Do we still look like sunshine?

Welcome, welcome Monday morning!

This has been quite the week. Well, it's been more like two and boy, does it feel like it! My compañera and I received the wonderful blessing of getting what you would call "the common cold" this week as we brought it to a close feeling rather ironically like Job. We lost six investigators, found no one new, taught two lessons, and lost our health. What a time. However, this has been a great opportunity for me to once again reflect on why I'm here and what I'm doing. We came around to Friday as our hundredth lesson was canceled and we sat reading through preach my gospel, chapter nine, for any ideas we could implement again to try and find people to teach.

Upon getting home you could say I was more than a little frustrated. Not discouraged, but frustrated. I've learned that with everything that comes you actively have to choose whether or not you have faith that this was/is in God's plan or not. Do I believe there are people ready and prepared to receive us? Do I believe that even though I haven't seen any fruits that I am doing His will? This has been the hard one for me. Recognizing that just because things don't work out doesn't mean we did something wrong or didn't follow the Spirit. It's having a little faith in yourself and your ability to do the will of the Lord while realizing that sometimes His will does not always lead to instant harvesting. "I'm responsible for the efforts; the Lord is responsible for the results" (credit: grandpa).

I wasn't happy this week. I was very much not happy actually. But then I realized I was choosing to not be happy because of this this or this and that, if I had a little faith, I could move on and choose joy. So that's where the new goal comes in: show our faith through our positivity. Throwback to when me and Hermana Ashford were first companions and I said to myself, "Wow, she is so happy. You better step it up on the happiness or this is going to be a rough journey down a long road." Haha! She taught me how to be happy! And we really were so happy. I let some of that joy slip a little. Now why would I do that?? That's dumb, it's "the only intelligent thing to do" (in the words of the author of The Fourth Missionary) to choose joy cause otherwise I don't think any of us will ever make it out of here as who we are supposed to become! My invitation for you is to reevaluate. Look at where you are and decide if you are choosing to have as much joy in this time and this life as you can. Are you choosing to live being a little happy when the Lord would have us live every day joyfully? Why wait til heaven for happiness when you can have it now? :)

One of the things that brought us joy this week was when we went and heart attacked one of our most awesome member families!  The awkward part was when we were about to leave and they caught us! They ended up inviting us in and giving us pizza and cake while we sang happy birthday to their son and heard about their conversion story. They're awesome. The not-so-fun part was walking the *cue Sister Platt* "TWO miles!" home because there were no buses for 30-40 minutes at that time. But hey, at least we got a good speed walking workout in ;)

We also got a new ward mission leader! Hermano Montoya! We are so excited to get the member missionary work rolling. Speaking of member missionary work, we took Hermana Herrera out with us to a lesson we had set. Fell through. She insisted on getting us lunch where we got to hear about her family and converting to the church. After lunch we tried to find another one of our less actives. That too fell through. When we left, Hermana Herrera said, "as long as you have tried you have not failed...President Hinckley said that." It was such a little blessing for me at that moment for her to say in effect, "even though none of your plans worked out, I know you're doing all you can" and it was comforting to know she didn't think we were failures because our lessons fell through and we once again found ourselves on plan F.

Zone #1

This week also included zone training meeting and stake conference. At stake conference two of the return missionaries in our ward also spoke and talked about member missionary work a bit so that was great. Get everyone on board with that one!! And zone training... I love our zone. We got some great instruction at zone training and I felt the Spirit a lot. It was one of the better days of the week (other than that was the day I got sick too, haha). It was great to get to see the other missionaries...also at stake conference, I got to see all the other missionaries I love who are serving in Brooklyn so that was great too! President and Sister Reynolds were there and they spoke as well. Never passing up an opportunity to hear from them. They are just darling. I want to be like them :) We got to say hi and talk for a quick second before and after the meeting, but will see them this week for mega zone conference and again next week for interviews! Busy time!


Other than all that, I'm not sure I have much more... hopefully this week can be really good. We've got a lot planned and hopefully will be able to make everything align with what the Lord would have us do. We also have exchanges coming up this week, almost forgot about that. That should be fun :)

I hope all is well, I will end with one of my favorite scriptures (I say as I have literally hundreds labeled as 'favorite') in Isaiah chapter 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.  4 Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength:

I love you! Hope you have a great week :)
Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

When your lesson falls through so you eat the donuts you had bought for them while you plan...

Temples & transfers & very little "everything else"

Buenos días, mi familia!

Last subway ride together... :(

Today was quite possibly the most awesome day of my mission thus far, because today we had the opportunity to go to the temple with one of our members for her to perform the baptisms for some of her immediate family. I have worked with her for seven months now with three different companions and seeing the progress she has made and how far she has come is the most amazing thing. She bore such powerful testimony to us several times today and it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. I'm so proud of her! To be able to see how strong she is now and the faith she has is such a blessing.

