I Love Missions!!!

Hello, family dearest! Happy week before Thanksgiving! I cannot believe that it is almost that time. Mom sent out a cute email at the beginning of this week with all the weather across the country where all of us are, looks like things sure have gotten chilly for us...except for those stinkin' Texans! And now, we will have to add Louisiana onto the list! Congratulations to my sweet little, Macey. I know she will make the best missionary ever, she is beyond ready for this! Yay! What happy news. I love love love it! 

This week was incredible! It really was so good. Last night we had the very special opportunity to have a Travis Tuttle come and speak for all of the missionaries, the people we are teaching and all the members here in the Lake Oswego area. It was so incredible! Travis Tuttle served his mission when he was 19 years old in Saratov, Russia 16 years ago. While he was there, he and his companion were kidnapped and taken hostage. They were held for five days by two captors who were hoping to receive a ransom for these two Mormon missionaries. He spoke about his experience in deciding to serve a mission and of course the highlight of it was this experience on his mission. He was amazing and really personified faith. He was serving a mission because he loved God, but he experienced severe trials in that expression of his love. The people we brought to it absolutely loved his talk and were so touched by the spirit. I feel so blessed to have been there for it and to have met such an incredible person! One of my favorite parts was when he explained to all of the non-members in the room, why all of us decided to come on a mission. He told them all that we were here not to focus on our worldly desires, such as jobs, school, cars, family, houses; but, we were here to focus on them - those specific individuals in that room with us. He told the row we had there with us, that Sister Jensen and I had given up 18 months of our life to serve them, to focus on them, to share God's love with them. It was truly impacting!  

Also special to last night...I got to see Heidi! I am sure you all remember hearing about my Heidi dear! Well, yesterday marked one year, to the day, since her baptism! I cannot believe it has been an entire year since Sister Dittmar and I taught her and helped her prepare for that special day. And I feel so blessed that I got to see her on that very day a whole year later! It was so fun to run up and give her the biggest hug in the whole world! I got a picture, but it looks terrible... I'll ask her to send me one from her phone! She is doing so well, I love her so much. She is working on her preparation for the temple! I promised to come back for it when she can come, who wants to come with me??? :) I also got to see Darin who was baptized in August back in Oak Hills, and Kyle from May! It was a happpppppy day. 

The past couple of weeks we have been working really hard as a mission to figure out how to use our online proselyting tools in a more effective and focused way.They are an absolutely wonderful tool, but it has been really easy to see the missionaries and myself lose focus while using them. I am a firm believer that the reason they are so hard to use and control is because they have the potential to be the most effective tools in missionary work! Just look for the most opposition in the entire world, and you will find something that has the potential to progress God's work being attacked! It's that way in people too, I mean look at the life of Jesus Christ. The most perfect and wholesome person, who changed the world had more opposition upon him than anyone who has ever lived. Anyways, as a mission we have been trying to reset and refocus on our purpose and using the tools we've been blessed with, not being used by the tools. It made my heart so full as we presented this to our zone alongside our zone leaders, to see the humility and desire of the missionaries I serve with. They want to do good and be good, but Satan has a very tricky way of leading us off, even if it is off into other good things, it takes us off our focus. The mission has been called to change and we are excited about it, we are excited to improve and to be the servants God needs. This week felt like it could have been a chapter in the Book of Mormon! We all were in the wrong and needed to be brought back, and as a mission, we worked together to get us all there. I love the opportunity I have to go out and share this with all of the sisters in the mission. I love accountability and humility; we are all on the same page and holding each other to it! I have never been involved in such a neat meeting, I hope to never forget it! 

This week really was a great one, I loved it! And I am so excited for this coming week too. I really feel so full of love for this area, the people we are teaching, the other missionaries, and the people I have yet to meet, but know are prepared! There is much to be done all around us! I'm grateful we each get to go out and do it.

Love you, family! Xoxo.

Sister Kerr

p.s. Kyle who was baptized in May, saw me while I was on an exchange and serving at the Visitor's Center this week. He met me there to tell me some exciting news! He has started to work on his mission papers and will be submitting them on his year mark!!!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE MISSIONS.

 

                   {Reunited with Heidi!!! (2nd from Right) 1 Year Anniversary of her Baptism!!}                              

I'm Feeling Blessed!!!

Hello, loves!

