Tengo gozo in mi alma hoy!

Monday Jan 25 was Sid's 20th birthday!!  it was fun to be able to email her on her birthday.  thanks so much to all of you who sent her a card of letter to make her day a special one.  I was missing her today.  It was great to get pics of her so happy!!

Birthday Surprises!!

Cant believe she is 20!!!

Letter from Jan 25

Good Morning! 

This is the weirdest birthday ever. Mainly just because it's not a miserable cold that makes me want to stay inside all day. If I were to have lived here growing up, I could've had my birthday parties outside every year. It's about 56ish degrees (that's what the car said) and sunny. It's great. But other than that, nothing else feels weird. Oh, except I'm no longer a teenager anymore. That's a little weird. I'm 20. ha. weird. Thank you so much for my package of fun things! I love the clothes, and all the treats. They are great. I've "decided" (with quotes around it because it's just a soft decision) that after I run out of the treats that I've been given, I can't buy anymore. But now that I typed it, it slightly sounds like a terrible idea. So I'll let you know how firm that decision stays.

So this past week has been great. We had a world wide missionary conference broadcasted to us, we had our multizone meeting, we met a whole bunch of new people, and a baptism!!! 

About 1 month and 1 week ago, we got a referral from some of the English Elders for a woman named Adrianna. When we went to visit her, we were able to meet with her and her family. We have been teaching them at least 2 times a week ever since. They have progressed so much and they absolutely love the Book of Mormon. Adrianna was baptized about 5 years ago, and wanted her 2 girls to learn more about the gospel and to go to church. This week, we were able to have a really fun lesson with them about service. We threw garbage all over their porch, and had them do a little "service project" after the lesson and clean up their porch. No one would touch this really gross napkin that was on the top step, but it needed to be cleaned up. So as I picked up the dirty napkin, the girls lost it. They were laughing so hard and wouldn't stop. I love the relationship that we have with this family. It has been so fun to work with them and to become part of their family. 

Last night, one of the girls, Katia, was baptized. It was a great service and we had a lot of support from the ward. Katia was extremely nervous before her baptism, and so was the 18 year old boy, who is preparing for a mission, who baptized her. Our bishop had asked him to do it, and it ended up being the best person to do it. As they both nervously walked into the water, they were exercising their faith in our Savior. As soon as the ordinance was completed, you could see the change in both Katia and Isaac. They were calmed, and happy, and so was I. Katia had known that she made the right decision, and that was confirmed as her mom put her arms around her and kissed her forehead after. Her mom is so grateful that she found the missionaries, in order to help her family receive the same blessings that she has received. Katia was so prepared for her baptized and was truly converted. She has now entered into a covenant with a determination to serve our Savior and Heavenly Father until the end. 

Katia awaiting her baptism!

                                 (Sorry it's a little blurry.)   Katia is the one in the California Shirt. 

                                     Then the boy on the side is Isaac, the one who baptized her. ​

 We found a couple more families to teach this week! They are both really cool, and are big families. I'm so excited to keep working with them, and to help them strengthen their faith in our Savior and his atonement. One of the families we found, was definitely a blessing from diligence and obedience. Every night, if we are not in someones house by 8:30, then we have to head home. One night this week, we had just a few minutes to find someone to teach, but we went through all our planned names. We stopped at a potential investigators house that was on the way home, and we were in their house by exactly 8:30. They are a really cool family and invited us to come back! We know that we had success with that lesson and with finding this family, because we kept working until the very last minute possible. I am so grateful for all the people I have meet here, and for the ability to help people change and realize what they need to do.

The scripture I want to share with you today is Enos 1:25. (JAN:25)

 25 And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jerusalem.

I found this scripture today, and I don't think it's a coincidence.... I began to be old, and a hundred and seventy and nine years have passed away from the time that I left Salt Lake City. (kinda)

But I love every minute of it, and I wouldn't want to spend my 20th birthday any where else. I hope you all have the best day ever and that you do something super fun with your families tonight. 

Love, 

Hermana Sager

Birthday Girl!!! 

The Terrific Trio!!!! 

​

He is the perfect example!!

Its Sid's Birthday on January 25.  It would be fun to have her receive letters  or cards from all of you.

Hermana Sidney Sager
2088 East Lake Shore Dr #717
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530

Help make her 20th birthday a memorable one!!!!
 

Letter from Jan 18

Hello everyone!

