Dallas Letter 6/20/16

Hey,

 
This week has been full of fun adventures like flat tires,being attack by a praying mantis (the bug from kung fu  panda), putting a whole family "ondate", and transfer calls. My bike was fine but Sister Petersen's kept dying  to the point that we spent all day at a bike shop. Then the story of the attack was while walking I looked at my arm to see a praying mantis I tried to brush it off but instead made it very mad and it shot straight into my hair. Sister Petersen was useless because she was laughing so hard. Then the Davis' accepted baptism for July 10! I am super excited! Then we had transfer calls..... I am staying here on bike with my new companion Sister Willis. I have to go help my companion pack but I love  you all and stay cool! 

Love 

Sister Ogden

1) Bike Trip

2) Face Mask

3) Someone in the neighborhood played Jumanji

4) Davis Family!

5) Before we all separate today! 

Dallas Letter 6/13/16

Note: This letter is pictures only.

1) Temple Trip

2) Sister Roberts last temple trip with me

3) Celebration of still fitting in our jeans

4-6) hike today as a zone

Love ya 

Sister Ogden

 

Dallas Letter 6/7/16

 
Hey,

   

This week has been full of fun new adventures. First being that Summer is officially here! All week we have been biking in 104-degree weather and I have not yet been sunburned. I feel like I swim in sunscreen every day. With the crazy new heat, it tends to make people do crazy things like pet a stone dragon or forget to speak English. Sister Petersen has a little notebook of all the funny words I make up or say so she can look at it and laugh. 

 

Then for exchanges, Sister Pielstick came to my area while Sister Petersen went to Wildomar. Sister Pielstick was so funny when we had to bike up the hills because she would walk up them. It showed me how much more fit I am since being put on a bike. It's been a blessing physically and spiritually for me to be on a bike. 

   

 

Here is my spiritual thought of the week:

Keep up the P.A.C.E.

(positive attitude changes everything)

 

There are many things this week that could have made it terrible but a positive attitude it changes everything. There is definitely a lot of changes going on here but also where you guys are at. Just keep up the PACE and trust in the Lord. I think that is the number one lesson that I am learning here. 

Love ya

Sister Ogden

1. All three of us together from the MTC! Just missing Sister Lineback

2. I got the package! Thank you so much! 

3. Lakes are everywhere here and here is one of the sun sets this week.

 

 

Dallas Letter 5/31/16

Hello,

   

How was your memorial weekend? Mine was celebrated with intense CrossFit with our Mission President and I am super sore today. There was so many things that happened this week that I wish I could tell you but I will tell the most important. 

   

We had interviews with President Mullen in which he gave a lesson on how we should pray for "unplanned opportunities". President Mullen shared out of PMG (Preach my Gospel) that Christ "will lead you to them or He will lead them to you" (PMG, pg 155) which is why we should be prepared. Not even a couple of hours later, Sister Petersen and I experienced two unplanned opportunities. 

   

First was that we met this young mom of two boys named Jenna out walking. While her little boys were chasing their baby geese, we shared the Hallelujah video with her. Afterwards, Jenna mentioned that the only reason that she said yes to us was that God answered her prayer before we got there. Then the second miracle or unplanned opportunity was picking up the Davis family. Irma (the mom) and her identical twin daughters (Sarah and Brianna) were former investigators from two years ago. I guess they needed two years because they were so willing for us to come in and share a message. They came to church on Sunday and absolutely loved it!

   

God has truly blessed us this week with four new investigators but He has definitely strengthened my testimony. The more I share my testimony the more it seems to grow.

Love 

Sister Ogden    

Hey Dad,

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!

