Family and Friends!
The work here in Oakcrest is blossoming! We had a baptism on Saturday of a young man, Angel. Hna Dement found him and started teaching him back in May. But since he lives with all guys, the elders took over teaching him. He's wonderful- so excited and eager to learn. He's already talking about preparing to serve a mission! As good as the baptism was, it was even better to see him on Sunday. He looked...lighter, more confident, at peace. It's been a gradual process to see the change in him, but I'm so excited for him to continue to grow and learn. It truly has been a humbling week. We might do the scheduling, but Heavenly Father does the real planning. I don't mean that things went awry this week, just that more and more I can recognize as did Ammon in Alma 26:12 that I am nothing in and of myself. Only through the power of the Lord can I carry out the work here. Like fiber optic cables that are perfectly clear and clean to be able to transmit light from one point to another, so must I be clean and clear to deliver light from Heavenly Father. I am not the light. But we all can be carriers/vessels of the light of our Savior- people can see what we have. We just need to open our mouths so they know where to find it! We've had a lot of fun involving the youth this week. We are teaching a teenage girl, Karen, so we brought one of the young women with us. And then the youth invited her to a youth fireside yesterday! This week we have several more days where some of the youth are going out teaching and tracting with us- Camber, Cody, Jason-- ask the missionaries how you can help!
I had a really neat experience on Friday I want to share really quick. We had an appointment to visit a member ( I've been trying to visit all the members to get to know them better and to get them excited about missionary work) and we went and talked, shared a scripture, prayed and then left for our next appointment. While driving away, our next appointment called and canceled. So we stopped and prayed to know where to go. I felt prompted to return to the members home. I prayed again to make sure that it was what Heavenly Father was telling me, then we turned around and went back. She was surprised to see us again and she thought we forgot something. I told her that we had felt prompted to return and asked if she needed any help or if we could do anything for her. She said no. I told her that we loved her and that I knew Heavenly Father was mindful of her and loved her. Then we left. There was no big dramatic experience. I don't know if she needed the assurance of Heavenly Father's love or if we needed practice listening, but I'm so glad I listened. Next time, I know Heavenly Father trusts me to follow those promptings and I will listen no matter the outcome.
Thanks for all your support and prayers! Please pray for our investigators Elizabeth, Karen, Luis, Norman, and Catalina. They are some really special people and I know they have been prepared to hear the gospel at this time. Forgive me for my lack of other letters, I've got a bunch I finished up today that I'm sending out. Just know that I'm working hard and that I love you all! I hope preparation for the start of school is going well and that you are excited for it to start again. I know I am- it means families are back from vacation and people meet all sorts of new people they can talk to about the church.
Love you all more than the new peppers I discovered this week!
Love,
Hna. Koerner
Monday, September 17, 2012
Spiritual Strength 8/06/12
Dear Family and Friends-
It has been another wonderful, albeit hot, week here in Houston. We are progressing well with several of our investigators and a daughter of one of the less actives is starting to investigate the church. The youth are excited to get involved and go teaching with us this next week. Elizabeth came to church again this week and is getting more and more comfortable. As the start of school approaches the families are returning from vacations and I think I've met almost everyone now. It makes such a difference to be able to know who's who, call them by their name, remember their family. The key to the missionary work, and especially in this little branch, is our relationship with the members.This last week we had our first exchanges! I went over to a neighboring area with Hna. Pacific and Hna Crowley. Hna Dement stayed here and another sister, Hna Casaday came to Oakcrest with her. For 24 hours we were on exchanges and it was really fun to see how other missionaries do missionary work. Still obedient, still doing everything, just a bit differently. It gave me some ideas on how Hna Dement and I can find more balance. I've only been here in Texas for a month but already I love the other sister missionaries in the Spanish program- they are just wonderful. So still in 1 Nephi. I was studying over Laman and Lemuel- in chapter 2 verse 12 it tells about the scriptural pattern of disobedient sons. So I looked at those example of Cain, sons of Mosiah, Alma the Younger etc. And I wondered- what is the difference between how Laman and Lemuel ended up and the sons of Mosiah and Alma? In Alma 17:2-3 it tells us why. After their spiritual experiences, the sons of Mosiah/Alma searched the scriptures, prayed and fasted to understand Heavenly Father. They both had angels and other spiritual experiences ( the sons of prophets), but it's what they chose to do afterward that determined their conversion to the gospel. And I love in chapter 4 verse 2 as Nephi tells his brothers to be strong that he compares it to Moses and parting the Red Sea. Yes, strength like Moses, Daniel, David, and Samson is the more visible kind of strength. But there is immense strength in the meekness and humility, the merciful (1 Ne 1:20), the virtue like Joseph in Egypt, and the teaching of the 2000 stripling warriors by their mothers (Alma 57). Spiritual strength is manifest in our habits, not in one or two events.
