Leaves are Falling All Around

Hello Hello!

 

How's it going family!?   I loved the pictures of everyone's halloween costumes!  Such fantastic creativity!  I've very impressed, this year for Halloween I'm going to be a sister missionary.... lame right?  Actually Sister Call and I had pioneer costumes at our ward trunk or treat, so we were little pioneer children missionaries.   Be jealous, it was a good costume.  

 

how sister missionaries carve pumpkins :)

So this area is quite interesting, different than my last, but I like it!  Already we've seen a whole bunch of miracles!  It started off a little rough however with an evil cold that tried to get me, not to worry I'm fighting it off.. 

 

We have a new investigator!  And she's amazing!  Her name is Brooke and she is very sweet and very excited about learning the gospel.  We had a powerful lesson with her and her best friend that's in the ward, it was so cool to see how much she trusts her friend.  That's how missionary needs to be, we need to share it with our friends.  It was so awesome she texted us after our lesson and told us about how she was starting to read to book of mormon.   I just love her.    So that's exciting.   

 

My favorite miracle moment of the week however was just classic:  We were walking to our car after an appointment (our ride abandoned us kinda so we had like a long way to walk to our car)  And a man was sitting outside fixing the breaks on his car, he actually is a member of the ward but he hasn't been to church in a while.  Anyway we started talking to him and inviting him the trunk or treat and he just said he had a lot he needed to do, like rake the leaves and stuff.  And we nearly died because we have wanted so badly to rake someone's leaves!  (Well I really wanted to... haha)   And he was like sure, go for it!   I'm not kidding you there was like leaves 3 or 4 inches deep on his lawn, so we made like the biggest pile ever.  Then it got exciting because the neighborhood children wanted to come jump in our leaves with us, haha so we of course invited them to join and we met all kinds of people just because we wanted to jump in the leaves.   So moral of the miracle, don't underestimate the little things in life, stop to rake someone's leaves, or whatever it is you might not normally do.  Just stop and meet someone!  That's what being a missionary is, loving the people that are around you.  And when you do this heavenly father blesses you with what ever simple pleasures you need.  He is so good to his children. 

Leaves!

 

I'm grateful to be a missionary in Bellvue at this time!  heavenly father puts us in places for a reason, we are all called to be on this earth right now in this day and age, so ask youself, are you fulfilling your purpose on the earth? Do you know why you're here?  Do you remember how much heavenly father trusted you when he sent you to this earth?  Do you remember who you are!?  That's something I'm learning and I'd encourage you all to ask yourself that and see if you feel how empowering it is to know without a doubt who you are.  I know that I love you all very much and am so grateful for you!  You are amazing.   I'm so gratful that I was blessed to come into this world with such cool people.   Have an amazing week okay??

 

To answer some of your questions:  Dad I haven't gotten your letter if you sent it to Lincoln I  don't know how long it will be before it gets forwarded to where I am now because they have to send it to the mission home and then to Bellvue... complicated I know.... Thanks for writing me though!  I appreciate letters and I'm doing my best to reply... I'm sending out postcards today... maybe hoping I get around to it :)

 

Thomas:  I love you so much... your letters are winning the award for coolest letters so far...  you're right loving you to the moon and space makes absolutely no sense.  Sometimes my brain doesn't work.  Oh and my car accident was super pathetic, didn't I tell you that?   the only damage was that the other car's license plate was like indented into the bumper of our car... cool right! 

 

So family I love you from this earth to the moon and across the galaxy to pluto the subplanet whatever, and back! 

 

Love always,

 

Sister McMaster

Good Morning from Omaha!

Hello there!  Guess what transfers happened and my whole world flipped upside down.  As expected from being a missionary.  It is fantastic.  I fasted for peace with this next transfer because I had a difficult time last transfer, you'll never believe what has happened.  It's just so unheard of!   Haha ready for it??   So president called last monday night and was talking to sister schrader, he told her she was going to train, and stay in pioneer, my heart thumped... because I knew I would be leaving the Katz, and Sister Schrader and the Pioneer ward and everything... I was shaking a little bit when she handed me the phone.   Then president asked me if I would be willing to serve as a Sister Trainer Leader... Yikes! I accepted, then he told me who my companion is.... you will never believe it family.   Sister Call!  I freaked out!    I never thought we'd possibly be companions again, let alone so soon.   I kinda feel like heavenly father just gave me a big huge glazed donut or something.  Just like a special feeling.  He knows how much I love her and I'm thrilled to work with her again.  

