400 days of.....

400 days of a mission! We've been on the mission for 400 days, can you believe that? We won't talk about how many that leaves us with...

How was y'alls week? 

This week was so....great and crazy and busy. 

So Monday night sister Smith and I get a call from the TP sisters (Sister Call and Sister Nelson) saying that they got my letter and they wanted to know when we would be at the trail center the next day with Karen. We set it all up so that Sister Call could surprise her :) Muahahaha! It was so funny because on the way to Omaha Karen said, "Last night as I was laying down I realized we should have set something up with Sister Call and have her meet us there." She tried to pick up on our facial expressions but we have such good poker faces, she couldn't :) haha 

So many miracles happened on Tuesday at the Trail Center...where do I begin? I guess with the beginning: 

1. Karen's mom came with us so that was a blast. She is the cutest, funniest thing I've ever known. 

2. We were in the front taking pictures when we first got there and guess who pulls up? Sister Case and Sister Mahlstede! I never thought I would see Sister Case again until after the mission (she is now a trail center sister, aka perfect for her!) The cool thing is that they were only there for a few minutes. Lucky Ducky

3. Karen hadn't told her mom that she was getting baptized yet and so she thought this would be a good way to "break the news to her." Half-way through the tour she got a copy of the Book of Mormon and gave it to her mom and invited her to read it. She then told her the news and her mom was so happy she high fived us :) haha I guess you could say she took it well. Nancy, her mom, had so many great questions and it was really fun teaching her about all the pioneer stuff. She is really interested in family history. 

4. As we were walking over to the pioneer cemetery a big 15 passenger van with a trailer pulled up. They had 2 bingham miner stickers on it and I immediately guessed that it was the Christensens. We walked over to the Cemetery and I kept my eye on them. As soon as I saw the mom I realized I was correct, it was them. WHAT ARE THE CHANCES? Karen reminded me that it's all Heavenly Father....duh! After we looked at the cemetery and temple we went back over to the TC and I went and found them. I only really know the twins, Emily and Elise. I found Elise and it turns out she is just going home from her mission in Kentucky. Her family had picked her up a week ago and they were heading back. Emily is on a mission in Canada. I was in the Riverton children's choir with them, we golfed together in high school, and our cousins are married. It was so cool to talk with her about her mission for a minute.

Ahhh so much to say so little time. 

Well Karen passed her baptismal interview although they played a trick on us saying she wasn't ready.....So Thursday August 21st is the big day! 

I love you all so much! This work is they work of the Lord's so we can't fail. 

Sister Dumont 

Staying in Kearney

Sister Smith and I were only slightly worried that I would get transferred but alas, I did not! 

We had another crazy busy week with another one to come. 

I HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT I SAY ABOUT KAREN NOW BECAUSE SHE FOUND MY BLOG ;) Love you Karen! 

We had quite the adventure at Karen's this week. We went out to her house to put up corn (she wouldn't let us help). Oh the skills you learn on a mission in Nebraska! haha anyway, we were just chattin away, sharing nursing stories and such. She had received a few warnings on her phone about a thunder storm...pretty normal for these parts. Well, all of the sudden we she got a call from her neighbor asking about the storm. She hangs up the phone and tells us we have to leave. She straight up kicks us out of her house! haha How rude ;) just kidding, it was good reason because we walk outside and there was lightening going every which way!!! Driving home we prayed so hard and we were only slightly scared (maybe a little more). We made it home safe, don't worry. 

Our investigator Leslie asked the question this week about crosses and if we wear them and stuff like that. Well I don't know if my mom ever remembers me asking this question but I do. I have never forgotten the reason my mom told me. She said, "If I were to die in a car accident, you wouldn't wear a car wheel around your neck. We don't wear crosses because we remember Christ for the life he lived and his resurrection."  "Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them." 

How grateful I am for a mother who taught be in the ways of the Lord :) 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Sister Dumont

I love coney dogs

Sister Muasau and both the elders left :(

Time Flies when....

I'm not sure how it's possible but it's August of 2014, if you were wondering. 

Last Monday we got to play volleyball all day again and have a bbq. I love being able to play sports :) 

On Tuesday I got to do exchanges with the one and only......SISTER CASE. I just love her! We did the most awesome service ever! It was a lot of physical labor but it was so much fun. We helped another church organization move hundreds of huge bags of clothing to one big trailer. We had to stack them and climb and throw. It was a blast! 

