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.

#Humbling

 Hey y'all!

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

Apparently missions don't last forever :( and I've kind of been doing this for awhile so last week I got an email regarding  My Plan  basically this means part of my missionary responsibilities is planning some stuff for life after my mission. 

Please enjoy a short description of the existential crisis I've been experiencing as I try to make plans.

I've heard tales of a shoulder angel and a shoulder devil. Most iconically Kronk from Emperor's New Groove.

Well, I don't think I have an angel and a devil. This week I felt like I had a shoulder Jacob and a shoulder Esau. Esau likes eating jerky and takes a lot of pride in his hair and is real tough. Jacob likes growing food and flowers and is a real momma's boy. And, like, I'm both. 

Inner Jacob and Esau have been fighting over the birthright. But for me I'm just trying to decide which college to go to. 

Esau says, “Girl, you know which college you want. Just do it.“

Jacob says, “Sister Owens you know which college Heavenly Father wants you to go to and you know everything works out a lot better when you are obedient. Follow the prompting.”

I applied for and was accepted to the Jacob college but I still keep looking at the Esau college and selfishly wishing Heavenly Father will change his mind. But I know Heavenly Father is looking at me and saying, “Trust me.”

And so I'm trusting because Esau college is, for me, a mess of pottage. And right now I want it because I'm hungry and I've been working hard and I want easy. 

But Jacob college means eternal blessings not temporary comfort. Heavenly Father wants me to be happy and he wants me to become more like his son, Jesus, who seldom had it easy. Heavenly Father knows where that is going to happen. 

I am learning humility. It's been a hard lesson, but I'm learning.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Choosing a college is hard. God knows more than you and me and all of us.

Stay Gold (Goodbye Goldsboro)

 Hey y'all!

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

Some updates from last week:

☆The quad moved to a new apartment. It's brand new and it's nice. It comes with a brand new washer and dryer.

☆ Sister Jones and I gave talks on Sunday and it worked. We wanted to strengthen our relationship with the members because, basically nothing we do matters without them & people felt the Spirit and really enjoyed our talks. (Hurrah!)

☆ I went on an exchange with my trainer and she was like, wow you talk now and I was like yeah. Kinda cool.

☆I'm getting transferred to a new area (don't know where yet, only know I'm leaving Goldsboro)

For my last big move in the mission I talked about all of the things I had learned in Fayetteville and I think I'll talk about some of the things I learned from my time in Goldsboro.

♡ Waffle house is great place to go find characters to write into a story. 

♡ Prayers of safety work & so long as I am obedient to missionary standards and rules, so long as I listen to the promptings of the Spirit I will be safe. There are certain areas we have been advised to be very cautious of, or even to avoid… but mission leaders are supportive of us going there when we have a purpose. So we go & it's a little sketchy and people are very confused about why we are there and people also tell us we will get robbed but, so far so good. There's also been times where I knew that if people tried to do something to us they wouldn't have been able to. I know the Spirit protects.

♡I'm so capable of talking to people, like, just saying hi is not that much more than the wave and smile I was already doing.

♡ I'm so grateful for priesthood power. The priesthood is one thing that sets our church apart, its one thing that makes it the one true church. People don't really like when I say that but I know it's true. Lots of churches have lots of truth. And that's awesome. But the best thing is to have the fulness of the gospel & in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints we have it all. I'm grateful to be a missionary and to have power and authority within my sacred calling. I'm grateful to partake of the sacrament each week which if not for the priesthood would be just bread and water. The power of God is on Earth today and there are many, many, many, miracles because of it.

♡ A friend in need is a friend in deed. My great grandma used to say that but I didn't really understand it for a long time. Then I met Shamond (one of our new members here) & her best friend Jamie Brown (she's in the ward & she's awesome). They help each other out so much in so many different ways that their friendship just runs so deep. They have love for each other like I've never seen for friends. I can't describe it but they make the phrase a friend in need is a friend in deed make sense. 

♡ If you are seeking and expecting miracles, you had better be willing to act on spiritual prompting. Miracles take a little work, you need to be where you are supposed to be and you need to be doing what you're supposed to be doing, if you do this then you'll stumble on miracles.