Love you all lots and every day is full of miracles- especially when we are looking for and acknowledging them.
-Hermana Kristi Koerner
It has been another wonderful, albeit hot, week here in Houston. We are progressing well with several of our investigators and a daughter of one of the less actives is starting to investigate the church. The youth are excited to get involved and go teaching with us this next week. Elizabeth came to church again this week and is getting more and more comfortable. As the start of school approaches the families are returning from vacations and I think I've met almost everyone now. It makes such a difference to be able to know who's who, call them by their name, remember their family. The key to the missionary work, and especially in this little branch, is our relationship with the members.This last week we had our first exchanges! I went over to a neighboring area with Hna. Pacific and Hna Crowley. Hna Dement stayed here and another sister, Hna Casaday came to Oakcrest with her. For 24 hours we were on exchanges and it was really fun to see how other missionaries do missionary work. Still obedient, still doing everything, just a bit differently. It gave me some ideas on how Hna Dement and I can find more balance. I've only been here in Texas for a month but already I love the other sister missionaries in the Spanish program- they are just wonderful. So still in 1 Nephi. I was studying over Laman and Lemuel- in chapter 2 verse 12 it tells about the scriptural pattern of disobedient sons. So I looked at those example of Cain, sons of Mosiah, Alma the Younger etc. And I wondered- what is the difference between how Laman and Lemuel ended up and the sons of Mosiah and Alma? In Alma 17:2-3 it tells us why. After their spiritual experiences, the sons of Mosiah/Alma searched the scriptures, prayed and fasted to understand Heavenly Father. They both had angels and other spiritual experiences ( the sons of prophets), but it's what they chose to do afterward that determined their conversion to the gospel. And I love in chapter 4 verse 2 as Nephi tells his brothers to be strong that he compares it to Moses and parting the Red Sea. Yes, strength like Moses, Daniel, David, and Samson is the more visible kind of strength. But there is immense strength in the meekness and humility, the merciful (1 Ne 1:20), the virtue like Joseph in Egypt, and the teaching of the 2000 stripling warriors by their mothers (Alma 57). Spiritual strength is manifest in our habits, not in one or two events.
Love you all lots and every day is full of miracles- especially when we are looking for and acknowledging them.
