March 24, 2014

Ok so this week was crazy. We got a new investigator we tracted into Nester and came back on Sunday and taught them more about the book of Mormon. He was asking all these questions me and Sister Davis were so excited because none of our investigators are progressing. On Sunday we were talking to them and he said he doesn’t think he could leave their church for ours which was really sad. I bore my testimony about why I went on a mission and I felt the spirit so strong. I just started crying and I just felt so sad that they didn’t want to learn more. We gave them a copy of the book of Mormon to keep and they seemed exited that they still could read it so they might not be ready now but one day they will be :) so Sister Davis got her visa!! She is going to Brazil Vetorea mission so cool!! She has 3 weeks left here with me. Transfers are in 4 weeks so I will be in a trio with the sister training leaders which is scary to think about. I got a picture with the Dearingers. I found out I’m related to them. Their kids and brother Derringer were at a family reunion that was in Washington. The one where we were camping in the back yard. So cool! They are an awesome family :) We had stake conference which was amazing. It’s crazy how much I got out of it. Usually I feel like I am just tired and want it to be over. Since I’ve been out I don’t want it to end because I feel the spirit so strong. I love feeling that way. Everything they say I think how I need to use it in my life. Everyone should get something out of stake conference. If you just think oh so and so should be here because they need to live there life like this. No, that’s not what it’s all about. It’s to strengthen you. Worry about you and how you can better yourself and your family!! :) cool story! So I’ve been doing eye therapy for like 2 weeks now and it’s crazy how much my eyes are getting better. I can read longer and my eyes don’t get tired as fast. I haven’t had any headaches for so long and I just love reading. We have an 80 day scripture challenge and we have to read 4 chapters a day and when I first got out I could read one chapter and then personal study would be over which made me really sad because I didn’t get much out of it. Now I can read 4 chapters and also read in Preach my Gospel for 30 min plus read a little bit in the New Era. You have no clue how much my reading has improved. It’s part of having confidence in myself that was one thing that was really holding me back. This mission has given me confidence. I now know how to focus my eyes and take small breaks so my eyes don’t get tired. I just want to cry I am so happy. I have an opportunity not only to help others but to help myself so I can do better when I get home and go to college. I love Yakima and all the people in it. A lady that we tracted into started crying and told us that her granddaughter was in the hospital. She was not fully developed and was only about a month old. We shared a scripture with her and prayed with her and she said we were angels sent from God and that she was about to go to bed and didn’t know if she was going to be able to sleep and now she thinks she can. We gave her our number and told her to call if she ever needs anything or just needs someone to talk too. I gave her a big hug and I just wanted to stay with her and make sure she was ok. but we had to go. I prayed for her to feel peace and comfort last night. We went to a less active family’s house and their son was there. It was super awkward because the whole time I felt like they were trying to set us up. ahhhh I shared a scripture and the mom was like” go sit by her so u can see what she is reading” I am so glad he didn’t. lol We gave him a Book of Mormon though and I asked him if he would read it because the Book of Mormon is important to me and I know it can bless his life. Then we left. lol umm I don’t know I just love it here. That’s all I can say. I miss you all and can’t wait to be home with you. I will probably just sleep in my parents room because I won’t no how to be alone ;)



Love forever and always Sister Steen!!!

Happy St Patrick's Day Family and Friends

OH my gosh how amazing is my mission?!? So amazing we had transfers and yes I’m staying here in Yakima city for 6 more weeks with my amazing companion sister Davis. I’ve grown to love her. We are so different but we get along so well!!! She is always there when I’m having a hard time. Well since I’ve gotten here the work has been slow. We haven’t picked anyone up and it’s really hard to stay positive. and it’s sometimes hard not to think to yourself I just want to go home. I’m not cut out to be a missionary. Well guess what that’s the adversary saying sister Steen and Davis you’re about to do amazing things and I’m going to make it so dang hard for you that you will give up. Well guess what. I decided the day that I talked to my mission president, before I got my companion that I’m never ever giving up even when it feels like that’s all I can do. On Thursday we had a doctrine of Christ training and oh my gosh! The whole time I felt the spirit so strong. It made me so sad because you don’t feel it like that all the time. During your mission you feel it when you’re teaching and the spirit overwhelms the room. When truth is being taught the people feel it. I know they do and that’s their agency to accept it. It really is sad when they don’t. I’ve been looking at these people that I have tracted into as close family. Like I love these people so so much that I want them to have this gospel in their lives. Life is so scary without Christ right beside you. We went tracting on Saturday and the last house we went to, this lady wasn’t even rude. But just what she said hurt so bad and when we walked away I cried and my companion wanted to. Then we went to a baptism and the spirit was so strong there. I got to talk to so many people and lots of them know the THOMSONS that worked at NRI with me on grounds :) just talking to all these people about work and them being shocked that I’m this girl that loves to work here. It’s so funny. Anyway we were invited to go out to eat with the elders and this lady and her son. She paid for us. She was so nice. She is kind of less active and it’s sad because they won’t feed the sisters in their ward anymore because how rude they were to her. It broke my heart. This lady is amazing and I hope I get to be in her ward one day before I go home. I hugged here and told her how amazing she is and it was funny whenever I’m nice to people they say I’m so cute and then I feel like this 10 year old little girl bahaha. On our way home i started crying because I was talking to elder Wolfgram and told him the work is slow and I’m not able to teach a lot of lessons and i don’t know what to do. He just said we can do roll plays and he just really cared about what was going on. So anyway I was crying because my companion was like “this has never happen to me before.” “The work has never just stopped like this.” It hurt because it made me feel like it’s all my fault. I know it’s not but it feel like that sometimes. I’ve never wanted to find someone just to help them feel the spirit so bad. I am just planting seeds. If that’s all I do my whole mission that’s enough. As long as I’m helping them make the first step. It’s hard hearing all these amazing miracles happening all around us. So many people are being baptized. but I’m happy now because I’m really doing the best I can. God knows and I can’t let it get me down. I’m never giving up on these people. God didn’t how could I!!!??? we were at the eye doctor on Friday and after my appointment a lady that works there came up to us and was asking us if we did service and we got super exited. She asked if she could pay us and we were like no we want to help you. It was just really funny how she didn’t want us to feel like she is using us. She is so cute. So next Monday we are going to help her in her Garden. Yay!! My favorite thing to do!!! Angie is amazing she went to full church yesterday and I just love her so much. She treats me like her granddaughter. lol Every time we leave her house she kisses me on the cheek. Ii feel like a little kid all the time. lol I think that’s one thing I’m doing for people. I’m showing them that I care about them. Even if it’s just the members that see it we need their help. So we are going to start going to member’s houses and teaching them so that they can feel the spirit and get to know us and trust us. So they will start opening their mouths and talking to people. I love this ward and I love Yakima so much. Today is ST Patrick ’s Day and the kids of the family we live with make leprechaun traps. So cool! But their house was a mess when we woke up. The leprechauns got in to everything! It was fun :) So I don’t have anything green so a member lent me some green today.

