Monday, March 31, 2014

Llama Face!!

WHAT THE WEEK!!!!

It's been another toughy, that's for sure!! BUT GOOD.
SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED!!! I've received much comfort this last week that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, and at the same time have received extra hard times and sad news along the way! IT NEVER ENDS!!:)

I love Sister Weber soooo much!! (She sang "Happy Birthday" to her sister in her sleep the other night.. it was cute!) We are seriously the best of friends! But even with that comes the understanding that it's hard to spend time with ANYONE  24/7 for going on 5 months.... hahaha :) We were talking about it the other day... and seriously, besides missionaries-- WHO DOES THAT?? NO ONE. Not even married couples do that... so we're pretty proud of ourselves:) I love her!

We did go on exchanges this last week-- seriously, the greatest day ever. It just happened to be a rainy day-- first rainy day since last fall, and it was LITERALLY a breath of fresh air <3. I was able to go with Sister McMaster (from my MTC district) to her area which is Fairview-- between Omaha and Lincoln and spend the day with her in her area. I also got to spend the night with Sister Goldsberry! My 1st MTC companion:) It was SO GOOD to see her and I can't explain how proud I am of her for after going home in the MTC for her ankle-- getting back out here and working so hard! She had a companion go home this last week. But being in Fairview with Sister McMaster was so good:):) I absolutely adore her! Changed my life!

Sister Weber and I were able to help out one of the members in our ward who is a leader in the Kwanis club out here--we raked leaves at the Lincoln Zoo!! SO FUN!!! It felt like I was in youth council again and it was the happiest day ever!! :) We got to go around and get a tour of the zoo too. I love the zoo :) Got to see some llamas and make my "llama face!" Just like Emperor Kuzco.

We were actually able to go BACK to Yankee Hill this week! The Elders called us and said that one of their investigators, Christina, who we LOVE and got to know real good, wanted them to invite us to their baptism this week!! So we got to go back to the stake center and see her and her fiance, Jovon, get baptized!! We got to see soooo many of our loved ones from Yankee Hill again! It was a party!!! :)

We went to the General Woman's Broadcast on Saturday. I AM SO EXCITED FOR CONFERENCE!!!!! I promise every talk given was prepared just for me-- sorry, but it's true! ;) How BLESSED we are to be able to have the spirit testify and give inspiration to ALL OF US who watch it or listen to it ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!! When they were talking about mothers, I couldn't help but bawl because I believed that my momma was watching the same thing at the same time all the way at home and we could still share the experience from miles away. These many sessions of general conference are SO IMPORTANT.

Amy is so sweet-- she found a friend for us to teach!! We went over to her place and her friend Danny came over and we were able to teach him the restoration and we're going to help him clean his house this next week. Missionary work is so much easier when members give us refurrals. Amy is just BEAMING with light and all her friends and neighbors are noticing it-- and they are wondering what it is that has brought her this much happiness. AND SHE'S SHARING IT!! And we're getting teachings because of it. THIS is how our Fathers work is meant to happen. She is out there shouting to the world the happiness that the gospel brings, and then we go into some members homes that have had the gospel their whole life and we have to pull teeth to get them to share the gospel. There is NO SHAME in sharing the truth, people! Like they always told us in the MTC-- "if you feel you should do something to share the gospel, but it seems awkward, ALL THE MORE REASON to share it!! You follow through with a prompting AND have a story to tell!" No matter if we mess up-- the Lord will make up the difference if we just open our mouths :)--

We went to our stake's fireside all about the "Addiction Recovery Program" last night. There was a good amount that showed up. We decided to go because we had invited a lot of people, but no one said that they were for sure coming. There were two LA from our ward that showed up last night. One of them, a lady that always sits by herself at church on Sundays. I directly went to go and sit by her and she was explaining to me that she didn't have any Word of Wisdom addictions, but that everyone has addictions to even little things and that is why she wanted to come. Now this lady, Valerie, has been trying SO HARD to get back on the right track. She is the only one in her family that is coming and has no support from anyone-- not even women in relief society! She told me last night that she was glad we came to sit with her because she always sits alone in church and "members treat me like I have the plague".. it broke my heart.... She was crying lots during the addiction fireside last night. She is just trying her very hardest to get to the temple and no one is reaching out to help her. So I ask all of YOU that you look around on Sundays and maybe don't sit by your "usual" group of people, or even family, but that you seek out the one, like Christ did that is needing support and love. --that's my two cents for member missionary work for the week.:) I love Valerie so much...

