March 21

Howdy from Woodville where the Lord is guiding and blessing us every day!

Monday we were able to go join missionaries from a couple of zones and play a whole bunch of ultimate frisbee and other fun things. It was super fun to be around so many missionaries- especially Sisters! We have no other sisters in our zone, and only one set in the neighboring zone we do activities w/. That was lots of fun, and a good opportunity for Sis. Lundgren and I to relax. We also got help Sis. Moldenhauer do some needed shopping at Sams' Club. Pres. Moldenhauer was grateful to not have to that. It was fun and reminded me of running errands w/ my own awesome mom. While at the mission home we also took walks w/ Sis. Moldenhauer every evening, and most of the time Pres. Moldenhauer came too. They have some awesome golf courses and roads in the area that make walks really nice and fun. Monday night I learned how to make chicken pockets w/ Sis. Moldenhauer and that's what we had for dinner- delicious :)

Tuesday we got up early and went up to Liberty, TX to a leadership training. Usually sisters only get to go if they're training a new missionary, but we got invited just because we're loved and it was really really cool. We helped Sis. Moldenhauer prepare breakfast for the missionaries, too. We had to leave Tuesday's training early to meet up w/ a counselor that's helping Sis. Lundgren out. He's a really great guy, and an EXCELLENT counselor. We were able to spend some time in the afternoon working in Fall Creek (Sis. Lundgren's old area). It was pretty effective and nice to be able to do some work. Sis. Moldenhauer fed us spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.

Wednesday we went to the second day of training. Since we didn't have to leave early that day, we rode up w/ Pres. and Sis. Moldenhauer and the assistants to the president, Elders O'Conner and Hoffman. It was a fun ride and we were treated to breakfast at Happy Donuts on the way there- so yummy. We once again helped Sis. Moldenhauer put out breakfast for the other missionaries and set up for the training. We learned so much at the training and really felt the Spirit. It was just so good for us. We ran a few errands on the way back to Kingwood, mostly for the mission office, but also for me. Sis. Moldenhauer had found out earlier in the week that I'd been wanting to go to Cavender's or Baskin's and buy myself some sweet TX boots, but that I hadn't had time or opportunity to do so. So, she sought out the nearest location for me :) We dropped of the elders and Sis. Moldenhauer at Pappasito's close by so they could get us a table for dinner. (Elder O'Conner will go back to being a regular missionary for his last 6 weeks, and the Moldenhauers like to take the assistants out to dinner at the end of their time serving as assistants.... we just got invited to come since we were living at the mission home) President drove us over to Cavender's where he stayed in the car convinced that Sis. Lundgren and I would not need assistants picking out cowboy boots. In less than 20 minutes I'd picked out and purchased the perfect pair of boots, and had a gospel conversation w/ 3 of the employees (with Sis. Lundgren's help of course!). We joined the others back at Pappasito's where we still had to wait a little while. It was worth it though. They were having a special on fajita's which were delicious and we had way too much fun talking and laughing over dinner. Despite being very full and very tired when we got home, we still went on our nightly walk :)

Thursday we went to a dr. appt. for Sis. Lundgren to follow up on a surgery she had a couple of months ago and verify how connected her current anxiety issues may be to that. We also ran a couple more errands w/ Sis. Moldenhauer, included buying my fancy new bike seat. After eating leftover fajita's for lunch and having a good visit w/ the Moldenhauers we headed back to Woodville. That night Brother D* G* was baptized and it was a completely wonderful service and so very exciting and fun to experience. I feel privileged to know the G*s and have them as my friends. Recent Convert J* J* also came to the baptism which was SO good since he's been strugglin lately. Elder Serdar who baptized J* was also in attendance, so that was a little miracle too! We had chicken spaghetti for dinner at the G*s after the baptism.

