Alma 26:5

Pres Hansen & Sister Beckstrand

Sister Beckstrand at the Memphis Temple

Playing with Sis Beckstrand's long hair...

This week was so good. I loved it! On Monday a member took us to explore Downtown Memphis, that was so fun. We had a blast.

Tuesday was my last District meeting, and we all shared spiritual experiences. It was so good. Pretty much every story from the elders was a time they had given a blessing. It is so inspired to send young men new to the priesthood out to teach about it, and to have such amazing opportunities to use that power to help others. It is amazing. Also, I had my last exchange! I went to Walnut Grove with Sister Povey and Sister Anderson stayed in Bartlett with Sister Ellis! STL exchange, a new thing! It was fun, and it rained! I love the rain here!!  So fun. Sister Povey is amazing!

On Thursday we had Missionary Leadership Council in North Little Rock, wow, it was so good. And I just keep having my testimony of President Hansen grown every time I meet with him. He is so close to the Spirit! Everything was amazing.

Miracle
8:45 at night we have to drop off these cookies at our investigators (M's) house. So we run up to the door to drop them off, and she invited us in for a minute. We came in, and met her friend (W) who was over, and W mentioned a text we'd sent out a couple days earlier to M. She said that when we sent it at the perfect time, she has been stressed about things, and it was exactly what she needed to hear at that moment. (Something about Fear not and seeking the kingdom of heaven first, it was good.) So we got to talking and then started spontaneously having the first lesson with her. It was crazy because Sister Anderson had to focus on talking to M so she didn't keep moving the conversation away from where it was going, and hen I focused on talking to W and answering her questions and all the answers were in lesson one! It's so cool, because most of people's questions have to do with the answers that come from lesson one. It was incredible because W asked if we could set a date right then for her two sons to be baptized. And we set a return appointment to come back an officially teach them the lessons. Then we drove home as fast as we could while keeping to the speed limit. That was one of the most amazing lessons I've ever been in, and it was all because we were bringing cookies to our investigator! I love my life!!

To top it off, yesterday our recent converts were finally able to make it to church (they had missed the last three weeks due to being out of town, sick...) and the young man was able to receive the priesthood!!! It was amazing! His family is so beautiful! I love Bartlett!!

A scripture that I found a little bit ago, maybe last week, that I just loved: Alma 26:5, "Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted."

I though it was so beautiful! It connects so well with D&C 4, one of the scriptures I have been quoting my whole mission. This has been a beautiful and wonderful experience. I have learned so much. One of the most important things I've learned is the why of the gospel. The why of everything, and I would not trade it for anything! I love the Gospel! I love the Bible and a Book of Mormon! I love my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I love it all! And I know it is true.

Love y'all!
Sister Kimberly K. Beckstrand
Sister Beckstrand

Note the change in her signature? I did. She's on her way home!!! She's at the mission home now, and will be flying home tomorrow!

Wahooo!!!

Outgoing missionaries with President Hansen

Sis B & Sis Ellis saying their farewells - Love you!

Love y'all! Goodbye!

Sister B with one of the Mission Mamas,
Pat Baker Christensen from Millington

Outgoing missionaries got to go to the temple today!

We'll get to hug you in a few hours, Kimberly! Lots of love, Mom & family

Once upon a time there was a really happy story and something really happy happened!

Hey, sorry my email didn't make it last week, there was terrible internet connection, I'll send it after this. 

Anyway, I've been transferred!!!! I'll miss Mountain View like you wouldn't believe, but I'm excited to learn the new area. I'm also leaving Sister Lloyd behind. And I'm whitewashing. Again. My new area is Otter Creek. It's in Little Rock, or somewhere near there. I don't know yet! Also, my new companion is Sister Fifield. And this is an ASL area. And she is an ASL missionary. And I don't know if my mission language is being changed or not, but I'm in an ASL situation now! And I'm so excited to be able to sign again! Ok, so we also have a bit of an advantage, Sister Fifield has been here before, but the teaching pool is going to be very different. So still a whitewash, but we have information.