There was one of our friends in the back of the chapel that came up to us afterward and said "Good job keeping your baptismal covenants, I saw those sweet precious hugs offered during the talks and just wanted to say good job!" -- It was so cool... reminded me a lot of the goals I set from listening to the covenant talks at the woman's conference. <3

So we went to church yesterday and realized that a World Class Wrestler training for the 2016 Olympics just moved into our ward-- how cool is that! :)

Something I was pondering as we were knocking on some doors this last week.... People that answer the doors don't even realize that if they just let in the 2 missionaries standing on their porch, that they will only be letting in 2 new lifelong friends-- that's all we are. We're people coming out to LOVE them and bring them HAPPINESS-- that's what the gospel is!!!! I wish we could just tell people that.. but it might also be a little creepy if we used "Hello, we're here to be your new best friends" as a door approach.... I'll work on that.

SAD NEWS from this last week... so you probably remember me mentioning April, that we worked with in Yankee Hill. Well on the news this last week here in Lincoln, not sure if it was national news or not, but we were informed that there was a woman that frauded churches $12,0000 in 2 months that was arrested on Friday...... It was April. Sister Weber and I are still way confused and devastated. We helped her through SO MUCH and we love her so much! We would often mention how we were going to come back and stay with her after our missions and we saw her at her LOWEST. And now she is in prison... :(:(:(:( We have contacted a lot of members from our last ward for updates and they say she is doing okay. But that has been so extremely sad for us.. I wish I knew what was going on. Because we KNOW April, and we KNOW her heart.....

Anyway, keep her in your prayers.

This next week is a HUGE ONE!!!!
Happy Birthday Jesus!! -- April 6th
Happy Half-Birthday to me!!-- April 6th
Happy April Fools!-- April 1st
Happy Birthday Elder Park! -- April 2nd
GENERAL CONFERENCE!!
and.... TRANSFERS!!

WOAH...... not to mention NEXT week is my hump day..... WOAH AGAIN.
"WOAHHHHH we're [almost] half-way there... WOAH living on Prayers!!"-- worldy music.. oops.

Anyway, much to look forward to and many things to look back and learn from. I think the biggest testimony building topic from the last week has been the healing and enabling power of the atonement.

The atonement is REAL!! Whether it's seeing someone be healed after committing crimes, or overcoming addictions, or just repenting of the little things that slowly eat away at a companionship from day to day. It works for everything and it's been amazing to see the drastic difference in healings that it is able to do.

I love my Heavenly Father-- if we strive to make our prayers sincere, we will feel Him. I love my Savior, Jesus Christ and know he is always with me. How blessed I am to have amazing brothers to help me relate that relationship to. I know this gospel is real, true, and that we have a LIVING church, a LIVING relationship with our Heavenly Father and Christ, and a LIVING prophet that we get to hear from this next weekend that will guide and direct us. Prepare yourselves always.

Keep on keepin' on!! We'll hear about transfers on Thursday!

LOVE YOU.
Sister Checketts


Pic: Christina and Jovon's baptism!!!


Monday, March 24, 2014

Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself.

Hello again! ANOTHER week gone by! SO FAST!!!! Can you believe I'm almost at my half-way mark?? WOAH. Blows my mind.
 
This week has been hard. I'm just going to lay that right out there. Missions are not all daisy's and sunshine (especially since winter has decided to visit again). And this week has been hard. One thing is for sure "sometimes our hardest battles are fought between the walls of our own hearts".
 
So there are so many people here that I love so much. People that I would never have thought that I would be so close with-- I LOVE THEM. It's just so hard when people choose not to do what they KNOW they should be doing. Heartbreaking. To feel the blessings that our Heavenly Father gives to me-- knowing that they could get the blessings too if they just put ACTION behind their thoughts. Laziness-- is of the devil.
 
So there is this fun couple-- the ones that got married a few weeks back. He isn't a member and she is less-active. Turns out his mom HATES Mormons-- and for some strange reason still has legal guardianship over her 30 year old son. She got the court involved and now he IN NO WAY can have any connection to the church. We were over at their apartment explaining to them that we can't see them anymore because bishop advised us not to, and while we were there, his mother called. He made us go in the hallway and was like "don't say a word!" Haha it was funny-- I felt like I was hiding in the Holocaust. His wife is so sad that we can't see them at their house anymore. She met us at the church last night to give us pictures from their wedding that we took and to talk to us. I just love them.
 