First day selfie

This week has been crazy with transfers and everything that has happened. *drumroll* My new compañera is Hermana Platt! She is from Arizona and came in with Hna Voss. Funny thing is, Hermana Voss and Hermana Platt just switched places! So Hna Voss is serving with Hna Platt's trainer in Mineola (that's on the island --big switch from Brooklyn!!) and Elder Creager is out on the island somewhere too. Our district consists of us, Elder Oaks and his new companion Elder Nielsen, and Elder Weisler with his new companion....Elder Stoker!! Elder Brown just got transferred to his second area - he is Hna Voss' district leader now - and mis Hermanas Ashford and Spencer are in a trio with Hna Ashford's trainee in the Hamptons! Craziness.

New district #whydoialwayslooksoawkward 😂😂 #nimodo

We (my new companion and I) saw President for a quick second as we were leaving transfers. He asked how we were, and of course we were great! We expressed we had all been a little more than surprised to hear I was staying and to then also find the graduated-trainees would be swapping places. Transfer day came to a close after traveling through the subways with two big suitcases, a fun English class, snack stealing (not really, Sister Adams gave them to us) and a ride home from the the senior couple who teaches institute (the Adams). It was quite the day, and it's been quite the week adjusting to everything. The days just fly by and yet it feels like it's been so long since Monday.

We had district meeting Wednesday and got to know everyone just a little bit.  I'm starting to realize how short the time is. Six weeks sounds like a long time...that's only six Sundays! Yes, I know that's obvious, but Sundays go by so fast! Here we are already at the door of another! The weeks pass so much faster than ever before. I will hit halfway this transfer...slow it down!! I guess if nothing else the fact that time goes so quickly helps me to live everyday to the fullest and truly give all I have to give at every moment.

We had the awesome experience of teaching two of our favorite investigators the restoration this week. We taught one of our investigators and also set up for the English elders to go and teach another man in the same building - who the landlord referred to us (this guy is so awesome!!) - who even downloaded the Book of Mormon app right then when we told him there was a book...after he asked what we thought of the musical haha! Hopefully they are able to teach him and bring him to the joy of the gospel!

The second lesson was teaching the family Hermana Voss and I had found about a month ago on the train. We hadn't been able to meet with them in person again until this week for our first real lesson. We had stayed in touch through the miracle that is social media and we're able to set up this awesome lesson. It was amazing. I have never seen people so prepared as this family. They are amazing. We love them so much. The Spirit was in that lesson so strongly the whole time, but the moment we began to explain about Joseph Smith it just flooded the room. I know they felt that. I hope they accept it and act on what we've invited them to do and what the Father invites each of His children to do: ask Him and then act on the answer He will give to them. We love them so much.  :)

This week was pretty good, and pretty fast! Hopefully the next week will be productive and just as great! ...I was going to say, "if time could just slow down that'd be great", but I have accepted the timing of the Lord and His timing for me is speeding up. That means I gotta speed up with Him! If this is what He wants then it is what I want. Turn on the burners (as a World Cup host said in a game I watched probably ten years ago haha) and put yourself into overdrive cause this stone cut without hands is moving fast and it's not about to slow down either! Girding up your loins has never seemed like such a real and applicable thing to me as it does now haha! I hope and pray we can all choose to rise to the new standard the Lord has set and jump on board with this fast moving train and seek to do His will in all things. I love you!! Have a great week!!!

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

Ps. Also, we made our caramel apples on Monday but only Sister Voss has the pictures so I will need to get those later to send home :)
Pps. Ran into Riley Richards from Hillcrest at the temple with his companion and their recent converts. That was weird. We both thought we knew each other but weren't quite sure why! I asked if he knew Tayva and then it all clicked haha. He finishes his mission this month, crazy.

Everything else...
Lunes
Made our caramel apples #tookpicturesbutididntgetthem
Gotta get those pictures from Hna Voss
    - That's about it :) don't have them yet but we made the apples and they were ridiculously good

Martes
Transfers #ourlastsupper #sayingbyetoourkids #soproud #offtotheisland!
    - We finished eating our last meal together and then saw the elders a few tables down. They said it was their "last supper" so we took that as well haha. Also, me and Elder Weisler just kind of stood there as we watched them leave and then I told him it felt like I was sending off my children, both of them! He agreed haha, there they went, off into the world to be big kids. Hope we did all we could for them to be prepared for whatever comes haha

Traveling through the subways with two big suitcases #wegotthis #strongindependantsistermissionaries
English class #interested #maybeineedtobeanslp
    - This word was the tricky one today haha..."en-tah-ruh-stud"

Ride home from the Adams' #socool #gaveustreats #yes
    - They are the new senior couple who teach institute. They gave us treats. Then gave us a ride home. They are awesome. Also just super cool and fun so we love them.

