June 22, 2015

At the library. Time to email our families :D

ok so my week has just been really slow and we are just trying to find new people. The beginning of the week was crazy. Lol We finally had are lesson with Mike he is about 70 and is kinda deaf lol so we have to talk really loud. He was in the back yard helping Lucas set up the pool. We started the lesson and decided that we should just read the restoration pamphlet with him and then ask some questions to see how much he got out of it. so we did that and the first thing we asked is about prophets. We said do you believe we have a living prophet today and he was like yea that’s how it’s supposed to be. So we got really excited and kind of caught off guard so we moved on and went into how Christ set up his church and the apostasy and he was just nodding his head yes. So we went into the first vision and we asked him if he believes that Christ’s church has been restored to the earth and he was like yeah it’s already been restored that’s what is supposed to happen. we were just like blown away so we went on and asked do you believe that the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day saints is Christs restored church and he was like yea of course it is everyone should know that. I think they just choose not to. Then we invited him to be baptized on the 11th of July and he just had a huge smile on his face and was like I can do that? I was going to ask. Whooo!!! I can finally be a true Mormon hallelujah!! After that Lucas was like I want to be baptized. So we looked at him and smiled and asked him if he wants to get baptized on the same day as Mike and he said yes and then he was like what is baptism. So I went over to him and showed him a picture of Jesus being baptized and then explained it and he said yeah Ii want to do that. We asked him if he would read and pray to know if it’s true and he said yes. Then after that lesson we just were tracting and street contacting. trying to find new people.

A couple days later we went to do our lesson with Mike and we knocked and no one answered but we both felt like we needed to stay so we waited and knocked again still no answer. We tried by our back up who live across the street and we were able to set up a church tour with her. Sister Satele said she thinks she sees Lucas the boy we are also trying to teach whose family Mike lives with. So we drove by them and it ended up being the older sister and her dad Shad. We talked to her and she was able to go get Mike who was upstairs and just didn’t hear us knocking. lol We had the lesson in the back yard again. It was really short but we mostly taught about the fall and after we explained it really simply he understood why the fall had to happen. It was so cool to see it click :D After that lesson we had a lesson with a Andrea and talked about temples and helped her do laundry. Then on our way to dinner we almost got hit by a truck with a big trailer on it. I don’t know how it didn’t hit me. I saw it at the last second out of the corner of my eye. It was merging in my lane. We were at a stop light so I knew they saw me in the other lane. I don’t know why but it shook me up a bit. My companion was like yeah you would have died. I would just be hurt but you … gone! lol I was like thanks! lol so the rest of this week we have felt like someone is out to get us because we knocked on peoples doors and they let their dogs out to chase us. It was dumb lol and got a water balloon thrown at us. Rude!! All I can do is laugh though because its all just so ridicules and you can just see Gods had in keeping us safe. it’s so hard to find people right now. I don’t know why the second we open our mouths they say not interested or put their hand up or just ignore us. Wow! I think it’s because we found Mike and he is soooo elect. I’m not going to get discouraged. We are also going to start working with less actives and with the wards to help reactivate :) I’m so excited. We are working hard. looking at the numbers we send in is discouraging but we keep pressing forward cuz the Lord knows we are working hard. We saw Vicky and Tory the other day walking some dogs and I pulled over and they said they were hoping to see us there. We invited them to church but they didn’t show up. Mike got there though thanks to the Bagglies and got home safe because of Lara Crowder and her future husband lol they are so cute. We are going through our phone and area book and trying to look for all these potentials and former investigators. It’s going to be hard work but I know it will all pay off in the end. I was asked to give a talk in church on the 26 of July which is my last Sunday in the mission field and I get to pick my topic. I’m going to do it on “As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten” by D. Todd Christofferson. I’m really exited because this has helped me throughout my whole mission. its changed my life :)

Well I love you all and will see you in about 39days :)



Love Sister Steen

I made this sweet game for our recent converts ;-)

June 15, 2014

 

 

