Week 20, Dec 22, 2015

Hello Everyone! 

Merry Christmas!!!! I'm so excited for Christmas this year because I get to spend it with amazing members, yummy (I hope) food, and I get to Skype home!!!! AH! I'm excited! =D This is my first Christmas away from home and I would not have chosen any other way to do it; if I was in college I would probably go home, so I'm excited to see how this goes. What better way can I celebrate the birth of our Savior than by sharing His gospel? 

Okay, excitement spent a bit, let me tell you the major things of this week. On Wednesday and Thursday, we had a Book of Mormon Read-a-thon where for 33 hours total, we read the entire Book of Mormon as a mission. We started at 8am Wednesday morning and ended at 9:15pm. We then picked up where we left off Thursday morning and finished by 5pm. It was intense, but well worth it. I know the Book of Mormon contains Christ's gospel and it is a book sent by God. It is true. You will get closer to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by reading this book than by any other book. 

I love the Book of Mormon and everything that you can learn from it. I am always spiritually edified when I read this book and I can find all the answers I need in its pages.

Please read this book, if you've never read it or if you've read it many times over. Take the time to read from it and ponder on what it says. I promise that you will gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon if you will read it, ponder on it, and then ask God if it's true. I have done those things and I have gained my answer. I now share it with all who will receive me. 

The other major event was our Musical Fireside. Yesterday, Monday, the missionaries of the Ogden Mission performed songs of praise about Christ's birth. It was a beautiful experience and the Spirit was so strong. I was asked to narrate, and so I had the special opportunity to read scriptures about Christ and share my testimony through the words of ancient prophets and apostles. I love music and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to share my testimony through it. I wish that you all could've been there, but you can feel the same way as you share your testimony through songs of praise. I challenge each of you to take time this week to go caroling. Focus on what the words are saying and how you feel as you sing them. I promise that you will have a greater appreciation for Christmas and Christ as you carol. 

Ok, the last exciting thing is that I will be on facebook now. My mission has been approved to proselyte through Facebook and I am one of the first to be authorized to use it. I will be there to do the same things I do here in person and I am so excited to be using this amazing tool. It's amazing to me to see how many wonders the Lord has provided so that we can share His Son and His gospel to all of His children. He loves us and He will help us magnify the potential of this great tool. I'm grateful that He has trust in me and that He has provided me with the means to share my testimony both in person and on the internet.

I love you all and I hope that you have the best Christmas week ever! Be good, go caroling, read the Book of Mormon, and be happy! =D

Love,

Hermana Lindh

Week 19, Dec 15, 2015

'Ello 'ello 'ello!

I was feeling silly =)

So, I promised follow up on the Sister Training Leader (STL) thing so I'll do that but I will also explain a bit about transfers. As you know, I now have a new companion whose name is Hermana Pecjak. The first day was fairly difficult not because I didn't get along with Hna Pecjak but just because there are challenges that come with changes. For example, while she's nice and I think we get along, the dynamic is different than with Hna Lewis. Also, because she is new to my area, it's my responsibility to plan and show her around. It is difficult to plan by yourself because you could forget someone or something and it's nice to be able to bounce ideas off of someone else which you can't do by yourself. Just like any change, the little stresses of each day are what wipe you. Everything takes just an extra bit of energy which drains you a little bit faster.
The first day felt like we were just on exchanges (that's when 2 companionships exchange companions for 24 hours. For example, I would go to Ogden to be with Hna Pecjak while her companion, Hna Woodhouse, would come to Layton to be with my companion, Hna Lewis. (This being before the transfer)); I felt like the next day she would go back to Ogden and I would have Hna Lewis back. But that didn't happen, which I knew logically but I think my body still had a reaction to. Transfers are part of mission life, and they're good practices for similar stresses after a mission, so I'm tying to learn all I can now.
For example, I've learned that you do better as you pray for your companion. As you have an increase in love for your comoanion, it becomes easier to deal with the idiosyncrasies. Heavenly Father loves me, and He loves Hna Pecjak, and He put us together so I know that He'll help me come to love Hna Pecjak. I have already felt an increase of love for her.

