September 15, 2014

This week was crazy! We had a specialized training on Tuesday and it was all about weekly planning and changing the culture of our mission. How we need to be obedient if we want success. Our weekly planning on Fridays went from 4 hours to 7. It’s so crazy. but its helping us have set appointments for everyday at every hour and when we don’t have a set appointment that’s when we go and find. Our mission has had a culture of breaking the rules and not being the missionaries we are called to be by just being tourists and college students. We are changing the culture and we are going to be exactly obedient in all things. God and the mission president are preparing us for something bigger than us as missionaries. We have to be ready. Me and my companion Sister Peatres are striving to be exactly obedient. When we wake up in the morning we say a prayer together and during our personal study we really strive to study for our investigators. Then in companion study we share what we learned and that usually helps us know what they really need to learn that day. I’m so excited to see the culture of the mission change. I came on a mission to be a missionary not a tourist or a college student.

The sisters we share the car with were driving and they had to stop really fast and the truck behind them hit them. They are ok. We didn’t have a car yesterday but the elders gave us theirs because they have a smaller area. That was nice of them.

I got pretty sick at church yesterday and slept all day and night and woke up with a small headache but I’m ok now. It’s probably just stress. idk. Lol I love my mission. So many things are happening. We are praying to find people who are ready and that means we have to talk to everyone we see because we never know if that’s the person God sent us too :) I’m so grateful to have this church in my life. Its strengthened my spiritual growth and its helped me have a better relationship with my family. I know that by following the example that Jesus set for us we will be in the celestial kingdom with our families for eternity. I want to marry my husband in the temple and be sealed to him for time and all eternity. That is how important family is to me. When I get to heaven I want to see all the people I love friends and family :). That is why we have the temple so we can make that covenant with god to be with our families for time and all eternity. Not just until death. I know this is Christ’s church once again and this earth restored in its fullness with the priesthood that was given to men for the salvation of his people. the priesthood is the power and authority of God given to men to act in Christ’s name to do the things Christ did when he was on the earth. I know that if you have a desire to really know if this is Christ’s church pray and ask God and when you feel that burning feeling inside I know that it is the spirit and that all good feelings are of God and when you get that answer act on it. This world is full of sadness and hurt but with the fullness of the gospel you can have a peace and happiness.



Love Sister Steen <3

September 7, 2014

This week was good. We did a lot of service. A less active lady asked us if we could mow her lawn and line trim. So we did and we pulled some weeds and made it look beautiful. She asked me if I could fix her sprinklers because one of them was not working so after we were done I looked at her sprinklers and some of them where just turned all the way off. So I turned them all so they were facing the grass and we made it look real good. We picked all the tomatoes that needed picking and put them in her house and then we had a lesson with her. She told us she was having a really rough day and when she saw her lawn she just wanted to cry. It was so cool. We stopped by the Gurney’s to tell them we stopped by Jen’s and we were going to invite her to stake conference. They told us they already invited her and she can’t make it. They asked us how our week has been and we told them it was so good. Brother Gurney told us this is why he gave us Jen because most of the missionaries that came to their house always told them the negative parts and it was so cool to be the one companionship that is ready to help their friend come in to the gospel. They told us she stopped going to her church because it just doesn’t feel like the right church. She wants to come to church when she finishes her tests. I’ve been praying about how to help the Hyatt’s youngest boy Trent. I was asked to give the lesson tonight for family home evening and it’s going to be on the Priesthood. I was able to practice it last night at the Monson’s house. Their son is turning 12 and Brother Monson is our ward mission leader and asked if I could share what I learned with him. It was so cool I felt the spirit so strong I really hope the spirit takes over the lesson tonight and helps open Trent’s eyes to the powers of the priesthood. He is 12. D&C121 is what I’m reading with them tonight. :)

I love and miss you all so so much :)



Love Sister Steen

"I can almost reach"

