Monday, February 27, 2017

It's The Little Things!

Hello!

This week was honestly one of the best weeks I have had in a long time!  We had such a good week filled with service, meeting with less-active families, teaching our investigators, and meeting a new family that we are going to start teaching.  So much happened, but I have no clue what to share.  We saw so many miracles and had so many tender mercies each and every day.  Heavenly Father is watching out for this area, and I feel so blessed for that.  

On Sunday, it was like miracles after miracle.  We had these less-actives that hadn't come in a really long time just show up.  Two minutes later some more walked through the door, and then our two investigators walked in, and we were just sitting there with the biggest smiles on our faces.  I just had so much joy.  It was such an amazing Sacrament Meeting as well.  So many blessings!!

After church, we went from appointment to appointment, which normally doesn't happen.  We had an awesome lesson with this family that we are so excited to start teaching.  They have four adorable kids, and they are all just so funny!  

 Oh, my gosh!  Here's comes Santa Claus!!!

It snowed like a total of about nine inches, so we were able to do so much service for members, less-actives, and non-members, which was so fun.  Also, living here, you have to find those little things that keep you sane during the winters, and one of those things for me has been running.  We had what we called the "miracle treadmill" because it was a legit miracle and answer to so many prayers that it was given to us!  Anyway, it broke this week, and Sister Cox and I shed a few tears, but thankfully it was 25 degrees outside, so we were able to run outside.  I never thought that running outside would bring so much happiness, but I ran those three miles that morning with the biggest smile on my face ever!  It felt like paradise, and I realized how beautiful this place really is.  You can see that we literally live in the middle of nowhere, and the roads are these small snow-covered roads without any traffic, and there's not a house to be seen.  It's the little things that keep you sane living here.

 On my beautiful, scenic three-mile run!

Honestly, this week was so good.  We saw so many miracles and had so many blessings.  I have been studying the Plan of Salvation a lot this week.  It truly is the Plan of Happiness.  It is the coolest thing being able to teach people about the plan and see the joy that comes from them finding out that they can experience that joy and happiness in this life and the next--being able to return and live with our Heavenly Father again.  I have seen it bring joy to so many people, as well as the joy it has brought me.  

I know this Church is true.  I love this Gospel.  Hope you all had a great week!  

Love you all,
Sister Lake

P.S. A shout out to Amy Christensen for the adorable PJ pants!!!  And, if any of you were wondering...if you stick your tongue to the NORTH POLE, it doesn't stick!  

 Thanks, Amy Christensen!

 Checking to see if my tongue will stick...!

Yay...My tongue didn't stick!!

Monday, February 20, 2917

Jesus, take the wheel!

Hello!
We had the opportunity to have Elder Ardern from the Seventy come and visit our mission this week, and it was such an amazing experience.  We had an incredible scripture study with him, and the Spirit was just so strong.  He asked all of us to choose our favorite scripture, and then he called a few of us up to read it.  We then thoroughly studied the scripture word by word.  I was one of the lucky four chosen to share my favorite, and it was a really terrifying experience but SO cool.  

 Elder Ian S. Ardern

Funny side story--As I was walking up to the front, Elder Ardern said in his thick New Zealand accent, "You look like a very "'hippie"' missionary, and all of the missionaries started laughing.  He meant to say "happy" but said "hippie" instead.  Even the General Authorities can tell...Haha!  It was such an awesome experience though, and I am so thankful for that opportunity to share my favorite scripture.

 Zone Conference with Elder and Sister Ardern, mission president and his wife, and missionaries in the zone

Other than Elder Ardern's visit, my companion was really sick this week, and so we spent a lot of time in the doctor's office and inside our apartment, which has given me a lot of time to study and read the book, "Jesus the Christ."  

We also had an awesome experience this week with a less-active, part-member family.  A couple of weeks ago we were looking for a less-active member, and totally got lost.  We were driving down this super sketchy road in the middle of nowhere with only three homes.  All of a sudden, I felt a prompting that we needed to turn around, and so we did.  We then drive by this one house and they have a BYU football flag hanging up.  We looked in our directory but didn't have any listing of members in that area.  I said to my companion, "Let's go knock."  We did and met this guy named Dave Adams.  He is a less-active and was shocked that we found him.  He has an awesome family who aren't members, and he told us to come back.  We ate dinner with him and his family this past week, and we had such a cool evening.  They are seriously the greatest, and we are eating with them again soon.  We were able to answer so many questions they had and just got to know them.  I freaking love them!

Heavenly Father will put us where we need to be, and when we need to be there, to find those people we need to find.  He will lead us and guide us.  He is aware of each person,  what they are in need of, and when they will be prepared.  I love this Gospel and know it is true.  I love my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I am grateful for the knowledge of their love for me and each and every one of us.

Love, Sister Lake

 Singing "Jesus, Take The Wheel" while driving on the icy roads

P.S.  "Jesus Take The Wheel" has been our theme song this week because of the icy roads and stuff.  Also, transfers happened and Sister Cox and I are staying together in North Pole, but our favorite Zone Leader peaced out.  Sad day!

