This is What the Gospel is About

Dear Family & Friends:

I apologize for the shortened email last week, but I can't even begin to describe how wonderful last Monday was!  We were able to ride to and from Nauvoo with the Cardon's (who taught the temple preparation lessons to Mickey), and Mickey, and then as you know we had a few minutes before we needed to be in the temple that we were able to send a short email out.  Our mission president and his wife, as well as one of their sons, and granddaughters were in Nauvoo, so that was a tender mercy!  One of the sister missionaries who had found, and taught Mickey was able to come to the temple!  So we were there for the Endowment, and then right afterwards, we were able to witness Mickey's sealing to her husband Chuck who passed away about 12 years ago. August 18th was their 50th wedding anniversary and the Spirit was so strong/intense in that sealing room as we witnessed the crowning Priesthood ordinance! where Mickey and Chuck will be sealed together for eternity!  This is what the Gospel is about.  It is about families and helping families return to our Father in Heaven!  It was such a tender experience and the temple President, President McArthur attended the sealing!

Sister Porter, Sister Call, Sister Gerber, Mickey, Sister Cardon, Sister Offen, Sister Rogers, Sister Egbert

 We were able to have an appointment with Jeff and read together from the Book of Mormon.  He happened to be in 2 Nephi 9, so we were able to read it with him, which is such a powerful chapter on the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  The following day, Jeff called us and said that when he was reading the Book of Mormon that day, one of the verses really touched him and brought him to tears!  The Book of Mormon truly is another testament of Jesus Christ, and one cannot sincerely read the Book of Mormon without feeling the Spirit!  

More Frogs

It was late one evening and we decided that we would drop by Karin and Anthony's and we were not sure how they would receive us, because we had never just dropped by before.  But they were excited to see us and said that they had tried going to the family history center, but it was closed because they have been having computer problems :(  They talked about the things that they really like about our church, and then they mentioned that Karin's brother is coming into town tomorrow and that we need to come by and meet him while he is in town!  So it was a positive visit with them!

Paula, one of the recent converts that we have been working with, who battles with depression and some other things, was the happiest I have ever seen her in the time that I have been in Mount Vernon!  She was very talkative and energetic, and asks that we call her each Sunday morning to make sure she is awake and will make it to church!!!

One day this week we were in Solon tracting, and no one really showed any interest, but then there was a kid in his mid 20's who was walking and had just lit up a cigarette, and looked like he was going to avoid us, but we said hello anyways and then he says "I used to be a Mormon." Hahaha which immediately stops you in your tracks.  His name is A.J. and he said that the A was for Ammon, which we immediately identified as a Book of Mormon name.  He works in Solon, and in Cedar Rapids, but lives in Mount Vernon!  So that was exciting!  Because he is the third less active not on our records that Sister Porter and I have found in this area!  

 

Sister Porter & Sister Call

Friday as we were planning for the next day, we were trying to decide where we wanted to go, and Sister Porter said, well if we travel to any of the towns, I think we should go to Tipton. We planned a few things down, there but weren't sure exactly why we needed to be in Tipton.  While down there we decided to drop by the only active member that lives in Tipton.  Turns out her car broke down about 10 days ago, and so we asked if she would like us to pick her up anything at the store to get her through until Wednesday when a member was coming to take her to the store.  She was so relieved and had us pick a couple of food items at Wal-Mart.  As we were picking up the items in Wal-Mart, we ran into Chris who Sister Stoffers and I had taught twice, but then we couldn't get into contact with him!  We had a good visit with him and he told us we could come by again!!!

Anyways, we had a fairly good week this past week.  I love you all and hope you have a great week and wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Love, Sister Call

The Light of the Gospel

Dear Family & Friends:

I'm emailing from Nauvoo right now so the email might be a little short, because we have to be getting to the temple here shortly!  Grandma Mickey was baptized in Mount Vernon a year ago yesterday and is going through the temple today.  Today also happens to be what would have been Mickey's 50th wedding anniversary and she will be sealed to her husband!

