December 23, 2013 -- Luis' baptism!

With the twins after their baptism!

Hola Familia!

Como Estamos!?

Muchas gracias for all the treats and packages and mail that I have recieved.  I am seriously sooo grateful!

I dont have much time today cause all the places are closed.  But Ill give yall a short accounting of last week!  We had a Zone Meeting on Thursday, which was super fun, we had a scarf white elephant which was pretty great.  Friday and Saturday was all spent preparing for Luis' baptism, calling members about it, and getting his interview set up and stuff.

Speaking of the interview, the zone leaders came down to do it.  It was taking kind of a long time so we got kind of worried.  After, Elder Erekson pulled Hna Button and I in the hall, and looked really serious.

He said, "So, Luis told me that yall havent taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ."  I was so confused.  Hna button started panicking, she was like, "The Elders taught it, and we did too!"  And then Luis said, "I didn't learn it." with a completely serious face.  It was really awkward! 

And then finally Elder Erekson was like, "Just kidding! Everythings good!"  Hna Button and I just about had a heart attack, and then we found out that it was even Luis' idea!  hahaha it was hilarious.

Anyways, so on Saturday we cleaned out the font for the twins baptism (English ward) that would be earlier that day, and helped them set up for that.  Their baptism was simple and beautiful! 

After that, we started preparing for Luis.  We actually just decided it'd be on the 21st last Sunday, so we were really worried not many people would be able to come.  but I'd called some families, and the bishop's wife sent a mass text out.  Little by little, people started arriving, and there ended up being a good 40 ward members there.  Then Luis and some of his fmaily and friends showed up as well.  He got out of his car, all ready in his white jumpsuit, and it was probably the best moment of my life!  He was super happy.  the service turned out beautifully, the ward mission leader conducted, and after he was baptized all of the missionaries there sang "Haz me Andar en la luz".  The Bishop gave one of the best talks I've ever heard after, on El Don del Espiritu Santo.  When he came out, he was SO happy.  His kids and ex-wife were all there and were so fascinated with it.

The next day at church, he got confirmed. I was on the stand cause I had to speak, but after, he sat down near hna button and said "I've never felt like this before!" With a huge smile.

I love him!

So ya, this weekend was seriously amazing.  Last night we went caroling and it was so fun, we wore the santa hats you sent us! 

LOVE y'all a lot! 

With Luis right before his baptism.

After the scarf exchange at zone conference -- Feliz Navidad!

We had a party at 9:30 , ok not really, just a momentary party with the other hermanas with baptism cupcakes they got from a member! (don't worry it was like 4 minutes long. We were still using time effectively:)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Hermana Collier

December 16, 2013 -- Luis is getting baptized!!!

 After the ward party with some of the sweet kids of the Rocky Face ward, and Bishop Torres as well. 
He is an awesome bishop.

Hola Familia!

This week has been great.  I am truly blessed to be serving the Lord's children here in Dalton, Georgia. 

So I have told y'all a little about Luis.  He is 30 and has been investigating since about May.  But he had some worries with the law of chastity and things, so has been delaying baptism.

This week on Tuesday we had exchanges with the sister training leaders.  Sister Hatch came down to spend the day with me here in the Rocky Face North area.  As we planned for the lessons of the day, we discussed Luis' situation, and decided it was time to extend him a date again.  We called the President, and he told us that the situation that Luis is in right now is not disobeying the law of chastity, and he is okay to get baptized.  We went over to Luis' house ready to invite.  So we talked about his situation, related to him the information and talked about his fears.  We explained to him that he wasn't breaking any rules. Then Sister Hatch said, "So Luis! You can get baptized any time!"  And he just looked up and he was like, ya!  I asked, "How do you feel right now?"  And he explained "Actually, like really happy! I feel super relieved!" 

Sister Hatch and I after a day in Rocky Face north!  She is a great missionary!

This week is the final count down, and we'll be making arrangements and getting the ward more involved.  The English ward has two baptisms on Saturday as well, which will make it a busy but very exciting day in Dalton.  Please pray for Luis!

