January 20, 2014

Greetings!

I had a lunch with all the other Sister Training Leaders today and I had a wonderful time with them. It was fun to get together. I'm glad we could help clean as well! Families don't really let us do their dishes, even when we insist. I really appreciated that President and Sister Jenkins let us clean up :) I also went to a funeral today... Not something I normally have done in the past on a P-day, but our services were needed! The service was a "missionary funeral" because we gave the prayers, I lead the music, and we did a special musical number. It was a crazy experience, but it was good.

 I found my theme scripture for what I want the rest of my mission and life to be! It's found in 2 Nephi 4: 34-35 34 "O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen." I've really taken to heart what President Jenkins told me during my interview and I'm bound and determined to always grow my faith. Faith is one thing that will not fail on me! I've been working a lot on keeping my enthusiasm going and I've been doing that! Especially in my studies! I started reading PMG over again and in the introduction it tells us that we should complete the study activities multiple times during my mission... and I haven't been doing them. They were nice things that I could think about doing one day. But not anymore! As I read I take the time to do the activities in that chapter and these activities are amazing! They have really helped me think more deeply and apply what each chapter is teaching. I'm learning so much and as a result I become more enthusiastic everyday to try out the things I'm learning. So cool! 

This week has been the best week ever! I went on an exchange with Sister Takahashi then Sister Hartley. I'm having a hard time writing down how amazing they were. Sister Takahashi had a wonderful idea for online proselyting that helped me out a ton along with Sister Hartley. Her idea is about making our testimonies go viral. She has a blog that she's using to teach the lessons of PMG and she's using personal experiences to teach. So if you read them straight up you would have no idea that this post was about the gospel blesses families, but the Spirit will testify to their hearts of the truth of the message. So genius! I'm going to do that. Anyways, she has a plan how each week we post on our facebook timelines a bold and simple statement like "I know that God blesses families through scripture study" or something like that along with a link to someone's blog where they can read more about how God blesses families. Then we invite others to share the link along with their own brief statement of what they know to be true. The purpose of it is to have a purpose for online proselyting, to not post a bazillion times a week, and give everyone an opportunity to hear about the gospel. She has a more detailed plan, but I believe it will work. She's getting her YSA ward to do it and they're excited for it. She's prayed about this for a long time and I remember when I first heard about this from her, I got this feeling that this will work and that God will help us if we all get on board. When I went on my exchange with Sister Hartley I told her about this and she started crying because she was looking for a way to do online proselyting better. Sister Takahashi's inspiration was an answer to my prayer and Sister Hartley's.  I really can't put to words how excited I am for this! My enthusiasm keeps growing day by day! I literally can't sit still right now while I type this. 

Such an amazing week! These exchanges have been amazing and I'm looking forward to going with these sisters companions now. That being said, I'm worrying about Sister Mitchell. She did really well with the first exchange, but when I came back from Sister Takahashi's exchange she really shut down on me. That darn cute girl keeps comparing herself to these sisters and thinks that she isn't a good companion. Somedays I just want to shake her and make her stop thinking this way because it is not healthy! That's how she lets herself get down and self-pities a lot! But! Never fear because after a long chat I reassured her that she's one of the best companions I've ever had and I've had a lot. She's gained a lot of confidence since that chat. She received answers to her prayers during personal study the other morning. She had been struggling with her relationship with God. Before her mission He was her best friend, but now that she's a missionary she feels it's more like "business" relationship. Well, not anymore! She found within herself the ability to have a "best friend" relationship and a more accountable relationship with God. She's grown so close to him the past few days. Because she's beginning to develop this relationship she's beginning to grow in confidence and is starting to become all that God has in store for her. I'm going to do my best to help her in any way I can. If she keeps this up I can't even begin to image the things she will accomplish on her mission and during her lifetime... She's doing awesome in other words :)

Okay, now onto the area! I hate to say this but I feel our teaching pool slowly dying.... I hate it! Our investigators haven't been keeping commitments or have been gone for a long period of time so we can't teach them. We're working hard to contact as many potentials and referrals as we can though. I know that as we work hard and do what we're supposed to do, the Lord will help us grow our teaching pool. Because if the Lord wanted investigators He can get investigators... That's not a problem for Him. But we're having our faith tested along with the ward's. This ward is so awesome. We get referrals from them every time we see them. They're on fire! I can't express how grateful I am to be in this ward. 

That's my week in a nut shell. Crazy stuff!! I can't wait for more miracles and amazing things to happen! I hope this new vision of online proselyting is successful!

-Sister Dunn

January 13, 2014

Greetings!

What a week! I'm sad that Elder Holland got an emergency assignment, but we still had a fabulous meeting! Elder Wright of the Seventy came and spoke to the Mesa, Gilbert, and Scottsdale missions. It was so fun and the Spirit there was amazing! The main message that Elder Wright gave was about changing and making every moment of my mission count. 