We had a good week and were able to spend quite a bit of time tracting which was good because we were able to meet lots of people and have several that we will be following up with this week!  On Wednesday we had Zone Training Meeting and it was really great because our trainings were on Spiritual Endurance and Diligence!  

Sister Porter, Sister Call, Karin and Anthony

We saw Karin and Anthony and it was sad, because the light that they have had in the other lessons was gone, and they have stopped reading the Book of Mormon and you can physically see the absence of light that is with them :(

Saturday was also a good day, because we were able to help the Buttorff's out in the morning and then the Offen's called and asked if we could help them set up for a reception that one of their non member friends, Ken, was having at the church.  Ken comes to church close to every week or so with the Offen's and so we were also able to attend the wedding/reception which was very simple and the entire thing took less than an hour!  But as we were at the reception we were talking to one of Ken's friends from North Liberty who had come for the wedding.  We ended up talking for a good 30 minutes with him about the gospel and our missions!  During our conversation he said "You both have such a light about you. You just glow!"  It is so neat that others can recognize that there is a difference and it comes because of the light of the gospel. Then, when we were leaving he said, "Well, I didn't expect to have this conversation when I came today.  I thought I was just going to get some cake, punch, and leave."  

Sister Porter, Sister Call and Sister Jensen

Sorry this is going to be even shorter!  President and Sister Jensen were in Nauvoo and came and stopped by to say “hi!”

I love you all and hope you have a great week! I am sorry that we are so short on time for emailing!  I love you lots!

Love, Sister Call

Catching Frogs

This was the fifth one that was caught.

Update from this past week!

Monday:

A selfie.

- Late in the afternoon we went to Karin and Anthony's with Sister Askew to teach the Stop Smoking Workshop, which is a program that missionaries use, that if followed you are guaranteed to be able to quit smoking!  When Sister Askew was taking the missionary discussions she used the Stop Smoking workshop and has been smoke free from the very first day!  Karin was really excited to start the stop smoking program!  And it was wonderful to have Sister Askew's testimony/experience of quitting smoking, because she had smoked for years!
- We had dinner with the Gilbert family and shared a message on the importance of "building wards/branches that God can trust" through fellow-shipping and reaching out to everyone to make them feel welcomed and loved at church!

Tuesday:
- We went to the church and helped set up for the Relief Society activity that would take place the following night, and then we had our regular service at the community center and history center.  While we were at the history center, Karin and her daughter Angela walked in and were looking at their family book.  But before they left Karin said that she had gotten upset like an hour earlier and had had a cigarette :(  She felt really bad, but we encouraged her that she can start again!  We also asked if we could come by later that evening to see them.

Did I mention that we had a triple X licence plate?

-Something that I have loved about being a missionary is noticing the times that the Spirit works through you, but not realizing it until after a series of events.  Last week we dropped by Brooke's house and no one answered so we decided to write a note and leave it for her on the door, but as we were finishing the note she opened the door!  So we were able to visit with her and we asked when would be the best time to catch her home.  She told us a time frame to try and so Tuesday afternoon we tried her place, and no one was home.  We then decided that we would stop by some of the other trailers, because we had a potential, and a referral we needed to contact.  On the way to the referral's trailer, Sister Porter suggested that we stop by Fred and Stacie's old trailer, because they had just barely moved.  We knocked on the trailer and weren't sure what to expect.  A guy in his early 20's answered the door and we introduced ourselves and explained that we knew the people that had lived here before and we wanted to welcome them into that area.  James (who had answered the door) then said that he attended the Latter-day Saints church when he lived in Florida and that he was baptized when he was 17!  His dad is the one that just moved into the trailer, and James lives in Cedar Rapids, but said that if we come in the evenings he should be there as well!
-We then went and contacted the referral who we were originally going to see, but they weren't interested, and as we were walking back James had just left in his car, and so we had barely caught him at home!  Then as we got closer to our car, we saw that Brooke's car was in her driveway, so we tried her trailer again, and she was home and we were able to have a lesson with her from Alma 43 and the way that Moroni prepared his people with defensive armor!
-Jeff also came up and we were able to give him a large print Book of Mormon and we read 1 Nephi 19 with him, because that is where he is at in the Book of Mormon!  I think it is wonderful how even though he says he is not interested in the church, he still has a desire to read from the Book of Mormon and how one really does become nearer to God by reading and abiding by the things taught from the Book of Mormon!

