Chapter 9: I Survived!!!!

Hello Everyone!

I made it through the first transfer and I get to stay in the area!!! So excited that I have another 6 weeks to love the people here :). I really do love them so much, the members, the inactive, and the investigators. 

I'll be honest and say that we didn't really have very many lessons this week but that doesn't mean that we didn't see miracles. As I'm sure most of you have caught on, I don't really like tracting. Sorry! but knocking on door after door for 2 hours straight isn't the most fun. There are for sure a lot of really interesting moments ( let's just say that Kennewick should be the national capitol of Anti-Mormons) but I learn so much, even at those really hard doors. I have been able to realize how important it is to be kind to everyone, no matter what they say. I love people and my love of people has only grown since I've been out. The words that we use are so important and we have to be careful. I've heard it said like this. It is really easy to squeeze out an entire tube of toothpaste really fast right? Now try and put it back in the tube... ya... not really gonna work. I think our ability to express the desires of our hearts is such a gift from God, and we should use it to build others up.

Okay I'll step off my soap box now :). We did have a few really great lessons this week! The V. family ( they were baptized in February) are such a sweet family and they are so kind. We talked about humility with them last week and they were so excited to really work on aligning themselves with God throughout the week. We also had another lesson with the S. family I love them so much. We are starting to rub off on them and they are starting to develop some really great habits of prayer, scripture study, and attending church. They have yet to attend all three hours but we will get there :). Baby steps. This week Brother S. is planning on teaching us a lesson because he just feels like the Spirit is prompting to have him teach and who are we to argue with the spirit! I am so excited to hear all that he learned studying throughout the week.

S_____ and O______ are both doing really well too. It is so fun to see them grow a little more every week in their conversion. 

So General Conference is this week. Who else is super excited!!!!! Cause I certainly am :). I love getting to hear from our leaders and better know how I can improve myself to come closer to Christ. And for all of you that we able to watch the Women's Broadcast on Saturday ( if you didn't, hop to it and watch it!), President Uchtdorfs talk was pretty accurate. It is usually the 4th floor, last door, but the miracle is there. We simply have to hold tight to our faith and know that God is carrying us. That is how I get through every day and every door. God is so powerful and merciful and I am so grateful that I get to dedicate even just this small portion of my life to Him. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and feel like I don't have much to give to Him, but when I give what little I have, it increases it ten fold. Look for Him and you shall find Him and He will give you all you need.

I love you all! Till next week!

Sister Tobler

-- 

Sister Lindsey Tobler

Kennewick Washington Mission

The Zone

Chapter 8: A Week of Ups and Downs...Mostly Ups

Hello Everyone!

Such a fantastic week. Lots of ups and downs but ultimately, a really good week :). Even with zone conference this week ( which took litterally ALL day by the way) we were still able to teach a ton of lessons.  Let me just give you the highlights of this week.

S______- I love her so much. Really I do :) We had to change her baptism date but for the best reason possible... her family wants to come and support her! How amazing is that?!? So we have pushed her baptism back to the 21st of October and we will continue to help her deepen her conversion! At our lesson this last week we talked about receiving personal revelation and she just stopped us part way through and said " Oh I've already been praying about the Book of Mormon and if I should get baptized and God said that I was doing a good thing and to keep going."... GAH! So amazing to finally hear the words come out of her mouth and not just hope anymore. She really knows this is true. I can't wait for the day that she makes it to the temple. So excited!

T____- Not sure if I told you how we met T____ so I'll give a quick recap. It was a bit of an awkward encounter. So we knocked on his door, no answer, and he pulled up in the driveway just as we were walking away. We knocked at his neighbors house and then decided to go back. He was waiting there in his drive way and said " I'm so glad that you came back. I have been waiting to talk to missionaries. I have seen so many members of your church and I have heard about what you believe and I'm tired of hearing what everyone else has to say. I want to hear it from the source. I dont have time today but will you come back?" I bet you can imagine how stunned we were. No one has ever said anything like that since I got here. We set up a time to go back and taught the restoration really focusing on the need for the Priesthood. He had lots of good questions and when we asked him if he would get baptized when he knew the message was true, he said ( and I quote) "well I dont see why not!". Todd is amazing. We love Todd. He is so ready and after we have taught him all the lessons, he wants us to teach his family. Yay for missionary work!

O_____- She has been such a good example to her family and just eats up everything that we teach her. She is super ready to be baptized and I love her so much. She is a sweet girl. We taught her the plan of salvation and now she is planning to make a little plan of salvation chart and teach her family about it to test what she remembers :). She's already such a good little missionary to her family!

One last big lesson.

R_____ and J_____We have been doing quite a bit of service for her lately because she had a surgery this last week. We didnt really know what we were going into but we planned to talk about the restoration. The spirit works in amazing ways because we spent the entire time talking about how much God loves us and wants to bless us, how we just need to turn to him. I dont think they had ever realized that God, the creator of the entire universe could love them individually. I really hope they invite us back. The spirit was so strong in there that even they couldn't deny it. 

