I want to start with the final update on our #miraclestothebrim that we have been working on as a mission since the last couple of weeks of March. I wrote in detail about this in a former blog, but the short version is that we decided as a mission to see what miracles could happen if we filled our personal water pots to the brim. As the servants filled the water pots to the brim at the wedding in Cana, which wasn't easy and took faith, diligence and hard work, it was then that the Savior performed the miracle. We set some specific goals, and one big goal was that we were going to work hard in those three months to bring 100 people onto the covenant path through baptism. We emphasized that it wasn't about the number, it was about the person, one of God's children, that was represented by that number. We are here to gather scattered Israel, and in order to do that we need to fill our water pots to the brim.
It has been inspiring to see each of our missionaries truly catch the vision, and to do all they can, and then to trust that it is the Lord who performs the internal changes, the miracles, in the lives of our friends.
With three weeks to go, we had brought about 65 into the covenant path. We decided to have a mission wide fast to help us to help those who were ready to come into the waters of baptism. We fasted and prayed for miracles, knowing that everyone has their agency, but also knowing that with God, nothing is impossible.
I believe in miracles, and I believe that God can and does continue to work them in our day, but I was amazed at the miracles that started flowing after our mission fast. Here are just a few, without any names to protect people's privacy.
Right after the fast two sisters called and said they had been working with the 15 year old daughter of a less active and she had a date to be baptized on July 20. She had just gone to girl's camp, and after church told them that because of her experiences there, she didn't want to wait to be baptized and would it be possible for her to push her baptism up to June 29th.
The Saturday before the fast, two Elders called and they were pretty discouraged. They had a man on date and the day before his baptism he cancelled and said he didn't think he was ready. They were understandably disappointed because they knew that he knew enough. But they asked him if he would just pray and read The Book of Mormon to see if he got a different answer going about it that way. Not long after the fast, they called back and said he had picked up his Book of Mormon and a note fell out of it. They didn't know where the note had come from. It said "Please don't over stress about trying to get baptized. The Lord accepts you where you are as long as you are trying." He felt like that was his sign, that Heavenly Father knew he was trying and that was enough. He called the Elders back and told them about that experience and said he'd like to get baptized on June 29th.
We later found out the note had come from the two Sisters who found him over a year and a half ago. They are both home now. I texted them about what had happened and to let them know he had gotten baptized and I got this response back from one of them:
"Thank you so much for sharing this! It made my whole day and probably month!! That made me so happy to know ____ got baptized!!! I knew he would one day! I loved that man, I remember we couldn't teach him a lot because his wife was sick so we talked to him over the phone a lot. He came to church one time I was there. He was the sweetest man ever! We found him tracting, we had asked some members to pray about a street to tract and that's when we found him, the first house we knocked on. It's so amazing how God's timing works! He knows each person so perfectly. I'm grateful I got to know him. Thanks again for sharing this, it really means a lot. Sometimes I wonder how much I really did or what impact I left. It's reassuring to know that God was able to use me in some way!"
There are just so many miracles and principles in that short text, and in the miracle of this sweet man. It just goes to show how sometimes we may never know of our impact on people. If that note hadn't fallen out of his scriptures, this sweet sister would have never known the end of the story and the impact she had on him. I think we are all God's miracle workers in that way. As we go about trying to do good, we may never know the end of the story, but God does.
We had miracle after miracle and we decided we needed to have time a to report or to account about the three month goal. So, on Sunday night, June 30, we had the entire mission call in for a conference call at 9:00 p.m. I don't think any, or very many of them knew what we had ended up with. I had no idea that we would be able to feel the spirit so strongly sitting in our living room talking on a phone. We had Hermana Freeman start with a prayer and then Scott talked about the principles behind the setting of the goal. He talked about how in our mission 'when one baptizes, we all baptize'. Even if we weren't the ones with a friend in the font, it takes all of our combined faith and effort and usually many missionaries working together. He talked about the fact that behind every number is a child of God, and that every Stake and every zone contributed. We then went on to tell a few of these miracle stories. About the abundant blessings that had been poured out upon us as a mission.
Finally, Scott asked each of our 11 Zones to account. He went in alphabetical order and as he called out a zone, the Zone Leader/s would tell how many people that zone was blessed to bring into the covenant path during the time period of 'miracles to the brim'. He kept a running tally. The way it worked out, with one zone to go we were at 84 baptisms. He called on the final zone and they, choked with emotion, said "we were blessed to have 19 baptisms" to which Scott, also choked with emotion said 'that brings us to 103 souls we have helped to get on the covenant path."
