I wanna drink their Koolaid

Well this week was awesome. We had zone conference in Oshkosh which was pretty great to hear from our leaders. conference is always a little stressful, but also motivating so it is great. There was a recent convert that talked to us at zone conference and she said that the first time she went to church was like "What is going on?!! I wanna drink their Koolaid!!" then she ended up getting baptized and she is the happiest person I have ever met. We also got to watch the face to face with Elder Holland, it was great for missionaries, #ItWasAllAboutMarriage, but it was still super good things to remember for my future. We had a very busy week, we taught our investigator about the word of wisdom and she was super cool with it. No problems at all, which is totally a miracle because everyone in Wisconsin smokes or drinks . . . a lot. So she is pretty much set for baptism on the 26th, and she is so excited apparently she found the BYU channel and she has been watching it and she watched the Joseph Smith story so she knows all about church history. She is the coolest old woman ever, and she has been super prepared. We are working on her husband still, he claims to be baptist, but he has never gone to church, like ever . . . she said the last time he was in a church was 48 years ago when they got married in one. 

We also had exchanges, which was awesome!! Sister Quist and I went to UW Oshkosh and it was a nice Sunny day and everyone was outside playing games and walking, so we were able to do a lot of street contacting and we had 9 first vision lessons, it was an awesome day to be a missionary. It is really cool to share the first vision with people because it is such a powerful experience. Sister Quist and I were talking to these two girls and two guys were about to walk past and I felt like I should talk to them, even though we were already talking to someone, but I followed the spirit and did it anyways and these two guys were super cool, the one guy just kept saying that he is looking for the truth and he really wants to find it. We gave him the church address and a book of mormon and he was like ya I will totally read this. So last night Sister Quist called me and said that those to guys had come to church, and they set up appointments to teach them, so that was a huge miracle.

We also had some good food this week, a lady in our ward made us Korean food because she is from Korea and then on exchanges a lady from China made us Chinese food, so I would also consider that a miracle :) 

Anyways I'm sure as most of you are aware that there is a new Easter video that came out yesterday and it is awesome, Please Please Please watch it and share it with your friends. I know that you will be blessed as you do that. I hope you all have a marvelous week . . . Happy St. Patty's Day AKA remember to wear green on Thursday. 

Love,

Sister Koyle

Exchanges!! Sister Butler, Sister Quist, Sister Schlosser, and Sister Koyle 

Found this gem while we were running on the pier "It's not salt water" 

4 cakes in 3 days, these people must love me

A year ago I was chillin on the beach in San Diego with my friends, but I guess chillin on the beach in Sheboygan is pretty good too (It's just a different kind of chill). 

Saturday one of the Elders in my district made me a chocolate birthday cake, which was totally sweet of him. Yesterday we were able to have a really great family home evening with a part member family. It was just this man and his 12 year old daughter (who just happens to not be baptized) and they are the sweetest people. We had a really good spiritual lesson, and the Dad had a lot of good insight and he did very well at teaching his daughter.  And then we played a fun game with them. Then we ate birthday cake that they made for me and it was soo good. I love them so much I hope that we can start teaching his daughter soon. We asked if we could and he said no, but he was open to having a family home evening, so baby steps :) 

After FHE we ate dinner with the Oviatt family, which I know I'm not supposed to have favorites, but they are totally my favorite family in the ward. I think that is probably because they remind me so much of my family. The Dad is very knowledgeable about the gospel like my Dad and the Mom is so willing to serve and give of herself and her time just like my Mom is, and the girls kinda remind me of me and my sister. So anyways, they also made me a cake, which was awesome. And then this morning Sister Butler made me a cheese cake. 

This week has been good, we have been working on obedience, which is awesome because when you obey you just feel better inside and out, which for me is a big enough blessing. Also this week we had a family home evening with Tristan so that she can hopefully start doing them on her own with her boys. We have been challenged to do two first vision lessons a day which is actually a lot harder than you think. A first vision lesson includes telling them about the first vision and reciting it, committing them to do something like read a pamphlet and then say a prayer with them. At first I was like ya we can do that, but then I actually got out there and tried to do it and well lets just say that we are going to try a lot harder this week, and do a lot better. But we have seen one miracle from it so far, this one lady said thank you so much, I really needed this today, so that was really nice to hear.

I want to thank everyone for the Birthday wishes, and for the cards and everything else, I feel very loved. I had a pretty great birthday yesterday. My mission president called me and wished me Happy Birthday and he said "did Sister Butler make you breakfast" and I said "no it was fast Sunday" and he said "well you passed that test." Hahaha he is a tricky old man. 

