ASKING FOR HELP - NOT AS EASY AS IT SOUNDS!

11/21/16

HEY MOM!

Okay so this past Saturday we attended a funeral for an older lady in the ward who hadn't been able to attend much the past few years because of cancer and other health problems. But she pasted away and the funeral was very well done, not a ton a people there but it was still very good. I don't know if I told you this but about a month ago, we went to another funeral for a young girl who was 21 and died of an asthma attack. She wasn't really active in the church and there were a ton of people there both members who knew her when she was younger and her friends who knew her recently. Both were very sad and at the same time full of hope, because at both funerals the plan of salvation was mentioned and emphasis was made on the life that both of them had lived. In both there was also the comment to look at your own lives and what you have done and how you can make your life better, in memory of the ones you have lost. All very emotional but I realized that no matter who you are, when you die, or what life you have lived the Plan of Salvation is still the same and we will still be able to see our loved ones again.

So last week, Saturday, we (Sister Smith and I) where asked by a member of the bishopric to speak in sacrament meeting this past Sunday. My topic was "Finding answers to your own gospel questions" So long story short I could not come up with anything and it was super stressful and so it's the night before and I am asking Sister Smith what she thinks and she tells me I should pray about it since I want to receive an answer to my question. And me and my prideful self are like "NO I don't wanna" when the rational part of my brain is like, "that's a good idea and could really help this process along." so after going back and forth for a good hour I FINALLY got on my knees and said a prayer. And after that the words came easily and I was able to finish my talk that night. Fast forward to yesterday morning when we are giving our talks in sacrament and I use some of the scriptures from the talk that I had written but all in all I didn't really use my notes at all. It's really cool and really frustrating at the same time. Cool because I know that it was by the spirit because I can't even remember what I said, but frustrating because I can't remember what I said. Oh well at least I made some people cry and I could definitely feel the spirit while Sister Smith and I were speaking. 

Okay so Wednesday was 70 degrees and then Thursday morning it dropped to 30 and started snowing!!!!!!!!!! It's gone now but it was so COLD!!! I stand by my statement that I do not like snow :( 

Nothing much else has happened this week, and since this week will be a holiday week we will be doing a lot of service. Since people don't really like it when we knock on there doors and they are trying to spend time with family and have Thanksgiving dinner :) 

LOVE YOU LOTS, 

Sister Sanofsky :)

COMP FEELING BETTER / LESS ACTIVE WORK IS HARD

11/14/16

HEY MOM!!!! 

I got your letter! We went home last Monday and it was sitting in the mailbox, but I got it!!! 

And Sister Smith is feeling a lot better. It's been great, and I haven't gotten sick yet and probably wont get sick, at least not by her.

Things in Denver are good. It still hasn't clicked in my head that the temple is fifteen minutes away. People talk about going to the temple and I think "Oh, you are going to be gone all day. Stuck in the car for 6 hours" But it's really not and I just can't wrap my brain around that! :P 

SO about our week, the mission has shifted focus to helping the ward and reactivating less active members. So we have been visiting a lot of less active members this past week. It's interesting the different responses that we get, some are "we don't want anything to do with the church, not interested" or they invite us in and tell us how much they love missionaries. It's like they consider themselves Mormon but don't come to church. Which when we teach them is frustrating because they, for some reason, aren't willing to admit to themselves that they aren't actually doing what they are suppose to. 

Also is Miranda doing one of the BYU softball camps this coming summer? I was talking with a member a couple nights ago and one of their daughters wanted to play softball at BYU, and he said the most important thing you could do is go to the camp, because BYU doesn't really do the whole recruiting thing because of the honor code and standards that you have to uphold. They just let players come to them. Anyway, yeah...just so you know. ;) 

But yeah that's all for this week :)

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

ARE YOU THERE? AND ARE YOU SEEING WHAT I'M SEEING? SWEET!!!

11/7/16

So I haven't heard from you in awhile, starting to think you don't love me????

please see Alma 60:6

In other news, I forgot to tell you last week, but we got transfer news this past Saturday, I can't believe it's already been six weeks, it has flown by SO fast, it's crazy! But anyway, we got transfer news..and...I'm staying, in Bear Creek, with Sister Smith. YAY!!!! 

Hey I got a letter from Miranda! It was crazy, I opened the mail box and it was weird in the first place, because I don't usually get letters, then I saw the handwriting, and I thought 'that kind of looks like Miranda's handwriting, weird.' And then it turned out it was from her and that she's SUPER serious about serving a mission! That's AWESOME!!!! So I wrote a LONG reply pretty quickly and dropped it in the mail Thursday, I think. So it should be there soon. 

Speaking of letters, did you ever get the letter I sent awhile ago with the pictures of all of us and of Cole at his baptism and the short letter I sent with? Just wondering. 

Also, is there snow yet in Wisconsin?! We haven't gotten snow yet for the past month or so, it's been in the low 60s, sometimes high 60s, super sunny and not a snowflake in sight. The people don't really like it right now because they want to go skiing and it's not even cold enough in the mountains for them to make snow. But as missionaries it's GREAT for tracting! :) 

So I may have said this in my last letter but last Saturday Sister Smith had to go to Urgent Care (so I totally didn't know that these were a thing, are they in Wisconsin too?) and they said she had bronchitis. So we had to stay inside because Sister Smith was REALLY sick and that didn't get over till about Friday evening. She is still coughing and gets tired easily but she is on the mend and we were able to work Saturday and Sunday. We were able to talk to people, although no new investigators as of yet.

