Tips and Fun Facts

So this week was fun. First we decided to spend to day in Coopersburg/Center Valley because we are hardly ever there because we don't have people to teach because it's on the other end of our area. Well I'm the designated driver and we don't have a GPS so just rely on a map. So we are in Coopersburg and I look at the map and I'm like okay, we need to turn left on main street. After I turn left and we go for a mile or two I say hey Sister Crane I don't know if this is even main street can you check. Well she can't figure out where we are and there is no place to pull over or turn around or anything because there are trees here. I don't know if any of you know but instead of cacti the rest of the country has trees and they are really annoying because then you can't pull off the road to look at areas map. Anyway, I get to the end of the road and there's a river on the other side of the T and there's a little gravel area to park and look at it river. You know what river it was? The Delaware River. You know what's on the other side of the Delaware River? NEW JERSEY!! I accidentally drove out of our area and to New Jersey. 

As a missionary, especially a sister missionary, it is good to buy clothes in an assortment of colors. Not just blue. Because when you only have blue clothes and your district wants to match for zone conference or zone training they have to wear blue because that is all you own. So remember that all you that are preparing to serve missions: Don't buy all blue clothes. 

That's pretty much all the exciting stuff that has happened around here. We had Zone Conference on Wednesday so I got to see two of my favorite people. Sister Summers and President Randall. Sister Randall wasn't there so that was sad. But in conference we talked about how we can be more diligent in our work and the way we act and look and talk. I set definitely set some goals to improve that. We also watched to Easter initiative that starts on Friday! It is so great. It's call #PrinceofPeace and when it comes out I hope you show all of your friends! 

We are so blessed to live in this time that we have the opportunity to hear from our Prophet and the apostles this weekend. On Saturday we had the opportunity to hear from President Eyring and if you haven't yet go watch it. He talks about listening to the Holy Ghost and how to be at peace with him in your life. I hope you all are continuing to read the Book of Mormon. I know what an amazing impact it can have on all of us. I love you all!

Lots of Love!

Sister Van Buskirk

Zone Training (the assistants and the sister training leaders came to our zone training so the pressure was real.) 

#PrinceofPeace

Our recent convert's son made these for us. 

 That one time I accidentally drove to Jersey. 

I Hate the Snow

Sorry everyone that I always talk about the weather out here. Tuesday was the crazy snow storm. We woke up to about 6 inches of snow and it continued to snow another 4-6 inches in our town. We weren't allowed to drive so we spent the morning making cookies for our neighbors and then the rest of the day shoveling snow. Shoveling snow is the worst. Who knew snow was so heavy! It's like 50 pounds! In the moment it wasn't too bad but that night we were exhausted and Wednesday morning we were so sore. Wednesday we had district meeting so we went to Whitehall and we drive through Allentown which is a pretty big city. Well in our little towns the roads are all nice and clear. In Allentown they aren't every good at clearing roads. I made it though! Sister Crane, the car, and I are all safe! After district meeting we helped our less active shovel her driveway. The thing about snow is you should shovel it the day it snows otherwise it freezes. It was crazy trying to shovel all that ice and snow out but she was so appreciative. 

We met with Destiny and read a chapter from the Book of Mormon with her. She would like to know if there is a God but she knows it will take a long time to get that answer. We invited her to continue reading the Book of Mormon and then we taught her how to pray. Hopefully she prays this week so when we meet with her this week we can talk about her experience. 

We also met with Chrystal and taught her the Restoration but we don't really know what she thought about it. She just like nodded her head and then we invited her to pray about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and she said she would so we will see what happens. 

I hope you all have a great week! I am excited to hear all of your experiences and thoughts from the Book of Mormon! Thank you to those that have shared their thoughts with me. I know the Book of Mormon is a powerful testament of Jesus Christ. I love you all!  

Lots of Love!

Sister Van Buskirk

We were going through our phone and found this. Missionaries aren't the brightest ever...

Look at us baking cookies and wearing aprons!

 The struggle is real. 

Time to dig out our car! 

I look happy driving in the snow but am I really?..

Tim Tam Slams for days!

There is a big storm coming...

It snowed this week and guess who is the designated driver... The missionary from Tucson... And it's supposed to snow tonight and all day tomorrow. Our cars will probably be grounded so don't worry mom, I won't kill anyone. 

My new companion is Sister Crane! She's from American Fork, UT (3/3) but she lived in AZ for the first part of her life! She super nice and we are going to have a great transfer!

We had a really good week in Milford. We met with the Nairainswamys (Peter and Lucille) again this week and invited them to be baptized again and again they said no. We talked about priesthood and at first they didn't seem to see the importance. But as we read from the Bible and the Book of Mormon, I think their hearts began to soften. They said they are going to reread the scriptures we gave them and pray about the priesthood. We were pondering who we should invite to join us for their next lesson and we decided to ask Brother Duemmel. Brother Duemmel has a great love and appreciation for the Book of Mormon which is something we believe Brother Nairainswamy is developing. We thought that bringing him would help him understand the role and importance of the priesthood. We were supposed to have a lesson this week but I think with the snow storm they might cancel. 

