Garage Band

Hi friends and fam! What a crazy week in the NOM (Nebraska Omaha Mission). It snowed a bit so we've been a little extra busy. Some parts of town had a couple feet of town but we ended up with about 8in. 

Miracle for the week! Our friend Josh has been making CRAZY progress and is so excited about learning the gospel. As you might know, we don't drink coffee. We didn't even ask but Josh offered to quit coffee. He just outright told us, I think God wants me to quit coffee. WHOAH! 

We had interviews with the mission president this week so that was cool! He's such a sweet man and sooo in tune with the Spirit. While we were at that meeting we got to rummage through the kitchenware of an apartment that got emptied and we scored a griddle. It's funny the kind of things that are exciting to a missionary haha. 

On Friday we met the garage band. There was an apartment full of 20 year olds that had put together a band. The apartment looked exactly the way you'd think, posters everywhere, electric guitars laying around, ya. It was awesome. They were super cool and one guy Seth has tons of friends that are missionaries! He told us he had come to church lots of times and that his landlord is a member. Small world and just another miracle! 

We got to do loooots of service this week. We helped one family pack to move for about an hour on Thursday. Then saturday we shoveled snow for a couple hours. We also got to help a wheelchair-bound family move for the rest of the day Saturday. Mosiah 2:17 says 17 "And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

Thanks for coming along with me on this craziness. Jesus loves you. 

Sister Katie Troy

Exchanges!

Gemming from this crazy awesome lady!!

Part of the leak in our bathroom lol

Ice

RIP Betty White

 What's up yall! 

The weeks are starting to fly by. The days are long and the weeks are fast! Long story short, everyone has COVID. EVERYONE. All of our friends we are teaching either have COVID, we're exposed to it, or have unfortunately passed from it. It is wreaking havoc here in the Midwest. 

If you're wondering what the subject line means: our phone gets constant spam messages about random celebrities "dying" and to click this link!! (FYI don't click the links lol) One of the celebrities was Betty White so when we heard the news we were a bit confused. ANYWAYS 

This week I had the opportunity to go to MLC (missionary leadership committee, I think lol). Usually just the older missionaries and those in leadership positions get to go but I got to go 3 weeks in! Both my companions are in leadership so it was cool. It's been crazy to have so many perspectives. I was a member in the member lessons just a month ago, I know what it's like to be a young missionary and to be leaving in just a few weeks. 

Many missionaries in our mission were reassigned here because their original assignment was outside the country and closed to travel due to COVID. We got to take a sister to the airport this week and send her off to Argentina! It's weird making friends here because the either get shipped off to another country or back home right after you get to know them. 

Yesterday we had an event called Why I Believe which was awesome! We have recent converts come and share their testimonies and why they chose to join the church. Shoutout to Momma Troy for making it possible for one of our speakers to make it! At-home COVID tests are in high demand around these parts! God is good.

Today for Pday we got to play basketball and saw a bunch of historical sights in the area. I'll put a few pictures down below! 

Don't forget to forget yourselves this week. 

Jesus loves you! 

Pics:  Sorry not very many this week :/ I promise I'll shape up

tall sisters gang (I'm 5'9 and look short haha)

COMP

spooky statue

COMP pt 2

Antarctica?

 Hey yall! 

So basically, it's cold here. I experienced my first negative temperatures and my first Midwest snow storm! Snow can be dry?? Weird. 

HUGE news, our friend Bill got baptized! He got baptized on new years eve. It was quite the journey to get there but we made it and couldn't be happier for him and his decision to be baptized. It was super icy the night of the baptism so we weren't sure if we should have it. Bill's ride to his baptism wasn't comfortable driving in the snow so said he couldn't take him. We prayed about whether we should through with it and got an overwhelming feeling that we should continue with the baptism. Not even two minutes later Bill's ride texted us saying he was on his way to pick him up. When we asked him later that night what changed his mind, he said he had had an impression to go and at least test the roads. He ended up making it to the church with no problems and was instrumental in bringing Bill unto Christ. 

Trust your gut friends! God already has a plan for you so just take a step forward and he'll push you in the right direction. 

This week we got to do two exchanges, which means we swapped companions for the day. It's super fun and so nice to get new perspective on how to better serve and teach those around you!

