Solo

This week I entered a place that was filled with desperation and PDA. A place where I felt very out of place as a missionary and as a person. Thats right..I went to the YSA.

My first mistake was having a split that has a boyfriend. I found out very quickly that missionary work takes second place to the idea of an eternal marriage lol. My second mistake was being solo in a YSA. My missionary instincts were kicking in hard. My third and biggest mistake was somehow ending up between two different couples and trying to avoid being whacked by different flailing arms and making myself as small as possible. I think I was so uncomfortable I made people uncomfortable looking at me. During this time I pondered the fact that I had ever been in a YSA and committed myself to only attending Spanish family wards for the rest of my life.

So yeah the YSA has been an experience to say the least but I'm sure we'll figure it out someday (although if I hear one more talk on eternal marriage I'm starting a coup and fleeing the country)

But all in all a pretty solid week!

1- Exchanges

I got to go on exchanges with Sister Hanson and it was a blast! It's been so long since we've been companions (not since the MTC says haha) so it was fun to see the growth we've experienced and reminisce on all thats changed this past year. We also saw some pretty cool miracles.

We stopped by Lorena and her family and followed up on how they were feeling about baptism. Lorena told us they were excited and her and Sergio were talking about how they want him to perform the ordinance. They are willing to do whatever it takes and although they are struggling right now with other things, the ward has really pulled together to help them and it has been amazing to see.

On exchanges we also stopped by this potential we have. I haven't stopped by them a ton before but for some reason that day I kept having this feeling that we should go and visit them. We got there and come to find out they are reading the Book of Mormon, she wants to come to church and they are looking for a church where they can feel at home. It was such a miracle.

2 - Zone Conference

Zone Conference was also this week! I love having the chance to learn more from President Wheeler and see new ways I can improve as an individual and as a missionary. We focused a lot on the devo "100 Percent Responsible" that we had discussed in MLC the month before. I really loved though the training that the Assistants gave. It was all about following an inspired way of planning to really focus on the individual. It has completely changed how we plan now and we really have seen miracles come from it.

3- Lupe

Lupe is doing awesome! He has completely turned his life around and is doing everything he can to be a better person. It has been amazing to watch. He also has been inviting everyone to church and we had such a spiritual lesson with him the other night focusing on the power of fasting to overcome our weakness and trials.


Funny moments:

A pizza guy dropped off some pizza at 10 o'clock one night from Sister Shaffer and they were all scared so I had to answer the door and he kept asking for Kylee (aka Sister Shaffer) so I forged the signature and then the pizza guy called me out on it lol awkward and I tried to hide but had to go back and talk to him

A puppy tried to eat my skirt and I dragged it like half a block but then we picked up a new investigator so vale la pena. 

I have helped with so much math homework recently lol grateful for a dad that taught me how to do math and was patient with me through the awfulness of algebra.

We have a neighborhood peacock we've named Simone that just walks around and was in our backyard and we found out that peacocks don't eat bread that you throw at it. San Tan is an interesting place


A lot happened this week and I remember like none of it honestly. I love being a missionary. I love this work.

Recently I've been studying a lot in Moses and I love Moses 1. In it the Lord teaches Moses who exactly who He is and then He tells Moses who he is. Having this knowledge Moses after goes head to head with the adversary.

What I love about that is that when we have a knowledge of our Heavenly Father and Savior and when we have a knowledge of our divine identity we can overcome those moments of trial and difficulty. We may still be scared or weak but with this sure knowledge we can take them head on.

This is the best thing I've ever done with my life. I love you all!

To the Moon and Back!

Hermana Showalter

Otra Vez

Once upon a time I was in college (this was many moons ago) and it was finals week and I thought I was really tired. Then I became Sister Shaffers companion again and we both wanted to work so hard that we found out what true exhaustion is. I think she may secretly be trying to kill me but is cleverly disguising it. We haven't had a real dinner in like a week haha.

