flashbacks and God's hand - 1/20/15

wow you guys. this week was nuts. so much happened and I just hope I can relay all the amazing experiences. I think we should refer to last week as the week of all weeks.

TUESDAY: we had #zoneconf! all the missionaries in O'Fallon Illinois and Cape Girardeau Missouri  gathered to experience probably the best #zoneconf in the history of the GMSLM (great Missouri st Louis mission). okay that may have been exaggerated, but it was so so great! We focused a lot on achieving this years goal of 453 baptisms! and how we each play a very specific and important part in this work. because what we do impacts our companion, which impacts our district, then our zone, then the mission, which ultimately is changing the world. (wow that escalated quickly). but it's so true! we are apart of something so great that has an eternal imprint on people's lives.

WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY: we had exchanges with a few different sisters! which required a lot of traveling. it's totally cool though, what better time to get to know someone than on a road trip, right? I love being able to spend time with the sisters. they each have such a unique story about how the came on a mission or how they joined the church. and I love learning from them because they each have amazing spiritual gifts. I really do look up to each of them.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY: I went back to the homeland! aka Salem!!!! yayayay! wow so to be honest I was a bit nervous about it at first. driving through the town I was having major deja vu. I saw houses that I vividly remember talking to those people about the gospel, and there were things in the apartment that were mine. and I just kept thinking about how Salem was my life a year ago. I grew so much in that area and I learned so much. We were able to see some people that mean a lot to me when I was there. we traveled with the mills, and I remembered all the nights they took us out to dinner and all of brother mills' crazy jokes. we had a lesson with the hays family and I was reminded of the times we practiced teaching to them. and then we say the martins. a family that sister huppi and I found that got baptized shortly after I left. they were quite surprised that I was back for the day and the girls went crazy. I wanted to scream along with them because I was so excited but I contained the excitement. but when we were at the martins we read scriptures with them as a family and Alexus, the oldest daughter, sat next to me. as we were reading in 3 nephi 17 (my favorite chapter) alexus just started reading when it was her turn. I don't know what it was, but the spirit was just so strong. it was probably the fact that at that moment I realized how far they had come and how eternal this work really is, it really does change the world! They told me about how much better life has been since they joined the church. it hasn't been easy, but it's been worth it. I'm so grateful that I was able to play such a small part in their conversion. I love them, so so much.

I love you all! you are da best.

sister oberfield

one year? srsly? - 1/12/15

that may or may not be all I'm going to say about that. because I'm having a really hard time accepting that I only have 6 months left.

okay anywhoooo! THIS WEEK WAS AWESOME! I love glen carbon so much. you guys, I'm serious when I say my heart belongs in the mid west. We saw so many miracles this week.

so when I was in Salem there was a family there who had a daughter who was ex-communicated that I met and got to know pretty well last mothers day. but she lived in Belleville with her husband who also was no longer a member. I wanted to teach them so badly, but they weren't in our boundaries and then I left like right after that so I never heard from or about them again. but we were on exchanges this past week and I was in Columbia with sister Esterholdt and she was on the phone while I was getting ready for bed and then she came in the room and told me about a referral that the ward mission leader had just given her for a couple who was ex-communicated and had family in the Centralia ward! I freaked out and guessed their names and probably scared sister esterholdt. but it was amazing! It's amazing how great things like that happen daily. I just love it. ahh!

also we are teaching a way awesome family! The mom is a member and the three boys aren't, but they have been meeting with missionaries for a loooong time. they have never really come to church in the past though. so we challenged them to come to church every week in the month of January. and so we have a system with them of doing family night on Saturday and then church on sunday. they have made so much progress in the past two weeks! they have come to church on their own! like without their mom! they actually want to be there! it's been so amazing watching them grow.

Also yesterday after church a lady walked up to us and asked us if we could start teaching her son who is 11 and ready to be baptized! yay covenants!

Alright here's another cool thing. so my first day here we decided to go visit a lady that the sisters had briefly talked to before. we met her and asked her about her holidays and she told us that her sister had passed away and so we immediately started testifying of the plan of salvation and asked her if we could come back to share more. So we went back this past week and OH MY GOSH. she is so great! She has been doing family history work for a long time. Her reason for doing it has been because she feels like God needs her to do it, even though her family thinks it's dumb. She also told us about how she has ancestors that were pioneers! what the. craziness. She also told us that she believes in continuous revelation even though her church doesn't. I just love our new friend.

