i pole vaulted once. -Pres. Killpack

Hey Hey family,

hope everyone had a good memorial day! Well, I have interesting news. There was an early transfer the other day and my companion, Hermana Acevedo, whom I adore...was moved. I guess God decided that having partners in crime on the mission is a little too much fun. (kidding) So, I have a new companion now! Her name is Hermana Barlow (and she knows Jared!...well, she's seen him at UVU once upon a time) So just to save you some confusion in the future, there ya go.

I had kind of a "spirit slap" the other day, which just keeps haunting/prompting me.  it's how crucial opportunities are. I felt like I was kind of hitting a rock wall. This walls name is called "spanish and talking to people". Just wasn't working for me. But then Hermana Acevedo and I had a long talk, that had NOTHING to do with that subject, but I just felt like "God is not sending you out here to fail. He's just waiting to turn you into something, something you've been asking for...so do it!"

After a few more experiences like that, I've decided I'm just going to take control of MY area (since, currently I'm the only one who knows it) and make things happen. It's been a super cool experience, and The Big Guy upstairs and I are definitely having some good long chats as of late. But welcome to the mission!

I met this man the other day, his name is Ronald. When I went up to him he was disassembling door knobs for scraps of metal, and he was a bit annoyed because he thought we were selling something. I told him we were going around offering service to anyone who needed it, and he starts spilling his story of how he just got out of the hospital after 2 years and how he's lost almost everything. He started relating himself to Job. I asked him if he ever read the story and he said, "I just started getting so depressed with all the bad things that I stopped reading". I don't remember what I said, but he suddenly got really soft and said, "would you like to sit down?"

that's one of my favorite things in the world. Is when you can literally SEE the change in people.

We talked for awhile, gave him the book of mormon, and as I was getting up, I decided i'd make it into a movie moment. I shook his hand and said, "you wanna hear a secret? Job ended up being blessed with more than what he had originally...just because he was faithful"

He started crying and said, "well, in that case, I don't think it would all fit in my apartment!"

Leave it to me to attempt to be cheesy :P I hope the elders take care of that one.

Also, the other day Hermana Barlow and I were singing in a fireside in the east zone. (quick tangeant, MATT I FOUND "ON THE BORDER"! It's in the east zone, and it was sunday so I couldn't stop to eat there, but I found it...and I'm already making plans) anyways. we misjudged how long it would take to get there, and we were there 30 minutes early. I had my violin in the car, so Hermana Barlow (who also plays violin) and I just chilled in the parking lot and played. President Killpack drove up and heard us playing and told me that I need to play at more things. He also said I should play on street corners while my comp hands out pamphlets and BOMs. I'm still considering it :) this mission is turning into a music mission and I'm loving it. who would have thought?

Well, time to go hit the pavement...BUT so glad you had a good anniversary, tell Ashli congrats and that I love her at her wedding, tell Kayci Rae that she needs to write me (kayaks? what???), super glad you saw alexis and that she's leaving on her mish soon! and happy summer to mckay!

Love you all!

xoxo Hermana Kaitlyn Waters

we deliver everything but babies.

As I was driving to the library we saw that on a truck, and it made my entire day.

 

Anywho

hey hey hey. ready for a real email this time? Hopefully I can whip one out, if not let's all practice the trait of forgiveness and forgive me. :)

 

First off, a story. (I hope you are reading this Sister Wheatley, because you will appreciate it)

So about a month or two ago, sister wheatley had her photo album (all pics of her fam and friends) in the car and somehow it fell out of her bag or the car. We didn't realize it happened. When we got back that night, we started walking to our apartment and this guy around my age says "Miss, hey miss, I have something for you"

I turn around and he says "I saw that you dropped this photo album, and I bet it's important for you. I wasn't sure if you lived here, but I was just waiting to see you to give it back"

He watched for our car ALL day just to give it back. We thought it was super cool of him, and thanked him obviously, but never thought of it much after that.

