Thanksgiving

Highlight of my week: The A family came to church! They are a less active family we have been working with. They had been going to the Jehovah Witnesses for the past 6 months. We had a great lesson with them this past week with their home teacher and they agreed to come back and really enjoyed it. The ward all welcomed them warmly and said they had been missed.

Friend of the week:  M and M are best friends who the sisters taught about a year ago, but then lost contact with. We had tried to stop by a couple times, but no one was ever home. Then one night (its a super long story), but to get back to a member's house we walked past their building complex and my companion felt like we should stop in. So we did and M was there. We quickly set up another time for us to return (we were going to be late to our other apt). We had planned on asking M about M, but when we showed up they were both there waiting for our lesson. They absorbed the lessons like sponges and were so sweet and sincere (really concerned about if animals went to heaven). Each of them got a Book of Mormon and when we met them again they had their glasses ready to read. I have such high hopes for them! A lot of their values are similar to ours, other than M strongly believes in reincarnation.

Pictures: Me, in my big fluffy jacket, taken this morning. As for the other picture...Bro Rich asked for a picture of us "doing missionary work" for the ward newsletter. So when we had dinner with the Olsen's we presented them with the odd request.

Spiritual thought: I was reading a talk today by Terence M Vinson from General Conference. The question his son Ben asked really struck me hard. "How would you feel if someone promised you something every week and never kept the promise. Do we take seriously the promise we make..." his focus was on the sacrament, but I'd like to apply it to all aspects of our lives. When we promise our Heavenly Father something - that we will read the Book of Mormon every night or pray more or go to church - and then fail again and again to achieve that promise how does Heavenly Father feel? I know how I'd feel - disappointed if not a little annoyed. If we fail to achieve that promise, are we really putting our full effort into it? Are we taking that promise seriously? If we aren't changing then we don't fully understand the Atonement or Jesus Christ. It's because of Christ that we can each change, we can each become better, become more like our Heavenly Father. BUT we have to be committed to it and put in our effort. I don't know about all of you, but I am going to pick something I need to improve on and strive to accomplish it to show my Heavenly Father that I really am thankful for His Beloved Son's sacrifice.

Thanks: I just want to express my deep gratitude for all of you supporting me back home! I'm also grateful that I was able to be raised in Christ's church and to experience all the blessing that it has brought into my life and the opportunity I have to serve a mission for the Lord to help bring His children into the fold. I will ever be thankful for all the leaders and examples I've had in the church growing up. You are who inspired me to continue on and gave me the courage to find my own testimony of the gospel. Thank you to all of my parents - Mom and Steve, Dad and Heidi - you are each motivating, inspiring, and uplifting influences in my life, even as I am hundreds of miles away. I am so grateful for my companion and her sweet encouraging spirit. It is indeed a blessing to work together with someone towards a common goal. I will never be able to thank my elder brother, Jesus Christ, for the sacrifice he bore so that I could return to my loving Heavenly Father's arms with all of my family for eternity. The gift of the Atonement is the most precious gift I've ever been given or had the joy to receive.

Other News: It was 17 degrees Saturday and we bused a lot (low on miles). Stayed warm in our giant coats, we were just glad that we got home before it dropped to 4 degrees. This morning we spend 2 hours making homemade Christmas ornaments for the upcoming ward Christmas party. They are super cute, made out of clothes pins. Tuesday was the first clear sky I've seen in a couple months, reminded me of home. We have meals Mon-Thur this week. A family invited us over for Thanksgiving with a few other friends. It should be a lot of fun. Our investigators have also insisted that we stop by and take some turkey and other things home, even if we can't come for dinner. So we will be fed very well. Most of the day however will be spent at Divine Temple serving people food. Should be a fun day! I'll be buying more stamps today so I can send letters off. Anyways, I love you all! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

With Buckets of Love,

Sister Kern

Nov. 18

Highlight of my week: Teaching seminary! Never thought I'd be going back there! The Elders taught most of the time (Jacob 3) and we hurried and finished (Jacob 4). It's crazy to see the difference. They have about 10-15 students that make up their ENTIRE seminary. All the grades are put into that one class. Not like Vegas where we have 1-2 classes per grade and 2 church buildings just for our 1 high school. It was a lot of fun though, most of the kids participated without too much hassle.

