Sister San Diego Learns How to Ride a Bike! (or not)

It goes without saying that this week has been eventful! Tuesday we got to go to the temple and it was amazing! I really enjoyed it and learned so much unfortunately transfers are coming up and it was nice to be able to go before then. We have been working really hard this past week and I can see so much work going on here. I really feel so blessed to be here and really don't ever want to leave! we have been getting so many referrals from members in our wards they have truly been a help to us and we have finding and talking to more and more people everyday. The Lord is preparing the people here. Saturday we got to go to Pine and Featherville with Sister Freer. Its about and hour and a half away from Mountain Home and Oh my! Is it beautiful. Seriously We are going there after my mission (p.s. dad its a huge elk hunting place!) We met so many nice and wonderful people, it was clear and sunny and a balmy 45 degrees. We went for a walk and everything (it has been doom and gloom in Mountain Home for 2 weeks strait). We also have our baptism for Ashley coming up this Saturday. I cant even express my excitement! She is so sweet and I am so excited for her. We also have been teaching another lady, her name is Teresa and she is amazing and I love her so dearly . she has 2 kids and is an a mazing mom to her kids. She is a friend of sister Baxter (a lady in 4th ward). Well as I am sure the whole world knows now I fell off my bike again yesterday, I really only remember parts of the event but not much. I have had many offers for training wheels I think I am just going to go with a tricycle. My leg is doing much better today mostly just sore, I think I'll be back on my bike by the end of the week. Really though the blessings that came out me crashing my bike were huge. At the hospital there was a family that we have been trying to meet with, they were there and Sister Cluff talked with the dad who hasn't really been on board but she said they had a really good conversation. Also the people that came out to help were a part member family that we didn't really know, they were so nice and now we have a reason to go back and pay them back for there kindness. Also we talked to so may people in the emergency room about what we do as missionaries. it really ended up being a huge blessing. I know that Heavenly Father is looking out for me because it could have been way worse. I know that this is where I am supposed to be. I really just want to get back on my bike and keep sharing the gospel because I know there are people here prepared to hear it.
We have seen so much success and progress this week in both of our wards actually In 4th ward I think we have seen the most progress. We have received numerous referrals and they keep coming. We filled up all the days for our 40 day fast which was a miracle! I know that the Lords hand is in all of this. I feel so privileged to have his trust in helping bring souls back to him. I cant think of a more humbling gift that to have my Father in Heavens trust. He has given me so much and I feel so blessed to be here and be a part of this work in this time. I know there will be bumps and bruises along the way (both literal and spiritual) but I know its always worth it in the end.
I really know this is where I am supposed to be. I love it here so much and I love serving the Lord!
#itsnotegoodbyeitsc-yalater

Love
Sister Owsley

PS Also I don't know how it happened but I have given the nickname Sister San Diego around here haha


Here are the details she sent me about the bike accident:

I remember hitting the curb and apparently I hit my head on the fence and I just remember being really dizzy sister Cluff said I was in shock and I was shaking really bad. Nothing is broken but I have a sprained knee and I have a huge contusion on my leg. luckily I was wearing a helmet. I did get dehydrated in the hospital and they had to give me lots of fluids. and I had a lot of pain medicine in the hospital but they gave me prescriptions and I  have to go get crutches at the pharmacy today 

Here was Moms response:

Well I am glad you are Ok!! I am proud of you for working through it and never complaining!  You are being blessed and maybe certain things happen so you can be in the right place at the right time!

