Treasured Treasure

 Hey y’all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

"Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine."

Exodus 19:5

I liked the idea that the Lord's covenant people are a treasure to him.

As I studied this verse I thought of the things I have treasured throughout my life. I thought about my old toys and how I loved all of my stuffed animals and dolls equally but I had one particular doll that I treasured and felt a bigger need to protect, Pinky Dinky was special to me. Not in a loved-her-more-then-the-rest-way but in a this-doll-needs-me-and-I-need-her-way. 

In Come Follow Me, President Russell M. Nelson was quoted, "In the Old Testament, the Hebrew term from which peculiar was translated is segullah, which means ‘valued property,’ or ‘treasure.’ … For us to be identified by servants of the Lord as his peculiar people is a compliment of the highest order”

This insight from President Nelson brought the term "treasured treasure" into my mind. To treasure something means to protect, value and cherish something or someone. A treasure is something very valuable.

At seminary I listened as the teachers discussed this verse and I remember them saying that the Lord doesn't love the people who have made covenants with him more than those who have not. All of us are of infinite worth to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, but covenant keepers have done work to be obedient to Their commandments and they have a special relationship with the people who have taken upon themselves the name of Jesus Christ.

Making and keeping covenants invites the Lord's protection and blessings into our lives. As we worthily partake of the sacrament each week we are entitled to the companionship of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost warns us of physical and spiritual dangers. The Holy Ghost can spare us from pain and embarrassment. And we can always have the Spirit with us as we treasure our covenants in the same way Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ treasure us. 

I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father and I treasure my covenant relationship with Them.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Heavenly Father loves you. Jesus loves you. I promise as you make and keep covenants with Them you will better treasure them and you will know how much they treasure you.

The Gatherer

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Last time I spoke of goats and sheep. 

So... chickens. not yet though.

Jesus Christ is my best friend. He likes to make metaphors and he is really good at it. He knew I liked chickens and so he put these verses in the Book of Mormon where I would find them. Some background on these scriptures; In Jerusalem Jesus Christ was crucified, he died, and was buried. On the other side of the world in the Americas there was darkness for three days, this darkness testified of Christ's death. After three days he was resurrected he went and visited his disciples in Jerusalem and he also spoke to the believers who had experienced darkness during the time of his death. These are some of his words to those in the dark.

3 Nephi 10:4-6

4. O ye people of these great cities which have fallen, who are descendants of Jacob, yea, who are of the house of Israel, how oft have I gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and have nourished you. 

5. And again, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, who have fallen; yea, O ye people of the house of Israel, ye that dwell at Jerusalem, as ye that have fallen; yea, how oft would I have gathered you as a hen gathereth her chickens, and ye would not.

6. O ye house of Israel whom I have spared, how oft would I gather you as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, if ye will repent and return unto me with full purpose of heart. 

Perhaps you are in some kind of darkness now. Perhaps my friend, Jesus, left these verses for you too.

Mama chickens gather their chicks under their wings to protect and comfort them. Jesus Christ gathers us to protect and comfort us. What would it be like to receive a hug from Jesus Christ?

I would feel protected, comforted, and loved. I get to feel that way when I read the scriptures and when I partake of the sacrament and when I attend the temple. Sometimes I even get to feel that way when I see some chickens, because even they point us to Jesus Christ. If you feel like you are in darkness I promise that Jesus Christ is the light as you turn to him you will feel his protection, comfort, and love.

This week I participated in a companionship study exchange. Rather than going on a 24 hour exchange with one of the sisters in the zone like teaching missionaries do, I had a study exchange. The sister I met with helped me feel like Jesus was giving me a hug. I was inspired by her faith and her devotion to Jesus Christ. I wasn't having the best day but she demonstrated Christ-like love that lifted my spirit and gave me hope. I felt seen, I felt gathered.

Happy Easter dearest friends! My friend Jesus, and I love you very much!

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Jesus is light. He is also a chicken, symbolically not literally. He loves you and wants to gather you in the same way mama chicks gather baby chicks under there wings to protect them. Let him protect you.

I ♥️ Goats & Lambs

 Hey y’all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Here are some fun and silly things that have happened lately:

• Someone brought three baby goats to seminary. It’s one of the best things that’s ever happened in my life. I would like a pet goat when I have my own house and have money for goats and such things.

