July 28

Dear Mom,

I wish you all could have been there to see the branch for the last time, and my last few moments there with everyone.  I think about St. Marys all the time, just like I am always thinking about Youngstown.  I am now training Sister Kunz (from Pocatello, ID), in the Strongsville Ward.  We opened up a sisters area in the city of North Royalton.  We literally only cover that city and that is it.  I just came from a place where I covered two counties, and had a thousand little cities (some of which, I never even saw), lots of farm land where you can see for miles and miles because it is so flat.  I am now in a place that is very hilly (our car makes weird noises each hill it tries to tackle) and I can get from top to bottom in our area in 30 mins or less... So strange.  The ward is HUGE!  there was probably more than 150 people there on Sunday, and I haven't seen more than maybe 120 my whole mission.  It was so crazy!  There a three sets of missionaries in the ward, Sister Kunz and I live with the other set of Sisters, Sister Jackson (Colorado) and Jarvis (Washington).  The Sisters work in Brecksville and Broadview Heights, and the Elders cover Strongsville.  It is definitely a different world living with another set of missionaries, but we all get along really well.  I have been enjoying it!  

The ward seems ready for some changes, but I am not 100% sure where all of those changes will be happening yet, if that makes any sense.  Sister Kunz and I are still trying to find our feet and figure out how we can better work with the ward in a way that we are working together towards the same goal.  There are a lot of young pediatry residents here as well as young couples selling pest control. Many of the women are returned missionaries, and want to go teaching with us.  It is so awesome! 

Sister Chapman went home last week, and Sister Frampton came to that transfer since she is leaving mid transfer in August.  It was really sad to have them up there and to sing our mission song and God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again.  They both looked at me and we all started crying.  I have become a softy out here.  I wish that everyone could take the opportunity to come on a mission, or could at least get a taste of how incredible it is.  I am excited to start training Sister Kunz.  She was one of 22 that came out this transfer, which was a little less than mine, but it seems that our mission is still having pretty high numbers coming out.  

I love you all! 

Sister Bakker

Pictures of St Marys

These are all pictures in St Marys before Dani left for her new area..The zip line is supposed to be for little kids.  She and S OBanion were out catching lightening bugs.  Even in summer it apparently gets quite foggy in St Marys.

July 22

Dear Mom,

 

Sister O'Banion and I found out that I will be leaving on Saturday.  I received a very last minute call to train (usually we get them a little over a week in advance) during my quarterly interview with President Vellinga.  I am very excited, and a bit anxious about the call.  Since I will be leaving to a brand new area, and training, that means that I will be shotgunning, or opening an area for sisters.  So it will be a lot of firsts this time around.  President hasn't told me much, but he did say I would have to work harder there than I have here.  That is really saying something!

 

I am so sad to be leaving.  It was very hard to have that news right before Tera's baptism.  Leaving here feels a lot like it did that day I walked into the MTC.  I feel like I am leaving home.  Last night, the F's had us for my last supper with them.  Brother F was able to give me a blessing before I left, and it brought a lot of peace and comfort.  There are a lot of changes ahead.  I wish that everyone could experience the miracles and amazing changes that I have seen here in St. Marys.  This is a unique and very special place that will always be sacred in my heart.  I am so excited for Alyssa to go out and serve and experience for herself what it feels like to love everyone around you so fully. 

 

Wow, that is all really sappy, and makes me really sad!  Change of subject, eh?

 

So Last week we went on splits with members in the relief society.  It was an awesome experience.  Between the two of us we were able to cover 9 lessons and helped those women become very excited for the missionary work.  It has been really hard to help the relief society as most of them are busy watching their children, and tending to their family.  Often times they can never come out with us.  Now that they are able to see the miracles first hand, their enthusiasm is overwhelming.  I know that if we are committed to doing the Lord's work, and actually try to put forth the effort, He will help us. 

 

Great news this week, Sister M has accepted to be baptized on August 30!  Their family is doing great!  Brother M is going to prepare himself to baptize her, and they will be able to go to the temple one year from that day.  That is the goal for them all, the temple! 

 

I love my mission so much, and am so grateful for all of the miracles that I have seen here.  I look forward to updating you on my new trainee, and area.  I love you all!

 

Love,

 

Sister Bakker

July 14

Dear Mom,

My birthday was great!  Thanks again so much from all of you!  The Jensons ended up surprising me with a cake, and the Felver's had us for dinner.  We also found a new investigator this last week.  Speaking of this week, we have seen some major miracles.  More than I have ever seen in my whole mission! 

So I don't usually like to start counting key indicators, but just so you get an idea of what really happened this week...  We have 7 people who have started to prepare for a baptismal date between now and September 20th and another one that is setting one by this next Sunday.  We have had so many teaching apts this last week that we can no longer cover the whole area on our own.  This week we have set aside Tuesday and Thursday to go on splits with the Relief Society so that we can cover two places at once...  Also, I don't know if I have ever talked about our investigator, Tera.  She is 17 and has been coming to church for about three months, but even though she has been progressing, it has been slow.  Well last week she decided she wanted to be baptized before girls camp (that is next week)...  So we are putting on a baptism here this Saturday for her.  We have had to teach her so many principles these last few days just to help her get ready.  Also, her mom, who hasn't been active in the church pretty much all of Tera's life, came to church for the first time yesterday!  The M's also came to church, and Sister M is praying about a baptismal date right now and is going to tell us on Sunday.  Karen and Nate both came to church!  It was Nate's first time.  Yes, Aug 2 is still the date.  Right now it is looking unrealistic, but after this week boy do we ever believe in miracles!  Thank you for your prayers for them, they are obviously helping!  By way of update for Josh... He is doing swimmingly, and asks all of the right questions.  He even invited his friend to sit in and listen, and now he, Devan, is taking the discussions! 

