Mission Experience - 3 August 2015

Dear Mom,

I'm so glad you were able to read the Old Testament! It's SO GOOD!  And you did it in 60 days! Whoa!!! The youth are going to benefit greatly from your dedication! I'm so sorry Sister Salmon is moving-I know y'all have been friends for years. Fortunately you still can keep in contact with her. It won't be the same but it will still be good.

Thank you so much for your prayers. I know a lot of people are praying for me and honestly it helps. It comforts me to know that the Lords hears all of their prayers and it overwhelms me to think that they are in my behalf.

Something that I keep learning and re-learning on my mission is that the Lord knows what we are going through. When I was called to be a missionary He understood the things I would go through-BUT he also knows what I need to learn from these trials. He knows what I have learned about sharing the Gospel and who I am, bearing my testimony, teaching, being a woman, communicating. He knows that being a missionary is EXACTLY the trial and learning grounds that I need for whatever my next step in life is. All that I have learned I wouldn't have learned if I had never served.  He also know what I need if I stay. Whatever happens He will continue to guide and direct me if I stay close to Him. Even my patriarchal blessing says that as I stay close to my church leaders it will be as if He is leading me by the hand. I know that the Gospel is true. I know it like I have never before known anything. I truly KNOW that I can do ANYTHING. That I can struggle and overcome and learn. I KNOW that He loves me. That He loves everyone- regardless of who they were/are, regardless of their circumstances in life, regardless of if they are members who aren't active, regardless of if they love Him. He loves and He cares and I want to be like Him. I strive to be like Him. I feel a passion for the Gospel and a love for others that I wouldn't have developed any other way.

This week we taught 17 Less active members/ recent converts. We taught 3 member present and 4 lessons without a member present. And the Love I felt for them wasn't any different. It didn't matter if I was in a nice home or a shabby apartment. If the person we were talking to was interested or uninterested, what their struggles were, who they had been. In each discussion we invited them to come unto Christ- whether it be through prayer, learning from us, or attending their church we invited them to draw closer to the Savior and Redeemer of the world. And yeah we haven't seen a lot of success in our area-we haven't gotten new investigators or retained many of the ones that we had we no longer teach, but it has been good.

I love you so very much,

Sister Erika Kremer

Mission Experience - 27 July 2015

Dear Mom,

I knew as I was reading the letter from Kristina that it was something just coming from her heart.

Thanks for giving Marissa my info! Is LeAnn still there? Katie?

You and dad would be great missionaries!

I have used the Essential Oils you sent with me and they are working well. 

I'm learning that everyone loves people differently. 

Of course I don't mind my name being in the temple! It is a GREAT place to be!

The Hancocks (my new Mission President and his wife) are freaking AMAZING!!! They are awesome and cool!!!

Spiritually it's been a great week! I got to testify of Christ and His love for all! We taught a couple of great people.

I love you tons and buckets,

Sister Erika Kremer

Mission Experience - 13 July 2015

Dear Mom,

Thank you for your email this week. Y'all did fine in regards to the temple. You have nothing to worry about or regret. Honest.

I'm so glad you are enjoying being a seminary teacher. It is a good fit for you and you truly are growing a lot.

I look forward to the possibility of letters from the Primary. That would be cool to read. I've thought about writing to the Young Women, but I'm not sure what I would say.

I'm really glad you put my name in the temple this week. I'm sure that that was inspired.  But I'm going to stay here and keeping going forward. As hard as it is and as much as I want to be with the family I don't want to stop serving the Lord. Hopefully the effort I'm putting forth is enough. I'm doing the best I can- all I can handle doing. I just hope He continues to understand.

There have been miracles though! In the last 7 days there were 2 and a half days were we didn't proselyte at all because we were just too sick and we still managed to teach 13 lesssons. It's the least I've ever taught but they were all good and effective lessons.

So even though it's a struggle I'm still hanging on and trying to look for the miracles and blessings.

I don't have much time to email today-my companion has a lot planned (she said we need to do things that make both of us really happy today- I suspect ice cream will be involved). I will try to write a letter with more uplifting things.

I love you so much!!!!! For real!!!!

LOVE,

Sister Erika Kremer

MissionExperience - 6 July 2015

Dear Mom,

Something that I thought about when I read the last part of your email about the Apostles dying. (What a week this has been. I don't know if you have heard about President Packer but he passed away on Friday at 2 pm at his home. That makes two apostles in two months- another one that has been there my entire life. There are only three left of the original ones from when your dad and I were growing up into our youth days. Elder Nelson is now the senior Apostle according to date sustained as and Apostle and Elder Oaks is after him. These great men have been giving us counsel and instruction from the Lord for so long that they almost seem like family.) . . . . In my personal study this morning I was reading in 3 Nephi chapter 3 about how Gidgiddoni was chosen to be the chiefest among all the chief captains- it was because he had the spirit of revelation and prophesy and was a prophet among the people. Sister Hunt and I discussed this for a while and talked about the last days and how there will be many battles and something we wondered was if at some point our armies will be lead in the same manner. Obviously we don't know this for sure, but it is something that we talked about. Food for thought at any rate.

Have I told you how much I love studying the scriptures?? I really really really love studying them! There is so much to learn...especially when one thinks about the fact that for every word in the Book of Mormon, for every story in the Book of Mormon there were thousands of other possibilities. The things that we read are what God needs us to know and understand. They are things that will bring us closer to Him and allow us to progress in the way that He desires for us to progress.

