Dear Family-
These last weeks of summer have flown by and it was the sign of change when children were walking to the buses this morning. School is back in session and as such, the schedules of everyone become a bit more normal and predictable. And the blast of heat is almost over and now we are starting to have beautiful warm weather that will probably last til November or December. We are teaching this trio of brothers right now that are just so incredibly prepared. We started teaching the youngest weeks ago and he was a bit flaky, but has a desire to be baptized. Then his older brothers came. One just barely called us and said he is looking for inner peace. They told us that they have lived in the world and haven't found what they want. It is exciting to see such desire to change and find what matters most. We set a baptismal date for two of them for the beginning of October and we hope to help the third one set a date tonight. Please keep them in your prayers.
We had a wonderful stake conference yesterday with messages on family history, missionary work, and the family. I especially loved our Stake President's message on overcoming adversity and becoming who we need to be. He told a story of a donkey that fell into a hole. The farmer decided to fill the hole with dirt, to both fix the hole and allow the donkey to get out. At first the shovelfuls of dirt scared the donkey as they landed on his back. But he shook it off and stepped up. As he did that, slowly and surely he was able to get out. Sometimes the very things that weigh on our shoulders, are the things that are helping us climb higher. He also shared the story of the princess and the frog. But he told more of the back story. The prince was kind of sleazy beforehand. He went to dirty places, used foul language, was lazy and dirty in his habits. One day he offended a witch and she turned him into a frog so he could he could live among the dirty and lowly frogs. And only a princess could turn him into a prince again. For several years, the prince enjoyed being a frog. Playing, swimming, eating, waiting for when his princess would come along. One day he realized however that princesses do not come to dirty places where most frogs live. So he had to clean up and go where one can find princesses. And the rest of the story is history...or rather, fiction. But you know what I mean.
I was re-reading the talk by President Uchtdorf called Love of God. I put the link to avoid putting in the whole talk in my email, but it is really good! Here are just a few quotes that I absolutely love!
"Because love is the great commandment, it ought to be at the center of all and everything we do in our own family, in our Church callings, and in our livelihood. Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. It is the bond that unites families, communities, and nations. Love is the power that initiates friendship, tolerance, civility, and respect. It is the source that overcomes divisiveness and hate. Love is the fire that warms our lives with unparalleled joy and divine hope. Love should be our walk and our talk. When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful. Our lives take on new meaning. Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden.."
"For what we love determines what we seek. What we seek determines what we think and do. What we think and do determines who we are—and who we will become."
"God does not look on the outward appearance. I believe that He doesn't care one bit if we live in a castle or a cottage, if we are handsome or homely, if we are famous or forgotten. Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God’s love encompasses us completely"
"Love is the guiding light that illuminates the disciple’s path and fills our daily walk with life, meaning, and wonder. Love is the measure of our faith, the inspiration for our obedience, and the true altitude of our discipleship. Love is the way of the disciple"
If there is one thing I have learned on my mission, it is that love is the defining attribute of a disciple of Christ. I've learned how to love in so many ways that I didn't know were possible before.
Love,
Hermana Kristi Koerner
Alma 34:40-41 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have patience, and that ye bear with all manner of afflictions; that ye do not revile against those who do cast you out because of your exceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them; But that ye have patience, and bear with those afflictions, with a firm hope that ye shall one day rest from all your afflictions.
Monday, August 26, 2013
Mosiah 18:1-2 8/19/13
Dear Family-
So this week is one for the books. In the hard soul-stretching kind of way. But you know what they say about a stretched soul? That it's like a violin- it only makes music when it is stretched. But I thought that for the sake of positive attitudes and looking for the best, I will just share some of the miracles with you. After a minor car accident we were involved in, we were able to teach the family from the other car the message of the Restoration. They just moved here and are looking for a church : ) We gave them a Book of Mormon, pamphlets, and a Restoration video! And we got their address to send missionaries. Tender mercies.
