Im a Christmas Unicorn!

It has been a very... snowy... cold... emotional rollarcoaster week... but what else do you expect serving in the Michigan Lansing Mission?

Monday was great! We had an awesome p-day getting Christmas cards... and yes we did do a self timer at the local grocery story (Meijer) and yes we did get weird looks.  We also went Christmas shopping so a package is on the way! Then we taught T, I love her!

Tuesday We went finding for quite some time.  We also got to have dinner with a member of the ward who had an AMAZING conversion story.  I love hearing people's conversion stories because it reminds me of how awesome missionary work is.  Also we taught P and she is really working to quit smoking

Wednesday we had a great district meeting and we got to have dinner with a ward member at the coolest retirement home ever.  It used to be a super old home for "troubled girls"  And so it has super cool long h always and stained glass and stuff.  It was fun.

Thursday we saw T and she crushed all her cigarettes and started the no smoking program and she has been clean all week!! I am so proud of her!

Friday  we had trade-offs.  I stayed here in Grand Valley and we taught N.  She is so cool and she even took notes on the Plan of Salvation.  I just love her.   Then we had lunch at a member who served his mission with the sister I was with's dad.  Also we got to go to the Relief society Christmas party that night which was great!

Saturday we taught A and it was GREAT!! He was the guy we put on date like our first week here and the member we brought offered to drive him to church and everything. Aaannnd we may have gotten stuck in a ditch because it was really snowy... but Sister Robertson got out and pushed and we made it! #Heavenlyfatherstrengthensus Also a member took us to dinner and then we went to the largest Christmas light display in Michigan! It was fun.

Sunday was kind of sad... so I was pumped for church but then it got cancelled due to the crap ton of snow aaaannnd A dropped us, said he didn't want to be baptized... I feel like I have gone through a million break-ups on my mission.  So we went door-knocking and it was so cold so I wore my batman pajamas under my skirt and coat to stay warm.  Then a family fed us and gave us Christmas presents which was a huge tender mercy!  The day felt off though and I know it is because we didn't get the sacrament... It is SO IMPORTANT!! I see a huge difference

Anywho that is about all... I love this work! Also I got lots of packages this week and I LOVED the letters from the Family in St. George! It was the best!

Fun fact: If you ever feel bad for yourself, read Mormon 9... Moroni went through so much so we could have the Book of Mormon.  We are so blessed!

Its beginning to look a lot like... Spam Sushi

Hey everybody!! It has been a great week!  We are seeing a lot of Christmas miracles, the Light the World initiative is great, if you aren't doing it... check it out!  Also we were without a car the whole week which was hard, but it was good too!

Monday was great! The STL's gave us a ride to e-mailing and shopping.  Then we napped and went to dinner with the Empty Nesters

Tuesday was great! We had interviews with President, which is always great and a stellar district meeting.  We got to bear our testimonies of Christ which I love.  Then got Holiday pancakes from Ihop.  Also we had a lesson with T, we moved her baptismal date to the 24th! She is doing great at cutting back smoking!

Wednesday was really a cool day.  We went finding on the bus a lot because we had no car... met some ... fun people.  But we had a cool experience because we got off the bus at where we were meeting an investigator and one of the girls we were talking to on the bus got off with us and she said she heard some weird things about Mormons, so we asked if we could sit down and tell her what we actually believed and it was an amazing lesson... she may have even teared up!! She is amazing her name is N.  Then we met another investigator at a Restaurant and after our meeting a man sitting behind us  told us how much he loved listening to us talk about God... Yay for Christmas!! (Also this investigator dropped us today... I feel like I got broken up with... mission life... ... it was best buy guy...)

Thursday was good! We had another good meeting with T and we met the Elders old investigator C at Ihop... we forgot to tell him we were girls so he was super confused.  He said the Church wasn't his style but he was up for meeting and we told him it's not about finding your favorite church it's about finding the church that brings you closer to God.  That really affected him.  Also Mom's package came and it was so great!!!

Friday we went to go find a referral and we had a lesson with her and she is on date!! Her name is R.  She is a little shy, but super nice!  We also talked to some sweet people on the bus including a guy whose name is Storm-bringer... Also, Storm-bringer says he knows the cure for cancer! (I love the bus) Also we had a cute couple take us to an appointment to see one of the older ladies in the ward and we got a little lost... but it was fun!!