Our other investigator, Chrystal is I don't even know. We had a lesson earlier this week and we planned to teach the Restoration but she kind of directed the lesson. She told us the week before that this was going to be an educational thing to learn what the "Mormons" believe. That's how the lesson started was her taking notes and looking at pictures of maps of the world online. She had read up to 1 Nephi by the lesson on Tuesday. Then she asked about the scripture I posted on Facebook and who was Mosiah and how does everything line up with Noah and the Jaredites and everything and we tried to explain it all clearly and slowly so we think she understood. We met with her again on Saturday and taught the Plan of Salvation but we didn't get very far. She is looking for the truth but she wants Lots of proof for the truth we give her instead of listening to the spirit. Hopefully we can have a spiritual lesson soon.  

We contacted some former investigators this week. One became our new investigator. One will be a new investigator next transfer just because she is so busy. One is so busy he can barely meet with us even though he is interested so we didn't schedule another lesson. Destiny, the one that became our new investigator, is really nice. She doesn't exactly believe in God but she doesn't want to say she doesn't believe that there is something. We invited her to read the Book of Mormon so for our next lesson we can talk about that and how we know that God is our loving Heavenly Father. 

We also spoke in Sacrament meeting this week. Our branch mission leader asked us to speak on encouraging member missionary work. I shared some personal experiences I had with member missionary work before my mission and talked about how as we lean on the Lord for guidance and strength, He will give it to us. I hope someone in the congregation felt the spirit and maybe thought of someone they could share the gospel with. 

I hope you all are reading the Book of Mormon! It's such a great way to understand how we can follow Christ. I know that as we read and pray about it, I can gain a testimony that Christ is our Savior. Have a great week!

Lots of Love!

Sister Van Buskirk

Wednesday we walked and it was sunshiney and we saw a tank. 

Friday we walked and it was snowing and terrible. 

Missing the Dirty T

Okay so I'm not homesick I'm weather sick. Last week here in Milford, PA it was wonderful! 65-70° and sunny with a slight breeze! This week, freezing 19° with huge winds that almost knock you over and then a 5 minute blizzard randomly. I miss the heat!

We found 2 new investigators and maybe in a month we will have one more. The first investigator was a referral from a non-member. We asked if they knew of anyone that might be in need of service and she directed us to her neighbor who has Lupus. We went over about a month ago and asked if we could help her and she said she would love the help she just isn't allowed to have anyone in until March. Well March 1st we were at her door with some homemade cookies. She let us in and we visited with her and then we were able to testify of the Book of Mormon and what a blessing and guiding force it has been in our lives. We asked if she would like to hear more of our message but she said it would be more for educational purposes and she is very happy with her faith right now. Earlier we had been discussing her job and how she is always looking for the truth. We told her that if she wants to know the truth this book is the way to it. We are meeting with her next week and hopefully by then she will have read and prayed like we invited her to do and we can discuss more truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Our second investigator came from a service opportunity. A member, Sister Cubbage asked us to come help her friend move some furniture and clean. When we finished Sister Cubbage told her friend, "now these sisters usually share a message and say a prayer after helping others." Her friend's attitude was very grateful for our help and open to hearing a message. We decided to show the Patterns of Light video that talks aboutique receiving revelation. When Elder Bednar started talking about receiving revelation like in a fog, only seeing enough in front to take a small step, she became emotional. She explained she had been praying for help and what to do and she felt that she needed to call Sister Cubbage. She said she didn't know own her very well and was nervous to ask her but she decided to take that small step into the fog and that she really appreciates the help and support Sister Cubbage gave her and that Sister Cubbage thought to bring us. We are going back next week to help her some more and share another message. 

The investigator that may come in a month we met last week and she told us to some back next week. We did and we introduced her to the Book of Mormon and briefly explained the Restoration. She said she was going on vacation and to call her in a month. The spirit was definitely there in those 10 minutes that we testified of the Book of Mormon. We could feel it and we could tell she could feel it as well. We hope in a month she will remember that feeling and be open to hearing from us in a month. 

We met with Peter and Lucille again this week. The spirit is always so strong in those lessons. They are so funny though. If they don't agree with something we teach they don't say anything. If they do and we try to explain or like use scrip they're like no no no we don't want to argue which is great but then we don't know their concerns and how to help or if we try to help they don't want it... Hopefully as they continue to read the Book of Mormon and pray the spirit will open their hearts to baptism. 

Transfers are tomorrow and Sister Cragun is leaving Milford. I'm super bummed because Sister Cragun is awesome but I'm excited to get my new companion! There so much I hope to learn from her (I don't know who she is yet but you can learn from everyone) and I'm excited and nervous to take over the area. But I know that the Lord is on my side and He can help me do all things. 

Lots of Love!

Sister Van Buskirk

For some reason Elder Hughes has a goal to not smile in any of his mission pictures. 

We decided to try the no smile challenge as well.

Best district in the PPM!