It's partly cloudy and 47 degrees... with a slight breeze

Okay. So to explain the title. There is a number we call every morning to see what the weather is going to be like. I just happened to call the number without first looking outside. So I called the number and got "It's partly cloudy and its 47 degrees, with a light breeze" I looked outside and was like NO IT's NOT! IT'S DUMPING SNOW!!!!!!! It snowed for more than 24hrs straight here. It. Was. Ridiculous.

On to the new stuff! Well, here I am, still in the Denver 1st ward and I LOVE IT! Now Sister Bendorf and I have a new companion, Sister Cardosa who is from California. This girl has never seen it snow, so she was ECSTATIC when it started snowing. It was like it was Christmas for her. I have never seen someone so excited to see it snow.

In other news we had a baby shower for an investigator that was SO wonderful! A lot of the people from the ward really reached out to help her and make her feel loved. This week our ward is having a HUGE cultural night on Friday and we are super excited to see what teaching opportunities come from it. We have committed every member to invite a non member and everyone is getting super pumped about it.

Other than that. Not much else to report. We had an amazing week with finding opportunities and found some people who are really ready to hear the gospel and make changes. It was a perfect first week being a missionary for Sister Cardosa. Sister Bendorf and I have learned so much from her. Training a new missionary really shows you how much you lack and what your weaknesses really are. It is a wonderfully humbling experience.

I've got several pictures to send out so get ready!

I love you all

Love,

Hermana Voss

PS- I apologize in advance. As a companionship we are no longer speaking English (unless talking to someone who only speaks English) So my grammar and spelling is going to get even worse over the next 6 weeks. But you should still be able to read it..... more or less.....

1) Cake from the baby shower. Because what kind of email would this be without pictures of food

2) A member's dog just had puppies a few weeks ago. We were eating dinner and ALL of the kids came and put them in our laps. They were adorable!!!!!

3) Our Ward Mission Leader took us out for dinner. The dinner was INCREDIBLY delicious! I will say I miss seafood out here. Again. More food pics

 1) Hna. Cardosa partying in the snow

2) Dinner at El Paraiso

3) PUPPIES!!!!!

1)Terry the Tilapia

2)My lovely companions...... I love them!

It's a girl!

TRANSFER NEWS!

Sister Bendorf and I are training a baby! (new missionary!!!!!!) We are so excited.

This email is going to be REALLY short even though I have SOOOOOOOO MUCH to tell you all because our week was FANTASTIC, but we need to figure out how to fit 3 beds in our tiny bedroom..... We are basically going to have one giant bed. There will be pictures next week :) We are so excited!

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Voss

1) BEST SANDWHICH I HAVE EVER EATEN!!!! Firehouse subs for LIFE!

2)The Lakewood sisters blew up our door with hearts

We're like bumpers...

So to explain the heading. I was doped up on some sleep medication and we were on our way home and it went like this, "Basically. As missionaries.... we are like bumpers in bowling. All we can do is keep the ball from falling into the gutter, but at the end of the day, even then, sometimes people still go into the gutter at the last second and miss the pins even though they're PERFECTLY set up for success!". Mind you, I don't remember much of this conversation.

Anyway. This week was great! My highlight for SURE was General Conference though! I am so grateful for a modern day prophet and 12 apostles. That Christ really is the same yesterday, today, and forever and that He is at the head of this church and not imperfect man. I feel so refreshed and spiritually fed and hope you all do to!

This Saturday we will be getting transfer calls. I SO hope I can stay here in Denver for another transfer with Sister Bendorf. Our area is seeing so much growth and success. I would hate to leave, but if I do, I know it will be the Lord's will. Stay tuned next Monday. I'll have the news!

"Keep loving, keep trying, keep trusting, keep believing, keep growing" -Jeffrey R Holland

Love,

Hermana Voss

Delicious dinner at Pho on Saturday. So delicious!

Snow storm and a roller coaster

This week has been a week of some SERIOUS ups and downs. As many of you know, we got DUMPED on with a blizzard. It was INSANE! We had an all metro side Sister's Conference that day and We spent the 2 hours afterwards pushing out 7 sister cars from the snow. It was hysterical.

And, depsite the lows, we continue to see miracles. We are dog tired and we love it!

Not much else to report. Sorry it's so short.

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Voss

1) So. Much. Snow.

2) We had a scavenger hunt to find our cars.

3) Your truly

Over the river and through the woods

Well, we still have NO idea what happened to my GPS. BUT! GOOD NEWS! It LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVES! Though I'm not sure how..... But at least now we don't have to drive all over the mission to try and find where we are going. I was about ready to get a priesthood blessing for my GPS!

This week was super awesome! Sister Bendorf and I fasted and prayed to find the elect this last week and BOY DID WE! We are finally able to teach people about the gospel who are really looking for Christ and desiring to learn more and to be changed by the gospel. I love it! We have been working so hard and have been seeing a lot of fruits of our labors. This transfer I have truly come to understand a little more what it means to be diligent and humble. As missionaries, we CANNOT do this work without the Lord. And the folly is on us if we think we can do it ourselves. This is the Lord's work, we are merely instruments in his perfect hands.

