WOW! I LOVE YOU!

Wow! What a crazy week this has been! I am so happy! I just can not believe how fast time goes on a mission! I remember when I first got here I found out my trainer was at the end of her mission. I felt like that day would never come! And I am so glad that it hasn't and that it is so far away! But at that time I felt like the days were so long and the weeks were even longer. The thought of six weeks seemed like an eternity! But now I am getting close to five months on my mission? It's so crazy eh? 

This last week a Sister in my district went home due to medical issues. So, right after we got done emailing last week we got a call from President Clayton telling us that we would be in a trio until transfers the following week. Sister R is such an amazing missionary. She has been on her mission for six months now! So, we are all pretty seasoned. :) Just kidding! We are all still new missionaries. It has been so fun. So, with the addition to a new companion we also had another area that we were responsible to cover. I do not think that we have ever been as busy as we were this last week. Planning for two areas and working in two areas really takes up a lot of time. But I loved every single second of it. We were able to accomplish so much in both areas and we know that it is because of the prayers we offered. Heavenly Father will never give us more than we can handle. I wish I could tell you all of the amazing stories and miracles that happened but I won't have enough time so I will just write a couple.

We have so many amazing investigators and members we are working with! But I wanted to share a little bit about one specific investigator. I think that I have talked about him every single week since we met him but K is awesome! This last week we taught him the third lesson! We invited a member in our ward who has a lot of the same interests as K to come teaching with us. Brother L is in three bands and does sound work for a handful of other bands here in the N region. K loves music and even as come up with some of his own music and songs. So, lets just say they have a lot in common. As we began to teach Brother L just told us all how he came to know that the church was true. He talked about having faith in Jesus Christ and how he showed his faith by praying and being baptized, how he changed because of the gospel, and how he is doing his best to stay worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost, and finally how he is learning more and showing more faith so he can endure to the end. Does that sound familiar? It should because it is the THIRD LESSON! The member taught the entire lesson and K loved it. Sister B felt inspired to ask K to be baptized on August 16th and he said yes! The spirit was in total control of that lesson. I know that Heavenly Father has asked all of us missionaries, and member missionaries, to teach people about the gospel. He knows that as missionaries and members work hand in hand we will be able to invite and help more people come unto Christ. I know that that lesson went exactly the way Heavenly Father needed it to go so K would accept the Gospel.

We had dinner with a Returning Member. We had planned to teach B about priesthood blessings. As she has been returning to church she has had a hard time understanding the priesthood and why some people have it when she feels that they shouldn't. So as we taught her about priesthood blessings she expressed her legitimate concerns on the topic. We did all that we could do to help her understand that God knows the true hearts of everyone and that we can not decide who is or isn't worthy. We invited her to pray about these things that she was struggling with and sincerly ask God for help. She told us she would, but the thought came to our minds that we should show her a mormon message on priesthood (Sanctify Yourself). After about ten minutes of me searching and searching to try and find the right one, we finally found it and invited her to watch it. After we closed with a prayer we left and headed back. B texted us ten minutes later telling us that she watched the video and was in tears. She knew that the priesthood was real and was comforted by the video. She went on to tell us that she had been hit by lightning when she was younger and how she knew she needed to watch that video to understand so much about her life. I know that Heavenly Father will inspire us all as we are trying to declare his word. I am so grateful for the technology that we have and that we were able to share that video. God loves all of His children and will always find a way to bring peace to our soul. 

We were able to go the temple! President and Sister Clayton have been trying to get missionaries to the temple more often. Something they just started was inviting missionaries after 6 weeks of their missions to come to the temple. Sister B, Sister R and I were blessed to be able to go to the temple! The Toronto temple is so pretty I can not even describe it. We all learned so much as we went to the Temple with questions. Heavenly Father has blessed me so much in my life and I am so grateful. 

Well I don't have much time left to write! Mama, I did receive your letter. I hope you have a great birthday! And I just love you all! 

Sister Chelson

Niagara Falls, Kieran, Exchanges

Hello Family and Friends! I love you all so much and that is why you are on this email! :) Just know that when I say I pray for you all each night I really do. I love you all and care about you so much. There is not a day that I don't think about you all and pray that you are being faithful and that you are happy. I just felt like I should start this email telling you all that I love you, and that Heavenly Father answers our prayers. He knows everything that we should be doing in our life and when we sincerely pray and ask him for help or guidance he will answer us. And we need to act on that message. Sometimes we may not understand why, but he does. And Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths." I know that this is true. He will guide us. 