Mr. Potato Head left his shoes in the road.

Wednesday:
- We had interviews with President and Sister Jensen!  What wonderful people they are and how much I have learned from their example!
-President had mentioned that the thing that will help our mission more than anything is to become sanctified! And how D&C 88 talks a lot about sanctification and how it is the process of becoming pure with an eye single to the glory of God!
- We were also able to see Heidi and have a lesson with her, her kids, and one of the neighbor kids!
-The Relief Society had an end of summer garden party/dinner that Karin, and her daughter Angela came to!

Thursday:
- We were able to see Karin and Anthony, but when we got there, Karin talked about how they don't want to be baptized in August anymore, and how they don't know what to do because Angela isn't as interested in the church as the rest of them are, and they don't want their family to be divided.  It broke Sister Porter's and I's heart, but we were able to talk about some of their concerns and then we taught the message of the Restoration, because Anthony had been working on family history when we taught it to Karin.  How powerful the message that we get to share of the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored on the Earth. That we have a living prophet, that the Priesthood is on the Earth and allows saving ordinances such as baptism to take place!

This bug stayed on our car all day even after traveling
on dirt roads, and the highway!  We named him Frederick!

Friday:
-We stopped by the house that we helped scrape the carpet off of the steps and we met Carolyn, who is the one that lives there!  She immediately invited us in and visited with us for close to an hour!  She is really excited about family history and can't wait to come to the history center at the church and work on her family history!

Saturday:
- Lisbon was having its Sauerkraut day's celebration, and so we helped Sister Beeks with the "Find Your Ancestors" program and so we helped several people get started with their family history!  We even helped the Mayor to find out more information about some of the lines that she has been working on!

Sunday:
-Karin and Anthony didn't show up to church :( but that evening we decided that we would walk to our dinner appointment, and as we were walking there, we saw a blue car and sure enough it was Karin, Anthony, and Angela.  They pulled over and talked briefly with us, and so we are going to see them tomorrow!

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love, Sister Call

Staying in Mount Vernon!!!

Dear Family & Friends:

The day of transfer calls are always interesting, because you are on edge every time the phone rings, especially when you are not sure whether you will be staying or leaving.  So you go throughout the day anxious for the phone call.  Monday afternoon we had a lesson with Anthony and Karin and brought Sister Askew (pronounced ask-you) with us who joined the church 2 1/2 years ago.  Karin and Anthony had loved church on Sunday, and when we asked them if they had any questions, Anthony got this worried-sick look on his face and said that he had heard in Priesthood meeting that missionaries are only here for 3-6 months and that we might be leaving. . . . it was so sweet because they were legitimately worried that one of us would leave, and remember this is Monday afternoon and we hadn't received our call by that time.  So we explained transfers and how they work, and that yes there was a possibility of one of us leaving, but we would let them know when we found out!  We then had a wonderful lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and Karin and Anthony have a glow about them because of their excitement for the gospel!  At the end of the lesson Sister Askew mentioned how she gave up smoking and drinking coffee so that she could be baptized, which was a perfect lead in for us to mention briefly the Word of Wisdom and the Stop Smoking Workshop.  Karin smokes and she said that she has wanted to quit for years, but hasn't be able to, but she would love to start the stop smoking workshop in a week!  