So what I hope you got from that is 1) I am very tired and 2) SISTER SHAFFER AND I ARE COMPANIONS AGAIN!!!! Transfers happened and Sister Shaffer has once again made it down to Queen Creek. We are so pumped to work together especially now that we kind of know what we are doing (lol) and can kind of speak the language (again lol). 

Last transfer Sister Fuimaono and I spent a lot of time finding and our area is literally booming right now because of it. We have people falling out of the sky right now and we are running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to manage it all. Hopefully this next week we will get our feet under us a bit more though. The only thing I wish I had more of was time. We never get to half the things we need to do especially now with a YSA ward to juggle on top of our Spanish one. We share the YSA with our zone leaders and they have four wards and I don't know how they do it. I was called Spanish for a reason for sure. 

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS WEEK:

Daniel got baptized and spoke at the new member fireside and everyone agrees he is the tenderest thing ever and we taught him how to dab.

The Torres Family ( which apparently is the Rivera family...oops haha) is coming back into activity, Lorena had her baby which is the cutest thing ever and Marisol and Lorena committed to being baptized! Sergio is working really hard with Bishop so that he can be the one to do it and I can't say enough how flawless that man's hair is. I just want to write a poem about it or something. It's magnificent.

We had a bomb lesson with Lupe and he committed to pray about baptism on February 24th. He actually brought it up even before we could and is excited about the idea of it all. He's tricky to get in with but comes to church every week and wants it! I also really like being able to talk about art with him (he's a tattoo artist and paints and draws on the side).

We got to go visit with Gloria and recap all our fun times together. It really was so good to see her. If everyone could keep her in their prayers that would be awesome. She's really struggling right now but it's all going to be okay.

It really has been a crazy week but Sister Shaffer and I are so pumped to be back together and so ready to give this transfer everything we've got. I know we are going to see miracles this transfer and I know we already have. The longer I have been on my mission the more I have seen that it truly isn't us that are doing the work - yes we go out and give it everything we've got but it is God that leads and guides us and gives us those miracles and blessings. These past few transfers as I've had to be out of my area more I've seen God taking care of it when I couldn't and it truly humbles me. He knows when we are trying. He knows when we are giving it everything we've got and He blesses us for it. The only thing He asks is that we are out trying, putting our whole selves into this work. I know God leads and directs this work because it is the salvation of His children. No one desires for us to succeed more than He does because no one loves them more than He does. I can testify to you that you have a loving Heavenly Father who is cheering you on, picking you up when you fall, and doing everything He can to help us live a joyful life, which is much different than a happy one. 

I love being a missionary (even when I'm exhausted) because I love my Father in Heaven. 

To the Moon and Back!

Hermana Showalter

Transfer #8

Us and Paola and Vanessa

Like every week it's kind of been a little crazy. Maybe a little more than normal tbh....

But to make a long, crazy story short: we made it out alive, no one is going to be "seeing" the light anytime soon and it all worked out for the best.

Also transfer calls came in and Sister Fuimaono will be leaving. We were both sad but we kind of expected it and we weren't that shocked...until they told me I was getting a YSA ward. CRAZY.

I'm going to be a part time English missionary now...so weird. But I do get to fulfill my mission long dream of going to Florence as the YSA covers that. Now I just need a truck and I can die happy. 

But yeah still recovering haha.

But an awesome week nonetheless! I actually got to stay in my area this week so that was really nice and we still saw a ton of blessings.

Blessing #1- DANIEL

Oh my goodness this man is on FIRE! The first lesson we had with him this week we talked about a date for his baptism. He didn't want to rush himself but when he prayed he felt really good about the 20th. DANIELS GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEKEND EVERYONE. He has changed so much since I first met him. He just smiles and talks all the time. He's still a man of few words in text but it's a work in progress haha.

He also asked us a lot about missionary work and if you had to have something special to do what we do. We were like "no! You just need a testimony!" and he was like "can I do what you do? I've been trying to talk about the church with this person and this person and..." our mouths dropped open. HE IS SO AWESOME.

We literally have had the most spiritual lessons with him recently and he is so ready. He told us "Just tell me what I need to do and I'll do it. I'll read, listen to whatever. I want to feel this way forever." I shed a few tears and couldn't stop smiling. This is a changed man.

