Transfers!

 March 6, 2013

Mom and Family,

Heyyyy pretty ladyy!

Well hi there! It's Monday, woo!

Elder Flinders & Holmes picked us up this morning & had us come email with them down in Gig Harbor so we could make sure we got our emails out this week.

:)

I don't know if you have heard or not... Bowen said he talked to you, but didn't say if he told you that I am getting transferred!

Totally bittersweet, I was LOVING Belfair & we have had so many miracles with almost baptisms....it's sad to leave & hope what you did is enough. Sister gurr & I are BOTH being transferred out, and two sisters - Mutietta & Elton are coming in. They both have been out a while. Sis Murietta was in Ridgecrest with Soloai, and they are together in Summit right now...which is where Bowen is going! So many changes this transfer, but it's always nice to get a fresh start and a fesh area.

I will be going to the Olympia 3rd Ward with Sister Logan (she came out last transfer) so I'll be follow-up training, but the funny thing is that we live with another companionship of sisters! They are over the Olympia 4th ward & they will be Sister Hayes (she was Sis. Logan's MTC companion) and she will be follow up trained by.... Sister Gurr! HA! So we will be roommates, but not companions. So funny still!

We are really sad that they are taking BOTH of us out of Belfair though!

The other day we went to Randy & Maria Cross' wedding...Randy is a LAish member in our ward (I think I may have told you this?) Anyway, she is from the Phillipines & has already read the Book of Mormon, knows it's true & asked US at HER wedding when she can get baptized. We took her on a Church tour DURING her reception...she said she didn't care about this wedding because the one that matters will be when she is sealed to her husband forever at the Temple. SO solid...such a great example of complete faith. She and her granddaughter came to church yesterday and LOVED it. She will be baptized by the end of the month.

Bob came to church yesterday too!! HE LOVED it! We sat down with his dad the other day & invited him to take part in the lessons. He believes EVERYTHING about the gospel but does NOT agree with organzied religion...such a strange concept for me to grasp, but hopefully the new sisters will be able to address it in a much better way than I ever could. Bob was so excited - he text us Saturday night & told us his dad was going to bring him to church.. he even text us *highfive* ha! I thought it was great! Then sadly we got there to find only him sitting there, but that's okay. He will be SUCH a great example for his family! He also came to a baptism last night. Brother Nielson (his YM leader) picked him up & drove him out to the stake center (which is a good half hour drive at least). We got there early & so we took them (a few youth kids came along too to support him) anyway we took them on a church tour & had a lesson about the sacrament & the importance of the covenant we make at baptism & how we renew it every single week with the Sacrament. It was so powerful, I asked Brother Nielson to share his testimony with us before we walked down to the service. It was perfect. He is such a great leader & such a strong support for Bob. I love this ward. During the service Bob said he felt the Spirit so stong & told us that when we knocked on his door & left him our card he went to his room & tore it up. He was about to trash it then all of a sudden this completely peaceful/calming/joyfull feeling overcame him & he knew he had to text us. That is where it all began. He testified to us, the youth, Brother Nielson, AND SISTER WEAVER (who just so happened to come last night) that he KNEW that was the Holy Ghost & how he has been able to feel his influence so much just from meeting with us.Such a powerful testimony. I will send a picture....it has been such a strength for the youth to be able to look past people's outward apperances & to see each other as who they can BECOME. Bob has been a prime candidate of that. When we walked up to his house there were mountains of cigarette boxes & butts ALL over the yard/porch/walkway...I'm talking EVERYWHERE. Beer cans. Coffee cups...the travel ones. Just everywhere. Yet guess who was inside that house? Bob. The Bob Heavenly Father KNEW was ready to apply the Gospel in his life. He continues to come to seminary every single day. He sat down at the baptism with a program & jotted down who he wanted to play the piano (melia wing, she is 15.) give talks (amanda clifford, she is 16) and Josh Wardell, he is 17. And he wants Josh to Baptize him....so neat. it was just such aa testimony builder to me to see how these youth have seen Bob for his potential, and want to help him achieve it. With ALL they can do.

Mike is out of town in Idaho, but is attending Church. He was looking for a place to get some new cabinets & I remembered dad did that in one of the rentals a while ago, so I gave him dad's number & email...has he contacted you at all? His name is Mike Gain.