The work is moving along

Wow! This past week has been a real growing experience for me. I got everyone's packages this week Thanks so much (especially for the cookies mom!) So we have been teaching the Whittens in 4th ward and It has been going great! We have been reading the Book of Mormon with them and Sister Whiten has been praying about it. I can see she really has a desire to know the truth of it and to come closer to Christ. On Tuesday we had exchanges with our Sister Training Leaders. Sister Cluff went to Twin for a day and Sister Epple came here with me. She is from South Africa and is the funniest person, unfortunately though she was sick the whole day and we didn't get to go anywhere. It was hard but I was able to study and get caught up on a few things. Wednesday we had Zone Conference I saw Elder Stoddard and finally gave him his Christmas present, he was so excited about the See's candy and he loved the tie! (side note: I don't know if Sara told you but he isn't coming home till end of July now, he said Brian was sad) Talk to Sara today we took a picture on Wednesday and he has it (he said he was going to send it) We also taught a lesson that night with Theresa and she has so much love for her family and want what’s best for them she has such a big heart and I can feel Heavenly Fathers love for her. Thursday was weekly planning. Sister Cluff and I really learned a lot from each other that day. We were blessed with a new found determination to serve and we are giving it our all this week. Thursday night we met with Ashley she is the 16 year old who is awesome! She is planning to be baptized on the 1st and is so excited and I am for her too she has such a kind heart and just loves everyone. Friday was amazing! We contacted so many referrals and so many members gave us more referrals. I can see the Lords hand in helping us in our righteous efforts. Saturday we went to a baptism in the morning out in Grand view where the other sisters teach and there was another baptism here in Mountain home for a mom and a daughter that the English Elders taught! The best part of the day though was a former investigator named Jerry met with us. We had set up 2 other appointment last week and he forgot them, but he came! He wants to get baptized, he had read the whole Book of Mormon one night when he was 15 and he finally is ready to give the church a shot, we set a goal for him to be baptized on February 8th and he is so excited! Sunday was good too we ended up teaching Gospel Principals and there were 2 non members which was awesome! I never thought I would love something that was so hard. I keep thinking how much Heavenly Father must trust me to tech his children that he loves so much. I know that he loves each and every one of us no matter what and all he wants is for his kids to come home. I feel so much love here it’s amazing to meet people and feel that you have known them forever. I can’t even express how happy I am and how much Joy this gospel brings to me. I love being on a mission, Its weird sometimes to think about when I was in primary singing about a mission and now I'm here. This is the Lords work and I'm so grateful he has let me be a part of it, and serve him for this brief amount of time. 

Doctrine and Covenants 4 is true!

Love you all so much

Sister Owsley

#itsnotgoodbyeitsc-youlater

---

The Good, The Bad,...and The Black Ice!

Well needless to say this week has been a roller coaster of good and bad! Monday night Sister Cluff and I have been brain storming for weeks now on how to get the members to want to do missionary work and finally Monday we had ides flowing out our ears. It was such a blessing! We also met with Rebecca a less active girl we were referred to, her mom is also less active and her cousin Madison was there as well and she isn't a member. We talked to all of them about the Atonement and what Jesus Christ did. Madison had so many questions, and they were really great she made us stop and take a step back and see if we were explaining everything. It really was a help to us. The best part though was that she asked about baptisms! She is so great and has such a pure heart and I can see that Heavenly Father loves her so dearly. Tuesday was the BEST DAY EVER! We received a new referral form a less active family that we went and taught, we also talked to Courtney an amazing lady who we found tracking. She has been through so much in her life but she has such faith in Christ, she told us that she really admires the Church. She told us we could teach her because she wants to learn as much as she can! we also went on splits Tuesday night. I went with Sister Baxter in 4th ward to her house, her friend Theresa  has been coming to church and said she would meet with the missionaries. Let me tell you I was so afraid of teaching a lesson by myself, but it went so well! It took a lot of Faith and I owe all of it to the spirit I definitely couldn't have taught her without it. Wednesday we went to Twin Falls for a new missionary meeting. It was so great to see everyone and talk to them and hear about there areas. Everyone is really loving it an and I'm so glad I am a part of it. ( by the way you all need to watch Elder Holland's talk on missionary work!) Dun Dun Dun!!!! Thursday happened!  We had a really good lesson with one of our Investigators Ashley we actually had it at a members house (the Schmidt's). Ashley's less active mom was there and got a long really well with sister Schmidt and Ashley's non member sister was there to and she asked lots of questions. The lesson went so well and the Schmidt were so helpful to us. Now the horrible part was that as we were riding home it was like 9pm and had snowed the day before. we went to turn a corner and I hit a patch of black ice and ate it on the road. I was very dumb and tried to catch myself with my arm which actually saved me a whole lot more, but I just talked to the doctor yesterday and I have an external rotation something. Ha-ha I really don't know all I know is that it still hurts. At the time it didn't I actually just started laughing but 2 days later it still hurt so I had to call in and see what was up. It still hurts today but its getting better, I think the doc said it would take about 6 weeks yay! well im just glad it not worse I was very blessed that I didn't break anything! Anyways we had a record on Friday for most lessons taught WhooHoo! Saturday was kind of a downer all of our appointments fell through and we didn't get much done, no one wanted to talk or listen. Sunday we spoke in both 1st and 4th ward about how to be a member missionary. Things are slowly staring to pick up here and I fell like there is a shift going to happen in missionary work . We  really are tying hard and trying to be exactly obedient to be able to receive inspiration and guidance. This week I have really been staring to realize that I am a missionary and I couldn't think of a better place to be . There is nothing greater than bringing the gospel and the Joy of Christ into someone's life and seeing a change in them. I always want to be growing and progressing in coming closer to Christ. I defiantly am happier that way. I love you all!

