Week 16 (July 29, 2013 Congreso, Argentina Argentina Buenos Aires North Mission)

Dear Family and Friends,

My companions are actually waiting for me because they are all done but we still have 20 minutes to email! So this might be short and next weeks will be longer but for the first bit of news, I made it to Argentina!! I would love to tell you all everything about it and all my thoughts and stories but I just can´t! To try and sum up the past few days, it has been crazy but wonderful! The plane rides were all great and I traveled with 15 other elders. On the way to Argentina I sat by a family and they spoke spanish of course. They had two sons and one was called Lucas and he sat next to me. He was 4 and was just the cutest ever. They know about the church but haven´t been taught anything. I finally got the courage to give them a pamphlet and talk to them a bit about God´s plan for families. It was so scary and difficult! Which is probably not a good thing considering I have been on my mision for 3 months ha. But I know that Heavenly Father gave me that opportunity and that he helped me to talk to them. We got to Argentina and met the Pres and his wife and went to the mission home for lunch and a lots of info. I LOVE the pres and his wife so much! THey are incredible and are so powerful. Later that night I met my THREE comps. And here is the dealio: they are all latinos and NONE of them speak english. One is from Peru, one from here, and the other from Mexico. One of them knows a few words but not much. I was very concerned when I found out I was going to have three comps that didn´t speak my native language. But then I remembered that Heavenly Father does not give me things that I can´t handle, and so I knew that everything would somehow be okay haha. And it has been! I love this so much!! Being a missionary is different here in Argentina and we do things a lot differently, but it is still the Lord´s work and is the same. I love my companions. It is funny because when someone talks to me on the street or at church or wherever and I don´t understand (which is pretty much every time someone talks to me ha), I will turn to my comps and wait for them to translate but guess what?! They don´t know english and can´t translate! haha it is actually quite funny to me. And mom our apartment...lets just say I am so blessed in the united states. For sake of time I won´t describe it until next week but it is hard for four people to live in it. It is our house though and so I love it all the same :) Time is up now! I have much more to say and realize that I didn´t say much about what has been happening here but next week! Mom, I hope this was enough info to help you know that I am A OK and that all is very well here! I don´t know how those pics looked but I prob looked very tired ha. And if I did look more fat then you need to tell me haha. Anyway, I better go. Argentina is the best and I love being here on my mission. I know this is the Lord´s work and that He lives. I love you all so much!

Con amor,

Hermana Syphus :)

 I arrive in Argentina tired and worn but so happy!

Pres. & Sis. Ayre

Hello Mom! :) I am not sure what time it is there so I don´t know if you are at the computer ha but here are a few random questions:

were shaun and erik ever APs?

Ok well I had more but I can´t think of them now. Maybe the will come later. But to answer your questions:

Did all of the elders get to go on the flight with you?

Yes they did :) The person giving the seats out was a member so he made sure that they all got a seat! Very nice of him :) 
Name of area/ward or branch and comp that you're assigned to for your chart.

My area is called Congreso :) and I actually have 3 companions! We are a comp. of 4! They are all so wonderful and they are called: Hermanas Vivas, Cipriano, y Herrera. 
What were you saying about a pkg. you were mailing when we were cut off? 

Oh yes, there should be a few packages coming to you because I had to send some things off. With the letter though, can you please keep the envelopes with them? I can´t remember what I sent home exactly but if you have any questions about anything, just ask me :) 
Did you try calling after that?  I found out 1 1/2 hours later that our phone was still on so I hope you hadn't tried calling again.

I did try calling after that but it is okay because I had to leave soon anyway, I just wanted to say goodbye to everyone but I will call again on Christmas so all is well :) 
$75 charge from Delta Air lines on your acc.  Was your luggage too heavy after all?
No my luggage was not over weight and I was wondering about that to. But they charged everyone for a luggage fee and said that we would be reimbursed so I kept the receipt but I haven´t heard anything from anyone about it yet so I am not sure.

