Life in Huntington

So this week was FULL of ups and downs. Unfortunately more downs than ups. We have too many appointments cancel this week. School started this week and so things were a bit crazy for everyone. But I think things will smooth over with everyone starting to get into a routine.

We started the week with a high! W have been teaching this one boy: Hunter (9) who is in foster care with his aunt and uncle. We found out on Monday that his birth-mother's right had been terminated. Hunter really wants to get baptized! And well we are still unfamiliar with all the rules and stuff with adoptions but if the mom doesn't say anything to get her rights back (which we are all doubting she will) He will be adopted on the 24th of sept. And they are planning to do the sealing ASAP after this and the baptism!!! Hunter also cannot wait to be a part of their family! I really do think that all will work according to plan :) they will be sealed as a family by the end of Sept!!! And I am pretty sure that we will be able to go! It is just so great for us to teach hunter he is an outstanding kid! he tells us all these RANDOM things that goes off topic and you would think that he is not listening. Then you would ask him what he understood about the lesson and he would recite it all back to you. We love mondays cause we get to teach him!! 

So Tuesday we had a few cancellations but we were able to tract a bit in Elmo and contact some referrals (we don't get out to Emlo too often - like the members say there are 2 wards in elmo. The active ward and the inactive ward - if you did not catch the joke.. there is only one ward there. but half the members are inactive.) We did not find much success but we did get a few great pictures! (Sister Schneider hijacks my camera and takes pretty much all the pictures) which makes the battery die pretty quickly - esp since it always sounds like it is dying when it starts up. 

So it was pretty sad when we got to this house and offered service and were able to feed calfs with a bottle... we only got one of sister schneider.... so please know I was there too!!! PROMISE!!!! feeding them with goats milk - got to watch them milk the goat too. pretty cool.

Tim & Kelly have really been a blessing and one of our highlights in our week!!! I love them so much!!! Tim has been clean of meth and alcohol for about 7 days now I think. We met with them twice last week. The first time was very strange because he was not the same bubbly man we met the first time. But he attributed this to him giving up these harmful substances. We taught the restoration and it was great! (just a bit different because we were able to clearly go through and teach the whole lesson.) When we invited them to read the Book of mormon they agreed! And said that they already believe it is true, but we committed them to read it again! He has not been able to sleep too well with his withdraw from the drugs. But to our surprise and "great astonishment" he used that time to read the scriptures and was in 1 Nephi 8 when we got to them two days later. and he had questions!!! GOOD questions! so we read with them and tried to answer them =D They also came to church on sunday and they are progressing really well! 

So a funny happening: So there was a couple that my trainer and I taught in Fredonia and reactivated that were getting sealed on thursday. Sister Allen was the one who did the corresponding and invited me along. she got all the details of when it was happening and things. Well I put alot of trust in her and we both got permission to go to the sealing. When we were teaching them they always aspired to go to the Manti temple. And said that was where it was going to happen. Well on thursday we got to the Manti temple, and they were not on the list.... we started to panic and were going through all the details in our heads... everything lead to Manti. Well turns out they got sealed on thursday at 10 40. In St George Temple. My trainer is actually serving in St. George right now. So it was a crazy mix up and she had to get a ride to come all the way up to manti. It was crazy. We ended up doing some initatories and saw the famous spiral staircase (we might as well since we are there) But just taught me to triple heck plans.... espicially when there are 2 temples in your mission.

Huntington Canyon:

Manti Temple:

Saturday was a crazy day. Almost every appointment cancelled!!! and we didn't find ANY success. Then we decided to knock on some random doors near one of our investigators..... and found a real Anti house. We didn't say a word and we had this couple shouting and swearing and cursing us and threatening to call the cops on us. (which would not help cause all the cops are pretty much Mormon in this town.) But it really upset me. and broke my heart to find some people so against the church. :(

Well this week has been pretty crazy and so both sister schneider and I have been falling behind in our book of mormon reading - but at least I think I am reading it a lot faster than I would have ever done at any time in my life! Just watched this great Mormon Message about the Book of Mormon I agree with Pres Monson - If you have not read the Book of Mormon - READ IT!

Oh PS Its been a rainy week and I think sister Schneider is cursed for always walking in the mud :P Have a mentioned that she HATES the rain! with a passion!

Have a great week! Hope to hear from y'all soon.

All My Best,

Sister Karen Hollander

Utah, St George Mission

881 South River Road

St. George Utah, 84790

United States

Castle Valley Pageant

Good Morning Friends and Family!!

I definitely think this week was better than last week, but still a slow week. 

High light of the week was definitely the Castle Valley Pageant! It is a Pageant about the Pioneers and how they ended up in this area. It was real fun. As missionaries we went up to great people as they came in to the little village where they were able to see how to shoe a horse, how to make butter, how to make honey candy, how to make a "prairie diamond ring" from a hose shoe nail, how to milk a cow, taste food from a dutch oven, how to quilt, how to make a rug out of rags, also got to watch a black smith at work. It was highly informative and real fun to be a part of and good practice to talk to everyone! Though we did not have too much success in getting any referrals we did meet people from all over Utah. the first night that we went (friday - the 2nd last night) there was a general authority there so we got to meet Elder Schwitzer of the second quorum of the 70 :) he is a great down to earth man - so is his wife. and was cool when we knew a common man - Elder Golden :)

Well the Pageant itself was amazing! it really helped me grow closer to the pioneers. I don't think I have ever really had strong feeling for them, yes I know what trails and struggles they went though but this was even after the big struggles to utah, this was just from San peak county to Emery county. (Just over the Mountain) and there were MANY trails and struggles but it was good to get closer to them. The spirit was STRONG. And we also got to have a few laughs. It was an interesting experience though when they paid tribute to the Utah and American Flags as well as all the different militray divisions... But it was fun.

