The Infinite Power of Hope March 24

"Hope in God, His goodness, and His power refreshes us with courage during difficult challenges" - President Dieter F Uchrdorf

I would recommend that everyone look up this talk NOW!

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/print/2008/10/the-infinite-power-of-hope?lang=eng&clang=eng

Oh man, this week.... this week. This week was a week of ups and downs, miracles and discouragement, progress and set backs.

I want to tell you about a few people I was privileged to encounter this week...

First Brother Draper. This man is miracle! He went to jail for a little while and turned that experience into major blessing for him and his entire family. While he was in jail he read the Book of Mormon every day and a man who entered with no love for the Lord left a man who was dedicated to the Lord. While he was telling us his story it brought tears to my eyes. He, himself, strengthened my testimony that the Gospel can help ANYONE if they reach out to Him.

He has been talking to his family and now his daughter wants to be baptized! And the best part? He will be able to do it!

Second, the Black family! The father & mother are not active but are letting us teach their two boys. And yesterday the ENTIRE family came to church! The mom and dad along with all 6 kids! MIRACLES! I was jumping for joy when I saw each of them walk into sacrament!

Third, Travis Loyd! This man has had a tough situation. His 12 year old son died a few years back from cancer and his marriage is crumbling. We had a great chat with him which left him in tears. He was not in church yesterday but there was NO DENYING that he felt the spirit and it touched him enough to want us to come back!

Sadly, 1 hour is never enough but before I go I want each of you to study hope. Hope is what has been keeping me going this week... this transfer. Hope for a better situation, future or whatever is weighing on your hearts. I testify to each of you, that the Atonement of Christ is for YOU! He thought of your by name and you can throw anything at His feet. Anything. And He will help you.

Isaiah 41:10, "fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

Never forget this. Never. Not for any reason.

All my love,

Sister Kent

Hello from Holaday Utah!

Hello to all your wonderful faces! 

How are you?! Hope you are staying warm! Thankfully it is getting into the high 20s low 30s so it is getting pretty nice, haha! This week has been a week of miracles, so lets get this started!

Sister Okano and I have been sick this week. And on different days! We were out of commission for 3 or 4 days which makes 20 lessons somewhat difficult when you have 3 days to do it in! BUT WE DID IT!

Miracle 1) We wanted to stop and get a quick dinner (since we wanted we work partly through dinner) so we stop at Subway. When we were getting ready to sit down, a lady invites us to sit with her. It's a less active who wants to come back to church! So, not only did we sit down for our full 1 hour dinner, but we taught her during it! Epic multitasking skills! AND we had scheduled an appointment with her for a few 2 days later!

Miracle 2) In one of our wards, NO JOKE, this lady says, "I do not have a lot of time, but I want to be baptized. Here is my info!" The words EVERY MISSIONARY WANTS TO HEAR!!!! AMAZING!

Miracle 3) We have been working with a part member family for about 2 months now. The husband has been taking missionary lessons for YEARS!!! But guess what.... HE IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON FEB 15TH!!! WHHHAAAATTTT?! Amazing, just amazing!

Miracle 4) In another ward we attend on Sundays, 2 FAMILIES we have been working with for a while CAME TO CHURCH!! YAAAYYY!!!! And not only that, some random family decided to come and guess what.... wants us to come over!!! No words! Just happiness!

Miracle 5) Well, this may or may not be a miracle but WE ARE GETTING A CAR!!!!!!! SO MUCH HAPPY!!!

Miracle 6) We have been working with a less active lady who has not been to church in years... And yes! She came to church as well! BAM!

Miracle 7) We found another washer/dryer room in the apartment complex! So guess what, we got ALL THE LAUNDRY DONE BEFORE P-DAY EVEN STARTED! *insert celebration dancing*

Miracle 8) *cough cough* 4 investigators at church. *cough cough*

Miracle 9) We go to knock on the door of someone we have not seem in a while but we accidentally knock on the wrong door. But guess what? She let us in, talked for over an hour and she took a Book of Mormon and wants to read it! 

Oh, and did I mention that we hit our goal of 20 lessons? HAHAHA I hope I don't come off crazy but THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME!

This week has been a week to remember =) There was a lot of sleeping during the day and lack of sleep at night (due to illness) and watching a lot of 80s church movies but it was a good time!

So I am doing well! I am a very happy missionary!

I love you all! Each and every one of you are fantastic! Keep it up!

Much love,

Sister Kent

Hello from Salt Lake City!

Hello everyone!

Time to report on another wonderful week! I don't have a lot of time so lets get started!

This week was a week to remember! Not because anyone was baptized or was able to be put on date, but because I saw miracles and answered prayers! The one I would like to share happened Wednesday after a long day of canceled appoints and no one to teach. Needless to say Sister Okano and I were discouraged. After we took a 5 mins break to get out our frustrations, a lady pulled up next to us and handed us a $20 bill. She said told us to buy ourselves a treat when we had the chance. In that very moment I knew Heavenly Father was mindful of what we were thinking. And he sent this wonderful lady to send us some extra love right when we needed it.

