Transfers are always an interesting thing!

Hello Family and Friends,

Transfers are always an interesting thing, the first week always seems twice as long for some odd reason. We are continuing to have people progress but there really wasn't anything really remarkable to talk about this week. We had an amazing zone training on Friday that really stretched my mind to the power and importance of being specific in our prayers. We also did a roll play of only having 5 minutes to knock on someone's door, be invited in and invite them to baptism. Sister Murphy and I were the only companionship who were able to successfully get the "investigator" we were assigned to try to commit to baptism. She came up after and told us we were the only one's she said yes to, and she was told only to say yes if we were able to really help her be touched by the spirit. She said we were powerful missionaries together and that she really felt the spirit when we taught her!

I am grateful to still be in the same ward, and I know they are very happy to have me here too. I can't tell you how many happy ward members told me they were glad I was staying another transfer! Laura actually was on the verge of tears when I told her I was going to be staying. She really is the most amazing person I've ever met.

Love

Sister Blood

Sister Blood and Sister Murphy,  Bike Tracting

Sister Blood's graffiti fountain, No she didn't write it!

The families are the Schofield's and Berret's.   Bro. Schofield was one of Uncle Mikes scouts, when they lived in Los Alamos.  Brother Schofield (is the oldest guy) he said to tell Uncle Mike, "hi!"

I am staying in Harrison Park with Sister Murphy!

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Well the big news is in for transfers... I am staying in Harrison Park with Sister Murphy! I love the people in this ward and I enjoy how well I know the area so it is a bit of a relief to be staying. I am glad that I will have been able to spend 1/3 of my mission in this wonderful area!

Yesterday during sacrament the high council speaker and the regular speaker were no shows so the bishop guided by the spirit call on 6 people to come up and give a mandated on the spot testimony. I was the first one on the list meaning I had a whole 1.5 minuets to panic recognize I had no idea what I was going to say and then walk up to the microphone thinking "okay heavenly Father I am trusting you to direct my words." It was awesome to have the spirit speak through me and not to struggle with what to say but to just let the words flow and see it touch people was pretty cool! Elder DeFreese who has been here as long as I have was right after me, which was neat since we have both been here 3 transfers, it will be different not having him in Harrison Park anymore.  The entire meeting was so powerful and completely directed by the spirit it was really quite mind blowing and heart touching for a lot of people, I am honored that I got to go first and set the mood. Plus going first also gave me the opportunity to trust in Heavenly Father that he would give me the words that needed to be said to set the tone of the meeting.

This week was full of many many blessings and miracles so many that I really could not name them all but I am blessed to have seen them and to have them recorded in my journal. The one the I am enjoying seeing unfolding the most is the change in Kelley and Aaron as they are letting the Gospel become part of their lives, they really are amazing individuals and I am lucky I get to teach them and learn from them!

 

I wish you all the very best this week and encourage you to read the "Media with Merit" article from this months Ensign. With this world so full of "entertainment" it really is important to keep priorities straight. Before you sit down to watch your favorite show, read your favorite book, or enjoy your favorite music... spend some time in the scriptures. Your mind will be blown and you will have more strength to put off the sins and temptations of the world! I love ya all so much!

 

Love,

     SISTER BLOOD <--- (missionary in the Kansas Wichita Mission!)

Greetings from the wonderful heartland of Kansas!

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Greetings from the wonderful heartland of Kansas! I was really smart and saved my group email until the end so now I am having a hard time deciding what I should write about since I feel like I've already talked about my week. Well it was a really hard week with a lot of people being dropped off of our teaching list due to lack of interest or being unable to contact them which is always hard. But there was one huge miracle this week.