Saturday we had a lesson with N (from Tuesday)  We met at the Library and we were in the middle of reading from The Book of Mormon when this pastor guy comes up and starts debating with us about the Trinity and about how Mormonism was false.  BUT... N totally was defending us and telling about how she has already found a lot of truth in Mormonism and she is going to base her decisions on what God tells her and so far he hasn't said anything bad about Mormonism... it was frustrating but also super cool to see N bear the testimony she already has after meeting with us once!! She is so cool!! And she has the cutest kids!! The rest of the day was cold an uneventful so we bought a carton of ice-cream from the gas station and carried it like a mile home...

Sunday R came to church... she said it was interesting... hopefully that means good! The ward is awesome at fellow-shipping her though... this ward is great! Also we got to help decorate a members Christmas tree and they heard about the Spam situation and helped us get rid of some by making us SPAM SUSHI! It wasn't even that bad... also... IT SNOWED1!!!!! I don't know if you knew this but I love snow in December.  Also the Christmas devo was fantastic! I am so glad to be serving for another Christmas!! I truly know that Christ is the light of the world.

Fun fact:  the song "Oh Christmas Tree"  Was originally "Oh Michigan"  (I'm not actually sure how reliable this info is I heard it from an Old man with a Harmonica...)

Also, please excuse the cheesy white-girl photo of us on the Christmas tree, I was just so excited about our tree and Polaroids because... I LOVE CHRISTMAS!! 

Gobble Up Some Gospel

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!! Sounds like St. George was pretty fun!! Here is my week...

Monday, p-day we spent a lot of time getting Christmas decor #yaaaayy christmas!!! Also Sister B had to get a new camera card and it resulted in us talking to 3 people about the gospel and we got two phone numbers! Yay!!

Tuesday we had a lesson with E (the 82 year old) And sister B told me I "threw down"  I didn't think so but we finally got him to listen to us... I guess.  Also we had another lesson with an investigator the Elders were teaching and it was super hard because her grandaughter was so cute but really distracting.... AH!

Wednesday we taught one of the guys we met on P-day at Best Buy! He was SO COOL!!! He is really sincere and wants to know.  His name is J and we are pumped about him.  Also we got to help a lady do service by cleaning her house.. so that was fun!

Thursday... Thanksgiving!! We decorated our apartment in the morning and watched Mr. Kruegers Christmas #Ilovechristmas!! I don't know if you knew that.  Then we went to a part members house and had Thanksgiving... man my weaknesses were truly shown because we had to help them cook and he was SO surprised I didn't know how to cook... it was a struggle.  After being there 4 hours... we had a delightful dinner!

Friday We went finding all day and we have been praying to find specific people and we prayed for a guy wearing a hat... and first guy we talked to was wearing a hat!! Yay!!

Saturday we were fasting for the mission fast of 280 baptisms! We found some cool potentials and since we didn't have much food in our apartment we went to break our fast with Indian food!!! Yay!! Then we felt like we should drop by some less actives and her friend who was in another ward was there and they were SO excited.  They kept telling us it was no coincidence we stopped by.  I love hearing that.

Sunday we got to go to all 3 hours of church #yayplumming and the ward is great and really helpful!! We also went finding like all day after which was good... Also in this area we don't have a car some weeks  and it is HUGE so... wish us luck!!

Love you all! This Church is true and I love being out here on a mission!!

Fun fact:  Sister B uncle found out about our spam situation and sent us a SPAM COOKBOOK I think we are now known as the Spam sisters... no complaints !

please do not judge me in these pictures... I look TERRIBLE!!!!!! But my comp is cute so just look at her.  She's just so fun.

SPAM-bled eggs

Wow... This week has been SPAM PACKED...hehehe get ready for an e-mail full of Spam puns. 

Anywho, Monday was interesting.  None of the Sisters had a car so we had no way to get anywhere so.... 2.5 hour nap!! Then we made puzzles for FHE and I normally hate puzzles and It wasn't even that bad! I normally hate Puzzles... then because of Thanksgiving we got transfer calls early... I'M LEAVING WAH!!!! I was soooo bummed to leave right before the Holidays. #NO!!  I am with Sister B and we are whitewashing the Grand Valley ward in Grand Rapids.   We took over for some Elders and the ward is PUMPED to have sisters.

So Tuesday was full of good-byes and sad stuff, #don'tmakemego!  but we had one last lesson with H and.... SHE'S ON DATE!!! Yay!! She wants to be baptized December 31st!! Yay!! 

Wednesday I left in the morning SAD STUFF!! So we went to Grand Valley and we are taking after Elders, so we are whitewashing... and we got to our apartment and we got a sneak peak at how the other half lives.... SO MUCH SPAM!!! It was ridiculous! I do not understand why the apartment has so much spam.... so we decided to try it out because neither of us have had spam, so we made SPAM-bled eggs... slightly weird, but not.  I will try to send pics.  It was an adventure.  So we had no idea where to begin so we did lots of phone calls and went to visit some less actives.  We met a super cool recent convert newly wed couple! They are so cool!!

