Freekin' Frijoles, Francisco!

Hey, y'all!

What a great week! Tuesday was transfers, and we got to see the departing missionaries. I got to see Hermana Parra! She looked so happy and fulfilled. Hermana Fluckiger is my new companion, and she's so cool! She's a lot like one of my best friends from home, so it's like I'm serving with her! Hermana Fluckiger (flu-key-grrrr) is a powerhouse missionary. I feel so blessed and grateful to have her as a companion. She has such a kind heart and a way with people. 

We had the neatest thing happen to us this week. We were praying about where to go to find a new investigator, and we decided to go visit a less-active named Lupe and then work the neighborhood. When we pulled into her neighborhood, I honestly had doubts that we'd have any success. We pulled up to her house and found her son, Francisco, sitting on the porch. He checked to see if she would come out to talk with us, but he said she was sleeping. We talked to him for awhile, and he opened up to us about some family things and how he's been feeling really lost and depressed lately. We shared "The Refiner's Fire" (https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-11-010-the-refiners-fire?lang=eng&_r=1) with him and talked about it, and he said he wanted to come to church! Whaaaaat?! He hasn't been in 12 years since he was baptized. We knew that we were inspired to look for Lupe so that we could find Francisco.

On Sunday morning, we stopped by his house to help him get to church, and his sister said that he had just gotten picked up by his girlfriend for breakfast. Our hearts sunk. He seemed so solid! We got to church and as we were telling a member what happened, I saw Francisco walk in! I got Hermana Fluckiger's attention, and we both just looked at each other with huge smiles! He was welcomed back with open arms by so many people. He said for 10 years missionaries have been trying to get someone--anyone--from their family to come back to church. Heavenly Father really does just love us and knows exactly how to help us. He loves Francisco and knew that we needed to help him. I am so grateful to be the Lord's instrument. 

During companionship study this week, Hermana Fluckiger and I were talking about Christlike attributes and adversity. This is from an article called "The Fourth Missionary". I loved it and want to shared it with you all. 

"Every challenge you face, every hard thing you confront, every bad thing that happens to you, every unfairness, every conflict, every sadness, tragedy, every disappointment and heartache, every temptation and every opposition happens for one purpose only:  to give you opportunity to respond by applying in your life the teachings of Jesus. As you do so you are changed to become more like Him. 

If you were never presented with some  advantage to be gained by dishonesty, such as recognition, or money, or a better grade on a test or avoidance of punishment or embarrassment, you could never develop integrity. If no one ever offended you, you  could never learn to forgive or internalize mercy.  Were you never wearied by the  annoying behavior of another or the repeated failures of someone else, you could never become patient. Were you never subjected to the appetites and passions of the physical body for food, for water and for sexual fulfillment, you could not develop self-mastery. Without opposition, the plan would be frustrated, you could not progress, and the purpose of life would be unachievable.

In short, when you choose to follow Christ, you move forward and assimilate attributes of light; when you do not, you move backward and acquire attributes of darkness."

Love you all for who you are, and Heavenly Father loves you because you're His. Face your trials with trust in the Savior. The Lord is the way, and we can become like Him through adversity.

💕&🐴

Hermana Boyson

My girl. Hope you're taking a nice long nap, abuela! Sure love ya! #lasabuelas

Elder Sherwood and the awkwardness of not being able to stand normally by a missionary of the opposite gender hahaha! 

Sister Pearce is the kindest and gentleness woman this side of the Mississippi. My mother in Kentucky. 

Cleaning, Charity, and Church Attendance

Hey, y'all!

We had a really good week this week! We had 10 hours of service! We washed one of our member's windows inside and out, cleaned and organized Ms. Lillian's cabinets, fed horses and pulled carrots at another member's home, pulled weeds at a less-active's house, and helped a family in the ward move. It was so great! 

We had a really REALLY good MLC this week. We were trained on inviting and helping our investigators get to church and how to cut out things that keep us from being the best missionaries and people we can be. I feel so incredibly blessed and humbled to be able to go to these meetings, to sit among such powerful missionaries.

