Recap of the week!!

Hello Everyone!!!

Just another week here in Paradise.  The temperatures are slowly starting to dip and the leaves are about to turn color.  NORTHEAST FALL COLORS HERE WE COME!!  So excited for what lies ahead.

This week hasn't been the most exciting week ever, but we still were able to do the Lord's work.   On Monday, we went to a super fun FHE with a member family and some recently activated members.  We played Catch Phrase and talked about the scriptures.  On Tuesday, we had a District meeting and we talked about Christ like attributes.  It was good to refocus and learn more about certain attributes.  I have noticed in my study in the morning that I personally want to master obedience and diligence... but right now, the Lord is pretty dead set on teaching me patience lately.  "Patience is not simply enduring, it is enduring well!!"  We then did service at a library on Post and shelved children's books for about 2 hours.  Literature these days for young kids has gone downhill... let me tell you!!

Over the next two days, we saw our less active families and we have been recently trying to get our members to do more member missionary work and share their testimonies online!  So, that was fun. I too used to be petrified to do any form of missionary work.  I thought that I would lose all my friends and that I was opening up myself to get hurt in the process.  Satan is so good at making us afraid and overthinking our worst enemies.  It wasn't until after the first month of my mission that I had the courage to post something online, or send a BOM home to a friend to read.  It took 4 and a half months before I had the faith and courage to go tracting and lead out for more than an hour.  What is bold today, won't be tomorrow!!  It doesn't make it easier, but we do get stronger and the adversary's ability to make us fear sharing the gospel is lessened and we become better teachers.  It is awesome.

We have seen a lot of progress with a recent convert lately, her name is Abby and she is 14.  She has the maturity of a 14 year old girl, but the soul of an 90 year old.  We love our lessons with her.  She was inactive when we got here to Ft. Drum.  She has been to Church this whole month, and now wants to go on a mission.

On Thursday, we had institute for the first time with the single soldiers on base.  We studied consecration and the life of John Tanner.  This man is the bomb.com.  I highly encourage people to read his story on LDS.org.

Another common problem among missionaries towards  the end of the month is no more miles for your car... and when you live 12 miles south of your area, we quickly use up of Friday, Saturday and Sunday mileage.  We did have some really good lessons.  Gabby and Cameron are going strong.  Taught more about the commandments this week.  Gabby will be leaving for NYC this week (which makes me and my companion sad) but we will make sure that she has been taught everything we can.    She'll get baptized sometime this year for the next.  For Sure!!  Cameron though, already knows everything, and is already paying tithing and keeps the commandments.  So, we are going to get him baptized in like 2 or 3 weeks.

We also taught our Bev on Facebook too... and apparently, we are going to go fishing with her sometime next month.  Woop Woop!  The biggest event of the week was with the unexpected wedding of two members of the Ward.  It was announced a week ago and they got married Saturday.  Me and my companion were the bridesmaids and I got to hold the bouquet!!  It was slightly strange.  From the moment everyone came to the moment everyone ate the refreshments and left was 30 minutes.  So, us missionaries got to clean the whole church afterwards and set up chairs for Sacrament Meeting since we do not have pews in our building.

This next week, we have meetings with the Zone Leaders to try to move up to Evans Mills and get out of Carthage and also we are meeting with the President.  We also have MLC this Friday and since the new President,  I never know what to expect, but they it keeps me on my toes!! :)

Fun Nerdy fact for the week... the meaning behind the name Mormon in Hebrew/Egyptian is "more good" and Satan is Hebrew/Greek for "The accuser, the spoiler'.

The Church is true and I love the Lord!!
Sister Kylie Williams

Transfer Number 2

Hi Everyone.

This week has had its up and down, but its another week out in the Lord's vineyard.  Today is the official start of a new transfer here in Carthage/Fort Drum area.  Been a few changes, only two people in my district have left and we have a greenie that we can go on exchanges with now.  We've been helping out this really cute family that has been discharged  from the army medically and they have been going  through some severe challenges financially and spiritually.  They are also slightly quirky, but we love them.  We made dinner for them yesterday (a dinner for 9) and then watched the Testament on their huge couch with the dogs.  They don't have much, but it was so awesome to sit down and have a movie night and both me and my companion afterwards were both like "So, did you like getting really excited for the future and can't wait to have a family and have kids and do things like this?  It was sweet and I am pretty sure that we got Sister Scott to cray at the end of the movie.