I am amazed about how many miracles I have been able to see the past year. I've come to see that someone even being on a mission is a miracle. and people accepting to meet with us is a miracle. there are so many to see in the mission field. I'm so thankful for the past year. I have learned things that have changed my life forever. I don't know how I would have learned most of these lessons if I didn't serve a mission, I know God loves me enough that I would learn them. I just don't know how.

I'm grateful for:

-a family that supports me so very much.

-companions that have each changed my mission for the better

-members that have showed me how to be a good member missionary when I'm home

-times when I have felt that prayer was the only solution (because most of the time it is)

-people that I've been able to teach that have come to love the gospel

-the clarity of mind that I've had because I'm focused on the work

-days when I've felt that I just couldn't do it anymore, and the strength that I'm given

-taking the sacrament each week and having a chance to be better

-opportunities to face my fears (talking to strangers, big dogs, walking on ice)

-chances that I've had to see people discover that God does love them

-fully relying on the Atonement of Jesus Christ because most of the time I have no idea what I'm doing

-being exactly where I'm needed at exactly the right time

-recognizing my weaknesses and having that resources to fix them

-being able to see people for their true potential

-feeling the love of Heavenly Father and The Savior on a daily basis

I love this work. so so much.

I love you guys!

sister oberfield 

My Heart - 1/5/15

guys holy cow, can I just tell you how much I love the mid west? who would've thought that I southern Illinois would end up being my most favorite place. okay maybe I just love the Midwest in general. or maybe I just love my mission, I don't know I don't make the rules.

but this past week was awe$ome.

-leaving O'Fallon was bitter sweet. those people are amazing and I love them, so I was sad to leave. but just so grateful that I was able to see the area grow so much when I was there. I was content with leaving it, happy with what had happened there.

-transfer meeting. I'm slowly realizing all the friends I've made on my mission are going home. it's actually super sad.

-MLC. wow okay, this was probably my favorite part of the whole week. we met together as mission leadership in st Louis. Last year our goal for the mission was 521 baptisms, sadly we fell short. and so we were counseling about a new yearly goal. and we came up with the goal of 453. seems random, huh? well guess what, it's totally not because it was so inspired! So we had come up with 450 initially because it seemed like a pretty safe number. but something just didn't feel right about it. so an elder pulls out the suggestion of doing 453 because of what is said in Alma 45:3

"And Helaman said unto him: Yea, I believe."

lkdshfofids oh my gosh. 453 is so right. I'm so excited for this year in the mission. So many miracle are going to be happening. They've already started!

I said goodbye to sister Huppi at MLC, she'll be leaving in about 5 weeks. I'm so grateful for everything she taught me over the past year. She taught me to be fearless.

-Glen Carbon, IL (everytime I say this I think of Glen Coco) is the best. I'm loving it so far. Sister Bailey is great, I'm convinced that we were friends before we came to earth.

We are teaching some amazing people here. one of them is a young couple, they are expecting their first baby in May and want her to have a good foundation. The husband, Brent, didn't grow up in the best circumstances and neither of them grew up believing in God. They actually really only believed in some kind of higher energy. But since they've been meeting with the missionaries the past few weeks their faith has grown so much. now they're praying to God to help them find their wallet! ah so awesome. I love seeing how people change their lives for God. How they strive to get rid of old habits and make new ones. I love seeing people figure it out for themselves.

my heart is just over flowing this week. I'm so grateful for my mission, it truly is a miracle. I've learned so much in the past 3 months that it is a miracle for anyone to come on a mission. Heavenly Father is so aware of each of our circumstances, I have a firm testimony of that. His hand is in each of our lives.

I could never deny the truthfulness and the power of this gospel. It has changed so many lives, I've been blessed to see just a glimpse of that. one of my favorite moments as a missionary is when you're talking to someone and you have the overwhelming feeling of love for them. and you know nothing about them, you just love them right then and there. that love comes from Heavenly Father. I know it does.

my heart is happy, full, and hopeful.

love

sister oberfield

 

Santa is Coming - 12/22/14

hi guys! guess what!

