The End is Near :) :(

Wow... Just writing that subject line seems almost unreal. How did these months go so fast?! My time began in Dalton, GA then on to Oak Ridge, TN. Next was to Johnson City, TN and then to the mountains of Murphy, NC! And I am now finishing up in Knoxville, TN. It's been a wild, wonderful journey full of growth and strengthening with a variety of amazing companions who I absolutely LOVE!! Every single one of them. I met so many people who have changed my life forever:
members, investigators, random people on the street, other missionaries, etc. these will be days that I will never forget.

This past week seemed to be one of the hardest - no surprise. It seems whenever a good, big, change is about to happen, more trials seem to come.

One trial that became a miracle was when nearly all the missionaries were "excused" from the adult session of stake conference by ELDER ZWICK!!! Not too many people can say that they have been kicked out of Stake Conference by a General Authority! I won't go into all the details, but the major factor was that we didn't have any investigators there.
So it very quickly became a Zone Conference on the lawn of the stake center. We were all a little frazzled, but settled down enough to say a prayer and organize ourselves and go out to work. Because our area was close, we brought one of the sisters who was an hour away from her area, and began to drive to Hardin Valley. We didn't know what we were going to do (we didn't think to have a backup plan to stake conference!), but as we were driving, Sister Parry was inspired to go caroling and share "A Savior is Born." We started and had good success, but the miracle was when we found Jennifer. Her neighbor we had just visited suggested that we visit her. We shared the video and began to testify of the restoration. I love being in a trio because you have 3 people to receive revelation at once! We all worked in unison to invite her to learn of the truths that have been restored through Joseph Smith and she accepted saying that she had been having a hard day and she needed the message that we shared. We came at the time she was ready and in need.

 We also had a Zone Conference with him which was amazing. He talked a lot about simplifying and intensifying our lessons and teaching. As we applied that the next couple days we found the power in that principle. We also learned how applicable that is in our lives. To simplify our lives by prioritizing and then intensifying those things that are most important.

We met with Saeed yesterday and he has finished the Book of Mormon, Doctrine &Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price! Our lesson yesterday was incredible. We had Brother Kramer with us as an excellent addition to our companionship and we discussed receiving an answer through the Holy Ghost. Perfectly, the lesson was led by the Holy Ghost. He still is praying and looking for an answer and trying to stay open about receiving an answer in his heart & mind.

Experiences like these I am going to miss. I still plan to continue this work in Utah, but Tennessee will always hold a large place in my heart. I experienced a lot of change here. My testimony has been refined and deepened. My relationship with Christ is more personal and a lot stronger. I love Him. My Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost have led me and guided me the entire way!

I can't wait to see everyone in a couple days. I am short on email time today, so I am sorry to everyone that I didn't get to respond to, but we can continue our conversation face to face, yes?
I love you all!
-Hermana Rachel Rose Trommlitz

Definitely fitting for Rachel to send this as her last mission picture! HA!

A Savior is Born

This has been the first week with the release of the video, "A Savior is Born." We have LOVED using it and have found great success. It has helped us to get into homes where I don't think we otherwise would have. One of those was Billy. She was a former investigator, but we didn't have any record of why she was dropped! We had an mere 25 minutes before we had to go somewhere, but we stopped by. She had previously felt pressured by the missionaries, but loved the idea of a Christmas message for her and her kids! 

 https://www.mormon.org/christmas

Ward Christmas Parties look the same everywhere! 

A Missionary VAN?! Lookin' like a coupla future moms!!

The Miracle Phone!!

Miracles--Even at the End of a Mission!

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

We had a great miracle happen this week. With moving apartments, that meant that we were starting from scratch with food. We took a few things from the last house, but it wasn't much. We basically needed to restock our whole kitchen!

I left Murphy right after a big pday. We had bought groceries that would last us through the month and it seemed like it was the week that everything ran out! So it was a big shopping trip. Not knowing I would be transferred to Hardin Valley, I was low on funds. Sister Parry was in the same boat. We had no idea how we would have enough money to stock a kitchen, we wondered if we would even have enough money for the basics! As we were shopping, a random woman came up to us and held out a Walmart gift card and said, "Hi missionaries, this is for you. It has $25 on it." We didn't know what to say. She said that she just had a son return from a mission and wanted to help out. That gift card saved us! It helped us buy the essentials that we needed! Then this week we were fed nearly everyday with members providing leftovers for us to take home afterwards! It got us through until our monthly allowance came in for December. I wish I could express my thanks even more fully to this lady. Truly a miracle.

Things are Never Quite What They Seem...

Nov. 23rd, 2015

It all started at 7:30 on Monday. P-day was over and we had just finished a lesson and dinner with one of our recent converts. We pulled out the phone and saw several missed calls from President Griffin including a text that said, "Hi sisters, call me ASAP." That doesn't worry you at all... ha! We called back and that was when I was told that I was needed in Knoxville to be in another trio to help out with a sister who was very sick. I am so grateful for the spirit because I think I would have broken down right then, but I simply felt peace, with a reassurance that it was right. I was absolutely still sad though! I loved Murphy! And my companions! And the branch!

