Home sweet home!

Well Its been an entire transfer since I've been home! I cant even believe how fast time has flown. You think it flies by on the mission, but it only goes faster once you're home.

The transition has been quite difficult for me. So this post I just wanted to share for all you RSMs out there who may be struggling a little bit. Below is a list of things that has helped me transition.

1. Keep a regular scripture study habit. You'll see its harder then you think when you get home. (Something that has helped me is listening to the Book of Mormon on tape in the car when commuting to work, or listening to it while I get ready in the morning).

2. In-roll in institute and go weekly! Its nice to have something structural and spiritual to go to weekly. This really has helped so much! 

3. Ask for a calling in your ward as quickly as possible and get involved! You can still be a missionary and help those around you.

4. Go out with the missionaries if possible.

5. Attend the temple OFTEN. This has helped me leaps and bounds!

6. Get a job as quickly as possible, and stay busy and pro-active!

7. Go on a shopping spree and get some new jewelry and clothes, you have no clue how much this can help your self esteem!

8. Keep your personal relationship with your Heavenly Father by saying sincere prayers both day and night.

9. Stay in contact with your recent converts and let them know you care. You mean so much to them, and hearing about their progression helps you and brings you the joy you felt on your mission.

10. Dont dwell in the past. Know you served an honorable mission but know you are at a new step in life now, and apply all the things you learned on your mission.

And just remember adjusting takes time!! When I got home I felt so alone and isolated even though loved ones were all around me. Its taken much prayer and productivity for me to slowly adjust. Some days are harder than others, but I just take a day at a time.

Another great suggestion is to read this book. " Tell me about it Sister! A guide for returned sister missionaries" By: Andrea Faulkner Williams. It has a a lot of great ideas in it, including "how to have a relationship with the spirit after returning to how to face those skinny jeans again". ha ha. Lets face it sisters. We can't just wear skirts forever ;)

You can also check out her blog at:  http://andreafaulknerwilliams.com for more great tips!

I am forever grateful for my mission, and for the experiences I had. Life changing indeed.

April 7 - Last Letter!

Dearest Family,

Wow these past 18 months of my life have been such a life-changing journey for me. I have seen the gospel change people's lives, and in return its changed my own!! General Conference was just what I needed this weekend to help me stay strong in this emotional time.

Some thoughts from my mission president's weekly email..
Another wonderful General Conference of the church has been held.  How many of us can truly affirm they seem to get so much more out of the counsel of  church leaders now while on a mission?  Their words seem to melt in our very souls.  "Live true to the faith," said President Monson in his opening remarks; words to live by.  "Remain steadfast and defend the faith," taught Elder Holland.  "Bless the lives of others," said Elder Rasband of the Seventy.  "Build a foundation now for the whirlwinds of life," proclaimed Elder Anderson of the Twelve Apostles.  President Eyring  reminded us, "Righteousness must be chosen." Other themes coming this weekend:  "Allow the gospel to change you."  "Don't sleep through the restoration."  "Are we the person Heavenly Father wants us to be?" "Truth will always be opposed."  "The Lord is the driver of the team." "Express love to all of God's children." " 'Loads' in life can bless us.  A 'load' is an essential part of happiness." "This life is our four minute testing." "Don't be tagged out. Be persistent." "Be grateful and give thanks to God.  It is purifying.

One talk in particular that stood out to me was President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk from the Sunday morning session when he said, "Endings are not our destiny. There are no true endings, only everlasting beginnings." The Spirit bore witness so strong to me that now the next step in life for me is about to begin. I must take all the things I have learned on my mission and take them home with me, and strengthen those around me throughout my life wherever I may go.

In my Patriarchal Blessing it talks about me sharing the gospel with my friends and family and seeing the gospel expand greatly through my own efforts. I never understood how that would be possible because I never knew how to share the gospel. Now I know how! I know the Lord needed me to serve [a mission] so that I could not only help others but help myself.

I can now say with a surety [that] I know that Jesus is the Christ, that God is in his Heavens, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints IS the Lord's kingdom on the earth today. I know The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and I know that this gospel is what brings utter and complete happiness!

I can't wait to share my stories and memories with many of you!! This weekend was my last MLC. [It was] very emotional for me. I was the only one in the meeting going home, and President had me go up and bare my testimony. I don't ever know how I am going to be ok with taking my name tag off. haha.

One last story for ya'll before I go. We met with C. this week. We met him a month ago and kept running into him on campus. Finally he told us, "wow...ok this must be a sign. God must be wanting to tell me something!" We taught him the restoration and bore testimony on the reality of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. When we asked him if he would read from The Book of Mormon and pray to know if its true at the end of the lesson, he looked down and paused, then said, "Yes, but you know what did it for me, was that Atonement you were talking about." He began to apply it to his own life, when I felt prompted to tell him he can fully access that Atonement as he follows the example of Jesus Christ and is baptized by someone holding the proper priesthood authority of God. He accepted the baptismal date for April 26th! I walked away with so much joy realizing that I won't have many more opportunities to do that, to actually invite someone to come closer to Christ and follow his perfect example by being baptized.

