Bikin it, teachin it, LOVIN it!

Hello hello!

So good to see pictures of all of you cuties! and thanks for the vid! You should send those more often:) Hotttt dogggg. Looks FUN. 

So... this week! Well, it wasn't the best in terms of 'key indicators' or... in other words.. our goals. But that is because Sister Szabo and I had a changed heart & mind on what missionary work is really about-- focus on people's needs--teach PEOPLE, not LESSONS. It's tough, because sometimes we just get into routine, when really, each person is different, and needs to be taught differently. 

But, out of the whole week, what has really affected me the most is... a talk I read! It's called "In the Strength of the Lord" by Elder Bednar. I cannot BELIEVE I haven't read it before! It literally CHANGED me. I have thought about it all day, everyday since I read it. Please please please read it together--the whole thing! And tell me what you think! I get teary just thinking about it! It's about the strengthening and enabling power of the Atonement. Which brings me to..... biking.

We all know how wimpy, out of shape, and and lazy Lize is. This might sound strange, but I can honestly say, through the strengthening power of the Atonement, I was able to ride my bike EVERYWHERE this week. Normal Eliza Beeson wouldn't be able to. But Sister Beeson DID! We are low on our miles, so we had to break out the bikes. We have rode about 20ish miles a day, so total--about 80 miles so far. And let me tell ya, biking + skirt + wind = NO BUENO. Thankfully, the weather has been crazzzy nice. It even got chilly! Low 60's. And I'd like to take a bragging moment: I am getting buff. My legs. Honestly. Yessss. 

Anyway, it's been quite the week, I'll just tell you about a gal we met real quick.

Her name is Daphne. Sister Szabo met her last transfer by accident, they knocked on a door that they thought was someone else's, but it ended up being Daphne. They didn't get a chance to teach her. Well, Sister Szabo and I happened to be in that apartment the other day, and she remembered Daphne! So, we went and knocked. She was sooo happy to see us! (2nd time seeing Sis. S, 1st time seeing me) she let us in, offered us water, and fruit, told us to take a seat, she was just the sweetest. Well, we just started chatting, she's from Kenya, and she's been here for like 8 years, anyway, then she's just like "So. Tell me all about your church!" We did. We shared the Restoration. We invited her to be baptized (she accepted) and we told her about the Book of Mormon. We had her read Moroni's promise aloud to us. She asked, "Why doesn't anybody know about this book?!" "You're telling me, all I have to do is pray with a sincere heart, and God will tell me it's true?!" "Where's your church, I want to come!" It. was. AMAZING. She was so excited to read and learn more! The Spirit was strong. Sister Szabo and I just dieeeed after we left, we were so so happy. We have very high hopes for Daphne! 

Sunday, we had our little investigators (I don't know if I've already told you about them) Their names are Budda (10) and Prinell (8) they LOVE LOVE LOVE church. They love love love reading the Book of Mormon, and LOVE having us come to teach them. They are such faithful kiddies, and should be getting baptized by mid-August! :) 

So, Minnesota is great. I really do enjoy it. I love Liberians. And Kenyans. And Asians. And African Americans. I adore the diversity. 

Thanks for your prayers, everybody! I appreciate the hand written letters, too! Those are like the BEST treat to get when we walk into our room after a looooong day. Love you all thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis much plus INFINITY! :)
XOXO

Sister Beeson

Training time with Sister Szabo

On bikes, but at least the weather is mild

You HAVE to try these juice pouches!

Missing you all back home!

Johnsons were baptized!!

Hello, hello! Well. It's been quite the week; again. I'll answer your question though before I start so I won't forget :) I play the piano for district/zone meetings sometimes... We don't have them very often, but at least I get the chance to! The member home I live in also has a piano, so I play on that sometimes when I have time. It's hard playing ONLY church stuff. Haha oh well. Also, I think I already told you this, but I have sang a lot in lessons. That might sound weird, but it totally brings the Spirit. And also in the morning, before companionship study, we're supposed to sing a hymn together. So I feel like I'm just singin' all the time! It's good. :)

Ah it's killing me to be here when Mik and the kiddies are there!! I miss them mucho! Tell them that, ok?

Monday, p-day, the usual.

Well, on that exchange I was able to see Sister Brueshaber! (One of my fav less actives we'd always visit and the Johnsons!!! They had their last interview before their baptism Thursday! It was soooo good to see them. They were WAY excited to see me too. 

So. The exchange went well. 

The days have been soooo  hot. AND HUMID. It's the humidity that's a killer. Especially when I shower, and I feel like the soap is still on me no matter how long I stand in the water to rinse off. Soft waterrrr. Gotta love it.

