Hi family,
Okay, so I wrote some stuff down that I need.
1. My beanie. I think it's in one of my drawers. It's black with a purple rim thingy. Yeah, I'd like that for running in the morning, and maybe sleeping. Our apartment is FREEZING! I was wrapped up in a blanket this morning. For some reason the temperature won't go past 60. I even tried turning it to 80ish this morning, just to see if it would get to 70. Highly doubt it will. Yeah, our apartment isn't the best. Good thing we're never in it!
2. Listerine strips! I'd buy them, except I can't find them here, which is weird, cuz everyone and their dog smokes here.
3. The Psychology department's address. (the one at BYUI.) You'll prolly be able to find it on the website.
4. The Dance Classes address. You know, to send them a post card.
5. Cookie dough recipe. Remember the c.c. cookies I made that everyone liked? That one. It says, "The best Darling Cookies." If you can't find it then contact Rachel Darling. You can find her on Facebook, or under the student directory on the BYUI website. Just say I was dumb and lost the "Best Darling Cookie recipe!" I need to make them for Sister Chen!
And that's it.
So on my plaque I want "The Sandard of Truth." As stated by Joseph Smith. You'll probably be able to find it on line or something, but just in case I'll include it in here.
"The Standard of Truth has been erected, no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions my rage, mobs may combine, armies my assemble, calumny my defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, til it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, til the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."
Yeah, pretty much one of my favorite quotes. It should be scripture. It could be considered as such, seeing as Joseph Smith said it.
Mom, I did get your long letter with the two talks. I read some of it last night til bed, then finished it this morning. Thanks for the talks! How did you know that I was studying Faith right now? And my next topic to study is the Holy Ghost? Mommy powers or something. And I just skimmed through your letter dad, seeing as how I got it right before I got to the library where we e-mail. It's right down the road from our place. Not even a mile. And dad, you can use my Wheaton address, not the mission home address.
And that's awesome that someone found my camera! I guess I did loose it, and no one stole it. After downloading the pictures to my computer you can give it away, or to one of the boys. I like this camera. And which setting is it supposed to be on? You know the little dial on top? Yeah, I have no idea! And I don't have a manual. DON'T SEND ONE THOUGH! I'll loose it, or through it away. Just TELL me! I hate reading manuals!
Okay, so this week. Kelsey hasn't called us back for 2ish weeks now...make that 3. We've tried to get ahold of her, but can't. So we haven't called her for a couple days. We're going to try soon though. Something is holding her back. Probably those dumb...um...yeah, those catholic priests. My goal is baptize an ACTIVE catholic. Or just a Catholic. Sister Doll was a Catholic, and now she's one awesome Mormon! You should have heard her give a talk in stake conference! So funny, but so spiritual and uplifting.
But we have an investigator, Tony. At first he didn't seem interested, but after I said, "Can we simply talk to you for 15 minutes?" He let us! We taught him the first lesson....maybe I already told you this, I think I did. But he's reading the book of Mormon, and he believes it's true, but he doesn't know if Man wrote it or God wrote it. Both right? Man through God. And there's a lot going on in his life right now that's stressful. Tonight we're going to teach him, and hopefully his wife will be there, how the gospel bless families. A couple, the Whittingtons? (Aunt Julie knows the mom. And they fed us dinner the other night. She LOVES Ben! Oh Ben, I love that kid!) Well anyways, they're coming too. So Sister Chen and I are going to ask them to bare their testimony of how the gospel has blessed their family, and I'm going to share how daily scripture reading and praying as a family has strengthened us and brought us closer together, and how when founded upon Christ's gospel our families can grow closer together. I think we're also going to share the proclamation to he world. I might sing it for them, or not ;). Sister Chen is the only member in her family, so she's going to share a scripture with them. Yeah, she is AMAZING! She knows her scriptures! You should see them. She'll get sticky notes and write a Mandarin translation for a verse or two so she can better understand them. When we're in a lesson she'll turn to a scripture that I didn't even know was there. It's amazing!
