Welcome To My Week!!

Bookworm Gardens

Hello Everyone! I hope life is great. 

This week was PACKED with excitement!

...so I have to go day by day...  

MONDAY:

Bookworm Gardens. 

This is one of those things Sheboygan is known for! 

A storybook themed garden! Curious George, Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, 

Goldilocks and the Three Bears... etc. 

The 3 Bears!

Grass Sofa!

TUESDAY: 

I'm playing the Piano for District Meetings now! 

I volunteered because Elder Stegner, who was playing the piano, is now our District Leader. 

Thank you Mom and Dad!! haha 

WEDNESDAY: 

We volunteer at Bethesda- so we were invited to a Bethesda Volunteer Banquet. 

We were able to stand up and announce that we are missionaries from 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Then at the lunch table, we sat next to the head honchos and asked them what their favorite Bible verses were because we wanted their input for what scripture of the day we were going to send to everyone. We had a wonderful discussion about the scriptures bringing us comfort in hard times. 

Then...A BOOO-tiful package came in the mail! YESSSSS!! 

Best Timing! Wednesday was a pretty crazy day and we were so incredibly grateful to come home to such a thoughtfully put together package. 

We felt so loved with every item we pulled out of that box- one by one. The twine was so cute! & the cartoons were so "PRO!" :) 

THURSDAY:

We had a prompting to go see Kyle, Kayle, and Kadence before we started our planning session. 

Heavenly Father sure loves "Blue Shirt Guy's" family! haha It was perfect timing because Kyle is out of town for work and Kayla was just about to leave her house. 

We invited them to the Trunk-or-Treat this Wednesday! They are coming!! The Spirit always has perfect timing. 

FRIDAY:

Jackie Dean's & Jessie were Baptized!! (more on this to come!)

Jackie Dean & the Cook Family

Bonus... I was able to see Elena!! She told me how much the letter meant to her and she knows that God is so aware of her situation. She is so strong.

Elena

& just when you think this day couldn't get any better... I had a Pudgey Pie for the first time with our neighbors Don and Val when we got home. 

They are a Wisconsin Specialty. Two pieces of bread with whatever you want inside- cooked over a fire! Yumola. I have heard about them my whole mission! 

I am definitely buying one before I leave WI.  

TACO, PIZZA, PIE FILLING, PUDDING, YOU NAME IT!
They don't call them "Pudgy Pies" for nothing!! :)

SATURDAY:

Sophie Adam's was Baptized! 

Sophie!!

Savannah Pond played the Harp!
We LOVE the Pond Family!!

SUNDAY:

JARED PASSED HIS BAPTISMAL INTERVIEW!!! 

Do you know what that means? He's officially getting baptized this Saturday!! 

WHOOT WHOOT!! 

Also... we met a miniature pony named- Apple....seriously.... best week ever!! 

Apple

I know that Jesus Christ Lives. 

I know that no effort of kindness is wasted in the cause of truth!

I know that I'm weak but He's strong... Let's do this thing!! 

Talk to you next week! 

Love, 

Sister Osmond

Jackie Dean was BAPTIZED!!

THIS IS A MAJOR HIGHLIGHT. 

This is sincerely one of the BEST days of my mission!

I got to go home to Lake Michigan for Jackie's Baptism!! 

(I'm so grateful for Sister Ross in the ward that was able to take us!)

I've never been so emotional at a baptism.

It was such a happy reunion seeing The Cooks ("My cousins"- the ward mission leader's family), my Lake Michigan friends, & Sister Zebley again!! Jackie had requested that Sister Zebley and I sing at the Baptism- It was so fun to instantly reconnect with Sister Zebley and to look down and see Jackie and Jessie crying. Their Mom and Step-Dad were there- Jessie (who didn't have any support at her baptism) has been such a strong young woman, her talk and testimony of baptism and what it has meant to her in her life was so powerful. & to watch Jackie be baptized! It was all one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission!!  It felt like a dream. Although I had pictured being at her baptism while teaching my sweet friend, I never pictured being lucky enough to attend after leaving the Lake Michigan ward. AH! Why does Heavenly Father love His children SO much?!

"Graham Canyon." :)  

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

Cook Family

Abbi 

"Baby"-- it's COLD outside!

Hello!! Sheboygan is great! 
& It's getting a little chilly here! :) 

The picture: Kohler (the toilet company) has the coolest art museum here in Sheboygan!

This baby is supposedly the artist's childhood doll and she made a life size version of it to place in spots that made an impact on her life! HAHA!! 

                                          If you zoom up on the art bus picture- Sister Milligan has a 2-D baby! 

