Monday, December 12, 2016

And she lived happily ever after... The end

Here I am. The end of my mission. I wish so much to express all of the things I have learned on my mission and I really want to share them with you all. But I will wait until we are in person and when the time is right.

My mission has been such a sacred experience and I would not trade it for the world. I am grateful for the knowledge that just because I take off the tag does not mean its not still imprinted over my heart.

These last 18 months will be looked upon as the best and worst moments of my life. I have truly loved being refined by the Lord  and knowing my divine nature and knowing who I am to my Heavenly Father. That knowledge is something I will always hold dear and will never let go of. I am a missionary. I am a servant. I am imperfect. I am special to Him.  I am a daughter of Heavenly Father and an heir to the Celestial Kingdom.

I leave you with my witness that Jesus is the Christ. He is the perfect Son of our Heavenly Father. He lived and died for us. He still lives! Joseph Smith was chosen by God to restore the gospel. Today we have a living prophet and 12 apostles just like Christ did when he established his church and ministry here on the earth. The Book of Mormon along with the Bible and other books of scripture tell us what we need to do to get back to living in His presence. Without Easter, there would be no Christmas. Light will always conquer darkness. I leave you these words in the sacred and blessed name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Love,


Hermana Voss

Monday, December 5, 2016

One more week?!

Hello Everyone!

I can't believe that the time has come for me to finish up my mission. This has been the longest and shortest year and a half of my life!

I will be flying home next week and I will be speaking in the Sequim Dungeness Ward on the 18th. I will keep you posted on the time. I'm not sure when our ward starts now. I would love to see you all! Please give me some time to readjust into normal life. But I know I am coming back at the best time of year to see friends and family. And I know that I am going to be insanely busy until the New Year.

OH! PS- I took my mom, my grandparents, and my sister off of this email because they all think I am coming home after Christmas. I am going to surprise them :) If you see them, don't say anything!

This week was chalk full of miracles. When we were on exchanges, Sister Clubb and Sister Herring were here in the Vail area and they were able to contact a potential investigator and her husband. I heard nothing but good things about them when they stopped in. So when we showed up to our follow up appointment I was really excited and prepared to teach the Plan of Salvation.

No sooner did the door close than did the husband start firing off questions and pulling up false doctrine that he had read on the internet. I looked at Sister Clubb and said, we need to teach the Restoration of the Gospel. What then happened in the following 30 minutes was incredible. This man, whose body language was very offensive and protected at first, gradually turned into him sitting back in his chair with his arm behind his wife's shoulders. As we testified and calmly and powerfully answered his questions, you could SEE the Holy Ghost softening his heart and it manifested in a very physical way. His wife also really opened up and started sharing her faith in the Savior and his sacrifice. By the end of the lesson, we were eating cookies with them. AND we got invited back to teach more!

To be honest I have never in my mission wanted to abandon ship as quickly as I did in the first 5 minutes of that lesson. I was ready to let him rant and do his thing and say "thank you for your time" and just up and leave never to see them again. But the Lord knows best and knew exactly how to guide Hermana Clubb and I to be able to help this lovely family come unto Christ. It was an experience I will never forget. I am so going to miss this work and the wonderful calling of being able to teach people how to repent, change their lives, and more than anything, come to know who the Savior is. But I think more than anything I have been my greatest convert on my mission. I know what God requires of me. I know what I need to do to return to live in his presence and I know who my Savior is and what he has done for me and the rest of mankind.

I hope you all are enjoying the advent calendar to "light the world". My companion and I have been seeing miracles because of it!

Love,


Hermana Voss

Monday, November 28, 2016

Holy FOOD!

I ate SO MUCH this last week it is shameful. We had 3 dinners on Thursday. Thank you all for your prayers, I needed them.