I have also felt like I have more love now for the sisters in my mission. My mom and dad have said that when they have been called to leadership positions, they loved all in their care. At the time I wasn't sure if I believed them because they were over lots of people and I wondered how they could love each person. Now, I get it. The Lord has called me to serve the sisters in this mission. He wants them to be happy and to succeed and so He has given me a great blessing so as to do what He asked. He has blessed me to love each of these sisters even though I don't know all of them very well. I know each of them are daughters of Heavenly Father. They have each been called and set apart to serve in this mission. I love them; they are amazing.
I don't have as many worries any more. I still don't know 100% how to fulfill my calling but I know that the Lord is there guiding me. My companion and I have already started to have ideas on how to serve these women and I am super excited! I'm grateful the Lord helped me through the first few tough spots because now I feel ready to do this. I'll make mistakes, things won't go perfectly, but when in life hasn't that happened? This is going to be glorious and I can't wait to see what the Lord has in store for me.

I know that the Lord directs this work; He is intimately involved in missionary work because these are His children. He gives His missionaries promptings so that we may help as many of them as possible and in the best way. I want to share one more experience with you. This past Friday night, we were visiting potentials in one trailer park. As we were leaving it, I had a name of someone pop into my head, "Laura". She lives in the trailer park across from where we were so instead of going to where we had planned to go, I went to Laura. It is difficult to find her at home and available, so I wasn't sure if we should go, but I did anyway.
When we knocked on her door, she answered it (this in of itself can be a miracle at times =) ). We went in and started talking; she was very tired but let us share a message with her. At the end of it, she said that we always come when she needs us, not when she calls. She has never called us before, but there have been nights when she had been praying to God, asking her Heavenly Father for help, when we knocked. The same had happened that Friday night.

Heavenly Father knows YOU and loves YOU beyond imagination. YOU are His child. He hears your prayers and He answers them.

After we left her, we went to the family we had planned to visit earlier. We had been in the house for about 5 minutes when another family came in. Apparently, this two families meet together often, but usually late at night. We were able to share a message with them and leave an invitation. We then asked if they knew any Spanish speakers in the area who are not members. The family we had come to see told us of one family, and the other family who was visiting told us of 3 others. We thanked them and then headed on our way.
Had we not stopped at Laura's house, we would've missed the second family and 3 referrals (a referral is when someone tells us about someone else who we could go visit and teach). The Lord was reaching out to us that night. He was showing us where to go when, even though we had made plans earlier.
If there is nothing else I could get permanently stuck in your hearts, it would be that the Lord loves you and that He talks to us through revelation, through the Holy Ghost. He will answer your prayers and help you because He loves you! I don't know what simpler truth I could share.

I love you all. I am so grateful for your support, in any way that you give it. I hope that you're all happy and having a great Christmas season! Be good and remember who you are!

Love,
Hermana Lindh

Picture found on FB

Found this posted on FB from November 25th, I obviously missed it when it originally went up. This is Sister Pecjak who will be Rachel's new companion starting December 9, 2015. They will be Sister Training Leaders together for a while.

You can follow this link http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/church-adjusts-mission-organization-implement-mission-leadership-council to learn more about what a STL does. It's new to me so I thought I would share this explanation.

