Week 15: The Rain is Here!Elle

Sister Foster and Sister Jackson were given these cute little handmade turkeys
from the residents at the senior living facility they serve at each week.

Well this week has been a good lead in to what Washington weather really is like. It starts to get dark at 4 o'clock and rains all day and all night. Well I guess that is over exaggerating a bit. Two days this week it quit raining for a couple of hours! Oh and the Sun was out for 10 minutes yesterday! But the weather is okay because we had some miracles this week.

We went to visit Deborah, she is a potential. When we got there (We have stopped by before and so I know what apartment is hers), but for some reason I couldn't remember. So I look at the two doors and decided I was going to have to take a guess because I had no idea which one it was. So we walked up knocked, waited a second, and Deborah didn’t answer the door! But that's okay because a neighbor of hers, Rosemary answered her door. This gave me a chance I get to talk with her! So after talking to Rosemary for a while she was about to shut the door on us. Her daughter Michi came to the door to see who it was. The door opened wider. That was my chance! This was my shot to be able to get in the house! So I asked them if we could come in and talk to them more. They looked at each other than at us and with a big smile said, "Of course!"  We went in and started to talk and then we taught them about the Plan of Salvation. They loved it and invited us back talk more and also to eat dinner with the two of them. I know I just didn't forget what door it was on purpose because Heavenly Father knew we needed to talk to Rosemary and Michi! 

Not only did we get to have that miracle this week but we had a similar experience! We went to visit another Potential, her name is Sara and she lives on the other side of town. We knocked on the door, no answer. We knocked again, no answer. So we were just getting ready to leave and a lady (Amanda) started to walk up the stairs, so I asked her if this was her apartment. She said yes and so we started talking. We started to teach her right there. She told us when she was younger that her mom had the missionaries over to help them move and that it was a long time ago. She thought it was crazy that we just showed up out of nowhere and found her. So Sara moved and Amanda is now living in her apartment. We went in and talked to her more and now are going to be going back. She is living with her boyfriend right now and he is Baptist but she said she would love to learn and that everything happens for a reason! After we left her house we were just amazed at all of the miracles we were able to see and the blessings we were able to receive. 

Heavenly Father really does love me! He is constantly blessing me every day and has given me an amazing companion that wants to improve and learn everything that she can. I am so grateful to be able to be serving a mission right now at this time. Thank you so much for all the love and support! I love you all so much and hope you have such an amazing week! 

Elle and Sister Foster

Elle with Christmas Lights

This is from Jeff and Adrienne's trip to the Utah Football game in Seattle.
 They were less then an hour from Elle.

Week 14: Cold, Colder, and Coldest!

Elle and her new companion Sister Foster.

Well if I haven’t told you already it is starting to get pretty cold. About 4:00 pm is when the sun starts to go down, if it was even out-and then 5:00 pm it is pretty dark. So around 5:30 we can go knock on doors.  Most of the time when knocking doors after 5:30 we wake someone up who has gone to bed for the night. So now we are going to have to get smart with what we do and when we do it. Make sure we are using our time wisely. 

Elle and Sister Foster. P-Day sending E-mails.

On a better note I was able to get my new companion on Tuesday! Her name is Sister Foster. She is from Exeter, California. She is so awesome! She is so ready and excited to work! Heavenly Father really has blessed me with awesome companions thus far. I do believe He will continue to bless me as long as I continue to be obedient and work hard. I love being able to work with other missionaries who have the same goals as I do and who are out here ready to share what has brought them happiness and joy. I think that is why it is so easy to create friendships with missionaries (before my mission I would run the other way).  We understand each other because we have the same goals every day. 

When I picked Sister Foster up on Tuesday we didn't get home to Lake Stevens until 9:00 pm. It was okay because the next day we were going to go out and work hard, just like every other day. We had a really good week!

Let me just tell you how much Heavenly Father loves me! The other night when it was raining and we were doing the normal missionary thing knocking, walking and talking. Sister Jackson lost her name tag and didn't realize it until well we had showed up to our next appointment. When I realized it was gone I started to have a small panic attack. Lucky for me Sister Foster had the brilliant idea to look at the last picture we took (we had just previously taken a photo) and it wasn't in the photo so it had to be at out last appointment. Sure enough it was! It was lying in the middle of the street! Oh Heavenly Father loves me so much and is looking out for me.