                                                                  You are suppose to take it with you and #. 

                                                           She is taking it back home with her to California! 

There is also a town owned by Mr. Kohler about 10 minutes from here! That's where the toilet museum is- I can't wait to go soon! It will be so much fun visiting Shebogan with you guys!

Funny Wisconsin Fun Fact: They call Gnats- "No-see-ems"!!!

I feel like I am on a different planet sometimes. in a good way. everything is so exciting in Wisconsin. I never imagined. 

MEET THE MORMONS WAS AMAZING... I can't believe you all went to see it together! 

& I can't believe I got to see it on my mission. It was so motivating! I have had an extra boost of missionary spirit this week because of it! Along with all of the Sheboygan Ward. 

Apparently is a Box Office #9 across the United States this week! 

UPDATE!!: I got a surprise phone call from the Lake Michigan ward last night- it was Sister Zebley! 

She told me that Jackie Dean is officially getting baptized this Friday and wants Team OZ to sing at it!! 

We just have to find a member to drive us. 

Jackie's parents must have given her the OK to be baptized.

She plans on going to BYU and finally trying Graham Canyon BYU creamery ice cream- everyone talks about it! 

It was a funny inside joke to randomly say "Graham Canyon!" when we were teaching her. 

I can't wait to find out all of the details. 

Look!! Don & Val and Karen took us out to dinner this week!! 

Karen that we got those cute flowers from that I put in the blender when I first came to Sheboygan. 

& Don and Val that tell us about Storm warnings and take care of us! 

They are all great people!!

It was really fun because Randall's, where we went to dinner, was bought out by a Christian family and so they play K-love there!!! Dream come true.

They bought me that pink scarf I'm wearing for my birthday this was my month late birthday dinner- they are so kind! 

This is one of my favorite moments of the week! 

We went into Dairy Queen for a pit stop after a lesson on Tuesday... 

& Look what I found!! 

I threw the change I had in the bin and as I was getting my picture taken with it I told the cute girl behind the counter to come and be in the picture with me!

She said, "OK!!!" 

I told her that my Grandma started the Children's Miracle Network and she was amazed. 

She excitedly said, "We raise a lot of money for the charity every year!"

I said Thank you and as I was leaving, I looked her in the eyes and said- "Expect Miracles Today!!" :) 

Our district color was Blue this time! some other missionaries joined in for the picture!

I told Sister Cutler to come in because she was wearing blue! haha 

I had to send this picture because I love my district and her! 

Our Bishop started a Runner's club every Saturday! So we support him in this! It's really fun! It brings the ward together!!

Sister Milligan and I named it the "Funny Runner's club" when we went the first week! 

We wear Christmas sweaters!! haha

Here are the original members. 

This is Sister Hoogstra in the ward's husband!! MR. JAY! (jay-jay the jet plane) He is not a member! They took us to a fancy dinner and we taught him the Plan of Salvation over Calamari! it was terrifying. haha But the Spirit was the teacher- we did our part and opened our mouths and the Spirit fill it with words. 

He came to church the next day! 

Sister Hoogstra is so nice to us.... she is the very first member I ate dinner with here in Sheboygan!

DID YOU KNOW SHE USED TO WORK AT THE OSMOND STUDIO?! So amazing!!!!!

"As a pilot I have touched the skies.  As a church member I have felt heaven's embrace." President Uchtdorf

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

The Fruit of our Labor

We picked grapes in "Sister Bender's vineyard" this week!"...The fruit of our labor!

So, I had a really strong impression during General Conference last week to write my friend in the Lake Michigan Ward who has been trying to come back to church. It was so strong that I knew it had to be done as soon as possible. I had her letter ready to send, addressed to her whole family. President Cutler called that night! My stomach dropped thinking something had happened in my own family or that I was being transferred. He never calls. He informed me that my friend's husband had died. I learned to always follow the Spirit... always. I am so grateful I listened. My letter was inspired...
The Spirit is the quickest messenger. 

I've been trying to think about the missionary experiences that have shaped my life and I can vividly recall one lesson the missionaries taught to our family in when I was growing up in Missouri... I can remember it because everyone was throwing waded up paper at me!! With a shield though- THE SCRIPTURES- it was a lot easier to deflect...

"The Fiery Darts of the Adversary!" 

1 Nephi 15:24- 

"...it was the word of God; and whoso would hearken unto the word of God, and would hold fast unto it, they would never perish; neither could the fiery darts of the adversary overpower them unto blindness, to lead them away to destruction."

I've been wanting to teach this lesson to everyone every since I remembered this! 