Well, Thursday came! The day of the Johnson's baptism!! We had our investigator Roshel ready to come with us. We asked her weeks in advance to come, and she agreed to it. We kept following up making sure she could come, and on the day of the baptism, we texted her about 2 hours before the service and she said she was still good to come. WELL. She didn't. She totally ignored our phone calls, wouldn't answer the door, wouldn't text back. I was HEART BROKEN. I told the Johnson's I'd be there--plus we were supposed to teach the Restoration at the baptism! We couldn't go. I was so so so sad. In fact, Sister Szabo and I cried. Very upsetting. But, we prayed, got over it, and figured there was a reason we weren't supposed to go. We had to find that person--whoever it was to be, to teach the Restoration to. Well, from 6 pm to about 8:50 we were knocking and walking, and doing EVERYTHING we could and NO ONE was home. It was killing us. We weren't understanding the reason why we had to miss the baptism. So, we were about to start heading home (our curfew is at 9) but then we figured we'd walk until we found someone. So, it's about 8:58 by now, no one... but we turned a corner, and saw an old lady, sitting in her jazzy, in the middle of a parking lot, by herself, doing a crossword puzzle. WHAT? Couldn't be more random, right? Well, we taught her. I felt the Spirit SO strong while teaching her. She's been through the wringer, and is so strong. Her name is Marlene. What a cutie. We have a return appointment with her, so we'll see where that takes us, but she seemed SO interested and was just the best. 

There are so many other little stories/tender mercies/miracles that happened in the week, but I still have to reply to a lot of people. But we DID have people make it to church this week! Two cute little boys (Budda-10, and Prinell-8) come to church with us. They enjoyed it and are soooo smart, and LOVE listening to us.. in fact, we taught them this week when they were at the POOL with their FRIENDS. They got OUT of the pool to have a lesson. What little boys in the WORLD would do that?! They're the best. We also got our investigator Larry and his girlfriend to attend church!!

Sister Szabo is the best. We are just having the time of our LIVESSS. She really keeps me going. I am sooo grateful to be her companion. We're already planning on what we're gonna do together when we both get home. BFF4LIFE. :)

Love you all. You're all in my prayers. Always. :)

xoxo, Sister Beeson!

Me and Sister Szabo at Subway:0

Decorated Planner. (the eyes look just like dad's eyes to me, they're from a painting of Christ in the Ensign)

I am loving THIS Medicine!

Hi there!!!! Oh my gosh. I am ONE. HAPPY. MISSIONARY. 

 I am now in the Medicine Lake Ward (Plymouth) with the lovely Sister Szabo! Mom, I LOVE her. I am so so so incredibly blessed to be companions with her. She's blessing me so much already, and it has only been 4 days. Within FOUR days, Sister Szabo and I taught NINE Restoration lessons in 3 days. That's insane! If you don't quite know what I mean by that, it means, finding people on the street, stopping them, getting to know them, telling them we are missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, talking about how when Christ was on the earth He established His church and gave His apostles authority, going into people rejecting Jesus Christ/Disciples & power taken from the earth, then going into the Restoration, telling Joseph Smith's story, reciting the First Vision, inviting that random person on the street to be baptized, then saying a closing prayer. It's pretty intense. It was really scary at first, but Sister Szabo and I are a power house and busting these puppies out:) Sister Mansfield and our Zone Leaders found out and were SOOO proud of us!

 

First day there, we had dinner at the Ojo's house. Mom. Sister Ojo was YOU. A black YOU. She was hilarious, amazing cook, cute decorated house, went on a mish, and doesn't take crap from anyone. It was a blessing to be there:)

On Saturday, we went to a baptism for a teenager named Aminata, we were asked to teach the Restoration while she was getting dressed back into her church clothing. That went well, the Spirit was very strong. I met a lot of the ward members after that, (and btw I have only heard the BEST of things about the Medicine Lake ward) they were all SO nice... Everyone was so happy to have me there, and I felt at home immediately. TIt's so great! We were invited that night to Bishop Henstrom's house for a 'get to know the new ward members BBQ' and Mom. You would have DIED. Their house was beautifulllll. It's honestly something you'd see on Country Living magazine.. antique deck/little area that had furniture with hanging lights, and their backyard was MASSIVE, with huge beautiful willow trees, a lovely garden, and a super pretty lake in the back. I loved it. Anyway, we were there to 'mingle' with the new wardies. We met some really great people, and there was some really great food.

Sunday was looonnnggg... We were at the church from 8-3 with meetings n'stuff. We were sitting in Sacrament meeting singing the Sacrament hymn, and after the hymn ended, Brother Ojo got up and said in his lovely African accent "We ah oot uff breed, soo, we will haff Seester Beeson come an sheh her testeemony" (we are outta bread, Sister B will share her testimony) Didn't see that one coming! Went up, introduced myself, bore my testimony on Missionary Work, The Atonement of Jesus Christ, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon. It was a really nice opportunity. And after Sacrament meeting, people just swarmed up to us and were introducing themselves. Those Minnesotians! They're just the cutest.

That night we were invited to the Camps for dinner. The Camps are a LEGEND. They're an older couple and are just 100% missionary minded. I LOVE them. The people at dinner were supposed to be the Camps (obv) the Spitzenburgers (another awesome missionary minded couple) us, and the Asamoahs (member husband, non member wife) We had a lovely Gospel Discussion.

