Exciting times, Orange lobster & lobster rolls, Baptisms, Miracles & blessings, God is mindful of each of us...

We had some pretty exciting things happen this past week! One highlight was that we got to hold an orange lobster!! one in 30 million! :D haha we went and got lobster rolls for dinner one night and then the guy came up to us and asked if we wanted to hold a one in 30 million lobster! So that was pretty exciting! and also Tori got baptized!!! :D ahhhhh! :) so amazing! So that was a wicked awesome day....a baptism and holding an orange lobster! 

Anyways...last monday we went to Sister Whitney's for FHE and it was just a small group of us but Sister Kotter did the lesson and we each made a title of liberty and talked about the things that we are grateful for/what we fight for! It was really awesome! 

Tuesday we went to the food pantry and then we did our studies after and then we went to Orange Leaf :) We went to the Hafens and Tori and Steve both came over and we talked about everything for their baptisms and worked things out for the programs and who would do what and just answered questions! It was so awesome to see how excited they both are! Then we had dinner with the Baca's! 

Wednesday for district meeting we had a lesson all about gratitude! Then we went and did bingo! we had dinner with Sister Allen and then did some studies! 

Thursday we visited Sister Bock and had a great lesson on forgiveness! We went and had lunch at olive garden and then we visited some members! Had dinner with the Caramagno's and then did a few more stop bys after! 

Friday we did our weekly planning and had a lesson with Steve! We just went over the baptismal interview questions with him and talked about everything and he's so excited! :) We also visited sister Bromfield and read with her and then stopped by some other less actives! Then we had dinner with the Webbs! then a fhe lesson with Mary! 

Saturday was the big day! It was a little tricky figuring everything out because Tori is technically in the Exeter ward boundaries...so she is going to transition there but she was still able to get baptized in Portsmouth! So early in the morning we went to the church and filled the font and then Tori got there and she was just so happy and excited!! There was a really good turn out and lots of support from both wards! Brother Hafen baptized her and she was just glowing! It was so amazing to be a part of her special day! and to see her make it to this point! :) ahhhhh! so wonderful!! After it was all over and she was going to leave she was so cute and said all excited "well i'm gonna go home and be Mormon now!" I'm so happy for her and so grateful that it could all work out! After the baptism we went and tried to see some potentials.... We stopped by Stacy who we had seen awhile ago and she said she didn't have a lot of time but that we could come and have a prayer! she prayed and said it was truly a blessing to her that we showed up and she was so grateful that we came! I just think it's so cool how we can be right where we need to be in the exact right moment... there are no such things as coincidences! 

Yesterday we decided to try some other potentials and we got to the house and Kevin and his son were walking out to their car... he recognized that we were missionaries and said "where have you been?" haha he said he talked to elders months ago but never heard back from them...he was interested...but he said that he was moving...like right then! they were just there to pick up the last few things! He said he knew that God was looking out for him because if we would've come tomorrow he would've been gone! so that was pretty cool! We were able to talk to them real quick about the restoration and give them a pamphlet and they were just moving down the street so they said in a few weeks we could stop by! So that was a miracle! I'm so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and how the spirit guides us to where we need to be and to who we need to talk to and what we need to say! After that we went and had dinner with Katie and she taught us how to make baozi? some chinese food! haha so that was exciting! We talked to her about the Book of Mormon and about the Holy Ghost! Also yesterday we were able to go to Exeter and Tori was confirmed and received the gift of the Holy Ghost! It was so wonderful! :)

I'm so grateful for all of these great experiences and amazing things that are happening! I'm so grateful for the gospel! So grateful for all the amazing people I've met out here and all of you and your love and support! So many things to be grateful for for! Everyday when we plan for the next day we talk about what miracles we saw that day or the hand of the Lord that day...things we are grateful for! I love being able to recognize those blessings each day and see how blessed I truly am! As it says in Alma 26:37 I know that God is mindful of each of us! He loves us so much and blesses us in so many ways! Hope you all have a happy thanksgiving!! :)

Have a Great(ful) week, Street Contacting, Shopping at the Kittery Trading Post, Chili Cookoff, Blood Drive, Awesome Lessons, Prayers of Gratitude...