Words cannot describe the gratitude I have for my Savior. I have come to understand the Atonement of Jesus Christ more fully in my life. I am forever grateful that I followed the prompting of the Spirit a year and a half ago to serve [a mission]. I have a lifetime of memories now, and I hope I can continue to bless the lives of others.

This is the testimony that is in me, that I leave with you. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Love ya'll!
Sister Turner

March 31

Dear Family,

This week we had interviews with President. The first thing President says when I walk in is, "so I hear you're terrified of going home!" ha ha. Yup. Maybe just a little. I forget what the real world is like. I have loved being a missionary, but I know the things I have learned I now must apply to the rest of my life! I am so grateful for the lessons and hardships and good times my mission has brought. It's made me a better person for sure!

The women's conference was amazing! We had about 20 girls all go together from the ward. Six of those were recent converts! It was so neat for them to see the sisterhood of the church and the power that comes from women!

We went on exchanges this week, my very last one as a Sister Training Leader. We went to Regal Park, my first area! Oh how things have changed so much! The work is hastening!

C. was baptized! I am so proud of her! Another friend of mine for eternity! Her confirmation blessing was very detailed, and she is going to go far in life! She will be graduating in May and moving for graduate school. She is so happy to know the church will be wherever she goes! It was a special day for sure!

Another tender mercy was that right after her baptism there was another one for another ward. The F. family, a less active family I worked with for 6 months in Regal Park is now in the new ward, fully active, and their 17-year old nephew was getting baptized! Tears filled my eyes when I saw them and they told me the great news! It was such a tender mercy to see them before I went home!

We are teaching D. She is awesome! We contacted her on campus and she brushed us off and wanted nothing to do with us. The very next day we ran into her brother who was waiting for her. When she came out and saw us she apologized for the previous day, and told us she was just having a bad day. We met with her and she told us she is so lost in life, she didn't see or understand why baptism would be important so later that week we gave her a very spiritual church tour! When she walked into the chapel she began to cry and told us she felt like God was wrapping his arms around her and giving her a big hug! She accepted baptism for the 19th! I'm sad that I won't be here for it :( But I am so happy for her!

Love ya'll! See ya next week!

Sister Turner

March 24

Dear Family,

Well as much as the students probably aren't happy about it, I am so glad spring break is over! ha ha. Even though it was pretty dead, we still worked hard and saw some tender mercies this week!

We had zone training this week, and we instructed the church tour again. Its been so neat to hear all the miracle stories of missionaries across the mission using our church tour idea! So cool! 

We went on exchanges this week to Plainview. It was fun to be in a small town again for a day!

I sang in church yesterday for the first time on my whole mission! C.came to church; she is getting baptized Saturday. She has come leaps and bounds! In Relief Society she commented on how grateful she was for us, and that she is a very stubborn person and wasn't looking for anything, but she was so grateful that we didn't give up on her because she didn't realize what she was missing! Tears filled her eyes, and so of course I got emotional too! The love that I have for these people is indescribable!

The highlight of the week though was definitely A.'s baptism!! Exactly a month ago Ganesh was baptized, and Saturday he baptized her! It was a beautiful day! After she came up out of the water she clapped her hands and yelled "yay!' The whole room couldn't help but laugh with joy! It reminds me of the scripture Mosiah 18:11  "And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed; This is the desire of our hearts." 

She is so strong, her family isn't speaking to her because of her decision...But she knows its true and was willing to sacrifice. Her blessing was incredible and because of her example, one day they will come around! These people that are willing to forsake everything for the gospel just increase my testimony of it more and more! I know this is the truth. I know this brings greater joy than anything else!

The work truly is hastening! This ward last year had 8 total baptisms. And this Saturday, Crystal will make the 8th one this year already! So exciting! 

I am SO excited for General Conference in two weeks! May we all go with an open heart and mind, and with questions in mind so we can receive the revelation God would want us to! Love you all!

Sister Turner

March 17

Dear Family,

This week we are focusing on having the faith to find. It's spring break, so campus is pretty dead. We have zone training this upcoming week and are going on exchanges with sisters from Plainview, which is about an hour away, so luckily we will still have some things to keep us busy. 

A. is still set for her baptism this Saturday, when she gets back into town. Ganesh is going to baptize her! They are getting baptized exactly a month apart from each other! So cool!

C. is doing really well! Her baptism is scheduled in 2 weeks. She told us about a dream she had a year ago. She dreamed she died, and she got a second chance, and they told her the things she did in this life would determine which destiny she would get in the next life. So when we taught the Plan of Salvation to her (this was about a month ago) she said it really rang true to her! That's when everything with her started to change. She said she normally never remembers dreams, so she took that as a sign. She is progressing really well, and I am so happy for her! She just didn't know where to find the truth, and now that she has found it she is happier than ever. 

We have a lot of other people with lots of potential, but we are waiting for them to come back from Spring Break. We are working with a lot of less actives who are making leaps of progress! Its so exciting and rewarding to be a small part in their lives.

Just as my setting apart blessing said, "I will make friends for a lifetime", and I definitely have seen that. They will be eternal friends. 

