Mission Days

The District

Frog Legs..mmmmm

Baptism Yay!!

Say Hello to my little friend!!

EEEK!!

Beautiful Shiloh, Illinois

Obedience Brings Blessings

Hello family and friends,

So some crazy things have been in the works out here in the mission field. I have had to really study obedience and leadership this past week. I have really come to appreciate GOOD men who have humbled themselves to lead us and guide us in the ways of truth and righteousness. It is a blessing to have so many good men in the church. It is a blessing to be able to look upon our prophet, and apostles, and other leaders, and say I know that their decisions are led by God. And that the decisions and rules they are creating are going to help me, although I may not always understand HOW at the time, I know that blessings will follow as I am obedient. And that does not mean DO NOT question things, it means question everything, but also look at all the facts and turn to the one who knows us and our leaders the best in mighty prayer.

But this past week has been super fun. It FLEW by I cannot believe we are on week 4 of the transfer already. Time is slipping through my fingers. I got to make this count every day! Well on Wednesday there was a crazy storm that all the sudden came up in our business as we were walking all around Lebanon. We had planned to go visit a former investigator, but God had different plans for us. Right? So it starts down pouring and we ran into the library where we have been so many times, but this time the librarian is a different woman, different woman means a different opportunity to share the gospel, right? So we start talking about the weather and how fast it changes out here, and we let her know we are not from around here. And we let her know where we are from. Woah lo and behold she had lived in Provo for YEARS before she moved out here. So we got talking about how much she admired the Mormons and things like that. We spoke about the gospel, and although she was not interested in taking the lessons she knows we are there for her if she has questions, and its another good encounter with the church. For some people it takes longer than others.

Then we decide we should head out and brave the storm because we had an appointment to get to. But then a man stopped us and told us to come up on his porch so we don't get soaked! So why not, Its not that often someone gives you an offer like that as a missionary haha so we take it and we start talking to him about life and the crazy storms, and all the things he has seen in his life. He has has a VERY interesting life indeed. He loves storms and is on the county weather watch. Super nice guy, and although he didn't want to hear our message we made a friend! Crazier story is that he saw the Elders in there area and talked to them about how nice we were. God is working something there, so we will stop by to give him a thank you and some cookies or something. Then he will just be like "these people are to nice, okay I gotta know what makes them different" and then we will tell him about the restoration. That is the way my brain works these days ladies and gents. God does not allow people to cross our paths for no good reason at all. So my goal is to take advantage of those opportunities, sometimes I fail at it, but when I actually open my mouth and love them like the Savior does, Miracles happen, even if they don't accept the message. I come away from the encounter happier than I have ever been. It's a HUGE miracle.

Well I am so blessed to be serving in the Shiloh Ward. These members out here just get member missionary work, I mean there is always room to improve, especially with me. But they are so amazing at coming to the rescue when situations seem dire. Cierra has had some concerns with the temple lately. And when it seemed like she didn't know if she should continue on this path she has started for herself, the ward was right there to help her feel like this is right where she belongs. I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives, I have witnessed it first hand out here. I know as it is lived that we begin to see others as children of our Father in Heaven and desire that they come unto Christ and be perfected in him. That is what the members of this ward have come to understand they desire to bring the joy they have found to others. Many of our members out here are converts to the church and it is one of the most incredible experiences to see someone who has been a member for 5 years or 45 years bear testimony of the truthfulness of the things they have come to know. Members really are the key to missionary work. I am so blessed to be a missionary at this time, when I feel like it is so stressed these days that EVERY member of this church is and should be a missionary!

I love you all and hope you have a good week. Keep being an example, but this week go the extra mile to share a brief testimony of the things you have come to know. It doesn't have to be a huge big deal. It could be as simple as just letting someone know that Heavenly Father cares for them deeply, and knows exactly what they are going through. BEAR WITNESS! I promise you that if you do your days and weeks will become so much more fulfilling and you will gain a perfect brightness of hope that cannot be extinguished, even "if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee".

Quote of the week, because I have been compared to a salesman and asked what I am selling countless times:

"Our missionaries are not salesman, with wares to peddle; rather, they are servants of the Most High God, with a testimony to bear, truth to teach and souls to save."

