Reunited and It Felt So Good ✨ 8.29.16

Wow, what a week. So my title literally is what my week consisted of.

A lot of different reuniting this week. It's been so cool to look back on the last 11 1/2 months and see the memories I've made, people I've met, and so much more. Serving a full-time mission is something I'll NEVER regret.

We went to Columbus Zoo today. So so fun. Sister Birchett and her comp was there, Sister Harris and her comp were there, and other sisters were there the same time! It was so much fun to be back in Powell for sometime...(since that's where the zoo is). Sister Clark and I fed giraffes today. (': I'm sorry Jenessa, I know you're jealous.

This week I went on exchanges with the one and only SISTER HARRIS.

Yes, my old companion is now a Sister Training Leader. Talk about a tender mercy. Seriously, I love her so very much. It was such a great day to be able to work with her again. She is such a huge example in my life. Love her <3333.

AHHHHH. I WENT TO FAIRBORN, MY FIRST AREA. I was able to witness my investigator Kathy get baptized (': it was the most beautiful baptism.

Darrell and Kathy were married Friday night then Kathy was baptized Saturday. Darrell has some obstacles to overcome before he gets baptized but he will be baptized in the next couple weeks. <3 All of us 5/6 sisters that taught that beautiful family sang a musical number together and each bore our testimonies. It was so beautiful. They've gone through a lot of rivers, climbed mountains, and endured a lot to get to this point. BUT the Lords timing is perfect. This was all suppose to be part of their journey. Darrell came up to me at the end and said, "we wouldn't be here without you." I told him it was the spirit of God and the Lord. He said "you brought the spirit into our home." As I sat at that baptism, it hit me how important this work is.

This is the Lord’s work and truly changes the lives of others. I also was able to see my trainer, Sister Wolf. That was such a bittersweet experience. She goes home in two months and I'm going to miss her so much ):

Unfortunately, this week one of our investigators had to go to the emergency room when we were with them...so President Daines gave us the okay to go visit in the hospital. It was such a scary experience...but I learned the Lord’s timing is everything. We needed to be where we were, with the members we were with, for our investigator and their health. As I walked the hospital halls, my desire to be a nurse grew. It oddly enough was comforting to be in a hospital again...I miss working at the hospital. But, our investigator is doing good and should be back home now!

Ah, cool story. So we met this 8th grader and referred us to J across the street. Well, a J doesn't live there but we met J on Wednesday! He is such a prepared soul. Seriously, the Lords timing is perfect. We extended soft baptism on his door step and went back Friday to teach him the restoration. It was such a powerful lesson.

I've never been in such a powerful lesson! The member we brought bore her testimony and shared her conversion story. There almost wasn't a dry eye in the room! He accepted baptism for October 1st that night!

Sunday morning we went to his house to explain church service...he was ready to go at 8:45 and church wasn't until 9:30. The whole time we talked about church he said he was anxious in a good way to go. He went all three hrs and loved it! After priesthood he said, "we talked about home teaching. That is such a Great idea." Us: "Jerry, you get home teachers when you are baptized." Jerrys eyes get big:"really?!

That's so cool". Ah, it is so great! We have a lesson at a members house with him tonight. Please pray for him. That he can receive a witness of the truthfulness of Joseph smith and that no opposition will pull him away.

The groupies ‍‍‍ the nickname we have give our 4 friends haha. E, R, and A are doing fantastic! They are absolutely incredible. We had a fantastic lesson Friday and it was so powerful with the member we brought. They desire to change. E said he talked to Eand she is doing Better health wise....she said she misses and loves us so much. )': ah, I miss her! Please pray for them individually for strength and support.

Ch is doing okay. We need to help him progress more...we will see how tonight goes with him.

K is doing pretty good! Love that man so so much.

What a bittersweet experience coming home Friday morning from exchanges to find out my best friend opened his mission call Thursday night at my home ❤️ my family kept where he was going and when a secret until I heard from Justin himself. I patiently waited to hear from him and received the best email from him.... COLUMBIA, MEDELLIN reporting December 28th. That is what this work is all about. Changing lives which leads to more lives being changed. Elder Justin Olson will be THEE greatest missionary out there. He has been such an amazing example to me and I feel so humbled that I get to be a part of his whole journey....what a tender mercy from the Lord. He will do miracles in Columbia!

My testimony of the Lords timing became impeded into my heart and soul. With everything that has happened the past week hospital trip, Justin's receiving his call, exchanges with my lovely past companion, going to my old area, seeing old companions, meeting certain people, everything. The Lords hand is literally in the details of our lives.