Friend of the week:  S C. She was baptized a little over a year ago and got her endowments out about a month ago. She and her 12 year old daughter found out about the church through friends.  Her daughter was actually baptized before her mom. They are now such strong and amazing members of our little ward! She often has us over for dinner and occasionally calls us saying she has made too much desert! Their testimonies of the gospel are so strong, simple, and powerful. She is always willing to come to lessons and although she is shy she is willing to try and share the gospel with those around her. Right now she works in Primary and is doing a super job!

Spiritual thought: The Book of Mormon is the single most powerful tool we have in converting others. It is by reading and following the teaching in it that we can allow the Atonement into our lives. By reading the Book of Mormon we gain a greater desire to follow Jesus Christ. Why? Because every chapter is testifying not only of Christ, but of His life, His love, His sacrifice. By reading you come to know Him and love Him for all that He has done for us. Who wouldn't want to follow someone they love deeply? Not only does it inspire us to do better it helps us when we fail, the Book of Mormon encourages everyone that it is never, never too late to dust ourselves off and start again. His loving hand is extended towards us always, if we simply repent and come unto Him humble. So if you want to know if God is real. If Jesus Christ really did die for you. If Joseph Smith was a prophet all you have to do is to read the Book of Mormon and to pray to know if it's true. A testimony is knowledge that something is true. Conversion is acting on the testimony you have to govern your choices.

Other News: They switched district leaders on us so Elder S is back to being our district leader. Our car went into the shop after Zone Conference and we had to bus for two days. We have it now thankfully with the down pour we've been having the past 3 days. The Ward Christmas Party is about "A walk through the Savior's Life" and we get to help a lot and be tour guides! The next transfer is on the 18th and we aren't sure what will happen. There is a 90% change I'll be transferred, but nothing is ever certain. Never seem to have enough time for anything, always on the move. I'm loving every minute of it. Thank you so much for all your love and support!

With Buckets of Love,

Sister Kern

Snow Already

Highlight of my week: On Thursday we met with our investigators. We taught them about prophets and read Thomas S Monson's talk from this past General Conference. He is still working on quitting smoking, but other than that they are progressing well. The best part was when he said the closing prayer. He opened with Dear Heavenly Father and Closed in the name of Jesus, which we had been trying to get him to do (he kept forgetting) for a while now. It was AWESOME!

Friend of the week: Sister D! She is an amazing lady in our ward who I didn't know very well until we were able to go visit her. She was in the army when she first was introduced to the church. She and a friend had just gotten their lunch trays and for women in the army back then you had to be careful where you sat so you wouldn't get harassed. The tables with their friends were already full so they spotted a table with a lone guy. They figured the two of them could take him. Turns out he was a really nice guy and invited them to the Singles Sleigh Ride that night and soon after she started taking missionary lessons. She and her husband were eventually sealed in the Switzerland temple (you can't be married in them), and lived happily until he passed away a couple years ago. Her testimony of the gospel is so strong! She is a big sweetheart!

Spiritual thought: In Relief Society this past Sunday Sis M taught. My favorite part was the story she shared. There was a man on a beach with thousands of starfish that had washed up. He took them one by one and threw them back into the ocean. Another man came and said, "Why are you doing that? You will never be able to throw them all back in and it doesn't matter." The first man simply picked up another starfish and threw it back into the ocean before saying, "It mattered to that one, and it matters to this one," he said throwing another starfish in. The point of the story was that even if a lot of your friends reject your invitation to come to church there will come a time when you find that one friend how it will matter too.

We also went and saw the BYU devotional/fireside. That was surprisingly good. My favorite line was

"This earth is not our home."

A simply yet profound statement. This is not where we belong! It's no wonder we often feel alone, out of place, and confused. This earth is not where we are meant to stay, we are meant for better things beyond our comprehension. Never forget, who you are, where you come from, and where you are meant to go.

