Goodbyes and Hellos, and Getting to Know the Lord

Beach Bumming Canadian Style!

Baptism Day!

June 30, 2014

Our newest member (investigator’s name) got CONFIRMED YESTERDAY! YAYYY! A brother in the branch gave the confirmation and it was a beautiful blessing. The spirit was really strong and it was just really really good. During the confirmation I just felt so much love for her. I know Heavenly Father is very proud of her and the decisions she is making in her life right now. She is going to be bringing her family to a Canada Day activity at our branch tomorrow so that should be good. 

Speaking of which HAPPY CANADA DAY TOMORROW! You should all get together and sing a verse of "O Canada" for me. And you should put the Canada Flag out! Like I said our branch is holding an activity where they are going to play softball and have a barbecue. Obviously we can't stay ALL DAY at it so we will be popping in here and there.

We saw (names) for the last time Saturday. They are officially moved. Sniff...sniff...Man I just love them so much! After we left I just felt so grateful to God for putting them in my life. Although I wasn't able to see her be baptized, it was amazing to see how the gospel changed her and IS changing her. She loves it. And good news is they are getting married in October! YaY!  They both are going to go places and I know that they will make such a great difference and influence on those around them. Awww I just can't believe they are gone! 

Zone Conference was good as always. I loved it because my mission president talked about Light and Dark. And how both influence us. It reminded me of how dark the world that we live in is...but how we don't have to feel that influence as we put more light in our lives. There were some really deep insights and I loved it. It was the smallest zone conference I've ever been to...there were only two zones in it. It was also really emotional because it was my last zone conference....and I had to bear my testimony along with the other missionaries who are going home before or with me. We also said goodbye to Pres and Sister Scott. I didn't realize how sad I would be to see them go. They've done great work here and I'm just grateful for all the love that they showed to each of us individually. They've helped me through a lot and I'll always be grateful for that. 

But...I'm excited to meet the new mission president and his wife. They are meeting with all the missionaries this week. We are doing interviews with them this Friday in Kingston with our zone so it should be good. I'm really anxious to meet them! They sound amazing! 

ummm....I don't know quite what to say about our exchange last week. The STL came on trios with us. I'm grateful for the exchange because I learned A LOT. I regret the exchange because I was just not myself...I was nervous/anxious/on edge/ and just off my game. But by the end of the next day it was better and we still were able to do work and see miracles. I'm just trying to learn from the experience and move on and not dwell too much on the disappointing side of it. 

So if you haven't noticed it's just been a little bit of an emotionally run down week and I'm just getting a little worn out and overwhelmed with everything going on. I don't even know if I can explain it.  But I know that we have experiences and weeks like this to grow. And it's been really cool because the ​past few days I've really felt the influence of "grace." I've really turned to God...sometimes I've asked him why things are going the way they are. But the other day I was praying and I just felt Him say something along the lines of, "This is a time where you are getting to know me." And it's so true. It's times like these where I've been really turning to the Lord for guidance and it's amazing how it's been changing me. If we always had good experiences on the mission​, we wouldn't rely on the Lord as much as we should. I know He's with me...and I know it's going to be okay. :) 

(name) is doing ok...obviously not the best. I love her so much....and I can't imagine how hard it is for her now... Anyways we went to her husband’s ​Celebration of Life and it was very very good. There was a simple ​beautiful service done by a catholic deacon and a pastor who were friends of hers, and we were able to talk to her family and some friends. I think she felt our support and love for her and I think that's what she needs. It's sad to say goodbye to him but I, as well as many of his friends agree, that he isn't in pain anymore which is really comforting. He's had physical problems for a long time, so it's reassuring to think that he's free of all of them. But I really really really hope he learns and accepts the gospel in the spirit world. I really hope that's why we met him before he passed. 

So...our bikes came back from the shop last week...and we tried riding them again yesterday. It was actually really fun and I loved it! We dropped by some less actives and rode to a dinner appointment. And then it rained.Actually, it POURED on us. We were riding them back to the member's home where we got them from and it was just raining and raining and raining on us. Like I felt that I was in Hawaii again. Crazy. We got there and we were so drenched. But it was pretty fun! Gotta love the luck that we have on the bikes! haha. Biking in the rain...can't get better than that! :)

New investigators! Well we had a pretty crazy experience last week. We were going to drop by a less active in an apartment building but there ​were some people unloading groceries and we decided to talk to them and offer service. After we helped them we invited them to learn more about our message and one of them accepted. So we went to his apartment (I forgot to mention we were on exchanges with the STL) and we started to teach him about the Book of Mormon. THEN...his friend came along....Then after 10 min another friend came and sat....THEN another friend came and sat. So by the end we were teaching five guys! They are all from Jamaica and they work on a mushroom farm here but they have a strong faith and they appreciated us coming and sharing with them. So we are teaching them again tonight. It was pretty crazy! 

