was super embarrassing because literally the ENTIRE mission watched me and him talk for a little and they could hear what we were talking about NBD. Me and Elder Z.  Besties for life. 

I love being able to go into meetings like this and feel like I can take on the world when I leave.  After listening to him for close to 4 hours I felt and knew the things I needed to do. I had answers to my prayers in that meeting and got a sense of what the Lord expects of me.  Elder Zwick is an inspired man.  You cannot help but feel an intensified Spirit about him. You knew that he was speaking and following the direction of the Lord.  The underlying message I received from Elder Zwick was the question he asked us to ask ourselves.  "Am I willing to change?" He spoke a lot about how we cannot, we will not lower our standards.  He spoke specifically about the law of chastity. How we cannot lower our standards with the law of chastity because it is not our doctrine or law to change.  He spoke about how the work is changing but the white handbook is the same.  It is the same work. And I thought a lot about how the world is changing.  But the Book of Mormon is the same.  The doctrine of the gospel is the same.  And although world, it's views and morals are fluctuating the doctrine is the same and it is not our doctrine to change.    

He spoke in regards to the IPads and using technology that if we don't know or learn how to protect ourselves right now, Satan will have the upper hand on us when we go home and use our IPad or IPhones.  Just as the Lord knows each of us and our power and potential, so does Satan. We have the power to make right decisions. And it doesn't matter how many filters we have on our phones, computers, tablets, whatever, the first and best and most effective filter is our personal testimony and righteousness.  Sister Mecham gave this awesome analogy of how we walk into the grocery store and pass by the alcohol isle and the cigarettes and tobacco without a seconds thought and just walk right past it.  And that is how it should be with the cyber filth we are presented with.  Elder Zwick said that we must learn self mastery and we must learn it now.  There is going to come a time where we will not be able to avoid the internet. And we have to learn now how to avoid, protect and become immune.  And what better way to become immune than by living the gospel right now.  He talked about purifying our hearts and engraving our testimony upon our hearts.  What an incredible meeting. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to be in that meeting right before I go home.   

My heart melted this week.  Larry Albert called us one night after we had come home. And he said, " Sister Moline, I know that your time here is coming to a close. But I want you to understand that I am not going to give up.  I am going to make it."  He talked with me for a while and said, "You know Moline, I have met with many missionaries throughout my life...but you are the best missionary.  I appreciate your time, and your persistence with me. I will never forget you and what you have helped me accomplish." OH! My heart! MY HEART! Literally Larry is my one true love.  Sister Ruys asked me yesterday who I was sent here for.  Without a moment’s hesitation I said, " Larry Albert"  I know I was sent here for him.  He was with one of our ward members and he told her that he has made more progression from October to now than he has in years.  And it was because of the Lord directing my companion and I to his son.  If there is one thing I have learned.  It is that God knows and loves his children.  Some random native man in Montana matters to God.  And he sent his missionaries to find him. I am so thankful I got to be that missionary.  

GUESS WHAT! Oh my gosh! Guess what! Kirby! The Kirbster! We met with him last week and asked him to meet us this week at the church to do a church tour. First off, that was super gutsy, second there was like no way we thought he would agree because Brother Bailey wasn't going to be there.  I totally thought there was no way.  Kirby refuses to step foot in any church and he hates people, there is no way he would come and come without Brother Bailey.  But get this.  He calls us Friday night and says, I am running late, but I will be there. SHUT UP! He came and we gave him a church tour with Brother Gillett. Oh it was wonderful.  We ended in the chapel, and immidiatley he took of his hat and walked inside.  He stood there for a few moments just smiling.  I was watching him and he continued to smile as Sister Storrs explained the chapel and the sacrament.  Oh it was just wonderful.

On Saturday a family of 5 was baptized. The Elders were teaching them and Sister Storrs and I did the musical number. And guess who showed up? Only my main man Keern! AND! He brought his two kids with him.  HOLLA! Oh Keern is doing wonderful.  We went over the interview questions and let’s just say we should have been on the District it went so well. The man is wonderful.  He said he had been praying about who he should have baptize him and wants Elder Holland to baptize him....could that be any more random.  But it is going to happen.  But then Satan attacks again.  Keern called us and said he has scheduling conflicts with Thursday and needs to figure out another day.  Sadly it might end up being the Saturday I fly home. :(  But as long as the man is baptized I don't even care! Maybe I can skype in....

Yesterday was a pretty difficult day for me.  Sister Storrs and I sang in sacrament and I saw so many faces of people that I absolutely love and adore. And people that I have grown so close to.  People were crying and it made me cry and it was just a mess.  Penny Burkstrand came to church and I was sitting next to her and I just laid my head on her shoulder and started to cry knowing that I was never going to be able to sit with Penny in church ever again.  I would never be apart of this ward ever again. These people had become my family and this literally was the last time I would see most of them.  Emotions of never being a missionary again, never getting to invite someone to be baptized, or sit next to someone in church that I had invested so much emotion time and energy into was really hard.  Coupled with the thought that I am not ready, that I am not strong enough to take on the world and deal with all the crap of life.  But I had my Departing interview with President last night.  It was literally the best 45 minutes of my entire life.  He just sat me down and we talked.  We talked like father and daughter.  And he told me some incredible things regarding my mission and my life. It was wonderful the council and guidance he gave me. At the end of my interview he looked me in the eye and said, "I want you to know, I love Sister Moline.  I know you, and I love you."  Then he gave me a big hug and I just cried.  My mission means the entire world to me. I love that man.  I felt a lot better leaving his interview knowing who I am leaving my mission and who I want to continue to become.  And that my mission really never ends.  My mission will continue to go forward until I see the face of God. This was just preparing me for the remainder of my life. The changes I have made, the relationship I have developed with my Savior and the person I have become is who God wants me to be and continue to become. Elder Zwick talked a lot about asking ourselves, "Am I willing to change?"  and I am.  I am willing to change for the Lord and continue to become all he wants of me. 

