The Temple is Everything

Wow. What an incredible week I will try to explain it in words. So we
were asked to share with the youth of our ward some topics about
missionaries work. There were about 7 young men and woman and the
leaders. I shared my thoughts on the blessings that come from serving
a mission for the people we teach and myself. It didn't take me long
to think about all the blessings I feel from my time as a missionary.
The blessings keep coming and I feel them so strongly in my heart. I
can't explain it.  I can't explain the feelings I've had this past
week.  They make it all worth it.  We decided that was way better for
us than it probably was for them.

So, I can hardly wait to tell you about my week!! The Lanier family
got sealed in the temple Saturday. sister Hislop and I drove down to
Scarsdale in the morning and from there we drove with Sister smith and
others to the city. Sister Gardner and her parents were there and
others that I loved so much in Westchester 1st.  If nothing else, I
saw the Lanier family become an eternal family and it was the most
special day on my mission.  How can that not just be the crowning
event?? If nothing else has come from my mission, which everything
has, I got to be a small part of something eternal!  How important was
it for me to be there, to be here in New York when I have been, to
have been apart of that experience.  It was a life altering day for me
, my goals, vision and testimony of the reality that God lives, he
knows us, and His Church, the Church of Jesus Christ has the
priesthood, that power to do sealings and bind families together.  The
Lanier's had so much goodness in their eyes and it's been so cool to
see them progress in the gospel. I love them so much <3 I remember one
year ago I think my second week in the mission at a fhe at the Smith's
Jeffrey prayed his family would be able to go to the temple. I'm so
proud of them for sticking to that goal. After the temple the Bishop
Mortensen and Sister Mortenson drove us home. Sister Mortenson gave us
a little heart to heart about life and all the important things. One
day I hope to have girls like she does;) her words were inspiring to
me and I am a firm believer Heavenly Father places very specific
people in our lives to direct our paths. I'm grateful for such a meek
example in my life.  She is very excited to meet my family:)

A few other experiences this week! We met a woman named Ada who lives
in a trailer park. Her brother is a less active but they don't have
the best relationship, so that's how we found her. Ada is cool and has
a lot of things going on in her life. She had a really sad upbringing
and she has opened up a lot to us. This week she told us she would let
us help her and let Christ in, she just doesn't know how. Ada has two
kids that live with her, 4 snakes, 2 dogs, and some hamsters. We went
over yesterday to help clean her house because child protective
services were coming to inspect her house of bugs. so sister Zelaya
and I were cleaning/vacuuming so Ada would be able to keep her kids. I
felt very fortunate the whole time!!!!
My gosh. I love my parents!!! It was cool because afterwards we taught
the neighborhood kids the restoration.

Something else funny, so we have this less active that lives by us,
Sister Walker. We went over this past week and 2 nephi 31 led to
talking about temples and then about drinking coffee and then to the
word of wisdom and how she is trying to get in shape again... So!! We
have been out walking at 6:30 with Sister Walker for a couples days
now. Hahaha We brought a member out with us to find and we got led
into this older woman's house. She took us by the hands and brought us
into her house. Sister Jasmin was laughing so much at her and the
woman asked her if she was babysitting us. Hahaha so we've been
laughing about that one. This area is so good. It has major potential
everywhere we go. Last night we were with Christina and it looks like
we will be throwing a wedding and baptism in the next two weeks!! My
favorite! 💍
I love my companion so much. She tells me I'm a good one all the time,
but I think she's the good one. I feel very blessed.

I'm grateful for temples! For families! For the opportunities I have
to progress in this life! Please please please decide NOW what your
goal is and do all you can to reach it. I love you guys soooooo much.

Xo

Middletown is Special!

Hello,

One week in Middletown and I can feel I'm going to fall in love with
this town and the surrounding ones. Middletown is where most of our
work is and we also drive 20-30 min. To the ones around which are so
beautiful. There are lots and lots of trees and wide open fields with
cute barns and country homes. I love the style and I feel very happy
and peaceful here. I've already felt this area and week has been one
of healing. My mind has been so happy. I feel the spirit so much in
our companionship. I can honestly say this week was one of the best
weeks on my mission. I say that because each day we had great things
happen, but I've been feeling the spirit so much and my companion is
just an angel and really someone I admire and can connect with. I love
her so much already. She's been through her own refiners fire early on
in her life and I can tell that she is such a strong and Christlike
person because of the challenges she saw. Also, we had such a funny
week and I got to know people very different than I would meet in the
city.  The ward here is special. The list of names is not much
smaller, but there feels to only be around 60 at church. It is a
Spanish and English ward so I feel like there is still a good mix of
very different ethnicities. The Elders here are awesome. We are
laughing a lot. It is just the four of us in our district. We work so
much with the less actives in the area. We look them up set up
appointments then find around them. Something we are starting to do is
call and visit them to invite them to invite their friends to the
Hartsford temple open house, which we get to be apart of.  Have you
seen the temple?  It's so beautiful!! I'm grateful for temples in my
mission.  I heard a story of how sometimes we are called to a mission
where there is a temple for a reason.

