Sister missionaries in New Canaan

Hey!

I've had an awesome week. It's been so dreamy. Hahaha
We feel like the luckies to be in New Canaan. New Canaan hasn't had
sister in a couple years so we'll be here before and after the temple
open house. I am so grateful for the experience I will be having. So I
had a lot of cool experiences this week. The first being able to visit
with the Lanier's Wednesday. They loved the temple and want to go
back. Little Jeffrey said he never felt so much joy in his life.
That's very cool coming from a 15 year old. It always feels like home
there. I told them to write down their feelings of that day and Jeff
pulled out his journal from past lessons we've had over there, it was
fun to read those short one liners. Hahah The next day we went on a
split with the Westchester sisters. I spent the entire day in
Yonkers!!! Scarsdale and Yonkers have combined wards so the work there
has changed and I think it has been good for the two. Can you believe
that.

Friday we went on a special temple trip to do a session with the other
sisters that will be in Hartford! President and Sister Smith, along
with President's parent who were on their way home from their mission
in Find Land, went through with us. THAT WAS SPECIAL. I love the
temple and I felt the spirit while I was there. I loved hearing the
Smith's testimonies of the temple and how central it has been in their
lives.

So Friday later is when we arrived in New Canaan and met Sister Pace.
They are a really great family and have been so good to us. I am
really grateful they are letting us live with them and practically
being our family for the time being.we feel very well taken care of.
They have 3 girls, one is on a mission in São Paulo Brazil! Ashlyn is
16 and LaNaya is 13. They are super cute girls! Sister Pace makes us
food a lot and they let us say family prayers with them. Hahaha so
nice! Bishop Pace has been traveling most the time we've been here.
He's awesome, he gave us a list of names when we got here. The Elders
also met with us to tell us about who we can work with! One of the
Elders served with Sister Baugh in Moscow before coming to ny!!! Small
world! The night we got here they took us out to sushi and we went
with Sister Pace to pick up her daughter and met a bunch of the young
woman. This ward is incredible!! Families practically come here for
the youth program. It was a rare group of girls:)

The members we have stopped by so far have all been amazing!!! Sunday
we had a meeting for the Hartford temple so we couldn't go to our
sacrament meeting but we went to ward council before and later to this
fireside and they were all so great!!! Everyone kept asking us how
they could help us. The fireside was for the stake youth for the
Celebration of the temple and they had us stand up so they could
announce that we were here to help everyone to invite people to the
temple!! Haha it was awesome.

The streets and neighborhoods here are so charming. The biggest most
beautiful homes I've ever seen all in one little town. This life is
not real. We had dinner with Sister Ohrn who's a ward missionary and
works in the temple who just LOVES missionaries and we were out on her
back porch having dinner. It was the most dreamy scene you would ever
see. Everyone has been so happy to see sisters, that's made things fun
for us. It's difficult not having a lot of clue what to do, but it's
also been kind of fun to just go day by day and follow the spirit.

We had a zone study on Joseph Smith History. This Elder in our mission
sang Joseph Smith's first prayer and the whole meeting I felt had such
a sweet spirit. Chills. I know I can always fall back on President
Smith's testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith.
I know Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. I want to be a mother of
Faith, like Lucy who trusts and doesn't live in confusion.
I have for myself felt the still voice of the spirit teach me of how
true the restoration really was here in New York and Connecticut and I
am so excited for that anchor to my testimony. I can't wait to share
more about the New Canaan ward with you! I hope we will be able to be
in the homes here and share our simple testimonies of temples!

"Believe enough to ask, trust enough to follow."

Love you all

Sister McKell Vassau

next up...Hartford!

Hiiii:) 

Oh my goodness. I can't wait to tell you about my week. Get ready for it. We have had the most incredible week together in Middletown. I felt wherever we were was the right place in the right time. I felt led by the spirit. We had incredible key indicators and I felt so blessed by the Lord! We taught 32 lessons and got 10 new investigators!  So 10 new people who have a next appointment. It was so cool. We just kept on saying how cool things were going. We found around all the people we had in our schedule and we were out walking.. that helped with feeling trapped in a car. We met Nelson, our brother, who meets with the Elders every day now! It wasn't that we were working so hard and killin ourselves, but just working smarter. 

I want to share one experience I had this week that stands out to me. So we visit Sister Casteleiro frequently to help her with her mail, groceries, trash. Things like that. She is a member who struggles getting around and since the sisters have been in her life it has changed her life. Have you seen the Mormon message Lift? She reminds me of that, so grateful. Well I love her so much. So on Sunday she came in late and sat in the back on the chairs by the door. Sister Zelaya nudged me and asked if we should go sit by her knowing she probably would like that. I thought to myself, well I'm comfortable here. (These chairs are cushioned.. Does Sister Casteleiro care?.... ) 

I took the sacrament and thought about the Savior and the promises I have made with my Heavenly Father. Not much longer after I felt, GO SIT BY HER. The Savior cares!!! 

Sometimes it's just not comfortable or convinced to do what the Savior would do. After taking a seat next to her, I thought about how much better I feel inside and how comfortable it was on the back row. Of course, Sister Casteleiro was so thankful, she always is, but I was thankful for learning that small lesson to care for God's children the that way he does. I don't think Christ would see her and say she's fine, I'm better here. I know this example is so silly and small, but I do have a testimony of following spiritual promptings and keeping the covenants we've made. Bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light; ...mourn with those that mourn;... comfort those that stand in need of comfort, and stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places that ye may be in.. Mosiah 18:8-10. 

I have news! So President Smith called us on Monday.. He told us he knew Sister Zelaya and I were suppose to serve together and that he has prayed & fasting and he would like me to serve in the Hartford, Connecticut temple open house with 8 other sisters in our mission and the 16 in the Boston mission. I would be leaving Wednesday (today) and be having meetings this weekend for more information about the Hartford temple open house. With Hartford not being in the mission, they are still figuring out the living situation so in the mean while, Sister Busby and I will stay in Yonkers for a few nights.. Haha (Not exactly sure what we're suppose to be doing. President kind of just gave us the keys/ lead to figure out where we can go for splits and everything... ) So when sister Busby and I got to Scarsdale today we had no phone, no plans, and no idea about what will be happening, just excited! We will likely go on splits in Scarsdale which will be amazing. It feels like a dream. We will have some trainings this weekend and then for 2 weeks be in New Cannon living with the Bishop and his family. He wants us to go to the different wards and share the news about the temple open house! I think from there we will be living in Hartford and be at the temple each day working & teaching & greeting people from all over. I feel so grateful!!!! I feel such a special love for the temple and I know that it will be an opportunity that will change my life forever more. sister Busby is very sweet. I really like her and it will be so fun to be around other sisters and members in the temple boundaries.  It's been a very interesting couple of days saying bye to people in Middletown where I loved so much, then also feeling in my heart that Heavenly Father has a plan and the temple has everything to do with that plan. 

It's been so fun to hear about the things you guys are up. I am SO THANKFUL Ethan is okay and that Isabel is doing better. That is so good to hear. Thank you for keeping me updated. I love you guys! 

Love, Sister Vassau

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