This week has been a bit challenging for me. I've been struggling a lot with who I want to become and where I want to go. After the meeting on Saturday I created a vision of who I want to be and how I can achieve that vision. I did have my struggles and I had to slow down to see things clearly (Sister Mitchell really helped me do that). I now appreciate how much the Lord loves me and trusts me. I had a hard time seeing that, but I see it now. I need to trust the Lord more than I've ever done in the entire life and to NEVER doubt Him. I now know that even the smallest amount of doubt can throw a person down into a big and dark pit. I was scared when this transfer began and I let that get the best of me. Biggest mistake EVER. I now have a vision that will help me exercise my faith and will lead me to be more obedient and to trust the Lord like never before. My struggles have made me stronger and have given me the determination to never doubt.

I really loved exchanges! It was so fun to be with a wonderful sister and to learn from her how I can be a better missionary. This sister serves in Highgroves, so it was really fun to be back in the YSA for 24 hours. Sister Mitchell also loved being on an exchange! And she did so well!

Sister Mitchell is doing really well. She's adjusting to missionary life better than she thinks she does. She's super insightful and always wants to talk to people. She works hard and tries her hardest to follow the impressions and promptings from the Spirit. She is very open with me about what she's feeling and what she's struggling with. Together, we've worked through a lot our problems and struggles, which is awesome!! She loves doing 12 Week and is learning a lot from it. I hope the next 5 exchanges go as well as the first one!

Missionary work in the ward is coming along. A lot of members are inviting like crazy to the Gilbert Temple. We're getting referrals by the handful and the members (especially the sisters) are seeing that they can do missionary work. Bishop Baird is wonderful and wants us to always be busy. We're always in the homes of members for FHE on Mondays and we're getting more sisters to come out with us when we teach. This ward is wonderful. Todd, Michelle, Brody, and Brenna have been sick, but I also think they're ignoring us. Meh. They've cancelled all of our appointments and when we stop by they say they're sick when we can clearly see that they're not. Our ward mission leader also sees this and he's trying to reach out to them along with our ward missionaries. We're praying for them a lot. But we have some hope! Lynn, the wife of a recent convert, is really open to sister missionaries. She wasn't with the elders, but we feel that we can connect with her. The members think that also. We stopped by the other night and dropped off cookies and she was so happy to see us. Although she was busy at that moment, she really wanted us to come back this week. YAY! With our investigators and referrals, we're staying busy and we're working hard to try and get a baptism this month. I know we can do it. :)

I've learned a lot in the past week and I can't wait to apply this knowledge to the rest of my mission. This week is going to be awesome! I have two exchanges that I'm going on and I have an interview with President tomorrow! This week is going to be a blast!

Love, Sister Dunn

January 6, 2014

Welcome 2014!

This week has flown by; I can't believe it! I loved the New Year's activity as a mission! We played a lot of games, participated in the world's funniest skits, and bounced President Jenkins around on a sheet. It was a blast! It was a nice break and it was fun to get to know my new zone. Not sure how Sister Mitchell felt, but I loved it and really needed the break as well.

My new companion is Sister Mitchell! She's from Beaver/ Spanish Fork, Utah. She hasn't quite decided where she's from yet ;) She had an interesting first day. We partied then went home because we couldn't proselyte. That's how to start off a mission! She sings opera and was Miss Beaver! She plays the viola (viola buddies for LIFE!!) and has a strong desire to teach people the gospel.

Sister Dunn and Sister Mitchell
January 5, 2014

 White-washing is so fun but so hard at the same time. I love meeting new people and serving them. We have an excuse to go and see anyone! We have a wonderful Ward Mission Leader and we're working hard to stay in contact with him and work with him in similar ways that the elders were working with him. This ward is so excited to have sisters! It's neat because we're the first set of sisters to ever be in the ward. No pressure, right? ;) The members are so wonderful. We've visited a lot of members and every single time they've brought up people they're working with or have invited to the Gilbert Temple open house on their own. We've never initiated those conversations. These members are so missionary minded; it's awesome! We hope to continue the wonderful work the elders had done and add onto it and do things that elders can't do easily. 

I'm really scared for exchanges to start. I have to do 6 one-on-one exchanges before the end of the month. AHH!!Poor Sister Mitchell! Half of this transfer she will have a different companion! But it will be so exciting. I spend a lot of time praying for her that Heavenly Father will help her. 

I can't wait for Elder Holland to come on Saturday! It will be such an amazing experience. We also get an opportunity to work at the Gilbert Temple Open House!! We get to go there once on February 5. I can't wait! President told us the news on Thursday during MLC ( Missionary Leadership Council) that we will have that opportunity and that we can go with investigators and members if the members got tickets. We have members that did and they have people they want to bring. I can't wait to see the blessings and miracles that come from this!

I hope 2014 is the best year ever! I know this year will rock. It's weird to think that I'll be home in a year...... Too weird to think about! I know I have goals that I'm going to be working on and I can't wait to see if I can stretch myself to reach them!

Love, Sister Dunn