We have had a lot of good contact with Eulises! He seems to have a desire to learn. We taught him about prayer, but he was very apprehensive to pray with us. He told us that he'd read in the Book of Mormon and pray that night. After we got home for the night, he sent us a message asking us to help him pray. He is so humble and willing to do what is right. 

Well, Hermana Wilkinson is leaving to whitewash train in Owensboro, so I'm getting a new companion. I'm sad to only have one transfer with her, but she is needed somewhere else. Her trainee is so lucky to have her as her trainer. My new companion is Hermana Fluckiger from Wyoming. 

This scripture has been on my mind this week. When we can see others through God's eyes, we become like our Savior. We will see miracles as we reach out with love.

Mosiah 7:48 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, ​​​pray​ unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true ​​​followers​ of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we ​​shall ​​​be​ like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be ​​​purified​ even as he is pure. Amen."

Thank you all for the love that you have shown me and for your support. I love you all! Have a great week!

💕&🐴 

Hermana Boyson

Kentucky Kingdom! No one lost their legs today.

Our lesson on the driveway with Eulises, Waverly, Dominic, and Salomon. 

Shelbyville District ❤️ We'll miss you, Hermana Wilkinson and Elder Hemsley!

The cuuuuutest little kitten. She's only two months old. 

Twinning with Waverly. 

The craziest, but the greatest.

The same spot where we took our first picture together. Love you, Hermana! Ooobviouslyyyyy! It's fine. It's fiiiiiine. ❤️ 

Milaaaaagros

Hey y'all!

This will be really short because we're going to Kentucky Kingdom today!

We had a week full of miracles! We had the neatest thing happen on
Saturday! We felt impressed to go visit Vicente, a former investigator
who lives about 20 minutes out of town. We got to his home, but no one
answered. We waited and waited. After a few minutes, a car pulled up
and a man got out. We both looked at each other like "oh my gosh,
that's him!" It turned out that he was only looking for the car for
sale in the yard. He drove away, and we both just stood there. We both
started praying to see a miracle, and right then another car pulled
in. It was Vicente! Say whaaaaaat?! We set up a return appointment and
had a nice introduction with him.

We had a really good lesson with Eulises. He's 17 and so humble. He
has a great desire to learn. He was so attentive in the lesson even
with his other friends there. We extended a baptismal date, and he
couldn't accept fast enough. The look in his eyes was so sincere and
sweet. I can totally see him getting baptized.

¡Que tenga una buena semana! Have a great week!

💕&🐴
Hermana Boyson

Our favorite girl came out with us yesterday. Waverly, you're the greatest! ❤️

We pulled up carrots at the Smith's, and we got soooo sweaty. 🥕 💦 

The Galvezs treated us to Ghiradelli 🍦 mmmmm! And I got to see Hermana Parra! 

This is a week late, but we had exchanges with the Highlands sisters, Sister Cook and Sister Allred. 

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot and Humid

Hey, y'all!

It is hot, hot, hot here in KY right now! We saw many blessings this
week. We found 11 new investigators! I know that our Mission President
was inspired to push us to find new investigators because we have seen
the promised blessings.

Marisol is one of our new investigators, and she has the cutest little
girl. We actually dropped her because we couldn't get ahold of her.
After we sent her a drop message, she wanted us to come back! She is
our progressing investigator! We wanted one so badly, and the Lord
delivered. We taught her about The Plan of Salvation, and she was
really receptive to it. She really wants to learn and have a happy
family.

We went on two exchanges this week! I love working in different areas
with the hermanas here. I always learn something from each of them.
Our first exchange was with the Lex Oeste hermanas, and I got to work
with Hermana Corona here in Shelbyville. Hermana Corona has such a
cool personality. We got to teach Marisol after not seeing her for a
few weeks. It was a great lesson, and I truly felt the gift of tongues
as we taught her.

Our other exchange was with the LaGrange hermanas, and I got to work
in LaGrange with Hermana Gittins. She's a great missionary! We worked
our tails off in the heat. I've never been so sweaty in my life! Oh!
And I rode a bike for the first time on my mission (and probably for
the first time in years)! I looked like a baby deer taking its first
steps as I tried to get control of the handbags, but I eventually got
the hang of it.