September 1, 2014

Well this week has been so fun. We have been praying for miracles all week and on Wednesday it happened. we went to a less actives house java and we saw how he was doing. He told us to go to his friend’s house they all work for Vivint. So we went the first time and I knocked the wrong door. we were with a sister missionary that was going home this week. On Wednesday we tried again and it was just me and my comp this time. We knocked on the right door. She let us in and we got to know her a little and she started giving us all these names we should go try. They all live in the same apartment it was her brother and some other Vivint guy. When we knocked on the door a guy answered that I new in Yakima. He was installing a Vivint system in the Black’s house, the family I lived with out there, so it was so easy to get in and talk to them. Megan, the lady that gave us the referrals came down and we talked to them about missions and the temple and baptism. They are all in different places of their lives. Two of them weren’t even members but they listened and asked questions. We read some out of the Book of Mormon and the two members that lived there ran and got theirs. It was so cool to see how exited they were about us being there. Jonah is the one I met in Yakima. He is getting ready to go on a mission and Randy is a recent convert and has been a member for a year. So we got to talk about the temple and missions with them we invited them to church. Java, Randy and Jonah came. We didn’t know Randy and Johan came but Java sat by us and we were able to share our testimonies in front of them. it was crazy. i usually get really scared and go blank but i was really calm and just said what came to my mind. I looked people in the face and it felt so good. Java was so sweet. He said I did really good and i could really tell he needed to be there. There is a foreign exchange student in are ward living with the Brooks and they took us out to eat at a Thai place and I was so scared cuz I don’t do that scary foreign food stuff hahah. He was laughing at me the whole time and he snap chatted his friends back home me eating a really spicy soup. i was dying! lol Brother Brooks came up to us after church and told us he is so glad we shared our testimonies because when we got up there he was excited because he knew us. so that was cool. we have family home evening with the Hiatts again tonight and I’m so excited. Sister Hiatt is teaching the lesson :) and she got to go out to some of our lessons this week. she is really trying to set a good example to her kids by getting more active :) this morning at 10 Eli and Shantel, the family we live with, dumped a huge tractor of water on us. 

 It was soooo cold and sooo fun. My mission is so so fun and every day is a new adventure. 

We have a bear going around the mission and his name is elder Oso. 

The new district leaders said they found him hiding in their closet haha. So he said the other zone by us found out and are now trying to steal Oso back. So he gave him to us and we are keeping him safe. He got to ride around with us in the car on Sunday but he is safe in our room now :) I love you all. Share the gospel with the world. flood the world with your simple but powerful testimonies and for all of you who are thinking about going on a mission do it!!! It will change your life forever in the best way possible way. I’m a different person then I was before I left. I never thought the mission would teach me so many life skills and I know because I’m serving the Lord my family is being blessed. your testimonies will grow stronger and you will have the courage to share your love of the gospel with the people you love members and non-members alike. Pray about the mission build your foundation on Christ and you will never fail. I can promise you that. In the name of our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ amen





Love sister Steen

 This is our area boundry

 Gracy and Cadence

Planning

August 25, 2014

Its transfer week Me and Sister Peatross are staying. Yay! I love this area and its starting to pick up. We have at least 1 lesson a day which is a big deal for our area. Woot! haha Not a lot has happened this week but Frank is on date to be baptized for October 4th and we took him to see a baptism the other day. He seemed to love it. we have a lesson this week with him.... I just want you all to know that prayer works and that when you are going through a hard time God is there and He will comfort you. You just have to take the time to talk to Him and ask Him to help you. He is a gentlemen and He isn’t going to do anything until you ask Him. He has given us that agency. I love you all. I got an email today from elder Walters a guy I met in Utah and we weren’t close friends. I met him once and this week has been kind of rough for me. When I got his message I knew he was listening to the spirit because everything he said to me is what I needed to hear and he didn’t know if it was my email he just guessed and it just was an answer to my prayers. When you feel promptings to do something never ignore it because it can help someone :) I’m so happy to serve a mission and it’s gone by so fast. it’s been a little rocky but I’ve grown soooo much. all I know is my mission has changed my life and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord and bring people closer to the gospel. I invite everyone, member or non-member to read the Book of Mormon and to pray and ask God for guidance. He is the only way. I have so many friends back home that I wish I could have talked to them about my beliefs because I love them I should have. that’s why I’m doing it now. It’s not scary! If you love someone invite them. Share your testimony. I know God loves all his children, which is every person you see. Share with your brothers and sisters the gospel of Jesus Christ even if they are not interested. It is there and they can use their agency to accept it or deny it. Give them that opportunity to learn.

