A day delayed..but I need to say...

(NOTE -This will be the last email from Sister Spring's mission.  She returns to Texas next Tuesday April 10!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to youuuu, Grand-pa and Esteban!!!!  Y'all are getting so old. ;) Sorry it is a day late.  I did not forget.  Scouts honor.  Grand-ma said y'all had a good weekend, so I'm glad about that!

I'm pretty sure Mandy's (Krutsinger) birthday is this week, too.

Maybe even today...she will never tell me the exact day, always dodges the question...sooo...Happy Birthday, whenever it is Mandy.  Love you!

 This week has been in-cred-i-ble...

Have I told you about Fran?  Mlakar?

No..I haven't.  Oh my, oh my...Sister Mlakar is amazing.  She is the BEST friend (and next door neighbor) of a woman in our ward, Sister Saunders.  Sister Mlakar is in a pretty scary time, due to her health.

 The past few weeks we have met with her regularly.  She is preparing to be baptized on the 28th of April.  And...did I mention?...I LOVE HER!!!  Seriously, if only I could explain things well, I would tell you all about her.  It has been so amazing to see her change over these three weeks.  At first, I really feel, she met with us because she was just scared and did not know what else to do.  As time has passed, her desire to know truth has changed.  We see that in the effort she puts in.  It's pretttty awesome.

Yesterday, due to a the necessity of needing a bathroom, we stopped by Popeyes right in the middle of "the hood", defined by an employee.  He is pretty cool.  And we are going to meet with him this week.  I'll give you more update on him when there is more to update.  While walking out of Popeyes, we saw a young guy at the bus stop.  We approached him.  "D"  26 (looks 16..hey, we have something in common).  He really wants to follow God but has found it difficult in his current circumstance.

We will be meeting with him on Saturday..and he is really excited!

So are we!

Oh..general conference was this weekend. It was amazing!!!!!

lds.org/conference  The talks should be up there sometime this week, I assume?  Maybe I am wrong.  I really found a lot of comfort in the message of hope.  There seemed to be an overwhelming theme, to me, of the opportunity to change.  That opportunity is given to anyone, at anytime.

I have spent a lot of time (4 transfers, 6 months, 1/3 of my mission) in what some would define as the "hood" (Lorain and now, South Euclid).  I have seen people let there situations define them.  I, myself, am guilty of letting situations define me.  Yes, there circumstance is different than mine has been and probably ever will be, but I know that the enabling power of change that comes through Christ is available to ALL people.

We are greater than our circumstances.

We can change.

It is never too late.

We are never "too far gone".

God will never give up on us.

Anyways, I love conference.

I love you.

XOXO

Sister Spring

PS...sorry...again...the computer I am on does not upload pictures.

:)

Hi famfam.

What a week...at sites.

Sister Christian and I were there nearly every day this week.

Tuesday we had from 2-9 in our area.

And Thursday we had in our area, too.

Other than that, we were working away at the Visitor's Center.  Lots of good things happening.

To give you a glimpse, I'll tell of a few events from Saturday and Sunday.

With people on Spring Break, more families are coming in.  Typically in the winter it's a lot of men that are in Cleveland for business, occasionally a family, and non-members from the Cleveland area.  Not this weekend.

Saturday we took two families from Illinois, in total there were fifteen people.  Eleven of those people were under the age of nine.  They were brilliant little children though!  The whole tour they were engaged, asking questions (spiritual) and answering them, as well.  Pretty well behaved.  The tour ended with all nine of the children running, rolling, and racing down a grassy hill on sites.  They were too precious!  I wish I had a picture.  Just a mental one. 

Then that night I was making phone calls at sites and also answering the "in-bound calls".  These are typically non-members who call in from Mormon.org with questions or from a pass-along card offer for a free DVD.  Generally I really like these conversations...Saturday...not so much.

This one guy, John, called in from Canada..I think.  His initial question was about The Book of Mormon.  But he was just really frustrating.  He clearly called in with the intent to argue.  Nor did he have any intent on listening to what I had to say.  His purpose was to prove me wrong.  Situations like that are really frustrating, because I often feel defeated.  Like they "won" or whatever.  Not that it is a competition.  I just think if they are going to ask a question, they shouldn't cut me off when I am explaining.  Anyways, it seems like the last several weeks we have encountered a lot of situations of people challenging our beliefs.  and it is amazing!! I mean that.  As people challenge me, I must take a deeper look at what I am teaching people about.  I have an opportunity to re-ask my Heavenly Father if what I am doing is right and if what I am teaching is true.  Of course, the answer is always yes.  He does not change.

