The Week Where it was Fall Break‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-the Sisters went on
exchanges (which is basically just changing the person you walk around
with all day on campus and then having a very mellow sleepover at
their apartment), all the students went home for Fall Break (rude),
district meeting included our district leader asked how we all felt
about referring to the Young Single Adults in the wards as brothers
and sisters (we were unanimously in opposition...which is not what he
obviously wanted), we threw an epic "See You Soon" breakfast as a
district for Elder Orton who has to go home early to have knee surgery
on his torn ACL, the pre-game partying began early in the morning on
Saturday (and was accompanied by such party songs as "I Want to Dance
with Somebody" and "Life is a Highway"...Sister Cale clearly knows
nothing about what makes for good party music as she would not have
put either of these songs on the playlist), and the Sisters had weekly
planning in the safety and warmth of their apartment after forgetting
to bring coats with them on a 35 degree weather day.

Hey Friends!

I am traditionally in full support of Fall Break. It typically
provides me with a chance to catch up with my friends, catch up on
homework, sleep, and Netflix, and all sorts of other things in my
life. As a missionary however, I do not support breaks that take the
majority of the student population away from the area in which it is
easy (easier) for me to talk to them. It was seriously so weird to
walk around a nearly empty campus. We would spot someone from one side
of the Oval and then very carefully plan which scattered paths we
would take to coincidentally bump into them so we could talk. While it
did make contacting a little bit more like a game, it was also not
ideal. Conveniently we had an area book full of potential
investigators that we could contact, so it all worked out in the end.

One of the most important lessons that I learned this week was how
the spirit can work with us to have us do what is necessary without us
realizing it. On Wednesday night we were talking to the students after
Institute and just because she happened to be standing there I asked
Megan if she would want to come to our lesson with Victor the next
day. My primary motivation in doing so was just that we could meet in
one of the bishop's offices rather than having to meet in the gym.
Megan said that she was able to come and we were super happy about
that. What I had no way of knowing at the time was that Victor would
ask us questions in our lesson that would be best answered by a
convert to the church. I have been so blessed to have the gospel my
whole life, and while I've had to come to a knowledge of its
truthfulness for myself, I haven't had the experience that is
converting from another religion. Megan got baptized about five weeks
ago, so not only has she had the experience, but it has been fresh in
her mind. She was able to say exactly the things that Victor needed to
hear so the spirit could testify to him and calm his concerns about
baptism. I never realized how crucial it was to have members in
lessons and involved in missionary work until I was a missionary. Now
I see that it is so much more about the spirit, then about the
members, then about us as the missionaries when it comes to helping
our brothers and sisters come closer to Christ.

One of the most fun things that happened this week was our "See You
Soon" Breakfast for Elder Orton. We got together as a district during
lunch one day and made assignments and hatched the plan that Elder
Hildebrandt (the district leader) would text Elders Orton and Yeh and
tell them that we were having a rules meeting Saturday morning. We all
came to the institute early and cooked quite the impressive breakfast
including pancakes, bacon, eggs, hash browns, and smoothies. It was
awesome.

Other than that, Fall here is gorgeous, if sometimes incredibly
unpredictable in terms of temperature in such a way that you end up
freezing. I am trying to avoid layering and tights and my coat for as
long as I can...yeah. Needless to say there were some pretty dang
freezing days last week. It's okay though. Mostly.

Well, it's been real. The church is true, life is good, God's in
charge, and Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica

The Week Where it Was Homecoming (and we didn't know it)‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-Sister Cale and
Sister Harris did a ton of walking (definitely wearing my shoes out
this transfer), the spirit taught the Sister's investigators as they
did their best to teach, contacting incentives were earned, Sister
Cale hit her nine month mark (WOOT WOOT!), Sister Cale received all
the useful packages in the land (thanks mom), Bibibop was tried (think
Cafe Rio/Chipotle with Asian food), and six hours of Single's Ward
church was a lot to take in on Fast Sunday.

Hello Dear Ones,

So I'm going to level with you, if my days and weeks felt blurry
before this area, they're even blurrier now. The planning life of
missionaries can be a pretty complicated one with a considerable
amount of time spent considering who should be seen on any given day
and when to try to see them (then you have to figure out where to
contact, if there are people in the records you should try to contact
etc.). It can take a lot of time. Something that is weird about
serving on a college campus when you don't have additional area to
work in, is that planning ends up being pretty simple. Our planning
conversations pretty much go like this.

