Week 64

Hi!

 Last night we had a ward missionary fireside, where we watched, "A Standard to the Nations".  For anyone that hasn't seen it, it's about how the gospel got to every single continent since the Church was restored.  Not a lot of people came, but while watching it, I was so blown away by the sacrifices made by these first handful of Missionaries who literally sacrificed everything to go serve these missions.  For some it took them 6 MONTHS by boat to get to where they needed to serve, and their missions were  A  (LOT longer than 18 months or 2 years.  After we watched it, our Ward Mission Leader, Hermano Ochoa bore his testimony, and had recorded a bunch of members from our Ward saying how they received the gospel.  A lot was through parents, some through friends, some by playing basketball with the missionaries.  It made me reflect on how just a single testimony shared can change someones life.  I asked myself how I received the gospel, and even though I have been a member my entire life, I remembered a very fond memory of mine that happened a while back and how it's thanks to Neno's (My Mom's Dad) friend in the army that shared the gospel with him, is how I have the gospel.  I just started thinking about how different my life would be, if that friend NEVER opened his mouth and shared the gospel with Neno.  I don't think I would be here, let alone, be adopted into our wonderful family, and have the blessings of the gospel in my life.  But because he opened his mouth, shared his testimony, Neno got baptized, married in the temple, had kids who went on missions and now many grand kids who have served and are currently serving around the world, helping others receive the blessings of the restored gospel that our family has had.  All because one man decided to open his mouth.  That really hit me, and I remember when all of our extended family came over to our house and his friend came over and met all of us and saw, "the fruits of his labor" or the effects of what one testimony had on one man who was ready to hear the gospel.  It helped me understand just how important it is for me, as a missionary to always open my mouth.

Investigators: Jai is doing wonderful.  When we invited her to be baptized, she snapped her fingers and did finger guns and said, "heck yes"!  I wish that was the response I got every time we invited someone to be baptized, ha ha!!  We are going over to their house again tonight and I'm so excited! She's going to be baptized on the 25th of November. :)

Jai's Family.

Rylee: we went over yesterday and taught Rylee about the Plan of Salvation.  It was a good lesson and we invited Rylee last week to be baptized and she seemed hesitant at first, but the next day, we got a phone call from her Mom, having to cancel an appointment to come teach Rylee.  So that was a bummer, but then she said that Rylee read two chapters in the Book of Mormon and told her Mom, "Mom, I know the Book of Mormon is true, and I know that I need to be baptized".  We were so happy to hear that! She is getting baptized next Monday! :)

Ivan: IVANNNNN, he is the best. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and went last Friday and watched "Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restoration" movie with him, one of my all time favorite movies.  After we watched it, we invited him to pray and ask Heavenly Father if Joseph Smith really was a prophet.  He prayed to end the lesson, and said, "please help me know if Joseph Smith really was a prophet, I think he is, also I know that the Book of Mormon is true and that it has your fingerprints all over it".  I just about DIED.  He is seriously so golden, and he and Surya (his mom) came to Church for the last two weeks in a row!

Ivan's Family and Cousins.

Veronica: SO craziest thing happened yesterday.  Sacrament meeting ended and we stand up and Hermana Cazares says, "AN INVESTIGATOR CAME TO CHURCH" and ran over to a lady sitting in the back with her family.  I was really confused because I had no idea who she was talking about, because all of our investigators are kids, haha!!  It turns out, that a woman named Veronica came to church with her entire family.  Since I've been here, we've never taught her, but she is married to a member of the church, and they don't come to church too often.  Last transfer, before I came, Hermana Macias and Hermana Cazares dropped her, but she came to church yesterday totally on her own!  The ward fellowshiped her super well, and we have an appointment with her this week.  She's super nice and I'm super excited to start teaching her.

ZONE ACTIVITY WAS THE BEST.  It was the most fun zone activity I have EVER been to.  We went and played blaster tag, and it was like the idea of paintball, but with really fast shooting Nerf guns.  IT WAS SO FUN!!  Everyone was so sore for like DAYS, but it was so worth it.  I left with some gnarly bruises and scars, but it was really fun.  Sorry, I forgot to take a picture, but it was amazing!

