Early Birthday Celebrations!

Our tri-panionship.  The 2 Hermanas that I am training. They are amazing.  

Well this week was ALL a blur!!!!! We got a few new investigators this week, they are all very interested!! So many little miracles i cant even explain! Well still no one coming to church :/ but we are doing our best, even going with members to go pick up our investigators for church. This is a short email this week because i don't even remember what all happened! we continue to teach amazing lessons in spanish and english. little by little we improve our teaching and expand our knowledge of what and how to teach people. 

All the ermans in our District.  4 are Visa waiters :)

I got all 3 birthday packages last week at our Sisters training... i opened them.. hahaha :) sorry i couldnt wait!!! saturday we will be working so i wanted to open them asap! we laughed so hard when i opened the bottel of RANCH! We are having a party as a zone today so i get to use all the stuff you sent me:)there are only 13 of us, plus an elder couple.. so a total of 15. we want to celebrate and party today! Thank you also to everyone who continues to send me love and those that sent me a little birthday surprise and other things!!!  :)

My Birthday Boxes :)

Little miracles this week, like getting in to teach certain people that never showed interest before. Planting MANY little seeds of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I learned many things this week. most importantly is that we dont always see the fruits of our labor... just as we plant a seed, me may not see the tree grow. or we may not see the fruit begin to grow. all that is important is to plant seeds every where any time. You never know what the future holds :) 

Don't be afraid to be you! be who you are while being a representative of Jesus Christ. we all have different identities and ways to learn and teach and grow. no one is exactly the same, which is why everyone is assigned to serve a mission EXACTLY where they need to be. A mission is for us to grow and learn. we all make mistakes in this life. I am thankful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that i can try and try and continue to try to be better. 

Well time to enjoy the rest of P-day.. we are going to make cupcakes and celebrate my brithday early with my Zone! and then we all get back to work haha. We are going to have a pinata and use all the  birthday decor I got in the mail.  Sorry I opened all my birthday gifts! I couldnt wait :)  I love everything.

I opened my gifts early.  Thank you!

Time is going by so fast. i come home in 1 year... WOW!  keep working and keep serving!  Cant wait we are listening to Elder Holland come and speak to us August 24th!

I love my family so much :)  Again thank you everyone!  love you all so much!

stay healthy and stay happy :) --  Hermana Kelsey Jaeger

 

Love the Birthday t-shirts  ~  Have you heard of Sheris?  Well, it was yummy!!

My Bro's going to Chile ~ My New Mission Address ~ Disneyland

hahaha it was so funny when i got the phone call from the mission secretary. thank you so much for doing that :) it made me feel included :) i can not believe Austin is going spanish.. I KNEW IT!!! funny thing, The family i live with.. yeah, they are from Santiago Chile!!!.. haha they are SO excited for him!!! They have family there in his mission. tell austing the 4 months will go by SO fast. tell him to STUDY preach my gospel, all the lessongs in chapter 3!! AND to read the Book of mormon and have a testimony. also to find out about the religions in chile so he can teach to their needs... it rains a lot in chile, it gets pretty cold, but it is also beauitufl the family said!

Hermana Kelsey Lynn Jaeger

Washington Vancouver

 Mission2223 NW 99th St.
Vancouver, WA 98665

Best District ever!!

Hola a cada persona! este semana fue interesante. (dont judge my horrible spelling/spanish... i try!) porque mucho de la gente aqui en esta area son blind!! estan buscando por la verdad. pero no asistir la iglesia, este es muy dificil. nada gente pueden progresar sin asistiendo la iglesia o sendo bautizado. este evangelio es el camino!!! 

alright that is enough horrible spanish, haha. Well i love you all so much :) It is crazy to be in this world but not involved with the internet or television or phones... no distractions! Being a missionary is hard in many ways. people mock us in front of our face, people slam the door, people bash and argue... but worst of all is hearing someone deny that the Book of Mormon isn't true... and also meeting someone who has such a strong testimony of how important religion is, believing in almost the same things that we believe, but then saying "i have a religion, i know it is true." i want to cry every time! People are so close, but so far from the truth.. this gospel is so perfect and simple! I am blessed to be a missionary, see what hard work goes into sharing this gospel so that EVERY person can hear the truth! we had one man talk to us for a long time, and at the end when we wanted to speak and share our testimony he said "well i'm sorry ladies but i have to go, thank you for allowing me to teach you... I know that God put you on my doorstep for a reason, for me to teach you two. I am called to be a teacher. thank you for your time. bye." i thought wasn't it us missionaries that came to your door? for us to share a message with you? to share the TRUTH? I couldn't get myself down at that moment, we had to keep moving along to find the people who are ready and willing to listen, even for a few seconds! 

