Missionaries, Missionaries Everywhere!

zone hike

missionaries, missionaries, everywhere!

have you ever been hiking with 20 mormon missionaries?  

i have

the oregonian forest

me and sister harris (i don't think we are related...i asked)

an elder found this NASTY slug and sister barret and another elder got dared to lick it....

...so they did.

 portland

elders being elders

service chopping up trees

sis. powner and brother gaudreau

me and brother gaudreau

sis powner found a salamander

missionary vs. blackberry bushes

 

missionaries won

Well, happy post mothers day!

I loved talking to my family and I loved seeing you guys. The mission sure makes you appreciate you family...especially my family because you're awesome.

Last Monday we had a Zone Hike. (see above pictures) We hiked up these trails right behind the Portland Zoo. It was the perfect day for a hike. Not too hot, not too cold, kind of sunny and didn't start raining till the very end. And the Oregonian forest is beautiful. Such a beautiful part of the world Portland is. Anywho, I felt like I was on a 5th grade field trip. The elders and sisters were being crazy! Well, mostly the elders. They were just acting their age. The member who came with us, Brother Baird (he is like in his late 60s but he is a beast...totally ahead of everyone, just charging like a boss) Said he is the scout leader in his ward and he said this hike was like leading a bunch of scouts. It was fun though. It was great to be in the outdoors, moving and grooving .

This Friday we went to Julie's mom funeral.  The hospice chaplain conducted the service and she did a pretty good job but without the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, death is very very sad. She kept saying phrases like "The circle of life is a beautiful thing...." but it just didn't bring a lot of comfort.

Yesterday we attended another Christian church because we had a friend of that faith invited us. We thought sure, we'll go! Anyway, it was cool because everyone was super friendly to us and welcoming even though we were Mormon missionaries. The Pastor even came up to us after the service and said he wanted to study the Mormon religion because his daughter had questions about Mormons and he doesn't know how to answer her. And he also never got a chance to study the Mormon religion during his religious studies to become a pastor. So he wanted to know the best way to go about that. You talk to us buddy! So that was pretty cool. We'll see if he calls us and wants to meet. It would be a different set of missionaries who teach him because he doesn't live in our area but we did invite him to church next Sunday because we are having a "Bring a Friend to Church" Sunday. Yours truly is speaking on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We had another impromptu lesson with Amber. We went by to set up an appointment but she was ready to meet right then and there. We showed her an "I'm a Mormon" video. Then she whips out her phone and she shows us the Lindsay Stirling "I'm a Mormon" video. She said she really likes her.  Awesome! Those "I'm a Mormon" videos are amazing. Have you guys seen the new ones? My favorite is the drummer from the band Neon Trees.

You can also see the video by clicking here. 

We had a cool experience finding a potential the other day. So, we stop by Amber's apartment to set something up but she wasn't home so walking back to our car we see these kids hanging out in found of their apartment and we see them all the time because they are always hanging out whenever we stop by Amber's and I felt like we should talk to them, but I'm like nah, I don't walk to talk to them. Then we use the restroom of a member's down the street because I had to use the restroom and I still had that nagging feeling to see them. So we walk back up and start talking to them and it turns out that the 14 year old girl we were talking to, mom is a pretty solid potential that we have been trying to find that the elders gave us but we had the wrong address. The girl said her mom was on the phone but to try again later. We have been by again but the mom was taking a nap. Hmmmm, we will just keep on trying.

We met with a member this week. She is the less-active we tracted into that we didn't know was a less-active till the second appointment. We shared with her the Restoration and showed he the Restoration movie. She's like, "Hey, I remember this movie!" Haha, yup! We told her in this lesson we saw she was a member because she was in the ward directory. We asked if she remembered getting baptized. She said she did and she had to go under twice because her foot came up the first time. She got baptized when she was nine, ten years ago. She said she might be able to go to church this sunday and we sure hope she does.

We met with Tony and taught him about the Holy Ghost. I sure do love meeting with them. Even if Tony is super stubborn and won't come to church just because, "Well, I just don't want too..." Maybe he'll come this Sunday cuz I'm speaking and I can try to get him to come to hear me speak. He really likes us so maybe he will.

