Kingsbridge #11

HEY FAMILY! 

well I'm sorry but I ended up not leaving a lot of time to write. Thanks for sending those Pictures! Those were so funny! Isaac makes a cute troll. This week was good. It goes by soooooo fast when you do two splits a week. It has been crazy busy! 

There are lots of crazy people here. Lots of them. They really come out in the summer I think. There is a man here who has come to be known as the bird man. I think I told you about him. He wears a red baseball cap with a feather on the back of it. He goes around the Bronx specifically targeting missionaries, loudly making bird calls and flapping his arms as we walk by. We had a few encounters with him this week. 

We also met a man who stopped us and wouldn't let go of my hand when I went to shake it and then he tried to kiss my companions hand. And on the same day we met a man with a Grocery cart full of stuff who stopped us started whipping out scriptures. He said he was moses and while lifting up a broken broom as his "staff" he told us he could divide the trees in half and move the mountains. That was a fun conversation. 

You all got to see the pictures on Facebook from the Easter APF that we did. That was really fun and we had some cool contacts. 

The summer is going to get a lot crazier... I just know it. But things are good. The work is moving forward. President Morgan called for a special meeting all about faith.  He encouraged us to set high goals and to seek to know the lords vision. At the end he gave a goal for our mission to have 100 baptisms from now until May. I am super excited about the goal that our mission has to baptized 100 people before the end of May! Last time our mission set a goal for each companion to have a baptism, miracles happened it pushed our whole mission forward and everyone was striving to be better. I am excited for this next month! It should be awesome!!! Please keep me and sister Lopez in your prayers that we can find and prepare someone to be taught. I really needed to hear the message President shared. I want to work on increasing my faith and trying to really involve The Lord in the work. This is His work not mine so I need to do it His way and to shoot for His vision not mine. Sometimes with the craziness of being an STL I feel like I'm just trying to get by to the next day. But the Lords vision is so much grander than that. I need to start turning to him more for strength and to see his vision. I loved it and I a super excited to see the miracles that will come into our mission! 

That was the highlight this week! I love you all so much!

Love Sister Lounsbury

Kingsbridge #10

Hello family!!!! 

So is week went by in a flash. We had two splits this week. Sister Lopez go on a split mon/tues and thurs/fri. So wed, sat, sun and the only full days we have together. This makes things go by suuuuuper fast. Next cycle, I am going to try to get some splits done sooner because this is crazy! 

Well the weather has been super bipolar. It was finally warm enough to go without leggings. The flowers even started blooming! And then BAM we wake up to snow this morning.... What the heck!? Haha it was just a little and it melted by afternoon...but seriously? Snow? 

Today we went to the Bronx zoo. That was fun :) then we went to target and got some good food. The little grocery store next door to our apartment is so convenient...but the fruits and veggies are often rotting... So we decided it was time to get food elsewhere. Carrying a ton of heavy grocery bags through the city back home is not fun!!! 

We have two new investigators this week Jose and Fatmata. Fatmata is Muslim so we will have to get permission from president to continue teaching her. But she seems really cool!

Have you guys seen this website/ video? http://easter.mormon.org

IT IS AWESOME! CLICK IT AND WATCH IT RIGH NOW!!!!

Oh! Also, we had a baptism this week for shania! She is a 12 year old. Her mom is a re,turning less active. So that was cool we hope that the young women take her under their song and really help her feel welcomed. 

Ok crazy random story. My old companion sister Wilkes said she saw Kyle Harris in New Canaan the area she is serving in! I guess he was visiting a roommate. Crazy right?? It's a small world. 

Ok... So there is this crazy man who lives in the Bronx. We call him "the bird man." He wears a red baseball cap with a feather taped to the back. He is on the street a lot and if we ever see him or pass him he starts doing bird calls on the top so his lungs while flapping his arms. "KA KAAA!!! KA KAAA!!!" So today we ran into him and he did a few bird calls, wished us a happy Easter and then made a goat baaing noise.... The Bronx is so weird. It is just full of weird people. I think I am slowly but surely getting immune to it by now. It is becoming normal. Going back to Oregon or Idaho is just not going to be very excited compared to the stuff I see here haha 

So conference was good. Thanks for your replies. I will write more about what I liked later... But I am running out of time. Sorry this email is so random and all over the place! But I love you all. Have a wonderful Easter! And watch this video!!! http://easter.mormon.org

Love Sister Lounsbury

Kingsbridge #9

FAMILY!!!!!!

