Hola Mi familia Hermosa!!
How is everyone doing this week?!! I hope you all had a wonderful week!!! How is baby Bella doing? Is she feeling better!?! I hope so!! Oh Casey thanks for sending pictures of baby Tru! He is so cute his little smile is so so cute!! So thanks you for those pictures! That is so good that Dad is working on the Barnum's house that is good to have work! WOW that is awesome Jarilynn is going to serve a mission and seriously Spencer is 19?! Wow that is crazy. I thought he was so much younger than that!!
Well I am so glad that everyone is happy and the family is doing so good!!
But this week was a good week we have been working hard finding new people to teach. We have some good investigators but we need to find more! Our little family today is going to get their papers so that they can get baptized and married this Saturday!! Will you all pray so hard this week that they will get baptized and married this weekend?! They are so awesome!! Seriously we went to their house yesterday and Ronald said I know that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ and he said the Book of Mormon is true! And I know that Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God! WOW! My mouth was just opened and I kind of wanted to cry because they are truly converted!! I cant wait to come back in a year and see them enter in the Temple and get sealed for time and all eternity!! So I am so excited that they well be able to be baptized this weekend with their son Junior! So my companion will have 3 baptisms her first month her in the mission! She deserves it because she is awesome! We are both learning so much!! I am learning so much about myself. Things I like and things I don’t, that I want to change! But that is why we are here in this earth to learn and grow and to become more like Christ! I am so thankful for this opportunity to change and look at my weaknesses! Like it says in Ether God gives us weaknesses to make us stronger and to be more humble. And I know I have a lot of weaknesses but I know through Christ I can become stronger through them!!
This week has been a week of learning and growing and putting all our trust in the Lord and following the Spirit in all things! Because we know that Ronald and Jaclyn are ready for baptism but we are know going to put all our fe in the Lord and he will make this possible for them!!
Oh a funny story!!!! OK so my companion and I went to a house of a less active member. Well she wasn’t home but her mom was. Other missionaries have taught her but she is not too interested but likes us anyways. She answered the door and said that Dania, her daughter is not here, but is it OK if you could share a message with my father he is 92 and he like to learn more about God?! We said of course and we went and talked to her father. His name is Jose and he is awesome. He is so alert for a 92 year old man. He is in pretty good health for being that old. He can walk and he is so funny he reminds me a lot of grandpa! Well we started talking to him and he said he wants to be saved and he wants to find the camino de dios! So we taught him about baptism and he said he wanted to be baptized so we but a baptismal date with him for this Saturday and he said yes he wants to be baptized! I had to call President to ask if it is OK and possible to baptize a 92 year old man and he said yes of course it is OK! But he said he needs to go to church one time but this Sunday he couldn’t go because he was sick in the stomach so he can’t get baptized this Saturday but we are going to work hard and hopefully he will be able to for the next Saturday! As I was teaching him I had a lot of doubts like he is 92 what if he can’t physically be baptized because he is old but if it is the will God he will and everything will be OK! I was thinking that this is the time for him to be baptized and not after he goes to his Heavenly Father. Maybe this is the reason he is here still to finally be baptized with someone that has the authority of God! He is a very special case. Not everyday does a missionary baptize a 92 year old man but he has a desire and he wants to. But we also know that everything is in the hands of the Lord and we are going to follow the will of God for Him!
So we are working hard and enjoying our time together!!
I know that this church is true and this evangelio can change lives!! I have seen people change and grow through this gospel! I know the Atonement is real and it fills in every gap that we might have in our lives! The Atonement is real and it is powerful and it is the only way we can return to our Heavenly Father again! I am so thankful for my Savior. He is my dearest kindest friend! He loves me and is walking with me every step of my mission!!
I love you all!!
Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
Monday, February 21, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
1/15/2011
Hola mi Familia!!!!
Feliz dia de amistad!!!! I hope you all had such a great day filled with love!!! That is so special that mom and dad got to watch all their cute 7 grandkids! That truly is what that day is all about. It is love and look at our family now just because two people fell in love we have 7 grandkids now!! This is truly what Gods plan is for us is to have eternal families!! I am so blessed that I am part of this family! I can’t express how much I love and appreciate all of you. You are all examples to me!!
Sorry I didn’t write to you yesterday! We had a conferencias de hermanas yesterday in San Jose with Hermnana Galvez. It was wonderful. We learned how to better primary, young women’s and Relief Society in our barrios and ramas! We are so blessed to have these groups so strong in the USA. Take advantage of them they are truly inspired of the Lord! We also learned how to make lasagna with crème sauce and chicken it is really good! When I come home I will have to make for you all!! But this reunion was just for the Hermanas so it was fun to get together and have a time for just us without the Elders! So by the time we got home it was late and I wasn’t able to write!!
This week was really good!! We have been working hard!!! It has been hard though because all of our investigators have been falling and telling us that they don’t want to learn more that they are happy with their religion. So it has been hard because as a trainer I wanted to show my greenie companion that the Mission is so awesome full of exito but since she came into the mission it has not been the easiest but she is so awesome and so positive and she wants to be a good missionary. And through this we have found great familias that we are going to be able to teach. Also two young girls that have been coming to church and someone told me they are less actives but I talked with their family who are members and they said no they haven’t been baptized. And so I talked to them and one of the youngest told me that she wants to hear the charlas because she said, I want to get baptized LOL.... Seriously I stood there probably with my mouth opened. Just thinking seriously she asked us if we could teach her and not us asking her if she wanted to be taught? That is awesome!!
I know that through trails and tribulacciones God tries our patience and our faith. But if we rely on Him and put our faith in Him He will bless us with success! But we need to first have faith! Faith in Him and also in ourselves! And we need to have patience and except God’s timing. Because this week it has been hard because our cute little family hasn’t received their papers yet and I have been getting a little antcy because I want this baptism for them. But my companion and I have been studying a lot about faith and part of faith is patience! And excepting Gods timing and his Will. I know that they haven’t received their papers yet for a reason tal vez God wants for them to have a strong testimony in Him before they get baptized. I have been really trying develop this attribute of Patience and Faith this week!
