Service at the Hartford Temple

What an awesome week!  Well I'm here!! I'm in Hartford, Connecticut I think. I will share what my days are consisting of at the temple!  This week so far up until the 30th are kind of prep days and VIP tours. We do the introduction to the video and give some brief points before everyone watches a wonderful 10 minute video of "what temples are and why they are so special." We also are in the receptions tents after people come out to answer questions and be warm and sincere to all who come!!!!  ( I'm loving this reception tent ) It is so fun being with 25 of the sweetest sisters. It's also super different being with 25sisters all day long. We live at members homes and we are living with the Coleman's. Sister Holt & Sister Morley are also with us here. The Coleman's are just getting home today from a trip so 4 Sister missionaries in a big home with no one else home for the weekend... what a strange situation!

The very first thing we were able to do after arriving at the temple was go through. We were the very first tour of this temple. Wow. This is an absolutely beautiful temple in every way. Every detail of this temple inside and out is New England, Gregorian. I've realized living upstate how in love I am of this style. I was blown away at the style of it, my favorite I've been through. It is so special! It is so white and bright. This is the Lord's house!  Brother Star told us one thing that has stayed in my mind this week. "The Lord only micromanages 2 things.. Bishops & temples. There is a reason you're here." I have seen that here as I have seen so many participate to make this open house a wonderful experience for everyone. Everything is done to the best because it is the most sacred place on earth and our Heavenly Father wants all to come and see.

The artwork is absolutely stunning and breathtaking. As we were walking down one hallway to the next, our tour guide stopped us and told us to just admire this painting. It was a painting of a fall scenery in Connecticut. He then told us, "it's amazing isn't it? Want to know something-the man who painted this is colorblind. " we all were so amazed at his painting and just paused. It's amazing how we can use our talents to help other come closer to Christ. That painting now will always have more meaning behind it because I know the story. I know that every picture in the temple is there for a reason. There is a story to all paintings and they are each in the right place in the temple. Next time you notice a painting inside the temple or even a church building think of maybe why they chose that one to be put up in that particular room.

Something also that was interesting when given a more detailed tour by Elder Wilson Monday with all the Boston sisters was this.. The church has done a survey and asked people this after visiting temple sq.. "What struck you the most from what you saw in your visit?" Number one is the Sister Missionaries!! It may be their pretty faces, but I think it's their warmth and the genuine feelings they leave with people.  People feel and see something special in those who serve their Heavenly Father. I have recognized the powerful influence we and many others will have and have had on people who visit the temple. The first day was all the men who worked construction on this temple. Hard work I tell ya! one of the wives of the men said, " my husband never complained after he came home from working on the temple like he normally would. " He knew this building was different. She  didn't want to leave that celestial room. There was also tours for residents living in the neighborhoods around the temple who've seen the temple being worked on for 3 years. So many of them were so grateful they had the opportunity to come and see. It's been so fun to see how amazed people are. There were also some tours given to stake leadership and other religious leaders. Last night I was talking to a Jewish and a Hindu man and they both were very kind and friendly. I'm amazed how I still am able to speak with and be with so many of other cultures from all over the world. The Lord is reaching all people everywhere so His gospel can have the opportunity to touch  all peoples hearts! This is definitely a softer approach and I'm happy that it is!

I love the Hartford, Connecticut temple and I'm so grateful to be here! We've done a lot of standing around this week and figuring things out, but I feel that we are absolutely helping others come closer to Christ.
I'm grateful for the Atonement that allows us to step inside His Holy house.

I hope each of you enjoys General Conference, it's soooo exciting.

The woman's Conference was so good for me to listen to. Did anyone else just relate to Elder Uchtdorf's talk on Faith? I just was all over that one. Go read!! I love you each so much and I miss you all daily.


Love you,

WE are Blessed

Hey, Many many many good things to share ;) So funny story first, we
went to a beach today for pday and took KFC, random right? As we were
eating chicken about 25 seagulls surrounded us so we thought it was a
good idea to throw some chicken to them to get them away, but after
that they about attacked us. It was like way scarier than anything
that happened in Harlem!! Hahaha we were laughing so hard.
This week has been incredible. I'm so happy & i'm so grateful for
lessons and places we've been. We feel like we're the luckies Sisters
and I am counting my blessings!! I love New Canaan and I absolutely
love the members in New Canaan. It is the coolest and strongest ward
I've seen. I've been thinking about how amazing it's only been 1.5
weeks and I feel like I have a pretty good idea about most the ward.
We've had some amazing experiences of sharing the vision of the temple
with the families here. I could go on and on about each member and
family, but I'll just share some of my favorites.

Because we only have the time we've had to be in New Canaan. We have
just stopped by members homes and tried our best to set some things
up, most mostly just dropping by on the fly. We have focused on the
blessings, sacrifices, and promises of the temple. It's been neat to
hear experiences and the ways the temple is special to each individual
person.  I have felt a few people we've stopped by have REALLY
appreciated it.  Ah they've been so great. They miss sisters and some
are even working towards going through the temple.

Sister Busby

We had a Facebook messenger miracle lesson through FaceTime with a guy
from Lithuania Sunday who messaged us about what we feel about eternal
marriage. The Elders joined us Sunday morning and we were able to
teach him in Lithuania. It is so cool to be a missionary right now
with the tools we have to share the gospel.

Sunday Suster Busby & I spoke in Sacrament on our assignment in
Hartford, Connecticut. We each shared our experiences of why the
temple is important to us. I talked about my vision early on of the
temple when we were sealed in the temple and the temple walk Cass and
I did that reminds me of always keeping the temple as a desire and an
end goal. We are beacons when we serve in the temple & invite others
to come and see. What a special time it will be to be on temple
grounds for 5 weeks and feel the spirit of the temple that will effect
my life and each and every person who comes to see. I don't even have
to do all the talking, that's the best part..THE TEMPLE WILL SPEAK FOR
ITSELF!!  I shared a part of a talk by Sister Elaine S. Dalton on
choosing things you will Always do. my greatest desire is to always
attend the temple and make it an important part of my life.
What are your list of Always??

We've been trying to serve and think of things we can do for the Pace
family because they are very kind so we did an family night with them
Monday. We did service at Waveny Care Center Yesterday. Waveny is this
incredible place for older people with Dementia. I thought about
grandma kimball as I was there. We were dancing with them, helping
them with flower arranging, going along with what they would say and
felt and I loved it so much! I do get a slight confused when I'm
there. Haha They have me all concerned about their problems!!

What else! Sister Busy is the best. She is so kind. I don't know what
it would have been like if I hadn't come here. I'm grateful for my
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and I love them.

Oh! One more miracle that was the craziest thing. There's this lady
named sister Ohrn who's like a vogue model, fabulous, shic woman who
is a ward missionary. We were having lunch with her and Sister Webb,
another wanna be like kind of 82 year old. They invited their friend
to lunch but she didn't show up. After her house we felt like tracting
this apartment complex we'd been to the other week. While tracting we
got let into the same Sheryl who was suppose to have lunch with us and
who's had lessons before. Hahahah it was the craziest thing. The
spirit helped us out with that one. She's coming up to the open house
with sister Ohrn so we're excited to see them both.

Don't forget to email me what you all are up to! I love hearing from
you. I love you all.

Sister Vassau

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