Thursday we met a cool guy at Mcdonals where we were meeting a member and he was interested in learning more about the Gospel... so that was cool!! We door knocked into this adorable old man and He invited us back to have a lesson the next day, he was so cute!!

Friday was a miracle day... we needed rides to all of our lessons because it was carfast day (hehe didn't miss those on campus)  and we found a ride to all 3 of them!! And the members were nice enough to come to two of them!! One was Tresa, an investigator the Elders found who wants to be baptized but is working on quitting smoking and So it was good meeting her and we were so blessed to have rides.  One of our lessons was with a less active and she gave us a ride, but it was POURING rain so we had to take shelter in Lowes and we tried to talk to people about the gospel there, it was a little challenging. But hey, as long as we are trying to be productive

Saturday was SPAM-TASTIC It snowed and was freezing so we listened to Christmas music to warm our hearts (tee hee)  It worked.  And we went to go visit a referral who lived in the Middle of Nowhere so we door knocked around there and it was so cool because there was this guy we who let us in to have a lesson (His Mom was there) and we taught the Resto and he LOVED it!! He said he felt like he had only been given half a birthday cake instead of the whole thing!! So... that was cool AND to make it better he wants to be baptized!!! IT WAS SUCH A MIRACLE we weren't even sure if it was real life.  His name is Aaron and he is legit.  He called us sweet a@# messangers... we may have to work on language?

I have no Idea what the Spam happened yesterday... we went to church for the sacrament... and then they cancelled the rest of church because the toilets where backed up....?  So so much for meeting all the ward, whatever. We also had Thanksgiving Pizza at a members house?  Not bad... but I am sick of eating... the ward feeds us way too well.  The ward is so great and welcoming though! Well, this is a super long e-mail... and that's about all I have to say.  But I know that this work is inspired, sometimes I have no Idea how God works but I know he is real and works through the spirit.

Fun Fact:  Grand Rapids is the anti-mormon literature capital of the world or something.... so that's nice.  Bring on the refiners fire!!

Love you all have a great Thanksgiving!! Still enjoying the pants and the tape from last year.

President Jacobsen for President!

Hello all! Transfer calls are tonight, so hopefully I will stay here in K-zoo! 

Monday we had a great Zone P-day.  It was fun! I love it when a bunch of missionaries get together, missionaries are the best!! 

Tuesday was AMAZING!! We went to Lansing for  mission leadership conference and it was exactly what I needed.  I felt the spirit so strong and a lot of questions I had about being a missionary were answered.  Also, I got to see all my friends... yay friends!! 

Wednesday was good, we taught R and asked her to pray right then to know if what we are saying is true, and she said she feels it is partially true but she needs to know more,  I have learned we just have to wait for God's timing a lot! I felt the spirit strongly though.   We also had our last district meeting!  Also Sister A and I had a cool experience that night,  we had just got done planning and I had the impression we should fast the next day and I didn't say anything until we got in bed and turned out the lights and I asked her how she felt about fasting and she said she got the exact same impression... UNITY!! 

Thursday we fasted!! Fasting really does open your eyes to miracles,  we were a lot more bold in lessons and in finding and though we didn't see any huge miracles, we still were a lot more in tune with the spirit and picked up some new investigators.  Also we had a meeting at the stake and they asked us to share missionary experiences and I told that one, and someone else told one about how they felt prompted to serve someone and someone got baptized out it and one of the stake guys was like, even though these two stories had different results, they both did the same thing, following promptings.  That was just what I needed to hear, because that is what missionary work is all about.

Friday we taught somebody we met Thursday and he told us he'd come to church...even though he didn't end up coming it still was cool.  

Saturday we went to the temple!! So fun! I love the temple! Especially the Chicago temple!! It was so fun to go with the other Sisters we had a great time!!

Sunday we taught relief society which actually went pretty well for us finding out at 9pm the night before we have to teach.  So yeah, that was good, also any day you take the sacrament is awesome!  Also we stopped by a less active we've been trying to talk to and she was home!! Yay! We are going to try to do some service for her.

Well that is about all, I love this work even though sometimes it is really hard.  I wouldn't trade the past 14 months for anything.  

Fun fact:  President Jacobsen is the coolest, he told us he tried to get permission for us to go to the BYU vs MSU game and got denied... he is the best!  He really has helped me know how to work hard and do my best!!