Letter Week_52_Sister Karony_Selah

I can't believe that in 2 days I've been gone a year!??!!!! Cool, but bittersweet. By the way, Happy ALMOST-50th Birthday, Popsicle! And congratulations Braden! Have fun jumping out of airplanes now! Make sure you grab the "good" parachute! ;P

Take a non blurry picture of Ducky in her devil wings, if you can? After all, she moves so much! Also, could you take a picture of the missionary plaque case so I can see where my plaque is? I'll be praying for Tenille, give her my love! also tell the little'ins that I saw HI and give them big hugs for me. I'm so glad they remember me!

Below is this week's email from President and Sister Lewis:

"Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is not something ethereal, floating loosely in the air. Faith does not fall upon us by chance or stay with us by birthright. It is, as the scriptures say, “substance … , the evidence of things not seen.” Faith emits a spiritual light, and that light is discernible. Faith in Jesus Christ is a gift from heaven that comes as we choose to believe and as we seek it and hold on to it. Your faith is either growing stronger or becoming weaker. Faith is a principle of power, important not only in this life but also in our progression beyond the veil. By the grace of Christ, we will one day be saved through faith on His name. The future of your faith is not by chance, but by choice.
--Elder Neil L. Andersen, Oct 2015 General Conference

CHOOSE FAITH, ELDER & SISTERS!

We love you,
Pres. & Sis. Lewis"

I love them so much! Choose faith! That's my motto for these last weeks.

This week we worked hard, but encountered a lot of opposition. All but one of our planned member presents fell through, (I'm so grateful we had one!) and most of the people were less than receptive. But that's OK, because we still met some amazing people! One of them was an older gentleman we met while he was out walking, and he told us to stop by another time to share more of our message with him. If we hadn't been out tracting and following the Spirit about where to go, we never would've run into him at all. I'm grateful we were listening! He was super open from the get go and even asked where church was. The moment we met him both Sister Smith and I felt strongly impressed that he had the potential to be golden. We're really excited for the future!

I myself have been struggling a bit with going home. I'm not trunky, more panicky than anything actually. However, doing "My Plan" has helped me lower my stress and anxiety levels about it. I am also blessed to have a companion who is super good at "finishing off" missionaries "painlessly". Sister Smith is helping me figure this all out and staying focused and not getting overwhelmed. I'm taking it one day at a time. I'll probably be asking for a blessing here again soon to help as well. Overall we had a good week and we've learned a lot about being the instruments of the Holy Ghost and how to be more patient.

I will never give up, EVER!

My ponderizer for this week is Mormon 7:4. Yesterday I asked God what I needed to focus on right now to become a better servant, and He led me to the topic of becoming a peacemaker. I'm studying that topic now and luckily Sister Smith's family has been all about peacemaking her entire life, so I've got her as a resource as well. God answers when you ask Him what to work on next. Though until I acted on this answer it was super random to me. Makes sense now though!

Sister Karony-ism for the week: There's a missionary saying "Go big and go home bigger", but I am failing at the "go home bigger" part... So I've been trying to gain weight by eating carb0-tastically cheep with some veggies still of course. I feel ripped off! I think I might be getting some pounds, but then, whenever I see her, Sister Lewis is constantly asking if I've lost weight and feels my ribs.... ;P hope this gets you to laugh!

I love being a missionary!

Love,

Sister Karony

"You see us rollin'!... White and nerdy!" We got bikes! Wahoo! 

Punctuation is important, cuz otherwise it sounds like your trying to support children voting... funny! Just think of the resulting chaos that would happen!

Every missionary's internal facial expression when people don't keep their commitments and/or appointments

We got more cows than people out here!!!!!  And horses!

