You Can Be the Difference

This week has truly been a tremendous blessings. We picked two new investigators last week and have been teaching them so much this week. One investigator we have aught everyday. This week we are getting a new mission president and on Tuesday we had a leadership training meeting and it was the last time we were able to see President and Sister Cannon. I'm so grateful for the love they have showed me and the patience as we as missionaries have stumbled and have struggled. They have been wonderful mission parents. They love all the missionaries so purely and have been a tremendous example to me. They have helped mold the mission that i desire to serve truly teaching us the importance of getting the gospel in side of us! and serving to be righteous children of god.

We have been teaching Greggor and Swayzee this week. They have baptismal dates for next week and we are soooo excited. Greggor is ten and has a heart of gold. His parents are not active in the church right now and they sadly are not together anymore. Greggor's grandparents are in our ward and he is staying with them for a four weeks. We had a month to teach him and prepare him for baptism. We found out this week that Greggor's parents weren't very excited for him to be baptized and we started to worry. Sister Olson and I decided we were going to fast on behalf of their families. And I had such an interesting experience fasting yesterday.. We were in church and we've been working so hard this week just trying to fit everything in the hours we have and by the time i go to bed I'm exhausted. And we woke up and i'm just tired but I was going to fast for Greggor and I'm sitting in church my eyes are drooping from not having much energy and that little boy walks by us to leave the chapel and smiles and waves at us. And I immediately thought this is who you are doing this for.. and the scripture Matthew 10:39 and I thought how important it is to lose yourself in the work and to the lord. I know that I losing who  who I think I am and desiring everyday to find the lords children and help them to feel of the saviors love to them. Me being tired and fasting isn't a big deal but in that moment when Greggor walked by me I knew that this mission was the lords and that everyday if i'm willing and I want to and am obedient I can be his hands. I can lose myself and do everything I can for the people in Nampa Idaho. We had a lesson with greggor last night and his grandparents told us that his parents were not too happy he was getting baptized and we taught about fasting and fast offerings that night. His grandparents suggested that for greggors first fast we fast for his parents hearts to be softened. Greggor agreed even though he told us giving up food is hard for him.  So next week we will fast for Greggor's parents. This morning we got a call from his grandma saying that they would like the baptism to be a different day, and Greggor's father and mother are supportive.  Tender Mercy. Miracle #2 this week.

Miracle #1 We were fasting yesterday and had a lesson with one of our investigators Kahbrea and the missionaries said her mom never lets people in the house. And our last appointment she cancelled. We've gone to visit at ton one time 12 times in one day NO LIE! One day she saw us walking up to her door and we turned and her white van was backing up in the middle of the street and left the neighborhood. Its been super hard.WE set an appt for after church and we came to the door and SHE LET US IN and we taught Kahbrea and her mom. We asked Kahbrea if she wanted to be baptized.. she looked at her mom and back at us and said YES! later that day we were trying to visit a less active and no luck. Sister Olson had a prompting to visit a woman in our ward who we had tried and tried so many times and she never answers the door. We rang the doorbell.. no answer. We knocked and nothing.  I was turning around and the door opened. She let us in and we talked and then she just broke down and talked about how hard of a time she's been having and how grateful she is that we stopped by.. she knew immediately that she needed a blessing. Tears in all of our eyes and I shared this thought with her from Hebrew 10:35 &39. We can not lose our confidence in the lord, walk by faith trust the promises of the savior believe him  DO NOT "Draw Back" our heavenly father will not forsake us. He is mindful of each of us and our personal heartaches, desires, and triumphs. I know this with everything in my soul! Everyday this week as we prepared for bed and pleaded with the lord for help from heaven we were blessed to see these miracles and so much more. Going to bed knowing that you did all you could for the savior that day is one of the best feelings!

Have a great week everyone :)

Sister Cleveland

Temple Blessings

Helloooooo from Nampa!

Happy Bleated Father's Day to all the Fathers our there who follow the example of the perfect example our Heavenly Father! Your love and divine calling has greater affect the you may see or believe.

So this week was awesome. 

