Where the Light Is

Hey fam :)

This was a packed week --we like those in missionary work! We had some odd fourteen lessons and have an investigator with a baptismal date! I think it is the strangest thing coming here and having an areabook so full of people to teach. Haha. It is a good change though, but certainly a change.

We got in touch with one of our investigators again. We were doing some look ups in her area and decided to stop by. After insisting on feeding us she invited us to her house for Saturday. It was the anniversary of her husband's death and she wanted us to come read from the Bible with her family. We sat in the car before going up to the door the day of and after a prayer geared up. We got out and Hna Staker asked if we should bring a Book of Mormon. I exclaimed, "Well, are we missionaries or are we missionaries!?" We got some. We go marching off to her house just down the street and pass this lady standing halfway in her house. I look at her and say "hello". She interrogates: "What are you doing here??" "Sorry?" I say. "What are you doing?" "Oh we are--" "I get that you're missionaries, what are you doing here??" ........missionary work.....?? She was having a rough day. But...we taught two new investigators in our lesson right after #bendito #referralsfromyourinvestigator #kindareallywantedtoknockherhouseafter #nexttime :)

It was quite possibly the most spiritual "regular" Sunday I have ever experienced yesterday. This whole week was just spiritually packed for me. It was really interesting. I came off of the week before not feeling the best but was trying to keep my hopes up. I just felt like I was stuck in this little rut and honest to goodness didn't know how to even get out of it because I haven't been that stuck that deep in so long. I think it kinda threw me. But, God stepped in as He always does. I got really sick about Tuesday and had a bit of a hard time functioning normally. I feel like He carried me through a lot this week. Saturday I felt way better and wasn't nearly as sick; today I feel great.

Friday came around and zone training meeting was upon us. It was interesting to see how the Lord worked with me. I feel like I can't express accurately how I felt or what I learned. All I know is He was there. And He is here. I remember waltzing around the living room a bit and I told Hna Staker I felt all anxious like before a track meet. She asked if I was nervous for my workshop. I said something to the effect of it not being my workshop but the Lord's. I said it kind of jokingly but was totally serious in my heart.

Zone meeting

It's really interesting how the way I think has changed so much with my increase in understanding. I feel I knew a bit before but didn't understand a whole lot. Imagine the loading bars on all these gospel principles are finally finishing and with each one it's like, "ding! I get how this applies to me; for real now!" :) That's how I feel about speaking/teaching/workshop-ing/etc now. I feel like I finally get how it isn't mine, it isn't me, it's all the Lord. I experienced that several times this week, where I was able to really "be still" and let Him work --and it worked.

So Friday was good :) I loved getting to see some of the other missionaries and things. We had another workshop on knocking given by a member here and then we gave our three breakout workshops. It was good. I enjoyed it. It was really cool to see how the Lord took over because every time I gave the workshop it was different. That was what I wanted. It was awesome. I have had a little bit of a hard time feeling like He is working through me, but He showed me a lot this week how He was using me to do His work. He just knows how to do it so perfectly! I remember earlier talking with Hermana Staker and we were planning for one of our investigators and sat there thinking what she needs and what we should teach. I suggested the "Because of Him" video and just a feel-good, Christ-centered lesson. We watched the video and she looks at me, "Why do we even wonder? Why do we even talk about anything but Jesus?!" In all seriousness, we thought about it. Do we keep Christ at the focus of our minds and hearts? Is He what we are always thinking about? The more I have tried to focus on the Savior the more I have come to understand His role in my life. I love it. :)

This has gotten a little long and ramble-y. I love you! Have a great week :)

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

Also the subject line is the title of one of the songs I kinda lived off of this week. It is great. Love you! :)

Response to the weekly question: What made you laugh? Uh...I dunno. Our zone was asked to do a musical number for a missionary fireside of the stake so we practiced it together after zone training meeting and that was hilarious. Haha. But...we have an elder who wants to be a choir director so he stepped up and got us all going, but it was a struggle at the start, haha! We also just made pancakes as a district and elder Ramos was taking pictures of us all so I tried to grab his iPad. He was really impressed with my grip cause he says I have really small hands. Haha! *shrugs* We had this extra box of Cheerios so we gave them to the elders and I saw this and they insisted on a picture. Haha.

