August 18, 2014

Reign of Lasso and Ship

Dear Family,

Well this week didn't go as planned. We had another super road trip to Manchester, NH. (a 4 hour drive that makes me want to blow my brains out) to get my new companion Sister Shipley! She is from LaVern CA and I love her to death. 

Before I go on about my week I want to rant about being surrounded by Elders all the time; it is doing things to my head. I thought I would be fine because I grew up with 4 boys and have 4 nephews, but nothing could prepare me to be surrounded by so many Elders all the time. Some of them I want to punch in the face because they act like the little brother I never wanted to have. Some, after I talk to them, all I want to do is drink protein powder and lift weights. And the few left are normal. Lizzy, you have been warned. 

So. Many. Elders. [image from the Huffington Post website]

Anyways, so this week was so spiritual that I don't even want to tell you over e-mail: Too sacred to write. But I will say this. I have never felt the Lord's hand in this work like I have felt this week.  He is in every part of our lives and it is crazy to see. 

We had a lesson with L. my favorite person ever.  To prepare in the morning Sister Shipley and I practiced and one of us pretended to be Lindy. It was so crazy because the same questions, comments, and concerns that we practiced were exactly the same questions, comments, and concerns that she had! L. is preparing for baptism; She has been the easiest person to teach. Her heart is so open and she feels and recognized the spirit. I JUST LOVE HER!

This ward is doing amazing, and great things are happening. I am just trying to keep up! I love them so much! I also got to meet the first member in this ward. Hazel Thomas--she was baptized in 1951, When Howard and Hattie Maughan were here! I have been searching for a someone old enough to know them my whole mission. Finally found someone. She didn't remember knowing them, but still cool. 

I just feel like I should share my testimony today. I am so grateful for the testimony that I have and the many chances that I get to share it everyday.

I know that Heavenly Father hears our prayers. I know that the priesthood has been restored to the earth and we can have access to that power every day. I know that Heavenly Father isn't expecting me to do this on my own. He shows me that I am weak so that I will go to him to be strong. I know when I feel close to God it is easier to be kinder, to love, and to know what to say to testify to people in a way that touches their hearts. I am so grateful for the right perspective and purpose that the gospel and covenant gives me. I know I can become closer to God when I am truly reading the scriptures, sincerely praying, taking the sacrament, and receiving priesthood blessings. He hears and loves all of us. Something that was said at church yesterday was this: we can love people until we have felt the love of the Savior for us. How true that is.

I love you all!

Sista Lassen

August 11, 2014

Power

Dear Family,

First of all, I am upset that Sister Houston is getting transferred and I will be training a new Sister Training Leader. I only got to be with Sister Houston for 1 transfer! And she goes home in 6 weeks, and we just shot gunned this area. We thought we were bullet proof. I guessed wrong. We should have known though; we get along way too well, and we could read each other's mind too early in the transfer. Usually when you can read your companion's mind is when you are getting transferred.

Our ward is amazing. We got 2 great referrals that we can't wait to contact. We had an amazing ward council last Sunday. We had been feeling that our ward councils needed to have better coordination and be more effective, so we were praying to know what we could say or do to help them. The ward council started with the ward clerk talking about how they need to be open and safe with the discussion and be unified in the work of the ward. Then the Young Women's leader taught about making ward council more effective so we actually talk about the needs of families in the ward. The Relief Society President later in the meeting brought out a ward activity flyer and idea that she had all ready to go. She felt that they need to do more activities as a ward. Now it is set for September and almost already to go. We and the Elders highly suggested using the new and returning progress record and the oval chart. After ward council I had to brace myself and put my hand on the table so I wouldn't hyperventilate. It was amazing. Later that day we met with the ward clerk, brother Stinson. He is taking over the Ward Mission Leader job until a new permanent one can be called. At our coordination meeting we showed him the new and returning progress record and gave him the L. Tom Perry video about the oval chart to watch. GREAT things are happening in Bangor ward. I have never seen so much potential in a ward for my whole mission.

As for our investigators-- We have been having trouble making set appointments with some of them, but we will continue to follow up with them. The most amazing lesson was with L. A. We were teaching her about baptism and confirmation and talking about the covenants we make at baptism and what Heavenly Father promises us in return. We read Mosiah 18:8-10 with her. When she read Mosiah18:10 she read the question "what have you against being baptized?" over and over. It was quiet for a long time and she then looked up with tears in her eyes and said, "these verse have more power than any priesthood blessing." She told us how she wished she would have read that years ago and is planning to share that with her daughter. She is getting baptized September 20th.  

I am so grateful for the power of the Book of Mormon. If I have learned anything on my mission it is that. Another note on the experience. These woman that are mad that we don't have the "priesthood" obviously have never served a mission. I have never felt so much power from God and being a instrument for that power. And that power can be nothing else but priesthood power. I have been the instrument to bless people's homes, read the word of God in the scriptures, and to request blessing for people in prayers. It has been amazing to be that instrument and have access to that power from God.

I got to go on an exchange with Sister Cowley, which was great. I was first companions with her a year ago; she goes home on Wednesday. It was amazing to be with her one more time before she goes home. It was definitely a confirmation to both of us that we have become better followers and disciples of Christ over our missions.

I love you all! I am loving my mission!

Sista Lassen

August 4, 2014

Ideer

[I'm not sure what her title means...]