• Also, at seminary a student brought baby quail. I babysat said quail while the student was in class. They’re smelly but cute.

• And of course, also at seminary a student brought her pet lovebird and while she was standing behind me she threw it at me and it landed on my shoulder. I am very proud of myself for not getting startled because I knew someone threw something at me from behind me and then it was a living thing and that was a lot of emotions in under ten seconds.

• I was informed that I have a cute shoulder shrug. This is particularly kind because my shoulder shrug is kind of awkward, but in a charming way, I guess.

• While I was at YSA activity I was talking to some peers, except they spoke a decent amount of english and I spoke a tiny bit of spanish and so we had some communication struggles but it was still really fun. One of the Spanish speakers said something and he pointed at his eyebrows and motioned at me, whatever he said was in Spanish so I was confused then, someone kindly translated informing me that what he said was, “I like the way she talks with her eyebrows.” 

Here are some service, not, like, fails from lately but not, like, successes is either:

• While visiting the patient I see in hospice who has dementia and is experiencing memory issues she was very worried I was going to get in trouble for being there despite my being there every week. Also, she thought that the people taking care of her were running a scam on her and that they owed her money. She told me she would talk to her bishop about this. She asked me if I was going to just stand there, which is exactly what I did. I’m pretty good at just standing there. 

• Recently while leading a lesson in our adaptive needs seminary class one of the students was hugging my partner teacher, but it wasn’t a great hug, rather it was sort of violent, including squishing people against walls. Also said student had an ill fitting outfit on that day and so unfortunately there was also some… seeing of things one did not want to see.

I forgot how to transition, so, here’s the next part of my email. Thanks for your patience.

The Lamb of God is a musical work by Rob Gardner testifying of Christ’s death, atonement, and resurrection. It was being performed here in Tooele and I knew a large number of people participating in the orchestra and choir. I asked my study companion to join me to go and see it. I reserved two tickets for us. Here is an excerpt from my journal about my experience with the Lamb of God.

“It is Friday, March 13th, 2026. I am parked in the Tooele High School seminary parking lot. Inside the high school the Lamb of God performance is happening… Something inside me made it too hard to go in so I am crying in my car. And, I can’t quite tell what’s wrong but I am overwhelmed by a feeling testifying to me that Jesus Christ has felt the way I feel.”

That evening I had been experiencing some anxiety and there were tiny inconveniences that made me feel a little worse and then a little more worse, and then I felt paralyzed. Anxiety is silly, funny because you know the problems you’re experiencing are not life threatening but you also know that you feel like they are. In the end I never made it to the performance but I did learn about Christ’s death, atonement, and resurrection.

I sat in the seminary parking lot for a long time and cried quite a bit. Even though no one else was in the car with me, I felt my Savior nearby. In the car I watched this video. 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/childrens-bible-videos/2016-05-005-the-atonement?lang=eng 

As I watched it I still cried and I still felt the grasp of anxiety but it also gave me hope and peace. I know that the peace and hope I experienced didn’t come from watching a video, those feelings came from Jesus Christ.

I also came across these scriptures:

Romans 8: 38-39

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I have a lot of confidence in Jesus Christ. I am confident in His love. I am confident he knows me and has helped me and will continue to help me. I am confident the Savior knows you and loves and has helped you and will continue to help you. I am confident Jesus knows what’s going on in our crazy world and loves it despite the crazy. I am confident Jesus has helped our world and will continue to help and heal it.

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: Wow, this is pretty crazy, right? Good thing we have Jesus.

Cinderella (Sister Owens is not a shoe loser but she is a princess.)

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Regarding Cinderella (2015 live-action)

Once upon a time my grandparents took me and my sister to see the live-action Cinderella movie at the theater. I fell in love with this movie because of its beauty and the message of courage and kindness. I watched it yesterday with Cordelia. Ten year old me was quite impressed and frankly so is twenty year old me.

Regarding Courage 

Earlier this year I was asked to give a little talk on courage for a young women's event in my ward. Courage is described as not being afraid of doing what is right, but has also been described as doing what is right despite being frightened. 

There are many scriptural examples of courage including the two thousand stripling warriors, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, Esther, Daniel, Nephi everyone who has ever had reasons to be afraid of doing the right thing and has done it anyways.

