Sarah's Letter

This week has been a week of miracles! I've met so many cool people. There's sister Musselmann who told us right when we walked in the door that we were not to get up and do anything and no arguing, either. SHE was going to serve US! Because that's what she wanted to do. There's also these awesome people we talked to on the street. Claire was a sweet old lady who just cried about how much she loved Jesus. We gave her a pamphlet but she didn't want to make a return appointment because she believed in "Chance happenings!" and she didn't like to plan her day. Sweet and funny lady :)

Then there was a guy named JJ, who was out in his driveway and told us to "come on over and pull up a chair. Stay a while!" He told us how he was a recovering alcoholic, but that he found his wife and he found God and that now everyday he thanks the Lord for all his blessings. It was really cool how grateful he was for everything. I felt blessed to be able to talk to him. He had a Book of Mormon, and "couldn't find anything wrong with it". Yet he didn't really want to come to church. I challenged him to read Enos, and then we told him to call us if he or his wife needed any help with anything. 

I also got to meet these two women in the ward. One is Sister Pfiel. She is a sweet lady who just talked about her late husband and how much she loves and misses him, and how she talks to him and wonders if he could hear her. She also told a story of how her grand daughter's husband was saved by a man, who disappeared later and how he saw a picture of the grandpa and said "That's the man who saved me!" It was really cool, and she just had a wonderful love for him and a wonderful testimony of the Plan of Salvation. It was really cool. Then we met with a less active, Yolanda, who has tons of health problems. She's Filipino, and she almost died a number of times. She told us how she wanted to come back to church, but was worried that her health wouldn't allow her. BUT we encouraged her and SHE CAME! I was so happy!

We also got to meet with investigators whom we had tried to meet with for weeks, but they were never there. They were alwasy gone, or busy. BUT this week we FINALLY got a hold of them. We read the Book of Mormon with Jennifer, who is on date for September 26th! She was nervous to be baptized in September, because she knows she has to get married first (because she's living with her boyfriend, a less active member), but she wanted time to plan it. I explained about the temple, and how she could make her sealing the big thing and she seemed much more open to it! Hopefully, we'll be able to see them married AND her baptized (It'll be a maraige-tism!)

We also met with Jessica, who is such a sweet girl! Holy cow, I just love her. We had tried to see her, but she's moving to Hawaii soon, and she's doing midterms for school right now AND her husband's deployed so she's doing it on her own. SO it was hard to contact her, but we FINALLY did, and before we even asked, she said she was coming to church! YAY. then yesterday, she told us "I couldn't stop reading the book of Mormon. It was 1 AM and I finally told myself to go to sleep!" She's just awesome! AND this week Houston, her husband, comes home so we get to teach HIM, too! I can't wait.

Also: we met two new investigators! Mike, and Matt. Mike seemed...mildly interested. He has a Book of Mormon, but he seemed really willing to know more and we have an appointment for Thursday! Hopefully that pans out and goes well. It was really funny, cause the first thing he asked us is if we celebrate holidays :'D THEN: we knocked on Matt's door, and he came to the door with his hand dripping with blood cause he had cut himself cutting onions. I though he was going to turn us away, but he didn't! We were about to leave, so I said the usual parting line: "Well, if you ever have questions about what we believe..." and he cut me off and said "Well, what DO you believe?" so we stayed there and gave him a mini restoration lesson, and he expressed that he was looking for a church, and that he wants his kids baptized. We assured him that kids are welcome in our church and told him about primary and nursery, and invited him to church. He didn't come, but it was really last minute (we knocked on his door Saturday evening). BUT he invited us back on Tuesday, and I am so excited! He's so cool. 

I have just seen the hand of the Lord, and everyone I talk to I have felt the Love of heavenly Father for them. I just LOVE everyone here, and it's the coolest thing. I have also been really blessed because, I miss you guys like CRAZY, but I haven't been too sad. I love you all so so much! I am so grateful for all of you. You are all awesome. 

OH! one last story. So, I got a "welcome to Washington" from some blackberries (that grow over EVERYTHING) that snagged my foot, and then a dog (everyone has dogs and cats here! IT's so fun! For me, at least :p) started running and his rope leash rubbed against the back of my ankle so now I have a bad rope scrape/burn. But I'm okay. It's just a memory, right ;)

Anyway...Momma AND Daddy, I love you so so much. You are the best. I am so grateful for you! thanks for your example and your spirit!

Love you all!

Sister Kramer

**NEWSLETTER**

 

 WASHINGTON TACOMA MISSION

August 2015

Sister Blatter and I find that it’s such a joy to be serving the Lord in the Washington, Tacoma mission.  We’ve been busy as we’ve gathered together as missionaries for different events. We had a very successful Fourth of July picnic on July 6^th in Bremerton with the north conference for an afternoon of food and games.  We didn’t get too wet with the water balloon toss.  We had 3 “Why I Believe” firesides in July with our first one in Olympia on the 12th and concluding with one in Lakewood on the 26^th.  We also held a Spanish fireside in Lacey on the 19^th where Sis. Blatter bravely bore her testimony in Spanish.  All of them were filled with the spirit of new members bearing strong testimonies of how they were searching for something more in their lives and listening to the wonderful music of our missionaries was a treat as usual. 

Our zone conferences were centered on the theme of making better use of the pamphlets by listening to our investigators and testifying in shorter more powerful messages.  Additionally, using the same teachings with our members to inspire them to invite others to be taught. We received great instruction on more effectively using the key indicators to assist our “seekers” in making and keeping commitments.  Lastly, President reminded us to use the Book of Mormon in everything we do. This includes our morning studies to proclaiming its divinity to members and investigators alike.  We are to “sweep the earth as with a flood, to gather out His elect unto the New Jerusalem” (Moses 7:62.)

