Blogger Header

Blogger Header

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Bye Bye Newport! Hello Klamath Falls! (03/23/2015)

Holo Madre!
Sister Chalfant and I were double-transferred out of Newport. We will be replaced by elders and there will be no more Sisters on this part of the Coast. I am back in Klamath Falls and will be serving in the 3rd and 4th Wards. My new companion is from Idaho and is in the middle of her mission right now. 
Sister Chalfant and I had to wake up at 4:15am (we went to bed at 12:15, since we had so much cleaning and set up for the Elders to get done) to arrive at the Corvallis transfer spot at 6:15. Left there at 6:40 or something and got to Eugene around 7:50. Left Eugene and got to Medford at 12 something, got lunch and then left for Klamath at 1:30. Arrived at Klamath at 3:15pm. 
LONG. DAY.
Apparently I'm now in a pretty good ward and dabble a little in the neighboring ward because they are in need of sisters so bad. This'll be an interesting last transfer I think...there was still snow in the mountain pass and it is not just light sweater weather like it was in Newport. Now I need to get my jacket scarf back out. On the plus side, I might actually get to see Crater Lake.
Now that I've been able to ponder things a little more, I think I'd be ok if I stayed at BYU for college. (Then I can visit Mara and Josh and Desmond and help out with cooking and stuff! I can have fun cleaning other people's houses :D, just not mine hehe.) I think I just got scared my first year there because of the crazy fast pace of everyone around me, but I know now it's nothing to be afraid of. With finding what I want to do with my life after my mission, I find it a little more exhilarating.
So with all that said I think I'll take summer classes at BYU. Thank you so much for getting all that college stuff done and signing me up for Summer classes at BYU. So were you able to get me signed up for those Fall semester classes? If you didn't get my email I really liked the 2F graph the best. I actually read the descriptions first and picked my fave classes and that one I think had all of them! Perfect!!! 
Here are some pictures from my last week in Newport.
-- A fabulous St. Patrick's Day package, the apple jacks, chips, pasta and caprisun are already gone :)

-- crazy awesome and delicious Grape Ape donut from Voodoo Donuts in Portland

-- and a picture with Wi, great New Zealander who we play rugby with and get our chicken fixes from. He owns a food place called Flippin' Chicken. 

ok, gotta go!
Love you bye!! 

A Crazy Busy Productive Week (03/16/2015)

Holo Madre!
The temple trip was amazing as usual with our entire Zone. It was a beautiful day if a bit long. We got to stop by Deseret book too, like I said last week. As for the long day at the temple....Well, we had to get up at 0430 am to get ready to get to the 9am session at the temple. We started the day pretty early and that's why it seemed to last so long.
The Zone Conference we had on Tuesday was very good. We learned a lot more about how to better teach the restoration of the priesthood to investigators. By not skipping or skimming over that part, they are able to know how important the power and AUTHORITY of God is right from the 'getgo'. 
Then, we had short lessons from our Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders about prayer and its importance. You'd never believe how hard it is getting someone to pray out loud. People are so scared of being judged or rejected that we have to bolster their faith and confidence that they are loved by their Father in Heaven so that faith and love out weigh the fear.
Then, of course, we had the Atonement talks from various missionaries plus one certain curly haired one ;) I could send you the talk I prepared but it wouldn't be the one I actually gave. See, I had written the talk a couple weeks ago, but then we met a member who just moved into the ward and she shared her story. With her story and the spirit I felt, I realized I needed to change my talk a bit. So unfortunately, no, you kinda can't get the talk. The talks were pretty good and the spirit was especially strong that Conference. 
Then, at the end, we all got our new iPads. Basically they are the same as the ones we had previously just faster and with more storage. There is a rumor going around that Facebook will be back in a couple months in our Mission, and if that's the case it doesn't especially matter to me since I'll be back East side :).
PREACH MY GOSPEL - Newport Beach, Oregon
And now I dare you to ask what eventful thing happened on our way back from zone conference ;)
As for the "eventful thing" I would say you should talk to the stupid deer and give it a talking to for walking in the road but alas, I don't think it can speak at the moment...The mission car has a couple good dents in it now with some nice clumps of fur :) And No, t'wasn't me that was driving :)
This past week was crazy because it's rare that awesome or even super productive things happen on Mondays since we only have a couple hours of work and people just want to be left alone at those hours (7-9). 
Then we had Zone Conference on Tuesday which took the entire day, and we hit that dumb deer. 
And because we hit the deer we had to take care of it on Wednesday which ruined our hours from 11-1:30. 
We were still able to get things done but  it wasn't until Thursday, Friday and Saturday that we were able to get great things done in the area. We saw people we hadn't been able to have lessons with in a while and set up more lessons for this week. The best part was that we were able to meet the mother of one of our investigators. So now we know more of where our investigator is coming from and how we can best help her to understand the restored gospel. 
District photo
Sounds like you are doing great in Primary! Totally knew you could do it :) 
And for being on a nice healthy diet you certainly make a lot of great food for others to gain on...hahaha.
So, I made my Strawberry cookies twice and the Pancit too. Everything was eaten by the time I remembered to get a picture. Everybody loved them :) The Pancit came out better this time, but still not what I remember it looking or tasting like texture wise. But everyone absolutely loved it and some want recipes so :)
Yep I got my Pinewood Derby cars and will graphite them the day before the race. The Elders are super excited that I am letting them use one of my Pinewood Derby cars. They will share my gold car. Though I told them they can't have it until the day of the race. Sometimes boys can be very accident prone if you know what I mean.
Didn't get any other package <box for St Patrick's Day>. That box is so cool!! I wish it would come so I can show everyone! Stupid USPS indeed. When do you think it'll get here?
hmmmm....Me thinks my mother knows me too much since she keeps dropping movie references in the most perfect places. I have educated you too well :)
Gots ta go! Love you!
Kiana

