Dearest wonderful, amazing, superb, family,
Wow, what a whirlwind of a week it has been here in The Great Ohio Columbus Mission! Tuesday we began teaching a young man, George. He's 18 and lives in the very tip top of our area-- he was tracted into and accepted a copy of the Book of Mormon. He invited us back and we had a wonderful lesson about how the gospel of Jesus Christ can give him exactly what he wants-- things like a happy family, peace, and understanding. There is so much potential with him and his family!
On Wednesday, with everything in line, we were able to commit and begin working towards Kim Valdez and her son David getting baptized this Saturday the 16th of July-- Brother Valdez, Kim's husband, will be able to baptize them both and I couldn't be any more thrilled for this family. They have all been working so hard to get to where they were ready for this amazing life-altering step.
On Saturday, I was privileged to attend the temple as Pat and Greg Smith, from my first area, went through to receive their own endowments and then were sealed together for time and all eternity. This couple has quite a remarkable story-- when I was in Moundbuilders, they weren't coming to church due to work and health-related issues... They had just lost their way a bit and needed someone to reach out and rescue them. Sister (Jenn) Parry (Seiter) and I began working with them and reteaching the lessons and such with them and they began coming to church again. They have continued to grow leaps and bounds this last year and a half and it was one of the most joyous moments of my mission to be able to witness their family becoming a forever family. The Lord's plan is so amazing. In the temple I was blessed to be there with members from all three of the wards I have served in-- Many were there from the Moundbuilders ward in support of the Smith family, Sister Woods from Springboro was in the dressing room and we had the opportunity to catch up on all the good things happening there, and Brother Despain was the ordinance worker in the endowment session. I know that the temple is a glimpse of what the Celestial kingdom will be like when we re-meet all those who were so dear to us in this life!
Sunday was quite a day-- it was the perfect last Sabbath day on my mission. When the sacrament was blessed by Rob Baker (baptized in June), Passed by Jakob Mason (baptized in April), and partaken of by Kim Valdez (will be baptized 16 July), I experienced this moment of peace and satisfaction. All these people were exactly where they needed to be and I was privileged enough to help them get there. At the end of Sacrament meeting, we sang hymn number 152, 'God Be With You 'Till We Meet Again' and the chorister called me up to the stand as we sang the hymn. As I looked into the faces of the people I have loved and served with for the last nine months, I realized how much my heart and my life has been molded by them. There were several with tears in their eyes and I felt like my work here has really blessed more people than I know-- the thing is though, they have also effected me more than they will know. Isn't it amazing how the Lord brings people into our lives to help us become better and many times, they never know how much they touched our hearts? Our Gospel Principles class was on sacrifice and I realized that my perception and understanding of this eternal principle has changed over the last year and a half as I have realized that the Lord really asks so little of us in comparison to what He is willing to give us. Relief Society was about Family Responsibilities and I silently told Heavenly Father, "Ok, I get it... it's time to find a husband now!" and then after church we had a linger longer where the bishopric gave me a heartfelt thank you for my service in behalf of all the members of the ward-- they said I was now in the 'Missionary Hall of Fame' for the time I spent here and the work that has happened. It was too much, but I was really touched by their love. This ward is Zion.
With all this being said-- know this: I am happy and loving life. I love being a missionary, and I am looking forward with faith to the next phase of my life. My 'family' has grown so much while I've been here in The Ohio, and my experiences here will be forever treasured. Ohio has become a part of me, and I know that The Lord, in His infinite wisdom, knew I needed this in my life to become who he needs me to be. I am so very grateful for all the thoughts and prayers and letters and packages offered in my behalf-- I am so very blessed! Above everything, I want to witness to you that I know that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. The Atonement is real and it is what will enable us to return to live with our Father in Heaven again. The Lord's kingdom is being established on the earth in these Latter Days and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is Christ's true and restored church. Joseph Smith is a prophet. He saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and was given the authority and revelations restore the fullness of the gospel with all the ordinances necessary for salvation. Thomas S. Monson is the prophet today. God hears and answers prayers. Families are eternal in nature. The Bible and the Book of Mormon are both true books of scripture and they contain the guidelines to happiness. Keeping the commandments brings us joy.