He is also going to talk at the New Member Fireside so that is going to be lit 🔥

Blessing #2 - Lucy and Fam

The other day this referral popped up with very little information for this woman named Lucy. I couldn't stop thinking about her and we stopped by a few times with no luck. We had some plans change on us and decided one night to try her door again. We knocked 3 times and nothing and were almost to our car when someone opened the door.

Long story short - THEY ARE AWESOME. They let us in, she rounded up the kids, turned off the TV and we taught the first lesson. Sister Fuimaono and I just kept looking at each other like "what is happening rn?".

But yeah it was a pretty cool miracle.

Blessing #3 - Paola and Vanessa

They are these two girls we have been working with and their progress has been insane. Our ward council actually lost it when we told them they were coming to church and were on date to be baptized. Their mouths I guess were wide open haha.

We've found that showering them in love is really all they needed. I'm so grateful for my old young woman's leader, Sister Nestor, who taught me that. Now they come out of their room and talk to us. We went over yesterday and did all their hair to give them a little confidence boost and it made me feel like I was home doing all my sisters hair. I kind of missed that and it was super fun. Step by step we are getting them!

I love these girls so much. They love 21 Pilots and they like us now #progress

Other stuff happened this week but I don't really remember tbh.

I love this work with my whole soul. I love being a missionary.

To the Moon and Back!

Hermana Showalter




Arizona vs New York…

Or our relationship in 2 photos

"Why don't you love me?"

"Love me"

The Best Companion I've Never Had

Rossy and Kimmy

It has been a week of miracles and it has been so humbling.

I have spent maybe 3.5 of the past 6 days in my area due to exchanges, meetings and different emergencies and it was so hard! I love my area and my people and was worried that things might slow down, we wouldn't be able to find new investigators, etc but the Lord in all his tender mercies decided to show us that it is not us, in fact, that run the world.

In a week where we were able to do very little (but were still trying really hard) He showered us with so many heavenly blessings.

Blessing #1 - ROSSY AND KIMMY GOT BAPTIZED

They had been on date for December and all that week I had been a stressed out mess (lol @ my life in general). We did almost everything we could and everything fell through. This week though there was a spirit of peace and calmness. Even though things weren't finalized until the night before Sister Fuimaono and I had no doubts because God kept telling us "I got this".  It was the nicest feeling I've probably ever had.

Blessing #2 - The Torres Family

I love this family!!! They came to church again this week and my heart just was filled with love for them. The littlest girl came and sat between us and we had such fun trying to keep her quiet during sacrament meeting. They are really starting to become a part of the ward and we are so excited for the progress they have made. Hopefully Lorena and Marisol will get baptized next month!

Blessing #3 - Daniel

The tenderest man ever! He texted us and was like "I got good news" but refused to tell us until the baptismal service (he's a man of very few words). Then he came and was just so excited to tell us about how he has felt the spirit and knows it's true! He was so pumped and then he walked into church the next day and said "I want to get baptized" MY MOUTH LITERALLY DROPPED OPEN. IT WAS A CRAZY COOL MIRACLE. INVITE ALL INVESTIGATORS TO BAPTISMAL SERVICES PEOPLE.

Blessing #4 - Exchanges

I got to go out with two different greenies (young missionaries) this week and we saw some awesome miracles.

With Sister Reedy we talked to LITERALLY everyone we saw. We found them a few new investigators, a ton of potentials and had a blast as Sister Reedy continued to roast me (lol I love her). We came home that night completely exhausted and pumped. We must have had close to 30 quality gospel discussions that day which is truly a miracle. Also an old woman named Renee savagely shot me down and it was hilarious.

With Sister Van Gundy we tracted SO much. We saw some cool miracles as we ran into some people that God definitely put in our path. We had a member stop us as he was talking with a friend, introduce the Book of Mormon, talk about how it can bless his life, how it's blessed his and then be like "but the choice is yours" haha all we had to do was give it to him and make a return appointment!

I love exchanges with young missionaries!