This week was great. We had a really good district meeting. Some reminders on things that we can improve on in our teaching. And fun moments as a district. And then we had interviews with President. It was a good day. There were so many wonderful people there I am so sad to leave. We were teaching so many amazing people that were so prepared for the gospel it was so wonderful to be part of their lives as they embraced the gospel.  It is a privilege to serve here and be able to help people come closer to Christ. It's a beautiful thing! 

It was a fun week. 

Love y'all! 

Kimber

Happy New Year 🎆

Happy new year!!

Also, I've been transferred.

And I'm sick.

So, holiday + transfers + illness equals very little time and energy for emailing. So sorry, but this is going to be short.

My new year was great, it was just a normal day. Nothing changed but the date. 

I'm headed to the Searcy zone, on the Arkansas side. My new area is called Mountain View. My companion is Sister Lloyd. I think that's spelled right. 

Anyway, lots of changes. It's been fun, I'll miss Memphis, but Arkansas is great too. 

Love y'all!

Kimber

Sister Beckstrand

Poor thing! I think I knew she was being transferred today - I just sensed it.  It was awesome though, being able to Skype with her last week on Christmas Day. She is so mature, so positive, so committed. She's wonderful!

Transfers and temples!!!!!

Hey, so not a lot of time today, but a lot has happened this week. First, and best, I got to go to the temple today!!! It was amazing. And the Bartlett temple is gorgeous. And tiny. I loved it!

Then, I got transferred!!! I'm in Millington, Tennessee now. My new companion is Sister Ellis. She's from Arizona, near Phoenix.

It was a fun time in Sherwood. We had a day exchange this week with Sister Decker and Sister Hirschi. I got to spend all day with Sister Decker, and we had a great time. We had so many lessons that day it was incredible. All transfer it has been hard to do work in Sherwood. We didn't have a lot of interested people to teach, and that day it all turned around. From that point on we have been busy busy with people to see. It was really fun.

We had Sister Forsyth with us this week, she was really fun to be with. She also helped a lot with some lessons that would have been rally tough without her. She is super cute. I like her. I'm really going to miss her and especially Sister Esplin, but I'm excited to start working in this new area and get to know the people here. It's going to be a great week!

Love, Kimber
Sister Beckstrand

The threesome before transfers...

Four generations!!

New area, new comps, old comps and BED BUGS!

This week has been crazy!! A week ago I was packing up my stuff and heading up to the church.  I met Sister Evans (from Bountiful, Utah) at the church before we got in the car. She is super cute. Even shorter than I am. Turns out this is her last transfer. So our greenie I and I will be killing her.

Then we went to Little Rock. I got to see Sister Hirschi there, and she will actually be my sister training leader! I'm really excited about that. We did splits that night because there were so many people without companions. There were 20 missionaries that just came out. It was cray. Then on Tuesday we got our greenie!! Her name is Sister Esplin. And she is from Farmington Utah. She is so cute! And so excited to do missionary work. I have the best companions. We are already really
good friends.

New missionaries & their comps - Can you find Sis B? Check out the mission pres & his wife...

This week has been extra crazy for us because besides the training and orientation for the new missionaries this week, when we went to our new area (which Sister Evans has been in this ward before, so it's not a complete pink-wash, but pretty close) we couldn't go to our apartment. First, we learned on about Tuesday that our apartment has bed bugs in it. Then all week long we have been checking up on it and waiting to hear back that they were gone. As far as we know, there are still bed bugs there. Sister Evans just came from an area at had bed bugs, and she had just gotten rid of them, only to come to a new apartment that has them, so we were having none of that. We stayed the first night at a members' home and then the mission got us a hotel room. So later today we are going to go to the apartment and do a lot of cleaning to get rid of anything, and the exterminator should come in a few days.

So, lots of drama in the first week. Not to mention that because we are all coming from different areas, and there are three of us, all our luggage doesn't even begin to fin in the car with us, and the hotel room is pretty small, so half of our stuff is at the members home that we stayed with the first night.

But, on a good note, this area is so amazing! Our first night here we had a Relief Society activity about making family mission plans. Then we had a member out with us our second day. And on Sunday there were so many members that were so eager to go out teaching with us. They were all really excited to have Sister Evans back. This ward is going to be incredible. Also we have some pretty cool investigators that we are teaching. And there is one guy that we found our first day that we went back to see him and Sister Esplin totally invited him to baptism and he accepted!! She did so good. There are so many promising investigators, and we've already had some productive proselyting. This is going to be a great area.