We have been visiting a sweet less active in our ward named Billie. She has her granddaughter Kelly, who lives with her along with Kelly's husband two small children, and mother in law. When I first got here months ago Kelly wasn't all that interested but just in the last month or so she has had a HUGE change of heart especially in the last few weeks. She is taking the lessons and yesterday she came to church for the first time in years (basically since she was baptized when she was 8). Not only did she come like she promised us she would, but she brought along her grandmother Billie, her husband, brother, and toddler son! It was amazing to see them walk in the door of the chapel yesterday. The ward was so welcoming and a lot of the ward greeted them it was amazing to see them show so much love to this wonderful family. I have never had a fast and testimony meeting feel so powerful, maybe the reason it was so powerful is because I was listening to the words and pondering what they must be thinking and how if they would take these words to heart and strive to become a gospel centered family what it would do for their young family. Seeing a family who has a desire and potential to change their future around completely makes all the hard long days completely worth it. I LOVE being a missionary from moments like these when we really get to see what can happen when someone decided to let the truth of the Gospel into their life. It makes me want to sing!

On a not as cool note I finally finished passing off all the training material which means I can become eligible to drive and train! I am officially a "real" not in training missionary!

I love you all and hope you never forget the blessings you have with your families around you. Never ever let stupid arguments get in the way of being close because families really are the greatest gift you will ever have. If you don't believe me spend some time away from your family surrounded by dysfunctional families and children who don't have two parents, or their parents aren't married. Never let the world become more attractive and desirable then what you have. Remember in 1 Nephi 8 the people who set their eye on the great and spacious building (or the glamor and desire of the world) had to cross through the river to get there. And most of the people who tried to cross that river were lost and drowned in the river. We don't usually remember the river is in between the path and the building but that doesn't mean it isn't there, ready to pull you under and destroy you. So don't let the world get your attention. Constantly be refocusing on what really matters. The Gospel and your Family.

 

Love you all So much,

 

Sister Blood. :)

Memorial Day, Late and Lean Mail!

Dear Family and Friends,

 

Due to yesterday being memorial day we have less time to email today so this is going to be extremely short.

 

I love you all and thank you for the tons of support. Never give up on people when you wonder if they are really going accept the gospel and how it can bless them. The best thing you can do is still love them and always be encouraging them to read the Book of Mormon.

Oh and cell phones are really important, don't leave them at the church on P-days or at a members house overnight, it makes life really really hard... (yes we really did leave our phone somewhere overnight twice...)

 

Love you ALL

 

Sister Blood (The one and Only)

We had zone Olympics yesterday, it was totally legit, and our district totally dominated! We won most of the sports. I even delivered the "kill shot" that won the district vs district smash ball (dodge ball basically). It was pretty fun! When I first got here I never though I would be so excited to play sports every week!

Derby District

Derby District

Angels and Miracles!

Dear Family and Friends,

Wonderful is the moment when you finally decide to stop fighting what God wants you to do and be and BECOME who he wants you to be! I finally figured out this week what I needed to changed and give up from my "past life" in order to really be a consecrated missionary. Once I realized what needed to change and started making the changes I needed to it was amazing how fast and completely the work and my love of my mission has changed. For the first time since I left home I can say I am truly happy and very excited to be on a mission! I LOVE BEING A FULL TIME MISSIONARY IN THE KANSAS WICHITA MISSION!!!!! In case any of you missed it I am VERY happy to be here and wish it hadn't taken me clear until almost 4 month into to my very short and speedy 18 months to figure out I actually did want to be here! It's amazing what happens after you decided to take Heavenly Fathers advice about what you need to change after you fast to be able to change. I don't feel like the same person that I was even a week ago, let alone 4 months ago! Life has never felt so good and so perfect! I am EXACTLY where I need to be! Thank you for the prayers that were offered in my behalf when you could see I wasn't adjusting as much as I needed to be. I love you all so much!

Saturday was a great missionary day. We talked to 20 people, tracked 7 hours, gave away 8 Book of Mormons, and ended up basically delirious by the end of the day. I wish you could have been a fly on the wall when we got home because Sister Murphy and I were pretty entertaining and very exhausted from giving it our all. Who would have guessed being so tired from working so hard could be so much fun!? Well it just goes to show the harder you work the more the line between work and play gets blurred! I haven't been this happy in years! So get up from the device you are using to read this and go do something selfless for someone else! It will bless you I promise!

