Cheers!

I thought I would reflect on this past year, seeing as it is coming to a close! It has been incredible, definitely the best of my life so far, and hopefully this coming year will beat it! 

The beginning of my mission was great. It felt so right to be a missionary, and I learned so much from my trainer, Sister Bartnik (who goes home this transfer!!!). She helped me to adjust to the rigors of missionary life, to be thoughtful and kind. Then Sister Hansen joined us for a transfer and we combined areas! That was madness but it was fun learning from each other about teamwork and communication. Then Sister Gietz joined me and we had the time of our lives! Everyone we taught could feel our love because we were so happy all of the time. We are like two peas in a pod. Or too crazies escaped from the looney bin! Then I was transferred and was with sweet little Sister Miller for the Ogden Temple open house! she helped me to show my love for everyone I came in contact with. My love for the temple grew and I realized how much I loved being a missionary and how hard it would be to work at a temple visitor's center. Then I was with Sister Nelson and we rode our bikes around the countryside and enjoyed the autumn air. She taught me about trusting yourself and finding joy in the little things. Then came the big responsibility, and I was transferred to the north part of the mission, whitewash training! And I was made a Sister Training Leader and a Technical Instructor for the iPads! I have learned so much from my baby Sister Matheson, she is such a light in my life. She helped me through some hard times and reminded me why I am on a mission. Over these past ten months I have helped people to become baptized and reactivated, and have even seen some go to the temple! That is the vision of the mission, to envision the people we teach at the temple, dressed in white. I am so grateful to be able to share my testimony and see the light of the gospel brighten the lives of those around me! He never said it would be easy, but He always said it would be worth it!

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas. We had our baptism on Christmas Eve, and the spirit was so strong! She stood in the font for a moment after she was baptized, and just soaked it in. Then she bore her testimony and shared how she knew that this is the true gospel of Jesus Christ. She has found so much strength; we are so excited to see what her future holds. Then we went over to our investigator's house and made tamales with them! Ooooh they were delicious!

Christmas Day we skyped our families! It was THE BEST! Then we had a Christmas breakfast and then went to a Bishop's home and spent the day with their family. They are one of our favorite families and we are so grateful to have them in our lives!

The snow has been falling and temperatures are dropping! Luckily I now have 12 scarves, so I think my neck will stay nice and warm :) Thank you to everyone who was so thoughtful and sent me Christmas presents! 

I love you all and I hope that you are smiling! 

xoxo

Sister Boman

The Gift

I hesitate to say this, but i'm going to go ahead and say... this week has been one of the best weeks of my mission!!! I mentioned last week that we found a new investigator and started teaching her. She is all set to be baptized on Christmas Eve! The day after we met with her she was struggling so much to stay strong and optimistic. Satan was working so hard on her! We taught her about trusting the Lord and letting Christ into her life, to strengthen her. She has had a hard time trusting people because of her past experiences, but we helped her to see the power that our Savior Jesus Christ has and the love of our Heavenly Father. The next day she was so peaceful and truly felt that things would work out. Every single day (because we met with her almost every day) she had more and more confirmation that this gospel is true. With her faith growing every day, she started to see the potential that she has as a daughter of God. As we taught her the commandments, she knew that they would help her to be strong and to feel the influence of the Holy Ghost. She went to Salt Lake for part of the weekend and we were even able to skype a few lessons with her! I am so grateful for technology! It has been such a whirlwind, but at every turn, we know by confirmation of the Holy Ghost, that she is ready. And just in this short week, she has seen her life start to turn around.

We have been meeting with another family, neighbors of a member of the church. They recently moved to Utah from California, and they love it here. Their neighbor invited them to come to church. The lady and her cousin are living together, and her daughter's home burned down in California so they moved out here to live with them. They are suddenly taking care of all the grandchildren, and it has been a lot to handle. Still, when we meet with them, she says "I just feel like the fire was a blessing. They needed to come here and have a new life." They loved church and we have met with them twice. They are so eager to learn, and they often talk about how they are just looking for the truth. We taught them about Joseph Smith, and how he had that same question. When we explained that he translated the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ, we told them that after the great apostasy (also known as the dark ages) Heavenly Father knew that we would need more scripture to guide us. They both turned to each other and in unison said "That makes sense!" When investigators have that revelation, that this gospel really does make sense, it is the best feeling! You know that they are ready to receive it. 