 My District

Me and Sister Satele

me and Heramana Harsten

Aaron Royer's baptisum :) 

last pday we had a sisters pday :) my sister training leaders sister Jonson and Hanson

our district except the district leader and his companion lol

This week has been slow. We just got a new ward mission leader and he is going to be so good for the 1st ward :) We had a meeting with him and his wife yesterday. We have set up meetings for every week and then a big meeting once a month with one person in all the axillaries :) I’m so excited. I think we might be getting a new one in the 2nd ward to cuz he is moving soon but he is so great. We want to have meetings like we are doing in first ward to so that the work really grows in this area. It’s gotten slow but we still keep seeing miracles every day :) We got a referral for an older guy named Mike. He is a little hard of hearing. We set up a ride for him to come to church and he didn’t end up coming. After church we ran to his house and he was just sitting in the grass. When he saw us he said the ride never showed up and he looked soooooo sad. We felt terrible. He has read the Book of Mormon multiple times and reads every night. We invited him to pray to know if it’s true and we are going to have are first real lesson with him tomorrow :) He is so prepared. He told us that he has always wanted to come to our church and he was just waiting for someone to invite him. He is so elect and I think the adversary is doing all he can to make sure that Mike doesn’t have the opportunity to make covenants with the Lord but the spirit is so much stronger then satan so I know he is going to make it :) We have been praying specifically for a lady over ager 75 to 85 to baptize. Then we met mike lol so we think he is the one even though he is a guy. That’s fine with us :) All we seem to know is how to teach men, mostly single father’s haha kind of funny. Phil is still doing good. He is still living the WOW. (word of wisdom) ;) and I’m still strong and not drinking pop :) woot we had a baptism on Saturday for Aaron Royer. I got to give the talk on the Holy Ghost. I was really nervous at first but once I got up there the spirit just took over :) it was sooooo cool. The baptism went so good. A lot of Aarons family is less active so they were all there and it was hard not to feel the spirit soo we will see ;) I love this area and I’m staying for the rest of my mission. Woot!! I love my companion. We had a really good talk last night and we are so excited for this area. We have some really good ideas that we are going to share with our ward mission leaders :)

I know this is Christ’s true church. I know that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that the priesthood was also restored to the earth. I know that we have a living prophet today, Thomas S. Monsen and I know that he is given revelation for all of God’s children in the modern day world. I know because God loves us that all men everywhere will have the opportunity to accept or reject Christ’s gospel. I know that Christ lives and that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon goes hand and hand with the bible and that Christ’s gospel is simple doctrine and anyone who is a true seeker of truth can know that this is the true church. I know all this to be true. I’ve prayed multiple times a day for almost 18 months and I can say for myself that this is true. I invite you member or non-member to act in faith. Come unto Christ. Read the Book of Mormon with an open heart and pray to know if it’s true. Christ’s teachings are simple. They are not complicated. Just ask God. He is your father and He loves you and wants you to come back to Him.



I love each and every one of you. I miss you!!
Love Sister Lacey C Steen

June 8, 2015

We helped Sister Follet tear down their deck, then she fed us hot dogs yummmm!

hey everyone! :D wow its already Monday wow! lol So me and Sister Satele have been tracting a lot. There have been lots of nice people but nothing truly miraculous. it’s been cool. As we act in faith to go find we get referrals. Phil was a referral from the STLs and he is on date for the 20th. He is living the word of wisdom. When he came to church you could see it on his face. He was still staying strong. He looked so tired. He went to primary with his kids for the first Sunday because they are so used to getting dropped off places that there dad didn’t want them to think he was going to drop them off and leave forever. It was sad but a lady in the primary came up to us 3rd hour and told us during singing time Phil was crying. We had a lesson with him that day and followed up on his commitment card. He said he loved it and that he has been doing it. I knew quitting drinking coffee was going to be hard for him but he has been doing it. I also committed to something that day. I will never drink pop the rest of my life. Sister Satele made me 2 commitment cards that I signed. I gave one to Phil to have. He really liked that and the spirit was really strong. Aaron is preparing for this Saturday to be baptized. He is so exited :)

The bishops are getting excited with all the work that is going on here in Pendleton. On Saturday we had a cool experience doing role plays. I was in Elder Jenson, Elder Shougart and Hermana Reeses group and the spirit was so strong. We taught by asking inspired questions. the spirit was so strong and it gave me a source of confidence that I didn’t know I had :) When we got home that day we ran home and decided that our commitment cards needed to be more inspired and so we prayed and the lay out was Goals Action then commitment it was really cool and now it’s not like a home work assignment but its something that will help them come closer to their Savior and accomplish their goals :)
Church was really good. I got to share my testimony in both wards. I’m going to make it a priority every fast Sunday for the rest of my life to share my testimony every fast Sunday :)

 my commitment to live the rest of my life to support Phil in living the word of wisdom

The girls in the YW put cute notes on our car

June 3, 2015

Training is a bit hard lol. The hardest part is that my comp has an accent and i never know what she is saying. I think it’s starting to get on her nerves. i feel really bad.