We had a Haboob (a dust storm) this week! It was pretty intense! Those are always fun... ha ha. 

I have been continuing to study the Atonement a lot this week. It seriously is changing my outlook on so many things!

I love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Turner

Sister Turner and Sister Barlow with the office missionaries, The Turners and the Barlows! Small world!



Texas Pride

March 10

Dear Family,

The church tour I got to give at MLC was an incredible experience! I had missionaries telling me after the spirit was as strong as it is in the temple, which was a huge complement! I was so honored that President Augustin asked me to do that. 

M's baptism was great! President and Sister Augustin got to come to support us! M went to church down in Midland this weekend where her family is from, and she said already her family is softening, and she can see how the gospel will spread in her family starting with her! She was one of those who was so prepared and ready; we just had to take a little effort to find her.

A member who was in her Spanish class referred us to her. He told us her boyfriend was LDS and that she took the lessons from missionaries 2 years ago in high school, but because she was under 18 her mom never let her get baptized. He asked us if we could give him a card so she would have our number. We never heard back though, so we knew we needed to take it to the next step. We texted the member and asked if we could run into them after class on campus and he could just let us know when they were getting out. We introduced ourselves to her and now 2 weeks later she is a member of the Church! The Lord puts people into our paths who are so prepared. All it takes is a little effort on our part.

Teaching at M.'s baptism

M.'s baptism

This week we had another experience like that! We were teaching a lesson in the library when this random guy came up to us and asked us where he could get one of the Restoration pamphlets we had sitting there on the table. We told him we could give him one, which we did and also included our card. We were in the middle of a lesson though, so we couldn't do much more than that.  So after the lesson we knew we had to find this guy! We looked all over the library and finally found him! We asked him for his number and set up an appointment with him, and yesterday we got to teach him! His name is A. He is from central Africa and is SO prepared. He is looking to put God closer in his life, and is trying to make his priorities right. When we asked him if he would read and pray to know if the Book of Mormon is true, he replied. "It would be a pleasure!" Again the Lord truly just places people in our path, if we just take that little effort to find them!

A is still set for baptism for the 22nd. She is progressing leaps and bounds! This week she came to know that she has a Savior and that the Book of Mormon is true. She told her mom of her decision to be baptized who is devout in the Hindu faith. Her mom wasn't too happy about it, but A. said she is going to go ahead with it anyway! These young adults truly strengthen my faith! She even fasted yesterday that her family would soften. Ganesh will have the opportunity to baptize her and he passed the sacrament yesterday at church :)

C is set for baptism for the 29th as well. She knows its true. The only hold up with her is she only works on the weekends and its her only way of income. She can only go to the first hour of church in the family ward, but she comes to all the activities and has the fellowship in the YSA ward. So we are just trying to figure out which ward would be best for her to get baptized in. 

We found another investigator this week, M. He told us at the end of the lesson we motivated him to read the Book of Mormon! He dated a girl 2 years ago who was LDS and used to go to church with her and her family sometimes and already had a Book of Mormon, so some seeds have already been planted for him too. 

This week I have been studying a lot on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It's something we can't ever truly comprehend, but wow has my relationship with my Savior been strengthened since I have been out on my mission. I have seen people change and come clean through the Atonement of Jesus Christ, and it's something we need to use daily! It's why everything is the way it is, because of the Atonement of Jesus Chirst.

My companion and I were talking about the Book of Mormon in studies today. That book truly has a new meaning to me, a new light! I am addicted to it! ha. I cannot believe there are people out there who haven't even read it. They are missing out! I just have this fire of wanting to share it with everyone so they can experience the joy that I have!

Love you all!

Sister Turner

March 3

Dear Family,

So this week we got an unknown phone call. And guess who it was!? Kirk Henderson, the wide receiver for BYU. He called us telling us about a friend of his who plays ball here at Tech University. He wants us to start working with him. We have had multiple people from out of state in the past couple weeks call us with referrals. It's so neat to see how the work truly is hastening and how people are getting INVOLVED. If anything, that is the one thing I have really learned on my mission! We must get involved, we must be proactive, we must fulfill our callings. The work is hastening, so we might as well be a part of it!

M. should be getting baptized this Saturday! Please keep her in your prayers, the only thing that may be holding her back is her parents...She is amazing though. She has such a light about her already, and she knows it's the right thing to do.

G. received the priesthood on Sunday and I got to sit in when he got it! It was such an incredible experience! His best friend is preparing for baptism, and he will have the opportunity to baptize her, so its all just really exciting! I love seeing how just one person can make the difference for many!

Sister Barlow, my companion is awesome! We make a good team. We are trying to give our all and work really hard. We got 11 new investigators this week, a couple of those seem really solid, so we are excited! We had 3 investigators at church, and we are just trying to talk to as many people as possible.

The weather is really starting to get to me. Saturday it was 89 degrees, and then yesterday it reached a high of 23 degrees. This back and forth stuff is killing me. ha ha. But somehow I still stay happy even though I hate the cold. I must be a missionary! ;)

I will be teaching at MLC again this Friday. I will be giving the group of Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders a church tour role play. We start exchanges this week as well. So we are staying super super busy!