With both of these experiences, it made me think of a principle that I have learned as a missionary. We are encouraged to keep in daily contact with our investigators. This helps them to feel the spirit more often and not forget what you have helped them to feel. It was once said that if an investigator is not ready for daily contact with a representative of Jesus Christ, then how can they be ready for daily contact with their Savior Jesus Christ? This has helped me to recognize those who are truly prepared to repent, change their ways to align with God's will, and commit their lives to follow Jesus Christ. And with both of these new investigators, they want to meet with us every day if possible. The sooner the better! They recognize the importance of this gospel, and they don't want to waste a minute in their journey to learn more and feel of our Heavenly Father's love.

Live Nativity!

I am so grateful for this time of year, to remember and celebrate our Savior's birth. To think that it all started in the most humble circumstances, a baby in a manger. To know that Jesus learned as he grew, through the power of the Holy Ghost, that He was the Son of God. To know that He faced temptation, but stood up to Satan and said in Matthew chapter 4 verse 10, "Get thee hence, Satan". To know that He struggled as He suffered for us in the garden of Gethsemane, and said in Luke chapter 22 verse 42, "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done." To know that His love for us is never ending, that is the gift. He is the gift. And I am so grateful! 

with a CAMEL!

I love you all and I hope that you are smiling because it's CHRISTMAS!

xoxo

Sister Boman

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

This week was wonderful! We had a Christmas party with the north part of the mission last week. We heard some wonderful speakers, ate some delicious food, and then had a Christmas talent show! Sister Gietz and I prepared a skit together with two of the Elders from the senior missionary couples. I rewrote the words to the song "Sisters" from White Christmas and we performed it! It was a hit and we had so much fun. 

We are getting into the holiday spirit with the Christmas parties, lights, and it finally snowed again (it has been an unusually warm winter, my prayers were answered!). We have been sharing a new video that the Church made called He Is The Gift . It is a beautiful reminder of what Christmas is truly about-  the gift of our Savior! He has given us hope in our lives and makes everything possible! 

We have been blessed with so many miracles this week. We found so many new people to teach, we are truly seeing miracles. We had a girl call us the other night and said she wants to be baptized! We met with her last night and she is so prepared! The Lord has guided her to this point and has helped her to know that this is the true church of Jesus Christ. She prayed to know how she could be happy with all that she is dealing with in her life, and she opened the scriptures and the first word she saw was "baptism"! The she said wait it can't be that easy! Then she opened again to 2 Nephi 32 and it read:

 

"And now, behold, my beloved brethren, I suppose that ye ponder somewhat in your hearts concerning that which ye should do after y

e have entered in by the way. But, behold, why do ye ponder these things in your hearts? 

Do ye not remember that I said unto you that after ye had received the Holy Ghost ye could speak with the tongue of angels? And now, how could ye speak with the tongue of angels save it were by the Holy Ghost?

Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not, neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.

For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do."

She knew from these scriptures that she had already received her answer! We asked her when she would be ready to be baptized and she said "Yesterday!" Haha she decided on Christmas eve! What a gift to give and receive! We are so excited for her. She is so full of the spirit, we can see it in her eyes that she is ready!

I love this gospel! I am so lucky to witness this and many other miracles daily. 

feliz cumpleaños hermana Gammon!

I love you all and I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

Put It On The Altar

9 month mark, we went out to a Mediterranean lunch!

We had a baptism last Saturday! It was awesome. She was so ready to be baptized, the only thing she was nervous about was her makeup running and getting her hair wet. She is so funny. Everyone was there to support her, and on Sunday when she was confirmed a member of the church and received the Holy Ghost, the whole ward welcomed her as the newest member of the church. It was testimony meeting, and every testimony was about the power of the plan of salvation and the light and life that the gospel brings to our lives. It was exactly what she needed to hear! 

Last week I was able to go on exchanges with my spanish hermanas! As always, I was treated to some delicious mexican food and met some incredible people. We visited an older couple who are not members but are very interested in learning more about the gospel of Jesus Christ. We taught them about the Book of Mormon, and they were excited to read and learn more about what Heavenly Father has spoken to His children. The whole time, as I looked at the woman, she reminded me so much of my Nana! I was so touched by the spirit, and knew that if they were to be baptized, their lives would be blessed in the same way that the gospel has blessed my grandparent's lives. It was such a beautiful moment to feel of God's love for them. Also, she gave us a giant bag of tamales, so that was awesome!

While our baptism shrunk our teaching pool for a moment, we found two part member families and a man who is not a member who all want to learn more about the gospel! It was awesome to find them and know that the Lord has prepared them to meet with us. 