Oh! And another miracle is that we got a call from a previous investigator from 3+ months ago! She wants to see us and take the lessons again! WOW! This call was 100% out of the blue because no one has heard from her!

Unfortunately, there is not much to update you on with the people I am teaching, since... Well, I didn't meet with a lot of people. But there is a couple (Brother & Sister Fryer) I taught yesterday who seem to be taking it to heart. They are both return missionaries, and stopped attending church years ago. It's crazy how strong of a testimony they have, yet they do not come to sacrament. We talked about the Holy Ghost and how you can noticed a difference in your life when you no longer have it. Sister Fryer started to cry. We read together and the spirit was so strong! Not only did they find their old BoM during our visit with them, but they are committed to reading every day! Miracle, miracle, miracles!

This past week I felt and saw how knowing how much Heavenly Father loves each of us can change our lives! Just like he was looking after Sister Okano and I, He is looking after you! Just think about it! You have the Almighty God working in your life!

Oh! that reminds me of another miracle! I am working with a less active who is coming back to church (Kirsty, haha so I guess I do have 1 update!) and we had a GREAT lesson on our divine worth! How each of us in a son or daughter of a Heavenly father who LOVES us beyond comprehension! There were many tears and great conversation! Not only do I love her, but I always look forward to our lessons! They most spiritual lessons I have had thus far have been with her! Sadly she did not come to church last Sunday but maybe she will this week!

I love you all! Ya'll are great! You are fantastic people! I miss you all!

All my love,

Sister Kent!

Transfer calls are in! Hello from....

HOLLADAY UTAH! Both Sister Okano and I are staying! WHOOP WHOOP! We were so excited we open a bottle of sparkling cider and celebrated! We are not 100% sure what is going on with the Spanish sisters that live with us, so we may or may not be getting another sister in our apartment. Who knows =)

HAPPY 2014 TO EVERYONE!!! How was your new years? Did anyone stay up and watch the ball drop? I can safely that my new years was just another normal day! We visited a family who is just now coming back to church and watched Mormom Messages. It was a good time! Lots of snacks and lots of great conversation!

Updates on Less Actives and RECENT CONVERTS!

Mike, the grave yard guy, has been completely off the radar for a while! He didn't show up to a lesson which is not like him. He ALWAYS calls to let us know if he can not make it. Needless to say I was very worried. This lasted well over a week! Well, yesterday evening came and every lesson and every back up didn't answer. We were a little confused and didn't know what to do... so we started walking. And out of the corner of my eye I see a car in the cemetery.... We stop. It's Mike! It was amazing! We could tell he has been crying =( He told us that he deliberately wanted to be alone during the Holidays so he would not be reminded of what he does not have anymore. It was good for him to get everything off of His chest because he seemed more receptive to the message we gave. The Plan of Salvation is so powerful.

Layne, our recent convert, got his temple recommend yesterday! YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!! After his interview he found Sister Okano and I and expresses his excitement to go in the temple! He is amazing! Such a rock star!

Chris (I do not think I have introduced him yet) is a less active who has started to come back to church! Not only that... he WANTS to learn more about the church. It is amazing! One of his coworkers, who is not LDS, asked him what our beliefs are and he didn't know... It upset him but he immediately called us and started taking lessons so he knows how to talk about the gospel. But is that it? Nay I say unto you, nay! HE WANTS TO GO ON A MISSION!!! WHOOP WHOOP! Only a week ago he was working toward joining the marine corp! But now... he will be going on a mission! OOOHH YEAAH!

Lily (new) is a recent convert who just moved into our ward! She is from China! So teaching her is fun =) We watch a lot of videos in mandarin. It's funny! A lot of these video I have never seen so I really have NO idea what is going on haha But it is a good time! This is a great way to learn, or be forced, to listen to the spirit!

The Marburger family! This family has a soft spot in my heart! The mom is active and the husband is not active. We are starting to more regularly have an FHE with them. The mission presidents wife join us for one this week! THAT WAS A MIRACLE! The husband does not seem to like us =( He does not look, talk or acknowledge us at all! But Sister Eberhardt somehow, in her amazing way, got him to join in the lesson! Brother Marburger shock our hands on the way out! =D Blessings! Blessings from the Lord!

As for me? This week has been a week of personal learning and growing. I have learned that I do not hand over the day to the Lord. In the past weeks I thought I did... but I have not. Needless to say, I have SO MUCH to learn and I just have to take it day by day =)

I love you all! Ya'll are amazing! I miss your B-E-A-U-tiful faces! Keep in touch!

WARM, key work, WARM regards,

Sister Kent

P.s. some of your have asked... my mailing address is

3487 south 1300 east

Salt Lake City Utah 84106

Letter are welcomed =)

Happy new Year from Utah!

