April 27, 2015

So we got to go to WALLA WALLA last p-day and play chair soccer with the zone. It was really fun! We got to have FHE with are recent convert Andrea. She has grown so much and her testimony is so strong. We taught her how to do a family home evening and we will do that with her every Monday until she is used to it and is doing it on her own. In exchanges sister Johnsen came to my area and I got to stay. We had a lot of big plans that day. We did service at PAWS then we went to lunch. After lunch we were trying to find a former and I went to the wrong street so we just decided to tracked it. so we did and there was a really mean guy that didn’t want to talk to us so we moved on and when we got to the third person he let us right in. His wife was shy and didn’t want to come in the living room so we taught him the restoration and he said he knows it true. He is from the Philippines and said he has talked to missionaries before. Well at the end of the lesson we invited him to be baptized he said yes. We put him on date and he accepted it. So when we left we got in our car and wrote down all of his information and then our car window shattered!!!!

 I felt really weird. I was looking at my companion when it happened and the sound was so hollow I thought we got shot!!! It was scary!! I had already put it in drive so when it happened I tensed up and took my foot off the brake so we rolled forward and when I came back to my self I drove away from that house a couple doors down to the house where that guy was really rude to us but I didn’t care because I was really scared and I felt safe by his house. Elder Spurgen our car guy called it in and the police came. Thank goodness. I knew the cop. He is in our ward and it helped me calm down. We figured there was a guy mowing and he might have run over a rock but we don’t know it’s hard to say. The mower was pretty far so we don’t know. Anyway we took pictures and Officer Zaugg got our info. The sister training leader was sooooo mad lol she kept saying satan is ruining our day but i wasn’t mad because we got to talk to the mean guy and he helped us clean up the glass and he said if we ever need anything just ask so he might not be interested in our message but he is a really nice guy and he changed my outlook on people that don’t want to listen to us. He was really nice and we got to go back the next day and talk to the guy that was mowing and tell him that the window is all fixed and he doesn’t have to worry about anything. He was a really nice guy we got to pray with him. Well that morning before we left on that adventure we got a text from Thomas and from Lara and Thomas told us to call him so we did. He told us Lara got her answer and they are getting married on the 23rd!!!!!!!! ahhh I was so excited and sad because sister Rasmussen was in the other area so I kept it a secret until we went there on Wednesday lol that was so hard. She wants us to be in the wedding :) I’m excited! Hopefully I don’t get transferred. We get the call this Saturday and Sister Rasmussen is going home next Monday well she goes home on the 5th but she leaves me on Monday :( I’m going to miss her. She has changed my whole life and I love her :) on exchanges I put 3 people on date and Sister Rasmussen put two people they street contacted on date. Well 2 of them and so that day in our area we put 5 people on date is was a miracle :) Danny one of are on dates dropped us on Friday. He was the house that the car window broke. I was trying to figure out why God needed us to be in that area if Danny was going to fall off date and drop us and I really thought about that and I don’t know but I’m sure that it changed someone’s life that day and that just makes it all worth it :D

There is a little 8 year old girl we met one day with her mom. Her mom said she would love for us to teach her daughter so one day we were teaching Andrea and we were outside and Cici and her mom came out and we talked to her and we are going to start teaching them at Andrea’s :) she is already doing missionary work. The Lord is going to bless her so much :) We had a lesson at the church on Saturday and talked about church and how important it is. Casey’s wife is already a member and we put him back on date for the 30th of May :) we really have faith he will make it this time :) then we had a lesson right after with David at the Bagglies his fellowshipers and the lesson went so well he had questions and the members just got in there and helped him. As a parents view and he really needed that on Sunday. 3 of our investigators made it to church 2 on dates and 2 of our recent converts. That was such a good Sunday. I was just on top of the world when people realize how important it really is to go to church :) and brother Baggly came to our class with David. He is so solid. I love this area and how willing the members are to help fellowship these people that are willing to change :)

I was talking to Sister Rasmussen and she said to me

Falling away isn't like cancer it’s a choice and that really made me think. I keep being so scared to go home because I see so many members of the church and they fell away. Even people that went on a mission and I was so scared I would do that but when she said that I thought. yeah it’s a choice and I’m not going to make that choice. I have a trunky journal and in it i wrote down some things I’m going to do when I get home like going to the temple every Saturday and doing family history and reading daily with my family and on my own and there is so much more but I know if I just do the simple things like go to church and be active not only in church but in the gospel then I won’t fall away :)



Love Sister Steen

 My companion got a care package!

 I'm so silly!

 we clean out the car every Monday

 We finally got to visit the Mill!

