Week 34 - Overland Park

Hello world I'm alive and well:) I was transferred to Overland Park and I love it!  The ward is amazing and I just love my companion and just love missionary work. 

 I did have a heart break the past week and a piece of my heart was taken.  I had to leave Liberty Jail a place that had become my home.  The lessons that I learned there I will always hold deep in my heart.  Liberty Jail made me come to know who I am and how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are aware of us and how much they love us AND I Pray that I get another chance to serve there.  But I will be grateful for the time I did get there. 

Benjamin got baptized! I am so Grateful for the opportunity I had to teach him.  Im so grateful that I had the opportunity to go and be part of his special day.  He was truly one of the elect, and I know that he was one that I was suppose to find on the mission.  And now the Lord needs me elsewhere.

We had an amazing miracle this week here in Overland Park.  When I first got here me and my companion were being so worked on by the advesary.  We were being worked on for a couple days and both struggling and having no idea why?  Well few days in we found out why?  We went and visited a potential and he is golden, so prepared by the Lord.  We are so excited to see where things go with him. 

 Love you all so much and so grateful for the spirit and the comfort he gives me! 

Love Sister Bitters

I love you Liberty Jail and Sister Ireland...

Goodbye to Benjamin... Being Baptized and you can tell he is sad to loose her too....

Best Friends...

New Area and New Companion... Hello Sister Erickson

Overland Park Missouri

Best Day Sister Bitters was able to go back to Benjamin's Baptism😊

Week 33 - Farewell Liberty Jail

Missy didn't have time for email this week due to a day in Adam Odi Ohman and Far West with some of her close missionary friends and being transferred and her farewell at Liberty.   I thought i would include some of the pictures that were sent home!  Sure proud of our Sister Bitters💗💗💗

"Last night we did our dress up at the Jail and at the end I lost it.  That Jail will always hold such a special place in my heart and so will the family there.  I'm going to really miss the senior couples and the sisters that have become my best friends.  The jail is home, and I'm so emotional to leave it because unlike the VC called Sisters I might not be back here.  Liberty Jail has changed me, it has strengthened me.  I have found Sister Bitters " ❤❤❤

Sister Bitters with Sister Ireland...

"Friendship before Companionship"

A piece of her will always be in Liberty Jail

Tears were shed:(

Sister Bitters with The Langford's

Sister Bitters with her Best Friends....

Week 32 - Liberty Jail

Well Hello again! I cant believe that its been another week, it has come and gone just like that and transfers are a week from today! Time is going way to fast!!! I honestly have no idea where to begin.... 

This past weekend we got to volunteer at the Kansas City Genealogy Convention. So much fun! We just got to talk with people about family history and cool stories they had and really got people comfortable and friendly with us. (so hopefully in the future when missionaries knock at there door they will remember us and let those missionaries in) Passing time, we got to play around and add our faces into old school pictures! So much fun, I also learned where my family originated from. So pretty cool. 

I got to meet ELDER COOK! So amazing,

So here's the back store, I wasn't supposed to be at the jail, I was actually supposed to be heading to the genealogy convention,  but I knew Sister Anderson (previous companion) had left a few items at our apartment and the spirit kept telling me to take them to her even though we had no time for it. BUT I'm so grateful that I listened, when I got to the Jail, one of the sisters came up and said Elder Cook is here! I didn't process it until half way down the hall 😂👍. I got to shake his hand and yes I have not washed it sense :) just kidding but it really was just an amazing opportunity that Heavenly Father knew I needed. The reason I say that is, lately I have been having a difficult time knowing if I am doing any good (just like every missionary) and especially at the jail where it is really dead right now,  all you do for 6 hours is study. But Elder Cook pulled us all a side and said. " I know that you sometimes feel isolated here, but the impact you sisters have on people and the experience that they receive here is life changing".

Heavenly Father knew that I needed to hear that. Elder Cook was really embarrassed because he was in his casual entire basically church clothes without a tie 😂

One really special experience I had this week was at a dinner appointment, this family invited our investigator who is getting baptized next Saturday!  SO EXCITED. Anyways they had us over and it was really fun.  We had dinner and then went into the living room and had like a lesson/discussion over the gospel.  The spirit was so strong. At one point I looked over at our investigator and it was crazy, but I got the impression that he was one of the people I was supposed to find here on my mission.  I am so proud of him and so grateful to have been part of this amazing change and happiness in his life.  The work is true and Heavenly Father is constantly preparing the one(s) you need to find.  Who he needs YOU to find. 

I love you all so much and please again let me know if there is anything I can ever do for any of you❤

#thelordneedsyou

#alwaysinmyheart

#comewhatmayandloveit

SISTER BITTERS

Week 31 - Liberty Jail

Hello Family and Friends❤ 
I cant believe its been another week and we are 2 weeks from transfers! This week has been full of funny moments and miracles. Okay where do I begin....

We had exchanges this week and crazy things happen,   I was on exchanges with Sister Simkins who is amazing and I love and learn so much from her.  We went out contacting and was knocking this street which we now call "CRAZY STREET" and here is why,   We went to this one door and this old man answered the door. He was also hiding behind the door and we didn't really know why?  We started to give him our message and he interrupts and said this isn't a really good time I was just about to get in the shower....(WAIT FOR IT) then he proceeds to slowly come out behind the door and he was NAKED!  yes we looked away before we saw anything and walked away.  I think that is all I'm going to tell you about this street.  HAHA the next one was just a weird encounter, but never a dull moment on exchanges.  There was also many miracles one being that Sister Simkins use to serve in this area and was aware of people i had no idea about and so we went and saw some of them and now we are teaching Bobby!  He is awesome and dating a member that has been less active but wants to come back.  They are the sweetest and I just love them so much. 