If I can remember it 10 years later than it must be a memorable! 

So that's been our go-to lesson!

I don't think those Elders ever thought I would be teaching their lesson on my mission! haha But I am. 

The kids love it, just like I did!! 

& I don't even know who those missionaries were, but they made an impact on my life. 

Just imagine what an impact you make on the people who DO know you!

I've had to remind myself of that all week- 

You make a greater impact than you think. 

Strive to make an impact for good!

Be the epicenter of something wonderful.

HAVE A MORE THAN GOOD WEEK.....

HAVE A GRRRREAT WEEK!

(Frosted Flakes, all rights reserved) 

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

Danielle's Baptism!!

She is such a beautiful person!!

Lucky Sister Westra was home in UT and able to go!!

Danielle was Baptisted the day before my Birthday!!

Best present EVER!!

Pier Contacting

OK---- so here's the story I wanted to tell you last week! 

IT'S CRAZY!!!! I don't know if you're ready... ok..... now you are... 

put all distractions away.... silence cell phones, just kidding.... Here we GO!!!! 

So last week we took Hannah Carrol, a young woman in the ward, out with us all day! She came to teaching appointments with us, we had studies by the Lake and went Pier Contacting!! 

We were nearly to the end of the pier and we were about to turn back... 

but something stopped me. & I said, "No, we have to go to the end of the pier! There are probably people down there too."

So we did. 

There was a couple there and they seemed very into each other... so much so that they did not acknowledge our presence. 

"How do we make this look normal?!"

-haha, we ask ourselves this all the time when we contact people.

So I think Hannah must have pointed something out about a boat and we started talking with them! 

But I didn't listen to anything Sister Milligan and Hannah were talking to them about because the boy looked so familiar... 

I was running through the filing cabinet of my mind: How do I know him?

Suddenly, He said, "Wait, I know you!!" 

It shocked me out of my deep thinking!

"I was trying to figure out how I knew you." 

He said.... "Menomonee Falls. You talked to me!"

WHOAH. His name is Kyle! I run into a lot of Kyles. :) 

He had driven an hour and a half from Menomonee Falls to see his girlfriend in Sheboygan. 

& we ran into them at the very end of a random pier! haha

It was unbelievable. 

I had long hair back them so it took him a minute. 

But the reason why this experience is even MORE amazing is because Sister Zebley and I had decided to be super obedience that day we met him and go contacting around our neighborhood for the extra 10 minutes we had before Sister Farrenkopf came to pick us up for an appointment! & to think we almost didn't talk to them!!  

My testimony of: Talk to Everyone! was strengthened. 

I'm so grateful to have had that experience. 

I said to Kyle before we left- "This is a sign. You should go to church!!" 

He laughed and said, "That's what I was thinking!!" 

Steadfast and Immovable in Christ!

Love,

Sister Osmond

Sheboygan Pier

Look at this blob of tar on the sidewalk outside of the church... An Angel Moroni!! Proclaiming the good news of the gospel... along with the other General Authorities!!

CONFERENCE WEEKEND.

Together Again!

So GOOD NEWS: WE SURVIVED TRANSFERS!!

I'm staying with Sister Milligan for the last 6 weeks of her mission. :) 

YEAH!!!! I've had the best companions! 

Heavenly Father must need me to learn all I can from these missionaries going home!

Bring It On Sheboygan. 

I would just like to echo what was said in Conference this weekend:

We do not teach the gospel because we want to increase the numerical statistics of our church. 

We do not teach the gospel because we want to sway anyone to believe what we believe. 

We simply invite them to try what we have experienced. 

Why would any teenager willingly hand over 24/7 everyday for 18 months to 2 years of their life for something they did not believe strongly in? haha  

We teach the gospel to RESTORE HOPE in the hearts of these people. 

A bright hope that kindness prevails and that there is always someone on their side- 

Our Heavenly Father: a loving parent whose hand is in their life, regardless of whether they see it or not. Our job is to help them notice it. 

& 

Jesus Christ: our Savior who has suffered every difficulty we will ever experience in mortality so that He may understand and know perfectly how to help us, regardless of whether they know it or not. Our job is to teach them and invite them to learn His role in their lives. 

I know they Live. & They Love us. 

Regardless of anything the world would have us believe. 

Choose to Know them. Invite them into your life so that they may help you. 

Heaven respects our agency. So we must give it something to work with. 

*UPDATE: We met with Blue shirt guy! 

Kyle, Kayla, and Kadence are reading the Book of Mormon!!

Keep on Keepin' On!!

Steadfast & Immovable in Christ!

Love, 

Sister Osmond

P-Day

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