Blog Letter_Week 10_Sister Karony

Hey all!

The weather went from snow and ice last week, to cool, dry, and sunny!

This week was cool with having the opportunity to have Zone conference and see President Ware. It was amazing! We talked more about how there are 4 Essential Truths that every investigator and member need to have a testimony of, in order to be truly converted. All issues stem from someone not fully understanding one or more of these truths.

1. Jesus Christ and His Atonement

2. 1st Vision (Restoration)

3. Book of Mormon

4. Priesthood

I've learned and been taught that we can only convert others as far as we are ourselves converted. It's so crazy how SIMPLE it all is. Of course, simple is what we're here to teach and then they get all that other stuff... but still SIMPLE!!! WAHOO! There are so many things that I never would have learned if I hadn't come out here.

Also, our two investigators passed their baptismal interviews and are getting baptized this Saturday! YAY!!!

Love ya'll's!

Sister Karony

Blog Letter_Week 9_Sister Karony

This past week we had an unknown # call us and this man was really adament about getting a Book of Mormon that day. He'd read the book "Eternal truths and said he'd though about it!!!!!! Of course, we're thrilled and get his address and say we'll be by at 6pm with a copy.

I told you this last week and now you get the aftermath:

So, 6pm comes around and it's dark out and we're driving down an unmarked road that our GPS's voice "Beatrice" insists is the correct one.  There are deep irrigation canals on either side of this dirt road, and nothing but fields for miles around. I'm not getting any bad vibes or warnings, so I'm just shining my flashlight out the window, being a dork, whilst Sister Fletcher is freaking out reminding me that no one knows where we currently are, and oh by the way, it's dark, and we're going to see a man who somehow got our number and seems "too good to be true…" The longer we drive, the more she figures it's a serial killer and we're fresh meat. You know me though, I'm just embracing the situation for what it is, BIZARRE!!!
So, we get there and I have to help direct the car over this sketchy looking bridge and guess what, there's a pitbull sniffing me. We get across it and Sister Fletcher's planning an escape route as I'm going "Cute doggie!!!" The guy is pretty eccentric, but not harmful. He leads us behind some hedges and to the front porch of his house. We give him a Book of Mormon and pray with him. When we prayed was the only time it felt calm or normal at all. He didn't want to talk to us, he just wanted to read the materials we'd given him, and he'd call us later. He'd actually found our number in the phone book, and only ours had still been in service, and he'd tried the other 7 that had been listed before that. He REALLY wanted a book of Mormon!
Anyways, I felt so drained after that. He was so spiritually starving that it was like he'd sucked us dry! Sister Fletcher and I talked on the way back into civilization about how that would've been the stupidest thing to do if we weren't missionaries. Never do what we did if you're not on a mission! It most likely WILL be a serial killer, or something else terrible, waiting for you out there in the middle of nowhere!

Man! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!

The weather here decided to go nuts! It was snowing nonstop for almost three days and the roads were terrible and we got stuck a bunch of times; and the Lord did bless us each time it happened and sent random strangers to help me push the car out of it's rut.

 The Lord really does take care of His missionaries as they strive to do His work and will.

The snow has stopped finally, and I hope it stays that way. At least the crops this harvest season will be good, what with all this moisture it's getting from all the snow. Living in farm country puts snow in a new perspective. For them it's vital in order to have a good harvest because that's what gives the fields the water they need to produce crops. They'd been having a really dry winter until the snow came. So, to most round here it's a blessing.

Cool, huh? Now, think about how that can apply to principles of the Gospel! (*cough cough* FAITH!)

Another awesome thing that happened this week was when we taught accounts of the Book of Mormon with Charades. We played the game we'd made up to do this with a bunch of our investigators and it was so successful! they all learned a ton and were more excited about reading those accounts in the Book of Mormon for themselves. "Hurrah!" for heavenly inspiration!!!

Well, got to get going now and finish up preparation for the week! :D

Love you all!

Pictures Jan - Feb 2014

MORE FROM LISL_Week 8_Sister Karony

Meine Familie,

So, despite being sick Tuesday, being in a car accident Thursday, and being tired all week, we persevered and still succeeded in a ton of things! We have more investigators now, almost 20, and our 2 on-dates are right on track and more enthusiastic then ever!

