THE FRUIT COMES LAST! :)

BROTHER BROWN IS BAPTIZED!! 

YES, you read that correctly. 

He is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint!

Last Sunday we had a pivotal lesson. 

"Brother Brown, we aren't here to convince you to get baptized, 

We are here to help you recognize that God has already answered your prayers."

There was a long silence afterwards. A peaceful silence that no one wanted to break. 

I felt very strongly that August 22nd was the day the Lord knew he was ready.

He wanted Brother Brown to feel of His love for him even deeper. As we talked about feeling the Spirit and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost he said, 

"It is comforting to know that even when I am alone, I am never alone. God is with me." 

I didn't want to write about it on Monday because that's when his interview was. 

And things went really well after that! 

He was baptized Saturday and received the gift of the Holy Ghost yesterday!

It was the greatest last Sunday of my mission! 

Sister Nixon and I sang a duet in Sacrament Meeting and taught Relief Society too! 

The Relief Society lesson was on Brother Brown's favorite General Conference talk- really. 

No one knew that when they asked us to teach. But he would reference it all the time in our lessons with him. It was the first General Conference he ever really watched- and he watched 3 sessions of it! 6 hours!  His wife was so happy that he would do that. Now he is baptized! The Lord's promises are sure. 

I will hopefully be able to come back in a year when they go through the temple to be sealed as husband and wife for time and all eternity! 

For the baptism, this is really special to me, the opening hymn that Brother Brown chose was "Press Forward Saints." 

My missionary scripture. But they didn't know that. 

2 Nephi 31:20-

"Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life."

I told them that it was my missionary scripture and Sister Brown said, "Don't make us cry." As her eyes filled with tears. 

"Thank you for not giving up." she told me after the baptism. She has been waiting for this moment for 8+ years. There were so many people who were apart of Brother Brown's conversion to Jesus Christ there at the baptism. He is a true disciple! The change in him has been drastic. He is so full of Light, he says the most fervent prayers, he is always thinking of others- in fact, that is one of the biggest reasons he wanted to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, so he could better serve those around him. He recognizes when he feels the Spirit. 

He told us, "I wish I would have known these things a long time ago! But I know them now." :) 

This was my "Final Paragraph" for departing missionaries I sent in to the Mission Office today: 

"Hello, It's Sister Osmond!

I am so grateful for the opportunity the Lord gave me to serve in Wisconsin. 

I know I met the people I needed to meet. 

Talk with Everyone! 

The person across the street or with headphones in is usually the person with the greatest connections to the church. haha

I know that all things work together for our good and the good of those around us as we counsel with our loving Heavenly Father, repent quickly, and give thanks to Him everyday. 

He does so much for us and always has our best interest in mind, even if we can't see it yet. He loves us. We are His children. 

One of my favorite quotes by President Erying says, "To know His will, you must be committed to do it."

As we put OUR desires aside and allow the Spirit to teach us HIS WILL, we will be the happiest as we choose to ACT on the inspiration that will come.  :) 

I testify that the fruit comes last, after the trial of our faith! (1 Peter 1:7-8)

For me this principle was a part member family we were working with for 5 months- the Brown family. 

He was agnostic and the only thing he changed in his life was reading the Book of Mormon and praying. 

He was baptized the last week of my mission. 

His life was full of God's Light. He works in the nursery and says, "Every child deserves to know they are a child of God."

He is one of the most Christlike people I have ever met and I know one of the reasons why I was sent here was for them. 

I know that every missionary has a specific purpose and as they turn to the Lord they will find joy in His service! 

I definitely did! This experience has changed my heart and filled it with greater joy than I ever expected to find. 

I know that my Redeemer LIVES! 

Steadfast and Immovable in Christ!"

Let us all press on in the work of the Lord. 

There are always great things to come. 

I love this gospel! 

I know that this is Christ's original church restored to the earth today. 

I know that it is headed by prophetic authority and that authority comes from God, it has to. 

I know that peace only comes from God. 

I will put my Trust in Him forever. 

Consistency in the gospel is key to happiness!  

Consistency in the gospel is not overwhelming. 

Consistency in the gospel of Jesus Christ is constant, growing, and enduring conversion. 

Because conversion comes from feeling the Spirit and acting on it! 

Feeling the Spirit lets us know we are on the right path and allows us to feel of God's love for us more deeply and individually. 

A question I want to always ask myself is, "What can I do right now to be closer to God?" 

He loves His children. 

Being reunited with my family, I can imagine, will be a glimpse of what heaven is like. 

Love, 

Sister Osmond

...for the last time as a full-time missionary! 

ONE MORE WEEK!!

