August 12

Dear Family,

This week we had Stake Conference. It was great! All the speakers were incredible, and President Augustin got to speak. He told his conversion story and talked about how "now is the time." Its been prophesied in the scriptures of the work hastening, and now is that time! So exciting! It was also neat because I got to see many members of my old ward, so it was good to see them!

I had my first ever MLC meeting, the training meeting that is once a month up in Lubbock. I learned a ton! I am learning so much more about communication and leadership skills. The things I learned I now take back with me to my zone, and on Tuesday I will teach them at zone training. It was also fun because now Sister Dunham (the sister who I trained 6 months ago) is the newest sister training leader and so it was awesome getting to see her, and her growth! she is still in my first area, Regal Park. This will be 7 1/2 months there for her, and since I have been gone the area has boomed! They are averaging 8 baptisms a transfer!! Its so neat. When the Lord trusts a ward it grows like fire. Its a little hard not being able to actually be there to experience all the miracles but I still feel like I am a part of it!! I seem to always begin the growth of wards and then the Lord takes me somewhere else. ha

This week I am also headed to San Angelo ( 2 hrs. away) to train three sisters there. The following week I will be traveling to Brownwood, and Monahams. Many road trips ahead of me. ha ha.

This week we have been really trying to find people to teach. We met a man, R who lives in our apartment complex awhile back and he told us he wanted to talk to us later. I honestly thought he wanted to bible bash, but yesterday before church he found us and told us he believes in the Mormons and wants us to teach him. So that was a tender mercy from the Lord as well. We are working with a few others who are coming out of the wood works, as well as some less actives.

Earlier this week we were trying a former and when we knocked on the door they told us to come on in, we realized we were in the middle of a booze fest, with drunks and crazy music, we left real fast. ha ha. The many adventures we get to have out here, but the Lord always seems to protect us.

I have really been trying to focus on submitting my will to the Lord. I know as I do so I will see miracles. Love all y'all!

Sister Turner

All the sister training leaders for the mission right now--Sister Olsweld (who was also trained by sister Sekona - my trainer), me, and Sister Dunham (who I trained)

Aug 5

Dear Family,

This week was a little crazy. Just trying to settle in and work out how we can best help each other as a companionship, and learning to work together. My new companions are super nice! Once we get things going I am hopeful we will see success!  We had some adventures this week, saw some wild peacocks so that was fun! We had bike day on probably the hottest day of the history of my mission.

We have a couple we are teaching, J and F. J really wants it for her and her husband but F is a little more hesitant. He grew up catholic and is all about "tradition, tradition!" He struggles that we don't have crosses in our church, but we explained how we celebrate his life and focus that he lives, and don't focus so much on his death. I feel really good about them, but its going to take a lot on our part to help them know the truth for themselves. 

I am learning and growing so much out here! Its tough at times, but I know the challenges I face are for a reason, and the Lord puts them in my path so I can grow. My testimony has grown so much and there isn't a doubt in my mind that this is the truth. I have seen so much joy and happiness that comes from this gospel! I am so lucky to be a part of it, and its something that will always come first in my life. 

I love all of you so much! Hope all is well!
Sister Turner

My New Companionship! Sister Bradford from Ogden, me, and Sister Tooley from Highland

July 29

Dear Family,

Well was I wrong about transfers.. I'm not staying here in the Midland 1st ward :( It was hard for me to hear. I just felt like the work was finally starting to go somewhere and its hard having to say goodbye to those we are working with.

I will be training yet again two sisters. One I am finishing up the 2nd half of her training, and the other will be straight from the MTC. I will again be opening up a brand new area, this time not far away! I will be staying here in Midland actually! Just a new area and a new ward. So I'm grateful to at least be in the same city. I will still be a sister training leader, but I may be getting more areas, so please continue to pray for me. ha. Just when I think the load can't get anymore...I get more. ha. But I know with the Lord all things are possible!