I came to Montana in hopes to change people's lives, but I look at my mission and who I am now and I have come to realize that I am leaving changed because of the people I came here to serve. I love my mission. I love this gospel. 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 nowhere 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 my Father in Heaven and my Savior Jesus Christ and I love the Book of Mormon.  The gospel of Jesus Christ is my life. It is everything that I am and everything that I hope to become. I love my Savior. I knew Him before my mission but I don't think I ever understood how much deeper that understanding and love could get.  I look back on times that were difficult for me and I can see where my Savior lifted me and gave me strength endure and overcome. Through him I know that I am capable and able to do things I alone could not do. I am thankful to know that we have a prophet on the earth.  That although the world is changing and shifting we have a mouthpiece of the Lord on the earth.  I trust in him because I trust in the Book of Mormon because I trust in God.  I may not know all things. But I know that the Lord loves his children. And that is enough for me to press forward with faith.  

I will forever cherish my experiences here.  I know that the Lord has a plan for each of us. That this experience here was just the spring board of what is to come in my life.  He has a plan for us to succeed and become great and the pathway to that is the gospel. To answer Elder Zwick. I am ready. I am willing. I will change and do what the Lord asks of me. "For I know in whom I have trusted." This Gospel has changed me.  I will never forsake the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is embedded in my heart.

I love you so much! I am excited to see you! If I forgot anything I will just tell you.....SATURDAY! 

LOVE YOU ALL! 

SURE LOVE YA! MOLINE'S ROCK! MISSIONARIES RULE! 

LOVE, 

Sister Big Sky Moline, Mo Mo, Holy Moly, Molinskly, Molinator, Montana Moline, Freezing Moline

SISTER MOLINE 

March 3, 2015

Okay everyone calm down! The Davis family came to church yesterday! HOLY MOLY! That was crazy.  We have been doing FHE with that family for a looooonnng time now and they came yesterday! Made my life. I was so pleased. :) 

This week went well.  It went by way too fast. UGH! STOP! This week we have an all mission meeting in Bozeman about ipads with Elder Zwick of the first quorum of the seventy.  It should be pretty dang cool. Then the Leadership Council will spend the night in Bozeman and have another MLC regarding the ipads the following day.  I am so excited to be able to be in Bozeman again.  Hopefully I can pull some strings and see some of those incredible people before I go.

A miracleee! This week an investigator family from the other stake moved into our area.  We moved them all day in the snow.  Note to self. Never do that.  We are fighting with the Elders on who gets to teach them.  I got all chummy with the mom so I am thinking we will win. Holla. Holla.  The mom is actually not taking the lessons, but her son is.  He has taken all of the lessons and is ready for baptism. CHA CHING! How beautiful is that?  

We taught Keern a couple of times this week. That man is wonderful.  We taught him the Word of Wisdom and he accepted it wonderfully as well as tithing.  He texted us later that night and said that he wanted us to know how greatly he appreciated us and loved meeting with us.  Sadly he had been planning a ski trip with his two kids this weekend and was unable to attend church, but we are meeting with him and Nathan Dalton, his friend from college, tonight.  It should be good. When we met with him we asked how his Book of Mormon reading was going. He is eating it up! He read through the vision of the tree of life and the explanation in chapter 11 and loved the symbolism.  OH! And he moved his baptismal date to the 12th so that I could be there :) How wonderful is that! Oh! I am so happy.  He said that he was going to give me a hug after he was baptized because he was over this handshaking business. Hahaha yeahhhh kinda not allowed...buuuutt I won't deny it if it comes my way.  

Speaking of hugs.  We went and saw a part member family, Jess and Rose.  Jess is a member and Rose is not.  I found them with Sister Black and once I met Jess there was an instant connection. I don't know what it is, but I have always loved that man.  When we met him he made it very clear that his wife was not a member and that if we pushed her then he would kick us out of the house.  He is a stubborn old man for sure.  But we have been able to develop a very good relationship with them to the point where we have been teaching them the lessons and Jess has been totally fine with it.  I took a picture with both Jess and Rose last night and after, Jess pulled me into a big hug and told me that he would never forget what I had done for him and his wife.  He said that he never had seen his wife smile or laugh so much until we would come over.  He kept saying that he knew we were led to them, without a doubt he knew that God brought us to them. We had just taught them the Plan of Salvation and he got really into the spirit world and was really fascinated with it.  He said, I may not see you until the Spirit world, but if some crazy old man comes up to you and gives you a big hug, you will know it is me.  That meeting was a tender mercy to me that really we don't know the effects we have on people.  This week was good, but nothing crazy happened and we didn't make huge progression with anyone and I started to kinda get down on myself that I hadn't really done a lot here.  And I thought about Jess and Rose and how they hadn't come to church at all, and Rose was not interested in being baptized and how meeting with them was going nowhere. But right when I walked in Jess lifted up his scriptures and said, believe it or not Moline, I read with my wife.  And then he told me how much he appreciated me and the spirit he felt while we were in the home.  That even though I felt like my efforts were in vain, the Lord was using me despite my own thoughts.  The Lord knows exactly what Jess and Rose need in order to progress, he sees the big picture and knows what they need.  I just act.  

Another similar event took place when we saw another less active last night.  We see Linda every Sunday night.  Her husband is a faithful, active member but Linda hasn't been to church is a long, long time.  Same thing.  We were told to be careful with Linda, not to put her on the spot, make sure not to make her feel stupid or pushed.  So I took a lot of time in building a relationship with her.  We are now at the point where we walk in and she is ready for the prayer and the message we have to share. But I was feeling the same way about Linda as I was about Jess. We see her every week and what does we have to show for it.  Something Linda has struggled with for awhile was faith.  She wanted to read the scriptures but felt that every time she did, something bad would happen and she said she lacked the faith to push through.  Sister Storrs has this rockin object lesson that I LOVE.  We start out talking about what faith is. Faith is believing in something that you can't see but is true. And there are some things in this life that we do not understand, that don't make any sense.  And we ask God questions like, How in the world does that make sense?  Why would something like this happen?  And so on. But we have to remember that as mortal beings are minds are finite.  We see the here and the now. This life.  But we need to remember that God sees the whole thing. He knows it all and many times we are asked to just trust Him.  And then I grab a certain object out of my purse and hold it clenched in my fist and say that I have an opportunity for them to exercise their faith.  I show them my clenched fist and tell them that I have something that has never seen the light of day or been touched by human hands.  And every time people say, well how is that possible! You are holding it in your hands! They make a couple guesses and get frustrated and say that it doesn't make any sense that I could be holding it but have it not be touched by human hands.  But then we ask them if we have ever lied to them or ever led them astray...has God ever lied to them or ever led them astray...then it begins to click in their minds.  After a little discussion I finally show them what I have in my hands.  It is a peanut.  And the nut inside has never seen the light of day or been touched by human hands. It is this ah hah moment for people.  And it relates to our life and how there are things that just don't make sense, but we are asked to rely on faith and in time...it will be revealed to us and we will see that will all work out and the God never led us astray.  We did this with Linda and it clicked. We asked her to exercise her faith and read a specific chapter from the Book of Mormon. Without a seconds hesitation she said yes.  She NEVER says yes.  She always says, I can't make any promises, but I will try.  But she said, "I promise I will have this read.  I don't know what made me say yes, but I felt I needed to."  BOOOYYAAA!! I don't know if that object lesson made sense. But it is a miracle worker. But Linda went on to say that she has met with many missionaries but she has felt more progression since meeting with us than she has with anyone else. Stttttoooopppp!  Oh God is good. he knows what he is doing.  He understands his children! I need to remember and trust that! He knows them. He knows exactly what they need. And he will nurture and love a questioning soul until they are ready.  

