I love the Africans!

Dear Family:

I love the Africans!

And I love being able to work with them so much here in Cincinnati! If I’m allowed to have favorites, they are it!

So a few weeks ago we received a headquarter referral for a man who wanted a missionary visit. His name is Aaron and he is from Ghana. We set up an appointment, went to meet him and quickly realized he has seriously been prepared for the gospel! He told us that he was friends with Brother Apuma who was baptized a few years ago and just moved back to Ghana. When Brother Apuma was taking the lessons he would have them at Aaron’s place sometimes. The way Aaron explained it to us was that he was, “Just too busy then. Just too busy. But now I’m not so busy. So I called you back.” Ha ha. So a few years later we get a call. He explained to us that He really wanted to get to know God and the Bible better, so we shared with him the story of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. I will never forget the look on his face when he held up the copy of the Book of Mormon we gave him and asked us, “Do the preachers know about this?” We told him some do, some don’t. He asked us, “Why aren’t the preachers teaching this?” He was really concerned that the rest of the world didn’t know about the Book of Mormon. Really concerned! It was a pretty tender experience. We challenged him to share it with his friends.

And get this! We asked him if he had ever wondered about why there are so many different churches if there is only one God. He gave us a funny look and said, “YEAH! I was just listening to the radio station from back home in Ghana on my computer and some people were asking that same question. I was just wondering that.” Isn’t that sweet! He happened to be listening to this radio station right before we came over and the Lord prepared him for the message of the Restoration! Love it! I don’t know much, but I do know the Lord is “anxiously engaged” in this work just as much as we are! The last lesson we had with Aaron we told him about modern-day prophets and he practically taught us the rest of the lesson. It made complete sense to him that God would have a prophet today because all the other prophets in the scriptures are dead and we obviously need someone today to help us get through our own “Red Seas.” It was pretty neat.

We had another sweet experience with Brian. He’s a single dad with three kids, one of them has severe autism. Have I told you about him before? I can never remember. Brian has a really difficult time with organized religion, specifically the “hierarchies” that are often established. He has some unbelievably sad stories about the churches he participated in when he was young. His fears are definitely legitimate. To help him we got out the chart in the General Conference issue of the Ensign of the prophet and apostles and taught him God’s way of doing things, not mans. He recognized the difference. He finally opened up to us and told us how he was practically ready to give up his Bible and his search for God before Sister Thacker and Sister Howard knocked on his door. He explained to us the positive change and the spirit that he can feel in his home now and how grateful he is. It was a powerful moment.

It reminded me of the devotional Elder Holland gave while I was at the MTC. He said we are responsible for taking those we meet out of the gutters of life and taking them back into the presence of divinity. We are responsible for bringing the Holy Ghost into their lives so they can be cleansed and sanctified just like we have. During that lesson I realized what Elder Holland meant. The Gospel changes lives. It really does.

That was a quick update of two of our investigators Mom. It definitely doesn’t do this week justice but it will have to do. I’m glad you had some beautiful weather in Cali to play at the beach. It’s been raining here all week. :)

Thanks for the pictures!

I sure love you lots!

Sister Painter

I love this Gospel!

Dear Family

I love this Gospel! I really, really do! And I love this work! This transfer Sister Thacker and I have decided to work on developing the attribute of Hope.

Specifically, we are focusing on the statement in Preach My Gospel that says, “Hope is an abiding trust that [Heavenly Father] will fulfill His promises to you. It is manifest in your confidence, optimism, enthusiasm, and patient perseverance” (See PMG Chapter 6). So our goal is to further develop those four qualities and guess what! It has completely changed the work! Don’t get me wrong neither of us were that bad at those things, but I hadn’t realized until now that we weren’t that good either. President sent a quote a few weeks ago that said, “A pessimist looks for the difficulty if every opportunity, but an optimist looks for the opportunity in every difficulty.” And it’s so true! The nature of missionary work really is difficult, as are most things in life. But inside EVERY difficulty is an opportunity waiting to blossom.

It seems this is the message the Lord wants to get across to me because it keeps showing up in my studies! Ha ha. Two quotes I found that I have to share! Both of them are from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland. The first one Elder Holland referred to the story of Christ’s apostles and their experience of crying to the Master in fear that their boat was about to sink in the tempest and they were about to go with it. The Savior was a little disappointed with their lack of faith. Elder Holland related that to us by saying:

I know some of you truly feel at sea, in the most frightening sense of that term… it is not without recognition of life’s tempest but fully and directly because of them that I testify of God’s love and the Savior’s power to calm the storm… Christ knows better than all others that the trials of life can be very deep and we are not shallow people if we struggle with them. But… he rebukes faithlessness and he deplores pessimism. HE EXPECTS US TO BELIVE.”