Being a missionary is hard. I usually focus on the good and uplifting moments from my week, but things have been difficult. I know that the Lord is giving me so many things to handle because I am stubborn and want to do things on my own. But He is patiently waiting until I finally turn to Him for help. And although at times it is overwhelming, I know that He is breaking me down and building me up into the person that He sees me as. I trust Him, and I know that when I give it up to Him, He will bless me for my faith and obedience. I trust His plan for me. 

I love you all and I hope you are smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman  

WOOOOOAAAAAAHHHH WE'RE HALFWAY THERE

love this sister!

WOOOOAAAAHHHH LIVING ON A PRAAAAAAYER! I'm halfway through my mission! I can't believe how fast it is flying by. We are only covering one stake now, so we are working to build up the work so we are as busy as we were before! This week we had a leadership meeting and President Hiers spoke to us about the mission vision, which is "true conversion that leads to baptism or reactivation and then to the temple". He said that we should be telling more stories to inspire and motivate our missionaries. We should find people who have been prepared by the Lord, and then help them find their conversion story. 

The woman we have been teaching who's husband recently passed away is getting baptized this weekend! We have been meeting with her frequently, and every time we invite her to do something or to live a commandment, she says "Yes! Of course!" We taught her about the word of wisdom, and she said "I can't give up my coffee!" but then as we continued to teach her why we have been given this commandment, she knew that she wasn't going to let anything get in the way of her getting baptized. By the end of the lesson, she agreed to give up coffee, substituting it for hot lemon water. We are so excited for her to be baptized. As the day gets closer she gets more and more excited, and we do too!

We had an awesome lesson with our recent convert last night. Things have been super busy in their lives since they got married and baptized, and we were finally able to see them. He shared with us an experience that he had last week. He was laying in bed, asleep, when he saw a bright light and heard a voice say "You haven't talked to me in a while. And I know you haven't been reading your scriptures." He was frightened, but felt a sense of peace. He said "Needless to say, I have been reading the scriptures every day." It was so incredible that the Lord spoke to him in that way. He knows how to reach us all! We are so excited to see him progress and truly have a desire to learn and grow in the gospel. 

Thanksgiving was awesome last week. We were totally stuffed! One of the families we ate with asked for our favorite thanksgiving food, and she made me a chocolate pie! Oh man I was in heaven. It was so nice to have a little slice of home. 

I love you all and I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

Attitude of Gratitude

It's a new transfer, and Sister Matheson and I are....... STAYING TOGETHER! This isn't much of a surprise, since I need to finish training her, but it is definitely a relief. I get to have Thanksgiving and Christmas with my baby! I was so afraid that something would happen, that for some crazy reason one of us would leave, or that Sister Matheson would stay and train, because she is seriously that capable! But the Lord knew that we needed each other for this rough holiday season. Thankfully, we have met so many people who we love and who take care of us, we feel like we have family all around us. 

As a missionary, you live to a pretty strict schedule. There are many opportunities to be obedient, and my companion and I had been struggling. Nothing drastic or severely disobedient, but not exactly obedient. After an exchange with her sister training leader, we decided that we needed to shape up. The next day we were super obedient, no excuses. We had a lesson with the young couple we are working with to be baptized. They had dinner at their fellowship's home, and then we came over to have the lesson. That morning Sister Matheson and I had both received revelation that we needed to talk about Heavenly Father and their relationship with Him. When we started teaching, they opened up and told us more in that lesson than they have ever shared with us in the past six weeks. I realized in that lesson, that the adversary had been trying to stop the progress of our investigators by getting to us. He knew that if he slowed us down, he would be able to slow down their momentum and their decision to come unto Christ and be baptized. We knew in that lesson that they have been prepared, that we are meant to be here to teach them. It was so humbling to see that I have that much power to influence the lives of my investigators. Now, every morning, I wake up and say, "Who's life am I going to change because of my obedience?" President Hinckley said, "You cannot afford to do anything that would place a curtain between you and the ministering of angels in your behalf." I am so grateful for the help that we receive from the Lord, and the power and influence that obedience can have in our lives. 

I love this gospel. I love my Savior Jesus Christ, and I am so grateful for His atoning sacrifice that gives me a chance to become more like Him. I have been so blessed to have such incredible family, friends, and examples all around me. And I am truly grateful to be a missionary, serving the Lord and His people here in Utah.

I love you all, and I hope you're smiling! Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxo

Sister Boman

snow, snow, snow, snow, SNOW!

i'm an ice cube!

Last week it snowed. Soon after it started, it dawned on me. This is not temporary. I will not go back to my warm home after a fun weekend in the snow. I live here. I live here in a place where it snows. That means stocking up on leggings, scarves, and hot cocoa! Hopefully I survive. Everyone laughs at me when I tell them i'm from California. Especially my companion. She is from Ohio, and says this is nothing! Now I drive like a grandma (no offence Nana). Thankfully, we have been so busy, so we are only outside for a short time before we get to another home!