 

It was more exciting though,  we were put in a Trio or as we called it a tripanionship of power.  Because Sister Call's companion Sister Moore was a visa waiter, and her visa came!   She's leaving for Brazil as we speak! (Recife mission for those of you who know brazil...) This last week we got to run around the ward meeting people for me and saying good bye for her and learning portuguese in our spare time.( I can say that I'm a missionary... and I know the book of mormon is true... that's all!)   haha  I will miss teaching the deaf in pioneer, but I know that the Lord needs me here. 

 

So now I live with a new family, The Zachary's.  So far I like them and I like the Fairview ward.  (Oh I now live in Bellevue Nebraska)   Today I will finally get to settle all my stuff in and maybe it will seem like I live there.   Something that is cool about being a sister leader is we will get to go on exchanges every week.  I'm a little nervous but I trust that heavenly father knows what he is doing!  

 

This area is so much smaller than Pioneer, it is crazy!  It won't take nearly as long to learn how to navigate.  It's weird for a ward to have such small boundaries out here but it is cool!  We have a lot of work.  A girl at church yesterday introduced us to her friend that wants to learn about the church. We were so excited!  (can you imagine teaching a person that has so much support and desire?!)  I think that will be incredible. 

 

Well family, I hope you know  that the work is incredible out here.  Mom talked about some of the things she learned in the Jensen's ward about being a missionary.  It is so true!  Being a missionary isn't that hard,  you just share who you are by being a good friend.  That's all!   The lord knows what he is doing,  I hope all of you are happy and healthy!  Jordan said the bobbing for donuts at grandma's went well, said he learned a new tactic.   I hope you guys can send me some pictures!     Love you to the Moon and Space!  Keep Choosing the right and keep being incredible! 

 

Love,

Sister McMaster

Saying good bye to my Sister Schrader!

Sister Moore!  Off to Brazil!

Awkward picture of us hugging our "mom"  Yay for having a sister in the mission!  Off to RECIFE!

Autumn Time!

Hello family! 

 

How are all of you feeling this week??  Are you loving the changing leaves and the fall temperatures?? I sure am!  Yesterday we took an investigator to the Trail Center in Omaha, and the drive there was incredible!  I love it when the leaves are yellow and red, I finally figured out how to print pictures so I'll be sending home postcardish things (to any of you people in the world that haven't written me you won't get one because I won't have your address... so write me a letter :))    So change is just the greatest right??  Transfers happen tomorrow!  Can you believe it?  I've made it through another transfer... so weird!  I'm really  not sure if I'll stay here or go but I'm praying that I will have peace with the changes that may come.

 

So this week was a good one! We taught the lesson in sign language, and fortunately had an interpreter come help us.  It was quite a blessing.  The man's name is Shane, and he's a tease! He's like 6'5"  and huge...  and he tells me that I'm bad at signing and need to buy an ASL book.  What a punk!  You try to learn to pray in sign language in 8 weeks...  Just kidding.  It's actually just funny because Deaf people are ridiculously blunt, they are also ridiculously patient and they love to tease, I love working with these people.    And guess what miracle happened??  Shane came to church!  That was the first investigator I've ever had come to church.  I was shocked!! Then another miracle, the interpreter was a brother, which is rare, but he was able to go to priesthood with  him.   Yup it was a really good Sunday!  I played the Organ again which is always just a party... Don't tell but I just stopped playing the pedals... It's very hard to sight read pedals my brain just couldn't do it yesterday.  

 

 

Hmm other things that happened..  I got in a car accident sort of... that was dumb.  I got rear ended while on an exchange so I was driving. Hopefully that doesn't mean that I can't drive anymore... I don't think it will.  It was super minor and the other car just barely scratched the bumper.   But I had to follow procedure and call the police.  And then I had to like tell people my first name... it was weird to be called Catherine, I wanted to tell the lady my name is Sister.   Anyway everything was okay and it was kind of a weird flash back to the night that the Christmas car became christmasy.  Did that car live?  I never heard the story of it's life.

 

 

So I wanted to leave you with a happy thought but the timer is running out and freaking out at me, it's somewhat stressful.     I just glanced through my notes to find a conference quote:  Remember this week to not loos your way or become lost, do not be unwilling to endure to the end. Press forward and continue to hold fast! (Kevin S Hamilton)  I love you family!  I  hope you all have an awesome week!  Keep smileing and enduring to the end!  Love you!

 

Love always,

 

Sister McMaster

 

 

Sorry I don't have time for pictures :( I'll send lots next week :)!

