Surprises, Sunburns, and Sickness

Hello!

This week has been great! Let's start at the beginning!

We spent PDay last week downtown with the Sister from West Sacramento.
It was great! Downtown Davis is so fun. On Tuesday we were able to visit with Erika! She is our golden investigator. Her lessons are just the best. We are still on track for July 1st baptism. This woman is ready and she just gets it. She has lots of strength and she is going to
be one powerhouse missionary. She basically already is. She's also
super friendly and outgoing.

The rest of the week was great and Tiff came home!!! Tiff has been away and she didn't have any way of contacting her, so we've been
driving by her house every night to see when she would get back. It was so good to see her home! And to see Jake and Sophia! Tiff took us
out to dinner on Friday. She took us to an Indian restaurant called Kathmandu. It was sooooo good. It was funny because me and my comp
were just talking about curry and Thai and Indian food earlier. Haha, Heavenly Father answers ALL kinds of prayers! Friday was kind of slow.
My companion wasn't feeling good, so we took things really slow. That was our planning day anyways. Towards the end of the day when she
started to perk up, I actually got a massive migraine and the Indian food started attacking me, so we went home and I slept all the way
until it was time to wake up on Saturday. I was so rested! Haha!

Saturday was so fun. So Sister Haefeli has a friend in Vacaville. Her name is Destiny and she is a recent convert. She is in YSA and Sister
Haefeli taught her. They are super tight and they have been in contact ever since. Destiny has been talking about coming up to see Sister
Haefeli for lunch and we got it cleared with President and everything. So we were just waiting for Destiny to pick a date. Destiny messaged
me and told me she wanted to surprise Sister Haefeli and asked me if I could help. I said I would love to and we set our plan in motion >:)
Destiny set a fake lunch date with Sister Haefeli and I plotted in a 'lesson' for 'Sister T' and told Sister Haefeli that we had an
appointment with a member at 11. One I had never met. It was all true  I didn't lie. So Sister Haefeli thought we were eating lunch on
Monday. I plotted in the lunch for Saturday. By the grace of Heavenly Father I was able to get her, a picnic lunch, and Destiny's birthday
present to the park as well as calling And texting Destiny right in front of her. Oh man. It was so so so so so fun!! I'm sending you a
video. It was so slick and everything worked out PERFECTLY! It's so hard to hide something like that from your comp -_- so hard. Lol, best
day ever. My companion really needed that  even if we did get sunburned  ouch.  Since Destiny lives in Vacaville we were able to
send a note back with her for Sister Free and Sister Nelson with our guesses for transfers.

Here are our guesses:

Sister Harfeli will stay in Davis with Sister Siafinua I will go to Vacaville with Sister Comer to whitewash the family ward
Sister Nelson will stay in YSA and work with Sister Porter Sister Free will go follow-up train in Middletown

Sunday was interesting. My companion thought it was a great day. I thought it wasn't as great, but that just shows the importance of
having a companion  they bring in a new perspective! My stomach has been whack all week and the Indian food killed it. So naturally I keep
eating it because we have tons of left overs and it's delicious. #feelthepain

Okay. Now for the serious stuff.

This week I've been thinking a lot about gifts. Coming out on the mission you hear all about how each missionary has different gifts
they bring to the mission. Well this week I really started to get it. I've discovered that the only way to know what your gifts are, is to
serve others. Your spiritual gifts don't help you. They are designed to help others. As you serve, these gifts come out. I've also learned
that we often have gifts we didn't know we had. We were talking to Sister Wadsworth and she wanted to learn more about the gift of
discernment. As she was studying it, she told us she realized she had more of that gift than she thought...she just didn't recognize it! I'm
teaching about gifts tomorrow at District meeting. I'm so excited!

Another thing I've heard a lot on the mission is you will often find the reason you were here towards the end of the transfer. At the
beginning of this transfer, I discovered one of the reasons I was here in Davis last transfer. It was for another missionary in my zone. I
also discovered y reason for being here this transfer. On Tuesday, my sweet companion went through a rather difficult experience I had some
background that was able to help her. One night, she said, "If you are wondering why you are here this transfer, it's for this." It was
perfectly placed. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father gives us experiences to help others down the road. The longer I am out here,
the more I realize the things that I have experienced in my life are not for me. We conquer challenges and trials each day. Some are harder
and last longer than others, but I can promise and testify to you that one day, someone is going to be put in your path and in that moment
you will know that God prepared you to help this person long ago. Your empathy and love and advice will be the very thing they need.