We are running out of time...so I guess you only get to know about Saturday.  Too bad. ;)

The Jones are in Hawaii right now!! To go to the temple to be united as a family ETERNALLY.  http://youtu.be/-x_-TQivCx8 (To be honest, I have not watched this video in a while, but it helps explain temples, I think...watch it.)  Sister McAlister is there, too.  Hopefully they will take lots of pictures so I can see.

Looking back at the experiences I have had here in Ohio thus far, I am overwhelmed by the good people I now get to call me friends.  I LOVE OHIO!

Meet Cortez! 
He's the one that sent the "sweet" note and gift a few weeks ago.

Companion Exchange number two.  Me, Raelynn, Jeremiah, and Sister Hillman.  Raelynn is preparing for baptism on April 1.  She is brilliant.  And so amazing.  The missionaries have been working a lot with their family over the past year and a halfish.  Brother Harris (their dad) was raised in the Church, but stopped going in his youth.  He went to the temple about a month ago.  Jeremiah was baptized last year.  And now it is Raelynn's turn.  She is so excited

Do you remember Brother (Mike) Young?  We were teaching him when I was serving in Lorain.  His wife is a member.  They have a 6ish year-old son, Christian.  Well...two Saturday's ago..March 10th..he took that step of baptism!  So cool.  McSister aka Sister McAlister sent me an e-mail to inform me of the glorious news (and I don't think I have told you yet but SHE IS GETTING MARRIED!  And about mid-week, Sister Fotu sent me a sweet card with updates on the people I love in Lorain, including Brother Young.

I love you.

XOXOX

Sister Spring

i love my life!

Dear famfam,


Hello again.  Another week has come and gone?  Seriously?  This is crazy!!!!! 

Well, we met a lot of  amazing people this week.  (Let's face it, we meet a lot of amazing people every week).  The sun was shining pretty much ALL week so more people were outside.  And it stays light later which is always great, in my opinion.  Saturday evening we ate with a member family, The DeReus'..LOVE them.  The meal was St. Patty's themed: Corned Beef, Cabbage, etc...Green cookies.  All in all, a marvelous week here in the Ohio.

Poor Sister Christian has been feeling funky this week which led to a few companion switches this week.  Thursday, for example, I was with Sister Poppleton.  Thursday evening Sister Poppleton and I were eating our dinner at a little park off of Euclid Avenue in good ole Euclid, Ohio.  About half way through our meal of oranges, goldfish (Thanks, Mom), and peanut butter bagels, this group of women and one angel girl started to leave. (The only other people at the park).  Naturally, we went over to talk with them a bit, and set up an appointment.  We met with them last night.  Briana (23) and Benette (19).  Sisters.  Had a rough year.  Lots of death.  Wanting to come closer to Jesus Christ.  As we were talking about the peace that comes from reading the scriptures, the Bible and The Book of Mormon, Benette said, more than once, "I could use some of that.  I'm going to start reading this today."  We invited them to prepare to be baptized on the 14th of April...they are so excited!!!!  And so are we.

Back to the park.  We saw a group of young adults across the park at the softball field.  I posed a question to Sister Poppleton, "If you could teach them anything right now, what would you teach them?" 

"Hmmm..maybe The Plan of Salvation..."

The Plan of Salvation helps me understand the purpose of this life, so we decided to narrow in on that particular principle in this wonderful plan that our Heavenly Father has for them.

We strolled over to the bleachers.  There we met Tay (18-female), TJ (20ish-male), and Aramis (20ish-male).  As we were first introducing ourselves, and getting to know them, they expressed their lack of understanding about the purpose of this life.  They were interested in learning more.

So we sat on the bleachers with them talking about our purpose in life.  We introduced them to The Book of Mormon.  And showed them how it truly is from God to help us answer questions.