Another one has to do with a large family in the ward. The family has 12 kids, now all grown with families of their own. More than half of the families live in the ward, but several are less active. We set up a family home evening with one family, and it morphed into a whole family get together. Including several members that we have been praying to get in with came as well. We played a plan of salvation game and soon everyone was involved and discussing the plan. It was a powerful teaching moment. Part of the game we roll a dice, and I loved being able to explain that, unlike the game, in life we are able to choose for ourselves if we are going to make certain decisions and accept the gospel.
Another miracle- another sister of the ward that we visited, opened up to us about her daughter (about our age) that is living a very difficult and dangerous lifestyle. As she shared the love of a mother for her daughter and for us, we all cried. We are all going to fast and pray for her daughter, but the Hermana showed us so much through her example of faith and trusting in the Lord.
Still another blessing was the chance to have exchanges with the Bear Creek ward sisters. Hna Rife (former wonderful companion) came here and I went to her area. It was a wonderful time and I was able to meet many great people. Some people that you just meet once but you feel like you have known them your whole life- a couple of those kind ; )
In my studies in the Book of Mormon on Christ, I was reading in Mosiah 18 about the waters of Mormon and Alma baptizing. But as I read this time thinking about Christ, a chapter that has always been about baptism for me became a chapter incredibly focused on Christ. Mosiah 18:1-2 "And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven."
And just a phrase stood out to me from Elder Ballard's book while I was thinking about the family: "While salvation is an individual matter, exaltation is a family matter."- Elder Ballard. How wonderful is that! We are each saved and redeemed on a personal level, but in order to be exalted, we need our families. It is not exaltation to live forever alone, rather to live forever progressing as a family.
Love you all lots,
Hermana Kristi Koerner
So this week is one for the books. In the hard soul-stretching kind of way. But you know what they say about a stretched soul? That it's like a violin- it only makes music when it is stretched. But I thought that for the sake of positive attitudes and looking for the best, I will just share some of the miracles with you. After a minor car accident we were involved in, we were able to teach the family from the other car the message of the Restoration. They just moved here and are looking for a church : ) We gave them a Book of Mormon, pamphlets, and a Restoration video! And we got their address to send missionaries. Tender mercies.
Another one has to do with a large family in the ward. The family has 12 kids, now all grown with families of their own. More than half of the families live in the ward, but several are less active. We set up a family home evening with one family, and it morphed into a whole family get together. Including several members that we have been praying to get in with came as well. We played a plan of salvation game and soon everyone was involved and discussing the plan. It was a powerful teaching moment. Part of the game we roll a dice, and I loved being able to explain that, unlike the game, in life we are able to choose for ourselves if we are going to make certain decisions and accept the gospel.
Another miracle- another sister of the ward that we visited, opened up to us about her daughter (about our age) that is living a very difficult and dangerous lifestyle. As she shared the love of a mother for her daughter and for us, we all cried. We are all going to fast and pray for her daughter, but the Hermana showed us so much through her example of faith and trusting in the Lord.
Still another blessing was the chance to have exchanges with the Bear Creek ward sisters. Hna Rife (former wonderful companion) came here and I went to her area. It was a wonderful time and I was able to meet many great people. Some people that you just meet once but you feel like you have known them your whole life- a couple of those kind ; )
In my studies in the Book of Mormon on Christ, I was reading in Mosiah 18 about the waters of Mormon and Alma baptizing. But as I read this time thinking about Christ, a chapter that has always been about baptism for me became a chapter incredibly focused on Christ. Mosiah 18:1-2 "And now, it came to pass that Alma, who had fled from the servants of king Noah, repented of his sins and iniquities, and went about privately among the people, and began to teach the words of Abinadi—Yea, concerning that which was to come, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the redemption of the people, which was to be brought to pass through the power, and sufferings, and death of Christ, and his resurrection and ascension into heaven."
And just a phrase stood out to me from Elder Ballard's book while I was thinking about the family: "While salvation is an individual matter, exaltation is a family matter."- Elder Ballard. How wonderful is that! We are each saved and redeemed on a personal level, but in order to be exalted, we need our families. It is not exaltation to live forever alone, rather to live forever progressing as a family.
