Friday, June 27, 2014

Transfer week is always a crazy one!

Transfer week is always a crazy one! We spent Tuesday night down in Colorado Springs for a meeting and then the transfer swap meeting was Wednesday morning! It was fun to see all the other missionaries and catch up with them. I got to see a lot of the sisters that I came out with! That was a blast. I also got to meet my new companion! Sister Ercanbrack! She is the sweetest thing ever. We've had a good time together so far. It's crazy to think that less than a week ago we were complete strangers! Now we spend literally every second of the day together. We were talking to a man once who said having a companion is probably harder than having a wife! That made me laugh. I've been blessed with very wonderful companions. I am super excited to work with her this transfer!

So our bishop got a call from a member in North Carolina who said her sister in law lived in his ward boundaries and she was in the hospital. She asked if bishop could give her a blessing and help out her boyfriend. Naturally, bishop called us up and told us about the situation. J was in the hospital and her boyfriend T was getting overwhelmed with things at home. We went over with our ward mission leader and a few others to mow their lawn and do some other yard work. He came home as we were mowing and said we were quite the sight to see! He compared us to angels performing a little miracle for him. He definitely needed the help. It started hailing so we left pretty soon after that, but we went back a few days later and had a nice chat with T. He is the cutest old man from England. We talked all about his religious beliefs and he has quite the insight. After a nice visit with him, we asked if he'd like us to teach him about our church. He gladly said he'd love to learn more! J is coming home from the hospital this week so he said things would be kind of crazy. So we are going to go back sometime soon after things are settled and start teaching him! It was super exciting. He is just a peach.

We had an unfortunate event happen this week as well. Our investigator M was scheduled to be baptized this Saturday! But we talked with her the other day and she said she just doesn't feel like she is ready for baptism. I am a little nervous about this because her friend who has been a huge influence on her investigation of the church leaves for his mission next week! So we need to make sure that she doesn't disappear once he's gone. So we chatted with some of the young women in the ward to make sure they reach out to her and encourage her to keep learning. M said she doesn't want to stop learning, she just doesn't feel ready. We are going to have to really prayerfully consider what we can do to  help her and encourage her to keep working towards baptism. It was quite devastating for me to hear that she wasn't ready for baptism because things were going so good! But welcome to missionary life.

There is a boy in our ward, we'll call him E, who has made some miraculous changes since I've been here. I've almost been here 5 months and 5 months ago, he was not in a good situation. He was not active and was doing things that got him in some trouble. But over the past few months, he's made some major changes and he is now submitting his mission papers! He was ordained yesterday to have the Melchizedek priesthood. It was so cool!! We were able to teach him and help him see the importance of the priesthood and serving our Lord. Sometimes I get a little discouraged because we don't see baptisms here like other missionaries do, but these are still important ordinances. He will continue to prepare to receive his own endowment and serve a mission. So sweet. No effort is ever wasted!

We are also seeing some progress with some less active members of our ward. One family in particular has been for 3 weeks in a row now! We have made a special effort to visit them weekly and help them make a goal to go to the temple and be sealed. I love seeing the joy on their faces when they come to church. We will continue to work with them and help them with their goal!

Yesterday we were able to stop by and visit T. She is funny. Some days she really wants us to teach her about the church and other days she gets really awkward when we bring it up! Last week we were visiting with her and we asked her if she'd want to be baptized. She said it's a huge decision that she will need to really think and pray about. But the struggle with her is that she is a young busy mom with 4 kids. We asked her to read the book of Mormon and she said she falls asleep as soon as she starts reading because she is so exhausted! I feel bad that she is so exhausted all the time but it really made me appreciate my mom and all that she did. Yesterday we shared a scripture with her before we left and it was so cool...the whole time we were visiting her boys were running around crazy and her baby was a little fussy. But as soon as I started to read from the Book of Mormon, her boys were very attentive and her baby stopped crying. The spirit was so strong and there was so much peace there! I hope she noticed the feeling and the peacefulness as we read from the scriptures. I loved it.

