Hey fam.

Haha what do I even write about this week.... It's been a bumpy couple
weeks. We've really been struggling with just about... Everyone we're
teaching. It seems everyone is in the process of dropping us/ has been
hit with anti material. Anti is a huge issue out here. We seem to be
encountering it more and more every day. And the recent legislation/
decision has really been taking its toll..
So let's get to the good stuff. Hannah and Olivia are getting
baptized! November 29. I love these girls. They've been dealt a real
rough hand in life. They've both grown up in homeless shelters for the
most part of their lives. They're both such smart girls and they're so
happy all the time.
Deb is doing great. She is already talking about when she joins the
church and is baptized. She will have to overcome her anxieties, but
she will get there.
So as for the bumpy. Kirsten and Cory have obviously been anti'd. We
lost contact with them this week.
Something happened with Jeremy's parents, Becky and Mark this week-
there has been a little falling out. We're so scared were losing
Jeremy. He needs this so much.
We can't make any contact with Faye. She's started chemo so she's not
in the best of health. We hope that is all that's keeping her from
responding.

It's just been a frustrating week. But we're just plugging along.
Don't know why everyone and their dog has decided to drop us this
week. We've been fasting every day this week for some help, but not
much is coming.

The highlight of my week besides Hannah and Olivia was MLC. Elder Kunz
from the area seventy was there and did our training. It was a really
great day. (Another highlight was playing volleyball after. Two elders in
MLC played college pre mish- BYU and Ohio state, so we made the "dream
team" and had fun.)

Anyway, I guess this is the part of the mission I'm supposed to learn
from? Haha. Maybe I'll have some birthday luck.
Love you!

Hermana Sears

https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/called-to-testify?lang=eng

The waterfall always seems to be at the top of the hike and the best food takes the longest to cook sometimes....

Hey fam.

So here's my week!
It was kind of a weird week, we had to spend three nights locked in
the apartment because of Halloween stuff. PA is weird, every township/
community chooses a different night for trick or treating, no one does
anything on the night of Halloween. Hanover got totally shut down on
Thursday because they have a huge parade every year. It's serious
business. Our investigator Faye's chemo appointment even got cancelled
for this thing... They don't mess around haha. Every business in town
gets shut down for it. But we had to be in. So we just did anything we
could to entertain ourselves haha. We watched whatever DVDs we had in
the apartment.... But for whatever reason everything would only play
on sign language mode soooo. I decorated our apartment for Christmas
though. Woo!

The ward trunk or treat was fun. Sister Smith and I went as Elsa and
Anna (duh.) and I must say we killed it. It was so cute, all the
little girls started screaming "Elsaaaaaaaaaa!!!!" when we showed up.
S'cute. We were so excited Eddie came with two of his daughters.

Funny how we met Eddie. We had a lunch appointment with a member in
the ward, and he no showed. So we got talking to the guy up front-
Eddie. Turns out he has been to church before, but he lost contact
with missionaries. He is very eager to learn again. He got to meet the
whole ward at trunk or treat, so that was awesome. Apparently he was
telling members how excited he is, how he's looking for the truth, and
is intrigued about the idea of the Godhead- three separate beings. I
guess we were meant to be there for him that day! He sure does work in
mysterious ways.

We had exchanges with the Fairview sisters this week. Funny story- on
our drive to their area our gps took us out of the mission.... To
Maryland on accident. We passed a sign that said Maryland and just
looked at eachother and were like... Whoops.... So I sent President a
text and just said "Don't worry Pres we'll be back in PA in a few."
Hahaha. I got to stay in Hanover with sister Myers. I love sister
Myers, we had a good time. We spent the day with brother Kerns and his
wife June. She is the woman I told you about last week. Ahhh, she just
breaks my heart. She doesn't speak to us, just smiles and nods
sometimes. So I just talk to her like normal and try to make her
smile.. It absolutely kills me. She is so unhappy. Brother Kerns is my
favorite. He does everything for her.. I don't know how he does it. He
is so sweet to her. He takes us out to dinner every Tuesday night. I
told him I wanted to spend my birthday with them.(:

