April 28, 2014

Oh Yeah Yeah Yeah

Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial in Sharon, Vermont.  Grandma Hattie and Grandpa J. Howard Maughan made many recommendations that made this beautiful Visitor's Center what it is today.

Dear Family,

This week has really flown by with lots of great experiences. We had a special Sister Conference at the Joseph Smith Memorial on Wednesday. It was awesome. Spirit like super strong, and we all felt more united as sisters by the end. I loved being at the JSM -- the Spirit hits you like a wall right when you drive up. It was fun to be a missionary where I know Grandma Hattie was. 

The next day we had Zone Conference, so rest assured I had a full week of self evaluation! It was wicked cool. 

We had an amazing miracle. We stopped by a less active family, who has a strong testimony but don't come to church for health reasons. They told us how the wife's mom was asking tons of Plan of Salvation questions at Easter Dinner. They did their best to answer her questions. We gave them a Book of Mormon and Plan of Salvation Pamphlet to give her and asked if we could stop by and talk to her Mom, C. They told us we could, so we did. C. let us right in and we had a very powerful discussion. We were truly guided on what questions to ask her and what to say. You could cut the Spirit with a knife! We are teaching her again today with her daughter. After we had the lesson with C. we called her daughter. She was so excited and told us that this was a long time coming and she has been praying and hoping for this for a long time.

Funny Story time- There is a young family in my ward. The wife is from Colombia and the husband an American. She was telling us about an episode of Modern Family, and how she relates to the Colombian woman in the show. In the show the woman was telling a boy Luke to Look. But her accent made it sound like "look, look" instead of "Look, Luke." As this member is telling us this story she is making the same mistake and saying Look instead of Luke. Her husband looked at us and said "Do you hear it?" We starting laughing.

That's all for today! We are going to Lake Winnipesauskee today! Love ya!!

Sista Lassen

April 21, 2014

Alma 26

Dear Family,

I had the most wonderful Easter. This week has just been awwwwwwmazing. Words just can't even say it. I really get so excited and people need to tell me to calm down. I feel like I am in heaven on earth.

So many miracles this week; it was amazing. It has been such a blessing. We had 5 new investigators this week, ALL of them were member referrals  We still have more to contact! The work is truly moving forward in this area. One of the member referrals that we were contacting was P. and L. They have been taught a little by missionaries in the past, but it seems that it kind of died out because of his health problems. (He has cancer.) When we went to contact him he let us right in, kind of like he was waiting for us to come.  The spirit was so strong you could cut it with a knife. He recognizes and is in awe of the Lord's timing in us being there on the day that he needed it most. He has a true desire to improve his relationship with God. He is so prepared. He told of how grateful he is that we are out serving the Lord and for the work we do. He was emotional the whole time we were there. We were so excited that we drove to the member's home (where we live too) with the windows rolled down yelling out to him of what happends. Not to metion the numerous happy dances when we were out of their sight.

Another Miracle was J. She was another member referral who is really prepared. She is a recovering alcoholic and in the process has been going back to her Catholic church, but has also been questioning a lot of their teachings. I love her already. This week we are going to teach her again with her member friend. The funniest thing when we met her -- We were answering her questions and then we gave her a Book of Mormon and told her a little about it and asked her to read 3 Nephi 11. I guess she thought that we wanted her to read it that second so she was reading it as we were just sitting there answering questions about it. And as I was looking at her I was in the missionaries' shoes who taught Bedstemor. She was reading it with a cigarette in her hand and drinking coffee. I just had to laugh when we left; guess we are going to have to go over that this week :)

 

Easter day was a beautiful day -- we had dinner with the Swains (the members we live with).  It was quite delightful. It is so fun living on a farm. Unlike anything I ever grew up with, but it is a lot of fun.

 

On Sunday there was a girl visiting with her boyfriend in our ward and we talked to her and she said she has been off her mission for 4 months now. All I could think about is how much that must suck to be her...don't know if that is normal.

Do you want to hear the saddest thing ever? This week will be my one year mark. So I decided to share some of my testimony from the last year.

 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is pure JOY. It is not the happiness that you get from a new outfit, spice cake, or watching a chick flick. It is a trillion times better than that. It is the joy that I get everyday from the knowledge that Jesus Christ is my Savior, he did died for me, and most importantly He lives again. How indescribable is that?! Our Savior broke all the chains of physical and spiritual death. Because of Him all of my pain, heartache, and hardships can be "swallowed up in the joys of Christ."  Man, do I know that is true. I feel as if I have no reason ever to be sad, because of my Savior Jesus Christ. And that is what the gospel brings to people -- the hope, love, and peace that we all need and search for in life.

I know that God has a plan for me and he has perfect timing and a perfect plan. Man, do I know that is true. There is no way that I am not guided in my everyday life and situations to where I need to be, who I need to be with, and what I need to say. "Just don't mess with the plan."

I know that Joesph Smith is a prophet. That knowledge came from being touched by the Spirit that it was true and no one can ever take that away from me and I can never deny it.

I know that God loves all of his children, and he is always there watching over us.

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's kingdom on Earth and has all the fullness of the gospel.

