Went back to Grangeville This Week

fall leaves and me again

typical missionary photo---me and my planner

our day in spangle

Nicole's Letter:

"Went Back to Grangerville this Week"

Oct. 30, 2017

Hey!! 

So I know that I have written a lot of short emails lately so here is a bit longer one but it is more of just a journal log so you can skip it if you want :)

Monday:

We had a zone pday and we made Carmel apple nachos which was super fun!  And we also carved pumpkins.  I know why we stopped doing that, it is so nasty pulling all the junk out of it but none the less still super fun!  We had dinner at Sister Lund's house.  She lives more out of the city and she is so amazing! She told us all about her recent trip to Italy and it made me so travel hungry.  We also had really good gelato there.

We then had a lesson with the Powers.  They are a part member family.  I think we have earned their trust since they are going to take us out to dinner and ice cream this week hopefully!

Then we went to an FHE with Carol, the Wights who are another PMF at the Broadbents who are an awesome family! We made carmel apple nachos there as well.  I think it might be a new pinterest thing or something because everyone is doing them this year ha

Tuesday:  WE had extra miles this month so we took a spontaneous trip to Spangle.  Well we never really reached spangle but we were out in the country side and it made us both very happy.  It was a good day! And we found another part member family that no one knew about so that was awesome! They weren't interested but we found them none the less! Then had dinner at the Hansens which is always so awesome. 

 1. they have the cutest baby ever named Indigo and 2.  She is the best cook ever! And she is going to cater my wedding now!

Wednesday:  Food bank day.  

October 25- A full year has past since Post Falls

Here is my first photo in the field.  

Life has gotten much better :)  

Wednesday we had a lesson with Terah and her family.  There were a ton of people there that I didn't know so that is always great!  We committed Halo the 7 year old to be baptized and she said yes! Right after she looked at her mom and was like "Do you want to be baptized?" And Terah was like Yeah actually I do.  It was crazy! So pray that they will be able to come to church! And progress! But it is funny the difference between October 25, 2016 and October 26, 2017.  Life can always get worst but it also can always get better :)  I have learned so much in a year!  One lesson is the prayer can change hearts because it has changed mine.  The enabling power of the Atonement is real and it can change people.  I have definitely have changed (I know that I have gotten darker and deeper bags under my eyes) but also just the things that the mission puts you through, you change no matter.  Just hopefully for the best!

Thursday: Sister Blake hit her 3 month mark which was a big deal for her so we celbrated at night by marking a fork and watch meet the mormons.

Friday:  District meeting which is always a highlight.  Then we went to do service at this other church and while I was bagging up some food I got the biggest spiritual confirmation that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and that he really did restore the gospel on the earth.  Weird how God gives you things at times when you are open and will remember them.  We went on exchanges and I went with Sister Lilley to YSA.  And it confirmed to me that I might never get married since the picking out there are looking to great ha.  But it was super fun!  For exercise  we ran two miles and it felt so good!  I felt like I was alone and that was the greatest feeling ever!! 

Saturday:  The ward trunk or treat!

Sunday:  Members are awesome! One person after another keep offereing us rides which we desperately needed since we don't have a car during the weekend.  We had dinner at the Blacks who are very wealthy and will probably become a mission president soon.  They drove us home and gave us good life advice.  But I also fooled them into thinking I have a plan which I totally don't. 

Fall 2017

Nicole's Letter: "Going Back to Post Falls"

Some things this week

It rained this week.  Brought me back to Post Falls days.  No car and rain.  The fun stuff on a mission.  

Tuesday:  i can't remember 

Wednesday:  The foodbank.  Always a highlight. 

Thursday:  Relief Society activity and we took a personality test and apparently I am a healer...

Friday:  district meeting

Saturday: Got super good cookies at our WMLs house at coordination.

Sunday: Lesson with the Wights at our bishops house.  It was super fun.  I love this ward

Went to Costco with the member Sister Blake today and it was way fun! I love that family so much!

A little thought this week:

"Turn your soul toward the light. Begin your own wonderful journey home. As you do so, your life will be better, happier, and more purposeful."

Look to the Light.  Your life will be better. 

Yielding & Fall Time!

sister madsen and me

me and fall leaves

Us and our ward mission leader's wife on their property!

CAROL GOT BAPTIZED!!!

Sister Blake and I

Nicole's Letter: 

"Yielding"

Oct. 16, 2017

Sister Madsen officially went home a couple hours ago.  It has been a crazy time with her.  Probably the highlight of my mission.  So many moments that I wish I could relive.  I am so grateful that we could have that time together in Manito.  