The brightest part of the week is with our 16 and 18 year old investigator Gabbi and Cameron.  We love them so much.  We taught them 4 times this week and both are progressing quite well.  They accepted to be baptized.. but when.. that is still in the works. Cameron is this super logical, reserved kid who loves all things dinosaurs and wants to be a paleontologist when he grows up.  I have learned more about valociraptors more in the last week than I have my whole life.  Gabbi is this kind hearted, super sweet and mellow ballet dancer who is dancing for companies in NYC and is now on track to eventually be dancing for the New York City Ballet.  Just super cool.  Our lessons are the best.  We typically have to relate everything back to the scriptures and draw pictures and try to act things out and make it fun.  We even acted out 1 Nephi 7 with parts and everything.  It has been awesome.

Acting out the scriptures with Gabbi and Cameron 

 For the next two weeks, we are going to teach as much as possible before Gabbi has to go back to college and work in NYC.  We are going to get her solid enough to stand on her own two feet faith wise and then transition to the NYC sisters over Mormon.org.  But, she is not quite ready to be baptized.  Time is a very important factor.  As a missionary,t here is a common dilemma "to baptize or not to baptize'  that is the question.  I have met too many people who have not been ready and were forced into it for the wrong reasons, and then fall away.  Teaching a less active is 100X tougher than an investigator.  So, the trick is to find those, and teach those that want and desire to be baptized and not matter where they are they will stay active.  More often than not, time is the biggest factor for the seed of faith to turn into a tree of action to follow our Savior.   Maybe in Brazil or in other countries, some can just feel the Spirit and say it is true and then get baptized, but due to  the lack of support and help in the Northeast of the US, people have to be able to withstand the mists of darkness, the great and spacious building and the rivers and all the other lovely temptations.  Cameron will be baptized this transfer which is going to be sweet.

The other family that we have been working on has two sons that are not baptized.  The parents used to be super solid members, but #life #priorities got in the way and they have fallen a little.  But, the Mom still wants her sons to have what she knows.  Oh and they are friends with the Mission President.  We are slowly teaching them and trying to get their 10 year old and 8 year old baptized and reactivate them.  Lots and lots of hardships with them.  But, Cooper and Cruise will also get baptized sometime next month.  The real thing will be to keep them active.  We did meet one of their neighbors that is 15 and she is super sweet and did great in our plan of Salvation lesson.  Hopefully we can pick her up soon.

We saw Wayne, taught him a sweet restoration lesson.  He was excited to read the Book of Mormon.  But he got a hold of some anti-Mormon literature and things kinda got messed up. Thankfully, he has got 10 years left in him.  Hopefully he accepts things on the other side.  Nothing more we can do here for now.

There was a clothing exchange at the Church for a Relief Society activity and it was fun.  I got some much needed clothes  I was so done with wearing the same 10 things for 9 months.  Tender Mercy.  It is the little things in life that matter.

Our recent converts are doing awesome and staying strong despite challenges.  Our less actives are still being less active.  :(  Not a huge surprise.  You can only do so much.  People have to want or desire to have a relationship with God; and if they don't, it really doesn't matter what we say as missionaries.  It has to be the Spirit and what they want to do.  All divine intervention.  We just invite, and try to fellowship them. :)

Also, I have been working with ward members in auxiliaries to identify certain people to visit.  Record keeping and updating is normally a struggle in New York due to the amount of less actives in a ward or branch.  We frequently have to go to the middle of no where and see if people have moved and if they have, find out where too.

Institute has officially started up  Yayy!  We have the best teacher and can spend more time with the single soldiers and YSA.

As of September, I will be halfway through my mission.  :D  It was a year ago today that I went through the temple for the first time.  Where has the time gone??? Aww, I am going through a mid mission crisis.  I miss the temple more than anything.  My favorite time of the day is when I am either in the middle of a lesson or during personal study time.  I have fallen in love with the scriptures again.  I actually don't have enough time to study.  I kinda want to study everything from ancient laws of Israel to the Godhead to the priesthood, church history and repentance.  I can finally read the scriptures and understand who is talking, where the setting  is and what is being said and it is the coolest thing ever.  I wish more people would have it too.  Life would be a lot easier while teaching.