"Remember that our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, know you best and love you the most." -Elder Ballard

This was a GREAT week! We had Zone Conference and I gave my final testimony. Ever since the beginning of my mission I had watched missionaries going home give their final testimonies at Zone Conference, so it was finally my turn. 

One great thing was that I had always pictured it up at the pulpit in a church house, but the air conditioning wasn't working well and it was so hot in the room that we switched to the gym! haha So there were chairs lined up and we just stood in front of everyone without a microphone. I loved it because those "expectations" of what it would be like were thrown out the window and I was able to just enjoy the experience!

Sister Nixon and I have a goal to share a whole box of copies of the Book of Mormon before I go home! (There are 40 in a box) I know the Lord will prepare people and that there is no way we can find them without His help! It's so fun, it's like a scavenger hunt... "Are you the person who is ready today?" :) 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY RIGHT NOW! 

And I am really looking forward to being a member missionary when I am home. 

So... apparently you guys are in the making of Meet the Mormons on LDS.org!!

Elder Anderson, who you took to lunch, saw it on P-day and was like- "I know them! I went to lunch with them!" haha 

I'll have to look for it today! 

Cool Story about Following Promptings: 

So during my studies I felt, "You need to have a copy of the Book of Mormon because you will have a missionary opportunity at Bright Star today."

That's the nursing home we volunteer with every Friday. I didn't know who it would be. Actually it wasn't even the person I thought it might be. It was Jasmine. 

She was so grateful that I would share it with her, because a couple of weeks prior we were painting the old ladies' nails and started asking a lot of questions about the church.We were able to hear about why she loved going to church and how Christ has helped her in her life and why that was important to her. 

We told her about how everything we teach is centered on Jesus Christ, that we have a prophet on the earth today named President Thomas S. Monson, and that we loved our missions because we are able to teach everyone that their families can continue to be together after this life! It was a powerful interaction where the Spirit testified of truth to her heart. This is a good bye picture of me with her! 

Before we left she said holding the Book of Mormon to her heart, "Thank you. I really appreciate this. I am so grateful for this. Thank you for giving this to me right now."

I told her it was the best gift I could give her! 

What we learn in the Book of Mormon, those restored truths when read with the Bible enlighten our minds and give us clear direction from God. 

As I walked into Bright Star, I promised in my heart that I would share a copy with whoever it was no matter what. I committed. And because of that I was able recognize who it was because I chose to set fear aside. 

I know that I would have missed the opportunity if I had not received that heads up from the Spirit that morning. 

I always wondered when I was younger how people could understand what the Spirit was saying to them. 

So I will explain what it felt: It felt like an idea! An out of the blue idea that I felt so good about! I knew I wasn't thinking about giving a Book of Mormon to someone at Bright Star without help because it wasn't a connected thought to anything I was thinking about. 

When I thought about going forward and acting on the thought- I felt really good. 

And it made me want to act on it! 

Helaman 5:30 really describes what I experienced this time, "And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul-"

Challenge of the week: Valiently Follow Promptings! 

I will be working on it with you all. 

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

Ps. We are going to Epic with the Farrenkopf family from Milwaukee right now! Their daughter Katie is getting married in the Draper temple (I think that's the one) in September so I get to go! :) 

Also: This is from Sister Angus in our ward! She is Sister Matheson's cousin! (my MTC companion)
She captured this photo because she was so surprised her little girl was folding her arms.  Such a tender picture I will always cherish.

2 Angels this Week!! Meant so much.

Sister Lee surprised us with this amazing chalk art for our District Meeting today since so many of us are headed home soon!! Honestly, she has no idea how much all of this means to us I guarantee it. <3

*Also Danielle sent this to me this week! She had no idea how much I needed it.

"I love you! Just thought I'd bring up an old memory of a year ago :-)"

-- Danielle Draggoo/ Stamm

"Living in Truth" & Flower Arranging

Hello Family! 

 

It is honestly so surreal that I'll be home in a couple weeks! Sister Nixon and I have been working SO hard! This week will be even more fun because we are going to invite EVERYONE to Visitor's Sunday. Former investigators, people in the phone that we don't know, etc.  The members have been so good about inviting their friends too! YEAH! 

Members + Missionaries = How missionary work is suppose to be. :) 

Brother Brown is doing well. We had a lesson with him last night about Tithing and Fast Offerings. He was so honest about the concerns he had had in the past with tithing and where we was at now. We need to all be brutally honest with ourselves and with others about our gospel questions so that we can find answers. It is the only way. To sincerelyask WHY things are the way they are, to find answers, and to hear how others gained their testimony too! 

