Week #43 - Sharing our Talents!

Hello Y'all!

Miracles!  We had 7 of our investigators at Church yesterday! All of Yesenia's family who is getting baptized on the 26th and Sandy brought her family as well!  We are hoping to start teaching her husband and son soon! Yay for families! :) Yesenia is amazing and so prepared.  We went over this week to do a Book of Mormon reading and she ended up teaching herself about the Tree of Life!  It was so cool to see the wheels begin to turn as learns more and more about the fullest of the Gospel through the Book of Mormon!

Yesterday was probably one of the best days of my life!  And I'll tell you why! I had the opportunity to sing again at a Fireside and ALL of my favorite people were there!  We took Yesenia and her cute family and then all of my other recent converts from Hearne and Caldwell made the trek into Houston for it as well!  What a surprise!  Brother Floyd, Mary, and Susan!  Susan just got called to be the Relief Society secretary and Bro Floyd was able to go to the Temple last month and Mary is just wonderful! They are all doing soooo well and loving the gospel!  It makes me so happy to see them continue to progress in the gospel! :)

Also, this week I have another opportunity (who knew I would get the chance to sing so often) to sing for a Tri-Mission Conference that Sistee Bonnie Oscarson will be attending!! Whoop! Sister Bates and another Sister from our mission will be singing In a Trio!  What an honor!  I can't wait to see how it all works out because we got asked last minute to share our talents.  I have truly gained a testimony of the power behind music and how it can truly bring the spirit in so strong!  Always share your talents!  :)

Lots of pictures this week! Get ready! :)

Seriously, being a missionary is the best calling.  I have truly seen the gospel bless families and my testimony of the Savior is strengthen every day!  My love for Lord and His sheep grows everyday I hope to be able to help and find those who are ready for His gospel!

Love y'all and have a great week!

Week #42 - Zone Conference, COPS, and more MIRACLES!

Howdy!

This week has been a great one and we are continuing to see the miracles!  So we set 2 more baptismal dates with Yesenia and her two boys this week all for March 26!  So prepared!  After we teach Plan of Salvation, our mission President has us teach Temples and History so they can "Begin with the End in mind!"  So this week we were able teach her the importance and blessings of Temples and she is so excited!  She has been calling her family to figure our her family tree already!  The spirit of Elijah is so real.  She also referred us to her friend who is now an investigator as well!  We plan on teaching the whole family!

Sandy is also on track for her date and the members are truly just loving her so much!  It's amazing!  She feels like she has friends and even though her family isn't 100% on board, she knows this is what she's been looking for.  It is amazing to see the change in her already!  Sandy is also really excited to get into family history and we have already set her Temple Date to do baptisms!  I know it's because we have truly helped them understand what the end goal is--eternal life with our families and it's only possible through the ordinances in the Temple.  We are just so excited for them!

So on Sunday we had almost every recent convert at church as well!  We realized how many recent converts there are and really tried to make the effort to make sure they were coming to church and then they came!  We are hoping to start them all with family history as well. :)  We are constantly finding to make sure we can continue our teaching pool and find those that are truly prepared for the gospel. :)  We have a couple new solid investigators who should be coming to church this next week as well!

Okay so story time . . .

One night, we were knocking on doors on what is said to be the "ghetto" (but really it's nothing compared to the Hearne area!) AND a cop shows up!  He asked us if we were Nuns because he ran our plates and figured we were some kind of missionaries.  Haha  It was a super funny experience.  He told us he had been getting calls that we were "suspicious" and he just told us to take it easy past dark ... well when it gets dark at 7 and prime time finding time is 6-8, it's makes it kind of hard.  But we are finding other places to go and tract as well.  But now I can officially say I've had the cops called on me ... for trying to share the gospel! :) best reason EVER!

This week was also Zone Conference.  President Mortensen always blows my mind!  My companion Sister Ray had to give a talk and she did sooo well!  So proud!  We were also given a new way to teach the first lesson and wow, it works!  I also got to be a part of a musical number for Zone Conference with Sister Bates (Soprano), Elder Berry (Tenor), Elder Mikesell (Guitar) and Sister Weaver (Piano) and I was the alto!  We sang a medley of "Love One Another" and "Heavenly Father Loves Me" with a 3rd verse.  It was so beautiful!  I have a recording but it's too long to send but we shall see! :)

This week has definitely been a great one! :)

 Here are some pics!