Last week I think I wrote about Brother Torrez bringing his good friend to one of our lessons. We met with Rick this week and gave him a tour of the church....that was the hardest thing I have ever done. The tour took 40 minutes.  He talked so much it was impressive.  We would try and interrupt him, but he wants to learn for knowledge sake, but no so much for himself.  Brother Torrez will be the key

Penny Burkstrand is still going strong with quitting smoking! Oh!!! I love love love love love that woman. She means the world to me.  She came to all 3 hours of church yestesrday and bore her testimony.  YES! SHE BORE HER TESTIMONY! I could not hold back the tears.  I could have died.  Seeing her get up and bear her simple sweet testimony made my mission worthwhile.  I was wondering if you all could maybe write her a little encouraging note in her efforts to quit smoking. It is really difficult for her,but she is doing great.  

Her address is 600 17th Ave S. #7 Great Falls, Montana 59405 

We went to see her this week and someone at work gave her one of those vaporizers. Oh I could have killed him.  Penny hadn't used it yet but I put sticky notes all over it that said, " I am Satan! Do not smoke me! " and hid it.  hahaha those things are so expensive.  But people use them because they can control the nicotine level in it to help ween yourself off of  nicotine. But regardless of opposing outside forces she is doing really good.

Another miracle from the week was the Meyerhoff family! Since I have been here the Elders have been the main teachers for them.  They are a less active family that come occasionally.  The Elders that we have here currently have been unable to get in with them, so they asked if we would try.  We went over there and the mom answered the door and looked really frazzled.  She said it wasn't really a good time, she had a lot of laundry to do and had a lot she needed to get done...well we kind of just walked in and said we wanted to help. Hahaha We folded all her laundry and got to know her daughter Kallie who is 11.  I was teasing her and getting to know Kallie a little bit and she opened up with us.  We shared a message and Sister Meyerhoff teared up and kept thanking us for stopping by and telling us that she really needed it.  We stopped by again on Saturday and Sister Meyerhoff answered the door again and said they were just heading out but that she wanted us to come over every other Wednesday when Kallie didn't have Activity Days to teach Kallie.  She said after we left Kallie really wanted us to come over again and had all these questions about serving a mission.  BOOOMMM! Love it! 

Oh I love this gospel.  I love it so much.  I was thinking about this week and was kinda bummed with it.  But now looking back I can see that we did just what the Lord wanted need us to do with exactly the people that needed it.  God knows His children. He knows their needs, their desires, their struggles and challenges.  He never leaves us alone and gives us opportunities to come to Him.  We just need to open up our eyes to recognize those opportunities.  

I love this gospel. Oh, I love it. I love my mission and I love these people.  I think the hardest thing for me is knowing that I have given my heart to so many people here and my time here is coming to a close. I am so thankful for this opportunity I have to serve my Savior.  I am thankful that He took a chance on someone like me with so many imperfections. Because of that chance He took on me, my life has been forever changed. I love my life. I love my mission. I love the gospel.  

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

Sister Big Sky Moline

February 23, 2015

Hola! Hola! 

What a good week!!! And a fast one! Time needs to slow down...I can't keep up with how fast it is going. And it is starting to freak me out a little bit. But this week we did WORK.  I felt like this week we cut out a lot of the fat and went straight for the meat. We met with a lot of people that are making progress and moving forward. And it showed yesterday at church when sister Storrs and I alone had 9 individuals, less actives and investigators come to church. Sacrament was packed! It was pretty close to the happiest day of my life. Even Lar Bear came.  He walked into sacrament late and I looked up at him right as he was walking in and he shot me a peace sign.  Hahaha Peace and Suga Brother Albert. Peace and Suga.  

We met with Keern on Tuesday and had a great lesson on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He took notes and wrote down questions he had at church, so we were able to answer those. ( who does that???) Keern is very logical in his thinking and has a lot of questions but what I like about Keern is that he is never contentious with his questions, or misunderstandings. He asks solely to learn. But, because he is such a logical thinker we are helping him learn to recognize the feelings and promptings of the spirit, which is coming along well. He acts like a member at church. We had to break off into groups in gospel principles and I looked over at Keerns group and it was him, another investigator and two Less active members so I went over there to help lead the discussion and the whole time he participated as if he had been taught this his whole life. JUST BE BAPTIZED KEERN! Oh, he is wonderful.   He is having dinner with the Hickmans tonight. OH I LOVE THEM! I am excited :)  

Later on Tuesday night we went to go visit Samantha. Sam is a less active member. She is in her thirties, a single mom with 3 kids and busy as all get out. She works as a nurse at the hospital and had a hard time coming to church because of her job. I love her to death. She is just this cute, fun mom and from the get go her and I just clicked. We met with her and because I have been able to build this relationship with her over the course of me being in Great Falls  I was able to be very real and straight forward with her and say it was time she comes back. That we needed her, we loved her and we wanted her there. It turned into this awesome discussion of her opening up and telling us her real concerns and what has driven her away. But she said to us that it had just hit her that it had been a whole year since she had gone. It just creeps up on you. She kept saying how she would justify a Sunday here, a Sunday there, until an entire year had passed without her attending at all. And that is so how Satan works. There is a verse in D&C 50:24 that says, "that which is of God is light; and he that receivers light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light growth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."

