Chapter 52: Tender Mercies

Hello Everyone!
I wish I had lots to report but its been a different sort of week with transfers and everything. Just a little slower but that's okay. There were plenty of tender mercies to help the week go along :)
1. My Zone. I couldn't be serving around better Elders and Sisters. They work so hard and motivate me to be a better missionary each and every day. Plus, Elder Smith caught a snake at our service project and Elder's Walker and Shumway are going to eat it. They are ridiculous. :). But its kinda the best. We have been working together as a zone to encourage one another to #LighttheLand and it has been so cool to see the miracles that have come from it as we've worked together.
2. The Ward. I couldn't be serving in a better ward where the people are so loving and willing to help us. Its been cool to see that whenever we have talked with a ward member about fellowshiping an investigator, they step right up and are willing to help wherever they can, even with giving rides to church to people they've never met!
3. Service. The verse is so true. When ye are in the service of your fellow beings, ye are only in the service of your God. We found this really cool lady this week who asked us to help her with some yard work. She totally opened up to us about how she was judged but her old church when they didn't have all the information about a situation and that's why she left. Just working with her for a few hours were were able to testify to her of many gospel principles. Plus, the icing on top, she invited us back! Woohoo!!!
 I love being a missionary, even when we have appointments fall through. God puts us in just the right places at the right time. It's amazing to be a part of his great plan. I love this work with all my heart and I love you all for all the support you give me through it all. I love yall!
Sister Tobler

This is Elder Smith and the snake he caught.  He and his companion have plans to eat it.  How do you cook a snake is what I asked Sister Tobler, and she said you roast it.  Yum, Yum!

Chapter 51: Transfers

Hello Everyone!

I have exciting news.... I'M STAYING IN COTTONWOOD AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woohoo!!!!!! I dont know if yall have noticed, but I never seem to stay more than two transfers in an area so you could say that I'm pretty pumped to be staying, especially with all the work we've got going on here. So excited! But Sister Cram is leaving me... So I will be receiving Sister Cox on Wednesday! If you remember, back in December I tri-panned with her for a few days when I was in Candy Mountain and YSA. Its kinda weird that she'll be my companion again but we'll have fun with it :).

 This week has been pretty busy. We took Sister White out with us one night and just saw HEAPS of miracles. Everyone we went to go see what home and we were able to set up return appointments with them! She's like a miracle worker it seems! You can bet we will be having her with us more often :).

Also, probably the best part of this week, my birthday!!!! Woohoo!!! We were finally able to get back in contact with this family we had been teaching and they decided to throw a birthday party for me! My heart was so touched :). And the best part of that, we were able to teach them and the husband accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon and committed to start reading it! Woohoo!!! Best Birthday ever! plus the Sisters brought us 7-Eleven :) Couldn't ask for better. 

 We also met this guy named K___. He has been through so much in his life its crazy. i won't go into details but its crazy how much God has protected him and how much he has learned to rely on God. There is no way he would be here if it wasn't for God. But as we were teaching him about the Book of Mormon, he was so into it and loved everything we said and said that he wants to learn more! It was so cool! I love it when people realize that the gospel makes sense :)

 I love that I'm a missionary. There is no other work that I'd rather do :) In fact, why don't I just stay here forever? Not sure President would let me, but I'm glad that I can keep doing missionary work forever. God is guiding us to people that are ready and its so neat to see it all unfold!

I love you all! Till next week!

Sister Tobler

Chapter 50: Go 4th with Faith!

Hello Everyone! 

It has been such a good week :) A long one, but so good and full of so many miracles! I'll just give a quick run down of the highlights :)

Monday!!!! We had our first official lesson with K__ and boy was is AMAZING!!!! We taught the Plan of Salvation and testified of how he could be with his wife forever through temple sealings. This gospel is so wonderful because it gives people the hope of being with their families forever, and I cant think of anything more wonderful than that :) At the end we invited him to prepare to be baptized in August and there wasn't even a hesitation. God truly is preparing people. We don't even have to do anything. He knows His children and helps them to come unto Him at the right time. 

