October 13, 2014 & October 20, 2014

October 13, 2014

Mommy!

Yes I did love conference!! Today we had a Sister’s P-day in the mission home and we watched the General Women’s Broadcast! How inspiring!!!! Pres. Uchtdorf always knows how to remind us of our divine nature and potential!

I’m sure the blessings of missionary service extend into the eternities considering it is such a special calling that we were all pre-destined and prepared to fulfill it. Because really it is hard sometimes. It is quite literally the hardest thing I have ever had to do, but all of the difficulty and the struggle disappears in the lovely knowledge that I need to be here doing this now. These are eternal consequences. (Think about that all of you young priesthood holders with a missionary obligation. :D)

This week was incredible!!! We worked so hard, and we saw so many miracles. In the end the people took their decision with their gifted agency, but I feel so content as to my part that I know I was able to do what the Lord wanted from me this week. That is the most wonderful feeling in all the universe!

So, today at President's house, after watching the conference, we had a wonderful privilege. President Ayre is friends with the one....the only.....Linda K. Burton!!!! And we got to have a lovely phone call with her!! That was incredible!!! We had just heard her speak and then we got to speak with her!!! She is just “a love” as they say here! So sweet!! So that was cool!! So and the end of the transfer, there is the meeting to say good-bye to the missionaries and they give their testimonies...well Hermana Duran and Iwill be singing in the meeting “Jesus the Very Thought of Thee” and we will see how that goes!! :D

There is always so much more to learn, and so much more to do, and so much more to be!!! Remember the parable of the talents!!! We can never plateau! You have to be happy with the progress you’ve made yes!!! But never be satisfied!!!!!!! There are always more godly attributes to develop and talents to bless the world and others!!! Remember the Restored Gospel is the most IMPORTANT thing that anyone can learn and live in this life!!  So SHARE IT!!!!!!!!

Just imagine how important it is for Heavenly Father (Moses 7).

Love!!!!

Hermana Arntsen

P.S. DID YOU SEE MEET THE MORMONS??

October 20, 2014

Mommy! 

I am really excited to see you and be able to progress in the plan the Heavenly Father has for me, but I do not want to leave this place either!!!! TOO HARD!!!! AHH!!!!!

There is not much to say about this week! The Lord has been guiding us and leading us to more people who need the gospel and the inactive families who need to return! The bishop is starting to help us more and taking an interest in our investigators so it’s all GREAT!! The bishop of a ward is your best friend as a missionary!!! Sorry, I don’t have any rally crazy awesome stories to tell y’all this week. Every day is an amazing awesome story!!!!

Don’t forget to do your missionary work today! Be a light!!!!!

Love,
Hermana Arntsen

Sister's day at the mission home!

September 29, 2014 & October 7, 2014 E-mails

September 29, 2014

Mommy!

We don't get the General Relief Society broadcast on time because of the time difference it's so late for us. So they rebroadcast it, but the missionaries won't see it. We’ll hold a special meeting of just sisters and get to watch it together. But for general conference, oh yeah, we’ll be there!!! With all our investigators!!!! So, this weekend Cristian, the brother of Zulma who got baptized, came to church. He had to leave right after sacrament meeting so we didn't get to talk to him much, but he has been reading the Book of Mormon! Hoping to see some great progress there!!

Also last night we went to the Despedida (the farewell for the dying missionaries), and that was fun! I got to see some old companions and some members from other areas. But the highlight of this past week was.....drum roll..............I GOT TO SEE CINTHIA!!!! We went shopping last p-day in a place called Once, which is right close to her house, and Cinthia came to spend some time with us! It was great to see her! I can’t believe it’s almost been a year since her baptism!! She’s doing great! Wants to go on a mission and study at BYU! haha! How wonderful!!!!

This Friday we are going to the temple!!!!!!! So excited for that!!!!! And then Conference! And then transfers!! That will start my last transfer!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Partial scream of excitement and majorly scream of fear/sadness)

Love you!!!

Hermana Arntsen

P.S. Just because I’m almost done does not mean letters/emails are not welcome! They always are!!!!!!!

October 7, 2014

Mommy!

Oh, you bet I heard that talk! (Elder Bednar’s talk) When an apostle says it, you know it's true!! Rock on Elder Bednar!! It was very special to hear the talks in Spanish. I just think of all of these people here that I have come to love so dearly and the dedication they have to Christ and the church and how they always have to listen to translators and don’t get to hear the voice of the Prophet. It was such a special demonstration of love for them that they could finally hear in General Conference the original words of a general authority. I know they felt very special! (And what a great break for the translators. ;D)

It is incredible the missionary force right now!! But what is more incredible is the missionary force that is not wearing a name tag!!! They are the behind the scenes workers!!

So, incredible story for this week! We were leaving General Conference Sunday night at 7:30 pm (the sessions are live so they are at 1 pm and 5 pm). And, while waiting for the bus we started talking with a lady there at the stop. She didn't seem too interested in the fact that we were missionaries but, as the majority of people here, believes in God and all that jazz. She lived about two hours away and had to get home fast to help her kids get ready for school the next day. The Spirit told me to say a prayer with her so that the bus would get here. I said, “Silly Spirit, we are in the middle of the street and she doesn't want anything to do with us.” Then the Spirit would insist and we battled like this for a number of minutes, and I imagined hesitating too long and then wanting to pray when the bus comes around the corner and miss the opportunity. Then the Spirit reminded me of Ammon, whose story I had read that very morning. When the evil men scatter the flocks of the king and the servants are in despair, Ammon thinks “what a great opportunity to show my power, or rather, the power that is in me.” It totally applied to the situation, so I explained the Cristina, the lady, what I had in mind. She looked a little weirded out, but said ok. Quite literally the second that I said “amen” her son cried “Hey, here it comes!” The look on Cristina’s face was a joy that only the Sprit and faith brings. I know that in the moment she knew that God existed. Later on the bus my companion tried to give her a Book of Mormon and she wouldn't take it. But I am calm about it. I know that thanks to the Spirit and this mantle of this divine calling, she had her faith strengthened if for only a moment.

I believe in the power of prayer! I believe in the inspiration of the Spirit! I believe that every person who had been baptized by priesthood authority, received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and lives worthy of the gift had the right to divine inspiration to bring about the saving blessing of eternity!! That is the truth! Unsure? Seek your confirming revelation!

Love,

Hermana Arntsen

Megan with Hermana Nelly & son (ward members)