Also, we definitely got caught in the rain on our second day, and we were totally soaked! Completely through. It was so fun! And the thunder and lightening was really exciting. We just walked down the road getting soaked and sang hymns and the mission song. It was so very fun. We had the biggest smiles and it was hilarious to see the expressions of the people passing us on the road. I love being a missionary! We get to be so weird.

If there are any questions I'll answer them, as long as they are within my hour of emailing, otherwise you'll have to wait until next week to get the answers you want.

Love Kimber

Sister Esplin, Sister Evans, Me!

Isn't our baby so cute?!

I got to see Sis Fogg!!

Sister Havran, me and Sister Wilson, I'll remember them fondly!

Btw, I made tuna fish casserole a couple weeks ago, if I haven't told you yet...

My last week in Southaven...CRASH!

Most of our family was on Trek M-W of this week, including the normal delivery of Kimberly's email. I decided to take my phone, but kept it off most of the time, but we got to read her letter Mon night. :)
 
This week was full of goodbyes and craziness. One of the most exciting things that happened this week was when we went to serve on of our investigators and pulled her weeds for pretty much an hour and a half.  We were all soaked with sweat, it was so hot. It was so gross. But we had a ton of fun. Then she demanded us let her take us to dinner for that, and since we didn't have a dinner and out next appointment canceled we said ok. We were going to follow her to the restaurant, so we backed out and parked to wait for her to back out of her driveway, and on her way other [another driver?] backed into our car!!! The passenger side door hinge was crunched. The door no longer opens all the way. So we had to call that in and take care of that. We didn't have to call the police because it wasn't a crash of any sort. But it was reported and we exchanged information and then we went to dinner. It was really good.  Yummy food, and pretty funny because of the little crunch of the cars. It was great.

Then we went and helped one of our investigators get a blessing. She was deaf, so Sister Havran had to interpret. It was so cool. I love it when investigators get to see and participate in priesthood ordinances. It was great.

Another day we did service at the old folks home here and helped do puzzles with the people there. It was really fun. Apparently I like puzzles a lot. We saw a lot of people this week and said goodbye to a lot of people. We got to see he two newborn babies this week and say goodbye to the families. I really love all the members in Southaven. They were so sad to see me go.

We had so many investigators and less actives we have been working with at church yesterday. It was great. There were 5 investigators and like three less active families that came. It was crazy and incredible. So fun. Then we had to go home early last night so I could pack. It was so crazy, and I had so much to do, but I did get to bed at least close to on time. This week has been crazy. I'm going to the mission home today with my new companion Sister Evans, and we'll get our new missionary tomorrow. It's so sad that I have to say goodbye to my two wonderful companions Sister Havran and Sister Wilson. I love them and I'll miss them. They are both the best.

Good luck to y'all on trek. Tell me all the stories. Love you guys!
Love Kimber

Look at me being all healthy!

I figured you might want some proof of my time there ;)

 This week was pretty busy. Monday we played volleyball as a district for 4th of July. It was really hot. We were invited to have dinner with the Johnsons who just moved here from Utah. Tuesday we had district meeting (because last week I was in the hospital so it didn't happen). It was walk week. Sis Parr took us to our next appointment and took us out to eat. Later that night Sister Pursur came with us to a couple people, and she also took us out to dinner, so that day we had two burgers. They were really good, but then we had to stop eating garbage. Wednesday we walked to Sister Pursur's and did some cleaning for her (Sister Wilson and I got really sunburned on that walk). Then we went to a dinner at the Lifforths, who also just moved into the ward. We got to go to ASL class this week, it's been a long time since we've been able to go. Also, to correlation, which has also been a while due to my being sick the previous week. On Thursday we had zone meeting. It was really good, and I learned a lot of stuff, lots of encouraging things. That evening we went to an investigator's house and Sister Havran cut the mom's hair while we talked . Then she gave us a ride to our next appointment. On the the way though, we found a couple dressers on the side of the road that we really wanted because the furniture in our apartment is pretty sad, so she helped us get it, but it had to stay at her house for a couple days.  Friday we walked around close to our apartment, and we found some pretty cool people. Also Bronzie drove by and gave us a ride to the people we were trying to see. Bronzie is so cool, I really like her. On Saturday we helped a member pack up her house for a while. That was fun. Then we were with one of our young women all afternoon and just went all over. She is so cool, she is thinking about a mission, but she's not sure yet. Then we went and taught a lesson to a little girl in the ward who is about to turn 8. Then we had dinner with a less active family. That night the Elders picked up the dressers in their truck and brought it over. All week we've been moving things around in the apartment to make it look more like a home than a hotel room. With the new dressers and a rug the elders didn't want it looks a lot better. It was really fun. So, no hospitals this week. That was a plus.