Second day selfie

Miércoles 
District meeting! #WeislerStoker #GourleyPlatt #OaksNielson #districtpicturesalwayssoawkward
Lesson #templeprep
    - Had an awesome little lesson to keep her excited and preparing. She is amazing.

Elders' cool church tour experience #awesomechinalady #"she'sgettingbaptized"
    - We stopped by the church to send a few Facebook messages at the end of the night and were in the relief society room. The door opens and this lady pops in with the elders behind her. She apparently walked into the church (there were meetings so it was open) and started to look around so the elders gave her a chapel tour. They even invited her to be baptized and she's going to meet with the Chinese sisters this upcoming week! It was so awesome! After she left the elders came and told us about it and Elder Weisler said she's gonna get baptized, he can feel it haha

Jueves
Conference call #talkwitheveryone
    - Had our mission wide conference call and this was the focus. After all, everyone needs the gospel, right?

Weekly planning  #comingtochurch...??
    - Had our lesson and invited. We will be calling at ten tonight and nine tomorrow to remind...hopefully she can follow through on her desire to go!!

Favorite!!
    - Finally found her! Got her new number and are going to pick her up Sunday to make sure she can go to church :) also going to see when we can watch the restoration with her this week.

Noche de hogar
    - Always the best. This family are such studs. They are amazing. I love seeing their faith and testimonies grow.

Viernes
Helped with temple names
     - This was way fun! And now I know how to use Family Search better as well

AHHHH!!!  #bestlessonever
     - Already talked about this, but this was AWESOME

Sábado
Temple!! #brightandearly
Coming home: "corre para su vida!"
      - We were walking home from the train and this little Hispanic family was running through the crosswalk and this little five year old maybe holding onto her mom's hand yells, "corre para su vida!!!!" (Run for your life!) and it was the funniest, cutest thing. (Also, little kids speaking Spanish is just adorable anyway haha)

Pienso que eso es todo... don't have much for ya, sorry. I've realized as you get more into the routine of things and realize how fast the days go you just want to work all the time and it gets hard to find things that seem unordinary to tell others about haha. But that's another blessing, telling others helps me reflect and be more thankful. I'll try and be better at that. Love you lots!!!!
Mucho amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

And we got some pictures today at the temple! 😊😄

His ways are higher than my ways

The dog post haha...we always saw these signs on our runs in Dyker and
said how awkward the man was posed and how we would need to pose next
to it someday. That day never came and then we saw another one and
thought we had to take the opportunity haha

Buenas :)

Well, family and friends, our three months are up! This has been a fabulous final transfer with my darling hermanita and I am very happy with the work we've been able to do together. It seems the Lord always has something greater in mind when I think I know His plan. I will be staying in Dyker for another transfer and Hermana Voss will move on to her second area! I am so excited for her! Confused, anxious, and a little stressed (I feel like I'm sending off my child or something haha!) but very excited. She will be fabulous :)

This week was very exciting. I'll send my little "notes" email with some additional detail as well (including all the funnies haha!) but I'm gonna highlight a few of the thoughts/experiences of the week. First we have to start with last Thursday. We had planned for some weekly planning this day, but when we got a call from the less active mom of our investigator asking us if we could be at her house in 45 minutes the plans changed! God often works in ways that seem to be mysterious to us at first, but as we look at what He gives us with spiritual eyes, things start to become clearer. That was definitely the case here. Unaware of what we were on our way to do but "urgent and consecrated as we could be" ;) we somehow --through many a tender mercy-- got to her home just as it hit 11:30. We had quite possibly the most beautiful experience I have had on my mission thus far that morning with her. She told us she had been crying that morning and needed comfort but didn't know who she could call that would come. She told us she knew we would "always be disponible" and come "right away". She opened up to us immensely and the Spirit was there so strongly. We are excited to see what changes she will begin to make in her life as she nourishes her testimony again. It'll be marvelous :)

We also had another lesson set but she had to cancel last minute... but then we ended up teaching four lessons that day! We had another with our awesome two sisters-- wait! You don't know about them yet! So we taught them last Monday for the first time, then again Thursday. They are so prepared it is crazy. This, this is how missionary work is supposed to be. This is what a white field looks like. They are the most darling girls. They're sisters of less active parents and in high school. We love them so much. So we got to teach them last week as well!! Twice! After their lesson we went and had a lesson with our favorite family. :) we asked the daughter to prepare a little something to help us and it was amazing. Her testimony is growing every day. It was so awesome being able to visit with their family and help strengthen them. We love them. (Also, I have begun a "people I need to see when I come back" list, they're on it).