Week 15 (July 22, 2013 Pasco, WA)

Dear Family and Friends,

You all are so precious to me and each morning i wake up I feel so blessed to have you all in my life. It is a sweet thing to know that we can all love together for eternity with our loving Father and His Son again someday. What a beautiful time that will be! :) This past week i have been reading Jesus the Christ. I can't put that book down and am finding that one hour of personal study is not enough. I am very thankful though to have that one hour to be connected personally with a divine source. It is a great blessing and something to look forward to each day. Something that shed some light in Jesus The Christ has to do with the Atonement. I can't remember what page it was, maybe 20? But it talks about the Atonement and how our application of it allows us to overcome the powers of Satan. That got me thinking  for a bit. Of course I had heard that many times before and know that is is absolutely true, but I wanted to look more into it. And the spirit taught me some things that maybe many of you have already realized haha :) And it is hard to explain my thoughts on it but putting it simply (maybe ha), I realized WHY we know for a surety that Jesus Christ will win and Satan will lose. We know that because of the Atonement. It is INFINITE and ETERNAL. Satan knows that he will lose. He just wants to bring as many people he can with him. No wonder he is working so hard on God's children, he is competing with the Atonement of Jesus Christ! The most powerful and historical event in history! There is no way that he can win. God's children will ALWAYS have the Atonement. Satan must feel intimidated. I know I would if I knew that Jesus Christ performed the atonement to help people overcome something I wanted them to not overcome. My explanation does not do justice to what the spirit taught me but oh well ha. I am really enjoying studying the atonement more though and I hope to develop a stronger relationship with Jesus Christ while I am on my mission.

So I guess I should mention that I am going to Argentina on Wednesday! Crazy stuff! I did not expect it to come this fast! I did not actually get my visa but they are sending me there with a travel visa and I will hopefully get my actual visa before my travel visa expires. I am so stinkin' nervous but super excited. It will be different I know but I have been praying to be prepared for Argentina and I think God had helped me prepare in many ways. I probably could be more prepared of course but I am thankful for the things and experiences and trials that God has given m in order to help me prepare. I got the call on Friday morning and they said that I was leaving Tuesday night to go to the mission home in Kennewick because my plane is leaving something like 6:15 Wednesday morning. And I have been in Ephrata so that is a few hours away I believe. So that was the plan until we received a call from the assistants at about 5:00 Friday night. They told me that I was going to be picked up by them on Saturday (the next day) afternoon and that I would be serving with the sisters in Pasco (Hrnas Pierce and Ray)  until I left to Argentina. OH MY STARS! So that night we called people and rescheduled appointments and I started packing. It was a stressful less than 24 hours haha :) Lots of things had to be done and completed and it was hard to see how everything would work out. But once again, the grace of Jesus Christ made it possible for us to get things done and on time. I always love to look back and see how there was really no way to do certain things unless the Lord was there to help. It is a neat thing to witness. So I am now in Pasco and up to this point I have had 4 trainers in all ha :) And by the time I get to Argentina I will have 5! I must be a real hard greenie to work with because I am sure getting moved around a lot. My poor trainers. So yes, next time I email I will be in ARGENTINA!! Oh goodness this is exciting. Things have happened fast and there is still lots to do but I know it will happen if it is the Lord's will and way. I know that the Lord gives us situations and experience in life to help us grow and to help us see His hand in our lives. I know he does this for me. It is now MY part to RECOGNIZE those things he is is giving me so that i CAN grow and become better. I am trying to go through these hard experiences with a happy heart so that he knows that I am grateful for them (in the long run ha), but sometimes it is so hard! I am grateful to have wonderful examples in my life that have gone through difficult things but do it SO happily and are fully reliant on the Lord. Like I have said before, my friends and family amaze me so much.