I had anticipated cheering that we had reached our goal, but mostly there were tears of gratitude on our end, and from our hard working, obedient, diligent, faith filled missionaries, as they were able to be part of many, many miracles. We learned that God will step in and help and change us and our friends, when we have the faith to fill our water pots to the brim. I had prayed so hard that God would accept our offering, hear our prayers and validate our faith. We wanted so badly for our missionaries to see that exercising faith, combined with mighty prayer and hard work, can definitely bring about miracles as long as it is according to His will. Our hearts were overflowing with gratitude for his goodness to us, and for the people we were able to bring closer to Him.
Elder Osborne closed the call with a beautiful prayer of gratitude. It was a sacred moment for us and I think for each of our missionaries. It will go down as one of my favorite moments on our mission, we felt abundantly blessed and very, very grateful.
The last few Saturdays of June, we were gratefully busy going to baptisms. Here is a picture of one we were blessed to attend.
That day we also went out on a blitz with the Folsom Zone. I loved their idea. President Nelson in a talk once said that Satan was quadrupling his efforts, and we have talked about if that is the case, we need to quadruple our efforts as well. The Folsom Zone had only 4 companionships and so they had a 'Quadruple your efforts' seeking Saturday. Each companionship spent 45 minutes in each of the companionship's area. It was fun to be with them. They truly did elevate their efforts, as these cute t shirts declare.
I was blessed to spend the afternoon with Sister Hamilton and Sister Decker. Who wouldn't let these two million dollar smiles into their homes?
On the other Saturday we were able to take a few hours and have a fun afternoon with our Senior Missionaries. Sister Gunnell organized a fun Sacramento River Cruise on the Sacramento River. We heard a lot of interesting facts about this city we call home and have come to love, and also got to have a lot of fun chatting and laughing and, of course, after the cruise, eating and wandering around Old Sac.
Of course, Scott will take any opportunity to talk with people and try to share the gospel, and I love this picture of Scott and Elder Gunnell. It represents their 20+ year relationship. Elder Gunnell ALWAYS has President's back!
Last week we had our meeting with our newest missionaries, it seems like they have been here much longer than just one transfer, they have integrated quickly. We also had a wonderful missionary fireside down in Manteca, we had a fun visit from Hermana Udall and Hermana Bretzing who cover the Spanish work in our Stake but we don't get to see them very often because there isn't much Spanish work where we live. But they came to borrow our Giant Jenga game for an activity they were doing, and gave us some wonderful personal reviews of the Book of Mormon. It was fun to have them stop by.
We also worked the transfer board last week in preparation for transfers that took place this week. Elder Fischetti will sadly go home next transfer, and Elder Lilly, the next, and so President invited Elder Thacker to serve as a third assistant and learn the duties that go along with that responsibility. This was Elder Thacker's first time doing the transfer board. He had heard about 'taping your ankles', he was just a little surprised that they very literally tape their ankles prior to the work.
Breaking our fast after a long day at the transfer board
This is a current picture of our assistants: Elder Thacker, Elder Fischetti and Elder Lilly
We are also blessed to have a new office couple join us in our mission. A big welcome to Elder and Sister Sumner. We are very grateful to have them here.
On June 30 we marked our two year anniversary in the mission. And for the second year in a row, these fritters from our favorite donut shop appeared on our front porch. Thank you to our anonymous fritter dropper! It is hard to believe that two years ago we walked in to the California Sacramento mission office for the first time. We were excited and really had no idea what was ahead, but we moved forward with faith. Two years later, we look older and more tired and out of shape, because we are. We've got more experience, we understand a lot of things a little better, but we still move forward with faith, seeking guidance from the spirit each and every day. We couldn't know then how much these two years would change, refine, stretch and bless us, and our family. We also couldn't have anticipated how much we would come to love and adore every one of the 100's of missionaries we have been blessed to serve with. They have truly been one of the greatest blessings! We've done things we wouldn't have thought possible, we've seen miracles and come to truly understand the phrase "whom the Lord calls, He qualifies". We have been abundantly blessed.
One thing I have come to love about the last week of June has been the wonderful blessing to attend (two years ago) or watch the New Mission Leader Seminar. They stream the trainings to us, and it is such a boost and an uplift to hear from all of the apostles and the First Presidency. I was able to multi task and get all of my interview cookies for the coming transfer baked and put in the freezer. That is one thing that has gotten easier. It's kind of not a big deal anymore to make 200 cookies in an afternoon. Years ago that would have been a big job, now, not so much.
Funfetti cookies. It's getting tricky to find a good new cookie recipe every six weeks, and one that will freeze well. Not that I couldn't repeat, but it's fun to have something new.
Also, I've been a bit reflective as we hit our two year anniversary and I am starting a list of things I will miss and need to really embrace in our last year. One of them is the fresh fruit stands everywhere, and another are the sunsets and beautiful golden hills in my neighborhood.
We stopped and got these delicious strawberries, cherries and blackberries (that were eaten before we got home to take a picture) after we went to District Council in Elk Grove last week. We love attending district council, and one benefit of attending in Elk Grove (besides the fact that the missionaries are awesome), is that we drive past our favorite fruit stand on the way home, and we don't miss an opportunity to stop by when we are in the neighborhood.