This week is suppose to be in the 80s. How do you spell hallelujah?! I need to get more shirts that I can wear without undershirts. Cuz last time it was in the 80s I was dying. Maybe next week we can make a Goodwill run. Actually I might be transferred next week. Or maybe not. I feel like I'm gunna be in this area forever. So if I don't write next monday, you will hear from me Tuesday.

K, gotta run. I love my family. The church is true!

Love,

Sister KMAGIZZLE

Weather Forcast Last Week: "SUNNY AND HOT!..."

"....But, of course, now it is cold and rainy again. Ah well, summer is a comin'! We hear it stops raining in like, July."

we are advertising a ward game night/crazy hat adult party

so it was 85 on thursday soooooooooo 

i got some sun-in and we did weekly planning outside! 

oh happy day!

 and don't worry i also got sunscreen....

this one is for dad...

...he is the principal at Gladstone High School...in Calif

thanks for the poster cousins! i got the best family ever! 

Aloha from Aloha!

This is gunna have to be a quicky cuz we don't have a lot of time because we are actually going to go on an hike today! Yipp-eeeeeee! So we gots limited time folks......

So sad...so I saw president on Saturday at a baptism for someone in Sister Powner's old area and he said that Sister Newman is going home on Wednesday because her foot is not getting any better and it's only getting worse. That made me oh so sad. He said I could call her that day so I did. Man, I miss that chicka. She was a great trainer...I'm starting to realize that more and more now that we are not together. I also ran into her at Winco this morning so it was good to see her one last time. Poor thing. I hope everything works out and her foot gets better.

So on Wednesday and Thursday it was so SUNNY AND HOT! Like 85 degrees folks! Man, I was sweating and it was great! We had weekly planning outside and I bought some sun-in and sunscreen. Putting on that sunscreen kind of put me in a trance. It brought me back to the pool, the ocean, Hawaii, Bahamas, home, EVERYTHING! I love the smell of sunscreen! Just cuz it means fun in the sun I guess. If ever I get gloomy because there is no sun maybe I should just put on sunscreen. We had lunch with our district outside on Wednesday for just an hour and I got a little pink on my arms and legs. Wow, that hasn't happened in a looooooong time. We weren't even outside that long. But, of course, now it is cold and rainy again. Ah well, summer is a comin'! We hear it stops raining in like, July.

We taught two of our investigators  this week. The first one went well. We taught baptism and it was great because their daughter is getting baptized in Texas in a few weeks so it was a good topic to teach...this week it will be the Holy Ghost. I really like the their family.

It was a good lesson with our other investigator, but we have hit a wall. He is so nice and pleasant, has a strong Christian/Catholic background, really believes in good works and service but he doesn't believe a lot of the stuff in the Bible really happened. That made it hard teaching him about Adam and Eve and the fall. He believes a lot of the Bible stories are just that...stories. Written to teach us about principles and morals and to explain stuff like the nature of man. So, he doesn't believe that Adam and Eve literally existed. Hmmmmmmm. We read 2 Nephi 2 with him. Bro. Johnson and Sis. Swallow came. Bro. Johnson is great. So glad to have him there. He kind of reminds me of Dad...quiet type but super knowledgeable about the gospel and presents it in a simple way.

We taught a less-active in the ward. 72, super nice. She used to work in the temple and really enjoyed that but has gotten out of the habit of attending church so she hasn't been in years. Her testimony is still there though. She just needs some feeding.

We were able to do a stop by lesson with another sister in the ward.  She is 40-ish, was baptized a few years ago and is now less-active. Every time we go by she talks about her sister missionaries that tracted into her and introduced her to the church. She says they saved her life. She has a testimony too but has gotten back into some old habits. She is super hard to get a hold of so we were so happy that she let us in yesterday. She just needs to know that she is loved and missed. She used to be a primary teacher when she was first baptized. We showed her the Because of Him video. It's a great video.