How about that awesome Christmas video that is out! And the Advent Calendar! It is fantastic. What a great way to get into the Christmas season!
I encourage all of you to take the time to watch this video and reflect on how the Savior gave light to the world and how you as individuals can do the same. We may not be savior's of the world, but in our own imperfect way, we can be!
I love this time of year!
Here is the advent calendar :) I KNOW that the Lord will bless you and help you to see miracles as you strive to be a light to the world. I love the scripture in 3Nephi 12:14 and 16/ the second part of Matt 5:16 
14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
16Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

I am so grateful for this time of year. I am grateful for my family, for this gospel, for the Savior Jesus Christ. I am grateful for music. I am grateful for singing. I am grateful to be a missionary and servant of the Lord. I am grafeful for every single on of you who has helped and supported on my mission. Word cannot express nor ever will be able to express my gratitude and love for you.

Keep looking for the Lord's hand in your days!


Love,

Hermana Voss


Monday, November 21, 2016

Feliz dia de gracias!

Sorry about not writing these last few weeks. I'm just trying to soak up all the time I can get.

The work is great and I am loving my mission. I can't believe things are coming to a close so soon.

I am sorry that this is short, but we are going to the Georgetown loop and its gonna take a lot of our day. Gotta get the sites in while I still can!

Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy!

I love you all!
Love,

Hermana Voss

Monday, November 14, 2016

Hello

I'm alive and well everyone! Not much for this week. I'm trying to stay focused. I love you all and stay happy!

Love,

Hermana Voss


Monday, October 31, 2016

Short note

Well...... This is a SUPER short note because my companion and I were sick all week. When she wasn't sick, I was sick, and sometimes we were both sick.

But, we know that there is a miracle around the corner.... We just have to keep pushing on. This week will bring much more productivity!

Stay well. Lots of love!

Love,

Hermana Voss

Monday, October 24, 2016

It's not vandalism and breaking and entering if Sister Missionaries do it.... Right?

Buenos tardes a todos!


    Well this week has been quite the ride! We were SUPER busy! We taught some amazingly prepared people. We were all over the place. WOOHOO!

    Sunday, we made pancakes for our investigator, Z. Super awesome guy who lost his home in the Louisianna flood and hitch hiked here because he worked here last year. Insane. He is back on his feet and came to church. We went around to his bedroom window and knocked to get him out of bed and then we served him pancakes. There is nothing like Sister Missionary love. Hahahaha! Sunday is my FAVORITE day because we get to go round up all of our friends and investigators to church. It is pure joy!

     I went on exchanges with Sister Poulton who is from North Carolina. She is incredible and I love her. We are both book worms. We bonded over our love of reading and writing.

     This week we had the fun task of breaking into our bishops apartment because the spare key wasn't where it usually was..... So, I used a credit card to get in. And it worked. It's not breaking and entering if you're a sister missionary right? And you have permission? I don't think Hermana Clubb believed I could do it. Hahahahaha! But we have pics to prove it!

    Other than that, No other crazy (obedient) shenanigans for last week, but that just means there is time for more this week.

Have a great week everyone! Keep smiling!

Con Amor,
Hermana Voss


1) The Sunday morning round-up featuring homemade buttermilk pancakes. Bet you didn't know we were so domestic!
2) Companionship bonding time- brushing our teeth on our balcony in the morning.

3)Elote! This stuff is DA BOMB! Elote is corn on the cob. Traditionally they put Mayonessa (NOT Mayo or Miracle Whip, the taste is WAY different), parmesan cheese and chile. It is delightful! There are SEVERAL white vans that drive around the big trailer park out in Edwards and they're always selling mango, elote, papas, etc. It sounds really sketchy but its totally not. These guys make BANK I'm sure! And they're always SUPER surprised that a couple of gringas are fluent in Spanish. It's always fun to surprise people.
Pics 4-6 (Don't judge my outfit) The process of breaking in to our Bishop's apartment.








Monday, October 17, 2016

Fall is in the air

Buenos tardes a todos!

