Exciting Week!

Hello from Iowa!

We had a wonderful week again!  Yes, Satan is still working hard on each of the people that we get to work with, but it is like the analogies used in the April 2014 General Conference with trees and wind, and how wind not only makes the trees cellular composition stronger, but it causes the roots to grow deeper.  So we have to remember, that through opposition we grow!

Exciting events from this past week!

- On Monday we got a call from Elder Shelley telling us that he had a new car for us that we could come pick up the next day!

- Tuesday we pulled up to the mission office and saw three new mission cars and had our eyes on a certain color that we liked better than the others, and it happened that Elder Shelley had randomly assigned that car to our area before we had arrived! Tender Mercy!

- We were able to help out in the mission office which it has been a little while since we have been there so that was fun!

-We continue to count down the days until we get to move in with members!  (We move on Wednesday!)

- The weather has been beautiful and so more people have been outside which makes street contacting so much more fun!

- I am so grateful for the power of the Priesthood and the influence that it can have on each of our lives!  It is the way that we are able to make covenants with our Father in Heaven.  It is the way that we are able to partake of the Sacrament each week.  It is the way that we can be united with our families for eternity! It is the way that our Father in Heaven has provided for His power to be exercised on Earth.

- For an entire week I hadn't been able to sleep through the night.  I had no idea how stressed I was until, last Wednesday we had gone to the library for Mormon.org time and I had been selecting pictures for a departing slide show.  Afterwards we went back to the apartment for lunch and during lunch we got a phone call from the Library asking if I had a Canon Camera and if it was in a colorful case.  It was then that I realized that I didn't have my camera.  The wonderful worker had looked through my pictures and saw the name badge, and with the last name was able to identify my library card and phone number.  Tender Mercy! Needless to say I realized just how stressed I was and so the next day I was able to get a Priesthood blessing and I have been able to sleep through the nights, and I haven't been forgetting things!  Tender Mercy!

- On Thursday the wife of a former investigator called us and invited us for dinner the following night!  Her husband just started a job in Spokane and so they will be moving there in the next few weeks, but she mentioned how her husband said that he was thinking about attending a "Mormon" church that Sunday!  Dinner was wonderful! She is from Laos, so she made us some sticky rice that we would roll up and then eat with a piece of chicken, and she made some pho soup which was delicious!

- Carlie had cancelled our appointment on Thursday and then we hadn't heard back from her in a couple of days, so we were running through everything that could have happened and expecting the worst, but on Saturday we decided to just drop by and we weren't sure what to expect. . . . It was wonderful!  She had had a crazy week, and opposition continues to come her way, but she is so strong and keeps her commitments!  I love Tommy and Carlie so much, because I feel like I am able to be myself around them and my personality comes out more!  Like Carlie had mentioned how she meant to text us back, and Tommy had even commented on her not responding yet, and so we were laughing because we told her that as missionaries since this is our life we look at the phone and go "It has been 3 hours, they haven't responded.  Oh no, do they hate us?  Did someone anti them? etc.," ha-ha anyways it was really neat, Carlie mentioned some of her conversations with coworkers as she has told them that she wants to be baptized! And so different questions would come with the coworkers and she would tell them that "the Sisters came by once and they visited and she liked them and that is how it all started."

- Greg was the only one we work with that came to church yesterday!  He is such a great kid!  He had dated one of the young women in the ward and that is how he was introduced to the church, but since he is under 18 he doesn't have parental permission yet, but he is so solid!  Tons of opposition has come, but he continues to come to church, and he even goes to seminary every morning at 6:00 a.m.!  It is such a neat experience for the youth to have Greg attend seminary and each of the activities, because Emily (one of the young women in our ward) mentioned how they had been studying D&C 33 in seminary about missionary work and opening your mouth.  When Greg made a comment in class that went along the lines of "as members you have such an amazing thing that many people don't know about.  Open your mouths and there is power that comes forth.  Some don't have the opportunity to have it in their lives all the time!  Share it!"

-Yesterday was beautiful and we were able to spend several hours outside which was delightful, because people are a lot happier when the weather is nice, so we met a lot of wonderful people!

-We caught a frog yesterday as we were walking back home!