Also did you have Regional Conference yesterday, where Elder Rasband spoke and there was a lot of talk about temples? If so we were watching the same thing at the same time!!! SWEET!!!! 

Yup so I think that's everything. This week has been uneventful, but I'm sure I will have more to tell next week.

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

10/31/16

Hey Mom, 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!! 

So the first part of this week was AMAZING, we were able to contact a lot of less-actives and we found a family of four to teach!!!! YAY!!!!! Her name is Kaylee and she is a single mom with three teenage daughters. We have a return appointment with them tomorrow! 

So then most of this week Sister Smith has been really sick so we went to the doctor on Saturday and it turns out that she has Bronchitis :P so she's on medication that makes her really sleepy and she is really tired and so we haven't been able to do much but that is okay because a plus side to all of this is that the members are being really nice to us. We can definitely feel the love!!! It's AMAZING!!!!! 

So yeah I lot of catching up on paper work and things, just trying to keep busy. :) Other than that not much going on, what about you?

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

Maddie Learns a Lesson! (and I have to say Wow!! I'm so impressed by her)

10/24/16

HEY MOM!!!!! 

FIRST: Thank you SO much for the package, it was SO much fun to open! And the salsa didn't break in transit!! YAY!!!!!! And thank you for the gift cards, you didn't need to but they are greatly appreciated :) And you'll be happy to know I've already decorated our apartment, Thank you!!! :) LOVE YOU SO MUCH. (I brag about you all the time to my companions, they all know how amazingly wonderful you are!) I Love You!!!!!

FYI: Sister Smith and I were both wearing jeans/pants because we were going around that day raking people's leaves and we didn't have dinner that night and we were wondering what we were going to do, when Sister Harper opens the door and said because we raked her leaves the least she could do was feed us :) So we helped bake treats and make dinner, it was DELICIOUS!!!! 

So yeah...I have been thinking a lot about school. Well not a lot, a lot but it just kind of kept coming up, So I was really adamant that I would not go back to BYU-Idaho, my fear was that I didn't want to place myself back in that same environment only to get the same results. At fist with Sister Davis I wanted to go to a Washington school, maybe stay with her or family or something but then that really didn't feel right so then I thought, okay what about a Wisconsin school, you know instate tuition and all. That idea was immediately shut down, I know they are good schools but it felt like I was taking a step down. I don't know but the only way I may consider UW schools is for my graduate program. (UW Milwaukee and Madison have #8 and #9 in the top 10 for the Library Sciences Graduate Program that I want, Boston is #1 :) ) anyway, then I'm like, okay I need a church oriented (sort of) school that is not BYU. So then I was thinking Snow or maybe Southern Virginia, or even UVU. After much prayer and fasting (hehehe I sound like the scriptures) :) my answer was basically 'you know where you need to be' and I thought, 'Are you SERIOUS, do you want me to fail! AGAIN!!!' I wasn't very happy. But like I said, I've learned a lot on my mission and it FINALLY hit me. BYU-Idaho is perfect, it was perfect when I first went and it is still the perfect school for me. The thing was that I just wasn't ready yet. And that ultimately if I hadn't of gotten the results that I did I wouldn't be here. I would not have given a mission a second thought, it was not in my plans until it was one of my only options. The Lord knows me and He knows what will make me the most happy and now I finally am willing to accept that the mission has changed me, ALREADY!! I was thinking all the variables were the same but they're not! it is the same school, same major, same campus, same honor code, but it's not the same ME!! I'M NOT THE SAME!! :D So that's were I will go and now I know how to talk to Him and I know He will be there with me every step of the way, I just have to let Him. 

Anyway that's all :) 

LOVE YOU, 

Sister Sanofsky

Fort Collins has a New Temple:)!

10/17/16

Hey Mom, 

Oh! I'm a fire pincher! Hehehe you know when you have an open flame, on a candle or something, and you lick your fingers and put it out? I did that!! It was so cool, and scary :) Anyway yeah...what missionaries do for fun :) 

Fyi...If anyone wants to send me anything and wants to know what i want, say...gift cards!!! :) Specifically to Michaels, King Soopers, Walgreens (for pictures) and Starbucks (not for coffee, I swear :) just hot chocolate, it's going to get cold pretty soon) 

So Yesterday was...Your BIRTHDAY!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! And it was also the Fort Collins Colorado Temple Dedication. So Backtracking a bit, Saturday night was the Cultural Celebration, that was really cute and super fun. I kind of went in with high expectations, and so I had to adjust those about ten minutes in :) but it was really good. And then the dedication on Sunday. President Uchtdorf was presiding and offered the dedicatory prayer. There was a choir and speakers, who all in some way or another made me really want to go to the temple :( and I can't! although if I stay Metro Side another transfer I'll be able to go! (missionaries go, once every other transfer) They talked about pitching your tents toward the temple and ultimately that means directing our families towards eternal life. Because it is in these sacred temples that we receive ALL of the covenants and ordinances in order for us to receive eternal life in our Father's Kingdom. To prepare ourselves to make promises regarding the higher law we have been given is something we should readily strive for. "It is impossible for a man to be saved in ignorance" (D&C 131:6) and that "The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth" (D&C 93:36) so in essence the more we know and learn the better prepared we will be to enter into the Kingdom of God. 

