Hip Hoppin' Week!

Hi friends!!

This week was just hip hoppin!! It was so much fun!

Last Monday night we had an appointment fall through and I felt prompted to call a part member family and see if we could stop by and they said yes and we had a really good conversation about the mom's conversion story. The Spirit was so strong and even though she had some tough things happen around the time she was baptized she could definitely see the hand of the Lord in her life and knows it all happened for a reason. I just love that.

Wednesday we had Chipotle for dinner with a member and then right after that another member picked us up and we went to a lady's house who had just moved into the ward. When we get there she surprised us by having a pizza, garlic bread, huge salad, fried raviolis, cheese sticks, and lasagna and sparkling cider and peanut butter ice cream cake AND lemon pie. I was a little worried that I would be too full to eat but luckily I didn't eat a ton at the members house. In addition to the food the family was so awesome! The mom is hilarious and had us laughing the whole time. The teenage son isn't baptized and the dad is supportive but not interested. We had a fun night with them and got to know them better. From there we had a lesson with an investigator and she gave us brownies! It was just a party.

Thursday was a busy day and that night we drove with another set of missionaries to Utica to stay at the mission home! It was really fun to see some of my friends who are trainers too.

Friday was Return and Report! We had really great training from the APs (Assistant(s) to the President) and President Rogers. It really helped me focus on what I need to do better as a missionary and as a trainer. We also got to see the new Easter video!! It is SOO good. If I was an emotional person I would've cried.  

We taught S that night and it was just the best. The member who usually comes with us and translates couldn't come but we just prayed we would be able to understand each other and taught her anyway. We were teaching about prayer and reading a few verses about it in 3 Nephi and when we read scriptures she likes to read along (she has both her Chinese and English copies open). I got to watch Sister Johnson read with her from the Book of Mormon and take lead in the lesson and it was such a proud companion moment :') I just couldn't stop smiling. S is so earnest and eager to learn and Sister Johnson was such a good teacher. Being a missionary is the greatest.

Saturday was just a day full of miracles!!

1. We stopped by to see someone that might be interested in learning more about the gospel and he let us in and we shared the restoration with him and he said he wants to learn more. 

2. Stopping by a new investigators house and teaching her more about the restoration.

3. Going to another interested persons house and them letting us in and sharing about what we do as missionaries and what we believe (they are Roman Catholic and not interested in having us teach them more). I told them about the new Easter video the church is putting out and I almost started to get emotional talking about it. I am so incredibly grateful for our Savior and what He did for us and knowing that He Lives. It was a really sweet moment as we were able to share common ground and testify of the Savior. The Spirit was definitely felt. 

4. Saturday night was the general women's session of conference which was so so good! And after it was over we met C and M! 

A little back story...so we were tracting at night before an appointment and we met a cute mom that said we could come back that next friday during the day so we did. She let us in and we shared our beliefs a little and answered questions she had about what we do etc. and she told us that two girls from Mexico were living with her while they went to school and were nannys for her and they were Mormon! They didn't know where the church was so we gave her a card with our number on it and the church address and she said she would give it to them. The next thing you know two girls come to church on Sunday and unfortunately we didn't get a chance to talk with them because that Sunday was just crazy. But we text a member that was sitting by them and she said they were the two girls from Mexico! So the next time we see them (which was Saturday night) we make sure to say hi and introduce ourselves! M was freaking out because she couldn't believe that we tracted into the lady they live with (J) because M had been wanting to go to church for awhile and had been praying to find it but didn't know how! It was the coolest thing to see how God worked through us to answer her prayer! C is the 15 year old and apparently isn't baptized but lives like a Mormon because that's what she grew up around! They are so sweet and we are going to see them this week and talk more with them and hopefully J and her family!! Biggest tender mercy!!