Also I had the best thing happen Sunday morning. I was in a meeting and we were about to wrap up when I looked behind me and saw Marie White!! My cousin!! It was crazy. Quite the pleasant shock. We had a lot of fun talking and catching up. The ward had fun meeting her and her husband, David. (David served his mission in the ALRM mission years ago, so on their roadtrip this summer they wanted to take in some of his old areas, including Memphis - and they decided to go to church in Kimberly's ward!). Then the rest of the day we had amazing lessons and lots of fun.

Sister Beckstrand with cousins, Marie & David White

We got these by text from Marie during our own Sacrament Meeting! Thanks, Marie!

Today had been an interesting day. We just finished playing volleyball as a district again, we also invited a couple others to play.

This morning we got the email that has the list of leaders and trainers for the next transfer. I'm training!! Trio training with Sister Evans, and we are pink-washing an area called Sherwood, (in Arkansas,) in the North Little Rock Zone. And Sister Hirschi is going to be one of my Sister Training Leaders. So, many changes starting next Monday.

I'm definitely freaking out a little bit, but I know it will all work out. I'm going to miss it here in Southaven. I love it here. I love all the people, but I know that God is in charge, and he's just giving me more people to love.

 Here's to me growing!!!

(Response to my quick questions back to her: Um, I'm not sure I'll be senior comp, we'll be in a trio and get the new sister on Tuesday next week. Don't know her name yet. And pink washing is basically whitewashing, like I did when I first got here where both of us were new, but we are replacing elders so it's "pink" washing.)

Look what I had for breakfast a couple days ago...

I also had fresh tomato toss a couple times. So good.

We had to throw him out. :( Goodbye Phil. :'(

Transfers...boo hoo...

This has been a really good, and super crazy week. Last week we got the call that Sister Hirschi is leaving and is going to trio train. She was going to have all week to say goodbye to everyone and pack up her stuff. Then Wednesday morning Elder Cunningham called and said that because the companions of the sister she's training with are going into leadership positions she needed a companion right away, so she has to leave Thursday morning. So we tossed all our plans for the day and started texting people to be able to visit them so she could say goodbye. We ran around all day, packed everything that night, and sent her off with a member because we had to go to a teaching appointment that day morning. We were all very sad about it. Then I was made the designated driver. And I had to drive everywhere. I don't really know the area at all, even though I've been here since January. (This, our directionally challenged daughter!)

Oh well. We were super stressed all week because we knew Sister Hirschi was going, and then she did leave, we had to do everything without her all of the sudden, and we still weren't sure if either on of us were staying or going. But, we made it through. We got hold of ourselves and did it. Then we found out both of us are staying, and we are getting a new companion. We picked her up today, her name is Sister Wilson. I like her. This will be a fun transfer. Starting with walk week. We had a member take us shopping today, and she is totally one of my favorite people. I love the members here!! We got to see Sister Hirschi today when went to pick up Sister Wilson. That was really exciting. I also go to see Sister Pochop, which was also pretty exciting. So many exciting things today.

That's us, figuring out how to missionary without Sister Hirschi

It's been a crazy week. And a good one. I love all that people here. I'm so excited I get to stay and continue to love these people and get to know hem even more. there are so many people we are teaching. This week we walked into an investigators home and they told us that they had been organizing their closets separating their regular cloths form their church clothes. That was so cool!! They really love church. It's been so good this week.

Love Kimber

I made it!!