This same truth can also work, in reverse. People lose light line upon line or sin upon sin. Here a little and there a little. And even though the light being lost is almost imperceptible to a person at the time, the culminate loss that takes place because of this is shocking. Satan never will throw he big bad boys at us at the beginning, he will chip away and do what we can to the point where we look back and we really see how far gone that light of the gospel is. But we shared that scripture about how we are to choose this day...choose today to go to church. Don't choose Sunday morning, choose right here, right now to go. But! The story doesn't end there. We left her house, and I didn't think much about it. But who came marching through those church doors yesterday? Only Sam! I am pretty sure when I saw her I ran across the chapel to go hug her. I was so happy to see her. 7 months everyone. It only took 7 months to get her there. But it was worth every visit to see her walk through those doors. AND she told her non member boyfriend she wants to go back to church, so she is bringing him next week! Also they are going to Salt Lake for some tournament thing he has and she asked him to take her around temple square. I told her to take a picture of the two of them in front of the temple, print it out, frame it, give it to him and say, "that's where I plan on getting married, make it happen."haha

Penny Burkstrand!!! I love that woman so much! Oh, I love her. This week she is quitting smoking. We started the stop smoking program with her. It is supposed to work in 7 days. It talks about Pavlovs dogs and how smokers have their bells.  The program is supposed to help turn off all the smoker bells.  It uses grapefruit juice, cinnamon mouthwash, vitamin C and all sorts of things. It's very specific on when you take each thing, what time of day, and after certain activities. But we went to Penny's to start the program and she said she had shampooed her carpet in preparation, she had put pictures of the temple in frames all over house and on her walls, she had put up signs telling her not to smoke up all over the house and when we got there she had all her cigarettes and lighters out for us to take. We had a little fun and made her take the cigarettes outside and smash them. But also, in order to be effective in stopping smoking, one of the requirements is to abstain from  coffee. And penny drinks coffee like a fish. Her 2nd day of not smoking she called and texted us all day saying she couldn't do it that she was craving coffee so bad she could kill someone. We went over to her house and she was like, , " my teeth are going to fall out I have been brushing them so much and using that dang mouthwash!" And she had already finished a whole carton of grapefruit juice. Ha hahahaha oh penny, but we fixed it and got her some Pero which seems to do the trick for her. She is on her way to being completely off! I am so proud of her and her determination. AND! The woman stayed all three hours yesterday at church! I was so proud. I don't know if I said it before, but Penny gave us a key to her house, so yesterday when she didn't answer our calls or texts to wake her up we just went over and woke her up ourselves.  Hahahahaha oh I love being a missionary. You get away with a lot of strange behaviors that most people wouldn't get away with. But she came! WOOT! 

Also this week we had a meeting with our investigator Dion. He can't get baptized until October because he is on probation but that man has not missed a Sunday since the day we met him.  He wanted us to start teaching his girlfriend, Rhonda so we set up a time to see both of them.  We called a member to come that we have never used before and he told us he would be there and that he was going to bring a friend that was interested in learning more about the church.  STOP!  So we taught 3 investigators at one meeting.  And that member rocked! I loved him! Dion and his girl come from pretty rough backgrounds and the member we brought has had his fair share of rough experiences and doesn't look like your typical Mormon.  I thought it was a good change for him to come to the lesson....and it really payed off! The lesson went well.  It was difficult because Rhonda and the members friend, Rick had different concerns so it was hard to address all of them.  But Rick accepted a Book of Mormon and asked if we could meet weekly on Saturdays. :) Yes, we sure can Mr. Rick.  SCORE! 

On Thursday and Friday of this week I went on exchanges with some sisters in our zone.  We had a pretty neat experience with a less active man named William.  It was late and they decided to try him to see if he was home.  He answered the door and seemed kinda weirded out that we were there.  Sister Major asked if we could step in and share a message with him.  He seemed pretty hesitant to let us in. But boom! Once we sat down the man unveiled all of his life to us.  I am telling ya, there is something about this badge that we wear.  We all sat there as he told us of struggles he has had, of the despair he was feeling because of his divorce, how lonely he was etc.  He went on and on and we just listened.  He mentioned that being in the army he traveled all the time and that the church was always there for him no matter where in the world he traveled.  He said that the church had always been a family of friends.  He hadn't gone to church in a couple years and didn't really mention why.  But when we neared the end of our visit I got the distinct impression that we needed to be bold and invite him to come back to church.  We hadn't said much at this point.  But right before we left I reiterated what he had said about the church being a  family of friends and how this ward was that for him. I asked him to come to church this Sunday and be with his family.  He paused and didn't say anything for a moment and just thought.  Then turned to look at me and said, " You know, I will.  I will be there."  I talked to those Sisters yesterday and they said he came and the ward just loved the heck out of him.  The gospel isn't just a way of life personally, but it is a family that is united in purpose and desire.  The church and the ward is a large family of friends to support, sustain and encourage.  I think back on our ward and how the people in our ward have been such a huge part of my life in me growing up and progressing and how grateful I am for ward families. 

This gospel is the good life! I love it! I love this area I am serving and I ADORE the people here.  They have my heart.  

I love you all and I know that being on a mission is exactly where the Lord needs me.  I feel like I have finally come to know why He wanted me to come here and who He wanted me to meet and help strengthen. I am honored to wear Christ's name over my heart every single day.  It means the world to me.  I love my Savior.  I know He lives.  I know that through our Savior we can be strengthened mind, body and soul.  He loves us, He knows us.  I hope and pray I do and say what He would have me do and say each day. 

I love you! 

Sure love ya Moline's Rock Missionaries Rule! 

SISTER MO MO

 Carrot Juice! Bottoms up!

 Penny, the love of my life.  That woman is the most selfless person I know.  She is so wonderful! n OH, how I love her. She made us these cute Valentines and I got my Valentines kiss from her adorable grandson! Woot! 

