05/31/2011

Hello my dear family and friends!


How in the world are all of you doing!?  So sorry we could not email yesterday, the library was closed for memorial day. I have decided that missionaries are not to fond of holidays haha. So yeah... but it was a good day. Last night as we were tracting there were a few people having bbq's and I thought hmm... I bet my family is bbquin tonight too! How funny... its funny the little tiny things that I miss like memorial day bbq's haha. Anyway... so our week was still pretty slow last week. We struggled to get 20 lessons in because it just seemed like no one liked us haha. So on Sunday night I felt like the guy off the RM who was doing his home teaching at the last minute haha we drove around and tried to see people and it didn't work to well but we ended up hitting 20 lessons. Thank goodness. Sister Craig and I have been talking... and we have been trying to figure out why we have been struggling to find people and to teach and things like that. So the other day we were sitting in the car, and she looks at me and says, "I think its my fault." And I said, "whats your fault?" and she said, " that we are having a hard time." And she kind of grinned a little and I looked at her and said, "oh my goodness! you prayed for patience didn't you!?" haha I was just kidding with her but it was funny. As a missionary I have learned that when you pray for patience you really get it haha. But that wasn't it. She said that she prayed for trials. And I have been thinking about that, and I was like why on earth would you pray for trials. But it really makes sense. I feel like because we are struggling a little bit, I am learning more about myself, and how I can deal with things. Its so awesome because we just laugh all the time. We are so funny haha. I love it. So anyway... if you could all continue to pray that we find people that would be great. So yesterday I played some bball with the elders. It was pretty fun. I love it! If I stay in Puyallup for another transfer (which I hope and pray that I do... with Sister Craig.) then I will probably break down and by some bball shoes. I know I am way cheap, but I might not be able to help myself. Haha maybe I should just have you send me my Jordans. I guess we will see. So anyway... this week we have worked hard and we hope to see Miracles happen soon. Being a missionary is the best thing in the world. I am so glad that I chose to serve a mission. I have experienced things here that would have never happened if I hadn't have chose to serve a mission. I am so thankful for all that my savior has done for me in my life. I can't even imagine where I would be without him. I know that when I pray to Heavenly Father he hears me. The past couple of weeks I have wondered that... Does he really hear me? But I know that he does. He just answers in his time. Or he answers my prayers I just have to put forth the effort and look for the answer. Anyway... I am rambling... sorry. But I want you all to know that I know this gospel is the truth restored on the earth today. I know that Joseph Smith saw our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ, and through him the priesthood was restored back to the earth. The Book of Mormon is the true word of God. It is another testament of Jesus Christ, and I know that if we read from it daily we will be blessed, and reading the scriptures is how we find answers to our prayers. I love you all and I hope that you have a great week! You are amazing and I am so thankful for each one of you. Jodi good luck tomorrow, and Brenna I love you so much and I know you will feel better with your tonsils out. And I will pray for you both! I love you have a great week!

