May 8, 2017

Lol. Our district leader, Elder Stewart-Chester had this up for district meeting this week. We really couldn't get into district meeting without doing this. We were both so nervous but we made it in. Later he told us because  of the role play we did, he has FULL confidence in our proselyting abilities and noticed we both have a lot of experience haha. "Whoosh". It's cool that others can voice our strengths, and it helps people so much. Something I learned from this is how IMPORTANT IT IS as humans that we voice positive things we feel and notice about others. It helps them way more than we think. So I wanna invite y'all to go this week to voice good things to people when you see it or notice it. Follow the promoting of the Holy Ghost to lift and encourage and inspire others. It only takes a few minutes. 

So like I ALWAYS SAY .... 1,2,3....GO AND DO....1 Nephi 3:7 :) 

Sister Mühlestein & I are back together!! And now we are taking over Rockford 2nd ward! I am soooo pumped !!! #doubketrouble #tendermercy

The ward already had me pray in sacrament meeting, and I'll be giving a talk in a couple weeks 😂 Bishop Holden is so funny. He said this will be like my "farewell talk". 

Hermana Gowens ❤#del sur la campana (hopefully my Spanish is right here 😂) 

Sister Hatch is so wonderful!!! 

Madi, oh Madi is so amazing ! She's so kind and is gonna be a fantastic missionary one day. I know it. Madi is a precious treasure in this world...you won't find many teenagers like her.

And this is Fernanda. She's Sis. Almonds 7 (almost 8) yr old grandaughter. She's been helping me w/ my Spanish & I help with her English and gospel stuff. She's so amazing. We've been teaching her, and she's totally gonna get baptized. I know her example will re-activate her inactive dad (and mom whose not a member). I have high hopes for their family!

Sister Salmond & Brother Wilson.
Sister Salmond always ALWAYS w/out fail gave us donuts every Sunday cause she works at a fresh bakery. ANYONE who knows me knows that is bad 😂😂😂😁
And Brother Wilson makes the BEST smoked BBQ anything! And he even has Texas BBQ sauce to go with it. He knows what's up! He's hilarious. He kinda reminds me of Buddy the Elf and Jack Black combined.... and that's a good thing, trust me 😂

Sister Smith from Naperville! HOLY COW 🐮 THIS WOMAN IS AMAZING! She made me pumpkin chocolate chip cookies before I got transferred AND has done sooo much more for me than just feeding me delicious food. She's definetly an angel and a kindred spirit. #tendermercy #Godlovesme #2ndmom

Remember a couple weeks back I told you about the guy Sister Ward and
I found in Pontiac? The one we were totally inspired to talk to...the
one who had just returned from talking to his probation officer?
Well here he is...Steven.

This is Sarah, my investigator from Naperville whose on date for July 15. I KNOW she's gonna be baptized soon. She's seriously so amazing! She's definetly a HUGE role model to me.

A Freeport trip wouldn't be real without THE BEST ICE CREAM ON EARTH!!!!

LITTLE CUBS FIELD ... look familiar? #freeportflashback #tendermercy

Post baptism!

Pics from Freeport flashback!
Sister Rosenwinge...southern belles back together.

Someone was saying something ridiculous ... probably some Texas "joke" or, no, it was probably a "getting old/you're going home" kinda joke...which FYI, is not actually funny 😑

We all served in good ol' Freeport & finally got to go back. And even crazier .... we ALL started off our missions here too. Everyone was so surprised to see us back. It was so cool!

Brother Mulnix is still the ward mission leader, and he's doing awesome. Probably one of the funniest people I've ever met!

Judy & her kids! Dea just got baptized. They're awesome. This family has been through SO MUCH, but they're still going strong. They inspire me!

Hey y'all! from good ol' Rockford! It feels sooo good to be back in the corn hood/boonies with my corn people! I've loved my mission so much but the Rockford and Peoria stakes have definitely  been my favorite ! 

I am so grateful for the lessons I'm continuing to learn. I know God sends us to ppl when they need us most and God sends people to us when we need them most.  I'm grateful for the promptings of the Holy Ghost in my life, because they have led me and my companions to people who we never would've met otherwise. And so many people NEED the peace and happiness, help and reassurance, healing and power the gospel brings. I'm so happy to have the honor and responsibility to bring that to others lives because it brings soooo much happiness into my heart. My heart could seriously burst right now with how happy it is. It's like a bunch of fire crackers inside just wanting to burst because life is so good right now. God is seriously soooo good y'all.  I cannot even begin to tell you how happy I am! Missions are the best. Definitely the best thing I've ever chosen to do! LIKE EVER!!!! FOR REALS!!!! 

