Dec 2013 - Jan 2014 Pictures

MORE FROM LISL_Week 7_Hermiston, OR

Hey Fam!

So do you like all the funny stories? I hope so! I've got like 5 minuets left to write you, so excuse the mistakes!

I learned something great about the Atonement yesterday. Think about "How would the Savior greet me?". for those of us who have sinned or transgressed and struggle to repent and do right again, so for every single one of us, He's going to embrace us and tell us how happy and grateful He is that we tried, that we turned to Him and the Father. The harder it was for us to repent, the happier He'll be to see us again. I reread the parable of the Prodigal son and it hits me how I'm just like that boy, how we all are to a degree. There is nothing we can do for Them to stop loving us unconditionally. They love us even more and rejoice like nonother when we come back to Them. How wonderful it is that we can repent! It's not a bad thing, it's a blessing! How great is God! I love Him with all my soul! How could we ever want to lose sight of him and be sucked down by the winds and tempest seas like Peter did? And even if we do, He's right there to catch us!

I love you my Family, and I'm grateful that god gave me all of you. Forgiveness is such a wonderful thing!

Love,

Sister Karony

Blog Letter _Week 7_Hermiston OR

HALLO!!!

So, I ran out of time last week to finish everything and send it off, but I will today! I don't want to send anything until I've finished all of it! :)

It's been a crazy week! We had spurn of the moment exchanges this week with our Sister Training Leaders in Pendelton, on thursday to friday morning. I stayed with here and got Sister Funk, and Sister Fletcher went to Pendelton with Sister Maynard. sister funk was so funny! We hit it off and the lessons that day went really well. I even took the lead in them all! Crazy!

And now for a funny story:

My companion hates animals and I love them, and so we were going to members' home for dinner and they can't have kids, so they have 2 cats, whom they call their children. So I decide to get a kick out of it and start talking up this family and talk about how cute their boys, Jasper and Patch Adams, were and how much she was going to love them all. Hehehehehehe, she thinks I'm talking about a cute young family with little HUMAN baby boys. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Her face when we walked in and she was introduced to the "boys". The member couple thought my joke was hilarious! My companion not so much; so I love reminding her about it! :P. I love being a Sister missionary!

However, Sister Fletcher got her revenge the next evening:

So, we're having dinner at our Ward Mission Leader's house and he asks one of his sons to throw him a roll. His son, then proceeds to throw one from the opposite side of the really long dining room table, past all 15 people, who were all, of course, watching this happen, except me, who was busy thinking about how we could help an investigator. I turned to see what was happening and WHAM! I get a face full of roll, and it rebounds off my face onto our WML's plate. He looks at and shurgs and proceeds to eat it, while trying not to laugh so hard. My face was priceless! We all were laughing so hard we started crying! My face actually hurt afterwards though and the roll even left a red mark right between my eyes. He'd thrown it hard!

So, that's what I have for this week. It's been not as busy this week, but we've been hard at work nonetheless. So many people to see and share the gospel with! I've never felt more alive! I never loved my Savior and Heavenly Father more than I do now that I'm a missionary!

Love,

Sister Karony

MORE FROM LISL_Week 6_Hermiston_Sister Karony

In the "More from Lisl" portion of the blog each week (if applicable), Lisl's mother (Jen) will be posting the Lislisms and stories that she sends to her family in separate emails from the ones used for her official Blog posts. 

Hallo Meine Familie!

Wie gehts alle? Ich vermisse sie. 

It's really difficult when you fall short of your goals or don't quiet succeed in being exactly obedient to the schedule. When that happens you actually see the consequences manifest in the success you have. You don't get nearly as many people to talk to and the spirit isn't with you as much as it usually is. Well, it always is, but it's like you miss the information that it gives so you're not as effective in teaching as you could've been. There's nothing more devastating personally to a missionary, other than losing an investigator or such things like that. It makes you feel sorrow and motivates you to do better than before. It's a constant battle with Satan to keep improving. He's a tricky bum-head. As my MTC companion would say "I wish I could punch Satan in the face. Too bad he doesn't have a body!!!" or  "You know, he probably wouldn't be so mean if he could just get a hug... to bad he doesn't have a body!" yeah, love and miss you Sister Faulkner! She'd in Moses Lake right now, so let Matt (Pinegar) know :). She's awesome sauce!