Alma 34:32 For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

They opened up a lot, and really understood the necessity of preparing now on this earth to get back to our Heavenly Father.  It does require work.  At the end, we asked Tay how she felt about all we were talking about...

"Well, it's a sign.  I need to start doing something."

 I love these people so much. 

And I love you people so much, too. (:

XOXOXO

Sister Spring

TWINS!

So...once upon a time I congratulated my brother and Lauren on their TWIN dogs...now I can truly congratulate on TWIN BABIESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   (:  I'm excited.  (Hopefully this is public news.  If not, you should have warned me.)

Congratulations, Brother and Lauren!

That's pretty much all my brain can think about right now.  I am going to love being an Aunt. 

This week was...different.  But good.

Amid the chaos, and my lack of a brain, we had some really amazing experiences...especially at sites. 

For instance?

Monday evening we chatted with a high school aged girl.  Her group of friends consists mostly of LDS youth.  She wonders why they are so happy...which led her to mormon.org chat.  We talked about a few different topics: commandments, obedience, personal experience, and The Book of Mormon.  She voiced a concern about the scriptures.  She said that she felt like they were not applicable to her and too difficult to understand, specifically The Book of Mormon.  We showed her a video on mormon.org where a woman shares her experience of finding peace from The Book of Mormon.  (click me to watch)  This woman related to the people in the scriptures because they had suffering, temptation, loss just like us.  After the video, she exclaimed, "I have never felt this before...it's like..the love of God."  On and on she went about how good she felt.  We explained that was the Holy Ghost.  She asked how she could have that all the time.  We talked about baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost.  She is so excited to be baptized!  And we are so excited for her!

 

Wednesday we chatted with this woman named "Sxx".  She initially wanted to know everything she could about her name.  (There is a woman named Sariah in The Book of Mormon).  Everywhere she looked for information on her name led her to The Book of Mormon.  Overwhelmed with curiosity, she came to us!  We ended up just talking about the contents of The Book of Mormon..she was "so interested in learning more!"  She met with the missionaries in North Carolina, has jumped in to reading The Book of Mormon, and just loves it!  I love her!

Friday was a BEAUTIFUL day here in Ohio.  And we had the opportunity to take a precious little family on tour.  "C" (grandma/ mom to "N").  "N" (daughter/mom). "A" (angelic little boy, age 6?).  They moved to the area last summer.  Every time they pass the sites, "A" expresses his desire to visit.  Finally they came!  And we took them on tour. "A" was a little antsy, but pretty well behaved.  Anyways, it was a really neat opportunity to testify the events that occurred here in Kirtland.  We gave them two copies of The Book of Mormon.  Although they weren't too interested in meeting with missionaries now, they did say they would be back to visit in the summer.  They were a really unified family.  I like them a lot.

I love my life!  And I love you!

And I love my future little niece and nephew.

Yup, that is all.

Until next week,

Sister Spring

Note from Mom Spring: No pictures again.  3 1/2 weeks and she'll be home!

Happy March (:



"Our Angel" on her 15th birthday - October 2004


Dearest family,

Time is a bit limited today as the library is buuuuuuusssy, so we have constraints on the length of computer use.  Yikes.  You know how well I do with time.....Don't worry, I still have my trait of tardiness.  I'm still working on it.
Anyways, this week has been strange.  Transfers. Shooting at Chardon High School (I live with the Sisters who serve in the congregation out there).  Being "dumped".  Lots of tracting.  Snow (and blue, sunny skies..sometimes in the same day). 