I also found this article, though a little lengthy, about how this position has affected missions and missionaries since it was implemented almost two years ago.
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865600279/New-leadership-roles-for-women-alters-LDS-mission-culture-hints-at-deep-long-term-ramifications.html?pg=all

An invitation to "O Come Emmanuel"

Week 18, Dec 8, 2015

Dear Group,

Happy December!!! This is my favorite month of the year! I love the season that starts around Halloween, the yummy and grateful feeling to Thanksgiving, but Christmas time is my favorite. I start wanting to sing carols the Friday after thanksgiving =) I think it's my favorite time of the year because this is when most people start to let themselves feel the Spirit more. We call it the Spirit of Christmas, but really it is the Holy Ghost speaking to each of us, testifying that Christ really did live and that He is our Savior. Before my mission, I just loved feeling good and seeing others being happy. Now, I love the season even more because this is the time that people are more open and receptive to the Spirit because they also love this time of year (cue "It's the most wonderful time of the year"). It is easier for me to have conversations with people because they have just a little more patience, a little more love.
This is the best time to share the gospel with loved ones and friends and even complete strangers. I challenge all of you to find one person a day for each day of December to share your testimony with. It can be through service, or being extra friendly, but the boldest way will be to share what you know of Christ. It will  ring both you and the person you talk with great blessings because I promise you that the Spirit will be there. You can do it! Make someone happier, and yourself, by giving the gift of Christ to someone. If you would like help knowing how to do that or would like extra support, please feel free to message me!

This past week has been very interesting. This is transfers week, and I will be getting a new companion. Her name is Sis. Peckjak and she was trained by my trainer, Sis. Lewis! In mission terms, that makes us sisters =)  Also, I have been extended a leadership position called STL. It stands for Sister Training Leader. My job is to take care of all of the Spanish sisters in the mission which is 10 sisters. There are 2 other STLs who cover the English sisters. I help them by going into their areas with them for 24 hrs and work with them as if I am their companion  (these are called exchanges). I then give feedback and I  general help them be the best they can be. If you would like to know more, please look at lds.org to learn more.

I want to share with you my initial response: "Why was I called as an STL? I'm working on finding an answer to that. I don't understand why the Lord has asked me to serve in this position. I know that I needed to accept, I know that He has called me, but I don't get why. I feel like I don't understand women, that I struggle in small groups, and that I either make people angry by speaking my impressions or I remain silent. This position asks me to work with women and in a small group! I think the Lord has a sense of humor...... I'm scared, that I am going to ruin any chance I have with good relationships with the sisters, or that I'm going to hurt someone, or that I'll let myself get offended. But my hope is that I will have enough faith to fulfill that what the Lord has asked of me." 

But I have reached a better spot: "After talking things through with my companion (because I talk through my emotions) I have come to a more peaceful state. I'm still really kinda nervous, but I need to get over myself and just work hard with Sis. Peckjak and the sisters we are over.  The things I was stressing about are things I can't completely control, such as how will the sisters react to the changes in STLs? But I can control how in tune I am with the Lord and trust that He'll guide me to help others."

Ether 12:27 is my favorite scripture because I have the Lord's promise is that He'll help me if I turn to Him. I'll let you know how it's going next week, but for now I'm trying to live in hope. 

Other than that, my life has been fairly normal. (whatever normal is for a missionary, haha) I'm doing well and I'm getting plenty of opportunities to grow and to learn. If only you all good have the same chance =)

I love you all! I hope that you have a great week!

Love,
Hermana Lindh

 Pictures from Gissell's baptism! She's 11 and the 2nd youngest of 10 and she's AMAZING! The quality of this picture isn't the best, please blame Samsung....

  Recent convert family; I love them! The mom is Guadalupe, the girls are Melanney and Angie, and the little boy is Edwin

 Me having attached a corsage for a choir performance to my earrings....yep, I'm still me =)

 Hermana Lewis! My friend Sis. O'Connor and I bought her these pajamas because she LOVES pizza!

 A whiteboard where my district wrote good things about me =)

 

 My bedroom wall, with all the pictures my family has sent me. 