So there's some stuff about how the Lord gives and takes on a mission.

I have a scripture for all of you: 

Alma 25: 16-17

16 Now they did not suppose that ^asalvation came by the ^blaw of Moses; but the law of Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and thus they did retain a ^chope through faith, unto eternal salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which spake of those things to come.

 17 And now behold, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni, and their brethren did rejoice exceedingly, for the success which they had had among the Lamanites, seeing that the Lord had granted unto them according to their ^aprayers, and that he had also verified his word unto them in every particular.

I sang in Sacrament this Sunday, "I Stand All Amazed" and did it accapella. Everyone, babe and not was totally silent the entire time. One of the members, Lou, said a lady had the audasity to cough and he glared at her. I thought that was funny! He can be scary if he doesn't like you, and I'm one of the 4 people he actually likes and not just tolerates. He's nicknamed me "Slightly Caucasian Sister" and says if I ever need anybody wacked, that he's the man! Hahahaha! It's funny cuz he's actually serious! I'll explain more about that another time!

So it was awesome. I've attached a practice for my performance, not sure which cuz don't have the time to check which, but knew you'd like it. Love you!

Keep it up! I know that God and His Son are smiling on you all! He's so proud of everyone of you. I feel Their love for you, and just how much He is protecting you all from the devil's grasp. I testify that no effort is in vain, every single effort counts and is of infinite worth in the effort to return to Him and building His kingdom on the Earth.

Got to go now! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Karony

Blog Letter_Week 6_Hermiston_Sister Karony

Hello All!

This week was much better than the last one. We found 6 new investigators! Turns out that it's the most in the Zone for this week, so we outdid the Spanish missionaries finally this transfer! Yahoo! This was only because of our faith and striving to be exactly obedient that we were blessed to be put in the cross paths of those that He has prepared for us to teach. I don't really care about doing the best in the Zone, so much as that we were able to find 6 of our Heavenly Father's children who are ready to hear his truth and be guided back home to live with Him. That's what I rejoice in. I rejoice in the power and majesty of our Father in Heaven as Ammon did.

Oh, we were teaching a man whose 3 daughters and niece were all baptized the first week I was here, and he's struggling with quitting smoking. His wife and step daughter really want to get baptized, but his wife is waiting for him to be able to baptize her and her daughter is waiting for her mom. So the rest of them are members, but he's just had to get in gear. That was our miracle for this week. We were flipping through the scriptures and came upon John 1:31 and he quietly whispered after a moment of powerful silence, "I have work to do". The spirit was so strong!

I've run out of time to write more, but I hope next week I'll get more in!

Lots of love to you all!

Love,

Sister Karony

Blog Letter_Hermiston_Week 5_Sister Karony Jan 14

Heyo!

So this week was kinda slow, for some reason, but we've trucked through it. My trainer is awesome! I'm learning so much everyday! We've had some interesting experiences lately, like we've actually gotten a lot of new investigators via our phone. Phones rock! Tracting is by foot and phone. Now, we don't just call every number in the phone book, we just look through our contacts and call whoever stands out to us. Everything a missionary does is guided by the Spirit. We do random scripture searching and end up with a verse that the person we're teaching desperately needed to hear. It's awesome!

We went to the Temple today, so our P-day was switched to Tuesday and that's the reason this letter is a day late. I got to do work in the Temple for one of my Russian ancestors and it was a wonderfully spiritual experience. I am so grateful the gospel and the joy and peace it brings. We are all God's children and he loves and knows all of us individually and perfectly. I bear testimony to that. I am so blessed as he guides our paths to His children that are prepared by Him for our message and the miracles that occur daily. The ward here finally trusts me and our work is increasing by the day. We're pacing ourselves and prospering.

