July 15, 2013

Mosquitoes Are Of the Devil

Dear Family,

I this week has been like any other missionary week... Fluffer- Nutter- Tastic!!

We had a ward picnic, lessons with our investigators, and helped our less active families. We are really working on helping the ward to help the people we are teaching because we are replaceable, and the ward members stay. 

Like I said we had a ward picnic on Saturday which was a great opportunity to invite less actives and nonmembers. We stopped by a less active member at night and as we knocked the door we were just getting ATTACKED by mosquitoes. He answered the door and was surprised to see Sister Missionaries at his door. He was very nice and felt comfortable enough that he told us a long story about why he isn't coming to church. He was so nice I wanted to keep talking to him, so I did. But we were getting eaten so badly that we couldn't hold back our arms flailing and scratching our legs. It was actually pretty hilarious  I wish I could have picture of me and my two companions DYING of bug bites, but still looking like nothing and smiling like we could talk to him for forever.  

One more story. There is a member in the ward who I like to tease...shocker. And so now she has started to really mother me. Every time I see her she always tells me, "Now you better be good." "Stay out of trouble" and then she tells my companions to keep me in line. I asked her why she was nagging me and she said "You act like my children!" Then I said, "Do you love me like your children?" of course she said yes. And then I told her that we had to go home and get to bed then out of no where she says, "Now you go to bed, don't be gettin' up in the middle of the night and roam around!!"

In my head I am thinking- I' m the one who said we are going to bed! 

She is just hilarious. 

I also got to have interviews with President Stoker. It was great. He is really awesome and he served his Mission in LA! I am excited to see what changes will happen! 

Love you a million cans of Moxie!! 

Sista Lassen

ADDITIONAL NOTE:  We got a really nice card from a family in Bethany's Ward:

"We wanted to write and express to you as parents how amazing your daughter is and how blessed we have been to have her in our lives.  As members of the Saco Maine Ward we are truly edified each week with the Spirit, enthusiasm, kindness, courage and love that radiates from her.  As sister missionaries, they work so hard to reach out to everyone and truly bless our ward.

"Our daughter just left for the MTC and had the privilege to go out on visits, etc with your daughter and companions--what a bond and a strength these sisters have to reach people with such love and kindness.

"Thank you for sharing her and her truly raising such a special daughter of God.  She is doing a fantastic job and we just love her.

"Sincerely, Cami, Hal, & Madi Tippetts."

July 8, 2013

Finally, Lots of Pictures!

"What a Week!

"Story numero 1

"We are teaching S (who I think I already told you about) about the first vision. I had the opportunity to recite it to her. After I said it I paused for a long time, when I saw her eyes watering up I asked her what thoughts or feelings that she was having. She said, 'I don't know why but when you were saying that I just wanted to smile the whole time.'  To me it is a witness that Joseph Smith's prayer was answered. Just saying a true story can have such power and make her have such strong feelings is a witness that it is true. It was wicked powerful.

Oh How Lovely Was the Morning!

"Story 2

"We have been teaching this less active member, who wants to go to church and knows strongly that she needs to go, but just isn't going. Last night we talked to her about the importance of going to church and we still weren't getting a strong commitment to go to church this Sunday.  I kept thinking, 'What question do I need to ask to get through to her?'  Then Sister Vanderhoef asked an inspired question. It was simply, 'What can we do to help you go to church?'  Then the member who we brought with us offered to go with her so she didn't have to go alone. And then she got pumped to go to church this Sunday!  All it took was a friend to go with her. Funny how something so simple can change everything, even your salvation! 

Part of the Appalachian Trail--Yes, it starts in Maine!

"Story 3- and the best one!

"This amazing miracle was truly provided by the grace of God. I was praying to Heavenly Father that I have the faith that he will put people in our paths that are ready to hear the gospel. On Tuesday we were trying to contact former investigators and we did all of them sooner that we thought so at the last second we decided to go to the Library to do our Mormon.org hour (we have an hour every week to watch videos that we can use when teaching) sooner than planned for. As we were walking into the Library Sister Vanderhoef and I weren't paying attention, but Sister Escobar smiled at a woman on the side walk. Then this woman yelled out to us, 'Hey I want to talk to you when you get out of the Library!' Then we said 'We can talk now!'  So as we were walking over to her the bus came, and she said, 'Here's my bus, I got to go.'  As she was flagging down the bus we are yelling to her for her number and name which she yells back to us as we scramble to write it down as she was running onto the bus. Later that day we called her and left a message. Then she called us back, and we set up an appointment with G.  When we met with G. she told us how her mother was a member and she wants to be like her and start taking the lessons right away. Oh Yeah! The field is white already to harvest. And be careful what you pray for!