On Saturday, I had the opportunity of going to the temple. Hermana
Wilkinson's recent convert, Israel, went to do baptisms for the dead
for the first time. It was so good to be in the temple and to feel of
the Spirit there. As we were walking out, I saw Hermano and Hermana
Howard. They are the couple from the Corydon Branch who gave us loads
of food and supplies from Sam's Club. It was so good to see them. It
made me a little trunky for Corydon.

We had a lesson with a member who struggles to get to church due to
health limitations.  Both Hermana Wilkinson and I had studied the
enabling and strengthening power of the Atonement, and it was the
lesson that this sister needed. One thing I know to be true is that
Christ's Atonement not only offsets death and sin, but it also allows
us to receive strength in challenging times. He suffered "pains and
afflictions and temptations of every kind", and He did it completely
alone in the Garden of Gethsemane so that He could know perfectly how
to help us.
Mosiah 24:14
"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders,
that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in
bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me
hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do
visit my people in their afflictions."

Christ knows you, and He loves you.

💕 & 🐴
Hermana Boyson

Exchanges with Lex Oeste. Hermana Corona 👑 and Hermana Swapp, my
trainer. So fun to be back with her. ❤️

Before . . .

During . . . 

Aaaand after a long day of missionary work. 🚴 💧

My companion and I with Hermana Acireale and Hermana Rodriguez at the temple ❤️ 

Felicitaciones, Israel! (Israel is in the middle with a white shirt and striped tie)

Sunsets and Spiritual Gifts

Hey, y'all!

What a wonderful week! We found nine new investigators this week! Carmen came to church AND brought a friend with her! She said she feels good when she reads, but she couldn't completely describe it. We were like "That's the Spirit!" She understands everything she reads. She's just so great! 

We went on exchanges this week with the Highlands Sisters. I got to work in downtown Louisville. I love that city. I prayed that we would be able to see miracles as we worked together, and we found four new investigators! When we pray for miracles and do the work, the Lord delivers. He never shortchanges us. 

I gave a training last week on the spiritual gift of being quick to observe. My cute mom sent me an article in the mail about asking for spiritual gifts, and I really liked the gift of being quick to observe. In one of Elder Bednar's talks, he explained that in the scriptures, observe means to look, to see, or to notice and to obey or to keep. When we are quick to observe, we notice the people around us who need our help. Spiritual impressions come into our minds of those people who need us or of those people who are "perishing in unbelief . . . because they know not where to find [the truth]." 

I want to invite you all to pray for the gift of being quick to observe. This weekend as you prepare for the Sabbath day, pray for this spiritual gift and then reach out with love. Pray to be able to notice those who need the gospel in their lives. You will receive impressions of those in need of your goodness.

The Prophet Joseph Smith said “After all that has been said, the greatest and most important duty is to preach the Gospel.”

“Let the Saints remember that great things depend on their individual exertion, and that they are called to be co-workers with us and the Holy Spirit in accomplishing the great work of the last days.”

Love youins!

💕 & 🐴 Hermana Boyson

Feliz Cumpleaños, Hermana Espinoza! This day called for Kentucky Derby Pie. Muy delicioso!

Exchanges with Sister Allred! We sweat buckets. 

Demar with his sticker. I said "Hey, let's take a picture together!" My sunglasses made it!

Kentucky 🌅 

Servicio and Serpientes

Hey y'all!

Wowie! This week has been amazing and full of miracles! Our mission vision is to find, teach, and baptize, so our new push is to find one new investigator a day. Well, this week Hermana Wilkinson and I found 10 new investigators! We have been BLESSED! 

We had a lot of service opportunities this week as well. We helped a less-active family move in from Louisville. They have two teenagers and an 11-year-old. This house is full of sass! Haha! They have been going to a Pentecostal church because they didn't have a good experience in their ward. They are relatively recent converts, and we missionaries love them already. They are hilarious, and the mom cooks curry like nobody's business. 

