Week 9 of Sister Braten's Mission!

Dear Parents and Siblings, Mother, I am so glad you got the package. I know the little things were silly, but I am rather poor so I did the best I could. However, as I explained, my gift each month will be a talk and a specific challenge. I know the greatest gift in life is not the material things but the things of the spirit.Dad told me last year he hoped that Christmas would be more Christ centered. My prayer is that the challenges you receive and take will make your year more Christ Centered. I am doing pretty well today. My companion is being transferred to Arlington Heights and Opening an area. Bless her heart. She is doing it with a brand new missionary too. She has a lot of faith, and I know she will do awesome. My new companion will be sister Mccluskey. I know nothing about her except that she is a red head. Haha. You are right mom, pops is awesome. I often use him as an example of a righteous priesthood holder when I teach certain things. I also use stories that you have shared with me. It is amazing how the spirit brings it to my remembrance. You asked about if I had had zone conference. Yes indeed. you have one to two a transfer. Last transfer we had three. The biggest thing they focus on is obedience. I guess they have struggled with it here. A lot of Elder/ Sister relationships apparently. I kind of chuckle about it because honestly, I didn't come here to get to "know" the elders, so when I hear about the double dates happening I just shake my head. I would never want a guy who was focused on that instead of focusing on the work while on a mission. So, my point is the obedience thing not to big of a deal. I kind of never think about the things I am not doing, because I love what I am doing. The spirit just is with you so much more when you don't have outside distractions so it is an awesome opportunity to be doing this. Plus, I figure I would never ever want my parents to be displeased with my conduct, so I keep the rules. I remember waking up one morning going o my goodness I do not want to get up. The Lord quickly brought my parents to my mind so I fell out of bed and began to pray and start my daily tasks. Thank you for the package you will send me. Go ahead and send it to my apartment. Mine is very safe. It is delivered to the management and they call us to come get it. So, it will be fine. Also, could you send a copy of P90x or Jillian michaels or yoga? It is getting to cold to jump rope on my balcony at 6:30 this morning was especially brutal. Umm....things to tell you. My spiritual thought for the week is this, read 1 nephi 15-17, think about the afflictions they wen through, the hard times they had, and notice how the only person who kept going was Nephi. Why did nephi keep going? Because he had decided in his youth to follow God no matter what. I like 12-13, it says how he could not have a fire. How often do we think a commandment from God is kind of Hard, but when we do it the happier we are. Nephi in chapter 5 of 2 nephi shows how the Lord truly had blessed them. My thought is this, the Lord often has a plan or path for each one of us, it requires personal sacrifice, humility and Faith, but he promises something great as we do the things he asks. I have noticed that God always gives us something to hope for, but in order to truly receive that blessing we must "wade through afflictions". I believe that is our entire life. Obviously ether 12:6 comes to my mind, but I loved how plainly it was shown in 1 nephi. I just love the Lord. I love the tender mercies he allows us to have as we "put our hand to the plough and never look back"Luke 9:62. We had a wonderful friday and Saturday. We had meetings or a very sick sister Braten the other few days. Yes, I was down with the Flu. I was so weak I would wake up at 6:30 and not be able to move. haha. But, I am doing much better. I think I am going to run a lot when the weather gets warmer. I think that Might help my passing out sensations because it will relieve stress. I don't do to bad, but running is when I ponder what God is blessing me with. I just feel so much better when I run. So, saturday, we trackted into two solid people. They are our new investigators. I am ridiculously excited. One of them, allowed us to come in right away and teach the message of the restoration. She invited us back tonight. Pray Pray Pray that her heart will be soft so that the spirit may penetrate. She told us, "I will never shut my door on the Lord.So come on in." The other guy was pretty solid. He says, if it is true, I will join, but I have to know it is true. Solid right? I told him that the Lord wanted him to know it was true, and that if he sincerely prayed and pondered the scriptures, he would know it was true. We have that promise in moroni 10:3-5 A funny thing that happened this week, at zone conference a sister said, "Sister Braten, I wish I knew the scriptures like you do." I laughed because the only reason I know the scriptures is because my parents taught them to me. Daily scripture study, family home evening, I have been taught of Goodly parents. So thank you so much for all you have taught me. Also, I have had wonderful teachers and leaders and siblings, so truthfully I know them because of that. It was pretty funny when she said it. Another funny thing was that my companion talks in her sleep and gives the lessons, however, she sat up and kept trying to get me to pray with her (in her sleep talking) she said she got so mad when I wouldn't. Of course, I was asleep and unaware that she wanted me to pray with her Fictitious investigator. If I had been, of course I would have prayed with her. I love you all a lot. I look forward to the things you share with me. I chuckle a lot from every letter you send. Don't ever think I don't cherish even the applesauce stories because I do. Thank you for the examples you have been to me. Please keep praying for my investigators they are having many afflictions right now. Love you! Love, Sister Braten

Another one!

