Really Trust Him!!

Hi Fam Fam!
I can't believe I have more time behind me then I do in front of me... that is crazy. But I'm so excited to see what these next 8 1/2 or so months bring. This week was pretty good. Sister Velez and I both grew a lot this week.
Thursday: we had the Hot cocoa social at the church like we always do, which was good, more people are coming out which is really good. This evening we went to a YSA activity with Patrycja, and it was so fun. Patrycja has become one of my eternal best friends. She is so great!
Friday: today consisted of a lot of planning and meetings, so there really isn't much to tell ya!
Saturday: today we did some service which was so fun! We started the day off by helping the Elders clean the chapel, so that was great. By this afternoon we helped a member in our ward, Sister Dozar with her garden. We pulled up all of her weeds! It took us a while, but we did it!! After the service projects, we went to Patrycja, and we read the BOM with Emilia. Emilia loves to read the scriptures. She loves the church so much, we are praying that someday soon, she will be able to be baptized!!
Sunday: Being on a mission you come to know that your days just never go to plan, God always guides us to other opportunities throughout the day which is great!! But Patrycja had her first temple preparation class today, so in September, she will be able to go through the temple for the first time!! Yay!! After church we had lunch with Patrycja and Emilia. Which was really fun, they have a white German Sheppard, and she is shedding super bad, so my clothes are covered in doggie hair, but it's okay, I'm used to it haha. This evening we went to the Sheppards house for dinner and they did a family home evening. It was lovely. The Sheppards are such an amazing family. Jessie Sheppard, their daughter, is coming to serve her mission in the Salt Lake City East mission. So look out for sister Sheppard. She leaves in July.
Monday: today, we went and visited Alcina in the hospital. She has had a rough recovery from her surgery, but thankfully she gets to go home tonight! This evening we went to the Andrews for a dinner appointment. They are such a kind family, they are trying to be the best missionaries that they can be. They really do a lot for the ward, and they are so kind.
Tuesday: we had Presidents interviews today! I love President and Sister Gubler. They are the best. And I am so grateful that I have had the opportunity to become so close to them! Our interviews were in Portsmouth which is a bit of a travel from our area, so it took most of our day. But they were fantastic!!
This week I have been thinking a lot about how we (I) often have faith in outcomes. I have been really trying to understand what it means to trust God, and rely on Him. But it hit me... yes I have faith in God and I love Him, but I haven't been trusting Him... when we truly trust God, we don't worry. We don't worry how things are going to end up, because we know that He will never let us down, because He never has before. And for me I saw that I haven't been trusting God as much as I would like because I have been worried about how everything is going to turn out... and this isn't trust. This is me having faith in outcomes. I was so grateful that I was able to learn that this week. Because this whole life is all about trusting God, and I need to know how to do that. So I am grateful, God is helping me learn this on my mission.
I hope that you all have a great week. I love you so much, and you are always in my heart and prayers. We got this!!
Love,
Sister Lund

 Pres Gubler wanted us to send a picture home to let all know we are safe from the terrorist attack