 

I could have never expected the experiences that I would have been blessed to have over that last year, I am looking forward to what the next 6 months have in store for me.

 

Love you all!

 

Sista Lassen

Because of Him

April 14, 2014

I feel EXTREMELY Good, I feel EXTREMELY Great, I feel EXTREMELY Wonderful!

[This picture is a hint, along with the title (which Bethany wrote) of where she is now!]

Dear Family,

Words cannot describe my week. WHAT A WEEK!! Life could not have gotten any better! I have been so excited to tell you all!

My last day in Augusta, ME was a great one. Sister Harrington made me Danish meatlof and we went on a hike called Hobbit Trail where I got a perfect picture of a bridge for Grandma Hattie's poem. I have been look for one my whole mission!

Tuesday was a great day -- transfer meeting. And I found out that I am shot gunning an area (which means that the area is getting two new missionaries and we have to rely on the past missonaries' records). And any guesses to where I am!? Anyone?

LACONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE!!! DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS IN LACONIA? LAKE WINNIPESAUKEE!!!!!! It is breath-takingly beautiful here. Not that Maine wasn't beautiful; it is a different beautiful. Lot of rolling hills, streams, and lakes. The best part of it is that we live with a member family who lives. On. A. Farm. On our way to our home we picked up some raw milk and took a tour of their maple syrup making machine and pancake house restaurant. And their chickens and horses.  

On Friday we got a call from the member we live with, Sister Swain, asking us if we could help with kids that were coming for a field trip. OF COURSE! The kids were coming to see them boiling the maple syrup. It is incredible. Massive amounts of steam billow off the soon-to-be syrup in the barn. And we were able to go on the second floor balcony and be engulfed in maple-smelling steam. How heavenly! We also had lunch at their pancake house. The pancakes were delicious and you all would LOVE them! I had a massive lemon berry pancake.

The rest of the week was filled with meeting the members and the people that the previous sisters were working with and trying to remember everyone's names. It has been quite hysterical. Sister Magnusson and I have had so much fun on this adventure together. It's a great ward and I can tell that we are going to have even more miracles here.

One more story -- This morning we walked over to the chicken coop to get some eggs for breakfast and we watched a chicken lay an egg and took it right after. To this, Sister Magnusson said, "Now, that's a farm-fresh egg!"

I know their are so many other wonderful things that happened this week but I can't remember, just know that I have been walking in beautiful weather with my head up thinking, "It doesn't get any better than this."

Love you all!

Sista Lassen

April 7, 2014

Last Week in Augusta, ME

My Dear Family,

On Friday I got the call that I am being transferred. I can honestly say that I didn't think I was going to. Which made the call even harder. One of the hardest people to say good-bye to was M.B. I started teaching her right when I got here. Oh, how I will miss her. When I told her that I was leaving, she had the saddest face and said "NOOoooo!" I totally started crying. And then she realized I was crying and did everything to cheer me up. She hugged and kissed me goodbye, a little too many kisses for comfort, but that's M.B!

Tomorrow I go the New Hampshire office to transfer meeting and then my new area. 

We had a great week with a lot of our potential investigators that we consistently stop by to see. One of them was J. We stopped by to invite him to watch general conference which he accepted. It was amazing because he told us all about how hard the past winter has been for him and how God has help him through it. I really felt that I should be really honest and tell him that he should get baptized, so I did! We just need to keep working with him and he will get there. He has already told us how he sees the glow that Mormons have in them. 

Another miracle was from a referral that we got from a member. We contacted them a few months ago but felt that we needed to follow up on them. When we asked the member about it she said that this person has been going through a hard time and would love anything uplifting. When we contacted the referral she let us right in and we talked about Mosiah 24 and how Heavenly Father will lift our burdens. 

General Conference was amazing...as expected. Many answers to questions as I am sure you had too. 

Today we are going to one another one of my favorite people's house for dinner. She is making Danish Meatloaf for me :)

Love you all!

Sista Lassen

March 31, 2014

Another Week in Maine!

Dear Family,

This week we had another amazing lesson with our investigator A. We watching the restoration video with her. It was amazing because she was really listening and paying attention to every detail of the movie. And her dogs were quiet the whole time which is a miracle in and of itself. She told us that she read the chapter we asked her to read over and over again and then started reading the Book of Mormon from the beginning. She really recognizes and feels that what we are telling her is true. Sadly, on Saturday she texted us to tell us that her family is really against her going to church and joining and that she won't go against them. We are still going to go to see her on Tuesday for our scheduled appointment. It is just really sad because many of the investigators that we have/had have dropped us, or missionaries in the past, because of the objections of their spouse or other family members. I don't really know what to do, so we just keep praying that their hearts will soften. I will not get discouraged! 

The most amazing miracle happened for this ward. Our Ward Mission Leader Brother Abbott was praying for missionary experiences. That week when he was working he started talking to a client for the first time. This Client- L.- told him of his frustrations with the different churches that he had been to. Brother Abbott invited him, his wife, and his 5 primary age children to come. You know what?  They came! The whole ward loved them right away, especially because our primary is so small. Leo and his family LOVED it and felt the spirit. That was a week ago. During the week Satan was working hard, but Heavenly Father is stronger. They all got sick, and didn't know if they were going to come this week. We saw them at the grocery store and invited them to come again, and Brother Abbott encouraged them as well. Yesterday, L. and his non-sick children came. By the end of church L. told Brother Abbott, I can't wait to become a member. CAN YOU BELIEVE IT! The prophet must be right or something and the Lord is hastening his work! 

