Letter as of 10/13/2014

Woah. I didn't get transferred! Who woulda thunked it.

My new companion is S. Hoemann, from Missouri. She's been out 10 months. Seems super fun, she's a huge harry potter fan and so we've already geeked out.

So! The weekly update. Chopped off my hair on monday! Still getting some used to. Tuesday I hit my 14 month mark. Super duper crazy. And then on Friday I randomly decided to dye my hair. its a dark mahogany brown. I actually really like it.

We taught so many lessons last week. Being in a trio was the greatest. We dropped off S. Meteer at the mission home last night. She is officially back home in Sacramento.

Man, i'm sorry I just cant think what to write this week. But I just take a lot of pictures! So that must count for something.

I love being a missionary. I truly do. The miracles that i'm able to witness every day makes it worth it. The change i'm able to see in myself and others even more so. Changes are around the corner. New transfer, new companion, new hair cut ;)

 I'm so grateful I took the chance to serve the Lord and go on a mission. Sure at times its ridicously hard, and all I want is to go home and hide under my covers, eating ice cream from the carton, but there are the times where you are just so happy, and at peace. Serving a mission has made my relationship with my heavenly father so much better than I could ever imagine.

I have 4 months left on my mission. And no Dad i'm not counting down the days, just super aware of how short of a time I have left here. Hopefully I am able to make a difference. Its so hard to tell sometimes.

I love you all so so much. Thanks for the support, I couldn't do this without you.

Much love! Sister Jessica Cannon

Letter as of 10/6/2014

What a crazy week!

Starting off with Monday. Zone Pday was such a blast. We played soccer, but halfway through it started hailing like crazy. We kept playing for awhile, but the hail got bigger, to the size of a dime, and it started to really hurt haha. We ended up taking cover, but then decided to play on the playground instead. Hahaha. I have bruises up and down my arms, but all can be healed through the Atonement :)

Tuesday we taught 7 lessons! That literally never happens. We met with Michael Le, and went over his baptism interview questions. He is now preparing for October 26th, which is super exciting. He was set on being baptized the day Christ was resurrected, and he wouldn't change his mind, but a miracle happened and now he wants to be baptized in October. God is good :) After that we had 5 less active lessons that went swell, and then met with Aaron, an active member in the ward who wants to be better at being a missionary to his nonmember girlfriend. He just invited her to take the discussions with us, so hopefully it all works out :)

Wednesday we saw the movie Meet the Mormons! It was soooo good, you definitely have to go see it this weekend. I don't want to ruin any of it, but its a must see. Wednesday we invited our new investigator, Jake, to be baptized, and he said yes! We didn't set him with a bap date, but we will the next time we see him. the work is picking up so incredibly much. I'll be sad to leave next week. Don't know anything for sure. but I feel pretty strongly i'll be getting transferred next week.

Man, General Conference was amazing! I absolutely loved it, and I feel as if I was able to receive a ton of revelation, which is always a plus. I loved the talk that was the 6 steps to spiritual confidence. That, and Hollands talk, were my two favorites.

Yesterday we found a new investigator! Her name is Jessica, (happens to be the first Jessica I've ever taught on my mission, about time haha.) She's twenty, her dad was baptized about 2 years ago, and she just welcomed us right in when we knocked on her door. She too accepted the baptism invitation, so that is super exciting. I feel like she will progress rapidly in the Gospel.

Things here are going really great. Being in a trio this time around has been so much fun, we are just constantly laughing, but we work hard together, which is a plus.

We went to the zoo and had lots of fun.....

Hope everything is going well back home! See you in a short 4 months!

Love Sis Cannon

Letter as of 9/29/2014

Hiiiiii !

Another week has past, insane! Time moves so fast. I cant believe my mission is almost over, transfers are in two weeks, and then I only have two more after that. Super crazy!

This week was a lot of fun. We went to the zoo on Monday! The computer wont let me upload any pictures though :( so I'll send them next week, I promise!

Sunday we found a new investigator! His name is Jake. He is legit. He is also the third Jake we are teaching, the other two are less active ha-ha. A member brought him to church and introduced him to us. I'm pumped to be able to teach him!