Anyways, I am so grateful for the Gospel!  This morning we were studying the process of sanctification which is so neat, because D&C 88 has a lot on sanctification and the process of becoming pure and like our Father in Heaven, but the last 6 verses in D&C 130 sum up the process of sanctification, that is as we grow in intelligence/knowledge, we are obedient, which allows the Holy Ghost to be our companion, and the Holy Ghost purifies us a little more, which as we are more pure we grow in knowledge/intelligence, and the cycle is repeated!

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

Love, Sister Call

Jesus Christ Lives!!!

Dear Family & Friends:

This week was transfer week and I get to stay here in Walnut Hills with Sister Chirinos!  I love it here and we had another good week!

Well Satan was in full force this week with our investigators!
-Thursday we were going to have dinner and a lesson with Tommy and Carlie, at one of the Bishopric member's homes, but an hour or two before hand, Carlie texted us saying that she was so sorry, but tonight wasn't going to work, because Tommy was told that he had to work late, and Carlie's little sister had been taken to the hospital.

- Friday we were supposed to meet with Jessica, and we had confirmed with her the day before and she was super excited because she has been reading the Book of Mormon!  We went to her place, and no one was there, so we waited and tried again, still nothing.  We called/texted her, still nothing.  The next day she responded saying that she was so sorry but that she had had to take her son to the dentist for an emergency.

-Friday evening we were able to go to Tommy and Carlie's and have a lesson, which went well, but Tommy's mom had told them this week that they needed to stop drinking coffee which had caught them off guard, so we explained the Word of Wisdom, and so between that and not being able to get her work schedule changed, Carlie wants to hold off on her baptism at this point.

- On Saturday, in the middle of the night we got a text from David, saying that they wouldn't be able to make it to church.

But we still had a wonderful week!

-One of the seniors at the community center had asked us if we could come help her, so on Tuesday we were able to clean her lower cupboards and fridge since it is hard for her!

- On Saturday we were able to help out at the stake family history day!  Sister Chirinos and I were able to be with the youth and the room was packed, with young men and young women who were spending their Saturday doing family history!

-The facilitator in the room we were in, Sister K., was amazing!  She has had many wonderful experiences in the 8 years that she has been a member.  She mentioned how she had a friend that invited her to activities for at least 2 years, before she came to church, and then started meeting the missionaries.  And how her son when they attended an LDS church for the first time said "Mom, this is right.  This is where we need to be."  She and her son faced major opposition from family because of their decision to join the church.  And then just four months ago, her son was killed in Afghanistan, so she truly felt alone in the church, but then the night before (so Friday night) her sister who lives in California called her and said that she has decided that she wants to be baptized and was wondering how soon Sister K and her husband could fly out there!
The Gospel is real!  It changes, and blesses lives beyond our own comprehension!  The adversary understands the strength that comes from making and keeping covenants and that is why he works so hard to prevent them from happening!

Another highlight from my week has been studying "Jesus the Christ".  Which I had tried earlier in my mission, and was stuck at the beginning, so I hadn't touched it for several months, but the past week or two I have been reading from it every day and I am amazed at how much it helps me to know my Savior even more!

Jesus Christ lives!  He is our Savior!  He truly performed many miracles, and continues to perform miracles in each of our lives each day!

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

Love, Sister Call

Lot of Miracles This Week

Dear Family & Friends:

Transfers are this week, but I'm pretty sure that Sister Chirinos and I are safe!
Anyways, we had lots of miracles this week!

- We were able to meet with Pam, who has had contact with the church since the mid 80's, and still has each of the pamphlets that missionaries have given her.

- Tuesday was just one of those long days, so the miracle of the day was that we made it through the day!

- The Grimes Public Library is moving back into the remodeled library, so on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday we were able to help place the books back on the shelves.  We were able to meet many wonderful people and talk about the church with them!

- One of the greatest text messages a missionary can receive is a referral from church headquarters (visitor centers, websites, etc).  And on Wednesday we received a referral which it has been months since I have received one! Anyways, we called the referral and she mentioned how she felt that there was a void in her life or something missing and she can't identify what it is, but that she has a friend that lives in Ames, IA that suggested that she give the church a try!

-The following day we were able to meet with Jessica and it was such a neat experience because she loved the idea of Christ's church being restored!