SANTA IS COMING!!!! SANTA IS COMING!!! okay i just really wanted to quote elf, but I promise i understand the real meaning of Christmas. and i hope all of you do so i won't go on a rant and rave about it. just know that i'm grateful for the love of our Father in Heaven so that we are able to enjoy the blessings of the birth of the Savior. 

okay but i don't even know how another week has passed and i'm already emailing you guys again! This past week was amazing! we had so many opportunities to help people prepare their hearts for the Christmas season! He is the Gift is the best thing ever! I'm so grateful for how many people are prepared to receive this message. 

We have been able to see the hard work of so many other missionaries and people before us pay off this transfer. Most of the people we are teaching were either taught by missionaries before or someone in the ward has been working on sharing the gospel with them for a long time. The area has just been growing so much in the past few weeks. O'Fallon has been like a sleeping giant for a long time and is now just taking off! We have been consistently finding people to teach and helping them progress in the gospel! 

I don't have much to say in this email because i'll be able to talk to you all on Thursdayayayyaya! it's going to be so good! This is the best Christmas season ever. I'm so grateful to be a missionary right now, so many great things are happening and i don't know how i got so lucky to be apart of it. 

i love you guys and i'll see you in a few days!

loves from st louis

sister oberfield

& a happy new year - 12/29/14

hello!!! long time no see! or talk i guess. but really, talking to you guys made this the best christmas! I loved seeing you and all your happy faces. 

There isn't much to say since we were able to talk a few days ago but i do have wonderful news! 

I'M GOING BACK TO ILLINOIS! the state that holds my heart (besides az and where i began my mission so many months ago (12..)!!! and guess what, it gets even better. I'm going to be with Sister Bailey! she's from Gilbert! anddddddd!!!! I get to go on exchanges back to Salem! oh man, this has been the secret with of my heart this transfer and it's happening!! it's going to be so good. so so good. 

I'm sad to be leaving O'fallon, but content with it at the same time. I've been able to see amazing things happen here and I'm so grateful for the time that i've been able to spend here. but i guess change is the only thing that is consistent on the mission. i love it though. 

I love the Missouri St Louis mission so so much. my heart is just so full of love and sometimes i don't know if i could love it even more, but i do. each day it grows.

and i love you guys! you are a huge help each day. i don't know how i could fully explain how much the prayers, words or encouragement, and love helps. i love you!

love 

sister oberfield

christmas breakfast!

sister fernandez!

​presents at the bowmans! Their daughter asked their elf of the shelf if santa could come visit us too. i love her

CHRISTMAS JAMMIES!!!!!!!!!!

11/18 - 12/15/14

yupp. that number is getting up there. raise your hand if you're starting to freak out? just kidding, i told myself i can't freak out about it until it starts to get warm again. (we'll see how that goes).

Hey thank you guys so much for everything you did for my birthday. it was such a good day and i'm so grateful to have so much love and support from such an amazing family. 

so this past week was one of those blur weeks. We had a few exchanges! I was able to go to Parkway with sister Robertson. She is amazing! You know those people who just radiate love and charity? That's sister Robertson. She never missed an opportunity to tell someone she loved them! and here's the great thing, she truly means it! She didn't just go around throwing i love yous on people, but she just served so many people in small ways and then she would express he love for them. I learned a lot from her. 

We also had a great Sabbath yesterday! There was so much focus on the spirit of Christmas. 

"We all enjoy giving and receiving presents. But there is a diffrence between presents and gifts. The true gifts may be part of ourselves-giving of the riches of the heart and mind-and therefore more enduring and of far greater worth than presents bought at a store,"

-James E. Foust

President Morgan sent us this quote and i just love it. I love this time of year when people are seeking to give good gifts and just express their love to others. i am constantly reminded that the gift of the restoration of the gospel is the greatest gift we could give another person, and the gift of the Atonement is the greatest gift that we've been given. So many opportunities are unfolded to us because of them. 

Since i've been out for 11 months I wanted to tell you about 11 people who have changed my mission.

1. Sister Huppi- my trainer! She set the tone of diligence and relying on the spirit for my whole mission. Those two things have changed the outcome of many situations out here, including the love i have towards my mission. 