Sister Schwendiman!!

2-16-15

This week was so crazy! It went by so fast, but at the same time it feels like it has been 3 weeks in one. We had MLC ( mission leadership council)  in Helena on Wednesday and zone conference on Thursday. Elder Holland, myself and Sister Glenn all gave our departing testimonies, with many others at MLC. (and yes mom he is staying in Great Falls) That was probably the hardest thing for me to do this week. It was such a privilege to be among so many faithful and strong missionaries and know that I am among them. Their testimonies and their faith have strengthened mine. The rest of MLC was very enlightening. We split up into groups and each group was assigned to focus on either the strengths, threats, weaknesses or opportunities of the mission and we came back together as a council and discussed each of the areas. I was thinking about how powerful that was to think of all these distinct areas of the mission and recognizing the threats, weaknesses but also the strengths and opportunities for growth. I had an opportunity to do that on a much more personal level and think of my strengths, weaknesses, threats and my opportunities of growth. How grateful I am for the gospel that constantly is my motivation to become and to change into something better. 

I will always remember what Larry said about how he was tired of not progressing and living the gospel has allowed him to stretch and to grow. And how important it is to take time in our life and sit down and really think of where we are, and where we want to be and who we can be through our Savior. 

We spent the night in Helena and I got to be with a sister I was an STL over here in Great Falls as well as another Sister I came out with.  It was so much fun! Oh! I just loved being able to see the sister I was over. It has been close to 6 months since I have seen her and it is incredible how much she has grown and changed. I was so impressed with her ability to bear sincere testimony and do the hard things. I wonder if that is how it is with our father in heaven. Obviously on a much larger scale, but when we go home to Him, will he be so proud of the person we allowed ourselves to become? Will he be able to see how we used our weaknesses to become some of our greatest strengths? I often wonder about that. Will I be confident with who I have become in God's presence, or will I still have regrets. Luckily, that is why we have a Savior who allows us to be enabled and become. I have gained such a powerful testimony of the potential we have. God always sees us for who we can be, not who we are, or who we have been. He knows us perfectly and knows exactly what we are capable of. That is why our life here on earth was so vital, because only through he stress and complexities of life would we be stretched and tested and ultimately through much pressure be refined into incredible, changed beings.

Thursday was a zone conference type deal...but it wasn't really zone conference. It was a mission leadership training. But something that was said was really interesting. President Mecham talked about the weight and magnitude of our calling as missionaries and how we are all leaders. He said that if there was a branch in this mission that didn't have any worthy priesthood holders, he could call one of the missionaries in that area to become the Branch President, he would pick his 2 counselors and they would be set apart.  But the missionary called as the Branch president would not have to be set apart for his calling because as a missionary he has  already been set apart to lead and to guide. Isn't that nuts? I never knew  that. But I don't think that missionaries in general really understand the name they bear, and what authority they carry with them. I joke that I feel like I haven't changed all that much, because I have been with me the whole time so it can be hard to tell. It's hard knowing your imperfections and weaknesses and to be able to really see yourself as a physical representative of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world. What an incredible opportunity we have to serve as the Lords servants for such a small amount of time. It reminds me of one of my favorite scriptures from my mission in D&C 15:6. " behold, I say unto you that the thing which will be of most worth unto you will be to declare repentance unto this people that you may bring souls unto me."  There is nothing that brings me greater joy than to know that I am doing the work of God right now. I am fulfilling his work here on the earth. No other time in my life will I be certain that I am doing what is pleasing to God. 

After our meetings in Helena we drove back to Great Falls and had yet another meeting with our Stake President. I LOVE THOSE MEETINGS.  Basically he calls random people to bear their testimonies on a specific topic and that is the meeting.  But I have never been in more spirit led meetings.  All things that are spoken are from the heart and from people's experiences.  I had the opportunity to bear my testimony at that meeting.  How grateful I am for opportunities to bear my testimony.  It allows me to seriously reflect on the things I truly know and it allows the Spirit to witness to me as I speak that I do indeed know this gospel to be the gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ.  I love this work! 

Facebook miracle!!! Get this. Get this!! So I was facebook tracting....yes that is a thing,  and I added  some random guy and he accepted. HOLLA! I started talking with him and come to find out he had been meeting with missionaries in October.  But because of some legal complexities they had to stop teaching him. We talked with our stake president got the clear to teach him and baptize him in our ward. And Boom! Next lesson we had we put him on date, and gave him a tour of the church. But listen here  this is where it gets crazy. We were in the primary room and there was a picture of a recently baptized father. They had been a part member family for years, and then after meeting with missionaries Nathan, the father decided to be baptized.  Keern, our investigator, looked at it and was like, "no way! Nathan got baptized!? I went to college with him." Shut up! not even real. And Nathan is THE BOMB! Such an incredible member. And lo and behold who was speaking In Sacrament the following day? Only Nathan and his wife. Keern came to church and listened to probably the best sacrament meeting he will ever have in his life and stayed and participated in the rest of church. Golden? Yes. I think so. But real talk. What are the chances that Keern would know Nathan and that he would be speaking....let's get real people. NO COINCIDENCES. I don't believe it.  Also did I mention that Keern is very good looking? And that all the women in the ward were very thankful he came to church. Haha We invited one of our ward missionaries to a lesson with us and the first thing she asked was, " is it with Keern???" When we told her no she said, " oh darn, he sure isn't hard to look at. " oh dear. Hahaha what have we done...haha but we are excited to see what happens. 

Also this week was confession session.  It seemed like with everyone we met with told us all their deepest darkest secrets.  There is something about wearing a tag that says Jesus Christ that makes people really open up....a lot.  We met with a new investigator this week.  He approached Sister Storrs and I last week and said he needed guidance and needed to find a church to join because he was so lost.  We met with him and it was AWESOME! We had a recently returned missionary come to the lesson and oh! I loved it! We extended the baptismal invite and without hesitation, Nathan said yes, of course.  He was very open and candid about some of his addictions and struggles he faces on a regular basis.  It just built my testimony that there comes a time in our life where we hit a wall and God is the only way out.  Nathan recognized that his addictions and ways of coping with family struggles were not giving him the help he so desperately desired, so when he saw us and our name tags he reached out for help.  I am so excited for him and his progression. Sadly both Nathan and keerns dates are after I leave.  I hate it.  

