3-21-16 opening gates and hearts no walls this week

I am so excited to tell you about contacting that referral we have gotten three times! Sister Pond and I went out there last night with a ysa member Hannah,  and after we knocked and waited for an answer, no one came, so we decided that tracting/contacting was the best decision because we knew that we were suppose to be in that area. After we left the front porch and began walking down the street, a car started coming towards us. They stopped and found out that they are neighbors to the woman we wanted to meet, and they were just dropping off her son!  So we began talking to her son Erik. He reads the Book of Mormon every night, and is in 3 Nephi. He does a lot of reading online about the church from lds/mormon.org. He knows that it is true, however his mother is fighting cancer at the hospital right now so he really doesn't want visitors. He just wants to focus on his mom, to make a long story short, Erik is a really nice guy searching for truth and holding fast to it. We are looking forward to meeting and talking with him again. He is alone right now, but he is strong, and we will stay in contact with him. It is just so amazing and God really makes things happen, if we were there earlier or later we probably would have missed our window, but just as President Maynes stated that all must play their role in the story and listen to the promptings of the spirit then the story begins to unfold. This story is not over yet, it is only the beginning. and Sister Pond and I are so excited about really becoming more pure in heart for the spirit so that every story unfolds just as God wanted!

Last night after we met with Erik we made a plan to find this other referral, Nichole. We have tried finding her in the past but came across a locked gate and no house in sight, so we left. But last night we came across the same gate and the sun was just setting so our daylight was very limited. We are out in the middle of nowhere and unsure if we should go through this gate. When in doubt, say a prayer. After we prayed about going through the gate or not, we received a confirmation to open the gate and drive on. Without delay, I got out of the car and opened the gate then closed it once we passed through. We drove about 300 ft until we saw a little house luckily with lights on. To complete this part of the story lets just say, if we hadn't prayed about "what should we do" we probably wouldn't get that solid confirmation to go through the gate, and if that hadn't happened we wouldn't have met our new investigator Nichole who is eager to take the lessons and loved meeting with us. 

I just think that it is so amazing how much freedom God gives us in His work. Yet, when we do His will, and plead for His direction, then we are lead right where we needed to the ears that need to hear of the gospel at that moment.

Other cool news: saw president Maynes yesterday!! he spoke to our stake and I talked to him a little bit after. he didn't notice me at first but it didn't take him to long to remember me. The conference was amazing! All about establishing Zion, and in order to do that we need to first establish it in our homes. I hope you all are doing it that cuz super important. haha

other big news, WE JUST BOUGHT OUR BIKES! I got a cute basket and bell to go along with it. Thanks for your help mom but I got it all here!! pictures of that next week!

3-14-16 Climbing walls this time literally

Highlights for the week

1. went on exchanges and when we left the apartment after lunch my companion, Sister Peterson, locked the keys inside the apartment and the car was locked. All of our stuff was in the car so we literally had nothing to get back inside the apartment to get the keys to go to our next appointment. Well, That was my first day I attempted to climb a wall (like Samuel the Lamanite) to get the the balcony and sliding door on the 2nd level, but i was way too short, I attempted though! We ended up begging an old lady to give us a plastic card and we carded the door to get it.

2. We had 4 investigators at church! We are really happy about that:)

3.Elder Renlund and President Maynes are coming to our stake to talk to this area on Sunday!! We are sooo excited.

Nothing to crazy or exciting happened this week, and days are starting to blur for me so .... happy face in the end!

It has been raining a lot and it feels so good! Not freezing but not boiling water!

Our investigators are doing well. and we are finding more to teach and are teaching skills are improving. The ward here is really great too. 

I made cookies during lunch!

Sister Pond and i made skirts last week with SisterBbarber and Sister Pond got stuck in here skirt. She made it a little to short so now it is my skirt actually haha

and we had a craft day with the relief society and so Sister Smith and I are trying to stick vinyl on a board but we are really just two impatient women trying to perform a patient delicate task. She's an incredible woman really:) 

There is a couple of exciting events that happened this week that I thought I should share.

