Sept 30, 2012

***NOTE: THESE ARE OUT OF CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.  THEY ARE BEING POSTED IN THE ORDER THEY WERE FORWARDED TO ME, I RECEIVED ALL THESE PAST LETTERS YESTERDAY**

my uplift today was the talk by elder wilson en conference last april so good about teaching kids and i hope i can lead better with his surgencias

sorry its so short all the time i just got to put time into meditating more so its not so hard. I WILL write this week and then if you don't get it i'll write a better email next weeek. 

Le amo!!!! 

I will write promise!!!! 

Bye!

Hermana O. Oct 8,2012

Oh mom! I am so blessed. I can't tell you how much love I have for these missionaries. I have a deep appreciation for everything they do even when I don't understand why they do it :-)

 

My companion is passionate. She doesn't waste time. She helped me realize this week I was living below my potential. Then Conference just called me to repent again, like I said every talk spoke to me. Never in my life have I had that much attention and understanding for the words of the prophets.

 

I think of my family during those talks. The family I have directly like you mom, and my bros and sistas. And then I thought of my Grandparents I thought of my youth leaders.

I even intently searched the screen for people I might know at conference during the songs :-)

 

I love this life the ways of the mission are less traveled but clear and distinct. they truly teach to give everything. I have been giving everything but my heart. I know that the spirit testifies of truth I have felt that as a missionary.

 

In every area there is so much potential. Every person is a child of God we are made of pure things. We have the potential to be purely beautiful in this life. Helping others.

 

I feel as I finely do the things I have always had thoughts to do I find a release: I feel like I have been holding myself back. I have the chance to change my life and I have progressed for a year and now I get to move even further in the next 6-7months. (I'd like to extend) But I know the lord is helping me, I have no idea why I loose faith sometimes in things so quickly but I have the chance to be strong and follow that which I know.

 

I want to bear my testimony that truly the Spirit of God testifies to our spirit of our divine potential: (Romans 8:16-17) We merely need to choose to listen. All the things of the world try to distract us from that very simple truth that we are more powerful then we can understand when we follow God. President Monson said
something like : "When a man listens and follows God that man is always right." I am trying harder to listen so I can feel the peace of doing God's will.

 

Only have a short time to bring a TON of people to the gospel. I love you and all you have given me has truly helped me to grow to be able to give it all here. Thanks again for your daily example of sacrifice I try and follow that everyday. Just ask my companions I try and serve a ton. they tell me its a talent and I tell them I learned it from my mom.

 

With all my love and appreciation!

 

Sister O.

9/24/12

Hola Hola!

 

Casi es tiempo para la conferencia general! Que padre no? Estoy agradecida para la conferencia de zona(s) esta semana y tengo mucho animo para el reunion de la sociedad de socorro en el fin de la semana.

 

I hope you use google translate :-)

 

Anyway!

I am here in E literally like I said right above and to the side of my last two areas in "el valle" and I am glad to be with Sis D. I have laughed and found a lot of joy recently. Its a blessing to have a change of view. She feels sometimes like she doesn't know enough and I feel honored to bare a testimony that I know God expects us to do all we can with what we know and he makes up for what we can't do. Also we are always going to learn so we should look at where we have come to and then where we want to go. Perspective is powerful.

 

God is merciful I am so thankful that I get to ride bikes! I am so thankful for the kind members that glow. I am thankful for the light of Christ in each of us and I am thankful for the chance to be a child of God.  

 

Those things have strengthened me a lot this week.

 

I may have already said this... but as we come closer to God he helps us see where we can improve. We can't get down we have to realize that it a a blessing and that God is helping us to come even closer to Him.

I am thankful for my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. I am even more thankful that I get to share that knowledge with everyone else.

I know commandments are there so that God can bless us. it just makes sense. Laws are already set we just have to follow them to become happy. true power is understanding the doctrine and growing that desire to follow what is given. As we come to understand the blessings of repentance for example we don't have to see it as something negative ever. How blessed we are. "Adam fell that men might be; men are that they might have joy"

 

Hermana O

9/17/2012

Funky transfers have just transpired.

I am now above and to the side of my two old areas.

