Snow in April!!!! (Spring)

YES it is the middle of Spring and it SNOWED!!! Luckily it was a day that we had the car (cause we are currently sharing with one of the sisters in our district)

 

Well this week strated with a few miracles :) I have a testimony that as we choose to be more exactly obidient that heavenly father showers us with blessings! Like we set a goal of 3 Member present lessons and 3 Less active/Recent Convert lessons and WE GOT THEM! it was so great! (FYI these lesson MUST have a doctrine taught and invitation extended and 1 or more prayers) It was just so great that we got so many lessons this whole week!

 

We went on Exchanges this week I was priveledged to go with Sister Frost from Samoa and Cedar west was her first area! so it was pretty cool that we were able to go around and visit some people that she had taught in the past and that she was able to meet new people that we were teaching. Well it was good that she came cause we picked up a family to teach!!! the mom is a less active member and her children and husband are not members =D we were praying for a family to teach and I think we found it!!! Though I have not met the dad, but we taught them on friday and invited 2 of the kids to be baptised and they said yes! and the mom said that she would alsop like that but we did not set a date cause both parents need to give permission. Well another miracle about this family is that they fall in a ward where there is not much work happening. so it was great.

 

Ahhhh sorry no time to say half of what I wanted to and this PC doesn't want me to send pictures :(

 

Well here is a video you all should watch!!! And it is set in SA and would you belive it I know Felicity! Shock to see her there but I love it reminds me of HOME!

 

https://www.lds.org/prophets-and-apostles/unto-all-the-world/felicitys-story?cid=HPWE042314732&lang=eng

 

Love to you all!!!

 

All My Best,

Sister Karen Hollander

St. George, Utah Mission

107S. 1470E. Suite 304

St. George Utah 84790

United States

Howdy y'all From Cedar West

As you can tell my new companion (Sister Davis) is from TEXAS, Dallas. But SHE SIS AMAZING!! I love her to bits!!! She has been out 10 months and has a strong testimony of missionary work, she is a hard worker and we will be getting this stake into good shape by the time we are done with it :D I alway said I would NEVER say "y'all"... but think I'm ok with it now :P I think I am even getting a southern Utah accent with some words... hehe Only thing about sister davis is she struggles to get up in the morining we now at least have the car every 2 days but we are still walking alot and is taking a toll haha but its fun I am trying something different every morning :P

HAPPY EASTER!!! Hope y'all had a good easter, for me did not really feel like easter even though that has been our main message this week to all our investigators and less actives that we teach Being the Plan of salvation. It is so great to know and teach that Jesus Christ Died for us and was risen that we will be risen too! I love this gospel and the teachings. Please watch this video:

http://easter.mormon.org/?cid=HPTU041514694

Here are some fun things we did for easter:

We had a bit of a trying week. We finally taught a lady who wanted to learn more about the mormons and the female side of things (we met her at wallmart) well she ended up being a tough one to teach she had so many questions and concerns her basic need is to find true Joy (and we were both like we have the answer!) but she kept on asking just doctrinal questions of how the holy ghost speaks to us etc and who is is and all sorts but hardly gave us a chance to answer before she started bible bashing very subtly but still was not an environment where she was sufficiently humble enough to hear what we have to say. After an hour of hearing such weird views and doctrine we eventually taught the restoration using the pamphlet then she tells us no one listened to the prophets and prophets are an old testament doctrine and Adam was not a prophet. well the best we could do was teach the truth we did know and testified of that truth. And I would like to tell you that I know this church (the same church that Christ had established) was restored by a prophet of GOD. His name is Joseph Smith he also translated the Book of Mormon by the Power of God.

Jeff Rohwer is another one who can testify of this book. Jeff got baptized this weekend! It was great (a little bit awkward but more on that later)!! 

He still is not exactly sure how he got from Texas to Utah and how he stopped drinking coffee and how is is now a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints but what he does know is that the church is that same church Christ established. He also knows that it is truth the book of mormon that he has felt the holy ghost testify of truth. He also knows that this gospel in action can change lives. he also knows that even though he needed to get dunked twice in knee high water (we wont go there) that he now feels CLEAN and can say that he now holds the priesthood power of God. He is so great and his testimony really touch me and my companion (yes Southern Utah does that to your english). He is an inspiration to me. He is 43 and divorced and he has searched the scriptures and found his answers. And I know Y'all can find your own testimony through prayer. But something Jeff said. "It didn't come the first time I prayed, or the second or the third, fourth, fifth, sixth or seventh but came through study and application and watching those of the faith."

I hope we can all think on these words, do not get discouraged when things don't happen straight away.

Here is one of my favouritest poems:

I know not by what methods rare,

But this I know, God answers prayer.

I know that He has given His Word,

Which tells me prayer is always heard,

And will be answered, soon or late.

And so I pray and calmly wait.

I know not if the blessing sought

Will come in just the way I thought;

But leave my prayers with Him alone,

Whose will is wiser than my own,

Assured that He will grant my quest,

Or send some answer far more blest.

Eliza M. Hickok 

All My Best,

Sister Karen Hollander

St. George, Utah Mission

107S. 1470E. Suite 304

St. George Utah 84790

United States

MIRACLES In Cedar West

This week has been great! Though I think Heavenly Father has a sense of humour and ALOT of mercy.