My companion is seriously so awesome. I don’t feel like I am training at all. I feel as if she is just another companion! We have fun together and she is such a support to me!! I am so blessed that I get to be with her. That God trusted me enough to be her trainer but in fact she is training me. She has such great ideas and when I forget stuff she is always there to help me! So I am glad that I am with her! I know that we will have a lot of success together!!
I am so thankful that I get to serve a Mission! It is the hardest thing I have ever done but I am learning so much about myself and the things I don’t like about my self! This Sunday we had a stake conference and President Galvez came and spoke to our rama. It was awesome but I loved one thing he said!! He said the Mission is the University to Life and Familias are the University to Eternity! I hope that makes sense en Espanola it does so I hope it sounds right! At times I forget how to speak in English but that’s okay I love that! Because it is so true. The principles that we learn in our families will help us gain Exaltation!! I love families. I love that I get to share with them all about the love God has for us!! President Galvez says that when you see a family in the street picture them in all white not in ropa baptismal but in ropa for the Temple! I love that!! We now have that as our focus. I want to talk to everyone and to all families!!
I know this Gospel is true with every fiber of my being! I know that we have the true Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth today with all the keys and authoridad of God! I am so thankful for the Prophet Joseph Smith. That he was brave enough to get on his knees and pray to our Heavenly Father and that through this simple act of prayer changed the world forever! I know that Jesus Christ lives! That he lived and does live now! That He is the head of this, His Church that He leads and guides this Church through a living Prophet! I know that Christ lived and died for us ! I know the Atonement is real that it truly changes lives!! Nothing can change a persons life more that the Atonement!!.
Oh I want to tell you something. Do you remember the two young boys we baptized while I was in San Carlos! One of the boy’s name was Johnny. Well they have a family of 8 people and all because of those two boys now 5 of the 8 have gotten baptized and Johnny wants to serve a mission and he finished the Book of Mormon for the first time!! When the Hermana’s told me that yesterday about Johnny I wanted to cry because I know he was converted truly to Jesus Christ! He wasn’t just a number to complete a baptismal goal but he was truly converted!! I am so thankful that I was lead by the Spirit to his house and now his family has the Gospel in his home!! I love this Gospel!! It is perfect!!
Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
Feliz dia de amistad!!!! I hope you all had such a great day filled with love!!! That is so special that mom and dad got to watch all their cute 7 grandkids! That truly is what that day is all about. It is love and look at our family now just because two people fell in love we have 7 grandkids now!! This is truly what Gods plan is for us is to have eternal families!! I am so blessed that I am part of this family! I can’t express how much I love and appreciate all of you. You are all examples to me!!
Sorry I didn’t write to you yesterday! We had a conferencias de hermanas yesterday in San Jose with Hermnana Galvez. It was wonderful. We learned how to better primary, young women’s and Relief Society in our barrios and ramas! We are so blessed to have these groups so strong in the USA. Take advantage of them they are truly inspired of the Lord! We also learned how to make lasagna with crème sauce and chicken it is really good! When I come home I will have to make for you all!! But this reunion was just for the Hermanas so it was fun to get together and have a time for just us without the Elders! So by the time we got home it was late and I wasn’t able to write!!
This week was really good!! We have been working hard!!! It has been hard though because all of our investigators have been falling and telling us that they don’t want to learn more that they are happy with their religion. So it has been hard because as a trainer I wanted to show my greenie companion that the Mission is so awesome full of exito but since she came into the mission it has not been the easiest but she is so awesome and so positive and she wants to be a good missionary. And through this we have found great familias that we are going to be able to teach. Also two young girls that have been coming to church and someone told me they are less actives but I talked with their family who are members and they said no they haven’t been baptized. And so I talked to them and one of the youngest told me that she wants to hear the charlas because she said, I want to get baptized LOL.... Seriously I stood there probably with my mouth opened. Just thinking seriously she asked us if we could teach her and not us asking her if she wanted to be taught? That is awesome!!
I know that through trails and tribulacciones God tries our patience and our faith. But if we rely on Him and put our faith in Him He will bless us with success! But we need to first have faith! Faith in Him and also in ourselves! And we need to have patience and except God’s timing. Because this week it has been hard because our cute little family hasn’t received their papers yet and I have been getting a little antcy because I want this baptism for them. But my companion and I have been studying a lot about faith and part of faith is patience! And excepting Gods timing and his Will. I know that they haven’t received their papers yet for a reason tal vez God wants for them to have a strong testimony in Him before they get baptized. I have been really trying develop this attribute of Patience and Faith this week!
My companion is seriously so awesome. I don’t feel like I am training at all. I feel as if she is just another companion! We have fun together and she is such a support to me!! I am so blessed that I get to be with her. That God trusted me enough to be her trainer but in fact she is training me. She has such great ideas and when I forget stuff she is always there to help me! So I am glad that I am with her! I know that we will have a lot of success together!!
I am so thankful that I get to serve a Mission! It is the hardest thing I have ever done but I am learning so much about myself and the things I don’t like about my self! This Sunday we had a stake conference and President Galvez came and spoke to our rama. It was awesome but I loved one thing he said!! He said the Mission is the University to Life and Familias are the University to Eternity! I hope that makes sense en Espanola it does so I hope it sounds right! At times I forget how to speak in English but that’s okay I love that! Because it is so true. The principles that we learn in our families will help us gain Exaltation!! I love families. I love that I get to share with them all about the love God has for us!! President Galvez says that when you see a family in the street picture them in all white not in ropa baptismal but in ropa for the Temple! I love that!! We now have that as our focus. I want to talk to everyone and to all families!!