Read Phil. 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

It got me through our slow weeks and it's inspiring. It's also my birthday scripture (4/13). Read the whole chapter as well, and also the whole chapter of 1 cor. 1. (Synopsis:True Saints are perfectly united in the same mind and in the same judgment—Preach the gospel and save souls—The gospel is preached by the weak and the simple.) Both have helped me a lot.

This month's ensign is so wonderful. We were so excited to get it and the talks in there are exactly what we needed to teach to a few of our investigators this week. Blessings and answers to our prayers continue!

This is pretty much all I have for this week, but we've got a lot planned for this one, so look forward to some stories for the next letter!

I love and miss you all! Again, I may not get enough time to write back to those of you who write me, but keep doing it, I'll try harder to reply, though it may be late. All that you send me supports me when it gets rough. Thank you all!

Read your scriptures and pray often, and I promise you that the Lord will give you the strength to carry. This I testify to all of you, in Christ's name, Amen.

Love,

Sister Karony

MORE FROM LISL Hermiston_Week 5_Sister Karony Jan 14

In the "More from Lisl" portion of the blog each week (if applicable), Lisl's mother (Jen) will be posting the Lislisms and stories that she sends to her family in separate emails from the ones used for her official Blog posts. 

It's been crazy windy here with gigantic tumble weeds galore! There's dust everywhere and on everything. I thank the heavens for Zyrtec! I'm sending a bunch of letters and pictures your way this week, so never fear, you'll hear more from me. I hope you enjoyed my letter to you Dad, I hope it helped. I love and miss you all so much!
Funny story for you all!

So we're at dinner at a members' home and she and her roomates' home teachers were eating with us. They're all single and it's really funny because I got to sick next to one of the brothers who for some reason, I just seem to attract crazy, started hitting on me! I'm a Sister Missionary, and the man's like over 30 years old! And he wasn't even attractive either, and I'm not being mean. He's a nice man, but the Spirit was blaring "DANGER! DANGER! DANGER!" He's wasn't a creep or a scketchy person at all, he's just literally completely socially inept. I sat with my back to him as Sister Fletcher (I was sitting next to him since my companion, REVENGE :P!!!,) had fed me to the wolves and moved so She wouldn't have to sit by him. I was tried to eat my dinner without making eye contact or letting him draw me into conversation. I wasn't subtle at all, but still not rude, but he still didn't get the memo... He kept trying to make us relatable and that's when he asked the question which will forever live in infamy, "May I ask, if it's not to personal, the reason you wear glasses?" I shortly answered, :Because I have astigmatism." then he said, "Oh? I was only asking because I wear my to keep in my glass eyeball." ... I seriously nearly punched him in the face. I do not have a glass eyeball, nor do I look like I do! The reason I never looked at him is because he takes it the wrong way! OH MY HOLY HICKORIES!!! Now it's funny, but it wasn't Sunday night. I feel so sorry for him, but I am not putting myself in that situation again! The Sister who was feeding us had the men leave shortly after we'd booked it out of their because he started hitting on her roomate and was bluntly shot down and cut down to size. I'm glad I didn't have to do it.

Can you say AWKWAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRDDDDDDDDD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But we still can't stop laughing about it!

So, prayer has been a huge thing this past week. We've prayed like 20 times a day, because we were either sick or we were so bone tired that we could hardly move. I've never felt this exhausted before, I've pretended too be, but this is the first time that I've truly been this tired. I wish I could take it all back... good this Christ did that for me already! Thank you Jesus!
He and Heavenly Father are so cool. We've literally been carried by them this past week. Sister Fletcher is too nice to say something when members feed her gluten foods, and so she gets really sick, because she's gluten sensitive. She also doesn't want to make a big deal because some people freak out; so it's a good thing she has me. After having to drive us home twice (I really am an awesome driver :) YAHOO!!!) I've put my foot down and am now the one who makes sure everyone is 150% aware of her allergy and I'm the one who makes sure that she stops when she tries to hide how sick she is. Dad she's taught me a lot about you and what you must feel. She's got the same tenacity to work through the pain. However, it further regresses her health, and she hates that it's not going faster, and so I have to drag her back to the house. NO MORE!!! I've got her taken care of now, to her semi-chagrin, ;P hehehe. I love you Sister, but God made us companions for a reason, and this is one of those reasons! :) Can't hide nothing from discernment when God's on your side! I'm just as responsible for her as she is for me, and ya'll's know how I get with loyalty, and so help me if I don't make it a priority. We can't teach anybody if we don't pace ourselves according to our current needs and abilities. Helping her is helping me to pace myself and I can feel my stamina growing. Sigonara old days! Christ's got'cha beat!
I love the Atonement and the blessing it is in our lives. I have never known or understood anything as I grow to do so now. The Atonement is the most wonderful gift given to mankind, besides the Holy Ghost. Our elder Brother loves us so much! He carries us! He lifts us up! He lives!

