Sister Kentner

Dear Family and Friends,

Another 6 weeks has come and gone! Transfers this week! I stayed in
Rupert, and I was joined by Sister Kentner! I love her already. She is
another Florida girl, and we have a blast together. I am pretty sure
we haven't stopped laughing since we became companions! haha. Life is
wonderful!

Besides transfers, this week wasn't too exciting! It was kind of a
regroup/reorganize week. We lost 3rd ward, so now we just cover 2nd
and 4th ward. 3rd ward is the ward that had all of our investigators
and a lot of less-active/recent convert work in it. It was sad to lose
it, but it is exciting to be able to refocus and help the other two
wards who are lacking in missionary work. We have been able to contact
a lot of people this week, and get back into contact with people the
missionaries used to teach. it has just been an awesome week of
teaching and organizing! We are also really focusing on helping our
memebrs become missionaries. Missionary work is definitely more
successful with the help and support of the members. I am excited for
this next transfer and all the adventures that will come along with it
:)

My headaches are finally getting better! I am so grateful! Heavenly
Father has really blessed me and been there for me and I have learned
to trust in him and do all I can. Miracles really do happen! This
week, we have been able to help so many people! It seems like all the
people we are currently working with, are having major problems in
their lives right now, and we were able to be there, and turn them to
the gospel, and help them see the hope they can have through the
Savior. Heavenly Father is so aware of his children, and I know he
blessed us to be able to feel good, and to be able to help all of
these people. My testimony and love has grown as I have listened to
people and all they deal with and the fact that I am a 20-year-old
girl and are able to help them is amazing. The spirit is the greatest
tool we have in this work! I couldn't do it without the help of my
loving Heavenly Father. It has been such a blessing to serve others
and to love them and see them the way the Savior does. The people here
in Idaho have made my mission, and I know that is exactly why I was
called here!

I was reading in the Book of Mormon this week in Alma ch.17-18.
Seriously some of my favorite chapters ever! I love the example and
humility of Ammon. It says, "he was a friend to the king."It is
amazing the impact that our friendship and service can have on people.
We can help change peoples hearts and we love, serve, and friendship
them! It is that simple! The Book of Mormon rocks.

Sorry this week wasn't more exciting! Just a normal missionary week!
And I am exhausted, just they way it should be:) I am so thankful for
this wonderful opportunity that I have to serve and be a missionary.
There truly is no greater work! I am just enjoying life and so happy!
Thank you for all your love and support. Y'all are amazing. have a
wonderful week! Don't forget to smile:)
Love, Sister Bigelow
Mosiah 24:14-15

Losing 3rd Ward

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow this week flew by! Like seriously, I think missions are a time warp!

Thank you so much for all your prayers that you have been sending my
way! I am feeling SO much better, and I know that it is all because of
Heavenly Father. He has truly blessed me and been with me. This week
was awesome. I was able to go out, be a missionary, and do what I
love:)

Monday: We played chair soccer again last week and it was pretty fun.
We keep coming up with new ways to play it and change it up a little.
This time we did rotating teams depending on which team won the round.
It was pretty fun! #missionlife. We also made a presidents day card
for our mission president, hopefully he gets a laugh out of it too. So
grateful for him and all he does!

Tuesday: We  had our last district meeting since it is transfer time
again! Always so bittersweet. I love that we get to be in districts,
and work together, and help each other out. You continue to make those
lasting friendships. SO grateful for all the wonderful people in my
life:)
We had a relief society activity in one of our wards tonight. Since it
was Random acts of kindness week, we all wrote down a service that we
would do on an index card, and we gave it to someone, and someone gave
theirs to us. I thought it was an awesome idea! What is better than
helping and serving others? :) It was kind of funny we were talking to
a lady in one of our wards and she was telling us about how about a
month ago we sent her a text message about a lady we have been trying
to work with but she was dying of cancer so we couldn't really teach
much, and well we called one day to set up an appointment and the
family said that she was unresponsive and that she wasn't doing well.
So we texted this lady to update her that we wouldn't be having a
lesson and also about this lady's condition. Well the member told us
that she was driving down the road when she got our text and all she
read was sister..unresponsive.. and she yelled and scared her kids and
swerved (no accident luckily) and freaked out because she thought
Sister James or I was unresponsive and we were being dumb and not
calling 911. Luckily she had one of her kids read the text and
realized all was alright. We were just grateful they were safe! Haha,
good times.


