Letter_Week 37_Sister Karony_Mission Ridge

I am now serving in Mission Ridge and my companion is Sister Ring. It's awesome-sauce up here!

This has been a crazy week! From being doubled out, to driving after 6 weeks of walking, to being sick this entire time, to realizing that I'm Sister Ring's 2nd companion, and am therefore "busting" her. But, funny thing is, I'm actually excited about all this! It's definitely been an adventure and I LOVE adventures! With God everything is possible!

I will never give up!

I have felt like time is slipping away far too fast for me to grasp it and do what needs to be done. I am struggling a bit with realizing that I only have 3 transfers left now, and enjoying my time left by working my butt off. This is the last stretch!

We totally triumphed with how we conducted ourselves when we ate dinner with our stake president this past week. It was spiritual and professional, and edifying for all of us. I was so happy we managed to leave a good impression, because this was the first time that Sister Ring said we'd eaten there in the 5 months she's been in Mission Ridge. So, score! Thank you Heavenly Father that we didn't bungle that one up! 

We also triumphed today in getting myself all unpacked and almost completely organized, even with a late start to laundry. We live in an apartment complex where everyone shares a laundry room that has 4 dryers and 4 washers, and one washer is broken. So we didn't get that done until later because all the working ones were already being used. But, all we have left to do now is finishing emailing and go grocery shopping. Booyah!

Our apartment has a haunted storage closet!!!!! I thought this was a bunch of baloney until I heard the sound of human finger nails scratching down the inside of the storage closet for 20 minuets 4 nights ago, and then again each night after that. We don't have mice or rats, that we know for sure... and it wasn't noise that we typically hear from the neighbors. I didn't fall asleep until 2 am the first 2 nights when this happened, I was so scared! We had the Elders come over and rededicate out apartment yesterday. Sister Ring says this has been the second time they've done this in the 5 months she's been living there...... So, there's my fun Halloween story for ya'll's! We have cleaned up the apartment also to help combat having any unwelcome guests, because the Lord's house is a house of order, and until today it was not very orderly. We hope whatever was there is gone now, but I'll let you know if it doesn't stay that way... Do you think holy water and salt would help? jk! We even let President Lewis know, but I doubt he'll move us out, unless it goes all "poltergeist" like it did one time for some Sisters living in a trailer in Warden, WA. So, we will press on!

My Ponderizer for this week is 2 Nehi 4:31-32, "O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?... May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!"

I prayed before and after I got to Mission Ridge to know from Heavenly Father if there was someone here that I am supposed to teach. I've gotten the answer a few times now, in different subtle ways, that "yes" there is someone here that He has sent me to help. Now I need to go and do as He commands. I'm excited about it and about being in a new area! My testimony in God answering prayers has been strengthened.

Love,

Sister Karony

Temporary reunion with our car for the drive to the transfer site in Quincy​, WA. I miss this awesome Sister! But, it's ok, because I know she's rockin it up in Oroville!

Sister Ring and I! New companion is awesome! And now I'm back to being the taller companion. Hahahaha!

The dream Sister and Hermana fourpan! I will miss my time in Moses Lake with such awesome ladies! They are the bomb.com! 

Letter_Week 36_Sister Karony_Moses Lake

So, I'm getting doubled out again! I'm off to Mission Ridge and Sister Crofts is off to the northernmost edge of the mission, Oroville! We are excited, but going to miss this ward! Moses Lake has been awesome!

Happy Birthday to you Grandmother Karony! You're awesome and I love you!

Mom, let Summer know I miss and love her and that I have her and Ed and Ocean in my prayers.

We found 3 new investigators! And we got members out with us almost every day! So many miracles! The area will have plenty of work for the new Sisters coming in. So this is triumph as well!

I will miss this awesome ward. And they will miss us, but I don't think Bishop Manly will miss all the animals we kept finding and bringing home for help... we never took any of the animals home to keep, just to get food and water and supplies. Living with our Bishop and his family has been fun!

We had 3 members come out with us on Saturday, and that was almost all day long! We found 3 new investigators! One of them was a Jehovah's Witness who actually was willing to read out of the Book of Mormon and listened to us. We did catch him off guard and without his bible, mwahahaha, but he was sincerely interested in understanding our message. He was an electronic referral we got and I found out today that he referred himself. So funny! I think he's trying to "save" us, or he's simply curious. The new Sisters will be having a appt with him on Thursday. We also met an awesome couple who had lots of good questions about the Gospel. We met them this way: We were trying by a less active, who didn't answer the door, when I asked Sister Crofts if she felt there was a door we needed to knock on. She headed straight for their door, and after our awesome member, who also was an RM, answered the questions we weren't sure how to answer, we taught the Restoration and they are now new investigators! We meet them tomorrow in the evening. So glad I get to see them one more time! We did all this, and more, while I was sick!

My ponderizer this week is Alma 24: 12, 15. My theme is swords and fighting evil for this month and/or however long I want to keep it that way. 

