Happy holidays!

Hey hey hey everyone!!!!
   
     So last night we were at sights, getting our work done. We had noticed it was a blustery, dreary yet oddly warm day yet thought nothing of it...well we had just had an entertaining conversation with Elder Norton (Senior Elder), He was telling us all about the story of those 10 sister missionaries who were trapped in their home during the Hurricane in the Philippines. We were spell bound, then he says,"sorry we can't get anything exciting to happen here for you Sisters (jokingly of course...its always exciting at Kirtland and in Painesville:)" haha well, not even an hour later they tell us a Tornado warning has been issued and they want us all to get to our homes as quickly as possible. Apparently the Tornado had by that time touched down in Toledo and was heading our way...So we grab our things and headed out while Sis. Norton explains to us to go to our basement if it gets bad. It was indeed a nail biting drive up the hill to the Hyrum Smith home where we live. Lots of rain and wind....To carry on the theatrics of the night we did indeed check out our basement and wondered aloud if we really would have to spend the night here:) well pretty much we ended up just sprawling on the floor making calls and updating our area book for the rest of the night. Planned for the next day and calmly went to bed. yup...so much for all the hype.  But it was good, it did get pretty windy and rainy but turned out to be nothing to worry about. Still I know it never hurts to be safe:) And I am sure this isn't the last time we will just narrowly avoid getting swept up by a Tornado:)
   This week has been a good one. Mostly we have been doing a lot of stop by's, trying to stay in touch those we have found who are harder to meet with and don't yet realize that this will change their life. We have so many investigators who have such potential and its just so hard to help them have that desire and motivation to keep moving forward and progressing! Its frustrating but its so worth it when it works out and those really sincere ones pull through:)
    We had another amazing lesson with the Molynuex's. Bro. Molynuex and Tessa came right out and said "I am so sorry we didn't read this week!" It was sad to hear but the remorse was evident and we stressed that reading and praying is how they are going to get their answers! I think it sank in a lot better. Bradley, who is Bro. Molynuex's 17 year old son was finally able to be there and is the most incredible kid I have ever met! He is so grown up and responsible and so interested! You can just tell he is searching for truth and was recognizing what we taught as truth. When we asked them to be baptized he said "if this book convinces me..." He has such a desire to find out if this is true and I know once he does he will be rock solid! We love them so much! They are such a special family and we live for them now! We have been able to get the McIntosh's over there every lesson and they have been amazing fellowship. They just rave about how awesome the Molynuex's are after every lesson and it is just so sweet to see the responsibility and connection they feel for them now....I have no worries who they will sit by at church and who will take them to Kirtland. Members are so key in helping investigators progress and feel welcome. Its been just amazing to watch.

     The thing I have treasured most about my mission is people. Learning to care about and love and serve people just as Christ would has changed my life. There are so many people who need so much love....and it has been the most precious privilege to be an instrument in God's hands to give them that love. It moves mountains and its the most powerful, worthwhile thing in the world. Sometimes I come so close to crying, with the people I meet and situations I see, its just heart breaking. And its not always the horrible living situations, I know they are much worse off in other 3rd world countries. But its the emotional hurt and spiritual denial that is the hardest to witness. What really is there to live for if you don't have hope? But that is what the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings. And that is what drives me. We stopped by Don's house a few nights ago and met his son Andy. Andy is 25 and so bitter. He just railed at his father..."why are you doing this, God doesn't exist....you are the man who raised me and taught me that God doesn't exist and now you are dabbling in this #ji45#@ saying maybe he does????!!!" It was so sad and Don just calmly said..."Why not? I am changing my mind, I believe its possible that He does."  It was a powerful moment to see how far Don has come. He still has a lot to work through but he is an amazing person and is beginning to accept the healing power of the Atonement in his life.    The Church is true!

    I love you all! Have a fabulous week!

           Sis. Hannah Newren

P.S thank you so much for the package!!!!! You all are the best! All the senior couples were admiring the outside and how cute it was! You guys are the best family ever!!!!!!

11/11/13

Hi Everyone!