This week has been another busy one here in the mission. Between driving to Denver for Zone Meeting and celebrating of the new Ft. Collins Temple, we have had very little time to breathe. We have been volunteering out here in the community with the Salvation Army this last week. They are getting ready to have their big Thanksgiving and then Christmas extravaganza to help those in the area who are in need. I LOVE this aspect of missionary work. It is always so satisfying.

Matthew 25:36-40 puts it perfectly
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

This is my favorite time of year. I love the colors and the brisk fresh air. Its the best time to be a missionary!🍁🕵💂👸💀👽🤖👾👻

I hope you all are healthy and well. Thank you for your love and support. Even if I don't email you back right away, please know that I am so grateful to hear from every single one of you!

Con todo mi amor de mi corazon,

Hermana Voss

1) Hermana Clubb and I after the Elders sabotaged me with silly string for my birthday.
2) and 3) Some selfie love
4) Pictures out at Lake Dillon after the temple dedication. It was SO windy but absolutely beautiful!
5) Birthday fun at Casa Mexico. with some Horchata. Bien sabroso!
6) Spent my birthday dinner with the Quintana/Reyes/ Herrera family
7) Attempted photo fun with the Bishop and his family (The Webbs)








Monday, October 10, 2016

THANK YOU!!

Thank you all for the wonderful birthday wishes this last week. I am still working on replying to all of the emails you sent me! I am so grateful to have spent my birthday out here in the mission field. It was a wonderful day for sure.

We were REALLY busy this last week but I can't remember a darn thing we did. We ran around 100miles a minute and I think my brain is still processing everything. But any week that is busy like that in the mission is a good week, without a doubt.

I forgot my camera so I will have to send double the pictures next week.

I love you all. Take care! Enjoy the Fall weather..... it snowed here last week the day after my birthday. Yeeeeesh.


Con cariño,

Hermana Voss

Monday, October 3, 2016

Happy Fall!

Hola a todos!

This week has been FANTASTIC! And SLIGHTLY hectic. But that is the mission life. My new "daughter" is Hermana Clubb and she is absolutely fantastic! She is from Virginia and has such a beautiful spirit. I love her to death! She is the epitome of humility and I have SO much to learn from her. The missionary mantle is truly a thing of wonder and awe. I have never been so beaten down and refined in my life. Its the greatest!

I am so grateful to be here in Vail for another transfer! There are some incredible people here. The ward is fantastic and the work just keeps on moving. This week we had to kinda start from 0 and start all over with our teaching pool. But such is the life in the mission world. The elect are out there! We just need to find them! Its true when the members here say that we are in the celestial kingdom! Hahahahaha!

Wasn't General Conference amazing!? If that doesn't give you the missionary spirit, I don't know what will. The Spirit testified so much to me that I am doing the Lord's work and that I am exactly where I need to be. That I get to be a TINY part in helping our brothers and sisters return back to Heavenly Father. I am so sad that my time on the mission is so short, but I know that there is a time and place for everything.

Please keep praying for Betty and Charlie this week!

I love you all and hope you have a wonderful week.

Con amor,

Hermana Voss

Pictures:
1) Hermana Clubb and I showing some love to the Quintana Family
2) Charlie. He was OUT COLD for the afternoon session of conference. He's adorable!
3) We tried this tropical fruit called Rambutan. It's SO weird but surprisingly good. It looks you're going to eat a sea- urchin
4) The inside of Rambutan. Just in case you were curious
5) This view NEVER gets old!






Monday, September 26, 2016

TRANSFERS!

I have the GREATEST news in the world! I am staying here in Vail and I am training again! :) I get to meet my new "daughter" tomorrow and I am so excited.

I love you all. Have a fantastic week.

PS- My address is still the same!

Love,


    Hermana Voss

Monday, September 19, 2016

Transfer Calls

I am seriously not going to be keeping track of time anymore. Its just sad knowing I don't have much time left to dedicate my time to the Lord and be singing the music of the gospel constantly!

