Monday, October 10, 2016

I'm 20!





Hey everyone I have little next to no time this week so please forgive me.





My birthday was amazing and I can't thank everyone enough for making it that way. 


An Elder of the 70 visited and trained us last week. Elder Sitatti. He was amazing


Me and Sister Sitatti


DO NOT SKIP OVER THIS PART:


THE HURRICANE IS LITERALLY WAY FAR AWAY FROM ME I AM JUST AS SAFE AS ALL OF YOU.


Thank you for your concern I love you all, but it is on the east coast and I am on the south coast plus I'm an hour inland and we haven't had rain in a month. 
(everyone has been panicking about that but no hurricanes are even remotely close to us)



Certainly many prayers are said here for the victims and crazy people that decided to stay even though they had many warnings to leave. 





I love you. The Lord Loves you.






-To the Moon and Back



-Sister Saunders




Monday, October 3, 2016

Conf + Clowns In C-View






"I've been out all day tryna get that rich-ness of blessin's
I've been work work work work workin' on my mish." -Sister Azalea 




"This works gonna fix what don't work anymore" -national tribute



"Work hard play hard work hard play hard"  -idk but I think it's kalifa 




Lately a huge thing that has been popping up is work.



fancy that because the Christ Like attribute I studied the month of September was Diligence.



Don't sit and stew get up and do
-my jr high choir teacher



here are some tidbits of what I have learned




BACK BREAKING WORK IS FUN




more than fun.. it's fulfilling 








Diligence is finding joy and satisfaction in the work 



It's a lack of distraction, a dash of using time wisely, with a side of keep moving forward. And the main course:
work:)


"I have often said the greatest secret to missionary work is work. Work Work Work theree is no satisfactory substitute." -Ezra Taft Benson




Helaman 15:6 
"They are striving with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth."





Go Getter




Goal Setter 



"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love which ye have shewed towards His name in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister and we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end."
Heb. 6:10/11



Steady Consistent Earnest Energetic Effort




For those of you that have returned from missions, I want you to think of a time that you felt super tired on the mission because of the toughness of the work/schedule/dedication surrounding what you did. 




JOKES



The reason why you are probably having trouble thinking of a specific time, is because that was probably literally every single day. ;)




But that means you did it right!!!!

 YAY hand slap to the back. You earned it.







If you are a parent, or otherwise engaged in a good cause, faith, or occupation you can also relate to this. 



I've been told it's these types of exhaustion and work that bring about the most joy and enjoyment of the fruits of these labors. I believe whoever told me that because I have been able to see this. 




This week we decided to start blitzing or purging areas in the district.



There are three sets of missionaries in the Crestview district. 



Four elders, and us.




We all went to a section of one area and we knocked every door, and talked to everyone in sight and covered a lot of ground. 



IT WAS AWESOME





It was honestly so much fun. We met a lot of people got a return appointment, taught people the gospel and felt the Spirit.


a day in the life.




At the end of the day, a full day of work, we recorded our numbers. 



basically all 0's 




ouch right?




Wrong.



If Abinadi recorded his numbers at the end of the day it would have been basically all 0's

0 baptisms
0 confirmations
0 bcds
0 member presents
1 other lesson
1 new investigator
0 rcla's




but hey... how many people Came Unto Christ because of him?



It's not about the numbers it's about the people who see two disciples of Christ happy as ever in 95 degree weather smiling and praying for them and their families on their porches and in the streets.


It's about my favorite part of the letter I got in the mail almost a year ago. 
"Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerful serve the Lord in this LABOR OF LOVE among His children."



diligence.






Real talk:

there are times we feel the exact opposite of diligent.



idle-slow-lazy-forgetful-tired-complaining-negative-poor me-



And a lot of these hit hard right before something amazing happens.




and right after. Spiritual high, then crash.



But as I have prayed for the strength to press forward with happiness and a smile on my face, diligence is further written in my heart and happiness is further felt in my soul.













I want to thank the Rocky Mountain Ward Primary for their sweet notes.

Made my whole week! I got your beautiful drawings and words of encouragement and I appreciate and adore them. THANK YOU.