I hope you have a great week! I love you all! Thanks for your notes!

Your happy missionary,

Sister Julander

Only Beginnings

Fam bams!

Thanks so much for accepting my friend requests! Super exciting to get to connect this way! You'll get to follow me through my mission and see who I'm working with! So excited! You can look through my friends and put faces to names as I write about different people in my emails  cool, eh? Also, a warning, I will be disabling my old account due to Facebook policy. Do not be alarmed. It's not getting hacked, it's just me.

So life is just great. I got to see my mission president and Sister Wright on Saturday for interviews! Let me tell you. If President and Sister Wright were not my mission presidents, I don't think I could have handled it. I've heard many many stories from the last presidents. They were great, but I know deep down there is a reason I didn't come until the Wrights were here. They are exactly perfect for me and my personality. Every time I talk to them, I feel Heavenly Fathers love for me so intensely because I know it was no coincidence
I got them out of all the mission presidents in the world. I already feel a deep connection with them.

My interview with President went well! He talked to me and then my companion and then he brought us in and talked to us together. He shared a story with us. When he was a missionary, his second companion was a whirlwind. He got them up every morning at 5:30 and they worked so hard "you wouldn't believe it!" He said he became wound very tightly, so when his third companion came and saw President Wright just going going going, he said, "You need to relax." President laughed and then said, "I can see some of that in your companionship.
Would you agree?" I laughed and said, "Yes!!" He laughed again and said that I was trained by Sister Ngawharau and so I was Go! Go! Go! And Sister Haefeli is more relaxed, and so he could only imagine her face when I showed her our to do list. He just laughed and laughed and said it was a 'smiley observation'.  I turned to Sister Haefeli and said, "Sorry!" President slapped the table, laughed, and said "Don't you dare apologize!" He did mention that he doesn't want me to lose my Momentum, but he wanted to make sure Sister Haefeli was okay and we found a good balance  I love President. He also asked me when I was ready for a hard companion! I said 'hit me anytime you're ready. The lord knows!" And he laughed and laughed and said he was teasing.

During Sister Haefelis interview he mentioned that there were three options for transfers.

1. I leave this transfer
2. I stay this transfer and then leave when she goes home and he will whitewash Davis
3. I will six-month it here

These last few weeks I've been feeling like my work is wrapping up here. Just little feelings and impressions. I'm not sure what they mean. I guess we will see  anything could happen.

Sister Haefeli was in a trio before she came to me and it was a very hard, long, abusive companionship. She was co training with another sister. After ten weeks, she and the greenie she was training had to get out because things were no Bueno. So when she got to me, I guess President in his interview said, "I don't want to sound negative towards your previous companion, but Sister Julander is different, isn't she?" My companion is very nervous about getting a new companion if I have to leave. When she came to me, she was on the mend but still very shredded. I can see her healing over these past few weeks and she
is doing much better. Davis is a good place to come to be healed. Now my job is to make sure she gets lots of love and listening. I told President I wouldn't let her get trunky  sister Haefeli is very strong and has lots of gifts. I'm so proud of her and I admire her
strength through everything! She is just the best. My only concern about leaving Davis is making sure she had someone very kind to get her to the end  it was a very flattering thing for President to say. I'm quite honored and humbled that he would trust me and know that she would be safe with me. I don't feel like I'm everything Sister Haefeli thinks I am or President, but it's a nice thought. She's helped me a lot too! I've learned a lot from her easy pace and deep love for the people. She connects with people so deeply and genuinely. She is simply herself and it's great. Everyone absolutely adores Sister Haefeli. For good reason too!

While they were in Davis, I got to talk to Sister Wright again. I've been having a tougher time adjusting to things this transfer, and I had been pushing some things aside. Being able to talk to her helped me resolve two major obstacles that were keeping me from feeling
settled. I didn't even know what my problem was until I explained what I was feeling and she said

"What you're looking for is peace and validation."

And I was like :O Ah man you're right!!!  And then she had me promise to write in my journal every day, to set aside time for sacred journal writing time where that's the only thing I do in that scheduled time. Nothing else. No matter what. It's something I've stopped doing because I was overwhelmed and didn't feel I had anything worth recording. Turns out it helps a lot.

The other obstacle was I was missing my trainer, but I had pushed that down because I felt I had a responsibility and obligation to Sister Haefeli to help her adjust to the area and help her heal. I also didn't want her to feel bad by revealing how deeply I missed Sister
Ngawharau. So I didn't have time to 'grieve'.