We have a few people with a baptismal date. Christina is a mom who
should be getting baptized in the next two weeks. We have called many
members in the ward to pick a day to fast and pray that she will get
baptized. So everyday up until she gets baptized people will be
fasting... We've got some funny responses from people. Also, everyone
is so kind and willing to help! One Brother told us he would fast
"Monday & Wednesday & Friday, he needs to loose weight." Hahahah The
problem is Christina needs to get married 1st so they are trying to
get it all the done so the bishop can marry them at the church before
she gets baptized.  Next is Denisha! The mom of a little boy and one
of the way. We have seen her a lot this week on her porch. She is
changing.
One of the nights we read with her we began talking about the
Atonement and how she has seen herself let things go.  How can you let
the Savior help you? I have seen myself lately using the Atonement by
having a prayer journal where I will write down some worries,
questions I have and listen to Heavenly Father and then write down how
he responds. I'm trying to let them go & have Heavenly Father take
them from me.

Also, I got to go on a short split with Sister Hart who's serving in
Monticello with all the crazy cats up there. It was so happy for the
both of us. Upstate has some different kinds of folks. Haha this
weekend the Lanier family is getting sealed in the temple. I saw the
Smith's the other day and they said I could go so I am hoping it works
out and I can be there for that. I'm so proud of them!!

I miss each of you so much. I Hope that everyone enjoys a wonderful
first week of school.  I really can't believe school is starting up.
That is insane!

Bye! Pray for Christian and The Lanier's for me please!
Xo, Sister Vassau

Headed to Middletown

Hi!!

This past week has been so special. On Thursday morning we had a member come out with us to do a finding activity in front of the church with the Book of Mormon. I was praying hard that we would be able to see just a little miracle come from having Sister Hartshorn there with us. It was one of the hottest & humid mornings in the city and she had her little girl there with us.  Typically we hand out a few copies after being out for a while. Her little girl brought some miracles. She would stare people in the eyes and then smile. Simply her way of sharing the gospel. We taught a woman who just found her Jesus while having a life or death experience. She replaced her magazine with a copy of the Book of Mormon! We were so grateful for that experience and to hear a members simple testimony. We also received a text last week from Kat, who met us on the subway.  Right when I saw her I remembered! The day we met Kat on the subway she told she would love to hang out with us. She didn't want a Book of Mormon because she is not religious at all so when we met with her at the chapel my heart was so happy. To see a miracle come from  opening your mouth on the subway is so happy. Kat is so cool. She's from Vancouver, Canada and was just super interested in our lives. We told her all about our missions and taught her the restoration. She wanted to meet up again, but sadly I found out I will be leaving Manhattan, but we could connect on Facebook. 

A lot has happened this week I don't think I'll be able to write out, but I will share this verse I was reading in a sacrament hymn Sunday because my mind has been thinking about it.  I have felt so richly blessed. THE WHOLE sacrament I have it. It was incredible.  It says, As now we praise thy name with song, The blessings of this day. Will linger in our thankful hearts, And silently we pray. For courage to accept thy will To listen and obey.  We Love thee Lord; our hearts are full. We'll walk thy chosen way. 

How difficult is it sometimes to feel grateful when we go through hard hard things? How scary can it be to have courage to follow promptings? 

The words of these verses sunk in my heart!! I can't really explain the ways I have been blessed. I've learned so much and my heart is so full for the Savior!   I was thinking the whole meeting how many amazing things I have been able experience in this city.  they are in my heart && journal, and I hope remembered by those that have been around me . :) I feel a lot of the blessings I have felt have come from small promptings. FOLLOW SPIRITUAL PROMPTINGS. They always come from God. I think if I have to sum up the things I've learned I would say I have learned that happiness comes from having gratitude now. When we listen and obey promptings in our life, Heavenly Father blesses us for our courage. 