Car selfie

They boxed us in

#13months

Fancy cars

Post-crash "We're okay!"

Hello hello, my wonderful family!

How have we been?? This was a unique week to say the least on our end. The first few days all blended together until Wednesday. Wednesday morning we were driving to an appointment and got in an accident which resulted in being car-less for the next two days. We are fine and the majority of the car is fine. They're "sending a human" to look at it today and decide if it is worth repairing. I say it just needs a nose job...an extensive nose job but still just a nose job ;) in the details of the accident God very much was a part, seeing as had there been even the slightest change in timing or speed we both probably would have needed to go to the hospital. Instead, we walked away with two little scratches from handling our detached headlight...ha #tendermercies Oh! Also, I liked this moment very much cause I just was talking with the guy who hit us and the cops the whole time trying to make everyone feel comfortable and after the tow truck came and was hooking up the car we got our accident report back from the popo. I grabbed a BoM out of the car real quick and walked over to the window and said we needed to trade. Haha! They took it and waved bye to us when we left. They were super chill. Following the accident my companion proceeded to make approximately 120 anger cookies that were then shared at the mega zone conference we had Friday. Haha! It was quite the process. :) 

"The popo"

Panera adventure

Seeing as we were without a car in the second biggest area in our mission, the sister training leaders were in the area to pick us up and drop us at the church. There we remained for those three days. We were able to keep most of our appointments through Facebook and FaceTime and still use our time productively, but being in that building the whole time was starting to wear on us. We decided to take an adventure. We walked .6 miles in the 12 degree weather to a Panera (that was the only thing even remotely close to the church) to get some food and have a FaceTime lesson with one of our returning members. We finished up at the church and the district leader companionship took us home (they live right by us). They returned to pick us up and drop us off at the church again the next day. 

Mega zone was great. We ended up singing a version of "Come Thou Fount", and I think it went pretty well. Also, our comp unity though. It's getting a little crazy! Haha! When they told us they were about to show us the new Easter initiative video we both said "yeeeeees" at the exact same time, the same tone, the same duration of time, and the same, well, everything. Haha! The video was awesome. I am really excited for this new initiative. I think it's really needed in the world today #PRINCEofPEACE. It's gonna be great. 

Mega zone

After our mega zone we also got the loaner car from Elder Williams. It is actually the assistants' car. *whistles* Yeah. It is a spaceship. We named it the Millenium Falcon. Yes. It's pretty fancy, a little too fancy for my liking. We were saying yesterday how they're gonna get it back and need to vacuum it out cause it'll be full of curly hair. Oops :)

The people we are working with are all doing really well and progressing in different aspects which is great to see. I had some moments this week that were really, really hard for me personally but have been able to change my focus and perception of things by focusing more on my Savior. I have found there is quite a bit I don't understand and quite a bit I don't know. I also found if I focus on what I lack I will get overwhelmingly consumed in it. What grandpa told me before I came back to New York came to mind: "what we focus on expands." It is so simple, but I have made that my thought. In those moments when I begin to get overwhelmed, I think about my Savior. I think about what I do know and do understand and that provides the opportunity for me to be still and let Him work. It has been pretty amazing to see. In one of my prayers this week I was frustrated and telling God how I wanted to be and felt I should be but wasn't...He listened to me and then prompted me to the scriptures again. He knows exactly what we need and when we need it, and there will always be times we don't understand everything. That is when we need to have clear in our minds how important the gospel of Jesus Christ is to us and act accordingly. 

I love this gospel and am so thankful for the opportunity I have to serve and grow and come closer to my Savior. I hope the next week is great and look forward to what comes for all of us. Let us all press on. :)

Mucho amor,

Hermana Karra Gourley

Mega zone...we are all dorks

Green bagels from the elders

They let me try on their sombrero

Happy birthday to one of our members

Revelation bombs & gratitude

Loves Hna Staker :)

Buenas.

