Malolele!

This week we had our Mini-Mi (mini-missionary)! I encourage all of you who are thinking about going on a mission to do this! You spend a week with missionaries doing exactly what they do. It is a great way to see if you can handle a mission! haha We had such a blast teaching and learning from Sister Mejia this week.

So Monday I got my hair cut, Jess, you would be proud :) it's not crooked anymore! haha I just trimmed it and got little layers! One of our less active members, Vickie, was there getting her hair dyed. She is our age and I had only met her once when we went bowling but we really clicked. We have been trying to get ahold of her for probably 2 months and just haven't been able to. This was such a miracle because she lives in Schuyler, which is like 20 minutes away. She said that she finally had a sunday off and that she would be at Church! YAY!

Tuesday we had a laminating party at Sister Spicers house. She is so nice to let us use her laminator. We read an article from the ensign about becoming men and women of God. (Speaking of, if you haven't read the ensign from this month you should, it is AWESOME). You know how in Alma is says if all men were like Moroni the very gates of Hell would be shaken forever? Well something that I never realized is that in the next verse it compares him to all of these other prophets and missionaries in the BOM and then says, "and they were all men of God." This made me realize that we can ALL be like Moroni; it is not some impossible feat. As long as we are striving to be men and women of God we are being like Moroni and we have the power to shake the gates of Hell! Alma 48: 17-18...read it :) Gosh, the church is so true! Later that night we taught one of our investigators and her husband the Restoration. She whispered to us as we were leaving that this is what she was looking for! Everytime we have taught her something she has just agreed with us but carried on in her own belief but Tuesday she told us that she had been looking for something else. We have yet to follow up and see what more she meant by that! Missionary work is so exciting!

Wednesday we had the most amazing Zone Training ever! I think I said that last time but I literally don't think I have felt the spirit as strongly my whole mission as I did during our role plays. We taught one of the other missionaries as themselves before their missions, with the concerns and problems they had about the church. It is so amazing how much you can feel the spirit when you aren't even teaching a 'real investigator.' This just bore testimony to me of how strong the spirit is as a teacher and how blessed I am to be the tool for teaching. I LOVE IT! We started family research with Miguel, our recent convert so that he can have names to take to the temple for the baptism trip coming up. We were able to find a bunch of names for him! We can't wait until he gets to go to the temple. 

Thursday Sylvia invited us over for dinner. She is the best investigator ever! haha She feed us just as much as the members do :) The missionaries all practiced for our performance at the nursing home. Friday we performed at the Golden Living Center. It was so much fun and the spirit was definitely there. I guess the sister missionaries who were here like 9 years ago used to go every week and do service there. We had no idea they were so close to the activites people there but we set it up so we will get to do service there every week too :) One of our investigators, Georgette, was in a play at the community college. We didn't think we were allowed to go see it but she really wanted us to go so we told her that we would go and wait outside when it was over and have a sign with her name on it. It was so great and she was so happy we were there, even though we didn't get to watch it. We later found out that we could have gone to see it. Lame huh?

Saturday we went with Miguel, Lily (his girlfriend), his little sister Brittney and her little brother, Daniel to a.....wait for it.....PUMPKIN PATCH! It was so fun :) we all had a blast watching the kids and petting the animals and exploring. I kissed a LLAMA (this isn't the first time). Is that against mission rules? haha Afterwards Miguel gave us a gift because we helped bring him to the church. He got us necklaces with pictures of Chirst on them. He is so thoughtful. Sister Mejia's mom came and picked her up and took us all out to lunch. they are the nicest people. Sister Mejia is so ready to serve a mission! We helped Sylvia move next door into a bigger place. Wanna hear a funny story about sister Gomez? She might kill me if she knew I wrote this but I can't resist. So we were having coordination meeting with the elders and for some reason we were talking about Patriarchal Blessings. Elder Tatafu asked S. Gomez what tribe she is from (ya know, meaning like Ephraim, Menassa) and she goes..."uh Navajo" (apparently she has a little native American blood in her) We were all laughing so hard and she still didn't get it so she went to her Mexican tribe which is Aztec. We couldn't stop laughing long enough to tell her what kind of tribes we were talking about. She is so stinking cute!