That night we got to spend the night with President and Sister Johnson
at the Reid's house. Also someone I told you about last week. I guess
he and sister Johnson went to high school together. Small world. I got
to hear the Reid's whole story.. They are both from England. The two
of them were planning on selling their home here and going on a
mission together just before he became paralyzed. They both know that
they are still serving, just not the way they had thought they would.
He serves as an inspiration and example to everyone around him. That
night I shared a few of my favorite verses with Brother Reid. Alma
50:21-23. It's talking about the Nephites at a period of time
described as full of "quarrelings and their contentions, yea, their
murderings, and their plunderings, their idolatry, their whoredoms,
and their abominations, wars and destructions." It goes on to say that
those who were faithful in keeping their covenants were "delivered at
all times." It sounds like a horrible time to be alive right? Well the
very next verse says:
"But behold there never was a happier time among the people." Those
who were keeping their covenants had never been happier despite
everything going on. In Brother Reid's case I related it to how he
could be happy despite his circumstances of he stays fast.

Our weekly FHE's have been going great. Last Monday we did one with a
cute family in the ward. Tonight we have one at the bishops house with
Hannah and Olivia- 14 and 8. We're excited for this one. We are also
going to be working with their dad to get him worthy to baptize them.
Wednesday we have one with an entire family we just picked up at some
members home, and Thursday we have one with Hannah, Olivia, and our
other investigator Kayla.
This ward is so great about missionary work! So willing to help us. We
don't have to teach a single lesson without them there. This area is
so different than butler. Butler we were teaching about 30 lessons a
week... Which is unheard of in this mission. Because I was training
sister Welch I worked her hard and we were going going going nonstop.
And we did find many many people. But it wasn't until this area that I
learned the value of working closely with the ward. My last ward was
very supportive of missionaries, but this ward is supportive of
missionaries and missionary work. Know what I mean? We don't teach a
single lesson without a member present, and it makes ALL the
difference. And there are so many willing to help. It's so awesome! I
totally regret ever teaching a lesson without the,m, or ever thinking
we could teach it better! It's a lesson you will hear a million and
one times but you won't understand until you experience the
difference. Members are everything!

Wednesday night was interesting, the effects of hurricane Patricia
reached us here. The roads were literally rivers hahah. We were out
with an awesome lady that takes us out every Wednesday to "find lost
sisters in the ward." We were in her tiny little car, I thought we
were going to float away hahah.

You know what I've noticed on my mission? The best things always come
after the hardest. Sometimes God saves the success
until after he has given us the opportunity to fail first and give up.
The waterfall always seems to be at the top of the hike and the best
food takes the longest to cook sometimes. I have a feeling that's a
pretty dang similar situation to the mission.

Anyways, kind of an uneventful but busy busy week. For whatever reason
this is the most tired I've been on the mish. I've been sooo
exhausted.
If anyone has any advice for how to not have a midlife crisis on my
20th bday... Help a sista out.
Also, the church is true.

Love yinz!
💜Hermana Sears

PA just keeps getting more and more beautiful.  Everywhere we drive looks straight out of a painting.....

"Livin' the dream...The church is true"

Hii.

First, PA just keeps getting more and more beautiful. Everywhere we
drive looks straight out of a painting.

We started teaching two new awesome investigators this week. Kirsten
and Cory. They were a referral from a member in the ward- Bryce. Let
me just tell you about Bryce. He returned from his mission a year ago
and is still all about missionary work, it's awesome. He's always
giving us referrals and going out with us. His girlfriend comes out
with us too, she's the best. One week on his way to our ward
correlation meeting he got in a car accident so he just punched his
car door out and walked to the meeting. Haha that's dedication. So
Cory is a work friend of Bryce's. Cory and Kirsten just got married on
Saturday and he gave them a Book of Mormon for their wedding present.
So Thursday we taught them their first lesson. The restoration. Never
have I seen someone so prepared. Kirsten's brother recently passed
away and she's been searching for answers where he is. The two of them
have been together for a long time, but out of the blue decided to
seal the deal and get married. Coincidence? Nah. Cory really took to
the priesthood. When I explained that the authority Bryce holds could
be traced directly back to Jesus Christ in an unbroken line he was
blown away, and even more so when we told him that he could hold that
too. Nothing like teaching with a fresh returned missionary👍🏻
Sunday we taught the Plan of Salvation with them again. They're going places.