For example , here are some miracles that'll give you just a glimpse of how amazing this great work is...

• Brandy 

Holy cow. She's amazing. She's the girlfriend of a super inactive member whose super hostile towards the church. It's sad because she has the strongest testimony of Joseph Smith,  Jesus Christ, and KNOWS it's all true. She's had the missionary lessons (who knows  how many times) and I'm pretty sure she knows the gospel better than me. She wants to get baptized soon bad, but can't because she needs to get married first (she and her boyfriend are living together, but he won't marry her). She is just trying to be patient and wait, cause she doesn't wanna break her family apart. We had such a powerful lesson with her and her daughter Stephanie. Holy cow, even Stephanie (age 8) knows the gospel better than me 😂.  I hope she is totally gonna change her fathers heart.

• Jim 

Amazing miracle...he came to church. He's been looking forward to it for awhile, but hasn't had a Sunday off in YEARS.  He FINALLY got Sunday's off.  He told his workers not to even bother calling him in, because he won't be answering his phone, cause Sunday's are important for him, and so he can go to church. I'm soooo blown away! He LOVED church yesterday & felt really welcomed. He felt peace, which he said he hasn't felt in YEARS. We invited him to be baptized and HE SAID YES!!!!   He said Yes at first meeting with us simply because he was curious, but now he's MORE than interested. He is SERIOUSLY thinking about becoming a member. 🙀 did your jaw just drop too ? I hope so, cause this is A MIRACLE!!! 

Gonna be baptized! 

• Delphine 

She's an 80 yr old woman who reads the Bible  and other churchy books. She's inspired me to read and study more about the Bible. My comp, Sis. Mühlestein, has too.  Theyre  awesome. Seriously Delphine asks some of the most thoughtful provoking, inspired questions I've ever heard. They're hard ones, but they help me grow and learn--which is what I need. So this is good ... don't worry y'all, an 80 yr old woman is keeping me on my toes.... no need to fear. 

**** CRAZY. COOL STORY:

CRAIG: BROKEN CAR WASH LEADS SISTERS TO THE ELECT.   Today we were going to get our car cleaned at the $3 car wash (cause we are missionaries and ain't got no $$$). But when we got there, it was closed. We were like WILLIS YOUVE GOT TO BE JOKING RIGHT? But no need to fear, because there's another one (a little more $ but not too bad ) right next to Target. We will go to target, then to the car wash. 😂😂  [**RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU HAVE A TARGET ADDICTION ** -- ha , jk don't do that silly. You'll look super funny raising your hand while looking at your smart phone or computer screen and people will think you're crazy. Haha it's ok, all good people are :)] Anyway, the storal of the mory is.... when we were walking back to get into our car at the car wash, one of the workers asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses.  [if I had a dollar for EVERY TIME ppl think that's who we are, I'd be rich!] and we obviously said "NO" WILLIS.  He kept asking more questions and said he's been looking for a church home and asked for the church address and our number. We got his number and will be calling to set up a lesson and let him know about church. 

His name is Craig. So basically the real storal of the mory is ....

It was a MIRACLE the other car wash was closed. I have such a STRONG testimony that God places us where we need to be at the VERY time we NEED to be there. I KNOW there's no such thing as coincidences. I know God has his hand in every part of our lives. 

I seriously LOVE the Bible and Book of Mormon so much !!! They're life lines and guides to us if we take the time to sincerely read and ponder their wonderful treasures. Our beloved prophet, Thomas S. Monson, gave a wonderful talk this last conference in April about the Book of Mormon & the importance of reading it DAILY and pondering it. He's getting old, and I'm not sure how much longer he will  be with us, but I KNOW (especially since his days are numbered) the fact he gave a talk about the Book of Mormon is SO IMPORTANT!!!! The prophet said it , and most importantly God has said it!!! So LISTEN UP please. 

I wanna invite all of y'all to go and listen and read his talk again. Then make a Book of Mormon game plan to read and ponder it daily.

I can promise it'll change your life forever, because it's changed mine.  I honestly didn't really enjoying reading the Book of Mormon pre mission, but my heart has changed and I LOVE IT. I turn to it for everything, cause that's where I know my answers from God are gonna come from. I KNOW when you're feeling low, the scriptures are the BEST place to turn. Because I've felt so low at times, but every time I turn to the scriptures, the Lord brings me HIGHER. 

I KNOW the scriptures have the power to do that for you too. 

You just gotta have the faith, desire, and make the time. 

It's never EVER too late. Start today. Start now. NO EXCUSES. 

Love Seester Karigan Ällowitz