7/20-7/26

Herro herro my favorite humans! :)

Last District Activity

Whip Cream Challenge

Oh boy, I have learned so much this week. I hope I can squeeze it all in here!

Monday-- We took out the newbies that came into the mission! They were so cute and super excited to start working! :) One was from Middleton, ID! Woop woop!

We watched the Restoration movie in the Himle's theater room and it was so awesome! Jacob, Elizabeth, Chris, Emma and the McMurtrey's came. The spirit was really strong, and I just love that movie so much! :) I miss everyone in Stockdale so much.

Tuesday-- Transfer meeting was a bunch of mixed feelings. So sad to be getting transferred, and so sad to see all of my friends leave and go home! But also so happy to see some of my favorites. The missionaries on this side of the mission sang in a choir for it! We sang a song that an elder wrote while he has been out on his mission and combined it with the hymn, Called to Serve. It was so powerful. The spirit was tangible and it was hard to keep the tears back from the power that I felt by bearing my testimony of missionary work in song. I'm so grateful for the chance I got to be a part of that. 

Goodbye to Sister Himle

Small World - Summer was this sister's RA!!!!

My new companion! --> Sister Long is from Louisiana! Haha she is the funniest person. I just love her to death! Her Aunt grew up by the Bayou and she is just so hilarious with all of her stories about life. I love it. She's so entertaining, I just laugh always hahaha :)

 Sister Long and Sister Loar

We got to our new area, which is just in North Bakersfield, and settled in, went to the store, and went to an appointment! On Tuesday nights, the members in Highland Manor ward (my new area) go out on visits with the missionaries! It is awesome and they've seen some amazing miracles in the past from doing it. I'm pretty stoked about it! :)

Wednesday-- Sister Shimmons in the ward goes out with the sisters for the morning and it was great going to see people with a member! She is awesome and has such a strong testimony. 

That night we were trying to contact one of our investigators, Donisha, but she wasn't home, so we tried contacting people at the park nearby. There was this super fun family playing some basketball, so we started talking to the wife, Kawana that was just watching and she seemed semi-interested! So we gave her a pamphlet and then I started playing some ball with little Keenan! It was so much fun! Always a good day when you can play some pick up in a skirt. :) 

Then we tried contacting some other people, but no one was home or interested. We were stopped at a stop sign and I saw some words underneath the word STOP and I looked closer and it read, "Stop. Collaborate and Listen." hahaha YES!! Vanilla Ice is BACK! So obviously I had to pull over and take a picture of it. So as I was doing this I hear, "HEY! WE ARE MISSIONARIES!!!!" And Sister Long is running down some teenagers that were on some bikes! (haha classic Sister Long) So then I stopped, collaborated, and listened (and also joined in to teach) with them on the side of the road! They ended up being sooo awesome and pretty interested! When we were explaining the Book of Mormon and read some verses out of it, the boy, Isaiah was reaching for it and couldn't get it in his hands fast enough! :) We have an appointment set up for tonight, so hopefully that goes well! Heavenly Father KNEW that I would stop and take a picture of that sign and He knew Sister Long would be brave enough to run people down on the street! So cool to see how everything works out when you are in the right place at the right time. :) And also now I can't get that song out of my head.. 

Thursday-- We planned and them planned some more!

We did have a lesson with Teagyn--- This girl is so awesome! She is 13 and she is Sister Nowak's grand daughter. She just started living with her grandma and she is going to be baptized on August 8th! :) She's doing so well! We have a lesson with her almost every day to help her be prepared!

We had a lesson with Kathy and her 7 grandkids who are now in her custody-- 5 of them are boys and are all named Martin... hahaha so they have different names for each one of them! There's Tracer, Marty, Jr., Little Marty, and Seven... hahaha their dad and their grandpa are also named Martin. So Seven, is Martin #7. It is pretty much my favorite thing ever. They have a pretty crazy life and have had a rough upbringing. But we shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with them and they are little sponges and want to learn about God and Jesus Christ sooo much! Kathy.. the grandma (who has lung cancer and still smokes and blames the cause of her cancer on the Bakersfield air quality..) is holding them back from really progressing! She said she would bring them to church this week and she didn't.. and also she started to ask us ridiculous questions and kind of started bible bashing with us in the lesson..? But we had a secret weapon! Sister Lindley (the Primary President in the ward) came with us to the lesson and she would just testify and it was so amazing! She is such a great missionary! So glad we had her with us!

Friday-- I had to do a training in District Meeting and it went well I think! I focused on how developing Christlike attributes can help us become consecrated missionaries. Something I needed!

When we knocked on the door of our dinner appointment with a member-- we got the wrong door! But the girl who answered was really interested! :) Miracle! She doesn't live in our area though.. she was just babysitting.. So hopefully the missionaries on her side of town will get a hold of her! We sent them her info so they could!

Saturday-- We tried contacting someone Sister Long had met briefly and they didn't answer, so we went and knocked on their neighbors house and a young mom named Tracy answered the door! She was a little hesitant to talk to us at first but really loosened up at the end. She told us that one of her ex boyfriends was a Mormon and she knew a lot about the church but never looked into it. She has two kids, one is a baby and her last boyfriend just walked out on her in December.. She doesn't have a job and is in a really tight situation. We are going to get her some info for the Church Employment center in Bakersfield to hopefully help her out! :) She was super grateful for that. We are hoping to start teaching her this week if she is willing to listen!