I think we have all been asked to do good things that are scary for us. I was asked to conduct zone conference a little while ago and it kind of made me want to cry but I still said yes and even though it was scary the whole time I did it because I knew that's what Heavenly Father wanted me to do. 

I really love Heavenly Father and I want to do what he wants me to do. 

Jesus felt this way too, in the garden as felt intense pain and loneliness when he said, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42)

That's courage. Knowing something is going to be uncomfortable at best and doing it because you love someone. 

Regarding Kindness 

Once upon a time I had a constant brawl getting my locker combination correct in middle school. I want to say the lock was just tricky but no one else seemed challenged by it when they helped me get in the locker. This locker had me stressed all the time. Luckily, the girl with the locker above mine would notice my wrestles and offer to help. She was always so happy to help and she saved me from being late to class at least once a week. I'm so grateful for her kindness. 

I don't think she remembers helping me with my locker. I don't know if she remembers me at all. But I do remember her. I remember her kindness, her smile, all her help. I love her. Like really, I admire her so much even though I only know her from helping me open my locker nine years ago.

At the end of Hunger Games, Katniss, who's seen a thing or two and knows how good and how bad humanity can be, tells us about a sort of game she plays where she lists off every kind or good act she's seen someone do. 

There are times I like to play this game too. 

Kindness matters. Courage matters. 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: “Have courage and be kind.” -Cinderella 

Matthew 16

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/matt/16?lang=eng 

Luke 22

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/nt/luke/22?lang=eng 

Hunger Games Quote

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/10611020-i-make-a-list-in-my-head-of-every-act  

I wrote this bad poem for you. 

Courage and kindness 

If we had more

Night would be shorter

Day longer

Every kind act is 

Reflected back

Every courageous act

Leaves the world a 

Little more lovely

Amen.

Testimonies are treats

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Happy Halloween!!!

One of my jobs at seminary is occasionally teaching the adaptive needs seminary class. It's been a sacred experience to testify of Jesus Christ with these beautiful kids and with their peer tutors. Everyone in our class is so friendly and the Spirit can easily be felt as we learn together!

This week I taught a lesson about the following scriptures.

Doctrine & Covenants 124:2-3

2 Your prayers are acceptable before me; and in answer to them I say unto you, that you are now called immediately to make a solemn proclamation of my gospel, and of this stake which I have planted to be a cornerstone of Zion, which shall be polished with the refinement which is after the similitude of a palace. 

3 This proclamation shall be made to all the kings of the world, to the four corners thereof, to the honorable president-elect, and the high-minded governors of the nation in which you live, and to all the nations of the earth scattered abroad.

I explained to the class that today we would be making proclamations of the gospel to the world. I said we wouldn't visit presidents or kings but we would go and share our testimonies with some neighbors. 

In the spirit of Halloween I made everyone missionary name badges so we could dress up as missionaries. Then we went testimony or treating. Much like trick or treating you approach someone's door and then rather than saying, “trick or treat” you bear your testimony and then you are given a treat.

First we visited Brother Hardy, the seminary principal. We knocked on his office door and he invited us all in. One by one we each shared our testimonies. Brother Hardy shared his too and he expressed to us that we had made his office a better place. I could tell he meant it because his eyes were filled with tears. I could feel the Spirit too. We got our treats and headed to our next neighbor.

The next person we visited was Sister Legge, our administrative assistant at seminary. We approached her desk and she was happy to receive our class. We introduced ourselves, (using our missionary titles) and again one by one bore our testimonies. I loved the way that some of our testimonies changed from the little walk between Brother Hardy's office and Sister Legge’s front desk. I love how beautifully and simply we each proclaimed the gospel truths we knew. 

We didn't have any more neighbors but I decided to close the classroom door and I pretended to be another neighbor. They knocked on my door and shared their testimonies with me. Testimonies are such powerful gifts. I cried as I listened to their pure and simple testimonies. I’m happy no one overcomplicated their testimonies, they simply shared what the Spirit told them to share.

As everyone settled back into their desks I shared the following scriptures.

Doctrine & Covenants 18:15-16

15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! 

16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!

I closed my lesson with my testimony that sharing the gospel brings us joy! Everytime we share our testimonies we bring souls closer to Christ and we will have joy as we help others come unto Christ!