Sisters Lassen, Vanderhoef, and Escobar

"This week we also got a flower bouquet from a member's neighbor and she asked us if we would return her jar if she let us borrow it. We said that we would and she said, 'Good, because it you don't I am going to call that Thomas Monson!'  We'd better watch out with this one!

Notice how much BUTTER! (Oda would approve!)

"I also got to have LOBSTA! I hope you got the pictures from Brother Smith. It was the bomb.com. And we got to play with them when they were alive so we started teaching them the lessons and putting our name tags on them. I felt so legit cracking the baby apart. I will have to show you how it is done one of these days. 

"Dear Mother,

"Do not complain about the heat and humidity in Camarillo because unless you are sleeping with a blanket of humility and waking up dripping in sweat I know that it is not what it is here. [I had just made a comment about the unusual humidity in Camarillo.  That girl loves to scold her mom!]

Bethany studying with the sweet gift Marci made for her!

"I can tell that the only thing I have been doing is studying the gospel for the past 2 months because when I was still waking up this morning there was huge clap of thunder that shook the apartment and I literally thought the world was ending. 

"Anyways... I hope these brought you some joy! Have a great week, and of course I love you!

Lobster Trap

"Sista Lassen"

[From a different letter]

"For my fourth of July I weeded an old lady's garden and taught about the importance of prophets! Oh and I got to meet our new Mission president.  Well President Stoker is really nice and he is going to be great. His wife seemed like the most stressed-out woman I have ever met, but who can blame her?!  They have to met something like 150 missionaries.

"I'm from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints"

"... too bad they're dead now; they would have converted the whole sea!"

July 1, 2013

Another Week!  Eating Lobster Soon!

Alright another week gone by!

I love being in a trifecta! It's like a missionary party! Like I said Sister Escobar is a visa waiter for Brazil, so we get to learn some Portuguese!

 

This week was amazing...of course. I just love the Saco Ward more and more every week. Some of the people here I feel like I have known my whole life. I promised my ward mission leader that I would stay until my birthday...I hope my mission president doesn't make a lier of me! Just kidding. We are really trying to work with the ward and help them to share the gospel with everyone, so we are doing some role playing with the members to help them practice and on Sunday our ward mission leader taught the 3rd hour all about how to share. It is sweet to see the excitement of missionaries spread to the excitement of the ward.

 

So on Friday I am trying lobsta!! Our amazing ward mission leader is making them for us. He says that he will send pictures, so get pumped! I think I am just going to smash it open with my finger...Like I did with the can :).

 

We were able to teach S this week. She is amazing, her faith is already so strong and we love teaching her. It is so amazing to me how teaching is the greatest thing in the world. It is hard sometimes because we regularly have appointments fall through. We always have other things that need to be done, but in my mind I think "NOOOoooo, I just want to teach you so you can know for yourself and have a better life, and have God in your life, and rid yourself of pain and guilt! BLAST YOU SATAN!"

 

That reminded me of one Marge, who was baptized in January. We ment with her and she was talking about some things that she was working on and she said, "I hate Satan. If I had a gun I would shoot him!"

I feel ya Marge!

 

I got a letter from Aunt Bee and she had my friend Sister Rachel Chapman over for dinner! She sent me the activity that they did with little Ben. It is always fun to get new ideas to help us teach.

 

Going offf of what Kyle said in his letter. Miracles do happen everyday. Whether it is that I am able to keep my patience, or the miracle of true conversion in the people we teach. 

 

It is going to be another fabulous week! We are meeting President Stoker on Thursday, lobster on Friday, people to teach, and people to find! Oh and hey, I love you!

 

 

Sista Lassen

 

 You won't be moving for long because I am going to eat you lobsta!

 

June 24, 2013

First, a Photo From Bethany's Ward Mission Leader

The photo came with this note:  "This is brother smith. Your daughter is crazy and will come home with a broken finger."  Before Bethany left on her mission the Camarillo 3rd Ward Missionaries came over for dinner, and afterward one of them did this object lesson with a cutting board (foundation of Christ and obedience) and a can (Satan and his designs).  It was so surprising!  But Bethany used it in her ward with much success--she mentioned it in last week's letter.  

So on to This Week

Dear Loved ones,

Alright so I am in a trio and my new Companion is Sister Escobar. She waiting for her visa to Brazil, and she said it could take anywhere from 2-6 months. She is the nicest person you will ever meet and she is already helping us a ton! I asked her if she knew Trent Meline in the MTC and she said she does! What are the odds?