Last week, we had a big training and we learned a lot about repentance. This week, as we have been working on teaching repentance and baptism in every lesson, we have seen improvements! Not only in our companionship, but in the mission as a whole! There have been more progressing investigators, which means more people with an accepted baptismal date and more people coming to church every Sunday. That's so great! How are ways that you can help the missionaries in your area? They should always be looking for ways to have members present in the lessons. Ask 'em about it! As a missionary, if people are asking to help us with the lessons, it's one of the greatest things ever! I know the missionaries already love all of you, no matter who you are or what you are doing. And if you are a missionary, then you keep loving the members and look for ways to help them too.

Last night, I watched 4 short little videos that we have on our phone. Because of Him, Because He Lives, A Savior is Born, and He is the Gift. I love them all! They're all just about 2 minutes. They all testify of the same message: That Jesus Christ was born to save us from our sins and from death. He is the hope and the light of the world, and we can receive peace, guidance, and comfort from following his example and from reaching out to him. He wants to help us, and all we have to do is show our desire and act on our faith in following him. We will all come face to face with him and our Heavenly Father one day, so we need to do all we can on this earth in order to stay in their presence after being judged of our works. I'm grateful for His example.

Hermanas enjoying Guacamole

I went on a hike today. It was lovely. I have scratches all over my arms and legs because we were on a kind of trail. We had to push our way through a whole bunch of bushes that hard and scratchy. But it was fun! Our whole zone went, and it was great. There was one point on the mountain where we would've been able to see the ocean off to the other side, but there were too many clouds. But I imagined the ocean there and it was beautiful. Weird right? I'm just a mountain and some land away from the big old blue. But I have little Lake Elsinore that is more than sufficient. I wish I would've gotten a picture of all of Lake Elsinore when we were at the top. But the only time I could see that view was when we were driving... and I'm the driver. 

This week I read President Monson's talk from the previous general conference, "Be and example and a Light". He's so cute. I love his testimony and how he teaches from the scriptures. I have thought of the many examples that I have looked to in my life and wondered who has looked to me as an example. I am so grateful for the perfect example of our Savior Jesus Christ. As we strive to follow the example of Christ in all things, we can be an example and light to all those who surround us. I encourage you all to read or listen to his talk again, and think of the ways the could be better in being an example and a light. 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/be-an-example-and-a-light?lang=eng

Thank you all for being great examples to me. Keep reading those scriptures, praying, and going to church! And everything else in between.

Have a great Martin Luther King Jr. Day! 

Hermana Sager

Wednesday!!!!

Letter from Wed Jan 13

Hi! It's Wednesday. 

How are you doing? 

I'm doing so great. The work is going well and we are definitely busy!

This week, we had a family come to church with us. They were sitting with us during sacrament meeting, and my heart was so happy. They were singing, and listening, and it was just so cute. The whole time, I was just so happy that they came to church and they are doing what they can to follow our Savior and grow closer to him. During the last hymn of sacrament meeting, I looked back to the corner of the chapel, and one of our other investigators was there who we hadn't had a lesson with this last week because he kept canceling! It was so great, and I almost started crying. I was just trying to stay quiet as I pointed it out to my companions. When people come to church they really develop their own testimony and can feel the power and love of God. I am so grateful to be serving here in Lake Elsinore. I am so grateful for our Savior Jesus Christ. 

I am grateful for all of you. 

Have the best day ever! 

Hermana Sager

It rained like crazy for almost 3 days straight.
All sorts of miracles happening here in the California Riverside Mission.

Additions from our family letter 

Sorry I forgot to tell you last week that my pday was going to be changed. As soon as we left the computers I remembered. Instead of having it Monday, like normal, we had a big meeting with the South half of the mission. Elder Hamula, one of the 70s, came to our mission. It was so great! I learned a lot about repentance and the plan of salvation, and the gospel in general. I learned a lot about the type of missionary that I need to be and why I am really here. I am here to help others to become clean through the gospel and the atonement, to help them remain in the presence of God after meeting him again. I am so grateful for the knowledge that we have of the plan of salvation, and am excited to continue learning more. We all have a lot to learn, so it's a good thing we have a lot of time to do it! 

I feel like my spanish is improving every week! This last week I have had a few experiences where I have really seen progress and where I know that I am being helped by the Holy Ghost and the gift of tongues. The other night, I was asked a question, and without even thinking about what I was asked, I was able to spit out an answer! Normally with conversational questions, I still have to slow down and think about what I am going to say back, but my mind just did it for me this time! I don't know. It's hard to explain. But I was grateful for that experience and to recognize the hand of the Lord. Yesterday, I spent the morning with a cute little old couple in our ward. They don't speak any english, or even understand it. It was just me, while my companions were in Riverside for a meeting. But it was so fun! I was able to talk with them and feel comfortable with everything that was being said. I have noticed that conversations are becoming a lot easier, and my companions are helping me with that as well. As we set goals to speak Spanish majority of the time, Heavenly Father is more willing to help us in other situations. I loved spending the morning with one of my other sets of grandparents. They were just called as ward missionaries, and so yesterday was their "training". They are so willing to help when they can and have a sincere desire to strengthen and grow their ward. It was really great to be able to spend time with them yesterday. 

