The countdown is forbidden

Hello hello :)

I can't believe it's Monday again so soon, yet so far. I don't think I'll ever get a hold of how time runs out here haha! Last week was a lot better. We taught eight lessons (yes!) and have some really high hopes for those we're working with right now. I don't think I can say enough how much I love this work. Me and Hna Platt were talking the other day about how when we go home we are going to be the best members when it comes to missionary work that the world has ever seen...the missionaries who serve in our wards better be watching out haha :) stuff is gonna get done.

As we are aware, Thursday was Thanksgiving! It also was my half-way mark. (Let's just address the subject now and say it is in reference to said second half of mission. Not 'bout to count down, no way. Just gonna live and work day by day.) Let's just say I had a lot to be grateful for. I think it is interesting to me how much God has been subtly preparing me for post-mission real life over these last nine months. Now the preparation is not so subtle and I can look back and forward and see where He is preparing me and changing me. It's exciting but also a bit nerve wracking, I don't think I've ever thought so much about the future in my life. I'm excited for it though. I think the one Christlike attribute from PMG I'm starting to get a hold of is hope. Now I am pretty hopeful for things to come, just gotta keep working on that faith one...and the trusting...and the patience...okay we got a long list, I know :) He's helping me with it one step at a time, just as He does all of us.

I hope we took advantage of the opportunity we all had to express what we are thankful for not only to our families but to our Father in Heaven. We truly have been so blessed. Probably the most important thing for me to always remember is that God loves us so much that He gives us all these blessings, and we truly depend on Him for all we have. When we remember our place...who we are as His children, we will want to submit to His will, express our gratitude to Him, and serve Him. He loves us, never forget that :)

One of the things I am most thankful for here is the opportunity I have to serve with such awesome missionaries! Thursday we got together with out zone and went to a turf field close to the chapel and played ultimate frisbee and soccer for two hours! It was so fun! Holy cow that was the best time, it was awesome. We played two games of ultimate frisbee and then one soccer game last. Now, my friends, if you know me at all you know that I have the hand-eye coordination of a...I dunno, but something that has really bad hand-eye coordination :) by the second game of frisbee I was doing pretty good, but that first game though...woo! Quite an abomination to behold haha. It was super fun and probably the best exercise/cardio any of us have gotten in the last two years haha!

After the zone activity we ran to our lesson! This lesson was so great! We taught about prayer and she's been praying every day, came to church, and is progressing like crazy! We are so excited for her!! The baptism for her brother was yesterday and that was just amazing. He said he felt so happy after, it was so great to see.

Also Wednesday we did this super fun Thanksgiving activity as a district. We made this little board and sat outside the church inviting people to write down things they were thankful for. It was super cool! We had this lady from Egypt come over and she said she was Christian and asked us to spell Jesus for her to write on her feather. We spelled it out for her and then she also wrote it in Arabic! It was so cool! That was an awesome activity. Super successful too.

On the way back to the house sometime last week we were waiting for the train and this little boy was standing there with his mom. His Spanish was better than mine and he was just adorable. We talked with him for a bit and then when the train came he exclaimed, "oh! Es lleno!!" Then when someone moved so he could sit he looked up at me and said, "quieres sentar? Siéntate." I was like no, it's for you! He was the cutest thing :) I love Hispanic kids. Speaking of Hispanic kids, another fun time, Thanksgiving. That was so fun, playing with their kids and talking with them was so great. She told us she made us traditional Thanksgiving food so that we would feel at home :)

Saturday night we also had some awesome tender mercies. We had most things not go according to plan and ended up with only an hour before we needed to be home. Not enough time to go see someone else, not small enough time to go straight home, no people to try and contact via messaging or calling, so we jumped on the trains to ride them looking for someone to share the gospel with. We ended up finding two. Bendiciones. It was awesome :)

This new Christmas campaign though!! Goodness gracious I love this video and everything about it. Random tangent, lds.org. I love this thing with a passion. I could spend hours reading what's on there, watching Mormon messages, looking at the Bible videos (if you have not you neeeeed to - they are amazing!!!!), reading quotes and talks,...goodness gracious I love church. Anyway. Sorry, ran off on this tangent though, but seriously, this Christmas video is awesome.

Well this has kinda been all over the place, but it was a pretty good week :) I love you so much! Hope the holidays were fun and not too stressful for y'all. Love you lots!! Have a great week!

Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

"None but saints can be happy under every circumstance.”

Buenos días from freezing New York, where we go from light jacket to parkas in under 24 hours (sounds a little like home, right?)

This week was pretty good, we started off with service at the home of a family in our ward. This was a lot of fun, we were able to help them unpack and build a stronger relationship with their daughter. She really just needs a friend and some love. We are going out with her tonight to get some hot chocolate and talk. We just love her so much.

Exchanges

The member trust thing was huge this week as we got to see a couple different families and support them and help them any way we could. We love them very much :) They are so fun. It seems like we are finally being able to get somewhere here. We've been given a few less actives as referrals from some of the members and are slowly seeing things pick up. It's nice when we finish a week and feel like we've really done something. I guess that's been the most frustrating part for me - looking back over the weeks and thinking, "what did we even do?" We had exchanges last week and the sister training leaders watched us do our nightly planning and said we literally are doing everything right, but yet we've been so frustrated. So, we had to evaluate a little bit. We decided we really just need to just be happy because we are doing everything right. We are both working equally hard for the same goal and so there is no reason we shouldn't be happy if we're doing that. Therefore, this week really is a choose joy week.

We had a lot of tender mercies and little things this week that helped remind us we really are doing what the Lord would have us do. Friday we had mega zone and a lesson, both of which were awesome joyful times where we got to learn and teach by the Spirit. On our way back to the church after the lesson, we kinda fell into another funk even though we'd just come out of this great lesson. We were heading home via the train and when we got to the bottom of the stairs to wait I kinda subconsciously just said a little prayer in my heart, "Give me someone to help, please. I don't want to focus on or worry about myself. Give me someone who needs what I need where I can give it to them." I looked over and saw this lady sitting at the bottom of the stairs. She was crying and I just walked over and sat down by her and we started talking. We were able to talk with her for probably twenty minutes or so before and on the train. She expressed her gratitude to us and we were really able to help her. We will hopefully be able to see her again this week after getting some of her info.

One of the streets they walk often "Now it's just bare and wet"

This moment was amazing for more than a few reasons, but the biggest one for me was what I saw after when reflecting on that experience. It was incredibly joyous to me to see that God has truly changed my heart --and is still changing it everyday-- where in my time of "need" I instinctively sought to help someone else in need. So, to see that my asking of God to help me develop charity and asking to be guided to do His will has been working is amazing. Haha. I've been asking for this, and now I can see the Lord has been answering my prayers. If we express that desire to Him that we have and truly submit to Him and just try, then He truly does change us and grant unto us the desires of our hearts. I am so thankful for that, and thankful for the opportunity I've had to see how the Lord is changing me and changing my character to become more like His. So that brought me joy :)

Saturday we also got some awesome news: the brother of our investigator (we were with her and the mom while the elders teach the son) is going to be baptized this next Sunday!! We met the dad when they all came to church together yesterday and set up to visit with all of them this Wednesday!! We are so excited. Also, Joshua told us yesterday they picked December tenth with his dad for his baptism! We couldn't be more excited for them.

Just remembered from Sunday, Elder Nielson, my compañera, and Elder Weisler were asked to give talks. Guess who got cold called when there was still extra time. Gosh dang it. It was okay; not the best but not the worst haha. But that was fun. Obispo likes to keep you on your toes.

There is also a stake Christmas devotional on December 11th that we will be singing in as a ward. We got to spend an hour after church attempting to arrange our baby "choir" (don't know if you can even call it that haha) into singing cantan santos ángeles. It will hopefully be pretty good in the end, I think we have enough members that we can make it work ;) it was also a fun throwback to the CCM choir days with Elder Stoker haha.

Anyway, I'm really not sure what else I've got for ya! Really the biggest thing from this week was just...just be happy. Don't lower your expectations, don't blame yourself, and trust in God. That's mostly what I got. If we really are doing everything we can to do His will then it doesn't matter what the outcome is, because that is according to His plan too. Knowing and shifting to believing is really important, I think. I used to feel like they were the same, now I know I need both (throwback to April general conference). I hope we can all trust in God a little bit more and know He is at the helm and remember the truth behind one of my favorite scriptures: "if God be for us, who can prevail against us?" I love you!! Have a great week :)

Mucho amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley

Wait...Is this a serious picture or smiling???? #lovesthesemissionaries

Apparently it was supposed to be a serious picture :)

Finally...Success??? (We don't like serious pictures)

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