The work has slowed down a bit in this area. All our investigators got baptized but David. Thomas got the priesthood on Sunday and Kevin is getting it next Sunday :) Thomas, David and my comp are talking in church the following Sunday with an RM who just got back from his mission 2 weeks ago. Phil is doing good. He came on a church tour on Saturday and loved it. He said if they ever need a sub he would love to help out. It was sooo cool. I love his kids. they are so cute and they love when we come over. We had a lesson the other day on the lawn because we couldn’t get a member to come out with us on a Monday night but we had a cool lesson on the plan of salvation and used the visuals and we just basically taught like we were teaching the kids and he loved it :) He said it made so much sense then as we were saying the prayer we heard thunder in the back ground and as we were walking to our car it started pouring. They had a huge lightning storm. People were just walking in it too. I was like “they are going to die!” lol but every house we drove past on are way home people where putting chairs on their porch and just watching it. It was soo cool. We tracted almost all day yesterday and we decided to street contact and we talked to 3 drunk guys and they were sooo nice. One guy we talked to at a bus stop and he wasn’t drunk but it was really hard to understand him. He told me he spoke 4 languages. He asked me if I was married like 3 times and asked if I was going to marry a Mexican. He said I had a pretty accent and face. When I first started to talk to him he said he didn’t believe in God and that he respected me but doesn’t believe. Then in the middle he was laughing and told me he was just kidding and that he was catholic. lol it was so funny. The guy that was sitting right next to him was talking to my companion and she got his info so we can go and teach him. He lives out in Mission. we were walking to our next appointment and saw this guy just sitting there so I was like ok I got to talk to him so we talked. He was hard to understand. a little drunk but he just talked quiet. We were talking and at the end I asked if we could pray and he started crying. It was sad. I testified of the atonement and got him to smile before we left. :) a drunk guy walked passed us with a dog and said it’s the sisters missionaries lol he introduced himself and shook our hands. He told us he didn’t believe what we believe said he likes to get drunk he said but ladies I love the HELL out of you!! He smiled and walked across the street without even looking. I was a little scared for him. He was really nice. We had our last lesson with Aaron before his interview. I’m so excited. The work is doing good.

 I got to go to the temple today it was so fun. I love the feeling of being in the temple :D 

 

well I love you all

love sister steen

May 25, 2015

This week has been WOW amazing!! So many miracles. We have gotten tonz of referrals. we were able to get in contact with one and his name is Phil. We set a time and day and saw him after church yesterday. He is golden. I’ve never had someone so ready for the gospel. He said he just wants to find a church family that will love him and his 3 kids the way they are. He has a lot of tattoos and gages :) He is a young single dad that just got his kids :) We invited him to be baptized and he said yes and now he is on date for the 13th of June. We asked when we could come back and he asked if we could tomorrow so we are going over today :) woooooot! We are trying to find him some good fellowship. Its hard cuz it’s a holiday. lol wish us luck :) We had a wedding / baptism on Saturday.