This Sunday is fast and testimony meeting. I invite each of you to ponder your own testimony. And, if you decide to share your testimony with your ward then I promise you will feel joy from bringing souls closer to Christ. Please remember we share our testimonies with words and deeds. Singing a hymn can be a testimony. Inviting someone to sit next to you can be a testimony. 

I testify that there is joy in bringing souls closer to Christ! I testify that Christ lives and He loves and knows each one of us! And, I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

I love you all! I hope you reflect on your testimony!

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: My service sites are better than yours and testimonies bring souls closer to Christ which gives us joy!!! Also happy Halloween!

Untitled 1

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

It's transfer time yet again. Previous to this transfer every area I've been in I've stayed for two transfers but this time I did what's called a one & done. I got my taste of Woodington & now I'm off to who knows where with who knows who.

Because it's another move I get to do a “here's what I learned from here email”l so without further ado:

♡ The white & yellow corn is the best. Corn should be picked/harvested before it gets too big and yellow. The proper way to eat corn is rolled in a stick of butter (salted) and then additional salt put on that.

♡ Communication is kind. I am still learning this. People feel good when you talk to them. People enjoy it when you share your feelings and thoughts. 

♡ People are so grateful for rain and that is so sweet.

♡ Okra is just the first two letters. No matter how it's prepared it's just ok. 

♡ It's alright to be struggling in periods of change. Some people call this wobble. There's a cool BYU Devo on it but mostly I love how professionally & seriously the word wobble was used to describe the feelings of fear and doubt and excitement that comes in times of readjusting and change.

♡ Learning to be a good steward helps us to better trust ourselves and notice everything the Lord has blessed us with. As we take care that which is sacred we see more as the Lord sees.

♡ The Book of Mormon truly testifies of Jesus Christ & His gospel. There are things that Jesus Christ has asked us to do and He will always, always help us do those things He asks.

♡ DEET ruins plastic. Plastic like name tags. Once upon a time basically everyday this last transfer I was getting eaten by mosquitoes so I tried a stronger bug spray, one with DEET & then it got on my name tag & the heat + the DEET = a ruined name tag.

♡ Book of Mormons can melt. My Book of Mormon that they gave me my first day in North Carolina leaves little blue melted Book of Mormon stains on the inside of my bag, my hands and my clothes. So in case you're wondering, a Book of Mormon can melt. I remember going into my first district council and seeing everyone's Book of Mormons, well-loved, well-used, and well, beaten up & I just felt so ashamed of mine and how crisp and new it looked.

♡ The Mount Olive Pickle Parlor exists & it's a big dill.

♡ I just really love the Book of Mormon so much. It's so simple and so true. Anyone can know for themselves if it's true. It might take some work but it's so worth it. As I testify of the Book of Mormon I just feel like I'm doing what's right. The Book of Mormon is the only thing that can really consistently give me confidence. The Book of Mormon points me to the Savior and the Savior points me to joy, hope, peace, charity, all good things come from Christ. The Book of Mormon is what points us to Christ and it opens the way for good things.

♡ Sometimes people communicate that they love you by feeding you food that might make you think they are trying to clog your arteries, but they actually do love you. And don't want to clog your batteries, they want to have a positive effect on your heart. 

♡ The Lord can and will use any skill and ability that you consecrate. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are perfectly aware of us and they are very good at making miracles happen. 

♡ You can't destroy the word of God. Our friend Eddie was baptized a little while ago and Eddie has seen miracles in his life he has a simple and pure testimony of Jesus Christ. He's wonderful. A few years ago Eddie's house burnt down. This was his childhood home. His mom would pick pecans off of the trees and he taught his son how to fix motors there. And then his home burnt down and he lost a lot. A lot, a lot. But not his testimony and he had a couple copies of the Bible and the outside of those bibles were burnt but the inside was fine. He likes to tell everyone that, “you can't destroy the word of God.” I know that's true. 

♡ I learned stuff about tobacco like how to recognize what crop it is. And that it helps with bee stings. And it's hard to quit smoking. 

♡ It's good to have neighbors. It's especially good to have good neighbors and to be a good neighbor. Neighbors are good.

Those are the main lessons that come to mind. Love ya folks! 

As a goodbye it felt fit to write one last Woodington poem. Please enjoy.

Where the people are welcoming

Open doors and open hearts

Other nice, uplifting thing

Diabetes because they can COOK & BAKE

I am glad to have been here 

Nothing quite like it

Grandma's and grandpa's found here

Talk a little funny but the love all the same

Okey dokey

No complaints

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: I'm leaving Woodington. I learned stuff while I was here. Yay!