Sunday-- I was asked to give a talk on Sunday and I talked on something similar to my training I did in the meeting earlier that week. I focused more on the differences between sin and weaknesses and how we can overcome both through the Atonement of our Savior, Jesus Christ. The whole reason why any of that is possible is because of not only what Christ did for us, but WHO He was. He experienced everything we would ever have to endure in this life. So when we recognize our weaknesses we can rely on the enabling power of the Atonement and pray for help and strength to change and become better and more than we are by ourselves, we can BECOME more like Him. We receive a peace and joy that is indescribable. 

That night we went to go see Donisha, and started talking to her neighbor, Randy and his brother, Pierre that was outside! They started asking us the REAL questions. Questions of their souls! Randy was struggling a lot. He was going to lose their apartment the next day, and he didn't know where him and his girlfriend were going to go. So we taught the Restoration and testified using scriptures from the Book of Mormon. One of them being Mosiah 24:12-16. We talked about how in our trials and circumstances the Lord can lift our burdens and make them feel light so we can endure to the end! It was just the coolest teaching experience. I love being a missionary!

This week I struggled a lot. I felt very fatigued and tired, and I didn't feel adequate to fulfill my calling as a missionary. I prayed each time I felt those things and EVERY time I was able to overcome my weaknesses and be strengthened to be able to endure. I know, with all that I am that Christ lives. He is our Savior and He can help us overcome any trial or weakness that easily besets us every day of our lives. I know we can become better people and become the person He wants us to become.

Sorry this is a lengthy email, So much more happened and I wish I had time to include absolutely everything! I love serving and I'm so grateful for all of you for making this such an amazing experience. 

Love,

Sister Loar

xoxo

7/13-7/19

Hello hello!

Welp-- I'm out of time and this week has lots of news and change and all kinds of good in it so I'll do my best to sum it up real quick!

P-Day - Last Week!!  We wanted our almond milk real bad......

so we had to reach for the last one on the shelf.

Mickey Mouse waffles for dinner at the Kraucyk's!!!

Tuesday people just kept texting and calling us telling us they had stuff for us?  This is what we collected and came home with that day!  :)  The best!!

We ate a lot of grapes :)

Tuesday-- We had Zone Conference and it was really good! We learned about how to become more consecrated missionaries-- I definitely needed it. We then had a lesson with Charles & Brittney! They are doing well, the gospel and everything about God is super new to them, so we were just answering their questions and Brother Noall came with us! It was great. They are still interested, just work on Sundays for the rest of the month-- next month they will come! Earlene's family came into town a week early, so she cancelled the appointment we had with her.

Wednesday-- We went on exchanges with Sister Fuatia and Sister Simmons! We did a shorter one, so they just went home in the same day they came! After that we met Emma at the church! We taught the Plan of Salvation and we drew it out on a big board for her and it was soooo much fun teaching her because she is SO eager to learn!!! :) SHE JUST GETS IT.

Thursday&Friday-- We did a service project helping out at Cal State University Bakersfield (CSUB) making the beds in the dorms for the athletes coming into the country that are participating in the Special Olympics in LA next week! It was super fun! :) Sister Himle came too and we had a great time. I just love that woman!

We went to Sister Nelson's and helped her dig out some trees and then shine her silver tea set! It was super fun! She's such an amazing lady.

Emma texted us and asked us if she could meet and get the Doctrine and Covenants from us! Um, yes! Of course! :) So we met with her and talked to her for a little bit, this girl is on FIIIRE! :)

Saturday-- We got transfer calls-- Sister Hirschi and I are both leaving! :( We were so sad.) We did not expect that to happen at all. We really thought we would stay for one more transfer together in Stockdale. So many good things are happening in this area and we've seen so many miracles with all these people! I LOVE THIS AREA SO MUCH. AND I LOVE THESE PEOPLE LIKE THEY ARE MY OWN KIN. It's going to be so hard leaving this blessed land! I'm being transferred to Highland Manor ward in North Bakersfield still as an Sister Training Leader and Sister Hirschi is going to Palmdale for her last 6 weeks.  

After we got those calls we drove around like mad women trying to talk to all of our investigators and members and letting them know that 2 new sisters will be coming in. The transition is so hard, so we sure hope it all works out and that no one falls through the cracks. Goodbyes are always so awful. I just keep telling myself these are "see ya laters" not goodbyes!

We went to dinner at the Bliss's that night and when we sat down to share a message on the Sabbath Day, we heard some scurrying in the curtains in the window behind us. When I turned around (expecting to see a cat), THERE WAS A SQUIRREL IN THEIR HOUSE!!!!! hahahahahaha I just died laughing and Sister Hirschi jumped on the couch and then the squirrel ran under the couch and we were freaking out! hahaha for the next half hour we were all chasing this squirrel trying to capture it and put it outside! We had no idea how the squirrel got in there and we ended up coercing it out the dryer vent in the laundry room to the outside world! Hahaha the best. SO-- analogy! As we are trying to keep the Sabbath Day holy, don't let the world distract you with the everyday squirrels that come into our lives! Just like the dog, Doug, off of the movie UP, we can't let ourselves.. SQUIRREL!..  get preoccupied with chasing the squirrels in life. :)

We went to Dewar's with the Mortensen's and the Newman's! Such good ice cream and company!