July also brought a huge transfer as 18 of our beloved missionaries departed for the next stage of their lives and we welcomed 24 new excited and eager faithful sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father.  Again it was a busy day full of love and so many intense emotions.

On Friday, August 14^th we had the blessing of having our Area Seventy, Elder Lawrence P. Blunck, instruct us at Mission Leadership Council on how to be more effective missionaries and how to find more people to teach. We were all edified and appreciated his taking a day to be with us.  This training will be carried to the entire mission at our monthly zone meetings.

We’re now into one of our favorite times of the mission with the opportunity to interview every missionary.  The smiles and righteous desires of the missionaries are contagious.  We love them and admire their consecrated service.  We feel so very blessed to be able to share in His work and to serve with them.

We love you!

President & Sister Blatter

New Missionaries

August 23^rd brought forth another batch of spirit filled missionaries. We are ecstatic to put them to work in the best mission in the whole world, the Wa-Tac!

  L to R: E. Clark, E. Alvarez, E. Stewart, E. Hathaway, E. Osmun, E. Johnson, E. Chacon, E. Slack, E. Cluff, E. Woodbrey, E. Meredith, President and Sister Blatter, E. Enosa, S. Lee, E. Martinez, S. Kramer, E. Nelson, E. Marble, E. Quinton, E. Turley, S. Hughes, E. Briggs, E. Clark, S. Stirling, E. Rogers

   

   

I'm in Washington!!

ALright, so this week was AMAZING! It's great. It's so so pretty and the peopls are amazing!!! I am so happy to be here. BUT I still miss you and think of you every single day!

My first week here has been AMAZING! Like...I can't believe how gorgeous it is here, and there are so many blackberries!!! Hehe. 

On the bus here, we sat and talked with one of the men who designs the Liahona, and who helped make Preach My Gospel! He was super cool. THEN on the plane here, I sat next to an Elder who's had 3 heart attacks, been hit by three cars, had 23 bones replaced, and was buried alive under 15 feet of dirt for 15 minutes. Also, his grandparents are German mobsters and have mob watching his families every move. CRAZY, right?! I was like...woah. I just kept asking questions and stuff. Someone really didn't want him on a mission.... 

But during all this, I was running off of three hours sleep, so I was exhausted. But it was really cool, cause I wasn't too tired, actually. I was able to stay awake. We got here and met our Mission Pres and his wife, and they are AWESOME! Then we all took a picture at Chambers Bay, and we saw a bald eagle flying over the water! It was so gorgeous! AND on the way from the airport to the church where we had transfer meeting, I was just so happy and excited to be there, so I started quietly singing (yes...I was being quiet! I know...amazing right? :P) and then some elders in the row ahead of us heard what I was singing and started singing along, and soon the whole bus was singing Onward Christian Soldiers, and Battle Hymn of the Republic, and Called to Serve and it was such a cool, cool feeling! I felt so honored to have started that! Sister Blatter (the President's wife) kept taking videos and calling people to hear us sing. It was so cool! 

After that, we had orientation and just basic information about the mission, and then met our companions. Sister Harbough is super sweet. She literally skips almost everywhere! It's really adorable. So then all the greenies got introduced, and the trainees did little skits to "welcome them" (they were all super funny and silly). Then all the departing missionaries bore their testimonies...which took THREE HOURS. I started to get a little grumpy and tired and hungry. It was so long. But then we all stood and sang "Amazing Grace" BUT it was Washington-Tacoma (WATAC) style. I started crying and the spirit was super strong. THEN finally we ended, and I got to eat. We got back to the apartment, planned, and then I crashed.

Then this whole week has been meeting people, and teaching, and knocking. We haven't had too many lessons cause it's been a crazy week of meetings and stuff, but the lessons we DID have went really well! We had one investigator commit to baptism, and another commit to read and pray about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon! I also met a funny lady name Riki Jacobs. She had a hard time speaking and was a bit scattered in her speech. But we tried committing her to come to church. She didn't show up though :(

Church was awesome because everyone is so friendly! They are all so nice! This one family , the Petersons, had us over for dinner and they were so busy with a birthday party they were just going to feed us corn dogs and mac n cheese, like their kids. BUT when they found out that it was my first Sunday, the whipped up chicken, and mashed potatoes, and carrots and salad. I was like "you really don't need to! But than you so so much!" Then another family, the Reynolds, are super kind and just funny. We went over and they fed us some ice cream cake and just talked with us about their kids and stuff. Then there's the LeBlancs. I am so glad she's been keeping you informed and everything. She's so awesome! I love her. Then there's the Cranes who will do anything for the missionaries, and sister Dodge who makes us lunch and leaves it in the fridge at the church every single Sunday. I also got to meet Brother Ramon, a blind man who was going to kill himself but heard the missionaries and they sounded like angels. So he invited them in, and was baptized. Now he calls us all his angels. They're all super awesome!

Then, we get to knock from 5-7, every day, no matter what. I got discouraging a little, but Sister Harbough and I sand and talked and told stories as we walked, and people are pretty nice. If they say no, it's more "Thanks, but we're catholic, so not thanks." or they just aren't home. We've had two doors open, and then slam with a hasty "no thanks" but it wasn't too bad! and I was able to remain positive! We knocked into two less actives, and then two potential investigators who said we could come back! We get to see them Tuesday! 

Okay mommy and daddy. Please send my love to everyone, okay?

I love you all so much. I think of you every single day. You help brighten my spirit when I think of your love, example, hugs and all the fun memories we have together. I am grateful for your example of keeping the temple always in your sights, of prayer, of faith, and of service. You are amazing and I would never be the same if I didn't have you. You are the best parents in the ENTIRE world. Love you much!

Sister Kramer