There are also many other things which Jesus did...

This week was so fun! We were so busy again, but this time we only had one exchange, and then we had so much to do in our area. Wow. First, Hermana Olson came here while Sister Anderson went with Sister Burk to Lakeland. We had so much fun! We were able to teach these two different people we have been in contact with for a while. One of them is a family with fun kids. I love them. The mom had so many thoughts and questions that fit so perfectly in with the restoration. She is so golden!! Plus I love her! And everyone was home that day. That was a good day.

Sisters Anderson, Hansen & Beckstrand

Also, week I saw both President and Sister Hansen three days in a row, Thursday night we had an amazing meeting with them and the stake president, and then Friday Sister Hansen came out teaching with us, and then Saturday President Hansen came and gave a blessing to one of our investigators!! It was crazy. In the meeting with the stake president, President Hansen talked about his vision for the mission, and the Spirit was so strong in the room. We all had chills the whole time. I know that he is called of God, and he is needed at this time. I have never been so sad that this week is my last week until that meeting. I was so excited for all the things that will be happening in the Arkansas Little Rock Mission. And then when Sister Hansen came out with us the next day, she was so excited to go tracting. President Hansen just loves to tract, he talks about it all the time. So, naturally, Sister Hansen is beyond excited to try out tracting. So she was coming out with us to do it. She'd been out with the sisters twice before but had not had the opportunity to knock on a single door because people had been out on the streets. So we were going to get her that experience. And we started walking. We saw one guy outside so we talked to him. At this time, we needed to walk a good distance to go see someone we really wanted to see, but we told Sister Hansen if she sees a door that she feels like we should knock to point it out and we'll go. And then, of course, because I was talking about it I saw a door to knock on. So we went to go knock on it. And as it turns out, the red car that just passed us pulled into the driveway. So we talked to them. They're from Russia! It was fun to talk to hem, and we get to teach them now too! It was whole night with Sister Hansen things like that happened. We never made it to our destination, there were too many people to talk to, and Sister Hansen never got the opportunity to knock on one door. It was pretty funny. And she is amazing, and her greenie fire is the best. Then the next morning President and the APs came to our investigators home, and we talked for a bit, and then gave her a blessing. The Spirit in the room was so powerful. And the timing of our teaching her is just right. I know that the Lord arranged her life just so we could talk to her at his time, usually she'd be working all the time, but because of an injury, she has time to sit at home and learn the gospel before she has to go back to work. She is amazing! I am so excited to see how she will progress!

And Sunday is always amazing. We had several people come to church, but only one of them was an investigator, the rest were less actives and kids of less actives. We had so many miracles this week. One was when we had this less active referred to us, and I didn't even know you could refer less actives, but we got her, and were finally able to go over and meet her. Her life has been getting worse and worse over the last months, and I can tell y'all, the Lord's timing is impeccable because she needed us right then. We were able to get bishop over the next day, and then she got a blessing the day after that, and her kids were able to go to church yesterday. I love her, and I am so grateful we were able to go by when we did. I love how the Lord works. I've definitely missed a ton of miracles in this letter (John 21:25), but Bartlett is amazing. The people are so ready for the gospel in their lives. All these good southern people who love the Lord and are starting to see the holes and searching for the truth. That is why we are here. We had one lady tell us this week that she wants to be a Mormon. Well, your talkin' to the right folks. I love her. This place is the best. I have learned so much, and I have loved it.

Love y'all!

Kimber
Sister Beckstrand

Sallie got baptized!! (She's the 8 yr old daughter of some members we've been working with)

I love these kids!!!

I'm not praying, I was stretching, but Sister Anderson found it hilarious.

This is our weakness, who knew?? 

Mom received a text with all these Memphis pictures (above & below) today: "Hey Sister Beckstrand, this is Carlee Tagge I live in Memphis Tennessee where your daughter is serving. I am a member of the ward your daughter is over. I moved here with my husband and one year old daughter about six months ago from Utah. I got to take your daughter out for the day to downtown Memphis. We went to the pyramid, the Peabody hotel, walked the Mississippi River, then had some delicious pizza. I just wanted to thank you for raising such a great daughter, she is working so hard and is so spiritual. She is so amazing and I am so happy that I have got to know her."

Happy 4th of July! US 🎇🎆

Hello all! This week was so fun! And so many amazing things happened.