As I've strengthened my faith in the Savior and His gospel, I've been able to see His hand more clearly in my life and others lives. It's insane the plan that the Lord has already for us. All we need to do is simply follow Him. I testify that that is true. The Lords timing is always perfect. We may be early or late, but He is ALWAYS on time.

This is His gospel. Live it and greater happiness will entire your life. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Until next Wednesday, it's transfers next week. (I love Marysville...I don't want to leave...prayers that we stay in Marysville). Thanks for all the love and support!

XOXO,

Sister Detamore

Reunited with Sister Harris ❤️

Zoo

Kathys baptism (':

Warm heated blankets at the hospital.

 

Bonus Pictures

Hey! Jen here again, Found more never before seen pictures of Sister Detamore on her mission Facebook page.

 

Mission Service project

Zone conferences and meetings

Clippers game

Orange Is The New Black 8.23.16

Friends and Family

Hello! I hope you all have had an incredible past week. To all going back to school, good luck! It's definitely a bittersweet time as a missionary. I have absolutely loved serving as a missionary during the summer. It's been such a great experience but I'm so excited to welcome FALL in.

(Be prepared for pics and vids)

We had an incredible End of Summer Mission Activity today! So SO SO fun. Ah. I love my mission. I love my zone. I love my district (#orangeisthenewblack). Literally thee best zone out there. I've never seen such unity until today. Lots of volleyball, waffle ball, ultimate Frisbee, rely race, and tug-a-war (don't worry us sisters in the Columbus North Zone won it)

So here's the work:

E is doing great! It's been incredible to work with him. The other day his friend R and M asked if they could join in the lessons. R was hoping to have his wife, A join as well...and she did yesterday! She said she was a little nervous too. She has made a lot of mistakes and feels like God doesn't love her....but she said she feels like we are here to help her! When E gets back she will join as well! I sorta feel like we are Alma teaching the people by the waters of Mormon. Hahaha. It's been great ☺️ They all have such a desire to change especially with the choices they've made in the past.

Cool experience with them: one morning Sister Clark and I were talking about teaching the Godhead more clearly at the beginning of the restoration so they would understand their roles more and so that they would understand the significance of the 1st vision more. So we taught about the Godhead to E and R. When we got to the 1st vision I pulled out a painting of it and before we said anything about it, E goes "So God and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith." Sister Clark and I looked at each other in shock. It was exactly what we wanted to happen as we taught the Godhead more. So cool.

K is doing great. Sadly, he didn't go to church on Sunday my little heart broke a little. We went through the baptismal interview questions and we have some stuff to review but overall, ready for baptism! We had to move his baptismal date to Sept. 17th though.

Ch. Oh boy. This guy. He really has a desire to change and be baptized but he only picks up like half of the info we teach so it might be a little longer process with him but we are more than happy to help him (:

We did service for some neighbors next door to some members. We moved about 80 little piglets from one pen to another. Just imagined us getting in a 8 different pens with piglets, grabbing by the back leg, and picking them up. Definitely a new experience. Ps; PIGS SMELL SO BAD. but it was an enjoyable experience hah (:

We had the opportunity to go to activity days and teach about missionary work. It was so much fun!

After church on Sunday we went to do a lesson with three of our recent converts and as we went to go sit down two little ones were running up a down the hall without their parents (both parents have callings and had meetings). So they two cute little ones went to our lesson with us, Tyler, and The other member. Bahaha. It was so adorable. They remind of my nieces and nephews...so it was a tender mercy. I love them. ☺️

I've been so grateful to be a missionary. Some days are harder than others but the experience is something I'm humbled to be a part of.

This week I had a realization of how lucky I am to be able to serve a full-time mission. Everyone doesn't get this experience and I feel so blessed that my Father in Heaven gave me the opportunity.

When we build ourselves upon the rock of our Savior Jesus Christ and His gospel, the mighty winds and storms will have no power to drag us down. Helaman said, "a foundation wherein if men build, they cannot fall." Helaman 5:12. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is there to be our source of strength. Often times, people look to worldly things to feed their hunger for happiness and fill their emptiness. BUT the only thing to feed and fill them completely for eternity is living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That is the only way to find true lasting happiness. If you become disengaged from gospel principles, you are stepping off a firm foundation. In this age, it is easy to make up excuses of why you don't have time to pray, read, go to church, and not live gospel principles. President Uchtdorf said "My dear brethren, will you please look inside your hearts and ask the simple question:

'Lord, is it I?' Have you disengaged--even slightly--from 'the … gospel of the blessed God, which was committed to [your] trust'? Have you allowed 'the god of this world' to darken your minds to 'the light of the glorious gospel of Christ'?" Close quote. May we all look to the Savior and His Teachings to find joy and happiness. He is the truth, the light, and the way. The Book of Mormon is the word of God along side the bible. The gospel is the way to find lasting happiness.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Until next Monday. Thanks for all the love and support!