This area is VERY different. I am serving in a ward that is one of the smallest areas in the mission. It is a strong ward! I went from the mountains, to the city (we actually get cell service here!) and I now have any store I could possibly need within 10 minutes. I have now served in every stake in the mission though! But I am still living out of my suitcases, because tomorrow we are moving apartments! A mission presents a lot of change. Even with all the differences, I LOVE IT! 

The sisters that were already here were Sisters Winter and Parry. I have known sister Winter for most of her mission, but when I saw her as I arrived, it was obvious that she was sick. She was small already, but you could tell it was now at the point it was unhealthy. She hadn't eaten in over a week besides maybe a spoonful of applesauce a day. She wanted to stay the week and see how things panned out, but that wasn't able to happen. She went home Friday morning. I remember when we had to take her home to pack, she just crumpled. She was devastated about going home early. That was heart-wrenching. 

I am now here with Sister Parry who is a great missionary and simply a great person. With this situation and packing up the apartment to move, we haven't been able to see too many people, but from what I have been able to participate in, they have a great teaching pool with great ward support! The church has put out a new Christmas video titled, "A Savior is Born" which will be found at Christmas.mormon.org on November 28th. We had the opportunity to see it this week and it is amazing as it focuses on the need for a Savior. We shared it with a couple of families and they accepted it right away and made plans to share it with their friends! It is a great tool to use for missionary work!

But yes, I know that Thanksgiving is first. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am so thankful for my mission and for the opportunities that I have been able to participate in. I am thankful to be a member of this church and have the knowledge of the full Plan of Salvation. I am thankful for my family who has played a central role in who I am and in preparing me for the life I am living. I am thankful for Jesus Christ and his atonement.

Have a great week! Make the most of every opportunity!

Sunday Meetings Can Change a Lot

Nov. 16th, 2015

Yesterday was fabulous - Sabbath days always are! Sister Jorgensen spoke in church and did amazing! The branch already loves her. Church was full yesterday - and not with summer visitors! We had many less-actives members and returning members there. For Shirley and Eve, it was their first time back. Shirley was nervous, but as she was sitting in her car, Jack (the husband of Julie who was recently baptized) knocked on her door and said,"It's too cold for you to be sitting out here! Come on in. I'll show you where to go." He then told her that he too was just coming back to church. That helped Shirley feel more comfortable and she loved her experience. I don't think she would have come in had it not been for Jack being friendly and a good missionary!

We have been working with Eve for several months now. She loves the gospel and has fond memories of relief society, church and going through the temple but she had a couple of obstacles of overcome before she came. But yesterday was the day! To see people come back to church is truly one of the most fulfilling experiences of a mission!

On Tuesday we taught a portion of the relief society activity. The theme was "The Harvest" so we talked about missionary work and related it to the harvest. We adapted our mission calls to them by changing the names, dates and details. It was nice to review my original mission call.

One day we knocked on Katherine's door. As we began talking to her, we learned that she was just overcoming cancer and the next day she was going in for the final say of whether or not the cancer was fully gone. We set-up a return appointment and that was a great lesson! She said that she felt we were sent by God because after we left, she felt peace about her cancer situation even though she previously had been very nervous and anxious. God sends us where he needs us at the perfect time.

Billy and Sarah are doing great! Billy enjoys the Book of Mormon saying that, "it just makes sense! Especially about the Lamanites being the ancestors of the American Indians!" They both have been prepared in many many ways. They are ones to keep on your radar because they are very excited to be baptized!

Ending little thought: the 5th Sunday in November is missionary Sunday and I have been asked to speak. I am so grateful that they have given me a long period of time to reflect on what I want to speak about and then study and apply it better in my life. I figured that anything can apply to missionary work so I really could choose any topic that I wanted. I feel like I have been led to talk about sacrament meeting and I have loved the study that it has created! In a stake conference in Chattanooga about a year ago, I remember a speaker saying, "It is the responsibility of the members to create an environment at church where an investigator cannot deny the spirit." Sacrament Meeting is the only meeting where everyone is together - children, men, women, active members, less-active members, new members, returning members, investigators, etc. As we come prepared to partake of the sacrament and create a feeling of reverence, the spirit will be there. All will feel it. Yesterday was my first Sunday after this themed study I've had and I felt the difference. I, personally, came prepared in all aspects and then really focused on remembering the Savior during the sacrament. I feel like i had done that in the past, but just putting a little more effort into it made the difference. 

 

Trio's are Tremendous!