Follow up from last week.. It dawned on me I forgot to mention something..



We have a fenced in deck at this apartment. The whole property is actually a gated community, and there are a lot of policemen/military that live here. On top of that there are security guards on duty 24/7 that this complex hires to keep residents safe.


Crestview is a decently safe place...

(but then again... don't read up on the recent clown issues going on here OR dress up as a clown in Crestview.. you will be arrested even if it's on Halloween.)



anyway..



we left our bikes on the deck thinking they would be safe..



and walked out one day to find.. not Sister Whites bike that's what.


It was gone.



Surprisingly enough mine was still there..



After the shock and frustration wore off.. I joked and said it was because the angels were protecting my bike. 


The only reason they didn't protect hers was because they knew she didn't even really need it much longer.




It was a bum deal, but all will be well in zion. Sister White has been a champ about it and I commend her for that.



On that note I have to mention just how lucky I am to have the companions I have had.



Christiansen will forever be one of my best friends and someone I look up to and love like a sister. 

Sister Pyper taught me so much about pure virtue. She is calm in crazy situations and taught me to develop confidence in the Lord. I love her.


Sister White is one of the most fun loving, loud laughing, merry people around. I am learning just how fun simple moments can be with the right foreign accent, and a good imagination.
I love her very much as well.



It's so crazy that after this transfer, 2 of my three companions will be gonzo and Pyper and I will be it. 



It's also crazy, that I have been so focused on the fact that Sister White is going home that I have only just realized that when that happens... I will be half way done.




That. Makes. Me. Sick.




and causes about a boat load and a half of self reflection with a hint of fear/sadness and thoughts of how in the world I can slow time down because each month goes by faster.



Then there are some of the hard moments that I'm like how in the world can I speed this up because I would probably do some craaazy things for a group hug with my family right now.



I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but those moments are much farther and fewer. I don't want to be anywhere but here and I love it: HERE


ALL IN




ALL IN




110%



NeverGiveYourSecondBest



NOREGRETS Feb2k16-AUG2k17





















lol not sure where that came from



















but super pumped because I have been learning lots. Conference was awesome. Bonnie Oscarson threw it down last week and I want to be her when I grow up. 





We watched General Conference with one of my favorites: Cherry and Deloris came over so it was like.. perfect. Then we went to Lorraine's -the one we broke out of the retirement home one time. (Story for after the mish) and then we watched priesthood with Ashley and obv you know how much I love her.


Lorraines 

Ashleys


Sunday we watched conference at the church with our investigator. She rocks. 

But we found out some.. curve ball news...




She is living with her boyfriend.  Still love her guts, and we will of course continue to help her in any way that we can, but this is probably going to be a process so pray for her. And us. THE ATONEMENT IS INFINITE. 








But on the good side conference was amazing and she felt the Spirit testify to her the truthfulness of the fact that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the restoration and that Thomas S Monson is also a prophet. 






Well my 20th birthday is this Sunday and even though I was totally joking about gifts because prayers are all I need, sweet Vicki Rendon sent me a gift and I have to tell her THANK YOU I love you Vicki. You are wonderful. 




and family.. I love you so much thanks for successfully getting me through my teens


Hopefully the 20's are far less exciting but way more adventurous. ;)




LOVE YOU




-SisterSaunders 
(Not Sanders because Sanders is not gucci. Elder Sanders disagrees.. but all of the little girls in primary agree that the U is vital;)

Make it a great day!  






Monday, September 26, 2016

Love You Appropriately


I am obv a mermaid ;)


So the elders in my district decided they want to be part of my journal/blog lyfe so they borrowed my alphasmart3000 and apparently have some things to say...
#nofilter

out the night that covers me black is the pit from pole to pole i thank the god that made me for my unconqurable soul

in the felt clutch of circomstance i have not winced nor cried aloud, under the bludgenings of chance my head is bloody yet unbowed

beyond this place of wrath and tears looms but the horror of the shade and yet the menace of the years finds and shall find me unafraid 

it matters not how strait the gate how with punishments the scroll, 
I am the Master of My Fate
I am the Captain of my Soul

sister whites bike got tooken and now has the sad.   (to be continued...)
-- Elder Wall