Last night we had a musical fireside all centered on Christ and Sister Johnson and I were in one of the performances(we sang Beautiful Savior with other women in the ward). The whole fireside was so powerful, the Spirit was SO strong as members of the ward testified of the Savior through music. I had the thought that if our investigators or just anyone could have come to that(we invited everyone but they weren't able to come) they would tell us they wanted to be baptized right then. The Spirit was just that strong. I loved it so much. This ward is amazing and it makes me so sad to think that I only have about 7 weeks left here. :(

I am loving life and couldn't be happier!!

Sister Horne

sis J got her first package! so of course we had to take a happy picture :) 

I took one when I got my first package so its just tradition haha

I LOVE NEW YORK. So pretty. 

I'm so excited to bring Mom and Dad back for a visit!! -We can go to the Hill Cumorah Pageant!!

Sister Park

Sister Geary. I served with her in Liverpool.

Sister Stowell. We just met at transfers when all the trainers had a meeting.

She's super awesome. She goes home next week :( bad timing to meet someone huh? haha

Sister Lemon. We came to the mission together. 

What to do in a Snowstorm?

I've been on a lot of adventures these past 9 months but this week was definitely one for the books!!

So everyone was telling us about this huge snow storm that we were going to get and I honestly thought, "We'll be fine, its not going to be THAT bad" Yeah I was wrong...hahah

Tuesday we did the regular morning routine and then went tracting in the snow! It was a fun time! I'm not sure how much my comp loved it but I always feel hardcore tracting in a blizzard haha

After being at home for a little bit in the afternoon we went out again to try people we've contacted before who live in our apartment complex and then to walk across the street to go do some service at a memory care facility. On our way over we saw a lady who was completely stuck in the front of her apartment complex (she is a nurse who had to go to work) and so what do we do? We go help her shovel the snow so she can get out! A man was driving by and pulled over to help us too. The lady and her daughter were super nice and we gave them a mormon.org card that had our number and church address on it. It was cool to see random strangers working together to get her out of the snow. :)

When we got to the memory care facility they were soo grateful for us because a lot of their staff couldn't make it so we headed up snack time and activities without the lady in charge. It was a lot of fun and a good break from the snow. 

When we were leaving to walk back for dinner we got a lot of texts from leaders in the mission that President said for everyone to stay inside for the rest of the night! We did the only practical thing to do being stuck inside for a few hours...make food!! We made cookies and homemade pizza rolls and they were delicious. And we watched Bible videos and I listened to Sister Johnson play guitar. It was a great night!

Wednesday the roads were still terrible so we weren't allowed to drive all day which meant lots of service!! Everyones cars were snowed in so we spent a few hours in the morning shoveling the snow so cars could get out. I can't even count the number of times people called us angels that day haha

We loved helping out!

And even though we didn't have a car we still taught Sofia that night with Brother Hutchinson! It makes me so happy seeing her learn about the gospel!

It was a crazy two days that was definitely different then normal day to day missionary life, but it was a good time! 

Love you all!!

Sister Horne

Green pancakes for St. Patrick's Day!

 Everyone loves a Shamrock Shake! 

Beginning stages of the snow storm!

   

My cute goofy companion haha love her!

The back of my cute goofy companion! :)

The after picture from tracting Tuesday morning!

 What do we do when we are stuck inside? Make food of course - homemade pizza rolls!!

 The following morning...

 ...just a little bit of snow!

 Sister J had to teach me how to use a snow shovel lol

Awesome Talented Sister Maxfield took pictures for us!!

Life in NY - I love it!

Hello!!!

This week was so full of miracles!

Last Monday we went to a home and he said his wife wasn't home and to come back another time but we took that opportunity to just teach him a short restoration lesson and give him a pamphlet to show his wife! We are excited to go back and teach them more!

That night we also were out tracting and we knock on this one door and a middle aged man answers and lets us right in! He told us how he loves Mormons and loves Salt Lake City and that if he wasn't Muslim he would be mormon haha we had a good discussion about the restoration and committed him to read the Book the Mormon. He and his wife were super nice and kept offering us water, tea, and yogurt and so we ended up saying we would love some yogurt haha

He does peoples taxes so right now he's pretty busy but he said to come back after April 18th!