XOXO,

Sister Detamore

Mission activity

Ken

Pig service

Cute kiddos in the ward

Activity Days

Being models in our apartment

Our Zone

"Choose a Happy Day" ✨ 8.15.16

Hello To You All:

It's been an awesome week in the Great OCM located in the cute town of Marysville. I love it here. I really do. I can't believe tomorrow it's 11 months since I said goodbye to my old life and headed on this journey. I had no idea what the Lord had in store for me but I am ever so thankful I accepted the call to serve a full-time mission. It's been the HARDEST thing I've LOVED to do. What a blessing it is to serve in the Great OCM; no place could be better and time goes by way to fast...

Here is the happenings for the past week:

What a fun week with Grandpa K.☺️ Monday evening we went to the Snow’s and had a family home evening with them. It was such a fun evening. Tuesday we had a lesson with him at the Cottle’s. Saturday lesson with Sister Smith. Yesterday lesson at the Bishop Hiltscher’s home. And...HE CAME TO CHURCH. AH. It was such the sweetest thing to watch him walk in yesterday with his nice pants and button-up shirt, singing the hymns with him, and having him read clear and very loud...from the gospel principles book. He has one more lesson that we will be doing Tuesday and only needs to go to church two more times to be eligible for his baptism on September 3rd! We are too excited for him! Please keep K in your prayers that he can make it to church.

We started to meet with E’s boyfriend E, who is quite in a dilemma...causing him to not be eligible for baptism until February BUT he desire to change and be baptized so that's exciting! He gave us the greatest synopsis of what he read in the Book of Mormon the other day; more than I knew about the chapter! We will be meeting with E but at this time she cannot meet due to health conditions...which answer our questions of where she went and why we couldn't get ahold of her. So all is well with her.

C sorta...kinda..half-way dropped us this week? Not sure how to explain it lol. He said that he is going to live the standards of the church, he will live all of them and he just isn't ready to make that commit yet. Hopefully, through fasting and prayer, he will be able to realize the importance of this message in his life.

Don't know if any of you remember B...the rescuer for animals who is a less actives roommate? Well, we taught her the full restoration this week and she took it really well. Our relief society president, who is a convert shared her testimony of Joseph Smith and how she came to feel he was a prophet. B then said, "I have full faith that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet by God." It was incredible!!! She has a lot of questions that we will help to answer but we have full faith in her! She accepted soft baptism too! After that lesson, the less active told us that B kept saying there is a reason why this came into her life and that she "wants to learn more about this Prophet Smith." Ah, we love her. Pray for her to receive a confirmation to be baptized.

This week was a bit of a tough one for me. Many of you may not know but about a year ago after I went through the temple, I was pretty depressed for about two weeks after. Who knows why I felt that way...but I did. This week that same feeling of emptiness and depression came back. All week it continued to get worse and worse...to the point where I did call Sister Daines. After a long talk with Sister Daines and taking her advice to put my shoes on, walk to the store to get dark chocolate, and cool off...I felt way better.

It's not a normal thing for me to feel that way....I'm usually a happy, upbeat, positive person. BUT It has helped me to have empathy to people I have met and taught on my mission. I'm able to feel such a small portion of what others feel and it helps me to understand them better. It's taught me a lot about my Savior. He literally felt everything myself or others have gone through. I am better able to understand that part of the Atonement. So despite the challenge, it's been a blessing.

Sister Daines later text us and told us to ".....choose a happy day!"

That line hit me hard. I decided that despite how I felt inside, I wanted to choose a happy day. I came to understand that despite challenges and concerns, we can find the beauty of the day. I love my companions example..she not only figuratively lives the line "stop and smell the roses" but she literally does. Every rose bush we see. I love it. The Lord has given us the beauty of the earth and it's our choice to open our eyes to the light of Christ. Despite the darkness around us, we can find light. "We can know with a surety when our lives are dark that Jesus Christ can transform that darkness into light."