Well, this week is going to be super exciting!......Tori is getting baptized on Saturday!!!!! :D So excited for her!! :) I feel like this last week was kind of just a blur... haha...let's see.... we had pday and we went and checked out some of the outlets and the kittery trading post so that was our excitement for the day then we went to family home evening at sister whitney's and Mary taught an awesome lesson about missionary work and how we can all be missionaries! :) 

Tuesday Marsha and Helmar took us took breakfast and then we went to the food pantry! Then after that we went and did some service for Mary! We had dinner with the Lyons and the Storaces! We talked about the restoration with them and it was neat seeing how the gospel has impacted their lives the Lyons have been members all their lives but Brother Storace and his kids are recent converts and it was really cool to have them all participate in the lesson and share their testimonies! 

Wednesday we had district meeting and then bingo and then it was a really nice day which was awesome because we had planned to do some street contacting! We walked around Portsmouth and hung up some posters for the blood drive we were having at the church on friday and then we came back and went to sister whitney's for dinner! 

Thursday we went and saw sister bock and we read 1 Nephi 1 with her and talked about how it relates to the message of the restoration and parallels to the first vision! We had a great lesson with Steve! He is so awesome! We read Mosiah 18 and talked about baptismal covenants and also really focused on service, missionary work, temples and family history! He's really excited about family history work and the temple! He is really getting involved and has already started going on family search, has already invited people to come to his baptism, and is signing up for everything! He even signed up for tithing settlement and then had to ask us what he was even signing up for :) It was so cute to hear him talk about it all and just his excitement about everything! We went and walked around Portsmouth for a little while again and then had dinner with the Meads! 

Friday was pretty much weekly planning and then we were at the church all day doing the registration for the blood drive! Then we went to dinner with the Mitchells! 

Saturday we made chili for the chili cook off! We went and saw sister bromfield! She is getting rid of a bunch of stuff so we helped her de-junk a little and then just read a little in the Book of Mormon! Then we had to hurry home to get our chili so we could go to the church for Tori's baptismal interview and we were making some phone calls to invite people! We called Amber who we saw the other week and she said they were having a date night so they couldn't come... then a few minutes later she called back and said that they actually wanted to come so she asked for the address and she and her husband came! It was a really awesome night! Tori had her interview :) So Saturday it is!! The chili cook-off was really fun....even though our chili didn't win...haha! 

Sunday we went to ward council and then had a lesson with Tori and went over the same things we did with Steve about covenants and she is just so excited too! Now we really need to get finding and building up our teaching pool since our two investigators are going to be members soon!! :D We had the primary program and it was so awesome! So grateful for all the cute little primary kids and their sweet spirits and testimonies! It was so good! I'm so grateful for the theme families can be together forever! 

oh speaking of being grateful... that's kinda been one of the themes we've had as we've visited with members this week...seeing as how it is November and thanksgiving is almost here! We've been talking a lot about gratitude and inviting people to have a prayer of gratitude and it's so powerful to be able to hear some of those powerful, simple prayers! Last night we went to the Hafen's for dinner and one of the little girls said the prayer and it was so sweet just saying thank you for everything! There was a talk I read a little while ago that I really liked that talked about when the Savior healed the 10 lepers and how the one came back and said thank you...it talked about how interesting it is that is says "thy faith hath made thee whole" he didn't say "your gratitude hath made thee whole" but that's what it was...it was his gratitude that healed him...gratitude is faith! another thing that I read that I think is interesting is that faith is not just a feeling, it's a decision...so as we decide to be grateful and acknowledge the Lord for all our blessings then we can show our faith and we can be healed and strengthened. I think that is so cool and I am going to work on that to show my faith through my gratitude! "And now I would that ye should be humble, and be submissive and gentle; easy to be entreated; full of patience and long-suffering; being temperate in all things; being diligent in keeping the commandments of God at all times; asking for whatsoever things ye stand in need, both spiritual and temporal; always returning thanks unto God for whatsoever things ye do receive. And see that ye have faith, hope and charity and then ye will always abound in good works." Alma 7:23-24 So much to be grateful for! Love you lots!! Have a great{ful} week! :)

Amazing companions, He is unchanging, Learning, Growing, Becoming, Another great week...