Man, Holidays on the mission are so weird! Halloween? Did that even just happen????? and now its Veterans day which means all of the libraries and our favorite store is closed...ugh. But I still love holidays and I am crazy excited for Thanksgiving and Christmas!

 

     This week has been awesome but I don't have much time to tell about it. I will just share one miracle:)

   The Molynuex's: Bro. Molynuex is a less active who hasn't been to church since he was little (soooo he is pretty much an investigator) and Tessa his daughter is our investigator...we have taught them several times but haven't been able to meet with Bradley the 17 yr old son...well we finally briefly met him one day and will be teaching all of them this week but we found out that they totally have been keeping him updated on everything! And he was the first one in their family to actually pick up the Book of Mormon and start reading it!!!! So amazing...He is a cool kid! This family is so golden and I was praying and praying that I would not get transferred so that Sis. Jones and I could keep teaching them and my wish came true!!!!! Both of us are staying for another transfer! So happy. I love being a missionary!

    

 Well got to go. The Church is true!

        Sis. Hannah Newren!

Fall is finally here!

Hello Everyone!
     So I know I said we had snow last week. And it certainly is getting bitter cold. But the leaves have FINALLY all turned (well the majority anyways) So it actually feels like fall! Wahoooooo. Its beautiful, I am so glad I am not the one who has to drive so I can just look out the window and enjoy the scenery wherever we go. Its awesome.

     We had a Halloween party with our ward last Tuesday and it was so much fun. The best part was when the Kurzhols walked in. They all looked so happy. Even Bro. Kurzhol which is HUGE for him. He seriously used to never crack a smile. But they were just all so happy and Sis. Jones and I were able to talk with them for awhile and really get to know Sis. Kurzhol. I think we really helped her feel welcomed and loved and it just was the best feeling in the world. They are actually the Elders investigators but we gave them a tour at Kirtland so we definitely feel a strong connection to them. The Elders told us they committed them to baptism again and Karen, the wife was like...."okay so how are we going to do this because its going to be kinda hard juggling two religions." hahah! Whaaaat. The Elders definitely had to clarify on that point:) They are so awesome though and someday they will be members of this church. 
     

      We have been working more in some of the nicer neighborhoods in Painesville. We feel very strongly that there is a very special family in this one area, right by where two of our members live. So we have been being very thorough in that area. We have one new investigator named Debbie who lives there and she is awesome. She has had a rough life but she has strong morals and knows what is important. Her husband has had two affairs but she just said "Divorce is too easy now days. It was the hardest thing I have ever done to get over that and let myself love him again but I do love him and we are married so we just keep going and making it work" The Gospel is exactly what she needs and I think she is beginning to see that as well. We also were able to have some awesome lessons with two of our less active families. The Mejias really have no interest in coming back to church but they are very welcoming to us and just recently we encouraged Bro. Mejia to let us have the Bishop call him and he agreed. That was such a miracle and I think a big step towards bringing them back. The Molynuex's are amazing. They are really lost and I think are really hoping the church has what they want but still don't quiet see it yet. Bro. Molynuex and his daughter Tessa both excepted a Book of Mormon and seemed really excited about it. We brought a couple from our ward over with us and it was just a very powerful lesson. We are excited to keep working with them all and see a great future comin' for the Perry ward!!!! The Bishop has been awesome! Really been turning around and pushing missionary work and we love it! It is truly an answer to prayer. 

     OH yes I almost forgot. Service this week. K so we had another project that the Elders needed our help with. We went over to that same trailer park (we are getting way too well known over there:) and were helping a Less active, Sis. Barth and her sister Judy (investigator) with washing the walls in her home. It was a big job but we got it done quickly with 4 of us and Bro. Cuttler. Then we got dragged on to the next service project. The trailer home next store where some of the Elders investigators live was burned really bad inside. So we had the pleasant task of ripping that place apart and are now working on putting it back together. We tore down the ceiling, pulled up the floor, ripped off the walls, sheet rock insulation and everything. We smelled so bad and were breathing in all of this horrible dusty, smelly, insulation thick air and coughing and blinking like crazy. When we went home that night. It hurt to touch our faces because there were literally shards of plexi glass all over them! Ah it was awful, but we loved it. Bill(the sweetest man who was in charge of the reconstruction going on)  wanted me to make sure and tell you Papa that I am learning valuable life skills out here, I now know how to demolish a house. 

