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

Dallas Letter 5/2/16

Hey,

This week has been packed with fun and spiritual experiences! We as a zone went to a service project called the Clean Extreme. Sister Gallegos sent you a picture of Sister Pielstick and I painting the Lake Elsinore Library. I was able to be in a library for about 6 hours which was amazing and not only that but I was allowed to paint.

   

Then we had Multi-zones! The focus of the meeting was how we can teach simply. Here are three things that stood out to me:

1. When you invite to do C.P.R ask it by simply "will you"(Church, Prayer, and Reading)
2. You have to teach with the Book of Mormon to change the hearts of men (object lesson was to take a ball and hold it with one hand. Each of your fingers in your hand represents a tool we study to teach.Thumb: BofM, pointer: Bible, middle: Preach My Gospel, ring: 12 week, and pinky: Missionary library like Jesus the Christ and True to the Faith. If you use everything but the Book of Mormon you cannot teach with power to change the hearts of men.)
3. Then rely on the Spirit to direct you on what to say

One spiritual experience this week was visiting Kim. We shared the Hallelujah video and asked her what stood out to her. Through many tears, she said that she was amazed at the love that Christ had for her because He was so willing suffer and die for her. After she testified of Jesus Christ, we felt a prompting to sing I Stand All Amazed to her. The spirit was so strong, even though I felt bad for her ears in my case, but it was a tender moment. Kim kept calling us angels which touched my heart even though I am far from an angel.

So as a celebration of our 7th month mark together, we got Slurpees from 7- Eleven!  We hit 7 and 11 to go! We're creative!
   

This week I have learned that God sometimes changes our perspective so that we can learn in a different way. Since I was studying about charity, God allowed me to see and feel His love for those I serve. I think that was another reason why we were able to find 6 new investigators! Most of them we found out walking and was able to come back to share the video. 

Love you and see you Sunday!

Love 

Sister Ogden

Dalllas Letter 4/25/16

Hey

This week has been packed with fun and spiritual experiences! We, as a zone, went to a service project called the Clean Extreme. Sister Gallegos sent you a picture of Sister Pielstick and I painting the Lake Elsinore Library. I was able to be in a library for about 6 hours which was amazing and not only that but I was allowed to paint.

   

Then we had Multi-zones! The focus of the meeting was how we can teach simply. Here are three things that stood out to me:

1. When you invite to do C.P.R ask it by simply "will you"(Church, Prayer, and Reading)
2. You must teach with the Book of Mormon to change the hearts of men (object lesson was to take a ball and hold it with one hand. Each of your fingers in your hand represents a tool we study to teach.Thumb: BofM, pointer: Bible, middle: Preach My Gospel, ring: 12 week, and pinky: Missionary library like Jesus the Christ and True to the Faith. If you use everything but the Book of Mormon you cannot teach with power to change the hearts of men.)
3. Then rely on the Spirit to direct you on what to say

 A spiritual experience this week was visiting Kim. We shared the Hallelujah video and asked her what stood out to her. Through many tears, she said that she was amazed at the love that Christ had for her because He was so willing to suffer and die for her. After she testifed of Jesus Christ, we felt prompted to sing I Stand All Amazed to her. The spirit was so strong (even though I felt bad for her ears in my case) it was a tender moment. Kim kept calling us angels which touched my heart even though I am far from an angel.

Love 

Sister Ogden

Dallas Letter 4/18/16

Hey,

   

This week was crazy because since I am companions with an STL I had to workaround exchanges both in my area and out. When I was in my area, we were able to pick up three new investigators! One of them Bonu! Bonu is from Pakistan and she is so cute! We showed her the Follow Him video and she cried when the little girl jumped over the puddle. She told us that she felt like the little girl by coming here. She pulled at my heart strings

   

Hermana Fabian

Then Hermana Fabian and I taught Grant the Word of Wisdom by video games! I asked him what was his favorite character and why? What strengths do they have and so forth? Don't ask me what his favorite character was but when I flipped his character to himself it made sense to him. The huge list of things that helps his character to be strong was ridiculous compared to the small list that Heavenly Father has given us. The Gospel is simple and beautiful.  Super fun lesson! (Thought of you Colton) 

   

We had a service opportunity to help a 5k/10k run for Lake Elsinore! I was in charge to cheer people at the finish line and to take the magnets from their number. It was fun to be a support to someone physically rather than spiritually. In mission work we cheer on people spiritually to help them run or walk towards Christ. It is hard work but so worth it!

    

Hermana Fabian is going to be my second companion this transfer because both of our companions are STL. Friday I was able to go to Spanish land! The funniest part of that day was that this old lady at dinner kept speaking to me in Spanish even though everyone told her that I only speak a little. I could understand her asking me over and over again if I was cold but no matter how many times I told her no, she would ask again. She even tried to give me one of her bracelets.

All the Sisters in our Zone on a field trip to DeJong's Dairy

Love Ya

Sister Ogden