We also had the great experience of visiting one of the less actives in our ward with the elders. They were going to give her a blessing at the hospital so we went with and stayed after to talk with her and get to know her. She is so darling. We read the Book of Mormon to her and she said she was remembering everything. She told us it's been six years since she's been to church or read and us reading to her brought back all these emotions and memories, she hopes to be at church next Sunday :)

Just so much joy in the journey. I read a talk yesterday about how much more joyful it will be to rejoice together in the kingdom with those we have helped bring there --who have helped us in return to arrive. I can't wait :)

Also, we had the chance to meet with one of the sisters we have been teaching again this week! She is going to the temple!!! Goodness gracious, seeing the spark in her and the love she has for the gospel...it is just so amazing. She picked this Saturday for the temple (perfect, cause it's also stake temple day!) so we will be going then!! That also means my preparation day will be this Saturday, not Monday of next week, just so y'all know :) I could not be more excited for her. Seeing how far she has come and the joy she has is what it's all about.

This mission. Literally the best thing I could have ever done with my life. One huge tender mercy, for me, thus far has been that God has given me the opportunity to feel and understand maybe just a little of what He feels for us. Let me explain. We will do --and have done-- almost anything for our less actives and investigators. We have and will come running at the drop of a hat when you call, change our schedules to meet you, call you every single day at the same time to read with you, text you to remind you to pray, pick you up, bring you things, take you out, teach to your needs, pray and fast with and for you, we will literally do anything for these people we love so much. Why? Really, why? Because we understand how important this message is. Why are we so persistent? Because we understand the importance of bringing them back or to this gospel for the first time. And that is why we go to these great lengths, because we have something so so precious, perfect, and miraculous we want you to have and are doing everything in our power to help you obtain it.

...this sense of urgency I feel for the work has come with the great blessing my Father in Heaven has given to me to be able to understand a little bit more the real significance of this time now and it's eternal consequences. He has allowed me to better understand the sacrifice of my Savior and the absolute truth that is in the verse that says the thing that will be of most worth unto us is to preach the gospel and cry repentance. I believe that. I know that. I hope all of us can have the fire of the gospel in our lives and act on the desire to share it with others. And if you don't yet have that desire, pray for it! Seek it! Ask God to give you the desire and opportunity to share the gospel and I know He will.  I invite you to look for opportunities to share this gift we have been given and help God in the building of His kingdom. I know there is no greater joy to be found than in this work.  :)

I love you so much! I hope this week is great and that you got pictures of the birthdays!! Until next week when I have my new companion and district...

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

Just a little windy...

Sorry Hna Voss :)  #hairprobs

Everything else :)

Lenny's pizza :)

LUNES
AWESOME lesson with sisters #thisiswhatawhitefieldlookslike #bestlessonever #ilovethemsomuch

One of my favorites!!!
- We met with her for the first time in a couple weeks and had a really great lesson. I love her so much. Keeping her in my prayers always :)

Cool physician we met on the train coming home
- Met this super cool guy on the way home. He knew who we were as Mormons and had a few questions. He was really cool.


MARTES
Card making at the church #whentwoguysshowuptotryandgetinthechurch #andthenyougetscaredandcallyourDL #wearefine #keptthedoorslocked #sorryiftheywantedthegospel #gofindtheelders
- We were at the church and it's policy that the doors have to be locked if only sisters are in the church but then these two guys showed up and tried to get in and we were scared so we didn't let them in...they weren't members of our ward. Hope if they wanted the gospel they found the elders!

Hermana and landlord again! "Sisters!! You keep helping them, they need the help! I'll go over there and let you in!!" #mademyday #somemissionariesreallymadeagoodimpression #stillwaitingforthefruits #heisbasicallyamember #whyyounottho?
- This guy really is so awesome. He should just be a member already. He is just great. I think we might try and get his info so the elders can go and visit him again. Maybe after all these years he's a little more prepared to accept the message. And if not, still would be great for him I think :)

Teaching! #planofsalvation #fistbumps #bala-la-la-la
- We taught this stud family again and an old investigator of ours we passed off to the elders always does the Big Hero 6 fist bump with us. They're my favorite.

English class!! #iloveservice #myfavoritepeople
- We tried to help them learn how to say the word "stamp". You would not believe how hard that word is for them to say. I think all those years of mom teaching people how to pronounce things has rubbed off on me. We walked through every sound. Wouldn't move on til they got it. We'd combine a few sounds. They'd get it. Then, we say the word. "Estomp." Every. Time. Ugh. It's a work in progress :)


MIERCOLES
Last district meeting #hastaver #workshop #elderpavontestimony
- I gave the workshop of our last district meeting together. It'll be weird having half of the people be new...I'm excited, but it'll be odd.