We had many miracles and great experiences week! Sister Williams and I were praying to find a spanish investigator because we were having a hard time finding people to teach in spanish. Ephrata had much more english than spanish so my spanish kinda got lost for a bit. They only have spanish work in Pasco though so that is great! Another tender mercy from Heavenly Father. I will only be here a total of four days but it will be four days of spanish teaching and finding so that is great. So anyway, we were knocking these apartments and we got to a door, knocked two times, no answer, so we started to walk away. But as we were walking I just suddenly turned back around and we went to the same door and knocked one more time. A few second later Areli answered. She is Hispanic and only speaks spanish. Mid 20s probably. We told her who we were and she nodded and asked us to come in. In a nut shell we taught her the Restoration (which was kinda difficulty considering neither of our spanish is too great yet haha) and she seemed to understand and take interest. Even though my spanish was iffy I know that the Lord made up for what I couldn't do because we were trying our best and He wanted Areli to know the truth. That is why we were sent there. We bore testimony and she asked us if she could have the address to our church...miracle. It was such a neat experience and there is no doubt that it was heaven sent. God is guiding us to his children who are ready! We set up a return appointment with her but it was on Saturday and that is when I left to Pasco :( So I am not sure what happened but I have faith that she will continue on! That was definitely an answered prayer and I am so thankful for it. I am just glad that the spirit is the real teacher because my teaching skills are very amateur-ish especially when I am speaking spanish haha.

I am so happy to be serving the Lord and to be experiencing these things on my mission. He really is my source of strength and he has helped me see that these past three months. I am so weak but he is so strong! I am thankful for His strength and I know it is real. Thank you all so much for all you do, for your thoughts and prayers. I love you all so much!! Have a great week!!

Love, 

Hermana Syphus 

Dear Dad,

Thank you so much for that nice email. I sure love reading them :) I wish I could respond to each and every thing that you have written but unfortunately time does not permit it. I love hearing about home and the things that are happening there. And at times I do wish I was there experiencing those things with everyone but since I have been on my mission these three months, it is hard to think about what I would have been like if I didn't come on a mission. I am very blessed to be able to serve and I am enjoying my mission so much. Just one random thing, I really enjoyed reading your letter about your trip to New Mexico with mom. I started a letter to both you and mom a few weeks ago but like all of my letters it seems, I didn't finish it! But I am sure glad you were able to do that with mom. After reading that letter from you out loud to my companion she said, "Man I love how your dad writes! He is so poetic and I love how he tells his stories!" I agreed with her and told her that you have always been such a great writer :) So thank you for that letter.

I often think about my three younger siblings as well and I pray for them to have strength and learn to discern the spirit so that they will want to put themselves in good situations in order to feel that spirit. I love them so much and it is hard to be away from them and not see how they are growing up and handling everyday life. I have come to love them so much more on my mission and I sure miss them. You and mom are amazing parents and I believe you are doing all you can do already. I come to realize more and more each day just how wonderful and amazing you and mom are. You couldn't have done a better job raising us kids in my opinion. I hope the younger three will continue to endure and enjoy to the end and I hope I can do my part as their older sister to help them do that. I don't want to NOT do something for them that I could have done for them and see them struggle with the knowledge that maybe I could have done something to prevent that. I am keeping those three sweet siblings of mine in my prayers.

I better start writing some other people because I don't have much time left. I love you so much dad and I am so happy for the things that are happening at home. It seems that the Lord is still providing as always :) Thanks again and hugs and kisses to you too. Love you!

Love, 

Hermana Syphus aka your teeny tiny tatie tot

Itinerary for Argentina (July 19, 2013)

We just received the itinerary for your daughter, Hermana Syphus.  She was almost breathless with excitement when I called to tell her the great news.  What a cutie.  We finally met her last week in Ephrata and took her and her companion to lunch.  She is wonderful and we are sooooo sorry we are losing her.  But, we are excited for her next adventure. 

Note that the itinerary says:  MISSIONARY WILL TRAVEL ON A TOURIST VISA – travel document, passport and visa receipt will arrive to the mission office via FedEx this

week.  Missionary has been booked on the itinerary below to coordinate with other missionaries traveling on the same date.

That means that she will be a tourist (working as a missionary) and then her REAL visa will arrive before it expires.  This is a pretty common practice and works well.

Let’s see . . . what else do we know.  At first her itinerary had her traveling all that way alone.  I’m a mom and I didn’t like that idea one bit.  So, I changed it and now she will be traveling with THREE elders who will keep her safe and sound.  It is a MUCH better plan.