Monday evening we received a call from the Elder Weiss with our transfer doctrine!  But before he would give the news of what would be happening he asked how Karin and Anthony were doing, and then he told us that we will both be staying in Mount Vernon for another transfer!  When we called Karin and Anthony the following day, they said that they had been waiting anxiously for the phone call and they had prayed that we would both stay together!  

On Tuesday after our service at the community and history centers in Lisbon, we tried by several potentials.  Now Gerry is a referral from the Garvin's who moved from our branch in June, and we have tried to contact her for weeks, and Sister Stoffers and I had only met her once!  We were walking towards her house and lo and behold she was standing outside her house talking with another woman.  We get closer to her and she says "well I suppose you are looking for me!"  She mentioned how she had been busy and that once school started for her grandson that she would love to have us over to visit with her.  She also mentioned that she didn't have too much time that day, but an hour later we were leaving with some summer squash and a loaf of zucchini bread!  She worked at Cornell with some of the members in our branch who teach at Cornell, and she has a nephew who is a member, and his kids are on missions!  During our conversation with her she said that "she probably wouldn't convert" then she paused and said "well, you never know it could happen!"  

Delivering cucumbers that we had way too many of! 

Thursday morning we went park contacting in Mount Vernon at the park that has the swimming pool; so many parents were with their young kids at the playground, which made a wonderful opportunity to talk with them!  We also had another lesson with Karin and Anthony, and they are so amazing!  They always do their reading assignments and every night after supper Anthony washes the dishes and Karin reads the Book of Mormon to him!  We were able to give them a baptismal calendar that outlines the lessons we will teach them, and the schedule coming up to their baptism!  Anthony mentioned how he has not been this excited about God/religion ever in his life and how much happier he and his mom have been since learning about the gospel!

Thursday evening we went and helped caulk Grandma Mickey's shed in preparation for painting!  Which was a lot of fun, and by the end I had caulk all over my hands, and a little on the gun. . . good thing it comes off easily!  

 Friday we had our get-to-know-you district meeting and only 2 missionaries changed!  We have a new Elder in our branch, and Sister Bingham is training Sister White.  After district meeting we went to Clarence to check on some potentials and do some finding!  None of the potentials were home, so we did some finding, but it was one of those days that as you are finding the clock is not moving.  So we decided to start heading back to our car, but on the street we were walking down, there was a lady scraping her front step.  Now it was hot and humid, and she was dripping with sweat.  We start talking with her and she lives in Anamosa, but was helping her sister today.  We asked if we could help scrape and she tells us no because we are in nice clothes and it is hot. . . we continued talking for a little bit and then I said "will you Please let us scrape for just 5 minutes?" She accepted! Haha the power of five minutes which actually ended up being closer to 35!  Her sister had had some of the outdoor carpet on her front steps that was worn out and so we were scraping off the glue and bits of carpet, and before long we were dripping in sweat.  So Mary went and made us some lemonade and we were able to talk about family history and invited her to come to the family history center one Wednesday evening!  Friday evening we had dinner with the Offen's, and their grandson Keldon, had his girlfriend who isn't a member there!  We then went and helped clean the church, and Sister Porter practiced the organ because our organist is gone and Sister Porter was asked to play for church and for a funeral.  Keldon's girlfriend just talked and talked with Sister Porter as she played the organ!  

Saturday was a busy day as well.  We started out by helping Lavonne, who works at the history center in Lisbon, set up her sidewalk sale for the city wide garage sale day.  Then we went to the funeral where Sister Porter played the organ and accompanied the grandchildren on the piano.  I was so grateful that she can play the piano and organ!  Right after the funeral we went to the Griffith's who are not members, but their son is a member, so they invite the missionaries over about every month and if they have any service then they'll ask us to help.  So we had lunch and then helped Janet wash windows!

We had a wonderful week and I am so grateful that I get to stay in Mount Vernon for another transfer! What a blessing the gospel is in our own lives, and an even greater blessing it is to be able to share the light of the gospel with those that are searching for it!  

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week!

Love, Sister Call

Making dinner.