I told Sister Wright I was missing my Kiwi and she said, "Sister Ngawharau is yours forever. So don't you think you've lost her." That was exactly what I needed to hear, and I feel like I've been waiting my whole life for someone to tell me that. I didn't want to think that she was truly gone. Sister Wright then updated me on Sister Ngawharau and told me what she was up to and where she was. She also said that she could tell Sister Ngawharau I would love to hear from her, and she could get back to me faster than what missionaries could do. She said if I was ever missing her or needed to know where Sister Ngawharau was
or what she was doing, text, call, or email Sister Wright, and Sister Wright would give me updates or talk to Sister N for me.

That was overwhelming. I could not believe that she would actually do something like that for me and it was more than I could have ever hoped for. I was fully expecting to get a gentle lecture on how it was time to move on and sister Ngawharau was fine and each companion is special. Not the case.  She fully understood me and my needs and didn't make me feel bad or ashamed for missing her. She said she loved how much I love my companions.

I know you are all missing the Harris' right now. It's okay to miss them. It's okay to love the people who move in and still miss and long for the Harris'. They are permanently a part of your life because of the impact they've had on you. They were your life raft some days, and they helped you! She was a great visiting teacher, and you all grew together and shared parts of your lives together. Your babies are the same age, and you can relate to them. Don't feel bad or feel like you have to get over them. Your heart will just grow and make room for the next family. The more love you have for more people, the bigger your heart gets. The Harris' are yours forever. Don't think for a moment you've lost them. Endings are not apart of Gods nature.

{D&C 130:2}

Yesterday we had a picnic in the park with a family Sister Haefeli served win in Benicia. It took only five minutes. I LOVED Them. We talked, and Jay, the mom, made me laugh so hard I couldn't breathe and thought my stomach was going to explode. They are so real, and funny, and down to earth. They remind me of Emily Richards and her family. They find the joy and humor in every moment and they aren't afraid to be happy. I have much to learn from them. They are putting in a request for me to serve in Benicia.;) they say I will love it there and they want me to come! Guess I will have to tell President.

Well, that's about all. I hope you have a great week and enjoy your Idaho Summer :O we get excited when the temp drops below 100 and there's a delta breeze. Enjoy these pics! Thanks for all of your emails. I learn something from each one of them. Sorry I don't have much time to respond. I'm still working on that just know I love and appreciate you and all you teach me.

Love you all!

Your happy missionary,

Sister Julander

P.s. Tell my aunties thanks so much for the emails and I promise to get back to them next week! I'm just about out of time. I just want them all to know I love and appreciate everything they've sent! It's actually helped a lot.

I guess when you're a zone Leader you can park however you want. I think the power has gotten to their heads, lol  

Just kidding. They rock and they make life interesting. So grateful for them!

Model pic. Except Jay looked at it and said, "Amy, you don't look like a model. More like the exorcist ." we laughed so hard. You had to be there.

Kenny feeding the squirrel 

Before

During

 After

Prove Me Now Herewith

Lovelies!

How good it was to hear about your challenges this week! Thanks for reporting! I loved hearing about it! It sounds like you all learned so much! I'm so proud of yous!

So his week was absolutely fantastic! I feel so much better and I'm so happy I'm giddy. Here's a couple things I learned about the refiners fire.

1) When you are in the refiners fire, you will reach that point where you know that's the end of the line and your capacity to endure has maxed out. At this point you have two choices.

1) Breakdown, give up, peace out, turn your back on God, quit, etc.

2) Realize that option one is Satan's easy out for you and will ultimately lead to prolonged pain and suffering that wont teach you anything, it will just hurt. After this realization, realize that God is trying to teach you something, and the faster you humble yourself and ask Him, the better it will be for you. He has the answers, He is just waiting for you to come get them.

*3) The secret option. Bury everything deep inside your soul, and then when it resurfaces, which it will, see options one and two.

Always go with option two. :)

Another thing I learned about the refiners fire is that it is an opportunity to prove yourself to God. It is easy to be on His side when things are going your way and life is great. The real test is when things aren't quite going your way and life is a bit more difficult. When we are pushed to the very edge of all we can withstand, and we are faced with the options mentioned above, it is a moment that we can show the Lord where our loyalties stand. We can say, "Heavenly Father, I know you're there, I know this is a test. I feel alone. This is hard. There is something to learn, I'm ready to accept it now. Father, I still choose you."

