Mom to Maddie - Reminder from my 12/26/16 email!! And Coming Home!

12/26/16

It was so good to SEE you and talk to you yesterday. Grandma and grandpa kept saying how good you look. I agree you look good and happy. I know there are probably still times when you doubt yourself or think of past mistakes, that is normal but remember to dismiss them right away don't let Satan stay mulling around in your head!! If you have repented you are forgiven- forgive yourself too. You are making good choices and you are following the Lord and becoming more like Him . You are doing all that the Lord asks and more. Be happy!! Know that God loves you and We love you too. Have a great week! 

I sure miss you while we are on vacation, our life back home has adjusted without you, you've been gone a few years now but this is the first family vacation without my whole family, soon it will be just me and dad:)

Love you and talk to you soon!!

Mom 

Maddie will return home in February and prepare to go to BYU-Idaho in the Fall - we are so proud of our daughter and her willingness to serve the Lord. We will be happy to have her home for a short time before she leaves again to prepare for all the wonderful things the Lord has in store for her!

Package Received!!! More school talk - worrying over nothing

1/23/17

HEY MOM!!!

YES!!! I got my package on Saturday!! It was awesome!! CHEESE!!!! and Chocolate :) a great combination ;) AND the scarf is amazing! I love it. I wore it to church yesterday :) THANK YOU!!! 

Nothing really new happening this week :( but I was surprised that my application is complete, I thought I would have to rewrite the essays but it looks like I don't have to. :) Yay!!! Now I just have to wait and see. I was also looking at apartments and I really would love to go back to the Willows but I'm not sure...But some other options I found are The Ivy, which is not as expensive as I thought it would be and the plus is that there is a shuttle, which is nice. And the other one is Royal Crest, which is the cheapest one out of the three and is at a pretty good location to everything :) I'm really not sure though, I guess I'll just have to see if I even get in the BYU-Idaho :/ 

Sorry there isn't more I've been stressing all week about write those essays and find out today that I don't even have to do them! :P Anyway, I love you and thank you for the amazing package!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky 

Transfers and School Talk (already??)

1/16/17

Hey Mom! 

I'm good, everything's pretty great here in Lakewood :) Transfers aren't until the 31st of January, so you can send the package tomorrow! :) 

We found a family on our Pday because Pday only lasts from 10am until 6pm and then from 6pm till 9pm we work. That is one on the reasons that everyone is so excited about the changes happening on the 25th because there is a rumor that they are extending Pday to all day. Which would be awesome :) 

Nothing much has really happened this week. But I did start filling out the BYU-I application I need to schedule an interview with president'

Could you review some of the things I put as answers to questions they had? I'm not entirely sure I answered them correctly :)  

Oh and I'm applying for the Fall Semester. I'm not sure how the whole money thing is going to work out but I will probably have to take out loans. Also now that I don't have an active account with Capital Credit Union I was thinking about banking with another bank entirely. If I'm going to be in Idaho and anywhere else life takes me I don't want to always have to come back to Wisconsin to cash a check or anything else. So...could you look at national banks for me and choose one? I was thinking either Chase or Wells Fargo? but I am not skilled in that kind of thing especially with my limited access to anything while on my mission. Also, ultimately what would be easiest for you, the only things I know for certain now are where and when I want to go to school :) 

Anyway! can't wait to get the package :) Thank you!!! 

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

Zone Conference Training

1/9/17

Hey Mom, 

So Monday night we found a family of four who invited us to come back. They are super nice and have had positive contact with missionaries and Mormons before. They are really involved in the church they attend currently but hopefully they can feel the Spirit and have a desire to change :) 

Tuesday we didn't have a lot of luck. We had six appointments scheduled that day and four of them cancelled on us. it was disheartening but the good thing is all of them wanted to reschedule :) 

Wednesday was super great, we had Zone Conference that day, so we met at the stake center. President Gifford and Sister Gifford were both there as were the assistants to the president, the zone leaders, and the sister training leaders. 

They all gave training on various topics. On of the topics that i really like was from the Sister Training Leaders. They read in John chapter 21;

 3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

 4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

 5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

 6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

So my take on it; A Stranger on the shore tells them to cast their nets on the other side, they do so and they have so many fish they can hardly pull it into the boat. They didn't know it was the Savior but they followed the direction anyway and were blessed. It reminds me of commandments we are given. We may not always know why they are given but our task is to be obedient and as we are obedient to the commandments we WILL be blessed. 

20 There is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—

 21 And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated. (D&C 130:20-21)

ALSO news that we received at zone conference is that on January 25th there will be a Worldwide Missionary Broadcast and the Brethren will be making changes to Preparation day and the daily schedule! This is HUGE!!!!! The Goals that they want to accomplish are as follows; 

1. Increased productivity 

2. Improved health

3. Lifetime time management skills 

So anyway that's been my week :) 

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

The power of Priesthood Blessings

1/2/17

Hey Mom!! 