-Hermana Kristi Koerner
1 Nephi 3:7- 7/30/12
Dearest Family and Friends-
I have certainly seen this week how the Lord prepares a way if we will but go and do what He commands. It's humbling to see the instances where Heavenly Father is using me specifically to act as an instrument to reach out to another one of his children. And the prepared way didn't come the first time Nephi and his brothers went back to Jerusalem- they had to go back two more times. But as we are obedient and listen to the Spirit, the way is always shown to us. Sometimes it is almost comically clique how hard this work is- one day all of our appointments canceled on us, then it poured on us while we were tracting, we got yelled at by some Jehovah's Witnesses, etc, etc. I just kept smiling having studied Nephi's obedience that morning. I think my companion thought I was finally cracking, but we had a good laugh and kept working. Sometimes we're felt impressed to walk to various appointments, and then they weren't there and we'd already knocked that street, so we'd walk back to the car. Every single time a car has stopped and asked who we are, or said that they'd seen us before and wanted to know more. Right?! Most of the time it's a gentleman or a family. Hna. Dement teases me and says it never happened to her until I came, so together we must be so attractive and just glowing so much they have to stop and talk to us. I mentioned last week about the diversity of the people here both in their origen and their circumstances. I failed to mention however that Texas is definitely in the Bible belt and there are churches on every corner. Big churches and cathedrals with thousands of members and weekly attendance. And hundreds of smaller ones all over the place. People here in Texas actually really love to talk about religion- not necessarily your religion, but still- they believe in Christ and are open to religion. I choose to see that as a blessing. Within our member in the branch, some live in nice areas and others live in trailers. When I remarked on that to Hna Dement, she told me that the families or individuals that are following all the commandments live in the nice neighborhoods and do well. They still work hard and often have simple things, but they always have everything they need. She said that in every family that is struggling, there is a commandment they are not keeping. I've always had faith that obedience would care for us, but the evidence here is pretty blatant. Maybe it's that way other places and I didn't recognize it.
We had a wonderful week and we able to find and start teaching several new families. I love teaching them how to pray to Heavenly Father. Then I see them open up and they talk to Him, maybe for the first time. It's absolutely beautiful. You can really tell when they are ready. Also Elizabeth, whom we've been teaching for about five weeks now, came to church yesterday for the first time with her son Jesse!!!! They also presented the ward mission plan to the entire ward for the 5th Sunday meeting and it was wonderful! It's pretty unique in this branch that about 90% of the members are converts. Very few have grown up in the church and many have the desire to share it with all they can. We just have to figure out how to best help, support, and utilize all this missionary spirit : ) Thanks for all the prayers from everyone, for me, my companion, and our investigators this week. I really felt them all. We are going to have exchanges for the first time ( for me since I got here) this week and I'm so excited. I'll be going to a neighboring area and I'll tell more about it next week. I'm praying for all of you and I'm so grateful for all your love and support in letters, prayers, and everything you do for me.
All my love,
Hermana Koerner
I have certainly seen this week how the Lord prepares a way if we will but go and do what He commands. It's humbling to see the instances where Heavenly Father is using me specifically to act as an instrument to reach out to another one of his children. And the prepared way didn't come the first time Nephi and his brothers went back to Jerusalem- they had to go back two more times. But as we are obedient and listen to the Spirit, the way is always shown to us. Sometimes it is almost comically clique how hard this work is- one day all of our appointments canceled on us, then it poured on us while we were tracting, we got yelled at by some Jehovah's Witnesses, etc, etc. I just kept smiling having studied Nephi's obedience that morning. I think my companion thought I was finally cracking, but we had a good laugh and kept working. Sometimes we're felt impressed to walk to various appointments, and then they weren't there and we'd already knocked that street, so we'd walk back to the car. Every single time a car has stopped and asked who we are, or said that they'd seen us before and wanted to know more. Right?! Most of the time it's a gentleman or a family. Hna. Dement teases me and says it never happened to her until I came, so together we must be so attractive and just glowing so much they have to stop and talk to us. I mentioned last week about the diversity of the people here both in their origen and their circumstances. I failed to mention however that Texas is definitely in the Bible belt and there are churches on every corner. Big churches and cathedrals with thousands of members and weekly attendance. And hundreds of smaller ones all over the place. People here in Texas actually really love to talk about religion- not necessarily your religion, but still- they believe in Christ and are open to religion. I choose to see that as a blessing. Within our member in the branch, some live in nice areas and others live in trailers. When I remarked on that to Hna Dement, she told me that the families or individuals that are following all the commandments live in the nice neighborhoods and do well. They still work hard and often have simple things, but they always have everything they need. She said that in every family that is struggling, there is a commandment they are not keeping. I've always had faith that obedience would care for us, but the evidence here is pretty blatant. Maybe it's that way other places and I didn't recognize it.