We may have had way to much fun....oh well "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God" :)

Friday we had MLT (mission leadership training with district leaders) in Omaha. Our car is over miles so we drove it all the way to Omaha and got a different one. It just so happened that we got to take over the Tranquility Park sisters car which meant.....I GOT TO SEE SISTER CALL! Gaul, I miss that sister so much. I got to meet the sister she is training as well. 

"... therefore Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord; yea, and they had waxed strong in the knowledge of the truth; for they were men of a sound understanding and they had searched the scriptures diligently,

that they might know the word of God."

True Story! 

Also we found the Chick-Fil-a in Bellivue! That was the biggest of all tender mercies! I haven't had chick-fil-a since the airport on our way from Minnesota to Omaha when that nice pilot bought us all chicken sandwiches. I was so stinking excited. I'll have to send the video home because it's a little ridiculous :) 

Karen is as good as ever. She came to church yesterday and just LOVED fast and testimony meeting. She said we were in trouble for not telling her it was a no makeup kind of day (tears). She felt the spirit so strong. She was telling everyone she's getting baptized on the 21st! We couldn't be more excited. 

I love you all. I hope you know that I am not the same person I was a year ago and that is because of the atonement of Jesus Christ. If we let it, the Book of Mormon can allow us to have "a might change of heart." Let the spirit work in you until the perfect day when we are like our savior. 

Have a great week! 

Sister Dumont

Family History

On Tuesday I read the talk "Live True to the Faith" from General conference and it prompted me to read some conversion stories I had printed a few months ago. I read Warren Ford Reynolds and he bore a powerful testimony at the end of his life "Warren Ford Reynolds' last advice to his family was to tell them to carry on and remain steadfast in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for that is the only way that we can all be together forever.  Work hard in finding and redeeming your ancestors who are anxiously waiting for you to do their work for them.  Get the spirit of genealogy and do all in your power to further it.  Time is short and there are many many of your ancestors who are waiting for the time to come when their work is done in the temples; something that they cannot do for themselves.  To all of the family who have served missions, we are grateful, for had it not been for the missionaries who brought the message of the Church to me things would have been different.  To you who have lost loved ones, do not grieve for they are all right and are working as hard on their side of the veil as they did when they were with you.  Warren died July 10th 1900 in South Cottonwood and was buried in the Murray City Cemetery." How cool is that! Plus, I don't think there is a coincidence that I entered the MTC the same day he passed away 113 years previous! I felt really connected to him this week!

Sister Snider asked us what we wanted this week for dinner and we said Ice Cream.....so she delivered. Haha after our chili and cornbread she busted out 6 cartons of Ice cream! YUMMY!

Sister Smith and I have been in Ne for one year (Thursday 24th) so we celebrated. 

Karen is officially getting baptized on August 21st!!! She is doing so well and has overcome many trials of her faith. 

It was kinda a slowish last couple of days but this week was a great faith building for us here in Kearney. We are having good experiences and will be able to share with the sisters in our stewardship. One in particular: we didn't have a new investigator Sunday night at 8:50. We were on a way home from a member's home who lived about 5 miles out of town. We couldn't tell if we would have time still or not to try and find someone. Well, Heavenly Father knew we had someone to find and so he made it possible for us to hit EVERY SINGLE GREEN LIGHT. This NEVER happens. We wanted to try a potential but she said evenings weren't good so we decided to go to her apartment complex and knock on one door. We had 3 minutes left and as we pulled in, we saw a man driving a remote control car. We looked at each other and said, "That's the one!" We were able to teach about how families can be together forever, gave him a Book of Mormon, and prayed with him. He said we could come back and teach his family on Thursday! 

I love you all so much! Do your family history and learn from your ancestors! Have a great week!

Love Sister D

It's the Good Life!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! 

It's not always the easiest or the most fun. We're

not always smiling and happy but......IT IS SO WORTH IT!

Here are some highlights from the week:

We played volleyball last pday and it rocked! I love it and miss playing sports a lot. Luckily, the missionaries here like to play :) 

Tuesday night Karen and John had us over for dinner. Now I'm not sure if I've said this before but they are big fishers. Like, they are OBSESSED with fishing and eating it and all things fish. So they had us over for a Fish Fry and boy was it good. I've never really been a big fish fan but this was delicious! We had such a great time getting to know John more. We shared our stories of why we came on a mission with them and it was fun to hear their reactions. 