well some funny moments this week, we went to visit a referral way out in the middle of an orchard... it ended up not being the person we were looking for, but we found a family and a friend who are interested! we started teaching them and they were so involved! they invited us to come back again and teach more. we gave them a card with our number on it and the teenage boy look at us, smiled and said "quien numero este es?" hahahaha we said "we share a phone!" then the friend said "ustedes son married?" We laughed, looked at each other and said "NOOOO...... estamos aqui para predicar el evangelio de Jesucristo... solo!" they all smiled and said "okay ;)" 

Well this week Hermana V and I try our best to pray specifically, even before a lesson, to pray to Heavenly Father about our reason or goal for each lesson and visit with someone.. we realized by doing this our visit go perfect! praying specifically is the way to do it :)

Or cute casita that we LOVE! 

it is hard being a Spanish missionary right now in O because of all the fruit needing to be picked this summer.. cherries, pears, apples, blueberries, peaches.. many fruit! therefore we have trouble with having people coming to church. We had many people say "The Book of Mormon is true, I want to come to church, i want to hear more!! but right now i am really busy with the cherries... in 8 weeks when cherries are over I will try my best to come to church." GAHH!!!! NOW is the time to go, not in 8 weeks :/  We are doing our best as missionaries to keep teaching and finding, but not many of our investigators are progressing because they work 12-14 hours a day, all week long :/

well Hermana and I also had the opportunity to sing at a baptism for the elders, a little 9 year old girl was getting baptized :) she was so cute, and so prepared! the Bishop was speaking and shared a funny analogy:

"So when you go to Disneyland, you drive, buy a ticket, wait in line, and walk in the gate..... then what? don't you ride the rides? you cant go to Disneyland, go through ALL that, and walk in the gate and say 'okay we made it to disneyland' and then leave... that means you never really went! Baptism is the same.. you do all the things to be baptized, you NEED to endure to the end, not just walk through the gate and leave.. there is so much to do!" Well again, i have leared so much with only being a  missionary for 4 months.. i still have SO much to learn!

P-Day hiking the beautiful Colombia River

One last thing, yesterday there was an AMAZING world wide broadcast from the prophet and 12 apostles, it was originally for the new mission presidents, but then they felt inspired that the WHOLE world needed to hear it!!! If you didn't watch it, go to lds.org and watch it!!!! IT was amazing, WE ALL NEED TO BE APART OF THIS AMAZING WORK!!!! don't just stare at the work, DO IT, be apart of it! missionaries and members of the church need to work TOGETHER. we cant do it alone. knocking on doors is not as affective as working with and through the members... many changes are to come within the next year. I am so excited to be apart of all these amazing changes in the church right now to hasten the work!!!

Well it is time to go, this was a LONG email, hope you all enjoy it :) haha adios! cuidase!

I love you all so much! take care :)   -Hermana Jaeger

Week 5 MTC "Patience is composure under pressure"

This week has flown by SO fast! Probably the fastest week yet! I got a postcard from Grandma and Grandpa Jaeger that they are enjoying a nice break in beautiful Hawaii... I wish I was there! haha And a package from the Grandpa and Grandma B!!  And I got an easter package from the family :)

Well the spanish comes and goes when I need it. I wrote a whole page in spanish, but obviously the only spanish I know are gospel related things! hahaha This gospel is amazing. I know the field will be tough and it will go by fast, but I honestly am super excited to be serving a mission.. Tuesday is the big day!!! 

Me and Sister M on Easter Sunday... we met online before entering the MTC.  We were in the same District/roommates.  