Well it's been a great week! There's three of us now! so triple the fun! haha :) Last monday we figured out how to fit a third bed into our room....it's a bit of a tight squeeze but we all fit! we're nice and cozy in our little apartment. 

Tuesday morning we drove to Epping and picked up our new companion! Sister Kotter :) oh manny! I am so grateful for both of my companions! They are seriously so amazing!! So we drove back to kittery and just dropped off her stuff and then we went over to the food pantry for a little bit to help them there! They were excited to have three of us now! :) Then we came back and did our studies and prepared for our lesson with Tori! It's an adjustment figuring out how to teach with three and how to make sure we can all have part in the lesson but we're getting the hang of it :) We had an amazing lesson with Tori and talked about the commandments! We were all able to bear testimony of the Atonement and how we can repent and be forgiven when we make a mistake. That's something that I've really been thinking about lately. I love thinking how God is unchanging. He will always love us, no matter what we do or how many times we slip up or even when we're just not doing our best. He gives us weakness to humble us and to teach us so that we can grow and become stronger. So God is unchanging, but we as humans are able to change. We have agency and can make choices. We can become better and choose to make those changes that will bring us closer to Him and help us to become more like He is. I am so grateful for the Atonement and for that knowledge that we can change.

 When we were preparing for the lesson we knelt down together and prayed to know of a date that we should extend for her to be baptized. We all felt that November 22 would be good...coming up soon but we have faith that it will happen!! So we talked about it with her and we are on track for the 22!! :D We were able to have a lesson with her yesterday also and just went over the interview questions and asked if she had any other questions and she just said "nope, I'm ready!" :) ahhh! she's so ready! :) After her lesson we all went to the relief society activity and made cute gingerbread displays! 

Wednesday we had district meeting with our new district! We went and did bingo and then we went to try and contact a referral but the address didn't even exist! so that was a fun adventure! Some members brought us pizza for dinner :) and then worked on some remodeling in our apartment, starting with the kitchen! It's coming along nicely :) 

Thursday started our social media split weekend so we were working a lot with members to "flood the earth"! :) We went and saw sister bromfield and read with her! and then we visited sister bush and practiced teaching the restoration! first time in our trio! :) and then we went and saw sister curtis and practiced with her! :) Then we went to Mary's for dinner and she found out that it was President Uchtdorf's birthday so we had cake and ice cream and sang happy birthday :) and we read one of his talks :) 

Friday we had a great lesson with Steve!! It's been forever since we've met with him but we were able to have a lesson about the priesthood and he just had lots of great questions that were so perfect and then he just goes and says "so i've been thinking I could get baptized sometime in the beginning of December....would that be okay?" ummmmm yes!! :D So we are working towards December 6 with him! :) We went and visited the Hafens and then the Milletts and then went to the Regans for dinner! After that we went with Sister Reeve the relief society president and tried to see some sisters in the ward! 

Saturday we had one of the laurels Markazie come make cookies with us and we made gratitude jars and started them off and then delivered them to a few less actives and invited them to add more to the jar! :) We were able to get in with one sister Amber that we haven't really even met before and had a really good visit with her! Then we went to UNH and visited Tianna and Katie! and then we had dinner with the Vaillincourts! 

Sunday we had our lesson with Tori and then church and then went on more splits with the laurels! Georgia came with us to visit the Foggs and then Kennon came and we saw Sister Bock! haha so that was fun having four of us! :) then we went and saw sister seamons and had dinner with the Belangers! Lots of great things happening and we've got another great week ahead of us!! :) LOVE YOU!!!

Transfer calls! Surprise!!, He is always there for us, By small and simple things...