I am in ES. Mi companera es Hermana D. She is younger in the mission but diligent, I know we will find teach and baptize and bring those people to the joy that the Lord has waiting for them.

 

I am so appreciative for every person in my life, those who stay a while and those who move forward faster then others. Right now I get the chance to experience a new beginning and love more people, I feel truly blessed.

 

In FB had a ton of rain yesterday (it was crying because I left!) and the sunrise was gorgeous. It has taught me just what Matt 6:25-33 good will watch over us as we trust him and obey him. I am grateful for the chance to be still in the storm of the world around me. God has me in his hands I just have to forget even more about my self and give everything! I am so thankful for the chance to be serving. Consider the lilies and compare it to the life of the missionary. Always changing and always growing for better if we follow God's will.

 

Adele! Viva la mission!

I love you! Thank for your amazing support and awesome spirit. I feel your prayers. I will forever be grateful.

 

ps My theme for the last two transfers has been "calm in the storm" see Walter Rane's "Triumphal Entry" or Palm Sunday I love how Christ is so peaceful even as everyone around him is so crazy and excited but he always just has that peace...

 

September 10, 2012

Thank you for the birthday wishes! I kind of feel 22? Sort of?

:-D

My week had been okay. Learned a lot yesterday from a companion study with the District leader. About taking care of the sheep we have so God knows he can trust us with more.

We don't have any "investigators " but once Bro G believes in himself and trusts God he'll know the gospel is enough to help him in all the commandments. 

That is actually a starter for today I want to bear my birthday testimony.

 

I am a blessed daughter of an eternal Father. He loves me enough to bless me with the treasures (that come in treasure boxes that sometimes look like trials with the locks and such :-D )

I know that God is the same yesterday today and tomorrow. I know His eternal power is on the earth upon the mantel of His prophet Thomas S Monson. I know God uses imperfect people to do his imperfect work. I know I am imperfect. I know am progressing and I know I choose happiness.

I love that every choice has a consequence and that its not easy to find treasure. I do know the more we look for treasure (ie read scriptures, pray, immerse yourself in all good things that you have already) we can find more. What more can he give that we don't already have? We must recognize what we have so we can treasure it and then give thanks and then in his great mercy he helps us find even more treasures.

 

I love my brothers and sisters. I love them imperfectly but I want to do so perfectly. I am so thankful for time and for time past. Time is spelled L-O-V-E. :-D thank you for all the time and love you've given me.

 

 

Thank you mom for all you do! 

LOve you!

 

Sister O.

Texas McAllen Mission

200 W. LaVista Ave

McAllen Texas 78501

9/4/2012

How's your companion this week?  She is doing better :-) Just still has to be cautious with medicine and everything and so i got to do splits with members and see miracles with them.

We have some really great potentials that we're working with. I really think brother G will get an answer soon! I know that some families in the branch are so powerful that they will be finding more missionary opportunities as we move forward. We're going to visit and help them get excited for that! this month's theme in the branch is serve your neighbor so they'll get the chance to serve and hopefully feel inspired to invite them to learn or enjoy something as a family.

There is a really sweet return missionary that we get to work with too because we are the closest sisters to her :-) and school for her doesn't start til January. So we're going to find and help some families prepare for baptism!

I am so excited for Sunday! Elder Holland is giving the CES fireside address!

 

I am fine just so thankful for everything. thanks for the package.  Everything is so great! 

Really the one thing I want for my birthday is letters and pictures of recent stuff (weddings birthdays school whatever) gimme paper and words over things any day :-)

 

 

love you mom! thanks again! you are wonderful!

Sister O.

Texas McAllen Mission

200 W. LaVista Ave

McAllen Texas 78501

Aug 20

Congrats to J keep doing all the good stuff and something even better will come up sometime!

Ya I'm staying in CC and I am sorry I didn't save enough time to write.

great quote of the week: "Happy thoughts are like sun beams from your face" -Dahl

 

I love you all please pray for bro t and brother g

 

Love you all!!!

 

the island is beautiful we hope to find more people there!

August 13th

Hello

My companion and I are doing well. She's got medicine and such but still is getting drowsy and coughs. So we're working on it :-)

I like the hair cut, your hair may be longer then mine. I'll try and send a picture next week.