Love you all lots,
Hermana Kristi Koerner
Monday, August 12, 2013
Mosiah 5:13 8/12/13
Dear Family,
August is here and with it all the preparations for school and life only gets better as a missionary. Yesterday I was able to return to H6 for the baptism of Juan, my old investigator. It was a very sweet experience and the Spirit was strong as he was baptized. I have some pictures I will attach or send shortly. We got there just before it was supposed to start, but it was delayed because someone forgot to watch the font and it overflowed. It was good to see the members and missionaries in H6, but there was also a confirming feeling that it wasn't "my ward" as a missionary. I don't know, just a different feeling. I have some wonderful friends and relationships there but I am no longer responsible for that area as a missionary. Wow.
We've continued working with genealogy and the members and we are seeing miracles!!! Right and left. It is wonderful to see the Spirit of Elijah spread and with it the excitement to share the gospel. We had zone meeting this week focusing on the Book of Mormon and it's role in the work. The more I study the Book of Mormon, the more I love it and it's words are engraven upon my heart. I know I could say that one of the greatest take aways from my mission would be a profound love for the Book of Mormon.
This morning, since the libraries open late, we went and did Zumba at one of the members houses. We danced for a few hours and then ate pancakes for lunch.
Lots of good studies this week, but I really loved this quote from Sister Elaine S. Dalton: "On that fall day in Huntsville, Utah [when she met Sister McKay], I was reminded of my divine identity, and I learned about what I now call “deep beauty”—the kind of beauty that shines from the inside out. It is the kind of beauty that cannot be painted on, surgically created, or purchased. It is the kind of beauty that doesn’t wash off. It is spiritual attractiveness. Deep beauty springs from virtue. It is the beauty of being chaste and morally clean. It is the kind of beauty that you see in the eyes of virtuous women like your mother and grandmother. It is a beauty that is earned through faith, repentance, and honoring covenants. The world places so much emphasis on physical attractiveness and would have you believe that you are to look like the elusive model on the cover of a magazine. The Lord would tell you that you are each uniquely beautiful. When you are virtuous, chaste, and morally clean, your inner beauty glows in your eyes and in your face. My grandfather used to say, “If you live close to God and His infinite grace—you won’t have to tell, it will show in your face.” When you are worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you are confident and your inner beauty shines brightly. And so “let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and … the Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion.”
Sorry I don't have tons of details, but it was a great week and we are excited for wonderful things that are happening in our zone and area. Please pray for us to find new investigators this week.
Love you all lots.
-Hermana Koerner
P.S. Mosiah 5:13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?
August is here and with it all the preparations for school and life only gets better as a missionary. Yesterday I was able to return to H6 for the baptism of Juan, my old investigator. It was a very sweet experience and the Spirit was strong as he was baptized. I have some pictures I will attach or send shortly. We got there just before it was supposed to start, but it was delayed because someone forgot to watch the font and it overflowed. It was good to see the members and missionaries in H6, but there was also a confirming feeling that it wasn't "my ward" as a missionary. I don't know, just a different feeling. I have some wonderful friends and relationships there but I am no longer responsible for that area as a missionary. Wow.
We've continued working with genealogy and the members and we are seeing miracles!!! Right and left. It is wonderful to see the Spirit of Elijah spread and with it the excitement to share the gospel. We had zone meeting this week focusing on the Book of Mormon and it's role in the work. The more I study the Book of Mormon, the more I love it and it's words are engraven upon my heart. I know I could say that one of the greatest take aways from my mission would be a profound love for the Book of Mormon.
This morning, since the libraries open late, we went and did Zumba at one of the members houses. We danced for a few hours and then ate pancakes for lunch.
