Pictures Sept, 15, 2014

 Tracting in the rain

 Jessica's apartment in Littleton, New Hampshire

 Driving in Vermont

Sept. 15, 2014 Littleton, New Hampshire

After the Trial of Faith

Hello there!!                             Sept. 15, 2014

I hope that you all had a wonderful week!  And that it was warmer than it was here!!  Weather.  It was 44 degrees yesterday...  I broke out my coat and wool tights.  Where did the summer go?  Really!  Hopefully it will warm up, seriously praying for an Indian Summer over here!  I'm pretty sure that's what it's called..

Well, this week was pretty crazy.  I mean, we totally saw a bobcat run across the road in front of our car!!  What?  It did feel super super long, but a lot of incredible stuff happened!!  All beginning with Sister Mann (the former YW president, and like, one of the greatest members ever!!) getting her mission call!!  The whole ward gathered at a members house for a bonfire, and we had a giant impromptu missionary FHE, ending with Sister Mann opening her call!!  She is going to Ecuador!  Serving in a temple over there in a city that I have no idea how to spell... um... Guayaquil, that's it! :)  It was so much fun!  The ward here is just awesome, they really are all like family, I love it!! 

That night and the next morning/day was really off for me, though.  This whole transfer I've just been doing fantastic and been super happy, but I seriously felt like I was being pulled down hard core those days.  I had all these negative thoughts, very little desire to do anything, and it was just hard!  I really have no idea what started it all, it just came and hit me like a ton of bricks.  But we just kept going through the day we scheduled and I pushed myself along.  I feel like my prayers were more like pleas to help me through.  Looking back, I feel like that experience was a little test of my faith.  I've been praying to see miracles this whole transfer, and we've been working our tails off, and been seeing them, but I guess I needed to get over this little hump that was put in my way to see what more God had in store! 

It reminds me of a quote Sister Wallentine gave me at the beginning of my mission-

"Just when all seems to be going right, challenges often come in multiple doses applied simultaneously.  When those trials are not consequences of your disobedience, they are evidence that the Lord feels you are prepared to grow more (proverbs 3:11-12).  He therefore gives you experiences that stimulate growth, understanding, and compassion which polish you for your everlasting benefit.  To get you from where you are to where He wants you to be requires a lot of stretching, and that generally entails discomfort and pain...This life is an experience of profound trust-trust in Jesus Christ."

I was stretched and it was hard, but I can't deny that we've seen miracles this week as we trusted in our Savior!!  The first miracle happened at the end of the day on Tuesday.  I was doing a bit better, but still struggling.  So, we had like 15-20 minutes left before we had to get in at 9:00, and we decided to walk Main Street.  Well, as we were walking, there was a man we stopped and talked to...who wasn't interested at all.  Just like everyone else that day.  We kept walking, and not a minute later we hear someone calling from behind us, "Are you Mormons?"  We turned around and saw a cute little family flagging us down.  The mom started telling us all about her best friend who is a Mormon and how much she loves them and Utah and everything.  She was hands down the nicest lady I've ever met on the street!  They moved from Oregon not too long ago and the ward there helped them move.  They were so grateful!  Then, she starts talking about how she doesn't smoke, drink alcohol or coffee, and how they decided a while ago they were going to do 'the Mormon food storage.'  She asked where the church was and for a Book of Mormon "because hers was in storage.." and on and on.  Sister Miller and I were practically speechless.  Then a member popped into my mind and I told her she was totally like this member in our ward and she was super excited and wrote down all of her into and everything and said for the member to call her so they could get together.  Holy cow!!  Crazy!!  And to top it off, before we left, their eight year old daughter whispered in her mom's ear and asked her if she could give us free hugs.  Which she did.  Super cute!!  They totally live in our area, and I'm just so excited to see what happens from here.  But even if they end up not being interested, it was exactly what I needed to strengthen my faith.  What a tender mercy from the Lord!

Then, on Friday, Sister Miller was like, not having a very good day either...what was up with that?  Really!  Satan... But, it made for another miracle, or two!!  We contacted a potential couple we met on the street, and they invited us in and we had an awesome first lesson with them!! :)  Hooray!!  The first new investigators we've found this whole transfer! :)   When we were walking home on Main Street we were talking with people, and we see this guy smoking a cigarette see us and smile, so we stopped him and were like, "we're Mormons" and he was totally like, "hey, yeah I grew up Mormon"  and proceeded to tell us about how he graduated from a school in Utah and went on a mission and got back two years ago and he moved into our area I'm not sure how long ago.  Um... What?!?  He gave us all of his info as well, and we found out some members in our ward know his parents, so they are going to talk to them and do some investigating!  I've definitely found that as we've shown the Lord we are willing to talk with everyone, He's placed prepared people in our path.  