We had a wonderful week and we able to find and start teaching several new families. I love teaching them how to pray to Heavenly Father. Then I see them open up and they talk to Him, maybe for the first time. It's absolutely beautiful. You can really tell when they are ready. Also Elizabeth, whom we've been teaching for about five weeks now, came to church yesterday for the first time with her son Jesse!!!! They also presented the ward mission plan to the entire ward for the 5th Sunday meeting and it was wonderful! It's pretty unique in this branch that about 90% of the members are converts. Very few have grown up in the church and many have the desire to share it with all they can. We just have to figure out how to best help, support, and utilize all this missionary spirit : ) Thanks for all the prayers from everyone, for me, my companion, and our investigators this week. I really felt them all. We are going to have exchanges for the first time ( for me since I got here) this week and I'm so excited. I'll be going to a neighboring area and I'll tell more about it next week. I'm praying for all of you and I'm so grateful for all your love and support in letters, prayers, and everything you do for me.
All my love,
Hermana Koerner
I've Died and Gone to Texas 7/23/12
Dear Family and Friends-
First of all, Happy Birthday Jason (a day late, but I was thinking it all yesterday too!)!!! Hope you got my card and know that I love you tons! So much to tell it's been a busy week. Our area is a bit unique in the fact that it has a little bit of everything- trailer parks (which are our favorite to go knocking in) as well as mansions. Sometimes neighboring each other even! So far we find and teach people in the first kind of area, but I've met members from all different backgrounds in the ward. Not only that, but Houston itself is kind of a melting pot with people from all over. Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, El Salvador (they make these really good things called papousas(?), Nicaragua, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia are some of the countries of the people I've met. Like I mentioned last week, we are working hard with the ward to assist less active members. Depending on the situation we are going in and reteaching lessons and finding out needs of each family and helping the ward meet those needs- sometimes by finding a family to befriend them, getting them home and visiting teachers (super important!), and an assignment or calling in the ward. Just before I arrived here, a less active family which the sisters had been working with was sealed in the temple. That has become a goal we set with our part member and less active families. We want them to enjoy all of the blessings of the gospel through in the temple. We are working right now with with Rosi and Julio as well as the Rivera family towards that goal. Yesterday was exciting as the missionaries were invited to participate in the ward council in which we made a ward mission plan. If you are hearing choirs of angels after reading that, then we're on the same page about how incredibly wonderful that it! We were able to share with the branch the goals of the mission as a whole and some of the goals of our area and together with the branch counsel came up with goals for Finding, Teaching, Baptizing, and Retention. One goal in particular is to pray and search for families who are ready to receive the gospel. Hna. Dement and I have been praying for a family since day one and this week we found two families!!! Nielsen and Dominga with their three little boys and Emma and her whole family. With both families in our first meetings with them, I felt a special spirit in their homes. They are open and searching for something more. I ask for prayers for them that we can teach them and they might receive it.
Just a fun note about the food here. Latino culture has lots of food. Lots of good food. Lots of fried food. And spicy food. One of our appointments gave us burgers, which had pickles on it. I didn't dare pick it off because I didn't want to be rude, so I ate pickles for the first time in over a decade! Only I found out after that Hna. Dement hates pickles too and she picked them off : ) Also, I decided that I'm going to need to get used to the spicy food here. Some people are nice and warn you. Others like to surprise the missionaries. So I'm trying to condition my tongue to handle it. I try every spicy salsa, every pepper, every spicy sauce (except the ones labeled Spicy Death) so far. There have been a few moments where I couldn't feel my tongue or my mouth, lol. But the people know that I'm trying to explore their culture and that I'm grateful for their hospitality. I'm sure I will have lots of fun with this through the mission.