(1 Nephi 15:8) 

Brother Hancock came and shared how he gained a testimony of tithing. He brought up a great point that we live in a world where people are always asking for donations, this is a tool of the adversary to make people want to keep their money because they lose trust in organizations who are dishonest and misuse the money received. "But this is unlike any worldly organization." -Brother Hancock 

A piece of the lesson: 

"I testify that this is the Lord's restored church. We do our part and He will always fulfill His promises. Paying tithing is one of those commandments that is so exact.. You are either paying 10% or you are not. Living the law of tithing can give us confidence to follow other commandments that are harder to quantify, we see the direct results of our faithful actions. It is one of the greatest blessing of being a member of this church- to obey the law of tithing. It is an ancient and Divine law. We are able to show the Lord that we put Him first before anything else. And know that our offering is assisting relief around the world."  -Sister Osmond 

I learned a lot in last night's lesson. I have to say that that has been one of the most amazing things on my mission, to experience learning as I am speaking. When that happens we can know it is by the Spirit. As we open our mouths after our personal preparation and TRUST that the Lord will teach us what we should say for that specific person, He will. 

It has happened too many times to count for me in the past 17 1/2 months. We will be edified and nourished as we seek to edify and nourish the starving spirits of this world. I am so grateful the Lord has nourished my Spirit on my mission and that I have felt of His love as I have loved people here in Wisconsin. 

I have learned that it is through living our testimonies of Jesus Christ that we contribute the MOST to the world around us. 

Something else really stood out to me last night: how the Holy Spirit has prepared Brother Brown throughout his life to receive the restored gospel. 

He has always loved this phrase from Vaclav Havel who was a major leader in the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia- 

"Living in Truth." 

We asked him what that phrase means to him now as he has learned about the Christ's gospel?

He said that in order to live in Truth, we must learn what Truth is. He has always believed that Truth was living with integrity and taking care of those around him. 

"I know know that Living in Truth, is Living in Christ."

I hope everyone has a great week! 

Be safe.

And know that I love each one of you ver7 much! 

The fruits of this church are soooooo good. :) 

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

Ps. It is a dream come true to be able to arrange flowers at the nursing home we volunteer with! They get the flowers at Trader Joe's and let us arrange them however we like! This was an amazing batch! 

4 Weeks Left Until I'm Home!! (Plus, I'm Training!)

SUCH EXCITING NEWS! 

So I have learned so much from this trio!

I have learned how to better manage time, I have learned that each of our weaknesses and strengths benefited each other, I learned that we can "ascend together!" (That's our "thing" that we do, we all put our hands in and say it as we break! Go team WOW!) It really has been so wonderful. We all gave talks in the Madison 1st ward yesterday. It was a talk trilogy. Pretty unique to have 3 missionaries speak in Sacrament meeting. It was such a beautiful ending to our companionship. We all talked on the Sacrament. I shared a bit of Brother Brown's experience without saying his name- He has a baptismal date for the 22nd of August!! It takes a lot of faith to set a date, especially when he still has concerns and questions but we promised him that the Lord knew he would be ready by them. He agreed, " I don't know what will happen between now and then" :) We had a great lesson with Brother and Sister Brown at the Noltemeyer's house. They are the cutest young couple that both taught at the MTC before moving back here, they both grew up around here and Brother Noltemeyer's dad was the Brown family's home teacher for a long time! The Brown's watched General Conference at their house. 

Thank you for praying for him. Really! Prayer is powerful. Prayer is really for us, Heavenly Father knows all of His children's hearts perfectly. But we are changed as we pray and our wills become more aligned with His. 

It's amazing to me that Brother Brown was agnostic 5 months ago! He now has a testimony of Jesus Christ. 

He loves being in the nursery because he believes that every child deserves to know they are a child of God. The only thing he changed in his life was reading the Book of Mormon! He is so happy now! As of this week I believe the Browns have read over 70 days in the Book of Mormon, for 10 minutes a day. Sister Brown's daughter came into town and said that she better step it up! haha 

They are such great examples! 

I am excited to find out who my new companion will be, I am training again so I won't know until Wednesday when we meet them! 

Ps. This picture is REALLY REALLY gross but hilarious. I am fist bumping the goose claw I ate at Li and Yun's home. I take it back, chocolate cheese was not the weirdest thing I have eaten on my mission. 

The Following Pday:

So this is cool...!!

