01/28/13
Are you guys aware that I have barely over six months left?
ARE YOU AWARE THAT IS NOTHING?
It’s fine.
Yeah, school decided to make my life complicated and start in the middle of my last transfer, so I have to come home six weeks earlier than my original release date. I'm really sad about it. This transfer right now is only five weeks instead of six for some reason that I don’t completely understand.
But anyway, How are you guys? I’m doing great! Not freaking out at all!
No but really, the work is still going and what not. This past week was all kinds of a roller coaster. I’m really grateful that our mission president has us studying the talk by Tad R. Callister, "A Consecrated Missionary" because I’m learning a lot about the little changes I can make to really give my whole self to the Lord and to the work. There is a part in the talk that tells the story of a companionship that had pretty much the worst day you can imagine as missionaries. At the end of the day they still had smiles on their faces when they spoke to mission president. When he asked why, they responded that they simply knew the Church was true, that the work would keep going, and they were happy to be in the service of the Lord.
That is a brief summary of our entire week. Our progressing investigators dropped us, we went to a lesson with a woman who was supposed to be baptized next week and she was drunk, all the members have flaked on our appointments, my boots broke and it was pouring so I spent the whole day walking with puddles in my shoes, and little things kept going wrong all day every day.
But, by the grace of God, somehow we ALWAYS ended every day laughing and smiling because even though things were a crap storm, we were having fun and we knew that we were putting in our best effort and that we were still being guided by the spirit.
Irma Olson and I have talked about it a few times and been like, yeah, this week was awful but we had a great time and we are still happy with what we accomplished.
I'm not sure if you guys even remember me, but I know myself pretty well and I guarantee the only way I still have this attitude is because Heavenly Father has helped me grow up a lot and appreciate the little things. I have learned to realize that you just have to stay happy when things turn to poo. Like in President Uchtdorf's talk this past General Conference!
But yeah that’s pretty much the only thing I have to say about this past week ha-ha, sorry this emails not so exciting or long. But I really do love my mission. I love every second of it. I love all the good times and I think I almost love the bad times more. I'm really grateful to be learning so much and to have this chance to grow the freak up and become an adult and remember what is actually important in life.
The gospel, the people around you, and a smile.
Having a pick-me-up at Starbucks after a bad day doesn’t hurt either.
love love love
Irma Dean
Monday, January 28, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
Erica Gets Baptized
Yes! It does!
You guys, this girl was so elect I can't even handle it. I don’t remember what I’ve said about her. She's a friend of our ward mission leader who had actually been contacted by my companion and her previous companion about two weeks before I got to this area. Well, one day she came to church with our mission leader and I asked her if we could pass by and get her info. She told me about how she had been contacted but that no one had ever called her again. It was kind of funny, kind of embarrassing, but whatever.
So we started teaching her that week and she was always very reserved with us but was progressing so well that she had committed to a baptism date. She continued to progress so well that we thought it was too easy, and that something bad was going to happen. But, every time we would go to our next appointment, she had read the chapter we left with her, read the pamphlet, answered the extra questions in the back, and had questions of her own.
She was so cute when she found out she would have an interview with the Elders before her baptism that she made us read her all the questions so she knew what her answers were. On the day of the interview, there actually was some drama, but definitely the least I’ve ever had in relation to a baptism.
We had the interview marked for 11:00 am in the chapel. She texted us at 8:30 and said,” I’m so sorry Irma’s, but I can’t come to the chapel this morning for the interview.” And that was it. We were freaking out like, “Oh my gosh, were we disobedient. What did we do? We’ve already repented for any little mistakes. What is wrong? Why is this happening?!” So, I called her and turns out her aunt passed away like the day before and they had to go to her house for a service. So we were like, “Okay, well can we do the interview at a different time or location?” And then she was like, “Yeah of course!”
She had no idea that we were stressing out thinking she was calling off the baptism or something. But then we figured it out and everything. So it was all fine until, don’t worry, our new District Leader showed up 35 minutes late for the interview and she was late to go back to the hospital. But she's amazing so she was really sweet about it. She had even written a paper of answers to all the interview questions she could remember to make sure she would pass! She’s precious.
The day of the baptism was amazing and hilarious and my companion practically wasn’t breathing she was so stressed out. I was so blessed by Heavenly Father to have been as calm as I was. Everything ran perfectly and Erica was walking around in the baptism suit talking about how it fit her perfectly and she felt really good in it and just making us laugh hysterically. We were trying to get everything ready and she’s just lounging in the kitchen like its completely normal and like, “Well, I’m ready when you guys are.” I love her.
Seven months without baptizing went by really slowly and really fast all at once, but this baptism was so perfect and so worth the wait.
I think one of Heavenly Father's purposes was teaching me the true meaning of D&C 18:10-16. One soul is marvelous to Heavenly Father!
It was amazing!
But yeah, that’s pretty much the only thing we’ve done or focused on this week. So, that’s all I got for you, but it’s enough for me so I hope you guys are content. Ha-ha.
Thanks for all the prayers on our behalf, they are appreciated and felt!
Love you guys!