I think I got heat exhaustion my last day in the city so that was how It ended Monday night. Haha we were at a service and this lady named Martha gave me 75 cents and said, "Go get water. Go you don't sound good. Go!" Hahaha It was so sweet because I think I wouldn't have been well. 

I was so excited when I heard I would be transferred to a wonderful place called Middletown. I drove down with Sister Hislop yesterday to Ossining and from there I met my amazing companion Sister Zelaya. It's just going to be a good transfer with her. I will be sending her home.  Middletown is so green!!!!! I can't explain the feeling of  being back upstate. It felt so right, like home. I already felt a little sick yesterday from being in a car for too long, which I'll have to get used to again. We had the best night together. We did some look ups! Went to find a less active. Prayed to knock on another door and found a less active at the door we knocked at. I'm so grateful and excited to be upstate again. It feels very slow, and very peaceful, but there is such good work here too. This morning we went to Olive Garden with the senior sisters and woman from the ward. They are sweet & it's all a very different feel.  I'm excited to share more about this area and the people with you! 

Love you all so much! 

Xo, Sister Vassau 

HE is in the Details

This week started off with a visit to a new member in the ward. Her
name is Meg. She is so sweet & sincere. She just was a career
councilor at UVU. Now she is doing the same thing at NYU. We were able
to get to know her more and share a little thought on change and
Finding Joy in the Journey, by President Thomas S. Monson.
Thursday we weekly planned with our NEW planning guidelines. What does
Heavenly Father want to have happen with this person? We had a lesson
with a Ukulsulvakian named Senka O' Conner. She's a nice lady, doesn't
quite understand everything and the language is a barrier, but feels
the spirit.

Friday we did service at God's Love we Deliver in Soho. We saw Oliver
again #googleguy and sat with him for a while afterwards. He's at like
every service thing there is. He thinks we stalk him... Noooo?? Haha
Maybe! We really like Oliver. Trying to get the service award at
Google. We got lost in Soho. Haha not mad.
I LOVE SOHO. One of my favorites. Sister Henier got a macaroon. We did
some Facebook messaging and a board in front of the church for Family
History! We met Cherie who wanted to bring her books down with all her
family history for us to see!! Friday was long. Then! We went to
another members home who just moved here from Queens. Her name is
Suby. I love Suby. She is so kind & loving. We found out that she
served a mission in New Zealand and I know that we helped her remember
her love for her mission & helped her desires grow for good.  She just
told us how much she loved the people. She is recently starting to
come back to church because of work. I was so grateful we spent time
with Suby.
Saturday we went to City Hall Park, the one by the Brooklyn Bridge. I
felt strongly to talk to this girl that was watching two little kids.
She was a nanny & lives in another area (of course) but was so sweet
and grateful we shared our testimonies of The Book of Mormon. We
talked to another guy who's unsure if it is God and Jesus Christ that
we feel in our lives. That made me think, God is in our lives as much
as we want him to be.

Later that night we went to the Andredes. They are a family from
Peru/Spain. Shelia their 8 year old daughter can now be baptized, but
the parents have a really hard time coming to church because of work.
Shelia has a disease that's very bad and her knees are both starting
to swell up. It's so sad and that family is truly going through a
trial of their faith. Shelia said this week that she just needs to
love herself and except her illness. We tell her she's so strong.  I
just hope & pray they will understand the importance of their
baptismal covenants and being together as a family forever.

Sunday we fasted & prayed for the work here in the area, for our
mission goal, and others on our mind. We had a Skype coordination with
Brother Leal. We taught Dakota & Dallas the Plan of Salvation and it
went so well!! I'm really excited about them. I think it was the best
Plan of Salvation lesson I've had. They are such good girls and have
such good questions. We set a time to give them a chapel tour this
week with the young woman's leader. Yay!! Yesterday we got a text from
someone we met on the subway a few weeks ago. Kat, the girl with blue
yoga pants.. Of course, I can't remember her but she said she has been
thinking about our conversation and really wants to meet up with us to
learn more about what we do. So we are meeting with her Saturday!!!

