Hello :)

     This week was goooood.  We got transfer calls last night and Sister Muhlestein is coming back to continue to be my companion.. so now we will be able to see that we were companions for more than 7 days! haha this last transfer has been loco.  But I am happy to be staying here! 

     This week I have been thinking a lot about Jesus Christ and what He has done and what He can do for us.  We were teaching a girl yesterday who is still trying to figure out who He is and what He can do- we watched Finding Faith in Christ which I have never seen before and it was so good!! It showed his life and the miracles and atonement that He performed.  We have been sharing the story of Alma the Younger for our dinner thoughts with this poem - "Ill find you my friend" (so good look it up), and I just llooovvee that story because he went from being so so bad to being one of the best missionaries ever.  We all have the ability to do so and to change and I am so grateful for that knowledge especially as I have been very humbled and realized how weak I really am. ALSO- so grateful for prayer.  In church yesterday we were talking about prayer and our teacher said that he would pray on his way to work every day and imagine that Heavenly Father was sitting next to him in the passenger seat and how it made such a difference in how he spoke and what he asked for.  He said it turned into less of him saying I want I want I want and more of him asking what do you want me to do?  I loovveedd that and I am wanting to work on my prayers a lot because too often when I am praying do I start thinking about food or who knows what.. Heavenly Father does not need to know about what I am going to be making for lunch! (although he would care- so kind)

     Anyways-  the Rush family are doing well.  I still love them with my whole heart and Phil is so excited to get baptized!! He said he would this weekend but he hasn't been able to make it to church because of his health.. Satan is the worst.  We are teaching this guy named Brian who is trying to figure out where he stands with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  He describes himself as "the kind of guy who will ask Heavenly Father for his ID when he sees him," oh boy.. hahah he is a hoot and the last lesson we taught was the Plan of Salvation and we somehow related it all to food because that is what he said motivates him.. haha it was way fun!!

     Happy mommys day this week!!! My mom is the best mom and I am so grateful for her wonderful example and light that she is in my life.  I am also very grateful for all the rest of the other moms who have had a powerful influence on my life :)  I got asked to speak in our ward this Sunday- I think this will be take 3 on speaking on mothers day! haha good stuff.  I love you all very very much and I hope you have a wonderful week :)  Let me know if theres anything I can do for any of you!!

Love,

Sister Paul

1.  Our team for jeopardy :) .. i don't know how to take selfies anymore clearly

2. Triiioooo

All of my companions for the last 6 weeks :)

Dear Friends and family-  

     Hello.  :)  First of all- it is snowing right now.. smh Reno.  So this last transfer has been nutso when it comes to companions.  Haha I started out with Sister Muhlestein, then was in a trio with Sister Landgrave as well, then back to just Sister Muhlestein and I am now on a permanent exchange for the rest of the transfer with Sister Balbuena!  She is the coolest and it is so fun because she just got her Visa and came from the Phillipines- she was serving in the Naga mission with Jaren Hofeling and he was her first district leader her AP when she left.  Smalllll world.  She is teaching me some tagolog and this week we are going to buy some stuff so she can make filipino food- t'will be good.  

     Okay so we have this investigator family that I love so much... Ive always kinda struggled with showing love and I have been praying a lot about how I can be better at that haha and while I was in the shower and I was thinking about this family I was overcome with such a strong spirit and love for them- I felt like I truly knew what pure and true love was at that moment and I almost hyperventilated when I thought about potentially leaving this area after this transfer.. so that was kind of a weird story but oh my goodness let me just tell you about this family.  It is a mom and a dad and 2 daughters- age 11 and 12.  Phil (the dad) has long gray hair and wears it in a bun.. it is the best ever and then Mary (the mom) was born in Chile but lived in Australia for a lot of her life so she has a think australian accent and it is the best and then Sydney and Samantha are the daughters and they are so smart and cute and hippie and I just adore them.  We have been stopping by to see Phil the dad ever since I got here and he just recently became open to having us come by and teaching after he recieved a priesthood blessing.  Since then we have been meeting with him 3-4 times a week.  Sydney came to young womens this last week and loves it!  We had a mega miracle on Saturday because they were supposed to have dinner with a guy in our ward and us but an hour before he called to tell us he got called in to the hospital to work- so we were like ah man trying to think and pray about what we should do and so we called this family to see if theyd be willing to have us all come by for dinner and a lesson and they were totally okay with it and it ended up being the perfect fellowship and such a wonderful night.  Also it was cool because one of the days we went over for a lesson Phil had forgotten to tell Mary and she was super stressed and you could tell there was tension in the home.  So her and the girls were eating at the table and we were talking to Phil and talking about our purpose here and then we felt like we should read the proclamation- so we started reading it and it was sooo cool because the spirit took over.  Mary and the girls got silent and by the time we had finished reading it the whole family was on the couch together and they said they loved it so much!  Ahh okay so yes I think about them 24/7 and it may be slightly obsessive but I am sooo excited for them. If all goes well they will be getting baptized on May 28th!

