This week was great! It's been rainy and cold, but we're staying warm, so no worries. I love love love it here still and it's so gorgeous. 

 As for Taylor....please pray for her. She needs the spirit in her life and she wants it. She knows she feels it with us, but she won't make those changes on her own. She won't read or come to church and I know she wants it. That darned agency! So yeah, just pray for her!

But this week, I got to go on exchanges with Sister Belliston, and it was way cool because she is soooo good at testifying about Christ every chance she gets. I noticed that she always testified about Christ, even in little ways. I commented on it and was talking to her about how that's something I've been working on and she told me that the reason why she had gotten good at it was that she hadn't felt like she was getting changed by her mission as much as she wanted to, so she decided to focus on Christ and testify of Him to everyone! And I thought that was really cool. Christ is really what's going to change us. We have incredible experiences as missionaries, but they will pass us by if our we aren't focused on Christ. We can go through the motions and we will see success, but if we focus on Christ then we will be changed. As we focus on Christ, we will realize the true reason we are out here- to invite and help others to come unto Christ- and we will get closer to Him as well. We will have personal experiences with the Atonement, and that is why we will be changed. Christ changes us and makes us better. And that is what we are doing as missionaries...sharing that with everyone! It was really cool to be able to learn from Sister Belliston, as Sister Gunnell and I have really been focusing on teaching and testifying more on doorsteps and changing up door approaches. It was definitely inspired.

Also, on exchanges we listened to the talk "The Missionary Next Door" about member missionary work, and I LOVED IT! Oh my goodness, it is incredible, and I've used it in every single member inspire since. It talks about how we as missionaries are in charge of the spiritual conversion, we just need members to be in charge of the social conversion. Their job is just to invite to come meet us, to come to activities, to be a friend, and we will do the hard part! It made it so simple and easy and I think it's really helped get the work moving a little bit more with the members. The Seabeck ward is really on fire with missionary work. They want so badly to have baptisms and see success, and we've been trying to do member inspires and get them all involved and invite them to just invite people. They are some really fun activities coming up and we've been pushing them to invite people, so we are excited to get the work moving and get it going!

Anyway, love you so much. Hope you have an awesome week!

love, Sister Kramer

Port Angeles, Paul's baptism and "nosey rose"

 This week, we got to see Paul baptized! And he has so many wonderful friends in the Kitsap Lake ward. He really belongs there, and it's so wonderful to see how excited they all are to have him join them. 

We tried again to get no zeroes ("nosey rose"), and we got everything except a progressing investigator, because everyone we've been teaching decided to go ghost on us (or, in Paul's case, get baptized!) so unfortunately Taylor and Girina we haven't seen all week :( But Taylor definitely knows she feels happy when she's with us, so please pray that she will recognize that as her answer that she needs to come to church and not be scared! 

BUT on the bright side, our members have decided to go crazy with missionary work and invited so many people to church!!! So that was amazing. It's so wonderful to see how the Lord works and I just hope you all know how loved you are and how Heavenly Father truly wants you back in his presence again. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Love, Sister Kramer

 

Labor Day Picnic and MLC. okay that's it for today I LOVE YOU ALL

This week was really good! We had 2 baptisms, which were really tender mercies, because they were two 9 year old girls. Literally, Sister Johansen and I both had barely met them once or twice before they were baptized with the child of record baptisms, so we literally did nothing! But we set the goal of having no zero's to report this week, and we knew it was going to be hard to someone on date for baptism. We tried really hard but none of our investigators were ready to commit. We really tried and were praying really hard to find someone who was ready to be put on date, and Sister Johansen felt like we needed to go back to these apartments we'd knocked a few days ago, and we met this guy named Alex. He's an ex drug addict and he is really searching to change his life and to strengthen his faith. We invited him to be baptized and he said he would pray and prepare for baptism on the 30th! It was definitely a miracle and tender mercy. 

