October 28, 2013

Hello!

What a week! Nuff' said!

We saw a lot of less-actives this week and members this week. We had 16 lessons that we set up on our own or had when we just stopped by to see someone. Even though our key indicators don't show it, we're having success in our area. Facebook is amazing! I'm friends with my ward and I can see what is going on in their lives. I feel like I'm becoming a member of the Highgroves YSA ward :)

 

We might a have a new convert coming to our ward. Her name is Alexandra Hawn and she was taught by Elders Parker and Despain. She lives in the Countryside Park YSA ward but was coming to church with her aunt in the Kensington ward and was baptized into the Kensington ward on Saturday. She might move in with her aunt so she'll be in our ward. Not gonna lie.... I really want her to move and come to our ward. This ward is having a hard time thinking about doing missionary work and I think having a recent convert of 7 days in the ward will really help.

 

We really need to find an investigator! This ward needs a baptism and I can feel that we need to find one but it's harder to find them in the YSA. Brittney and Scott aren't interested (right now) so what we're going to do this week is meet ALL of our former investigators and ask if they're interested in learning. If they are then hooray for us but if they're not we will ask for referrals. Going through the Area Book I can feel that there's someone in there that's ready to receive the restored gospel. 

 

We had an awesome training just for sisters on Thursday and I loved it! It was nice to have concerns that only sisters have addressed. I know what I need to improve on (wardrobe, diet, exercise, etc.) and I know that if I diligently work on this, I will be happier, healthier, and I'll be able to work longer and harder. I'm going to try even harder to be more exactly obedient. It will be hard but the rewards will be priceless.

 

I have a lot that I want to work on to change or to improve and I'm working on not overwhelming myself with everything that I want to do. I'm so grateful that I have the world's best companion. I feel like I can share everything with her and she supports me in all that I set out do. I also know that Heavenly Father is right there as well cheering me on and extending His arm for me to grab hold of.

I love the Gospel :)

Love, Sister Dunn

P.S. Rumor is we might be getting iPads this week or the following! YAY!

October 21, 2013

My nerdy side was fed. I died and went to heaven when I saw this.

What a week! I can't believe it's Monday again. Where does the time fly?? This week, to me, has been stellar! We've been meeting with a lot of members and teaching them and sharing messages and extending commitments that will help them exercise their faith and much more!

 We had an amazing thing happen to us this week! We were going through a list of YSA, whose records are not in the YSA ward, trying to contact them and find out where they are in their life. We were going to go and see a brother and sister, Jose and Maria, but they didn't live there anymore. But there is an engaged couple who lives there! We talked to one, Sean, and taught him about Jesus Christ and a little about our church. He said we could come back!! YAY!! Sister Sparhawk tried to give him a Book of Mormon before we left but he wouldn't take it, but he did say that we could give it to his fiance. His fiance's name is Bethany. It definitely was a miracle from the Lord because we were putting ourselves out there, working hard, and talking to everyone. We did go back when we said we would but they weren't there :( Sad. But we were walking back to our car when we saw Elder Rountree and Elder Van Noy talking to someone. I thought that maybe the lady they are talking to would know her neighbors, Sean and Bethany, so we went and talked with her! When we introduced ourselves she asked if we were there to talk about her son Zed Rodriguez. Just then I remembered Bishop Peterson talking about having us find a less-active named Zed Rodriguez. We just found his mom and his mom wants him to come back to church! What a miracle! We've had a lot more experiences like this one but there's too many to write in a short letter. :)

 

We got in contact with a lot of less-actives this week as well. We're going to start teaching them the lessons. We had a really special experience this week with the mother of one of our less-actives. We went to his house trying to contact him and set up a time when we could come and teach him. He wasn't home but his mom was and she invited us to come in. We did and started talking about how her son became less-active and we started talking about enduring and having faith and hope. While she was speaking, 2 Nephi 31:20 came into my mind immediately and I knew I had to share it with her... and I did. After I shared the scripture and shared my testimony of having faith she had tears in her eyes. I could tell that she was so thankful that we came and shared the gospel with her. The next day we went back to see her son (who wasn't there for an appointment we set up) and she answered the door and was so happy to see us. Before we left to go and contact another person she gave us a thank you note and started crying because she was so thankful for our visit the previous night. We read the note and started crying ourselves. She wrote that we were an answer to many prayers and that we could never imagine the impact that we just had in her life. I feel so humbled!! Small miracles like this make going on a mission worthwhile. I have never had the experience of being an answer to someone's prayers before; it's definitely a humbling and fuzzy feeling. 

 

I'm in an awesome mission choir! Sister Beckstrand (the Vistitors' Center director) invited Sister Sparhawk and I to come and sing in a choir that will perform for Christmas lights. It's amazing! This was an invite only choir!! I really missed singing in a choir. 

 

I can't say how thankful I am to have Sister Sparhawk as my companion. She is so wonderful and I learn from her every single day. She pushes me to be the best trainer I can be. I pray for her all the time and I study just for her as well. I worry about her so much!

 

-Sister Dunn

 

October 14, 2013

Greetings!

I love this transfer! I have an amazing companion! Sister Sparhawk is from Boise, Idaho and is as fresh from the MTC as you can get. She is wonderful and is absorbing everything like a sponge! I've been working really hard to get to know her and really know who she is. That's one thing I felt like my other companions didn't really do. She has an amazing spirit and loves to work (what an amazing quality to have!). During lunch, evenings, and when we're driving we're asking each other questions; it's really awesome! I'm trying to see where her limits are so I don't push her to her breaking point. She's an amazing worker and is just..... awesome! :) I'm definitely making 12 Week a higher priority than ever before along with practices! I sure do not like practices but they're wonderful and love them at the same time! Being a trainer is a huge responsibility and I'm not taking it lightly. I need to set the example that she will remember forever. No pressure right? ;) She's definitely my number one investigator and I'm always thinking about her and asking Heavenly Father what she needs to grow and improve and become the wonderful and powerful missionary that I see her becoming. I really see her as someone who is confident and goes out of her way to help others and share the gospel with anyone she comes in contact with. I'm going to work my tail off to help her become the daughter of God I see her becoming.