So I have been reading Jesus the Christ for the past two months or so, and I just have to say it is AMAZING! Best Book Ever!!! Anyway I was reading a couple days ago and it mentioned when Christ says 'Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect' and that always kind of confused me, and so many people have different interpretation, but James E Talmage says this "[This] cannot rationally be construed otherwise than as implying the possibility of such achievement. Plainly, however, man cannot become perfect in mortality in the sense in which God is perfect as a supremely glorified Being." so basically Christ, in the way that he said this statement, implies that it is achievable, but we can't expect to become a perfect supremely glorified Being when we are still mortal. He goes on to say "It is possible, though, for man to be perfect in his sphere in a sense analogous to that in which superior intelligences are perfect in their several spheres; yet the relative perfection of the lower is infinitely inferior to that of the higher." So both may be perfect but because of the difference in intelligence they are different kinds of perfect. Talmage gives a great example "A college student in his freshman or sophmore year may be perfect as a freshman or sophmore; his record may possibly be a hundred per cent on the scale of efficiency and achievement; yet the honors of the upper classman are beyond him, and the attainment of graduation is to him remote, but of assured possibility, if he do but continue faithful and devote to the end." Isn't that so cool! we cannot be expected to be perfect as a supreme glorified Being is perfect, but we can be perfect in our own spheres. And, like the college freshman, as we continue forward, as we continue progressing, we have the opportunity and likely possibility of achieving graduation. As we keep the commandments perfectly and when we mess up, we can sincerely repent, using the Atonement that has been given to us by our loving Heavenly Father and Elder Brother, and our sins WILL be forgiven, we can move forward, continuing our journey 'faithful and devoted to the end'. :) 

Like I said, BEST BOOK EVER!! 

LOVE YOU LOTS, 

Sister Sanofsky

P.S. In the Halloween package, if you haven't sent it yet, I have a request. Red Gold salsa (mild) from Woodmans, Colorado doesn't have the same, wonderful selection as Woodmans. :( 

Lakewood Stake Needs the Sisters!!

10/10/16

SO the walls were painted in our apartment, we got a new shower and the counters were re-done AND new carpets and tile flooring!!! It's SO nice! We love it! I'll have to send you pictures next time but it is so great! 

Blog? So I got an email from Kiana and it said that the blog hasn't been updated in forever, so just a reminder :) love you mom!!! you're the best!!!! 

<3 WE HAVE A 2016 FORD FUSION, it is AMAZING!!!! I want that kind of car when I get older!!! and it's BLUE!!!!! I'll send pictures eventually :) 

So almost the entire Lakewood Stake has been whitewashed and it's been mostly whitewashed with Sisters, where Elders had been before. And so we go to the meet the members and get to know them and they say "Well you know it's bad, when they send in the Sisters" :) that just made me happy...cuz sisters are AWESOME!!!! 

So the Halloween package...hmmmm...decorations would be cute...could you send an orange and black maxi skirt, that I can wear on Halloween(or something that is just halloween-y but still missionary)  :) OH and obviously candy ;) preferably things that wont melt in transit. 

We went hiking at Red Rocks today!!! (sending postcard) It was a lot of fun! So there is this thing called the Red Rocks Amphitheater, you should look it up, it's cool, but it's super pretty and we went with the Thomson's. It was lots of fun and a ton of people, famous people, have performed there. 

We also had our interviews with President Gifford this past Wednesday and I have my special temple recommend for the temple dedication on SUNDAY!! I'm SO excited! It's going to be awesome! and spiritual, but still Awesome! :)  

So here in this area it's a lot of working with the members, gaining their trust and working with Less Actives and Part Member Families. We really aren't pushed to go tracting, like, at all. Because most of the time nothing ever comes of it, we just do it to show the Lord our willingness to put in the work. 

Anyway that's all for now. 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

No Bed and The MIRACLE of Food Storage!!

10/3/16

Hey Mom!!! 

So I'm in Bear Creek on the Metro Side. So I got to Metro and met my new companion Sister Smith. She's awesome but we are whitewashing and we are staying in an apartment missionaries have never lived in before, so there was only a table and two chairs in the apartment when we got there. SO...the first night we slept on the floor because, NO BEDS!!! 

But the next day was pretty great, we planned most of the day because we had no idea what we were doing but then we had dinner with the Anderson's, they are SO missionary minded, and they invited Trevor and Sia (Trevor is a member, Sia is not) So we had a fabulous dinner, and then a lesson afterwards! Because they are expecting a baby, in THREE WEEKS!! we decided to share The Family A Proclamation to the World. The Spirit was so STRONG!!! IT was amazing!!!!!!! such a miracle. 

And then we mentioned that we didn't have anything in our apartment, Sister Anderson insisted that we go shopping in her basement, which if you haven't already guessed is full of food storage! we ended up taking two huge boxes home full of food and laundry stuff and kitchen utensils, ANOTHER MIRACLE!!!! 

We haven't had a whole bunch of work this past week, because we are just trying to get settled but the members are amazing and we were able to watch every session of conference at a different members house!!!! 

Oh did you get the pictures of us at the Thomson's on Dad's phone!!! 

I'm glad you got the letter, I can't wait until you open it! 

It's nice having a good impact on my siblings when for so long I wasn't a very good example. I'm glad they notice and it's helping me too! so it's a win-win!!! :) 

I need pictures of the deck!!! But it's weird, things are getting done and your getting new things after I leave :P 

Anyway Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

DRUM ROLL PLEASE.......I'M GOING METRO!! WOOT! WOOT!!

9/26/16

HEY MOM!!!! 