Love y'all!

Love,
Sister Pinster

Week #41 - Keeps Getting BETTER!

Hey Y'all!

Seriously, I am so happy here in Waller County!  Sister Ray is amazing and is the perfect companion and knows how to get the job done!  We are always on the same page. :)

So ... drum roll please ... we set a baptismal date with SANDY!  March 12!  She's so ready. Her husband has not been very supportive but she is working through it and we are getting the members to reach out to her every day.  She loves church and feels at home and knows God has already answered her prayers.  She even told one of the LA who came to church yesterday that she is going to be joining!  So amazing.  Sandy is the best.

We also got 12 member presents this week and 10 new gators!  Planning is so key and we already have about 10 more lessons lined up for this week! :)

We are planning on setting a baptismal date with Yesenia tonight with her two boys for March, and we are going to start teaching her friend as well! It's amazing how many members in the Ward are converts!  I would say over half of them are because they all have amazing testimonies to share with investigators.  The Ward is so missionary minded and truly are already doing it on their own, we are just the ones who knock the doors.  We are also working with all of the recent converts now that we have officially met them all!  We are helping them see the bigger picture as the Temple, and plan on having the Thomas family go to the Temple for the first time this month! :)

This week has probably been one of the best weeks in the mission for me.  So much love and our investigators are progressing!  We have the Ward on our side and the Lord.  I can see the miracles happen every day and I'm so excited to see them this week as well.  I love being an STL and I truly do feel like a leader, and it's fun being in the loop of things. :)

Love the work!  Love the mission life.  And I love my Savior.

Hope y'all have a wonderful week!

Here are some pics for y'all! :)

Sister Ray and I went to the Ward RS Activity, and we actually got asked last minute to teach a mini lesson during it, AND it was based off the movie, "8 Cow Woman!"  Super cute!  and cute pictures ...

At the Waller Chapel with my cute companion on Valentine's Day!
(We had the Elders take our pic, and now I have a
couple hundred selfies of them on my iPad ,,, Elders! ...)

PURE HAPPINESS!
Yesenia's 3-week-old puppy!!!

Week #40 - WHAT A WEEK!!!

Hey Y'all!

Wow, I don't even know where to start!  Haha

Tuesday we had MLC for all of the Zone Leaders and STLs in the mission!  Wow!  What a learning experience!  Pres. Mortensen is amazing and we had a wonderful training!  Also, he gave me a shoutout during the training on always being positive, no matter what the circumstances are.  He told everyone about how we found 14 new investigators our first week of whitewashing and how it shows when we never give up, miracles happen.  It's so true!

On top of that, President asked me to do the ROLEPLAY in front of everyone at MLC!  What an experience that was!  Sis. Bates and I both did and rocked it. :)
 

But, at the end of the meeting, we were giving some sad news ... One of my first STLs from the mission, who recently finished her mission, was killed in a car accident in Utah.  It was a very emotional time for us as a mission and very surprising.  Sister Jeppson was/is one of the best missionaries I have ever met and truly taught me so much.  She will be missed but her legacy will forever go on.  She's doing what she loves, sharing the gospel.  Love her!

SISTER PINSTER AND SISTER JEPPSON LAST FALL
(. . . ONE OF THE BEST!)

Then, on Thursday I had a doctor appointment in College Station for my throat and ears ... long story short, they wanted me to get a CAT scan, and I did.  No worries, it's nothing too serious.  I just might have to have my tonsils taken out soon, but tomorrow I have another appointment with the ENT to figure out the next step. :)

AT THE COLLEGE STATION ER FOR A CAT SCAN ...

And there were so many miracles happening through out the week.  I have felt so much love and comfort from all of you and I truly appreciate it! :)

And yesterday we had all of our progressing investigators at church!!  The Waller Ward is the best and truly know how to make people feel at home!  Everyone is so friendly and country.  Haha  Cowboy boots and all. :)  I love it!