Niagara Falls is so beautiful. The first time I went we just looked at the falls and didn't take much thought to go and look at Clifton Hill. That is a BIG shopping, games, and so much more street that is by the falls. I felt like I was in Disneyland because of all the people and the music. It was really strange. While we were there we had a couple different families come up to us and tell us that  they were Mormon! It was so fun seeing happy families together. They all were going to go to the Pageant in Palmyra. The gospel blesses families. I know that it is what has kept my family together. I love being a witness of the sealing power in the temples. I get to teach people everyday that if my family endures to the end we will be united eternally. But, back to the falls..It is so beautiful there. In The Living Christ it  says, "and his voice was as the sound of the rushing of great waters." I think that the sound and power of Niagara Falls is a wonderful way to describe the way the Saviors voice was when he appeared to Joseph Smith. Something that I LOVE to think about is how Joseph Smith preached the Gospel in the same places that I am. I LOVE MY MISSION!!!

K is an amazing investigator! Last week I mentioned the story of how we would do anything to find a new investigator. And then we found one as we were walking across the cross walk? Well, this is him!!! I was on exchanges when Sister B and Sister R taught him about the Restoration. So I don't think I would do a very good job at explaining the lesson. But he wanted to learn more so it had to have been a spiritual one! But, this last week we taught him the Plan of Salvation. (Side note Friday night I decided I wanted to memorize the Family Proclamation to the World. So I started! I got to the bottom of the first column and I am so grateful for the knowledge and understanding of God's plan it has brought to me.) While we were teaching him the Plan of Salvation, he would stop and tell us that he really "digs" what we were teaching. He LOVES the idea of the potential we all have to become like Heavenly Father and he told us that it really makes sense to him what we are teaching. As we were teaching about our purpose of our life on earth, Sister Bell invited him to be baptized!! He really had to think about it and told us that he was not saying no but that he was not saying yes. He wanted to know more about baptism and was thrilled when we told him we would teach him more about it when we visited him next. The spirit was so strong as Sister Bell testified about  the Atonement. He told us that he would pray to ask God if it was true. He has a hard time asking God for help because he doesn't believe he will answer him. He told us he feels like God sent us here and left us alone to figure things out. We shared a scripture from Mormon 9 about believing that God is a God of miracles. He changed his attitude on scriptures and prayer! And told us he was excited to receive an answer. We taught about Family History and Temples and again he told us "I really dig what you teach." Then we taught him about the Kingdoms of Glory. He told us he loves Mormons. He loves everything we teach and that alot of his favorite music groups, authors, and people in general are LDS. K texted us the next day and told us that he really wanted to take his Book of Mormon reading seriously. IT was such an amazing lesson. I have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I know that God has a plan for us all and that his Gospel which teaches us about his plan was changed during the Great Apostasy. Because of the Restoration, Joseph Smith was able to translate the Book of Mormon to teach us the simple doctrines of this divine plan. I know that Families are central to this plan and that because Mom and Dad chose to be sealed in the temple we are living this plan! The Gospel is true. God loves us. 

This week we had skills and interviews with President and Sister Clayton. I am so grateful for the inspiration they both receive on how to help their missionaries. I have so many things that I need to work on in my life to become a better disciple of Christ! I have come to realize that we can never just stay in one spot. We need to continue to move forward. This last week I really reflected on a specific attribute that I know that I am lousy at. I have been praying and studying on how to develop this attribute. As I met with both Sister and President Clayton they gave me similar advice on the same topic! They had no idea that I was trying to work on that but, Heavenly Father did. He answers us through other people. After our interviews Sister B and I got to go on our exchanges! I was with Sister C! She is such a wonderful example of a consecrated missionary. We have a lot in common! She did DYW and Rotary Youth. She LOVES PMG, and we had a long discussion on our favorite sections. We talked about fun things like weddings and cute baby names (While we were trying to sleep of course) cause fun! And she just was the perfect Sister Training Leader for me at this point in my mission. At the close of exchanges we set goals. She, just like President and Sister Clayton, knew exactly what I needed. She challenged me to study and apply the attribute in my life. Since the exchange and interview I had, I have been trying to apply charity so much more in my mission work and life. I love the idea in PMG, in charity, saying. "Charity is the pure love of Christ." I have a testimony that  this is true. But I think that the first thing that we need to do to have charity in our life can simply be shown by slightly changing the phrase. "Charity is the pure love IN Christ." I know that as we go to Heavenly Father with a weakness we ever so desire to be a strength, and we humble ourselves, He will change us through his son Jesus Christ. As we show that we have love for our Savior, we will change to become like him. I am grateful for the charity I feel from reading and coming to know my Savior. I pray that people can feel that same love through me.