We also visited this woman from India. We knocked on her door and we talked to her a little bit. She's a sweetheart. She wonders if God exists especially because so many bad things have happened in her life and she doesn't understand why. She's a cutie so we'll see how it goes with her. 

But we are still trying to Find here. Hopefully God will continue to lead us to the elect. 

Anyways I love you all so much. I pray for you guys every night and I hope you know that I'm so grateful for all you do and all that you are. Have a good week! :) 

Sister Ogden 

Never a Dull Moment!

6/23/14

Okay man....all I can say is this week was CRAZY. And I'm emotionally exhausted...and you'll see what I mean after this long email. 

So let's start with (investigator) WAS BAPtIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh man what a happy happy happy happy and HAPPY day. This last week teaching her has been so cool. Everytime we visited her she kept saying how she was ready and excited for it. She looked so pretty with her baptism dress. I just remember how before she entered the font we were with her and she was just so happy and excited. She told us afterward that she felt really good. Her mother and husband came and watched the service and both of them are super nice. My comp and I did a musical number in the program and it turned out alright!

All I can say is, working with her has reminded me of an important thing: "THIS IS GOD'S WORK...and HE HAS A HAND." I just remember our world was crashing down when she dropped us a week before her first baptism date a month ago. My comp and I just kept asking ourselves what we did wrong and if there was anything we could​ have done t​o​ prevent what happened. 

And then she called us....and told us that she felt this is where she needed to go. 

The spirit is what converts people...not us! Not one bit! If God hadn't helped her take the steps she needed to she wouldn't have been standing in the font yesterday. 

And also I just can't help but think how there was NO WAY she could have quit smoking without His help. Can you believe that after she's been doing that since she was 12...one day she just sits down and puts out her last cigarette and decides she's done? Without us having to push her? Can you believe she didn't have any horrible cravings last week? I CAN'T. 

The gospel is true. These things wouldn't happen if it wasn't. 

I'm so grateful for the Lord's hand in helping her. She is a special woman who will always be super dear and near to my heart. I love her. I'm excited for her! 

So I’d better talk about everyone else. The older couple (who live in the country) are being handed to the other Elders because they're actually in THEIR area. We taught them the restoration last week...it wasn't THE BEST Restoration lesson ever but I think they felt something and I really hope he is going to read the Book of Mormon. I'm not sure what will happen but I know everything happens for a reason and there was a reason as to why we met with them. 

(name) moved. And we are saying goodbye to her this Saturday. I'm so sad. I love her so much. And she is so prepared. Last week we met with her and she was SUPER STRESSED because of the move. She was here alone with her two small children trying to pack while her fiance was living with her family and working 2 hrs away. She got frustrated and asked us why God wasn't listening to her and answering her prayers. She just got a lot ​of venting out last week...and most of the time we ​just listened. But we invited her to read the scriptures with intent and to pray with intent...we talked about what that means and it turned out to be a really spiritual lesson. Yesterday she texted us and told us that after we left she prayed and read her scriptures...and she felt much much better. She told us how we helped her so much...and how she wants to go to the church in her new town. She knows that this is the direction for her. The spirit is really working with her.  

(Investigator’s) birthday was last week. So we had a little party with him and taught him a lesson. It was at the member family’s house and they really took good care of him. I think that it was good for him to know that he has support and people that care about him in the church. The coolest part though is that he came to church Sunday and witnessed (name’s) baptism. He has never seen a baptism before. He told my comp afterwards that he felt so goooood. He felt the spirit and felt that it was right. He said he felt it throughout the entire program. It was so good to have him have that desire to keep preparing for his baptism. He still has to wait 6 months which is hard...so yesterday really helped him I think. It was great! 

We received really really sad news last night. A member ​called and said that (investigator) passed away last Friday. We had no idea.  Man...when I heard that I felt like something was driven into my heart. I'm still pretty sad about it. I'm going to miss him...and it's really sad. But at the same time I feel a lot of peace that he's no ​longer in physical pain. I always felt bad seeing him in the state that he was in, whether it was in the hospital or in their home. He was in so much pain. And now he's relieved of it. I really hope he can come in contact with the gospel in the spirit world...I hope that's one of the reasons why the Lord placed him in our paths. As for his wife I'm really worried about her. She didn't sound good when we called her last night. But we are visiting her tonight and I hope we can provide consolation that she needs. I don't know what I'm going to say to her...but I hope everything is okay. 

Anyways on a lighter note...even though this week wasn't crazy for (our baptism friend) ...it was crazy for us. So many stories happened and I have so little time. So I'll just shortly share with you what happened and then you'll see what I mean by crazy...