General Conference!

Good Morning Family!

How are you all doing??  Did you love conference!  Mom sent me some pictures and it looks like the St. George Marathon tradition is holding strong!  Good to hear you made it to the finish again dad!  Congratulations! How many times is that now?? Maybe we should make a family goal of all running it some day.  That'd be awesome right?? (Tanner don't you shake your head... you know you'd love it :))  Cool stuff!  Isn't conference just the best?  It went by way too fast... I was just soaking it up like a sponge.  All of the talks were very powerful didn't you think?    You should tell me which ones were your favorites!   I don't know how to pick favorites but I especially loved President Monson's talk from Sunday Morning.  He's so awesome.  I loved the story that he told about the man that knew he needed Tommy Monson to help him and he knew that he would know exactly what he needed.  I couldn't help but think about our Tommy McMaster... I hope you're being in tune with the spirit always Thomas!  But it was really just what I needed to hear about being patient and enduring to the end.   I loved the poem and I wish I could quote it perfectly but this is what I wrote in my notes "Good timber does not grow with ease, the more the storm the more the strength"   We can have eternal peace but we must be patient, we must recognize that not matter where we are in the storm we can turn to our savior.  I'm so grateful for that!

The work here in Pioneer is interesting!  We are praying to find more prepared people.  A lot of the people we are teaching are not having a lot of progress but we keep praying for them and hoping that they will feel how important the Gospel of Jesus Christ really is.  It is such an important thing to come closer to Christ.  I pray all of you recognize the importance in each of your lives.   Ha ha wow family just had a miracle happen while sitting at the computer... remember how one second ago I was talking about how I need to be patient to find prepared people?  Don't even worry about it a lady  just walked up to us and told us she wants us to come to her house and talk with her and her boyfriend.  To make it more exciting she is deaf so we were communicating entirely in sign language.  Why didn't I ever take ASL?  Ah well it was a sweet experience and the prepared people come to us when we are prepared.  We are getting a lot better at signing but we have a long way to go!   Yay I'm so bubbly now, she understood what I was talking about!  So Pray for Marie, the women I met 5 seconds ago, maybe we will see miracles happen with her! 

I love this gospel so much.  I am so excited to see more miracles happen this week!  We will be teaching Gum this week, he is so funny he tells us that the gospel is too good to be true... but we will help him see that it isn't too good to be true... it just is true!  We are transitioning him over to the University elders so he can go to the single's ward.  It's kind of sad, but we have to do what's best for each investigator.   The Pioneer Elders are like on fire.. they had a baptism on Saturday and they have one next week too!  Funny how the people we share an area with are just raking in prepared people.  We're praying that we can have similar success as we continue to be prayerful and faithful and obedient.   I love being a missionary.  I love being in Nebraska, and I love all of you!  Sorry this e-mail is short ish but that lesson with the lady in sign language just took up some time.  Tender Mercies of our heavenly father are so beautiful.   Stay strong!  Choose the Right and study conference!  I expect lots of messages about your favorites :)

Love you Lots!

Love Always,

Sister McMaster

NBD fam... I still do ballet when I can :)

new gloves from Mom! yay!

Celebrating Sister Schrader's birthday with the Katz, such a good day!!

Mustaches and Tractors= best birthday celebrations ever! :)

Fall in Lincoln!

Good Morning Sweet Family!

How are you all doing this fine day??  Are you loving the sunshine as much as I am??  I hope so!  Fall in Nebraska is incredible, the corn is all yellow now and being harvested, the days are fantastically cool and sunshiney and it is amazing.  I am falling in love with this place, someday you all need to come here because It is awesome! 

So this week was a good one, and then we had the Relief Society broadcast and it was like a cherry on top!   Sister Schrader and I are working with so many Less Actives, that is our goal to find all of these lost sheep.  We see miracles happen as people's lives begin to change!  Have I told you about the sweet lady we're working with named Deanna?  She has made so much progress in coming back to church!  She is the best, she has a huge dog named Tonka.  I met her when I was Sister Call, so it's been a few months of seeing her each week, but  I know she is making more efforts to read the Book of Mormon, and she has been coming to church again and it is like the change of the seasons, she is changing colors like the leaves on the trees, she is becoming warm and sunshiney.  I love her so much.  I love all the people here actually.  It was cool to be at the Broadcast on Saturday night and to feel so much love for the people of this ward.  I didn't know that you could love people so much!  Only a few months ago they were like complete strangers and here I am loving them so much and praying for them and hoping that they will  continue to seek happiness. 

