Sister Inman Letter - December 26, 2016

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Heyyyoooo!!! It's Ricoooo!!!! Just kidding, it's me, Sister Inman.

It was so great to see and talk to all of my family yesterday, and to FINALLY meet Chauncey and Rory!!! Wow. I truly have the greatest gift ever. A family that loves and supports one another, who is strong. We have the gospel.

Well I told you most of what I could've written you today already! But last night we went caroling as a district, and we actually sounded really good! We had the four part harmony and everything! It was pretty fun :)

The Christmas conference was really good! We made people cry during our performance, and lots of comments like, "I didn't know you could play/sing!" Neither did I! But God helped me when I really tried my best. It's a good principle to keep in mind! Through Him, I can do anything. Our mission has a new challenge: between Christmas and Easter, we will read through and study the Book of Mormon with a specific purpose or question. We will pray, and seek for inspiration to find answers. I have accepted the challenge! That is right before the end of my mission. And I know it will strengthen my faith and relationship with Christ. I invite you to join with me!!! :)

Christmas was good, I managed to not overeat or gain like 12 pounds like I did last year! Woohoo! Going strong! Thank you all so much for the wonderful cards and gifts you sent me. I really loved each of the things I got, and I'm grateful for the thought that was put into it, just for me! Thank you thank you! :) thank you for your words of encouragement, love, and advice. I couldn't do it without you!

I am grateful for my Savior. I am grateful for the knowledge that I have of this restored gospel. I know this Church is the only living and true church. Christ is at the Head!

I love all of you, you are the best! I miss you and I am so grateful for you!
Have a great week and rest of the year!
Love,
Sister Inman

I'll talk to you next year! It's been an eventful, wonderful year. I went through the temple. I participated in several baptisms and have been able to help many more begin or continue their journey. I am so grateful to be a missionary! Here's to a great 2016, and a new chance and opportunity in 2017!!! :)

Ugly sweater contest.... look at the tree!!! Haha

After our performance!

After our performance!

The gift exchange at the Christmas conference

Look what I got! "Oh snap" with broken gingerbread men! Haha

They got put in the corner for jumping on the couch haha.

Getting ready on Christmas Eve!

This gingerbread house is two stories... has outdoor Christmas
lights, and is furnished on the inside. WOW. This family takes this
thing seriously! It's so awesome!!!

This was the other one. Also furnished. With lights.

We are loved!!! Christmas!!!

We got matching onesies!!! I was so excited!!!

We put everyone's last names (in our district) on mini stockings
and filled them with candy. It was fun to do :)

The necklace that Aunt Kathy gave me. It's super pretty! I love it :)

Helping Sister Leach wrap presents!

Some of our Christmas decorations!

A member gave us money for a treat! So, in the winter, we got Frost
Gelato haha :)

We decided to make our own fireplace out of tissue paper, cardboard
boxes and paper, Christmas lights, paint, and a sharpie! We were
actually surprised with how good it turned out! It added to the
Christmas feeling!

We're not Charlie's angels, we're the Lord's active duty missionaries. :)

 I beat Parker at an intense sword fight!

Christmas morning, new dress

Onesies - Front

Onesies - Rear

you stinkers! Sister Inman's view of our Skype session. We were singing jingle bells with our mouth's closed.

snow on the mountain

Sister Inman Letter - December 19, 2016

Feliz Navidad, Merry CHRIST-mas, and Happy Birthday, Jesus! :)

Well hello my fantastic family!!!

This week was pretty rough, work-wise. We are running very dry on new investigators (or any, for that matter), so naturally it was hard to stay motivated to go out and to work. This week, we will definitely be exercising an increased amount of faith! God's power and influence in our lives is in part limited to how much faith we have, and our desire and commitment to act!  But we did have a few miracle happen this week, despite the fact that people are sick, lessons cancel, and much of our other time this week was spent at ward functions, meetings, and service! Next week will be SO much better. There is a lot of guilt that you feel when you know you haven't done as much as you feel you could or should have. I never want to have another day or week like that again.

We're ready to pound the pavement this week, be exactly obedient, have more meaningful studies, and set goals for every day during the week, and ACCOMPLISH them in faith.

This past week, I was really trying to focus on listening to and immediately following the promptings that the Spirit gives me. So, with a determination to act, Heavenly Father prompted us throughout the week of things that we could do to serve others. One particular morning, I was feeling not-so-motivated and depressed. So I prayed for the strength and motivation to be a missionary that day, and asked for direction. Immediately, the thought came into my head, "Get up and go serve someone." I immediately got up, and went over to Sister Spencer. I started by saying, "I don't know about you, but I am having a very hard time this morning. I'm feeling depressed, and I need to do something about it." She finished my thought and said "We need to go serve someone. Right now." I said, "Exactly, that's just what I was thinking too! Let's think about some people that we could serve, ask around, and we'll go."