Tuesday night we were at the church when the power went out. We looked outside and there was a massive storm...a ​storm so strong I think it's been one of the worst I've seen. Thunder, lightening, sideways rain, and the branches were all flinging around in a circle... ​I guess the winds were so strong it was in a tornado warning category. Luckily it eventually stopped and we were able to drive from the church. But all the power was OUT. The stoplights were out and there were car crashes. Trees had flipped over all over the place. We dropped by (name)’s and two doors down across the street a tree had FALLEN on a house and crushed the roof. In front of his house a telephone wire was snapped by a huge tree branch. There was debris everywhere and it was crazy. I felt like we were in a natural disaster! ​It got all cleaned up pretty fast but it was wild. 

Wednesday: We decided to use the bikes. Super stoked. We get out and two seconds out my comp’s chain falls off. So we got it back on and started heading off again. We get to the end of the road and this time her PEDAL falls off. We pull off and a man pulls over and offers to fix it with his tools. So he grabs his toolbox and fixes it in front of us and we get on our way. THEN we bike for 20 more min and the pedal falls off AGAIN. So then we just pull over to Papa Johns and lock our bikes to a tree and called a member to "save us". So much for that. So the bikes are in the shop now. So...yeah...didn't work out.

Thursday: Guess who ​accidentally left the keys in the house? I did. And my comp locked and shut the door before I realized. We locked ourselves out. And the members who live with us were 45 min away. So we were locked out for a good 1 hr and 30 mins. 

Hahah. Never a dull moment here in the mission! Never! 

Anyways that's the week. But I'm excited for THIS week. It's going to be great. First of all zone conference is tomorrow! YaY!!!! I'm so excited for it. It's going to be awesome. 

And I'm excited to see Pres and Sis Scott for the last time. Awww I'm going to miss them sooooooooooooo much. I love them. They are amazing. They've helped me grow so much and I just don't know how I could ever thank them. They've been amazing leaders. And I just always feel so loved as I've worked with them. It's going to be a very bitter sweet day tomorrow. But I'm excited for Pres Clayton and his wife to come in. I've only heard good things about them. It's going to be weird because I will not have a lot of time with them but I hope it will still be good. 

Also...this week we have exchanges. I WAS going to Oshawa but now I might be in trio with a sister training leader which I've never done before. We'll see what happens. I was going to be with (name), who was my sister training leader in Toronto and was in my district last summer as well so I'm pretty close to her. So I was pretty pumped. But whatever happens I know it will be a good experience. 

It's going to be a BUILDING week for us! We gotta find people to teach now! 

Love you all. The work is true. I can't say that enough. Remember who you are and keep being the great people that you are. 

Onward and Upward!

If You Do Your Part, It'll All Work Out.

6/16/14

Dear Family:

Hello down there! Hope yous all had a good week? (That's me using the local accent) Anyways, oh there's so much to tell and so little time....

First of all...WERE YOU ​SURPRISED by your visitor? Oh man! I'm so happy (member from her town) came and met you all. She's soooooooo nice and it just meant the world to me that she went and did that. 

YES THE SPURS TOOK IT ALL! hahah. NO ONE has mentioned the NBA Finals here. Just hockey and the Stanley Cup. ​Gotta love it. 

That is so awesome about Sammy going through the temple for the first time. I'm so proud of her. Making that decision is going to bless her in her life so much. I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!! 

Annie: I'm glad you enjoyed Girls Camp! Last week we were driving in this foresty area and my comp and I just talked about how amazing girls camp is. And it was just really cool because this past week we were teaching (investigator) more about the prophet Joseph Smith,​ and I was thinking about what I did to receive MY testimony of Joseph Smith. And I was reminded of an experience ​during one of my first girls camps that left a big impression on me concerning the prophet Joseph Smith. And I almost forgot that happened! So girls camp rocks. Write down your experiences and remember the things you learn/feel. 

Morgan: Wisdom teeth. did you survive? Hope so. It was funny because there is a young man here preparing to go on a mission and he had his wisdom teeth out....and he was SUPPOSED to give a talk in sacrament meeting....but he was still swollen so he wrote his talk and his mom read it out loud to us. It was a really good talk though. But it made me think of you and how you are probably swollen as well. Good luck this week if you receive your mission call. Whenever I think about it I just get so EXCITED! (And I know you are probably sick of hearing me say this) But just know...when I was waiting for my call I was super nervous/anxious/excited....and then once I opened it all the pressure that I had felt just simmered away and I felt SO MUCH BETTER. I know you'll know that wherever you are called, that's where the Lord needs you. And it will be comforting to know that. 

Dad: I hope you had a good father's day. Yesterday I was sitting in sacrament meeting and they were giving talks about fathers....and I was reminded that I actually have a father back in Utah. Just know that I am SO GRATEFUL for all the support and love that you give me. You do so much for our family and you sacrifice and work so hard to provide for us. I'm so thankful for your testimony and influence and I'm so grateful for all the advice that you've shared with me that you received from YOUR MISSION.  ​Just know you are loved and I'm grateful for you! 

Oh Man this week was CRAAAAZY!!!! 