This morning in my studying I read a talk by President Monson about having Joy in the Journey.  It was so inspiring. I think that is why I'm so happy right now!  I was reminded of something I learned in the MTC, that you have to have favorite things to remind you to be grateful everyday!   Did I ever tell you I have a favorite light switch?  At the Katz house there is a switch at the top of the stars that has a painted cat thing... I'll send a picture... haha And it is my favorite light switch.  Every time I see it I am reminded to be grateful for such a wonderful home to live in with sweet members that take such good care of me.  Brother Katz bought a keyboard from good will a few weeks ago because he knows how much I love the piano, it was the sweetest thing ever.   He is so sweet to us.  And Sister Katz has been coming with us to find people!  It's been awesome, she speaks Spanish so she helps us when we run into people that don't speak English. (did I tell you I tried to speak Spanish to someone? haha I told them who I was in Spanish (I forgot to say "Saint" so I was just a missionary from the church of Jesus Christ of Later Day...)  Then I tried to tell her about the book of Mormon... wow I know zero Spanish...  I tried to say well here take this book... and then I realized it was in English anyway so it was not even of any value to her... yup it was a complete fail.   Sister Schrader and I like died of laughter after that... haha the lord recognizes our efforts I hope no matter how pathetic they may be :))

I wish I had more time to write but it runs out fast here at the Lincoln library (I got a new library card today! yay)  But remember to have joy in the journey.  Remember that everyday is a good day if you let it be, remember that everyday is a gift, it is an opportunity to smile and share your happiness with the world.  I hope you know family that I am savoring my time as a missionary, so savor your time doing whatever you are doing.  Don't ever endure life... we must enjoy it :)  ENJOY TO THE END!   

I love you all so very much!  Keep Choosing the right!!

Love Always,

Sister McMaster

Do Your Ears Hang Low?

Hello family! 

haha.  That song is stuck in my  head this morning as I stare at the keyboard thinking of some inspiring thing to write... Hahaha Natalie keeps telling me I'm changing peoples lives or something via a blog that I have never seen.. so now I am getting like stage fright... ... Do you tie 'em in a knot? do you tie 'em in a bow?  What does that song even mean. Does anyone even know?? 

So anyway.  I have had quite a week.  I love being a missionary.  I am catching the vision of what it means to put your whole heart into the work and I am loving it.   Sister Schrader and I have a different relationship than Sister Call and I had, but who ever said different was a bad thing?   I love that God knows each of his children and he knows exactly what they need at exactly the right moments in their lives. 

I love Sister Schrader!

                  

Doing our nails with awesome members in Pioneer ward! (my companion is obsessed with mustaches..)

I was thinking last night about how I have been prepared to be a missionary.  I remembered a moment way back years ago when I was a wee 15 year old going to an apartment complex with my lovely friend Claiborne (who should write me a letter about her child that she now has even though she's busy...)  and going to the members that lived there and asking them to help  with the YW fundraiser.  I remember feeling scared out of my mind to knock on people's doors, yet we did it because we were asked to.  And people ended up being reasonably nice and what not, actually I maybe don't even remember how they reacted.   But then again years later I got to go on visits to people in the ward with the Relief Society president and how that wasn't as scary, but it was a growing experience.  I remember being with the lovely Jessica Page, to one of the first doors we went to after having prayed, and no one answered.  Yet standing their on the porch I felt so powerfully that Heavenly Father was grateful for my efforts.  He knew that I was doing my best to do his work and he was grateful for my efforts.  Now as a missionary I am doing the same thing that I did when I was 15, yet now I have learned to rely on the lord.  I have learned that when you have faith that a door will open, it often times does.  Haha reminds me of when we say family prayer and I always think really hard(exercising my faith) that Dad will call on Sarah... and he does.  haha Sorry Soap.   

So sorry for that random tangent.  Basically It is amazing to me how divinely laid out the plan of our father in heaven is.  I was reading in 1 Nephi 14 this morning and it prophecies about the world and how it is being constantly prepared for the coming of the lord.  In the same way the lord is constantly preparing us.  We are being prepared for something beyond what we can imagine.  As I realize that little moments in my life were preparing me for a mission I can only imagine what things in life a mission is preparing me for in the future. 