Oh manny..... what a crazy week! And October went really fast! what the heck?! haha...I didn't even tell you that it was week 6 so transfer calls were saturday night because we weren't expecting a call...but I guess I might as well start out with telling you what's happening!! So we were sitting there doing our nightly planning when the phone rings and it was President Stoker! :O ahhhhhh! we were so confused and freaking out! haha...we answered and he said "this is a transfer call...but neither of you are getting transferred!" haha phew! :) But then he said that we were going to get another sister! There's too many sisters for areas in the mission right now! So we're gonna be a trio and guess who's coming?! Sister Kotter! haha! So it's gonna be a party for the next 6 weeks :) crazy!!!! now we're just trying to figure out how to fit the 3 of us in our little apartment...haha should be fun!

But anyway, last monday we had district pday and we went and carved pumpkins! super fun! And then we had fhe!

Tuesday we went to the food pantry and then we had lunch and studied and then we went and saw a less active sister. We taught the restoration, tried some formers and then we made crepes for dinner :) then we went and saw Mary and had a lesson with her and the Reeves!

Wednesday we went to district meeting and had district lunch! So our district is going to be switched around a little...but all the sisters will still be in it which is crazy! we'll just get another one with Sister Bateman and a new district and zone leader! should be exciting! After district meeting we went and did bingo! then we saw sister millet and we talked to her about the social media split we're doing this weekend! It was really cool she was telling us about how her daughter was being a missionary to her friends and how they have some people that they're working on! and then when we prayed as we were leaving she had another name come to mind and said she has a neighbor that has met with missionaries before! So she is going to talk to her and see if we might be able to teach her again! :) how awesome would that be!! We've been sharing Alma 37:6-7 with a lot of members lately and I really love these verses! by small and simple things are great things brought to pass! it's really just the little things that we do, and we may not even know the impact that they have but it can make a huge difference! I've definitely seen that! in missionary work, how it may just be a smile, or our example, or sharing your testimony, just something small - or in life just how those small things that we do each day reading just a few verses, praying, just the small acts of faith add up and strengthen us so much even if we don't recognize it!

On thursday we went and visited Sister Curtis and had a great conversation about this and she is doing great things to be a missionary in just he small and simple ways and making a huge impact in the lives of those around her! I'm so grateful for these great examples! We tried seeing some less actives in kittery and in york! so appartenly they've got it a little backwards here and everyone goes trick or treating on the 30th! haha so we weren't excatly sure what to do...we were driving around...tried some members but no one was home...and we thought about tracting...haha but then everyone would just think we were trick or treaters haha. We ended up going to a less active and knocked on the door and they brought us candy, then realized it was the missionaries...haha. They were nice and let us in though! We talked to them for a little bit, his girlfriend is not a member so we were hoping we might be able to teach her! She had a lot of questions, wondering why in the world we were out here and if we just knocked on doors all day so it was fun to explain to her why we are crazy and spent 18 months away from home sharing the gospel, haha. She said she respects us and thinks it's cool but wasn't very interested to learn more right now but said we could stop by anytime we needed a drink or a break....so we'll see about that :)

Friday was halloween! pretty uneventful...haha nobody was home!! we saw sister bromfield and she stocked us up on her leftover candy and we read a few chapters in the Book of Mormon! Then we tried lots of stop bys and then we had to be in at 5! and we did Halloweekly planning!! wooo! haha we made a cake too so that was exciting! haha :)

Saturday we were going to do service for sister helmacy doing yard work but it was raining!! we ended up still helping her make a craft for the singles break the fast dinner she was having! So we made little cornucopias out of waffle cones :) and then had lunch with her and sister sacks! :) then we went and had coordination with bro hafen! and then we saw some people in Durham - less actives and actives!

Sunday church! Guess what! Steve quit his job that's on sundays!!! so he came to church and we're gonna start meeting with him again and set a date for him to get baptized!!!! :D and Tori wasn't feeling very good but still really wanted to come to church! so she came for sacrament and she got up and bore her testimony!!! It was amazing!!! the spirit was so strong!! sister duncan and i just sat there all teary eyed! it was the greatest thing ever!! :) ahhhh!! she's gonna get baptized this transfer too!!! It's just gonna be an amazing transfer!!!

ahh i'm out of time...but i love this scripture.... 2 timothy 1:7 we just keep telling it to ourselves and it's so comforting :) "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." I know that He is always there for us and He will help us!!! Love you all!!! have a great week!! :)