I love you all and I am so grateful that families are eternal. 18 months is a long time to be a part, but we have the eternities yet to enjoy. Let's strive together to get there.

Keep looking up, especially when times are good and when times are hard. Talk with the Lord, He's listening and waiting to answer your prayers. Just ask, and He'll give. I've seen so many miracles, I couldn't possibly tell you them all, and I probably didn't realize a lot of other things that were miracles as well. There are so many!

Get to know our Father in heaven better and our Savior. It will bless you as it has me. I promise that there will be no enemy that can stand against you if you do so. God is waiting. Get on you knees and speak what's aching in your heart to be released. I testify these thing to you, my beloved family, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Sister Karony

Week 4_Hermiston, OR_Meadows Ward_Sister Karony

30/12/2013

Hey Family!

this past week was a mad house. The family we live with has 9 kids and 31 grandkids, and they were all there for the week of Christmas! Like 45 people in one house, it was CRAZY! But it was awesome being around them for the holidays. We got woken up at 5:45 am by the little kids and spent like 3 hours opening presents. One fell asleep by the tree and another started crying and trying to slowly crawl back to his bed. I was all "Me too kid!" :P I already get up at 6:30 am! And most of them stayed in the basement with us, and it was noisy. Sleep deprivation! Thank you for children! It was tiring, nut I loved every minuet of it. The family even did their own reenactment of Luke 2 of Christ's Birth. It was SO CUTE!!! I'm grateful for my family, and friends who sent me mail and goodies. It was spectacular!

We just had interviews with Mission President Ware and his wife, Sister Ware, and I received some council that I feel prompted to share.
Sister Ware talked to me about keeping myself healthy for the work, and that means relaxing when the opportunity is there. To not push myself to the point where I receive injury and can't work to my maximum capacity. She shared with me that my group that came in to the mission was in such contrast to those who'd just left the day before. We were loud and friendly whilst the other group had been quite and distanced from one another. We didn't care if we were with people we didn't know, we got to know them and sang throughout all of dinner (the Sisters did, the Elders rolled their eyes. They'd been going through that the entire time with us at the MTC :P) To be fair, the Mission changed and so some of them had never met before, so it's understandable. However, our spirit and attitudes had an immense impact on her; aka we made a spectacular first impression. She is the sweetest most wonderful lady. She shared that when they were called that President Eyering said that, even before they'd been married, the Lord had been preparing them for this calling and the missionaries who they'd oversee. The Lord is mindful of all and His foreknowledge is absolute. I feel so blessed. When she told me that is peirced my heart and I felt such a strong feeling of love. I knew then that the Lord loved me even more than I'd thought, and that was a lot, because He'd prepared them, these two wonderful and loving children of our Father, for me, to help me become the best I can be.
I know without a doubt that they are the reason I'm in this mission, because they were prepared for myself and the other missionaries here, to aid us in our service to our Father in Heaven. It feels like a family, and I love them so much. It still rings in my soul as I sitting here typing this letter to you all.