-Thomas S. Monson-

I love you more than you know, and pray for God to give you the courage to share the messianic message that we are all called to bear. Be safe, and be wise in all that you do!

Always remember who you are and who you are destined to become.

Love Always,
Sister Haderlie

                       Cardinal cookies!

                We used bags as umbrella's

   We decorated the Elder's door! 

Be of Good Cheer- Monday, September 8, 2014

Hello Family and Friends,

This past week has flown by! I cannot even think where the time went. Sister Reed and I are having a blast here in Shiloh, IL. It is such a blessing to have a companion who I can get along with so well. And she laughs at all my not so funny remarks, and the weird strange things I do.....no comment. I hope that you all had a good week! Any tornado warnings in Utah, California?  How about Paris, or New Zealand? Eh? The weather has been SO NICE these past few days. Oh man fall is in the air, my all time, hands down, favorite time of year has to be fall! There is no better season. The only bad thing about fall is that you know winter is right around the corner.

So this past week Sister Reed and I got to teach the lesson in young women's it was on language and how the things we say effect us and those around us. It was a reminder to me and a blessing to teach it. I feel like the youth these days just have a greater more unique and special spirit about them! It amazes me how much they understand. But one part that I particularly enjoyed was a talk by Elder Holland, he is the master of speaking. I LOVE HOLLAND! He said this specifically to the women of the church, and women everywhere:

"How is it that such a lovely voice which by divine nature is so angelic, so close to the veil, so instinctively gentle and inherently kind could ever in a turn be so shrill, sobiting, so acrid and untamed? A woman’s words can be more piercing than any dagger ever forged, and they can drive the people they love to retreat beyond a barrier more distant than anyone in the beginning ofthat exchange could ever have imagined. Sisters, there is no place in that magnificent spirit of yours for acerbic or abrasive expression of any kind,including gossip or backbiting or catty remarks."

How true is that!? God did not create such amazing beautiful creations to have them slander one another, and have horrible things proceed from their mouths. Why would he want that? That is not our destiny, that is not our divine inheritance. Cheap, vulgar, and low is not what God intends us to become here on earth. HUGE REMINDER to me.

He then gives a quote which I loved by Elder Orson F. Whitney: “The spirit of the gospel is optimistic; it trusts in God and looks on the bright side of things. The opposite or pessimistic spirit drags men down and away from God, looks on the dark side, murmurs, complains, and is slow to yield obedience.”  We should honor the Savior’s declaration to “be of good cheer.” 7  (Indeed,it seems to me we may be more guilty of breaking that commandment than almost any other!) Speak hopefully. Speak encouragingly, including about yourself. Try not to complain and moan incessantly. As someone once said, “Even in the golden age of civilization someone undoubtedly grumbled that everything looked too yellow.”

First off, I apologize for murmuring, complaining, and looking on the dark side my dear family who and friends who have put up with me for the past 19 years. I cannot say that I have changed completely, but this talk and lesson really opened my eyes. Well it also blew my mind to think that it is a COMMANDMENT from the Lord to "be of good cheer" (D&C 61:36), a literal commandment, I have never thought of that. I have broken that commandment so many times, even on my mission! It blew my mind to think that God NEEDS me to be of good cheer and remember that good things are to come. 

I love this quote:

"Some blessing come now, some come late, and some don't come until Heaven, but for those who embrace the Gospel of Jesus Christ, They come"

Be of GOOD CHEER. We are promised by an Apostle of God that good things are always to come. We know that to be true as His disciples. Keep moving forward with a perfect brightness of hope. This life is truly a time to prepare to meet God. So while we are here we must make the most of it, we must try to perfect ourselves each day. We cannot become perfect all at once, it comes overtime. And there will be days, months, and even years when we will mess up. That is why Jesus Christ performed the atonement for us. That is why we have a Heavenly Father who loves us infinitely and will not ever turn His back to us. He is there for us when we need Him. During the happy moments, and even in our darkest hours.