Highlight was the temple trip on Thursday! It was amazing. So I'll just skip to that. To say that I believe that we are halfway already is crazy. So we celebrated with the temple the car rides, the photos, session, and the people were truly AMAZING. It was so special to go with president and sister cannon on there last temple trip taking missionaries as Mission President. I was so blessed to go with so many missionaries that I love and enjoy serving with as well as president and sister cannon and see so many people that I have served in my previous areas.The temple is always an amazing experience but to enhance it this time was the opportunity to take a family name to the temple my testimony of the eternal promises and importance of the family continues to be strengthen as I serve and especially in that beautiful opportunity to help my family who have passed through the veil.

This week we've had meetings upon meetings its been a little exhausting. But the area is good we picked up two new investigators this week and have tons of lessons scheduled for this week. We actually went to a house 12 times to track down an investigator it was crazy but we got an appt set up for this week so it should be good. Where we live is surrounded by fields we can roll down our window on the way home and smell the mint its awesome. We kinda live in the middle of no where though, and we can see everything. There is a huge lake we can see and everyone boating on i may be a little jealous because i miss my vitamin sea that im use too. We've been bless this week to visit and meet lots of people and for them to be interested in the church, a great source for us has been the Nashville Tribute Band concert that lots of people want to attend. Well its been a busy week, up to the same thing serving the lord. Best thing. Hope everyone is doing good.

On a super un-spiritual note- I showed up in church yesterday and some of the men though it was a sign that Cleveland was going to pull through and win last night.. and apparently it worked. guess ill be their favorite sister for now :)

Lots of Love, xoxo

Sister Cleveland

What Didn't Happen This Week?!

Two Baptisms, A Wedding, Transfers, Bucking Hay, Nerf Gun War, Cherry Picking you name it we probably did it.. :)

Safe to say it was an AMAZING week.. so let me back up!

** Warning- There will be pictures all over this email because I'm sure some of you just want to see the pics! 

Okay so Monday it was our last P-Day together as a Zone :( and  we decided to have a Nerf war was it EPIC indeed it was! We have some awesome members who gave us some Nerf guns to borrow and we went to town district vs. district. Perfect last P-Day. This week we knew we were going to be soo busy. And we were super grateful to be apart of the lives of the people here in Nampa. 

This week was sooo HOT! Wednesday our investigator Dan was getting married. They asked us to come set up so we did. Except it sort of turned into us setting up however we thought it should look so we kind of had free reign.. call us wedding planners! It turned our super cute though. It was 102 that day as we were setting up.. that was my first with the hundreds in dry heat whew! The wedding was beautiful and it was awesome to see their family and friends there to support and love them. The next day was Dan's baptism and what a long awaited day for his family. Her bore such a beautiful testimony on how he supported his wife in going back to church and was just going to support and then it became about his growth and desire to learn. Dan has been waiting for that moment for so long and it was so wonderful to feel his spirit and see the joy on his face surely as well in his heart. Such a blessing to work with him and to see how the gospel blesses families.Dan had 8 sister missionaries teach him over a span of a year. All of us were there. And a huge ward family was as well! I know that the gospel will continue to be an anchor in there marriage and family.

We finished teaching Francisca the lessons this week and it was a huge blessing to work with her. She was a referral from the ward. Some young women's girls reached out to her two years ago at school and over two years with the fellowship of the ward Francisca was able to get baptized this week. She truly is amazing.. something funny she said in our last lesson. We were teaching about the the ten commandments and we talked about good language and not taking the lords name in vain in speaking and action. And she said "I'm gonna tell my sister, she can take all the curse words and make a sentence" i had to write it down! Francisca is late for everything really its so bad.. hah Soo we were ready for her baptism and she needed to be there at 5 because the baptism was at 6.. So we set things up and were waiting and waiting and then ward members starting arriving and no Francisca. We called and she didn't pick up the phone it was the most stressful experience ever.. 5:30 came and went.. and we were all waiting pacing up and down the halls of the church.. finally she called us and told us she was waiting for her parents who are not members to come to her baptism but because friends were over the opted not to come.. the sadness in her voice was evident and I knew how hard it was going to be as she said so.. "I'm coming alone" We waited for her to get there and with puffy eyes she got dressed and some sisters from the ward came in to help her and reassure her of their love. We sat with her through her baptism.. no parents or family but the amazing ward family there to support her. Such a powerful baptisms the tears with flowing and the spirit was so strong. That amazing ward has cared for and hosted lessons, invited and invited and loved her. The power of reaching out with love was evident at that baptism. How important is heavenly father children to him? there are too many reasons to count. Every time I sit and watch those who I have been blessed to teach enter the water of baptism.. every time the power of the spirit is so strong as it whispers "its means everything to me". How grateful I am for the example Francisca is of following what she knows in her heart to be true and being converted enough to act on it. Even when her decision was not supported by her family. Do we truly understand the power of Nephi's words in 1 Nephi 3:7? With all the surety and strength of my soul I truly do. 