#1. I AM TRAINING! So surprising. I only have 4 weeks left and there are 6 weeks in a transfer. But Sister Matheson (my MTC companion) is training too and we are going home together. Sister Woods is also training! Which means the trio gets to drive down to Milwaukee together! YEAH

#2. I am moving apartments: the address for the rest of my mission will be-

308 Forrest Street #5

Madison, Wisconsin 

(not sure about the zip code- I found out this morning! I am sure you could find it if you typed that much in) 

#3. My "folder buddy" from choir with Mr. Larsen is coming out this transfer! 

Tiffany Nixon from Timpview! I love her. :) 

SISTER NIXON is my companion! The Sister from Timpview I told you about! We sat next to each other in choir for a whole semester- A'cappella with Mr. Larson! It is so surreal to be together. Pretty amazing! We teared up when President announced after we all sang Called to Serve, "Sister Nixon will be trained by Sister Osmond in the Madison 4th ward!" We quickly walked to each other and everyone was a little confused because we just couldn't believe it and were so excited! There are no such things as coincidences.

I am so glad you received one from Sister Brown today too!

We all went to EPIC to show our new companions. Sister Woods is training too- her companion's name is Sister Poole. And Sister Weaver is home now, she will be an awesome member missionary in Oregon! Team WOW was wonderful. 

*Picture: Me walking through the bat cave tunnel at Epic when we toured it through the Browns! Sister Weaver thought it was cool and symbolic because I was full of Light amidst the darkness! That's what I'm striving for "everyday, everyday, everyday!" -Elder Pearson, Stay by the Tree- General Conference April 2015!

 

Guess what? I met someone at the post office today who worked at CMN for 4 years. She was with the make a wish foundation and loved the conventions at the Coronado Springs in Disney World! Pretty fun- we invited her to our Visitor's Sunday on the 16th! We are doing it again! I was able to tell her how missionary work is so rewarding and compared it to her job! :)  

Good bye, Sister Weaver!

More Trio Pictures

Picture #1. Sister Woods said my shadow looked like EZMA from Emperor's Groove! bahahaha

Picture #2. Sister Feriante (from Whales) made us a trifle with "proper custard." She ordered Bird's Custard! YUMOLA!! 

I asked her to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in Welsh. It brought back so many memories. Such a tender mercy to go to her house. A miracle with this was that We hadn't planned on Lunch for Sunday- we didn't have time to schedule it in we had so many appointments. We KNEW the Lord would provide. We didn't know how but we needed to see these people! 

Our thoughts were immediatley drawn to these scriptures.... So cool! (3 Nephi 13: 28, 31-32)

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider thelilies of the field how they grow; they toil not, neither dothey spin;

 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat?or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we beclothed?

 32 For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need ofall these things.

After Sacrament meeting, Sister Feriante walks up to us with a whole tupperware of Welsh cakes! haha 

I know that the Lord provides for His children, especially when they who choose to put Him first. '

This is just one example of many. 

Picture #3. I split an apple by twisting it! WITH MY HANDS. Sister Weaver was laughing at me while I was trying for 10 minutes as we were driving in the car---- then SNAP!! Another Bucket List item? check. :) I still don't know how it happened. haha 

Picture #4. This is Janet. She is a recent convert from the 1st ward who moved to the 4th ward. Easier transition with the inspired trio! The 4th ward is embracing her.  

The Trio's Last Week!

HELLO!! I am here! I am online!

Thank you so much for the pictures from Idaho! Everyone looks so happy. 

Can you imagine how it makes me feels to see pictures like that of our family all together?

Thank you! So much. 

*I'm sending a lot of pictures this week because I didn't have my camera last week! 

When I come to the computer on Mondays I just feel so antsy because my fingers can not type fast enough. haha 

Can you believe I finish my mission so soon? WOW! This really has been the best decision I have ever made. Thank you for supporting me and loving me and helping me every step of this journey. I wish everyone in the world could experience the mighty change of heart I have had. But that is what is so cool, is it is such a personal thing. And we all have different conversion stories. I have loved listening to and helping with others' on my mission! I feel so grateful to be able to talk to people about how they have felt God's love in their lives! 

Get ready for this fun thing called SUNDAY STATIONS when I get back!! I am pretty excited, it will be a way we can catch up with each other!! I got the idea from Bishop Romney's family here. So... What is my topic for my homecoming? so I can start studying and thinking more about a specific theme. :) 

OUR DISTRICT!! THE FIRST NORMAL PICTURES THE ELDERS EVER TOOK IN 5 MONTHS. haha & Face Masks! haha Ouch! A face of pain. 