I also learned a lot while on this exchange about talking with everyone! It really is so important to just share our message with everyone we see, even just testifying right there on the spot.

We had a ward party on Saturday, and as a companionship tried to everything we could to prepare for it.  We invited Luis obviously, who brought a friend and his family.  We also made little invitations and passed them out to people we'd talk to on the streeet and stuff. 

The party went well!  It started out with a live Nativity which was beautiful, and I got the chance to play violin in that. Everyone came for the food-- way more people than expected, even if they were an hour late. Four or five members brought friends and those friends brought their families.  It was truly awesome to see that happening.  We got their contact information and are hoping we'll have some new investigators from them! There were a lot of less actives there as well--don't ask me why the people always come to parties but never to church.

With the ward members who were in the nativity.  I love our ward!

I am so grateful for y'all, at this time of Christmas I miss y'all but am also profoundly grateful for the chance I have to serve here. 

This week, I am going to really experiment with faith.  Instead of overthinking things or trying to justify things, just act in obedience at all times no matter what.  As dad mentioned in an email, faith is truly incredible, and if we can just let it overcome doubt we can do anything! 

I love you all!

Hermana Collier 

December 9, 2013 -- Tocando Las Puertas en Dalton

After tracting in the rain for an hour, we saw this  sign!

Hola Familia!

Como Estan!?  Les Amo mucho!! Caleb I wish I couldve seen you in Christmas Carol a lot! Email me and tell me how it went!  Abe and Jon sounds like all is well with y'all.  I pray for everyone every night so I hope you can feel it!

This week was good! One thing I'm really coming to learn is that although outward results do matter, they aren't all that count.  What really counts are the changes that are taking place within the people we see and within us as misioneras. 

It's also been hard and challenging, just staying motivated, keeping a smile on, and continuing to work hard every day.  Although we're getting to the point where we have a lot of scheduled lessons every day, but without the car, we're still getting lots of good ol' tracting in.

We actually found a really good Spanish neighborhood though for this on Wednesday.  In the midst of praying with one Spanish family to the next and scheduling appointments with them, we saw an older (white) woman outside.  We talked to her for a while, she's 89 years old, and still up and moving.  We saw her backyard was covered in leaves, so asked if we could come rake leaves for her Saturday.

The next day we had a very spirit filled lesson with a young woman named Maria, who we met one day last week, she accepted a Book of Mormon and the commitment to read and pray. We get to to teach her again tomorrow.  Pray for her, por favor!

Saturday came and it was freezzziinnggg, the humidity here freezes and when the wind kicks in it's cold.  But the Elders took us to the 89 yr old lady, Alane's house.  We raked for 2 1/2 hours until the backyard was bare! She invited us in after, muddy and shivering, and we shared a scripture.  She was profusely grateful, so much that she took our picture so she could remember us.  She was so sweet, we'll return and try to teach her.  Its never too late to come to Christ, right?

On Sunday the less active family we ran into last week finally came to church! That was great to see them there!  Church was good and we got a new Ward Mission leader which I think will change a lot of things for missionary work in the ward for the better!

We've been able to continue teaching Luis, it is SO awesome to see the light that is coming to his eyes as he learns more about the Church and puts into practice the principles.  HE reminds US that we need to meet-- that's how awesome he is!  It is crazy how teaching someone and inviting them to come unto Christ, and then watching them make those changes brings about such an automatic love for them.  I have definitely been able to see that with Luis.

Also, on Friday for district meeting president came down, and did interviews.  I loved it, I feel very blessed to have such a loving mission president as Pres Irion.  OH ALSO! THE Christmas Devo last night was incredible!  Super different, but I enjoyed it, and man, I was so excited when I saw Sister Wixom was going to speak!  I loved every moment of it!

I am becoming more and more grateful for personal study time every day, I am able to learn so much and this is where my testimony is strengthened the most.  I have loved reading Jesus the Christ, especially at this time of year!  I encourage yall to do daily personal study, it is like a shield for your day.  Fam and Friends, keep on keeping on! The Lord is on your side! This I know.