Sunday was amazing. Fast and testimony meeting was incredible. I love this branch so much! Transfers are Wednesday but we will find out tomorrow morning what the Lord has in store for us these next few weeks. Predictions are that I am staying and will be training a new missionary (I'm gonna have a baby :) and that sister Gomez is leaving :( We will have to see if these predictions are correct or not. I have no idea what will happen but I know one of us is probably leaving. Well I hope you all have a great week! Thanks so much for everything :) I love you all! Remember WHO you are and WHOSE you are :)

Love always and forever,

Sister Dumont

Howdy Y'all

This week was a busy one. 

Last Monday we were getting ready to head to Lincoln when one of our members called us up and said we needed to come over now. We were both scared because we didn't know what to expect and we were afraid something was wrong. We rushed over there and knocked on the door. Brother Cerna opened the door, invited us in and told us to sit down on the coach. Sister Cerna brought us cookies and a guava drink and then their 10 year old daughter Catherine brought us out the cutest teddy bears. They are sister missionaries!!! I will include a picture of them but we love them so much. This family is the cutest. They are Salvadorian and they treat us so well and do so much for our investigators.

We headed to Lincoln to stay with the Pioneer sisters because on Tuesday we had interviews with President Weston (duh duh duh....). And we were lucky enough to get to go to TARGET! Wahoo! We were so stinking pumped. We got socks and I got a shirt for $3.00 :) We miss target so much and we felt right at home there. We ate at Raising Canes. It was so good! Then we went to the Pioneers sister's house and planned and went to sleep. Tuesday we had interviews with President Weston and I was pretty nervous. Not going to lie. But it was just fine. The work here is focusing on members and getting less actives back to church. We asked the Lincoln missionaries where we should go for lunch and they sent us to this sandwich shop owned by a member. He is from Chicago and makes Italian beef/pastrami sandwiches. It was so stinking good. He didn't make us pay because he said when he was taking the lessons from the missionaries 4 years ago he asked a lot of hard questions so this is his way of paying the missionaries back. haha Such a great guy.

Wednesday we had back to back appointments so we didn't have time to stop and eat dinner. Our 7:30 appointment was running late so we went to the gas station and got 'dinner' which was a candy bar and Flamin' Hot Cheetos with Lime :) We sat in the car watching the thunder storm eating our dinner. haha  Thursday was Sister Schrader's birthday. She is obsessed with mustaches so we make her a cake and put plastic mustaches on it. Elder Tatafu got some mustaches so we wore them during District Meeting.

We headed to Omaha for our Leadership Counsel on Friday. We got to the trail center and Sister Peterson was there. She told me that she was going home the next day because she is having medical problems. She is one that came out with me and before our mission we went to the temple together. I am so sad that she had to leave but she said she feels at peace with it so that makes it better. Heavenly Father has a very specific plan for each of us. We stayed at a house near the trail center. The Leadership Counsel was awesome! Sister Page was there so I got to catch up with her. I got to share with Sister Weston a little bit about grandpa's funeral. She is the sweetest thing and always asks how the family is doing. 

We got back to Columbus and it was our investigator Sylvia's birthday and she wanted to spend the day with us. 

Conference was incredible and so inspiring. My favorite talks were Ulisses Soares, S. Gifford Nielsen, and M. Russel Ballard. We have a third sister with us for this week. She is on a mini mission so she is from Omaha and before her stake president will let her turn in her papers she has to do this and see if she is fit for a mission. So far so good :) She is so great and is definitely ready for it.

Time is short as always but I love you all so much. Thanks for you letters and support. Have a great week :)

Love always,

Sister Dumont

Una Buena Semana

The weeks just always speed by!

Monday was a pretty busy day last week. We drove up to LaMars, Iowa to start our week full of exchanges.