Our Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ truly cannot and will not "leave us comfortless" they "will come to us". Whether that be through the Holy Ghost, or through another one of His Children here on earth, we will have that comfort from Him that we are promised. What a blessing to KNOW all of that. What a blessing to have the fullness of the Gospel in each of our lives. Never forget you hold in your hands the happiness of more people than you could ever imagine. Stay true to it, it is a pearl of great price. There is nothing more beautiful than the knowledge of the restored gospel. 

My prayer is that all of you can remember who you are and who you can become in and through the Savior, and the knowledge that God has given each of you. Let the knowledge that you are sons and daughters of God change the world. If we truly understood who we are, there would be no room to complain, criticize, diminish, or not be of good cheer. 

I love you all so much!

Love always,

Sister Haderlie

Week One Down - Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Hello Family and friends,

Week one of the transfer is down and done with. I feel like its only smooth sailin' from here on out for the next 3 months. Just kidding I know there is going to be bumps in the road, if there weren't those bumps then I would worry that this was not the true word of God that I am doing!

Cierra was baptized this past week! It finally happened. It was such a spiritual experience. I felt so overwhelmingly happy to have taken part in someones conversion process. You never really think that it is going to happen, someone calling you THEIR missionaries, and when it does it still feels unreal. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to teach her, and continue to teach Cierra. She is a strong daughter of God who has overcome so much to follow God's will and plan for her. She is a huge blessing to this church and to my life, and my conversion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Well my new companions name is Sister Reed, She is from Colorado Springs, CO. She is such a blessing to this area. We have witnessed so many miracles in not even a full week yet. I see good things in store for the next couple of months. It is so crazy how fast time flies in the mission field. I saw Sister Sims at transfers, She was also training, so we were nervous wrecks together, but we were both commenting on how it feels like just yesterday we were being trained by Sister Martinez in Washington, MO. But then again it feels like ages ago. I can't believe when I am doing training Sister Reed I will have been out 9 months. That seems so insane. I can't even think about it....But what a blessing it is to train! She has brought a new fire into this area, the greenie fire! I love it. I have a greater desire to open my mouth and speak to everyone that I see. And I have found more confidence in sharing our message with everyone. I think God has really blessed me and helped me step up to the plate. The statement "whom the Lord calls, He qualifies" has never meant more to me in my life than now. What a blessing! The Lord will help us in our callings, especially when we feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities. The Lord truly will help us in our callings, especially when we feel overwhelmed by the responsibilities. I am sure all of you have witnessed this before.

What a blessing it is to know that everything we are called to do in this church, and even in our lives, if we are truly living the gospel of Jesus Christ, is from God. He does not give us anything we cannot handle, and he gives us the greatest tools here on earth to help us. As long as we are worthy and obedient we are promised God's help in all that we do. Even in the little things.

Well sorry this one is short today. But I love you all so much. You are all a huge blessing to me! I am very grateful for all the love and support I receive from you. Thank you for the many prayers and thoughts. I love you.

Love,

Sister Haderlie

Another transfer come and gone - Monday, August 25, 2014

Hello family and friends,

I cannot believe another transfer has come and gone so fast. It feels like I just got to Shiloh yesterday and I was meeting Sister Gadi- but alas the time has gone for her to move on. Transfer calls were Saturday evening....Sister Gadi will be serving in Eureka, MO, which as luck would have it is in the same district as Washington, MO. My baby area! So I know exactly where she will be serving. I am excited for her. She is an amazing missionary with so much faith. It was an honor serving around her!

It is so crazy how many people you meet out here on the mission, people that change your life forever in just 6 weeks. God really does have a funny way of helping us to grow and change. This transfer has brought a ton of fun. And so many spiritual experiences as well. Cierra was not baptized this past Saturday because her son broke his foot and it was just a crazy weekend! So she is for sure being baptized this Saturday Aug. 30. NOTHING WILL STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING. It will be good, hopefully Sister Gadi should be able to come back.