I love you. See you Friday. It's been a privilege.
Love,
Sister Chelsea Lynn LeSueur
Monday, July 11, 2011
Things i love about the ohio continued...
i forgot these things in last week's list...
lawnmowers and tractors and combines driving down the road
all the shirtless men and boys-- they teach 'em young here in ohio!
sayings like ''couple three'', ''knee high by the fourth of july'', calling vacuums ''sweepers''
all the wildflowers growing everywhere
yard art-- cement geese and such
lawnmowers and tractors and combines driving down the road
all the shirtless men and boys-- they teach 'em young here in ohio!
sayings like ''couple three'', ''knee high by the fourth of july'', calling vacuums ''sweepers''
all the wildflowers growing everywhere
yard art-- cement geese and such
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
And this be our motto: " In God is our trust!"
Dear Family,
I hope your 4th of July weekend has been as spectacular as mine! How grateful I am for this free country in which we live. The Lord has blessed this land for the purposes of bringing about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because we have that gospel in our lives, we have the obligation to live it and share it. We read time and time again throughout all books of scripture that when God's people keep His commandments, they prosper in the land-- but when they don't, they are left to their own strength, and inevitable they become a fallen people. We must live the truth that God has given us and then we can have trust in Him that we will be ok, that He will guide us and protect us, that the things we do every day can and will bring us closer to Him if we do those things that He has commanded us. If there is one thing I've learned in the last eighteen months, it is that in God is MY trust. I am so grateful for this knowledge!
This last week has been really excellent! We had a wonderful lesson with Troy Collins. He's the husband of an active sister in the ward-- The Lord has been preparing him his whole life to accept the gospel, and the last nine months I've been in the area, we've been trying to help him and Sister Collins get closer to her deepest desire which is to be sealed to the man she loves for time and all eternity in the House of the Lord. We watched the movie the Restoration and after the film was over, he told us that he knows that it is true-- that Joseph Smith really did see our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, as two separate and distinct beings in the grove of trees; that the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth now. It was a very spiritual lesson-- Troy's son died when he was only 18, and it has really effected Troy. During the lesson, we all felt, very strongly, Troy Jr's presence. I know he is instrumental in preparing his dad to receive this gospel... Oftentimes the veil is a lot thinner than we recognize. God's plan is great, if we only trust Him!
In working with Angell, we have had some neat experiences too. She's a single mom in her 30s, and she has been talking to this man who she was really feeling a connection with. When we heard about this, we were excited for her, but a little apprehensive, because this man isn't a member of the church yet-- we know what she wants and we were worried that she would give up her dream of being sealed in the temple to a wonderful man for the one who is great and in front of her, but not yet at a place in his life where he can take her there. We were talking about this man though, and Angell, unprompted from us, told us that even if he is 'the one' she will not settle for anything less than a temple marriage. She recognizes the importance of the temple to her eternal happiness, and that is what she's set her sights on. We are so proud of her and the changes she's making in her life-- she's trusting God!
The gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Living it and keeping the commandments is the way to be happy. I love life!
Have a phenomenal week, and go spread the gospel!
Love,
Sister Chelsea LeSueur
xoxox
I hope your 4th of July weekend has been as spectacular as mine! How grateful I am for this free country in which we live. The Lord has blessed this land for the purposes of bringing about the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Because we have that gospel in our lives, we have the obligation to live it and share it. We read time and time again throughout all books of scripture that when God's people keep His commandments, they prosper in the land-- but when they don't, they are left to their own strength, and inevitable they become a fallen people. We must live the truth that God has given us and then we can have trust in Him that we will be ok, that He will guide us and protect us, that the things we do every day can and will bring us closer to Him if we do those things that He has commanded us. If there is one thing I've learned in the last eighteen months, it is that in God is MY trust. I am so grateful for this knowledge!
