This week on Sister Cale in Columbus-the sisters went to Zone Conference (it was awesome), the Sisters coordinated with the ward mission leader and the Elders on their display and booth for First Friday (it's going to be awesome, you can follow the happenings through #foundmyfam), the Sisters went to iPad training and it was much less about iPads and much more about the appropriate use of technology across not only our missions, but our lives (it was also awesome). And of course in between the Sisters had hilarity and tender mercies and so many other things. Sister Cale had psychology flashbacks to Alfred Ellis and Evan Pavlov. Life was good.

Hi Friendlies!

How are you all? Things here are great! We have really had a blessed week this last week. I was honestly really amazed that we were able to accomplish everything that we did because of all the meetings that we ended up having. The meetings were however, absolutely worth it in relation to the upset of the missionary time continuum. I love meetings where all the missionaries get together. They're getting increasingly fun as I know more missionaries as well. 

Our first major meeting of the week was Zone Conference. I can't even express just how much I love President and Sister Daines. I am officially on board with the statement that President Farrel made when he said that he felt that I had been called to the Ohio Columbus Mission in part for who my mission president and his wife are. I totally get it now and absolutely agree. The first portion of Zone Conference was all about the transitive verbs that we use to describe the Atonement. It was so cool to talk about all of the things that the Atonement is and does for us, despite the fact that our limited human minds really can't fully comprehend the complexity and depth of the Atonement. At one point President said something like, "Our imperfect human minds will never truly comprehend the Atonement, but that should never prevent us from learning as much about it as we can." I loved that. We also talked about Anti-Mormon material, obedience, and the conference talk, "Stay by the Tree". It was great and it was super fun to get to see the other Sisters, because as Sisters we mostly just see Elders, so it's kind of fun to get some girl time. 

Our other major meeting this week was in preparation to receive our iPads next week! We gathered as an entire mission, which was huge and crazy and very much like a reunion. All of my MTC Sisters were there are I know lots of the other missionaries now that I've been out longer than .2 seconds. The coolest part about the training was that there really weren't additional rules for what we have already been instructed to do. The rules remained the same, because iPads are just another tool. We talked with Brother Watson from the missionary department about all the ins and outs of the program and the thing I like best about the program is that it comes from the Brethren understanding that you can't just take missionaries away from the entire world wide web for eighteen months and two years and then expect them to have the skills necessary to make the best choices with technology. Being away from the internet doesn't give missionaries the ability to make better choices than they did before they left, because being away from the internet doesn't really give you a choice. With the iPads we are going to have greater agency in choosing how we use our new tool to accomplish the Lord's purpose while on our missions and after. It was really so cool.

We had a Saturday where we were able to accomplish way more work than we could have done on our own, and I know that is because we had set goals that were a bit crazy and Heavenly Father knew that we were willing to work to make them happen. I love when we have days where our plans clearly indicate that we were listening to the spirit. It's just so reassuring. 

Among other things we continue to be spoiled by our amazing ward and are really excited for P-day tomorrow so we can get our apartment clean and go grocery shopping. Transfer week is always so weird and in some ways it's kind of fun to watch the missionaries start to freak out about whether or not they're going to be leaving. It's all such a guessing game and the torture of it is less than delicious. 

We're really excited about our First Friday booth. It's too bad that you all can't come to Sandusky Street. If all goes well the people of Ohio will post on their Facebooks, Instagrams, and Twitters using the hashtag #foundmyfam. You guys could follow along. It's going to be pretty cool if...when it all comes together. 

Well my darlings, the church is true, life is good, God's in charge, Satan hates you, and I love you all!

Love,

Jessica

In this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-Sister Cale figured out that she's actually pretty allergic to cats, everything kept falling through, Dan agreed to be baptized, Sister Cale got super cute clothes from her Grandmother (and set the wrapped package aside for her upcoming Birthday), The Sister's took Donna on a Church Tour, and Mother's Day meant getting to call home.

In this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-Sister Cale figured out that she's actually pretty allergic to cats, everything kept falling through, Dan agreed to be baptized, Sister Cale got super cute clothes from her Grandmother (and set the wrapped package aside for her upcoming Birthday), The Sister's took Donna on a Church Tour, and Mother's Day meant getting to call home.

Dear Wonder Peeps,

Hi Loves!

How are you all? Things here are pretty good. I can't believe how weird time is as a missionary. They aren't kidding when they say the days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days. Everything is all wibbly-wobbly wonky in the missionary life. But I really am growing to love it. And what a strange day this last week has been. I think things fell through in terms of our plans more in this past week than they have in my mission up to this point. I understand that I've been out for point four seconds (or four moths, but hey, who's keeping track?), but it was really strange to have to use the back up plans that we had made as frequently as we did this past week.