I truly love teaching. To be filled with the spirit, and receive revelation for the people that we are working with, it is an incredible experience! We teach so many different people, single moms, young couples, older women, struggling husbands and wives, from all walks of life. It makes me so grateful for the experience that I have had in my human development studies. That knowledge, combined with the spirit, creates a powerful opportunity to open their eyes to the gospel. To some people we speak in softer tones, and to others, we are bold! Different people need to hear different things, but what is consistent in all of them is that they are learning about and accessing the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I love to see the light in their eyes as they realize the love that their Savior has for them. I love to promise them blessings as they exercise faith, repentance, and obedience. 

Singing at the Ogden Tabernacle!

We had the opportunity to sing at the musical fireside at the Ogden Tabernacle last Sunday. I didn't think it could get any better than the last performance, but it did! I know that angels were singing with us. We filled the whole tabernacle, and I even saw some people from my old areas! Such a treat.

Grandma and Grandpa Nelson!

Last preparation day our senior couple, the Castletons, took us on a field trip to the factories here in north Utah. We went to the sock factory, the pajama factory, Pepperidge farms, and the Fatboy factory! You don't want to know how many goods we came away with! Then, at the fatboy factory they gave us boxes of ice cream, for FREE! Oh the perks of being a missionary in Utah. Estoy muy gorda!

The Castletons!

I love you all and I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

Wheeeeeeeeeee

Lunch at the crepery with the hermanas!

This week was an emotional roller-coaster! We have been double booked many nights, running around like chickens with our heads cut off. I think i've said that the past few weeks. But it hasn't changed! This past week we taught 23 lessons! We love being busy but it can get crazy. 

We had a lesson with an investigator who's husband is not active, but her children come to church. We met her the first day we came to the area, but we weren't able to meet with her again until last week. Her friend told us that she didn't want to be pressured into anything, and didn't want any sort of formal lessons. She also said that mormonism had been a source of contention in her life. We went into the lesson thinking that we would feel it out, but that we probably wouldn't keep working with her. We need to be wise where we spend the Lord's time, and make sure that we are working with people who are prepared to progress in the gospel. Once we started the lesson, Sister Matheson and I both received revelation that we need to keep working with her. As we talked and asked her questions, we realized that she really is being prepared, more that we knew. The spirit was so strong. We helped her to understand that she is not obligated to listen to us, that we are simply here to help her learn if this is right for her. It was so incredible to feel the spirit change in the room. 

We also taught another young couple who want to be baptized. We are finally getting to the core of their concerns. They are worried that they will not be able to keep the commitments that they make at baptism. They are worried they will fall away and not stay active. We taught them about the power of the atonement, and how we all make mistakes, but it is because of the sacrifice that Christ made for us that we can have hope for the future. We never need to feel like it is too late. We are trying to help them to act on their faith, to learn and to grow and partake of this beautiful gospel. 

We are working with a less active couple that are just the best. They are not married, and we have been pretty bold in discerning their concerns, trying to help them to have faith and to rely on the Lord. He isn't able to come to church because of his work schedule, but this Sunday we fasted with them. It was awesome to hear about their experience fasting together. He said "at first, I was pretty grumpy, but then, I wanted to do it." They have been praying and reading the scriptures together, and we are really seeing a change in them. It is the most rewarding moment to watch the people you are working with learn and grow and begin to align their will with the Lord's. I love them so much and we are so excited for their future!

It has been really difficult juggling two stakes, but I am so grateful for all of the people I am able to rely on, my companion, my mission president, as well as my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that I can not do this on my own. He has given me the opportunity to rely on Him, and I am so grateful for the strength that He gives me. 

I love you all, and I hope you're smiling :)

xoxo

Sister Boman

My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee

Texas Longhorns in Utah!

Exchanges with Sister Patterson!

I would say that I am getting used to the smell of cow, but that would be a lie! Haha luckily the scenery is beautiful here. Last week I had the chance to go on exchanges with one of the sisters that I am over as a Sister Training Leader. Sister Patterson is serving in Fielding. One of the houses that we went to is just past the sign for the Idaho border. So now I can say that I have been to Idaho! It was so neat to be able to work with her and help her to be the best missionary that she can be. We spent a few hours raking leaves and we got to know each other pretty well. Turns out that I met her before she came on her mission! She came to the Ogden Temple open house, and told me that she had just got her mission call to the Ogden mission! It is so neat to now be able to spend time with her in the field!