LaMars is the Ice Cream Capital: Blue Bunny Ice Cream

Tuesday was exchanges with the LaMars sister. With Sister Curfew I did service at their Ward Mission Leader's house picking up branches and cleaning up their big yard. It was so fun! I got to see Sister Smith, who was in my MTC district. Before S. Curfew and I left we went into say goodbye to Sister Walker and we got talking about how they got the house and property. She said they could not afford it financially. It wasn't supposed to be able to work out. But she prayed to Heavenly Father to ask about what to do because she didn't think they could keep up with the payments. Heavenly Father answered her prayer through the scriptures and she has the very strong feeling that their land will be used for the saints at the second coming when people gather with the Savior. The land that we were able to clean and take care of is or one day will be very sacred land. We were so blessed to be there.

Narnia Tree S. Curfew and I

S. Curfew and I, earlier, took sometime to go into the woods and pray. We had such an amazing experience and after we each finished our prayers we started singing, "Oh how lovely was the morning."

We switched companions around 3 and I went with Sister Kent. We found a guy who actually was married to a lady who is the granddaughter of a general authority. He wasn't baptized but his daughter was. I hope that they are able to teach him. That night we drove 30 minutes to Sioux City to be with the Sioux City 1st sisters. Sister McFadgen has been out for a few weeks. She is from Canada. I love her so much. It was so fun getting to know her. We have a lot in common. She is already a great missionary. 

S. Smith, my MTC sis, is my favorite. We got to teach a less-active family. We had such a blast together and we decided one day we are going to be companions.

Sister Smith and I Love doing headstands. She Taught me how at the MTC

Wednesday night we went to stay with the Sioux City 2nd sisters. Sister Vogel and I were friends on Instagram before we came on our missions but I finally got to meet her in real life. haha she is so great. Sister Case is another sister who just came out. She is from Texas. We had a lesson with a member and then we all went to serve at a Christian food kitchen. S. Case is an amazing singer so we sang I Know That my Redeemer Lives/ I Feel my Saviors Love  We recorded it so I will have to send it home somehow. It was hard being away from 'home' but we are so blessed to be able to care for and love these sisters.

Friday and Saturday we had appointment after appointment so that was fun. It kept us busy. Saturday was the Broadcast. It was so amazing. If y'all haven't seen it you should! It is all about making and keeping covenants. One of our investigators, Sylvia came to it.

Sunday I sang Savior, Redeemer of My Soul and sister Gomez played the piano. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to share my testimony through talents. It is going to be another great week! Sorry there isn't tons to write about today. I hope all of you remember how much our Heavenly Father loves each and every one of you. We are so blessed to have living prophets on the earth at this time. They truly are messengers of our Heavenly Father. They speak for him on this earth today. I hope all of you can watch as much of conference as possible. Keep up the great work!

Love Always,

Sister Dumont

It's Fall!

Talofa!

So I don't know if any of you knew this but fall is my favorite time of year/season. S Gomez and I pass zillions of houses all decorated for Halloween and I freak out each time because I love it so much. I'm pretty sure on Halloween we will have to be in our apartment by 6:00 so that's great! Ha Ha! Our branch has a party the night before luckily. 

This week was one full of miracles! Monday was P-day. That night we had dinner at the Munoz's with Sylvia and Emily. It was funny because the night before we had been telling Sylvia how we only have a certain number of miles per month so we try not to drive a ton. Well she called us Monday morning and offered us a ride to the Munoz's house for dinner because they live pretty far. We were so grateful to her!

Tuesday we had a bunch of appointments. We were able to see people we hadn't for a while and it was good to get back in contact with them.

Wednesday we went to Lincoln for Zone Training. They ZLs introduced the family mission plan, which our stake president is implementing in all the stake. It is basically where the members are asked to fast and pray about people they know who are nonmember or less actives and figure out who heavenly father wants them to fellowship. They schedule appointments with us to teach them at their own pace. I think this is great because it gives them members the chance to be a part of bringing someone to Christ. After all, this is the members work and we are here to assist them. I received so much personal revelation on things that I need to do better and my testimony was strengthened on the importance of focusing everything we teach on the atonement of Christ.

We got back to Columbus, had dinner with the Reeves family (who by the way is having a baby girl after 3 boys) and then we got back on the road and headed to Norfolk for exchanges. The sisters there are just opening the area so they are in the finding stage.