♡ Fasting works. On some level I was pretty sure fasting worked but I had never really had any personal experiences with it. One of the miracles from this transfer is a new member named Frank. As missionaries we get to work with people that have recently joined the church and help learn more and continue to progress. The majority of my time here we were unable to contact a new member named Frank. We would stop by, text, call, leave notes, and send emails. We were like crazy stalkers and we simply couldn't get in contact. I didn't know what to do anymore so I fasted for Frank, last fast Sunday. And, one day we were in Frank's area and I knew we needed to stop by. We were a little behind schedule and my companion was a little hesitant but the Spirit was very clear to me that that is where we needed to go. So we went and we met Frank and he attended Sacrament meeting this last Sunday. 

♡Trios and quads mean you have more people taking care of you and more people to take care of and they are awesome! 

♡Charity will get you pretty far. About as far as the Savior would get. Jesus was still rejected even with his perfect love. And as a missionary, people definitely still don't care to hear our message or talk with us but having charity I also have confidence and it's much easier to feel love for people even when they are rude than to have resentment begin to build up. Choose to be charitable. Assume people have good intentions.

♡Crockpot Chicken 10/10

♡There is joy in daily repentance if you aren't repenting everyday you are missing out on joy everyday.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

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

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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

Thanks ♡

 Hey y'all!

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

Some exciting things that happened this week:

♡ There was an air show on Seymour Johnson Airforce Base. We live right next to the base and the traffic was crazy for the air show. We saw 4 jets flying next to each other and that's the only part we saw, it was really cool though.

♡ I witnessed a car crash (twas mild and no one was hurt)

♡ I was called Cinderella (in a derogatory manner) and many other things by a guy who asked if the ring I was wearing was a wedding ring.

♡ I knocked on a guy's door and said we offered messages of joy and hope and he said he was a Satanist then he saluted at us and closed the door.

♡ I told a lady I knew the Book of Mormon was true and that it testified of Jesus Christ and it made her very mad and then she yelled at us.

Anyways, thanks for praying for me because your prayers really do protect me. I like to think I'm intelligent and that I avoid doing things that would put in me in dangerous situations. Alas, the world is kind of crazy but I know the Spirit and your prayers have really protected and blessed me. Thanks for being so involved in my missionary efforts! Your prayers are working. 

Love you! 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Your prayers for missionaries really make a difference! Thanks for praying for us!

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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

Slow Progress is Still Progress

 Hey y'all!

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

On Saturday we baptized our friend Anastasia. Anastasia has been meeting with missionaries for well over a decade. More than ten years. Here's the story:

Once upon a time in December Sister Job & Sister Owens were checking their text messages (something that, frankly, we aren't very good at) and much to our surprise a random number had texted us saying Merry Christmas, how are you guys? So naturally we looked up the number in our cute, little, (we would not function without it) app with our area book and all of the relevant information for missionary work. We found Anastasia was the one who texted us and we failed to scroll all the way down to the bottom.of her information. We texted her and planned a time to meet her and her husband and see what would come of it.

So we went over to their house and met them and chatted and it was great and we thought cool. We found out that Chris (Anastasia’s husband) had been baptized a few years ago but at this time wasn't particularly interested in church. We found out Anastasia had previously been on baptismal date but chickened out the last minute or something (still unclear).

After our first lesson/discussion/meeting I decided to do some #research and take a quick scroll down Anastasia's time line on the PMG app (previously mentioned would not be able to do anything without it app). As I scrolled I realized it kept going and going and going. And then her time line went to 2014. Shortly after that we found out that they had missionaries be the witnesses for their wedding, which was in 2009. Its been a hot minute of them hanging out with missionaries. 

Sister Job and I really weren't sure what to do next.

I was really concerned that there was nothing we could try that previous missionaries hadn't already tried. I didn't really know what to do. Anastasia had been taught every point and every lesson at least once before. And she had been invited to do everything we knew to invite people to do.

After careful council and consideration we decided to extend the invitation to have her read/listen to the Book of Mormon in its entirety, from cover to cover, in one month.