Halloween was a pretty awesome time. We had two baptisms! A woman who has returned to church married her boyfriend that day, and then that evening he and her son from a previous marriage got baptized! It was such a wonderful baptism. Their spirits are so strong. Her husband has been working with missionaries for two years, and the first elder that found him was able to come and baptize and confirm them both! Since we just came into the area recently, we worked mostly with the little boy. He is so funny. He kept yelling at the elder baptizing him to get his name right! Then, after he went under the water he said "That tastes disgusting!" We were all cracking up. He told us afterwards that he felt really good and happy about being baptized. It was so neat to hear his mom bear her testimony, for her strong desire and goal to be an eternal family sealed in the temple. We are so excited for them!

That night we had the opportunity to watch the Saratov Approach with the missionaries in our zone. Talk about the perfect missionary Halloween movie! It was so intense but it was really good. It is based on a true story. It was so incredible to see how these elders kept faith and relied on the Lord and His plan for us. I am just so glad that I am serving in Utah!

This last Sunday we had the opportunity to perform in the mission's musical fireside. It was incredible! It was held at the

Logan Tabernacle, and it was packed with people! So many people came from our stakes, even some of our investigators! There is so much talent in the mission! I sang in a small women's group the song "Each Live That Touches Ours For Good". It was really pretty. I think my favorite piece was a number performed by a few elders and sisters called "My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee". It is based on the words found in Doctrine and Covenants section 122:

And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.

The Son of Man hath descended below them all. Art thou greater than he?

Therefore, hold on thy way, and the priesthood shall remain with thee; for their bounds are set, they cannot pass. Thy days are known, and thy years shall not be numbered less; therefore, fear not what man can do, for God shall be with you forever and ever.

I know that no matter what is thrown our way, there is a way to find peace. It is through our Savior, Jesus Christ. The power of God is above all things. I know that to be true. And I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to share that message with the people that I meet.

I love you all, and I hope that you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

And So It Goes

I love being a missionary! This is the best thing I could be doing right now. I just know it. I am so lucky to have an awesome companion, I love Sister Matheson! When things get hard or discouraging, she is there to make me smile and we end up crying because we are laughing so hard. We have seen many miracles this week.

We have a master key that gets us into all of the church buildings in our area. The key ring it is on is pretty flimsy, and it fell off. I set it aside, meaning to put it on a more secure key ring, but when I went to look for it later, I had misplaced the key entirely! This was bad news, because we need that key. Immediately we thought to say a prayer. After we prayed, we looked all over the apartment. We tore it apart! The key was nowhere to be found. At this point, I was pretty frustrated. I thought wow, I guess He's not going to help us with this one! We gathered our things and went to leave. As soon as I opened the door, I saw in the leaves on the ground, THE KEY! Let me tell you, I have no idea how it got out there. But this was a huge testimony builder for me. I have never had a prayer answered so quickly. I should have known, He wouldn't abandon us.

The Lord works in mysterious ways. On our way back from an appointment, we saw a big chocolate lab running in the busy street. Cars were not paying attention, and the dog wouldn't move! I honked my horn to alert the oncoming car, and the dog ran out of the way. We parked the car, and my companion tried to round up the dog while I went to knock on the closest door to find the owner. We found the owner, and she ended up being a less active member of the church, and she wants us to come back and teach her family! We got the dog back safe and sound, grateful for the divine intervention that led us to that family.

There is a lady who's husband just passed away last week. They had both expressed interest in joining the church, and one of the last things he said before he died was he wished he could have been baptized. His wife is struggling, it has been so hard without him, and when we asked her if she would like to be baptized, she said "Yes! I already talked to the bishop! Yes, yes, yes!" It will be so wonderful to help her to learn more about the gospel, and help her to have comfort in this difficult time. As her understanding of the Plan of Salvation grows, she will be able to face each day with even more strength and hope.

This gospel is beautiful. I really love it. I am so blessed to be able to meet so many incredible people, and so witness so many miracles!

I love you all, and I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

And At Last I See The Light

Sister Matheson, my baby!

This week was WOW. So busy! I picked up my new companion, my "baby" in mission terminology, and from the moment I met her, I knew that it was going to be great. Her name is Sister Matheson, and she is from Ohio. She has wanted to go on a mission since she was twelve years old, and she went out with the missionaries for seven months before she actually reported for her mission! Needless to say, she is a boss, and I will need to do very minimal training! She is ready to work and brings a sweet spirit everywhere she goes. Plus, she is super funny and we are having a blast together. 