On Sunday, I taught Gospel Principles and the Sunbeam class.  I much prefer Gospel Principles over Sunbeams... haha!  I have decided that after my mission, I hope I can teach at Church.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  It brings me a lot of happiness and teaching is one of my best strengths on the mission.  As for the Sunbeams, I'll be sure to bring cookies and coloring books!

As I have been studying and teaching, everything just continues to make more and more sense.  This Church is True.  I know it is and I love it.  I wish that people could just take a moment and set aside their pride and just listen.  We are in the latter days.  The world is getting weirder by the minute.  I know that truth has been restored and what we have to share is for everyone and it can add to their happiness!!

Please everyone, just make good decisions and keep the commandments!!  Can we just do that??? I promise blessings!!  :)

Love you all!!

Sister Kylie Williams

Why Faith Matters

Hello Everyone!!

It's me again and things are still going good up in the "north country" of Upstate New York.  Yes, Carthage is considered to be the most southern part of the 'north country" of New York.  Here is where the average snow accumulation in inches is about the same as the number of trees and shrubs per acres of land.  The leaves are even now starting to turn and hints of red and orange are starting at the top.  I cannot wait until the autumn colors hit in full force.  It is going to be gorgeous!  The bad thing.. better get the winter gear back.  Predictions are for a bad winter this year and this last one was the coldest in the last 50 years.  I also learned that at Ford Drum, it's the arctic climate pre-training Fort for the military.  So, all the solders getting sent to Russia and the arctic and sometimes other frozen tundras get sent to my area... because apparently Alaska is too balmy compared to New York... Go Figure!!

This week, I was down and out with a summer virus.  I am still recovering and so is everyone else.  The whole mission kinda got it.  Sister, Elders, Ward Members.. so unfortunately, I spent 2-3 days asleep with a mountain of tissues around me and my bed.  My companion paced around like a caged animal and watched Legacy ten times over.  It was not fun.  I have never had to stay inside and not work and it was very different.  Wednesday, I decided that I had had enough and did not want to be inside.  We went back to work and it's almost killed me off.

Pulling a tooth!  Hooray for my skills from Reunion Brighton Orthodontics :)

Success!!  Bring on the Tooth Fairy !

We saw some less-actives and an investigator.  I even went with  the youth to a judo class and got to wrestle my companion and had an awesome dinner with the Relief Society President and PULLED OUT HER CHILD's TOO. (That was awesome.  I still got my skills!) #Toothfairyreturns.  It kinda made my soul happy and it felt like I was back at work.  He wouldn't let his Mom pull his tooth and it hurt when he touched it.  I said that I could pull it out without it hurting and he ran right up and said, "Please Sister Williams, do it!"  The kid didn't even flinch.

Thursday, I thought I was doing better.  Ha!  We had 7 lessons that day.  We saw some less actives/recent converts and then helped a member who is ill with thyroid stuff clean her house and we had the best FHE with the Sanchez family.  We learned about Joseph Smith and played games and asked if we could teach their 9 year old and get him baptized.  They are still thinking about it, but we hope we can.

Friday, we taught Wayne and he's a super cute old guy.  Bless his heart, he is old, but at least he is still alert mentally.  We taught part of the pre-earth life and he'd never thought about heaven before this life and his face was priceless!  So in awe.  I then crashed after 2 days of hard work and slept more.  We saw a Sister and made fried chicken and then had a lesson with another less active and shared a video, but then for some reason, we also committed her to watch the Princess Bride because her dog's name is Buttercup.  She said she hadn't laughed that hard in a while.  So not only did we help her spiritually, but also socially and emotionally :)  Everyone must watch the Princess Bride at least once in their life.

Saturday, we saw the Bryant's who are a less active family, but the kids are not baptized.  It is tough because they were so tired that they didn't learn anything and their baptismal date is coming up fast.  GRRR for agency.  Just kidding.  But hopefully they will get there soon!

We also taught this family that moved from Virginia.  They were baptized in January and are super solid members.  We love them.  The 7 year old wants the lessons.  So, we teach the family once a week and even with the craziness, they learn so well.  I love teaching the kiddos.