This week I focused on Romans 15:4. It says, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." I really tried to focus more this week on the scripture that I chose, and I learned that this is 100% true. The scriptures have been written for our learning. We can gain hope as we read from the scriptures and read of all the stories of the faith and trials of those in the scriptures. We need to look at the scriptures of a source of patience and comfort. I love the scriptures with all my heart and I have the comfort from them. I know that we can receive patience, comfort, and hope from reading the scriptures. I encourage you all to make scripture reading one of the favorite parts of your day.

I love you all. You're great. 

Love, 

Sid

 My MTC sisters. well, 2 of them.

Happiest New Year ever!

Letter from Jan 4

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year and ate a lot of food. I did. I have eaten so many tomales this week. It's perfect.

7 months and 1 day? That's how long I've been out. Feel free to agree with me if you feel that it has not been that long.

Working in a trio again is so fun! I absolutely love it. We are hoping to get more of the Hermanas from the ward to help us this week and transfer so we can do double the work. It's going to be great! We have a lot of investigators who have great potential. We are going to keep working so diligently with setting expectations and really trying to help each person progress. Hermana Vorkink and Rasmussen have been great teachers and examples, and I have already learned so much from them. This transfer is going to be great, and is already off to a wonderful start!

We are expecting the storm "el nino" to be coming in soon. The next 3 days are looking pretty rainy, and so this could finally be the start of el nino! Good thing I have great rain boots. It's going to be so fun walking around in the rain and mud. Maybe people will feel bad for us and let us in their homes. Or the spirit can just bring up those feelings for us and that would be great too.

My shopping list for this week is toothpaste, mascara, eye liner, hand soap, banana chips, milk, bananas, water, granola bars, bread, and a glue stick.

I found a great scripture this week that I really love! It is in 1 Peter 2:21.
 "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:"
Continue to learn about the things that Christ taught and did while he was here on the earth. Read of the miracles he performed and the parables he taught. Learn how his teachings apply to your life and how you can help others to learn of him as well. Christ suffered for us. He loves us. He left a perfect example that we can look to. All we need to do is have the faith to follow his steps. Be faithful, diligent, and follow his steps.

I hope you have the best week ever.
Love

Hermana Sager.

self timer attempt number 3. still not centered, but still super great.
Hermana Sager, Hermana Rasmussen and Hermana Vorkink

A few paragraphs from our family letter, New Year-New Trio!!

So with the New year, I have decided to be more diligent in all things. I need to be working harder, because time is going by so quick. I'm also in a new trio which is helping me with this goal. My companions, Hermana Rasmussen and Hermana Vorkink, are so great! They are really really good missionaries. They are really dedicated and love to work. They are such good examples to me, as they have both been out just over 11 months. I love working with them, and we are a lot a like. It's been a fun and successful first week together, and we're looking forward to the next 5! Then who knows what is going to happen. We wouldn't mind if we were to stay together, but that might be too good to be true. We have been working really hard, and our studies have been more focused. They know exactly why they are serving a mission and I love working with them. I have already learned so much, and I am excited to continue learning. They also speak spanish really well and want to speak it more of the time, so we are transitioning to that. We want to forget english. Entonces, vamos a hablar en espanol aun mas y vamos a olvidar ingles. That would be really cool.

On Saturday, my companions went to Riverside for a leader meeting, and so I spent the morning with some of the English sisters. For that morning, they had planned to do their 1 1/2 of walking. So I went out and I walked with them. We talked to a lot of people and it was great! I love the time we have for walking and talking. Then when my companions came back, we went and did our walking and talking. But we got a lot farther away from our car then planned, and on the way back we talked to a lot of people. So for the day, I walked a total of 3 hours and 45 minutes. It was super great, and I wasn't even tired! Heavenly Father blesses us when we are obedient. In this case, He allowed me to do more than double walking time for the day. I am so grateful for the chance that I had to talk with so many people that day. Heavenly Father had prepared all of them to at least meet us and talk with us. And we were able to find a few that He had prepared which invited us back to their house. People are so nice. And even when they're not, it's still a great experience talking to them and bearing testimony of the simple truths of the gospel.