August 30

Hey Family!

So this week was a doozy! haha! Today I had zone conferance which was so great! I loved it, we learned about the importance of the book of mormon and faith, and how we build our faith in the same way our investigators do. And lots of other good things too! But I don't actually have P-day till tomorrow, but we ALWAYS email on tuesdays to make sure families don't get worried! which reminds me before I forget! President and sister clayton have created a blog for our mission, and he has taken pictures of the zone conferances and other things and is posting them on this blog, the address is californiasandiegomission.blogspot.com (long name, amazing results!)

Haha, anyways, I thought you would all like that, (really, I thought mom would like that! There will be pictures and everything!)

So Christines Baptism was really good, it was sad to see someone I love get baptized and confirmed, then say good bye because she moved to utah the next day! That should never happen. (we baptized her in San diego for multiple reasons, mainly being it would make her transition to utah a lot smoother!) But I love that girl so much, she strenghtened my testimony!

But I had the craziest weekend, lt me tell you a bit about it! So the Quinns for about a month now have been trying to sell there home, so every monrning we need to make our house SPOTLESS, which is good, its a great habit for me to get into! But in the past week our shower drain has not been draining, so we have had to have quick showers, and it takes a couple hours to drain, and we were going to unplog the drain, but we never got around to it, I guess it was "low on our priority list." But I have LEARNED my lesson!

The quinns, its a tile shower, and I guess when water is in them, it seeps through, so it started to leak to the ceiling of hunters room, (Who sleeps beneath us). Ya, it wasn't good. And something you should know about this family, I love them So much, but they yell a lot, and it scares me a little. And they were MAD! (as they had EVERY right to be!) But I was a little scared to go and talk with them...but we went and talked with them, and they were upset because they now had to wait for their home to be shown by a few days because the roof was wet. But they said there wasn't any damage, so I was happy about that.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that a few days prior the fire alarms in there house went off for like hours, it was during our study, and it was an electical malfunction or something...and it was ridiculous, (This comes into play later!)

ANYWAYS, they quinns basically told us they wanted us to move out. So monday comes, and its pretty rough! We gave our investigator Brian away because it turns out he doesn't live in our area, and we got a 5 page text from victor (do you remeber me talking about victor and liz?), saying that they didn't want to change the traditions of there family, and didn't want to meet anymore, and someone we are working with, her husband blindsided her and filed for a divorce, so we were dealing with all these things that day, and we get home, and go to our room, and we no longer had our studying table! The members we live with took it away so the room would look better. THEN the fire alarm started beeping again, (about once every minute or so), and it went of ALL night!

Haha, its been a gong show! But Its been pretty funny, and I have laughed a lot...We are trying to find a place to live, and hopefully we will find one soon! If you need something to pray about, maybe pray for us to get a place to live! That would be Awesome! But its been a good humbling experience the past few days...it might not sound like much, but its been...fun!

ANYWAYS! I am working hard trying to add some invesitgators since we only have 1 progressing investigator right now. Its been good to rely on the Lord so much. Its a nice reminder that he always has my back!

I want you all to know that your Savior loves you, and knows you perfectly. He knows excatly what you need, even when you do not. That is why you can trust in him perfectly! I also want to share my love for the Book of mormon! I know that it is true. I had a cool experience a few months ago, I wanted to gain a stronger testimony of the Book of Mormon so I could teach about it more powerfully. So I prayed to know if it was true, and I came across 1 Nephi 10:1-6, and it was my answer, I felt the Spirit SO strong because I had that desire to believe, but I wanted to know. (And something I find super interesting about the book of mormon, is how much the spirit changes its meaning, because I bet if most of you look that reference up, it won't even be a big deal, but to me, in that moment, I knew this church was true!) And thats why I love the book of mormon, because in it we can recieve answers to ALL things. It is heavenly father BEST took in guiding us in our lives, it can strenghten your testimony of the savior, it can help all of you. It has helped me. I think my book of mormon in my most prized possesion out here! I love it with all my heart! And I'm so grateful to Heavenly Father for blessing me with this love for his book!

Well Family! I love you all! Hope you have a good week!

-Sister Lee-

August 23, 2011

Hey family!

So like I said last week Sister Cluff and I are together another transfer so by the end of this transfer it will have been 6 months together! And then after that its her last transfer, so I won't be surprised if we stay together then! Haha, its a long time with someone, but we really do work well together. And not bragging (really) but our ward really likes the both of us, and they are always making comments on how well we work together, and we look like we really get along. So thats good!