#whenyoucanteverseeyourlessactivesorinvestigators #justletusloveyou!
- Ugh. Let us love you!!

Dinner with Hna! #favorite #anotheronewhosaysweneedtobeskinny #arewereallythatgordita?
- really good food but said she wasn't giving us rice because we need to be skinny and rice makes you fat 😂 (are we really getting that bad...? 😜)

Temple lesson!!!! #AMAZING #holySpirit #soprepared #vamosaltemplo #alreadyhasherrecommend #nextsaturday?!?!
- *happy dance*


JUEVES
Talking about the video the elders have of us at the noche de hispanidad, Hna Voss: "Seriously, I need to get that video so I can send it home to my family and they can see that I'm Hispanic now." #wemightbelatinas #pinkskirts #columbia #represent
- We danced with the Sociedad de Socorro for the noche de hispanidad and we're representing Columbia so we did a Colombian dance...in other words we all put on the skirts and just followed around the one Colombian lady who danced with us haha! It was way fun though! And the elders have a short video of it apparently and we were talking about needing to get it from them for this purpose haha

HOLY LESSONS. #THISISHOWYOUDOMISSIONARYWORK
When your less active mom of one of your investigators calls you and asks if you can be at her house in 45 minutes, it takes 35 to get there, and you're barely even dressed #YESWECAN #tendermercies #whywegoingthough? #noidea #followtheSpirit #gladwealwayshaveit #goingforthtocomfortandserve #wasgoingtocallsomeoneelsebutknewshecouldcountonuscoming #membertrust #somuchSpirit #prayer #hertestimonythough #saidshewouldcometochurch #food #doublewhammy #secondlesson #weallbecrying
- Our awesome lesson. This was all great. She also fed us awesome food so that was pretty great. Hispanics are my favorite. I just love this people. We will hopefully be seeing her again soon this week :)

When you have a lesson with your two new investigator sisters and they are just so prepared and darling it kills you... #planofsalvation

Noche de Hogar with our favorite family #restoration #holytestimonygrowth #daughterissuchastud #maybemylasttimeteachingthem

Did we earn our pillow? #heckyeah
- yeah we did.


VIERNES
When you try to take a picture with your companion and the wind blows your hair where it just consumes both of you...

That awkward moment when the address for one of your potentials is that of a Jewish synagogue #nottheaddresswearelookingfor
- yup. That happened.

"But soft, what lights through yonder winder breaks!" #whenyourcomptriestoquoteshakspearebutaccidentallygoescountryonyou
- this was an awesome moment that resulted in both of us dying on the floor laughing hahahaha

#notrainingcalls
#slowdayafterarealdayfeelsextraslow
#onlythreedaysleft

36th St sign... "life is pain, highness. Anyone who says oth--" "not with the gospel of Jesus Christ!!" #menarethattheymighthavejoy
- That picture we have of us at 36th street. It's supposed to say "wet paint"


SABADO
#lastrealdayofproselytingjuntas

[all these next few were on the way to visit the less active in the hospital]
#whenyougetonthesubwaylookoverandseeyourelders #really? #whataretheodds #whenyoursubwaycarlightsturnout #thatsnew
- We stepped on the train, look over, and there's the elders. Then when we got on the next train the subway car lights turned out. That was weird. We all thought we were gonna die for a second there, haha

When you see a nun and burst into sound of music and your companion doesn't leave you hanging #thehillsarealivewiththesoundofmusic #aaaahhhh #frolicsinafield #thishappensallthetime
Elder Weisler: *clearly gets reference* *beams* Elder Creager: *clearly doesn't get reference* *what are you doing* *why are you singing* *why did we get the weird sisters* *stop*
- This was great. I saw this nun coming out of the NYU Lutheran hospital and I turned to Hna Voss and started signing the first line of the sound of music and then she carried it on with the next little line. Now that happens all the time, but the funny part was when Elder Weisler got our reference and Elder Creager did not at all haha!