We also met and began teaching the sweetest lady named Deb this week.
She lives in our apartment complex. She was a referral from her
brother in law. She was divorced, so the Catholic Church told her she
had to stop taking the sacrament. She knew that wasn't right and when
we told her she could take the sacrament at our church, she just
cried. She was so excited to read the Book of Mormon, she just held it
close to her and cried and kept thanking us. She's got a lot going on.
As we were teaching her she told us that "it was like the the Lord was
here with us, like His love just came upon us."

Please keep Faye in your prayers. She is our investigator I told you
about- the makeup artist. She just came out of remission and started
chemo on Friday. She wants to be baptized so bad, but can't come to
church because of her situation. The more prayers the better!

Tuesday- Wednesday we went on exchanges with the Greencastle sisters.
I got to be with Sister Thompson who I came into the mission with, I
hadn't seen her since because she's been on the east side all along,
so we had a lot of fun. We taught our investigator Kayla and her
stepmom together. It turned out to be more focused on her mom Jeanine.
We challenged her to be Kayla's example.
Late Tuesday night sister Thompson and I had a few minutes left after
ward correlation meeting before curfew, so we went to try and visit
someone, couldn't find their house, so just decided to knock on their
neighbor's door. We met Frank. We left him and his wife a Book of
Mormon, which he was so excited about. When we returned the next day
there was an ambulance outside their home. So we went back the
following day. His wife Marianne had fallen, she has pretty bad health
problems. He has to keep up on the house and everything on his own. We
offered to come and help him just do laundry and clean, and they were
both so happy. They said they had been praying just the night before
that help would come and then we had knocked on their door. They are
just convinced we are Angels, haha. They were really interested in
learning about the church anyway, so it will be service and teaching.
Even if nothing comes of it, it feels good to be able to be able to
help.

This area has presented some of the most special service
opportunities. Twice a week we go to do physical therapy with a member
in the ward- Brother Reid. Ever since a car accident five years ago he
is paraplegic. He is so inspiring. He has always remained active in
the church through it all, he is currently actively serving in
primary, and is faithful in his home teaching despite his serious
limitations. He is such a good man.
Once a week we've started spending time with a woman named June so her
husband can go to the store and get errands done. June has dementia to
the point she cannot do anything on her own. It is all up to her
husband to do everything for her. So when we go over we paint her
nails, or brush her hair, feed her. She doesn't talk but she smiles
when we are there. We go over every Tuesday and then he takes us to
dinner every week. He is not active, but his loyalty to his wife is
also so inspiring.
Lastly, once a week we go over and spend time with a man who also just
became paralyzed from the neck down three months ago due to an
autoimmune disease. Unlike Brother Reid, he is expected to fully
recover. At this point he has just regained the ability to lift a
drink or food to his mouth, but that's it. He just returned from the
hospital a few weeks ago, but now we do physical therapy with him as
well, or just spend time with him. He is such a kind person, so sweet.
And always happy despite it all.

I'm growing to love this place, and I am so unbelievably thankful for
the service opportunities we have been able to be a part of here. I
get to meet everyday real life heroes.

Livin the dream. The church is true!
Hermana Sears💜

220 north fifth street apt 38
Mcsherrystown PA 17344

Chuggin' Along in Hanover...

Hi again

     Hey hey, today's my pday. We're going to the DC temple today. I
am emailing today since its pday but I will have a few minutes Monday
to send my regular old weekly email, but I'll answer a few questions
now.
One of the members my comp taught in a precious area got sealed so I
got to go along for the ride. This woman's husband joined the church a
year ago, and now they're finally sealed. This woman has been waiting
43 years for this, it was a very special day.