Hey, so this week was awesome, as usual :) it was crazy busy. On Thursday we hit our one year mark! Unfortunately we forgot to plan to do anything fun to celebrate. But our zone leader got us a "birthday" present with all sorts of random things... Pennies, a magnifying glass, mustaches, a golfball, and a note written on an old chrsitmas card. They definitely just grabbed random junk out of their apartment, but we got a good laugh from it and it was nice they remembered. So we actually had interviews with president Morgan on Thursday. It was short and sweet. I got to ask questions about what in the world I'm suppose to be doing as a sister training leader and how I can best fulfill my calling. He had great council and I feel like I have a lot more direction. He told me that he thinks I'm awesome and that he has a lot of trust in me. I love president! He is the perfect balance of being firm and yet loving and he is always willing to joke around. After sister Lopez and I got our mustaches we put them on and when president came around we said "President, we mustache you a question" he was laughing pretty hard. He is just such a great leader and example! 

Then Friday we had mission leadership Council. It lasted from 12 to 5.... Super long but packed with awesomeness. He gave us training on how to better set goal and to plan. In September we as a mission had 57 baptisms. Why did this happen? Because we set a goal, we believed it was possible, and all of us collectively did everything we could to achieve it. In the last THREE months, our mission has had 57 baptisms. I think The Lord is really trying to show our mission that we can accomplish miracles when we set goals in faith, put our minds to it and involve The Lord.  President chastened us a little but it pumped us up. We want to be much better at it and hopefully we can share the spirit we felt there with the rest of the mission! 

Then on Saturday and Sunday we had general conference. It was awesome. I didn't want it to end. Man, I receive such a confirming witness every conference when we get to hear from them, that truly there are living prophets on the earth today! What a miracle! I came to conference with 11 very specific questions. I was able to receive so much guidance and direction. I can't wait to study and review them over the next few weeks. 

Family, This coming week I want to hear everyone's favorite talk or insight from conference. What were some themes you noticed? What is the overall message you think The Lord wants us to know? Boys, there were a lot of talks directed to the youth! What did you think about them? I want to hear from each one!

Did you all hear about how we all should be reading from preach My Gospel? I thought that was a cool idea that families study PMG and share their insights with their missionary family member. I have made a goals to read through it more often on my own instead of only in district meetings, or trainings. 

On Monday we had Zone Meeting. The Zone leaders and sister Lopez and I had put a lot of time into preparing for the zone meeting. We presented all the information and training which we received in mission leadership council from president. We talked about online events, goal setting and planning, and the role of the Book of Mormon in someone's conversion. It was a really great meeting. As sister training leaders we work very closely with the Zone leaders in planning and preparing. The ZLs are Elder Davidson and Elder Griffith. Elder Griffith was my district leader in Newburgh so it has been really fun serving with him again. Our whole district and zone is so fun! We have a zone activity planned next pday to go to the Bronx zoo. It should be awesome! 

Well after Zone meeting sister Lopez and I went on a split. I went to Olmstead and sister Lopez stayed in the area. We have 2 splits every week for the rest of the cycle... That should be crazy. It makes time FLY like none other! 

Welp, sister Lopez and I are going to the Metropolitan museum today! We are pumped! I love you all so much!  

Love sister Lounsbury

Quote of the week: "Make no small plans. They have no magic to stir the souls of man." 

-spencer kimball 

Kingsbridge #8

Dear family! 

Wow, so there is I so much to tell you about! 

So sister Lopez and I have been planning like crazy for splits, interviews, unity lunches, and meetings through out this cycle. It has taken a lot of time but we have it all mapped out. So far we've been able to do all the interviews but one. We've been able to go on a split with one of the sisters. We have 6 companionships and two senior sisters that we are over. So we will have 6 splits over the cycle. Sister Lopez hasn't been a Sister Training Leader...so with my 6 weeks of experience I am trying to teach her. We still are a little unsure at times exactly what our purpose and responsibilities are and how we can best fulfill them, but we are figuring it out as we go. Taking over the area, planning and getting sister Lopez up to date on the area was a little stressful for the first week. But I think we are finally getting a good grip on things and are adjusting well. 