Us 4 Kearney sisters sang at zone conference. I played guitar (borrowed from Brother Price) and we sang "Did you think to pray?" it was so much fun and I love singing with these sisters. 

A less-active family showed up to church last week and we met with them on Wednesday. They have a 9 year old daughter who hasn't been baptized but wants to so we are going to start teaching her :) Yay!

Jose (la member) invited his friend over for a lesson we were going to teach him. She became a new investigator and we are beginning to teach her. She knows and believes a lot of the same things we do :) 

Saturday was the pioneer day activity and we got to sing and play dressed as pioneers :) iT was a grand old time. Then Sister Smith and I went to the Robinson's farm to help them in their garden. Their cousin from Denmark is there for a year and so we got to know her better and she helped us shovel manure. She taught us some Danish...strange language that one is. We had so much fun all laughing and shoveling..... :)

Our favorite visitor from England! She demanded we sing songs about flowers and then did a ballet dance for us :) 

Oh...and KAREN CAME TO CHRUCH FOR THE FIRST TIME :) This is a big step! 

El Sker Dig (pronounced: el skeh di Means I love you in Danish)

Have a great week!!!!

Sister Dumont

One Whole Year!

I can't hardly believe it! 

Oh well, moving on :) 

**So super shout out to my Abigail Jean Jensen for emailing me :) I love you a lot sister!** 

Sister Smith and I have agreed that we have never been more exhausted our whole mission! We come home, plan, call sisters, brush them teeth and as soon and my head hits the pillow i'm out (for those of you who know me that's not much different than any other time, really) but still. 

A miracle of this week was that we got to be in our own area for a full day for the first time this whole transfer! It was so incredible. We have just had appointment after appointment this whole week. And guess who finally came home?! KAREN DID! Hip hip hooray! The moment we have all been waiting for. We snuck out there with Sister Vance (was my stl my first transfer of the mission. She finished her mission in November but has moved out to Omaha and was gracious enough to drive 3 hours to come do team-ups with us) and saw her. She had lost her luggage and it hadn't arrived yet....poor thing! She is doing well and we are all ready to get back into the swing of things. Her husband John (I LOVE HIM) invited us over for a fish fry Tuesday night so that will be really good :) 

We were eating lunch at Jimmy Johns this week and this cute older lady told us how cute it is that we wear skirts. 

Skirts all around

I have gained such a testimony on the power of the Holy Ghost. I know that it is only through the HG that hearts (including our own) are changed. That is why it is so important to read the scriptures, pray, and go to church because that is how we keep the spirit with us. I love you all so much :) i hope you have a great week!

LOVE ALWAYS, 

Sister Dumont 

This Week = YEAR MARK!

Is this real life? 

I literally can't believe that it has been a year (on Thursday) since I have been on a mission! It is blowing my mind so hard core! This week was so stinking great! 

Last monday was the longest Pday ever and we loved it! We played sand volleyball, watched 17 miracles and wrote letters all in 1 pday! WOW that never happens. 

Wednesday we got to talk to Karen! She told us she is coming home on the 8th....so that is tomorrow! I could not be more excited for Sister Smith to meet her in real life! I love her with my whole heart!

Thurdsay we traveled to Omaha and stayed with Sister Page and Sister Fuller, our old companions. We had a little too much fun :) I got to have a nice long talk with Sister Page about how we're going to better focus on the mission. We are in denial that we have been out here for a year but oh well! We are going to forget about that and just serve harder than we've ever before! 

Friday (4th of July) We had Leadership Council in Omaha. It was so fun to be with all of the leaders and President and Sister Weston! We talked a lot about repentance! Gaul, I have a lot of repenting to do and pride to swallow. 

Cool experience from last night/this morning. So our bishop asked if we could do service for 3 hours today (pday) and we were kind of stressed but didn't want to say no. Also we were planning on heading to North Platte at 4:30 so we would only have 4.5 hours for pday. We were being so selfish but we said we would help. Then we started planning our training on pride and realized service counts for nothing unless it's selfless so we humbled ourselves and headed over there with smiles on our faces. On the way there they called and said they wouldn't need us today because the building wasn't ready.....and the np sisters said to not worry about coming quite so early :) Heavenly Father is a funny guy. We learned our lesson and will be more humble!

I love you all :) 

Sister Dumont