 

After that, we visiting good ol' Brother Larry. He read SO much!!! He read all of the Introduction, all of the Testimonies, 1 Ne 1-7, and the whole Book of Moroni! Whaaaaat? What a stud. He took about 30 min to tell us what he learned, and we are just so proud of him. He's great.

And yes, the Johnson's. That was why I was upset to get transferred. BUT. If we have an investigator to come with us (which we do as of now) then we can go! I'm so excited. It's this Thursday at 7! You guys should come ;) Sister Mansfield asked us to teach the Restoration at that baptism too. So that'll be fun!

I have a great district! They're super cool.  I feel like I'm gonna be here--Med Lake for a while :) I'd be fine with that!

Sorry, I feel like this email is super scattered and unorganized. But just know that I am oh-so-happy, a wonderful companion, I live in a tidy member home, I get to drive, I have a nice bunk bed, and the best ward in Minnesota. I love this Gospel! Being a missionary is great. :) Love you all, thanks for your prayers!

Have a lovely week and keep safe and cool!

xoxo Sister Beeson

Sister Beeson and her new companion Sister Szabo from American Fork!  

Mamacita & fam & friends!!

Ahhhh... WHAT. A. WEEK. I don't even know where to start. Let's see... I can't even remember the beginning of the week. hmm... well, the week started off with Sister Schwartz (my lovely MTC comp) and I being companions for the day!!!! That was the absolute BEST.

 I drove for the first time (since May 15...eek) and we really had no idea where we were, but hey, all our appointments worked out, we taught some Restorations, and we had success! Not as bad as I thought it'd be :D It was fun. She's the cutest ever. I am so happy to know Sister Schwartz! 

Ok... So. Cool story, ready? (I honestly can't remember if I told you any of this, sorry if I did, but there's more to the story anyway) So last Friday when I was on exchanges, Sister Mansfield and the comp she was with met a man named Marvin. Marvin is old. He's African American, he's BUFF. He has a rough background: Wife died when he was 27. Mom died 7 months later. Got remarried. Recently divorced. Ex & kiddies want nothing to do with him. He was prompted to move to Minnesota, first person he ran into was an LDS member, next day, ran into some missionaries, and a day later, got referred to us. We taught him Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. AHHH! Amazing. He is keeping ALL of his commitments, and feels strongly he needs to get baptized. We have a baptismal date set for August 3rd. How exciting!!! Well, Marvin is home-less & job-less. Quite unfortunate. So, he has been PRAYING like crazy to get a job so he can provide for himself. We have been praying for him too. WELLLL... He got a job! BUT. The shifts are Sunday-Friday. Boo. He'd still be able to come to church (9-12) but then he'd have to work (4-12) so, that was a big bummer. We talked to him on the 4th of July and taught him about the Sabbath, etc. We were lovingly bold and he knows the importance of the Sabbath. We talked with our leaders and such and we all decided that he just needs a job to get him back on his feet to provide for himself, and THEN start looking for a new job/asking for Sundays off. He's amazing. I look up to him so much, and I love meeting with him, because I learn from HIM! So, that's exciting. 

So July 4th!! AH! Thanks soooo much for the pics. I LOVED them. So so so good. 

So, the morning of July 4th, there was the Shingle Creek/Elm Creek ward breakfast! There were a lotttt of people there including loads of investigators! Right when I got there, this gal runs up to me saying "Sister Beeson!!" I didn't recognize her... She introduced herself saying, "I'm Amy Anderson, Michael Peterson's sister!" Awww... a relation to home! I was so happy :) and guess who was with her? Tuesday! It was good to see her too:) they were both so nice and told me if I ever need 'ANYTHING' to call her right up:) the breakfast was good, I love my ward. They're all so great! I really wish you all could just look through my eyes at Sacrament Meeting. It is THE BEST. 

It's quite empty most of the time, because... well... it's not Utah. But there are just tons of Liberians in there crazy, colorful garb, translators, for deaf people, the organist usually just plays right hand, Liberian prayers are so heart felt and...  I just love everyone there! 

So, onnnn... Friday I was able to go on exchanges with Sister Szabo from American Fork, Utah! She's just the cutest. I loveddd being with her, and I honestly thought we rocked it the two days we were together. 

Oh and  I'm getting transferred.  I am going just right next door to a place called Medicine Lake (Plymouth) I'm so excited. That was actually where I had my first exchange, so I'll be living in a members house! Wednesday is THE DAY. 

 I'm just way bummed because I have grown to love sooo many people down here in these past 6 weeks. It's crazy. And I don't get to go to the Johnson's baptism unless I have an investigator with me! So hopefully we'll find someone to come! 

Well e'rybody. Life is GOOD. I'm a missionary! I love it! The days go by fast, so I have to remember to use the Lord's time WISELY. I love you all have an incredible week for me! xoxoxo 

Sister Beeson and Sister Schwartz enjoying a BIG Minnesota treat:)

Hot DOG!

Eliza and her companion (far left) and roomates show us how missionaries do a 4th of July Weenie Roast!