2. The Martin Family- they are a family we were able to teach in Salem. They are still going to church and their oldest daughter is getting baptized soon and Brother Martin will be the one who baptizes her! I only hear great things about them now, how they are striving to live the gospel and become an eternal family.

3. Sadie Leavitt- my second companion! and one of my best friends. She continues to be a huge support even though she is home. We had such a fun time together and were able to see many man miracles.

4. The Beganovic family- a family i was able to teach in St Louis Hills. Oh man, teaching them was the best. We had so many laughs and spirit-filled lessons. It was amazing to watch the spirit teach them with the language barrier.  They are still doing super great, and their kids are now being taught!

5. Leona- oh man. Leona is a huge miracle on my mission. it was when we were in a lesson with her that i just knew without a doubt in my mind that i was supposed to teach her. she isn't one who just rushes into things, especially making a promise with God. She truly understood the doctrine and loved it. She was baptized a few weeks ago and i was so blessed to be able to go back to see it, her husband was able to baptize her and she was just glowing. Next step: eternal family! yay!

6. Sister 'Alofaki- with her i learned the real meaning of humility. she was so willing to learn, from the second she got there. Watching her grow has been so great.

7. Sister Christenson- the mission nurse! She has been one of my best friends out here. Her husband passed away last year and she came on a mission shortly after. She helps the missionaries so much, and we all love her. She has such a sweet spirit and is such a good example of righteous living.

8. President and Sister Morgan- part of the reason i was called to serve here in St Louis is so i could serve with them. They have so much love for the missionaries and they help us so much to live to our potential.

9. Sister Scott- well now she's Brooke. We had so much fun and she taught me a lot about the process of progression and how everything we go through in life is a part of it.

10. B & W Brown- they have a special place in my heart. Teaching families has been the biggest blessing as a missionaries and i'm so grateful for this family. they are so ready to make the right choices for their little boy. i love them.

11. Jesus Christ- more than anything i've come to know and feel what it means to have a Savior. There have been times where I've wished more than anything for someone to progress in the gospel or for someone to just listen to what we have to say, it doesn't always happen in the timing that i want, but i've come to know that there is a time for everyone and a specific love that He has for each of us. 

I'm grateful for that.

Happy, Happy, Happy - 12/8/14

that's the only way i can describe how i feel! just so happy! This past week was AMAZING. no seriously guys, miracles happened every day. just small and simple miracles that have just made me so grateful to be here and to have you guys as my family. 

We were able to get a referral from a missionary who used to serve in this area last week for the smith family. holy cow! talk about being prepared. They took the discussions for a while and were working really hard to all be baptized together but then they moved to Texas on what has supposed to be their baptism date.. Things didn't work out in Texas and so they came back to Missouri to the same house they lived in before. We would have never gone back there because on their teaching record it said they had moved, but because the sister who is home now kept in contact with them we were able to know that they are back! they are super excited to have sisters be teaching them again and i'm so grateful to be teaching another family! Teaching families has been the greatest times of my mission. I never realized how big a blessing it was until i was talking to a missionary about the Smiths and he said that he has always wanted to teach a family. I thought about it for awhile and realized that i've been able to teach atleast one family at all times on my mission. whether it be the parents, the child in the family who wasn't baptized yet, or the spouse who wasn't baptized yet. and then i remembered about how before my mission i would just always say how i was excited to teach families like how the missionaries had taught mine. That was definitely a wish of my heart that I've been so so blessed to be able to do. I'm excited to be able to help the Smiths and for the fun memories that are ahead of us!

other miracles we saw this week are mostly about the sisters that we get to go on exchanges with. They all have been working so hard and been striving to be diligent and the Lord is just pouring out blessings to all of them! and also with the ward members here in O'fallon! They all are such amazing people and really strive to share the gospel with their friends. The He is the Gift video has been a huge help, it has helped them be more comfortable with sharing their beliefs with the people around them. 

This is an exciting time to be a missionary and to be sharing the gospel! The Lord has prepared soo many people to accept the gospel at this time.

I'm so grateful for all of you guys and all of your love that i feel every week out here! This past week i just have been overwhelmed with love for all of you! you guys are the best and we make a pretty good family. even though we're a different one, i think we're pretty great.

love

sister oberfield

ps still a little weirded out that i'm 20 now. what the