There is an Easter video that is coming out on Sunday, I would invite all of you to watch it and share it with your friends, it is a really great video and it is similar to the Christmas video that was put out in December. You can find it at mormon.org/easter. I hope everyone has a wonderful week! 

Love,

Sister Koyle

p.s. sorry this email is random and all over the place.

We took pictures by one of the billions of red (used to be red) barns that we passed this week.

Shoveled some drive ways and side walks . . . 

Took a picture by the Cleveland sign since that was our first and last time going there, it is a tiny town north of Sheboygan that doesn't have much going on.

When your day is so busy, you have to have lunch right after breakfast #MissionaryLife

We knocked on a door on Wednesday and the lady answered and said that she is a Born Again, (they are our favorite) and she used to be a Jehovah's Witness (also our favorite) we asked her why she changed and she said "The Lord delivered me from it" so we thought she was pretty funny until she said "It is so funny that you knocked on my door, come on in. I was just learning about the Mormon's. I was watching this DVD about cults." I was like are you kidding me? I was thinking, the Lord probably sent us here to deliver you again from being a born again and to tell you the truth about his gospel. We didn't get very far with her, but I bore my testimony of Joseph Smith and I told her that if she wants to learn about the LDS church to get her information from a reliable source and I gave her a mormon.org card. Before we left we asked her if we could pray with her, but we think her Jehovah's Witness kicked in because she wouldn't pray with us. 

There is a young man here in the Sheboygan ward named Arrison Smith and he received his mission call to Logan Utah, I am so excited for him. So come April all of you Logan residents out there be watching for Elder Arrison Smith. He gave his farewell talk yesterday and he made me cry a little bit. He has been through a lot and it has taken sometime for him to be able to serve a mission but he is going to be a killer missionary. I am a little jealous of him because Logan is my favorite place on the planet. 

There is an older lady named Shirley that we tracted into a couple of weeks ago and when ever we ask her what to pray for she says "for the ministry" (which always reminds me of Harry Potter for some weird reason) But she is already a better missionary than I am, she has already given out five Book of Mormon's to her friends and family and she has been to church twice and she has a baptismal date for March 26. I know . . . It sounds too good to be true, so we will see what happens. 

Easter is right around the corner, and I am excited. I am so grateful for my savior and all he has done for me. I know it is only through him that I will be able to live with my family and my Heavenly Father for eternity. I really have grown to love Christ since I have been out here. If you want some tear jerkers read Isaiah 53, or Mosiah 14.  Mosiah 14:5 is one of my favorites "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." I know that no matter what is thrown our way that we can be healed through Christ. Have a blessed week!

Love,

Sister Koyle

P.S. 

Also a great quote from this week.

Me - "why does everyone in Wisconsin wear shorts in February?!"

Kaci Roll (girl in the ward) - "Because it's 30 degrees!!!" (as if that is warm)

SHEVEGAS is a thing here in Sheboygan, there is also OSHVEGAS in Oshkosh.

Everything is melting, it is a little sad. I have grown to love the cold.

So I will be in Sheboygan for another 7 weeks at least. This transfer is one week longer than normal because missionaries will now be staying in the MTC for 3 weeks instead of 2. Which means that I will be on my mission for a week longer, so that is pretty sweet. Sister Butler goes back to Nauvoo on April 12th, so more than likely I will still be here in Sheboygan after she leaves. Honestly this week was a little boring, we did a lot of finding, but we didn't have too much success. 

But one really cool thing that happened this week was we taught the restoration to this nice old lady on Friday, and she seemed like she understood it all very well, but she didn't say much, she is pretty quiet, but she committed to read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. So we gave her a Book of Mormon with our card in it that has our phone number and church address. Then at church on Sunday we were walking through the pews greeting people and I saw her sitting there and I was like what the heck that lady that we taught on Friday is at church? So of course we sat by her, it was the coolest thing. People don't normally just come to church like that, usually getting someone to church is like pulling teeth. So that was definitely a miracle. 

We also had a great lesson with Adam, he talks a lot and he had so many questions so that was awesome. I love when people ask questions then you know how much they are understanding, and you can better teach to their needs. He said that it all made sense so that was awesome. He keeps telling us that he is taking all of this very seriously, so that is awesome. 