But yes, so my week has been a roller coaster but all is well! :)

I love the Gospel.  The Church is True, and I love being a missionary.

Love you all and have a great week! :)

Love,
Sister Pinster

This is in my area so yay to campus work!
We are currently setting up a weekly family history class here.

At MTC with my main Sista -- Sista Soto!
(Every time we see each other, we take a selfie!  
MTC Memories!)

This is Texas for y'all!  Haha  Love it!



Week #39 - Country Livin' in the Promised Land - TRANSFERRED!

Hello Everyone!

Well, I have been transferred to WALLER TEXAS aka the COUNTRY!  President Mortensen called me at 11 pm on Monday night (the night before transfers) and had the impression I was suppose to be transferred to the Cypress Stake/Zone!  And guess what else...he said I was going to be so excited because Sister Selee (my baby in the mission) is in my Zone! 

AND HE WANTS ME TO BE AN STL (Sister Training Leader)! Whoop! So yes I am in Waller, but not only that but...my new comp and I are WHITEWASHING!  They had two sets of Spanish missionaries before and now it's one set of English and one Spanish!

Talk about stressful ... transfer meeting was at 9 am Tuesday morning and I had to pack!! Needless to say...we got about 5 hours of sleep....but all is well! :) adventures!

MY NEW COMP!  SISTER RAY FROM BILLINGS MONTANA
CUTEST SISTER EVER!!!!

And what an interesting week it has been.  Haha  I think there are way too many miracles to just name one but for the miracle...We have found 14 new investigators this week! Three solid families who we feel are really prepared! We have been finding like crazy and talking to everyone about the Gospel! Miracles! Our week is booked with appointments and the members are amazing and so willing to come with us! The Ward is awesome and already feels a great big family! This place is exploding with sooo many things to do and people to teach!

Sandy, one of the investigators who met missionaries in Utah this past week on a trip, came to church for the first time and loved it.  She already had a Book of Mormon and was reading it before we even got her referral information to go see her.  She's so amazing! She's a cop here in Waller and has been very curious about the "Mormons."  When she was in Utah, she went to Temple Square and loved it!  We got her information and were sooo surprised at everything she already knows! :)

James and Lemary (married couple who recently had a baby and go to Prairie View A&M), were seeking for the Gospel but didn't know they were until we knocked on their door.  We shared "Because of Him" with them and James has always wanted to figure out how to make his guilt become peace.  He never knew it was possible but when we explained and invited him to be baptized to receive a remission of sins, he understood! Seriously these people in this town are so prepared!  I feel so blessed to be able to be a part of the Lord's work here in Waller and I love it here!

The Country is my favorite, as y'all already know. :) 

OBSESSED WITH THE ANIMALS
We live with members and these little ones live in our back yard!

Okay but besides all of this craziness ... I MET PRESIDENT RUSSELL M. NELSON ON SATURDAY!

ELDER RUSSELL M. NELSON
What an Awesome Man!

He came to Houston for a Tri-Mission Conference and we each got to shake his hand!  What an incredible experience!  A whole church building full of over 700 missionaries, and President Nelson.  Truly an experience I will never forget!

Okay,..so many things this week but it was also CHRIS's BAPTISM ON SUNDAY! 

After Chris' baptism with all my favorite elders!

Sister Bates, Chris, Sister Pinster

Sister Bates and I had a mini reunion and got to go and see him and all of our Bear Creek friends!  Baptisms are one of the best and most spiritual parts of serving a mission. They make the craziness seem like no big deal. :) 

REUNITED AT MISSION CONFERENCE

I love this Gospel and I love Texas.  I loveeeee being a missionary and I can't believe it's already been 9 months ... Time needs to slow down! :) 

Anyways, love y'all soooo much and have a great week! 

My new address is:

Sister Taylor Pinster 

38860 Wyatt Chapel Rd. 

Hempstead, TX 77445 



...AND LOOK WHO ELSE I FOUND!  HAHA