November 24, 2014 “With One Heart and One Mind, it’s Amazing who the Lord will help you find!”

Area: Stillwater Companion: Sister Kitterman                  

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

          It was another grand ol’ week in the MMM!  I love seeing all of the many mighty miracles each day as I serve here in the MMM!! Yesterday, Sister Kitterman and I had a plan to find some “potentials” in our area. While Stillwater is the name of our area, we get to cover more than just Stillwater. We also have Cottage Grove, Bayport, Hudson, New Richmond, Houlton and Marine on St. Croix. It’s a lot. (By the way,  the coolest site I have seen so far, is the St. Croix River frozen. It is pretty cool!)  It is the weirdest thing seeing not only frozen lakes but frozen rivers!  Since Sister Kitterman is from Arizona, and this is her first winter in MMM, she has never really driven in snow or on slippery wintery roads before.  She hasn't killed us yet, so keep on praying for our safety!  The wind is bitter here, bitter I tell you!!

          As we were both looking through the area book we came across an older couple’s name.  They are an older couple that the Elders were teaching in 2012.  The Elders notes said that they loved the restoration and that they were very nice. Anyways, Sister Kitterman and I didn't realize we were both reading about the Family when we both said at the same time; “let's go see the N. family!" That was so funny to know that Heavenly Father had given both of us a prompting to go and see them.

First Snow Day!! 11/10/14

           When we pulled up to their house we both felt the spirit very strongly. We said a prayer and went up to the door. In the driveway we noticed a bunch of telescopes, so we figured we could strike it up by talking about those!!! When we knocked, L. came to the door with their adorable puppy. When he saw our tags he knew exactly who we were! He was so happy to see us!!!! As we are talking with him we asked where K. was. He said that she passed away unexpectedly from cancer August 16. He then continued to tell us about his wife and how wonderful she was and how he has to understand that she isn't coming back. We felt so much love and concern for L. We knew that Heavenly Father and K, his wife had sent us to go comfort him in this difficult time. Since he had taken the discussions with the Elders he was familiar with the plan of happiness, he said that it brought him a lot of comfort. We then explained to him how he can be with K. for eternity. He lit up!! As we continued to talk about eternity he mentioned he was a scientist and eternity is just something he cannot wrap his head around; but then he shared his testimony without even knowing it!!!! We then shared our testimonies about our Heavenly Father's wonderful plan. I talked about my brother that passed away. We could truly see that the Lord sent us to him in his time of need. He is so ready to learn more!!!!

          After we prayed and left we prayed to our Father in Heaven and just thanked him so much for the miracle he had just given us. As we had a rough day on Saturday, (we weren’t getting along and we both were bugging each other; none of our appointments went through, so we were just grumpy idk…..just a bad day!) He truly let us know that he is always there for us. Later that evening, we got a text message from L. saying “I just want to say it was nice meeting you, and I enjoyed our visit tonight. Thanks for being here for me in this difficult time. Your message and prayers help me indeed. Keep following the Lord's lead. –L. " We were so happy to receive such an encouraging text!! We replied "We know that Heavenly Father & K. had a part in us meeting you today, and we look forward to seeing you! Heavenly Father's plan for you is perfect; He knows you and what you need. As does K.! We hope you have a great week and want you to know you are in our thoughts and prayers!!!" We are so grateful that we met Lon. We truly experienced a miracle.

         We followed up on a referral for a lady named Judy. She lives in the same building as Grandma S. and Sister V.  She has a tough life and we were able to teach her about the restoration. She was so accepting!  She loved it.  She also loves pink the color!!! We got along great!  She accepted our invitation to be baptized, which was cool……but we don't think she completely understood what we asked her. We have another appointment with her later this week. She is great, bless her heart.  

We also visited Sister V. Her son is training to be a Marine. She loves talking about him, her cat Pepper and going out with the Sisters.  Sister V. has long hair and wanted a haircut, so…… I did it for her hahahaha!  Oh my.  I got just a little scissor happy…… lol, lol! I cut 6 inches off and gave her a “bob”.  It looks so cute! I’ll send pics later. I also did her makeup and we got her to church on Sunday because I laid her outfit out for her. She looked adorbs. Sister V is da best!   During church your klutzy daughter broke the hymn book holder; haha! Oh gosh, idk….. how do you even do that?