This past week was very crazy. We drove to Manchester twice this week which sucked up a lot of time, and then with extra study time with a new companion we were not able to hit the streets as much as we usually do.  It was a miracle because even with less time to work we were still able to find 2 new investigators this week! Oh yeah.

Was anyone able to see the broadcast yesterday? Wasn't it A-mazing? So what is everyone going to do to be a better member missionary? I would love to hear them just as much as you love hearing mine!

President Wilkey has changed how I read the scriptures by having us insert our names when it says "ye," "we," "you," etc. So I was doing that when I was reading about the stripling warriors.  Alma 57:19-27 is so sweet. When I read it I changed the wording to be the missionaries are the warriors.

Not enough Sister Missionaries in this drawing!

In 21 it says that they perform every word of command with exactness according to their faith. Every single one of them had wounds at the end of the war. This is like us. A mission is not easy and it will be painful sometimes, but from the miracles of God we will come out not only alive, but with strength and power.  In 27 it says, "they are young, and their minds are firm and they do put their trust in God continually." Missionaries are young, but our minds are firm and we will forever put our trust in God.

I love you all and miss you! 

Sista Lassen

June 17, 2013

Dear Loved Children of God,

I will start with Saturday because I know you are dying to hear. So here's the news. I will be training. Sister Vanderhoef will be training. Sister Vanderhoef is staying is Biddeford...I am staying in Biddeford...we are going to be in a trio, SAY WHAT?! It is going to be crazy, but as long as I stay in Biddeford I am happy. Right when we got the call I thought I was going to throw up I was so scared.

Mom, have to tell the Elders in your ward that I used the can and cutting board thing on Sunday. You know when you smash a can on your finger and it doesn't hurt? I have been practising and waiting for the chance to do it. And when I did it was SO FUN. We were teaching gospel principals Sunday and I knew that it was my chance to do it! I got the cutting board out and said, "This represents when we are obedient, my finger is you, and this can is satan." I SMASHED my finger as hard as I could and freaked everyone out, and impressed the Elders. It was the talk of the Sunday, and my ward mission leader had to get a picture. (I asked him to send it to mom) People were thinking that it was a fake finger, but when they realized it was real, oh man. Good times.

Last P-day we went to the beach and I got a sweet picture of my name tag, sand, ocean, a huge sea shell, a lobster cag, and a crab claw. Sadly I forgot my camera at home today so next week I will send...Sorry mom.

We had such a busy week and it. was. AWESOME!

We were finally able to teach one of the families in our ward, the Lo's. The step dad is not a member and the daughters who are 10 and 8 have not yet been baptized. The step dad had a baptism date but no one knows what happend. When we were teaching them the first lesson I was able to recite the first vison...also a miracle because I hadn't done it in a week. The lesson was kind of crazy because they have a 1 year old,  but once I recited the first vision everything went quiet and I know that the step dad was listening with his heart.

Here is the Staus on M. The first time we met with him he didn't want to sent up an appointment with us, but we still stopped by his house. When we got there he was pulling up to his house and seemed happy to see us. We talked to him about the parable of the lost sheep and explained that God wants and loves him and wants M to come back to him. After that Sister Vanderhoef was 100% guided by the spirt to ask him if he wanted to take the lessons again. And he said YES! We are meeting with him on Thursday. He is so awesome. He said to us, "I feel that peace again now that you are meeting with me, and I thank you for that." and he also told us how the Book of Mormon gives him that peace, and he was reading even when the missionaries were not meeting with him.

Last week we also had our dinner with a less active and part member family in the ward. They are SO NEW ENGLANDERS and I can't understand half things they say, which might be a good thing. They are a hoot. When we were leaving they gave us a whole cake, left overs, chicken noodle soup, and invited us for dinner in two weeks. I couldn't believe it! I seriouly cannot get enough of them. They are really helping with my accent. Cheese and Crows! (Just something they say here.)

Today was the Last LTP that we sent to President Wilkey, and he ask us to bear our testimony to him and I thought y'all would like to hear some of my firm testimony of the "Good news"(BD "gospel")

I know that my Heavenly Father is with me where ever I go. He is pouring out his love for His children through me so that I can help them. Heavenly Father has a plan for me, and though I do not know or understand it, I know that is a perfect plan for me. Jesus Christ atoned from my sins. His perfect sacrifice emables me to return to my Father again. He is my Savior, and he Redemed me from the pains and sins of this world. This gospel is good news, it is the Plan of Happiness.