I know this Gospel is true with every fiber of my being! I know that we have the true Church of Jesus Christ here on the earth today with all the keys and authoridad of God! I am so thankful for the Prophet Joseph Smith. That he was brave enough to get on his knees and pray to our Heavenly Father and that through this simple act of prayer changed the world forever! I know that Jesus Christ lives! That he lived and does live now! That He is the head of this, His Church that He leads and guides this Church through a living Prophet! I know that Christ lived and died for us ! I know the Atonement is real that it truly changes lives!! Nothing can change a persons life more that the Atonement!!.
Oh I want to tell you something. Do you remember the two young boys we baptized while I was in San Carlos! One of the boy’s name was Johnny. Well they have a family of 8 people and all because of those two boys now 5 of the 8 have gotten baptized and Johnny wants to serve a mission and he finished the Book of Mormon for the first time!! When the Hermana’s told me that yesterday about Johnny I wanted to cry because I know he was converted truly to Jesus Christ! He wasn’t just a number to complete a baptismal goal but he was truly converted!! I am so thankful that I was lead by the Spirit to his house and now his family has the Gospel in his home!! I love this Gospel!! It is perfect!!
Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
1/7/2011
Como Estan todos!!!! It sounded like you had a wonderful weekend!! With the blessing of baby Tru!!! Oh what a blessing to have a new baby in our family!!! Thanks for the pictures Brynnie!! You all look like you are all so happy!! DAD YOU HAVE BEARD!!! LOL but you look very handsome!! Oh what a blessing that Casey was able to bless his beautiful baby boy and use the wonderful priesthood power to do it! It is seriously a wonderful blessing that we have such strong priesthood leaders in our family! Our family is so truly blessed!!!
This week was good!! My wonderful el Salvadorian daughter is awesome!! She is a hard worker and has no fear in talking to people so that is so great!! She has a powerful testimony and wants to share it with everyone! I am so blessed to be her trainer but I think she is actually training me!! LOL!!! I still feel so so new and at times I feel like I don’t know what I am doing and I feel that I am not a good trainer but like mom and dad said Heavenly Father has a lot of confidence in me so I need to have confidence in myself as well!! But the beautiful thing to me is that we both will learn and grow together and I know this will be a highlight of my mission! My companion Hermana Martinez was telling me that when she first came in to the Mission, President has a dinner at his house for all the new missionaries. And at this dinner he asks you bear your testimony. So they went around and everyone bore their testimonies and President said that by your testimonies I know and testify that you are going to be with the trainer that you need to be with as you start your mission! He said the he picks his best missionaries to be trainers! So when I heard that I was so honored!! I have a great responsibility and I am scared but I know I can do it if I continue to be obedient and put all my trust in my Heavenly Father!!
No the family didn’t get their papers yet but they will hopefully at the end of this week so they will be able to get married and be baptized next weekend!! They are so wonderful and they have such a strong testimony in the gospel and the Book of Mormon. They read the Book of Mormon juntos now!! And he is always asking me what is another chapter you like that I can read?! I know with all my heart that the Book of Mormon changes lives. That we can read it and come to know and understand our purpose in this life! I know that as we read it we will come to know Christ in such a personal way!! I can see its power in the life of this family! The gospel can change lives and bring people closer to our Heavenly Father!!! I love this Gospel!!
Our investigators are not progressing as much as I would like but my companion and I are going to work so so hard to find new investigators because there are people here in this area waiting to hear the gospel and all we need to do is get rid of our fear and talk to everyone!! This branch is not the strongest branch but we are going to work really hard with them too and help them have more unity and more love for the work! Because like President Hinckley said that there is a better way of finding people and that is not by knocking doors but through the members!! I know that to be true! So we are going to start to focus more on the members and strengthen the branch on the inside so we can work on the outside!!
I am excited for the opportunity to stretch and grow and think outside of the box. And do things that are really scary for me but I can do it and I know God has confidence in me!!!
Thank you for all your love and support continue to pray for me!! I love you all! I love this gospel and I love my Savior. It is because of him I am here!!! Everyone needs to know of his love!
I love you all with all of my heart!!!
Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
Friday, February 4, 2011
Kaylie's A Mom
I AM A MOM!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe it! But cambios were yesterday and guess what? I am a trainer!!!! I am training! Holy cow how did that happen?! I don’t know what I am doing lol!!!!!!! My greenie is Hermana Martinez and she is from El Salvador she is so awesome!!! I know that this change will be so much fun!! I am not going to lie I am really nervous but I know that God put me as a trainer for a reason and he knows that I can do it!! I just need to quitar todo mi fear and work hard because I want to be a good trainer. I want to make Hermana Martinez proud to say that I was her trainer!! So please please pray for me because I need all the help I can get right now!!
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAAAAAMA DEAR! HAPPY DAYS WILL COME TO YOU ALL YEAR! IF I HAD A WISH WELL IT WOULD BE A HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU FROM ME!!!! Oh my most beautiful Mom Happy happy birthday on the 26th of January!! I hope you had the best birthday ever!!! I remembered your birthday and I thought about you all day long!!!! I sang happy birthday to you in my apartment!!! LOL. So I hope you had the best day ever!! Mom I love you so much. I am so blessed to have you as my Mom!! You are truly my very best friend!! And I miss you more than I can possibly say!! I am so very grateful to my Heavenly Father that he sent me to you because I know that he knew I needed you in this life to be my angel mother and my best friend!!! I love you Mom!! So sorry this is late but know that I was thinking about you the whole day!!!
So yes I am a trainer. I seriously was shocked. The Elders all said get ready to train but I honestly didn’t think I was going to train or a least not yet! So during cambios the missionaries that have changes President shows your picture and then shows your new companion. So there were 5 new sisters that came in this change and then there were only 2 new ones left when it got to me and there were still some older sister missionaries left so I thought for sure that they would train and I would be put with a another missionary. But when Presidente called me up and said my name and showed my picture then the picture of my new companion and he said to me in front of everyone, “Congratulations you are training!” I was shocked. I just covered my mouth and I was pretty much a deer in the head lights!! Because I still feel so new everyday I am learning and now I have to teach someone else!! But the good thing is my companion is so sweet and wants to work so hard!! We are going to work so hard together!! Because I want her to be glad that she is with me and I am her trainer!!
