Dallas Letter 10/24/16

Hello,

   

So we received transfer calls and I am leaving Menifee! I am going to Moreno Valley (Valley View ward). Sister Nielson is my new companion and we came in together. Here are some picture to describe what happened this week. Love you all!

Picture Description:

So the Ward Halloween party was this week and I was Anna from Frozen. Brother Bigelow (ward mission leader) was the elf on the self. The couple we are with are the Gomez in who we are teaching Tony the firefighter the lessons. Brooke was baptized yesterday and it gave me a chance to say good bye to the Davis family. The boy next to Sister Keith is Rueben in whom is getting baptized on Nov. 6

Dallas Letter 10/17/16 - OK, Sort of a Letter

I love you guys! 

Dallas Letter 10/10/16

Hey,

This week we had the amazing opportunity to have President and Sister Mullen come out with us for a lesson with Rueben. It was cool to see President and Sister Mullen meet the Davis family in whom I have writing to them about since the beginning. 

We also had to take our car to the car shop and I was able to see David Barnett! David is the Dad of Grant who was my first baptism in Wildomar! We were able to catch up on the last six months since I left Wildomar before he had to go back to work. Truly a tender mercy. 

Then yesterday we were able to have four investigators come to church! James received the Holy Ghost yesterday and it was cool to listen on what Heavenly Father wanted James to know in his blessing. God is blessing us in our area in so many ways and I am grateful that today is Canada Thanksgiving so I can give Him extra thanks. I am planning on getting a pumpkin pie to celebrate. Sorry that the email was short but must of what happen this week was a lot of teaching and meetings.    

Love 

Sister Ogden

Dallas Letter 10/3/16

Hey,

Like last week to many things happened so I will day by day:

Tues- We were given an investigator's name Brooke who is on date for Oct. 16! The reason we were given her was that she is to young to be baptized in the YSA ward and her mom is interested in taking the lessons! We taught her a lesson and she reminds me of Brooke from varsity soccer. I am excited to help her prepare for her baptism!

Wed- We were able to finally meet with Gary after he has been suffering with the plague (Flu). We were teaching about faith but the spirit taught him that he need to work on faith through prayers. God gives us the spirit to teach us exactly what we must do. Then we had only 15 minutes to teach half of the Restoration and invite Ruben (Irma's son) to be baptized on Oct 23 which he said YES! Since I have been craving s'mores, the Zrofsky's made a s'more casserole for our lesson. 

Thurs-  Then for exchanges, Sister Fabian came to my area for the whole day. I always forget that some sisters have never ridden on a bike with a skirt until they are trying to figure how to operate the bike and not flash the world. I have been on bike for so long that it is so natural. We were able to pick up Tony and put him on date for Nov. 6!  When we got to Tony's house, his table looked like the picture Aysha sent me of all the pistol's. One of the main things that I learned from Sister Fabian was to give thanks for the small things of life. 

Sat- General Conference! I love the Saturday Afternoon session because it taught me many things that I could do better as a missionary. Then Sister Wells took us out for dinner at Red Robbin. 

Sun-  Besides General Conference, James baptism was today! It is always amazing to see our investigators in white ready to enter into the waters. Sara (James wife) has been looking forward to this day for so long and it finally came true. I am so excited to see them all dressed up in white for the temple to be sealed! Lets just say I got teary for a bit.

Love you guys so much!

Love 

Sister Ogden   

Dallas Letter 9/26/16

Hey,

There have been so many things that happened this week that I will have to go day by day:

Tues-  It rained hard all day which was a new experience for Sister Keith. For me it brought many memories from last year of biking in the rain. Thank goodness I bought new tires because I may have slipped on the wet concrete.

Wed-  We had Multi-zones (a huge meeting) with President & Sister Mullen on how we can be better missionaries. My favorite training by President was how we need to be obedient to receive the Spirit and to be obedient to the Spirit afterwards we feel his promptings. Sister Lineback, Sister Young, and Sister Pielstick were all there at the meeting which allowed us to take a picture of us together again after a year of entering the MTC! I look up to them all and felt honored to start this amazing adventure with them. (we even recreated the of the first pictures we took at the MTC.) We taught James the Word of Wisdom on Monday and he told us that he has gone cold turkey! He even threw out his can of dip while driving home on the freeway because he gave in.

Thurs-  First exchange as an STL! I went to Riverside to be with Sister Willis for a day. I may be on the exchange to help the Sister's be better missionaries but they also teach me. I learned so much on the exchange about how much my teaching has changed and that there is power to having courage to do this work. The work is not easy but we must have a "powerful faith and a positive  attitude" (President Mullen). That is one of the things that we focused on during the exchange.