Wednesday: Got to go on exchanges with Sister Hansen! It was a BLAST!
And we were back in Oakley (my favorite place in the world), so
basically it was the dream exchange. I got to see lot's of people I
used to work with, and it was amazing! We also decided that every
animal we saw that day, we would take selfies with it to capture the
true essence of Idaho. It was so much fun. I love that girl so much!
She goes home this week! So crazy! I <3 Oakley.

Thursday: We got a new investigator! Whooo!!! Those part-member
families are a gold mine. So grateful for all the work we have to do
here! We also had our Book of Mormon class which I love. It helps me
probably more than it helps the people who come. It has been amazing
as I have taught from the Book of Mormon how much better I understand
it, and how much more it means to me. Literally it is our instruction
guide for life. Just follow it's teaching and everything will be
okay:)

Friday: We played Bingo with the little old ladies at the nursing home
after we helped the frost sugar cookies- so much fun! The old ladies
were complaining that they have frosted enough sugar cookies in their
lifetime, so we pretty much did all of them:) We also cut out hearts
and wrote scriptures on them so we could heart attack our
investigators, members, bishops and ward mission leaders doors for
Valentine's day! Taught some awesome lessons tonight to some
less-active members! Really felt the spirit, and I felt so much
gratitude for this wonderful opportunity I have been given to teach
people about Christ. Great day!

Saturday: Valentine's day! and I enjoyed all the spoiling I received
from my friends and family, and ward members.  We heart-attacked all
day, and it was a blast! Just wanted to let some people that are
having a hard time that we love and appreciate them. It was awesome,
and we also attended a baptism for a family that lives in one of our
wards but is being brought in to the Spanish branch. We then went over
to the Days and watched "The Testaments" with them and made smoothies!
I love them so much! So glad we were able to hang out with them, and
that they let us in their house on Valentine's day;)

Sunday:Transfers calls! I will be staying here in Rupert, and will be
joined by Sister Kentner as Sister Training Leaders, and Sister James
is headed off to Twin! I will definitely miss her TONS! I am so
grateful for her and the wonderful 2 transfers we have had. We also
are losing 3rd ward!!!! That is bittersweet too. I will miss that
ward, but it is a wonderful opportunity to focus on our other 2 wards
more. I will definitely miss the Day's and a lot of other people. But
I will do whatever the Lord asks me to do:) We spent the day visiting
people in 3rd ward and say our see ya laters:)

I hope all of you had a wonderful Valentine's day! I know I did!
#whoneedsboys? #preachinggod'slove. It was the best. Thanks again for
all your love, prayers, and support! Don't forget to smile and pay
attention to the little things in life. Y'all are the best! I love
you! Have a great week!
Love, Sister Bigelow

Because of Him

Dear Family and Friends,
This week was definitely a faith-building week, lots of ups and downs
and everything in between! I just have to say one thing.....so
grateful for the gospel, and for the peace and comfort it gives to me
in my life!

So, it was kind of a rough week! I have been on this new medicine that
really helps with headaches, but it makes me so dang drowsy. It has
been SO hard to focus on anything;studies, lessons, meetings. I have
been really trying to stay positive, and have a good attitude about
everything. I reached a breaking point, and just felt like giving up.
I felt like there was no solution to my problem, and that I was
useless as a missionary. I just felt so hopeless and like I couldn't
even take one more step. Sister James was just amazing, and helped me
so much. I decided to get a blessing from one of our ward mission
leaders. It was super helpful! His wife struggles with bad headaches,
so it was nice to have her as a temporary mama:) In the blessing he
said, "Heavenly Father knows you, and knows the things you are
struggling with, but he desires that you have faith in him, and his
power to heal you." I was lacking so much faith! And that is the
answer I kept getting.

In ALL the lessons we taught this week, everything came back to faith
in Jesus Christ, and in a moment of weakness, I turned away from him
and didn't allow him or trust him to help me. All the scriptures I
read were about faith, and all our meetings were centered on the
principle of faith. Throughout this whole thing, I have had a lot of
faith. In my moment of weakness and pain, Satan decided to step in and
he really got to me. He worked SO hard on me this week. I can't even
describe to you how incredibly hard and lonely it was. But I know that
he doesn't even stand a chance with Heavenly Father on my side. I
really learned how to rely on Him and allow him to heal me and enable
me to do more that I could. I prayed one night, and I was just crying
to him, and I literally felt his arms wrap around me, and he said, "I
love you, I have got you. I am not going to let anything bad happen,
now just relax, and trust me." It was such an incredible experience! I
am so grateful for the Atonement. Because of him, I have a renewed
hope and I am able to be happy no matter what the circumstances.
Another thing that was said to me in a blessing, was that I needed to
experience this so I could learn how to reach out, serve, and turn
outward, even when I felt like turning inward and being selfish. I
couldn't get through this without him, and that required faith on my
part. I feel so much better, and I am so thankful to my Heavenly
Father. Things are good again, and I can't even express my gratitude.
Miracles truly happen when you trust in the Savior:) #heisthegift