I am so incredibly grateful for all that I have learned so far. I am learning so much every day. I'm growing and being molded into something more beautiful and grand than I could have ever imagined becoming on my own. He takes my worries and replaces them with strengths. He has carried me so many times in the last few weeks that I know he understands me. This work is so important. The message of this gospel is so important and it changes lives. It makes anyone who tries it so incredibly happy and that is something that I will share not just for the rest of my mission, but for the rest of my life. I am a missionary, and how great is my calling :). 

I love you all! Trust in God and know that He is!

Sister Tobler

P.s. and look who I found while watching the district in training this week!!! Daddy!!!!!

Here there was a picture of her dad on the screen.  She found him while watching 

The District.  So if she gets homesick she can just watch.  I don't know why I cannot get 

it to show up here.  Oh well....

-- 

Sister Lindsey Tobler

Lindsey and Sister Miner

First Mission Zone Conference.

This is all of the sister missionaries in her zone.

Kennewick Washington Mission

Chapter 7: Photos

 Lindsey in beautiful Kennewick!

Sister Miner, Lindsey's favorite companion, so far!

Chapter 7: More Miracles

Hello Everyone!

Let me just start out with out with our huge miracles this week....We had so many people come to church this week with us!!!!! So there was S______ and O_______ who are now both on date! Brother and Sister S________ ( who are less active ( i'll tell you more about their miracles in a minute)) and R________!( O_________ mom who has been inactive for years and told us a week ago not to teach her because she wasn't interested in the church at all). They were all there and they all LOVED it! We could hardly contain our joy as we saw all these people walk into the chapel and to think of all the progress they are making in coming closer to their Heavenly Father. We were trying not to make to much joy but our little missionary buttons were bursting through all of church. 

We are so excited that O________ is now on date to be baptized! October 8th! Yay!!!! She knows it's true and her family is being so supportive of her. Probably the best thing that we ever did was invite members to those lessons with her because now her Mom has so many connections to the church and is comfortable with coming and even participating a little more in the lessons. I can't wait to see where the next few weeks take us with their family and I know that God has it all under control :).

This Wednesday we went to see the S_______ as usual and boy, their countenances were so changed! The first time that we met them they seemed so sad because they felt that their testimonies were drowned out by their doubts of the church and that they could never feel certain again because of questions. We gave them a homework assignment before we left last time and said that we would only answer their questions if they read in the Book of Mormon every day. When we texted them a few days later they said their still hadn't started yet and that we had better have a good presentation put together. We made their assignment more specific and assured them that we had answers but that we would keep them to ourselves if they didn't do their part ( we are a little sneaky that way (:   ). When we came to their house their scriptures were out and they seemed to be glowing. As we talked about the miracle that is modern revelation and how amazing it is that we have a prophet here on the earth today, their worries melted away. Something clicked and I know that it's not really anything that we said. It was all the Spirit. 100% Him. The Spirit testifies of truth and they were able to have more confidence in what they already know to be true. 

We have taught a few other lessons this week to some new investigators but I will give more details as they progress more :). We had a lot of lessons fall through this week but I've realized that it's okay. As much as we can plan and set goals, people have their agency and we can't change that. Once people have a desire to change, to repent, and to come closer to God,that's where we come into play. We are simply guides for others on their journey closer to God. I am so grateful for this gospel. Because of Him, I don't have to feel alone as I lay in bed at night and wonder if I did enough. I don't have to wonder if I'm doing this "right". God makes everything right I know that in His timing, I'll be able to better understand everything about His plan for me. I am so grateful for all that I'm learning everyday through prayer and studying His word. Christ understands us perfectly and for that I am eternally grateful.

I love you all!!!!

Sister Tobler

-- 

Sister Lindsey Tobler

Kennewick Washington Mission

Chapter 6: Miracles Galore!

Hello everyone!

I'm not ever sure where to start! Such an amazing week! So So Good!!!! Okay I'll give y'all the highlights. 

1. SHARLEEN IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!! on September 24th!!!! We are so excited for her to start this journey with God. She has asked her nieces husband to baptize her and we are just super duper excited for their whole family. Best feeling in the world when someone realizes that this is true and that they want it.

2. We met this lady named _________ while out tracting this week and she asked us to come back. After teaching the restoration she said that she'd start reading the Book of Mormon because she wants to find truth. She's not afraid to admit that her church is missing something and just want to come close to God with her family. We can't wait to go back!

3. We met so many people while knocking doors yesterday and a few of them want us to come back!!! Seriously, such a good feeling to know that some people really do want to learn more and that God has been preparing them to meet us. One guy said that he has been praying for help to strengthen his relationship with God. Another said he believes in God because a friend of his served a mission years ago and he wants to know more. Another said he was an atheist untill a member of the church invited him to church. Another has seen so many missionaries and has been hoping that someone would come talk to him about the church. Isn't it amazing how God works? He has a plan for everyone. He knows everyone and is so aware of us. 

