Shoutout from Sherwood, OR

Hello Family and Friends!!

 

Today is my first P-day in the field. I received an overwhelmingly amount of e-mails! Thank you for the support!! I'm sorry that I can't reply to all of them; we only get an hour on e-mail and I also have to e-mail my mission president. Because of this reason, letters are strongly encouraged :) I will be writing a bunch later on today. This week I found out that my ward (Woodhaven) has the smallest geographical boundaries for a ward outside of Utah!! It's only about a mile. However, we still have soooo much to do!! We're so busy. This week we've focused a lot on the less-actives and meeting the members. I know that establishing a relationship with the members will make it easier down the road to seek referrals and other things. Our work this week was definitely inspired! What a great announcement that was made!! Our ward is so on board with missionary work already; I can't wait to see the miracles that will unfold!!

 

Lambert's baptism has been pushed back a week because bishop and the ward mission leader will be out of town. Also, after going over the baptismal interviews, we decided there's a few more things we need to teach him. He's still very excited to get baptized and is definitely one of the elect that God has been preparing. Lisa is another one of our investigators. She has no religious background and is married to a Christian. Her husband really wants their two daughters to be raised reading the Bible so they started that about a year ago. She was tracted into a few months ago and is so excited to learn about the fullness of the gospel! She's reading the Book of Mormon and asks many good questions. It's so wonderful to share the goodness of the gospel with someone who has never heard about the Plan of Salvation. We're hoping to invite her to baptism this week.

 

The members are continuing to be wonderful! We're fed so well!! I feel so blessed. Speaking of being blessed; I've been told several times that our apartment is the best in the whole mission!! It's way nice. I am definitely enjoying it because I know it won't always be this way. I'm planning to develop pictures today and send them out :) The weather has been delightful! I know it's only because it's summer. The spurts of rain are so short! The sun comes back out almost immediately. I'm soaking up as much vitamin D as I can and I plan to go buy some gummy forms of it later today. My companion recommended them :) Speaking of my companion, I love her so much!! We're learning and growing immensely together. Her prayers are phenomenal! They are so sincere and all encompassing. Our companionship prayer was nearly ten minutes last night!! Our work definitely begins on our knees.

 

Well, I need to go e-mail President Morby. This e-mail to him will be longer than last week's because more has happened. I know that this gospel is the only sure way to happiness in this life and in the life to come. This is made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, the M.I.T (most important thing). It's definitely the emphasis of our message and I am beginning to understand it more and more each day. I am absorbing everything from my studies so I can create a filing cabinet in my brain for the Holy Ghost to access. I am working on taking that leap of faith; trusting fully that the spirit will give me all the things I should say. My will is being consumed into the Father's so I can more effectively reach and teach. My strength comes from the power of His atonement. I know that this same power is available to each of you, so what are you waiting for?! Go spread the gospel. I dare you to see how many 'no's you can get ;) And who knows? You could get a 'yes' or two while you're at it!

 

Love,

 

Sister King

 

 

Portland, Oregon Temple

 

 

 

My MTC District

All is well...

Hello Family and Friends!!

This is my second day in the mission field! Since we had such a busy day yesterday, we were able to do laundry and e-mail today :) My companion's name is Sister Quina (Kee-na) Porter from Orem, Utah. She is SUCH a wonderful missionary!! And she's only been out for three months! If I can be the kind of missionary she is in three months, I will be very happy :) I have learned so much from her and it's only been one day!

