Hello family and friends!
This week was kind of a crazy week with transfers but it has been good :)
Someone very wise once told me to "take it one day at a time" and that
has been my motto for the week. Sister Erickson and I have been
getting to know each other better this week and she is pretty cool!
She is a recent convert, she was baptized when she was 21 and she is
now 29. She has been out for 14 months and she is really quirky and
fun to be around. :)
So the Ashton Park Ward is so different from my previous wards....the
Mather and Anatolia wards were young families with lots of kids and
the Ashton Park Ward is a much older Ward. Most of the Ward is 60+
years old :) It's great! I love visiting and meeting with the members
because they all have awesome life stories and they are all super
sweet. So most of what we did this week was less active work :) We
visited some less actives and challenged all of them to say their
prayers morning and night. We left them with the promise that as they
focus on the basic principles of the gospel like prayer, scripture
study, and attending church their lives would change for the better.
The nice thing about older people is that you can be blunt and
straight up and they don't get offended haha which is good for me
because well you know me....
One of the active members we visited are the Davidsons and they are
super missionary oriented and they are always talking to their friends
and neighbors about the gospel :) We were actually able to meet with
some of their friends and talk with them about the gospel. So
hopefully that pans out because their friends are a sweet young
family!!
We also have an investigator named Kirk who has been meeting with
missionaries for about 2 years... Haha mainly he just needs to get
married to his less active fiancé:) Along with some other things....
They are scheduled to be married June 25th and hopefully soon after
that he will be baptized :) Yippee another wedding hahaha
This week I have been reading in the book of Alma for personal study
and something that I read the other day that stuck out to me was in
Alma chapter 29 verses 9 and 14
V9 "I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I
do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath
commanded me; yea and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an
instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and
this is my joy".....v14 "But I do not joy in my own success alone..."
I don't know about you but I want so much to be an effective
instrument in the Lords hands! It's also a good reminder to be humble
and give the glory to God and be thankful for what we have. I am so
grateful for the scriptures! I have learned so much from them in the
past 6 months it's awesome :)
Also happy Memorial Day! I am so thankful to all those who defend our
rights and sacrifice their lives for our freedom. I come from some
amazing people who have made a big impact on my life and I are m so
grateful for what they did for the future generations.
Well that's all folks! Have a great week and say your prayers :)
Love,
Sister Munk 😘
Tuesday, May 31, 2016
Wednesday, May 25, 2016
Goodbye Rancho :(
Ok so I don't have a lot of time because it has been a crazy day!
Transfers happened and I got moved to East Sac in the Ashton Park
Ward. My new companion is Sister Erickson from Sandy,UT. We not only
got transferred but we also had to move apartments. We moved into an
elders apartment and so we spent most of the day cleaning. It was
disgusting (to be expected) hahaha elders are gross! The sink and
dishwasher was full of dirty dishes, the garbage was overflowing and
the fridge was full of expired and moldy food. Good times! Anyways so
I am doing great! I am so so sad to be leaving my Mather and Anatolia
family and my cute little trainee Sister Cundick but I am excited for
new experiences and people. :) I get to go back on the 4th for
Spencer's baptism! Yahoo :) Oh ya and I hit 6 months!! What?!? That's
so crazy. Thanks for the fun package mom! sorry this is short but I
have tons of pictures! Love you all and have a fantastic week!!!
Love
Sister Munk
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Every member a Missionary
Hello friends and family :) Nothing too exciting happened this week
but it was still a great week here in Rancho Cordova. We have been
finding and tracting like crazy people. We haven't been having too
much success in the finding department but Spencer is on date for June
4th and he is really excited about it. :) Teaching Spencer with the
help of the Cuttings (a family in the Anatolia Ward) has made such a
difference! Member missionary work really is the best way to do it.