Sisters Willis (this is her first transfer) and Fuller. 

S. Fuller and I are convinced that we will be companions some day because we both look so familiar to one another and it has to be from Heaven because she's from Arizona and I am not. She is in two Mormon.org videos so look them up. One is 195 dresses and the other is Because I Have Been Given Much. She is Jessica in the videos. Well she is Jessica in real life too.... Anyway! Exchanges were awesome! We got to meet people they are potentially going to teach and it was great to see how their companionship does things because we all do things different so it was great to get some new ideas.

Friday I woke up feeling awful! My nose kept running and I had a headache all day. Luckily we were pretty busy with appointments so I just had to push forward.

Saturday was BAILEY'S BIRTHDAY! Yay Happy birthday Bai! I hope you had a great day! "I don't know about you but she's feeling 22!" I was feeling a little better Saturday. but not too much. We taught some people and then there was a baptism in our Branch so we went to that. His mom is a member. All of us missionaries sang some songs while Xavier (9year old boy) changed. Satan tried really hard to stop that baptism. He was in the hospital all day until 10 minutes before they were to be at the church. It was a beautiful service. One of our Investigators came to the baptism, which was bomb! She is getting baptized on the 19th of October and is so excited. She is one of those prepared people. S Gomez and I know that we promised Michele in Heaven that we would find her and teach her the gospel.

Sunday was a great day. In relief society we talked about the atonement and It was so enlightening to learn how I can better use the atonement in my life. We have this sweet 91 year old lady that we go visit every once in a while. Her name is Eileen. She is Lutheran or something like that but she always allows us to share scriptures and pray with her. We felt the need to go visit her last night. Turns out it was her birthday! She was so grateful that we got to come spend some time with her on her birthday. She really is the cutest little thing.

Something that I learned in my studies and from zone training this week is how important the Savior is in our teaching. He is central to the church and he is the reason we are all here. People always talk about how we as members have that 'GLOW' and I came to realize that glow is from the Savior, the light of the world. As we continue to strive to have His image engraven in our countenance we will continue to have that glow about us.

I love you all! Thanks for the love and support you all show me. I wouldn't be able to do this if it weren't for y'all so thank you :) Have a great week and don't be strangers, write me a letter :)

Love always,

Sister Dumont

 

Howdy Y'all!

This week was a busy one! Monday after e-mails we went to J. C. Penny's to get a tie for Miguel for his baptism. I ended up getting a Cornhuskers Hoodie, you know my obsession with hoodies, that has a huge red N on the front. I love it so much!

Here is a funny story for Tuesday. We were waiting at a park for Miguel so we could have our lesson. We got there a little early and we both had to go potty really bad. The Hyde's live just up the street so we decided to walk up there in hopes that they would be home so we could relieve ourselves. ha As we were walking it didn't really look like they were there and I was kinda gonna have an accident. Sister G goes, "just have faith." As we were walking up to the house I said in my head, "I DO have faith!" and at that very moment sister Hyde pulled up in her van! Miracles happen everyday!

Wednesday was district meeting in Seward. That morning driving there was the thickest fog I have ever seen. On the way home was the hardest rain ever. Crazy stuff. One of the companionships we are over is Sister Smith and her comp. Sister smith was in my District at the MTC and she is the only one I haven't seen yet. I got to talk to her on the phone on Wednesday and I cried a single tear of joy. I can't wait to go to Iowa for exchanges.

Thursday we did a performance at the nursing home. It was so great and they loved it. The spirit was so strong. One our investigators, Michelle, is back on for baptism! I will explain more later :)

Friday was a big leadership training for zone leaders, sister trainer leaders, and their comps. This means that I got to see Sister Page! Heavenly Father really loves us :) The training was amazing. The Book of Mormon musical is coming to Omaha so we as missionaries are preparing ourselves for all the negativity that will come with that. It is exciting though!

MIGUEL'S BAPTISM! Saturday was amazing. The spirit was so stinking strong. It is so amazing watching these people we teach enter the waters of baptism and promise to follow Christ. He is such a strong guy and I am so glad that his family is complete no, all baptized. Next is the road to the temple! YAY!