Nov. 9th, 2015

New Companion! Sister Jorgensen joined Hermana Kivett and I on Wednesday. and you guessed it! She's from Idaho! from a little town called Grace. And we love her!! We've had to learn to work in a trio, but it has been sooo good! It's another person to receive revelation and bounce ideas off of. She is a great missionary and adds a lot to our companionship.

This week was an interesting week. We had record low numbers! We taught hardly any lessons and didn't find the usual amount of new investigators. It is hard to look at and see, however, we still had a lot of good happen! We would look back on our day with no lessons, but feel very accomplished in what we did. We find a miracle every day and often times there would be several that we couldn't choose between. It felt a little bit like a scripture story that we, as a companionship, have been studying recently: Abinadi. Abinadi was a prophet who was called to share a message with a group of people who didn't want to hear it. Abinadi was confident that he was called of God and that it was extremely important that he share this message of repentance. He had faith in God and trusted him in all things - even his life. The people rejected him and eventually killed him. And that was all Abinadi saw - the people rejecting the message he shared. He never saw that Alma, one in the crowd listening to him, had been converted and then converted thousands, eventually becoming one of the greatest missionaries, high priests, and father that the world has ever seen! Sometimes we don't see immediate results of our obedience to God. We have faith that he is using us as an instrument for Him and we are being led my Him, but we may not know why. (check out: Words of Mormon 1:7 - my ponderize scripture last week) That's kind of what our week felt like. We felt a lot of direction from God and confident that we were where we needed to be, even though we didn't have actual, official lessons or anything to immediately influence our numbers.

One experience was at 8:30 at night. Our appointment canceled, our backups fell through, and we were tired. It was dark, so we didn't want to knock on anyone's door that we didn't know, for safety reasons. We didn't know what to do or where to go. But way too often than not, we have found that those are the times that God works miracles. We said a prayer and sat for a minute. We both felt to visit Ben, a less-active, young guy who had moved from Utah about 6 months ago. We went to his home, knocked on the door and nothing. We wrote a lil' note and then walked away, unsure of why we were directed to go there. As we were walking away, we hear someone calling to us in the distance. It was Ben! walking home from town. We had a great talk with him and learned a lot more about him. We found out that he was moving! and had we not found him then, he likely would have moved without anyone knowing and he would have been lost. God truly does lead us where he needs us. A great testimony building experience that prayer is essential to know God's will.

I think i just want to end by saying that I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON!! I always have, ever since I was young. Throughout my life it has never failed me. I can always turn to it to find specific answers to my questions and ways that I can improve. I provides comfort when I need it and it puts the gospel so simply. We are currently reading it with a new member and her husband and trying to finish it by the end of the year. It is faster than I normally have read it on my mission, but I love reading it quickly once in a while. It's easier to see the big picture and how things relate to each other - more of the cause and effect. I know that it is all true - 100%. and ANY question can be answered by it. I could go on forever, but I truly LOVE the Book of Mormon and know that it is the word of God. I am so grateful for it.

Fulfilled Promises (of course!)

Nov. 2nd, 2015

Nathan's baptism was a fun way to celebrate Halloween! Everything went great! and we all had a lot of fun with the themed refreshments. We had mummies, witches hats and pumpkins for Halloween and Bagels because it's a Jewish tradition! (Nathan was Jewish and another member of our branch was Jewish and insisted on having bagels! ha!) He truly has come a long way. His wife was told that it would be a long time until her husband joined the church, but it happened! It was a great day for both of them.

Remember last email when I talked about President's Promise of a baptismal date and being led to those who are prepared? It was fulfilled this week! We did just as he asked. We each said a companionship prayer and asked to be led to those who are prepared and need our specific personalities. Then we fasted for it and worked for it!

First, we were led to find Billy and Sarah. We were trying to contact a member that no one knew anything about. As we pulled up to the house, a young man walked out. We began talking with him and then his girlfriend came out as well. We introduced ourselves and Sarah said, "I've been looking for a church!" We set up a time then to teach them Sunday and that lesson was amazing! They are soooo prepared. They said that after we left the first night they had talked about how it wasn't a coincidence that we had come to visit them. They connected with the whole message of the restoration! Sarah even said that she felt it was right. We set a baptismal date of December 5th!

Then, today, we met David. We have started doing our laundry at the laundromat and today David was there at the same time. We began talking to him and he opened up about how his wife had passed away only 2 weeks earlier. We testified of the Plan of Salvation and he wanted to know more! He then left for a minute and came back and told us, "I was just on the phone with my brother. He wants to come to our lesson too!" We are excited! We couldn't set up a time because he didn't know his work schedule, but he asked us to call back on Wednesday. As he left he pleaded, "Please call me. I want to hear this message."

God really is preparing people for His gospel. What a privilege to be his instruments in gathering them!

We had the transfer call on Saturday. Sister Kivett and I will be staying in Murphy AND receiving a 3rd companion!! How exciting!! We pick her up on Wednesday :)

Love you all! have a great week!

Sister Trommlitz