Tuesday we had zone conference in Saratoga (which was really good) so we were gone most of the day. When we got back we decided to go to Sister P's house before our dinner appointment. She's the lady Sister Reintjes and I have had the HARDEST time getting a hold of and setting up a time to meet. We have called, we have texted, we have stopped by multiple times but nothing worked. UNTIL TODAY! So we stop by and knock on the door and its pretty apparent no one is home and then as we were about to walk down the driveway back to our car Sister P AND her husband (who is is a member but doesn't come to church often) both pull in!!! I was smiling so big oh my goodness. It was the biggest tender mercy ever!! She let us right in and we got to know her a little bit and shared a scripture which she really liked and set a return appointment. I was so happy. :)

Wednesday we tried a investigator that we had read a scripture with last week who said to come back during the day. We knocked and no one answered so we left and tracted down her street and I prayed that she would answer and be available for us to teach about the restoration when we were done tracting. So about an hour after we knocked on her door we knocked again and she opened the door and let us right in!! We had a good lesson and the Spirit was definitely there. I am so incredibly grateful that God answers prayers!!

That night I had the impression to try a former investigator that Sister R and I taught. So we go over there and she lets us in and we read Moroni 10:3-5 and recommit her to read the Book of Mormon and invited her to the adult session of stake conference and she came!!! She liked it, said it was definitely different.

Thursday we were tracting and weren't really having much success but we kept going. I don't know if you guys remember the conference talk Fourth Floor Last Door but we had one of those experiences. Seriously the last door we knocked on was a super cute mom who seemed really interested and she said we could come back on Friday! Another tender mercy! God is so aware of us!!

Then we saw M!!! I love teaching him! He is just a sponge and absorbs it all! We taught from the Doctrine of Christ talk from last conference and I have grown to love that talk so much. Every single word is so powerful. If you haven't read it, I would definitely recommend it!! The lesson went really well and the Spirit was strong. 

Friday we taught S (our Chinese investigator) without the member who translates for us because he wasn't available that day and it actually went better than expected!! We showed her pictures of Jesus and talked about the sacrament and baptism. She loves learning and is trying so hard to read the Book of Mormon and understand it. I love teaching her!

We taught another investigator that night which was also a tender mercy because he has been hard to meet with. It went well and we invited him to stake conference and he came on Saturday too!! It was a missionary dream to have an investigator on each side of us at church! :))

The Lord is blessing us so much.

Another tender mercy, our amazing recent convert B hasn't had the desire to do family history work which makes me sad because I know how much he would love the temple and it would be so special for him to be baptized for his dad. But on Friday when we watched a video about the blessings of the temple and talked about it a little more he was totally on board to doing it!!

Saturday another tender mercy! I wasn't joking when I said this week was so full of miracles!

We stop by a referrals house that we have called and texted but hasn't been answering and he answers the door and we share a short restoration lesson and set a return appointment! He is really open to learning more and I am so excited to see where things go!

Yesterday we had a great day! We had stake conference in the morning which was really good and our investigator Cindy was there and we got to talk with her for a while. That night we went to the Gorbys house which is a part member family that we haven't seen in a really long time. The three boys haven't been baptized. The mom is a member and she hasn't been to church in a long time. We taught her since her boys were gone and had such an amazing lesson. She has been going through a lot recently but I really feel like talking with her was just what she needed. She started getting emotional and the Spirit was just so strong in that room as we testified of the power of prayer and how things always have a way of working out.  

I love missionary work so much! I can't say it enough!! Life in NY is just so fun and I love it!!

Love,

Sister Horne

3.13.17

 Sister Johnson is so talented and made me this!!

 The lovely sister baylon--it was so good to see her at zone conference

 Sister Johnson made homemade pizza rolls and they were good!!