Anyway, I loved that quote from President Snow mom, thank you. It's crazy to think I could be leaving yet another mission I have grown to LOVE sooo much. However, if the Lord needs me somewhere else, done. Game over. I promised 'I'll go where you want me to go' ...gotta follow through with it.

the missionaries are having a REALLY hard time with the mission splitting in July. President & Sister Weaver talked about it with all the missionaries last night over conference call. They are so loving 7 understanding, but the work MUST go on. Yes, we were all called out to the WA-TAC (well, most of us) :) but the Lord KNEW when we were coming. The Lord KNEW the mission would split. He KNEW which stakes would be part of that this WHILE time. Just as he KNEW I would go to Salt Lake. He KNEW I would have to come home, take an intermission-mission ;). He KNEW I would eventually serve in the WA-TAC full time. It's HIS work & all in his hands. We just have to be willing & worthy to do what he asks.

Go & DO, not go & try, right?

Tell Jacob I have a big fat letter I have been needing to send him! It is in my apartment & I need to go to the post office for it, we will try to get it out today. Tell him hello for me! :) I miss him.

It's been a rough adjustment. So much having to prove to other missionaries that I AM a real missionary & that I am supposed to be here...even though my call letter didn't specify as much...and my mommy lives down the street. they just don't get it, they haven't seen the whole picture - the tears, fears & fight that it took to get here. There have been so many moments where I just look at them & think 'aren't we on the same side here?' But that is exactly what other investigators feel at times I am sure....or what we all feel until we come to an understanding of one another. It will come, one day.

Makes me miss the graham missionaries, but the others are starting to come around (perfect timing for transfers, huh?) :) Oh well, keeps me more focused on the investigators...and I have the full 100% support of President & Sister Weaver which is greater than anything!! (Mainly because they have asked the Lord & know for themselves that I am supposed to be here.) That fact brings more comfort than I can put into words. (and the fact that I keep getting letters from the best family EVER telling me how much they support me out here!!!!) THANK YOU!

Well, I should get going. But I am proud of you mom!! You go girl! I need to be better with my running, with seminary we get up at 5:30 & go in our skirts so we don't have time to work out, shower & change after. We just do more walking during the day. I do like that gym though and LOVE the Zumba instructors there!!! Tell Kristyn I say hi :) She's the crazy-curly blonde one. She is lwesome.

Keep me in your prayers this week, if I hear anything from Salt lake I'll let you know asap somehow! ...I'll have President or a member or the missionaries there call you :)

Love you!!

OH! And I am out of shampoo & conditioner...I made sure I had enough for one more day & banking on you sending more with the missionaries to transfer meeting?? :)

Bowen said you have some stuff for me. Woo thanks mom! And no word on the mission $ either...the guy only comes to the office like once a week, but the other account was a huge help so thank you!!

They may be waiting until we know for sure when & where I am going.

Who knows at this point.

But thank you for understanding & helping out, it was huge.

OH! new address:

2350 Cain Road #20

Olympia, WA 98501

loveloveloveloveloveee youuu!!!

Be good.

Pray till your knees hurt.

Love, Sister Givens

Holy Moly!

Feb. 26. 2013

Dear, family,

Are you ready for this?

I am going to punch out this letter as fast as I can...good thing I wrote home on Friday!

So, I am not even going to beat around the bush here.

President Weaver called me yesterday at the end of pday.

He told me how he has been calling Salt Lake to try & get ahold of whoever over there is in charge of me & my mission, well there are 2 piles: pre-trial mission & post-trial mission.

He kept calling to the pre-trial mission department (the group of missionaries who have yet to complete or are completing their mini or trial mission)  rather than the post (the ones who already have)... Well Salt Lake apparently already has it that I have completed my mini mission & is ready for him to give the thumbs up or down on to if I am good to go for the rest of the year. They want to know if I am ready to be set apart as a Full-Time Missionary again (yes, I know President Almond has...but they have to do it again according to which mission...even if I stay in the WA-TAC for the duration of the time, confusing? yes...necessary? yes.) Anyway, so by THIS WEEK I need to report & he needs to report back to answer completely:

1. I want to be here

2. I am feelin' healthy!

and the answer is YES! To BOTH!

So, now we turn up the turbo even more & now once President Weaver's report is in, it goes off to the Quorum of the 12 to decide WHERE I will be serving the rest of my mission. NUTS, huh!??! I was with my zone in the parking lot of the Gig Harbor building & I started jumping up & down & getting all excited! (A side I'm pretty sure NO ONE has seen of me in this zone yet) but they said NOW they get it - I shared my story of this whole process & how hard it was to fight for it, and now it's REALLY here. This last week/weekend was one last test for the Lord to prove to me I have it in me to fight. To truly never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever ever EVER give up.

