June 29, 2016

New York this week was lively & colorful, if you know what I mean. lol!  We were able to talk to so many people!! There are people absolutely everywhere.  I have mixed feelings about it!  So I've been thinking about BEING PRESENT lately && feeling more inner joy from that.  I feel like I have the ability to see people on the subway, but sometimes I don't and it's especially hard to tune out distractions inside my head & all around.  So I've made it a goal to notice details. Smile more. Notice people & think about their lives!  Remembering how each is a beloved spirit son & daughter of God!  we've been able to meet just such good people.  I've felt the power of a sincere conversation with someone on the subway. 

I feel each point in my life I have understood the Atonement differently. 

I came to know Christ more this week by understanding that lasting change can only come through the Atonement.  Only way of changing is by trying and doing, which is super uncomfortable. especially awkward sometimes. Ha ha then we can find comfort in him then helping us where we are weak.   We had a zone study with President which I felt was inspired for us city missionaries on just remembering our best is different that other people's best. Our best changes from day to day.   We are agents for change!  We have that power to effect people's lives. 

Since zone study, I read in alma 15 about zeezrom. Zeezrom experienced this change we talked about. " his heart began to take courage " 

I love focusing on lasting change through the atonement. It wasn't until he TOOK COURAGE did he experience change. I am experiencing change in my life right now. I am also learning a lot about COURAGE. Courage is DOING, action/faith. 

Talking to people, doing hard things, feeling the fruits of those labors!! 

Went to the temple with Maria Saturday. Other members were there as well to support. She's funny. Irene came to church and we saw her yesterday and she said she totally felt different this time & is listening to the Book of Mormon a lot more. she's so motherly. With time and some faith she can know. we had dinner with awesome members who treat us well! We went to visions && taught a family who have a cool story. I will share more once we meet with them again. Clayton productions was there from Utah and we felt like celebrities. everyone was like LOOK THE MISSIONARIES!! We had a way cool lesson with Henry who works security last night. We just are able to talk to people everywhere we go and share more about the book of Mormon& restoration so I would never be able to share them all. 

You would all be bored. but thanks for reading my emails :) 

Take courage In knowing God loves you!!!! 

I love you!! Sister Kell Vassau ;) 

Hope summer is going well for everyone! 

June 22, 2016

I

t was a beautiful and toasty week in the city.  A week of growth!

There are some days  I feel such a love for the city. I think there is

so much of both, the good && the bad. I think I've just realized it's

all about what you see in it. You can be positive about it or you can

focus on the trash, the loud people, and the smells. When you look up,

you see so much more beauty! very cool buildings & so much more. I

have thought about that with an experience I had Sunday when walking

down the street and feeling all the feelings we as mortals feel of

struggling. (Ya know the feeling when you're just overwhelmed with

weakness)

We have a choice daily to be happy and look for the beauty.

We don't have to be nieve about the struggles & trials that come with

life, but we are literally placed on this earth to have joy.

I stopped in the street and cried for a minute (lol) & then I felt

peace, which doesn't always take away struggling. I think Heavenly

Father's plan is for us to struggle,

cry a little, laugh a little. place others around us to help us &

listen to us. sister hart.

I'm so happy to be here! Oh so happy! I have felt extremely happy &

grateful this week.  I just hate my own trials. but I'm so grateful

for a Heavenly Father that knows me, cares about the little things I

care about, helps me see the beauty in life, In midst of hardships and

struggling.

I feel like this is the same lesson I'll remind myself six months from

now. Life

is filled with so many choices. Happiness is part of it. which is why

the plan of happiness has become so much more meaningful to me.

I have discovered a strength!

As we were street contacting this week, when we went into it humble &

prayerful, i was able to recognize the spirit's gentle thoughts to go

talk to some specific people and it was a good experience. One was by

9/11 and was a family from Columbia. The spirit is already there in

that area. We began talking about the peace we felt with them and

about what brings them peace. We talked to a good handful of people in

battery park city. More people were open to listen than say no. we

found some who were ready to receive us! The spirit works in such

settle ways and I'm trying to point it out amongst the noise and

1,677,938 people. There are so many tourists here!!!