Friday we had district mtg. which was really awesome. After the mtg. we grabbed lunch at Subway and took the elders over to have lunch and share a message w/ J*. It was really uplifting for him. After that Elder Hakes, put on my new bike seat and adjusted it a couple of times. I tested it around the parking lot and it seems to be good, but we haven't taken a real ride yet to really find out. Should be fun :) The Elders had to hang around Woodville waiting for prescription so we took them to our visits at the nursing home as well. We did some tracting that afternoon w/ some pretty cool miracles, and then visited C* and L* B* before heading to dinner w/ Bro. and Sis. R* and D* L*. They fed us brisket and corn and broccoli slaw :) Sis. L* also cut my hair while we were there. It desperately needed a trim and some re-shaping, and we didn't get to have her do it on P-day since we were out of town. It turned out cute and feels really good :)

Saturday we gave a church tour to Sis. M* M* when the investigator who was supposed to have one didn't show up. We spent some time on mormon.org, had miracles running into investigators who really needed our help, and went to a little party at Sis. K*'s home to fellowship w/ some sisters in the ward and some of Sis. Kethan's non-member friends. We went tracting in the afternoon and had dinner w/ the H*s in the evening (homemade fried chicken).

Church was great on Sunday- Brother J* J* came too, which was awesome. We visited lots of people during the day and also did some weekly planning we didn't get to do earlier in the week. The K*s fed us lasagna for dinner and we had a great spiritual visit w/ them.

Sister Lundgren is doing much better, but we're still working hard to make sure she continues to do so. I'm so grateful for her faith and example and I love her to pieces! Your prayers and support are so greatly appreciated! I love you all!!!!

*~Sister Pilmer~*

March 14

Howdy from Kingwood,TX where I feel completely blessed even though it's a little odd to not be in Woodville.  We've been here in the mission home since Saturday afternoon.  My sweet companion, Sis. Lundgren, has run into a major roadblock of anxiety- the serious kind caused by a chemical imbalance.  She's dealt w/ it a little bit since she came to Woodville, but has been able to work through it and handle it w/ positive thinking and hard work.  This past week though it took a major turn for the worse w/ lots of ups and downs.  We've worked hard together to do everything we can to keep her well and keep the Lord's working moving forward.  Saturday things got really bad though (at least bigger than we could handle), and Sis. Moldenhauer (who has been in the loop and supportive and helpful all along) decided we should pack up a few things and come to the mission home for at least a few days.  It's been really good for Sis. Lundgren and we're getting her the help she needs as soon as possible.  Pres. and Sis. Moldenhauer have been so supportive and loving.  I'm so grateful for them.  Sis. Lundgren is such an inspiring example to me of faith and diligence!  She's just AMAZING and regardless of the challenges we're currently dealing w/, I'm so grateful to have her as my companion.  I learn so much from her. 

 

Monday of this week was pretty fun as far as zone p-day goes.  We played ultimate frisbee and softball and had a great time.  That night our branch president and his family had us over for dinner.  They fed us shepherd's pie which was delicious and we had a great time.  According to my planner we went and taught someone else after, but my planner doesn't tell me who and I can't remember, but I'm sure it was great. 

 

Tuesday morning we visited a few people including the S*s- a sweet part-member couple.  We grabbed some lunch and then rode down to Beaumont w/ Sis. D* where I met w/ Dr. Stovall for a follow-up.  Still no real news, but that's alright at this point.  I feel really okay about everything.  The M*s fed us dinner that night- fried chicken, salad, garlic rolls, and DELICIOUS Italian Creme Cake for dessert.  .

 

Wednesday we got out on our bikes in the morning.  We decided (w/ Sis. Moldenhauer's help) that it would be good to get out in the sunshine and be active and be effective in talking w/ lots of people.  It was very effective and pretty fun and the first time I've actually done it on the mission.  (In case I hadn't mentioned it before, I got Sis. Frazier's bike when she went home.)  Unfortunately I kind of really bruised/injured myself on my less-than-ideal bike seat.  I'm just about healed now and will be getting a really good bike seat from a shop here in Kingwood.  We plan to do plenty more biking when we get back to Woodville.  We rode our bikes out the the Jr. High / Highschool where we had lunch w/ recent convert A* H*.  That was fun.  In the evening we went to Sis. R* F*'s home and learned how to make delicious egg rolls for dinner.  After dinner, we met up w/ President Livingston (branch pres) at the church for to talk over some things.  He also gave Sis. Lundgren a priesthood blessing.  We are very grateful for such an awesome branch president.  I once again know we did something great after that, but can't remember what. 