I love you.

Sister Chelson

Sabbath Day, Pond, "I'd do anything, Hair...again.

Hello family! How are you!? I am going to Niagara Falls today! I just love this area and the beauty that I am surrounded by. :) I am so blessed to be here. Well, this last week was an amazing week, as usual. And I am excited to share some of the adventures we went on this week!

"That thou may fully keep thyself unspotted from the world" Keeping the Sabbath Day holy is so important. We have really been trying to do all we can to help people be at church on Sundays. We invite everyone we talk to and we remind our LA members, members and investigators we are working with everyday about the commitment to come to church. Well this Sunday we had an amazing adventure getting one of our investigators to church. Before my mission I went out with the Sister missionaries, they would bang on peoples doors and yell their name, lovingly of course, and the people would almost always open their door. They were such a great example to me of phenomenal missionaries who knew their purpose! I had a goal that  I wanted to be able to have a desire to help people just like those sisters showed me they had. L, our investigator, asked us to call her at 7:30 am so she could wake up and shower and be ready for a member to pick her up at 9:00. We called her and it went straight to voicemail. We had ward council that morning, but in PMG it says getting investigators to church is more important. We asked our WML if he could take over and help us out so we could get L to church. We called her 20 times before we got to her apartment. A really nice lady let us in and we went up to her floor. We continued calling and calling. By this point we had called 30 plus times. So We started knocking and yelling, lovingly, her name. Then, I saw that the door had a letter slot, so I got down on my knees and opened the slot up. I could see L's feet and legs on her couch and, again lovingly, said her name in a rather loud way. She started twitching and I quickly shut the letter slot. Meanwhile, Sister B had called her home and cell number over forty times. She opened up and and let us in! She has been trying to get off of coffee and tea so she asked us if we could make her some herbal tea. I have only ever warmed it up in the microwave, but she asked us to use her coffee maker...Well we messed that up! She laughed and laughed because we made her cold tea. But she got ready and she came to church! It was such a fun experience. :) She is incredible. Later that night we taught her the, as she calls it, "Planet Salvation". She finished reading the definition for the Celestial Kingdom and before we could ask her where she wanted to be she told us that she wanted to be there! The spirit was so strong. Sister B and I have been working on the Plan of Salvation alot this past week and Sister B took control of the entire lesson and just testified and taught. It was so awesome! She is such an amazing companion. I am grateful for her testimony. 

A member introduced us to this wonderful lady named S. When we met her she told us that she needed some help with landscaping. We quickly replied we would love to help her! This last week Sister B, Our district leader Elder J and his companion Elder S and I all went over and helped her out. Before the Elders got there we taught about The Book of Mormon and read Mosiah 2:17 (Fitting isn't it?) and then we got to work! She had this five foot deep man made pond that had this black tarp from the top to the bottom holding in all of the water. In the water there was a plant, rocks, and many unclassified objects that belong to her son J. (After reading your emails to me I am guessing the pond and our pool look the same?) Well, S wanted us to help her get the top and water out of the pond so we could fill it in with dirt. For about thirty minutes Elder J just worked on it himself and finally we felt so bad that we all went and helped. We tried for TWO hours to get this tarp out. We got it about half way out and it wouldn't move a bit. So we got buckets and we started draining the water. Finally, the Elders just got into the pond, yes they followed WHB, and were in almost knee deep trying to get this tarp out. S was just laughing and laughing. And so were we. Alot of times the muddy water would splash up and hit me in the face! Some even went in my mouth. It wasn't a very pleasant taste but it was so fun! S invited us back to come and help her again next week. This is the cool part though. The member that referred us to her was talking to her yesterday about us and said that she was willing to come to church and learn more about what our church teaches. She asked if her 12 year old J could get involved in the Young Mens program and if he could listen as well. I have a testimony of member work and the power that comes from members and missionaries working together towards one cause. BRINGING SOULS TO CHRIST. I also have a testimony of service. The savior was the perfect example of service. S is a new investigator and her son J will be soon! 