Sunday was even crazier.  The Elders planned out our whole day.  They had some people to teach on post and transition them to us to teach.  So, we helped clean/move a deploying soldier to IRAQ and then we went to another family's house to teach Cameron and Gabby.  They are teenagers/young adults and the Mom is a member.  The Dad isn't and the daughter who lives at NYC and is a Julliard ballet dancer is visiting for the summer and wants to learn more.  So, we taught them the Plan of Salvation and the Mom is pushing hard to get them baptized.  They are super awesome and our best investigators.  They are smart and have been to church before.  We will be teaching them every other day for the next 3-4 weeks. and try to get them on date for baptism.  It is super fun to go to their house and they feed us a lot.  Then, we went and taught some less-actives that are moving soon, but their desire to be good is like next to zero and that always makes us sad.

I reach my halfway point for my mission in a few weeks.  it is almost scary.  I am at the point in my mission where I am starting to realize how much faith really goes into missionary work.  Because, after leaving two areas, things can go really bad or really good depending on who follows behind you, or unexpected things happen.  Many people that I love that were investigating the Church, I have learned are no longer progressing or have lost contact with the missionaries.  It breaks my heart.  But, in a blessing, I was once promised that the seeds that I had planted would one day be harvested, and in my head I would want all of them to be harvested in the next year or so.  But it doesn't work that way.  God's plan is perfect, and it's perfect because it factors in the human variable and how imperfect we are.  Because we are stubborn and not as humble as we should be, sometimes things take time.  But time does not matter to God.  He sees who we can become in this life and also in the next.  So yes, it is easy to get worked up about things and people.  But it is much more peaceful when I simply trust God and not try to play God.  He is much more capable than I am and maybe someone may take 10 years to accept the gospel, or 25 years, or even not until the next life.  But, I at least have done my part and taught them what I could when I was with them and gave them an opportunity to be blessed and have the Spirit in their lives.

Faith in Christ matters.  Yes, we need to believe IN Him, but how many of us believe HIM, when he says that something is going to happen and promised blessings will come??  As a missionary, I am but a stroke of paint on a huge and beautiful canvas of what God has in store for all of us, but every stroke matter, and that is what keeps me going strong!

The gospel is true, and everything along side of it :)

Love you all!!
Sister Kylie Williams

Keep on Keeping On

Hello Everyone!!

This week's letter is going to be shorter due to a nasty cold.  I think that some chicken noodle soup and hot cocoa is calling my name. :)

So, I have come to decide that one of the funnest things I have done on my mission was last week when I played ultimate Frisbee in the rain then went to the mall for food.

Being goofy while doing a cleaning service project

Tuesday was the all day Mission Conference where President Rogers told the whole mission what the vision for the next three years was going to be.  I had already known pretty much of what he was going to say, but it was great to see some missionaries that I had not seen since the MTC or for months.  It was a fun reunion.

It was also really good to hear from the missionaries that are currently serving in my past units. (Corning and Utica) One of my fears was that after I left, that things never changed and that I didn't play a strong enough role in the area to make a difference in the 3-4 months I served there.  HA!!!  Wrong.  Corning is on fire!! They have 6 progressing investigators, 4 of which I found and taught and a few are even on date to be baptized.   The Branch is doing great and they are opening up the over flow to the Chapel for the first time for Sacrament :) Also, less actives that didn't want to meet with us are all of a sudden back at Church and the members are plunking along doing good.

In Utica, Jim, (The half naked guy I found while he was washing his car) is progressing and has been to Church every week.  He is getting baptized on September 20th!  The Ward is also doing splendid.  It was the best thing that I could ever hear.  Because, the measure of a missionary can sometimes be found in the 'after effects' of how well an area is doing 2-3 transfers after you leave.  It really strengthened my testimony that I was really making a difference even when I thought I wasn't.  More and more people are coming into the church  So, my week was made :)

On Exchanges with Sister Munez

Then, when we weren't learning about our new mission expectations and standards, we were driving.  It was a 4 hour round trip from Carthage to Liverpool and back.  It was good to see more of the countryside, but there is a slight changing of colors now.  Yayy!  The fall is going to be so pretty.

This week was a little slower, lots of families moving in and out and returning from vacation.  We lost 4-5 member families this month and gained 6 just this past Sunday.  So, just when I thought I knew who everyone was, ha ha, there is a switch-up.