First of all (investigator)...So on Tuesday we had had a chaotic/rough day and we go to her house just to drop by and see how she's doing. We followed up with scripture reading, prayers, etc...then we followed up with the word of wisdom. Here's how the conversation went:

"So how's the word of wisdom going? Are you still planning your quit day for this Thursday?"

She looks at us funny and says. "I thought I already told you. I quit already." 

WHAAAATT?

She said,​"I called you on Sunday and ​said I couldn't go to church because I quit last Friday and my asthma's been acting up...."

Good ol' Sister Ogden didn't hear that part when she was talking to her on the phone! (Way to go me) 

We WERE SHOCKED!!! Apparently LAST FRIDAY she had been sitting on her porch and she just couldn't breathe because of the cigarettes and the humidity and her asthma. So she told us she was DONE. And she hasn't had any cravings/ cigarettes ever since!!!!

MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING!!!!! 

I just get so teary eyed in how grateful I am. She COULD have gotten baptized yesterday but due to the fact that it was in such short notice and it was Father's Day, we put it to the 22nd.  She is GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEK!!!! I am so excited/nervous/stressed/but overly happy! 

After Tuesday my comp and I did a happy dance for like an hour! (okay maybe not that long) But no wonder that that day was so hard until up to that point. Satan knew what was going to happen! 

She came to church yesterday and the branch is really reaching out to her. People were greeting her. And even one member came and asked US if she could come teaching with us. WE ARE ALL SO EXCITED!!!! And she just loved church yesterday and I just love her... and I could go on for literally two more pages of how grateful I am that ​God is helping her so much. 

So now comes the week before the baptism....aka Satan is going to be working big time. Grrr...I wish I could just bubble wrap and lock her in a room and just protect her from everything. So I just ask if you can especially think about/pray for her this week. Keep her in mind. She is so close and we all know what happened last time she was this close. 

Anyways with everything else going on....

We are probably seeing (investigator) for the last time this week or next week (sniff sniff) If she is still here I think she would love watching the baptism. But she's pretty overwhelmed with the moving stuff. He texted us last week and told us she's ​having a hard time so we made her cookies and gave her a nice little message. Man...I hate this transition-period of time. But I know the missionaries in (new town) will take good care of her. 

BUT....WE HAVE TWO NEW INVESTIGATORS!!!! 

So we received a ​Kaijiji referral from someone ​who lives in a town a good 45 min drive from here. They wanted a bible. So we drove out there and met them. This cute old couple that lives in this cute little town...We gave them a bible and we just naturally started talking to them. They were so friendly...if everyone in the country is that way....I wanna spend more time there! We talked a little bit about the Book of Mormon and they were telling us how they are searching for a church to go to/for truth. We invited them to take the discussions and THEY ACCEPTED!!!! We are so excited! We are seeing them on Wednesday! It's pretty complicated because there is another branch that lives closer to them....BUT there are no missionaries in that branch. And the other ​missionaries usually cover that particular branch but due to circumstances we are ​teaching them. So we have to work with a branch that we've never been to and a branch president we've never met. So it's going to be interesting. In addition...we have a​n ​allotted amount of kilometers on our car and it's quite a drive out there...so we got some bicycles the other day and we are now going to be biking more! So guess who is going to learn how to ride a bike in a skirt? ME!!!! gain I​'m really excited about this couple​.​ ​They seem pretty curious about "the mormons" 

I'm just so grateful for the time that I have to be here. The branch members​ and people here are SO NICE! I'm so grateful for the gospel. It changes lives. I feel like this area has been ​really challenging at times...but at the same time it has shaped me and helped me grow in ways I didn't even IMAGINE. I've learned so much these past three months. It's definitely not easy...but it's ​definitely worth it! I love it! I love it! I love it! 

​Sometimes I forget that change takes TIME. But so I'm grateful to be here. 

I remember a few transfers ago I saw all the Sister Training Leaders and I had a thought that I maybe wasn't a good enough missionary to be like them. I KNOW THAT THAT WAS SOOOOOO BAD! Don't worry I've repented. But this area has really changed me. I've said this twenty times already but I'm so grateful I could serve here and I know that I wouldn't have been able to serve here if ​I was a Sister Training Leader. I wouldn't have had the learning experiences I've had. And I'm growing in ways that I don't think​I​ would have if I were in that position. Everyone plays a different part in this work. And I'm grateful for the part that ​God has asked me to play. Sure, I have days where I look at all of my weaknesses and I get discouraged especially since I don't have a lot of time left.

Last week I was saying my nightly prayers...and after I said them a thought came to me: "God knows the time frame that you have...and He knows what YOU need to do and WHO you need to become before you go home. If you do your part, it'll all work out." It was an answer to many prayers that I've had before...and it came very ​distinctly. I know that I'm here because that is where God needs me. He's here to help me. He's here to help my companion. He's here to help everyone here. 

