Simplicity in Chtist

 Hey y'all!

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

This last transfer, my last transfer, we have been focusing on the simplicity found in Jesus Christ. When we know the Savior, we know what truly matters. As we focus on Christ, the gospel becomes easier to understand, not easier to live, but simple to understand. I love the simplicity that comes as we choose to be disciples of Jesus Christ.

In the book of Numbers we learn that, “the people spake against God, and against Moses,” so, “the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.” 

Tough.

The people realized they messed up and they went to Moses and said, “We have sinned, for we have spoken against the Lord, and against thee; pray unto the Lord, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.”

In answer to Moses' prayer the Lord answered, “Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.”

And now we should have a happy ending where all the people repent and look to the serpent on the pole and live happily ever after. But instead…

“because of the simpleness of the way, or the easiness of it, there were many who perished.” (1 Nephi 17:41)

Yikes.

Why is it so hard to look to the Savior? Because is it so easy to look to the Savior.

It’s so hard because all it takes is reading the Book of Mormon everyday and it’s so easy that I still struggle. It’s so hard because it’s simply praying to Heavenly Father and it’s so easy because I don’t want to kneel or speak out loud. Why is it so hard to focus on Jesus Christ? Because it's so easy.

I’m so grateful that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have incredible patience because so often, I turn away, just like the children of Israel. I forget, I complain, I think I should have more than manna. But I can look to Christ and live. The Savior invites simplicity into my life. Elder M. Russell Ballard promised, “It is in simplicity that [we} will find… peace, joy, & happiness.”

President Russell M. Nelson said, “Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life & teachings of Jesus Christ. Learn more about His Atonement, His love, His doctrine, & His restored gospel of healing & progression!” 

I invite you to focus more on Jesus Christ and allow Him to help you simplify your life. I promise that as you focus on Christ and simplify you will experience increased peace, joy, and happiness, I promise this in the name of Jesus Christ.

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: When we focus on Jesus Christ we don’t die from fiery serpent bites.

Updated (& corrected) information regarding my homecoming talk 

Location 

691 E Cedarview street Tooele  

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cedarview+St,+Tooele,+UT+84074/@40.5563673,-112.2786781,17z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x8752bdb42ab180b9:0xfa04d530fb210631!8m2!3d40.5563673!4d-112.2786781!16s%2Fg%2F11smn8djr_?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDQyOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D 

Time

9:00 am 

The last email I sent said 10:30 and that’s wrong. Come at 9:00.

Be there or be square (because you’re not around).

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.

Boy Meet World episode 2 season 1 but like Book of Mormon Version

 Hey y'all!

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

Yesterday during my personal study I read Alma chapter 39 in the Book of Mormon. Here is the background information for the chapter:

Once upon a time Alma and his sons went on a mission. They preached the gospel to lots of people and it was great. Alma’s youngest son, Corianton, ditches his dad and brothers and flirts it up with this harlot chick named Isabel. Not cool. So Alma, being Corianton's Father and all, has a chat with Cory. 

Basically chapter 39 is that chat.

I used to want to skip over this chapter. It felt weird to read about Cory’s sins and his dad's gentle reprimanding. But yesterday I finally got it. I saw all the love in the chapter. The way Alma loved his sons so he brought them with him as he was preaching. Alma's older sons loved their father and their Heavenly Father and chose to be faithful missionaries. Cory did something abominable, he broke the law of chastity, but his father loves him so much he calmly talks to him and encourages him to repent and follow the example of his older brothers. And of course the love of the Savior who made it possible for Cory to repent.

I want to be like Alma. I want to love people enough to talk about uncomfortable things that will help them be better. I want to encourage repentance. I want to be like the dad in the prodigals son, welcoming sinners home, because oh, how they need a home and I want to celebrate their return. I want to be like Jesus. 

I guess the way to become like that is by remembering the mercy and grace Christ has shown me and then strive to give that to others.

In other news my great grandma turned 100!

Okay folks I love you all oh so much! 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Listen to this hymn. Also my great grandma is so cute. 

Welcome Home

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/music/hymns-for-home-and-church/welcome-home-release-3?lang=eng

 

Hands

 Hey y'all!

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

Yesterday we had a sister's study activity. Which basically meant wearing pajamas, talking about things we want to do differently, creating goals and eating cookies. Wow, being a missionary is the best.

As we discussed our lives as missionaries one sister commented on how she felt when she was in the temple, explaining how her white dress and everything was beautiful until she would look down at her hands. 

This sister serves at the This Is The Place Monument, where missionaries dress as pioneers and help people learn about early Utah history and the way people lived in those times. This Sister is a blacksmith there and often gets scars and burns on her hands from the work and demonstrations she does. 

When she is wearing a dress for church or while she is in the temple in her white gown she feels self conscious and perhaps sometimes even ashamed of her hands because of the scars.

As she expressed this to each of us I couldn't help but see the parallels to Jesus Christ.

My dear friend, Jesus, also has scars from his service. No one served quite like him. No one suffered quite like him. 

President Thomas S. Monson, then Elder Monson, gave a talk entitled, “Hands” in this talk he speaks of the sanctity of hard working hands.