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

MosQUITos

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

This last week just before a member meal I was the victim of a mosquito bite. Please also note that since my mission I've come to a knowledge that I'm slightly allergic to mosquito bites which leads mostly to more swelling than the average person might get. This unfortunate wound was on my forehead. 

It was huge. 

It was like I was back in a trio, with an extra companion that lived on my forehead.

Highly unfortunate. Next time I'll take pictures. 

Luckily the members we were with are really cool and one of them works at the hospital so she had me put fancy chemicals on the bite so it would CALM DOWN. And it did. 

It also feels relevant to note that I carry something called after bite in my bag everywhere I go because I live in constant fear of mosquitos.

If you know me you may know that I love a good metaphor. Even more than that I love a bad metaphor. My favorite bad one is as follows, “he was as tall as a 6’4 tree.” Terrible. I love it. 

So here is a bad metaphor for you all to enjoy. A bad analogy if you will, mosquito bites are much like sin. 

I myself sometimes try to overcome mosquito bites without any help. This usually means scratching the bites because then it temporarily feels better. But after I do that the relief is so short and the bite swells up more and it often gets more itchy. It can also lead to infections if I break the skin and then ick gets in there, which is super duper unfortunate and then I really really would need help dealing with it. If an infection goes untreated I'm not sure what all happens but it can't be good. And some of my past mosquito bites are scars now because I itched them so much. 

I myself sometimes try to overcome sin without any help. This usually means hiding, even lying and/or convincing myself something isn't a sin or just trying to hide it from other people or even God. But after I do that the relief is so short my heart breaks more and I'm even more afraid to ask for help, but I need it more. If I continue to this I might deny the promptings of the Spirit and I might start breaking my covenants and further distancing myself from God, which is super duper unfortunate and then I really really would need help dealing with it. If I choose not to repent I become uncomfortable with my identity as a child of God. I begin to despise myself, my God, everything. Some of the sins that we try to deal with on our own can scar us. 

What I have been learning to do when I get mosquito bites is turn for help right away. Put on after bite. After bite has fancy chemicals that decrease the swelling and the itching. Sometimes after bite can sting for 2-3 seconds but it is always worth it for how quickly it prevents other problems. If I do scratch the bite a little and then put on after bite the after bite still helps and usually I won't have any other issues. Sometimes the mosquito bites are more severe, like the one on my forehead. Luckily I was at the right place at the right time to get all the extra help I needed. 

What I have been learning to do when I sin is turn for help right away. Repent right away. The Savior's Atonement has fancy power that gets rid of the harm of sin and gets rid of the separation from God that comes with sin. Sometimes repentance can be hard for a very, very short amount of time but it is always, always worth it for how quickly it prevents other problems and heals us from the original sin. If I do procrastinate repenting from the sin a little and then repent the repentance still brings so much relief and the repentance prevents other problems related to the sin. Sometimes our sins are more severe, but the Lord has ways for us to get the extra help we need. We can always talk to our bishop or mission President or someone we trust to get the extra care we need to heal and to repent.

The best thing I can do for mosquito bites is put on bug spray. I'd like to say I have bug spray on all the time so the mosquitos never get me, but that's not true and sometimes even when I am putting on protection I still get bites! But I know the bug spray makes a difference and I know I am preventing bites by putting on protection.

The best thing we can do for sin is also put on protection. We can put on the armor of God by praying, reading our scriptures and taking the Sacrament. I’d like to say that I have the armor of God on all the time, but that's not true and sometimes even when I am putting on protection, like wearing my garments, I still sin! But I know the armor of God makes a difference and I know I am protected from temptation by wearing my garments and praying often, daily scripture study, and taking the Sacrament. 

Mosquitos suck. Sins suck. 

After- bite & medical wonders and wonderful. The Atonement of Jesus Christ & repentance are wonderful.

Heavenly Father has such a great plan for us so that we can all be taken care of with things like mosquito bites and with sin. He provided a way for us to be okay. I love Heavenly Father and I love Jesus Christ. I'm so grateful that I don't have to deal with my sins alone because I know I can't. I need the Savior. I testify of Jesus Christ's infinite love and grace that covers you and me, just like bug spray, but better. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

I love you! The Savior loves you! I hope mosquitos don't love you!