This week we will be getting transfer calls so as usual, if you are gonna send mail, send it no later than tomorrow. I don't know if I am staying or going. Honestly, the chance is 50:50. I want to stay so badly, but if I need to be transferred, the Lord knows where I need to be and I will trust in Him. I have never had such blind faith in the Lord. I love it.

Next week there probably wont be an email. I will let Sue and Steve know my transfer news through a friend so hopefully you can ask them what it is. I will try to email what the news is Monday but that will be about it. We only have 15mins to email family next week.

Sorry this email is so short. We are heading up to Booth Falls for a District P-day. We are trying to soak up the last days of warmth before the snow dumps within the next month or so.

I don't normally like to do this because I like to keep confidentiality of the people I am teaching, but right now, this family REALLY needs prayers. Betty and Charlie. They are a mom and a son. She is a single mom, works 50+ hours a week and has incredible faith. Her son Charlie has Tuberous Sclerosis and he has a lot of seizures especially during the night. He is 10 and an absolutely wonderful kid. They have a baptismal date for October 8th and they need all the prayers they can get. Hermana Young and I are absolutely in love with them and they are the elect here in Vail. The adversary is working so incredibly hard on Betty right now and really testing her faith because Charlie's seizures are getting really bad and more frequent. And when he is having a good day, his medication makes him have some behavioral issues that sometimes are uncontrollable. I wish I could convey how much love I have for this brother and sister of ours. Please remember them in your prayers. I know that there is power in numbers when it comes to prayer. We need a miracle and that is exactly what we are praying for!

I will attach a picture of them in my next email so you know who you are praying for.

I love you all and hope you know that the Lord loves you even more. When things get hard, don't get discouraged, get excited, because that means there are blessings JUST around the corner.

Love,

Hermana Voss 
 Selfie time!
 Our district. We celebrated Hermana Young's birthday
 We went up to Vail Resorts for an afternoon. It was GORGEOUS!!!!
Betty and Charlie. They are the best!
The after effects of the silly string heist by the elders for Hermana's birthday!

Monday, September 12, 2016

A sunny hello to you all!

I won't lie. This was incredibly difficult but there were still blessings and joy to be found.

On Tuesday we had a wonderfully uplifting Zone Conference and on Wednesday we got to go to the temple. It was such a long day, but I would sacrifice ANYTHING to go to the temple and be in one of the holiest places on earth.


This week my companion and I decided to go to the boundaries of our area to a place called Redcliff. The drive up there was absolutely breathtaking.

So the pictures-
1) My mom, Sister Kenworthy, and I after the temple. I am going to miss this girl. She dies this transfer. I love her so stinking much.
2) I am a grandma! Sister Cardosa is training! How crazy!
3) 4 generations of missionaries!
4) This is an abandoned mining town on the way up to Redcliff. I can't remember the name of it. I am ITCHING to go explore there.




 1) So these are in a little town we cover called Minturn. They're "Modern Bathrooms". They're actually kinda cool.... I'm still trying to figure out what makes them "modern" though.
2) More bathroom pics.
3) Something a little more beautiful. Part of our drive up to Redcliff. This little town is a GEM! Lot's of 7th Day Adventists.




PS. I killed a black widow spider this morning. Humanity is saved. You may continue on with your happy lives.

 Love,
Hermana Voss

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

WOW

Holy. Cow! These last few weeks have been CRAZY.

So to clear up confusion because I know a lot of you have questions. Yes, I WAS going to come home at the end of this transfer. Now, I am NOT coming home. There were some situations that I thought needed my attention and time back home, but it has all been taken care of by my wonderful Stake and Ward. I love you all so much, I will never be able to even begin to explain.

I WILL be coming back in December as originally planned.

I am soooooooooooo happy to be staying here on my mission. These last few weeks have been so hard in praying to know what to do. I have never spent so much time on my knees in prayer. As Abraham Lincoln said, "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go." When we don't know what to do, we go to our Heavenly Father because He knows. And sometimes, both decisions are well with him, he just wants you to use your agency and choose. These have been some of the hardest weeks of my mission. But I know that I am where I need to be and I am so blessed to be able to serve my mission full term!