The work is going great! I have been a lot more bold within the last two weeks than I have since being here and it feels great! I have worked so hard to develop a relationship of love and trust with these people that now is the time to lay down the hammer! Wish me luck! I don't have very long, I have to leave here knowing I said and did all that I humanly could do to help these people come unto Christ.  

I love this gospel. I love my life and my opportunities that God has given me to grow. My mission is the BEST decision I have ever made.  I LOVE HIS WORK! 

I love you all! Talk to you soon! 

Sister Moliney

 HAPPIEST DAY OF MY LIFE!!!

 Rhenon at the temple!

The Bozeman Crew!

It was Penny's year anniversary of her baptism.

February 9, 2015

GUESS WHAT! 

EVERYONE JUST GUESS WHAT I GOT TO DO ON SATURDAY! 

Elder Holland, myself and our companions drove down with our Bishop to Billings to go through the temple with Rhenon! Sister Bonn is serving in Rhenon's stake and got to come up as well.  When we got there and got to go behind the desk at the temple Rhenon and Sister Bonn were dressed in white waiting for us. I immediately burst into tears when I saw the two of them.  Good friends from the ward in Bozeman came with Rhenon as well and we all got to be apart of her going through the temple for the first time in 11 years.  I cannot explain the love that filled my heart and the spirit that I felt as I got to see her enter into the temple.  Words cannot describe.  And to top it off my ward mission leader's wife was the ordinance worker for our session.  She saw me and gave me a big hug. Her son is working with Saryn at the creamery. Small world! OH HOW I LOVE THESE PEOPLE! Rhenon's son was shot and killed by a cop about a month ago.  Elder Holland and I got permission to skype her.  It was incredible to see how the Lord has prepared her for these things coming her life for a long time.  I was thinking about last year, if her son had died, there would have been no way that she would have been able to cope and to deal with it.  But The moment she got out of jail, the missionaries were there and have helped her in the gospel to prepare her for that moment.  And the fact that so soon after her son's death she was able to go through the temple again.  Incredible.  Such a special moment.  

Earlier this week Sister Storrs and i had a meeting with Kandace. Which by the way Dad! She was so excited to text you a picture and your response was SO LAME! Text her back something cooler. Haha, but she lives in a locked apartment building and we were waiting for her to come let us in when a guy smoking outside asked if we needed to be let in.  We said yes, and he asked if we were the missionaries that come around every once in awhile.  We said yes and he let us in.  I got the feeling that we needed to talk to him but by the time he let us in it was too late.  LAME excuse. I know.  But we go inside and there was a table of checkers and Sister Storrs challenged me to a game while we waited for Kandace.  So we played and I  got demolished.  But the man outside came in and approached us and asked if we teach classes or something and if he could join them.  DO WE TEACH CLASSES!?  We jumped on the sucker. Gave him our number a Book of Mormon testified and set up an appointment.  He told us that his parents were going through a divorce and it was really effecting him and felt like he needed to find a church to be apart of.  COME my friend. Come.  hahaha But it really hit me after he left that never again will I have random strangers approach me and ask me about baptism, or about God and ask me what they can do to find him.  Never again.  It gave me perspective of how I want to leave my mission. Knowing I gave everyone an opportunity to learn about the Restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Okay, I know Dana sounds crazy! But he is great! We taught a lesson with the elders this week to transition him over and it went really really well. Although he loves sister missionaries he does have a pure heart and has a desire to do good. 

Dion is another investigator and guess what! HE BROUGHT HIS GIRLFRIEND TO CHURCH! WOOT! We are starting to teach her this Friday :)

Also some more exciting news! A less active family we have been trying to work with FOR AGES invited us over for dinner this week! NEVER HAS THAT HAPPENED.  They want to be sealed in the temple and know they have to come to church in order for that to happen.  But we had a really good discussion with them about the gospel blessing our families and they loved it. I finally feel like our relationship is getting somewhere with them.  

I was reading back in my old MTC notebook and something that one of our teachers said was that we don't teach.  The Spirit does, it is our job to love them.  And I have definitely seen that take place here. You say what the Spirit leads you to say and you just love the heck out of them....maybe that's where things went sour with Dana...BUT! it is good advice nonetheless. 

LARRRRYYYYYYY! I know you all were waiting on an update with the Lar Bear! We had two solid lessons with him this week.  And he put his fist on the table and looked me right in the eye and said, I am doing this Moline.  And I can't promise I will get the Priesthood before you go, but if I do, I want you to be there with me.  He also said that even when we as missionaries leave, he will never forget what we have done for him and that we will always have a special place in his heart.  I almost started crying right then and there.  he kept comparing the person her was now compared to the person he was before. He kept saying that he has not made any progression for months and months and months and the gospel has helped him get somewhere in his life and make some sort of progression toward becoming something.  The Gospel gives meaning to our lives.  It does.  It gives us a reasons to live and to become.  This life is for us to become something greater than what we were before and the gospel allows us to become that.  

I LOVE the gospel. I LOVE the church.  I am who I am today because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is all that I am and all I that I hope to become.  The gospel is the good life.  I know that it doesn't matter what others say or do, as long as I can look in the mirror each night and know I am straight with my Savior, nothing else matters.  My Savior means everything to me.  I owe him all that I am.  I love you all! Talk to you soon!


Sister Moly Moly 

 Penny Burkstrand, Myrissa, and her two little boys

 The Whitneys, the couple we live with have a son and his six daughters that live in their ward.  LOVED THESE GIRLS!!

This is dear Sister Tamara Bosh

February 2, 2015

Oh what a week! 

GLORY BE! I AM STAYING WITH SISTER STORRS IN GREAT FALLS! WOOT! WOOT! Nothing brings me greater happiness and joy.  YESSSS!!! 