This week was a really good one! Are you surprised? I feel like I say that every week, sorry I am so boring! Exciting news, I got to go to the dentist this morning, that is unique news for me! One of the incredible members here in the Willamette Ward offered to clean our teeth for us - I've missed it. It felt so good! And the sweet ladies who work in the office were just so fun, I don't know what it is about dental hygienists, but they are so nice! I felt disgusted when I had to tell them it had been at least 16 months since I had been to the dentist... Never again.

Our week started off great when we got to meet with our dear recent convert, Phyllis! It was such a great lesson we were able to teach her this week. We talked about the sacrament and the importance of partaking of it weekly and what we are promised with doing so. The lesson was at a member's home who is leaving on her mission in less than a month! She and her husband are going to serve in the Washington DC Temple. I am so excited for them and already promised to go down there and see them! They are so sweet, I can't wait for you guys to meet them! The lesson was so uplifting for each of us and the spirit was so strong. Phyllis really loved it and needed it. She loved the idea of having the spirit as a greater part of her life, She recognized the need she has for that and is committed to this lifestyle because she knows it is what will give her the lift and spirit that she needs! I love her so much! Sister Cannon also gave us and Phyllis lots of clothes, she cleaned out her closet since she can't take it all with her! I seriously am spoiled rotten in this ward. 

We had a stellar lesson with our friend, Emily! We went to the visitor's center and had our lesson there. I may have written about this last week, I just realized. Anyways, she is doing exceptionally well, I love her to pieces. I love her because she is open to finding truth in her life. She doesn't know that it will be from us, but she does recognize the difference she feels in her life since we met 3 months ago! I love that she is conscious of that difference. Emily is one of my favorite people! She loves family, which makes me so happy! All her life, she has dreamed of having her own family and being a good mom and teaching her children to love and respect themselves. She told us that the things we have taught her and talked about with her have helped her to gain that self-love and respect for herself. She is just a couple years older than us and I love her intentions in life! I really respect her so much and will be friends with her FOREVER.

We brought our good friend, Erica to the food pantry this week to help us with service! Holy fun! Macey and Addey know how much I love racing and making every chore a competition! Who can stack wood the fastest? Hah! And you two always avoided it or put me off! Well, I found some people who will play that game with me. We did an assembly line for bagging granola. These are huge bags that come in bulk from a company and we fill smaller plastic bags to hand out to people. I asked the people to start a record board, and as of Thursday, we hold the first record! We bagged two of the huge bags, and cleaned up in 8mins 12secs. You should have seen how fast we were moving! Oh my goodness! That is bagging, labeling, and tying each individual bag. It was beyond intense. This same Erica came on a Mini Mission with us this week. We got permission from President Ballard and from Bishop Chandler! She is from a recent convert family and this was the MOST incredible experience for her ever. We had so much fun. We made her a nametag and everything. She got to spend the night and do everything missionary style! I loved it so much, made me feel like I was with my sissies! She did so well too, just a natural! Their family hopes that Macey gets called to this mission and just comes and replaces me when I go home. Not going to lie, I think that would be the best thing ever!!!

I gained such a strong witness this week that God is with us. Even when we may feel alone, we are NOT alone. I sat with a sweet woman who told us all of her concerns and her fears of trusting God and cried her heart out. As I was there with her, I just had the most overwhelming feeling that God was there with her throughout all those times she was claiming that He had deserted her and left her abandoned. I didn't know quite what to say, but I know that I cannot deny the witness that came into my heart and mind that He was there for her. Before she can begin to progress or move forward, she needs to learn to trust Heavenly Father and believe that He is there for her. To build that foundation with her, we have started sending messages to each other, every single day, telling how we have seen God in our life that day. A way that he has blessed us! It has been so great and moving. Even with it being less than a week since we started, the feeling while talking with her has changed. I can't believe how much changing our thoughts and perspective can change us! I really feel like this a small way for her to gain trust in him, day by day, without being scary. I'm excited to continue! I love her so much and I know that God loves her so much more than even I do.

I love you all more than I could possibly express! I am so well taken care of here, there is nothing for you to worry about or be concerned about in the slightest! This morning we went and did Yoga with a member who lives down the street, then during studies she knocked on our door to deliver pancakes and almond butter for us! Then, the dentist called us and asked if we could come in today. Then we drove over to a member's home and she helped us with our laundry. SPOILED! Plus, we have some of the funniest youth in all of Oregon! I love 'em! This work is amazing and I love being a missionary. I love serving my God through serving His children. I am feeling blessed! 

