Aug 26

Tuesday (8/20/13) - Long day! Biked and bussed everywhere! Luckily our church isn't too far, so getting to District Meeting wasn't hard. An investigator stopped smoking! He is also commited to pay tithing, he actually brought it up - he had wanted to pay it the week before, but wasn't sure how because we do it differently than most folk. His fellowshipper made homemade bread for them and a loaf for my companion and I. She is the best!!! Met a cool lady on the bus who moved here from Puerto Rico when she got married, she had seen the Elders in Puerto Rico and was super friendly.

Wednesday - Went to the Neville Museum again for service! I love those old people! A HUGE storm started while we were at Ward Corrilation so they cut it short and had us drive home before it got worse. My companion drove thankfully, I don't know the roads nearly well enough and it was dark (being about 8pm) and you could barely see are you drove. We went to the church because it was EXCHANGES! Sister N came to our area and my companion went to theirs. She is just as obbsessed with books as I am, so we had tons to talk about.

Thrusday - Our investigators set a wedding date!! They are determined to get married before my companion leaves. Got a letter from Karen and Marty Morris, so here is a shout out to you. THANK YOU! I'll try to send a card later today! We exchanged back at 8:30 that night.

Friday - Biked again! Met with the a couple, who have an amazing love story I'll have to share at a later time. Took a girl on a walk with her dogs (she is special needs and her dad really apprciates the break). Visited active members, they have 3 adorable kids! 

Saturday - Biked again, which isn't anything new I know. Our landlord took us to the library and post office. Then we biked to our investigators and read Joseph Smith's Testimony with them. They readily accepted it, their faith is truely remarkable, I love them! All their kids sat in too! While we were at the bus stop the fire alarm went off and we all had to leave. The fire department made it over in record time...well not really..the bus station shares the same parking lot as the fire department. They really just could have walked over. Turns out a little kid pulled it so there was not fire or anything thankfully. Our landlord gave us ice cream and we played Rumikub with her and her daughter.

Sunday - We went with our investigator to the Celebration Church...it was...different. Lots of "Halleluha, praise the lord" type music. I'll just say that "great and spacious building" fit it perfectly. The people there, however, were super friendly and nice! We met a lady, I think she is Mormon and just doesn't know it yet ;)

So greatful to go to our church after and feel the spirit and reverance there. It was a double farewell they report to the MTC this Wednesday. Our investigator said the opening prayer in our Gospel Principles class!

Our landlord made us dinner and dessert and we played Doddle Dice!

Pistachio ice cream bars

Cruch up one container of oreos and line a pan with them.

In a bowl mix 1 half gallon tub (softened) with 1 packet of pistachio pudding

Mix in a little milk (probably 1/4th cup)

pour into pan

set in fridge to harden

enjoy!

Monday *today - Biked through the rain to the library!

*People in the attached picture are my AMAZING MTC DISTRICT*

Love you all!

Sister Kern

Aug 19

Been a busy week, as always!

Monday (8/12) - Went on a field trip to the Neville Museum again. Pretty fun, we didn't do a tour this time so we got to take our time going around. The seniors all loved it. I'm now the designated driver, and have come to find out that my companion is the worst backseat driver, so now we bike...a lot. We are hoping to get bus passes so we don't have to drive at all. We got to have dinner at a member's house. It was super good! Roast, mash potatoes, a yummy cucumber salad thing, and a cookie cake (she altered a cookie recipe and made it into a cake) which was amazing! She told us she is paying her tithing first before anything else and has never been so happy, even when she can't pay all her bills she sees the blessing that comes!

Tuesday - We biked to district meeting. We have another set of sisters! (3 sets of elders and now 3 sets of sisters, and a senior couple). Then we biked across town to try and meet with a referral..sadly no one was home. We did get to meet with investigators though! We got there an hour early on accident, but they were happy to have us over. He has studied every religion throughly, but says that our religion is the one for him. It's amazing how often I've heard this happen, but not surprising. After much study how can our church NOT be true :)

Wednesday - We went street contacting at Bay Beach, and still had a couple hours of our P-day time to use so we road the Zippin Pippin (a rollercoaster here). So much fun and no line! The kid that sat infront of us turned around and told us "I don't like rollercoasters so I'm going to scream a lot, just so you know" and boy did he scream! Just like a little girl, it was so funny! Then a investigator canceled on us so we went down a couple blocks to the farmers market and went street contacting some more. The farmers market here is hug! It takes up 2 blocks of the street w to e, and another one n to s.

Thursday - My companion was sick so we watch Mr. Krueger's Christmas and the Lamb of God (some of the few movies we are allowed to watch) along with a lot of Mormon Messages. My companioin felt better by late afternoon so we were able to go to our dinner appt at a  members house. We had fish that she had freshly caught at Lake Michigan. Then we ran off to Ward Corrilation and went over our final plans for our Church Tour we were doing Friday. A Brother  bought us all ice cream from Culviers afterward. I LOVE that place! Best stuff ever!