I got a balloon at Dewar's and it thunderstormed!!

Jumping in the puddles when we got home that night :)  It was so fun!!!

Sunday-- Emma came to church! :) She is so awesome and so solid. Her mom is giving her a lot of resistance and trying to convince her not to come and continue to learn. Emma is staying sooo strong though! We told her about Meet the Mormons movie on netflix and she texted us that afternoon and said she watched it! 

We spent the rest of the day saying goodbyes.......    The Horror.    I hate goodbyes!

Tonight we are watching the Restoration movie at the Himle's with Emma and Jacob and some other members and investigators hopefully! It will be such a good day! :)

I'll let you know how it goes next week!

Hope you all have a good one!

This work is amazing! I know the Lord has a plan for me, and that He needs other sisters here in this ward. I love this gospel! Being a missionary is the best, even though the heartache and change is so hard.

Love you all!

Sister Loar

xoxo

Saying Goodbyes 

Elizabeth, Jacob and Chris

Antongiovanni's!

Williams!

Rodriguez's!

Earlene <3

Porter's!    (the Bishop! He said he can't wait to meet my parents some day :))

The McMurtrey's

The Boss'

Cathy

Sister Nelson!

A fraction of the Krauss's

P-Day today - We ran to the mission office this morning for our last run together!

7/6-7/12

Hello my favorites! :)

This week was good---> 

Tuesday-- some of our sisters cancelled our exchanges due to health so we had to really follow the spirit with our plans cause we had double plans. We decided to go to Charles and Brittney's (some potential investigators) and we were able to have a lesson with them and they are totally interested!!! HOLLA! :) MIRACLES.

Wednesday-- We had a lesson with a less active lady named Melissa and her daughter is OBSESSED with Frozen and she is the cutest, chubbiest little red head and hilarious. She started singing Let it Go like super intensely and it was the best. So of course I couldn't let her do it alone.. so yes I ended up doing a choreographed dance and sang to Let it Go. :) 

Thursday-- We had an awesome lesson with Earlene! She is on track for getting baptized August 29th... just pray, pray, pray for her please that she makes it!

We had dinner at the Todd's! We read the last conference address from President Monson and it was really good! :) We are hoping she wants to be baptized soon so they can have an eternal family sooner than later!

Friday-- we had our last district meeting since Elder Cheney is going home this transfer! It was really good. We learned about Peter's conversion throughout some scripture references in the New Testament and it was just so awesome to see how he grew and became the amazing Apostle and leader of the church that he was. 

We knocked some houses around the Rodriguez's house to kill time before we had dinner with them and we talked to their neighbor.. who is very much anti-mormon... and it was just a dumb argument. Afterwards, even though I was angry that he just doesn't understand things... It helped strengthen my testimony and my faith that, I KNOW THE CHURCH IS TRUE. And no one or anything can change that. Heavenly Father has answered my prayers about if the Book of Mormon is true and if our prophet today is really His prophet and I can't deny it. The miracles we see and the spirit I feel, will not allow me to deny that I know it's all true. The whole enchilada. :)

Saturday-- We talked to Justin, this guy who is in his 20's and he is Jewish. He had some GOOD questions and we said we would do our homework and he was stoked for us to come back and give him some answers. I LOVE LEARNING. So fun learning more about this awesome gospel!

Happy 7-11 day!

Free slurpees at 7-11!

Sunday-- EMMA AND HER FRIEND MADISON CAME TO CHURCH!!! We taught Emma and her after church and some young women and some leaders were there and it was the biggest group I've ever taught a discussion to, but it was so good! We talked about the Restoration and I'm just a little passionate about it hahaha I feel like people get a little annoyed with how much I love talking about the Great Apostasy and the Restoration and how amazing it is!! Man, I love this gospel. It's just soooo good.

We had dinner at the McMurtrey's and it was so awesome. They had family in town and it reminded me of my family! Haha it was so awesome, kids were burping and people were laughing and there was just so much joy. :) hahaha we've been asked by Bishop Porter to share in our dinner messages with the members, more about the Sabbath Day and how to keep it holy. I've been reading this article to everyone, along with parts of Elder Nelson's talk-- The Sabbath is a Delight. The article I've read has changed the way I look at the Sabbath Day. It's truly a gift to us from God and a time to slow down and remember our Savior.

here's the article!

https://www.lds.org/liahona/2013/02/remembering-him-on-the-sabbath?lang=eng

I love you all so much! Hope you have an awesome week!

Love,

Sister Loar
xoxo

I'm half doe half buck... I'm a duck!

Recycle!!!

Someone had this cool sign on their porch! The plan of salvation! 

The Newman's (my favorites) took us out to eat! yum! :)