My new area is going well. We're chuggin along contacting all the
people in our area book, since there wasn't a lot of work going on
here when I got here. It's actually going really well, we've met some
amazing people. We have spent most of our time with the less actives
in the area. There are not as many in this ward as butler (900
members, 150 active,) but there are so many. We've also gone to meet
some part member families.
     I met the coolest family this week in the ward- the Willoughby's.
They had us for dinner. They just moved here from West Jordan.
(Graduated from Taylorsville high school.😉) They were some of the
kindest people I've ever met. They have a goal of being sealed in the
temple and were very open to help. I just have so much love for this
family already.
     The coolest blessing that came out of our efforts was Hannah.
Hannah is a young woman in the ward, she is 14 years old. She comes
every Sunday, she leads young women's every week, she attends girls
camp and youth conference, and every church activity, she recently
passed a temple recommend interview- and she is not a member. And
nobody knew it, the bishop passed the interview. We had to tell him
"bishop, she's not a member." We figured it out as we were going over
our lists. Her dad is an inactive member. Turns out nobody in the ward
knew she wasn't a member. So we immediately went to find her house.
And with some adventuring into some places that brought me back to my
Butler days, we found their house. We were able to talk to Hannah for
a while, she accepted to our invitation to take the lessons and to
begin reading the Book of Mormon. Her eight year old sister, 15 year
old brother, and mom are not members either, but we haven't been able
to make contact with them yet. We're so excited about Hannah!
     It has been such a change of who I am teaching. We're teaching a
14 year old, and 12 year old, and a 10 year old now, all from
contacting part member families. Not quite like the people we were
teaching in Butler, huh? It's taken a lot of adjustment. They say you
don't really know something until you can teach it to a child, and
it's so true!

     I went on my first exchange as an stl this week with the Carlisle
sisters. I spent the couple days there with sister Hartman, she's my
favorite. She's adorable! Fun fact about her- she waited for her
boyfriend for two years, and three months before he got home .Then she told
him she was going on a mission, so three months after he got home, she
left, and now he is waiting for her. #threeyearclub. Anyway, we had
fun. It was fun experiencing another new area. It's a little college
town, Dickinson college. Not gonna lie, made me a little trunky. Such
a cute campus, felt like Hogwarts. It's also so different being around
people your age. Much more intimidating than being shot down by old
people, hahah. We also got to teach one of their special
investigators. This was quite the family. Four kids, ten months,
thirteen months, three and four years old. It turned out to be quite a
heartbreaking home situation to say the least. But amidst the chaos, I
remember having the distinct feeling that one day there will be a
priesthood holder in that home. Their sweet kids need that.

     I'm learning we really will never spend much time in our own
area. With district meeting every week in Gettysburg, ZLC- zone
leadership council every week in Chambersburg, an exchange every week
in either Carlisle, Greencastle, shippensburg, Fairview, or New
Bloomfield, and MLC- missionary leadership council every month in
Altoona or Pittsburgh, we spend little time in our own area. We drive
all over he place. Sooo much time in the car. I don't mind it. But it
is harder to keep up on our area when we're always in others. Wish me
luck!
     This new zone is a really close knit group of missionaries. We
play ultimate frisbee every week together. This week we also went on a
beautiful hike. Ah, fall is amazing here. There's actually a state
park in Hanover I'll be exploring some pday- codorous state park.
     By the way, (I'm pretty sure these emails go out to the whole
fam,) I did a training yesterday on working with ward members for ZLC,
and I used the story Josh wrote as my example. As I was reading it
this week, it kind of clicked that I really would not be here without
the ones who introduced the family to the church- the Morgan's. Thanks
for sharing Josh!

Anyway, we're almost to the temple now. Thinking of my family today.💜
Hermana Sears

Welcome to Hanover, PA....

Hey fam.

     I've arrived in my new home of Hanover PA! Sooo all of the

prayers from all of you have been answered- Hanover is the cutest

(safest) little town ever. I'm pretty sure this is the town you see in

every lifetime/ hallmark movie ever filmed. It is seriously such a

change coming from a place like Butler. I don't even need the mace

anymore on my keychain, haha. The houses here are so so cute- so

Pennsylvania, with their little porches decorated for Halloween. This

area of PA was settled by German immigrants so the towns are modeled

after different towns in Germany- that's where the names and all the

architecture comes from. I love it! I feel so homey here. Fall in PA

is also the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. The leaves have just

barely started the change and it's already so pretty. You think you've

got trees in Utah? Hah no. It is funny though, everyone calls their

hills here mountains. (PA ain't got nothing on our Utah mountains.) I

included a pic of their "mountains."

