Transfers and Holidays

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Kristen Owens <kristen.owens@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Nov 5, 2012 at 10:31 AM
Subject: Transfers and Holidays
To: carolyn owens <carolyndowens@gmail.com>


Hello my dearest family,

It's been a carazy morning. First off, CONGRATS KAIT! That is so great! I actually was thinking about you this morning and I had that thought that you would go somewhere spanish speaking :) haha it was the spirit that told me. jk, but seriously congrats! You will love your mission! :) Well this morning we got a call from President Clements. He talked with Sister Mansfield and guess what?!? She's training! And She's whitewashing into an area in our zone called Elm Creek and Shingle Creek. There are two wards there and her and her companion will be helping mostly with the African immigrant population working with both wards :) She is pumped! I am so proud of her! She is such an amazing missionary :) She taught me so much these past two transfers. She really did. I feel much more confident in myself because of her and her amazing diligence and boldness. She's a rock star.

Then Sister Mansfield handed the phone over to me and President proceeded to tell me I will be training AGAIN. Oh man! I didn't learn what I was suppose to the first time I guess haha AH! I actually secretly prayed for this without knowing. I really felt bad a few weeks ago for not being a better trainer and helping Sister Mansfield as best I could (sometimes I just didn't know how to help her!), so I prayed and asked for forgiveness....I also prayed for a second chance...oops. But, I am really excited to train again. It's been a great experience and I learned a lot. I know I will learn much more these next two transfers as we work harder than before and help others come unto Christ through repentance. My new companion will be great! I can't wait! I am nervous, but I feel at peace about everything. Sister Mansfield is going to be great! I am so proud of her! :)

Anyway, we have two baptisms coming up this week! They both had their interviews and one of them needs a second one, but it has been amazing to see the change in both of them. They have both changed their lives in order to align them with God's will. They have repented and their hearts have truly come unto Christ. I am so excited to see them enter the waters of baptism. And Brother Jesse is baptizing one of them and he received the Melchezidek Priesthood as well!!! :) It has been so neat to watch him continue to progress in the Gospel! :) I am so lucky to have taught him and met him. Sister Randall will be so proud of him when she finds out :) So the cool thing is....We found brother jesse through a member who was recently baptized about 1.5 years ago. He invited jesse to church where sister randall and i set up a time to meet and now he's baptized and progressing in the gospel and is going to do baptisms this week in the temple. but, he was also with us when we found our current investigator S-dawg. And now he is getting baptized this week :) super cool. The original member told the Stake President the other day in Stake Conference that "I'm a grandpa!" haha I thought that was cute and funny. It was really neat to see Brother Jesse sustained though in Stake Conference. He is an incredible man. seriously incredible. His whole purpose and goal in life is to serve God. And he does it so well! I admire him so much!

So, not many exciting things happened this week except our Chinese investigator came to Sacrament meeting (and she didn't understand a lick of it...) but, she came! :) And she said she was going to start coming more I think...we are excited to teach her more :)

Anywho, it's fun to see the work of the Lord rolling forth with all these new missionaries. It's going to be great to witness the work really take off in the next few months! I am so excited to see what great changes will happen and what miracles we will see. I love this area, and I am glad I get to stay here for at least half my mission! :) Can you believe that?! But, if I could make one request. Please continue to pray really really really hard for me and my new companion and this area. I still don't know what I am doing and I know it'll be hard but I know the Lord is in charge. I have learned so much about the power of faith since being on my mission. That's where everything starts. it doesn't mean it will be easy, it just means it will be possible. Please pray especially for our investigators this week. the week before the baptism is one of the hardest.... thanks for all you do! I feel your prayers every single day of my mission and multiple times a day actually. I am so proud to call you my family. I miss you like crazy and these next few holidays will be hard without you, but it will be so great to be able to come back right in time next year for them :) Keep doing what you are doing. you are all such great examples to friends, family, and neighbors. Keep sharing your testimony mom :) I love that about you, you have never doubted anything. Thanks for being a rock in my life. I look to you as my example of faith so much! I love you all! I will let you know how this next weekend is :) pray please really hard for S-dawg and T-dawg...especially T-dawg....

Thanks,
   Love,
      Sister Owens