We have made many visits to the less actives in the ward and have been trying to help them rekindle their testimonies. It is hard but really, what more rewarding thing is there, than to endure to the end? And it's not really "enduring" per say because we have Christ there with us every step of the way. We can give our burdens to Him and He will strengthen our backs so that we we will be able to bear the burdens placed upon them. 

I know that this is the true gospel. I have seen to many miracles to ever deny it. I know that it's true. I have felt God's hand in my life. I have seen him soften the hearts of even the toughest. I have seen so much love and mercy in my life that I could never deny Him. I have been SAVED by Grace as we all have but even more, I have been CHANGED by Grace. Because of grace, I live every day trying to be better, trying to say what He would say, go where He would go, and do what He would do. He is my Savior and for that, I will be forever grateful. 

I love you all and thank you so much for all the love and support!! Y'all are the best!

Sister Tobler

-- 

Sister Lindsey Tobler

Kennewick Washington Mission

Bonus Picture

The mission office sent us this picture of Sister Tobler with the Mission President and his wife.  She says they are the best, most cool, awesome ever!

Chapter 5: My Soul has been Fed

Hello everyone!

So I realized that there are so many things that I forgot to mention in my email last week! Sometimes I can't keep everything straight but I'll try and remember it all this time around :)

So I am serving in the Kennewick stake right now in the Grandridge and Rancho Reata wards right now. I LOVE THE PEOPLE SO MUCH. The wards have been such a support and are always willing to help whenever possible. It makes it so much easier to do the work when the wards are involved! If I  had known how important the members are in missionary work I think I would have done so much more! If you have people on you mind who may be interested in hearing more about the gospel, tell the missionaries! We love referrals so much and take them very seriously. Your friends are in good hands :) I promise :). 

We live in a little one bedroom apartment but it strangely feels really big when there are only two of you living there. I was a little surprised that we weren't sharing it with another set of sisters but then I learned that we are the only set of sisters in the district! Crazy right!? Maybe not but it felt a little funny to me. 

In regards to the heading of my email... So of course my soul is fed by the scriptures and prayer and church and whatnot, but today it has been fed especially.... by Great Harvest. :). Was I the only person who didn't know that Great Harvest has a cafe? Well it does and as we are about to check out a member from another ward came and talked with us and bought our lunch. How nice is that right! I know that's random but it totally made our day :)

A little tidbit about my companion Sister Miner... She's pretty much the best person EVER. She's so positive all the time and she's always humming a little tune ( about 50% of the time they are ones that she has made up herself). She's from Utah and Colorado ( she says both because... well I dont know why but she does) and she loves honey. That's right. like the sticky stuff. She just finished off a bottle this week and I find it hilarious until she reminds me how many cucumbers I eat. Whoops! Anyways, she's fantastic. Simple as that :).

So onto my week! We have had a few really good lessons and we've done a lot of tracting. Still not my most favorite activity but I no longer feel like I'm going to have a mini heart attack every time I knock :). Positive thoughts right!?! Anyways, We had another lesson with ______ and she came to Stake conference this week! And she liked it! Woohoo!!!! She's planning on coming to church with us this week and we have another lesson set with her for Thursday. She's still praying about her baptismal date of Sept 24th but she really wants be be baptized and we are so excited for her to take that step. 

We have spent a lot of time with the less actives in the area this week. Some of them are stronger than others but the common thread has been that they all still have a testimony which makes me so happy. It's never to late for anyone to come back to church. ever. It is so rewarding to see the light of testimony begin to grow within them again and to help them get through any reservations they have. I have loved especially working with the _______ family and helping them to realize that they do have enough faith. Even if we only have a tiny seed of faith, if we turn it over to God, He can turn it into a magnificent tree. 

One other family we are teaching is the _________ family. They are recent converts of about two years if I remember correctly. They are fantastic. I love them so SO much. We are now helping them to prepare to be sealed in the temple! How fun is that!?! While we do love to have baptisms, really it comes down to seeing those families in the temple. We want to see them all in the temple one day making covenants with God to be better than they were the day before. We can all always improve in some way and to see them have the desire to grow in their relationship with God, Gah! it's the best thing ever!

I have seen so many miracles in my life this week and because of them, I know that God knows me personally. He knows when I'm having a rough day. He knows when I'm on cloud 9 after a really good lesson. He knows when I'm tired. He knows me. He knows each one of us. Pray and you will feel that He is there. I know it but don't just take my word for it. Ask Him. 

I love you all and Thank you so much for all the support you give me! I feel your prayers and I'm so eternally grateful :)

This is a picture of beautiful Kennewick!

Love you all! Till next week!

-- 

Sister Lindsey Tobler

Kennewick Washington Mission