Tuesday!!! FOURTH OF JULY!!!!!!! Honestly, we weren't expecting much out of this day because Holidays are hard to proselyte on. No one really wanted to talk with us it seems. But we bounced around from BBQ to BBQ and talked with everyone we could. Then we saw A___. We chatted for a bit about their plans for that evening and then he told his son to sit still while we told them about God. That doesn't happen everyday :) So we testified of prayer and how much God loves us. A___ started tearing up and he told us that he wasn't sure if God was speaking to him because he could seem to hear it right. I have never seen such sorrow but as we told him of our purpose, something seemed to spark within him and he asked us to come back to help him build that relationship with God again. So neat! Then that night after we had come in early for the night, Sister Cram fried ice cream. SO GOOD!

Friday!!! We had our Missionary Shindig!!! We are going to start a shindig revolution I think :). We taught the youth about being spotted from the world and how we can keep ourselves clean and pure. They ALL participated ( we had about 80 youth there) and then had the biggest paint war the tri-cities has probably ever seen. I love being a missionary and getting to work with the youth. They are so willing to share the gospel with their friends and their friends are able to have more exposure to missionaries and see that really, we aren't TOO weird :) Just a little odd I guess but aren't we all!?!
Finally, I had the opportunity to speak on Sunday about the covenants that we make at baptism. My favorite topic :). There is power in the promises that we make at baptism. God is bound to keep His end of the covenant as we do everything in our power to remember Him, be an example of Him, and keep His commandments. Its so simple and yet sometimes is hard to live. But I have seen so many blessing come into my life as I remember Him and make Him the center of everything. I love my Savior. He truly is my best friend and I would do anything for Him. 

Love y'all and thank for all your love and support and Birthday wishes!!! Yall are the best!

Sister Tobler

Everyone at the missionary shindig!

Looks like a good time was had by all.

My beautiful girl!

Chapter 49: Hi Again!

Hello Everyone!

This feels so weird.... I was literally just emailing on Friday.... Temple Preparation days throw me off a little... or a lot... Anyways.. Things are still going fantastic here! There isn't a whole lot more to update yall on for the last few weeks. The work goes forth. We contact potentials, knock doors, go to church, and make plans to find new investigators. You would think it would get old eventually but actually, its an adventure every day. You never know who will be behind the door, or who the Lord is preparing to have you cross paths with. We just have to be incredibly in tune with the spirit in order to recognize when people are ready to receive the gospel! Here's a story for you.

We had exchanges with the Prosser Hermanas on Saturday and I stayed in the area again while Sister Cram headed out there. Sometimes leading the area makes me a little nervous because I still get lost occasionally. I know right! You'd think that I would have figured out Richland by now but alas, I still mix up Putnum St and Pullen St. Anyways, we were knocking doors in this apartment complex with not much luck. The holiday tomorrow makes working a little harder and my companion for the day was actually sick so her spirits weren't particularly high either. We were treking up the steps to this apartment that I have seen a million times. We have waved to the people inside probably just as many times and they have never seemed very interested. There we met C___. He was so nice!!!! And so receptive! As we got to know him more, he told us that he has been wanting to go to a church but that it has been so long he's not sure where to go. We taught boldly about the Book of Mormon and the peace and direction that it brings into our lives and he didn't even hesitate to accept a copy of his very own! And he said we can come back!!!! Woohoo for missionary work!!!!!

There's not much else to report on for the last few days, but we have such a spectacular week planned and I just cant wait to see how it all plays out! Whatever happens, its obvious that God had great things in store for the Cottonwood ward! I love that I get to be a part of the sacred work. It truly is a ministry of angels. There is no way that I could do this own my own. When I don't feel strong enough to keep going, God bears me up and helps me to be better than I was before. Thank you all for all your love and support and prayers! It means so much to me and I'm so grateful for all of yall :)

Love ya!

Sister Tobler

Chapter 48: The Longest Week

Hello Everyone!

Its been forever it seems! I guess cause its been almost two weeks since we had a Preparation Day. But it was so worth it! We got to go to the temple this morning and it gave me the perfect recharge that I needed. Its amazing what simply being in a holy place can do for ones sanity :). I love the temple and I wish I could go more often. Oh well! We can just say that at the end of my mission, you know where to find me... at the temple :) Cause that's where i'll be. Almost all the time :).