I have glimpses throughout the day of holding back tears...It's hard for me to know I have to face the real world again very soon. I will never forget the experiences of my mission. I feel so lucky to have had the opportunity to serve, to be so consumed of the spirit and the gospel on a regular basis. I know I will miss that. I know this gospel is true.

I love each and every one of you!

Sister Turner

February 24

Dear Family,

Wow what an incredible week! Probably one of the most amazing weeks I have had thus far on my mission. G. was baptized! Thank you for all the prayers! He truly is going to be a leader for his people. After his baptism he came up to me and Sister Soules, and said one day there will be a temple in Nepal!

We had an amazing opportunity this week to teach Ganesh in President and Sister Augustin's home. One of the coolest, most spiritual experiences, yet very intimidating to have them there at the same time! ha ha.

Well transfer news came in. I will be staying here in College Park for my last transfer. My companion Sister Soules is being transferred to a family ward in Lubbock so I will still get to see her. We both are still STL's and we will be training our companions who will be STLS for the first time. Sister Barlow is my companion, and she is [AWESOME]. She is a super hard worker, so its going to be a great transfer!!

I feel so honored to have had this opportunity to serve the Lord full time, and be a representative of Jesus Christ. I would be lying if I said it was all easy, but the trials I have gone through and the things I have learned have made me a better person, and I know its just preparing me for future life.

We are working with so many great people right now! The Lord's work truly is hastening! Whether ya'll want to be a part of it or not, it really is hastening! I have seen it right before my own eyes this past year and a half. 

Love you all and have a great week!

Sister Turner

All of us.
A. on the right is his best friend who we are also teaching!

G.'s baptism

February 17

Dear Family,

Wow the Lord's work is hastening! This week on Wednesday we had 7 member present lessons!! My head was going to explode with all the spiritual experiences we had that day! [Our investigator] G. is so close! As long as everything goes according to plan he should be getting baptized this Saturday! I can't remember if I have told ya'll too much about him, but he is from Nepal, and comes from a Hindu background. Its been so neat to see his progression, and to find Christ!

It was 89 degrees the other day. ha ha. Texas weather is so bipolar. 

I had the opportunity to teach Zone Training, that was awesome! President heard of some of the ideas I came up with for more affective church tours, and wants me to teach at MLC again (Missionary Leadership training). I thought my time teaching there was done.. .ha ha guess not. I always get so nervous teaching to the leaders of the mission cause they are all so incredible!

We have two more exchanges to do this week with sisters. It has kept us extremely busy! Transfer calls are this weekend...It will be interesting to see what happens.

We had church this Sunday at a new time and a new building due to the ward changes! Our meeting is now right after Regal Park ward, so it was so great to see many old faces! :)

Lately I have grown a strong testimony of daily scripture study. It truly makes a difference!
Sorry not too much to say this week! Love and miss you all!
Sister Turner

Nepali night! Best food ever!

February 10

Dear Family,

Our investigator G. had a pretty cool spiritual experience this week! The other day he asked us if we could send him more chapters from the Book of Mormon to read. We had a really busy day so we never got back to him. So he decided to pray about it. The spirit told him to read a speech.. he didn't know what speeches were in the BOM but he felt impressed he needed to read it. So he searched and found King Benjamins Sermon. Later the next day we left a note on his door and felt impressed to leave him the Mosiah Chapters for King Benjamins sermon! He was amazed we left him the same chapters that he felt impressed to read from his prayer. The spirit works in the coolest ways! Especially when we follow his promptings!

So we got a new car! After MLC (missionary leadership council) All the Zone leaders were informed they were getting brand new trucks! It was like Christmas! They were all parked out in a row in the parking lot. Then we were informed we were getting a new car too!! A new MOM VAN! ha ha. Sister Augustin laughed as we drove away and told us that was our future... as soccer moms ;) ha ha.

We went on 2 exchanges this week. One with Sister Tooley my old companion, so that was fun to see her! It was bike day and we woke up to a surprise... SNOW. So that was fun! ha ha.

The work is hastening and the Gospel here in Lubbock is spreading! Yesterday we had ward Conference and President Shumway( the stake president) talked about his vision again. "The vision of the vine" The vision he had years ago that there would one day be two stakes in Lubbock. And that soon will be a reality! Yesterday a new ward was created and 3 other ward boundaries were changed! These are exciting times!

The church is true my friends. My mission has really opened my eyes and taught me whats really important in life. I just hope I can truly find a balance when I get home! 

Love you all!

Sister Turner

Bike day in the snow

Sister Training leaders at MLC (so many of us now! :)

One of my favorite senior couples, the Kelly's, on their last day

February 3

Dear Family,

Wow the Lord truly is blessing us. This week we were CRAZY BUSY. So busy that we literally were running from appointment to appointment. I think the Lord...is blessing me with keeping me very busy so I don't think about home.

We had Zone Conference this week! It was incredible. It was sad because it was my very last one. The instruction given and the spirit there always pumps me up! I was involved in a role play and I was the "member present" as the missionaries taught an investigator. It really hit me that soon that truly would be my role. That I no longer would be the full time missionary, and no longer the teacher, but the fellowshipper and friend. It broke my heart to know my journey here can't stay forever, but I am so grateful for my incredible experiences that I have had, and honestly my mission has made me know how to be the best member missionary, because before I honestly just had no clue.