I've found one of the challenges of the mission is to find the right balance. Between the sheer hard work, obedience, and diligence as well as listening to the Spirit, taking more time in a lesson as an investigator is opening up so you can answer their questions and help them, and doing all those things to show support and love to the members. Being a full time missionary, we are committed to doing the Lord's work 24/7. The key is being in tune with the Spirit to know what His work for us is for us today, this hour, with this investigator or member, and with the words He wants us to say. Part of that balance comes from our morning studies, but right now is a bit of an adjustment stage. I hope I'm explaining that all right.
I finished the Book of Mormon this week and my heart ached as I read the destruction of the Jaredite and Nephite nations more than it ever has before. I cried with Ether and Mormon and Moroni as they mourned the wickedness and destruction of their people. I'm not a prophet, but I'm a full-time servant of the Lord who loves the people of the Houston Mission, Oakcrest branch, with all of my heart. I mourn with them as they struggle with family problems, finding work, or holding onto their faith. I laugh with them at the simple joys and rejoice in their successes. Moroni 7:48 says that when we see Christ again, we will see him as He is, that we will be purified even as he is pure. It comes right after the discourse on charity. Verse 48 says we have faith to see Him as He is, a hope that this will happen, and a purification, and I think that it through charity. This love I feel for this people is beyond even my own capacity- it truly is the love of the Lord for this people. And the perfection of charity allows us to calm our fears, forgive faults, accept flaws, as well as humbles us and allows us to shift our focus towards others as the Savior does. I'm not even close tp perfect at this yet, but I know Heavenly Father is helping me. I send all my love and prayers your way,
Love, Hermana Koerner
First of all, Happy Birthday Jason (a day late, but I was thinking it all yesterday too!)!!! Hope you got my card and know that I love you tons! So much to tell it's been a busy week. Our area is a bit unique in the fact that it has a little bit of everything- trailer parks (which are our favorite to go knocking in) as well as mansions. Sometimes neighboring each other even! So far we find and teach people in the first kind of area, but I've met members from all different backgrounds in the ward. Not only that, but Houston itself is kind of a melting pot with people from all over. Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, Peru, El Salvador (they make these really good things called papousas(?), Nicaragua, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia are some of the countries of the people I've met. Like I mentioned last week, we are working hard with the ward to assist less active members. Depending on the situation we are going in and reteaching lessons and finding out needs of each family and helping the ward meet those needs- sometimes by finding a family to befriend them, getting them home and visiting teachers (super important!), and an assignment or calling in the ward. Just before I arrived here, a less active family which the sisters had been working with was sealed in the temple. That has become a goal we set with our part member and less active families. We want them to enjoy all of the blessings of the gospel through in the temple. We are working right now with with Rosi and Julio as well as the Rivera family towards that goal. Yesterday was exciting as the missionaries were invited to participate in the ward council in which we made a ward mission plan. If you are hearing choirs of angels after reading that, then we're on the same page about how incredibly wonderful that it! We were able to share with the branch the goals of the mission as a whole and some of the goals of our area and together with the branch counsel came up with goals for Finding, Teaching, Baptizing, and Retention. One goal in particular is to pray and search for families who are ready to receive the gospel. Hna. Dement and I have been praying for a family since day one and this week we found two families!!! Nielsen and Dominga with their three little boys and Emma and her whole family. With both families in our first meetings with them, I felt a special spirit in their homes. They are open and searching for something more. I ask for prayers for them that we can teach them and they might receive it.
Just a fun note about the food here. Latino culture has lots of food. Lots of good food. Lots of fried food. And spicy food. One of our appointments gave us burgers, which had pickles on it. I didn't dare pick it off because I didn't want to be rude, so I ate pickles for the first time in over a decade! Only I found out after that Hna. Dement hates pickles too and she picked them off : ) Also, I decided that I'm going to need to get used to the spicy food here. Some people are nice and warn you. Others like to surprise the missionaries. So I'm trying to condition my tongue to handle it. I try every spicy salsa, every pepper, every spicy sauce (except the ones labeled Spicy Death) so far. There have been a few moments where I couldn't feel my tongue or my mouth, lol. But the people know that I'm trying to explore their culture and that I'm grateful for their hospitality. I'm sure I will have lots of fun with this through the mission.