     Anyways- one thing I have learned this week is that I love my mom.  Also that I am thankful for Joseph Smith because I can be sealed to my family forever and can have 100% surety that I will be with them even after my time on earth.  I am also grateful for Joseph Smith because he was inspired to translate the Book of Mormon and that has been my rock especially when things are tough- the peace and contentment that comes from engulfing ourselves in that book is undeniable.  I love being a missionary and I am so grateful to be able to share this sweet gospel.  Let me know if theres anything I can do for any of you and I hope you have a wonderful week!

Love,

Sister Paul

1. Trio- im getting wacko tans as you can tell by my face.  But that is the beautiful Reno behind us :)

2.  Sister Balbuena!! she is the coolest :)

Friends and family-

hello people!
This past week was so amazing! Great things are happening here. :) I don't have much time so this will be short BUT something I've learned this week is about how we all go through our own small apostasy's with God. That's when we separate ourselves from Him. AS we do that, we don't seem to notice that we aren't feeling the Spirit as much but over time, we are so far away that we may feel we can't return. But that is NOT TRUE. The beauty of the Great Apostasy, which happened to the whole world before Joseph Smith restored the Gospel. is that, because of the darkness and confusion that people were living in, the light and clarity of the Gospel was that much sweeter to the ones who tried it. We all have something that is separating us from Him. Once we can give that up, and show Him that we love Him more than ANYTHING, we truly will be blessed.
Thank you all so much for the support you give to me and my family through your prayers and service. I am so grateful for the influence you all have had on me, and know that because of your life experiences and things I've learned from you, people here in Nevada are being blessed!
I love you all!
Love, Sister Muhlestein and Sister Paul (Sister Muhlestein actually typed this I am just forwarding it lol)

Hello family and friends :)

     So the last couple of weeks have been crazy.  We had to go on an emergency exchange with a set of sisters, one of which ended up going home so we were put in a trio to cover 2 areas.. It was nutso. We have been so busy but it has been way fun because we have gotten to know some wonderful people in the other area. Our mission president got a call this last week that a sister that has been waiting on a Visa in the Phillipines got it and will be coming tomorrow to be Sister Landgraves new companion! I'm sad to not be working with that whole area anymore but it will be nice to be able to spend all of our time in our area. :) 

     So we had dinner with lady yesterday and she shared the coolest story that I wanted to share. She had a son who got called to the Peru mission and after a couple weeks in the MTC she got a call that they had found out that he had cancer and would be going in for treatments in Provo. He ended up coming home to her Ex husband to do more treatments but was never released as a missionary. After about 3 months she got a call that President Hinckley had said that he would be leaving the next day to get on a plane to go to Peru and get to work. She was devastated and confused and amidst that and her recent divorce she was about to leave the church- there was no way that the prophet could be inspired to send her son to Peru given his condition she said- he could not be called of God. When they had called to let her know that her son was getting on a plane the next morning they had also mentioned that there was a new mission president that would be starting with him- she later found out the significance of that when a couple days after her son entered the field, she got a phone call from him.  She could tell right away that her son was so happy, he was so excited to tell her that the new mission president that was called was a cancer doctor and would personally himself be doing his treatments. She expressed that she was overwhelmed with relief and love from Heavenly Father as she was reminded how aware Heavenly Father was of her and of her son. He completely a full time mission and now has a family of his own! Isn't that sweet? I know that we have a prophet today who leads and guides our church today. I felt the spirit very strongly as he testified to us last weekend- "Choose the harder right rather than the easier wrong," - fav quote of conference :) 

     Our investigators are doing well. I absolutely adore the Rush family- they are hippies and honest seekers of truth and they are progressing well :) In our last lesson the dad said "I have no doubt that the Book of Mormon is true" so cool!

     Okay so something I'm really trying to work on is showing love.. One of my companions rocks at showing love and giving hugs and complimenting and making people feel good. I, on the other hand am an avoider of all things touchy-feely and struggle with vocally showing love- so i am going to make a special effort to work on that without being awkward.. Haha any advice encouraged!

     Man I am so happy to be a missionary. The other day I was reflecting on Heavenly Fathers love that he has shown me and I am so incredibly grateful that he has enabled me to have the strength to choose to go on a mission and to have gotten to where I am now. He's so kind! I love you all and I hope that you have a wonderful week :) Let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

Love,

Sister Paul xoxoxo

Dear friends and family,

     We got transfer calls last night!  I am staying here another transfer with Sister Muhlestein- who is so cute and fun.  She was my STL when I was in Ely and now we get to be companions so I am very excited.  Sister Beh is going to Elko with my new companions old companion and shes going to be over the Ely sisters so she'll get to meet my peopleeee :)  Its gonna be good.