 Additional pictures from the Zone Conference

Monday, February 12, 2017

THE SUN IS OUT!

Okay...I am the worst and totally ran out of time and forgot to send a weekly email out.  

Quick update:  Life is so good!  THE SUN IS OUT and Alaska is truly beautiful.  We had a couple rough days but ended the week on a day full of miracles.  Such a blessing!  Heavenly Father is aware of this area, and I am so thankful for that.  

 The Sun is out!!

We met with some incredible less-active families that I just instantly fell in love with!  We taught our two investigators this week and the meeting went really well!  They are so ready!

Something important that I came to realize this week is that happiness is a choice!  I can choose to look at the fact that I am in the coldest place ever, in the middle of nowhere, where no one answers their door--LIKE NEVER--as a hard thing, or I can choose to realize that serving in the North Pole as an amazing, once-in-a-lifetime experience, where I I have the opportunity to bring the light of the Gospel to the people here and see how its teachings bless so many peoples' lives.  I realized that once I started looking at things positively, there was a world of difference.  Happiness is a choice, no matter what situation we are in.  We have that choice, and that is something I have come to learn this week.

This Church is so true.  I love the Gospel and am so thankful for the blessings I have received and have been able to see others receive as well.  I LOVE the Book of Mormon, and I love the opportunity to serve a mission.  Hope you all have a great week!

Love, Sister Lake  

 No doubt about it...we are in Alaska!

 Bald eagle sitting on a telephone pole

Monday, February 6, 2017

Weekly Email

Hello!  
This week was good; it went by really quick!  We had Zone Meeting this week and so our mission president and his wife were able to fly in, and it was really fun having them up here.  We had such an amazing meeting, and the spirit was so strong.  We focused a lot on the importance of the Sacrament, which was such a good reminder for me.  The Sacrament truly is such a blessing and gift to be able to renew those covenants we made when we were baptized.  We also had interviews with our president and his wife, and I just love them.  It was good to spend some time and just get to know them better.

 Our beloved zone!

We also had two amazing lessons with our two investigators!  I didn't realize how much I miss teaching!  The lessons went well and the spirit was very strong.  We talked about the Plan of Salvation, which was truly such a special experience.  The investigators are incredible.  This Church is so true!

Church on Sunday was AMAZING.  The testimonies that were shared were exactly what I needed.  They helped answer many of my questions.  It is so cool when Heavenly Father answers your prayers through other people, and on Sunday that is exactly what He did multiple times.

We shared with a few people that we visited this week my favorite chapter in the Book of Moron, which is 3 Nephi 17.  One of my favorite verses is Verse 9, which states, "And it came to pass that when He had thus spoken, all the multitude, with one accord, did go forth with their sick and their afflicted, and their lame, and with their blind, and with their dumb, and with all them that were afflicted in any manner; and He did heal them every one as they were brought forth unto Him." 

I love this scripture so much because our Savior is inviting us, anyone who is afflicted in any manner, to come unto Him and as we do, He promises us He will heal us.  It is so powerful knowing that as we come unto our Savior in times that we are struggling, He will heal us.  He loves us.  It has been so special being able to read this chapter and watch as the spirit touches the hearts of the people we teach, as well as my companion and me.  This church is true.  I am very thankful for a loving Heavenly Father and for my Savior and his atoning sacrifice.

I love you all!  The temperature is dropping back down to negative 50 this week, so prayers would be greatly appreciated!  Much love from the NORTH POLE and Santa and his reindeer, of course!

Love, Sister Lake

 Sister Cox and I found the first smoothie/juice bar in all of Alaska--Pure joy!!!

 Sister Lake on Lake Dr.

 Our Fig Newton cookie obsession has gotten unreal!!

Monday, January 30, 2017

"TURN DOWN FOR WHAT"

Hello!

A few awesome/hilarious stories this week:

* We have two new investigators. They are so awesome!  One of them is just so excited to learn and told us on Sunday she is excited for our next lesson this week.  She is truly ready and has the sweetest spirit.

* I had exchanges this week with Sister Treu, and we were able to volunteer at Project Homeless.  It was such a cool experience, and we were able to talk with so many people about what we believe in.  It was amazing just being able to open our mouths and bear our testimonies to many people about how the Gospel brings an incredible amount of happiness.

 Sister Lake on exchanges with Sister Treu

* The weather reached 13 degrees this week, which was SO nice!!!  We had the windows down and everything (that's what Alaska will do to you)...and then it snowed and we're back down to -20.  It was nice while it lasted!

 Tracking in -20 degrees results in frozen toes, which results in having to thaw them!

* THE SUN IS COMING OUT!  This week we have been able to tell such a difference in how long the sun is out.  We are gaining about an hour of sunlight a week.  HALLELUJAH!!!

