Baptism By Fire

This week has by far been the busiest week of my mission, and possibly my life, so that was awesome. We met a lot of really cool people who are just searching for and have a desire to find the truth, now we just teach them and hope that they have the motivation to do something about that desire. 

Tristan was baptized on Saturday so that was sweet! It is really cool to see the amazing changes that she has made in her life, and it is so cool to see the power of the atonement work so quickly in someone's life. You can literally see a big difference in the light in her face, especially compared to when I first came to Sheboygan to now. She said that even the people that she works with have noticed it. She also said that as she reads the scriptures each day that she is able to have a lot more patience with her boys and with the people she deals with at work. She is such an amazing strong woman. 

When I left on my mission one of my sisters told me that people here will cook potatoes for me since I am from Idaho, except they won't actually know how to cook potatoes. I have had some fun experiences with this already, but the best one yet was on Saturday. So for Tristan's baptism one of the members decided to cook baked potatoes for afterwards, except they had a genius idea of putting butter in with the potatoes, well the butter melted in the oven and got on the bottom of the oven and smoked up the whole church and started the tin foil on the bottom of the oven on fire, so that was really exciting. This my friends is why you don't cook things in the church kitchen. 

We had an awesome worldwide missionary broadcast this week from some of the apostles and other various people, and they really stressed teaching repentance, which is awesome. I never really understood repentance until now. Everyone thinks that it is a big scary word, but it is just a wonderful gift. We need to repent everyday so that we are able to have the spirit with us. 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Koyle

Me Tristan Marion and Sister Butler

We had some Lake effect snow, woo hoo.

​This is real life.

​We had to take a selfie.

We Tract in the Cold!

Happy Monday Everybody!

So I live with a different person now, so that is interesting. Sister Butler is awesome, she is from PG Utah and she is actually a Nauvoo visitors center sister, but since it is so slow in the winter they send the Nauvoo sisters on their "outbound" missions for 6 months, so she was called to Wisconsin. She has been in Wisconsin about the same amount of time as I have, before Sheboygan she was in Port Washington, but she was in Nauvoo for six months before that, so she is half way done with her mission. Confusing I know, but its really okay if you don't understand it all. Also, she is the driver now, so that is interesting. She is very "go with the flow", which is important because our plans are always changing so you have to be able to deal with it. It is fun to have a different companion, because then you get new ideas from them, so that is nice. 

As far as the work is going, it's pretty great we have seen some success this week, I think that we found another solid girl named Brittney, she was a referral from the Spanish elders, who tracted into her and she seems really interested. Also this guy named Adam who was a member referral has a lot of questions, so hopefully that goes somewhere good. And Tristan is doing great! she really misses Sister Carlini, but hopefully she will realize soon, just how awesome Sister Butler is. She is all set to be baptized this Saturday, so we are stoked about that. I never realized before all of the preparations that come with having a baptism, but I am learning. This is pretty much my first baptism, and it is Sister Butler's first baptism, so neither of us really know what we are doing, but its all good, we'll figure it out. The important thing is that Tristan is so ready to make a covenant with her Heavenly Father, and I am so excited for her.

It has been pretty cold here, but we are trying to suck it up and rub some dirt in it. Good thing I love the cold. D&C 76:22 is an awesome scripture, I love how Joseph Smith bears such a simple and powerful testimony about our savior. "That He Lives!" I know that as we bear simple testimony of our savior each day that we can be a great influence and a light to those around us. Have a Happy Martin Luther King Day!

With love from Sheboygan,

Sister Koyle

​Lake Michigan as of this morning, I am waiting for it to freeze. . . 

Last day with Sister Carlini

This is Sister Butler . . . isn't she cute? 

​Sunday morning steam on the lake.

 That little black dot in the distance is the light house.

That awkward moment when you are done training.....

Happy Monday everyone! 

So on Wednesday a missionary named Sister Butler is going to be coming to Sheboygan to be my new companion, I know nothing about her, but I hope and pray that she is awesome. Sister Carlini is being transferred to Appleton, and she is going to be serving with . . . . Sister Roskelley, my MTC companion! Except she is not excited about it . . . at all, which makes me sad because I am a tiny bit jealous of her because I love Sister Roskelley. But I am excited/nervous for my next adventures with Sister Butler. 