Hello everyone!

How was your Christmas? =) Christmas here in Utah was mind blowing! We were SPOILED ROTTEN! Member would knock, leave gifts at our door and run so we would never know who delivered them! The member in our 4 wards organized a MASSIVE GIFT FOR US! Toilet paper, water bottles, snacks, gift cards, journals, scarfs, socks, body wash and lotion, pillows, blankets.... the list continues! It was unreal! Sister Okano and I are BEYOND grateful and are thankful for the love we have received from all the members!

Speak of Sister Okano... PRAY FOR US! Transfers are this week and we are not convinced that she will be staying! in our mission there is a habit of new missionaries having 2 trainers so... there is a good chance she will be leaving =( We are mostly ignoring that fact since we get a long so well. We do want anything to change.

In regards to lessons... we did not have very much! We mostly visited members and shared a Christmas message with them! We targeted individuals who have had a rough year and just reminded them of the love Heavenly Father has for them!

Since yesterday was 5th Sunday, Sister Okano and I talked in the combined meeting about Missionary work! It was so much fun! I also taught in primary! haha my first primary class at 24 =)

We have 2 more investigators! =) They are totally getting baptized and do not even know it yet! =) The mom is a Less Active and her 2 boys were not baptized. All 3 of them LOVE US so it is just a matter of meeting with them and sharing the gospel message!

This coming transfer should be amazing! We did not have A LOT of success this transfer but we are seeing a lot of potential for the coming weeks!

Please continue to have me in your prayers! I can feel them!

I love you all and Happy New Year!

Sister Kent!

More Pictures!!!

This is Layne! He was my first baptism and was confirm December 22, 2013

 

This was my room from like... weeks ago. So there are MANY more pictures up right now =D And thank you to everyone to sent pictures! =)

and my companion... yes... in a dinosaur adult onesie =D LOVE HER

this is my room =) and how I make my bed at 6:30 in the morning hahahaha

Merry Christmas from Utah!

Hello everyone!

So much happened this week so lets jump right into it!

A MAJOR miracle happened on Tuesday! We were trying to visit a few families in an apartment complex we cover but we were not getting any success. Sister Okano and I were determined to FIND SOMEONE so we knock on a door of a referral =) A young girl, around 22 I would guess, opens the door and looks upset. We were unsure at first if it's because of personal stuff or if she doesn't like missionaries. After talking to her for a few mins when she invites us into her home. We offered to share a scripture with her and between the time we get out Book of Mormon out and look back up at her... she is BAWLING! She then begins to tell us that she is going through a SUPER rough time and JUST MOMENTS before we knocked on her door she has knelt down a prayed (for the first time in years) and asked Heavenly Father for help!

This is such a spiritually moment there are NO WORDS! And a second miracle stems from this. Over the past week, I have been really thinking hard about the "I am a Disciple of Christ" thing and I have been having a hard time believing it in my heart. It's so different to know something than to believe it in your heart. BUT after that lesson I could not help but think that yeah... Heavenly Father IS preparing people for me to teach and to bring the Gospel of Christ into their lives. And I am a Disciple of Christ =)

A story about charity! My roommates are the Spanish sister! They came home Saturday to tell us about a family who has nothing. Nothing. They got a Christmas tree from the dumpster and will have no presents under the it this year. We wanted to do something but didn't know 100% what to do. We tried to daily plan but kept going back to this family. So, yesterday we decided to bring Christmas to them! We all went through our things and gave anything that could pass as a Christmas gift. An empty journal, some slightly use jewelry, slightly used crayons... Anything. Also, during Wal-Mart we are planing on buying a coloring book and a few small toys. We will be giving them the gift on Christmas day.

Now, I wanted to include this story because the reason behind Christmas was just SOLIDIFIED in me. This family had NOTHING and did not care. They had to walk MILES as a family in the icy cold weather just to attend a ward Christmas party and they did not care. This family was just thankful to have the message of Christ in their life.

This Christmas reason I challenge all of you to find someone and share the gospel with them. This is a gift that will last for eternity. All of our earthly material things are temporary and really do not matter. What matters is our relationship with Heavenly Father and sharing what we know with everyone we come in contact with.

Now, this does not mean you need a name tag. The BEST way to share the gospel is to live it and carry the light of Christ with you. I promise it works. I run into many people who "have tried" the church or "have no interest". BUT every time I KNOW, without a doubt, that they could feel the spirit we carried with us. And that spirit is the spirit that touched lives and softens their heart.

Last week was difficult, and this week I already know will be difficult. I am away from all of you and I am beyond busy. Our week is already planned busy. However we all know who we can find refuge in and that is Christ.

If you see a homeless person on the street, or know of family in need please stop. A blanket or some food can be the difference between just another day or feeling the spirit of Christ this season.

I love you all and miss you hardcore! Merry Christmas!

Sister Kent