Flashback#25: "In the Details"

Today I want to talk about happy things! Just a quick update on Sister McKee- Thursday at 12 noon Tennessee Time (11am MST) we had a prayer for Sister McKee. My companion and I each prayed for a very long time. From what it looks like, we had many other wonderful Saints join us. We received an update that she did make some great improvement yesterday surrounded by her family! Please to feel free to visit President's updates with us here.

"The Lord is in the details of our lives," President Monson so lovingly said last October in General Conference. From the miracles and improvements we have seen in Sister McKee, I know that is true. I also know that from many other experiences on my mission, and this story is a portion of one of those.

Coming from the beginning of January 2012.

Let me tell you a little bit about my week!!

 Last Saturday night: I was surprised, very surprised, to find out that I would be moving from Clarksville, Tennessee, to serve in the Hopkinsville ward and Fort Campbell branch. I was expecting to be serving in Clarskville for a long time, but I suppose the Lord has other plans for me.
 Sunday and Monday: Regular missionary life in Clarskville /slash packing and getting ready to leave.
 Tuesday: One of the weirdest days ever. I decide to leave everything in Clarksville as opposed to taking it all to Franklin and back just to move 20 minutes away. A recent convert named Courtney was awesome enough to drive us down to Franklin for this whole proccess. We held transfer meeting, and old missionaries went home and new missionaries came in with bright eyes and fresh ties! (and skirts). I met up with Sister Warwood and a sister from the Fort Campbell branch and she took us out to lunch then we headed back home. We stopped in Clarksville to pick up all my stuff... and I still managed to leave some things there...
  That night we visited some people on post. I haven't met a single unkind person yet! Everyone is so welcoming and awesome to the missionaries! It is wonderful!
 Wednesday was great! We worked on the Hopkinsville ward. It was Wednesday night that I started realizing that I "knew" more people than I thought here! I had a missionary companion who had served in Hopkinsville/Fort Campbell area and she told me about how amazing the saints are here. She truly loves the people, and I am quickly seeing why!
 Thursday and Friday was back working on post, and it SNOWED!!! Holy cow it was cold! We weren't anticipating that. Thank goodness on Friday we bundled up a lot more! Saturday was more work in the Hopkinsville ward. We even attended a Catholic Mass- first time in my life! My goodness... it was different!

This is very much a middle portion of the story. One event that I know was divinely inspired started on my Sunday in Clarksville. I met a family that sat on a bench near the back row. They soon told me that they lived on Fort Campbell, and the very night before was the call that I received telling me that I would be transferred there. I set up an appointment with this family by faith, hoping and praying that it would work out in the new area I was assigned with a new companion.

My companion and I were very blessed to teach this family about the gospel. The mother was already baptized but had not attended church for a long time. As we continued to teach them, the Father and two sons old enough accepted the invitation to be baptized. Their twin girls just under a year old were blessed the Sunday following the baptism after the confirmations. This is a family that I have really grown to love so much. I continue to pray for this family and I think of them often. This family taught me so much and I believe that they were a gift to my life from God.

There were so many other miracles and blessings that took place in the area, and I learned powerful lessons from so many others that I met. Last Friday, just over a week ago, I discovered that lessons from that time are not over yet! It just so happens that Sister Tauoa has a cousin that lives in Clarksville. It so happens that her cousin's best friend lives on Fort Campbell. It so happens that I know both of these sisters and look up to them a lot! We received permission to go to lunch with them while they were in Franklin. We all had a wonderful time and I am grateful beyond words that I got to see both sisters and I know that Sister T. was as excited and happy as I was!

Dear friends, I don't think that coincidences are without consequence. I believe that they are more often blessings in disguise. Sometimes we call them tender mercies. We may not see them at the time, but God has a purpose for everything.

What are some tender mercies that you have seen in your life today?

Have an action-packed day!
Love, Sister Franson

Flashback #16: With a CHALLENGE!

From... last Fall... obviously, when I was in Gallatin. 


It's time for FALL!!!

And that's all I said! Plus this nice picture. This year, as I am looking outside, seeing the leaves fall, the weather cooling down, Halloween and other Fall decorations going up, I think to myself, "NOOO!!!!!!"

Partly because I love summer time. I REALLY love summer time. This year though, Fall means something else:

It means that I am going home soon.

Yep! Home. Back to Idaho. I am really sad to know that I am leaving soon. I am trying hard not to think about it, but it is VERY hard not to. Last week, I did something that I have never done before.

I counted the number of days until I go home.

I DID! I can't believe I did that! And do you know what I found out? I have less than 100 days before I am on an airplane home! Yikes! So, instead of this number making me homesick and want time to pass by faster until I go, I did something special with this number. The number was 82. (I can't tell you how many days from today and I don't want to figure it out!). I have 82 specific things that I need to do before I go home. I won't tell you what it is (yet), but many of you may figure it out, I hope!

I think I can do it! But you know something? I can't do it alone. Most importantly, of course, I have the Savior. I am praying that he will help me with this goal. I also have a wonderful, obedient, and supportive companion that is willing to help me to accomplish this goal. There are also great, strong members of the congregation we work with that support us and give us so much help! I couldn't do it without them! And of course, there are many other dear friends and supporters for the missionaries. You are so important. We pray for you every day.

So, dear friends, do you want to be part of this miracle that is about to take place? Here is what you can do to help:

Invite the missionaries over to your home.

That's all you need to do! No matter where you are or who you are, invite the missionaries to their home and listen to what they have to share with you. WILL YOU DO THAT? When you do, tell me about it.

"By small and simple things are great things brought to pass." Alma 37:6

The best way to make the day action-packed is to invite the missionaries over! :D
Love, Sister Franson

Wonderful!

Sometimes sister missionaries are so busy with meetings and appointments that we don't really have time to blog. Isn't that wonderful?! 

Wanna know why we have been so busy??? Well, you see, Sister W. and I have been teaching a family for the past six or seven weeks or so. The mom has already been baptized, and as we have visited with them we have grown to love this family and have shared with them the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. And, last Saturday, the dad and two sons were...

BAPTIZED!!!

It was so special. And this family has their own goal of going to the temple in year to be sealed for time and all eternity!! Isn't that wonderful?!
This week has been so action-packed for us! Monday was my birthday (Thank you to the many who sent me cards and messages wishing me a great day!) and Sister J. and I had a fabulous day full of activities and spending time with great families (including the family that we just held a baptism for!). Tuesday was lots of hard work mixed with meetings.

Wednesday, WE WENT TO THE TEMPLE! I love how completely set apart the temple is from the world. I was able to feel so much peace there, more than I have been able to feel in a long time. I did an endowment session for someone who was born in the 1800's, and now she has almost all of the ordinances that Heavenly Father has to offer. In the Spirit World, she will now be able to be with her dear friends and family and have all of the blessings that Heavenly Father has to offer. (Sister W. did and excellent blog post about the Spirit World not too long ago!) ISN'T THAT WONDERFUL???

Today, well, we still have meetings and such, and soon now we will be back to work. I just love this wonderful work, this wonderful area, and not to mention this wonderful weather! (It's at least 70 degrees with the sun shining and the whole thing!)

So, dear friends, what is wonderful to you today? Post your comments! Inspire someone today! Look for the great things in your life! They are there, I can testify to that!

Have an action-packed day!
-Sister Franson