I've learned a LOT about preparation & I so wish I had the time to go more into detail of all I learned, but again I am pressed for time.

There are just SO many elements that had to come together for this NOT to be divine. All of it. From Salt Lake to home to Wa-Tac to wherever I am needed next, I will truly go where He wants me to go. (Or stay where he wants me to stay, if that is the case as well) :)

It's bittersweet. Don't get me wrong, I can not even put into words how EXCITED I am that this is here, but it is a little bittersweet to think of me going to a different mission. I feel like I have served in the WA-TAC for over a year at this point! But am sure if I am sent off, I will feel the same about that mission as well.

I was sharing with Sister Gurr this morning during studies how this whole process has reminded me of Lion King....it sparked up from Scar's "Be Prepared" but then entertained the thought for a bit & realized that the first thing Simba starts singing about is how he can't wait to be King. But that call can only come, that duty can only be fulfilled through preparation & determination in the right way. He has to be prepared for the throne. Did it come easy? No way. He lost his dad, his own life threatened, chased out from his home, then had to eat slugs. Then did Nala come for happily ever after? Nope. She came, but only to encourage him in a way no one else could to follow his Father's advice to "remember who you are". To take that memory, establish faith in the future, find out his duty & fight for it. To go back &  fight. THAT outcome affected the entire Kingdom, his Father's Kingdom.

I'm not claiming to be Simba here, but I do want to leave a quote from Elder Hales about preparation:

"We are always preparing to be there. We were there in the Council in Heaven to choose the great plan of happiness we now enjoy. When we make commitments to ourselves and others - our family, our wives and children, our bishop, our employer - we should be there. When it is time to be in Church meetings, at Mutual, or fulfilling a priesthood or auxilary assignment such as home and visiting teaching, we should be there. When it is time to graduate from school or a training program, we should be there. When it is time to serve a mission, we should be there. When the man or woman we love most kneels at the altar of God's holy temple, we should be there (and not as a witness!). When our family is gathered in the celestial kingdom, we should be there. When the Savior greets us as we return with honor and our Heavenly Father reaches out to encircle us in the arms of His love, we should be there.

The Decades of Preparation are really a way of thinking about our life on earth for eternity. Preparation is for everyone, young and old. It is a way of life filled with wonder, adventure, challenge, opportunity, and the possibility of MIRACLES as we are led by a loving Heavenly Father, though His Spirit, on our journey home."

Then he asks this question as a 'checkpoint' for yourself:

Will the preparation I'm pursuing ensure that I will be there to fulfill my duties and roles as a member of the Church and, ultimately, as a child of my Heavenly Father?

I remember bopping around the house to my Lion King cd in nana's house growing up, singing 'I Just Can't Wait to be King!' ...I'm sure we ALL had moments like this where we just wanted instant results, but Heavenly Father had a different plan, a different approach to get us to where we needed. To prepare us for OUR crown. He still does every single say, we may have to eat some slugs to get there, but in the end we WILL become whomever HE needs if we continually prepare for it.

PS-

Mike came to Church :)

Bob asked one of the youth if he could attend seminary, that youth turned & asked Bishop Wing to pick him up...ALL arranged without us!! (the ideal situation) :) and he WENT & LOVED it!!! Super-huge mega miracle!!

Your're in my thoughts & prayers.

Pretty sure everyone wants to get transferred to graham now to meet the fam haha!

PS-I just about DIED laughing when I read about the dinner table conversation.

Uhh & cinnamon chip cookies without me?

kinda jealous.

Send some with Bowen to transfer meeting for me.

& there is a BIG fluffy cow for $9.99 at Costco...if he happens to make it to transfer meeting also I would SOO happy :) but seriously. I would. You should go get it. Please?

:)

Love youuu!

How are the Powers doing? That's a big scare for those kids!

OH and have them bring (to transfer meeting) a FEW of the missionary picture....the new one NOT the one of my old plaque.

Did Katie Clifford send you that link over facebook? It's to the WA-TAC blog....she found your profile & messaged it to you. Look in your inbox..

Alright well I only have 2 minutes left, guess it's time to go.

Love you lots & lots.