Lesson #scripturereading #sheisjustdarling #hopefullyatchurchnextweek #whenyouintroduceyourselfasyourcompanion
- Accidentally introduced myself as Hna Voss...wow we've been together too long 😂😂

When you go to do a look up and are walking down a dark street and seven drunk men somehow are in the exact way of your path and there is no way around them...but then God is just so good that He somehow makes it so you walk within inches of them, right through, between them all, and they don't even see you #tendermercies #notlikeanythingwouldhavehappenedbutgaveussomecomfort #angelsroundaboutyou
- That is pretty self explanatory I think, and pretty cool. Nothing big, I don't think anything would have happened anyway, but it definitely brought us some comfort and reminded us He is with us, so that was great :)


DOMINGO
Church. #primaryprogram #whenthirdhourisonpoint
#...lastweek?
No. One. Home.
Still planning on the temple this Saturday!! #tanemocionada #preparado #laiglesiaesverdadera
Calls... no. one. answers. #wannacheckthephone...? #noonelovesthemissionaries
- Sunday was Sunday...not much success, but a good día de reposo :) and of course opportunity to attend church and worship with the rest of our ward!

Pictures!!!

Ward missionary activity

Semi-annual temple trip :)

CCM district together again

Just a little bit of happiness :)

CCM Hermanas y companera

Elder Holland's visit and the mission

Everything else :)

Well, here's all the fun stuff!! 😁 ...in a very nasty format...I'm sorry 😬

Lunes
Found two members we have been looking for! #twoweekslater... #mostperfectchildyouwillevermeet #iwilltaketwoplease
    - they are my favorite. The daughter is five. She's the perfect child. I'm sold. We haven't seen them or been able to get a hold of them for two weeks but felt prompted to drop by and they were home! #tendermercies

Martes
Me: "How many sisters does it take to open a glass of salsa?" Hna Voss: "One elder." *finally opens it* "YEAH! ....it's like that final moment of labor."
    - pretty self explanatory haha! That was one tough salsa jar though! Took us a good fifteen minutes before she finally got it haha!

District meeting with ZLs
    - Elder Morris and Menge came and were "member presents" for our role plays to help critique us all haha! I love them. They are awesome. Also, fun fact, Elder Menge and his last companion (Elder Lee who's home now) were the ones who drove me to the mission office when I went home...back before I knew him. So there's that!

Lady on the bus: "are you twins?" #nice #haventgottenthatoneyet

Lessons all fall through...

Dinner at Costco #happyplace #gotapicture #sawamember

Investigator! #doorsteplesson #pickingupforchurch!!
    - dropped in on her and she was actually home! This was also prompted by the Spirit (as are most of the decisions we make) and we invited them to church. Guess what? Then they actually came!!!!

Miércoles
Referral!!  #realintent #comingtochurch??
    - This lady was a referral and we taught her and her son for the first time. They are great. She is literally the definition of real intent (we hope!) and was very eager to set our next appointment. We will be seeing her tomorrow actually!

^^landlord knew us #"youtheelders??" #whenmissionariesleftagoodimpression #somanysolidseeds
    - Her landlord was outside with a bunch of other people. Asked if we were the elders. Said back "with sandy" (the storm we would presume) that the elders came and helped him clean out some flooding and that they used to help him all the time. Said they even went home and came back to visit him with their families! Look at that :)

Hermana: "I used to make things really spicy" Hermano: "used to???" #dinner #mexicanbrownies
    - had dinner and a little lesson with a member family.  The food was a little spicy and so she told us this story about when she cooked for the elders once back in the day when they first were investigating the church. Her husband disagrees with the idea that her food is no longer spicy haha!

Jueves
Two Jewish boys after speaking to us in Hebrew: "*coming closer* are you Jewish?" Hna Voss: "no! Mormons!" #youwishwewerejewish #wewishyouweremormon
    - speaks for itself haha! We walked by them once on our way home for dinner and they spoke to us in Hebrew but we didn't realize it so we kept walking. On the way back after dinner they asked in English if we were Jewish. My compañera, the awesome thing that she is said "no! We're Mormons!!" It was great haha :)

Crowded sardine bus: "'scuse me, thank you, thank you, I'm not a size two!" #awesome #ownit #annoyingkids #heavenhelpthefuturegenerations #takingnotesforraisingmykids #inappropriatemusic #ihaveapamphletforyou #lawofchastity #theworldisfallingapart
    - this all goes for the hour that was trying to get somewhere; I forget where. This lady couldn't get off the bus and in her attempt to do so said the above quote. Also, children nowadays need help and I was definitely taking notes for what my children are not gonna be doing. Goodness gracious.

Awesome lesson on the street #isabel #gaveherabom
    - this lady was so cool! We actually saw her again and had a porch lesson. Hopefully we will be able to see her this week!

English class #creepyguyafuera #elderswaitingtowalkusout
    - we taught English class and afterwards we came out and the elders were there. They said there was a creepy guy outside who'd been across the street looking at the church for two hours that the other members had pointed out to them. Cause it was late and dark they waited for us to, in the words of Elder Creager, "make sure you didn't get followed." :)

When you live down the street from a Jewish synagogue and it's fiesta time #gettingcrazy #drunkjews #drivingbyblastingtheirfiddlerontheroof #tryingtoprayhere
     - also self explanatory. Some big holiday or something cause their place was pumping for about a week!

