Newburgh #4

Hey there Fam!

First off, Dad, way to go on your Scouting night. It sounds like you put in so much hard work and that it was a huge success. You've always been such a good example to me of hard work and shooting for high goals. :) 

Well these week has been really great. Soooo We had both a stake conference and a Zone conference this week. Stake conference on Sat night was all about missionary work. It was so awesome. I think it got our stake pumped up and excited about missionary work. I was so thankful for the talks as they clearly stated how missionaries and members can work together. That was so good to hear because I feel like the prophet has made it clear that member missionary work is what we need to do, but we are sure where to start. So this conference was really great. We are excited to meet with the families and to see what there personal family game plan is for missionary work. And it was cool to be reminded of the challenge we received at conference for ever member of the church to reach out to one person before Christmas. 

But even more exciting was the announcement that was made at Zone Conference. The New York New York North Mission has been approved to be an online proselyting mission as of last week! We are now in the process of cleaning up our facebook and adding friends and missionaries in the NY NY North Area. We are approved to do blogs, use email and we will use LDS.org and Mormon.org to chat and answer questions. We are allowed to use skype and Facetime. All these resources will be used only for the purpose of missionary work. And our purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. We are just beginning to use this resources. I have already been on FB but will not post an official post until my profile is in harmony with my purpose as a missionary. This process has taken a few weeks for missionaries has we have to go through old pictures and posts. I know that my FB has been used to post updates about my mission, but I ask that you don't log on anymore and that I be the only one making posts. I will not respond to comments just to chat or to see how people are doing. Wednesday is the day that I can be in contact with family and friends to chat and see how things are going. On every other day of my mission I am only to use these online resources to do missionary work.

We've already seen great miracles from missionaries who have had these priviledges longer than the rest of us. One missionary is the only member in his family. His mother saw his post on FB and told him that she wanted to learn more about what he was teaching. He started having the missionary lessons with his family via skype. The missionaries serving near his family were present for these skype lessons. This missionary had the opportunity to teach his own family. When he goes home for his mission in the next few weeks, he will have the opportunity to come home and to baptize his family members. And this is the fruits of his labors here in the NY NY North Mission! The hastening of the work is here. The Gospel is going to all of the world. Missionary work is being done in a way it has never been done before. And this gospel is going to reach people that it has never been able to reach before. It is an exciting time to be a missionary! Currently we are using the church computers but by Nov 16th, we will all have i-pad and i-phones. Our area book, preach my gospel, pamphlets, scriptures and more will now all be on our i-pads. There will be no ineffective use of time. During the dead hours of the day when no one is home, we will continue to teach through FB and other online resources. 

So that is the exciting news!! Once I am up and on facebook I would ask all of you to comment on the scriptures, quotes, videos and other things that I post. A simple "like" on FB can help further this work so that more and more can hear the message of the restored gospel! Please be understanding that I can not chit-chat or catch up with all of you lovely people back home. :) But please do not hesitate to share your testimony, insights, experiences or to simply give an encouraging or uplifting message by commenting on my posts!Everyone can be a missionary! It has never been so easy or convenient! 

Well real quick here, The weather is getting mighty cold!! somehow 50 degrees feels like 20 degrees... so I am terrified to find out what 20 degrees actually feels like! I am going to have to start bundling up! Sister Wilkes and I are hoping to get to Good Will to do some shopping for some warmer clothes. 

Mom, you asked about the Valentine family. They are still in and out of doctor's appointments. We tried twice to see them this week but with no success. I think they are free right after Halloween. They are still very welcoming and since our last lessons we have come over to check up on them a few times. They even invited us over for Thanksgiving! (As well as 5 other families... we don't know how we're gonna do it) Last time they had dinner on the table when we stopped by. We told them that we could come back in 45 minutes after they were done eating. The mom insisted we could talk for "just ten minutes".... an hour and a half later we finally get out of there!! Hahah she is such a talker! But we love her and we have developed a good relationship with her. From what I've last heard they are still reading the Book of Mormon and praying about it. Keep them in your prayers!! 

Well family, that is all for now. I love you all so much! Thank you for all your support and love :))

Love Sister Emma Lounsbury

Newburgh Pictures #1

Newburgh #3

Hello my beautiful family!!!

How are you all? It's so great to hear about the boy's track meets, the shed coming up, and the first annual costume dinner :) I wish I was there for all of that! I just have the greatest family and I miss you all!!

This week was a good week. Things are always a little slower when you get a new companion but things are finally picking up. Every day kinda blurs into one here. Time is going by so fast... It feels like it was just Preparation day yesterday!! This week was a good one for me. It can be hard in a new area because you don't know any of the people and it is a struggle getting to know everyone in the ward, investigators and less actives. It is hard to contribute to planning sessions when I don't know anyone's background or progression or what's been taught already etc. but now that I've been here a few weeks, I finally feel like I know most people fairly well. So that has been good.