Sunday we went to the Restoration concert in Omaha with Sylvia, our investigator, and Sister Spicer. It was so amazing! Sylvia said she felt the spirit so strongly. We are hoping she and her daughter Emily are next for baptism. We have become really good friends with them. She has a rough background, her husband is in prison and she is being so strong for her two girls. She notices the blessings of this gospel. It is all in the Lord's time.

My invitation to y'all this week is to study why we are asked to read the Book of Mormon every day...what is so important about it? Why is it the keystone of our religion? My testimony is that the Book of Mormon truly is the word of God. After the resurrection we will all be judged according to how well we lived the doctrine in the BOM. What a blessing it is that we have a manual for our lives. Any question we ever have  can be answered through the BOM. Study it, like it and you will be greatly blessed for that. The church is so true :)

Love always!

Sister Dumont

The last one is Sister Mahlsted and myself. She is a trail center sister who came out the same time as I did. First time I have seen her since I came out!

I Survived Transfers

Aloha!

So Labor day we had a fiesta with the Branch out at one of the Member's homes. We had 11 investigators there! It was so amazing!

On Tuesday, our Sister Trainer Leaders came out from Lincoln to go on exchanges with us. Can I just say how much I love exchanges? I LOVE EXCHANGES! It is an awesome opportunity to learn from someone new. I mean, Sister Gomez is great but I love seeing how other people approach different situations and how they teach powerfully! Sister Vance only has like 2 transfers left so it makes me so sad but I have learned so much from her in these past weeks.

Wednesday was.....Beyoncé's Birthday! haha our District Leader, Elder Tatafu loves Beyoncé! Reminds me of Chase :) haha but he bought birthday cupcakes and a Beyonce mini birthday cake! It was so stinking funny! District meeting was so great! We really focused on enduring to the end. There is a pizza buffet out here called Pizza Ranch and it is delicious! We went there for lunch. A few hours later we were going to do service at a less active's house and she asked if she could feed us. Of course we said yes! It was pizza. haha nothing like eating pizza for every meal. I think this week total we were fed pizza 4 times. It's great!

Thursday was transfers. I obviously had no idea how they worked. S. Gomez said if we get a call from them we are transferred, if not we stay. During study at 8:30 we got a call from President Weston and I was freaking out! My heart was pounding so hard and as sister G talked to him I was thinking of all the possibilities. Luckily, it ended up that She was called as a sister trainer leader and I as her assistant! What a relief. I was not ready to leave Columbus! WEll, I guess I will be ready when the Lord says I am ready. haha anyway, we are over the sisters in Sioux City, Iowa so we will get to do a lot of traveling. Ky Bear sent me all her Iowa stuff she got from Chad and I'm pretty sure I would get shot if I wore it here in Nebraska but now I can wear it when we go do exchanges in Sioux City! So we are team teaching Miguel with the Spanish elders.

On Thursday night we were doing service and we got a text from Miguel saying he didn't want to be baptized anymore; that the Mormon church isn't for him. I had the phone and read it but I didn't want to be impolite and show S. Gomez while we were doing service so I just put it in my pocket. I was freaking out and trying to figure out why this was happening. Well we are on our way home and texting the Schuyler elders. Turns out it was all a prank that the Schuyler elders played on us. IT WAS NOT FUNNY! Now it is but at the time we were about to flip. So....Miguel is getting baptized on Saturday :) :) hip hip hooray! Our first Baptism! I am so happy and proud of him!

Friday we came in contact with a lot of people we have been trying to see since I have been out here and never have. It was a miracle day. Also we told the Spicers what the Spanish elders did to us and they got mad at them for us!

Saturday was a relaxed day. I am telling ya, when there is a huskers football game this is a ghost town. We are advised to not tract during games because these people are serious about their football.

Last night there was a CES fireside broadcast so we invited Miguel and his girlfriend to come and watch it. It was a great talk by Russel M. Nelson entitled, "Youth of the Noble Birthright: what will you choose?" I encourage everyone to look it up and read it. It is quite the powerful talk. I encourage you all to study more about enduring to the end and what it truly means. I think as we are baptized we just have a testimony, and enduring to the end is the 'time' we have to become converted to the Lord. Think about it.

