Transferred!!!!!

Dear Davis,

Has the time really gone this quickly? Can you believe it was four months ago that I pulled into town as a brand new missionary. I remember it like it was last night.

I remember the moment I met my trainer. She was walking into the training meeting and she accidentally ran into me. She intimidated me a little bit. She sat next to me, and I remember looking down at the floor and noticing her water bottle. That's all. I was hoping that the other trainer would be mine. When President announced that Sister Ngawharau was my trainer, I was so scared. We got out to the parking lot and she tossed me the keys and asked me to pull around to the luggage. When I got out of the car, I tried to give the keys back, but she said I was in charge of them. I insisted that she take them and she said that I was the designated driver. Panic ensued. The drive to Presidents house was probably some of the most cautious driving I've ever done. After a long dinner, Sister Ngawharau sat with Sister Wright and figured out visa stuff for BYU-Hawaii. I was starting to fall asleep on one of their chairs. After everything, President was talking to Sister Ngawharau and he said, "Now you'd better get headed. You're the farthest away aren't you? In Davis?" We had a two hour drive. The whole way there I was quickly falling in love with Northern
California. I felt at home. I'd never felt so happy and at peace. Sister Ngawharau immediately started to get to know me and started setting goals. What a missionary. We actually first stopped the car in Vacaville. We had to drop some things off at Sister Frees new apartment. That's how I first met her.

That night I walked into our apartment. The night was cool and everything was green because it was April. I unpacked everything and then we must have done some daily planning. The next day, a I started my first official day as Davis 1st ward new sister missionary.

I quickly grew to love Davis. I worked with one of the greatest missionaries I have ever known, and one of the single most inspiring people to my life (outside of my own family). I learned so much from Sister Ngawharau and Davis was the perfect place to learn all about
being a missionary. One of the first people I met was Tiff. We were always at her house. She was a member, and she has a testimony. She was struggling with depression, and the missionaries were her only friends. I quickly came to love our visits with Tiff. We would play with her kids, and clean her house. I would keep the kids occupied while Sister Ngawharau would bake in Tiffs kitchen and all three of us would talk. I remember when we came over once and Tiff had gotten a puppy. Sister Ngawharau named him Bear and the name stuck. We would walk Bear for Tiff. We used to walk with her too. Then she fell down
the stairs and hurt her knee. We also taught Val. That was one of my first lessons. It was in the clubhouse and brother Mortensens and Brother Johnson came to that lessons. We were teaching the plan of salvation. I taught about The Fall. We saw Val so often. Almost every
night. He gave us nicknames. Sister Ngawharau's was 'Bully' even though she is the biggest teddy bear. Mine was 'Sneaky' because we came up to his door once and I was standing behind Sister Ngawharau with my head sticking out. I also remember the times that my trainers
stomach would ache so badly, we had to come home. While she was resting, I would do phone lessons. So many times my trainer would throw me a ringing phone and tell me to share a scripture and teach a lesson. I would have a few seconds to figure out who it was, what
scripture I wanted to share, and what commitment to leave with them. It put me so far ahead of the game. I will forever be grateful to my trainer. My first one was with Sister Wadsworth. I would do phone lessons with her often, and we became very good friends over the phone. I loved talking to her. One night we were at a relief society activity and a woman came up and gave Sister Ngawharau a hug and then she came over and gave me a hug and asked me how I was doing. I asked her what her name was. She said, "I'm Sister Wadsworth!" I was able to put a name to a face and thus began one of the greatest friendships of
my mission.

Me and Sister N taught so much. We easily taught 20+ lessons each week. No one could figure it out. We never ate lunch. We worked straight through. Rachael was waiting to be cleared for baptism when I met her. Her speech was very very slow and she would get off on
tangents a lot. As she continued to grow in the gospel, her speech improved and learning became easier and easier. Soon she was reading the scriptures an hour each day and she completed each assignment we have her. I remember the night that President called and my trainer and I waited with baited breathe to see if she would be cleared for baptism. She was. We high-fived. That was a win. We fought so hard for her. If you want to see how powerful the atonement is and to see how deeply and completely it can cleanse ones life, talk to Rachael. You will never cease to be amazed. Right before Sister N left, we met
Yolanda. I had seen her name so many times, but we had never been able to get ahold of her. She came to church one Sunday. We set a time to come and meet her. I remember my trainer asking if we could come and she wasn't sure. Later, I sat with her during relief society and I talked to her. She was ready for the missionaries. The rest is history. I instantly fell in love with her and her kids. I've even adopted Mario. I call him my son, even though my current companion insists I "can't just adopt other people's children, Sister Julander!"

