Success is starting to be seen

Tracked into a member who gave us some sweet leathermans (pocket knives) haha

Well what an amazing week it was here!!! I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and hope you will all have a safe and excellent new year!! well here was my week:

Monday we bought some gifts to do a secret santa drop off for these two families we are teaching :) we had a huge miracle happen tonight... there is a family in the branch that have been taking their nieces to church for a while.. we got a call on Monday to start teaching them, they want to be baptized... WHAT!!! so we went over that night and taught the two girls. They want to be baptized for sure!! we also taught S tonight, another one who is on date for baptism.. we taught about the Sabbath day and Hermana M taught her something cool.. that yes sunday is our day of rest, but when we go out and buy things we are making other people work and they don't get to rest... that made so much sense to S and she committed to keep it! we got a sad call tonight, since we are in a trio President needs Hermana M to be transferred somewhere else... sad day :/

Tuesday, Christmas Eve! we had a district meeting today then ate at Super Taco!!! delicious place we eat at every week! we had another lesson with the two little girls :) and we committed them to be baptized!! we asked them to choose a date, and to decide the girls played rock-paper-scissors.. hahaha that has never happened before!!! they chose January 11th.... so yes, WE ARE HAVING A BPATISM ON JANUARY 11th!!! it will be amazing :) this night we were at a little music program, we had a friend on his way but he got into a car crash.. he doesn't speak English so we had to go help him translate for the cop and people.. it was super funny when the cop came.. he pulled up in his car, forgot to put it in park, and started getting out.. then the car started rolling and he started shouting bad words and jumped back in the car to stop it.. HAHAHA my companion and I looked at each other shocked and had to laugh!!! it was a funny night. we ate dinner with our branch president and his family :)

Christmas Eve with Hermana M  ~  Christmas PJ'S

wendesday, Christmas day!!!! I got to Skype home for an hour!! and ash was skyping home at the same time!! so I got to see my missionary sister through Skype :D then my brother skyped home later. it was a great start to the day! hahaa my family is still the same, not a surprise my dad was cooking bacon while i was skyping home... haha well we ate dinner with a hilarious family from the branch :) tons of yummy food!! then we went over to visit a family that we are teaching! they are so amazing!! she made us dinner and we played a game :0 it was a fun and food filled day! it was such an amazing Christmas!

Playing games and eating with this amazing family

thrusday we taught the two girls again :) the for sure age getting baptized!! they talked to their parents and they said it is okay! woohoo!!! I love teaching young kids... the 8 year old said "yeah we need to follow Christ and be baptized so that we can live with him. because if we don't then we have to live with santa... I mean satan! darn, I always confuse them." hahahaha it was soo cute :) so Hermana M is now companions with my old companion Hermana V... my two babies that I trained are now serving together! its pretty cool :)

A & G family made us gingerbread men...& they were good! W/comp Hermana R

Friday, hit my 10 month mark! what the heck!! we talked to some more people today, obviously haha.

Saturday ... just a long day. we had appointments set but they all fell through! but we kept our day busy and talked to people... I have to say its pretty nice with only 2 of us living in an apartment, because now for the first time ever in my life, I get my own bathroom! ahh its nice :)

sunday was awesome!!!! the family we have been teaching for a while, that we were with on Christmas, came to church again :) woohoo!!!!! success is starting to be seen :) I am so happy!! good or bad I love my mission!

ahhh just what an amazing week!!!!!!!!! never give up on people, teach and talk to everyone!!! miracles come out of nowhere, we are working so hard and now we are having a baptism from someone we didn't even find ourselves. many blessings :)

Patience, rest, and a HUGE Christmas gift!

Thanks for family, friends and the ward at home for all the packages :) FELIZ NAVIDAD!

WOOOOOOOOOOOW. by far this has been such a crazy week!!!!!!! I am so beyond excited to Skype home on Christmas that I had a dream last night that I was skyping home. haha :) well here is my random week. 

Monday was of course an awesome lesson with our investigator on date, S. AH is so soo prepared :)

Tuesday we taught S again, we taught about the word of wisdom and law of chastity... it was the least awkward lesson I have been it, it went so well!!! again like I said, she is so prepared and gave up coffee. SCORE! ah it was such an awesome lesson. It amazes me how much people will give up so that they can have the gospel. I am so blessed to help her make this change in her life.

