A birthday in Michigan and a happy day at the temple!

Hard to believe my baby girl is 20 years old and I don't get to spoil her here at home. We sent her some fun treats and after getting numerous messages and texts this week from members in her ward and area.. I know she was well taken care of! Happy Birthday Sister Chizzy! We are so proud of you and love you SO MUCH!

July 13
Hey everyone!! I hope your weeks have been amazing!!  I am just about out of time and we are heading on over to a Zone PDAY in the RAIN!! :D It should be a blast, but I thought I would share  thought with all of you before I go! :D 

So this week Sister Guest and I have been talking a lot about the word love. We decided last week that we think Love is the why of Faith. Because our Father in Heaven loves us He gave us the agency to come to earth and to earn a body and to succeed and to fail. Because He loves us he provided a Savior for us when we do fail and because He loves us He has given us family and friends to strengthen us and lift us when we are in need. He also has given us prophets to receive modern day revelation! :D We are pretty loved if you ask me!! So we have talked a lot about how Love comes first and then faith can follow, as the week went on I have thought a lot about that. When we think of the first two great commandments we read, " Thou Shalt Love." That is my invitation to all of you today, go and love another! Go and serve them, go and help them to learn that there really is a plan for them. That they are loved and that they are important! :D 

I have seen this love in my life and I have learned that the next step is to serve others. When we serve others we find that we forget about ourselves and the things we are going through and we are willing to help others and to strengthen them! Service, love and faith. These 3 things helps us to humble ourselves and turn our lives over to our Father in Heaven who has a perfect plan and then miracles follow! 

I know that God loves you! I know this gospel is a gospel of happiness, I know service is the way to forget about ourselves and to draw nearer to God!! :D I love you all!! Have a wonderful week!! I will update you all more on my actual missionary work next week.. all I can say is it is GREAT!!! :D This is the Lords work and I am SO SO blessed to be a part of it!!! 

Love Sister Chisholm! 

 A few amazing members made Jen's 20th bday so great for her. The love they have for the missionaries is amazing. I am so grateful, as a mom for so many caring people!

 A happy 20 year old!

 Another bday treat!

 The Stake President and his wife hosted another fun p-day activity which happened to be on Jen's bday! Fun for her!

 Olive Garden Bday dinner!

A sweet member made our traditional chocolate chip pancakes (messaged me and asked what she would like from me that day...truly...so kind!)

The members there are so amazing. They texted me and asked for her favorite meal, and wanted the EXACT recipe, they were so sweet and made it for her and had a happy birthday banner and everything! WOW! People are AWESOME!

July 20- This week was a little tough for our girl. She is still so happy and has such a great attitude, but some weeks are tough. I am so proud of her for keeping a smile on her face and for finding joy, even when things are hard. I got a sweet text from a member this week when she and her husband took her and her companion to the Detroit temple. She said every time she sees Jen she thinks of the hymn "scatter sunshine, all along the way"....and that truly describes her. It is not a pretense, it's truly her personality! She chooses Joy and that is a gift.

Hey everyone!! :D First off it's one of my favorite holidays this week, the 24th of July or Pioneer day, and yes some of that is just because I love July. It truly is one of the best months of the year but I also really love the song Come, Come Ye Saints, this song has helped me so much throughout my mission! It has some amazing lyrics to it, so if you get the chance go and check it out! :)

So this week has been quite the adventure, we have had lots of crazy ups and lots of crazy downs but it has become such a great week of learning, growing, applying, humbling and everything else to it's testing point! I am grateful for the times that we learn the most, I think that at the last day when we are looking back on our lives, or looking back on hard times we will be the most grateful for them because those are the times we learned the most! :D This week I found this quote and I have decided it pretty much describes how I see life, "Darkness exists, we must choose not to dwell there!" -President Uchtdorf! I have learned that even though hard times, darkness, saddness all these things that the world wants us to see are there if we have the spirit with us and if we do all that we can, pray, try and laugh, smile and serve others and love them more then ourselves we truly will be able to come out of the darkness to a brighter day! :) It doesn't mean that the darkness isn't there, it means we have decided to rise above it! I hope that helps any of you that wonder why I am so happy all the time, haha it doesn't mean that my mission is easy, or that I don't have days where I doubt, no one is immune to the challenges that this mortal life gives to us, but we always have a choice of how we respond. :) Anyways there is my little thought for today! :)

This week like I said was pretty crazy, lots of ups and downs, but we have seen a bunch of really great miracles!! :) We found this awesome guy that pretty much just said, I want to meet with you, I have met members, I have met missionaries will you teach me! Now that doesn't happen very often! What a blessing from on high! I thought it was so cool, the Lord really does prepare people to hear of His gospel!