Other than that, things are good! There is a lot of great work
happening here! It has been SO good!

We had a lesson with a bunch of girls on dress and appearance ( We
have been going through the Strength of Youth pamphlet with them) and
it was the funniest thing ever to have these young women go off about
all the boys and their 'saggity' pants and how unattractive it is, and
how when they are out in public with their grandma she embarrassed
them by leaning over and saying, "wow he's got a load in there and
needs to change it!" Seriously I'm pretty sure we  were going to die
we were laughing so hard. then they moved on to how guys don't need
piercings and how some piercings are just really dumb. And we were
just laughing even harder. Needless to say I think we got the point
across by the end. :)

We also this week, while in the Stake center, walked past the young
men having a mutual activity of talking to a guy who just got home 5
weeks ago about his mission and as we passed the door he called out to
us and asked us to share our testimonies about missions, and why we
came on a mission. I always love the unplanned opportunities I have to
share my testimony, it strengthens it everytime

We also had an awesome lesson with Joey this week and taught the plan
of salvation which helped answer those questions, "Why am I here?
Where did I come from? Where am i going?" and he told us of how he had
spent some time once looking at it laid out in a seminary building
while cleaning there and it didn't all make sense so He was grateful
that we were able to help him understand and really apply it to his
life. I love teaching the Gospel!

Book of Mormon class was on Thursday this week and we had a bunch of
people come. We were most excited that one lady came. We have been
trying to get in contact with her for months and we finally were able
to because she just showed up! It ends up she was in jail for a while
and it was a miracle she got out and it has made a huge difference in
her life because she knows she should have gone to prison. So now she
is really ready to make some major changes, and that makes me happy!

After a lesson with the Days we were talking about what we do if there
was a person who came up and was threatening us and how we aren't
supposed to put up a fight and all that and Sister Day just looks at
us and says, "well I can carry so you just call me and I'll come with
my hat backwards and everything and fix who ever is messing with you!"
So funny! Then Brother Day chimes in and says he is going to buy her
one of those Military Police Badges and instead change it to
"Missionary Protector" Love them. Also just yesterday they were able
to receive their Patriarchal Blessings 
https://www.lds.org/topics/patriarchal-blessings?lang=eng&query=Patriarchal+Blessings
And they said it was the most amazing thing ever and they know they
are on the right path.I really am so thankful to be here and to help
people gain their own testimonies!

I hope that my experiences can help all of you strengthen your
testimonies! I am so grateful for all your love and support. I love
everyday, and I am so happy to be here. "More happiness awaits you
than you have ever experienced before as you labor among God's
children. Have an amazing week! Happy Valentine's day!
#singleawareness #missionlife #nobodywantsusaround #thestruggleisreal
#sharingGod'slove. :)
Love, Sister Bigelow (soccer mom)

Shaman Soccer Mom

Dear Family and Friends,

This week has been a good one. Patriots won.... Shout out to all those
New England Missionaries.

Mon- Had a lesson with the Day's and we talked about listening to and
following the Holy Ghost. We blindfolded the little kids and had Bro &
Sis. Day help them navigate their way from the living room, around the
table, and back. The younger kids did really well. Then we had
Isabelle do it,but before she did we moved the table and the chairs so
she couldn't fake it. We also had more realistic distractions other
than a bunch of yelling people- knocking on the door, telling her that
her phone went off, saying the cup she knocked over was full of milk
and that she was going to step on the dog. Over and over Isabelle kept
pulling up the blindfold to check. All of the distractions made it
hard for her to hear and follow what I was whispering into her ear.
She also proceeded to slam her head into mine haha. It took on a whole
different meaning to realize that they distractions we have in life
that pull us away from Christ aren't just the loud obnoxious things
but sometimes they are the simplest things that cause us to falter
from the course.