Something else that is really standing out to me- Every person on Earth accepted the Gospel and Plan of Salvation in the Pre-Earth life.

Something else- we knew our ancestors before we came to Earth. We knew our children. Isn't that cool?

About the parade: Only in Idaho and Utah would people cheer when they saw the missionaries...and you could tell who wasn't a member or was REALLY anti by how they reacted when they saw us. It was REALLY funny! And so cool!!

I finally gave in and asked my companiera Hermana Hunt what the names of the candies were ::drum roll:: Tootsie Rolls!!! Did you figure out what candy I was talking about?

 

You would think that as a missionary I would be one of the first to know that an apostle had passed away, but I didn't know about President Packer till 1 pm yesterday (Sunday). 

I love you and the blanket you made is a hit with everyone who sees it. Actually, Sister Hunt was wondering if you have any fabric left over from the skirts you made...she thinks they are really cute...

I love you and think of you every day.

Love Sister Erika Kremer

Mission Experience - 4 July 2015 (Special Edition follow-up from Monday the 29th)

Hola mi familia!

Donde esta?   Yo bien. Feliz quatro de Julio!  (Happy Fourth of July)

Today has been awesome so far! We (my zone) were in the Idaho Falls Fourth of July parade (which was awesome!). The Zone ran around handing out the little chocolate candies (that are kind of rubbery and I think start with the letter "t") out to those along the parade route. I stood on the float smiling and waving because I'm awesome like that ;)

Then we watched 2 movies...Big Hero 6 and Space Jams....that one was a bit of a weird movie.....

And now I am emailing y'all! Because I love each of you and miss each of you!

This has been an alright week. A lot has been going on but I'm hanging on, smiling, and doing the best that I can. I know that missions are not easy and if there is anything I'm learning it's that the phrase "not easy" is an understatement...however I know that Heavenly Father is helping me along and that all of the hard stuff is going to help me out in the end. So I am (reluctantly) grateful for it.

Sad news...our district leader is probably getting sent home early because he has been really sick for months now and they can't figure out what is wrong with him. It is hard to watch a missionary go home early...it's hard on them to see what they might have done and know that they won't accomplish it...it takes a lot of faith in Heavenly Father to leave - to trust that leaving is what is best for you. My heart hurts for him.

I'm sure I say this a lot, but it is weird how much I am loving people. I still don't like being around most people, but those that I meet I just LOVE almost instantly..I overlook their faults or flaws and just see children of God. I remember some missionaries describing this and me thinking "yeah right, you just have to say you love them because you're a missionary" but it's not true! It is so strange though!

I love y'all so much! 

Love Sister Erika Kremer     by the way....my first name is starting to sound really foreign...

Mission Experience - 29 June 2015

Dear Mom,

Your Facebook post:BRILLIANT 

I am so proud of you for standing up for what you believe in. The Gospel is true and as we bear testimony of it others are given the opportunity to learn and feel the Spirit.

Today is only a 3 hour p-day because we have all day Saturday off-so I will be writing letters to everyone then.

We are having a lot of success in our companionships!

I'm sorry this is so short.

I love you beyond words,

Sister Erika Kremer

Mission Experience - 22 June 2015

Dear Mom,

Transfer calls happened the day you talked with Debbie (which she told me about, you are SO SWEET!) and I will be staying in the Ammon West Stake and will be joined by Sister Hunt (who came out at the same time as Sister Kolbo). Sister Parker will be going to Afton and Sister Kolbo will be coming to Ammon. So I will see her at least once a week!

I'm glad dad's talk went well. I was nervous for him. I also talked yesterday about Enduring to the End.

YES! I LOVE THE OLD TESTAMENT SO MUCH!!! It great that you have this chance to study it and learn all that it has to offer. One of the things I love doing in lessons or talks is talking about both the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon. Especially the parts that both talk of Christ.

I know that you can accomplish all of the reading you've been asked to do and that as you do so you will learn things that will help you as a Seminary teacher. Often when we talk with members or recent converts about different aspects of the church I talk about you. Especially when we discuss how the Lord is the one who extends callings and that even if we feel incapable of accomplishing a task if He has asked us to do it then we can.

It truly is amazing how wonderful the Gospel is. This Friday we saw Debbie baptized and Sunday she was confirmed. She had so many people supporting her at both occasions, both members and non-members. As missionaries when the person baptized is changing we do a presentation. For Debbie's baptism we showed to videos, Are We Christian? and He Lives-Testimonies of Jesus Christ. In between the videos we shared our own testimonies of the Gospel and the Atonement of Jesus Christ. In all honesty my favorite part of baptisms is bearing testimony. The reason is because if there is a non member there that may be the only opportunity any missionary has to teach them of the Gospel and there is no better way to do so than by testifying of the Atonement of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Something unique that we did at her baptism is Sister Parker and I performed a special musical number A Child's Prayer. Debbie loves this song and wanted it to be one of the hymns sung, but she also wanted the round effect so she asked us to sing it. I was really nervous to do this because I've had a really bad cough for a few days but Mom, when we sang the Spirit was SO STRONG. Dave (Debbie's step dad who is anti) actually wiped tears away a few times. It was such a powerful experience.

Then Sunday Brother Peterson received the Preisthood and that evening he baptized his daughter Bailey Peterson.

It has been an amazing week. And after I invite someone to be baptized today Sister Parker and I will have invited someone to be baptized for 46 days in a row. I am so grateful to have this opportunity to serve the Lord!

Love,

Sister Erika Kremer