Brief updates.
Transfers--Although Sister Christian and I stayed together and in South Euclid, we did obtain new stomping ground.  It used to be part of one of my old areas (The cities of Wickliffe, Willoughby, and Willoughby Hills--where I was with Sister McAlister the second time...do y'all even keep track of that? haha).  I forgot the culture of serving in a suburb.  My past two areas have been mostly low-income areas with very humble people.  Let's just say, lots of doors close in our faces.  Which is fine.  They are nice people.  And typically very kind.
Shooting in Chardon-Yea, that is just so crazy.  Definitely the talk of the town.  It really make me remember how precious this life is and how grateful I am for the things I know through the restored gospel.
Dumped-  Break-ups are the worst.  We see the potential that those we are teaching have, but they just can't change...or people convince them otherwise.  It's frustrating...but we just keep a positive attitude that seeds are being planted.  (Right, Daddy?...I still remember the letter you sent me near the beginning of my mission telling me not to get discouraged because sometimes we are just seed planters.)  This week, for example, a young man (21, did I tell you about him?) brutally dumped us.  haha.  We had a great lesson with him.  Everything was clicking.  He was comprehending things much better.  Then, as we were walking out the door, he said, "I have a gift for you but you only get it when you are in the hall."  Hmm...So he gives us a bag (full of the materials we had given him over the last three weeks) with a note on top of how he just can't believe what we have to say because he only believes the Bible.  He invited us to read the Bible because that is where the truth is.  (Interesting, we read parts of the Bible with him every time we were there....?)  It's interesting how people pick and choose what they want to hear.  (Now, I know how you feel Mom and Daddy! (:  )  THEN, when we got to the car he called to us if we liked the gift.  Harsh. 
Tracting- Pretty self explanatory.  We have spent a lot of times knocking on doors.  And meeting some incredible, comfortable people.  We have a few people that we will see this week.  Two young people, for example.  We met them yesterday.  They live in a nice community, right by the golf course.  (I thought of Grand-ma and Grand-pa while we were there....You would love it! ha!)  He is this angelic eight year old who immediately informed us of their recent trip to Disney...land...?...world?...whichever is in Florida.  You think I would know.  Anyways, she was precious.  That's all I am saying.
Weather-I love talking about weather apparently....?  Ohio is crazy.  Just like Texas.  Snow, bone chilling wind!, rain, sun, 60's, 20's, tornadoes...all in one week.
There you have it...my boring update for the week. (:  I am getting worse and worse at this thing.  This sounds like a pretty depressing e-mail..I should have done better.  (:  Too late now. 
The most important thing to remember is that I am happy!  And I know I am where I need to be because what I am sharing with people is true.  So, so true.  I have doubted and denied and disobeyed.  The feelings I have when I embrace and experiment the teachings lead me to know that this is true!  I see it my own life.  I see it in others lives.  (Speaking of, can you believe that one year ago TODAY the Jones family was baptized?  Crazzzzy!!!)



The Jones Family March 5, 2011 on their baptism day, 1 year ago.  They have been a wonderful support, and embraced Sister Spring as part of their family.  They were one of the first people she taught on her mission.  We are so grateful for the love they've given her.  I thought I would share this picture since she mentoned them in her email. (and since she didn't send pictures again!) - Mom Spring



Have a great week!

I love you,



Sister Spring

PS. I'm the worst...I forgot my camera at home.  YIKES

(Note from Mom Spring - Sister Spring will be home in April 10 - just 5 weeks!)

To bring the world His truth... (2-27-2012)

Dear Family,

I love you. (:

So, this week (and the week prior) have been ROLLER COASTERS for two reasons:

1) They FLEW by.

2) Ups and downs..like every week.

Two weeks ago on Tuesday, Sister Edman, the sites director, was rushed to the hospital after having a heart attack during the wee hours of the morning.  That left us all in a frenzy, just hoping she would be alright.  This woman is incredible, I tell you.  So selfless.  So determined.  So concerned about others.  One of the women I taught a while back gave Sister Edman a very fitting nickname... "the mother of all Sisters".  Sister Edman is recovering well.  She is back at sites and (says) she is taking it easy.  I'm fairly certain in saying...she never takes it easy.

We have been praying really hard for opportunities to talk with people who are sincerely seeking for truth both in our area and at the Visitors' Center.  The results have been incredible!!!!  Previously on chat, we encountered a lot of pranksters which, to be honest, was frustrating.  There is this common trait of these "trolls", too...they all have different stories which lead up to a question..."how do magnets work?"  Um, I don't know?  Apparently there is an Insane Clown Posse song that is a dig on Christianity and talks about magnets or something?  Yea, It's weird.  Anyways, as we have really focused our prayers on having opportunities to teach those who are searching we have talked with very few trolls!  I think only two in the past two weeks.  Before it was like 18 in one day...not really 18, but might as well have been. 