Whitewashing (replacing two missionaries in an area) is a difficult process. We hit the ground running as soon as we got here, and called every bishop, trying to meet as many people as we could as soon as possible. We cover two stakes, so it is a big area with a lot of people! Luckily, Sister Matheson and I are on the same page... we are both clueless! Haha but everyone has been so helpful, we are finally getting our bearings. There have already been a few nights where we have been so busy that we had to split up and each go to separate lessons! It is exciting to have so many people to teach and help progress. 

We met a family and the father has not been baptized. He wants to be baptized so bad! The problem is, that both parents are trying to be divorced from their former spouses. The need to be married before he can be baptized, so that he is living the law of chastity. It is so frustrating to see someone wanting to progress to the waters of baptism, but for them to not be able to move forward! The bishop is working with them to move the process forward. Hopefully he will be able to be baptized soon!

We also met another couple. She wants to go to the temple, and her husband was baptized four years ago but doesn't go to church. He said that he has other responsibilities to take care of, namely providing for his family. He feels like he needs to support his family and work before he can give his time to the Lord. We helped him to understand that we need to trust the Lord. We had him read the scripture Mosiah 2:41. 

 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

If we put Him first, everything else will work out. We can't do it alone! And they need to be unified as a couple in their goals and what they want for their family. It has been so long since he has felt the spirit, we could tell that he just needs some reminding. His dad passed away a while ago, and he wants to be baptized for him. We are so excited to help them to be ready and worthy to go to the temple. 

There was another couple that we met with who are becoming active. the only problem is that he works on Sundays. We told him that he should pray, and pour his heart out to the Lord. It might be a while before he gets an answer, and he might not magically find a new job. But when we have righteous desires, and we continue to do what the Lord has asked of us, He will bless us for our obedience. 

I know that this gospel is true, and I am so excited to be able to share it with so many new people that I am meeting every day. Often people commend us for our sacrifice, but I feel so privileged to be here serving. I am the lucky one!

I love you all, and I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!

i'm off to the other side of these mountains!

Turn, and face the strain! It's a new transfer and big things are happening! I am going north in the mission, I am training a new missionary, we are whitewashing (taking over for two other missionaries), AND I am a sister training leader (STL)! Saturday night our mission president's wife, Sister Hiers, called and asked me if I would accept the calling to be an STL, which means that I will be over a few sister missionaries, to make sure that they are doing well and are happy. I said of course! I am excited to be able to interact with, get to know, and help support more of my sisters. Then an hour later, President Hiers called and asked if I would be willing to accept a calling. I said " ...another one?" He said "Oh who have you spoken to?" I said "Your wife!" Then he said "Oh yes! Well we would also like to you be a trainer!" WOW I was not expecting that! Of course I accepted the calling. Then I started to freak out. How could I possibly be qualified to fulfill all of these responsibilities? Sister Nelson said "You should pray!" Haha it is funny how in the midst of chaos and confusion, we forget the most simple and important things. I knelt in prayer and poured out my heart to my Heavenly Father. He calmed my heart, and I knew that it would all be ok. I would never be able to do all of this alone, but with His help, it will be possible. Now, every time that I start to get worried or stressed, I am filled with peace. I know that He is mindful of my needs. 

we love the temple!

We had a great last week of the transfer. We were able to go to the Ogden temple on Friday! We have helped to reactivate a less active couple, and they went through the temple and were sealed together and to their daughter for time and all eternity. It was so wonderful to see their family united, and to see their smiling faces, their hearts full, glowing with the spirit. It was such an incredible experience. I am so grateful for the temple, to know that it is the house of the Lord. I feel His spirit there so strong, and I am reassured that I am doing what He would have me do.

On Saturday we had the chance to go to a baptism for a little boy who we taught. He was 8 years old, but we had helped his family to come back to church. Before the baptism, we could tell that he was nervous. Poor little guy broke down crying. We pulled him aside and asked if he would like to say a prayer to help him feel calm. I talked to him about this wonderful step that he was taking, and how proud his Heavenly Father is of him. Making a change can be scary! But we helped him to recognize that he is doing a good thing, and that there was no reason to be afraid. We prayed, and he calmed down. After his baptism he was just fine, all smiles. His mother spoke to me after the baptism and said thank you so much for everything I had done for their family. She said now that they have been coming to church regularly, she has felt her Heavenly Father's love more than she has in a long time. I am so grateful to have the chance to help people remember the spirit that they have felt when they are living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only way to truly find lasting joy and happiness!

