Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Bed Bugs and Baptisms

What a week! It's been kind of crazy but so good!

I was transferred to Widener East! I am in a trio with Sister Fuelling and Sister Kraft, they are a blast! Sister Fuelling is fresh in the field and Sister Kraft is going home this transfer! They make me laugh so much! I am blessed! My first day here in Widener was spent debugging our apartment. Luckily all my clothes and bedding were in suitcases, otherwise we would have dragged a lot more trash bags to the laundromat. Even more blessed!

We have an investigator named Lois and her daughter Francess. Oh my gosh! I love them! Lois is so classy and we got her daughter to girls camp! She had so much fun! They both love learning about the gospel and have a baptismal date for July 17th!

Speaking of baptisms, we had one this Sunday! Our investigator Bernadette and her son Liam got baptized! Bernadette has been investigating the church for about 2 years so it's been a long time coming! It was so fun to see how happy the gospel makes people!

It's a quick letter this week because I don't have much time! I love you all! God bless. :)

Sister B

Debugging everything!

Sister Fuelling and Sister Kraft

Goodbye to Sister Maiden :(

Yes, we unpacked all of it.

PA is so green!

Fancy baptismal gowns

Liam let me borrow is tie!

Bernadette and Liam! :) Got baptized! 




Friday, June 24, 2016

Fireflies and Transfers

Hi people! Happy Fathers Day! (No offense but I have the best dad out there. Shout out to him!) It is summer here in Philly and the fireflies have lit up at night. They are so magic! This week was kind of magical as well!

To start, we had Zone Conference last week! It was special because it was President and Sister Anderson's last one. We learned a lot about the new temple. It is the strongest building in Philadelphia. When they began digging for the foundation they discovered a giant granite slab. Granite isn't found anywhere else in the city except right under the temple. Heavenly Father prepared for this temple to be right where it is. So, at Zone Conference I got a "temple rock". A piece of the granite that they chipped away to make room for the temple. It reminds me of *Helaman 5:12* and to build my foundation on the Savior. I was sad to say goodbye to President Anderson, he has been amazing and has made this mission a wonderful place to serve! President Randall gets here next week and I am excited to meet him!

The Farole family is doing AMAZING! Anthony told us this week that he loves the feeling of praying and reading the scriptures. We challenged him to read the Book of Mormon in 6 months as he prepares to be baptized. He accepted the challenge! I love seeing all of them get happier and happier as the gospel of Jesus Christ works its magic in their lives.

We had an incredible miracle at the assisted living where we work! As we were helping people get down to the music night we were stopped by the custodian. He recognized us as missionaries! He had moved here from Haiti and had met with missionaries there! We were so excited and asked him if he wanted to meet with us again. He said not at the moment but he did say that he had left his Book of Mormon in Haiti. Well, we ran out to our car real fast and brought him one. I know that soon he'll be ready to meet with missionaries again. :)

We had the P1 Central sisters sleep over again while their apartment got fumigated. (Bed bugs. Yikes!) They were a blast! I love those sisters!

We had some crazy miracles throughout the week as we hunted down inactive members that nobody knew about! One named Sister Guy, who we have been trying to meet for the two transfers that I've been here, we finally had a lesson with! We told her about the temple open house and that she could volunteer and she got SO excited! This temple is already working miracles! We also met Sister Ludwig. We had been walking around in the heat for a long time and I was so thirsty! When she answered her door and we talked to her on the porch I had the thought to ask her for a drink of water. So, I did. She invited us in and gave us a tall glass of ice water and then showed us all the pictures of her family. She opened up to us about how her husband had recently passed away. We testified of eternal families and that she could be sealed to her husband. She started crying as she felt the spirit testify of that truth and invited us back! It was one of those experiences that I'll never forget.

Transfer calls came as a surprise on Friday. I am getting transferred!! I was NOT expecting that. I'm not sure where I'll go but I know it will be where the Lord needs me. New area, new companion, new mission president. Kind of a crazy fresh start! Who would have thought! I will miss the people here so much! Especially the Farole's! BUT Sister Maiden will be training a golden!! That's exactly what this area needs! Some golden fire! It will be great! :)

I love you all! Have a great week! God bless! :)

Sister B

My mission Mom and sister! :)

I am going to miss her so stinking much!

David and Dulce!

Autumn!

The Goodman's! Seriously the best.

Me and Korple! She is so dear to my heart! 


Happy Father's Day

The Farole's! They are GREAT!

Central Sisters! Sister Boehm,
Sister Neuffer, Sister Sagastume.

Uh-oh! White handbook says no facial hair. 

I have so many car selfies...
I guess I'll share one more. :) 

*Helaman 5:12*


Fireflies!

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Busy, Busy



 Things were extra busy in Philly this week so just posting lots of pictures.


Sidewalk art after having dinner with members!



Our sink is disgusting and majorly busted.


Morning runs!
Havertown Mural!

Afternoon walks with Sister Gardner!

Tired and slightly nauseous...

Sister Scouten!

My Faves! Sister Abbott and Sister Maiden.

Oh! But look at this dress I got from Old Navy!

Also, my companion loves me! She made me food.

After church lunch break...



Zone training!

Sister Boehm's dying picture...
Her her mission is done, she is headed home.

President and Sister Anderson's last Zone Conference. :(

Boo!

Friday, June 10, 2016

I Love To See The Temple


Hi everybody! This week kind of all mushed together.

Wednesday we had a lesson with the Farole's. They are doing so great! Anthony has been praying about being baptized and he has so much more faith than when we first started teaching their family. It's amazing to see them progress. Now if we can just get them to stay for all 3 hours of church!

Thursday we had Zone Training! We are super excited because two new pamphlets are being introduced! One is about learning and callings in the church and the other is about families and the temple! We are pumped to get them and start using them to teach!

Part of me feels like we spent most of the week in nursing homes! We volunteered at one for a few hours this week, which was a lot of fun. We finally got to drive out and visit Sister Burnet (the less active who was hit by a car). We took her out for a walk and talked with her, she's doing great and recovering fast! And we also went and saw sweet Sister Gardner and read from the Book of Mormon with her!

Today we went to Center City Philadelphia! We went to the Reading Terminal Market and down to the temple!! I teared up a little when I saw the temple. It is BEAUTIFUL! Through all the rough spots I've been going through lately, I have just thought about that temple and the opportunity I get to work in the open house. It made it so much more real getting to see it in person today. I love this gospel and I am so grateful for the blessing of temples.

Have a wonderful week, everyone! God bless!

Sister B

The Philadelphia Temple!
The open house can't come soon enough!  

Got caught in a torrential downpour!

Amish doughnuts!!

Stuck in traffic

Time Lapse from Paoli to Philly :)