March 17, 2014

I just want you to know that this church is true. It’s the one true church on this earth today I don’t doubt it at all. The gospel of Jesus Christ is amazing and the plan of happiness is breathtaking. Knowing where we came from and that we chose to follow Gods is amazing and knowing our purpose on this earth learning and growing to be able to return to Gods presence. Who wouldn’t want that amazing truth and knowledge in their life? And not being afraid to die of not being so depressed that someone that u truly love and care about has passed away and just knowing that they’re in a better place. They’re with family and with God they are perfect. They feel no pain. They get to, if they didn’t in this life time, they get to choose to accept the gospel. How amazing is that? I know Thomas S Monson is a living prophet and was called of God. I know he receives revelation and we are able to learn and grow in the church. I know joseph Smith saw God and his son in the sacred grove. I just know it. I feel the spirit so strong as I’m saying it now. God loves all of his children. The book of Mormon is the key to this work. Read it, ponder it and pray so that you can receive revelation. I’m so grateful for the family I have to set such an amazing example to me. I’ve learned and grown from them and that’s Gods plan for us to learn and to grow from our families. I know God called me here to the Kennewick mission in Yakima to gain a stronger testimony of his divine truth! Amen

I love you all so much and miss you so much more!!!



Love Sister Lacey Catherine Steen

March 10, 2014

Hey everyone so I went bowling last Monday so fun! This week has been long and exiting things are starting to happen here in Yakima. We went tracting the other day and every person that came to the door was soooo mean. One guy just was so angry that we had the nerve to come to his house. We asked him what church he went to and he swore at us and said none of you D business. As we were telling him to have a great day he slammed the door in are faces and I seriously wanted to cry. OK I did cry. Then we went to a house where this man was out looking at a bush in his yard. I asked him how he was doing and introduced us as the missionaries. He was so nice and he told us how he found God. It was amazing. He isn’t strong in his church which is good. We didn’t have much time to talk to him so we gave him a restoration pamphlet and our card. We told him he should read it and he seemed really excited. Ii really hope he does. His name was Sid. That all happened last night. a couple nights before we were tracting and like 4 people told us to come back and that they are interested in hearing more. :) So cool. I’m so exited I can see God answering my prayers in the smallest portions and it’s so exciting to see. Last night we went to the Russell’s house. They are members and he is in the bishopric. We got to go role play with them and teach them a lesson. I got supper nervous I knew what to say but was afraid to say it wrong. but at the end I shared my testimony and just was crying and I don’t know why. He was crying and his wife was crying and then he told me that I did so good. I just need to be confident and he knows I know what to say I just need to say it. I just started crying because I felt like a terrible missionary and he said he loves me and is so glad I’m in their ward. I cried some more. I just need to have more faith and just say what I know I need to say and not be afraid. I’m working on my confidence I’ve grown so much the past month and over 1/2 that I’ve been out here. I love the people and my ward. I’m not getting transferred yet. haha still being trained but I might get to drive soon. :D Our investigator Connie came to church. We were shocked and so happy. I found out that I’m related to a family in the ward. I was going to take a pic with them on Sunday but the mom is sick. They are the Dearingers. ahhh it’s so cool! :D We get to do service this week and we got to do service on Friday. a lady in the ward hurt herself so we cleaned here house. I love cleaning! lol I love my mission and I love all of you. I’m going to come home a better more confident woman!!!!!!

Love always



Sister Steen <3

Just looking CUTE!

Why do people put their trash on the sidewalk here?

Me bowling!

 I LOVE this Book of Mormon!! ;-)

In a tent at the Blacks house.

March 3 2014

I still need to put the letter Here.