Blessing #5 - MLC (mission leadership council)

Sister Baggaley and I had been talking a lot about how we could help stewardship as we had driven to MLC and then during the different trainings and such it was just a flood of revelation. A lot of it focused on the worth of a soul.

One of my favorite parts was when President Wheeler said  "You cannot understand the worth of a soul without understanding the cost of the atonement".  It is only when we come to understand what Christ paid and suffered for us that we can know, not only our worth, but the worth of those around us.

Blessing #6 - Priesthood

This week I was "slightly" under the weather and being the stubborn person I am I refused to admit to being sick. "You're only sick if you admit it" has become my new motto. I did lose my voice for 3 days and feel slightly worse than good. My companions were probably grateful because for once they didn't have to tell me to shut up haha.

I also thought the elders were going to tie me down or something because I don't believe in staying home. I kept telling them I would rest in 7 months. I did though ask for a Priesthood blessing.

I am so grateful for the blessing of the priesthood. It has given me direction, comfort and help throughout my life and I am so grateful for worthy priesthood holders who God has placed in my path.


It was a blessed up week. I love this work. I love these people. I'm still trying to find out a way to extend forever. I know that this work is guided by God and that we are only the tools He uses. I am eternally grateful for prophets and am so sad to have heard of the passing of our beloved prophet, Thomas S Monson. I know though, that he is continuing the work on the other side.

I love you all!

To the Moon and Back!

Hermana Showalter

New Year, MANY MIRACLES

cute puppy we found tracting

trying to talk to a goat

MIJA (we twinned on accident)

​2017 where did you go?

I started my mission a little less than a year ago and man it has flown. Thus far president has rejected my petition to extend forever but I think I may be starting to wear him down. Only time will tell.

I think there is no better way to start a year then serving the Lord. As we focus on following Him and becoming more like our Savior not only do we make resolutions but we keep them. Christ inspires us to change who we are, not just our actions, and that is a lasting change. I know I've seen it change me. I'm still the awkward individual I was before my mission (lol @ my life) but now I'm a bold, awkward individual who can order her own food #progress

Something I've really gained a testimony of recently is prayer. Sister Baggaley and I had the opportunity to go to another zone in our stewardship and give a training. We met up one night to plan (since we don't live together) and spent 40 mins going in circles. For some reason the spirit kept shooting down everything we had and it just wasn't coming. Then we read D&C 42:14

"And the Spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith; and if ye receive not the Spirit ye shall not teach"

I mean first of all as a missionary its like BOOM ROASTED. And then we just started breaking it down word by word. And we were like "what is a prayer of faith? What is the difference between a prayer and a prayer of faith?" And wow folks let me tell you, prayers of faith are everywhere in the scriptures! It's more than talking to our Father in Heaven. It's a submitting of ourselves to His will and getting up and acting on it. It's the first step in the Doctrine of Christ and NECESSARY as people and missionaries. Miracles come from prayers of faith (check out Helaman 3:26-27).  It was probably one of the most spiritual planning sessions of my life and it has completely changed the way I pray and talk to God. If it's not a prayer of faith I cannot teach and as a missionary, teaching is kind of everything. I just love the scriptures and the spirit!

I also had exchanges with my Step daughter/ Mija Jr, Sister Neahusan. It was full of many fun adventures including but not limited to: us trying to rescue a pregnant goat and her friend, everyone being mean BUT us having a great time preaching the gospel AND killing it at Mesa Lights despite the old white people. Being an evil step mom is the best.

ALSO ROSY AND KIMMY ARE GETTING BAPTIZED THIS WEEKEND! I cried/danced/laughed/partied in the back of our investigators home  as we were watering their plants after talking with their mom on the phone. #MIRACLES

Other stuff that happened: gave a talk and roasted everyone on the atonement, crashed a Spanish fiesta on accident and holy awkward, watched 17 miracles and realized 1000 reasons why I was not born then, ate sushi and reunited with mija, Sister Shaffer.

So pretty great week folks.

To the Moon and Back!

Hermana Showalter

ps pdays are moving back to Monday next week