Xoxoxo, Sister Kerr 

I LOVE WILLIAMETTE!!!!

Hey, fam! Welcome to the start of my 12th transfer in the OPM (Oregon
Portland Mission). Uh whoa. That's a lot! So transfer news, Sister
Jensen and I are both staying in Willamette! Yay! I am so so so so so
so so SO SO SO SO SO SO happy I am staying here. I was so beyond
nervous waiting to find out what would happen, but this was such good
news! I really am hoping I get to stay here until the end! It's like
home here. I love it!

This week was so good and so fun.
I really loved this week. We have been really trying to focus on
service in our area and reaching out and helping anyone and everyone.
It really has helped develop a greater, deeper love for people and
helped me to see how Christ loves people. I love it and I love when
people realize that you really do love them and they realize that's
why you are there. That is why I am here on my mission in general! It
is to help others feel Heavenly Father's love for them individually.
We have seen so much progress with a young woman aged girl we have
befriended and been working with. I love her to pieces! Oh my gosh, I
am falling in love with the youth here! And whenever I say that in
front of any ward members they start laughing and say, "Well it's
because you're still a youth!" Hum, not really, thank you very much!
Regardless of my age, I love them! I'm pretty obsessed with my
favorite family in the ward. They are converts of about 5 years and my
best friends! Each of them is working so hard to stay afloat and to do
what they can to live up to all that Heavenly Father has in store for
them.

I have become pretty obsessed with my favorite family here, the
Thomsen's! They're recent converts of about 5 years. They amaze me and
are so strong and dedicated! They are hit with so much opposition,
more than I have ever seen any family hit by, and they refuse to give
up. They make mistakes and they're open about that, but never have
they given up! They have strengthened my testimony and really hope my
testimony can strengthen them at this time when they need it. We have
been working a lot with their daughters who are both teens and they
have become my little sissies! I can't wait to come back after my
mission and spend time with them and I can't wait for my real sisters
to meet these sisters! We are all family!!

One of the members we are working with had an amazing experience with
prayer this week. So amazing! It's one of those moments that just
fills you and makes you grateful for the experience of a mission! We
had taught her last week about prayer and this week during our lesson,
she told us of an experience she had while praying where she received
a very direct and clear answer, revelation given to her from God. It
was one of the first times in her life where she had felt so strongly
that it was directly from God. It was so wonderful! The revelation was
concerning her husband who is no longer active and has no interest in
becoming active again. She found direction from Heavenly Father on
what she can do to help him remember and feel Heavenly Father's love
for him. It was so sweet! I m excited for this very special, sweet
woman.

Halloween was a blast! We went to a ward party and got to run one of
the games for the kiddos. Oh my goodness, it was so much fun! It was a
cute one where we played music while the kids walked in circles and
then when we stopped the music, we picked a number and whoever was on
that number got a FULL SIZE CANDY BAR. Whoa. It was a huge deal and we
had a long line waiting to join in in the missionary game! I loved
being with the kids.

Saturday we were invited out to lunch with two couple who serve at the
food pantry we serve at here in town. Neither of them are members. We
are so in love with them and so blessed to know them! I felt pretty
lucky, what 20 year old girls get called up and invited to lunch by
two 70+ year old couples? We do! And I will miss that one day! They
were so beyond funny, I loved being with them. Such, loving, giving,
charitable people. I really look up to them!

Today we got to go to the temple visitors center for a lesson with a
girl named Emily, she is such a good friend! I love her to pieces! She
is progressing really well and I want her to finish connecting all the
pieces and accept the gospel int her life fully. She is so sweet, and
has the biggest heart in the entire world. We had a member take us
there. Her name is Amy and she just got home from Kansas where she
served her mission. Oh my goodness we had a fun time! Then Amy took us
out to lunch, her sweet mama paid for us to go to sushi! Yummmm. It
was so delicious and so fun! I love Amy! I wish we still had sisters
when I get home. Sad, sad timing that they were transferred from
Pulaski!



                      {Sushi .... Yummmm!!!}

         

                       {Lobster Nose!!}


Well, I hope this catches you all up and didn't bore you to death. It
may have done that. Know that things are going well and I am so happy!
I miss you all and I love you even more than that! Have a good week,
thanks for the emails! I'll be enjoying my NY Honeycrisp apples
through this whole week from MamaKerr! Best surprise ever!

Love you all!

Xoxoxo ❤️ Sister Kerr