A Good Week

Hello Everyone! 

I hope everyone had a good week like I did! I was able to see some pretty amazing miracles, get some wonderful training and take another trip to the zoo! Over all I'd said it was a pretty good week. 

My companion and I got a strange call this week from the Coordinating Sisters (like the girl versions of the assistants) who asked to go on exchanges with us. Thrown off just a little at the purpose of this exchange we readily excepted. Exchanges are good no matter who they're with. They later explained going on exchanges with all sisters was one of their goals (we have 60 sisters now), so who are we to fight them!? I got to go with a sister who had previously been my Sister Trainner Leader, so we know how the other operates and I happen to love her! While in my area  we got to see a whole bunch of little miracles! 

#1 We tried to stop by on one of our investigators only to find him not home, instead of feeling down on ourselves we tried talking to his dad. He was very polite and willing to listen. In the end we invited him to sit in on the lessons with his son! There's potential there! 

#2 We went to have lunch with a member and his non-member wife. While we established she wasn't quite ready to have the lessons taught to her, we again chose not to throw a pitty party as we discovered her love and interest in Family History! It just so happens that the Family History Consultant for the ward is her husbands home teacher, and he's a convert from the religion she's familiar with! That's no coincidence! 

#3 We visited a recent convert and at the end of our lesson we asked if there was anyone she knew we could visit. She and her husband offered to take us next door to meet a neighbor and while she wasn't home we ran into another neighbor who said we could stop by! 

Thought these are all such small things I consider them little miracles! If you change your attitude you can see things in such a different light! We also had a really great training this week by President Gelwix, which is always inspiring. I know I learned so much from the spirit! My favorite part was dissecting our Patriarchal Blessings! We took a different apporach by praying and asking for understanding while we read our blessings. My blessing took on a whole new meaning when I did that! And can I just say I'm pretty awesome, it's all written on the paper! I encourage everyone to do that too! 

My final excitement for the week was going to the zoo! Round 2! Our zone took a trip today and it was such fun! I got to feed stingrays, touch sharks and also feed giraffes! What an interactive zoo! I'll be sure to send pictures next week! The computer I'm using at the moment is having some personal struggles. 

Stay strong and remember

NO Regrets, NEVER QUIT, NEVER SURRENDER! 

Love you! 

Sister LeStarge

Photos

 I got to hold a chicken! A lot of people have chickens in their backyard. He was so little and cute!

 We found snow-in-a-can!

Is that a weasel or a badger?

HAPPY ST.PATRICKS DAY! HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!! 

  Well I got my new companion this week and I LOVE HER! Sister Olson (from Soda Springs Idaho the smallest town ever)  has been out for about 8 months and we've got communication down flat already! Something we've both struggled a bit with, with our previous companions. So right from the start we decided we would do our best at expressing our thoughts! What a great exercise! I'm so glad I get to work with her this transfer! 

  We started our companionship with me questioning whether I should be a vet tech or not! One evening we were contacting a referral who we found not home, as we were walking back to our car we passed a big fenced in field where we spotted a funny little animal. I stopped and noticed it's black and white coloring and asked "Is that a badger?!" looking closer I saw it had a longer neck and took back my last statement. Then my companion asked "Is that a Weasel?" Both feeling very confused at the little thing, we watched it closer to notice it do a little hop! What a strange little thing! We walked closer only to realize we're both challenged with identifying animals because it was a little lamb....Perhaps I should talk to my nieces and nephews to learn a thing or two about basic farm animals....

I had an amazing miracle happen in my area this week! One of our investigators we hadn't heard from in over a week, and we were getting a little worried. In our morning companionship prayer we pleaded with the Lord to help us make contact with her this week. Sure enough just an HOUR later she called us! She explained she had lost our number but wanted to make contact as she had been doing the reading we asked her too. She asked us to meet with her right then! We hurried over to her office and met with her in a conference room. By the end of the discussion we invited her to be baptized and she accepted on the condition that she knew what we taught was true! We hope to schedule a date with her next time around! What an awesome tender mercy for our area! 

We were also able to get another investigator this week! He's met with elders in years before. He's a recovering alcoholic of 9 months and is searching to gain a spiritual understanding. We had an awesome recent covert come with us who was able to connect with him so well! I still thing having members come with you is the best thing to help these people come to Christ...out of the mouth of ...3 witnesses! 