This last week has been really excellent! We had a wonderful lesson with Troy Collins. He's the husband of an active sister in the ward-- The Lord has been preparing him his whole life to accept the gospel, and the last nine months I've been in the area, we've been trying to help him and Sister Collins get closer to her deepest desire which is to be sealed to the man she loves for time and all eternity in the House of the Lord. We watched the movie the Restoration and after the film was over, he told us that he knows that it is true-- that Joseph Smith really did see our Heavenly Father and our Savior, Jesus Christ, as two separate and distinct beings in the grove of trees; that the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is on the earth now. It was a very spiritual lesson-- Troy's son died when he was only 18, and it has really effected Troy. During the lesson, we all felt, very strongly, Troy Jr's presence. I know he is instrumental in preparing his dad to receive this gospel... Oftentimes the veil is a lot thinner than we recognize. God's plan is great, if we only trust Him!
In working with Angell, we have had some neat experiences too. She's a single mom in her 30s, and she has been talking to this man who she was really feeling a connection with. When we heard about this, we were excited for her, but a little apprehensive, because this man isn't a member of the church yet-- we know what she wants and we were worried that she would give up her dream of being sealed in the temple to a wonderful man for the one who is great and in front of her, but not yet at a place in his life where he can take her there. We were talking about this man though, and Angell, unprompted from us, told us that even if he is 'the one' she will not settle for anything less than a temple marriage. She recognizes the importance of the temple to her eternal happiness, and that is what she's set her sights on. We are so proud of her and the changes she's making in her life-- she's trusting God!
The gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Living it and keeping the commandments is the way to be happy. I love life!
Have a phenomenal week, and go spread the gospel!
Love,
Sister Chelsea LeSueur
xoxox
Things I love About The Ohio
What are your top 10 favorite "Ohio" foods?
1. Squirrel... seriously, people eat it here!
2. mashed potatoes with chicken noodle soup over it
3. Amish donuts
4. Amish cheese
5. fresh garden veggies
6. fresh berries
7. Mi Fiesta restaurant in Newark
8. homemade pickles
9. sauerkraut and pork
10. apple butter
What are your top 10 favorite "Ohio" activities? (Not in order)
1. Corn hole
2. Being a Buckeye fanatic
3. Talking to people who sit on their porches all day
4. Driving in cornfields
5. Dodgeball at the Diamond Dome
6. Barbecues
7. Eating outside
8. Antique shoppes
9. Trying not to hit the Amish buggies who drive at dusk with no reflectors
10. Making copies at the church library
What are your top 10 favorite things about Ohio?
1. The people
2. The hills
3. The weather
4. The wards with ginormous geographical boundaries
5. The Ohio State University
6. German Village in Columbus
7. Clearfork
8. Springboro
9. Moundbuilders
10. The Amish
11. The trees
12. The seasons
13. The Zoo
14. The history
15. The architecture
16. The people who say words Newark like Nerk, or belafontaine like bell fountain.
1. Squirrel... seriously, people eat it here!
2. mashed potatoes with chicken noodle soup over it
3. Amish donuts
4. Amish cheese
5. fresh garden veggies
6. fresh berries
7. Mi Fiesta restaurant in Newark
8. homemade pickles
9. sauerkraut and pork
10. apple butter
What are your top 10 favorite "Ohio" activities? (Not in order)
1. Corn hole
2. Being a Buckeye fanatic
3. Talking to people who sit on their porches all day
4. Driving in cornfields
5. Dodgeball at the Diamond Dome
6. Barbecues
7. Eating outside
8. Antique shoppes
9. Trying not to hit the Amish buggies who drive at dusk with no reflectors
10. Making copies at the church library
What are your top 10 favorite things about Ohio?
1. The people
2. The hills
3. The weather
4. The wards with ginormous geographical boundaries
5. The Ohio State University
6. German Village in Columbus
7. Clearfork
8. Springboro
9. Moundbuilders
10. The Amish
11. The trees
12. The seasons
13. The Zoo
14. The history
15. The architecture
16. The people who say words Newark like Nerk, or belafontaine like bell fountain.
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