Hi Family, Yes! I am finally 21....to be honest I never thought I'd live to be that age. I was sure someone was going to dispose of me before then. It has been a crazy week. I was in a lot of Meetings this week. I don't mind meetings, but I'd rather be working. I actually am starting to enjoy teaching. I have taught several descent lessons now so my confidence is building. I am sorry to hear addie had her appendix removed. I hope someone showed her madeline. If not, Am you have my permission to borrow that. Give her a hug from me. I sure love that girl. Mother thank you so much for the package... Tate and Matthew have impeccable taste when it comes to Jewelry and Scarves. I love that you are trying to make me so feminine. Not sure yet if it is working. Haha just kidding. I actually love doing my hair, make up and accessorizing myself. It gives me time to think and ponder. I am sorry everyone is so sick. I must be having sympathy pains. I had to sleep all of Saturday because I was so ill. I kept passing out. I would stand up and have tunnel vision and fall back down. Doing better now. Prayer really works. Mother, you said you have been praying for our dear investigator. Thank you. We all are. We love her so much and truly hope for the best. We do not know the will of God, but we can be assured that he is always just and merciful. My package to you should get there wednesday, watch for it. I have some stuff in there that is interesting. haha. however, I hope you enjoy it. Mom, I will send you something to do with Chickens in a card for your birthday. Please name one borris! That would be legit. We are teaching some lovely people right now. I have to say Benton was right. I just love the people of Chicago. They have so many wonderful qualities . One lady we are teaching is probably the coolest lady ever. She can take a clipping of any plant and have it grow into a huge plant. She had a clipping from a California plant and made it grow in Chicago. That is nuts. I need to learn from her. Lacey is celestial. Her birthday is today, so I am trying to get something for her so she can have a wonderful birthday. I think she is about 24. She served in Uruguay, and her son Elijah was born the day I entered the MTC. Is that nuts or what? I thought it was awesome. We talked about how when I go home he will be entering primary. I kind of think it is awesome to watch his weekly progression because it reminds me of my own. Our members are awesome. They truly have so many good desires to be member missionaries. We help with the ward mission plan, and I was pondering as I did my hair what we could do to get them excited. The idea came to my mind to do what I call the 12 missionary keys to becoming closer to Christ. Yes, I hold copyrights. Each month is a key to coming closer to Christ. This month the key is the to being able to love as christ loves. We share Matthew 22:36-40, and then challenge each member to get to know a neighbor or in other words someone they don't know. The blessing that comes is the key. We learn to love others as we get to know them and invite them to come unto Christ. Each month has a challenge, a scripture and key or blessing. I thought up the idea, sister carlton brainstormed challenges and scriptures and our mission leader perfected it. Team work to the core. How do you like it? We have taught several members the concept, and they absolutely love it. They said, "that is easy". Our purpose is to show them that it is easy to be a member missionary. I was at mission counsel this week as well as new missionary training. Mother I cannot wait until your birthday. That will be my 3rd transfer and I will no longer be a "greenie". It blows to be so new. However, I have decided that the Lord is teaching me a Christlike attribute in each part of my mission. Charity is one that will be with me the entire time...but the emphasis right now is humility. Be thou humble, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee and give thee answer to thy prayers. D&C 112:10. There are many other scriptures that invite us to be humble. I am learning that humility is pretty dang hard, but extremely necessary. Mother, you will be a divine temple prep teacher. Are you still teaching Relief society? To be honest, I think they should try and make the Temple prep twelve weeks instead of six. I wish I had truly appreciated the temple more before I entered. However, I love it now. Tell the boys, the more they go before the mission, the more the mission will make sense. The more the spirit will work with in them. Mother, I am sending that address in the package. So, look for it. :) Thank you again for my flowers. You read my mind on the White Cardigen. I have been needing one. Well, the work goes forward. I love you lots. Love Sister Braten.