Lots of good studies this week, but I really loved this quote from Sister Elaine S. Dalton: "On that fall day in Huntsville, Utah [when she met Sister McKay], I was reminded of my divine identity, and I learned about what I now call “deep beauty”—the kind of beauty that shines from the inside out. It is the kind of beauty that cannot be painted on, surgically created, or purchased. It is the kind of beauty that doesn’t wash off. It is spiritual attractiveness. Deep beauty springs from virtue. It is the beauty of being chaste and morally clean. It is the kind of beauty that you see in the eyes of virtuous women like your mother and grandmother. It is a beauty that is earned through faith, repentance, and honoring covenants. The world places so much emphasis on physical attractiveness and would have you believe that you are to look like the elusive model on the cover of a magazine. The Lord would tell you that you are each uniquely beautiful. When you are virtuous, chaste, and morally clean, your inner beauty glows in your eyes and in your face. My grandfather used to say, “If you live close to God and His infinite grace—you won’t have to tell, it will show in your face.” When you are worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost, you are confident and your inner beauty shines brightly. And so “let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence of God; and … the Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion.”
Sorry I don't have tons of details, but it was a great week and we are excited for wonderful things that are happening in our zone and area. Please pray for us to find new investigators this week.
Love you all lots.
-Hermana Koerner
P.S. Mosiah 5:13 For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?
 |
| Armando, Juan, Hna Koerner |
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| Hna Woodward y Hna Koerner |
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| Elder Murphy, Hna Fletcher, Armando, Juan, Hna Koerner, and Elder Hamelau |
JOY 8/05/13
Dear Family-
Sorry about not getting a group email out last week- some of the other sister missionaries got sick and we went to help them, but ran out of time to come back and finish emailing. Oh well : ) Lots to tell. It's hot and humid here, but the work is amazing. We have been praying and working hard to find new investigators and found 10 new investigators these past couple weeks! All miracles, each and every one of them. One family is from Spain, another from Mexico, and still another from Colombia! We have been able to teach some powerful lessons and feel the guidance of the Spirit strongly this week. One day both my companion and I got sick and were down most of the day. So the next day we decided to redouble our efforts and work as hard as we could. We explored some of the farther parts of our area ( some beautiful Texas ranches), knocked and contacted people for several hours, and were able to find three new investigators and teach six lessons!!! I know Heavenly Father is leading the work and leading us to teach his children. With another family we have begun teaching, we had the nicest let down, no-thank-you lesson ever. We began teaching the Restoration and they were eager and intent on us. As we moved onto Joseph Smith and the First Vision, both of us felt the spirit in the room change. We realized that they weren't going to accept our message, but we knew we needed to share it anyway. We taught and testified powerfully of Joseph Smith, and in talking about it afterwards, we both said how our whole souls burned within us from the power of the message and the Spirit. They listened to us and politely said "no thank you, we are fine." They are very strong Catholics and do not want to change, but they were very kind about it. They wouldn't accept a Book of Mormon, but invited us to come back anytime and share another message, if we need water when we are in the area,etc. They even wanted to take a picture with us after the lesson! I know we did as we were supposed to in teaching and testifying to them and that is prepared them to one day accept the message of the Restoration. So the next missionaries that come along will build upon that. In other news, besides teaching an English class, we have also started a family history class to help members and investigators with their family history. One sister we helped a few weeks a go came up to us yesterday at church to tell us excitedly that she had been able to complete the baptism and confirmation for her sister. This is such a happy work. My companion taught me this acronym for JOY and how we are able to find joy by who we put first. J is for Jesus- if center our lives first on Christ everything else falls into place. O is for others- as we serve others before Yourself we can find true joy.
In my studies, I found this insight that was powerful for me. In Genesis 1:27 it says " God created man in his own image". As Elder Wilcox said, " Why would He start there if He didn't also intend to end there? An entirely new perspective awaits those who see "His own image" as the finish line and not just the starting block...Jesus opened to us the possibility not just of returning to God's presence but of returning with His image in our countenance (Alma 5:14)" Just after studying this, in one of our lessons, our investigators told us that they "could see Jesus in our faces". Probably one of the most beautiful compliments I have ever received.