President Hinckley says it best:
“So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone
who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way
is through the members of the Church. Whenever there is a member who
introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system. The
member bears testimony of the truth of the work. He is anxious for the
happiness of his investigator friend. He becomes excited as that
friend makes progress in learning the gospel. The full-time
missionaries may do the actual teaching, but the member, wherever
possible, will back up that teaching with the offering of his home to
carry on this missionary service. He will bear sincere testimony of
the divinity of the work. He will be there to answer questions when
the missionaries are not around. He will be a friend to the convert
who is making a big and often difficult change. … The process of
bringing new people into the Church is not the responsibility alone of
the missionaries. They succeed best when members become the source
from which new investigators are found”
Before my mission I was probably the worst at member missionary work!
I have such a testimony of it now that I am on my mission. Ok anyways
sorry for the long rant...
On Saturday a cute 8 year old little girl got baptized! Her dad has
been a member for about a year and her mom is not a member. So in
order for her to be baptized her parents decided she should take the
lessons and then decide for herself. So back in December when I was
with Sister Wright we would go over and teach her. She is such a cute
little thing! Her name is Bella and she was so excited to get baptized
finally!
We met a girl named Brianda who is living with some less active
members of the Mather Ward and she says she is interested in learning
more :) So hopefully we will be able to teach her!
We also had a specialized training for the whole mission from
President Jardine and the APs on How to begin teaching. It was really
inspiring and made me think about my teaching skills. There is always
something to improve on :)
On Saturday from 5:30-8:30 ok more like 9:30..... The Hermanas, Sister
Starnes and Davis, the zone leaders, Sister Cundick and I got to help
out and do service at the international festival. I guess they have
been doing it every year for a while now and it was so much fun!! We
made bead bracelets with little kids :) I wish I would have taken
pics! They had a sage set up and people from all different parts of
the world performed dances. It was so cool to watch :) Fun Stuff!
Here is an update on our recent converts:
Jeff is still doing great! He comes to church every Sunday and
participates in the sacrament :) His wife isn't progressing very much
unfortunately but we keep praying that eventually she will figure it
out.
Kevin and Sheri are struggling financially but they paid their tithing
and are being faithful to the covenants they made at baptism. Keep
them in your prayers! Sheri went visiting teaching for the first time
Sunday after church :) And Kevin helped with the sacrament again. They
are awesome!
Sylvia moved and we haven't heard from her so we hope she is doing well....
Well that is pretty much all that happened this week :) Sorry this is
so long and boring haha
Oh ya transfers are coming up this weekend... I have been in the same
area for about 6 months now so we all think I am going to leave but
hey who knows! I can't believe I'll be a third of the way done on the
18th..... Crazy! Well I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Love,
Sister Munk
but it was still a great week here in Rancho Cordova. We have been
finding and tracting like crazy people. We haven't been having too
much success in the finding department but Spencer is on date for June
4th and he is really excited about it. :) Teaching Spencer with the
help of the Cuttings (a family in the Anatolia Ward) has made such a
difference! Member missionary work really is the best way to do it.
President Hinckley says it best:
“So many of us look upon missionary work as simply tracting. Everyone
who is familiar with this work knows there is a better way. That way
is through the members of the Church. Whenever there is a member who
introduces an investigator, there is an immediate support system. The
member bears testimony of the truth of the work. He is anxious for the
happiness of his investigator friend. He becomes excited as that
friend makes progress in learning the gospel. The full-time
missionaries may do the actual teaching, but the member, wherever
possible, will back up that teaching with the offering of his home to
carry on this missionary service. He will bear sincere testimony of
the divinity of the work. He will be there to answer questions when
the missionaries are not around. He will be a friend to the convert
who is making a big and often difficult change. … The process of
bringing new people into the Church is not the responsibility alone of
the missionaries. They succeed best when members become the source
from which new investigators are found”
Before my mission I was probably the worst at member missionary work!
I have such a testimony of it now that I am on my mission. Ok anyways
sorry for the long rant...