Had a cool experience this week. Going to try a LA on the list and turns out they got kicked out a few months back. We found this out by talking to their neighbor, Dusty-- he's getting married this week to his girlfriend that's been living with him. Had a way awesome experience with him while he was out smoking (EVERYONE SMOKES). He's interested and wants their family to go to some church! It was cold thought, so as we left he yelled "please come back! Come back again!" So we're going by tomorrow to drop off a wedding card and hopefully get on good terms with his fiancé too! YAY. He's totally prepared and now they'll be married!
 
The members we live with are so funny.... their an older couple and every night when we walk down to our room, Bro Flack is sitting in his chair eating Neapolitan ice cream and watching Disney Channel-- it's his FAVORITE. So cute. haha :) Sister Flack is out of town for these last two days, so guess what?? You're right! We moved in with the Holmes Lake sisters (again) back into the crappy apartment :P We get to go back home today though, but it's always fun getting to stay with them.
 
Did lots of service this week and totally have a new best friend in the ward. Her name is Helga. She's AMAZING!!! We helped her twice this week raking up all these crazy leaves in her yard. SO MANY LEAVES. She just told us her whole conversion story and she has the strongest testimony. Her husband is a graphic designer and has done all these AWESOME comics. It's the best! So doing service with her this week was DEFINATLY a highlight, and I definitely got emotional with her as well because so much of what she said was a direct answer to so many prayers lately. I love Helga forever. And we're having dinner with them this week-- my heart just smiled.
 
I gave my training this last week. I had the COOLEST studies while I was preparing for it!! I learned so much about "gaining knowledge" and then I was pumped to give this training to all the elders in our district. But I got up there and totally made a fool of myself. Darn elders-- no one really participated and I just was rambling the whole time. Ughhhhhh that was bad.... I was kinda disappointed in myself for not living up to the AWESOME insights Father had given me to prepare for it. I guess the training was more for ME than anyone else... anyway. Whatever.
 
So Amy had quite the learning experience this week! We set her up for LDS singles this last week and she had been talking to this guy--- we went over for a lesson with her and she broke down crying saying that she think she messed up. Turns out this guys was a TOTAL FRAUD and had tricked her into sending his "daughter" $500...... She felt HORRIBLE. She prayed sooo sooo hard and then got a call from the money place saying that it wasn't able to go through and that they'd be sending the money back to her. She was SO RELIEVED!!!! She just kept saying how GOOOOOOOD  Heavenly Father is. She then asked us how the Holy Ghost speaks to her and we were able to help her understand the feelings and warnings that the Holy Ghost gave her to warn her that that wasn't a good idea. She totally gets in now and KNOWS that Heavenly Father gave her this experience to help her learn and understand. It was so cool and she got ALL the money back. Dang creepers on the internet that mess with innocent people.... we were so upset with that, but it all worked out and Father really does protect and warn us of ANYTHING that isn't right.
 
We had this other cool experience this week too. So I might have mentioned our Potential Investigator named Bear-- and his fiancé Bonnie. We found them last week and then there was a former investigator that lives in their same apartment complex that we BY A MIRACLE found. Well we walked over to their apartment one night this last week and found Bear out on the steps. We talked with him, he asked us to sit down and answer some of his questions. While we were talking to him, Crerena, the former investigators came out to smoke and also sat down with us. It had felt like FOREVER since we had last taught a lesson, and so HEAVENLY FATHER IS SOOOO GOOOD!!!!!! Sister Weber taught Crerena right there on the steps and I taught Bear. WE TAUGHT 2 LESSONS AT ONCE!!!! It was amazing!! Bear was explaining how he just wants to learn how to conquer his temper and he wants to find a church that he can continue to learn in. I was teaching him all about the restoration, and prophets, and how the atonement can help him with EVERYTHING he was explaining, and right then and there, I soft-set him for baptism!!!! Sister Weber on the other hand was talking to Crerena and Crerena was explaining how she just wanted to learn all about the church. She already has a pretty solit testimony and understanding of much of the basic principles of the church and just didn't get baptized before because the Elders were disobedient.. :( But here were 2 people that Heavenly Father just by a miracles placed into our paths. It was so exciting. Here we were sitting on the steps of this apartment on this busy road with lots of cars driving past, teaching 2 awesome people 2 different lessons. <3 GOOD NIGHT.
 