And my other challenge, check out this CES message from Elder Callister, it is completely mind-blowing! I promise it will change the way you think about the truthfulness of the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  

https://www.lds.org/broadcasts/article/ces-devotionals/2014/01/what-is-the-blueprint-of-christs-church?lang=eng

LoVe

SiStEr BlOoD

                 

 Cool Trees ya see tracking

Having fun while driving

Our Member that lives down the hall locked herself out at 10pm. So we stayed with her until maintenance came with a saw and sawed though the security slide lock thingy. It was pretty epic.

Best sign in a yard I ever did see! #kansasfolk ;)

Lost Dog

Dear Family and Friends,

It has finally been raining the last couple of days here in Wichita! It's wonderful to have the temperature cool down a bit from the 90's to 100's that we have had all this week. It really has been quite tolerable but everyone keeps telling us that since it is so hot so unusually early in the year this summer is going to be brutal. Which translates to three week/ most of the summer being over 110. This is going to be exciting I am sure.

Sister Murphy and I are starting to get pretty good at giving away Book of Mormons on the door step which is a lot of fun. These books really are so much better than gold! So if you aren't treasuring up the word of God EVERY single day, I suggest you repent and start doing so because until you do you have no idea what you are missing out on. I really have grown to love The Book Of Mormon so much over the past few months and I can't believe how much of it parallels our world today. I have hear people say things that are almost spot on to things people say in the BoM when asked to listen to the Word of God and repent! It's crazy, and completely mind blowing!

Well I'll get off my missionary soap box now and tell you all I love you so much and am so grateful for the example you are to me and for all the love and support you give me. I couldn't do this missionary journey alone so thank you for everything you do!

Funny story of the week, we found a lost dog and lassoed her with our bike lock. Then we knocked on the doors of the people in that area trying to find the owner. After not to long he drove up and was super happy to have found his dog and was grateful to us for keeping an eye on her.

Miracle of the week, we finally put Laura on date to be baptized on may 31. Now the really hard part comes of helping her get over Word of Wisdom issues and to come to Church. She is amazing but has quite her share of challenges, I really hope she realizes how much this Gospel can help her in all aspects of her life!

Love ya all,

Sister Blood

Where did the dog come from...we totally had a random super nice dog follow us to about 5 houses out in Walker, and just sit between us when we knocked on the doors, we named it Brutus 

Sister Murphy my new companion, with Brutus

Sisters having a bit of fun decorating the Elder's doors

---

Gone Fishing!

Dear Family and Friends,

This week was fun and a bit of a blur. On Monday Maria took us fishing! We didn't catch anything because it was super windy, but it was still fun. Plus we learned how to cast the fishing line which was neat. I love spending time with Maria and feel she has taught me so much more than I have or will ever teach her. She really is a truly amazing woman!

My new companion is Sister Murphy, she is from Cottonwood, Utah and is totally awesome! She is super fun and happy, and I have a feeling we are going to be able to be part of and see some awesome miracles this transfer! Having my cousin in the same ward is pretty awesome, and a bit odd all at the same time. Sister Favre jokingly told the District Leader, Elder Dickson's companion, "I can't believe you let them talk to each other! Isn't that totally against the rules!" It's going to be a fun and amazing transfer I can tell.

We found a new investigator that isn't interested in hearing our message... yet. But she did let us go and do some service for her in her yard, because she is in her 70s and is very slow  moving. When she answered the door the day we came to do service and she saw us along with Elder Dickson, Elder Defreeze, and Debra (a less active we are working with) on her porch all ready to help she said. "Oh My, you've brought a whole army!" It was really cool getting to work with her and having the Elders join us made it even more fun. I love service and I look forward to tomorrow when we are going to help her again. Oh and she requested we play the piano for her too! This week, transfer, and entire mission is going to be great!

Love you all,

~Sister Blood

                                      Fishing

Maria our fishing teacher

Sister McDerrmott

Elder Stum, Elder Baylock, Sister Smartt, Sister Blood

Silly Walrus Missionaries
District Lunch