Con MUCHO carino,

Hermana Collier

The Clarks -- a dear member fam 

here in Dalton who are moving wards.  

We'll miss them a lot!

December 2, 2013 -- A week of Accion de Gracias

Hola Familia!! 

I am so grateful for so many things en esta semana de accion de gracias.  Every night I've been writing down how I saw the Hand of the Lord in my life that day, and every day that just multiplies.

Thank you for all y'alls amazing letters and notes, they mean the world to me.  Dad and fam-THANK YOU for the Thanksgiving package!  It was perfect, my companion was so excited about the fact  you included stuff for her, and it makes our apartment smell amazing.  It really was perfect. Love y'all.  And I'll send our direct address soon!

Speaking of my companion, she may need your prayers this transfer - why?  The mission office called this week and for some reason some miscommunication was made, and I am now the driver.   (Mom, I know you're shaking your head right now.) Ha! don't worry, I am being super careful. But let's just say when the elders get a ride, I'll apologize for something, and they say, "No! We think your driving's fun!"  Probably not a good sign:)

This week was great.  Rocky Face North is having some miracles!  We have been able to stay very busy between getting to know members, knocking on doors, and studying studying studying.  We've been able to find new investigators through the Lord's hand, and received 10 this last week. 

Our Thanksgiving was bueno, we had Turkey doused in something red and spicy, and other mexican twisted thanksgiving food.  It was pretty unique! Then we played a football for a an hour.  It was pretty fun!  I was thinking of y'all going to Logan on Thanksgiving and on "Viernes Negro", I thought of y'all at Camp Tracy. I should've known it'd be Amanda who'd fall in the ice this year. :)

So one miracle this week, we had set goals in FAITH on 2 different days to visit a LARC (Less Actives or Recent Converts) the next day. The reason why I say faith is because after being in the ward for one Sunday we didn't really know who our Less Actives were. So one night, we decided to pray and select a family on the ward list to visit. We found la familia Martinez, with 3 boys older boys, and a girl in high school, and a sweet mom. We read a message on Obediencia from the Liahona, and they all attentively listened! We invited them to come to church. We didn't even know that they were less active until we talked to our district leader about them. The next day we were tracting a whole long street. We were on the 2nd to last house, but it was dark and there were no cars in the driveway. I said "Lets just skip this one", and Hermana Button said, "Come on, you never know who might live there!" The door was answered with a warm greeting -- "Missionarias! Pasenle!" (Come in!) We sat in their warm home and they told us of how sister missionaries had found them years ago and they'd been sealed in the Atlanta temple, but hadn't been to church much recently. We encouraged them to come and left with smiles.  Praying they return soon!

I am learning to love this work.  It's SO rewarding to get to know and love members, and have them come out with us and learn to love missionary work for themselves.  It's rewarding to grow closer with comp and other missionaries in the district through serving the Lord together.  It's rewarding to teach and testify, and see that a person is influenced by it.

I am so grateful for all the righteous Priesthood holders in my life that have led way by example.  I have really come to an appreciation for the priesthood and I know it is real divine power and authority from God.

 Love y'all!

Hermana Collier 

November 25, 2013 -- Primera Semana en Espanol

Dear Familia,

I am SO Grateful today for your WONDERFUL emails and everything.  They make me SO happy and feel so blessed.  At this season of Thanksgiving I'm so grateful for y'all.  Sometimes I look back and just say, Man I'm sorry my famliy had to put up with me.  But I'll be better when I return, promise! :)

 

Entonces!  This week was BUENO!  Many missionaries left, and we got three new here, and Hna Button and I moved into a new apartment!  I may have told you a l'ill about Hna Button before, but oh well, she is 22, and from Wenatchee, Washington.  She wants to be a cop or Swap Medic when she returns, and loves trucks and hunting.  She is one of the most people-loving people I've ever met, so we get along great, and the members wherever she goes LOVE her.  I've learned a lot from being her companion and look forward to continuing!