Many of our investigators are busy this week with family and job problems.  So we did a lot of less active family work.  We do have some of the sweetest less actives, but it is so frustrating sometimes with the "Why don't you come to Church?? You know it is true!"  But laziness and complacency is a killer.

When we weren't busy we had to go find people, because that is one of the key aspects to President Rogers new vision.  We honestly aren't teaching enough people and not putting our faith in finding others.  So, we went one evening and tried some former investigators in the area book.  The only real success story is an older man named Wayne.  He is super sweet and we kind of broke into an Assisted Living Apartment complex to find him.  He couldn't figure out how to buzz us in.  We went in, talked to him for a little while and he gladly accepted us and wanted us to teach him.  Because we didn't have another female with us, we have an appoint with him tomorrow to teach the Plan of Salvation and also family history because he wants to learn where he came from.  It is actually the only real success story I have from using the Former records.  Normally, people are listed as former for a reason or move.  But he is the sweetest and we can't wait to start teaching him.

We also went to the middle of no where and gave a Book of Mormon to this guy named Kim who is neighbors with another former who wasn't home.  Hopefully, we can teach him this week too!  We also have to contact 3 other part member families with people that we can pick up as investigators this week.  Hopefully all goes well with that, because we really need to pick back up our investigators pool because they either got baptized or moved.  So yayy, more 'finding'.

I know that the Lord's hand is in our lives all of the time, even in the little things.  This is the last week before transfer calls and I honestly have no idea what is going to happen.  Lots of sisters are leaving and not a whole bunch are coming in, so there will be a shift in demographics and areas for sure.  But the Church is true and I love the gospel and being able to follow the impressions from the Spirit to help people in their lives.

Toodles!
Sister Kylie W.

Changes Around the Corner

Hey Everyone!!

It is that time again.  Time seems to be going too fast.  I feel like I have been in Carthage my whole life, but it is only been like 4 weeks!  CRAZY!!!

Most of the week, I was out of my assigned area and was either in Watertown or Utica, so that was fun.  I have come to realize that after being in the country settings the last 4 weeks, how much I love serving in the cities and more populated areas.  Ha Ha, who knew!!  Anyway,

Last week was great.  One of the Elders in our Unit had a birthday and he turned 21.  So, we made the Elder dinner on Monday.  We actually have been using cookbooks and recipes in Carthage to make food.  (Anything is better than PB&J's, quesadillas, and tuna salad every day. #YoungAdultProblems  Then, we went visiting teaching with some of the members in the ward to try and help improve the numbers.

Tuesday came around and we had a really spiritual District Meeting about the four cornerstones of testimony that we use to get someone converted.
A.  Pray about Joseph Smith,
B. Receive revelation while reading the Book of Mormon,
C. Witness Priesthood power at Church,
D. Jesus in the Plan of Salvation
Part of our training was to pray in different rooms.  I just felt kinda awkward and didn't want to do this again, but I did anyway and the prayer kinda went like this; "Hi there, it's me again... and I already know the answer... but I am just doing what I was told and I would like to receive a confirmation that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  Sound good?"  I then had to sit there for a little while.  It was still super awesome because even though I didn't have a super overwhelming experience or see an angel or get smacked by a dove, I felt REALLY peaceful.

This transfer, I have also been re-reading the Doctrine and Covenants cover to cover and I am currently in Section 60.  The answer I got when praying about Joseph Smith, was just what Jesus said to Oliver Cowdrey, "Did I not speak peace concerning the matter?  What greater witness can you receive than that?"  So.. it's always good to continue to pray about the simple things.  Because they do matter!!!!

I had to give a training on relating every teaching point to Jesus Christ while teaching the Plan of Salvation.  It is actually the main way that we should actually teach the Plan of Salvation and not just jump into things like, "so...before you were born there was this council in Heaven..."  Your investigators will run away if you do that!!

Flowers Memorial Public Library, Watertown NY

Then, it was off to Watertown and we went to the coolest library ever in New York.  I highly suggest that people look up the Flowers Memorial Watertown Public Library.  It's an amazing building.  It's both a museum and a library.  Sometime I wish I wasn't a history nerd... or architecture nerd too.