Easter sunday... was so unique to experience in the MTC. I sang in the choir, it was sooo beautiful! Over 3,000 of us missionaries took the sacrament. It is beyond words to express how the spirit was in that room... I could feel the Savior smiling down on all of us in that exact moment. Bishop Gerald Causse in the presiding bishopbric spoke to us: "repent every day. Repentance is a good thing. As you experience Christ's atonment in your life, you will desire to share that message with others." We then had testimony meeting with our zone. It technically was our last sunday(because this sunday is general conference). I bore my testimony about revelation from reading Doctrine and Covanents 18: 14-17. Sunday devotional was awesome! 

Some of the Zone/District hermanas

Sheri Dew spoke: "you enlisted as a full time servant in the Batalion. We are all influenced by what/who is around us. The father will help and save us. We cannot do it alone. Christ atoned for our pain in EVERY way. He knows/understands everything! Successfull missioanry= love the Lord more today than you did yesterday. Be fearless to build up zion! We were saved for this day; to welcome back Christ, our Savior"! 

Monday was officially April 1st! (i count that as 16 months till I return home hahaha) I recieved another package from mom :) I love you mom! It was a beautiful day, it rained(my favorite!) Hermana G and I taught one of our "investigators" about La Palabra de Sabiduria(The Word of Wisdom). We talked during a whole class time about The Plan of Salvation! WOW The Lord loves us so much. He gave us a life with agency, and also gave us his son, that only through him we can be cleansed and return to live with thee! I am so blessed to be serving a mission at the age of 19. "Patience is composure under pressure."

Friends from Home Sister M (Portugal) & Elder S

Tuesday my district got to usher at the devotional. The devotional was about Enduring to the end.
I had such a strong spirit comforting me, picturing my family kneeling around the bed and praying to The Lord, and praying for me :) "lessons learned on a mission will help us endure to the end. If you endure/enjoy to the end of your mission, you will be prepared to endure/enjoy to the end of your life. WE accomplish HIS most impoartant work before we creat his most important plan- a family. 

Wednesday new missionaries came in!!! I got to host 5 new sisters... One of which freaked out and laughed when she realized she watched my video on youtube! AH I felt famous for a short second!! I also saw a few familiar faces this week from T! 

Brother R taught us Spanish ~ Hermano C "my 1st investigator"!!

We had Brother R teach us a way to remember how to conjugate to subjunctive "Take it to the yo, drop the o, and add the opposite ending!" hahaha of course I will remember that. 

Yesterday, Thrusday was a long 9 hour day of In-Field orentation. we learned how it will be like in the field! We watched a short clip of the talk President Gordon B. Hinkley gave about the hand cart company traveling, and the 3 18 year old boys who helped carry people across the stream... I cried a little because I thought of my family. My mom and brothers are(or were) at trek this week and it made me think of them! 

It was also our last class last night with Hermano C.. Best teacher EVER!  This was our last picture with our 1st District! 

Today is PDAY! had a beautiful day at the temple, it rained but now it is beautiful outside! Time to go eat some pizza! I GET TO CALL HOME ON TUESDAY WHILE AT THE AIRPORT!!! I AM SO EXCITED :)))))) The next email you will all hear from, I will be in the field! Here goes nothing! Love you all :)

 Some questions that I read in Preach My Gospel about returning home from serving a mission:

*What do you want to say you have done as a missionary?

*What do you want to have become?

*What difference would you want others to notice in you?  

Hasta Luego! (I think that is how you speel it? hahaha)
~  Hermana Kelsey Jaeger

President Bowen ~  He is a great man and helped me so much!

Our District with our teacher Hermano C, President Bowen and Brother and Sister Doman.

P.S. Keep an eye out tomorrow! In between the two satruday sessions of conference I am in the MTC choir! They will be showing us singing a special song(they recorded it two weeks ago, so it's not live :/) But enjoy conference!

Week 2 MTC "Comforting, sincere blessing from my Zone Leader"

District 20D Hermanas love our Zone Leaders

OH wow how the time is flying by! I am on week 3 right now... I am almost half way done at the MTC! I am learning so much. I have to remember to not freak out when a lesson with an "investigator" goes bad, because this is traning! We all go to the MTC to learn! Well, so much has happened this week... Sunday's are the best, the spirit is a beautiful thing. We had someone from the MTC department talk to us for the devotional that night..  it was about The Triangle. I will take a picture of it and send it next week.