Sister Owsley

love you to the moon and back!

#itsnotgoodbyeitsc-yalater

---

One Month

I loved hearing about your guys crazy week! sounds like a lot has been happening both good and bad! That's kind of been the theme of my week here in Idaho. Funny how that works :)

I hit my month mark this week !!! weird right? I've been gone for a month 1 down 17 to go. Its almost like once I hit that mark everything got turned up a notch, the good and the bad.

Last Monday we got our bikes, woohoo the only unfortunate part is that its windy here so its a good thing we wear leggings and tights. But they are a blessing and we do get places a lot faster and we are going to be so fit by the end of this transfer!

 New years eve was special because we have to be done working at 6 so every one in our district went over to the Whitten's house ( she is one of out investigators and he is a member) and we got to watch the Prince of Egypt! they made us a ton of food and were amazing! we love teaching them and going over to there house. New Years day I woke up sick and really didn't want to do anything but I decided to get up and go any way. Me being sick actually got us a new investigator  oddly enough. the Lord works in mysterious ways! I still wasn't feeling great the next day so we I stayed in bed for a little while, the mission housing coordinators came and inspected our house though it was interesting... but hey they are just looking out for us right? Friday was the biggest blessing though we had a Zone Meeting and it was all about how to find new investigators, and fill your time which is something we struggle a lot with here. It has been getting better and we are truly finding those ready to learn about the gospel. Saturday we decided to put our words into action from the day before. we had 3 appointments and lots of things to do. Well... all of our plans fell through! But I know that the Lords plan is so much better than anything we could ever think of, because we talked to so many other people who made appointment s to meet with us this week . One of the guys we talked to was a former investigator, he came out of his house and said " can we make an appointment, because I have to learn everything so I can get baptized" we were like yes! we can help you! It was so amazing. I am definitely learning a lot and learning what I can do to become better. It has been a whirlwind of a week. I finally am starting to feel like a missionary. Its crazy to think I have been gone for a month but time seems to be speeding up more and more each week. The days are long but the weeks are short. Its hard but at the end of each day its always worth it. The best thing I learned this week: We are reading the Book of Mormon with the Whitens I'm not sure if I told you guys but last week we committed them to read 1 Nephi Chapter 1, then they told us they were going to read 1 Nephi! we were like that sounds great! Then the committed us to read it with them and what a blessing it has been! As we were talking about what we read this week we talked about how Lehis family always had something good but the Lord made them sacrifice it like there gold and silver in Jerusalem, how they were brought to the sea shore where everything seen perfect but then he asked them to leave and sail across the sea. As we talked about I though It made me realize that we may have something we think is so great but then the Lord may take it away...but whatever he gives us in return is always so much better than what we gave up. His plan I so much better and brings so much more happiness than I could ever dream for myself.

Sister Owsley

Love you all so much!