Oh and hey don't forget that I love you!

Sista Lassen

June 10, 2013

A Thrilling Week for Bethany

Dear Family,

What a WEEK! First of all I find out if I am being transferred this Saturday and if I am I will be happy to do what the Lord needs me to do, but I will also cry violently. I love every single person and so many people that we are working with are almost at a break through. It is amazing to me how my heart literally breaks into pieces when I hear of someone that we are working with's unhappiness or pain even though I have only known them from 5 weeks. I have to tell you about M.

M. is a former investigator that our ward mission leader asked us to go see. When we got there he was sitting outside on his porch and told us to sit down and talk with him. It wasn't long until he bore his whole soul to us about all of the reasons why he didn't get baptized. His biggest concern was that he felt like he wasn't good enough and that he never will be. I looked deep into his eyes and I felt the love that God has for M.  M. felt it too while I looked at him and deeply expressed the hope that I and God has for him. He kept looking at me and then looking down. The spirit felt like a huge rock in my heart, it was so powerful. As I focused on what he needed to hear and felt what God needed me to tell him I felt like a tool, like a wave of feelings was going through me to him. It is really hard to explain. I asked him what he was feeling and he said, "Peace, I feel peace." Then when we were leaving I shook his hand and said "Do not forget what you have felt today." M. said, "No, I won't."  I will never forget the power, boldness, and strength of love that God has for M. and all of us.

This is how I know that even though sometimes I forget my first name I cannot hide under my name tag because I am still Bethany Lassen.

We had dinner at our mission leaders, the Smith's, last night. Thank goodness that they are really funny, and love practical jokes, and are always teasing us. Anyways we were eating pork pie and laughing and then when I was taking a drink of water Sister Smith unexpectedly made me laugh and I spit EVERYWHERE. I was so embarrassed but it was so funny! Another tender mercy was that there was no one sitting across from me in the Splash Zone of Bethany's spit water.

I am having a wicked good time in Maine, I love you all!

Sista Lassen

Monday, June 3, 2013

Three Emails Today!

First, she scolds me...

"I know I said that you could e-mail me them, but your e-mails are so long! I don't have time to read them. please start sending them! Love ya!...I haven't had time to read the last 2 e-mails.

"Sister Lassen"

OK, so I'll Mail the Letters!  Just Write More Than That!  

Then the Second Letter Comes a Few Minutes Later...

"Did anyone look up a fishercat?

"Last Sunday I got to speak in church about the blessings of missionary work, and boy is it a blessing! The ward is so pumped about missionary work. That is all the time I have to write. I love you!"

This is all we get?????  (I thought Sister Missionaries were supposed to write long, newsy letter, unlike my three previous boy Missionaries?)

No, She Finally Actually Writes Something!

We got this a half-hour later...

"oh yeah I love you!

"And the funny part about me giving a talk is that the bishop said sister LAWsen. I started cracking up and it gave it away. 

"Last P-day was so fun. We got to go to a city parade and the coolest part was they had crazy lawn mowers... one of them that a toilet with flowers on it. We have been going around and meeting more of the less active members. My personal favorite of the week was Sister D. they are New Englanders through and through. She has a THICK accent and her husband can go on for hours about hunting. They have a giant Bore's Head in their living room. We weren't sure if they liked us visiting with them, until they invited us back for a true boiled New England meal...but still no lobster. One of these days I will, I feel like it will be soon. This one house had a TON of lobster cages stacked up and decorated like a Christmas Tree. 

"Sister Vanderhoef and I went tracting and we got a block away from our house when we stared talking to a JW Priest. It was very interesting and he invited us to a bible study class, good times.

"There is no such thing as Ca-in-sid-ences (sorry mom I have no idea how to spell that) only Divine timing. Last week we went to go see an older lady that just got out of the hospital. When we got there her two children where there and she was very stressed out. We got there right when her children had to leave and we talked to her and helped her calm down. Amazing how the gospel does that! 

"This week we have interviews with President Wilkey, his last ones! It is said because I already love having him as a mission president, but I am really excited for the new mission president. 

"Now for a good ole New England Joke. 

     "What do you call a deer with no eyes? 

     "I have no ideer.

"It is funnier out here because that is what people really say!

"We are slowly growing our teaching puddle into a pool, and working hard!  Congrats Kandra and Jacob, but I told  you you weren't supposed get pregnant for nine months and that you had to send me a letter before you told everyone so that I could find out at the same time. It is just common sense.

"Let this be a warning to Marci, Megan, and Denae. 

"Sista Lassen"