August 28, 2017

Hi Fam!!

This week has been so good! Everyday is always so great and there are always so many little tender mercies and miracles that happen! We just have to be looking out for them! I just want to focus on a couple of experiences that I had that have been absolutely incredible!! 

1.) District meeting was absolutely amazing this past week. I learned so much! We focused on how the Book of Mormon was the Keystone of our religion and I related it to how it was the keystone in my life. At district meeting we did a couple of role plays where one person was the missionary and the other was just a random human. We had to do a normal approach, except we couldn't use anything except our testimonies of the Savior and Book of Mormon, and the person who wasn't the missionary had to reject us every single time. It was so powerful to hear all of these missionaries's testimonies and how the gospel truly blesses us in our life if we let it. It was also crazy to experience the other aspect of it when we had to reject the gospel ourselves- it felt absolutely terrible! Elder Swaner gave us the promise that whenever we bear testimony to someone and they reject us, they will feel as we felt when we were rejecting the missionaries. He is so powerful it was so crazy! The most craziest part of it was... a couple days later Sister Banks and I were finding and we were using the Book of Mormon as much as we could and all we were doing was testifying, and you could tell that this lady was feeling the spirit so strongly- yet she rejected us! We knew that she felt those same feelings we did in district meeting. We know that one day she will have the desire to have the gospel in her life!

2.) This is with our investigator Miguel! He was a referral a couple weeks ago from Washington and he is so interested in learning how he can better keep the commandments in his life. He is about 12 years old. We were able to teach him the Restoration last week and one of the commitments was to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it and he did it!! We were so excited!! We asked him how he felt and he said he felt like he never had before, it was this good feeling that he couldn't describe but he knew that this book would help him to know how to better keep the commandments in his life! It was so cool!! The Book of Mormon is the way to sincere conversion!! 

3.) We had a lesson with Caesar and Sonia (Spanish investigators) this week, and it went really well!  It is always so crazy teaching them because we can only teach and testify in English, and then the member will translate and lead into other things as well to better answer their questions- so we often times don't know all of what is being said, but the spirit does and so that is how we are able to teach them! It is so crazy! We taught them about the Law of Chastity  and the Family Proclamation and how they go together. It was so neat to see how it finally clicked of the importance  of marriage and family. They still have to get some papers so that they can get married but they are for sure working towards that now!  

4.) My studies this week have been all about Charity and how we can obtain that and how we can have it for every single person that we see. I was reading in Helaman Chapter 5, and ultimately it is a choice whether we want to have charity for someone or not- we have to make the choice ourselves every single day, and no one else can make that choice for us. It was so neat to be able to focus on that and to feel the love that Heavenly Father has for each one of his children that we came in contact with just a little bit more this week! 

Funny Moments!!

1. Bugs are literally attracted to me... I look diseased with all the mosquito and bug bites that are on my legs... so that has been fun. 

2. Thursday was the worst day haha, I ended up getting another spider bite and it made my foot swell up so much, it was so gross, so Sister Taggart made us go home early so I could elevate and ice it. Also this is the same day that Sister Banks had to start her all liquid diet for 24 hours  because her stomach was acting super funky.... good thing is... we survived and everything is okay now!!  

Sister Banks and I have been great! We are still trying our best to do everything that we need to accomplish,and we are still learning so much from each other! I feel like I learn something new from her every single day! Well, that is pretty much it! I love you so much! Have the best week possible!! Thank you for all the support you give me!! Love you to the moon and more!!  

Love,

Sister Rook

It was Sister Neuberger's birthday on Monday! So we had a party!! I love these sisters so much!! 

A member gave us some cucumbers so obviously we had to take a picture with them!! 

We helped a member move this week, and honestly it was so great being able to do service! We hadn't done any in such a long time!!

Us with the moving truck again! 

Selfie with Sister Millikan! This was the sister who was moving! 

Selfies with SIster Banks! 

Us...being us....

More Cucumber pictures!!

#SelfieSunday or #sabbathdayisthebestday

Today!! #pleaseexcusemyfacebecauseIdidntwanttowearmakeup :D

August 21, 2017

Craziest Week of my ENTIRE Mission!

Hi Family!! 

This week was so crazy- I feel like we had no time to do anything but at the same time so many things happened! First things first... Hector was baptized on Friday!!! President and Sister Nelson also came to our mission along with Elder and Sister Andersen, and Elder and SIster Carpenter! It was absolutely incredible!! Of course I will tell you some of the things I learned... sorry if this email is a little all over the place or a little long! 