-Thursday evening we had our lesson with Tommy and Karlie's family and it is so exciting!  Because they are growing as a family, and they are able to ask each other questions and then teach one another in a way, but then if they still have questions then they can ask us.  We talked about prayer and fasting and how they can be used to help receive divine guidance and help, and how we can use it to ask Heavenly Father for help in allowing Karlie's work schedule to change so she can have Sunday's off.  We extended the baptismal date of November 29th and so if all continues to go well Karlie will be baptized on that date!

- Friday we were able to help Rene out at the community center in Grimes because they were having an ice cream social in honor of their 2 year anniversary of being open.  It was neat, because several of the seniors came up to us and asked if we could help them, like the Elders had in years past.  So we are going to go help a couple of them in the next few weeks!

Walnut Hills District.  Back row L-R:  Elders Keller, Topham, Porter, & Swainston, Sisters Call & Chirinos
Front row: Elder Payne & Grow

- Sunday had many miracles!

- In ward council one of the Bishopric member's offered for us to come this week with Tommy and Karlie to his home for dinner and a lesson!  Haha!  Everyone else in ward council looked at him like he was a very brave person, without first asking his wife.  But his wife is wonderful so she was totally fine with the offer!

- Sure enough David, Ming, and Oliver showed up for Sacrament meeting!  They are the greatest!  This time we were able to talk with them briefly after Sacrament meeting and teach a little and answer a few questions!  The ward members are great and are helping out in so many ways to help with each of the people we are working with!

- We had a crazy but really good Sacrament meeting, because between 2 confirmations, 2 baby blessings, stake and ward business, and having an unusually large number of people in attendance, it was 9:45 before the speakers even started.

- The lease at our apartment is up at the end of this month and so we have been trying to find members that might want to house the missionaries. Sister Chirinos and I have been thinking that the Rundall's would be so wonderful to live with, and that their home would qualify for missionary housing, and so on Sunday Bishop asked the Rundall's and they said YES!!!  We are so excited and will be able to move in near the end of the month!  I think it is wonderful because Heavenly Father answers each of our prayers even the small ones.  Like when I was about to be transferred from the Des Moines Ward I prayed that someone would do our laundry, and we were blessed with the Buttorff's in Mount Vernon!  And then I've thought it would be wonderful to live with members, and now I will be able to have that opportunity as well!

Anyways, I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful week!  The Gospel is real and does change lives!

Love, Sister Call

A nasty wig that was in our apartment.  I don't think I will bring the mullet back.  We are finding all kinds of treasures pink-washing and de-junking the apartment.

I still love ice cream!

Love General Conference Week

Dear Family & Friends:

Can I just say how much I love General Conference?  I love it so much, and especially more as a missionary!  How great of an opportunity we have to not only know that there are living Prophets on the Earth today that lead and guide Christ's church, but that we have such convenient access to their words and counsel!

This week was another wonderful, exciting, crazy week on a mission!

Corn Field Picture

- Monday night after our dinner appointment we went to the street we had planned on tracting.  Now the 8:00 pm hour is one of my least favorite hours of the day as a missionary, because it is getting late, people are getting ready for bed and it is dark outside.  It didn't help either that the street we had picked the night before, had gigantic houses on it.  But Sister Chirinos and I parked the car, and decided that we would still venture the street since we had told Heavenly Father that that is where we would be at that time!  We went and knocked on the first house and ,Chad, answered the door, and allowed us to step inside!  We then had a good 20 minute conversation with him and taught him the Restoration.  It was neat because near the end he said "I didn't know that.  See you can learn things everyday!"

- Tuesday was crazy!  So during studies Sister Jensen called and said that she would be in town for the evening and was wondering if she could come out with us.  We said that we would try to set up a firm appointment so that she could come!  So we scrambled trying to find someone to meet with us that night.  And it wasn't until like 5:30 that evening when Rene said that we could come over around 7.  I absolutley love Sister Jensen and learn so much from her.  The lesson with Rene was interesting, because in Sister Jensen's words she said it was as if Rene is almost trying to convert us, but how we need to help Rene to read the Book of Mormon and feel the Spirit that it contains!