Fun story-people in Ohio REALLY love their cats. And I have nothing against cats. Some of them are actually even kind of cute and fun; however, it would appear that when a home is the living space for an army of felines, my usual irritation at cat hair can kind of go bonkers. It wasn't honestly that bad, my throat was just super itchy and my eye was itchy and it was good that because of the way our day was scheduled that we could pause for an hour and catch up on some District Videos so I could get over trying to die. It was really dramatic and stupid. So I guess I probably shouldn't pet the cats anymore. Most of them are incredibly nice and not at all The Archduke of Temperamental Attackness.

In other news this week, even though things seemed to go horribly awry last week with Dan, when we were finally able to get over to see Dan and Clarence this week, with the help of an awesome member, we were able to commit Dan to be baptized on June 13. Heidi is a returned missionary and she just flat out told Dan that we all have two choices that we make in life. Either we can choose to be baptized and follow Christ, at which point when we get to the judgment bar we can tell him that we did our best to follow him. Or we can choose not to follow him and then have to justify that choice. It was exactly what Dan needed to hear and I think it was good for him to hear it from someone who wasn't one of the missionaries.

On Monday night last week we got to have dinner with one of the many families that I adore in this ward (seriously, they're basically all incredible, so I really don't have favorites). After dinner we got to be part of their family home evening. Brother and Sister Morgan had prepared the most brilliant lesson on Alma 32 and the Parable of the Sower to teach their children (and Dan and Clarence who were supposed to come to dinner, but then didn't) about how we gain a testimony and how our faith grows. It was seriously brilliant and it was so fun to get to be with their family for that time.

On Saturday morning we were able to take one of our investigators on a Church Tour. Having never actually done a Church Tour, I was kind of nervous, but it was actually a remarkable experience. When we went into the chapel, we asked Donna how she felt and I thought her response showed such a connection with the spirit. She said that she sort of felt all of her past sins weighing down on her heart, and that they were really heavy, but this felt like the kind of space where she could leave them and then they wouldn't be able to weigh her down anymore. It was such a testimony to me in that moment that our true work as missionaries is to invite the spirit so the spirit can teach to the understanding of the individual. And was a beautiful thing it was to be there when the spirit taught her about the significance of repentance and how important the sacrament is when we are baptized.

Other highlights of this week include learning about charity and love with Sam and Jamie and then walking to Whits for frozen custard, winter green mints in my birthday package from Grandmother (because they taste like home), and of course getting to call home. Getting to call home was the best. It was sort of (to be read nearly impossible) to say goodbye, but it was so worth it in the end. I love you people. All of you, so much!

The Church is True, Life is Good, God's in Charge, and Satan Hates You!

Love,

Jessica

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-Sister Cale found eye liner at Kohls, the blossoms continued to be one of the best parts about being in Ohio, Sister Cale drew a Family Tree Coloring page that ended up being handed out to at least 50 kids at First Friday, The Sisters raked a ton of leaves, and groceries continued to be incredibly expensive.

Hello Wonderful Humans!

I'm so excited to get to write you today! Seriously, I cannot tell you all how much I love you, and because this e-mailing thing happens on a timed clock, I think this will have to suffice for now as I've got a lot of you to send individual e-mails to as well. 

Last Monday after e-mail time Sister Brown wanted to go out, because she doesn't do hand written letters (at least not in the overhaul write everyone you possibly could way that I tend to do). So we went to Kohls. This is going to sound so small and stupid, but it was actually pretty awesome. So I got the world's greatest liquid eye liner pen in a mascara sample box over a year and a half ago. Well it officially was over being used about a month ago and I didn't know how I was going to go about replacing it. So while we were at Kohls, they actually had Lorac (the brand of makeup) and I was able to get one. Which was really super exciting. I know, it sounds stupid, but really, it kind of made my day. 

Tuesday was the kind of day that started out rough once we got out to work, but then it got better. I finally decided this week that if my companion doesn't want to wake up on time for us to go out and exercise that there's really nothing stopping me from running around our apartment. I have to admit, there are some of the repeated turns that make me a little dizzy, but the endorphin's are worth it. Tuesday ended up being more than okay and it was a reminder to me that I need to have greater faith in the Lord and what he wants for His children. The reality is that this is His work, and we are honestly just here to accomplish what he has planned. As we listen to the spirit, we will inevitably be where we are supposed to be, when we are supposed to be there. 