Sister Harris: So when should we have lunch?
Me: Um, we can't get into the kitchen until two, so how about two?
Sister Harris: Two it is.
Me: When should we have dinner?
Sister Harris: We have to be out of the kitchen by six, so five?
Me: Sounds good.
Sister Harris: We have teaching appointments at such and a such a time.
Me: Great, contacting the rest of the time?
Sister Harris: Yep
Me: Bring it on.

Consequently, especially because all of our teaching time is spent at
the institute for the most part, my life is this weird blur. I'm
really happy here though. Even though there is something about people
my own age that makes me nervous, it also makes me pretty happy to be
able to talk to people who are at such a specific time in their lives.
Admittedly I really do miss families and the kid people. It was
particularly strange yesterday to go to not one, but two single's
wards. I had kind of forgotten how Single's wards are. They're such an
interesting slice of church culture.

Highlights of this week include the lesson on the Plan of Salvation
that we were able to teach Gabby. She is a med student in her third
year. I'm amazed that she is willing to meet with us, but she had so
many good questions and is excited to meet with us again. Victor came
to Kelsey's baptism and church on Sunday. He said that he felt the
spirit which made me want to throw my hands in the air and in the most
reverent way possible shout "Hallelujah!" I feel like helping people
to recognize that the spirit is working with them has been one of the
biggest struggles of my mission. We found a new investigator from
talking to her while we waited for the bus and then going to see her
at the store that she works at. I love seeing where the Lord tells us
to go.

I'm not sure where the last nine months went, but I know that I've
been working really hard and having such fun. So let's do this one
more time before it's over.

The church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica

The Week Where I Went Back to School‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-Sister Cale was
actually in Columbus and was transferred to OSU Campus where she is
follow up training the brilliant Sister Harris, there was joy and
happiness (and a little horror) to be had as she realized that she was
going to be around college students pursuing higher education, the
wonder of lunchtime naps was removed (because no one has time to ride
the bus all the way back home during lunch), General Conference was
eight hours of uninterrupted brilliance and revelation, the OSU
District (all six companionships-we're basically a small Zone) got to
watch General Conference at the mission home on Sunday morning, and
things were just good.

Hey Wonderful Humans!

So, it's kind of funny, but before Transfer meeting started Sister
Dowell and I were talking about places that we could potentially be
transferred to. And OSU did in fact come up as a potentiality, but not
necessarily with the typical enthusiasm and wonder that most
missionaries express when they consider what it would be like to serve
on OSU. We both expressed a general anxiety about talking to people
our own age now that we've been generally teaching everyone but our
peers. At the same time that this conversation was happening I had a
passing thought that I felt like I could probably find ways to invite
college students to learn more about the gospel in a way that could
help it feel personally relevant. I let it go and the transfer meeting
started. When the assistants read that Sister Harris as junior
companion would be receiving Sister Cale as senior companion and
follow-up trainer I was shocked. Most of the missionaries that we were
going to be training or follow up training had been called and been
informed of the aforementioned fact. Not so in my world. After meeting
Sister Harris I was thrilled. She's already trained. She's a brilliant
missionary and things have already been so good as we have worked
together.

Some ways that campus life is different than regular missionary life-
-no knocking on doors
-people my own age
-non-gospel related music...sometimes played very loudly
-no naps
-Elders and Sisters still don't eat with each other, but we eat near
each other as the Institute is our home base and no one has time to
ride back to their apartments to prepare food
-the least effective days for contacting are Saturday and Sunday
-You actually see other missionaries. A lot.

I love the campus here. It is absolutely what a college campus should
be like (though The College of William and Mary still has a special
sort of place in my heart). I keep seeing buildings and having to stop
and determine if it would be too "touristy" to take a picture of it. I
need to remember all of these beautiful places. There is a courtyard
that looks like Hogwarts and gorgeous grounds. I'm kind of obsessed.

I'm excited to meet all of our investigators and find some more
wonderful humans to teach. Life is so good here and we're about to
leave for SDO (Sisters Day Out)-Sister Springer (she and her husband
are serving their mission here at the institute) is going to take the
three sets of Sisters in our district down to German Village in
Columbus. I'm super excited.

The Church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Love you all!