So yes! Things are going great here! I am just loving Parker. I've been here for quite a while now...I feel like it's my home! But, I am so happy to be here. This morning I was studying from the Ensign and I read an awesome article from Elder Holland. He talked about how we are all striving to be Christlike and there is so much good that needs to be done before the Lord comes. We don't need to focus on Zion as a destination, but rather focus on building Zion where we stand. Wherever we are, we can do good and uplift those around us by sharing simple testimonies or gospel truths. He closes his article by saying that when the Lord comes again, he wants to be caught in the act....caught in the act of spreading the gospel or doing a sweet act of service for another. That hit home for me. When the Savior comes again, I want to be representing Him well. I want to be doing something that He will be happy to see me doing. I want to be uplifting a sorrowful soul or sharing my testimony with one who may be struggling. I really feel that the time is not too far that we will see our Savior again. So I'm gonna do all I can to make sure I'm ready for him and that I have been building Zion wherever I am.You do the same! 

I love you all and hope you're not a melted puddle down there in Vegas.

Loves!   xoxo

Sister Hoer


The Johnson family~ We live with them!


Our Zone Leaders

Me and Sis. Davis, we were in the MTC together

Last picture with Sis. Koval

Garage Sale weekend in Canterbury

My new companion, Sister Ercanbrack



Thursday, June 19, 2014

Transfers! I'M STAYING IN PARKER!!! I am so excited!

Transfers! I'M STAYING IN PARKER!!! I am so excited! I am staying in the same ward, but I'm getting a new companion. I am really sad though because Sis Koval is leaving. We had such a good transfer together! But I know that everything happens for a reason. And I'm excited to meet my new companion and continue working in this area!

So we had a crazy week. We had one day full of service. We've done service for this lady before...she's the nonmember who is moving and we are helping her pack up her house! It was really cool because this week, we were talking all about our church. Last time we were with her, I told her she needs to take the lessons from the missionaries in her area. So I was asking her if she started the lessons...unfortunately she hasn't because she's been so busy! But she says "but what would it cost me to get one of these books...the Book of Mormon?" all the missionaries in the car just looked at each other with a grin and we pulled one out of our bag. Just like magic. She had a book in her hand 5 seconds later! It was funny. She's like "Woah! That was easier than I thought!" She's a super cute lady and asked us all to write our testimonies and a message in the front so she will always remember us. I'm excited for her to start reading! 

We also had a day full of meetings. More than half the mission got together for this meeting! It was the last big get together before President Anderson leaves. We get a new mission president in just a couple weeks! It was a really good meeting though. It was long...but good. We talked a lot about eternal families and how we need to stand up for the family unit because it is under attack! It made me so very grateful for my family and the knowledge I have that I can be with them FOREVER! It makes me very happy and I love love love to share that knowledge with others out here. Most people here are very family oriented, so they love to hear that they can be together forever. We also had another day with another meeting...so many meetings up in here! But they are always good meetings. I learned a lot and find ways that I can improve my skills as a missionary.

Oh! something exciting happened this week. We found a new investigator! So we've recently moved quite a bit.  But we were in the old neighborhood that we used to live in, and the people there got to know us quite well since we spent a lot of time walking. They recognized us and they'd usually say hello and ask us why we walk so much. It's fun. But I loved being back down in that neighborhood and everyone was like "hey! where have you been!?" I felt so loved by my old neighbors! But our new investigator, S, also recognized us. She was out trimming her bushes and we stopped and talked for a while. She is so sweet and just adorable! She asked us what made our church different than her Christian church. So we taught her a little then set up a time to come back and teach her more! She seemed really interested, so I'm hoping things go well with her! And she is so nice...when we left she said "I feel bad that you're always walking around with no car...so call me and I'll give you a ride!" What a gem!

We also got to meet briefly with M this week. She's super busy, so it was just a lunch date.  We were able to talk to her about her baptismal date and make sure she's still going good! She's so cute. She told us that the more she reads the Book of Mormon, the less her concerns become. Sometimes she seems a little apprehensive about her baptism, but I can tell she has the faith. I just hope it all works out! Her date is coming up quite soon.