NYE was a party of course...haha not really but we did have sparkling cider so that was a fun treat! New years day I got to do lots of baking and if you know me you know that a day full of cooking is a day full of fun. I promise I'm not a boring person lol.

Have a good first week of January! Don't forget to set goals for yourself. 

“I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don’t set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life.” –President M. Russell Ballard

Jesus loves you! 

Sister Katie Troy

P.S. a special shoutout to all of you reading this email. I can feel your support thousands of miles away (no, seriously!). Happy New Year to my very own Mom, Dad, Derek, Sarah, Evan, Julia, Alexis, Oma, Opa, Grandpa, and each of you that have walked with me step by step.  I love you all. 

BILL!!

The bread that I'm v proud of

convert all unto Christ (including birds)

 bread in da tree

 nye ft my pepper pj's (iykyk)

exchanges <3

self care Sunday

Bobby Pin Break-In

 Hey yall! 

Happy holidays friends and family! This week was crazy busy but chill at the same time. 

We had zone conference on Tuesday which was basically a big Christmas party. We got to hear some talks on the birth of Christ and some awesome talent show acts. Plus we got some good food so that's always a plus. 

To put it lightly, Covid has been running rampant through our community. We teach a lot of people in apartment complexes including independent living communities. Unfortunately we've had several friends pass away and many more in the hospital or in quarantine. Our Christmas party was canceled twice and church darn near was. 

We had lots of opportunities to do service this week which was awesome. We helped a lady in our ward with some chores and sung at a bunch of different Christmas parties. 

Then Christmas! Christmas eve was full of football, good food, and friends. Christmas day was crazy. I love to cook so I get to cook most of the meals for my comps and I but one of my comps insisted on making her famous quesadillas (which were crazy good btw). She walked away from the stove and literally said "I'll be gone for 2 seconds I'm sure nothing will happen". Not even 10 seconds later smoke was billowing in the kitchen and she had set a plate on fire haha. Then we got locked out of our apartment on Christmas. Don't worry though because then quesadilla companion picked the lock with a Bobby pin lol. A woman of many talents!

Miracles happen every day. 15 And now, O all ye that have imagined up unto yourselves a god who can do no miracles, I would ask of you, have all these things passed, of which I have spoken? Has the end come yet? Behold I say unto you, Nay; and God has not ceased to be a God of miracles. Mormon 9:15 in the Book of Mormon

Thanks to all who sent mail the last couple of weeks, you are too kind. Getting mail as a missionary is the BEST. I appreciate each of you taking the time to send love and support. Sending lots of prayers and love to each of you. 

Jesus loves you. 

Sister Katie Troy 

cute alley

thrifting

stickers 4 daysss

matching pj's and earrings

bonfire

bass pro shop WORLD

bass pro shop WORLD

Welcome to Tornado Alley, Sister Troy!

 Hey yall! 

First week out here in the Omaha Nebraska mission! My first area is the council bluffs Iowa area. I knew coming in that I could be in one of five states: Nebraska, south Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, or Kansas. I got Iowa on my first go! The next transfer is in 7 weeks, but usually they're closer to 6 weeks but Christmas made this one longer. 

First day I got here I got my Christmas present: a tornado :) I survived! It was my first time hearing tornado sirens so that was freaky, saw the sky turn green and dark at 12pm which is crazy. Also it was 70⁰ that day, today five days later it's about 20⁰. Midwest fun!!!

Miracle this week, we were driving down a really dark street one night and realized there was one house completely lit up with Christmas lights. We had to stop and say hello! The family had the most beautiful nativity on the porch out front. I am serving with a sister that speaks Spanish so that came in handy when this man answered the door who spoke Spanish. It turns out he worked on the landscaping crew at the slc temple for 20 years and is a baptized member of our church. He stopped attending a few years ago so we are so excited to make this new friend! 

The people here are so generous. The people that have the least give the most always. Everyone has pets, everyone smokes, and everyone is SO KIND. I have never experienced a community more genuine and courteous. 

Remember that the reason for the season this year and all the years past and in the future are Jesus Christ. 

Jesus loves you, merry Christmas! 

Love, Sister Troy 

So sorry, not many pictures this week!

plane to Omaha

Joe in assisted living for president

Apple crisp made by me myself and I (from memory I might add)

Omaha, here she comes!

 Hey yall! 