This week was pretty cool, I feel like we have met some really cool people that have a lot of potential, so I am excited about all of them to see how they accept the message of the gospel. Tristan is doing so good, she is still set for the 23rd and we even announced it in church, so it is totes official, and so exciting. But a little stressful because we have a lot to do before then, like teaching lessons and baptismal interview and inviting people and all that jazz. Also Sister Carlini gave a talk in church on Sunday and so Holly and Bennett came to church to hear her talk so that was super sweet. I just hope that I can still keep up all of these good relationships with people here even though Sister Carlini will be gone. 

This week we had at least two people ask us if it was possible that the Book of Mormon was true, but that Joseph Smith was not a prophet and of course we told them no. But it is so crazy to me that so many people have such a big problem with Joseph Smith. I was praying and basically saying why did Joseph have to practice polygamy, because I feel like a lot of people would accept the gospel if it weren't for that. And I got the answer that even if he hadn't practiced polygamy that people would still find fault with him, and they would reject him for some other reason. Jesus Christ was perfect and people still found what they thought was fault with him and people still killed him. So that kinda put me in my place and definitely broadened my understanding. But I know that Joseph was a virtuous man and that he was called as a prophet of God.

We were listening to a cool talk this week and it said that our mortal genealogy is so long and it goes on forever clear back to Adam, but our spirit's genealogy is one direct line, we are children of our Heavenly Father. I thought that was really cool and I had never looked at it like that before. Also the Worldwide Devotional for Young Adults is SOOO good, ya'll need to listen to it. Here is the link to it, I challenge you all to do the challenge left with us from Sister Nelson. I hope everyone has a great week. 

Love,

Sister Koyle

Just taking an evening stroll out on the lake. 

We almost made it all the way across and then we chickened out. 

​The District on Little Elkhart Lake 

​Last time getting Menchies with Sister Carlini, it's her favorite. 

​And this happened. 

Happy 2016. Good thing it's easy to change a 5 to make it look like a 6!

So last week when we came to the library to email there was no snow on the ground, but by the time we left the library everything was covered in almost a foot of snow. So Christmas wasn't white, but 3 days later it was. It was actually a pretty bad blizzard the snow was blowing completely side ways which made some nice drifts. We may or may not have gotten our car stuck in the snow a couple of times last Monday, but thank goodness people here are nice and helped push us out. And by the next morning the snow plows had come and all of the roads were clear, so it was great. 

But other than the weather, Amy, one of our recent converts, said something very profound this week, we asked her about the prophet and she said that she feels like the prophet speaks directly to her and that the prophet is someone who takes her hand and walks her over the bridge to get her to Heavenly Father. I thought that was the coolest analogy. 

We met with this less active and his girl friend this week, his name is Adam and her name is Ari and she told us that her goal for this year is to get baptized, I thought that was the coolest thing. I asked her why and she said because Adam's Mom has such a powerful testimony and that she has such a spirit about her and she is so happy all the time and she wants that. So that was awesome, it goes to show that we really can make a difference if we share our testimony with others. She wants to come to church, but she straight up told us that she is just too lazy, and she has insomnia. But she is going to try to change her sleep schedule and come to church next week. But I love her already and I am really excited about her. 

Also Holly loved church last week and this week Bennett told us that they aren't going to go to their church forever and that when they quit going to their church they are going to come to our church. Idk how soon they are talking about, but that sure was surprising and exciting. I was like did you just say what I think you said? So that was crazy especially since he has gone to that same church his whole life. Also they said that they are going to take a trip out west in Summer of 2017 and that they are going to come and visit me, so that is pretty exciting. And Bennett is now in Alma 5 in the Book of Mormon, and he is praying to know if it is true, I have definitely seen his heart be softened since I have been here it is the coolest thing and I know it is because he is reading the Book of Mormon, that book works miracles. Idk when, but they are totes getting baptized someday.

I hope you all have a great week and a Happy New Year!! Set goals, not resolutions!! If you don't set goals then you can't reach your greatest potential. 

Love,

Sister Koyle

p.s. I know this is crazy especially being in Wisconsin but I actually didn't see any drunks on new years or new years eve, but then again I'm not that great at identifying them.

 Well it snowed, and it looked gorgeous for a couple of days

Since nobody in Wisconsin knows what a snow cone is we made our own, it is just fresh Wisconsin snow mixed with crystal lite.

