Sister Kelsey Rook: Nebraska Omaha Mission

July 31, 2017

Hi Favorite Humans!!

This week has been so incredible! I am just always so thankful to be serving a mission at this time, it has truly changed my life and continues to change it everyday as I am striving to do my best. I never thought I would feel as much happiness and joy as I have felt on my mission! It is just the best thing ever!

There have been so many miracles this week- it has been absolutely mind blowing! But because I don't have a ton of time... here are 3 of them!

1. We found a couple of new investigators this week! Sister Frehner gave us some referrals that she forgot to write in the area book while she was in this ward. So we tried Shauna this week and oh my heavens. She is so awesome! She is truly prepared- she opened up to us so much on our first visit and it was really her who established the expectations and told us that she was having a hard time with God right now (she is pretty upset with him), but she knows that she needs to be closer to him at this time. She is super busy so we are trying to meet with her again this week! We also met with some of our potentials and they are so interested in learning more! We had some awesome lessons with them and they are so excited, which of course makes Sister Banks and I excited!

2. We found out this week that one of our investigators, Curtis Rollie, is actually a less active member. This week he told us that he just now remembered that he was baptized when he was 13 or 14 years old. He hardly remembers anything though because after he was baptized he went less active. The miracle about the whole thing is, he has a family! His wife April and at least 2 kids who are all not baptized but they are interested in learning more! They are planning on coming to church next week because they weren't able to come this week, but they are pretty happy to come!

3. The last miracle I want to tell you about is Hector!! Oh my goodness! Sister Bringhurst and I found him last transfer as we were coming out of an appointment and he was driving down the street. Of course we waved at him and then when he parked his car we started teaching him and he asked us to pray for him to find a way to have more peace in his life. We set up a return appointment and we have been teaching him ever since. He came to church two weeks ago and he wasn't able to come the next week because he was mourning the death of his mother (it was her birthday and it hadn't even been a year since she had passed) Well, when we went over this week he was just really angry and frustrated with how he was feeling and all the hard times that he was going through and we were able to testify of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and about forgiveness and repentance. He was pretty hard hearted at the time and we were pretty sure he didn't let any of it in. We went back a couple days later and he was a completely different person. He was calm and he understands the Atonement, and repentance and how it works. Then he came to church yesterday!! And he totally recognized the answer to his prayers! He told us that before we came up and talked to him he was praying to know how he could come closer to God, and then we showed up the next day. He said the next time we come over we need to talk to him about baptism!! We have tried setting him before and he has refused saying it is going to take him time. It is just incredible to see him change so much!!

Sister Banks is doing incredible!! She really is doing so awesome, it feels like she has been out for a lot longer than she has. She is doing wonderful with equal participation, and handling stress and everything else! It feels like she could be training me sometimes! The past couple of weeks, 12 week has been so good! We have been doing it everyday (except p-day, and weekly planning day) and we have been doing it for about 45 mins. We found if we set more time aside than just 30 mins we are able to get it done and we both get so much more out of it. We have been able to set goals and make plans for how we want to improve our missionary efforts and the type of missionary she wants to be. Also, about once a week the capital sisters come do 12 week with us and that just makes it even better because we all get new insights and inspiration! I am once again so grateful to be in this area and to be companions with Sister Banks. She has helped me learn and grow and change so much, and I just pray that I can help her do the same!

Funny Moment

Yesterday at church Sister Banks and I were walking to the bathroom and I was wearing high heels (not too high but higher than what I was used to) and I totally ran into a mom and her child. It was complete red rover status. I never broke through their arms... but Sister Rook and a small child ended up on the floor. It was quite possibly the funniest thing that has happened. I felt terrible but it turned out good in the end! Also, during 3rd hour, Sister Banks went to go sit down and she totally fell off her chair, it was just a funny Sunday :)

Well, that is about it for this week! Thank you for all the support you continually show me! I love y'all all the way from Lincoln and back!! Have the best week possible! I love you!!

Love,

Sister Rook

We were recruited to help bring 15 brand new mission cars up from Lincoln to Omaha on our P-day!

We got to drive some brand new cars on p-day last week! This was us on the way back to Lincoln!

On Wednesday it was pouring rain! We got completely soaked and it was the best thing ever! We stopped by all of our investigators in one part of our area and they were straight laughing at us... but now they know how important this is to us :D