I hope you all are having wonderful weeks! Please know that I love you all dearly!

PS- For those of you in my home ward, invite the sister missionaries over for a family home evening or for an 8pm at your house. Let them know something you want to know more about or something that is troubling your heart. They will prepare and they will be instruments in the hands of the Lord and you will feel of His love through them!

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Voss

1) a little selfie action on our way to Sweetwater Lake for a nice picnic and hike with our bishop and his fam-bam!
2) Sweetwater lake. Its BEAUTIFUL!
3) A little yoga is good for the soul
4) comp selfie by the lake!




Monday, August 22, 2016

The Countdown Begins!

Well! The time has come. 5 weeks until I come home!

I am so grateful for my mission and the time that I have had to be consecrated to the Lord. But I am also looking forward to the next steps in life. The mission is hard but it is the greatest thing that has happened to me.

Now don't be sending a whole bunch a trunky jokes on me. I won't be packing my bags until the Sunday before I leave. I've already promised that!

My emails will be pretty short from here on out because I want to focus on the work as much as possible and I will be seeing all of you soon and I am so excited for that!

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Voss

Monday, August 15, 2016

Transfers!

GOOD NEWS! I'M STAYING IN VAIL! Sister Young and I get to be together for another transfer. This place is the celestial kingdom. We are working hard and seeing miracles that can ONLY com from the Lord! I feel so honored to be a small part of this work.

In other news. We had to go get our car fixed up due to some poor decisions made by other missionaries. So, we were without a car for 4 days. Now for those of you who served "harder missions" I know you probably had it worse or whatever. But for us. We have MOUNTAINS and our area is HUGE. So, this week we rode on bikes. And one day we rode 25miles total in the POURING RAIN. It was insane! But so much fun. However, we are glad to have our car back! Hallelujah!

Have a good week everyone. I love you!

Love,

Hermana Voss

1) We went to a dance festival here in Vail. It was amazing! A couple of the dancers were members so we got to visit with them at church. This is a picture of us with the Webbs. They are fantastic!
2) Biking in the rain. We were HIGHLY unprepared for the day
3) We ended our sweets fast! So we celebrated with Donuts!



1) More Dance Festival fun!
2)District Picture. I love these missionaries!


Monday, August 8, 2016

Good Afternoon!

Hello Everyone!

     Wow! What a crazy few weeks this has been. We have been greatly enjoying the Lord's creation out here. Last night we saw a skunk about 5ft away from us...... Never again.

    As for the work. Things are booming! The ward here is on fire with the work and Sister Young and I are finding the elect. This place is the PROMISED LAND!

    I have never been so tired and never been so happy all at once. The light we get to see when people start to fall in love with the Savior is the greatest experience I could ever witness. I feel so privileged to be a small part of this work. I seem to be the one to have benefited the most from missionary service. How is that possible?

    Gotta run! I love you all and hope you are doing well! Thanks for all of your love and support!

Love,

Hermana Voss

1)But first let me take a selfie at Holy Cross! It was BEAUTIFUL!
2) Mango on a stick with lime and chili. It's the little things
3) Love the views!
4) Lunch time 
5) After the hike. Our legs were KILLING US the following day!






3rd pic is with our bishop! Bishop Webb :)







Monday, August 1, 2016

I'm Alive!

I promise I'm alive. We are just SO SO SO SO busy and we have been enjoying the beautiful hikes around here. I will have more to report next week. We are going to hike Holy Cross today. My legs will be screaming tomorrow but I don't even care!

The Church is true, the book is blue! How's that for profound doctrine?
Love,

Hermana Voss

1) Some Vail scenery!
2) Cleaning out the baptismal font...... There was a colony of bugs I swear. And their resistance leader was a spider. Needless to say we washed the resistance down the drain.