 It went sooooo good. The spirit was so strong. We got to sing. Thomas and Lara were smiling :) so I guess we didn’t sound too bad. lol we have a new investigator, Luke, he is moving to Adams so it’s going to be a long drive every time we go see him. Hopefully we can get him some good fellowship. Right now he is in the 2nd ward and he knows the Marshals and he knows some people in 1st ward so it will be good. Dee is still on date and wants to be baptized before I go home. We have 3 people on date for baptism next month already and our goal before I go home is to be baptizing weekly. Our ward mission leader brought that up in class the other day and he said “the sisters have an impossible goal but I love their faith” and I was just thinking that’s not impossible it’s the vision the Lord has for this area and he is giving us the people who are ready. We talked to both of our bishops and we told them an idea we have to help the members get excited for the work. At dinner we are going teach them by role playing how to place a book of Mormon. We realized people really think it’s the scariest thing in the world and it shouldn’t be. Really all we need to do is give the people we love and care about a book of Mormon because the book of Mormon is something that is a part of our lives that makes us the people we are. We need to love our friends and family enough to give them this book. It’s a book. If they don’t read it that’s their agency but we need to let them have that opportunity to accept or reject. We are going to start doing that at dinners and we are going to set up a 3 ward firesides in June. It’s going to be soooo good. The members are getting more and more excited for the work. One day this town will have its own stake :) the bishop asked us if we wanted to do some service for him. We said yes and got to help him kill some of his chickens today. 

We have been able to gain a lot of trust with the wards. We got to talk in church yesterday about our conversion stories and we got to teach in class. It was fun. I love my mission and we still have a lot to do before the end of July :D



Love Sister Steen

 Just pulling weeds. We wouldn't let them pay us so they paid us in Pepsi.

me and sister T and training :)

                      We are all going home together kinda lol Sister T, Elder Ojata and Me :)

I might have corrupted my companion. Sorry!!! ;) lol

May 18, 2015

Wow! My new companion is a powerful missionary. During our trainings we role-play with each other inviting people to be baptized and or just asking inspired questions. Something I love about her is she isn’t afraid of silence. The most powerful role-plays we have done only maybe had a couple of things said in them. The other day we were doing a training on how to begin teaching and I explained kinda how to do it then she turned to heaven, she waited for the spirit and then she opened her mouth and everything she said was powerful. As she asked me inspired questions I made sure to give inspired answers and at the end of the role play she was just glowing with confidence and the spirit. We talk about the things we learned and how to use it in the work. On Saturday we had zone meeting and it was amazing. We learned so much and the spirit was so strong. Something I learned was to cut out the fluff. We got to do a role play on street contacting someone and making sure you cut out the fluff. So that’s what me and another sister did. We just taught simple truth. We taught simply the restoration and let them read some of the introduction and then invited them to be baptized. The spirit was so strong. After that we had to rush home and fill the font for David’s baptism. His Baptism was so good the spirit was so strong and the speakers involved him as they gave their talks on baptism and the Holy Ghost. Everyone told us he was just a dry mormon and he just needed to get wet. lol its funny he is definitely one of the elect. When we invited him to live the word of wisdom he quit that day cold turkey and it’s just crazy to know that if people are truly willing to follow Christ they will do anything for Him. This is the lords church not the Mormons church. Its Christ’s church and we are his sheep

Me and my comp talk about the day at night and it’s cool. I feel we have really inspiring conversations. We talked about what miracles wouldn’t have happened if Christ slacked off in his last transfer. The reason we were talking about that is because I have 2 transfers left and I want to finish strong. Then it dawned on us that Christ last transfer was the Atonement. It was crazy to think about.

We had a lesson at the Welches with Dee and we taught the restoration. At the end we invited her to be baptized and she said yes. That’s what the plan is. The only thing that is holding her back is that the Sabbath is on Sunday. Well I was studying and my comp was studying and so the seventh day was part of the law of Moses and it was before Christ. When Christ came and set up his church and when he was crucified on the first day he fulfilled the law of Moses and with that we worship on Sunday (The lords Day) as the commemoration of the lords resurrection. wow I had no clue but it just makes so much more sense now :) I love the scripters (Acts 20:7) if we can help her understand that she won’t have anything holding her back.

on the 23rd is a wedding and baptism :) for Thomas :) president wear invited every companionship to baptize monthly and I know it’s possible. Me and sister Satele, with the Lords help, want to baptize weekly :) it’s going to be hard work but I know it’s possible and that goal will help us with baptizing monthly. Yesterday we were invited to a youth thing at the bishop’s house. it was about the temple and it was sooo cool. He answered all the youth’s questions then he made us this Brazilian hotdog. It had mashed potatoes, avocado, ketchup and mustard and other stuff I can’t remember. it wasn’t bad but i wouldn’t want to eat it every day. He also made us a Brazilian drink and it was soo good. We got the recipe to make it at home and we are going to try and make it better than it already is. I’m sooo exited.

