The Final Countdown

Dear Family,

         We got our transfer call last night. The good news is that Sister Rupp is staying in the area as Senior Companion with one of my other favorite Sisters, Sister Tittle! In the weeks leading up to this I have had a mix of feelings. The more part of those feelings being worry. We had dinner with a member last night and it was difficult to keep myself together. Over dinner she said something along the lines of, "Discouragement looks down, worry looks side-to-side, but faith looks up." We just picked up a new investigator this past week. She is 26 years old and has two kids. She is the most prepared person I have EVER met. She has made a lot of mistakes in her life but walked into her bedroom the other day to see her 7-year-old son praying. It touched her so much to know that her little son, whom she has never taught to pray, would so humbly turn to Him. She is a hilarious person! In our first lesson before we could even get a few sentences out she would say, "Well is there anything I can read about that in "this" book?" She had committed herself to read about 5 chapters in the Book of Mormon by the time we were done and then asked, "So when can I see you next?" She is so eager to have this in her life and to have access to that peace and comfort that comes through the Atonement. In our very next lesson she returned to us and had found the www.lds.org page and had been highlighting the Book of Mormon and reading up on things. She was so excited and rattled off her experience with prayer. She said, at the beginning she found it hard to believe that God could really forgive us for the bad things that we've done. But as she prayed she said she didn't understand it but she started to cry and felt a loving feeling come over her. I wish you could hear the way she describes it. All I did was sit there with the BIGGEST grin on my face. I really couldn't say a word. I just. Ah! Then she said. Oh! And I read about baptism! Can I get baptized? The answer, of coarse, was yes and she will be baptized on November 17th at 6:00pm. She was sad when we told her that Sister Ripplinger and I would be leaving. I was so thankful that I got to be here for Scott & Cindy's baptism! And Muang’s too! It was one busy day. But nothing could feel better than standing with Sister Rupp at the top of those stairs. Muang's sister Yian and a few of her other family members came to the baptism. Muang was so excited. We showed up at her house a couple of hours before the baptism to make sure everything was still okay and she was already all dressed with a little backpack of stuff just pacing back and forth. Her Sister, like I think I have said before, is a convert as of last March. When she came in and saw her Sister all dressed in white she started to cry and had to leave the room. She wants this so badly for her family. Right after the baptism we gave Yian some time to bare her testimony. She talked about how her whole life she had felt this hole. Like something was missing. As she bore her testimony I felt so strongly of my Savior’s love for these people. Muang was so happy. Her simple testimony and faith in the Savior will always have an impact on my life.

         As I said last week Cindy and Scott have had some trials come into their life lately. This past week was a rough one. We all knelt together for a prayer and she began to calm. Then when we walked past the font to the changing room she began to feel a little "uneasy." She doesn't like water and so that had a great deal to do with it. I walked into the changing room with her and we sat for a minute, just the two of us. She looked at me and said, "You know that you’re special right?" The spirit was so strong as I bore her my testimony. The minute that I spoke the words, "Your Heavenly Father is aware of you...” I felt a feeling I could never describe. And she felt it too. It is such a blessing to feel of God’s love for others. It has been such a blessing to be with her from the very beginning and to see the way the Spirit has touched her and softened her. I can see her serving others and what a strength she will be to this ward. Then. yesterday for their confirmations, Sister Rupp and I sang "I need thee every hour" in Tongan with the Tupou family. Brother Solomon even came to church to see us!

         So... you might be curious as to where I am going! I will be serving in Auburn! My new companion’s name is Sister Elliot. She has been out for two transfers. Things are going great. Just doing a lot of packing and then Sister Rupp and I are going to go to the Temple together. I have been having a really hard time knowing that I am leaving Dry Creek. But mostly, leaving my companion. I will openly admit that she is the missionary that changed my mission, and my life. She has taught me so much about the person that I want to be. I can't even describe to you how much she has changed me. President Weston knows me far too well. He knew this would be hard. But of all the places for me to end my mission... Auburn just fits. I will never forget the people I have met here in Dry Creek. They have become my family and I am so thankful that their numbers and their strength continue to grow. I look back on my first day here and my heart is just full to have seen the changes and the growth that I have been able to witness. Thank you so much for all you do for me! I love you dearly!