Dear Family,

This week was good, but not as eventful. Which is kind of a nice break so we can focus on other parts of missionary work. Some of our investigators were out of town, which gave us more time to talk to people on the streets. I love street contacting; it is so fun, and when people have kids I keep princess stickers in my bag so their parents have to talk to us while we are giving their child a sticker. The only bad thing to this is most of the kids want the Frozen stickers, but I have none and have no idea who these characters are. That's okay! It is quite hilarious.

The most exciting lesson we had this week was with Derick. To be honest the first time we met him and invited him to learn more I thought he just wanted to talk to girls. So when we came back we brought a member with us. We were pleasantly surprised when we found out that he had read the pamphlet we left him and the next time we came he had read the first few chapters in the Book of Mormon, prayed about it and received an answer that it is true. He is definitely one of my better investigators who actually keep their commitments! Look at that!

This week is going to be exhausting. Today we are leaving for a meeting in Manchester (3 hours away) and won't return until late Tuesday Night. Then Wednesday night to Thursday night I will be in Belfast Maine on an exchange with Sister Cowley (one of my past amazing companions.) It will be way fun because she goes home next week!

I love you all!

Sista Lassen

July 28, 2014

Hot Sauce

Image from Wikipedia

Dear Family,

It has been a wonderful week in Old Town Maine. Everyday I am happier and happier that the humidity isn't melting my face off. This summer has been quite lovely.

Alright, so something you should know about Maine is that people think that pepper is spicy. So if they tell you something is hot, add a cup of hot sauce and maybe you will taste some heat. This rant is coming from when we went to dinner with a member at a Chinese food place. He asked for some hot mustard (which has wasabi) in it. When we got the hot mustard the member (who is a 6.5ft. giant) told us "Now, please be very careful with this it is very hot and please mix it in with your food." So naturally I stuck my clean fork in the hot sauce and ate it straight. at the same time he is going, "NO!"....... Yeah it wasn't hot at all.

This week has been amazing. Lots of miracles. Especially with less active members that we have been contacting. I have a strong testimony that all we should do with less active members is to treat them like they are investigators and if they aren't progressing then we shouldn't be teaching them. I feel that some less active members feel that we are here to counsel them, which we are not. We met with a less active sister who was asking us all these questions about her Patriarchal blessing. Before it got too far I told her that we were going to teach her the restoration and let the Spirit teach her. We did and she felt the Spirit really strong. It was awesome to see that the most powerful thing that we can do is teach the lesson with the Spirit. We also met another less active sister that past missionaries had seen. We taught her the restoration and when we recited the first vision her eyes lit up and she felt the Spirit. She didn't even remember learning the first vision.

I also really like this area because U Maine college is here, so we get to meet and talk to people our age. Not that I don't like people that are older than me, but every time we meet someone my age I think, "they do exist!"

I love my companion and love this work! Love you all!

Sista Lassen

July 21, 2014--Letter to the Ward

Letter to the Camarillo Third Ward

[Bishop Fisher asked all of the missionaries serving from Camarillo Third Ward to write a letter to the ward.  The letters were read in Sacrament meeting on July 27, 2014.  Bethany's letter was read by Lizzy.]

Dear Ward Family,

First of all I want to say that writing this has been nothing short of pure torture. How can you expect this MAINE-I-ACT to pick one faith promoting experience from over a year of trillions of experiences? Good thing my mom always taught me that, "I can do hard things."

The experience that I have decided to share is not the most spectacular, but it has taught me how much our Heavenly Father knows, watches, and cares for every one of us.

It was our first lesson with our new investigator, Eric. We asked about his religious back ground, what he's expecting to learn, etc. We soon found out of his unsureness if God was there and thought that he had NEVER felt God in his life.  But he was sincere and had a great desire to learn. So we taught him the restoration, and testified of our knowledge that God is there for us and does love us. Nothing super-spectacular during his lesson, but at the end, Eric prayed. He prayed for the strength he needed to finish the farm chores, and he prayed that another worker would come and help him soon.

We had already planned to help him on the farm, which we proceeded to do. Soon more help came to finish the chores and we finished them in record time. Before we left we went to Eric and with excitement said, "Your prayer was answered!"  Without delay this quiet man said, "I feel like someone has my back"

In less than 3 hours Heavenly Father touched this man, going from thinking that God has never been there for him to knowing that God has his back.

I think that sometimes we are all scared of sharing the gospel with people, we are scared that what we hold dear to us will be mocked, or we are scared that it won't turn out the way that we want it to. Brothers and Sisters, the only reason why we don't share the gospel is because we are forgetting the we are. not. alone. It is NOT up to us to convert people. The Spirit does that. All we must do is to increase our trust and our faith in Him. And do as President Uchtdorf suggests and look in the mirror and say, "I fear no man." (Not kidding I actually do this when I am scared to talk to someone.)

I love the scripture in Mosiah 8:18 that says,

 "Thus God has provided a means that man, through faith, might work mighty miracles; therefore he becometh a great benefit to his fellow beings."

God has provided a way for us to be a great benefit to our Brothers and Sisters. We can help them prepare for the blessings of the Celestial Kingdom. One more thing I have learned on my mission is that serving people physically is great, but it comes NOTHING close to the joy and happiness that I feel as I help them spiritually.  I love this gospel.  I know it is true.  I know that this is Heavenly Father’s work and we can partake of more blessings as we increase our faith, our trust, and share it with others. I promise that you will see miracles.

In the name of my beloved Savior Jesus Christ

Amen