I will start off with the most interesting news of all.  Dana May our recent convert came up to me the other day and gave me a note.  A note that it a page and a half long.....it is of him confessing his undying love for me.  He said that he wanted to move to Texas and start new life with me.  My heart just sank. NOOO! And then I remembered that he was all about Sister Storrs and Sister Major, I ain't going to be no one's 3rd choice! But in all reality it broke my heart. We had already been through this once.  I pulled him aside at church and was very blunt and straight forward with him. I told him that his feelings for missionaries was inappropriate and that there was no way he would be able to be with Sister Storrs or me or any other missionary for that matter. I explained our purpose and that his feelings was why we were wanting him to meet with the Elders.  He took it pretty hard and wouldn't take a ride home. He walked home and we saw him smoking.  UGH! Love hurts. But we still have an appointment with him and the Elders are coming. Hopefully that transition goes well....pray.  Ha

Lar Bear! Oh that man! So Sister Storrs and i went on exchanges and she had a lesson with Larry without me.   But from the sounds of it, it went extremely well! I have mentioned this a couple of times but he lives in an awful place.  People are constantly coming and going doing meth and other drugs. Even his wife is a meth addict.  He expressed to us that he loves meeting with us because he feels the Spirit, but the spirit he feels doesn't stay with him and sustain him.  He told Sister Storrs in their lesson that that lifestyle and those people were on one side and the church and the gospel was on  the other and he was stuck in the middle. The whole lesson was of him talking and venting.  He got teary eyed as he told Sister Storrs that 9 times out of 10 when he prays he knows he needs to leave that house and never look back.  He needs to make his decision. He got tears in his eyes because he knows that if he moves out of that house, he would be permanently leaving all of those people...his family.  Another hard aspect of that is part of his pride. He is leaving his native family to be with a ton of white people.  But he knows. He also told Sister Storrs that after that meeting where I laid down the law he got really upset with me.  But later realized that he knew I loved him and that everything I did and said and have pushed him to be was because I loved him.  He said he has never made so much progress before until he met me and my companion and knows that me pushing him was because I understood where he could be and what he was capable of doing.  I was reading in Alma 13:10 and it says, " it was on account of their exceeding faith and repentance and their righteousness before God, they CHOOSING to repent and work righteousness rather than to perish.  Larry sees both sides.  He sees the side of comfort that he knows will continue to lead him to unhappiness and he sees the side of the gospel, that takes work and it takes effort but that he knows has brought him the peace of the Spirit.  In that verse the key word is choosing.  They chose to repent and have faith and be righteous rather than to perish.  They saw both sides, they had to actively choose. Larry is at this point of choosing.  And that is how it is for us.  We can't just sit and watch. We have to actively choose.  It is up to us what we choose.  And the choices we make will either lead us down a path of pain or a path of the Spirit.  Larry has developed a really good relationship with a couple in our ward. They picked him up for church on Sunday and I talked with him. I joked with him and said I was waiting for him to bear his testimony.  He grabbed my arm and looked me straight in the eye and said, " I will.  I will one day. I promise you that I will."  He then told me that he was sorry and said that I was very important to him.  Oh LARRY! How I LOVE YOU! He called the Elders and said he wanted to learn from them more about the Priesthood.  He also had a really good meeting with the Bishop.  Oh things are happening! Things are happening! I will cry my eyes out when I leave.  There comes a point, like Larry, when we have to make difficult decisions.  And many times those decisions will either enhance the Spirit in our life or take it away.  And Larry although extremely difficult has come to a point in his life where he knows where he wants to be and who he wants to be in the eyes of God and is willing to make the hard choice to make that happen.

Another lesson we taught this week was with Tamara.  We had such a spirit led lesson on the Restoration. We were able to address many of her concerns.  We talked about the temple and how she can do work for her mother who has passed on and for her son who committed suicide and give them the blessings of the gospel.  It got really quiet as she wiped away tears and softly whispered, "I can do that?"  She went on and said that she has always wanted her family to be in the gospel with her.  It hit me so hard at that moment that what we have is incredible! What we have is HOPE. The gospel brings hope to those who have none. I am so thankful to my Father in Heaven because despite what is thrown my way I know I will always have the hope of the gospel to anchor me.  

Sadly Kirby and Leann were sick this week and we couldn't see them.  

Yesterday in church we sang hymn #185 and I have never had the words of this song stick out to me as much as they did yesterday.  It goes, "  Reverently and meekly now, let thy head most humbly bow.  Think of me, thou ransomed one.  Think what I for thee have done.......I have ransomed even thee....Bid thine heart all strife to cease; With thy brethren be at peace......In the solemn faith of prayer Cast upon me all thy care and let Spirits grace shall be Like a fountain unto thee."   I know that my Savior is Jesus Christ.  He lives.  He loves me.  I know that through him I can do all things.  I know that like this song says that I can cast upon him all of my cares and struggles and through His Atonement I can be healed.  His Atonement is hope.  I love this gospel with all of my heart. I know that this is the true church once again restored on the earth.  I know that God loves us enough to give us a living prophet. Thomas S. Monson is God's prophet on the earth today!  We can choose who and what we become in this life. And I know by living the gospel I can and will be confident in the presence of my Heavenly Father.  He is my everything.  

 I love you all so much! Here we go! Last transfer! I am ready to show my Savior how much this gospel means to me!

Love you all and miss you! 

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

Sister Molinsky

The muddy car!

January 26, 2015

This week was seriously OUT OF CONTROL! 

Miracle after miracle! It is crazy that this transfer is basically over. Next Sunday we get transfer calls. I AM SO NERVOUS. Part of me thinks I won't get transferred.....but if I do, it won't be the first time someone has been transferred their last transfer. I would love, love, love to stay and finish here. So much is happening and so many miracles are taking place. 