Fri-  I have made it a year of being a missionary! It was cool to see how much I have changed since I entered the MTC. Then Sister Keith and I were blessed to finally meet Rueben who is the last of the Davis family we have not met. He has been a ghost to me for the past 6 months because he loves his dominion upstairs. We were able to share the Because He lives video and talk about the many changes in his family because of the Gopsel. The number one thing that Rueben has noticed is that there is more peace at home. The Gospel brings peace and Rueben was willing to take the lesson because the changed he has seen! I love the Davis family so much and I am excited to help this family to be together forever!

Sat-  We had Women's General Conference which I love President Uchtdorf's talk on faith. I loved how much it applied to missionary work and how to have "powerful faith". 

I am so excited for General Conference! I have been getting ready by reading a conference talk each day. I read this today and thought that I should share it. "However far we may wander from the path, the Savior invites us to return and walk with Him. This invitation to walk with Jesus Christ is an invitation to accompany Him to Gethsemane and from Gethsemane to Calvary and from Calvary to the Garden Tomb. It is an invitation to observe and apply His great atoning sacrifice, whose reach is as individual as it is infinite. It is an invitation to repent, to draw upon His cleansing power, and to grasp His loving, outstretched arms. It is an invitation to be at peace (Bishop W. Christopher Waddell). I love that we all meet Christ in the Garden and onward because that is how Christ is best able to help us. 

Love 

Sister Ogden

Dallas Letter 9/12/16 - A New Responsability

Hello,

   

This week was completely crazy. I received a call from the AP's that I was invite to MLC  (Mission Leadership Council) and latter found out that I will be called to be a Sister Training Leader. MLC is meeting where President Mullen, Sister Mullen, and the AP's gives us training on how we are to help the Sisters of our zones fulfill their duty as missionaries. I learned so much but I do not have my notes with me since Sister Keith and I had to move into new apartments. Sister Keith and I are still together for another transfer but with my new calling it's going to change the schedule a bit. I am the first STL leader that is still on bike! I am excited for my new calling and I know it will be a growing experience for me. 

 

Love 

Sister Ogden

****************

Mom and Dad,

I am excited for the new adventure of my calling but I am scared. I have always looked up to the STL's  and to be one is scary. A Sister Training Leader responsibly is this:  

"Your acceptance of this assignment requires that you teach by example, as well as by precept and by supervising your own area in an exemplary manner, thus making it a working model of your effectiveness. This example should be reflected in the results of your missionary activities as you proselyte in your own area, striving to baptize regularly, thus retaining your proselyting skills and setting an example for all sister missionaries. You will also have the opportunity to communicate and train the sisters here at the California Riverside Mission so that they can become models of effective proselyting and that they might also baptize regularly. Remember that as a Sister Training Leader you should always avoid being diverted from these basic duties by administrative details. The most important thing you can do as an SisterTraining Leader is to be an effective proselyting, baptizing missionary" (President Mullen letter to me).

I am going to be trained by Sister Burris who is the most amazing missionary and STL ever! That is a huge tender mercy for me since I need all the help I can get. I just pray that I can help the Sister's reach their full potential as many have helped me.

Love 

Sister Ogden  

Note: 

At home we received a letter from the mission President notifying us that Dallas has received a new calling. The same letter was sent to our Stake President and Bishop who both sent us an email.  I will include all three here.

From Mission President to us (family)

Dear Brother and Sister Ogden,

It is indeed a honor to advise you that Sister Ogden has been assigned to serve on the Mission Leadership Council as Sister Training Leader for the California Riverside Mission. Her achievements during her mission have identified her as an outstanding young leader and mark her will for further leadership in the Lord's Kingdom. You can certainly be proud of all that she has achieved during her missionary service.

May I personally thank you for providing such excellent training and preparation for your daughter. I would deem it a privilege to have the opportunity to meet you sometime in the future and express my gratitude for all that you have done to prepare such an outstanding young woman.

May the Lord's richest blessings be yours as you continue your support of the Lord's work.

Sincerely,

John H. Mullen, PresidentCalifornia Riverside Mission

From our Stake President

Brother and Sister Ogden,

You may have received news of this already, but in case you hadn't I wanted to pass it along to you.  Congratulations to you both and to your wonderful daughter for her faithful service.  She is clearly one whom the Lord trusts and is making a large impact in the lives of those she serves.  I, too, am grateful for your support and guidance that you have provided your wonderful daughter.

May you continue to receive the blessings from her service.

Warm regards,

Scott Kelley

From Bishop Wilson

David/Terri,
I was so happy to receive this email from Dallas' mission president today. I don’t know if the parents are also sent a letter or not but wanted to send this note just in case you didn’t get it.
What an amazing missionary she is. Now, the Lord has entrusted her to teach others how to serve and testify as well as continue serving and sharing the message of the Savior and the Restored Gospel with the people of the California Riverside mission.

Thank you for teaching her and helping her develop into the wonderful faith-filled woman that she is.

Love you guys,
Rob