I testify that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ can bring light into our lives despite the challenges we each face. I felt that within my own life and I promise you can too. The Prophet Joseph Smith truly restored simple truths to the earth when God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ appeared in the Sacred Grove. We bring light and truth into our lives as we read the Book of Mormon and apply it's teachings into our lives. The Church is true and the gospel is the only way to find true and everlasting happiness in this life. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. Until next Tuesday...we have a mission activity next week so our zones p-day was changed to Tuesday. Thanks for all the love and support. Love and miss you all. Choose a happy day. Smell the roses.

XOXO,

Sister Detamore

1. Helping V and O clean windows

2. Helloooo Charles House

3. eLeVeN mOnThS

God is Good 8.8.16

H E L L O ⚓️

It's been a great week but also I felt like it blurred all together.

Ha I don't really remember much so this email will probably be super lame but oh well, lol.

Wednesday we went to the temple with Tyler, Sister Miller, and Brother Hansen. It was such an incredible experience to watch Tyler enter the temple for the first time and to do family names. Tyler was beaming the entire time and grinning from ear to ear. A flood of memories from doing youth baptisms came back to memory and as I sat in the temple, I reflected on the joy this gospel has brought me. Though I didn't always have the strongest testimony or easy road, I do know that it blessed my life 100% of the time.

K is doing great! We taught him about the Word of Wisdom and he didn't really want to give up coffee. The next day we went by for a lesson and asked about the word of wisdom...he had no idea what that was...I was like, "oh, man..." so I asked about the coffee drinking and he said, "I stopped drinking it. You told me not to do it and that it was bad so I stopped!" I literally screamed with joy. He thought that was sweet ☺️ We will have to move his baptismal date thought because he hasn't come to church. But Saturday he sweared to God over the phone he would go next week...so hopefully he keeps that promise.

The other day I told him what we were going to talk about and that we would start with a prayer....he then went "I made a covenant with God last night in my prayer that I would be completely honest so I need to be honest with you." That made me nervous...he then said, "I have absolutely no idea what you just said. Could you repeat that?" Lol.

Love the old man. Grandpa K is my fav. ☺️

Ch is doing great! Not coming to church yet but we will keep working. He likes to tell a lot of stories so teaching him can be interesting lol.

E fell off the earth...super depressing ):

I don't think I've mentioned O and V. V has been going to church for the past 30 yrs and lives all the commandments but won't be baptized. We've been working with him and his wife a lot. The bishop and his member friend told us to keep working so we do. We have seen little steps of success but that's more than the steps that have been made in like the last year so that's good!

S is doing pretty good. He has a lot of questions about the world that prevent him from building faith but we've seen a change and we constantly meet people who bring him up or members that work out with him at a gym bring him up so we know we need to continue to meet!

As I studied the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, the phrase "blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted" stuck out to me. I always took that as the problem going away BUT nowhere in the phrase does it say that trial or problem would be taken away. Simply, it shared that we would be comforted. It is essential to face problems and solve them while we walk this mortal journey. The Lord intended for that to be a part of our training in this life to help us prepare for the next phase of our eternal existence. An unknown author said, "If all suffering and unhappiness could be removed from our lives, what kind of people would we be? I believe it would be impossible to produce strong, noble, generous, compassionate human beings if suffering were eliminated from our lives." We are given trials and problems to become refined in the hands of the Master. We need not feel alone, for the Savior is there. That is one of the many purposes of the Atonement; to find comfort and healing amidst trial.

God is GOOD. The church is true and will always be true despite the imperfect people God works through. No one is perfect except for our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. He has established His church today so we could receive the saving ordinances by the priesthood power.

Love one another as Jesus loves you because He does. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and it invites all to come unto Christ. I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Until next Monday, thanks for the love and support!

XOXO,

Sister Detamore

1-2. TEMPLE

3. Me, sister Clark, Sister Scott (my old comp and Sister Clarks MTC comp), and Sister Hall (sister Scott is training her and I knew her before the mission! Small world)

The Change in The World Starts with Y O U and M E ⚓️ 8.1.16

H E L L O ⚓️

No worries, I don't have much to share since it's been only a couple days but all is well in my favorite place, M A R Y S V I L L E.

So on Thursday evening we were talking to President Daines on the phone about the temple (will share the story in a minute) and he just seemed so happy. He then said, "Did you notice you two didn't get transferred?" Hahahaha. Sister Clark and I couldn't stop laughing. Yes President we noticed. Lol. What a great man. THANKS FOR NOT TRANSFERRING US PRESIDENT!