In all seriousness I think this was the most inspired week of my mission. It was pretty awesome. Before I jump to it, you probably want to know why and where and who and what, with the whole shabang :) well, let us begin.

Why: cause spiritual discussions/tangents all the dang time and it's great (these will come in a separate email :) )
Where: Westbury #thatislandlifetho
Who: Sister Staker (!! My compañera !!)
What: ...everything :)

Tuesday we went to transfers and I got to see all of my favorite people again! It was great. I met Hermana Voss with her trainee, Hermana Chung, and we got a picture. They're absolutely darling. Also, she's a native. P.S. I'm a grandma now ;) I got to see Elder Creager. He is serving with Elder Broadhead in Richmond Hill now. Elder Brown is companions with my old zone leader Elder Thomas in Richmond Hill as well. He will be great. Also saw Elder Stoker. He is the district leader in Dyker. Such studs :) #feelsoproud

Hnas Voss & Chung (trainee is training)

I got to have a few minutes with all of my favorites... there was so much going on, it was crazy. Haha. I talked with Hermana Spencer for a good chunk of time after Hermana Voss left. She is doing really well. She also replaced me down in Far Rock! I was so excited! I could not believe she was going to get to go and teach and serve all these people I love so much. Couldn't be happier. She also speaks French so that will be great for the Haitians.

It was kinda funny getting everything figured out cause I've never really done transfers how you're "supposed" to. Someone usually has just told me, "oh you're with so-and-so" and then I go. Well I finished with Hermanas Voss and Chung and wandered over to my zone leaders of a week to see which new zone was mine. Zone eight. I flip around and there stands Elder Weisler and Elder Corbett. I'm in Westbury with Sister Staker, he tells me. Not gonna lie, I was pretty darn excited! It was hilarious our first day together when we almost got in an accident cause we couldn't see around this truck (not funny, we know..."what do I do??" "Uh, pray and go??" *prays and starts to go* *car comes flying around the corner* "AHH! DONT PRAY AND GO! DONT PRAY AND GO!") but right after we both just busted up laughing and we both said how good it felt to laugh. It's been a good week. :) We've had some great lessons and have some awesome people we serve here. I love them so much. We've got high hopes for this transfer and for this area. It needs some work, but we are ready to work it.

Hnas Ashford & Spencer

Our district consists of us and Elder Ramos (the trainee of Elder Marchant and our district leader) & Elder Lammi, and Elder Nielson (round 2 #dyker) & Elder Rhodes (Elder Ramos' trainee). We are a young district. It is kinda crazy when you now become some of the oldest but feel you just got here. Most of the people we visited this week asked how new I was to the mission. They know my companion leaves soon and so when I say I've been out just over a year they look at me and say, "oh that's great, you're not new, you don't have much left either." We don't dwell on it --can't say we don't speak of it, because it is spoken of, but we don't have to dwell on it. Haha.

This week we had a crazy lesson with one of our awesome young investigators. The whole house felt off when we arrived. We listened and talked and began to be able to silence the noises it seemed only our spirits could hear. Finally, the Spirit could be felt in that little room where we were as Christ was testified of. We knew a blessing was needed. The elders came and offered the blessing as well as a blessing on the house with permission of the family. After they left our investigator pulled us back into the room. The difference in her after that was amazing. You could see she was visibly different. Her countenance was changed, her light was shining unrestrained, and she simply radiated. She testified to us, feeling the Spirit we had brought and that she desired, uninhibited by anything else. It was an amazing moment. We had a great lesson with her last night as well and were able to follow up on everything following that powerful experience. She just radiates with light. There've been no more problems as before and she feels incredible peace. She carries her Book of Mormon with her everywhere and reads any time she has a moment. The gospel is true, goodness. I have never had so many witnesses shown to me that this gospel changes lives. It changes souls. It changes everything. I feel this with such energy and earnestness. There are people who need this and are waiting for it, even if they don't realize they do or are. The call to share this gospel is all of ours.