So yeah. Things are going great. I absolutely love being a missionary! Some days are hard, but once I get going and start teaching people about the love God has for them....nothing else matters. I am so happy to be here and doing what I'm doing. Enjoy the hot hot summer!
Love you all!
xoxo

Sister Hoer


We got new clothes

Scootering!


S'mores~ We live with this wonderful family!

Monday, June 9, 2014

We have become the ward judges for the best steaks!

Something happened this week that I never ever thought would happen on my mission. For a moment I felt like I was in some exotic land....so we were driving down the street (a young woman in our ward was going around with us...we didn't get a car) But at a distant I saw two people walking the biggest, ugliest dogs I have ever seen. As we got closer, I realized they were walking PIGS. Yes. They had two giant hairy pigs on leashes and they were walking them down the street. I was baffled. That was one time that I was a little sad we were not walking because I wanted to talk to them! We were in one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in our ward and I just don't understand why anyone would have two pet pigs. Bizzarreeeeee.

Something else happened that I never thought would happen on my mission...I survived a hurricane! Just kidding. There aren't hurricanes in Colorado. But it felt like it! The rain has been coming down reaaaaaaaaal hard this week. I usually love the rain. But when I had to walk in it everyday and my shoes turned into little lakes, it wasn't so enjoyable. One day while it was raining, the lightning was right above us. I think it literally must have struck 10 feet from us because we heard the electricity and the lightning stroke the same exact time there was a huge crack of thunder. It shook my little bones! And it scared me and my companion, so we ran. We ran to a less active man's house and amazingly he was home! We knock on his door every time we pass, but usually don't get an answer. He was home and we were out of breath and scared so he let us in. We had a nice chat with him and his dad (his dad was visiting from salt lake) and we shared a scripture with him. And BAM. He came to church on Sunday. It was so great to see him there! He only stayed for sacrament meeting...but he came. That near death experience turned out to be a miracle haha!

So we had lunch with T this week. She is so great. She told us how she really wants to raise her kids in a church like ours because she wants her daughters to be just like us. So tender. We were able to tell her about the happiness and guidance we have received from being members of our church. She really likes how she feels around us. And she has a million LDS friends. We decided we are just gonna start teaching her the discussions. I can tell she really needs the gospel in her life, and she is looking for something more. She just doesn't realize it's right in front of her!

We also met with M this weekend. It was awesome. We were able to set a date for her to be baptized!!! She has really been taking her studies more seriously lately and she is earnestly seeking for an answer. We are gonna do all we can to make sure she is ready for her date at the end of this month. I am so excited for her! And It's amazing to see the change in her just in the past few weeks that we have been meeting with her. She is funny...she keeps telling us she doesn't have faith, but she knows god lives and she prays to him all the time! So we were able to help her realize what faith is and let her know that she has it! I have really grown to love M. She's so awesome! I hope and pray everything goes well these next few weeks!

We were also able to catch the S family this week! They were packing up the car to go to a Rockies game and we caught them before they left. Their son is the one that really wants to be baptized, but his parents aren't as enthusiastic about it. The kids were in the car and we were talking to the dad about when we could start teaching his son. He told us next week would be good, then his son goes..."Dad! Ask them if they can come over for dinner!" Woohoo! So now we get food and a lesson! Haha!! He is the cutest little boy ever and he really really wants to be baptized.

Speaking of food, we have become the ward judges for the best steaks! On Memorial Day, a brother in the ward grilled us some steak and told us it would be the best we ever had and that we needed to tell bishop about it. So we did, and it was delicious steak. Then a few days later, another brother in the ward was bragging about his steak and I said..."well, we'll believe it when we see it because Brother L made us some pretty good steaks" He found brother L at church yesterday and told him he was up for the competition! Then last night, Brother J made us steak and we told him it might have beat brother L. Now we are judges for the best steak in the ward. LOL! I am kind of a lightweight though....I couldn't finish my steak last night! It was delicious...but my stomach couldn't hold it all! Ohhh it's fun.