I've found one of the challenges of the mission is to find the right balance. Between the sheer hard work, obedience, and diligence as well as listening to the Spirit, taking more time in a lesson as an investigator is opening up so you can answer their questions and help them, and doing all those things to show support and love to the members. Being a full time missionary, we are committed to doing the Lord's work 24/7. The key is being in tune with the Spirit to know what His work for us is for us today, this hour, with this investigator or member, and with the words He wants us to say. Part of that balance comes from our morning studies, but right now is a bit of an adjustment stage. I hope I'm explaining that all right.
I finished the Book of Mormon this week and my heart ached as I read the destruction of the Jaredite and Nephite nations more than it ever has before. I cried with Ether and Mormon and Moroni as they mourned the wickedness and destruction of their people. I'm not a prophet, but I'm a full-time servant of the Lord who loves the people of the Houston Mission, Oakcrest branch, with all of my heart. I mourn with them as they struggle with family problems, finding work, or holding onto their faith. I laugh with them at the simple joys and rejoice in their successes. Moroni 7:48 says that when we see Christ again, we will see him as He is, that we will be purified even as he is pure. It comes right after the discourse on charity. Verse 48 says we have faith to see Him as He is, a hope that this will happen, and a purification, and I think that it through charity. This love I feel for this people is beyond even my own capacity- it truly is the love of the Lord for this people. And the perfection of charity allows us to calm our fears, forgive faults, accept flaws, as well as humbles us and allows us to shift our focus towards others as the Savior does. I'm not even close tp perfect at this yet, but I know Heavenly Father is helping me. I send all my love and prayers your way,
Love, Hermana Koerner
I'm In Houston 7/16/12
I'm In Houston- July 16th
Dear Friends and Family!!!
I"M IN HOUSTON!!!! Well, more specifically I'm in the Oakcrest Spanish branch area about an hour north of downtown Houston. I was surprised as we flew in at how green everything is here- it's kind of a swamp/rain forest. Especially since it's rained really hard since I got here. In fact there is a bayou not far from our apartment with alligators and everything : ) Today the sun came out and I'm feeling a bit of that Texas heat everyone told me about. Rain or shine- I love it here! My trainer is Hermana Dement, from California and she's a redhead like me! She makes me laugh and is teaching me how to have fun while we work hard. This area used to be one of the largest areas in the mission with just sisters in it. Just before I got here they divided it up and added Spanish elders ( well, there are English elders here too, but it doesn't quite count.). So now there are the four missionaries in the branch and we're still figuring out our "new" areas and which members each of us have. But it's also great because if there's a single sister in the elder's area we can go teach her and vice versa. I'm so grateful I was able to call home for a few minutes from the airport on Wednesday, and I'm sorry it kept cutting us off. Sad that only a few were home, but know that I love ya'll. Yeah that's right- a bit of Texas for you. After a night in the mission home, we went to transfer meeting in the morning where I was placed with Hna Dement. It was still raining so luggage was really fun. After a bit of training, we set off for the area. After dropping things off at the apartment we got straight to work, teaching five lessons Thursday night. My Spanish is actually pretty good, people keep telling me. They don't believe me when I say this is my first area. Not only can I teach relatively clearly, I can converse and they understand me. I can understand a lot, but sometimes when they talk fast or use lots of slang I get a little lost. But I'm becoming a champion listener- I don't think I've ever been that attentive in a sacrament meeting before!!! : ) We are working with the ward in the effort for the menos activos (less-actives). It's such a joy to visit them and help them- you can feel their testimonies and we can make the difference or offer the little help they need to return. One of our less-actives, William, received a calling this week which was super exciting. And, a ward mission leader was just called. Hna Dement says they haven't had one since she got here, so the work is on the point of explosion here. I try to talk to everyone, but sometimes we really do have to get where we're trying to go and Hna tells me we have to keep moving : ) I have felt an overwhelming love for the people here, from the first lesson here to meeting the ward yesterday. Heavenly Father knows and loves these people. I know there is tons to say, but I'm mind is going so fast I don't know what else to share. Just a though from studies- Ether 2:25 . The Lord prepares a way for us as we travel through " the great deep"- this life and it's turbulence, afflictions, temptations, and the trials of this world. As we are "tight like a dish", through making and keeping covenants, we are protected from the storms that rage all around us. Joseph Smith said " I was meant to swim in deep water" and so are we in these latter days, but the Lord will not leave us. He has given us the path, the way to travel home.