There is a song that I really love and I want to share some of the lyrics with all of you, this song has helped me through a ton of things before my mission, and on my mission and I am sure it will help me after my mission as well! :)

"We pray for blessings, we pray for peace, comfort for family, protection while we sleep.. But what if our blessings come through rain drops.. What if our healing comes through tears.. What if the trials of this life are our blessings in disguise! " I know that the Lord truly does have a plan for each and every one of us. We may not always see it, but he truly does Hear and Answer our prayers. I know this gospel is true. Through the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be changed, we can become more then we ever thought was possible! :D

I love you all!! Have a wonderful week!! :)

Love Sister Chisholm! 

 (a note about the lyrics to that song...it is one of our very favorites, it's called Blessings by Laura Story)

 This is a new very favorite picture. I love it!!! She put it on her Facebook page today....also a fun surprise for me to see every so often....love this girl!

New Companion, the 4th of July, Fireflies and happy times!

June 22

Hey everyone!! This week has been great! :) I love my area, I love my companion, I love being  a missionary!  I could just stop right there, but I won't... haha! Something that I know is that we come to this life to be tested, to be tried and to learn to rely on our Saviors Atonement! I have seen that so much, and sometimes it's hard for us to remember that principle! We are always increasing our testimonies, we are always defending the truth.. hence the name of my email! :) Keep defending the truth, don't ever give up, don't ever give in. Always stand up for what is right even if you are standing alone! 

So to answer your questions.... The members in our ward are great!! They are really supportive and helpful! Summer is a little hard because everyone is really busy, but they still feed us and help out a lot! I feel like a lot of the members here are converts which always makes things interesting.. ie testimony meetings! haha our gospel principle class always makes me really nervous too because the teacher always goes all over the place.. I just wish people would stick to the book sometimes... but we are all imperfect I just have to remember that! :) It just makes us nervous sometimes to take investigators to church!!! haha Yesterday we had lunch with the Yorks, they are so SO sweet! We had samon and it was actually super good! Imagine that, I never thought I would like fish.. haha but it was really good! We talked about Alma the Elder and how he prayed for his son alma the younger and that his prayer was answered in Gods own timing and way. But it was answered! I thought that was a cool thought for fathers day! 

Oh my goodness!! I love our apartment because of this sweet lake right next to it!! It's BEAUTIFUL!! I will have to take a pic this week and send it to you, its pretty small but every time we get home I get to see the water and it makes me smile! I also love the sunsets here, this week there were some super super pretty ones! The days are so long right now and so when we are planning it still super SUPER bright outside! I love it!! Hahaha this week the Yorks brought us a giant chair for our apartment too, I totally claimed it! It is like a love seat thing, but last night when sis morrison and I were calling missionaries we totally stuffed ourselves on it even though it was super hot! :) It was pretty funny! I love her!! :D Our apartment is great, it smells like pot when we walk in the building but other then that no complaints!! :D 

We drive a 2012 ford fusion now! Which is fun! :) It's almost out of miles I think so they will retire it soon, but for now it's our car! I am SO thankful for it!! It's so SO nice having a full time car! Well besides on Saturdays,, haha those are always an adventure! This Saturday we worked on our video for our zone for a bit then we went door knocking in the zillion degree weather and humidity ! Holy cow.. I wanted to go swimming SO bad! But we survived and it was fun! We talked to a lot of people which was really good! Then we were trying really hard to get a ride to a baptism in Hastings and so we were super stressed about it all, and we had like one person taking us there to meet the member that was going to take us then someone else was going to bring us back.. It was all weird but then these members called us like 30 minutes before we left and said they could take us and the elders! It was such a tender mercy!! :) We were so so grateful! #carfastsaturdays! haha always an adventure!

Anyways, I don't have tons of time today we are heading over to our stake presidents house for a giant zone pday!! :D But I just want you all to know that I know this gospel has been restored through a prophet of God! I know that it is a gospel of happiness and that it is a gospel of change that we can strive every single day to come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ, this quote sums it all up! "Change measured against the character and virtue of Jesus Christ is the very road that leads to every blessing that our father has in store for us!" <3 

Well I love you all! Have a wonderful week, remember who you are, remember that your father in heaven loves you and that as you build your foundation for Jesus Christ you have no need to fear!! Helaman 5:12!!! 

Love Sister Chisholm! <3 

our picture while trying to make our zone video!! :D 

#sistermissionariesforlife!! 

 They got this fun chair and apparently its quite large!

 My cute, cute girl!

I love that sweet people share fun pictures with me on Facebook! As a mom, it is THE BEST! These are from the Stake President's wife in Grand Rapids who hosted a p-day party for their zone this week!