Once upon a time there was a young man named Joey, he was the coolest and best lookin guy ever, but that has nothing to do with this story.  Anyways, once Joey was super bored so him and his friend hopped on their longboards to ride around, but forgot that they lived on a big mountain with really steep hills, so they started riding down a hill and started going faster and faster and before they knew it they were flying down the mountain!!  They had no control over their boards so they knew that their only option was to leap for their lives!!  And so our brave young Joey dove for the grass, but alas it was in vain for he slammed into the pavement, rolling down the hill, and watched his poor skateboard fly into a curb and exploid into millions of pieces!! THE END

              --Elder Hollinger




Sorry I didn'T GET THE TIME!!!!! Had to go to Dinner
-Elder Ellsworth





There you go ladies and gents. 



Here are some actual factuals about the life I'm currently living.


I am 35 pages away from finishing the BOM (Book of Mormon)



I started this one July 4th so I'm excited to have it finished by 3 months. I've never read it that fast.
(also let me tell you how hard that even was.. life is so busy as a missionary and there is so much to prepare for, you're lucky if you have more than 20 min a day to read the good book)

but of course speed is not the most important thing, thank goodness.



I started reading the Book of Mormon separately at the beginning of this year, and I have been studying it like never before. It has taken me this long to get to Mosiah and I have LOVED every moment. The Book Of Mormon is amazing.



It doesnt matter how long you spend trying to figure out one verse, or if you read the whole thing in two months. YOU ARE GOING TO 
1. Learn something new.
2. Feel something familiar.
3. Understand something better.

I promise.


Moroni Promises.



God promises.




Read the Book Of Mormon. Even if it's one wimpy verse a day, read daily.





Two fit humans walked up to a bunch of very overweight humans and said
"Hey we know a great weightloss program. over 15 million people say it has worked for them and we love it so much, and 80,000 of us well, we just walk around everyday telling people about it for free. We actually pay money to be able to tell people about it because of how good it makes all of us feel about ourselves. We are happy, confident, and we know you will be too. The program is actually free itself and all it really takes is some time out of your busy schedule to try it out"








The overweight people don't pay it much mind.





Over 15 million fit, and in the process of becoming fit people tell one of their friends about this same program that is free, takes some time, but has amazing, perfect results.


These people try it out and 15 million more are converted to the program.



30 million people tell one friend about the program.



and so on and so forth.



The key is member missionary work. 



Does that make you sick or scared thinking about it? Those are the only two options.
Circle which is yours
a. Scared
b. Sick
c. I don't want to read this anymore.





That's satan, tell him to go to hell.



Buck up.



Hand out a Book of Mormon.



Pray for the strength to be an instrument in God's hands.







Invite the missionaries over and another family to have Family Home Evening.



We can do it people. I know it's hard to go  the extra mile, but it's only hard because we sometimes listen to the wrong voices.







Basically, the most uncomfortable thing as a missionary is just talking to strangers. There's no magical switch that makes you feel comfortable about talking to people about what helped them through the roughest point of their life, or how they felt when they held their child for the first time. These are personal things that require us to be personable and loving when we approach these topics that lead into the gospel of Jesus Christ. 






but here's a crazy secret about it:




the hard part is not actually doing it.




 It's the build up. Getting the courage to walk up to the guy fixing his car. Getting over the justifications in my head 



"he's busy"










Too busy for eternal life?!? So busy that God doesn't love Him? NAY.






I see over and over again that after we just walk over and open our mouth the Spirit accompanies us and the Lord makes up for our weaknesses, and get this. IT FEELS GOOD. It feels great. Talking to a sibling under God about what has brought us close to Him feels wonderful. NaturalHighsOfLife









#GetLitWithTheSpirit2kEternity










Now I know that if you aren't a certified missionary it's illegal to talk to strangers about the gospel.






So talk to friends and family instead:)








When someone asks you today, tomorrow, or next week this very question:








"How was your weekend?"














(you know they will)



Simply bring up the fact that you went to church and it helped you to
(fill in the blank)






find peace
feel focused
feel God's love for you




whatever



That's literally all it takes to share a seed with someone.