I know that ​God lives. I know that Jesus is the Christ. I know that light overpowers darkness. And I know that although we live in a crazy world​, good will always win 

​against​ evil. 

I love you all. You're in my prayers! The work is true!

Sister Ogden 

Do We Really Appreciate What We Have?

6/9/14

Well another week has come and gone!

Morg: Have fun waiting for the call! I remember how looooooong the wait seemed to be to get my call. I almost went crazy and I actually kinda had a sort of a meltdown​ one day when I thought it was coming and it didn't (ask Mom). So good luck! But you've been in my prayers! My guess: Canada Toronto Mission...Mandarin Speaking! okay really though. I don't know...I see you going to Asia or South America. (I'm really specific I know) For your sake though i hope you go to Alaska.

Alright as for the investigators....

(Name) is doing great! She moved her quit smoking day to this Thurs! I'm super excited but I'm super nervous....I want her to enjoy the blessings of baptism and smoking is the ONLY THING HOLDING HER BACK...and I know Satan knows that too. I don't want her to get discouraged or anything. But I know God has a plan for her....and we are going to do all we can to help her. She can do this. I'm praying so hard that she'll do it! I know anything is possible with God. I love how the Word of Wisdom is made "for the weakest of saints" (paraphrasing) ​G​od wouldn't expect us to follow it if it were too hard. She couldn't come to church because her asthma was reeeeeaaallly bad. She couldn't breathe at all. But next week she'll be there!

Unfortunately (name) isn't going to meet with us anymore. At last for now. He has completely ignored our texts and calls and has dropped off the face of the planet. Sad. :*( we're not sure what's going on...I think either he read the pamphlet on the word of wisdom and didn't like the no coffee...OR his family situation got in the way. 

We saw (names) for the last time last week. He is now out of town working his new job. She is still here trying to get everything ready for the move. We are going to be seeing her on Tuesday and we'll still be teaching her until they officially move, and then the (city) missionaries will take over. Man I'm going to miss her so much but I'm excited because once they are settled they'll be able to progress in the gospel!

We have a new investigator... She's 9 yrs old and she is the granddaughter of a member here in our branch. She's gone to primary for quite some time and loves it. We were having dinner with her grandmother and we asked how she was...She said she loves primary but that her mother wants her to learn more about the church before being baptized or anything. ​And we offered to teach her the discussions so she could make a decision to be baptized or not. The grandmother got all excited and last week we taught her the first discussion! It just brings back memories of (names)....i LOVE TEACHING CHILDREN!!!! We taught her the Plan of Salvation. And my comp was taught the discussions when she was 12 so she has all these awesome ideas up her sleeve! It's awesome!

(Name) is doing pretty good. His health issues were preventing him from progressing in the gospel....so we helped him go to a family doctor who​'s a member and he got some medication and he's been so much better ever since. ​H​e told us he read the Book of Mormon and he understood it far better than the other times he's read it! And he's been able to focus in on lessons so much better.  I'm so grateful for doctors!!!! 

The family whose parents we were teaching are doing well. We haven't seen their parents for a while though. So we don't know when they will be back at their house.  We go over and eat at the family's house every week. They ALMOST came to church....but due to some family issues they had to go out of town.  

Humidity? I LOVE HUMIDITY! It hasn't been too bad. I'm pretty used to it. And there's usually a nice gentle breeze going so it's perfect. But come mid July-Aug it might get pretty roasty. The mosquitos are still quite bad. But I'm getting a nice tan going on! YAY! And I think if I survived the stuffy humidity in ​Toronto, it’s going to be cake this summer! ​The country feels a lot better than the musty city. It is so PRETTY ​here! We had to drive to a nearby town for a missionary meeting and I kept telling my companion, "it's so greeeeen!" she laughed because she's from a ​Washington farm country town and she's like, "I know." I'm so happy that it's not winter anymore can I just say that?

Zone conference is comin up in two weeks which I am always STOKED for. By the way...the (names) are coming to Utah in July to visit their son. Maybe I'll have them pop by?  We are going to try to be teaching (name)’s sister on Tues so that will be fun. 

​This week I had a really humbling experience. I think I'm just feeling a lot of pressure because my mission is coming down to a close much faster than I anticipated. I feel like I have come a long way...but last week I felt sad because I wasn't ​yet where I wanted to be. I had many discouraging thoughts about not being good enough...had doubts ​whether I would be able to accomplish what God needed to be ​done here...felt like I should be so much more on fire than I was...Just a lot of selfish, negative thoughts.  Then yesterday...we had the impression to go see (names). We went and he said it was a bad day for him...he looked pretty bad. Then she came tromping into the house, drunk. She just started sobbing hysterically because they went to the doctor and it could be a ​matter of weeks ​when he passes away. She was asking if she could kill herself and she was just extremely upset. We sat and listened and tried to provide the comfort that they needed. We sang a hymn (he liked it...she was upset because it wasn't upbeat) We expressed love but unfortunately she became hostile and started yelling and we just had to stand up and walk out. It was really intense. 