We prayed to know who needed our service, and then looked over some names in the ward. A few came to our minds, and we sent them all messages. I wrote a few names down, and one stood out to me. Sister Spencer also had that same name in mind.  So that morning, we texted her and asked if we could come over and serve her. She responded and said YES. So we went over to her house a short while later. She was so grateful and she was very overwhelmed as a young mother who was recently called to the Primary Presidency. She had been praying for a miracle, because she had a task at hand that would have been impossible for her to do on her own. Something simple as cutting out like 60 balloon-shaped papers, and taping them on the end of bendy straws. She was also one in charge of table decorations for the Christmas party the next night. It literally would have been impossible without a miracle. She couldn't believe it! She thanked us over and over again and was almost brought to tears, because God had answered her prayers through us.

On another occasion, a family's name kept popping in my head, and I didn't know why. They are an active, awesome family, and we love them! But we went over there anyway, and asked her if there was something that we could do to help her. (She has her hands full with a lot of hyperactive kids, and she has so much on her plate). She said no, but then asked if we wanted to come inside. We did, and then after a little while, she asked if we could please help her with her dishes. We said yes, absolutely! And we ended up cleaning her whole kitchen. It turns out that she hadn't eaten or had much all day, and began to shake and didn't feel so good. So we were able to let her rest and eat while we listed this small burden for her. It felt so good to serve!!

On Sunday, we did our musical number in Sacrament. (The same one we will be doing at the Christmas Conference- Mary, Did You Know?). We have been earnestly praying as we have practiced that we would be able to sing and perform in such a way that the Spirit could testify, and fill the room so that all could be blessed by it. We had been praying that we could feel the emotion and true meaning of the song we performed, and when we finally broke it down, read through the words, pondered, and discussed what it really meant, the Spirit testified to both of us that the Savior is truly the Redeemer of the World, that He did come to earth to be born in humble circumstances, and to understand each of us personally as He suffered our pains and afflictions and temptations, and everything we would ever go through. Well, our musical number went really well, and it brought the Spirit for sure! People cried, and thanked us. I was so grateful to my Heavenly Father.

I have a testimony that if we are willing to follow the promptings that we receive, and ACT according to His will, we can not only receive answers to our own prayers, but we can also be the answer to someone else's. I don't want to be the reason that someone else's prayer goes unanswered on delayed. Here's to a new week, and I'm excited to be the Lord's servant this week. Especially the week of His birthday!

What gift can we give Him? Our Hearts! Look for ways to serve this week. Develop Christlike attributes, and as you do this, you will come to know the Savior, as you will become more like Him. 

Have a great week and Merry Christmas! I look forward to Skyping you on Sunday! See you soon!

Sister Inman

Last week's average temperature....This week's has been in the 30's-50's range. Brrrr!!!!!!

A member gave us money for Freddy's so we went :D

One of the Christmas parties. I've never seen one so PACKED. All of the seats were filled.

Selfie yeah!

Caught in my natural habitat... and found a new talent

Sister Inman Letter - December 12, 2016

14 Months Out. 4 months left. It's Go time.

Well ladies and gentlemen, another week out, and I've hit 14 months today. 

Lots of pictures today!!!

I am so grateful to have Sister Spencer as my companion. Even just the first day we were together, I knew it was inspired. It has been a little rocky week, due to trying to adjust to things and I'm still figuring out what's going on and taking over the area a little earlier than expected, and we both were struggling a little bit with depression his week. However, because of this, I think we can relate and know how to help each other overcome this challenge. We've already seen success together, and I've already learned so much! We can just laugh, and vent, and cry, and discuss, etc. ANYthing. It's so great! I don't know how I managed to be so lucky, but I know that the Lord has been hearing and answering my prayers. How sweet it has been so far. I am just filled with gratitude.

I am optimistic for this transfer, but I also have the prompting and feeling that this transfer will only be as successful as I make it. This is the same with all other transfers, but I feel this one is different. I could slump back into my weaknesses, or I could use this as a time to strengthen myself and my companion, buckle down and take everything I have learned and put it into practice. I feel like God is giving me another chance, and He wants me to succeed. And even though I seem to never be enough, I think he knows I WILL accomplish a lot this transfer. I feel like He trusts me enough to let me take the lead this transfer. Almost like He is saying, "Okay, Sister Inman. You've made some great progress on your mission so far. But I know that you are capable of becoming and doing so much more. I am giving you the tools, the companion, the hope, and the faith you need to give it your all. I trust you with this area. I know you will become the missionary you are meant to become this transfer."