Have you heard about the new Federal Way Mission they are forming starting July 1?

We will most likely be out of the WA-TAC mission boundary...but nohting has been completely decided yet.

Ask the missionaries for updates or look it up on church news.

LOVE YA BYEEEE
Sister Givens

Late, late, late...Worth it?

Feb. 22, 2013

Oh hey there Ferb!

"It is not enough to want to make the effort... it's in the doing, not just the thinking, that we accomplish our goals." -President Thomas S. Monson

I am so so sorry that this email has taken so long to get out to you!

Tuesday we were jam-packed with teaching &service time, then Wednesday was filled with training & interviews with President & Sister Weaver, then yesterday we were homebound with the FLU! Sick-nasty-nast. Anywho - we are currently still banned from full time missionary work through at least tomorrow in order to completely obey Mosiah 4:27. So consequently we are at the Clifford's house (Sis. Clifford is the RSP, Bro Clifford is the 1st Counselor...Amanda & Katie ((YW)) are two of our most major fellowshippers! Anywho, we are at their house getting our "Best 2 Years" on & emailing the fam! ...and gettin all those germy-germs out of my bedding. They are SUCH a blessing.

Anyway, so we are NOT pressed for time & I actually realized that if we go in to email in the library, & print off your letters, then go over to the non-internet computers, type the letter on word, then save it on our jump-drive, then go BACK on the internet computers to send it...we have all the time in the world to write you!

BOOM! Beat the system! Woo!

Okay, SO life this week...has been GREAT! Well, kinda. I'm trying to think of all that has happened since I wrote last.

Let's start with this...

The quote above from President Monson comes from this Mormon Message:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEIhhTQ1w10

which I told Elder Bowen to have you all watch.

It's on the #2 dvd I have & we ended up accidenitly sharing it at a dinner appointment, but I had never seen it & it was GREAT!

I ended up sharing my testimony on how important missionary work is, & how much of a fight it is to accomplish what you want but that it IS possible.

And hey! Remember the story President Almond shared when I was set apart?! ((Goal of 50 consecutive free-throws)) Well, check out how many Tyler has swooshed! :)

It was just such a great reminder to me that this IS possible & I can accomplish all The Lord has set forth for me to. It hasn't come in the easiest of lessons to be learned, but does it really ever?

This week we have been able to see so many miracles!

We are teaching a boy named Bob, he is 18. We knocked on his door & he told us how a couple years ago he read the Book of Mormon (which he rented from the school library) & was beginning to meet with the elders - then over the next couple weeks transfers happened, and 2 of his siblings ended up in a fatal car accident & told us how his entire family pulled away from any source of church at that point. He said he still wasn't interested in meeting with us, so we left our card & testified how the Gospel changes lives & CAN bring so much peace & hope into our lives IF we choose it. Well, a couple days later we got a text from BOB!! He wanted to get involved in "humanitarian work" so from there we were able to start talking to him & invited ourselves over for a lesson! From there he said he WANTED to read the Book of Mormon again because he didn't do it for the right reasons last time. Then this week we had another lesson (with Amanda Clifford who drove us down there) & we taught about reaching out to others & the BOM. He said he wanted to get involved with the youth group, welllll this was Wednesday which meant MUTUTAL NIGHT! And guess what the YM were doing?! Service project! Woo! So we stopped by his mom's work down the street, had her sign a permission slip (she is SUPER nice...we are trying to teach the whole family!) then went to the church to meet the young men. We arrived at 5:05, they were meeting at 5:30...sooo what does that mean? OH! Perfect timing to get a Church Tour in! Woo! We took him around the building, showed him the font & put him on date to be baptized on the 16th! Then he went with the boys & came back to play crab soccer with the rest of the kids. He loved it! He texted us yesterday at like 4:30 & asked where we were for his lesson. HA! Such an awesome kid, he just thrives on the gospel. You can see the light & the change in him!

His next door neighbor, Mike we knocked on. When we came to his house he walked up to the door in a shirt that said "What part of 'GO WAY' do you not understand?" Thought that entered my mind, "Oh THIS is going to be exciting" And it WAS! But for completley different reasons. We taught him lesson 1 right then & there, put him on date for the 8, he said he would love to read the BOM, then came on a Church Tour with us & the Ward Mission Leader on Tuesday night. Then yesterday Sis. Gurr & Sis. Clifford went & taught him the WOW since I was a little pre-occupied. But I guess it went great! He soaks it all in & is just READY for this in his life.