On the car ride home we asked each other why God would prompt us to go see them when all that was going on? We didn't understand....there could be a lot of reasons. But when I got home I just felt sad for them and how hard their lives have been. It made me grateful for my life....It made me so grateful for the gospel.  Because of​ it I KNOW that God has a plan for all of us. It made me grateful that I grew up in a family that wasn't abusive...in an atmosphere full of love rather than drugs and alcohol. It made me grateful for the friends and support I had....Here I was being all selfish and sobby about myself where others are going through so much more....my trials are nothing compared to some people​’s...I have soooo much to be grateful for....and lately I've been very ungrateful. Do we really know what we have? I don't think I realize it...but I'm beginning to.

I love you all! Thanks for being the amazing examples that you are to me. Have a good week.

P-Day Fun on the Island

Miracles!!

6/2/14

Guess who is staying in (area) with (comp) for 6 more weeks? I AM!!!!! WOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

WOW! What a crazy crazy week! I don't even know if words can tell you all that's happened. I guess the only way to describe it is it's been super super busy but super super awesome! 

Dad: Can't wait to see the office when you are all moved in! I love hearing about all the missionary opportunities you have. I'm getting a little nervous because I know I'm not going to have as many opportunities in Utah as here in Canada. But it gives me hope that even if you do live in Utah you can still impact people and have moments to share the gospel! Thanks for being such a good example of reaching out to others.

Morg: I'm so proud of you and for your decision and desire to serve a mission. That is so amazing that you received the Melchezidek Priesthood yesterday. I'm SO grateful for the priesthood....it just makes me think of all the times district leaders have given me ​or my companions priesthood ​blessings...or just ​blessed & helped people in the church in general. You are going to bless many people my brother...before, during, and after your mission! I'll be keeping you in my prayers as you submit your papers and wait for your call!!!! Yay!!!!!  

Okay this week was crazy!!! Exchange​s went well! I was stressed out of my mind but it went good. It was fun to be with the STL. She made it fun! And I told her the rap story and she just laughed for like five min straight. Since she's my leader she does follow ups with the zone leaders after the exchange and she told me "Ohhh I want to just scare them so bad in follow-up calls and be like, 'those sisters are listening to apostate music!!!'"  ​Man I don't think I'll ever ​live this down. haha. 

But..we had an amazing miracle happen!!!! This is THE ​HIGHLIGHT OF THE ENTIRE WEEK SO GET READY!!!! Once upon a time we were on exchanges and we had both of our appointments bomb! So we were outside talking to people when the phone rings. I look down and it's...(name) ​(NOTE: This is the investigator that backed out two days before her baptism. It broke Aerin's heart when it happened.) I look at the STL and tell her I have to get this. So I do...(Investigator) said, "Hey sisters..I had a few questions and I was ​wondering if you could come over!" I told her, "well we actually have free time right now can we come now?" She said yes so we booked it to her house. We sat and talked about the concerns that she had and then I asked her..."are you thinking about being baptized?" She said yes. She said that especially the past few days she feels that God is PUSHING and PUSHING her into this direction. And she knows it's where she needs to go...

SO GUESS WHO IS PREPARING TO BE BAPTIZED????

MIRACLES!!!! I was so shocked I didn't even know what to say!!!! But I am so happy. 

Interviews went very well. Awww I love my mission president and his wife so much! I'm going to miss them so much! :( I think these last interviews were the best I've ever had. And I don't know exactly what to share other than I just felt loved. I always wonder how I can feel so much love when I don't see them on a consistent basis but I do. It's so​ weird. It was awesome because I went in to President's interview and it wasn't what I expected at all. I brought up a question on something and it just turned into this discussion about the plan of salvation and about our pre​-earth life. It was deep and SO COOL! It answered some questions I've had my entire mission so I just loved it! 

Well everyone else is doing pretty good. (Investigator) though isn't doing so hot. He bombed the two appointments we had with him last week and didn't go to church. :'( So a little sad about that.

Then (investigators) dropped some crazy news....They are moving to another city in a month....and because things are crazy with the move and the new job...they can't have a set wedding date. So they are a little bit in a limbo right now. But we love going over there and helping them continue to read the ​Book of Mormon and such. She wants to continue going to church in the new home and still wants to be baptized. So that's really good! (I'm a little jealous for whoever is there when they move! They're awesome!​) 

Yesterday we had a way cool meeting. It was district conference/stake conference for all of Canada. We all began with our own opening song and a talk. But 35 min into it there was a broadcast all the way from Salt Lake City to all the churches in Canada. Elder Holland, Pres Eyring, and Sister Burton, and a Seventy spoke for the remaining time. And it was just for the members in Canada. It was sooooooo coooool! I've never been to a meeting like that before. It almost felt like Conference all over again. There were some amazing things that were said...but guess who left their notes in the car? Yup. So sorry. But I loved Elder Holland's talk because he talked about the healing power of the atonement...and how if we lay our burdens at the Savior's feet He will help us with them...and then after we receive help ourselves we can help others find the same peace and hope. They also talked about ​hastening the work and how no matter what we do God's work will go forward. NOTHING is going to stop it. Again, it was awesome! 