I do know indeed that Heavenly Father is in the very details of our
lives. His hand is out stretched to us.  We just need to grab it, hold
on, not let ourselves drift away from his love. I feel a special
gratitude this week for the closeness that can and will always be our
as we are faithful to him. I do know that when we are one with him, he
will help us in our desire to be unified with the people around us. It
is the simple things in our lives that bring us Closer to Him. I've
learned we have to continually and consistently INVITE Him in. It
can't be a passive thing.
One of my favorite moments in the past week was when Sister Heiner & I felt
down and we sang a hymn. There are so many ways we can invite him in.
PRAY, BE DILIGENT, STUDY THE SCRIPTURES, BE SINCERE, BE KIND. Ask
yourself and others, how can I/we improve? & BE HUMBLE. Moroni 10:32

We are all here to help each other on this journey! I'm so grateful
for my opportunity to help others. I know it's why we are here, to
serve & love.

I hope everyone has an awesome last couple weeks of summer. I'm loving
the news & exciting things happening with my friends & family. Xo

Sister Vassau

It's already August!

Hello my loved ones!

This week was good. We started the week by helping a Sister Hartley in
the ward pack her things for Baltimore. She's awesome. She moved here
right when she got married and has totally started her own dance
business called Cove so she took us to get bagels and we did what we
could. We did weekly planning. Later that night we met with our
bishop, Bishop Arnett. He is very awesome. We got a spread sheet made
for our entire ward so we can load all information on it. We asked him
who we can focus and help in the ward. Friday we did a board in front
of the church and taught Bill who was tuning the piano's in the
building. We also handed out a good amount of Book of Mormons! We spent
time on the pier and walked up the Hudson River Park, which was really
awesome. Jennifer took us to pizza at J's. Love her. Saturday came and
we had service scheduled in. We felt good about going because so many
different people are at This church of the Village on weekends. When
we got there we met Andrea.  Andrea has such a glow about her and I
felt it from the start as we talked about her kids. Lots of light in
her eyes and I just thought she was a good Christian mom, wanting to
help!  The three of us talked as we helped in the kitchen. The Kitchen
was SO HOTT might I add.. Andrea asked us all sorts of questions about
ourselves and beliefs.  She said she is a new Christian! Andrea shared
with us that she was in prison.  She never prayed and was at her
lowest and she found Jesus.  The service was so good and I talked to
one other man Sele and got his info. Andrea gave us her Facebook
before we left and we found out she was very known in Scarsdale for
being a "pot mom." Sister Heiner and I were stunned. I immediately
thought, how cool it was that I felt her glow. I would have never
known and I'm sure she feels guilt/pain/humiliation, but Andrea had a
turning point with her Savior. Jesus Christ forgives Andrea. I don't
know the full extent of her change and forgiveness, but I felt so
strengthened that someone like her was not destroyed, but chose to
serve and do good. Why did we meet Andrea? Idk, but we taught her a
lot of restored truth and we got to see firsthand the love of Christ
and someone who's heart was touched by the atonement. We all have the
light of Christ.

That was long! Then Saturday and Sunday came and they were so good.
Sacrament meeting was really great. We taught a sharing time lesson in
Primary about missionary work! LOL primary is the place to be.
Hahahaha
We had Coordination with brother Leal. He'll be gone all month, sad!
The Elders have a baptismal date, which were excited about! We have no
consistent people we are teaching as of now. PLEASE pray for Lucinda
Stitt.

Monday we had a zone meeting because of new information for our
mission. The work is hastening! The whole meeting was focused on Our
Purpose & facebook!!
Boy, have missions changed and will continue with technology. I can't
imagine serving a mission with out technology and I can't imagine
being effective in Manhattan without it. It really is to help us & to
be used for so much good. It can be used for so much more good than it
can bad as long as we are using the safeguards, which I seriously plan
to read and use through out my life. I'm so grateful for them
And I know that the Lord knows what he is doing.  We are a stronger
generation and CAN resist Satan. The spirit is my most favorite
companion and I hope I
will live in a way to always have it with me.

My favorite quote in preach my gospel is, "Enjoying the gifts of the
Spirit should be your most earnest desires." That is my favorite
because it has indeed become my desire above all to enjoy it forever
more and have it so I can grow in beautiful ways!

I love this gospel. I know it's true. I have Faith in Christ & in his
perfect plan.
There is peace in giving him our worries & insecurities & our broken
hearts. I feel that each time I feel I can't do it anymore. Because I
do feel broken at time.  I really am grateful for each of you.  I have
not gone a day without realizing how lucky I am, even when things are
hard.

Make it a great week!