Balcony Area

Main Foyer

We ran into some recent converts, one of which is Brother Kelley, who is an older gentleman, but bless his heart, he tries really hard.  He just needs a lot of help.  We then got to teach a lady that was actually baptized on Saturday and even though she struggles with some emotional handicaps, it was awesome to see someone who was so touched by the Spirit.  

Then, it was off to Sackett's Harbor (also another super cool historical place, only this time its naval military).  We taught some members and had dinner.  It was one of the prettiest places I have been on my mission.  The next day we continued to work with some other investigators and less actives, but we also tried to find people at the local farmers market.  That was NOT the best place in my opinion.  People did not want to talk to us.... even the vendors told us to go away in the most polite way possible.  That was really funny.  It was also hotter than any other day here on the mission, and if it was that bad in Watertown, then I wonder how bad it was down south.  Ha Ha 

The funniest part was when we went to go get some water.  This guy was walking down the street and he wanted to talk with everyone and I said "Hi" and we ended up talking to him for like 20 minutes.  The funniest thing is that this man is a "character".  He acted with a certain flare.  His jobs growing up have been for acting in Renaissance Festivals and he is a huge movie nerd and can speak Elvish and Klingon.   He was contracted by Paramount Pictures (I think) and was an "Ork" for the first two movies for the Lord of the Rings.  So, he tried to impress us with his Ork and Elvish language skills.  That was weird.  But, he is also a Wiccan (which is one type of witch) but he is open to learning and experimenting with Christianity.  So, we gave him a referral card and the local Sisters are hopefully going to teach him over Faceboook.  It's kinda funny... I told the other Sister that if she can convert a Wiccan Ork, I'd buy her dinner...  but you never know!  Good luck with that. 

We then got to meet this lady that the Elders in Trumansberg accidentally 'butt dialed'.  Turns out it was a a former investigator and she wanted to meet with us.  She was super cool.  The lesson went well, but she ended up dropping us later.  We knew we were climbing an uphill battle when the first thing we hear is "Wait, wasn't Joseph Smith's mother a witch?" We know that things are going to get tough.  People are so crazy and they truly surprise me... like all of the time.  But, lesson learned!  If you ever butt dial someone, ask if they want to hear the gospel.  It may work out!

On Thursday, we continued to work and we went down to Utica for MLC.  President Rogers is awesome.  He has been the President for a month now and he brought the Spirit and ended up sucker punching us all in the face with the attitude of "I love you all, but we are not living up to our full potential."  He has reorganized all of the mission leadership and has brought a new vision.   He basically wants us to become a 'finding mission'.  Not a whole ton of people are wanting to become members.  So, when we are not teaching, he wants us to trying finding people instead of filling the time with administrative duties, or working in area books or goofing off (yes, some missionaries do that) or just always working with the members and less actives.  It was good.   

We have an ALL mission conference tomorrow in Liverpool and it is going to be sweet.  I have never been at at meeting with ALL of the other missionaries before.  So it will be great!  Saturday and Sunday we did our best to seeing some less-actives and recent converts that have been struggling.  :)  Today we played ultimate Frisbee in the rain for 2 hours and then went to a mall as a District Activity to get food.  We were wet and looked so "non-mormonish" and had to listen to normal music.  It was weird.  I am expecting to feel weird when I get home from my mission.  HA HA! I live in a protective mission bubble.  Hopefully other good things happen this week!

All things are good when you are on the Lord's errand!

Love Sister Kylie Williams

Climb to Glory

Wow-za!!  This week has gone by so slow and yet so fast.  It has been jam packed with lots of little activities.  It wasn't the most productive week when it comes to teaching, but we did do a lot of service and working with members, so yayy!  Work with what you got!  :)

My Military Pass :)

So, at the start of the week we went back on Post (Ft. Drum) and we knew that it would be our main day to proselyte for the week.  So wanted to try to see everyone.   But, life happens while you are making other plans... and the Lord had 'other plans' that day for us.  We stumbled upon some very sad circumstances for one of the recent converts here.  She is only in her teens and has a very hard family situation.  She also hasn't been coming to church.  Typically, when we see her, we would read scriptures with her.. (which is slightly a pet peeve of mine.  I do much better as a missionary teaching doctrine and making things more interactive.  However, most people in New York struggle with their ability to read.. yup high illiteracy rates here.)  Her Mom slipped the hint that she has been suffering from depression and it has lead to self-harming.  We had a really powerful lesson with her about prayer and how when things get tough, we can't leave the safety of the 'tornado shelter and run into the storm/tornado' just because we are mad at God.  It does way too much harm to do that.  Overall, we had a good discussion and now we know how to help her.