To add more to my great week I was a winner! I've recently become a giant Jamba Juice fan and one day this week my companion and I decided to make a Jamba run. We were given a scratch off card and I won a free small smoothie! Whoop whoop! I'm a winner! Free things are always exciting for missionaries....

My mission is starting to roll faster and faster, I'm blown away with another week having come and gone! I miss you each and love you! Have a productive week!

Sister,  

LeSTARge.  

What a week!

Hello everyone!

Well this week was as hectic as usual for me! I had some pretty great experiences this week that built my faith, and made me laugh!

    This past Wednesday we had district meeting where we participated in a "real play". It's one of my favorite things to do, it's similar to a role play but instead of acting as someone else you just act as yourself! I got to "real play" with an elder where I expressed to him some concerns I was having about finding in my area. He gave me a promise that if I would prayerfully look through my Former Investigators section of my area book that I would find someone who was prepared to be baptized THIS MONTH! So I put it to the test! My companion and I went through our formers section and found a whole list of people we wanted to see. The first few houses proved to be of no luck so on we went. We finally knocked on the door of a man who had previously been taught by elders and was ready to take up the challenge of being taught the lessons again! So we set up an appointment for this Wednesday and we're very excited to have found a new investigator! What a great promise inspired by the Lord!

   I had a good laugh this week from my companion as we've been preparing for transfers. She had asked president several times if she could train ( this would be her last chance to train before finishing her mission) and he agreed that he would take it into consideration. I thought I was a goner for sure! But as we waited and waited the call didn't come...until President called us and asked to speak to my companion "in private" She walked into the other room and all I could hear was "yes" "yes president" "of course"....So my heart started racing! I was going to leave?!  then finally I heard "so does this mean I'll be leaving my area?" "Thank you President." When she walked back into the room she explained she would be re-training a sister in the mission who was sick for her first 12 weeks and didn't get to experience everything she should have. The best part was (for me) that she was leaving the area! So I made it past this transfer yet again in my area. I couldn't help but laugh because I thought (along with many others) that I would be leaving the area, when it turns out my companion is! But she did request it so she's been a good sport about it!

   With my companion leaving we had set up a great experience a week prior (just incase one of us got transferred) for us to go to Sequoia National Park! It's beautiful up there! Those trees are so Gigantic and amazing! I can't even comprehend how long it took them to grow! On a sign on one of the trails it mentioned when they cut one down it was estimated to be 3,300 years old! I didn't think I'd be so fascinated with trees! I'll have to admit though they were pretty incredible. On the way home we also had some time to check out this place called "Cat Haven" a place where they keep/hold small and large wild Cats. We took a tour of the place which was about an hour of walking from cage to cage and got pretty close to some of those Cats!( much closer than you would get if you were at a zoo). At one point a worker noticed our tour guide trying to get the Siberian Tigers attention, so she hopped the rope and started running back and forth down the length of the cage. I guess this Tiger liked this worker the most because she got her to run and play with her! She even reached in the cage and scratched her ears! Not something you see everyday! She went on to say that worker raised her and the Tiger was still pretty young so they had a little bond. Big Trees and Big Cats all in one day! It was a whole lot of excitement, and I'm sure I'll go back one day.

I've got to run though! My time is just about up!

Have a great week!

Love

Sister LeStarge

 

Happy 100th Birthday!

Hey There!

 

Another week already? I've been told time just flies by once you get to the second half of your mission and its true! We've got conference coming up next month! I can remember last year being in the MTC for April conference and now its here again! Holy smokes that happened in the blink of an eye!

Well this week we had some pretty great things happen! We found a new investigator who has some great potential! Whoohoo! It's a true miracle when we find those! She was referred to us from Church Headquarters... where she was referred to by a member in Arizona. I find her story to be a bit funny (the Lord has his hand in all things!)She's a single mother who was signed onto a dating website, where she accidentally put "Christian-LDS" as her faith. The man in Arizona who referred her to us began their "friendship" via this dating website. As they were talking she used terms like "testimony" and "Heavenly Father" so he of course thought she was LDS. Eventually she figured out her mistake and let  him know she didn't belong to our faith. But! being the good missionary this man was he challenged her to take the lessons!  Brownie points for him in Heaven! So there we are sitting in her living room! She's a great woman who shows genuine interest in the Gospel. Unfortunately we've only met with her once, because she's so busy raising her kids, caring for her mom with disabilities (who lives with her), and working full time. We'll get back in the door and She'll be the miracle we've been praying for!

