Think Do Become! {8.25.14)

Hello hello hello!

What a wonderful week. I have SO much to say and so little time to say it because.... I'm going to the zoo today! Yes, again. I just can't get enough of it, I guess.

Anyway, this week was zone conference and I received an answer to a question I've had my WHOLE mission... how to "lose myself" in the work. I love my mission so much and have definitely been putting my whole heart into my missionary work, but there are some missionaries who really just lose themselves and I want to do that!

At zone conference president porter talked about serving with all our heart, might, MIND, and strength. He focused a lot on serving with ALL our mind and I realized that is where I need to focus. I've been serving with all of my might and strength the whole time and worked really hard to serve with all of my heart, and now I am going to put my whole mind into it. For those of you who know me, you know that I am a day dreamer. I love looking to the future! This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but when it comes to this great work I need to be all here. So, I am going to become firm in mind and turn all of my thoughts to God. This is also my challenge to you this week:

THINK TO GOD. Turn EVERY thought to Him. Instead of thinking to yourself, think to him and improve your conversation :) This is life changing, I've been trying it this past week and it has made a huge difference. I found that my thoughts usually drift to Utah or Kendallville or Eastgate when I am falling asleep and when I'm exercising and I used to think it was okay to have a little 'get away' time, but this week as I've changed those thoughts to thinking about the temple, sacrament, or scripture stories, I've seen a change. What a powerful concept!

THINK (leads to what we) DO (leads to what we) BECOME

This is going to be a life changing 4 months!!

Another amazing event took place this week...

Erica was baptized!!!!! Sister Blackham was kind enough to pick Sis. Bowers and I up so we could attend the baptism in Eastgate. We had dinner with the Blackhams on the river then drove to the church for the baptism!! It was a surreal evening. I thought my heart would pound out of my chest I was SO excited all day waiting for it. I am so grateful for the relationships I have made on my mission. Seeing all of my loved ones felt like coming home and I was just so overcome with love and the Spirit. After Erica was baptized, her and her 2 children (tony I've been working with my whole mission and London who was just baptized) bore their testimonies and the Spirit was overwhelming. They talked about how their lives and their family have been changed and I couldn't hold back the tears. It has been incredible to see the transformation in this family over the past year. I am so humbled and so grateful to have been able to be an instrument in the Lord's hand in helping them make these changes. This is truly what the Gospel is all about-- people changing their lives and families becoming eternal.

I am so grateful for my eternal family.

I love you all so incredibly much!

Please pray for Deanna this week as she prepares for her baptism on Saturday!! :)

xoxoxoxo

Sister Rolfe

I'm from Utah {8.18.14}

Good morning from Hebron! Fun fact, this morning I found a picture in the Bible that is in Hebron :) Go find it!

I have learned so much this week. I'm so grateful I get to share my insights with you, but I would love to hear yours too! Tell me about your studies and experiences!

So Heavenly Father always blesses me Monday morning to have a really revelatory personal study that seems to sum up lessons I've learned throughout the week. This morning it was a talk by Brad Wilcox, His Grace is Sufficient.

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966

Read it now!

I've actually read it quite a few times on my mission but it always hits me so powerfully.

What really stood out to me is that the grace of God is not just the light at the end of the tunnel, but the light that leads us through the tunnel. Elder Bruce C. Hafen has written, “The Savior’s gift of grace to us is not necessarily limited in time to ‘after’ all we can do. We may receive his grace before, during and after the time when we expend our own efforts”  So grace is not a booster engine that kicks in once our fuel supply is exhausted. Rather, it is our constant energy source.

Isn't that powerful? So many times on my mission I have thought, "Okay, I am going to give this MY all and do all that I can do on MY OWN and THEN Heavenly Father will step in and work everything out." But that is so silly! He is there every step of the way giving me the strength to do my best-- or better! We have to rely on him every second of every day. Look unto me in every thought, right?

I could literally go on and on about this talk, but I'm not going to so please please please go read it!! You won't regret it.