Saturday we were on exchanges. I went with S. Packer in the Bible Park ward. It was so good to be back in a family ward, even if it was just for one day! Hopefully I get to serve in family next transfer. Not that I don't love Maplewood, I truly do, but I'm a little over it ha-ha.

Saturday evening we got a call from President, letting us know we'll be in a trio for the next two weeks. Sister Meteer is our new comp! She only has two weeks left in the mission field. Her last companion had to leave two weeks early because of school, so that's why she is with us. I want to ask her a billion questions about how she is feeling about leaving soon, but I wont because I know it will be super distracting for her. Shes super sweet, and we get along really well.

The weather here has been really bipolar. It rains basically everyday, but only for a little while. I guess its prepping me for Seattle in a couple of months :) Im pretty worried about this winter, everyone is saying its going to be really bad because it was such a wet, cold summer. I HATE the cold. It makes it no fun to go out and work. That's why I could never go to school in Idaho or Utah, because of their winters. No gracias!

We haven't been doing so hot on total lessons this transfers. Every week we can only get 11 lessons. Nothing more, nothing less. Its ridiculous! Ha but this week looks super promising, we have 14 set appointments, plus the other random ones we can find, so it should be better.

The really awesome things about being in a trio is that we can get into any house, because we have a third girl. That way we don't have to try and make an apt and then they forget about it, we can just go inside and knock there socks off with our teaching skills! Or the Spirits teaching skills, same thing.

Oh! On Wednesday, we are gathering as a mission, and we get to watch Meet the Mormons. It doesn't come out till Saturday, but we get to see it early so we can use it as a missionary tool. I'm super pumped to be able to watch an actual movie! Are they showing in anywhere near you guys? You should definitely go if you can !

Something I cant wait for as well is General Conference. Its going to be so great. The woman's broadcast was exactly what I needed to hear, so I cant wait for the rest of it. We'll most likely watch it at the church, no members have invited us to watch it with them at home. Oh well! It'll still be super duper wonderful.

Anywhoooos! I love you so incredibly much! Thanks for all you do!

Sister Jessica Cannon <3

Letter as of 9/22/2014

What a good week!

It was pretty much jam-packed with awesomeness.

Monday we finally went to the 16th street mall in downtown Denver, we went with some sisters in the zone. It was a lot of fun! I didn't end up buying anything just because everything was ridiculously expensive, but we were able to just mess around and window shop. 

Afterwards we had a super amazing lesson with this less active woman named Sara. She's been struggling a lot with the knowledge that our Heavenly Father loves her. She can say that He loves all His children, but she cant feel it just for herself. The Spirit testified so incredibly while we were there, and we asked her to say the closing prayer. All she got out was Dear Heavenly Father, do you love me. Then she just paused, and paused some more, and it went a little longer, and she just started crying because you could just feel Gods love for her in force. It truly was an amazing experience. We get to meet with her again this evening, I cant' wait.

On Wednesday we were able to go to the Temple! I always feel like its been forever and ever since we last went, even though we are blessed to be able to go once a month, Afterwards we went to zone meeting, which was wonderful as always. We have some amazing leaders in this mission, that's for sure. As soon as zone meeting let out, we got a call from this woman named Ann. She told us she has a copy of the book of Mormon, has visited Mormon.org, and would like to meet with us to learn more... after recovering from out shock, because that literally never happens, we set up an appointment with her for Friday. The lesson went so incredibly well, but we found out she is 32. Ugh. So we'll have to pass her off to the family missionaries this week.

(found some BIG cows) decided to have a picnic :)

Thursday morning we had interviews with our mission president and his wife. We met with them separately, so I was with president while Sister Grossman met with Sister Mendenhall. Bother of them told me that I most likely will be getting transferred next transfer. Which I am oddly okay with. I'm ready to be back in family ward, and since I only have three transfers left its the perfect time for me to move. President Mendenhall asked if there was any specific area I wanted to serve in. I said no, but I did have a companion I wanted to serve with. I told him I wanted to be with sister mata'itusi again. I explained that we started our mission together, so it would be really cool to end our mission together and see how much each of us has grown. He looked like he was actually considering it! He even wrote it down haha. That would be so amazing if I could serve with her again! Who knows. 3 more weeks till I can find out haha.