Both Mike & Bob are coming to Church on Sunday & both are planning to come to Elder Lonas' baptism tomorrow!

Such a miracle, and in THIS area the fact that they are next door neighbors, (right up the street from us) is a miracle in itself!

Did I tell you about the Williams family?

Well, I guess I will!

We were tracting up near Zion's Camp & we went to one last house. It was super dark, no flashlights with us, incredibly cold...but we decided to go to ONE MORE. We had already placed a couple BOMs on the street, so we wanted to try another.

We knocked on the door & got a, "Hey sisters! Come on in!" which is usually code for uhh active members...FALSE. His name is Chad Williams & has been less active since he was 13 years old & the Priest Quorum beat him up one Sunday before Sacrament Meeting :( His girlfriend's name is Rachel Smith, who is not a member, and neither is their son, Skyler (8) & 1-month old Isaac - SO cute! They told us that they are getting married in August this year & have been looking to get more involved in Church. Well....we can DEFINITLEY help with that one! They invited us to come back on Monday for dinner & FHE - so, we did! It was awesome! His sister ended up showing up RIGHT when we started the lesson (bawling her eyes out) & said that SHE needs to come back to church as well. Turns out their father died this summer & he was the only one who 'dragged their butts to church' but that they missed it. THey told us every time the missionaries showed up he automatically asked, 'when ya'll comin to dinner??' So he (Chad) thought it would be the right thing to do to ask us the same thing as his dad would. (not to mention the DAY we knocked his door was the day he recieved a pacakge from his sister including the photo slideshow from his dad's funeral AND his priesthood ordination certificate AND his primary graduation certificate.) The Lord is just SO smart. He really does watch over us, & IS with is ALWAY. (in EVERY WAY)

Okay, so now moving on to the health nish because I know you & know you are worrying - but I figured it would best coming from a real person & not a computer screen...plus the fact that I couldn't email till now would have been a big problem. Anywho, I the ulcers are still far away - it's just been a problem with eating again & the last thing I want is for Heavenly Father to prompt me that I have served what was needed & miss it. Don't want this to end up being an Alma 29 situation here. But I also didn't want this to be a 1 Nephi 3:5 situation when the Lord needs me to prove it to be a 3:7 situation. Catch my drift here? I sure hope so, because I'm still pretty out of it. Anyway, so the prompting came Satuday that we should do a fast so I invited you, my companion, Elder Bowen, Elder Lonas, and anyone from our district who would like to join in. Unfortunately, they didn't want to but that's okay...I'll understand it one day. So we began the fast after dinner Tuesday then Wednesday we had our training & interviews with President & Sister Weaver...ps- I LOVE them! They are just terrific! They're 2 questions that they frequently have to report back to Salt Lake on are:

1. Still want to be here?

2. Still feeling well?

Answers?

'I want to be here more than anything.' -pause- 'but I haven't been feeling the greatest.'

Complete sorrow filled his eyes & mine, so we concluded with talking more frequently, praying harder than ever, setting little goals (Every 12 DAYS we have a big celebration! Woo!), and being okay with WHATEVER the Lord's timing is. Then he asked if he could give me a blessing...uhh DUH. Then we went on our merry little way.

OH! But he was SUPER impressed that even Lonas & Bowen wanted to join in the fast & they aren't even my DL or ZL...& was irritated with my leaders here...I got some bownie points scored & some chastizing points scored I guess because the whole district out here has been super nice since..HA!

Ps- just a random fact-becasue I am technically considered a 'trial missionary' I HAVE to have a new companion every transfer so I most likely will be transferred on the 5th :( I LOVE Belfair, but up for wherever I am needed most.

So, then yesterday I woke up with flu-like sypmtoms at 6-7am, & threw up evey 45 minutes like clock-work up through 10pm....which is about double the time that other missionaries have experienced so they were worried it may be something way more severe BUT in order to treat something more severe I would have to have been sent home. So the Elders came &gave me a blessing at around 4...then got worse & worse...then by 9 Sister Weaver called & said she would give me an hour to decide if it was time to go in have my parents meet me at the hospital. So Sister Gurr & I prayed harder than ever, I handed over my will - put it in HIS hands & automatically every single sypmtom vanished.

Pretty safe to say I AM still needed here.

Whether through the weekend or through April 16th or through the year...I will find and fulfil my duty in this mission.