I also had my first exchange! We went with Silverdale 3rd, Sisters Peters and Larsen and they are amazing. I learned so much from Sister Larsen. I love this work and it's amazing how the Lord works. Keep up the good work and just know I love you all!!!!

Love you! Sister Kramer

13 months? Transfers? STL? This week was crazy!

Well, how do I start this? First, today is my 13 month mark, which is crazy! I can't believe I've been out this long! Also, I'm getting transferred to the Bremerton Zone as a Sister Training Leader! I will be over four sets of Sisters and go on exchanges with them! I really wanted to go to Port Angeles (so I can go to Forks, of course :P) and I also wanted to go back to Silverdale, and I will be over the Silverdale and Port Angeles Sisters so what an answer to prayer!!!! and I already know most of the sisters I'm over so YAYYYY! I am soooo excited. My new companion is Sister Johansen. I know a bit about her, but not much so I'm excited to work with her. I will really really miss sister Pluim, though. She is such a sweetheart and such a fun person and a great teacher. I love her lots. 

So...this week was crazy. We found three new investigators, but none of them were home for their appointments, so that was sad. Also, we saw our investigator Brian, who is homeless, and he was practically having a heart attack but wouldn't let us do anything to help, so we just made sure he got home safe and said a prayer. It was sad! but prayers work miracles, so hopefully he's okay! We also did 10 hours of service, so that was great! We unpacked boxes, organized papers, served food to seniors, and painted a closet. It was was fun. I love service. Anyway, that was really the week. It's been so fun in Oly, but I am definitely so excited to go to Bremerton! My new address is 

6665 NW Newberry Hill

Silverdale WA

98383.

love you all soooo much! Thank you for all your prayers, let me tell you....we need them. I love you. Have an awesome week!

Love, Sister Kramer

Zone activity. I love these sisters!

EVERYONE has bear statues, so I had to high five one, right? :)

Some deer skeleton in someone's back yard. Creepy much?

More Chickens....they're the best to chase :P

My District (Left-right: Elders Hovey, Bell, Zhou, and Woodbrey, me and Sister Pluim)

I love the little things

1. Fresh Blackberries. Holy smokes! They're EVERYWHERE and it just makes me so happy. We can be knocking and just pick some fresh berries :) I love it!

2. Members and non members who give us water and food and berries! We've gotten fresh produce from a bunch of people and it really makes lunch delicious! 

3. a lady the other day said she wasn't interested but said to take some fresh flowers and vegetables from her stand and so I took a Dahlia, which is one of my favorite flowers since being on a mission!

Even when people slam the door on us or tell us to "rethink our religion" or plans fall through, when we focus on those who are ready to hear the gospel and on all the tender mercies Christ gives us, our joy is "swallowed up in Christ" (Alma 31:38 page 287 in the Book of Mormon) and I love that. When we focus on the good, it makes the bad worth it! 

 

so this week, we were able to find a couple new investigators, which is exciting! We had a member come knocking with us and we found Christine . She met missionaries before and really wanted to come to church but "lost touch" with the missionaries and never was able to make it. So we gave her the church address and set up a return appointment, and the member who came with us that day wants to come to the return appointment with us! It's perfect. Then we also met this sweet lady with two Autistic kids named Stephen and Justin. They're way sweet and were very open and have friends in the ward, so we are hoping to go back and start teaching them! Then Mariah said she was interested in learning more and we could come back! She's taking lessons with Jehovah's Witnesses, too, so she's open and searching and hopefully we can help her feel the spirit!

I just love this work and I love you guys. Thank you soooo much for your prayers and your love and support. I couldn't do this without you and I find strength from you guys every day. I love you so much! have an amazing week!

Black berries EVERYWHERE! I love it!

Did you know donkeys are actually way sweet!? I really like them :)

Aparently, black birds aren't so sweet....they can be aggressive. Who'd a thought!? I

I also love horses :) This one really liked me too. He thought I had treats in my purse :P

My Dahlia and Pluim's Zuchinni that we took from the lady's free stand

Families are Forever

AH this week was so wonderful!