I didn't do any waterfalls, and promise I won't but now there's a new addition to my ever growing list of "What's tried to kill me this time?". Now I've got car accident to add to the list. Now, yes, I just said "car accident" twice. No freaking out, it wasn't our fault, and thanks to my companion who was driving and the fact that we were obeying all the laws, no one was hurt, but the passenger side of our silver Ford Fusion was broadsided by a large white pick-up truck.

It happened when we were in the left turn lane at an intersection in Hermiston, when the big truck marked with "Pendleton Electric" decided it was doing a last minuet lane change across the solid white line, whereupon the driver looked, but apparently not well enough, because he didn't see us. Next thing we know, my side is broadsided by him. Luckily we were only going about 10 mph and him like 20, so instead of hitting my door, he hit our passenger-side front fender and headlight. We pulled over into a 7-11 parking lot and exchanged information and he was very nice. I took pictures of both our cars, and Sister Fletcher opened the packet labeled "If you're in an accident, open this!" that was in our glove box. The church truly has prepared EVERYTHING for ALL our worst-case scenarios!

In the end we didn't call the police, because we didn't think of it until the next day, and 

we were both more upset about the fact that we didn't give the driver a pass-along card or shared a message with him. At least we have his number from the paperwork!

 Thankfully our car is drivable until we can get it fixed, and even though my door makes a horrid "reech!" whenever it opens, it still opens. So many things that could've gone horribly wrong if we didn't have the mantel or had we not been driving obediently to the laws. We were only sore from the jar, my head hurt from hitting the headrest, and our right sides hurt a little, but no hospitalizing was necessary, thank goodness.

There you go Mom and Popsicle, the typical me describing the details and making things sound worse then they were. Don't worry, people and the lord, and our guardian angels have us covered! I love you!

Now, on a happier, more peaceful note; there was a  Mission-wide fast yesterday, and it was amazing! Our sacrament meeting was so wonderful and the spirit was really strong. Both of our on dates even got to church that day as well! People who almost never go up to bear their testimonies went up and did it, and everything said was about the Plan of Salvation and Jesus Christ. We even went us, as President Ware invited us to do, and bore simple testimonies about the Savior. People were crying, or trying not to cry left and right. Miracles!

Faith has also preceeded a multitude of other miracles! This morning we got a call from a man and he said he'd been researching our religion and really was"starving for a Book of Mormon" and that based off what he'd learned so far, "he definitely could see Joseph Smith really being a true prophet of God". He also asked if we were "Prayer Warriors" and asked if we'd pray for him and a troubled family member. He's got so much faith and we're going to see him later today. He's so eager and once he's read some more he wants to take lessons from "some of your church's representatives". Sister Fletcher says this is the first time this has ever happened to her. It's funny because I was fasting that our investigators we hadn't heard from would call us and reach out. Well, it worked!

Now I'm going to ask, are you a "Prayer Warrior"?

Oh, a funny story, we went to see a part member family, and the dad, who is totally awesome and is just a character, saw that I had lipstick smeared on my cheek as we got up to go. He says "one sec" and rubs it off with his thumb. Sister Fletcher just about had a heart attack about the rules being broken, it was hilarious. I didn't care either, just thought it was funny and it would've only been awkward if I'd flipped. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! At least he didn't lick his thumb before doing that! ;P He had no idea!

Love,
Sister Karony

Blog Letter_Week 8_Sister Karony

Hallo Alle!

So this week was insane, again. We have got so many new people to teach! Almost 20! We have 2 baptisms on date in a couple weeks as well. Sister Fletcher and I have been getting sore throats because the air here is stagnant and cold, AND it's been snowing the past 2 days. Thank heavens it's not sticking! So, other than being sick and cold, and REALLY busy, we have been doing awesome. We went up to Kennewick for Trainer/Trainee meeting with President Ware, because Sister Fletcher hadn't been to one yet, and he said something awesome!

"There are no such thing as just "meetings" in the church. They are opportunities to have revelatory experiences".

That blew my mind!

This week was tough, but we're still singing and laughing!

There is joy in the Gospel!

We've got great news!!!

The Church is true! The book is blue! And Moroni's right on the ball!!!

Love,

Sister Karony

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