SURPRISE

SURPRISEEEEEE

Well last week I wrote and said that I was going to be in chula for another six weeks but that changed! So last week on Tuesday night sister chamberlain and I went to the church and visited a couple people so that she could say goodbye and I was taking pictures of her with everyone and she was crying and I was telling them all that I would be here for another six weeks and such so it was a good night. The next day we work up and sister chamberlain finished packing everything then we went off to the transfer meeting. So for the people that haven't been missionaries when we have transfers they call us on Tuesday and tell us who's getting transferred and then those people pack their bags and we take them to the transfer meeting. If nobody of the companionship is getting transferred then you usually don't get to go to the meeting. The transfer meetings are fun though cause you can see your friends and such so anyways we showed up at the transfer meeting because sister chamberlain was being transferred and at the meetings president always calls random people to share their testimonies or give talks on the spot. Kind of scary but usually the people that are getting called to leadership positions have to speak so sister chamberlain got called on to share her testimony and sister Briggs gave a talk and they both got called as sister trainer leaders (not together different areas) I was so happy though Heavenly Father really blessed me with the best companions on the mission. Anyways the transfer meeting went through and president announces it all and they hug their new companions and the people that get put with their friends get super excited and what not but I wasn't getting transferred so afterwards we hug everyone and we're going to leave and then we pass president and waved and he's like wait sister benavides sister koelliker come over here for a sec. So we walk over and he's like can both of you drive? And we're like yaaaaa and then he's like alright don't leave we have a companionship of two sisters that can't drive let me think about this for a second don't leave. Then he walks away probably to pray or something but we started freaking out that one of us was going to be transferred and such anyways 15 minutes later president and the aps and another set of sisters and sister benavides and I were all in this conference room and president was like "wellll sister koelliker we are wondering if you will serve in Calexico now?" Of course I said yes and he told me to go home and pack and that I could call my recent converts and say goodbye. I started tearing up a little cause I LOVE LOVE LOVE the people of Chula Vista but we left the meeting and I hugged sister chamberlain goodbye then headed back to my apartment to hurry and pack all my stuff that was everywhere and call everyone to tell them that I was leaving too and I was off to Calexico. 

Sooooooo here's the story of Calexico hahaha I'm still trying to decide if it's outer darkness or the promised land haha just kidding it is just SUPER far off from the rest of the mission. It's a two hour drive from San Diego and is literally the middle of nowhere. The temp doesn't drop below 115 and there's a hot wind that burns your face. It's on the border of Mexicali so we can see the Mexican border and everyone speaks Spanish. We aren't allowed to drive to the temple or San Diego so we don't really get to see any missionaries besides our zone. My new companion is sister Avila. This is her last transfer in the mission so I'll be taking over the area. She was born in Mexico but lived it Utah so she's fluent and can help me lots with my Spanish. She's easy going so we get along good we got lots of work to strengthen the area though so I'm excited about that. 

Yesterday we had exchanges again and we focused on inviting people to be baptized. In the mission and in the church sometimes people feel nervous about inviting people to be baptized or inviting people to church or what not because they think that it will make the person uncomfortable or ruin the relationship however inviting our brothers and sisters to make covenants with God is the greatest act of love we can extend because we are offering peace in this live and eternal life in the world to come. So I went with sister Lopez yesterday she's an awesome missionary (I got a second chance on the bikes) haha but we were able to invite 15 different people on the street to be baptized when they come to know that Christ's church and priesthood power is restored on the earth. Just about everyone accepted and it was so cool for us to see how many people have been prepared to hear the gospel and they are just waiting for someone to reach out and invite them. My favorite scripture says "for God hath not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind" I love that scripture because I know God wants us to have faith and act with courage, to obey His commandments and help others do the same. I love being a member of the church and sharing it with everyone!!! 

I LOVE YOU ALL!!! Thanks for the love and support also everyone keep sending pictures because those are my favorite to see what everyone's up to. Love you love you

My Second Home

This week was such a whirlwind I kept going back and forth thinking I was leaving then thinking I was staying. On Sunday I had made up my mind that I was leaving and started shedding a couple tears and thinking that I was saying goodbye to everyone and then I get a call this morning and IM STAYINGGGGGG hahah chula visit is my second home. I realized that I've already spent longer here in this area then I spent in my BYU dorm which is kind of crazy. My trainer is finally leaving :((((( lol everyone thinks it's funny that I was still with my trainer because usually people only stay with their trainers for 12 weeks but I spent 21 weeks with mine..haha I guess I needed extra training. I really am going to miss sister chamberlain so much though she is like a sister to me we will always be good friends and I am grateful that I got to serve with her for so long. 

