Tennis and the Temple!

 Hey yall! 

This week was a good one. Met my new trainee sister Klingler and we've been running ever since! Sister Klingler is super cute. She's an Idahoan with a love of horses and a hate for steamed vegetables. She's doing amazing and I can't wait for the rest of the transfer! 

On Thursday my comp and I went and played tennis with one of our friends which was loads of fun. My first time playing since being at home but I shook of the rust and I'm ready to go for this Thursday! 

On Friday night we had a lesson with the Liwai family and they fed us a LOTTT of pizza. For just the two of us they ordered a large pizza, breadsticks, and dessert. We're still finishing it 3 days later. We talked a lot about how they can be member missionaries and helped them find some friends they could reach out to. 

Saturday was our ward temple trip! We got to join our friend Tre'Von as he went to do baptisms for the dead for the first time. So happy for him and as always it was amazing to enter the holy temple! 

Last night we went to the far end of our area to visit the Hoskins family! They live in a farm in the middle of nowhere with an amazing view. Definitely the highest point in our area! 

I really liked a verse in the book of Mormon this week but I don't have enough time to put it in my email so I'll send a picture! 

Take time to be nearer to God today. He wants to hear from you. 

Jesus loves you! 

Sister Katie Troy 

Me and Kling at the farm

Kling

Tre'Von!

some cool stuff

Tre'Von at the temple

Visiting a member's farm horses

Beautiful Iowa sunsets

Hammocking

Rope swing at a member's farm

80 MPH?!

A farm helicopter

Firehouse Fun!

 Hey yall! 

Great week in the great state of Iowa. We've had quite the sticky hot weather but we are persevering! Fortunately most of our work is done going from building to building but we spend a couple hours per day walking around. 

On Tuesday we visited a family out in the country to just say hello. The dad was the only one home and was just heading out so we briefly chatted before we left with an armful of cucumbers! He has this beautiful huge garden and had just picked a bunch of cucumbers fresh, and then handed them to me! We accepted them with lots of gratitude and we've been enjoying them all week. Ah the joys of the mundane. 

Yesterday we helped one of our less active members with some service. We stacked some wood speedy quick and had a couple hours to spare. We ended up helping him clean out the firehouse! He's a volunteer firefighter so he pulled the trucks and ambulances out of the shop and we got to cleaning. We took everything off the shelves, threw a bunch of stuff away, and put it all back together organized. It was lots of fun! He explained what all the equipment does and it was cool to help. 

This week is transfers! My companion sister Miller is leaving the area and I'm staying! I'll be training again so I look forward to meeting my brand new greenie tomorrow! I'm thankful I get to meet so many companions, it's been fun getting to know them and learning from their teaching and having loads of fun. 

Looking forward to another great week in the rolling hills of Iowa with a brand new missionary! 

Jesus loves you, 

Sister Katie Troy 

corn update

 more corn

dirt roads are no joke

scratch made pot pie by me myself and I

nice

cucumbers

walking in the heat

more corn

scriptures

cleaning the firehouse!

harper!

"Preach My Gospel" note I forgot from last week

Meet the Robinson's!

 Hey yall! 

Corn's up here in the Midwest! The sweet corn is now well above my head and baby Cobbs are forming. The soybeans aren't very interesting to look at but we did find a random apple orchard and vineyard yesterday! 

This week we met our friend Michael, who has been taught by the missionaries off and on for a while now. He is such a funny guy. An intense love for his 3 massive goldfish (who he claims to be very obedient, however obedient goldfish can be) is his trademark. He loves God and will do anything to be a better disciple of Jesus Christ. Let's all be more like Michael (maybe without the goldfish, but that's up to you haha)!

Per the subject line we met the Robinson family over dinner this weekend! They are a fun part-member family who live on a cattle farm. If you remember the pictures of kittens a few weeks back that's them! The parents shared some crazy stories from their time as missionaries and boy have the got them. They told stories of massive bugs and crazy companions, luckily I have been blessed with neither of those things so far! 

Our friend Luis was baptized! He wants so badly to set a positive example for his kids. He's a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ and can't wait to go to the temple! Prior to his baptism Luis insisted he wasn't pure enough to even step foot on temple grounds until he was baptized. Reluctantly we supported him and were excited for him to soon not only step foot on the ground but inside the holy temple. 

We also met Roger and his sweet mom Arlene. Arlene has some health challenges that Roger helps her with. In the past she taught at an old country school and attended one as a kid too. We were happy to explain that one of our friends has been restoring an old church/school house about 10 minutes away. The inside is all completely original including the blackboard, desks, books, etc. We told her we'd be happy to have our friend open it up for her so she could take a walk down memory lane. She was elated and definitely a tender moment I can't wait to see fulfilled! 

Below I'll attach a screenshot of a page I love from Preach My Gospel- the manual I and every other missionary across the world study from every day. That particular paragraph or two is from the section on developing Christlike attributes, specifically faith. 

Jesus loves you, 

Sister Katie Troy 

Logan from last week!

Luis

when the car fell apart on a dirt road

vineyard 

¡pasta!

insane candy store

comps

leave the font running!

Hey yall! 

Crazy crazy crazy week this one. 3 of our friends got baptized this weekend so we spent a whole lot of time planning for those! When all I said and done I'm so thankful for that stressful week, there is nothing of greater worth than bringing souls unto Christ! 

On Thursday we had exchanges! I got to stay in Logan while my companion headed to council bluffs for the day. I had the pleasure of serving for a whole 12 hours with my old comp and bestie Sister Arnold. She is a gem. While we were together two of our friends got interviewed for their baptisms and passed! Tre'Von passed with flying colors and even impressed the elder interviewing him a little bit.

We had zone conference on Friday, so me and Arnie's comp reunion was extended another day and we sat together through a long, but amazing, meeting. We sat in those hard chairs from 8am to 6pm (with a few short breaks in between of course). We talked a lot about how to get our friends that have a set date to be baptized to actually get baptized. It was really good information and spiritually edifying. 

Saturday was Logan and Tre'Vons baptism! Sister Miller and I were so blessed to be a part of both of their Journeys. We didn't really have to work too hard for either of them! Logan comes from an active family so he was easy. Tre'Von had already been taught by some previous missionaries so we just had to finish up a few more things and he was already ready to be baptized. So cool to see them make that covenant with God. 

Sunday was fast and testimony meeting at church! The whole congregation fasts around 2 meals for a specific, prayerful purpose and donates the cost of the two meals they missed to feed people that need it. This usually happens the first Sunday of every month and an opportunity to share your testimony is given to everyone! We had a couple cute little girls share their sweet, simple testimonies of Jesus Christ. After church Harper was baptized! It was such a joy to teach Harper and hear about her aspirations to attend BYU and be a Cougarette someday. She's a cute kid and will go so far in life! 

Today for pday and the 4th of July my companion and I have mostly been relaxing. We did the usual pday stuff, talked to our family, and had a little BBQ with the sisters in the zone! It was fun to watch the fireworks a little bit and talk lots with family. 

This week during my scripture studies I had the opportunity to read 1 Kings 18. An AMAZING chapter that I would recommend to all of you. In my own words I'd say it's a huge power move for team God. If you need a spiritual uplift and motivation go read it! And if you don't- go read it! 

Jesus loves you, 

Sister Katie Troy 

4th of July chat with the fam

old abandoned gas hahaha

another sunset

twin

Tre'Von

harpers baptism

bad firework pic we all hate during holidays