6 Months

Okay I am sorry to anyone who I was talking to 3 months ago saying how my mission felt like forever long. Because wow was I wrong! It is so crazy to think that it was already been 6 months! But what an amazing 6 months it has been!!!

Saturday the 15th I got to up to Camp Wildwood with one of my companions Sister Vargas! That day there were no campers there so we got to start working on a project of building shade awnings! One by the rock climbing wall and one on a tent camping site. We were joined up at the Camp by some new service missionaries, and we all got to pitch in from deciding where to position them to drilling holes and mixing cement. By the end of the day we got all the posts put up and in the ground held up by cement!

Monday the 17th at Interfaith I was in charge of the toy room, and I was pretty excited about that. The whole day I was organizing and receiving donations! But towards the end of the day while taking a short break in my supervisor’s office a case manager walked in and told us a short story of this woman she was talking with right then. She had just had her 2^ndchild a few days prior and was looking to get into a program that helps to provide dippers and baby necessities, but her wallet had just gotten stolen. After hearing that, my supervisor (who is awesome BTW) says I don’t care that she has no form of ID, get that women what she needs and…. We are also going to give her a Christmas. The Case managers eyes lit up and told us that we had to meet this woman so we did and got some information on her 2 kids. She said that her oldest girl loves My Little Pony stuff and then my eyes were the ones that lit up! Earlier that day we had received a donation and one of the toys was a large pack of my little ponies. When we showed it to the mother her eyes were tearing up. I am sure the person who donated that was inspired to get that gift so that this woman’s little girl could get what she wanted for Christmas!

Tuesday at Habitat for Humanity I did a lot of cleaning and organizing (HA I guess it was the theme for the week) around the job site. And more exciting news 3 families were all moved in, and the 4^thfamily was planning on moving in the next day… all before Christmas!!!

Wednesday was a great day at the Family History center! We had a little Christmas party, but we were also working and as I was trying to find some names to take to the temple I came across my Great Grandpas Sister and was researching her and their family. And I just felt so much joy as I was looking through records finding stuff out about her. It was truly a great experience and I cannot wait to get some time and keep searching for information!

Thursday the 20th was a great day at the temple and … was the day I hit my 6-month mark, YAY!

A few weeks ago I got called to be a Sister Training leader. With this assignment I get to go to new missionaries setting aparts. The mission is growing and I have been to a handful already, each one has been so amazing. Just by meeting these new missionaries for the first time I am amazed by there enthusiasm and excitement to serve in this mission and the light of Christ that shines through through them!

These past few weeks have been filled with so many miracles and tender mercies. I am so grateful for all the things I am learning through others on this mission, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and has a Happy New year full of, goal setting and service!

<3

Sister Owsley

PICTURES:

1-2 Camp Wildwood 

3 Temple Lights

4 These are all paintings that the amazing Sister Lee made us at FHC of us with our name tags (and look at the larger picture of all of us that is the Anderson's) SO CUTE

Wonderful

These past 2 weeks have been Wonderful!

Interfaith - Last week I got to help decorate the Nutrition Center for Christmas! It was a blast putting up the tree and hanging ornaments from the ceiling. I also went and served there on Friday. Friday was one of the 3 days that donors that Adopted a Family got to come and drop off the presents. I helped out in the process by helping unload stuff, then marking and packing the gifts in red and green bags, It was so awesome to see the generosity of so many people and organizations. This past Monday I got to organize all the gift/donations that came in that were not for a specific family, just for whoever needs them. I spent the whole day organizing, but being the crazy OCD kinda person that I am came in real handy ;)

Habitat for Humanity - Last week I helped put in headers (for framing). And this week I got to do touch up work because... 3/4 Homeowners hopefully are moving in as I speak!!! The final walk through was Wednesday so I've been crossing my fingers and praying that all went well and they get to move in (especially before the holidays)

Temple - Has been so amazing and busy! Since it is getting closer to Christmas I can definitely tell that there have been more visitors. But also the Christmas lights are beautiful and so fun to go and see at night. It is a great way to go and feel close to the Savior as we celebrate his birth this holiday season.