So we got transfer news this past Saturday night and.....drum roll please....I'm getting transferred! Yup, I've already begun packing and am still not sure how to deal with the news, it doesn't really seem really but oh well. So I'm getting transferred to the Bear Creek Ward which is in Lakewood, so I'm going to basically be in Denver. METRO!!! WOOT WOOT!!!! 

So yeah, Homecoming was also this past week and so on Friday night the College students (I'm pretty sure) set the W on fire!!!! it was so cool. see picture below. 

Here is a picture of me and my companion, SISTER WEBSTER!!!! aren't we hilarious. :) 

And oh my goodness gunnison and the surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous in the fall and it's like a mix between winter and fall, because there is snow on the top of the mountains and then right below is the changing leaves :) so great! 

We also met a new investigator named Cindy who is a freshman at Western this year and Sister Webster met her on the street on exchanges. and we had a return appointment with her yesterday and it went super well. The spirit was so strong and afterward she said that this was a sign and that she felt really good, like a sense of relief or a burden was lifted off her shoulders. It was pretty cool and can't wait to hear about how she progresses from Sister Webster, since I will be leaving for Metro tomorrow. :)

Anyway that's all for this week, 

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

Transfers Coming and Pizza Waffles???

9/19/16

Hey Mom!!1

Okay so transfers are this next Tuesday, September 27^th. Sister Webster both have the feeling that we are getting whitewashed, or in other words we are both leaving Gunnison which is kinda sad but it is what it is. And you are right the Fall is absolutely gorgeous here, with the mountains and all the trees turning colors, although I do miss the abundance of leaves in Wisconsin. 

So the Nelson’s (Sister Betty Nelson took the pictures of me) have Waffles every Sunday afternoon and we, as the sister missionaries, have a standing invitation to join the YSA and newly married couples for waffles. So it’s waffles for lunch every Sunday!!!! The 1^st week was chocolate cake batter waffles, 2^nd week pizza waffles, and this last week was churro waffles, YUM!!! 

Also there is this thing called Family History Night that the Branch does the third Sunday of every month. It’s basically this class where people can learn to do and learn about their family history. And it’s not at the church building so I think non-members will feel more comfortable coming. 

Oh and we have been doing service this week for the Wardleighs. Sister Wardleigh wants to put grass down in her pasture and so we have been digging out all the rocks so it’ll be easier for the grass to grow come spring. There are a TON of rocks, it’s ridiculous!!!!! 

So yeah that's about it for this week, there isn't really much else to report. Talk to you next Monday, and by then I'll have transfer news :) 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

New investigators/Branch BBQ/Sisterly Advice

9/12/16

HEY MOM!!!!!

So this week was cool we found a new investigator, her name is Celeste and she has a daughter who is 11. So at the church that they are currently attending they don't offer a youth program of any kind and so her daughter is going to come to activity days. Celeste remembers going to those kinds of things with friends when she used to live in Utah and is excited for her daughter to have the same opportunity. YAY!!!!! So yeah I hopes on that front. 

We also were able to make contact with a less active, her name is Elena. she is struggling with addiction right now, going through withdrawals and such. But she sincerely wants to turn her life around and be a better mother for her children. It's really cool to see her desire and want to change, it definitely makes it easier to teach someone when they have the sincere desire to repent and change their life. It reminds me of why I love being a missionary, and that we aren't dragging people to the font or to repent, but we are their guides on this journey that they are taking and we are here to show them the path and help them to stay there so that they can receive eternal life, which is the greatest of all the gifts of God. 

Also we (Sister Webster and I) got a call Saturday night at 9:30pm from our Branch President asking us if we would both give talks on Sunday, as in the next day! I have now proven to myself that I can write a talk in one hour :) I used the Conference talk "Do I Believe?" by Sister Bonnie Oscarson. You should read it, it's AMAZING!!!! 

Then on Saturday we had a Branch BBQ which was delicious and Elena was able to come and make friends and socialize in the Branch outside of church. p.s. we had BBQ Pulled Pork! It was Delicious!!!!! 

Has Kordell decided what he is doing? school? mission? 

Also do you get emails from Elder Richards (Steven)? if so can you forward them to me it's been six months and I would like to know how his mission has been going?

So yeah for Cole I'm not really sure, First he should pray about it. But in my opinion mission would be good first for him but if he really does want to do school first, to try sticking to doing only a couple semesters. so you're not too far along in your major and can leave easily. 

Anyway talk to you next week!! 

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

the Atonement is AMAZING! (and so is my daughter!!!)

9/5/16

HELLO MOM!!! 

I can't believe that Taz died!!! I cried a little bit, it seems kinda surreal. But I guess deep down I kinda knew it was a possibility. 

Sorry my letters have been short there really isn't much to talk about, we currently have no one to teach and we basically tract every single day and no one wants to talk to us and if they do they never want to continue. It's kinda depressing, the only interesting thing that we do during the week is service. We help out at the food pantry, giving out food, or at six points which is a thrift store. Where we hang clothes and sort and price and stuff. So that's nice, but other than that we really don't do much else. It's kinda hard to feel like a missionary when you don't teach very often. :( But this week we are changing things up and focusing our efforts on strengthening the members. Hopefully that bears some fruit but if not, it's back to the drawing board. 