-Wednesday we were able to help out in the mission office again, but good news is that the Shelley's are back to the mission now!  So the office shouldn't be as crazy now, but they may have us still come in each week to help them :)

Another cornfield picture.  (If you look close, Sister Chirinos is in
 the bottom of the picture. She may have or may have not fallen down
 right before the camera took the picture )

-Wednesday evening we had a lesson with Olivia and one of the young women who has really fellowshipped Olivia, came for the lesson before they headed to mutual!  We watched the Restoration DVD and taught about the Book of Mormon!  Rachael (the young woman) bore a powerful sweet testimony of what the Book of Mormon means to her!  She mentioned about how the Book of Mormon gives her what she needs.  Like if she needs peace then she reads the Book of Mormon.  If she needs to focus, she reads the Book of Mormon.  If she needs to fall asleep, she reads the Book of Mormon!

- After Olivia's lesson we stayed in Grimes and went to try contacting the Coffin's or some formers.  We decided last minute to walk, but the Coffin's weren't home, and when we went to try Pam's, no one answered, but as we were getting ready to leave, this woman was walking through the hallway and said "were you knocking on my door?"  Sure enough it was Pam and we were able to set up an appointment for this evening!  Then as we were heading back we were almost to the stop light, when this lady yells from her car "Do you need a ride?"  And then she says "wait stop right there, don't move."  We were so confused, because we didn't recognize her, but then she pulled over, and it ended up being a member from Sister Chirinos' first area!  So that was exciting!  Another exciting thing from that night was that the Coffin's texted and asked if we could come by Thursday or Friday!

-Thursday was crazy because we called our Sister Training leaders saying that Friday may not be the best day for exchanges, so we decided that we would start exchanges that afternoon!  I was able to be with Sister Whipple in Des Moines!  And it was so much fun!  I love her so much and it was fun to see some of the people in Des Moines.  We stopped by Gary's twice, but no one was home either time :(  But we still had a good day!  Sister Whipple said that going back to your old area is like being a grandparent.  You come, you play with the kids aka (visit some of the people you know), and then you leave, and the parents (or missionaries serving there) still have the headaches that come from an area.

Exchanges  L-R  Sisters Chirinos, Call, Whipple, Barker

-Anyways Sister Chirinos and Sister Barker were able to go to the Coffins and had an amazing lesson!  Tommy had read all the way to 1 Nephi 8 and Karlie asked for her own copy of the Book of Mormon.  She gladly accepted the baptismal invite!  The only hold up is her work schedule right now.  She doesn't have any vacation left for the year, and so we and they have been praying that God will prepare a way for them to attend church as a family!  She was so sincere and said that come January she can save all of her vacation time and use it for a Sunday a month!  Anyways, please pray that a way will be opened up for them to attend church, and for Karlie to be baptized!

-Friday was fun!  So this week the mission presidents were sent a copy of the movie "Meet the Mormons” that is coming to theaters on October 10th!  So we had a "mission meeting" Friday morning where we were able to watch the movie!  It is so well done and so inspiring!  Please if you are at all possible, go and watch it in the theatres this weekend!

-General Conference was amazing!  I loved Conference and it was the first and only time on my mission that I have watched it in a members home!  Saturday morning we were at the Rundall's home, where the Laurels came and we had a big breakfast before watching the session!  Saturday afternoon we went to the Wadsworth's to watch conference!  It was really neat because when we arrived at the Wadsworth's home on Saturday Brother Wadsworth wasn't feeling well so he was upstairs, but halfway through the session he came down and he stops when he came to the living room and said "Whoah, Thank you sisters for watching it in our home. You can feel your spirit in our home."  It was neat, because it was a win, win situation because we were privileged to feel the spirit in their home, and apparently they were able to noticeably feel a spirit that we had about us!  Sunday morning we were at the Wadsworth's again; and David, Ming, and Oliver came and watched conference at the Wadsworth's!  Which is so neat, because we have not been able to teach them at all, because their schedules are crazy, but they keep coming to church, and they don't have much a religious background!  It is neat because even though they may not fully understand what is going on, or why they keep coming, they must be feeling some sort of pull (the Spirit) that allows them to keep wanting to come to church!

My first time using a type writer!

I loved each of the messages from General Conference and each of us can re evaluate our priorities and heed the counsel of our leaders to make sure that we have a strong foundation!  Much of what was said at conference reminded me of something that one of my MTC teachers said which was "keep your conversion current, by having powerful spiritual experiences daily."

I love you all!

Love, Sister Call