Well I love you all so much! There is never enough time to write everything but I want you all to know how much I love you! I know that our savior lives and that he has paid the ultimate price so that we can return to live with Him, our Heavenly Father, and our families. All he asks of us is to keep his commandments and to always remember him. How simple is that? May we all strive to use the atonement more fully in our lives daily. Have a great week everyone :)

Love always and forever,

Sister Du :)

So Many Blessings

Hola,

I cannot believe this week is the last week of my first transfer. Next time you hear from me I could be somewhere new (not likely). I will be well into (1 day) the 2nd transfer of my mission. Esta Muy Loca!

Heavenly Father has blessed me so much. Especially this past week. I was really having a hard time refocusing on the mission. I didn't think it would be possible to get over the homesickness or the wanting to be home with my family. Monday was a really hard day. So I think I have mentioned the Spicers before. They are our family out here. A young married couple, both served missions. Sister Spicer is really one of our best friends. She is so thoughtful and sweet. On Monday we went over there to do a family home evening lesson with them. S. Spicer gave S. Gomez and I a gift and a card. It was one of those willow tree wood carving statues. It was the one of an angel signing 'I Love You,' arms folded across the chest. We are so blessed to have the Spicers and other great members in our Branch to watch over and love us. 

Tuesday I was really struggling to focus on the work. We had an appointment at S. Bishop's house (the one who lost her grandpa on the mission) and that was such a tender mercy. I was able to talk to her more about how I was feeling and she validated my feelings. I told how hard it was for me trying to refocus on the mission and trying not to be sad or to miss home. She reminded me to not be hard on myself. I didn't even tell her that that was part of the problem was me being hard on myself for not being able to refocus. She was definitely in tune with the spirit. She said that it is okay to be sad and grieve but to maintain a healthy balance of work.

After that my day and week really picked up. I rarely found myself thinking of home or grandpa, which is such a blessing because I couldn't go a minute without that. We were able to serve and visit a lot of people and it just kept us so busy that I didn't have time to think. Even when we would get home I wasn't struggling as much. I know that it is because of the prayers coming from everyone so thank you so much. I really have felt the power and strength that has come from these prayers on my behalf and I am eternally grateful.

I am having the blessed opportunity of sharing my testimony through talents. Elder Tatafu, our district leader, has his uke here so we have been singing songs for lessons and so on.

Friday we had our Zone Conference. We were so privileged and blessed to have a general authority of the Lord come and speak to us. Elder Robbins of the 70. He gave us so great advice and counsel to move forward the work here in NOM. My invitation for the week is for all of you to read his talk, "What manner of men and women ought ye to be." It is so great and really put things into perspective for me. I was blessed to be able to see Sister Page! 

I had written her a letter telling her all about what happened with grandpa. She has been such a strength to me throughout my mission and I was looking forward to seeing her this week to be able to give her a big ole hug because she is my family out here. She and her amazing companion Sister Youngberg let me know that they have been praying for me.

I love being out here serving with such amazing people. Like I said I am really grateful for the prayers y'all have sent. I don't know the next time that I will see Sister Page, it could be the end of our missions, but I am so glad that we get to write encouraging words to each other.

Saturday there was a baptism in our branch. It was actually a family; mom dad and daughter. I, along with Elder Tatafu and Brother Spicer, sang "I need thee every hour" in Spanish for service. Manuel, the father, expressed his deep gratitude that song in Spanish was to him and his family. Baptisms are awesome!

Speaking of........our investigator, Miguel, has a baptismal date set for 9/14! He is a 21 year old guy, in the marines. His uncle was the one who got baptized on Saturday. His other uncle and parents are all members here in the branch. He is such an amazing young man and I cannot wait to see him enter those waters of baptism. We hope to teach his girlfriend soon but she lives in Omaha....little problem. 

Anyway, I love you all! Remember to always align your will to God's and everything will work out.

Love always and forever,

Sister Dumont!