This weekend we took one of our investigators to a baptism. Little did I know the baptism was someone in Regal Park!!! I got to see all my recent converts and the members! It was such a tender mercy! The ward and the missionary work has just sky rocketed since I left! The man who got baptized married his wife a little over 18 years ago, when they were newly weds she joined the church but he never really wanted to be a part of it. It took him 18 years before joining her in the Lords Kingdom! I was in shock when I saw him because when we would go over there to teach his family, he was always nice but never interested. It just shows its all in the Lord's timing! T., an investigator I taught a year ago, who I had one of the most amazing spiritual experiences with giving her achurch tour was there too! The sisters just started teaching her again! So I just was overjoyed! Of course seeing Sandy was the biggest blessing though! She plans on going through the temple very soon, and it is just a blessing I get to be a part of that experience with her!

I just feel the Lord is truly showing me and pouring down blessings of all the hard work I have done over the course of my mission! F, one of the people I knocked into a year ago that we contacted, went missing in action for like 2 weeks. I was so sad, but last night he called! And he said he was so sorry he hasn't gotten back to us, but just a lot has been going on, we told him  how Heavenly Father loves him and is so aware of him, or he wouldn't have led us to him! He told us thankyou and said he is so grateful he hadn't completely given up yet. We are meeting with him this week. :) I am SO excited!

...

I love you all so much!! The church is SO true. I have witnessed miracle after miracle after miracle. I think I need to write a book of them all! Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Turner

January 27

Dear Family,

This week was crazy. Lots of ups and downs. A bigger campus equals more people, which also equals more rejection. But hey if the Savior could do it, we certainly can do it! We are looking for those who are ready and prepared!

We are teaching G. He is from Nepal. He has no Christian background and never had been to a church until Sunday! He is great! So open, and really wants to know about his Savior. We are preparing him for baptism on the 8th.

We are working with C. She is from New York, and plays soccer here at Tech! She is catholic, but is willing to find out if this is true. We are preparing her for baptism on the 15th.

We are working with a lot of less actives. I am realizing how crucial this time in life is. My age is really the age where you make huge decisions that affect the rest of your life! I am so grateful during college my testimony was strengthened and I chose to follow the path of my Savior. I am gaining great friendships with many of the members. Especially some of the recent converts! They blow my mind! How amazing they are, how strong their testimonies are, especially with some who's family have disowned them. 

We got to teach S! The guy i knocked into a year ago. It was great! He has a lot of questions, but they are sincere and he really is just seeking truth. With time I know he can receive his answer.

We also received a referral from another mission. T has been taught all the missionary lessons and is pretty much ready for baptism. He just moved here and in fact we are meeting with him right after we email, so I am way excited to meet him! He is solid, so I feel fortunate the Lord is letting us have the opportunity to teach him before his baptism. We are planning to have his on the 8th as well.

This work is incredible. Its the hardest/most re rewarding thing I could have ever done!! Love you all! Have a great week! 

Sister Turner

The missionaries serving in our ward

January 21

Dear Family,

Well I made it smoothly to Lubbock. Definitely the hardest part was saying goodbyes.. and then also having to pack again...ugh. ha ha.

Texas Tech is huge. There are a lot of atheists and agnostics. I am trying to adjust and learn how I can best help and benefit those here. My companion is Sister Soules from Hawaii. She is awesome! She is trying to convince me to go to BYU Hawaii. ha ha.

We had two amazing tender mercies this week. A year ago (when I was in the Regal Park ward) we were teaching this guy named S. He grew up Muslim but in the past couple years converted to Christianity. Because he wasn't going to be in the family ward we passed him to missionaries that were currently in the YSA ward. After awhile he wasn't being taught anymore though. So a year later I give him a call, thinking he wouldn't remember me at all. But he totally did! And in fact he wants to meet up and start taking the lessons again!

The other tender mercy, was a year ago on Sister Dunham's first day in the field during her orientation all the new missionaries were assigned neighborhoods to knock and get some first day experience. I went with her and we knocked on a door and this guy answered. He was really interested and talked about how Jehovah Witnesses knocked on his door last week, and he is searching for truth, but how can he come to know which is true? I remember thinking he had so much potential. We gave his information to the missionaries in the area, but unfortunately I don't think it ever got carried across. I had only met him once for about 10 minutes, but for some reason since I had gotten here in Lubbock he kept coming to my mind! I knew the Lord was trying to tell me something. The only problem was I couldn't remember where he lived or what his name was. I remembered he lived by a park... So we looked up parks in the GPS near campus. We tried two and neither of them were it. We decided to say a prayer, and the third park we went to was THE park!! We knocked on his door... but he no longer lived there.  His sister lived there though, and she told us he still is here in Lubbock and going to school at Tech! We got his number and gave him a call, and he too totally remembered me.. Which is CRAZY! Because it was over a year ago and we met so briefly and left him with a Book of Mormon. So we are going to start teaching him as well!! 