I love Sister Lopez!! She is seriously SO MUCH FUN! We just about laugh to tears every day! It feels so, so good to just click and get along so well with her. Our brains are both very visual and things feel cluttered and unorganized if it is not written down. Sister Lopez showed me this sweet system and way of keeping track of all the potential investigators, progressing investigators, active members, less actives, online investigators ect. It is organized in such a way that we can see what step we need to do this week, what was done last week or what should be done next week. We mark if we need to contact them, are waiting to hear from them, have a set appointment, had our appointment, if we are holding off, or planning on stopping by. I love this system so much because I often feel overwhelmed by all the people I am a steward over and that I am trying to keep track of. So this has been awesome to use in our missionary work! 

We've made a goal to give it our all this cycle! We want to increase to have 21 lessons consistently. The main way we hope to do this is by having other lessons by contacting people on the bus, train or street. We have been so very blessed by The Lord. We have so many new and potential investigators it is crazy! Many of the potentials might not end up progressing but it is such an amazing feeling to sit down by a stranger on the bus, to get to know them and to share the gospel with them. As I talk with these people I have never met, I sometimes feel a little emotional as I look into their eyes and remember that I do know them because they are my brother or sister. All of us are children of God. What a feeling it is to teach my brothers and sisters all around me everywhere I go! It can still scare me at times to approach them or to say hello. Often they appear angry, cold or indifferent to talking to you but more times than not, as you smile, say hi, and ask how their day is, they return the smile and greeting. I love it! And even if these people we meet every day don't immediately accept the gospel, at least they know that we as members of the Church of Jesus Christ are happy. And maybe one day they will know what brings that happiness. Maybe they will want to know more about Jesus Christ and his Gospel because they see the happiness, joy and light in us. We want to have two baptisms this cycle! Keep us in your prayers! We have one baptismal date for April 12th with Shania Williams. Please pray for her. We have another awesome investigator we started meeting with this week! Her name is Krista Whitewood. Her boyfriend is Mormon, he just got back from his mission, she has taken lessons before and was almost baptized. Now her path has crossed the missionaries once more. She is excited to take the lessons and to learn more. She is wanting to work her way towards baptism. Please pray for her that she will develop a testimony that God lives and loves her. 

The women's general Conference was so amazing! We had a stake relief society activity right before and guess who I saw?!? Angela Barca!!! I let out a scream and ran and hugged her when I saw her!!! Oh how I love that women! It was such a sweet, sweet reunion to see her again. She is doing so well and she looks so beautiful! My heart was so full seeing her. It made me think about what a joyous and wonderful reunion it will be in Heaven to see again all these wonderful people who I have been blessed to teach and to be a part of their life. 

Tomorrow is April 3rd. It will be my one year mark a missionary. This blows my mind. I think to myself that there is no way I could have possibly been in New York for a year! It has flown by faster than anything! But then when I think of all the people I have met, all the experiences I have had and all the growth that has come, I realize that it really must have been a year! I am filled with joy as I reflect on all my experiences. I was reading back on my journal the other day from October 2012. During that time the mission age for girls was lowered and I was praying and fasting to know if a mission would be right for me. I remember how unsure and fearful I was of the unknown. I remember not being sure what choice I should make. And now as I look back and reflect on all that has happen since, I can't imagine what would have happened if I hadn't come on my mission! It has changed my life and will forever influence me. I have learned so much from every ward, every companion, and every area. I have experienced the sweetest of times as well as difficulties. I have been blessed with an inspired mission President who motivates and inspires me to be better and to come closer to Christ. My personal spiritual growth and gospel knowledge I feel has been accelerated on the mission. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives. I have seen it every day of my mission with those I work with. But more importantly, I have see that change in myself. I wouldn't trade my experiences here in the mission for anything! 

For those of you who are thinking about going on a mission, I would encourage you to do so! If it is a desire you have, then why not go for it?! Make your decisions and then approach The Lord in prayer to make sure that it is His will. For those of you who know you will serve a mission (little bros!) start preparing now. Once you are baptized, receive the Holy Ghost and receive the Priesthood, your next step is to go on a mission! Never let this opportunity to be pushed back. Make it a top priority that guides your daily decisions. I can promise you that there is no greater joy than serving The Lord with all your heart, might, mind and strength! Prepare yourself and remain worthy to be called to such a marvelous work! We truly live in the last days. The Lord is hastening His work in preparation for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are a chosen generation, one that has been reserved to come to earth in this day and age. While Satan and his followers are busy at work seeking to destroy the work of God, we must be pushing forward with even greater strength fighting for the cause of truth! 