I love you all



Love Sister Steen

 My zone leader Elder Crane

 My old zone leader Elder Adling

 Selfie

 Sophie

 The Arnolds

 we love our family

zone conference

I challenge all of you!!!

Hey everyone!!!! Ok I have a challenge for you to start today!!! I want all of you to go on lds.org website and pick one video on there that touches your heart and post it on facebook along with your testimony.  Do that once a day until the end of August and let me know how it goes.  I can promise you that if you do this, miracles will happen!!

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-03-08-testimony-of-the-book-of-mormon?lang=eng

This is the one I want to share with all of you.  I was able to share this with Ginger, a less active member, and her boyfriend Josh.  It touched their hearts to where they want to read the book of Mormon together.  It was a huge miracle because she does not have a testimony of the book of Mormon and last time we were there she didn’t want to read.  Now they are reading it.  It was one of the best moments I’ve had here in Kennewick.  The next day we had dinner with the Gurny’s and they invited Jen.  She was asking what we do as missionary’s.  We shared with her the story of Josh and Ginger.  We told her about the message of the testimony of the book of Mormon and at the end of dinner we were just going to share a scripter about it but we ended up doing both and after we watched the Mormon message she smiled at us.  The sister Gurny gave her a book of Mormon and Jen took it and said she would read it. She wants us to come over on Wednesday and after she left sister Gurny told us she has wanted to give her that for weeks and it just hasn’t felt right until then.  We gave Jen a lot at once and they were scared that she would just stop talking to them but we went over the next day and they said that Jen called so she still likes them.  It was so funny Jen actually just called us and asked us if we could help her find someone to babysit her kids.  It’s exciting to us because she did that that it means she trusts us and trust in this work is big.  I know that God is blessing me and Sister Peatross for all of our efforts even if they didn’t all work out.  Now we have another new investigator.  I’m soooo exited!  My mission has changed my life forever :)  I just invite you all to do this.  Don’t be scared to share your beliefs with the people you love.  I know this church is the true church of Jesus Christ.  I know the book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith through the power of Christ.  in the Mormon message the testimony of the book of Mormon Elder Holland is so bold and you can see how much he loves us.  We have to be bold in our beliefs but loving.  Show them how much they mean to you and please share with me or my mom your experiences.  I’m exited go see miracles happen :D

Love Sister Steen

August 11, 2014

On the way to email everyone!

Wow my week has been crazy!!!!!