Wednesday was transfers, and officially we are a tripanionship! it is the best! we cover 5 stakes... its crazy! but we never run out of things to do :)

Thursday.. well I couldn't sleep. and then woke up early and was throwing up. yucky. so I caught some bug and had to sleep all day. I cried because I miss my mom, I didn't realize really how much she does for me! and my dad! and my sibblings! that when I was sick they would help me with everything :) but the branch here is just like family, a member gave me a blessing and another member brought me crackers, soup, and medicine. soo yeah Thursday nothing happened.

Christmas Angles!  Hermana M, Hermana R & me
(thanks to a member for this photo)

Friday I was feeling soo much better, I just had to rest to get my energy back! we had a branch Christmas party and we wanted to go, so we did. and good thing!! we had 3 families of investigators come to the party that we are currently teaching!!! it was a great turn out :) I love the Spanish people, they make the best food and know how to have a fun party with dancing! even though I wasn't allowed to dance :/

Branch Fiesta!  I wanted to sit on Santa's lap then
I remembered I'm not allowed to do that haha

Oh yeah I'm not allowed to dance as a Missionary ...
sad day ... you don't know how bad I want to dance :/

Saturday was great, we had a huge breakfast (like we do every transfer) with all the missionaries in the stake. and after that we went to Portland for zone meeting. and after to a baptism for a little girl in the branch.. and after that to dinner with a family from the branch. their little boy said the cutest prayer! we were saying a prayer to bless the food but this is what he prayed for instead "dear Heavenly Father. we are baptized to go to church. we go to church to be missionaries. we become missionaries to be sealed in the temple. we got o the temple to be the prophet. in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen." hahah it was so adorable! we also went to visit R, J, M, and V! they are a family Hermana M and I found in August when we came here!! they were so happy to see me and I was so excited to see them! it was an awesome visit, J wants to get baptized and everything!!

sunday, surprise!!!!! my huge Christmas gift, I couldn't ask for anything better... R, J, M, and V all came to church! FINALLY after 4 months of trying they came, and they loved it :) the branch loved them! ahh it was a wonderful day!! they are planning to come back fro activities and they want us over to their home so that they can make us food from el Salvador! we are so super excited :D they literally are a miracle family and I love them so much! 

well over all it was an amazing week. and like I say in every email, so many miracles. big and small! but my favorite miracle of all is the miracle of people coming to church and feeling the spirit their :)

I am so grateful for my Savior and for his birth.. without this time we wouldn't have anything to celebrate, so remember the reason for the season and share your love to all! Feliz Navidad to all and I cant wat to see my family in 2 days on 

Skype!!

day 297, McJamos in a trio for a transfer

Well transfers are this week... I will be staying with Hermana R, and coming to us is Hermana M. We will be in a trio!!! WOOHOO :) back with my baby who I trained :) we will be together for 7 weeks, and we will be combining areas... sooo we will be covering over all of Vancouver.. Its HUGE!!! It will be an awesome transfer! we are praying and working to have some baptisms!!! this will be a busy transfer :) I am excited to continue teaching the people we have been working with here, but excited I also get to work with the people in my previous area. this is a huge blessing! fun fact... something has happened to me every transfer of my mission so far... hopefully that doesn't change ;)

Me, Hermana M & Hermana R

well it was a fantastic week,

Monday night last week the elders came with us to give one of our investigators, S, a blessing of comfort. it was awesome, we had a little visit and lesson with her.. then we went out side and... it was snowing!!! my favorite woohoo. I was so happy, I love the snow!

Tuesday I was on exchanges with Hermana P and she came to my area, it was fun and awesome to be with her again! we taught S about justice and mercy, it was a cool lesson! she accepted a date for baptism, January 11th!!!!!! she is so prepared, and she said she craves the gospel. she loves when we visit her and teach her, she thinks about it all the time! the spirit was so strong in that lesson and I was like on the edge of the couch testifying to her and she was glowing with the spirit :)

Wednesday we went to go contact a referral but they didn't live their any more, so we decided to knock a couple of doors... nada. we tracted into a guy who got mad and said no soliciting(even though we aren't soliciting) and as we walked around the corner he was there by the trashcan, so we turned and walked a different way.. then we knocked the door farthest away, and surprise, a Spanish speaking family!!! they just moved here 3 months ago from salt lake city and they aren't members.. WHAT!!! we got so excited!!!