If you have any questions, let me know!  By the way, she said to tell you hello and that she loves you SO MUCH!

Sister Cockerham

Washington Kennewick Mission

Week 14 (July 15, 2013 Ephrata, WA)

Dearest Mother,

Just real quick before I start my mass email, I read over my last email and holy cow that was just all over the place and I didn't really sound too happy. Just stressed or something. So appreciate that you thought it was a good one for some reason haha :) But anyway, I think I have just been SUPER stressed these past two weeks because of all the changes that have happened and because of all the over load of new responsibilities. I am praying to have my mission help me be a better wife and mother and I think Heavenly Father is helping me have those building up experience and so I just hope that because I am praying for them, I will take advantage of them and not complain about them or brush them off! I just wish I had a brain journal and everything I was thinking could be transferred to my journal. Because I explain things best through talking and thinking, not writing ha. And I want to remember many years down the road, all the wonderful things Heavenly Father helped me learn on my mission. I want to remember these building and shaping experiences because He is giving them to me and I am just praying to be able to realize them because if He is giving them to me and I am not realizing them, then He might just stop giving them to me if you know what I mean. Like when someone asks me "What did you learn on your mission?" or "What did you learn from your companions?" I want to be able to answer them sincerely and genuinely. I just sometimes have a hard time actually thinking about what I have learned even though of course I have learned SO much! 

But anyway, I just wanted to tell you that if I sound stressed and all that...I probably am ha, but it is SO GOOD!! As you know, I have a new comp. Sis. Williams. Well I really hate to say this and I don't like to talk about her like this but I just wanted to tell you since you are my mother and so maybe you will understand a little more what has been going on. I mean this in the nicest way possible but she is more like a junior companion and against my desires, I have had to kinda play the senior comp. role. And it is so hard. When we plan for the next day and also for our investigators for the next day, she doesn't really do anything. She just waits for me to make the decisions. And that does not seem like a big deal, but holy cow it is ha. And I don't want to say all these things so doesn't do so I will stop but they are just other things like that where she is supposed to be doing something because she is senior comp but she has a hard time doing it so I will have to do it. but she is like me, she is indecisive. So two indecisive people together is not a good combo haha :) You know how you always told me that you hope I get a daughter like me? Haha! Well I think I did in a way with Sis. Williams haha :) 

But even though this situation is really quite twisted and hard at times, I know that it is because Heavenly Father has a reason for it. This is teaching me so much. It is helping me rely on Jesus Christ and His atonement more. It is helping me see how much God's hands really are with us. It is helping me become more patient (I hope), and because I have this greater responsibility it is helping me see that with God's help I can do all things! And maybe her is preparing me for something that I will need to do in the future on my mission. Who knows. I do get frustrated at times but when I do I just have to remember that I am only in my perspective and that I need to have a more broad and eternal perceptive if I want to be happy. Because being spiritually minded is life eternal! I am also learning how hard it is going to be when I become a mother and have to do this type of thing (lots of responsibilities and things to remember) X how ever many kids I have! Mom you are just incredible. I think about that more and more everyday. About how charitable and Christ like you are. And it is so amazing. I am trying to be like Jesus but I want to be like you too. Because you are the closest person there is! And mom I sincerely mean that. I saw it before my mission, but I see it even more now and you are just incredible. I love you so much and I am so glad to hear that all is well back home. I know that God is watching over my family. You are all in my prayers and in my thoughts. I hope Devon is doing well. Tell his parents that I love them and I am praying for them and for sweet Devon. I hope Erik can find someone good enough for him soon. I can just picture him as a dad and oh my goodness what an awesome family he is going to have. He will be such an amazing father! I can't wait to see him with little kiddies :) How are the Bennett's? I hope things are working out for their family. I was thinking about them this morning when Sis. Williams and I sang "Go Forth with Faith." They really are going forth with faith during this hard time and they are such amazing examples to me. I actually talked about their family and how trusting in God they are to an investigator that was going through a hard time. They thought their story about being trusting and faithful during this time with their boys in Haiti was wonderful. And so do I!! 