 A rug they made a long time ago

That Pendelton country life!

April 20, 2015

This week was a bit crazy! Monday we stayed in town because my toe hurt and I didn’t feel good. At the end of the night we were looking at my toe and decided we needed to get it looked at so we went to doctor marshals He is a member in the ward and he told me he was going to numb it. I didn’t realize numbing it meant sticking a needle in it until his little girl started talking about how bad it hurts then I started crying. I don’t know why but I have a huge fear of needles ahhhh!! It hurt so bad! He did it 3 times just to get it really numb for me. After it was numb I didn’t feel anything. It was weird.

Well I think I either have really bad allergies or I have a sickness that no one can fix. I’ve tried everything. Ugh well I’ll just have to stick it out. My comp goes home on the 5th and she is so ready to be done. It’s been a hard transfer but we are trucking threw. we got another baptism on Saturday Kevin Ottosen :) he was so happy. His family came to support him. His mom isn’t a member or his little daughter or his son and his wife daughter is less active so it was a really cool experience. So many people came that we had to move to the chapel :) we never filled the font in this building before. Last time for Andrea a member did it for us so when we came to check on it it was freezing. We didn’t realize we had to turn on the water heater pump. lol but it all worked out and the water was worm when he got in. we were kind of freaking out lol but I’m a pro now so if I have a couple more people that want to be baptized ill now how to fill the font.

We had a lesson with David in a member’s home, the Baglies, they are so awesome they have a younger daughter that is friends with David’s daughter Sophie so they got to play while we had the lesson. We haven’t been able to have a spiritual lesson with him this whole time but this one in the member’s home was so spiritual. David didn't keep his commitment so we don’t think he felt it like we did but he will. He is on date for the May 16th now :)

Andrea is in her new home and she loves it. We had a lesson with her then did some service for her after. We are so excited for her to get a calling and we are going to get her out with us :)

David and Thomas, our investigators, came to church on Sunday and it was ward conference. President Roly came up to me and asked if I could introduce him to our investigators. I introduced him to David then we had and awesome lesson all about marriage and being a worthy priesthood holder for your family in the home. Laura was asked to read and it was so good for her. We have been praying for her to get the answer to get married to Thomas. a while back we had a lesson and in my studies I fond these awesome scriptures and we shared it with them and invited them to get married. Then at church they brought up that scriptures again I was so excited.

We have been trying to stop by all of our less active people in our wards. It’s crazy. There are way more less actives than actives. We stop by and talk to them and invite them to take the missionary lessons and do family history :) one of the families we stopped by, the non-member, when we asked them if they would come back to church she said wow I haven’t really thought about it. Let me talk to my husband. It’s crazy. People just need to be invited. I definitely have a testimony that us as members need to do our part in this work by inviting and fellow shipping the lost sheep. If our members got the vision that the Lord has for this area I’m sure almost all of these members that fell away would come back. I just know it. I pray every day for this area and the members. We ask and invite them to help. I just hope they see the Lords vision. This area has so much potential.

In my studies today I read in Alma 31 and what stuck out to me is Prayer. I am always praying for help in this work, praying for the area, for my companion, for the people I am teaching. Pray for the people you want the Lord to put in your path and pray for yourself to recognize the promptings of the spirit. I got the prompting to read my patriarchal-blessing and I didn’t get all the way threw it but I read what the Lord needed me to read and it went with what I read in Alma and how I need to attain the attributes in Alma 7 23-24 and so I wrote that down and I’m going to pray for that :)

The church of Jesus Christ is THE true church. It has the Authority, the Priesthood!!! Just like when Christ was on the earth!!! I know that the power of the scriptures. It really brings you closer to your Savior and it brings a clear understanding of his gospel. As you read you get a stronger testimony of his gospel. Of the prophet Joseph smith and Best of all you get a testimony of Jesus Christ!! there are so many little things that just build to my testimony and I just know without a doubt that this is Christ’s church restored to the earth and I know that you can know this is true in 3 simple ways. read the book of Mormon with an open heart, ponder the message it contains and pay attention to the feelings you have as you read then Pray and ask God if it is true and I know you will get an answer :)

In the name of Jesus Christ Amen



Love Sister Steen

April 13, 2015

so we had interviews with the mission President this week and it was sooooo good :) he said we are doing good and to keep working hard and to keep being humble. He told me to write in a trunky journal so when I think about home I will write it down and look at it on Monday. So that’s what I’m doing. After interviews we went back to Pendleton. we were in Walla Walla and we didn’t have a dinner to we went to grab a snack then we got a call from the Spanish sisters that were doing Spanish work in the area and they sounded really freaked out. One of the sisters got bit by 3 dogs multiple times. We picked them up and got them in to a member doctor’s office in town. Then we took them out to eat because they missed their dinner and we didn’t eat yet. Then someone paid for our dinner it was so cool. People are just amazing.