Amongst the revelation bombs of the week has been that idea: that sharing the gospel is so important. This is a gospel of becoming. It isn't about what we do, but what what we do makes of us. The commandments and the ordinances are the means by which we keep the gospel/law of Christ; the application. Isn't it awesome?? Seriously. I've seen God's hand so much this week. So many tender mercies.

One of the coolest experiences I had was I started a new thing. Haha. Now in some of my prayers I will continue the prayer, but after talking I want to wait and listen to what He has to say to me. Now, my problem is I get distracted and I can't focus very well on Him and what He is trying to tell me. So, I decided I would try something. Three times this week I stopped when it came to wanting to listen to Him and I continued the prayer writing. So I would write the prayer as it continued with Him and I would focus on where He took my thoughts to see Him speak to me. AND IT WORKED. It was so cool. I received very direct revelation and it really felt like we were having a conversation. It felt like He was saying something, then I was overly excitedly saying something and basically "the eyes of my understanding" were really opened. So there was that. :)

Anyway, this has been a great week and I have loved every minute of it.  We also had stake conference, which meant I got to see some of the members from Patchogue!! It was really good to see them. :) I love those people so much. Missionary work is crazy. That is all for this rant but it has been great. Love you! :)

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

Subject Line: Multiple Choice

STL Sister Steninger

Buenas :)

How has my fabulous family been? This week has been...crazy :) I have reflected a lot the last little bit and thought about...a lot. Haha. #shouldnthavetoldmetopondermore ;)

First things first, we got transfer calls this morning and...big surprise! I am out. My companion got called to train again on Friday, so Saturday we went to the chapel for the new trainer meeting. Elder Brown's trainee is training so I got to see him and we talked for a little bit after they all went in. Can I just say, we are all so different! You can see it. What a year in the service of the Lord will do to ya.
OH! And I saw my hermanita! Hermana Voss is training! I was so excited to see her. We didn't get to talk much because she had the meeting, but she will be just fabulous. I am very excited for her.

I've said this was a crazy week, capitalizing with a crazy baptismal service Saturday. My companion has been really sick & so for the most part we have been home for her to rest (I have been able to catch up on my Jesus the Christ and Book of Mormon reading, so not complaining too much). However, she was not about to miss the baptism Saturday! We taught this kid four times or so over the week and he was baptized Saturday with an investigator of the elders, as well as two member kids. It was just a big ol' baptism party! There were a lot of people there to support, which was awesome.

We taught another investigator at the home of our ward mission leader and extended a baptismal date to him. He has been really apprehensive about accepting a date in the past, but agreed immediately with the proposition of March 25th. We were really happy for him but, right after that lesson, problems and problems more have come flooding in. He's had a rough couple of days where we haven't been able to meet with him, but he is still holding strong. There are some studs in this area.

Our second counselor's wife invited us to dinner during the week. They are Ecuadorian and the moment she saw my tag she was only speaking Spanish! I ended up translating the whole night all of the conversations we had. Her little girl is five and the most adorable outgoing little thing. I walked in and she said, "I've never seen you before," to which I replied was because I was just visiting. She wanted to play with my hair and exclaimed, "I like your hair! It's looooong, and curly..." I told her it was just like my companion's and she goes, "Yeah, but yours is yellow!!" #yellowforthewin #hispanicsallhavebetterhairtho #buttheyliketheyellow #sunshine? ;)

During my mission we've never done much with the Skype/video lessons. That is something I have wanted to tap into a little more and this is the area to learn it! All of the lessons we had were over Skype or FaceTime. Part of that was because my companion is sick but it meant we were able to teach more lessons in a night than had we gone to their houses. I also learned that people are less likely to get distracted and off topic over FaceTime or Skype. I still prefer in person lessons, but this was definitely a huge help last week.

Love the Beus Family!!!

