The Mission so Far!

Friends and Family - We are so sorry on the delay in getting the blog going. Sister Knell has been adjusting to a mission and writing letters within a short timeframe but we will do our best from here on out to give you all a weekly update.

Here are some updates from Sister Knell!

From April 1, 2013

We have a sweet young woman named April that lives below us in our apartment complex. She got baptized two years ago but went in active shortly after because she's the only member in her family. Sister Chandler and I have been working with her every week. She has such a sweet spirit and knows so much! She wants to come to church but her family is always busy and she doesn't have a ride ever or she goes out of town to visit her brother. Anywho.. Saturday we invited her to the YW president's home to watch the YW broadcast with us and the other YW. and SHE CAME!!! Sister Chandler and I were so HAPPY!!!! It was a great start we felt like because not very many people came and so most of the attention was on April in a good way. Not too overwhelming or leaving her out in any way. At first she was nervous and pretty much clinged to sister Chandler and I but throughout the evening she felt more comfortable. It was seriously the BEST!! We've been working with her since the first week we got her. Then this Sunday, we got her a ride and went to her bedroom window and knocked on it until she woke up.. haha.. She wasn't too happy about it but in the end we know she was glad we woke her up. When we got to church I was looking all over for her. Ha.. I just wanted to make sure she was okay. I felt like I needed to hold her hand. haha. I was so worried about her all day in her classes.

Sister Chandler and I taught the lesson in YW about Easter, the Atonement, & the Resurrection. So that was great to see April and how she interacted with the other YW. And OF COURSE they loved her!! (: It was amazing to see her enjoying herself with the YW and the ward members. I know that they will take care of her when we leave. She is so sweet.

For dinner we went to a member's home and had s'mores and hotdogs over a fire. It was probably one of our best dinners/nights. It reminded me of home and of girls camp. The weather was crazy last night and Sister Chandler and I switched the car with the elders and then got SOAKED and needed to walk to the hospital to visit a member but the elders felt bad a called a ward member to come pick us up. ha. The rain is seriously intense here. HUGE raindrops! I wear my bright pink raincoat and everyone laughs at me.. hahaha but I LOVE IT!! It keeps me dry! well from the knees up (:

From April 22, 2013

So we got another companion! Sister Mouritsen from South Jordan, UT! She's great! And I'm kind of training her.. haha with the help of my trainer I guess. I don't quite understand how it all works. I like being in a trio again. Its fun having another companion and it helps balance us all out!

Transfers were crazy! So President Craven had us "trainers go up to the front of the chapel and then the "new missionaries" to the other side and he's making assignments and Sister Chandler and I got a sweet sister named Sister Cowley and then half way through he stopes and says, "Elders and Sisters this is not right, assistance to my office!" and then they were gone for like 15 minutes!!! Then they cam back and we started all over and Sister Chandler and I got Sister Mouritsen. CRAZY HUH?!!

We love her so it truly was inspired(:

From April 29, 2013

Well, we had our first investigator at church this Sunday!! so happy!!!!! This week has been so great!! His name is Bryan. April's brother. The YW i mentioned awhile ago.

We have met a lot of new people.

We met a lady named Mindy on Tuesday and when we got to her door i barely mentioned who we were and she let us right in! It was crazy! because normally it takes a lot of convincing! ha.. And then I was the one who said the prayer... it was one of the most spiritual prayers I had ever said. Afterwards she was just overwhelmed by the spirit. She said she had been to many different churches trying to find the right one and NONE of them have ever made her feel the way she did after the blessing. It was so neat so see her already touched by the spirit in the fisrt 10 mintues of meeting her. We've been able to meet with her another time and her and her family were going to come to church but they didn't.. She was cleaning and lost track of time and felt bad and didn't want to come late... but we are seeing her again sometime this week and next week she said she would come to church! So pray for her!!!(:

The spirit has been leading my companions and I so much this week. It is amazing. We have been so blessed. The work is starting to pick up here is Statesville (: happy day!

From May 3, 2013

Well, the work is up and down. We have had many great spiritual experiences in some lessons and then complete confusion in others. ha. My favorite so far is reactivating families! I love talking with less-actives and seeing how their life has taken them and then seeing them want to come back or some not so much. Most the time people are just lazy which gets frustrating.. but then we know they are not the elect and we move on. Which I am noticing I get attached to people pretty fast which is good and bad haha. We had three investigators come to church yesterday! YAY! That was neat, but then the one we were really hoping for didn't come.. which was a downer.

We taught the lesson in YW about missionary work and examples and I felt the spirit so strong as I was teaching. I know that this past week has humbled me so that I can be more intune with the spirit.

Oh some news about the mission, it is splitting in July. Some parts are going to be part of Tennessee now. I'm a bit nervous about it but excited to see the changes. Hopefully I get to stay with the Cravens and this mission. I love the Cravens. They are amazing people. We have had a lot of rain which the weather has killed my mood. 

We met a sweet lady named Felicia through tracting last week and she has the sweetest spirit. She said that she doesn't normally let people in but there was something about us and she said we were glowing and that she was curious about us. It was a really neat experience. We also are starting to teach a former named Beverly and she reminds me of your side of the family hahaha. She's a hoot. I love her.