And our apartment is an upgrade to say the least. It's small- but we

have Windows, air conditions, and it's not full of bugs! And the best

part- a treadmill. Which makes me a very happy girl. (Prayer=answered)

     I got to meet the ward on Sunday, this ward is another super-

supportive/ missionary- oriented ward. Everyone offers to come out

with us or feed us. The ward mission leader is already incredibly

helpful. The Bishop here- Bishop Bushy actually lives in New York, he

got called by the stake presidency to be bishop as he was visiting the

ward one week! So he makes the trip down every Sunday.

     So mom- you can sleep now. I made it out of Butler. But I miss

that place like crazy. So homesick for the places and the people. I

took for granted how busy we were there- literally running appt to

appt. The work was great.

      Transfer week was crazy. It was a two hour drive from Butler to

Greentree in Pitt, then four hours to Chambersburg, then another hour

to Where we spent the night. I didn't actually get to Hanover/ sleep

in a bed until Friday. So I spent the week on the floor of

missionary's apartments. The life as an stl begins. I went to my first

MLC on Friday in Altoona. (Another four hours of driving) Sooo ,I'm

exhausted ,haha. And now we begin with exchanges every week, more

MLC's, (district meetings,) ZLC's, etc. I'll be spending a lot of time

in the car.

     I got to meet our investigators here this week. Jeremy was first.

He is 12 years old and has asburgers, and is the smartest, sweetest

kid in the saddest environment. Anyway, Jeremy is great.

 He asks super deep questions all

the time.

     I also met Faye. She's awesome. And so prepared. So- fun fact

about Faye, she worked in Hollywood as a makeup artist. She did the

makeup for Pirates! She and Johnny Depp are still good friends. She

also did the makeup for the exorcist, hahah. Funny story she told us-

so Faye had a stroke a while back, and since then has been

experiencing seizures. Each time these would occur she would walk

strange after. So that she didn't lose her job while she was working

for Pirates she didn't tell anyone what was happening- except Johnny

Depp. One day he noticed her walking different and asked if she had

had another seizure. Then asked if he could "use her walk." So in the

movie, his "drunk walk" is Faye! We also just started teaching her 28

year old nephew and caretaker who has never taken the lessons before!

     There is so much potential in this area! Sister Smith has only

been here for a month so we are more or less doubling in together-

neither of us really know this area. So I made a list of every former

investigator and potential investigator from the area book and we made

a plan to see every one of them in the coming weeks, along with a list

we got from the bishop of all the part member families in the ward.

We're gonna set this place on fire🔥

     So this week I spoke in MLC about some conference thoughts. I

guess I'll throw my talk in here.

     Really what I took away from conference was how increasingly

important it is to let the spirit teach you. Here are just some of the

questions asked in conference:

How can I allow the spirit to change me through the Atonement?

What would God have me do?

What lack I yet?

What area of my life do I want to strengthen?

What will you become of the Atonement?

How can we have this mighty change of heart?

What is keeping me from progressing?

Do we love Him more than our own will?

What can be done?

Was that all that was required?

How can His will become my will?

How can I more fully submit to it?

How can I learn to recognize the voice of the spirit?

     So I heard them loud and clear. If we learn to recognize, listen,

and follow the still small voice of the spirit we will become the

person we came here to become- the person Heavenly Father wants us to

become. When I think about my own potential, I always think about

wanting to become the person I read about in my patriarchal blessing,

and even the person I was before this life. That is our goal. And they

are telling us how we can achieve that.

     What each of them illustrated is how simple it is. Sometimes even

the thought of what we are supposed to become can seem impossible or

out of reach. But if we listen to the spirit, we will be told "line

upon line, precept upon precept" what to do.

     Progression towards becoming perfect is simple, I don't think

elder Lawrence was saying that "cleaning your room everyday will make

you perfect, or like God," but that if we consistently follow the

small and simple promptings we receive, we can become like Him one

day, one prompting at a time. Baby steps. We have faith that "He can

make much more out of us than we can make out of ourselves." He can

shape us into that person we are trying to become on our own.

     So some exciting news- I'll be in DC this weekend. A couple that

Sister Smith taught in a previous area is getting sealed in the DC

temple Saturday, and we got invited. This woman has been waiting 43

years for her husband to join the church, and they are finally being

sealed.