Oliver Vidinovski took us on a tour of Google. It is insane. I would

love working there!!! It's like an adult playground. Every floor is

designed differently and everything is free. He got us lunch and then

we taught him about The Book of Mormon a little & the plan of

Salvation. He is so kind & was so excited to show us it all. I will

always remember just what a genuine and nice guy he was. He believes

in service. I hope we will get to see him again, and go back to Google

;)

We also had a cool night with members where 7 of her kids kept coming

home. By the time most were there we taught them the restoration which

we've been doing. The older boys don't come to church anymore but is

was like an ideal situation because they were asking us how they can

tell their friends about being Mormon and we were able to find out why

they don't come.... a girlfriend & little things. They told us their

desire to be there & feel the blessings from it again.

So ya. Lots of good things!

This week we get to go to the temple with a member we are working with

so that will be great and then we have zone studies/ interviews and

lots of other great things. I have to go!!! Have a lovely week!

Love, Sister Vassau

June 14, 2016

I have a lot of cool things to share. I hope you find them interesting!!! 

So!! First on my list of funny and amazing. We were alone in an elevator with Martha Stewart and we told her we are representatives of Jesus Christ, asked her about her kids & grandchildren, and mentioned that we deliver free copies of Book of Mormon's. Also, complimented Martha on her cute blue blouse which I'm sure made her feel so good. This is NOT A JOKE. 

It was the second time we went to her massive office building bc a media referral but Martha told us we could come on her elevator instead ;) we walked away having slight regrets bc we wanted to tell her THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE YOU WILL EVER HEAR but then I just told sister hart all the good things we did right about asking her about what's important to her. we said all the right things to just gently prick her heart and I'm sure she'll order a Book of Mormon any day now.. 

HOW COOL IS THAT!!?  

So we had an APF in Columbus Sq. giving out Book of Mormons Saturday and every time we do things like this it really makes me realize how many have no clue, have no idea about what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about! 

After we gave out Book of Mormons and talked to people we were walking back to the temple and we walked past a girl crying and upset about something so once we walked past the spirit nugged us to go back.  so we go back and ask her if we can help her. we gave her a big hug and she said everything will be okay. 

I have just thought about that this week and my first thought to not stop and how I could be here, sharing the message about the Book of Mormon, but until I "mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that stand in need of comfort," (Mosiah 18:9) and do the little things to serve day by day, what I'm doing won't really matter. If we have not charity we are NOTHING. 

 This is a fun thing. There is a restaurant in Little Italy called Falinies where the Mormon tabernacle choir goes when they come to ny. We got a referral from someone sister hart knows that stays connected with the man who owns it, Big Joe. He is this big sweet Italian. He has a Book of Mormon, big family, and lots of fun employees. We had dinner because we promised him we'd come back and our waiter just treated us!! we even thought they were so kind they were going to pay for our whole meal. They didn't.. Bummer but the waiter was telling us about his acting career then had the whole restaurant sang happy birthday to sister hart..??

ha ha (it's not sister hart's bday) 

We have an investigator named Irene who's been taught for a while. Lives in the projects and is very lazy, which is hard. Also, SUPER touchy. She's interesting but i am starting to love her.  if you can image, we have lists and lists of people here it's just figuring out who actually still lives here and who is not against religion completely. I went on a split in sister eastman's old area in morning side w/ sister Johnson! I miss herrrr. 

We had a service at visions the other day. A volunteer named Oliver told us he is going to give us a Google tour. He has never in his life had a religious influence so he is interested to hear about our beliefs. And that's like the one building I've really wanted to go into. 