Later, we visited some members homes.  By the way, mission rules do not allow us to hold any child under 6 years of age.  :(  I really struggle with that, I love little kids!  I interact with these families with the cutest kids and my internal mothering instinct has been screaming to play and hold these kids--but I can't.  I have quickly made a few primary age friends in the ward and we draw pictures during Sacrament Meeting when our investigators don't show up.  It is so fun to watch the parents resolve conflicts and teach them.  I've been taking mental notes on what does/doesn't work with kids.  Maybe it is because I am going to be turning 20 soon and the hope is to have a family within the next 6 years... so that's been really interesting.

But anyway... back to members.  This week I had this strong impression that we needed to visit one certain member.  She is in a position of leadership.  But something just seemed off.  Another member gave us the referral to go see her too.  When we got there, everything seemed to be fine.  And then... she just broke down.  Like literally broke down in tears.  If we hadn't visited her that day, she may have quickly went down the path of inactivity or done something tragic that she would regret later.  In many ways, I couldn't relate to what she was feeling, but I could testify that the gospel was the answer.  I then had the impression to take her two kids who were in the room and go play with them.  That was definitely needed to help the situation.  She couldn't fully open up to my companion and get guidance and help until I left with her kids.  So while my companion was providing a shoulder to cry on, the kids and I made "I love Mommy" letters and made lunch.  The feeling... of having an impression, following it, and knowing that you did what Jesus Christ himself would do in that instance is the most powerful feeling in the world.  It energizes you from the tips of your toes to the top of your head.

My companion and I were in better spirits this week and yeah, we may not have a huge pool of investigators, but we have many members who struggle and they matter just as much too!  :)  Work where you are needed!!

Wednesday was even crazier this week.  We drove down to Utica (which was so weird) and we had a zone training meeting on working with members.  Which is quite funny for us.. because as of right now... we have a brand new Bishop in his 30's, new counselors, no mission leader and the auxiliary leaders are either deployed or leave at the end of August.. well all except for the Young Women's leader.  So we just laughed and dreamed of a day when we can have a full Ward Council :)

Krysten's Baptism

We then drove back for the baptism of Krysten!! Yayy.  Her family is funny.  Typical military family with three kids.  They've been less active and the Elders sorta found them 2 months ago.  Krysten is 10 yrs old.  They have been slowly taught and before I got to Carthage, they were very lukewarm towards the Church.  But, apparently, the change just astounds my companion.  They went from almost no activity before to now  they now want to get sealed in the temple and pay tithing.  They also had us over for dinner.  They are super sad that they have to move to Texas for a month and one of us may be transferred next rotation.  Her baptism though was so fun!!

The Ivy Family 

Thursday we started with moving a super funny couple in the Ward. We moved a total of two families this week for a total of 10 hours of service.  Most of our appointments cancelled, so apparently that must have been what the Lord wanted us to focus on.  I am grateful for the years of moving with my family... (even though I hated it then), because #1) I am very flexible and I can form a relationship very fast with new people.  (That is probably why I don't stay in an area for very long, unlike some missionaries) and #2) I know how to pack and load a moving truck.  Thank goodness for Tetris.. it has helped too.  I spent most of the time rearranging cabinets and chairs and mattresses to maximize all of the square footage in the truck.  It  was actually kind of fun!

We also have the greatest elders serving with us right now in the whole mission.  They made it fun to work with them.  :)  Apparently, I will be getting my biceps back if I have to move a family at least once a week.  It will make up for not working out as much.

Moving families in Carthage

Friday was a carfast...and since we didn't live in our area, we decided to focus on administrative tasks.  Study up for our exchanges, make mini area books for the car and study for training's.

We also taught Young Women's this week.  It went awesome!!  We also have to train for District Meeting on the Plan of Salvation. So we have been busy and also having fun.