On Saturday a cute 8 year old little girl got baptized! Her dad has
been a member for about a year and her mom is not a member. So in
order for her to be baptized her parents decided she should take the
lessons and then decide for herself. So back in December when I was
with Sister Wright we would go over and teach her. She is such a cute
little thing! Her name is Bella and she was so excited to get baptized
finally!
We met a girl named Brianda who is living with some less active
members of the Mather Ward and she says she is interested in learning
more :) So hopefully we will be able to teach her!
We also had a specialized training for the whole mission from
President Jardine and the APs on How to begin teaching. It was really
inspiring and made me think about my teaching skills. There is always
something to improve on :)
On Saturday from 5:30-8:30 ok more like 9:30..... The Hermanas, Sister
Starnes and Davis, the zone leaders, Sister Cundick and I got to help
out and do service at the international festival. I guess they have
been doing it every year for a while now and it was so much fun!! We
made bead bracelets with little kids :) I wish I would have taken
pics! They had a sage set up and people from all different parts of
the world performed dances. It was so cool to watch :) Fun Stuff!
Here is an update on our recent converts:
Jeff is still doing great! He comes to church every Sunday and
participates in the sacrament :) His wife isn't progressing very much
unfortunately but we keep praying that eventually she will figure it
out.
Kevin and Sheri are struggling financially but they paid their tithing
and are being faithful to the covenants they made at baptism. Keep
them in your prayers! Sheri went visiting teaching for the first time
Sunday after church :) And Kevin helped with the sacrament again. They
are awesome!
Sylvia moved and we haven't heard from her so we hope she is doing well....
Well that is pretty much all that happened this week :) Sorry this is
so long and boring haha
Oh ya transfers are coming up this weekend... I have been in the same
area for about 6 months now so we all think I am going to leave but
hey who knows! I can't believe I'll be a third of the way done on the
18th..... Crazy! Well I love you all and hope you have a great week!
Love,
Sister Munk
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
Mother's Day
Dear friends and family,
Happy Mother's Day!!! I hope everyone had a great day full of
gratitude for all that our moms do for us :) It was the best Mother's
Day ever for my mom because she got to skype her favorite child ;)
(me) What a blessing it was to see my sweet families faces and
actually hear their voices! Speaking of voices Hayden is a man
now....so that's weird. I truly am so blessed with an incredible mom
who has so much patience and love for each of us kids. I am also
blessed with amazing grandmas and aunts who have made a huge impact on
my life. In one of our wards there was a talk given and the topic that
the bishop have him was "Motherhood is Awesome" as I listened and
pondered his thoughts on motherhood I was overwhelmed with such
humility knowing that my Father in Heaven knew me so perfectly that he
sent me to the right mother at the right time. Not only that but he
has also placed other mother figures in my life at the right moments.
Our Father in Heaven really does know us so individually! In that same
talk he mentioned how our Heavenly Father has entrusted us as women to
care for and nurture his spirit children while here on earth. What a
noble and sacred calling! I can't wait to be a mom! (But I will for at
least 2 years haha)
Jeff and Kevin blessed the sacrament again on Sunday :) Happy Day!
Every time Kevin blesses the sacrament Sheri gets teary eyed and feels
the spirit so strong. In the Mather Ward during relief society all the
men took over nursery and primary so that all the women could be
there. We met in the cultural hall and had Mothering Day :) There are
pictures attached but basically the relief society president is
amazing at decorating and always goes over and beyond but it's
awesome! We had a little brunch and there were some talks on
mothering. It was focused on all women whether they were mothers yet
or not. It was really touching :) Then they read us funny things that
moms say and at first it was all funny but then they got really
spiritual and loving and I cried hahaha thanks for all you do mommy :)
The rest of this week was pretty good :) We only had like 3 lessons
set up and all of them flaked on us. So that was a bummer but we were
able to teach Jobe and Jesse the plan of salvation. Since they are
just waiting on their uncles permission to be baptized they have been
taught everything but we still meet with them :) Anyways this time we
used sidewalk chalk and taught them to plan of salvation while they
helped us draw it. It was so fun!! Then we asked if we could take a
picture and they ran and stood in the celestial kingdom hahaha they
are the cutest!