First off I and my companion went to this family’s house to help them do Family Home Evening. Their names are the Hyatt’s. They are an awesome family. I love them. Their youngest son is struggling in his faith which I know must just break his parent’s hearts because its breaks mine. This gospel has changed my life when I really gained a testimony of it. That’s when I really knew and could not deny it. I can’t and I never will as long as I live. The prophet got revelations for families to use preach my gospel in family home evening. When I heard that you have no clue how exited I was. When I got out here on my mission I read preach my gospel every single day and wow I can’t even describe to you how much it has helped me in my testimony about the restored gospel and the plan of salvation or better said the plan of happiness :) and the gospel of Jesus Christ, Faith, repentance, baptism, the gift of the holy ghost and enduring to the end. I’ve been a member of the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints my whole life and it took me swallowing my fears and my pride and deciding I needed to serve a full time mission to actually understand it for my self instead of living my life on my mom and dad’s testimony. I now have my own solid testimony of this church. And I get to share that tonight with this 12 year old little boy who doesn’t know if God even answers prayers. As a little girl growing up I’ve always had the strongest testimony of prayer. I new God loved me. How did I know? I just had faith. I felt Gods love comforting me and God answered every single prayer. I thought I lost my testimony of prayer in junior high school. But because of my amazing mom telling me to pray it was always secretly there and God was just waiting for me to talk to Him, to repent and let Him forgive me. Then when I dropped out of high school after my freshmen year I was scared and a little lost. I know if I didn’t have the support of my mom, dad and sisters then I wouldn’t be where I am today. When I was preparing to take my test to get my GED my mom always told me to pray and in side I said God is mad at me. I haven’t prayed in so long. Why would he even want to help me? So when I took the test the first time, I didn’t pray. I was scared God didn’t love me anymore and he wouldn’t answer my prayers. Well I got the test back couple weeks later and I failed. I was crushed and I felt like I not only failed myself but all the people who were supporting me through it. A while later, after my life kept getting harder and I felt like I would never be happy again, my mom shared a quote with me. I don’t think she knows how much this quote changed my life but it did. I am on a mission because of it!!! When I took the GED test for the second time my mom, like always, said to pray. So before I went in the class room to take the test I sat on a chair and prayed and prayed. I felt an overwhelming feeling of love and peace like God was hugging me. Mom you will never know how much I love you and how much of an influence you are. You helped me get my testimony of prayer back and I passed that test. I’m on a mission and it’s all because of those little things you say like PRAY. This little boy prayed for his dad to get a job and his dad wasn’t getting a job. Well guess what happened this week. He got a job and we get to have a lesson about prayer in preach my gospel. We got to teach a 8 year old boy who is getting ready to be baptized. We watched the restoration film with the family and his grandma who has bone cancer and brain cancer wanted us to do it at her house. she has such a strong testimony and it was so amazing seeing how much she cared about her grandson to be there for him. She wants to talk for his baptism on Sunday. We heard that she when to the hospital and we are just praying for her to be ok. 

We had exchanges this week and it was just half a day but it was amazing. We met a guy named Gn and we gave him a book of Mormon. We were explaining where it came from and what it’s about and you could just see in his face how exited he was. So we got his address and we are going to try back with him. on Tuesday we were trying by potentials in la Serena apartments and there was this really drunk lady who was kind of freaking out. We asked her if she needed help and she said she asked a guy to help her get her keys out of their dumpster and he wouldn’t help her. I felt bad, walked up to the dumpster and looked inside. I said “your keys are in here?” she said” yes and no one will help me get them out.” the dumpster was really tall so I told her if she wanted I could try to get them. She pushed us away and said” no you need to go share the gospel with people.” I felt so bad and I wanted to help but it was cool to see she knew who we were and what we do and that we were willing to go dumpster diving for her keys if we had to. I hope someone came around to help her.

Most of our week we have tried by people’s houses and they are either not home or not interested which it’s hard especially on bikes. haha But that’s ok. The members see us working and you know that is all that matters is us gaining that trust from the members. Me and my companion work well together. We both really want to help the work here pick up :) on Sunday we have two wards that we go to. So we went on splits with ladies in our wards. I stayed in Windsong and we had 3 investigators in church. It was amazing!!!! I was soooo happy but the lady that was with me didn’t have the time to talk to the investigators so I only got to talk to two of them which was really sad and frustrating. But it’s ok. Josh our investigator was there and this lady and her mom where there and we don’t know them so we got her address and she said we could come by. The last investigator that was there that I didn’t get to talk to was welcomed by the members and that made me happy. We are going to see her and her husband who is a less active this week. We set up a ride for him so he can stay for all three hours because she goes home after sacrament. It is cool that our members are helping. We can’t do this work without the members. The members are KEY!!!! :) we had a lesson with Josh our investigator and Ginger his girlfriend who is way less active and who went on a mission. We talked about the Book of Mormon and Josh had a lot of questions. I felt the spirit soooo strong when I was sharing my testimony about the Book of Mormon. Ginger would interrupt me. it was just so hard for me to see a return missionary not have a testimony about the Book of Mormon. I just wanted to cry. Then I realized I had a testimony of prayer and I lost it for a bit because I stopped praying. I know why God put me here and I’m being so humbled !!! This area is sooo hard but its sooo awesome and I love it!!!!! We had a mini missionary come for 2 days and can I just say it is so worth going on a mini mission. It helps you really understand what a mission is all about. I felt so bad for ours. She is 20 and she wants to go so bad because our area is so dead right now. We had a lot of stop buys and we were riding our bikes all day. She had flip-flops and they broke and her back up shoes were other flip-flops with heels. I felt so bad for her. It was a vary humbling experience for me.