So my companion and I have decided to do a musical number for the 1/2 mission Christmas Conference next Wednesday! She can sing, and I'm getting better at the piano, so we are doing "Mary, Did You Know?". One of my favorites! I've been working really hard on it whenever we have breakfast, lunch, or before bed, etc. And I've gotten a lot better! Please pray that I can do well enough to sound good! :)

Tuesday, Diane had her baptismal interview, and she passed! Obviously, haha. And when she came out, I asked her how she felt, and she said, "Excited! I can't wait!" and she had a big smile on her face. She's so sweet. She was so ready.

Wednesday we had zone meeting in Sahuarita. Three Missionaries that I have served with are going home tomorrow :'( Elder Dilworth, who was my first zone leader, in Sierra Vista, Elder Carico, who was in my district in the Gila Valley, and Sister Daun, who I served with in Sierra Vista, Northwest, and now Southeast. I have met some of the best people and friends on my mission. And I will miss them!

 

Elder Carico, from Houston, Texas.

Elder Dilworth, from Burley, Idaho. (Throwback to 14 months ago!)

Throwback to Northwest!

Sister Daun from Cincinnati, Ohio.

Southeast Zone, sorry for the bad quality!

Elder Dilworth is "dying". Get it? 

Las Hermanas!

Saturday was the GREATEST DAY ever!

I LOVE DIANE! There was such a good turnout, and she had so many supporters there. Because of the new ward, she is the FIRST EVER baptism in the history of the Mt. Fagan Ward! None of the bishopric were going to be able to make it, though they wanted to, but by some miracle, two of them were able to come. The baptism was so beautiful, and we got to stand behind and watch her from the steps of the font. So we got to watch her face and encourage her. There was a special spirit there. Her nonmember daughter came, and we didn't think she would. She is not really interested, but she was brought to tears. Diane bore her testimony at the end about how she knows the priesthood power is real, and that she knows that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the one and only true church. Pow.

Later that day, there was a senior's dinner for the community, hosted by the church, in conjunction with a local program/service. It was so much fun, and we sat with a table of senior citizens and got to know them and eat Christmas dinner with them! They were so funny! Mary Jo, Sharon, John, Fred, and Jack. How fitting! We also got a picture with Santa! :)

How great it is to get to know people and to be a missionary in simple ways. we got contact information from a couple of them and hope to visit them soon! :)

Well, I just love this gospel. I am determined to be a consecrated missionary. I won't waste a second of these last few months I have. I'm going to rely on the Lord, feast upon the word, be exactly obedient, do my very best, and God will do the rest. My challenge for myself is to invite ALL to come unto Christ. To never hesitate to share what I know.

We are hopefully meeting with Nathaniel this week!! Thank you for your prayers in his behalf! Diane was most DEFINITELY blessed by your prayers, and she said "I had no idea just how different I would feel. A burden was completely lifted off my shoulders. I just feel so good!" Her confirmation blessing was beautiful, and I plan on writing it out for her soon. 

I just thought of something. You know the saying, "if there's a will, there's a way"? Well think about this: "When we act according to HIS will, HE provides a way". Whoah! Thanks, Spirit! I love those random a-ha moments! 

Here's a couple more thoughts:

"Don't evaluate yourself... harshly".- President Passey In other words, allow yourself to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses, and with a determination to improve, try your best and trust in God to help you!

Favorite scripture of the week: Mosiah 2:31, 41 Keep the commandments, and God blesses you with Happiness, and NO enemy (or weakness!) can overpower you!

I love you all so much, I keep you in my prayers, and I can feel yours every day. It's what gets me through!

Have a great week!!! :)

Sister Inman

Sister Inman Letter - December 5, 2016

8 Week Transfer? Wahoo!

Well hello family!

This week has been quite the turn of events. Wednesday evening, we got a call from President Passey, and he told us that we would be having an early transfer. "Not an emergency transfer, but an early transfer. These changes were already going to happen in a couple of weeks, but instead of waiting till then, we're just going to switch it now. Sister McCombie will be leaving to Casas Adobes to be a Sister Training Leader (STL), and Sister Inman will be getting Sister Spencer. You'll be switching Friday morning before the Leadership Meeting." 