The Lord's timing and plan is incredible!  I'm so grateful for the hard times that we've had as a companionship, because that is what has helped us grow the most, and we've really been blessed for continuing on and trusting God.  I love being a missionary and am so grateful for all the experiences I've had that I've been able to learn from.  I feel my faith growing stronger and my desire to share the gospel is increasing!  And what is more, we were given a challenge by President Stoker that will continue to increase my faith.  But first of all, I've got to say that this challenge came right when I was finishing the Book of Mormon for the second time on my mission, which was wonderful!  So, the challenge... is to read the whole Book of Mormon by October 21st.  It started last week, and it has been so great to read, read, read the Book of Mormon!!!  I've already learned so much, and I'm excited to keep on going!  

Overall, just an incredible week!!  And I trust that the next one will be as well.  Jam packed though with exchanges, zone conference, and transfer calls and all...  Bring it on!! :)  Hope you have a fantastic week as well, fam!!!  Love you so much!!!

Ether 12:6

Sister Bergeson :)

Pictures Sept 8, 2014

At Echo Lake

Sept 8, 2014 Littleton, New Hampshire

Hold to the Rod

Family dearest!!                 Sept. 8, 2014

I hope that this week has been going well for you!  I can't believe that it is already Monday again, it goes by soooo fast!  And so many things have happened!  First, I've just gotta say that I absolutely LOVE this area!  It is incredible!  It has been amazing how fast I've adjusted to everything here, and it totally feels like home.  Well, every area that I've been privileged to serve in has felt like home...  I just love New England!!!

So, this week the weather has been absolutely wonderful! :)  All except the day where it down-poured like crazy... yep, practically hurricane conditions..., Sister Miller and I were totally blocks away from our car, and we got soaked head to toe, and we laughed the whole time :)  I love the fall, just love it, and I'm so excited to see another one, especially in this area!  But on the not as good side, a result from the weather, or who knows what, was that Sister Miller came down with a cold this week.  Not super pretty.  She was totally exhausted, but a trooper.  We would go out on Main Street when she felt up to it and do finding and even though we were only able to get out for like an hour or so we talked to 20 people and invited them to learn about the gospel :)  Talking to total strangers on the street about the gospel has gotten easier for me, which I never thought I would say!  Actually kind of enjoyable :)  You never know who you'll run into!  We had a super awesome experience with that this week!  As we were walking our street (Main Street Littleton is totally ours...) we saw someone walking towards us who greeted us with a happy "Hi sisters!"  We were a bit confused and asked him if he had ever talked to missionaries before, and he said sure he had!  We walked and talked with him for a good 15 minutes after we met him and he told us all about how he was baptized when he was 14 years old with his family but left the church when he was 19 but he would go to his parent's house when they had the missionaries over for dinner and stuff, and he still thinks highly of the church.  He just moved to Littleton three weeks ago from New York, and he was way nice.  He even told us that he would be alright if we taught him!!  We could hardly believe that even happened after we said bye to him.  The Lord's timing is perfect!!!  Definitely a testimony builder!  There have been several other miracles we've seen as we've been trying to find people in our area to teach!  Sister Miller and I have been talking a lot about diligence and obedience lately and we've definitely been working on it, and it has been exhausting, but we are being blessed for it!!  I love missionary work!! :)

District meeting this week was really good, and it pretty much was about everything I've been studying about for the past while which sums up to be..conversion.  I love that word!  The Bible dictionary definition is awesome, it says conversion, "denotes changing one's views, in a conscious acceptance of the will of God."  Also, "Complete conversion comes after many trials and much testing."  My mission has definitely solidified in my mind the truth that conversion is a process and not an event.  Every day, every hour I can choose how I'm going to allow the experiences I have to change me.  I'm always changing in one way or another, I can't stand still.  I'm grateful for the experiences that I've had on my mission, and I know that as I've exercised faith, I've chosen to be molded a little more into who God needs me to become.  Faith.  I love that word too!!  And I love how necessary it is in the conversion process :)  Every decision to follow God is a decision to exercise faith and every time we exercise faith we are blessed which strengthens our conversion.  I love how simple and perfect God's plan is!! :)  This past week I feel like my perspective has changed about the day to day work.  I've noticed that I choose how I react to the alarm sounding in the morning.  I choose how focused my morning prayer is.  I choose whether or not I'm going to exercise hard for 30 minutes.  I choose whether or not I'm going to be worthy enough to have the spirit with me to teach me while I study in the morning.  I choose whether or not I'm going to talk to the man on the street or not.  And on and on and on.  I can choose to let my agency to strengthen uplift or bless me, or tear me down.  But what gives me the most hope is that there is always another day, another hour!!  I can choose to change my course if I start to go off track!!  And I'm never alone.  Reading the scriptures makes me feel so close to my Father in Heaven and having scriptures and also hymns memorized has helped me choose to turn to Him in times when I feel discouraged for making a wrong choice, no matter how small it may have been.  One hymn that I've been thinking about lately has been number 274, "The Iron Rod."  I love the story that it tells.  It says,

While on our jouney here below,
Beneath temptation's pow'r,

Through mists of darkness we must go,

In peril every hour.

And when temptation's pow'r is nigh,
Our pathway clouded o'er,

Upon the rod we can rely,

And heaven's aid implore.

And, hand o'er hand, the rod along,

Through each succeeding day,

With earnest prayer and hopeful song,

We'll still pursue our way.