You can also see the video by clicking here

We went tracting yesterday and it was like POURING and we go walking up to this house and this guy is standing in his garage and he starts waving us and talking to us and stuff. That usually doesn't happen. Usually when people are in their garage and see us walking up they try to avoid eye-contact. This guy is probably in his 40’s-ish and he says he is not a member but he loves Mormons and he actually pays tithing to our church. Wow. His business mentor dude is Mormon and  he talks about the church with him and he used to meet with missionaries. He was talking like 90 miles a minute. He told us he has ADHD. Um yeah buddy, like ADHD times a million. We asked him if he has ever read the Book of Mormon. He says he hasn't but has one right here...then he pulls one out of the cubby hole in her garage. He says to call him in three days and he will have read a chapter. Sure thing man...no need telling us twice. He was asking a lot of questions....very valid questions but it was hard to answer right then and there. We will be better prepared with a set appointment. Stay tuned.

I can't wait to talk to y'alls on Sunday!

Love,
Sister Mag

Spring has Sprung in Oregon

zone p-day last week....misstionary nerf activity at the ward building

 look what i found while we were tracting -a beehive

missionary with her ipad...this was actcaully when we were tracting down in the country area and we had because of him playing on repeat for the soundtrack. we do it in the car too...but it sounded especially epic with walking down epic farmlands and such.

You can check out the soundtrack for Because of Him by clicking here

Hello everybody!

Another week has come and gone. Today has been nice. Sis. Powner and I discovered this random trail by the high school and we had a picnic there. And I didn't wear my jacket. That is always awesome.

This week we walked around a lot which was awesome! I haven't really walked around in 6 months. We tracted this street way out in the boon dogs...kind of countyish so it was real pretty. It was rainy/sunny. we talked to this lady for like 30 min. She is probably in her 80s, maybe a has a little dementia but super nice. Said a mormon lady would come over before and she would tell her stuff. See,  all people have to do is be nice to us, even if they don't want to hear us and it would make missionary life so much more pleasant...at least while we are tracting,  that is.

We had an impromptu lesson with our invistigator we have been teaching. We were suppose to have a lesson on Wednesday but she wasn't home so we went over Thursday to sent something up (she doesn't have a phone) and she was all ready to meet right then and there so we were like sweet, lets head to the picnic tables! It was her birthday last week so we gave her a Book of Mormon reader and some fake mustaches and sticky starfishes. The lesson we had with her was pretty scattered. It always seems like her lessons are scattered. She didn't do her Strength of Youth reading. Bummer. So we read the section on Friends with her. Then we talked a little bit more about prophets and read 1 Nephi 1 with her and committed her to read her Book of Mormon reader because that is probably easier for her.

So do you guys remember when I spoke at that baby's funeral a few months ago? We met with the sister of the mom who's baby died (Julie) a few times after that. She was a former investigator in some other area and apparently  almost got baptized but never did for some reason or another. But then we could never get a hold of her. Wouldn't call or text us back. Never was home when we would go by....it was always her boyfriend that would answer the door. He would say the funniest things to us. Like the first time he took one look at Sis. Newman and I and said with the most perplexed look on his face, "Who are y'all?" Then we would come back in the rain and he would say, "You out here in the rain?! Y'alls gunna catch pneumonia!" Then the first time we came back with Sis. Newman's medical boot on he said, "Look at you! You've gone done break your leg!" Anywho, I guess you'd had to be there. So Julie calls us Saturday and from months not hearing from her and said her mom passed away and she was going to be at church tomorrow. Wow. Her mom was on hospice and was not in a real good way. Anyway, she came to church and she was very, very sad. She is going through a lot of trials right now. I hope we can know how to help her.

K, I should probably get going. Thanks everyone for writing. Its one of the highlights of my week!

Church is true!

Love,

Sis. Magnusson

this pic is for the seamons. 

we are playing SCOPA! bro. erikson served his mission in italy and wanted to play after dinner and i was like, "oh, I've totally played this game before with my neighbors!" didnt' remember how to play though but it made me excited and think of the seamons :)

Where's Waldo? I Mean, Where's Sis. Magnusson?