So we had a good week this week, with four new investigators and meetings with a ton of Less Actives. 

First Monday night we decided to try a referral that we got form a member. Remember the funeral we went to a couple month ago, she was an older lady? Well she has two sons who are grown and have their own families. Anyway the referral was her oldest son Devin and his wife Jenny and they are so AMAZING!! They let us right in and they opened up about all the trials that have happened this year. There have been a lot of deaths in their family this year and they almost lost their youngest son at the beginning of the year (he's two) Long story short he has an immune deficiency. So he got sick and all the symptoms were a million times worse and the doctors didn't know what was wrong so they were treating the symptoms and he got sick with something else and the only antibiotic that was doing anything was this really strong one that kills anything and everything. Jenny was telling us this and she was getting teary eyed because at the time she didn't think he was going to make it. Marcia (Devin's mom who passed away) asked if men from her church could come and give him a blessing. Jenny said she thought anything would help at this point. So they came in, and gave him a blessing (Jenny described it as 'they said a prayer over him' ) and the spirit was so strong at this point, she said that after they had prayed over him, he immediately started to get better. she commented that it was a miracle. So we showed them the Mormon Message "good things to come" set a return appointment and left them with a prayer. it was a great start to the week, unfortunately their other son got the flu and they had to cancel but she said she wants to have us over again, hopefully this week. 

We also met this AWESOME Less Active woman named Barbara and guess what!!! She was a professional body builder!!!!! She is 69 and looks GREAT! But she started in her 40's, she won Miss Colorado in '87 and came 2nd for Miss Universe in '88. She showed us pictures and all of her trophies. It was really interesting :) 

We also went out tracting with one of the young women in our ward which was a lot of fun. She wants to serve a mission so it was cool to take her out with us a giver her a taste of the missionary life :)

Cole, Randi, and Tyler should ALL go out with the missionaries!! Although Tyler has to be 16 (I think) so in a couple months!!! 

Anyway that's all for this week :) 

Love you Lots, 

Sister Sanofsky 

Post Christmas Call Home:) A lesson shared.

12/26/16

Hey Mom!! 

It was really good to see you yesterday. It was weird I didn't feel very emotional at all. I just really wanted to touch and hug all of you guys :)  

Nothing really new to report. Everything's pretty much the same as it was twenty four hours ago :) 

Hope everyone is happy and going to write me over break. 

Here's a story we share with members when we have lessons with them; 

The Unmoved Rock

Once upon a time, there was a man who was sleeping at night in his cabin when suddenly his room filled with light and the Savior appeared. The Lord told the man He had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Lord explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might. This the man did, day after day. For many years he toiled form sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might.

Each night the man returned to his cabin sore and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain. Seeing that the man was showing signs of discouragement, Satan decided to enter the picture placing thoughts into the man’s mind such as: “You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn’t budged. Why kill yourself over this? You are never going to move it.” Thus giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure.

These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man even more. “Why kill myself over this?” he thought. “I’ll just put in my time, giving just the minimum of effort and that will be good enough.” And that he planned to do until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Lord.

“Lord,” he said, “I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock a half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?” To this the Lord responded compassionately, “My child, when long ago I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that you task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push.

And now you come to me, your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But, is that really so? Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back sinewed and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition, you have grown much and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven’t moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith and trust in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my child, will now move the rock.”  ~Source Unknown

Anyway talk to you next week :) 

Love you lots, 

Sister Sanofsky

Personal Study Blessings

12/19/16

HEY MOM!!

This week has been uneventful due to the whole shoulder thing. But I did learn a couple things in personal study as I was reading the November Ensign that has the General Conference Addresses in it. 

Elder Renlund's Talk; 

Repentance: A Joyful Choice

It talks of how "real repentance must involve faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" and that "Without the Redeemer, the inherent hope and joy evaporate, and repentance becomes simply miserable behavior modification." Faith is what makes all the difference, essentially do we trust in our Savior Jesus Christ?

Elder Renlund quotes President Packer, "The Atonement leaves no tracks, no traces. What it fixes is fixed...It just heals, and what it heals stays healed...The Atonement, which can reclaim each of us, bears no scars. That means that no matter what we have done or where we have been or how something happened, if we truly repent, [the Savior] has promised that He would atone. And when He atoned, that settled that...The Atonement...can wash clean every stain no matter how difficult or how long or how many times repeated." 

Another quote, this time by William Shakespeare, 

"What win I, if I gain the thing I seek? 

A dream, a breath, a froth of fleeting joy. 

Who buys minute's mirth to wail a week, 

Or sells eternity to get a toy?"

"The fact that we can repent is the good news of the gospel!" 