Afar we see the golden rest

To which the rod will guide,

Where, with the angels bright and blest,
Forever we'll abide.

The fourth verse is my favorite.  Hand o'er hand, choice by choice, inching our way closer to our Savior and Redeemer, with the Book of Mormon as a guide as well as the Holy Ghost.  Two of the greatest tools for conversion!  I know that choosing to serve a mission has changed me, and it will continue to change me as I serve as God wants me too.  I also know that I've seen others I've been able to serve change as they work on their conversion.  It is amazing!!  Just a little while ago I read an email Valerie (recent convert I taught in Ellsworth)!!  She told me how she was doing, and she is pregnant!!!  So is Kaila (another recent convert I taught in Ellsworth)!!  Valerie is a strong member and said she has been given the assignment to visit teach Kaila, who has been struggling a lot lately.  She has been meeting with her and praying with her and strengthening her as best she can, and she told me she would continue to lead by example.  I feel so happy to know that those I have taught are being taken care of, by each other even!!  They are strengthening each other in their conversion processes.  What a blessing!!!!! :)

I love this gospel!  I know it is true!  I'm so grateful for the countless miracles I've been able to witness on my mission, and I know that as I continue faithfully, I'll see more and more throughout my whole life.  I just need to hold to the rod!!

Love you so much family!  I'm so grateful for all of you!  Have a wonderful week!!!!!

Choose to be changed! (Mosiah 3:19)

Sister Bergeson :)

Sept. 1, 2014 Littleton, New Hampshire

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

Hello, hello!!                           Sept. 1, 2014

Happy Labor Day :)  It’s beautiful outside today here in N.H.  I just love all the trees.  It pretty much looks fake sometimes.  I hope you’ve been enjoying the long weekend!  So, all the libraries are closed today for the holiday, hence the handwritten letter.  Hopefully you can read this!  We’ve been super busy this week, which was great, but well, I don’t know where to start. 

The main activities of the week were finding and service.  Monday we spent doing quite a bit of finding and talked to lots of people.  Then Tuesday we did service at the senior center, then helped a member clean the house they just moved out of.  The family, the Petersons, moved into Littleton on Main Street right above Chutters (a candy store with the record for the longest candy counter in the world.  Pretty neat!)  They’re fantastic and I’m glad they are so close to us now.  All the members here are just wonderful :)  We had an awesome Ward activity in Grafton Notch State Park at Echo Lake on Tuesday as well.  It was super pretty!  I was able to meet a lot more members there too.  I love Ward activities!

One of the highlights of the week was definitely Zone interviews.  It was great being able to sit down with President Stoker and talk more about my goals and how I want to accomplish them.  I told him that I’ve really been working on exercising faith and that we’ve been trying to talk with everyone.  It was good, and then later our Zone leaders talked about diligence and the importance of being obedient.  Our mission is still counting how many people we invite to learn about the gospel and Sister Miller and I have gotten pretty fired up about it.  We’ve done quite a lot of street contacting and tracting this week and it has been exhausting, but so fulfilling.  We really have been working hard and we were able to invite 100 people to learn about the gospel! :)  That was a huge improvement compared with what we had got a couple weeks previous.  It really has been fun being able to talk with so many people and see what views they have on religion.  I love missionary work!  It most certainly is work, but we make it fun at the same time.  It reminds me of the hymn we sang yesterday at church.

“Then work and watch and fight and pray

With all your might and zeal

Push every worthy work along

Put your shoulder to the wheel.

Put your shoulder to the wheel push along

Do your duty with a heart full of song

We all have work: let no one shirk,

Put your shoulder to the wheel.”

I love that song!  It makes me happy!  I know that God made it so we had to work so we could learn and grow, and we’ll be rewarded for our good works.  I have such a desire to share the gospel because I’ve seen how it changes people for the better.  I’m going to continue to strive to exercise my faith and declare the gospel and I know the Lord will give me the strength to keep moving forward (D & C 24:12, one of my favorite scriptures now!).

We had a cool miracle this week with the Davis’s.  We went over and helped them clean and when we were on our way, their downstairs neighbor’s friend who we had talked to before asked if she could come over that night.  It is so amazing to see how the Lord works!  So, we were able to have dinner and a lesson with her, and she is just awesome!  She prayed aloud for the first time she ever had, and the spirit was so strong!  And she recognized it as well.  She was just beaming and said she felt so happy.  I loved that.  The gospel is what brings joy, and I’m so glad she was able to notice that :)  Teaching people about the gospel makes me so happy, it is such an honor.

We also made a lot of progress with some members we’ve been teaching as well.  We started meeting with them two weeks ago and they really have a desire to get back to church and be refreshed about the doctrine.  They surprised us yesterday by coming to church, and it was so great to have them there! :)  The ward welcomed them so well too.  So that was great!

So yep, it has been a great, great week and I’m excited to see what the next one brings! :)  I’m so grateful for the chance to put my shoulder to the wheel and push in the beautiful area of New England.  I just love this place!  Love you, love you and have a wonderful week!

“Work will win when wishy-washy wishing won’t” – President Monson

Sister Bergeson  :)