Another highlight? We went to the temple this week <3 <3 I LOVE THE TEMPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome inspiration and comfort that came to me while we were sitting there. President was able to go through with us this time and it was SO GOOD to see him. While there, he came up to each of us individually to see how we were doing. I'd be struggling all week and when he came to me, he thanked me for getting Mahoney up and running and then apologized for moving me around SO MUCH (he always apologizes to me for that) But then said "I PROMISE it will happen again"... WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??? He always messes with my head!! Transfers are in a week and a half. I'm going crazy :P Ohhhh President--- how I love thee. :) Hahah
 
One of my past young women leaders stopped by Lincoln yesterday to attend church. So I got to see Shelise Lowe! YAY! That was exciting :)
 
Don't be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ-- even if you are told to hide in the hallway and "not make a sound"-- stand tall and proud of the knowledge you have of knowing the RESTORED gospel.
 
So we did see many miracles this week and it was over-all successful. It's just hard to stay positive and keep going sometimes. But just know how IMPORTANT it is to know that in order to love others MORE, you need to love yourself. It's a commandment, and we are all children of the most powerful being in the universe and he loves and is aware of each one of us. YOU ARE IMPORTANT, and never forget that.
(Stacey Park-- your letter was an answer to a prayer, thank you.)
 
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!! So very much!!!
I hope you all have an amazing week <3
-Sister Checketts
 

Monday, March 17, 2014

I Can Only Imagine

GUESS WHAT?!?!
 
A dog peed on my foot this week. Yup, it happened! The nonmember husband of a LA woman walked over handing me a towel and was all "uhh... you might want to wipe off your shoe.." cause their dog got a LITTLE too excited.... #missionlife
 
We had so many ward parties this week! Tuesday was the Relief Society Birthday Party! Amy came and we were sooooo excited because ALL BY HERSELF she went into the bishops office to talk to him and she is just SOOO friendly with all the ladies, holding their babies and joking with the kiddos. SHE'S THE BEST!!!!
 
We got her hooked up on LDS Singles this week... hahahah! She "just wants to find her eternal companion!"
 
We also had our ward dinner on Thursday! It was a potato bar and there was a super good turn out! ... they ran out of potatoes it was so good! Haha :) We had a fun time cleaning in the kitchen with all the ladies afterwards and Sister Weber got water all down the front of her skirt... ooops! It was hilarious.
 
The weather has been AWESOME!!! We've been able to go running every day and are averaging about 2 1/2 miles every morning. It's a good time!! I LOVE WARM WEATHER!!!! The sunsets have been AMAZING, I have missed them so much!! And it's been a FULL MOON for the last couple of nights. <3 Ahhhhh God is so good <3
 
Had some SWEET miracles this last week!!
 
We were walking around in this wonderful weather going to find some LA's and we walked past this house with an adorable dog attached to the fence. We kept walking because there were some people outside ahead of us we wanted to talk to. We talked to them for like 5 minutes.. they were NOT interested :/ so we kindly left back to where we came from. We walked past the house with the dog again and this time the garage was open and there was a lady moving boxes around in it. We introduced ourselves and asked if we could help and she was kind hesitant at first but then opened right up to us and let us jump in. In our dress clothes we helped her pack up boxes  and clean out the garage. She is SO COOL!!! She went to Julliard school of the arts and is an actress. She has two kids now so she really only does plays at the local theatre here in town. She's an amazing chef and was 3 people away from making it on this cooking competition that is on TV. She has two MIRACLE babies, is a cancer survivor. It was the coolest thing ever! She's Catholic but says she's "not as active as I should be" and she LOVES Salt Lake City! She kept saying over and over again how much she appreciated all our help and wants us to come back over so she can cook for us this next week. She is going to be AWSOME to work with!! But the sad part is that we were helping her pack because they are moving at the end of the month:( STILL IN LINCOLN!! But in a different ward. So we're going to start working with her family until then, but it was so cool!! We love them. We left and Sister Weber was all "Well, I'm thinking that might be the family we've been praying for! God is on that one, because we've been praying to FIND a family, when we should have been praying to TEACH a family..." haha it was so cool:)
 
We also were out tracting one day and both felt prompted to go knock on this one apartment door. 2 cute kids answered and we said we'd try back. When we went back to meet their parents, it turns out that she is a long lost sister of a LA family in our ward. MIRACLE!! WHAT ARE THE ODDS?! Her sister got baptized about a year ago and she'd like us to come visit them so that she could learn more. GOD IS SO GOOD!!
 