Let me share a couple experiences. This week we were having a really hard time getting our friends to church. For some reason that is one of the hardest things to do with investigators. Saturday night we realized only one person was coming. Then we were visiting a friend and a couple kids we haven't taught for a while came up to us and asked when we were coming back. We invited them to church and they accepted! The next morning we picked one of them up (the other backed out) and headed to church. We got there a little early so we had a lesson before church started. We showed G a visual where we tear a paper into a cross in one tear. He was amazed! He offered a prayer before we headed into sacrament and it was so tender. G is 10 and is such a good kid. As he started to pray someone began to play a childrens hymn on the piano in the primary room behind us. In his prayer, G said "Thank you for letting me see the cross. I didn't think it would work but it did! Please help me to feel the Spirit today at church"

Pretty simple, right? Well it was so powerful and literally one of the most spiritual moments of my mission. G's sweet spirit and heartfelt prayer brought the Spirit so strongly into that room it nearly brought Sister Bowers and I to tears. From that simple experience I really realized what Heavenly Father means when he tells us to become as little children-- submissive, meek, humble and sincere.

Funny story of the week:

We were talking to an older guy and he brought up something about Idaho. I told him I had family there. He asked if I was from there and I told him I was from Utah. Later in the conversation...

W: And you're from Idaho

Me: No, I'm from Utah

W: You said you were from Idaho

Me: Oh no sorry I said my family is from Idaho

W:Stop lying! That's what you told me!

Me: uh... I don't think I did, but...

W: TRUE OR FALSE? You said you were from Idaho when you walked up here?

Me: uh...... (Should I just lie??).......

W: TRUE OR FALSE???

then, thank goodness his wife stepped in and I don't even know what happened but we left and didn't go back hahah it was so awkward!!

Other than this interesting situation, the people here are so kind. I am absolutely in love with Kentucky. People actually call and apologize when they want to drop us! I am learning so much from the wonderful people God has surrounded me with-- especially Sister Bowers who the talk of the town for a reason!

I love you all!

xoxox

Sister Rolfe (from Utah)

Pictures:

 we reserved a conference room at the library for our zone conference call and this is what the library put on the board :)

Exchanges with Sisters Jenkins and Ashcraft!

God's Country {8.11.14}

Family! Hello from God's Country! I am officially a tri state missionary :) And I have only served in three areas (all in different states)!

It's great to finally have made it to Kentucky and I look forward to spending the rest of my mission here ;) WITH Sister Bowers because she is INCREDIBLE!

So, as you can tell, last week was transfers. It was hard to leave Eastgate, obviously, it had pretty much become my home ward, but I know this is exactly where I am supposed to be.

Here are a few details you're probably curious about:

--I'm serving in Hebron, Kentucky

--My companion is Sister Jasmyn Bowers from Wendle, Idaho. She is practically perfect in every way. I think one of our members described her best when they said she is like "3 scoops of ice cream!" :)

--We are Sister Training Leaders over 2 other sets of sisters... one of them being Sister Wight!!! (my baby who I trained in Kendallville)

--Our zone is the only zone in the mission that covers all 3 states

--Elder Jolley is our district leader (who Mandi knows!)

-- Kentucky is beautiful and I LOVE IT

Other random facts:

--We go to cross fit 3 times a week at a members house

--Josh Ryan Hutcherson (star of bridge to terabithia) lives just outside of our area.. we're definitely knocking on his door on an exchange

--Bro. Rhodus (in the bishopric in Eastgate) mom is in my ward!

-- Received a package my second day here with letters from most of you in it. You're so on top of things!! Made my day :)

What other questions do you have?? I don't even know what to tell you!

So, I'll tell you about my study this morning. I read the best ever talk by President Monson. You should all read it! He talked about learning from the past, preparing for the future, and living in the present. It was exactly what I needed to hear! Daydreaming of the past and longing for the future may provide comfort but will not take the place of living in the present. This is the day of our opportunity and we must grasp it! You pile up enough tomorrows and you'll find you've collected a lot of empty yesterdays. Isn't that so true?? It's so easy to do on a mission-- remember all of the wonderful things about your last area and day dream about going home when things are getting tough, but that is the easy way out and will only make for missed opportunities. Every day in your life is a special occasion. Don't delay or postpone anything that could bring laughter of joy into your life.