Family History  - I have loved working on the new project Salt Lake gave us to work on. The "Yes or No" project that helps them put more records into their system. And this week we did something a little different, we went and served! We went and visited 2 people and caroled to them!

Institute - We had an amazing class this week on the Plan of Salvation and D&C 76 I learn something new everyday in that class and am grateful for Brother Peterson and the awesome teacher he is as well as all the preparation!

Mission Conference - Camp Wildwood was on a little bit of a hold this week as we had Mission Conference! This conference was a Temple mission conference. So we met at a nearby Stake center and were taught by some of our mission leaders, we then all got assignments as to what part of the temple we would be in. I absolutely LOVED it. Being in the temple with the missionaries and feeling their love was empowering and I loved being able to worship inside the temple with them!

Setting Apart - I got to attend a new sisters setting apart, Sister Branson's. I am so excited to have her in the mission. She is such a ray of sunshine and is so fun to talk to! She loves the gospel and you can tell by her smile that she is SO excited to serve in this mission.

I am so grateful to be able to serve in this mission. I have seen so much these past 2 week how aware our Heavenly Father is of everyone of His Children. And how serving blesses so many lives!

<3

Sister Owsley

1. Hot chocolate on a rainy day before our temple shift!

2. Adopt a Family donations

3. Mission conference

4. Post mission conference gingerbread house competition 5. Welcoming Sister Barnson to the mission 6. Interfaith- organizing gifts 7. Whole mission a our mission conference last Saturday!

That is really confusing

Hello wonderful family and friends! I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with love of family/ friends and food... lots of food

Sorry it has been so long since an email has gone out... the holiday just messed up my whole schedule!

The week of thanksgiving was such a fun week. The spirit of giving and service was in the air and it has not stopped since! 

At interfaith these past couple of weeks I have gotten to work on the Adopt a Family program that they have. It has been such a blast helping match families with donors as well as see so many people come and donate toys, clothes and blankets to give to those who need them. 

Habitat for Humanity has been fun as well! One week I painted shade awnings that are over the front doors, and this past week I got to help do some more framing as well as move sandbags (I have a new appreciation for all the people who put the bags on the side of the freeway while they are doing construction... man was I sore the next day).

The temple has been such a treat to be in, and serve in. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving all my cousins were here and they all got to come and do baptisms for the dead while I was serving and it was do cool to be there with my extended Family as well and be there when my dad, brother and cousin did the work for my Great Grandpa.

Serving at the Zip Line in Camp Wildwood has been amazing and yesterday being up in the Birds Nest as we call it, in the crisp morning air with a little sprinkle was so cool (and cold).

I got to have one special assignment this past Thursday where some other missionaries and I got to go to the Habitat office and decorate for Christmas! It was tons of fun and such a great experience. The only people that volunteered to help was us missionaries and one other lady. She was putting in her hours because she is a Habitat Home owner (each adult homeowner has to put in so many hours as a down payment on there homes). She told us her story of how she was born in Iraq and the many different countries she has lived in, and trials she has faced, like losing both of her twins after they were born. It was so cool to be able to see her strength of how far she has come from listening to her story.

Lastly I just wanted to say HAPPY DECEMBER I have always loved Christmas time, but there is something about this year and truly feeling the spirit of giving that has already made this holiday season so much better. I invite all of you to participate in the spirit of giving by serving! Whether it is by following the Light the World Calendar or serving in your own way, I know and testify that you will be able to feel the Saviors love for you in a new way, and you will feel peace and joy this Christmas season!

<3

Sister Owsley

p.s. Totally forgot to explain the subject. Before our Thanksgiving Family Reunion I was riding in the Car with my little cousin Hattie who is 6 years old. I had just gotten home from an assignment and had my badge on. She was asking me how I was a missionary and was still at home. After 3-4 minutes of me expelling it to her in the easiest way I could she looks at me and says "That is really confusing" haha I just started dying, but agreed lol

PICTURES :)

1. Painting at Habitat

2-3. Decorating at Habitat

4.Temple with Cousins