That's all. The church is true.

I'll be sending pics of Hanover later! (Please forward them out mom)

Hermana Sears

Ps here's my new address (since I know you're all going to write me)

220 north fifth street apt 38

Mcsherrystown PA 17344

Bye Bye Butler...

Hey fam,

I'm gonna keep it short this week, for lack of time. K but first of all I got transfer calls Saturday night..... Bye Butler! So then I got another call from pres Sunday morning.... I'm becoming an STL! Sister training leader. I'm still a baby! Youngest to be in MLC in the mission. Ah! I guess I'm doing something right. Strengthens my testimony that the He doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies who He calls! 

So an STL means I'll be going on exchanges with all the sister missionaries and I'll be at all the leadership meetings and all that. Which I don't know how I feel about yet ,but  know  I'll learn a lot.  So I will be going to one of two areas, Lock Haven or Hannover, they're both out east, but they're the only STL areas. But they both happen to be Spanish areas. I'll email tomorrow and send my new address after transfer meeting. Looks like I'll be heading into Amish country! 

This week I went on exchanges with our STL, Sister Sibleys. It was a great week .Actually, we got to build an old lady's house- literally, haha, and had a lesson with one of their recent converts and her daughter. Probably the craziest lesson I've ever been in. Long story short- her mom dropped it on her daughter that she was in kidney failure and was begging for her daughters kidney and they were both sobbing. They are very interesting people... But by the end of the lesson her daughter committed to live the law of chastity and she said she's ready to change. Woo! So much more happened that probably wouldn't be appropriate over email but there's the  long story short haha.

Interesting though, the stl's apartment is in the backyard of a crematorium.. And at night they owner pulls his mini van up to the back and unloads the bodies ....They live on "drug alley."Pennsylvania...

So conference was amazing. One of the most powerful conferences yet, and not because I stayed awake during all the sessions. It really hit home, especially the overall tone of "it will all work out." I also heard loud and clear how important it is to be taught by the spirit. That's one thing I've been working on all my six, almost seven months. How do I recognize the spirit and distinguish it from my own thoughts? I will be using the "what can I change?" a lot in my coming transfers as stl. In my own minute way I feel  much like the overwhelmed new apostles, hahaha only obviously on a much smaller scale. 

Anyways, we got two referrals in prison this week from a member that just got out of prison, and one of our others just went to prison. I'll miss butler... Haha. 

Many goodbyes have been said this week- members, investigators, etc. It is so hard leaving my new found family in Butler. I have been so touched by the people that have reached out to me since I am leaving, many of whom will be writing me. I now have support closer to home. I've got a little box of things people gave me that  I'll be sending home. Remind me to share some of the letters the Hoy family wrote me next week. Mom, I haven't sent Lamont's letter to you yet, I will! 

We had our last lesson with Cynda last night . Best one yet. She watched all of conference with us. We were at the members house again, and again she shared how some people just need one missionary and just like I was that for her someone else needed me elsewhere. She always jokes that I'll be the next apostle, hahah. I don't know what it is, but whenever we teach her I always feel so connected with the spirit. I've always been able to with her. It has confirmed to me so many times that one day she will join the church. I know she will. It was pretty cool, she shared that after we left her house last week, she decided to pray to find the Book of Mormon she had received five years ago and never touched. Her house is in the middle of a remodel, and everything is just everywhere. She said she found it in less than five minutes, and recognized that as an answer and a miracle. 

Before we left, on the spot, the member asked me to bear my testimony in Spanish for Cynda. I agreed, knowing no one spoke spanish there anyway. Knowing that, I spoke very freely. I said that I knew she would accept our message and join the church, that it didn't matter when, among other things. When I finished, she was in tears. I asked her why... She said 

"I do not speak Spanish, but I understood you." 

I don't know how this little miracle happened, but it was amazing. 

Anyway, that's probably all for today. The church is true! 

Ps I'm taking the "ponderize" challenge, my scripture this week is 

D&C 97:8- 8 Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice--yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command--they are accepted of me. 

Los corazones de los hombres están desfalleciendo 

http://www.lds.org/video/mormon-messages/mens-hearts-shall-fail-them