Viernes
*Studying* *hears thunder* *moves curtain* "oh, it's raining!" Hna Voss: "My guess is that today is going to be a little bit significantly colder."
    - see second note for Saturday haha

Under Pressure #queen #missmyclassicrock
    - heard this song today in our travels. Also, the grocery store we shop at has very good classic rock as well. Didn't hear anything big today when shopping, but they're on the right vein haha

#deeeeeeeeepclean #whenyourhousehasntbeencleanedinprobablyoverayear  #cleanlinessisgodliness #lovecleaning #neverthoughtI'dsaythat

Me: "Why do we always take pictures on bad hair days." Elder Weisler: "What exactly constitutes a bad hair day?"
    - when we were all posing for a picture after the missionary activity and I was standing next to Elder Weisler and said the above. Don't actually have that picture yet. We will work on that!

Elder Creager: "...that's the man's job. ...the man's job." Me: "What's the man's job?" Elder Creager: "The man's job is any job the woman doesn't wanna do." #iftheresmenialthingstobedoneinthehousewhobetterthanthemanofthehousetodothem? #thereinlieshappinessbrother #josephsmith
    - we tried to help clean up from the brownies and Elder Creager just kept saying xyz was "the man's job." When I finally questioned him on it that was his response haha 😂 it reminded me of the quote in the restoration movie by Joseph Smith when the Scottish guy asks about why Joseph does all these "menial chores." Probably my favorite

Sábado
Cold cold cold cold #lotsofrain

Me: "I got a lot much more better..." #whenyoucantenglishorspanish

Attempted findings #whydoesnoonewantsalvation? #theydo #justhaventfoundemyet

Simplified planning with the STLs #wedontknowwhatwearedoing

Cold cold cold cold #lotsofviento

Domingo
Attempting to get to our family for church... #gonnabelate??
     - we couldn't make it to her and they weren't answering the phone so we went to the church so make sure we weren't late and then she came with her family anyway! It was awesome!!!

#lessons #smellslikeabaptism #whenthelessonsareonpointforourpeople #ilovechurch
    - The little boy is eight and really wants to be baptized :)

FIIIIIIIIINDIIIIIIING #whenallyoursetlessonsfallthrough #anddontgetdinner #...again #justmissionarywork #buttheLordblessesyoulikenobodysbusiness #teachwhenyoufind
     - our lesson and dinner appointment fell through. It was at 5th ave and 36th street. We live at 23rd ave and 81st street. ...to say the least, didn't have time to go home and eat before prime time, so we ate dinner after nightly planning. But that was when we found the family on the train as well! The blessings just never cease!!

When your members really like emojis... #ghettophone #showsupassquares #throwstable #whenshesendsyoufiftysquaresandtwoquestionmarks #aaaaahhhh
     - we have really old phones. And they can't get emojis or text that's in other languages. A member sent us a whole text and it was just all these squares on our phone. We sat there wondering if we should just call her and then she sent us two question marks. We called and she just started talking and we were so confused haha! But got it all figured out :) (oh, and Hermana Voss makes the joke of throwing the table when we just can't even haha so that's where that comes from)

Weekly call in report #whenyourDLremindsyouyouonlyhaveoneweekleft #shhh #wedontspeakofit #bestdistrictevercomingtoaclose #bringonweek12
   - We better give this last week everything we've got! (And guess who Elder Weisler asked to give the workshop for our last district meeting together! Yep. This'll be fun haha)

Lunes
*working out* Hna Voss: "The question is will my next companion do morning workouts with me?" ...or will I be on my own for that one again...? #transfers #gettinganxious #allthingsintheLordstime
     - from this morning while we laid there trying to motivate ourselves to follow Bruce (he is the voice of the guy on this exercise app we're allowed to have. The voice is Australian. That's why we named him Bruce haha. We were having a rough time getting rolling this morning haha!)


Anyway, this is the fun stuff of the week! Hope you are doing well!! I love you lots!!!
Mucho mucho mucho amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley 😊💛

#bendito

Well hello hello :)

Sitting here typing this while we wait for our flu shots...soooo fun... anyway, week 12 is upon us. That is absolutely crazy. So sad... all things in the Lord's time. BUT that stuff all happens next week.  We've still got one more to give it everything we've got, so dang right I'm gonna make sure I give it everything I've got!! :)

This week was great! We have decided we are an all or nothing companionship. We met our goals for other lessons, less active lessons, referrals received/contacted, new investigators, and investigators progressing but then got nothing on the rest of our key indicators. Kind of a bummer some things we had planned to meet those goals fell through. 'Tis la obra... We were supposed to have three investigators at church and a less active family. Only the less active family came but you would not believe how happy we were to see them!! We had a lesson with the mom after while the elders met with the kids (the little boy wants to be baptized and we think the elders would be better for him) and those lessons were both so great!