Oh and on Tuesday my old companion and I had a baptism. A family that was menos activos. They have two children one is 12 and the other is 9. So it was special that before Hermana Orellana left the area she had 2 baptisms. These were her first baptisms in her mission so I am glad she had 2 baptisms in this area!!
And next Saturday we are going to have a wedding and baptisms for one of our investigators and their son who is 9!! So I am so excited for that!! The only thing they need is his papers. He is from Nicaragua and he needs a passporte so we are working on getting his papers!! But he should get them the end of this week or the next week!! This family is so wonderful! They have such a strong testimony in the Book of Mormon and they want to in a year be sealed!!! I know that we were lead to them through the Holy Ghost that God was preparing them long before we came!! I know with all my heart that families can be together forever. I want to in a year return to Costa Rica and see them enter into the temple and become a forever family!!!! This is seriously what it is about. It is families and through Jesus Christ we can be a family for time and all eternity!! I am so blessed that I get to share this message with families in Costa Rica and share with them that they can be together forever like I am with mine!!!
Oh my beautiful family I got your package with the best present I could possibly receive which was your calendar!!! I loved it! It kind of made me want to cry!! Especially when I saw the picture of grandma and grandpa!! Thanks for that I love it so so much!!!!!!!
I love you all so much. Please pray for me and my new companion!! That we together can grow and become better companions and better missionaries!!! I love you all and I love this gospel. I am so thankful I have this opportunity to serve a mission!! The Mission is so beautiful because there are so many ups and so many downs but the ups well I can’t even describe the feelings when you have moments Up!!
Thank you for all your love and support!!
Love always Hermana Turnbaugh
I can’t believe it! But cambios were yesterday and guess what? I am a trainer!!!! I am training! Holy cow how did that happen?! I don’t know what I am doing lol!!!!!!! My greenie is Hermana Martinez and she is from El Salvador she is so awesome!!! I know that this change will be so much fun!! I am not going to lie I am really nervous but I know that God put me as a trainer for a reason and he knows that I can do it!! I just need to quitar todo mi fear and work hard because I want to be a good trainer. I want to make Hermana Martinez proud to say that I was her trainer!! So please please pray for me because I need all the help I can get right now!!
HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAAAAAMA DEAR! HAPPY DAYS WILL COME TO YOU ALL YEAR! IF I HAD A WISH WELL IT WOULD BE A HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU FROM ME!!!! Oh my most beautiful Mom Happy happy birthday on the 26th of January!! I hope you had the best birthday ever!!! I remembered your birthday and I thought about you all day long!!!! I sang happy birthday to you in my apartment!!! LOL. So I hope you had the best day ever!! Mom I love you so much. I am so blessed to have you as my Mom!! You are truly my very best friend!! And I miss you more than I can possibly say!! I am so very grateful to my Heavenly Father that he sent me to you because I know that he knew I needed you in this life to be my angel mother and my best friend!!! I love you Mom!! So sorry this is late but know that I was thinking about you the whole day!!!
So yes I am a trainer. I seriously was shocked. The Elders all said get ready to train but I honestly didn’t think I was going to train or a least not yet! So during cambios the missionaries that have changes President shows your picture and then shows your new companion. So there were 5 new sisters that came in this change and then there were only 2 new ones left when it got to me and there were still some older sister missionaries left so I thought for sure that they would train and I would be put with a another missionary. But when Presidente called me up and said my name and showed my picture then the picture of my new companion and he said to me in front of everyone, “Congratulations you are training!” I was shocked. I just covered my mouth and I was pretty much a deer in the head lights!! Because I still feel so new everyday I am learning and now I have to teach someone else!! But the good thing is my companion is so sweet and wants to work so hard!! We are going to work so hard together!! Because I want her to be glad that she is with me and I am her trainer!!
Oh and on Tuesday my old companion and I had a baptism. A family that was menos activos. They have two children one is 12 and the other is 9. So it was special that before Hermana Orellana left the area she had 2 baptisms. These were her first baptisms in her mission so I am glad she had 2 baptisms in this area!!
And next Saturday we are going to have a wedding and baptisms for one of our investigators and their son who is 9!! So I am so excited for that!! The only thing they need is his papers. He is from Nicaragua and he needs a passporte so we are working on getting his papers!! But he should get them the end of this week or the next week!! This family is so wonderful! They have such a strong testimony in the Book of Mormon and they want to in a year be sealed!!! I know that we were lead to them through the Holy Ghost that God was preparing them long before we came!! I know with all my heart that families can be together forever. I want to in a year return to Costa Rica and see them enter into the temple and become a forever family!!!! This is seriously what it is about. It is families and through Jesus Christ we can be a family for time and all eternity!! I am so blessed that I get to share this message with families in Costa Rica and share with them that they can be together forever like I am with mine!!!
Oh my beautiful family I got your package with the best present I could possibly receive which was your calendar!!! I loved it! It kind of made me want to cry!! Especially when I saw the picture of grandma and grandpa!! Thanks for that I love it so so much!!!!!!!
I love you all so much. Please pray for me and my new companion!! That we together can grow and become better companions and better missionaries!!! I love you all and I love this gospel. I am so thankful I have this opportunity to serve a mission!! The Mission is so beautiful because there are so many ups and so many downs but the ups well I can’t even describe the feelings when you have moments Up!!
Thank you for all your love and support!!
Love always Hermana Turnbaugh
Friday, January 28, 2011
1/24/2011
Hola Mi Hermosa Familia!!
How is everyone in beautiful Colorado!!! I miss you all but you sound like you are all doing so well!!! So Laren got into the fire academy then? Whoop whoop!! Good for him!!!! Oh and mom and Crystal listened to Sister Dibbs that is awesome! She came to the MTC while I was there and she shared personal experiences about her Dad too with us!! It was fun to hear her stories about him!!! And how fun that Ashley came to visit. I hope Brynnie and her family had such a good time!!!
Well...... so bad news...... We didn’t have a baptism this week! Rafael didn’t get baptized. I not know what happened... he was so ready! But the day of his interview we called to remind him of the time and he told us that he didn’t feel ready or prepared. I tried with my whole soul to talk to him and tell him that many times Satan wants us to feel like we are not ready. But he said no I am not going to be baptized! It was very hard to not have a baptism because he was so ready. He had so much faith but I am not sure what happened. We talked to him and he said he had a revelation and that he wasn’t ready. So we invited him to church this Sunday but he didn’t answer our phone calls and he didn’t come! So it is pretty discouraging but I know that everything happens for a reason and this experience I know Heavenly Father wants to see if it will shake my faith or will I give up? but I am stronger than that and I know there are people waiting to hear our incredible message!!!
But something cool happened that caught us by surprise. So we were waiting for the bus to take us back to central and there was a young man sitting and waiting for the bus too! And we started to talk to him and he said I am evangelical and he didn’t show much interest but we gave him our number and a little invitation to come to church! We thought, he won’t call but at least we shared our testimonies with him. So on Saturday while we were waiting to see if Rafael would come a round and tell us after all that he wanted to be baptized the phone rang and my companion answers and her mouth dropped! Lo and behold this young guy called and said he wanted to learn more. So we put a cita with him that day and we were able to talk to him and he also came to church!! During this time my companion and I were fasting and one thing we fasted for was to get a phone call. In our minds we thought it would be Rafael but no it was Jose! Jose said he loved church and we have another cita with him on Thursday. So hopefully he will want to learn more and follow Christ! We also have this beautiful family that we are teaching and they have a baptismal date for the 29th. We just have to get them married as well but they too came to church and I asked the husband how do you feel and with a huge smile he said marvelous!! Moments like that make times in my mission so much worth it!! And with this family we taught the restoration and the libro de Mormon and they said, we know this book is true after we gave them a chapter to read!! It is awesome!!!
I know that God never leaves us alone! Even when we feel like we are sinking and wave after wave is crashing down on us ~Christ is there lifting us and telling us just swim ~just a little more! I know trails in our lives are an opportunity for us to get closer to our Savior!!! I am so blessed to have this opportunity in my life to learn more about my Savior and his endless love for each and everyone of us!! So this week was a week of really high ups but really low lows, but the highs are incredible!!! I love the Mission!!!
I did have interviews with President and it was so great!! He is so wonderful so full of love!! He gave me a blessing to start off this new year and it was wonderful! He gave me wonderful advice to be a better missionary. I wish we could have interviews like every 2 weeks not every 3 months!! But today I have to go to San Jose and get my residency tomorrow!! I don’t have anything so it is good to finally get my papers. I haven’t had any problems but it is good to have them now because I am close to the border of Panama so just in case the police ask for my papers I can show them and won’t be sent home!! Because In February I only have 8 more months and that is hardly no time at all!! WOW time seriously flies. I can't believe Laura will be home in 2 weeks!! That is awesome!!!!
But really, even though this week was really tough, I am really happy because I know that I am working as hard as I can and I am giving everything to the Lord and even though Rafael didn’t get baptized I know that agency is real and he chose for himself. So it is good to not feel regrets because we did all that we could and now we are putting the rest in the hands of the Lord!!
I love you all so so so much!! I am so blessed to have a family like you! Thanks for your emails and prayers they seriously help me so much!! I think more than you know!! Oh and guess what? I only have 2 more chapters and I will have finished the Book of Mormon in spanish!! I am pretty excited!! I can’t wait to read it again!!!
I love you always and forever!!
Hermana Turnbaugh
How is everyone in beautiful Colorado!!! I miss you all but you sound like you are all doing so well!!! So Laren got into the fire academy then? Whoop whoop!! Good for him!!!! Oh and mom and Crystal listened to Sister Dibbs that is awesome! She came to the MTC while I was there and she shared personal experiences about her Dad too with us!! It was fun to hear her stories about him!!! And how fun that Ashley came to visit. I hope Brynnie and her family had such a good time!!!
Well...... so bad news...... We didn’t have a baptism this week! Rafael didn’t get baptized. I not know what happened... he was so ready! But the day of his interview we called to remind him of the time and he told us that he didn’t feel ready or prepared. I tried with my whole soul to talk to him and tell him that many times Satan wants us to feel like we are not ready. But he said no I am not going to be baptized! It was very hard to not have a baptism because he was so ready. He had so much faith but I am not sure what happened. We talked to him and he said he had a revelation and that he wasn’t ready. So we invited him to church this Sunday but he didn’t answer our phone calls and he didn’t come! So it is pretty discouraging but I know that everything happens for a reason and this experience I know Heavenly Father wants to see if it will shake my faith or will I give up? but I am stronger than that and I know there are people waiting to hear our incredible message!!!
But something cool happened that caught us by surprise. So we were waiting for the bus to take us back to central and there was a young man sitting and waiting for the bus too! And we started to talk to him and he said I am evangelical and he didn’t show much interest but we gave him our number and a little invitation to come to church! We thought, he won’t call but at least we shared our testimonies with him. So on Saturday while we were waiting to see if Rafael would come a round and tell us after all that he wanted to be baptized the phone rang and my companion answers and her mouth dropped! Lo and behold this young guy called and said he wanted to learn more. So we put a cita with him that day and we were able to talk to him and he also came to church!! During this time my companion and I were fasting and one thing we fasted for was to get a phone call. In our minds we thought it would be Rafael but no it was Jose! Jose said he loved church and we have another cita with him on Thursday. So hopefully he will want to learn more and follow Christ! We also have this beautiful family that we are teaching and they have a baptismal date for the 29th. We just have to get them married as well but they too came to church and I asked the husband how do you feel and with a huge smile he said marvelous!! Moments like that make times in my mission so much worth it!! And with this family we taught the restoration and the libro de Mormon and they said, we know this book is true after we gave them a chapter to read!! It is awesome!!!