Love,

Sister Mitchell

Don't Make Me Leave!--written October 15

Dear Family,

         We picked up our third companion! She is the most incredible missionary ever! Her name is Sister Ripplinger and she is from

Driggs Idaho. She was called to serve in the Nauvoo mission but will be here for six months. Man she is just READY to go! She is such a hard worker. I have been thankful for that because we are SO busy. Busy in the best way. The couple we are teaching are doing great. They are both still set for this Saturday, and Muang's baptism will be then as well. It will be quite the frantic week with all the new investigators we have now too.

         With all these incredible changes happening in the lives of those we have been teaching... I have been reflecting a lot on deterrents that get in our way when we are trying to do what is right. I have seen MANY of them in one family’s way. In fact, one of them was in our lesson with them just last night. The process of conversion is not easy. It takes faith and work. But if we hang onto those tender feelings that we have felt... we can overcome doubt and disbelief. I see the wife do that every day. When we teach a gospel principle, the first reaction is always questioning why. "Why would we do that? That doesn't make sense?" Then we see her heart soften as she listens to the Spirit. The Spirit will help us to better understand our Heavenly Father and His purpose. Muang and her family are the best. We asked Muang the other day how she has felt that living the gospel has changed her life. She said in her sweet simple words, "Because I feel clean now. I don't have to worry." We asked her if there was anyone else she knows that needs to feel that feeling in their life and after she sat there for a while she said, "I will go find someone!" I chuckled and just couldn't even put into words how grateful I am to see this gospel changing lives. I see it spread like wildfire to the ward and to family members and friends. Visibly everyone around me is being lifted and strengthened.

         We had Gabriel and Melody at church for the first time yesterday and my heart just swelled to see them walk through that door. I was looking around the chapel to see who all was there. We had Gary who we met a month ago on the side of the street. Muang. The Tupou's. Ronnie & Eric. Ericka. Scott & Cindy. My eyes kept darting around the room and I just felt this overwhelming peace. We had kind of a rough week. It’s been a difficult transition from Sister Rupp and I having a third member of our companionship and transfers looming over our head. But Sister Rupp leaned over to me and said..."Do you remember what you said to me on my first Sunday here?" I... being the very forgetful person that I am... did not. But she smiled knowingly and said, "You told me that by the end of our companionship these pews would be filled." Looking around all the pews were filled with people that we have been teaching and I just got the biggest smile ever. It was such a good feeling to sit there with Sister Rupp and to look back knowing that we have done all we can. The Dry Creek Ward will forever be my favorite. I am so thankful for this opportunity to be here and see miracles. In fact! One quick miracle before I go. A while ago, we were teaching a woman who was no longer active in the church. This was when Bishop Culp was our Bishop and he invited us to her funeral. There they taught the Plan of Salvation and we went by a few times after she died to check up on her husband but were told not to come back. The other day on exchanges we were planning for the next day and his name came to my mind. We went to his house the next day and my jaw dropped to the floor when he saw us and immediately said, "Come in." He is hurting and questioning and needs the peace that comes from the atonement. We taught him the plan of salvation yesterday. I knew him before... but there was something different about him. I know I was supposed to be there that day. Even just for him to see a familiar face. He will now be able to find that "peace" that is so foreign to him. He goes to her gravesite every day wondering if he will see her again. I love this gospel! I love being here! Next time you hear from me you will know what’s happening with transfers! I love you all! Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Mitchell

Trio Companionship? Written Oct. 8, 2012

Dear Mom & Dad & Alicia,

         Well, Sister Rupp and I just got news this morning that we will be picking up a new companion in two days from now! There are two Sisters coming to our mission a little early before transfers. One is serving in Nauvoo and the other in Temple Square. We will have one of them with us for the next two weeks until transfers. We will be in a trio companionship. (This will be interesting) I am excited! But the implication is that... once the transfer call comes... I will be leaving and this new Sister will be Sister Rupp’s new companion. (Although we are not positive) I still have several exchanges to go on with other Sisters in our mission and the realization I am coming to is that I will not be seeing Sister Rupp much in what is most certainly our last two weeks together. We have three baptisms coming up. All of them are on the 20th. The couple we have been teaching will be baptized in two weeks from now. And Muang will be on the same day as well. She has been ready for a long time but we were trying to wait for her sister, Yain, to be able to come up and be there. Everything else in Dry Creek is INCREDIBLE! I am loving being so busy and watching lives change. I wish that I could tell you that I am not stressed and worried and wondering where I will be going next... but that would be false. I am stressed. I am worried. I hope that this next companion will take good care of Sister Rupp. There could be no one better for Dry Creek then Sister Rupp. I can see how much these people have been prepared for her to be here and have never been more sure that the Lord is in charge of this work.

         Conference was INCREDIBLE! It’s amazing how Heavenly Father knows us and knows what we need to hear. We brought one of our investigators to conference one session and before we watched it we talked to her about how, when we come to Conference to hear the Prophet speak, we can come prepared with questions of the soul. Things that we have thought about, pondered, and even asked in prayers. We told her that if she wrote down her questions, that throughout the Conference they would be answered. She has a sarcastic sense of humor and always cracks me up. But

her reply was, "Well what kind of questions Sister Mitchell?!?" I smiled and gave a few examples. "Is the Book of Mormon True?" "Is Thomas S.

Monson a Prophet of God?" "Are the things that the missionaries are teaching me true." Her face began to be more serious as she looked at me, with tears in her eyes and said, "But I know those things are true. Why would I need to ask?" She talked about her prayers and how she always receives this peaceful and comforting feeling when she prays about the things she has learned from us that day. I knew that she was growing and changing and that the Spirit was working with her. But I can't tell you the peace that came over me to hear her say, "I KNOW that it’s true." I love this gospel and am so thankful to be apart of it and to experience the peace that comes from the Spirit. I love you guys so much and am so thankful to be out here. Keep me in your prayers. These next couple weeks before transfers, although I am optimistic, will be difficult. Sister Rupp is my favorite companion. I love her. I want so badly for her to be successful and to feel of her Heavenly Father’s love for her. I have been blessed with so many incredible companions, but this one, there is just something different about her. I feel so invested in her success and in the experiences she has on her mission. I know that we were both supposed to learn something from each other. I feel as if I am a different person after knowing and serving with her. So, I will fight my every instinct and simply put my trust in the Lord that, whatever is meant to happen, will happen. I love you guys sooooooo

much and am so thankful for all that you do for me! Have an awesome week!

Love,

Sister Mitchell

Prepared People written Oct. 2, 2012

Dear Mitchell Family,

         I get way too excited when I sit down to write you about my week. There are a million things flowing through my mind. The couple we are teaching are doing fabulously. It has been difficult with their schedules to meet with them as much as we would like to.  But we have seen them both grow so much and they are both such an incredible example to me. Amy is doing awesome! We went over the other day because she was sick this past week and I’m not exactly sure how it happened but I may or may not have spontaneously invited them over to The Klippel’s house for dinner this next Friday. (We were not previously invited to their home for dinner but promptly contacted them afterwards to see if that would be okay) Sister Klippel is our Relief Society President (Formerly Sister “Mitchell”) and Brother Klippel is our version of Brother Gregson in our ward.  Anyways… I had to chuckle when I hung my head down sheepishly to invite ourselves over for dinner. I definitely know the people in this ward very well.

It is such a blessing to have members of the ward we can call on in that way. The people here in Dry Creek are such incredible examples. ANYONE should want to be baptized into the Dry Creek ward. They truly have become my family.

         We had exchanges this week so it was hectic. I don’t like being away from Sister Rupp or from the area but, like I have said before, miracles always happen and my love for all the Sisters in the mission really grows. There are a lot of them that struggle and get discouraged, but when they are included in my prayers I am able to feel more deeply of their Heavenly Father’s love for them. On one of our exchanges we had a lesson with the two sisters I spoke about earlier. This was only our second lesson so we had planned to teach the Restoration. As we were studying for them… it became apparent that we should instead teach the Plan of Salvation. These two sisters really are looking for a purpose in their life and it is such a comfort to me to know that we have what they are looking for.  They were sad that Sister Rupp was not there, they like her A LOT! But as we got to the part when we were talking about the veil, one of them got this knowing look in her eyes. She asked, “so is it possible that we could recognize, even in a dream, these things we knew before?” She has told us that the things we teach seem “familiar” to her. I feel my testimony grow every time we teach them. She wants to know her purpose; she wants to know where she came from and what the point of all this suffering is. There was a moment, when we were talking about our life on earth and about baptism where I noticed that face again. She had this look like… a smile she couldn’t quite hold back. We invited her, this woman who has never been to a church or prayed to God before, to be baptized. She talked about the warm feeling she felt when we said that word and we were able to identify it as the Spirit. I feel so blessed to know these two and to be here in Dry Creek at this time. My testimony is strengthened every day just in knowing that there are others out there that are searching. They need the peace that comes from knowing that God knows them. That He exists. That He loves them! I miss you guys and love you with everything I have. You’re the best family that anyone could ask for! Thanks for all that you do! I love you!

Love,

Sister Mitchell