Happy 4th of July! It poured so much rain. It did that Monday too, so I'll send the video from Monday, but the same thing happened the next day. Also, that day we quite an interesting discussion with a couple Jehovah's Witnesses who don't think we know what we believe, so that we super interesting. Wow, I'm so grateful that I can tell the truth by the Holy Spirit (Moroni 10:3-5). It was really strange because halfway through the lesson neither Sister Anderson or I could feel the Spirit anymore, so we were pretty happy to leave. They were both really nice, and I like them, they are just not ready for our message.

All wet! You can see the clouds move! The whole sky is beautiful

On Wednesday we spent a good minute studying for a very confusing instruction the next day. Neither Sister Anderson or I had ever instructed before, so the fact that it turned out ok is all on Heavenly Father, as it should be. But one fun thing that day is that we ran into a guy I had taught back in Millington, so that was exciting! We'll go see him again soon. He's so cool.

Ok, then on Thursday we had a Meet-the-President meeting. We met President and Sister Hansen!!! They are amazing, and I just love them already! I am so grateful I get to spend the next couple weeks with them, they have such fire and so many new insights into missionary work. When he first started talking to us he kept telling stories he had tracted on his mission here thirty something years ago. Then he said that he LOVES tracting. It's fun. And Sister Hansen is also amazing. They had both spent the last six-ish months memorizing our names with our pictures, so they had us pretty well down. It was impressive.

Also, he gave us a blessing, as our mission president with the keys he holds for that. It was incredible. I will be studying my notes from that blessing for a good minute. The whole thing was so inspired.

President and Sister Hansen!
Happy Birthday Sister Hansen! (That was last week sometime)

Ok, then on Friday we went out to see the two that we have been preparing for baptism to teach the last little bit that they had. And then we came back for weekly planning. It always takes too long, but I appreciate all the things we get prepared for it. Also, that evening the two we saw earlier came for their baptismal interviews, and then we played volleyball with them and some members of the ward, and we had three inactive young men that we had invited last Sunday there. It was so fun! I love volleyball, even though I'm terrible at it. Haha.

And then it was Saturday morning. We had to get up early, to get all the things done we needed to that day, and so we set our alarms early so we'd be up in time, the. Went to bed. So when I heard the alarm I jumped up and went to brush my teeth as Sister Anderson went to the bathroom. After I brushed my teeth I came into the room and the light was still off and Sister Anderson was lying in bed. So I turned on the light and asked why she was in bed? Then she turned over and asked what are you doing? Then I glanced at the clock. It was a little after two in the morning, we didn't need to be up until six. That dumb weather radio! It's been going off all week with the crazy storms (that I happen to LOVE). So I was up way too early, and she'd just been going to the bathroom, my own alarm had never gone off. I'd totally jumped the gun, and was still exhausted, so I climbed back in bed, and fell immediately back to sleep. Next thing I knew, it was actually six in the morning, and I didn't like it any better than I did at two, but that's ok. Either way, Saturday was amazing! So the reason we got up at 6 am? Our investigators got baptized!!!!!! They are amazing and it was just beautiful. There was so much support from the ward, we had two youth give the talk, and two members called us asking if someone was bringing refreshments, and we hadn't had a chance to take care of that yet, so they kindly brought some. Bartlett is amazing! They just swept up those kids into their arms and have taken them into the ward family so fully. It has been so fun to see the power of the ward counsel in bringing souls unto Christ. Truly, I've been doing it backwards my whole mission, the ward is the key, we are the support to all that the ward does as they grow their ward family. It was amazing.

Love it! They were so excited!

But that's not it, as soon as the baptism was over, we drove out to West Memphis to have a day exchange. Sister Anderson came back here with Sister McNall and Sister Johnson while I stayed in West Memphis with Sister Chapple. We had so much fun. We literally talked to everyone, and met so many amazing people. There were so many people out and doing random things that we had ample opportunity to talk to people. We didn't have any appointments, so we just drove from point to point literally talking to everyone and heading out so many cards and meeting so many. It was so fun. We turned around a ton to go back and talk to a person we saw, and we took forever to get to the next destination, but it didn't matter, we had nothing set and we were accomplishing our purpose. Also, we got lost or turned around a ton, and we just continued to talk to people as we did that. Every time a missionary gets lost it is for a purpose, the Lord is so completely reg, (?) every time was a blessing for us. It was so much fun! I want to have another day like that. Then we switched back at the end of the day.

Exchanges! Sis Chapple & Sis Beckstrand

And the it was Sunday. Another beautiful day. Our two beautiful people that just got baptized got confirmed (the gift of the Holy Ghost), and they loved it. The ward is so excited to have them. Then in Gospel Principles we had another man who the teacher focused the lesson on, and he was asked at one point what he would do if he found out that the Book of Mormon were true, and he said that he would go all for it, completely, with everything he has. This man is so humble! He's amazing, and I am so grateful that we have the opportunity to be here teaching him the restored gospel. We are so excited to continue teaching him.