What????!!!!! Well okay..... Neither of us expected to receive this call so early, as transfers are in 2 weeks! But I immediately felt peace, knowing that Sister Spencer was going to be my companion. I served in the Northwest Zone with her, and I LOVE her!!! So, needless to say, I was excited for that, but I didn't expect the change to happen so fast! But I know Sister McCombie will do great wherever she goes and especially in that area! :)

So my new companion, Sister Spencer, is from Indiana, and she's been out for about 6 months. I was there when she first came out :) I am so excited and grateful to be her companion, and she has already strengthened and helped and taught me so much. She is a musician, just like me, and I finally have a companion that is just as crazy and stoked about music as me!!! She is a singer, and I'm an instrumental performer, and so when you put the two together, it's a beautiful duo. At least this one is. Haha. :)

So Thursday was mainly spent saying goodbye to people, and also serving as much as possible! We worked at the food bank, and we also helped a widow in our ward set up and decorate her Christmas Tree. It always feels good to serve, expecially during Christmas! How have you served someone this month so far? How is the #LighttheWorld challenge going so far?

Here's pictures from before the transfer:

 

Look what I found!!!!! Hahahahaha

 

District picture! I love our district!

 

Working at the food bank, getting rid of what we call "science experiments" haha.

 

Food bank, pt. 2

 

Decorating the Christmas tree!

 

Thursday night, saying goodbye to the Leach's

 

Last companionship picture.

And then I'll just start from Friday on, because that's where most of the juice is! It has really been a wonderful past few days. Lots of tender mercies and miracles to offset the stress of an early transfer. 

Every single lesson that Sister Spencer and I have taught and been a part of has been incredible. The Spirit has been SO strong, and SO powerful, and there are just a few specific times on my mission where the Spirit has borne witness that strongly and where both my companion and I were able to be on the same wavelength and just speak boldly and testify of Christ. Wow, it feels great to be a missionary! I just feel so lifted and empowered and excited.

Our first lesson was with Diane. We went over the baptismal questions with her, and she nailed it. She is so prepared, and I just love her. She's a miracle. She is one of the reasons that I was assigned to this mission, and why I came to Vail. She is that one person whose life I was supposed to touch. And what a privilege it has been to be the Lord's instrument in helping her come unto Him. Please pray for her this week, as Satan has already been trying so hard to stop her! Keep going strong, Diane!!! :) December 10th!!!

Then we met with Nathaniel. This was super powerful. This was when we felt the Spirit super strong. We were talking about what his vision for himself is, and where he sees these lessons going, etc. We asked him to compare himself from the times that he first started meeting with missionaries to now. He said that there is a big difference. He comes to church almost every Sunday now, and he feels the Spirit when he comes. He prays. He is already in Jarom of the Book of Mormon. (He calls him Jarome haha). But we talked about our last lesson on the Plan of Salvation, and how this life is the time to prepare to meet God, and how we will choose where we will go, depending on our actions. He had answered that he wanted to go to the Celestial Kingdom, but he guesses he'll go wherever God puts him. I had an interesting prompting, which led the conversation in kind of a different direction than any of us expected. Here's how it went:

Me: Nathaniel, you can decide where you want to go! You can choose to keep the commandments, and repent, and follow Jesus Christ. And if you do these things, you won't have to wait until Judgement Day to know where you're going to go. What are you worried about? Where do you think you're going to go?

Nathaniel: I just feel like I'm going to Hell.

Me: Why do you think you're going to Hell? (There it is. That's what my prompting was. Ask him why he feels like he's going to Hell. Because he has told us that before, but if he truly believes that, there is a deeper concern).

Both Sister Leach and Sister Spencer just raised their eyebrows and their jaws dropped. Did I really just ask that? Nathaniel paused and just looked at me for a second, and then he thought about it.

Nathaniel: I've just done too many really bad things in my life. I will never be able to take that back.

Me: Do you believe that God can forgive us of our sins? 

Nathaniel: Yes,but it doesn't matter how many times I say sorry, it's not going to get rid of what I've done in my life. There's a limit to how many times you can say sorry for something. Saying sorry doesn't make up for anything that I did.

Me: Nathaniel, I testify that you can be forgiven of your sins. Just a few moments ago, you told us of the changes that you had made, even just since you started meeting with missionaries 8 months ago. You have been able to feel the Spirit, finally, when you come to church! You are making changes in your life that show your Heavenly Father that you want to change. And that is the whole reason Jesus Christ came down to earth, to pay the price for your sins, so you can change, and be forgiven. Even if you were the only person on the earth, Jesus Christ would have come down to Atone for your sins alone. It would have been worth it to Him.