I know that God never leaves us alone! Even when we feel like we are sinking and wave after wave is crashing down on us ~Christ is there lifting us and telling us just swim ~just a little more! I know trails in our lives are an opportunity for us to get closer to our Savior!!! I am so blessed to have this opportunity in my life to learn more about my Savior and his endless love for each and everyone of us!! So this week was a week of really high ups but really low lows, but the highs are incredible!!! I love the Mission!!!
I did have interviews with President and it was so great!! He is so wonderful so full of love!! He gave me a blessing to start off this new year and it was wonderful! He gave me wonderful advice to be a better missionary. I wish we could have interviews like every 2 weeks not every 3 months!! But today I have to go to San Jose and get my residency tomorrow!! I don’t have anything so it is good to finally get my papers. I haven’t had any problems but it is good to have them now because I am close to the border of Panama so just in case the police ask for my papers I can show them and won’t be sent home!! Because In February I only have 8 more months and that is hardly no time at all!! WOW time seriously flies. I can't believe Laura will be home in 2 weeks!! That is awesome!!!!
But really, even though this week was really tough, I am really happy because I know that I am working as hard as I can and I am giving everything to the Lord and even though Rafael didn’t get baptized I know that agency is real and he chose for himself. So it is good to not feel regrets because we did all that we could and now we are putting the rest in the hands of the Lord!!
I love you all so so so much!! I am so blessed to have a family like you! Thanks for your emails and prayers they seriously help me so much!! I think more than you know!! Oh and guess what? I only have 2 more chapters and I will have finished the Book of Mormon in spanish!! I am pretty excited!! I can’t wait to read it again!!!
I love you always and forever!!
Hermana Turnbaugh
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
1/17/2011
Hola mi Familia!!
How is my wonderful family doing!?! It sounds like everyone is doing so well.
Thank you mom for the family footnotes I love them!! Oh and I laughed so hard when you wrote that cute prayer!! Because it is so so true!!!! LOL!!! Oh that will be so fun to have Laren and Lindsey come to visit!! I hope they are doing so well in Florida! I bet they are!! Whoop Whoop Baby Tru hitting 8 pounds!! LYeah!!! Oh hey Brynnie when are you going to send pictures of him!! I want to see his cute little face!!!!! And Dad you little worker man you! I will send pictures next week. I keep forgetting but I will send them next week OK?! Well I am so happy that you all are doing so well. That is such a blessing in my life that you are happy and doing well!!
This week was good!!! We worked harder than ever this week trying to find new investigators and teaching our investigator Rafael! Rafael didn’t get baptized this weekend because he has been so sick!!! He was in the hospital for 2 days so we couldn’t teach him and last week he couldn’t come to church but this Sunday he did. So his baptism will be on the 22nd!! So I am so excited for him he is awesome!!! So funny story well no, I guess not that funny but it is a testimony to me how much he wants to change his life. So he works at night doing security at a Ferreteria. He goes to work at 6 pm and finishes at 6 30 am so he doesn’t sleep at night at all but sleeps during the morning when he gets home. So yesterday he came to church and he told us that he had to run errands in the morning so he didn’t have the opportunity to sleep. So he was so so so tired and throughout sacrament meeting he was falling asleep!! LOL!! But he was trying so hard to stay awake. I felt so bad so we told him that he could go home that we understand that you haven’t slept at all and he looked at us and said no I want to be here! For me it is such a testimony that even though he was so so tired he wanted to be at church and he was willing to sacrifice for benndiciones! So I am so excited for him and his decision!! I know the Lord will bless him and that he is making his first covenant with the Lord!! How truly blessed we are that the Lord put him in our path and that he is staying strong and wants to follow the example of Jesus Christ!
This week on the 20th we have interviews with President! I am so excited! I love talking to him. He helps me so much!! So this Thursday we will have interviews with him!!
So to answer some of you questions??? This area is beautiful! Very tropical! Our new house is wonderful it has a big kitchen and two rooms! But the only problem is it is close to the main road so there are loud trucks and cars that pass by but it is a great little house!! The ward is a branch. There isn’t a lot of members but the ones that do come are very faithful!! We work a lot with the recent converts to strengthen their testimonies that they will stay strong in the church!! The branch president is nice but his wife is awesome!! She is a return missionary and she loves to share the gospel with everyone!!
Our cocinara is awesome she cooks so good! So seriously I have to be careful because Her food is good!! All the members are wonderful but between the members there is not that much unity, but the branch is great!! This Saturday we have a missionary activity and we invited a theatrical group to come they put on a play about eternal families! So I am excited for that I hope that the activity will be a success!!
In my mission I am learning that we need to be diligent in all things even the small things that you wouldn’t think would affect you but it does!! I read the talk The matter of a few degrees by president Uchtdorf and it talks about that the little things that we do or do not do can effect us big time!! I love this talk because we can apply it to our lives everyday! By not praying or reading our scriptures or I know !I know dad! I bet your mouth is open and you are shaking your head but not making your bed affects your day and you spiritually! It is the little things that count!! I am so thankful for this opportunity to learn this thing. I know I am not perfect and everyday I struggle but I am learning how to be better!
Oh and I am well... almost done with the Book of Mormon in Spanish!!! I am in Ether so I will probably be done pretty soon. It is awesome to see that now I can understand so so much more!! And I am almost done with Jesus the Christ I am reading about Christ’s last week and I love this book! It is so real! The other day I cried while reading it because I can feel the way Christ felt when I read this book. I love it! If you haven’t read this book you all need to because it seriously is incredible!!!! You will come to know Christ in such a personal way!! I love it!!!
Well My most beautiful family!!! Thank you for all your love and your prayers!!! I hope you have the best week ever!!
What I am thankful for this week is the Scriptures!! They help me when I am feeling sad. They help me to know what to do when I am not sure what I should do. They help me feel the love of my Savior!!
Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
How is my wonderful family doing!?! It sounds like everyone is doing so well.
Thank you mom for the family footnotes I love them!! Oh and I laughed so hard when you wrote that cute prayer!! Because it is so so true!!!! LOL!!! Oh that will be so fun to have Laren and Lindsey come to visit!! I hope they are doing so well in Florida! I bet they are!! Whoop Whoop Baby Tru hitting 8 pounds!! LYeah!!! Oh hey Brynnie when are you going to send pictures of him!! I want to see his cute little face!!!!! And Dad you little worker man you! I will send pictures next week. I keep forgetting but I will send them next week OK?! Well I am so happy that you all are doing so well. That is such a blessing in my life that you are happy and doing well!!
This week was good!!! We worked harder than ever this week trying to find new investigators and teaching our investigator Rafael! Rafael didn’t get baptized this weekend because he has been so sick!!! He was in the hospital for 2 days so we couldn’t teach him and last week he couldn’t come to church but this Sunday he did. So his baptism will be on the 22nd!! So I am so excited for him he is awesome!!! So funny story well no, I guess not that funny but it is a testimony to me how much he wants to change his life. So he works at night doing security at a Ferreteria. He goes to work at 6 pm and finishes at 6 30 am so he doesn’t sleep at night at all but sleeps during the morning when he gets home. So yesterday he came to church and he told us that he had to run errands in the morning so he didn’t have the opportunity to sleep. So he was so so so tired and throughout sacrament meeting he was falling asleep!! LOL!! But he was trying so hard to stay awake. I felt so bad so we told him that he could go home that we understand that you haven’t slept at all and he looked at us and said no I want to be here! For me it is such a testimony that even though he was so so tired he wanted to be at church and he was willing to sacrifice for benndiciones! So I am so excited for him and his decision!! I know the Lord will bless him and that he is making his first covenant with the Lord!! How truly blessed we are that the Lord put him in our path and that he is staying strong and wants to follow the example of Jesus Christ!
This week on the 20th we have interviews with President! I am so excited! I love talking to him. He helps me so much!! So this Thursday we will have interviews with him!!
So to answer some of you questions??? This area is beautiful! Very tropical! Our new house is wonderful it has a big kitchen and two rooms! But the only problem is it is close to the main road so there are loud trucks and cars that pass by but it is a great little house!! The ward is a branch. There isn’t a lot of members but the ones that do come are very faithful!! We work a lot with the recent converts to strengthen their testimonies that they will stay strong in the church!! The branch president is nice but his wife is awesome!! She is a return missionary and she loves to share the gospel with everyone!!
Our cocinara is awesome she cooks so good! So seriously I have to be careful because Her food is good!! All the members are wonderful but between the members there is not that much unity, but the branch is great!! This Saturday we have a missionary activity and we invited a theatrical group to come they put on a play about eternal families! So I am excited for that I hope that the activity will be a success!!
In my mission I am learning that we need to be diligent in all things even the small things that you wouldn’t think would affect you but it does!! I read the talk The matter of a few degrees by president Uchtdorf and it talks about that the little things that we do or do not do can effect us big time!! I love this talk because we can apply it to our lives everyday! By not praying or reading our scriptures or I know !I know dad! I bet your mouth is open and you are shaking your head but not making your bed affects your day and you spiritually! It is the little things that count!! I am so thankful for this opportunity to learn this thing. I know I am not perfect and everyday I struggle but I am learning how to be better!
Oh and I am well... almost done with the Book of Mormon in Spanish!!! I am in Ether so I will probably be done pretty soon. It is awesome to see that now I can understand so so much more!! And I am almost done with Jesus the Christ I am reading about Christ’s last week and I love this book! It is so real! The other day I cried while reading it because I can feel the way Christ felt when I read this book. I love it! If you haven’t read this book you all need to because it seriously is incredible!!!! You will come to know Christ in such a personal way!! I love it!!!
Well My most beautiful family!!! Thank you for all your love and your prayers!!! I hope you have the best week ever!!
What I am thankful for this week is the Scriptures!! They help me when I am feeling sad. They help me to know what to do when I am not sure what I should do. They help me feel the love of my Savior!!
Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
Monday, January 10, 2011
1/11/2011
Hola mi Familia!!!
How is my wonderful family doing!?! Thank you so much for your emails this week they helped me so much! Thank you!!! You all know what to say exactly when I need to hear it, so thank you!!
Mom I loved your idea from now on to write one thing I am grateful for from now on until the end of my mission!! So today I am very grateful for trials. Because through trials we learn what we need to change and what we can do better to be more like our Savior! So even though trials are hard and when we are in them we sometimes can not see the light at the end of the tunnel but it is in these times are when we are closer to the Savior. This is when he tries our faith and patience! I found a scripture that I really love that has helped me this last week. It is in Mosiah 23: 21-22. I love this scripture because it is so true! God gives us trials that he will be able to try our patience and faith! But through these tests we need to always put our faith and confidence in HIM and he will bless us!!!
And Dad thank you for sharing that scripture with me about obedience because it is weird but last night I did a self inventory and I asked myself am I really being obedient in all things? And I realized that I am living the rules of the mission but am I diligent in all the little aspects of my mission? Like cleaning my shoes or cleaning up my desk? These little things add up and if I am not diligent in all the little things how can I expect to have success! So I am starting to be more diligent in all the little things because like your scripture said if we aren’t obedient then we will have chaos and the Spirit can’t direct our paths! So thank you for the scripture! It was perfect!!