One thing that I am finding on my mission is that as we teach others their questions of the gospel can strengthen our own testimonies as we study them out and try to learn and grow from them. But we need to come to know for ourselves that is true. In all aspects. Also in Zone Training this week something struck me. There is an elder in our Zone that didn't like numbers too much and he has been out on his mission for 20months. I also don't like numbers too much because it is embarrasing when you have to "return and report" numbers that you were not able to acheive. But he was challenged by his district leader to pray about it - and find out for himself - through the spirit - the importance of numbers. And he told of an experience where his WHOLE attitutde and understanding changed - they were able to see miracles in finding new investigators and putting them on date to be baptized. That really got me thinking and I think I really needed to hear that. Our numbers have not been the best but I know that things are going to change and they can as we understand doctrine through the spirit. And thinking of alot of our investigators and others we teach - nothing is going to change until we find out for ourselves. Even Alma the younger needed to experience repentance before he had a change in heart. 

My challenge to you all this week is to identify something gospel related that you are stuggling with wheter it be that the book of mormon is true, or that Jospeh Smith was a prophet, or whether Temples have been ordainded of God. I invite you to pray to know if it does come from our Father in Heaven. And I can promise you that as you can understand these princliples with the Spirit that you can be stronger in that aspect of the gospel, and you will see your testimony grow.

I want you to know that I love this Gospel. I love having the spirit as a companion to me every day. I know that we all can sacrifice a bit each day to come closer to our Father in Heaven. I am not perfect. I am far from it. But I really want to be better, and that happens as we apply the Goapel of Faith, Repentance and partaking of the sacrament each week.

I love you all.

PS sorry the PC didn't want to upload pictures today... it wanted me to format my SD - NO THANKS.

All My Best,

Sister Karen Hollander

Utah, St George Mission

881 South River Road

St. George Utah, 84790

United States

11 Months ALREADY

WOW time flies by so fast!! I have officially been out for 11 months. This last week also just flew by! But I love it - most of the time, sometimes I hate it cause there is so much to do and so little time to do it in.

Today we plan on going out to the dessert :) Last week started off in a pre-historic frenzy. We went to the Dinosaur museum. This mammoth was found in Huntington.

It was fun times but I don't know if I nee dto do that again. haha.

We had a few good lessons this week and we have really been blessed with service opportunities. One miracle that happened was after dinner we decided to contact a few houses but sister schneider decided that we should contact another house (cause it has a great big beautiful American flag) and the man answered and asked if they wanted to set up a time with him.... Well WOW we were quite shocked, turned out to be a less active family that the bishop has been working with and the bishop said he would send the missionaries over. Well we were happy to set up a time, they are actually a real great family!! they have even offered to take us out to look for arrow heads and teach us how to do wood burning... I am really excite dto start teaching them. we just left a message about prayer and said a prayer with them. It was great we saw them at the Emery County parade in Castle Dale and then we saw them AGAIN IN CHURCH!!! we were sooo excited!!! we really didn't expect to see them because she said she has to work alot of sundays. But we were thrilled to see them!!

We also had a great training on thursday from our district leader on faith to find - our area has slowed down alot with finding - almost feel like we have found them all. so on Thursday & Friday we prayed specifically and faithfully for a new investigator. It was amazing to FEEL thursday night as I was praying that it would happen that we would see success the next day and even though we did not plan for this one referral we contacted her and picked her up as a new investigator! I am excited to teach her! 

I am also really excited for the changes that have taken place in the wards. I think this is really going to help us as missionaries. As long as the mosquito's dont slow anything down. It was crazy yesterday at one of our church buildings there was a huge swarm of mosquito's at each door. We pushed our way through! and got bit quite a bit and everyone was itching and scratching the whole sacrament service lol. And peoples bubbles were popped by others hitting each other killing mosquito's (luckily I had my lavender oil to stop the itch and make sure no more bit me.

So on saturday we were in the PARADE!!!! that was fun the elders had a float "Hastening the Work" and they asked us to be on another "Fishers of Men", it was fun we got to throw out bouncing balls haha - was fun watching the kids run for them.

Well that's all folks! Hope y'all are being fishers of men - helping every one out and sharing your testimony with them. From our training at our stake co ordination meeting Our high councilman over missionary work said this: "The love of Christ is available to everybody... Loving the people is a synonym to Hastening the work." and "We come to church to become better people, it is NOT for perfect people."

Thinking about Moroni 7:45-48 Think about how you can reach out to your friends in love and invite them back to church, don't judge them for what they wear to church. And for those that are not members think of ways you can continue to love them enough to help them make covenants.

Love you all! thank you for your love and support.

All My Best,

Sister Karen Hollander

Utah, St George Mission

881 South River Road

St. George Utah, 84790

United States