I’m sick again ugh lol I feel like I’ve been sick the whole time I’ve been in this area. I’ve tried everything. Now I’m trying allergy meds because that’s all I haven’t tried lol

Kevin had his baptism interview and passed woot :) he is getting baptized this Saturday and Thomas said he thinks Laura is going to marry him sooner than later. He has seen a big change in her and she isn’t as scared so we just keep praying. We got to learn about family history so we can get our investigators started. It’s like 85% of converts retained when doing family. That’s amazing! We are so excited. it makes me want to go do my own. I learned something cool about the Steen side of my family. I saw that the Steen name just disappear after a little and its because they came from Norway and they do strange things with their names and he changed his last name when he came to America cool huh lol I’m so going to family history like crazy when I go home. If you haven’t done family history I challenge you to start. It will change your life :) its amazing!!!

Every time a member talks to us they ask” so when are you going home?” and we try to avoid the question. Sister Rasmussen always says “I’ve been out long enough to know what I’m doing but still got enough time to still have lots to learn” heheh sneaky huh I like it. when I get my last companion I’m not going to tell her when I’m going home so when I get asked to give my departing testimony she will be like what?!! lol we will see how long I can keep it a secret :)

I love my mission. Even though I feel like I’m sick a lot lol I just know satan is trying to make me quit and I wont because the Lords work is to precious. I have to go find those lost sheep. we got to teach about the first vision to the young women and it was a really spiritual experience. I hope they felt the same way :) I miss you young women back at home. I challenge you girls to memorize the first vision. it will strengthen your testimony about the prophet Joseph Smith, Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ :) I’ll be following up after my mission with you girls! I’ll even ask Bishop if I can come and talk to you girls ;) love you all and mom and dad keep reading we need to finish the book of Mormon before I come home.



Love Sister Steen

 me eating food after interviews

 she is always taking pictures of me

 emailing

we are at a store in their basement and they have a coffin ahhh!!

and me dancing in the middle of town lol this old lady was laughing at me

April 6, 2015

Wow the work in this area is hastening. We have 4 people on date and we just had a Baptism on Easter Sunday right after conferences. It was awesome and so many people came to support her. We got special permission to have her confirmation at the baptism. It was a really happy day and Andrea was so excited. She has changed a lot since January and she is ready to give her whole heart to the gospel. we are excited to be able to take her out with us to lessons :) she called us today and told use she is finally moving to her own house. she was so excited so many miracles came to her when she decided that she was ready to be baptized :) most of our investigators that are on date came and watched the baptism :) we made lots of Easter baskets for our investigators and handed them out with” Because he lives” cards to those we haven’t shown it to yet. It was so fun. Kevin is preparing this week to have a Baptismal interview and so is Thomas. He still isn’t married but we got the prompting that we should schedule one. We are acting in faith. I know the Lord will prepare a way for him to be baptized. We asked Lara to study and prepare for conference and it was cool conference was mostly about marriage. It was so good.

Me and my companion are praying to be humble. We realized it’s easy to be prideful when good things happen in the mission and we don’t want all the work we have put in to go downhill because we got prideful so we have been praying really hard to be humble. we have to keep reminding each other this is the Lords work and we are just instruments in his hands :)

There were so many things about conference I loved but the thing that I loved most of all is how strong my testimony is of the gospel. I don’t know everything but I know enough. I liked the story of the sister that fell away and the family never gave up on her. They loved her and watched and waited. I think that’s the best thing to do. I saw that in my life. My parents were always there. They waited and because of that my testimony is firm in Christ. I love this gospel. I love the Savior. I love that the gospel brings families closer together and that it brings so much joy and happiness. One of my favorite things to say is the gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of transformation. Let it change your life. It changed mine and because I let it I’m stronger and happier. When the winds blow and the floods come my foundation is firm. My testimony of the Savior and his gospel doesn’t sway. I am proud to be LDS. I see so many broken families and lost souls who are scared and far from God and I am grateful that I am a missionary and that I can bring the restored gospel to these people so they can experience that change, that transformation that the gospel brings. I know that the Savior lives. I know that families can be and are meant to be eternal and everlasting. Only in and through Christ can we be cleansed of sin but we must seek and act. Let the Lord guide your footsteps. these things I say in the name of my Savior Jesus Christ amen

Love Sister Steen


 Easter for our investigators woot!

Driving home from dinner out in the country on a ranch. it was like a dream. lol