I'll just tell about a few really cool people that are new to the roster :) 

K___: He is good friends with Brother Gale in the ward. For at least 2 months now Bro. Gale has been telling us about his friend who really just needs the gospel in his life. So when K___ asked for a favor, bro Gale said he'd do anything so long as k___ came to church and listened to the missionaries at church at least once. So in walks K___ on sunday morning looking a little on edge to be there. After church we got a call from Brother Gale saying that when K___ got home from church his family asked him why he was GLOWING! K___ told them that he had been to church. And that he was going again!!! AND that if they wanted to join, they were more than welcome! SO COOL!!!!! The light of Christ is so real!!!! We are so excited to see what the gospel brings into his life.

J___: So we have talked with him a few times in passing trying to get ahold of his girlfriend who said we could come back. Yesterday we had an appointment set with her but she wasn't there... again... but he was! He told us that shes not really as interested as she may have appeared BUT he said that he has been wanting to talk to us! The only reason he didn't was cause he didn't want to intrude on his girlfriends thing! He told his mom that we had been by and she said " listen to those girls. They are doing what true Christians should be doing". We were all like WHAT!!!! SO COOL! So he told us his conversion story and said that he would really love to learn more about what we believe. We had a recent convert of 3 weeks out with us and she bore powerful testimony about what the gospel has done for her just since shes been a member and you could tell he was gripped. The power of a simple heartfelt testimony is so cool to see in action. We don't have to be eloquent or anything! A simple " I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior" carries so much power!

On more miracle! So we have been praying our hearts out for the V__ U___ family, just hoping and praying that they would finally pick a date to be baptized on. A___ has been holding out hoping that her husband would pull himself together so he could baptize her but he been holing out, not feeling worthy. She picked a date but was still worrying about who was going to baptize her. Right before we start our lesson he quiets us all down saying that he has an announcement. "I have decided that I will do what it takes to baptize A___" he starts. " And if any of the girls want to get baptized, i'd be happy to do it". You can bet A___ started crying! The spirit was so strong. This is Gods work, and he helps to move it forward, whatever it takes :)

Missionary work is so amazing! When God says that He is preparing people in every area, He's not kidding!!! When we show our faith and put forth work, people come out of the woodworks! Sometimes ( lots of times actually), they also seem like the most unlikely candidates. But God loves all his children so much and knows their hearts and wants them to receive all the blessings He's got. I love it and I love Him. 

Till next week! Love yall!

Sister Tobler

p.s. funny story.. we got locked out of our apartment... and our car... in the middle of one of the craziest storms the tri citites has ever seen. Thank goodness for elders who know how to break into apartments using butter knives!!!! #whoops

Chapter 47: So...Funny Thing...

Hello Everyone! 

This has been a really weird week..... Let me show you. It can better be summed up in a photograph....

So ya... I managed to get a really lovely sprain this week... It kinda makes it hard to be a missionary but it's amazing how the spirit compensates for our weaknesses and how God puts things or people in our lives to make us stronger. I cant even express how grateful I am to the countess ward members here who let me camp out on their couch between tracting, all the Ibuprofen that has been donated to the cause, the crutches they let me borrow, and so much more. I guess you could say that I couldn't have picked a better area to get injured in :). I leaned that we can either let these things stop us, or we can keep moving forward. You can bet that I wasn't going to let this stop me! We got some funny looks out crutching around Richland but it was worth it. The work must go forward, even if I look like an idiot :).

But enough about that! We totally saw miracles this week even though our ability to be out was but by about half. We were able to get back in contact with some investigators that totally fell off the face of the earth for a few weeks! Tender mercy! Now we get to have dinner with them tonight and help them to continue to learn more and hopefully progress towards baptism soon! 

We also had a lesson with a part member family this week where we talked about trusting in God through our trials ( ironic I know). Super cool! This family has been going through a major trial this week with family issues, and the mom was shared this Hillary Weeks song that totally brought not only me so much peace, but her family as well. one verse was her talking about this trial and how hard it is to rely on God. Verse two is from the perspective of God and He says that He is always there. All we must do is be still and know that He is there. I LOVED IT. Couldn't have come at a better time.

Its crazy how God gives us all these tender mercies to carry us through trials. God is so aware of us and knows exactly what we can handle. I am grateful for the opportunities that I am given to learn and grow. I know that God has me in His hand and will help me do all things through him. I love Him and am so grateful to be His servant. 

I love you all! Till next week!

Sister Tobler

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Sister Lindsey Tobler

Kennewick Washington Mission