Well this was a lot longer than expected! I will try to get a mass one written. Love you so much mom!!! :) 

Love, 

Hermana Kates

**********************************************

My dear family and friends,

I failed to mention our 4th of July festivities last week! Our mission president wanted us to be in our homes my 7:00 pm that night just to stay safe and protected from the craziness of the holiday. We were asked to do weekly planning that night :) But we did get to have dinner with an awesome family! They are the Sortomme family and they live in the 1st ward. They have a set of twin boys that are 18 years old and they have been friends with a 17 year old young man named Thomas for a while. They grew up with him. Well Thomas had been to church with their family a few times and they told us to come over on the 4th and have a yummy dinner with them (which oh my stars it was good!) and meet Thomas Walker. They also told us that Thomas had read the Book of Mormon in one week during the summer and that he was an awesome young man. So of course we were super excited to meet him. So that night we met Thomas and talked to him a bit. We asked him if he was interested in this religion and to our surprise he said no. I was really confused! But we got to talking a little more and one of the Sortomme sons (not one of the twins) bore his testimony about the church and about how important it is to give missionaries a chance to teach because you will never know if you don't listen and find our for yourself. After that Thomas said he would think about it. It was a nice conversation and we were able to say a prayer with all of them before we left. Well Sunday comes around and Thomas was there! HE comes up to US after sacrament meeting and asks US when we can have a lesson!! It was one of the many miracles that we saw that week :) We set up a day to meet and taught the plan of salvation because he has already been taught the Restoration. And we asked him to be baptized. He said yes :) It was so amazing. He is so amazing. I have been praying so earnestly to find one of Heavenly Father's elect and to find someone who Heavenly Father has been preparing and Thomas showed up. He is prepared. We have him on date for the 3rd of August :) He is very excited because his birthday is on the 4th and his dad will be home! His dad is a truck driver and is not home very much. But I think it is pretty neat because he will be receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost on his birthday. What a special blessing and day that will be for him and for all of us! I know that Heavenly Father has prepared and is preparing many people to accept His gospel. They are hard to find but I know that through sincere prayer and fasting, it can and will be done. He wants us to find them. He knows they are precious. And because he wants us to find them he will provide a way for us to do so if we so desire. 

Here is a little update on a few of our investigators:

Linda Trumble is on date for the 3rd of August as well! She has a smoking problem and is trying hard to quit. But if she wants to be baptized on the 3rd then she has to be clean for 2 weeks before that. And that is coming up. We have tried so many different things to help her but she is still having a hard time. We told her that if she really wants it, Heavenly Father will provide a way for her to do it. So prayers for her would be wonderful :)

Neshia Farag had three younger siblings that we are teaching and I can't remember if I mentioned them already. They are so wonderful and the fact that we are now teaching them is a blessing and miracle! The all came to her baptism and since then they have wanted to take the lessons! We haven't been able to meet with their dad yet though but we have a lesson with them tonight and he will be there! I cannot wait to teach all of them together! We have been praying to find a family and so yet another miracle has been given to us by our loving Heavenly Father! 

Yesterday was a miracle day. I know that Heavenly Father puts us in the right places at the right times and that no situation is a coincidence. Yesterday was Sunday and so it was a very busy day for us. We went to three ward councils (1st, 3rd, and spanish branch in Quincy) and had some other meetings and then we went to part of one ward and all of another ward. So we didn't set our goals (numbers) very high that day because we had very little time to actually be working. But guess what? That was not Heavenly Father's plan ha. We had a wonderful evening and just day in general and we had many more things happen than we had planned. We received two referrals that day which doesn't seem high and maybe it's not but I was so excited about it ha. And we talked to 4 different people about who we were and what our message was. We didn't have actual lessons with all them though. One of those people was James Bacon. We were just walking down by some trailers and this guy yells to us hi. We didn't see him before he said anything. We go over to him and introduce ourselves and the whole time he just has a smile on his face. Then he asks us "Can I have one of your books?" WHAT?! I was so happy!! :) We told him of course he could!! I have been wanting something like that to happen my entire mission and now it did! I was so thankful to Heavenly Father for that experience. He really does hear us and he really does know the desires of our hearts. It is hard sometimes when we don't know His timing or how things will work out but it is just so amazing and sweet when things do. We talked to James a little more about the church and we came to find out that he might be a little handicap in some way. But that doesn't matter. We will have to be more patient with him because he likes to talk and get off subject but I still believe that he is prepared. He has a sweet spirit. I am actually out of time and have more things to say about James but I will finish next week! We have a lesson with him this week though! :) 