 

Thursday we did weekly planning at the church, but it was broken up by a delightful school lunch w/ A*'s little sister D* H* at the elementary school.  It was "friends day" at the elementary and she invited us.  We gave D* her first very own copy of the Book of Mormon w/ our testimonies written in the back.  She was so excited.  After planning, all of our plans and back-up plans fell through so we just started tracting a "random" area that I'd tracted before but that nobody was home or at least answered.  There wasn't lots of people home this time around, but there was a few really great people, one of which we are VERY excited about.  Her name is L* B* and she has investigated the church before.  We'd actually been trying to find her at another address, and it was a miracle to find her here.  She's really excited to start learning again.

 

Friday we had district mtg. in Woodville.  Pres. and Sis. Moldenhauer came and joined us which was fun.  We were able to have good visits w/ them after about Sis. Lundgren's situation, and that was very good too.  Our afternoon involved visiting several people- all good stuff.  We had dinner w/ S*s who fed us tacos/taco salad. 

 

Saturday- all the major stuff was covered in the beginning of my email.

 

Sunday we went to church at the Kingwood 2nd ward.  It was different to be in such a large ward w/ so many children.  It was also different to just attend church and not have a million responsibilities.  The Moldenhauers are taking great care of us.  Keep Sis. Lundgren in your prayers!  We'll probably be here until at least Wednesday.  Send Mail!  but for this week send it to the mission office address. 

 

I love y'all sooooo much!!!!

 

*~Sister Pilmer~*

March 7

Howdy from Woodville where the Holy Ghost is leading us to miracles every day!  I'm actually sending this email from the Silsbee library for those of you who care to know that.  We're having a zone p-day in Vidor today (combined Orange and Beaumont zones), and we're riding down w/ the Fred elders, so we're emailing in Silsbee on our way to Vidor. 

On Monday I had a second appt. w/ the urologist.  For those who have expressed curiosity, I have no issues w/ informing you that those appts. were to follow up on blood being found in urine samples during my hospital stay.  Just to rule everything out, they want to verify my bladder was fine... that has now been verified.  There's nothing wrong w/ my bladder.  For those of you who didn't want that information, my apologies.  After the Dr., we went by the elders' house and hung out for a little bit, tossed the football, enjoyed "bagel burgers"- one of Elder Wittner's most delicious concoctions.  Afterwards we drove back to Woodville, and all the way out to Odomville where we enjoyed spaghetti w/ Bro. and Sis. E* W* and L* O*.  There shared a cool video w/ us about the establishment and growth of the church in this area.  That was cool.  We went to the D*'s to share a message and to eat Habanero peppers.  Anyone who knows me well is probably shocked that I would eat a Habenero of my own free will and choice... me too.... but I did it.  It was horrible.  It was worth the handmade stone knife Bro. D* will be making for me though :)  That's a bribe he offers all the missionaries- Sis. Lundgren and I accepted the challenge. 

On Tuesday we gave our typical weekly service at Heritage Village.  We did some sweeping and polishing and cleaning in a few of the buildings.  We also enjoyed our usual fried chicken lunch at the Pickett House.  That afternoon we tried some former investigators and had some success in doing so.  A* and H* H* had us over for dinner (spagehetti again) and we enjoyed a lesson w/ them on putting the Lord first.  After the H*'s we stopped by to visit Sis. D* P*.  We shared "the John Tanner Story" dvd w/ her and she loved it. 

Wednesday we visited the nursing home, spent time on mormon.org, did some tracting and visiting- all good stuff :)  We went out to Crosby Hill in the afternoon and had a good visit w/ Papa Segrest and his sweet wife.  We also went to see N* B and A* M* (less-active member and her 12 yr. old non-member, daughter)  We taught them how to play Phase 10, and they really enjoyed it, especially A*.  I won, but barely.  N* B's husband D* came home just as we were finishing and we had a lesson w/ all of them on Pres. Uchtdorf's talk "Of Things That Matter Most".  By the time we finished I had a killer migraine and we went home to eat dinner... I went straight to my bed and crashed and was in so much pain I didn't even get up and put pj's on until midnight. 

Thursday I felt much better.  We had an effective weekly planning session and then went out visiting potential investigators and tracting.  We had a lesson w/ D* at 3- a highschool aged young man who had investigated the church in the past.  He's pretty shy, but very curious and the lesson went well.  Then we went up to Ivanhoe and had a lesson w/ recent convert A* L* about goal setting and mission prep.  That kid rocks and will be a great missionary.  We had dinner w/ the A*s and the O*s.  It was Sis. M* A*s' birthday and she made egg rolls, chicken fried rice and chocolate lava cake- so yummy! 

