Monday, March 31, 2014

High and Lows of every week! :)


Date: March 31, 2014
Area:  Valpo, Indiana
Companion:  Sister Comstock
Week 4 in Valpo

Hello to the people I love and Pray for often!  

How are you? I hope your weekend was better then mine! ...mine consisted of being stuck in bed :( I some how managed to get that one thing called strep...eww! But I am finally doing a little better. I am just chilling at Sister S**** an awesome ward member while my zone (a bunch of missionaries) are playing sand volleyball at the dunes. Sister Comstock got a ride with the other Sisters, and I am so glad because I would have felt so bad to keep her from having fun just because I couldn't go...I'm pretty bummed but oh well. I am still bummed but The Lord has a plan even when it comes to being sick.


This week started off really slow but picked up and was awesome and then well ended low, I just wanted to bring a mountain in my life because I miss them. Haha ;) ...yes I think I'm funny, Sister S**** just rolled her eyes and said "cleaver" haha

So I wrote like two notes for the week so I'll try to remember what happened. :)

Wednesday March 26, 2014
The Day of Referrals!! Wow! Today has been a great day! Started off with some studies and then went off to district meeting, and this week we didn't drive through Gary (kinda a sketchy place). We have our district meetings in Griffith instead of Valpo it is about a haft hour away so it cuts into our companion study time, we are still figuring out what is best. But we had an amazing district meeting! One thing I liked is "We are the crew members of eternal life, it is our job to help the "passengers" and this isn't just to missionaries this is to every member. We have the full picture of eternal life and it is up to us to share it with others! It is awesome! :)

Yep so that is the only notes I took for this week haha :)

So time for stories!  We have been having trouble getting information on our referrals and we looked at them the other day and we had some! This area actually gets head quarter referrals! It is wonderful! And I just love it! So we are making it a habit to check online for them because they have just made it so we can do that yay!

Anyway! We went and visited this awesome lady named S**** and she is awesome! We got her as a referral last week and we got to the door and she invited us in! She also wanted a bible so we grabbed one from our car and she had a lot of questions it was so great! We talked about the Atonement and read some from Alma 7. So funny story her son lives in Salt Lake (non-member) and has tried to break into the Temple! It made us laugh, we talked about the Temple for a little bit. It was a really good talk. :) we are calling her soon to set an appointment with her. She is sweet! It was pretty cool!

We got a referral from a Member! It was Sister F**** mother in laws neighbor who is a member but lives in 'Indi' on weekends and goes to church there but we were able to meet with D**** (mother in law) with her neighbor D****!  It was great!  We talked about a lot of things and set a return appointment!  It has been so great teaching her! She is going through a lot right now but we just keep telling her that God loves her and she keeps telling us that we are Angels for coming.


Anyway she came to the Women's broadcast! It was great but man I wasn't feeling well....right before we met the Elders at the Palmer's and had a quick dinner and they gave me a blessing :) and headed over. Debbie really liked it and she really loved the unity of the Women in the church! :) then we had a ice cream social. It is crazy to think that all three of the girls got to go, how did everyone like it?

D**** came to church and I was told she enjoyed it....I wasn't there.  So  I guess Sister Comstock came in and I said something and I mumbled something and turned over, she came back in and I asked her what time it was and she told me.   I didn't think I heard her right because I asked again and then I was like oh I guess we aren't going to church seeing how Church started at already. Ended up being a good thing seeing how I have strep.  But I also had a thought that it was good for Debbie to be there with the ward and get to know them, we had members take her to church for the service and broadcast and they took great care of her. :) The Lord does work in mysterious ways. :)

Another cool thing is we met with Dorothy(la) and we went with her Home teachers and it was such a powerful lesson and we learned some of her concerns that we didn't know. Having more members involved is key!  Members are the best! You can be the change!

Then this other day was the day of: The giggles, we just couldn't stop laughing! We were super busy! So we kept, running around with our heads cut off, but a great day! Not getting in a accident, (we went to go see Sister Clark and this big van tried to go in our lane and just in time he saw us, wow! I was pretty scared! I think I had a mini heart attack.) The Lord is blessing us in SO many ways! More than we ever know!

It has been a wonderful weeks! The goods make the bad times just go away. :)


This coming weekend is general conference and I look back the past few years thinking about what I was doing, my first year at School I went with my Mom to Vegas for a wedding and had a great time building our relationship and it was awesome! Then last year I had such a wonderful opportunity to sing at a sweet friends funeral.  I sure do love my sweet Angel Marissa Watkins! She has taught me a lot. I know that God has a plan for all of us! I have felt Gods love in my life and I can not deny it! I know He loves you and I know that families are forever!! He has a plan for all us!

I look forward at being here for this wonderful Conference! How awesome is it that we get to listen to Gods messengers! Oh so wonderful! I invite you all to pray about one question you have and if you are really seeking for that answer I know you will get it, you just need to be open to hearing it. The Lord loves you! I love you! 

Thank you for everything! :)

Sister Buckmiller(Grandchild)' Sister Winn, my daughter, me, and Sister Kershaw my Momma
I would love to hear what you guys learn and what you are up to these days! Feel free to write me! :)

Letters:
-Rachel F.
-Marissa Lawrence

Love,
Sister North :D

Please write Amber she would love to hear from you
Sister Amber North
Illinois Chicago mission
800 Waukegan Rd #203
Glenview, IL 60025

Monday, March 24, 2014

Sister Bradley and I on exchanges waiting for the bus
Date:  March 24, 2014
Area:  Valpo, Indiana
Companion:  Sister Comstock
Week 3 in Valpo!

Hello to my wonderful buddies!!!

Letters:
-mom
- Ryan Holden
-Daniel Holden
- Taylor Holden
- Karoline
- Aunt Jennifer
- Jessy Salas
Sister Lewis and Sister Comstock
It has been a GREAT week!! This morning I went to the Dentist and Bishop Sarver is the Dentist and he was telling me how His daughter likes me! Because I was trying to learn all of there names...there are eight of them and guess what they sit on the second row in church! and they also have a green van, but it isn't a fifteen passenger, it is a little smaller but still, it is pretty cool :D

Time to trade back after exchanges

 
 
Taylor! I am so excited for you to go on your Mission!! You are going to love it!! :D Thanks again for the letters from your family!! :D ...PS Manti Temple is the BEST! Glad you got to go!! :D
Some of the Elders we sang with for conference

Monday Mach 17, 2014
Mom! Thanks for you card! It was perfect timing! See I'm not the only one with the magic! ;) hehe. We just chilled again which honestly is really nice! And then we had dinner with Sister Skeen and also played this triangle game thing, numbers still aren't always my friend but it was fun. We then went to visit Carroll her across the street neighbor and her husband and got to share a message with them about Courage.  We shared the Mormon message Courage: it is about Ester It was great! The spirit was there and it Testified to me that the Bible is Gods word! We talked about it and then she showed us a small clip from 'Joel o...' Preacher guy in Texas. And what was cool about this for me is that the spirit of the room changed. He is a great motivational speaker but he doesn't have the Authority, or have God backing him up all the time. It was crazy to feel such a big difference. It shows me how true this Gospel is and reminds me why I am here on a mission! Yay! I love it! Even when it gets hard, usually that is when we learn the most.

Tuesday March 18, 2014
We had a lesson with the Nickels family. They are Less Active, it is a dad and five kids. We talked about choosing the right and then play stop and CTR/Go, so before we could go again they had to say something they would do nice this week. I also got the nickname "Sister Pork-chop" and sister Comstock is "Sister Piggy" and later he tried to remember her name and called her like chopstock, it was close, and it sounded like 'porkchop' send I was like no that's me Haha :) We had dinner with the Archer family, they are so awesome! They have three adorable kids and we played the Holy Ghost game(hot and cold). It was fun.

Wednesday March 19, 2014
This morning while working out we decided to get our shoes and go for a little jog around the apartment in the rain, we ended up having a blast jumping in puddles after a little jog, it was a great
My new apartment
way to start the morning. :) This is my quote today "Sometimes you call tracting a good day when
you don't get the cops called on you." This week we have knocked on a hand full of houses but today we actually spent more then ten minutes knocking and guess what! The cops didn't get called on us! Ha! ...good times! ;) we talked to a few nice people and got one PNI from it. And then we had an awesome dinner with the Newman family, we talked about being like Jesus and being an example. They are going on a cruise this next week so we gave them each a Mormon.org card and invited them to give it to someone on their trip, I look forward to hearing what happens. We did some stop bys but nothing really came from it. I decided that ice cream sounded good and was like we should ask Victor if he wants some. He was working but we texted for a little bit and he asked us how many wife's we have and we responded something like 'one at a time but divorce does happen' and he responded ok, and told us that he doesn't like being lonely and that it has been since 2006.' It was cool to answer his real question. Usually when people ask us that it is because they are thinking of polygamy but he is searching for the right place for him and knowing that he can marry again is what he needed to hear. I know The Lord will help us in everything if he lets us.

Thursday March 20, 2014
We did some good planning today woot! Gotta love Thursdays. :) we had a super duper awesome
living room
lesson with Kim who we met at McDonalds last week at the Archers house. Oh how I love having lessons in Members homes! It is awesome! The lesson was great! Kim is so awesome and I just love her! We talked about the first few points in the Plan of Salvation and to start off the lesson we shared this video. So I am really bummed the video that we used won't come up online but it is this song and I just love this song! Enjoy :D

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/music/2008/10?lang=eng&session=2&song=1&media=video 
washer and dryer
Beds, bet ya can't tell which one is mine.

We talked a lot about why we are here on earth and that there was life before this. When I told her about the pre-earth life and that we lived and learned from God and that we came to earth to become like Him. She loved it and said it puts it into perspective or something like that. It is so amazing to teach the Gospel to others and see them understand and that the spirit is testifying to them that what we are telling them is true. I love it! We are all Gods children and he loves us so much! :)

We then had dinner with the Isacason family and I learned a new moose game.

Friday March 21, 2014
Exchanges!! Sister North going to Hyde Park....City time. I honestly love being on public transportation! Oh and today has been SO warm! She love it! I have gotten to ride the bus and train today. Funny story we were on the train and the guy sitting next to me had a cool purple tie so being me I tell him that I like his cool purple tie! ...but turns out he has head phones in so he didn't hear me..BUT the guy sitting in front of me chuckled a little bit and I was like well I still like it haha. Then it was time to get off but we started talking to them so we stayed on until the next stop and we got there contact information! Even cooler is they seem YSA age and so Sister Bradley and Sister Lewis can hopefully teach them! That would be awesome! ...so no effort is wasted! :) We had an awesome lesson with a sister and two brothers! The youngest brother is ten and he just blows my mind! He asked such amazing questions! And he was even like I think we should read this book, and go to church! And then we said a prayer asking if these things are true and Andrew (10) prayed and after his older Sister asked him if he thinks he will get an answer and he says "Yes, I have Faith!" And he
goes on saying how not all masers come at once! Oh my goodness this kid is amazing!

Saturday March 22, 2014
Wow WOW Wow!! We had the adult session for stake conference and it was so amazing! We had the wonderful opportunity to sing and be apart of this great meeting! There are 34 missionaries in the Valpo stake! We sang 'Hark all Ye Nations!' It was wonderful! And after I received the best compliment! From Brother Tucker! I was so surprised to see him as he has been in the hospital this week. I guess he heard me singing out of everyone and I don't even know what he said but he told me I had a great voice. It was so sweet. Later I was talking with the Tanners and Sister Q. Because I had
my desk
to say hi because they are in my ward and sweet Brother Tucker was there telling them that he heard me and I did a good job. Then Sis. Tanner asked if I was going to do a solo tomorrow and I was like who is going to play the piano?...(I'm glad I don't have to do a solo in stake conference) I wish you all could meet Brother Tucker, he is one of the most amazing men I have met and he is an inspiration to so many. Every time I see him I get so excited and he just makes you smile! I am so grateful to have this opportunity to be here in this ward and to cover the Portage area! I love it! Times are not always easy but We are on the Lords team! :) This morning when Sister Bradley and I were walking to the car we walked pass a guy and we both said hi and S. Bradley asked how he was...next thing I know is I am saying "Good!" And then I started laughing and pointed out to her that I just answered her
question....we both just chuckled.

Sunday March 23, 2014
I love Sundays! I love Stake Conference! I love meetings! :) Sadly Ryan didn't come, we went on a
Me in my new shirt!!!  Don't judge my hair I was cleaning
walk with him yesterday because our member ended up not being able to come so we didn't have a lesson with him but it was still good. We had Stake conference which was wonderful! We stopped by a Less Active and that went really well, her husband isn't a member and wants to feed us so that is cool. He is really funny. :) after we had dinner with Sister Hagman, she is older and pretty cool! We had pork chops and Dad you would be proud of me because I cleaned the bone haha. It made me think of you! Oh and what is that seasoning that you use when we make pork chops I am spacing
it. We then stopped by the Partlows
I love it here!! The Lord really is working Miracles!! They are everywhere!! What Miracles have you seen today??
I love you all so much!! Thank you SO much for all of the love and support! You guys are the BEST!!!
Love,
Sister North :D

Write Sister North, she LOVES mail.

Sister Amber north
Illinois Chicago Mission
800 Waukegan Rd #203
Glenview, Illinois 60025 

Monday, March 17, 2014

Miracles Happening EVERYWHERE!!!

Helping decorate for the Relief Society Dinner
Date:  March 17, 2014
Area:  Valpo, Indiana
Companion:  Sister Comstock

Transfer 6, Week two in Valpo!
HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY! :D

Letters!
-Mom
-Karoline
-Grandma Mary (2) -Mary and Mo Mo's drawing! Love them! :)
-Kegan Morrison
- Sister Brittany Attanasio :)
Hello to my Lovely Family and Friends!! :D

What Miracles have you seen this week?
I have had one amazing week, at some points it has felt SO LONG...but then I can't believe the week is already over!! The Lord is blessing us so much and people are just falling into our laps, falling from the sky! It is so amazing! I hope you enjoy! I love you :D

This is an awesome video!! We are never to young to help others! :D
-Dayton's Legs-




http://bcove.me/xzya0bw1


Monday March 10, 2014
P-Day it was chalax during the day but we had a great night. We got a media referral! Ended up not being too grand but it was good. Then we taught V**** about the first Vision and Joseph Smith and what we do as Missionaries! The spirit was strong! Then we met with Ali who was baptized a few months ago but hasn't been to church for a while and going through a hard time. We connected very well with her and we have high hopes that we will be able to help her. It was a good night!


Tuesday March 11, 2014
We had an awesome Zone Conference and I always go away from those wanting to do even better! Look up the "Hoyt Team" and the message from that is 'Together has Power'. It reminds me of the saying more hands make light work. We need everyone's help. I learned a lot and I just love our leaders.

Pretty much The Lord is putting people into our laps! It is so crazy and awesome! We came home after our meeting and then I checked the mail and I met a new friend named R****. I asked him how he was doing
he said he was doing well and he told us if we needed anything he was there. Then I asked if we could share a message with him about Christ, I think he looked at me a little weird but them said sure. I told him
my name and asked him his and then he said he lives in apartment number three and I was like "Pick number three my Lord" I asked him if he new what that was from he said no and I was like I think it is from
Shrek ha! (I'm weird) but it is me and people are here to meet meet! That is something I'm learning.

We went to our apartment called a member to see if she could come with is this week and said Friday during the day would work. So on our way out we stopped by R**** and asked if we could come over on Friday. We
ended up talking about the Book of Mormon a little bit and had a lesson with him! It was awesome! It is only Tuesday and we have gotten two investigators! The Lord really is hastening this work! Ahh so
exciting! :) I love it!

This is How I feel right now. (Tuesday Night) "And it came to pass that after I had prayed and labored with all
diligence, the Lord said unto me: I will grant unto thee according to thy desires, because of thy faith." (Enos:1:12)
I have felt like there is a lot of work to be done here and I know The Lord is preparing people for us to teach and as I have this desire to teach and share them the joy the Gospel brings me, he really does Grant us our desires, but we need to Trust that He will help us! I know that he will! :) How have you trusted The Lord and seen His hand in your life?

Wednesday: March 12, 2014
Today's message is at the right place at the right time. The Lord really does have a plan for us and he WILL help us reach it to our fullest if we let him guide us. It Snowed today and made the libraries close so we kept trying and getting wifi at different places. After we visited an elderly women we decided we would go see if McDonald's
Snow on the lights
has wifi we could use, turns out because of the crapy weather it was down but we met K****! Oh my goodness she is so amazing! She is 20 and she has always wanted to meet "a Mormon" and now she has met two! We
Painting last week

talked a lot about different things with her and I shared Enos 12 with her! She is the best! And we will be calling her later. Can't wait! We did some other things and went to Meijer's(it's like a walmart) and Sister Comstock was like let's go over and look at the foundation. We downloaded our area books when all the sudden boom! S. Comstock starts talking to her about makeup and then she asks us something like where do we go to church. Turns out she dated a Mormon in high school or something (random fact: the boy she dated is one of my friends from schools brother...small world..) she doesn't live in our area but she is ready to learn.  We are having people just fall into our laps! It is so crazy! And I am mind blown! But I know I couldn't do it without The Lord. He helps us, as simple as a thought saying to go to McDonalds or go look at that make up over there. People really are ready to hear this glorious message! The Lord will put them in our path! We just need to open our mouths! "Open your mouths and they shall be filled"  (D&C 33:8)

Thursday March 13, 2014
Today was slow and full of planning but we did have an awesome lesson with the Martinez family. We played "spin the bottle" and when it landed on you everyone would say qualities about that person. And we would add on that 'you are a Child of God'. What was crazy is when we spinned it, it went to everyone once! It was cool! And we talked about how we are children of a God. :) Kim that we met yesterday added us on Facebook! Ahh so great! And her status was talking about how she met Mormons! Yep pretty much super cool! :) We went to the Relief Society birthday dinner! It was nice to get to know more of the ward. Funny story, so Grandma Mary sent me a baby picture on Monday and they played a game with guessing each other from there baby pictures so because we helped set up this morning I brought mine later and it through everyone off just like I hoped. It was great! :)

Friday March 14, 2014
We visited the C**** and we got to clean there fridge and while I was cleaning it next thing I know I hear a loud pop! Well turns out at touched the light bulb with the wet rag and it didn't like it...and it sorta explode...no worries no one got hurt and Mr. C**** was like I didn't even know there was a light bulb there(at the bottom of the
fridge).  We had a lesson with Ryan our neighbor, it started off a little rocky but it ended with the spirit and it was awesome! It is so important to teach people to what they need to hear not what you have prepared to
teach them. We had an awesome lesson on the Atonement and he is planning on coming to church! Yay!
We gave random people at Meijer's Jesus pictures because we talked to Fred who is in his 90's and he likes to play the organ. We gave him one and this his wife and grandkids came so we gave them all one. Yay!
Apparently Spring has come.
Saturday March 15, 2014
A backwards kind of day. We had breakfast with D**** (LA) and Sister S**** at a place called 'Tate's' a cute little breakfast and lunch place. I had some yummy French toast and hash browns. As we left the table next to us asked if we go to the church in Valpo, we said Yes! Talked for a little, he has friends who are Mormons and he has been to some things. He is a Pastor but his wife you could tell didn't really know anything about Mormons. We exchanged numbers and we invited them to our service. Hopefully we will have a lesson with Mitch and Kim,
they are really nice. D**** asked us to go shopping with her and help her, it was good. We had a lesson planned with Ali to do new-member lessons with her but she wasn't there but Ingot to meet Brother W****! ...still meeting all these new members! Yay! ..tomorrow will be the big test of how many names I know. Ha!
We had dinner with Hillary a
Sister Comstock painting


nd her non-member boyfriend. They are awesome! And it was a good night. We are going to help them in the future with a free garage sell and if they get any money or canned goods they go to charity so that is cool! I look forward to that. Oh the backward day thing is our studies didn't happen until after lunch.   It has been a long day and I have been way tired but all is well.

Sunday March 16, 2014
-The GREAT moment when you feel like ALL the talks in Sacrament are for your investigator! :) The Lord knows what he is doing! :) -You only know how strong temptation is until you hit it. Like when you are going down steam, no big deal but when you go up it is super hard! -If we live according to our words, people will listen.
Today was great! R**** came to church!! Yay! It was awesome and Heather was the best member ever! Invited him to sit with her and her fiancé. And then we had a baptism after church and he stayed for that! It was
so cool! And when cute eight year old Bro. Palmer was baptized the spirit was SO strong! I hope he felt Gods love for him. We feel like he has more of a desire and his heart is being soften. It is so cool to watch! We also stopped by a few less actives, and one of them Diana, she is going through a stressful time in her life and it was cool to feel needed. We asked her if we could help with anything and we was so grateful for our offer and accepted our invitation! Yay! Service! You all should ask your missionaries for help we always love doing
service! :) it was a great day! :) I love Sundays they always make me happy! :)
You all are awesome!!
Thank you for all the support!! 
Love,
Sister North :D

Don't forget to write her, she loves letters!!!

Sister Amber North
Illinois Chicago Mission
800 Waukegan Rd #203
Glenview, Illinois 60025

Monday, March 10, 2014

Cops called on us?....The Start of Indiana! :D

Sister Comstock and I
Date:; March 10, 2014
Area:  Valparaiso
Companion:  Sister Comstock
 
HELLO TO MY WONDERFUL FRIENDS!!! 
I am living in a NEW state and I LOVE IT!!! :D
I don't even know where I should start! 
First Week in Indiana Is:
~The week Sister North Prayed
~Getting the cops called on us while Tracting
~I got my new name tags, and then the next day I find out my lost one is no longer lost....but it is on the other side of the world...Okay on the other side of the Mission but sorta the same thing.
~Members feed us a TON!...I'm gonna get Fat!
~I have been thinking about going to the Dentist and turns out the Bishop is one! God is just wonderful at that! He knows what we need! :)
Letters:
-Sister Winn
-Nutty
-Sister Tiffany R! first one in Indiana!! WOOT WOOT :D
oh and I guess I have a letter from Kegan Morris but it went to my old apartment, so hopefully I'll get it this week.
My mind just seems to be everywhere, sorry about that but hopefully you'll understand something!
So first off I have an awesome new companion, Her name is Sister Comstock and she is from Idaho! and Oh my goodness I just love her so much!! We get along SO Well!!  She reminds me of Leah(cousin) but is taller then her and then reminds me of the first day Brittany(roommate) and I met and we would be like...I say that, or I like that.  It is crazy!  She turns 21 on April 5th. and can't eat wheat, so everything needs to be gluten free. We laugh a lot! and our "theme song" would be uh..not sure what it is called but it is Josh Groban number 7 on the CD Amy gave me ha! ...Oh it is called "Hidden Away" and We just love it!! and his voice is attractive so it just makes it better! ha! :) the end!
Elder Harrison and I
We had an awesome week!!  We do a ton of Less Active work, YAY!! but I know we will be teaching people soon!! There is someone here that is ready to be baptized by April 13th. We had a Mission fast to have every companionship have someone enter into the waters of Baptism and every time we pray I know it will happen! It is going to be awesome! and it might just be Victor!
Okay! Story Time! So we went to go see a Less Active but it changed to this week so we drove a few streets stopped the car and at a tamale, YUMMY! (we visited a LA before hand and she gave us some) then we decided to Tract this street! SO we did, it was like the fourth or fifth house when we meet our friend V****! we talked to him and gave him a Book of Mormon, Sister Comstock was surprised and didn't know what to do he was actually listening but she did awesome! We told him we would call him the next day and tell him the Church address.  So we called him Saturday and he was busy but told us to text it to him so we did. and he asked us a few questions like, "Is this the Little one or the tall one", "Are you guys Sisters".  He didn't get to come to Church but promised us he would come next week! and then we asked when we could meet and he says tomorrow! so that is today! We haven't even taught him anything and he wants to come to Church!!! :D  But when Sister Comstock was sharing her Testimony about the Book of Mormon I could feel the Spirit and when we went away I was like Di
Nature is beautiful!
d you feel that? it was awesome!! I'll keep you posted! But we both feel really good about him and I am super excited! :D YAY!!! :D
Oh so we kept knocking on some doors and we started talking to this guy, and he was like Do I look like I read the Bible, he had sleeve tats and we are like Yes and we kept talking with him when all the sudden these two people came up to the door and we turn around and it is two cops! we are like hmm...wonder why they are here well turns out they came for us! so we didn't get to give the guy anything, (I think we are going to go back though) and I guess someone called the cops on us and thought we were selling stuff.  We told the cops who we were, I mean we look so scary, two white girls in skirts HA! they where chill we told them what we do and they just said okay and that the people here don't like it but we are fine doing so and we told them thank you for doing there job and they left.  We met another person and she is a principal at a school and we told her we also do service(she didn't want to hear our message) but then was like Oh you guys can come help me out, so we will call her this week and see what happens. 
We got to help the T**** paint, I love them!! They are so cool.  They have three kids and twin 11 year old girls that remind me of me Sisters, of Taryn and Taylynne. :) 
We visited someone at the hospital
We watched the Joseph Smith video last night, we had comp. Study at 8pm because Church and stuff is at nine so we didn't really need to plan for anyone so that is what we did.  It was really good and helped me remember man, I have it so lucky out here, Yeah I might get cold but I can hop in a car or go inside.  It makes me want to be a better missionary and work my hardest.  This week is going to be a good one, I have high hopes for it and I'm excited for this adventure!!!













I love you all so much!!  The ward here is awesome! and I couldn't ask for anything better.  It is funny I don't know anyone so I'm like "Who are you? I'm Sister North" haha! one guy was like I'm chuck Norris! and I was like dude, I'll call you that! ha! He is cool, and I'm doing pretty good at remember peoples names too.
So I'll see if I can send picture later....This Library doesn't have an SD card reader.
My last few days in Gurnee were busy and great! I love them all so much and I am sure going to miss them!
Thank you for all the support!! I love you bunches!!!
We are doing our shopping - well kind of

Little thought for the day:
-Faith moves us to action
-"At it to your knee list"
We have so many things to be thankful for and this we need help with, what better way to turn to the Lord?  I know he is here for each of us.  He loves us so much!! and I am so glad he is always here for us!! :D
Love,
Sister North :D

Please write Amber she loves to get letters and to hear how everything is going in your life.  Missionary work is hard and it is full of lots of disappointments and angry people slamming the door in their face.  Letters bring them joy and after a hard day it is so nice to come home and check the mail and get some happiness.  You can be that happiness just pick up a pen and write something!

Sister Amber North
Illinois Chicago Mission
800 Waukegan Rd #203
Glenview, Illinois 60025

Monday, March 3, 2014

7 Months Later....The Time has come...Goodbye Gurnee

Date: March 3, 2014
Area:  Gurnee
Companion:  Sister Grant
 
Hey Ya Peeps I love!!

Well The time has come for me to leave the Place I have grown to learn and love.  I love it here in the Gurnee 2nd ward!  It is crazy that I have been here for Seven Months! but It has been awesome!! I have learned a Lot and hopefully grown some too. 

I will be going to the other side of the Mission to the Ward Valpo, in  Valparaiso, Indiana!!! I am going to live in another State! I think that is pretty cool!! and I have no idea were it is but I can't wait!
My new companion is Sister Comstock and well I just know her name! but I know she is awesome!! Can't wait to meet her tomorrow!!

So my e-mail be a little different this week and I'm gong by days because I wrote down notes because I fell behind in my journal write but I'm only a day in a haft behind now so no worries.

It has been a slow week but SUPER DUPER awesome! Because Missionary Life is Awesome even if it is hard!

But first off! 

This is my little thought today, it is a video, and as I watched it the other day I was surprised to see one of my friends! so that was cool! I have friends who are Super Stars! 

We never know how our actions affect other people, so this week I invite you to try to make everyone's day a little bit better, and it can just be a simple smile.  "A Smile is a Curve that Makes Everything Straight" A smile really does make other people smile! :D

Enjoy!



Monday:
It was P-Day! Always a great day! and they always go by fast! We had a Zone Activity and we played Dodge Ball and at one point all the Elders wanted me out because well I got them out.  How we play dodge ball is if you get someone out they get back in when you get out.  So yeah! that made me smile! We played some Volleyball, and I even played 3 or 3 Basketball with some of the Elders! It was SO Much fun!! I have missed playing Basketball!  I love Sister Missionaries but there is no way you can get a group of them together to just play sports haha!!!
We had FHE with the A**** talking about how Jesus is our Loving Friend, and before the lesson the boys (age 6 and 4) taught Sister Grant how to play some football it was pretty funny, J**** and I lost but it was a blast!

Tuesday:
A day full of tracting!! Bleh!! It is COLD!!!  But we had nothing better to do so you bet we went and knocked some doors.  It was getting to the point were we couldn't be outside much longer and then we knocked on said Door and someone answers and she was like are you Church people? saw my tag and was like Oh like the wicked witch of the North? haha and then was talking about Grant's name and then was like come in!  It was crazy and so awesome!! I talked to D**** she is 75 years old and so funny! and then A**** who is D**** daughter.  It was fun getting to know them and get warm and then we went on our way to visit them later this week.  They are some spunky people.

After Dinner we planned to Teach P**** and then our Member couldn't come with us, so I was freaking out calling pretty much haft the ward and no one answering or returning our phone calls and then finally we got a member who could come with us SHE WAS A LIFE SAVOR!!  We had a great lesson with P**** and it is crazy because he pretty much is trying to not let the Spirit touch him. At one point we thought he was dropping us because he was going off on how he isn't going to be baptized into the church and then the Spirit really does touch people! and by the end of the lesson he was telling us how meeting with us make not only his day but his week and when he said the closing prayer he prayed that he could meet with us more!! OH MY GOODNESS IT was the BEST!! :D  I even got a nick name from him, he now calls me "Angle Voice" because last week when he came to church he heard me sing and I guess he liked it or something...hmm...He went off on this for like five minutes! even saying that the Bishop loved when I sang! ha! It was funny! and made me smile, not going to lie!
 Wednesday:
We had District Meeting and it was super awesome like always! and then we had lunch and then did some tracting and when we could tract anymore because of the cold we would do stop bys.  It was to the point that I was praying that we could teach someone and then I was like Sister Grant we should go see if we can teach someone on Facebook.  and Guess what! one of my friends was on and we had a lesson with him!! It was awesome!! God does answer our Prayers I promise!!!  We had dinner with the Kuelus and it was Super Yummy!! :D

Thursday:
Weekly Planning.....FAIL!  We had lunch with a Member and I ate a burrito bigger then my head, it was yummy! we went to the random Mexican place stand thing, it was good!  then went back to planning and I was super hyper and couldn't focus so we went and did some stop bys and went back to planning, it was a little better haha.  We had Dinner with some Members at Tacos El Norte...Yep a Mexican day! haha but YUMMY :D and then a Meeting with our ward Mission leader!
Friday...the Day of DEMOLITION!!
SO Friday was NOT your normal Missionary day! We started off the Morning with some awesome service at R**** house in Beach Park (In the Gurnee First area) and we had SO MUCH FUN tearing down Walls!! It was SUPER awesome!!  I have lots of fun pictures too!! R**** was surprised at how helpful we were, we got our District to join us so Four Sisters and Four Elders. :D  Then we had apartment checks, we passed, it was weird still being in jeans with the Kuffers came.  We then had to shower again and we had a late lunch.  Then did some stop by's checked facebook and went and supported K****  in her Talent Show, her family was really surprised to see us there but they seemed to appreciate it.  We left at intermission.  It was fun! and weird to go into a school! ha! and then the A**** gave us dinner because she got called into work.  I was bummed :( oh well

 
At Karina's Talent Show
 
 
 Saturday....the Day Transfer Calls come
It was a solid Day! and we stayed busy!!  We started off the Morning with doing a Preach My Gospel survey, that was good.  We did some stop by's and we went to A**** and D**** house.  We talked to D**** for a little bit and she just makes me laugh.  A**** came home and we sort of talked to her but it turns out we were there to talk to her daughter V****!  She is so sweet, she is 14 and we taught her some of the Restoration, we talked about the Book of Mormon and it was good. :)  I got to meet a less active for the first time after Seven Months! that was cool! and we talked with them for a while.  Then we had Dinner and then we had an awesome lesson with J**** about the Apostasy.  After that we had received a text telling us that one of us was going to be transferred and then after we dropped or our member we got a phone call telling me I was leaving! It is pretty weird but I'm excited to go.

Sunday:
Last day in the ward! Wasn't too bad but I don't think it has hit me yet.  C**** bore her Testimony and it was just the best!!! I said some goodbyes and will be doing more today..WEIRD!!
Silly pictures with the Bishops kids.

Time is running out so I better run,
Uh Letters this week I didn't write them down but I got them from
-Grandma North
-Grandma Mary
-Stake, So is there a new Stake Pres. and stuff?
-Amiee Smith
-uh...I'm spacing it but Thank You for the letters!!

I love you all so much!!! Keep Smiling!

Love,
Sister Amber North :D