I have seen so many miracles this past week. I know that these things are happening because this is God's work and glory. His children are learning how they can receive eternal life and it is a beautiful thing. His commandments are blessing. The mission rules are there to protect. Keep the commandments, keep the commandments, in this there is safety, in this there is peace. I love this song. It is very true. I want to be as obedient as I can so that this wonderful place can see miracles and can grow in the everlasting Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know he died for us and I know that he lives for us. Yo se que la unica manera que podamos regresar a Dios y recibir la vida eterna es por medio de Jesucristo y su Evangelio. Esta es la orba del Padre. I love you all so much and I love being a missionary! It puts a smile on my face! :) 

Thanks for everything family and friends!! I am so blessed and I love you all! GO FORTH WITH FAITH! And it doesn't hurt to add a smile :D

Love, 

Hermana Katelyn Syphus 

Week 13 (July 8, 2013 Ephrata, WA)

Hi mom :)

For some reason time has really gone by fast today for emailing and so I wanted to at least write you. I am just brain dead right now and I wanted to write you and dad because thinking of you two helps me calm down and helps me cope. 

That is so great about Nick! Haha and very funny about him wanting to chase Braquel before she leaves :) let me know how that goes ha. 

And yes, you can leave all those emails in my inbox. I can always sort through them after my mission too. I honestly don't know how to write all these people back! It is so difficult and Mom, I just worry so much about them getting hurt feelings. I don't know how other missionaries do it and maybe it is because I am selfish in some way or something but I don't know!! And I try to remember to include "thank you's" to people in my emails but my brain just goes wacko whenever I get to the computer. But thank you for that advise, I will try to be better at that. Have people been asking about why I don't write back or anything like that? I have been getting quite a few letters which has been such a blessing and so it is hard to remember everything and everyone and that is why I think I am selfish  Like even if I don't seem like I am, maybe it is an inner thing or something and I just don't know it ha. Because my patriarchal blessing says that I "learn quickly and remember great volumes." Hahaha! That is funny. And I know it is a blessing from God so it must be right but I don't know exactly how that is. I just want people to know that I love them and am so thankful for them. And I start letters to people but never finish them, and that is the other thing. For example, I have a started but not finished letter to: Kami, Erik, Joel, Kambree, Kendyl, you and dad, Bronte, Clel, The Bennet family, and a few more I think. Ugh! Anyway, I hope everything works out and that I come home a better person then from when I left. But I promise I am happy! :) I just start feeling bad when i think about not writing people and such. 

I am excited to tell you about this week! Maybe I can do it in a nice summary type of way since there is not much time. 

As you know, last Wednesday Hermana Pendleton left to Peru and so I was with the Hermanas in Quincy for a few days. They were technically my comps so you can add them to the list if you want :) Their names are Hermanas Mierow and Rohde if I didn't tell you already. So I worked with them in Quincy for a while and it was a CRAZY few days but it was so wonderful to see the Lord's hands in the entire process. I am so glad I am not the one that has to UNDERSTAND HOW everything is going to work out; that is the Lord's job. I just have to understand that IT WILL work out in the end if I am doing what he asks. And I have had to remember that this past week. Heavenly Father is teaching me so much! I have had so many changes and things happening on my mission and Sister Mierow who is going home in August told me that it is so weird to see all the things that have happened to me on my mission and how crazy it has been for me so far even though I have only been out 3 months. And she said that the hard situations and things that are happening with me are not normal and that the rest of my mission should be easier haha :) But you know? I am so thankful for the things that have happened to me on my mission so far. I have praying to become more like Christ and to do whatever it takes to help me become more like Him. And so I think these situations are helping that to happen. I want to be fully converted so that I will be more worthy to teach these people and help them become converted as well. And the other thing is, I don't think I have told you and dad all the craziness that has been happening lately because of lack of time so you might not know why am saying that it has been crazy but I think it has been. And maybe it hasn't been and I think it has been. WHO KNOWS?! Ha :) 