This week I took one of the pictures of Trent that my mom sent me. It is of him on the swing smiling. He just looks so happy! So I put it on my planner and have been showing it to everyone saying "HAPPY BABY! HE IS SO HAPPY!" Every time I look at it I just laugh. This week I am going to try to use the picture to talk to someone about the gospel. I'm thinking it might go something like this, "Do you want to be as happy as this baby? Learn about the gospel!" I also used the picture to cheer up my stressed out bishop...it totally worked :)

Another Miracle that happened this week was with one of the less active members that we are working with. She moved here not to long ago and doesn't want to go to church because she doesn't know anyone, but won't let us bring anyone to our lessons. After praying all week for her at her lesson she agreed  with us to let us bring the bishop's wife with us! It is a miracle and I can't wait for our next lesson. It is so awesome. It is so rewarding and spiritual when the less active members that we are seeing are progressing because that doesn't always happen. 

This week I also had an exchange with my Sister training leader. It was really fun and somewhere in there I realized that she likes Smashing Pumpkins [for those of you who don't know, it's a band, not an activity…] and I decided we are too similar. It was lots of fun! :)

Love ya All

Sista Lassen

March 24, 2014

My Family!

Dear family,

As usual it was a good week. We had an amazing first lesson with an investigator that we found tracting. Funny story how we met her. So I really didn't want to go tracting -- I was just not up for it, but we had made a goal to find a new investigator that day and I wanted to achieve it. We said a prayer and then the "I am the tiger" song got stuck in my head and I got super pumped to talk to people. Anna was the second person that we saw/ talked to and set up a lesson that we had this past week. As we taught her the Restoration, the Spirit was strong and she accepted everything we taught. At the end we asked her what she was feeling. She explained the tingling feel that we so often get, expecting that we wouldn't know what she was talking about. We then invited her to be baptized which she accepted. It. Was. Awesome.

 Another miracle that happened this week was with a less active member that we are working with, D. What a miracle she is. She is a sister to an active member. We invited her to the baptism that we had on Sunday. If the baptism was for anyone else on any other day she wouldn't have come. But because she knew the person getting baptized and a lot of his family she came with her sister. During the first part of the service she cried the whole time and we made sure that many people came up to her and expressed their love for her. I can't wait to talk to her sister about it! It truly is a miracle. 

My testimony grew about the Spirit's ability to change people's hearts this week. We had our second lesson with a former investigator, E. The first few times we met him he expressed his thanks to past missionaries, but that he was fine now and didn't need the help. When we taught him this week the Spirit touched him and he realized that he has to always be improving -- he can't stay constant.

We also sang in church on Sunday. It was really pretty, not because I can sing all that well but the Elders in the ward played the violin and piano. We did "Savior, Redeemer of my Soul," but a different arrangement than the one in the Hymn book. 

It was a great week with lots of wonderful miracles. Love you all!

Sista Lassen

March 17, 2014

It's Still Winter!

Here is Bethany with Brother and Sister Smith, and Sister Escobar (Bethany's companion in the Saco Ward) at Stake Conference!

Dear Family,

This week we were blessed with yet another snow storm on Wednesday and Thursday. The Mainers have been telling us that this has been a bad winter and how the winters "used" to be. Well I am glad that I got the "real deal Maine winter" and not some mild winter. Now I would get to show off how tough I think I am. 

Besides that, the Spirit has truly been strong and powerful this week. Our bishop has really wanted us to take members out with us and this week we had 4 different people come out with us. It has really changed how I look at working with the members. I noticed that the lessons that we had were a lot more productive and powerful because we had a member with us. And each lesson had the Spirit 10 times more than it would have without them. Especially with the less active members that we saw. It was really cool! At one of the lessons we went to see Diana who is less active and her active sister Evelyn came with us. It was so powerful to have Evelyn there to testify about the gospel and she even thanked her less active sister for sending the missionaries to her house years ago and told her that it was her turn to help her come back. WOW! One of the most powerful moments on my mission! 

Another person that we taught was Elliot. He has such faith in Christ, but just hasn't put two and two together that when he feels the warm and good inside (the Spirit) he needs to act on that! I can't wait to see him this week. Heavenly Father has been helping us out with what we need to teach him this week. 

We were teaching another Less active this week Naomi. It was so cool because it was a "discerning their thoughts" moment. I just knew what she was really thinking and feeling and that what she was saying wasn't the truth about how she felt. 

It has just been a really powerful week. 

We also had Stake conference this week so I got to see my family! Well some of my Saco family! It was so good to see them. And I saw my old companion Sister Escobar as you can see in the picture that Brother Smith sent you, I just love her.

I also learned how to put up an electrical curtain rod this week, so watch out.

Love you All!

Sista Lassen