Monday, January 14, 2013
You Guys Should Write Me Letters
Yeah, my mailbox has been a little empty lately. Sad day.
Well, Okay, I got a bunch of packages from the fam bam for Christmas so thank you tons and tons. But, could you maybe write me a short sentence on a post it note or something? I just want to know about your lives.
Ok pictures of last week’s temple grounds trip!
1. All the missionaries there (the office elders and assistants and some random ones that showed up) and President and Irma Fluckiger
2. Irma Olson and me
3. Some bushes on the temple grounds.
4. In a few years there will be a temple there!
It was really cool because it was a really gross cloudy day and as we were finishing up with a prayer at the site, the sun started to come out! It turned into a beautiful day! Irma Olson and I talked about how the next time we stand in that spot there will be a temple there! While we were there we could just see like all the gardens and pathways and stuff in our minds. It was really cool.
The really awesome thing was that President Fluckiger asked our district to do a service project as soon as possible to build steps up to the main part of the grounds. The path we took was super muddy and far away from where you can park. Soon area authorities and stake presidents will be visiting and he wants them to be able to get there more easily. We can say we built the first steps on the temple grounds in Portugal! How amazing!
Also, the day we found out about the service project, there was an elder who got called to St. George, Utah who is from my first area. So I was there when he got his call and everything. But yeah, he is waiting for his visa to go to the states. So right now he’s serving here. He gave such an amazing testimony of what we are doing for the people of Portugal by helping them get a temple. He talked about how his family had to go to Germany to be sealed and go through the temple. He told us about the blessings that will come to the people here because of what we are doing. I love him and his family so I was so grateful for his testimony and the reminder of what this work is all about. We are here to baptize, of course, but we are here to help the Church grow and people will be baptized so that later on they can receive the blessings of the Temple!
Speaking of baptism, be praying for our investigator Erika. She is working to be baptized next week and she is amazing. She was a reference from our ward mission leader and she’s been at church the last three weeks. She always gets there early even when we don’t call to remind her, comes to every activity, takes notes during gospel principles, loves singing the hymns and everything. She is elect! What I love about her is that all of a sudden she just fell into our hands and accepted baptism. We were really surprised by that.
Really missionaries are just instruments. Heavenly Father knows his children and when they are ready and what they need. He just needs a set of missionaries to go and testify so they can feel the Spirit and get a Book of Mormon to understand what they’re looking for. This work is amazing!
I am so grateful to be here and especially in this area (by the way, transfers were today and I’m staying here with Irma Olson) where we are seeing so many miracles. This next transfer is only five weeks and so we have a lot of work to do to help everyone here that is ready to receive the Gospel.
I know this work is the work of the Living God. I know he lives and he loves us and is aware of us all! The Church is true! Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend how simple and how profound that sentence is, but knowing that the Church is true is the most important thing in my life. I hope it is in yours too.
I love you all! Have a great week!
Irma Dean
Well, Okay, I got a bunch of packages from the fam bam for Christmas so thank you tons and tons. But, could you maybe write me a short sentence on a post it note or something? I just want to know about your lives.
Ok pictures of last week’s temple grounds trip!
2. Irma Olson and me
3. Some bushes on the temple grounds.
4. In a few years there will be a temple there!
It was really cool because it was a really gross cloudy day and as we were finishing up with a prayer at the site, the sun started to come out! It turned into a beautiful day! Irma Olson and I talked about how the next time we stand in that spot there will be a temple there! While we were there we could just see like all the gardens and pathways and stuff in our minds. It was really cool.
The really awesome thing was that President Fluckiger asked our district to do a service project as soon as possible to build steps up to the main part of the grounds. The path we took was super muddy and far away from where you can park. Soon area authorities and stake presidents will be visiting and he wants them to be able to get there more easily. We can say we built the first steps on the temple grounds in Portugal! How amazing!
Also, the day we found out about the service project, there was an elder who got called to St. George, Utah who is from my first area. So I was there when he got his call and everything. But yeah, he is waiting for his visa to go to the states. So right now he’s serving here. He gave such an amazing testimony of what we are doing for the people of Portugal by helping them get a temple. He talked about how his family had to go to Germany to be sealed and go through the temple. He told us about the blessings that will come to the people here because of what we are doing. I love him and his family so I was so grateful for his testimony and the reminder of what this work is all about. We are here to baptize, of course, but we are here to help the Church grow and people will be baptized so that later on they can receive the blessings of the Temple!
Speaking of baptism, be praying for our investigator Erika. She is working to be baptized next week and she is amazing. She was a reference from our ward mission leader and she’s been at church the last three weeks. She always gets there early even when we don’t call to remind her, comes to every activity, takes notes during gospel principles, loves singing the hymns and everything. She is elect! What I love about her is that all of a sudden she just fell into our hands and accepted baptism. We were really surprised by that.
Really missionaries are just instruments. Heavenly Father knows his children and when they are ready and what they need. He just needs a set of missionaries to go and testify so they can feel the Spirit and get a Book of Mormon to understand what they’re looking for. This work is amazing!