(Oh yes, & President Weaver said he has absolutely NO control over where I will serve if I can continue on. That he just gives either a thumbs up or thumbs down to the Quorum of the 12, then it is completely out of his hands & they decide from there where I am to go)

The point of all this, is that he IS there & even though you KNOW it's where you need to be, doesn't mean the fight it over.

Just as President Monson says, & as Tyler Haws fought for - 'It is not enough to WANT to make the effort...it's in the DOING not just thinking, that we accomplish our goals.' & I'm not giving in without a fight. Even when it's down to the wire & all you can do is get on your knees, GET ON THEM. As Preach My Gospel says, 'Love the Lord & serve him the very BEST YOU CAN.' The VERY BEST YOU CAN-I'm giving it my all - no matter how long it is. Miracles happen. Thank you for fasting. Thank you for inviting the miracle. Thank you for keeping me out here.

I love you, I pray for you.

Keep being silly for me!

Ps- I LOVED dad's email that you are singing bow chicka wow wow :) I read that part to the Cliffords & they were dying! Yeah...pretty sure I have the coolest mom ever.

& I LOVED the story about Grammy & the Temple, she has been on my mind a LOT this week too. I know she's closer than ever when I'm out serving. It's always such a comfort.

Squeeze the littles, keep sending pictures - I LOVE them!!!

Tell them I will be back for sleepovers, turns & dates soon enough :)

Have fun with the missionaries tonight!

I really miss Graham - we see the Gig Harbor & Bremerton Zone missionaries every Pday (well, this week was just the Gig Harbor Zone & we went to Zion's Camp & played,but typically we get together with both) which is always a blessing to see Elder Lonas - tender mercy. He's a rockstar.

Let me know if there is anything I can do!

OH! & i got my package the other day :) Thanks mom!!

Oh AND I told Bowen to grab whatever scrapbook paper of mine he wanted (under my bed in the big tubs) & a planner (in the bonus room either on the bookcase or in one of the boxes or I can send out a blank one or two) Just remind him if you catch this before they come over. I will try to send out some pictures!!

LOVE YOUR STINKIN' GUTS!

Sister Givens

Letter #2

Feb. 12, 2013

Family,

I am trying my hardest to bust through this letter to be able to include pictures - I already have come to the conclusion I will not have time to email President Weaver, but will hand-write him a letter each week. The time just goes way too quickly!

Mom, I wrote a letter to you yesterday, but thank you again for all my goodies!! I went though it all, and saw the note with all the new bike gizmos & gadgets & just kept thinking, I have the BEST mom in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD!!! Thank you thank you thank you! & Check you out mom! I love that you put it all on yourself, very impressive! Yes, I heard they all went over there Saturday I think it was? How fun! Elder Bowen told me all the mormon messages you watched...woo! Not gonna lie, I'm kinda jealous but it's all for a better reason why I wasn't there I suppose. Which is what has been weighing so heavily on my mind this week.

This week has been a bit of a struggle, getting back into the swing of things...I can't really put it all into words, but it is slowly coming all together. We had Stake Conference this weekend & it was outstanding. It was mainly focused on loving the Savior enough to truly follow Him in ALL aspects. In EVERY way possible. There is definitely a balance to be found, as there is in every journey in life but to humble ourselves enough to follow HIM, to learn HIS will & align ours with it. This week has brought on a new sense of Repentance, a new perspective of change. Things that were part of mission life in Utah are altered here in the WA-Tac, learning to have a companion with different mission roots than that I have been part of, getting back to 'Sister Givens' mission-minded & forgetting the world when I am driving the same streets I have as Crystal is just way more challenging than I thought it would be.

There was a speaker in Stake Conference who did address a huge question on my mind, and it was a very brief statement (of which I do not have the notes with me, of course) but if I remember correctly he said something to the effect that once we get to the state that we 'get it' we understand what the Lord means (either doctrine or principle of the gospel) to the point where we 'get it' on a deeper level - that can not be taken away from us & are then expected to live up to it at a level higher than others may have to. Does this make any sense? Maybe I am getting way too deep here. I guess a way to think about it is like Elder Bednar's talk about testimony & conversion - we develop testimony, and once we clearly understand to the point of LIVING it, we become converted. We live our life on a higher level, and are expected to then do more.