Wow, I just spewed a lot of information at you all there... I hope you caught it all.  We have been going nonstop all week long.  Thursday we didn't even have enough time to stop and eat lunch for 10 minutes... 

The Branch BBQ was this week, and that was also a pretty big miracles.  We had over 100 people attend, and boy does Brother F smoke some good meet!  His pulled pork is fantastic! 

My birthday miracle was with Daniel and Marissa.  They are a Marshallese family that the Elders had found a long time ago, and found out that Daniel was a member, but no one ever did anything about it.  So we went back and met with them.  Marissa had told us that she had never let the missionaries in, but said after we shared the restoration with them that she would have had she known what happened.  As Sister O'Banion rehearsed the first vision to them, Marissa kept whispering, "Oh, there is two...  Two..."  She had made an amazing discovery regarding the Godhead, and was overwhelmed.  That lesson quickly turned into a lesson on temples and the importance of being sealed.  Both her and Daniel want that so bad!  They have a long way to go, but they both seem eager to work for it.  We are so excited to continue teaching them.  Marissa is preparing to be baptized on September 20th right now. 

I love you all!  Thank you again for the great birthday!  I had a great day! 

If there is one thing that I have really come to understand on my mission is that our Heavenly Father wants to bless us with miracles everyday.  All we have to do is be obedient and ask. 

Love,

Sister Bakker

July 7

Dear Mom,

 

We have had a great week, as usual! So many things have been happening, and the work just continues to progress out here.  To be honest, it is starting to get a little overwhelming.  We have so many people we are working with and teaching right now all over our area that we don't have time to do anything but drive from appointment to appointment.  The amount of work we have going on is unreal, and it just keeps on growing. 

 

So I think I have told you that we have begun to teach Robin and Dane's daughter, Britney, who is right around our age.  She has been off and on at church this last year, but before that hadn't been for awhile.  Well, she came to church this week and she brought her boyfriend, Josh, with her.  Everyone remembered him from Heather's baptism and welcomed him by name and seemed very excited to see both of them.  Later on that night, we got a call from Britney saying how she liked church and everything, and that in her still shocked voice, "Josh really liked it too!"  Josh grew up in the reorganized church, and hasn't been to church for awhile.  He told Britney that he felt super welcomed by the branch and enjoyed it a lot.  Not only does he want to come back next Sunday, but he has decided he wants to start taking the lessons so he can think about converting! Uh, yeah.  That just happened! 

 

We had a great lesson with our investigator, Karen this week.  She has had a hard time coming to church the last couple of weeks (for really good reasons), but really can feel that it was missing in her life.  We taught her about the Law of the Fast, and how it is an added strength to us for blessings that we feel we need.  The Jensons, her and us all fasted together this Sunday to help her family prepare for her baptismal date.  They have some pretty big challenges they are facing right now, and really can use your prayers (Karen & Nate)  to help Nate prepare, and Karen and Lexi to feel ready for August 2. 

 

We never seem to get a chance to slow down for very long out here, but that is a good thing.  I love being so busy and doing my very best.  As we strive to do EVERYTHING that the Lord asks of us, I have really come to understand and learn that He will help us to accomplish it all, even the little things.  Some how when you look at the clock, there just seems to be a few more minutes for us to get it all done.  I don't know how it works, but I know that it does.

 

I love you all!

 

Have a great week this week!

 

Love,

 

Sister Bakker

 

June 30

Dear Mom,

 

We had an absolutely incredible week!  I wanted to share just one of our many great miracles we had.  So about a week and half ago, we knocked on a member of the branch who is on the "Do Not Contact" list.  Well, I am sure it doesn't shock you that I don't believe in a "DNC" list, nor do I abide by it within reason.  So we stopped by James.  We had tried in the past, but hadn't gotten to meet anyone.  Well finally, we met his wife, Dianna.  She didn't seem to happy to see us there, but after our short conversation something changed in her.  She politely told us that her family wasn't interested since James was a degree in theology and didn't attend our church anymore.  So we gave her a Because of Him card, and left.  Well last Monday we got a media referral with the name, Dianna and the same address in Wapak.  To be honest, we thought it was a mistake, but we went back.  The first time we went back and met her son, Drew, who was confused why we were there, and turned us away since his mom wasn't home.  Being determined to meet her, and hoping for the best we returned again on Wednesday.  We saw this man walking to the door through the glass and in a big voice said, "You can't be the girls I have been hearing about?"  We were a bit startled and unsure if he was angry or what.  He then said, "I heard one of you was asking questions about the flowers in my garden.  Which one was it?"  Sister O'Banion was pretty quick to point her finger at me since of course I would ask about their garden.  He laughed, and said, "Well are we just going to stand around out here, or are you going to come in?"  We went in and waited for his wife to come out.  After some brief introductions we said, "We were a little surprised to get your message..."  She laughed at us, and told us that his heart really still lies in the church, and the least she could do was investigate to find out the truth for herself.  She then said, "He keeps mentioning something about wanting to be with me forever.  I don't know why we can't do that now, but I guess I will find out." 

 

Needless to say, James and Dianna are a miracle!  We were able to get to know a little bit more about them on Sunday, and will be going back to begin teaching them the lessons this Wednesday! 

 

I know that miracles are happening everywhere, but they are especially right here in St. Marys.  This place is so special to our Heavenly Father.  I know that this is His work, and when we ask for His help and even miracles, He will be there for us.  I love being a missionary so much!  Anyone who turns down the chance to go on a mission, and is able to is making a mistake.  The things you learn in those short 18-24 months change your life for eternity. 

 

I love you all!  Happy Independence Day!

 

Love,

 

Sister Bakker