Cello Contacting

Yes, you read that correctly! So Sister Woods is talented and received permission from President to rent a cello. So we decided to be creative and use it as a finding method! She would play at various parks and people would approach us and Sister Weaver and I would share a card with them. Then, Sister Woods would finish a song and we would all teach them! We had a cello major play for us and he downloaded the gospel library app! We met another guy names Daniel at the park- he's having a difficult time in his life finding a stable living and job situation and said that the night before he had a dream about music. He was going to come to church but had to work! We taught him the Restoration at the park and will have then Elders teach him this week! We also met an atheist woman (we let her pick the hymn and she picked I heard the bells on Christmas day and sang it with us! haha) and because of the music her heart was softened and she said a prayer with us! It's amazing to be able to feel the love God has for these people!

Another cool miracle from this week- we stopped a jogger! (That's been a "running" goal of my mission- haha- even joggers need the gospel!)  Her name is Clara. 

We invited her, "Will you come to church with us tomorrow?" She responded, "Why not?!" AND SHE CAME!!

She has had Mormon friends in the past. She works at UW in the Anthropology department. The talks were perfectly tailored to what she needed just as they were to what I needed yesterday. I said to her, "God loves you so much Clara." :) We thanked her for coming and opening her heart and she said, "Thank you for reaching out to me!" 

Her wording of reaching out... reminded me of what I was reading in the scriptures. 

Alma 16:19 talks about Alma and Amulek teaching their brothers and sisters, "Holding forth things which must shortly come; yea, holding forth the coming of the Son of God, his sufferings and death, and also the resurrection of the dead."

When we HOLD FORTH a card, pamphlet, Book of Mormon, or a helping hand we are really holding forth the Hope we have in Jesus Christ. We want all to know Him. 

for His hand is "stretched forth still." We are His hands to those in the Madison area right now. It is a privilege. 

Clara is going to take the Restoration lesson when she gets back from Switzerland! She is going there for a couple weeks. 

It has been a wonderful week. :) We are going to Epic again- this is my 4th time! Phewfta. It's always with different people though so that is fun! "The Trio" needs to see it before they go and we will be with the Browns. They are feeding us dinner there and we will be able to follow up with them because Brother Brown fasted to know that the Book of Mormon is true yesterday. We fasted with their family as well! They are amazing people. Sister Brown's daughter is coming into town soon too so we will also get to meet her! 

I hope you guys know how much I love you! 

Steadfast and Immovable in Christ! 

Love, 

Sister Osmond 

*Don't worry we documented it. 

This was the cello major that came and played for us and then downloaded the gospel library app! His name was Brad.

Week 2 with the Trio

I'm online!! I hope everyone had a great week! Really, sometimes I think in my prayers at night- I wonder what everyone is up to? :) 

Trio week 2 was a wonderful success. Because of Him! 

In His strength we really can do all things!  

We have been working so hard- I might be wheeled into my interview with President on Wednesday. haha

#gurneygirls ---> we've been saying that jokingly. 

These have been some of the most REWARDING weeks of my mission and I'm SO grateful Heavenly Father allowed me to be with Sister Woods and Sister Weaver. No word yet on if I am getting another companion, but that's okay because between the two areas this week we were able to teach 85 lessons! WHAT? I KNOW. 

And that wasn't counting the 5 member presents we were able to have! 

I DON'T UNDERSTAND. IT'S AMAZING. He consecrated our performance.  

*My camera is at the apartment so I am sorry about the lack of pictures this week. I will send double the amount next week 

A Different Perspective on the Week! (Sister Wood's Letter)

Hello, Everyone!

As you may or may not have been able to tell by the title of this email, I had an amazing week! Rather, we did! I am now in a trio with Sister Osmond and Sister Weaver. Sister Osmond's companion went home early so she has been rocking it with us, and she even brought a car with her! This means we are all staying in our apartment, laughing nonstop, and covering two areas! People are feeding us like crazy. Both areas are booming, even more than before we became a trio, the first and fourth wards ( we are now the one-fourth sisters :P), and  it is SO EXCITING. I am so flipping excited that I don't know where to begin!!!! So, here we go! :D 

Also, I think I've reached the stage in my mission where people no longer write to me. It's been 2 weeks without a letter!!! Haha. And for me that's a long time. But, alas, it's okay because we had an epic week and there is no time to focus on anything else! But seriously, you can send more. :) 

We got a call from a former investigator, Latoya, saying she wants to meet with us at the church. Turns out she was at church last week (totally missed that one! #hugeward) and wants to be baptized! She has such a strong faith in Christ and a strong desire to attain a brighter hope and future. We are working with her for July 25th. And, she has a great fellowshipper so she's gonna make it!!!! :)

That was just one of literally a hundred miracles this week. We worked so hard!!!!! We didn't even have time to think. And when we did we were singing the Lamb of God CD in the car or laughing hysterically because these sisters are amazing. I call us "Team Wow" (Woods, Osmond, Weaver) aka "God Squad" aka Mormon Mafia...Our motto is "let's ascend together."  I am "sister scripture power", Sister Weaver is "sister that's what's up, and SIster Osmond is "sister go get 'em." And wow does she deserve that nickname! 