Dylan's still doing wonderfully and due to some church building conflicts, is on date for the 9th, but  is still on date and is way excited! Also, I loooove his little boy, Elijah. The kid has me wrapped around his little fingers! Ugh. SO cute!

Also, we have a wonderful family we are working with, the Felix Family. Victoria has been a member all her life, and Juan was baptized around last September, but Juan's sisters, Rosio and Alondra, are living with them now and aren't members! It was so cute, because Juan needed to get the priesthood, but he wanted to wait for a week later than anticipated so his sisters could be there! And a young women went up and introduced herself to them and made sure they came to Young Women's and they loved it! So we are working on teaching them and putting them on date :) And their mom will be coming to live with them soon, as well, and already is looking forward to coming to church! The girls love church and are so prepared :) we are so excited! I can't wait to be able to start teaching them even more. They're so prepared and so excited and cute. I love them so much!

Missionary work is amazing. I'm so grateful that I get to be a part of this work! miss you tons and love you all! Pictures next week :)

Love you!

Love,

Sister Kramer

Someone forgot to turn on the AC...

It was waaaaaay hot this week! Especially yesterday. And they don't believe in AC here, so it was hard to sleep some nights. I can't really complain cause I know there are people in Brazil or Arizona or North Carolina who probably have it a LOT worse, but it was still hot okay? Especially when we were knocking doors. We were dying for water. Luckily, this guy have us each a cold bottle. I definitely thanks Heavenly Father for him! haha.

We also had a chicken run up to us and let us hold it, so that was fun!

Um....other than that. Let's see....we saw some really cute elderly ladies in the ward. One was like: "come back any time. I was wondering when you were going to stop by!" we were like...AW! Okay. We'll definitely come back. We got to set up some appointments with less actives that we will be seeing this week. We weren't able to see Lynn (she got a job! Yay! but not yay cause then we couldn't help her!) we went to the senior center and served the people there are soooo cute and funny! We love them. Met a couple of nice people while knocking, and a few not so nice people. This one guy was like: You believe in Mythology? and we were like....Um....no? We also got peed on by a dog! yucj. But that was pretty much our week. Still working hard ot find people and teach them! Still loving it here :) I love you all! Y'all are the best., Have a GREAT week!

Love,

Sister Kramer

the Memorial day Picnic

1) my birthday 2) eating tai food! 3) BUTTERFLY! 4) someone wrote a note and put it on our car while we were knocking. People get so mad about where we park....we weren't even on anyone's property! 5) our area is beautiful! 

Sister Kramer had a farm...

I've never seen so many farm animals in my life! IT's sooooo funny! I loe it. There are just random chickens on the side of the road and sheep and cows and goats and horses EVERYWHERE! 

Well this week has been fun! I love it here in OLY 4th and it's been so cool to see so many member willing to do missionary work! They're doing so many amazing things, bringing friends to church and giving out Copies of the Book of Mormon and being an example. My challenge to all of you is to share the gospel in little ways that you can, wheter that's just being an example, or having the missionaries over with your friends! there will be so many amazing blessings that come! 

I love you all! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you mother's and all you wonderful women who've been an example and "mother" to me. I LOVE YOU!

Love,

Sister Kramer

Chickens...chickens everywhere

So this past week we went to the Walden's (a less active and part member family) and they have chickens all over. So of course, their 9 year old was chasing them and made us hold a bunch of them. one was HUGE! It was, like, 20 pounds! It was fun. It's so great having all these silly animal encounters :P