Not much else to report. We keep on keepin' on!

I will be sending "9 month" pictures after this. It's a Sister Missionary thing. Hehehehehe. 

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Voss

1) My companion is the best. I love her!

2 and 3) NO I haven't gained THAT much weight!

Hump Day!!

MIRACLES FOR DAYS!

SO. Updates and 2 of our miracles this week!

Last Sunday, Betty came to church. We called her on Tuesday only to find out that she had been in the hospital earlier that morning. That night, we went over and had a lesson with her. Small world, our Bishop is really good friends with her husband! We talked about the priesthood and priesthood blessings. She got one from Bishop and it was so filled with the Spirit. We called her yesterday and she is feeling just fine!

Saturday, Hermana Bendorf and I had plans to go up super north to Wheat Ridge/ Arvada area. That morning, my GPS decided to die on me so we had to rely on Hermanas super outdated GPS. What should have been a 15 minute drive ended up being about a 35min drive because of how much the hi-ways have changed. We got to the inactive sisters house that we wanted to try and she wasn't there. So, we drove to our back-up inactive. We didn't get lost this time. We knocked on her door and no one was there. While we were knocking, some guy walked down the stairs and outside, and then a minute or so walked backed in and asked who we were looking for. We told him and then we walked back to his apt. upstairs. Just as we were about to leave, her neighbor up above comes out. He's a BIG guy. His name was Eric and at first he seemed to be really ready to chew us out. But he ended up being a really nice person. We talked for a little bit. Bonded over our love for theatre. Just as we were about to head out, who shows up? The inactive sister we had been looking for. Just 5 minutes prior we had been talking to Eric. The Lord's timing is absolutely perfect. If my GPS hadn't died, we probably wouldn't have had to use Hermana's GPS, which means we wouldn't have gotten lost, which means we would have been to the first house w/out delay, we wouldn't have run in to Eric and talked until Lety showed up! The Lord's timing is so amazing. Both Hermana Bendorf and I were working on humility this week and oh man, the Lord let us have it!

This week we had a church tour with an investigator.  We didn't think he'd show up but were really surprised when our member present picked him up and they were at the church waiting for us. Fun fact, we had gotten lost on the way to dinner AND dinner happened to be 45 mins away from the church. So, we were an HOUR late to this church tour. We told them that they didn't have to stay but they both so patiently waited for us. The church tour was flawless and we put him on date for April 23. He said the closing prayer and asked Heavenly Father to let him know if what he was hearing was true because he was feeling something good. We invited him to come to church, which he agreed to. Sunday rolls around and we thought maybe he just would stand his ride up. Nope, he showed up to church in nice jeans and a button up shirt, and stayed for all three hours. He made some great friends and come to find out he knew a few people in the ward already. Afterwards we had a "debrief" to see if he had any questions. He took EVERYTHING in! He talked about Joseph Smith and how he understood more, how he wanted to read the Book of Mormon. Wow! He is truly prepared! We completely underestimated this man and his true desire to learn about the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Good thing repentance is real. NEVER judge a book by its cover. No matter how plain or wild it may look. ALL are children of our Heavenly Father.

This week (tomorrow) I am half way through my mission. I don't even know how that is possible but it is! Expect "hump day" pics next week! 

I love you all! Things are so great being a missionary!

Love,

Hermana Voss

PS- No pictures this week. We were super boring/ mega busy!

HALFWAY!

So yeah. I'm half way through. I'll be hitting my 9 months in the field next Wednesday. I'm still not quite sure how that is possible but the calendar doesn't lie. There are days when I feel like I have been here for an eternity. Those are the long and hard days. But most of the time, I swear I just got out here and I'm still in my first transfer.

This week Sister Bendorf and I had an amazing week! We had one of our dearest investigators show up to church today. She asked for this day off 3 WEEKS AGO! When she walked in, the ward completely took over and smothered her with love. Which is a good problem to have.

I know that every week my emails are about the same... but hey. I do the same thing. All day. Every day. Except this week. Here is a couple for my future posterity.

Sister Bendorf and I invited the ice cream guy at the little tienda we go to every friday, on a church tour, then taught a lesson to a referral, who is the owner of a taco stand, at 8pm, followed by a lesson taught to a male stripper by the name of "Kandy Man". Best. Night. Ever. All in the same day too!

This is how we do it!

I LOVE THE MISSION!

Pictures are on the way

Love,

Hermana Voss

1) At the temple! It was a glorious day! There is nothing better than being able to receive answers and start off your morning with a session with the Savior.

2) We made Tamales with Betty and Miguel. I'm white, and I couldn't get the flash to turn off.

3) Myself, Betty, and Hna. Bendorf