Two weeks ago we "met" a man who lives in Michigan on chat.  He was raised Hindu but has been drawn to Christianity and the Church.  He is now meeting with missionaries, reading from The Book of Mormon, and praying to know if it is true.  Serving at the Visitors' Center is the best!  Although I am called to Ohio, my mission boundaries expand across the world as I am at sites.  We talk with people in Europe, South America, Australia...and even...Arizona!.. 

I had the opportunity to call a woman who lives in Arizona.  Oh how I love this woman!!  Her friend,  a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, had recently been to Kirtland. So, I called her to follow-up on her visit here and, of course, to see if she had any friends that she wanted us to call to give them a free gift from the Church and an opportunity to learn more.  She instantly thought of this lady; her close friend who is "like a sister to her", "a wonderful daughter of God doing what she needs to be doing."  I was a little nervous to call for some reason.  I just knew how much her friend loved her, and I didn't want to mess it up. 

All fear aside (hmm..not really, I just sucked it up..) I gave her a call on Saturday evening.  We talked a little bit about faith in Jesus Christ and how it is so hard to explain to someone else who has not experienced it for themselves.  She shared some of her experiences, and I shared some of mine.  As we were talking, I thought of a scripture in The Book of Mormon that I wanted to read to her.  So I did.  I explained The Book of Mormon...very briefly.  That it comes from God as a companion to the Bible.  It's a record of God's dealings with people here in the Americas in 600 BC-400 AD.  Heavenly Father loves all of His children.  Through The Book of Mormon, I am reminded of that.  He would not expose His teachings to one nation and not another.  This record was kept safe for centuries and was translated by a prophet in the 1800's.  I testified that I know this to be true! Her curiosity peaked, she accepted a visit from the missionaries to bring her a copy of this sacred book.

And here in my little neck of the Ohio, (South Euclid, to be exact) we meet incredible people, too. 

Last Friday, we met an older (not old ;) ) woman.  She is Catholic.  In the last 20 years, she has become increasingly devoted to her religion.  She attends seminars and retreats, bible studies and sunday school.  She really lives her religion, too.  Here's how I know...she invited us in on a wintry day.  Over the years, she has visited the Kirtland sites a few times, not for a tour just for the different traveling displays (nativities, sculptures, photographs).  We introduced her to The Book of Mormon.  She wanted to know why the Book of Mormon is necessary.  She wanted a concrete example of how The Book of Mormon helps the Bible.  So we talked about Christ's experience of being baptized as recorded in Matthew 3.  It was perfect because she has recently been studying John the Baptist in her Bible study group.  In Matthew it says that Christ was baptized "to fulfill all righteousness"...but nowhere in the Bible does it define what that phrase means.  We find that definition in 2 Nephi 31 where Nephi is prophesying of the baptism of Jesus Christ...

6 And now, I would ask of you, my beloved brethren, wherein the Lamb of God did fulfil all righteousness in being baptized by water?

 7 Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be ^aobedient unto him in keeping his commandments.

 We are revealed through a prophet that Christ needed to be baptized to show us that example of obedience to the commandments that come from our Heavenly Father.  God commands us to be baptized, so Christ heeded to that command of being baptized by someone who holds that proper authority from God.

She was very interested in reading The Book of Mormon and praying to know that it is true. 

Just a LITTLE overview of some of the people I get to meet and love.  There are dozens and dozens more stories, but I will save them for a later date and let your eyes take a rest from staring at this computer screen.

I love you!!!!

XOXOX

Sister Spring

PS...computer is acting up??? Sorry for no pictures...again.

Ooops...

We went on a trail walk today at the stone quarry (where they got some of the stone for the temple!)  It was a beautiful sunshiney 38 degree day.

So...we heard through the grapevine that the library was closed today....
Only to find out later that they are open....
Due to that little misunderstanding, I have about zero minutes to email.

Let's just make this simple.
I love my life.
We have met some AMAZING people this week.

Okay, how cute is this little angel!! Simone...
one of the little girls from the apartment complex.


I will just leave you in cliffhanger mode....and tell you more about them NEXT WEEK.  (Pday might be Tuesday next week?  I don't know...it is transfer week...thats all I know. already??!?!?!?)

I LOVE YOU

Sister Spring

Snowball fight! Last Tuesday.  Sister Tokunaga from Hawaiiiiiiii. 
Yes, I will be visiting her.