Sister Fife is staying and she is training two sisters, and Sister Kramer will be going to Abeline and she will be training two sisters as well! I am so proud of them! They have changed and grown so much in the last 3 months I've been able to train and serve with them.

We had 43 baptisms this month in our mission! So that was exciting! Missionary work is growing and booming and its so exciting!!!

Laura sent me an email talking about an experience she had going out with the Sister Missionaries this week.. I will share her experience below...

"This guy overheard us talking and told us how to find out where her room was...and then he started asking the missionaries which church they were from, which Jesus they believed in, etc. Turns out he was a chaplain who only wanted to Bible bash--questioning our belief in Jesus Christ (which Jesus do you believe in?!), if we were saved (he was confident we were being deceived), why we believed in the Book of Mormon, etc. It was intense for about 5 or 10 minutes...and he would just ask questions and quote verses from the Bible and give us no time to respond. It was crazy--and i thought, "Now I know what Kari's mission is like!!" Turns out it was Sister Mims first experience with this too (her senior companion is a Sister Training Leader so she was at a meeting and a sister from another area came with us), but she handled it pretty well and kept her cool. At one point he said, "How can you prove the Book of Mormon is true? There's no proof!!" And I said, "Sir, you're right. There's no way to prove the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. You can only read it with an open mind and ask God if it is true." And we kind of left it at that. We got up to leave and I put out my hand to shake his and wish him well, and he totally rejected it!! Hhahaha. He was pretty intense...so now I guess I can say I have a tiny glimpse into your interactions with people in the Bible belt on a daily basis."

I laughed so hard, because this is my day every single day!! But I love it!! I have learned how to really bring the spirit to a conversation like this believe it or not. ha. Number one thing is to NOT bible bash. You just testify and let them know you know for yourself its true, sometimes their heart softens instantly and its the coolest thing ever. But most of the time they still aren't prepared to receive the gospel and are too hard hearted, I tell everyone I train that within 5 minutes of a conversation you will be able to tell if they will soften or not. There is nothing more powerful than a testimony though. They never can come up with a come back when you simply bare your testimony.

Well I love you! Hope ya'll have a good week!

Sister Turner

Texas Sunset

July 22

Dear Family,

Another busy week in mission life. This week we went to Brownwood on exchanges. Its about a 4 hour drive.... I got pulled over by a cop on the way too. Not fun. It wasn't my fault though.. ha. It was a speed trap, went from 75-45 in a matter of seconds and it was down a hill. I didn't know the area and I had no idea a town was coming up. Luckily I got away with a warning.

Brownwood is extremely different than our area. Its very pretty and green, the people are not as receptive though. I worked and trained with 3 other sisters and learned a lot. It was nice to get back into our area though.

This week will be nice because we will be staying in Midland the whole time! There is so much work to be done here, its crazy! We will find out Saturday night whether we are being transferred or not.

We are working with a women named J. She is golden. So incredible, and is truly being prepared to receive the gospel. We set a baptismal date with her for August 10th. She has devout Baptists in her family and asked us what to say when she goes "public" ha ha ha. She is quite the hoot. Very artsy and eccentric. Last lesson she expressed to us she had a burning feeling in her chest, we explained to her that that was the spirit she was feeling! Such a cool experience to be a part of. She told us she wants to just gain a testimony so that when people ask her she can just stand tall and tell them exactly what she knows to be true. She totally stood up for us too! We were walking on her street and her neighbor called her and warned her about us.. ha ha. She told her neighbor she loved us and she always talks to us. (ha apparently we are pretty scary) Today we did service for her and helped clean her house.

I'm coming up on my 9 month mark. Pretty crazy. Time is flying and I know the downward slope is even faster. It sure is an adventure. Especially here in the bible belt.

I know this gospel is true. I'm so grateful for our savior, and for Joseph Smith in restoring his church. I love the book of Mormon with all my heart.

Love and miss you all!

Sister Turner

Sisters in Brownwood

Drive to Brownwood

Billboard

Family we are working with