Also there is this poem/prose piece that was shared at district meeting, it's called The Room by Joshua Harris. You should look it up, it's really good! Anyway I really love the picture it paints of the Atonement. I've been thinking about the Atonement a lot this week and I've come to a decision...the Atonement is AMAZING!!! It is the center to this entire gospel, it allows us to change for the better. There is this phrase that we use in the mission, it's "don't just change your behavior, change your nature." meaning anyone can change their outward behavior, but as we use the Atonement and truly Repent (go through a change of heart) we can change on the inside too (our nature) It shows that Christ will not condemn us for our thoughts and actions, he will cry with us and then take those things from us, he has already paid the price. He KNOWS us and KNOWS how to help us to overcome those trials and tribulations. It also really brings into focus that everything we think and say, whether we remember it or not, is recorded. It has definitely made me more aware of the things I say and do. 

Anyway that's it for this week, again sorry. 

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

BIG NEWS from BYU-i friends

8/29/16

HEY MOM!! 

Okay so big news Christina is getting married!!!!! IN OCTOBER!!!!! :( i'M HAPPY AND SAD ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!! Her fiances name is John (I think...not sure on that one) and they look good together and she is really happy from what I can tell.SO I guess I'm happy if she is happy :) So they are getting sealed together for time and all eternity in the Louisville, Kentucky Temple :) 

I'm glad the wedding went well :) and it looks so pretty (but wow that's a lot of bridesmaids) 

So I think I mentioned Diana last week but she dropped us it was kinda sad even though we only met her once. She said she was just gonna stick to what she knows and stuff like that. 

But no I haven't run into to Martin yet, we tried to look him up in the phone book but there is no one in there by the name Klinowski. 

We don't get to go to the Fort Collins open house because it is out of our mission but on October 16th (Your Birthday!!) the stake centers will be turned into extensions of the temple and we will be able to attend that :) It should be really fun, I'm excited :) 

Still haven't gotten those letters yet that I was promised :( will be expecting  them this week :) 

Anyway I think that's it, until next week!! 

LOTS OF LOVE, 

Sister Sanofsky

OUT 6 MONTHS!!!!!!

8/22/16

HEY MOM!!!!

So this past week wasn't really that interesting. although we did find a new investigator, Diana, who had seen us volunteering at 6 points and invited us in because of that :) we were able to do the survey with her and we ended up giving her a Book of Mormon! She seemed really interested in it and said she could use all the help she could get. We have a return appointment with her next Friday :) 

Also this past Sunday the Temple President for the Denver Temple and his wife came and spoke at our sacrament meeting. He spoke on serving in the temple, and that anyone who holds a temple recommend and uses it by going to the temple is serving in the temple. And that the one of the most important things is temple work, the other being missionary work :) And that by doing baptisms for the dead we are giving those people on the other side the key to unlock their prisons, we are a savior for those people. After that, the temple president taught our gospel doctrine class and now I really cannot wait to go to the temple again! :) 

Other than that nothing too interesting, hope you all got my letters and things :) 

Talk to you next week.

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

Awesome Week - Tracting/Staying/Bowling!!!!

8/15/16

HEY MOM!!!!

SO we were able to teach 13 lessons this week. it was awesome!!! Anytime we had nothing to do we went to these "golden streets" that we had chosen during weekly planning and started to tract!

Oh this was also the last week of this transfer and I should probably tell you my transfer news....I'm....STAYING!!!!!!! WITH SISTER WEBSTER!!!!!!! It's gonna be great, we have a lot of fun together :) but not too much ;)

SO I have written letters for everyone so expect something in the mail soon because I am sending them out today. I also expect a reply from everyone, via letters #fhenight although I did finally get an email from Miranda :)

We also went bowling today!!! That's why I didn't email earlier :) So district activities have been approved so we decided to go bowling! and the alley/place that we went to is owned by members (the Bowlingtons) and as missionaries we get to bowl for FREE!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!

So yup that's it :) 

Bye Bye :)

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

#thespirit/Service/New Beginnings/Eternal Families

8/8/16

HOLA MOM!! 

So after emailing on Monday we went to lunch at the Powerstop, they have really good burgers. But as we were leaving one of the workers came up to our car and handed me a piece of paper with his number on it, and said I had a special essence about me. #thespirit ;) 

Wednesday morning we did a ton of service that day it ended up being a total of five and a half straight hours. we were working at the local Food Pantry, specifically on their flower bed outside. Well instead of flowers Rachel (the lady in charge of the Pantry) wanted a raised vegetable garden. so we weeded and transferred all plants out. then we dug a trench along the side because there were only three railroad ties that mad up the perimeter and we needed to add another one to make it complete. That took forever because the ground that we were digging out was all rock. It was horrible! :P But we finally got it in an flattened the soil, getting out moist of the rocks, and covered it with some black stuff :) to keep the weeds out, hopefully. Then we started on the 'raised' part, so we hat 4 pieces of 4x4 wood that were 4 feet long that we used in the four corners and then had a total of 8 2x12's ( 4pieces were 5 feet and the other four were 8 feet) we screwed those into the 4x4's one on top of the other, to make a box that will eventually be filled with soil. :) 

Wednesday night we were invited to attend new beginnings to welcome Lily into young women's it was a really cool experience, like going back in time. (made me feel kinda old) #9yearssincenewbeginnings :) but it reminded me how much I loved young women's and in turn how much I have learned. I realized that personal progress isn't just something to get done, like anything in this gospel it is something you carry with you for the rest of your life and continually build upon the knowledge you receive from it. It is a tool that helps young women to become worthy to enter into the temple and to make and keep sacred covenants. I didn't realize before but now I have a greater appreciation for young women's than I did before :) 

This past Sunday (yesterday) was fast and testimony meeting and there was a theme in all the testimonies that were shared, family. Family is essential both during our lives on earth and in this gospel. It's the first question we talk about in our survey, "Is a close strong family something important to you?" and it's the second point we talk about in the first lesson, our of preach my gospel, right after "Heavenly Father loves us". Everything can be tied back to the family. And I've realized on my mission that one of the greatest gifts we are given is knowing that our families will be together forever. I've seen investigators eyes light up when we say that they can be sealed to their children and spouse for time and all eternity. 

