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!!

Endure to the End

Our Awesome Spanish District!!

Well hellooooo everyone!!!!  It has been an interesting week!! I have never felt myself change so much in such a short amount of time!!! I am interested to see what my brain spits out onto the keyboard to type home this week... haha lets see how this email goes!   I realized I talk so much about my investigators in my emails and not so much about what I am experiencing!!  so that is my email this week :)

well this email is a little more personal. while I have the desires to serve a mission, for the past 8 months some times its very difficult... so many things built up for 8 months and that I feel like I am fighting against myself! we had interviews with President Taylor this week and after talking with him I just felt a huge relief and an untangle from my jumbled mind! I cant wait to write my whole story down of my life from the past year.... so much of the ups and downs I cant even express! President Taylor said he said he can see me radiating and he feels of my sweet spirit... I wrote a whole page of things we talked about :) I still don't understand to this day of how or why I am here on a mission... Through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I understand, is how I am enduring my mission! but I don't understand why me, why he has allowed and helped me to stay out here on a mission! I am so grateful for this. I have been so hard on myself the past 8 months because after all that I have been through. I know he needs me here, I know I want to be here.. who wouldn't want to serve the lord!? 

I always think of the scripture we recite every day in Spanish, Doctrine and Covenants 4... "if ye have desires to serve God; ye are called to the work." I have desires to serve him! He knows that. my heart is right, my spirit is right... only half way into my mission, I still have time to change and to serve him will all my heart, with all my might, and with all my strength! This week I seriously took to heart what every missionary needs to hear "the Lord needs you... WE need you." its so true, after all that has been said and done. How great and glorious the day will be when he comes again! I want to find those that are ready, I want them to know! like I've always heard, WE, as missionaries, must be the lords true investigators. the greatest success we can have on a mission is truly converting ourselves and I know I will leave my mission at least doing that!  I love how President said to me "remember why you came out and why you are still here.. you and your sister will have a joyful reunion together!" Hermana Jaeger and Elder Jaeger, I am out here still because of you two.. know that you two have left a huge impact on me and that is why I am still here... I wouldn't want to serve a full mission without you two. and what a BLESSING it is to be serving with two of my siblings... I know the Lord is blessing my family so much! I know this opportunity to be here is the biggest blessing I can have.. I will endure till the end, I promise! I will serve faithful and with love, doing all that I can to leave my mission with no regrets.. truly! I know I am called to serve, I know The Lord needs me here, or else I would have gone home that first week in the MTC.. I think of how far I have come and how much more I can go! EVERYONE needs to keep doing His work, He TRULY needs us ALL!

Doctrine and Covenants 34: 4-6 "and blessed are you because you have believed; and more blessed are you because you are called of me to preach my gospel. To lift up your voice as with the sound of a trump, both long and loud, and cry repentance unto a crooked and perverse generation, preparing the way of the Lord for his second coming."

now, about the work here.. its slowly going! haha I think that's what every missionary says, or else its just booming(in the words of my sister serving in Texas!) we just have to be patient and keep working :) we have walked sooo much this week... literally more that I walk at Disneyland! HAHA we had many little miracles this week and we were able to talk and meet and teach people, not as many as we had hoped, but again.. numbers don't reflect effort! it was still a great week :) a great week of food and walking and talking!

cool fact, as we were driving to a member who lives 45 minutes from Vancouver he told us and pointed to where part of the Twilight movie was filmed.... right on the side of where we were driving! its in Kelso/Long View Washington.. its sooo gorgeous, but of course, cloudy :) haha I can not wait to come back up here and just drive everywhere!!!!!

Halloween was probably the highlight of the week, we are with the M from the branch. we first had to make a mask to wear at dinner.. then at dinner we ate food as a game, we ate for like an hour! haah as seen in the picture I had to eat my spaghetti with a giant spoon! it was such a  fun night! the work is great :)

Halloween was the best!  Dinner was a game.
Yep, I ate with this big spoon and was so full!  

Love you all so much, I hope you have a wonderful week. take care!