Friday we found a new investigator! His name is Luis. So, funny story about him. He's been coming to church this past month, every week, and I never knew he wasn't a member, he just fit right in. Well Sister Grossman asked who he was, I didn't know, so we went up and introduced ourselves. He said he wasn't a member but wanted to learn more.. haha man I cant believe he's been coming this long and we didn't realized he was a nonmember. Facepalm.

service, took 2 hours to remove cause we couldn't use any power tools...

Thanks so much for your last letter, and for including the talk the miracle of a mission by Holland. It was fantastic, and made me rethink of few things. Hope you had a great week as well! 

Love you soooo much.

9/15/2014

Hellllloooooo! :)

This week was so super great. Why you may ask? Because a general authority came and visited our mission on Saturday! Any guesses who? Holland? Oaks? The Prophet himself? Wrongo bongo. Elder Larry R Lawrence of the 70 came and visited us. :) But it was actually really amazing. I liked his wifes presentation better, in all honesty. She talked about the House of Isreal, and that blessings that coming from being part of it, something I had never given much thought. Man, mind blown. I learned so much about the tribes of Isreal. Just in out mission alone, besides belonging to Ephraim or Manasseh, there are some missionaries that belong to Dan, Rueben, and one from Levi. One girl said her blessing stated she was from Jacob.. but not which tribe. So cool! I forgot my notes at home so I cant tell you all the cools things I learned haha. One thing I do remember is that less that 2% of the world belongs to the house of Isreal. When we talk about finding the Elect, we actually mean finding through of that heritage. Who knew?

At the Sister breakaway, Sis Lawrence shared with us a talk titled To Young Woman by Elder Holland. Its a goldmine, you should read it.

 

We finally found a new investigator this past week! His name is Maurice. We met him at the library last week haha. Hopefully good things will come out of this! :) Still no news on David, that stinker. I cant believed he hasn't contacted us in over 3 weeks. I am so incredibly bummed.

 

I'm pretty sure each week these letters get shorter and shorter. Sorry! I hate writing so much and then not have the opportunity to talk to you. Things here are great. On the final stretch of my mission, which honestly freaks me out. But the works good, the ward is wonderful, and I'm getting to know my companion. 

Hope everything is well back home! Know that I love you all so incredibly much, and am grateful for all that you do. Have a great week!

Much love, Sister Jessica Cannon

Letter as of 9/8/2014

I never know how to start these things.

Uhhhh. I honestly don't even remember what happened this past week.

I left my planner at home so I cant even look at the days so see what we did, sorry :)

oh! Saturday night we went contacting in a super sketchy apartment complex. We asked a man for directions to a building, and then gave him a book of Mormon. On our way back to the car, we met his roommate and gave him a book of Mormon as well. We invited them both to church, not really thinking much of it. Well the roommate, Jesric, actually read from the book, and every scripture he came to talked about keeping the Sabbath day holy haha. So he showed up to church! And after two or three people bore their testimony at fast&testimony meeting, he decided he needed to go up there as well. Man we were a little nervous because he is pretty rough around the edges, but he did great! Too bad after sacrament we found out he is 32, so we have to pass him off to the family missionaries. Lame. Oh well, still one point to team Jesus.

Man. I seriously cannot think what to write. I swear I've been staring at the compute screen for 20 minutes trying to think. :)

Something that I came across in my personal studies stood out to me. I was studying consecration, and read the story of the rich young ruler, in Matt 19:16-22. The man asked Christ how he could have eternal life, but wasn't willing to give up everything for it. Then comparing this to the story of King Lamoni's Father, in Alma 22:15, where KLF asked the very same question, how do I have eternal life, and he was willing to give up everything, even his entire kingdom for it. Its really amazing because just 3 chapters prior, in Alma 20:23, his life was only worth half of his kingdom. King Lamonis Father started to understand total consecration. Its been something I've been studying a lot, how to become a consecrated missionary. Its so hard with so many distractions around me everywhere I go, but that's my goal.

I love that I have these powerful examples in the scriptures to follow. Really helps my testimony grow when I can see how to apply them in my daily life. 

How are your scripture studies going? :)

 

Love you to the moon and back.

Have a great week!

9/2/2014

No Letter today :( just a few pictures. Sis Cannon said she had a long hard week...

the district....

new companion...

the sisters serving in the Stake,,,