 

White-washing is really hard. We currently don't have any investigators, 2 new/other investigators that we have not been able to contact, and 4 referrals. We work with less-actives a lot but they're never home! It's hard trying to fill our time with activities that will use the Lord's time wisely but I have so much hope for this area! The other day we got a referral (his name is Seth) from a member and the feeling I got when she started telling us about him was unforgettable! I can feel that miracles are going to happen in this ward and there are going to be baptisms! The members are absolutely fantastic and are so willing to help and to go out with us when we try and contact potentials and visit less-actives. I really love this ward. It's really amazing how much the members will go out of their way to help the Work of Salvation. It's so wonderful!

 

One activity that we're doing is called "Operation Noah." We go out to everyone and give them a proselyting copy of the Book of Mormon, a marking guide created by a member, and a mormon.org card. We invite them to mark the Book of Mormon, write their testimony on the front page, and pray to Heavenly Father and ask who they should give it to. It's a really neat thing! We've done it with a few members already and when we were speaking they received revelation as to who they need to give it to. We give them a week then we follow up with them to see if they had done it or not. If they didn't do it we recommit them and follow up a week later. We're giving out a lot of these and we're following up with those who received this wonderful challenge from Sisters Esmond and Hillam. Miracles are going to happen from this!

 

We're also going to start working with the YSA Representatives from the home wards in the stake to go and "rescue" those whose records are not in the YSA ward. I feel really strongly that we'll be able to find those individuals and help them come to the ward and that we'll be using the Lord's time wisely.

 

I'm doing great! I feel a healthy level of stress; a level that motivates me and pushes me to work to my very best and more! I've set a goal for this transfer! Last transfer it was giving meaningful commitments that will help others exercise their faith in  the Savior and I think I accomplished this goal! This transfer my goal is asking inspired questions! I definitely feel that this is something I really need to work on. I know that with the help of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ I can become a better missionary and I can accomplish anything that I set out to do.

Love, Sister Dunn

 

P.S.  Believe it or not I'm getting cold! My blood has really thinned out and 60 degrees is freezing! I cannot wait for my blood to thicken again so I can really enjoy the cold! But at least it doesn't go above 100 degrees; I'm thankful for that!

 

I'm getting Facebook training tomorrow! So don't be surprised when you see me logged on! I have to hide EVERYTHING (old posts, pictures, everything) but I will be on there! I can only use it for proselyting purposes so no chats about how I'm doing. But if you have people for me to teach online let me know! I'm really excited to be on Facebook!

October 7, 2013

Hello!

If I had to describe this week in one word it would be refocus. We are in a trio until the end of the transfer! I'm so grateful Sister Sacher joined us this week. I was devastated when Sister Nikitina ( her companion) had to go home, but I really needed Sister Sacher. I had been really stressed out Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. It came to a point where I was crying everyday and I couldn't think of an explanation as to why I was feeling the way I was. I knew I was using the Atonement and asking for help from Heavenly Father but I still felt hopeless. Then Sister Sacher joined and she had fun! I realized that I was not relieving my stress at all. I was just working and working and not taking care of my emotional needs. I learned a valuable lesson this week on the importance of taking care of yourself before you are able to take care of others.  This is something that I'm going to take into next transfer. 

 

I got transfer news!!! *drum roll* I'M TRAINING! I know. So cool! President Jenkins called Saturday afternoon and asked if I would be willing to do it. I humbly accepted the assignment. I just want to express how humbled and honored I feel to be called as a trainer. I was reading in the Handbook under "Missionary Leadership" and began to recognize how much I've grown in the past 12 weeks. I know how I want to train and it is by example. I'm a person of few words so I'm going to teach by my actions. I know that the Lord has called me to do this and He knows I'm capable of doing it. And I know that the Spirit will tell me the words I need to say; I just need to always be ready to open my mouth and take Elder Ballard's call to repentance and speak! I know I have a lot to learn and skills and attributes to develop but I know the Lord is right there with His arms extended. All I have to do is reach up and grab on tight!

 

Jesus is doing fantastic! He came to both sessions of General Conference on Sunday and loved them! He is so eager to learn and grow! We taught him the Law of Chastity and he is keeping it; which is really exciting! He is such an example to his family. His brothers (who ridiculed him for investigating the church) are more open and nice to him. If they have questions, Jesus answers them and he can see that the Spirit is touching their hearts. It's really amazing!

 

Since we now have four wards this week, we didn't have a lot of lessons in Northpoint and Estate Groves wards. But we have had a lot of lessons with members teaching them the five lessons. It's been a great way to get to know the member in the wards.

 

General Conference was absolutely amazing! I loved Elder McConkie's talk. I felt like he was talking directly to me. It was exactly what I needed. And Elder Ballard's talk was amazing. I'm going to follow up on his commitment! Can't wait to hear about the miracles that are going to happen! I noticed that this conference was one big call to repentance. Having a lot of talks be about missionary work is making me realize that this work is hastening faster than I can imagine. I know the Savior is coming soon. We all need to see this and act in faith that we will be able to give everyone the opportunity to accept the gospel. I know that the gospel is true and that Jesus Christ is at the head of it and will be here on earth to run it again! I can't wait!!

Love, Sister Dunn