I’m sure I’m forgetting a lot. There is just soo much but I just know that it’s our time to harvest. No more planting seeds. The field is ready today. There are so many people out there waiting for us to invite them. We are going to help our members get excited for the work. At dinner we are going to talk to them about how to place a Book of Mormon and invite them to read it and invite the family to do it together and to share with each other and the other members the experiences they have. We are so excited for the work. It is hastening and people are ready to receive this massage. We are all God’s children.

I love and miss you all.



love Sister Steen

 doing service at PAWS

 This is a salad Sandwich it is one of the most amazing things I have ever eaten

 David's Baptism

May 11 2015

#whatislife #Pregosauce #newcomp #Greeny #amazingabs #cantstopwontstop #laughingiscontagious #Ihate#’s lol

Wow so this week has been pretty different. I was with the sister training leaders for 3 days and it was a pretty fun time :) When I was with them I got one new investigator. His name is Randy. He is a really nice guy and we met his dad right after we left. He has the same name so it was funny teaching the Restoration to a guy with the same name is the last one. He was really nice. His problem with it all was going to church. He doesn't follow organized religion so we were able to explain the blessings of church and why we meet as a ward to worship. I bore testimony that we go to church to partake of the sacrament. To do it in remembrance of Christ and when we are baptized we can renew our covenants. We also explained that we go to learn and grow as a ward family. As we share our testimony with one another and prepare to teach we learn more and we help others learn too. He said that it made more sense and we invited him to his son’s home for the lesson on Tuesday to learn more of the restoration of Christ’s church. That same day we were walking around and we saw this guy walking his dog and so one of the sisters were like “HEY!!” and he didn't turn around so she said it a bit louder and he still didn't hear soo I was like ok this is it. I’m going to do something I have never done before. I said a quick prayer in my head hoping that this doesn't fail miserably and I started running and was like HEY!!! I love your dog what kind of dog is it!!??? He turned around and started talking to me. We ended up walking with him telling him about the restoration of the church. It was super cool and really scary ahhhhhh lol I’m still freaking out about it and it’s been like a week. lol well on Wednesday I was on my way to Walla Walla when I got a call from the mission office telling me that my Aunt just passed away and it really hit me hard at first. When we got to Walla Walla I asked my zone leader elder Nelson if I could get a blessing and he was so in tune with the spirit. Everything he said is what I needed at the time. I was getting ready to go and meet my not only new companion but a new missionary that just got out on her mission. I needed that blessing so that I could be at peace with my aunt passing and so I could focus on training my new companion. I was really having a hard time until I got to the transfer sight in Kennewick then I needed to be happy. I didn’t want my first impression to Sister Satele to be that her companion is just a wreck. I did pretty good. Then we sang and the song just made me cry. I’m not really sure why and the elder that gave the spiritual thought made me cry. Then I pulled myself together until I hugged Sister Ware then I kind of lost it. I needed a hug from someone who understood and she was it. I’m so grateful for her :) I’m ok now. I’m at peace with everything and I know things truly happen in the Lords time. I know that this had to happen while I am in training or I’m sure I would have been really distracted. Whenever me and my companion role play its sooo spiritual, like for example last night we did 60 min of training and at the end of it we role-played. I was one of are current investigators and she had to invite me to be baptized and I had to say no and have a concern so before we started she said a prayer and I said a prayer I prayed to know what his concern really would be. Then we began the role play. It consisted of a lot of inspired questions and a lot of silence. The spirit flooded the room and at the very end I was crying and Sister Satele was just sooooo excited about what just happened. We realized in that role play that this investigator needed to understand and gain a firm testimony of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I had no clue. I thought that he knew the atonement but I now know that he doesn’t and the spirit guided us to what he needed to know :) we are so excited to have our next lesson with him :)


Skyping with my mom on Mother’s day was really good :) I was so scared that it was going to be a sad skype session but it wasn’t and I got to see Sage Amber Zach Marcus Rosie Everett Evelyn Olyvia Mom and Dad :) it was soooooo happy. Me and my companion just sat on a couch and talked to them. I love that my companion wanted to be a part of it :) I am just sad we all forgot to take pictures.


Well I love you all and I’ll see you in 3 months ;)





Love Sister Steen!!!!