 DON'T YA LOVE THAT K. GOT A BAPT. DATE!!! FINALLY OH MY HECK!

           Sister M. showed me the pic and video you sent her. I started crying when I saw my baby! She looks so much like the other little turkey lurkeys. Speaking of turkey, I don’t get to email you on Thanksgiving, so here are the things I am grateful for: prayer, the Atonement, Jesus Christ, Heavenly Father, family, family, family, friends, Mission friends, mission people, Sis. and Pres. Forbes,  my area,  having a car, family, fireplaces, Diet Coke, family, deer ( which I had a dream about last night, and Maggie Moo) I miss my Muppy!

          Here are the rest of this week’s happenings. “Grandma Amis was transferred: (So was Elder Thacker and Elder Roose. Elder Young is our new District Leader. It is sad to have changes, but we will live. Leo’s is the cutest 50's restaurant in Stillwater. It is really yummy. It reminded me of Uncle Greg's chocolate shakes! It was almost that good.

I have got to go now.  I love you both. Thanks for all the packages!  I’m going to pick them up right now from the Elders!!!  Happy turkey day! I love you all and am grateful for you all do for me!!!!  Here is a quote Aunt Sue shared with me in her letter. “The things you take for granted; someone else is praying for.”  I loved that quote!!

Take pics! I love you!!!   Happy turkey lurkey day!

Ashlee

November 17, 2014 ...It's SOOOOOOOO COLD!!!!

Area: Stillwater  Companion: Sister Kitterman

"ITS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COLD!!!!! The St. Croix River is FROZEN, EVERYTHING IS WHITE!!!!"

Hi Everyone,

This week has been one to remember in the MMM!!! Our 13 year old investigator committed to a baptismal date on December 13! It was so neat to experience someone accept to enter into the waters of baptism. It couldn't have gone more perfectly. We had the lesson at a Sister in the Hudson Ward’s home with her two kids, who are all members. This sweet sister was able to bear her testimony to our investigator about how the Gospel has helped her and her family’s lives. The spirit was so tangible; I will never forget the feeling I had there. Later in the week we went to the BFF’s house of this Sister; her BFF isn’t a member. She's great, and we went to her house to have dinner with all the chiddlers. It was so fun! We walked in and Celine Dion Christmas music is playing….. I almost started to cry I was so happy!!! Then she is addicted to DC so she handed us all one! I loved it, her house felt more like a “normal” Utah house than other homes I have been to in Wisconsin or Minnesota. It was fun; we sang, talked and I shared a pic with them of Mom and Aunt Sue that I love.  I told the two ladies that they reminded me of you two. Fun stuff!  What is up with people in Minnesota and Wisconsin with cats??? Seriously, everyone has a freaking cat; I hate cats! I am allergic. Stupid. Anyways the song “What Heaven Sees In You” from EFY 2005 was so great to listen to!

Brother “Santa” (he looks like Santa) is still progressing! He came to 2 hours of church yesterday!!! It was Hudson’s “ward conference” so we got the opportunity to have President Lash and Bishop Searle speak to us. They were so in tune with the spirit and this brother’s needs. Heavenly Father is just waiting for him to get the courage to accept the truth of the gospel. After Sacrament meeting President Lash and many others came up to this Brother and introduced themselves. We were so happy to see that he felt loved and welcomed in the Hudson Ward!!!!

On Tuesday we went to Cottage Grove to go on "Blitz's” I was Grandma Amis' companion (Sister Amis) and Sister Kitterman was Sister Pao's companion. A Sister I really like went with us. She loved it! She is less active, we had her make a happy wall and write things that make her happy on sticky notes. Sis B. has one too, she loved it!  Every time we see her we help organize her house.  We are trying to help her get her stuff together. We felt prompted to talk about the sacrament and the importance of it…. renewing our covenants with Heavenly Father each week. I know that the spirit spoke through Sis K and me.  We invited her to FHE tonight and she’s coming!  We also invited her to church and she is coming`!! We are so happy; she is a miracle! Remember to make your own "happy wall" and look at it every day. Also, remember the importance of sacrament.