 

So we've really just been getting to know the people of Barrio Rocky Face this week.  They are so so sweet, and humble, and want to serve the Lord.  They are also excited to have Sisters for the first time ever, which is fun.  On Saturday we got to have dinnner with our Bishop Torres.  He is younger and has the 5 cutest kids in the world.  The ward is filled with many sweet families, many of whom want to help us learn Spanish so that is great.

La unica problema is that our Espanol is not great yet!  And most of the ward members' English is better than our Spanish, so it's easier to just communicate in English, but this is not the way we learn!  So it's a little discouraging.  I know that it's up to me to learn, and I make that choice, but sometimes it still feels like no matter how hard I study and try, I still can't communicate what I want to say.

 

So that will just be a matter of prayer, and effort and time.  We have an investigator, Luis, who really wants to get baptized.  He comes to church, schedules visits with us, and listens to the Book of Mormon every day.  But, he is waiting for divorce papers to go through, and they could come through any day-- tommorow or next year, and so we are praying hard for that to happen.  He desires to be baptized so much, and we want that for him as well!  Tonight we have an appointment with a man, Everardo, who's wife is less active and when we were visiting her the other night, he became interested. 

There are many other potential investigators, and many many Hispanics here in Dalton that need the gospel, but it's hard when neither of us speak the language very well!

 

However, this trial has really helped us as a companionship grow more unified in our desires and goals, and helped me learn more about the Atonement.  It really does have a power to change us and our desires, and keeping covenants can make those changes permanent. 

 

Por Favor pray for us and the people of this area! 

LOVE y'all and pray for you every single night!!

Love, Hermana Collier

 

November 18, 2013 -- Voy a habla en espanol toda dia!!

HOLA familia!!!  

Gracias for your wonderful letters and emails and love!!

OK.  So.  First of all Haley and Kaley.  So we had their baptism date all set, it was last Saturday,  Mom was super excited, the girls were excited, all was fine and dandy right? 

Well therees this little thing called the adversary.  We got a call on thursday, turns out the mom had made some mistakes that week, and she'll be, well, gone, for a month.  We can't baptize them without their mom there, so we cancelled it! 

It was VERY sad, especially because they were all so excited, and everyone had been praying for them so hard.  But they'll continue being taught as they live at a family friends house so it's ok.

On Friday, we had transfer calls. I wasnt expecting anything at all!  But they said Sister Collier and Sister Button are moving!!  We had a slight suspicion though, that they were going to take out the two Elders from the Spanish ward and whitewash the area with Hermanas, so we called the Assistants to see if we needed to haul all our things to transfers in Knoxville, or if we should just change apartments,and they affirmed that we'd be moving to the Spanish ward.  So Hermana Button and I are going to the Rocky Face Spanish ward, and Sister Malloy will be staying in our apartment and training a new Hermana from the CCM!

So, I will be teaching, talking, preaching ESPANOL this transfer!!  I am excited but also VERY nervous.  We are taking over some investigators that have progressed a LOT and mine and my companion's spanish is VERY limited.  Not to mention many of the ward members speak only Spanish, and it will just be very interesting!!!  But I do know that the Lord will help us.  I do trust in Him!  This will be a great oppurtunity to refocus and set goals.  The lesson: Be careful what you pray for, cause you just might get it.

In other news, it was a great week, we went out to see a less active family and took a team-up that had been friends with the family for a while.  You know you're in the south when your team up swears at the less active family whilst telling them to come to church, and then repents in the prayer.  That being said, this family DID show up yesterday!  We had 4 investigators and a several inactives come on Sunday which was such a blessing.

 Jonathan and Felicia our investigators, also came  which we were not expecting!  Felicia really, really likes church, and basically told us the other night she wants to be baptized.  Jonathan, on the other hand, understands like it ALL, he comprehends the doctrine really well, but is really scared to take the step of faith.  It is really hard to watch these two, she who wants to just get married and be baptized, and he who seems to know it's true but isnt' quite willing to dive in so suddenly.  I am definetely saddest about not being able to teach them anymore, Felicia is just a year older than me and weve become great friends.

