Week 53: Happy 1 Year Mark!

Well I hit 1 year this week! Where in the world has time gone? It's crazy but I'm so grateful for all that I've been able to do and all I've learned in this past year. It sure doesn't feel like its been a year but I'm super blessed. I've never been happier than this past year!! #blessed
Well this week was great! Valerie got baptized this week! She is so amazing! She had to get baptized 3 times because she kept not going under the water haha but she said she felt super special because of that. It was so funny. She's come so far and she is seriously amazing. I love her so much! She is the best example to me! She was baptized into another church in the past and she said that when she was baptized before, that she didn't feel anything and so she went and got a beer. When she got out of the font after baptism in our church, we asked her how she felt and she said, "I don't feel like getting a beer!" She is so cute.
So we had a great week. It rained a lot but that was great.
This week in gospel principles class at church we were talking about the restoration of the church and how so many people made it possible. We were talking about Christopher Columbus and how he was very important in the restoration of the gospel. The teacher shared this quote by him:
"God gave me the faith and afterwards, the courage." -Christopher Colombus.
I love that! We have to have faith in God and then he will give us the courage and strength we need. I can promise you that!
Have a great week!
Love you!
Sister Tracy

Week 52: week of miracles

Oh man people. I know how much I say this, but this week was the best week ever. First of all, it started with me and Sister Kastner staying together! so unexpected but the greatest surprise of ever. we were so happy.
We went and talked to our investigator named Scott this week. And he went and read 1/4 of the Book of Mormon in one night! And then he told us he tried to come to church but turns out he actually went to the wrong church. He turned out at some jehovah witness church hahaha we laughed for days.
We got our investigator, Aaron on baptismal date for August 13th! It was amazing and he is making so much progress. We are so excited for him and the changes he is making in his life.
ALSO, one night, maybe a month or two ago, we were getting in our car to go home. And we look out the window and we see this guy and we look at each other and jump out of the car because we both knew we needed to talk to him. So we jump out of the car, we don't have anything with us and we just stop this guy named Jackson and talk to him. So we taught him a couple times and then we passed him off to YSA and he got BAPTIZED on saturday and we got to go and give talks! It was an incredible experience and he was so prepared!!!
Then, another cool experience. We were street contacting a bunch in this big park this week. So we're there for a while and then we decide to get going. So we hop on our bikes and start riding away. And as we're riding away, me and this guy, maybe late 20s? make eye contact and then we keep riding. And as we're riding away, I can't get this guy's face out of my head and I get this sick feeling in my stomach, the further away I get! I had this mental image of us in heaven and him coming up to me and asking me why I didn't talk to him. So I slam on my brakes and call Sister Kastner back and we go back and talk to this guy. His name is Dylan and he's so nice. He's really open and it turns out his mom tried to commit suicide this week and so we were able to help him and gave him a Book of Mormon and it was incredible. And I felt soooo much better after we talked to him! The Spirit really does lead us. Just follow it, okay? You'll feel so much better!
Hope y'all have a great week! I love you all!
Sister Tracy

1. with a plant hahaha
2. wearing our hair nets after we helped package food for children in Haiti!
3. at the baptism!
4. and again!
5. here's to 6 more weeks together!

Week 51: birthday week

Well this week was awesome!
We got to do lots of service for people and wear old woman clothes. That was super fun.
Also I had my birthday this week so that was awesome. I have the best companion in the whole world. She got up at 5 am to decorate for my birthday. Oh man I love her. Also I got to go to Texas Roadhouse for my birthday with a member and I got to eat a steak and it was the best day of my whole life. I love steak. We got to have 2 zone meetings and that was great.
All right so best story ever.
We stopped by this man's house. He was only semi interested and so we start to talk to him more. And we talk about the Book of Mormon and he became super interested. So he said that when he drives past our church, it makes him happy. So he said he wants to come to our church. And when he told us he wanted to come, he asked what to wear? We told him that most people wear white shirts and ties. And he was like a black tie? and we were like any colored tie. and he was like REALLY HOW PROGRESSIVE!!!!! hahaahah it was hilarious. so we're hoping to go back and see him this week! he was awesome!
my favorite scripture this week:
"If thou art sorrowful, call on the Lord thy God with supplication, that your souls may be joyful."
-D&C 136:29
Amen. God can give us all we need!
LOVE YOU ALL!
Sister Tracy

ALSO PEOPLE ME AND SISTER KASTNER ARE STAYING TOGETHER!!!!!!! 3 TRANSFERS TOGETHER! ALSO 6 MONTHS IN THE SAME AREA. #BLESSED.
LOVE YOU ALL. GOD IS GREAT

Week 50: HAPPY 4TH OF JULY #BLESSED

WELL I AM SO GRATEFUL TO LIVE IN THIS COUNTRY AND TO BE SO BLESSED. GOD IS GREAT. AND AMERICA IS GREAT.
Well this week was pretty good! We did lots of finding and got to talk to TONS of people which was awesome. Our investigators are all kinda on the struggle bus but that's okay! The time will come that it will all work out and they will get baptized. I really came to realize this week that the Lord's work will be done in His way so as long as we do our part, it will all work out.
I've also learned that God will guide us to where we need to be if we will just do it! We saw that a lot this week that God leads us to who we need to talk to. Sister Kastner said that we should bike a different way home one night and I was like okay sounds good. And we ended up contacting this lady we've been trying to contact for weeks and she was interested and invited us back! #tendermercies. God truly does prepare a way.
best part of the week though, we got to go hiking in this beautiful canyon on the 4th of july. I've never been happier and it was so fun. I felt like a baby goat hahha oh man it was great. Colorado is so beautiful and God truly did  create the best world for us to live in. #blessed

ps we got matching bike necklaces to wear while we bike. too cute.