     It seems like theres always a ton of miracles in the last week of the transfer haha especially when someone is leaving the area!  Soo this week was wonderful.  We have had this potential investigator named Phil that we have been stopping by every once in a while since I''ve been here and he has a bit of physical challenges so we talked to him about a priesthood blessing and he said he would want us to arrange for him to get one!  So we got these 2 funny old guys in our ward to give him one and it was waayyy cool... It was interesting because in the blessing he mentioned how Phil would start taking the missionary lessons and get baptized and I was really unsure how Phil would react to that since we hadnt actually ever had a lesson with him.  But when we opened our eyes he was so happy and grateful and said he could feel the spirit very strongly.  He then agreed to have us over to start teaching the lessons.  When we came back he seemed like a different person- he told us that the physical pain hasnt gone away but his spirits have been lifted- the whole family commented on the difference they had seen as well. So much power in the priesthood :)  So anyways we started teaching them the lessons and the whole family was so responsive!!  Phil, his wife Mary and 2 daughters- Sydney (13) and Samantha (11) are all set and excited to be baptized on May 7th!  It was way cool too because we had planned to set them with a different date, but the whole time we were teaching MAy 7th kept coming into my head.. So I decided to follow the spirit and invite them for that date and Phil was very excited because his birthday is on May 8 which would be the day they would be confirmed and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost! Best birthday gift in the world i'd say :)

     We also started teaching this cute girl- shes 17 and has a 5 month old baby but is SUCH a sweetheart and has been working on turning her life around.  Its the best because the power of the atonement can do exactly that!  At church yesterday all the talks and lessons were on the Atonement and it was amazing..  I feel like I have been able to grasp a little bit more of what the atonement means while being on a mission but I feel like I never will truly understand the expanse of it.  What I do know though, is that every single person, no matter what decision they have made or how far they have strayed from the straight and narrow path has the opportunity to change and become new, and that is only through our Savior Jesus Christ.  There is hope in any situation and I am so grateful for that knowledge, without it I know for a fact that I would not have gone on a mission because of feelings of unworthiness, I know that I would not have gotten to the point where I am on my mission without knowing that the Savior has felt every pain and burden I have felt and that he was there to lift them,  I know that I would not be able to find peace in knowing that I WILL see all of my family members who have passed on, as we will all be resurrected reunited in our families :)  Therefore- this gospel is wonderful and I am SO grateful for my Savior. :)

      I love you all and hope you have a wonderful Easter this Sunday!! #hallelujah

Love,

Sister Paul

P.S.  40 day fast ends this Saturday!

I have barely any time to write today because my computer wasnt working for the first hour of my emailing time... haha so I will be attaching my lovely companions mass email for you guys to read :)  Love you and have a wonderful week!

"This week was AWESOME!! Man I love Sister Paul! She is so stinking funny! She may or may not wet her pants on the scale of often hahah! She is so great! But We find out about transfers on Sunday. :(

But anyway! We moved this week! I miss the Earl home! I have some very fond memories in that home, but we now live in the Club Ambassador Apartments. So I have a new mailing address and it is...

6402 Mae Anne Ave. Apt #42

Reno, NV 89523

Please send all your letters and packages...hint hint... to this new address :)

 Okay so tons of miracles and also sad realizations... First the sad news. Donna and Romello are non existent... Donna is shewing us away :(. I don't know why and I am soooo sad. I may cry a little about it, but just a little because She has her agency and I am just trying to do the best that I can... But I know I can do better with the Lord's help in respect to others agency.... Mmmm the mission life I LOVE IT SO MUCH!! SO we find a lot of people to teach but they don't progress... Yikes!! They need to do spiritual CPR... Go to Church, Pray and, Read (The Book of Mormon:)

So We found a bunch of new awesome people to teach again this week haha, but we have to find those who are prepared and are ready to learn about the restored gospel and to read the Book of Mormon!! 

So Tiffany. We are doing this thing called blessing contacts. it's a form of tracting that is more effective than just knocking on doors but offering a blessing on peoples homes in the form of a prayer.... So we ask members the first street that comes to their mind and then we go out and knock on doors. Well we have seen some great miracles from it! 

Story Uno... Brother Nash said, "Uhhhhh Simons." So Simons is a really long road and it goes through a few sub areas in our area, so Sister Paul and I prayed about a few colors(Because our area is split up into colors) and we both received an answer of Purple. We are walking and knocking and not having success. Well as we head to our car to go to the next area, we see a man bringing some things into his house.. Well we talk to him and he is just moving in and recently had a baby (Owie, Owie, JUNIORRRR!!!)  So we start talking and he says oh i actually know someone in your church, Brother Nash but we haven't talked in like 3 months....... Brother Nash had no idea this guy had just moved in there.... And he sent us to that street!! WHAT?? They guy, Garret, said we could come back and leave a blessing on their home... Holy cow! Crazy!!!