Sunday night after the devotional and church film showing, the elders in my district gave all the sisters a blessing. It was perfect because there were six sisters and six elders. My blessing was exactly what I needed to hear! The priesthood is so powerful. There's no way this elder could have known what I needed to hear without the spirit. The next morning (yesterday) we woke up at 3:00am (2:00am Oregon time) to depart from the MTC. We were able to call home from the airport, so that was exciting :)

We landed in Portland at 9:00am (local time, 10:00am Utah time) and were met by President and Sister Morby. The assistants drove me and some other passengers to the Portland temple. Others rode with President and Sister Morby, respectively. After we got to the temple, we took some pictures. Hopefully you've received them by now, family. If not, you should be receiving them soon. Can you forward them to me when you get them? Thanks :) Also, you should have received the picture of me and my companion today. I was sent that picture as well. A member of the ward I'm serving in took it to put in the ward's program each week so everyone will know who I am and what I look like. After the temple, we had a sack lunch from a delicious sandwhich shop and received some training. Then it was time for the large transfer meeting. All the missionaries from the Oregon Portland Mission were there (about 300). They then proceeded to split the mission. I am staying in the Oregon Portland Mission!!! So the ward can make my plaque now. Three members from my MTC district are going to the Oregon Salem Mission and one is going to the Washington Vancouver Mission. That leaves three of us in the Oregon Portland Mission.

After the long meeting, my companion and I went shopping at Trader Joes with a member (Sister Dayna Davis) to get some groceries. The rumors are true; the members are SO great!! And I've only met three families so far :) We had dinner with Amy (a single woman who lives with her grandma June who's nearly 90!) and her twelve-year-old daughter. As for confidentiality, Mom, you can mention names as long as it's only their first. Anyway, they are a less active family and we had soup and shared a message about the Book of Mormon. It was a very neat, first-teaching experience. We then met with the ward mission leader, Bro. Pierce. He is phenomenal and so engrossed in the work!! We had family home evening with their cute little family. We also had Tillamook Ice Cream for dessert and they gave me a gift--a jumprope! How sweet :) I am way excited to use it.

When we got home for the night we planned and went to bed. I felt very refreshed after a good night's sleep and today we went to a district meeting. My companion and I are the only two sisters and there are nine other elders (one is a tripanionship). After our meeting we went to a Hawaiian place called Roxy's. I had teriyaki chicken and rice. We ran some other errands and are now at the library. We have a dinner tonight at a members home and then we're meeting with the bishop. Random experience: At the Salt Lake Airport a bishop was flying back to Portland on our flight and shook all our hands. He told all the sisters that one of us would be put in his ward. I found out yesterday night that I'm that sister!! His name is Bishop Eddington. How funny :) I am in Sherwood Oregon and my ward is called Woodhaven.

  I love this gospel SO much!! It's SO true and I would be lost without it. I am grateful to have this foundation so I can rely on Christ during this time of inexperience. I know that He can make up for my weaknesses and not only that, but that He will. "Perfect love casteth out all fear". I love my Savior and know that he will help me. I know the Book of Mormon is true and that we can find answers, truth, and comfort in its pages. I know Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and that he receives revelation for our day, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all!! Thank you for the support!! I was the most popular at the MTC with fifteen letters in twelve days :) Keep it up ;) Haha

Love,

Sister King

P.S. It's so beautiful here!!

Sister King and her trainer Sister Porter

First week in the MTC!

 

Hello family and friends!

 

The day has come to write everyone an e-mail! I have prayed that I will be able to convey all the things I want to in the hour they give me. The MTC is SUCH a wonderful place!! I wish I could stay here forever! Okay, not really; but I do hope that I can strive to always have this spirit with me. After my mom and dad dropped me off last Wednesday (my sisters were at girl's camp) I was directed into the main building of the MTC with my host. After we arrived inside, my host took my luggage and I went through a line (a rapidly moving short one) to recieve my name tag, key, schedule for the day, and a map. I met back up with my host and we went to get my books. Upon leaving the bookstore, I was taken to my classroom to meet my district and my companion; both of which I love sooo much :) My companion's name is Sister Stewart. She is from Layton Utah and is 19. The interesting thing is that she's going to the California, San Fernando Mission. She is the only Sister from my district not going to the Oregon, Portland Mission. We, and especially I, will miss her dearly!! She has such a sweet spirit and knows a lot about the gospel. Her comments always uplift me and she always knows what to say when I don't. We work very well as a companionship and get along SO well!! We have lots of laughs but also know when and how to stay focused.