Hmmm... what else happened this week??  Oh and Bev, the Filipino Medic, came to Church again.  She loved the meetings and came with us for Young Women's.  She loved it!!  She said yes to an official lesson this week.  YES!!  Success!!  She also fractured her finger unexpectedly, so she won't be deployed now.  HA HA, God does work in mysterious way!! :)

The Church is true!!  This week is a trip to Watertown!! I am so excited!  Woop Woop!

Love ya!
Sister Kylie Williams

Behold A Royal Army

Hey Everyone!!

Just another week in Carthage.  It has been a relatively calm week, which I am okay with because the next two weeks are going to be crazy!  :)  However, this week I did have a baptism and a wedding!!  Fun Fun!!

Lexis' Baptism with Sister Duke and myself

 Now we are preparing for another baptism and wedding this week on Wednesday.  The girl getting baptized is named Krestyn and her family is coming back into reactivation and she is 10 years old.  Her 8 year old brother is being baptized as well.  They live on base and have quickly become our friends.  The kids are quirky and cute and I have gotten to teach Krestyn most of the commandments and ordinances.  That has been the main teaching focus.

Also this week, we got a completely new Bishopric.  There was no leadership when I first got here.  So all there was when I arrived was a 2nd counselor over 150 active members.  Kinda hard to do much.  Now that we have a Bishop, hopefully we will get a ward mission leader, but things are a little slow to catch up here, so we will have to patiently wait.

We have been visiting a ton of less-actives and recent converts on base.  That is the bulk of this area, part members and less actives.  Most of our investigators are still out of town on vacation, so we haven't been able to contact them.  People will start coming back and moving in around August so things will go much faster.  A big thing here we have focused on is temple attendance.  Not many of the members have been to the temple. So me and Sister Duke are trying to get everyone on a "Yayy!!  Temple and Family History are great" kick!  We should be helping some people with their Family History soon.  :)

Another big thing for us has been making banana bread for some less actives or people that won't let us in the door.  We did get into a door that we haven't gotten into lately and we taught the "B___" Family.  They are slightly crazy and suffer from poor financial circumstances, but we taught the whole family the Restoration and the son who is 10 is scheduled to be baptized at the end of August now.  So that was fun!

I also got to meet an investigator named Mary Lou.  She is super cute and came to church for the first time ever!!  She also paid $100 dollars in fast offerings and kept asking me when the 'basket' was going to come around.  I just laughed and said, "We do things a little more privately and orderly in the Church."  She LOVED that so much.

And Bev came!!  Even though we hadn't seen her all week, she has all of these crazy field tests coming up.  She mentioned a possible deployment within the next three months and now the goal is to get her scheduled to be baptized within the next 6-8 weeks.  She feels the Spirit and without really being taught by us, she knows that the Church is the "safest and happiest she's ever been in, at any church."  So once she understands everything, she will be a super solid member.

We had 3 investigators at Church!!  Neither of us have ever had 3 investigators at Church at once before.  It was so sweet!  We also had some great dinner lessons with members.  A member said that she is going to teach us some self-defense and how to get out of kidnapping situations.  She then began providing us with certain legal striking weapons for the State of New York, since pepper spray and stun guns are illegal.  One of the pros of being in a military ward, everyone thinks that we are either starving or going to get kidnapped, so they feed us or teach us how to break someone's hand in certain situations.  I am not complaining, if I ever get transferred to downtown Albany or East side Syracuse, I won't be worried at all. :)

Me and Sister Duke

This next upcoming week is going to be crazy.  A 5 hour Zone training meeting, a baptism, helping members move, a carfast (I have to walk and not use the car.. and we don't live in our teaching area.. yikes) and we have a ward pioneer celebration coming up.  There will be a watermelon eating contest and we get to run some of the activities.  Then, the week after that, I will be on a 3 day exchange in Watertown (which I am so excited to go and see).  Then, Mission Leadership Council and President Rogers is going to lay down the hammer, and change up everything.  Hopefully nothing too crazy.  President Wirthlin has done a great job with the mission.

There are about 5 billion mosquitoes here and we may be slowly eaten alive... we purposely eat garlic powder to keep them away...but if our investigators also start being repelled, we may have to cut back on the garlic.  Haha.

And hmm.... what else is new... here is a shout out to the awesome friends back home in the Reunion Ward that are going out on their missions this month.  Go get 'em Kacee, Erin and Chandler!!

Love you all, The CHURCH IS TRUE!!
Sister Kylie Williams