Week 17, December 1, 2015

Group email 11/17/2015
Dear Family and Friends,

I  sorry that I didn't send out a group email last week, but thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I will try my best to have my letters written the night before, or at the very least have a small thought to share just in case I run  out of time.
The previous week went really well. As always, I'm working hard, stumbling, growing, and ending up exhausted every day. This work isn't easy nor do I want to pretend that it is. What sounds scary, like having doors closed in your face or people being mean to you, isn't as heart breaking as when those you're helping come unto Christ make a decision  you know isn't best for them. Agency, the gift given to us to be able to choose and act for ourselves (see 2 Nephi 2), can be such a pain at times! (Please realize I'm being a bit flippant here) I marvel more now than I have ever before at the love and patience Heavenly Father has for us. How can He, with all His infinite knowledge and understanding of us, not want to snatch our agency away when we make poor or just dumb choices? He knows what we are capable of and He sorrows when we make choices that take us away from Him. Yet, He allows it. Why? So that we may learn from  our own experience right from wrong, so that we may learn how to become like Him because we want to and because we love Him.
It is heart wrenching to see someone ready for baptism choose not to accept it right now, no matter the reason. I love these people dearly, they are teaching me so much, such as the importance of agency and doing the best we can despite how others use theirs. I pray for them everyday, multiple times, and because of that I'm starting to see them as Heavenly Father does.
This email is going to be shorter, but it was a huge lesson for me. I am here to HELP others come unto Christ, not force them (as much as I'd like to at times =) ). I hope that you all will do the same, that is, learn how to respect others agency while still trying to do your best. It's not easy (yes, I just saw all the parents nod their heads =) ), but progress and growth isn't easy. Christ, and His Atonement, will help you come to love others and see them as He does if you pray for that with sincere intent. It will make your both harder and happier; harder in that you'll be affected by more people, but happier because you'll be more like our Savior.

I love you all so very much. Thank you for everything you do. Have a great week and remember who you are!

Love,
Hermana Lindh

Group email 11/24/2015
Hello Everybody!

I want to share a miracle with you first thing.
This past Friday night, Hermana Lewis and I were tracting  (which is when you knock on doors and search for people to teach) in an apartment complex that we know has Spanish speakers in it, but not a lot. We had knocked on about 20-30 doors already and only one, the second to last, was really able to help us. He talked with us a bit and then told us that the his neighbor speaks Spanish. We became excited because we had found only a lot of English speakers. When we knocked on that last door, a woman  opened it to us and as we started to introduce ourselves, she invited us in.
This isn't very common  for us, so we were super happy (being in from the cold being a tiny factor). We started to talk with her to get to know her and her family, and immediately the Spirit was there. (the Spirit is the third member of the godhead; He does not have a body of  flesh and bone like Christ and God, but rather is a spirit. His responsibility is to help guide us by bearing witness of truth. If you want to know more about Him, please ask me or visit lds.org or mormon.org) We knew that this family is reading to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. We had a great lesson with them and invited them to come to church, which they did! Sunday we had another lesson with them and again, the Spirit was so strong. We invited them to be baptized on December 12th and they said yes!
Now, what was the miracle? 1) we were led to the right door 2) she opened the door for us 3) we were able to teach by the Spirit 4) this family had been prepared. As I have testified before, God is a god of miracles. He never ceases to perform them when He is asked by one of His children in faith. Hermana Lewis and I work hard to be worthy of the Spirit so that the Lord may guide us in His work. That family has been searching for truth. We are blessed with miracles, but we must have the eyes to see them.
I love this family so much, and I have only known them for a few days; that's a miracle too! But these type of experiences are what I have everyday. You can have similar events too if you live like a missionary, which means putting God first. Study your scriptures everyday, pray every morning and night (with many in between), put others first, and develop your faith in God. It seems difficult, but if you start with that desire, the Lord will bless you for it and help you with your goals.

Heavenly Father knows every one of His kids and He loves them dearly. He knows YOU and loves you. You are a child of God and He will help you fulfill your divine potential. I love you and pray for you. Please keep working hard and remember who you are.