Anyways I love you all very much! Thanks for being so amazing! Keep the faith and keep perspective! 

I'll end with a quote I LOVED from Elder Bednar's talk from last conference. I read it this morning and it was just so good. 

"Thus, the Savior has suffered not just for our sins and iniquities—but also for our physical pains and anguish, our weaknesses and shortcomings, our fears and frustrations, our disappointments and discouragement, our regrets and remorse, our despair and desperation, the injustices and inequities we experience, and the emotional distresses that beset us.

There is no physical pain, no spiritual wound, no anguish of soul or heartache, no infirmity or weakness you or I ever confront in mortality that the Savior did not experience first. In a moment of weakness we may cry out, “No one knows what it is like. No one understands.” But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He has felt and borne our individual burdens. And because of His infinite and eternal sacrifice (see Alma 34:14), He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy. He can reach out, touch, succor, heal, and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us to do that which we could never do relying only upon our own power. Indeed, His yoke is easy and His burden is light."

Sister Ogden

LOVE THESE PEEPS!

Rapping Things Up

5/26/14

Hola! So...I didn't get a lot of emails this week so I'm writing a big long one for you..lucky you! 

You started reading Preach My Gospel? YAY! That's so awesome! Preach My Gospel is really cool. You first see it as a book "just for missionaries" but it totally applies to us as members of the Church. We've been sharing tidbits of Preach my Gospel with members and it has been so cool to see the unique spirit that it brings into homes. Can't wait to hear what you learn and your experiences with it! 

Morgan...have I told you how excited I am? Can I ever tell you enough? AHHHHHHHHH! Your papers are almost in. I'm so excited for you. I'm going to be praying and thinking of you these next few weeks. Yesterday was fast and testimony meeting because we have district conference this coming Sunday. A sister who is preparing to go on a mission and is almost done with her papers bore her testimony. And I just got so emotional because I was just so excited for her. And then I thought about all those who are going on missions soon. I just ​really wanted to stand up and ​yell, "I am SO pumped for you​!!" My mission has changed my life...and it continues to do so. I don't know even how to describe it. The experiences you have out here really do impact you and impact others. It's hard work...but it's ​so rewarding all the same. Okay I'll stop going off on my ​missionary soap box here. I'm just SO EXCITED!  

Mom...your ​funny "foggy" experience at the hospital reminds me of when I'm with my comp and I'm trying to drive or do something and talk to her at the same time...I struggle. I'll be like, "I think.....I think....that....we...we need to do...." And I can't EVER finish my sentences. She's like, "Nevermind Sister, I'll talk to you when you're not preoccupied." haha. I CAN'T MULTITASK! Working on it. 

Annie....Congrats on the awards...I feel like you have gotten many the last few months. That's awesome! That's so WEIRD you are almost ready to get your permit. Ew. Ick. Uck. Why are you so old? And what is this I hear that you want me to take the train​ so you can have the car? ​Actually...that might be fun...I could still contact people I guess. haha. 

Speaking of cars...well I'm glad I don't have to worry about driving in the snow in Canada ever again. Phew...but I still have stressful days where I'm thinking ​hard about a lesson or an investigator and I'll make a really stupid decision on the road. I scare my comp a lot...poor dear. We've had quite a few near crash experiences but oh well...I haven't actually CRASHED which is good. It all comes back to this "multitasking thing" 

So this is gonna be a crazy week here because a) it's the last week of the transfer b) tonight we are going on an exchange with the sister training leaders. I get to stay here with a sister that came out with me and c) it's interviews with the mission pres & wife this Thurs. So I haven't been able to relax the last few days :) I'm ​so ​excited for everything that's going on...it's just CRAZY. 

So like I said I have interviews with Pres and Sis this Thurs and I'm excited. I feel like I haven't talked ​to them​ in FOREVER. I love them so much...and it's a little bittersweet because it's my last interview with them. So I want to make it a good one! That would be cool if you went to their homecoming. They are awesome! 

This week was crazy. Just sayin. But it was AWESOME!