In Malachi 3:10 the Lord says, "Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

He gives us a commandment, tithing, and says He will pour out blessings on us. So many we won't have room to receive it. It's no empty promise either. He says "prove me now herewith"

Modern translation: I double dog dare you  :)

This applies to more than just tithing. It applies to all of His commandments, as well as His individual plan for each of us. We each made the decision to come to earth. I imagine that we had a nice talk with Heavenly Father beforehand. He explained His plan, and He told us it wasn't easy, and there was no going back once we started. He asked us if we could do it, if we meant what we were saying. I imagine, at some point each of us said, "I can do it. I am going to get a body, I am going to take on the challenges I'm assigned, I am going to return to Thee. Prove me now herewith, and send me to earth. I am going to prove my love and my loyalty to Thee by the way I learn and grow and accept Thy will."

None of us are perfect. There will be times we buckle and take option one (or the secret option #3)out of trials. Everyone is going to do it. What matters is that we all come back, and pick option two. That's the beauty of the Gospel. You can always change your mind :) you can choose that better option and that better way out. My friend wrote a poem, and she said I could share it with you. I have been reading it all week.

The First Watch is sounded, my heart racing fast.

Dazed and confused, 'How much longer will this last?'

The shock of it all frightens my soul: I succumb to my fears (and ask) 'Where will I go?' 

'He won't make it!' They shout! He never comes through. He cares bout' no one, neither me nor you! 

Hold each problem in your heart, don't bother cryin for aid.

He's nowhere to be found, your bed has been made.'

The clock strikes again, as the Second Watch pounds.

Shock and than panic, 'Where, oh where are You to be found?!'

I lament my sorrows, "I have always tried to be good.

Why can't you deliver me, like a good Father should?"

My body is weak, I'm sick to the core. 

I have no strength, I cannot endure anymore. 

The Third Watch begins, 'What more can I do?' 

I have yelled, I have pleaded, I have waited for You. 

I give up, I give in, I see I must do this alone.'

Bitterness crusades me "Do You even want me to return home?"

The storm breaks harder, I walk in the cold.

Then, in the darkness, a small voice takes hold:

'Be still, be still, why doubt His (matchless) love?

There is hope, hold fast...have you really done all the above?' 

The Fourth Watch begins, I submit to my knees, 'Please strengthen me Father, I need Your relief.

I know You listen, I know we have trials.

Mine are especially hard today, will You come walk with me for a while? 

You've waited and waited, now I'm pleading and pleading. 

I have learned from this Father, it is what I have needed. 

With humility and meekness, I'll trust in You instead of me. 

Thank you for this trial today Father, now I know how to better love Thee.'

My heart softly melts, warm comfort fills my soul: 'Well done, dear child, thy faith hath made thee whole.' 

I knew in my heart He was talking to me. 

'I was there the whole time, you just needed to believe. 

Of course I love you, I hear each one of your prayers. 

I rejoice when we talk, and I cry when you are not there. 

You must remember, little one, that I will always love you. 

These trials that you talk of, are there to help you improve. 

When stormy clouds come, great learning is achieved.

It is because of hard things, that you will make it back to Me.'

Always remember that Heavenly Father is there. He loves you, He is watching you, and His plan is absolutely flawless. You will be okay :) just have Faith. 

I love you all! So guess what. I'm taking my own challenge this week :) I'm trying something new. My friend, Hermana Burton is going to cut my hair and then......I'm coloring it. Pics next week :) love yous! 

Your happy missionary, 

Sister Julander 

Sometimes we bike, and sometimes Rachel jumps in our selfie <3 love that girl.

Me and Hermana Burton went shopping and she found a textured shirt the same color as my skirt, so we decided to match for Zone meeting! Luckily I had a shirt that matched perfectly. She's my favorite :) she said we were friends in the pre mortal life. I believe it. Our spirits just knew each other :) #nailedit #missionbestie 

Stop! When was the last time you went to the temple? It's a sign that you need to go. 

Welcome to the Mission!

(There is a sister in the ward that takes Jess and her comp to dinner just about every week. When they do, she texts me a picture. Let me tell you. Jessica is eating well. This week was a corn dog at the farmer's market!)

Family! Good to hear from you like always! I have discovered a method in which I can give a decent response to each of you every week! I hope you enjoy your now filled inboxes  thanks for being patient.