I'm really excited for the next few months in this area, missionary work is just going to BOOM! By the end of this weekend we will have had 4 baptisms in August, so our ward is beginning to trust us with there friends. And when Elder Ballard was here a month ago he talked about the importance of ward council. and our mission president has been focusing on ward council and how important it really is for the ENTIRE ward. But we were only having ward council once a month, but we just found out that Bishop has changed it, and starting in septemeber, we are going to have ward council EVERY week! This might not sound that great for all of you, but I am SO excited! It was the biggest miracle! It will help the work in this area so much. And starting in september, Bishop is announcing another one of Elder Ballards "ideas" about praying for a missionary experience, and he promised that if members pray for a missionary experience, within 90 days they will have someone that will be ready and prepared to meet with the missionaries! Its going to be awesome. My ward is already great, but it is about to come SO much better!

Thats something I have really learned out here, is there is always room for improvement! Your testimony can never be TOO strong, you can never know TO much, you can never have too much faith. Sister cluff always says that we must always be grateful, but NEVER be satisfied.

SO brandons baptism was really good! We had lots of support from the ward, and after our ward mission leader asked sister loveall (brandons mom) what the next step was, and she said that she is working on going to the temple! So amazing! I love that family! Oh ya, and this reminds me! So for any of you that thought my Zelda playing was a waste of time, I will let you know that I was playing it to prepare me for my mission! True story, I just didn't know it at the time! So Brandon has ADD and ADHD, so to teach him was always a challenge, but while we were teaching him he got really into "Zelda, ocarina of time," and he would always talk about where he was stuck, and I kid you not, I swear the spirit helped me remeber how to play the game, so I could say, "brandon, if you listen, I will tell you how to get the golden braclet!" or random things like that. Haha, it worked. But I could never remember what would happen next, so lets just say, the spirit taught me what was "meted unto me." (Thanks goes out to Jason for teaching me his gaming skills! (and yes, I know I'm still not as good as you!))

Okay, so we have this one investigator named Brian. Brian is wanted to go into seminary and be a priest or something, and he KNOWS the bible. I LOVE teaching him because he always confirm my testimony that the church is true. For instance, last week we took him on a church tour and showed him the baptisimal font, and he went off on how "that is how a font should look" with stairs leading into it, and all these other things. And when we started meeting him we asked what it would mean if this was true, and he said he would be surprised and he would have to change a lot, but something he is worried about is that everything we have taught him so far, he already believes! ...He is mormon, he just doesn't know it yet!

Well, that about sums up the week! Oh, so on sunday we went over to the Bistui's for dinner (Nate and Sarah), and Nate decided he wanted to teach us how to BBQ, it went really well, until his ENTIRE BBQ lit on fire, it was crazy! Haha, (but the food was already off, and it wasn't mu fault at all...I think, I don't think I should be allowed to BBQ anymore, we can just let megan and the men do that one)

But this week was really good. I learned a lot, felt the spirit, worked hard, saw miracles, was super tired, and I loved every minute! I love being on a mission. This really is where I need to be right now, and while I love and miss you all, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else but here!

I love you all! Thank you for your emails and your prayers. You are all in my prayers!

Love you!

-Sister Lee-

August 16

Hey Family!

Thanks for all your emails! Its sounds like you are all having a great, if not busy summer! Same with me! Haha! I had some really great learning experiences this week. Scout Ceriani was baptized on friday which was great. (ps, scout is a girl!) So I will tell you a little about what happened there. Scout has been going to church her whole life, but her parents never had her baptized when she was 8, so we tought her, and gae her a date. But that family is INSANELY busy so we could only teach maybe twice a week. and since we didn't have that much time, we found ourselves just teaching her the lessons (simply) and we weren't really teachign her. Anyways, its a few days before her baptism, and she asks if she is excited and she says "no"...so we didn't know what to do, we asked why, and we just didn't feel good about the situation. So the night before her interview we decide to fast for her so she can be excited. (we didn't want her to have a negative experience for her baptism, because that is NOT what the gospel is about!) ANYWAYS! We decide to fast, her interview is at 2, and we go and teach her at one, and it wasn't feeling right, I didn't feel very good about it, but she got her interview, and he said she was good. But I still wasn't feeling good. I reflected on why I didn't feel good, and I realized that we used the excuse, "well she is 9" WAY to much, and we almost pushed the date on her. It was almost like I wanted it because I wanted it, not because the Lord wanted it to happen. So we are still fasting, and we decide to pray about it. And at this time, before I prayed I was now dead set AGAINST her being baptized on the 12th, I was refusing, because like I said, it didn't feel right! But then I prayed...and the word "Tomorrow" came to my head. I pushed the thought away thinking it was just me because I wanted to have a baptism every weekend in august, and I kept praying, I prayed SUPER hard, because I finally humbled myself and put the lord before me, I wanted to do what HE wanted. And when I finally submitted myself to God, the 12th came to my head again, and I was confused because I didn't know why I would have to go through SO MUCH for nothing to change, and then the story of Abraham came to my head, and I realized that I just had to be "willing to sacrifice" and put the Lord first. So that night we talked with the family and scout to make sure she was good, and it was perfect. It just worked out perfectly. ...I don't really know if I explained this story well, just know that it was a HUGE learning experience and it was really good for me to experience! I hope it was good to read! Basically, the moral of the story is to put your trust in the lord COMPLETLY, and to always put him first, because when you do that, he will make things work out the way the need to!