 Patrycja and Emilia

 9 Months!!

9 MONTHS!!

Hi Fam Fam!                                                                                                          
First of all, I'm so sorry that my email deleted last week!! But I hope you all had a good week. Mine was pretty good. It was so good to hear and see you on Sunday! Skype calls are the best aren't they? So thankful for technology!
Thursday: Every Thursday our ward does a hot chocolate social, so we get to help with it! It is so nice to mingle with the members! They are so amazing, and they are like our family! We did some knocking this evening, and Sister Velez led it, which is so good! She did great. Knocking is always an interesting experience, you meet some great people. This evening we went with Patrycja to a YSA activity, and it was so fun. She met some people, and was able to talk to them, and I was able to meet one of my MTC teachers, Sister Hughes, friends, so that was cool.
Friday: We had our first lesson with our friend Debbie today. We haven't been able to teach a lot of people recently so it was nice to be able to teach. Haha this evening before correlation, we wanted to try tracking down some former investigators, but my maps are not working very well right now, and apparently Sister Velez' are starting to not work very well either, because we were definitely lost, haha but it was so funny!
Saturday: This morning we had our 4th lesson with our friend Alex. He is such a great guy. He is very intelligent, and has very strongly rooted beliefs. And in the lesson we both realized very quickly that he just isn't quite ready yet. And it was hard because all of us were trying not to get frustrated, but I was able to see that sometimes bearing testimony of what you know to be true is all you can do. Sometimes people are not ready to accept the gospel, but no one can ever take your testimony away from you!
Sunday: Today was fabulous. Guess why? I got to Skype you!!! Haha church was really good, Patrycja taught the lesson in YW today, and she asked us to help her. The topic was on patriarchal blessings and she did so well, it was her first lesson! After church we went and visited Alcina, she is doing a lot better since she got surgery. The first couple of days were really rough, but she is doing better thankfully. Then we came home, and I got to Skype you, which was so so nice! And then we went and visited Rafaella and her sons, they are members in the ward. They are Italian, and they are sooo nice.
Monday: Today we were on exchanges, and I was with Sister Walker. We were able to have a lesson with Heather, which was really nice, because she REALLY needed it. She has had a hard life, and is struggling with some things, but she is so strong. She is a fighter, and she is such a good example to me. I love beeing on exchanges with Sister Walker. She has become one of my best friends. It is so crazy how alike we are... so crazy!
Tuesday: We finished up exchanges today. It was so fun, I made all of the meals while they were here, and they were like "Sister Lund, you're going to make a great wife" haha, I actually am starting to learn how to cook, and it actually tastes good! 👏 👍 I learned a lot from this exchange. And so I am excited to put it into practice.
I cannot believe that I have been on my mission for 9 months! Time flies. This week has been amazing. It has been tough, but amazing! Last week in the email that got deleted I shared an experience that I had.... Those who know me, know that I am terrified of snakes. Like terrified. And when we went to do some service for a family in our ward, Sister Velez and I were inside painting their living room, and the Elders were outside doing yard work. And while we were painting Brother and Sister North, and the Elders came in holding something in their hand... at first I didn't think much of it, until I saw something slither.... it was a slow worm, which apparently is a lizard, but it looks gross. I was so terrified, and they all wanted me to touch it and I refused. Flash forward to the next day. We were at Patryjca's house, and the Elders go " Sister Lund, the Wrzeszcz family have an initiation rule, when missionaries come over..." and I was like "wait what?" And Patrycja stands up, walks over to this cage, and pulls something out of it. My heart dropped when I saw what she pulled out of the cage... A python. At that point I was like "okay really, could it not have been a slow worm" haha. Guess what... I held a python, and I actually conquered my fear. The reason I share this experience, is that sometimes God asks us to do things that seem hard for us (touching the slow worm) sometimes we do it, sometimes we don't. But then sometimes God asks us to do things that seem impossible to us (holding a python). But He always is there to support us, He always is there to comfort us, and He always is there to help us. He will never ever desert us, He will never forsake us. Sometimes we miss out on opportunities for growth (sometimes we don't touch the slow worm), and that can be hard because sometimes the hardest things that are asked of us, are the things that will benefit us the most. And you know what... it's okay that we make mistakes, it's okay that sometimes we don't grow as much as we want to, because we have a Loving Heavenly Father and a loving Savior, Jesus Christ. And they want us to grow, so they are going to give us more chances to "touch the slow worm" but sometimes it won't be as easy, sometimes we will have to "hold the python". But when we can do hard things, and we can see our growth, it is an amazing thing, and we can rest assure that God loves us and is pleased with our efforts, because we tried. This life is all about trying. Like daddy always says "step up to the plate and take your swings, you won't always hit the ball, in fact you will probably miss more times than you hit it. But that does not matter. What matters is that you stay at the plate and you keep swinging". I hope that this week, we will remember how merciful our God is. That it doesn't matter how bad we think we are, or how many mistakes we have made that we think we can't be forgiven. What matters is that we remember that we are sons and daughters of God. He loves us. This life is full of growing moments. Enjoy them! I love you all so much, and I am so grateful for you!!! Have a fabulous week. We got this!
Love,
Sister Lund

 Fred the friendly python

 Look at my cooking skills

 Exchanges with Sister Walker

My View.... heaven!!

Preparing to Meet God!!

Hi Fam Fam!
This week has been so great. We have seen a lot of miracles, and I love my area. Hamble River is beautiful.
 Thursday: We were on exchange today, and I was with cute Sister Rathinam, from India. We definitely had an adventure. We got lost in the woods, and had a dinner appointment with the North Family. Daddy, Brother North wanted me to ask you if you knew what puff the magic dragon is? He is in the Navy, and wondered if you knew since you were in the Air Force. Exchanges were fun though.
Friday: We did a lot of traveling today. And since we were ending exchanges, it was a crazy day. But this evening we were able to visit sweet Sister Hollis. She is a widow in our ward, she has helped us so much in the time that we have been there.
Saturday: We had a dinner with Sister Baker this evening... another roast dinner haha. But she is lovely. She is also a widow in our ward. We have been trying to work with a lot of members right now.
Sunday: Church is always really fun in Hamble River. Our Recent Convert Heather got set apart today as a ward missionary. Heather is amazing, she is struggling with a lot of opposition right now but she also is trying her hardest to follow Christ. This evening we went to Bishops house for dinner. I love their family they are amazing. Then we dropped by Alcina, a recent convert. She speaks portuguese so i am trying to learn a bit... it is not going too well haha. But we taught her son a bit, which was a miracle. We are really trying to teach her daughter, but it will take time.
Monday: Today we went to Heathers house and read the Book of Mormon with her. She was pretty emotional, and she said she is starting to understand the Book of Mormon more. It was a miracle for us traveling back because Sister Velez was out of money, and I left my wallet at the flat, and i looked in my bag and I had loose change, and we had exactly enough money to get home. So cool!!
Tuesday: We got a surprise text from a former investigator asking if we could meet at the chapel! It was so great we were able to teach her, and we are seeing her again this upcoming thursday. Yay!!! This evening we had a DA with the Glentworths. They are a young couple, the wife is a Recent Convert and the husband is not a member, but they are the cutest couple. It was a really fun night!!
This week has been really good. I have learned a lot about myself. I am amazed at how well God knows me and what I need. This week it hit me that I am almost halfway done with my mission.... That is crazy. I LOVE my mission so much. And I have been thinking a lot about what I want from the rest of my mission. Ultimately I want to enjoy the journey. I want to focus on my Savior, and I want to rely on him with my whole heart. I have seen so many miracles here, and I know that God has a plan for me. Life is not easy, but of course it will not be... We are preparing to meet God. He loves us and wants us to grow. if we didnt need to grow, we probably wouldnt be here. I love you all so much, and I am grateful for the support you give me. I am so excited to Skype you in a few weeks! Big hugs and kisses. I love you. We got this!
Love,
Sister Lund

 More Castle Pictures

 The Norths

 Alcina

 Exchanges with Sister Rathinam

 Stepped in mud and my foot is SOAKED

Sister Velez found a friend!!