Met a sweet couple that were moving into an apartment the other day. The guy told us they had moved to Lincoln for a family emergency-- he flat out told us what apartment they lived in. I don't think he knew he we were, he just saw us coming out of the building when they finished unloading the car and probably thought that we lived there too. SWEET!! We're bringing them "welcome to Nebraska" cookies and have the faith we'll get in to teach them. haha:)
 
Then we had a nonmember woman named Connie who is the wife to a LA man-- WE LOVE this couple. Connie called us and gave us news that her son that we'd be praying would get this new job, GOT THE JOB and Connie was SO excited! We're seeing MUCH progression in her too <3
 
It's been slow coming, but miracles always happen because God hasn't ceased to be a God of miracles. He loves us so much and wants to provide miracles in our lives <3
 
Went to eat at King Kong w/ the Elders in our ward and our mission leader this week! I LOVE GYRO'S!! I've also gained an incredible love for tuna-- dad, you would be proud :) hahaha
 
We went with the Sullivan's in our ward and with Amy to the Trail Center on Saturday!! SHE LOVED IT!!!! She is a pioneer being the only member in her family now. She wants nothing more than to get to the temple!!
 
While at the Trail Center I got to see some of my good friends!!! SISTER BROUGH!!! I got to talk to my mission momma for a good time <3 I LOVE HER!!! Also, Elders Johnson (in my district when I was in Red Oak- SUPER cool kid) and Tatafu (served in my first area with me) were there!! I hadn't seen them FOREVER and they sung a song for us. Told us a cool story that they are teaching this serial killers wife. HAHA I miss them! 
 
Helped a LA woman we're working with MOVE this week. She's still in our ward boundaries though, so YAY.
 
This next week will be GREAT!! We have exchanges, A TEMPLE TRIP!!!, I'm giving another training, and it's the General Woman's Meeting this weekend. You know what that means?? CONFERENCE IS COMING!!!!!
 
Anxiety for transfers coming up in 2 weeks.... Oh man, I know a change is coming!!!
 
With the full moon last night, we pulled up in front of the house right with the song "I Can Only Imagine" came on on my CD. We BLASTED it and closed our eyes.
 
I love my Savior, I love my Father in Heaven SO MUCH!!! This area so far has been a little difficult and I'm definitely on a continual path of learning patience, but He provides miracles and they are both SO AWARE of our situations. I can only imagine how I will act when I see them both again. I'll probably dance around and cry and collapse and that hug that they will give when we see them again will be one that can't compare with ANYTHING else in or of this world.
 
Keep going strong. Listen to the song, and pray to our Father in Heaven. He loves you. You're brother, Jesus Christ cries with you, and we are never alone <3
 
I love you too. This gospel is TRUE and nothing else in this world can heal us more than the gospel in this church.
-Sister Checketts
 
Pic- Sullivans, Amy, and us at the Trail Center
 

Monday, March 10, 2014

..Summer? So quick??

... Let's not get our hopes up... Last week was FREEZING and these last two days I've got NO TIGHTS and NO COAT!!! BEAutiful!!:) We actually walked to church yesterday!! Trying to get as much exercise in as is humanly possible as a missionary with a car... haha. Except for the fact that we can't go running in the morning cause Weber lost ONE of her nike's.... hahaha but we're searching! We think the Flack's cat stole it.
 
This week has been FAST!! Started out last Monday with a wedding of Tashia and Dave! It was  small. Just us, the bishop, her sister and best friend. Super casual, but it's official! Tashia is a less-active member and Dave is not! We started teaching him this week and he's quite the character! He says he likes the church a lot, and they'll come every week (except they didn't yesterday :( ) But that he doesn't really care about our doctrine or praying to know for himself.. he's cool, just super chill, but doesn't really want to put in the effort... so hopefully feeling the spirit every week as they both attend will catch his attention at some point!
 
Our district meeting this week was WONDERFUL!!! 2 sets of the elders had baptisms this last Saturday and it's way cool being the only sisters in the district. Elders are just cool, such great insights!
 