#itsnotgoodbyeitsc-youlater

You Don't Know The Good Without the Bad

Wow this week went by so fast. It was crazy to me sitting here that its been almost a month since I left! time keeps speeding up and its so great! It s weird though the days seen to stretch on forever but the weeks pass by so quickly.

I loved talking to all you guys on Christmas it was such a blessing really because I was really missing home and talking to you guys made me feel so much better knowing everything is okay and you guys are doing good.

Well Friday was probably the hardest day for me. I think me and Sister Cluff calculated that we walked close to 15 miles that day. We just went out and started contacting people in the wards that were less active and part member. Its hard getting a door shut in you face when you know how much joy this gospel can bring to someone's life. we ended up contacting around 45 to 50 people that day, and we only had 3 return appointments. Which considering isn't too bad, but I was really having a hard time. I remember thinking this is not what I thought it was supposed to be. We came home that night and I was so sore and tired that all I wanted to do was crash on my bed and forget the day. The next two day though were AMAZING! Saturday we had two appointments. The First was with a girl named Rebecca she is 21 she was baptized when she was 8 but hasn't been to church since she was 10 so she doesn't understand much but she told us she is ready to find true happiness in her life so we told her we could defiantly help with that! :) She actually Chased down the Elders in Waley World (A..K.A Wal-Mart) and gave them her phone number cause she felt like they could help! That morning we also called the primary president to see if she could come with us to some appointment and she said yes! which was so great because we tried to get others to come and no one was available. SO she came and picked us up and we headed to the appointment. The Gentry's who we were visiting his wife ended up not being there and he told us he couldn't meet to day which was so disappointing but sister Weber the primary president turned to us and was like aright where else can we go we drove around to 5 more houses and no one wanted to meet. She suggested a family that was part member and less active. We went and there dad wasn't home but the mom and kids were. We talked for about and hour and asked if she wanted to come to church on Sunday and she said she would try. And on Sunday both her and her Daughter came for all thee hours! and her Husband showed up for the last hour! it was a blessing because they haven't come in a long time.

Probably the best moment this week was last night. We had 1 hour till we had to be back and we were at the wrong end of town to contact the people we needed to so we headed to some houses but ended up getting lost and it took too long. So we started to head back we decided to pray to see if on the way back there was anything we could do. We didn't feel like we needed to do anything right then so we started walking back about a block away from home I stopped and we both felt like we needed to stop at house we had passed probably 4 time in the past 2 days. but we stopped and knocked on the door an older lady come out and we asked her if we could share a message she declined which was really unfortunate but before we left I asked if there was anyone she knew who might want to hear what we have to say. She said that her daughter and Next door neighbor was religious and might listen and that she was just diagnosed with her 2nd brain tumor.So we thanked her and started walking over there. We both stopped before the door unsure if we should knock in her door so late and thought we should just come back the next day. As we were walking away we both knew we needed to turn back so we did and Knocked on her door. She immediately opened it and let us in., for a minute we thought she was a member but later found out she has lots of member friends. We talked to her for a hour and she told us about her brain tumor and about how she recently has been wondering why God would do this to her a 2nd time We explained how he has a plan for all of us and no matter what he knows what's best. She also explained how she is very unsure about he whole Joseph Smith This and I just told her that if the Book of Mormon is true than who and what Joseph Smith said and did has to be true. The best part though was that she then asked if we had a Book of Mormon. She said that if she want to know then she has to read it. We were like ya you defiantly should do that. There are no words to describe how I felt! me and sister Cluff both got home and just sat there in shock. There is no way to describe how amazing and wonderful and blessed that experience was.

After those two days there is no doubt in my mind that this is God's work. I cant explain how much I feel like I have grown in the past few weeks. I love this work so  much and I feel more of a sense of who I am. I never worry about if some one will like me or if I will say the right thing because I know this gospel is true and I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ blesses so many lives. These past two days I know with a surety that this God's work.

I love you guys so much and I cant thank you enough for your prayers!

my favorite line this week:

"a mission is the HARDEST thing I have ever LOVED to do"

Sister Owsley

#itsnotgoodbyeitsc-youlater

love you all to the moon and back