I think this was for me, as well as a few of our investigators. We are all going through experiences that might seem like our “ship is sinking.” But I know that heavenly promises are always kept! And the Savior promises our boat won’t sink if we trust Him enough to lead us safely across the sea. So Sister Thacker and I are focusing on those “heavenly promises” of finding families that are prepared for the gospel. The other quote I found was in an Ensign article that you have to read! It’s called ‘This the Greatest of All Dispensations’ by Elder Holland. In it he said, “God is eagerly waiting for the chance to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, just as He always has. But He can’t if you don’t pray, and He can’t if you don’t dream. In short, He can’t if you don’t believe.”

So my dear family, I’m committing to do a little bit better of dreaming and believing! Ha ha. I really am! And I know that Heavenly Father wants to bless our family just as much as He wants to bless this work in the missionary field. So let’s look for those opportunities!

I just love this gospel!

So now I’m out of time to tell you about the week. I guess I’ll have to catch up next week. Oops sorry! But have fun at Disneyland, especially when you are go on Small World over and over and over again! Sister Thacker and I were laughing because we thought you would be there the same week as her family. However, you missed each other by a day.

Oh and let Molly know I did get the Christmas package, in February. Ha ha. Actually, it was devoured quite quickly. Sister Gundersen ate the Swedish fish in like three days flat. And Sister Thacker took it upon herself to sort that HUGE container of jelly beans into the right flavor so we didn’t have to keep eating the Java flavor when we were trying to find Rootbeer. Ha ha. I’ll send the picture.

Lots of Love!

Sister Painter

Still Here!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CARLEE. . .




Dear Family:

Guess who my new companion is! Sister Thacker! Ha ha. No Joke. Sister Gundersen got transferred but Sister T. and I are still together. That means by the end of this mission we will have spent half our missions together. Crazy huh. We love it. I guess you just can’t split a good team. :) We’re sad that Sister Gundersen had to get transferred. However, I know she will do a lot of good in the branch she’s in now. They could use some Sister Gundersen energy!

And thank you! thank you! for all of the birthday love! Even though I skipped the day the rest of the world still lived it so I guess it still counts. The birthday package was wonderful! We loved it! I should have a birthday every week just for the mail. Ha ha.

Let see what happened this week:

Ernest had a baptismal date for the end of the week so we were preparing for that, but because of certain circumstances he postponed it until April. We felt good about that too. A lot has been going on in his life. It’s amazing how when people choose to take the steps the Savior has asked us to Satan literally will unleash his forces. We’ve seen a lot of that with Ernest. However, through it all we’ve seen “many mighty miracles.” For example, his 3 kids got their visas from Ghana to come to the States! It was a miracle and Ernest knows the Lord is looking out for him. I’m excited to meet them when they get here. They will be here for his baptism!

AND Dennis has been committed to be baptized! Dennis is the one that we meet in his barbershop every week. It’s always an adventure. Just picture this hole-in-the-wall store filled with Ghanaians coming in and out and three sister missionaries sitting on old sinking couches trying to teach the gospel. Africans coming in and out, in and out, always sure to give us their personal opinion on the topic we are discussing. And then there is Dennis, sometimes we get him to sit still but like last week I’m pretty sure that during our one hour lesson he gave three haircuts and sold a car. Ha ha. But he listens intently, asks incredible questions and somehow the Spirit is always there ready to teach. It’s a pretty unique experience.

We also started teaching Richard, one of Dennis’s customers who we noticed just “happens” to come in every Monday night at 6pm when we’re there. He’s a good man and has some great observations! We gave him his own Book of Mormon last night and he was really happy.

Dennis’s big question is about authority and who has it. We’ve had some phenomenal lessons about the priesthood and a few weeks back Brother Howard was able to give Dennis a blessing. It makes me so grateful to know that God’s priesthood power IS on the earth today. Think about it, God’s POWER. I guess growing up with the Priesthood in my home I didn’t necessarily grasp the incredible blessing it is. BUT IT IS! Dennis is picking up on it now and we’re really excited. During our lesson last night one of his good friends walked in and told us he was a member. He grew up in Ghana, he’s been a member his whole life, he even served a mission is Africa. He’s name is George. When he told Dennis that he was a member Dennis started telling him off about how he’s known him for four years and he never shared it with him. (That’s my plug for member missionary work!) My favorite line Dennis threw at George last night was when he said, “How can you keep the “good news” in your pocket!” Ha ha. I love these guys! There are good men! Ghanaian’s are truly some of the most faith-filled and trusting people I’ve ever met! They have truly been prepared for the gospel!