We also taught Quita, and boy is she a talker, she gets so far off the path so quickly, we always have to bring her back to the conversation. But the lesson surprisingly enough actually went really well, considering how much she talks. We did get through the whole lesson in a timely manner and she also had a lot of good questions. When we were teaching about prophets she said so does that mean that there is a prophet on the earth today? and we were like wait a second we are getting to that. We showed her the scripture in Ezekiel 37:15-17 about the stick of Judah and the stick of Joseph and her mind was blown, she was like "it says it all right there, what do other religions say about that scripture? why don't other religions use the Book of Mormon?" haha so that was pretty funny, and awesome. She also was going off and she said "ya'll are good people, you never hear anything bad about the Mormons . . . except the whole wife thing, but everyone does that, they just keep it on the down low" Hahaha we were laughing so hard, so that's Quita for you. 

I know that the Lord is always with us through times of trial and even good times too. I know that we are all children of our Heavenly Father and that because of that we have divine qualities and divine worth. I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Sister Koyle

 ​This picture was not planned, my compy just rocks at taking pictures.

​So somehow all of a sudden there was a ton of rock solid ice build up on the shore or Lake Michigan that went out about 200 feet or so, so we went and played on it and got some cool pictures. But we drove by later that day and it was all gone.

​I'm standing around where the water usually comes up on the shore.

We Finna Pray

So this week was sweet! We had Zone training on Tuesday so we drove to Oshkosh for that and they totally pumped me up and they gave us such good training's just about things that we already know but needed a reminder about like making our studies more focused and lots of other good things like that. Friday we were able to drive to Menasha for blitz's. Recently they changed the way they do exchanges. So now instead of one of us going to our leaders area and a leader coming to our area, we both go to our leaders area for 24 hours. I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot. We were contacting at Lawrence University and we got out of the car and the first girl that we talked to we just asked here where to go because we had no idea so we started talking with her and apparently her grandma is Mormon and so is her best friend, so we got her number and gave her a Book of Mormon and it was awesome. It is cool to see how the Lord leads us. 

So the lady last week that told us that she tried a new incense, we actually taught her and her daughter and her friend the restoration and they said that if they came to know that what we taught was true that they would get baptized so that was pretty cool, the lesson actually went super well, and the spirit was really strong, I was really surprised. After the lesson was over she told her little granddaughter "Come on, we finna pray". Finna is a very common word here, especially among black people. It kinda means fixing to or going to. We always say it just for fun, like We Finna baptize Sheboygan. 

So yesterday was thee best day ever! This guy named Adam came to church and also Vickie came to church. She said that she would be baptized but she wanted to come to church first to check it out and see what it is like before she commits to a date, so now that she came to church we can commit her to a date this week. Adam was a referral from a less active member, he is really interested in the gospel, and he is the total complete golden investigator which is awesome except he just happens to be homosexual so that kinda puts a damper on things, but he said that this is the first church that he has been to in 31 years that he doesn't feel like he is being judged. And he is totally reading the Book of Mormon and he said that the restoration just makes sense. So I don't know we will see where this goes. 

Also the saddest thing ever happened on Friday we had to drop Holly and Bennett because they weren't progressing. He is still reading the Book of Mormon, but he is just curious about it, I don't think that he really wants to know yet if it is true. He is really caught up on the godhead and eternal progression, those are two things he can't get past. They are seriously my favorite people ever and I know they will be baptized some day I just don't know when. I literally started crying a little bit when we left their house, it was so hard to tell them that we can't teach them anymore, but the spirit and President Cutler both told us to drop them so we did. 

So ya that was my week, it was super awesome and I am looking forward to another one. Something clicked this week, like I finally realized that the reason I am on a mission is to prepare me for my future, not just to teach people, I mean obviously I am trying to do that too, but really this is my schooling for the rest of my life, so that was a really cool realization. I hope ya'll have a great week!

Love,

Sister Koyle

Blitz's with the Sister Training Leaders. Sister Dunlap, Sister Butler, Me, Sister Schlosser.

We were contacting and we found The Mystery Machine!!! 

I may or may not have figured out a way to get a Spanish and a Hmong name tag. I was so excited when I got them in the mail. You aren't supposed to be able to get a name tag in any language except for the one that you speak, but I think the lady who works in the office is new. :)

Really? During the Superbowl???

It isn't everyday that you get to tract during the Superbowl. For our door approach here in Wisconsin we do a short ten question survey. I love the survey so much! it is super helpful and you get into a lot more doors. And from the questions on it we can go into the Book of Mormon or forever families or the restoration or the plan of salvation or pretty much anything. So last night we had a little extra time so we decided to knock some doors. And I asked this guy if he could help us out with a short ten question survey and he says "REALLY . . . during the Superbowl you wanna do a survey?" and I said oh ya I forgot, when does it get over? Then he just closed the door. And then for some reason, I could not stop laughing, it was such a funny experience, I think you just had to be there and see the expression on his face. 