This was a great reminder for me this week to make the most of the short time I have left on my mission with the wonderful people of Kentucky. I would encourage each of you to examine your lives and make the same adjustments. Life is meant to be enjoyed, not just endured after all!

https://www.lds.org/ensign/2008/04/treasure-of-eternal-value?lang=eng

Miracle of the Week:

Meeting the Fox family. Coincidence? I think not. I learned SO much from them after talking for only an hour. A friend played a joke on them and referred them to us through Mormon.org but they were kind enough to let us into their home and talk with us about their beliefs, hopes, and dreams. I realized while we were there how blessed I am to be filling my days with people rather than things. I learn something from every person I talk to. It's all about perspective, like bro. Fox says. The best way to understand ourselves is to look at ourselves from someone else's perspective.

Awkward moment of the week:

Talking to a random person.. awkward break in the conversation.... "So, do you like plants?"

Oh goodness. I don't know what I will do with myself.

Well, I love you all dearly and I can't wait to receive letters from all of you this week. How exciting to send them to a new state, right?!

:)

xoxoxo

Sister Rolfe

"The greatest decision I ever made in my life was to give up something I dearly loved to the God I loved even more. He has never forgotten me for it. " --Benjamin Lander

Pictures:

With Angela

 With the Reeds (London just got baptized.. Erica is about to)

At a members house on the river!

With ma & pa Blackham!

Transfers {8.5.14}

Sister Rolfe has been transferred to Kentucky! She'd love your letters. Here's her new address:

Sister Kayla Rolfe

2260 Flicker rd apt 195

Hebron KY 41708

your future is as bright as your FAITH!

Wow. Where to start? It's a week of big news. First of all...

I no longer have the privilege of serving with Sister Fox in Eastgate :(

Please take a second and mourn for me. Say a prayer if you're really feeling generous!

Okay, time to put your smiles back on because Heavenly Father has a plan and I know that this is part of it! I've been surprising calm this past week about transfers. Heavenly Father helped to keep it far from my mind and blessed me with many miracles. I feel at peace about this transfer and know that Heavenly Father has something wonderful in store for me! Don't get me wrong, my heart has broken a little more each time I've seen someone I dearly love today, but I know that through the atonement I can be healed of ALL things and become even stronger. 

So, we're moving forward with faith!

Transfers are tomorrow morning so until then I will have no idea who my new companion is or where I'll be serving but I'll be sure to have Sister Blackham update you as soon as possible!

Okay, ready for the next big news? This one isn't so bittersweet.

This week we had leadership council!** During our lunch break I checked our phone and we had a text with a very exciting message....

ERICA (London's mama) WANTS TO GET BAPTZED!!!!! 

You could say we were freaking out a little bit, which didn't help our reputation of being the party sisters much, but HOLY COW. London's family is going to become an eternal one!!!!!! Ah. I could not be happier. We met with their family the next night and officially got her on date for the 23rd of August! She is just as incredible as her children and has made a lot of changes to get here. God has really been working with this family and it's been incredible to watch their growth as the Gospel has become a part of each of their lives. I know without a doubt that this was a family that I was serving in Eastgate for and feel so blessed to have been able to be here when Erica made this life changing decision!

I just have to say before I close this how incredibly blessed I have been to serve in Eastgate for half of my mission and to serve with Sister Fox for almost half of my mission. I KNOW that those were two huge reasons I was supposed to serve and I am a better person for both of them. Heavenly Father knows and loves us, family!

**A couple excerpts from leadership council:

x. People don't need answers, they need LOVE!

x. Nurture= create conditions for growth

x. Preside= Bless, teach, set in order

x. We are much more concerned with being UNIFIED than with being RIGHT

Okay I'm sorry, but my mind is way too frazzled right now to remember much of anything. Just know that it was revelatory! :) And I didn't spill OJ on anyone! :)

Read this talk, please:

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2011/04/what-manner-of-men-and-women-ought-ye-to-be?lang=eng

I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO SO MUCH.

Please send me letters! To the mission office! 

xoxoxoxo

Sister Rolfe

Pictures:

DOWNTOWN!!

Sis Fox was pranking me :(

our district!