Sister Magnusson sent a picture of the Oregon Portland Mission taken during Christmas.  

See if you can pick her out.

Click on the picture to see a closer view

Here is a clue: 

Hi Sis. Newman!  I see you too. 

"We Got to do Service Three Times this Week!"

me and my comp, sis. powner

feeding the duckies sis. newman's leftover gluten free bread.  

we are at the pond by the library.

a rainbow at the chapel  

death to the blackberries!  doing service at the shaws' backyard...

totally overrun with blackberry bushes.

happy birthday, sis powner, yesterday!

we are at our district meeting.  

we had to teach the restoration with blindfolds.  

it is harder than you think.  

the elders are our zone leaders. they are teaching sis. harris

at the relief society activity, we were part of a skit where we were ants

doing service at the hornibrooks

setting bricks and moving rocks

elder wilkinson is in the purple shirt, elder gray in the blue shirt...

and then arron is sis. hornibrook's son

Why, hello everybody!

Thanks for all your emails...i haven't read them all yet because time is a limited today...I might read them later on my iPad or print them, but I will read them.  You bet I will!

I met an Elder Hindricksen at a Zone p-day a couple of weeks ago. I overheard him saying that their was an earthquake in his hometown and I am like, hey are you from LaHabra? He said, yeah. Do you know the Albrecht's?  Yeah, Pres. Albrecht started his mission papers with him! Turns out he's not from cousin's ward but the other LaHabra ward.   But he knows cousins and stuff. He was asking about Dane and I also told him that Alec just got his mission call. Small world, eh?

This week was alright. We did get to do service three times this week! Yippee for service! I LOVE doing manual labor and wear real clothes. It's great. So get this...we have Elders in our ward too right? Well one of them got transferred last transfer and we got a new elder named Elder Wilkinson. Turns out Elder Wilinson's sister is in the Reedville Ward. Sister Jessica Hornibrook. She's married and has a couple of young kids. Sis. Hornibrook came to one of our lessons with a less-active family a few weeks ago. Crazy huh! I can't imagine serving in the same ward as Renee, or  Rachel, or Lisa, or Janelle.   It would be too weird! Elder Wilkinson and his sister look JUST LIKE EACH OTHER. It's pretty hilarious. Anywho, we had a service project at the Hornibrooks the other day, setting down brick things for there front yard and moving rocks and stuff. It was fun. Even got to talk to their neighbors which was good.

We also had a service project at the Shaws’ home Saturday morning. The Shaws are a family in the ward. They are on a 6 week vacation so the High Priest Group leader who is also their neighbor organized a service project with the other high priests (and the elder and sister missionaries ) to try to get rid of their blackberry bushes that have overrun their backyard. We made some good progress and once again it was going and digging in the earth and being outside. It's kind of funny being at a service project with a bunch of high priests.  No one really talks much, just does their thing, getting it done.

We had the best experience tracting the other day! We ACTUALLY got in a house! That is the first time that has ever happened to Sister Powner and I. We also had a young woman with us. Shoot man, we need to bring a young woman every time we go tracting. Anyway, we knock on this door, this 19 year old answers and before we even really say anything she's like, "Come in!"  Oh, okay. The older sister is eating Lucky Charms, we say hi to her. Then the 19 year old starts showing us all her artwork. She likes to draw anatomy. The dad walks in, and he starts chattin' away. He is talking to me and his daughter is still showing off her artwork to Sis. Powner and the young woman. Turns out his mom and brother are Mormon and they "are always sickin' the Mormon missionaries on me." We told him we were tracting and didn't know he lived there. We were in their house for like a good 45 min to an hour just chattin' away. Well, more like they were talking to us. And finally I was able to ask if we could share a message with them. I showed them "Hope ya Know, We Had a Hard Time" Mormon message because  it talks about the Atonement and it was almost Easter.  (You can see the video by clicking here)  They said they liked it and then they kept talking. I tried to bear my testimony in there about it but couldn't get much in. But they are super nice. Said we could come back and seem excited for us to come on Tuesday! We are going to try to shared the Restoration with them and maybe we will watch the video.