The ward really is great. Missionary work has really been on everyone's mind since we've been doing family mission plans with everyone. It's cute because people find us at church and are SO excited to tell us about their missionary moments for that week. They are really taking their responsibility to be member missionaries seriously! I love it. And I encourage all of you to find the same opportunities to be member missionaries!

We have been really working hard here and I am loving every moment. I have seen the hand of the lord every single day on my mission. Even with the tiniest things, I am recognizing His hand. It's amazing how much He is there and how much He does for us if we just look for it. The Lord is there and He takes care of us. I KNOW that to be true.

Love you all!!!

xoxo

Sister Hoer


Farmer Sis Hoer chewing on some wheat...  mmm mmm good!

It felt like a hurricane & this is how we felt...LOL

Then we decided to smile

adorable little boys we live with wear our name tags

Playing tennis on our last p-day

Wednesday, June 4, 2014

NO EFFORT IS WASTED!

This week was so crazy! We had a really long zone conference on Wednesday, then on Thursday morning we headed down to the Springs for a few days! In our mission, when you hit your halfway point, you get to go on the "Temple Jubilee". All the halfway missionaries meet at the mission home and they get to go to the temple! Then they spend the night at the mission home and head back the next morning. So my companion has hit her halfway point and we went to the springs for the jubilee. I didn't go to the temple with her...I was on exchanges with another cute sister down in Colorado Springs for the day. We tracked a neighborhood that was completely burned to the ground 2 years ago in the Mountain Shadows fire. It was interesting to talk to some of these people whose homes are now rebuilt, but they all talked about how they turned to God when they lost their home. The sister I was with is so funny. She is from Samoa! She has a baby doll that she literally treats as a live baby. Before we went to bed, she gave the baby a bath with soap and water, then wrapped it in a blanket and kissed it goodnight....I just sat on my bed and laughed! She is hilarious. But don't worry, she was laughing with me :)

Friday we also spent in the Springs because a former investigator of Sis. Koval was getting baptized! So we got permission to stay in the springs until the baptism. It was neat to see more of my mission and meet lots of new people. But, I really like parker. It felt so good to be back "home" on Saturday morning. We made it back just in time for the baptism of an adorable 8 year old in our ward. We have grown really close to this family. After the baptism they had a BBQ at the park and played games. We joined them for that and visited with lots of our ward members. Then it was back to work in Parker! We have been doing a lot of family mission plans with the active members in our ward to get them motivated and help them be the best member missionaries they can be.

So due to our crazy week, we were not able to visit with M, but we have an appointment with her this Saturday after her finals are over! I am excited to meet with her again. We also were not able to get with the S family either. There was so much going on! But this week, we are really gonna focus on them.

Yesterday was fast Sunday, right? Yes. So I was fasting for someone to be put in our path that has really been prepared for the gospel. Sometimes I get a bit discouraged because we don't see the same success as other missionaries, but NO EFFORT IS WASTED. We still do our best and help others as much as we can. Anywho, so I was fasting for a miracle. Last night as we were planning, T (the lady who we have taught in the past with the 4 kids) texted us and asked us if we could go to lunch this week!! She has been out of town, so we haven't seen her for a while. But then, she goes " I need you to teach me about the Book of Mormon while we are at lunch. I've had some interesting things happen to me since I last saw you" .....woah. Answer to my prayers? I think yes. She is seriously so prepared. I've thought that since the time I met her, but she has recently been showing a deeper interest. I am excited to have lunch with her and talk about the Book of Mormon with her! She is so great. This was just such a testimony builder to me that the Lord hears and answers every single one of our prayers.
The work is really picking up in  our area! And time is just passing by way too quickly. This transfer is almost over and then it's on to the next! I'm hoping I'll stay in this area, but I'll go where the Lord wants me to go.

This church is so true. The gospel is true. I know with no doubts that Jesus Christ lives and loves every single one of us! This knowledge just makes me so happy. Even when life goes wrong, I can smile because I have the true gospel. Love you all!!! And enjoy the summer!

xoxo

Sister Hoer

My zone at zone conference

Sister Fauates~Splits in Colorado Springs

Cutest Little 5 year old boy ever and his dog Sadie