We had such a great time! Then I met the most Christ like lady.  She has had many trials but she doesn't dwell on them. She turns outward. I know that is one of my weaknesses that I have to continually work on. We also met this cute “Grandma" and her granddaughter who is going to be baptized next week. We helped Grandma clean/ organize her extra bedroom. She was so grateful to have us get that burden off her shoulders. Fun fact about Grandma's house: Grandma's cat, Casper, is older than me!!! It was born May 27, 1995 and I was born September 12, 1995. I couldn't believe that thing was older than me!!!!

Anyways Grandma gave me a list of "homework" to do to help me become a more consecrated missionary. I am going to work on pride. Pride comes in many different forms, but it is something everyone in the world has to continually strive to do. I also am going to continue to write in my prayer journal so I can gain an even closer relationship with my Father in Heaven. I accept the challenge to write in a grateful journal every day. I know that as I do this it will help me turn my heart to the Lord.

Love,

Sister Young

PS: Did I mention Grandma S. fed us RIBS?  Bro. “Santa” also fed us, shrimp at Applebees!  Another investigator fed us spaghetti……. no one gives us spaghetti. They all think we eat it all the time, but we never do!!!

 (We (mom & Dad) asked in our letter if the Minnesotan’s have accents, or use different phrases) Here is her answer:  Ha, ha, you betcha I think I am starting to talk weird uffda!!!! I am going to have to go in a minute….. I love you both to the “Moonisnowta” and back!!!

SNOW!! & “A Week full of many Mighty Miracles!”

Area: Stillwater, Companion: Sister Kitterman

November 10,2014

Hello Everyone!

Today we are grounded from going outside because it is the first snow and it is icy on the roads. It is s-o-o cold; I think the wind could kill you if it really wanted! Hahaha! There is no way my companion and I would ever make it to downtown Stillwater on a bike or on foot! Lol!

So instead I am sitting in the house with the laptop in front of the lake, wearing basketball shorts and my National Lampoon Christmas Vacation shirt with a “Frozen” blanket;  Elsa, Ana, and Olaf, emailing all of you! I will admit I miss normal clothes, I will never get used to skirts and dresses 24/7!

We went to Grandma Severin’s house this week; she is the cutest thing on the planet!!!! We are having lunch with her this week!!!!

We sorted through Stelzner’s burnt house, it was sad and spooky. (Not to mention dirty...) The only thing that wasn't destroyed was a picture of Christ, 2 Book of Mormon’s and one Quad!!! Crazy!!!

We went to the Watson’s for dinner and they told us how they met. We about died when they told us in front of the Zone Leaders some details about their romance! Hahaha! (They were so awkward!!!!!) Ahhhhhh, those Elders kill me……. but, I seriously love the Watson s!!!!

So I accidentally let Sister Travis's cat outside and I lost it. I chased it and scared it; I was dying! We looked all night. It finally came back thanks to a lot of prayers. I hate cats, everyone in Minnesota has a dang cat, and I don't understand it. I really miss my Maggie-moo; I really don't like other animals.....awkward.  Sister Kitterman locked me out in the snow; we got some pretty good pics that I will send you.  

This week has been full of many mighty miracles!!! Our investigator that seems to be making the most progress is Brother B. When we meet with him we go over his reading assignments in the Book of Mormon and the thing that impresses me most about him is that when he reads the Book of Mormon he doesn't just read it he studies it!! In his book the margins are full of questions and comments!!! As we go over his questions we answer his questions and we try to “ask him” inspired questions. I feel that when my companion and I teach Brother B. we truly teach in unity.

We stopped by to see him last night, and he was surprised to see us. We talked to him about the Book of Mormon and we read a little bit with him. As we were reading we started talking about prayer. We asked him if he has been praying like we taught him to. He said that he hasn't, so we felt inspired to tell him to kneel down and pray right there with us, and ask Heavenly Father if what we were teaching him and what he has been reading is true?

We then read Moroni’s promise. The spirit was so strong that when he ended the prayer we all just continued kneeling there in silence. We asked him how he felt and he said: "well, I feel something that wasn't there before" and we asked him to explain it and he couldn't so we read Galatians 5:22 and asked him if he felt any of those things, he said yes he did.