Of the Good Shepherd’s hands Elder Monson said, “This was the determined hand which drove from the temple the money changers. This was the loving hand that blessed little children. This was the strong hand that opened deaf ears and restored vision to sightless eyes. By this hand was the leper cleansed, the lame man healed—even the dead Lazarus raised to life. With the finger of this hand there was written in the sand that message which the winds did erase but which honest hearts did retain. The hand of the carpenter. The hand of the teacher. The hand of the Christ.”

It is a sacred privilege to be the Lord's hand as his service missionary. An honor even more for this sister who will forever look at her hands and find Christ. How sacred that her service should reflect the Savior’s.

“I think of his hands pierced and bleeding to pay the debt!

Such mercy, such love, and devotion can I forget? …

Oh, it is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me!

Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”

His hands are always stretched towards us. Accept his hand. Let him help you. Oh how he loves you. When Jesus looks down at his hands he thinks of you. 

To this fellow missionary and representative of Christ, I humbly share, Psalm 24:3-4

“3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his holy place?

4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”

Your hands are clean and you are worthy to enter the Lord’s house. Thank you for taking upon yourself the name of Jesus Christ. You are an exceptional representative of the Lord. However, I would kindly suggest that we find you some high quality, thick, leather gloves.

I hope all of our hands can be a little more like Christ's.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Let us not be ashamed of the service we do in the Savior’s name. Celebrate those scars that make you more like Jesus Christ. Do more of what the Savior would do.

Sources

Hands

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1972/10/hands?lang=eng 

I Stand All Amazed

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/hymns/i-stand-all-amazed?lang=eng 

Psalm 24

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/ot/ps/24?lang=eng

 

Good Stuff

Hi everyone!

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

For this week's email I'm not really going to write but rather list some things that are good from this last week. 

Please enjoy the following with me:

-Dinosaur stickers 

-Teddy bears

-Orange flowers

-Fairy lights

-Candles that smell like Fall

-Decent jazz music

-Wedding invitations from new friends

-Open windows

-Naps

-Learning Christmas music in choir

-Blue silky pillowcases

-dresses with floral print

-potlucks

-mother daughter dates

-hugs

-a well organized binder

-a well organized planner

-using old lemonade bottles as vases for sunflowers

-comfort movies and shows

-teaching my sister how to drive

-the impermanence of heavy feelings 

-ribbons to wear in hair

-vanilla scented soaps

-chicken nuggets

-juice

-emails from people you miss 

-Kindness

-having my own office

-little basil plants

-making progress 

-seeing the sky

-good stories

-how Ok looks like a lil stick figure on its side

-you reading the whole list

-you

Okay, send me a little list of things you've enjoyed lately.

Love ya!

Sister Owens

Summary: I wrote this list of good things. Thanks for being something good in my life. Keep being good.

P.S. Jesus loves you.

🌽Corn 🌽

 Hey y'all!

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

Every Sunday night our mission meets together via zoom. We receive training, listen to advice from our leaders, and spend time together as the Raleigh North Carolina Mission.

Sometimes the meetings are more informational & sometimes they are more spiritual. Sometimes they feel like a celebration & sometimes I feel chastised.

They're one of the few consistent things in the mission. This helps me love them. 

The hermanas are our next door neighbors which means almost nothing, we get to see them almost never. The first Sunday night zoom in this area they came over with cookies they had baked during the zoom. I love these sweet sisters. 

Yesterday for Sunday night zoom we went to their house. (They have a house, we have the trailer.) We brought butter to their house too. I'm not entirely sure how the hermanas acquired two large bags of corn but they did. So we brought butter and then after Sunday Night Zoom we ate corn together. 

This was the highlight of my week. 

To gather round a table with friends is already a beautiful experience. But to each be enjoying corn absolutely dripping with butter. It was glorious. 

It was so good to just have a moment with my friends. Corn is also part of Woodington culture. Outside of my trailer is just a field of corn. All the corn is taller than me now. 

One time about two years ago my younger brother got taller than me. It was a sad day.

Now the corn is taller than me. I guess I'm done growing tall but I'm growing in the Spirit.

I've been learning to develop more patience. More charity. More faith. I've been really trying learn about hope. This scripture has been haunting me since the beginning of my mission.

2 nephi 31:20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

May we all feast on the scriptures the way my friends and I feasted on corn. Then, as we apply the scriptures we can have eternal life. 

I love y'all more than I love corn.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: Corn is good. Friends are good. Growth is. The scriptures are good. Love u.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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

♡

 Hey y'all!

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

Last week I talked about mosquito bites and how they were not cool. This week, for the first time in my life, I got stung by a wasp. Maybe mosquitos aren't soooo bad.

We were going to teach a friend about the word of wisdom. But, before the lesson even began the wasp stung me & our friend pulls out a cigarette and breaks it in half and sticks onto the sting, he then pours some water on it & for the remainder of the lesson I sat with cigarette slush on my hand. Also, this friend informed that I ought to begin smoking so that I could always have a cigarette when the wasps came. …yikes.