First week with Sister J

Hi friends!!

Another great week here in NY!!

We got to spend a lot of time with members this week which has been fun! At dinners and service and we had a ward party on Friday! It was a carnival and we helped one of the members with the fish pond which was really fun! The kids had a blast.

Sunday we got to see C! She was in Hawaii two weeks ago and then was busy with school this past week so we haven't been able to see her but she was at church on Sunday which was the best!

At District Meeting this week an elder had his guitar and he let Sister J borrow it for a couple weeks so before bed she's been playing/singing and it has been so fun!! My companion is so talented!! I love it!

Mission life is the greatest. I love every minute of it!!

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love, 

Sister Horne

Sister J's first week....

 I took her to stewarts! The ice cream that all the missionaries love!

Saratoga Spring Water

  Last week we went to a cute bagel shop I've been wanting to try--they were yummy!

My bagel from the bagel shop. 

 Who likes stickers? We do :) 

(a little girl stuck this on us in the morning...and I forgot about it until later that night)

We had our hair done by an 8 year old of one of the families in the ward haha 

....right before the ward party. Sister J kept her harido but i didnt haha

...last pday we got a little crafty :) 

Exciting Changes

Hello!!

This week has been full of exciting changes!!

Tuesday was Sister R's last day in Glenville but it was a party! 

We saw our cute grandma/recent convert and sang her the Follow the Prophet song from the primary songbook and she almost started crying when we were saying goodbye :'(

We had dinner at the Yates which is always fun. Brother Yates little brother was there so we heard some cool family stories from their childhood. 

Then we saw our awesome recent convert and taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love her, she is just so funny. We always mess with each other and it's the best. Plus she always has treats for us when we go over :))

To end Sister R's time here we taught B. What better way to spend the last hour of teaching together then with the man we both saw grow and change his life and be baptized. :')

I'm going to miss Sister R :( We got along so well and she has taught me so much! It has been the coolest experience to see her grow and develop as a missionary. Good thing we will be going to college by each other and will see each other lots!

Wednesday was so full of great things!!

We woke up early to get to Utica by 9:30am, its about a 2 hour drive from here. When we got there I saw Sister Priest (my last comp)!! It was soo good to see her! I've missed her! I seriously have been blessed with the best companions ever. Love them all so much. 

All the trainers had training with the APs talking about our role as trainers...then we had more training from President and Sister Rogers...then we met our new companions! My trainee is so cute. Her name is Sister J and she's from Utah. She works so hard and has impressed me every day with how fast she is learning and her desire to serve. She said she's loved it so far which makes me happy. She is definitely very blessed to be trained in Glenville, This area is the best.

We had a pretty busy day that ended off with teaching S about the Godhead and Joseph Smith. Her lessons make me so happy, she loves church and has a sincere desire to learn more.

Thursday we had dinner at Olive Garden with a member which was super fun then taught a lesson to a former investigator, J is super cool. We shared the restoration and he definitely wants to know the truth of the Book of Mormon for himself.

A cool miracle that happened this week:
Yesterday afternoon we were trying a few potentials in between appointments and I had the thought to try H (She's less active and we taught her once before. Since then we have had the hardest time getting a hold of and visiting her because she works two jobs and is busy). We go over there and there's no car in the driveway but we decide to try anyway and no one answered and then when we were about to go back to our car SHE PULLS IN. I had the biggest smile on my face! She had just gotten back from work and said we could come over today! Yay!! God is so aware of us.

Life is great. Missionary life is just the best thing ever.

Love you all!

Sister Horne

2.27.17

 The Cute Svedin Family!

  

 Sister Park! She was in my district in Liverpool. we are both trainers! 

 Goodbye Sister R - our last pic together

 Saratoga sparkling spring water--looked fancy. Tasted like an Italian soda when i put strawberry flavoring in.

My Cute New Comp