Light

I sometimes feel like I am constantly being attacked with discouragement, doubts, negative and dumb thoughts.... It's exhausting.

So this is what I learned this morning! What dispels the darkness? LIGHT!! 

So PRAY your heart out...and read the SCRIPTURES! 

I would like to challenge everyone to try it. At least 10 minutes a day. That's what we challenge every investigator to do. I see dramatic changes in their countenance within even a day or two. Let alone weeks....BOOM! it's unreal!! Our job is to help them to recognize that change and to encourage them to continue seeking light, despite their doubts.

All good things come from God- He wants us to succeed. Any negative or discouraging ANYTHINGs are not from Him. Pray to Him, He will answer any question you have. How cool is that? & You have a Savior who Loves you- Now that is something to be excited about!!!  

Brother Cook is our ward mission leader & btw- His kids are my 3rd cousins, he figured it out during sacrament meeting yesterday on Familytree.com the LDS genealogy website. Dad's grandpa is  his great grandmother's son I think... i don't even know but it's cool! So grateful he's here. He moved here a few years ago and yesterday he said, "you know, I really don't think people aspire to end up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin." haha " But the Lord needs the right people, right here, right now!!" Seriously. If only you knew. Wisconsin is like Europe when it comes to numbers... but no matter... we don't pay attention to numbers. We have a right to high expectations when we are living righteously and obeying the commandments... & WOW- we are seeing miracles because of it. We are so lucky to be the ones in the Milwaukee North area right now. Specifically the Lake Michigan Ward. We have been seeing miracles & OUR numbers in this area are record breaking. We went to an iceskating party with 150 young men and young women. the members had invited a bazillion of their friends! We talked to EVERYONE! We really tried to! There were too many investigators to count and we have appointments with almost all of them in our area in the next few weeks!

I miss home but am not homesick. We are always SO busy helping these people- it's great... 

I am learning a lot....growing pains.... they are a great thing!  I can't wait for general conference.. 

Heavenly Father LOVES us so much. He also answers prayers---so pick up the phone. Talk. then listen to His reply.if you can't hear Him, turn up the spiritual volume in your life. Ask yourself what is something I could change so that I can be more in tune to the answers I need in life from the one who KNOWS my life?

"you can see miracles if you believe!"

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love,

Sister Osmond 

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Rainbow= The Scriptures/Prayer

Gold Coins= The influence of the Holy Ghost

Pot'o'Gold= The GIFT of the Holy Ghost.

Some people find Gold Coins throughout their life... (they feel the influence of the Holy Ghost)

but it isn't until they follow the Rainbow (Drawing closer to our Heavenly Father by reading the scriptures, Praying, having a Desire to change) ---seeking to find more of these precious gold coins--- that THEY FIND THE POT'O'GOLD!!

& have the privelege of always having the Spirit to be with them. An abundant source of spiritual wealth.

So...I think this email has to be the hardest to write:

FIRST WEEK IN THE ACTUAL MISSION FIELD.

I will do my best to explain my new life here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Our area is BOOMING!

We have so many appointments and have taught an investigator in a member's home---4 nights in a row this week!

That's unheard of. & back in December it wasn't this way.

The momentum this area has is only increasing!

So a little bit about Sister Westra, my Trainer:

She loves Diet Coke & Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt.

She was the first 19 year old to serve in Wisconsin. She was made a trainer by Month 3.

She verbalizes everything and I am learning really quickly!

She is super obedient and follows every rule.

I have learned a lot by observing her effective and simple teaching style

and by also asking her every question I can think of... so that's about a Billion!

Ps. Our companionship was predicted back in October by Sister Smart in the mission office when they recieved my paperwork! crazy.

Oh yeah- & she was punched in the face last week. 

Yah...No big deal.

It's a little game the gangs of kids play in the inner city areas.

They literally go around punching people when they least expect it & run away while their friends record it and post it on YouTube. Yup. Real Life!

But Sister Westra is a tough cookie, the kid was arrested- someone chased him down-

...and we just recieved her "victim rights" in the mail. hah

We are being really safe- don't worry. This was something that happened at the bus station & we have a car...

Things I have learned this week:

*I can be guided by the Spirit to teach people I have never met... & teach to their needs! Like I said in another email, we may not know these people but Heavenly Father knows them perfectly. We can ask Him what they need.

It was hard jumping in and teaching people who had met with Sister Westra and her other companion becuase I didn't know what they had been taught so I started to doubt that I could help them, not knowing their history. Sister Westra reminded me..."No! You were called to this area, you will recieve revelation as to what they need- if you pray and ask for it!'

*When we are truly humble- the Lord will Pour Our His blessings upon us. (D&C 105:12- such a cool section!)

*Whatever challenge you are going through... Accept that it's difficult! Accept that you're human!

& then Accept that because it is difficult and you are human- you will only succeed if you ACCEPT the Lord's help!

(Ether 12:27-28) Lean not to thine own understanding... but Trust Him.

He can see the big picture when we can't.