Silly picture from our ​last district meeting of the transfer . . . weird

 So the Polar Plunge is a thing here, this is the beach on new years day. It is Sheboygan tradition to jump in the lake on new years day, they said it was nice this year because they didn't have to cut any ice in order to get in, people here are CRAZY. Also, it is really weird to see a beach covered in snow.

2016 Is Almost Here

Hello Everyone, I hope ya'll had a very Merry Christmas, because I did. I really think that Christmas this year has been the best Christmas I have ever had. There is something about brightening someone's day that really just brightens your own (I hope that makes sense). This week was not the most productive week with Christmas and my companion being sick, but I was able to get a little more organized, so that was nice.

Tristan is doing so good, she came to church again and I think she is really enjoying it and getting used to it. And adjusting to leaving her boys in primary and not worrying so much about them. She has such a strong testimony of prayer and scripture study it is the coolest thing, because I feel like if you have those things down, then everything else about the gospel and the church naturally falls into place. 

We spent a good chunk of our Christmas day at Bennett's (the nice pastor who is reading the Book of Mormon) parent's house. So I got to know his parents and his siblings really well, so that was quite nice, their family kinda reminds me or my family, except mine is way bigger and way more loud, no offence to anyone, I love my family, A LOT. Also Holly came to all three hours of church on Sunday so that was pretty cool to see her there. 

We didn't do much tracting this week, but one of the houses that we did tract, we met this sweet girl named Kelsey, at first she was super skeptical, she said that the only book of scripture was the bible and if it isn't in there then it isn't scripture, she said that she had learned about "the Mormons" in a class at Lutheran High and that we had some pretty weird ideas, but then we told her the truth about us, and we recited the first vision, which ALWAYS brings the spirit and we had her read the famous Moroni 10: 3-5 and she started to get a little bit emotional as she read it. After she read it she handed the Book of Mormon back and we kept talking to her about the church and Joseph Smith but I could tell that she wanted the Book of Mormon, she kept looking at it, so before we left I asked her if we left it with her if she would read it and she said yes and then she said where is your church at? so we told her and I would like to say that she came to church on Sunday, but she didn't, but it was still a really cool experience to see someone's perspective change like that so quickly. 

Also just a funny story, the Pollock family has this incredibly stupid tiny dog, normally I like dogs pretty well, but their dog is just plain dumb. So we were visiting this former investigator named Valerie about half a block away from the Pollock's and we were just standing at her door talking to her and all of the sudden out of no where this dog bolts between me and Sister Carlini, through the door that is barely cracked open and it jumps on Valerie's couch and pees on her couch and her clothes and her phone. It was the funniest thing, I could not with hold my self from laughing, me and my comp were just busting up. Brother Pollock comes up and is just so sorry and embarrassed and mad at this stupid dog and Valerie didn't really say anything, but I can imagine that she wasn't super happy about, but it gave us a great laugh and a good story. So ladies and gents that was my week, I hope you have a very happy new year and you make some awesome resolutions! 

Love,

Sister Koyle

​Made this awesome ginger bread house all by myself, I had to, it's just a tradition you know.

Christmas morning, opening presents. Thank you to everyone and anyone who sent me anything for Christmas, including Christmas cards, I really felt loved and remembered.

Merry Christmas!!!

Hello everyone, I hope ya'll are ready for Christmas. This week was pretty great, Heavenly Father gave us about four referrals about thirty minutes away from us, which is a lot of miles when you only get so many miles every month, but we figured we needed to go out to the Plymouth Glenbeulah area for some reason or another, so we did and some of the referrals weren't interested, or home, but one of them is an 11 year old boy named Shawn who lives in Elkhart Lake and he wants to get baptized, his whole family is baptized, but they have just been less active for about 7 years, but he has decided to get baptized, so we are going to teach him and hopefully get his Dad ready to baptize him, and hopefully reactivate their family, I am pretty excited about them. 

Tristan is doing pretty good, she came to church again with both of her boys, and also this week we taught her law of Chastity and she has already been living it . . . she is SOO prepared. She watched Meet the Mormons this week also and I think she liked it, the last lady on meet the mormons reminds me of her because Tristan has two black boys and she is a single Mom, but I hope (like on Meet the Mormons) that someday she can find an awesome Mormon man to marry and maybe someday her sons can serve missions. Obviously I have high hopes for her and her family, but that is a good thing right? 