This week has a lot of 'pearls' for me, but I want to share some with you. 

Monday: Miracles! We met with Erica, the woman I was telling you about. We went in and she was like, "So how do I get baptized? Also tell me more about the gift of the Holy Ghost."

My and my companion: 😦

Also, I invited a friend. Door opens, her neighbour comes and sits down.

Me and my companion: 😦

So we start talking to see where she is at. Her response: I've been going to church for five months, I've been reading the Book of Mormon, I'm 13 chapters in, I've visited the Sacramento temple, I recognize the prompting a of the spirit and I want more of that and I want the gift of the Holy Ghost, I have gospel library on my phone, I want to get baptized July 1st. How long will it take to get through these lessons?

Me and my companion: 😦

Let's start at the beginning? So we started with the restoration and she understood everything and continued to bear her testimony. I started to wonder why we were even there when clearly we could get through it much faster. That's when I noticed her friend Julie was hooked on every word and tears were filling her eyes. For the first time, I got to do the first vision in a lesson. A first lesson no less. As I quoted Joseph Smiths account, tears again filled her eyes. She bit her lip and watched me intently. At the end of the lesson, I invited her to read the Book of Mormon. "Will you read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it's true." She looked at the cover and said, "you know, I'm starting to think it might be.." She then related an intense personal experience. Erica, the investigator, quickly pulled out a Mormon message to show her. The very same one I was
thinking of. She showed Julie and Julie cried. She said it was allergies. It wasn't   the spirit was tangible the whole lesson. We scheduled a time to meet again and left.

On the way home, I realized that we were not there for Erica. We had been there for Julie. Julie needed that lesson. She needed to hear from us. Erica was more like a member present. God is merciful.

Tuesday: District meeting! Then we got to Sister Wadsworth house. She is a powerhouse member missionary. I can't even tell you. She is so solid and so eager to share the gospel with everyone. I hope every missionary gets a sister Wadsworth in their ward. Everyone wonders how Davis is so successful. Let me tell you, it's all this woman. We visit her every Tuesday because the missionaries keep her balanced. She has a high functioning autism. You would never be able to tell. You would just think she is super shy.
She is such a spiritual giant. Her spiritual discussions fill up my tank, and she loves the challenges we give her. It's perfect. Anyways, we were at her home and we're having this incredible discussion and I felt my spirits rising. Then she told us her friend Christina was ready to be baptized. ASAP. So she wanted us to meet with her.

Me and my companion be like: 😦

Christina is the friend she has been working on with the gospel. They are super close and Sister Wadsworth has been worried about it and not wanting to step on her friends toes, but she was bold and told her it was time to get baptized. Christina agreed. Sister Wadsworth is successfully helping her quit smoking and other things. We just need to give her the lessons. Sister Wadsworth arranged for us to meet her on Sunday at a members home. Wow. Three solid baptismal dates set. All three found us and basically set their own dates. Miracles.

Wednesday: Exchanges and more miracles. 

Thursday: We exchanged back. 

Friday: My companion got up early and we met west Sacramento at the church. Me and sister Waites comps were companions were going to a meeting in Santa Rosa, while We stayed and worked in Davis. Again, the day was filled with miracles. They stayed the night, though I'm not entirely sure why. It was fun! The next morning they got up and left and we went to work.

This whole week, I haven't wished once to be anywhere else. I still found great joy in the work, and that love grows stronger each day. The only thing I want to do is missionary work. I can't think about anything else. I feel like it comes so naturally for me, that this is what I've been waiting for and missing my whole life. I love you all and I miss you
quite a lot sometimes. The stewardship I feel for Davis occupies my whole heart minus the permanent place that you all live in . I know the Lord can take much better care of you than I ever could, so I feel much better knowing He is taking care of you. He tells me everyday that He has you in His Hands  and I feel it. That's why it is so easy to put my whole attention to Davis and the mission.

I'm reminded of the song, "Savior, Redeemer" there is a line that says,

My joy by day, my dreams by night
And let my lips proclaim it still
And all my life reflect thy will

This is exactly how I feel about my calling as a missionary. The mission has truly changed me. I feel like I'm blossoming into the person I've always wanted to be.

Well, I love you all. There is so much to say, but I hope that helps you somehow. How's the challenge to try something new going?

Remember the Savior! My challenge for this week is this:

How have you seen the Savior in the last 24 hours?


Love,

Your sissy

Sister Julander