<3 Hermana Kelsey Jaeger

For thou art called to prune my vineyard...‏

I keep my family close to my heart!
Sister serving in Texas, Brother Serving in Chile & fam in Cali

"for thou art called to prune my vineyard with a mighty pruning, yea, even for the last time..." Doctrine and Covenants 24: 19

 "and it shall be given thee from the time thou shalt go, until the time thou shalt return, what thou shalt do. And thou must open thy mouth at all times, declaring my gospel with the sound of rejoicing. Amen." Doctrine and Covenants 28: 15-16

Well it was so good to see pictures of Austin and the family :) I miss and love you all oh so much! The night before and day that Austin left for his Mission I cried because I wish I could say bye to him and that I could be home loving and hugging my family!! I love you all so much! Austin I am so proud of your decision!! you will see so many miracles! I cant wait for you to hear the REAL Chilean Spanish, hahaha you will die!! its hard to understand them, but yet they have to most beautiful Spanish and are the most loving people, hopefully you gain a few pounds on your mission ;)

Well this week was good, we did and still have to do a lot of walking because we don't have many miles left on our car to drive everywhere, haha well at least its sunny(not so much warm though!) well Monday night we were walking to talk to a referral family, and we saw a dad R and his daughter so we talked to them and some how I got a book of Mormon in his hand, and he wasn't very interested at first! well when I asked if we could come by and share more he said he needs to talk to his wife first... so we didn't get his number or address, and we were sad :/ but as we kept walking to the referral family, we saw R walk upstairs to the apartment right above this family, MIRACLE! haha now we are going to go by and share more :)

Another miracle, A who missionaries have been working with for a couple months, came to church last Sunday, then the activity or Tuesday and then to another activity on Saturday night! it was pretty cool, and amazing work in progress.. she told Hermana K (her fellow shipper in the branch) that she wants to get baptized, but isn't sure about a few things!! hopefully another transfer here and we will see a miracle happen :) Ojala!

Well my bro Austin left on Thursday to Santiago Chile!! crazy how fast that came, but I'm so proud of him!!! well this was a good day, we were walking and met a nice English man and gave him a book of Mormon.. we walked a little more and a Russian stopped us to ask where our church is! HAA that is so rare!! he said he has attended many churches and wants to attend ours one day! his name is L, and he even knew a little bit of Spanish! its the funniest thing hearing a Russian speak Spanish! I have noticed the Lord putting many more Russian speaking people in our path because we talk to them!


We had dinner with a family from the branch, and as we were leaving the little girl wanted to show us "the lights she helped decorate!" so we followed her outside and out of the bushes the dad jumped out in a gorilla suit and we screamed!!! it literally scared the crap out of us because we didn't know that was coming! haha we then went back in the house because the dad wanted to take a picture of us teaching him in his gorilla costume!!! funny

Friday we had a cool little miracle... we only drove 7 miles! wow but a lot of walking. We got in and taught an amazing family from Honduras that we have slowly been working with. we then knocked a door and it was about 8;30pm... a baby started crying and no one answered the door. my companion quietly said a prayer.. then we knocked again and the lady answered the door and immediately said "Hola! pasense. hace frio!" so she let us in without us even saying a word... MIRACLE! we then told her who we were and she said she had recently met with the missionaries... so we set a return appointment so that we could talk with he elders and see fi they are teaching her. turns out the elders never taught her, but they have been trying to get in with her but she is never home.. haaa miracle :) we are going to start teaching her.

Saturday Sister T called us with 2 more referrals (people she had talked to) one of which we actually are teaching his wife, small world!! and another was someone that we actually talked to in winco (we cant remember that) baha but that's cool! we did lots of walking to, and as we were walking by a bus stop we saw a guy but it didn't phase us... when we double looked we realized it was L, a man we taught on his doorstep but haven't seen since! he ripped his ear buds out and was so happy to see us and so apologetic for not calling us... but he was so excited and wants us back over soon!

Fall in Vancouver Washington!!!

embarrassing moment of the week: I feel asleep on my knees for an hour praying Saturday night, hahaha I woke up so confused!

Sunday was a miracle!! remember the guy I mentioned before, B? the one that we talked to at a  bus stop and came to church last Sunday... well he came again!! he loved church! he read the first two chapters in Mosiah since we gave him a scripture to read! he loved it and is super interested to read and learn more... he is an English man so the elders are going to start teaching him :) AHH that little miracle has made me happy!!  lots of little miracles this week. 

Well I've been reading in Doctrine and Covenants this week, I love it!! I am so grateful for all the trials and patient Joseph Smith had, for all that he did to bring the gospel forward in its fullness for the last time! 

"Leave thy house and home... and speak freely to all; yeah preach, exhort, declare truth, even with a loud voice, with a sound of rejoicing... pray always, and I will pour out my spirit upon you, and great shall be your blessing... behold, canst thou read this without rejoicing and lifting up thy heart for gladness?" Doctrine and Covenants 19: 36-39

...sorry, I love scriptures!!!  Adios! - Hermana Jaeger

This week, WOW! (I don't have Google, so I patiently wait for an answer from God)

well we ended this week with finding 8 new investigators... SOOOO much to email in so little time! So ill try to break it down...