After this, my companion testified of the Atonement, and was reminded of a scripture in the Book of Mormon that shows us His infinite mercy, and it was just perfect. She then testified of the forgiveness that comes when we repent. That "as oft as we repent we will be forgiven". If we are truly sincere, we will be forgiven. The Spirit bore powerful witness to all of us that these things were true, and afterward, Sister Spencer said she didn't even remember what she said, but that the Spirit gave her the words. She didn't know Nathaniel. This was her first day. And yet the Holy Ghost gave her the words to speak, which ended up being exactly what he needed to hear. The Spirit is such a sweet thing. It has been so wonderful to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, in particular the last couple of days. I think this will be a great transfer. :)

Anyway, I know that this is true. That's all the time I have, but I am so excited to be a missionary. I just feel good about God's plan for me. He has sent my companion and I so many tender mercies and has reminded us that He is very aware of us. I love the Lord. I love this Gospel. I love my mission.

I hope you have a wonderful week, I love you so much!

Sister Inman

 

This happened to me. It was the worst moment ever. I don't even know HOW this happened.

 

Gingerbread houses we made with a family in the ward, who invited two recent converts over for FHE!

 

Sister Spencer and I (Just look at her smile. Isn't she cute?)

Sister Inman Letter - November 28, 2016

#LighttheWorld

Hello hello hello!

Sorry, I just cut the tip of my finger like an hour ago, so I put gauze and a band aid over it, but it makes it very awkward and inconvenient to type with haha. So if there are any random Z's or S's or other letters, or if it my email isn't as long, sorry! It's because I am missing the use of my ring finger! You don't know what you've got till you can't use it anymore! Haha.

Well, Thanksgiving was good! We actually resorted to just one Thanksgiving dinner, but it was very good, and though I felt very full afterwards, I didn't go into a food coma, nor did I completely stuff my face and I am not as worried about the extra pounds that I gained last year during the Holidays. One holiday down, Two to Go! Haha :) Trying to resist the urge to try every flavor of pie. Speaking of which, last night for dinner, our new Ward Mission Leader had us over for dinner and we had homemade Chicken Pot Pie! Man, was it good! Flaky Crust, all the fillings, it was the best. :)

So this week was yet another unique experience! 

Monday night, we felt that we should try this one family in the ward. Then when we got there, we didn't feel right about it. Those moments are the best.... but then we prayed to know where to go, and Sister McCombie was reminded of a potential investigator that she had found a few months ago. We felt good about it, so we went. The TV was on and pretty loud, but we knocked on the screen door. No response and it was pretty quiet, because I didn't want to sound like I was trying to break down the door. They didn't have a doorbell, (Who'da thunk that you'd miss door bells?) But we tried everything. The window, the wind chimes, everything. I was determined to get this door opened. And then we heard someone say, "Someone is knocking!" And they came to the door and opened it. There she was! Vicki! She was friendly to us, and we asked her if we could come back and share a message about Jesus Christ that would bring strength and happiness and peace to her life. She said "Yes!" We asked her how she thought that it would bless her family to strengthen her relationship with Christ, and she said, "Well, it would really help our family. We are going through a really hard time right now, with my daughter's illness [not for blog: she has cancer]." She invited us back, and we look forward to meeting with her again! New investigator on a Monday!

Then on Wednesday, we met Neila. Neila is an investigator that was previously in the Vail Elders' area, but due to the ward split/boundary changes, she is now in our ward! :) Sorry for them, but awesome for us! She is amazing! So some background on Neila, I wish I could tell you everything, but there is only so much I am allowed to share over email. She is from Northern Africa, [not for blog: A place called Tunisia, look it up on the map] and she is very committed to the faith that they practice there. She came to America and fell in love with the Christians. She loves the Mormons in particular. She came to America, and said, "this country has God!" Really, we don't realize how good we have it in the United States. We get to practice and believe what we so choose! Another thing to be grateful for! :)

Well, that's all the time I have, but I wanted to introduce you to the Christmas video! #LighttheWorld !

There is an Advent Calendar that starts December 1st, and goes till Christmas! There will be a new video coming out every DAY. Watch the kickoff video at: https://www.mormon.org/?cid=HP_FR_25-11-2016_dMIS_fmorg_xLIDyL1-A_

The Christmas season is about service. Christ served every day of His life. Every day in December, go to the website to find a way to serve... just like the Savior did. 25 ways, in 25 days. We are so excited! I look forward to hearing your experiences!!!

Anyway, the Church is true, the Gospel is Perfect, Christ is our Savior. I love each and every one of you.

Have a great week!

Happy birthday Dom! Love you!

Love,

Sister Inman

Dinner with some members from Thatcher!

Ugh, the quickest way to start a fight at a Thanksgiving party. 

Thanksgiving with the Leach's!