Friday we had district meeting out in Jasper, so we spent some time in Dam B/Town Bluff making visits on the way back.  We had a lesson w/ highschooler C* at 5.  She's an AMAZING girl, and we're really excited to be teaching her.  The G* family fed us yummy taco soup for dinner w/ amazing german chocolate pie for dessert. 

Saturday we visited lots of potential investigators and less-actives in the morning and early afternoon.  We had a long, but effective day. (time is almost up)

Sunday was great because church was great, and we were able to do a lot of effective tracting.  The K*s fed us for

sorr I didn't finish

February 28

Howdy from Woodville, TX where Spring seems to have really arrived and I love it! 

 

Monday was P-day as usual. (aside from the library being closed so we didn't email 'til Tues.)  We went to Beaumont in the morning for a Dr. appt, after which we went over to the elders' house.  We hung out w/ them on the front porch and enjoyed crepes made by Elder Wittner.  Then we came back to Woodville to get groceries and get our apt. clean and such.  We had dinner w/ the Durr's that night, after which C* M* took us to an appt. in Doucette.  Our investigator wasn't there, so C* drove us all around Doucette and Colmesneil trying to locate former investigators.  We found the addresses of a couple, and talked to people there, but all of the actual people we were looking for had moved or were asleep.  We had some quality contacts in the process and will be following up that. 

 

Tuesday we gave service at Heritage Village like we do most Tuesdays.  This time we spent a couple hours sweeping out and polishing the wood in the wood in the old "Cherokee Church".  We enjoyed lunch at the Pickett House- Sis. Lundgren's first time- which we enjoyed.  After emailing we visited Sis. J* S* down at the courthouse where she works, and also visited w/ some of her co-workers we'd contacted previously.  That afternoon we had a lesson w/ C* S*, which went well.  She's since determined that she doesn't want to investigate any further at this time.  It was really sad to hear, but we appreciate it when people are up front w/ us.  We spent some time tracting and visiting former investigators.  We were supposed to have a lesson w/ D* at the church, but he got sick so instead we picked him up some Sprite and chicken soup and stopped by w/ C* to check on him.  He's still making an effort and spiritually progressing, but he's been sick most of the week, and that's slowed things down. 

 

Wednesday we spent time on mormon.org and visited at the nursing home as usual.  After lunch we visited lots of people including investigators, less-active members, active members, and former investigators.  We were asked to be in charge of Young Womens that night, and to give them a church tour.  The girls had a really great spiritual experience, and we all had a lot of fun.  After YW we went to Bro. and Sis. R* and D* L* for dinner where we enjoyed pot roast, cabbage, potatoes, and chocolate cake w/ Bluebell ice cream for dessert.  It was Bro. L*'s birthday, so it was fun to celebrate w/ them and share a message :)

 

Thursday we spent a few hours weekly planning and then went out to find and teach the Lord's children.  We had a lesson w/ D* who is really skeptical about our message, but loves the Lord.  We know if he's willing to pray w/ sincerity and real intent, he'll find out for himself.  We visited w/ R* S* who lives w/ a less-active member (both of them are SO sweet).  They've gone some things to straighten out before she could ever be baptized, but she told us that what she really wants, so we're going to do what we can to help her.  The G*s fed us dinner that night which was yummy meatloaf, w/ strawberry cake for dessert because Sis. G* knows I love strawberries.  After dinner we went to an appt., but they weren't there so we went to walmart to visit w/ T* who we knew was working.  She's so fabulous, but is totally overwhelmed w/ life right now.  She lives at the address of a former investigator so we met her earlier in the week and we just love her and are so excited to teach and help her. 

 

Friday was great, but I'm editing out details for lack of time.  Most exciting thing that day was that C* M* got her mission call to California San Jose mission- WOOT!!!!!!  We're so excited for her. 

 

Saturday we went to the stake Cobbler and Chili cookoff in Silsbee.  It was all kinds of fun, though we were sad D* didn't make it even though he tried.  I ran into old family friends like the Pontius family, the Springer family, and Pres. Eric Petersen.  They all said to say hi to the parents and fam- so hello from them!  

 

It's time to go, but the rest of the week was great and I love being a missionary!!! I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

*~Sister Pilmer~*