I am sorry that I was not able to say that on your Birthday. All the computers were closed until today. It sounds as if your Birthday was full of fun adventures and you are right that I would sing and kiss you! I guess you won't need my help with finishing the bathroom (I need pics of it). This week has been crazy but full of many miracles which I will tell in the group email! I just want to let you know that I love you. You have led me to who I am today. I was in a store a couple of days ago in which they were playing a Billy Currington song " walk a little straighter". The song talks about how fathers are an example to us kids and how they must watch their actions because we follow them. Now I know the song is about a drunk dad but that main message is that you are leading me. I have followed your footsteps towards Christ and that is the greatest gift you gave me. Now I am here on my mission to help others walk on the path which you and mom have shown me. 

Love you and Happy Birthday again

Love Sister Ogden 

Shorcuts

Ducks are Everywhere

Dallas Letter 5/23/16

Hey,

   

This week has been probably the most challenging but rewarding week. The common theme of what I learned this week was how powerful the Spirit is. We taught the Restoration to Melissa who is a teenage girl confined to a wheelchair. She doesn't know about Christ that much but when I invited her to baptism she said yes! I think that it was only through the Spirit that Melissa could say yes. Then the Spirit prompted us to go to a referral named Bliss. Bliss is a single mom with two children and is going through a nasty divorce right now. I didn't know this before we entered her house but after sharing the Hallelujah video, she told us through many tears. The Spirit guided me through what to say to her both during the lesson and in the prayer before we left. The Holy Ghost is truly a gift that I need every day.

   

The best part of the week was having a Mission Conference with Elder Christofferson! We surprised both Elder Christofferson but especially our mission president with a music number of "Faith in Every Footstep". It was powerful to sing that song about how I will put faith in every footstep in missionary work. There are many things I learned and I love the blessing in which he gave us:

1. That we would have an increased sense of the Lord's love for us and His knowledge of us. 
2. That we would pray with greater confidence to our Heavenly Father. He will see into our hearts and bless us in His way and time. He will bless us according to the deep desires of our heart.
3. That we would have a greater understanding of the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon. In quoting 3 Nephi 26:6-9, he repeated Mormon's summary of the book -- to try our faith and to prepare us to receive greater things.
4. That we would teach with greater ability -- more simply, clearly and convincingly. 
5. That we would bear more persuasive testimonies.

Love you guys!

Love 

Sister Ogden

 

Dallas letter 5/16/16

Hello,

 

In all of your emails you asked the same questions which I decided to answer in the same email. My new area is a little bit nicer than Hemet and Wildomar because there are sidewalks. I didn't know they existed here! It has been fun to get readjusted to bike especially since everything is on a hill. Let's just say my legs were sore for most of the week. Sister Petersen is my new companion. She is from Mapleton, Utah and she loves Soccer! We will probably start a myth here that only Mormons are red heads! In the same apartment lives Sister Roberts and Sister Young!

 

I did the most dyslexic thing ever on my mission. We were sharing the Follow Him video and I was talking about how through Christ we are able to jump the puddles of life but, instead of puddle I said paddle. Not once but three times. I didn't even know until after the lesson when Sister Petersen told me. I even got the pleasure to experience a pamphlet being thrown at me with the comment  "you need Jesus"! I was glad to tell him "yes I do because, without Him, I am nothing"! Then the plague happened again and I was able to be with Sister Roberts for a day!

 

I am super excited for Saturday because Elder D. Todd Christofferson is coming to our mission! The past couple of weeks I have been trying to prepare by reading his talks like Finding Your Life. He talks about how to find your life through Jesus Christ. I love Luke 9:23 because we must follow Christ daily and I need Him daily! 

 

Love you guys and talk to next week!

Love

Sister Ogden

Sister Petersen

My Bike

Sister Roberts

 

Dallas Letter 5/9/16

 I love you guys so much! It was awesome to see and talk to each of you! I pray that everything will go well and that you can see God hand in your lives. I am now in the La Piedra ward in Menifee which is only 17 minutes from Wildomar. I am excited to now serve with Sister Peterson and be on a bike! I will hopefully be in better shape now. There is a lot of potential here and I am ready to go to work!

Quote for the week: "Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously" -Elder Richard Scott

Love Sister Ogden