 

That first day we dived right into missionary work! (All 900 new missionaries!) Our schedule is very very structured here at the MTC! There's hardly any free-time and even when there is some, it's still very purpose centered. I barely find time to write in my journal! Don't worry, I'm keep ing this study journal and I write EVERYTHING...basically. That night, we (as a new group of missionaries) participated in a teaching experience where we had an investigator and the audience collectively were the  missionaries. It was great to be able to listen to everyone's approaches on teaching the investigator. The rest of my days have been filled with class, gym time, personal study, companionship study, and service projects. The days run together and time is flying but I love this time I'm able to be here! You really have no idea what the MTC is like until you experience it for yourself. No matter how much people tell you about it, it's different to experience it firsthand.

 

Two Elder companionships are going to the California, San Fernando Mission along with my companion and the rest of us (one Elder companionship and two Sister companionships) are going to the Oregon, Portland Mission. It's sad to think about parting from these wonderful examples of missionaries. Missionary work is so completely different than I originally thought; I had it all wrong! We're not just teaching others the gospel so they can hear about it. We're discovering their needs so we can help them on their path back to their Father in Heaven. I was all stressed beforehand about learning and knowing the doctrine, but we keep it simple here and really just try to tailor our message in a way that's uniquely personal to them. Also, I've learned that if you don't have the spirit with you, YOU WILL FAIL. The Spirit is so important because Heavenly Father knows EXACTLY what they need! I've learned already so much about recognizing the Spirit. Practicing with role playing in different scenarios has helped a ton! On some occasions, we just have to go knock on a (classroom) door and talk to the 'investigator' (an actor/actress) behind it! They stay in character so well! I know these experiences and this time at the MTC will help SO much when I get to the field!  Speaking of the field, we recieved our travel plans a few days ago! We fly to Portland on Monday the 17th at 7:30am. So family, expect a phone call around 6 or 7 in the morning. Sorry I don't know more specifically what time :P And my mission president advised us to keep it short--five or ten minutes. The purpose of the phone call is to let you know I'm safe, I believe we'll also call when we land. I'm excited to speak to you in person and express my excitement about missionary work vocally.

 

Speaking of purpose, my life has so much purpose! Purpose adds so much meaning to day-to-day living! I have so much energy! I'm never really tired even though the days can get long. Exercising every day helps as well as going to bed exactly on time; obedience brings blessings and exact obedience brings miracles :) Even if you're not a missionary; remember you're all children of God and our purpose is to get back to Him and be like Him. I encourage you to let purpose fuel your actions! Once in awhile I think about how hard it would be to learn a language and I get chills; this feels as if the Lord is gently reminding me I'm called to Oregon for a reason. I defintely have a deeper respect for language learners!! I'm overwhelmed as it is! It's hard work but it's a good hard :)  I think my time at Utah State prepared me because I was in the elementary school all day and class at night.

 

Here's one experience I had with following the Spirit: During Zone Teaching, our teacher had us paired up with someone other than our companion. We were instructed to teach a principle of the gospel to them and commit them to live it. After we taught, they were to bring up a 'concern' they had. Our teacher told us to pause after they expressed their concern and just really focus on the Spirit and what the Lord would have you tell them. The first time around, I paused but still just continued with what I was already planning to say. My words came out jumbled and my message was clouded. The next time we practiced, I paused and really really tried to listen to what it was I should say. A miracle happened and the words she needed to hear were placed in my mind. It wasn't what I was planning to say and it came out stronger and bolder. The Sister I was working with said she noticed a world of difference! I have had many experiences with this now and have more fully begun to recognize the spirit. The Spirit also helps me not be as nervous and stressed.

 

I really actually enjoy the food here! I may be the minority but I don't think it's bad at all! I get apple juice for almost every meal :) My only complaint would be the instant mashed potatoes, yuck! :P Other than that it's a great variety and mostly healthy.

 

Well, I love you all!! Thanks for all your love and support!

 

Love,

 

Sister King

 

P.S. "Christ did it alone so we wouldn't have to." Remember that! Rely on Him!