Well, I've been stubborn. Big surprise huh? Ha! I have not wanted to find a balance at times, not wanted to stretch myself, not wanted to volunterily sign up to take a plunge in the refiner's fire because ya know what? IT HURTS. But you know what else? I need to. & yeah, it hurts, and at times it seems to take FOREVER, but I also look back & can testify it works & is SO worth it.

I looked back this week, not longingly as Lot's wife did, (I won't get into that one today....listen to J. Holla's talk for that if you want) but I didn't look back at my time in SLCS longingly, I looked back at the once Sister Givens & realized those 6 months were completely refining, with moments where the shiny diamond was present, but it wasn't until I came home & integrated that Sister Givens with Crystal that it TRULY made all the difference in my character.

That the effects of a trial, test, burden, mission, whatever you may be going through WILL bring blessings, WILL bring forth a depth of character, WILL bring forth miracles, WILL bring a change of heart, WILL deepen desire, WILL fight against Satan, WILL profit for your gain, WILL bring you closer to Christ, WILL shake of the natural man, WILL hold a firmer testimony, WILL shine one day....but we are not to say when it will be enough. HE is. He knows us, guides us, protects us, watches over us & loves us with an infinite love, one of which we can not comprehend right now. But we can gain glimpses of such. We can strive for Charity. We can strive to see & love others as HE does. But to do so, to know what he knows, to get to the point where we finally 'get it' - also requires some refining. And in the end, in the eternal perspective, it is worth absolutely ANYTHING.

When Christ knelt down in that garden he pleased with the Father to remove the cup if possible, knowing it was going to be hard, & asking if there be any other way...yet in the end he said, I will do it, if this is what it takes, I WILL. That doesn't mean it didn't come without pain, or tears, but we all know it WAS finished. He did what he always promised he would.

So I ask you this week to remember back to what YOU promised, if possible attend a baptism, or go to the Temple, or even just pray for greater understanding of the Sacrament Prayers this Sunday. Pray to gain that greater love & to truly 'get it.'

Isn't this what being a missionary is all about anyway? To take the hands of others and help them 'get it'?

Just a thought.

Well I have 5 minutes & 30 seconds left here.

I will try to print off some pictures & send them out.

Yes I am absolutely allowed to have mail & packages delivered here!

653 Gladwin Rd #4

Belfair, WA 98528

Tell Sister Jones THANK YOU for me!!

OH! & can you print me the pictures from my open house? I want to send them out to all the families who came & say thank you.

YES the fireside was GREAT! I am sad they are over, but so much clarity & closure came from the experience of actually being on the stand singing, it was great.

Mom, thanks for letting me soar. I love you.

And yes, I'll keep on ridin' till I'm told to quit.

Please pray for:

Mike McGee

Mike Gain

Mike Petersen

The Bishop Family

The Alop Family

& Sister Hays

Yep...we got lots of mikes.

I promise I will actually fill you in on the work next week...at least I hope there will be some!

Squeeze those missionaries guts for me!!!

Teat them like family, we all know they are! Love you!

Sister Givens

I'm A Missionary!