Its so neat how my experiences a year ago have led me to where I am now. Even though it was extremely hard to leave my old area, I know this is where the Lord needs me now. I am excited to start working with the ward and members as well. 

This transfer our companionship theme is "enduring to the end"! We are working with a lot of less actives who we are helping to try and understand this concept. And with me coming to the end of my mission, I am trying to give my all!

Its awesome having a companion who too is a sister training leader! We are staying very busy! We have 6 companionships of girls we cover, so we have to do 6 exchanges this transfer! But I am excited! Its going to be lots of fun!! Love and miss you all!

Sister Turner

January 13

Dear Family,

Well you will NEVER believe it...I am getting transferred.

I was just as shocked as you are!! When I first heard the news I was devastated. I am feeling better now though. I have really learned to align my will with the Lord's, and I know I am needed somewhere else. 

So any guesses where I am going?

I am going back to Lubbock! I will be in the YSA ward there on the Texas Tech University Campus. The ward is SO big that there are 3 sets of missionaries that cover that ward. I will be sharing the ward with my wonderful old companion Sister Kramer and her new companion, and then also with the assistants to the president. My companion is Sister Soules. She is AWESOME! She also is a Sister Training Leader! This transfer is the first time in our mission that STLs will actually be serving together! We are going to make a great team! I am so excited!! I know a few people from the YSA ward there as well, and I am excited to be in Lubbock because I will be able to see old faces from my first area! So it definitely has its pros.

I have learned so much these past 6 weeks, and I have fallen in love with the branch. Our branch president is incredible. I look up to him and his wife in so many ways! We both thought I would be here till I went home. I hope I made a difference. 

Of course the people I will miss most though are my recent converts. They were pretty shocked too.. Luckily I can just add them on Facebook in 3 months though... so weird. ha ha. 

The girls we knocked into last week we are teaching tomorrow.. and there are many others we are working with I will have to say goodbye too, but I know Sister Davidson will continue to help the work here in Canyon. I went on exchanges this week up to Dumas too. That was a lot of fun. I always love how much I learn on exchanges. Even though I am the one training, I feel I always learn so much more in return. 

D's baptism was incredible!! He is the most humble person I have ever met in my life. Its just so amazing how life changing the gospel is, and to think only a few weeks ago he knew nothing about the church!

I love this work so much! I can say I know for a surety this church is the only true church on the earth today, with Christ at the head and the restored priesthood power to perform all the saving ordinances required. I am going to give these last 2 transfers my all!! Miss you all!

Love,

Sister Turner

January 6

Dear Family,

THE CHURCH IS SO STINKIN TRUE. I feel so grateful to be a missionary!! We were knocking the other freezing cold night and two girls let us in. After we shared the restoration, she grabbed her head and yelled, "my mind is blown! I have grown up my whole life not even knowing about the book of Mormon or that there were prophets in America, but it goes along with everything I believe. It totally makes sense!" - I am so grateful for experiences like that!!

We should be having a double baptism this weekend! Canyon truly is on fire!! The Lord is preparing people left and right. I can't even keep up with the work! I have been begging our mission president to get us another set of sisters in the branch! He is working on it! So exciting!

This week LJ, who recently got baptized, called us. We asked her how she was doing and in her own words she replied "AWESOME!" She then went on to tell us she is a poor college student who is so in debt from student loans, can't even pay her bills, but knows she needs to pay her tithing. She technically didn't need to pay until the end of the month, but she made a vow to God she would pay it first because that's what the Lord would want her to do. That night she recieved a check in the mail for 400 dollars!! She said, "Sisters, God loves me!" Tears filled my eyes as I heard her say this! Is this the same LJ from a few weeks ago! Then with her funny personality she had to add... "and you want to know whats so ironic? My uncle who sent the check is athiest." ha ha.

D. is getting baptized this weekend. He truly has changed my life! I have grown so much teaching him. He is going to go so far in life! I will have to tell you all about him later!

I got to go to MLC and see missionaries who were serving in my first area!! S. my very first baptism is doing incredible!! She is a ward missionary, and the missionaries told me she brings more people to church than the actual missionaries! She keeps Books of Mormon and pamphlets in her car, and in fact one time she was so so sick, and she got down on her knees and prayed "Lord there is too much missionary work to be done! I DON'T have time to be sick!" She soon recovered!! I will be going through the temple with her soon!!! I cannot wait to see her! I love her so much!! 

I wish I had more time...just SO many MIRACLES! Ahh!! so many incredible stories. Just know I love this gospel so much. Being a missionary is the coolest and funnest thing ever! Love you all! 

Sister Turner

December 30

Dear Family,

Wow! What an incredible week!! LJ's baptism was beautiful! The most spiritual baptism I've had thus far on my mission! She bore her testimony at the end sharing of how her athiest views controlled her life. How she was told she would go to churches the rest of her life and feel nothing. Then she came to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and felt something. That something was love, and that love comes from God. She testified so boldy and profoundly that she knew Heavenly Father and her Savior Jesus Christ lives, and she now knows her destiny! Wow! 