Last week here at the missionary training center (mtc)! I leave for Omaha, Nebraska on Monday morning! This week has been plenty eventful. This week my companion was sick so we had to leave the mtc to go get covid tested. Negative!! Tender mercy on our way to the unfortunate doctors visit though. My sister in law, Julia (hi Julia you get a shoutout) was going to drop off some food for me at the mtc, but while we were walking to the doctors office, she passed us and I got to see her so that was fun!!

Another shoutout: got a package from mum and dad so that was awesome!! Missionaries love mail for whatever reason. Every time someone in our district (group) gets a package we do an "unboxing" haha. Imagine how excited we were when someone got a package full of a Christmas present advent calendar. SO MANY PACKAGES. 

Also, it snowed. A lot. It has been pretty cold here and the dumping of snow made it extra cold. So pretty though! God really did create the earth to be beautiful. 

A favorite scripture this week: Mosiah 24:14-15

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.

15 And now it came to pass that the burdens which were laid upon Alma and his brethren were made light; yea, the Lord did strengthen them that they could bear up their burdens with ease, and they did submit cheerfully and with patience to all the will of the Lord.

God is aware of you and hears your prayers. I don't know what each of you is going through but I promise that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are walking with you always. 

Have a good week! Jesus loves you. 

Sister Katie Troy

***************************************************************************************************************************

NOTE:

If you’d like to send her a letter, Christmas card or package this is her mission home address until she moves into her apartment:

Sister Katherine Troy

Nebraska Omaha Mission

11027 Martha St.,

Omaha, NE 68144

me!!

temple :)

 missionaries are amused by anything

puzzle in the docs office

SNOW

my favorite learner Rob

Hurray! Another Troy hits the mission field!

Hello to all our new and old friends of the family blog!  We haven't used the blog since our last missionary, so it's fun to rediscover how to use it!

Our youngest, Katie, decided to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She was called to serve in the Nebraska Omaha mission for 18 months beginning on November 23, 2021.  After a week of online training, she arrived at the missionary training center (MTC) on December 1, 2021. She is expected to fly to Nebraska around December 15th.

Every week missionaries have a day off from service that they call P-Day (preparation day). They call home, email, do laundry, grocery shopping, sightsee, hiking, etc. Here is Sister Troy's first P-Day letter!  She is currently at the MTC (missionary training center) for the next week or so. After that, she'll fly to Nebraska for the remaining 16 months of her mission. If you'd like to send her a letter (or a package) until December 14th, you can send it to the following address.  Missionaries LOVE letters!

Sister Katherine Troy

Nebraska Omaha Mission

2005 N 900 E

Provo, UT  84602

Thank you for caring about our sweet girl. Your prayers for her happiness and safety is always appreciated.

Much love,

JD & Terri Troy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I got up at 3am on Wednesday to catch my flight to Provo, UT. Luckily I had a buddy from my stake to travel with! Right when I got here we got to work asking the three essential questions: what's your name, where are you from, and where are you going. It's super fun to meet new people! The group of new missionaries I came in with was the largest since reopening after COVID. 600 new missionaries came in!! The funny thing is that the next group coming in on Monday is only 10 people. 

I super love my district (my group)! They are all sooo fun and smart. Our favorite activities include playing ping pong, and making fun of Elder Christensen. Elder Christensen broke his tailbone shortly before starting his mission and has to carry around a butt pad everywhere. Haha!! He's the funniest and a good sport about it all. 

I've been learning lots too! The biggest thing I've come to know is that it's all about Jesus Christ. He is my everything. And all I want to do is help people!! In any way I can. Let me know if there's anything I can do to help you!!

My most recent favorite scripture is 3 Nephi 5:13 from the Book of Mormon. It says "Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people, that they might have everlasting life."

Have a great week yall! Jesus loves you.

Sister Katie Troy

Longview friends Elder Moses and Sister Troy

My travel buddies Elders Moses and Jensen

Fresh off the plane and to the MTC

My ideal p-day shirt

my district gorls

More gorls...

piano concert

piano concert II

Piano concert III

my district at da temple

nerf or nothing at the MTC campus

New shoes=blisters

Sisters Troy & Tadlock

Beautiful Utah mountain views

MTC artwork

More MTC artwork

Christmas lights with her companion

More district shenanigans

Portrait of Sis. Troy by her companion