*YOU GOTTA FIGHT THE NATURAL MAN WITH ALL YOUR MIGHT! It's so tempting to be lazy, to justify your actions, to procrastinate, to sleep in... Don't do it, Don't give in.

Agency. It's such a frustrating thing. haha! 

Think about all of the promises the Lord has given to us in the scriptures. 

Challenge: Find promises from the Lord to YOU in the scriptures.

Accept the challenge?

Then follow these 3 Easy Steps:

-CHOOSE to keep your side of the committment

-ENJOY the abundant blessings

-GIVE THANKS.

(Repeat.)  

I was really struggling for energy the first couple of days until I prayed to my Heavenly Father for help and then Sister Westra randomly said... "In the mornings during your breakfast hour you can read, study, or even nap!" I was the happiest person. The joy on my face was hilarious. So she said again, "Yes, naps can be helpful!"

Heavenly Father answers prayers. Even the little ones because He knows they mean a lot to us.

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

President & Sister Cutler

My amazing new companion & trainer Sister Westra

Sister Pearson, Elders Santos & Crandall, Sisters Westra & Osmond, and Sisters Nicholes & Matheson

Eat, Pray, Love

"To Love Another Person is to see the Face of God." -Les Miserable-

THAT'S MISSIONARY WORK! 

Sister Matheson and I came up with something to help us remember this before every lesson,

E.A.T., Pray, Love. 

---

E- Establish Trust

A- Ask a Lot of Questions (The focus should be on the investigator and their relationship with God) 

T- Testify. The Spirit will be present if you bear strong testimony of truth. 

-

Pray- We pray for the person we will be teaching, that we will know the words they need to hear from our Heavenly Father. 

-

Love- "Perfect Love Casteth out Fear" 

You won't be afraid to talk to anyone, if your primary concern is THEM.

(& helping them to feel Awesome! You'll feel Awesome too when you do this!) 

---

So Sarah...

early 20s, from New Hampshire, transferred to BYU this winter- loves the honor code because she doesn't drink. 

We met her the first day. The very first day. She wanted to learn more about the church because of the required religion classes. We had a "group teaching" activity where we taught an investigator with about 30 other missionaries. & No one really contributed. she finally said, 

"Why are you all even here? To fill seats? Do any of you really even believe this?" 

That was a wake-up call for everyone- especially me. 

& I couldn't leave without talking to her. 

So Sister Matheson and I became her friend, asked her what she was studying at BYU 

(-sociology-) & told her thank you for being REAL. 

"Emotional Honesty is the Best!" that's what I told her--- haha. 

That lead her to say, "Well wow, I would love to have you both teach me!" 

So we did! & we ate dinner with her too! Moral of the story: Just be friends with people. 

During that same activity on the first day we met George... 

George has an amputated leg but is now able to walk with a prosthetic. 

I wasn't planning on it. But I couldn't NOT share my story about Guillian-Barre when he brought up some of the desperate and helpless feelings I felt while I was in the hospital. 

I said, "Although I may not understand completely what you have been through, I do know that you miracles happen and that you are a walking example of faith because I feel that way when i wake up in the morning- grateful for my ability to walk. When you talked about using your crutches, I couldn't help but think of Jesus Christ and how He is the reason why we both have the strength to walk as we  lean on Him."

When we talked to George a week later he said, "I remember you. I know when someone is genuine and when someone is not. You are Genuine. I'm sick of sympathy. Sympathy is different than Empathy. Thank you for your Empathy."

It's true. People know when you really care about them and when you don't.

If you truly Love someone- they will feel that. 

I have learned how to better interpret and understand the Spirit. That is the single most important thing in this life- for the Spirit "will tell you all things that ye should do." 2 Nephi 32:3

The New Missionaries in our zone came Wednesday- they are going to Washington. 

This was my advice to them:

"You are doing better than you think you are. Really though! 

We all have strengths and weaknesses. So use those strengths to help your weaknesses. 

Pray to Heavenly Father for help. He hears you and He knows you."

This was a humbling week. We had a lesson where we tried to teach from what we knew (we used our minds) and we realized we didn't know anything. hahaha!  Like I have mentioned, we may not know these people- but God does. & the only way we will be able to connect with them is through the Spirit. He knows ALL things.

So instead of "we should have.." we said, "next time we will..." & the next lesson was the most POWERFUL ever. You could really feel God's love for this person & the whole lesson was taught by the Spirit. (we used our hearts) 

We said things that could have only come by the spirit.

A complete 180, in 24 hours. There's a difference between confidence in yourself and confidence in the Lord and faith that He will lift you up. 

I'm grateful for that experience before leaving to Wisconsin.

So how do we learn to interpret what the spirit is saying to us?

PRAY.

Pray to be able to recognize the spirit in your life. Pray for any blessing you stand in need of- but the key is to focus on Others. You must ask to be able to interpret the spirit so that you may hear what it is telling you in order to help others! & it will in turn reveal things to you that YOU need. It's incredible!!

Prayer...I highly recommend it. ;) 

Hope you all have a great week! 

Seriously- THANK YOU to everyone for the letters and packages. 