Letter Week_51_Sister Karony_Selah

This week was full of miracles! This Sunday though, we had an investigator tell us that we'd be having a baptism... This investigator was ready to be baptized weeks ago, but he was told by the Holy Ghost that his brother-in-law needed to do it, and he was supposed to be in Chile until June... But he came home early, two days ago, as a surprise! Now his baptism is going to be on Feb. 22nd!!! It's the same day I go into the mission home. What a way to end my mission! With a miracle baptism! However, every baptism is a miracle. We are on cloud nine over here! WAHOO! We are also working really hard on making sure everything gets done properly and we're working closely with our investigator. This has really boosted my faith and strengthened my testimony that God does answer our prayers. We had stopped praying that this investigator would be able to be baptized sooner and be OK with it not being his brother-in-law, and had started praying instead that his brother-in-law would come home sooner. Talk about a prayer answered!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We just had to ask for the right thing. And, once that got thru to us, we did it, and look at where we are now! He's the only one in his family not baptized, so everyone is super excited! We get to be a part of uniting a family! And next year on Feb 22 they can go to the temple and be sealed as a family! THIS is what a mission is all about: being an instrument in the Lord's hands to unite families for eternity. We are so blessed!

Also, I had my last Zone Conference this week and got to give my departing testimony. That was a bitter sweet day. I don't want this to be over, but I'm definitely coming more to terms with it and it's becoming less scary to me. I am not the same person I was when I came out here, and even if I tried, which I WON'T, things could never be the same again. It can only get better or worse. So, I'm going for better.

We were sick as dogs on Friday and had to stay in, but we went out in the evening and got some work done still. But it didn't get better until Sunday. Sister Smith and I were so out of it! We slept until 3pm! If I hadn't been unconscious, I would've gone crazy! Luckily we got well enough to go out at all, or I really would have lost it anyway. Good times...

I will give 'til I have nothing left, and then give some more.

I am tired and don't have much else to say. It was a long week of hard work. We found a golden family that we've started to teach, and we have a lesson with a golden sounding potential investigator. There's just too much that happened this week for me to write about it. I'll be sure to audio record all about it though!

Glad to hear you went and saw the D'Andrea's. Give them my love!

Attached is the recording of me singing at the Zone conference. I'm a bit iffy sounding because we only got to practice twice, and I was trying not to cry, but it's still pretty. Thought you'd like to hear it.

Sister Karony-ism for the week: We were talking about which Disney villians we'd be. The other Sisters decided that if I were evil I would be a mix of Ysma (Emperor's New Groove) and Shawn Yu (Mulan) and the Evil Queen (Snow White). So funny!

I'm enjoying every minuet out here!

Love,

Sister Karony

Letter Week_50_Sister Karony_Selah

This week was epic!

I was sick one day this week and have not woken up late once. I don't fall back asleep either!

I've definitely had my voice every day.

I WILL NEVER SURRENDER!!!

I am getting over my fear of talking with everyone! We spent last Monday night tracting and OYMed 12 people in only 3 hours! And that was only Monday! We found 3 new investigators and at ward council had a record of progress for the week 1 two sided sheet completely filled and one side of another filled to share with everyone. Our Bishop's face was priceless! He's awesome! By the way, I've not mentioned this in any of my emails thus far, but our Ward Mission Leader and His wife are also amazing! You don't have to worry about me mom, I've got some parents up here too! The Portera's (that's them) are wonderful and so supportive of us and the work. In fact, the entire ward is the same way! We are so spoiled here in Selah! They make it easy for us to work hard. So, to sum it all up= "It was somewhat frighting, but exhilarating!" I have been working so hard on overcoming my fear and this week has marked the beginning of a crazy change. My fear is disappearing, and I am acting in spite of it with more confidence in the Lord and my companion. We've doubled our OYM's now and this week we're gonna keep reaching higher!
I'VE NEVER FELT SO ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am NOT counting down, but I am aware of the time passing and I'm pushing to give my all. I got a blessing this past week that talked about how the Lord still has a lot for me to do and that I will be given the strength to give my all. He also said that my talents and I are still needed. I have been so worried about not being needed or of use to God. But this blessing reassured me. I had also been agonizing over whether or not I have done anything for him, and He told me I have and will continue to. I am not here for me. I am here because I love God. He sent out the call for more missionaries and I heard Him. And here I am, over 2 years later and finishing my mission. After this I'll be answering the call to be a missionary for forever; because, to quote Elder Holland "I hope that it's never ever over for me"!

We also had a world wide missionary training broadcast this week! We found out that there are currently there are about 75,000 full-time missionaries serving world wide! Crazy! It was so cool! Some things I learned:

-We are the instruments to be used by the Holy ghost, He's NOT the instrument for us.

