March 30, 2009

THE LORD BLESSES US ! [03.30.09]

so much to say and so little time today !

some of the big news in the WMM this week is :

my sweet sister johnson is LEAVING ! we have spent only ONE transfer together. we have had lots of fun getting UWO started and being with the YSA ! she has given this branch her all and they love her for it .. she has been a great example to me !

the other BIG NEWS is :

I AM GOING TO BE A MAMA AGAIN !

President Barrett called this weekend and asked me for a "favor" ! we have 2 sisters coming from the MTC and i will get to meet MY GIRL this wednesday 04.01 in MILWAUKEE and then we will both go full force in the FOX CITIES for the WINNEBAGO YSA BRANCH ! its gonna be amazing ! i still don't feel qualified for such a responsibility .. I LOVE PRESIDENT BARRETT and am grateful for his trust and his inspiration. he helps my faith and confidence grow each week !

so keep the letters and love coming my way here in the APL b.c. i am staying !

5014 North Meade St.
Appleton, WI 54391

this week has been amazing !

its so wonderful when you see this happen in people :

"Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe." [ALMA 32:16]

we have been able to see this change as we have talked with YSA and as some of them have come back to church .. it makes my heart so happy !

some quick highlights :

combined FHE with the green bayites .. always a fun fun time .. my sweet corry came with them too !

the oshkosh elders finding more people for the UWO LDSSA !

teaching PANG KOU YANG .. she is amazing .. her testimony is SO strong !

rearranging our bedroom !!! reminded me of my papa ! that was just fun and new !

teaching MISSY about the TEMPLE and her wanting that as her ultimate goal .. MISSY going to institute .. seeing the LIGHT OF CHRIST GLOW FROM MISSY's EYES !

HUMAN CHESS IN GREEN BAY .. the APL YSA had and AMAZING turnout and the game night was SO fun for all ! i just loved that it was HARRY POTTER STYLE .. we dressed up and were all the chess peices .. i was a pawn .. i got killed fast BUT it was all good !

being in CHILTON all day with our YSA BRANDY .. who is amazing ! we got to serve BRATS and BURGERS ! also talking to Brandys brother ALEX about the gospel ALL DAY amazing ! [he is not a member but he def will be :) he EVEN came to church !]

listening to such STRONG TESTIMONIES from our ALMOST OUR WHOLE BRANCH on this fast sunday .. they are amazing .. especially ANDY THOMPSON .. who came to the big human chess game night .. he hasnt been to an activity or church in over 7 years and he came to both .. THANK YOU CHRISTINA SIMPSON for inviting and being an amazing member missionary .. he bore a strong testimony .. it was amazing ! him and christina have the charge of planning the next BIG GAME NIGHT !

i love my life. i know i say that a lot but truly it is amazing. i am so grateful i have the support of so many and the love of you all. i couldn't do it without you. thank you for your prayers and love.

this is gonna be a good week .. i am not sure who my NEW GIRL will be but i KNOW she will be amazing !

I LOVE YOU.
sister warner

March 23, 2009

faith = EVERYTHING ! [03.23.09]


each week i realize more and more how ..

FAITH = EVERYTHING !

just as Jesus Christ instructed his disciples ..

"...If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." [Matthew 17:20]

nothing will be impossible if i have faith in my calling as the Lords Representative. if i do everything in my power to magnify my calling then He will use me as His instrument. if i am prepared to be His servant He will send His prepared children to our paths. i have FAITH in this promise. i will go forward with FAITH and do all i can to be PREPARED !