Jessica

The Week I Got Transferred (Again)‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-Sister Cale and
Sister Wolf got to go to an End of Summer Event with Half the Mission,
the Sisters did the best service project ever and helped Sister
Ahlstrom plant winter pansies, not only did they sticky-note people,
they were sticky-noted by the brilliant Uptegraft's, Exchanges were
inspired and hilarious, the General Women's Broadcast was absolute
brilliance (and three of our investigators came!), the Sisters worked
like beasts on Monday and accomplished more than half of the week's
goals in the course of an afternoon and evening (because God loves
us), Sister Wolf got called to be a trainer, Sister Cale resigned
herself to leave her area after just six weeks again, and the Sisters
spent transfer morning touring Yellow Springs with all its very cute
shops.

Hello Dear Ones,

So, a week and a half is a lot to try to remember. One thing that I am
absolutely certain of is the complete joy and happiness that I have
felt in doing the work this last week and a half. I don't know that I
would want to be like Ammon and the other sons of Mosiah and be a
missionary for fourteen years, but I definitely can handle another
nine months (she says when it's not freezing cold yet) of this wonky
wonderful life.

One of the best parts of this last week was exchanges. Sister Crandall
came to Fairborn and miracles poured down from heaven as we went out
contacting. We went to try and give a referral the Bible that he had
requested, but he wasn't there, so we looked around and noticed an
apartment building that looked empty at best and sketchy at worse...so
of course we decided to go knock it. By the time we had knocked the
ten doors in the building we had taught a lesson, set up two return
appointments, received a referral, and were carried by angels down the
scariest staircase that I have ever seen (it was a metal staircase, it
gently swayed with each step we took to the top, and when we got to a
top there was a hole in the landing-definitely safe). We then went to
another street that we had planned to contact in and were able to
schedule three more return appointments and invite two other people to
watch General Conference this weekend. On top of all the contacting
miracles, we were able to teach three lessons and just had a blast. It
was brilliant. I feel like I learned a lot from Sister Crandall about
approaching doors and inviting people to learn about the gospel. It
was great.

The General Women's Broadcast was another one of those miracles this
week. I love General Conference so much, and especially now because it
somehow makes me feel more connected to home. I really appreciated
President Uchtdorf's parable. I learned something new about why the
Savior instructed in parables. Of course the Savior instructed in
parables because he wanted those who were prepared to understand more
to gain that instruction, but prevent those who weren't prepared to be
accountable for more from understanding. I have a testimony that
parables also open the door for personal revelation. I was able to
receive so many answers to my questions as I listened to President
Uchtdorf and the spirit. It was so reassuring and uplifting. I'm
really excited to see what General Conference brings.

Fun fact, there are things that Sister Missionaries can totally get
away with with greater ease than Elders. One such thing is
sticky-noting and this past week, sticky-noting worked a miracle. Last
Wednesday night we had an appointment fall through, but we were on the
sketchy side of town and didn't much feel like it was advisable to go
contacting in the dark. We decided to sticky note our investigators.
When we got to their house their front door was open with the glass
door closed, so we weren't going to be able to put the sticky notes on
the door like we usually do. We were going to stick them on the window
and then realized that we're both short, so that was going to require
us jumping and they would certainly hear that. So we left the sticky
notes on the side of the house, knocked on the window, and drove away.
Kim called us and asked if we had left the sticky notes. We said that
we had. She told us that it made a big impression on her son Adam
(we've been teaching his wife Megan and he's been uninterested in
learning himself). Well, it made enough of a big difference that when
Megan came to the church for a Chapel Tour on Monday night, Adam came
with her and not only accepted the invitation to learn more about the
gospel, but also accepted a baptismal date.

Miracles are happening in Fairborn, and that is why I have to leave.
There was an Elder at the last transfer meeting, who quoted Nanny
McPhee in his departing testimony saying that missionaries are just
like Nanny McPhee becase "When you don't want us, but you need us, we
have to stay. And when you want us, but you don't need us, we have to
go". I know that in these last six weeks in Fairborn Heavenly Father
has allowed me to be the instrument in his hands in bringing about a
lot of good. And now it's time for me to go elsewhere. (I would feel
less resentful about leaving if it didn't mean having to pack again).
Wherever I go next, it certainly won't be boring, and I know it will
be according to God's plans.