-We must be worthy and prepared vessels to bring the Holy Ghost unto the heart of the investigator, but only the Holy Ghost can enter into their hearts, and only if He's invited in by them. We are responsible for being worthy and prepared and creating the environment where that can happen. We just need to get out of the way and let the Holy Ghost do His thing!

-We must be prepared! As the African saying goes "You can't draw water from an empty well." So it is with us. The Holy Ghost can't draw on anything in your head when nothing's there :P.

This is just a couple points of what I got from it. I'm so grateful I got to be apart of this, something they haven't done in over a decade. My mission is truly going out with an awesome bang! And that kinetic energy is going to send me forward into the rest of my life with a new pep in my step to take on the world! Let's go!

Also, just got asked to sing in Zone Conference this week yesterday. I am pickling the song right now and finding an accompanist. I'm so happy I get to sing at my last Zone Conference! I love bearing my testimony thru song. There's truly nothing else like it!

Your Sister Karony-ism for this week: I ate a Carolina Reeper pepper last night at dinner! This pepper is hotter than a ghost pepper. SO GOOD! It has a buttery chocolate taste and warms you up nicely. Like you're cuddled up in front of the fireplace on a cold winter's night. Needless to say, Sister Smith thinks I'm funny...

My scripture Ponderizer for this week is Alma 26:11-12. I am not anything, and if I am, it's only because of God, because He is with me.

Love,

Sister Karony

This dog loks like a smaller albino Ducky!​

​ Her name's Cracker!​

​

ME!

Sister Smith

We're so cute! The Dynamic Dynamo trio here! We're the Holy Ghost's back up! He be headin' this fine crew!​

Wanted to throw a rock thru the ice! Notice that there's a cactus in the background! You can almost forget you're in a desert with all this snow!

Letter Week_49_Sister Karony_Selah

Happy 20th birthday Braden!!!

So, this week has been BUSY!!! So busy that we all fell asleep in our apartment with the bedroom lights on two nights in a row. Sister Heffernan woke up at 2:21 am and turned it off. Then Sister Smith woke up and turned it off at 11:45 pm. I was so tired this week it made me sick! So yes, I was sick Saturday thru yesterday and into today. But last night I got a blessing and was told I'd have a speedy recovery.

I am SO TIRED!!!!!!!! It's AWESOME!!!!! And I'm SO HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!! It's weirding me out!!!

I got busted at the local burger place by a member who works there that I was an opera singer. It was funny!

I'm working on the essay for the scholarship that dad sent me and have emailed President Lewis for help with the community service hours verification and recommendation stuff. He'll be emailing you dad if he has questions :). 

So, I'm getting over being sick. My back is hurting bad though, but we're getting new mattresses soon, so that'll help a ton!

Nothing is stopping us!

We worked so hard this past week. We got 8 referrals this week! We've contacted 5 so far. This was an answer to prayers because we've been asking everyone and before this past week we'd only gotten one referral out of it. Now it's finally bearing fruit! I'm definitely still working on having the patience to endure the Lord's timing. It's hard to be patient when you're constantly shaking off the feeling that time is running out... oh well! Life is life! And mission life is awesome!

I was frustrated this week when we still didn't find the child of god who's ready to be baptized this month, but then we both realized it's all in the Lord's timing. Yes, His vision IS that each companionship helps one of His children receive baptism and confirmation monthly, but there is their agency and stuff to go with it. But God's in control and He did tell me thru my blessing yesterday that I needed to be patient in enduring His timing... Right on the nose, as per usual, of course! So, I'm giving it to Christ and just keeping moving forward.

I've started the "My Plan" program from the Church that's for helping missionaries transition into "civilian" life post-mission. It's promoting a lot of reflection on my mission and I'm so grateful for that, because it's helping me keep from getting trunky! Don't worry! Funny story: I thought that I was getting trunky earlier this week though, because I was thinking about how I was going to make my last weeks most effective. Then sister Smith told me that was the opposite of trunky. Aren't companions just awesome! They help you get much needed reality checks! It's perfect!