Visions is for the Blind so we often walk with them and lead them to where they need to be.  this one woman held onto me this past week. she relied on me to guide her each step... Afterwards hugging && kissing me. I have felt the exact same way the past few days with the Savior. I can get around just fine sometimes without any help, but how much better I feel when I walk with him.  I've felt this inner struggle recently and there is no reason I have to go through these things alone.  Christ invites us to "Walk with Him." 

" Enoch was called to preach the gospel to a difficult, hard-hearted people. He did not feel qualified. He had doubts about whether he could do it. The Lord calmed his doubts and strengthened his faith through the invitation “Walk with me”--an invitation that, like a blind man’s cane or a friend’s arm, can guide the footsteps of one whose step is not sure. By taking the Savior’s arm and walking with Him, Enoch found that his step became firm and he became a great missionary and a prophet."

Life is good. I love the sacredness of my calling! I'm grateful for my Savior and that he understands me completely. 

have a good week. 

June 8,2016

Hey!

Well, emails are becoming so hard for me to write. We had a great

week! Elder Bennet, a General of the seventy came to our mission and

we had a meeting all day yesterday with the China Town, Harlem, and

South Manhattan zones. Wow, it was a special and sacred experience!

The spirit truly spoke to my heart that he is a man called by a

prophet of God. The Holy Ghost also confirmed to me the he has

specific instruction for our mission, the New York New York North

Mission.

He started by testifying of our pre-existence with our Father in

Heaven..  "You were assigned here, along with your mission Presidents

before you were born." (He also said if he knew the Smiths before he

would be pleading and praying to have them. He is the best mission

president in the world. I did hear those words!) YOU love truth. YOU

were valiant.

When I got my call to come to New York all I really could think of was

my love for big cities and shopping and big dreams and the temple. Now

that I am here, I know that Manhattan is not a dream for me everyday

but being a representative of Jesus Christ is such a sacred and

important calling and I can have more power than the 1,094847363

people here. "You have more authority than any King or Queen." I have

felt this power in my life by helping people. However, this power does

not come if we don't use our agency for good, because spiritual

cleanliness is power.

I also didn't realize until coming here how uncomfortable, scary, and

intimidating it can be sometimes to do things. (Like sometimes I don't

want to talk to people. It makes me tired!!) I do know those little

things we do, give us power and I have felt it.  Elder Bennet talked

about doing those things because that's where growth comes and to not

be excuse or fear driven, like he was on his mission. He later learned

on his mission the power of his calling and was a mission president.

He proposed to his wife 4 times before she said yes!!!! Haha. He was

persistent and these things developed because of his mission.

My favorite thing and it's something I have thought about all week now

is DESIRE. What do you desire most? Are you praying for those things

deeply?

I was reading this week in my studies in alma 39-42 and Enos and felt

so strongly how important it is that are desires are righteous before

the Lord. I have studied on diligence and how it comes when we wrestle

before the Lord with clear specific questions. Also by creating good

habits and being persistant. Repentance is a big part in this pattern

of diligence. Then comes peace and we can trust.

I have such a testimony in the restored Gospel and in a literal Father

in Heaven who loves us deeply. This path is the only way to joy and

living with our families forever. Those are simple truths I hold dear.

I love you all. I will share some more miracles next week! We did lots

of contacting. Our contacting goal as a district is 135 a week and we

are trying to figure out the best things. My favorite is the service

we do and the people in those service projects who want to know who we

are and where we can share a message of the Book of Mormon and testify

of it.

LOVE YOU ALL

Xx, Sister Vassau

Buying fabric at Mood project runway style for our dresses a member

is making for us bc New York is too hot..eh.. i'm going to look like a

tomato.. we ran into this random girl before who just moved here doing

interior design who thought we were pretty fun. ;)

Lucy's Baptism and First American Pie

This week was a dream. Everything about it was beautiful and so

lovely! I'm so grateful for how special Lucinda's baptism was.