I love my family ( that's you guys ) and I can't wait to spend the rest of eternity with ya'll ;) 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

P.s. this coming Saturday is transfer news so if anyone sends anything it has to be here by Saturday, if not hold on for another week. I'll probably be staying but with a new mission president ya never know :) 

P.s.s. How your member missionary work going? 

P.s.s.s. Did Cole get my Letter!!! 

Sick on your mission - No Fun!!

8/1/16

HI MOM!!! 

:) SO...I had to give a talk on Sunday (yesterday) about what i have learned about service while serving as a missionary. It was interesting, I wrote it in an hour and a half...on Sunday morning. :) A missionary was also returning and gave his talk yesterday too so yeah I had to speak with a return missionary, no pressure or anything. His name is Garret Hostetter, and served in Mexico, and he has an accent and you could tell that it was hard for him to speak English :) it was weird. 

OH I got the packages and everything does fit, and they're all so pretty, thank you!!! I love them!! I've wore all of them multiple times. :) 

In other news...I GOT A BLOODY NOSE!!! it was terrifying! I've had a cold for a while now and kept on blowing my nose, so because of the dry climate in Colorado I got a bloody nose. That is the only time I have every been grateful for Wisconsin's humidity.

Not much has really happened this week we've both been sick so this week has been really slow. 

Anyway talk to you next week!!! 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

Pictures!!!!!!!!!!!

 Me and Sister Davis

 Me, Jennifer and Sister Johnson

 Sisters Conference - Zone 1

 Trip to Denver

 Dalton's Baptism

 Elder Alaalatoa and Elder Nichols stole my camera!!

 Happy Birthday Maddie!!!! Thanks Sister Dalton

 Me and Sister Davis bundled up for tracting in the snow!!

 Colorado Cows - MOOOOOOO!!!!

Beautiful Colorado Sky!!

Honor Bee/Service/New Mission President

7/18/16

HEY MOM!!!

So I'm working on my honor bee :) Sister Nelson, the young women's president, is ordering me one cuz I've finished the Book of Mormon recently and we've done about 16 hours already and it's only the beginning of week 3, so yeah that's gonna be fun. Has Miranda finished personal progress yet? I feel like she has, but I can't remember :) oops. If she has she should do it a second tie and work on her honor bee. Also tell her she needs to write me :(

Is Tyler any taller? Bigger? The pictures from Craig that I saw of them shocked me a little bit, he has the beginnings of facial hair!!! Does he work out in the garage or does he do those things at the school gym? Does he still eat a ton or has he been watching his figure? ;)

Have they got all their service hours to graduate? We've been doing some service for this lady named Maureen, it was super cool, we were able to make a dent in the mountain of boxes from when she moved in a week or so ago. we were also able to finish painting her kitchen, she was so so grateful to us she was on the verge of tears. It made me so happy to be able to do that for her. Even though we spent a bit more time there than we had planned, seeing her so happy, made it all worth it.

So Sunday I was asked to speak in church on the 31st of July!! Miranda's Birthday!!! Yay!!!!!!! So think of me! :) It's going to be on "what I've learned form serving others" I'll have to think about it, I'm glad they gave me two weeks, but I'm sure I'll be able to come up with something. ;)

We also found a new investigator her name is Clarissa. We tracted into her while she was outside getting some sun. She did the survey with us and we got to talking about the Book of Mormon, she has heard about it but had never actually read it. So we gave her a copy and she said she is excited to read and research about it. YAY!

Sister Webster and I get along really well, so far we like each other, although she has ever seen Lord of the Rings or read/watched any Harry Potter. Oh the horror! But she is a Sherlock fan so my respect went up a little after that. Oh! and one of her favorite places to eat is CULVER'S! YAY Custard! I miss their cheese curds :P

Also how was youth conference? Has that happened yet? What else is on the schedule before school starts? How's Nana? Planning any fun trips/reunions that you're going to while I'm on a mission?!

Oh also if we have any John Bytheway or Hank Smith talks/devo's could you put those on a USB and send them to me :) and is it possible to get a very very simple Spanish CTR ring?

Alright so we had a meeting in Montrose on Monday with our new Mission President, President Gifford and his wife. They seem pretty cool :) President Gifford was the dean of the BYU Idaho business college before this, they are really great. They have three sons, Scott, Ryan and Jacob. Scott is at BYUI for school, Ryan just got off his mission (South Carolina) on Wednesday and going back to school in January at BYUI and Jacob is 17 and going into his senior year of high school, at a new school no less :) I don"t think I could do that. 

They are an outdoorsy family, before this they lived near the teetons (is that how you spell it?) so hiking, fishing, skiing, and President Gifford like to ride motorcycles. :P President Gifford served in the Italy Catania Mission and Sister Gifford served in the South Africa Johannesburg Mission. 

And they've also expressed that they will be making changes. It's hard to imagine this mission changing, cuz it's felt like it's always been this way and always will be. But as they said they have been trained differently than President and Sister Murdock and their vision for this mission is different. I also know Heavenly Father wouldn't have called them to this mission, at this time, if he didn't want the changes to be made. I know that President and Sister Gifford are called of God and the Colorado Denver South Mission needs them right now. That's enough for me :) 

Any who that's all for this week :) 

LOVE you LOTS 

Sister Sanofsky

Gunnnison Branch/New Apartment/Colorado gets a Second TEMPLE!!!!