 We went and taught Sandra and she is such a blessing. We found her from contacting. Before we ran into Sandra I did not like contacting and I just didn't want to do it.  It's not because I don't like talking to people but I thought it was a waste of time and that we could be doing something better. Because I felt this way Heavenly Father knew that something big was going to have to happen, sad but true. So the one day we go contact we contact into Sandra and now we are teaching her and she is on date for December 5! She has been the perfect investigator! She has been looking for a church that doesn't talk about negative things. Well this is what I love about our church; we are so positive and celebrate the happy little victories of life.  She came to church this Sunday and it was the primary program! The rest is history! HAHA no! But the primary program is one of the best sacrament meetings of the whole year! The spirit is so strong and I always end up in tears!

I am so thankful of the chance I have to serve a mission! I have learned so much and know that it is only going to go up from here! I love you all and I hope you have such an amazing week! Don't forget that you are a child of God and He loves you immensely! 

Week 13: It's Not All Beer and Skittles!

Elle at the Ward Halloween Party.

So you may be wondering why my heading is the way that it is. Well when you are talking to people and they tell you their whole life story and all of that fun stuff instead of saying, "All that and a bag of chips." They prefer to say, "It's not all beer and skittles."

On a better note this week has been really amazing! We ended up running out of miles, because we had to go on several emergencies.  So we had to walk everywhere. You can't be a real missionary unless you walk everywhere for a couple of days. So our AMAZING members would pick us up in the morning and drop us off in the area and we would walk from appointment to appointment. So that meant we were going to get to talk to everyone we passed instead of driving by them! And that is what we did! We did as the Pioneer Children did and we talked and we walked and walked and walked! Name that tune!? That is beside the point, we were able to find a new investigator, Sandra!! It is so amazing how Heavenly Father places you where people are ready. You just have to be willing to open your mouth and share what you know! Sandra is so amazing and she truly has been prepared. We were able to teach her the Restoration on the street and she loved it! When we had talked about the Great Apostasy she said, "Oh that is what happened." Then about Joseph Smith and he didn't know what church to join she said that she doesn't blame them and that she would have done the same thing! Anyways we went back the next day and we were able to put her on date for baptism and she is super excited for everything!

Then we had another MIRACLE!!! Heavenly Father seriously loves us!!! We were walking the next day and we went to visit a potential, Nicole. Nicole is so ready to be baptized! She is also a new investigator and she is all about her family, them being together, being happy, and she wants them to be a part of a church! We can help her will all of that! So we went into her house and we started to teach her, she got super excited and said she hasn't felt this good in a while! She told us about her friend who is a Jehovah Witness and that she doesn't really like everything that they talk about. But when we come over she has such a better feeling and she knows that by that feeling joining "our" church is the better thing for her family! She wants to come to church and wants her boys to join scouts. She wants to join Relief Society! We have seen so many miracles this week and it was all because we had to walk because we ran out of miles...and a lot of them were even before that! 

Sister Mahoni and Elle

My trainer went home yesterday and I will be getting my new companion tomorrow. I am going to be staying in Lake Stevens and will be training. Heavenly Fathers has to have something up his sleeve to be letting this happen but I have full faith that he be by my side the entire time as I turn to him for help and seek the spirit in all that I do. We will be able to have success this ward needs. The field really is white and ready to harvest! I love you all and hope everything goes amazing this week! Thank you so much for the letters and packages! 

Favorite Quote: "There is enough going on in this life that anyone can work themselves into a puddle of pessimism and a mess of melancholy. But I know people who, even when things don't work out, focus on the wonders and miracles of life. These folks are the happiest people I know."

- Deter F. Uchtdorf 

E. Gibb, S.Johnson, E. Gonzalez, S. PAcker, S. Mahoni, Elle, E. Howlett, E. Dowd

Ward Halloween Party

Ward Halloween Party

Sister Packer and Johnson

Week 12: Baptized!