Sister Fausett and Sister Prettyman after District Council
On Monday we got to welcome 13 new missionaries into the mission and the transfer cycle began.
For anyone counting, this is 12 of the 13. Elder Johnson came in an hour later from the Mexico City MTC. This is one powerful group. They are going to be terrific.
Tuesday: transfer day...
It's always so weird and hard to see the departing missionaries arrive, and wheel their bags into the church, instead of putting them in another car to drive away.
And my heart is literally breaking that this is Sister Gunnell's last transfer day. But I can't even go there yet. That's a sorrow for another day. I'm putting it off as long as I can pretend it's not actually happening.
Matching up the new missionaries with their trainers is such an exciting moment. And I absolutely love when the new missionaries hear the Sacramento version of Called to Serve for the first time. #let'sbaptize
I love that we have a temple in our mission, it is such a great way to start off a new missionary's mission, with the temple in mind.
July 2019 New Missionaries
Elder Anderson training Elder Franz Elder Ingram training Elder Bake
Elder Rowland training Elder Padgett Elder Wadley training Elder Anderson
Sister Stephens training Sister Southam Sister Law training Sister Asay
Sister Christensen training Sister Nicoll Sister Prettyman training Sister Hunt
Sister Knaphus training Sister Kengike Sister Engle training Sister Ball
Sister Stilwell training Sister Olsen Sisters Kim and Ho Ching training Sister Rew
Elders Larsen and Brown training Elder Johnson
We sent this group on their way, and then our departing missionaries arrived for pictures, a little discussion on the temple grounds, and then a session as they finish their missions.
After the temple is was back to our home for dinner, signing our mission banner, writing their testimonies in a Book of Mormon that we send with them and challenge them to give it away on their way home. Their final Book of Mormon placement as a full time missionary. We also have a large set of scriptures, a quad, that we bought when we got here. We have every departing missionary underline their favorite scripture and sign their name by the scripture and date it. We have them tell us which scripture they chose and why, and then we begin our final testimony meeting. It is probably my most favorite, and the hardest night of the transfer. My heart just can't take the abuse. It swells with pride and happiness at what these good missionaries have become, and it breaks with sadness that we have to say goodbye.
After lots of tears, we go to bed and get ready for more tears as we actually have to say goodbye to missionaries we love with all of our hearts.
Elder Hermansen
Elder Yazzie
Elder Dobson
Elder Ludlow
Elder Ricedorff
Elder Ludlow and Elder Ricedorff were the first Elders we welcomed to Sacramento, they've been here only 2 weeks less than we have been here. We've grown up together!
Sister Clifford
Sister Fausett
Sister Workman
Sister Wallentine
I can just be grateful these aren't close ups and so you can't see that I'm crying in every one of these pictures. Lots of grateful and sad tears. Grateful we got to serve with these amazing missionaries, that we got to love them, and spend sacred time with them. And sad that their journey in Sacramento is over. This is the hardest day!
However, it always makes me smile when I start looking through my pictures after transfers and I always have a selfie or two to make me laugh. This is what I found this time around.
The cycle just starts all over again, almost before we can heal our hearts and catch our breath. We had a meeting this morning with this group of Elders who are just beginning their final transfer. We talk about final transfer miracles and finishing strong. It was a pretty emotional meeting, so much power in this room of Elders who were in our second group of missionaries entering the mission field. Shortly after we did. We are already gearing up for how hard it will be to lose these 14 phenomenal Elders. No Sisters this time around.
Following that meeting we had a training meeting with all of our new leaders. As missionaries/leaders leave, it is always inspiring to see how the Lord just prepares others to step right up and fill the holes that have been left.
This, also, is a powerful group of missionaries and we are excited to see what they will do.
We were also blessed to have some visitors over the past few weeks. Connor Nelson and Nicole Wilding came to visit one P day morning. We love them so much.
We also had a lovely visit with Sister (Jenna) White and her wonderful family. She left last transfer and it was fun to see her back so soon. Another fun thing is that she and her family came to the temple and were in the same session we were in with our departing missionaries, and I got to sit by her in the session. I loved that.
And finally, our final Fourth of July has come and gone. On our first Fourth of July, we had just been here for 5 days, we had MLC and that was a full day. Later that night we got a call from our mission doctor telling us that one of our elders was in the hospital with a dislocated shoulder. We ran to the hospital to find they had been doing service at the Folsom Rodeo and he had a little accident. Ever since then I thought it would be fun to go to the Folsom Rodeo for the Fourth of July, and this was our year to do it. We worked most of the day, but were able to sneak away with Elder and Sister Gunnell and Elder and Sister Mair and spend a patriotic evening at the Rodeo. What's more American than that?
Happy Birthday America!
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