SO this week has been amazing! the clear impression I had from Conference was to just think of Christ and focus on Him and that's been so helpful this past week. As I've focused on Christ, I've trusted and loved more and I've been so so much happier. It seems so simple, but it was something that's really helped me! I'm so grateful as I've done that. We also have worked a lot harder on focusing on WHY we do things. Not what we do, but why we do the things we do. Why are we obedient? Why do we tract? Why do we teach people. Because we want to get higher numbers than the elders? Because we want to say we did everything? because we have to? NO! Because we want to show the Lord I love Him and because I love these people. And as I've focused on that, it's been such a change for me. I've been happier and loving the work more and more and the weeks have just FLOWN by. It's amazing. I love this work so so much. Hope you all have a fantastic week and know how much I love you guys! Can't believe I'm half way done :/ Where did the time go!? OH! This saturday we get transfer calls. I think I'm leaving. ALSO, that same day we get to go to the temple with Shelby! She's amazing. I love her so much! She bore her testimony yesterday and it was so simple and sweet and I was so proud. It was such an amazing moment! I cried of happiness :)

It's awesome! Okay love you guys!

Love, Sister Kramer

My amazing district, whom we all love so much! We're so tight! Elders Lee, Ivie, Martin, and Benge and Sister Redenbaugh and I :) Love them!

 

Kelly, our crazy less active who wanted to lock us in her bathroom because she loved us so much. She's hilarious! :)

The 20 Lb Chicken. :)

Sunshine and Boots

 This is Boots, the cute goat we met while knocking. This lady showed us around her house with turkeys, chickens, and goats and had us hold and feed boots. She's cute :)

Anyway...it's been sunny lately!!! YAY! It's been so great. :) I also feel great. Conference was just perfect and I love our prophets and apostles. we truly can get revelation and it's been such a testimony to me of how much God loves us. Did you notice that theme?? I love you guys. This week was slow, but still awesome and I look forward to another one. Stay great!

Sister Kramer

How does one 'tism?

so this week was incredible!!! Shelby was baptized and let me tell you, prayer is SO REAL!!! Thank you guys so much for praying fo rher and for me. I definitely know that it really helped. Satan tried so hard to stop her, but she is so incredible! She's got such faith and strength and it's amazing. As we recite every week....no unhallowed hand can stop the work! It's amazing. I love her and hope she goes on a mission!!! 

Awe also got our first media referral today, so that was great! :)

And the women's conference was just great! I loved how we are to just serve and trust the Lord! We have the opportunity to serve, and we should rejoice in that and know we do not serve alone! 

This week as we prepare for conference, I'm going to challenge you all to read a conference talk a day and think of a question that you'd like answered. I love conference, because a lot of my answers and guidance are from the latter day prophets! I love you all! Here are some pictures :)

Love you guys!

Love,

Sister Kramer :)

We go on a nature walk...every day!

Guys....I can't even begin to say how gorgeous it is here! Seriously...pictures don't even describe it. I love it so so much! When we go knocking, we literally are, like, hiking through the wood. We've got giant trees, fresh air, chirping birds. It's amazing here! It's like the hike at girls camp...in a skirt. ;) We're always exhausted by the time we get home!

anyway....Shelby is amazing!!! She wants to be baptized and has been reading the Book of Mormon and is loving the lessons. Everything we teach her, she's just like: "it makes sense!" I'm so happy to get to teach her! She's golden, we just got to get her mom on board so she can be baptized! Please keep her and her mom in your prayers! :)

The work continues slowly but surely. We are still working hard and enjoying the rain. Washingotn is really bi polar! It'll rain one minute and be sun shiney the next....luckily it hasn't been TOO cold when it's rained! 

I love you all. Keep on being amazing! Thanks for you love, support, and prayers. They are greatly appreciated :)

Love,

Sister Kramer

I almost steal a cat...

Hey guys!!!

So....exciting news....GEORGE WANTS TO MEET WITH US AGAIN! I'm so excited :) I can't wait to see him. thanks so much for your prayers and keep praying for him!

We also got to see Gloria this week, and she is stuck in a Catholic rut (we love Catholics, but I want her to accept the Gospel!) BUT she accepted the invitation to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, so please pray that she will do that and will recognize that answer!

Kolton finally got back to us....but he's out of town. So hopefully when he gets back we can set up a time to see him!