2 Nephi 25:23 says "for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." But I've learned that is by grace that we (you and I, all of us) are saved after all we (Christ and us) can do. I believe it was President Monson who said, "Two people can do anything as long as one person is Christ." Sometimes we worry so much about what is our part, right? And what is the Lord's part? I think the scientist in me wants to make it an equation or a ratio or something to help me quantify the division of responsibility in order to reach the line. But I've definitely learned that "it's not about height, but growth. We don't reach heaven by seeing Jesus' grace supplementing our works, or our works supplementing his grace. Heaven is not reached by supplementing, but by covenanting; not by defining a ratio, but by building a relationship; not by negotiation, but by cooperation and union. Instead of seeing two parts we might do well to see two hearts working in conjunction and being conformed to the same image " (Continuous Atonement, Brad Wilcox).
Lots of love,
Hermana Kristi Koerner
Sorry about not getting a group email out last week- some of the other sister missionaries got sick and we went to help them, but ran out of time to come back and finish emailing. Oh well : ) Lots to tell. It's hot and humid here, but the work is amazing. We have been praying and working hard to find new investigators and found 10 new investigators these past couple weeks! All miracles, each and every one of them. One family is from Spain, another from Mexico, and still another from Colombia! We have been able to teach some powerful lessons and feel the guidance of the Spirit strongly this week. One day both my companion and I got sick and were down most of the day. So the next day we decided to redouble our efforts and work as hard as we could. We explored some of the farther parts of our area ( some beautiful Texas ranches), knocked and contacted people for several hours, and were able to find three new investigators and teach six lessons!!! I know Heavenly Father is leading the work and leading us to teach his children. With another family we have begun teaching, we had the nicest let down, no-thank-you lesson ever. We began teaching the Restoration and they were eager and intent on us. As we moved onto Joseph Smith and the First Vision, both of us felt the spirit in the room change. We realized that they weren't going to accept our message, but we knew we needed to share it anyway. We taught and testified powerfully of Joseph Smith, and in talking about it afterwards, we both said how our whole souls burned within us from the power of the message and the Spirit. They listened to us and politely said "no thank you, we are fine." They are very strong Catholics and do not want to change, but they were very kind about it. They wouldn't accept a Book of Mormon, but invited us to come back anytime and share another message, if we need water when we are in the area,etc. They even wanted to take a picture with us after the lesson! I know we did as we were supposed to in teaching and testifying to them and that is prepared them to one day accept the message of the Restoration. So the next missionaries that come along will build upon that. In other news, besides teaching an English class, we have also started a family history class to help members and investigators with their family history. One sister we helped a few weeks a go came up to us yesterday at church to tell us excitedly that she had been able to complete the baptism and confirmation for her sister. This is such a happy work. My companion taught me this acronym for JOY and how we are able to find joy by who we put first. J is for Jesus- if center our lives first on Christ everything else falls into place. O is for others- as we serve others before Yourself we can find true joy.
In my studies, I found this insight that was powerful for me. In Genesis 1:27 it says " God created man in his own image". As Elder Wilcox said, " Why would He start there if He didn't also intend to end there? An entirely new perspective awaits those who see "His own image" as the finish line and not just the starting block...Jesus opened to us the possibility not just of returning to God's presence but of returning with His image in our countenance (Alma 5:14)" Just after studying this, in one of our lessons, our investigators told us that they "could see Jesus in our faces". Probably one of the most beautiful compliments I have ever received.
2 Nephi 25:23 says "for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." But I've learned that is by grace that we (you and I, all of us) are saved after all we (Christ and us) can do. I believe it was President Monson who said, "Two people can do anything as long as one person is Christ." Sometimes we worry so much about what is our part, right? And what is the Lord's part? I think the scientist in me wants to make it an equation or a ratio or something to help me quantify the division of responsibility in order to reach the line. But I've definitely learned that "it's not about height, but growth. We don't reach heaven by seeing Jesus' grace supplementing our works, or our works supplementing his grace. Heaven is not reached by supplementing, but by covenanting; not by defining a ratio, but by building a relationship; not by negotiation, but by cooperation and union. Instead of seeing two parts we might do well to see two hearts working in conjunction and being conformed to the same image " (Continuous Atonement, Brad Wilcox).
Lots of love,
Hermana Kristi Koerner
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