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO MADE MY BIRTHDAY AMAZING !

i got home from emailing last Monday and i had packages galore ! my MARMIE even sent me a BIRTHDAY CAKE ! it was a little beat up when it arrived but it was so FUN ! i felt SO loved by my family and friends ! i've also been getting little packages and cards through out this week and it made me smile ! I LOVE YOU ALL !

that night we had FHE and the Winnebago YSA's threw me a little BIRTHDAY BASH ! we also had an Oreo and chocolate milk eating contest ! [thank you to Shane McDonald for remembering how i love eating contests !] i love all those YSA's .. they are so strong and love the gospel !
on ST. PATRICKS DAY .. i made sure i wore green ! ask anyone .. i HATE being pinched ! haha there was no institute that night so we had a little GREEN O' MANIA party ... we played some volleyball and had GREEN KOOL AIDE and we made "LUCKY CHARMS" for some of our branch members and investigators and put them on their doors and ran away ! it was lots of fun !

we have some SOLID recent converts in our branch ..

some of them i have been able to learn from and be with a lot are ..

SHANE MCDONALD .. SARAH YANEZ .. PANG KU YANG !

SHANE .. taught us about the atonement this week .. i learned new ways for ME to teach that principle and it was really good .. he is an amazing teacher and LOVES the gospel.

SARAH .. has been a member for almost a year and her testimony of the fullness of the gospel is beautiful .. she comes to a lot of teaching appointments with us and her simple statements have profound effects.

PANG KU YANG .. is a Hmong ysa who joined the church in august of last year .. last week she taught us the principle of the gospel blessing families .. most of her family joined the church and she has been able to see their unity build as they build their family on the gospel of Jesus Christ .. she is so strong and her faith in the truthfulness of this gospel increases weekly .. she is an amazing example to me of putting the Lord first !

the APPLETON STAKE BASKETBALL TOURNY was this saturday .. s. johnson and i were able to be the cheerleaders for the WINNEBAGO YSA BRANCH .. who ended up winning the whole tourny .. GO WINNEBAGO ! gotta love those YSA's ! saturday was also a good day b.c. s. johnson and i got our HAIR CUT by the BEST .. GRETA KREHBIEL ! she is who chopped my hair off about 6 months ago and i just got it trimmed so it will grow out better :) but she truly is the BEST .. plus i got to see LILY .. her 3 year old daughter who is my best friend !

BUT ..

saturday was the best because ..

WE SET A BAPTISMAL DATE WITH MISSY BLOOM ..

her baptism will take place April 25 .. she has been investigating for over a year and the Lord has helped her get her life in order so she can take upon her the baptismal covenant .. she went out to Utah last week and had an AMAZING time .. she told us she wanted to go to TEMPLE SQUARE every night and that when she was there she said, "i felt the spirit so strong and i just knew everything had to be true!" when we met with her on saturday s. johnson and i were going to commit her to baptism and before we could she told US that she wanted to be baptized ! it was amazing ! she is amazing ! being a missionary is amazing !

then there is our friend GEORGE .. he has been coming to church for quite a while now .. his sister is a member in the GREEN BAY SPANISH BRANCH .. george comes to the ysa branch every so oft but he prefers spanish .. so we are working with GB Spanish and he is progressing better then ever ! it is so cool to hear about and see !

this last week was a good one and this coming week is gonna be a great one !

we have COMBINED FHE tonight with the GREEN BAY YSA .. they are coming down to the APL to have some fun !

this is our last WHOLE week before transfers .. we find out this weekend what happens .. always a fun and stressful time :)

THANK YOU to everyone who takes care of me, supports me, loves me and prays for me. i couldnt do this without any of you !

REMEMBER :

"Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God." [Ether 12:4]

i LOVE that scripture ! i LOVE you all !
sister warner

March 16, 2009

OH HAPPY DAY ! [03.16.09]


i am officially 24 !

now that is crazy ! i remember when i just graduated high school and soon after i got on a plane to Utah ! i was so young yet ! when i graduated college last year i still felt a little young .. soon after that i became a FULL TIME REPRESENTATIVE OF JESUS CHRIST ! this responsibility has DEF made me feel more mature .. so i guess turning 24 feels okok !

