Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Cedar Falls Week 21



Things are good here. We are seeing SO many people, so we feel a bit spread thin, but we love it everyday and we work hard. Farnsworth is becoming a great friends : and it's cool to have SO many cool experiences together: spiritual and not. We have started "Taco Tuesdays" and we have a fun time talking. I couldn't think of a place I would rather be. Of course I miss you all intensely...but the closer I get to my Savior, the more reassured I am that you are in His hands. :) This week I was working on faith in the Atonement. It's a beautiful thing.

Highlights:
----Had some cool "led by the Spirit" experiences. We hopped out of our car on this random street at the same time as this girl. She is totally hippie and I felt I could be really open with her and she then told us that as soon as she got out of the car she had the thought that we were here in front of her for a reason. which is interesting because she is agnostic. she wanted to meet with us. What the???? COOL STUFF.      We then had a similar experience finding a family that used to host LDS missionaries for years, although they are Lutheran. So cool.

----Also had some cool experiences with acceptance: We met John, Brian, and Chris (3 separate occasions) who we instantly taught the Restoration to and invited to be baptized. Each of them said they would if they prayed to know if the Book of Mormon was true and got an answer. AWESOME!

--Met a girl named Ally who is doing a mission trip to China and we had this cool conversation about what it would be like. I felt like she was my friend within 10 minutes and she prayed before we parted that "whatever the outcome of our meetings, we pray we glorify you, Lord." It was beautiful perspective. She bore her testimony to us that Jesus "bridges the gap" of what we cannot do. It was so cool!!! I was so happy.

----Had some building "me" experiences: Went to Zone Confernce: Spirit taught me a lot! Had a mind-blowing talk with a member about ordinances and I was so happy I thought I would get up and dance. Or stake president told us that we "cannot deny the power thereof" when we have been called to leadership positions. Super awesome. Learning curve here is SO STEEP!

----Had a cool lesson with Su--- (my favorite investigator here--can we pick favorites? like favorite apostles? shoot.....) her kids were at school for once, she told us she would never see herself being Mormon, but that we had increased her faith in the Savior. I was so thrilled to fulfill my purpose. She is closer to her Savior because I chose to be here. I was so overjoyed I got ice cream. :) I am so happy I could change her heart a little.....although I must say the next day was pretty rough. Satan hates the work of salvation. 

Quote of the week: "As darkness rises, more people will run to the light." -Elder Belliston (my zone leader)

also: funny: on memorial day: we cleaned headstones in the cemetery with dried corn cobs. ONLY IN IOWA!!!!!


well, that's about it for this week. Hope you feel updated on my life. :)

Love you. A lot. 
Sister Sumsion






My District -
brewer, phelps, musick, belliston, farns, me
schubert, kelley
I love NY/NJ - (for siblings)

Monday, May 19, 2014

Cedar Falls Week 20



If we are being honest, this week was a rough week. If I was anywhere but the mission field, I would have cried a ton and been a mess. But bad weeks on the mission are actually way better than even good weeks not on the mission.......so I love my life. My heart is happy, my soul is light, the weather is wonderful, my burden is easy........but my mind was all over the place. I guess I just felt this week that I wanted to "figure everything out" and instead I just slowly kept learning one step at a time. The Spirit was guiding me and the Lord specifically blessed me with peace......but it was just a lot of logic that I haven't worked through yet. It wasn't even anything specific....my mind is just a mess.

And because of it I have way more faith. I think the basis of my entire life is how strongly I know that the priesthood is on the earth. I got a blessing and it was just so blately clear that the priesthood is reality. everything in my life is based around that truth.

Love,
Sister Sumsion

 

Monday, May 12, 2014

Cedar Falls Week 19



Since we just talked to her on Mother's Day for an hour, she didn't write much.  She also got to call her brother Ben on his mission for 15 min and her sister Alexis in NYC for 20 min. She was really happy and made us laugh as usual.  We miss her sparkly personality.  Her email shared this....

 So I spent all week worrying and at the same time trying to just forget it and work......and then District Meeting was on Saturday and our DLeader gave the spiritual thought and it hit me SO HARD. He told about Jesus calming the sea, during which the Spirit taught me that I had fear in my heart and that's why everything wasn't working as smoothly as it could have been. I have tried to think since then what it actually is that I am scared of because I feel like I have faith in who the Savior is.......but I haven't figured it out yet. ah! PMG for life! I love the faith sections.

D&C 6:36

Sister Sumsion


Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Cedar Falls Week 18



She didn't really write but answered some questions I sent....

yes I am fed and happy. we eat easy stuff in the morning while getting ready. usually do the same for lunch and then have member dinners 5ish times a week. your monthly budget has been nice because I go over some months. I am happy and eating just as healthy as ever.

the work is good. no one is progressing, but we are teaching a lot. I love it. it's sad to see people ignore truth, but that is agency at it's epitome. I am so happy here. Sister Farnsworth is the most like me person I've ever met.  It's weird but cool. We definitely chose to be companions in the pre-earth life. I love her.

I am learning a lot from my studies about using the Spirit to guide the work. We are nothing compared to the plan God has if we just ask in faith for Him to use us to do His work. :) I am learning to listen. :)

I love this more than anything, I was super homesick this week because I am excited to talk to you.....but if I could just move you 5 here, I think I would stay on my mission forever. I love it more than anything. I have never been more calm and spiritually fed. I love my life!

OH! guess what? I started the COOLEST present to you EVER. Instead of journaling, Sister Farnsworth and I have started to do video blogs every night. I can't fit them in emails but I will send my USB home so you can see them. :) you will die. I'm so excited.

anyway. LOVE YOU!!!!
~Sister Chloé Michelle Sumsion~