We also got to go to the temple this week it was really wonderful. I learned that revelation comes when we are looking for specific revelation. As we come with questions and come prepared to find answers we can receive the personal revelation we need. 

We also had zone council & zone conference. A lot happened. It was all very good. 

I gave a talk. Again. It went well.

Im too tired to write this. I love you and I love Jesus and that's the point of this email and every email. 

♡

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: I got stung by a wasp. Love.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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

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

Greetings from Goldsboro

 Hey y'all!

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

Once upon a time there were four young sister missionaries living together in a city called Goldsboro located in the North Carolina Raleigh mission. Each Sister had different traits, origins, and cultures.

The first, Sister Jones, was very stylish and fun. She came from Seattle Washington and she's a triplet. Before her mission she was a ballroom dancer at BYU. She is trendy, friendly and fun. She is easy to laugh with.

The second, Sister Colasurdo, no one quite knows how to say her name. She's been nicknamed Sister French though her name is Italian. She too is stylish. She loves cheese and if she eats gluten she may suffer for weeks after just one crumb that touched a crumb of gluten. (Celiac is real and it's bad.) She is bold and loving and open and honest. A diligent disciple. 

Thirdly, Sister Tingey, she recently came to the mission from a historical site where she had to wear pioneer dresses everyday, where she wasn't allowed to have braided hair so that people would be less likely to see her and think ah yes Mormons and polygamy. Sister Tingey is a Sister of great style and of great love. She has charity and can easily identify the miracles we are blessed with. She's a delight.

Finally is Sister Owens. You know her. She's a hoot and a half.

Each of these Sisters have a few wonderful common traits. Each are hard working, loving, missionaries. Each have their own challenges and each strive to do their best and to become better each day. You may notice I mention their styles and that is because we all wear clothes. We love clothes, an appropriate amount. 

Alas, here the challenge comes in. We four, together face the great and terrible adversity of not having a functioning dryer. It's been weeks. 

The lack of dryer paired with the humidity leads to some woes. 

But we four are facing it very bravely. We begin now to understand the Law of Consecration and have been borrowing one another's clothes. 

The four of us through this unique challenge have become more unified, more united. 

While not having a dryer is tough, we know that like Joseph Smith in Liberty jail, “[our] afflictions shall be but a small moment,” indeed the Lord has said, “My [daughters], peace be unto th[ine] soul[s].” (Doctrine & Covenants 121:7)

We will look forward in faith and in wet clothes as we go about the work of salvation!  

“Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ [even if all ye have is wet clothes], having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life [and dry clothes, eventually].”

(2 Nephi 31:20)

And so we press forward with a steadfastness in Christ and in our wet clothes. 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

(Also featuring, Sister Jones, Sister Colasurdo, & Sister Tingey)

Summary: The whole email is me being melodramatic about not having a dryer.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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

Wind-uhs & Widt-ahs

 Hey y’all!

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

This week I've been able to further appreciate the faith of Southern folks. Here it is a simple fact the Jesus Christ is our Savior. Everyone already knows that. 

We were talking on the phone with a lady. We can call her L. L will be getting her leg amputated this week. She is in a hospital right now and she filled out an online request to speak with missionaries to find more hope in Jesus Christ. We decided to talk to L about the Resurrection and how because of Jesus Christ we will all be made whole. We expressed that someday our bodies will be healed and we will live with our Savior. And she said she didn't care much about what her body would be like; she knew she would be whole if she got to be with Jesus. 

That's pretty incredible.

We sure have a lot to look forward to. Being whole because we get to be with our Savior. 

I do sometimes have a hard time understanding the southern accent. Yesterday in the second ward the talks were about tithing and giving that 10% to the Lord. Both talks referenced the widows mite and the windows of Heaven. Widow seemed to be pronounced closer to widt-ah and window closer wind-uh. I found it all minorly entertaining.

I know that windows of heaven really are opened as we pay our tithing. Tithing gets touchy sometimes but that is silly because it's just like everything else in the gospel you can follow the basic faith formula. Faith= do the thing and see what happens and then you have more faith which leads to eternal blessings. Read the Book of Mormon + Pray to know if it is true = Knowing the Book of Mormon is true & more faith. Do the thing. Pay your tithing and then pay attention. Blessings do come. 

One thing I hear quite a bit from Southern folks is that Jesus woke them up today. They wouldn't be here without Him. It's true. We rely on the Savior to get us up each morning. When I think about how much Christ is already aware of and taking care of us, that 10% seems like a lot less. 

Pay your tithing and then pay attention. See what blessings come. It could be financial blessings. It could be increased strength. It could be safety. It could be your grades in school looking better. It could be family relationships healing. Sometimes it's eternal blessings that we might not be able to sense here on Earth. The windows of Heaven will open as we pay a full and honest tithe to our Savior. 

When I started this email I did not think it would be about tithing but that's where it went and I'm okay with that. I hope you're all doing well and making good choices. I love you. I love you. I love you. 

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens 

Summary: I love to see the faith people have here in North Carolina. Pay your tithing and then pay attention to blessings you receive and I love you.

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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