She did it in two. And was baptized the day she finished the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon paired with the Spirit is the most powerful tool in conversion. I remember that because I got it wrong on a training type test. (It was a trick question, and I'm still mad.)

It wasn't really me or Sister Job that got Anastasia to be baptized and make covenants with Heavenly Father. It was the Book of Mormon and her learning to recognize the influence of the Spirit as she read. 

If you haven't read the Book of Mormon, read it. Especially if you have been Baptized. The Book of Mormon will invite the Spirit into your life and help you learn to recognize how you can receive revelation for your own life. 

At Anastasia's Baptism Sister Chae spoke. There, we learned that when Sister Chae was pregnant with her oldest daughter (who is now 5) Sister Chae went to a lesson at Anastasia's house. Sister Chae told Anastasia she knew her journey to reach this point was long and not easy and it wouldn't necessarily begin to be easier but it would continue to be worth it and she would continue to be more like Christ.

It doesn't matter how long it takes as long as you are continuously moving in the right direction. Keep going towards Christ. Continue forward on the covenant path even if all that looks like is opening up your Book of Mormon. Maybe it's not even reading it yet but just taking the time to open the book.

One of my MTC teachers told us that on her mission whenever her or one of her companions had a bad dream they would open the Book of Mormon. Not read anything, just open it. 

Sometimes just doing that is enough. You don't have to get through it all in two months. You probably already know your next step on the covenant path. It might simply be scheduling your next temple appointment. And if you want it to happen in one month and then it takes two that is still something to celebrate. 

Even if takes over a decade for you to make your next covenant or read the whole Book of Mormon or forgive that one person, keep moving forward.

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

P.S. Happy Valentines Day! Love you all!

Summary: Our friend Anastasia got baptized. Pretty cool. She's been meeting with missionaries for 10+ years. Sometimes doing the right thing can take some time but it's still worth doing! 

Pray He is There

Hey y'all!

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

Today is the first p-day that while hanging out with the district I have not felt like I was about to get hit with a volley/soccer/pickle/foot/basket ball. They are playing pickle ball at the moment and I actually feel safe. (Yay!) Feeling doesn't actually mean I am safe though. 

…the pickle ball was hit far over the fence. And down a hill. I actually probably am safe for a bit.

The ball was quickly retrieved so I'll be on my guard as I write this. 

This takes me back to the first time the district was here playing pickle ball on my very first p-day in the field. That time I was hit with a football on my ankle. The ball hit my ankle and the elder who tossed it came up and very awkwardly touched my ankle said, “so sorry,” grabbed the football and ran away. Super awkward. I've been hit several other times but that one was so memorable because it was just so awkward.

Update: I got hit. I love pday. Someday I'll learn to catch a ball or kick a ball or not just sit here. 

Just kidding I'm being really dramatic, the ball rolled into me. 

Anyways I'll be a serious goose now. 

Yesterday Elder and Sister Uchtdorf spoke to the young adults of the church yesterday and I got to watch it and it was wonderful. I don't remember much of what they said but I do remember I could feel how much they loved each other and how much they loved the people they were speaking to. 

I think that even if people forget what I say I want them to remember how I made them feel. At least if I make them feel good. We communicate with so so much more than our words and that's good because so far I haven't done too much of the talking. But I do a great deal of listening.

I think I'm also pretty good at the body language thing. I read a book about body language for a book report once and it was super interesting and it helps me know how comfortable people are (or more relevantly are not) talking with us. 

I'm glad talking to God is easy. Like praying can be super formal or it can be completely silent. Sometimes I write my prayers because sometimes saying them out loud can feel overwhelming sometimes. 

Prayer is also easier because God listens. 100% the time. There's never any miscommunication because He speaks our language perfectly and knows us perfectly.

I wish I was better at listening to God.

I guess I get distracted. But I'm trying to learn all of the ways my prayers are answered. I know my prayers are answered in ways unique to me, like things that might only be an answer to me that would be weird or random to other people.

I love prayer. I love that I can talk to God. I love that anyone can talk to God. I love you and I hope you love talking to God. 

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: I don't love getting hit with volley/soccer/pickle/foot/basket balls. I do love prayer & I love love you! 

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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