 

WELL...yesterday as I was walking to the apartment, just to drop off something I hear "Miss...Miss". I look up the balcony and theres a guy. He said, "hey, I don't think you remember me...but I was the one who found your journal/picture thing". I got a big smile and I was like "oh ya! thank you so much for that!!!" I started walking away and he's like, "I just wanted to tell you, that I can just see that you are good people. I don't usually go around doing nice things, but when I saw it was you I just felt like it was something Christ would do, and that He would want me to give it back to you". Naturally that peaked my interest a bit. He then said, "I'm actually moving out, and I just wanted to say goodbye to you, because this might be the last time I ever see you..my friend is coming to pick me up, and I'm getting on a greyhound and just going wherever. I'm having lots of issues with roommates and life and whatnot and I just need to leave. But I just feel good knowing you're a good person". We talked for a little bit and I asked if I could give him something, as I reached in for my book of mormon he said he would read it, and that he doesn't understand everything, but he believes that his culture as a native american and what we give off are really similar, and that brings comfort. I gave him the book, shared my testimony about how it helps through all our trials, he shook my hand and said something in Navajo (or something like that). He looked like he was about to cry and he just said, "that means goodbye". I went back to my apartment, with this crazy feeling that that was all bigger than I realized and when I went back to the car...he was pulling out.

 

I feel like God is basically screaming at me through these people. Had sister wheatley not dropped her book, I would have never met that guy in the first place. We weren't planning on going to the apartment, but our dinner ended up just bringing dinner to church, so we had to drop it off at our apartment, and we got there minutes before he left. I don't know... The Lord just constantly amazes me.

 

To finish off, on Friday we had a Zone Conference with President Killpack. EVERY SINGLE THING HE SAID was what I was praying about.  It's a weird complex you have here on the mission because I know for at least me before I came here, I saw the missionaries as a type of "hero" or these "untouchable spiritual giants"...that they had the spirit and could do no wrong. But being here, I am finding and recognizing SO MANY of my flaws. I feel like I have repented here more than I have my entire life. It's kind of daunting, that you are constantly praying for what I need to do better or give up. Well, President talked a lot about sacrifice, and basically he said "you've given up a lot to be here. proof is that you are on a mission, taking 18 months to 2 years of your life...but we can always give more". He gave us all paper, and we wrote down, after praying what we need to sacrifice to help build God's kingdom. Once we did that, we went into the parking lot and threw them into a fire. BURNT SACRIFICES! (don't take that the wrong way anyone... I just started laughing when we did it)

 

He then testified so much of the blessings that come from sacrifice. And all that came into my mind was "when we don't hold back from the Lord, He wont hold back anything from us". He talked so much about belief and faith and how he knows what we are capable of doing. He said so much more, but I can't convey it well enough. He sent this email today that ties it in simply.

 

"Dear Elders and Sisters,

As a follow-up to Zone Conference, let me remind you that Faith precedes the miracle. Faith is a prerequisite to achieving the miracles we desire. There was no visible ram in the thicket before Abraham followed the command to sacrifice his son Isaac. There were no muzzles on the lions as Daniel was cast into the den. It wasn’t faulty workmanship that caused the walls of the prison that held captive Alma and Amulek to tremble and fall. And it wasn’t a pillar of light to which Joseph was drawn and that prompted him to pray. Faith precedes the miracle.

 

Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, “Faith is a gift of God bestowed as reward for personal righteousness. It is always given when righteousness is present, and the greater the measure of obedience to God’s laws the greater will be the endowment of faith.” Build your faith by acting in obedience and righteousness."

 

I know a huge reason I am here is to learn from him, and to learn from these people. I have witnessed how faith preceeds the miracle, but it is something I am working on more. I love it here, and I'm so happy to hear you are all doing well. Love you all, and constantly build your faith!

 

love,

hermana kaitlyn aguas

 

today i became an assasin

Dear World,

 

I'm staying in West Tucson

I am absolutely in love with these people

and that's all that matters.

 

xoxo

Hermana Aguas

 

ps. talk to you on mothers day fam

pps. yay for marriage. happy wedding day Heather Foster (soon to be) Hanson. Justin, you picked a good one.

future missionaries. They WILL convert the world.