Oh ya I have to tell you this crazy story! So on Saturday we were
doing service and we were really hungry and for some reason I was
craving a donut. So I told sister Cundick that all I wanted right then
was a super yummy donut and I'm not kidding like 30 seconds later a
guy came up to us with a box of DONUTS! He asked us if we wanted the
box. It was the coolest thing in the universe hahahaha sister Cundick
and I were dying! We kept joking that they were Holy Donuts haha Even
though it was a silly little thing it just strengthened my testimony
that God knows us and he cares about the little things :)
Well I hope that you all have a really fun week :) Send me fun
pictures of your lives! Oh ya and Happy Birthday to Easton and Uncle
Matt! I love you all lots and lots :)
Love
Sister Munk
Happy Mother's Day!!! I hope everyone had a great day full of
gratitude for all that our moms do for us :) It was the best Mother's
Day ever for my mom because she got to skype her favorite child ;)
(me) What a blessing it was to see my sweet families faces and
actually hear their voices! Speaking of voices Hayden is a man
now....so that's weird. I truly am so blessed with an incredible mom
who has so much patience and love for each of us kids. I am also
blessed with amazing grandmas and aunts who have made a huge impact on
my life. In one of our wards there was a talk given and the topic that
the bishop have him was "Motherhood is Awesome" as I listened and
pondered his thoughts on motherhood I was overwhelmed with such
humility knowing that my Father in Heaven knew me so perfectly that he
sent me to the right mother at the right time. Not only that but he
has also placed other mother figures in my life at the right moments.
Our Father in Heaven really does know us so individually! In that same
talk he mentioned how our Heavenly Father has entrusted us as women to
care for and nurture his spirit children while here on earth. What a
noble and sacred calling! I can't wait to be a mom! (But I will for at
least 2 years haha)
Jeff and Kevin blessed the sacrament again on Sunday :) Happy Day!
Every time Kevin blesses the sacrament Sheri gets teary eyed and feels
the spirit so strong. In the Mather Ward during relief society all the
men took over nursery and primary so that all the women could be
there. We met in the cultural hall and had Mothering Day :) There are
pictures attached but basically the relief society president is
amazing at decorating and always goes over and beyond but it's
awesome! We had a little brunch and there were some talks on
mothering. It was focused on all women whether they were mothers yet
or not. It was really touching :) Then they read us funny things that
moms say and at first it was all funny but then they got really
spiritual and loving and I cried hahaha thanks for all you do mommy :)
The rest of this week was pretty good :) We only had like 3 lessons
set up and all of them flaked on us. So that was a bummer but we were
able to teach Jobe and Jesse the plan of salvation. Since they are
just waiting on their uncles permission to be baptized they have been
taught everything but we still meet with them :) Anyways this time we
used sidewalk chalk and taught them to plan of salvation while they
helped us draw it. It was so fun!! Then we asked if we could take a
picture and they ran and stood in the celestial kingdom hahaha they
are the cutest!