P.S. I'm giving another talk this Sunday if anyone has awesome resources for the topic, “Sharing the message of Christ with love and sincerity” send them [the resources] my way! Thanks!

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: Mosquito bites are like sin. The Savior helps us with everything. 

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

Happy Hurricane Season

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

Here's some low quality acrostic poems I wrote about my new area:

What

Odd

Old

Dearies

In

Grand

Tobacco fields 

Opposums

Near

Where?

Out

Of

Densely populated

Inhabitation

Nothing

Grass

Trees

Opposum

No things

What is this place so empty?

Only the locals can tell.

On errands the Lord has sent me

Devil still tries to derail.

I stand with heart, strength & might

Not an actual building in sight.

Glorious fields both left and right.

The congregation will grow as the corn.

Onward we work spreading light.

Now rescuing souls once forlorn.

Happy Hurricane season! Hurricane season started on June 1st! This whole weekend felt a little bit like a hurricane though.

I arrived in the new area on Thursday and found out there would be a baptism on Saturday. Hurrah!

On Friday I began inquiring about the details of said baptism and we found we had much to do. So we tried to do everything. Also on Friday we had the baptismal interview.

After the baptismal interview we found out we were not having the baptism. :(

So then we unplanned a baptism. But we had a very hard time un-planning it.

So then on Saturday people showed up for a baptism that wasn't happening.

Then we thought we ruined our relationships with all the members (I don't even know the members yet but this was an unfortunate start.) 

It was sad and my companion and I cried a lot.

But then on Sunday it was fast and testimony meeting and the whole meeting ended up being about… missionary work and how they (the members) and the Lord loves missionaries?

People still loved us and never didn't love us. And everything is actually okay. 

Woodington! Yay!

My companion is Sister Senior and we were friends before and we were both very, very happy to be companions. We both like poetry and good music and letting emotions exist and we love the Lord! And I think with all the crazy circumstances we have been in we really needed each other and so we are very grateful we are together. 

Also this is my first out-of-city area and my first not a military base in my area area. And everyone is trying to give us diabetes and there is always biscuits at every meal and they always do their very best to send us home with dessert. I also can't understand people's southern accent. Also in our missionary meeting they laughed at my questions and told me it really is a foreign mission. Everything is different but I'm excited to figure it out.

I hope you enjoyed this hurricane of an email & I love you!

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: This email is a mess. There's bad poems and slightly unfortunate stories and a brief update on my new area and my companion.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

Wow

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

An update from last week's edition. The four of us have a new dryer (our 3rd one) & it works! Hurrah! In other news they have a new apartment and they are splitting us up. Hopefully we will have til the end of the transfer but we don't know. 

I'd much rather have a broken dryer than have my sweet sisters taken away. But the transfer ends soon anyways.

Lately (the last two-ish months) I've had lots of people help me ponder on the Word of Wisdom. 

In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we have The Lord's Law of Health or the Word of Wisdom. It is what the Lord has asked us to do to take care of bodies. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to take care of our bodies because they are sacred gifts. We are specifically taught to eat healthy and to not use harmful substances. My trainer used the word C.A.T.T.S. to describe what should not enter our bodies. C-coffee, A- alcohol, T- tobacco, T- tea, S- scary drugs/substances (depends on audience).

The blessings for living in accordance to the Lord's law of Health include; health (go figure), wisdom, treasures of knowledge, and protection. These are powerful promised blessings!

[For additional information or to fact check please refer to page 86 of Preach My Gospel or Doctrine and Covenants 89]

There's been so many people that get stuck because of their addictions. 

In my mission there’s a rule where if someone hasn't been to Sacrament meeting in two weeks we can't teach them anymore. This may seem harsh but I can testify that even though us missionaries have to give up on people the Lord never ever does. The Lord is always aware of them and ever preparing them to accept the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

With this rule things tend to be fast paced because a lot of people don't come to church. 

I've met people that do come to church but we can't continue teaching them because they continue to drink coffee or smoke (that's a big one), or they're alcoholics (this one is so sad). 

One lady I had the privilege of teaching for a short time had been having drinking problems for a long time. She lost custody of her kids when they were little for it. She was meeting with missionaries because she wanted to change because she was about to meet one of her now adult daughters. I won't be there for the happy ending but eternity is long and people have many, many opportunities to make changes so I'm confident there will be a happy ending but maybe not soon.