It was so incredible to be with President and Sister Nelson, Elder and Sister Andersen, and Elder and Sister Carpenter. It is amazing to see how much I learned and what insights I gained. From President Nelson, as I got to shake his hand and hear him speak it was confirmed to me that he truly is an Apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was incredible to be able to feel the love that my Savior has for me and for the people that we are working with- whether they be members or investigators. It helped me to recognize that I should be striving to see them as their Father in Heaven sees them and the potential they have rather than just looking at them with the eyes that I have now. Each of us has a divine destiny and I need to be looking at every person I come in contact with with that end in mind. I also loved how he talked about always being faithful to Christ. After I go home I need to make sure I am just as faithful and even more so. It is easy to be faithful to Christ on a mission, but I know it is going to be so much harder when I go home. My mission has changed me so much and I can't let all those changes go back to the way I was before. Since serving a mission I have truly been able to find myself.I have been able to experience true joy, and that is my goal now, for everyone to be able to experience that same thing. Everyone needs to know of the potential that they have, and how they can find that potential and reach it... which is through the Book of Mormon! I loved what Sister Nelson said about truly focusing on Christ in every and all thoughts that we have. It reminded me of Zone Conference and how we were talking about how our minds can not be in Babylon and then hurry and suit up to go to the City of Enoch. We need to be refocusing on Christ in every decision that we make! 

I absolutely loved Elder Andersen. I loved how he talked about Mind, Heart, and Soul Knowledge and how it is not only important for us, but for our investigators as well. It truly shows the importance of learning the doctrine and having  it ingrained in your soul and not just in your mind. If it is in your mind it can go away so easily but it is the opposite if it is in your soul and if you keep working toward it.  I loved how Sister Andersen testified of exact obedience and the miracles that come from doing so. When you are exactly obedient you are  following the Lord's will for you and you draw into your life his power. When we are exactly obedient we are showing God that we are using the gift of his Son, Jesus Christ, to be our anchor in our life. 

Elder and Sister Carpenter. Holy Moly. I just absolutely loved both of them. Throughout all the speakers I could feel the spirit so strongly. While they were speaking I really felt the spirit testify to me that this work is Christ's work. I am doing the exact same thing that Christ did while he was here. "We are engaged in the work of saving souls" When we truly serve with our whole heart, might, mind and soul we are able to do the things that Christ did and we are able to help his work progress. 

On Friday, Hector's baptism was incredible! It was pretty stressful because a lot of people were late and so we didn't start on time but you could feel the spirit so strongly! Hector was so excited and happy he was literally beaming with Joy! Every time some one was taking a picture he would say "dip" because he was getting dipped haha it was the funniest thing in my life. It is just incredible to see how much someone can change by applying the atonement in their lives!! The ward members were so excited and willing to help as well! 

I am so sorry this email is so long! Just know that Sister Banks and I are doing wonderful and I am so happy to be her companion! She is just incredible! Thank you for all you do and the support y'all give me! Thank you for being such incredible examples!!I love you so much!! Have the best week possible!! 

Love,

Sister Rook 

Interviews with President Gardner and District Meeting on Wednesday!

Sister Monroe is wearing the dress my mom made for her!

Dinner with the Fergason fam! 

West coast represent!! California license plate!! 

Selfie time!! 

Before Hectors baptism!! 

Brother Conway!! 

We had a lesson with Hector and his cousin at the church building. It was the first time Isa had come to church before so of course we had to take a picture... and had to look "thug" 

I got this disgusting spider bite on my leg. Good thing is I survived! 

Hector and Brother Conway!!! 

All of us!! 

Last P-day we got Coldstone!  

On our way home from President Nelson!! 

My cute comp and I

We were matching!! haha She had yellow on her shirt, so I guess we were coordinating... 

Because my mama is incredible and she makes me clothes #bestmamaever 

Today during the eclipse!  

  

August 14, 2017

this week was #insaneinthemembrane and next week will be the same as well!

Hi Fam!!

This week has been so crazy, but it has been the absolute best, and I know this week is truly going to be incredible with everything that is going on! 

This week most all of our appointments have fallen through, and we weren't able to find any new investigators. But we have been able to meet with Hector everyday and prepare him for his baptism on Friday!! The change he has gone through is truly incredible! He used to be the most cynical person, and now he is full of Joy! He used to never pray or be close to God, and now he is doing everything he can to draw nearer to him. He used to think of the commandments as guidelines that he really didn't need to follow, now he understands the importance of them and how they protect us and allow us to be free.  At his baptismal interview he said the most sincere prayer I have ever heard anyone say. It was a huge testimony builder to me of how he has had a mighty change of heart, and as such anyone can truly have a mighty change of heart, if they are striving to work towards it. Being able to see the Atonement of Jesus Christ work in someone's life is such a huge miracle- and I feel so blessed to have that opportunity to witness that every single day! It is such a happy thing. 

Holy Moly Everyone. In our weekly email to President Gardner, he asked us this, "How are you concentrating and working, exploring and absorbing, pondering and praying, applying and learning, valuing and appreciating the Book of Mormon?" I just wanted to let y'all know thatI am so incredibly thankful for the Book of Mormon- I didn't realize when I was at home how weak my testimony was of the Book of Mormon. I knew it was true but I wasn't applying it to my life so therefore my testimony wasn't really being strengthened by it. Now being able to just study it for 30 minutes a day and going to the Book of Mormon with a question has strengthened my testimony of it so much! Being able to feast upon the words of Christ by writing down the doctrine in each verse, and then diagramming it, and to look for different attributes of Christ as I am reading through it has honestly changed my whole being. I feel like I am a completely different human from when I first came out. I know the only way that happened is by being able to apply what I have learned in my studies throughout the day and week!   For my 40 day fast I picked a topic each week to study, and on Sunday nights I made a list of questions- one for each day to study. This week my topic was repentance/making the sacrament more meaningful. I can't even begin to tell you how incredible it was! Looking back on it I didn't really study anything in particular about the sacrament( I was in Helaman chapter 3), but I was able to learn how to lay down my burdens at the sacrament table and hand everything over to my Savior and to let him help me- rather than me doing all the work. It is definitely not easy, but the process is simple, and it is something that I am trying to work on everyday! 

