Learning from Others & Being Humble

BIG Mom Failure, but LOTS OF PICTURES!!!

In response to my letter asking her if she had met Jen Backwell, a Missionary Momma from the Louisville KY mission area.  She met up with Katelyn Sunday night at a missionary fireside.  She is one of those amazing women who has her own missionary out, and chooses to go out of her way, and completely involve herself with the missionaries in her area.  Her service to my missionary, Sister Jones this week reflects the Christ like service and love we all as members can do to help step it up, and take care of those choosing to serve full time missions so far from home.  

Jen was awesome!!  On Monday – She took 4 companionships (8 sister missionaries) to the Louisville Zoo for P-day, and then to Sub-Zero for ice cream.  I was working and had failed to load her debit card this week, as a result – she had to pick up the tab for Kizzer yesterday.  Being unavailable, I 100% failed as a mom, but because of her, Kizzer had a wonderful day AND I have tons of pictures.  A wonderful shout to Sister Blackwell!!!

Sister Blackwell & Sister Jones at Missionary Fireside

Learning from Others

Dear Fam & friends:

Oh I just loved reading your letter! Sorry this is going to be short!
Yes, Jen Blackwell is super cool! I am so excited that you have been talking to her! The world gets smaller and smaller as my mission goes by ha ha! I am so proud of Sydney and her willingness and desire to serve! I personally hope that she doesn't leave until after Christmas break so I can see her before she leaves and I come home! If she goes foreign I hope she goes to Tonga or Puerto Rico.

Baptism for Adam Coming Up

Also Sister Patterson and I taught Adam this week and we taught him about temples! So cool! He absolutely understood everything about them and said that he really wants to be married there but then he asked if his parents and siblings can go in there and we stated that they cannot because they were not members but encouraged him to share the gospel with them and help them make the same steps that he is for them to eventually get there. He said he would try, but wouldn't be sure of how to do it. He also has been talking to his friends about the church. They are his two best friends:  one is Baptist, Adam will be Mormon, and the other is atheist.  It sounds like a bad joke or something, but they are his best friends and they plan to come to his baptism on August 8.  We are so proud of him!

Car finally fixed & Exchanges w/ my MTC Companion!

We also finally got our car back! Hallelujah! We have been dying in the heat and humidity.  This week was another humbling experience. I don't think I will ever write an email from now on that doesn't have these kind of experiences in them! A mission is an experience to prepare us for becoming someone better and trust me Heavenly Father sure made sure for that to happen!
We got to exchange with the Salem sisters this week! And guess who I exchanged with?!? Your right! Sister Resendez! My MTC companion! It was SUPER FUN! Since we have both now been out for 9 months we exchanged the things we have learned and how we have changed! I can tell that she has changed in her drive and desire for the work! She showed me that being obedient is how the work moves along and that I can always change who I am to align myself with God as long as I am willing to do so!

When Sister Resendez and I were on exchanges we were grateful and excited when we got the call from the car shop! Now we have like a thousand extra miles that we haven't used and we feel so blessed!

While getting our Car on exchanges we picked up a new investigator! His name is Jamal and he is 19 (we don't really understand how we are teaching, we come across all these young guys, but we are glad to be bringing more priesthood holders into the fold of God!) and he excited to be baptized! Yay!

We also had the Word of Wisdom with one of our baptismal date Sarah who is set to get baptized in September! Yay!

We got to exchange with the J-town sisters this last week and I was with Sister Bush all day that day a bike.  We talked to the coolest people ever and while we went to contact a referral of theirs we saw someone moving in and offered our help.  The father said "no" and then his daughter turned around and said" I would love some help".  So we grabbed the mattresses and rushed up the apartment stairs.  She ended up being a member of the church! Crazy cool. She said she had been baptized a few years and was going to the YSA ward! They offered a bathroom break for us little bikers and also a bottle of sparkling water. Which Sister Bush guzzled pretty fast.  I learned so much from Sister Bush and she really humbled me and helped me to see that I was being prideful and that I needed to repent.  She, like Sister Resendez has an incredible desire to go forth and do the work of the lord.  She is so cool! I was proud to say that I learned so much from sister Resendez and Sister Bush and that they gave me a desire to do more!

P-day Fun at the Louisville Zoo:

 HA!  So funny.

 Sister Blackwell says, "Throwing a penny in for a wish, and they all had a wish for their investigators".

How do YOU measure Up?

 Everyone of them, absolutely b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.

 Gators. She is having a ball!

Geez, Now I proof that she can take pictures, how do I get her to send me more?

 I bet she just loved holding this parakeet ( or whatever it was :)

TOTALLY MY FAVORITE PIC!!!

My Testimony & Being Humbled

I know that Heavenly Father calls us to certain purposes in life and asks us to accomplish them in His way. I learned my purpose and the purpose of those around me isn't just one huge one and then we are done.  But that it's a continuous propose of always looking forward and being brave, but, also willing to be humble and learn something new! I love this gospel and all the blessings it gives our way. I love you all and hope you like this video--we found. Random song and thought it was so stinking cute and maybe kind of weird but we couldn't help but laugh!

VIDEO TIME