Two days ago we met a man named Tim. Tim spends $300 on alcohol every week. He was able to stop for 15 months but now it's as bad as it was before. Tim thinks about what that $300 could do for someone that really needs money but he can't stop.

On Friday night when we met Tim he said he knows he's dying. And he is. He has some pretty extreme liver issues. And Tim says everyone he knows is going to heaven. Everyone except him. And he's scared. He doesn't want to burn.

Well, the Lord's plan is far more merciful than that and Tim has a lot to learn. And hopefully I'll get to help teach him but it could go either way. While I was drinking the water that's been blessed by the priesthood, Tim was drinking something else.

If Tim does come to Sacrament meeting I know he'll be blessed with an increase of the Spirit and that'll get him pretty far. 

Tim is a good person and he's not going to burn. But he's still got some work to do. So do I. 

Please never mess around with potentially addictive anything. Drugs, alcohol, pornography. There's just no valid reason to mess with it. There just isn't. 

Addictions ruin lives in so many ways. Tim is physically dying. The woman I mentioned earlier probably will not be in contact with one of her daughters in this lifetime.

I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ can and do heal and help fix anything and everything. But if we can avoid needing healing and fixing let's avoid it.

Love ya!

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Word of Wisdom= 

Addictions=

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9

Have I Already Titled an Email Faith?

 Hey y'all!

[Summary at the very bottom cuz I know not everyone has the time or attention span to read this.]

This week I want to talk about faith. (Again.)

Faith in Jesus Christ is one of my favorite things to teach because there is so much flexibility. There are so many different ways to teach, explain, make a metaphor for faith. I compare it to trust falls, stairs, picking your nose & sucking your thumb at the same time. There's so many scriptures you can use to teach about faith. I love it. 

This week at zone conference Elder Ahmad S. Corbitt of the Seventy shared with us Alma 5:15. This is the Prophet Alma testifying to His people, he says, “15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?” Elder Corbitt broke it down to look, forward, with an eye of faith, view or see (the Lord's promise fulfilled), imagine to yourselves (begin with the end in mind), works of righteousness. 

We are to go about missionary work (& life) as though the Lords promises have already been fulfilled. Would your life be different if you knew, really knew that all of the promised blessings in your patriarchal blessing would be fulfilled? They will be as you are faithful. Would your life be different if you really knew that your family would be together forever as you faithfully keep temple covenants? View those promises as though they have already been fulfilled. 

Live as though every good thing is in store for you. Because every good thing is in store for those that make and keep sacred covenants.

We can expect miracles because we have the type of faith that allows for miracles to happen all around us. 

As we look forward with an eye of faith and see theLords's promise fulfilled we don't have to be afraid. We can better walk towards Jesus Christ. We can be more obedient and repent each day, we all need to repent each day. 

Do something that requires faith. Here's what I did.

About a week before Zone Conference we had zone council where we were invited to memorize something called the Treasure Program. Which consists of Raleigh North Carolina mission specific advice and a lot of parts of Preach My Gospel like the different sections of lessons, how to begin teaching, the baptismal invite, and more. The treasure program is about 5 pages when written nicely in my notebook. I'm not sure how many pages that translates to on a Google doc but it was a lot and we were given less than a week to memorize it. I had a bit of a head start because I had been trying to memorize it since… the beginning of my mission. But I couldn't seem to keep it all in my head. 

After zone council I made a weekly goal of seeking and expecting miracles specifically seeking and expecting the miracle of memorizing the treasure program. So I prayed about it and I prayerfully made a study plan and then I acted on that plan. And guess what?

Five minute before Zone Conference I passed it off. Miracles are abounding. Maybe it's kind of a silly miracle and it sure took work on my part but it really is a miracle. 

I know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will help us with our righteous desires. I know there are miracles everywhere. 

Love you all!

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Alma 5:15 Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you? Do you look forward with an eye of faith, and view this mortal body raised in immortality, and this corruption raised in incorruption, to stand before God to be judged according to the deeds which have been done in the mortal body?

Faith. Have it.

This week I exercised faith by memorizing the treasure program, 5 pages of good things missionaries ought to know. Being able to memorize this was for sure a miracle that required faith.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZMqcVg4i6kAMWJVH9