I truly love this area and this branch so much!

Right now we are working with many international students from Mexico, South Korea, China, France, Germany, and Thailand! So cool! The spirit truly is universal!

T. one of our recent converts from China is a professional chef! I keep telling him he needs to open his own restaraunt one day! He told me I can be his manager and get all the free food I want! ha ha. We dont get fed much in the Young Single Adult branch, but his meals make up the difference! Its like going to a legit Chinese resturaunt. ha ha.

Can you believe another year has come and gone!? I hope ya'll have a wonderful new year! We talked about goal setting in church, and as a missionary that is one thing I have really learned to do. With goals our hopes can become actions! Goals should be difficult but not impossible, they should be the desires of our heart, show our faith, and we need to discipline ourselves and follow through.

Write your goals down! I once heard, "An unwritten goal is simply a wish." We had the opportunity to be taught by our branch president, President Horn yesterday for the 5th sunday and had a lesson all on goal setting! Start with longterm goals and then make smaller short term goals to accomplish those big goals. 

May we all strive to be a little better, a little brighter, and a little more Christlike this upcoming year!!

Love you all!

Sister Turner

Christmas Day with my companion

December 23

Dear Family!

 

Seeing as I will have time to talk to ya'll on Christmas, I wont really say much of how this week went. Hope you all remember the true meaning of Christmas this year! What a great time of year to remember our Savior's Birth (Luke 2)

Ok so some of these are kinda a stretch ha, but for the most part here is a look into mission life from good old West Texas! 

25 Days of Christmas in the Texas Lubbock Mission

1. #1 beef captial in the nation 30 min. away (Hereford TX)

2. New Areas I've opened

3. Times I've read the Book of Mormon on my Mission

4. Areas I've served in

5. Companions I have trained

6. Months I've been a STL (Sister Training Leader)

7. Baptims I've been a part of or soon will be :)

8. Hours of sleep each night

9. People I know of I've helped reactivate to the church

10. Transfers down

11. Companions overall

12. Favorite Chapter in book of Ether

13. Months I've been out (almost 14)

14.Weeks left of my mission :(

15. Average number of prayers I say daily

16. Hour Days (From 6:30am-10:30pm)

17. Different ways to say hi in Texas (ha not really)

18.Months of missionary Service

19.Age sister missionaries can go out

20. Average of belt buckles or cowboy hats I see in a day

21. Cotton fields on the way to Lubbock

22.Years of life experiences

23. Jospeh Smiths Birthday!

24.Oil pump jacks in a field in Midland TX

25. Average number of churches in a mile radius

 

Love,

Sister Turner

December 16

Dear Family,

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! I repeat.. I love being a missionary! I honestly don't ever want it to end.. I know that might sound crazy, but for real. Its truly incredible. I feel so honored to be here and to be an instrument in the Lord's hands!

Our ward mission leader is incredible!! He is the best one i've had thus far on my mission. And he's only 18, and he hasn't even served his mission yet! His help makes a huge difference in the work, and the whole branch. Our Branch President has been so supportive, and him and his wife are great! That is who we will be spending Christmas with! Those we are working with see the success that is coming from our efforts and hopefully its pumping up the whole branch!

Sometimes I feel like I am on a foreign mission here! Its awesome! ha ha. A recent convert from China, and another one from Africa. They have become two very close friends of mine, and we are now teaching D, from Mexico. He is so prepared! He can't wait to be baptized and he wants to serve a mission! He is 21, an honestly how I would describe him is, pure in heart! He is such an example to me and really just wants to serve the Lord! The branch loves him, and he will be getting baptized in a few weeks when he gets back from the holidays! His story is pretty incredible with how he came in contact with the church, but because of lack of time, I will have to share that one another day! :)

Tomorrow we have our Zone Christmas Party! I am really excited! We will get to see many of our previous companions and have a good time! 

I love you all so much. What an amazing time of year! Instead of the hussel and the bussel of holiday shopping and baking, think of the real meaning of Christmas. The birth of our Savior Jesus Christ! Love you all!

Sister Turner

December 9

Dear Family,

Wow what a week! Packing was like trying to fit a jig saw puzzle together. I hadn't packed in 7 1/2 months and collected so much stuff I dont know how I got it all to fit in 2 big suitcases and a carry on. Good thing I was coming home yet, because pretty sure each suitcase weighted over 80 pounds! ha ha.

Canyon is amazing! I love being in a YSA branch! Many are return missionaries and have such a fire about doing missionary work! Its really easy to get members out teaching with us, and the students here at WT campus are so prepared and ready to hear the gospel!

Seriously I know I am supposed to be here in this area. I have such a fire, and the town is just glowing! Our Branch President, President Horn is incredible, he is like all the students' dad away from home. This past conference he flew all the recent converts to General Conference in Salt Lake City! What an experience for them!

One of the recent converts here is T. from China. He is incredible, and he can't wait to go back to China and be a light to those there. He tells us that Jesus Christ is his best friend. He is so sincere and sweet.

A. another recent convert, just got baptized 2 weeks ago. She is so sweet and is the pioneer for her family. Now her grandma and her younger sister back at home are investigating the church. 