Week 49: 11 months #whatishappening

Well this week I hit 11 months and that is craaaaaaazy. Time is flying.
We had a great week. It was a little slower but things all worked out! We got to do a ton of service this week and it was awesome. We were out doing yard work for like 3 hours in the middle of the day and MAN was it hot. But the mom, who isn't a member was like, "I'm so glad you came but most of all, I'm so glad that you want to be here! I can tell that you are so happy to be doing this!" And I was just like of course! Its the best! So its been great.
Funny story from this week: we were biking a TON this week and we had to cross through this huge field but we didn't want to ride our bikes through it because then we would get these satanic little thorns called goatheads in our tires and it pops them and they've been popped one too many times. So we decided to carry them through this field and then back and man were they heavy but it was soooo funny hahaha
We went on exchanges this week and that was fun!
Valerie came to church this week for the first time and we were SO HAPPY. She loved church and assured us she would be back next week!!
Also, Richard and Diane should be baptized this weekend and we're so excited! Pray for them that all will work out there! they are the best.
I really came to know this week how much God loves us. I love Elder Holland's talk from the last conference. I love this quote:
"My brothers and sisters, the first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—that’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity, and it should be the foundation stone of our daily life. Indeed it is only with that reassurance burning in our soul that we can have the confidence to keep trying to improve, keep seeking forgiveness for our sins, and keep extending that grace to our neighbor."
Never forget how much God loves you and that I love you too!
Sister Tracy

1. a large jar of chocolate someone gave us. #blessed.
2. CHICKEN
3. she's so cute
4. accidental twinning on exchanges
5. CARRYING OUR BIKES

Week 48: happy fathers day!

Hello from hot Colorado! Man has it been sweltering the last couple days. But its the best and Colorado is the best. I've come to the conclusion that Colorado really does have the best sunsets. #blessed.
We had zone p day this week and we played capture the flag with pantyhose filled with flour and then we made ice cream in a bag and that was awesome.
We did a ton of tracting and street contacting this week #thebest
Best moment was when we walked up to this mansion with a lion door knocker and when the kid opens the door I was like, "oh my gosh i love your door knocker! it reminds me of daniel in the lion's den! what do you know about prophets?" then we taught the restoration right then and there haha i couldn't stop laughing. I love being a missionary.
We got our investigators, Richard and Diane to come to church and they stayed for 2 hours! #progress. They really enjoyed church. And the best part is, Diane said she is really looking forward to her baptism on July 2nd! We're so excited for them!
And Aaron came to church which was great. He is so awesome.
Happy Father's Day to the greatest Daddy in the whole world plus his birthday tomorrow! I am so blessed to have the most wonderful example of a father in my life. Along with Father's day, I've been thinking a lot about how blessed we are to have a Heavenly Father who loves us more than we can even comprehend. He cares about what we care about and is just so perfect.
I love this quote: "Of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that are given to Deity, He has asked us to address Him as Father."
He truly is our Father - never forget that relationship! Hope y'all have a great week!
Sister Tracy

1. biking for days
2. zone p day!
3. happy flag day on exchanges!
4. prettiest companion
5. when you live on a dirt road.
6. cutest little girl ever

Week 47: those tan lines though

This week was so great. Its finally summer here in Colorado and its getting so warm and its so great. We've been spending every second outside and oh man am I getting tan. the missionary tan lines are too real. my toes are so white and my farmers tan is the WORST. and its so funny. I love the weather out here. Colorado is too beautiful.
So this week was so great. We had zone conference this week and that was awesome! We also went on exchanges which was super fun.
So some really cool stories this week. So our investigator, Valerie, she told us this week that she got her answer and that it was no. So we met with her again and helped her resolve her concerns and then she committed to continue to keep the lessons. At the end, she was like, "I was fully intending to give you back your book and walk out. But you changed my mind. I can't do it. God knew how much I love young girls like you and so He sent me you." And we were so happy! We just wanted to cry. and THEN. She fasted that she would get her answer and we fasted with her and she got her answer that the church is true!!!! And she committed to be baptized on July 9th!! It was such a tender mercy! I love her so much.
Then we had our investigator who we've been teaching, named Aaron, come to church this week! It was such a miracle! He loved church and by a tender mercy of God, he already knew people at church and it made it so awesome. He is getting baptized on July 9th as well!!!
So it was awesome because there was this HUGE carnival thing here with rides and booths and food. And the church had a booth there! So me and Sister Kastner made a board explaining the Plan of Salvation and we just talked to everyone at this crazy place. It was PACKED but it was so fun. We got to talk to so many people and found some new people to teach! It was super great.
My favorite quote of the week: "To those within the sound of my voice who are struggling with difficulties large and small, prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace. Miracles are wrought through prayer." -Thomas S. Monson.

Hope y'all have a great week!
I love you!
Sister Tracy

pictures:
1. trying to fix my bike in the rain. i fixed it, so no worries :)
2. ice cream to celebrate sister kastner's 1 year mark
3. exchanges with sister larson
4. our pride and joy
5. our booth
6. i have the prettiest companion