Another exciting thing that happened was we started to teach Katies husband James! He wants to know if its true, but he doesn't want to give up his lifestlye. But I am VERY excited to teach him! I have SUCH a love for marines and military members. I love working with them!

Anyways, I am running out of time, but it has been a good week. I love you all so much! Oh, just letting you know, transfers were today and Sister Cluff and I are staying together in our area. I'm excited because we know how each other work, and I love this area. But this will be a LONG time to be with the same person! But it should be really good! Okay, well I love you!

Have a good week!

-Sister Lee-

August 9

Hey Family!

Last week was really great! Katie Edmunds was baptized on saturday which was super exciting to watch. August 6th was her original date, but her baptism was "last minute" because sister cluff and I were stupid and forgot that investigators don't have to know everything before they are baptized as long as they have a desire to follow christ for the rest of there life. And Katie really had that desire, so after being beradded (I can't spell that word) by the spirit, we saw Katie and told her we wanted to change her date back. She was really excited about it! I know now that she has the gift of the Holy Ghost she will learn so much more, and he will help her to make good decisions. Its hard because her husband is not a member, and he is a marine, so his lifestyle is a lot different than hers! BUT he has started ti ask us questions, and he has sat in on a few lessons, and he said he felt really good at the baptism, so that was AWESOME! I'm really excited to start teaching him! (His name is James).

Have I talked about my "platinum" investigator Christine?! She is the one who had read the book of mormon and prayed about it before we even met with her! We have taught her all she needs to know, she should have been baptized basically the day we met her, BUT she has to wait till she is 18 b/c of the situation with her parents, But she turns 18 at the end of this month, and we are actually using her to fellowship OTHER investigators! We are taking her tonight to the mormon battalion to teach a girl named Anna who is a german exchange student!

So this week the weather has been nice, its cold in the morning, then HOT in the afternoon, then cool in the evening, which is perfect! Well, I could do without the HOT, but I really can't complain!

So want to hear a funny story?! This week we went and ate lunch on these picnic tables at a park, and there was all these crows flying around, and you may not know this, but I HATE crows...always have! So they are flying around, and in the middle of my sandwich, I feel something fall on my head, and all over my back...a bird pooped on me! It was disgusting! haha! I think I got a picture of it, but I was laughing and grossed out all at the same time!

Okay, so I have had lots of you ask about my schedule, I don't think its too interesting, but here we go!

6:30, wake up, pray

6:40-7:10-Work out, our members have a gym, and there is a park we go run at, there is a girl there we talk to every morning, but she doesn't speak english, so its always interesting! haha

7:10-7:58 Shower, get ready and eat breakfast!

8:00-9:00 personal study, (base it on our investigators)

9:00-10:00, companionship practice (practice what we are going to teach that day)

10:00-10:30 Sister cluff has language study, I study random things!

10:30 + Teach people the gospel! We have 1 hour for lunch, and 1 hour for dinner

9:00 Be in home, start planning for next day

9:30 update area book, get ready for bed (I try to write in my journal, I'm not always sucessful)

10:30- be in bed!

Thats my day...EVERYDAY! Well thats a lie, tuesdays and sundays are a bit different! haha!

Okay, so I have to tell you about Sarah Bistui (the wife of nate who was baptized a few weeks ago) SHe LOVES to serve, and she invites us for dinner lots, and she cooks WAY to much, one time we went over and she had steak, and burgers and salad, and on sunday we went over and she had milkshakes AND BBQ Chicken AND ribs AND corn AND pie...yep, meals with them I ROLL out of! haha!