I'm officially here. In Arkansas. I made it!! My trainer is Sister Herschi (like the chocolate bar). She is really nice and super fun to be around. Apparently we are "whitewashing" our area. Which is both of us are new to the area. This area was an ASL area before we were transferred in. So I might be able to learn some ASL while I'm in that area.

I am seriously soooooo exhausted, getting up before two, and then flying all day. I'm a little lightheaded from all the new things that are happening. But this is where I need to be.  I'm excited to be here. I can't wait until all I think about is being here and wanting to have more time before I go home. 

Dad, thank you for all the years that you taught me things, about how to talk to people, your stories about you mission, and just helping me learn how to read the scriptures during family scripture reading. It has come in very useful. Thank you!!!

I love you all, Kimber

Another letter! PHONE CALLS and she's on her way to Arkansas!

Got another snail mail letter in yesterday's mail. Woot! (I think she thinks she has to respond to every letter written to her, and I've taken advantage of dearelder.com while she was in the MTC, since they will print any letter you type up on their website by 12:30 p.m. and deliver it to the MTC that same day for free. I sent her letters about every other day that way. That will slow down once she's out in her area...)

Speaking of  heading to her area, she flew off today for Arkansas! She called us this morning at 6:00 a.m. from the SLC airport, and everyone joined us in our bedroom to listen to her; my phone battery needed charging. Everybody who lives in the house got to talk to her - the timing was JUST right! She challenged the boys to get to the MTC as quickly as possible and how wonderful it was, and when asked if there was anything the boys could do to prepare for the MTC, she said, "Read the BofM again, and study Preach My Gospel." Hmm, I wonder where I've heard that before?! Then in the middle of the day during a little layover she had in Atlanta I got to talk to her again for a short three minutes between my classes. That time she said that everything that Dad has been talking about her whole life - all his lessons on influencing others, discussing differences, how to share gospel truths that are controversial, keys to conversion, etc., etc. ... she has found are all extremely useful and practical now, and she's not even out in the Bible Belt yet! It was awesome! She said she will have to write him a special letter letting him know just how helpful it has been. Now we hold on until Mothers' Day to talk to her again.

Okay, on with the letter!

21 January 2016

 Mom

I had a very interesting day yesterday. It was Pday, and I did get to email you and tell you a bit about my week. But the really funny things happened right after I emailed you. I was in the laundry room with the rest of my district. I had just put my whites in and it started when I realized that I left my missionary handbook with my ministerial  certificate and my temple recommend in a pocket of one of the skirts I had just put in there. I started to panic. The door would not open, it was locked. I could see it in there swirling around with all my clothes. I sort of collapsed next to it on the floor in a mixture of panic and laughter. Despite the loss of the book, it was hilarious. Then after it finished washing I had to shake paper out of all my clothes. There were giant paper wads too. The handbook was destroyed. (Easily replaceable.) My ministerial certificate was sort of shredded on the edges, but most of it survived. My recommend is just fine. Just wrinkled since it dryed. I never got a chance to finish drying my clothes because we had to go to class.

Then in class when we had a study hour, Sister Fogg and I went out into the hall to study, and she had to go back into the classroom to get her pen. I said ok, and continued marking my scriptures. I sit there for a minute, and realize that my companion just walked down the hall and into the classroom and I'm still sitting there, so I ran with my pen in one hand, cap in the other down the hall and into the room. We spent another few minutes before we could get down to work. (Laughing, as usual, I guess.)

We laughed a lot yesterday.

We got to go to to choir on Sunday, and sing in it in the Tuesday night devotional. We sang, Consider the Lilies. It was wonderful. I was thinking that I would love to have that album, but I don't want to buy it. Would it be possible for you to send me a copy of the one you have? It would be really good to listen to the MoTab sing it.

Also...an errand she wants me to do for Sister Fogg...

It has been a lot of fun. There are tons of classes and our schedule is full all day, every day. I never really have time to just sit and think, which is ok, I'd probably panic a bit more than I can as busy as I am.

I love how I get to really study the scriptures here. I never really wanted time to read it before coming here. I love wanting to read.

I know that it is going to be really hard, but I am excited to be able to learn from all these hard things. I have decided to go for it. With everything I have I will do hard things and come back a much stronger, surer person. Thanks for everything you do for me.

♥/Kimber

(Everything in italics is added by Susan/Mom)