It means the World because of the motivation that comes from feeling LOVED. 

That's all people need is Love.   

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love,

Sister Osmond

Ps. I am SO happy. Always. haha! WHAAAT? 

Things that happen throughout the day are irrelevant. Because I know my purpose- which is to: "Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end."

A scripture that really helped me this week was: Proverbs 34:4

All He asks us to do is to Trust him. 

& Miracles really DO happen when we exercise Faith. 

I know this is true. 

Wisconsin!

WISCONSIN-ITES!

The Seesters!
Woods, Askerlund, Matheson, Osmond

Wisconsin vs Texas = They are both WINNERS!!

Yeah Ali!!
Cousin Love

I'm a Real-Life Missionary!

My First Companion!
The Fabulous Sister Matheson!!

                                                     
HELLO! It's Me- Sister Osmond! 

Guess what?

I MADE IT TO SATURDAY. 

Everyone always tells you, "Make it to Sunday!" haha 

Well, Saturdays are my P-Days here at the MTC so in my mind--- I MADE IT!

Yes, the rumors are true- they sometimes serve corn dogs for breakfast. haha! They call them blueberry pancakes and sausage on a stick. 

& No- the orange juice doesn't give you hallucinations, but it does make your stomach a little upset: I wanted to find this out for myself the first day! 

Speaking of my first day: WE JUMPED RIGHT IN. Meaning we started teaching- the only way to learn is by Doing. 

One of The Best Part of the Day was receiving MY very own name badge.

Wearing the name "Sister Osmond" I think of my family -who I love with all of my heart- and the example they have been for the church and the gratitude I feel to be associated with them.

Wearing the name "Jesus Christ" I think of my Savior -who I love with all of my heart- and His perfect example Love. I am striving to be more like him Everyday. 

-BE PATIENT WITH YOURSELF- is what always comes to my mind when I think of all I still need to learn. 

My Companion: Sister Matheson is my closest friend here! We just clicked the first day. We are similar enough that we love being together but we are different enough that we push each other to improve. 

By Day 3 we were laughing our heads off! We have inside jokes galore and quote Disney movies constantly!

Our District: There are 7 of us. 4 Sisters. 3 Elders. The Elders are going to Houston, Texas though so we won't see them after the MTC.  

It's the smallest district our Branch Presidency has ever had. I love it because you get to know everyone and have more time to discuss gospel doctrine. 

The 4 of us Sister are in a room (exactly like the dorms). It's suppose to accommodate 6, so we have a lot of extra room! I love being at the MTC right now because there aren't a lot of people here. It was the perfect time. 

Who I have seen: 

Sister Emily Ratto is in the room next to me! -going to Oklahoma

Sister Cariel Smith- I saw her when I was called down to check my immunization record. 

Elder Benji Sorenson- I was a little stressed with the all of the assignments we had to complete and then I look up and BOOM! There he is! We had a good laugh!

Elder Zwik- related to Brother Zwik who works at church headquarters- (a friend of the Weekes family) He was in Grace Hendricks' ward and I would always see him at her ward prayer but never made the connection until I read his name tag. 

Elder Simpson!! 

& So many more...even a Sister who was in my 7th grade Spanish class that I hadn't seen since middle school! Crazy!!

Our Branch Presidency: President and Sister Oswald. They have been here for 3 years. So Sincere and So Kind but are strict & understanding rule keeper, which is wonderful. Sister Oswald memorizes a new scripture every week! 

My Perspective on Everything has completely changed as a Missionary.

I Finally Understand a Few things: 

#1. Missionary: "Thank you for the letters and packages! They mean SO much!!" 

REAL TALK: It's better than Christmas. Not even kidding. Some advice that a teacher gave me was... Save your presents for the end of the day so you aren't distracted from your investigators or purpose. You go to bed happy and you have something to look forward to! Best Piece of Advice and I will do this for the rest of my mission. 

#2. Missionary: "Being a Missionary is Hard-Work!" 

REAL TALK: Sitting in a classroom for 8+ hours a day takes a lot of mental discipline. Especially because you are in the same room for most of it with a lot of quiet time. 

#3. Missionary:  

It's only Day 4 and I feel like I have literally been here for a Lifetime. This is because I am living a "different" life. THE BEST LIFE. 

My Body is GETTING FIT. (we exercise everyday and Sister Matheson and I eat salads at lunch)

My Spirit is GETTING FAT.(I am being spiritually edified LITERALLY ALL DAY!) I have never experienced feeling the spirit 24/7. It's amazing how much you learn- it's a beautiful thing. 

This is my official  MTC address- 

Sister Sophia Michelle Osmond

MAR11  WI-MIL

2009 N 900 E Unit 143

Provo UT 84602

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

Roomies

Matheson, Osmond, Askerlund, Woods

The District!
Matheson, Osmond, Kemp, Trout, Abner, Askerlund, Woods

Branch Presidency
Brother&Sister Merrill, President&Sister Oswald, Brother&Sister Ellis

MTC President & Sister Nally

we love mail & packages!!