So just as heavenly father has prepared me to be here, he has also prepared people here to meet me, or any missionary really.  Yesterday we met a woman who is on the rolls but no one seems to know anything about her.  We found her humble home using sister Schrader's GPS (she has one!?!)  I was so tired and didn't want to think so we GPSed it.   But we met her and she looked so sad and lonely.  She needs to be reminded of the happiness she once had in life.  She is a lost sheep. We shared some scriptures with her and prayed with her (It is amazing how the spirit guides your words when you pray for people, so powerful)   I know that we didn't necessarily change her life yesterday, but I know heavenly father wanted us to find her.  He wanted her to know that she was remembered.  I pray that we will be able to work with her (Susan)  and help her come back to the fold. 

Missionary work is the best.  Keep being examples and loving those around you.  I love you family, I love all that you each have taught me just from being you.   I know you have each influenced me and helped me to be prepared to be where I am today.  I hope that as you go about your days that you walk with faith!  Don't let you ears hang low, walk tall and be believing.  (we could probably count that as today's miracle that I found some way to tie that into the gospel)    Love you all so much! Keep sending letters because I love getting them! Be patient with me though I hope to write back to all of you and it could take time because I seem to be long winded when I write... Sorry bout that!

Oh request!  Sister Schrader's birthday is on October 3, so really soon!  It would be really cool if you wanted to send her things like Balloons... or CD's... I have all those awesome CD's from Nat and Tan and would love to give some to her.  Or if you want to send random things like a Boa... actually I don't know you don't have to I will probably just make her a card... I've always been kind of a freak about birthdays.  Haha The Katz want to take her to a crazy Sushi restaurant so hopefully we don't die from eating sushi.   Are you all going to St. George for conference? I was remembering that that's what we do... haha I am so beyond excited for Conference and for  the RS Broadcast.  I hope you all take advantage of hearing that! 

Well again I love you all dearly!  Be safe and keep choosing the right! 

Love always,

Sister McMaster

 I MOWED A LAWN BY MYSELF!

I learned how to do the magic trick "cups and balls" thanks to Brother Katz.... Some day I will wow all of you with my talent... haha

       

Me and sister Katz

             

The crazy Lion cat we saw during an appointment... I was like dying not to laugh... haha who tortures their animals like this!??

        

 I love my companion:)

          

   Sometimes we are crazy! Yay!

   

Tractors...

Hello Family! 

How are you all doing??  I don't have a whole lot of time today but I wanted to let you know that great things are happening in Lincoln.  The people here are so fantastic and we are slowly seeing them become more excited about missionary work.  Yesterday was a busy day at Church, the elders had like 3 investigators and we had several less actives and Sister Schrader and I had to speak... so it was busy!  I love that you get to dive in and love the people where ever you are serving. 

Sister Schrader and I are becoming really good friends, we are figuring out how to work with each other and it is fun to see new mission styles.    We had some really good lessons this week!  We weren't able to see Gum this week which was sad, but we'll see him next week.  Thank you for the prayers for him, it's cool to know how much you guys care for me and the people I am teaching.  We did meet his sister however and we may start teaching her but we will see. 

I learned something about laughing at things when it seems like it's hard to keep going.  haha let me see if I can explain... Sister Schrader and I were road tripping to district meeting going like 60mph on a nice cornfield road when all of a sudden there was a tractor in the middle of the road... going like 5 mph... there we were in the middle of nowhere slamming on the breaks behind a tractor... and what did we do?  Well we laughed really hard!  How sweet it is laughter.    I had felt sad that day for some reason... but as soon as we slowed down for the tractor I remembered that I love Nebraska, I love being a missionary and I love the Gospel.  Sometimes little things like a tractor can change your attitude.   So I hope that all of you are having a happy week!  I hope that you are smiling at all of the things life brings to you, remember how much you love being you, how blessed you are to be a child of a loving heavenly father.  Remember that you are important and you have a purpose here on this earth. 

I love you family!  I hope you know I am loving it out here even though sometimes it's weird to think of life rolling on at home. 

Time is short and I seemed to have forgotten my camera, but I'll send pictures next week!  We have lots of people we are working with this week which is exciting! There is much to be done, here and all over the world!  Oh funny tender mercy, the talk I was asked to speak on was "it's a Miracle" by Neil L Anderson... funny right since that's what Tanner wrote his farewell talk on.  I was glad I printed out his talk and could see his insights.. haha  it was a miracle... how ironic.   I took a different spin on it but I like Tanner's humor... It just makes me like cry laughing.  I'm glad we have such a funny family.  Love you dearly family of mine!  Keep choosing the Right!  

Love,

Sister McMaster