Well, that is pretty much it! Thank y'all for all the support you give me!! I truly have the best fam out there!! 

Love,

Sister Rook

We finally got to wear our ponchos.... we looked like potatoes, and right when we put them on it stopped raining, it was the funniest thing ever. 

This is Julie Lucas! She is from the Capital ward and wanted to go on team ups with us! She is the absolute sweetest human you will ever meet! 

She bought us Greek food, first time trying a gyro- it was pretty good! 

Sister Banks caught a frog last night.... it was so crazy! 

As you can see,, I was absolutely terrified to hold the frog... I was straight screaming and yelling whenever it was squirming in my hand!

#selfietimeisthebesttime

My crazy comp and I hahaha 

Mama Banks sent us Arizona shirts... so of course we had to take pics! 

Arizona isn't as cool as California... but it is still on the west coast :D 

Sister Bringhurst is a trainer now and she's wearing the dress my mom made for her!

August 7, 2017

Hi Fam!!

I honestly feel as if every week keeps passing by faster and faster and it is freaking me out. I can't possibly have been out for 15 months already- I cannot leave Nebraska in just 3 short months. It just makes me want to be as diligent as I can be so I can truly make the most of every single second that I have here. It is just absolutely so crazy how fast time flies! I am just so grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve my Heavenly father and that I am able to do the Lord's work at this time! 

Because this week went by so fast I am having such a hard time remembering what happened! I am so sorry! Lately it seems as if we have been meeting the most neat people and they have a desire to learn and they just aren't set for baptism- so that is something that we are striving to work on is setting our investigators for baptism- I mean that is our purpose to do that... so I don't know why they aren't set!! 

The coolest miracle happened with Hector yesterday. After gospel principles he came up to Sister Banks and I and said he wanted to talk to us outside. Of course in our minds we go to the worst case scenario, that he wanted to drop us. But in reality it was the exact opposite! He said that he felt he was ready to make this huge commitment and be baptized! He now recognizes that he has felt the Holy Ghost in his life and that he wants to  be a part of Christ's church! It was such a happy moment and it is so incredible to see the changes that he has made and the changes that he is going to make! He had a huge change of heart!!  Watching people use the Atonement in their lives it just the most incredible thing ever! On Saturday we also stopped by his house and he asked about tithing and fasting before we had even taught it to him, and on Sunday he was fasting! It was so amazing!

Sister Banks is doing so awesome! It is always so fun to see the changes that your companion goes through and you go through throughout out the transfer! She has such a strong desire to be exactly obedient rather than murmuring about having to be obedient! It is truly the best thing ever! We are so excited for this upcoming transfer and all the things that are going to happen!! 

In my studies I was reading in Alma 62:41. Part of this verse says, "many had become hardened, because of the exceedingly great length of the war; and many were softened because of their afflictions." I got to thinking about food... because I love food :D And first I thought of an egg and how when you boil it... it becomes hard. Then I thought of a potato and how when you boil that it become soft and I realized when you go through a trial or a challenge it is not the trial that makes who you are but it is the way you act during that time that determines who you will become. That's my little spiritual thought for the day. 

Sorry this is so short and not very detailed this week. Thank you for all that you do! I love you so much!! 

Love,

Sister Rook 

Preparation day!! 

Last district Meeting of the transfer!! 

Since it was Elder Jone's last District meeting (He finishes his mission on Wednesday) we threw him a party, and it is also his birthday on the 28th so we had to celebrate it with him in Nebraska as well! His crown say #1 dad haha 

Selfie time!! 

Another district picture outside! 

Yankee Hill and Holmes Lake Elders #bestdistrictever

This was the day we locked ourselves out of our apartment, we spilt food all over ourselves, all of our appointments canceled and so much more haha we still had a great day though! 

McDonald's hamburgers! haha 

Yet another selfie 

#sundayisthebestday 

Matt and Cindy and Jeriah! 

#webetwinning

Missionaries from California  #westcoastbestcoast we were trying to do gang signs... Elders Jones wasn't too pleased hahaha 

Another selfie 

This is Hector- he is one of our favorite Humans!! 

This is the Conway family! They are so cute!! 

#anotherselfie

This is Amelia! We were twinning!  

This is Elder Visnaw taking crazy pictures 

And here we have Elder Visnaw taking pics of Elder Jones haha 

#twinningagain!! The beautiful dresses my mama sent us!! 

We had a pass off lesson this morning! 

The dresses my mom made for Sister Basinger and Sister Ibanez!