Change is the only constant. Somehow I keep forgetting that! Just a few weeks ago I told Hermana Egan t

hat I didn't feel like I was sacrificing enough, that my mission has been too easy. Honestly, I have felt so lucky to not have had any serious problems or struggles. Well, I guess Heavenly Father heard me, and decided I could use some more experiences to help me learn and grow! I am grateful that the Lord has trusted me with one of his daughters, to help her become a great missionary. We will see how things go!

I love you all, and I hope that you're smiling!

xoxo 

Sister Boman        

Meet The Mormons

This last week we had the special privilege of watching the new film, Meet the Mormons! It will be in theaters October 10, and if it is not showing at your theater, you can request it! The film is a documentary style that shows the lives of six different individuals, all who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The purpose of the film is to show that we are normal people! Just because you are a member of the church does not mean that you must abandon your culture, or change your entire life. It involves a change of fundamental beliefs and values, and gives people a way to find true and everlasting peace- for eternity! Each family was so beautiful and told a different story. The last family shown was a missionary mom, and I think we all were emotional! That one hit a little too close to home. Haha but it is a wonderful film, for everyone. If you are curious about what Mormons are all about, come and see the movie. Bring your friends. You will love it! Check it out!

We had a lesson with a sweet family who are all members but have not come to church in a long time. They are working towards being sealed in the temple for time and all eternity. The best part of the lesson was listening the the beautiful testimony of their 15 year old daughter. She has been going to seminary, a religious class offered to high school students. She said that she has been praying and receiving answers when she reads the scriptures. She feels peace when she is connected with God. It was so awesome to see her be a light to her family, and lift them up by her example. Reminded me of my stellar little sister!

This weekend was General Conference weekend! There were so many good talks. Heck, they were all good! And each one offered such specific and beautiful counsel. I loved Elder Bednar's talk. He gave an explanation of why we share the gospel, why we have missionaries, and why this gospel is spreading throughout the world. He shared the cutest story of his little boys. One gets hurt, and the other brings him inside to doctor the wound. He pours dish soap on the cut, then uses a whole bottle of ointment to soothe the pain, followed my multiple bandages all over his arm. The best part is, after the treatment, The little boy goes outside and wants to give all of his friends the same care. He experienced something good and comforting, and immediately wanted his friends to have the same experience. That is how it is with members of the church. We are not trying to sell a product, we are trying to share the sweet peace and happiness that we have experienced for ourselves. You can watch it here. 

Other themes from conference that I have been thinking about recently are to have an eternal perspective, and live your life now with the knowledge of where you face, and how your actions will affect your future. This last week we dealt with a few different difficult situations, but as soon as I put it in the Lord's hands, I felt peace. He strengthened me when I was weak. And I know that through Him, and thanks to this invaluable time here on the mission, I am becoming a better person- a disciple of Jesus Christ. 

I love you all, and I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman 

Raining Blessings

Our beautiful scenery!

This last week we had the privilege of hearing from Elder Arnold, a member of the seventy. First his wife spoke with the sisters, and it was so wonderful to have some much needed girl talk. We discussed our concerns and the things that we are struggling with, and it was so wonderful to see how strong these sisters are. There is so much power in the gospel, to give us hope for the future! Then we heard from Elder Arnold. He is a strong and bold man, who doesn't mince words. It was a great training about how we must always be improving, conscious that our actions are always moving us forward. An elder commented that "Our conversion of today is not enough for tomorrow". We must also be aware that there are people all around us that the Lord is preparing. Instead of going from point a to point b, we must always have our eyes open and our minds in tune with the promptings of the spirit, to be able to find those people. I am so grateful that we were able to receive his counsel to improve our ministry.

Homecoming football game!

This last weekend the local high school celebrated homecoming! One of the bishop's daughters was nominated as royalty and we went to support her and mingle with our neighbors and friends. We had our faces painted and I reminisced of my high school days. It was Sister Nelson's first football game! It was a lot of fun, and it was great to meet some more of the youth in the area. 

Saturday we had the chance to go to the General Women's meeting in Salt Lake! It was such a wonderful experience. We took a lady that has recently been coming back to church and her mom and sister. We received wonderful counsel from the Relief Society presidency as well as from President Uchtdorf. Many of the talks centered on the importance and blessing of temples. There was a touching video shown of many different women and girls sharing their experiences with the temple. What a beautiful testimony that all over the world, people are able to experience the blessings of the temple. They can be sealed together with their families, to loved ones who have passed, and they recognize power and blessings in their lives as they make promises to God through sacred ordinances. President Uchtdorf gave an excellent analogy that we have been talking about ever since the conference. He said that often we think of blessings being locked up in a big box, and we have to do certain things in order for Heavenly Father to unlock one. But it is not so. He said that "Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessings upon us, but it is our fear, doubt, and sin that, like an umbrella, block these blessings from reaching us". Blessings are constantly being poured out from heaven, but we must open up and allow them to rain upon us. 