I just want you to know that I do know this church is the one true church here on this earth today. It is the same church that Christ established when he was on the earth. I know Jesus suffered in the garden of gethsemane and felt all of our sins, shortcomings and pains. He can be there for us because He understands the pains we feel every single day. He died on the cross for us, all of his children. He loves us that much. I know the Book of Mormon is true. I know it goes hand in hand with the Bible. I know God hears us and loves us. I know that God wants us to talk to him, to repent and ask for forgiveness and I know we have to except his forgiveness because I can promise you he has already forgiven you. You just have to except it. I know we have a living prophet here on this earth today, Thomas S Monsen, who receives revelation from God for his people. I know God is the same yesterday, today and forever. I’m so grateful to be a member of Christ’s true church. And better yet I’m grateful to be called as a missionary for His church to help others come closer to Christ and gain a testimony of this restored gospel. I’m grateful to be a servant of Jesus Christ and to be able to strengthen my relationship with not only him but my earthly family who I am sealed to for time and all eternity. In the name of Jesus Christ amen

Love Sister Steen

  doing work!!!

 Bikes!!

  balling it up last pday

 look how tall elder weeks is compared to me

 kinda blurry but me aginst elder wilcox he is tall too

 3 teams of 3 it's so fun!!

 me and elder week he is the tallest elder and they always put me against him haha

this is how i box out cuz im a sister and i cant box elders out haha rough life 

  it is so hot in that gym i was dying

  lol me being a dork haha 

 lol me shooting

 i gave my district leader elder wilcox a bow haha

August 4, 2014

This week has gone by so fast ahhhh!!! Getting doubled in has been good even though we have to start all over. Its helped me to really understand why updating the books is so important and why planning is so important. If we don’t do these things it just makes us look like bad missionaries.

We have met so many amazing people and we have a new investigator, Miles, in the Ridgeview ward. Bikes are so nice to have but if we had a car we would get so much more done. haha oh well. It’s really just been try by after try by. It’s a little discouraging cuz half of them don’t open the door and the rest aren’t interested. Once in a while we get someone :) and it’s all worth it in the end. There’s this newlywed couple in our ward and the wife wants to be my friend so bad. It makes me feel good hahah cuz so many people don’t like us here and knowing someone does just makes me happy. hahah umm I wish I had some amazing stories but right now i don’t. We get to teach at a FHE tonight. We will teach this mom and dad how to have FHE and we are going to get them in to preach my gospel cuz one of their sons is struggling in the gospel. It’s kind of scary being the one that has to help them be more active. I don’t want to mess up but we will be guided by the spirit.

I love it here in Kennewick :) we got to go in the 14 and 15 year old class during 2nd hour at church and we shared with them why we went on missions. Every time I share that I get really emotional. I can only imagine how my life would be if I hadn’t gone on a mission. I’ve grown sooo much :) thanks mom for that quote. It’s changed my life.

Love Sister Steen

President Ezra Taft Bensen



“men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life to God will find he has eternal life.”

 Zone Conference

" I cut my hair!"

"Just kidding!"