      Well I better get a goin' but I will talk to you all next week:)

            Sis. Hannah Newren

  p.s. The Jones, one of the senior couples finished their mission this past Friday. We had a nice breakfast all together and then sang to them over the balcony. We sang our mission song and it was just the sweetest thing. All of us missionaries that serve at sites all together saying goodbye to one of our own... I was definitely tearing up.  We are sure going to miss them, They were one of my favorite senior couples!

Snow!

 Hey Everyone! Hola from OHIO! Where the leaves fall before they turn pretty colors, where everything can be blamed on "the lake effect" and where it snows before Halloween. haha..  Seriously though, snow! ugh, not ready for that. But I still love love love it here. And the leaves really are beautiful, they just are all falling off and half of the leaves still on the trees are still green...what is happening! People are saying this Fall is being a little weird. Anyways....:)
       We were not able to get into too many homes this week. It was so sad, everybody just kept canceling and not being home! But we tried our best and this week is looking awesome. We did find some neat people though that I really hope will be more committed to progressing in the Gospel....arg...its so hard to be patient sometimes, I know though that it is hard for people to change, and that is what we are asking them to do. To change and come unto Christ.
    We had an awesome lesson with Bro. Molyneux and his daughter Tessa. He hasn't been to church since he was a teenager and Tessa doesn't know anything about the church. We feel really good about them, I think they both don't realize this is what they are looking for but they are very willing to experiment with it. Well lets just say you don't hear us complaining!!!!  They are an awesome family and miracles are happening with them! Sis. Jones and I have decided that we need to "flood the world with the Book of Mormon!" So we have been using it a lot in our proselyting efforts and we can tell some amazing things are going to happen with that! Also, I am pretty sure almost everyone of us missionaries in the Perry ward asked Pres. Vellinga in our interview this week about working with the Bishop and ward etc.. and answer to prayer... We went in there with a sincere desire to step it up and the Bishop surprised us all with an hour long meeting and discussion on how he is there for us and he is re-committed and is willing to help us move the work forward. He read us a quote from Elder Nelson I believe from a meeting with Stake Presidents and such they recently held somewhere and it said "the Full time missionaries no longer belong to the mission president, they belong to the Bishop." basically he says, they are members of the ward and the Bishop has full responsibility of helping them move the work forward. So It was amazing! He is so pumped about this and so are we. Which is just what we needed. The Perry ward has been really struggling with unity and supporting the missionaries but with that communication and support from the Bishop I know things are going to explode around here. So excited! I really hope I get to stay here for awhile yet. Transfers are coming up again in a few weeks and since I will be done training its a possibility I could be transfered and/or get a new companion. I am sure it will be awesome whatever happens but there is just so much more we have to do here!!!!!! And with the Bishop now on board we are already seeing miracles.

      Well, hmmm...I am trying to remember what happened this week.....its all a blur! I think that was pretty much it! We have our ward Halloween party tonight which we are all super excited for and we invited everyone we know so hopefully they all come!!!!! Well I love you all and will talk to you next week!

     Love,

    Sis. Hannah Newren

Rain, Rain Go Away

  It has been rainy and so dreary, all week. Well maybe not all week, just the days we were in our area. The first day it rained it didn't really look that bad and so we didn't even think about bringing our umbrellas. Then it started raining, so we run under this tree where we could kinda stay dry, then it started raining harder. So we were pretty much getting really wet, and then the Mejias called. And it was a really important phone call. So here we are, Trapped under this tree. I am first was trying to keep the phone dry with my planner but then duh...don't want that to get wet, so I am awkwardly trying to pull my cardigan over the phone and talk to Bro. Mejia, all while we are trying to decide which of the nearest porches we should run to. We finally make a break for it and end up on this old ladies porch. So while I am still talking to Bro. Mejia and trying to hear him and listen. Sis Jones knocks on this ladies door and asks her if we can take cover for a little while on her porch. She was so sweet, but was standing there so awkwardly just watching us through here closed screen door. She eventually went and got us a towel. And was then talking to us (by now I had finally gotten off the phone with Bro. Mejia) and we couldn't hardly understand anything she said. She was from Italy and was seriously slipping back and forth from English to Italian....So funny, We just smiled and nodded and then finally just braved the rain and started for our car, which was forever away:) She was awesome though. People really are so nice here:)