So the temple....DRUMROLL PLEASE.....we are going to the temple with T this Wednesday for him to do baptisms for the dead! Ah, we are SO excited for him. Yesterday, we printed off his family names so he can take them.

E is progressing! We have had such incredible lessons with her! She told us the other day that she put her baptismal date on her calendar and is so excited! Her boyfriend has made some serious mistakes in his life and she said he wants us to teach him about the gospel too!

K is so awesome. We watched The Testaments with him to help him understand the connection between the BOM and bible. He really enjoyed it! We may have to move his baptismal date since he hasn't been to church yet.

Ct is doing well. Please pray for him though! He doesn't feel ready for Aug. 20th but we feel it so strongly.

Oh Ch, man. Ill be honest. It took me awhile for me to get use to him. He has a bold (not very loving) personality when it comes to certain things. Two of the 5 lessons we went to with him I left frustrated, hurt, and angry. Little did he know that the things he said really affected me (and they had nothing to do with the gospel or gospel topics). I pleaded for charity for this man and our lessons were SO much better. He is such a great guy. I just needed to see him through God eyes. I was hurt, upset, and constantly thought about all the things he needed to change in himself. Then as I studied charity this stuck out: "As you follow this counsel and strive to do righteous works, your love for all people will increase, especially those among whom you labor. You will come to feel a sincere concern for the eternal welfare and happiness of other people. You will see them as children of God with the potential of becoming like our Heavenly Father, and you will labor in their behalf. You will avoid negative feelings such as anger, envy, lust, or covetousness. You will avoid judging others, criticizing them, or saying negative things about them. You will try to understand them and their points of view. You will be patient with them" I realized that I lacked that when it came to Ch and I wanted to change that. I prayed for charity towards him and my view changed. I saw him through Gods eyes and it was such an a incredible experience.

This week I learned how much Heavenly Father knows His children. We had a lesson with one of our investigators before church and he voiced that he doesn't get that if there is a loving God why does bad things happen in the world especially to good people. We tried to best answer his question and gave him a story in the BOM to read. Well during sacrament a member shared her life story growing up and it was such a sad story. She said that they did family/personal scripture study, prayer, and FHE faithfully yet all of these bad things happened. She then said boldly, "I LOVE my God. My god is a God who lets bad things happen to good people. I'm thankful for how I was raised and the experiences I had. I could have continually asked why all the bad things happened when we were living faithful to the gospel but I never did. Because I love my God and he knows best." My mind was blow! Tears filled my eyes because God reached out through her to our investigator. She doesn't even know our investigator. God is REAL. God is GOOD.

The world is becoming wickeder and wickeder. Imagine what Heavenly Father must feel right now. He is watching His children fight, hate, and be closed off to love, unity, etc. It would take a miracle for the world to change. God is a God of miracles. "If there were miracles wrought then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being? And behold, I say unto you He changeth not; if so He would cease to be God; and He ceaseth not to be God; and is a God of miracles." -Mormon 9:19. It takes our faith for miracles to occur.

Not only our faith but we need to do something. "Faith without works is dead." -James 2:26. We have to do work. We need to change. We are given the Atonement of Jesus Christ to change every day. Love can be used to change the world but pride, fear, and prejudices get in the way. Luckily, we have the Atonement to strip purples from the things opposite of the pure love of Christ (CHARITY). "We weed out hate when we teach love more fully in our homes."-Irinna Danielson. Let us focus on changing the nature within our own homes. Let us focus on the counsel given in Mosiah 4:14. We CAN change the world....one person, one family, one community at a time. If we start by living the gospel in our own homes, we can change the world. At the end of the day Jesus Christ will always overcome Satan. Evil will always fail against good.

The change in the world starts with YOU and ME. It starts by LIVING the gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Christ; the Savior of the World. His gospel was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smit. The Book of Mormon is the word of God along side the bible. We are children of God. We are eternal. We are destined to become like Him who sent us. God is Good. This is His work. I am His servant. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. Until next Monday, thanks for all the love and support!

XOXO,

Sister Detamore

1. We celebrate p-day with Taco Bell

2. Never go swimming ):

3. My new best friend, w. ❤️

4. Brother Farr (recently known as Elder Farr) who returned home from the Georgia Atlanta North Mission! Served with my best friend, Kira in Lilburn, GA. His aunt is dating C our investigator. He is now helping us teach C. Ah, tender mercy from the Lord!