I was so worried to get a new companion because change is hard for me and I had already had five companions (that is five companions in 2.5 months...crazy!), and I was still going to be the junior comp but I also had been in the area almost 2 weeks and she hadn't been in it at all so I would have to know and remember things. But anyway this is how it went:

Monday we got a call from Pres. Ware and he said that I would be getting a new comp on Wednesday at the meet and greet with him and his wife. He said that my new comp was from the Kennewick mission and would be the first one to come up to our part of the state. She was in a trio and spanish speaking and they also prayed long and hard about it I have been told. So Wednesday we met Pres. Ware and his wife and they are so amazing! He is wonderful and so soft spoken and sweet and so is his wife. I am so excited to work with them :) My new comp. is Hermana Williams and she is from Arlington, Texas. She is not a visa waiter. She has been out 6 months and umm...yes. So when Sis. Pendleton left I was very nervous because I didn't know anything about Ephrata and didn't know where things were or where people lived and there was just so much to handle all at once and I was nervous. Sis. Williams was new of course and so we have pretty much been sweeping this area (which means two missionaries go into an area knowing nothing about it), and it has been tough. But I have to tell you, two weeks ago I would have never thought that I could do some of the things that I have had to do. And that is why I have gained such a huge reassurance that God is helping me and giving me the strength and the means to do everything that needs to be done. It is not me I can tell you that. Because two weeks ago I had a companion that knew the area and knew how to plan well and things like that. But now I have had to try to do that since my comp is completely new to the area. And I have been blessed and the Lord is with us. He is the reason that we are able to do these things. He has helped me see that when I think I cannot do something hard alone, he is right. But with His help, anything can happen! And I know that is true. Oh boy mom time is up and I had so much more to tell you. There are experiences and miracles and people I want to tell you about! I will do that next week or in a letter or something. I am so happy and I am doing great I promise :) 

Mom and Dad I am very blessed to be on my mission and to be a missionary. I am loving every moment and I am seeing so many wonderful things. I love you so much and I am so thankful to have such pure hearted and loving parents. I am receiving strength from Heavenly Father and that is the only way that this week has been possible! All is well :) Thanks for everything and sorry for the boring long email. Next weeks will be better I hope :/ Love you so much! 

Love, 

Katelyn 

Week 12 (July 1, 2013 Ephrata, WA)

Why Hello Family and Friends :)

I don't actually know where to start with this last week so I am just going to begin somewhere and end somewhere and hopefully all the information in between makes sense. I don't know how organized it is going to be though so sorry if I confuse you haha.

First off, WE HAD A BAPTISM ON SUNDAY!! This was the first baptism that I have witnessed on my mission and it was SO powerful and wonderful. Her name is Neshia Farag and she is 17 years old. She was found by my old companion Sister Pendleton and her comp Sis. Smith. Neshia was very prepared by the Lord. Her boyfriend is a member and his family is so awesome. They have helped prepare Neshia so much and we as missionaries still had to teach her the lessons but she knew everything already. She is the sweetest girl and her spirit is unbelievable. Yesterday when she bore her testimony at her baptism the last thing we said was, "There are many people I could thank for helping me get to this point, but I want to thank the person that has helped me more than anyone else. And that is my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." She really did have tons of support and but made sure that everyone knew that the main reason she made this step was because of her love for Jesus Christ. That really touched me. Her baptisms was wonderful and I will never forget it. I only taught her a few times but those few times were very special. I actually had the opportunity to speak at her baptism.That was a great privilege for me and I was thankful for that opportunity. I always get so nervous when I have to speak but each time I do I feel so thankful because when I bear my testimony I know that it grows, just like everyone's does.So yes, that is great news from Ephrata! Oh and mom, that would be wonderful if you put her name on the board :) Thanks so much!