We had a lesson with our younger investigator and her mom joined us! And it was a member's house that lives close by so we didn't have to teach them outside their apartment complex. We taught them about the Ten Commandments and were going to tie it into having a prophet today giving us commandments but they kind of cut it short so we barely talked about Pres. Monson. We gave them a Strength of Youth Pamphlet and hopefully they will read it.

We taught  the husband of a member.   The wife thanked us for teaching him. The husband has a little dementia so she said that he doesn't really remember the lesson we taught last week but he loves meeting with us because it gives him purpose to get ready for the day, shave, and feel the spirit and that  is what she wants. She said his heart has softened much over the years. Their daughter who is in her 30's is getting baptized this summer. She is in the Navy and lives in Texas now but, is going to be baptized here so her parents can come. The mother is so excited for her!

OK, got to go, but I love you guys and can't wait to talk to some of y'alls on Mother's Day!

Love,
Sis. Magnusson

"The Church is True! The Book of Mormon is True!"

sorry, this is the only pic this week....i should have been taking more since it has been georgous out but i haven't....more next week though.

i got such an awesome birthday package from my bestest friend kalie johnson. she knew of all the right things to send me and even sent the shirt i'm wearing and it fits perfectly! and amazing homemade cookies. 

 

 Hello family!

I sat down here at this computer at the Hillsboro Library, when about 2 minutes later three cops show up and walk up to the teenager I'm sitting next too and say, "So how long have you been on the run, Chris?" He says since yesterday.  Then they handcuff him and take him away. Hmmmmm....just thought you'd like to know.

So it's been one full week with my new comp....

This week has been GORGEOUS! Oregon is really, truly, beautiful. Especially when the sun decides to pop out. So many trees with beautiful, beautiful blossoms. There are blossom petals everywhere on the ground.  Saturday was super-duper nice so that means when we tracted, tried to contact potentials, see less-actives, NO ONE WAS HOME. Because everybody was out and about. There was lots of people taking walks or working in the yard but when people are walking or working in their yard....well, they are doing just that, walking or working in the yard. They are not too keen on talking to missionaries. Ugh. I'm not very good at street contacting either. People don't really talk to people here so it's kind of awkward to strike up random conversations with people...they give you funny looks. But, we did have a tender mercy while tracting on Saturday. It was the last few houses we were going to do for the day and we knock on this door in a new development, and this lady opens it a crack and I say, "Hi! How are ya?!" and she says, "I'm allergic to the sun so I cant talk to you ladies now." Then I'm like, "Oh well we are missionaries and we are just giving people a card to this great website...." I'm shuffling through my bag trying to find a mormon.org card....I just gave my last one away, drat. "It's a website called familysearch.org...." (I only had familysearch cards left) She takes the card and kind of looks at it in disbelief. "It's a really awesome website where you can go and do your family history, find your ancestors, learn where you came from." Then she says after just staring at it for a while, "I haven't seen my sister for twenty years. Do you think I can find her through this?" "Ummmmmm, yeah, it might be possible." Anyway....it was just kind of cool. I hope she goes on it and finds her sister. It probably won't show much if she is still living but maybe if she's passed away she can learn more. We'll have to go back and followup.... on a rainy day.

We had a lesson with our investigator on Tuesday....Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was my first time with Sis. Powner so the lesson wasn't that great. We took  Bro. Johnson from the ward. He's about our investigator’s age  (50s/60sish) and he basically saved the lesson. Our investigator’s concern is that he doesn't see why we need the Book of Mormon because from what he has read so far it teaches the same thing as the Bible...so what's so special about it? Sighhhhhh. Oh....I wish I could just instill to people the knowledge of what I have on the Book of Mormon and just say wha-lah! Now, don't you see! But instead he has to hear two imperfect missionaries try testify to him why the Book of Mormon is important, why we need it with the Bible. They work hand in hand!

Our other investigators  came to church for the first time. They were late but they came. The 10 years old has a really good friend from the ward and they were together the whole time which was good. No Gospel Essential class that Sunday (the one sunday we have an investigator there is no class....) so we go to gospel doctrine (lesson was on Moses), then relief society lesson was on Joseph Smith and Hyrum. Our investigator  told us that we focus too much on Joseph Smith and not Jesus Christ in our church.  And why do we need the Book of Mormon, the good word is all found in the Bible (do we see a theme here...?) Aye ya aye, I left church feeling rather discouraged. But then in choir practice we sung a beautiful song about the Savior that we are singing for Easter and it made me feel better.

On Saturday we had dinner with the Gaudreaus (the people we had dinner with on Sis. Newman's birthday and they invited their neighbors) and  and they said they talked to their neighbors the other day  and they said that they really enjoyed the evening. they said they were super impressed with the after dinner thought, how professional we were, how we weren't pushy, we asked great questions that could be answered by them who were not of the Mormon faith and the Gaudreaus, and they were impressed how we didn't have any techy problems getting the video up.....etc, etc. etc (we showed earthly father, heavenly father). That made my day! I'm glad they said we asked good questions because sometimes I feel like I don't ask good questions at all.

Alrighty, got to go!  Love ya! Church is true! Book of Mormon is true!

Love,
Sister Magnusson

Goodbye Sis. Newman! Hello Sis. Powner!

a  family from the ward

we spent alllllllll day sat with this family watching conf. then they had us over for dinner and we watched priesthood session. they are a great family.

we watched conf. with this family sunday morning. they made us a good breakfast.

 our investigators.  Super fun people!  they were sad to see sis newman go

this was after zone breakfast...our district leader is in his "pajama suit".  can you spot him?

this is a family we meet with weekly.  they are great.  so nice.  

our ward mission leader and his family.   super nice, he's a great ward mission leader

 

 my new comp! sis. powner!

 

 hello family!

i'm sad to hear about grandpa's passing but i know that he is very happy were he is now. i love teaching the plan of salvation to people and i probably get more out of it than our investigators each time i teach it. the gospel is amazing. it's why i'm here. i am excited to see grandpa magnusson again.

Sam and Grandpa Magnusson 2009

so yesterday I got a new companion, sister heather powner from kaysville utah. she seems really great and chill...just what i need. she turns 20 on april 20 and has been out 4 1/2  months. i'm still in the same area and apartment. the week before transfers is always interesting...we were preparing for her departure and saying goodbye to people.

we taught our investigator this week...the gospel of jesus christ. a family from the ward came with us. not a super great lesson, very distracting. we couldn't do it on the picnic benches by her apartment because it was raining so we did it under a car port but people were walking in an out and there was a lot of yelling from the neighbors, people smoking...ugh, just not a good environment. we are going to try to teach her at member's house next time. i guess her biological dad found out she was going to go to mutual and said she couldn't go. so frustrating! well, at least we can still teach her.

we started teaching a part member family. the husband is not a member and the wife used to be less active for many years but is active again. she loves to talk but i like listening to her. she has led a very interesting life. we just have to plan our lessons accordingly because she likes to say a lot.

we have a lesson with another one of our investigators tonight... sis powner's and my first lesson together. should be interesting. first time i'm not teaching with sis. newman. i was kind of stressed thinking about how the lesson is going to go tonight but, i just realized it's all  in Heavenly Father's hands and I need to be less stressed how lessons turn out if me and my comp try our best.

conference was great! we spent all day saturday watching it at a member’s house. i liked elder rasband's talk about the oklahoma tornado. made me cry. and elder uchdorf's in priesthood session and elder oak's talk in priesthood. it was cool what he was saying about sister missionaries and the priesthood.

we watched sunday morning at another member’s house and they fed us a really nice breakfast that made us full for many, many hours. then we watched the afternoon session with a sister from the farmington ward that we helped reactivate. she was very, very, sad to hear sis newman was leaving. the member is so awesome. she wants to get her dad's temple work done. i';m gunna call sis. newman up when she goes through the temple. it is going to be great! the gospel is amazing. the church is true!

love, sis magnusson