          We then explained to him why it is so important to pray and have that connection with Heavenly Father. We invited him to pray like that every day so he could have that feeling again. I know that as he “SINCERELY” prays and reads the Book of Mormon he WILL KNOW that this church is true.

I know that sincere prayer works and Heavenly Father hears our prayers and sometimes we don't recognize his answers but, if we really focus on the spirit, we pray for guidance, we will know what he is telling us. I am so excited to see Brother B. this week and follow up on his progress.

We are going to Mama Monicals for Thanksgiving!!! She’s “da best!” She feeds all 3 teams of missionaries, I love her!! I stay warm with my electric blanket from my Babies! We will be moving on December 1 to apartments! Mom the mission office ladies all gave me big hugs from you!!

Love,

Sister Young

 

November 3, 2014...“Time flies when you are experiencing MIRACLES!!!!!‏”

Area: Stillwater, Companion: Sister Kitterman

“Time flies when you are experiencing MIRACLES!!!!!‏”

Hi Everyone!    

Me with Sister Kitterman
@ Missionary Training Meeting

This past week went by so fast!  It hasn't snowed yet but is super cold! The basement apartment we live in right now never gets above 61 degrees summer or winter, but we will be moving to a new apartment December 1!!  I am still tired ha-ha, which is not going to change!  I’m fine, don't worry!  

We had a Fireside with our Mission President, a mission tour, and stake conference!!! Elder Carlson was the visiting GA, he gave us some great advice and challenged us to not simply listen to his message and take notes but, to identify the changes we are going to make in our personal and missionary lives.

President Forbes shared with us some great advice he had read recently in an article about prayer:

 “Although the Lord has promised to grant our righteous desires, I recently learned to look at prayer in a new way. “The miracle of prayer does not reside in the ability to manipulate situations and events.” Rather, the miracle is that we have a relationship with God and have the knowledge that He is there, that He loves us and desires to bless us. My prayers are more meaningful when I concentrate on other than just an intellectual acknowledgement or even an appreciative admiration of the Being I worship. Instead, I try to remember what I know about His attributes. When I am struggling to receive answers, I try to ask myself, “Do I understand that He knows my past, everything about me, and what I need to do?” He is the only one who knows the end from the beginning. My prayers take on new depth when I trust that perspective.”

Our most progressing investigator this week is an older Brother, who looks like Santa Claus in overalls!!! We finally pin pointed where his testimony is lacking strength. He hasn't been praying like we taught him to! So we printed off a talk by President Faust about prayer and we are going to share that with him. He is excited to learn about the gospel every day and loves to see what makes us "tick"!  The future is looking even brighter for this Brother and we are thrilled!!!!

A miracle that happened this week was in New Richmond.  Sister Kitterman and I went tracting. At the first door we knocked the guy was really rude and slammed the door in our face.  The second door we knocked, no one was home. Then we got to the third door, “The green house on Green Street” knocked on by a “Greenie”.  We knocked and the door opened. A man in his 30's lives there. He had just got home and was grabbing his wallet and was going to head out again..... Heavenly Father is truly amazing with his timing!!!!!!  We shared our message, and he was interested so we taught him the restoration. He grew up very religious, but said he has been lacking faith lately. He had really good questions throughout the whole thing, including "why a 14 year old boy?  We were so excited when he asked us. After we were done with the restoration he introduced us to his 7 year old son. The whole time I could just see this dad baptizing his son when he turns 8!!!  He invited us to come over anytime!! I invited him to be baptized and he said maybe, after he looked at me like I was crazy; I said, not today but in the future as you learn more and gain a testimony of Christ's restored church.  He nodded his head! Then we offered a prayer!!! We felt so happy that we followed the promptings of the spirit!!!

Another thing that I learned this week is that when we ask Heavenly Father something he is really there and he talks to us. I started a prayer journal and I could truly feel my Father in Heaven's love for me and all his children. I am so grateful for prayer and for the wonderful opportunity we have to pray to him any time we want!! I love being a missionary!!!!

I LOVE YOU AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MOM AND AMMON THIS WEEK!!!

Love, 

Sister Young