THANK YOU ALL for the birthday wishes and love. i am so grateful for all of your support and love. it means so much to me !

birthday pday = lots of fun day ! not only do i get to check my email ON my birthday .. i get to have a fun day with my companion and the elders i serve around in this Appleton area ! we are gonna have OLIVE GARDEN for lunch [who can pass up soup, salad and bread sticks :) right lisa jane jastal !] and then an intense game of volleyball with the elders and to end the night with FHE WITH MY WINNEBAGO YSA BRANCH ! life is good .. i'm just sayin baby, i'm just sayin ! i love being a missionary !

last night BISHOP AND SISTER THIEL and LANAE .. who we live with .. cooked me a birthday dinner of STIR FRY ! [my bday dinner for the past 12 or something years ! my marmies specialty !] and then a death by chocolate birthday cake with relightable candles ! always a fun time ! they are so fun to live with and i love them !

so onto the REAL missionary work ..

the scriptures are full of amazing examples of missionaries. i am impressed by so many and want the qualities that they hold.

this week i have been inspired by NEPHI, THE SON OF HELAMAN ..

nephi takes time to PONDER and LISTEN to the spirit of the Lord. he DECLARES the gospel with UNWEARYINGNESS, he follows the Lords WILL and COMMANDMENTS. the Lord blesses him with STRENGTH, FAITH, and BOLDNESS. i want to be like nephi. i want the Lord to say to me ..

"Blessed art thou, [Nephi] SISTER WARNER, for those things which thou hast done; for I have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them, and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep my commandments." [Helaman 10:4]

i hope that i can become a missionary like NEPHI so i can have the blessings the spoken of in Helaman 10:5 ..

"And now, because thou hast done this with such unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not ask that which is contrary to my will."

i LOVE being a missionary !

the Lord is blessing our area !

UWO .. UWO .. UWO .. UWO .. UWO
this week we met with a couple UWO students and faculty .. PROFESSOR BALL and BROTHER TADLOCK ! they are ALL on board for LDSSA ! ITS GONNA HAPPEN @ UWO ! we are missing 2 students for the club to start but its okok .. THE LORD PROVIDES A WAY and HE HAS ..
MICHAEL UPCHURCH ! our new president of LDSSA - UWO said he has friends that will help him start this club and he has ideas for on campus activities and he will be @ UWO for 3 years and he told us that if anyone messes with us on campus .. TELL HIM ! haha
ALL THINGS ARE DONE THROUGH THE LORD AND IN FAITH .. HIS MIRACLES ARE HAPPENING HERE !

being on campus will open the doors to growing our YSA branch ! this is the key ..

Doctrine and Covenants 123:12-13,17
"For there are many yet on the earth among all sects, parties, and denominations, who are blinded by the subtle craftiness of men, whereby they lie in wait to deceive, and who are only kept from the truth because they know not where to find it—"
"Therefore, that we should waste and wear out our lives in bringing to light all the hidden things of darkness, wherein we know them; and they are truly manifest from heaven—"
"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."


let us go forth with faith and all our might ! the gospel is amazing ! THE LORD BLESSES US !

so much to say and not enough time BUT another HIGHLIGHT of the week was

AMY BROWN BEING BAPTIZED GREEN BAY on 03.13.09 .. i met her my last sunday in GB .. i did not get to teach her really but i was able to get to know her and see/hear about her growing testimony .. she and more GB YSA came to the WINNEBAGO YSA BRANCH 2 weeks ago and it was lovely.

she is amazing and we brought 4 YSA that are all recent converts from the last year to her baptism for support and it was everything they needed to hear to be motivated about the gospel !

it is an amazing experience to see children of God come up out of the waters of baptism ! it strengthens my testimony so much !

[i was also able to be reunited with a lot of GB 1st Ward members and it was AMAZING !]

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. it is such an amazing opprotunity to see miracles daily. i KNOW this is the Lords work and i LOVE being an instrument in His hands.

THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING ! [especially birthday love !]