We meet some crazy... confused... people here who try to break down my testimony of this gospel. they try to confuse me with their belief..  I have heard many questions relating to the authority of God, who is God, what happens to us after this life, and things about the book of Mormon.. I never have an answer right away, only a simple testimony.. but as i ponder and study these things i hear, i receive answers one after another of why i am here, why i believe this gospel and what my purpose is as a person in this chaotic world... It is hard to express the thoughts i have and things i see, but i do have a strong witness that we have weaknesses and trials ONLY to build us up to something better! We need not to fear because we have to Lords true gospel in our hands!

La verdad!!!

Well Wednesday was transfer day which means everyone in the mission normally has a slow day getting situated. but since my comp and i were staying together we new we needed to work extra hard! after a long and amazing day, we found 6 new investigators!!! 4 of which are an amazing family found by a member!! Oh this is the most adorable family! and they are all baptism age, WOO HOO! We of course taught them the restoration and gave them a book of Mormon, we emphasized Christ coming to America and that they could read his words, they became so excited and curious to know what Christ said!! They responded "wow, I never knew this book existed... I can't wait to read!" Ah this is an 
amazing and prepared family :)

Thursday i met a very humble man.. his name was R.. He appeared intimidating, but never judge someone by what you see! we approached him and hew as so respectful and interested in what we had to share.. after an amazing conversation about the gospel of Jesus Christ he began to tell us the hard life he has... i have never had so much respect for someone before. he is supporting his family and moving back home to help his dad, .... R.. has such a strong spirit. I testified to him that God loves him and will help him! We gave him a book of Mormon and said a powerful prayer with him. The spirit was so strong, i knew the spirit testified to him! I hope that one day he will red the book of Mormon and remember what he felt that day we talked with him and that he will have a desire to make covenants with God :)

We also had an amazing OYM with two sweet hispanic ladies on the street.. they were not interested at first, but after asking them questions about their beliefs they created the desire to hear what we share... only 1 wanted us to come back over, but we were able to leave them both with a Book of Mormon... I feel it is so important to leave everyone with a Book of Mormon, one day they will pick up the book and read!! I love the feeling when people ask us if we have something they can read!! It makes me so excited to share about the word of God and give them the opportunity to read and see for themselves :)

Friday my companion and I had an amazing lesson with B.., she prayed about baptism but still feels like she hasn't received an answer, or that her answer is the dream her husband had about going back to their previous church... after a very powerful and spirit directed lesson we asked if she had been reading the Book of Mormon.. said said no.. then we knew why she had not received an answer!! we promised that God will give her an answer if she puts in the effort! we read with her about Christ in America and Moroni's promise and she committed to read the rest and to pray :) I hope and pray she does these things, because I KNOW she will find these things true :) She loves us coming over and teaching her.. she expressed the love she has for us and for the branch!

Friday night my companion had an amazing idea.... we read King Benjamins address to his people, we read in The Book of Mormon Mosiah chapters 2-6... WE spiritually prepared ourselves to be intune with the spirit for conference the next 2 days.... WOW it truly was amazing how much more i received and retained from this conference than from any other conference... i loved it!

Saturday was a day filled with the spirit. we listened to conference and also taught 3 amazing lessons! That day was a day of miracles. Saturday morning we had an amazing breakfast with the Pedro family from the branch, they cooked some amazing food! I felt loved and close to feeling the love of a family :)

La familia P..., we had breakfast with them saturday before conference :)

Sunday morning was my favorite session of conference i have EVER listened too! I knew that before the Prophet even said that haha. It was so filled and directed by the spirit!

well Sunday night our appointment fell through, so we started walking around... we found a guy who appeared to be white cleaning his car... listening to spanish music!! hahaha i couldn't tell if he spoke spanish or if he just liked the music.. after talking and getting to know him he for some reason reminded me of my dad :) he spends all his time working in construction to send money to his family in Mexico. he is from Ca and is planning to move back soon. He grew up a Jehovah's Wittiness's but is interested in what we have to share! as I walked away all I could think about was my father... And how much I would want him to have the gospel if he didn't already have it. I feel an instant connection to my investigators here and want them to have what me and my family have! I am so excited to teach him and share my testimony with him. i hope something happens with him, i know we met him for a reason!

Passed by the church for an appointment and saw the Hermanas
from the R... practicing a dance!!