And don't worry Dad, we have fun tracting. We always make up stuff we're going to say. Like people will open the door and say, "Can I help you?" And we want to say back to them, "Yeah, can you give us 15 minutes of your time?" OR something like that. But anyways. We have a lot of hope for Tony. And hopefully his wife will join us too, and they can be a forever family!
Then there's Debra. Oh Debra! Her illness is holding her back. But she's seen miracles through the priesthood! She's been investigating for so long, and Sister Chen and I both feel that it's time for her to get baptized. Hopefully on the 30th, hopefully on the 30th. Unlike Elder Ostler, our investigators have to come to church THREE times, not two. And church and coffee are what's holding her back.
Oh, so we had a cop stop us yesterday. We were walking on Hickory street in Lombard tracting (shocker) and a cop drove past us slowly. We waved at him. He stopped, back up and asked to talk to us. He asked what we were doing, and Sister Chen said enthusiastically, "We're sharing the gospel!" "Oh, okay," he said, then drove off. Except he only drove about 10 feet, and parked his car. We don't know if someone called him, or he was just driving through the area. So that was fun!
Oh, and the other day, Saturday we tracted for about 4 hours, because no one likes to schedule appointments with the missionaries that day! And we were making jokes that our next appointment was with Sister Massage. (You know like get a back massage. I don't know how to spell that). She was carrying a backpack, and I, well, my back pains are back, and I don't know how to get rid of them. I need Kristi again! Honestly, out of everything I have ever tried Positional Release is the only thing that works on my back. I mean the last time I had it done was beginning of sept, and my back is only now starting to hurt. Well it would hurt before, but always go away, and it wouldn't be very bad. But now it's so painful sometimes. I think it has to do with me not realizing I'm not relaxing my shoulders, and I think driving plays a big part in it. And No, I still don't know all the streets. Our area is HUGE! We cover Wheaton Ward, which alone covers 4 towns, and Naper 6 ward, which covers 3ish towns. We have parts of Napervilee, and half of Aurora. We travel about 30 miles each day.
But last night I took a hot bath to try to relax my muscles. I think every missionary deserves a bath once in a while. It reminded me of the time when at the end of the semester me, Danielle, Chris, and Torry went to Lava Hot Springs. Oh man, I remember that I felt so relaxed after that. I don't think my body has ever been that relaxed before...like physically. Mentally I was going wild cuz I still had to clean and move all my stuff to 102, within about 12 hours. Fun stuff.
Oh, and I"d send you pictures, but I don't have a cord that hooks up the computer and camera. So I"ll print some out today and send them to you. I'm planning on sending home my card at the end of every transfer. Oh, and Sister Chen LOVES the song "I Will" by Hilary Weeks. She really likes Hilary Weeks, and music. So maybe if you have time you could make her a Hillary Weeks CD. I think she'd really like that. And she doesn't get tired of listening to the same CD over and over again. She also likes Elder Vances song "the Proclamation." I personally love "The Rising." Oh man, Joseph Smith gives me so much strength. And it's kind of like day after day. Persecutions, "No thank yous." "Take your God somewhere else" (we had that one on Saturday) people not opening their doors cuz they don't want to talk to us. Yeah, but "Like the Spirit of God, Like a fire it [will] spread." As Joseph Smith said, "No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing."
I just have to keep reminding myself everyday that the Lord is on my side. And follow all the rules. Which is hard sometimes. I want to sleep in so bad every single day. But I don't. Although sometimes I don't hear my alarm. Or one morning. well I had been sleeping poorly the whole night. I kept waking up and going back to sleep. So when my alarm went off I woke up, turned it off, and went back to sleep like I had been doing for the past couple hours. I only woke up when I heard Sister Chen come out of the bathroom. But we work hard all day, and then at night. Oh, about 8:30ish is when I start thinking of bed.
Thanks for the info on the church here. But could you also tell me the general religious history. Not just Mormons. Okay time is up.
Love you lots. Thanks for your prayers.
Love,
Sister Ostler
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