(Investigators) are doing well for the most part. We met them last week and we hadn't seen them for a while. First they told us due to financial stress and their situation the wedding is called off for the time being (but we are confused because they told us they want to still be married in our church???) At first I was just crushed inside. But then we watched Pres Monson's talk "I Will Not Forsake Thee" ​with them ​because she hadn't ever heard the prophet. She got all teary at the end and told us how she knew he was a man of God. He was "different" from other leaders. He had a very amazing love. It was so cool. Then she just went on this monologue of how much she's changed since she met with us. She has changed so much...she has no desire to ​do a lot of the things she was doing before. She WANTS to ​obey the commandments. As she was just going on about this I just got so teary and happy. The gospel changes lives...and it is changing this family. So she recognizes this is the right path for her. We just need to resolve her wedding concerns. They are so awesome! 

(Investigator) is doing better. Baby steps with him. We had an awesome lesson with him the other night. We were talking about the gospel of ​Jesus ​Christ and how you need ALL the steps to make it to the celestial kingdom (​faith, repentance, baptism,​Holy ​Ghost, endure to the end) So as a little object lesson we made cookies...and while the cookies were baking we gave him some cookies we already made...but we put a lot of salt in them...heheheh. We talked about how even if a few "steps" or "ingredients" are left out...it changes the outcome. I think he got the point. We can't pick and choose what we follow in the gospel...we have to follow ALL of it. It was fun! 

(Investigator) is doing awesome! Came to church for the second time yesterday. He's reading and he seems to like what he is learning. Tomorrow for exchanges we are going to be talking to him about the word of wisdom. And it's just been fun teaching him because he really listens. 

(Investigators) are still here. We don't see them as much. They still have quite a lot of challenges they are overcoming. But we help out as much as we can. 

(Member) is doing well! We went over for dinner last night and his parents were there again. We ate and slipped in a little mini plan of salvation lesson. It was so cool because his dad got a little teary eyed. The spirit was so strong. It was cool! We gave them ​pamphlets​ and we specifically told him to give us a call if he wanted us to come over and if he wanted to learn more. We'll see what happens. But they are good people. I love them all! 

We had a cool miracle happen too. So Sister T baptized this couple six months ago or so. But they haven't been to church. We had a lesson with them last Saturday and we talked about sacrifice. ...and how the Lord will make up for the​ sacrifices​ we make to keep our covenants... and they came to church yesterday! YAY! They are a wonderful family! I was super happy for them to be there! For the last few months that I've been here we've visited ​but they didn't make it out a lot...but this week they did! YES! 

Anyways, I'm grateful for the gospel. I'm grateful to be here. I think it's really funny how God works. He knows what we need and WHEN we need it. Hope you have a good week! 

Love you all! 

P.S.

So Aerin had a really funny thing happen this week. The reason it is funny is that as those of you who know Aerin recognize, she is a Rule Follower. Some people are; some people aren't, and Aerin most definitely is.  Big time.  She is very obedient.  It actually caused her problems occasionally in basketball, because she would follow exactly to the letter what the coach told her to do, when at times she maybe should have improvised according to the situation.  So that is why this situation is so ironic. You also need to know that in Aerin's mission, they are allowed to listen to "uplifting" music.  So EFY songs, instrumental, etc. are okay.

She sent me what her companion had written home about it (below):

COMP:  My week went alright i had a few embarrassing situations and we now think our zone leaders think we are apostate. We had an investigator show us this amazing freestytle rap by this man who spent some time in jail. Thing is he didn't have any beats or anything.. he was just rhyming, but the rap was incredible. I wouldn't even call it a rap... It was all about the Savior and God and his decision to follow Christ.How we cant let satan have any power over us and i cant quote very well, the best part about it was that as i was listening i could feel the spirit testifying of the truths that were in his rap. I want to name it to his testimonial rap because that's exactly what it was, anyways he showed us this rap and we got to another investigator's home and we thought how awesome would it be for him to hear this to know that there is better type of music to listen to than just a bunch of songs with swearing in it, so i have my comp text our other investigator to find out what the name of the rap and rapper was, but she accidentally sent it to the Zone leaders (so the message was: "Hey we were wondering could you text us name of that rapper that we listened to yesterday?").. 

​S​he freaked (that's an understatement) out when they texted us back and said "i don't know i'm not well versed in rap sisters"... We almost peed our pants, and of course i got to clean up the mess when they called us 2 seconds later and all of this is happening during our lesson mind you, so not only are we embarrassed because the whole situation could have been avoided but we are also getting into "trouble" in front of our investigator and member. We assured them that we felt the spirit from it and it didn't draw our thoughts away from our purpose but in fact added on to it and if i had the chance i would recommend it to the mission president to listen to. ​They hung up and then sent us another reminder via text. so it kind of was resolved but we still aren't comfortable to see them during skills and interviews this thursday. 

AERIN:(So...yeah...I'm like super embarrassed about it because they might think we are listening to inappropriate rap music...which we weren't at all....sigh...way to go Sister Ogden...one of my brighter moments on my mission)

​We told her that she & her comp should wear bandanas, snapbacks, etc. to their next zone meeting. ​Or flash gang signs to one another. Hope she won't kill me for sharing it, but we have been laughing about it all week.

District