Other News: It's that time of the year already for the Wisconsinites out here. The first real snow of the season started right in the middle of our morning walk and stayed until about noon today. It's going to be a long winter! Last week we were in line to by groceries when the lady in front tells the cashier, "Add their groceries to mine, I'll pay for all of it." Turns out this incredible woman was a member up in Sturgeon Bay! She thanked us for what we were doing and before we could do more than say a quick thank you she was gone! Oh and for the Zone Conference this Thursday my companion, I, and our Elders are singing..again. Not sure how this keeps happening, but if people keep asking us to sing then we can't be that bad right? Not too sure how I feel about this. First Sacrament, then District Meeting, now Zone Conference. What's next singing for the prophet?! A fun thing we saw, besides snow, this morning was a group of 9 wild turkeys lazily crossing the road without a care in the world. 

With Buckets of Love,

Sister Kern

November Already

I'm staying in Green Bay another transfer with my companion! Woot! Things are going great!

Highlight of my week: So many to choose from.... I guess I'll go with Sunday! Our investigators finally made it to church! :D He participated a lot and both agreed that they liked it. Other investigators also came :) It just boosted my determination to help them gain deeper testimonies of the gospel so they can enjoy the blessings of baptism and being seal for time and all eternity. A great reminder about why I'm out here doing what I do!

Friend of the week: Sister O. She is a sweet lady in our ward, we usually end up helping her clean her house when we stop by :) She told us her amazing life story. She married the son of a diplomat in Guam and moved their right out of high school. Then her husband got a scholarship and went to Brazil, leaving her alone in the very foreign country. There she met the LDS missionaries through a friend and soon a whole group of women would huddle together to listen the missionaries lessons. While she was pregnant with their 2nd child, his parents accused her of something and she went home crying. Moments later the missionaries knocked on her door. To keep things short she eventually divorced her husband and moved to America with her 3 kids where she went to church and found the missionaries there. She was baptized in the YMCA pool. Then one day she came home to find out her x-husband had take her 3 kids back to Guam. She wasn't able to see them for 12 years, when they each decided to move to America and live with her. All of them were eventually brought into the church. She has such a strong testimony of how the gospel was what got her through everything and still does.

Spiritual thought: So Sunday we attended a CES devotional (hoping an investigator would come) and boy was it inspiring! It was about how we can give our will to Heavenly Father. Will: the desire that causes you to act. Our will is the only thing we can truly give Him. Everything else we give is simply giving Him what was already his. He also went into how when we give Him our will we are better able to use our agency. When we give Him our will we change our desires to match His and therefore want what He wants. He shared this story. There was Elder One who had gained 30 lbs on his mission and wanted to lose it all before he returned home, so he asked his company for help. Later they were in line at a buffet and Elder One reached for a brownie, but Elder Two whispered in his ear "you don't want that", which Elder One replied "yes I do", and Elder Two said "no you really don't". Many time we act on our "surface" desires or "momentary" desires like eating that brownie are louder than our real deep desires like losing weight. A good way to change your will to His is to focus on your deeper desires in your choices and have them over-rule those "surface" desires.

Other News: I'm loving my hair! It goes to my shoulders! Oh and they split our district so it'll be MUCH smaller this transfer and I have a new district leader (Elder V) I'm going to miss my district, but it'll be for the better! Fun story: We had Sister B take us to the church at 6:30am on the 31st (she works there) so we could ride our bikes, which we had locked up there, home. We got home only to realize that Sister B had locked the door (we usually leave it unlocked because her daughter is home) and we didn't have a key..and it was raining. It took about 15mins to get her awake to open the door. We never leave our keys home now. We were fed lunch, dinner, and 2 deserts on Halloween! Our members take good care of us :) We were still busing Tuesday and our dinner appointment went way over and we missed the bus. The big problem? We  had to teach a lesson in young women's about missionary work, so thankfully Sister B was able to pick us up (we were in the middle of no where..literally)I am so gratefully for her! She always gets us out of jams. 

With Buckets of Love,

Sister Kern