We helped another family clean the soot off their interior walls. Holy moly! That was a lot of work, but we did in one day what would've taken them two weeks to do. Service is an amazing concept. I love this video "Lift" because it shows that through service, we find the better versions of ourselves. We love people through service, and they in turn feel their Heavenly Father's love for them. <https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-05-003-lift?lang=eng>

Our 4th of July was so much fun! I had MLC (Missionary Leadership Council) for the first time. Wow, it was a room full of powerful missionaries. I haven't felt The Spirit so strongly. There's a lot of love for this work and this mission, but most importantly for the people here who are "kept from the truth because they know not where to find it." 

After MLC, we had a lesson with Andres. He's doing really well! He feels a lot differently now that he has the gift of the Holy Ghost. We love teaching him because he's such a happy person. 

We spent the evening of the 4th of July with a family in our ward. We had mesquite smoked ribs, shrimp, and salmon. It was the best BBQ I've had. Texas Roadhouse has nothing on Brother Hurt's ribs. We played "Redneck Life" which is like The Game of Life and laughed the whole time. We watched fireworks and had a great time. We are so lucky to have great members who take care of us. 

On Friday, I celebrated 10 months! I'm out of the single digits, and I can't believe it! Time flies when you're having fun!

Love youins!

💕 & 🐴 Hermana Boyson

Sister Endemann and I after MLC. My favorite brown girl.

First MLC in the GKLM! Our new Mission President and his wife are on the left. 

Ssssssomeone wanted to hang with the missionaries. 

This girl has no fear...and then there's me. 🐍 

Elder Hemsley and Elder Iglinski in their patriotic ties. Elder Iglinski was our only casualty.

Rain, Rain, and Ripping Satan's Lips Off

Hey, y'all! 

Happy 4th of July! My second week in Shelbyville has been so great and pretty nuts. We set a goal to find seven new investigators. By Friday, we only had three. In district meeting that day, our district leader trained us on how to get a new investigator within five minutes of meeting him/her. He promised us that we would all reach our weekly goals if we'd apply what we learned. Well, Satan worked really hard to keep people from wanting to learn more. Every person we talked to refused to let us leave them with a prayer, and that's a key part of a lesson. It was insane to see how hard we were pushed. But! We ended up finding our seven new investigators this week. Woohoo!

We were tracting on Saturday evening and came across a guy named Charlie mowing his lawn. We talked to him for a bit, but he told us to move along. The rejection kept coming. Person after person. It started to rain, but we didn't have our jackets or umbrellas. As we were walking, Charlie passed us. He stopped for a moment and just looked at us until he asked if we were Jehovah's Witness. We cheerfully exclaimed "No, we're the Mormons!" He said "Wow, it must be pretty important what you're doing." He pulled out an umbrella and handed it to us. So cool. We definitely ripped Satan's lips off.

I had my first exchange, and it was with Hermana Espinoza. Wow! She's a powerful missionary. And wow, if I didn't know my Spanish was so bad before, I definitely knew it with her. She's a native speaker and she's learning English. It was tiring to speak Spanish the entire time, but it was necessary stretching.

The neatest thing that happened this week was seeing Andres' confirmation. The Spirit was so strong when he received the gift of the Holy Ghost. I know that it will be such a blessing for him as he continues to progress and come closer to the Savior. 

This week I was studying chapter 16 of 1 Nephi about the Liahona. The Liahona led Nephi and his family "in the more fertile parts of the wilderness." They suffered from hunger because of their bows. We have personal Liahonas in our day. We have patriarchal blessings, the scriptures and the words of the prophets, and the Holy Ghost. The Liahona worked only when they had humility, exercised faith and diligence, and prayed. For us now, in order to receive guidance, we need to recognize through humility, faith, diligence, and prayer our many blessings. 

Have a happy week! 

💕 & 🐴 Hermana Boyson

Exchanges with the La Grange Hermanas! Hna. Espinoza, me, Hna. Gittins, and Hna. Wilkinson

During our exchange, we painted nails at the assisted living facility. There I met Hazel, the sweetest lady with the cutest name. 

Ms. Lillian made us real Kentucky fried chicken. Take that, Colonel Sanders! 

Danna is back from Mexico! We got to tour our ward mission leader's farm together.

The most fearless kids you'll ever meet.