Thursday we taught a lesson to a part-member English/Spanish family, we brought with us a member. it was such an interesting lesson... the family had their grandpa visiting and he was so funny, but we couldn't teach because he loved to talk! it was an interesting lesson to say the least hahaha it was tough because the family wanted to learn so bad!! next time we will pray for a better lesson.

Friday  we listened to Elder Corbridge, from the area 70 speak to us... I took notes and what I got out of that was to teach people and not just lessons. awesome too this night the lady we taught 2 weeks ago in McDonalds is on date for baptism on jaunary 25th, woohoo! we had some cool miracles this night tracting and finding awesome families!!

Saturday the elders had a baptism so we brought investigators! a family that we are teaching are related to the lady who got baptized, so it was cool :)

Sunday was awesome! S came to church with her kids and they loved it!! they stayed all 3 hours and it was great :) she understood most things and has a couple questions we are going by tomorrow to answer and teach, pray for us because this she is so ready!!!

Zone P-day

well yes, it was a great week of awkward, funny, and sad moments. also many miracles, as always! I am so grateful to be a missionary at this time in this area! it will be a great transfer with great miracles to come! love you all, feliz navidad! Ill see my family next week on Skype!!

awkward OYM's for the week:

1. (knock knock)

"hi whats your name!?"

"uhh, Chris..."
"wel Hi, im Sister Jaeger and we are missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! and we are here knocking doors, sharing a message about Jesus Christ and about his gospel! Do you believe in Christ?"

"uhh yeah, im a member.."
..............awkward....... hahahaha he was a member that just got baptized 3 months ago!

 

2. (knock knock) -[its 6:00 at night]

"oh... hi, uh sorry I was expecting the UPS guy..."

"OH! Well even better, you got.. MISSIONARIES!!!(Hermana R said excited)

"hmm, yeah you caught me at a bad time, im in a compromise... bye." haahaha awkward.!

 

least to say, a mission is awkward, but so rewarding :)

The A family.  Cutest family ever we found.  

The cold is here, but we are working harder!

What an AMAZING week it has been! Freezing and snowy, but I love it! So much as happened this week so I will talk about it day by day:

My Companion Hermana R and I

Monday last week we taught an awesome new investigator in McDonalds... yep, we taught her in McDonalds. haha check that off my mission bucket list! it was a pretty awesome lesson. This amazing and prepared family were being taught by elders in Portland, and then we got the referral to visit and teach her since she moved here to Vancouver. Those elders still text here every day to read and pray. and she actually does that!!

 

Tuesday I was on exchanges with an English sister. We did a lot of tracting in the cold, and of course, the last door we knocked on let us in right away! WHAT!! that's rare! well once we got in she started asking us questions about the three degrees in heaven... soo we started teaching about the plan of salvation :) we come to find out that this family is being taught by missionaries in The Dalles when she goes to work down there! her daughter and her have been reading in the Book of Mormon!! this woman is so prepared! now when i say prepared I men she has gone through so much in her life to be where she is now!

 

Wednesday we had our Mission Christmas party! we started our day bright and early at 5:30! we went to the Portland Temple(gorgeous!!) all the 200 missionaries from our Mission went to the temple that day. I haven't been to the temple since July, so I didn't want to leave!!! but eventually we had to go. we all got together as a mission at one of the church buildings, we had dinner and watched a slide show of pictures. then we had President Taylor speak to all of us, he is so funny!!!  we took a mission picture then we had a hilarious talent show! some of the missionaries shared their talents! it was hilarious, the Spanish elders sang and did a rap.

Temple Trip to Portland Oregon.  I love the Temple!

Hermana V I trained :) ~  Some of the Hermanas!