We helped some less-actives in our ward move this week! I am going to be PRO, I promise. It kinda drives me bonkers when EVERY move I've helped with out here, they never have anything packed when we show up... haha lots of the brethren from the ward were there to help though and we got it done in about 4 hours.
 
We went to the Elders baptism this week! Oscar! His wife is a member and he's been taking lessons for a loooooooong time! His wife Sondra is completely solid. She squeals and gets soooooo giddy during church and runs around just telling people "it's true!! God is SO good to us!!" hahahah she's so fun:) We're going to try to teach her sons girlfriend!
 
Amy came to the baptism and yesterday was the FIRST time since we've met her that she stayed ALL 3 hours. SHE HAS COME SO FAR!!!! Oh my gosh I just love her to PIECES!!! She wore a dress for the first time (huge step) and sat up with all the old ladies and she just looked like an active member going around trying to meet everyone. She's incredible. We fixed her dinner this week! She's the best and she's like a grandma to us! The ward is great at fellowshipping her!
 
The Fergs came and took us to lunch again this week... SUPRISE!! They are my favorite ever. Steve bought us Rapunzel and Belle PEZ dispensers and said "I walked by and just thought of you two.." hahah I love them!
 
April called us this week! We talked to her for like an hour on the phone trying to help her with things that are going on. I love her so much <3 Friends forever.
 
We had some miracles this week too!! So we're having a super hard time getting people to progress... It's a struggle. None of the LA's we're working with really are taking anything we give them. None of our investigators are allowing us in anymore. We don't get it!! So this week we're going to focus more on finding new people because we KNOW there are prepared people out there. People that are just waiting, and this week we're determined to find them, even if it means putting some others aside for a while.
 
We found a LA name on the ward list to go see and when we got to the apartment door, there was a man standing outside. His name is Bear. We asked if he new the person we were looking for and apparently she'd been gone for quite a while. But he practically ripped the Book of Mormon out of my hands and asked us to tell him more! So we taught him and still have yet to find him again, but the apartment next to him was open and the lady inside yelled "what is that book??" .... "Oh, I have one of those!" So we started talking to her and come to find out she used to live with some recent converts in our ward and she had taken lessons with them. WE FOUND A FORMER INVESTIGATOR!! We're going by to see her tomorrow, but we left super excited. YAY
 
Also, as we were walking home from church yesterday, there were some kids out skateboarding that I went and talked to, got their mom to come out, SUPER awesome family! One of the daughters had a friend invite her to a different ward activity and had given her a Book of Mormon and the family was trying to find how to learn more because their switching churches. (YAY FOR  YOUTH MISSIONARIES!!!) BAM we show up. I hope this is the family we've been praying to find.
 
Anyway!! A promising week ahead! And to make it even better, there was a visible SUNSET yesterday!!!!
 
God IS good!
Been thinking a lot lately about Moroni 7:19-- Make all our decisions IN the lord, and we will never go astray!! We are his children and his advice and council is always there if we but ask him and involve him IN our decisions!!
 
I love you all!! have a great week!!
-Sister Checketts
 
-pic: us and Amy at church <3

Monday, March 3, 2014

Winter Never Ends!!

It's freezing here in the lovely Lincoln, Nebraska! I thought the cold was almost done for since it was in the 60's last week.. but NOPE!! We were out in the bitter cold last night. Frozen nose hairs and all :) It's actually pretty fun:)
 
This week had some exciting stuff in it!!
 
Last Monday we ate at the COOLEST house ever with our favorite other companionship of sisters!!! The man took us on a tour of the old house and it has secret passageways and art and things all over the walls. I about died.... I LOVE INTERIOR DESIGN. Their whole family is SUPER artistic with art and music. It was way fun and he took us up in this hidden loft behind an old bookshelf. Oh gosh, we were in heaven. They had a massive library too and the look of the house was really creepy on the outside. Reminded me of Harry Potter or Narnia. yeah, that was way cool:) (Stacey-- we were talking all about Organs too! They love Organs and they might know the people you bought your house from!!)
 