Story B. A lot of Members have told us to go to Britannia... Oh someone we are supposed to teach is on Britannia... So we go out into the wilderness of Northern Nevada knocking on doors not knowing beforehand where to go or what to expect.... So we knock on a few doors. Met Robert his dad is a member and he might be interested but is a Young Single Adult so the Elders will contact him!! Then WE knock on Tiffany's door!! WOOT!! She is soooo awesome and she is prepared!! She is an artist and a psychic!! She helps people solve their problems. She has the strongest love for Jesus Christ!!! I can not wait to teach her!! But she also likes to teach us... hahah but she is sooo awesome and the spirit was so stinking strong!!! I love her to death already!!! YAY!

We taught Karl this week! The spirit was soooo strong in his lesson!! I love teaching him so much. But he is afraid of change. He said I know that if I pray or read in the Book of Mormon I will get an answer that it is true and then I will have to change my life and I have done a lot of things wrong in my life and I would have to change a lot. BUT KARL THAT IS WHY WE HAVE JESUS CHRIST!!!! He loves us soooo very very much! He wants us to overcome sorrow and guil and sadness and sin and regret and death and I LOVE MY SAVIOR!!! I know he lives and loves us all!!! In Mosiah 16: 7-9

 7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.

 8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

 9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death.

We can have so much hope and be filled with love that consumes our flesh and joy that overwhelms our body and I kow this to be true!! I have felt to sing the song of redeeming love. I love being a missionary! 

So after Each lesson with Karl, even though he will not commit to keep the commitments, I feel that I am fulfilling my purpose. He has never heard the missionary lessons. He can do this!!! I pray we can help him! 

My greatest desire is for Toni and her Husband Leon to come to know the truth of this Gospel. We talked with Leon and I left it a bit teary eyed because I want this for them soooo badly. Please pray for them. Pray that we can meet with them!! Bah I just want it for them so badly! Leon would inspire so many youth to stay on the right path in life. Bah I am getting overwhelmed with love for them right now writing this. I have great anxiety ( just like Nephi and Jacob and all the other Prophets in the Book of Mormon express) for this family. I want them to have it. They have a desire.... We just now have to remain worthy for them so that the Holy Ghost can teach through us!! 

Yay!!

Well I hope you all have a wonderful week! I love you so very much!!!"

Friends and family,

     Hello!  First off- I just want to say that I love the Book of Mormon soooo much.  Before these last couple of months I had always read it and I never really doubted it being true, but I was never truly anchored to it.   There is so much power that comes from the Book of Mormon and I know without a doubt that anyone who has a sincere desire to find out if its true or if it will make a difference in their life can find that.  At MLC this last week, President Chestnut shared that we should all strive to get to a point where we can picture the stories in the Book of Mormon in our head like a movie- ya know how when you're reading something then sometimes you like imagine actors that the characters would be in a movie or settings?    I have not yet gotten to that point but I hope to soon!  

     This week was great- we were able to meet with our new investigator Toni and she committed to being baptized on the first lesson and is very eager to learn!  She's awesome. Also we did exchanges this week and it was the first time I stayed in my area without Sister Beh so I was a little stressed but I only got lost twice!  OH but we had exchanged at 8:30 and then were going back to our house for nightly planning and I was carrying my big Adams peanut butter into the house (4th jar this transfer...) and I accidentally dropped in on the ground and it shattered and exploded.. It ended up taking 4 sisters, the owner of the house we live in, paper towels, a spoon and a hose to clean it all up so the sister I was with probably thinks I'm nutso but we did eventually get to planning! 

     Cool story- we were walking in this apartment complex this last week and started talking to this guy Albert.  He was like "are you the mormon missionaries? I'm going to come to your church tomorrow"  So we were like whoa sweet because after talking to him we found out that he's a total atheist but he wanted to come and see how it is- so we told him the time and he ended up coming and staying for all three hours!  Afterwards he pulled us to the side and told us that he really enjoyed it and that he's allowing his kids to make their own decisions when it comes to religion but he said "If they were to pick any church, I'd want them to pick this one, and thats a lot coming from atheist!" hahah he told us we could quote him and use it in our teaching.. way cool.

     We had MLC this week and I said bye to my trainer- Sister Wilkins.  It was so sad! But I am so grateful for her example and friendship and will definitely be seeing her later!

     I loveeee being a missionary.  It's the greatest.  Please let me know if theres anything I can do for any of you and I hope you have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Sister Paul

1. Sister Beh, Sister Paul, Sister Wilkins and Sister Anderson- mish bffs

2.  MLC