We had MLC (Missionary Leader Conference) last week, and after it ended, Sister Killpack came up to me and asked, "do you sing soprano or alto" and I said, "uh both" and she said that she needs more help with the alto line because it's really hard for a musical number they are preparing for the Missionary Fireside, you remember the Fireside where Vocal Point is performing and Sheri Dew is speaking.  I told her that I was willing to do it and if I got the sheet music that I could learn it.  Well, I got the sheet music today and the only time I'll be able to rehearse it is on the day of the Fireside, and Vocal Point will be listening to me sing, No pressure, Haha!!  I am grateful for those crazy Troubadour assignments that helps me not feel worried in times like this.

I am going shopping with Sister Killpack today, the mission is offering to pay for running shoes (did I tell you I left those in Puerto Rico at the Mission Home.  I threw them away because they were pretty thrashed after that last week there) so, I am happy to get some new running shoes, and start exercising again!

These last couple weeks have been so insanely busy, but it's good!!  Busy means we're working hard.  Transfers are next week, and next transfer will be the second to last transfer before I come home.  Ha. Ha. Ha. Help.

Last Tuesday we had MLC (Mission Leader Conference) and they announced that starting next transfer there will be no more Spanish zone, and we will be put into English zones, and in small Spanish districts.  So we're all getting separated. ):  I related it to the scattering of the 12 tribes of Israel, hahaha!  We are bummed, but there is a purpose in all things, so at some point I'll figure out why, until then, I will just be obedient to the Lord's will because he knows better than I do!!

Orem Spanish Zone!

Last Time Together as the Utah Orem Spanish Zone!

Wednesday we got together with the zone leaders and planned out our CDM (combined district meeting), which is pretty much another way of saying zone meeting.

Thursday we had CDM, and all four of us presented a 20 minute training lesson based off of the training we had received two days before at MLC.  I presented the training that one of the AP's (Elder Kentish) presented, about Peter and the Christlike attributes of faith, obedience, and diligence.  It was one of the most inspiring trainings I've ever received on the mission, and I got the chance to share it with the zone.  We basically ripped Peter apart, pointed out his weaknesses, and then built him back up.  I'll have to send a picture of my notes because my hand hurt so bad after hearing this lesson, because I was just writing EVERYTHING Elder Kentish was saying, but it was fun and I worked hard on how I wanted to present it and it paid off, I think, Woo!

Also that same day, Hermana Cazares and I prayed that we would be an answer to someones prayer that day.  We decided to return Sister Wilbert's cookie sheet we borrowed, but we didn't text her telling her we were coming, we just kinda showed up.  So we knocked on her door, and Meredith, her daughter who came on splits with us, opened the door and we went in said hello and told Sister Wilbert we were dropping off her cookie sheet.  She seemed super stressed and Hermana Cazares says, "Sister Wilbert can we help you clean your house?" it turns out she had to clean her entire house, in less than 2 hours, because there was a really important real estate agent who was presenting an open house that day, and she had to write an email that was going to help her get this job she wants, so she was so relieved and said, yes, you can help clean my house!  So, we helped her clean her house, and she just thanked us after wards and said, "you are such an answer to my prayers, if you two didn't come I don't know how I would've done all of this".  Mission accomplished, we felt pretty happy after that knowing the Lord had helped us accomplish our desire of wanting to be an answer to someones prayer.

Last Saturday I had an exchange with Hermana Peter! It was so great, and we reminisced all the good times we had in Cabo Rojo together, and in Puerto Rico.  It was fun getting to see her.

Hermana Green & Peter.

Hey dad! I wanted to show you the notes I took on your Spiritual thought this morning! It really tied in with what I've been working on, which is being a consecrated missionary.  I sure do love your Spiritual thoughts and how the Lord speaks to me through your words and the inspiration you and I receive through the Spirit.  Thank you and I sure do love you!

This week and next week we will be preparing for the Mission Musical fireside this Sunday, we have zone conference where I am giving another training on Wednesday, and 3 baptisms coming up in the next 2 weeks, and transfers, and I have 2 exchanges this week.  Busy, busy, busy, but I'm so happy happy, happy!!!!

I love you all.  I am humbled and grateful for the blessings of serving a mission.  It is the best thing I have ever done in my life!!!


-Hermana Kali Rae Green-

October 31, 2017 we had the opportunity to all be together to learn more about the Temple from President and Sister Killpack, to prepare for the Mission Musical Fireside, to have dinner together and attend the Mount Timpanogos Temple.