I am so grateful to be here and especially in this area (by the way, transfers were today and I’m staying here with Irma Olson) where we are seeing so many miracles. This next transfer is only five weeks and so we have a lot of work to do to help everyone here that is ready to receive the Gospel.
I know this work is the work of the Living God. I know he lives and he loves us and is aware of us all! The Church is true! Sometimes it’s hard to comprehend how simple and how profound that sentence is, but knowing that the Church is true is the most important thing in my life. I hope it is in yours too.
I love you all! Have a great week!
Irma Dean
Monday, January 7, 2013
Temple Trip
Whelp Happy New Year everyone.
Today I’ve been on my mission for ten months. Weird.
This past week went well. Not a lot happened, but we have been super blessed with references, awesome lessons, and people coming to church.
On Saturday, I did a division with Sister Hill in Linda-a-Velha, the area next to ours. We had a really great time and some awesome lessons. She's in her second transfer and already such a rock star. It was actually kind of weird because we did a lot of street contacting that day, something I've barely done in our area this transfer. It was really fun though.
We had a really cool experience with a lady named Maria Luisa. We scared her really badly when we started talking to her and she said she didn’t even see us because she was contemplating life really deeply. So we asked what she was contemplating and she told us about some problems her family is having and how she just felt overwhelmed and alone and what not. We felt so strongly when we talked to her that Heavenly Father wanted us to remind her that He is aware of her and her problems and that she can turn to Christ for comfort. She started crying while we talked with her and we left a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and said a prayer with her. In the middle of the prayer I had a crazy strong impression that we needed to sing “I Am a Child of God” for her.
Yeah, I've never sung in a street contact before but if you want the Spirit to stay with you, you gotta do what it tells you. So we sang to her and she cried again and it was actually crazy powerful. The spirit was so strong. It was definitely the strongest I’ve ever felt in just a street contact that lasted five minutes. It was a really cool way to have been used as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. It was also a reminder that when we receive direction that sounds a little strange, we just gotta go with it.
But other than that, I have some cool news! My email is pretty short today, and I didn’t really have time to respond to anyone (sorry), because today we went with the office Elders, the Assistants, and President and Irma Fluckiger to the Portugal Temple Site! The site is located in the same area where the office is so we all drove over and took pictures. It’s HUGE. And in a really cool location. It was so incredible to be there and think that in just a few years there will be a temple exactly where we stood!
I'll send pictures next week. Right now it looks pretty ordinary, but it still felt amazing to be there. We all got together and President said a prayer. It was really awesome to know that I have the chance to be a part of preparing this country for their own temple. Also, Irma Olson and I were the first sisters to see it! Yay for us ha-ha. No but really we are so lucky to be in the area and district we are in. Today was really great!
Well fam bam. I love ya and I’m praying for you guys so do me a favesies and say some prayers for me in return.
Love, love, love
Irmã Dean
Today I’ve been on my mission for ten months. Weird.
This past week went well. Not a lot happened, but we have been super blessed with references, awesome lessons, and people coming to church.
On Saturday, I did a division with Sister Hill in Linda-a-Velha, the area next to ours. We had a really great time and some awesome lessons. She's in her second transfer and already such a rock star. It was actually kind of weird because we did a lot of street contacting that day, something I've barely done in our area this transfer. It was really fun though.
We had a really cool experience with a lady named Maria Luisa. We scared her really badly when we started talking to her and she said she didn’t even see us because she was contemplating life really deeply. So we asked what she was contemplating and she told us about some problems her family is having and how she just felt overwhelmed and alone and what not. We felt so strongly when we talked to her that Heavenly Father wanted us to remind her that He is aware of her and her problems and that she can turn to Christ for comfort. She started crying while we talked with her and we left a Plan of Salvation pamphlet and said a prayer with her. In the middle of the prayer I had a crazy strong impression that we needed to sing “I Am a Child of God” for her.
Yeah, I've never sung in a street contact before but if you want the Spirit to stay with you, you gotta do what it tells you. So we sang to her and she cried again and it was actually crazy powerful. The spirit was so strong. It was definitely the strongest I’ve ever felt in just a street contact that lasted five minutes. It was a really cool way to have been used as an instrument in the hands of the Lord. It was also a reminder that when we receive direction that sounds a little strange, we just gotta go with it.
But other than that, I have some cool news! My email is pretty short today, and I didn’t really have time to respond to anyone (sorry), because today we went with the office Elders, the Assistants, and President and Irma Fluckiger to the Portugal Temple Site! The site is located in the same area where the office is so we all drove over and took pictures. It’s HUGE. And in a really cool location. It was so incredible to be there and think that in just a few years there will be a temple exactly where we stood!
I'll send pictures next week. Right now it looks pretty ordinary, but it still felt amazing to be there. We all got together and President said a prayer. It was really awesome to know that I have the chance to be a part of preparing this country for their own temple. Also, Irma Olson and I were the first sisters to see it! Yay for us ha-ha. No but really we are so lucky to be in the area and district we are in. Today was really great!
Well fam bam. I love ya and I’m praying for you guys so do me a favesies and say some prayers for me in return.
Love, love, love
Irmã Dean
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