We do a lot more service in this area. There are just a lot more opportunities to serve and to help the ward members. That has been really fun and it changes up the daily routine. :)

We had a lot of success with Less actives this week. One lady told us earlier this month that she was leaning away from the Mormon belief due to conversations with her Christian friend. She told us we could still come over but that she didn't want to come to church. So we continued coming over just to talk and share a brief scripture at the end from the Book of Mormon about Christ. Then this week she told us that she thought a lot about her belief and prayed about it and she decided to continue with the LDS faith. She said that she realized she shouldn't change her beliefs just to please her friend. I was so happy to hear that! And I had a cool experience where I was able to answer one of her questions using a page from " The Search for Happiness" book that I had just read that morning. I had the thought to put the book in my bag (even though I normally don't bring it) and what I had read that morning answered her concern perfectly. That was a just a small confirmation that God is guiding me and leading me in this work because it is His work, not mine.

We saw another less active and he told us of his conversion story and how he has continued to read the scriptures and to pray every now and again. He is such a good guy. I think he stopped going to church because he simply doesn't understand all the amazing blessing that he can receive and enjoy when he becomes fully emerged in the gospel. He is excited to meet with us and I feel so blessed for the chance to help him back on the path. I think that so many wander not out of rebellion but simply because of a lack of guidance. I hope that we can provide him with the knowledge and tools necessary for him to make a wiser use of his agency. He remembers so clearly his baptism and confirmation and how he felt "an indescribable feeling" of warmth and peace. I just love hearing everyone's story of how the found the gospel and how they felt when they were baptized into the church. It is just a testimony builder to me that this is the true Church upon the earth today. There are so many who have felt of the Spirit and who have had a spiritual witness of the Book of Mormon and of the Prophet Joseph Smith. And the opposition to our church and the saints are so fierce, that it only confirms it more in my heart that this Church is true and that The devil and his angels are fighting so hard against the fullness of truth.

As a missionary I feel that I am at the forefront of the battle between good and evil. It can be scary to see how the devil can trick, deceive, and place doubting and fears into people's hearts. But I take courage and have great hope for the world when I meet together with such faithful Saints who's testimony are strong and firm. The other night we had a dinner at a members home. We were able to join them in Family Home Evening. I was so thankful so the chance to join with them during that sacred time in their home where testimonies were shared and the children were taught the simple principles of the gospel. I was especially touched by the faith of their young children. Their oldest boy who was 7 possibly 8, proudly told us that he has read the Book of Mormon and was on to section 50 of the Doctrine and Covenants. Wow. Truly the rising generation must be prepared and fortified in truth and knowledge ever more than before. Evil has never been so widespread and open but righteousness has never been so strongly established. The fullness of the Gospel is on the earth today! We have modern day prophets who lead, guide, warn and establish pure doctrine! Temples cover the earth! And the Lord's work is hastening! The gospel is going to all of the world! What an amazing time to be alive. What an amazing time to be a missionary.

I am so thankful for the honor that it is to be a missionary--a representative of Jesus Christ. I do not take this calling lightly. I am striving every day to be more like Christ. To love as he loved. To serve as he served. To teach as he taught-- to do what he would if He were here on the earth. Please continue to keep me in your prayers. And continue to do all you can at home to help this work move forward. I love you all so much! Keep safe and have a lovely Halloween celebration!

Much love, Sister Lounsbury

Newburgh #2

Hello lovely family!!

Well it's been another great week. I have limited time... Sister Wilkes and I are off to a bike ride through the country side :))) I'm so excited to be outside and enjoy the nature around us :)

So quick updates:

The family we were teaching got suppppppper sick. We've been in contact, left balloons and a card and let them know we are thinking about them. Hopefully by nest week we can teach them again.

So remember how we helped our neighbor downstairs? We stopped by with cupcakes and to see how they are. Philis didn't recognize us. it turned out that she had a stroke. She is feeling a lot better. Her daughter Robin and Philis were both so, so grateful. She even invited us to Thanksgiving dinner with her family and she wants to teach us how to decorate cakes. 

I got to meet the ward. Everyone seems quite lovely. We are fed well. There are still crazy people here too, so I like it. Craziness keeps everything interesting :))

Well, I really am sorry this is short, but I love you all! Thanks for keeping me in your prayers!

Love Sister Lounsbury

Newburgh #1

Hello Family!!

WOW, wow, wow! Ok sooo much to tell you all! Sorry for the short email last week. Haha ok mom, to put away you're worryings, yes, Newburgh actually has the 9th highest murder rate in the country, but I do not serve in the city. It is too dangerous for the sisters. There were 3 murders just last week! Crazy.... But I serve on the outskirts of Newburgh. It is BEAUTIFUL here. Oh my goodness. I am in heaven. The east coast is SO BEAUTIFUL!! I seriously can not get enough of it! It is breath taking. Trees entirely consume the hillside. It feels like magic when the leaves swirl and blow off of the trees. I just absolutely love it here. Madeline, driving around here makes me miss our country drives together.  We went on a hike today as a district. It was so much fun!