This week we had a harder time finding new investigators! Saturday we had a lot of time to find new investigators. So when we left our apartment we were saying our prayers and we made a promise that we would find two new people to teach before we returned to our house that night. S was one of those people! So heavenly father blessed us with that. As we were contacting around town we weren't finding much success. We decided that we needed to meet with our WML to coordinate for our Ward Council meeting. As we were walking towards their house which was about 3k away. I told Sister B, "I would do almost anything to find a new investigator." Just as I said that we saw this guy walking across the cross walk. We started talking to him. He was BEYOND prepared to meet missionaries. He told us usual things like "Joseph Smith is the Founder" "Salt Lake" and "Family History." We taught him about "Jesus Christ and how he is the founder" "The Temple in Salt Lake" and "The importance of Family History." He loved it all and even told us after we taught him about the priesthood, "Well that is something to brag about." We are going to be meeting with him Tomorrow to teach him more about this beautiful Gospel that has been restored. Heavenly Father promises to bless his missionaries as we open our mouth. And as we promise him we will work our hardest, and we show our faith by our actions. Miracles happen. I am so grateful to be on the same team as God. We have the advantage. 

So, I cut my hair again! I love it short! It is easier to manage and get ready with. It is sad that I can't put my hair in a pony tail anymore though! The hair just falls out! 

I love you all. I love getting your emails and letters. You all mean the world to me! :) BLESSINGS and MIRACLES are all I see here in St. Catharines! 

Sister Chelson,

Canada Day, July Fourth, The Area, D&C 29:18

Well this last week was amazing. We celebrated two holidays, we have an amazing area and people to teach, D&C 29:18 happened in our apartment and we saw miracles. I love being a missionary. I don't think people understand how sacred of a calling it is until you are one. I love this crazy, fun filled adventure I am on. 

Canada Day: OH CANADA! Sister B and I had the best Canada ever this year! It was filled with 100+ doors, funny people, and people we love. We only had one appointment on the 1st. And it was in the evening so we decided we were going to tract all day long! We knocked on over 100 doors! It was so awesome! We knocked on this door and an amazing lady named L opened up and let us right on in. She offered us a glass of water and wanted to know so much! As we were talking to her she was telling us how important it is to her to keep the Sabbath Day! We told her, "WE TOTALLY AGREE!" We found out that she is a Seventh Day. She started asking more about the mormons and we talked about the Great Apostasy and how the priesthood was lost and has been restored on the earth again and that the only church with the Priesthood is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. She loved the idea of what we told her and asked for a Book of Mormon. We gladly gave her one! While we were there I was talking about Jesus the Christ and the Book of Mormon, and how they helped me understand more about the Sabbath Day. She then told us she wanted to borrow my Jesus the Christ. I was a little hesitant to give it to her because it is my second favorite reading material, but she promised I could have it back. And we see her alot anyways so I trust her. 

We also met with a LA member. He has been to church 3 weeks in a row now! He had fallen away for a long time, but loved being back. We taught him the Gospel of Jesus Christ and he told us that he didn't think that Heavenly Father would trust him anymore because he had asked for help before with overcoming an addiction and was doing so well but just decided to give up. He told us that he would just trust himself. We shared Proverbs 3:5-6 with him and told him that if he trusted with god and prayed just as Enos did that he would be forgiven. He prayed with so much power that he would be able to quit and promised us that he would pray and ask for help. So you can say that we had a pretty good Canada Day. :)

July Fourth: OH BEAUTIFUL FOR SPACIOUS SKIES! I love being American!!! We had a great 4th of July! Every that saw us in the ward told us happy 4th and we very nice. We were busy all day with appointments and then we were able to go to dinner with a family from the states.  They called us the night before asking us what our families usually ate on that day so we told them hot dogs and hamburgers. Sister said Jello and the Sister laughed and laughed and told us that she now knows she is from Utah... But when we got there they told us that we were having Steak and Grilled vegetables. My jaw dropped. I didn't think I would have steak on a mission! And dad, I love you, but I think it was the best steak I have ever had in my life! It was so good. They were such a cute family, and we taught the boys how to teach the Restoration. They are going to be such good missionaries some day. 

St. Catharines: Wow. I love the people I am serving.  

D&C 29:18: Well, this last week after a fabulous run Sister B and I got back to the apartment and were stretching on the floor. I saw this little white bug crawling on the floor. I FREAKED out. We started to look around and we saw so many of these little bugs. Sister B and I yelled up to the people we live with. They came down and told us that it was a maggot. So, we spent the next hour and a half cleaning and cleaning and cleaning. We wanted to be obedient with our morning schedule so we had about five minutes to get ready and well, we just looked really gross the entire day. I am glad that I am not searching for an eternal companion right now because I wouldn't have found him that day. So, we found out that the reason that we had maggots was because this really big fly and babies. So, flies are nasty as ever, and don't be bad enough to have the Lord send maggots, because not even the vilest sinners should have to deal with those. 

I love you all! We will work even harder this week than we did the last. 

Sister Chelson