President also shared some wonderful council. He told me that I was here for the souls I was the only one who could reach and teach. He counciled me that as I continue to strive and pace myself, as I have been, that I will succeed in the work; but I will even more so if I also strive for the gift of meekness and teachability. He said that I will progress faster and more fully if I strive to "look to heaven" for the words and direction I need, because i have full trust and humility to His will, and I will be showing my faith in Him by doing so. Faith is a principle of action. You have to show it in your actions and do the work so that He knows you have the foundation and trust that allows Him to trust you with more and more guidance and His spirit and power, as you follow Him in all that you do.
"The meek shall inherit the earth" because they are open to the will and power of God. We should all strive to be more like that. "Being a successful missionary= how much you have Heavenly Father's trust". It is also by Sanctifying yourselves that you are successful, not only as a missionary, but as man upon the earth preparing for the day we'll all be resurrected and brought before God. Read the talk by Elder Holland called "Sanctify Yourselves". We must be sanctified, or ready and worthy to act, so that God can work miracles thru us. You are sanctified by your obedience and as you move forward every day, striving, to become more like Christ and excersizing the Atonement.

Sister Simmons and I are doing well and growing closer each day. She is loving and is one of the strongest women I've ever known. We both gave talks on "Hastening the Work of Salvation" yesterday, and we both did very well. We love our ward SO MUCH and we want nothing but to leave them better than they were when we came; because then we'll have been successful and the Lord will be proud of our efforts to serve him.

The work is hard, but "doing hard things= happiness" and as we have faith, and decide to be happy; our happiness opens us up more and more to the Spirit, which causes us to act in faith, because we are happy and can feel the spirit and so know what we must do and then do it, whereupon we become happy. It's a round.

I love you all and thank you to those who wrote me or sent cards. I'll try to write back, but we can only write on Mondays and 

there's so many people and not enough time to write. But know that even if I don't respond, the words and love of your service to me sustains me and uplifts me more than you imagine. Don't ever doubt it!

I love you!

-- 

Sister Lisl Karony

Week 3_Hermiston (South), Meadows Ward, OREGON!!!_Sister Karony

Dear Family!

Mom, 1 Corintheans 1:25!

It's been a while, hasn't it! I loved all your letters! It's wonderful to know I'm not the only one noticing the change in myself! It was sad saying good byes to Elder Tinker, nope, Aguirre, & Martin, but we're all writing each other so it won't be too bad!

My companion is Sister Simmons from SLC! She's awesome! We've not done a lot this past week because it was busy with training and getting me moved in, but we've been out and about every day! Our ward has a LOT of less actives. We've got 4 baptisms this Saturday, but only 2 are convert baptisms, and those are for Taylor and Alexis Skinner. They're so awesome! So, yea, it's not baptisms for my investigator, but it's wonderful to have the opportunity to be a part of one. 

So, yea. I'm in Hermiston, OR, right now. And yes, I'm in OREGON! And, again, yes, that's still in my Mission. "Home of the World's BEST Watermelon". Lots of farmland and stuff! My companion and trainer, Sister Simmons, has been here since she came out into the field, so 5 months in the same area! We live in the basement of the Blackburn family, Bishop Blackburn is the Bishop of our ward, the Meadows Ward. They're AWESOME! Their 7 children and 31 grandchildren are coming here for Christmas, so the next week or two are gonna be CHAOTIC!!! And most of them will be sleeping in the basement with us (but we have our own room down there)... I absolutely love sleep deprivation!

So I'll be writing you more letters later, so I'm not going to write a ton in this one.

I've got presents for my sibs though, don't worry! And Mom and Dad, I'm working on ya'll's'!

It's been crazy for my head this past week. I got inspired to set out goal for today that we'll find 2 new investigators, and It's freaking me out!

I'm really tired... Waking up at 6:30 is HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But, I'm still doing it, and I'm striving for and acting with exact obedience. The field is very different than the MTC, you have even LESS time to do stuff, and it's with normal people! Our area is pretty impoverished, but things are really nice and simple. They've got a $ store where EVERYTHING is ACTUALLY $1!!! SWEET! we get fed a lot here too, (thanks mom and dad for all the good karma!)

I gotta jet now! Will write more later! this next one will be more spiritual. Ran out of time!

Loves to all!

Sister Lisl Karony