Hey Davis, remember that night that I stayed up all night to help my trainer pack. That was hard. I cried for weeks. She meant so much to me. The last thing she told me was ,"Go hard, my baby."

After that I was companions with Sister Haefeli. For whatever reason, the area started to quiet down. It took me a while because I'm stubborn, but I realized it was for my companion. That was a transfer of healing. For both of us I think. She was wonderful. The most generous person I have ever met in my whole life. If she had something to give, she would. I learned so much from her, most of which I didn't realize until after. It was very rough in the beginning on my part, but I came around. We ended up being great friends. We laughed so much. I watched her glow back to life. It was awesome. During that transfer we met Erika. She invited Julie and we had the first lesson. For the first time in my mission, I got to share the first vision. I remember Julie holding back tears, and I knew the spirit touched her. She said she was starting to believe this was all true. That was the
first and last time I saw Julie. One day, I hope to meet up with her again. Erika was there only for a transfer. When Sister Haefeli left, it was like she fell off the face of the planet. I haven't seen her since then. That was also the transfer we became best friends with the Hermanas and we did so much together. It was a friendship made in heaven. I remember the night we were waiting for transfer information. We were at Sister Wadsworth's house. Me and Sister Haefeli had become extremely good friends with her and we were often calling or texting or visiting with her. She really moved our work forward.  Sister
Wadsworth was saying how she felt sad that one of us might be leaving, but excited to possibly meet a new sister. She said she wished that she could just collect missionaries! She wished we could keep the missionaries we have, but get a new one! Right after that, our phone started to ring. We told Sister Wadsworht it was transfer info. She asked if she could listen. We called the Hermanas back and they said, "You and sister Haefeli are staying the same and you are staying in Davis!" Excited faces and fist pumps. "you are also getting another missionary! Sister Fernandez!"

Sister Wadsworth was like, "It's like what I wished for!!! I get to keep you and get another missionary!"

Sister Wadsworth is so righteous, she gets whatever she prays for. Ask anybody.

The last transfer was crazy. It totally kicked my butt. Can't lie. I still have to say I'm gonna miss this place so much. I'm going to miss Tiff and Sister Wadsworth and Yolanda and Mario and Madi. Sister Saavedra is awesome though. I couldn't think of anyone better for
Davis. Sister Fernandez is pretty great too  they will work wonders.

I can't go on without mentioning my dear Hermana Burton. We bonded instantly and she is one of my closest friends. We don't even have to say anything to each other most times. We just have to be near each other and we already know how the other is feeling. This is a
friendship for the eternities. We are both certain of it. She is leaving tomorrow, but that's okay. When you meet someone as good and as rare as Hermana Burton, you have to hold onto those ones.

Well Davis, it's been grand. Thanks for all of the adventures and memories. There is so so so much more to say, but I'm going to have to end here. You'll always hold a place in my heart.

Love your happy missionary,

Sister Julander




Dear Willits,

I've heard all about you. Challenge accepted. Bring it on.

Sincerely,

Sister Julander

She wrote a personal letter to her father and I and wanted me to share some of her thoughts on the Sacrament and the Atonement.



Last week during the sacrament, I found I was getting distracted. I
was like, "Ah, I need to focus."

During the sacrament, I usually replay the last days of Christs life in my mind to help me focus. This week however, I felt the question, "How has the Atonement played a role in my life this week?" Came through my head. Suddenly I could see my entire week in my minds eye and I saw just how much the Atonement was apart of my life. It was the only reason I made it through. Through all of the difficulties, the
Savior never once left my side. He was there every single step of the way. Through the good and the bad.

I was amazed at this powerful image. When it was time to take the bread an water, I truly felt ready to be cleansed and renew my covenants and to be a better disciple. I felt the ordinance working inside me.

Yesterday during church, I was ready once again for the sacrament. I was prepared to ask myself the same question I had the week before. I asked myself how I had seen the Atonement the week before and this time the image came much more powerfully. I am nothing without God. Without the Atonement, I couldn't do anything. Literally nothing. I would be a tumble weed in the desert of time, getting blown around. No
purpose, no growth, no chance, no hope, no light. Everything I am and everything I have, I owe to my Savior. When I took the water yesterday, I felt so clean and I felt my slate get washed clean. That was the first time ever that I felt I had even the smallest glimpse of what the sacrament really is and what it means. I really felt myself become clean and I had a new resolution to be better and do better.

The atonement is powerful. Please please please, always remember. Take the sacrament seriously. Reflect. Take those ten minutes each Sunday to totally and completely tap into that power. Your life depends on it.