Thursday was rough... no one was answering their door! but that's okay because in the night we had an awesome lesson with 2 of our investigators and a couple from the branch came with us to teach them! we talked about baptism and about how to know if these things are true, he said yes when he receives his answer he will get baptized. it was funny though because he is an active catholic and he said "well, I will first have to divorce myself from the catholic church before I join your church." haha it was interesting...

Need to get back to exercising!

Friday we woke up to SNOW! ahh it was beautiful snow :) the bummer part was we couldn't drive our car half of the day! my fingers and toes were frozen haha it wasn't fun. 

but friday we had 2 awesome lessons this day! one with our new investigator who wants to be baptized and another with a family that is related to someone the elders are baptizing this weekend, crazy family connections here in Vancouver!!! we had some interesting OYMs Friday... a lot of shirtless people out... it was freezing! and a lot of people that were "busy" but still had time to answer the door... my favorite thing someone said was "sorry I don't want to let the cold air in, bye.." and she shut the door, I thought to myself.. hmmmm well this message is pretty dang important for us to be choosing to be out here in the cold!!!! I also had a crazy guy get in my face... he was cussing and talking bad about Jesus Christ.. I tried to share things with him but he just kept say "what? I cant hear you.. what? you're crazy, what are you talking about.. man im too tough for you, you need to get me a preacher man." I thought, well technically I am a preacher... a disciple of Christ!! but hey, that's okay, I just ignored what he said and left.

 

Saturday it was freezing, again. well we invited someone to be baptized and she said yes!! for January 11th! hopefully I am here for that! if not that's okay, she is prepared too. we just have to help get all these people to church!!

 

Sunday was just a normal day at church.

 

soo yep it was a great week :) a freezing one!! I've never worn so many clothes before hahahahaha. I cant wait to go to the beach next year in the summer! for now I enjoy teaching and talking to people. I am excited to Skype home in 2 weeks, woohoo!  have  a great week <3 Merry Christmas!

I have been worrying a lot about my family this week... now that it is the holidays I think of them even more!! I worry and pray for them every day. in my study one morning I read this and applied it to me :)

"...continue to preach from that hour, and if [you] will do this in all lowliness of heart, in meekness and humility, and long-suffering, I the Lord, give unto [you] a promise that I will provide for [your] families;" Doctrine and Covenants 118: 3

WA Vancouver is beautiful! 

Semana de Milagros y pavo y Facebook

WHAAAAT, happy December. it's crazy that it is now December! so little time.

Well the one thanksgiving I will have on my mission was amazing. all 8 of us missionaries in the branch ate at The R's home for dinner. Both the parents served Spanish missions and the dad is in the branch council so they are an awesome American family in the branch. They wanted us to have an American thanksgiving! it was so nice :)

All 8 of us Missionaries from the Branch ate at the R's home for Thanksgiving!  

Monday we enjoyed reading a talk mom sent me! it was from Elder Holland.. obviously it made me think more about my mission and why I am here. I've only got 9 months to make up for my slack! this is a one time thing, and it's not easy.. but I love it! Monday I also ran into an old friend S who I met at EFY 5 years ago in Santa Barbara.. small world! she lives here!

Tuesday was a lot of tracting.. we were knocking doors and a guy answered and I asked "HI! How are you doing?" he looks at me and says "dishes.." and starts to close the door.. haha awkward! not what I asked. another funny door we knocked. He opened the door and we say, awkwardly, "Hi, do you believe in Jesus Christ?" bhah first of all it was an awkward start to this conversation, then the guy gets mad and says "you know that's very rude of you to show up at my door without calling first, we are in the middle of something. good bye." and he shuts the door.. my companion and I looked at each other confused, then started.. we didn't even know the guy so how would we have his phone number. ha it just makes me laugh when people say "not today girls." or "I don't have time" or "im on the phone" I just think.. hmm well then why did you answer the door? so many people here but none want to listen. I always think well what if the Savior was knocking at their door, what would they say to him? or if the Savior was walking on the side of the street, people wouldn't avoid him, they would run to him! People don't know what they are missing :/