This past week has been a miracle for sure. We thought everything was fine with Cierra for the most part, we had planned to have her baptism and just had to wait a week....Unfortunately that's not how Satan works. We find out Thursday that Cierra's family is no longer supportive of her decision to be baptized. She then started stressing out because she said she has never done anything in her life that her family has not supported her with. So she really thought this was the end of it, we asked her how sure she wanted to be baptized....and she said at this point it was a 50/50. Surprisingly Sister Gadi and I didn't have any crazy scary feelings, we both felt that it was all going to work out. We told Cierra that as well. I also shared the story of Grandma Burrell not having any support from her family when she was baptized. I bore my testimony that once you find something so important and something so special, she was willing to give up anything. She had truly found the "pearl of great price". I told Cierra that that is what she had found, and that the decision my Grandmother made back then has affected generations to come. If she would have backed out at the last minute, I would not be here today. I was full of gratitude at that moment to all my ancestors who have stuck to what they knew to be true, so that I could be here today on my mission sharing that priceless message of hope and peace with others. I am full of gratitude to you all for being an influence of good in my life.

I have witnessed so many miracles this transfer. Many of them having to do with Cierra. She is so ready for the gospel in her life. She has changed everything to become a member of God's church. There is nothing that has ever brought me more happiness than to be out here and teach people that peace, happiness, and the pure love of Christ can be found while here on earth. God does have one church where He has restored everything that He needs us to have while here on earth! He has given us the tools to be able to make it back to Him, with our families for time and all eternity.

Well we woke up Friday morning not sure what would really happen with Cierra, but not worried, because God has worked so many miracles in her life. And for some reason she always listens to the still small promptings of the Holy Ghost. We start going about our regular missionary day. And at 10:30 we receive a text from Cierra that said:

"This morning I seriously woke up, extremely excited and not weary and just ready! IDK what happened, but I feel like I was holding my breath and finally exhaled, its amazing I feel like if I'm wrong I don't wanna be right! I'm ready."

Sister Gadi and I literally started jumping and dancing for joy. We had a little dance party, because it was the most miraculous thing ever. She was so stressed out the last time we saw her, but that text was just what we trusted would happen. God works with us if we allow Him too. Cierra has built my testimony upon that principle more than anything. She understands the will of God more than anyone I have ever met. And although Satan tries so hard on her to make her falter and fall, she does not. She understands her divine worth. She said she has found a new confidence that she never had before. The gospel of Jesus Christ does change lives. It is a huge blessing.

I am so blessed to be a part of this work and to witness so many miracles each day. I love this. There is nothing on earth I would rather be doing than this work.

Love you all so much.

Love,
Sister Izzy Haderlie

P.S. I am pregnant. aka I AM GONNA BE TRAINING A NEW MISSIONARY HERE IN SHILOH!! WELCOME TO THE MISSION BABY GIRL!

6 months came and went- Monday, August 18, 2014

Hello family and friends,

Can you believe I have been out months already. Where did the time go? It feels so unreal to be out here living the dream of mission life. I am so blessed everyday to wear this nametag and represent our Savior Jesus Christ. Wow. I have one year left and you better believe I am going to make the best of it....even though it still feels like I am being trained. haha. Well Cierra's baptism is happening this Saturday August 23. We had to postpone it due to some unseen complications. We are so excited for her. She is the most commited person I have ever met in my life. She understands that this is a change, and she has changed literally her whole lifestyle to become a member of this Church. She has come so far and overcome so much. I told her the other day that she as in all reality overcome the world. I have never known what that statement has meant until now. Satan has thrown a lot at her, but she stood strong through it all.

Well this week has had a lot of ups and downs as a missionary. We went on exchanges Friday night....the night before Cierra's baptism when we had to make some pretty big decisions with her and as a companionship, but guess what I was the only one here who could make those decisions because Sister Gadi was away in a different area. I was stressing, but it turned out to be a huge blessing because Sister Calton, our Sister training leader, brought me so much comfort. I know that God planned for that exchange to happen. It was inspiration for sure. What a huge blessing.

Sorry this email is so quick, but we are heading over to the Zoo today at 1:00 so I have to get going. Just so you all know I am safe even with all the crazy things happening in Ferguson, MO. This is from Pres. Morgan: "we are taking measures to stay far away from any of the unrest they are seeing on National news." So don't sweat a bit! God will watch out for those who are in His service and trying to do His work.