On Wednesday of this week we got to go to a very exciting party for...a 100 year old! ha! Not something you get to go to everyday! This sweet little woman in our ward lived to be 100! and she's still sharp as a tack! It was interesting to see how much she has lived through. Born the year of the Titanic sinking, the depression was in her prime years, out lived 2 husbands, and had 4 sons. She's accomplished quite a bit, including serving a mission! She told us that while she was serving in the southern states mission (as a young sister) she  had a knock at her door. When she opened the door there was an old suitor standing there who invited himself in! He was worried she wouldn't be available after her mission. After some time she convinced him he needed to leave and that the visit was inappropriate. It turned out that he was a missionary at the same time and left his area to come visit her! (I'm not sure if he was in the same mission or not) Of course he was disobedient and thus sent home after that little act. Later her Land Lord came and dismissed her and her companion from the home after seeing a man enter their quarters unannounced. Being upset with no where to go they went to a members home (who was the town Brewer and Bartender) and he saved the day by explaining what had really happened to the Land Lord. Well, I'm not sure I'd like to live to be 100 but it does give you some pretty exciting stories to tell!

     Our last grand adventure of the week was having Elder Alonzo of the Seventy come talk at Stake Conference. The Saturday night adult session was all about Hastening the Work. It was awesome to hear such a spiritually powerful man make promises to the people when they do their part in missionary work. As he did that he had all the missionaries come up and stand next to him on the stand...and then do you know what he did?! He made us all sing! Whilly Nilly! Just like that! "Okay Elders and Sisters why don't you sing one verse of I am a Child of God." So being the exactly obedient missionaries that we are, we all start singing on the spot! Good thing my companion was with me or I would have been the only Sister singing up there! When we finished he made the point that we are God's Children and The Lord's Representatives at this time. People reject us everyday, they ignore us, and they lie to us. He then turned it to the members and asked them how they were going to treat us. Were they going to reject our invitations to do missionary work? Would they lie to us? Ignore our texts and calls? It was super powerful! I love general authority :) One month till conference!

Over all it was a good week :) I'm grateful to be here in the CFM. I love my calling and I know the Lord is causing me to have a "Mighty Change of Heart"

 

I love you all!

 

Love Sister LeStarge

I Love the Rolling Hills

If you drive way north in my area, like a half an hour into the boonies, you'll find some really pretty rolling hills that eventually turn into mountains.

Thanksgiving isn't the only time to be grateful

Dear everyone!

 

  This week I've been oddly very grateful for my trials! I've been especially grateful for the blessings the Lord has given me. When I think about it I haven't really had any major life trials (except my Shunt). No divorced parents, no siblings gone astray, no physical handy caps. My life overall has been very blessed. However,we all  know life can't be perfect right? If it was we'd never progress! I've started to realize little things that I struggle with ,and have come to accept calling those as my trials. Perhaps you'd expect me to complain about those things, I'll admit I sometimes do but I like to think I've really come to love them. I realize that I'm not alone. I know my Heavenly Father has given me those little annoying struggles to help me grow! And I want to grow!! I'm becoming more patient with Heavenly Fathers Plan for me and remembering that its not my timing its His. I can't help but think I'll look back at this in a little while and realize how better of a person I've become! My testimony has been strengthened that trials really are for our benefit! So this week I am simply grateful!

Oh! and I'm also super grateful/in love with the Book of Mormon! Are you all reading this stuff?! ITS AMAZING! What a blessing to be able to read and re-read its wonderful pages. I think I may have a slight obsession with it.

 

I love you!

Sister LeStarge

Knocked Dead For a Week

Hello everyone! 