Last monday was FILLED with miracles!!! First off we went to wallmart and since it was the begining of the month I had alot of things to buy and Sister allred wanted to get a few things before she got shipped off to brazil so just as we started to shop we got stopped by some members who wante dto pay for our groceries but we had only started so they instead got us a gift card of $25 (now about R275) Anyway I decided to splurge on a few things thinking I will use my pvt card for that. Well when we got paying for things we got talking to the lady behind us and she started asking where we were from and things and her husband served in SA!!! next thing I know she has paid for all of our groceries!!! WHAT!!!???? Man I don't know what to do in those situations, except thank my Heavenly father for all his kindness. We then went for lunch at Cafe Rio and ANOTHER member paid for our lunch! The day could not get any crazier...

Then we taught Jeff - the one who told our ward mission leader that he wanted to get baptised! Well we taught him the first lesson and spoke about the priesthood and everything just made sense to him!! then I invited him to be baptised and before I could finish the sentence he was like -YES and strated telling us about his experience in the mountians! while reading from the Book of mormon - he has such a strong testimony even though he does not know everything yet, but he has bought himself a quad already and is loving everything we teach him. He really is golden and getting baptised on SATURDAY! he really is Golden and problem is he works every other sunday but he will make sure he is at church! he loves all that we have to teach him about and he also loves how we started off by saying that we may not have all the answers to all your questions about we will find out. He is well versed in the bible and has had many questions for many years, that he was able to find answers in the BofM

Otherwise the week was ok. We had our share of cancellations and things but yesterday was pretty crazy we spoke in sacrament and we taught in primary (sharing time) and it was good fun! I think I am getting alot better at not really preparing for my talks but rather just making sure I study everyday. though an outline of what I want to speak on helps.... (mind map) Oh we had 2 baptisms this week. Neither of which we taught. lol. crazy. anyway....

TRANSFER CALLS: So This saturday we got our transfer calls and sounds like there are going to be ALOT of changes in the mission!!! crazy stuff. So Sister Allred is off to St George tonight to fly tomorrow to salt lake to Detroit to sau paulo, brazil and will be in the MTC there for a 2 week "intensive language refresher course". My new companion is Sister Davis.... I don't know who she is but I hear she is great! 

Oh and it has been super nice and spring like this week. then we had a bit of a thunderstorm for 5min Sunday morning. and it is still freezing!

Oh wait tuesday was amazing!!! I had curry twice in one day!!!! First one we requested and a memeber made us Thai curry for lunch and the second was our dinner made us indian curry without me knowing it! What??? so good to taste those spices again. wasn't very hot but it was goooooood.

All My Best,

Sister Karen Hollander

St. George, Utah Mission

107S. 1470E. Suite 304

St. George Utah 84790

United States

Spring really isn't Spring

So Everyone has been telling us it is spring... Well I tell you I have NOT experienced it! lol The seasons here kinda remind me of Cape Town and PE weather MIXED.... Cedar is known to be the windy city.. and that is a fact! And we ahve often experienced all 4 seasons in one day. INCLUDING SNOW. Eish. But its all good, just makes walking all the more adventureous lol. Thank goodness I have a coat that does pretty good to ward off the snow. But the trees think it is spring... Just look at the Pop corn trees blosseming :)

Well the week has been pretty uneventful till we started watching general conference!! We watched Session #1 with a Non member couple (at their house - cause no one watches it at the chapel... not even an option to watch at the chapel...) and it was so good!! they even offered for us to watch the rest of conference with them! They said that it has inspired them to watch more! I really do hope they did - we had other apt and plans and so were not able to know if they did but we are seeining them on wednesday again :) This was the first time they had watched conference completely so was fun. I think I even saw him shed a tear near the end :) ahhhh I just LOVE Conference! 

There wer so many amazing messages in conference and I am indeed running out of time to tell you all about it. But I will say that there were a few things that stood out to me:

• When we share the Gospel, we should Keep it simple!
• When we share the Gospel we should remember the importance of FOLLOWING UP
• We need to ALL study from Preach my Gospel - Do you have a copy??? if not, GET ONE!
• Be Obidient! And Keep the Commandments
• As We strive to develop Christ Like Attributes we will find it easier to Keep the Commantments
• As we are more grateful and have gratitude it will be easier to develop Chirst like attributes. "Gratitude is the Catalyst to all Christ like attributes."
• What are your priorities?
• DO FAMILY HISTORY - it is also a part of hastening the work
• "Live true to the faith"
• Hel 5:12 - we all go through trails but they are there to make us stronger! as we build our foundation on CHRIST.
• Love one another - it is a commandment!
• Study the words of the modern day prophets

Just watch or read the talks again... 

One miracle after conference. Well first we tried contacting some less active and non member houses that we have met before and they are super friendly. And we know they were inside cause the lights were on and we could hear noises, the one they even turned the porch light on, but did not open the door for us :( I wont lie we felt a bit discouraged after that, we went home and then decided to start planning for today... we don't have a car so its alot of travel planning. Who can we ask to give us rides... Then we got a call from one of our ward mission leaders saying that one potential investigator had a spiritual experience last week and asked him what are the requirements for baptism!!! WHAT??? And so set up a time for us to teach him tonight! We are sooo excited! but his schedule is crazy, but we are going to make it work.

Oh and we have 2 baptisms this week... for people we have not taught, the one kid only wanted to be taught by elders. and the other was taught in Colorado cause that is where he lives but wants to get baptized here where he knows people.

Good times.

Well let me know what you thought about conference. And what goals you have set?

I cannot wait for the ensign to come out :D

All My Best,

Sister Karen Hollander

St. George, Utah Mission

107S. 1470E. Suite 304

St. George Utah 84790

United States