Tues- We had MLC (Mission Leadership Counsel) in Twin. During the
break Sister James had me french braid her hair, and about that time
President Curtis walked by and said, "Braiding hair? Can I be next?!"
LOL. He is hilarious. Then we learned about "Helping our investigators
harness the Power of God." It was an awesome training! We talked about
using all the different tools that we have been given to help us come
closer to Jesus Christ. I needed that training probably just as much
as my investigators! It just reminded me of what Elder Ballard said,
"The only tool we can't be given is our personal faith in Jesus
Christ." It is so important to use those things he has given us to
help ourselves and help others. So cool!  That night we went over to
the Days again and just helped out around the house. Then, we had to
go to the family history center, so I could sign a contract for
housing in Rexburg. Weirdest thing ever! But really exciting:)

Wed- Exchanges with my favorite Poly, Sister Pohahau. Seriously, she
is the best! I think I got lucky and had the best trainee ever!!!! We
had a blast! We reminisced about the good ol' days in Twin, and we got
to teach lots of her investigators in Burley. I think we spent most of
the day laughing. We had a lot of awkward experiences.....One lady
came up to us and yelled at us, told us we were gay, and how horrible
we were. I really wanted to say some not so Christ-like things, but I
just smiled and asked her if she wanted to learn more! #success haha.
Then we went to go teach this lesson and the guy was introducing
everyone, and he goes, "This is my fiance" and she goes, "That's
debatable."  Then they proceeded to fight for 5 minutes, and then
decided to make up, and make-out right in the middle of our lesson.
#awkwardmoments

Thurs-  I had a Doctors appointment today that we thought was in
Burley... come to find out after 20 min of trying to find it and call
and get directions that it was actually in Rupert so we drove to
Rupert. Then we had to wait for another hour. The best part is that
they gave me shots for pain in my backside haha.
#anotherawkwardmoment. But it seems to be helping my headaches!
Grateful for that. We also went to Bishop of 3rd ward and taught he
and his wife the first lesson. It was awesome! We have been trying to
get into members homes and teach them the message of the Restoration
to help remind them of the blessings they have and so that they will
want to share it. It has been a really awesome experience and it
strengthens my testimony over and over again. Elder Ballard challenged
us to challenge the members to get on their knees and ask for the
heavens to open and to open their mouths, and he promised that we
would have success if we have faith! Pretty awesome promise!

Fri- We had zone meeting and Sister James and I did the first part of
the training and I got to explain to everyone how a harness on a horse
helps get full us of the power of a horse since none of these inner
city kids understood the metaphor. ;)
We also went and did Bingo and seriously I love those little old ladies.
We got a new investigator this week and he is GOLDEN . We had a first
lesson with him(Joey) who just showed up at church because he likes
the feeling he has in our church buildings.  It was an awesome lesson,
and he committed to baptism! He is amazing, and I am grateful that
Heavenly Father is preparing his children in this area.  Then we went
to Lori and Wayne's (Recent converts), and were able to start reading
the Book of Mormon with them. So powerful!

Sat- We did the norm- progress records and area book and correlating.
Had dinner at Pizza Hut. Went to the Days and then to Crystals
(another New investigator), who is awesome!  And then best of all went
to the Howard's (4 girls- 17, 16, 12, 10) and their friends\Guy they
like were over.  We have been going through the "For The Strength of
Youth" pamphlet and we were on the section "Dating".. seriously it was
awkward for those kids for the first half of the lesson until they
realized we weren't going to embarrass them.haha. I felt like their
older Sister:) It is awesome to be able to share my own experiences
and how I have learned from them, and how I can sincerely testify that
the gospel standards are there to help us! I am so grateful for my
testimony.

Sun- Went to church, lots of baby blessings, and one little girl who
was baptized over the week end who got up and bore her testimony and
said, "Baptism feels like there is magic in the air." haha. Yes. Yes
it does. Went to the Howard's for dinner, love all those girls It was
the Superbowl, and so NOBODY wanted us over at their house because
they would have to turn off the TV #missionlife. So we went around
visiting members, and had a lot of good laughs:)

So yeah, life is pretty wonderful, and I feel very blessed. I am
thankful for all the miracles that have happened this week! Sister
James is still awesome, and God is good. My District gave me the title
of "Shaman Soccer Mom," since I drive the mini-van haha. I hope you
all have a wonderful week! Sending lots of love and prayers your way.
Don't forget to smile:)

Love, Sister Bigelow