June 29

Hey everyone!!! :D Well first off Happy 4th of July!! I know that it is this weekend but since it is my favorite holiday I thought I would say it right now!!!! Also just found out that even as missionaries we get to watch fireworks! I am SUPER excited, we will probably get to watch them with our investigators! Life is good, life is great! :D I know I always say that, but honestly when you are on the Lords errand. Its almost a given! :D 

So this week has thrown us for a curve ball! Sister Morrison is leaving me.. :( She is the best and I just love her so much!! We have had a great time serving together but I know that we always are where we are supposed to be! Sister Guest is coming my way, and I couldn't be happier! She was my sister training leader actually in Midland for a bit so I know already how great she is! We are going to see so many miracles this week and this transfer I know it!! :D 

In other awesome news, last Sunday we had a girl come to church, come to find out that she is a less active that just decided to come back! :) I sat by her in gospel principles and she told me her life story and now we are helping her get back on the path! She is amazing, and I know that The Lord prepares us for people and that He truly does send people into our lives for a reason! :) I also started thinking a lot about how it's better to hold on to the rod and not let go, then to hold on, go astray and come back. Truly if we always hold tight to the rod, or the gospel we will never go astray! We must remember our Savior Jesus Christ and everything He has done for us! This week we also set our investigators Clarissa on date!!! :D yay!!! now comes the praying like crazy.. Everyone pray for her to be baptized on August 1!! She is great, and I can't wait for her to make a this eternal covenant with God! 

I found this great scripture this week that has pretty much summed up this past transfer, I's Alma 26:2.. It says.. " And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?" 

This is so SO great! I have been thinking about the tender mercies and the blessings that my Father in Heaven has sent to me and they always amazes me. He showers His blessings upon us and wants us to be happy! I know that we all have the opportunity to change and to progress in this life and as we realize the blessings he has given us we will be happy, not just for this life but for eternity! :D I love you all! Have a wonderful week. 

Love Sister Chisholm! <3 

We can DO hard things!!! :D 

Last day.. with this amazing SISTER!!! <3 Love you!! 

Hey Everyone!! :D 

Yep you read that right, there are fireflies here in Michigan! :) Cool right?! I didn't even think they were real, but guess what they are! That was a pretty exciting moment for me this week! In other news I have an AWESOME new companion, Sister Guest!! She is from Bountiful Utah, loves to work hard, loves to have deep conversations.... YES! loves to smile, laugh and to hard fun and serve! We are having a great time with each other! She has such a strong testimony and is super smart... I already am learning so much! We are going to rock it this transfer, pretty much find, teach and baptize all of Wyoming! :) Anything is possible with the Lord on our side! 

So today I wanted to share some of the things I have learned on my mission this far, I won't really be able to go in depth of them, but I have learned its really important to share things that we learn and so I would invite all of you to think about the things you have learned recently and how your testimonies have been strengthened from it! :D The first one I want to share is consecration. I have learned that the only way to be truly happy is to surrender your will to the Lord and to have complete faith in Him, His timing and His plan. It takes a lot of work and a lot of prayer to have full consecration and it also takes a lot of self control and time. But I know that we can become consecrated members of the church and also become exactly who Heavenly Father needs us to be. When the deepest desire of our heart is to please God we will want to do everything we can to become like him! :) That is something huge I am learning, it's so much easier to do the Lords will then to do our own. We will make a person, with the Atonement of Jesus Christ he will make a God out of us! 

Another big thing I have learned is that everything comes back to love. Because our Father in Heaven loves us we are here. He sent us to this earth to learn and to progress, we have been given prayer, families, prophets, the plan of salvation, the commandments all things out of the love our Father in Heaven has for us. Everything always draws back to love, we always have to strive to increase our love for our Savior Jesus Christ, we always have to strive to show forth Christlike love to others, and we must always serve out of love. Love is the Essence of the gospel. All principles come forth from it! :D 

One of the other large things I have learned is that we always have to do the small and simple things, we must pray, we must read, we must go to church, we must attend the temple, we must keep the commandments. We have to do these things to qualify for the spirit. That is what we want in this life, we want to be able to have the spirit with us at all times so that we can do the will of the Father. By changing and progressing each and everyday we become who He needs us to be, we have the spirit with us and ultimatley we have more love for ourselves, for others, for the gospel for our Savior and for our Heavenly Father! :D 

The gospel is true! I know it is! I know it without a shadow of a doubt! :) It's true, its amazing, its been restored and it's life changing! Let is change your life!! I know that it can!!! :) 

Love Sister Chisholm! <3 

 Another fun pic a ward member sent! (the caption said," SISTER MISSIONARIES ROCK!!! And these two are my favorite!")....made my day!

 The Mission President posted this pic of the Lansing Michigan mission leadership council. 2 AP's 10 zone leaders and 10 Sister Training Leaders. This group is a force to be reckoned with and a great group of amazing missionaries!!! #Wearefamily #michiganlansing #wecandohardthings

 Sister Chizzy and her new companion, Sister Guest are getting  along great!

 Another sister from Wyoming ward sent me these pics....not sure what they are or what they're doing but they look happy!

 4th of July BBQ!

"Blitzing"Ludington (which apparently means they showed up at the sisters they are STL's over,  appointments unannounced and made sure everything is going well!) obviously its going great!