Love always, Kate

Hello Everybody 05/23/11

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing!? Okay wow... so this week has been... hard/good/full of laughter! I don't really know how to explain it all. So this week has been hard because we have been trying to stop by all the people on the ward list that are part member families or have ubc's (sorry unbaptized children). And yes you guessed it... no one let us in. haha. Being a missionary is just so awesome. lol. Some days we just don't know what to do. Its so funny though. Like on hard days we can't even cry anymore haha we just laugh. So we have laughed a lot this week and I love it! I absolutely LOVE Sister Craig and if I could stay with her for the rest of my mission I totally would lol. She has helped me a lot. She is so great. So I have been thinking a lot this week, about a lot of different things. Which is weird because the gospel has always just made sense to me. And I always just went a long with everything and I had no problem whatsoever with it. But this week I was thinking a lot about Faith. So I asked the question... How do we have faith? The question seems very simple and when someone asks it your like well duh... its faith. But really... think about that question... How do we have faith? I have been thinking about it a lot, and after talking to Sister Craig about some stuff last night, I decided that for me to have faith I just have to put ALL my trust in my Heavenly Father, and Savior, and know that they will take care of it for me. So anyway... just something to think about. Sister Craig and I lay ed in bed last night and talked about all of this until like 1:30 in the morning haha so needless to say we are a little tired today, but it was so worth it. She has taught me a lot and I am really grateful for her. I keep telling her that when she gets home she will just have to move to Utah. So something that was way cool this week... I met an APOSTLE! Sweet right!? Elder Neil L. Anderson came to the Firgrove ward stake conference because they were re organizing the Stake Presidency. It was so awesome. He brought Elder Bennett from the quorum of the seventy with him. It was really cool, and I shook both of their hands yesterday. The spirit in those meetings are always really amazing! It makes me feel like I never want to take this name tag off. I don't really know how to explain it. Another thing that I have learned this week is that I am so excited to be a mom some day. Every time I think about I just think what an amazing thing that is. Elder Anderson talked about the women in the church yesterday. He was talking about the priesthood and then he said, "But women are naturally more spiritual than men." I thought that was really neat. He basically said that if men didn't hold the priesthood, then there wouldn't be very many men in the church. I thought that was really interesting. So anyway... I am really excited that I am part of that. And that I can have some of those responsibilities that women get to have. I am so thankful for that. I am just so thankful that I was born of goodly parents, who taught me and raised me in this amazing gospel. Sister Craig looked at me the other day and said, "How can people not have the gospel? Can you imagine not having it!?" My answer was No! I can't even imagine what I would do without it! It scares me to even think of that. So anyway... this week has been hard because seeing people wasn't easy this week, and tracting was hard too. But it was all okay because we just laughed about it. It always reminds me of the talk that Elder Worthlin gave called, "Come what may and love it." In that talk he says to learn to laugh. I really like that. Instead of crying just laugh because it is just so much better. Haha. So all week we were laughing. Then last night we were talking and Sister Craig's older sister got married when she had been in the MTC for two weeks. And so she was really able to help me with some stuff, and we were able to FINALLY have a good cry. Hahaha cuz sometimes you just NEED to cry. So it was awesome, and I am so thankful for you. I love this gospel with all of my heart! I know that it is true! And even though sometimes I feel like my faith wavers, I know that it is true, and I know that Satan is just trying to work extra hard on us because something good is probably about to happen. So pray for us this week. Pray that we find some new people to teach! And pray that they will come to church! I love you guys so much. I love my Savior with all my heart! I know that because of him anything is possible! I love you all, and I hope that you have a great week!

Love always,

Katee

Hello 05/16/11

Hello everybody!