1. Nancy (Name Changed)

We started teaching Nancy when i got here, so about 2 months. She is 45ish and was excommunicated from the church when she was 16. Shes been through a lot and put herself in a lot of awful situations and addictions, but she is ready to throw it all away and come back to the church. We've had our ups and downs with her-or so we thought. Her lessons have been great, we really connect and she feels the spirit and understands. Asks lots of questions but keeps every commitment we extend to her. Well she had an interview with the bishop about her standing with baptism. Through him was found out some things about her that we did not know. Next thing we know she is distancing her self from us and our lessons are not as spiritual. We are afraid that she no longer wants, to be baptized. For a week and half we lost contact with her,  and then a miracle happened. The sisters from our ward get together once a month and have a lunch bunch. They went to a restaurant where Nancy works. We told one of the Sisters, Sister Stapelton, that our investigator works there and to be looking for her. Cute short blonde name Nancy. Now this lunch bunch on average gets 8 women to gob but for some reason on this special lunch 18 women went to this restaurant. and Nancy was their waitress. Sister Stapelton recognized the name and description and after Nancy took their order she quickly spread the word of who she is and all the ladies got really excited.  At the end of the meal Nancy was receiver 18 loving motherly hugs from these women who didn't even know her. 2 nights later we knock on Nancy's door. She let us in and we find out that she has quit smoking and is still reading the Book of Mormon. In the church that Sunday she was there and sat next to us. but right after sacrament I lost her, but she was among her new fan club from lunch. She is still progressing and repenting. and I too repented for doubting and losing faith in her. I love the sisters her and I love Nancy so much!

2. The Anderson family

The Anderson family is a less active family with a son unable to be baptized (due to child support). sister Anderson is a strong woman but is breaking inside because her son is struggling with cancer and her husband is struggling with another illness and he no longer leaves his room but for doctor appointments. We visit with her and her son but never brother Anderson. Well one day I thought, why don't I just call his cell phone? So i did, he answered and we made an appointment to see HIM. I made that very clear. We went over the next night to visit, but he was still locked in the bedroom. I told sister Anderson that we would love to have him in on the lesson. He slowly but surely came out and we had a wonderful discussion. we found out that he hasn't read the Book of Mormon in over 2 years. So I told him that the next time we come, we will read the Book of Mormon together for 15 minutes. He agreed. Two nights later we show up on their door and there in their house is the Anderson family, each holding their own Book of Mormon waiting for us to read. Sister Anderson was happy that her family is finally coming together again and Brother Anderson looked like he just drank a glass of light, so refreshed and so happy. The son, Matt participated but we could tell he was worried with his next doctor appointment, but there is so much joy that comes from reading the Book of Mormon as a family, and it brings light. The Anderson family is witnessing that again:)

i love the Book of Mormon and I encourage all to read it daily with their family:)

Love you!

3-7-2016 working with "walls"

 I've been really thinking about being more creative yet effective in lessons. using object lessons or activities that apply to the principal we are teaching. I just feel like stepping out side of the box and use everything we have. 
Well today I was reading in Helaman about Samuel the Lamanite and how when the people wouldn't let him inside the city walls, he climbed to the top and delivered the message. I stopped and thought "HOW CREATIVE!" I wonder if I had that much faith and desire to climb up the wall and cry repentance, I want to have that much love for the lord and people to do that. Well we have our own "walls" and I'm trying to be more creative in getting over/through/around the walls that people put up. I'm still trying to figure it out, but it has been fun thinking of the ideas and putting it to the test. Ill let you know when something great comes from it!

Love you all thanks for the support!

I have to leave now to go sew a skirt so no pics this week but keep reading your scriptures!!! I cant stress that enough!

love you

Sister Pollard

went on a dog hunt.

great story. new investigator from it. oh and ya...awful yet great picture with it. 

2-29-16 Shout out to Mom and Dad!

I've met some really great people here and good families. But I've also met some broken people and broken families.  This one family has been on my mind. I don't want to go into detail about them, but all I can say is that I love the daughter, and it's a shame to see how she is treated in the home. (There are some things that I wish I hadn't known) but nevertheless I know that God will take care of her. Anywho i was thinking about them before I went to church yesterday. Just exactly how we could handle this situation. 

The opening song for sacrament was Families can be Together forever. We started singing and you could just hear the childrens voices conquer everyone elses. They sang their hearts out, and when I heard their voices, the spirit touched my heart, the words became more meaningful and I cried. I haven't fully cried out here yet (i might any minute haha), but that moment tears would not stop streaming down my face. Flashes of home came through my mind especially of my mom. The investigator we brought saw me cry all over the hymn book and she started to cry!! We were a mess then we started laughing at ourselves. Anywhoo, it is so so comforting to know that I was raised in a loving home because of the gospel. Thank you mom for being so good to  me. for teaching me oh so many things I can t even begin to list. it is because of you that I love my Lord,

The choir then sang Love is Spoken Here, and it was insta choir meaning anyone join. We had a large group come up (including sister pond and I) and it made me think of my father. I began to cry again-up there in front of the ward. Thank you dad for being a worthy priesthood holder for teaching me and providing and protecting me. it is because of you that I'm strong and capable of stretching myself.

I'm really one of the lucky ones with the greatest parents. I know I'm not the only one.

MOM and DAD THANK YOU!! I love you so much!

Sister Pollard