 

well Wednesday, I hit my 9 month mark... My mission is now half way over :'( we had district meeting and then went to the library to officially start using facebook.. crazy! as everyone is probably freaking out.. just think how much more we are freaking out!! we are set apart from the world.. and then half way through my mission I have to get back on facebook. weird! but its for a good reason, we need to be inviting all those around us to come closer to Christ and what better way than facebook! everyone is on al day long! I invited one of my friends to hear more but he kindly rejected and I said that's okay, ill talk to you in 9 months when im home! ha see, it doesn't hurt to invite!! I feel like by the end of my mission half my friends on facebook will be missionaries haha ohh no. well Wednesday we also taught an amazing lesson with a member from the branch! the investigator was so excited and into the lesson and was asking amazing questions. the spirit was truly there :) he read Moroni 8: 8-12 which is pretty harsh, because it is about infant baptism.. but he understood it so clearly and agreed it was truth from God! WE also went to teach another investigator... her brother doesn't like us and shoved us and his sister outside in the cold and locked the door.. after we left he told us not to come back.. ill be honest we were kind of nervous and didn't know what to do.. so we didn't go back for a couple of days. but everything is oaky now. no one can stop the lords work from progressing!

Thursday, thanksgiving! many people asked if we still work on a holiday.. we laughed and said "of course we do! we never take a break!" it was actually a great day! I was on exchanges with my old companion Hermana M. gah love that girl! we knocked a ton of doors. everyone was nice just super busy. we got in with a family and taught them! I thought they were super interested, but by the end of the lesson they didn't want a Book of Mormon... he read out of the book of Mormon with us 2 Nephi 29: 8-12 and said  it is true but that the bible is still perfect and we need no more.. we asked him to pray to end the visit, and it was kind of scary.. he was screaming and shouting in his prayer, I didn't feel the spirit that's for sure. but I know he knew what we had shared was true because it made sense but he just didn't want to accept it. well we kept tracting after dinner and found an amazingly prepared guy! he even said that it was a miracle he answered the door! we talked with him on his porch and had an amazing lesson :) he agreed that it was true and that he wants to hear more, so hopefully we can help him with that! he is English so other missionaries will have to teach him.

Friday we found a new investigator. she is amazing.  it was our first visit with her and we didn't know what to teach! she didn't seem super interested, so we treated water for a couple minutes and then the spirit came. my companion asked a  question and we sat in silence for 2 minutes while she began to cry.. she has had a rough life.. we ended up talking about Christ and the atonement and the sacrament. it was amazing and 100% guided by the spirit. we invited her to be baptized and she said yes!! we hope that her husband will allow her to or that he will join with her :) later that night we found another new investigator. she is super awesome too! she let us in right away and was asking awesome question about the book of Mormon and church. it was a great night :)

Saturday I was on exchanges with Hermana P in Longview! it was a good day. we met a ton of cute old people and taught/talked with them about the gospel.. they all said they cant wait for the day the savior will come again! I felt such a love for these people! they have had so much experience and now they know what they want!

 

well church on sunday was great. we had a delicious break the fast, I love Mexican food! hahahahhah when we were home for the night my companion and I had a really funny awkward conversation with an old investigator on the phone. he brought up question about the church and our standing on a couple of things.. it ended up being a 20 minute lesson with him! it was awesome! but a great experience :) so many people are ready they are just to afraid to take the leap of faith!

 

well I love you all so much, thank you for the support :) THANKS TO ALL MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND STRANGERS FOR THE LETTERS :) I love them so much!!! it makes my day!

this week we are super excited, we get to go to the temple on wednesdasy! WOOHOO! bright and early at 7:30 haha, but then the rest of the day will be spent with the whole mission! we will all go to Portland, Oregon (since our mission covers their too) and we will have a dinner, talent show, and fireside. it will be a great week :)

 

stay warm and stay happy! ITS ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!

I am so grateful to be here on a mission. I CANT IMAGINE HOW MUCH MY FAMILY IS SACRIFICING FOR ME AND MY SISTER AND MY BROTHER TO BE OUT HERE ON A MISSION IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD... but I know the Lord needs us all here! The Savior lives and the gospel is true!

 

I get to skype home in 23 days... but who's counting ;)  adios!  ~  Hermana Kelsey Jaeger