We had two other lessons set for Sunday, both of which fell through. That was a little sad, but we were able to teach four lessons on the fly instead. One was even a Facebook lesson at the church. We will hopefully be able to see them in person this week as well! We also found a new family. Tender mercies and miracles all around :)

Friday we had deep clean. Man, we love a clean house. Smelled like bleach and soap everywhere but our house was finally clean after three hours! I don't think it has been cleaned in five years based on how nasty it was though...and we had already been doing some cleaning throughout the weeks... #cleanlinessisgodliness
It also rained all day Friday so that was fun! We had our ward missionary activity and taught everyone about member missionary work. It was super fun actually. Also, Elder Creager made brownies for the activity. The elders are better bakers than we are.

I need to apologize for this email, I am struggling hardcore to find words and thoughts to share. I think I went to the temple and after that it's just like, the days are just going so fast...I feel like nothing has happened since I last wrote you but then I feel like so much has happened! I feel like all I think about is the work and this is just my life. I mean, it's been my life for the last eight months, but I mean for real, it's just I have a hard time remembering other things are happening.

Everyone we meet asks how missionary work functions. We always say we will finish our time and go home, go to school, have our own family, and carry on with life. ...it's just...I don't know that I quite get it. I think I feel like this is my life and I don't even want to think about anything else. I've had a few people ask me how long I've been out or how long I've got left and I can't even tell you unless I think about it cause I just am not even able to track the time. I've thought a lot about what I want my mission to mean to me. Elder Holland said in his address to us that he wants our mission to mean to us what his meant to him. I want that. He said he thinks --he very strongly feels-- that he has thought of his mission every day for the last fifty years. I want my mission to shape my life and change who I am so much that I too reflect on some aspect of this time every day. I honestly don't even feel like I'm giving anything. I don't feel like I'm missing things, or that I'm giving a year and a half to the Lord... to me, this is a year and a half the Lord is giving me! I would love nothing more than to live with this kind of Spirit in my life always.

Goodness, I've gone so soft. I just read other people's experiences and I feel the Spirit so much and am so happy for them. I am so thankful for this time the Lord has given me to focus my all on Him. Nothing else. No other distractions. Nothing. Literally nothing else I need to worry or think about other than how to help in His work. How to help those I love. How marvelous of a blessing is that?? :) it honestly is not even a sacrifice in my eyes...I give my whole self and He gives me a new and better self and souls to rejoice with in the kingdom. Quite the trade! I have learned more and more how much our Father loves us beyond our possible imaginations. He promises us literally everything. All He has. We can have and be all that He has and Is! And the way is prepared! Literally every.single.thing. necessary to return and receive those blessings is given to us! The only thing we have to do is choose to take the path! Even the choices that lead us to choose the right path are prepared for us! It's kind of ridiculous if you think of it. Our Father has set posts with big huge signs at every.single.corner. to guide us (sometimes we call these commandments, or teachers, parents, prophets even! Crazy, I know!) and help us find the right way. I have never seen more clearly than I see now.

"Narrow is the gate and straight is the way"... so sorry. I'm getting all preachy here. It's just so simple. I cannot fathom the fact that there will be some of us who choose --even with our perfect knowledge-- at the judgement bar to settle for mediocre. The plan, the PLAN, is for every one of us to return to become as God is.  And the path is perfectly laid for each and every one of us to do so. I can't believe some will choose against it. I guess as I've truly sought to allow the pure love of Christ to posses me my concern for the welfare of every soul has increased exponentially. I had the thought the other day as we were planning for some of our less actives that some missionary somewhere could be doing the same for some of our family. I thought of how much I love these less actives and how much I love my family. I want them all to have this joy I have, but I know it's not up to me if they get it. I know it'll be in their time as they experience what they need with the Lord working on His end, but what can I do now to help in that? I don't know. Just love I guess. Wait. Love. Share when appropriate. And wait some more. :)

Aaaaaaaanyway, that was a huuuuuge tangent off in some direction, but this is what has been on my mind when I think about family. I think about you a lot. I think about my future family a lot. And I think, where will they be? Where do I want them to be? What can I do to try and help them get there?  One day we will all get there haha! :)

Sorry this is such an odd "weekly"... I'm going to send my notes with some fun stories for you next. Not exactly sure what this turned into haha or why I felt I needed to get all that out, but it just kinda happened! Oops :) I love you lots!!

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley