Oh What A Beautiful Morning 6/16/14

Hello to all! The Lone Star State says HI HO SILVER AWAAAAY. Meaning there's work to be done.

This week has been great. The investigators we're teaching are progressing so well, it's amazing to see their growth. One has been an investigator for a few months and is still firm in his will to learn and be baptized.

The other investigator is just as firm because he has been an investigator for 10 years. He has had many missionaries over the years come and teach him the gospel, it wasn't until now that he realized that he was ready to be baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. He is truly a blessing to us, we get to be the ones that get to see him be baptized and sealed in the temple, i'm lucky to be here long enough to see it in a year(Sister Stumm says she'll fly down here after her mission to see it). That's how he is doing. Also he is a mason, I'm finding that there is a strong masonic link here on the bible belt. Did I mention that our church building is next door neighbors to the Jehovah witnesses and the baptists church's? 

I love teaching in this area. I have never been more enveloped by so many cultures. Theses are all the languages I have come in contact with so far in the past 3 weeks: American Sign language, French, Swahili, Igbo, Farsi, Chinese, Spanish, and probably a few more that I never heard before to know what they are.

Contacting is becoming easier as I am learning to summaries the truth of the Gospel, and understanding what it is that makes this Church and what we believe in true. I'm thankful for the hard challenges I am facing because I know I have been called to serve by God, here in Dallas Texas. I'm thankful for my family and for my parents example of establishing a house of prayer.

I love you all. Remember you are Child of God. Let everyone you meet know they are too.

Loving the work,

 Sister Baker

Won't Take No One's Excuses! June 9, 2014

Howdy Y'all!

This week was filled with many new developments. I officially have am intrigued by tracting. Sister Stumms and I have gone out more times this week and I feel like I really might possibly becoming more comfortable about it. At times it is VERY interesting, mainly about the people you get to meet. Like many have said that people in Texas are actually very nice. One lady in a very nice house said after we introduced ourselves as Missionaries said "thats alright I already know about Jesus Christ" and cheerfully closed the door. That is what really changed my attitude of insecurity to in my mind humbly yelling 'BUT THERES SO MUCH MORE YOU CAN KNOW' After that I was seriously putting all my efforts into getting our messages of truth in the brief 5 seconds we had to represent the truth of the wholeness of the Gospel. I really am understanding how the trials of missionary work both strengthen and drain you.

Sister Stumm and I are get along really nice. The thing I love most about her is that she doesn't take, to put it plainly, anybody's crap excuses. We visited one of our less active recent converts (who lives in a shed in a less active members backyard) to see how he was doing, he has troubles with the Word of Wisdom, nothing to bad. Anyway Sister Stumm walked into the backyard and He was alseep in there I could see him and She talks with him and whatever excuse he throws at her, she doesn't take no for an answer. She wins and we have a nice lesson with him inside the house. She's from Spokane Washington :) and has a Minnesotan accent. She says 'Whale' instead of 'Well' and we joke about this next one a lot.

Sister Stumm: So imagine you have some delicious kick you want to give to others, thats the gospel.

Investigator: Kick?

Me: Cake

Everybody: Oooh

She's awesome. She loves Psych just as much as I do. She gets these terrible migraines and has ridiculously tense shoulders, that if you pressed your finger in her back you would think she was a wieght lifter but its just so notted. Plus the stress of training a greenie such as myself she has a lot to deal with. We go to the chiropractor every Preparation day.

If any of you know of ways that can help de-tenseify someones shoulders or how to help dull migratines then I would love to hear more.

Way over time, Got to go and Prepare for the week.

Quick answers:

Yep, I'm incorporating Family search into a lot of lessons we teach. 

I don't know if he got the package

I did get Mom's care package THANK YOU

Loved the video of Liberty singing let it go

I will write next time about how the investigator who accepted baptism is doing.

I love you all you trully inspire me and I pray for you all.

Loving the work, Sister Baker

June 2, 2014

Yeah I'm just going to email mom and dad and the rest of you can read it on the blog they put up for my letters. I love you all equally.

Anyway GREETINGS FROM TEXAS.

I'm loving the humidity. A lot like Washington but hotter.

My trainer companion's name is Sister Stumm. She is amazing, she has been helping me take on the challenge of talking to people and trying new things, she is doing amazing!

Thank you for all of your support it has helped me immensely so far in my mission

Great first week so far. I'm in an area called Richardson. My apartment is nice, you can tell a smoker lived there before us, but its still fairly nice. We get to drive a car which is nice for the area we are in because we cover a lot in our area. We have so many investigators, less active, and recent converts to teach lessons to, that I haven't had the chance to go contacting or tracting very much.

I am still so uptight when Sister Stumm just says "go give them a card" I'm still not used to talking to people so much, especially strangers, that's what I'm having troubles with, but things are still good. My first day was nice got to meet so many new people and I'm grateful for a companion that lets me listen more then talk, because I had no idea what they were talking about. My first night was not so good since I was sick most of the time, probably the food I had. So the second day was slow because i was still nauseous but good. Things finally started to get normal by the middle of the week. 

Friday we got to meet with a investigator who has been investigating for many years now, because his family are members and we had a great lesson with him. At the end when I invited him to baptism HE ACCEPTED! I never felt the Holy Ghost so much in a room before, it was an amazing experience.

I live at 333 Prestonwood Dr.

#1804 Richardson Tx 75081

I got the Griffins letters. THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC. Thank you for the advice, my companion and I go over the miracles and happy moments of the day, everyday, it helps and lightens the mood.

Well I have the go i'm over my time limit. Love you all!

Until next time, 

Love,

Sister Baker.

Here is Me and Sister Stumm in front of our apartment complex.

then here is the Dallas Temple.

More pictures are to come.

May 17, 2014

Dear Family-

Today is P-day. I finally get to wear pants. My companion and I are doing laundry and writing emails. Later we can exercise, then get ready to go to the temple. My companion's name is Sister Harwood, she's from Ceder City, UT and is going to serve in Billings, Montana. She is just a big ball of positivity, she's adorable and is very determined in the work we do. 

I now know what the difference is between being tired and being spiritually exhausted. It's hard to stay focused at times but I feel that I am still progressing in understanding how to teach through the Spirit. It's also hard for me to get to bed quickly, because we only have 1 hour to get ready for bed but it feels like 15 minutes to me. Besides that, sleeping on the top bunk is still pretty nice.

I'm glad to hear that things are going great over there, I thankful for your love and I hope I can share that love with others now just as much as in Texas.

Love,

Sister Baker.

May 15, 2014

I survived my first day and now my second day. I'm finding it's already getting easier to focus, and my 3 hour class only felt like 2 hours. I'm feeling the Spirit so strongly here at the MTC. I've cried 3 times because of it. I like the food, its bountiful. 

Side comment to Dad. 

Dad, do you remember calling the MTC with that musical devise question and telling them to look out for me? 

YEAH, THEY DID. 

During the first welcome meeting with all the new missionaries, half way through the meeting, an older Sister, probably the wife to the MTC President, announces to everyone and said "is there a Sister Baker here?" I hope beyond hope that there is another Sister Baker but nope. I raise my hand. She says, "ah could you stand up?" I stand. "Does your Dad work at church headquarters?" I loudly say 'Yes'. "Well he told us to keep an eye on you so we wanted to make sure you got here fine." 

All I can think is 'DAD WHY WHYYYYYYY DID YOU GIVE THEM MY NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!' Then I sit.

Thanks for the remarkable first day l:|