I am serving with sister wilkes. She has been out for 12 weeks so I am follow up training with her. But she is the one who know the area, so I feel like she's training me haha. She is awesome. I love being her companion. She makes me laugh everyday and she is just so sweet. I am learning a lot from her and I am just so excited for the time we get to serve together. OH! And she likes running too. we've started to wake up at 6 so we can get a longer run in. We've been running 4 miles every morning. I am determined to get into shape!! We are gonna keep running til the snow hits.

So I haven't met the ward yet, but I have been over to quite a few houses. We get fed alllll the time... I think I preferred feeding myself in Yonkers. I'm terribly afraid of gaining a ton of weight here...but hopefully the running will help with that. It's just so hard because everyone cooks you a big dinner with dessert. But anyway, everyone seems great!

So something awesome happened this week!!! We were looking up a potential investigator that had been contacted on the street a while back. We knock on their door and they let us in and we have a lesson. The mom Lori had grown up going to a LDS church as a girl. She went with her friend and went to girls camp but never had the lessons.  She also attended a baptist church with her uncle. She attended a catholic school and went to mass for a while. Later in her life she studied with the witnesses. Then she went back to catholic. They have been all over because the church's teaching or the people's behaviors would turn them off. They finally concluded that they could just study in their own house. So that is what they do--family prayer and bible study every day with their two girls. But they felt that something was missing. They wanted to have a church family. So that morning they were praying that they could find some guidance and direction to know what to do and where to go. Then 4 hours later--we knock on their door! What a miracle!!! It was so amazing to see this faithful family praying for guidance and I felt so honored that God trusted us enough to be the ones to help them and to guide them to the fullness of the gospel. We got to know them in the first lesson. In the second lesson we brought a member and taught the Restoration. Lori and Steve really related to the story of Joesph Smith-- because they had been searching so long for truth in their life. She is excited to come to church and Steve wants to make sure he could be a pastor if he joined the church and the girls and so eager to learn. The older one who was 13 was sitting their with her bible, looking up all the questions in the back of the restoration pamphlet. They are so solid.

Sister Wilkes and I are striving to continue to be consecrated. We set a goal for a baptism this Oct. President Morgan told us that in the month of Sept we ended up baptizing 55 people and had over 20 reactivation. We haven't had that kind of number in a long time. He told us that we need to continue forward with the same kind of determination and faith. So we are going to everything we can to have a baptism this October. Keep us in your prayers :) 

Conference was so awesome!! I just soaked it all up! What was your favorite talk? What did you like about it? What new thing did you learn, and what are you going to do with this new piece of knowledge. There is a saying here in the mission. If someone is teaching, someone should be learning. And if someone is learning, someone should be changing. So make sure that you make changes and set goals so you can actually APPLY the truths you learned this week from Modern day prophets. Conference was so cool for me. We were able to watch one session with a less active and another session with a less active family and their non member friend. After conference I was able to bare my testimony to him that the reason he agreed with everything the speakers said was because they are modern day prophets called of God. I testified that they receive revelation from God and that their words will lead us and guide us in this world of chaos and constant change. The Spirit was there strongly. He said he would read the Book of Mormon. It is exciting to be able to work with new people. And I've been able to meet a few investigator in the first meeting with them.

OK one other crazy thing happened this week. So sister Wilkes and I were doing our morning study of the scriptures. It was maybe around 8:20 and we get a knock on the door. It was strange because no one comes to our door. We open up and the neighbor from downstairs is frantic and is crying. She told us that her mom had fallen out of bed and had been on the floor all night. She couldn't lift her and she needed help. I'm glad sister Wilkes was there because she remained so incredibly calm. We got down there and with our first attempt we couldn't get Philis to the chair. But once we thought a little clearer we placed a chair right behind philis and then got under her arms and lifted her up. We were then able to get her on to the chair. Philis was shaky and was super thirsty. Philis's daughter was still so panicked and wasn't sure if she should call 911 or the doctor or what she should do. We sat by Philis and stood as support on either side of her so she wouldn't slip out of the side of the chair. She kept trying to stand up and she was embarrassed. We just talked to her about her kids and grand kids and what she liked to do when she was younger while her daughter made calls. Philis's daughter ended up calling her siblings and then 911. Paramedics came and got her off to the hospital. We met a lot of Philis's daughters who drove over and they all thanked us over and over. Philis's daughter told us that she didn't know what to do when she found her mom on the ground. She thought about knocking on the apartment next to her, but she said the "boys" (they are 25 or older) who lived there smoke pot and she said she needed some real help. She kept feeling like she needed to go upstairs and knock on our door. We were home and able to help. She started crying while thanking us again and again as we hugged her goodbye. She told us to come over any time. It was quite an eventful morning. And it was a really cool missionary opportunity as we were seen by so many and got to share with a few people about what we do.

So it's been an eventful week! I love you all so much! Isaac, I got your letter! You're the best :) The rest of you need to pick it up ;) haha well I hope you all enjoyed your week and conference. If you didn't see all of conference, make time to see it. These men are inspired prophets, seers and revelators. You can not afford to miss their counsel, warnings and teachings. I want to here from you all about your favorite talk or thing you learned, why, and what you're going to so about it. I love you all!!

Love Sister Lounsbury