It has been a beautiful week. I have truly loved every second, no matter how much stretching happened in the process. I am not done yet. The field is white, already to harvest, and I will thrust in my sickle with all my might (D&C 4). It's the day of the South!

Love y'all!
Kimber
Sister Beckstrand

Haha, love it

All in one day

That's MOSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

These pictures were texted to Mom last week!
Sis Beckstrand & Sis Anderson

She got baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(The woman Sis Beckstrand & Sis Brummett were teaching
before the transfer)

This week was so fun and crazy! We had so much going on! Monday we just hung out and then saw some people in the evening. We actually had a pretty interesting lesson sitting on the ground in front of the temple. That was pretty neat. Tuesday we had a fun district meeting. We have a senior couple in our district! They are really fun. I like it here! The  we did some studies, had a great lesson with a part member family, the kids are getting baptized this Saturday by the way, so that's exciting. Then in the evening we had a lesson with this super nice couple. The husband had done some research of the Book of Mormon and couldn't quite agree with it. But his wife understood everything we had to say in answer to his questions about it. They were super kind, but he did not understand and it was so sad. But if there is ever a question, all you need is 2 Nephi 33:10-11. That is the simple truth, and Moroni 10:3-5 is the key to make it work. The step that was missed was to just read it. Just like President Monson said in this last General Conference, there is "...power of the Book of Mormon and [there is a] critical need...as members of this Church to study, ponder, and apply its teachings in our lives. The importance of having a firm and sure testimony of the Book of Mormon cannot be overstated.
"...If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so. If you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you. If it is true--and I solemnly testify that it is--then Joseph Smith was a prophet who saw God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.
"Because the Book of Mormon is true, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s Church on the earth, and the holy priesthood of God has been restored for the benefit and blessing of His children.
"...If you do not have a firm testimony of these things, do that which is necessary to obtain one. It is essential for you to have your own testimony in these difficult times, for the testimonies of others will carry you only so far."
And it is so true! I am so grateful for my personal testimony and love for the Book of Mormon.

Ok, then on Wednesday we had Missionary Leadership Counsel in NLR, and I was amazing. That was President Wakolo and Sister Wakolo's last day in the mission. It was so full of love and the spirit and revelation. I love the things I have learned from President Wakolo. I have learned of love and leadership and of becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ, and there is nothing I love more. That was such a fun day, and I learned a ton, and we got home at 9 pm, so that was all we did that day.

On Thursday we went out to Jackson to do a blitz with the sisters there who are whitewashing this transfer. We had a lot of fun with them, and their area is about an hour and fifteen minutes away, so that took up a large chunk of the day as well, then we finally got to do some work in our area. It was fun.

This whole week was so fun and full of revelation. I have felt the need to study more modern revelation because that is where we get the most things that apply to our lives today. And I learned a lot when I read the talk by President Monson. Also it was really dumb on Friday because I ended up having a pretty bad headache all day, but we accomplished much, and had a really good dinner with some killer hush puppies, mmmmmmm. But then that night I could not sleep, and around four in the morning we had to call a member in the ward and ask them to come give me a blessing. After that I was able to sleep, ("I revere the priesthood. I have witnessed it's power time and time again. I have seen its strength. I have marveled at the miracles it has wrought." President Monson 2015 April General Conference) and we had a pretty good day on Saturday. And a really great lesson with the family that we are helping get baptized this Saturday. But the best part of that day was when we got to go to the temple and help clean, an they really needed us because barely anyone come that day. Everyone is out of town for the 4 of July.

And yesterday was really rough, nobody wanted to open the door. They would peak through the blinds and decide they didn't want to talk to us and not open the door. So dumb! But after a long day of all that rejection we were tired, and I was pretty annoyed, which is also dumb because I'm supposed to be Christlike. So, as we were driving home at the end of the day I saw this couple sitting out in their driveway, and the Spirit told me to pull over and talk to them. Sister Anderson was writing something down and I was tired, I didn't want to.  But the Spirit is perfectly diligent, and He knows me. We turned around and went and talked to this couple, and they were beautiful. They were so excited to talk to us and I loved being able to share the Book of Mormon with them and promise that that will answer the questions they were asking us. We even got to give them a copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World. They loved it! Silly Sister Beckstrand, just listen to the Spirit and your day will be better!