Whether or not they plant it in their hearts and let it grow that minute, the next day, or years down the road, that's up to them.


God does not ask us to baptize everyone but He does command us to invite every creature to come unto Him.


INVITE



When you Invite you do your job. When you accept invitations to help Him bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children, you in turn are furthering your own conversion and dedication to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of yourself.


Plus it makes you feel good.






 It makes you feel


great.



So that is my invitation. Think of the Savior, your family, and church when someone asks you








"How was your weekend?"



When you open your mouth with a prayer in your heart, please recognize how you feel.







Good. Great. Happy. 














"Well done."










simple as that.












Fun stuff this week. 


***transfers***



I want to share an insight my mission president shared with us during our conference call it was awesome.










When Lehi left Jerusalem, he traveled three days then built an altar to sacrifice something for God. 






We read this every time we read the BoM or first Nephi (let's be honest we all have read 1st Nephi way more than we have the rest of the BoM)






but we have no idea the significance of it.






Keep in mind Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon in the 1820's










and in the 1940's research discovered that in Lehi's times, if you wanted to make a sacrifice to God on an altar you had to go to the temple in the city to do so. UNLESS you were three days travel or more away from the temple. In which case it was okay by spiritual law, to build your own altar and have your own sacrificial ceremony.







Lehi was commanded to leave Jerusalem. But he waited three days to build the altar. Exactly the amount of time as was custom. Which customs were not commonly known on our continent until the 40's. (Actually they're still not commonly known)


but somehow Joseph Smith was able to mention the random fact that Lehi waited three days traveling to built that altar. 



How is that possible? The Book Of Mormon was not written by Joseph Smith it was translated by the power of God and brought to pass at His hand. Joseph was the instrument in work he didn't even fully understand. We don't understand it, not even close but as time goes on the proof is there.




The Book of Mormon is it's own proof. But just like you'd never know if a weight loss program works even if their are 15 million saying it does unless you try it out yourself, you can never know the Book of Mormon is true even though 15 million members testify that it is, unless you READ IT pray over it ponder how you feel and ACT.












Okay next item of business. Sister White had to get a.. procedure done for the comfort of her foot. The doctors appointment was in PENSACOLA


so guess what.






We drove through GULF BREEZE on the way to it and scared the heck out of pypsy and my "grandaughter", Sister Corbett.



They were doing studies and I knew a secret way into the apartment that I will not disclose for safety reasons. 



Long story short Pyper poked her head out of the study to find me standing in the living room unlocking the door to let sister white in and she screamed bloody murder.






And laughed at the same time and freaked thinking I was a ghost because I was back to haunt our apartment.















I LOVE THEM







And gulf breeze









for lunch I called Paula and she made us some corn dogs, we pulled up and Paula didn't tell Paul we were coming.




He was out in his driveway and we pulled up, he saw me and dropped the stuff in his hands, his jaw dropped, and he just about had a heart attack.







later with tear filled eyes he said 


"I can't believe this. I have been praying you would come. I knew you wouldn't step foot in this house as a missionary ever again. But I still prayed for it. I don't know why God answers my prayers so well.. but He sure does."







yeah... I am blessed.









WAY UP I FEEL BLESSED.



painted some stuff for my fave Deloris
Me and Deloris












I also love you all so much.


(appropriately) 



After transfers one of my favorite Elders, Elder Delamar yelled










"LOVE YOU APPROPRIATELY"




He's a homie. We have many of those, but we still have boundaries people. 
So we love each other in a friendly brotherly sisterly and appropriately way. 









MAKE IT A GREAT DAY


Honorary Giraffe


-SeeesterSaunders 


Huge rainstorm...



















ps






my birthday is coming up














I REPEAT















MY BIRTHDAY IS COMING UP

























DO YA'LL COPY?!?!?!?!?!?!







OCTOBER 9th!







I will accept cards, small gifts, thoughtful notes, and even hatemail. 
For my address ask my mom :)) ;)

















Happy General Conference Weekend, remember to write down questions you have because if you prepare, and ponder, listen to the prophet and pray, they will all be answered it's super legit. 









<3