Elle on her first ferry boat..just like Grey's Anatomy

This weekend has been the most spiritually uplifting weekend!! We were able to have both of our baptisms on Saturday and then the conformations on Sunday! Morgan, Avery, and Jaydah are so beautiful and had such amazing experiences! That whole day was so crazy! I had no idea how much work was put into a baptism until this last week, and on top of that we were on exchanges every day until the baptism! I was making phone calls left and right inviting people, setting up the program, and finding members to bring something to eat after the baptism. Thank You Mom and Dad for making it look so easy! I had no idea but it was so rewarding and was such an amazing day! Both of their families are super supportive and have invited me to live with them after my mission. I told them I am only at the beginning and have a while to go (Even though it is going so fast). They told me that it is okay I can just stay in Lake Stevens the rest of my mission and live with them.

Elle, Jayda, Sister Mahoni, Sister Moody

Sister Mahoni,Morgan, Avery, Elle, Sister Moody

Heavenly Father really has blessed me with amazing people and my mission could not have started any better! Our members have been amazing and are so good at supporting the new members and Investigators. It really all starts with the bishop, and our bishop is so amazing! He reminds me a lot of Dad and Jeff...his name is Jeff LaPerle fitting hugh?! Even though we had such an amazing weekend Heavenly Father only let it get better and better! At church Jaydah's family stayed the entire time and in Relief Society. Her mom was participating like she had been there every Sunday. I love Heather Hernandez so stink'n much! After we were talking to her and she said, " OH YA, we are all going to be baptized...we just need to learn a little more. " We didn't bring anything like that up. It was so amazing and then later that night we went and saw them to set up an appointment so that we can start to teach them. She also brought up that they are going to be getting sealed together!! Holy Cow! How is she not baptized already? She has been through a lot the last couple of years and she know that God needs her in Washington. She said everything makes sence and so it would only make sence to get baptized and join the church! After Sister Mahoni told me that if they get baptized before my six month mark and go to the temple a year later I will still be on my mission and I will get to go! I don't want to get to excited to fast because Satan works really hard on people that are so close, but I know that if Heavenly Father is ready for this to happen it will.

The end of the transfer is coming up and Sister Mahoni will be leaving me this Sunday and will be going home to Hawaii. She has been so amazing and I could not have asked for a better Trainer/Companion. She has taught me so much and I know that Heavenly Father put us together for a reason.  She has helped me forget myself, love everyone that I see, and become a P.L.O.W.S. Missionary. P- Preach My Gospel, L- Love Everyone, O- Obedience, W- Work Hard Work Worthily, S- Strive for Excellence. She has started my mission in the best ways possible and I will continue to work hard because that is the only way that Heavenly Father is going to continue to place people in your path. I will miss her greatly but I know that my next companion which I will get next Tuesday will be just as amazing and be ready to continue to work hard. I have loved my mission so much and am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to serve my Father in Heaven and be able to bring others to know of our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I love you all and hope that you have such an amazing week. 

P.S. I hope Bradyn's 16th was everything he could have ever wished!

My Ponderizing Scripture:  Mosiah 3:19 (Click Here)

Morgan and Avery

Sister Mahoni, Jaydais in the pink. Lillyhas her eyes closed and Jasel

First time on a ferry.

Exchanges with Sister Rodda

Exchanges with Sister West

Is a caption really needed?

Morgan, Avery, and their parents.

Week 11: A Week Full of Miracles and Excitement!

Gracie and Kristi

Well this week was full of miracles and excitement! We went on an exchange every day this week and it was exhausting. On Thursday we got a call from one of the Sisters that we get to serve and she said she was going to be going home and that she is done with this (Her Mission). I gave her a call and we talked for about half an hour on the phone, by the end of the conversation she said she would wait until the weekend before she makes any decisions.  We also decided we would go on an emergency exchange and talk things out more. She agreed and that was that. About half way through the day I got a text message that said she had her plane ticket and she would be going home on Saturday. I was so shocked (even though I really shouldn't have been).  I had prayed about her everyday and I knew she was suppose to be out here teaching and serving the Lord. If she wasn't supposed to be here something would have happened that would have made it so that she wouldn't be able to come out. So we ended the exchange we were on early and drove over to these Sisters apartment. When I saw her it was all I could do not to cry. We went in the back room and talked for about an hour. The entire time we were talking she was only coming up with reasons she needed to go home and no reasons for why she was supposed to stay. It took me an hour before I was able to realize she needed to go home and that she was not going to be able to get any work done out here because she didn't want to be out here. At the end of the conversation I told her I would support her all of the way even though I was still heartbroken and sad.