Although many ward members were away or at the beach for Memorial Day

weekend, it ended up being small and intimate! The bishopric worked

with us to make sure Lucinda would have a great  experience. I will

tell you a few of the special moments. The spirit was so strong. The

talks were well thought out and specialized for Lucinda. We had a

young women named London (16) give a talk. The bishops sons Merrick

(7) gave a prayer. Our less-active Sister Hemkin played the piano and

then also Vanessa who we've been working with showed up! We taught the

Restoration and the spirit was so great. I love teaching the

Restoration and I know that the priesthood is on the earth. I know

that power is so real. I have a very strong testimony in that power

from experiences I've had pre-mission with blessings I've received and

on my mission with blessings that have been so crucial to how I'm

feeling. We shared a short Restoration with Lucinda before her

baptism. She is a very thankful person. She wrote out a script she

read after that was the most heart felt and sincere thank you to the

ward, the whole Mormon community, and the missionaries. It's so cool

to see someone like her with so much going for her in so many areas of

her life yet so touched and converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

That's good for everyone to see and be reminded of the promises. She

said she's felt she has always been Mormon. We were able to take a lot

of pictures for her mom to see, who is in Australia and so happy for

her. We're so happy she decided to follow Christ's example to be

baptized.

Then, Sunday! One whole year since I gave my farewell talk.. Lucinda

received the gift of the Holy Ghost which was so sweet. As I listened

to the blessings for Lucinda, her Heavenly Fathers love for her, and

the specific promises of the Holy Ghost it reminded me of Heavenly

Fathers love and promises to me and all who Keep His Commandments. I

gave a talk about the power of having inner stillness, which went so

well! (Phew)

Lucinda specifically told me how she got so much from my talk and she

really enjoyed it. She is so sweet. Monday night the Murdoch's invited

Lucinda over for a dinner. They live on Wall St. and he works at

Goldman so they know similar people. The thing about Lucy is she asks

so many questions and wants to know everything about everything which

we're all still trying to figure out so we talked about the Gospel of

Jesus Christ (enduring to the end) and what now. Also all about

temple, family history, the priesthood. Ect. We have these new family

history & temples pamphlets that are super cool and have pretty

pictures of inside and outside of temples. Also, Lucy had her first

American pie!!! We had Thai and the best treat. Members are so kind

here.

Tuesday we had a technology meeting. I am so grateful to be serving in

a mission with technology for many reasons. it is such a tool to bring

the spirit. i am able to develop these holy habits for using an iPad.

Like for example, my companion should always be able to see my screen.

if we all had someone by us, looking at what we were doing, would it

be something good and uplifting? it teaches us that we are the masters

of these devices, the best filter is the Holy Ghost, what really is my

purpose, what is my plan if I'm feeling tempted, and how can I use it

to bring others to Christ. That is why we have them.

Last miracle. It was huge. So we walk Gramercy the dog yesterday and

we begin talking to this one girl at the dog park, Andrea. Sister Hart

starts talking to this other man, which was also an amazing

conversation. I find out quickly Andrea has been taught by

missionaries before in Cali while she was working at Disney, almost

was baptized, took a step back because she may or may not have had a

slight crush on an Elder... Well in Florida she would also attend

church. She moved here a year ago and I'm pretty sure that we were her

first missionaries since to talk with her. she told me her life story

about her ex- boyfriend. (Ha. the boyfriend stories) She is so great!

Has the greatest feeling about her.  She does want to come to the

church again and she was familiar with activities that go on through

out the week, like fhe. I feel like there are specific people in front

of us and in places we go for a very obvious reason.

OH YA. And Sister Hart and I are staying together again. :):)

She is a great human. She has a maturity that I am super thankful for.

She understands the gospel and has a lot of knowledge which I feel is

such power. I feel like we are great for each other and she helps me

be a more bold person which has been a struggle all my life/mission,

but hey I feel so happy lately and I know every blessing, every

strength I feel has directly come from my asking and trying myself.

Heavenly Father loves us and through Christ we can become.

I love ya

Xo, Sister McKell Vassau