Feb. 5, 2013
Dear Family and Friends,
 I am having to write you on Tuesdays since our Library here is closed on Mondays. Elder Bowen said he was going to give you a call yesterday so that you wouldn't worry as to why you hadn't heard from me yet. This area is wonderful! Yes, our apartment is just a few yards away from Hood Canal, the view from our study room is gorgeous! If I have time I will upload a few photos, but the limit for the computer here is just one hour so I don't know how much I can make that stretch. I am absolutely loving being back out! It's also a bit strange when reality sinks in that I am in the WA-TAC...I have a few moments where I have to remind myself what mission I am in & if I am a missionary or not. Especially since half the missionaries refuse to ever refer to me as Sister Givens. Even the first day Elder Parry (who is now the AP with Elder Butterfield) kept referring to me as Crystal on accident during all the trainings! I'm sure as time goes on it will catch on. Here's to hoping at least. There is just so much to say! Let me start out by stating the Belfair Ward is incredible! Bishop Wing is so spirit-directed & so supportive of us. It's so nice to be able to work so closely with him & meet with him so often. Dad, he says he knows you? (Andrew Wing) I guess he is involved with the scouts a lot up here. So the first day we leave transfer meeting & head straight up to our area. (Sister Gurr & I are both brand new to this area, she has been out for 6 months & is a hoot! She reminds me exactly of the diary of a whimpy kid's friend...I can not remember his name though! It's driving me nuts. If you think of it let me know haha!) Anyway so we are driving out there, with "Tommy" her GPS with the Relief Society President's (Sis Clifford's) address typed in...we cracked open the area book when we got in the car to find a sticky note saying we had a dinner appointment with her that night! Woo! Anyway, so we were off - over the bridge, headed to gig harbor....well the first thing we learned is that our GPS never really gets us to a certain place..it thinks it does, but that is false. It just gets us in the general vacinity of the area. Which is really no help at all because there are no sidewalks, no street lights, and oh yeah...our ward takes an HOUR & A HALF to get from one side to the other! Woo! That's at least twice the size of the entire Salt Lake City South Mission! HA! Good thing we have a lot of miles, yet still not enough....so mom, Bowen is going to pick up my bike this week! YES! Haha! I'm so excited....anyway I will explain that later. Or maybe he has already talked to you? Anyway. So we finally made it to dinner! Luckily we USUALLY have service throughout the ward, even if it's only one bar we can still make calls. So we made it to the Clifford's just fine & thank goodness they live next to the Church because we then found out we have a standing appointment with Bishop Wing at the Church every Tuesday night. Needless to say this has been a week of learning learning learning for the both of us! We couldn't even find our house the first night! We had to call the AP's and members to help us out. Haha! The sisters before us shared this ward & the Wollatchet Ward, so they would alternate which one they worked in each week & one of them just went home this transfer, so some things we can call & ask Sister Brown about, otherwise we just figure it out. The work has taken a slow start, but it's nice to have work again! We have knocked more this week than I probably ever did in SLCS, but guess what? It actually WORKS here! People don't know who we are UNTIL we tell them! It's a very strange concept still. :) We found 2 families and one other woman who was interested in learning more our first night out, which was great! We were so excited!! Then we went to teach one family (of 5) and realized they are almost ALL only spanish speaking, so we had to hand them over to the spanish elders, then we went back to teach the Resto to the other family we met (Eric & Kayla) where we brought the Bishop along for felllowship & realized they had both majored in Bible Study in College & their only purpose in wanting to meet with us was to read up on the into of the BOM then bash doctrine....those are always fun lessons...NOT. Ha! We made the most of it, and all left smiling & courteous. It was just a little heartbreaking to report back to our District Leader/Zone Leader (He is the same person here since we are out so far?...who knows why) but he found out we found 2 families in one night, & sent out a mass text to everyone in the zone saying "Belfair sisters found 2 families!!!!!" ....Did I mention bapstisms are VERY few & far between here? So they were astonished we were able to find....then we had to call & break the news to them that 7 out of our what we thought were 8 new (& only) investigators broke up with us all in one night. BUT we still have Ruth! We tracted into her & she said she would LOVE to have us back. We meet with her tomorrow night. We have been witnessing so many miralces here, even just someone letting us in to chat in the entry way to get out of the cold is a huge blessing! Or the fact that we ended up tracting into a less-active the other night who has NEVER let missionaries come in, invited us in on the spot to have dinner with her! (AND she turned off the superbowl)...HUGE blessing! They are surrounding us every where. President Weaver always talks about 'Amazing Grace'. How the Savior's amazing grace makes up for so much in our lives, in our progression, and how his hand, his grace is in our lives daily. I have been keeping a jounal with me at all times with 'Amazing Grace' written on the front & keeping tracl of the many small & simple, yet AMAZING acts of grace we see each day. It has opened my eyes to truly noticing more & more. I love my Savior. I love His Gospel. I love this mission. I love the Plan of Salvation, and the individual Plan he has for MY Salvation. I LOVE being able to share this with others Full-Time once again. I Love you all! One last thing - look up the mormon message called "Our true Identity" & watch it
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 Love ya! Sister Givens ...

Check that out!!! Woooo!!!!!!!! I'm back!!!!!

Well, Crystal did it. She returned back on her mission, one year later. On Monday night, Jan. 28, 2013, Crystal was set apart as a full time missionary by her stake President, Pres. Almond. She was so thrilled! she is now "Sister" Givens again. Then on Tuesday afternoon, Jan. 29th she reported to her mission at the Tacoma stake center. Sister Givens will be serving in the WA-Tacoma Mission for at least 3 months. Her family is so proud of her and her will and determination to get herself healthy enough to go back out. She is sure a great example to her family. We love her. I will be posting her letters and pictures she sends to use each week. Diana Givens (Mom)