So the next big thing that happened was Hermana Pendlteton's departure to Peru! We got the call on Wednesday of last week from President and he said that she didn't get her visa but she has been here for so long that they are going to ship her off anyway haha. I don't know how that worked out but hopefully nothing bad happened to her. I was super sad to receive that news because she and I had only been together for about a week and it was so amazing having her as a companion. We got along great and she was a wonderful trainer. So when we got that news, President also told us that she would be leaving to Spokane on Thursday and heading to Peru on Friday in the early early morning. He told us that I would be serving with the hermanas in Quincy until they found a new companion for me. But they couldn't find a new comp for me in the Spokane mission because in a few days (today) the mission was going to change. So he said that until President Ware (new pres.) found a comp for me, I would be serving with the other hermanas. And us three would be in charge of the Quincy area AND the Ephrata area that Sis. Pendleton and I were covering. We cover three ward and Quincy sisters cover two wards and so in a nutshell we have had two areas, five area books, five wards, two cars, two homes, and lots of stress and work over the past 5 days. Haha :) CRAZY CRAZY!! But this definitely is a learning experience and I am learning that it is impossible to do everything I have to do without the Lord's help. He is answering prayers and I can feel the prayers that are being offered and I thank you all so much. We spend one day in one area and then another day in another area and we are trying to do the Lord's work in the right way. It had been very challenging but of course it is not impossible because otherwise we would not have been placed in this situation. Okay! So we just got off the phone with Pres. Ware and I guess I will be getting my new companion on Wednesday when we meet President Ware. He is coming to Ephrata and I will meet him for the first time on that day. I am very excited! This entire experience has been super crazy but in times like these is it so wonderful to know that we are not the one's that lead this work. We do not have to lead this work. It is lead by God . And that is how I know that everything will work out...no matter how crazy it seems to be haha :) 

I will quickly say something about Jakkob. We were planning on teaching his mom but she wasn't home and so we met him instead and he invited us in. He had a few friends over and so we were very impressed that he allowed us to come in. He is 17 and is into drugs and that kind of thing but he is trying to stop and is very respectful. He is hard for his mom though. We taught him the Restoration and he was very attentive and answered the questions very well. We invited him to be baptized at the end of the lesson and he said when he knew that it was true he would get baptized. It was such a wonderful experience and definitely a miracle from Heavenly Father. He even said the closing prayer and his friends were still there! They didn't participate in the lesson but that did not stop Jakkob from listening. It was very neat and he impressed with his integrity in that moment. I will let you know where that goes though! 

Thank you all so much for all you do. I love you all and I hope that you know that! It is hard to express everything on a mission because there is not much time to do it but I hope you all know that I really do appreciate your support and prayers and love! I know that this is where the Lord wants me to be and this past week has helped me develop a much greater faith and trust in Him and is timing. I am doing things that I never thought I would be able to do. But I am doing them with HIS help and with HIS strength. He is merciful and He is so loving. I love my Savior and I am so proud and blessed to be one of His missionaries. Love you all!!

Love,

Hermana Katelyn Syphus :)

Neshia Farag's baptism!! 

Hermana Rohde, Neisha, me and Hermana Mierow

 

Washington Kennewick Mission (July 1, 2013)

WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME TO THE WASHINGTON KENNEWICK MISSION!!!!!  Isn’t this a marvelous time to be a missionary!   Changes are a bit stressful for all of us . . . but we couldn’t be more pleased to have you in The WKM with us.  We love you already, and can’t wait to meet each of you!  We look forward to working shoulder to shoulder with you in the days ahead.  Until then, we felt like you and your family might need some basic information.

President Boyd S. Ware (begins on 1 Jul 2013)

Sister Linda P. Ware

WASHINGTON KENNEWICK MISSION

8202 W Quinault Ave., Suite D

Kennewick, WA 99336