COUSINS!!!  With 3,000 Choir member we always manage to find each other 

The other day was tough. I was studying in class at night and my nose started bleeding BAD!  So I ran to the bathroom and it was pouring and flowing out.  I started to panic and shake.  All the girls ran to help me.  All I remember is lying down on Hermana McBrides lap on the floor.  After that I don't remember anything.  I went to the office pale and week.  It was late so the Dr was not in.  I laid on the couch helpless and shaking, tissues everywhere.  They contacted my Zone Leaders who are amazing Elders!  They rushed to put their clothes back on because they were already in bed!  Elder Blackburn gave me such a comforting and sincere blessing.  He was a little shaky and I thanked him for helping me.  This is happening daily but I have faith things will get better.  The worst part was that the MTC water was shut off for maintenance because of construction!  Elder Blackburn managed to find some ice and a glass of water.  It was so scary because I didn't know what to do or remember much.  And my mom wasn't there to be by my side.  But everyone here is so so so kind and helpful!

Elder Blackburn leaving for the field  ~  Finally, a meal I can eat.  With Hermana Butterfield

The next day I went to the clinic to see the Dr.  The Dr was telling me and showing me ways to control the bleeding.  He twisted the tissue and shoved it up his nose.  Pinching the outside .  As he is showing me his nose started bleeding!! hahaha.  It was pretty bad but we thought it was funny.  He made the nurse take care of me while he took care of himself he was so embarrassed.

Doing what we do best EVERYDAY ~ STUDYING

Tuesdays are the best too because we have devotional again, this time we hade a member of the 70 speak to us. It was powerful... One thing I remember him saying is to write down what you think life will be like in 18 months... I started to laugh and almost cry because 18 months sounds so short! I wrote down that I will love my mission, I will be heading home and probably crying. I know in 18 months my life will be changed so much, and I will help other people change their life! I really needed to hear this because I need to stop focusing on what I am doing wrong or what I messed up on. I need to remember how far I have come and how far I am wanting to go :) The other devotional was Marcos Aidukaitis fro the 70.  He was funny but serious.  He talked about the 3 degrees of glory!  To make a decision which one we want to be in, and write it in BIG letters in our journals!  I did that :) CELESTIAL! Once you make a decision then all other small decisions will be simple.  I love devotionals.  It's always exactly what I need to hear.

This is just Choir! ~ Sunday walk to the Temple

I got a package!  ~  Nice day for a 'picnic'

A mission is not for everyone, yes that is very true... But if you desire to serve a mission for the Lord then YOU can do it. HE will help YOU to help OTHERS. I have the best teachers, they always make sure we are doing okay... and I always hear the question "Is there anything I can do for you?" I love the MTC! I also love reading the scriptures. I have never been one who enjoys reading, or studying, or class... But being on a mission is changing that. I don't want to put my scriptures down, I don't want to sleep because I could be spending those 7 hours doing more important things! But they keep saying Exact Obedience, so I have to remember to do that haha. 

I spy Ashley  ~  Do you?

It is crazy to see districts in my zone starting to leave for the mission field.... I will soon be in that same position... I love wednesdays because that is when all the new BABIES arrive! haha we call them babies because they are so young and new like we were.   I have seen many framiliar faces here in the MTC, so to anyone who is reporting before April 9th I will keep my eye out for you and I will find you!... in a non creepy way hahaha I love you all so much! Thank you for the love and support :)

SO MANY BOOKS!!  Yes, we use them all :)

Food is blah. Showers are fine, I wake up early to take a long shower haha. I love my companion, it is important to have a good connection. Get a good rest, the days are long but the weeks are short!  Use study time wisely. ALWAYS pray. Ask questions. Prepare as much as you can before you come to the MTC, you wont have any time to focus on yourself. And most importantly: Love your family ALL the time, they are the ones who will support you every day your are out in the field. They will be the ones who you will leave and return home to.

    

Almost a month down! I can't wait to teach real investigators!!!

                                                                       

Love, Hermana Jaeger

My schedule ~ Study time