The previous week I finished our mission president challenge to read the Book of Mormon. I saw this quote this week that testified of why we offer the book of Mormon to friends and family, why we invite those we love to find out more about the things we believe and know to be true "Our desire to share the restored gospel of Jesus Christ with you is a reflection of how important these truths are to us. Some of you may respond, “But I already believe in Jesus and follow His teachings,” or “I am not sure if God really exists.” Our invitations to you are not an attempt to diminish your religious tradition or life experience. Bring all that you know is true, good, and praiseworthy and test our message. Just as Jesus beckoned two of His disciples to “come and see” (John 1:39), so we urge you to come and see if the restored gospel of Jesus Christ enlarges and enriches that which you already believe to be true." - Elder David A Bednar   We also did service as a zone this week on a ranch and I got to experience some things I haven't before.. such as bucking hay and brushing horses it was pretty fun. The cherry trees are growing like crazy here so we have gone picking three times already. I love mostly anything free..so it was perfect. This week we had transfer calls and I have been transferred to Nampa West. Super sad :( I'm going to miss trio life and my awesome companions. We loved serving together. This week is my halfway mark and we are heading to the temple on Thursday i'm super excited!

Hope everyone has a great week

Much love,

Sister Cleveland

"It's getting Hot over Here.."

Hellooo Fam!

Honestly ever time I write out an email it feels like what happen this week happen a month ago time is so weird on the mission. So starting in the beginning of the week we were driving home and there was a man at a gas station the spirit told me "you need to go talk to him" so we kept driving and as we got further down the road i turned to my companions and told them and we kept driving.. (i know horrible missionary) finally I was like we need to go back! So I met Darryl he lives in Mountain Home and we started talking, I told him about the Book of Mormon and the testament it is of our Savior Jesus Christ. I invited him to read it and find out more. In the moments we were driving I was thinking about Darryl and how important it is to listen to promptings as they come. President Monson told us to "never delay a prompting." And I wonder what would have happen had I ignored the prompting I'm so glad I don't have to find out. I also thought about how much the mission has changed me 9 months ago It would have been super weird for me to walk up hand someone the book of mormon and tell them the spirit told me to come talk to you. I'm soo grateful that the lord magnifies the called and that sharing my testimony seems to flo more freely on my mission such a tremendous blessing. The promises found in D&C 33:10 are true if we open our mouths the lord will fill them with the things we need to share.

This week we had dinner with President and Sister Cannon it was super fun and of course we had to eat Ice Cream. We went on exchanges this week and I went with Hermana Vujich we had a grand time and I became an Aunt to Jamal. Elder Forgach son.. we ran into the zone leaders. And Jamal was riding in the back with no car seat. But he had his seat belt on! Our investigators are doing super good and Dan will be getting baptized this week and Francisca we are super excited for them. Dan is also getting married on Wednesday.. ( you know me and weddings love them!) i'll make sure to take tons of pictures. We had our first lesson with out investigator Hayden this week on the restoration and it was sooo good. She asked so many deep questions and super funny comments about church and the church she goes too. She said:

"When you got your mission call were you "low key" disappointed? Cause ID SUCKS.."

"I love your temples.. Boise is beautiful.. but Rexburg isnt your best work"

Also, this week we found some interesting treasures at the church.. (check out the pics)

We celebrated Memorial Day with a fun family in the elders ward and of course had to get matching shirts we played an intense tournament of "Z Ball" we were so pumped and won our first game and then lost the next so we went in to the loser bracket :( it was good while it lasted. Hah the work is going well, Idaho is getting warmer everyday but i'll survive i got my otter pops and lotion! 

Have a great week everyone! 

All my Love, 

Sister Cleveland

Trio Tag: The past is my experience, the present is my responsibility, and the future is my challenge." - Joseph Forkpah