Yesterday was a very eventful day:) we had morning shift and it had been so slow! But then in comes DAVID ARCHULETA! (i don't think i spelled that right but who cares I took him on a tour). It was so funny because Sister Ireland had no idea who he was until over half way through the tour. I played it off really well basically acted like I had no idea who he was just like every other tour... until the end and then I asked for a picture:)  super cool experience and he had really good input, 

Then after I was getting over what happened and how cool that was I hear someone come in and then I hear "she's going to freak" and I turned to see and its the MADDOX FAMILY oh I love them so much and I bear hugged my Makayla! oh man I love that family so much! It was so special to take them on a tour and to feel of their sweet spirits. 

After shift we had a lesson with Bobby and it went really well. He really wants to learn more and him and Paige (less active) are going to be getting married!  so excited:) after the lesson we went out and tracked. 

Tracking has been really hard lately because everyone has been getting mad at us from 8-9 pm because of how late it is.  Actually one of the Sisters got the cops called on her:( haha kinda funny).   Anyways we knocked a few doors but nothing and everyone's houses were dark and I was honestly feeling like whats the point. But Inside i knew that I had to be out till nine.  So I told myself I would just drive until I saw a house with a light on and we did.  And we found Donny @8:59 and he is one of the elect.  Seriously he was so open to learning more and was really into the conversation.  He said that he has been looking for the right church and he described the church that he wants to find and he basically described our church and he and his wife just had a little girl and his friend just died.... seriously Heavenly Father placed him right in our laps.  It was so amazing to be able to testify to him about the restoration and bits of the plan of salvation. We are going to see him on Sunday and he asked if he could come to church with us! 

I learned a lesson last night that one Heavenly Father rewards his children that put forth faith and action. I also learned that my faith has more room to grow. I need to have faith that each door I knock there is someone on the other side waiting for us.  I love being a missionary and the lessons I am learning and the person I am becoming.  I cant wait for the many more learning opportunities ahead and the experiences Heavenly Father has planned for me.  I have learned that Heavenly Father already has a plan for my mission and the people that are waiting.

I love you all so much and please email me and let me know if there is anything I can do for you:) Thanks for all of your love and support!❤  

Sister Bitters

Week 30 - Liberty Jail

Hey y'all!  Life here in Liberty is pretty great. I just love it here and love being a missionary! The work is pretty slow right now, when you think you have potentials they fall through, but we don't lose faith and we expect success just like Heavenly Father. 

This week I was on pins and needles waiting for this P-DAY to see and hear about my new adorable nephew. I'M ONE PROUD AUNT! He was well worth the wait :), I thank Heavenly Father everyday for him❤ I promise I'm a good missionary and wasn't distracted with having to wait till today to hear Oliver was born and all was well.  But when your mom emails you at the very last minutes of your P-Day, and says "Chelsey's water just broke..... have a nice week ,got to go, bye!" 

We had stake conference this past week and it was amazing! We had Elder Anderson from the 70's come and talk with us. So many of my questions were answered that I didn't even realized I had.  One thing that I learned at conference was that we much have all 3 knowledge's.  Head Knowledge, Heart knowledge, and Soul Knowledge. You must have it in all 3 and you must help the people you are working with have all three. 

Another cool experience I had at zone conference was a question that was reconfirmed to me. A while back I finished the Book of Mormon reading it the whole way through, And I took Moroni's challenge to heart.  I did.... And I felt nothing!  NOTHING!  I was so confused and really discouraged that I didn't get an amazing burning in my chest or a voice in my head. When I went to bed that night I prayed again about it.... nothing. As I was laying in bed that night I was just talking to Heavenly Father, just really asking him why I didn't get a confirmation? When a thought came to my head.. "how did you feel as you were reading it" and it hit me.  That as I was reading the Book of Mormon I felt the spirit testify the truthfulness to me.  I remembered moments when questions for myself or for my investigator were answered.  Well, where I was heading with this story, is that in Zone Conference I had totally brushed that story from my mind because I don't know , I was concerned about it.  Elder Anderson told us a story that was identical to my story that I just told you.  It was about his son that had the same thing happen to him.  LONG STORY SHORT!  Heavenly Father was aware of me and my doubt.  AND HE ANSWERED ME.

Another Cool experience we had, was my zone got asked to sing a duet with the senior couples. The senior couples sang the new primary song and then at the end my zone and I stood up and joined with them in singing "As the Armies of Helaman! so powerful and the spirit was so strong. This work is truly the work of the lord and I'm so grateful to be apart of it. 

The person we are working with is doing amazing and just keeps growing a stronger and stronger in testimony and faith. He wants nothing more then a eternal family and to be a missionary!  So amazing to see the change the gospel has made in his life. 

Love you all so much, let me know if there is ever anything I can do for you :) 

#alwaysinmyheart

#rememberhim

#hishands

#3D&G

-Sister BItters 

Liberty Jail Dog:)

Zone Conference

Elder and Sister Anderson from the Seventies