I love you all so much! I am so blessed to have each one of you in my life :) 

Miracle and video

So I wanted to share another sweet story! Here is just one of the many miracles we have had this week. So yesterday we were trying to decide on where to get food for dinner. We walk down to Fordham to get a dollar slice of pizza. While we were in line a very charismatic cheerful man in his 50's starts talking to me. He noticed our tags and got really excited. He said that he didn't know that there were Mormon sister missionaries. We told him about what we do and he thought it was very respectable. He told us more about himself and that he had traveled extensively. We found out he played the organ for many years and that the Elders here in the Bronx had invited him to come play the organ in the church but he hadn't gotten around to it. So after we all got our pizza (which they gave to us for free...awesome) we invited him to come to the church right then and to play the organ. He agreed and walked with us to the church. It turns out that he was taught as a young man by missionaries. We gave him a tour of the church and talked about the pictures on the wall that we passed. He already knew quite a bit about the Book of Mormon and the Plan of Salvation. We brought him to the chapel and he was able to play the organ. He said he was very honored by having the chance to play in the Mormon church. After that, He had questions for us so we had a discussion right then. He is going to come back again next week! He is a super nice man and he expressed interest in being baptized. He is very knowledgeable of the Bible. He said he feels that something is missing in his life and maybe we are here to provide some answers. He kept saying again and again that the Elders have been trying so hard to get him to the church and he couldn't believe that it took two charming young ladies to finally get him in. Haha The Lord continues to put so much trust in us and I am overwhelmed by all the blessings we are receiving. I love this work!

Kingsbridge #7

Anyway I am super sorry but we were in the city all day. We went to do a session in the temple with our roommates and the zone leaders. It was so so so so nice to go to the temple! Then after we got burgers and cheesecake at a restaurant that was way over priced. But It was super fun. I LOVE my new companion sister Lopez! We have so much fun together! We are always laughing and having a good time. We have so much fun with our roommates as well. This cycle is going to be so much fun!!! Well I am sorry for the short email. I will work on writing through out the week so I can send you a nice juicy one next week :) 

Oh! We have a baptismal date for April 12th for a daughter of a less active! 

And we found some solid new investigators this week! We are super excited for this cycle! It is going to be awesome! 

Well I. Love you all so much! I hope you all have a great week! Thanks for the pictures, I loved them :

Love Sister Lounsbury 

Kingsbridge #6

Hey family! It is transfers this week! So I don't have much time. 

Sister Crawford is leaving me! She is going to new Rochelle. I am taking over the area. Sister Lopez is my new companion! She came out with me. She was in a different district in the MTC but we both came to NY at the same time. So I am going to try my best to show her the area, how to get around and what are responsibilities are as a Sister Training Leader. I am really excited! It should be a great cycle! 

We had a really cool church tour that was focused on Family a History. We had the family history missionaries there and invited people from the street to come in and learn more about their ancestors. We had a few walk ins and also set appointments with recent converts and other members. It was a test success! 

I have been doing my best to talk with everyone I meet! Contacting has always been the scariest part of my mission, it still scares me but I Have grow to really love it! I love meeting random strangers on the bus and talking with them. We might not even talk about the gospel. I just try my best to open my mouth and to start a conversation. 

Next month I hit my one year mark of being a missionary....I can not believe it. It feels like there is no way I have been out for a year! But as a look back, I realize how much I have been able to do. I have grown so much as a person and as a missionary. Going on splits with new missionaries reminds me of what I use to be scared of and what use to get me down. I know that all the ways I have grown is due to the savior strengthen me in my weakness. I am so grateful for the change I have seen within myself. I am so excited for this next cycle and the rest of my mission! I am going to give it everything I have got! 

I have set a goal this is cycle to be better at recording all that The Lord does for me and recording all the miracles and blessings I receive. These things happen all the time but I need to do a better job of recognizing it in my life and thanking God for them. 

Right now a man on the subway is yelling at us. I don't know why he is angry. Hahah oh man, you got to love NY

Well that is all for now! I love you all so much! I hope that you have a wonderful week!