Anyway.. ZONE CONFERENCE was this last Tuesday. It was sooo good! And SO GOOD to see President and Sister Weston. They light up my life. I also saw Sister Carpenter!! She finally good moved out of Red Oak and it was so good to see her :) There were 4 zones at our conference and I can't tell you how happy and giddy I get when we get all us missionaries together. It's so powerful and so good to see such good friends:)
 
After Zone conference we had a "zone Olympics" We participated in running ladders, jug curls, pushups, situps and the stick pole (I dominate at stick pull!) Sister Weber totally took gold for the jug curls!! I was so proud of her:) Then the next 2 days after, she was totally paying for it. Haha she could barely use her arm because she pulled something. It was humorous and I just laughed at her competitiveness:) But she got a Priesthood blessing and in a day it was all better. The Priesthood is the BEST!!
 
We met with a LA named Tasha and her fiancé Dave this week! They are actually getting married TONIGHT so we get to go to a wedding in the Relief Society room tonight to support them! Dave is cool! He says he totally wants to start going to our church and Tasha is trying to start coming back too. We taught them a couple times this last week and one of those times, her sister and her sisters best friend who AREN'T members were asking us allll kind of questions on marriage and why it is important. My testimony of families has deepened even more this week and I want nothing more than to be with them for eternity. (speaking of families.... I hope my parents are having a blast in HAWAII right now... I know, right? They had to go on the dream vacation without me??;) haha I still love you:) Soak up the sun for me)
 
Not gonna lie.. I had a couple break downs this week. This ward is a LOT harder to get started than Yankee Hill was. It's a struggle to gain relationships with the ward members and so we're doing our best to serve the members more than ever. They aren't used to having sisters in the ward and don't quite know what to do with us. But we'll get there!! There are some SUPER amazing converts in this ward with the coolest stories!
 
Had a break down with Amy this week-- she had a hard week. We are worried that she is getting super attached to us, so we're trying to back off and get the members over there. She'll be fine, it is also just going to take some time: )I know that our less-actives and investigators biggest spiritual grown and greatest spiritual experience will come when we AREN'T there. She told us this cool experience that she had this week though!! She told us that late during the night, she had this like purple bubble come into her view and she saw two little kids dressed in white holding on to a man also dressed in white. We were so excited and explained to her more about the temple and temple sealings. She wants NOTHING more than to have an eternal family and she's so sad because she wants to go to the temple, but doesn't believe she has really anyone to be sealed to. She never talks to her two daughters and they want nothing to do with her. We told her that we'll get her hooked up on LDS singles ;) haha.
 
Heavenly Father TOTALLY answers prayers... this week he answered so many of mine THROUGH other people. We had our Ward Mission Leaders wife come and talk to us this week letting us know that she cares about us. It was the coolest experience though and totally what Sister Weber and I needed. My Father knows us. He knows what we need and will always provide for us. We have got to teach the ward how to do missionary work!!
 
The March 2014 ensign article "I will be your light in the wilderness" totally answered my prayers this week too! It's a good one! You should read it!!
 
This week I have also learned the importance of magnifying our callings. If we aren't doing all we are supposed to, it puts that much work on someone else. I hope we all strive to magnify our callings!! Visiting and home teaching is SO IMPORTANT!!!
 
We got to see the Fergusons and April again this week from Yankee Hill!! They both separately took us out to dinner again. I GET SOOOO EXCITED TO SEE THEM!!! The Fergusons are seriously my family out here. I love them SOOOOO much. And April is truly one of my best friends!! We are SO EXCITED to come back and visit her when we got off our missions!!!!! She had been in Colorado for like a week and a half because her mom was in acoma. But she's all better now and April is so glad to be back and to have things okay again. Her trial has been pushed back AGAIN.... it never ends!! But she is the strongest woman I have ever met. Hands down!!! (plus she's an MMA fighter... haha so she's physically strong too:)
 
Fasting yesterday was the coolest experience. I seriously gained all the strength and motivation that I was seeking. WE CAN DO THIS!!! It's a happy day and I don't know what I would do without Sister Weber!! We know everything about each other and she is my rock and support and friend forever :)
 
I hope you all had a terrific week and have much to look forward to this week!! I pray for you and miss you lots! The work is going and just know that even if things aren't going perfect right now, that means we're wondering through the wilderness and just being PREPARED for our promised land <3
 
This church holds the one and only true gospel of Jesus Christ. He is my brother, my savior and only because of the sacrifice he made and the Priesthood we have am I able to spend eternity with my family and my Heavenly parents  <3
Just Keep Swimming!!
-Sister Checketts
 
Pic-- frozen road kill squirrel (tail only!!) Yeah.... Weber was FREAKING out. hahaha