7/11/16 (Yes, I know I am behind CAMI- but lets get caught up:)

Hey Mom!! 

Gunnison has been super great. It's a branch so there really aren't a lot of people, maybe twenty active families and only about twelve of those are with young kids. So it's small, but everyone has been super nice and the weather has been great also. since I've been here it's been over 80 every day. And yup you heard right I'm over a branch, and only a branch so it's sorta nice to only focus on one and not two but from a ward and a branch to just a branch...it's...different :) 

Our apartment is a space above a separate garage that was renovated into an apartment. It's really nice, clean and it's smaller which is actually kinda nice, everything is really close and we have a futon. :P 

So the work is kind of slow right now, because the previous missionary here was really sick and for almost the entire transfer she was sick and they weren't able to do a lot of work, they had to stay home most of the time. So it's almost like we are whitewashing...starting from the beginning :) 

I've met a lot of the members so far and everyone is super nice and even though it's a small branch they fill up our dinner calendar fast :) yay!! food!!!!! 

We have this one investigator named Carrie and she is super cool and she LOVES the story of Joseph Smith and the idea of modern day prophets. She just has a hard time seeing the reason why she needs to come to church. But she loves having us over, because she feels so good when we do come over. She is also reading the Doctrine and Covenants, any suggestions on homework for her? Maybe about church or something, I'm not very familiar with it like I probably should be :) 

And then this guy named Hosea approached us and said that he was curious to know what the Mormons believe, I thought to myself 'You just said the magic words, do you have an hour...or two) :) so we taught a quick two minute restoration lesson, got to know him a bit and set up a return appointment at the church this Saturday! Definitely a Miracle!!!!!!  

So...Colorado is getting it's SECOND temple!!!!!! In October, on your birthday, I think...cuz it's on either the 16th or the 17th, and they are broadcasting the dedication ceremony to the entire state of Colorado. And it will only be in the stake buildings which they are making into and extension of the temple!! super cool!!! So to get in we need a temple recommend (which I have) and a white handkerchief, I don't have one of those and I'm not sure where to get one, would it be possible for you to send one to me? with some sweet mango slices from Sam's Club :) and colorful maxi skirts? cuz my wardrobe, I've noticed, Is kind of...dark :P 

Also are you guys doing the worldwide indexing thing the 15th through the 17th of July, if not you should it's gonna be great!!! and there is a Mormon Tabernacle Broadcast on the 23rd at 8 pm. I think it's for pioneer day, but it will be a great missionary opportunity :) INVITE FRIENDS!!!!!

Transfer Time!!!!! Goodbye Craig:( Hello Gunnison:)

7/6/16

HEY MOM!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

SOOOO Transfer News.....I GOT TRANSFERRED!!!!!!!!!!! to.....GUNNISON!!!!!! It's SUPER PRETTY. I really like it, but at the same time it's kinda hard, I feel think I'm on an exchange and that we are going to switch back any second. I miss Craig, it kinda became like a second home to me. :'( but I am going to make it a goal to love Gunnison also, maybe not as much because Craig will always hold a special place in my heart. <3 

So saying goodbye to the people of Craig and Baggs was super hard, I didn't realize how weird/hard it would be. We got transfer news Saturday night, and they told me first that I was getting transferred to Gunnison and then surprise twist Sister Johnson is also getting transferred to Front Range on the Metro side. We were Whitewashed!!! I wasn't too worried about it because I know that we weren't being disobedient or anything, but Sister Johnson had a hard time accepting that. So we were replaced with Sisters and we drove to Rifle Tuesday morning. The transfer train got there and I got on, and we drove the hour to Grand Junction, where I met my companion Sister Webster...

Sorry I'm out of time gotta go the computer is about to kick me off, love you lots :) 

Sister Sanofsky

Learning Spanish, Getting Sunburn and Temple Blessings

6/13/16

HEY MOM!!!!!!!!!

 

So I'm on my own with the Spanish but I was able to order a spanish dictionary and verb conjugation book and a big book for learning spanish that they use in the MTC. so yeah, and it's nice because a couple people in our ward have gone on Spanish speaking missions and they are helping me!! :) So I kind of came up with it on my own (well actually the Lord helped :) it was a prompting) and I kind of just told President Murdock that I was doing it, and he seems to be okay with it. :) and I'm not sure how many people are Spanish speaking but we have Hermanas up in Steamboat Springs (40 min away) who are also our Sister Training Leaders and when we go on exchanges they usually help me with my Spanish. So by the end of my mission Miranda and I could have an actual conversation. :)

 

It's been super hot here. I've currently got sunburn, and because it wasn't P-day Sister Spears went out and bought me Aloe Vera, she is so amazing :) For the past couple weeks it's been in the high 70s/low 80s :P

 

No, unfortunately I don't get to go on the temple trip, even if it is with new members that we helped to be baptized, Craig's temple is the Vernal, UT temple and that is out of our mission boundaries. But we have to stay in our area anyways, so...no temple for me :(

 

But it's super cool, our last lesson with Mike was about temples and the whole family was listening in! (big accomplishment) and then my companion had a prompting to talk about patriarchal blessings and now the entire family has interviews to receive their patriarchal blessings!! YAY!!! we were also talking with him and he said, "I don't know why I pushed this away for so long, why didn't I do this sooner?" It was super cool, with that statement I know he will be a strong member in the church, that he wasn't just doing this for his wife, that he truly believes that this is Jesus Christ's church once again established on the earth, and that he can be sealed together with his wife and kids forever!