Carol got baptized!  Carol is the sweetest person ever and she is so funny as well.  We met her the first week that Sister Madsen and I came to Manito and the last week Sister Madsen was here she got baptized and confirmed.  It is was such an amazing experience.  It was a little crazy because her baptismal suit didn't fit so we were calling around to different people and finally got one but the largest one still apparently fit.  Our WMLs wife was in the bathroom with Carol trying to get it to zip up but it just wouldn't go.  So other then other sisters apparently were close and they went in and said a prayer and then it zipped up.  It was a true miracle.

This ward seriously is the greatest!  I love all the people here so much!! They seriously are all such amazing people.

We have had some super fun moments this week.  We went to our WMLs property and had a little fire and drank some hot chocolate and talked with him and his wife.  They are the greatest.  We talked about how a mission is such a mental game. It is so true.  The ward threw us a party as well.  Basically all of the photos that we took are on Sister Madsen's camera so I will send next week.

What I learned this week was that we have to yield our hearts to God.  How in order for us to give our hearts completely over to him they must be broken and then His grace can heal them.

  

I love this quote from a talk. 

“It will work out.  It doesn't say that, It will all work out now.” It speaks of our hope in the eternal outcome—not necessarily of present results. Scripture says, “Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good.”⁵ This doesn’t mean all things are good, but for the meek and faithful, things—both positive and negative—

work together for good, and the timing is the Lord’s. We wait on Him, sometimes like Job in his suffering, knowing that God “maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.”⁶ A meek heart accepts the trial and the waiting for that time of healing and wholeness to come.

When we offer our broken heart to Jesus Christ, He accepts our offering. He takes us back. No matter what losses, wounds, and rejection we have suffered, His grace and healing are mightier than all. Truly yoked to the Savior, we can say with confidence, “It will all work out.”

I love that quote since sometimes things in life just hurt and frankly are awful but that is when our loving Heavenly Father can heal us.  I mean we all have to take a walk through Gethsemane on our way to Calvary. 

They're Almonds.

Nicole's Letter:

So the Ups and Downs

We had dinner with Carol who is getting baptized this Saturday! She is so cute and sweet! On Saturday she made us bacon nachos and then we took the bus with her to her baptismal interview.  It was probably the funniest night ever.  One taking the bus in Spokane is an experience for sure and then you just add in the fact that you have three sister missionaries with Carol who is so funny.  She showed us the in and outs of the bus system.  Everyone was looking at us super weirdly.  Then we missed the bus back so we were going to be stranded at the church.  We called everyone on the South Hill trying to get a ride home.  Then a lady picked us up but then she asked if we could do something for her.  We said of course since she was picking us but then she asked us if we could go into the store and buy her a head of lettuce and a tomato.  So three sister missionaries at 8:30 on a Saturday went into Super 1 to buy a tomato and a head of lettuce.  The cashier was totally checking us out and super confused and we explained the entire situation.  He just looked more confused. 

My new companion!!! Sister Blake! She is so cute!  She is the niece of the Blakes in our ward!  This is her second transfer so Sister Madsen and I are second training together :)  

Another lesson I have learned

Life is a process.  I always want the answer now or the problem to be fixed but I have learned that life is not about that.  Life is about the process.  We came here to learn and to grow.  And sometimes that is the worst! And I have learned that we must have the sorrow and the heartache to know how wonderful the good is.  We must turn to the Lord when we are in the thick of it, not because he will fix the problem but he will let us come through it better than we were before.  I have learned that during some of the hardest times, Heavenly Father is the most silent.  Not because he doesn't care but because He is listening to us.  He listens to every heartache and he is waiting to heal you through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I mean if you look at the scriptures, even Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World "wept".  He had to feel the sorrow that life brings and so must we.  Heavenly does love us.

one year!

Nicole's Letter: "Fall and a Year"

Oct. 2, 2017

Fall is here! I love this time of year except it means that winter is starting to come!!!

Crazy that it was exactly a year ago that I was set apart as a full time missionary!  

I love being a missionary!  It seriously is the greatest!

Some lessons I have learned:

1.  Love is at the center of everything.  If love isn't there than it doesn't really matter.  When we love others we will see them as not who they are but who they can become.  We can help others more when we see them as God sees them.  I have started to learn how to Christlike love.

2.  And I haven't learned how to prioritize my email time since I have run out of time again

Maybe I will write a few more things I have learned in a year next week

Love to all!!!