This week was good. We worked hard but there is always room to improve!! About 2 weeks ago we found a man who talked to a member in our ward and so we asked if he wanted to learn more and he said he did! So we began teaching him and the first cita we had with him the Spirit told us we needed to but a baptismal date with him and we did for the 15th of January!!! And he said yes!! So we will have a baptism this weekend!! Whoop whoop!! It is so great because he is so awesome we met with him and taught him about the word of wisdom. And he likes to drink coffee and he said I am going to make a convenio with God and I will not drink coffee anymore. So we passed by his work the other day to see how he was doing and he told us that his mom made him coffee to take to work the way that he like his coffee and he told us that he didn’t bring it because he had made a promise with the Lord!! Stories like this strengthen my testimony!! Because I know that when people come unto Christ all things are possible!! And I am blessed to have been lead to find him because I know that long before this the Lord was preparing him!! So pray for him that he will be baptized this Saturday and if not this Saturday for sure the 22nd!!
We have some great other investigators that we know they will be baptized as well!! We are working hard and putting more of our faith in God that if we are living the rules with exactness, The lord will bless us with people he has been preparing to hear His Message!!
So this area is great! Probably harder than all my other areas but it is beautiful!! And I know that we will have success!! I am excited for my companion to finally have a baptism because she has been here for 3 1/2 months and no baptisms and I know that it is really hard for her. So it is wonderful that the Lord is blessing us with Rafeal!!
Well My wonderful family!! I love you so much and miss you so so much!! Thank you for all your prayers for me!! They help me out so much!!
So this area is super hot!! But so beautiful! It is very tropical!! It is how I pictured Costa Rica to look like before my mission!! I like it a lot!! Oh and yes mom we finally have HOT WATER!!! Whoop!!! seriously I love hot water it is the best thing ever!!! LOL!!! I love waking up now because I know that I am not going to enter into the death chamber anymore!!!! LOL!!!
I love you all! Thanks for everything!!! I know that this church is true! That this gospel will and can change lives!! This Gospel is Perfect because Christ is Perfect!! I know that the Atonement is real!! I have seen it first hand and it does change lives!! Through the Atonement we can because more like Christ!! I love the Atonement and I am so grateful to my loving Savior who died for us because he loves us! He didn’t have to do it! He had his agency but he did because of his Love for His Father and his love for us!! I love him and I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to serve him!! I know I am not a perfect servant to Him but I know that in spite of it all, He loves me and is proud of me and he knows the missionary and the person I can become! Because Of His Perfect Love!!
I love you! Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
How is my wonderful family doing!?! Thank you so much for your emails this week they helped me so much! Thank you!!! You all know what to say exactly when I need to hear it, so thank you!!
Mom I loved your idea from now on to write one thing I am grateful for from now on until the end of my mission!! So today I am very grateful for trials. Because through trials we learn what we need to change and what we can do better to be more like our Savior! So even though trials are hard and when we are in them we sometimes can not see the light at the end of the tunnel but it is in these times are when we are closer to the Savior. This is when he tries our faith and patience! I found a scripture that I really love that has helped me this last week. It is in Mosiah 23: 21-22. I love this scripture because it is so true! God gives us trials that he will be able to try our patience and faith! But through these tests we need to always put our faith and confidence in HIM and he will bless us!!!
And Dad thank you for sharing that scripture with me about obedience because it is weird but last night I did a self inventory and I asked myself am I really being obedient in all things? And I realized that I am living the rules of the mission but am I diligent in all the little aspects of my mission? Like cleaning my shoes or cleaning up my desk? These little things add up and if I am not diligent in all the little things how can I expect to have success! So I am starting to be more diligent in all the little things because like your scripture said if we aren’t obedient then we will have chaos and the Spirit can’t direct our paths! So thank you for the scripture! It was perfect!!
This week was good. We worked hard but there is always room to improve!! About 2 weeks ago we found a man who talked to a member in our ward and so we asked if he wanted to learn more and he said he did! So we began teaching him and the first cita we had with him the Spirit told us we needed to but a baptismal date with him and we did for the 15th of January!!! And he said yes!! So we will have a baptism this weekend!! Whoop whoop!! It is so great because he is so awesome we met with him and taught him about the word of wisdom. And he likes to drink coffee and he said I am going to make a convenio with God and I will not drink coffee anymore. So we passed by his work the other day to see how he was doing and he told us that his mom made him coffee to take to work the way that he like his coffee and he told us that he didn’t bring it because he had made a promise with the Lord!! Stories like this strengthen my testimony!! Because I know that when people come unto Christ all things are possible!! And I am blessed to have been lead to find him because I know that long before this the Lord was preparing him!! So pray for him that he will be baptized this Saturday and if not this Saturday for sure the 22nd!!
We have some great other investigators that we know they will be baptized as well!! We are working hard and putting more of our faith in God that if we are living the rules with exactness, The lord will bless us with people he has been preparing to hear His Message!!
So this area is great! Probably harder than all my other areas but it is beautiful!! And I know that we will have success!! I am excited for my companion to finally have a baptism because she has been here for 3 1/2 months and no baptisms and I know that it is really hard for her. So it is wonderful that the Lord is blessing us with Rafeal!!
Well My wonderful family!! I love you so much and miss you so so much!! Thank you for all your prayers for me!! They help me out so much!!
So this area is super hot!! But so beautiful! It is very tropical!! It is how I pictured Costa Rica to look like before my mission!! I like it a lot!! Oh and yes mom we finally have HOT WATER!!! Whoop!!! seriously I love hot water it is the best thing ever!!! LOL!!! I love waking up now because I know that I am not going to enter into the death chamber anymore!!!! LOL!!!
I love you all! Thanks for everything!!! I know that this church is true! That this gospel will and can change lives!! This Gospel is Perfect because Christ is Perfect!! I know that the Atonement is real!! I have seen it first hand and it does change lives!! Through the Atonement we can because more like Christ!! I love the Atonement and I am so grateful to my loving Savior who died for us because he loves us! He didn’t have to do it! He had his agency but he did because of his Love for His Father and his love for us!! I love him and I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to serve him!! I know I am not a perfect servant to Him but I know that in spite of it all, He loves me and is proud of me and he knows the missionary and the person I can become! Because Of His Perfect Love!!
I love you! Love always and forever
Hermana Turnbaugh
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