* We had a day full of miracles yesterday.  By Saturday of this week, Sister Cox and I were both getting pretty discouraged.  We have been praying and working so hard to feel loved and trusted by the Church members, and we just felt like our efforts were going to waste.  But, we had so many miracles, left and right, on Sunday.  We really felt loved by so many members.  We can just tell that they are starting to trust us, which is an answer to many prayers.

* Funny story for this week...We went to meet this less-active brother at his house, whose name is Gerome.  We knocked on his door and this black guy answers it, lets us in, and just yells, "TURN DOWN FOR WHAT! (For the older generation, this is a line from a very popular song.)"  It was seriously SO funny.  He is awesome, probably one of my new favorite people.  We just sat there and he told us his whole life story--about how he came in contact with the Church and all of the experiences he has had.  We just sat there and laughed half of the time, and the other half sat there amazed at everything he has been through.  There are truly incredible people out there.

* Another funny story...We were trying to contact other less-actives.  Sister Cox knocks on a door and two teenage boys answer, and she asks if this certain lady lives there.  The boys said, "No," and so Sister Cox said, "Okay, never mind," and instead of leaving just stares at them for an awkward 30 seconds.  So, I pipe in and ask if we could share a message with them and they shut the door, then open it back up and said, "No," and then did the same thing two more times.  It was very awkward SO, of course, I just started dying laughing right there on the front porch.  When I get the giggles I cannot stop.  It was so funny!

Sister Cox (my fav)

* I have also been reading the book, "The Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley," and have just fallen in love with that man.  He has the best advice, and I am really trying my hardest to apply his teachings in my own life.  What a world of difference!  Y'all should ready Chapter three of his book--so good!  Love, Sister Lake

Monday, January 23, 2017

51 DEGREES BELOW ZERO!

HELLO!

Hope you all had a wonderful week.  I don't have much to share because we were stuck inside for a whole 48 hours because the temperature reached 51 degrees below zero...but life is good up here in the North Pole.  

I think the weirdest thing I have ever experienced is walking outside and having my eyeballs feel like they are going to freeze!  The weather is freezing, but so good!  The North Pole is one of the most interesting places I have ever seen.  All of the street lamp poles are painted to look like candy canes, and everything is just covered in snow.  It has been such an adventure, and I am loving it.

We have been doing a lot of finding, as well as trying to gain the ward members' trust.  In just this last week we have seen so many miracles from the work we have put in.  We have seen the Lord's hand in our work so much!  We have been tracting and boy, oh boy, has Heavenly Father blessed us for that.  

It has been so cool this week seeing how much our Heavenly Father loves us and is aware of what we are going through.  Every single day when Sister Cox and I arrive home, we wonder how we made it through the day and somehow we always do.  I know that I would not be able to go out to work and tract and talk to people in this freezing cold if the Lord was not with me every step of the way.  It has been such a testimony builder for me knowing that my Heavenly Father loves me and is aware of me.

 Sister Lake with her companion, Sister Cox

Because we had to be inside so much this last week, I also had a lot of time to read and study the Book of Mormon.  My testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith has been reaffirmed and strengthened.  I had the coolest experience this week.  I know without a shadow of a doubt that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God.  I have grown to love the Book of Mormon so much!  Honestly, if you need a little pick-me-up, read the Book of Mormon!  It really truly does bring the most happiness and joy into our lives!  

I love this Gospel!  I love the NORTH POLE, and I am learning to love this FREEZING cold weather!  Thanks for all of the support and love I have been shown!  Hope you have a great week!

Love, Sister Lake

P.S. If any of you were wondering...Santa Claus is NOT interested in the hearing about the Gospel, but he's super cool.

Monday, January 16, 2017

First Week in the North Pole!

[Dear Friends and Family, This is Michele, McKenna's mom.  She didn't have much time to write today, so I thought I would include a few of her words to me, to let you know how she is doing.  She sent me a picture, too.  Thank you all for writing her on her birthday and for all of the kindness and support you show her.  Love you all dearly, Michele]
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Hello, hello, hello!! 
Oh, how I miss you!  I seriously feel so far away from home! 

Alright, so the NORTH POLE is crazy.  Honestly, it has been hard...it warmed up for a hot second to give us a nice blizzard because it can't snow when it's -20, and then it dropped right back down to -26 yesterday!  It's freezing here, Mom, absolutely freezing!  You have to wear face masks over your mouth and nose because breathing the extreme cold destroys your lungs.  There is so much snow and it is just painfully cold...and dark...really dark!!

The people up here are awesome; however, and I love my companion.  Seriously we get along so great!  It has been so much fun and such a blessing.  The work here is really slow, which has been hard coming from an area where we had so many investigators.  This just means we have to get to work like we did in our last area, and we will see success eventually.  

The members here are awesome!  They are so good to us and everyone is so nice!  We get to do service for Santa Claus and his reindeer every week.  I totally got head-butted by Dasher and it hurt so bad!  I'm trying my hardest to laugh every day and just enjoy this adventure as much as possible!  It has been hard, though, but I feel like I am adjusting.

Love, Sister Lake