   
      This week was a hard one, but awesome. We were able to take some of the Elder's in our ward, investigators on tour at Kirtland and it went so well. With one family it was so intense. The Kurstols (not sure how you spell it) I was so worried about them and that we had all pushed them too hard or something but I really did feel like we were led by the spirit and this Sunday the dad (who is the most resistant one) came to church by himself and actually looked happy (which is a big deal for him!) and said he felt the spirit (also a miracle). We sat with him and every talk in Sacrament meeting was so perfect for him and all he has been struggling with! Its kinda funny, but we haven't  been able to get any of our investigators to church so far, so we just kinda commandeer everyone else's! haha, not really but all of us missionaries in the ward are so unified and so we all just help each other out when it comes to church:) After Church Bro. Kurtsol finally told the Elders what his concern was and said he really just needed to talk to somebody about it. So he was able to talk with the Bishop and is going to get some help with some concerns he has. It was such an amazing day to see that all happen and know we had helped in some small way:) The other Investigators that had come loved Kirtland. The Elders told us that Harold's mom told them "He has been so happy and glowing every since that tour" wahoo!!!!!  It really is amazing to see that you just have to keep going, you just have to keep at it, and in His own time, The Lord really does shower down blessings upon us. Sigh... am learning so much...and yet more and more realize I have sooooooooo much more to learn. Its just never ending! In Church Bro. Thornton shared this "While other religions want you to know something, The Gospel of Jesus Christ challenges you to become something. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is the plan, to help us become what Heavenly Father truly desires us to become" Ah I loved it! And that is really it! We are becoming something...and not just anything, we are becoming what our Heavenly Father intended for us to become. When we follow the teaches of Jesus Christ and participate wholeheartedly in His Church and the building up of His Kingdom, we are refining our souls, we are engaged in that process and journey of becoming. 

      Well, we had another bonfire this week! We did some service for a Less Active and she wanted to have s'mores with us all since we built her a fire pit, but we ended up not having time. So she invited us back, we asked her if it would be all right if a few of our investigators came as well, she said of course. Well what started out as a small campfire gathering turned into a ward/neighborhood, invite everyone you can, and ALL our investigators, big, huge Fiasco! (thanks to the Elders) haha Sis. Rigby who was arranging it all was so stressed about it. But it turned out great and the less active love it and wants to do it every Friday now! It was really fun and I just loving bringing investigators and members together like that so they can really meet some people and be comfortable with the church. 

    Well I had better get going but I love you all and hope you have a fabulous week!!!!!

            Sis. Hannah Newren

Challenge for the week: Read Joseph Smith's testimony of the First Vision....Its so powerful.

Elder Ballard!

