Week 71: I Almost Didn't Send This Email

Questions:
1- what kind of training did you have that you got to visit with Brother Howie from normal? He messaged me that he got to see you.
2- how is the training going for Hermana Albrechtsen?
3- when is the next transfer? Do you think you'll stay put?
4- are you still liking your mini iPad? Is your keyboard case working right?
5- how are your promising investigators progressing?

1. We had new missionary training last week. The Elders that are in my first area are also a trainer-trainee companionship (the trainee was actually in Hermana Albrechtsen's MTC district) and Brother Albrechtsen had driven them up because he's just amazing like that. haha it was so good to talk to him and the Elders actually. I found out from my trainer a bit ago that someone we'd taught was baptized and when I asked the Elders about it they said they met with her on Monday and she told them she wanted to be baptized on Wednesday. So they made it happen. So cool! Man, I love that area. I may not have baptized anyone while I was there, but I feel that I've at least played a part in a few of the baptisms that have happened. I know I've made a difference in those people's lives and they sure have impacted mine.
2. I think it's going well. She hardly even needs training, she's so great. And we can't believe it's almost over! This is the last week of the 12 Week program for us. We're pretty excited because we get to watch ALL of the district. Movie night! (Just kidding, it's totally for training purposes. But we still love it.)
3. Next transfer is next week. We find out this Saturday what's going on. And yes, I think I'm stay. We're hoping and praying that we both stay actually. That would be the dream.
4. Yeah, it's good. I admit, it's grown on me. It's super useful, especially for missionary work. Yesterday we had a member with us who just got back from his mission a few months ago and he's pretty jealous that we get to carry around our entire Area Book with us, everywhere we go. (The paper Area Books are like a two inch binder and they're SUPER heavy....)
5. Oh man. They're amazing. Did I tell you they paid tithing last week? (I suspect it was supposed to be fast offerings, but they paid it all the same! There were some great testimonies on tithing and it really impacted them I think.) They're also getting married THIS SATURDAY. Oh man. I am SO excited. Wedding number three for this hermana. But this one will be a lot more low key (not put on by a Spanish branch, and put on for a very humble reserved couple.) It's going to be great. They'll be baptized the 30th of this month as well. They're excited. We're excited. The ward's excited. Everyone's excited. (: This area is amazing.

As far as news, I haven't got much. I'm nearing the end of my service as a full-time missionary, but I know there are many miracles to come. I've got some repenting to do *cough*journal*cough* but I know that "sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven". We washed and vacuumed our car today, even though it's about 15 degrees Fahrenheit (excluding windchill...). I think the guy manning the car wash thought we were crazy, but we are obedient and we will be blessed.

Oh there is this tidbit: we've been assigned Jose and Ida, my two investigators from Rochelle. Jose is taking a 6 week long class in Chicago Heights and Ida is staying with her daughter during the week while Jose is away and her daughter lives in Dekalb. So we're suddenly in charge of their teaching until further notice. It's kind of really confusing actually. But I'm excited. We're going to visit Ida tomorrow. They're also getting baptized the 30th of this month and need to get married before then. But at least both of our couples have marriage licenses so it's really not that hard....it's just coordinating everything. Man. I love this week. It's so rewarding.

It's been a great week of achieving our goals and I'm looking forward to reaching new heights. The vision truly has been raised by the Lord and I know He will qualify us as we submit our will to His. He is all-knowing and all-powerful, and through Him we truly can do all things--even miracles, if it so be His will for us and for those in our care. I know that this is the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. He lives, and He has not forsaken us. He has called a prophet on the earth today, who has the authority to say "Thus saith the Lord..." because he speaks with the Lord and literally knows the words of the Lord as He speaks today. Miracles have not ceased. The heavens are not sealed. I am a representative of Jesus Christ Himself, and as such I invite all to learn of the message of joy which I share and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, if this message is not true. I testify that God answers the prayers of those who have a sincere heart, real intent, and faith in Christ. All people everywhere may gain a divine witness that the Book of Mormon is in fact another testament of Jesus Christ, that Joseph Smith is God's prophet of this dispensation, and that the Church that was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith is indeed the Church of Jesus Christ in these latter days. Will you put God to the test and ask Him for yourself if these things are not true?

Love, Hermana DeBuck

 

Week 67: "Strah-mag-lee-uh: Like Spaghetti. But Not At All"

5 Questions:
1. Any idea what schedule we need to use for a call on Christmas yet?
2. How is the new area?
3. Will you still get to attend Jose & Ida's baptisms?
4. Who is you new companion? What is she like?
5. What else changed with this transfer?