OH! And we also met a woman, Kelly, who wears and eye patch, has forgotten a lot of her old memories because of an aneurysm she had a number of years ago, and she loved us so much she wanted to "lock us in her bathroom". Naturally, we went back the next day! ;) we gave her a Book of Mormon and taught her the restoration and she said that SHE would pray and read as well. She had a really cute cat that liked me and she laughed cause she saw me holding it and it apparently looked like I was going to steal it :P She's funny! 

SO the Lord is opening up the way for us. I am so happy to be serving Him and am so excited to see what this coming week will bring! I hope you all had a fabulous Valentine's day and know how much I love you all! And how much Heavenly Father loves you all! You are awesome. Have a great week!!

Love,

Sister Kramer

I almost hit a peacock...

Seriously, I was driving down the road this morning and a peacock just CAME OUT OF NOWHERE! Like, a live peacock! Luckily, I slammed on the breaks and he ran out of my way. I was glad I didn't hit him.

there's so much wild life and animals here. Goats, horses, sheep, cows....peacocks, apparently, ducks, seagulls and EAGLES! I've seen so many eagles and it's SO PRETTY!!!!

Okay, but now onto the serious part....

This week was really good and bad.

First, we went street contacting and found this girl named Courtney. She was standing with another guy by a tuck with a whole bunch of stuff in the trunk, so we told her who we were and asked if she needed help. She said no, that she had just got out of rehab and that she was just moving back. She told us her story and told us how she was trying to change her life. She was so positive, though, and kept saying how God had helped her and supported her through everything she was going through. We asked if she wanted to learn more about the church and she said yes! so we exchanged numbers and set up a time to give her a tour of the church and walked away wide eyed and so happy!

Then two days later, street contacting in the same spot, we met a homeless guy named Walter who accepted a Book of Mormon and also set up a time for a church tour and said that eh felt that maybe this was the chance he'd been looking for to change his life. Once again, we were extatic!

We also got a referral for this guy named Mike and when we went to his house to check on him, his 13 year old son, Kolton, answered the door and said he also wanted to learn more!!! AND we taught him the restoration and he said that it "made sense"! 

Then things started going downhill.

George, our other investigator, called us and said that he felt we were being pushy and that we were young and inexperienced and didn't understand that the "spirit works in it's own way and time" and that he wanted to cancel our appointment that day and that he wanted to call us in two weeks after studying and praying and reading. Luckily, he didn't drop completely, so keep praying that he will recognize the answer that the Book of Mormon is true!

Then Courtney cancelled on us twice, Walter never showed up and he has no phone for us to contact him, and Kolton never set an actual day for us to come back over and teach him, also Gloria (our other investigator from a week or two ago) cancelled on us as well.

BUT the cool thing is that Heavenly Father has been so good in comforting me and reminding me about agency. I've been doing my best and working hard, and that is all I can do! If I never see a baptism, if I am my only convert....then that's okay. I know I did my best. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father saw fit to trust me and to love me. I am so grateful for that love and I'm so excited to see what this week will bring! I love you all!!! Please keep praying for them! They need this gospel and what it can do for them!!!

love you all!

Sister Kramer

We are "female Elders"

Hey there you guys!!!

SO this week has been full of laughs! Like....my companion is so funny! haha. We passed a sign that said "Joemma Beach" and sister Redenbaugh (my new companion) thought it said "Yo Momma Beach"! Then we knocked on this door and the lady came to the door and was like: "OH! I've never met female elders before!" It was so hard not to laugh!

This week, not many of our new or potential investigators were home....agency stinks sometimes! BUT it's still fine. I am so happy to be serving here in this ward. The members are seriously incredible! And George is still doing awesome. We're seeing him tomorrow. He still loves seeing and meeting with us, so that's awesome!

Sister Redenbaugh is my first companion NOT from Utah! She's from Kentucky, so that's fun! ANd we laugh a lot together, so it makes me happy :) I'm just so excited to serve and be here. I lov eyou all. Hope you guys have an awesome week. As always thanks for all the prayers and love and support!!! 

Love,

Sister Kramer