The church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica

The Week that Fairborn Started Celebrating Halloween‏

On this week's episode of Sister Cale in Columbus-the Sisters got lost
trying to find member's houses for dinner (twice), Sister Cale
actually remembered to write in her journal (it's one of my goals),
Sister Cale taught Sister Wolf how to crochet during lunch and
finished a blanket, the primary program was the cutest thing that has
ever happened, the Sisters ate tacos, and Fairborn started decorating
for Halloween.

Hello Dear Ones!

Did you know that it is Halloween in Fairborn? I really hope that I
don't get transferred because this is September and things are surely
only going to get better from here on out. On the corners of Main
Street there are already full sized Halloween displays of Pirates and
Zombie catching vehicles. It's pretty cool stuff. Sister Wolf and I
have decided that one of our goals next transfer is to contact as
Zombie and talk to them about the Resurrection. As an important note,
I won't be e-mailing until next Wednesday because we have once again
reached transfer week (next week). Time...it's the least real thing in
my life right now.

We had a pretty remarkable week. I've been trying to increase my focus
on the tender mercies and miracles that are in my life. Guess what?
I'm surrounded. I have been in awe all week that Heavenly Father loves
me so much that he allows me to have the experiences that I'm having
at this time, both the good and the bad. Sometimes the tender mercies
are small, like having dinner with some of the awesome members of our
ward. Sometimes they're bigger-like when one of the primary kids gives
a talk during the primary program that is exactly what one of your
investigators needed to hear. Some of the moments have come as I have
had opportunities to just open my mouth and testify that the gospel
has blessed my life. One came as I tripped last night, totally tweaked
my ankle in all sorts of painful shocking ways, and then woke up this
morning able to walk just fine.

We are working with some of the coolest human beings that I have ever
met right now. Ryan is a rockstar. He is loving the Book of Mormon and
is making such awesome changes in his life. I love when the spirit
works with our people when we aren't there. Don't get me wrong, it's
cool to see it happen when we are there, but I know the experience is
oftentimes more powerful when we aren't there. We were able to teach
the end of the Plan of Salvation to Megan and Ryan separately this
week and it was so cool to be able to see the blessings that come from
the Plan of Salvation through the eyes of people who hadn't heard
about it before. My gratitude for the Plan of Salvation and the
blessings made available to all of God's children through it have been
increasing so much lately. Everything is so divinely appointed and
run. And I am lucky enough to get to help people know that those
blessings are available for them and their families! It's so cool!
Erik and Jenna have really been applying themselves to resolve their
concerns and overcome the things that are hard for them. They totally
caught us sticky-noting them the other night, but that's okay (I've
been caught sticky-noting more times this transfer than the rest of my
mission). They really loved the primary program. It would have been
hard not to. It was so super cute. Primary kids are the best. We got
to read Alma 1 with Tabitha yesterday and were there to witness as the
spirit taught her exactly the things that she needed to hear that day.
I had said something about, "it's funny how God works that out for
us." Tabitha responded, saying something along the lines of, "I've
stopped thinking it's funny and just know that he's going to teach me
what I need to know." We're pretty excited to start teaching the nine
and seven year old children of a family who is working to come back
into activity. Teaching kids is so much fun! I think that teaching
kids reminds me more than anything that as missionaries it is crucial
that we teach people, not lessons so the spirit can do his work.

My most exciting news is that Sam from Delaware is getting baptized
this Saturday. Please pray that President will give us permission to
go and that we can find a ride to get there. Sam has truly been one of
the miracles of my mission. A quick recap on my amazing Sam friend-she
started taking the lessons fifteen months ago, but her parents wanted
her to wait to be baptized until she was eighteen so she would be more
responsible for that decision. She faithfully went to church and was
even Seminary President last spring. She's seriously some kind of
brilliant. We would take her to lessons with us in Delaware all the
time and it was humbling to see how well she worked with the spirit to
teach and bear testimony of the gospel. The Elders started teaching
her Mom back in May. They are both getting baptized this Saturday. I
keep forgetting for a moment and then I get super excited all over
again. I'm so grateful that she's going to be able to have the
blessings of membership in the church sooner than she had anticipated.
The spirit is so cool and this gospel truly is the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. This is His work and I am so grateful that I get to be a part
of it.

The Church is true, life is good, God's in charge, and Satan hates you.

Love,

Jessica