C. another recent convert came form a devout church of Christ household. In fact his father is a church of Christ minister! He was a very tough cookie... so he says. Ha ha. It took many months of deep doctrine and one of my favorite sisters (Sister Davis who is now home) is actually the one that taught and baptized him. He is 22 and plans on going on a mission in June! His family was way against it but they are slowly softening. Its so amazing meeting all these recent converts, many who gave up much for the gospel, because they knew it was true! I know I will be making friendships here that last a lifetime!

I know that everything I have learned on my mission up until this point is to help with this area. The branch is so amazing. It gets me way pumped to be a great member missionary when I get home.

We are planning to have hopefully three baptisms this month! P who has a date for the 21st. E  we just contacted on campus and progressing very well. He loved church yesterday. His date is for December 28th and LJ- comes from an atheist background but is making a lot of progression!

Its freezing here. With the windchill is about -13 degrees, but somehow I am still smiling and excited about the work! ha ha. I think I will end my  mission here, and I am really excited all that I can bring to the branch.

WT campus is really cute. They have a lot of people who do agriculture stuff here like judging meat and stuff. ha ha. The church is pretty well known here. Many professors are LDS and they even have an LDSSA (LDS student association) here! They have a festival of trees here, and LDSSA did a Christ tree which is everyone's favorite! Super cool!

I had some crazy things happen this week too! Lost my bike and my wallet! Luckily they've located my bike its in a small town south of here. It got lost in the mix of transfers, so hopefully I get that soon. And we can't seem to find my wallet anywhere, which has made things quite difficult. Pray I can find it. [Update: Sister Turner's wallet was found shortly after she sent this e-mail!]

Hope many of you were able to watch the Christmas Devotional last night! It was awesome! Love this time of year to remember our Savior, the Prince of Peace.

I will be training sisters in two areas in the panhandle this transfer as STL, another STL Sister Boughton will be going with me and we will be leaving our companions behinds and they will work together, and we will work together in exchanges in the areas of the sisters were over. (if that makes any sense. ha) Its getting close where STL's will actually be companions! That sure will be nice!

I love this gospel so much, and I have such a desire to share the gospel with everyone! I want to give my all these last 4 months! Love and miss you all!

Sister Turner

My companion

At transfers

December 2

Dear Family,

Hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Mine was a great time of food, fun, a NAP (ha ha) and don't forget the most important part. Gratitude. 

Can I just say I love being a missionary? Its hard to believe I only have 3 transfers left. Time is ticking and I want to get everything I can out of this experience. It truly is an opportunity of a lifetime.

There is no better time to be a missionary. These really are historic times! Our mission President always tells us our future posterity will say.. wow you served during the "Monson Era" ha ha. This year our mission is close to getting 500 baptisms so that is our goal by the end of the month! We've had 41 new areas opened, and we just opened another new zone! (I think this makes 5 new zones this year!) And our mission has doubled in size this year!

Now for transfer news...

Well it is time to say goodbye to Midland Texas. I will be going to Canyon Texas, and be serving in a YSA (young single adult) branch! I am a little nervous because I have gotten so used to serving in family wards, but it will be fun to work with people my own age!
Canyon is up in the panhandle of Texas. Its going to be FREEZING! Everyone tells me I better bundle up, I'm in for a cold winter, and a windy one at that. So please pray for me (Ya'll know I hate the cold) ha ha.

Every area I serve in, seems to be harder to leave. Saying goodbye has been extremely difficult. I have really come to love these people. I have been crying for the past 2 days straight, and just cant seem to stop. ha. 

Yesterday C came to church! It was hard to say goodbye to him, and it will be hard to miss his baptism in 2 weeks, but I am so grateful I got to see the changes he made these past 4 1/2 months. A less active we have been working with for 3 months now and is fully reactivated bore her testimony yesterday. She specifically thanked me for never giving up on her, and she is preparing to go back to the temple in the beginning of January. Missionary work is WORK. Its stressful, tedious, and emotional. Sometimes you don't know how you can ever pull through, but it seems like whenever you leave an area, the Lord really shows you how appreciated you really were. Tears filled my eyes as she spoke to me of her appreciation.

But by far the hardest goodbye will be Rickey. I have truly grown to love that man with everything that I had. We both just cried on the phone yesterday when I had to call him to tell him the news. He told me I changed his life. But in all honestly I am just the instrument that Heavenly Father used for him. We joke around though how we knew each other in the Pre-Earth, but in all reality I really think we did! ;)

Its so hard to leave... Its a feeling I cant even explain to ya'll. The love of Christ is real, my friends. I have felt it, I have seen it, and experienced it for myself.

Some new things I will experience this upcoming transfer:

1.  SNOW!

2. A duo! I will just be with one companion, Sister Davidson (its been 7 1/2 months since i've been in a duo! )

3. Teaching young single adults

4. Being in a small town for the first time!

5. Serving in a branch

I am excited to see what awaits! I wouldn't be surprised if I stay here the rest of my mission, but we will see. Love and miss you!

Sister Turner

Thanksgiving at the Jarman's

At church with C (can you tell I've been crying?)