Being a missionary around Christmas time is pretty much the best thing ever. I have really been enjoying it, you can be so much more creative around Christmas time with how you share the gospel, because you can carol, or wrap books of mormon, and give out Christmas cards and Christmas pass along cards, and people really are much more receptive. Also it is just great to testify of Jesus Christ and his birth. We were tracting and I asked this lady why she celebrated Christmas and she said because it is a national holiday and I was able to explain to her that it is because Christ was born. People, make sure your Children know the true meaning of Christmas, that it isn't about Santa Claus, but someone so much greater. Have a Very Merry Christmas! 

Love,

Sister Koyle

​You know your in Wisconsin when . . . there is a giant statue of a cow on the side of the road.

Decorating the Christmas tree at the Bingham's house.

Making cookies at the Relief Society President's house

Exchanges! back is Sister Kelley, Sister Carlini, Sister Dunlap, and front is me and Sister Hansen.

 District pics on the beach

me, Sister Carlini, Elder Low, Vang, Casagranda, Stokes

Proverbs 32:21

Well this week flew by sooo fast. We had zone conference all day on Tuesday in Oshkosh and so that was fun and motivating and all, but unfortunately we didn't get any work done that day. Wednesday was a great day we were able to see Tristan and set a baptismal date with her for the 23rd of January so a ways away, but that is the day she feels like she will be ready on Friday we were able to go on exchanges with the Sister training leaders, this time I went to Menasha with Sister Kelley and Sister Hansen and Sister Dunlap came to Sheboygan with Sister Carlini. They are in a trio right now because Sister Kelley is leaving 2 weeks early so that she can make it home in time for school. Exchanges were pretty fun, it is always nice to see how other missionaries do things differently and it was so nice to be able to get some good tips from Sister Kelley, she is so awesome. 

Saturday was so great we were able to teach a lot of people and to see a lot of people and we volunteered at this thing called Making Spirits Bright it is where they have a light show that goes to the music on your car radio and you just drive through it, it is pretty awesome and then afterwards you can go see Santa, and so that is the part that we were helping with. We also saw Bennett and Holly on Saturday and we found out that Bennett actually wanted to be a rock star at one point in his life and he actually made a legit CD, so he gave one to me and Sister Carlini and we had him sign it, you know in case he becomes famous someday. He is actually quite good, we told him that he could drop his job as a Pastor, join our church and become a musician like David Archuleta, or Alex Boye. 

Also on Saturday we saw Sister Pollock who has been a member for 15 years, but has only been active for about a year and a half, her husband also just became a member about a year ago. They are the most amazing people ever, they have been through everything, heavy drugs, criminal activity, jail, teenage pregnancy, and a whole lot more, but they have completely and totally used the atonement in their lives and they have come such a long way. Sister Pollock was able to receive her patriarchal blessing this week and in it it said that she would be sealed to her family in the temple, and she is so looking forward to that and striving to be able to make that happen, she puts little pictures of temples all over her house. And they are making a special trip to Salt Lake in February to see the Salt Lake temple, I told her that if she is going to see it then she needs to see the inside of it, because it is the most amazing thing I have ever seen in my life, so that is what she is striving for. 

We were able to teach Tristan about tithing on Saturday as well and I was really pretty nervous about it because she is a single Mom and she is always saying how hard it is with money. But I had received a prompting to teach her about tithing, so I prayed that she would receive it well and she did it was awesome, the Lord had prepared her way before hand, and she was ready for it. She willing accepted the law of tithing because she knew that it would bless her and her boys. 

Also sorry this is so long, but there were just so many awesome things this week. But Sunday there was a little 8 year old boy getting baptized from the ward and we invited Holly and Bennett to come see it, and Bennett was able to come and watch it, and watch the boy get baptized and receive the Holy Ghost as well. So that was a really cool experience and the spirit was really strong. Now we just need to get Holly and Bennett to do the same, he is reading the Book of Mormon, which is the converting power, so it will happen eventually. 

But I hope you all have a wonderful week and a very Merry Christmas and I hope everyone is enjoying the snow for me. 

Love,

Sister Koyle