  Aloha,
      Its getting colder and I suddenly wish I was serving in Hawaii...just kidding I love Ohio so much, even though I know its going to be a killer winter...hope I survive:/
       This week has been AWESOME. The three main miracles this week were 1) finally was able to meet with our investigator Kim. We had an awesome lesson on the Restoration with her and we were inviting her to read and pray about it when she says "well I already know its true" YAY! She really is awesome. We invited her to be baptized but she said she wants to study more before she makes that big decision but she really is so close and we can tell she really has a lot of desire to study it out for herself and to really know! 2) That same night just before we saw Kim we stopped by a less active who hasn't been to church since he was a teenager. The first time we stopped by his house he gave us his number but was very non-committal. The info we have on him in our area book says he has not been interested in the past and to stop by maybe every 6 months. But as soon as we walked up to his house he was just right inside the door and said "is that the sisters? Come on in!" We got to know him and his 19 yr old daughter a little more (he also has a 17 yr old son living with him) and we had an awesome conversation with them, they were very open with us and he was telling us how just recently, his mom (active member), had been pushing him to try going back to church. So when we invited him to take the missionary lessons and come back he was like "you know I think it is time. I have been kinda lost and I am not really sure if God can help me but I want to try!" He is incredible and neither of his kids have been baptized sHHHH I o there is real potential. We are so excited to go back a teach them soon. 3) Don (AAAAAHHH I am so excited for him) has really been our most unlikely investigator. He started reading the Book of Mormon and he loves when we come talk with him but he gets off on so many random topics and it is so hard to teach him. He has been really busy lately and he wont ever let us set an appointment with him. But we felt strongly we should stop by the other day and MIRACLE! He was home and his heart was so soft. He told us he has been praying and reading the Book of Mormon off and on and is really trying to get an answer he said "I was in tears one night, asking God, could this really be the one true faith?" He is getting frustrated because he feels he isn't getting an answer. So we took some time to help him understand the different ways God answers us and encouraged him to keep trying! We promised him if he read a chapter in the BoM everyday and prayed everyday and continued to meet with us he would get an answer. You really could just see it in his eyes, That hunger and desire to know for himself. It was so incredible and I am so excited for him because I know he will get an answer! Pray for him everybody! He is so awesome and he needs to be a member of this church!
      We had stake Conference this week and a Historic Kirtland 10 yr commemoration extravaganza!!!!! It was so cool! Elder Ballard was here with his wife and some of his family, as well as two area 70's. It was such a neat weekend. On Friday night we had a VIP event at the VC (we weren't really invited at first, they were just going to slip us in every few guests so we could meet Elder Ballard but by the end they just let us join them and hang out and eat the food and everything! So I got to meet him! Shook his hand and everything, talked about the weather for a little bit....it was sweeeeeet:) Really though, meeting an apostle of the Lord. I was so excited!!!! Then after that reception there was a commemoration fireside for Kirtland at the Stake Center. So good. Saturday morning we were able to go to the 5k walk around the Temple and the village and pancake breakfast. There were so many people there it was awesome!!!! Then that night Adult session was so good, and yesterday the general session was so inspiring! It was just what I needed and so powerful. Its hard sometimes to remember how special Kirtland really is. I think sometimes us missionaries and the members who live here really take it for granted. Elder Ballard said "You want to know what I would do if I lived here? I would frequently walk these paths with my family, I would soak in the testimonies of the sisters and seniors who serve here and I would read over and over again the stories of those early saints who walked here. I would invite everyone I know to come feel the spirit that is here." It was so powerful he then said how will we feel when we get up to heaven and see a friend or acquaintance and hear them say "how could you never have told me about Kirtland, why did you never invite me to feel the spirit there?" It really is the neatest place in the world. Its hallowed ground and I am so so so blessed to serve here!

    Well I certainly hope you all are having a wonderful week!

~ Challenge for the week...ready: Learn about one of the saints who lived in Kirtland. John Tanner, Joe Hills Johnson. Newel K Whitney and family...etc. I promise learning about these people will enrich your own life and help strengthen your testimony of this Gospel!  

     I love you all dearly!

         Sis. Hannah Newren

Snake in the Chapel!

Hey Ya'alI
Hope I grabbed your attention with that title because its a good ol' story...but first I have to tell you about the rest of the week:) hehehehe
So, This week has been a good one! Update on Investigators