I Love to See the Temple (03/09/2015)

Hi Mom!
HA! So now you've joined the stalker Moms huh? hahaha well I'm glad you were able to see that video. That is the OEM Mission song we sing after every lunch at Zone Conferences. President Russell had told us that we could sing our other thank you song for the people who provided our lunch. Then he started waving his hands once it was done for us to leave. Well, lets just say this, we love our President but there was NO WAY that the ENTIRE mission was gonna come together and NOT sing the OEM song. After a minute of sadness, disappointment and shuffling feet from a lot of us we all heard such a wonderful familiar song being started softly by a couple brave Elders. Then everyone burst into the song! I looked back at President standing with his wife and he could tell he had been over ruled.. even by his wife who was singing proudly with Sister missionaries a few feet from him. He gave in with a smile and joined the song. Once it was done I looked over at him again and he had tears in his eyes. This was truly a moment never to be forgotten. All the OEM together, all proud to be serving in Oregon. The spirit was pretty thick.
The voices singing loudest were likely Elder Pickett, Perrine or bah...I can't remember who else was standing with them, but yeah they have pretty good voices. Awww, I love my Mom. Well, it did help that I was the one practically right in front of him <the Elder shooting the video>. I'm sure I'm in the other videos too since we (Sister Chalfant and I) were in the middle of everything :)  Sister Chalfant took a video too but I'm not in it. Totally bummed I didn't grab my camera before going to lunch like the others did. Oh well. I'll just get one this Zone Conference. It's likely my last one :(
Sorry forgot to grab my notes again from the mission-wide conf but I'll try to get it to you next week with the notes I will be taking tomorrow at the Zone Conf as well. We have zone conferences every other transfer so this one tomorrow will be my last. I will cherish it like crazy.
The temple was awesome as usual! I love to see the temple and am grateful that my mission allows me to go every 3 or 4 months.
Portland, OR Temple
We drove up to the Portland Temple with the senior missionary couple and before we came back we made a stop at the Deseret Book store. Man! We need one of those in New York. There is so much stuff there that I wanted. Lots of great books from General Authorities and fiction and stuff, but alas I cannot touch them yet. I did get a cello hymn cd to listen to and it's beautiful to listen to on Sundays. There were a lot of great Sheri Dew books and some I wanted to look at from Elder Holland, Elder Callister, Elder Bednar, Elder Packer or Elder Ballard I think, and John Bytheway. I didn't pay too much attention to titles since I knew I wouldn't be able to read them anyways <until after my mission> so I can't tell you anything else.
Glad the box got to you ok. Just make sure to be careful with it because there is something in there I made that is fragile. I hope it didn't get ruined even though I wrapped it pretty good. I can tell you this though...One of the gifts you and Jimbo will both love and the other will likely torture you a little ;) hehehe (both are for Jim though).
ok gotta go! Wish me luck! i'll be making the Pancit this week.
Love you!! <3<3<3
xoxoxoxoooooo
....really quick though. The ward is having pinewood derby and ANYONE can enter. Could you send my black car and my gold car? I'd like to see if they still got it ;)

"Disciples of the Digital Age" (03/02/2015)

Holo Madre!
I am now past freaking out and just trying not to think about it too much. I am excited for home (it's home, who wouldn't be?) but I am just so close that I am wondering where the days are going and finding it increasing harder everyday to not push our investigators and people to progress in the gospel before I can't help them anymore. SO from now on til the last two or three weeks of my mission zip it on the homecoming unless it is for college things or something important, if you would kindly :)
Yep I found the rice noodles and will be making the Pancit twice. First for the Relief Society birthday activity and then for an investigator who is interested in learning to cook new things. I am thinking about cutting the recipe in half though since I had a hard time last time making it in such a large portion. SO for the recipe do I just cut all the ingredients in half or no?
An investigator named Carol taught me how to crochet and I really like it. It's different than knitting (which I still like the best). However, if I'm ever feeling down and feel like I'm not getting anything done I can just do two rows of crochet and it looks like I've done a lot! Yay exaggerated accomplishment! hahaha;)
As a missionary, I have learned to how to get crafty in order to create visual 'props' for object lessons. My Plan of Salvation out of felt is especially useful since we teach the Plan of Salvation frequently.
Here are the projects that I told you about last week.
I made a Plan of Salvation out of felt.
And I have my favorite "Armor of God" man to substitute for "Hangman"
I will make sure to send you my notes on what the conference with Elder Neilsen was about. But just as a sneak peak: It was all about iPads. We will be getting new ipads next week with new handbooks and ways to do online missionary work. They want to prepare us as "Disciples of the Digital Age" for hastening the work here on our missions and also for preparation and protection for going back out into the world of technology. If we are trained here how to use social media and technology to it's proper use than it ought to be easier for us when we are back home. The new iPads have new, stronger walls of filtering and restrictions. We will be trained to do Facebook better (once we get it back that is), we can do Facetime and Skype lessons and tons of other stuff I don't remember. The iPads we have now will be exchanged next Tuesday at Zone Conference for better heavy duty ones that the missionaries, who will be going home after August 23rd, will have to pay for like a bike. They will be their own iPads instead of being owned by the church. Break it and the missionary will have to fix it or buy a new one. Since I leave before then, my new iPad is basically a 'loaner', it belongs to the church and I don't have to pay for it.
We will be going up to Portland this Thursday for the temple!! So excited :)
I will get to go to the temple one more time at the very end of my mission and I truly don't care which one I go to for my last time. If it's the Portland temple, yay because it's pretty and has a small visitor's center. And if it's the Medford temple, yay because I might be able to see some old friends form Central Point :)
Love you bunches!
Kiana