I have learned SO much this week about having a vision, a vision to baptize every single person we talk to.  It makes a huge difference in the way they learn and the way we teach.  The Holy Ghost can testify and come stronger and with more power when we have a vision for their full potential. 

I love missionary work!  I am so grateful for this chance to serve!

Love,

Hermana Collier

Hermana Button's birthday wish was for one the members to let us come over to the Fire Station and try on the fireman gear.  It was pretty fun!

 My wonderful first Dalton district,(with the zone leaders in there somewhere).  I love everyone of them!  Three of the elders are leaving, and we're getting three new, and one new hermana.  Pretty bittersweet.

Hot chocolate and Mexican treats at the Local Flea Market . . . like a mini Espanglish Mexico!

A Weekend in Chatt, and The Twins Are Getting Baptized!

Got to go to the Joseph Standing memorial which is in our area, last p-day.  It was definitely sacred, dedicated ground, so it was super cool to go there and hear the story of a dedicated servant of the Lord who sacrificed his life for missionary work!  (Editor's note:  Elder Joseph Standing was shot and killed by a hostile mob while preaching the gospel in Dalton GA in the 1800's with his companion, Elder Rudger Clawson. After his companion was shot, Elder Clawson folded his arms and said “shoot”, but the mob chose not to.  He survived his mission and became an apostle in later years.  Apparently there wasn’t a branch in that area of Georgia again until almost 100 years later, in the late 1970’s.)   

Hello Family!!

COMO ESTAN!?  I love all of your emails so much!  And I really really love yall so much!

This week has been crazy.  Crazy in a good way. 

On Friday we went up to Ooltewah which is near Chattanooga, for Zone Conference.  The things I learned will change my whole mission.

I learned that Hope is a GOAL - something we're looking towards, and that Faith is the action we take to reach that goal.  The steps to making a change/reaching a goal are:

1. See it: Recognize the issue 

2. Own it: Take Responsibility 

3. Plan it: How will you do it? 

4. Do it: Act!

So that was really awesome to learn.  After that conference, our trio exhanged with another, so Hna Button went back to Dalton with two other sisters from Ooltewah and Sister Malloy and I stayed in Ooltewah with Sister Jones.  We had some really great lessons that night and a wonderful dinner appointment. Before we were done that night, we got a text from the sisters in Dalton that night who'd had a lesson with the twins.  They said that Haley and Kaley have a date.  The twins are getting baptized this Saturday!! Sister Malloy and I were SO happy for them, and we immediately said a prayer thanking Heavenly Father.  They still have quite a bit to learn before Saturday, but we have a plan and faith that they'll be prepared!

The next day we had a bunch of plans, and they all fell through within an hour! So we saw a lady raking leaves and asked if we could help. She asked our names, but thought "Malloy" and "Collier" were too hard to pronounce, so she called us Jones, Blondie, and Smiley.  It was kind of hilarious.  We helped her rake leaves, and sung some hymns for her.  After that we found some new investigators and taught another lesson.

Saturday night was the Adult session of Chattanooga Tennessee Stake Conference.  It was so so wonderful to see so many Latter Day Saints gathered together.  The meeting was POWERFUL, on Hastening the Work.  As I sang "I Feel My Savior's Love", I felt such an outpouring of the Spirit like I never have before!  It was a feeling that made me want to act, to do and be better.  It was an extremely revelatory experience.  The next day was the general session which was also fabulous, and Jonathan and Felicia were able to come!!  We were so happy for them.  We have another lesson with them tonight.

I know that when we are close to the Spirit, we are inspired to be better.  We're inspired to be more diligent, and more Christlike.  It is something that is very difficult to always be close to the spirit but when we are it is life changing!

Thank yall for your love and support.  Y'all are INCREDIBLE and I pray for you every night!

Love, Hermana Collier

Exchange for the weekend in Ooltewah! with Sisters Malloy and Jones - I loved it!!

 Hna Button, Sis Malloy and I with Haley and Kaley a couple weeks ago at the trunk or treat.