My Ponderizer this week is... I don't remember this second.... hahahaha, funny! Will update you next week!

Something I forgot to tell you about sister Smith is that she trains guide dogs for the blind when she's home! Cool!

I love you all! Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!!!

Love,

Sister Karony

Pday magic!

Bag of fries!

Our neighbor got a car upgrade! Our car is the white one! we camouflage better in this weather though!

Letter Week_48_Sister Karony_Selah

We survived the transfer calls this week, so none of the 4 Sisters in our apartment are moving on Wednesday. I'm so grateful the Lord has chosen to let me stay here to finish out my mission. I couldn't have asked for a more amazing ward or companion!

So a lot has happened this transfer, this week! Amongst all of this, I have learned so much about being kind, charitable, and listening from Sister Smith.

We resolved the situation with one of our investigators this week and teaching them is back on track! It's awesome not being able to runaway from your problems and challenges!

Something else really amazing happened though over the course of this past week. I have been thinking about Sister.  A few days ago I had felt like something was off.  Shortly after that, we got the transfer call. I heard that Sister Danger was going home because of her mom, it all clicked into place. The witness of the Holy Ghost is stronger than anything, after all. I have peace about it and I'm praying for Sister Danger and her mom every day. I'm so grateful for all that she taught me. If anything, she'll be back out some time.

Crazy cool stuff isn't it? Heavenly Father truly is in every detail of our lives.  Also, had apartment inspections this past Friday by Elder and Sister McBean, and gave Elder McBean Papa Charlie's address so he can write him. He was so excited. He said if Omie didn't already have it, he would give me Margie's number so I could give it to her, so they could reconnect. The world is so small!

We both feel so strongly that we're going to have a baptism this month and I received the prompting that doing this will help us achieve that goal. When we are obedient, the Lord immediately blesses us (in His timing and way of course though). Sister Smith and I have been so bone tired and spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally exhausted the past 3 days... it stinks, but it's not stopping us at all. We are so happy despite it all, and it's kinda scary and awesome!

I sang for an investigator last night impromptu. It was fun! It's the last stretch. I'm using every second and making every single one effective. It's a glorious feeling! I have no regrets. But what makes it all truly worth it, is seeing my brothers and sisters come unto Christ and the joy that they experience from it. That is the ultimate reward for all that's happened.

The stories above tell it all.

My Ponderizer this week is Alma 31:5, and this quote goes along with it: "True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior." –President Boyd K. Packer

This quote is from Preach My Gospel. It is so true! That is what has happened to me over the past 2 years. Thru Jesus Christ we are cleansed from sin, we are healed spiritually. And, as we increase in our understanding of the Atonement, we will increase in our desire to share the gospel, because we want others to know the joy which comes from it as well.

Sister Karony-ism for this week is I came up with a new word by accident: Horrocious. Horrific+Atrocious= Horrocious. I was so tired and I mixed the words together when I went to say horrific, but changed it to atrocious half way through saying it.

Classic! 

This letter has been a whopper! I've also loved the emails I've gotten today! Thank you!

Love,

Sister Karony

My Christmas/New Years card​. Sister Smith looks so tired!

My snowman-sea monster! He's beautiful!

The waves and snowman-sea monster are going to capsize and destroy the vessel. No one will survive! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!​

Made neclace. Snowflake was from one I got from a member for Christmas, the beads were from a broken necklace and I had some leather cord. Viola! I can wear this!

Weekly planning kills your brain cells!​

My brain is tired!

I looked super cute! By accident too!

My District this past transfer! Only Elder Flamm is being transferred away from this group. He's the red head Elder.

Letter Week_47_Sister Karony_Selah

This week has been filled with miracles and crazy stuff! Just read and see!

Sister Smith has a cold, and my back and joints are hurting. Have a PT member in our ward helping me out. Apparently I have weak wrists and ankles, which makes all the pain I'd be in from cross country make sense. No, the pain was not actually normal like I'd thought.

I've been exercising in the morning, not just stretching like I usually do. I am feeling the difference in my energy level and awakeness. I'm so glad my Sister Training Leader, Hermana Brighten, was able to help me this past week to finally understand the pre-studies morning schedule in a new way. We exercise 30 mins every morning because it is revelation from God, not just a suggestion. I'm grateful I have learned this lesson before it was too late on my mission.