-Elder Renlund

That's all for this week :) 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

Ward Christmas Party!

12/12/16

Hey Mom!!

So...I'm STAYING in Bear Creek with...SISTER SMITH!!!!! Three transfers in a row!!! CRAZY!!! 

The Concert was great, it was the Lakewood Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Mormon Chorale and the Rocky Mountain Bell Rings. They all did a very good job and there was a church there, St. Rafka, and all the proceeds and donations went to them to help their mission of hope in the middle east. helping Christian refugees in the middle east that have lost their homes or loved ones. It's pretty cool. The music was amazing and it really makes me want to be in choir again :( 

We had a Mission Tour with Elder Grow, of the Seventy, this past Friday and it was super cool, he is very spiritual (obviously) but also very funny :) we were giving new instruction on how to plan and set goals. So before when we would set goals for the week we would always put a one for those who are being baptized and confirmed in the coming week. But this training from Elder Grow actually says that if we don't have a baptism we should put ZERO, and in turn plan that particular goal for the entire transfer. So long story short Sister Smith and I both prayed and when we were finished we both said at the same time that we would have 2 baptisms in week 5!! WOW!! It was super cool and so now we are trying to find those people are suppose to be baptized in the next couple of weeks! It definitely helps with motivation, because now you know when it is going to happen and you know that people are definitely prepared, you just have to find them. 

Ward Christmas Party. SO we were elves (see attached pictures) and it was super fun! SO story time. There was this homeless guy named Randy, who was living in his car and was in the parking lot when people started to show up. A member of our ward Bro. Jones walks over to him and invites him to join us and have a warm meal. He agrees and joins us for the party. At the end he is given leftovers and President Carter (1st counselor in stake presidency) ends up talking with him about a picture in the hall way. It's the one of Joseph Smith and the First Vision. And we join in on the conversation and end up giving Randy a Book of Mormon and our number. we were talking and he expressed that he was very impressed and it reminds him of how he needs to treat others. It was super cool!! 

That was pretty much our week, nothing too exciting ;) 

Anyway, 

Lots of LOVE, 

Sister Sanofsky :) 

P.S. Did Cole, Randi, and Tyler get my letters?

Happy companions and new hair color for Maddie

Christmas Elves and A Snake?!

12/5/16

SUP MOM!! :) 

First, we are focusing on and reading a lot of Repentance chapters for our upcoming Zone Conference. Elder Grow of the Seventy will be there, and is giving instruction on teaching Repentance and Conversion using the Book of Mormon. SO...we (meaning Sister Smith and I) are reading in the Book of Mormon in Alma 26!! And it's amazing!!! you should definitely check it out. 

Also check out the talk by Jeffrey R Holland called 'Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence" It's fabulous also :) 

Had Stake Conference this weekend it was pretty great learned a lot and we were able to have 2 investigators come to both the adult session and the Sunday morning session. It was Awesome. 

this week is going to be super busy with service and this huge Lakewood Christmas concert and we have our ward Christmas party this coming Saturday (Sister Smith and I are going to be Santa's Elves) AND transfers are next week. Not sure what's going to happen but don't send anything as I'm not sure if I'll be going or staying. I'll let you know next Monday. 

Nothing else is really coming to mind and I forgot to write down the things that happened this week. SORRY :) 

Love you as always, 

Sister Sanofsky

PICS:

Sister Anderson gave us stuff for our elf costumes and the last one is of me holding a snake :) 

Thanksgiving and a little Homesick!

11/28/16

HEY MOM!!! 

So Happy Thanksgiving!! We had a great Thanksgiving with the Thomson Family they are great and we had a lot of yummy food :) I got a little homesick that night and cried for a bit before falling asleep. I'm not sure why I got homesick, probably just remembering being with family this same time last year. I'm SO glad I only have to endure one holiday season on my mission, It's really difficult. 

On Wednesday we visited Sister Norris and she has a 2 year old named Olivia and Olivia has this baby doll that is scary real, i will attach a picture, but it looks like a real baby so Sister Smith and I just had to hold it :) 

On Friday we had dinner with the Brody Family and they are awesome, they have a fifteen year old daughter named Bronwyn who reminds me a lot of Miranda, in the fact that she doesn't really like physical touch especially hugs of any kind. So as a punishment they would set an amount of time that she would have to hug them. And if she didn't do as she was told the first time they would continue to add time until it got to a family group hug :) I suggest doing that with Miranda, see what happens :) 

So we had exchanges this week, which is where two companionships exchange companions for the day. It's super fun and we get to know other sisters in the Zone. 

YUP... I think that's it :) 

Lots of Love, 

Sister Sanofsky

1. Picture I drew for Olivia, It's her and Anna and Elsa :) 

2. LOOK a BABY

3. It's fake!!