I've never talked to so many people in my life. Like, all the people I've ever talked to in 20 years combined could not even compete with this week! It was so epic. :) Even when we work out we are armed with Jesus cards and pass them out left and right, even to ladies across the street, a man in a pit, lady crying in a car, hispanic ladies behind glass doors, to a guy eating a box of donuts, tons of people at a 4th of July celebration picnic, and a even a lady with a watermelon in front of her house. This girl is fearless and it's contagious! xD Just to give you an idea about how crazy our week was, we taught 35 other lessons in each area and gave out 25 Books of Mormon!!! That's so many. xD Sister Osmond has had a great influence on us! We started doing this thing where we stop people, ask if they have Mormon friends and ask if we can share what the Book of Mormon is in 60 seconds! It's amazing!!! OH, and this is hilarious, we also had exchanges ( I called in an abduction), so SIster Osmond went with BOTH the Sister Training Leaders (we had a sleepover with 5 sisters in our apartment!) and SIster Weaver and I stayed in our area and passed out 5 BOMS and had 11 others in a day. Numbers don't matter but it was cool because I beat my personal record! :) Missionary work is an absolute blast! :) We met the COOLEST people! One lady, Latosha, was super excited about the Book of MOrmon ("I gotta read that book!") so she brought her mom over and we gave her one too... annnnd each of her cousins. 5 at once. We referred her over to Sun Prairie. A lady in Wal mart was like "STOP" to us today (it scared me!) and was telling us all about her daughter who just joined the church and is marrying a Mormon and how she wants to meet with us. THis one is my favorite. There are so many Chinese people here so we ordered a bunch of Chinese restoration and plan of salvation pamphlets. So there we are at a park and we spy a cute asian family. So we march right up to em (Sister Go get 'em, haha) and start talking to them. They were so cute and nice! They told us they LOVE talking to such wonderful people and when I said a prayer for them they cried! It was so cute. THen they busted out their selfie stick and we took a picture together! I told them I've been to China and spoke the only CHinese phrase I know and they loved it! Awww.  I totally call dibs on teaching all the cute asian families in the spirit world. :P 

Speaking of hilarious language barriers, we taught so many lessons to spanish speaking people! Between the three of us we were able to communicate somehow. I was like "Queremos ensenarte sobre JesuChristo!!" Haha!!! :) And SIster Weaver said a prayer in Spanish. It was pretty funbarrassing but we made the people laugh so that was fun. 

ALSO apparently "Lehi" means " a good performance, well done" or something like that. So we walk up to the cute Chinese people and talk about Lehi in the Book of Mormon and they just light up excited. xD Haha! 

We milked cows this week!!!! We used a little machine, and it was scary because I thought I'd get kicked in the face but good news is I didn't! Something unexpected happened, though! So when the cows lift their tails you better run... yep. So much "stuff" emerged and totally almost drenched us! Oh, and we saw a fox! :D 

Both areas have some really great investigators. In SIs. Osmond's area there is the sweetest most frail lady who has cancer, who totally chased down the sisters! They thought she was going to tell them to get off her lawn but it turns out her daughter just joined the church. She is so positive and so faith filled! She really wants to be baptized. Excited about her!

Also, we had an epic lesson with Chole this week. She gets anxiety when we talk about setting a baptism date ( I asked her last week if she thinks the BOM is true and she said yes!) but she wants to know before September. So at least that's a goal to work toward! :) We offered to fast with her yesterday so she can recognize her answer. SHe totally has a testimony but has such a hard time with faith and trusting in it. THis also reminds me (scattered, I know) but our mission is currently working on getting 75 more baptisms before September! We did a mission-wide fast for it yesterday. 

Also, I should add that I was totally fasting last week for an opportinity to work my hardest and finish my mission strong and I kid you not, the next day PResident called us with this wonderful news about the trio. Fasting and prayer bring miracles, I tell you! Miracles! :) 

Also, Lun Cheng is doing great. He went to a baptism with us for the Spanish Elders' investigator and he had an epic, several hour Q and A session with the Delorey's yesterday. He is so logical and is trying so hard to wrap his mind around the concept of eternal life. He is so awesome! It may take awhile, but I know he'll get there eventually. 