Sisters Johnson, Packer,Moody,Mahoni, Elders Dowd and Howlet

 After all of that we got home at 11:00 pm and we were exhausted. I kept wondering why Heavenly Father would let something like this happen. Let such a powerhouse missionary go home and not be able to help all of those who are ready to hear this message. I pondered this for a while and then I was able to come to the realization that she had done all that she was suppose to, and maybe she was only suppose to be out here for three weeks and she was going to be able to learn what lesson she was suppose to. I know Heavenly Father has a reason for everything and even though I may not be able to understand all of it right now this is okay. He can see the big picture and he will put me where I need to be and with those I need to be around, even though it may be heartbreaking at the time. 

Sister Moody, Sister Krumonacher, and Elle

On a happier note we are going to be having two baptisms this weekend!! I am so excited! The first baptism is going to be with Morgan and her sister Avery. We have been working with these two sisters almost the whole time that I have been out here. They were ready to be baptised the first time we met them. They were a referral from our bishop and a member in our ward. I have truly been able understand the importance of working with our members and the role they play in missionary work. Hard work is paying off because of these two baptisms. These two girls are so excited and I am so excited for them! Because of their decision to be baptised they will be able to come closer to our Father in Heaven and be able to have the Holy Ghost as a constant companion! This gospel is so amazing and brings so much happiness into your life whether you want to admit it or not. Their mom is a super less active and doesn't go to church at all, their dad is not a member. But they drop them off at church and the mom will sit in on the lessons and will read the scriptures and pray at night with the two girls! Heavenly Father has softened their hearts a ton and continues to do it every time we go over! One day this family will be sealed in the temple for time and all eternity and that will be the happiest day of their lives!

Heather in the Green and Sara. Sister Mahonie and Elle

Our other baptism is with Jaydah, she is 14 years old. Her family are not members but they live with her uncle and his family who are. So the first time we met Jaydah she came up to us and took us to her mom and told her, "Mom these Sisters are going to baptism me and they are going to baptize you and the rest of the family!" When she said this we all were thinking well this is great. But the mom looked at us, smiled, and said that is great come on in. This is the second week we have been teaching her and she will be getting baptized on SATURDAY!! We have been working hard to teach her all of the lessons and she has been doing her part in keeping all of the commitments. She even takes the Book of Mormon to school and reads it! Future Missionary!!!! The Young Women in our ward have been so amazing at fellow shipping her and making her feel as though she is a part of everything! They even take the initiative to teaching her some of the lessons so that when we go and actually teach it she already knows a bit about it! We have a pretty amazing ward and our Bishop is all for missionary work and helping the work continue on strong. I love my area! There is so much work to be done we just have to be willing to ask for the help and Heavenly Father is going to be help us. I love you all and hope you have an amazing week! Happy Birthday Bradyn!!! 

Elle Fell asleep while studying.

Sister Stanley

Add caption

Week 10: Hello from Washington!

Elle at Lake Stevens

Sister Krummenacher , Sister Mahoni, Sister Moody, Sister Jackson

This week has been so crazy I don't even remember half of the things that have happened.  Actually I can remember everything but we have been so busy it is amazing! This week Heavenly Father has blessed us so much! He knows exactly what we need and he gives it to us at the appropriate time. There is a Sister that is a member of our ward, Sister Daniels from Austria. I think I told you about her last week. So if I did sorry because here it goes again. Sister Daniels come to find out has Schizophrenia, which we didn't know, until this last Sunday. We saw her on Tuesday and we have to be very careful not to counsel and give advice or really talk at all. You can't shake her hand, open the door for her, or really so any type of manners. You just sit there and listen. So that is what we do. Now we got to meet her in the park, normally we go to her house. So we get to the park walking on egg shells we say Hi and when she turned around she had the biggest smile on her face! She was so excited to see us and talk to us. We got to walk around the park and she told us about her week and how not talking to people is the best.  She proceeded to tell us that it was her birthday! We were so sad we didn't know before we got there because we would have loved to have done something for her. We were just happy that she was having such a good day and that she had a smile on her face. At the very end she got up and told us that she was leaving now and if we could drop something off to one of the members in the ward. Then she said tell Sister Schrivens not to call me.  Then she walked off. We are a little intimidated by her and so right after we went straight to drop the stuff off to Sister Schrivens.