All my love,
Hermana Koerner
P.S. My street address is 1011 Village Square Dr. Apt 535, Tomball TX 77375 for all letters and packages or letters can still go to the mission office address on Hafer Rd.
Dear Friends and Family!!!
I"M IN HOUSTON!!!! Well, more specifically I'm in the Oakcrest Spanish branch area about an hour north of downtown Houston. I was surprised as we flew in at how green everything is here- it's kind of a swamp/rain forest. Especially since it's rained really hard since I got here. In fact there is a bayou not far from our apartment with alligators and everything : ) Today the sun came out and I'm feeling a bit of that Texas heat everyone told me about. Rain or shine- I love it here! My trainer is Hermana Dement, from California and she's a redhead like me! She makes me laugh and is teaching me how to have fun while we work hard. This area used to be one of the largest areas in the mission with just sisters in it. Just before I got here they divided it up and added Spanish elders ( well, there are English elders here too, but it doesn't quite count.). So now there are the four missionaries in the branch and we're still figuring out our "new" areas and which members each of us have. But it's also great because if there's a single sister in the elder's area we can go teach her and vice versa. I'm so grateful I was able to call home for a few minutes from the airport on Wednesday, and I'm sorry it kept cutting us off. Sad that only a few were home, but know that I love ya'll. Yeah that's right- a bit of Texas for you. After a night in the mission home, we went to transfer meeting in the morning where I was placed with Hna Dement. It was still raining so luggage was really fun. After a bit of training, we set off for the area. After dropping things off at the apartment we got straight to work, teaching five lessons Thursday night. My Spanish is actually pretty good, people keep telling me. They don't believe me when I say this is my first area. Not only can I teach relatively clearly, I can converse and they understand me. I can understand a lot, but sometimes when they talk fast or use lots of slang I get a little lost. But I'm becoming a champion listener- I don't think I've ever been that attentive in a sacrament meeting before!!! : ) We are working with the ward in the effort for the menos activos (less-actives). It's such a joy to visit them and help them- you can feel their testimonies and we can make the difference or offer the little help they need to return. One of our less-actives, William, received a calling this week which was super exciting. And, a ward mission leader was just called. Hna Dement says they haven't had one since she got here, so the work is on the point of explosion here. I try to talk to everyone, but sometimes we really do have to get where we're trying to go and Hna tells me we have to keep moving : ) I have felt an overwhelming love for the people here, from the first lesson here to meeting the ward yesterday. Heavenly Father knows and loves these people. I know there is tons to say, but I'm mind is going so fast I don't know what else to share. Just a though from studies- Ether 2:25 . The Lord prepares a way for us as we travel through " the great deep"- this life and it's turbulence, afflictions, temptations, and the trials of this world. As we are "tight like a dish", through making and keeping covenants, we are protected from the storms that rage all around us. Joseph Smith said " I was meant to swim in deep water" and so are we in these latter days, but the Lord will not leave us. He has given us the path, the way to travel home.