I am really liking my district, the elders are all a little awkward, but its fun, so far I haven't met, or heard of any sister haters, which is really good! I'm happy about that one! And this morning we had a big sisters meeting at the mission home with sister clayton, it was super fun, we had brunch and then a meeting, we have 32 sisters in our mission, thats A LOT! But more than half are in the Mobat.

This week was so good! I loved it, and I'm excited for this coming up week too! We have one of our 9 yr olds named scout getting baptized on saturday, so that will be REALLY exciting for her and her family!

Well Family, I love you all SO much! Thank you for your prayers and support! I am praying for you all, and I hope you are all doing good!

Love you!

-Sister Lee-

Interview with Kristin

So I asked Kristin 10 questions about her mission. . . . . she had some GREAT answers!!! Check out what she had to say!

Hey Megs! Super cute idea for the blog! I doubt anyone will read it...but its cute! Haha, okay , so for those questions,

M - 1 - When did you arrive in San Diego?

K - I arrived in San Diego on April 12th, around 10:00am!

M - 2 - Who was the first person you saw when you got off the plane?

K - 2. The first person I saw when I got off the plane was probably some random stranger! haha, but the first person I REALLY saw was my mission president and his wife!

M - What was your first thought once you got to San Diego?

K - My first thought, I really don't know, I remember thinking it was weird that I was ACTUALLY in San Diego, on a MISSION, and that I was going to live here for the next 18 months, and to be honest, this thought has crossed my mind SEVERAL times since then!

M - 4 - How often have you been to the temple?

K - I've gone IN the temple once, I can go again in a few weeks! But I have gone TO the temple lots, we take investigators there ALL the time! They love it, because they can ALWAYS feel the spirit!

M - 5 - Who has been your favorite companion so far?

K - My favorite compnaion has been Sister Cluff, this is probably due to the fact that she has biscially been my ONLY companion! Haha! I loved sister turner, but I was only with her for 3 weeks. Sister cluff is lots of fun, and I have learned LOTS from her!

M - 6 - What is your favorite thing to teach investigators?

K - My FAVORITE thing to teach investigators in the Plan of salvation, because it JUST makes sense! I also love telling the 1st vision, because the spirit is always so strong!

M - 7 - Have you memorized the program at the Mormon Battalion yet?

K - The WHOLE program, no, But the main parts yes, and there is this one song that gets stuck in your head for DAYS after you go, But I LOVE the Mormon Battalion, its one of the best missionary tools there is!

M - 8 - Which parts of San Diego have you served in so far?

K - My first area was down on the mexican border in an area called Otay Mesa, I was only there for 3 weeks, then we got transferred up to an area called scripps Ranch, which is in mira mesa!

M - 9 - What are the names of your past mission president and your new mission president?

- 10 - What is the biggest difference between the two of them?

K - My old mission president is President Donaldson, he knew doctrine like crazy and was super bold and just an AMAZING man, I am so glad I got to serve under him for two transfers. My new mission president is President Clayton. He is SO soft and nice (Not soft like push over, but very kind) he is very loving and he has a great vision for our mission, I am REALLY excited to serve under him for the rest of my mission!

Wow! That took some time! Haha! I hope those answers are okay!

Welcome

Sorry it has taken me so long to do this, but a lot of the families in my ward have a blog page for their missionary and so I thought it would be nice to do one for Kristin! When I talked to Kristin about doing it, she said, "Sure, but no one will read it!" I assured her that her friends and family would LOVE to receive weekly updates about her mission. . . . I'm hoping I'm right!
For those of you who don't know, Kristin is on her mission in San Diego, CA. She will be there until August or September of next year and she is LOVING being a missionary. Every week I will post a letter from her that she writes home. Feel free to comment or ask questions! I will send them to her so she can read what you all have to say!
If you want to write Kristin a letter, I will get her mailing address as soon as I can find it. I KNOW she would LOVE to receive letters from you!!! Kristin usually writes letters on Tuesdays and does her best to respond to each and every letter that she receives! She also LOVES receiving photos, so feel free to send some over!
Kristin is having a hard time sending us pictures, but she has sent us a couple from the Mormon Battalion in San Diego. . . . I will do my best to post the pictures that she sends us as you can definitely see Kristin's love for her mission and the people in the photos!
So that's it! This should be one of the rare times you will hear from me. . . . the rest of the time it will be Kristin's words that are posted here!
Stay Classy!
Megs