Dad just so you know, I told Kate (my sweet Ghanaian sister from Fairfield) that we’d bring her out to Utah and take her to General Conference when I get home. So plan on it. :) And Mom, George told me his mom is the Relief Society President in the Assin Foso 1st Ward in Accra, Ghana. I told him I’d have you talk to Sister Hoffman and see where Elder Hoffman is serving.

I’ll include the picture we took with Dennis, Richard, and George. Dennis is in the front, Richard is in the white and George is on the left of him.

I’ve got to run. Sister T. is patiently waiting for me.

Until next week…

Lots of Love from your favorite sister missionary!

Sister Painter

Dennis, Richard and George. . .

Happy March!

Hi family and friends. . .

Just another quick reminder that it is Carlee's birthday on Saturday. So if you get a chance, send her a card or a note. She would love to hear from any of you.

She sounds great and is at her half way mark this next week which I don't think she is too happy about. It is going much too fast for her. Have a great week and thanks for all your love and support.

LaDawn


Dear Family:

Thanks for the birthday emails! I forgot it was this week. I hit my half way mark and turn 23 all in one week. How rotten is that! Let’s just skip this week. Ha ha. Sometimes time just goes to fast!

I was heartbroken to hear about the earthquake in Chile! When we found out we called President and thankfully by that time all the mission presidents had reported back that the missionaries were safe. I was SO grateful! Hermana Blackham has a great work cut out for her! I know that the message she shares will bring the most comfort to Chile right now and I’m grateful that she’s safe! There are people who will finally be ready to accept the gospel.

Speaking of finding people prepared for the gospel we found a family that is ready to receive the lessons! The Lord is preparing people everywhere! They are an older couple and they have a grown handicapped son living with them. They are some of the neatest people! She is an ex-nun! Ha ha. The image of Maria in the Sound of Music should come to mind. Her personality is almost the exact same! She told us stories of how she would sing while cleaning the bathrooms and get in trouble, and how she would talk at dinner when they were supposed to be silent. I just love them and am excited to teach them. Their son, Georgie, reminds me a lot of Ryan. I know that their experience with him is at least partially how they have been prepared for the gospel. I’ll keep you updated.

So we had a fabulous week! We had six of our investigators at church! It was great! Taylor finally made it! She’s the 12 years old whose mom gave her permission to take the lessons. We took Chrissy Rampton over to one of our lessons. It turns out they are in the same class at school and have become good friends. Chrissy is so cute! When we dropped her off after our lesson she told us now she “REALLY” wants to go on a mission! She’s 11, so only 10more years to go. (I included a picture of Sis. T, Taylor, Chrissy, and Sis. G.)

Another highlight this week was one of our lessons with Ji Soo and Hannah. Since they have hardly any religious background we are trying to help them understand a little bit more about the nature of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. We were reading through 3 Nephi 17 and Hannah read verse 20 where is says that Christ’s joy was full because of the faith of the people. She gasped and told us that is her new favorite verse. I asked her why and she said, “When I read it I felt this tingly feeling.” The Spirit in that room with those two sweet girls was powerful! We asked them what they learned about Christ from reading about how He healed the people and blessed the children. Ji Soo answered saying “that Jesus loves us.” Oh man! You’re right He does! It was so simple, but such a rewarding experience! That is why we’re out here! To invite others to come unto Christ!

Yesterday in church someone mentioned the difference between “knowing about the Lord,” and “knowing the Lord.” I’ve thought a lot about that. If we are diligently studying and attending our meetings we learn much “about” Him but do we take the time to apply it in our relationship with Him? I was SO grateful Hannah was able to feel that feeling when she read that scripture! It starts with the simple testimony of the Spirit.

I wish I could tell you more about the week but I’m out of time! I love you lots and lots and lots! Hopefully time slows down soon!

Sister Painter

P.S. I included some pictures of the Ninja game we played at the Hebdon’s. I’ll have to teach the family when I get home! You’ll love it!

P.P.S. Next week is transfers so I'll email on Tuesday. Just a friendly reminder.