How in the world are you all doing!?  I am doing so great!  It was such a great week!  It went by so fast!  I can't believe I've already been with Sister Craig for a week. So crazy!  Man I love her so much. I am just having such a great time. The work seems easier and it is so awesome!  Sister Craig is an amazing missionary!  So anyway... I hope you all had a great week.  I decided that I would tell you of the little miracle that happened to us yesterday.  So last transfer I met the Hixon family. The dad is a member, but he was less active, and his wife Becky is a 7th day Adventist.  So they all the sudden just started coming to church.  She said that having two separate religions was hard and it wasn't good for their marriage. So she said that she would go to church with him.  So like my first or second week in Puyallup we were having dinner with some members. (The Stutz family, they are AMAZING) And so we go over there and sister Stutz says, "sisters I invited the Hixons over for dinner." So Sister Soelberg and I were like this is great!  So they came over, and we just talked with them and I don't remember a lot of it but I do remember that the spirit was there for sure. Me and Sister Stutz and Sister Soelberg, and Sister Hixon (Becky... haha I already call her Sister Hixon, lol) just cried.  It was mostly when I talked about families, and why I was on a mission.  It was way cool. So anyway Becky told us that she didn't really have any time to meet with us because she is never home she is so busy. Which really is true haha sometimes people just tell us that but she was being for real.  So we didn't think to much about it.  But Becky and I instantly had a connection because she is an athlete! So she likes me haha.  So anyway... I just felt like she would come around sometime.  So the past couple of weeks Sister Stutz said, "sisters I have a great idea... we can just teach Becky during Sunday school because she is always at church and that would be the only time to do it."  So I have been kind of nervous about it because Becky is really knowledgeable about the bible and stuff like that.  So anyway... I didn't ever really think that it would happen, but yesterday Sister Stutz gets to church and comes up to me and gives me a huge hug and says, "guess what? Becky wants to meet with you guys during Sunday school and she is really excited about it and she wants to start TODAY!"  I was so excited but so scared at the same time haha.  But it was so awesome! So I fill Sister Craig in on the whole situation and she said, "okay... what should we teach her?" and Sister Stutz had said we should teach the restoration because Becky still has a problem with the priesthood.  So we said lets pray about it haha.  So all through out Sacrament I was just praying and praying.  And this week Sister Craig and I talked and I was just like. I feel like my prayers get so mechanical sometimes.  I mean I probably pray over 50 times a day and its kind of just the same thing. And Sister Craig said that the answers were in the scriptures.  So I prayed and prayed and then during sacrament I decided to open my Book of Mormon to a random spot. And I turned to Helaman 5 and it was talking about Faith.  So at that moment I knew that it was all going to work out and all I needed to do was have Faith.  So sacrament ends and we go in and we start teaching the Restoration.  It was so awesome!  I'm pretty sure as I recited the first vision Becky got a little teary eyed. And it just went so great, and Sister Stutz is amazing!  And so Becky is going to pray, and I promised her that she would get an answer! Yay!  It was pretty cool. Then the next thing we were just talkin and Sister Stutz said, "last week I told Becky that one of the sisters was getting transferred, and she looked up and said, "Which one!? Not Sister Balmforth?" And Sister Stutz told her that it wasn't me. haha. That made me feel really good. Then Becky said, "well I really like Sister Soelberg too, but me and Sister Balmforth have a connection because we are both athletes. Haha I was just lovin life haha. What a great day! Then last night we were having dinner with one of our Relief Society Presidents and her family. (The Stecks) and we asked her if there was anyone that she would like us to visit. And she said, "Oh yeah you could try Patti Bates" So we were like okay we can do that. Then she told us about her haha it was so funny.  I guess this lady stabbed her husband once, and went to jail,and then stabbed him again and went back to jail haha.  It was so funny we were just laughing. Brother Steck was like "her husband probably deserved it." ha ha, so I am excited to meet Patti Bates!  Well anyway... last week was a great week. I have learned a lot this past week, about myself. I have learned that I need to have more Faith.  Faith is everything. "We won't receive a witness until after the trial of our Faith." I have also learned that the power of prayer really is one of the most amazing powers. It is our only communication to our Heavenly Father, and we shouldn't take it for granted.  I think I do everyday, and I am really going to try harder to make my prayers more meaningful!  I love this Gospel so much. Being a missionary has changed my life. The Book of Mormon is true. That was another thing that I learned this week. I thought about it and I thought about my own conversion. And mine I feel is very different. Just because I never saw a vision or I never heard a voice telling me that it was true. But it was a gradual process. And it has taken 21 years but I think I am close. I have never felt so close to the Savior in my whole life, and it is amazing! Anyway... sorry this was so sporadic haha I hope you all have a great week! You are amazing and I love you so much and pray for you everyday! Have a great week! I love you!

Love, Katee

Picture Overload, Sequim and Puyallup areas



Service for a member





Sister Nybo and Sister Balmforth at the Castle



Putting on the Armour of God at the castle.

The Castle




Cookie Dough from home



Yay! 05/11/11

Hello Family and Friends!


How are you all doing!? First of all family it was sooooooooo good to hear your voices on Sunday! My goodness that just was so great. I was a little nervous before calling just because I thought it might be hard. But it was so great. Even though I cried haha I loved it! Mom and Dad you are amazing and you will still never know how truly grateful I am for you! Its hard to write when I just talked to you haha. But anyway I got my new companion! And guess what!? So far I LOVE HER! I have only been with her for two days but she is great! She is way funny which is sooooo good for me, because I was definitely in need of some comic relief! Her name is Sister Craig and she is from KANSAS! Yay she's not from Utah haha. Not that being from Utah is bad, its just hard when people ask you where your from and you say Utah and they say oh yeah another one from Utah haha. It is kinda funny. But anyway she is great so far, and I think I am really going to love this transfer! I feel like there is so much work to be done here in Puyallup and if we work hard we can accomplish some great things! Thats funny that Colton thinks it is crazy that I am over two wards. Its funny because in Sequim we were over two wards too but it is harder in Puyallup because the two wards that we are over are in different stakes! Yeah thats what is crazy! So every week we have to report our numbers to two different zone leaders! Yeah now you can see why last transfer was difficult lol But I love it and Heavenly Father is definitely blessing me! I just love being a missionary.... I can't even explain it! Some days I get home and its like okay let me hurry and go to bed so I can get on with tomorrow but other days I just don't want them to end. Today sister craig and I were talking about things that we will do after the mission, and I know it sounds weird but I said "i'm scared to go home." I think most missionaries feel the same way after awhile. But it is just going to be weird. I now understand why returned missionaries are so weird haha. And yes I will probably be a weird returned missionary haha. But its okay. Its worth it. But it is just different. Right now I just feel like I am in a spiritual bubble, and I have never felt closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior before. And I think I am afraid of not constantly having that. But anyway I have awhile before I have to cross that bridge anyway... but it is going by so fast. On Sunday it will be 5 months!!!! Thats insane! I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY! Okay sorry this is so sporatic! I always do that. Anway... on Monday I introduced Sister Craig to Matt and Emily! They are as aweosme as ever, and Emily said that her family wants to start coming back to church together! I know that Emily and Matt have been amazing examples to them. They also said that one of Matt's brothers that was at the baptism was really touched by it, and he cried the whole time. So that is pretty amazing! I am so excited to work hard this transfer! I love this work so much. It is probably the hardest but most rewarding thing that I have ever done in my life. And I wouldn't change it for the world! I feel the spirit so strong everyday! Its just so hard to explain! Your probably sick of hearing my testimony but I want you all to know... that I KNOW that I am here for a reason! I know that! And I find proof of that everyday. I love driving down the road and un rolling the car window and asking any random person if there is a church that they go to. I am actually starting to like tracting more. And I love it when we have someone that will talk to us for more than 30 seconds! And I love to see the change in their countenance as we talk with them for that 30 seconds. It is so amazing! The Spirit of the Lord is definitely in this work, and I KNOW that it is impossible without our Heavenly Father! I love this gospel so much. It means more to me now than it ever has before! Things are starting to make more sense to me and I just love it! I feel my Saviors love constantly! And I AM HAPPY! I love you all so much and I hope that you have a great week!

Love,Katee

P.s the mission is having a temple trip on the 25th of this month! Yay! I am way excited! It would be cool if you guys went to the temple that day. I love you all!

Sorry about not emailing yesterday, It was not my fault! I am a little bitter.

Hello family and friends!


Okay so first off sorry about not emailing yesterday!  Mom I know how that makes you panic so that is why I got a hold of Emily. We ran out of time yesterday.  So sorry. I was stressing about it all night because I know how you feel when you don't hear from us because it happened when I was home and Colton was out. Okay so anyway... this week has been.... I dunno.... haha. Uh... Its been kind of a tough week for me. I am really trying hard to be patient in everything but it is hard.  I am trying to humble myself more and just think... Okay what would Jesus do? :) So please keep praying for my patience. Thanks. Now Mer, and Courteney, and Terry THANK YOU SO MUCH for the packages! You guys are amazing! And I love you so much. Okay so at the beginning of the week I finished the Book of Mormon! Yay it was way cool. I had started it before my mission and just finished it!  My testimony of the scriptures has grown so much and I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon in my life. I have no idea what I would do without it. Before I came on a mission I read the Book of Mormon every night but I never really understood it. But now I LOVE reading and I get hooked. The stories are so amazing and really the whole book is just one big test of Faith! How amazing is that!? I am FINALLY starting to be able to understand the Book of Mormon and I love it! Its like it just comes to life! How amazing is that? Truly a blessing from Heavenly Father. He has really blessed me over the past five months. Okay I don't really know what else to say.... We had a couple of Miracles this week. We found a guy named Andrew who is very interested in learning more. So that is pretty cool and hopefully we will see more miracles from that. Tonight we get to see Matt and Emily, that always makes my day! Matt's baptism is on Saturday! I am excited! He is so ready to be baptized! Mom thank you so much for finding that music! You are AMAZING! Hopefully it comes today! Mothers day is only a few days away and I am excited to talk to you. I am a little nervous about it at the same time. This week has been a little tough for me. Just I don't really know how to explain it. But the lord is on my side and I am doing great! How are you all doing? I am glad that Colton is doing good. He seems happy to be in Cape Town. Transfers are Monday for me. We will find out on Saturday so I will let you know when I call. So stop sending letters probably by tomorrow just in case my address changes. I don't really know how I feel about Transfers. I don't really mind what happens either way. Elder Stringham (my zone leader who I went to Jr. High with) thinks that Sis. Soelber and I will both stay..... But we will see. Well I hope you all have a great week and I will talk to you on Sunday! It will probably be at 5:30 your time mom... Okay I love you all and I hope you are doing great! I know that this gospel is true and I know that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers! I love it with all of my heart! I know that I am here for a reason. Even though some days I feel like giving up because things are so hard I know that the lord hears me and that he walks with me everyday. And he is the reason why I am doing what I am doing. I love you all. Have a great week!

Love, Katee