Sis T. is amazing I will definitely tell you wheres and whens of the pictures -I hope I'll still remember!

Ya Elder W. has been in my prayers as some really great elders head home my heart goes out to them because they are so strong and have to go conquer another mountain.... and eternity and such. I like the farewell thing they have that sounds like it would be great.

I hope I can speak decent spanish when I get home!

 

I am grateful this week for the spirit. Its companionship is the key. Still learning, still falling and smiling in my head telling satan thanks for reminding me of this and then I get back and move forward and never let satan win! I love it! Thank goodness we have the support of our Father in Heaven. He's the winning side after all :-D

Great quote by Joseph Smith

i like the quote you sent this week reading the Ensign by The Prophet Joseph Smith--  

“All your losses will be made up to you in the resurrection, provided you continue faithful. By the vision of the Almighty I have seen it.” 

I know that we have so many blessings waiting for us! I just don't want as many good blessings here besides happiness and peace so that in heaven they'll have more to build my home with ;-)

Keep praying for us! I feel the strength of your testimony every day.

 

But ya funny thing of the week: you know you've been a sister missionary too long when your companion says you act like you're from the 50's (i guess fellow isn't a normal word ! and when you have a pj skirt)

 

All in all 

Love you mom!

 

hard week for my ears. I need to listen better. Does anyone have any tips? because I know I've heard them but I probably wasn't listening well enough to soak it in! 

sorry! love you!

 

This week we need prayers to help us get out and find those souls waiting and help to always have the spirit with us. Specific prayers work miracles 

 

LOVE Sister O.

(by golly!)

Texas McAllen Mision

200 W. La Vista Ave

McAllen, TX  78501

August 5th

The mission life the low down!

 

I wake up at 6... my brain doesn't wake up til 6:30 which why I wake up at 6. I try and read or write in my agenda (which is pretty much my journal) and I wake myself up again at 6:35 get dressed and start exercising in the apartment with "Ye Elders Of Israel" its a great work song and it gets me and my companion up and singing about leaving sins behind all day every day.

We try and go for a short run and then we get ready. Its an improvement from 4 sisters with one bathroom in one hour to 2 sisters in one bathroom in one hour so its pretty good. this week I ate a lot of rice, pasta, and oatmeal because they were left overs from other transfers and I had no money on my card. 

 finally...

So I am doing way better at planning and just getting things written down and then having everything have a place and keeping organized. It needs work but the area is steadily improving and also we are too.

 

My poor companion has had a cough for like 4 weeks and well we're gonna help her get over it this week.

and next week I'll tell you about studies and then some of the fun stuff we do during the day.

Please just remind me to talk about it :-)

 

PS HAPPY BIRTHDAY AUNT L. HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE K. HAPPY BIRTHDAY J AND S!

And for all those who I may have missed HAPPPPPPPPYY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

Love you all!

 

Hermana O

July 23, 2012

Its true as I prepare to teach all these people I learn so much first!

 

? So how was your week in Corpus Christi?

It was a good week we have a couple that we have preparing for baptism and most of the week our thoughts are with them but we didn't find new investigators. We realized how powerful our tiny branch is when so many were at church on Sunday and what a blessing that was!

If you could pray for Sis N and Bro B. it would be appreciated!

? Who is your companion?

My companion is Hna R. Ella le gusta perros y es un fashiontista (tiene precision con como mira ella es muy bonita)

? Where is she from? she is from the same city you were born in!!! I thought that was cool :-) and yet she's mexican (long story ask me after my mission :-) )

? Address? ummmm .....pues en corpus I'll try and send it in una carta esta semana

 

Congrats to L, I better get some pictures of all these weddings! (k, every body in fresno/slc or whatever! ) 

hehehe Presidente asked how is your family and all I could say was good! I got to see more pictures or something

:-D hahaha no just I love you all I'm so grateful for your prayers!

 

Our lessons on Sunday were a lot about gratitude, I am so thankful to be a missionary and each and everyone of you have helped me to be here. Thank you for all you have done and you continue to do, I feel your love and sacrifice. Love you all!

 

-Sister O.