Oh ya I have to tell you this crazy story! So on Saturday we were
doing service and we were really hungry and for some reason I was
craving a donut. So I told sister Cundick that all I wanted right then
was a super yummy donut and I'm not kidding like 30 seconds later a
guy came up to us with a box of DONUTS! He asked us if we wanted the
box. It was the coolest thing in the universe hahahaha sister Cundick
and I were dying! We kept joking that they were Holy Donuts haha Even
though it was a silly little thing it just strengthened my testimony
that God knows us and he cares about the little things :)
Well I hope that you all have a really fun week :) Send me fun
pictures of your lives! Oh ya and Happy Birthday to Easton and Uncle
Matt! I love you all lots and lots :)
Love
Sister Munk
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
May 2, 2016
Hey hey :)
I want to start this weeks email with the amazing experience I had
yesterday in sacrament meeting during the Mather Ward. Sister Cundick
and I were walking into the chapel and we looked over and saw Sheri
sitting by the bishops office filling out a tithing slip! A sweet lady
from the Ward was sitting next to her helping her and showing her how
to do it. It was such a neat thing to see and I couldn't help but feel
so proud of her :)
Then we walked in and sat down (there was about 10 minutes until
church started) We were looking for Kevin but we couldn't find him and
then Sheri walked in and sat down. We asked her where he was and she
wasn't sure either. Then like 30 seconds later out walks Kevin, Jeff,
and Bishop Fink from the sacrament room. Kevin and Jeff were able to
bless the sacrament for the first time and boy was the spirit strong!
I cried, Sheri cried, the lady sitting a bench away from us was crying
it was so awesome! The whole time I was sitting there during the
sacrament service I was just so grateful to be there and it was like
the past 5 months flew through my head and I knew it was my Heavenly
Father letting me know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be.
I don't even know what I would be doing if I wasn't here. I'm sure
nothing even close to what I am doing now. I couldn't imagine not
going on a mission! If any of you reading this are thinking about
going on a mission my advice to you is pray about it and take it to
the Lord. Then listen and if you get even the slightest feeling that
you should go, GO! I don't think you could ever regret going but you
can and in my opinion will regret not going. Having a front row seat
of the atonement of Jesus Christ at work is.... Well there isn't
anything else like it.
I just want to leave my humble and simple testimony with you that I
know for a surety, without a doubt that this is Christ's church. He is
the head of this church and only in and through him can we truly be
happy. Not just "happy" but eternally happy. I know that Joseph Smith
by the power of God translated the Book of Mormon and restored the
gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that if you read the Book of Mormon you
too can know for a surety that it is true. It truly does testify of
Christ and we are so blessed to have it here today. I say these things
in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Amen.
Love Sister Munk
I want to start this weeks email with the amazing experience I had
yesterday in sacrament meeting during the Mather Ward. Sister Cundick
and I were walking into the chapel and we looked over and saw Sheri
sitting by the bishops office filling out a tithing slip! A sweet lady
from the Ward was sitting next to her helping her and showing her how
to do it. It was such a neat thing to see and I couldn't help but feel
so proud of her :)
Then we walked in and sat down (there was about 10 minutes until
church started) We were looking for Kevin but we couldn't find him and
then Sheri walked in and sat down. We asked her where he was and she
wasn't sure either. Then like 30 seconds later out walks Kevin, Jeff,
and Bishop Fink from the sacrament room. Kevin and Jeff were able to
bless the sacrament for the first time and boy was the spirit strong!
I cried, Sheri cried, the lady sitting a bench away from us was crying
it was so awesome! The whole time I was sitting there during the
sacrament service I was just so grateful to be there and it was like
the past 5 months flew through my head and I knew it was my Heavenly
Father letting me know that this is exactly where I am supposed to be.
I don't even know what I would be doing if I wasn't here. I'm sure
nothing even close to what I am doing now. I couldn't imagine not
going on a mission! If any of you reading this are thinking about
going on a mission my advice to you is pray about it and take it to
the Lord. Then listen and if you get even the slightest feeling that
you should go, GO! I don't think you could ever regret going but you
can and in my opinion will regret not going. Having a front row seat
of the atonement of Jesus Christ at work is.... Well there isn't
anything else like it.
I just want to leave my humble and simple testimony with you that I
know for a surety, without a doubt that this is Christ's church. He is
the head of this church and only in and through him can we truly be
happy. Not just "happy" but eternally happy. I know that Joseph Smith
by the power of God translated the Book of Mormon and restored the
gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that if you read the Book of Mormon you
too can know for a surety that it is true. It truly does testify of
Christ and we are so blessed to have it here today. I say these things
in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Amen.
Love Sister Munk
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