Friday - We finally got to 2 Nephi with a Sister, no real progress with her. We went over the Joseph Smith History with investigators. They are both listening to the scriptuers on their phones and following along and have made amazing progress reading the scriptures! They read every day now and always have family prayer before bed.  Church Tour...not much to say. We announced it in church, put fliers in the church programs, passed out fliers in RS. We even passed out fliers while we street contacted. No one came...we are trying to figure out how to get our ward into missionary work. The work can't progress nearly as well or fast with out them. We used the time to come up with other ideas to get the members involved.

Saturday - Biking again! Tried to see contacts, but alas they all fell through so we went street contacting. Met a sweet lady who lives in Northern Wisconsin. We actually ended up talking to her 4 times because we kept running into her. Really nice, but strong Catholic. There was a huge boat thing going on of old boats, they sail from harbor to harbor in the Great Lakes. Really cool. I'll have to try and send pictures when I can! We later rode the bus to a memberes and had spegetti with them. Great people. They have 2 kids  - who are 3 and 4 and bundles of energy! Horrible bike ride home because we were sooo stuffed! They make sure you don't leave their house hungry! We even got left overs to take home. I have a real nice tan line where my CTR ring is, kinda cool to see the difference of "before my misison" and now. I'm also getting a watch tan line :b

Sunday - Went to church with our landlord so we could visit Sister E (an 87 year old lady in our ward who can't come any more). She has out lived 3 husbands. So sweet and cheerful! Our landlord made some pestachio bread and it's so good! I never liked pestachio before, but she knows how to use it! Biked to a referrals house, but it was an old address.

Well I'm out of time! I love you all so much! I hope you are all doing fantastically well! I wish you the best!

With love,

Sister Kern

Aaug 16

2 months down, 16 more to go! Man how fast time goes! I still feel like a totally newbie (well I am until I start training someone apparently). I'm constantly learning, more often than not I learn the most from my investigators.

Monday - Relaxed, ate pizza with our Elders before a Elder leaves for Peru.

Tuesday - Bingo! I hot to play. One man is just the cutest grandpa! Worked on our talks (we spoke on Sunday). Got in a car accident. Went to dinner and had fajitas! They were great! Completely different than the fajitas we had at another house, but still delicious. We pass around a calendar every Sunday for members to sign up to feed us. On this month’s calendar it had a "spot light" about me. On it for favorite food was "Anything Mexican!" and our members have delivered! I should probably also elaborate on the car accident. My companion hit the car in front of us. Nothing major, no injuries, no damage to either of the cars. Just a lot of thanksgiving to our Heavenly Father, I know He is always watching over us.

Wednesday - Transfers were today! Not that it changed anything for me. It was super foggy on our bike ride this morning. Super cool! I'm a pro at being a cashier at St Vincent’s now, pretty fun volunteering there. We went and taught investigators, they are so awesome.

Thursday - We went to a field trip to Neville Public Museum with N.E.W Curative (we pushed wheelchairs around). Pretty neat place, we went there again today (8/12/13) with a different group. We were able to see invesetigators. He has such a strong testimony and faith in God and God's purpose for Him, once again! She gave us each a picture of their baby boy (who is 7m old), cutest baby boy! We got an estimate for our car, it would be $200 to fix the little damage that was done. I don't think the church is actually going to have it fixed, its just the grill and only there to be pretty. I was able to meet  (our new elder) I thought he was from England because he speaks so proper, but no, he is from Utah. If you have time read Proverbs 3:5, it's our investigators favorite scripture. I eat way too much junk food (don't worry I eat plenty of fruits and veggies), luckily biking as much as we do I've actually gained so much muscle!

Friday - Worked on a lesson (we email back and forth with her). Went on a mini exchange with our Sister Training Leaders. Soo much fun! We went street contacting and I loved it! Our landlord made popcorn and we played a game (Rummi Kub or something).

Saturday - Went to a baptism in the 2nd ward, we tried to get investigators to come, but oh well! Biked and bussed all day. Worked on my talk some more.

Sunday - We were finally able to attend Ward Council for the first time. Then we talked in Sacrament. I told the Elders to speak "as long as they wanted" and bless Elder B's heart he did just that! He left 12 minutes left. 6 for me and 6 for my companion. I wasn't nervous once I started talking, but it was a big relief not to have to talk for 10 minutes. I didn't even end up reading my talk. Thinking back on it, I haven't a clue what I said. That's the Holy Ghost for you. We visited 2 less actives in our ward, they are some interesting ladies.

Today!

Went on another field trip to the Neville Museum (NEW C is short staffed and don't have many volunteers so we often go with them. They pay our admission so I have no complaints and the people I get to push around are so sweet!) We are going to play basketball with the elders today.

I hope you are all doing great and loving life. Don't forget when the storm rages around, the safest spot is on your knees.

I love you all to the moon and back!

Sister Kern