Mission Conference and a baptism! 10/20/14

Hello!

This week has been pretty eventful!

We had a good lesson with Koleta, she is making progress, It is slow, but good. She hasn't come to church yet, and I think that will really help. She just gets worn out really easy and she goes out of town alot too. She is awesome though. 

Friday was our mission conference with Elder Evans. There were 2 groups and 2 days, so half of the mission met with him on Thursday. It was AWESOME! He talked to us a lot about how our mission is preparing us for our future. He also talked with us about seeking referrals and how we should do it. One of my favorite things that he talked about is how in Preach My Gospel, in the finding section, Tracting and Street contacting are 12 pages in and how there are better ways right up in front. That doesn't really do it justice, you had to be there. 

He also talked to us about preparing ourselves now for Ipads, we don't know when those are coming, but he talked about them as being a great tool for us now and as we learn to use them and technology wisely on our mission, how that will bless us when we go home. 

It was a really uplifting conference. I know that my Heavenly Father is mindful of me and my questions and concerns. He loves us and he answers prayers.

Saturday was Tianna's Baptism, it was wonderful. She was sick with a cold or sinus infection but she was a trooper.

Sister Letoa went to 29 Palms after Tianna's baptism to go to another baptism and I stayed and worked here. Sis. Motufau came out with me, she was wonderful. Her husband just passed away and I think she really enjoyed coming out because it kept her busy. 

We went to a wedding reception and Koleta was there, one of her relatives married a relative of someone in our ward. ( that was the reason she didn't come this week, she was way tired, because she really wanted to come).

I think that is about it for this week! I hope everyone is doing well. I love you all!

Alofa,

Sister Kellee Gardner

Where food poisoning is no biggie! 10/14/14

Hello!

This week has been good. It was different and there were some great things that happened. One thing that I realized is that success as a missionary comes in so many different ways. There are so many ways to fulfill our purpose and sometimes I get stuck in this rut of one way to do things. 

Each area and ward are different so it is is interesting to go to a new area and find what works and what doesn't. I think that is probably secretly my least favorite part about transfers, but at the same time I really love the success that comes from it. This week we had awesome experiences contacting people and finding referrals. The ysa in the ward went to Utah for conference and they had some non members that they took with them. They all had really good experiences. We are contacting them this week. I am just excited that the members here are excited about sharing the gospel.

We had a really good lesson with our investigator Koleta. Ok Sister Letoa had a really good lesson with her. I listened as they spoke Samoan, but it was really cool. I could tell that she was understanding what Sis. Letoa was saying and that she liked it. Right now she goes out of town on weekends, so coming to church is the challenge, but she has enjoyed the activities that she has come to. She takes the Book of Mormon to dialysis and reads it all the time, She is so solid.

There was a funeral this week, it was interesting to see how Samoans do funerals. There is a lot of culture and tradition in this ward. One challenge I have with being in this Samoan ward is that whenever we have an event, and there are alot of them, the missionaries are treated like royalty. We get to sit with the Bishop at the head table. We helped set up in between the service and the dinner after, otherwise the members won't let us serve and help, and we feel kind of useless. Such was the case at the funeral. 

The baptism was moved to this Saturday due to the funeral and everything going on in the ward. We are excited for Tianna, today in our lesson she was talking about what she read about the resurrection in Alma 40. She understood it very well, and as we were talking about the priesthood, she knew a lot already. It was awesome to see how she has grown.

I feel like now that we only cover one ward I am really getting to know and remember all of the people that I talk to. Last transfer I couldn't keep it all straight, which was hard for me. I usually remember names faces and stories pretty well. Its coming back this transfer! 

Well I think that is about it for this week.. Sorry its short. there's probably more, but we are out of time. 

Hope you all had a great Columbus day yesterday :D

I love you all!

Sister Kellee Gardner

Ps

Oh yeah, I got food poisoning this week, that was an adventure..haha  no bueno! In case you wanted to know. Im ok now though, no worries.

General Conference! 10/6/14

Hello,

Ah, wasn't conference just wonderful? I loved every minute of it. This was probably one of my favorites. I was blown away each session. I had a lot of things on my mind before conference and I was starting to get overwhelmed by it all. God answers prayers. I had so much peace as I watched conference. Every question that I had was answered, things on my mind had clarity. I don't know that I have ever had that experience before.

What were some of your experiences with conference? Favorite talks? I loved Elder Klebingat's talk. It just lays out exactly what we need to do to make changes in our lives. I wish I had my notes with me..Maybe you will be grateful I don't, otherwise you might get pages of my random thoughts, Oh wait, that's what these emails are :D( maybe not pages.. Sorry they aren't as long as some of you would like)

This week has been good. It has been interesting having a drastically smaller area, it is still a pretty big area, it covers most of the stake, but way smaller than the IE ward.

We have been working with Tianna, who is awesome and so ready for her baptism this Saturday.  Most of this week has been filled with going and meeting some of the less- actives. Not many have been home or available, which is always fun.

Cool experience. Sort of a long story. Last Sunday there was a member missionary fireside, I forgot to mention this last week but The three of us sang " I know That my Redeemer Lives" in Samoan, Sister Gillespie and I each sung a verse. and we sang the first and last together. It was really fun. Ok back to the story. We had weekly planning and were talking about which members to work with to teach our member lesson/ potential investigator lesson to. The Frost family kept coming to my mind, so we put them down. Sunday after conference we went over to their house to invite them to have us over and teach their family. After we explained what we would be doing( How to begin teaching) she was telling us that those were her concerns exactly and how after the fireside she had wanted to share the church magazines with her neighbors. She really didn't know what to say, because they always just bring up polygamy... She had been thinking all week of what to do and we had been thinking all week of going to their house, It was amazing to see answers to prayers, even with members!

I am so grateful for this gospel, I know it is true. I know that we have a living prophet on the earth today, President Thomas S. Monson. I know that I have a Savior who loves me. I know that God knows what is best for me. I know that peace in this life comes from obedience to ALL of the commandments, and even though there are trials and struggles, we can still have peace. 

I love you all,

Alofa Oe,

Sister Kellee Gardner