We were not able to find her house. It must have moved because it was nowhere to be found. The house numbers went from 2230 to 2231 then 2235, there were just a couple houses missing. But low and behold we weren't able to find her house.  We found one of our referrals that we have been looking for for a month now! When thinking all was lost and that we weren't going to find this referral and that finding Sister Schrivens house was a fail.  HEAVENLY FATHER SHOWED US WHERE THE REFERRAL WAS!!! It is crazy to think that with patience and time he will show you what you need to know when the time is right. BTW were still haven't found Sister Schrivens house.

Elle, Sister Mahoni, Sister Moody, Morgan and Avery. 

It only got better! We were going to have to drop one of our investigators and then ended up putting Hannah on date! (Well she has to ask her parents first but it is going to happen!) Then right after her lesson we went and were teaching a new family and we were able to put their oldest daughter Jaydah on date!! After we put her on date she turned to her family and said to them, "So I am going to be baptized so are all of you. So you better listen to these Sisters because you all will be baptized." She came to church on Sunday got right up to the front of the congregation and bore her testimony! She is going to be a GREAT missionary one day! Heavenly Father really has blessed us with people who are ready to receive this Gospel. The field really is white and ready to harvest. Not brown ready to water but WHITE! This week has been amazing and we have seen so many miracles not only in our area but in the other areas that we got to go and help in!

Thank you for the packages and the letters!! I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week!!

Weekly Planning Meeting.

On Exchanges.

Elle's new boots.

Elle and Sister Moody.

The Three Pack out playing Frisbee Golf.

Frisbee Golf.

Week 9: General Conference!

Teaching appointment right after service, Levi's under the skirt.

I am so grateful we were able to listen to General Conference! It was so amazing and I was able to have so many questions answered. How cool is it that we are able to listen to a living prophet and apostles today! I love that you can go with questions, they can be religious, financial, or even about school and they will be answered! The fact we were able to sustain THREE new apostles is pretty awesome!

My favorite talk had to be from the Women's broadcast. Presidents Uchtdorfs talk on A Summer with Great Aunt Rose and Eva. Great Aunt Rose lead and taught by example and by love. She had a hard time doing everyday things that we take advantage of and she did not complain once. She loved everyone she would met and never made them earn her love and respect. She had so many Christ like Attributes and did just as Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ would want her to do. I think that is the best way to teach someone, it is through love and action that we are able to make the biggest impact. Eva was able to learn the greatest lesson ever in the short time she was able to live with her Great Aunt Rose. She learned to love all that she met and to see them as our Savior does. If we were able to see everyone as our savior does think about how amazing this world would be.

I love being in a three pack! It is a little more difficult trying to teach and get all of us participating butand at the same time keep the spirit. I love the challenge and love the work! So what more could I ask for?

The weather is getting colder and so soon I will be wearing all of my winter gear!! How exciting! :/ I live in a beautiful place and couldn't ask for anything better! 

Heavenly Father sure does love and watch over us! I have seen miracle after miracle just in the short time I have been out! We have had members step in and help with investigators outside of the church setting, and truly try and become friends with them. We actually went out to do our weekly planning this week and decided to do it at Buzz In and get dinner with it. We ran into a member from the Lundeen Park ward and we sat and talked to him for a bit. After talking he left and then about 20 minutes later we were leaving.  We were getting ready to pay when the waitress said the man who we had been talking to paid for our dinner, bought us a dessert and then she handed us a $20 gift card to come back and eat again. This was maybe something small and simple to him but it meant a lot to us. He like Great Aunt Rose showed love through helping others even when they don't need it. 

I am so grateful to be out serving and be able watch Heavenly Father work in so many different ways! I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week! Watch General Conference if you haven't because it was amazing!!!