Sister Osmond has another investigator who is going places, too, I just feel like this email is too long. :) 

On yet another note, we are going to learn the Restoration cup song (Sis. Osmond knows the song and the cups and I know how to do the cups) and perform it for people at the park this week. It will be so much fun!! Lots of crazy fun ideas we are trying. We also taught this lady the Plan of Salvation at a park bench. We are trying 60 second pamphlet approaches too. I want to see if we can get 50 lessons a week in both areas but we might die trying, haha. :) Lesson=teach a principle and a prayer. 

The fourth was great. We had lots of appointments and went to a pancake breakfast and a baptism. It was neat because we thought that both the girls we invited to Lun Cheng's lesson after the baptism, were members but they weren't! So it was a great experience for them. They both want to go on mission. Ah, I'm rambling I think, but we seriously had so many miracles like that this week. 

I have such a strong testimony of the Restored Gospel and of the Atonement. I know God lives and answers prayers! Miracles happen. I can't even handle it, I'm so happy. I've never been happier! I'm grateful for trials I've faced and overcome through Christ because they have strengthened my faith a ridiculous amount of a lot. I don't think anything can ever shake me from the testimony that I have.This work is epicly true. It changes lives; it has certainly changed mine! 2 Timothy 1:7. :) 

Have a fantastic week!

Love,

Sister Woods 

P.S. I might be getting a cello this week! Also, it's crazy to sing at appointments with SIster Osmond! :P 

Miracles with the Trio

There are seriously too many miracles to write about this week! 

We have met the coolest people seeking for truth! One more example is we were contacting people at the park and we had a Chinese Restoration pamphlet. We met this Chinese family and talked with them about the gospel. After Sister Woods said the prayer, the mom started tearing up and said it was so good to meet us and that she felt something deep - she felt loved. 

I am with Sister Woods (who was in my room at the MTC!) and Sister Weaver who goes home at the end of this month and I served with her in Milwaukee! We are all at the end of our missions and this was an answer to all of our prayers. Sister Woods actually told me she had fasted the day before for strength at the end of her mission and BOOM! then next day President called and we were in this trio the next day. They are such a blessing and I have never had so many hilarious quotes from a companionship!

We are team W.O.W as Sister Woods says and our team cheer is we all put our hands in and break with "We'll ascend together!!" haha

*This is Vanessa from Spain, she was visiting someone in Wisconsin and came to a baptism for one of the Elder's investigators! We then taught a lesson to Luncheng (the 1st ward Sisters investigator.) She is actually investigating too! With missionaries in California where she is living. She said to me, "I felt so empty, but then I have been spending time in the church and my heart feels FILLED." I teared up and told her to keep learning. This has made me happier than anything else in my life. She said, "I will." :) 

Team W.O.W & a fox named Loki!

I'm with Sister Weaver & Sister Woods now! We call ourselves Team W.O.W!! haha

I miss Sister Hess but I am so incredibly proud of her. It is weird to be in a trio but super fun at the same time. We laugh so hard and feed off of each other's energy which is really great!

I am living at the Madison 1st ward Sisters apartment. Only 8 minutes away from my old location! 

We are currently the Madison 1/4th Sisters!! haha 

We are covering both areas. President Cutler told us it will probably only be for another week. We are making the most of it! So many opportunities have come from combining areas. For example, there was a woman who was a convert in the 1st ward and was worried about moving to our ward but knew the Sisters I am with so we got to go and visit her (she bore her testimony yesterday at church!), then there are some children in the 4th ward of parents in the 1st ward who asked us to go and visit them because they love them and they haven't been coming to church for awhile, etc. 

The Lord always knows exactly what He is doing! It's fun when it clicks for us!! :) 

Thank you so much for the 4th of July pictures!! I love Wyatt's shirt! 

It looks like you had a lot of fun at the neighborhood parade!

We got to talk to a lot of people, share mormon.org cards in the crowd (one guy said he had Elders walk up to him on a farm in France!! So cool! I'm not sure why he was in France but he talked to them for awhile! This work is worldwide! It's so fun to give a referral to missionaries in London by having the person refer themselves on mormon.org, or following up with a Japanese family who had taken temple square tours 7 years ago! -also in the 4th of July crowd!!), and see some fireworks behind a tree from our apartment balcony.

THIS IS SO MUCH FUN! I love being a missionary!! So much.  

So this happened this morning... 

I had this out of the blue thought to ask if anyone needed to go to Walmart- so I acted and asked.

Sister Woods said maybe. It was cool because I knew it was the Spirit because I just couldn't picture myself driving past Walmart. So I turned in! 

So Random!! Always listen to those things!! 