Quote of the week;

"Let us be of good cheer as we go about our lives. Although we live in increasingly perilous times, the lord loves us and is mindful of us. He is always on our side as we do what is reght. He will help us in time of need."
-Thomas S. Monson-

P.S. Transfers are coming up this next week.

Love you all so much!

Sister Haderlie

Wait this is the MIRACLE!

I almost forgot the best part of the week. So Cierra really was not wanting to do her baptismal interview. But we bore testimony to her Sunday night that that is what needed to happen in God's church. We asked her if we could set it up for her to get a blessing Monday night from Elder Bright. She agreed to do that. President Hair is President Morgans first counselor and needed to interview her, turns out the Elders had dinner with the Hair's right before they were supposed to come give Cierra a blessing. So President Hair being the inspired man he is brought them to the church, and stayed for the blessing. After Elder Bright was done with the blessing Cierra knew that God had spoken to her directly in the blessing. She felt so much peace and love. And we spoke to her and she said she was ready for her interview. God works amazing miracles through his Priesthood holders here on earth! I was so grateful to have worthy priesthood holders who could be there for God when he needed to speak to His Daughter Cierra. I love this gospel. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God's kingdom here on earth. There is no doubt in my mind that that statement is true.

The week of miracles!

Malo Lelei family and friends!

I hope all is well where you are at. Everyone looks good from the pictures and the emails! I love you guys so much. It is so fun to see how life just goes on for everyone all over the world! So many miracles happen each day in everyone of our lives. Heavenly Father loves us each so much.

Sister Gadi and I have witnessed so many amazing miracles this past week! We met with Cierra everyday the entire week. We taught her the commandments, which are always something that you are scared to teach, because at that point we really are asking them to change their ENTIRE way of life. The things we teach not to do, are the things the world teaches us we can do, and not only that, but we SHOULD do. We taught her the Word of Wisdom, and she LOVES sweet tea, but she immediately said, "well I guess that's the end of that!" She committed to live the word of wisdom even before we asked her too! She is incredible. She is so stalwart in all that she does. She knows that she wants to be baptized more than anything else in the world. She knows she needs to be baptized. She sincerely wants to change. She is so ready. 

Although there was so much good this week, I feel like Satan was there working right alongside her while we, and God, were working with her. Its seriously insane! Right after we taught the law of chastity she said she would live it because she knows that it is important and from God, even if she doesn't completely understand why yet. That same evening after one of the most spiritual lessons of my life with her, she texted us with so many crazy concerns. She said she randomly ran into a previous member of the church who had her records removed and she told her to be cautious and then told her so many things that scared Cierra so much! We were right there for her each step of the way though. I know Satan was so upset this past week. Every time he would throw a curve ball at us we would hit it right out of the park! It was so insane. I answered questions that I didn't even know the answers to myself. Sister Gadi said things that were so profound. Cierra is on track. If she could withstand this week, she can withstand anything!

Cierra also had a questions/concern about temples, but we bore strong testimony of the work that happens in them. She said she wanted to be around one to see how she would feel. HA! Of course she is going to feel amazing. It's Heavenly Father's house here on earth! So we jumped on that so fast. We had to get it approved through the Assistants to the President. So we hurried and called the District Leader, and luckily he was on exchanges with the Zone Leader so they called the AP's and it was all approved within one hour......That is seriously unheard of, it usually takes days to hear back about things getting approved. It was definitely God working there. He needed His daughter Cierra to see how amazing a temple really is. As we were there she said she felt so much peace and joy. She also asked about tithing so we had a lesson on that......guess what she said...."that makes so much sense. okay I will do that". She is what you can call a Golden Investigator for sure. I seriously just sit back and watch her and God work together! Its the most humbling experience ever. I am so blessed.

Sorry this one is so short, but we have a Zone P-day we have to get going to. I love you all so much!

Keep up the amazing work! And good luck with school starting up and everything. Remember to keep your priorities straight. God is the one who has blessed you with the brain the least we owe Him is to study good things and always remember who we are and where we came from!

Love,
Sister Haderlie

Mormon Night with the St. Louis Cardinals