We haven't gotten anyone on date for baptism, even though we have invited people to it. We are working so hard to fulfill the Lord's vision that each companionship has a baptism monthly, with little success. I'm starting to get worried about the children of God we haven't found yet who are aching for the truth and perishing by the way side... every missionary's nightmare. We want to know what we need to change! We are already striving an increasing our diligence and effectiveness of personal and companionship studies, and role playing, and improving our prayers, and relying wholly upon God because we have the desire but we're weak with out Him. We read 2 Corinthians chapter 4 today though, and that has helped us put all of this more into perspective and to keep being diligent and effective. We both can feel there are people out here that we need to find, people that are ready to be baptized. It's driving us crazy and really making us work on our patience too. Where are they?!???!!???? So, yea, that's my struggle this week and really since actually 2 weeks ago. Hope you've enjoyed following my train of thought. I know it will all work out though. We need to be patient and trust God. This is His work and we've got to do it in His way, by His timetable.

It is going very well in Selah! The Stake President was inspired to come to our Ward yesterday and he talked about how all this snow and the prosperity of the work in our ward was because of their faith in fasting and praying. He testified that faith is a principle of power and action. He said that we need to be prepared for the miracles that will be coming. It was so cool! We talked about it with the members we had dinner with yesterday evening and we all felt like he had been talking to us personally. Amazing how the Holy Ghost works! It was a spiritual uplifting and an encouraging thing to hear, that's for sure, and definitely inspiring! Our Ward is so amazing! I am so grateful and humbled that the Lord is trusting me to work in this area. I continue to exercise patience and charity. I'm really striving to get myself out of the way so the Spirit can work. It's not happening over night of course, but I have felt more things slowly clicking into place in my heart and mind as my understanding grows and I'm consistently applying myself. It's such a cool feeling! The enabling power of the Atonement is real and it works! I still have lots of work to do, but there is improvement!

I learned so much on exchanges with the STL's this week. I went to their Spanish area in Yakima, which actually covered my old area in Yakima! I knew all the streets there and we even ended up having lessons the first half of the day with people I knew, and ran into two investigators that I taught while there that I hadn't gotten a chance to say goodbye to. I got to say good bye to them, and checked up on whether the missionaries were still coming, which they weren't. So, I have sent the missionaries back to them. I was so happy to get to see that I did in fact make a difference in that area. It was such a sweet experience. The Lord and His tender mercies... I'm so grateful. 

Sister Smith is an awesome companion and example to me of diligence and humility and love, exactly the things I'm striving to improve in myself. We have really done well this past week at teaching together. I can be talking, then I can just stop when I've said what's needed, and turn to her and she picks it right on up. We're getting better all the time.

Sister Karony-ism: Last night I read my "Unicorns Are Jerks" coloring/story book to Sister Heffernan whilst in my Darth Vader onsey pj's, while my companion was showering and hers was writing in her journal; all while we were drinking our hot coco......... Hahahahahahaha
!!!!!!!!! (Thanks Tina for the coloring book. It was such an awesome 20th birthday present! You rock!)

My Ponderizer for this week: Alma 13:28 What I need to specifically pray for, and let the Holy Ghost lead me to become.

Thank you to everyone in the family who sent me cards and packages. And friends too! I actually even got Christmas presents from the moms of a couple of my companions, so thank you to them as well! I sent a bunch of holiday cards this past week (if I had your address) as a way of saying thank you. I love you all and appreciate all the support you've given me on my mission, whether I've heard from you or not. I can feel that I've been in your prayers and I know that your faith has kept me safe and helped lead my companions and I to those who are ready for the gospel. That means so much to me! I feel like "Thank you" just doesn't cut it, but it will have to do for now.

I can't even begin to describe what my mission has done for me. But what I hope is that I've done more for others in my time out here, than I have for myself. It's not about me, it never has been. I love the people of Washington and Oregon. Serving a mission, and then choosing to come back out again to complete it, has been the best decision I have ever made.

Love,

Sister Karony