Love,
Hermana Lindh 

Group email December 1, 2015

Dear family, for we are all brothers and sisters, =)

I am sorry for the past week. We are piloting (or in other words, being guinea pigs) for other missions in Europe and Asia that are not able to have ipads, like my mission, the Samsung tablet. As such, I am still learning how to use this thing and making mistakes with it. For instance, last week I wasn't able to use a computer so I did emails from the tablet. It informed me that my group email had been sent but then I later received an email from my parents letting me know that it hadn't made it to them. Yes, I'm blaming technology this week, but I am still sorry that I failed to email you all last week.

I hope you all had a GREAT Thanksgiving! =) let me tell you about mine. As you all well know, this if the first time I have lived away from home, and as such, it was my first Thanksgiving away from my family. You would think that I would be really homesick at this point, but truth be told, I wasnt. (I love you very much, my dear family, please bear with me)

We had our normal morning routine (up at 6:15, exercise 6:30-7, get ready and eat 7-8am, personal study 8-9, and companion study 9-10) before picking up other sisters to go play Turkey Bowl. I hadn't expected to play because my companion had a headache and I didn't want to abandon her. So, I was in proselyting clothes, i.e. skirt and blouse (one of the rules we follow is that we are to wear proselyting clothing, which is basically church clothes, unless we have specific activities where we can't and need pants) and not dressed for football. One sister brought clothes to change into but decided not to play. My companion then decided to borrow her clothes and play! Of course then I really wanted to but didn't have the right clothes to play. So, an elder who wore to layers of pants, let me borrow one and a pair of tennis shoes. I have no clue how they fit, but I am counting it as a miracle from the Lord =)

I had a great time playing, and so did my companion, (despite the 20 degree weather, freezing wind, and snow ) until it was time to go meet our lunch appointment.

I had 4 dinners that day and they were all amazing in different ways. The first one I had was more like lunch since it was at 2pm, and it consisted of wings from a store's deli because all the pizza joints were closed and they didn't have food ready yet. The family we ate with is the Fuentes family and I love them! They are all so great and the mom comes out with us for lessons fairly often.

The next dinner we had was at 4 and that was our official dinner, one a family had signed up to feed us, and they are the Pechettos. I also love them a lot! The dad reminds me a lot of my daddy (though definitely a lot more Hispanic looking than my dad =) ) in the way that he acts and his strength in the gospel. He is also a convert to the church and his example is amazing to me, along with his wife. They fed us a beautifully mixed culture dinner; we had turkey, rice, corn, mashed potatoes, bread, and pop to drink. I was quite pleased =) For dessert they had pecan pie and something called dulce de leche, a Hispanic dessert that is so yummy!

We then went to another dinner where we ate only one small dessert because obviously we were really full at that point, but we can't be rude and deny food. Again, it was super yummy and we were only there for about 20 minutes.

Our final dinner was with a recent convert and she had asked us to bring sweet potatoes. This was my first time making them by myself and they turned out really good! (I'll provide the recipient at the end of this). She fed us pasta verde, which is pasta in a spicy (pretty hot) sauce, along with a chicken cooked in a spicy red sauce. It was yummy, but my stomach had long run out of room for more food. I ate as much food as I could, but it was a bit unpleasant to eat it. I am very grateful that she thought of us thouh and included us in her holiday with her family.

We then went and visited a family we had met only a week earlier and they wanted us to eat with them but we begged not to. They let us escape without eating anything, which I was extremely grateful for. =)

All in all, it was a great Thanksgiving despite being away from home. I missed my family a lot but the Lord provided a way for me to not feel homesick. Now, to see what Christmas has in store for me!

Besides Thanksgiving, everything was about the same as normal. I'm still working hard to find people to help and teach, teaching those I know now, and continuing to maintain good relationships with the ward and recent converts. I'm learning a lot and I have been given many opportunities to grow. I love my companion and I'm starting to get to know other missionaries better, so I love them as well. I start each day with a pray and a smile, so life is good. What more can you ask for than to help others know Christ?

I hope that you are all doing well. I think about you and pray for you, and I can feel the strength that comes from your prayers. Thank you for all that you do! You are all amazing children of God. Have a great week and welcome to December!

Love,
Hermana Lindh