I LOVE YOU ALL !
sister warner

March 09, 2009

the Lord's work ! [03.09.09]

we had a miracle this week ! this truly is the Lord's work. His hand is in all things and it amazes me everyday.

ETHER 12:16
"Yea, and even all they who wrought miracles wrought them by faith, even those who were before Christ and also those who were after."

the miracle we were able to be a part of was THE DOORS TO UWO OPENING ! last week we felt so defeated .. we had no one .. nothing to go off of and now we have the faculty/staff and the students to set up and LDSSA and get on campus ! we will find new investigators to come to the knowledge of the fullness of the truth ! THE LORD BLESSES US !

it was a good week here in the FOX CITIES ! [appleton, neenah & oshkosh]

we had FHE at becky andersons home and we made missionary preparedness kits ! miss katie klemp [a recent convert] brought katie hiles and she asked us that night if we could come and teach her more .. she is finally ready ! she had been challenged by a couple sisters before i came and now she is willing !

we had the opportunity to go to UWGB Soup for the Soul and GB Institute on tuesday ! i ran in and gave so many hugs to all my UWGB friends ! especially Jan Scoville .. she is the EC Director and she actually has connections to UWO .. i knew she would ! institute was so good .. i am glad to see my sister black and sister bryner keeping UWGB strong !

we had a lesson with KATIE HILES about pre earth life .. we based our lesson off of the primary song .. "i lived in heaven" it went really well .. SARAH YANEZ came with .. she is the best branch missionary ! she bore her beautiful testimony oh how knowing pre earth life helps her make decisions now ! she is great ! katie hiles enjoyed it and did the questions on the Restoration Pamphlet without us even saying anything !

PANG KU YANG ! she is a recent convert as well and she is amazing ! we teach her and she teaches us. she put off school for a little bit so she could read the scriptures more and develop her faith stronger ! she is amazing !

THURSDAY WAS OUR BIG UWO DAY ! I LOVE UWO ! we were on a panel for a religious class .. they were studying mormonism and went straight to the source ! we were only supposed to have about 1.5hours BUT we took 2.5hours ! it was amazing ! the questions that were asked were SO good and the spirit was def helping us answer ! in the class was this guy .. he kept bringing up questions to help us bear our testimony .. i knew there was something diff about him .. AFTER the panel was over he told us that he joined the church 3 years ago and that he is willing to help us ON CAMPUS ! this truly is the Lord's work !

we had INTERVIEWS this week ! oh how i love my papa barr ! he gave me great advice for this area and renewed strength and faith. i am so grateful he leads and guides this mission by direction from the Lord.

AMANDA CHRISTENSEN is amazing ! she invited 8 of the ysa over for DINNER/DESSERT and KARAOKE ! it was so much fun ! the dinner and dessert were amazing and i am all about karaoke ! we had a great evening and we ended with teaching about FAITH .. having faith is EVERYTHING .. amanda agreed and was receptive to the message !

CHURCH ! it was so good ! [BESIDE THE HUGE SNOW STORM !] all the GB YSA came down .. they brought AMY BROWN .. she showed up to church my last sunday in GB and is getting baptized on MARCH 13, 2009 ! she is amazing .. such a strong testimony of the restored gospel. she asked s.johnson and i if we would come to her baptism ! we are gonna bring some YSA support her way !

President Miller asked me to speak in the branch yesterday with about 2hours notice .. i feel like i am getting better at this talking in church thing and not being nervous ! its great ! i talked on my decision to come on a mission and how to be a missionary ! i talked about my bffl JOSE ROMO JR and how teaching him with the MONROVIA SISTERS helped me decided i wanted to serve the Lord fulltime !

i am looking forward this week to UWO and seeing the work go forward !

also i am looking forward to BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS ! i turn 24 [i know i am so old !] in 1 WEEK ! it will be so fun !

the other good news from this week is that my baby girl black got to talk to my MARMIE ! i love you marmie !

i got a wedding announcement from my former roommate GENNA ! i am so excited for you and andrew .. CONGRATULATIONS !

also by far the best thing this week from home was my sister HEATHER sending me a teddy bear ! it is a build a bear dressed like a little missionary .. i LOVE IT SO MUCH ! thank you !

this week is gonna be good. wisconsin will warm up soon ? i am not sure .. people say you know it wont snow anymore come JULY !

i love my life. i love you all. i love being a representative of jesus christ. i love seeing miracles.

