Some Minor Updates

 Hey y'all!

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

In preparation for the long awaited halfway mark of my mission, I've decided to change a few things for the remaining 9 or so months. For example, I've been reassigned to be a service missionary in the Salt Lake City West mission. 

Being a missionary in North Carolina was a wonderful experience. I was able to help others learn about Jesus Christ and become a more devoted disciple of Jesus Christ too!

Sometimes I felt a little sad, but actually a lot sad. Sometimes I felt a little nervous, but actually a lot nervous. And then those times became a little more frequent and then a lot more frequent. 

So now I'm going to try out being a service missionary. I'm not sure what assignment I'll have yet but I know I'll end up where the Lord needs me. I know Heavenly Father & Jesus Christ are aware of me & aware of you. 

I know we can be confident in Jesus Christ!

Here's what I learned from my time in Cleveland North Carolina:

Sertraline, a common drug used for mental health is quite the ride, one of those rides at the fair that you're happy to get off of.

Humidity is great for your skin. I felt like a cute slimy frog some days, a cute slimy frog with very clear skin. 

Jesus Christ lives.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-days is Jesus Christ’s Church.

Some churches are like social clubs and I have a really hard time with that.

Anyone can participate in missionary work. 

Oreos with peanut butter are wonderful.

Companions help you do things even when you're scared.

New testament is good stuff.

 Some of the most powerful testimonies are given through music.

Black mold is crazy and sometimes it means that you live with 6 people in an apartment for like, 2 people.

 Members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints that are originally from Utah, are all about pasta & casseroles.

Love you!

Still holding to the rod, 

Sister Owens 

Summary: I'm in Utah now. I learned stuff. I love Jesus! I love you!

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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

 

The Iron Rod

 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 was a prophet named Lehi. Some of the identities he valued most were: father, husband, child of God, disciple of Christ. Lehi was a good man & he knew his Savior. 

Lehi lived in a city where the people were being wicked and the Lord warned him to leave so Lehi took his family and only what they needed and they left.

Lehi and his family lived in the wilderness and it was hard. They missed their friends. Their home. They had to work hard to get food and everyday they were just so very tired. But the Lord promised to take care of them as they obeyed His commandments. And the Lord did take care of them, He always keeps His promises.

Lehi loved his family. He was completely in love with his wife Sariah and he wanted her to be happy, he always did his best to take very good care of her. They had four sons; the oldest was Laman, then Lamuel, Sam, & last Nephi. Lehi loved his boys. He hoped they would grow up to be righteous, and firm and steadfast and immovable in keeping the commandments of the Lord. 

Sometimes Lehi would ask his boys to do things that were very hard. One time they had to travel all the way back to their home town so they could get a very special book. People tried to hurt them but the Lord protected them. Their mother was very afraid for them but as they turned to the Lord they were all okay and they all learned new things & grew in faith! 

One day as they tarried in the wilderness Lehi had a dream or in other words he saw a vision. 

It began in a dark and dreary waste. Lehi traveled in the darkness for many hours.

How would you feel if you were in darkness for hours?

I would be very scared & if I was there for a really long time I might start to feel hopeless.

After Lehi had traveled in the darkness for the space of many hours he began to pray to the Lord & asked for mercy, he knew the Lord was merciful!

Some time passed and Lehi saw a field, and he saw a tree with fruit that makes people happy! So Lehi went to the tree and he tried a piece of fruit and it was the best thing he had ever tasted! 

What's the yummiest thing you've ever had? 

I really love my mom's cinnamon rolls and her chocolate chip peanut butter cookies! 

Lehi also saw that the fruit was white, really, really white, it might have looked like it was glowing! Lehi says that the fruit made him so happy that he wanted his family to try the fruit too!

Lehi notices a river near the tree and at the head thereof a little way off, he saw his family! But they were confused and didn't know where they should go. So he got their attention and invited them to come and try the fruit! 

And not all of them came. Laman and Lemuel, his two oldest sons, didn't come and try the fruit with the rest of the family. This made Lehi very sad.

Lehi’s dream continues and he sees an iron rod between the tree and the river. 

Then Lehi sees us! Or at least people like us. And then the mists of darkness come. It's physical darkness. You can feel it sometimes.

All of us struggle in the darkness. But we know to hold onto the iron rod. As we cling to the rod we can press forward through the mist of darkness.

The darkness is real but so is the iron rod! And everyone who clings to it, everyone who holds fast to the iron rod, they get to partake of the fruit. 

Would you hold onto the rod? I hope you would. I hope you are! The iron rod is the Book of Mormon! It leads us through darkness and helps us come closer to God!

The fruit is God’s love! Clinging to the iron rod is the easiest way to reach the fruit.

Have you ever felt God's love? What is it like?

It is the opposite of darkness. It's light! Overwhelming goodness, it feels like everything is worth it.

As the people hold the rod of iron and move forward they get to try the fruit! They rejoice! It is so wonderful to be a part of something so marvelous!

The next part is so sad, even more sad than when Laman and Lemuel didn't come to the tree. But it's important so I'm going to tell you about it. 

Some of the people make it to the tree and they try the fruit but then they see this building. On the other side of the river there's a huge building with all kinds of people in beautiful clothes and they were mocking those at the tree of life. The people in the worldly palace would point and scoff at everyone by the tree.

And as many as heeded them, fell away. 

People who ate the fruit chose to leave the tree because they stopped focusing on what was most important.

What is most important to you?

Are you spending your time on the things that are most important in this life, and in life after this one? Are you giving the Lord a fair share of your time?

Please stay. Please come and partake of the fruit, please feel this joy with us. And then please stay. Yes, people will mock and the world will cast doubt at you but please stay. Stay focused on Jesus Christ. Remember what His love feels like.

That worldly palace with the people in the beautiful clothes is destroyed. The building falls. No one there receives the everlasting joy that we partake of at the tree.

Lehi loves his family so he beckons them to come to the tree and to stay at the tree. 

I love my family, you're all a part of my family and I invite you all to do the very same.

Lehi is so sad when some of his sons choose not to come to the tree.

I want you all to be happy so I invite you to come and feel the Savior's love by holding to the iron rod, by reading the Book of Mormon.

Will you read the Book of Mormon everyday?

I promise I will. I promise. And I promise that as you read the Book of Mormon everyday you will gain a personal witness that Jesus is the Christ and that He is your personal Savior, you will feel His love. 

If you're already reading the Book of Mormon everyday I invite you to stay and to beckon others to come and feel this great joy.

There will be opposition. The pride of the world will never approve of the humility required for discipleship. But let our confidence be in Christ. 

I am confident in the Savior. I can testify of His love and power. I am confident in the Book of Mormon, I know it testifies of Jesus Christ. I say these things and I make those promises in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Still holding to the rod,

Sister Owens

Summary: 

1 Nephi 8

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/8?lang=eng

Here's the link to my mission pictures album:

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

no subject

Hey y'all!

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

I'm in an area called Cleveland now. It's an in between place. Like it's not an actual town or city but the outskirts of towns & cities. The houses are pretty, like homes or apartments you might find in a movie. Even the trailer parks have HOAs. Sometimes I feel like it's a toy town, just doll houses everywhere. 

I'm living it up in the trio life again. (Yay!) I'm back with Sister Job (my trainer) & her mtc comp. Sister Marchant. I really enjoy being in a trio because I feel like everything is easier when there's one more person to help out.

There's the little update. Love. 

- Sister Owens

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

🌽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

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