As we were walking around Walmart we walked past a woman and  I said hi. She looked at all three of our name tags and then said, "Stop!" It kind of scared us. haha 

She then went on to say that her daughter joined the church... oh no we thought, we are going to have to clear up misinformation and let her know that her daughter made a GREAT decision!... but instead, she almost started to cry, she told us how much she loves her daughter and how she was Catholic but supported her daughter and has even read the Book of Mormon. She said that she would feed us dinner and thanked us for serving. Her daughter is getting married to a boy who served his mission in California in September! She could not stop talking about how wonderful he is and how grateful she is that her daughter joined the church! We invited her to Visitor's Sunday. 

Note to Self: 

The Spirit communicates to us in a way we can understand. 

In that moment I could only understand going to Walmart if someone needed something, so I asked and turned in because I felt I should. 

But then we met Joan! I am so glad I smiled and said hi too! Always be an example of the Believers! It caused her to look at our tags and take a picture with us to send to her daughter, she even called her soon to be son in law and told him that she was currently with 3 mormon missionaries! haha 

The Spirit will Guide you if you but ask. 

I am grateful to have been able to recognize more of these cause and effects of listening to the Spirit on my mission. I have had so many wonderful faith building experiences here in Wisconsin!  I know God lives and He is our loving Heavenly Father. He hears his every child's prayer. And He answers in a way that is best for them and those around them!! 

As we are humble enough to recognize that we need Him, acknowledge our shortcomings, and be willing to act- we will see His hand. He loves us no matter what. THE END. :) 

The next thing I wanted to tell you all about is.... drum roll please...... 

I MILKED A COW IN WISCONSIN!! FINALLY!!!! MISSION BUCKET LIST!! 

What is really cool is I had talked to Sister Burton because she has a mini farm and asked her if she knew of anyone who would let us help them milk their cows for service. She did! And was then put in a trio with 2 other Sisters who have had that same mission wish their whole missions too!! So the three of us were able to milk cows. I had milked one in Missouri in 3rd grade, my Mom came with me on that field trip! But this time we used technology and attach milking machines to the cows! Ok.. so we only milked one each. It was actually really intense. haha We walked down this small isle of about 30 cows on each side.The walkway was so narrow, I could picture a cow kicking us! But we were safe. 

The guy (I think his name was David, it was a Biblical name) had been milking cows since he was 12, it is what his Dad told him he had to do in order to get his driver's license. Kind of like our family with scouting. I told him that! 

Fun fact about their farm: it is an organic farm and every cow had a name!! Awwww. I felt so good about helping them out. :) Yeah for organic farms! They also had a pet fox named Loki. Its claws were pretty sharp. Our trio, David, and Sister Burton all got in his pen with him. Loki untied Sister Burton's shoes with his teeth! haha

I Love Sister Hess + Peace from Christ.

I love Sister Hess so much!! We work so hard together and we get along so well. I haven't had fun like this my whole mission. 

          About 6 weeks later... Sister Hess is going home and I am so sad, but I am so incredibly proud of her. *Sacred experience outside Brother and Sister Brown's house in our car, before we went in to teach them a lesson about the temple.

My thoughts the week before Sister Hess went home. "This week has been a little challenging but I throughout it all I always feel an undercurrent of peace. "It's all going to be ok." was a phrase that kept coming to my mind this week!!"

Look! Aloinn Shurilla loves this book and SHE BROUGHT IT TO CHURCH!! *The Shurillas bought it on Amazon after you guys text them about the concert in the Dells! I WAS THE HAPPIEST!!! IT WAS SO COOL TO SEE SOMEONE I CARE ABOUT A LOT OWN A BOOK WRITTEN BY MY DAD WHO I LOVE SO MUCH!!

Last Week with Sister Hess: We listened to "The Son of Man" by David Archuleta a lot.

  

A week later...

* Subject: Hello Friend!!

Dear Sister Sophia Osmond,  

Hi! It's me. Just want you to know that I'm home and safe and everything is going well. I miss you like crazy! I cannot wait to see you again. :) My mom really wants to meet you and hug you cause of how awesome you are, haha! Sister Osmond, thank you for your love and support. You have been a huge example to me and I am so grateful I got to be your companion. I really love you. I hope you've had a great week. I hope the craziness didn't stress you out too much. 

You are the strongest girl I know- You can do ANYTHING. 

I hope you have a great week, Sister Osmond :)

Love you dearly, 

Kourtney (Sister Hess) 

I love her. Update: She returned to the mission a year later, served for a full year and a half and is now married to an Australian man who is a worthy priesthood in the temple!! Heavenly Father loves His children and wants us all to be happy. Short term pain for long term Joy. Sister Hess is still such an amazing example to me and a very good friend. :)