All my love,
Hermana Koerner
P.S. My street address is 1011 Village Square Dr. Apt 535, Tomball TX 77375 for all letters and packages or letters can still go to the mission office address on Hafer Rd.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Final Week in the MTC 7/7/12
Dearest Family and Friends-
Where has the time gone? I
feel like I just arrived and suddenly I am doing in-field training. This
week was busy and different with the 4th of July in the middle. For the
4th of July it was a regular schedule until about 8pm, when we had a
special devotional/fireside. They really made it a celebration on
freedom around the world as we recognized the many Latter-day Saints
gathered here from around the world. A local judge spoke and they
presented all the flags of the world. Afterwards we were able to go
outside and watch the fireworks from the Stadium of Fire. The only
problem was that we were allowed to be out latter than normal and didn't
get into the halls until 11ish. I felt like I'd turned into a pumpkin.
It didn't help that they''d given us ice cream and many of the sisters
were a bit hyper : ) But on this holiday, when I miss Charley a lot, I
was able to teach the Plan of Salvation in one of our lessons. As we
taught about being with our families for eternity, I started crying. The
elders pretended not to notice, especially since I never cry in front
of them, so I think they didn''t know what to do. But I know Heavenly
Father gave me that blessing to teach that to bring comfort to my soul.
Being our last week here, our district has been working hard to get
prepared and stay focused at the same time. Not an easy task. We''ve
pushed ourselves and each other really hard with the language - and we
all speak fairly fluently. So we tried to be a bit kinder on ourselves
this week and focused more on the gospel and our testimonies. Within my
companionship, with Elder Hill and Elder Childs, we set a goal to focus
on the Atonement. And when you set a goal to study something it always
seems to be in every workshop, class, and lesson. I''m so grateful for
that! Monday we had a workshop on how the Atonement is the central part
of the Restoration. When we talk about the apostasy we tend to focus on
the loss of the priesthood authority, but we must realize that the heart
of what was lost was how to access the Atonement. And that is part of
the fulness of the Restoration. For the Atonement is the gospel and the
gospel is the Atonement. Even if everything else had been restored, we
would still not be able to return to Heavenly Father. We talked about
how if we don''t include the Atonement in our message, then we are just
sharing information. But when we testify of the Savior and the
Atonement, we are offering salvation. I also focused on the light of the
Savior and the Atonement throughout the Libro de Mormon. There is a
beautiful and direct relationship between teachings of the Savior and
references to light in the entire book! I could study the Atonement my
entire mission and still not begin to comprehend less than one percent,
but I''m going to study it anyway.
At one moment last week, I was feeling a bit discouraged and
lonely. After working so hard, I felt that I almost couldn't give
anymore. I opened up my scriptures immediately for some relief and it
fell open to Mormon 5:23- "" Know ye not that ye are in the hands of
God?" I do know that I am in the hands of God. When I can't give
anymore, the enabling power of the Atonement makes me better than I am
and the person I want to become to serve Heavenly Father.
We studied and discussed a lot about becoming this week. Who we
want to become through our missions, not just what we want to do. I
think I''m realizing personal a mission experience is. I can share
thoughts and scriptures with you all, but it is hard to share this
process of becoming. I always wondered growing up why Dad didn''t talk
more about his mission, but I think I understand better. Dad became
someone on his mission- the father I know and love. And the things he
did on the mission were secondary to that. I set some goals on who I
want to become so I'll share those quickly before I'm out of time.
I want to be a woman of light.
I want to be a woman who knows exactly who she is and allows that to change everything.
I want to be a woman who understands true power- that it comes from her divinity and her Father in Heaven.
I want to become a woman who "turns out".
I want to become a woman who moves forward with faith when the storms come.
I want to become a woman who is constantly progressing.
I want to be a woman who lets go of anger, bitterness, pain, and tragedy.
I want to be a woman who embraced the Atonement and applies is daily.
I
love you all! It was so good to hear from Cortney this week through
email!!! I''d love to hear from others as well. I fly out Wednesday
morning and am allowed to call from the airport!
Love, Hermana Kristi Koerner
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