In closing today, I want to quote the final part of President Monson's talk to the world as the Holy Prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ, "...I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so, we will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit, to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and to receive heaven’s help in our lives. I so testify with all my heart in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Love y'all!
Kimber

The ride home in the transfer van. It was a long ride, but lots of fun
when we were literally stopped on the road for about two hours
(we inched along for most of that time), the elders in front
got out and handed out copies of the Book of Mormon
all along the highway. It was a lot of fun. 

Sisters Beckstrand & Anderson

Sister Ellis!!!!
(Former companions)

Good bye President Wakolo! We love you!!!

Memphis?

The Mississippi!

Bartlittlepieceofheaven

I'm right by the temple now 💗

Look at these flowers!

I love Bartlett!! It's so fancy here! And Sister Anderson is AMAZING!!!!!! It's crazy to realize how long I've been out, and how much I still have to learn. President Wakolo leaves this week, and we will miss him so much! This week was strange and super long, but as usual it's over before we knew it. I have met so many people, and they are amazing. Heavenly Father loves to keep me busy, we got super overloaded at church yesterday with so many people we had to talk to, and so many people that came that we wanted to meet and get to know. There was a missionary homecoming yesterday and he had a ton of friends there. It was fun because he actually got called to sign halfway through his mission, so he needed us to go welcome some of his friends who came a little late so he told me from the other side of the chapel in the middle of the opening hymn that we needed to go help them. Via sign language. It was fun. Plus his friends are great. Seriously, sign language is a super power! Plus there were a few random run ins with members from past areas. At church there were two couples from Millington. That was fun. Then on Saturday we got to go help clean the temple. And I saw some members from Otter Creek, and I saw a lady from Mountain View. Who knew? I love this place. Also Saturday was just plain amazing. We decided to take a walk day that morning, so we had a member pick us up for a lesson we were having in her home. It's funny because that is the bishop's wife, and we had a lesson with a part member family and another family came to support them. That was a lesson just like one from the district. In the bishop's home too. It was so cool. The bishop here is amazing! He is so ready to help. Also, this is the first time I've ever had a bishop who was able to give us a bishop's blessing my second day here, have a lesson in his home that he set up with the investigators, and then have us over for dinner again later that day. This guy is amazing. He's great (he also doesn't have any kids at home, that might help). Also Saturday we went to go talk to a guy who is married to a less active, and on the doorstep we asked him if he's read the Book of Mormon, yes. and he wants to come back to church. What does he know about Joseph smith? Not much, just everything about his vision and how he translated the Book of Mormon and how Jesus used him the re-establish his church. You know, just everything. So do you believe he's a prophet? Yes. Have you prayed about it? Yes. Seriously? Yes. Do you want to be baptized? Yes. So we set a date with him right there on his doorstep. He's amazing.

Then on Thursday we had prayed to find a new investigator and have a lesson that we did not plan for. Then Heavenly Father answered our prayers with a beautiful woman and her cute little boy. She was talking about stuff with who God and Jesus are, and it didn't really make sense, but we share the first vision with her and when we talked about what Joseph Smith saw (JS-H 1:16-17) her face lit up. Then when she said the closing prayer she thanked God for sending the ladies to give her answers she's been searching for for a very long time. She's amazing!! 

Those are just a few of the miracles this week. There were many more, but John 21:25 says it perfectly. The Lord is good (D&C 33:7-15). And Sister Anderson is wonderful. He birthday was yesterday! She just turned 20!!!!!! So we had a lot of fun yesterday. 

I love this! AND........Sister H. got baptized yesterday!!!!! I had to leave right before it, but she is beautiful! And I am so excited and happy for her! She is beautiful. It was such a fun week. 

Love y'all! 

Kimber

Sister Beckstrand

From Sis Brummett's email about their investigator baptism:

CONGRATULATIONS TO C FOR BEING BAPTIZED YESTERDAY!!!!!

She has been waiting so long and it was so worth it! (D&C 20:37)The baptism was beautiful and the Spirit in the room was the strongest I have felt in a while. So many people came to support her. Beautiful talks were given and beautiful music was sung! C was glowing! You could tell how happy she was after her baptism! I love her with all my heart, and I cannot wait to see her grow in the true church of Christ! (I swear, she's going to become a Young Women's president.)

Look at that hair! 

Happy Birthday Sister Anderson!

The gospel of Jesus Christ!

Look at that sunset! Can you see us?

Happy fourth of July in a week!

Man, those shoes were yellow

He was so excited!

(Ok, so that was Sister Brumett's title, but it fits.) This week was crazy! A lot happened.