There is a family in our ward, the Hodson family that I am just obsessed with. LOVE THEM! And they just ooze talent.  Sister Hodson is an incredible pianist.  She graduated from BYU in accounting, but took piano from some of BYU's finest piano professors.  She composes, and accompanies professionally and is just plain ridiculous.   She called me up a couple weeks ago and told me that she had written this song a couple of years ago after she lost her son and wanted to put a video of the song on youtube with a slide show of pictures of kids with their parents and mothers with their children.  She asked me if I would sing and record the song for her!   Stttoooopppp.  She said she had been thinking of people to sing the song, and she woke up in the middle of the night with my name on her mind.  Shut upppp! I am too flattered.  But I learned it and recorded it this week with her and her husband.  It was really cool to talk with her about her experiences and how she came up with the music and everything.  She told me that her inspiration for music is actually a really spiritual experience for her and that the things she writes are never for her, but something God is using her to bless someone else.  There was a line in the song that said 

"I can't believe God would take you from me" and then later in the song it goes, " I am so glad that God sent you to me."  She explained to me that she had gone through these stages of grieving when she lost her little boy.  But that she had come to appreciate that trial so much more.  She said what a blessing it was for her that God didn't present us with an option of our trials.  Because she said if she had to choose between losing her son and going through all the pain, doubt and heartache but knowing he would always be hers and she could have him again  VS. not having to go through any of it and not have to deal with the pain and hurt but also never be able to have him, she probably would have chosen the second option! But she said it was through the heartache and struggle that she came to understand Christ's Atonement more fully and understand that her son is very much apart of her life and her family and she will have him again one day.  It was very powerful to hear of her hardships and hear her strength from them.  And that is what this life is all about.  Becoming.  God wants us to become and to be something greater and it is only through our trials and weaknesses that we come to rely upon something so much greater than ourselves and we draw strength and become stronger through accessing the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

This ties perfectly into one of our miracles this week.  We went to go see a less active in a locked apartment complex.  There are a couple of less active members that live there, including Tamara.  I have talked with her a time or two but she has never been super enthralled to talk to me.  We were standing outside of the complex waiting to be let in when Tamara wheeled by in her chair and passed by us, saw us then wheeled back and let us in.  She said, "Are you the church people? "  We laughed and said yes then she said, " I knew it, you just oozed church."  Hahahah good, good that is our job.   Then she told us that she wanted to meet with us as soon as possible. She seemed hesitant asking us and kept saying if we didn't have time it was okay and she understood if we were busy.  But we told her we had time for her and went up to her apartment where she burst into tears and  sobbed to us.  She said she had never felt so hopeless and so alone. Her mother had just passed away and she informed us of some other awful experiences she has had within the past year.  She said she loved the church and wanted it back so bad, but for so many years she had pushed the church and pushed the people in the church away and didn't know how she could come back.  We testified of the Atonement and her worth to us and to the church. I had her read Isaiah 41:10 and 13 and she sobbed and sobbed as she read those words.  The spirit was so strong and touched her so deeply.  If we had not been there right at that moment, she wouldn't have seen us or helped us into the complex. OH THE LORD IS IN THE DETAILS LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! HE IS IN THE DETAILS

Another example of perfect timing was when we were looking for a less active girl in the ward that is turning 12 and entering Young Womens.  The Young Women's president asked us to see if she would be interested in activities.  We went to the house and no one was home.  This was probably the 3rd time we had tried the house with no luck.  But right as we were pulling out of the driveway, the school bus dropped off a little girl.  Sister Storrs and I were like, ITS HER! So we went all creep status and rolled down our window and asked if she was Alexa.  We got talking with her and I am sure scarred her for life.  But if we had arrived just minutes later we would have completely missed her.  

I don't know if you remember me writing about Leanne and Charly.  We had a bomb lesson with them and then could never touch base with them again.  It broke my heart.  We have been praying that we would be able to somehow get in contact with them again.  Earlier this week Leanne called us and told us she needed us to come asap.  We called a member and ran over there as quickly as we could.  We were able to pray with her adn teach her about the plan of salvation and her purpose here.  The Spirit was there and so strong.  She cried and said the closing prayer and each of us had tears in our eyes as she spoke to her Father in Heaven.  Really spoke to Him.  When we got there she brought out all these purses she and earrings and necklaces she had and wanted to give them to us. I laughed it off, but she was serious and gave us all these things.  I was thinking about why she did that and how she probably knew of no other way to thank us and wanted to give us something.  The Lord has been preparing this woman for a long time and she is ready.  She joked about how no matter where she goes missionaries always find her and that God is obviously trying to tell her something. She said, "I could probably go to Japan and some Sisters would find me! "  hahaha The Lord is so aware of His children and she is probably right.  She could go to Japan and God would send her his messengers to bring her the gospel once more because He knows she is ready for change.  

Also this week we got hard core stuck in mud.  HARD CORE! WE made the mistake of going down a road that wasn't really a road.  And since the snow is melting everything is slushy and muddy.  Our car got DESTROYED with mud.  Hahaha poor Sister Storrs had to get out of the car and push and she got soaked in mud.  

ALSO MIRACLE!! I had my come to Jesus talk with Larry and he didn't really like that.  He said he would call us when he was ready to meet again. I thought I would be upset about it, but I felt like I did what I was supposed to in telling him it was time to move forward and stop staying in this comfortable zone.  We haven't talked to him a week.  I turned around after Sacrament meeting yesterday and Mr. Larry Love of my Life was sitting in the back row in a nice button up shirt with nice dress shoes and a smile.  He saw me and threw me a peace sign. Hahaha I sat with him in gospel principles and apologized and told him that I only said the things I did because I love him and see his potential. I told him the ball was in his court and he could call the shots.  He laughed at me and said, "Moline, get over it."  Haha as he left gospel principles he came up behind me and said, " I will see you Wednesday at 4:00"  and walked away. hahaha Oh that man. I love him. And Bishop pulled him aside and they had a good talk. OH Larry Larry.

We also had our lesson with Kirby the Book of Mormon man.  It rocked. Let's just say he knows it is true and believes in the Book of Mormon and the Restoration.  He has a lot of trust issues and has lost a lot of hope in humanity. He threw us some curve balls but we dodged them like pros.  He told Brother Bailey that he had never met people that cared so much and so willing to work with him and work at his level.  This poor man has no self esteem, but as we testify of God's love and mercy the expression on his face and the feel of the room changes drastically.  He knows and feels it's truth.  I LOVE THE GOSPEL.  It brings hope to the hopeless and meaning into our lives.  He is now seeing a purpose and a reason to live all because of the gospel.  

I am trying to think if I am leaving anything important out....probably. Ha this week was crazy awesome with all of the miracles and lessons we had! I love this work and I LOVE GREAT FALLS! Call President Mecham and tell him if I get transferred I am going on strike. 

I love you all so much! 

Sure love ya! Moline's rock! Missionaries rule!