Love,

Sister Karony

Posing with Bishop Manly's giant blow up pumpkins! Sister Crofts just finished that headband and I finished my hat! Only took me 5 times to get it right... so glad it's finally finished!

Another rescue. We were looking for his owners because he didn't have a tag on his collar. They ended up finding us by following Bullet's, the dog's, barking an hour later. Happy ending! Asking "Is that your dog?" IS a great way to start and OYM and contact people! 

Having a lesson with Bullet in the back seat of a returning less active's car! Yes, he licked my face! Was super fun that evening! 

Letter_Week 35_Sister Karony_Moses Lake

This week the animal rescue was a bird. We tried fixing its wing, but it was acting like it was it's leg too, so we gave up trying to set it's bones. We carried it around in a box for a few hours because we found it right before we had a lesson and we were booked the rest of the evening. We ended up leaving it with members that put it in a gerbil cage and put it into their tree house. It got out later that week and their dog killed it. Sad ending, but we tried. We were not going to just leave it once we'd found it. Don't worry though; we kept our hands thoroughly cleaned!

I was asked to sing this Sunday for ward conference.

-I felt triumphant when we talked with a lot of people this week. It was really windy two days ago and I saw this lady doing something with her bush that she wasn't quite tall enough to do, so I walked over with Sister Crofts and volunteered her tallness and after denying our offer of service twice, she finally accepted our third offer. We helped her hand pick leaves off the top of her lilac bush. It was fun and her heart was softened. We'll be going back sometime to try teaching her a lesson. She was such an awesome lady, and we wouldn't have met her if we hadn't acted in faith and opened our mouths to offer service.

There is such peace that comes as you face your weaknesses and come unto Christ. Ether 12:27. These experiences are a blessing. I will never quit! I will not let myself be discouraged anymore, I will fight with the power of God and never surrender.

THE ATONEMENT IS REAL!!!  I feel like I am starting to really come into my own out here, that I am seeing myself and those around me more like our Heavenly Father sees us. 

I'm getting distracted by my companion watching the Mormon channel two brothers two series. Ahh! Sorry! I'm fighting it!

-I'm ponderizing this week Alma 61:14. If my words can't resist evil, I will take action and fight with the sword, truth, so that I will retain my freedom from sin through Jesus Christ.

Thank you dad for your support and mom's!

"I have been changed for good"!

I can't possibly express how much I love being a missionary, coming to know my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ better, and learning to understand and listen to the Holy Ghost. I love my companion so much; she is amazing! Heavenly Father knew that I'd need her at this time in my life and I am so grateful He gave her to be my companion. She's AWESOME!

I love ya'll's!

Love,

Sister Karony

Coolest thing ever! It moves whenever you make noise, and also can play the song and dance to it. Was at a member's home.​

Supplies and box with the bird inside​

Trying to set the wing. ​

Letter_Week 34_Sister Karony_Moses Lake

Sorry this is so late! I got a facial from a Mary Kay lady in my ward. Sister Crofts and I and the Hermanas had a blast. This was AWESOME! So yea, late, but my skin is so soft! BWAHAHAHA! I'm so cool!

-I have felt triumphant as in the past few days as we talked with more people and everyone! We got, We received and contacted a referral, and it turned out to be a golden investigator!!! He is on date for baptism October 24th! This man has kept all his commitments. SO GOLDEN!!!! We truly are blessed as we exercise our faith. God is interested in our progress, and His approval is all that's important in the end.  I feel so much better this week than I did last week. The difference is in my attitude. I was hanging onto things I wasn't even aware of until now, but now I let it go and it's so much lighter!  I feel so ‘Elsa’!

-I felt peace as we listened to and watched General Conference.

-My ponderize scripture for this week is Alma 5:16 from my personal reading this morning. It's good to ask yourself these questions every now and again to keep your focus clear and centered! My favorite scripture for this last week though, was Moroni 10:32, "Come unto Christ and be perfected in Him"!

-Sister Karony-ism for this week: I also rescued an escaped puppy and Sister Crofts and I helped an abandoned nursing mother cat. We've had a very adventurous weekend! Then last night I had a dream that I got transferred from Moses Lake and some how ended up helping a sick weasel in the mission home... It was super random! Sister Crofts and I are the animal rescue duo! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Dad, the last talk by Elder Bednar, the very beginning about physical limitations really hit me and made me think of you. I nearly cried. I have seen and can feel through letters from both you and Mom that you have grown so much as you've focused on what matters most because you can't do all the same things you used to be able to do. I love you so much! 

I loved the talk by Elder Christofferson! He totally laid it down that being "spiritual" is not the the need for church. So awesome how he just laid it out and called it out. So awesome-sauce! All the talks were spectacular though, and I can't wait for them to be printable, because there was too much in them to get in just one go. So much still to learn! That's the story of the gospel.

Ya'll's are awesome! I love you! 

Love,

Sister Karony

Saved cute puppy!

Saved abandoned mama cat!

Sister Karony can speak cat and call them to her. Food was not the only reason she was okay with being around us. I gots skills! This is just another thing to go on the list to prove that God really does have a sense of humor!