Earlier in the week we decided to go tracting because we hadn't been for a long time. Usually in Sheboygan tracting is pretty successful, that is how we find almost all of our people and people here are usually pretty open to our message. So we knocked three blocks of doors and got nothing from it except for frozen toes and fingers. But then around the corner of the third block there was a girl, named Rene shoveling her snow and we asked if we could help her and she said no and then we asked her to do the survey and she said yes and then we were able to talk about the Book of Mormon and give her a copy and get her number and a return appointment, so that was a really cool miracle. 

Also this week we met this really nice lady named Demetri and we stepped into her house and it smelt hard core like weed, but we don't care because almost every house in Sheboygan smells like weed, it is actually kind of expected. But we step in and she randomly says "sorry" and I said "for what?" and she said "the smell . . . . . (long pause) . . . .  we just tried a new incense" hahaha I tried so hard not to bust up laughing. 

It got up to fifty degrees here the other day, that was pretty weird, and really hot. All of the snow is slowly melting so that is kinda sad. But other than that, things in Sheboygan are going pretty well, I'm just living the dream! I hope everyone is doing well and I hope ya'll are healthy! and I hope everyone has a very Happy Valentines Day on Sunday!! Mosiah 18:21 he commands us that there should be no contention one with another, but that our hearts should be knit together in unity and in love one towards another. So if you are holding a grudge against anyone, now would be a great time to tell them sorry and let it go. 1 John 4 is a wonderful chapter on love, especially verses 7-9 "let us love one another, for love is of God" Happy Valentines Day!!! 

Love Sister Koyle

​I had to find the perfect spot between where the water washes it away and where the sand is frozen, that my friends is skill.

Haha it says BEWARE OF DRUNKS. . . . and of course a Packers sticker. We asked the guy at this house "If you knew there was another Book of Scripture that testified of Christ would you read it?" his response was "The Mormons got a lot of that!! Secret bible verses and what not!" We were laughing so hard.

We decided it was warm enough to go running again. This is the Marina, where the boats sit in the summer, and where people go ice fishing in the winter.

I made Tamales this morning, so that was fun!

All six of the missionaries here in the Sheboygan ward had the opportunity to teach the youth yesterday for the fifth Sunday, it was actually really fun. Of course we talked to them about missionary work and the importance of social conversion and of being a friend and inviting your friends to activities. The spanish elders did a really cool object lesson where they got a dragon fruit and a volunteer and they had the volunteer describe what the fruit tasted like, but he had no idea because he had never tasted it, so it is like the gospel. We have to study and know the gospel ourselves in order to share it with others. (D&C 84:85) Then they had him taste the fruit and then he was able to explain what it tasted like, and he wanted to share it with everyone. So once we have tasted of the goodness of the fruit we will desire to share it with those around us. (1 Nephi 8:12) But sharing the gospel can be very scary, but if we are prepared we shall not fear! (D&C 38:30) All we have to do it open our mouths (D&C 33:8-10) It was really fun teaching the youth. 

We also saw Vickie this week, she was a referral from an awesome girl in the ward named Katie. Katie actually met Vickie at the hospital when Katie took me and Sister Carlini to the hospital so that the bishop could work on Sister Carlini's leg. Kinda confusing I know . . . but Vickie is thee sweetest old lady you would ever meet, she is very humble and treasures her bible very dearly. She said that she would get baptized, but we didn't set a date with her yet, because she wants to come to church first to see what it is like. So I would say we are pretty excited about her. 

But other than that this week has been great, just doing regular missionary things, we have started to visit more and more less active members, because there are A TON!!!! here in Sheboygan. As President Hinckley tells us, missionary work is pointless if we don't hold on to the fruits of our efforts, so that's what we are working on. I hope ya'll have a fantastic week! Happy February!

Love,

Sister Koyle

P.S. my address is 620 Broughton Dr. #204 Sheboygan WI. 53081 . . . just in case . . . 

We tried to walk out to the light house, but we didn't get very far. . . It was all covered in ice.

People here don't just build snow men

Attempting to write in my journal. #MissionaryWork The sleeping pictures continue.

Making Tamales!!! So GOOD!

And eating Jalapenos . . . not so good. Notice mine is the smallest.

We decorated the golf balls that we use to knock on people's doors, note the scripture reference.

Sister Butler burned a cardigan for her 9 month mark.

I am so sorry, but a lot of picture worthy things happened this week.

Last week for P-day we went to the aviation heritage center and we did a flight simulator, so it is like you are actually flying an airplane, except you aren't. There are computer monitors instead of windows and the whole thing actually moves like when you turn the steering wheel the simulator actually turns too. It is really hard to fly an airplane.