1. Not sure yet. Honestly, I'm still not sure what is going on here, period. haha just because there is so much going on. I would guess we'll probably Skype in the morning/afternoon. California would be two hours earlier than here? I'm pretty positive it is at least some amount of time earlier so 9 am here would be bad, right? haha I doubt it'll be that time. We'll probably do studies in the morning and then do weekly planning so we'd finish at about 3, so sometime after that I would think. Not positive but I'll let you know for sure next week. Just don't let me forget to tell you.
2. Wow. Where do I even begin...? Well, first off, keep in mind that I've been in Rochelle for the past six months (literally) and Rochelle is the smallest branch in the stake. And now I'm in two wards. Granted, not huge wards (I think) but still, two wards. It actually reminds me a lot of Bloomington-Normal. Not just that there are more than one ward but even the town itself. Sycamore and Dekalb basically get smashed into one, just like Bloomington-Normal. And it's a college town. And it even looks a lot like it, architecturally speaking. It's kinda crazy. So that's kind of fun for me, but it's also weird. And then, serving in two wards is kind of overwhelming. At the beginning I didn't know any better but after serving in two small branches (separately) before, this is pretty overwhelming. But it's good. I've met a lot of awesome people and the work here is truly flourishing. It's amazing.
3. Definitely! Especially since the baptismal service will be here in Sycamore. haha so that's awesome. At this point, I don't know exactly what's going on, but it sounds like the new Hermana there is perfect for the area in this moment--her mom is a cake decorator and so she knows a lot and the Hermanas offered to make the wedding cake. And they might take them up on that...but that's all I know as of right now.
4. My new companion is Hermana Albrechtsen. She is somehow distantly related to Brother Albrechtsen from the Normal ward. She is actually a lot of me, but also different. She's absolutely adorable and looks like she could be a Disney princess. She loves to eat food. She ran for BYU before the mission. She comes from a big family (7 kids + 2 parents). She reported about the same time of year that I did, just a year later. I'm finishing up her training, but I'm pretty sure she doesn't even need it. She is an amazing missionary and I am so glad to get to serve with her. This first week seriously flew by. I can hardly believe it's even happened.
5. Um.....well. I'm not sure what else could change that I haven't mentioned. New companion, new area, but that's about it. Oh, I did get an email on Thursday from the mission saying they've purchased my plane ticket home. I literally gagged when I read that. But, it's okay. I knew it was coming. And it'll all work out. I'm definitely not going to stop working. I will keep moving forward and trusting in the Lord.

As far as this week goes, well it's been crazy and yet I feel like nothing worth reporting has happened. But then, that's a lie. haha.

We had stake conference and it was amazing! Here's some of the things I learned:

• Since the new Christmas initiative began, the video "A Savior is Born" has been viewed 16 million times. On average, there have been 172,236 visits to mormon.org per day since the initiative began (on 29 Nov). And there have been 6,942 self-referrals (meaning someone has requested a Bible, a Book of Mormon, or missionaries to come to their very own door.)
• Our inspired mission president told the Rockford Illinois stake "No one has to sit on the sidelines of missionary work." The funny thing about the work and the glory of God is that it's going to happen. It just is. Whether or not we are a part of it. But it is our privilege to be a part of it, and absolutely NO ONE has to sit on the side lines and just watch it happen. Everyone can be an active participant.
• In this dispensation, there are three "prophetic priorities", as told by our stake president. They are 1) Keeping the Sabbath day holy, 2) Family history and temple work, and 3) Members and missionaries working together. Just as the people during Noah's time had to listen to him for revelation concerning the flood to come and not just to the past prophets, we too must heed the counsel of the Lord's living prophets in order to withstand the floods of our time. 
• There is a hymn, which was sung by the choir I was privileged to be a part of, called "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy". As we drove up, our bishop's wife, Sister Malley, told us some of the background of this lovely hymn. And I would like to sum up what she said: In some places with reefs, in order to come to shore there is frequently only one passage to get to the shore without hitting the reef. So they will put a light at the top of the hill/mountain and a light lower down, on the shore, so that when those two lights are in line with each other from a view out at sea, that is the path you must follow in order to find your way safe to shore. Here's a description from a talk in General Conference: "A light on the hill above the beach and a second lower light marked the narrow passage. When a boat was maneuvered so that the two lights were one above the other, the boat would be lined up properly to pass through the dangerous rocks that lined the passage." And as was explained in stake conference this weekend, as members of the church of Jesus Christ, we are that lower light. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are the light on top, but we must shine brightly (Matthew 5 & 3 Nephi 12) so that others can find their way safe to shore. In another comparison, the missionaries are one light and the members are the other. We MUST work together in order to bring souls unto Christ.

Also, we taught a man named Pablo whom the hermanas had taught once before, part of the restoration on his doorstep, and then he'd come to church the Sunday before I got here. We went by on Friday and we found out he'd read the entire Gospel Principles book he'd been given on Sunday and had read about 5 pages in the Book of Mormon. Holy cow! Oh, and he came to stake conference yesterday. So he's pretty cool. He accepted a baptismal date of 23 January. But that'll probably be moved up sooner. So excited!

We are teaching the most amazing couple of all time. No joke. Their names are Francisca and Saul. They have a 7 year old son named Diego who absolutely LOVES going to Primary. Saul and Diego came to the ward Christmas party on Friday and he got up on stage when the Primary sang. He totally fits right in. It's awesome. That right there is the effect that members can have. Thanks to a Primary President who is aware of all the kids at the party and at church on Sunday. Francisca and Saul want to be baptized but we have to work out some things first, but I am SO EXCITED to work with them.
Also, we have one of the greatest ward mission leaders of all time, Brother McConkie. To make a long story short, he and his family moved to Illinois from Utah in order to be missionaries. That was the whole reason. haha they're amazing.

There is literally so much to say but I just can't sum it all up, so I think this is about it. The members here are awesome (I probably say that about every area though) and I'm excited to see miracles with Hermana Albrechtsen. She hardly even needs training--I think I need the 12 Week program more than she does!

The Gospel is true! Families truly are forever, when we fulfill our part of the commandments and covenants of God. He loves us, more than we can possibly comprehend. That's why He called the prophet Joseph Smith. Through him, the complete Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. God answers prayers, but only if we first do them. I know that all this is true, with all of my heart and soul.

Love, Hermana DeBuck

Fotos

1. We went to Panda Express after zone conference with all the sisters in our zone and Hermana Albrechtsen got fortunes that were super similar. It must come true then!

2. One day we made dinner and we had a can of soup but we didn't think it was going to be enough so we added canned vegetables but I kinda forgot what I was doing and ended up adding the whole can of corn.

3. So then we decided we might as well just add the whole can of green beans too. haha so this is what it looked like.

4. My last day in Rochelle, we taught an hermana and I took a selfie with her kids. Aren't they great? haha

5. In case you're wondering. It's 14 December and there isn't a snow cloud in sight... How weird.