We are continuing to meet with the young man (our golden investigator). He became concerned last week that he was only doing this for his girlfriend. He wanted to make sure that he was doing it for the right reasons, and so he had decided to postpone his baptism. Our district leader (one of the elders who helps to lead a group of missionaries in an area of the mission) came with us to a lesson. Our investigator was there, along with his girlfriend. It was an incredible spiritual experience. He prayed then to know if the Book of Mormon is true, and if Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God. As he prayed, the spirit overcame him. When he finished, he said "I feel incredible! I could hardly feel my body. I don't know how else to describe it, other than.... true". He received confirmation for himself that this is God's true church on the earth, and he now knows that he is making these changes because he knows, for himself, that these things are true. I am so grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost, to help us to navigate this life. His guidance has helped me countless times, and I am so privileged to see it help the people I meet every day. 

I love this gospel. I love all of you! I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

one of my doodles!

Temple Photo Booth!

Yes. I am a dork. Haha but it was so fun to run in to the reception tent as often as I had time, and when there wasn't a long line for the photobooth. I sent every picture to my mom, as a little hello  every once in a while :)

Golden

This week was golden!!! It was the last week of my golden year (of being 22 since my birthday is the 22nd) and it was fantastic. Let me tell you why.

There is a young man who we met at church a few weeks ago, and he told us that he wanted to get baptized! But he wasn't ready to meet with us yet. He went to church for a few more weeks, and we kept asking him. Finally we texted him last week and we set up an appointment! He is SO ready! He has been reading the scriptures and praying and he wants to be baptized. We helped him to realize that he is ready to make this commitment! He has felt the confirmation of the spirit and knows that this is the path that he wants to take. We do not need to be perfect before we are baptized, but the desires of our hearts must be true and pure. We must change how we are living if it is not in agreement with God's commandments, but we do not need to be scriptural scholars to be followers of Jesus Christ! He decided that he would like to be baptized this weekend! It is so incredible to see how much the Lord is preparing people around us. It is such a gift to be able to help them make these incredible changes in their lives.

We also had the wonderful opportunity to prepare for the Ogden Temple re-dedication by setting up chairs all through the temple! They cleared out every room, and we set up chairs everywhere! The re-dedication took place in the celestial room of the temple, and it was broadcast to every room so that people could be in the temple for the re-dedication. I felt so lucky to spend so much time in each room, admiring the beautiful artwork, architecture, and the incredible chandeliers. Beware of the chandeliers! Some of them hang pretty low, and when you're unfolding chairs you are bound to get a little preoccupied and might end up smacking your head on a big crystal. Haha oops. But other than a small headache, it was great.

The next day we were invited to participate in the Youth Cultural Temple Celebration! It's a huge production where youth from all over the greater Ogden area sing and dance and put on this big show about the history of Ogden and the importance and blessings of having a temple. They did such a good job! There was a part where they sang about missionary work, and a bunch of the missionaries here in the Ogden mission walked down the aisles and we waved and smiled and sang with them. We sang the song "Called to Serve". I got emotional as I listened to the lyrics:

Called to serve Him, heav'nly King of glory,
Chosen e'er to witness for his name,
Far and wide we tell the Father's story,
Far and wide his love proclaim.
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Onward, ever onward, as we glory in his name;
Forward, pressing forward, as a triumph song we sing.
God our strength will be; press forward ever,
Called to serve our King.

the Temple celebration!

Finally, Sunday came! The day that we had been working and waiting for ever since spring, when we found out that the temple would be completed by September. On Sunday morning, the beautiful Ogden temple became a house of the Lord. President Thomas S. Monson told us to love, appreciate, and attend the temple. I feel so incredibly lucky to have been so involved with literally everything leading up to the re-dedication of the temple, just short of getting in there and helping with the reconstruction! My testimony of temples and the wonderful gift that they are has grown so much. I am so grateful for the work that is done in these holy places around the world.

German chocolate cake!

Yes, I would say that this last week was a great way to end my golden year. For my birthday, our senior couple made us lunch and a delicious German Chocolate cake! It was soooo good :)

I am so grateful to be serving the Lord. Every day I feel His love, and I am learning and growing in so many ways. I am so grateful for all of your love and support!

I love you all, and I hope you're smiling!

xoxo

Sister Boman

Getting my hair done by my mini-me