Another miracle happened during the last hour on Sunday night... we received a referral from the Elders to visit a lady named E.. We decided for some reason to visit her at 8pm last night.. there was a reason we did! She opened the door and saw our badges. she let us in RIGHT away :) she is so humble and so close to the spirit.. She talked with us, telling us her life story for an hour... all in Spanish! I knew that she simply needed someone to talk to, someone to express her feelings too, even though i could not understand everything. One thing i love to do is to patiently sit and listen to people, so i knew(again) that there was a reason we met E.. at that exact moment... She has been through a very rough life. We shared a simple scripture and she loved it so much. She is so intune with feeling  the spirit! We asked her if she would want to be with her kids for eternity, and she began to cry and said yes, of course! I testified of families and this gospel. she is interested to have us back over! i hope all goes well with her, she is so prepared!!!

As i conclude my VERY long email this week i want you to all know how much i love you! I love my mission! i love the savior!!! conference was amazing, we watched it at the church with about 20 other missionaries haha. I felt the spirit and love of my family as we sang called to serve! I thought of my sister in Texas and my brother who will soon be off to Chile! and as the choir sang Abide with me'tis even tide, i again thought of my family and how soon i will be reunited with them :) almost half way done with my mission i know the time will soon come when i can hug and love everyone again!!! I know God was speaking so clearly to us all this conference, with one of the last talks given by Elder Russell M. Nelson I would blink and i would see the face of Christ... I felt as if Christ was speaking directly to each one of us individually! i imagined Heavenly Father talking of his beloved son Jesus Christ and preparing him to teach the world... I felt as if the whole general conference was spoken by the savior :) it was a neat experience i cant explain!  The topics of the strength of women, the authority of the priesthood, and usage of our bodies and the family all touched my heart! and many other things which meant to much to me. i love this gospel! it isn't easy to live and understand, but it defiantly isn't impossible!!

one amazing experience I had this morning was an answer to one of my questions(and since i don't have google or access to explore, i had to patiently wait for an answer from God). I have been asked so many times why my tag says "saints"... I pondered this for many weeks.... and said to say i didn't really know why, i knew there was a reason but i didn't have an answer.. until today!! the word "saint" in the Bible Dictionary is: those who have entered into the Christian covenant by baptism.... and then I received the answer that "latter-day saints"  -those who have entered into the New and EVER LASTING covenant by baptism(and many other ordinances). I know this is the true church! :) i love it so much!!

a la obra!

con amor,

Hermana Jaeger

Week 1 MTC ~ "Its going to change me and strengthen my life"

Hola-

Last week this is what I memorized:  “Las familias son una parte central del plan de Dios.” (Families are a central part of Gods plan) 

I am so grateful for the love, support and sacrifice that has been made in my behalf. 

(Me and my COUSIN)

We honestly sacrifice so much to be a missionary, but it is so wroth it!  This mission is going to change and strengthen my life.  I learned that the way we serve our mission is the way we live our lives.  If you serve with all your heart, might, mind and strength, then it will be harder to go home than it was to leave home.

(My District and Amazing Zone Leaders)

(Me and Friends from home Elder Finnie and Sister Wright)

(So excited to see more of my friends Elder Escobar and Elder Holding)

Always remember that it is the Lords Mission and not ours.  So remember to be selfless not selfish.  No one can ever deny the amazing spirit here at the MTC.  I became homesick the first few days, but then when Sunday came, I was renewed of why I chose to serve a mission.  I couldn't think of a better way to serve my Lord than through serving him in my fullest capacity, giving him my everything.

(That's where I'm going ... Kennewick Washington)
Prepare now.  There is no better time for anything than to prepare now!!! Once you enter the Mission don’t look back, look forward because that is where you and your heavenly Father wants you to be. No one ever said it would be easy, they all say “it gets better”, but really I feel we just get used to it.  I love serving a mission.  There is no better way to be closer to God, besides the temple.

(Yes, I was happy to go for a walk across the street to the temple)

Always say your prayers!  Learning a new language is difficult.  Be strong and be prepared. I got a comforting message that it comes a little bit everyday.  Not all at once. I can testify that thru prayer anything is possible.  The spirit is amazing.  We must first understand the language of the spirit and then the real language comes to us.  I learned this also, “Obedience brings forth blessings, but exact obedience brings forth miracles.”  I love this saying!  It is so true!

(Yes I did fall asleep .. It was a long class)

I have such a strong testimony and love for the gospel. 

Amor, Hermana Kelsey Jaeger

(I get to see my best friend (sister) every day.  
God knew we needed to be near each other in the MTC)

Goodbyes & Drop Off

 

Driving to the MTC

Goodbyes at the Provo Temple

Saw Elder Finnie as we drove in.  

Look at all those Host Missionaries there to help and greet!

"God be with you 'till we meet again"