Also saw the Beus' Sunday! They are just darling. I loved seeing someone familiar. That was very comforting :) They had a baby shower for Emily Saturday and some sisters were loading her up with gifts and bags as church went on. I expect pictures of that little baby in a few weeks! :)

Seeing as my companion was sick most of the week, I had much time to think. In the blessing I received before coming here, the section of chapter ten in PMG for asking questions and listening were explicitly mentioned. I think this last week was a really great opportunity to look at myself and see where I am and where I want to be. The Lord has worked some wonders here, but I know there is much more to come. Thoughts about my "fire" and how to cultivate it for the purposes of the Lord were many. In all my study and pondering, I have found that I am rather like Peter and Captain Moroni in certain personality aspects: impulsive and fiery. Haha. I read through many things about both these men and found great peace and comfort in the idea that they had fire too and were able to use it for the purposes of the Lord --helps me see that I could do the same. Their ordination was to that of a much grander scale, but the principles are there.

In learning to manage and use the fire, I was blessed to come to understand more fully that the gospel is very simple. If we love God - if we truly love Him - then everything else will come. After searching to find how I could learn to use this gift correctly, that is what the Lord brought me to. That really all I need to do is continue. I think sometimes we expect these big new things that the Lord is going to have us do in answer to our questions. We think there has to be a different unique solution to every problem. That type of thinking can cause us to miss the truth when it is given to us. The Lord joys in plainness. And His gospel is plain. If we do the "little things" we will get there. Now, sometimes there are specific things to change or fix, but more often than not I find we try to over-complicate this beautifully simple gospel.

If there is one thing I have learned this week it is that the gospel is true. Haha. Really though. My conviction of the truthfulness of this gospel has never been stronger. It is true and it is simple. I found that there really is no room for half-hearted effort in the work of the Lord. I guess that would be my invitation for you, as it has been my own personal challenge: give yourself a little self-evaluation. Where are you? Where do you want to be? Who are you? Who do you want to be? What are you doing to get there and be that?

I love my mission and could never express thanks sufficient for the changes it catalyzes in me and my eternity every.single.day. #Livingwithnoregrets #Seekingtobemorestill #Giveme(more)mountainstoclimb #Countyourblessings #Hispeace #WhatdoestheLordhaveupHissleevethistransfer? #Thywillbedone

I hope the next week is just great --and that no more of my friends run off and get married #congrats! Love you tons :) have a great week!
Mucho amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley
...

Funny things:

Not sure why this was so funny: During a Skype lesson my companion asked how BoM study was going and said, "How has your BoM been reading?" I just died. Not sure why...it was late, okay? ;)

Also not sure why this was so funny: Had a three-way Skype lesson and after asking a question to our gator using his name I had a mild freakout worrying I'd said the wrong name. We were on mute so I asked --totally panicked-- through a smile, "that's his name, right?!" My comp answered, trying not to laugh, with a "yes", but we just busted up. #newtothepool #iwillgetitbythetimeileave

Dinner with the Bueno girls. #Ecuadorianfoodforthewin #whenyourcompcanthavesugar #soyoujustHAVEtoeatherflantoo #imokaywiththat #sixmonthstosexy #youmeansixmonthsofnoregrets #killinit 💪🏻👊🏻

"I dunno if the pearly gates swing or slide. We're gonna have to wait til we get there to find out!"
- My companion and I both went to the same Jr. High and knew each other there. This is something our seminary teacher said every time someone asked a deep question we didn't have an answer to. I had a lot of those this week and she pulled this one out on me. Haha. I know I'm not gonna know, but a girl can still wonder, right? ;)

...

Subject Line Multiple Choice Options:
#ideacredittomycompanion #pickyourfavorite

A. Baptisms and cough drops
- because every time my companion would cough a flood of cough drops came pouring down #whokneweverywomancarriedthose #thequestioniswhy #nowIknowwhotogoto

B. Yellow hair
- you know this story :)

C. Pearly gates
- to commemorate my too many pondering moments

D. A week in Rego
- y'all get this one pretty easily :)

E. Are we giving our all?
- the biggest lesson I learned this week

Sister Panoussi - companion for a week :)

Exchanges

Just because it's p-day