Every week when I email I forget what happened that week haha but first is a fun little story so I had to go on an exchange with sister short this week because her companion left to go home but they are in a biking area so I was so excited to get to bike for a day. Anyways though we had district meeting and then some members drove us so we didn't actually get to the bikes until like 7 at night. So we get on the bikes and I was just loving life it was so fun beautiful sunset and I thought I was going to crash the whole time cause I was riding a ghetto bike I'm a skirt but it was so fun. So we get to this place and lock the bikes and go to teach and talk to people then at 8:50 we come back to ride them home and the front tire on mine is just completely deflated haha so we go knock a random door and they help us pump it up but the air doesn't stay in at all so there was like a huge leak. So obviously I couldn't ride it. We had to call my companions and Edgar our member to bring his truck and pick up the bikes so we could make it back in time we were all laughing so hard. Lol bike sister fail. First and last day I get on the bike. 

I want to share a scripture that's super popular but that I love in Helaman 5: 12

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

I was thinking about this scripture lots this week and about how we can build a strong foundation in Christ.  So I was studying in preach my gospel and also read some other scriptures that were listed and many of them included the theme of planting a seed in good soil and nurturing it so that it can bring forth good fruit. So I thought to myself how to we plant ourselves or other people in good soil? I was studying and a thought came into my head to look up a conference talk that my grandpa koelliker had given many years ago. Not remembering what this talk was about (because I was little when he gave it) I decided to type his name into the search box and see if I could find it. The talk came up and what he wrote this talk about is covenants. It was an answer to me that in order to plant ourselves in good soil we yield our agency and make covenants with the Lord. In the talk my grandpa said, "..our efforts to live these covenants may often be accompanied by a measure of sacrifice. This sacrifice, regardless of how great or small, often determines how committed in mind and heart we are to be submissive to the will of our Heavenly Father." What I learned from the scriptures and the words of my grandpa is that we plant ourselves in good soil by making covenants with God.  To continuing growing we need to be submissive to the will of the Lord and make more covenants with Him so that we can produce good fruit. I know that we all need to get to the Temple to strengthen our foundation in Christ and be able to be preserved and stand strong even when the storms and the whirlwinds come.

Anyways we are trying to help build our investigators in Christ by helping them be baptized. This transfer I have had to exercise more patience with the people I'm teaching but we have some baptismal dates coming up so I'm super excited.  

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY AMAZING DAD THIS WEEK!!!! I love you pops and wish I could give you a big squeeze but know that I'm thinking about you. 

Also happy birthday to my perrito manny who's having his birthday this week too hahah you two can celebrate together

Good luck to the bros starting school this week. Love you all!!!

Hermana Koelliker

Our investigator Amanda and her boyfriend michell behind me haha

Our recent convert homeboy jr

SIX MONTHS!!!!!

¡¡¡¡HOLLLAAAAAAA!!!!After I wrote you last week I was thinking more about personal revelation and how sometimes in the moment I don't feel like I'm having any crazy life changing experiences but then I look back and realize that the Spirit really is guiding me every step of the way. I was reading this article that my president sends out every week and this is what he put, "At times, however, even after careful preparation and fervent prayer, you may not feel clear direction. As Richard G. Scott taught, when this occurs "You may want to express thanks...for it is an evidence of His trust. When you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision." That helped me realize more about the Spirit and the role that it's played in my life. There were times while I was in the MTC where I was on my knees crying and pleading for guidance and I know that God always answers my prayers. The Holy Ghost has been a Comforter to me all my life and especially on my mission as I have learned to recognize its presence more.

Anywayssss this week we have been studying the Holy Ghost and its role in missionary work because the only way that people will be converted is if they receive a testimony by the power of the Holy Ghost, if they feel something. So in order for them to feel the Holy Ghost we need to teach with the Holy Ghost. This week we had what's called MTE's and we have like a big conference with two zones and president and some missionaries give training and such and then we all go on exchanges. And so I stayed in my area and both my companions left with other missionaries. This was yesterday and with MTE's everyone always talks about how there's so many miracles because everyone is from out of the area and they have a new perspective or what not but yesterday it was a miracle because the investigator that ran away to TJ came back!!! Wahoooo so we taught him and it was so crazy because it was a lesson with four investigators and they were like all fellowshiping each other trying to get each other to get baptized. It was a good week!! The area is picking up and we should have some baptisms soon. Next week are transfers but I'm pretty sure I'm staying cause my comp doesn't know the area well enough. I love it here though so that's good, there's more to be done! 

Everyone listen to the Spirit more this week and try to eliminate the distractions or things that are holding you back from being able to have a better connection with heaven. 

I love you all!!! 

Ps. The first picture is with Hermano Espinosa a member of our ward that always comes out with us hahaha he also always wants to do musical numbers with us so I always play the violin and sister chamberlain sings with him. Sometimes he's a little off pitch but we're working on it hahah

The second is life advice that a man on the street gave us the other day haha