• We helped our investigators move into their new house with a general authority

President Wakolo, who is now a general seventy, showed up for a baptismal interview with them and they drove up with a truck load of stuff, (it was the first time we'd been to their new house) and we started helping them move things inside. The mom is super proud of that house too. She was showing us some of the perks of this new one. It was so fun. And we had a lesson planned, and it was going to be beautiful, but then she had to leave to continue bringing more things from their other house, so we ran outside. And started working on his baptismal record through the door. Then after another truckload appeared without her after we brought the stuff inside, we started kind of teaching one of their sons with President. That was fun. But then he had to go back and get more stuff, so President decided to just do the interview and then we'd give the lesson later. So we went knocking, and found two amazing people, and one of them really needed the message of the gospel rig

ht then, he needs to feel God's love now more than ever, Heavenly Father put us where He needed us. It was so good. 

Book of Mormon class!!!

• We prayed for an elect (investigator?) one day and asked that they be wearing yellow shoes, and the lady we met had on bright yellow tennis shoes. She's really cool, we're excited to start working with her. 
• We baptized our investigator!!! It was beautiful, and he loved it. Also his confirmation was amazing. It was beautiful. 
• Sister Brumett sang at his baptism and he totally cried! It was gorgeous. And he called her an angel! She is so talented!
• Skype home, (love y'all) that was so fun, I love my family.
• Survey for finding!!! It works and its beautiful! We found some really nice people with it, it still needs tweaking, but it's amazing.

Mostly that's what happened. It was such a good week. And super busy too. I love it here! 

Love y'all! 

Kimber

Sister Beckstrand

Also, an amazing scripture I found this week: 

Psalms 42:11 (43:5)  "?..I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God." 

I love it because it is so true, and super beautiful to think about. The closer I am to my God, the healthier and brighter and beautiful my countenance is. ❤️ 

Most everyday we sent out a mass text to the people we are working with, and this was the one yesterday. (Mothers' Day)

So you get this one too...

Sister Beckstrand

What a week

That's my companion! (Sister Brumett)

So, y'all remember how I'm training a brand new sister? Ya right! She's  training me! She's amazing. It's super fun because we are both so excited about the gospel that we really do just spend hours talking about it and how it blesses lives. It literally solves every problem. Seriously, like what Elder L. Whitney Clayton was saying yesterday, it's the little everyday things like reading the Book of Mormon and praying that truly makes all the difference. I can totally see that in the lives of those around me. There was so much gold shared in this last general conference. Saturday was all about the plan of salvation and families! It was so beautiful.

This week was just incredible. One other amazing wonderful thing that happened was that I was able to go to Bartlett and watch a family get sealed! It was the family of a man that Sister Hirschi and I baptized last year. They are incredible, and they were so excited for it. And their little girl is so adorable. She has grown so much in the last year. And she's talking in full sentences now too. She loved it all. And it was so great to be able to see Sister Hirschi again and even meet her parents. That was fun. 

Remember this? (2016)

One year later! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ (2017)

And Sister Hirschi went home this week, but I got to see her again there and meet her parents too! It was so fun!!!

It was just a wonderful amazing week, that I will always remember. 

The gospel is true. It's real. Again, I love what Elder Valeri V. Cordón said in general conference, "No achievement in this life, as important as it may be, is as important as learning the language of the gospel" applying the gospel in your life is the single most important thing you can do. It's pointless and dismal to live without it. 

I love it!!

Love y'all! 

Kimber

P.S. Did ya catch that President Wakolo got called as a General Seventy? And he totally walked up with his sticks!! (i.e. scriptures, Ezekiel 37:16-19). (Link here to news report.)

That's my mission president!

Heavenly Father's artwork

Mom here - I received a text on Friday night:

I just saw your amazing, beautiful, missionary girls at the temple. I gave them all giant hugs from you!

(I recognized Sis Beckstrand, Sister Lloyd, Sis Hirschi (wait - she went home this week?!)
and on the far end Sis Brumett, her current comp)

My response was:

Love it, thanks!

Followed by the explanation:

This is Melissa (Sis Hirschi's mom). She got home Tuesday night and we flew back here Wed because she and your daughter's convert J__ P__ and his wife got sealed tonight. Even though it wasn't in your daughter's area Pres Wakolo let her come to the temple and see it. The girls were so cute and happy to be back together!

And my relieved response:

 I was really confused when I was sure Sis Herschi had gone home already! Wow, but it sounds like a neat opportunity.  I'm glad you got to go back with her! (And I was trying to figure out how they were able to be in the temple now...) Thanks for clearing that all up. 😉

She and I continued on for a few texts...but wow, what an opportunity!