 

Alright that's it for this week, talk to you later!

 

Lots of Love,

Sister Sanofsky

Work, Work and more Work - things are busy!!

6/6/16

HEY MOM!!!!!!!

Transfer III is good so far we currently have 4 people on date to be baptized and one of them is in Baggs...DALTON!!! one of the youth in our wards friend, he was kicked out of his house after he graduated and now he is staying with the Branch President's Family. So before he wasn't really sure whether or not God existed. So we talked a lot about the Holy Ghost and how we receive answers to prayers and we asked him to get on his knees right then and there and to ask God if He was there. AND HE RECEIVED AN ANSWER!!!! and now he's getting baptized on June 25th :) yay!!! 

Also Mike our last baptism, is doing really well and is continuing to read the book of Mormon everyday!! woot! He is also super focused on his goal of taking his family to the Temple, so he is working towards that and we are working on him receiving the priesthood and setting up a youth/new member Temple trip so that he can do baptisms for the dead and actually see a Temple and go inside :) 

There is also this couple in Baggs that the girlfriend is a member and the boyfriend is not and they approached us and he asked to take the discussions because he wants to marry this girl and she said she wants to be married in the Temple and so if he wants to marry her he has to be a member so that they can be married in the Temple, Super Cute!!!!! So we are teaching him and really Trying to help him to gain a testimony for himself so that the reason he is doing this isn't only because he wants to marry her but because he truly believes that the Church is true :) 

Also still learning Spanish in my free time (HA what free time!!! :P) and I think it's going really well :) and this week we also taught a total of 34 lessons!! WOOT!!!! (to compare we usually get between 18 and 21 total lessons per week) SO this week was great!!! Until next time!!! 

Lots of Love,
Sister Sanofsky 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! Learning Spanish????

5/30/16

Hey Mom!! 

Thank you for the Birthday Song, and for everyone sending me Birthday wishes, I really appreciate it :) Oh my goodness you will never believe it, our District Leader came to our apartment this morning and sang Happy Birthday and gave me peanut m&ms :) flowers, and a birthday card :) it was so sweet, also our Sister Training Leaders called and sang, and so did our Zone Leaders :) So yeah, so far it's been a really good Birthday :) 

So things are good in Craig, same old same old, teaching lots of people. But we did have a baptism this last Friday, Mike was baptized and it was AWESOME!! Super Spiritual. All the talks were super good and everything went very smoothly. And then he received the gift of the Holy Ghost on the following Sunday :) again super spiritual.  

So yeah I'm doing well, Sister Johnson is having a rough time so I find that if I focus on her then I don't really have to worry about me and everything seems to work out.  

Oh! and I'm slowly but surely learning Spanish :) 

El Evangelio es verdadero! (the gospel is true!)

Anyways

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

Sad news - Transfers - More Work to Be Done!

5/23/16

Note: Last email Maddie shared a tragic event that happened in her area. A young man took his own life. I didn't include that part last week but this week's reference to the event was too powerful for me to leave out. I took out the family name to preserve their privacy. I'm so proud of Maddie and very impressed with her faith and willingness to continue to do the work the Lord has asked her to do.

Hey MOM!!!!!! 

Okay so Transfer News.......drum roll please :)...............Craig 2nd/Baggs!!!!!!!! I'm staying for another transfer :) WITH Sister Johnson!!!!! So yeah this transfer should be fun :) we also now currently have 4 people on date to be baptized!!! and Mike is getting baptized THIS Friday. Also our mission is low on sisters especially spanish sisters and I've felt really strongly about asking president if he would move me to spanish speaking. Not sure it's actually going to happen, but whatever the Lord feels is best, I'll go where ever He needs me :) 

Okay so yes this week was super hard, but it was also super spiritual, we were thankfully able to attend the funeral which was on Saturday, and both his Mom and Dad spoke and they both just bore their testimonies and shared memories of their son. His mom also said something really amazing, She knew that this wasn't anyone's fault, she has received confirmation from our Heavenly Father that it was her son's time that he had fulfilled his purpose here on this earth and that it was his time to return home. She also said, "He had a bad moment, not a bad year, or a bad month or week, or even a bad day, it was a moment." When she talked you could feel that what she was saying was true, I know this because the spirit was there, it was in the chapel and gym the ENTIRE funeral service. It was an amazing experience and one that I will never forget. Trust me there was a lot of crying on my part but the entire time that she was talking I didn't shed a single tear, because her talk was a message of hope and forgiveness, truly truly amazing. The entire thing was super super spiritual and it was amazing to see almost the entire community, members and nonmembers alike, at the church to support the Family. At Ward Council we heard that there were over 500 people there, they used every chair available in the building and people were still STANDING in the back.

SO we saw a miracle this week, at least I think so, we were tracting, it was right after the funeral on Saturday. Sister Johnson and I were in a pretty somber mood as we started tracting and the SECOND house we try we are able to do the survey, transition to a lesson, and invited him (Mike,another Mike) to be Baptized in July....and he said YES!!!!!!!! It was super cool and it felt like the Lord was reminding us that there is still work to be done, that yes what happened is sad and we will continue to help the ward and the Family but that we also have an important work to do here.

Okay so that was kinda long-ish and now my fingers hurt :P but that's kinda it for this week. More next time. 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky