Letter Home from Sister Amber North

Date:  January 26, 2015
Area:  Hyde Park, Illinois
Companion:  Sister Graham

So if I had time to email I would email you but I am partying it up in Valpo it is good to be back. I love it here! This week was grand so many different emotions but all in all great! I had my departing interview and I got my flight info so....it is really happening.

See you next week!

Ahh what?

Theses eyes will see you soon!

Obviously she is done with writing home to us.  :)  So just to give everyone the details if you haven't heard them. Amber's homecoming will be held on February 8, 2015.  Our church starts at 8:30am and you are welcome to come join us for the whole block, if not then she will be speaking in Sacrament and that starts about 10:15am.  Church ends at 11:30am and we will head back to our house for some lunch and visiting with this wonderful girl.  Come celebrate her return with us.

Church address is 2742 W. 14400 S. Bluffdale, UT 84065
Our house address is 4111 Red Tail Drive, Riverton, UT 84065
My phone number just in case you need it and have any questions is 801-449-0088

Look forward to see you all very soon!

It always works out in the end :)

Date:  January 12, 2015

Area:  Hyde Park, Illinois

Companion:  Sister Graham

Hey Family and Friends!

Man! Sister Graham and I have been together for FOUR Weeks!! That just blows my mind!! Time really has gone by so fast! and I know these next few weeks will do the same.  This week has been super crazy and full of Cold! But non the less it is Chicago and I am grateful for the nice winter we have had. 

A lot of things have happened this week and I don't even know where to start!

I guess the highlight would be Tracy!!  Oh my goodness love her so much!! She is the best! She came to church yesterday for the first time and loved every minute of it and just soaked it all in! After Sacrament (we have Sacrament last) she was like it's already over? That is the best thing I've ever heard! She truly is so prepared and I am so excited for her and this journey! She is going to be so sad to find out I can't be at her baptism :( oh that makes my own heart break. She is the best and has been through a lot but is going strong! She has a gift to feel the spirit! She feels it so strongly and I love that about her. She just soaks everything up and is following through with her commitments and it is changing her life. I know as we do what is right we will be blessed! :)

On Tuesday we spent the entire day outside trying to find people we were given a list from the ward of members they

O man it was even colder then this!

don't know where they are and that is what we did all day. It was cold and when we went to the Shurtlifts for dinner they gave us hot cocoa! It was yummy and warm! Also that day my boots leaked! We walked through a lot of snow! But thankfully they haven't done that again but I don't think I will be wearing them home. Ha. Also in the city they use a lot more salt then the suburbs and it just gets all over my black boots. 

I had my last Zone Training this week which was a very bitter sweet experience. I also gave my departing testimony and my mind went blank and words would not come out and tears came. It was one of the hardest testimonies I have given.  I love my mission so much! It has been one of the hardest things I have ever done but it is the best thing I could have ever done. I am so grateful that I have been given this opportunity to serve! I love it so much! And I honestly feel like I'll be a missionary forever! So if I don't come home you know where I'm at. ;) 

This week Sister Allen taught us how to open a coconut! It was so much fun! And something I'll do in the future! Sister Graham cracked hers in one it for me it took a few more times.

Things are going well and miracles are happening! I love serving here in Hyde Park and I am grateful God has trusted me with this part of his vineyard. 

This week I read a great talk on building your faith. Check it out! I loved this quote from it but it all is so so good!

"The more we develop these habits, the more anxious is Satan to harm us but the less is his ability to do so."

http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2014/10/make-the-exercise-of-faith-your-first-priority?lang=eng

This week I got letters written more than a month ago from My Mom and Sister Burr not sure what the deal is with the mail here but it likes to be weird. I also got a letter from Grandma Mary, Rebecka, and the Mission. :)

I love you all! Take care! Stay warm! 

Love, 

Sister North 

✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️

800 Waukegan Rd. #203

Glenview IL 60025

How to get a coconut open?

How about a screw driver?

Mabye a hammer?

Yes lets try the hamer.

It worked!  Her brother in Guatemala would say use a machete.

Snowing

pretty but cold

waiting for the train.

slightly warmer on the train.

Bearing my testimony in our last zone meeting

Last Zone conference on my mission.  :(

Making a fruit birthday cake for a Sister in the ward.

We have mad skills

Isn't it pretty!

The New Year brought the Cold

Date:  January 5, 2015
Area:  Hyde Park, Chicago
Companion:  Sister Graham

Hello Everyone!

So not sure how much time I have, the computer says like five minutes but sometimes it lets me have a little more so we shall see what happens.

I don't even know where to start...hmm...

This week was the week of service!  We have been really focusing on getting members more involved and building our relationship with them.  Something I have been wanting to do but it hasn't happened until now.

We have been making these cute little treats for them and writing notes for everyone and we have only done like nine out of a ton in the ward we are planning on doing more.  Wednesday it is suppose to be SUPER cold like 3 degrees without the windchill so we can see more miracles with the members.  It is working!  Not only are we doing that but my awesome companion has been able to cut ward members hair which has also helped get us in members homes and get to know them better on a normal level.  I have been reading a lot of childrens stories and it is super awesome and fun!  Know the Lorax  book? and the word Theeds I think? 

We did have some other really cool things happen for example we were going to the Cannons to cut their hair and on the way there we meet this lady named Tracy and she is interested in learning more so we set up an appointment with her for the next day!

Friday we met with her and did a lot of listening, she has been through a lot and is ready to change her life.  We taught a little about the Restoration but more about who God is and why it is important to have a relationship with him.

Then Saturday we had an appointment and taught the first haft of the Plan of Salvation and it was a really good lesson and invited her to be baptized on the 14th of February and she said yes!! Super exciting! but sadly she didn't make it to church and her phone was dead yesterday so hopefully everything is alright.

Something that is really cool about her story is that before she came to the bus stop she wrote in her prayer book a prayer to God how she wants to change her life and do better and then she met us.  In our first lesson I testified and promised her something and the spirit was there so strong it brought tears to my eyes, I don't remember what I said but it is so cool when you promise something and God backs you up. That is what happened I promised her if she did the things we ask her to do she will be blessed and I gave her some specific blessings and I know that to be true. 

I know that God gives us commandments for a reason and I know that when we do as he asks he will bless us so much and we will be so much more happier!!  God is so real and wants to help us so much it is crazy!  But he can only do so much, we must be doing our part.

I'll try to send you pictures later my ipad doesn't want to connect to the wifi but we are going to the Sisters apartment later and my Ipad usually connects to their wifi, if not you'll have some next week.

I love you all so much!! I hope you had a great New Years!

I got letters from:

-Tony and Shannon North

-Holdens

- Larsens

-and one of the daughters on her mission in this ward, she sent me good luck pennies from South korea which was cool

Thank you for all the support!! Good luck in School, Keep working hard, Remember to read your Scriptures and to pray!

Oh I also found out that someone from my last area might be getting baptized soon and My Mission Pres said I could go! AHH YAY!! :D So I am praying it will happen :D

I love you all!!

Love,

Sister North :D

Christmas brings me Joy :)

Christmas 2014

Date:  December 29, 2014

Area:  Hyde Park, Illinois

Companion:  Sister Graham

Hola mi familia!!! Con mi amigos!

This week is Week 2 of Transfer 13

Oh my goodness words cannot express how good it was to see and talk to you this week! It honestly made me so so so excited to see you! And now I can't wait! I just love you all so much and I am so glad I get to be a part of this great family! Next time I see you I get to embrace you! Ahh! That is so weird! Yet so wonderful! But don't worry I am not about to get trunky here I got work to do, miracles to see. 

Christmas! It was so so amazing! I sure do love it! And I am so grateful to say that I had the best Christmas! And the best one on the mish! I'm grateful to have another one and to be healthy this year.  What a blessing! 

Christmas Morning

On Christmas Eve we helped Martha around the house.

So you won't believe what game I played after dinner with the Cannons! Ticket to Ride! I finally played it! Haha it has only taken me how long? And I even won second place! So that was pretty cool! And even better is I had Mexican food for Christmas dinner! It really felt like home it was so wonderful! :) It was a very enjoyable day! :) and the Cannons are awesome! I love them a lot! They have a daughter going to BYU right now Ali and in April Dita who's in high school is coming to visit and go to conference and we talked about going together! That would be so much fun! So weird to plan things with my fellow Chicagoans for events in Utah! Then there is Stanley who loves dancing and is 11 and awesome! A really sweet kid and the twins who like to just play. And Brother and Sister Cannon who of course are the best!

The rest of the week was of course an adventure but of course in a different way. 

Elder Bawden, Elder Lewis, Elder Ellis,
Sister North and Sister Graham

One of the highlights is we were walking and these two people were bringing in stuff so I went and asked if we could help and they said YES! Oh yay! And it gets even better! We got to share the He is the Gift video and we got there information! And we have been helping Sabrina out this week! It has been way awesome! We have plans to help her more and teach her and invite her to be baptized. She really is awesome!  It was cool to see the He is the Gift video open doors. :) it was such an easy starter. I'm going to miss sharing it every chance I get. 

Our Christmas Lunch of TACO SOUP!!!!
Sister Graham, North, Nelsen and O

Another highlight would be seeing a less active that the relief society gave us named Linda she isn't in our area but we called her and she said we could come over the next day. I know her husband fairly well, he is a ward missionary and I honestly didn't know he was married. Well needless to say we had an amazing lesson on the Restoration and she said she would come to church and start reading the Book of Mormon and has a goal to finish it by summer! It was crazy! And pretty much the coolest first lesson with a less active I've ever had. 

Other things happened but those were the highlights. We are pretty much starting over with our teaching pool because no one is progressing but I know the Lord is going to bless us as we keep working hard. I believe he already is.  

 

Me and my stocking

Before I go I want to share my testimony on Patriarchal Blessings, I know that these blessings are from God and they will give us insights throughout our entire life. As I read mine last night I received personal revelation and new insights about my life that I've never seen before. It is so so cool! God has so much in store for us! But it is up to us to live according to his will or to "Face God" like in the lesson we taught in Relief Society; to do everything we can to become more like Christ so we can receive all the blessing God wants to give us. It is so awesome! I invite all of you to read yours or to pray about getting one and if you don't know what it is ask me or someone who does know. :) 

I loved talking to my family!

I love you guys! Thank you for the love and support!

Thank you for those you sent me packages for Christmas! Man I definitely felt super spoiled! I got three this week!

-The Souths, so great to hear from them!

-Karoline's still need to play piñata hehe 

-Sister Bishop a member in my last area, so sweet!

Letters:

-The Crooks, I miss serving with them

-Bryce and Emma's wedding invite! I can't believe they are getting married this weekend! So weird! I wish I could be there. I also think this is the first wedding invite I have gotten on my mission. Still a lot of first happening. 

A silly one of course.

Thanks for all the love! I LOVE hearing from you all! Remember family I want a hand written letter from you all before I come home (this includes you Bryen you weren't there for that and Bear I am sure I have one coming my way from you soon if not better send it out asap;) you should get my Christmas card soon too I sent it a few weeks ago. 

I love you all bunches! Have a great week and Happy New Year! I talk to you next year! I can't believe it is almost 2015 my mind is a little blown!

Some of the amazing Cannons - We had Christmas dinner with them.

The way cool Advent Calendar from my Aunt Bethany!

Christmas Jammies from my Grandma.  And a cool headband from another grandma.

check out the cool are work on the envelope from Nutty!

Love you all!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

.....See ya'll next year!!....

Love,

Sister North

✉✉✉✉✉✉✉✉✉✉

800 Waukegan Rd. #203

Glenview IL 60025

Merry Christmas!!!

Transfer 12...I mean Transfer 13 week 1

Chicago Temple

Hello all you little Elfs!

One of my favorite Christmas movies is Elf! One year at school I borrowed it from my neighbor for like a month haha it is just so great! And can I just say Kenn and Amy I loved your Christmas card! 

And other letters from Nutty, and Grandma Mary. And I'll have to take a picture of Nuts envelope because it is so so cool!! I just forgot to do that haha. 

Sisters Grahm, North, Olenjeck, Nelsen, Green, and Parker

Thanks again for the mail! It always makes a day brighter! Not gonna lie I had high expectations for mail this Christmas season because last Christmas I felt like the coolest person ever! So thanks to everyone that wrote me! And yes this is suppose to be a guilt trip ya'll should send me a card! I love hearing how you are doing! You still have time to write me and get a letter from me! ✉️

So yep it is a new transfer and also my last! It is pretty crazy to think about and to know that I will be "dying" at the end of this one. So my new companion is super awesome and I love her a lot! We are pretty different people and I feel like I have so much to learn from her. Sister Graham is from Orem, Utah and has been out for 14 months. She is the boldest missionary I have ever served with which is pretty refreshing and she just knows her purpose as a missionary! She is 23, she loves things clean, and she loves to get things done, and she loves working out! This week has been good and we get along great. It is different for both of us and we are just learning how to work together. She is perfect for this area and I am excited for these next six weeks I have to serve with her! 

Our whole zone.
The sisters are all dying off. (going home soon)

This week we did a ton of singing! I loved it! Sister Graham doesn't care for singing but she will do anything because she loves the Lord! And she sang her little heart out and I was so proud of her. She is so awesome!

We sang with the Youth Tuesday night in Hyde Park and even got someone's information for the YSA branch and that was fun!

Then on Saturday we went down town and sang for a few hours there and passed out cards my voice was so tired but I enjoyed it and my toes got cold which was lame but totally worth it! 

We spent like four hours just calling potentials this week and dropping all of them unless they wanted to meet with us. Just figuring out who we should spend our time on and who we should help progress to baptism. 

Update on our awesome peeps!

So we dropped Christopher this week but his lesson went really well. He is still reading the Book of Mormon and will continue reading it but he told us he won't follow through with any other commitments until after he finishes. I told him I'd make him cheesecake for his birthday which is the end of Jan. So that will be a perfect time to follow up with him and see how he is doing. But he is doing well with reading but it is time to follow through with more. 

This week we went to the Temple which was so wonderful and so peaceful. I really do love that place so so much! And then we went to the mission home for lunch and had a Christmas meeting and it was just super duper awesome!

We sang and had people write down what
they are thankful for.

We also had a ward Christmas shin dig where we went Christmas Caroling at an old folks place and went back to the church for Pizza.  Then we all played lighting..knock out...whatever people call it. And Bishop Nydegger is really good at that game and I survived like six rounds with him behind me. It was so nerve racking! My basketball skills are just not what they use to be ha but it was fun. I even played dominoes with some of the little kids! 

Not a lot happened this week and it all is kinda a blur. We haven't heard from Laura since they left for China which is lame because we need to have FaceTime lessons with them to teach them everything. We still have a lot to teach them before they are baptized so pray that we will be able to teach them this week! 

Well I hope you all have a super wonderful Christmas! My mind is still a little bit blown that it is Christmas time! But I love it still! I don't really have much else to say. 

Sister Graham, President Woodbury, and Sister North

At the mission home with Elder M.. and
Elder Porter and that is Elder Admas in the back ground.

Sister North and Sister Grham

Sister North with Sister Woodbury

Take care and have a blast!

And then write me and tell me what you did. 

Love,
Sister North 

✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️✉️

800 Waukegan Rd. #203

Glenview IL 60025

💕Jesus Loves me Yes I know 💕

Date:  December 15, 2014

Area:  Hyde Park, Chicago

Companion:  Sister Lepule

Transfer 12 Week 5

Wow! Hello World! 

I don't even know what to say! Honestly this week has been so so hard but miracles do happen and I could not be happier! :) and now I can say that it was the best week ever instead of the worst. Why you may ask?

One family! Laura, Han, and Freddy! ❤️

They are the most amazing people in the world! Not even lying! They are definitely the highlight of my week and maybe even my mission! I love them so much! I would do anything for them! So on Tuesday we had an incredible lesson with them!

We met at the church! Before scouts started we watched He is The gift with Freddy which was really good and got us talking about when they didn't believe in God to believing in Him and just there conversation process. It is really sweet and Freddy told us that the video was about a gift and then he went to Scouts and loved it.

We talked about the Holy Ghost and receiving answers and it was a really good lesson. Sister Larsen was able to come and shared experiences that she has had that showed how God hears our prayers and how it was answered. They said that they are so glad that they found the truth. Laura said that when they come and open the doors to the church they feel the spirit very strong and when they leave they feel like something is missing. And we invited them to be baptized on the 17th of Jan and they thought about it and said yes that would work. And informed us about how they are going to China for three weeks but will be back which is cool to see how Prayer works as we pray about a date! We had no idea! But it was so sweet to have them both really want to be baptized!

Then In Saturday they came to a baptism and it was just amazing and they loved it and made them even more excited! 

Then last night we had the best lesson I have had my entire mission! It sure was awesome! And I loved it! :) we had dinner at the Popes and Sister Pope made the best tacos in the world! And they also have the cutest little girl! After our tummies were filled and I ate six tacos (Brother Pope told me too haha) we had a lesson on the Plan of Salvation. Which was amazing!

But the sweetest part was during the lesson was Freddy who is 10 all on his own told us he wants to be baptized and started talking about that Jesus loves me and then sang the song Jesus Loves me Yes I know and the spirit was so powerful it just about brought tears to my eyes! They are all going to be baptized together! Ahh words can NOT describe the joy I feel for them! I love them so much! 

So you might be wondering what will happen while they are gone for three weeks? Well we gave the "Homework" to do while they are in China and we are going to have FaceTime lessons with them ahh!! I am so so so excited!! And they are going to even go to church which is petty amazing!

The Lord is working Miracles! The goal is to have them to the Temple two weeks after they are baptized...which is also my last Saturday on my Mission. That would be the BEST thing in the world!!

Family they look forward to meeting you next summer. :) I can't wait for you to meet them. :) 

There was a lot that happened this week and it was hard but I know this Gospel is so true and sharing it makes me so so happy!

For example on Tuesday morning we found out that our sweet friend Billie who is a Less Active Sister passed away Monday night and I love Billie and she loved us singing hymns to her and her heart has truly softened towards us and the church. It was so sweet to see. Well we happen to be able to go over Tuesday and help out and we were on the bus on our way and just sad but then we started talking to this guy about the Gospel and it just makes me happy. There were other things buggy us too. But when it all comes down to it I know if we do what God asks he will bless us so much! He loves us all so much! I know there is a plan for all of us and that he is here to help! I know the Plan of Salvation is so real and that Billie will learn the rest of the Gospel in he spirit world because we didn't get to teach her.  This gospel makes me so happy!

People like Laura, Han, and Freddy make all the hard times being a missionary worth it and they don't even matter anymore! I love being a missionary! I don't want it to end! 

My mind is just all of them! 

We also got transfer calls and can I say a five week transfer goes by so much fast then six! Haha anyway. 

 

Transfer Doctrine: Sister Lepule is going to Morgan Park to be a Sister Training Leader and Sister Graham will be my new companion. And I'll tell you more about her next week. She is cool and I know she loves to work out and well that's about it haha. 

Letters:

-Grandma Mary

-Blackhams, I love the Christmas count down! Thank you so much!

Packages:

Man you all are spoiling me! I've never gotten so many packages! Yesterday after church I was told I have four! And to my surprise all from different people! 

-Grandma Pam

-GMA GPA North

- Grandma Maxine

- Mommy 

Thank you! For your love! It means the world to me to know you care!

I love you all so so much!! Thank you for the prayers! 

Just my favorite people ever! Laura, Han, and Freddy

Our Christmas card adventure last week. :) speaking of which Mom did you get yours? 

Trying out Yellow Mellow...it wasn't that good...

We went thrifting today...almost bought it ha

💕Sister North 🐒

✉️📫✉️📪✉️📬✉️📭✉️

800 Waukegan Rd. #203

Glenview IL 60025