  I've said this before and I'll say it again! Being sick as a missionary is the worst thing ever! I guess it's my fault though...I seem to remember having this idea that since I was serving a mission for the Lord I would be immune to illness...that was a terrible mistake! This past Sunday I was feeling a little cold coming on but with appointments set up for just about every hour that evening I didn't feel I was sick enough to cancel. Last preparation day I wasn't feeling my best either but since it was the only day we had to get our busy work done, I again put off the rest. Of course no person can just put off illness when it comes knocking at your door, so I paid the price of procrastination and was knocked out for the next 4 days! 3 days in a row I moved from members house to members house sleeping on guest room beds while my companion was able to go out and work in another sisters area. On the fourth day she was slammed with a touch of a stomach bug and we were both out!  I was lucky though to get into a doctor pretty fast and start on some antibiotics. I've also been overdosing on vitamin C and other various health pills. I should have an IV hooked up to my arm with all the water I've been drinking too! But though modern medicine is a great blessing, during this week I was able to receive a priesthood blessing from my District leader! Along with a blessing of healing he also gave me a blessing of comfort that the Lord knew I would be sick at this time and caused it for a divine reason. That perhaps I might learn to love and appreciate the time I have to work with a healthy body! And I do appreciate it! I'll never take my healthy body for granted again!    

  This week in spite being down and out, I was able to see a tender mercy of the Lord! Yesterday our dinner appointment canceled, and though I'm all for making my own dinner, it gets a little difficult on the last day of the week before shopping. At church we were frantically searching for someone who would be willing to feed us dinner. Among our chaos we also had two appointments fall through for that night. Our next scheduled appointment was with a family who had some pretty darn moody teenage boys, torn up carpet leaving nothing but cement and smelled like cat urine. You could say we weren't particularly looking forward to going in. Before leaving the car, we offered a prayer (as we usually do) and asked the Lord to bless us that we might have our attitudes changed and figure out what it was He wanted us to do with all the time that was made. We went in and delivered our message to the family and with only a portion of them participating we were able to have a surprisingly wonderful discussion about the Restoration. When we sat back in our car we both felt empowered to go out and work! In the time that we needed to fill we were able to set an appointment with a family that we've been desperately trying to teach...for the very  next day! At our last stop for the night a family gave us compliments passed on from another family about our behavior involving the non member husband. We were also blessed to have our dear sweet Bishops wife agree to feed us dinner! I know that the Lord answers prayers! 

I love you all! Pray sincerely! I know it works! 

Sister LeStarge

Rain

Happy Monday everyone!

 

 

As I'm sure you've been aware California is in this terrible drought. Which is actually terrible since we grow so much of the world's produce. So what do you do when there's no rain? Why you call together all the good Latter-Day Saints in the state, and ask them to hold a special fast for rain! Then lo and behold, it rains! Hot dog! It was actually a pretty amazing miracle. I remember looking at the weather here in the Valley last winter, when I was home, and preparing myself for a rainy season. This winter has held to be quite the opposite of what I prepared myself for! Warm and dry. Not only do the crops need the rain but the people do too! They say the Valley has some of the worst air quality in the nation, and each year they wait for the rain to "wash out" the dust and pollution from the summer. This year with the drought the air quality has been so bad the kids have "purple days", where they can't go outside because the air qual. is so awful.

  So as I said before what do you do when there's no rain? Well I guess all the members in the state of Cali. were asked to fast for rain. The very day we fasted it rained! The miracle continued though out the week as it rained 3 other days this week. I'm not sure how much more rain they'll need to have a good harvest this year but what an amazing miracle to have witnessed.

  Other than that this week has been pretty slow! Though the State needs the rain we find it to be an excuse for people not to open their door. We've been trying to get to know our members and earn their love and support in the mean time. My companion and I have been battling colds this week too, so we're trying to find a balance between resting and working. We've found some vitamins and over the counter meds in one of our cabinets, lets hope they get us better! We also had a couple give us a bottle of something called 4life Transfer Factor. Its suppose to help boost your immunity? That couple swears by it, they're also pretty high up in the company so we figure why not give it a try! (They live in President Lawrence's home (he's in the second quorum of the 70, over Russia) and we call it the "temple home" because it was built to resemble the temple, on the inside, its beautiful).

 

Have a fun Valentines day everyone! I love you and miss you each!

 

Love Sister LeStarge

 

p.s Happy Birthday Doug! You ole goat!