Wednesday we had Zone Training Meeting. It was probably my favorite Zone Training Meeting so far. One of my favorite things that we talked about as a Zone was becoming Full Purpose Missionaries (for those of you who don't know, the official missionary purpose is-to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End.) The concept was that we need to work with all possible people in helping them take those steps, whether they be investigators, new members, less active members, or active members. I felt such a connection to this idea, because it seems to fit perfectly along with my plan to be a missionary who is just going to love everyone. The other awesome thing about Zone Training Meeting is that we found out that we're getting iPads. And not just in the hypothetical, "someday our mission is going to have iPads" way. We have our training on them May 22 and should be getting them the week afterish. Woot woot! Wednesday we were also able to go over to Judy's and rake some of the leaves out of her flower beds. I was so glad that Judy had finally agreed to let us do some service for her. Her knee surgery is coming up in two weeks and she's getting pretty nervous. It was nice to be able to take care of something for her that was causing her even just a little stress. When we taught Judy, Sister Brown felt prompted to follow the commitment that we had made in Zone Training Meeting to invite everyone to be baptized. The spirit in the room was so strong as she quietly asked Judy if after her surgeries she would consider being baptized. Judy said that she would. I was so grateful to get to watch that beautiful moment unfold and then to be able to testify of it as well. 

Thursday was a tricky sort of day in the land of training. I finally resolved to "throw Sister Brown under the bus" as it were and make her teach part of the lesson, despite the fact that teaching really freaks her out. I felt horrible, but I knew that being able to contribute and teach during lessons is an essential part of how we accomplish our purpose. We aren't missionaries to teach, but if we don't teach we can't invite and help. For having been out for only three weeks, she did really well, but she felt really disappointed with herself. I tried to help her reason through things, but as that didn't work I eventually recommended that when we get home she could pray and ask Heavenly Father how he felt about her efforts, because ultimately it's his opinion that matters most. I was really grateful for everything I had been taught growing up about how we can choose how we react to any situation and how we can choose how we think about all situations. I think having been taught that has given me a greater safety and security. 

Friday was the busiest of days this week. Shout out to my Melanie and Skyler who both graduated Friday! I totally had a moment of silence (not in a depressing way) where I thought about each of you and how proud I am. I was there in spirit, I promise.  We had weekly planning, some lessons, and then we had First Friday on Sandusky (Main Street in Delaware). It was a lot of fun, and I'm really excited for us to get something more than a card table with crayons and a coloring page pulled together. Despite the "finished touch-ness" that I would have preferred our table to have, it was really cool to be there. We bumped into a woman who Sister Hibbert and I had met during one of my first weeks in Delaware and were able to get her address so we could go and see her family. More than anything I think it was good for both of us to have a chance to just open our mouths and talk to people. Since our table next month is hopefully going to be on Family History, we had Family Tree Coloring Pages that I drew and then we talked to people about family history. I'm officially grateful to be related to Captain Dan, Revolutionary Privateer, because he was a great individual to bring up as I shared with my peers about how cool family history can be. 

Not to be outdone, Saturday was also busy, and was actually hot. It was almost weird to feel warm, because just last week I had gone back to wearing sweaters it had gotten so cold. We were able to finish up Judy's leaves and teach some pretty great lessons. Our final lesson on Saturday night was disappointing because Dan shared that he really hasn't ever felt the spirit, not even when we have been over at their house as the missionaries. I'm just not sure how we can help him next. He was supposed to fast and come to church with us Sunday, but didn't make it, so I'm not sure if he fasted or not. Agency is easily the most wonderful and most miserable part of being a missionary. I feel such joy when I see the people that we interact with making those choices that are going to bring them closer to Christ and help their lives be better, and I feel such sorrow when they don't. I'm officially starting to understand the Book of Mormon Prophets who so frequently lament the way the people in their strewardship are using their agency. I'm totally there. 

Sunday was pretty awesome. It was a day for growth and lots of self control, as we were still fasting when we went to Emilie's Birthday Fiesta. Her family had made food that smelled SOOO good and it was so hard not to eat anything and just call it quits on fasting, but since we had decided as a mission to do a twenty-four hour fast, we resisted. If you ever want to test your resolve and commitment to those things that you're fasting for, go to a fiesta (don't, it's SUPER hard). We were able to show a less active family Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restoration and talk about how God answers our prayers. Their son is autistic and his favorite part of the movie was when Jesus came to the temple. I love the tender way the spirit interacts with those bewildering but purest of spirits. We ended our Sunday evening with our sweet Judy and were able to testify that light will always displace darkness. 

I have been so blessed as a Child of God this week! And I love you all so much. Know that you're in my prayers and my thoughts. 

The Church is True, Life is Good, God's in Charge, and Satan hates you. 

Love,

Jessica