I LOVE YOU.
sister warner

lose myself .. [03.02.09]


i am losing myself in this new area and falling in love with the people i am serving ..

the Savior tells us in ..
Matthew 10:39-40
"He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me."

coming to a whole new area feels almost like a refresher course in the basics of missionary work. i love Wisconsin and i lost myself completely in green bay and now i am losing myself COMPLETELY in the WINNEBAGO YSA BRANCH !

its been a hard and interesting transition BUT i KNOW i am supposed to be here and that the Lord will use me as His instrument if i am obedient, humble and willing to lose myself for His sake. i KNOW that there are people here who will receive me b.c. i KNOW the Lord has prepared them and their hearts for the message of the restoration. what a beautiful thing it has been and is to see when people receive us as representatives of Jesus Christ b.c. that means they are receiving the Savior and their Heavenly Father who wants so desperately for ALL OF US to come back to him.

i love being a missionary and testifying of the saving power of Jesus Christ and His atonement. it is still the GREATEST OPPORTUNITY i have been given.

SO ..

monday we had a BIG COMBINED FHE with the GREEN BAY YSA's ! we had about 20 YSA .. it was so good .. 3 were investigators and life couldnt of been more fun !


ZONE CONFERENCE was on TUESDAY and it was SO GOOD .. the theme for this transfer is REPENTANCE .. i am learning more and more everyday on repentance and change and growth .. it is a beautiful thing. i LOVE zone conference and getting to learn and grow from all the missionaries. i was asked to bear my testimony and i was able to share how my BFFL JOSE ROMO JR has blessed my life and me becoming a missionary ! i love sharing my testimony .. it strengthens my knowledge of the things i know to be true.

this is the BIGGEST NEWS OF THE WEEK !

UW OSHKOSH .. UW OSHKOSH .. UW OSHKOSH

so we want to be missionaries on campus .. we want and NEED an LDSSA .. i was feeling a bit defeated b.c. we didnt know anyone on campus .. BUT after spending the day there on thursday [IN A HUGE SNOW STORM] THE LORD BLESSED US and we found a LDS PROFESSOR and we are looking for more students ! as we were walking around campus a student looked at us and asked us why we were there .. we just smiled and said we were missionaries and she said I KNOW .. i go to church in SHAWNO ! it was amazing ! i KNOW faith precedes miracles and we are having FAITH the UWO will open the gates to many YSA in the area !

we had a really good lesson with MISSY this week .. she wants to start coming back to church and we can see her getting baptized in the soon furture !

AMANDA is a YSA and her mom joined the church about 1 year ago and we are working with her to teach the lessons too and she is an amazing young women !

another amazing HIGHLIGHT of the week was watching the CES BROADCAST last night with ELDER HALES .. his talk was AMAZING and so STRENGTHING ! the best part was PRESIDENT CHILD CONDUCTED THE MEETING .. that was my stake pres who i left my mission from and the Relief Society Pres from my BYU 10th ward gave the closing prayer ! oh how i LOVE provo nation !

I LOVE YOU ALL AND THE WORK IS GOING FORWARD IF WE HAVE FAITH AND LOVE AND OBEDIENCE. i know this ..

President Barrett gave me this recipe for the Winnebago Branch just this morning .. s.johnson and i are DEF going to put it into action :
Add 10 new investigators to the mix.
Add faith.
Stir in repentance.
Fold in love.
Lay over the fire.
Top with perfect obedience.
Harvest baptisms.

DONE and DONE papa barr !

I LOVE YOU ALL !
sister warner