We have a couple but we have not been able to have really solid consistent lessons with many of them so it makes it harder to really help them progress. Angela is the only one with a baptismal date and she is this awesome lady but her life kinda fell apart after our first lesson and so we just have felt like she needs some space. We have stopped by a few times to make sure she knows we love and support her and are hoping to have an actual lesson with her next week. Then there is Don. 50+ yr old man. Such a character. always is cracking jokes about how we are stalking him:) He is so funny, we have a really good relationship with him. He talks so much and sometimes we just have to say "DON! STOP TALKING...just listen okay for 5....minutes:)" haha its great. He hasn't really been progressing though and so we finally stopped by one day and just asked him straight out. "Don do you even want to know if this is true? because we don't want to just shove it down your throat, you really have to want to know." and he said YES! which was huge because we started out having such a casual, joking, friendly relationship, that it has been kinda hard to get him to take us seriously with teaching him. But he also said he had considered going to church the last Sunday but then got called into work last minute! But at least he had that desire. We were so excited when he said that because now we know he really is interested. I feel like he is going to be baptized. I just feel it! He is like the most unlikely candidate but I know the Lord wants him in His church!
For Conference....loved it! Totally the highlight of my week. Everything just meant so much more being a missionary. On Saturday I was at sites and we still have to take tours (silly members....why aren't you watching General Conferance!) So I missed most of the first session. But I prayed that we would get to watch the second session, I told the sisters "dont worry I prayed we would get to see it" and some of them kinda laughed. But even though Sister Jones and I were the next in line to take a tour no one came in and we were able to watch the whole session! We watched the priesthood session too. Then Sunday we were in our area so we pretty much just hung out at the church all day and watched it all. It was so amazing! I love love loved Elder Ballard's Talk on missionary work. Its just so important and the more we all realize that the more its going to actually happen!
Okay so adventure for the week. We had this epic 7+ hour service project for a Less active/part member family. They live in a trailer home that is about to fall apart so the missionaries of the Perry ward were enlisted to help save it! They had this long list of things that needed to be done and when we read them off in one of our meetings we all just looked blankly at each other thinking "how in the world are we going to be able to do any of that?" It was all things like. fix dry wall, wrap ducts under trailer, fix plumbing, chop wood. haha yeah, we were under the impression though that some ward members would be coming too who knew how to do things like that.....yeah, it ended up just being us. HA! Luckily Elder Baker (southern gent from Georgia) knew how to wrap ducts SO, we spent the duration of those 7 hours under two different trailer homes wrapping their ducts with reflective insulation, taping it all in place and praying it would be okay through the winter! It was the nastiest, grossest thing I have ever done. There was untold horrors under those trailer homes. We seriously were army crawling in Mud, puddles of water, Cat poop, bugs, cobwebs, cacooniphied (yes I know thats not a real word, they really were though!) spiders etc. etc. etc. UGH! So gross. But sooooooo funny. It seriously was the funniest day of my mission so far, I mean the whole situation was just hilarious, crawling through all that crap, having no idea what we were supposed to be doing down their and to make it even better was that fact the elders were their! Here we are, missionaries, its been drilled into our head from day one not to touch, flirt with or practically talk to each other...hahahah and here we are ALL underneath these trailers in all sorts of awkward positions, lying right by each other, accidentally touching hands and all sorts of things....it was horrible! And so funny. I mean of course we all were just really focused on getting the job done and not even thinking about it, but really we just laughed about it the whole time. sigh...I was crying I was laughing so hard. Anyways. and the best part is. We still have so much more service to do over there! haha... bring it!

And last but not least. Just yesterday, here we were calmly settled in the chapel watching conference when suddenly Elder Baker gets up walks quickly up a few aisles and crouches down, all we saw were a few jerky movements as he fussed with something on the ground...we look over and all the other Elders are mouthing "snake, there is a snake" with shocked faces. We of course didn't believe them until Elder Baker gets up and calmly walks out with a snake in his hand!!!!! whaaaaaaat! What the heck is a snake doing in the chapel!!!!!! during General Conference no less! Sis. Rigby freaked out and wouldn't put her feet down for a good 10 mins. When the Elders get back they come over asking me if I have any oils that would be good for a snake bite. "IT BIT HIM?" it did indeed. So I give them some essential oils and then they all huddle together over his hand putting them on. Elder Baker shrugged it off and was being so stubborn! Later he said he was burning up and his arm was on fire....ELDER BAKER! Geesh....guys, So pretty much we hope he hasn't died. Havn't heard from the Elders this morning so its not looking good.....(just kidding)

Well I better good going but I love you all and look forward to hearing from you!!!!! BYE!

Sis. Hannah Newren